Can I get an X-ray over here?

Penelope must have the largest bladder ever!! We started potty training at 6:30 am, and she went pee 3 times by 7 pm. I know her diapers get really really full, but when Chris and I saw the actual amount of pee all over the bathroom floor we were shocked. Maybe she was holding it from the potty training pressure? I kept telling myself "Michelle Duggar has done this with 18 kids. I can do it with one!"

I guess I'm starting early by today's standards. 6 months ago she started playing potty with her little potty in the bathroom. Then she peed in it and for a month or two was peeing pretty regularly at home and school, but that stopped around July. Last week she said "poo poo" and ran to the potty. Twice in one week she told me, and we made it to the potty in time. She fits every readiness check list I've found. She even wakes up dry in the morning and after naps. And boy, she hates dirty diapers. She cried on our walk the other night because I couldn't change her diaper right then and there. The one checklist exception---"Child is in a positive state and does not say no to everything." I'm afraid how long I'll have to wait for this positive state!

All my mom friends have told me to take a potty training vacation week. Well, I don't have vacation time to devote to that...you know, brother's wedding and family beach vacation kind of takes precedence. So I thought I'd capitalize on the long weekend. I told Chris "Okay, tomorrow we are not going anywhere. We can maybe put her in a dress and go outside if it is warm enough, but other than that we are home." He was on board...until we had to put it into practice. Let's just say the day didn't start well. She threw the biggest tantrum about not wearing a diaper. I mean 30 minutes of screaming at 6 a.m. and did not want anything to do with big girl panties. At least in 10 years she won't have to hear "And when you were little you wanted to run around naked all day long" like my sister and I heard for years. After naptime we negotiated pajama shorts, which seems okay to me since she can pull them up and down. Rather than give you a play by play of the peeing, let's just say there was a lot of pee next to the potty. She did lots of sitting, except at the right time when she'd stand and cry. Maybe too much pressure from mommy and daddy? By the end of the day, our marital bliss was on the rocks (did I mention it was our anniversary?). Chris couldn't believe we really weren't going to enjoy the beautiful day, and we had both OD'd on Barney, Dora, and the 4 books Penelope wanted us to read over and over again. Once she finally went pee at 5:30, we went for a walk around the neighborhood. If tomorrow isn't better I guess I'll give it a few more months...

Here's a video of us by mid afternoon when we had lost our heads. One book gave a tip to give kids salty foods so they'll drink more. I didn't know 1 pretzel M&M could create that much blue dye!