The good news is, no accidents today!

Kerri, she drinks water like a fish, that's one reason we have trouble with accidents! I try to get her to go every hour or two but when she guzzles two or three glasses of water in ten minutes, I can't get her to the potty often enough! With the summer fruits and veggies she's had a lot in her diet--watermelon, grapes, and beans were what she ate for lunch! She loves fruits and veggies. And, may I say, at the risk of Two Much Information, that her BM today reflected her meal. Thankfully she was on the potty when she "went". I did notice that she hardly strained at all and the whole thing was over fairly quickly. It's funny how she always bends over to look as she does it, she's very curious about the whole thing. I think the more difficult BMs in the past, though, did coincide with less fruits and veggies in the diet, because we were low on them, or she didn't want any at that time.

About the move, she was very excited about it, she'd seen the house twice before we moved and kept chattering about the backyard, the flowers, the swingset, she was eager to move to the house. However, once we moved, she showed a lot of insecurity, which may be near the heart of the issue. She won't go into the backyard by herself, she has to know where we are and if we aren't where she thinks we are she gets very upset. She thought I was in the garden a few days ago, but when she couldn't find me there she fell apart and cried miserably until she saw me again, despite the fact that Daddy was in the backyard with her. I'd gone to the front yard to move the sprinkler. And that's happened several times inside when she thought I was in the kitchen but was in the bathroom or something.

So she's happy with the new house, but she's insecure, and keeps asking me when we're moving again. I keep telling her we are here to stay, this is our home, we're going to live here all the time now. I think the permanence is just going to have to sink in over time.

I did notice a few days ago that when she starts to run madly around the house at top speed for no apparent reason, she needs to go potty. It's as though she doesn't know what to do about it. I now think physically, emotionally, and mentally, she's just got a couple of short circuts, so to speak. Maybe as we continue to unpack and get her things about her, she'll settle in.

Going barebottom doesn't work at all with us. I tried it for three months, but we had so many doctors appointments and playgroups and errands and things that she was only barebottom a few hours a day when we were home. She'd simply poop on the carpet or pee on the couch.

My least favorite is when she poops in the bathtub. She's only done it twice since we moved, but boy does that take a while to clean up. And it's frustrating, because the potty is right there, three feet away. And the most frustrating thing is trying not to be frustrated when I am, and trying not to get upset or angry when she spreads poop all over the place, and trying to be supportive and understanding when I often don't understand.

I do really try to not place any guilt or shame on her for accidents, I try to be matter of fact and calmly reminder her that we go pee and poop in the potty to keep our panties and ourselves and our home clean. I try to not place a stigma on accidents, but when I'm tired or when it's the third time that day, those things creep in to my dealing with it.

And I agree with you about pull-ups. I HATE pull-ups. They are a total impediment to potty training, studies show that it takes children longer to potty train when they're used, and as a person who worked in three different daycares, I can honestly say they're a pestilence on this planet. When you have nine two year olds to change in the winter, all of whom are in pull ups, it takes friggin forever, because you have to take off the pants, the shoes, then put them back on, it makes a twenty minute changing schedule turn into a fourty minute one. I only use them at night because I can't handle the wet bed every night. I tried it in the beginning of potty training, and I just can't handle it. Changing the sheets, blanket, pillow, and her clothes at two a.m. then again at six a.m.--that lasted a grand total of three days. Forget it. I despise pull ups, but that's what she's gonna have to wear until she's dry at night.

And you're right, she knows what they are. No matter how many times I explain that these are pants to wear at night, she calls them diapers. But what else can I do? I won't change the sheets twice night every night, I just can't do it. I am not a supermom. I'm not even a great mom, I'm a "good enough" mom. As such, I have my limits.

I'm calling around in the morning for pediatricians on this side of the river. And a doctor or two for me, as well. I need some blood tests and new prescription written out, I'm on my last refill of my sythetic thyroid. Can't let that go.

Thanks again, all for your comments and suggestions, this has been a big help to me. Big hugs and kisses all around.
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May The Hair On Your Toes Never Fall Out

--Traditional Hobbit Blessing