It's the Fourth Day!

***Disclaimer--potty training update to follow! Read at your own risk!!!***

Remember how I said I would give Chloe four days to see how she did with this potty-training business? Well, Thursday afternoon has arrived and the week did not exactly go as planned. Chloe was very excited about the training on Monday (especially the treats!), and did quite well in learning how to pull her pants up and down, sitting on the potty willingly, and in general obeying my instructions. She had fun reading books with me and getting a treat (a goldfish cracker) every 5-10 minutes if her panties were dry! Monday afternoon she slept late and woke up cranky from her nap. I sort of dismissed it as "potty-training stress" and so we took a break after supper so she could relax and play for a bit before bedtime.

Tuesday came, and Chloe seemed less interested, and more clingy to me. She actually had her first success on the potty in the morning, but seemed really scared by the process of releasing on the potty. When it happened (somewhat inadvertently) she got fairly upset. In the course of the morning she wanted to sit on my lap a lot and be held, and I discovered that she felt a bit on the warm side. I tested her fever, and sure enough, it was up just over 100 degrees. We gave her some tylenol, which she loves, and she seemed to perk up. Tuesday night after supper she had more success on the potty, though again was fairly upset about it. We tried our best to cheer for her, give her treats, etc, but she just cried! The only thing that really made her happy was getting to empty the potty chair and flush the toilet.

Wednesday started out great--she got up in the morning and immediately released on the potty! Yay Chloe! She then had a couple of accidents mid-morning, where I saw some progress because the second time she had an accident she tried immediately to get to the potty and pull her pants down, even though it was too late. Her fever and lethargy continued, though; she was content to sit in my lap and listen to music, and even fell asleep for half an hour during the morning! She had more success on the potty just before naptime, but that was to be the last success of the day. After her nap she kept her panties dry, but wouldn't use the potty and in fact seemed to really not be feeling well. We had bathtime last night and it is entirely possible that the bathwater wasn't so clean towards the end of the time!

This morning she woke up at 4:30, crying and HOT to the touch. I gave her yet more tylenol and held her as she fell asleep again. She was truly not herself, and by now I was getting a bit worried. Normally a fever (especially without any other symptoms) runs itself out in a day or two, but now we're on Day 3 of fever with basically no abatement. She has felt better for brief periods when the medicine takes effect, but then the fever flares again and she gets listless and clingy. I've been in touch with an American doctor friend whom I hope can advise me; I looked in all my books and am not exactly sure what to make of her symptoms. Needless to say, we stopped the potty-training practice today and will wait until she feels better again to attempt it. Poor Chloe! It's been a stressful week for her! She fell asleep in her high chair at lunch--what a pitiful sight!

Though this week held a few surprises, I think a good foundation was laid. Hopefully when Chloe feels better, she'll have some renewed enthusiasm for "being a big girl." Clara Anne has been so sweet about it all, offering to demonstrate whenever needed! John took Clara Anne and a myriad of toys and books into his office space (our living room) with him each morning this week so that I could focus on Chloe, and Clara Anne did an excellent job of playing by herself. She is proud that she is done with that training and can be a good example to Chloe.

Hang in there, Chloe! You're on your way!