My crotch has taken a back seat ...

... to the adventures of POTTY TRAINING.

I don't know if you remember how I tried it back in July. I started trying to potty train Bubby as soon as I found out I was pregnant. I hoped she'd master it before the morning sickness hit. Well, we were unsuccessful (obviously). Bubby just wasn't getting it, I couldn't let go and relax, I was trying to micromanage, Bubby was starting to hate me and ... epic fail. I gave it four days. It was four days of pure hell.

You just can't potty-train when there's stress. It doesn't work. Trust me on this one. If you start to stress, or if you're kid is stressing, stop and take a break. Your nerves will thank you.

So. I decided to go back to diapers and try again later. Like, after my morning sickness went away. Which, it did, but was promptly replaced by those horrible headaches.

Now, the headaches are gone, Bubby is 2, my belly is still rather small-ish, and even though my crotch hurts something fierce AND I have some wicked new hemorrhoids (I know, you really needed to hear that)-- it's now or never. Things are only going to get harder from here.

And with that, we embarked on Potty Training: Part Deux yesterday. It started out uneventfully. I put Bubby in Elmo underwear and waited for the worst. Waited, waited ... accident. Boo. Changed underwear. Another accident. Then another. I was starting to feel really stressed again. And then, I remembered something I'd read a few times and heard first-hand -- you gotta let them run around with a bare bottom if you want them to learn quickly.

Somewhere in my heart of hearts, I knew I had to try it. So, off went the Elmo underwear.

And, what do you know? Success. Success. Success!!!

There were a few more accidents mixed in with the successes, but Bubby was getting it. The accidents were happening en route to the toilet. She was uncomfortable with them. She was noticing them. And she was going to the toilet on her own.

I went to bed plum-tuckered out, and scared for what today would hold.

Today has been better! Fewer accidents, more successes. She's still going commando, but it's OK. Whatever it takes for her to learn. Dill's a little mortified that his daughter is going to become a streaker, but I'm not too worried.

I'll keep you posted on how this goes. I hope by this time next week, I'll be able to tell you all that I am not buying diapers for the next five months. Cross your fingers!

P.S.~ I got another ultrasound on Monday -- baby looks great and he's still a boy! Unfortunately, the pictures aren't great; he was kinda smashed up against my uterus.