Last Friday Mads and I were happily going about our day when she announced to me that she needed a wee and that she didn't want to do it in her nappy, she wanted to do it in her potty.  To say it surprised me was an understatement, we have had a potty in the bathroom for months but bar a couple of 'number two's' every now and again, she hasn't been particularly interested in it.

I duly took her nappy off and she did a wee in the potty.  To which I praised her.  She then did another one.  To which I praised her some more.  I then decided if she was interested then maybe we should just go for it.  I hadn't wanted to do it until the summer while LL was so small but we decided to give it a go.

Saturday morning we got up and went and bought a new potty from Kiddicare to get her excited about it.  We said she could choose whichever one she liked, so she proceeded to choose a big flushing £30 duck potty.  So we said she could choose any one she wanted...except that one!  In the end she chose a nice much more reasonable pink one.

We then went to the supermarket and let her choose a few packs of 'big girl knickers'.  Naturally Peppa Pig made an appearance.  

And that was it.  Our potty training experience had begun.

I decided to go down the route of putting her in pull up's when we are out and during nap times and bedtime.  I know that some people don't agree with them because they think they aren't much different to nappies and therefore they won't learn, but I am too scared at this early stage to take her out without at least a bit of added protection.  However when we go out I have been putting her in big girl knickers with the pull up over the top so hopefully she will feel the sensation that she is wet.

The weekend was a bit hit and miss as Sunday we went to Essex for the day and so she wore a pull up most of the day, although she did do a few wee's when we stopped.  Monday was our first official day of starting and all went well.  She had one accident and one number two accident as she seems to be a bit fearful of going on there to do them- apparently everyone I have spoken to has said this is quite common.

Tuesday she went to her Auntie Emma's for the day and she said she was really good and had two little accidents, mainly because she gets cross with you continuously asking her but almost doesn't know to go of her own accord.

Wednesday she had no accidents at all but still wouldn't do a number two, getting quite upset when I asked her about it.  Both of us were getting better at reading the signs so I didn't ask her quite as much, a couple of times she went over to the potty herself and a couple of times I could tell and so asked her and she went.

Thursday she went to her Auntie Paula's for the day and she wore a pull up while they were out and about and it was dry when they got home.  She did a couple of wee's in her potty, and then when she came home she did two poo's which I was so pleased about as I think she is still a little nervous about doing them.  She didn't have any accidents all day.

All in all I am so incredibly proud of her for being so good so far.  It is still so new for her and only to have four accidents in the first week is so good. It is getting better each day, and although we still are wearing pull up's when we go out and at nap and bedtime, I am still really pleased with how we are getting on.

Let's see how the next week goes.

This pretty much sums up my week in photos...

I'm so proud of my big girl.

EDITED- Today we went out shopping with my sister for the day and in the morning before we left Mads decided she didn't want to wear pull up's out.  I had a small panic but decided to go with it.  We were out nearly all day and she had no accidents at all- she did three wee's and two number two's while we were out and asked me every time she needed to go.  

I'm even more proud of my big girl!

This week we have had a little milestone in the life of our little girl.  On Thursday I went shopping with my Grandma for my birthday and needless to say we had a wonderful day.  We went out for a yummy lunch and also both got thoroughly spoilt with some new clothes.

However the most important part of the day was in the afternoon when went to buy Mads her very first pair of shoes.  Having been cruising around the furniture for some time, in the last couple of weeks she has been brave enough to let go and start walking around on her own.  By no means is she an expert yet as normally she will take a good twenty or so steps and then fall down on her bottom.  However we thought it would be a good idea to check out the shoe situation as all her white tights and socks were getting filthy when she demanded to go down on the floor when we were out and about.

We went into Clarks (doesn't everyone get their first shoes from Clarks?!) and the lady who served us was wonderful and so helpful- we decided that because she was still a little unsteady on her feet we would get her cruisers as they had softer soles.  I was a little concerned about wasting my money on those when she would hopefully be completely walking soon but she explained they can still go outside in them so I was soon sold.

The lady measured her feet and Mads was very good, even giggling because it was tickly.  Then being a little girl who takes after her Mummy, it came down to the important decision of choosing which pair to take home.  She kept pointing at a red pair and I had to explain to her that while red was lovely and she did indeed have red clothes, most of her clothes were pink and so we had to think practicality over fashion!  In the end she decided she rather liked the ones her Mummy had picked and so the decision was made.

She had a little walk about in them and decided they were just too trendy to take off so we kept them on.  We got a little certificate and also got a photo of her and her Great Grandma who very kindly offered to buy them for her.  I will treasure the photo forever.

After a while we were out the shop, and Mads proceeded to show every passer by her new shoes.  She also spent the rest of the day trying to learn how to say the word shoe and kept giving us the biggest beaming smiles when we said 'lovely shoes.'

It sounds silly but I got a little emotional by such an important first milestone.  After all how important are her little precious feet?  Those first shoes are going to help her on her journey into a fully fledged walking expert and will look after those little tiny sausage toes.  

The feet that will help her run around and play and enjoy her childhood.

The feet that will need to stay firmly on the ground at times, even though her head may be in the clouds.

The feet that may well stand on their tippitoes to help her achieve her first kiss.

The feet whose toes will painted and preened and that will develop blisters from dancing until the early hours.

The feet that will one day walk down an aisle with her Daddy into a new life of her own.

Thinking about all the things those little feet will do one day makes a regular shopping day and buying her first shoes a very important milestone indeed- don't you think?

I will treasure the memory of my Grandma buying my little girl her first pair of shoes just like she bought mine all those years ago.