I'ts so stink'n hot and humid here in IL that this pic makes me cool off and feel much better!
Thanks.

I just love her swim suit! How adorable!!! Is she wearing a diaper under there or one of those paper things for the beach?

Uh, diaper? Paper things? She's going commando. She took care of business before we hit the beach so she's free and loving it.

Tee hee - what a hottie! A beach beauty if there ever was one!

speaking of taking care of business...how is the pottytraining going? or isnt it?

im jealous of your beaches...you have to wear water shoes at ours due to the lake of sand and sharp rocks. im glad she had a fun romp at the beach though!

Well I thought she was still doing the simi potty simi diaper thing still.

I'm so jealous--mine has forgotten all about the potty.

:(

Okay here is a weird question for all the successful potty trainers: How do you handle potty time in public rest rooms? I have a little boy (2 1/2) and he still sits to pee--any suggestions? I really need to nip this thing before he turns 3--realy good day care is what it will cost me if he doesn't learn.

I had no idea you could potty train so early! Congratulations. I guess my wee Simon is going to need a potty soon. Of course, he still doesn't have much interest in sitting still (he just turned one). When did Trixie grasp the reality of what the potty is for?

We've hit a frustrating point with the potty training. Trixie is great at going on the potty, but she's pretty slack about telling us when it's about to happen.

We are currently giving her M&Ms when she tells that she needs to go and then does it. The only real change in behavior so far is that we hear the words "emme nemmms" about 40,000 times a day now.

Hava: I'm not exactly sure when she made the positive connection. She has used the potty intermittently since she was ten months, but I don't think it was until about 18 months that it totally clicked.

Our daughter is about two weeks younger than Trixie and I've followed her website almost from the beginning. We started early with Ella on the potty like Trixie, and she would go in phases, sometimes sitting patiently, sometimes not, but rarely actually going. She's been able to tell us for a year or so when she is going (in her diaper) but wouldn't release on the potty. So we took one weekend where we lost the diapers and added sticker incentives. She had two accidents and was a pro in four days or so. For the first two weeks we just put her on frequently to make sure she wouldn't get distracted by playing and have an accident. But after two weeks or so, she comes to us and tells us everytime. I dreaded the thought of it, but it wasn't so bad. And to Samantha...Babies R Us sells a Sesame Street fold up potty seat...it goes in a ziploc bag and has rubber bumpers on the bottom and won't slip. It makes a much smaller hole so they don't fall through, and they don't touch the public toilet. It's great that you don't have to hover them over the toilet (especially good on your back as your child poops for 15 minutes in a California Pizza Kitchen restroom...I don't have that sort of lifting stamina!) It's about $10 and easy to throw in a big purse or small bag, and sterilize at home.

Ben:
I know the feeling about the M&M reward. My daughter just turned 2 and her reward is the little bubble gum balls. She wakes up saying, "Bubble, bubble!" And it doesn't stop! Now if she'd just go potty that often!
I'm trying to be as brave as Ella's Mom. We're having a boy in August, so I'm desperate to get her out of diapers.
One little question. What do you do for discipline? Has she started her "terrible two's" yet? People go crazy when Em gets in trouble and has to stand in the corner. She actually puts her nose in it and won't move until I get her out(2 min.). It's amazing. She does howl the whole time and you will catch a "MOMMA!" every ten seconds or so.

Em's Momma: Good question. I'll make a post about discipline soon-