Not sure what it is...

This post is more for my documenting purposes than anything else, but this past week and a half have been a fun week for Blake and myself. (Well, besides for Aubrey Rose and I getting sick...that part is not so fun.) But, for almost 2 weeks Aubrey Rose has really turned a corner and has figured out this whole potty training thing. All of you who have gone through this process would know how exciting that step is! We are so thrilled!
We started the process (definitely not planned at the time) about 2 months ago. She received big girl panties for her 2nd birthday (from my wonderful sister and bro-in-law) and from that day on she has been wearing them ever since. She started out excellent! I really couldn't believe how well she was doing without any real tactics or training from our part. We just took her all the time throughout the day. She didn't ever tell us, we just took her. I think the biggest help to that was prior to big girl panties, for MONTHS, we had been taking her to the restroom almost every time we went ourselves. Then, the big girl panties were introduced....BIG 'ole party when she received them. She was SO excited, as we were too. She got a treat every time she went. She had a couple of accidents here and there, but we couldn't believe how quickly she got it. Good to go. Well, for a couple of weeks. Then, she started having accidents. She would have a couple of days being dry and days in a row of accidents. Weird. Then, a sweet friend (thanks Kim!) suggested trying to give her a treat at the END of the day if she stayed dry ALL day. So not a treat each time. Instead a special treat at the end of the day. I started it the next day and she has been dry every day since! Each day it has been different kind of treat. A balloon, stickers, M&M's, etc. She has LOVED it!! I filled a special box with goodies of things she gets to choose from every night. Don't tell Aubrey Rose, but all the toys in the box are ALL toys that she has had, but has not played with for forever. She has not noticed yet! So don't spoil her fun! Hey, it has worked, right?!! :)
So I am not sure what it is. Maybe a bigger challenge? We all like to be challenged in life. A challenge makes each of us a stronger, better person. At first, sometimes those challenges make us feel uneasy or not capable, however when we look back at those trials we are usually better because of them.
For Aubrey Rose, this challenge has helped her (and us!) tremendously! :) She all of sudden tells us EVERY time she has to go. She has not had any accidents. She also (I know probably too much info) but she successfully goes #2 on the potty now! (Before this, she usually would save them for diapers at nap/or mornings when she woke up or of course an accident during the day in her big girl panties.) I am praying we have turned a HUGE corner. She is 2 years and 2 months old. Either way, Blake and I are so thankful and proud of how far she has come.