Colleen, full of ... surprises

I took a calculated risk with our nearly 3-year-old girl this afternoon and left her in plain underwear, no diaper and no training pants.

In the past I've been burned, fairly often. Colleen has managed to hit the potty in time once per session or so, but not long term. So I always hesitate, figuring I'll have some laundry to deal with if I don't remind her constantly. And Sunday is the day Cate leaves for work at noon, so I feel like I'm playing goalie all day.

But I'm a glutton for punishment.

We got through the first bathroom trip alright -- I kept reminding her until she went. Then, shortly before we were going to leave for the grocery store, she waddled up to me with her pants and underwear at her knees. I figured I'd missed my shot and we'd be changing pants, but in fact, she was dry and announcing she needed to go.

So she went. And I thought, shoot, let's take this one step further. She's just gone to the bathroom and we're going out -- so I didn't change her into a diaper. And she passed that test with flying colors as well, using her potty as soon as we got home.

I'm feeling pretty darn good at this point. But the coup de grace (coup de brennan?) came perhaps a half-hour later when she calls me into the bathroom, shouting that she had pooped.I get there and she's sitting on her little Dora the Explorer potty and the first thing I do is inspect her pants, which are sitting around her ankles.

To my surprise -- perfectly clean!

She got to the potty in time for everything. Turns out to be a great gamble.