Monday, February 27, 2012

Adventures in Pottyland

I must admit this venture started much earlier than I expected. I don't think I thought it would happen for another year...

Last summer the kids in Jack daycare were all learning about the potty, about average age of 3, he would watch them all learn and came home squatting on pots and buckets making peeing noises. We thought it was silly, and so early (18 mos) but had read to act on potty training when your child is showing interest in the potty and that a child comfortable with the potty as a familiar object in the home is more likely to use it easier. So with a random trip to ikea one day I picked up 2 el cheapo' $2.99 potty's to throw in each bathroom. I thought, even if he never touched it, at the very least i have lost 6$.  This way if he was interested that he can play with them or whatever he wanted.  It lived in the living room for some time, a good bucket for cars and snacks and became one of his toys.. a lime green potty in the living room, what a conversation starter.. lol. He would fake pee complete with peeing noises and lots of naked potty sitting while watching tv, putting it on his head and soon enough even his animal friends were beginning to use the potty too, Original Dirty Dog, the imposter, # 3 and Blue, Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse, they all looved to use the potty and would often find them sitting on the pottys in the house. We talked to him a lot about the potty, let him come into the bathroom to see that we all use the potty. Mommy and daddy and talked to him about Amma and Papa and Aunties and Uncles, we ALL use the potty. Most recently my niece has been learning so this was even more great exposure.

It wasn't until past November that on my Birthday he gave me the gift of a poopoo in the potty! While he was having some naked diaperless time  (which we would do each morning for a few hours), He on his own, went to the potty! I was so amazed, so proud, and totally shocked!! With lots of praise we took the potty out of bathroom and brought it to live in the living room. A month went by with very little interest it wasn't until Christmas eve that he decided would be a great time to peepee! wowow waayy to go!! January became a blur of hit and misses, many floor clean ups and great successes! But with a no pressure approach he seems to be more interested than when if we would force him to sit on the potty to go. He figured out his own way, trying for a while doing it like daddy and standing up leaning against the wall, (lol!)  trying to aim, sitting down, learning when to control pee, how to controll and learn when its coming and when its too late ("mommy, i pee... i wet"). It is still a process but it seems to be coming along. Its been a few weeks now of steady peeing everyday at least once in the potty!

Last week we were at my brother and sister in laws and saw they have a sticker wall, where my niece gets a sticker for every peepee or poopoo in the potty. I thought it was a great idea and decided to do out own version of the sticker wall but it would become a mighty potty of stickers! where we place the stickers on the potty! Once we started this the peepees and poopoos started flowing! He was so happy to recieve stickers that he could put on his very own potty! We have had 3 days now of 3 and 4 pees or poos in the potty PER DAY!!! One day he only used 1 diaper! 1 pee! dang that's freak'n awesome!!!  I am so proud!

We are still in the process but I am proud to say I think we are on the way and he is getting it! the mornings are consistently going pee and poop right up until his nap at 1pm. He gets excited when he goes, has a big smile on his face and yells "PEEEPEEE COMING!!!" right before he has to go. He is so excited to show us and take his pee and poo to the toilet and flush it down and wave and yell "BYEBYE POOPOO!" His proud little face smiling up at us and picks and collects his sticker and places it carefully on his potty. I think this has to be the most joyful potty training I have ever encountered. no pressure, just the pure joy of him wanting to do it on his own. I love it! I'm not holding my breath but it would be great if he got it by the time the baby came. I think it is us now that it has to really change our habits too. Its easy at home but taking him out, making sure we ask him if he has to go and really listen when he tells us. I am loving the stress free potty and loving that he is establishing such independence. 2 years old and 1 months, Mommy and Daddy are SO proud of you! Way to go little man!

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