I'm warning you now, this post is all about my child and his bathroom habits, so if that's not your sort of thing it's okay to just look at the cute pictures and move on. =)
Sometimes motherhood throws you for a loop and this one's s doozie! People are going to think I'm crazy, but this boy is totally potty training himself. I swear. No joke.
For a few months now, Jonah (who will be 18 months on Friday 4/19) has been really interested in the potty. He has spent a lot of time with his cousins learning to go on the potty at NaNa's house. He started wanting to put little wads of toilet paper in the toilet like he's seen everyone else do. Why are kids so obsessed with toilet paper by the way? I have also occasionally put him on the toilet just to make it normal. I know lots of kids are scared when they start training so why not go ahead and skip that step if I can.
About a month to a month and a half ago, he started telling us "I pee pee" and even "I stinky" or "sticky" not sure which- both certainly apply here. Sure enough, each time he'd tell us, he would need a diaper change. This left Wesley and I just kind of looking at each other like - should we put him on the potty? and answering nah - he's too young.
This continued on and off then, I just happened down the isle at target and spotted the WeePOD
. I didn't buy it that day but went home and told Wesley about it. He went a few days later and brought it home. I had decided I didn't really want a kiddy toilet (1) because there's not really room for it in the bathroom where Jonah takes his bath (2) the sooner he trains on a big potty, the easier I feel it will be for him to go places other than at home (3) our dog is cray - enough said. |
| please excuse the dirty feet. yes we are from the south and go barefoot outside. lol |
Using the potty seat, we started putting him on the big toilet before baths, and after a few days he started saying "I pee pee" and running to the bathroom just like his cousin does at NaNa's house. Then, twoish weekends ago, he actually went on the potty and when he went back to NaNa's he asked her all day long to go pee pee.
A few times I've kind of ignored his request because I felt like I triggered it by telling him that I needed to go - but it never fails if he says I pee pee - you better bet he either JUST went in his diaper or he goes the next minute. Many times he tells us and I get him on the potty just when he needs to go #2 even if he has already wet his diaper.
It has amazed me that he has been able to control himself. I do not think he can hold it, but I do know he can make himself "go". He does go #1 and #2 on the potty and knows he's gone and what to do. He just doesn't do it consistently and we aren't pushing it.
He still only wears Size 4 diapers (5's swallow him!) and as far as I know training diapers only come in 2t/3t at the smallest. I definitely don't think he's ready for any kind of underwear, but what do we do?
I've considered cloth diapers with inserts as trainers, and then eventually take the insert out? I don't know, cloth diaper mama's - how would/do/did you train your child?
By the way I was very hesitant to post potty pictures in fear that later in life he will post pictures of me on the toilet as revenge...or something like that, but a friend on IG encouraged me to take the pictures because she cherishes hers so much! So, I did get my camera out before bath one night last week and there are some really great shots of him, but for risk of repercussions I am just showing the bits and pieces of his potty time.
(affiliate link)- I don't think it's been on the market very long but we like it so far!Linking up with Mandy at A Sorta Fairytale
You have no idea how lucky you are!! Potty training my oldest was a nightmare!! I started my oldest when she was about 12 months but she didn't train until after she turned 3. I put my Eli on the potty almost every day and he's never peed or pooped in the toilet. I think your next step will be somewhat dependant on your childcare provider. She may not want to help you potty train an 18month old, or she might be completely supportive. My advice is, support him and respond to him but don't push it until you are 100% ready to never buy another diaper ever again. He'll probably train himself the rest of the way. A friend of mine gave me some cloth diaper potty trainers called Scotty Potty. She gave me a huge bagful, I'd be happy to mail you a couple so you can try it out. I was also thinking that the Huggies has some EasyUps that are just diapers that are easy to pull up and down easily. Pull-ups are pretty much worthless as a potty-training aid. It's better to just put them in underwear and keep extra clothes with you for a few weeks.
ReplyDeleteLove love love the photos you posted!! They turned out SO nicely!!
Hi! Found you from Mandy's site and I gotta say I love your photography - but I can hardly read your post, the font is sooooooo small! :) Regardless, I agree with your IG friend, take pics as you have, you really will cherish them!
ReplyDeleteYes, take the pictures even if you don't post them anywhere for the rest of the world to see! :) Print them out and keep them safe. Those will be your best treasures one day....
ReplyDeleteI kind of wish my little one had someone to look up to in way of the potty, when it comes to young kids anyway. We are doing the potty training thing, and he hardly ever tells us. He has gone to the potty plenty of times though, so we are hopping he will get the idea of telling us soon. Specially out in the stores.
ReplyDeleteI only hope that our potty experience goes as smoothly as yours is going. My son is only 15 months old so I guess we have some time yet. You have beautiful photos and an adorable little guy. New here from Mama Memoirs, looking forward to following along with you.
ReplyDeleteBennett did this exact same thing when he was 18 months. He would tell me when he had to go #2, and he went on the potty pretty consistently for a couple of months. Pee was harder, he didn't always tell me before, but if I sat him on the potty, he'd go. But we never pushed it because we thought he was too young. Then, Easton was born and Bennett completely regressed. I had heard of the happening, but didn't really think anything of it. Well, it's true. He's 3 y/o now and STILL not potty trained. And I think to myself "I really should have pushed a little more when he was showing so much interest last year!!" I kick myself, hard. So... I'd say run with it!! Obviously, you don't wanna push it too hard, but definitely don't give up. Stick with it and continue to encourage it!
ReplyDeleteI am now hoping and praying that my son does this. I'd say let him lead; put him on the potty every time he asks and keep him in diapers, if you want. It's still potty training.
ReplyDeleteAlso, CUTE pictures! They're not the embarrassing kind, I don't think.
Go for it! Get him some training pants and just go for it! They'll fit better than you think - wash them in hot water once to shrink them up a bit and they'll be fine. Allie was (is) a tiny thing and they were fine on her at 18-20 months.
ReplyDeleteAustin, my oldest, started on his own. He actually night trained by 15 months. My 20 months he was completely trained. Jake was hard because he was at daycare at that time and no other kids in his class were working on it so his teacher didn't do much w him.
Allie was easy too. She just started telling me one day and within a week (while she was on a tummy upsetting antibiotic - eek!) she was done for the most part.
I think him being w your mom during the day will help. I know she has the other kids but for the most part she'll be able to take him as soon as e requests it. Boys tend to be tougher to train so if hes interested, DO IT!
Happy Potty-ing!
Stacey
Aww. Love these!! So cute. Good luck with the potty training!! Dustyn didn't get the hang of it till right before his third birthday and I haven't even started with Carsyn.
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