**DISCLAIMER** if you do not want to read about potty issues or bodily functions (which probably applies to most people without young children), do NOT read this blog. Thanks! :)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm looking for advice on potty training - mostly on two topics. #1) How did you know that your child was ready to be potty trained? #2) What's the best way to potty train a child? Anything different for boys?
Let me first say that I am NOT in a rush to potty train Sam. We have had so much change in our lives over the last 2 months with the new baby, so I am not exactly looking to take on this new challenge of potty training Sam. Diapers seem easier right now since I already have to carry a diaper bag with me everywhere I go for Noah.
However, over the past few weeks Sam has done a number of things that have practically shouted to me that he is ready to be potty trained so I'm beginning to wonder if we should embark on this new challenge? Personally, I think he's a bit young for this, he JUST turned two on March 24th. I was planning on potty training late in the summer when he's closer to 2.5. But...he seems to have other plans.
We bought a toddler potty about a month ago and every night before bath time he practices sitting on the potty before bath time. Occasionally he pees on the potty and we get very excited and cheer and he helps us dump the potty into the big toilet and he loves to flush the toilet. He also loves to put toilet paper in the toilet - I don't think he has any idea what toilet paper is actually for, but whatever.
Anyway, so this past weekend, my Mom and I did the normal pre-bath potty routine and he sat on the toddler potty, peed, we cheered, he stood up and dumped the pee into the big toilet, flushed - and repeated the entire process...over and over again. VERY intentionally, he was controlling when he was peeing and would sit on the toddler potty and pee and then excitedly flush it down the big toilet, over and over again. We repeated this cycle about 8 or 9 times.
Then, he told us that he needed to poop. So he sat on the toddler potty and pooped! We cheered and then he flushed it into the big toilet. He then said he had to poop again, so he sat on the toddler potty and pooped again! He then wanted to try to keep peeing so he started to squeeze himself trying to make himself pee some more (does this actually work?? I have no idea!). This process of peeing on the potty 10 times in a row has now become part of our nightly routine which makes me think he knows when he needs to go and is able to control when/where he goes. Last night he peed about 14 times in a row.
On Sunday he woke up from a nap and was playing in his crib. I heard him saying "poo poo" on the monitor and then I watched him on the video monitor. He took off his pants and then took off his diaper too - which is when I went into his room. As I opened the door, he practically shouted "Mommy, I went poo poo" and handed me his very full dirty diaper with the poop in it. He didn't make a mess or anything, he just didn't want to be wearing the dirty diaper anymore!
Soooo, it seems like he's telling me that he's ready to be potty trained, right? I'm thinking we will just take an entire weekend in early June to go cold turkey from diapers to underwear. I've been advised to dress him in underwear and use the pull-ups diaper OVER the underwear so that he feels wet from the underwear but it won't make a huge mess when he has accidents. Anyone have thoughts on this?
We also have a big book of stickers that I plan to use as rewards for properly using the potty.
I'm also looking for advice about what to do during naptime and night time. Do we put a diaper on him during sleeping times? Or just stick with the underwear and he'll learn?
Thanks in advance for your advice and suggestions, I appreciate it!
Friday, May 20, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Adjusting to Life with Two Kiddos
I'm hoping to return to my blog once again now that I'm beginning to figure out how to care for a 2 year old and a newborn without losing my mind. We are amazingly thankful that Noah is such a terrific sleeper. For the past week he has started sleeping through the night pretty consistently - and I actually feel a bit like a normal person again! Last night I fed Noah at 930pm, I went to sleep by 11pm and Noah didn't wake up again until 545am! I actually can get through the day without feeling like a sleep-deprived zombie! We are so so grateful that our 7 week old baby is such a terrific sleeper!
However, then there are times when Sam is a bit overly eager to be around Noah and be affectionate. He loves to gently pat his head but every now and then he tries to squeeze his head so we are working to redirect Sam's kisses to Noah's legs and feet. I'm regularly entertained by the things I have to say to Sam - like, "Sam, please do not lick your brother's head."
Most of our challenges with Sam are not really related to his new role as a brother, but more due to the fact that he is dealing with some classic 2 year old challenges. He does not like to share and wants to do everything himself. He wants to push Noah's stroller by himself - so we work on "sharing" the stroller pushing so that he can "help" me with the stroller. He wants to carry Noah's carseat by himself, so again - we "share" carrying the carseat.
Sam is constantly pushing boundaries and trying to figure out exactly where the line is - what is he allowed to do and what is he not allowed to do? We try to choose our battles wisely, but sometimes there's just no reasoning with a 2 year old. The other day he threw a tantrum because Mommy couldn't make it rain any more! We drove through a strong rain storm which he loved, but when it stopped raining he kept asking me "Mommy, more rain please! More rain please!" Sorry Sam, but Mommy is not Mother Nature. He has endless energy and is speaking in sentences now. We can understand pretty much everything he says and he surprises us with new words regularly. Some of his new words include "motorcycle, computer, helicopter, firetruck, parachute, umbrella, and school bus." He is at such a fun stage that is equally sweet/gratifying - and challenging/frustrating.
Noah is a pretty easygoing baby and so sweet. He began rolling over at 3 weeks old and is very strong physically! He loves to eat and doesn't know when to stop eating, so we're learning to regulate that so we have less spit up. He sleeps through VERY loud noise (Sam is not exactly quiet). He loves to smile, coo, and he laughed for the first time this weekend!
He tracks objects beautifully and turns his head to look for me when he hears my voice. He is 10 pounds now, very cuddly, and pretty easy to comfort. He also likes to play on his playmat and bat at his toys. He enjoys staring at himself in a mirror and reaching for his image.
Life is never dull in our house, that's for sure. Brad and I are constantly on our toes and exhausted at the end of the day. We are LOVING the gorgeous May weather and spend a lot of time playing outside as a new family of 4! We are adjusting to life with 2 young children, but are so grateful to have such sweet, healthy, and happy boys. I hope to start blogging more regularly but wanted to post a small update about what we've been up to and how our boys are doing.
Sam is adjusting pretty well to being a big brother. He LOVE LOVE LOVES Noah. He wants to help us with everything. He pulls up a chair next to the changing table to help us change Noah's diaper. He has learned to gently pat Noah's back to help burp him. We pull up a stool next to the kitchen sink so he can help bathe Noah in the baby tub in the sink. He takes dirty burp cloths and puts them into the laundry hamper. For a 2 year old, he's a pretty fantastic helper.
 |
| Sam helping Brad bathe Noah |
However, then there are times when Sam is a bit overly eager to be around Noah and be affectionate. He loves to gently pat his head but every now and then he tries to squeeze his head so we are working to redirect Sam's kisses to Noah's legs and feet. I'm regularly entertained by the things I have to say to Sam - like, "Sam, please do not lick your brother's head."
Most of our challenges with Sam are not really related to his new role as a brother, but more due to the fact that he is dealing with some classic 2 year old challenges. He does not like to share and wants to do everything himself. He wants to push Noah's stroller by himself - so we work on "sharing" the stroller pushing so that he can "help" me with the stroller. He wants to carry Noah's carseat by himself, so again - we "share" carrying the carseat.
Sam is constantly pushing boundaries and trying to figure out exactly where the line is - what is he allowed to do and what is he not allowed to do? We try to choose our battles wisely, but sometimes there's just no reasoning with a 2 year old. The other day he threw a tantrum because Mommy couldn't make it rain any more! We drove through a strong rain storm which he loved, but when it stopped raining he kept asking me "Mommy, more rain please! More rain please!" Sorry Sam, but Mommy is not Mother Nature. He has endless energy and is speaking in sentences now. We can understand pretty much everything he says and he surprises us with new words regularly. Some of his new words include "motorcycle, computer, helicopter, firetruck, parachute, umbrella, and school bus." He is at such a fun stage that is equally sweet/gratifying - and challenging/frustrating.
 |
| Sweet Sam swinging in the sun! (Yes, I'm a poet, haha!) |
Noah is a pretty easygoing baby and so sweet. He began rolling over at 3 weeks old and is very strong physically! He loves to eat and doesn't know when to stop eating, so we're learning to regulate that so we have less spit up. He sleeps through VERY loud noise (Sam is not exactly quiet). He loves to smile, coo, and he laughed for the first time this weekend!
He tracks objects beautifully and turns his head to look for me when he hears my voice. He is 10 pounds now, very cuddly, and pretty easy to comfort. He also likes to play on his playmat and bat at his toys. He enjoys staring at himself in a mirror and reaching for his image.
Life is never dull in our house, that's for sure. Brad and I are constantly on our toes and exhausted at the end of the day. We are LOVING the gorgeous May weather and spend a lot of time playing outside as a new family of 4! We are adjusting to life with 2 young children, but are so grateful to have such sweet, healthy, and happy boys. I hope to start blogging more regularly but wanted to post a small update about what we've been up to and how our boys are doing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)