I must say that potty training went really well with Lily and Lexi. I have never put any pressure on it, cause I just don't care about when they get the hang of it. Can you remember when you were potty trained ... exactly ... so what does it matter !!!!! But in the whole process of potty training we had many laughs, and that's why I decided to do a post about our potty training adventures.
Lily became 2 in September. The summer before that, being around 18 months I aloud her to walk around naked out doors a lot. She would often wee, and quickly recognized the sensation just before a "leak".
Winter came, and we were bond in doors most of the time so potty training came to a halt. During winter she would do all her poo's behind the curtain (in her nappy of coarse). We would often talk about not destubing Lily cause she's in the loo, meaning behind the curtain. In a few minutes she would come tel us to clean her nappy. It had to happen promptly !!! She would NEVER walk around with a soiled nappy. We would always make a big thing of a poo and praise her for doing it. She felt VERY special when she made a poo, exactly what I aimed for !!!
Spring arrived in September. On sunny day's we played outside, and I would always have the potty outside and I encouraged Lily to sit on it. So she played on it, and we read many books on the potty.
One day, in October, she said she wanted to poo. I put her on the potty and viola ... she produced her first "drolletjie" in a potty. Ag we were thrilled !!! The whole household praised her and we sang a song about her pooing !!! Very special moment. And of coarse she got a smartie :)
She never pooed in her nappy again, being at home. By end November, 2years and 2 months she only used the potty. Going to the shops was a bit nerve wrecking always stressing where the closest toilet would be. So we chose to go the Mall's that suited our toddler's potty training needs. She refused to wear nappies from here on.
We also bought this very clever toilet seat, that little bums were comfortable on.
Lily preferred using the toilet from the beginning. With Lexi they spend lots of play time in the toilet. The big advantage of this was that Lexi saw what and how Lily used the toilet from early on. They loved looking at Lily's poos and flushing it away was very exiting ;)
Lily is very comfortable on the potty or toilet BUT her favorite is the small toilets often found in the family bathrooms. One in Clearwater's top floor bathroom, and this one at Papachino's in the shape of a frog. She just loves the small toilets. If I were a rich man I would have put one in our bathroom.
We also got a pink traveling potty for the car. This works really well. If we arrive somewhere and the closest toilet would be far away, she had to first try and make a wee in the potty.
At almost 3 years old Lily still sleeps with a nappy for her afternoon naps as well as nights, not negotiable. When she starts waking up with dry nappies we will do the final stage of potty training. Lily potty trained at the right age and that's why we have had less than 3 "oepsies" since she started. And these times were purely a lack of concentration and obsession with smarties, and not adhering to natures call :)
The one time it happened I did not have dry pants for her, and being in the middle of winter it was a huge problem. But thank goodness my friend Teryn was with, and I could borrow a tracksuit pants from her son, same size as Lily. Thanks Michael, what a lifesaver !!!
OK, then we have Lexi ;)
Her story is still in the making. Like I said earlier, she saw everything Lily did, and quickly wanted to do the same.
She will also turn 2 in September (3 more months). But she's not waiting for Spring. In April, being 19 months old Lexi one day said she wanted to poo. I put her on the toilet and much to my surprise she made a poo !!! I was so overwhelmed and impressed. We praised her, but Lexi was not impressed, she was actually quite frightened by what just happened. She gave the poo one look and burst into tears. Something quite normal if they are not potty training ready. They feel they lost something of themselves. But I went to sit with her on the floor and I talked softly to her explaining, she also made a poo like Lily and is's a good thing. I poured bubble bath and a flower from the garden in the toilet and we said good-buy to the poo and flushed it away. She was now happy to say good-buy.
At 21 months Lexi does most of her poos in the loo or potty. She still gets very exited about it and is up-and-down all the time. So the keep her "down" we have to read to her or sit with her to keep her company.
Doing some paper work :)
Lexi is not quite ready yet for potty training BUT insists she is. She has to wear a nappy in between using the potty. But I think she will be off nappies before 2.
The other day, she put Barney on the potty and made a wee next to the potty on the carpet, showing Barney how it's done :(
Lexi and Lily get treats when Lexi gets it right. So Lily really encourages Lexi to use the potty.
This was Part 1 of potty training.
