Odin on the big boy potty!

Potty Training 2.0

Here we go again with the potty talk... I know this probably seems a little odd to everyone, but this is the way that most of the world teaches their infants to potty: over a potty, a sink, the grass..whatever.
It may seem a little gross to let the baby pee in the sink, but we sanitize it regularly, and it's just the most convenient option at this point. Later, when he's stronger he will use Roman's little potty.

The amazing thing is that within 2 weeks of starting to do this regularly around 4 weeks, (offering him a chance to pee without a diaper), Odin started holding it and waiting. He will fuss and squirm until you take him, and then voila! Auntie Lisa got him to pee the first time she took him and after that, she was sold! It really is a lot of fun.

Yesterday, he went almost 24 hours with the same diaper, and kept it clean the WHOLE time. The bad part is, now he's fussing at me at 2:00 am when he wakes to nurse; he wants me to take him to the potty. I tell him, "Just pee in your diaper, Odin! Mommy's tired!" but he just keeps fussing until I take him. I don't think it makes sense to people unless they witness it, but it truly is remarkalbe what newborns are capable of. And, when you think about it, it really is pretty silly to "diaper train" a baby.

Odin peeing for Mommy at 4 days old (his first pee in the potty!) and for Daddy at 6 weeks.

Roman having fun on his potty. 

Here Roman has diapered his crane and is wiping its bottom. Too funny... He also really likes to help change Odin's diaper, although we hardly do anymore since he usually goes in the sink and we just wash his bottom there. I mean, really, who would want to sit in poo?

Roman and Odin peeing in the grass together.

Just like his Daddy

Potty Training (or should I say, "Man Training") COMPLETE! He will now lock us out of the bathroom, saying, "No, Mama! Roman, by self." If my phone is charging in the bathroom, he will grab it and then sits down and takes care of business- which might take 20 mintues since he's enjoying his stories on the phone. He does attempt to wipe, but I usually check too, and then he will often let me help him pull up his pants. Sometimes he asks me to come in and read to him but sometimes he lets me snooze on the sofa or I get a chance to check my email, which is nice.

All by himself...

This is a HUGE step in potty training. Roman now enjoys pulling his pants down (and up) all by himself, just like Daddy. He even holds onto it and aims it just right, and finishes with a little shake-shake.

The Potty Chronicles

I don't want to forget a single detail of Roman's life, especially his exciting potty-training adventures! So, here is a summary of the last six months:

Although we officially started late with what they call Infant Potty Training*, or Elimination Communication, for the first 8 months we would make a psss noise when Roman peed, say the word potty and make the ASL sign for bathroom. We noticed he liked to pee when his diaper came off or when we blew on his willy wonka, so we would often use the cues then. If I was to do it over, I would definitely start around 3 or 4 months. In the beginning, I thought it was very difficult and was sure I wasn't doing it right, but now I look back and think the whole thing has been so much fun, and such a learning experience, for both of us.

*It is interesting to note that in most cultures babies start potty learning between 0-6 months and are typically potty trained between 12-18 months. It used to be like that in this country too.

Around 8 months, I started sitting him on the potty first thing in the morning and within two weeks, he was going every morning and holding it longer at night. I noticed that in the middle of the night, sometimes after nursing he would be restless and if I took him to pee he would then drift quietly back to sleep. As long as I took him to the potty once or twice between 7 pm and 8 am, he usually kept a dry diaper all night long.

We also started trying to catch him pooping, which was pretty obvious, and get him to finish his business on the potty. He quickly learned to crawl over to me when I asked, "Are you pooping?" He realized that pooping in the potty felt much nicer than in the diaper. By ten months, mornings were going so well that I decided to start putting him on the potty after naps and sometimes after he ate.

It was around 11 months when we starting taking the little blue potty with us in the car. He was starting to get it and would give out a high-pitched scream when he needed to go, or if he did pee, he would come and tell you right away (by crawling over and climbing up your leg and whining).

By one year, things seemed to be going great! He was getting pretty predictable, actively trying to tell us, sometimes, and experimenting with using his potty sign language. Here's a picture of his T-Rex using the potty; this seemed to be good encouragement for getting him to like sitting on his potty.

Around 13 months, after that darn tooth came in, we seemed to be back on track, but it was kind of hit or miss, perfect days alternating with days with 2-3 misses. He mainly lets me know by his high-pitched scream or by grabbing his crotch. Also, it's weird how he's almost completely trustworthy when we're out and about, traveling or at someone's house; last week we spent a week at my mom's house and he barely had two misses the whole week!

Then 14 months rolled around and I guess he decided enough was enough, because the last week has been amazing!

Last Sunday: While playing in the living room, walked over to potty, sat and peed (with diaper on).

Monday: While playing (in the nude) walked over to potty, sat and peed twice today. Also, trying very hard to make potty sign.

Tuesday/Wednesday: Peed in diaper and on floor several times. Ughhh.....

Thursday: Decided that he likes being held over the big potty instead of sitting on his little potty. No accidents for several days. After getting out of the shower, walked over to big potty, lifted the lid and peed all over the floor; good try!

Saturday/Sunday: Consistently giving the ASL sign for potty every time. Enjoys being held over big potty, but will sit on little potty, sometimes independently and without prompting.

Monday: Today, we are working on peeing like a big boy. When he needs to pee, he will let us know by signing, or he will just walk into the bathroom. We help him get his pants down and he pees standing up into his little potty. I am surprised we are this close to being potty-trained and I am SO excited for the day he pulls down his own pants! I just ordered him some new pairs of tiny underwear from an EC site, so we'll see.....

Below is a video of his first time standing up peeing in the potty and him using his ASL sign.

Potty Party!

This is Roman's friend Azlyn. She is 8 months old and they like to play together. He loves to give her hugs and if she cries in her car seat, he will pat her with his hand. Sometimes he gives her toys, and sometimes he kind of whacks her with them, but he's usually very gentle as Gracie has given him lots of practice.

Porta-a-Potty

We went on a beach trip today, so we took a little potty with us.
Roman went the whole day without wetting his diaper. He even pooped
twice in his potty, yay! And, he knows enough to be very proud of
himself, as you can see.

It's a poop celebration!

Roman peed and pooped in the potty every time for two days and hasn't
had a single wet diaper! After he pees in the potty, I usually let him
run around naked for a little bit. Today, I was busy and didn't notice
him pooping while I was holding him the kitchen!

The ONLY way to poop

Roman has been doing a great job of peeing each time he sits on the potty. And, sometimes we are able to catch him mid-poop and take him and set him down on his potty; this time, he raised his leg up on the side and pooped away, quite proudly I might add. I won't mention how he tries to play with it after he's finished....that will just be our little secret (and maybe one to share with his first girlfriend).

He pooped in the potty! And, on my leg...

Every morning when Roman wakes up, we go into the bathroom and I sit on the toilet and he sits on his toilet and sometimes when I pee, he pees too. He's peed in the potty about 6 times now. Today, he sat down and started to pee, but then he started to cry a little and as I picked him up I realized it was b/c he was pooping! So, a little poop got in the toilet, but more poop got on my leg. So, we took a shower.

I know he's not ready to understand this yet, but as long as he thinks it's fun, I think it's good practice!

Funny face? Nope... He was pooping on the table!

He went pee-pee in the potty!

Sometimes when Gene changes Roman's diaper, he leaves it off and takes him into the bathroom with him and lets him watch him pee; and this time, Roman went pee-pee too! Right into the toilet and then he giggled like crazy. We know this doesn't mean he's ready to potty train, but hey, it's good practice!

Potty Training

We read somewhere that the best way to acclimate a child to potty training is to get him familiar with the toilet...no, just kidding. Gene just put in a brand new toilet and we thought it would make a good picture.