LittleBrother is potty trained.

In the winter of 2007, BigBrother and I had to skip weekly coffee with my friends for weeks as he struggled to make heads or tails of his bodily functions. This time around we didn’t have to skip anything. Why? We didn’t get to go anywhere for three weeks anyway due to the weather. Therefore, LittleBrother got three weeks of running around the house in a shirt, underwear, socks and sometimes slippers. Sometimes he threw a pair of Babylegs into the ensemble and cute pictures happened.

Some people do hole up in their homes with their potty interested toddler. They turn down invitations. They avoid the store. They run out of food, starve and everyone goes insane. You know, kind of like what happens when twelve inches of snow get another six inches of snow and then get topped with three more and then some freezing rain as a cherry on top of the sloppy sundae of winter. We had no choice. We were stuck at home. Why not parade around in underwear, sit in the hallway outside the bathroom and put stickers on a piece of construction paper? What else was there to do?

We were brave. Or silly. Probably a little of both. He wore underwear to the calling hours and the funeral last week. Unlike BigBrother, he has no fear of public restrooms. In fact, he adores them. We visit them. Repeatedly. On every trip outside of the house. It’s been interesting but productive. Literally.

He still occasionally has a small accident. The other day, we were taking out the trash during naptime. We came back into the house to hear LittleBrother at his door, his little voice coming out from under, “Sorry, Daddy.” It’s okay, Bubba. Accidents happen. We do some reminding, of course, but he also asks and tells us when he needs to use the bathroom. It’s quite shocking. Writing about it is kind of brave. He’ll probably decide tomorrow that baby diapers are all the rage and I’ll cry.

Maybe it was the book. Maybe it was all that sign language we did with him before he became (wicked) verbal. Maybe it was the awesome underwear he got for Christmas. Maybe it was following anyone who went into the bathroom so that privacy was a thing of the past. Maybe he was so tired of being at home that he created a new challenge for himself (and for us). Maybe he was just ready. I don’t know. All I know is that, except for nights, we’re done with diapers. (Night time readiness is a physiological response, not a matter of training.)

So, despite the cold, long, annoying winter, I’m thrilled that LittleBrother is potty trained. He’s even wearing pants over his underwear during the day now.  I maintain that pants are overrated but apparently it’s appropriate to wear them outside the house. Maybe we’ll stay in just a few days more. (Out of necessity. More snow on the way. Woo?)

(By the way, on the post I linked to March of 2007 and in the picture of LittleBrother in February 2009, the boys are wearing the same shirt. Apparently it’s a potty training favorite because it’s short in length which means no pee on it. Win.)

Even Firefighters Go to the Potty: A Potty Training Lift-the-Flap Story

The book itself is not all about firefighters. The front cover and first two-page-spread feature a firefighter. The rest of the book features other people that young children tend to think are cool: police officers, baseball players, construction workers, doctors, astronauts, waiters, pilots, train engineers and zoo keepers. Each page features a scene in which a character has gone missing because he needs to use the potty. The firefighter example finds the other firefighters scrambling to the truck to respond to an alarm but the firefighter who drives the truck is missing. Where could he have gone? Lift the flap… he’s using the potty because even firefighters go to the potty. Rinse repeat with all of the other characters.

LittleBrother thinks this book is hilarious. He loves lifting the flap, announcing where the character in question is and giggling at the absurdity of it all. That, of course, might be the problem. I really think he might believe the book is absurd, a fictional tale about adults going to the bathroom. Of course, that’s not the fault of the book. LittleBrother is just silly.

You might have noticed my heavy use of the masculine pronouns. The only female who uses the potty (shown washing her hands, which is another great point to teach with) is the doctor. Everyone else is male. I mean, I’m all for women being doctors but, really, they could have thrown in one more mail, don’t you think? That negative aside, the children and adults in the book have a variety of different skin tones which is something we always like to see in our books. Win some, lose some, I suppose.

One final and big bonus of this book for both parents and children: the strong, durable pages. They are glossy and have a coating that I would liken to plastic but, trust me, it’s not plastic. If you go to test the pages to find out if they can rip, trust me, they can. The good thing that is unless you’re actively trying to rip the page to write about it in a review, you’re unlikely to rip it. Even LittleBrother, zealously lifting the flap so that he can laugh at the silliness of it all, hasn’t yet ripped off a flap or torn it at all. That’s a big selling point for me when it comes to books like these!

So, yes, we’ve been reading a lot of Even Firefighters Go to the Potty around these parts. That and another funny book (How to Potty Train Your Monster) have become bathroom reading staples. And, really, anytime reading staples as of late. Hopefully they help LittleBrother decide that using the potty isn’t something just to laugh about and he makes the final journey into underwear. I think it’s soon. Or, rather, I hope it’s soon.

_
[Disclosure: Links are through Amazon Associates.]

I’m okay with this!

A few months ago we received Potty Training Made Easy with the Baby Signs Program Complete Starter Kit. I kept it in the box for awhile as he hadn’t shown any interest in the process at that point in time. And then, last month, he started saying the word potty. (Pah-ee! Pah-ee!) Whenever anyone would go into the bathroom, he would follow behind, talking about the potty. Then he started wanting to sit on the big potty. Then we bought him a little one. And while he hasn’t gone, he sits daily, talking about his male genitalia (pee-ahhs), pee, poop and pah-ee.

Color us shocked.

So, I broke out the sign language program. I read the accompanying parent manual about why starting the training process in the 12 month to 24 month age range was a great idea. I agreed with most of what was said, having already potty trained one child. (I also know that being strict with your ideas regarding what will and will not work can set you up for failure.) The manual, however, does have many things that we agree with (especially since we potty trained BigBrother based on Elizabeth Pantley’s The No-Cry Potty Training Solution).

And then we started watching the DVD every few days. LittleBrother enjoys the real kids more than the animated babies. (He’s likely used to Signing Time videos.) We also regularly read the train book that came with the kit. (It’s a lift-the-flap book which are all hugely popular with LittleBrother right now.) While he has done nothing in the potty, we currently have a child who is not scared of the bathroom or the potty. He knows what goes on in the bathroom and the potty. He knows the appropriate signs (more, all done, potty, wash hands). And he regularly tells us when he needs a diaper change. (To boot, he also says “excuse me” (cue-me!) after he toots. Win.

I can’t tell you if he will officially train early or if he’ll be like his brother and train shortly after his second birthday. I can’t predict what will happen. I can tell you that this little kit, complete with reward stickers for when we start moving forward with this “potty train”, is a big help in our house. As BigBrother went through a phase where he was scared of the bathroom (no fault of our own as we didn’t push training), we’re hoping to avoid that with LittleBrother. Of course, having BigBrother around to show by example and encourage with words is a great training tool as well. I’d let you borrow him but, well, I like him very much.

I can, however, offer you this Potty Training Made Easy with the Baby Signs Program Complete Starter Kit ($39.95)! That’s right! I have one to give away! It’s the exact same one we have which means that it includes:

1. Potty Training Made Easy, a Parent’s Guide.
2. All Aboard the Potty Train DVD
3. All Aboard the Potty Train lift-the-flap book.
4. Stickers!
5. All Aboard the Potty Train Conductor’s (wooden) Whistle (yes, noisy).

It can be yours! There are a few different ways to enter.

1. Leave a comment on this post telling me a funny story about potty training. Whether it’s your child, your sibling, your friend’s child or yourself. Make me giggle. Because a sense of humor is needed while potty training! (I remember that much!) You may leave a comment like this once.

2. Tweet about this contest, copy/pasting the following into your tweet stream: Enter the Potty Training Made Easy giveaway over @FireMom’s blog: http://tinyurl.com/SDBptsigns Kit includes book, DVD, stickers & whistle! After you tweet, grab the URL to the individual tweet and paste it in a separate comment here. You may do this once a day for the duration of the giveaway!

3. Blog about the giveaway on your blog, linking back to this post and the Potty Training Made Easy website! Make your post about another funny story regarding potty training, fears about the process or what your plans are thus far. Come back and leave the link to your blog post in a separate comment. You may do this once.

The giveaway will be open through Monday, April 13, 2009 at noon (EDT). I will close comments and pick a winner via the random number generator at random.org. I will then contact the winner by email. The winner has 24 hours to respond before I move on to the next random winner. Winnings will be shipped the following day after claim with delivery confirmation and insurance. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Best of luck… in the giveaway and with potty training! (And if this giveaway doesn’t apply to you, please feel free to pass it on to your friends with children who may or may not be potty training sometime soon!)

BigBrother and I then took a trip to the Big Store with Everything from Tomatoes to Underwear. He picked out two packages of Cars underwear and one package of Thomas underwear. (He had another package at home.) He put each package on the counter at the cash register and said “Thank You” as he set each one down. We made a big deal about the underwear, let me tell you. We put them on and went for it.

We failed miserably.

Okay, maybe not miserably. But we were making the mistake of letting him stay in a diaper in the morning until after he pooped. And then switching to underwear. No go. Has to be all underwear, all day. He was getting frustrated. We were getting frustrated. And then he went to stay with Nana for the weekend.

And the Kid only had one accident. Say what?

Stickers, man, stickers. Previous to this experience, my texture and touch resistant child would not touch a sticker which is why we did not employ this idea. However, he seems to have moved past the ick-factor. Nana took a piece of construction paper, got some stickers and he was rewarded with one each time. When we picked him up, I decided I’d make a chart and we’d continue in the same fashion the next morning.

It’s going well. He occasionally gets distracted by trucks, cars, trains, balls, dust floaties in sun beams and air in general. But, for the most part, all of the pee is going in the potty. He’ll occasionally start to pee, realize what is going on, stop, scream, “PEE MOMMY,” run to the bathroom, wait for me to hurdle over the Exersaucer and run to the bathroom behind him, help him with his underwear, and help him get situated and then he’ll finish his pee-business. I consider that definite success. Yes, we need to get a new pair of underwear at that point but that’s why we have 17 or 18 pair for the Kid. His sticker chart is filling up after three days of the idea. In fact, I need to go to the store tonight or tomorrow and buy more stickers. (Also? His idea of “chart” is different than mine. I would be all straight lines and organization. He’s all about layering stickers and abstraction. It’s visual torture for me.)

Also? Pantslessness. He’s just been running around in a shirt and underwear all week. I did turn up the heat a little but it’s also been a smidge warmer than freezing so he’s not uber-cold. I’d put socks on the kid but he’s like me and can’t have anything on his feet. So, cold feet it is.

The thing that’s not working for us? Potty training BigBrother while breastfeeding LittleBrother on demand. Why? BigBrother chooses times when I sit down in a dark, quiet room with the Distractable Nurser named LittleBrother to run off and do his #2 business in his underwear. He then comes in and tells me, “I pooped.” Yes, I can smell that, Buddy. So, I have to unlatch LittleBrother, set him down in his crib or on my bed (which he rolls now so I should stop doing that) and go deal with the accident in a calm manner. But, interrupting a feeding makes LittleBrother scream. Which then upsets BigBrother. And so both boys end up crying. And my nerves fray and frazzle. Of note: I did ask BigBrother if he had to go use the potty before I sat down to feed LittleBrother. He did pee at that point. But no to the pooping. I’m not sure how to get past this point.

And so, yes, successes are happening everyday. The best part about this whole process? He will take our faces in his hands when we do something that he perceives as good and say, “I’m so proud of you,” as he hears it from us no less than fifteen times a day now. There’s something heart-warming about having your child say that to you.

I’m sure we’ll get there someday. Right?

.

More Wordless Wednesday here. And don’t forget to enter our giveaway!

1. Strangely, the thing that leads most people to our site is a google for our blog’s name in some form or fashion. I find that amusing since the URL of our blog isn’t hard to remember. It’s simply stopdropandblog.com. I’m easy like that.

2. Postpartum weight loss is the next most popular search, in various terms. Some variations are “lost 25 pounds two weeks postpartum,” “plateau postpartum,” and “weight comes off slowly at first.” Let me tell you googling, overtired, emotional, hormonal postpartum mommies: every pregnancy is different and, as such, every postpartum healing period is different. That said, I know if you’re googling for something like that, you’re looking for some support. And so, here’s some support: it will come off. It may come off immediately, like it did after my first. It may take a full year, like it did after my second. You may lose all of the weight in three months but still not be the same shape as you were before, like after my third full-term pregnancy. And that’s where I am now. Having lost the weight but not the size. I’m learning to be okay with that and dress in creative ways to hide some of that shape-shifting that happened with this last pregnancy. (I have a post coming about that later this week!) But don’t get down on yourselves, mamas. Just trust me.

3. We then have a whole bunch of varied queries about tongue ties, the procedure for surgery (frenotomy), how it screws both breastfeeding and speech and so on. So, here’s a quick recap: tongue ties make breastfeeding suck. It totally screws the latch and if you don’t get it taken care of early, you run the risk of things more painful than shredded nipples. Due to the fact that the baby can’t properly drain the milk because of the tongue tie, you’re at a greater risk for plugged ducts (we only had two) and mastitis (we lucked out here, knock on wood). Also, if you wait too long to consider the procedure, the lingual frenulum can get too thick and your child may need anesthesia. Ask sooner than later. Sadly, when many mothers inquire with their normal pediatrician, they are told that it won’t help breastfeeding. And are told to just wait it out. That’s a blatant lie, mama. The relief was immediate. That said, many mamas and babies do have to relearn latching after a frenotomy so a week of patience is necessary. Lastly, if your doctor doesn’t want to do a thing about it, politely ask for a referral to a pediatric Ear, Nose and Throat doctor in a larger city. Just say you’re covering all of your bases.

4. Then we’ve got all kinds of search strings about cloth diapers, mainly Fuzzi Bunz, laundry detergent choices and Goodmama diapers. I do have a full on post about Goodmamas coming in the near future but I’ll give you a brief update about our current State of Cloth Diapering in the FireHouse. We’re still loving the cloth. Totally loving. We mainly use Fuzzi Bunz for their ease of use (read: FireDad has no problems) and their sizing. (Each size lasts the baby quite awhile.) We are still using the same washing routine as I previously mentioned: baking soda, Purex Free & Clear, a squirt or two of original Dawn and a cap full of Calgon for our hard water. (For more info on the actual routine, read this post.) We still have had no repelling issues, no staining and very few leaks. Leaks have come from too long in a diaper (church service, for example) and so for overnights and longer times in a diaper (a car ride back to The Farm or church), we’re double stuffing our pockets. (I’ve got more information coming in the soon-to-be post about our preferences on inserts.) As for what else we’re using? We’ve branched into one-size fitteds with covers. (Yes, the previously mentioned and now much-loved Goodmamas as well as a few others.) Stay tuned for that!

5. A bunch of searches for potty training help. Trust me. I’m no help. But pick up the No Cry Potty Training Solution (Pantley). We’re just starting to implement a few things but we’re still a long ways away from any “success.” Best of luck to you!

6. A bunch more searches for breastfeeding, postpartum weight loss and the infamous bridesmaid gown. To be honest? I haven’t been fitted yet. However, I did recently find a strapless nursing bra at La Leche League’s online store. I don’t know how to modify a bridesmaid dress for breastfeeding and haven’t yet figured out how to handle any of this. Here’s hoping we can get through the ceremony and just deal with the rest as it comes.

7. “Poop filled diapers.” Well, diapers are meant for poop. Yes. Not sure why that is search worthy.

8. “My wife cut off her long hair today.” Good for her, buddy. It’s her hair. And if she’s got any kids, it’s probably hard to find time to do any hair, let alone longer hair. I hope she loves it. I love mine. Kind of. (I did recently find a way to help with the half-mullet phase. Barrettes. Yes, the kind you wore in elementary school. More later.)

9. “What to write in a card for a friend’s mom who was diagnosed with breast cancer.” That’s a long and heart-breaking search string. I got a few cards when Mom was diagnosed. I cherished them all. No, the disease was not mine. I didn’t undergo radiation. I didn’t have the multiple surgeries. But I was scared out of my mind. It was my mommy. And so the cards I got meant the world to me. They were mostly sent from other daughters whose mothers had been diagnosed with various forms of cancer and who just “got” the emotions I was experiencing. So, for those wondering what to say, my advice? Just be supportive. Most likely, your friend is going through some strange emotions and trying to determine how all of this makes her feel. Some may be angry. (I was at one point.) Scared. (Yep, that, too.) And maybe reliving every bad thing she ever said or did to her mother. (Mmmhmm!) Simply saying, “I’m thinking of and praying for you as well as your entire family goes through this ordeal,” means a whole lot. Trust me!

10. “Babywearing when to stop.” Not sure why you’d want to stop! Ever! That said, always check with your sling manufacturers. Some are only okay to a certain weight. If you have a work-at-home-mom made ring sling, check and see if she uses Sling Rings. They are tested for up to 250 pounds. Not that I could carry that much weight myself but that’s reassuring. One shoulder carries (ring slings, pouches) can start to feel uncomfortable as your little one gains weight. Consider a carrier that evenly distributes weight like a Mei Tai or a soft-structured carrier like an Ergo. And always check your carriers for safety. Look for loose stitching in important places and any rips or tears. Otherwise, wear that kid until they simply refuse to be worn anymore. You’ll miss it when it’s all said and done.

And so, my friends, that concludes our first installment of “Sorry You Found This Place” on Stop, Drop and Blog. I’ve let you know about some upcoming posts this week and next. I should also let you know that I’ve got a bunch of reviews lined up for Modern Mamma Marvels that start tomorrow morning and also run through next week. You know, because life isn’t busy enough for me or something.

Happy Googling!

You see, as a breastfeeding Mama, my job is to count poop-filled diapers in order to make sure that LittleBrother is eating enough. This is made easier by the fact that we cloth diaper. Because, as my brain is on fifty different poop related topics during the day, it will turn evening and I will realize, “Oh! Poop! I forgot to count poop-filled diapers!” Then I take our trusty hanging pail downstairs and start tossing diapers in the washing machine. One, two, three, four… okay! We’re good!

But it doesn’t end there. No. Not at all.

BigBrother is moving towards more potty training/learning. We’ve been stalled for awhile. It was partially suggested by our pediatrician to skip training over the holidays because the changes in routine (what routine, by the way?) and location are hard for someone learning to follow body cues. And, well, we couldn’t have done it during that time anyway because BigBrother has been on a potty strike. We’re not quite sure why. But if you even mention sitting on the “big potty,” well, he freaks out. Forget actually going in the potty.

But he’s got all the readiness cues. I bought The No Cry Potty Training Solution as it was recommended by some others and I was basically clueless as to how to proceed. The nice checklist at the beginning of the book places BigBrother in the ready category. He can put on his own pants. He likes to wash his hands. He knows what we, referring to FireMom and FireDad, do on the potty. He knows the proper words for actions. And he runs and hides when he is pooping. So, he’s ready. But he’s just not doing it. (I haven’t got to that part of the book yet. It just arrived the other day.)

And he now knows what poop feels like. In his hand. Mmhmm.

I darted downstairs yesterday morning to throw in some diaper laundry. (See? More poop!) BigBrother was lounging on LittleBrother’s Boppy, taking advantage of his solo-time in the morning. When I came back upstairs, I was about to round the corner and head down the hall when I noticed it. His hand. With something really dark all over his fingers. I knew, in an instant, what it was but I really wanted it to be something else. I got closer and said, “What is on your hand?”

“Poop!”

Augh.

So, as I washed his hands, I explained the importance of not touching our poop with our hands because it is dirty. I did so in a remarkably calm manner even though my head was screaming, “OMGPOOP!” I stayed calm because I don’t need this kid to be even more freaked out about poop and toilet related stuff. He didn’t seem too phased. But he didn’t reach in and grab any other poops during the day. So maybe the message worked.

But it was then that I realized that, oh yeah, I’d like to be done with poop issues sooner than later and, yeah, my friends can continue having kids. I’ll just pass them back when their diapers need changing. Good grief.

All that said, I need to finish the book but, well, any ideas for a child who has all of the readiness signs for potty training but a lack of desire to actually sit and do the deeds? Obviously, we’re still on the early end of the scale but this is just one issue of parenting that leaves me stumped.

Poop.