Since my last post in July a couple big things occured. I went on another week-long venture with H across country (via airplane) to visit family and when we got back I weaned her from breastfeeding. We have been completely nurse-free for two weeks as of yesterday. She does still ask for it from time to time if something brings it to mind but she doesn't pitch a fit when I tell her "Nope! All gone!" :) I'll be honest I do sort of miss it.. mostly for the bonding.. but now we just bond in other ways and she is way more cuddly at bedtime now and it's really sweet. And it's nice having my boobs back!!
Now on to more recent news!--
The past few nights I begun incorporating "potty time" into our bedtime routine. I realize that Hayden is just shy of being 19 months old and many people don't begin training until the child turns 2 years old but I decided it can't hurt to get her used to sitting and relaxing and realizing what it feels like to "have to go." She already refers to it as the "big girl potty" which I think is a good way for me to get H to transition. That's how I explained to her that she needed to throw her pacifiers away too. Kids have role models for a reason. They want to be like them. So it helps to know that's what their older role models do... that's just my opinion though.
Back to our new "potty time." A few months ago we had an incident in the bathtub where H stood up and said "Uh oh! Poopy!" So I quickly took her out and put her on the "big girl potty" and she went. I was so proud that she was able to catch herself and knew what it felt like. That spoke a lot to me. Hence why I decided now was a good time to begin somewhat potty-training her.
I am very much a routine & schedule-type mother. I think it's important and I find it has helped me in many ways. Schedules are not for everyone but they're definitely for me. That is how I got H to stop crying at naptime and bedtime. Same goes for this potty training. I know that going to the bathroom is not a scheduled thing but if I can just begin adding more and more "potty times" throughout the day then she will catch on and then begin telling ME when she needs to go to the potty. Again, I've never done this so I'm not doubting that it is a very, very-- I've heard some say the most--difficult time.
I have added these new "potty times" just before I put her in a clean diaper and PJ's for bed. When she is in the bath I dry her off and then place her on the potty. I have a small stack of books she chooses from and then I say "Sit on the potty like a big girl and read your book. Try to go pee pee. Mommy will be right back." Then I leave. I come back after like 30 seconds and check on her. Sometimes she wants to stay and read her book and other times she'll say "All done." The first few times I did this she was scared to death to be on the potty and would instantly say "All done, all done, all done!" I made her sit there for a few seconds, let her wipe (even though she never did anything) and flush. This week she has finally started enjoying it. So much so that tonight she actually went #2 while she read on the potty and I layed out her PJ's and straightened up in her room. She called to me "All done!" You talk about one proud mommy!!!
Next week or the week after I will add a morning potty time. From bed to potty then into a clean diaper. We'll see how it goes but the way I look at it is that it definitely can't hurt.
Parenthood is a fun, exhausting, challenging, rewarding journey. Let's do this!
xoxo,
Pooped in Los Angeles
(^^^ I thought that was fitting for this post ;)
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