Potty Diaries: Day 3

 

Dear Diary,

Today was kind of disappointing; Nico experienced regression for the first time, which is completely normal, I just didn't expect it to happen so soon. At this age toddlers are learning how to express themselves. Nico goes through periods where he really wants to please me, and phases where he could care less whether I approve of his behavior or not; I call those, "Rough Days." 

Today was a Rough Day.

Nico defiantly used the floor when he went pee-pee, alerting me each time after he was already finished. And the times when I took him to the potty he refused to use it even when he was reminded of his potty reward, which is okay. To me, the most important thing is that he feels comfortable with going to the bathroom; it is not the time or place for strict discipline in order to avoid tears and outright refusal to even sit on the potty.

The one time he did use the potty was when I caught him in the middle of doing a number 2 on the floor. I carried him running to the potty where he finished! Afterwards, I cleaned up the mess with toilet paper and put it in the potty to show him that numbers always go in there.

3 Things I learned about Nico and Potty Time:

1. He likes to pee on the floor (I assume this is true of most boys when they start)
2. Regression is normal
3. He enjoys the Potty Song I made up to go along with Number 2's

Though I was a little discouraged to discover that he enjoyed peeing on the floor, and was tempted to give up and put him back in a diaper, I stuck it out until bath time, which is when we put his diaper on for the night.

 At the end of the day, it helped to focus on his small accomplishment, rather than dwell on the things that were out of my control. 

Sincerely,
Sabrina (aka The KUL Mom)

Potty Diaries: Day 1

Dear Diary, 

Today was a very exciting day for Nico! He was thrilled to discover that he didn't have to wear his diaper at all, and happily ran around the house in all his naked freedom. 

Then, he had his first accident. He came to me saying, "Nico pee-pee!" And I was excited, until I found a small yellow puddle on the tiled playroom floor. I calmly told him that we pee-pee in the potty, and had him bring me paper towels to help me clean up, which he was very happy to do. 

The second time he had an accident, I caught him, and was able to get him to stop midstream, a thing that is difficult for him to do at this age. We ran to the potty where Nico finished his number 1! We sang a song, and I gave him lots of high-fives and endless praise. 

When it was time for his nap, we visited the potty again, though he didn't use it. It is unreasonable to expect these little ones to stay dry during nap time, or to be able to wake up and alert their parents if they need to use the potty; so, I put a diaper on him to avoid a smelly disaster. When we went to the potty after nap time, he successfully made another pee-pee!

We visited the potty several more times that day. Before and after lunch, snack, and dinner, without much luck. I was careful to not show disappointment when he didn't have to go, so that he wouldn't associate potty time with guilt. However, when he made a number 2 on the floor, I made sure he knew that it was not okay. While he helped me clean the mess again, I sternly but kindly told him that we must use the potty next time so that we can keep the floor clean.

3 things that Reassured me that Nico was ready for potty training:

1. He was able to tell me when he was finished using the potty
2. He knows the difference between going number 1 and going number 2
3. He recognizes the sensation and tells me either before or after he does his business

Overall, the first day of potty training went better than I had excepted!

Sincerely, 
Sabrina (aka The KUL Mom)

Potty Diaries: Introduction

Nico has always been a very intelligent and strong willed little guy. Once he decides he is ready for something, there is no stopping him. Though I have never wanted to rush him through milestones, I was not surprised when he took his first steps at 10 months, when he started climbing everything in sight at 12 months, or when he began to take an interest in the potty at 15 months. He began following my husband and I to the bathroom, flushing the toilet when he thought no one was looking, and telling me all about the contents of his dirty diaper. Though experts say these are all indicators of potty readiness, I still felt it was too early, and I didn't want to push my baby to grow up before his time. Instead we decided to take pre-potty steps. 

A potty seat was the best option for our household because Nico was eager to sit on the toilet like mommy and daddy, and because we live in a single story house with easy bathroom access. I also liked the other benefits of the seat such as, portability, easy clean up, and space-saving storage. Each day, or maybe every other day, I would sit Nico on his potty seat (fully dressed) to get him used to the idea that one day he would be doing it all by himself. 

Little did I know that day would come sooner rather than later. 

Nico decided he was ready all on his own. At about 18 months, he started taking off his diaper during nap time. Sounds innocent enough, right? There is no harm in being silly and or figuring out how to work the tabs on a diaper, unless there is something in that diaper. Imagine my shock and disgust when I walk in on my 1 and a half year old happily smearing his feces all over himself and his crib. Unfortunately, this was not a one time thing. Over the next couple months, Nico continued to make monumental messes, no matter what my husband and I did, and he was beginning to do it more frequently. I began asking the older mothers in my church when they started the potty process and they all advised me to waited until Nico was ready. 

Well, when you know, you know. 

I still had my doubts since Nico was still 22 months old, not even 2 yet, but I couldn't take another nap time nightmare. 

So, I made a potty plan:

1. Stay home as much as possible during the day. 
2. Let Nico walk around with no diaper, and no pants. BIRTHDAY SUIT! 
3. Begin using undies when he has at least 2 days of no accidents in a row (this hasn't happened yet)
4. Take the potty seat out with us when he finally does make the transition to undies.

Over the next few months I'll be writing a little series called Potty Diaries that will highlight misadventures of a first time mommy in Potty Land. 

Follow us through all the ups and downs, and #1's and #2's!

What to Pack Fast For a Last Minute Beach Trip

Summers in Puerto Rico are absolutely beautiful! 

The sun is usually shining and the water is always refreshing, whether you're headed to the river or the beach. 

But boy, is it HOT! 

90 degree plus weather almost everyday definitely calls for spontaneous trips to cool bodies of water, aka the BEACH!! 

Whether you have one week or 10 minutes, this list includes just about everything you need for an impromptu sandy getaway:

Essential

Beach Bag

Sandals 

Bathing Suit cover-up

Change of clothes (extra undies)

Sunscreen

Lotion

Brush

Leave-in hair moisturizer or conditioner

Light Weight hair spray

Hand Sanitizer 

Finger foods! (Snacks, sandwiches, hotdogs, etc.) 

Bottled Water 

2 Towels (always bring an extra)

beach chair/ mat 

Shady hat

Sunglasses  

Optional

Baby powder (For easy sand removal) 

Soccer ball/ Football/ Volley ball

Beach Pail (Sand castle is a MUST)

Reading material 

For Toddler/Kids

Sunscreen

Shady Hat

Beach Toys

Life Vest/ Water Wings

Sandals

2 Changes of clothes 

2 towels

Snacks! 

Sippy Cup 

Mini beach chair

Giant beach ball 

Potty Diaries: Getting Started

To potty or not to potty?

It seems that's the next big question as our little ones make the transition from toddlers to big kids. And everyone has something to say about it. With half of your friends and family telling you to wait and the other half telling you it's about time you got started, it can be hard to know if or when your baby is ready. 

The main question on my mind was, at what age is it appropriate to start toilet training

my son? After many hours of research I finally found my answer.

Despite what you may have heard, I found that there is no exact age to mark the beginning of the potty days; it all boils down to your baby. Is he or she ready? I found a POTTY READINESS QUIZ on pediatrics.about.com that might help you figure it out. 

The next question is, are you ready? To begin the potty process you'll need a few supplies:

Potty Time Tools

A cleaning spray (maybe 2, for the accidents)

A large pack of paper towels

Potty seat or potty chair (pro/con list for both)

Baby wipes (for cleaning up beginners) 

Training pants or undies 

 Diapers (yes, you'll still need diapers. our little ones still cannot be expected to stay dry at night or during naps)

A potty book for parents (optional but extremely helpful)

 An online forum to turn to when you're at your wits end (no matter how calm you are when you start the process, I guarantee mild frustration on your part at some point. Knowing that others are going through the same things may help you feel a bit more relaxed and will motivate you to be patient and to not give up) 

A few more things that experts suggest are videos and books to help your baby along. We decided to skip the videos, and although I originally planned to buy potty books, they didn't get there in time. So speaking by experience, I'd say it's okay to start without those as long as your little one understands what the toilet is, what it's for, and what to do on it. 

Follow Nico and I as we take our first steps towards his childhood! 

And I wish you the best of luck on your own Potty Journey! 

3 Strategies for Feeding Stubborn Toddlers

My 19 month old son is as stubborn as they come. As he begins to explore his independence and to realize his place in the world, he is often unreasonable and too clever for his own good. His strong will can be especially frustrating when it comes to eating meals. 

A once easy 20 minute dinner routine suddenly turned into an hour long nightmare. It was the part of my day that I absolutely dreaded, until I started paying attention to what Nico was really trying to tell me. 

1. Change the plate: It was 30 minutes in to our evening food war and Nico was on his 3rd bite of food. His dad was sitting close by eating the same meal from his own plate. In an attempt to help my futile efforts to get nutrients in to Nico's little stomach, Pedro stooped down and offered Nico a bite of food from his own bowl which Nico happily and willingly accepted. The very next day during lunch time, I put Nico's lunch in a grown up bowl and fed him with a grown up spoon and he blissfully ate every single bite. From now on, I will serve him a variety of food on a variety of platters.

2.  Stoop to his level: Another thing I realized when my husband fed Nico from his bowl was that he got down to Nico's eye level and made eye contact with him while smiling. Frowning and worrying while trying to feed your child can create a tense atmosphere. While looming above them must make us seem like the enemy trying to squash their new found independence. During lunch time, instead of sitting in a big chair in front of him, I sat on the floor in front of him and offered him lots of smiles and encouragement. It worked like a charm! 

3. GOT WATER?: Along with all of those things that I tried, I also gave Nico a little bit of water in his Sippy Cup and let him decide when it was time for a drink. To my surprise, he did not try to chug it. Instead he would take a drink after a couple of bites of food, just like mommy and daddy. He especially enjoyed feeling like he was in control of at least one part of his meal!

Teaching Toddlers 102: Watering Flowers

 

When I look at Nico, it is hard to  believe that my vibrant energetic mess machine was a helpless infant less than a year ago. Time really does fly, and they really do grow up in the blink of an eye! In the short growth gap when our little ones go from babyhood to childhood, there is an array of important lessons they must learn. We all want to give our children the earliest possible preparation!

One tip I picked up is that it is never too early to start teaching them responsibility. 

 At around 18 months, most babies are highly aware of their surroundings, and they are aware that they can have both negative and positive effects on those surroundings. For example, a few months ago, Nico discovered that he was just tall enough to reach the low light switches in the house; whenever mommy or daddy isn't looking he begins to constantly click them on and off. 

But, soon enough he will learn that "With great power, comes great responsibility."

Now is the time to start showing your toddler how to take care of the things he can directly effect. Start with simple things and gradually increase complexity as the child becomes even more aware of the world around him. 

• When you leave or enter a room let the child turn the light on, or off, teaching him to conserve energy.
• If you have plants in your home or garden, let your little one help you water them, teaching her to take care of the environment. 
• If you have a pet let the toddler help/watch you feed it, teaching him that living creatures share our planet and might sometimes need our help. By letting him groom the animal gently under your supervision you are also teaching him how to handle other living things with tender care. 
• At the end of play time, let her help you pick up her toys, if you don't already do this. She will learn to clean up after herself. 
• When you are putting away his clothes, let him put a few items in the drawer so he will learn that everything has a place, and that sometimes, even mommy needs a little help!

Those five little "chores" may seem trivial to us as adults, but they could make your toddler feel like a SUPER BABY! Whenever he/she completes a task give them loads of praise and lots of high fives! Encouragement is the best way to reinforce and maintain gratifying behavior, and it makes those little guys feel special, and important!

Teaching Toddlers: Sensory 101

I enjoy doing fun random activities with Nico! At least once a week I search the internet for interesting new games that teach babies and toddlers all kinds of important and exciting things!

This week we enjoyed an afternoon of sensory time! We played with the sense of touch, which is when we explore new textures and get a little messy. Sensory play has MANY benefits for toddlers and even babies. 

For this activity we used shaving creme, rice, and flour.

I bought Nico his own personal shaving creme so that we don't use ours,

I separated some rice for him and marked it as play rice,

And I did the same with the flour. I saved it in a container to make play dough with later.

PLAY TIME!

Picking up tiny grains of rice aids in the development of fine motor skills 

While pouring it from one container to the other develops problem solving skills and helps him to learn the processes of physics.

Most children can't learn the meaning or definition of a certain word until they have experiences it for themselves. While attempting to mold the foam, I repeated things like "squishy," "soft," and "white!"

Do not be discouraged if baby is a bit apprehensive to touching it at first. Remember that everything is new for them, and show times new things can be intimidating. Just get your hands dirty right along with baby and show him/her that there is nothing to be afraid of. This teaches them to be brave and to tackle problems head on! Take your time and follow your baby's pace and cues. If he tries to eat it, let him, as baby will quickly learn that his actions sometimes have icky consequences.

Nico was not exactly thrilled about the idea of playing with foam at first. When I presented it to him he looked at me like "you expect me to touch that?" But by the end he was quite pleased. 

Nico dominated his play time, making most of the decisions on his own which instills confidence, as I mentioned before, and fosters creativity! As soon as he figured out what flour was, there was no stopping him. 

 

Eventually, it all ended up on the floor (which was thoroughly cleaned before this activity) and on him. 

 Have fun! And remember, 

PLAY HARD = NAP HARD!

The Learning Box: Teaching Baby!

 

Over the week I began to notice how fast Nico is growing! It seems like he learns something new everyday and I usually am not the one to teach it to him. These early years are when babies learn the most, this is the time when their brains are still forming important connections. I read that in one private learning preschool, 12 - 18 month old's were already peeling their own fruit and throwing away their trash!

The problem is teaching materials and preschools these days are kind of expensive! A few board books can cost as much as 40 dollars. 

As an alternative to fancy schools and simple books, I decided to try it myself.

 

After doing some research, I learned that toddlers who are 12 months and older can learn a multitude of things! They can identify shapes, numbers, letters, colors, and they can even distinguish between different emotions! 

It only took me and hour and a hand full of materials to put together this Learning Box for Nico. If you have older kids, you can even have them help you create this and make it a family project. After I drew and cut out all of the figures (obviously not perfect) I took everything to be laminated at Office Depot ($20)

The result; he loves it! 

Each day we spend 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes after nap time learning new things! 

He knows where to get his Learning Box and he knows how to put it away! 

His favorite thing to do is pull things out, put them in, and open and close the lid of the box. Through this he has also learned to throw things away, though we are still trying to teach him the difference between trash and toys! 

 

Over all I think that both parents and children will enjoy the time spent together using the Learning Box!

Mommy & Me Mondays!

I would really like to feature some of your cutest Mommy & Me pictures! 

Send them in today or throughout the week and next Monday you could be a featured Kul Mom!