Given how quickly and deftly the Boo adapted to her big girl bed and big girl tableware, this week I decided to let her have a go at the big girl potty. According to many of the parenting websites, toddlers develop the necessary physical and cognitive skills required to use the toilet somewhere between 18-24 months. Lila's just shy of 17 months and can now effectively communicate "yes" and "no" (thankfully we are past the "NO!" phase, or at least the first one), so I figured it was worth a shot. Here's an overview of Potty Learning Day 1:
Mid-afternoon
I asked Lila if she wanted to try the big girl potty. She responded with a resounding "Yes!" and followed me into the bathroom (since I usually let her "observe" when I'm on the toilet, Lila is completely aware of the potty and its many splendors). She happily allowed me to assist her onto the potty and was absolutely thrilled to hang out and enjoy the view, but that's about all that happened. Since it's really more about familiarity than anything else at this age, I felt we were off to a great start.
Early evening
Since bath time always seems to excite her tiny bladder, I helped Lila onto the potty as Kit ran the water for the tub. Success--we had our first "pee-pee" in the big girl potty! I'm not sure which of us was more excited.
Our current routine is to visit the potty upon waking in the AM, ~15 mins after a meal or snack, and both before and after her bath. We also have Lila in pull-up training pants during the day rather than diapers. There haven't been many pees in the potty and zero poops so far, but she really seems to be enjoying the whole experience and is beginning to signal me when she dirties herself. I could not be more proud.
BTW-Kit is not naked, nor sitting on the toilet in the above photos. He's on the edge of the tub and is wearing shorts :)
