What a week!

The past week has been totally crazy for us. We finally moved into our new home (yay!!!!) with the help of some terrific friends. I really wasn't expecting a lot and was actually worried that we'd end up moving stuff by ourselves (even though our friends said they would help, I didn't think that the commitment level was that high), but on moving day, everyone turned up on time and since Fred had already started to move boxes of stuff the night before, we were off to a really good start.

The heavies (frigo, TV, cabinets etc) were done in a couple of hours. The girls were really fantastic - they helped me clean up the old apartment, including getting down on their knees and rubbing alcohol to get rid of marks left behind by Lucas' stickers. AND Cathy even made pizza for lunch - we ended up at my MIL's for lunch before resuming work at the new apartment. MIL took the task of taking care of Lucas for the entire day (a first, with many more to come I hope!) and prepared dinner for us later that night.

Week 1 in our new home, I still haven't unpacked another dozen boxes, most of which are my clothes and bags and shoes. The girls visited 2 days ago with a nectarine flan for tea. I have met our neighbours and the 2 neighborhood cats that regularly poo in my garden. (If anyone of you reading this has a tip on how to stop the cats from coming to my garden and making deposits - any help will be appreciated!)

On another note, Lucas started his ecole Maternelle last Thursday. He was one of the few kids who did not cry, but we did get reprimanded by the maitresse for putting pull-ups on him (I was worried about accidents, but the maitresse told me not to put any form of diapers on Lucas or else he has to stay home!!!)

So, I spent another sleepless night worrying about Lucas' potty training and sent him to school on Friday sans diaper. I spent another 3 hours worrying while he was in school but to my delight, he was dry and clean when I picked him up. AND he went to the school toilet to pee.

Back at home, Lucas is no longer using the diaper except when he goes to sleep - I am not ready to deal with sleepless nights changing linens just yet; and even when we go out, Lucas is able to be without his diaper. Of course there were a couple of accidents, but more with his "deposits".

Yesterday Lucas gave Fred his birthday present when he finally "ka-ka" sitting on the toilet. Later that evening he told me again "ka-ka" but then he got distracted by some food and I thought that he would do the deed later... but nope, he did it in his underwear while eating!

Same thing happened today when I went out grocery shopping and Lucas was home with Fred. He told Fred "ka-ka" and Fred thought he could wait but he didn't. Both times were our fault. Now if Lucas tells us "ka-ka" we will put him on the toilet ASAP.

One good thing I noticed at the school is that the maitresse managed to get Lucas to sit still. Both times when I went to pick him up, he was sitting down waiting for me. That in itself is a miracle. The maitresse (Noelle) told Fred that when Lucas doesn't listen she gives him "the look" :)

I am happy that Lucas has Noelle who is fantastic with him and shows him immediately who is the boss :) Lucas needs a lot of boundaries and Noelle knows it.

Next up, when Lucas is feeling more adjusted about the school, I will leave him there for lunch at the canteen.

We indeed have lots to be thankful for - good friends, a wonderful teacher for Lucas and our new home!

More potty stories

Today Lucas frantically called for me and came running into the kitchen where I was doing a load of laundry with a diaper in his hand. Apparently he really needed to go cos he then climbed happily (usually I ahve to chase him) onto our bed so I could put on the diaper.

After he finished he promptly came to me and pulled me into the bathroom and said "shower, wash bum bum".

That was when I noticed that Lucas had earlier peed into the potty and then emptied the potty in the bath tub, and put back the potty in its corner...

Potty training made easy

If you have read my older posts about potty training Lucas, you would know the frustration I have been feeling as he has been so stubborn and resistant to being potty trained for many many months...

But what I've learned through this experience is that even though your baby may show signs of potty training readiness, you have to be patient and wait until they feel they are truly ready.

After many months of showing Lucas and telling him and teaching him about the potty, Lucas finally decided that he was ready to go to the potty everytime he wanted to pee.
3 days ago, he decided he didn't want the diaper anymore and he is now standing over the potty and peeing. He actually runs to the bathroom (where his potty is) and shuts the door to do the deed!

He still asks for his diaper when he wants to poo. When we ask him if he wants to poo into the potty or toilet he says "no". For me that means he is not ready, and I will continue to wait because he will be ready one of these days.

Potty training 2

Lucas is fascinated with the toilet. It could be a good thing I suppose, but he still isn't "going" on the toilet at home. In creche, he's done it once so far and the teachers assure me that that is a good start.
This morning I've had to clean up his mess again - this time he said "kaka" while he was doing it; even so I didn't manage to put him on the potty on time, and he did the deed in his PJs (he goes diaperless when he gets up in the mornings).

Lucas wants to come into the toilet everytime I am there or when his papa is there. He likes to flush. Yesterday he dropped his pacifier into the toilet bowl. Sigh. I had to fish it out and disinfect it because its his favourite one and I cannot get the same here without going to Mothercare. And while I was washing his pacifier I made the mistake of leaving him in the toilet - he was playing with the water in the toilet bowl when I found him :(

Lucas' first potty breakthrough!

Today when I went to pick Lucas from the creche I got a piece of good news! Malika happily told me that Lucas told her "pee" and she took off his diaper and he went to sit on the mini toilet himself! BECAUSE he saw his friend go "potty" and he wanted to follow :)
What a breakthrough! I am going to put him on our toilet instead of the plastic potty and see if he goes later...

Potty training Lucas

My new books have not arrived yet and Fred is hogging the TV watching the Winter Olympics, so I am going to write about Lucas' potty training (or lack of...)

A few months back we tried to let Lucas runaround the apartment bottomless, but my MIL insists that its too cold for us to do that even though the apartment is heated constantly at 20 degrees. So my 2nd best option was to take away diapers and put on his pants sans diapers. We have taught Lucas that if he wants to do the deed he has to tell either one of us. He has caught on pretty quickly. He knows he SHOULD go to the potty. But knowing something doesn't mean he's actually going to do it.
Up til recently he would still sit on the potty, with his clothes on. But the past 2 weeks, he has regressed. He tells me "pee pee" and he points to the "potty" , the same with "kaka" he also points to "potty". But when he needs to do the deed, he tells me "kaka" but refuses to sit on the potty, prefering to "kaka" standing up in a corner (by the time he tells me "kaka" he either has done it in his diapers or if he hasn't, I take off his diapers and bring him to the potty where he breaks free and runs away elsewhere to do the deed). As for his "pee pee" he doesn't tell us when he is diaper free, he just pees and then calls me to clean up. When he has his diaper he cleverly tells me "pee pee in potty".

Today after his shower he told me he wanted to "kaka" but he struggled so much when I tried to sit him on the potty I decided to put his diaper on him. Even then he was screaming and struggling and didn't want his diaper on. In the end, I had to clean shit off the floor.

I feel I have to start his potty training all over again somehow. I try to make him sit on the potty and give him a book to read or switch on Barney but its not working. Fred & I let him see us in the toilet, but Lucas is still resistant.

Do you have any potty training tips for me? How do I get Lucas to sit on the potty? Should he be going bottomless again, as a start?