Potty Training: Week 1

After a couple of months from her failed potty training (due to childcare adjustment and well, refused to sit on her potty), I decided to try it again. It's working! It has been exactly a week and wow, I must say that there's a tremendous improvement! Read my previous post on my first attempt here

Day 1 & 2 was when I still needed to clean and mop the floor, but day 3 onwards... NONE AT ALL! 

I started on a weekend. I let her wear big tops or dresses and underwear. Sometimes, no underwear at all. But then I realized that she has to practice taking off and putting on underwear whenever passing urine/motion. Wherever she is in the house, I will always put her potty nearby so in case she pees, I won't have to run her all the way to the bathroom. The key point for now is making her pee on her potty. I watch the time. Every 15 minutes, I ask her if she wants to make weewee or poopoo and make her sit on her potty. I don't force, but convince her to do it. I entertain her or give her something to do/eat so she will sit still. When she finally did it, her potty played music and i jumped and danced, gave her a high five AND a kiss AND a hug (basically make it a big deal) plus gave her favorite green tea (hitting 2 birds in 1 stone-- reward and to make her pee more) 

"Uhh. Mom. Privacy please."

When I knew that she can hold her pee longer, I tried to extend the time interval to 30 minutes, and there she got it. Monday was the first day she didn't wear a diaper in school after nap time all the way going home, that's from 3pm onwards. I picked her up at her great grandma's house at 8pm (late, I know) she peed one time on the floor before I arrived. From their house, we took a bus going home, and keep telling her "Simone when we get home you weewee okay?" Then when we got home (whew!) I immediately put her down and helped her remove her undies and there just as I sat her on her potty she peed a lot!! Thank God!!!!! She happily took the bowl, brought it to the bathroom and poured everything inside the toilet bowl and passed the bowl back for me to wash. I flushed the toilet then she said "bye!" and "no more!". And that became the routine.

Last night, my hubby and I were surprised that there's pee in her potty. Nobody put her there. When hubby checked her undies, it was dry... Ha! So it meant she did take off her undies and peed by herself! I also caught her going down from the bed and sat on her potty, got up, and checked her pee:) "Baby, you're already wearing a diaper because it is bedtime! But very good still!" 

And so today was the best part yet: hubby told me that when Simone woke up, she told him that she wants to poopoo. Hubby helped her take off her undies and she sat on her potty and pooped! Thank.God!!!!! 

Some tips for mommies:

1. Make sure she is comfortable in the potty ( she had 2 previous potties that were too big for her hence, she would slip inside haha)

2. Make her drink lots of liquids (it's okay to give her favorite drinks so she can pee)

3. Prepare yourself: a ready absorbent hard foam mop and disinfectant, a lot of undies, and trips to the bathroom to wash. ;)

4. Consistency.  Watch the clock and the look on her face when she suddenly stops and give you that weird look. Quickly plant her on the potty. It's very obvious, you can't miss that!:) (I'm always beside her)

5. Patience. A lot. It's not going to be easy. And if within a week you don't see an improvement, try it again at another time.  But try to let her be diaper-less for at least a couple of hours a day and always remind her and say words pee and poopoo (whatever you want to call it) and potty! I have downloaded potty videos for Simone to watch (she likes Potty Time by Sesame Street)  or you can buy books about potty training.

6. Show her how it's done. I slowly introduced it by showing her how i pee/poop (oh, she is so interested btw!) I bring her inside the bathroom so she could see. :)

Happy potty training! Think positive<3 

Happy mama, 

S

Keeping up with..Simone! (16 months)

"Pay-gown!" Simone blurted out and pointed as we passed by the playground. I was surprised to hear her say it first as I will ALWAYS say playground whenever we are passing by. Walking to the bus stop, we reached the water drainage, and she said "Ah-tuh!" and pointed at the water. Hubby taught her that. "Buhd!" she saw a bird drinking from the water. HOMYGOSH, I can't keep up! She is the cutest little sponge!

We dined at Bedok Point and near our table were huge windows. "Car, car!" exclaimed the curious cat. Correct! All of these words were said for the first time. Whoah. She has started speaking more two syllable words.

The perks of a full-time mom: I get to witness all her milestones!

It's just so amusing to hear her blurt out those words, I talk to her everyday like a friend, and whatever I do, I explain to her. She might not say the words after me, but I'm she sure she understands them! She understands more than she speaks actually. She follows a lot of simple instructions like, "Go shower", she will go to the bathroom; "Go outside" (of the room), she will. I tried to ask her to get a diaper and she did! I usually ask her to get her stuffed toys, get this and that, put back toys. She also knows how to go on the slide by herself, and pat a dog! Usually she just places her hand at the dog in a spanking way and it scares them haha poor babies.

Teeny tiny problem with Simone is that she hates getting her hands/feet dirty, who doesn't right?  I mean if she feels that her hands or any part of her body will get "dirty" she won't go into it. It has to do with sensory motor skills. I'm letting her do some sensory play like finger painting to develop and  encourage her that it's not so bad and that it's okay to get dirty at times!

With Lola the Maltipoo! Her dad recently promised a puppy for her birthday! Yay! momma is happier.

She can already slide by herself. Momma still nervous!

Obsession du jour!

New hangout spot<3

"But daddy I still want to slide!"

To moms whose toddlers aren't talking yet, don't fret; One day they will just surprise you!

• Talking to them constantly is the most important (not baby talk). Explain them whatever you do that they see, what you see when you go out, just like telling a story. Do it over and over (and over) again like a broken record and wait until they will say it before you do. I didn't say it wasn't going to be easy! haha! Patience, patience, I know you have that. 
• I have always kept books visible around the house, she "reads" them, asks me or hubby to read at bedtime. Make reading a habit. Be in the character mode and change your voice. Nobody likes a boring story teller! Point objects in the book and say "ball", oh where's the ball? point again, "ball" everyday. 
• While watching shows/cartoons, you have to be in it and explain it to them too.
• Sing songs with actions! And dance! Now I'm teaching her "Head, shoulder, knees and toes" song. 
• Good manners and right conduct as well should always be practiced (like saying "Please", "Excuse me",  "I'm sorry" and "Thank you" so she will  be able to adapt them. They need to hear that often. 
• Food is important too! Give brain boosting foods to help your child's brain develop. As easy as sprinkling one tablespoon of ground flaxseeds and ground walnuts in their food daily are your best bet aside from vegetables and fish.

Soooooo... YOU STILL THINK I LIE IN BED AND DRINK COFFEE ALL DAY AT HOME? :) Someone told me that. Really.

At this age, their brains are like sponges, they will absorb everything they see, so better to teach and discipline them well. No pressure, just pure fun. So i think I have a new job position added to my resume-- a preschool teacher!


xx,
shiela

Betrayed

We just got home and I was about to finish cooking dinner when I remembered I forgot to buy coffee. I told MIL that I just needed to buy something at the store downstairs and look after Simone first. She saw me leaving and quickly clung to my legs and cried and won't let go. I promise it's a super quick stop like 5 minutes and bringing her along will become 15-20 because she will walk(ex: look for cats, stop and say hi, stare for a while and say bye, explore etc) and will refuse to go home haha. I distracted her and managed to escape. YAY! When I reached home, she saw me entering the house, and realized that I had gone out without her, she almost ran to me and clung to my legs again and wailed! Following that she made a dramatic scene, down on her knees and hands on the floor sobbing hard, what meant like, "Mama, Why did you leave without me??" (or "Why did you trick me?" LOL) I think she felt really betrayed! I swear it was sooo cute, but I felt super guilty too. She can't get over it! She eventually stopped crying,  had her dinner (baked salmon with olive oil, lemon and rosemary with spinach and brown rice) and freshly squeezed OJ (her current favorite.)  She was in a good mood throughout.

Tomorrow hubby will be going for reservist for 2 weeks. UGH. Visited him at his work place and brought him his favorite Popeye's chicken because he has been super busy these past few days. Super busy meaning working from 10:30am-10:15pm, then the next day he has to go training at 8am-5pm, then go to work till 10:15 Theeeen the next day he has to wake up at 5:30am and go to reservist training. Cray.

Knocked-out Simone

I didn't bring her pram today so she walked pretty long. She loves escalators especially travelators, she's a pro now! And I'm the exhausted mama, carried her when she gets tired or sleeping, with the diaper bag and groceries. I should really put on her harness, I went crazy chasing after her! One funny part was when she already waved goodbye to her dad, held my hand and walked, suddenly the song "Ice, ice baby" intro came in and she heard it, she stopped immediately and danced! wahahha. Well she got it from her momma!

It's gonna be 2 long weeks. sucks.

waiting for 5:30.

xx,

shiela

Toddler Development

How many words can a 14 1/2 toddler say?

Today, she said "beh, beh" giving me the bear. Cute.

As of today, Simone can say these words:

1. Hi

2. Bye

3. Mama

4. Dada/dah

5. Ada (panda)

6 shh shh (fish LOL)

7. Power (flower) 

8. Anana (banana)

9. Beh (bear)

10. Dah (dog)

11. Kah (cat)

Understands

1. Close/open the door or On/Off the light, fan
2. Let's go.
3. Finish -she will stand up
4. Sit down/stand up
5. Lie down/sleep
6. Get this ____ and give to ___
7. Where's the fish, Pooh, Minnie, Dora :)
8. Come here/follow mommy

I am so excited for the coming weeks that I will new words or understanding me! Yesterday I tried to make her sit on the potty and guess what? She peed! yay! Do you think she's ready? hmm, I think the mommy is not LOL! I am preparing don't worry! I read this 3-day potty training manual. I just need a lot of panties.

Such a weirdo like moi

And she whines if she can't get them out of her head LOL

Tootles,

shiela