Warning- the following entry contains graphic information about potty training and multiple urine references. So if you can't handle the word "wee" being mentioned repeatedly then don't read on.
Potty training. I mentioned the start of it all in my previous entry. The ups, the downs, the thrills and the literal spills.
We've got tired of our little chap running around with his little chap on show so I have been persevering this week with getting him used to having trousers on but no nappy. So follow him round saying "remember you have no nappy on and if you need a wee, use the potty" ad infinitum ad nauseam. I was wondering if I should get a dictaphone and record the message and set it to play on a five minute loop. Inevitably I ask him if he needs the potty and he says "no". I don't always believe him so I have to look for body language as much as listening to what he says. Sometimes he remembers to ask, sometimes I have to keep an eye out for the small damp patch that occurs on his trousers when he decides he needs a wee and then forgets for a moment he has no nappy on. If you spot it quickly, you can get a good result.
This morning we were at church and as it's the summer holidays there was no Sunday school or crèche so someone told a little story for the children who were all getting rather bored and a bit shouty. They all sat down in a little semi-circle at the front and Joseph wanted to join in but was too shy. Then he noticed that there were props and one of them was a hammer, so he overcame his shyness and went for a look.
He didn't really want to sit down, but at least he was showing an interest. I couldn't see him clearly at this point as someones head was in the way, so I only have eye witness testimony to go on.
He started to do some quite obvious body language indicating that a potty might be of use very soon. As I said, I couldn't quite see but he was apparently - oh how can I put this delicately? - grasping.
Andy took him outside to the gents loos, but he just screamed and wanted to play. I was puzzled, he had a nappy on after all so why all the fuss? We're not yet brave enough to try out and about.
I took over. His nappy was bone dry, so perhaps indeed he was holding it in. So I took him to the ladies which has a little toilet just for kids. The sight of it made him howl, but I was not in the mood to mess. Trousers down, nappy off and park that little keester, meester.
Almost in time. There was some "splashback" shall we say and some endampening of the trousers but most of it went in the toilet and he did stop crying long enough to ask if he could flush.
So, something somewhere is slowly sinking in. We had lunch and Grannies house as his cousin is over to stay and they're less than a year apart in age and seem to get on well.
There was much bouncing and laughing and a lot of playing and Joseph was sans nappy but plus a clean pair of shorts all afternoon. There was a little bit of wee, but mostly in the potty and he even started mentioning that he might just need it, although there was still some guesswork involved.
He's a lot more amenable to having a go when you ask, such as before dinner and before getting him strapped in the car to come home. Perhaps simply having to hold it in means there's pretty much a guarantee there's some to come.
Still, there's a full load of wee soaked trousers and shorts to wash after the last few days so it's still a pretty big mountain to climb, but we're getting there. One day I'll have to risk taking him out and about and I'll be frantically scanning for where the nearest toilet is.
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