Poops

There seems to be a prevalant theme going on in some of the mommy blogs where poop is a popular topic. I saw it here, and here. We too have our own potty training anecdotes here.

My approach to toddler pooping has been kind of wishy-washy lax lately. Being 8 months pregnant, my whole outlook on life these days has been about prevention of various things that require acrobatic movements on my part, like picking up stuff that falls down, wiping spills, or cleaning up pee puddles and poop piles.

Yet with it still being summer, and there being little carpeting in our home, those pants/diapers/pull-ups/underwear do stay off his cute little butt more often than not. Especially during his regular pooping time, which is usually mornings and evenings.

So yesterday, he wore nothing except a t-shirt until after lunch. But for some reason, he didn't poop. He peed four times though, twice in the potty on his own accord, and twice "on the grass like Rusty".

Then my mother came. And he wanted to put a diaper on. Into which he immediately pooped. Which was ok since he insisted that "Grosmami" change him. Fine by me!

Today, after his milk and before his breakfast, and with daddy home as well, we left that diaper off again. Every once in a while he would bring us a diaper or a pull-up (what IS the difference in those anyway other than price?), and we both said "sure, after you make poops in the potty or toilet you can have your pull-up on".

While slupring coffee, checking email, chatting, hubby and I aren't paying particular attention to what his happening with the toddler.

Suddenly we hear this little voice squeaking from the back hallway.

"I made pipi and poops in potty!".

We go see....and there it is!!

The expression on Benjamin's face was just priceless. He looked a mixture of disgusted, surprised and eventually, after mommy and daddy clapped and praised him, proud.

I'm not sure what went through his little mind when he saw that big brown pile of poops sitting in a pool of yellow pee.

Daddy showed him how to wipe his bum, and wash the hands (bonus as that would require more acrobatics on my part), and then Ben wanted a diaper on.

I debated whether we should keep the momentum going and offered him a Curious George underwear to put on, which seemed to make him happy. As long as it was the one with the firetruck on it. Of course.

He also mention that "Mrs. A" at school is going to be "so happy"...she had helped him pee on the toilet at school a few times prior to summer vacation, and since he's going back to her next week, I agreed that she would be very happy too!

So then he dragged the lego out, placed the big fluffy pillow on the floor, and invited me to come play with him.

How could I resist THAT temptation? What with all the peeing and pooping and even the pillow! What a sweet boy to remember the pillow for mommy!

Anyway, we play a while, and at one point I got up to prepare some breakfast. Suddenly he comes into the kitchen to announce that "there is a big wet mess on mat" and "we need towel to clean it up".

He peed all over Curious George, and left a wet spot on the mat.

See? If he wears anything on this bottom, and he doesn't understand that he can simply pull it down and sit on the potty and pee.

I didn't say much. I just explained that we don't pee on Curious George, that we pee in the potty like earlier today, and would he like to help clean it up.

Which he did.

Then he brought me a diaper and I figured he has had enough for a while, and put it on him. I don't want to push too far, or discourage him, or make it a chore or unpleasant. He's not even two-and-a-half yet...

For the rest of the day, everytime there was a diaper change, I would encourage him to go pee in the potty first and he always did.

Maybe a few more wet Curious Georges will finally flip that switch in his brain. Problem is, he's having trouble pulling his pull-ups or underwear, or any pants for that matter, up. That is, he knows how to pull them up in the front but gets whiny and lazy when he can't get it up from behind. He has shown little, if any interest, in dressing or undressing himself. Which is another thing that I'm encouraging him to do everytime we have a clothes change. I would think that goes hand in hand with the toilet training, at least the pants part.

So we'll see. If leaving the pants off for part of the day will keep things moving along, then all the better for me.

Would be nice to get rid of the daytime diapers prior to baby's arrival...