Potty

I didn't blog very specifically about Isaac's experience learning to use the toilet, I think because I wanted to spare him future embarrassment. But I can piece together a rough timetable from old blog posts: Isaac began to say the words diaper, pee, and poop when he was 16 months old; he began telling us about his dirty diapers when he was 18 months old; we bought a potty when he was 21 months old; he learned to pee on command by the time he was 23 months old; he started wearing underpants at 31 months; and he was done with daytime diapers just two weeks later.

He was two years and seven months old. That was two years and one month ago.

And exactly how did the process work? On that matter the blog remains relatively discreet. Looking back now, I remember it being easy, although a blog post written when Isaac was two years and three months old suggests otherwise: to encourage Isaac to sit on the toilet we gave him candy each and every time, whether or not any business resulted (many times he forgot to ask for the candy afterward!). Also we had a book of tractor stickers he could play with only while he was sitting on the toilet. This was so effective that we ended up getting several more sticker books to put in the bathroom, and Isaac continued to play with them long after he was toilet-trained.

I used to say that Isaac mostly taught himself to use the toilet, and I still think that's true. We utilized various methods to get him to sit on the toilet, but he did the rest himself. Did we use the candy and sticker books as bribes? Or were they incentives? I convinced myself it was okay since he got them simply for sitting there, not for performing.

Anyway, I'm reviewing this topic tonight because yesterday I got out the potty for Laurel. Good thing I refreshed my memory, too -- it turns out that Laurel is five months younger than Isaac was when we originally bought the potty for him! (Poor second child; is it pathetic to have a hand-me-down potty?) So it's probably way too soon. But I noticed her waking up with a relatively dry diaper, so I wanted to take advantage of it.

Laurel seems excited to sit on the potty, and she seems to understand that it is a little toilet just for her. But this excitement pales compared to Laurel's main thrill these days: walking. She's only been able to walk for a few weeks, so there's no way she wants to hold still long enough to pee on the potty. Yesterday morning she sat down on the potty, grinned at me, stood up to get a better look at the potty, and promptly peed on the floor.

And she's young enough that she can't be motivated by any amount of candy or stickers.