How our 18 month old had a “potty success!”

March 1, 2014

Oak woke up at 5:30am with a dry diaper and put her pee pee in the potty!!! We are ecstatic!

It all started a few days ago just as we were getting home from bringing Juniper and Lemon to their Karate class. Oak and I were walking through our laundry area when she turns to look into the powder room. She points. Looks back at me still pointing and shrieks, “POTTY!”

I ask, “Do you want to use the potty?” Her voice so happy and eager she nods and mumbles “uh-huh!” So I doubtfully undress, place her on the pot and hand her a book. Within seconds I hear the success and think, ‘Did she have a wet diaper?’ Her last change was hours before but sure enough that little baby girl kept her nappy dry and did her business in correct locale.

This to me, as a somewhat veteran toddler parent (3 before her), is an astonishing accomplishment for an 18 month old. It’s one thing to introduce this foreign and frightening bowl of water that sucks your waste down a dark hole to an 18 month old; but for her to voluntarily request presence with the throne is uncanny.

How did we do it you ask?

I ask that too, because I can’t take any credit other than letting her be her.

Having 3 older sisters and chasing after them is probably her motivation, however, she decided for herself to ask to go and keep dry all those hours.

With Ash it didn’t happen like that. She was older. She was almost 2 when she first wanted to sit on her own, and 28 months before she made it through the night dry.

Lemon, she was just about two, and she wore the pull up diapers for a LONG time, almost a whole year.

Juniper was the quickest. Go figure! A first-born with no one to imitate. And, at that her first order of business on the porcelain throne was NOT the popular among babies. After her first potted deuce, she never went back to filling a stinky diaper again. SHE started at 15 months!

So like I said I can take no credit other than letting them be them. Papa bear brought in the little potty for Juniper to sit on but she was the one who embraced it, as they all did in their own time.

DIY Easy Number Line Craft

Our little learners have been very interested in numbers and how they relate to each other in equations. They have been adding and subtracting small numbers for several months. I happened upon cute character workbooks in the local dollar store and they LOVE them!

One page has a number line at the top for easy reference and I found them going back to that page for the number line. I drew one on the wall…er….chalkboard but it was difficult because they would have to keep getting up and down to use it.

LIGHTBULB!

We were due for a craft and our supplies have overflowed out of their designated homes so:

THE NUMBER LINE CRAFT

Cardboard tube Paper (optional) -Glue -Rubberband -Tape Scissors Pipe Cleaner Bead(s) Pencil
Cardboard tube
Paper (optional)
-Glue
-Rubberband
-Tape
Scissors
Pipe Cleaner
Bead(s)
Pencil
We cute our paper in half to make two Number lines
We cut our paper in half to make two Number lines

Rolled the paper around the cardboard tube
Rolled the paper around the cardboard tube
then trimmed the excess from the tube.
then trimmed the excess from the tube.
we added a rubberband to hold the paper in place while the glue dried
we added a rubberband to hold the paper in place while the glue dried
then added tape for reinforcement
then added tape for reinforcement
after cutting 1/2 in. slits into each side of the tube we strung our bead
after cutting 1/2 in. slits into each side of the tube we strung our bead
then slid the end of the pipe cleaner into the pre-cut slits
then slid the end of the pipe cleaner into the pre-cut slits
this is our number line thus far.
this is our number line thus far.
after measuring we added lines at 1/2 in. intervals.
after measuring we added lines at 1/2 in. intervals.

Lastly, we added the numbers!
Lastly, we added the numbers!
... and voila!
… and voila!

Lights, CAMERA, Action!

Photos can make or break the blog… the camera can make or break the photos…the photographer can make or BREAK the camera.

I have had this happen a time or too. Between, thief, sand, a clumsy 4-year-old and plain old carelessness I have gone through 4 pocket digital cameras in just a few short years.

The quality on these little guys isn’t the greatest but with my track record I’d be a fool to spend a fortune on a high-powered DSL or anything nicer than my little shooter.

I recognize that the integrity of the blog might suffer until I can afford a professional photog or take the risk and invest in something better for myself but until then, I apologize for the poor quality photos.

Blog-spiration

For my first post I would like to share the inspiration for this web log.

A few years ago, while reading my “juniper”  stories out of this great book, The Book of Children’s Classics, I came across this one: Miss Rumphius, by Barbara Cooney, maybe you know it. It describes the life of a girl who becomes a woman by way of asking questions fulfilling dreams and keeping promises. The best line and most moving moment was that of her grandfather who makes her promise, “there is a third thing you must do” he says to little Alice, ” you must do something to make the world more beautiful.”

It stuck. It rang true for my every existence. So simple, yet difficult.

I too have set out on this very task and intend to keep my promise.

If only with this blog, make one life in this world more beautiful with my words, thoughts, or love.

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