I'm a mother of twins, RDA accredited Cloth Diaper Circle Leader, and an RN discussing parenting tips, green living, and products I love!
Where do I start? We are in the middle of our Disneyland trip with the twins. As I write this we are attempting to get them to “rest” in their pack and plays for a bit before we head back to the park. This is kind of a joke since I know that they have a very hard time taking any kind of nap in a hotel in the same room. We had to make sure to get a suite with a door to the bedroom so that we could at least hang out in the hotel room while they sleep. My hubs and I don’t want to go to sleep at 8 PM! 
I think there are a few great tips that I got and a few options we have found over the course of our trip. My favorite tip was given to me by a fellow twin mom. She suggested writing your cell phone number on your child in case you get separated. I know this is highly unlikely since I am a momma hawk, but it’s a nice precaution. Obviously this doesn’t help if someone is trying to abduct your child. The second tip that has been up for debate was the recommendation not to bring our beloved BOB double stroller. A friend told us to bring two umbrella strollers, but we only have one and it is short for us, possibly straining our already overworked backs. Disneyland has single strollers to rent for $15 a day. One day we brought our BOB and locked it up all over the place with a Buggy Guard. Today we debated on bringing a stroller at all since the kids hardly rode in it. I brought an Ergo Carrier and DD and DS took turns riding in the carrier most of the day. We wound up renting a single stroller to help carry either a kid or our backpacks. Another option is to buy a locker and lock up some stuff like heavy jackets and other things you might not need most of the day but don’t want to go all the way back to your car or hotel to get. I also highly recommend the baby centers that both Disneyland and California Adventure have. This is a area with space for breastfeeding, bottle feeding, diaper changing AND they have toddler toilets that are just the right size! It’s too bad for us that DS is protesting using ANY public potties whatsoever.
Because of DS’ protests we have had several accidents and have, as of today, run out of trainers! I even washed two by hand in the sink last night and they are just now dry. I have to say “Thank you!” to the Double Tree. Not only were they one of the few hotels to have a suite, but they also have washers and dryers available for personal use! As soon as we got back here to the hotel I made a run down to the lobby to get some quarters and tossed our trainers and pee soaked pants in the washer for cleaning. This makes me feel even better about cloth diapering while traveling. Piece of cake. To save some money on washing, it would be fairly easy to do your initial warm rinse in your sink or bathtub, wash with detergent in the hotel washer, then take the diapers back to your room for a final rinse before drying them.
I’m sure I will have more tips by the end of our trip, but that is it for now!
On the potty day 2
This seems to have drawn out for FOR-EV-ER! But I think the kids are finally getting the hang of it. I’m not constantly mopping up the floor with vinegar water but my laundry sure has increased! Until the kids get better control, I’m not going to stress too much about the fact that I’m still putting them in diapers for nap and bedtime. My original plan was to just dive in head first, never looking at another diaper again. I’m just not sure what that method would do to DD & DS’s confidence. We are doing so great at complimenting and staying positive about using the potty that I’d hate for constant accidents durring nap and bed time to ruin the positive vibe. As it is, DD will randomly cry if she has an accident and I’m not right there to take care of everything. I don’t make a big deal about accidents. I tell them “next time let’s try to make our peepee on the potty” (in a cheery tone) and take them to the bathroom to get cleaned up while they sit on the potty and try to see if they can make any more pee. Still, there have been several times where DD cries like she got injured and all I can figure out is that it was because she peed in her clothes.
I’ll continue with the daily reports since this was the information I would have loved to have had. All the info I found was very general and while I know it isn’t good to compare one child to any other child, it would have been helpful to compare specific notes for any tips I hadn’t read about or thought of. For example, a friend recently told me she would add in treats for staying dry for a certain period of time. Love this idea!
Day 6:
DD had 4 successes, 2 accidents (1 poo & 1 pee) and was wet from nap. DS had 3 successes, 3 accidents (1 poo & 2 pee) and was wet from nap. A positive trend started this day with both kids having successful trips to the potty before lunch and right before nap.
On day six I changed tactics a bit. I no longer kept the potties in the same room as the kids. I put the potties in the bathroom (no toys allowed while on the potty to make for quicker more focused trips) and started telling the kids “You are the boss of your pee pee! You are in charge of your pee pee. You tell your pee pee when to come. You tell mommy when it is time for you to use the potty.” I didn’t tell them all of this at once but stated each piece regularly throughout the day. Then, on top of putting them in charge of potty time, we had regularly scheduled potty trips. We go potty before going outside to play, before lunch, before watching a show, when we wake up, after snack etc. I don’t ask if they have to go, I say “Ok! Time to go potty before we eat lunch!” They have yet to prompt me “Mommy, I have to go potty.” but DS will tell me “Mommy, pee pee potty.” after having an accident. PROGRESS!
I ask the kids if they can pull their pants up and down on their own. DD will do this most of the time without aid but DS still asks for “Help Mommy!” regularly. I also give them more power over the situation by asking them if they want to use the big potty or their little potty. The big potty still makes DD nervous (even with the little potty ring on) but DS gets a kick out of sitting on the potty with no ring. I have to have a stool in front for him to rest his feet on while he holds on to me squatting in front of him, but he thinks he’s pretty hot stuff after having peed on the big potty.
I have also learned that bribes don’t really work well for DS. DD loves “special prizes” and will make progress when one is figuratively dangled in front of her. DS fixates on the prize or treat and can’t focus on the task. He’s ok with sticker rewards but when I told him that he gets a Micky Mouse shirt if he makes one more pee pee in the potty, he sat on the potty whining “Mickey Mouse!” over and over and over. Durring one of the many days that he held his pee for FOUR-ISH HOURS, I offered him stickers AND crasins if he made a pee pee. Then he just kept saying “CRASINS! CRASINS!” Live and learn.
Day 7:
On day seven we had a regularly scheduled Kindermusik class. It was not only the last day of this session, but the kids were also encouraged to come to class in costume so I knew this was a class they wouldn’t want to miss. We attempted our first venture out of the house after a week of training. (I’m sure others of you who weren’t trying to train 2 kids at the same time might have been braver than I was, and would have attempted this before a whole week had gone by.) The kids first got on the potty at about 8AM. DS decided not to pee before we left the house. Knowing that he can hold it for HOURS, I decided this should not stop us from our day. DD had a successful potty before we left.
I packed us all up after breakfast and we were on our way at 10AM. I put the potties in the back of the Honda Pilot, packed the diaper bag with spare trainers, wipes, and pants and we were on our way. I put a gDiaper disposable insert in the potties to absorb pee and brought some biobags for collection if necessary. When we got to class, I put DS on the potty in the back and asked DD if it was time for her to use the potty. She said no and had gone before we left the house so I did not push the issue. DS did not go, and said “no mommy, no potty” so I hitched up his pants and we went on into class. Throughout class I kept reminding them “Tell mommy if you need to use the potty” and “Good job keeping your trainers dry!” No accidents! They did not want to sit on the potty before going home and went right after getting home. YAY!!!!
We also went for a walk around the neighborhood after nap that day with no accidents. It was a great feeling to get out even if I was pretty paranoid the whole time!
Day 8:
At this point I haven’t been to the store in over a week, my husband has been bringing home dinner almost every night due to lack of time to cook and lack of food in the house, and my confidence in the kids is beginning to build.
I explain to the kids that today we are going to the store AND, if they make a pee pee before we leave, we will also go to story time at our local library. DD starts the day like a pro and pees in the potty after breakfast. DS has an accident minutes after getting up from this scheduled trip, but at least they have both gone and I can start this venture knowing I have a bit of time. I pack up the potties like the day before and we are off.
While in the store I remind them just a couple of times that they need to “Tell mommy if you need to use the potty.” We make it through shopping and I put them on their potties in the car. As I’m doing this an elderly man passes by and says something like “They keep you busy, huh?” I smile and then see his expression change to one of surprise. Apparently, he has seen that the back hatch door opened with the push of a button and he asks “Does that door close automatically too? You might want to…” and he motions something like closing the door with his hand. THIS is where parenting is only the parents business. This guy obviously doesn’t have a clue that this is our second trip out of the house sans diapers, but REALLY? It’s not like it’s ME pissing in the back of my SUV! Do I enjoy having two potties in the back of my car? Um, no, it’s not my idea of heaven. I didn’t say anything to this guy because he just doesn’t know what he is talking about. There’s no way I’m shutting my kids in the back of my SUV for his or their privacy. What if their fingers got stuck in the door? I’m pretty sure DS would FLIP out like I was leaving him or something. Was this situation ideal? No but I’m dealing the best I can. YAY MOMMY! (in my best you-just-made-a-pee-pee-on-the-potty-voice). On our trip to Kindermusik, a lady walked by while I had DS on the potty in the back of the SUV and she smiled and said “I remember those days.” It was nice. It was comforting. She survived, just like I KNOW I will. It just doesn’t feel like it at times.
Anyways, DD & DS have both had 3 successes and 1 accident today so far. I’m very proud of them. They are getting it. I’m starting to feel more comfortable with leaving the house and know that they WILL eventually get it. I think I’m done with the daily counts but will give an update when they start telling me they need to use the potty and when they start staying dry through nap and night time.
Link to the first post of this series HERE.
Link to the second post of this series HERE.
And so the potty training saga continues….
Potty training clotes: babylegs & bare buns!
So much for “Potty train in 3 days”! I suggest that you prepare to stay house bound with your pottier in training for a full week, thinking it will take that long, and be pleasantly surprised if it doesn’t. Sorry, today I did not get my dark chocolate latte, and really just want a big glass of wine with my copy of “Breaking Dawn” I’m re-reading for the 4th time, but instead I’m being challenged to reach into the deepest depths of my Marry Poppin’s bag to pull out whatever cheer I can manage. Can you tell day 5 has not gone so well so far?
Day 2 finished pretty well. DD had a total of 4 accidents plus one during nap that is still totally expected. She did have 6 successes, one right after sitting down! DS had 5 accidents plus one for nap and 2 successes. It’s funny because, I was expecting DS to be the one who was “the most ready” for potty training since he has been having dry diapers. Guess that only suggests his bladder is stronger than DDs.
Day 3 was interesting. It was a bit easier since it was the weekend and my hubs was home to help. We stuck with keeping the potties in whatever room the kids were in and sat them down often. We pushed fluids to keep the pee aflowin’ but there’s always the challenge of how long do you let them sit? No, we don’t want the kids to have a permanent red ring on their bottoms from sitting on their potties so long. I think it’s important to let them sit long enough to have made a couple successes on the potty, so that they can see what it is like to get rewarded. After a certain period of time (not sure how long it should be), you need to give them the freedom to know what it is like to have accidents also. They will eventually start associating these accident feelings with a need to sit on the potty. I’m guessing this is the part that is different for all kids. We made sure to not have big reactions when they did have an accident. I don’t want them crying and making a big scene every time there is an accident. Who needs that on top of all that pee to clean up? Not to mention I don’t want them feeling bad about something they don’t have control over yet.
Lunch was…. a challenge. We sat them at their little table instead of in their highchairs because they had bare bottoms and it would take us longer to get them out of their highchairs if they suddenly decided to tell us they needed to pee. (wishful thinking – yes.) We sat them both on their potties before lunch with no success and then sat them down to eat. I swear I took two or three bites in a row the whole meal. DD had 3 accidents and DS had one. I didn’t really know it was possible to hold that much urine in such a tiny little girl and THEN to pee 3 times in a span of 20 minutes was icing on the poo cake. I was REALLY glad it was nap time after that.
In the end DD had 5 accidents, and 5 successes (one being a poo which she got a special prize for!). DS had 4 accidents including a rather large “gift” on the floor and 2 successes.
Day 4 was a pretty great day. On day four I was hopeful that the kids would get to school in 2 more days. Daddy was home to help on day 4 as well which was very nice. DD had 5 successes plus a poo success and only one clean up on aisle mommy. She even stayed dry during nap! DS had no accidents other than wetting at nap time, and he had 3 successes! Lunch went well also! I reminded them to “hold your pee” while they ate or complemented them by saying “good job holding your pee”. The potties were still in whatever room the kids were in so we never had far to go. They did so well that I told them they could wear their big kid underwear after they woke up from nap.
Day 5 started out like every other PT day. I had the kids sit on the potty first thing with no results. They went downstairs to get their milk and sat on their potties again with no results. I reminded them during breakfast to keep their underwear dry and that they would sit on the potty again after breakfast. They stayed dry and DD finally had a success after breakfast. DS did not. Grandma & Grammie (great grandma) came over to visit and other distractions added to a struggle to get the kids to go. DD had 2 accidents and 1 success by the time lunch came around and DS WAS STILL HOLDING IT! I can’t believe this kid held it from before 8 (when I got them up) until 1:30! After lunch we had them sit on their potties and tried everything to get them to go before nap. There were MAD BRIBES going on. NADA. Finally, Grandma said that she had to take Grammie shopping and they would leave in one minute if the kids didn’t make a pee pee. She set the timer for a minute and said she would stay to read a story before they went to bed if they made their pee pee. This, unfortunately, made no difference to their defiant bladders. We even tried pushing the pee pee button (belly button) to tell their pee pee to come to no avail. We sang rousing water related songs like itsy bitsy spider and row row your boat. NADA. After Grandma and Grammie left, I threw in the towel, and headed upstairs with the kids. I was more than frustrated. I knew I would have to change and wash the sheets and water proof pads, yet again, due to these full bladders. I let them climb the stairs bare bottomed, having taken away big kid underwear privileges, with trainers stuffed with bioinserts in hand. When we got to their rooms, I had them sit on their potties in their rooms one more time. DS was first, and while I took DD to her room, he FINALLY peed. It wasn’t the boatload I was expecting but whatever. On went the trainers and off to bed. DD had gone when I got back to her room as well. Sneaky buggers.
So, my frustration lays here. I have to change my technique. AGAIN. When the kids get up, their potties will be in the bathroom. No more sitting for 15 minutes. I will tell them that they are the boss of their pee pee and remind them that they need to tell me when it is time to go. I don’t plan on asking “do you need to make a pee pee?” anymore. I will instead say “remember, DD or DS needs to tell mommy when it is time to go pee pee!”
I’m very sad that they will miss another day of school tomorrow. I’m even more sad that I will miss the acupuncture appointment I had scheduled for my free time while they were supposed to be in school. I really needed that appointment. I have had an increase in migraine lately and my back and neck have been protesting all the effort potty training has physically cost. I know, I know, at least I have a back and neck, right? I knew this wouldn’t be easy but I could sure use a vacation right about now. If only my sitter were still here! We miss you Jen! I would bring in someone new but I’m sure it would do more harm than good since you aren’t supposed to make any big changes in a potty training kids life. Change sucks but it also keeps the world spinning so I’m grateful for it.
More updates to come! I’m sure a post about our first trip out post-potty training will be entertaining. Please leave suggestions in the comments. Help is appreciated!
Link to the first post of this series HERE.
I have tried not to compare my twins to each other from birth. It’s a difficult thing not to do. As an infant Dear Daughter (DD) never wanted to sit. She was only content standing while being held. My Dear Son (DS) was hardly mobile at all. He was happiest while in my arms as an infant. So yes, there was some comparison. I tried not to let my imagination get away with me though. Why wasn’t one doing this or that yet? It’s very easy to become paranoid about development when you have two babies the same age right next to each other all the time!
DD was crawling for months before DS showed any interest. DD walked at 12 months and DS waited until 18 months. He was a cautious guy! As of late, things have gotten entertaining. Now 2 1/2 years old, both are constantly asking “Whas dat noise Momma?” Ah the endless noises of each day. Garbage trucks, lawn mowers, motorcycles, new music, what a world of discovery.
There is that wonderfully annoying stage where, instead of trying to answer you, your child just repeats what you have said. Yes, I love that DD has passed this stage and that DS has progressed to it, but this is one I would love to skip! I kind of miss the one or two word answers from DS. Now, no matter what information I’m trying to get from him, 99% of the time he will just repeat my question back to me. LOVELY.
Me: “Do you want waffels for breakfast DS?”
DS :”Waffel for bekfas?”
Me: “What was your favorite animal at the zoo today DS?”
DS: “Was favit amal today?”
The only case where I don’t think this happens (yes there must be others but they aren’t coming to mind) is as follows:
Me: “Shall we watch Dora while Mommy makes lunch?”
DS: “D D D DORA! D D D DORA!!!!!”
Thankfully, I have very recently survived this stage with DD. I know it will pass. I’m wondering, though, how they have managed to turn off their hearing? I’m not so confident that I’ll survive that!
Toddlers can be sooooo picky! They go through these phases where they will eat their body weight in food and at other times they’ll eat nothing at all. It can be one of the most frustrating things to deal with because you are worried about their nutrition. For some reason, we actually believe that our children might starve themselves rather than eat what we’ve given them. Let me assure you that, with a healthy child, this will not happen.
I have been blessed with children who are pretty good eaters. I credit much of this to using the “Baby Led Weaning” method which I have described in previous posts (see HERE). They are now 28 months old (this makes me cringe a little, knowing how big they are getting!) and still have off and on days. I thought I’d share with you some things that have helped me when they are in a more picky stage.
Sometimes there are legitimate reasons they don’t want to eat. When my daughter is getting a canker sore she slows down quite a bit and then will sometimes start crying in the middle of a meal. This is usually one of my first clues that she had a canker sore and I start giving her yogurt mixed with lots of things so that she can eat in comfort. Another legitimate reason is when they are getting new teeth! Yes, they are still getting teeth….
I find it pretty amusing that my son and daughter are SOOOOO different when it comes to food. If I put a breakfast in front of them, consisting of waffles with cream cheese and a pear, my daughter will devour the pear first and my son will eat the waffle (and maybe some of the fruit – if i’m lucky). My son is a carb guy. He will devour any kind of bread within a mile radius. My daughter will eat half a bag of frozen green beans (cooked) and look for more.
My daughter is one of the least pickiest eaters around but my son will fuss over anything. One day he’ll like it, then next “you’re out”! I have found that it can help to change things up a little. If he is having a fussy meal I’ll take the fruit slices and try cutting them into small chunks, or asking him if he wants his fruit in a bowl so he can scoop it with a spoon. Giving him a utensil or a different utensil can also be a game changer. He loves to stab his food. There were several months that if he couldn’t put his finger through it, he wouldn’t eat it. So, a fork is only second best to poking his food with his finger. Sometimes I’ll try putting the food in a snack trap while he’s at his highchair. This is just another way to mix it up. He’s thinking “Oh! It’s not breakfast, it’s SNACK!” Somehow, snack has grown into this really cool time/stuff to eat. I give them healthy snacks, so I’m not sure what all the fuss is about, but I’ll take enthusiasm for food any way I can get it!
If all else fails, I’ll take my son out of his highchair and see if he will eat from my lap or at a small kids table we have. I try not to worry too much about a picky meal day. My son always makes up for a picky day with a “eating everything in sight” day soon after. As long as I continue to provide them with a well balanced meal (whether they eat it or not) they will eventually get what they need. We recently started giving the kids a gummy vitamin with lunch to try to make up for any pickiness. It seems to have helped my daughter to get fewer canker sores!
Make sure to let your doctor know your concerns if you feel your child isn’t getting what they need. It may be reassuring to keep a food diary/log of what your child eats to help either reassure yourself or to use for a reference when you talk to your pediatrician or his or her phone nurse.
I have found that if you find that one thing that your child loves and eats plenty of, and you feed it to them too often, they will eventually burn out on that food and not want it at all. Yikes! There goes the safety food or the good ole standby that baby will most surely eat!
Do you have any fun techniques that you use to encourage your child to eat? I’d love to hear about them in a comment on this post! For a great idea of the Baby Led Weaning method, check out this Blog!
