Potty Training Progression

The convenience of the travel potty seat!!
This is in the back of our car!

I've been trying to record some notes from our potty training saga. This is rather lengthy, but I want to share it with you to demonstrate that I think potty training is very much a process. For us we made little steps forward a bit at a time, and with each one I would still say we are training (and are today, since he wears a diaper for naps and bedtime), but more and more I would say we are 'mostly trained'.

So:

When M was about 20 months (May, 2012) we bought a plush potty seat, just to try, just in case, and happened to notice his poop face, and got lucky, every now and then. But then something happened and the potty became intimidating for a while. We were frequently declined when we offered him the chance to go, even though he clearly had to go, and was uncomfortable in poopy diapers, and refused to sit in a high chair or carseat when soiled.

Around 23 months (July), I actually got a yes one morning when I asked if he wanted to sit on the potty. Given his recent pattern, I knew I was going to change a poopy diaper before we left for school, and I was dying to avoid it. And we indeed caught it!! In the freestanding grown up potty. I rewarded this with the first thing I thought of and happened to have on hand: chocolate covered pretzels. The kid probably would have gone for more healthy REGULAR pretzels, or even stickers... But this started a trend I was afraid to mess with. For the next two weeks he was doing his morning business on the potty with only one exception.

Even on our weekend trip to LegoLand (September). We took a travel potty with us, and carried the removable seat around with us when we were out and about, just in case.

The next weekend (October) was a long weekend, and we decided to give the 3-day method a try. Sort of. I couldn't bring myself to really stay home for 3 days straight, without leaving. We went out some, but mostly he wore big boy underwear at home. This was they key to getting pees regularly in the potty (as prior to this we were only catching his daily poo). He finally figured out it was OK to pee in the potty, and we were much more successful.

The Tuesday after the long weekend, we told school, and they agreed to be more vigilant and encouraging, and added him to the list of potty-goers. He went 3 times that day (where previously he's declined or sat with no results)!

The next week we went on vacation, across the country, and he actually made significant progress!! We visited all the bathrooms in the airports and planes and restaurants and friends' houses, again mostly with the handy travel potty seat. On our day traveling back, he stayed dry all day!

His first day back to school he had a couple of wet diapers, but also lots if successes! The next day he was dry all day and they asked if we could send in underwear or pull-ups! I couldn't bring myself to send in Pull Ups, since we'd been using cloth diapers for so long. So we did send in several pair of underwear and lots of extra pants. And we kept offering the potty at home (especially before we left for things) and on the weekends. Only going through 3 diapers per day!

A couple weeks later (November), he finally started going to school in big boy underwear full time (gerber training pants). He still had about one accident per day. That weekend we went to an event outside the house in underwear ( to see Thomas the Train)! He had one accident while there (he was too busy playing with toy trains they had set up to come get us for a potty break), but was not a big deal at all. we have used hardly any diapers this whole weekend. M started getting blisters on his birdie, so we switched to disposables and night/nap time :( Got to use our portable potty in the back of the car before heading home...

During the next month (December) he twice stopped playing all on his own, went into the bathroom, raised the seat, moved the step stool, pulled down his pants and went all by himself, without even telling us! He was already at little wet and needed new underwear and pants but... yay! Once, Daddy and I snuck up outside the bathroom and when he turned around we cheered. He was SO PROUD of himself.

After traveling home for the holidays (Jan 2013), I think we had some regression. could be partly due to the shifting schedule, or the excitement of all the new toys, or the lack of schedule until school started again. Either way, for a day or two every potty opportunity was an accident. Then just a few accidents. And when he started at his new school, he had one accident per day, all three days, and on the weekend, only in the evening. By the next week, he was staying dry all day. whew.

***Mostly we find that accidents happen when WE forget to ask. I found that being pregnant helped me remember to invite him to go with me during each of the many visits I was making. And something my mom said really made me relax about it though and feel like we are 'there'. I was telling her that we still have some accidents and she said, 'Oh hon, you'll have that 'til he's 5...' and I thought, 'OK, maybe he's pretty trained then.'***

It is only recently (Feb, 2013) that he reliably tells us when he needs to go, with enough time to get there, and can actually hold it until he's made it.

- All of this said, look for another post with the summary of what I think has worked best for us. - 

Reusable Squeeze Pouch Review!!

The cute Squooshi packaging
(and my anxious toddler's hands!)

My 2 year old loves puree pouches. We use them sparingly for a few reasons, though. 1 - they seem to make him 'go', 2 - they are a lot of packaging waste for a quick shot of snack. To solve problem #2 I started looking around for some reusable pouch options and came across two: The Sili Squeeze (with Eeeze model) and Squooshi!

I decided to try them both at the same time, and do a head-to-head comparison:

The two items arrived on my doorstep just a day apart from each other, the Sili first. My son seemed to know what to do with it (since the nipple is very bottle like) but lit up when I told him that we would put 'applesauce' in it (his term for all flavor combos of purees... and sometimes even yogurt). I had perused the websites of both companies, and was excited to see that Squooshi had a blog that, though new, had several recipes (upon further research, I see that Sili's website has some recipes, too). So the next morning, I grabbed the un-carved pumpkin from our front porch from Halloween and blended it with apples and spinach to make our first toddler puree, filled our 'citrus'-colored Sili and we headed to the playground, with the toddler begging to eat the applesauce along the way.

As soon as we set foot on the playground he inhaled the pumpkin puree. He did need some help getting the last bit out of the pouch, but he often does with even the disposable models. The rubber on this is very pliable and allows you to get almost everything out. I was quite pleased with our first experiment. My husband did point out that the orange color we got + the green-hued filling made the pouch appear brown, which was a slight turnoff (light-colored fillings we've tried don't seem to have this issue). I read online further that we could also put the next day's oatmeal in the pouch, since we were getting up early for an hour drive to spend the day with Thomas the Train. I hadn't thought of oatmeal in a pouch!

Squooshi smoothie for breakfast!

When we got home, our Squooshi package was on the front porch! I admit, the packaging is rather nice to receive (to keep in mind for gift-giving) with a modern white box, and a little linen drawstring bag inside that holds the pouches and caps. My son instantly recognized what the pouches were and wanted to hold them. He was giddy with the cute animal designs, too. The package contained 4 pouches, 2- 4.5 oz pouches and 2-3.5 oz pouches, with 4 total different animal designs (lion, bird, panda, and walrus). I got to work again on a fruit-yogurt combo from the Squooshi recipe card that came with the pouches, and put them in the freezer.

Sili at the playground!

We forgot to pack a frozen smoothie or oatmeal for our trip the next day (I was especially sad, given the county-fair-like food options at our train event - this would have provided a much better option), but we did have some for an after-nap snack when we got home! I found the Squooshi's easy to give a quick scrub with the bottle brush, but there were a few more nooks and crannies in the Sili, so we wanted to run it through the dishwasher (which is allowed). Drying the Squooshi was a bit tougher, but I wedged the green cap in the zip-lock-like opening to allow some airflow, and later put some freshly washed ones on the dishwasher tines as the other dishes were drying. If you keep a bottle drying rack on your counter, this would be another convenient place to dry these. All options worked just fine.

Every day this week, I packed a frozen banana-strawberry-orange-Greek yogurt - kids' echinacea smoothie  in M's lunch - replacing his usual yogurt!

- Ease to Fill: at first I was frustrated with spooning smoothies into both models, until I realized I could just pour our concoctions right from the blending cup. The threads on the Squooshi tend to catch a little more, but its not a deal-breaker - just wipe before you zip it up.

squooshi smoothie as a snack at the kids' museum!

- Ease to Wash: The Sili Squeeze can go in the dishwasher after disassembling, but the Squooshi is an easy rinse and once-over with a soapy bottle brush. We do a pretty even mix of both for our regular dishes, so neither is more or less convenient. You do have to reassemble the Sili before using it again (much like a baby bottle- put the collar on the pouch before filling!! I did find that out the hard way!), whereas the Squooshi is ready to go.

- Fit and function in little hands: M needed zero help and zero instructions to break into the Squooshi. This may be a drawback if you rely on your kid having to wait for your permission before starting in on a squeeze pouch (we know the imminent dangers), but in our case, we find this a positive. On the other hand, the M tried to take off and put on the cap of the Sili and had an explosion in the car one day. It does take some firm pressure to snap the cap on, and to a toddler this can also mean getting a grip on the base while you do so... and spilling the contents.

- Price: One 4oz Sili is $7.99. A 4-pack of 4.5 oz. Squooshis are $19.99. For the price, you certainly get more of the Squooshi's. However, the Sili's certainly seem a little more substantial (not sure if that also means they will last longer?). I've only been test-driving for a little over a week, so I can't say how long I think the Squooshi's will hold up (Our Panda seems to currently be missing already... and I hope that since it looks so much like the store-bought versions, that it didn't get tossed in the trash at school?).

- Sizes: The Squooshi comes in 3.5 and 4.5 oz sizes. The Sili comes in 4 oz and 6 oz sizes. For our two-year-old, the 4 and 4.5 oz sizes seem to be perfect. We may enjoy the 3.5 oz more when Baby Sister arrives? Or the 6oz for older kids or grownups?

a look at the inside of the Squooshi (from the bottom)

- Durability with Toddler & Likelihood to Explode/Leak: the toddler was more than happy to help me test here - and I didn't even have to ask! He squeezed the Squooshi while I filled another and promptly dropped it on the floor, and later anxiously massaged it in the car waiting for the green light to eat it. He twirled the Sili by the string that held the cap to the bottle... and then promptly flung it by accident. Everything stayed in tact. Nothing leaded.  No leaks or holes.

- Options:  Squooshi's work with the Boon Spoon, in the same way store-bought squeezes do. In fact, they will soon be releasing their own version. The Squooshis currently come in 4 cute animal designs - two for each size. The Sili offers two nipple types for their pouches - one with a star "no spill" tip, and one "with eeze" tip which is more like the store versions, and easier for kids to figure out. The newly redesigned cap keeps either from leaking into the cap. Both sizes of the Sili come in 4 colors: Red, Orange, Blue, and Green.

I am excited to soon test out some other more grown up ideas for squeeze pouch fillings including mashed potato-veggie and sweet potato combos and oatmeal!!

** note: Squooshi supplied their product for our family at no cost, but requested honest feedback on our experience. Keep an eye out on Facebook for a giveaway where you can get a set for free, too! **

*** giveaway is now closed ***

Toddler Travel Checklist

Are you going on a trip with a toddler any time soon?

If so, here is our checklist that makes us at least feel prepared and get to our destination pretty successfully (which means we can actually enjoy said destination!).

And we have used ALL of the items listed below for the reasons listed below... I am not just being a worrywart!

Travel - Airport/Flight/Car Trip -

Snacks. Bring your sippy cup for filling with water once through security, and refill it whenever possible. Flights are long, and you never know when you will get delayed or hit traffic on the road.
Also pack favorite snacks. For us that means cheese, fig newtons, goldfish, raisins/dried fruit, PBJs (still taste good smushed). Throw in an apple or other hearty (as in you won't find it smushed at the bottom of the bag later) whole fruit/vegetable for good measure (apples, baggie of grapes or melon chunks, carrots, snap peas). Pack twice as many as you think you'll need because you may get delayed, or hungry yourself, or they may just be the thing that keeps your toddler from melting down. We often enjoy Delta's fruit and cheese plate... but you may not want to wait - or pay - for it. Consider milk boxes because milk on a plane or in an airport, or even at your destination, may be scarce, and these don't have to be refrigerated.

Toys. Bring the iPad if you have it, and preload it with some of your toddlers favorite videos, games and apps if you can. Spring for the internet on the plane if its a long flight, and watch YouTube videos. Pack toddler headphones if you have them, too. Not everyone loves Elmo for the 18th time.
Play doh - my son got some mini cans of play doh as birthday favors and valentines. They are the only play doh we own, and works pretty well on an airplane tray. You could also make your own and pack it in a sandwich baggie.
Toys with few parts - pick some of your kids favorites that are small enough to be packed in a diaper bag/carry on and have few parts so you don't lose them or spend a lot of time fixing them. Polly pockets are out. Travel magna doodles are in (I think my mom us got a much less fancy version for my son's Easter basket from a dollar store and it has been a fantastic toy for travel and restaurants for over almost a year!).
Restaurant crayon pack and coloring book - you know that 4-pack of crayons you get every time you go to your favorite restaurant? Save a couple of them (my husband is cringing) and throw one in your travel bag. You won't care if you lose them and your toddler won't care that there's not a full 8 or 64. Throw in a coloring book for good measure if you have it. If not, a pad of paper, or use in flight napkins if you have to. Coloring is a 'together' activity!
Other books - besides regular entertainment, books are handy to have to protect nap routines in-flight AND to have at your destination for bedtime, too.
Cars or the like - for hours of driving around airports, rest stops, gas stations, grandma's, on armrests, practicing colors. I hear girls like playing with cars, too, right?
A new Toy - or book. Some people even wrap them. But something novel always cheers up a little one. Doesn't have to be big or flashy or expensive. Just different from the regular stuff he plays with.


Blanket - planes are chilly! Plus a blanket can cover a dirty floor for your little one to get some tummy time. Or it can be a sunshade on the plan or in the car. Or it can be another toy. Our plane was delayed HOURS on our last trip but our toddler thought it was fun to lay across some seats at our terminal and cover himself up and then 'wake up' over and over. We like an Aden & Anais because its big, but packs small and is plenty warm.

Clothes I dress myself and the toddler in convertible pants (the kind that can roll up and be buttoned there) because it can be hot in the airport and cold on the plane/car, etc. Pack at least two changes of clothes for the kid, and at least one for yourself. $h!t happens.

Diapers - 'cause of all that water you've been offering. And you will need more than usual because things just happen... but also because you'll change one last diaper before strapping the kid back in the carseat, or boarding the plane, which will be 5 minutes before they decide to poo... and again... you never know about delays or traffic. We use cloth, but we always carry at least one disposable on top of double the diapers we would normally go through in the same amount of time. AND WIPES. FOR EVERYTHING. Hand sanitizer, too.

Your child's suitcase - We usually bring our son's suitcase as one of our carry on's for the plane. Our luggage has been lost recently, and we think its most important to have his stuff in that event. Also, its handy in case you thought my diaper and clothing estimates were over the top, to have more wardrobe and diapers to fall back on. :)

Trunki - Also fun for a toddler to scoot around in the airport or at Grandma's. Ours only comes out for traveling, so it's a novelty. And we stuff all the toys and the blanket listed above in it! (trunki at Amazon)

Destination -
Diapers. If you are packing cloth, check with your host ahead of time to see if they mind you using their washer for diapers. They will likely let you, but at least this gives them time to adjust to the idea, if they may privately be thinking, "EW!". Bring your own detergent (I stock up on freebie samples when I make my diaper purchases and pack them just for trips) because its polite, and because they may not have the cloth-diaper-friendly variety.
If you are using disposables (because you won't be able to wash at a hotel, or because you use disposables all the time :) ), consider mailing a box to your destination ahead of time (or ask grandma buy some for you and have them ready), so you dont' have to pack this on the plane or car. And make sure the box contains more than you would usually use... because of Murphy's law. Don't depend on buying some when you get there because who knows when your first opportunity to get to the store will actually be. And you will have used all of your travel stash while traveling. Promise.

Clothes. Suitable for your destination. Will you need a swimsuit (and swim diapers)? Will you need pants? Shorts? A coat and hat? Dress clothes? Special colors for a family portrait? Should you pack that outfit so-and-so gave you that you really never let him wear but she would love to see Junior in? Don't forget socks and suitable shoes.

Toiletries. Toothbrush and toddler toothpaste. The others stuff can probably be subbed in a pinch, but just for completenes: baby wash, lotion, diaper cream, other ointments... and our mini-first aid kit of a thermometer, tylenol, bandaids, and neosporin. Maybe you need vitamins or some other prescription, too?

SUNSCREEN. enough said.

Pack n Play. If you a driving, you may have room for this in the car, but you may also check to see if your host has one or can borrow one for you to use (if your little one still fits in one... ours is too big for our mini-crib, so we are going to try a camping mat -that we already own- in a few weeks... fingers crossed)

Stroller or baby carrier. If you think you'll be out and about a lot. The stroller can be handy for naps on the go... we usually only get an hour tops (and we prefer more like 2 hrs) but its better than nothing if you really can't be home in a bed. A carrier is good for long walks or crowds.

Booster seat. If your child needs one. Grandma keeps one at her house and offers to bring it if we meet at an alternate destination. Just ask your host.

Potty Chair.We are just now starting a potty routine and I don't want to mess it up, so I purchased this travel potty seat recently to test out this weekend... I'll let you know how it goes.

Cups and cutlery. If you are visiting a place that doesn't have kids living there.


Other things to keep in mind:
Try to stay on schedule, even/especially if you've changed time zones. We live on the West Coast and our family on the East, so we operate like teenagers when we visit (staying up late and sleeping in). It so easy to let friends and family lure you into letting the little one stay up 'just one more hour'. Or maybe your extended family is like ours and eats late breakfasts, or skips some meals entirely. I personally have trouble with this, but the poor toddler really can't handle it. So I try to be up front about our 'plans' for the day, and ask ahead of time what friends and family have planned, so we can work in naps (and pre-nap energy expenditure) and meals, too.

Did I leave anything out? What are your travel 'must haves'?