Monday, February 25, 2008

Trumpeting success...

Well, this is Sparx’ Motherhood brain here taking over the blog for just a teensy tiny moment. She’s currently sat in front of her computer wondering how to phrase today’s events in a way that doesn’t make her sound like the world’s biggest pig of a pushy Mum. So, I’ll just step in because crowing about the spud’s achievements in a completely ridiculous fashion is My Kind Of Thing. So here goes – my son… that’s MY son, who is LESS than a year and a half old thank you very much, yes that’s my son, by the way, my son used his potty today for the first time! Yes, that’s right – he sat down, did a wee and stood back up, all on his own. Thank you. Yes, I know, that Is amazing. Isn’t it? Thank you, thank you, no I don’t mind signing that autograph. A book deal, you say? Why, thank you very much.

Erm… ack. Sorry about that. I think I may have just laid an entire ostrich egg here...

Anyway, yes it’s true. Not perhaps quite so spectacularly true once put into context but, you know, near as dammit.

One of the many, multitudinous reasons that we decided to go for cloth nappies was in hope that our little bundle of wee would hate walking around with a wodge of wet cotton between his thighs enough to want to use a regular potty some time before he could use a computer.

More to the point, we didn’t much fancy three years of nappy changes and anything we could do to speed the journey to potty would be a Good Thing. So, without actively menacing our son over the toilet, we have been giving him a few little pointers here and there and recently this took the form of purchasing him a potty and installing it in the loo.

We decided on one that has a removable seat which will fit inside the big loo seat and a back that folds down to turn it into a step so we have all bases covered. It also, as we discovered once we had it home, comes with two little electrodes that once wee has closed the circuit between them set off a trumpet voluntary; I kid you not. All bells and whistles indeed.

The spud has worked out that if he touches both electrodes at once he can turn on the music without the benefit of having had an actual wee and he will do this endlessly. We have therefore had not only to become used to the intrusions of a small child into our privacy but now to a triumphant, fanfare accompaniment to our ablutions.

So there I was this evening running his bath with him standing nappy-less beside the tub while the sound of water running set off his little bladder. I picked him up, still widdling, and leaned him over his potty, standing him in a way that pee hit electrodes and yeay, the trumpets did sound.

He was delighted and I did all the clapping and preening noises one does under these circumstances and he took it on himself to do a little encore. He turned around, sat down, squeezed out a wee, stood back up and… well I don’t remember much after that, I think I may have passed out from shock to the sound of... is that Handel?

Perhaps not quite so dramatic as I may have led you to believe… I am not ridiculous enough to imagine that the trumpets herald end of nappies for us in the near future but you know, I don’t care right now. Right now we have taken the first baby step away from nappies and that’s good enough for me.


23 comments:

Jen said...

That is exciting! You're going to think you're on a farm, with all those eggs you've been laying! What is the name of that potty - I'll need one soon.

jenny said...

Whoo-hoo! I'm clapping right alongside with you!! There might be days where he completely forgets about the potty and pees in the nappies anyway, but then again, maybe not!

Youngest is getting there! She has been leaving her solid wastes in the toilet more often, which makes me very happy not having to scrape poo off the underwear. I confess that I toss the really really gooey sloppy ones because at this point, I am too frazzled to clean them properly.

Give the Spud a kiss from me! I hope he will be completely potty trained by the time he is 2!!

Sparx said...

Jen - I'll have to check for you - I think it's a Johnson & Johnson one... is that right? Bother, am not around to check. Grea to see you!

Jenny - oh, that's brilliant. Bad you for throwing away undies though! Very funny! I hope so too, I'll pass that kiss right along. Great to see you too!

Elsie Button said...

That is very very exciting! what i want to know is... where did you get that incredible, all singing, all dancing, all everything potty from?? i want one! (for betty)

Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings said...

That is so awesome. You know, Jonathan was acting interested in going to the bathroom, and lately when he pees on the carpet while I prepare to put him in the tub he points excitedly and I swear last week he said "Pee-pee" I thought I might should start the whole potty-training thing early because of this, but then thought maybe he was too young. This incident with your Spud has changed my mind though. Maybe my little one will be ready soon too. Hmmmmmm....can I mention, though, that when I told Hubby he'd have to help the little one pee he got all weird about it. I mean, what do I know about standing up and peeing? Nothing I tell you!

Anonymous said...

Great news and congrats. Both of my clever kids started of their own volition at about 18 mos and were day and night trained by 2. Boys are easy, I wish I'd had a couple of electrodes.... as it was a small ball of tp worked a treat. Small girl - sat happily and read a book for hours.

Sparx said...

Elsie (and Jen): It's an ugly blue and white plastic lump made by Fisher Price and we got it at the white trash mecca otherwise known as Argos (most of our house comes from there, don't tell the neighbours). It was the only one we could find that did everything. It's hideous but it's obviously genius and who's complaining? And, he did it again tonight - hooray! Great to see you!

Jonny's Mummy: Hey gal, get started now! If he's interested, go go go! Everyone I've spoken to in the last day with a child the same age (which is obviously everyone I know with a child the same age...) has said that their child is beginning to show an interest as well so I say take their lead and go for it. I love it that your hubby is weird about it - what??!! Great to see you!

Anonymous parental unit - er, and cough cough nothing has hack cough changed...

Anonymous said...

My only comment is - electrodes? And a young lads private parts? Sounds almost like a middle east torture room.....hate to think what a short circuit would do to my grandson...

Admin said...

Just remember to keep it all positive. If he forgets and wees in his nappies...well, he forgets. The more you praise his good times and say "oh well" to the slip ups, the less he'll stress about it all, too.

Congrats!

Ms Anonymous said...

A) I love your blog.
B) I read it from start to finish.
C) I have been stalking, I mean, reading for a while but the trumpeting toilet has forced me out of lurkdom. It trumpets? For real? That is some shittastically amazing goodness! I want my toilet to sing!
D) Your boy is a child genius. I teach, I know these things.

She's like the wind said...

What a clever little Spud and what a fantastic potty. x

Sparx said...

Anonymous - I think the only thing a short circuit would do to your grandson is make him want to do it again...!

Joni - thanks!!! Yes, all praise here. I think he's starting to tell himself off for weeing in his nappies now, I keep having to tell him it's ok. Great to see you!

Ms Anonymous - wow, thanks! I've snuck over to yours but haven't had time for a proper read. You've made me day with that, thanks and thanks for de-lurking!

She's like the Wind - yes indeed, I have to grant it 'fabulous' status even though it is really hideous! Great to see you!

wakeupandsmellthecoffee said...

Well done, Spud. It took my son 3 (THREE) years to get the hang of it. He mastered the weeing long before the other end. I love your potty. Wish they were around when I was potty-training my two.

Sue said...

Well done, Charlie!

The Bhablet uses the potty for the, well, potty every morning, but pee is really tricky. Mostly I'm too busy around the house and he doesn't feel the need to let me know.

Or I don't get his signals.

Sigh. Good for you, though.

Sparx said...

Hey Sue

Well, I've only managed it when he's had his nappy off and I've interrupted him doing a pee... otherwise he doesn't want to let me know either! V impressed that the Bhablet is using the potty in the morning though, that's great! Great to see you!

Sue said...

The paediatrician gave me a tip -- I give him his morning juice while he's on the pot. Helps keep him in the seat and also helps push things along, if you know what I mean. :)

I give him his breakfast, seat him and hand him his juice. It has worked wonderfully these last two weeks. There have been one or two days when I didn't realise he wasn't done and so he completed the job later, but basically, if I take the 15 minutes out of my day to sit next to him observing, this bit is usually out of the way.

You know, it's considered a bit of a disgrace for an Indian baby to not be at least semi-toilet-trained by The Bhablet's age. Mostly they are programmed to finish the potty in the morning and be able to signal for loo usage by now. Since he lags in all this, I'm occasionally reminded that I should work harder at this. So I bought myself, I mean him! some really cute Mothercare underwear on sale as an incentive. :D

D-HOR said...

Damn Sparx isn't he like extra smart to have figured out that by touching the doo-hickys he can make it sound off? Okay so I know ZERO about kids, you must realize, but it sounds smart as hell to me. For heavens sake my parents can't figure out the volume on their new t.v. so, well, you know. Smart little guy you got there.

DJ Kirkby said...

Wow now that is an incredible achievment! Seriously it is. Both the weeing into the potty and figuring out how to set off the music without weeing.

The Writer said...

WHOOHOO FOR THE WEE!

Anonymous said...

He sounds quite fabulous!
Also I want an adult toilet seat like that, please. I often feel we are not rewarded enough for our ability to know what our bladder is telling us...

Shannon said...

I just read this!
Great news on the potty! My daughter showed interest early and everyone told me that it would be years before it really took but she was diaper free before her 2nd b-day. I'll send good vibes your way!

Cara said...

just checking in for the first time in a while...

can i just say, yet again... parallel lives AGAIN! http://cararolinson.blogspot.com/ see?

Sparx said...

Sue - sorry for the long delay on response and sorry for not popping over recently. You know, I had read this about children in India and I was so impressed. I'm not going to force him to be trained early but equally, I'm not going to hang back, thanks for the encouragement.

Dhor - smart? Well, insistent is more like it. He doesn't give up until something is worked out or broken...

DJ - Yes, but he hasn't repeated it! So much for boasting!

Elizabette! YAY! Great comment by the way, will pop over for a visit too.

Raz - I know! Although, it would be a little over the top if it went off at 4am because one had had a few too many...

Shannon - wha hey, that's so impressive, I'll have to drop by for tips...

Cara - ooh, I'll be over to see!

Thanks for coming by everyone.