How time flys!!!!

I can't believe Logan will be 11months old in just over a week. I really should think about what I am going to do for his birthday...

Wow, I have to think back now to capture the last 4 months. I am so glad I started when I did, even though I can see that it doesn't really matter when you start... if they are 12mths old or more, just start introducing the toilet as a normal part of life.

I knew when I began from reading up on EC and (new ECing) friends I had spoken to, that there would be changes and set backs etc. I was just so pleased everything was going so well and so surprised by it I felt we had a great start. I have never stopped offering and Logan has never stopped going. Our best success is always when he is most relaxed and at the moment he is still most relaxed when laid back in my arms in a slightly squatted position.Hence outside is usually the best place, and so as not to confuse him or atleast make it easier the times I have to offer the toilet or potty I have a potty outside we 'do it over'. Mostly we aim for the potty, and sometimes the wee skips over it and sometimes it goes in and everywhere in between. Best of all we can catch the poos.

As Logan started to crawl around, he was less keen to sit on the big toilet. I have one of those loopy loo or whatever they are called that have an extra seat you put down and a toddler sized hole. This hole has only really now just become more appropriate for him in size, but still it is better if i face him tot he back of the toilet so him legs can just sit up on the seat too. His poos have been trickier to catch as they haven't been as obvious to me. I knew I was probably beginning our first stall, but was confident everything we had done up till then was still there.Once he was starting to refuse to sit on the toilet (arching up and a bit cranky)  I decided I would pull back for a few weeks to not offering so much and give him some space.

This worked great and we still had enough catches I knew he wasn't forgetting 'the drill' IYKWIM, and this led into the summer break and Xmas with lots of people around and both the big kids home on school holidays and many more things going on. He progressed then to crawling on all fours and freestanding and has taken a single step on two occasions in the last few days. The last couple of weeks it has been a little quieter and we have been going to the toilet a lot more regularly and even poos have started coming back again. I know it is probably me more than Logan which has held him back a little over the past 8 weeks as if I don't offer, how can he wee in the potty???? So with a little more time on my hands again, and him standing so much more we can now progress to the next level.

I guess this is a good example for those not sure about starting, that ANY offering is good offering.They won't forget so long as you keep consistent and do it regularly enough. This morning he has done a wee on every offer, although with getting the kids ready for school and showering etc myself I still missed the big POO... bummer. I think this will be the best when he gets back to getting a good offer and taking it up for the BM's. He certainly knows when he has done one and is not keen on it being in his nappy. This warm weather is fab as we can have some nice nappy off time outside. Funnily enough he rarely wees even then, until i stop and offer.I shows what great control they can have from quite early as far as using the muscles to make a wee come out! Even this am when I went to offer and realised he had weed in his trainers. I took them off, offered and he still did a big wee... so often I am sure it is more a matter of 'I can't hold all this in', so they wee a bit...

He is a real wriggly worm now when it comes to getting  nappy on. There are far to many more exciting things to be doing than laying on his back. I have quite a few pairs of trainers now and some beautiful fabric I was going to make more nappies out of, but I think I will make more trainers. It is SO much  easier to allow him to stand and whip on a pair of pants! I'm better off having 20 pairs of trainers (and the side snap ones are fab if he has done a poo in them) for day time really. I will probably find them I have more MCN's than I need and  can start to whittle them down.

His signing is getting better, and if I ask if he needs to go to the toilet, and I do the sign, he will sign back to me the toilet sign. SO I am hoping that as time goes by he will start to sign those to me and attempt to say toilet of his own accord. With food he has the more sign down pat and uses it for more and 'I want that'. It has been great, just a simply sign like that because it is easier to work out what he is after and more importantly what is does not want. He attempts a few more signs and i can usually get what he wants as he will do his rough form of it after I ask, or shake his head no if that is not correct, so progress is happening. Another month or two should be quite exciting.

I guess that is where we are at ATM, and I'm excited to continue the journey.Thanks for taking the interest in it,and I hope that my story can help/aspire you to give it a go. I know I was looking for as much info as I could when I began, and there was not alot out there. The best thing is real life people with some experience and esp with an ear to lend. I can not tell you how worth it, it is!