Toilet Independence!

The infant pottying turned into toddler pottying a while back, and I hadn't made the time to follow up about it. (Toddlers are a lot of work!) All of the effort that has been put forth toward communication, body awareness, listening, and observing has really paid off! Right in line with Independence Day, it seems we are free of the need for diapers!

Adonai turned 19 months a few days ago, and consistently, for the last six months he has been using the little potty on his own. He stopped for about 2 months between 11-13 months (correlating to gaining major mobility with walking), and then suddenly decided it was *his* idea to start going of his own accord. The trouble is, as soon as a diaper went on, he often would just go in the diaper (because it is easier, right?). The shift between it being my idea for him to go ("Do you need to potty?") to his idea (signing potty) has been an interesting process, but so rewarding.

For the last two months (17-18mos) he has had a lot of naked and diaper-free time, and that has served us wonderfully. Just this past week we have tried outings wearing underwear, and that has gone seamlessly! For the last couple of months we would do outings while wearing diapers, and often take it off when he would sign "potty," and just put it back on after he was done. There have been a few times, such as being in line at the grocery store a couple months ago, where he'll sign "potty" and I have to tell him to try to wait, or go in his diaper if he really needs to. Usually I do everything I can to drop what is in front of me and respond to his need. Foresight and forethought are developing on this, slowly but surely.

Last night at Trader Joe's he did fine with his underwear on, and we just used the potty before we checked out. I still ask before we go somewhere, and before we leave if he needs to potty, but for the most part, he communicates the need on his own. Today at the community pool he signed potty before we got in the pool, and then after about 45 minutes he wanted to get out, and needed to pee again. Nice to know for sure he isn't contributing the pottying in the pool epidemic! (Especially with the outbreak of shegella going on around here!) Man, sometimes I don't even want to get out of the water to pee! His diligence is admirable.

It is pretty exciting, especially when he is around 3 year olds who are wearing diapers and are blissfully unaware of their body's cycles. I am not sure what the long-term effects of this will be, but I am certain it will aid him toward being more in tune with himself, his needs, and toward respecting his body and its signals.