Toilet training.

 Begining to toilet train. 

Different babies and children are ready at different ages and stages depending on their own development, therefore their is no correct or wrong time to start this joinery. It can be very long and stressful for many or not for others. So the most important thing to consider is when your child and your household is ready. How you do this is also very individual on your own experience, ideas and the child themselves. 

We started to think that ariyah was ready, but was still very young only 14 months. As she would go over the where we kept her nappies and get them out, lay down. She also said nappy or the word bum. Most of the time she did this she had in fact down a b/m or was wet. She also did start to pull at her nappy or try unstick the sides. So firstly we brought pulls ups to make it easier to change her and so she couldn't take them off. 

Meanwhile she is very advanced for her age and was showing signed of being ready. We were shopping and they had cheap potties so we thought let just get one and she how she reacts. We let her choose what one she wanted. Then when we got home we placed it by her nappy bag. She started to go and sit on it oviously with clothes still on, so we removed her nappy and praise her for this. We let her lead the way and only did this to start with when she went over to it. She would also put her teddies on and clap for them which was so sweet.

We continued this on and off for a few months as well as occasionally putting her on the toilet before bath. As time went on we put her in more often during the day, but still kept her nappies one. 

When she turnt 18 months, she was even more keen on sitting on it, she could pull her own trousers and nappy up and down with alittle help at the back. We clapped and cheered for us if she was in the bathroom when we went to the toilet. This showed she definitely understood what the toilet was for. 

Even more so due to the fact we went to stay with our close friends who daughter is almost 4. She is at the end stages of toilet training where goes to the toilet and still gets praise, sticker on her chart for going. If she does a b/m which she still occasionally does have accidents then she gets a chocolate. While we were there ariyah would sit on her old potty next to the toilet whenever gi went. They would clap for each other and get excited. Ariyah also started taking her trouser and nappy off and sitting on the potty herself so we knew then it was time. 

Ones back home we continued with the potty even more. Putting her on in main points in the day like, when she woke up, before or after breakfast, lunch and dinner. Before we went out and then got back home. Before baths and bed. Then in the day we put her on like every 20-30 mins sometimes more if we know she needs to go. Still mostly keeping her nappy on, especially when we were out. But when we were at home or mostly playing in the garden we put her in pants. Again we took her to choose which ones she wanted and when she puts them on she choose what colour she wants to wear. She does like wearing them and will say no if you put a nappy in now. 

So it's still a slow process, she has done a few wee's but mainly poo's as they easier for us to know when she needs them. She has had a few accidents too which is all part of learning. When she sits on the potty we praise her abit like well done for sitting and trying. She will say done and stand up now to. She then started to look in the potty to see for herself if their anything in there. If their is not we say not this time we will try again later/in a bit. She then helps pull her pants and trousers up. Oviously if she has done something in the potty we cheer and make a big deal, she claps for herself and is so happy, giving us high fives. We also give her a sticker which she puts on her potty. She loves paw patrol so we got her them stickers to so even more motivation. 

If she has an accident we do not make a big deal or get mad, we simply say oh no never mind, next time we try get to the potty. We then sit her on the potty to change and clean her up. Saying this is where we go to the toilet. Just so she knows not to be ashamed or upset but what to try and do instead. At first she didn't seem aware that she had an accident, but slowly she now comes to us and says oh no and will go to the potty, which is amazing as she is learning. Children have to have these accident to understand being wet and learn their own body ques to go before it's to late. These are so important for them to learn their own body feelings. 

She is doing so well and we are only a week in. So proud of our baby, we know we still got a long way to go but she is ready and lives it. She gets so proud of herself too. For now we just doing the day and keeping nappy on at night and for naps. Some people may disagree and say that 18 months is to young but she understands. Her speech is very developed to so she can say nappy or bum and she is started to realise and say wet if her nappy or pants is wet. And then looking in potty or pants when she tries and says dry if she not been. 

Again I will keep updating on how she is doing as time goes on. But for now she seems to understand and be really motivated and enthusiastic about it, so we will follow her lead and do what's best for her. 

18 months development.

 18 months!  

How did we end up with an 1 & 1/2 year old? She has just grown up right under our nose. I do not even know where to begin. 

Since my last post back in New year we have had lots happening as a family. These been some stresses and hard times as well as some wonderful ones. There lots of exciting things happening and that we can look forward to as well in the next coming months. 

So update on us and general life, then I do Ariyah's milstones: 

We had my birthday, valentine's, Easter and some of Ariyah's friends first birthdays. However all these have been celebrated in lockdown. So from Christmas and New year the UK went back into another national lockdown all schools, shops and business closed yet again. We all had to stay in. The only good thing this time was that we could have a support bubble having a young baby. So Ariyah was able to see her baby friend and we had adult company to. 

So not to much to report because as I said we were in lockdown. We still made sure we went to the park or had walks because Ariyah needed the air and to get out. It's been harder to entertain her this time round. The first lockdown she was so young and not moving. Now she running and climbing and wants to explore and learn everything. 

I will break down her development into catorgies to make it easier, as she just seems to have grown up so much these last few months. 

sleep

So as you all know Ariyah has always struggled with her sleep, she has never really self soothed, or slept through. they may have been the Odd nights here and there but never consistently. she also needed a lot reassurances to settle. we have always had to hold her, rock and sing to get her to sleep. We have tried multiple different routines and techniques and nothing seemed to work. we lowered her nap times in the day but did not help she still woke and was unsettled all through the night and in the day, without naps.

Me and ben had a talk and decided that maybe we try take the bar side off the cot. she has never liked to be confined from such a young age, she hates being strapped in the pram, high chair anything really. so we decided to just do it, how much worse could it get as she was already up several times, needed holding and sometimes for hours in the middle of the night.  

first night in toddler bed, did not go so bad. the bed guard we were given did not fit her bed so we had to just put a duvet on floor and hope for the best. however she did full off the bed a few times. obviously she did not hurt herself but unsettled her. the next day we got a bed guard that fit and have never looked back. she has had the odd few nights where she has woken but she is so much better. 

we took both sides off and lowered it into a proper toddler bed, still with the guard on and she loves it. she gets so excited to get into bed herself, furthermore sleeping and settling so much better. we transition her slowly from not holding her anymore starting with nap time. At first it was a bit of both we put her in bed and rock her in there, if she got upset we hold her to calm her before putting her back in. this did take serval times in and out at first but slowly it told less holding and she would fall asleep in the bed with her rocking or singing to her. again it did take a while, like over hour to put her then she fall asleep quicker each time. to now at naps she just gets into bed herself, we cover her up and sit by her side with our hand on her back. it takes about 10 minuets most of the time and she naps once a day for about 2 hours. 

bedtime took a bit longer, meanwhile she is getting much better now. there is the off days where she may take longer to fall asleep or wake ones in the night. on the whole she been so much better in a toddler bed. We never need to hold her now  and she falls asleep in her own bed.  

eating 

Ariyah eating has also been amazing, she is such a foodie person. She literally eats so well. She loves her fruit and veg which is great, blueberries and broccoli being her favourite. She will eat whole child size portions sometimes even more then us. She has three meals and snacks throughout the day. She still is on a dairy and nut free diet which has got harder as she growing because we are trying to find snacks that are not the baby bit melts. But we finding different things and making family meals dairy free as she loves pasta, chilly con coni, cottage pie, cassarolle. Any classic family meal rather then chips and things. 

The only thing she does not really like is banana and gone off mash on its own but think it the texture. Which Ben is abit like this. As she eat banana flavoured  food as well as mash in cottage pie or sweet potato. The other thing she not keen on which is good is anything sweet. She does not really like cakes, chocolate or dessert stuff. She eat biscuits if they are plain, or gingery. She definitely like savoury sour or spicy foods. She love cheese, crackers, green apples (these are her fav ATM) 

Another milestone around eating is that she now sits on her own chair which is a IKEA style two step chair (see photo below.) She not strap in and just sits at the table with us. She also has started to use cutlery properly,  by scooping and eating food with a spoon or fork. Next  step we will start to teach her to use knife to cut things. 

Drinking - she drinks alot of water out of a straw or sports bottle during the day, then when at the table eating she drinks oaks milk or juice from a open cup. She then does still have one bottle of her prescription formula at night, which is 11oz. This is due to her being dairy free and using oaks milk as alternative to cow's milk. Oaks milk does not have the whole amount of nutrition that toddlers need therefore the formula still provide everything she needs. 

self care

This again is where she just seems so grown up because it's where she has just come leaps and bounds. She has always been very determined and independent so we have encouraged her. 

Ways she doing this: with her new chair she able to get herself up and down at the table, she can use to at the sink to wash her hands and she likes to help wash up. She has steps stool in the bathroom that she uses to stand at the sink again to wash hands, face and brush her teeth. She also uses the steps to get in and out the bath, we only hold her hands if need as support due to being slippery. Recently also being able to sit on the toilet. 

So toilet training is now is full swing this week. Previously to this she had been sitting on the potty a few times a day just practicing and getting her used to the idea of a potty. She loved it again so determined and wanting to sit on it more and more so we have started to really potty train now. This was help by staying with her older cousin this last week. Who is at the end stages of toilet training now, and ariyah was sitting on the potty or toilet whenever gi was. It's really helped ariyah where we were cheering and giving gi stickers. 

First full day she had a poo on the potty and two accident so far, but yet to wee on the potty. Will do a separate post about this and how it going. 

Other self care, like drinking, eating all by herself. She brushes her teeth and helps wash her self in the bath. She also starting to help get herself dressed. She can take off socks, and trousers. She also put her trouser on and helps pull then and her nappy up. Starting to help more putting tops on, can help put shoes on and her coat. She learning to do Velcro on her shoes and zips. She does put her wellies one herself. She can also get herself in her pram, on the sofa and bed ect.. 

Her self pride is one thing that really come on the last few weeks. Because she claps for herself if she does something and is so proud of herself. When she learns something new she so pleased with herself it's magical to watch. She also will now clap for other is we or her friends do something as well. She really cares for others and herself. She cares about her things too by helping tidy up, clean the house. As well as helping feed cats, as well as helps her little friends by pasting them toys, snacks, dummy ect.. it's amazing to see this caring nature and the emotional understanding ability she has. 

Other self care is noticing and being able to tell us if and where she hurt herself by pointing. If she is teething she will point and say teeth. So we know to help and give her medicine if she really needs it. If she wants a snack or a drink she can lets us know. Starting to ask for help, she does say please and thank you. 

She is also aware of danger, things being hot. She blows her food if it's hot it's very cute. But will leave thing if we say dangerous. Like the fireplace or oven. She also very road safe as she walks very well along the pavement. She also stops at the road and signs and says wait. She then hold her hands. We starting to get her to look both ways or watch for the green Man if at the lights. 

Communication 

Can not even begining to tell you how many words she understand or knows. She is constantly talking now. She copies most words but is using new words each day and has lots of regular and known words. But could guess it's definitely around 200-300 hundred. 

The best things is when she asks for cuddles and kisses, and gives us them. It's so special. She started to ask how are you and saying I love you to us. Those are the best words any parent can hear from their babies. Your daddies love you so much too baby. 

She also started to use two or even three words together. Like 'dad more please'. Drink please, come on, let's go, come back, I did it. These are just a few she says. Her favourite phase at the moment is 'what did you do' or 'oh no'. 

She can answer simple questions by saying yes or no, plus can make a choice from two things. She makes her need known with words like asking us for help, a snack or drink, asking to go out. 

She can lable objects like tree, ball, slide, swing, stairs, chair, table, different animals, book, her toys again just a few examples. She also points out things is you say where is the .... Door ect. She can name about 8 body parts head, eyes, ears, nose, teeth, month, toes and tummy but can point to over 10 when asked. She can say and recognise many animals and do the sounds they make. 

She also learning to use peoples names or pets names showing she knows the cat is a cat but also his name is Hayes. Or saying uncle or aunt then followed by their name, she started to say her friends names too like Ellie. She has also called me and Ben by our names on a few occasions. 

Her understanding of words is amazing, she can perform actions when asked like clap, arms up, touch (object/body part) jump, turn around, sit down ect... She understand meaning of in, on, out, up and down. She can also follow 2-3 step instructions such as. Pick it up and put it in the bin. Or Pick it up, put it back and close the cupboard. These are just two of many examples.

She has started to sing word in songs and does all the actions. She will request certain favourite songs now which are wheels on the bus, sleeping bunnies, wind the bobbin up. She do the actions and sing it really sweet. 

Gross motor.

Ariyah motor skills have been very advance again from a young age. Her head control, rolling, sitting, crawling and walking she did quiet early. By 10 months she was walking and 11 months full walking and running no longer crawling at all. Since then just got more independent, walking and running completely now hardly even needing the pram. She walks 20 mins from town and everywhere local like shop or park. She climbs everything. I mean everything haha tries to climb over sofa, on her little table, toy unit. This is where covid been hard because she really needs a soft play. She is so active it's hard to keep her entertained. 

Ariyah can walk down stairs on her own now and has been able to climbs up the stairs since 8 months. She climbs ladders, and climbing frames at the park and with confidence. She uses ride on toys like balance bike, train toy. She has started to learn how to use a scooter too. She can throw, roll, catch and kick a ball. She can pull and push toys, or objects. She can lift heavy toys while walking. She walks side ways, backwards, tiptoes, spins around, bends and jumps. Think that most of it hard to think what she can do because she has come a long way. 

Fine motor

Fine motor is things I have already spoken about abit like using cutlery, drinking from a cup and helping dress and undress herself. But other things she can do are Turing handles as she now can open doors, and draws. She starting to try turn the key on the door with help too. 

When playing she does stack bricks and toys more then six but enjoys knocking them down more, she can do shape sorter puzzles, and big animal puzzle she has. Some she need help to know where they go but some shapes and animal she can match to place them correctly. 

She has started to getting into painting, and drawing lot recently. She holds the pencil in her thump and finger with correct grip most of the time or when supported to. She then draws and scribbles independently. The last week or so has started to draw circles and lines. She will say a,b,c as she draws which is cute. She can also turn pages, or flaps in a book and mimics reading to herself, babbling along. She lables and points out pictures in the books too. 

She can press buttons and pick up very tiny objects with pinner grip. She can post things. We are going to try threading and peg toys with her soon.

 

Cognative.

I have touched on this alot althrough out the other areas and they are all very much linked. 

However things I have touched on is her learning, babies are like sponge they watch, observe and repeat. Ariyah seems to only really have to see or hear something ones the then pick it up. 

She started counting months ago, by counting as we walked down the stairs, she counts her finger and brick. She been watching counting and learning songs so she sings and counts along. She can count 1,2,3 then says other number like 8 and 10 if you count. 

Ariyah is starting to do alphabet by saying a,b,c we got to e before going back again. He favourite is C she always goes back to C when we trying to teach her. She knows the shape star and can point or match others like square and circle. She also started to match colours and label them. She like purple and orange seem to be the ones she knows best. But will copy and starting to point out if you ask where a colour is. She can match, recognise and label animals. 

She understands turn taking and sharing, and has began to role play. For example she will feed dolls or teddies, banked and talks as she play with figures. 

We could not be prouder of Ariyah and where she is at. She come such a long way from this tiny premmy baby. No matter where you little on in their development as long as they happy and healthy that is all we want for her. That she grows up with self confidence, love and kindness. That she does what makes her happy and is true to who she is. We have lots more to look forward to and so happy we both at home to watch her grow up and spend all this time with her. Watch out for many more adventure and milstones with some very exciting new coming in the new few weeks. 

Some other photos of things we been up too.