Toilet Training

I can't believe it, in one single day Lillie has started toilet training and is sleeping in a toddler bed instead of a cot. I thought I might be jumping the gun a little bit but over the past few weeks she has shown interest in watching Judd go to the toilet. I bought a potty a couple of months ago but she didn't like sitting on it so last week I bought an insert to go on the toilet to make the seat smaller for her little bottom and then yesterday I took her shopping and we bought some little cotton knickers for her to wear around the house and when we got home I popped them on her and within 30 Min's I asked her if she needed to go to the toilet and she said yes and I sat her down and she peed straight away, I was amazed. For the rest of the afternoon she went another 4 times with no accidents.


Yesterday I noticed the latch holding the side rail of her cot in place was loose and about to break so I thought that maybe if she can tackle the toilet then she may understand me when I explain to her how to sleep in a toddler bed without falling out. I went through the same process that I did with Judd when he was about the same age, I had her watch me while I dismantled the cot and removed the side completely then we remade her bed with blankets and pillows and teddies and after we picked up Judd from school we all went into town to buy her a "big girl" pillow. Then at bedtime, after visiting the toilet of course, I popped her in a sleep nappy and showed her the bed and told her to stay put and remarkably she did. I think I heard her talk to herself and a small cry for about 2 minutes then silence and she was out cold.

This morning at 5.30am she woke us up with her chatter and then her crying. Normally I would leave her cry it out but since it was her first time in the bed i thought it best to go and she if she was ok or if she had fallen out. I am not sure why she woke so early but at least I got her to stay in bed until 6.30am when Judd woke. I couldn't believe that she slept the entire night without rolling out of her bed, but if I think about it Judd never fell out either.

Today her toilet training is going well, we are staying home all day so she can wear her knickers around the house I only have to go out later to pick up Judd from school then we might all go swimming if it doesn't rain again. We did have a first poop accident in the lounge room, but I caught her before she could squish it. I think if I keep my cool and try to stay around the house more then we might be successful in having her trained before our trip away for Songkran in April.

WOW imagine not having to lug a portable cot and countless nappies everywhere we go. But (and don't tell Marcus) but I am still seriously thinking about when to have another baby. I don't want to be pregnant in May when we have our trip to Phuket but after that I think would be a good time, that way Lillie will be about 2 and a half when the baby is born and if all goes well fully toilet trained too. Marcus is still uncertain about having a third child, he thinks I am too stressed out with the 2 we already have, but like I said to him the other night, we don't know what goes on behind other families closed doors, what he thinks is stressful might be just the norm. But I do agree that I could do with some more patience and not be so quick to yell, but I find that when I do try to talk normally and patiently the kids don't respond but if I raise my voice and make it known that I am to be listened to and obeyed then they hear me and whatever naughty behaviour is happening stops. We don't smack the kids (other than a last resort) but we do use the naughty spot and I find it works very well, even with Lillie. They both understand that no matter where we are whether we are home or out shopping or in a restaurant there is always a naughty spot available should they choose to misbehave.

I think the turning point as to whether or not we do have another child will be after Marcus' boss visits in March and they discuss whether or not they will continue his contract here in Thailand or if there is another project they want to send him to and depending on where it is me and the kids will end up back in Melbourne and Marcus will fly in fly out for his work which will mean that he will be away for up to 4 weeks at a time, that is a long time to be away from ones family, but he enjoys the work, it pays well and it gives him (and us) many opportunities to travel that we otherwise would not have had. So I am counting the days until March so we know if we will be staying or leaving......I would be happy to stay another year but I also would be happy to visit another country as long as it is as civilised as Thailand and safe. So we will see.