Potty Training Tips - Ryder Style

Let me start out by saying, I am no expert.  We haven't been potty training for long, and my little man makes it easy.  (So easy that as I type this he is standing in front of me without the diaper he was wearing 5 minutes ago signing 'potty' to me)

(pause for potty break)

When I started out I was so completely clueless as to when to start, how to start, and what to do!  How do you teach something like that?  While raising Ryder, I've always been a believer in doing things when hes ready to do them.  I let him tell me, and its the same with potty training.

He had a sudden interest in the toilet. I know all kids have that, but his was more that he wanted to be in the bathroom with us every time we were in there.  So I looked up the sign for 'potty' and taught it to him.  He picked it up immediately and signed potty every time we went in there.

After that, every time I changed his diaper, I would start signing potty to him.  That way he associated the two. Then we started sitting him on the potty for around 10 minutes after every diaper change.

Now the little guy will hit his diaper and sign potty every time he wants to sit on the toilet.  He has only actually went a handful of times, and finds it more interesting to look at his book and play with toilet paper (small, limited pieces of course, its rare that you find a good coupon deal on toilet paper!), but we spend a good amount of time on the potty now and hopefully we will make my goal of being mostly potty trained by the time he turns two.

Tips.

• I think that the best tip I have is to let your child tell you when they are ready.  Don't push them into doing it, just keep trying and I think you will be able to tell when they are really ready to start.

• I've heard treats for pottying is used in a lot of cases.  We don't really break out the candy or goodies when he goes, but we do let him flush the toilet.  The button on our toilet is hard to push, so he can't do it on his own, but when he goes we use his hand to push the button and he loves watching the potty go 'bye-bye'.

• Distraction is a good one two.  I don't think I've ever met a child Ryder's age that could sit still for long.  Well... really, sit still at all.  We have a collection of books in the bathroom for him to look at while pottying. That keeps him busy so that he sits for longer, giving him more of a chance to go.

• I've also heard that potty books and movies can help.  We've never actually used any of those methods, so I really couldn't tell you if they work or not.  I do know that there is a large variety of them out there.

• Please remember, this is just my opinion, every child develops differently and your little one will not do things the exact same as my little man does.  I just wanted to use my experience, since I'm just learning myself, to make someones life easier!  If you have any tips, please feel free to send them my way!

Good luck.

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Update of recipes mentioned

First, the Taco Stuffed Pasta Shells.  I make a similar recipe with ricotta and spinach, but Shane loves tacos and he loves my version so I figured I'd try this out.  He loved it, ate two bowls.  It made me sick to my stomach.  Was worth making though because he loved it so much.

This one I didn't mention before.  It's Rachel Ray's recipe for Mini Pizzas.  Basically a pizza muffin.  Turned out great but I think I might add more cheese next time.  I can't find the recipe again to link to though.

 This is the Chocolate Coke Cake that I made.   Delicious.  Rich.  Moist.  Yum.  Big hit here, was gone within two days...

I also made the Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Mac n Cheese that was mentioned.  Again huge hit with Shane, and Ryder loved it.  It wasn't my favorite though.  I think next time I will add more bacon, more chicken, and different kinds of cheese.  I forgot to take a picture of it.

Sweet Diaper Deal! Extreme Couponing!

I love coupons.  I also really love manager special prices.  Combine the two to make really sweet deals.

Took a trip to Kroger today to pick up a few things and my first stop when going there is always the Clearance Rack.  There have been many times where I match my coupons with their specials and walk out of the store with a cart full of free items.  Today there were diapers.  Unfortunately not Pampers or Huggies, but when you have two children that wear diapers, you get a little less picky.  

Gerber has a promotion going right now where when you buy a certain amount of their baby food, they give you money off your next purchase.  I purchased enough baby food to get $8.00 off my next purchase from them.

The diapers I picked up were $7.49 each for a box of 82.  I picked up two of them, as well as two boxes of pampers baby wipes priced at $1.39 each.

When I got to the register, I had a dollar off coupon for the diapers.  I also had a 50 cent and a 20 cent coupon off the wipes, both which doubled to $1.00 and 40 cents, and then I had the $8.00 off from Gerber all on top of the manager special prices.

I ended up walking out of the store with two 82 count boxes of diapers, and two 62 count boxes of baby wipes and I only paid a total of $8.42 after tax.

Who doesn't love saving money?

Votes were reset!  Please vote!

Dear Ryder

Dearest little man:

You've become a world of special.  You do new things every day and I cannot keep up with all the trouble you get into.  I love you more than anything.  You are very chatty, smile all the time, and amaze us all day long with how smart you are.

You've just started a play group with other boys and girls your age.  You're very quiet and difficult when we are there.  Throwing fits, not wanting to go to the next station, and never playing with the other children.  I wish that you would let them all see what an amazing child you are.

You are wonderful with your brothers, you play well with both but tend to get a bit more jealous when Wyatt has something that you don't.  It's cute, for now.

Dada and I cannot explain the love we have for you.  Please grow up to love God, be good to your family, and be successful in whatever you choose to do.

I love you,

Momma

Potty, Words, Hospital, Couponing, & More

I feel like I don't even have time to blog anymore.  Goodness... I don't even have time to breath anymore.

We've unofficially started potty training Ryder.  We spend over an hour more in the bathroom every day now.  It seems to be working.  He went potty on the "big boy potty" the very first time I sat him up there, and he really does like to sit there.  All in all things seem to be going well.

He's also started talking more.  The boy never went through the stage of saying one word... he went straight to multiple word phrases.  He now says "One more", "Oh Toodles" (from his favorite show Mickey Mouse Clubhouse), and occasionally I can get him to say "I love you momma".  He also says 'More' and 'apple' as well.  More words are coming every day, and at this rate... I won't be able to get him to stop talking in a month from now.  He makes us so proud.

Wy is doing all sorts of new tricks as well. He's started crawling instead of scooting, and he pulls himself up on things and stands.  His new thing is to pull himself up on the side of his bassinet and stand there and stare at me when I wake up.  As of this moment he is standing in there laughing at me.  I'm not sure what he thinks is funny but its such a joy to hear.  

He's turning into such a little man.  He looks so much like Shane.

Ryder was sharing his lunch.  Wyatt has turned into a little vacuum.  Anything on the floor gets put in his mouth. 

A rainbow over town the other night.  It was so bold and beautiful I felt like I should reach out and touch it.  And then the sunset at the end of our road as I was driving home the same night.  How beautiful is that?  There is one reason I love living here.  

Had to make trips to the city last week.  The city is definitely not the place for me.  I dealt with it, did what I had to do, but I felt very out of place and couldn't believe some of the things there.  I suppose I should have been wearing overalls and driving a big green tractor because of how out of place I felt there.  

My mother is finally out of the hospital and doing better.  That means no more crazy two hour trips to the city.  It wore me out.  It's taken me something like three days to finally get feeling more like myself.  I couldn't keep my eyes open and everything the boys did was too much for me to handle.  Not to mention that I was so worn out that I'm now coming down with a cold after just getting over being sick.  I'm glad its over, back on with real life... chasing after crazy boys.

Coupon King in training.  

I love my boys.

Coupons are awesome.  I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by them recently because I've fallen so far behind but I can do amazing things for my family with them.  I thank God every day for this gift.  At Kroger they had Special K2O water mixes on manager special for $1.09.  I had a coupon for $1.50/2.  I picked up 8 boxes and only paid $2.72 for all of them.  

At Walmart this week they are running a special for One Step Toilet bowl cleaners.  Under $4.00 for one and I had a $4 off coupon for them which made them completely free.  I ended up getting 5 because that is all the store had available.  I plan on picking up another 4 before the week is out.  

My next cooking adventure.  Chocolate Coke Cake.  I've heard of it before but never made it.  It looks delicious and I've been craving something sweet recently.  This looks perfect. 

Please vote for my guys.  They will give you drool covered baby kisses if you do!