Bluebonnets in Brenham

Recent Photos

Looking at flash cards with Daddy.

Enjoying the tray attachment on her swing.

Sitting up!

She loves sitting in the high chair at restaurants.

Naked baby! (almost)

Bad bed-head after a nap. The wispy hair that is sticking up is what is left of the hair she was born with, which turned light.

Watching a not-so-great Texas A&M basketball game with Daddy.

We used to keep the front side of Julia's crib in the down position to make getting her in and out easier. Not anymore, after I found her like this after a nap. Yikes!

Sweet baby...sleeping with her bottom in the air and using her crib bumper as a pillow.

Just chillin' in her car seat.

A new face she has been making for us lately.

Potty Training

I have debated about whether the topic of this post is appropriate for the blog, but with some persuasion have decided to share - not because I want to boast but because I want to spread the word to others.

We are potty training Julia!

Long before Julia was born, a dear friend of mine told me about Infant Potty Training and urged me to do it with Julia. She knew from experience with her son that it was easy and it worked. Unfortunately, other circumstances caused her to put it on hold for a few months, but when she resumed it her baby was older and refused to cooperate. Countless times she has said how much she regretted her decision to stop, since she is now dealing with the trials and frustration of potty training a 2-year old boy.

I was reluctant and a little skeptical about the concept. Babies can't control when they go to the bathroom, I thought. I wanted to read a book or something to learn exactly what to do, and she just kept telling me all that was necessary was to follow a few basic steps. So when Julia was almost 4 months old, I put her on a little potty and out come #1 and #2!! It worked - I was amazed and ecstatic!

Here is a photo of her first time on the potty.

Now, almost 11 weeks later, she is still doing great with it. She even uses standard toilets when we are in a public restroom or at a friend's house. She urinates in the potty almost every time we take her, and in all this time I have only changed 3 "dirty" diapers! So not only am I not cleaning up messy, dirty diapers, but there have been zero "blowouts", which we were dealing with regularly before. Also, we have already noticed a decrease in diapers and wipes - an added bonus.

I don't know much about the rest of the process - how to get her from here to being fully potty trained, but I read somewhere to expect that when started early, most babies reach that point by about 15 months. That means we can expect to save about 1 year supply of diapers and wipes, estimated at over $1,o00. We already seem to be making progress as far as her communicating her needs. Twice in the past week she has been fussy for no apparent reason, so I took her to the potty and lo and behold - she needed to poop!

So, for those of you who are interested in knowing more details about how to do it - either for your own child or to tell someone else, instructions are in the post below.

IPT - The Basics

Here are basic instructions based on my experience with Infant Potty Training so far. They may differ slightly from what you may read elsewhere, but are easier and require less effort. When I decided to give IPT a try, I will say that my attempt was half-hearted so I didn't do everything that I had heard to do, like use cloth diapers or carry my naked baby around so I would know when she urinated. And I was just as successful, so no need for all that.

1. Sometime when baby is between 3-4 months old (when she has head and neck control and can sit with support), make a sound in her ear each time you know she is pooping in her diaper. It can be any sound, but the standard sound is a long "ssssss". Julia thought it was funny when I did it.
2. Continue doing this for about a week. I did it for a month, because I was only doing it for #2 and not #1 and wasn't sure if it would work. I have since heard of someone only doing it for a day and being successful.
3. Invest in a small potty. I recommend the Little Potty by Baby Bjorn - it is just the right size for an infant. Set it on the bathroom counter, or wherever you want, but make sure to have a box of wipes and a box of tissues nearby.
   
4. Pick a time of day that you would normally change baby's diaper, but not first thing in the morning or just after a nap since she would probably have emptied her bladder while asleep. Put the baby on the potty and make the "sssss" sound. If baby needs to go at all, she will. If for some reason nothing happens, try again later.
5. After the first few times baby uses the potty, there is no need to continue the "sssss" sound. She know what it is and what to do and will use it if needed.
6. Take baby to the potty as often as possible - before going to bed, before and after naps, before leaving the house and upon arrival home, anytime you change the diaper, and any other time that is convenient.
   
7. Once baby learns the Little Potty, keep up the habit even when you are not at home. Simply take off the diaper and hover baby over the big toilet - hold her legs and face her towards the wall with her back against you. You may need to make the "ssss" sound the first time to help her make the connection. I think all I did was say, "Can you go?" (something she had heard me ask her at home).

All in all, this process is incredibly simple and does not require much effort. If it seems like too much trouble, just think about all the time and energy you'll spend potty training when she is older, all the books and dolls you'll have to buy, and the hours your child will spend sitting on the toilet reading or watching tv - not to mention all the messy accidents.

On the Move

The days of putting Julia on the floor and coming back to find her in the same general area are over. She isn't exactly crawling yet, but she is almost there. She now knows how to get around and can make it from one end of the room to the other in a matter of minutes. Time to baby-proof the house!

*Currently experiencing technical difficulties with the video. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Please check back if it doesn't work for you!*

6 Month Check Up

Julia went to the doctor today for her 6-Month visit. Here are her stats:

• Weight: 15 pounds, 3 ounces (25th percentile)
• Length: 25-3/4 inches (50th percentile)
• Head Circumference: not sure, since we got home without that printout
  

Recent Photos

It is hard to believe our baby girl is already 6 months old. Julia is growing and changing all the time, and it has been so much fun to watch her learn and do new things. She is such a happy, sweet baby with a precious personality. She loves it when people smile and say hello to her, and loves being tickled and played with. We're looking forward to all the joy she will bring in the next 6 months. Here are some pictures from the past couple of weeks.

Julia absolutely LOVES being in her Exersaucer. We laugh because it is like her own little Disney World - there is so much for her to look at and do, there is music that plays, and she has discovered that she can jump in it. It is definitely time for her to try out the Jumperoo she got for Christmas.

Her first time to sit on Daddy's shoulders. I'm sure there will be many more photos like this in the next few years.

I often find Julia like this when I walk into her room to get her up from a nap. She pulls the bumper down so she can see out, waiting patiently for someone to come get her.

Julia always sits in her bouncer in our bathroom while I shower and get ready. It has been great, but might not last much longer, since she has almost escaped twice already. She has started leaning all the way over to reach fallen toys, or whatever else she can find - like a pair of shorts, and almost comes out of the seat straps.

Julia fell sound asleep during the car ride home from dinner. Kyle had wrapped her like a burrito and she looked so cozy that I hated to wake her up to put her to bed.

Not the first time she has ended up halfway under the coffee table. She rolls, turns, and army crawls to get wherever she wants. She is very close to crawling - yikes!

Our bundle of joy - squeeky clean.

Getting to Know Acie & Abbie

Lately, Julia has become more and more interested in Acie and Abbie. Here are some pictures of her with them a few weeks ago on a beautiful afternoon when Kyle arrived home from work.

Julia: 6 Months

First Food: Avocado

Today was a big day in the White household. Julia had her first taste of real food. She has eaten rice cereal almost daily for the past couple of months, but that doesn't seem to count. Now that she is 6 months old, we will begin expanding her palate. We're starting with avocado first because it is non-allergenic, creamy, has a mild taste, and is full of nutrients. Watch the video to see how she did...

What a face!