It is a fact that babies develop fast, but people also forget that the toddler years are pretty full on with changes too.
At the beginning of the year Sebastian wasn’t talking and had been referred to have his hearing tested and speech therapy, he was still in nappies and showed no interest in potty training and had just started pre-school.
Fast forward a year and what a difference. My non-talker doesn’t stop talking now that he has the confidence to speak over his brothers and sister, didn’t need his referral to the speech therapist and is flying high at Nursery School.
He adores school, particularly playing Knights and Dragons and Dinosaurs and helping to look after their chickens and collecting the eggs they have laid. He always excitedly tells me if he has seen Isaac and Eliza during the day too.
After a failed attempt at toilet training at Easter, we were approached by Huggies to become their potty training ambassadors and started toilet training just before Sebby’s third birthday in June.
This time he was ready!
We followed the 6 steps to potty training success:
- Check you are both ready
- Say goodbye to nappies
- Start practicing
- Learn wet from dry
- Be consistent
- Keep practicing
After a shaky start which is pretty normal but as his confidence grew he sailed through the process and by the time we went on holiday he was even standing up to use the big toilet.
That is not to say we have not have any accidents since and we have had a couple of frustrating set backs. The first when he started Nursery as I think the change in routine really threw him and the second we are going through now.
He has been off-colour for a couple of weeks with a heavy cold and had a bit of an upset stomach which has meant that he didn’t make it to the toilet quick enough and he lost his confidence.
We have broken out the sticker chart again and are remaining positive and it seems to be working its magic, so touch-wood it is just a blip.
Above all, Sebby is really looking forward to Christmas this year. I think at 3, this is the age they really understand what is going on. It has been the first year he hasn’t cried when meeting Father Christmas and had a lovely long conversation with him detailing everything he wanted, although it was completely different to what he told me he would like.
My chilled-out boy is still relatively relaxed, but he is a lot more feisty than he used to be. He has learned to stand up to his brothers and sister and is the master of commanding everyone’s attention. The really surprising thing to me is that he is a complete daredevil……..fast rides at the theme park that Isaac and Eliza shy away from he is there, on them again and again and I always have my heart in my mouth when he’s on the climbing frame as he has no fear at all.
The baby of the family is certainly not a baby anymore and we have applied for his school place for 2017!!
I’m always amazed how quickly they change and just know Amelia (almost) 3 has a. If year ahead!
It;s amazing how quickly they can change, isn’t it? Glad he’s doing so well.
They grow up so fast, don’t they? Good luck! And hope that your youngest gets his chosen school next year 🙂
Aww they grow far too fast!! We’ve just applied for Megans school place and I can’t believe she will be joining the others at school in September. I dread the following year when Harry goes, that’s when it’s really going to hit me!
Oh goodness time really does go so quick. I can’t believe he is standing there with the same uniform as his siblings. I hope he gets his school place next year and keeps growing well.
Wow! It is amazing that Sebastian has done so well in just a year. I am glad to hear that he is thriving at school!
I’m glad that he’s building up hos confidence to tell Father Christmas what he wants this year!
Aww things are moving along nicely for Sebby! I think they all progress at their own speeds but it must have been worrying if you were in the process of getting a referral to a speech therapist. Can you believe he is nearly at school! Wow.
It definitely sounds as though Sebby i thriving and he has grown up so much in the few posts of yours that I had been reading x
Oh what a magical Christmas it is going to be for you. I think that Sebbie really is the cutest and you are right it is worth remembering that changes in routine and health can have such an impact,
Aww such a lovely post Kara, they grow so quickly don’t they. Christmas is magical when they are this age 🙂
It’s all too fast, I would give anything to do it all over again. I loved the toddler age as it’s when they really become themselves and their confidence grows and they want to do everything. Enjoy every moment.
Awww bless. They grow so fast right? Bless him.
Oh my goodness he really cannot be old enough to start school next year? It seems like only two weeks ago that you were pregnant with him! Where has the time gone?!
Sometimes it’s a bit scary how fast time flies. Glad he’s doing so well.
aww bless… they grow so quick hey. My little girl will be 5 in 2 days =[ !! wheres the time gone. I find the sticker chart always seem to work well in our house too, so hope it does for you.
Aww bless him. He’s such a big boy now! My twins struggled with potty training and had many ‘accidents’ at school when they were 4/5 years old! They got there in the end though 🙂