Been a while since we visited the EC front.
For the longest time, we weren't really anywhere with the ECing. It had fallen pretty far off the map - not so much in my heart, but in practicality since I wasn't home with her all the time working on it part-time.
It had gotten to the point where I would still take her to the potty every time she signed, but her actually going then was far and few between. But rather than give up I just focused on no pressure on her, no stress on me, and just keeping it up at that very low-key level.
And then the last few months it has suddenly picked up drastically again. I think it may have to do with routines and decisions - meaning we follow her lead as much as we can in many respects, so that she has some control over her life. Also because she is so extremely clear in her communication, you can't really ignore her - or if you do ignore her you'd have to feel a bit bad about it I'd think.
So for the last while she lets us know she has to use the bathroom probably about 75% of the time she needs to use it during the day: She will pat her chest and look at us expectedly, then when we say lets go to the bathroom she runs to the bathroom with us, helps pull down her pants a little, dictates which utility she wishes to use (her potty or the little toilet-seat insert on the big toilet), if it's the toilet-seat insert she signs that she needs toiletpaper, so we tear off one square and give it to her, she sometimes pretends to blow her nose and then stuffs it down into the toilet, and when she's done she lets us know, we wash her bum and hands, stand her on the floor and pull up her pants, she dries her hands on the towel, often dries her mouth as well, and then walks out, closes the door, and on to the living room and pulls at the drawer where her changing pad and diapers are, we lay the changing pad down, she lays down semi-on it, and then we put her diaper on. Routine. Important.
The other 25% go in the diaper, and she will then often let us know she wants to change her diaper (pull at her diaper) and when we confirm with her, she runs over to the drawer and follows the system as above.
She doesn't go to the bathroom every time she says she has to, but a good 80% of the time she does I'd say.
Now, at 18 months, she's actually entered the golden age for potty training, so I have been toying with the idea. I know I want to do it now within the next four months before the golden age passes, but it's one of those things me and Judge have to have a good discussion about first, and make sure we're on the same page.
A few things may point to waiting a month or two is a good idea, as she cannot 100% control it - we have to help her with her clothes (this could be an easy fix: just let her wear pants), open the bathroom door (easy fix would be leave the potty outside the bathroom door - but it's not as nice an environment to do one's business)...and then she wouldn't be able to use the toilet-seat insert that she enjoys so much - so perhaps get a little step-up for her to climb up, but it is still a bit beyond her motor skills to be able to climb up, turn around and sit down on the toilet.
Another problem is, for example, sometimes I've put the potty in the windowsill so she can sit there and look out, and she has decided she's done or wants to move somewhere else, and if I am not close by she just tears the potty from under her, where if there was something inside it would basically be flung out across the entire room.
We could of course do day-time full-time EC, meaning diaper-free, and just continue as we are now, following her lead but being an active part in the process, and then as her motorskills develop hand the entire process over to her.
Again, something to discuss~~
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