I don’t generally show off my loo on the internet but this is a special circumstance.  Notice the curved stool in the above photo.  That is the Little Looster.  That thing is awesome and I’ll tell you why.

When I was introduced to the Little Looster, I needed to have one and most definitely wanted to promote it to anyone in the process of potty training children.

Now, it’s nothing fancy.  Come on, you don’t need fancy when it comes to potty training.  You just want to git ‘r done…am I right or am I right?  I’m right.  Want to know why?  Because I am currently in the middle of potty training my very own child.  Joy!

As you can see from the above photo, my bathroom is small.  Before we had this awesome potty training stool, we had two small step stools in there.  They were a pain in the you know what.  We had one in front of the toilet and one in front of the sink.  We were always walking into them; they were always in the way.  Sometimes, it’s the little things that drive you crazy.

We took out the two stools and replaced them with the Little Looster.  It’s curved, as you can see, so it fits snug around the base of the throne.  There are two “openings” in the front of it, so the man of the house doesn’t have to move it or kick it when nature calls.  It also fits around the base of our pedestal sink.  #Win!

It also works great for the girls when they brush their teeth.  Do we sometimes kick it accidentally?  Sure, on occasion.  However, after years and years of using those little step stools that were either not high enough, awkwardly placed in front of the toilet and sink, the replacement of the Little Looster has been a welcome change.

Enchanted Tales – Snow White has just been released in the iOS and Android markets by omBooks (Oceanhouse Media Digital Books).  This fairy tale is the first in a series to be released by Oceanhouse, one of our very favorite digital book publishers.  As you know, with two young daughters, anything “fairy tale” is tops in our book.  So, of course, Enchanted Tales: Snow White was an instaHIT in the Mueller household.

Next on the list…an app for the infamous Once Upon a Potty, y’all.

I will never forget the first time I watched this introduction to learning how to use the loo.  I watched it on a VHS tape and I thought it was the silliest thing ever.  However, my then two year old daughter was intrigued.  The countdown to potty training has begun again for us.  I sat down on the couch with my toddler the other night and we watched Once Upon a Potty (for girls), together.  It’s still as goofy as I remember and my second daughter was just as intrigued at my first.

We will watch the lovable Prudence in Once Upon a Potty: Girl until we are blue in the face or until she finally uses the toilet, whichever comes first.

There is also a boy version of this omBook – Once Upon a Potty: Boy, starring Joshua.  I am willing to bet this version is just as delightful as the girl version.

Make sure to check out Oceanhouse Media, as they have plenty of educational apps available.

Every parent goes through potty training, in some form or another.  Some kids just make it easy on their parents and show the desire to go at a young age.  Some know what the deal is and just push back for as long as they can.  In our family, the mind games and bribes don’t really work.  She’s going to go when she’s good and ready and it’s not going to matter what we do to get her to that point.  Although, until we get to that point, we do whatever we can to “ease” her in and to feel like we’re being “proactive”.

Cue the Potty Tots.  These little animated kids are fun and cute and super informative.  It makes me happy when Hailey asks to watch her Potty Tots DVD and then proceeds to sing along with the songs.  I sit and hope that something is clicking inside of that pretty little head when she watches.

What we (the parents) like about this product is that it comes with the tools to engage your child and successfully get them on track to a diaper-free world.  The more they understand the process, the easier the transition.

There are two Potty Tots kits; one for girls and one for boys.  The kits both contain a DVD, book, potty chart for the bathroom and “Toilet Bowl” progress chart.  Hey, just in time for football season!

We’re giving away one kit of your choice to a ParentSphere reader.  To enter – you guessed it – we want POTTY TRAINING stories!  Give us what you’ve got.  We want advice, stories, what you “think” works and what you’ve tried that does or doesn’t work.   Last day to enter is Tuesday, September 30th.  Winner will be chosen randomly and emailed the following day (check your spam!)  This post will be updated with the winner.  Fill out the giveaway form below to enter.

Me: “Are you ready for a change?”
Hailey: “Nope”
Me: (Looking her straight in the eyes) “Are you sure you don’t want mommy to put a brand new, clean diaper on you?”
Hailey: (As she pats her backside, very matter-of-factly) “Nope. It stays in my diapee.”
Me: (Shrugging) “Alright, sister. It’s all you.”

and like this:

Me: “Uh oh! This is your LAST diaper! We’re all out of diapers”
Hailey: “We are?” (concerned)
Me: “Yep. No more diapers.” (thrilled)
Hailey: “But there’s some in that basket over there.”
Me: “Nope. I just used the LAST one.”
Hailey: “But there’s some downstairs.”
Me: “Nope. There isn’t.”
Hailey: “But there’s more at the store. We can get some after Traci’s house.” (Traci is the sitter)

I bribe her all of the time. Currently, I’m using the “You can’t take a ballerina class unless you’re wearing big girl pants.” That makes her stop and think but then, nothing happens.  Eric has even resorted to writing “special” potty songs and only singing them if she sits on the potty.  They’re generally only played once.  Maybe we could bribe her with this:

Or will that just give her the wrong idea, that she should play with her pee and poo?  Oh well.  They’re cute anyway.  You can get them HERE at the Pee and Poo Shop.  Does it gross you out?  Not me.  I’m a mom.

My toddler is two and a half and we’ve tested the proverbial potty training waters here and there with not a whole lot of luck so far.   She knows very well what the deal is but she’s been unwilling to entertain the fact that poo-poo’s and pee-pee’s belong somewhere other than her diaper. It’s ok though, it’s only a matter of time before she comes to the realization that she will be much more comfortable staying dry.

One thing I’ve learned during this process is: your child will eventually end up using the potty. They have to be mentally ready to make the transition and there isn’t a whole lot we can say or do to force the issue if the time just isn’t right. All we can do is continue to talk about it in a positive way, don’t get angry and one day, it will just click (hopefully). That’s what I keep telling myself, anyway.

Did you know that BabyBjorn manufactures more than just carriers and feeding items? They also have an entire bathroom line. You can be completely prepared for when the time to transition from diapers to potty arrives. We have the BabyBjorn Little Potty. It’s the perfect size for traveling and serves as a great extra potty for any room in the house.

The BabyBjorn bathroom line is available in bright, assorted colors, making it easy to match your room decor. The product line includes a regular size Potty Chair, Toilet Trainer, Safe Step, Little Potty (pictured above) and Splash Proof Potty.

There is a lot of movement going on in our house these days with a non-stop, energetic toddler who is neither short nor tall but just right. Basically that means, most of her pants are too long for her and a little too loose. I know it’s sort of a fad to have your pants hanging down off of your backside but I’m just not a fan of that for my two year old.

Luckily, there is a quick and easy fix for my problem. Myself Belts (retailing around $16.95). Perfect for the in-between stage and when your little one is old enough and working on potty-training, it’s ideal for their independence. They are adjustable by Velcro and come in an array of adorable colors and styles for boys and girls.

Two sisters and mompreneurs came up with this unique idea when they saw the lack of kid-friendly belts on the market. I think they were having the same problem as me.

Myself Belts also come in adult sizes (Retailing around $24.50). Think rehabilitation patients, individuals with cognitive issues and those with physical ailments. How about post pregnancy? Not quite ready to get out of those maternity pants but definitely not ready for your skinny jeans yet? Myself Belts are a great solution.