Zoe has been very excited about getting back to her pottying since our trip. She was in disposable diapers the whole time we were in China, which is the longest she’s ever used them. Now if I say she needs a diaper she refuses it and asks for her panties instead….though I still insist on her cloth diaps at bedtime. I’ve sewn up a few to look like panties for outings as well. Yesterday she peed 4 times and pooed once in the potty, though she also hit the floor about 4 times. Today, though, she has been back in the groove and gotten to her potty everytime! I’ve been bummed it’s taken her so long to figure this out. I mean, really, we started her on the potty at 6 months. But after being in China I understand why the infant potty training doesn’t work in the US. In China all the kiddo’s wear crotchless pants from birth, so when they start to go (or their parents know it’s about time) they can just go; their parents hold them and aim the pee. They never get used to going in a diaper, so there is no potty training later…they just migrate to the toilet. That’s what we tried in tucson and it works great while at home. But, unlike in China, it’s not acceptable to have your kid’s ‘bits’ hanging out in the states and it’s not OK to just squat over a grate or the sidewalk or a bit of landscaping and wait for your baby to poo. Anyway, in that environment it’s no wonder kids are trained by age 1…they can feel it coming and squat and go. Then, later, they just squat over the toilet instead of the sidewalk. Wonderful! Zoe actually loved the squatter toilets and did pee in them a few times during the trip. But, this technique just is not possible in the sanitary environment of the US. I’m glad we tried it with Zoe last year (with a big break for moving to Korea), but I’m not surprised it didn’t work now that I’ve seen it in action. I think that is why she is so aware of when she goes and why she doesn’t like to wear diaps. In the long run, I think putting her on the potty at 6 months made for fewer washed diapers the first year and is now making this last push to finish up the potty training pretty straightforward. She gets it! She just needs to get there in time, and she’s soooooooo excited when she does! Plus, a couple Mike & Ikes and mommy’s song make it all worthwhile.