Potty Training (part three) It's all about poo...

Sorry, didn't mean to put you off your cuppa but the last few weeks really have been all about poo :(

As you may have read Potty Training Part One and Part Two we jumped straight into toilet training the Little Man a week or so before his third birthday and for the most part it has been a resounding success. He rarely has a pee accident now, can take himself to the toilet on his own if need be (although still insists on removing his pants completely then running around half naked afterwards coz he can't get them back on properly...) He wears pull-ups at bedtime but is dry most mornings when he wakes up so won't be long before I dispense with those as well.

But frustratingly, annoyingly and somewhat incomprehensibly he is still not using the toilet for a number two..

It's not like he hasn't managed it all - three times (yes I AM counting) whether by luck or good judgement on my part, I have obviously caught him at just the right moment and he has been so proud of himself, to the point of telling everyone he sees that day, with a big beaming grin 'I did a poo on the toilet!'

Getting him to sit still anywhere for more than 30 secs is a challenge but I have managed to get him to stay on the the 'throne' for a few minutes using a combination of story-telling and pulling funny faces only for him to insist that 'there is no poo, mummy', climb off the toilet, pull up his pants and runs off to play again.

Guess what folks, five minutes later there is poo...

Even more puzzling to me (although perhaps this is perfectly normal? I don't know...) is that he doesn't seem to notice he's done it. He will happily carry on with whatever it is that he is doing until my nose picks up the scent. 'Have you done a poo in your pants, Little Man?' Sometimes he will deny it (especially if it means coming in from the garden) but mostly he will nod and be led upstairs to change.

I have been told by many people that it's just a stage he's going through and that he will get over it soon enough but I can't help wondering if there is something I should be doing to help him along. If any of you have any tips or advice I would love to hear it! How did you deal with this, did you have to or did your little one get it straight away?

In the meantime Mummy will be trying to stay calm whilst rinsing out another pair of pooey pants...