Potty Talk

Sorry if you were looking for that kind of potty talk....because today I am literally talking about a potty. :-p

Trying to find a potty for Isaiah has been a challenge.  I searched all of the local stores but steered clear of online for this one because I needed to see the hole and I needed to touch the seat/cushion itself.  Physically, although Isaiah is 2.5 years old, he is the size of a 7/8 month old due to his OI (it can cause shorter stature).  I don't know of any parent potty training a child at that age, let alone that size....so trying to find a potty that worked with a 7/8 month old sized-tush was a challenge.

I wanted to forget the whole thing and look into a Rifton Toiling System but Isaiah's physical therapist (who would write the letter of medical necessity for the Rifton) wanted to search for a standard potty.  So I did, I searched and I searched and I searched.  Target.  Walmart.  Babies R Us.  Buy Buy Baby...it was at Buy Buy Baby that I actually spotted a possible winner.

The hole looked smaller than any I have ever seen and the seat cushion is squishy!

 Plus MICKEY! (Link here....you can also find it on Amazon. I used a coupon, so I got it for a dollar less than Amazon was selling it for.)

If I captioned this, because of the look on his face, I'd say he's thinking "OMG mama, don't take my picture when I'm sitting on the potty"

Isaiah is able to sit well on this potty with his femurs supported but his tush in the right spot on the hole.  Also, I am able to get my hand in there to wipe and pick him up until he is able to wipe himself and get himself off the potty.

But I didn't like that it lacked support/arm rests....so I thought we could make something during a physical therapy session using PVC.  One day we went to The Home Depot and grabbed quite a bit of materials...things I thought could work....

and brought it all home.  Next PT session, Isaiah's PT put this together:

Supports!  Although because I couldn't find certain connectors, we had to make it extra long...and guys, our bathrooms are teeny tiny and although we may use it in the living room, I wanted to have it sized to go in the bathroom because I'm specific and stubborn like that.  So back to The Home Depot I went, grabbed a few new connecters, and let them sit in their bag for a few weeks (the original rail was made in the beginning of March)...until today....because today I was feeling motivated to get it done.

I added a support to go behind Isaiah, making it structurally more intact and giving Isaiah something to lean against if he needs to....adding a piece of pipe insulation as well.

Looking good, don't you think?

I also found these adorable tiny underpants on Amazon for Isaiah to wear during training....clearly I'll need a few more pairs but this is a good start!

All in all I think we are pretty ready to potty train Isaiah when he is ready....but I believe he needs a bit more time to mature some. ;-)

In the meantime, While I was putting this together, I took measurements of everything in case someone else would need to make something similar for their child.

To make a PVC rail (with all 1/2" PVC and pieces), similar to this you will need:

1- PVC and tube cutter (I got this one while at Home Depot)
10- 2 foot pieces of 1/2" PVC (they were just $1.38 each and I overestimated with buying 10...but it gives leeway for mistakes)
4- Tee pieces
2- 90 degree elbows
6- 3 way elbows with 6 male adaptors if one of the holes is made to screw into (that's all I could find at my local Home Depot but the ones I linked look to be all the same)

You'll want to cut your PVC. You'll need:
3- 14" pieces for the width of the railing (one covered in a 13" piece of pipe insulation or pool noodle...I had both on hand so I went with the pipe insulation)
6- 10" pieces for the height (this would vary depending on the size of your child)
2- 6" pieces and
6- 4.5" pieces (for the length of the rail.)

And then piece it all together! (Pictured below, because describing this into words hurts my head. ;-)

and another angle...

I took this picture before pounding it all together with a mallet so the one looks a bit off the 90 degree angle...but it just needed to be pounded in ;-)   You could glue everything for good measure but so far just pounding it all really good has made it nice and tight.

And the best part?

It fits in our half bathroom just perfectly. :) I'll keep you updated when we begin this next phase of our lives.... but likely without pictures, because who wants to see a kid on the potty on the internet?  (if you answered "nobody", I like you!  I am absolutely an over-sharer in life...but that would just be too much for me.  I do want Isaiah to love me when he's an adult. ha) :-P