All Aboard the ABC Train

It's no secret that I have a train obsessed toddler, and he is learning his ABCs. Oh, and did I mention that he loves animals too? So when I found this Melissa and Doug Alphabet Express Floor Puzzle at TJMaxx I realized it would be perfect for our playroom.



I went ahead and put it on the wall in our playroom. Mark likes to look at it and point out the different letters and animals.

It's designed to be a floor puzzle, but it is great as decoration on the wall as well. It's made of a heavy cardboard and made to last- exactly as you expect a Melissa & Doug product to be.



You can find it for about $13 or so at most places that sell Melissa & Doug toys. We bought ours at TJMaxx, but I know they have them other places as well including most toy stores and teacher supply stores.

Overall I'd say it's a great product. Both educational and decorative at the same time. Mark loves his train on the wall.

Potty Training Seat

We tried all sorts of potty seats for Mark while potty training. We tried the self-standing toddler potty seats, the ones that fit over the toilet, you name it. But you know what? The one that is working best for us is the Nuby Safety Training Seat.



It's fairly inexpensive (we paid $5.99 for a new one at Kid to Kid Consignment), but I have seen them online for $4.99 at Amazon (eligible for free Super Saver Shipping and free returns) and NetKidsWear for $4.97. They actually are a little bit pricier on eBay.

This seat does get mixed reviews on Amazon, but I tell you we highly recommend it around here. This simple seat fits under the regular seat on the big toilet. It is as easy as that. Now, depending on your toilet it may fit differently. We have used the one we have while traveling and it did fit more snugly on different toilets. But it still works the same and serves its purpose.

What is awesome is that it is good for both boys and girls. It has a built in splash guard, but it's not so obtrusive that it's uncomfortable for girls. The design and height make it easy for toddlers to get on and off the toilet by themselves. And there is plenty of room for them to wipe themselves or have you help them. It's all around a great seat for a potty training toddler.

Bathroom Reading

We are in the midst of potty training. Some days Mark does great, others not so much. Mark has shown an interest in potty training off and on for about six months now. He successfully uses the potty sometimes. Other times - not so much. The little stinker (literally) sometimes will sit on his little potty fully clothed and use it. Then tell us he's done and needs a pull up change.

We decided that we were not going to push it, just take his lead. Recently he has been a lot more interested in actually using the potty properly. As we've gone on this journey we've found and read several books. However only one has really seemed to "click" with Mark. A Potty for Me! By Karen Katz. We keep it in the bathroom as his "reading material" and read it to him as he sits on his potty.


We found ours at a Kid to Kid consignment store, but it is available just about everywhere including Pottery Barn Kids, Barnes and Noble, Borders, Amazon, and Target. Even The Gap and Bed Bath and Beyond have it available online. And that is just the tip of the ice burg as many other places, both large and small, sell it online.

Anyway, we love this book in our household. They rhyming is perfect for keeping an active toddler's attention. The story is told from a child's point of view. The thing that makes this book unique is that it is perfect for both boys and girls. Due to the clever drawings and text you can't tell if the child is a boy or a girl. So both boys and girls can identify with this potty training child.

The child in the story goes through all emotions and aspects of potty training, and even has an accident. The Mommy in the story is very positive, using encouraging words and positive language. In the end the child successfully uses the potty and gets to wear big kid underpants. The book closes with "I'm so proud of me!"

Mark is enthralled with this book and is starting to memorize it. He will sometimes attempt to read along with me as I read it to him. Mark likens himself to the kid in the book, pointing out similarities of his day and the child's activities. We typically read it at least twice while in the bathroom. It's now part of our nightly potty routine. And I am pleased to say that we've experienced success most nights since we've added this to our bedtime routine. It's a great book that todders can identify with, well worth the purchase.