Potty training update: "I'm pooping."

Well, the update is that there is no update. We have sort of regressed a bit on this front and I am trying to remain calm and low key.

I felt that Shea was getting stressed out by all the focus before the winter break and we decided to just let him be. I think it was a good decision because he has started to be quite forthcoming with potty details.

"Shea, honey, what are you doing?" I holler.

"I'm pooping." He responds.

Gotcha.

This is new. He used to hunker down out of the way, contemplatively do his bizness and then needed to be chased down for a change. Now, he not only tells me what is going on, with words even, but he will tell me when he wants a change.

He will say "wet" and head over to the diaper zone in the morning when he gets up. And, will ask me to change his pants after he poops. He still is very reluctant to sit on the potty chair and will only try it right before bath despite a chocolate bribe. He doesn't have the patience to just sit and wait and will say he is done, step into the bath and then will go. I wonder if that means he just doesn't have the muscle control yet?

Shea will be 5 in April. When am I allowed to official panic? When should I seek "professional help"? Whatever that is. If we back off will he regress further or just figure it out in his own way? Are we enabling him and we should just buckle down?