Now that that's cleared up, I confess I just want to potty in peace. Any parent knows exactly what I mean. Once your children are old enough to be mobile on their own, you lose the guarantee of private potty breaks. Once your children become mobile, you resort to tactics like locking the door (which isn't always effective), sneaking out of the room while they are otherwise occupied (which is rarely effective), and finally just letting it all hang out and leaving the door wide open (which is always disappointing). Once, when Nick was just learning to walk I snuck out of the room to for a quick pee break. Predictably, as soon as his "Mommy's GONE!" radar went off, he came searching for me. In this particular case, I had left the door open so as to hear any stumbles and tumbles from the new walker. Nick came toddling into the bathroom, walking his hands down the wall for support, on his way to come climb in my lap. Yep, in my lap while I pee. We've all done it. Sometimes it's just easier than hearing the tantrum. Parenthood rocks. Anyway, walking his hands down the wall.....He reaches the shower curtain, and of course doesn't realize that it's NOT a wall. So, when he braced against the curtain, he tumbled forward. Keep in mind, during all of this, I'm on the pot. I had to jump up, mid-stream(!), to catch my toddler and keep him from plunging headfirst into the bottom of a porcelain tub.
And once you start potty-training, bathroom time becomes a group effort. Constant encouragement is required (Good job Nick, you went POTTY!!) , and it always requires a mini-party in the bathroom since there needs to be parental supervision for each trip. The mental connection of bathroom = private time isn't made for toddlers because Mom and/or Dad is always in the bathroom with them. So when I try to go to the bathroom, Nick thinks he needs to be there as well. I get his logic, but I don't much care. I just want to potty in peace. I want to handle my business on my own.
During a recent bathroom break, Nick decided he needed to participate. Thankfully, I locked the door this time. Well, technically I forgot to lock the door until he busted in on me. But once he reminded me, then I locked the door. He did not take kindly to this. For the majority of the time I was in the bathroom, he alternated between banging on the door, driving a truck on the door (Huge no-no in our house...Cars and trucks belong on the floor, thank you), trying to jimmy open the door, and saying my name over and over. Finally, he got quiet and I assumed he had given up and walked away. Silly Mommy. Upon finishing my business, I washed up and opened the door. Only to almost trip over my son, who promptly looked up at me and announced, "Mommy, I pooped."
Fantastic. Not only is bathroom time a group effort, now it's a team sport.
