An Early Moon

Oh the joys of parenting. There is a certain time in a childs life, from the ages of 1 1/2 to 3 when every day is new and exciting, for both parent and child. This is the age, where a child is becoming more independent, and learning to do many of the things that have become second nature for the rest of us. One of these things being natures call.

Potty training, how I love thee. Now my first two children just happened to be perfect, (or so I thought). I made sure they did everything first, and were better and smarter than all the other children. After all it was my duty, I was their mother, and I wanted to be the "perfect" mother. I now know it was that "perfect" attitude that landed me 7 children in 9 years. God has a sense of humor, and a way of getting us where he wants us.

It wasn't til children #'d 3, 4, 5, and now 6 that I realized potty training was something best done when left up to the child who's duty is at stake. Amazingly the last 2 children potty trained themselves much more efficiently than any of the ones I attempted to train. My method? There isn't one, just leave them be and they'll do it themselves.

Our 2 year old is currently working on learning about natures call, and reminded me about that yesterday evening. I went out to do laundry and upon my return to the front door, I noticed her standing awkwardly looking down at the bottom of the stairs. I called out "If you need to go potty, go on the toilet," but . . . it was to late. Low and behold, there was a large brown blob laying between her feet on the rug. I set my laundry basket inside, and removed the child from the front door to the bathroom toilet. Luckily yesterday was the hottest day of the year, so when I went to retrieve mister blob, and place him in the toilet too, I was blessed with the experience of fighting off several bees and flies from their meal.

Poop in toilet, I moved on to the next task at hand (with seven children I am never bored). Later in the evening, as the kids finished watching Nemo, and the credits and the music began to play, they started to dance. My husband and I were enjoying them when the potty training two year old began summersaulting. I nuged my other half telling him to look at how cute she was, when in her little dress I realized she had nothing on underneath. I could swear I had put underwear on her, but wait no, . . . I placed child on toilet, . . .placed poop in toilet, but where was the child then? She wasn't on the toilet to remind me to put underwear on her, so in the 30 seconds after the incedent it left my mind. Which now brings the question, where are the underwear she had on before?

Well at least the moon came early at the end of the day. I can use computer overload as an excuse. You know, when you tell your computer to do too many things at once for too long it freezes up and can't even do the simplist of commands anymore. This is the mode I go into some evenings. Occasionally I look like a vegetable on the couch, and no amount of commotion can bring me too.

Yes life is all surreal, don't let it pass, and wake up wishing you had lived more. Enjoy the moment, whether it's an early moon, or a lump on the floor. There's humor in it all.

MJB