Pee Pee in the Potty: The Poop

We've got the pee pee thing down pretty good. Little Bit has had very few accidents in her underwear and when she does it's usually because we got caught up in doing something and didn't take her to the bathroom. Also, she likes to play this game where she says "Potty!" and we say "Ok, let's go to the potty." At which point she turns in the opposite direction and runs away giggling with excitement at the prospect of engaging us in a game of chase. Occasionally when she does this we don't get her on the potty in time and she leaks a little.

However....pooping is another issue. She poops in her sleep, during which time she wears a diaper, so we never get the chance to try to get her on the potty. There have been times when it seemed like she needed to poop, but she wouldn't sit on the potty for very long and then she would eventually go to sleep and poop in her diaper.

So, today we had an incident. Little Bit said "potty" so I immediately brought her into the bathroom and helped her pull down her little shorts so that she could sit. She refused to stay seated and her little shorts and underwear came off while she ran out of the bathroom. I figured she just didn't really need to go and was messing with me. Unfortunately, a few minutes later I heard a very upset little girl at the top of the stairs crying, "Mommy, poopy!"

Sure enough, she had left a little dropping in the hallway in front of her bedroom door. I think she then must have felt around her behind to see what happened because she also had poop on her hand. The poop on her hand then made it to my bedroom door as she used her hand to help support herself as she walked.

Keeping my cool, I swiftly scooped her up and placed her on the potty seat that we have on top of the upstairs toilet, which is very handy since she can't get off of it by herself. I proceeded to clean her up and reassure her that everything was going to be ok, while she continued to cry take stock of everything that was taking place:

"Poopy on fingers!"

"Poopy on thumb!"

"Poopy in there!" (pointing to the hallway)

"POOPY EVERYWHERE!!!"

I couldn't help laughing at this point as she sounded like she was channeling Dr. Seauss. It was very cute, and very sad.

And for some reason, I felt very mommish in the midst of this poopy debacle. I don't know that I can explain it, but there was something self-affirming about being able to react tenderly and sensitively to my daughter's vulnerability while wiping away all of the yuckiness. It was like, "Yes, this is what Mom's do, and I am a Mom." Anyway, I kind of liked it (but I'm sure I would be find if I never had to do it again.)

So this is where we are now. Some did manage to fall into the toilet while she was sitting there, which I pointed out to her and explained to her that the toilet is where the poop belongs. Here's hoping that it'll be just like the pee and it'll all just "click" now!