Ever had to use a port-a-potty with your toddler in tow?

The 2nd part of Cesca'spost reminded of something that happened last week while on vacation.

It was my turn to take Daniel out and about for a little while so that J , who had had a mostly unsuccessful trip to the beach that morning with Daniel, could get a break. (Unsuccessful beach trip being defined as when you child prefers to play in the outside shower at the bathhouse than actually on the beach. Yeah.)

Anyway, I needed some postcards, so I thought we'd walk up to the store and get some. As we walked, my stomach started rumbling. Uh-oh. I figured that there would be bathrooms at the store and we were closer to it than to where we were staying, besides, I needed postcards and to keep Daniel out and about longer. We got to the store, stomach still rumbling, but I was like, maybe I can make it until we get back.

Or not. Daniel had located the plastic car/truck selection in the store which I had been unable to steer him away from, being distracted by my abdominal distress. While he obsessed over which one to choose (I had told him that he could pick one out since I knew I couldn't handle a tantrum and hold my bowels together at the same time), I started looking around for the restrooms in the store.

OK, now I really had to go. I picked up Daniel and told him that we would come back to get a car/truck, but that mommy had to go potty. Ignoring the sign at the cash register saying "Port-a-potty out back around the corner", I asked if they had a bathroom. You might guess what the answer was.

I don't know about you, but I've never really been a port-a-potty user myself. Something about the sight/odor of raw sewage just tightens those sphincter muscles right up. So, we went outside, hurried by the port-a-potty to the next store. I quickly located their bathrooms, but also noticed the out-of-service signs on the the doors of the mens and womens restrooms. Thinking that maybe they weren't really out of service or that maybe they would be miraculously in-service for me, I asked the cashier about them. Sadly, they were indeed out of service. He empathetically suggested the port-a-potty in the parking lot of the store next door.

I knew I couldn't make it back to the room, so I carried Daniel back outside, put him down, knelt down and told him that we were going potty real quick and then we'd go back and get his car (which he was clamoring for) and oh yeah, DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING.

I held my breath and we entered the port-a-potty. DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING.

Ooo, what's this? he says as he looks around inside our close quarters.

DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING, I repeat as he points to the urinal.

I take care of business while he says, "Oooo, it's a potty."

DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING.

And we're done and back into the store for the promised car/truck purchase. Thankfully, I don't think he remembers anything about it except that he got a car and mommy got some postcards that day.

Lovely, eh? You gotta do what you gotta do. :)