Public Potty Adventures

When out and about with my children we inevitably make at least one trip to the restroom. It never fails that the experience leaves me craving a shower and a pitcher of margaritas.

For my Sophie is a very tactile child.

She climbs the potty to sit on it. She rubs the potty while sitting on it. She will caress the walls around the potty. She will occasionally plop herself down upon the floor. She will then sweetly stroke my cheeks while I help pull her pants up. It is all I can do to not recoil when her chubby little fingers touch my skin.

Have you ever tried to explain the concept of germs to a 2 year old? She doesn't get it. And she doesn't care.

Thank goodness for those private family restrooms. I so depend upon them. A public restroom stall is saved only for the days I am feeling adventurous. Or just desperate.

Because in a stall, in addition to the rubbing of toilets and walls, I have to monitor sudden games of peek a boo with the unlucky person next door.

There is also the ever entertaining toddler/preschooler potty time conversation. Which in my house, goes something like this:

"Mommy...it's about to come out. The pee pee is coming out now Mommy! There it is, Mommy!"

Or...

"Is that your tee tee, Mommy? Look Rylie, it's Mommy's tee tee! And there's your booty, Mommy."

And then...

"Mommy, do you smell poo poo? Someone in here is stinky. I think it's the lady beside us."

With two children and one adult, the space is quite cramped in one stall. But I have no other options, as they aren't old enough to go it alone. I sometimes wonder why I never overhear other mothers in the stalls with their young children. Surely I am not the only one who is forced to bear these humiliating conditions?

Am I?

I remember one unfortunate incident in the Dillard's restroom last Christmas. It was that small restroom in the menswear department, which only has two or three stalls. My girls were in their side-by-side double stroller, which was (of course) too wide to fit into the restroom stall with me. I really had to pee, but they were one and two years old and I felt that I couldn't just leave them outside the stall alone, so I wedged the stroller in the open doorway as far as I could. We were alone in the restroom at that time, and I just proceeded to do my business. Suddenly, the doors flung open and in walked an entire group of Japanese tourists. Remember, it was a small restroom, so as they were standing there waiting in line for an open stall, I was clearly visible over the top of the stroller. I can't be sure, but I believe I was the topic of their discussion.

It wasn't the last time I had to muster up the last remaining remnants of my dignity before exiting the stall.

What about you? Any challenging potty stories?

Or are you brave enough to share? ;)