Should Have Taken My Own

There are times in life when I question the need for strict adherance to policies. Shouldn't we, after all, be granted a tiny bit of grace every now and then? Aren't there certain circumstances that should knock us off our "high horses" and allow us to address the needs of fellow human beings before the need to have a policy for every little thing?? Is it really that important?

I know what you are thinking---why all of the questions here.

And this would be why...
*warning, bathroom terms used*

Caroline has been doing awesome with the pottytraining-so awesome in fact that I let her wear panties all the time. She stays dry 99% of the time, so no real worries about going out in public and having an accident. Today was no different. I let her wear cute panties all day long, and she did great--but there was a big scare right around 3pm. Here's how it all went down:

I pulled up in front of Caitlin's school at 2:55pm to pick her up. I got a prime parking space which would allow her to just walk across the street and I wouldn't have to get out. Wahoo! So there we sat...waiting....waiting. Just as it was about to turn 3pm, Caroline hollers from the back seat, "Poo-poo Momma!!"

*Momma puts her head in her hands and deeply sighs*

No way...not right now. "Sweety, hold on, we'll be home shortly. I have no where to take you, " I coaxed.
"Pooooooo---poooooooo!!! Momma, poo-poo!!"
Oh dear. This is definitely getting serious.
I got out and went around the side of the car with a terrific idea in my head. I'll just put her in a pull-up. That will solve everything! That way, if she poops, at least the carseat is saved and I can clean it up at home. I took her out of the seatbelt and tried to change her out of the panties and into the pull-up. You'd have thought she was getting a spanking or something--the yelling was deafening. She did NOT want that pull-up, and it was gonna be like trying to bathe a cat to get it on her. Not worth it in my book, so I barked at Christian to get his shoes on and get out of the car. We were going in to the school to find a potty.

Of course Christian "conveniently" forgot his shoes at home. How's that for timing?!?

I made him get out anyway, and we crossed the street and ran up to the back of the school where kids were now coming out. I found a nice looking teacher and asked her if there was a restroom just inside the doors that I could quickly use.
I gave her my best "desperate-momma-with-2-small-children-one-of-which-is-pottytraining-and-is-in-serious-need-of-a-potty-for-pooping-purposes" look, along with a batting of the eyelashes for added drama.

"I'm sorry, I can't let you go through those doors. It's against our policies. You can, however, go all the way around the building to the front and use the restrooms there. I'm sorry about that," she said.

No you're not! You're not sorry a bit! If you were, you'd have heard the smallest Haskell's pleads for a potty and ushered us right in to one. Arg!

With no other choice, I half-marched-half-ran from the back of the school all the way to the front. Let's just add here for humor's sake that I got about 1,000 mosquito bites on the way--some of which came through my pants and onto my fanny and thighs. Sheesh!
We made in the front doors and found the pottys--only to discover that the girls' was occupied. Reeeeeeeally??? I ran for the boys' and prayed no one saw us. About 5 minutes later, we came sneaking out, me all sweaty and grumpy, and Caroline as happy as a lark because she didn't do anything in her panties. After the trek back to the place to pick Caitlin up (and another 1,000 mosquito bites later), we were all in the car under the air conditioner. So much for a fantastic parking place!

Lesson learned: carry the little pink potty EVERYWHERE we go in the car. That will save me from ever having to adhere to a place's policies again. I understand the need for policies, but I don't understand the need for making an already frazzled momma's life that much more difficult for their sake.

Oh yeah, and we got a phone message from AISD this evening reminding us to spray Caitlin down with mosquito spray before school due to the overwhelming mosquito population. You don't say? Mosquitos? I would have never known...*rolling eyes*