The Public Potty Tour

Lyla's *award for saying good-bye to diapers a couple months ago was as much for me as it was for her. I had been putting off the whole potty-training ordeal for months. 

First I thought, "I'll wait until this summer when the kids are out of school. I won't be so busy running around and then it will be easier." 

Then, as summer started looking a little more like fall I thought, "I'll wait until the kids go back to school. I won't be so busy running around and then it will be easier." 

You see my problem.

But when I finally looked reality in the busy face, potty-training took all of about five minutes. Seriously, she's had three accidents in two months.

Lyla's newly potty-trained self and I have agreed upon the perfect route for errands.

We can usually hit three stores before it's time to head back and pick up Beau from middle school.

First, we might hit Target, Fred Meyer, or Michael's.

We end up at Costco just in time for the sample ladies to roll out their carts and heat up their toaster ovens. 

But the most important stop comes right before Costco--the second-hand kids clothing store.

The toys galore to entertain my little shopping buddy combined with my running in-store credit are still no match for the biggest draw--the clean, kid-friendly bathroom. Goldmine.

As each of my older children have gone through the newly potty-trained phase, they've clearly come up with some sort of toddler bucket list to include every nasty public restroom around. That pink checklist posted above the hand dryer does little to impress me. I don't care if "Janelle" certified the restroom as "clean" at 8 pm last night. Right now there are drops of pee on the floor and other nastiness curled up on the toilet seat.

I don't know. Maybe my kids just get a kick out of seeing their mom's bathroom stall gymnastics. You know--the clever move of keeping my curious toddler at bay with my left hand as I kick my right foot up to flush to toilet.

"But, Mom, I just want to see my poop go down!"

So, thank you, little consignment shop. You have some loyal customers in the two of us. Sure, Lyla loves your toy section. And I think the cute clothes I pick up on the cheap are awesome. But your worry-free stop along the inevitable public potty tour beats all.

* If you missed my original post on family awards, you can find it here.