Toddlers and Toilets

We were enjoying a nice family lunch on the patio about 1 hour ago when Bubba announced he had to go peep (I'm not sure when he started leaving off the last "ee"). Our goal recently has been to instill in him the confidence that he can do it "by himself" versus with a parental helper - which is really for our own sanity as chaperoned bathroom trips inevitably turn into a drawn out ordeal with talking toys and delayed peepees or poops.

The conversation always ends up something like this.

Bubba: You be Chick Hicks dada. I'll be Doc Hudson.
Me: Did you go pee pee yet Bubba?
Bubba: Nope.
Bubba: You be the dinosaur dada!

I'll be good for the rest of my life if I never have to make Chick Hicks (or any other prop) look at a poop in the toilet and pretend how bad it smells...which I suppose is really my fault for ever doing it in the first place. That is the reason for encouraging solo bathroom trips..but back to the story.

Bubba trotted into the house and was gone for a duration that apparently sets off the Mommy Alarm because MyLove said, "Can you go check on him." (I think the Mommy Alarm is more attuned that the Daddy Alarm for reasons that were proved in this incident.)

I walked into the house and hollered, "You okay Bubba?" To which he responded, "Yes." I turned the corner into the bathroom to see Bubba standing next to the toilet with shorts and underpants around his ankles with one of those looks that says I-might-have-done-something-wrong-but-I'm-not-sure-and-sure-not- going-to-say-anything.

I took an initial assessment and all looked good. "Are you done?", I asked. "Yep." I then took a second look a noticed a consistent stream of water flowing out from under the closed toilet lid onto the floor, and an extra long tail of toilet paper hanging from the roll.

Me: Didyouputalotoftoiletpaperdownthetoilet?
Bubba: Yup.

The next 10 minutes were a blur of me YELLING for Chrystal to get me some towels and a bucket, me frantically soaking about 15 towels and two bath mats while attempting to stop the flowing water. All ended well and the bathroom floor is now freshly hand mopped with toilet water!

Our first toddler takes on the toilet. Mark up a W for the toddler.
Thanks to Say No To Crack for the great image.

3 comments:

Chrystal Sturm said...

I'm so proud of you for being so good natured in this post because it was rather tense when the whole thing was going down, wasn't it?! You're funny, Daddy.

Andy said...

so, he was going #1 but decided to use tp and put it down the toilet? im a little confused.

trust me, if i was proof at all, this wont be his first toilet overflow.

my dad often had to get a plastic bag, reach in the toilet and pull out my dook and TP. yucko.

Anonymous said...

If I haven't said it recently, let me say it now. I have the best son-in-law in the entire universe. It's a gift you have, Kevie, to be able to look beyond the crisis and see the humor in it. You're an ideal dad to Bubbia and Mia and I love you for it. You lead your family with love and laughter which will truly equip them for this crazy world. Love you! Your MIL :)