May you all avoid the poop in the bathtub

Wow, these last 2 weeks have rocked me.

Both Grace and Cali seem a little more... what's the right word? Rebellious? Stubborn? Difficult in general? I've heard more cries and disgruntled grunts from Grace lately. She is crawling more, which is great, but also proves stressful at times as I try to steer her away from mischief. She is more needy and clingy, which has both its pros and cons. Cuddle times are at an all-time high! But the struggle to go to bed at night has also increased. And then the fur-baby, Cali, is all sorts of naughty lately. Barking, jumping, digging. She has grown into a very big dog, so sometimes it's easy to forget that she is still very much a puppy and still needs training.

But let's get to the real reason you're here: to read the story behind today's blog title. The Poop in the Bathtub. 

This is a cautionary tale.
A tale of motherhood woes.
The moral(s): Don't get too comfortable. Don't congratulate yourself until the work is complete. Don't think that just because you avoided one poop, there isn't more in store for you!!!!

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Grace had just gone in for her 1-year checkup. This doctor's appointment included 4 pokes: 1 on her toe to test her iron levels, and 3 in her thighs for various shots and vaccines. Needless to say, we left in tears. 

The nurse had suggested that one way to help ease the pain of the shots would be to give Grace a warm bath. She's always loved baths, so I thought this was a perfect way to wrap up the day.

Andrew was out of the house on an errand. I filled the bathtub, plopped my nakey baby in the warm water, and sat nearby to watch Grace splash in the water and play with her bath toys. Suddenly, I saw "The Look": big eyes, concerned brow, scrunched red face. Accompanied with the struggling grunts, I knew Gracie had a #2 in store. Quickly, I pulled Grace out of the water and sat her hovering over the toilet bowl. Sure enough, a plop in the toilet water confirmed my suspicion: Grace had pooped. I quickly wiped her up, flushed, and placed Grace gently in the bathtub again.

This is where I made my mistake. While Grace continued playing, I silently celebrated my victory.

"I'm freaking Super-Mom!" I thought to myself. "I avoided having to pick up nasty, watered-down poop! Nice instincts, Maichael! Who should I text/call to tell of my new victory. My mom? My husband? My best friend?" There I sat basking in all my glory, not really paying attention to Grace. 

*Disclaimer: it was enough attention that I would have been aware if Grace had slipped in the water and was in danger. However, it was NOT enough attention for me to catch "The Look" and Grunt in time for the inevitable to happen. 

I saw the bubbles and tried to rush Grace over to the toilet once more, but it was too late. The deed was done, and the proof was sitting before me in the water. 

Holding my little, naked baby before me, I couldn't deal with the problem immediately. We ran over to my bathroom, poured the water once more, and continued bathtime.  And, somehow, I managed to convince Andrew to clean up the mess once he returned home (PS: I seriously have the best husband ever!).

So there you go. Maybe if I had been paying a little more attention to the signs. Maybe if I hadn't been giving myself a figurative pat on the back. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe it all could have been avoided. 

May you ever be so lucky to avoid the poop in the bathtub. 
But if/when it does happen, be sure to blog about it  :)

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