Toilet Training On the Road

Driving home last Saturday night from my parents' house, Noelle makes this announcement from the backseat: "I need to go poo-poo!" (Alas, she abandoned "potty", my preferred term going back 3 generations.)

Since our daughter is still so new to this world without diapers, we take all such pleas very seriously. We both asked, " Are you sure?"

Noelle's reply was, " I need to go poo-poo NAH-ow!!" This statement was immediately followed by a rumble from her nether regions.

"Okay okay okay! We'll pull over, just please hold on!"

Fortunately there was a big rig pull-off just ahead. Eric quickly stopped the car, I grabbed our potty chair from the trunk, and together we got Noelle unhooked from her car seat. I sat our little munchkin on her potty next to the car, but within a few seconds realized it was too cold to be doing business outside. What now? Into the car we went, Noelle sitting on the potty chair on the front seat, like a princess on her throne.

Noelle thought this was great fun. She promptly asked to wear the seat belt and to be covered with her yellow blankie. She asked for the dome light to be turned on so she could "see what [she was] doing" Then she needed one of us to rub her back and read a story while she concentrated. Hey, whatever helps!

Somewhere in the midst of our waiting for the event, a concerned motorist stopped by our vehicle to see if we were alright. We explained our daughter's potty emergency, and he quickly backed off.

So the hilarity continued inside the car-- the singing, playing patty-cake, pretending to drive. Then "it" finally happened. Some movement. And more movement. Until we became concerned that the tiny toilet bowl would be too tiny. When Noelle appeared to be finished, Eric handed me the wipes and I pulled our toddler off her throne and out to the side of the car.

"Alright, Nolie, hands on the car and spread 'em." And we cleaned her up. It was like a pee-wee version of COPS. I had to laugh, and laugh hard. Soon, we were all busting up. Even Noelle, who didn't quite know what all the hoopla was about. Although I certainly don't hope for a repeat of this episode on any future car ride, it sure was funny this time. :-)