Submitted by Eryn in Mechanicsville, VA
(read more by visiting her site here.)
Motherhood is messy.
There are the everyday messes: food, dirty diapers, toys on the floor, finger paints….and then there are the messes that serve as hazing for those joining the “sorority” of motherhood.
When my son Jackson was about 8 months old, he was on strong antibiotics for a recurrent ear infection. The doctor had recommended that we give him acidophilus twice a day (a probiotic) and yogurt with every meal to help protect his digestive tract from the harsh medicine. We did exactly that, even giving him yogurt drinks between meals.
One morning around 5:30, my husband was getting ready for work and Jackson woke up. This was unusual, so I went in to check on him. I nearly fainted. My poor baby was covered in what looked like liquid chocolate (it was not liquid chocolate.). He was covered, his crib was coated, and his stuffed animals were caked with the stuff. Thank God my husband hadn’t left yet! He immediately ran a bath for our sick little guy while I stripped Jack and his bed and threw everything in the washer. It was quite the experience.
Fast forward almost one year: my son was potty training. He was sitting on the potty and having some success. Meanwhile, I went out into the living room to finish packing my gym bag. Suddenly I heard the rattle of plastic on tile; I immediately knew what was happening: he was getting off the potty by himself, without being cleaned up. “JACKSON! NO!” I ran into the bathroom, but I was too late. He was already up and his poo was already on the floor. “Well, thank God it’s tile, and now it is over and done. I will just clean it up and we’ll be on our way.” So I began cleaning, without re-diapering my son. Big mistake. Soon there was a poop/pee trail all the way into the living room. Thank God it was all on tile.
Fast forward one month: my son is sick and sitting on the potty. Suddenly his eyes begin to tear up and he starts repeating “no, no, no, no!” I asked him, “What is it, Honey?” but he just kept saying “no, no, no,” and pointing at his mouth. Suddenly he threw up. All over me.
Now, I am a squeamish person. Typically incidents like this would have me sobbing; so instead I laugh. If I don’t laugh, I will cry, so I laugh…and honestly it doesn’t take long for me to then see the true humor in it!
