Tuesday, November 11, 2008

When You Gotta Go....You Gotta Go

Of all the things that I feared taking my three kids on a 5.5+ hour car trip, one was foremost on my mind: how will I go to the bathroom with three kids?
E took the stroller up before us to make room in my car for all the other junk I had to bring. I was going to carry the baby into a restaurant to use the bathroom and to eat. I could have put the baby in a sling, but how could I go to the bathroom with a baby in a sling or carrier?

Now before I go any further with this story I need to remind you that I am germ phobic. I NEVER use a public bathroom, only in an emergency. This trip I was lucky enough to have my period.
Now how the hell will I change my pad/tampon with the three kids in one stall and again, what am I going to do with the baby?
I decided to let R hold the baby, she is strong she carries her twin brother on her back, the baby is heavy but I can be swift!

There we go in the handicapped stall of Cracker Barrel in Connecticut. L goes to the bathroom first after I reminded him 12,243,978 times not to touch anything! I hung my purse and diaper bag on the hook and handed the baby to R.
I took down my pants and hovered and peed. It was evident I had my period and I told my kids to watch the baby, I mean really, what a way to scar your kids for life.
"So, you say your mom had her period when she went to the bathroom in Connecticut that time on a trip? You repressed it all this time and now you want to kill yourself because you can't get the vision out of your brain?" his therapist asks L in 20 years.

I did my business quick, I was like the wind. I hudled, I peed I wiped, I wiped again, new pad on, urine out and I was ready to go. I turned to check I had not peed on the toilet and I did a quick wipe down. My son was staring at me. "Eeewwww" he said as he stook a step closer to look into the toilet.
My daughter was turning red from holding half of her weight in the baby so I scooped him up and off we went.
I chalk it up to things you have to do when you are in a jam.
I wonder if that one moment will haunt them for years to come.

10 comments:

  1. I've imagined many conversations between my eldest daughter and her eventual therapist. I can hear the conversations in my head so clearly. Glad I'm not the only one.

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  2. Aren't you a lucky girl to get your monthly visitor on a road trip weekend!!! My son walked in on me once and I really think he thought I was bleeding to death. He was only 3 or so at the time, I'm hoping it's one of those things he doesn't remember from childhood!

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  3. Hey, take comfort in if that's the worst thing that happens to him and the only reason he seeks therapy, you have been a GOOD mom!

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  4. i recall seeing my mom's string, but never knew what it was. no scarring here.
    :)

    so glad all was well! and yes, i have done many trip to the potty with a sling. hey, i even pumped while carrying a sleeping baby! haha

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  5. Ha! I echo kim's comment! My oldest son had the puberty class in school last year, so he got a brief lesson in the subject. Needless to say, he came home rather unimpressed. Or maybe it was more he was grossed out. Either way, he didn't want to talk about it anymore!

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  6. It's nice to know other people have germ issues like I do.

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  8. Anonymous8:42 PM

    While its not the best of circumstances, anyone who give you a hard time about this is just not being realistic.

    I think you handled it great... and all with THREE KIDS!!! That's craaaaaazy!

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  9. a road trip with kids and your period. You deserve a medal!!! Im serious!

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  10. That's one of those things that seems funny to others... until it happens to them. Oy.

    Its hard to do all of that (on your period) with ONE kid, let alone three. You da MOM! :-)

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