Friday, September 15, 2006

Cool, Cooler & Coolest

I must preface this post with a reminder that I live in a foreign country.
Blake has the most amazing way of making rather mundane daily experiences interesting........

Blake and I paid a visit to the public restroom the other day. I with my trolley (SA word for shopping cart) headed to the handicap stall as it is wider than the others so to fit me, the trolley and my 4 year old. Typically, you don’t want to leave anything outside of the stall if you intend to keep it. I felt this especially important with regard to my son.

It is hard enough to coax Blake into the girl’s bathroom so trying to get him into the same stall with me is anything but a cake walk. Somewhere in my attempts I believe I used the word cool to describe my stall. Thinking back on it now that is definitely not the adjective I would choose but it is a largely used word in my 4 year old’s vocabulary. It did not persuade him to join me in my stall but it did set him on a mission to find a cooler one. Again, I know this is not proper usage of the word but until Blake hits Kindergarten I will allow it.

Realizing there was no one else in the bathroom I relented and allowed Blake to pursue his mission reminding him that moments before we rushed out of the store because he had to “go soo bad”.

He seemed to find success and settled down for business 3 stalls over from me. All the while informing me how cool his stall was. This in addition to him telling me that I really needed to take a look continued on through the washing of hands. Finally in attempt to appease him I took a look. Surprisingly (not sure why anything surprises me anymore as I live in a foreign country and I have 3 kids) this is what I saw…..



A Squatty Potty……only with the remnants of Blake’s breakfast at the top (he is definitely not proficient in using this type of toilet).

I quickly grabbed Blake, put him in the trolley and high-tailed it out of there before anyone discovered his treasure. The poor cleaning lady!

As we were walking to the car Blake said, “Mommy, this country has the coolest bathrooms.”

Yep, there you have it, life with my precious boy.

Rich pointed out that the really freakish thing about this ordeal is that I actually went back to get a photo. Hey, anything for the blog, right? At least I waited until the cleaning lady had been there.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is one of the "coolest" potty's I have EVER seen! :) Tell Blake I agree with him. What an adventure you live, and oh how we would love to come and experience your part of the world!!! Thanks for the laugh!!!!
I really need to sign up so I am not anonymous anymore.....
Shonna

Anonymous said...

Ooh, I remember those kinds of toilets from a bathroom somewhere...it was either SA or Malawi I think. Very cool - I agree with Blake - when there's no need to touch any part of a public toilet in order to use it, then it's definitely cool.

Beth said...

Such a good laugh . . . what a cutie that Blake is!

Anonymous said...

This post is HILARIOUS! Blake sounds like such a cutie. I love it that you went back to take a picture, too!

Janelle said...

As the mother of a 3 1/2 year old boy, I can relate to this experience. He would hate to know he's missing out on something as cool as the squatty potty experience!

Anonymous said...

Oh I can't stop laughing! I must be blonde - I couldn't figure what you meant by the remnants of Blake's breakfast. I was looking for a McD's sandwich laying on the floor? Duh, I got it at the cleaning lady part! I'm with Rich, I can't believe you went back and took the picture after the cleaning lady had been there. You hope there's no cameras in there or someone thinks you're nuts!! I love you!
-Candi

Anonymous said...

Michelle,

I sure miss you, friend. Am enjoying your blog so much. It's so great to keep up w/you by reading your stories and watching your kids grow. All my love! Cristine

Anonymous said...

Michelle..
Oh how cute is Blake.. Just last night one of the girls at church was talking about using one of those.. had no clue what she was saying.. oh how I do now... My son just got potty trained recently.. And I am not sure how or what he would do with that...
Deborah

Anonymous said...

That is soooo adorable!!