The world is not your toilet

Sadie has been potty-trained for about 6 months, ever since we were in Tasmania and I refused to spend $45 on a box of pullups.

Once we got through the initial battle of wills involving standoffs in the bathroom, it was pretty easy. She very quickly learned to tell me when she needs to go to the bathroom, and we have had very few accidents.

Lately, though, the poor girl has had a few emergencies during which we were not anywhere close to a toilet.

The first was driving in the car in rural Iowa, where she got to learn the art of going in the ditch.

The second (and third) were while we were stuck in traffic near downtown, where she got to learn the art of "do the best with what you got" and go in/on a random beach towel that was in the back seat.

Unfortunately, those experiences have left her thinking that a toilet is not always necessary.

This morning while checking out at the grocery store, I heard a "I have to go potty" from the front of the cart.

(She and Sam were in a "truck cart" where the cart is shaped like a truck (that's not obvious, huh?) with steering wheels and the kids are in front of the actual cart pretending to drive. Just so you know that she was a bit removed from me....)

Half of my items were still on the belt waiting to be scanned and there were 3 people behind me, so I couldn't drop everything and run to the bathroom.

"You need to wait a couple minutes."

"OK!"

I thought all was well. Usually if she really had to go badly, she will repeat herself loudly until I find a bathroom.

I pushed the cart up a bit so I could pay and found myself in a puddle. At first I thought the pop I had on the bottom was leaking.

Then I remembered my daughter.

And then I heard her exclaim, "I go potty in cart, Mommy!"

The cashier did not give me very nice look.