Parenting -- It's Not for Wimps

First, a warning.  If you are easily offended or disgusted by little kids' bathroom behaviors, then stop reading.  Come back tomorrow, and the next day, but just not today.  I have a very graphic picture coming up you don't want to see.  However, if you are a mom --- well then, you'll probably be ok!

I think I'm a pretty real person.  I may not advertise all my problems, because who doesn't have them and I feel like mine are so minimal compared to what so many people go through.  My mother-in-law has a saying "At least I'm not hanging on a cross". We all feel sorry for ourselves sometimes but we have it pretty good.  But while I try not to complain, I do like to commiserate with my girlfriends.  I'm the first to admit that I'm not a perfect mom and I pretty much run from moms who try to pretend they are.  I like my friends to be real.  I always say that as women we should be honest with each other so that we all know that our challenges, concerns, and experiences are normal.  I think there is so much unneccessary "mommy judging", instead of support.  Luckily I've had the pleasure of knowing some amazing moms that I've learned so much from.  But as I read back through some of my posts here I think I've been holding back.  Afraid someone will think differently of me, laugh at me, think I'm a terrible mom because my son did this or that.  So I am going to try to share more and keep it real.

In the interest of keepin' it real, I present the following.  I was looking through some photos and ran across this one.  This is my son during potty training.  He went to his room one afternoon.  I chose to ignore the silence, fooling myself into thinking he was playing quietly so I could have a few minutes of my own while older brother was in kindergarten.  After 7 years with his mischievious older brother, I should have known better.  Here's what I found when I went to check on him. 

Of course I had to grab the camera (it was funny the first time; the next 3 repeat performances were not nearly as funny).  He decided to proudly pose with his work of art.  Note the torn blind in the background and the upturned teddy bear and chair in the corner.  Keepin' it real. And also, if you are wondering what all that rope on his crib is about it's a crib tent. We got one when he first started climbing out of his crib at about 15 months.  He liked to wake everyone in the house up (brother included) for 1 and 4 am parties.  After some research I found the crib tent and it lasted until he was almost 3.  And, I added a little "privacy screen" in photoshop in case you were wondering! ;)

Never trust a silent toddler.