Potty Break

I did not realize the difficulty in raising a child by yourself.  Especially a curious little girl.  Kaia is becoming more and more attached to me with every day we are together.  As much as I love this, I realize now, the difficulty of being a single parent.  For me, it’s not the cost of childcare or buying the necessary childhood items it’s not the changing of diapers or sleepiness’ nights.  For me, the hardest transition item has been finding time to use the bathroom alone.

From the time I get home from work, Kaia is constantly around me… She never lets me get too far away without coming behind me to see what I am doing.  This usually turns into a game of hide and go seek between us, but every now and then nature calls me away to take core of my duties.  (I must interject in this post and inform you that none of the interior door locks work on my condo.  I did not install them, but whoever did, did so incorrectly that enventhough the knob is in the locked positions, the door can be opened.)  Needless to say, Kaia has found out the little tidbit of information and is using this to her advantage. 

As Kaia is growing, she is now tall enough to grab every door handle in the house.  To her it is a game to go around opening and closing doors, as though the countless toys she has were not entertaining enough the opening and closing of doors is the highest level of amusement available.  To my dismay, Going into the bathroom and locking the door behind you provides no sanctuary with a tall 13 month year old in the house.  Whether sitting or stand, she waste no time in reaching her tiny paws on the polished aluminum handle. Her tippy toes, she pushes the door open to hear a stark shriek from her dad as I am at my most venerable position.  A laugh comes from her small 28’ frame as she catches me literally with my pants down.  I quickly flush the remnants down the drain as she begins handing me toilet paper one piece at a time. 

I am not sure how to do this yet.  My strategy now is to set up Kaia with a fresh new bottle and a blues clues video.  This captures her attention for all of 30 seconds as I make my great escape out the room and to the lavatory.  As I begin my business, I can see the door knob slowly turning like the beginning of a gory scene in a zombie movie…Once she gets in the door, Kaia laughs as I position and contort my body as to maintain some level of modesty.  

One fine day we will both look back at these moments and laugh.  For now though, its one of those things that only parent’s will understand.