coming back to bite me...

Bran, after getting to Texas, has discovered the exhilirating boy-joy of peeing outside. We started catching him dropping his britches clear to his ankles and sending an impressive arc of pee into the wild blue yonder in Granny and Grandad's backyard. And I'm okay with that. Well, actually he ventured into it during our trip to Turkey/Greece, christening a couple of parks in full view of the public. A little more cringe-inducing, but whatever. The boy had to pee. So honestly I haven't been discouraging this. I figure he's lucky enough to be able to relieve himself so quickly and efficiently (dude, my back KILLS having to bend over and hold Nuala up to pee when there's no bathroom available, and then trying to shake the little drips loose? ha!) that he might as well do it. Apparently I needed to set a few things straight though. Like no POOPING outside. At least not "surprise, Mom!" poops.

Yesterday we went to the park with Uncle Gary, and while the two of us were chatting, and Nuala was yelling from the swings, "Come push me!!" (I promise, I was on my way) I figured I should check up on Bran Man. He was over behind the rock climbing plastic wall thingy, kinda under a slide...you know...kinda... Anyway, I yell, "Bran, whatchya doing?" And he replies, nice and loudly, "I'm pooping!" Oh no you're not... But yes. Sprinting over, hoping to catch it before it really starts (not LITERALLY catch it, gross! Catch the situation), there's my boy, britches down, poo on the ground, poo on his shoe, poo on his pants. Oh, man. Luckily, the 3 other moms were on the OTHER side of the wall, and couldn't see what was going on. A few kids ran by, but they don't notice bare tushies all that much. As I kicked wood chips over his little pile, and gently yanked up his Spiderman undies, I set out explaining that while he can pee outside he should not poop outside. "Why?" he asked all innocently. Of course. What's the difference to a 3-yr old? So now he can only pee (or poo) outside if he asks a mom or dad first. That's the plan. We'll see how it goes. He did ask to pee today at the park, and I told him I'd take him over to a more secluded spot, "over there," so what did he do? Down to the ankles go his pants right there in the NON-secluded spot, and THEN he shuffled over, little white buns gleaming in the drizzle for all to admire. Sigh. We're working on it.

Note: I DO take him to an actual bathroom when there's one around...It's not like I'm a TOTAL spit-in-the-face-of-civilization person. I know I don't want to walk all over other random 3-yr-olds' pee, so I'm sure others don't want to either. And yeah. I shoulda moved the poo.