Spring- let me count the ways I love you.

I love Spring.  This is the understatement of the century.  I love it to infinity and back.  I love it for many, many reasons.

One reason I love Spring is this...

They're cute and all, but, more importantly, THEY'RE OUTSIDE!!!  I am no longer feeling guilty about cartoons, hearing incessant whining about being bored, worrying about the effects of vitamin D deficiency on brain development and sad moods, and breaking up fights resulting solely from cabin fever.  My kids love outside.  They'll play out there for hours and hours during Spring and Summer.  It's a new kind of mommydom, that's for sure.  

But, importantly for me, Spring marks the beginning of bathroom privacy.  I have not used the bathroom alone since November 22, 2009.  I'm not joking.  It's like clockwork.  I get everyone settled with a snack or a cartoon or a coloring book or whatever it is that's designed to distract them for 4.2 minutes so I can use the bathroom and collect my thoughts for 4.2 minutes.  About 0.6 minutes into my bathroom visit, I hear, "MOOOOMMMMMM.  ARE YOU IN THERE??!?"  Although I do not open the door, I know these are the faces on the other side:

   

They're waiting for me...to interrupt me...while I'm in the bathroom.  I often get asked if they can just come in and talk to me while I'm in there.  Really?  Seriously?  

Now I gotta admit, sometimes I use the 4.2 minutes of bathroom time for something other than the bathroom.  Ryan has busted me on occasion.  He'll accuse me of just sitting in there, pretending to use the bathroom so I can be alone or read a book.   I always respond, indignantly, "Who would do such a thing?!?"  I tell him that I just want to be ready for my next go-around.  If you hold it now, you won't be able to hold it later.  He doesn't read this blog so I'm not worried about ratting myself out.  

But most of the time, I just want to go alone.  I don't want to answer questions about my anatomy or about their anatomies or why I can't go standing up or why we don't have a toilet on the wall (aka urinal) or why the tiles are pink or where the toilet paper goes after it flushes or why pee is a certain color or...you get the picture. 

Did I say I was glad Spring is here?  

Love,

Momma T.