My office

If you are a mom, have you ever noticed that you do NOT get left alone in the bathroom? It seems like that would be the ONLY place you would be left alone...but alas...that is not meant to be. Maybe it's just my family. I don't know?

Bella always follows me to the bathroom. Or calls me if she's in the bathroom...since she has been potty trained our time there is a two way street. Josie...Josie can't stand if I'm in the bathroom with the door shut. She will stand there and scream and push and hit the door. If she gets it open she smiles and walks to the other side of the door and shuts it...all the way. Like "I've got you where I want you...muuhahaha". When Chelsea, Jaz, and Kenzi were little they said things like, "Mommy, are you in there"? "Let us in". "Don't you love me"? And would then carry on a conversation with me with periodic bursts of what sounded like children ramming the door. I can just picture Chels and Jaz at that age rigging up a catapult and letting Kenzi fly. Or if I wasn't talking I'd see 1-3 sets of fingers under the door. They would just wait there for me like I was going to try to escape through the window or something...wouldn't it be more fun to play? Whatever is this bond between mom's and children that can't seem to stretch to the bathroom? Cuz, my apron strings will definitely let me go to the bathroom by myself.

You would think I am talking past tense about my older girls..."oh they never left me alone in the bathroom when they were little...". But it's worse now that they are older. I have even experimented. If I close the door 98% of the time someone opens it to talk to me. It's to the point I just leave it open and welcome anyone in. I do worry that someday I will leave it open or someone will open it for me when we have company near the bathroom door. Sheeesh...how embarrassing.

For the last 3 years we have lived in my mother-in-laws basement...with one bathroom that the 7 of us share. (Oh...in case you're thinking "just lock the door"...it doesn't lock). Makes for less imagination that's for sure. Poor Steve. Chelsea and Jasmine have even referred to the bathroom as my office. WHY???? Chelsea love, love, loves to capture me in the bathroom. They have told me that they wait for me to go in there because they know I am a captive audience. I have actually heard them outside the door saying, "She's mine now...you had her for an hour after school"! Could we be a bit dysfunctional? :-)

Actually, we do seem to end up in the bathroom on many talking occasions. Talking with your teenagers is VERY important...so they say. "They" never said where to talk! Now that I think about it...I remember ending up talking in the bathroom with my mom...or sister. Doing hair, laughing, brushing teeth, laughing, just sitting around reminiscing...NOT going potty though. My girls don't have that boundary. I have learned to adapt. It's all good. We laugh, we cry, we get it all out. We laugh a lot in the bathroom. That is good.

I will even forewarn them..."I am in a hurry and need a shower. Tell me what you want to tell me so I can get in". Minutes later I am still waiting to get in the shower. I continue to give pre-naked warnings until I am fed up and just strip. A girl has got to get a shower, dang it. They avert their eyes and continue on. Funny thing about that. IF anyone (including me) has to go potty while anyone else in the house is getting ready for a shower we have to wait. If you walk in, there is screaming, throwing of things, and guilt to deal with. Yet...all that modesty, privacy, and oh-my-gosh-you-CAN'T-see-me-naked mentality doesn't apply to the mom. I don't know why.

Some day...maybe years and years from now when Bella and Josie are all grown up. I'm going to be lonely in the bathroom. I'll stand around and say, "Hey Steve...step into my office"!!!!!