The Race

The potty dance was in full effect as Bean alerted me that she had to use the bathroom. Unfortunately, she inherited my clumsy genes as she tripped and fell on her pant leg as she attempted to undress and open the bathroom door. She looked up at me with defeat {and pain} since she waited until the last minute to “go”. I picked her up quickly and placed her on the toilet while glancing back and confirming that Ladybug was safe among her stuffed toys. As I was dealing with the bathroom drama, I heard it; the music blasting from the walker that was a few feet from where I had left Ladybug. She was up and moving. I urged Bean to quickly push but she kindly reminded me that she had to “concentrate”. I stood there tapping my foot impatiently, while peaking out of the bathroom every 2 seconds. I could hear the music traveling farther away from me, moving quickly from room to room. As I visualized her race path, I could picture her laughing in slow motion, head reared back, as she left a trail of destruction.

Ten long minutes later Bean was running back to tend to her dolly tea party, and I started to track the trail left by Ladybug. I ran into Bean's room to find the entire library of books scattered across the bedroom floor. A few books led toward the laundry basket which was tipped over, clothes spewing in every direction. I followed the zig-zag line of Dora the Explorer undies (she is in love with Dora) leading into the playroom. I looked in horror as I saw every single toy drawer wide open and empty. I heard Bean share my sediment from behind me as she gasped with disbelief and disapproval.

“Uh-oh, Addie was bad mom. She needs a timeout for making this mess” she said while shaking her head.

“We have to find her first”, I said quickly.

Scattered toys led to Ladybug's room where we viewed the mess Miss. Tornado left in her wake. Clothes poured out of her drawers, covering the floor, and even sticking out of her crib. A pair of socks were soaking wet, a break I presume, to relieve her aching gums. Shoes engulfed her closet floor and she was still nowhere to be found. Then I saw it....the now quiet walker was parked outside of the guest bathroom door. For one moment everything was still, no sound could be heard. I took a breath and charged in its direction. I couldn't seem to run fast enough as if I were re-enacting the scene from the movie Poltergeist. You know where the mom is trying to run into her kid's bedroom and the hallway gradually gets longer and farther away? Yup, this was me. I finally reached the bathroom, and with caution, opened the door. The room looked soft as a cloud and sitting in the middle, like a winged angel, was little Ladybug. She sat, giggling, covered in toilet paper. As Bean entered the room Ladybug slowly stood up, held her hand up in the air, and said, “Hi”. At that moment Bean and I looked at each other and realized what Ladybug had done.

“Good job!” Bean screamed with delight. “She did it Mom!”

“Ya, I smell it baby, I smell it.”