just one of those moments

Have you ever had one of those moments where you purposefully decide to ignore what your child/children is about to do, knowing full well it could possibly destroy your reputation as a parent around the neighborhood? Well, I had one of those moments last night, while home alone with my girls.

We were taking advantage of the beautiful 70+ degree weather by spending the day outside doing all sorts of fun stuff. We went on a walk, played hopscotch, jumped on the trampoline, played on the swing set, ran around the yard, and of course, ate all 3 meals on the deck. We were having a great day together, bonding in the way that girls should bond.

By 7:30pm, Chloe had had enough "Baby Bjorn" time and was pooped out. She was ready for bed. Not wanting to disrupt Ella and Britten at play, I told them I was bringing Chloe in the house to feed and put her to bed. I told them they could stay outside as long as they stay in the yard and play nicely together.

"Okay!" They chimed in unison.

The "dynamic duo" are known for brewing up a lot of trouble in a little bit of time, so I decided to perch myself next to an open window, just to keep an eye on them. Things were going swimmingly for the first 30 seconds, until I overheard the following conversation unfold:

Britten: "I have to go potty. I'll be right back." She starts walking towards the house when Ella stops her in her tracks.

Ella: "Wait, Britten. Do you want to squat instead?" I was about ready to yell out the window and tell Britten to come inside to go potty, but decided instead, to watch how this scenario played out.

Britten looks toward the house, then back at Ella, then back at the house, then back at Ella. Britten's never "squatted" before, and I think the idea of going potty outside made her a little nervous. But it seemed my little 2 year old was up to the challenge! Next thing I know, they dash off to the big pine tree in the back of the yard.

At this point, they're a little too far away for me to hear them, but from what I saw, I knew Ella was giving Britten step-by-step instructions. After a moment, Britten's pants dropped to her ankles (Oh, how I wish I had my camera! I was still nursing Chloe, so there was nothing I could do but watch!), and then she sits down on top of the landscaping brick that surrounded the pine tree. She sits and sits, but I could tell nothing was happening. I think her nerves were getting the best of her and even with coaxing from Ella, she wasn't able to relax enough to make herself, you know, go. Next thing I know, Ella's pants drop to her ankles and she plops down next to Britten. After several moments of silence, cheers break out:

"Britten, you did it! You squatted! Good job!"

"Good job, Ella! You did it, too!"

Together, as a team, they did it! They both stood up with pee dripping down their legs, pulled their pants back on, and ran off to the swing set. Moments later, when Chloe was finally down, I quickly grabbed my camera and ran outside. I couldn't resist taking the following shots. Like a dog marks his territory...

...Britten and Ella marked theirs!


They're so proud of themselves!

And quite honestly, I was proud of them, too. I know it's not proper to go to the bathroom outside, and unless it's an emergency, it's not something we normally let them do. But as I secretly watched them from the window, my heart swelled with pride and my eyes filled with tears. Even though they fight like cats and dogs, Britten and Ella love each other so much. By encouragement and support, they know how to help each other stay strong through the difficult and somewhat unnerving situations. They're a team, and as a team, they can do anything together --- even squatting on our landscaping!