When my Lil feller was just learning to crawl around the house and explore, I noticed my stress level was at an all time high. Worry and fret took on an all new meaning. I could not put my gard down for one second.
This first time mommy was constantly terrified he would get into something that would harm him.
My first mommy meltdowns was when I caught my 6 month old baby sitting on a puppy potty pad eating poo. I began to scream, I began to cry. I grabbed his chubby little hand hoping he would let ho of his new found snack. He was holding on to that puppy poo so tight it began to ooze between his small fingers. He was not giving it up. So, I slung his arm back and forth in hopes he might drop it but that only caused the warm poo to fly about in the air. Some landing on me and some landing on the walls. The poor baby went into shock as I continued to scream out of control. I desperately grabbed him running as fast as I could down our long, never ending hallway, to the bathroom. As I held him as far away from me as possible, the smell of fresh warm poo made it's way to my nose. I gagged and cried harder, running faster. The louder I cried the louder he cried! Poo smeared all over his pitiful, scared face and dripped from his mouth. Another gag and another cry!! I finally made it to the bathtub and frantically turned the water on. "Get it off, get it off" I sobbed. I could not think of anything else. Never mind the fact I only turned the cold water on sending the confused crawler into hysterics! All that was on my mind was the smell must go away. Oh the poor baby. When it was all said and done, poo was everywhere. You see the harder I tried to get it the harder he held on. The louder I screamed the harder he cried.The hard lesson lesson I learned that day was to remain calm, and keep your brain in tact.
A few months later when he figured out how to take his diaper off during nap time, I had the opportunity to test my new found knowledge. He started crying, so I checked his monitor. You can imagine my confusment when I saw a bare booty sticking up in the air. My chuckle was quickly silenced when I opened the door and was suffocated with the strong aroma of poo. Uh oh....no diaper and the smell of poo is not a good combination. I quickly turned the light on and felt my heart hit the floor. His pitiful face peeked up from the crib with a cry for help. His face was covered in nasty stinky poo. It had made its way into his tear- streaked eyes. It was shoved up his nose, and painted all over his naked little body. As I came closer, I remembered to stay calm. I picked him up took a mental note of the situation. Yes, poo was everywhere. It was smeared on his pillow, decorated on the walls and colored into his blanket. Yes, everything would have to be cleaned, sterilized, washed and dried before he could come back intro his room. True, the room needed to be aired out and he needed a bath. But a meltdown would not make any of these cold hard facts better. So, I reassured him it would be okay, I think I needed the pep talk more than he did. I put him in a nice warm bath but not before I took a pic. Oh yes, I took a pic, and laughed. Wow! I found my laugh during this crazy moment.
With each little challenge I have had the opportunity to grow and try to make a memory over a mommy meltdown. More times I fail, but I'm trying to grow.
So, today when I opened the closed door to the bathroom where the screams were coming from. I turned the lights on to my little potty training toddler sitting inside the toilet ( yes I typed that right, he was sitting in not on the toilet) He began to cry "poo poo, poo poo".Here is my growth opportunity. It is my choice. I looked into those pleading little eyes needing help from a calm, loving, gentle mommy.He did not need a mommy having a meltdown due to the disgusting potty germs, the soaked clothes or a floor covered in toilet water. He did not care about any of that. He just wanted his mommy to pick him up and rescue him while whispering in his little ears that it would be okay. So, I took a deep breath, laughed,grabbed my phone and took a pic. (Then came to the rescue)
We all have moments when we feel like we have reached the end of the straw and we can't take one more crazy day. Let's try our best to find our laughter and make a memory and not a mommy meltdown. It is something I beg God daily to help me with. But with His help,I will choose to laugh. Besides, laughter truly is good for the soul and the best medicine to a wild amazing life.
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