Splash

Last Saturday, we went to my sister-in-law’s house to celebrate our nephew’s 6th birthday. Nora totally loves parties—particularly kids’ birthday parties—these days, so she was in her element all day. Kids to play with? Junk food to eat? A “princess dress” to wear? Yes, she was loving it.

She even got to try her hand at a pinata for the very first time. She was surprisingly good at it. I was impressed.

Nora is such a big girl these days. She wants to do everything herself. Buckling her car seat, getting dressed, going to the bathroom… she often insists on doing it “all by myself.” Our little girl is growing up.

Later in the afternoon, once the party had dwindled and we were starting to get ready to go, I had just finished feeding Vivienne and was talking to my mother-in-law and sister-in-law in the dining room. Suddenly, I heard Nora start crying and heard her say, “Daddy! Help!”

I quickly walked into the family room, where she had last been playing with some of the other kids. But Nora was nowhere to be found. One of the little girl’s pointed to the bathroom, and I rushed over and opened the door to the room (which was pretty dark) to find my daughter… completely folded in half inside of the toilet bowl. The poor thing had fallen in.

I frantically turned the light on, and thankfully Michael was on my heels because I still had Vivienne in my arms and was powerless to pull Nora out of her predicament. Michael helped her out as she cried uncontrollably. My heart broke for her, so I wanted to cry right along with her. I just felt so bad that she had tried to go potty by herself and it had turned out this way for her. At home, we have one of the potty rings that goes over the toilet seat so she has no problem going on her own. She must’ve thought she could do it! The poor kid hadn’t even had the chance to pee yet before she fell in and got trapped. The back of her dress was a little wet from the toilet water and overall she just seemed scared and devastated (embarrassed?).

But I have to be honest. As sad as it was, I was also DYING laughing inside. Several days after the fact now, I think back to how she looked folded up inside that toilet seat and it is FUNNY. The whole situation was equal parts sad and hilarious.

And it will be a story we tell her for years to come, I’m sure.

Anyone else inadvertently let their child fall into the toilet somehow? I keep thinking that this has to be pretty common, yes? I was so worried she was going to be traumatized by the experience but she has been going to the bathroom without issue—both assisted AND alone—ever since… thank goodness.