Ohhhhhh Myyyyyyyyyy.....

*Alright people. This post will be on the disgusting side. I'm just sayin'..... read at your own risk.*

Early this evening we arrived at Highland Orchards for a birthday party for two adorable little friends of ours. The kids were SO excited to be at a pumpkin patch for a birthday party.

We had only been there for maybe fifteen minutes and the kids had just began to explore the hay maze when Kyra told my hubby that she needed to go potty. Being in the maze and not having a direct lock on my location, he grabbed Kylie and hustled Kyra to the outdoor portable bathroom trailer. It was the kind that was one "room" with 3 partitioned stalls and a couple of sinks. There were two sides, one for men and one for women. Jim, noticing that the women's side was empty, took both of the girls and went inside to help Kyra use the potty. Other than the fact that Jim was in the women's bathroom, everything was fine.

Fastforward through a pizza party and cake to the moments just before the hayride. I was putting gloves on Kylie when Kyra again announced that she needed to potty, so I had Jim take her once again. Everyone began to make their way to the tractor for the hayride, but Kyra and Jim were still at the bathroom so I went to check on them. As I approached I saw Jim standing outside the trailer. He explained to me that Kyra had run to this side since that's where he had taken her before only this time there were other women inside, so he couldn't go in to help her. As I was about to go in to check on her, she emerged.... with poop on her hands.

I handed Kylie off to Jim and took Kyra to an outdoor sink to wash up. The sink didn't work, so we quickly ran back to the picnic tables where I "washed" her hands with antibacterial wipes. It got the poop off her hands, but I knew she was probably far from clean. Not wanting to hold up the hayride and not wanting Kyra to have to miss it either, we went ahead and ran to the tractor to join the rest of our group. Kyra was in perfect spirits and immensely enjoyed the sunset hayride. I, on the other hand, was getting wafts of an aroma that I kept hoping was fresh manure on the fields around us.

After the hayride, we followed the kids back toward the picnic area, but after only a minute or so, Kyra again had to use the bathroom. This time I took her.

As we were running toward the bathroom trailer, I realized that it was now dark outside and rationalized that surely the trailer would have a light on inside. It did not. It was nearly pitch black inside, despite the fact that one woman was holding the door open in an attempt to let some light in for her own child. By feel I got Kyra's pants down and sat her on the toilet. I then remembered that I had my camera in my pocket and the little digital screen could at least provide some light. I pulled it out, turned it on, and held it up close to Kyra. Oh how I wish I hadn't......

She was covered in poop. Diarrhea to be exact. Her panties and jeans were loaded. Her bottom and legs were coated. I had nothing with me but a camera. So I put the camera strap in my mouth and went to work. I removed her shoes, jeans, and panties and began to unravel wads of toilet paper to clean her up.

That's when I realized it wasn't all fresh. Some of it was caked on and was most likely what was providing the pleasant aroma for our hayride. I began pulling handfuls of paper towels (thank GOD they didn't have air hand dryers instead) off the wall and wetting them in the sinks. I did my best to clean her off with the cheap paper towels in the dim light of my camera screen, but I soon realized it was in vain. Even if I got her totally spotless, I'd still have to put the crap-caked jeans back on her. So I wrapped her panties in a wad of paper towels, shoved them to the bottom of the trash can, put her jeans and shoes back on, and called it a night.

In a stupor I plainly stated to Jim that we needed to leave and began dragging Kyra toward the car. It wasn't the fun ending I would've expected for the night and I felt like a mean mom for making her leave the party (even though I think everyone else was headed out too), but it was necessary. Jim took her straight to the bathtub when we got home and I threw her clothes (and some of mine, just in case) in the wash where I finally saw in bright light exactly what I'd been up against in that tiny, dark bathroom. Ugh. I'll just say it was as gross as it smelled.

So as not to leave you with the unpleasant mental pictures of a kid covered in poop, here are some not-so-crappy pictures of our evening at Highland Orchards:

Snuggle Buddy Graduation

For the first two weeks of preschool, Kyra was allowed to bring her favorite stuffed animal "Big Bear" to class with her. The teacher would have the kids "teach" their "snuggle buddies" all about preschool. How to sit during circle time, where to put their trash after snack, etc. Then at the end of the two weeks, the class had a Snuggle Buddy Graduation, complete with handmade mortar boards and diplomas for the stuffed friends. The graduation signified that the snuggle buddies had learned all they could about preschool and now were to stay at home so the children could now do more "big kid" things. For children who are super attached to their stuffed friends, this is a great way to ease them into going to school.

In my opinion, for Kyra, (who once was EXTREMELY attached to her bears) this wasn't really necessary. Before she started preschool she had become very accustomed to leaving her bears at home or in the car when we would go places, but I still thought this would be fun for her to actually be allowed to have Big Bear at school. Never though did I think that this would cause her to regress and suddenly really want to have her bear with her at school.

The day after the graduation, Kyra was almost in tears as she begged to bring her bears to school with her. I tried explaining that "Big Bear graduated, so he can't go to school anymore", but that meant nothing to her. My heart was breaking for her as I saw the confusion on her face, so in a moment of enlightenment I asked her if I could take her bears to the grocery store with me while she was at school. She lit up. "You'll take Big Bear and Little Bear to the grocery store with YOU?!" she said. "Sure!" I replied thinking that tomorrow she'd forget all about it.

She did not forget. In fact, it was quite the opposite. As she was getting dressed for school she stated, "I'm going to go to preschool and Big Bear and Little Bear are going to the grocery store with you mom." "Yes, that's right!" I said. And then she proceeded to remind me that her bears were going to the store with me for the next hour until I dropped her off at school, including one final time as she got out of the car. She turned to her bears and told them, "I have to go to preschool, but you're going grocery shopping!" Oh man.....

I had a feeling she was going to ask me about her bears trip to the grocery store later. And I seriously considered just making some stuff up because I never really intended to take the bears with me INTO the grocery store when I offered that suggestion the previous day. She's 3 1/2. She'd never know the difference if I told her a little white lie....

But I would know. And I felt ill just thinking about lying to my super adorable, extremely sweet little girl. Especially because she was just so. stinkin. excited. about her bears going to the grocery store. So, as I pulled into the Wal-Mart (I shop here for convenience, not because I like to) parking lot, I determined that the bears were coming in. Even in spite of the fact that it was currently POURING rain.

I stuffed them into the diaper bag as best I could to keep them dry and then ran/walked into the store with Kylie on my hip and the diaper bag on my back. We got a cart and instead of putting Kylie in the seat in the front like I normally do, I put her in the actual cart basket. I then proceeded to pull out two well-loved little stuffed bears, seat them in the child seat, and do my shopping. I even snapped a few pictures to show Kyra later, because I knew she'd ask about the grocery store.

And I was right. Before we even made it out to the car she asked about the grocery shopping trip and immediately I whipped out my phone and showed her the pictures. She grinned and giggled at the sight of her bears in the cart. And in that moment I was so happy I didn't just leave them in the car.

I must say though that I have not volunteered to take her bears on any other outings while she has been at school since this, but at least it seemed to put an end to her wanting to take them to school with her.