Challenges of traveling with a potty-training 2-1/2 year old

We're back from a quick trip to Iowa to make-up for the missed Thanksgiving trip. Traveling with a potty-training toddler - not fun!

On the way up, we picked the kids up from daycare right before nap time, and headed north. Our mistake - we gave them their sippy cups when we got in the car. Morgan downed most of the 10 ounces, and then fell asleep. She was asleep when we hit Cameron (our normal stopping place & about 1/2 way), so we decided to try to make it another 40 miles. 10 miles before that stop - she was awake & wet.

Ok - not a big deal, we knew this was a possibility, and we were prepared with a piddle pad (handy dandy little pad you put in their car seat to absorb the wet without having to change the whole car seat). We stopped at McDonald's, and I took Morgan to the Women's Bathroom.

Here is where I have to apologize to the poor soul that has to clean the bathrooms at the McDonald's in Bethany. You see, my daughter is MY child. She was terrified of this public bathroom, and besides writhing in pain, she kept proclaiming "I don't have to go to the bathroom".

So, I took off her shoes, her pants, and her soggy underwear. I turn around to grab her dry clothes, and notice she is starting to dribble pee on the floor. So, I pick her up and swoop her onto the toilet.

She is screaming, and with each scream, comes a stream - at a 90 degree angle. I had no idea girls could pee at that angle - let's just say I still have some speed & agility left in my old age & I managed to avoid being pegged.

At this point, we have urine in the corner from the undressing, underneath the wet clothes that I dropped when she started dribbling on the floor, and in front of the toilet from the 90 degree stream. I assume she's all done. And, she says she is, so I find the last remaining dry corner in the stall, and I put her in it.

And, she starts peeing down her leg AGAIN. I swoop her again onto the potty, precariously balancing and doing Twister-like maneuvers to keep myself, my purse, and the diaper bag dry. Finally, success without a riot.

It then takes me 10 minutes to unroll toilet paper and swab what I can off of the floor. Of course, it's one of those locations where they don't have papertowels.

So, floor cleaner at the Bethany McDonald's - I'm very sorry for the mess we left behind. I now truly understand why public restrooms look the way they do sometimes.