The Family Bathroom

Recently, I was telling a friend about something Sadie said. Since the setting of my story was the bathroom, it prompted this friend to ask, "What is up with the bathroom at your house?!" Or something along those lines. His question, basically, was why Sadie and Ella spend so much time in the bathroom with us. (It's worth noting that this friend doesn't have children yet.)

Anyhow, it was kind of a funny exchange, but it got me to thinking about it. That very morning, I had mentioned I was headed into the bathroom, and Sadie said, "Oh, I'll come with you." Like she was doing me a HUGE favor. There have been points in time where one or the other of the girls have insisted on being in the bathroom while I took a shower. Heck, there was even a time when Ella insisted on showering WITH me in the morning (thank goodness this phase was short-lived). It's not as if I'm standing at the bathroom door calling "Hey, everyone--I'm headed into the bathroom now. Who wants to come?" But you have to pick your battles around my house, and if someone is bound and determined to be in the bathroom with me, it's often easier to accept it than it is to fight about it. And, as Dean points out, sometimes a little person is following so closely on your heels that you can't close the door fast enough.

Ella goes back and forth on whether or not she prefers privacy in the bathroom (in case I haven't made it clear to this point, Dean and I BOTH prefer to be alone in the bathroom). Sometimes she'll INSIST that Sadie accompany her to the bathroom. And sometimes she wants to be alone. Ah, it must be so nice to feel like you have options.

This was all on my mind Saturday morning when the following exchange took place. I was in the bathroom with the door closed and LOCKED. I hear Ella announce that she is going to get dressed. I know this will spell trouble because Sadie will want to get dressed too, but she needs some help. I listen. Sadie comes to the door and yells, "Ella got my dress down from the closet for me." Then I hear Ella and Sadie struggling outside the door. I hear Ella say, "No. You've got that on backward." Silence. Sounds of struggle. Then, "Here Sadie. Let me help you." A few seconds later, "I don't know. It's stuck." Howls of frustration from Sadie.

What could I do? I unlocked the bathroom door and helped Sadie with her dress. I'm not sure there's such a thing as "privacy" when you have a two-year-old and a four-year-old living in your house.

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