Potty Training

My man came potty trained. In our 3+ years of marriage, he has never left the toilet seat up. Never. In fact he always closes the lid, as well.

Sadly, Michael's terrific toilet training goes unappreciated around here. I don't reciprocate. I always leave the lid open. Always. I guess I just never formed the habit. Maybe, subconsciously an open toilet was more inviting to me. I don't know.

While some people in Mike's situation may have gotten irritated upon entering the bathroom each time, Mike is much too easy-going and patient to ever let something silly like not closing the toilet lid get to him. Until I was very pregnant with Eliza, neither of us mentioned the issue. When I was quite large with child, I asked Mike to not put the lid down because it was difficult for me to bend down to open it, especially when I sleep-waddled in for each of the many nighttime bathroom visits. I quickly learned that this habit was going to be hard to break. I could hardly get frustrated with him, as he shows so much patience with me (one more way Mike is making a better Me). On a piece of construction paper, I scrawled a little verse to further my cause, then installed it on the top of the toilet lid:

Mommy and baby are earnestly hopin'That you will remember to just leave me open!

That did the trick. Each night I would hear the lid shut, followed by an "oops." He would then re-open the toilet and my mid-night visits were a blissful as can be. Sometimes I wonder how many visitors to our house saw my rhyme but were too shy to inquire.

* * *

After Eliza's birth, things went back to the way they were. We each left the lid however we pleased. No discussion. No hard feelings.

Until lately.

Okay, maybe not hard feelings, but definitely some discussion. Mike is trying to train me. After he walks in the bathroom, he comes out to tell me, "Eliza almost fell in the toilet!" Of course she didn't really. She's nowhere near the bathroom when he tells me this. He gives me this kind and friendly reminder several times a day. Now that Eliza is crawling, he feels an urgency to have me trained before she starts pulling herself up. I don't plan on leaving her unattended long enough for her to take the plunge, but because I love her and would feel terrible if she ever fell in the toilet, I am willing to be trained.

Are you wondering why I am telling you (a little TMI) about our family bathroom saga? Well, this is where you, our faithful Veggies and Ice Cream readership, come in. In keeping with our family's unique tradition of encouraging new bathroom habits, what rhyme can you offer to remind me... and where should we put it?