Guess I should have been paying attention . . .

Today I just *had* to make a phone call. Had to. You know those moments when you think, "I HAVE to call someone"? So I did and while I should have been putting N down for a nap, I was dialing my friend Leanne. After sharing the story I just *had* to share, we found several other things we needed to chat about and while this was all going on, my children are continuing to hang out in the family room where P is playing a video game and N is watching. I BELIEVE that's what's happening. I am so wrong.

During my phone call, I'm wandering back and forth between my living room and dining room, periodically peeking at my children. At one point, N starts to signal me that he's doing something he shouldn't, a signal I MISS COMPLETELY. He's ordering me to, "Go away!" which is usually N-speak for "I'm pooping." Despite the quick-change-in-the-open-back-of-the-SUV-in-the-freezing-cold today when he announced he'd pooped *after* we'd reached the parking lot and couldn't easily go back into the building we'd just left, I mistakenly believe that "Go away, Mama" isn't a not-so-subtle hint to come running and find out what crisis I could have avoided had I been more attentive. Nope, I keep chatting with my friend.

Until eventually, I wander a little closer and N informs me happily, "I made a mess." Um, yeah. If by *mess*, he means one of those moments when you're just not sure where to start or what to do because the mess has been created by something harder to clean up than red wine on white carpet?

Try BUTT CREAM. Well, OK, A&D Ointment. Which in our house actually has a grosser name because we never used it for diaper rash but I'm not even going there. It's basically BUTT CREAM and it's not only sprayed willy-nilly on my family room carpet, it's ALL OVER HIS FACE. Needless to say, my phone conversation was over.

And actually, A&D on the face, not so hard. Wipe off the excess and know that he won't get diaper rash on these cheeks. And look at that happy grin! The carpet, well, it's seen better days and I'm sure the A&D I missed will start attracting more dirt and continue the cheetah-spot effect in that area. I'm figuring some day we'll have to get it professionally cleaned but during toddlerhood just seems so pointless.