Four is the New Three

Last Sunday, I mentioned that I needed to go to Target to pick up a few things.

Elise was on me like white on rice.   “I want to go! Can I go? I want to go to Target!”

In the past, whenever I had to take her anywhere, a small part of me screamed on the inside. Not only was there the mobility issue – herding goats – but, mainly, there was the bathroom issue. Namely, she would have to go. Possibly multiple times. Times that involved abandoning a shopping cart full of items and booking it (because there was never ample warning and MOMMYI’MGOINGTOPEEPEEINMYUNDERWEAR)…right into the lovely scene that is The Public Restroom. 

I’m not a fan of public restrooms to begin with, but a public restroom with a nosy toddler/preschooler, short enough to touch all the wrong things, made me nauseous.

Every outing took 3x longer than if I went myself and required 3x as many Advil to relieve the head throbbing (and 3x the amount of wine to help the Advil go down.)

But, this time, I said, OKAY. Let’s go! And, it dawned on me: Elise is now PORTABLE.

It was SO EASY. Insanely easy. We parked. I held her hand as we calmly crossed the parking lot. She stayed with me and helped me pick up the items we needed. We paid at the registers and went back home. 

I LOVE AGE 4!!!

The bladder capacity and improved docility: Awesome.

Then, this morning, at the breakfast table, Elise says out of the blue, “Mommy, I will never stop loving you.”

*sound of heart exploding into rainbow-colored confetti*

I think the last time I murmured this to her, carrying her didn’t bust a lumbar disc. I didn’t think she would ever remember.

Um, yeah, SO much better than when she called the driver ahead of us a “butthead.”

(Husband, concerned: “Who used that word, Elise?” Me: “Um…yeah! Who used that word?” *looking around, whistling*)

So, I like FOUR a whole lot better than THREE. In general.