Santa in the Springtime

Welcome to Too Cute Tuesday, where I record all of the random bits of cuteness from the week that we always wish we could remember, but never will unless it is written down... 

Boy you guys are lucky this week.  If this first story hadn't have happened today I was going to have to go with sharing A LOT of potty stories.

The girls and I ran into Wal*-Mart today to pick up a few things.  At one point we passed this older gentleman with a long white beard.  As we pass him Pumpkin says to me, "Mom is that Santa?".  Of course I tell her I don't think this man is Santa.  Fast forward a bit and we are standing in the checkout line.  All of our purchases are loaded on the conveyor belt and we are just waiting for the person in front of us to finish being rung up.  The girls were checking out all of the strategically located to be right at the kids level "stuff" when this same gentleman comes walking toward us.  I thought he was just trying to walk through the aisle to get to the front of the store and asked the girls to move out of his way.  However, he stopped and offering each of them a crisp dollar bill he says he was coming over to give these sweet girls each a dollar.  I'm a little shocked and not really sure what I'm supposed to do.  I decide it is best to just accept the man's kindness as he clearly went out of his way to do this and I tell him that is extremely nice of him.  I ask the girls to each say thank you to him and thankfully my very shy girls actually speak up and thank him.  Then, the man asks the girls if they want to know who gave them the dollar.  They nod their heads yes and the man pulls this photo out of his pocket of him in a Santa suit with a child sitting on his lap.  He tells the girls that Santa gave them those dollars!  I couldn't believe it and I told him how Pumpkin had even asked if he was Santa.  I know the whole thing could sound a little creepy, but this gentleman clearly loved playing Santa and probably does this quite often judging by the fact that the dollar bills were crisp and he carries that picture in his pocket.  It was all quite sweet and just so exciting for the girls.  I thought it was akin to the random acts of kindness people often do like paying for someone's coffee or such.  It was a real bright spot in our day and I'm sure the girl's will never forget the day Santa gave them each a dollar bill.

Now that the sweet story is done, you all are going to have to endure a potty story.  The other night was the one night a week I attend Bible study.  It is a little rushed to get dinner ready over an hour earlier than I usually do and still find time for me to eat a few bites before I head out the door.  I was feeling stressed as I was getting dinner started later than I wanted to.  Just as I was about to turn the burner on the stove I hear Pumpkin call out "Mommy" in that tone of voice that I know she's had a potty accident.  Mentally chastising myself for not taking her to the potty before I started dinner, I go to investigate.  As I approach the hallway I hear this sloshing sound and conclude Pumpkin must at least be in the bathroom.  I turn the corner to find her standing there dunking her training pants in and out of the toilet.  Concern starts to register, but then she says, "Look Mommy, I'm a big girl cleaning my poopy panties in the toilet!"  All along I assumed she had just peed her panties, but my concern turns to horror as I realize the mess that goes along with your toddler removing their own poopy panties and then attempting to clean them herself.  Although, in all honesty, as the horror came over me, I did have a brief moment of "how cute is she" coupled with pride.  She actually did do a rather good job!