8.12.2010

a story you probably shouldn't read.

i've been thinking a good bit about stories lately.
because i just finished donald miller's a million miles in a thousand years.
and he talks about making our lives a good story.
i want to talk more about this later with you...
(and apologize to those of you i have left hanging 
about reading together online... i'll get to that soon.
if you got the book, by all means begin!)

but for now, i want to share a really poignant
horrible story from my earlier years as a mom.

dedicated to all young mothers out there.
(who clean up way too much poop.)
sauvie island farms | sauvie island, or

oliver (above) is my wonderful nine year old son.
he is wise, curious, sweet, and loyal.

before you read the story below,
you should know that i absolutely adore him 
and that he is not really gross or difficult to take care of.
okay.
(stop reading now if you don't like disgusting stories.)
(i warned you.)


once upon a time,
way back when,
i only had two kids
my youngest was oliver.
he was still in diapers.
and still taking naps.

during a particular afternoon,
he was in his room for his nap time.
i needed his nap more than he did.
i was pregnant with our baby girl, abigail.

i walked past his bedroom 
and wondered if he had fallen asleep yet.
but i heard movement.
like he was playing.
*sigh*

i debated whether or not to go in,
but decided i should check on him.
when i opened the door, 
i was pushed back a bit by the smell of poop.
*sigh*

time to change ANOTHER diaper.

i took a few steps toward oliver.
the smell increased.
it was intense and
my nose started to feel violated.

i approached wondering what he had eaten that day.
why was the smell so bad?

and
then
i saw it.

a poop smear.
i began to panic... 

there is poop not only in the diaper, 
but outside of the diaper.

one step closer.
i saw another smear.
two more steps.
the reality sets in.
he. smeared. poop. from. his. diaper. 
ALL. OVER. EVERYTHING.

the bed.
the comforter.
the pillow.
the few stuffed animals.
most of the steps on his bunk bed ladder.
the wall.
and the floor.

the literal sh#t seemed to have hit the fan and scattered all over the room.
(and i have never said that particular bad word more times in one day before or since that day.)

i was sure that i was having an out of body experience.
i was spinning above myself looking down as the anger, confusion, and self pity grew.

my little adorable sweet curly blond headed boy.
had been using his diaper as if it were a bottle of paint.

reaching in to refill his chubby paintbrush finger
as the inspiration moved him.
and using his entire bedroom as the canvas.

art had never seemed so depraved.


THE END

(i still feel like i could throw up.)

and one day.
i will pay oliver back for this work of art.
(suggestions are welcome.)

and one day.
i will forgive brian for being out of town.
(how does he always miss out on the good stuff?!)

maybe my payback is publishing this.
although oliver does know i'm doing it.

10 comments:

Ginny said...

kate, i was thinking about this the other day and wondering, crossing my fingers, if/when knox will think of this.

katie said...

it should comfort you that only one out of four of mine did this. ;)

Pam said...

Two of my three kiddos have done this too and I still curse the builders of this house for putting in white carpet. Seriously. My baby is only 11 months, and I pray she doesn't enjoy the activity as much as her siblings. Thanks for sharing your story :).

Jean Joiner said...

camille did this in her pack-n-play...when she was around 1 year old...luckily allen cleaned it up.

i've been cleaning up so much poop the past 2 days...it's starting not to gross me out. am i crazy to add a newborn to this mix? 3 kids worth of poop to clean up!!! yikes.

The Great Adventure said...

I can relate. My little Sophie, who was actually not that little, did the same thing after she pooped on her little potty and I was not in the room. She ran in the room, all proud, and said, "Look, Mommy!" It took me about 5 minutes to get over the shock!

emilymr said...

Neither of my boys has done *that* -- but I did just have an unfortunate experience on the airplane with Shiloh (aka he-who-must-not-be-potty-trained). Suffice it to say, he went pantless for more than half of the trip. :P

jessica said...

I will never forget that day either! Infact i have always feared my kids doing that too. It seriously scared me! Thankfully i have not experienced it to that intensity yet but we have had a couple of yucky diapers spread around the crib and i always think of you and that it could be so much worse.

Maria(h) said...

I can totally relate! I too was pregnant when my son went through this phase, yes phase, he did it more than once! On my hands and knees with carpet cleaner, tears flowing, holding back curses..uh, one day I hope to laugh at this memory. (:

Karen Bowers said...

poop art. i called it poop art.

frank was home alone with the boys for scott's first poop art experience. i came home to the sound of the bath tub running, frank looking harried and overwhelmed, and scotty rather frightened because of his dad being so harried and overwhelmed. it was baddddddd. poop all over the kid, the sheets, the crib, the walls, etc. oy.

scott continued to dabble in poop art, to the point that i had to make his clothes for him (one piece jumpsuits with buttons down the front) to deny him access to his artistic medium.

amy & ashley said...

oh katie. i remember this day. i think i came over right after that or something. i have thought of you/this story a bit since having birthed a child...hoping that it never comes to this. but i'm sure it will.

i think this story should reign at Oliver's rehearsal dinner. or the first time you meet "the one." ;) just sayin.

you should also know that the word verification for this comment is "nutgusher."