From the moment you become a parent, bodily functions – pooping, peeing, and everything else – start to take up more and more of your time.

A lot of women have trouble controlling their bowels on the delivery table. One of the biggest concerns when the kid pops out is for the first black, tarry poop. After that, it’s a well known fact that new parents do not talk about anything other than poop.

In fact, until all your kids are potty trained? It is the number two agenda item. *

On Saturday, as I worked to rectify the naptime issues we have been having, Cupcake wanted to go potty. “I need privacy, Mommy!” So I went to the kitchen to grab a cuppa. I was almost done when she called out, “Mommy, I did poopy on the potty!”

This statement didn’t mean much to me – she is learning to potty and sometimes thinks her farts are poop. She has only pooped two other times on the potty – once was horrible, she was constipated and I had to help it out. A lot. The other was pretty good, but other potty setbacks meant it was a one hit wonder.

So I walked to the bathroom without expecting much but lo and behold! She did poopy all by herself!

It is so silly and simple, but the look of pride on her cute little face matched the bursting swell of pride in my heart.

That is what parenting is about. Being proud of everything, celebrating life with these kids… even the shit.*

*those are my best attempts at poop puns. Please forgive me.