exceptions.

"Rules are rules."

I get that.

But when a 3-year-old boy comes into your Dollar Store, grabs himself and yells, "I gotta go pee-pee!" you should be sympathetic and make an exception.

Today Cale and I were shopping. We went to Walmart, and the Dollar Store.

He's doing so well being potty trained.

Sure, it's more work when we're out and about, but at least we've cut down on diapers.

See, Cale pees a lot.

And when I say "a lot" I mean, frequency and quantity.

I make him go to the bathroom before we go anywhere.

But it's usually not long after we arrive at our destination that Cale gets that urgent look in his eyes saying he's gotta go again.

He's not lying either.

When he goes...he goooooooes.

Of course it tends to happen when I have a cart full of something. Normally, I just put the cart in the aisle (hope that it won't be disturbed) and RUN to the nearest potty.

When we left the house this morning, I took him potty.

When we went to Walmart, I took him potty.

But only 5 minutes after we got to the dollar store, did he have to go again.

I thought, Ugh. Usually stores like this don't have an 'advertised' place for restrooms, but they have to have a bathroom in the back.

So, I asked. Do you have a bathroom?

The clerk (who was stationed with her back to me) didn't even look my direction, said "No."

Cale grabbed himself, crossed his legs and yelled again.

Even for a 3-year-old? (trying to sound polite, but pleading...)

"No. Our policy is not to let anyone use our facility."

Well then I was annoyed. My IMMEDIATE reaction was to say something like "Well, I hope you like cleaning up pee from your floor..." But I didn't. I left my cart in the aisle, grabbed Cale's hand and walked out.

The clerk didn't even look.

We crossed the parking lot, and went into our van.

See, this is the kind of shopping plaza that has a bunch of little stores - Sally Beauty Suppy, Dollar Tree, Game Stop...etc.

I figured it'd be a waste of time to walk him to each store...just in case I got the same rude answer.

After we got in the van, I told Cale to get in the back.

What are we doing? Cale asked.

I looked around our messy van. Surely there was an empty cup, or water bottle...something.

And there was.

Sorry to say, it was Cale's throw-away Thomas the Tank sippy cup...but to me, it looked like a toilet.

And we used it as such.

Was Cale upset at using his cup?

No! That kid loves to pee in weird places.

We've often had to stop on the side of the highway because of Cale's bladder.

In fact, before we even got to the van, he said "Mommy, can I pee in the grass?"

He laughed as he FILLED UP his cup.

It was a shocking amount of pee...but at least the crisis was averted. :)

While I'd normally agree that "rules shouldn't be broken"...for the sake of my 3-year-old boy, I'd say that sometimes, rules...should be bent.

And as for you, Dollar Store clerk...you can kiss this: