Here's another first

I was in the den working this afternoon when I thought I heard a scream. I stopped. I listened. Then I heard crying. BAWLING really.

I ran to the family room. Stopped. Listened again. Was the sound from the upstairs loft where the Bear was? Or was it downstairs where the Princess was located?

Downstairs. The downstairs bathroom to be exact.

I walk into the half bath to find my daughter bawling in that cry of pain.

Me: Honey, what's wrong?

Princess: Mommy! There's something wrong with my poo-poo! It's not coming out!"

She said this through sobs and gasps of air.

I looked between her little legs towards the bottom of the toilet. I saw one piece of doody. And it looked "not so soft".

Me: When was the last time you went poo-poo?

Princess: Umm... [sniffle-sniffle]

Me: Yesterday or the day before?

Princess: The day before.

Me: Oh baby. This is what happens when you don't drink enough water every day.

I told her to relax and let the poo-poo come slowly. I leaned her forward so that she was hunched over her knees. I gave her a kiss on her head and gave her some privacy.

About 5 minutes later I heard more crying.

Me: Baby, what's going on?

Princess: Mommy! Mommy! It's stuck!

I look down between her stick thin legs and see that "yes indeed" it was stuck. I repositioned her forward over her knees and told her to relax.

Me: Take a deep breath now and push hard.

She actually listened and there was immediate relief. That HUGE BRICK came out and was followed by a smaller pebble. There was a definite change in the Prin's face.

Princess: Whew!

So what's the lesson here? That a kid's first bout of constipation can be traumatic. Scary. But it all works out in the end with a flush....