In honor of Mother’s Day on Sunday, here’s my ode to moms, Dr. Seuss style. I’ve had little ones in diapers since my first was born in 2010 and with my youngest turning three next month, it feels like a big step for us to enter into the next phase of parenthood.

So here’s one last ode to baby poop, potty training, and the early years, reminding myself and everyone else that even if your toddler won’t poop on the potty and wakes you up every day at 5:51am…this too shall pass.

Oh, The Places You'll Poop!

Before you’re a mom you know just what to do

In your head, your kids are like, potty trained by two

They’ll listen, stay clean, and never talk back

And if they do, you’ll know exactly how to get them back. on. track.

*snap*

But then that day comes, you’ll have kids of your own

You won’t look down so much on that mom from Home Alone.

Things were so much easier in the 90s, you’ll say

When our parents sent us outside in the backyard to play

Now there are “rules”,

Wean with this food, not that

To sleep train or not

And are time-outs really wack?

And what about play dates?

Have you scheduled all three? Two per child, that’s six, and oh! Spanish, Level 3

Or maybe you won’t

Cause some moms, they don’t

Get caught up on social

Though it’s hard not to compare

When your bff’s kid is on Facebook in big boy underwear

(Gasp!) Big boy underwear!?

Cause truth is, you tried that, your kid pooped in the pool

You were holding your newborn

you followed the rules

kept him in swim diapers but he boldly declared:

I’ll poop in the potty, mommy, I swear!

But got busy and pooped in the baby pool, he did

right next to a toddler and her squirting toy squid

It’s humbling, this mom stuff

you’ve gotta make your own rules

and gut check with what feels best to you

Sometimes those books are full of BS

and random articles on social often average at best

(oh um, except for mine

especially this one cause it rhymes)

Time outs for mommies, well they kind of rule

some alone time, some friend time to laugh and be free

some time to remember “oh, I’m still also me”

Responsible and caring and loving them through

all the good (and crappy) moments your mom went through, too

so try not to compare yourself to another

your kid to mine,

your baby to another

Cause maybe you’ll find out with kid one, two or three

If you let go a little of what it should be

what it is is beautiful and typically messy

Your kids will surprise you, the joy’s mixed with pee

So trust your gut mom, seasoned or new

I hope you enjoyed this Mother’s Day ode to you! (not poo).

PS. Scarlet totally did poop in a baby pool (oh man, it was a Four Seasons Hotel during high season) when she was two, and I really was holding newborn Sterling. Had that not been like six years ago, I would not have had the cajones to fess up to that, but hey, sh#t happens! Hang in there to my fellow potty trainers, potty training graduates, moms, dads, humans. You’ve got this!

P.S.S. Check out my photo time capsule on my blog, here.