As a parent you learn to ask your kid early and often if they have to go to the potty. You ask as they wake up in the morning, before you leave the house, at restaurants, grocery stores, museums, parks, right before they go to bed, and just about every other time of the day. You soon learn that the answer is always the same: "No." Though it's delivered in more of a: "No! Get out of my face about it, sheesh!" manner.
So today as we were strolling around Trader Joe's I didn't even bother asking whether she had to go or not. And it was about when I got the bananas in the basket that I heard the panicked cry: "I have to go potty!" Which in kid terms means "I know you ask me all the time and I say no but now I've waited too long and if you don't get me to a potty immediately you're gonna be buying me some new undies, pants, and mostly likely socks and shoes." So, being a seasoned parent, I kept my calm and steered us in the direction of the bathrooms. That's when the chant began.
"Poo poo emergency! - Poo poo emergency! - Poo poo emergency! - Poo poo emergency! - Poo poo emergency!"
I turn to locate the source of the alarm only to see my daughter following slowly behind me, stop, face one direction and shout her announcement. Then she'd take a few more steps, stop, turn the other direction and shout her announcement again. This continued until we finally reached the stockroom where the bathrooms were located.
Thankfully we made it and all was well. Though I'm not too sure Trader Joe's appreciated a little kid yelling "Poo poo emergency!" while heading into the stock room. That can't be good for business.