Potty Neophyte Turns Educator

Now that she’s a real poopin’ pro, Kina has taken to instructing us on the finer points of the potty. In addition to the basic notes detailed in the dek here, we’re advised to ask for privacy and encouraged to use a stepstool as needed; it’s nice to revisit the basics sometimes. In other potty news: A couple of issues ago, I mentioned something about an in-room potty gambit that seemed to have corrected for 5:30 wake-ups, and our investigations desk is working up a related exciting piece for tomorrow.

Kid Hears Front Door From Bed, Checks to See if Mommy Still Here

In other sleeping news, the child continues to be roused by only the most delicate and subtle of noises. Car horns and fireworks are like white noise to her, and though the margarita palace across the street blasts a raucous and incredibly grating mariachi take on “Happy Birthday” at least once every night, she pays it no mind. On the other hand, we take great care not to leave the living room until an hour after she’s gone to bed, because she reacts to the sound of the front door opening like a well-trained guard dog. Her first assumption is always that Laurea has left us alone, and so I have to console our distraught and exhausted toddler until her mother comes back from picking up a package in the lobby. So last night, when Laurea did come back, and the door latch did make a mild clicking sound, and Kina did wake up, and I did go into her room to settle her, Kina demanded that Laurea prove she was actually here by yelling from the living room—a shortcut that she has not taken before. This appeared to resolve the matter, leaving us impressed by Kina’s diligence and bristly auditory nerves.

This edition’s illustrations are all of the stick figure variety, which is typically easy for me, but I found it tricky to draw a bow and curtsy. I think I did well nonetheless.

We remain yours, dopily.

dad