Welcome to the neighborhood.

Well, as I have previously mentioned, motherhood is not boring. This week brings the Hug household a particular story that has been thrice requested by my blog readers for publication. This is one such story that I was tempted, in my embarrassment, to let pass by. But, I am nothing if not faithful to my followers.

It was a beautiful spring day. I sat at my front window working on paperwork while I watched the boys playing in the front yard. I saw my neighbor drive by and I gave her a friendly wave. She gave me an uncharacteristic scowl. She is a cheerful person, the neighborhood busy-body, as it were. She is exceptionally friendly and the source of local gossip for about 2 square miles.

I knew I needed to investigate the reason behind her scowl. I looked out the window and saw Joe happily playing in the front yard, but Judah was out of my direct view, in the side yard. I stepped out on the front porch to see what was going on.

When I saw Judah, he was naked from the waist down, freely peeing on the rhododendron. While this was mildly disturbing, I though it was funny that my neighbor had been so upset by a two year old who dropped his pants and peed on a bush. As I walked over to reapply my son's pants, I saw tendrils of poo dangling from his rear. Uh Oh.

I then saw a fresh pile of Judah poop, right there in the yard. I can only guess he was in the act of dropping a poo in the front lawn when the neighbor drove by frowning at me. There are people who are 'free spirited' in their parenting but what sort of parent allows their child to go naked in the streets pooping like some sort of untrained animal? Apparently me. ( I also happen to own an untrained animal.)

Well, I took Judah in, bathed him and put him down for a nap. By that time the puppy needed to go out for a restroom break, so I took him outside. He ran to Judah's excrement, and before I could stop him, apprehended the poo. As I shouted at him to drop it, he ran away with his jaw clenched around what he appeared to think was a delectable taste sensation. There was no way I was going to pry it away from him. Great.

When our next door neighbor (a different neighbor than the one who witnessed Judah defecating in our lawn) came home, Joe yelled at the top of his voice, "Judah pooped in the front yard and the dog ate it!"

What a community treasure we are.