Motherhood is full of difficult choices. And it never gets easier. For instance, this weekend I watched my potty-training son like a hawk, waiting for any sign that he was about to drop a deuce. Finally, at 8 p.m. Sunday night, while I was holding Midge and talking to my dad on the phone, I heard the telltale grunting from the other room. Sprinting, I arrived just in time to see the easily four-inch-long turd detach from his bare anus.
Let it fall or try to catch it? Clean the carpet or wash my hands?? The adrenaline was high. Barehanded, with Midge under one arm and the phone cradled against my shoulder, I dove and made the catch. Judge me if you like; it was a split-second call. I'm pretty sure it was the right choice, though there was a long and complicated moment when I stared at the log in my hand and took stock of my life.