Taking a toddler to a public bathroom is always an experience. And it's going to happen sooner or later as you start taking them on longer and longer adventures outside of the house. You can't avoid it, so you just deal with it as best you can. Which leads to some interesting experiences...

A few weeks ago I took my daughter to the Woodland Park Zoo. Needless to say, by the time we got there mid-morning daddy had had more than a few cups of coffee and needed to relieve himself before spending a few hours checking out the giraffes, orangutans and elephants. [shrug] Her natural curiosity led her to pick up a toilet seat cover that was laying on the floor...to which I quickly belted out "ack, don't touch that!" Off we went to the sink to wash her hands [again].

Then yesterday we took a trip downtown to the Seattle Aquarium. And once again, daddy had had more than a few cups of coffee [seeing a trend here?] so we headed over to the bathrooms after getting our tickets. She did great this time not touching anything. Until I had just finished washing my hands and she noticed the urinal cake which, of course, looks like a toy to any self-respecting toddler. She ran right over and reached in...to which I reflexively screeched "ack, don't touch that!" And then it was her turn to wash her hands in the sink [3 times if I remember correctly ].

There happened to be another father in the bathroom with his little girl [probably 2ish] who just gave me a big smile and said "always an adventure." So true.

~tod