You needed to go to the bathroom. Something you believe, only I, the great and all powerful queen of potty time, am able to help you with. So I got up.

I helped with your pants. I put your special Paw Patrol chair on the toilet. I lifted you on. And I sat down.

I heard you grunting. I asked if you were pooping. You said, “no, I went pee”. Then I heard you stumble off the toilet, as you do every time. There was fumbling. Dad tried to help and you slammed the door in his face, while saying, “leave me alone!” He is not the great and all powerful queen of potty time, so he can’t help.

Within seconds you yelled, “mommy help me”. So I got up.

You insisted you needed a bath because you pooped. (Even though you told me 15 seconds earlier that you didn’t.) I told you no (dude it’s 9:45pm) and wiped your butt. You cried when I asked you to put your clothes on. A task you then insisted on doing yourself. So I sat down.

Seconds later you cried for me. So I got up.

You were sitting on the bathroom floor, a hot mess now. (I am also the queen of hot messes.) I asked how you got shit on the rug, for the 3rd time this week. I swear it wasn’t there 10 seconds ago. I rolled up the rug, checked your underwear that you also had poop on, and I threw them down the laundry shoot in your room. While there, I grabbed you more underwear. I asked you to put on jammies. You said no and insisted on your clothes again. Refusing my help. I left you to it. And I sat down.

Shortly after, I heard you bang your head on the floor as you got upset. I got up.

You couldn’t get your underwear on. I slid them on you. One tiny leg at a time. And I sat down.

You came from the bathroom now, clothes in hand. They were inside out and backwards. You were frustrated. You handed them to me and now you admitted you needed my help. I am also the great and all powerful mommy queen of getting dressed. So I got up.

I arranged your clothes and I put them on you. Even though I still felt you should put on your jammies. I choose my battles, and that wasn’t one I wanted to fight. I save most of my fighting battles for our night time rendezvous at 1, 2, 3, and well all the a.m. times. Because I am also the nocturnal mommy queen. And then I sat down.

Much past your bed time now, whatever time that might actually be. Lord knows you don’t have a real one. You asked for a snack. I said no. (Dude it’s after 10pm.) And you cried.

But this time, you got up. You crawled your tiny, little body of tears, onto my lap. And you sat down. Folding warmly into my body, like only my child could. You gave me soft, gentle kisses. Over and over kisses. And within seconds you fell asleep. Heavily breathing on my chest. In and out. Comfortable and safe. In the securest of places. I am most importantly, Mommy Queen of whatever the opposite of separation anxiety is. I am your go to, I am your safe place. I am Mommy.

And that, is why I got up. That is why, I will always get up.