Public showers. Quite private.

This morning I woke up BEFORE any of the kids! I hopped out of bed and tiptoed into the bathroom. As soon as I turned on the shower...

pat-pat-pat-pat Zoe's little feet came rushing down the hall. She banged open the bathroom door and accusingly questioned, "I take a shower with you?!"

"Yes, of course." I secretly grumbled just a little as I helped her out of her shirt and we both jumped in the shower.

When each of the babies was TEENY I used to put the babyseat next to the shower while I was washing, so that I could keep an eye (or ear) on them. Then as they got to be old enough to sit or stand I'd usually take a shower, then pull them in for a quick and efficient clean-up. Then as they got old enough to cause damage to the house, harm to themselves, or open the front door to strangers, I'd invite them to come in with me just to keep us all out of harm's way.

Finally when my child was old enough that I could say, "Mommy's gonna take a shower. You stay here in the playroom for ten minutes and don't you dare go outside and play in the road," of course I'd have a new baby to bring in the bathroom with me.

So, I don't really mind that I had company in my shower this morning. I have found a pretty good solution to my need for privacy on days when I need it....public showers.

In my locker at the gym I have a complete identical set of shampoo-conditioner-face wash-lotion-makeup to what I have at home, and I use it just as often as my home set. Although there are eight shower stalls in a row, and strangers walking around in towels, I feel so PRIVATE! No one pops into my stall unexpectedly or demands to be picked up, or wants me to stop hogging the water.

The hilarious truth is that one day I'll have no little people following me around and I'll probably feel terribly lonely. I'll say to my husband, wistfully, "remember when the kids used to come running whenever I tried to take a shower?" and he'll look at me like I'm just a little crazy.