Potty-training is a wonderful thing, but it can be extremely painful getting from diapers to toilet some times, like this morning.

My 2-year-old son has been in "training" for nearly a month now and he has pretty much mastered the pee part of things, even staying dry during naps and overnight. We couldn't have been more excited or surprised by that.

But the whole pooping thing has really been trouble. While he has gone successfully in the toilet six or so times, we have to catch him in the act and whisk him off to the bathroom to do his duty before he goes in his underwear. We've been really good in keeping a careful eye on him after meals and usually get him early enough, but we didn't today. The little stinker did his business downstairs as the rest of us were still getting ready for day care and work upstairs.

My husband got the mess cleaned up and we eventually headed out the door late, of course, and disappointed in our potty-training setback.