Have I Changed?

Of course I have. To be on this journey and not change would leave you either psychotic, catatonic, demonic or safely back on American soil. Some of the changes are small, barely noticeable inner changes, some are linguistic or turns of phrase and some are in your face, you really REALLY live here kinda changes, like this one:

No...my change is NOT that I now have a tiny cute perfect cellulite free baby bottom, I wish tho! My change is that I am generally and historically uncomfortable, and one might even say opposed to naked babies/kids at the beach, a very very very VERY common occurrence here. I am not a freakish prude, my issue are the real freaks that could be watching my baby, and the high exposure of UVA/UVB rays to their perfect skin. I am also opposed to the people who clearly knew they were going for a swim but can't be bothered with a proper swimming costume. 

Today we got our first glance at a real clear blue sky in days, we rushed to the playground at the beach in the late afternoon to soak it in. One kid was dying to go in the water so the others followed suit in their undies, until one of mine pulled off his undies and that fad caught hold like Tickle Me Elmo. 

The same guy who also started the "no undies Tuesday fad," had been a bit(EXTREMELY) "backed up" ALL DAY and poo'd the biggest poo I have ever seen right there on the shoreline. Think large for an adult. I almost died. I was laughing, crying and mortified all at once. I literally froze and could not get a plan together for what seemed like minutes. I scooped it up in the undies that no one was wearing anyway and threw it away, undies and all. We hit up a little shoreline saltwater bidet and we were all in again! If you told me a GIANT turd at the beach would not deter our fun I would have never believed you. 

Now, please do not read this and think I am suggesting Aussies poo at the beach on a regular if ever basis. I am just saying I am a bit more relaxed about certain aspects of life than I ever imagined possible.