When something happens by mistake

We are talking to my parents, Elsie sitting on the sofa next to me, the conversation on loudspeaker so she can join in when she feels like it.

'Did you have fun with your friend yesterday Elsie?' my mum asks, 'what did you do?'

'She did a wee wee in her pants!' Elsie says, enjoying being the one to share the thrilling news.

'Oh dear, well accidents happen' my Mum says. 'I saw a photo of you both drawing.'

'Yes. And stickers!' Elsie remembers.

The conversation turns to me and my current low mood, prompted by broken nights and a baby who seems to be having an incredibly hard time teething and not helped by a ridiculous early-morning collision with a parked car.

'It was so stupid!' I moan. 'I was going slowly, there was loads of room but I just wasn't concentrating and it's just another thing I've got to deal with now.'

My parents are kind, tell me their own stories of mindless scrapes and I see that Elsie's tired.

'Enough about my car accident, it's time to get this little one to bed. Say goodnight Elsie'

Elsie turns her big brown eyes on me. 'The car done a wee wee Mummy?'

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