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Thursday, March 13, 2008

The Accidental Washing

Gabi still wears pull-ups when she goes to bed.

She wakes up dry 99% of the time, but she says she's just not ready to wear underwear for night night yet, and we need to wait until she's a little bit older.

A few weeks ago I forgot to replenish the pull-up supply and when bedtime came, alas, no pull-ups. We tried to convince her to try underwear, and bless her little heart, she tried. But she kept doing these weird little body convulsions and crying out, "It feels funny! It doesn't feel right! I just can't do it, mommy!" When she found the previous night's dry pull-up, all was well once again in the Kay household. After all the histrionics, it took less than a minute for her to fall asleep.

So I continue to dole out for the pull-ups.

And last night I accidentally washed one.

Why oh why can't I be free of the diaper/pull-up phase?

There is nothing quite as deflating as going to switch a load of laundry and realizing there is mounds of gel-like slimy goo all over everything. I had already thrown a bit of the clothes into the dryer, so I had to clean out both of the machines. It was quite a lengthy process. And I think in the midst of feeling sorry for myself I forgot to feed Gabi dinner (but I guess if she was hungry she would've said something, right?).

First I had to clean out the slimy goo. Then run the washing machine on a short cycle without any clothes. Then shake out all the clothes that had been washed with the goo and rewash them (I found what was left of the pull-up inside a pair of pajama bottoms). Then, finally, get down on my hands and knees to pick up each itty bitty piece of slimy goo from the floor, because using a broom just smears it around.

And that gel-like goo is so gross to the touch! I got it all over my clothes and I even managed to get a bit in my hair.

When I was done I plopped down on the couch and sighed in resignation to the messiness of motherhood. It just never ends! Even when the pull-ups are gone, there will still be messes that consume my time.

I already know that I'm going to cloth diaper with the next baby. I should have done it with Gabi considering my stance on natural parenting. It's better for the environment, better for the baby's skin, and it won't get gel-like slimy goo all over everything. That's one future potential mess maker averted.

3 comments:

  1. gross...I've never had the experience of washing a pull up in the machine...I hope I never do :)
    How old is Gabi again? I believe Natalie was at least 3 1/2 before she stopped wearing pull ups to bed. It will come. As my older mom friends have said - "They won't be wearing diapers in college!"

    Jenny Essington

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  2. Do you follow Tricia and Nate's story? This post sounds exactly like something that needs to be added to the list of things Tricia can look forward to experiencing as a mom!! Cleaning up slimy goo from an accidentally washed diaper. Like a rite of motherhood!

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  3. Oh I know. My heart sinks when I go to the washer and find something has exploded or that I've run a large load and left the setting on small or... any other number of laundry disasters.

    We're still in Pull Ups at night too, primarily because I'm too lazy to get up and change the sheets in the middle of the night. Come to think of it, that's the same reason I didn't do cloth diapers.

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