Dashiell continues to grow – weighing in at 12.8lbs (clothed) yesterday. We tried a cloth diaper for the first time last night, before going to bed. We changed a [soaked] cloth diaper for the first time upon waking up. We also changed the [soaked] outfit he was wearing. If it also soaked the bed sheets somewhere we neither know nor care. So, strike one for cloth diapers.
It’s a learning process where I suppose success is defined largely by the absence of bruises, sores, or anything bleeding. Or anything else that might give witness to the naive parents we so often are in private. Spit and snot are tolerable, and omni-present.
I’m discovering a deliciously dark side to my parenting-self. No flowers and bunnies in this father’s head, no sirree. I see my son naked, his full belly all taut and round, and it reminds me of nothing so much as a frog, belly up, on the verge of some unpleasant high-school science experiment. And is it wrong to love the sound he makes when he’s really pissed off? His little ‘o’ of a mouth emitting a chortling coo in between heart-wrenching squalls, his arms flailing in true, Nixonian fashion. “I am not a crook!” It’s so adorable I just want to pinch him!
No, really, I’m gonna go pinch him, just to see if he’ll do it some more. Bye.
5 responses to “A Rug-Rat Update”
Delightful! Coldn’t be happier. I think you both are wonderful parents and it gives me great joy to watch you go through the process. Dashiell is o.k., too! Can’t wait to do the first babysitting. It’s kind of like the first time we babysat Roni. A little nervous, excited and wantig to show her/him off to the world.
Talk to ou soon.
Bob
You do know you’re supposed to have a (waterproof) cover over the cloth diaper, right? Cute pictures.
@Davis: *ahem* I did say we were naive in there somewhere, didn’t I?
that’s just the coolest picture, he’s about to say “hey dad, can you grab me another beer from the fridge while you’re in the kitchen”
Oh, the pinching was fun. Totally worth the reaction.
As for cloth diapers, we tried that too. I gave up on the first morning when I realized our trip to the zoo would be filled with me hauling soaking diapers in a ziplock baggie. Eff that, I said. My husband perservered for another month, which as you can imagine, was not successful since he was flying solo in the effort. Not to mention the wonders it did for the tension in our marriage.
Good times, good times.