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Friday, July 27, 2007

Exploding Babies, part the third

David was over the other day, holding Rachel, and I was reading out of the encyclopedia of child-raising that our pediatrician gave to us. I found a section on reflexes and thought one defensive reflex was pretty cool. Apparently if something is flying toward baby and it is going to hit baby, baby will scooch out of the way. However, if it is going to be a near miss, baby won't even flinch.

David threw on a baby voice and said, "Ooh, look at me! I've got an innate sense of...sensing-when-things-are-flying-toward-me...I couldn't think of a word for 'sensing when things are flying toward me.'"

Later he thought of the word "trajectory."

Apparently we lose that ability later on in life because, as Josie found out...she doesn't have it anymore.

It was our first full day at home (Monday) and Aunt Josie and Aunt Emily were over helping to take care of me and Rachel. Things were running smoothly...and then they encountered a diaper change.

No worries. Josie had changed plenty of diapers, so Emily was comfortable letting Josie do the dirty work. Josie was fine with this since it was only a wet diaper.

She was standing right in front of baby at the changing table. She took off the soiled diaper and...

The next thing she knew she was covered in Rachel's excrement.

It was all over her shirt and pants, and all over Rachel's legs, the changing table, etc. etc. etc. Complete baby blow-out.

I reminded Josie that if you slide the fresh diaper under the soiled diaper and then remove the soiled diaper you can close things up a lot quicker than if you have to grab a diaper and put it on her as she's going.

So, Andrew, as I think Josie can attest there are other things you should worry about exploding on a baby besides a bellybutton!

I only hope this experience hasn't turned those two young Aunties off diaper changing for life!

9 comments:

  1. Fabulous! And Rachel was just as cool and collected as all babies are... total relaxation and no worries about who's in the line of fire!

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  2. PS, and no, I never understood why people got peed on by babies so much. I think I can safely say I've never been peed or pooped on, simply because I figured out very quickly and intelligently that the best way to save myself from that was to keep some sort of diaper covering things at all times! You just gotta move fast. The joys of being the oldest of six... lots of experience.

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  3. I've only been peed on once. My niece sat on my lap, knowing her diaper was crooked.

    There was a warm gushy feeling, then she stood up and said, "Ha, ha! I peed on you!"

    Sheesh-o-ramma!

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  4. I've had a lot of experience as well but boys sure can be sneaky! I swear you have to be aware of where that thing is pointed at all times! As for blow outs...sometimes it can't be helped. If the diaper isn't going to catch it...at least your shirt can...GROSS!

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  5. Emily was rather proud of herself for letting Josie change that diaper--and very glad she wasn't in the line of fire. She now goes around saying things like "I don't want to have any babies for a long time!"

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  6. Ya just KEEP IT COVERED! 4 brothers later... lol

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  7. Be smart and stand to the side in stead of in front (or in this case behind) the line of direct sight. I never changed a diaper with my body directly exposed for accidents. Another thing to watch for is lying on the floor with the baby above your face. My brother did that and was in the mist of saying "say da da" when his daughter up chucked in his mouth on the word "da", everyone thought it was funny except him, he almost lost his lunch as well.

    Rachel's grump-pa

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  8. Glad I finally said something blog worthy.

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  9. wow, sad for Josie. I fortunately, have never been peed or pooped on. But, Maya has always been nice like that...:)

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