Diaper Duty

Ismael Portillo, age: 1 1/2
Here, dear friends & faceless readers, is my challenge for the day. Ismael is my friend Adriana's adorable little son who she has so graciously lent to me for today's post. While I recieved many offers to change diapers in various locations and with various ages, this young man won the prize of my fumbling and nervous diaper duty.



Adriana said she wished all day for a poopy diaper, but the diaper gods were smiling on me today, and my little friend only had a "Number 1" filled diaper waiting for me. I wasn't afraid of the poop or the pee...just afraid I'd do it wrong and he'd start wailing. I don't have any brothers or sisters; the last baby born in our family was Maya, my cousins' daughter, 7 years ago, but they live out of state. Before that, the only other baby born in my family was born 24 years ago, my cousin, Sam. In neither situation was I on hand to change diapers. Friends of mine have kids....but diaper changing is kind of an intimate act. People just don't go around asking you to change their kids' diaper, normally, and this is how I lived for 29.9 years without ever touching one.



So Adriana gave me the details on how I need to "pat", not "wipe" the little man because of his diaper rash, then she laughed out loud as I did it. I guess I was being too cautious, and maybe I kinda just neglected a major area (the ahem...penis) and she reminded me you don't just wipe his butt. LOL. I knew that. How does one learn such things? This was amazing to me. As mothers, do you just know? Trial and error? No one wants to err on their kid.



Please note my look of sheer terror, but the steely eagle eyed focus that exists in my eyes.




Proof that Ismael is a pro: Here I am, nearly shitting my OWN pants trying to get this done, and he's multitasking. Smiling for the camera, checking out his Mom's DS, all while getting the diaper changed. Cool as a cucumber.




Nothing like a job well done. He looks happy, he didn't cry, and I have not scarred him for life. Mission accomplished. Yay for diaper duty! 



Adriana said, "Now you are ready for Motherhood!" uhhhhhhhhhh.......not quite. We've come a long way, baby. Not that far yet, however. Babies will come in good time, I hope, and maybe I'll have the first one ever born with an instruction manual.

till then,
xoxo,
S