The Power of a Little Man

I became an Aunt for the first time this year. I am in my mid twenties and it's a great time to practice my baby skills and prepare for the great challenge that lies ahead. On my first day of babysitting I was ready to handle it all . My first poopy diaper...I put him in the crib on his changing cloth and began to wipe away. As I was wiping he started to go some more, and more and more and more. I was wiping as fast as he was going. I thought it would stop but apparently he wasn't finished. I used up a whole box of wipes and then got hosed when he decided to pee and I didn't have his little man covered up. Wow what a job!

So then day two of babysitting comes along. This time I had learned to let him finish. He's a man and men need time to do their thing. Why didn't I know this?
I grew up with an older brother in a house with one bathroom. I spent hours banging on the door, pleading with him that I HAD to shower and he could finish his novel somewhere else. That is why I let little "Caleb" go and go and go.

I set him in his swing and left him alone. When I was sure he was done we went into the baby room. As I removed his little pants I saw it! His little stink bomb had been squished all up his side, out of his onesey and up his back. Great! I stripped him down and started wiping. It was everywhere! The crib sheet, my hands, his arms, back, legs, clothes! The whole time I'm thinking "I need gloves. Where are the gloves? This cant be sanitary. He's going to get Ecoli, I'm going to get Ecoli! No sink, no cavi-wipes no gloves, this is bad." His mom is going to kill me when she gets home and finds some little spot I've missed on his neck or something. I zip lock bagged everything and gave the boy a bath! When my sister-in- law asked how he was, I gave her the full report. She laughed and said " he's been working on that one all day".

The next day I pondered my experience as I cleaned up an explosion from a man I had just given an enema to. I thought, how can I come in here and clean up adult butts everyday with out a problem. Give laxatives, deal with antibiotic induced diarrhea, enemas and fecal management systems and this tiny 3 month old and his bottom the size of my hand can drop a bomb I can barely handle? I leave the nursery a defeated soldier. And yet I conquer the bowel mountain at work everyday.

The great lesson I've learned is this: My nursery will be stainless steel, equipped with sanitary wipes, gloves, towels, sink and a decontamination shower........

The Rookie