Diapers: Different Sizes and Functions

Fancy having no diapers during play at the Montessori on weekdays. Only the ScoobeDry diapers for the nights or long journeys. Clarissa (3+yrs old) is well-versed with her routine and nowadays she gets her own and brings it to mommy or daddy.

Christa (1+yrs old) uses something light and comfortable like Huggies,L size during the day and we use the ScoobeDry diapers at night. We thought she probably had the same wider hips and needed an XL size for sleep. This would definitely mean less diaper rash due to the breathable cotton lining and high absorbable materal. She usually removes her diapers as soon as she wakes up and reaches out for the 'potty', imitating her sister. While watching us wear her sister's diapers she attempts to wear the diapers on her own.

I wish one size fits all but they dont. I wish all brands work just as well (almost) but they dont. I have become almost an expert at diaper makes and can even spot a manufacturing defect if there is one. Well, that's because of the follow-through responsibilities during my 'night-duty'.

Naughty, naughty fish!

Knock! Knock! Knock! The sound of tapping on the glass of my 4 foot aquarium made me feel nervous. Knock! Knock! Knock! Again, there was the same sound. But this time it was followed by a reprimand, "Naughty, naughty fish! You cannot fight! Stop fighting alright!". To my surprise Clarissa was teaching the fish a lesson for engaging in a jaw-lock biting competition.

"Hmmm...! Learning from mom and dad again!", I mumbled. I then reminded her that she was not to tap on the glass as it might crack. "No-oh! It didn't crack!", she replied. "The fish was very naughty and didn't listen to me!", she protested. "It's alright. I will teach the fish to be good like you, ok?", I asked. "Ok, no more biting ok", she again reprimanded the fish.



I was glad that mommy was not around to see the whole episode. My aquarium hobby will be at stake if she did.

Talk to daddy, don't cry!

I am the lucky one as most of the trauma takes place around mummy's dress (literally). By the time I get home in the evening, both Clarissa and Christa will be busy tugging at mummy to get her attention. I could imagine the feeling of hang-over from baby-sitting the two girls the previous night and having a second trimester pregnancy at the same time. "Daddy!!!", yelled Clarissa while running to the door.

"Dah-deeeeee!!!", squelled Christa trying to get past her elder sister. Clarissa would not move and inch and that annoyed her little sister. Christa quickly put her hand out and grabbed at Clarissa's face. 'First-blood', with 2 scratch-marks on the forehead adjacent to the left orbit. In retaliation, she packed a full powered punch onto her sister's back causing Christa to fall. Mummy and daddy had one each to console but it was not after reprimanding them.

Clarissa refused to stop crying and went on for a minute. Then I told her, "Do you want to talk to daddy?", I asked. "Yes", was her answer. "If you do, then stop crying". She realised that she had to tell me about being 'clawed' by her little sister and stopped crying. I would then go over to the couch and have Clarissa seat next to me to tell me about all that happened.

Night-duty

After my wife conceived our 3rd child, my wife looked quite tired in the mornings. By evening after work, she was often irritable. I never really bothered to lend a hand as she was very efficient in ferrying our 3+ yr old girl (Clarissa) to Montessori and the 1+yr old girl (Christa) to a baby sitter just 200m from our home. Finally, it struck me that maybe I would benefit from assisting her by doing the night-duty.

What did the night-duty entail? "Elementary my dear husband", my wife said. "Just wake up when our little girl cries in the middle of the night. Find her milk bottle, make sure it's washed, make 7-8 ounces of milk with warm water, make sure it's well mixed, and stick it in her mouth and you will be fine".

It was tough initially. I had to make sure I was awake, search for the lights, stumble upon a few toys left by my children, clean the bottles, test the water temperature, wash-off the excess milk-powder spilled on the edges of the bottle, stumble back to the room and look for Christa's mouth without dripping the milk all over. It took me 1 week to get used to the whole routine.

The returns were:-
1. At least now my younger child knows that I am there for a purpose
2. She actually asks for me and cries less
3. I learn to wake up instinctively by the stimulus of her cry
4. I've lost some weight
5. I see more smiles and get more hugs from mummy and Christa

The possible complications:-
1. Clarissa started to feel left out and wants more attention
2. Mummy doesnt get enough attention and I have to do some of the day-duties too!
3. Christa actually comes around the bed to my side and tugs my hand to get me off the bed on other occassions.