Dear Diapers,
After 5 years, 5 months and 30 days of changing you (yes, I’ve been counting) you are finally, finally out of my house for good. Wooooooo hoooooo!!
I have had a love/hate relationship with you from the beginning. When you first came into my home half a decade ago, you were in the cloth format, and you were oh so cute. The fluffiness. The little designs. Oh, I loved you soooooo much. But then I realized that I had to wash you every other day. And that I had to put my hands on you when you were soaked in urine and soiled in poop. Gross! Still I forged on because after all, I’m a crunchy mom — I had made a public declaration of using cloth diapers, and I couldn’t quit you and face all the “I told you so’s.”
A little over three years ago, when my second son came along, I intended to use you little cloth contraptions on two boys. But then came postpartum depression, and suddenly the thought of washing you every other day for two kids seemed too overwhelming. And so, the Swedish Nature Babycare compostable diapers entered our home. Even though I had given up on cloth, I felt good that my diaper choice was still good for the environment. Until I realized I was paying twice as much for you as I would be for regular disposable diapers. Seriously?! As much as I love Mother Earth, I love saving money more. Hello, Pampers!
Getting my oldest son to quit wearing you was a nightmare. He was what the experts call, “potty training resistant.” But, after three straight days of sitting on the couch with him and taking him to go potty every 15 minutes, I finally wore him down. Yes! He started using the potty, and you, Diapers, were relegated to only being placed on our youngest son.
Before too long, little brother started to realize that he, too, could use the big boy potty. And, at 18 months of age, he decided to start using the toilet. Oh the joy!! I was convinced your final exodus from our home was only days away. But I was just too tired and too worn down from depression to be diligent with potty training, and before I knew it, little brother was loving his diapers once again.
Fast forward to today – nearly 20 months after the first time little brother used the big boy potty. He has finally, FINALLY gotten the hang of going #1 and #2 on the big boy potty consistently and has been in undies for a week with only a few accidents. I’ve cancelled my Amazon subscription to Pull-ups. I’ve placed our remaining disposables on my front step and posted a note on our neighborhood Facebook page – “Free Pull-ups!” You, oh Diapers, are officially out of my house for good.
No, I am not having another baby (thank you, vasectomy, for that assurance). I am years and years away from having grandchildren. And from this point forward, I am never going to babysit an un-potty trained child ever again. We are officially a diaper-free home, and you are not welcome back in here.
Peace out, Diapers!
Karen
