Sunday, March 26, 2006

Underwear! for everyone!

Today marks a rite of passage in our household. Helena and I were chatting this morning about getting out shopping today, and she suggested we add pull-ups to the list. I had to think about this.

Helena hasn't worn pull-ups for some time. She has, however, been wearing a diaper overnight, until a few weeks ago, when after a few evenings of unfastening and refastening diapers and Helena tugging and crying it was determined that size 6 diapers really are too small. Genius that I am, I suggested she wear a pull-up, of the half-bag still sitting in the cupboard — not the greatest in overnight protection but better than nothing. Then we ran out. So I bought some "overnight pants," although the reassurances on the package that bed-wetting is common did make me wonder what age-group these are intended for (it never struck me as a problem that my 3-year-old can't stay dry at night). But it turns out they're kind of big. Not monstrously, but enough so that Helena won't even consider trying them on. So I told Helena she was a big girl and she didn't need to a wear a diaper or a pull-up at night — she could sleep in her underwear if she wanted to. So there's been some bed-wetting recently, and some laundry, but not nearly so much as I expected there to be, and when there is, I offer up the overnight pants, but she won't hear of it. So I wondered why she thought we should buy pull-ups.

It turns out, they weren't for her, but for Teletubby Dipsy. The pull-ups-aren't-toys argument and the they-cost-money factor didn't make make much impression on Helena, maybes because Dipsy's been wearing her too-small diapers for weeks already. So I suggested maybe Dipsy didn't need diapers or pull-ups anymore.

So today, our two Tubbies, Dancing Elmo, and a baby doll are sitting around the house fully toilet-trained, wearing Helena's too-small underwear. And birthday party hats (cuz they were there).

2 comments:

martha said...

(laughing) Helena has some real buddies in her toy companions! It's great that she looks after them, and keeps them up to date with her own accomplishments. And good thinking on your part pointing out that they were potty trained.

Anonymous said...

We just pulled out some old videos from the days when my kids were Helena's age and I was reminded how much fun those days were. I miss them. Then I came over here and read this and miss them again.