nudity: a valid option
I am seriously considering the benefits of nudism.
Not for me. No. I've always been a modest sort, but even if I weren't--well, three pregnancies in five years have made the chances of me ever publicly flaunting my unclothed body slim to none.
No, I'm talking nudism for the baby.
I just can't keep up with the laundry. Yesterday, I got her dressed at about 8 a.m. At 8:30, when I decided to mop the filthy kitchen floor, clingy little missy decided she had absolutely had to be in the same room mommy was and crawled across the wet floor to find me. Then she decided to investigate the mopping bucket. Outfit No. 1, completely soaked.
Outfit No. 2 went on at about 9 a.m., and stayed clean for awhile. It wasn't until lunch that the filth began to accumulate...jam from her sandwich, then greenish-yellow drips all over the front from the lemon-lime popsicle I let her suck on to alleviate her urgent desire to be JUST like her older sisters. I ignored the mess on her clothes, however, and Outfit No. 2 lasted until about 3 p.m., when she woke up from her nap and desperately wanted to play outside with her sisters. Sisters were playing in the sprinkler, and I knew she would want to as well...but I couldn't find her swimsuit. I figured a plain old onesie would be just fine.
Outfit No. 3 (if you can apply the term "outfit" to a pink onesie that's actually a barely-fitting 6-month size that is still in her drawer because dealing with the constant rotation of clothes-she's-grown-out-of and hand-me-downs-that-probably-fit-her-now is a job in itself, and one I just can't keep up with) went on at about 3:15 and by about 3:30 it was soaked in water, streaked with sidewalk chalk, and smeared with dirt (after she tried to eat said dirt and then spit it out all down the front).
When I brought the girls in the house for dinner, I held Evie stretched out at arms'-length in front of me, not wanting that disgusting, sopping onesie pressed up against my side (not that it would really matter, since my white tank top was already covered in the day's accumulated grime). I considered: get her dressed yet again? For dinner? When she's just going to smear dinner all over herself?
I went with a big fat NO on that one. Which is how dinnertime found all the quasi-civilized members of the family sitting around the dinner table fully clothed (although the bigger girls were actually still in their sprinkler-wet swimsuits; I think that counts as clothing, though), while Evie sat diaper-only in her highchair, having a merry old time deconstructing her casserole. By the time it was all over, she had corn and cheese and tomato sauce from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. Straight into the bathtub she went, and then into pajamas for the night (Outfit No. 4).
So now I'm thinking that this whole clean-and-dry clothing thing is highly overrated, and it might be easier to just let her roam naked all day long. I'll dab at her skin with a wet washcloth when necessary, and take her out back to let her stand in the sprinkler after every meal.
Nudie baby. It's my new laundry-reduction plan. Who else thinks this is a good idea?
Not for me. No. I've always been a modest sort, but even if I weren't--well, three pregnancies in five years have made the chances of me ever publicly flaunting my unclothed body slim to none.
No, I'm talking nudism for the baby.
I just can't keep up with the laundry. Yesterday, I got her dressed at about 8 a.m. At 8:30, when I decided to mop the filthy kitchen floor, clingy little missy decided she had absolutely had to be in the same room mommy was and crawled across the wet floor to find me. Then she decided to investigate the mopping bucket. Outfit No. 1, completely soaked.
Outfit No. 2 went on at about 9 a.m., and stayed clean for awhile. It wasn't until lunch that the filth began to accumulate...jam from her sandwich, then greenish-yellow drips all over the front from the lemon-lime popsicle I let her suck on to alleviate her urgent desire to be JUST like her older sisters. I ignored the mess on her clothes, however, and Outfit No. 2 lasted until about 3 p.m., when she woke up from her nap and desperately wanted to play outside with her sisters. Sisters were playing in the sprinkler, and I knew she would want to as well...but I couldn't find her swimsuit. I figured a plain old onesie would be just fine.
Outfit No. 3 (if you can apply the term "outfit" to a pink onesie that's actually a barely-fitting 6-month size that is still in her drawer because dealing with the constant rotation of clothes-she's-grown-out-of and hand-me-downs-that-probably-fit-her-now is a job in itself, and one I just can't keep up with) went on at about 3:15 and by about 3:30 it was soaked in water, streaked with sidewalk chalk, and smeared with dirt (after she tried to eat said dirt and then spit it out all down the front).
When I brought the girls in the house for dinner, I held Evie stretched out at arms'-length in front of me, not wanting that disgusting, sopping onesie pressed up against my side (not that it would really matter, since my white tank top was already covered in the day's accumulated grime). I considered: get her dressed yet again? For dinner? When she's just going to smear dinner all over herself?
I went with a big fat NO on that one. Which is how dinnertime found all the quasi-civilized members of the family sitting around the dinner table fully clothed (although the bigger girls were actually still in their sprinkler-wet swimsuits; I think that counts as clothing, though), while Evie sat diaper-only in her highchair, having a merry old time deconstructing her casserole. By the time it was all over, she had corn and cheese and tomato sauce from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. Straight into the bathtub she went, and then into pajamas for the night (Outfit No. 4).
So now I'm thinking that this whole clean-and-dry clothing thing is highly overrated, and it might be easier to just let her roam naked all day long. I'll dab at her skin with a wet washcloth when necessary, and take her out back to let her stand in the sprinkler after every meal.
Nudie baby. It's my new laundry-reduction plan. Who else thinks this is a good idea?
5 comments:
I'm all for it with both my girls! lol however since we live in an apartment where all the kids play in the same area, with all the apartment windows facing the play area.... I think I will have to keep them clothed. When inside though, my girls rarely have much on for clothes. Lillie is currently in panties and a shirt, Kori in a diaper. Malaki on the other hand insists on being clothed, which is fine because he keep his clothes clean and can even rewear them later without me needing to wash them.
I am glad to know I am not the only one who hates the laundry of messy girls! :)
I love that plan and I use it often with my 16 month old. He has dinner in a diaper only on a regular basis.
Haven't had a chance to blog about my experience with Nudie Ben from Saturday, but here's the short version.
Graduation party next door ( we've lived here 4 ish weeks), Ben returns from playing with only a diaper and one shoe. He insists on going on the frog potty and watching a show. I sit him and return to my garage sale. Three minutes later my SIL who is helping me shouts BEN! and I look around the corner (on the party side) to see my little man totally nude picking leaves off of a low tree in our front yard. He went around the house via the back door. AWESOME. My SIL said he look like a little Adam picking leaves in the Garden. I was mortified!
I approve too. My mom could never keep me clothed. I was constantly removing all clothing she kept trying to force on me. By the time we reached town she'd turn around to see me happily sitting in my car seat with nothing but a diaper on. So save yourself the work and let her roam nude and happy.
Got my vote!
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