Cloth diapers

This could also be titled, Why I am okay that my diapers don't look perfect anymore. 

For the first year of Martin's life my diapers always looked perfect. They could have been an ad for BumGenius at anytime. 

Then one day he found out that they were fun to play with and the neatness was over. The first few times he pulled them all out, I folded them all back in placed and stacked them in piles. 

Now this, see picture, is almost a daily occurrence. After my shower this morning, I found him in his room, laughing, as he pulled out his diapers and shook them around like flags. Today he took great pleasure also in piling the diapers on me, as I lay on the floor and tried to read to him. He laughed and laughed. He also had found his diaper pail (it is hiding behind that open cupboard door in the picture) and he puts clean diapers in with the dirty ones. If all of that wasn't enough, he knows that the reusable liners go in the pail. So, whenever I take one liner out to go wash it, he puts the new liner in the pail before I come back to his room. The only problem is he can't get the elastic around the top. Oh well. I keep explaining how to stuff the diapers so that one day, hopefully, he can pitch in and help me stuff them for future siblings. 

But all of this is fine with me. I don't care that his diapers are all over the floor and that I have to pick them up several times a day. It means that he doesn't need entertaining and that he is using his imagination to do something. I feel the same way when he plays with pots and pans in the kitchen or pulls cans and bottles out of a cupboard. I love when he plays with an empty spice container and learns how to take the lid off and on. I am happy that he explores and figures things out, even if it means little messes that we clean up together all day long. I would much rather let him have adventures then give him an iPad.  He doesn't need that right now. There will come a time when that will be useful, but not now. 

It is more work for me, but I love that he loves learning. I hope to spend the rest of my life fostering a sense of lifelong learning and adventure. I don't want to ever be annoyed at his constant questions. I want to encourage them. We will see how this goes, but so far, pull out the diapers and help me put away the dishwasher and your clothes. It will take thrice as long, but I love it. Keep exploring Martin!! I love you and your busy self. 

Ps. Bring on the crayons and paint.  Ha ha ha. I think I will keep the play dough hidden for a while longer. I am not ready for that yet.