No Mess!

We have successfully had two meals today with NO MESS!

When I first started the babies on solids, I kept their clothes on. But after Connor got pureed bananas alllll over his pants and I couldn't get the stains out, I decided to start stripping them for each of their solid meals. It worked for a while, but I always saw other moms be able to feed their babies in their clothes, and somehow, they remained CLEAN! I was so jealous.

I have tried everything. Bibs upon bibs upon bibs...those dish towel bibs that seem to cover the whole top of the baby's body...bibs with the sleeves...bibs with pockets...and. nothing.WORKED.

Some may call me crazy for worrying so much over their clothes getting dirty, since that's what babies and kids do. BUT...I do not spend money on nice, name brand clothes times TWO for them to get them messy, and stain them forever. And call me crazy, but I don't dress my children in stained clothing. No way, no how. I feel it's a reflection on the mother, and I know I cringe every time I see a child out in public in dirty, stained clothes. It's just disgusting and lazy.

Fast forward 4-5 months later. At our twin play group a couple of weeks ago, one of the other moms had her twins there and their clothes were SPOTLESS, and they had just had lunch before they arrived. Seriously?! When I asked her how the heck she manages that, she said it's just because she's anal and wipes their face with the spoon if they dribble some out of their mouths with each bite. She said they still get their hands in their mouth sometimes pull food out on their hands, but they just rub it all over their face. Easy enough! I could deal with that!

So, I set about with the intention to "be more anal" about the dribbles of food that escape their mouth. And today, so far, we have had yogurt for breakfast with NOTHING on their clothes, and some pudding/yogurt mixture and a pureed jar of baby food with NOTHING on their clothes. I LOVE IT. Meal times are SO much easier! Now instead of stripping both babies, getting them in their high chairs, feeding them, cleaning them up, changing their diapers, re-dressing them, and then cleaning up after each meal, I simply plop them in their chairs, feed them, wipe their faces (since it's the only place that gets a little messy now), and off they go and after-breakfast/lunch/dinner/snack clean up is a breeze!

Apparently it pays to be a little more anal. :-)