Popi the Great

Anyone who has a baby knows that diaper rashes, aside from colic, are probably one of the most challenging occurrences with those sweet little people.  One minute you have a perfectly normal, sweet, happy-go-lucky angel and a few dirty diapers later the angel is screaming as if a thousand hornets are jabbing at her skin.  Or is that just what happens to us?  Yeah, didn’t think so!  The thing with diaper rash’d babies is that you know there is an end in sight.  For Ava, it isn’t so simple.  Because she can’t stand or walk, and because she wears a diaper, rashes are habitual.  We’ll be dealing with them when she’s twenty.  Mix in hot sticky south Mississippi summer heat and a new food in the diet and that only makes matters worse.  Remember how your heart would break when your newborn screamed and you couldn’t comfort them?  That’s how I still feel about Ava, except for she is five and I don’t know why, but that makes my heart break more.  It just isn’t supposed to happen anymore, you know?  I know it’s just a diaper rash and they’re not a big deal, but it hurts when your baby hurts, and it hurts a little extra when your baby already has to hurt from so many other unfair things.

Today we had a diaper rash invasion.  Ava woke up with a red bottom and I covered her in baby petroleum jelly.  It worked for most of the day, and I felt pleased that we had somehow managed to make it almost an entire summer without any major “down there” crises’.  HALLELUJAH (but…oops…I was wrong!)  This evening Dylan, my eldest, and I went on a date to get a birthday gift for his friend-girl.  We needed that time together after butting heads for the last few days, and I think my husband really understood that.  Drew stayed home with Ava and Dylan and I went along on our way.  We had so much fun in town shopping for Abi that I didn’t even realize we hadn’t heard from our home base at all, which is totally unusual for our family.  When we got home, Drew came straight up to me and said “Ava’s rash has gotten really bad…” and before he could finish I ran straight to her, half expecting to find a screaming, needy baby waiting for Mommy to save the day.  What I found instead was a calm little girl with a fresh diaper, all thanks to her popi.  Her rash had indeed gotten worse, so much so that we needed a stronger cream to cover and medicate it.  Who left immediately for it during his time off (which is rare in itself!)?  Popi, of course!  Who went back to the store I had just left and came home so fast his little girl didn’t realize he was missing? Popi.  Who helped her booty and calmed her mommy’s nerves in a heartbeat?  Popi.  Ladies, never ever take for a granted having a good husband/daddy.  I certainly never will.  Drew has been so wonderful for Ava and I, and I know he has always been for Dylan and Connor. 

Afterwards, Dylan whispered to me, “Mom, it makes me upset when Ava is hurt.  I know that had to hurt a lot and I know she is happy dad got her that medicine.  Dad loves her a lot, doesn’t he?”  I told him of course he does, and I thanked God that our boys have a good example of a daddy who is there. I’m happy to report that Ava has not cried at all again since her popi returned home with her medicine, and Dylan had a good time afterwards hearing stories from Drew about when he was a baby in London and teething and Drew had to run out and buy “nappy cream” for his little rashes.  Who knew the English saying “nappy cream”  could sound so funny to a 9-year-old!    

Point of today’s post:  When you have a family who loves each other so much, it shouldn’t take a major, earth shattering crisis to reminded of how much you love and care for one another.  Sometimes all it takes is a little girl with a need and a popi with a big heart. He is Daddy the Great.  Keeper of our hearts.  The binder of our souls.  We are so incredibly blessed! =)

Here is a picture I took of my little princess and her popi soon after he solved the diaper rash disastor.  I love to see these two snuggling!

And for those of you wondering about Armor…well, I didn’t quite make it.  The morning after my “invitation” I tried to tell Connor how wonderful of a time I had with them but he didn’t buy it. “MOMMMMM! You didn’t go there because WE weren’t there! DUH.  Me and Abuh went to a new land.  It’s called Planet Baby.  It’s where she came from.”

(sigh) I guess that was his polite way of telling me they aren’t quite ready to be joined in Armor. That’s okay, though.  I kind of like hearing the stories on “this side” once they return. =)