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October 11, 2002
CLOTHES ARE MADE TO BE SEEN AND NOT FRETTED ABOUT
Being a man, I'm not much of a clothes horse, even when I try to be, which isn't often. My son isn't into clothes, either. A diaper, mostly dry, if possible, or nothing at all, he doesn't care. I can tell you that he doesn't like putting t-shirts on, or any sort of clothing for that matter. It takes time away from his important jobs of exploring, eating lint, checking out the power outlets, and chewing on cords. Now and then, however, it's nice to have the kid dressed up in something other than a diaper and a t-shirt, so here's my take on what makes the easiest clothes to get on and off.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE SNAPS
Snaps are easier than buttons, safer than zippers, and more reliable than velcro when it comes to outer clothing. The only problem with snaps comes when there a gazillion snaps on an item. For going out into the public, my favorite clothes to put on and take off Jordan are complete pants/shirt outfits. They could have a jacket and tie stitched into them, some sort of cartoon character...anything. It's the baby equivalent of the tuxedo t-shirt almost, except better. These items have snaps on the legs that go from the inside of the inseam near the cuff all the way around to the other cuff. This makes diaper changing a snap, no pun intended. Also, on the backs of these outfits you'll usually find a zipper, but some have snaps as well. They are one-piece outfits, easy and quick.
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING
Beware outfits that have snaps going up the front as well as along the inseams. These present a problem insofar as being sure where the snaps are supposed to go. Having the three-way intersection of the shirt front and the two legs of the pants is a red flag to me. With everything unsnapped and the item laid out in front of me, I can't usually tell the top of it from the bottom, the back from the front. If you're buying at a yard sale, get these for at least a $1 off.
OLDER BABIES BENEFIT FROM SWEAT CLOTHES
Lately, for a more leisurely look, I've been finding baby sweat pants in the closet. These, along with t-shirts, makes 10-month-old Jordan hard to tell from me. Only the size lets you know it's me. These outfits are handy because all the bottoms match all the tops, no matter what the colors. And while not as easy to change a diaper through, since you have to remove the pants before and put them on after, they do present at least one advantage: I feed my 10-month-old his baby food by placing several gooey and colorful selections on the tray of his highchair, locking him in the chair, and letting him have at it. Leaving him with his food for an hour or so, checking now and then that he's not running low, is a good way for me to get a bit of a break and for him to teach himself how to eat.
How that relates to clothes is that a lot of food winds up on his face and shirt. Often quite a bit will get on his pants, too, but the shirt takes the brunt. At the end of the hour, the top of his shirt is usually saturated and stuck to his chest. If it were a one-piece outfit, the whole thing would need changed. But that's not a problem with sweat pants and t-shirt attire. Just pull off the shirt, warm up a damp cloth with which to clean the face, hands, arms, and chest, and put another shirt on him. If we're lucky, the pants haven't been too badly stained and will last through another feeding.
Like father, like son. :-)
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