I must warn you that this entry contains graphic descriptions and advise you if you’re weak at heart, to proceed with caution. Miss Tangerine has had a slight constipation problem this week.  I think it may have been caused by the applesauce I gave her on Sunday.  She had a bowel movement on Saturday.  Then her next one wasn’t until Tuesday.  However, it wasn’t much at all.   So on Wednesday, I pureed up some prunes.  I was a little bit over zealous and it turned out to be prune juice, but nonetheless still a prune entrée.    Miss T didn’t like the prunes, but then again, I haven’t found any solids that she actually likes.  I managed to get a few spoonfuls into her.  Having heard the wonders of prunes from several friends’ experiences with their babies, I expected to see results that day.  That never happened.  So I decided to stop all solids and let the laxative properties of breast milk do it’s “duty”.   There was still no poop on Thursday.  Friday morning arrives and again, there was still no poop.   So Tangerine and I continued with our usual daily activities.  After a brief nap, Tangerine and I were getting ready to leave for a 3pm appointment.  At 2:40, I smelled that old familiar smell and knew my girl had finally broken the constipation spell!  I was so excited – in only a way a mother can get about a child’s poop.  I scooped her up and ran with her to the changing table.  And that’s when the real fun began.  As I took off her pants, she started to scream.  My poor girl was in pain and still pooping!  It was coming out the consistency of soft serve ice cream.  And it was EVERYWHERE.  Now, Tangerine has pooped many times all the way up her back and neck – but this was an entirely different beast we were dealing with.  No longer just the liquid poop of an all breast milk diet, but now a sticky paste consisting of bites of applesauce, sips of prune juice and tiny gobs of oatmeal mixed in with tons of breast milk.   The quicker  I cleaned her up, the quicker she pooped.  The poop not only was up her back, but down her legs, on her feet, arms and all over me!  I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned and then I glanced at the clock – 2:55 PM.  Yikes, we’d never make the appointment on time.  I cleaned Miss T up as best as I could and put on a clean diaper and clothes.  I figured she was “clean enough for now” and I could bathe her later.  So at 3:02, we walked out of the house to be at our 3:00 destination.    

 We attended our appointment and then afterwards I made one quick stop at Walgreen’s.  When I went to remove T from her car seat, I noticed that she had poop on her face!  So with horror and disgust at myself (for not bathing her before we left), I wiped up her face and wore here in my wrap into the store.  Not five minutes later, I noticed more poop on her face!  I wiped it up again and then realized it was in the crevices of her hands which she was wiping all over her face! Ewww!  We ran back to the car and I cleaned off her face and hands and we headed home to the much-needed bath. 
Lessons of the day:  Never delay a bath and Always Plan to Be Late. 

"All Clean"