For the Love of.....Diapers

As you can imagine, with six kids, we have (and are still) going through an unbelievable number of disposable diapers.  If I had to hazard a guess, the oldest 4 children went through about  26,000 diapers in total, with our two youngest having already gone through about 5,000 thus far, oh, wait a minute, make that 5,001.  By the time we are through with diapers, we will have gone through a whopping 39,000 diapers.  I will be the first to admit, although we still have two of our children in diapers, I am "done" with diaper changes.  I am completely burned out with diapers.  That is not to say that I do not change diapers from time to time, but if there is a way to not change one, I will usually find it.  Now, my wife knows this about me, (and here is the part that will make other fathers jealous), my wife is completely okay with it and actually will immediately step in to change a diaper, even if I have already begun the deed.  Now, I know what some might be thinking...maybe that my wife is overly controlling when it comes to the care of our babies, maybe that I am inept at diaper changes, maybe she is just tired of me constantly trying to get out of changing our babies.  I can tell you, all couldn't be further from the truth.  She will be the first to tell you that I am a qualified caregiver, and I can change diapers like the best of them.  She would also tell you that she holds no anger or resentment when she steps in to change a diaper, there are no feelings of ill will regarding my avoidance tactics.  She just absolutely loves to change diapers.  I dare say she might even go as far as saying it is an honor.  The fact of the matter is that my wife believes with every fiber of her being that next to holding your child, changing his or her diaper, keeping a baby dry and clean, is likely one of the most basic comforts that a mother can offer her child.  This coupled with an unbelievable love for babies and an unwavering belief of how blessed she is (we are) to have the children we do, you just begin to scratch the surface on understanding how diaper changes become a labor of love.