Okay, I’m dying for some input here on how I should have handled this situation. I’m pretty sure my actions would not be considered “proper etiquette.”

 

A few weeks ago Tim had scheduled with a guy to come and give us an estimate on having some work done in our basement. He called and said that he’d be there at 4:00 or after so I made sure I was around. Charlotte woke up from her nap almost exactly at 4:00 and when I went up to get her she was super stinky. She was also suffering from a really severe diaper rash so her diapers needed to be changed immediately (and it was a longer-than-usual process using a couple different ointments and prescription creams.) Of course the second I remove her yucky diaper, the doorbell rings. For a second I froze, realizing that there was no way I could get her cleaned up in time to get the door and also knowing that the mess I would make trying to get her disgusting  diaper back on wouldn’t be worth it. Leaving her alone on her changing table covered in poop wasn’t really an option either.

 

So seriously, what would you do in this situation? Like I said, I’m not sure my response would make it into any etiquette books. I grabbed Charlotte by one arm and one leg, holding her far away from me, and made a dash downstairs to get the door.  So this poor guy is standing on my front porch when I fling the door open holding a totally dirty, stinky, naked baby. He was really nice about waiting outside while I took care of Charlotte upstairs and then came in to see the work we needed done. Sadly, though, I seem to have scared him away because he won’t return any of our phone calls, even to give us a final estimate. I’m pretty sure in this economy most construction workers would like the work so I really must have offended him. Luckily there are other HVAC people around but now I’m just trying to figure out what to do the next time the doorbell rings and I’m in the middle of a diaper change.