There's a Panty Snatcher On The Loose

That's right, I said it...there is a panty snatcher on the loose.  Now I know there is at least one of you out there that read the title and pictured some creepy middle-aged guy going around stealing women's unmentionables (Go ahead, admit it).  Have no fear, there is no creepy middle-aged guy going around our community stealing women's underwear (at least not that I am aware of).  Nope...the panty snatcher lives in my house.

I have come to the conclusion that all children do weird things.  At least, these things seem weird to us adults, but to children, well they are merely exploring their environment.  They are learning about all different things.  What does a leaf taste like?  I don't know, maybe I should eat one and find out.  What happens when I play in the pee in the training potty that someone forgot to dump out?  (My daughter totally never did that by the way...)  I don't know, let me splash in it and find out.  But underwear?  Hmmm....that's a head-scratcher.

When my son needs to go to the bathroom, he comes running to us so we can help him pull down his pants and underwear.  He insists, for whatever reason, on taking them all the way off.  So his pants and underwear generally lay on the floor, unattended, for some amount of time (usually until we can wrangle him in and put them back on him).

One day shortly after my daughter began crawling, we returned to the spot of my son's underwear, to find her playing with his underwear (i.e. smelling them, chewing them, and whatever else babies do with things).  We were, of course, appalled and disgusted by this.  It would not be the only time it would happen.  It happens quite often.

I cannot explain the reasoning behind her behavior.  It is completely inexplicable.  Though I do have a theory.  I'm certain it's like what dogs do.  You know, they sniff each other's nether regions as a way of identifying one another and getting to know that dog/person better.  Maybe she just wants to get to know her brother a bit more intimately.

Anthony once said that we could spread out every toy she owned in front of her, an entire basket full of laundry, and one random pair of dirty underwear, and she would likely pick the underwear every time.  In fact, one day we separated my son's shorts and underwear and waited to see which she would go for.  To our surprise she immediately went to the shorts.  But once she realized what she picked up, she dropped them and went for the underwear.

I should mention that I realize that boys underwear is not referred to as panties.  Anthony told me to stop calling them that because he didn't want our son to go around telling people he wears panties.  It is a valid concern.  Kids do say the darnedest things you know.  But underwear snatcher just doesn't have the same ring to it as panty snatcher.

Sincerely,
The Mother of the Panty Snatcher