So sorry it has taken so long to finish all these CD posts!
So I want to finish my cloth diaper rants with where to buy (that is until next year :) First CD stores are popping up all over the country (I would really LOVE to open one up myself... ahh dreams.) So be sure to google ones in your area.
Websites NEW
Cottonbabies- My favorite website to order from, this is a christian company, they even have grants for overseas missionaries! Cotton babies are the makers of Bum Genius (by far the most popular CD), Flips (What I mostly use), and Econobums.
Jillians Drawers- They are out of New York, and if you are local you can stop buy and visit them.
Nickis Dipers- Also the maker of Best bottoms.
Green mountain Dipers- This is a great place to buy prefolds! (also another Christian company)
Kellys Closet- Here you can earn reward points for your orders and receive free diapers!
Diperjunction- They have pretty good deals, especially around black Friday!
sunbaby diapers- These diapers have a pretty good review at a great price, they are however from China and do take a while to ship.
hyena cart- This site provides lots of WAHM diapers (work at home mom's), always check the reviews of the seller!
Swaddlebees- Where you can buy swaddlebee/blueberry diaper products.
etsy- Etsy also has lots of WAHM diapers.
abbyslane
sloomb- Popular place to buy fitteds.
fluffenvy- Rewards program!
happybabycompany- Free shipping in orders over $35.
diaperpin- Check here for weekly deals.
USED
Another great way to save money when you CD is buying used. In fact, I got a great deal when I was building my stash for L.
ebay- I have bought most of my used CD's from ebay. I really enjoy getting the best deal possible and have done pretty well. For me I only buy from America, from what I have heard the one's from China are quite cheap and well, you get what you pay for. Always look up the going rate for the diaper, and always count in shipping. Don't forget to check the sellers reviews!
diaperswappers- This site has a great forum!
craigslist- Just don't buy from the craigslist killer ;)
Places like Cottonbabies and Swaddlebees will also post up diapers that are seconds. Meaning they might have been apart of a diaper program and were returned, or they are slightly defected.
The bump Cloth Diaper Board- Is a great place to ask questions, just make sure to read the Faqs at the top before you ask one.
As always you can email me here if you have any questions, or find me on facebook! Comments are WONDERFUL.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
It never fails... nap time woes
Today while getting the girls to nap I had an idea about a weekly post called "It never fails." Basically, they will be about the things that drive me crazy with parenting/homemaking/being a wife. I need something creative to call it so we'll see about that. Anywho, here is this weeks "It never fails..."
The only way to have a successful nap through out the day is if I lay down with BOTH the girls at the same time. Usually L is to my right at the "buffet," while A is on my right side literally almost on top of me. Its normally quite the ordeal to get them to sleep, I mean most of the time I even wonder why I even do nap time at all. L is pretty easy, as long as I let her hold my hand and rub her face a litter, she is normally asleep with in ten minutes. Some times if she is not ready she will talk a little, if she does that I let her be and wait for the "rubbing eyes out" cue.
A however like always is quite the project. The talking, oh the talking, the kid talks herself to sleep. She wiggles incesivly and does not stop making noises. It use to stress me out some because the noises and the moving makes my eyes start to twitch... Somedays it takes me an hour to get her to sleep (indcluding 7 rounds of the "Go to sleep" song, then somedays she doesn't go to sleep at all. Those are the days when I go for a second cup of coffee. (It makes me a better mom, more on that another day.)
So today it only took Addy about a half hour to fall asleep. I was nestled between two sleeping beauties, laying between them is the most peaceful environment ever. It makes the work of nap time so worth it. There I was thinking about what I was going to make for dinner when I heard it. The low throat growl of our ferocious pekapom Max. I lay there frozen for a moment thinking, if I don't breath maybe he'll stop. Nope. Of course not, he gets a little louder, I try a quiet whisper "max," unfortunately he has learned the art of selective hearing (I blame Mr.). His growls turn into a full blown bark, I try again to quietly get him to stop he or course keeps ignoring me. I succumb to having to raise my voice just above speaking voice "Ma please." Nope. My pleading does nothing. "MAX SHUT IT." Success, he stops. Failure, both girls wake up and it takes me another ten minutes to get them to sleep.
It never fails that as soon as the kids fall asleep the dog starts barking at a piece or dust flying through the air.
The only way to have a successful nap through out the day is if I lay down with BOTH the girls at the same time. Usually L is to my right at the "buffet," while A is on my right side literally almost on top of me. Its normally quite the ordeal to get them to sleep, I mean most of the time I even wonder why I even do nap time at all. L is pretty easy, as long as I let her hold my hand and rub her face a litter, she is normally asleep with in ten minutes. Some times if she is not ready she will talk a little, if she does that I let her be and wait for the "rubbing eyes out" cue.
A however like always is quite the project. The talking, oh the talking, the kid talks herself to sleep. She wiggles incesivly and does not stop making noises. It use to stress me out some because the noises and the moving makes my eyes start to twitch... Somedays it takes me an hour to get her to sleep (indcluding 7 rounds of the "Go to sleep" song, then somedays she doesn't go to sleep at all. Those are the days when I go for a second cup of coffee. (It makes me a better mom, more on that another day.)
So today it only took Addy about a half hour to fall asleep. I was nestled between two sleeping beauties, laying between them is the most peaceful environment ever. It makes the work of nap time so worth it. There I was thinking about what I was going to make for dinner when I heard it. The low throat growl of our ferocious pekapom Max. I lay there frozen for a moment thinking, if I don't breath maybe he'll stop. Nope. Of course not, he gets a little louder, I try a quiet whisper "max," unfortunately he has learned the art of selective hearing (I blame Mr.). His growls turn into a full blown bark, I try again to quietly get him to stop he or course keeps ignoring me. I succumb to having to raise my voice just above speaking voice "Ma please." Nope. My pleading does nothing. "MAX SHUT IT." Success, he stops. Failure, both girls wake up and it takes me another ten minutes to get them to sleep.
It never fails that as soon as the kids fall asleep the dog starts barking at a piece or dust flying through the air.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Would you like an apron with those heels?
I am starting to get the hang of this sewing thing. I honestly thought it would be another phase or pipe dream of mine, however it has become one of my favorite things to do. Since I still have a ton of left fabric from the Christmas stockings, I decided to make my self an apron. Then I thought of my little helper who drags her potty seat (she doesnt actually go potty in it anymore, just to clarify) over to the counter every time I am making something.
"Can I help?" "Can I mix it?"- Sometimes she drives me crazy with it, escspially if I need to make something quick, but I think it is important to let her try things so more often then not I have a pound of sugar on the floor (or chocolate milk...).
I decided that I could make A and I matching aprons, I mean what little girl doesn't love to match her mama? I am going to give it to her for Christmas, and can't wait to see her face when she realizes that we match!
Pretty cute huh?
Since I am now famous for my tutorials I am going to make one (with pictures) when I make my own apron which should be some time this week.
Can I just say look at those skills! I even made a POCKET! Go me!
"Can I help?" "Can I mix it?"- Sometimes she drives me crazy with it, escspially if I need to make something quick, but I think it is important to let her try things so more often then not I have a pound of sugar on the floor (or chocolate milk...).
I decided that I could make A and I matching aprons, I mean what little girl doesn't love to match her mama? I am going to give it to her for Christmas, and can't wait to see her face when she realizes that we match!
Since I am now famous for my tutorials I am going to make one (with pictures) when I make my own apron which should be some time this week.
Can I just say look at those skills! I even made a POCKET! Go me!
Pretty much I am famous.
A few weeks ago I decided to bring out my sewing machine and get creative. I had a TON of fabric that I had originally bought for curtains that were going to hang in the apartment we lived in before we moved into this house. Needless to say like many things, they never got done, so I decided to try to make Christmas stockings! Since we have been married (coming up on four years!) we have always had cheesey stockings from walmart, or Christmas tree shop. I decided it would be nice if we could all have coordinating stockings, ecspecially since this is our first Christmas out of the apartment life. I ended up making four stockings for us! I'm pretty proud of how they came out, since I made the pattern myself. Just like I do with a lot of my crafts I shared it with my online mom group, that is when Jennifer a popular blogger asked me to do a guest blog and write a tutorial on how I made them.
Let me tell you, it is NOT that easy to type up step by step on how you make something. Of course I had serious writers block... anyway she put the tutorial up in her blog. So there you go, I am famous. :) You can find the post on Jennifer's blog at AKAthewife, check out her other stuff too! She is pretty crafty and has beautiful baby!
Let me tell you, it is NOT that easy to type up step by step on how you make something. Of course I had serious writers block... anyway she put the tutorial up in her blog. So there you go, I am famous. :) You can find the post on Jennifer's blog at AKAthewife, check out her other stuff too! She is pretty crafty and has beautiful baby!
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Yes I am alive.
It's been a while!
Who knew that having two kids could leave me so busy?
I am going to try an update this once a week, probably sometime in the weekend. After all how can I get paid millions of dollars for my whitty writing if I don't actually write?
So here is where we are at. L is five months now (getting close to six), time seems to just be flying by. In a month and a few days A will be 3 years old! Since I was sure that we would never actually make it out of the terrible two's this is really quite the milestone. Also I have a birthday coming up, super close, two close. I'm sure you'll do a huge *eye role* when you realize I am turning 24, but I'm pretty sure I never saw myself living past 21, so any time past that is a strange new reality. It's the last year before my mid twentys, to me it's the last year before *real* adulthood (does that even exist?)
Ok enough on the "like omigoshI'msofreakenold."
L is really coming into her own personality, the middle name Joy really seems to fit her. She is easy going, and has a pretty hilarious sense of humor. Finally she discovered the fine art of rolling, she tends to get herself stuck underthings and will yell until we fix her. Daddy always makes her smile, mama does too, but A certainly gets the most smiles and laughs. L loves her sister so much, is amazing to see the bond and attachment forming between them. L's favorite thing right now is her jumperoo, I was pretty nervous when I bout it since A hated anything like that. I guess that is what I get for thinking that they would be anything alike! A few weeks ago L started to shows signs of being ready for solid food, she stopped sleeping through the night, was mesmerized by our food, and would try to bat at our hands and food while we were eating. So we started her on a few simple purees, and to be frank she pretty much hates them. I'm not sure if it is the texture, the different tastes, or just that she is not ready. So for now we are holding off on them. (Oh and she is sttn again so no worries there!) Another thing, she seems to have some sort of food sensitivity, I went on an elimination diet and I am pretty sure she has issues with dairy. Do you know how hard it is for me to not have dairy? From the time I was little I remember my grandmother calling me the cheese queen. *sigh* the sacrifices we make for our kids!
I am convinced that A is absolutely brilliant. I know that all moms think that they have the next Einstein, but A is really smart. Her vocabulary astounds me, and he imagination is just amazing. I really believe God has big plans for this kid. Anyway, she is potty trained (yay), and is pretty excited for Christmas. We really want to instill giving and humility in her, so we are trying to think of some ways to have her give back. She currently loves her baby dolls, play dough, and of course her best friend Max (our dog). She'll take his toy and make him chase her around the house. Most days she shuts him in her room, I'm not sure what goes on in there, I hear tons of giggles and him running around like a loon. As much as we complain about him, I am pretty thankful he is hear to give her a moment of entertainment. Did I mention that A loves to do yoga with me? It's pretty cute to see him in downward facing dog and cobra, maybe it will help her calm down a bit.
I can't forget about J! His job has slowed down a town, it's been nice to have him home earlier. Recently under the direction of the youth pastor he is preaching for the Sunday morning teen service (and doing worship too!) We are pretty excited to see where God is bringing us. He is also taking another class this semester, its nice to seem him excited and learning about things that he loves.
I am really truly blessed by this family. How wonderful it is to be the mama of this group!
Who knew that having two kids could leave me so busy?
I am going to try an update this once a week, probably sometime in the weekend. After all how can I get paid millions of dollars for my whitty writing if I don't actually write?
So here is where we are at. L is five months now (getting close to six), time seems to just be flying by. In a month and a few days A will be 3 years old! Since I was sure that we would never actually make it out of the terrible two's this is really quite the milestone. Also I have a birthday coming up, super close, two close. I'm sure you'll do a huge *eye role* when you realize I am turning 24, but I'm pretty sure I never saw myself living past 21, so any time past that is a strange new reality. It's the last year before my mid twentys, to me it's the last year before *real* adulthood (does that even exist?)
Ok enough on the "like omigoshI'msofreakenold."
L is really coming into her own personality, the middle name Joy really seems to fit her. She is easy going, and has a pretty hilarious sense of humor. Finally she discovered the fine art of rolling, she tends to get herself stuck underthings and will yell until we fix her. Daddy always makes her smile, mama does too, but A certainly gets the most smiles and laughs. L loves her sister so much, is amazing to see the bond and attachment forming between them. L's favorite thing right now is her jumperoo, I was pretty nervous when I bout it since A hated anything like that. I guess that is what I get for thinking that they would be anything alike! A few weeks ago L started to shows signs of being ready for solid food, she stopped sleeping through the night, was mesmerized by our food, and would try to bat at our hands and food while we were eating. So we started her on a few simple purees, and to be frank she pretty much hates them. I'm not sure if it is the texture, the different tastes, or just that she is not ready. So for now we are holding off on them. (Oh and she is sttn again so no worries there!) Another thing, she seems to have some sort of food sensitivity, I went on an elimination diet and I am pretty sure she has issues with dairy. Do you know how hard it is for me to not have dairy? From the time I was little I remember my grandmother calling me the cheese queen. *sigh* the sacrifices we make for our kids!
I am convinced that A is absolutely brilliant. I know that all moms think that they have the next Einstein, but A is really smart. Her vocabulary astounds me, and he imagination is just amazing. I really believe God has big plans for this kid. Anyway, she is potty trained (yay), and is pretty excited for Christmas. We really want to instill giving and humility in her, so we are trying to think of some ways to have her give back. She currently loves her baby dolls, play dough, and of course her best friend Max (our dog). She'll take his toy and make him chase her around the house. Most days she shuts him in her room, I'm not sure what goes on in there, I hear tons of giggles and him running around like a loon. As much as we complain about him, I am pretty thankful he is hear to give her a moment of entertainment. Did I mention that A loves to do yoga with me? It's pretty cute to see him in downward facing dog and cobra, maybe it will help her calm down a bit.
I can't forget about J! His job has slowed down a town, it's been nice to have him home earlier. Recently under the direction of the youth pastor he is preaching for the Sunday morning teen service (and doing worship too!) We are pretty excited to see where God is bringing us. He is also taking another class this semester, its nice to seem him excited and learning about things that he loves.
I am really truly blessed by this family. How wonderful it is to be the mama of this group!
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Cloth Diaper rant Part 4: Washing and Caring for...
Many people care for cloth diapers in different ways. I am trying to cover most of those ways and then add in what I do.
Washing and Caring for
This is probably the part you worry about the most, washing! Have no fear, if you have ever washed clothes before, you can wash diapers! Some people wash every day (I think they are crazy and wasting water...) Some ever other day, and others on the third day. I would not wait until after the third day because you may be dealing with some stank issues after that!
Prepping
If baby is being breastfed or bottle fed with out solids then you just put your diaper in the wet bag (or pail) with out rinsing. The waste disolves in the washer. Once baby is on solids you can either hook a spray up to the toilet and spray the waste off, or you can "plop" it in (depending on the waste of course), or some people scrap it in (which icks me out.) After scraping or plopping the diaper should be swished in the toilet. I should note that some people soak the diapers in the toilet, this seems REALLY yucky to me but I guess it is personal preference.
Washing
When you are ready to wash simply take the bag or liner to your washing machine and start a pre wash in cold. Prewashing gets all the waste and wet out so your diapers are not actually washing in it. When the prewash is done wash the diapers on HOT (this disinfects) at the highest water lever. You want the highest water level so you can get the most soap at as possible. Add detergent (make sure the detergent is CD safe, that post is coming soon), and let the diapers complete the cycle. Many people do one to two extra spins and rinses to get all of the soap out.
Drying- When I say line dry it can be indoor or out.
Some people strictly line dry, others only dry in the dryer. I recommend reading the caring instruction's that come with your diapers.
Prefolds, fitteds, inserts- All can be dried in the dryer, but beware of shrinking! (they will shrink its a fact of life.) They can also be hung on a rack or on a line to dry, once dry you can fluff them in the dryer to make them nice and soft for baby!
AIO- I find most people who use AIO's line dry for most of the time then finish drying in the dryer.
Some who just use the dryer for them find that they need to go in for a second cycle.
Covers, Pocket Shells- Most line dry these, as they dry very quickly and last a lot longer if they don't see the dryer often. How ever, they do need to be put in the dryer every so often to reseal the lining. This helps keep them water proof.
Wet bags- They can be either line dried or be put in the dryer.
Sometimes because of weather or time the dryer is just the best choice.
Stains
Poop=stains need I say more? The best way to get stains out is to hang or lay in direct sun light. 98% of the time the stains come out. (If you live in a snowy area like NH a window works fine.)
Washing and Caring for
This is probably the part you worry about the most, washing! Have no fear, if you have ever washed clothes before, you can wash diapers! Some people wash every day (I think they are crazy and wasting water...) Some ever other day, and others on the third day. I would not wait until after the third day because you may be dealing with some stank issues after that!
Prepping
If baby is being breastfed or bottle fed with out solids then you just put your diaper in the wet bag (or pail) with out rinsing. The waste disolves in the washer. Once baby is on solids you can either hook a spray up to the toilet and spray the waste off, or you can "plop" it in (depending on the waste of course), or some people scrap it in (which icks me out.) After scraping or plopping the diaper should be swished in the toilet. I should note that some people soak the diapers in the toilet, this seems REALLY yucky to me but I guess it is personal preference.
Washing
When you are ready to wash simply take the bag or liner to your washing machine and start a pre wash in cold. Prewashing gets all the waste and wet out so your diapers are not actually washing in it. When the prewash is done wash the diapers on HOT (this disinfects) at the highest water lever. You want the highest water level so you can get the most soap at as possible. Add detergent (make sure the detergent is CD safe, that post is coming soon), and let the diapers complete the cycle. Many people do one to two extra spins and rinses to get all of the soap out.
Drying- When I say line dry it can be indoor or out.
Some people strictly line dry, others only dry in the dryer. I recommend reading the caring instruction's that come with your diapers.
Prefolds, fitteds, inserts- All can be dried in the dryer, but beware of shrinking! (they will shrink its a fact of life.) They can also be hung on a rack or on a line to dry, once dry you can fluff them in the dryer to make them nice and soft for baby!
AIO- I find most people who use AIO's line dry for most of the time then finish drying in the dryer.
Some who just use the dryer for them find that they need to go in for a second cycle.
Covers, Pocket Shells- Most line dry these, as they dry very quickly and last a lot longer if they don't see the dryer often. How ever, they do need to be put in the dryer every so often to reseal the lining. This helps keep them water proof.
Wet bags- They can be either line dried or be put in the dryer.
Sometimes because of weather or time the dryer is just the best choice.
Stains
Poop=stains need I say more? The best way to get stains out is to hang or lay in direct sun light. 98% of the time the stains come out. (If you live in a snowy area like NH a window works fine.)
Cloth Diaper rant Part 3: Cost and Amount
Ok so I decided to split up the cloth diaper posts to make them easier to read, and to answer specific questions.
The real cost of CDing
When I first started to research CD's I was shell shocked! Twenty bucks for a diaper? Please how the heck is this cheaper? It's true that dropping the initial money on a CD stash can be quite a big (but it doesnt have to be!) I would say that the average CDer pays $200 to $300 on CDs. Here is where they SAVE money.
A. They can be used for multiply children. (Just remember to buy majority of them in neutral colors!)
B. If you buy one size they can last you through potty training.
C. You can resell them! (chances are you wont make all your money back, but you may be able to make half of it!
**WARNING** Buying and selling CD's can become ADDICTING (Just ask my Husband who brought in 3 CD packages today...)
How many do I need?
This really depends on what kind of diapers you want to try and when you are planning to start.
Newborn- So here is the thing most OS diapers do not start until 8 to 10 lbs. (I don't think L fit in hers until she was 9 lbs, even then they were a tad big but still worked.) So many people buy a separate stash for the NB faze. For Prefolds and fitteds it is recommend to have 24 to 30 prefolds (if you are going to wash every other day, add more if you want to wash every third day). I would say you would want 6 or so covers. The other popular choice for the new born faze is AIO's. If you chose these 24 is probably a good amount to start with,
What I did- I did not use CD's on L until we got out of the tar poop faze, and her belly button healed. When I did start I used mostly g diapers (tiny and small), they worked great until she could fit in her OS flips. She started full time in CD's (flips and BG's) when she was around 3 weeks old. Honestly if you are a new mom using sposies for the first couple of weeks is not a bad idea. You are probably going to be soar and exhausted that adding a couple loads of laundry may be a really big project.
Infant and up- This again depends on how often you want to wash, how the child wets, and remember each kid is different. Different diapers work for different kids!
Prefolds/fitteds/covers- 20 to 24, if you have a heavy wetter you probably will want more since you will have to change more often.
Snappis- 3 or 4
Pockets/AIO- From what I have seen 24 is a good number to have.
AI2s- At least 6 covers and 24 inserts
Wet bags- 2 or 3 of each size, that way if you are washing and need to dispose of a diaper you can.
Doubler/liners- This is preference and need only.
Diaper pales- Probably just one, but if you have a large house and find yourself changing diapers in more then one place then maybe get more.
Cloth wipes-30 to 50
What I have- Currently (since I am still learning and buying diapers have become and addiction), I have
All of my diapers on one size, it just makes more sense to me.
36 flip stay dry inserts (this is just a guess, but I know I have A LOT)
6 Flip covers (my favorite)
2 Econobum covers (they are ok one I bought used it has leaked a few times, the other I got free new from Cottonbabies.com with my order of flips this one works just as well as the flip covers.)
1 WAHM cover (work at home mom, more on that later)- I just bought this one and she leaked in it it the first hour she wore it, needless to say despite the cute ruffles it will be resold soon)
1 Bumgenius pocket diaper with 3 microfiber inserts (2 came with some flip inserts that I bought used)- This diaper is wonderful, its easy for Jason to use and when I leave L with a sitter I leave this diaper prestuffed because it is so easy.
1 Blueberry pocket diaper- This is one of my newer diapers, (I bought it gently used) the elastic in the legs were a bit stretched out so it leaked the first time I put in on her which was over night. I replaced the elastic and it has been leak free since.
1 Happy heinys pocket- This once just came in the mail today! So I will keep you updated!
10 Bummis fleece liners- These are supper soft I only use them if L is a little red and needs cream. Or if we are going to be some where for a while, and I don't know when I will be able to change her.
5 or so Bumgenius doublers- I have yet to have to use these :)
2 Hemp doublers- I have used these at night, they work GREAT!
Diaper pales- 0
Wet bags- 2 hanging large ones (Best bottom, planet wise) 1 medium (planet wise), 1 small (planet wise).
The medium and small go in my diaper bag (which is the size of a suit case :) I put all of my extra diapers and wipes in the medium, and if I change while out the soiled ones go in the small bag. This works great for my stroller because the Phil and Teds basket is rather small so it fits nicely.
Cloth wipes- 30 or so. I made my own out of cheap thin Gerber burp cloths (they look and feel like large wash cloths) I cut them down the middle the long way and then into three pieces each.
This is all I can think of for now as always I welcome questions and comments!
The real cost of CDing
When I first started to research CD's I was shell shocked! Twenty bucks for a diaper? Please how the heck is this cheaper? It's true that dropping the initial money on a CD stash can be quite a big (but it doesnt have to be!) I would say that the average CDer pays $200 to $300 on CDs. Here is where they SAVE money.
A. They can be used for multiply children. (Just remember to buy majority of them in neutral colors!)
B. If you buy one size they can last you through potty training.
C. You can resell them! (chances are you wont make all your money back, but you may be able to make half of it!
**WARNING** Buying and selling CD's can become ADDICTING (Just ask my Husband who brought in 3 CD packages today...)
How many do I need?
This really depends on what kind of diapers you want to try and when you are planning to start.
Newborn- So here is the thing most OS diapers do not start until 8 to 10 lbs. (I don't think L fit in hers until she was 9 lbs, even then they were a tad big but still worked.) So many people buy a separate stash for the NB faze. For Prefolds and fitteds it is recommend to have 24 to 30 prefolds (if you are going to wash every other day, add more if you want to wash every third day). I would say you would want 6 or so covers. The other popular choice for the new born faze is AIO's. If you chose these 24 is probably a good amount to start with,
What I did- I did not use CD's on L until we got out of the tar poop faze, and her belly button healed. When I did start I used mostly g diapers (tiny and small), they worked great until she could fit in her OS flips. She started full time in CD's (flips and BG's) when she was around 3 weeks old. Honestly if you are a new mom using sposies for the first couple of weeks is not a bad idea. You are probably going to be soar and exhausted that adding a couple loads of laundry may be a really big project.
Infant and up- This again depends on how often you want to wash, how the child wets, and remember each kid is different. Different diapers work for different kids!
Prefolds/fitteds/covers- 20 to 24, if you have a heavy wetter you probably will want more since you will have to change more often.
Snappis- 3 or 4
Pockets/AIO- From what I have seen 24 is a good number to have.
AI2s- At least 6 covers and 24 inserts
Wet bags- 2 or 3 of each size, that way if you are washing and need to dispose of a diaper you can.
Doubler/liners- This is preference and need only.
Diaper pales- Probably just one, but if you have a large house and find yourself changing diapers in more then one place then maybe get more.
Cloth wipes-30 to 50
What I have- Currently (since I am still learning and buying diapers have become and addiction), I have
All of my diapers on one size, it just makes more sense to me.
36 flip stay dry inserts (this is just a guess, but I know I have A LOT)
6 Flip covers (my favorite)
2 Econobum covers (they are ok one I bought used it has leaked a few times, the other I got free new from Cottonbabies.com with my order of flips this one works just as well as the flip covers.)
1 WAHM cover (work at home mom, more on that later)- I just bought this one and she leaked in it it the first hour she wore it, needless to say despite the cute ruffles it will be resold soon)
1 Bumgenius pocket diaper with 3 microfiber inserts (2 came with some flip inserts that I bought used)- This diaper is wonderful, its easy for Jason to use and when I leave L with a sitter I leave this diaper prestuffed because it is so easy.
1 Blueberry pocket diaper- This is one of my newer diapers, (I bought it gently used) the elastic in the legs were a bit stretched out so it leaked the first time I put in on her which was over night. I replaced the elastic and it has been leak free since.
1 Happy heinys pocket- This once just came in the mail today! So I will keep you updated!
10 Bummis fleece liners- These are supper soft I only use them if L is a little red and needs cream. Or if we are going to be some where for a while, and I don't know when I will be able to change her.
5 or so Bumgenius doublers- I have yet to have to use these :)
2 Hemp doublers- I have used these at night, they work GREAT!
Diaper pales- 0
Wet bags- 2 hanging large ones (Best bottom, planet wise) 1 medium (planet wise), 1 small (planet wise).
The medium and small go in my diaper bag (which is the size of a suit case :) I put all of my extra diapers and wipes in the medium, and if I change while out the soiled ones go in the small bag. This works great for my stroller because the Phil and Teds basket is rather small so it fits nicely.
Cloth wipes- 30 or so. I made my own out of cheap thin Gerber burp cloths (they look and feel like large wash cloths) I cut them down the middle the long way and then into three pieces each.
This is all I can think of for now as always I welcome questions and comments!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Cloth diaper rant Part 2: The different kinds of diapers/accesories
All I can think of is yuck!
Anyone who uses cloth diapers will tell you how easy the really are. I am pretty sure that you probably role your eyes and say "yeah right".
***NOTE- ALL PICTURES ARE TAKEN FROM COTTONBABIES.COM (a great CD website!)***
Let me change your mind.
The different kinds of CD's. (This post may get a bit long... so I am splitting this up into different parts)
Prefolds- a prefold is pretty much what you think of when it comes to a cloth diaper. It's a rectangle with a thicker center you can do many folds with it to wrap around the baby's bum. In the old days pins were used to keep the diaper closed, and a plastic pant was put over the diaper. Now a days most people use Snappis and a diaper cover. Prefolds usually need to be prepped, meaning you need to wash and dry them 6 to 8 times before you can use them Pretty much the more you wash and dry them the more absorbent they become. They can come bleached or unbleached.
Snappi- Snappi's are used to keep prefolds together.
Diaper covers- Diaper covers are made with a leak proof material (PUL). They can come sized (small, medium, etc) or one size fits all. If they are os then the diaper usually snaps down to a smaller size, then as the child grows you can snap to a medium size, then leave totally unsnapped for a large size. Diaper covers can last from 8 lbs to potty training. They either come with Velcro or snaps. Most people hang dry covers (they dry pretty quickly), but they can be thrown in the dryer for a quick dry. Diaper covers can also be made out of wool, it is simply put over a fitted or prefold diaper. It is breathable and doesn't ever get wet since it chemically reacts with liquid.
All In One (AIO)- AIO diapers are pretty much no work diaper. The diaper is just like a sposie, one easy step. (very day care friendly diapers!) They can be line dried or put in the dryer, they tend to
take a long time to dry. Like a diaper cover they can be OS, or come in various sizes. They also come in aplex or snaps.
Fitted diaper- A fitted diaper is an absorbent material that looks like a diaper but is not water proof. They wrap around the body and are very soft and comfy. However they are NOT water proof and require a diaper cover. They can be snapped or aplexed. They can take a while to dry but not as long as an AIO.
Contour diaper- Contour diapers are very similar to fitted's. Except that they usually do not have elastic bands around the waist and legs.
Pocket Diaper- Pocket diapers are probably the most popular form of CD's right now. The outside is a waterproof fabric, it is then lined with a soft material that wicks moisture down to an insert that is stuffed in side of the diaper. Meaning baby is not really sitting in wet! These diapers can be prestuffed which makes them great for daycares, baby sitters, and lets not forget about dads! They can be hung dry or put in the dryer. They come sized or one size, with snaps or aplex. Also some people prefer to stuff pockets with prefolds.
Hybrid/All in two (AI2) diaper- An AI2 diaper is a diaper cover with an insert that sits (or snaps) inside.) The insert can be cloth or flushable (making it a hybred). So when the diaper is solid you can replace the insert and wipe the cover clean (the wet does not sit on the PUL fabric) and the cover can be used again. Most people replace the cover during changes and let the other one air dry, then they use the cover for the next change. Also the cover is usually put in the pail/wet bag when its pooped on. (These are the diapers I use most, and in my opinion are the best for your buck.)
Inserts- Inserts are used to either stuff a pocket diaper or lay in an AI2. They can be made from micro fiber, bamboo, or another absorbent fabric. Microfiber should NOT touch baby's skin (it will severely dry the skin out). So if the insert is made for an AI2 then it will have a materiel that is suitable for baby's skin that will wick the moisture down (similar to the top layer of a pocket diaper.) Inserts may also be disposable, most true CD users only use these flushable liners for travel or a diaper rash. Some inserts can either snap or fold down to fit a OS diaper.
Doubler's/soakers- These can be stuffed with an insert for more absorbency, or layed under an insert/fitted/prefold. They look similar to an insert.
Liners- Liner can be layed under baby's skin, they are very soft and wick the moisture down. Liners are made from various material including fleece and raw silk. They can be cloth or disposable, many people use them at night and when diaper rash cream is needed.
Diaper pales- Some people store dirty diapers in diaper pales. They are usually lined with a pale liner that is made out of PUL. (Old fashioned wet pales use to contain water, this is a HUGE safety hazard and for the most part is no longer practiced.) You can buy a pale from a CD retailer, or use a plastic trash can.
Wet bags/ pale liners- Wet bags and pale liners are made of waterproof PUL. Some are zippered/draw stringed/ or just left open, Diapers are placed in the bag, then the whole bag is out in the wash. They come in numerous sizes, including small to fit into a diaper bag.
Cloth wipes- Many people who CD use cloth wipes (including me)! They can be made or bought. I made mine from thin Gerber burp clothes, I cut them into six pieces and had instant wipes. Cloth wipes tend to clean more then a sposie wipe. I use one cloth for every three sposie. They are just thrown into the wet bag, and washed with the diapers.
Wetting cloth wipes- Some people buy wipe solution, others make them home aid, and some just use water. I have a peri bottle from the hospital that I put water in to wet my wipes, I also have a spray bottle for the diaper bag. Honestly though most of the time I just wet my wipe in the sink before use. Also some people wet a few wipes and keep them in a container, if this is done they need to be used/replaced frequently to keep them from becoming moldy.
Diaper Sprayer- Many people buy diaper sprayers to clean CD's. You hook them up to the toilet and use it to spray of waste. This does not need to be used until baby starts on solids. Some people dunk the diaper in the toilet rather then spraying. You can also "plop"/scrape the waste in. Many people also just put a liner down and plop the solid in the toilet.
Anyone who uses cloth diapers will tell you how easy the really are. I am pretty sure that you probably role your eyes and say "yeah right".
***NOTE- ALL PICTURES ARE TAKEN FROM COTTONBABIES.COM (a great CD website!)***
Let me change your mind.
The different kinds of CD's. (This post may get a bit long... so I am splitting this up into different parts)
Prefolds- a prefold is pretty much what you think of when it comes to a cloth diaper. It's a rectangle with a thicker center you can do many folds with it to wrap around the baby's bum. In the old days pins were used to keep the diaper closed, and a plastic pant was put over the diaper. Now a days most people use Snappis and a diaper cover. Prefolds usually need to be prepped, meaning you need to wash and dry them 6 to 8 times before you can use them Pretty much the more you wash and dry them the more absorbent they become. They can come bleached or unbleached.
 |
| Prefold diaper |
Snappi- Snappi's are used to keep prefolds together.
 |
| Snappi fastener |
Diaper covers- Diaper covers are made with a leak proof material (PUL). They can come sized (small, medium, etc) or one size fits all. If they are os then the diaper usually snaps down to a smaller size, then as the child grows you can snap to a medium size, then leave totally unsnapped for a large size. Diaper covers can last from 8 lbs to potty training. They either come with Velcro or snaps. Most people hang dry covers (they dry pretty quickly), but they can be thrown in the dryer for a quick dry. Diaper covers can also be made out of wool, it is simply put over a fitted or prefold diaper. It is breathable and doesn't ever get wet since it chemically reacts with liquid.
 |
| Diaper cover (Thirsties) |
All In One (AIO)- AIO diapers are pretty much no work diaper. The diaper is just like a sposie, one easy step. (very day care friendly diapers!) They can be line dried or put in the dryer, they tend to
take a long time to dry. Like a diaper cover they can be OS, or come in various sizes. They also come in aplex or snaps.
 |
| AIO diaper |
Fitted diaper- A fitted diaper is an absorbent material that looks like a diaper but is not water proof. They wrap around the body and are very soft and comfy. However they are NOT water proof and require a diaper cover. They can be snapped or aplexed. They can take a while to dry but not as long as an AIO.
 |
| Fitted diaper (kissaluv |
Contour diaper- Contour diapers are very similar to fitted's. Except that they usually do not have elastic bands around the waist and legs.
 |
| Contour diapers (kissaluvs) |
Pocket Diaper- Pocket diapers are probably the most popular form of CD's right now. The outside is a waterproof fabric, it is then lined with a soft material that wicks moisture down to an insert that is stuffed in side of the diaper. Meaning baby is not really sitting in wet! These diapers can be prestuffed which makes them great for daycares, baby sitters, and lets not forget about dads! They can be hung dry or put in the dryer. They come sized or one size, with snaps or aplex. Also some people prefer to stuff pockets with prefolds.
 |
| Pocket diaper (bumgenius) |
Hybrid/All in two (AI2) diaper- An AI2 diaper is a diaper cover with an insert that sits (or snaps) inside.) The insert can be cloth or flushable (making it a hybred). So when the diaper is solid you can replace the insert and wipe the cover clean (the wet does not sit on the PUL fabric) and the cover can be used again. Most people replace the cover during changes and let the other one air dry, then they use the cover for the next change. Also the cover is usually put in the pail/wet bag when its pooped on. (These are the diapers I use most, and in my opinion are the best for your buck.)
 |
| AI2 diaper (flip) |
Inserts- Inserts are used to either stuff a pocket diaper or lay in an AI2. They can be made from micro fiber, bamboo, or another absorbent fabric. Microfiber should NOT touch baby's skin (it will severely dry the skin out). So if the insert is made for an AI2 then it will have a materiel that is suitable for baby's skin that will wick the moisture down (similar to the top layer of a pocket diaper.) Inserts may also be disposable, most true CD users only use these flushable liners for travel or a diaper rash. Some inserts can either snap or fold down to fit a OS diaper.
 |
| pocket insert (Bumgenius) |
Doubler's/soakers- These can be stuffed with an insert for more absorbency, or layed under an insert/fitted/prefold. They look similar to an insert.
Liners- Liner can be layed under baby's skin, they are very soft and wick the moisture down. Liners are made from various material including fleece and raw silk. They can be cloth or disposable, many people use them at night and when diaper rash cream is needed.
 |
| Fleece liner (bummis |
Diaper pales- Some people store dirty diapers in diaper pales. They are usually lined with a pale liner that is made out of PUL. (Old fashioned wet pales use to contain water, this is a HUGE safety hazard and for the most part is no longer practiced.) You can buy a pale from a CD retailer, or use a plastic trash can.
 |
| Diaper pale (planet wise) |
Wet bags/ pale liners- Wet bags and pale liners are made of waterproof PUL. Some are zippered/draw stringed/ or just left open, Diapers are placed in the bag, then the whole bag is out in the wash. They come in numerous sizes, including small to fit into a diaper bag.
 |
| Wet bag (planet wise) |
Cloth wipes- Many people who CD use cloth wipes (including me)! They can be made or bought. I made mine from thin Gerber burp clothes, I cut them into six pieces and had instant wipes. Cloth wipes tend to clean more then a sposie wipe. I use one cloth for every three sposie. They are just thrown into the wet bag, and washed with the diapers.
 |
| Cloth wipes (kissaluvs) |
Wetting cloth wipes- Some people buy wipe solution, others make them home aid, and some just use water. I have a peri bottle from the hospital that I put water in to wet my wipes, I also have a spray bottle for the diaper bag. Honestly though most of the time I just wet my wipe in the sink before use. Also some people wet a few wipes and keep them in a container, if this is done they need to be used/replaced frequently to keep them from becoming moldy.
 |
| Wipe spray (CA baby) |
Diaper Sprayer- Many people buy diaper sprayers to clean CD's. You hook them up to the toilet and use it to spray of waste. This does not need to be used until baby starts on solids. Some people dunk the diaper in the toilet rather then spraying. You can also "plop"/scrape the waste in. Many people also just put a liner down and plop the solid in the toilet.
 |
| Diaper sprayer (bum Genius) |
Cloth Diaper rant part 1: Why we have a fluffy butt!
*Warning* Like all my blog posts these are my personal opinions! This is not meant to judge/hurt/ or make you feel guilty for the choices you have made/ are making for your family. It is just the reasoning behind my choice to cloth diaper. If you disagree with anything I welcome your comments. (In a nice respectful manner of course!)
So lets talk cloth diapers, it has really become a bit of an obsession with me (if you are fb friends with me I am sure you can tell!)
And why???
Because they are so freaken cute! Just kidding...(kind of) Aside from the cute factor is the cheap factor. If a child wears diapers until they are two and a half years old and you are buying a pack of diapers for $10 a week you will spend approximately $1300 on diapers. (these are my rough estimates... math is not my thing just ask my brother :) So that is 1300 on something that my kid will wear for maybe 3 hours. Then I will toss it in the trash and never think of it again. I would much rather spend that money on something like a living room set or a down payment on a car or heck maybe even a college fund for the girls. Lets take this one step further, I have two kids that's $2600!!! At some point Jason and I want to have more kids if we have two more kids we would spend $5200 on poop catchers. That's a pretty big chunk of money. What if your kid doesn't potty train until she is 3??? What if she still wets the bed at 5? Think of the money that is being wasted on diapers/pull ups.
If this doesn't catch your attention think on this.
The *average* diaper package has lets say 30 diapers in it. Modestly that is 3900 in a landfill PER child. If you have two kids that is 7800 diapers! It is estimated that it takes 250 to 500 YEARS for the diapers to decompose. If you believe that God created this earth, that's not really a good way to be taking care of it like we should be. (I could write a whole post on this alone, think on this God created the earth he then created man in his image. If we are supposed to be like him shouldn't we take care of HIS creation?)
DioxaWHAT?
Did you know that disposable diapers contain CHEMICALS? http://www.realdiaperassociation.org/diaperfacts.php Says this
Love those heels. xoxo
So lets talk cloth diapers, it has really become a bit of an obsession with me (if you are fb friends with me I am sure you can tell!)
And why???
Because they are so freaken cute! Just kidding...(kind of) Aside from the cute factor is the cheap factor. If a child wears diapers until they are two and a half years old and you are buying a pack of diapers for $10 a week you will spend approximately $1300 on diapers. (these are my rough estimates... math is not my thing just ask my brother :) So that is 1300 on something that my kid will wear for maybe 3 hours. Then I will toss it in the trash and never think of it again. I would much rather spend that money on something like a living room set or a down payment on a car or heck maybe even a college fund for the girls. Lets take this one step further, I have two kids that's $2600!!! At some point Jason and I want to have more kids if we have two more kids we would spend $5200 on poop catchers. That's a pretty big chunk of money. What if your kid doesn't potty train until she is 3??? What if she still wets the bed at 5? Think of the money that is being wasted on diapers/pull ups.
If this doesn't catch your attention think on this.
The *average* diaper package has lets say 30 diapers in it. Modestly that is 3900 in a landfill PER child. If you have two kids that is 7800 diapers! It is estimated that it takes 250 to 500 YEARS for the diapers to decompose. If you believe that God created this earth, that's not really a good way to be taking care of it like we should be. (I could write a whole post on this alone, think on this God created the earth he then created man in his image. If we are supposed to be like him shouldn't we take care of HIS creation?)
DioxaWHAT?
Did you know that disposable diapers contain CHEMICALS? http://www.realdiaperassociation.org/diaperfacts.php Says this
Disposable diapers contain traces of Dioxin, an extremely toxic by-product of the paper-bleaching process. It is a carcinogenic chemical, listed by the EPA as the most toxic of all cancer-linked chemicals. It is banned in most countries, but not the U.S..1
Disposable diapers contain Tributyl-tin (TBT) - a toxic pollutant known to cause hormonal problems in humans and animals.2
Disposable diapers contain sodium polyacrylate, a type of super absorbent polymer (SAP), which becomes a gel-like substance when wet. A similar substance had been used in super-absorbency tampons until the early 1980s when it was revealed that the material increased the risk of toxic shock syndrome by increasing absorbency and improving the environment for the growth of toxin-producing bacteria.3
In May 2000, the Archives of Disease in Childhood published research showing that scrotal temperature is increased in boys wearing disposable diapers, and that prolonged use of disposable diapers will blunt or completely abolish the physiological testicular cooling mechanism important for normal spermatogeneisis.
Is this really something that you want your child wearing EVERY day for at least two years?
I'll also add this. A wore disposable diapers up until four months away from potty training(something I very much regret.) The kid had rashes ALL the time, I mean all the time. L wore sposies (a cute nick name) until her cord fell off, she was very red for much of that time. Since I put her full time in Cloth diapers she has not had one rash. That alone convinces me that I made the right choice.
And back to my first reason they are just so cute I mean look at this butt!
And back to my first reason they are just so cute I mean look at this butt!
Love those heels. xoxo
Thursday, August 11, 2011
"Would you like to buy some shells?"
When my cousin Alicia and I were young we had great ambition to make money. We didn't set up your typical lemonade stand, no we sold shells. My great grandmothers house was right on the shore of Point Judith in Rhode Island, we spent long hours with our grand-parents collecting shells. Naturally we would them pain them and try and sell them. If you have ever seen my hand writing an automatic assumption can be made that me and painting is out of the questions. So my very artistic cousin would paint the shells, and I would hike up the price (I mean really like $5 for a shell?) and then would stand in the middle of the road to make all cars stop and buy our freshly painted shells. Our top buyer was the mail lady.
Later in grade school (or was is middle?) some friends and I saw an empty food kiosk in the old New London mall (that no longer exists) and we had the grand scheme to open up a "snack shack". (By the way I am pretty sure I was the one who thought up all these business schemes) I had a toy McDonalds set that would make the apple pies and such, we decided that people would love to buy it and we also planned to sell ice cream (it must of been grade school because I am having a hard time remembering). I believe it was my now facebook friend Gloria’s mom who crushed our dreams when she told her that one had to be 18 to legally open a business.
I think that I have always wanted to be a business owner. I have always wanted to present people with things that I have created. My dream jobs at the moment is to open a bridal salon, and or a baby boutique that sells cloth diapers.
However I am a busy stay at home mom, my husband is working on his degree and this really is not the right time in our life to physically open a business. So this led me to open an online etsy store.
This is me standing in the road.I make pretty fab looking burpies, and am working on some other projects (like flower head bands/clips, changing pads, taggies, wet bags, and maybe even diaper covers.) So check out my etsy store! (Ok so I only have one thing listed but I am working on two custom orders right now so that has to count for something... right?)
So here is the shop.
And the facebook page is the same as the blog "motherinheels", make sure you like them both!http://www.etsy.com/shop/Gwyneddlesligrace?ref=seller_info
Later in grade school (or was is middle?) some friends and I saw an empty food kiosk in the old New London mall (that no longer exists) and we had the grand scheme to open up a "snack shack". (By the way I am pretty sure I was the one who thought up all these business schemes) I had a toy McDonalds set that would make the apple pies and such, we decided that people would love to buy it and we also planned to sell ice cream (it must of been grade school because I am having a hard time remembering). I believe it was my now facebook friend Gloria’s mom who crushed our dreams when she told her that one had to be 18 to legally open a business.
I think that I have always wanted to be a business owner. I have always wanted to present people with things that I have created. My dream jobs at the moment is to open a bridal salon, and or a baby boutique that sells cloth diapers.
However I am a busy stay at home mom, my husband is working on his degree and this really is not the right time in our life to physically open a business. So this led me to open an online etsy store.
This is me standing in the road.I make pretty fab looking burpies, and am working on some other projects (like flower head bands/clips, changing pads, taggies, wet bags, and maybe even diaper covers.) So check out my etsy store! (Ok so I only have one thing listed but I am working on two custom orders right now so that has to count for something... right?)
So here is the shop.
And the facebook page is the same as the blog "motherinheels", make sure you like them both!http://www.etsy.com/shop/Gwyneddlesligrace?ref=seller_info
Monday, August 1, 2011
Changes
For a week now I have thought on what this next post should be. Should I write about Cloth diapering? How about my journey in to attachment parenting? I could write about the new book I am reading "mommy teach me" by Barbra Curtis, or about my new Etsy store
Up until now I really thought I knew who I was as a Jesus lover and who I was as a parent. Two separate entities living in one, yes crossing paths sometimes but really I think that my parenting kind of ignored my Jesus loving side. It's kind of ridicules if you think about it, since we are in a parent/ child relationship with God. Shouldn't we then base our parenting after him?
This really hit home...
Recently one night I had to run down to the gas station at the bottom of our hill. I drove my husbands car since it was blocking mine and he had the local Christian radio on. Something I never listen to because really I think it is super boring and I NEED to listen to music when I drive. Also I find a lot of the stuff incredibly corny and a lot of the methods seriously out dated.
Anyway, Joyce Meyers was on (someone I hardly ever listen to/watch/read) she was talking to the crowed about how she didn't want them to "cheer" and "amen" there only to leave and not apply anything to their lives. (Of course she got a huge applause for that...) She then began to talk about not losing your testimony specifically with your children. How we may fool the person in the grocery store when we are speaking so nicely to our kids, then we get in the car and start barking at them. (So guilty). Our kids know who we are. We can not hide anything from them, they know exactly where they stand with us and they know what is important to us.
I sat in the car for a good ten minutes just crying at the realization that I am so one of those moms. With a mixture of post partum, a new baby, a new church, a new house, a husband that works 60 hours a week, and a two and a half year old my patience with A has just been so worn. I get upset with her for every little thing especially nap time. Oh man do I lose it at nap time. I end up yelling, she ends up in tears and we both are so over tired and frustrated at that point that we can't stand to be around each other. The mom guilt kills me. It kills me that I just can't keep calm, it kills me even more when I see A copying my behavior. Like when she screams at the dog, and she tells him to "COME HERE NOW." This is not who I want to be, this is NOT who I want my daughter to see.
So how do I change this?Baby steps. The first change that I have made is starting my morning with the girls (after breakfast, changing L, and A going potty of course) is by starting it with reading one verse from the Bible (it comes up on my phone hehe) and praying a simple prayer. We ask God to help A learn to be obedient and to listen. Then we pray that Mommy will be patient and that he will help me to show her and L Gods love. Also that I will be able to teach them all that they can learn (that's for a different post :)
My number one goal is to remain calm and to not raise my voice. I have been doing pretty well, I find that when I am getting really frustrated I can have A either paint to do play dough at the table (my chairs are really tall so she doesn't climb down her self), or I have her play in her room with the gate up. She really loves playing in her room. She has the freedom to do what she wants and I think it really encourages her to use her imagination. This time usually can give me ten minutes to an hour to spend time with L, go on facebook or see the deals going on Zulily/totsy/babysteals, take a nap, do laundry. Anything really to calm the house down. Today I even took a shower, that was a HUGE score!
I guess I will sum up tonight with this, I am raising people, not inconveniences. The choices I make as a parent today will affect them for the rest of their lives. I want them to grow into a loving relationship with our beautiful creator, therefore I MUST MUST MUST show them the respect, grace, mercy, love, and passion that he shows us.
I'm pretty sure he made me short, because he knew of my love for heels!
Bethany
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Gwyneddlesligrace?ref=seller_info. I guess though that I really want to touch on all of these subjects however I feel like I should start with this, God is doing a total gut and start over on my parenting lifestyle.
Up until now I really thought I knew who I was as a Jesus lover and who I was as a parent. Two separate entities living in one, yes crossing paths sometimes but really I think that my parenting kind of ignored my Jesus loving side. It's kind of ridicules if you think about it, since we are in a parent/ child relationship with God. Shouldn't we then base our parenting after him?
This really hit home...
Recently one night I had to run down to the gas station at the bottom of our hill. I drove my husbands car since it was blocking mine and he had the local Christian radio on. Something I never listen to because really I think it is super boring and I NEED to listen to music when I drive. Also I find a lot of the stuff incredibly corny and a lot of the methods seriously out dated.
Anyway, Joyce Meyers was on (someone I hardly ever listen to/watch/read) she was talking to the crowed about how she didn't want them to "cheer" and "amen" there only to leave and not apply anything to their lives. (Of course she got a huge applause for that...) She then began to talk about not losing your testimony specifically with your children. How we may fool the person in the grocery store when we are speaking so nicely to our kids, then we get in the car and start barking at them. (So guilty). Our kids know who we are. We can not hide anything from them, they know exactly where they stand with us and they know what is important to us.
I sat in the car for a good ten minutes just crying at the realization that I am so one of those moms. With a mixture of post partum, a new baby, a new church, a new house, a husband that works 60 hours a week, and a two and a half year old my patience with A has just been so worn. I get upset with her for every little thing especially nap time. Oh man do I lose it at nap time. I end up yelling, she ends up in tears and we both are so over tired and frustrated at that point that we can't stand to be around each other. The mom guilt kills me. It kills me that I just can't keep calm, it kills me even more when I see A copying my behavior. Like when she screams at the dog, and she tells him to "COME HERE NOW." This is not who I want to be, this is NOT who I want my daughter to see.
So how do I change this?Baby steps. The first change that I have made is starting my morning with the girls (after breakfast, changing L, and A going potty of course) is by starting it with reading one verse from the Bible (it comes up on my phone hehe) and praying a simple prayer. We ask God to help A learn to be obedient and to listen. Then we pray that Mommy will be patient and that he will help me to show her and L Gods love. Also that I will be able to teach them all that they can learn (that's for a different post :)
My number one goal is to remain calm and to not raise my voice. I have been doing pretty well, I find that when I am getting really frustrated I can have A either paint to do play dough at the table (my chairs are really tall so she doesn't climb down her self), or I have her play in her room with the gate up. She really loves playing in her room. She has the freedom to do what she wants and I think it really encourages her to use her imagination. This time usually can give me ten minutes to an hour to spend time with L, go on facebook or see the deals going on Zulily/totsy/babysteals, take a nap, do laundry. Anything really to calm the house down. Today I even took a shower, that was a HUGE score!
I guess I will sum up tonight with this, I am raising people, not inconveniences. The choices I make as a parent today will affect them for the rest of their lives. I want them to grow into a loving relationship with our beautiful creator, therefore I MUST MUST MUST show them the respect, grace, mercy, love, and passion that he shows us.
I'm pretty sure he made me short, because he knew of my love for heels!
Bethany
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Gwyneddlesligrace?ref=seller_info. I guess though that I really want to touch on all of these subjects however I feel like I should start with this, God is doing a total gut and start over on my parenting lifestyle.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
"I have to pee"
Potty training is really touch and go with Addy. Some days she does amazing and I think "yes she finally has it", while others make me want to throw her stupid Dora potty ring at the golfers who think it's ok to walk in my yard just because they have bad aim. (I'm thinking of spraying the next one I see with the hose.)
Yesterday we went up to West Lebanon, I had two destinations in mind TJmaxx and JoAnn
Fabrics. Traffic was horrible when I got into leb, they seriously need to hurry up on the new roads its like trying to navigate through a high school hallway in the middle of the day. Ridiculous. I did however score a good parking spot. In my head I thought it would be a great idea to bring up my new Phil and Teds stroller, however our trunk has decided it no longer needs to open so I have to lift it up over the seats. Seriously that stroller much weight 95lbs. I got the girls all settled in and went into TJ's it went pretty well. At one point of course we had to make a potty trip, A did her thing and we were on our way. Shortly after we had to go to the dressing room since L decided she needed to eat and it was the only place with seating.
At TJs I ended up grabbing a Petunia Pickle Bottom sling, it was really cute and since L likes to be worn so much I figure one can never have to many carriers. I also bought A this little pink Tangled box with four tangled chapsticks. Things went really smoothly at TJ's aside from the woman who cut me off as I was going to pay, this happens regularly. It's like they see you with two antsy kids and decide they would like to hear more screaming by making you stand in line longer.
Anyway I then made my way to JoAnns, about two minutes into the store L started getting a little wiggly signaling that she would like to eat (again). Then I heard those words, the words that made our smooth flowing day turn into a hurricane "I have to pee."
Having been in that bathroom before when I was pregnant with Lilah I knew that at this store you have to ask for a key. I pretty much had to comb the entire store to find someone. The bathroom is in the far corner of the store a HUGE bolt of some kind of foam was strategically placed in front of that door. Let me tell you getting that stroller in that room would make even a rock sweat. By the time I was able to actually get us into the bathroom A was whining (over and over) "I have to peeeee" and Lilah was starting to fuss. I get A on the toilet and then start feeding L, standing up since apparently JoAnns Fabric doesn't believe in cleaning the bathroom. (Not that I would sit on a public bathroom floor, I just needed a clever way to slip in that the bathroom was NASTY). A pees I grab clean her up and put her back in the stroller (one handed mind you) and starts freaking out because she wants to wash her hands. Since she is such a peanut I have to lift her to reach the water, so I told her that she was going to have to wait until I was done feeding L.
This is where I lost control
A started freaking out, I mean that total throw your body on the floor screaming and kicking type thing (except she was buckled in the stroller). At this point I get the bright idea to put L in the new PPB and try to nurse her in that thinking it would leave my hands free (even though I had my trusty Moby with me) As I am trying the sling A is still freaking out, I took away her chapstick and she began to scream like I was trying to drown her. Meanwhile I am trying to fit L into the sling and she is screaming since I am pretty sure I could have suffocated her. I look closely at the box (screaming by both is still going on)
And that is when I realize that the sling is a size SMALL. If you have ever met me you will know why nursing my baby in a size small sling is next to impossible. I am a freaking genius.
A calmed down as we left the herpes coated bathroom, and L is still screaming (not wanted to eat at this point.) I try to carry her throughout the store and finally do the most looked down upon thing a mother can do, I placed her on her Belly (gasp!). She INSTANTLY fell asleep, finally things were under control.
Not...
A few blissful moments later I am almost done picking out my fabric when I hear those words again... "I have to peeee" followed immediately by "I peed in my big girl underwear." Yup she peed in the stroller, which instantly sets her off.
I may have done the wrong thing here but I made her wait to change it. I was so close to being done and just needed to get the fabric cut and check out. A of course whined the whole time (which I understand really I do).
We finally get to the car I throw my diaper bag in the front seat and again I hear "I have to peeee". Instantly I grab her potty seat from the trunk and put her on it in the middle of the TJ max parking lot. I kid you not the kid almost fills it. Then I wiped her, she stood up and peed some more. I am pretty sure my petite little two year old has the bladdar of a grown man. Seriously that is FIVE times in about an
hour and a half. She ended up sitting in her car seat naked as we drove home. (I know I so win the mother of the year award for that one.)
Aren't kids fantastic?
All this happened while I was wearing heels of course,
Bethany
Yesterday we went up to West Lebanon, I had two destinations in mind TJmaxx and JoAnn
Fabrics. Traffic was horrible when I got into leb, they seriously need to hurry up on the new roads its like trying to navigate through a high school hallway in the middle of the day. Ridiculous. I did however score a good parking spot. In my head I thought it would be a great idea to bring up my new Phil and Teds stroller, however our trunk has decided it no longer needs to open so I have to lift it up over the seats. Seriously that stroller much weight 95lbs. I got the girls all settled in and went into TJ's it went pretty well. At one point of course we had to make a potty trip, A did her thing and we were on our way. Shortly after we had to go to the dressing room since L decided she needed to eat and it was the only place with seating.
At TJs I ended up grabbing a Petunia Pickle Bottom sling, it was really cute and since L likes to be worn so much I figure one can never have to many carriers. I also bought A this little pink Tangled box with four tangled chapsticks. Things went really smoothly at TJ's aside from the woman who cut me off as I was going to pay, this happens regularly. It's like they see you with two antsy kids and decide they would like to hear more screaming by making you stand in line longer.
Anyway I then made my way to JoAnns, about two minutes into the store L started getting a little wiggly signaling that she would like to eat (again). Then I heard those words, the words that made our smooth flowing day turn into a hurricane "I have to pee."
Having been in that bathroom before when I was pregnant with Lilah I knew that at this store you have to ask for a key. I pretty much had to comb the entire store to find someone. The bathroom is in the far corner of the store a HUGE bolt of some kind of foam was strategically placed in front of that door. Let me tell you getting that stroller in that room would make even a rock sweat. By the time I was able to actually get us into the bathroom A was whining (over and over) "I have to peeeee" and Lilah was starting to fuss. I get A on the toilet and then start feeding L, standing up since apparently JoAnns Fabric doesn't believe in cleaning the bathroom. (Not that I would sit on a public bathroom floor, I just needed a clever way to slip in that the bathroom was NASTY). A pees I grab clean her up and put her back in the stroller (one handed mind you) and starts freaking out because she wants to wash her hands. Since she is such a peanut I have to lift her to reach the water, so I told her that she was going to have to wait until I was done feeding L.
This is where I lost control
A started freaking out, I mean that total throw your body on the floor screaming and kicking type thing (except she was buckled in the stroller). At this point I get the bright idea to put L in the new PPB and try to nurse her in that thinking it would leave my hands free (even though I had my trusty Moby with me) As I am trying the sling A is still freaking out, I took away her chapstick and she began to scream like I was trying to drown her. Meanwhile I am trying to fit L into the sling and she is screaming since I am pretty sure I could have suffocated her. I look closely at the box (screaming by both is still going on)
And that is when I realize that the sling is a size SMALL. If you have ever met me you will know why nursing my baby in a size small sling is next to impossible. I am a freaking genius.
A calmed down as we left the herpes coated bathroom, and L is still screaming (not wanted to eat at this point.) I try to carry her throughout the store and finally do the most looked down upon thing a mother can do, I placed her on her Belly (gasp!). She INSTANTLY fell asleep, finally things were under control.
Not...
A few blissful moments later I am almost done picking out my fabric when I hear those words again... "I have to peeee" followed immediately by "I peed in my big girl underwear." Yup she peed in the stroller, which instantly sets her off.
I may have done the wrong thing here but I made her wait to change it. I was so close to being done and just needed to get the fabric cut and check out. A of course whined the whole time (which I understand really I do).
We finally get to the car I throw my diaper bag in the front seat and again I hear "I have to peeee". Instantly I grab her potty seat from the trunk and put her on it in the middle of the TJ max parking lot. I kid you not the kid almost fills it. Then I wiped her, she stood up and peed some more. I am pretty sure my petite little two year old has the bladdar of a grown man. Seriously that is FIVE times in about an
hour and a half. She ended up sitting in her car seat naked as we drove home. (I know I so win the mother of the year award for that one.)
Aren't kids fantastic?
All this happened while I was wearing heels of course,
Bethany
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
That awkward opening post...
It's the first post for this blog, you know kind of like the first time you meet some. You sit there thinking of all the things you could say (or maybe you are drawing a blank) and really you just want to get to know them (or get out as fast as you can!)
I don't want this to be the kind of blog that you really don't want to read, I want it to be interesting, informative and humorous. So bear with me as I work the kinks out, I promise it will get better!
So here's some facts about me, ok I am having a hard time here and automatically want to talk about my husband and kids.. Anyway, I am 23 years old and yes I do realize I was a "child" bride by getting hitched at 20. I probably also just missed the cut off for being on 16 and pregnant since I was 21 when A was born (I'll get to her in a minute).
Childhood
I spent my childhood in New London, CT where I attended quite a few schools (just couldn't find the right fit), and was lovingly harassed by my older brother for years. My father was the pastor of a small church plant until I was 10, while my mom after staying home with me until I went to school worked her way up in the banking industry. I guess I should probably note that my sister was born also when I was 10. At 12ish my father became the pastor of another church on the CT/RI boarder, we moved to RI when I was 14 I spent the rest of my teenage years there. After graduating high school I took a year off then attended Zion Bible college.
In comes Prince Charming
Jason came into my life like a tsunami, I literally did not know what hit me when we first started dating. He was so unlike any frog that I had ever dated before, he even now makes me feel that "princess feeling." We dated for a little over a year when he proposed to me, it was in a beautiful spot that overlooks the city of Johnstown, PA (where my parents now live), two months later we were married in a beautiful January wedding.
"Oh Baby"
After our blissful wedding reality took over and we moved up to Claremont, NH where Jason is from. On April 20,2008 I peed on a stick, I sat and stared at it and thought I was going crazy when two pink lines came up. I'm pretty sure my first thought was "oh if this is a girl I am in huge trouble." Addalyn Grace graced us with her presence (almost TWO weeks late) on January 5,2009.
Making a home
Fast forward and we have moved three times within the city of Claremont, and are now settled into a quaint yellow cape with a beautiful yard (minus of course the golf balls flying in from the country club in the back of our yard). June 16 of this year Lilah Joy couldn't wait to meet us and came two weeks early. We are just getting to know each other, and with every day I fall more in love.
Of course a lot of other things have happened in my life, but this is already getting long, so here are some other facts about me- I love shoes. Any kind of shoe really, but heels have a special place in my heart. I love cheese and like to add it to anything I can. My favorite color is pink. I try to eat and feed my family as clean and organic as my budget will allow. I love this amazing guy named Jesus you should meet him. All I have ever wanted to do is be a wife and mom, and it is so much more than I could ever imagine. I was raised in a home passionate about music, my husband and I are now raising our daughters the same. Also I love to sew and hope to open an etsy store VERY soon.
So here are some subjects I will be talking about in this blog-
-Being a stay at home mom
-Cloth diapers (I am obsessed)
-Clean eating/cooking
-Becoming a healthier person all around, which includes getting back to my pre Addalyn weight
-Marriage and my hott husband
-A love that captured my heart and made me whole
-Attachment parenting (something I am exploring)
-Parenting in general
-My kids because I am obsessed with them
-Sewing/my etsy store
-Music
-Local restaurants/places
-Shopping/money/coupons/saving money (Dave Ramsey style)
Well at this point I am pretty sure you are drowning in boredom. Let's hope I'll improve in time.
Don't forget to wear your heels,
Bethany
I don't want this to be the kind of blog that you really don't want to read, I want it to be interesting, informative and humorous. So bear with me as I work the kinks out, I promise it will get better!
So here's some facts about me, ok I am having a hard time here and automatically want to talk about my husband and kids.. Anyway, I am 23 years old and yes I do realize I was a "child" bride by getting hitched at 20. I probably also just missed the cut off for being on 16 and pregnant since I was 21 when A was born (I'll get to her in a minute).
Childhood
I spent my childhood in New London, CT where I attended quite a few schools (just couldn't find the right fit), and was lovingly harassed by my older brother for years. My father was the pastor of a small church plant until I was 10, while my mom after staying home with me until I went to school worked her way up in the banking industry. I guess I should probably note that my sister was born also when I was 10. At 12ish my father became the pastor of another church on the CT/RI boarder, we moved to RI when I was 14 I spent the rest of my teenage years there. After graduating high school I took a year off then attended Zion Bible college.
In comes Prince Charming
Jason came into my life like a tsunami, I literally did not know what hit me when we first started dating. He was so unlike any frog that I had ever dated before, he even now makes me feel that "princess feeling." We dated for a little over a year when he proposed to me, it was in a beautiful spot that overlooks the city of Johnstown, PA (where my parents now live), two months later we were married in a beautiful January wedding.
"Oh Baby"
After our blissful wedding reality took over and we moved up to Claremont, NH where Jason is from. On April 20,2008 I peed on a stick, I sat and stared at it and thought I was going crazy when two pink lines came up. I'm pretty sure my first thought was "oh if this is a girl I am in huge trouble." Addalyn Grace graced us with her presence (almost TWO weeks late) on January 5,2009.
Making a home
Fast forward and we have moved three times within the city of Claremont, and are now settled into a quaint yellow cape with a beautiful yard (minus of course the golf balls flying in from the country club in the back of our yard). June 16 of this year Lilah Joy couldn't wait to meet us and came two weeks early. We are just getting to know each other, and with every day I fall more in love.
Of course a lot of other things have happened in my life, but this is already getting long, so here are some other facts about me- I love shoes. Any kind of shoe really, but heels have a special place in my heart. I love cheese and like to add it to anything I can. My favorite color is pink. I try to eat and feed my family as clean and organic as my budget will allow. I love this amazing guy named Jesus you should meet him. All I have ever wanted to do is be a wife and mom, and it is so much more than I could ever imagine. I was raised in a home passionate about music, my husband and I are now raising our daughters the same. Also I love to sew and hope to open an etsy store VERY soon.
So here are some subjects I will be talking about in this blog-
-Being a stay at home mom
-Cloth diapers (I am obsessed)
-Clean eating/cooking
-Becoming a healthier person all around, which includes getting back to my pre Addalyn weight
-Marriage and my hott husband
-A love that captured my heart and made me whole
-Attachment parenting (something I am exploring)
-Parenting in general
-My kids because I am obsessed with them
-Sewing/my etsy store
-Music
-Local restaurants/places
-Shopping/money/coupons/saving money (Dave Ramsey style)
Well at this point I am pretty sure you are drowning in boredom. Let's hope I'll improve in time.
Don't forget to wear your heels,
Bethany
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