Sunday, September 26, 2010

To Cloth or Not?

I think this is more for me than for all y'alls. I just need to type out my thoughts and come back to it in a day or two and see if I feel the same.

I went to Jillian's Drawers where they have a $10/3 week trial of a bundle of different types of cloth diapers for you to try and see what you like best.  A little back story- back when I was 4-5 months pregnant, I got a layoff notice. We didn't know if I was going to have a job come Sept. and we didn't know if Drew was going to have a job at all.  I panicked.  A lady in my ward sold me her used cloth diapers so that I could at least clothe my naked baby come June.  So, I got them, found out I'd have at least a part time job, and once Ellie came, I used them for like 3 hours and she screamed whenever she was minutely wet.  I decided to hold off a little longer on them since people had graciously bought me lots of diapers.  About a week after having Elisabeth, I was offered full time back, and we still didn't know if Drew would have a job, so I took it- we needed it.  About a month later, we found out Drew WAS going to have a job, so the cloth diapering just went on hold.  I had a friend who has now disowned me- totally lame- who I felt was in a bit of a pinch. I sold my stash of diapers to her.  Afterward, I felt a bit remorseful about it.  I felt like I had made a mistake, that I should have kept them.

So the last year or so, I've been toying with the idea of just buying 1-2 diapers a month in preparation for a new baby.  I hadn't done a whole lot of research, just going off what people had told me.  I have one friend who has explained diapers I've never even heard of, which has been fabulous.  I've made an effort to educate myself on these diapers.

So here's the bottom line
Why I want to cloth diaper:
  • I hate paying ~$45/month for diapers. 
  • I hate having the boxes (although they do make great old clothes storage boxes)
  • I hate paying for my specialty pooh holding bags
  • I hate the smell of said pooh holders (although I can't imagine this necessarily being any better with cloth- it's inevitable, unless you're washing every day)
  • I hate the thought that I'm "one of them" filling up the landfills with my nasty diapers
  • I like the idea of having different colored diapers
  • I love the idea of not having to constantly make trips to costco for diapers
  • bottom line, really, it's the money.
So now that I've had these diapers in my home for a week, I think I know my answer to the diapering, but I'm kind of sad with it.  I want to love cloth.  I want it to work for me.  I like being good at things.  I don't mind stuffing little sheets of cotton into holes, it can be done while watching tv.  Tedious month after month? Sure, but if I knew I was doing something marvelously earth saving, while my baby was being taken good care of, it'd be worth it.

I have a couple of bummers that have happened this week, and if it were to be an ongoing thing, I know myself well enough to know I would stop soon after and revert back to the disposables.
So here's what I've noticed:
  • With cloth, if I don't change E within 2.5 hours they leak. Doesn't matter what kind it is, it leaks. It did it on 2 different diapers this week (and keep in mind, she's at a babysitter from 730-330 every day, so really, I only get to try these out from 330pm-700am m-f, and all day sat and sun). - W/cloth, I could usually just feel how wet she was and change her depending on the sag factor. I know some hate this, but I think it's easier than watching the clock to make sure I get her change fast enough.
  • They can't stand up to Ellie's nighttime wetting. She is a monster. I have double layered, triple layered, and anything more, the diaper just won't fit. The double layer she slept through and got everything soaked, but triple was so wet and uncomfortable, she was up by 3am. So we're back to her normal disposable nighttime diapers, it just isn't worth it.  If a new kid wets as much as she does, we won't have a choice but to keep them in disposable nighttime diapers as well.
  • Diaper rash.  I know "NORMAL" kids don't get diaper rash nearly as often with cloth as disposables.  But be honest you guys, I'm the first to admit I have a mutant.  Look at me! She can't help it! She's prone to diaper rash no matter what I do, but tonight when Drew got her out of the tub, it's probably the worst I've seen it since she had diarrhea (sorry) a while back.  It's bad.  So bad that I'm thinking of just stopping right now.  It isn't worth hurting my baby's skin to continue to use them.  Maybe it was the specific diaper, but I honestly think it's the wadded up cloth in-between her legs that's actually agitating more than anything else.
  • Bulkiness.  Holy crap these things have a mind of their own.  I don't have a "trim", "slim" baby. She hasn't been since the second she was conceived.  She already wears 2T-3T clothing depending on the brand, so when you get one of these diapers on her, the pants just don't fit.  I can't get them past her knees.  I'm not sure what I'd do after babylegs don't fit anymore during that chunky stage. The past couple of days, she's just waddled around in a diaper, but come winter, that'll be a problem.
So I'm at a crossroad.  It's like when I finally realized I couldn't do the triathlon this past weekend.  My leg just can't take the strain and continue to work for me.  It's not worth the damage it'll create.  So this cloth diapering dilemma boils down to- I want to do it, I would love to do it, but I just don't think it's the right choice for me and my babies.  I'm going to have big kids with naturally big butts, they can't handle mammoth cotton butts on top of it.  I have a sensitive skinned baby, and chances are, the next one will be as well. And cloth isn't working for them for some reason.

I also haven't figured out how you cleanly get the poopy diaper from their changing table in their room, to the toilet in the bathroom without some kind of flub-up.

My only consolation from feeling like a failure with trying cloth, is at least I tried, and tried several different types.  There's some that I really do like, but I just honestly don't seem them working for me in the long run.

I hate giving up on things. :(

Now for the good part if you made it this far----or if you're like me, if there's more than 2 sentences, I just skip to the pictures.  IF there aren't any pictures, I won't read your blog.  ...sorry... it's how I roll. teeheehee :)



I found a sucker in our pantry.  I let her have a lick :)


Chillin with her lambykins - my kid watches tv. I'm OK with it.  She watches good quality tunes like Toy Story...and...well, that's about it. :)  And since we don't have a remote to the dvd player that I can find, she watches the same 10 minutes over and over again. I should probably buy a new player....

bustin a grooove
I don't know if I should be excited or embarrassed that Elisabeth can now say Cookie- it sounds more like coo-ka, but it's cookie alright.  I made cookies today and they were divine.  She thought so too. :)  She's also gotten down "Thank you" and "mom" in sign language, so I can get her to sign thank you mom when I give her something.  Did I mention she can say thanks?  And she folds her arms to pray?  We also gave her a napkin to wipe her mouth the last couple of days which is pretty fun to see her mimic.  What a good little clone!

Friday, September 24, 2010

MunckinJuice

My little munchkin went to the doctor and was a trooper getting all her shots. She hates that place.  We hadn't been there in 3 months and she still crawls all over me to try to to be let down.  She's doing great though- 97th% in height and weight, and 80% on her little noggin.  She's just my tall bag of potatoes!

 Our babysitter shared some of her Marionberry jam with us.  Holy moly! That stuff is G.O.O.D!!!!

Fun Ellie Facts:
She can say, mama in several forms, daddy in several forms, yes,  no, this, whoa, uhoh, uhm, hi, buh-bye, and the best garbly gook I've ever heard!

She can sign: more, please, no, food, milk, cereal, banana, ouch, binky, blanket (she actually made up her own sign for this, it's darling), all done

She can: put her toys away (with direction :) ), climb up stairs, play legos- bigger ones, brush her teeth, give wonderful kisses, hugs, and best of all, I get squeals of delight when I go pick her up every day.  Nothing could make me happier.

Love this girl!

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

15 months!

I realized tonight that my wee little one is 15 months! I know where the time has gone! hahaha!  Sometimes it goes slowly, and sometimes too quickly. I keep thinking I am just loving whatever stage she's in, but I'm especially loving watching her try to run. She gets a little hop down and starts to laugh. I think she's a little scared to run, but she's working on it.  It's pretty cute.  We head to the doctor's tomorrow for his wellness check-up, so I'm sure I'll have more information to share tomorrow.

So as for today, with it being Tuesday and all, I have to post our CSA box picture!

Toooday, we got 3# of sweet girl tomatoes, strawberries, radishes, spinach, lettuce, lots of potatoes, lots of apples, 2 red pappers, and a pummykin! - it has a real name, but I don't feel like going up and finding the paper that tells us.  It's just a small variety of the ones they make pumpkin pie out of. FUN!

I went and took a picture of Elisabeth when I realized it was her 15 month-iversary. I feel so bad that I don't take daily pictures anymore. I mean, I take them *almost* every day, but it isn't the same priority as it was that first year, and truth is, I kind of miss it.  ahh well.  Anyway, this seems to be a typical sleeping position. :)

K, ignore that this is out of focus cause it made me laugh. They look like twins! (Drew told me to stop taking pictures of him in his pjs...sorry hunny! :) )

This was a fight. :) That headband came off as soon as I let go. Maybe someday I can put pretties in her hair again.... sigh....

what is she eating? Why it's beef jerky! that kid eats a ridiculous amount of those. Gross, just gross.

Open mouth kisses- the best! hahahaha I love her :)

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

It's Tuesday- CSA Day :)

We got our produce box today. We got some gala apples, an eggplant, lettuce, spinach, basil, garlic, a cooking onion - I read that the only difference between a sweet onion and a cooking onion is the sulfur content, the sulfur content makes the onion "hotter" and more of the properties that make your eyes sting. Interesting! Anyway, we also got raspberries and some heirloom tomatoes.  Yum, yum! (anyone have any great eggplant recipes?!)
We apparently had a theme this past week.  We tried out lots of ride em toys, but we didn't let on that they actually move. hahaha
(Mom, I'm fixing it, so it works!)
She really liked the dog- she kept patting its head.

We have a problem with walking on the countertops. :)

This has a fun story- There's a bag of sand that's just been sitting by our deck all spring/summer along with that shovel.  I've just been too lazy to move it, and I don't know where to put them.  Anyway, I hadn't been doing a great job of weeding around outside expect in my pitiful little garden.  So one day about 2 months ago, this little flower shoes up out of nowhere- I had originally thought it to be a weed, but did nothing about it.  There aren't ANY other pansies ANYWHERE near our house.  So I've just watched it all summer.  Sometimes I water it, sometimes I don't.  I've come to love looking at it and thinking it has survived against all odds.  Who knows where it came from, but it sure brings a smile to my face every time I go out to water my tomatoes.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Slacker in the making

I have to remind myself that the first couple of weeks of school are like death. They're awful, dreadful, and I wouldn't want anyone to have to live through it.  But why oh why do I keep doing it?!  The only thing I can think of is the love I feel for most of those kids that have moved on.  They have all touched my heart in some way or another and I want them to succeed.  It's so hard to start with a new set of children every year, but I knew if I had the same kids for years, those feelings would fade, I'd have a hard time remembering, and I'd lose my ability to learn and teach.  It's a good thing, really.  It's just *so* flipping hard to remember these kids have no idea what I want from them.  We must persevere!

Anyway, with a demanding work schedule, I don't have near the amount of time to play on the computer as I did over the summer.  I go through withdrawals!! I miss my games. I miss blogging.  Ah well, it'll come back, right?

Also? I have *NO* idea how I did this last year with a newborn...I must been in a shock of denial. oh. my. gosh.


Produce this week! (The butterball - yellow potatoes are from last week- it was left out last week accidentally, so those were extra) - spinach, celery, carrots, 2 peppers, strawberries, cherry tomatoes (which we ate most of on the way home), more potatoes (by the way, pesto WITH mashed potatoes is like heaven), squash, and some heirloom tomatoes YUM, YUM, YUM!!



She got super messy eating a banana so this was her interim outfit before bathtime. I love those legs!


NOM NOM NOM!!!! She loves petso pasta with tomatoes SO MUCH!


So high up!!!


Hi Guys!!


They played on the playground while I did some work today, this was my little break :)

Monday, September 6, 2010

Pitter Patter

You know what makes my heart go pitter patter?  New cameras.  That's what.  I am so in love with this little baby.

I've been saving up for a few months for a new camera.  I didn't quite have enough, but it was on sale, and we had some money in savings I could "borrow" and pay back over the next couple of months, so I caved and got it.  You guys, I couldn't have asked for anything more!! It's P.E.R.F.E.C.T! (I know this is a stock photo, but I just don't feel like getting out the other camera to take a picture of it right now.  I will eventually though)

So let's see....since I got it, we had to go out to the coast and take some pretty pictures :)

E's thoughtful spot

I can't remember the exact name of this spot, but it's between Depot Bay and Neskowin
Seal Rock?
I'm a little sad about this one- there was a gray whale out hanging out, saw it spouting, it's back, and more spouting, but I just didn't get it on film.
I cut my hair!
Giggles!
This is one of my favorite things = closeups without fuzz
mmmm, corn!
Mama, there's bunny!
I was asking her where her belly button was! hehee too cute!


(Mom, I have more pictures on Facebook ;) )

So, other than all that, school starts tomorrow- wish me luck!

Friday, September 3, 2010

Lots of stuff

Wow, lots of stuff this past week!
We went to the fair this past weekend (2nd one in my entire life).  Ellie loved the animals and even got a nap in while we were there.  We tried deep fried twinkies and snickers.  They were so disgusting I honestly considered going in the bathroom and vomiting.  I don't suggest them.  Apparently it's the deep fried oreos that are good?  hmmm..Don't think I'll be paying $5 for that crap again.  But at least we got the experience, right?  ....gross...


Both of my honey's not looking at the camera.  And of course, I forgot my camera, so they're all iphone shots...sorry...

The turtles were pretty cool, but that area stunk pretty bad.

My favorite bunnies
I had no idea there was such a thing as a fluffy hen, these were fun and reminded me of tribbles
mmmmmm cotton candy!!
I love this picture- she was gobbling up her food so well.  Most of our food times involve naked babies lately :)
First day of school!! (well, really, new babysitter, but who's counting?)- and yes, I fixed her pants, they were just hiking up cause I had been carrying her around. ;)
If you look very closely, on the left, you'll see a little curl :) :) :) :)
Daddy taking E for a pony ride to the bathroom- she had been on him like a monkey, but decided side saddle might be better. hahaha
Loving Blaire while she does a puzzles in between turning the tv and dvd player on and off.
Produce box for the week:
Lettuce, sweet girl tomatoes, cantaloupe, 2 peppers, lots of onions, romano beans, cherry tomatoes, blackberries(not shown cause they were being devoured at the time), and we were supposed to get 2# of potatoes but they forgot to get put in, so we'll just grab something extra out of the extra box next week.

and last, but not least, my current pride and joy of being so clean and tidy...it won't last more than 30 minutes on Tuesday, but that's ok :)  I love my boards so much!