Small successes X

1. Gave the blog a much-needed makeover! I had been slow to jump on-board with the new blogger templates (as I always am with new things), but am glad I finally did! There was way more variety than I originally thought, and I was happy to find a new, original look.

2. Have been including my two-and-a-half year old daughter more and more in cooking/baking projects and such in the kitchen, and even staying relatively patient with the inevitable messes which ensue (this is very tough for me). I know this time spent together is very important for her, and good for me as well. And I've been enjoying it. (And so has she!)

3. Finished five more (size large) cloth-diapers for my sweet growing baby son.
Gee, thanks mom! They are so soft and fluffy, I think I will use them for a pillow! (He did this completely on his own!) This one is fleece-lined!
Rock on with your "mom" successes over at Faith and Family Live!

Whiney Wednesday II

In an effort to continue keepin' it real here on the blog, here are my whines for the week.

1. Kolbe has been very needy at bedtime lately. I have really made peace with the fact that he doesn't sleep through the night, and likely won't for another six months to a year. That was very, very tough for me with Gemma, but I'm so over it now. I don't mind (and honestly, I rather enjoy) pulling him in bed with me at night to snuggle and nurse, or taking him out to the couch if he's restless. Nighttime parenting is part of the package, and I'm cool with that. It's a 24/7 gig. Part of that whole self-donation thing. And those baby days are so fleeting... But I digress (as I often do). Lately at bedtime I will wear him to sleep, put him down, and he will wake up, so I'll wear him to sleep again, put him down, and he wakes up. Very restless. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. I really covet that time from 8-11pm or so when both children are (ideally) in their own beds sleeping and I can spend some time winding down and chatting with my hubby or watching TV together or whatever. It makes me all frustrated when it gets intruded upon, even if it is by my beloved children.

2. I feel like I am good at multi-tasking but I am plain tired of it. Can I just do one thing at a time please? Even for just a day? Please?!!

3. FLIES!! Blah, you are icky yucky and I do not want you in my house. While I would never say anything disparaging about my dear hubby on my blog, I have an inkling these flies have something to do with the dove entrails he threw in our dumpster after hunting a few weeks ago. Ugh. Go away you blasted insects.

To participate in Whiney Wednesday, click here for more info.

TEETH

You can see all four of Kolbe's teeth in this picture. I think they're pretty cute (unless they happen to be chomping into my arm)!

Cloth diapering 101

Funny as it sounds, I really do love cloth-diapering (in a nerdy sort of way I suppose). I get lots of questions about it and I'm always happy to help out, (that's how I learned the ropes in the first place! Thanks especially to Erika Marie and Erin.) so I thought I would just do a blog-post on the system that works for me.

First off, why do I cloth diaper? It's three-fold:
1. earth-friendly
2. budget-friendly
3. baby-friendly

I really couldn't say about which of these reasons I feel more strongly, I'm equally passionate about each I suppose. I really do like the idea of soft fluffy cotton up against my babe's bum though. But anyways... Here are my favorite products:

Hands-down these Green Mountain prefolds are the best prefold out there. I have about two-dozen of the newborn (orange-edge) and small (yellow), and a dozen-and-a-half of the red, brown and green-edge each (Kolbe is currently in the brown-edge at almost 9 months with plenty of room to spare). I also have a handful of their premie-size prefolds, which work great for doublers, especially when they are teeny-tiny. I fasten the prefolds with a snappi, which is super cool and way easier than pins.
The red-edge medium size prefolds also work great to embellish/use as burp-cloths.
I also have a handful of homemade fitteds that are nice, especially for on the go. Read more about how I made them here (or click on the "cloth diapers" label to see more posts about these).
I made this one (a large, which Kolbe is just now starting to fit) fleece-lined for a softer, drier feel.
I have tried several covers including Bummis Super-Whisper (not a huge fan) Bummis Super-Brite, which I like okay, they work best for a slender baby/toddler (in my opinion), but my favorite is definitely Thirsties or Thirsties Duo. Kolbe is currently in the Duo size 2 with all the snaps undone. The size large in the regular Thirsties is just a bit bigger than the size 2 duo (and still too big for Kolbe by quite a bit), and the mediums in the regular Thirsties are a bit snug on him now but work in a pinch. I like to have 4 or so covers on-hand in any given size, and they wear well. I typically use the same cover all day. Or you can rotate covers between diaper changes. Here are some pics of the children in various covers.

Gemma and Kolbe in large and small Bummis Super Brites. Gemma at 8 months in Thirsties medium. Kolbe at four months (stripes) and eight-and-a-half months (orange) in Thirsties Duo size 2. I also have a handful of smaller, homemade (by some friends) wool shorties and longies which I used on occasion with Kolbe. Wool is very absorbent/waterproof, it just takes a little more care. But it is oh-so sweet looking.
Now on to nighttime diapering! I used disposables at night for Gemma (who switched to cloth around 7 months), but really wanted to figure out a nighttime cloth solution for Kolbe. And after trying a handful of things, I have found something that works (at least for now). I have about a half-dozen bumGenius 3.0 size larges (which have fit him since he was 4 or so months). These already have a bit of built-in absorbency. I stuff them with a BG stay-dry doubler and then use one of these inserts from Green Mountain. Scroll down towards the bottom and find the one that is an hourglass shape (night stay-dry doubler). These are amazing. This diaper is usually on him for around 12 hours (no, he doesn't sleep that long, but I like to avoid middle-of-the-night diaper changes if I can), and the polar fleece on the doubler keeps his little bum nice and dry. It is honestly not even red in the mornings. And no leaks!! Seriously. I switched Gemma to the bumGenius towards the end of her night-diapering career (she's in underpants now) and that seemed to work well. I like these diapers a lot. I think the aplix (velcro) is going to need some attention after the fairly heavy use they get, but I'm sure I'll figure something out (they make repair kits you can purchase for around $1).

EDIT: I switched Kolbe to disposables at night when he was around nine months. I use Earth's Best and they seem to do a very good job overnight.

Gemma (2.5 yrs) and Kolbe (7 months) in their bumGenius night dipes. They are both size large (Gemma's is actually a one-size, but it is the same size as the large at its biggest).
Some great (but not absolutely necessary) accessories to have on-hand for cloth diapering are wet-bags, a diaper sprayer, a diaper pail (okay, this one is necessary) and some wash-cloths to use as wipes. I have a handful of these cheap ones from Target, and also some of these homemade flannel wipes. I just get the wipes wet at the sink before a diaper change and then toss them in the pail along with the diaper. They seem to work great.
It is also nice to have some sort of non-chemical spray with which to spray your diaper pail between launderings. I like this product from BioKleen, and get it in the natural section at the grocery store. I use this for other various uses around the house as well, and even add a bit to my diaper laundering on occasion.

There are so many different approaches to laundering (just like there are multiple approaches to cloth diapering in general) so again, here's what works for me. I launder every 2-3 days, and just keep the wet/dirty diapers in the dry pail in Kolbe's closet in the meantime. See below for directions on rinsing the poopy ones, I don't rinse the potty ones. They do fine and the smell really isn't bad. My laundry routine goes like this:

1. Dump diapers in washer and run one short wash/rinse on cold/cold (this rinses away most of the gunk and funk).

2. Do a long wash/rinse on hot/cold using a small amount of detergent. (I use Arm and Hammer Free and Clear powder and only use about half-way up to the "1" line on the scoop. You don't need much. Detergent residue contributes greatly to stink, especially from potty. Anyways, the big deal with detergents is to chose one that is natural/free of dyes, perfumes, whiteners, brighteners, etc. There are tons out there from which to choose, you just have to find what works for you and your babe.) I digress.

EDIT, I have switched to Rockin' Green Detergent (as of Nov. 2011) and LOVE it! You can order it directly from them or from various cloth diapering websites. I have started using it for most all of my laundry and been very happy with it. They make versions for soft and hard water as well.

3. Do a short wash/rinse on warm/cold to rinse away the rest of the detergent and that should be good. I always double check that the suds are essentially gone on the last rinse. If not just do another rinse.

4. I go back and forth between using the dryer and drying on my collapsible drying rack. If it's sunny and warm and not terribly windy, I love drying outdoors. The sun does wonders for stains and smells! If I dry in the dryer, I NEVER put my covers or bumGenius in. The covers air-dry very quickly, and the dryer is hard on them and will shorten their life considerably (learned this one from experience). I store my diapers in a laundry basket under the changing table, so they are contained and just an arm's reach away, plus I have several other baskets on the shelf of the changing table where I keep covers, doublers, etc. It's handy.

If you breastfeed exclusively, poopy diapers can be thrown directly into the diaper pail and into the wash from there with no additional rinsing. Formula-fed poopy-diapers and ones after your baby starts solids need to be rinsed (the diaper sprayer comes in handy for this) before washing.

My favorite cloth diapering website is Cotton Babies (great selection and free FAST shipping no matter how big or small your order, plus they are really nice and their customer service is fabulous), but I really like Green Mountain as well (and that's the only place you can get the Green Mountain prefolds), you just pay a little more for shipping (around $7/order I believe).

So there you have it! As I said, this is what works for me. Everyone has different preferences and ways of doing things, but I know I learned a lot (and still do) just talking to others and seeing how they did things, what they use, etc. I hope this can help you out! Cloth-diapering is wonderful. It's good for your baby, your pocket-book and the environment; and quite honestly it is just fun. If you have any inkling at all to give it a try I would highly recommend it, I promise you won't regret it!

And if you already cloth-diaper, please share some of your tips and tricks in the comments. I always enjoy reading about others' methods as well!!

Sweet siblings IV

Gemma was making some music in the kitchen while I was cooking the other day, and Kolbe wanted to join in too. It was so cute to see him trying to imitate her.

Happy birthday

My sister-in-law had a birthday last week, and I just had to snap some pictures of the children (with cousin Cooper) wearing the goofy Happy Birthday headband that my inlaws have. Hope these bring a smile to your face!

Gone fishing

My hubby has loved fishing since he was a small boy. It was something I did not grow up doing, but have learned to enjoy. Gemma recently got her very own (pink) fishing rod and reel, and daddy has been showing her the ropes (lines?). She even caught a blue gill ('blue fish' as she calls it) all by herself (essentially), but that picture is stuck in the digital warp known as my husband's phone. So here are some others. The fish weren't biting this day, but they had some fun none-the-less.

Small successes IX

1. Made some bean-bags for my two-and-a-half year old daughter. I think we will be able to find lots of fun activities around the house for which to use these! Recognize the fabric? I love it when I can do a project and already have the items on hand. I used lentils per my sister's recommendation, and they worked great! The finished product is about 5x5 inches.
2. Got the storage room organized a bit more. It is a process for sure. Looking forward to getting some rubbermaid tubs to store the Christmas decos in this year and doing away with the boxes!!

3. Made a bunch of pancakes for the freezer. They have been making some awesome breakfasts this week!!

Now count your successes (and others') over at Faith and Family Live!

Whiney Wednesday I

I decided to join my friend Erika Marie over at Simplemama in Whiney Wednesday. I'm typically not one to complain (in public or on my blog anyways...ask my hubby and you may get another story ;-D) Point is, even though I try to take a positive approach with my blogging I still deal with all kinds of frustrations whether it's the children, relationships or a broken wash machine. So Wednesday will be my day to vent if I feel the need. We're all human, and sometimes it's just nice to be able to identify with another, and know that they too have "been there". If you'd like to participate, click here for the rules and more info. So here you go...

1. I am tired of the way my sweet two-year-old thinks it's funny to let out a shrill, chirping scream as soon as her baby brother falls asleep when I'm wearing him, eliciting a jump or sometimes even a wake-up from him. It's not funny. It drives me crazy.

2. I now have the distinct pleasure of driving around a hailed-out car for the next year or so. We'll see how much attention the roof needs. Bleh.

3. It is hot hot hot outside and I am stinking tired of it. I am ready for Autumn. I am ready for hoodies and jeans. I am ready to quit feeling hot and sweaty and dusty every time I step outside. And in about a month-and-a-half I am going to be griping about the cold. Grrr...

All right. There are my three. And now I shall offer these pebbles up for those who yearn for children (screaming and all) in their lives, for those who don't even have a car, for those exposed to the elements on a 24/7 basis. My life really isn't so bad, and I know it, I am truly, truly blessed. But even so, every once-in-awhile it just feels good to vent.

God bless!

Learning around the house

I am anxious to do more preschool-type activities with Gemma, but want to wait until she is ready and will really understand and benefit from the things we do. I am hoping to travel the Alphabet Path with her starting next fall...such fun activities, books and resources. We'll see what the coming year brings. I have also begun and intend to continue applying some of the practices and activities discussed in this book on teaching Montessori in the home.

For now, I have all our "learning" toys and books in our side-server cabinet in the living room, and have just been grouping them into categories (shapes, numbers, letters, colors, motor skills, etc.), and rotating a different themed grouping each week. We have an off-set fireplace with a great brick hearth just the perfect height for Gemma, so I set the items for the week there, and she can "visit" them as she wishes throughout the week. I try to take a little bit of time with her each day to talk and play specifically with these items together, but nothing too structured. We have another small basket of toys (plus Kolbe's baby toys) in the living room and I kind of rotate the ones in there up from the basement now and then, and the rest of our toys are in the basement. It works. I like the idea of our home being a fun, learning environment for our children while trying to keep toys to a sensible minimum. Here are some of the things we have so far!

SHAPES ALPHABET MOTOR SKILLS COUNTING and COLORS (the bears work great for both activities) Kolbe's toys - lately he really likes having the whole basket in front of him, and then emptying it as he goes! Gemma's toys - LOVES the magna-doodle, and dear puppy has been a favorite since she got him for her first birthday. Basket for library books Toy area in the basement
As an aside (as you may have noticed in a few of the pictures), I have saved all the zipper packages we get from things like bedsheets and window valances, and they work GREAT for storing toys that have multiple pieces (Fisher Price Little People, beads, links, etc.).

I am debating about eventually turning my sewing room into a learning room. For now, the upstairs living room (where we are for most of the day) works really well. We'll see what best fits our needs as the children get older. Some of the things on our wish-list are these Montessori upper-case and lower-case sandpaper letters, a number puzzle, this geometric stacker and the shape-sorting clock, plus a whole assortment of books. I don't think you can ever have too many books!

We likely intend to send our children to Catholic schools, but I always want our home to be a place where we can learn together, no matter the age of our children. It has already been fun learning and discovering with Gemma and I can't wait to see what is in store for all of us in the coming years.

Smiley bubby

Sweet little boy, you have stolen my heart. How I love you.