Children of the Cloth..................

It is hard to believe I have been cloth diapering now for over a year! I have learned a lot in that year! I get a lot of questions about it, so here is my general synopsis of what has worked for us.

Andrew first asked me to consider CD's right after Graham was born. At the time, I think my reaction was something like, "are we going to stop using electricity too?"!! I had no idea that this was a huge movement and that there are tons of amazing, easy options available and that lots of moms are going this route! Of course, with a newborn, I didn't have too much spare time to research, so I basically went with the simplest, cheapest method I could find. I started out with 24 prefolds & 3 Thirsties covers. For inserts, I used strips of cloth (from old t-shirts and such).

(Bummis cover)

Thirsties covers are great. They have a great fit around the legs that really keep leaks from happening. One thing I don't love about them is that the front tab is not very high, so when they're not wearing a onesie, they tend to leak out the top. About 5 months in, my Thirsties covers started soaking right through the cover. I thought I was going to have to buy all new covers, but at the time, I instead purchased 3 all-in-ones of Bumgenius 3.0. [cue*choir singing!!!!!!!!!! ] If I would have known these existed..............! These are a diaper/cover/insert all in one piece (though you do pull out the insert to wash). So, LOVE these and they have worked perfectly for night time! I usually do add an extra insert, but he does not wake up with that sopping, dripping mess of an overnight pre-fold! So, after I started using these at night, the Thirsties covers stopped leaking! Apparently they were just getting too much use! Somewhere along the way, I also added this cute polka-dot Bummis cover. I love the material, it's a lot more water-resistant than the Thirsties. However, the leg openings do not close as well as the Thirsties. I also picked up 2 of these Bummis covers. They are certainly nothing fancy, but at only $5 each, they are a steal and I like to use them for naptimes!

Since discovering all-in-one diapers, I have been keeping my eyes peeled for steals & deals!! I recently was able to score 3 all-in-ones for FREE!! However, because they were a freebie, I am on a waiting list to get them. I can't wait to use them!! One of them is this adorable Happy Heiny's All-in-One in Mocha.

But my new love is most certainly the Gro-Baby line! Of course, even as I tell you this, they recently changed to Gro-Via. But I THINK they are still somewhat the same. I already have one of these, and hopefully will get 2 more (from my freebies). These are awesome and only include a cover & snap-in insert. The top of the cover comes up higher, so no leaks out the top either! You just pull out the insert to change. They also sell a disposable insert for when you are the go. Of course, my thinking is, if I have to use a disposable insert, I might as well use a disposable diaper that I can find for $3-4 a pack. But anyways, I am looking for ways to add to my stash of these for sure!  

When I first started, basically I would throw G in a disposable for something as simple as running to the Post Office. :) Now, I even sometimes change him away from home and have even used them on vacation! I will say, it just gets much easier as you go. For when you are the GO, you carry soiled ones in a special Bag. Probably sounds gross, but it's not that bad.

The most negative view most people have of them is the LAUNDRY. For me, it's one load every 3 days. Has not been a big deal at all! The worst part is dealing with the grossness. Yes, there is some grossness involved. :) I have way more familiarity with my son's you-know-what than I would prefer. I am really thankful I have a basement for sure! I keep all the soiled dipes down there until ready to wash. For those without basements, I am wondering, how do you best contain everything?? (above they air out between uses).

Oh, another great thing about the all-in-ones? They are one size from birth to potty training, so I don't have to buy more as he grows! (Hence, the rows of snaps on some of them).

So, bottom line, I am really glad I made the switch. I have spent less than $175, which is about 4 months of disposables! If you are thinking about making the switch, definitely consider it! I am sure you will do your research better than me and find out it might not be as bad as you think. :) 

Some great sites to check are Diaper Junction & The Natural Baby Co. & Kelly's Closet & Franklin Goose (they gave me the freebies, so definitely have to pitch them!).

These 2 blogs (CD blog & Diaper Whisperer) host diaper giveaways every week!! I have yet to win, but can always hope. :)

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So, those of you who have gone this route, what have you learned that has been most helpful in making it as convenient as possible and what diapers do you love the most??

Probably the most time-consuming thing in the laundry for me is folding the inserts. So have you found great inserts that work well? I have tried using a pre-fold diaper and they just aren't very absorbant it seems.

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Less diapers in our landfills.

More money in our pockets.

What's not to love?!

Together at last........

We are so thankful to report that over the last few days, all 3 triplets have come home! (Their first picture together since being in the womb!) What a crazy little ride they have had in their first 5+ weeks of life! Their heart rates & breathing will continue to be monitored for the next month or so, but it will be a huge blessing for Joel & Laura not to have to drive somewhere to see their children. (Not that they aren't going to miss the hospital staff!) :) Keep them in your prayers as I am sure most of felt like one baby was plenty of work in the beginning! They have all made it to 5 lbs!

From 4 to 7 in the blink of an eye................

Can't wait to hold you sweet babies in 3 weeks!

mom's day #2

Awaiting me this morning........one of my favorite flowers!

Would you believe me if I told you that Andrew got them for $2????????

Would you believe me even more if I said that (REALLY!!) made my frugal little heart beat that much faster and that I love them that much more?!!

That is why we love our Strip District!

Oh, and it was time for me to get my picnik on....too much fun it is!! So all these photos have been chopped, edited, and colorized to death. :)

My activity choice of the day....

Our local park's carousel was giving free rides for the day.
One thing I love about Pittsburgh is that if you wait for it, almost everything here offers a free day sometime!

 Somebody thought it was a weird choice for mom's day, but I guess, whatever makes my baby happy, makes me happy. :)

WAIT.A.SECOND.......

that's your happy face, right?

So, he may not have been in love with the spinning part. But he DID love all the different animals.

(as did his daddy.)

*melt..............*

capped off by dinner @ The Walnut Grille.

Treasuring these moments. Knowing they are fleeting. Thankful for God's grace in the sweet little boy who calls me mama. (even though it sometimes sounds like akjhdiekjnhdk.)

A Mother's [Daunting] Task

I posted this on our church blog, but thought it was worth sharing. It is both rebuking & encouraging to me!

How can eternity influence a mother’s daily tasks?

[Excerpt from a sermon by John Piper.]

I believe it is a very high calling to be a mom charged with teaching everything she possibly can to one, two, or eight kids.

The women who flourish most and who delight most in that calling—and who are best at it—are not women whose lives are enclosed by their houses. They are women who are aware of the world. They’re aware of God’s global purpose. They’re aware of the ultimate purposes of God in history. They’re aware of things in history and in the far off reaches of the world today that God is doing. And those are part of what they want to build into these children. They want to raise global Christians, world Christians.

A mother will delight most in the little baby in front of her when she has a vision of God and a vision of the world that’s big enough to admit that this little child has a destiny in front of him or her and might become this or that.

If she is totally absorbed in her little home—with no vision for the world—then I think her domestic scene is probably going to shrivel up on her, and she is going to feel that it is small and constraining. But if she sees it in the wider context of what she is a part of in the missionary enterprise, I think every detail of her life can take on a global significance, indeed, an historical significance.

I really believe that. When I used to sit down for devotions with our four boys at home my mind wasn’t simply, “OK I have a duty as a dad: I’m supposed to do devotions at night.” My mind was, “What will they become?”

Ralph Winter used to say that nothing has an impact on kids except what they do daily. So we did prayer & devotions daily.

The goal isn’t just to fulfill some little task that parents are supposed to do. Rather, you’re building men & women who hopefully someday will have absorbed so much of God and so much of the Bible that it’s going to shape their whole world.

Amidst the dishes, the diapers, the laundry, and the carpools, might we never forget that we are shaping the world-view of our children. They need to daily see a big vision of God and a big vision of His global purposes.

I hope you all have a very blessed Mother's day weekend [I know I will because of this sweet little bundle AND a special daddy]!

Fresh Coat

We are excited to have a fresh look in our living room! The funny thing is, it is not even close to our original plan! I am currently in love with the whole yellow/gray combo (hence the blog colors) and so it was our intention to do 3 walls of gray, one of yellow. So we finished the 3 walls - pewter gray - that sounds pretty gray, right? Nope, the final look was definitely blue. Hmmmm....what to do? Well, we weren't going to be super picky, because, well, we probably won't be in this house forever, and it turns out, we really liked the color! The gray/blue ended up being really warm & cozy. But blue & yellow were certainly not the scheme we wanted! So Andrew pushed for a beige color and we decided to go for it. Thankfully, we were able to return the unopened yellow!

So, from this.......................

to this........................

Dilemma #2: We have this space behind the TV that is actually a chimney and so we can't put a picture there or anything. We toyed with the idea of word art or something, but then I had the really brilliant (haha!) idea of doing a paint design of some kind. And the stripes were born.

  

So, then we decided to do the opposite color stripe on the opposing wall to tie them together. And we really love how it turned out! It's give the room a little more interest!

We had planned to put a large picture on this wall, but it seems ok without it, any thoughts?

For Stephanie, :) our storage space for G's toys which doesn't make it feel quite so much like a kid's playroom after he goes to bed!

So, for a mere $16 in paint, we have a space that feels a little more like home. Still have the [lovely] blue carpet, but, we have the worst behind us, so we're very thankful!

1-5......................

Our little man turns 15 months today! I love how independent he is getting. (well, he thinks so anyways.) But he IS much more helpful when he is getting dressed! He wants to communicate so badly, but unfortunately I didn't take [ejhekjhdsfawkjk] language in college. :( His favorite word is beeeeeeee. He basically calls everything that!
Rockin' the plaid shorts!
And getting lots of funny expressions...like this one!

we're getting some curls!

Too Grown Up!!

Fun at the Park

LOVES the slide and playgrounds in general!

Doing this blanket thing has been very interesting. Now when we pull it out, he goes and sits on it!  Lots of times he runs around the house and will play randomly with different toys for just a few minutes at a time usually. But being on the blanket has somehow caused him to become very focused in playing. He will sit & play with just a few toys for 15 or 20 minutes with no problems. So that was unexpected, but we love that!

A little reading (loves his Alpha books!) and legos before bed.

When he eats he will often point to the fridge or something around him and I will shake my head, no, you can't have that. So now, he has started pointing to things and shaking his own head no! It's like he already knows the answer, but he just wants to double check. :)

He loves to stack blocks & legos. And then knock them down. Why do boys just instinctively do that?!!

He loves piggy back rides down the stairs. (which saves on my arms!)

He is clearly learning between obedience & disobedience!

He's making it quite clear when something doesn't go his way. (definitely working on that, as I am sure we will be for a long time!)

I am amazed at how many things he can understand.

He loves following the big kids around at church (and annoying them I am sure!)

He loves giving kisses (my favorite!)

He started doing some whining. boooooooooooo!

We are easing out of a morning nap. and I love that!

Such a fun stage. I AM  looking forward to the days coming when he can communicate exactly what he is trying to say!

Phases Behind Us, Part 1

I mentioned in G's 12month update that we were soon saying bye-bye to the passy. I honestly didn't think it would be that big of a deal, since he only used it in his crib for sleeping and it would usually fall out of his mouth as soon as he fell asleep. I had read that you should try to kick it by 12 months, because after that is when they develop stronger attachments to things. So one night I decided to put him down without it. You would have thought I put him to bed without food. He was so sad! So.........I caved. I couldn't handle how sad it made him. But I definitely should have followed the advice because throughout his 13th month I watched him seemingly grow more attached to it every day. In fact, he started finding it after he woke up and sticking it back in, which he had never done before! I tried cutting the tip off, like some had told me, but he was not going to fall for that trick!
So, at the end of 13 months, I knew it had to be done. Brace for it. Be strong. It's for his good!! [Mental picture - 3 yr.old with pacifier!]
Put him to bed without it, and yes, sad, sad tears for probably 30 minutes. Ugh. But he did go to sleep. The next nap, just a few minutes of fussing, next nap, right to sleep. WHEW. So, one night of 30 minutes of crying (which to a momma feels like f.o.r.e.v.e.r), but then we were done. Oh Happy Day!
I don't love the cry it out method. Thankfully, Graham has only had to do it a couple of times in his life. But I have learned, that when you know you are doing the absolute best for your baby, that is good and right and ok to do. Doesn't God do that with us? Allow us to go through hardships sometimes so we can enjoy the greater pleasures on the other side?

So, Mr Bink, it's been a good run. I couldn't have done it without you. You soothed our fussing baby many times. You kept meltdowns in check. You allowed for several peaceful airplane trips. And road trips. You helped us sleep-train to the 12-hour sleep at 14 weeks. You soothed our buddy right to sleep every time without crying. Thanks for all that. We can only hope that all our of children will love you as much as we do. :)