Diapers

I've been cloth diapering for about a year now, so I thought I might pop in with a little report.

We started cloth diapering pretty soon after M. arrived. We had two types, Kawaii pocket diapers, recommended to me by my cousin (who was also kind enough to send me a few to check out before M. arrived and bought any) and gDiapers, which a friend gave me after she had used them with her little guy. The Kawaii diapers were definitely too large when M. was first born, even thought he tipped the scales at 9 lbs. 3 oz. I don't know what it is about newborns, because even when they're quite chunky, they're just so squooshy that nothing quite fits on them the way they're supposed to, or at least that's been my experience. And even though M. was big, it was mostly in his length, not his width, so all those little diapers, which don't fit quite as tightly as disposables, would fall right off his skinny butt.

But within about a month we were able to start using the gDiapers in conjunction with our very LARGE supply of 7th Generation diapers (my mom went a bit wild in that department, already suspecting that the cloth diapers would be just a bit too big at the start). For the most part, we enjoyed the gDiapers. They did the job pretty handily, were easy to care for, cute, and economical (we never did buy any of the disposable inserts, so these were entirely free to me). I had two complaints, one being I felt they leaked fairly easily. Some people swear by them, which leads me to believe that perhaps there was something wrong with how I was using them or maybe those folks don't mind a leaky diaper or their kids weren't heavy wetters. I also didn't like that they weren't one-size fits all. Had I really, really liked them, I would have had to buy medium and large versions of the diapers as well, and these babies ain't cheap. Most of the other brands of cloth diapers we explored were supposed to be good to go from the newborn stage (or around there, as we already explored) to potty training. I really liked the idea of only buying a batch of diapers once and being all set for a few years.

After a bit (maybe a month and a half), the little man was ready for the Kawaii diapers. I have really enjoyed these. They fit nicely, rarely ever leak, if at all (my older ones that have seen a bit of wear are the ones that leak, the ones I got new do not - I think it's because of the newer, more absorbent inserts). I have a hodge-podge of both snaps and velcro and I like both. I will say, the velcro are the ones that tend to leak a bit, and as I mentioned, that likely has something to do with the fact that the inserts I use with those are older and don't absorb as much as they once had. They're also a bit smaller. BUT, now that we're at the extra wiggly stage of diaper changes, those velcro tabs are a life saver. They make changes very quick and efficient. But I do love my snaps, even if they take a bit more time. They 're big and fluffy and come in lots of nice colors. From a purely asthetic standpoint, I do wish there were more color/print choices offered by Kawaii, but for the price point (a bit more than half compared to a few other, more well known brands that offer the similar designs and quality), I'll take what I can get.

I had really worried when I was pregnant with M. about whether or not cloth diapering would work for us. Every time I looked anything up I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information. Different types of diapers, different kinds of cleaners, different ways to clean them (A special attachment for my toilet? What?!), different types of materials, different combinations of materials... It was all so much and it amazed me that any mother would take on this seemingly impossible endeavor. But I was determined to at least give it a try.

I know a lot of people recommend taking a few kinds of diapers and trying them out and then making a big purchase of the kind that works best for you. I guess I'm not that kind of person. I had one kind recommended to me and I just sort of went with it. Pocket diapers made the most sense to me, both in terms of use and in the amount of money they cost. I figured I would make whatever I had work. If you're the type of person who will power through what you've got, then I honestly make the suggesting of researching as much as you possibly can, talking to other moms, thinking about your lifestyle and laundry habits, and then just go ahead and order the type of diapers you think will work best rather than fussing with all these different types and overwhelming yourself with choices and then having to remember to order more diapers while in the midst of having a newborn.

Another thing about cloth diapering that I found at first overwhelming and now rather interesting is the care of cloth diapers. They seemed like such trouble with everything I've read and now that I've been dealing with them for about a year it seems silly. Yes, you can take great pains to wash and maintain your diapers - special detergents, stripping them on a regular basis, line dry vs. in the dryer, and so on. But I've found that I can wash my diapers, strip them very occasionally, and they're not any worse for wear. I already use natural laundry detergents or make my own, so that wasn't an issue any way, but I don't wash them separately (usually, sometimes I have a pile up and I do just a wash of diapers) or do anything very special to them and both the Kawaii and gDiapers have held up nicely and still do their jobs.

And that's what I've got to say on the diapering front. I am very proud of the fact that we have not bought a single package of diapers and very few wipes (I tend to use cloth wipes as well, but the husband is less keen on that, so sometimes he splurges on disposable wipes if he knows he'll be solo with the baby a lot one week). It feels good to know that we're using diapers that are better for our little guy and much better for the environment. I remember feeling immensely guilty throwing away SO MUCH with E., who was mostly diapered with disposables, but we used really old school cloth for a while, too (pins and everything). If you're reading this and have any questions you think I might be able to answer, leave a comment or give me a shout on Facebook.

In Hot Pursuit

Let the blessed angels sing! The boy is MOBILE!

Over the last few days M. has started seriously developing his crawling skills. For quite some time, he's primarily been an army crawler, which was fine for short distances and if he didn't want to sit up and check out what he had crawled over to (so, actually, it sucked). But recently, he's started to perfect a weird little crawling stance that allows him to be able to stay mostly upright and not fall onto his tummy (it's one of those half sit/half crawl situations where he uses one leg with the foot planted firmly on the ground to push himself along).

I cannot express how much we needed this to happen. I don't think I've met a more frustrated baby. He knew there were so many things he could go see and do in the house, but unless Mama or some other kind soul sucker was good enough to carry him to every little thing he wanted to explore, then he was good and stuck. Which he hated. A lot.

So, today, after thorough practice at the well carpeted and vacuumed library (once again my new favorite place), Michael is now happily crawling at home on our slightly more challenging hardwood floors. He's able to get into all his favorite spots, which include E.'s play kitchen (Did you know opening and closing cupboards is the best ever???), under the living room end table, the dog's food dish, because that kitty will take soooo much abuse.

For now, while he's still slow and maybe a tiny bit cautious, this whole crawling thing is the bomb. However, should you talk to me about it a couple of days from now, when he's faster and getting pretty bored, I'm kinda thinking I'll be ripping the hair out of my head.

Now to find the those plastic outlet plugs...

Poetry Sunday

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:
The Soul that rises with us, our life's Star,
Hath had elsewhere its setting,
And cometh from afar:
Not in entire forgetfulness
And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing clouds of glory do we come
From God, who is our home:
Heaven lies about us in our infancy
Shades of the prison-house begin to close
Upon the growing Boy,
But he beholds the light, and whence it flows,
He sees it in his joy;
The Youth, who daily farther from the east
Must travel, still is Nature's priest,
And by the vision splendid
Is on his way attended;
At length the Man perceives it die away,
And fade into the light of common day.

- William Wordsworth

I recently saw this segment of the ode Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood in the book You Are Your Child's First Teacher. With a child still so new in our home, this touched my heart in a special way. There is something about an infant that seems ethereal. He's not quite entirely there with us, sometimes, as though a part of his being is still mingling with God or some timeless force from where he came.

This is a seriously beautiful poem, and is quite a bit longer (this is only one small section). I would recommend reading the rest if you find your heart hungering for some meditation on the beauty of childhood. The rest of the poem can be found here.

Poetry Sunday is a day to find a piece of poetry that stirs your soul and makes your heart race in that oh-so pleasant way and share it with the rest of the world.

Back with a Baby

While two blog posts hardly legitimizes a hiatus, I have in fact taken one, if only because I had a few other, slightly more important things to do...Like make this:

My lovely little boy has arrived to join the rest of our family, making everything pretty much perfect (although, this being the second "good" baby in a row, I wouldn't mind going for a third). Now that he's been home for a bit, I'm ready to hit the blogging scene once again, which makes this blog a new priority, though, admittedly, it's pretty low on the totem pole at the moment (i.e. don't expect too much from me for a while). 

Since my boy's arrival, I've been striving to figure how this whole two-kid parenting gig works. They aren't lying when they (whoever that is - possibly my mum) it isn't easy. We're very blessed in that our daughter is a bright, sweet kid, but even the brightest and sweetest have a limit when it comes to a new baby brother. At times, she's gotten pretty sick of him and the amount of time and attention he takes up. And, admittedly, I've gotten pretty sick of being in constant demand, either from the baby or the girl. It can make for a pretty grumpy household! 

But now, a little over five weeks in (and naturally with only three weeks left of my maternity leave, of course), I'm starting to figure out a system. It will change, as things with a young infant and four-almost-five-year-old are pretty fluid, but to have something in place helps a lot, especially in terms of attitude, mine, the kids, and even my husband's. 

Here are some things that have helped us adjust to this new season of life: 

• Having a routine, or at least specific things that are guaranteed to happen, like school or other activities (visiting the library, a play group, spending scheduled time with friends or family). It's helpful to have something in place to structure the rest of your day around, if not for you, for the big kid. 
• Setting aside quiet time. We have "quiet time" (a.k.a. nap time) in the afternoon, after school and before supper. My daughter sits in her room and can play quietly, listen to music, or look at books. The babe and I go in my room, nurse, and he takes a nap, I may join him, or I read or get some quiet chore done, like fold laundry (or write a blog post!). 
• Get out! The biggest thing I realized that will help improve my mood and the kids', especially in the stretches of time during the week when my husband is gone at work, is getting out of the house. Even if it's just to the grocery store, I know that leaving and being with other people helps immensely. 
• Baby wearing. When trying to get anything done, but particularly when doing something with my daughter and the baby just won't sit in his swing or bouncy seat, a sling, wrap, or carrier is a life saver (I use a Moby wrap and love it). 
• Taking one day at a time and trying my hardest to enjoy each one. My maternity leave is going to be over all too soon, and the last thing I want is to feel like I spend the whole leave feeling rattled and unhappy. But if one day doesn't go well, you can't let it keep you down. 

I'm sure as time goes on I'll be able to add to this list and it will change, too, as I go back to work, and then change again over the summer. In this constant adventure I'm sure I'll pick up lots of other little tips and tricks.