Adventures in Cloth Diapering: The Beginning

FLASH BACK:

For a long time i hadn't even thought about whether or not to cloth diaper future children.  No strong opinions, no manifesto on pros of one way or the other.  Believe it or not, I didn't spend my time pre-pregnancy scouring google for comparisons.   One day Tad turns to me and declares, that yes, he'd LOVE to cloth diaper our baby.  (this is early in our pregnancy, like month 1 or 2.)

I had nothing against it, I mean, it's inexpensive (which appealed to my cheapskate side), its environmentally conscious (which appeals to my norcal roots).  I figured, I Tad feels so strongly about it, I should give this a try.  

But I knew NOTHING about what that means.  Do I just throw a sheet around him and pin it in the front?  who knows...  

Come to find out both our parents clothed us as babes. Tad for the whole time, the main appeal being how cheap it was. Me; only for a few months until I got too many rashes.

FAST FORWARD TO 3 MONTHS AGO:

A friend introduced me to a facebook circle of local cloth diaper-ers (surprise: One of my co-worker's girlfriend is a part of this circle and clothes!)

I lurked around up until a few days ago.   When i got there, I was overwhelmed.  Some of these ladies are superwomen!  And they were using language i didn't understand!!!!   Pockets, AIO AI2, Stripping, complicated laundry procedures, prefolds, hybrids, snappies, thirsties, and on and on and on.  DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED on acronyms! 

I gave up even thinking about it.  I mean, it was overwhelming. I think I said that already. I left it alone. I had enough to worry about, I wasn't going to let this consume me.

FAST FORWARD to A FEW WEEKS AGO:

I think something just hit.  The close arrival of my LO.  The fact that i was on summer vacation. something.  I started researching.  Now, I KNOW if i would have asked, the ladies in the group would have helped. But I needed to feel confident in the basics, with procedure, and with a direction of what I wanted to do.  I found the resource page on Diaper Jungle to be particularly helpful. 

  NOT that there aren't other sites out there, I just found it easy to navigate and clear and to the point without searching through tons of blogs and review etc. 

THE CURRENT RESULT:

From the research I have done, I find that method I am most comfortable with and will fit our lifestyle are hybrids or AI2 (All-in-2).  These are shells that have a place to put a cloth insert that is removable and washable.  The shell can be quickly wiped off (if needed) and used several times before washing.  Like a pair of jeans.  Most of these covers can be washed normally in your own laundry once a week or so.  The inserts are washed when you get enough of them (every 2-3 days).  Beyond that, I can use certain disposable inserts in case of travel/long days/babysitting.

Source: gro-via.com via Alisa on Pinterest

You might recognize gdiapers as one type of hybrid diapers.  I am also looking into grovia AI2 hybrids.   (If you are interested the gro-via site has a great explanation on hybrids and the best cost comparison I've seen yet)
Plus Look how adorable these are!

Source: gro-via.com via Alisa on Pinterest

Now, Only time will tell.  But Now I am feeling more confident about what to expect, how to launder, and I'm even getting ready sew up some cloth wipes!   

SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT ONE BABY BUTT AT A TIME!!!

Conversations with Tad.

Tad: You should go see who Brian Wilson took with him to the espy's.
Me:  ha!  That's pretty good.  Who'd a thought that.   Well, you know.  he's gotta stay relevant.

Tad: Relevant or annoying?

Sunday Night

I realize how long its been.  But I made a pact with myself that I would never apologize, or grovel over the guilt i felt for leaving this blog un-attended. But it's sunday night and I am putting off grading papers for something more important... updating my blog!

Life's been crazy!  IF you follow me on twitter, are my friend on fb, instagram or in person, then you probably realize that Taddy and I are 5 months pregnant and get to meet our little man mid-august!

I also realize that I am missing a great opportunity to document the growth of this little man, my emotions, fears, and opinions.



Over the next few weeks I"ll list out some memories from the last 5 months so i can remember this very precious time.


Plus, who reads this? My mom, and like 5 of you.

Raptor Jewelry

I love creating and I love to support people who are creating!

A friend from college alerted me to the fact that there was a FB contest for free hand-made earring  from a OC hand-made jeweler.  And let's get real, Who doesn't love free things?  You had me at Free and Handmade!

So I did what I needed... a post, a like, a share etc.. Then I spent some time looking through Raptor Jewelry's Site.  If you venture over there/// beware and be ready to have your socks rocked off!  There are some amazing pieces in here! It will be extremely difficult NOT to drop my paycheck on this loot!  You've been warned:

Photo Source: Raptor Jewelry

Tracker Jacker anyone???

Photo Source: Raptor Jewelry

The LiLa. I'm lost in that color!

Photo Source: Raptor Jewelry 

"Bolt." I cannot get enough of those polka dots on the feathers!
Gorgeous! (plus, who doesn't love a HP bolt)

Drum Roll please...

These beauties are what I will be receiving for my participation in their giveaway!  I'll post again as soon as I get them in!


Looking through all their amazing things, I've been inspired to to my hand at some feathers.  And who wouldn't be inspired by this amazingness????   It really has pulled me off my couch and forced my to get back into creating again!!!!

Even though I originally entered the contest purely on the hope of the off change that I might win a prize, Raptor Jewelry has found themselves a fan for life!

Whaaaat?

I'm back! It's Been a while....


More to post later!

February Flew out the window!

Holy Cow, its already March!

AS an update,

Reading:  Since my impressive 4 books in one month passed, I followed up with a big fat zero for February.  I sorta forgot how busy teaching can be!     I am in the middle of about 5 paper books that I pick up and put down at different times.  I'd like to get all my paper books out of the way so that I can move 100% to my kindle.  So I assume that by March or April I'll have another huge x4 books read!

But -   I did complete 4 Meals!  
   Cooking 1: We did BBQ shredded chicken sandwiches!
  Cooking 2:  I followed up the night with Tacos! Yum!
Cooking 3: Was more like breakfast than dinner, but boy was that good,  I made bacon (which if you know me know that this is essential.)  and spinach and broccoli scrambled eggs.

Cooking 4: I also was able to throw together another favorite of mine: Chicken Stir Fry with veggies.  I assume I'll make this again and photograph it!

   So this makes my unofficial cooking count to : 5!


Creating!

Well...  I did do a lot of this!  Again i can't believe a didn't take any photos!!!

 It all started at bunco last time.  We all place dimes in the cup every time someone rolls TRAVELERS (al twos) and then the winner takes all the dimes home. We all started talking about needing a little bag to carry our dimes from table to table.  One girl said she thought she saw one on etsy. I said, oh i think i can make a few...  So when i got home I decided to make a  BETTER version of this only smaller with corners so it'll stand on a table!   I think I made around 10 of them and I brought them to our bunco for March.  Instant hit!  I sold just about all of them.  I'll try to get a picture of the last one left over that I'll probably mail off to someone...   So thats crafting x10.


February Connections:


I had a few great connections this month!      I'll speak of two:

1 - My father in law was in town from outta state and Tad and I went to dinner with him a few times as well as with Tad's brother and his wife.
2 - My girls from bunco are also some of my closest friends from high school.  We all went to BJs Pizza and had a wonderful time reconnecting and expressing how glad we are that facebook brought some of our greatest friends back into our lives!  Really, I could not be more thankful!  We even had another old friend be our waiter and he got us in ahead of the saturday crowd!
3- My mommies birthday was toward the end of the month, so the night after my girls night, We all went out again to celebrate my mom's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

So there was my February in a nutshell.   I"ll be back on to update some pictures.

January Book Report {1, 2, 3, 4}

Before I created a goal for myself I was already reading a lot thanks to an early Christmas gift of a Kindle from Tad's parents.  I finished off The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens & Battle of the Labyrinth, the 4th book in the Percy Jackson Series in December.


Then - In January - I picked up the following FOUR (WOW) Books:


{1} The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians; Book Five) - What a great end to a fantastic series.  Though my personal favs would be the first (Lightning Thief) and fourth (Battle of the Labyrinth) this one wasn't as bad as Sea of Monsters (book 2).  Most of the story focuses around the final battle.   I was so surprised that hundreds of pages were dedicated to one marathon day.  There were plenty of flashbacks/dreams/visions to answer the  "finally, I know what happen to...  "How so-in-so came to be..."" who ____ is... " That I didn't feel like I was kicked out with so many questions (I can appreciate that).   I felt that some things were a little pushed together and slightly unbelievable, but hey - its about Mt Olympus being on the 600th floor of the Empire State Building, so talk about unbelievable.   Rick Riordan has already published a second series about more demi-gods loosely associated with Percy and his buds (and the second of that series due out this fall).  Rick, you have my soul. And my money.


{2} The Hunger Games -   My girl-friends got me into this and THANK GOD!  This whole series will consume you and take you on an original journey about a post-apocalyptic country in the former U.S. (we never really hear the year).  Every year to prove to the Districts that the Capitol has complete control, they select two children from each district to fight to the death in The Hunger Games, the future of reality TV.  No really, I'm serious.  And this is a Young Adult Fiction.  And its amazing.  The imagery puts you RIGHT into the middle of it, with cliff hanger chapter endings (or last sentences) that will literally keep you up all night until you finish.  There were parts SO EXCITING that I read at super human speed  that can only be attributed to the type of adrenaline rush that allows mom's to lift cars off of their kids.  I read so fast that I had to go back and reread pages just to make sure I didn't miss anything. Just wow.  Its a great look at how far we will go for entertainment, freedom, and autonomy. Just go read them - really.


{3} Catching Fire (Book two in the Hunger Games)  I can't say too much about this book without spoiling book one, BUT I can speak to my favorite character: Katniss Everdeen.  She is a FAR better role model for young women than the waste of literary space named: Bella Swan. Her devotion to her family and her friends shows more character than Bella ever did.  I am constantly in awe of her amazing ability to think on her feet and analyze every moment in real time. You can't help but root for Katniss.


{3} The Mocking Jay (The Final Chapter In the Hunger Games Trilogy) - This is probably my least favorite of the three, but only in comparison with the amazingness of the first two.  What I did love about this book is the look at the extreme sides of the political spectrum, and how sometimes even though ideas may start as being beneficial to society, they can become terrifyingly restrictive and oppressive if pushed to the extreme of either spectrum.  Once again, I must say -  Katniss Everdeen has more depth in her pinkie than Bella Swan's whole presence (plus the whole Cullen Clan).  Team Peeta.