Evie's First Halloween

Happy Halloween!

We took Evie trick-or-treating to a few houses with some of our friends from church who live in our neighborhood.  Of course, the candy is for us!  But she looked so adorable!  After our costume success this year, I'm thinking we should always have a family costume theme.  (I'm sure that won't be cool in a few years, but hey, a mama can dream.) Both of our moms came over to pass out candy while we were out.  It was pretty cold and rainy, but it will be memorable.

Enjoy your candy! 

for the mamas

This post is so good, I had to share.

Indian Summer

What a most lovely day.  Lots of sunshine, beautiful Autumn colors, and a breath of Summer warmth.    It was literally perfect.  I wish I could've been outside all day.  Chris and I did enjoy a wonderful outdoor lunch together while Evie was napping.  It was so refreshing.

Evie had her lunch outside, too.  (Yes, she was still in her PJs.  Mom fail.)

I took Evie for a walk this afternoon.  I even went barefoot - that's how warm it was!  I was thinking about how much I enjoyed Fall weather like this.  And then I started feeling sad because I knew that Winter will soon be here.  The days will be very cold and short.  The growth and beauty of the outdoors will be masked with white.  Even though Winter comes with great times of family and celebration, it leaves me longing for Summer and sunshine.  

And then I got to thinking... as much as I dislike Winter, I need to appreciate it.  Why?  Because Winter is what makes Summer so wonderful.

Think about it - if it was sunny and 75 every day, we would not truly recognize how great the season of Summer is!  In the same way that death is what makes life meaningful, Winter is what makes Summer beautiful. So thanks, Winter, for working so hard to make Summer look good.

And now, a few pictures from this beautiful day.

Great Expectations

I have been thinking a lot lately about what kind of mother I am.  And what kind of mother I want to be.  I am a people pleaser, so every time someone tells me what I should be doing for my daughter, I feel like I have to do that thing so that I will have their approval.

So that they'll think of me as a good mom.

Am I a good mom? This question haunts me sometimes when I'm feeling at my lowest.  When I am tired or upset and Evie is screaming.  Am I a good mom?

Part of it is my nature to please, to be the best, to gain approval.  But I also blame our society.  Being a "good mom" now means doing everything organic.  It means loving motherhood at all times.  It means taking artsy family pictures and putting them up for everyone to see your happy family.  

Ultimately, it can mean putting on a show.

I never see people blogging about how they fed their kids McDonalds for dinner, even just once.  I don't read about how frustrating a crying baby can be.  I don't see pictures of moms in sweats or without makeup.  

And I often ask myself - Is this how people really live? And why can't I seem to pull it off?

But I think the truth is that most people don't live that way, at least, not all of the time.  Maybe we're all too busy trying to act like we've got it together.  Maybe we need to tell each other that it's okay to make mistakes sometimes.  It's okay to choose convenience once in awhile.  It's okay not to always be picture perfect.

Life is messy.  It hurts sometimes.  But if we aren't willing to admit that, then there is no growth, no healing.  

Our babies aren't necessarily going to remember that we fed them homemade organic baby food.  They won't dwell on the fact that we sang them lullabies or dressed them in trendy clothes.  Instead, they'll remember how we made them feel, what we taught them, and the time we shared with them.  That time can be just as well spent eating chicken nuggets as it can over a home cooked meal. 

From now on, let's just keep it real.  

Cloth Diapering: The Scoop on Poop

Anytime I tell someone that we use cloth diapers, they almost always say, "What do you do with the poop?"  Or they proceed to tell me how gross it is that we put poop in our washing machine.  If you're considering cloth diapering, it's important to know what kind of dirty work will be involved.

I'll be the first to admit that it is pretty gross at times. If you have a very weak stomach, maybe it's not for you.  And yes, sometimes I get poop on my hands.  But guess what? Disposable diapers can be pretty gross too, especially when they leak.

So what do you do with the poop?

If your baby is exclusively breastfed, good news! You can throw that bad boy right in your wet bag or diaper pail and into the washer.  Breastfed babies have very liquid-y poop, and it's completely water soluble, so there's no need to dunk or rinse your diaper into the toilet ahead of time.  Hallelujah!

From what I've read, the verdict is still up in the air for formula fed babies who are not getting any solids or purees.  Some moms say that they put their formula poop right into the wash, while others say they try to dunk it off in the toilet first.  We personally have no experience here because Evie didn't start formula until she was already getting solids.  If we had, I probably would have tried to rinse some of it off first, just to be safe.

Solid foods and purees make things a little more... exciting.  When your baby first starts solids, he/she will probably only be getting the purees once or twice a day.  This makes for a very unique poop.  (Think peanut butter consistency. Yum.)  At this point, it is definitely necessary to dunk/rinse your diapers before washing.  However, things are pretty "sticky," so it can be difficult.  There are a few options.  You could purchase a diaper sprayer, which attaches to the side of your toilet.  This functions like a small hose that you can spray your diapers with.  (We have not purchased one, but are considering it.)  Second, you could just dunk your diaper right in the toilet bowl and try to shake it off.  This is the method we currently use.  Typically, we flush the toilet a few times while the diaper is in the toilet bowl.  This seems to get most of the poop off.  Finally, you could use some kind of tool to scrape the poop into the toilet.  I've read about some moms who purchased a cheap spatula to use specifically for this purpose.  (Just make sure it doesn't end up in your kitchen!)

I'll try to remember to update this when Evie is getting more solid foods more often since our methods will probably have to change again.  I've read that more solid food makes for more solid poop, which isn't so sticky, so maybe it will come off easier.

So there you have it! Enough poop talk to last quite awhile.  I'm thinking that I'll post next about cloth diapering gear and detergents.  Again, feel free to ask questions!

Happy diapering!

Cloth Diapering: Types of Dipes

We've been cloth diapering for almost 6 months now, and we're still going strong!  A lot of people have said, "Teach me," so I figured I would do a few posts on some of the basics.  But hey, cut me a break because we're still learning too :)

I thought about starting out with a post that describes the benefits of cloth diapering.  It can be much more cost effective, it's environmentally friendly, and it's generally better for babies.  However, there are already other blogs and sites that will even do a cost breakdown comparison of disposables vs. cloth diapers, so I figured I don't have to.  Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!  Besides, if you are reading this, you are probably already convinced.

When thinking about what type of cloth diapers you want to buy, it's important to consider your needs. Are you going to CD (cloth diaper) full time? Are you looking for the least expensive option? Do you want a diaper that will grow with your child, or would you prefer sized diapers?  All of these things will help determine which type of diaper is best for you.

There are 4 main types of cloth diapers.  I have them listed from most primitive (and generally cheapest) to the fanciest.

Prefolds and Covers:  In short, these are probably the kind of diapers that your grandma used.  They look like big burp cloths until you pre-wash and dry them several times, which makes them appear more thick and quilted.  The prefolds themselves can be folded a variety of ways.  Although people used to use pins to fasten the diaper, snappi clips have generally taken their place.  Once the diaper is fastened, a waterproof cover (snap or velcro) goes on top.

Fitteds and Covers: These diapers are made of the same absorbent material as prefolds, but they require no folding! That's because they're already shaped as a diaper with fasteners.  However, they still require the use of a waterproof cover.

Pocket Diapers: Pocket diapers are a step above fitted diapers because they don't require the use of a waterproof cover.  Instead, the diaper has a microfiber inside that draws moisture away from the baby's skin.  A diaper liner, which is a narrow strip of absorbent material, goes inside a pocket that is built into the diaper.  The diaper may be double-stuffed for nighttime usage.  These generally keep your baby feeling more dry than a prefold or a fitted diaper would as well.

All-In-Ones: "AIO" diapers are really just glorified pocket diapers.  The main difference is that there is no stuffing involved.  The liner that would normally go inside a pocket in a pocket diaper is attached to the diaper.  (It is often referred to as a soaker.) I think most of them do have a pocket opening for additional "stuffage" (new word).

So there you have it! These are the very basics of cloth diapering.  So far, we have used prefolds/covers and pocket diapers.  I'm planning to do some more posts about cloth diapering, but if you have specific questions that you want answered, just leave a comment!

Quick Pic

What a beautiful Fall day here in the mitten!