Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Wordless Wednesday

Almost - I can't post without words completely.

Isn't she an angel?
--

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Daycare Strikes Again! (Updated)

First of all, let me say that I know I'm very lucky to have a daycare that is willing to do cloth diapers. Most daycares give some reason why they can't or won't do it. "Will you use cloth diapers" was one of the first questions I asked, and "we can accommodate that" was the answer. They did request that I send "one piece" diapers so they could use their normal diapering procedure with minimal deviation. Luckily my favorite diaper company was coming out with a new pocket diaper, so I was overjoyed at "having" to do some diaper shopping.

I have read a number of mamas on diaperswappers forums say their daycare will not use cloth. So I am very grateful that mine is willing to do so. However ... we are starting to have some issues.

The first issue was the missing cow print diaper. Which I think might have gotten thrown away.

But today ...

A few weeks ago we were struggling with a diaper rash. I took diaper cream and biodegradable liners, and put the liners in the diapers so they wouldn't have to, and told the caregiver about not getting diaper cream on the diapers. They came back to me that evening with some diaper cream around the leg gussets, where the liners didn't cover. I hand washed with Dawn and got it out, but I was scared the whole time that they were ruined. After that, when using diaper cream, I just asked them to use sposies.

The Thirsties detergent came in, and after washing (and washing and washing) the rash wasn't an issue anymore.

Meanwhile, a new caregiver in wee one's room doesn't know about the no-diaper-cream issue. There is diaper cream in her basket, it should be used if her bottom gets red, no?

On the way home in the car, while stuck at a traffic light, I read her summary sheet of her day. In the diaper section, I read where her bottom was red, and they used diaper cream. My heart sank.


After putting her to bed, I pulled the diapers out of the wet bag, and this is what I found. The one on the left is much worse. That's organic velour, too. Ugh.



I covered them in Dawn dishwashing detergent,

and hand scrubbed. Then added some warm water and hand scrubbed some more. Then filled the sink with soapy water and let them soak.



I'll keep you posted on how it turns out.
--

So I totally forgot to update the post. The Butt Paste all came out, the diapers are fine, and are back in the rotation. I left them to soak overnight, and more had come out of the organic velour than the fleece. I put the OV one in a load of her clothes with Tide, and it looked like it was all out after that. To be sure I washed in a load of diapers. I tested for repelling by dripping water and looking for beading or absorption, and I thought they were absorbing. I then put the diaper on her one day when I was home and no leaks.

The fleece diaper needed another round with Dawn before it would pass the water-beading test. I washed it with a load of diapers before a test run also.

Gotta love Dawn.
--

Monday, March 29, 2010

Cloth Diapering 101 - Wet Bags!

Ok, MommieV, all this stuff about cloth diapers is so great. There's different kinds, and they're all cute and stuff. But what do you DO with them. When, you know, they get ... DIRTY????

So this post addresses how to store your dirty diapers. It's much easier than you think. What you need is ... a wet bag.

A wet bag is any bag that is waterproof or water resistant, that can store wet and dirty diapers. Therefore it can be a plastic grocery bag. But wouldn't you rather have something more cute, versatile, and durable?

Loving Touch Wet Bags, size M


Cloth diaper wet bags are usually made of PUL, the same fabric that we have previously discussed for covers and other diapers. Some wet bags are a single layer of PUL, others are a PUL liner and a cute fabric print outside.

Mommy's Touch Wet Bag, size S, periwinkle - action shot since this is the one I keep in the diaper bag most of the time.


Wet bags come in a number of sizes. Smaller sizes are great for the diaper bag - they will hold a few wet/dirty diapers as you change them while you are out and about. When I get home, I dump the dirty diapers into the big wetbag and put the empty small wetbag back into the diaper bag for the next trip out of the house. Larger sizes can be used as a hanging diaper pail at home. The medium sized one is the one that I send to daycare.

Loving Touch Wet Bags, hanging pail


Newborns that are exclusively breastfed have yellow, mustardy poo. This poo is really water soluble and easily washed out of diapers. Therefore, if you have a breastfed infant, you can just throw the dirty diapers into the wet bag and on laundry day, dump the diapers into the washer to be washed. The cold rinse that you start your wash routine with will rinse out the poo.

Once they start solids (or for babies that take formula), it gets a little more interesting. This is when I started doing dunk-and-swish. I just swish poopy diapers in the toilet to remove the poo, then wring and put the diaper in the wet bag until laundry time. Some mamas keep a plastic spatula by the toilet to help remove the poo into the toilet.

There is also a fabulous invention called a diaper sprayer. Many mamas swear by them. I had planned to buy one to attach to the toilet when I bought my new house. But the dunk-and-swish works really well for us, so I haven't been motivated to do it. I keep cleaning wipes in the cabinet under the sink, so after the dunking and swishing and wringing I can clean the seat for the next person to use the toilet (um, given that I'm single, that's probably going to be ME anyway).

FYI - even when using disposable diapers, you are supposed to remove the solids to the toilet before throwing the diaper away. Landfills are not designed to treat human waste. Most diaper packages refer to this. So this step isn't supposed to be any different from what you would do with disposables - if people followed the directions. That's another thing that totally grosses me out about disposable diapers going to landfills.

Fuzzi Bunz Diaper Tote, pink. Perfect size for the diaper bag.


One suggestion I can give, you probably want a wet bag with a zipper closure. I tried one wet bag with a drawstring closure and it didn't work well. Especially for your diaper bag, or especially when your babe starts eating turkey and has poo that stinks up the general vicinity in a 5-mile radius (not that that's happening to us right now or anything!)

My second suggestion is to have more than one of whatever size you use in your diaper bag. If you have one in the wash when you're on the way out the door, you'll be glad you have a second. And since you can always use them for other wet things, like soiled clothes, swimsuits, etc, it's good to have them around. Because of that, its difficult to find them used online, since mamas often can use wetbags even after their LO is out of diapers.

It's that simple! For newborns, just put the diaper in the wet bag. For solid poo, dunk and swish or spray off and put in the wet bag. On laundry day, do a cold rinse, a hot wash with detergent, and an extra rinse, and you're golden!

Updated - I have now tried the WAHMIES brand wetbags - see photo and more info here.  It's smaller in size than the Loving Touch size M and has thinner PUL.  The advantage is its clip on the hanging loop - so you can loop it through slats on a crib or changing table, rather than just having to hang it over a doorknob.
--

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Square One

Tonight for bed, I nursed her to sleep. We nursed until she came off the breast on her own. Then I encouraged her to nurse some more. Normally when she stops is when I try to rock her to sleep. This is also when the crying usually starts. Tonight I knew I couldn't handle much crying. Very tired, feeling stressed, have an awful headache. So I just did what I knew would work, which was nursing. And it did. She's been asleep for almost 3 hours now. I slept too, until the headache got worse. Now I'm setting out the garbage and taking some tylenol and hoping for the best for the rest of the night.

--

Nothing Left

So everybody else's baby has sleep problems too. Apparently letting them cry is the ticket. Everyone who talks about it says its rough but then three days later their baby is so easy to put to sleep.

I was against CIO (cry it out) for a number of reasons that I still believe in. But I'm also against getting so sleep deprived that I want to kill her when she's screaming in my ear. What to do?

If I only had the answer.

Friday, I tried getting her to sleep for 4 and a half hours. We started our bedtime routine at 6:00 when she seemed sleepy, but the bath seemed to give her a second wind. I finally called in the reinforcements (Nan and Grandpa) at 10:00 because I needed to go buy some feminine supplies and the thought of a trip to the store to buy maxi pads just sounded like heaven. Or at least a good break.

She finally went to sleep at 12:30 in the morning after the last basketball game. I mean, I know I said I wanted to teach her about March Madness, but girlfriend ....

Then she was awake every two hours or less. She's not waking to nurse anymore. She's just ... waking. And screaming.

Last night it was the same deal. If you catch her just waking up, you can pat her back to sleep. Otherwise you have to rock and shush and turn the sound up on the heartbeat bear and cross your fingers and toes and say the right prayer while singing in a hoarse voice, apparently.

I have probably spent something like 20 hours in the last three days trying to get this child to sleep.

So it was awesome to read Liz's post about her sleep issues. It was very empowering for a mother I admire to the gills admit that sleep was an issue.

But then when I read that a couple of nights of crying and she got 6 hours of sleep, I wanted to puke. A couple of nights of crying and I get ... more crying.

Which I'm doing now, so I'll end the pity party there. Hope you're all getting more than 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Sounds nice.

--

Friday, March 26, 2010

Cloth Diapering 101 - All In One's and Pockets

All-In-Ones, or AIOs, are pretty simple to understand and use. A post on these would be pretty short (except for the pics!). Some of the disadvantages of AIO's lead mamas to try pockets, so I thought I would treat them in the same discussion.

All In One's:
These diapers are just as their name implies - the diaper is all in one piece. These diapers are most similar to disposable diapers, and therefore are sometimes the choice of mamas wanting a simple cloth diapering option for daddies, grandmas, babysitters, daycare, or going out and about.

Thirsties AIOs front and inside



Nana's Bottoms newborn size AIOs front and back (top) and inside



Nana's Bottoms Action Shots: periwinkle is preemie size, the mauve is one of the newborn sized ones:




There are downsides to AIO's. Some take a long time to dry. (Others take very long!) I was always concerned about them getting really clean since there isn't a good way for the sudsy water to circulate well into the absorbent part of the diaper.

All In Two's:
Related to AIO's are AI2's, diapers that are still a single-use diaper, but the absorbent material can be removed for washing and drying. I have much less experience with these, since the ones I tried I didn't like much.

Bottombumpers AI2 - the long insert piece snaps out for laundering



Pockets:
I hate putting pockets this far down the post, because THESE ARE THE DIAPER I WOULD RECOMMEND to mamas starting with cloth diapering. If the idea of getting prefolds on your babe is what keeps you from trying cloth diapering, this is the system for you. I've always had a few pockets in our stash from the beginning, but now that I have more for daycare, I find myself using them even at night and on weekends. They are just so simple.

The pocket diaper is literally a pocket. The outer portion of the pocket is the waterproof material, usually PUL (polyurethane laminated polyester, mentioned previously). The inner layer that forms the pocket is usually fleece. Most fleece is "wicking", meaning it can transfer wetness and has a "stay-dry" feeling because the moisture is transferred to the absorbent material underneath. This makes pockets an especially good option for nighttime.

There are LOTS of options for the absorbent material inside the pocket - enough for a separate post!

The advantage to pockets over AIOs is that the absorbent material can be removed from the diaper to be washed, so you know that it is getting clean. Since it is a separate piece in the dryer, it usually takes less time to dry. A disadvantage is that the insert has to be "stuffed" back into the pocket after the laundry in order to have your diaper ready to use again.

Another advantage to the pocket - and again, this will be treated in the post on pocket inserts - is that you can customize the amount of absorbency you use to stuff the pocket. Have a heavy wetter? Add more absorbancy. Taking photos in a special outfit and need a trimmer diaper? Use a thinner insert - if the diaper is only on for a short time, absorbancy might not be an issue. Nighttime? Stuff away.

I have tons of photos of Wee One in pockets, since she's in them the majority of the time now. Of course the cow print diaper was a pocket, as are the Thirsties Duo Diapers that I rave about, and the Knickernappies OS that I won.

Thirsties Duo Size 2 in Meadow


Raspberry Knickernappies size Medium


Swaddlebees Size Small - when she was still less than 6 pounds. This is the first pocket I tried on her. Below are the photos I took when I sold these on Diaperswappers FSOT.




I started out buying sized pockets (size small, size medium) since I think they fit smaller babies better. Now that she is bigger, we can take advantage of the one-size (OS) diapers. The idea is that one-size-fits-all, which is why they are referred to as OS diapers. There are usually snaps that adjust the rise, and allow you to fold and snap down the front for smaller babies, then adjust as your baby grows. There are usually more snaps around the waist or longer aplix across the front to accomodate babies as their waist grows larger. The advantage is that a single diaper can fit babies of different sizes if you have two in diapers, or can fit your baby as (s)he grows. The disadvanges are that I don't think you get as good a fit on small babies like newborns, and the folding down and adjusting can create some bulk. I've also heard some OS get too small for big toddlers.

Thirsties has tried to address this issue with their line of Duo Diapers. The Duo Diapers have snaps in the front to adjust the rise so the diaper accomodates different sized babies. However, they come in two sizes, Size 1 for newborns and smaller babies, and Size 2 for bigger babies to toddlers. Wee One is in Size 2. I have to say I think these diapers will last her until she's out of diapers, because on the largest settings, the diaper is huge. However, it adjusts down to fit her now at 18.5 pounds and is still trim and not bulky.

Some popular OS diapers, in addition to the Knickernappies and Thirsties Duo, are the BumGenius brand.

BGOS blossom compared to Thirsties Duo Size 2 Storm Cloud, and both on her.


Daycare is a Petri Dish

So is College.

I think I'm getting strep throat. I hate to put that out there. I'm fighting it pretty well so far. I don't know if it was from MY school or HER school - several of my students were out this week with it, so it could have been from my daily environment. OR, there was a sign on the door to the preschool room across the hall from Wee One's room at daycare, one child with strep throat, so it could have come from there.

I am praying that she stays well and healthy to enjoy her party next weekend. I am also praying that I stay well and healthy enough to enjoy it too!

My inadvertent sleep training seems to be working *crosses fingers* *and toes* *wonders what else can be crossed* :)

Three nights ago, she was having ALOT of trouble sleeping. I finally gave up trying to get her back to sleep in the middle of the night, and I just rolled over and let her cry herself to sleep in the middle of my bed. And she did.

Two nights ago, she again was having trouble going to sleep. She was tired and sleepy, but didn't want to go to sleep. We had done the pull-out-all-the-stops bedtime routine. LONG bath with toys and playing and the lavendar bath soap, massage with the lavendar baby lotion. We read books, talked about our day, said our prayers, listened to classical music while we rocked and nursed for over half an hour. I put her in the sling and bounced around the house, and THEN walked around the block with her. Nothing. So I gave up and went to bed with her. THAT wasn't even helping. So I turned on her bear with the heart sounds, rolled over and went to sleep. So did she. After a little crying.

Last night I was exhausted. Emotionally and mentally drained. I made it through my week of standing on my feet teaching 8-5, and fighting whatever microorganisms think its cool to live in my respiratory tract, and I was done. I didn't even give her a bath, I didn't give her a massage, I didn't read the special goodnight book. My bedtime prayer was "thank you for my angel and please heal my infection. Amen". I nursed her, but not to sleep. She cried, and we both went to sleep.

I had given up on trying to work on the sleeping thing. There's too much going on right now. She's turning one, she's probably about to hit a growth spurt, she's learning to walk and say words, she is nursing less, and we were back to our daily grind after spending a week off together, so I figured it was pointless.

Then she starts sleeping well. Last night I didn't nurse her when she'd wake up, until her 3am wakeup when she really seemed to want to. Tonight I haven't nursed her yet at all.

She wakes up frequently still. She gets mad that she's awake and she makes loud cries that wake her up. If I can help her learn how to deal with waking up and going back to sleep she'll be in great shape. I think thats why the bear helps. When she wakes up I turn the bear back on. When she woke up this last time she didn't wake up all the way. She grabbed my finger and then rubbed my face and then pulled my hair. Just checking to make sure I was still there. I laid close to her and she went back to sleep.

Then I couldn't get back to sleep, so I got up and put a load of laundry in and washed the dishes in the sink, updated my bracket with the games I didn't watch (I picked the wrong upsets, I can tell you that). And now I'm blogging. At 3 am.

With a sore throat. And a sleeping baby.

--

Oh, you want photos? Well, duh, I read all your drivel about sleeping and laundry and dishes, you might as well show me the cute girl, you say.





How's that?

-

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

First Birthday Wish List

Some folks who have received party invitations have asked if there is anything Wee One needs for her birthday. Here are some suggestions. As always, gifts are absolutely NOT necessary, we will just be happy to have you come celebrate with us. But people are asking, so ...

Books:
We have an Amazon wish list from Christmas here, that has some of these listed.
Some suggestions:
Mommy, Draw Stars On My Tummy by Martine Groeneveld
How Many Kisses Do You Want Tonight by Varsha Bajaj
Any of the Guess How Much I Love You Storybooks, like this one on colors
Montessori Readers

I ADORE this, but the smallest is 2T. Maybe for next year's birthday!

Stick with board books, please. She is still mouthing and pulling on the pages, paper will get torn, eaten, and possibly choked on!

Clothes:
She is wearing 12 months, so anything spring or summer should be in 12-18 months. Keep in mind I hate pink and chocolate brown (Hate them together, that is. Pink by itself is fine. Brown ... well, isn't) Anything other colors are fair game.

She is in need of sleepers or pajamas that are summer weight. All her sleepers are thermal and thick for winter. These are cute.

Cloth Diapers:
We could use a few more Thirsties Duo Diapers in Size 2 for daycare. I promise not to tell you if they get accidentally thrown away :)

Toys:
Rainstick
Drum (yes, its ok if you buy my daughter a drum).

Music:
Sunday School Songs
Learning Songs
50 Toddlers Sing Along Songs

Other:
Magnetic Words
Activity Table



I think that gives some ideas. Love you all and can't wait to see you at the party!

-V

"Beh"

This is wee one's word. If she wants something, like her sippy cup, she will point and say "beh". If she sees something and wants to know what it is, she will point and say "beh". If you are carrying her through her Nan's kitchen, and she wants to chew on the magnet with the photo of Nan swimming with a dolphin for the 10 millionth time, she will point and say "beh". (chew-on-the-magnet for the 10 millionth time. The Nan-swimming-with-the-dolphins was a once in a lifetime thing. I need an editor).

"Beh" is adorable. I am not "beh", I am "ma meh". (Which is also adorable, let me tell you.)

"Beh" is not cute at 10:30 at night. And even less adorable at 2:30 in the morning.

Don't ask me how I know.

--

I have 6 more Wednesdays of the semester after today is over. Please God, grant me strength, and make sure my overload pay starts coming in my next paycheck. Amen.

--

Friday, March 19, 2010

I Shave My Feet

Oh, sorry, I thought I was in Her Bad Mother's Basement. Oh well, now that I've started ...

I have elevated testosterone. My ovaries are "normal". I did get pregnant, after all. I menstruated somewhat regularly before getting pregnant and then semi-permanently attaching a nursling to my breast.

One of the side effects of "elevated" testosterone, is that I grow hair in places that most females do not. I take care of it when I think someone will see it. Which isn't lately. By my choice.

Hair.

In wierd places.

Like on my feet.

So I do what most people do when they have a certain quantity of hair they want removed and they don't want the pain of waxing or tweezing ... I shave my feet.

It bothers me alot less than it used to.

Then the other day in the glaring fluorescent light of a campus restroom, while washing my hands I notice this ...


OMG. I'm growing a freaking pelt on my upper lip.

It seems to have appeared almost overnight. Further proof that my hormones are just completely whacked out right now.

I'm not shaving my face. Will have to find another solution, because that's where I draw the line.



Thankfully this one is too little for growing pelts on the upper lip. I hope technology catches up before she hits her 30s. The booger was wiped not too long after the photo was taken. Just to let you know.

Why Do I Feel So Crappy When Its So Sunny Out?

I feel sick. Not really physically sick. Just ... ugh. Today is an "ugh" day.

It is the Friday of my Spring Break. I had such lofty goals for this week. But I haven't felt like doing any of them. I some essential goals for this week (like grade the 225 exams I have from last week). But I haven't felt like doing that, either.

I have only felt like being with Wee One. And at 2:00 this morning, I didn't even feel like doing that.

I have tried to keep her on a schedule, and that hasn't worked. I have tried to get her out into the Spring sunshine that has graced us these last two days. We have gone for walks, sat in the grass, visited neighbors. I have shoved as much food as possible down her throat. I have nursed her, and tried not to nurse her so she would eat more solids. We have our bedtime routine down to a science. I have done ev.ery.thing possible.

And she still isn't sleeping well.

Last night she went to bed around 8:30. And then was up at 9:30, 11:00, 12:30, 2:30, 3:30, 4:45, 5:30, and 6:15. And then she slept until 9:00.

I guess I'm just beyond exhausted. It's hard for me to fall asleep now. I can't nap when she naps, because if it's just for 45 minutes, I'm just getting to sleep when she wakes up. Not to mention ALL THE CRAP I HAVE TO DO WHEN SHE'S ASLEEP BECAUSE ITS SO HARD TO DO WHEN SHE'S AWAKE.

So today I decided to garden. I have a house now. I want the yard to be nice. My mom bought me some bulbs that I want to get in the ground. I actually have a plan for the yard. I have picked plants that I think are pretty, and I have little color-gardens planned for all over the yard. These bulbs will fit well with that plan, in an area of a little planter area in the backyard.

To do anything, though, requires so much effort. I have to get the gardening equipment from mom's house. Which is only 4 houses down, how hard is that, V? I have to get Wee One in the stroller, we have to walk down there, I have to open the garage to get into their house - now what do I do with her? Do I leave her in the (open) garage where some stranger could steal her? I run in the house and grab the key to the shed. But their dog wants to go out. Dog out the back door, I go out through the garage, push Wee One's stroller to the backyard. Get the things I need from the shed, pile them in the basket under the stroller (imagine garden claws and rakes sticking out of the back of a Graco). Then I have to reverse all that to get the dog and the key back inside with doors appropriately locked and blocked.

Back to our house, in the backyard, baby on a blanket in the sunshine with toys, and I'm FINALLY ready to actually do the chore of planting bulbs.

Only, this special little planting bed? Is full of crap. And by crap I mean ... a heavy metal chain, pieces of wire, lots of rocks and concrete chunks, pieces of burlap and paper, metal clips. Seriously.

Then the baby gets bored. And tired. And wants to nurse, because that's what she wants to do when mom is around. So I have to peel off muddy shoes, wash our dirty hands, change her dirty diaper and clothes, and try to get her to sleep. Which is one chore I loathe, because I never know how its going to go.

Luckily for me, it went well today. Maybe the sunshine and fresh air did work their magic. Good, enough time to finish the mess I'm making in the backyard. Dig holes for the bulbs, plant and cover. Final step: watering. The hose doesn't leak too terribly bad. Here we go.

I think I have the opposite of "well-drained soil". The whole thing turned into an instant mudbath, with the water pooling near the wall of the house. That can't be good. I take the hoe and try to move soil into that area, try to get the water away from the house. And I end up uncovering the planted bulbs.

So this is my Spring Break. I have accomplished nothing inside the house for the big birthday party in two weeks. I have a half-painted bedroom and bathroom that I wanted to finish this week. I have trim and doors and touch-up that need to be done that the original (PAID) painter didn't bother with. I should actually CLEAN the house at some point this week. I should actually FOLD the laundry that I've been doing. Instead, I decide to plant bulbs and make a muddy mess of my backyard. And then sit in the middle of the floor and cry and feel sorry for myself that I can't do anything right and I mess everything up and even my baby won't sleep because I screwed that up too and that's why I'm exhaused and can't deal with anything.

So my little utopian "yellow garden" next to the back door? God help it, it needs some prayers. I have no idea how it will turn out. I'm sure my baby will turn out okay in the long run. She has to learn to sleep eventually, right?

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Sorry, New York Times, I'm Too Busy Taking Care of a Feverish Baby to Build My Brand

I haven't read it. I haven't had time. It's all over the blogosphere, tho, so I should rectify that. Right after washing the second load of poopy diapers in two days and taking the little one to the doctor to find out why she's still feverish after two days of antibiotics and why she's pooping ALL THE TIME.

But I have read eloquent, thorough treatments of it. PhD in Parenting wrote a summary with links.

I was going to write a post about babywearing (still plan to) after the CPSC's statement was all over the news on Friday. And I took a photo to complete a draft post that I saved a while back, that I still need to upload. So see, I really am too busy taking care of my little one to do blog stuff. Let alone go to SITS and post and try to get more people to come comment.

I did get one set of lecture exams graded and they are almost ready to post. Right after said doctor visit, a trip to the grocery, and God willing, a short nap.

Because you know, all mommy bloggers are concerned with is building their brand. Right?

I'll post a pic later. I'll try to find something to photograph other than the poopy diaper soaking in the toilet :)

Friday, March 12, 2010

Bye-Bye

I think daycare has thrown away one of our cloth diapers. And not just any cloth diaper.

Our cow print diaper.



When I first interviewed her daycare, one of the first questions I asked was whether or not they were willing to use cloth diapers. Their answer was yes, but it needed to be a "one piece" diaper, because they would continue to follow their normal diaper changing procedure.

I normally use prefolds and covers, so this gave me an excuse, er, reason to shop for pocket diapers. In the process of accruing pocket diapers for daycare, I stumbled across a sale on Swaddlebees pockets with organic velour lining, and I bought four. One of which ... was a cow print.





OMG, what a cute diaper. I was a little annoyed that thread started coming out around the elastic at the back after only the first wear. But it was a "second" quality diaper, you know.

That was the diaper that I chose for her to wear on her first morning of daycare.


One evening about two weeks ago, I noticed there were not as many diapers in the wet bag as usual when I cleaned it out. I thought it was strange, but I had told her caregiver to feel free to put disposables/diaper cream on her because she had been having the poo/rash issues. Her sheet was marked that she'd had two bowel movement diapers that day, but none of the diapers in the wet bag had poo, so I assumed those diaper changes were disposables.

As part of the Great Diaper Laundering of 2010 with the new THiRSTiES detergent, I noticed that I couldn't find the cow print diaper. As of last night, every one of our diapers was clean, and no cow print diaper to be found.

So this evening I mentioned to the caregiver at daycare that it was missing, and she said she hoped that it hadn't gotten thrown away. I got the impression, tho, that's what she thought might have happened.

In reality, if we were going to lose a diaper that way, that's one of the cheapest diapers in our stash, it was a second, it had the unraveling thread issue ...

But still. It was the cow print diaper.

--

Thursday, March 11, 2010

I heart Thirsties detergent, and How The Diapers Got Washed Three Times

My Thirsties detergent came on Monday. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it. Totally would marry it. If it weren't, you know, detergent.

On Monday afternoon, the wee one and I enter the house to the smell of ... poop. My whole house smelled like poop. So I gathered every single wetbag and dirty diaper in the house and trudged downstairs to do diaper laundry. I did a prewash with the Pre-wash. I did a hot wash with the Super-wash. I even managed to get a rinse in, before crashing into bed with my angel.

That was the night she didn't sleep. I slept late, shoved her into mom's arms with an "I'll call you later" and ran through my day. Tuesday evening I was just done. My mom put me into bed and I slept, so we ended up spending the night there.

Meaning ... wet diapers sat in the washer all day.

Wednesday morning, after my shower, I re-washed the diapers. And by re-washed, I mean ... I did a prewash with the Pre-wash, I did a hot wash with the Super-wash. Didn't have time to wait for the spin and turn on a rinse before the dash to work.

God love my mother. She had heard me mention that the diapers had not been dried. She did not, however, know that I had re-washed them. So she did. And by re-washed, I mean ... she did a prewash wirh the Pre-wash, and a hot wash with the Super-wash, and a rinse.

And they did make it into the dryer.

And they are REALLY clean.

I will say, the bamboo velour fitteds I have, are softer than they have been in a while. I'm waiting until she comes home from daycare today to announce the rash totally gone, but I really think this detergent and I are about to start a long term relationship. I haven't been in one of those in ... a long time.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Midterm

I almost dropped my (ringing) cell phone down the elevator shaft. That's the kind of day I'm having.

My underwear are in my pocket. That's the kind of day I'm having.

I had 10 minutes between giving an exam and my lecture class to print handouts, save the powerpoint to my thumb drive, and drop off another set of exams to the person proctoring tomorrow. Instead, I found myself waiting on a manic, off-her-meds, muttering-to-herself-while-pulling-on-her-hair student to turn in her exam, while I tried not to stress her out anymore so as to not push her over the edge. That's the kind of day I'm having.

God, I can't wait to get home to this:

Funny Schtuff Baby

You want funny? Go here and read this.

I about peed myself when I read it. Then I commented.

So last night, I was directing my mom to another blogger's page to watch a cute video. I couldn't remember the blog, but I got there from the comments of that post. So I took her through that post to get to the comments to get to the blog with the cute cat video. (And the green grass grew all around all around ... )

She started reading. She started laughing. She laughed harder. Then she stopped. "Screechy-Mc-Asshole"?. Me: "Yea, isn't that hysterical?" while thinking "then PLEASE don't read my comment".

She scrolls down. She reads my comment. She says "You called C a Screechy-Mc-Asshole?"

Me: "Yea, it's better than what I actually called her in the middle of the night."

Note to self: My mom doesn't get mommy blog humor.

LoonyJen, she did think the kitten video was adorable.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

I Won Again!

I won again! I opened gmail and found this ...

Congratulations! You've won a Knickernappies OneSize diaper. Send me your address and which color you'd like to have. We'll get your prize out right away!

Thank you so much for participating on our new blog!

Heather Hicks
Knickernappies


So apparently all my praying for God to save me from a mountain of bills by sending "abundance" my way has manifested in the form of winning free cloth diaper stuff.

I picked Violet, with Spring Green as a close second choice. Hmmm ... that Spring Green is awful cute, tho ....

I totally have fluffy mail coming!!!!!

Saturday, March 6, 2010

What the teachers think ...

This. Is freaking hilarious.

(Its like a retweet. So is it a reblog?)

I came across this list of the top 100 mom blogs of last year. And I've been looking through some of them. I have to admit, I'm a blog snob. If I don't find something funny in your first 3 or 4 posts, then I tend to move on to see what else is on the list.

And I have to admit, the post mentioned above ... TOTALLY made me bookmark her blog.

And almost pee my pants laughing.

Friday, March 5, 2010

In the great green room ...

As I was publishing that last post, I heard, from the bedroom, a very loud trucker fart.

I don't have a trucker in the bedroom. I only have this:


In the next moment after the silence was broken by the trucker fart, she woke up. And she was pissed. That she was woken up. By a trucker fart. Her trucker fart.

As I was heading to bed anyway, I just turned off lights and climbed into bed to nurse the trucker-farting-princess back to sleep. Which was difficult, as my boob was shaking from my laughter at the trucker fart post I was composing in my head.

Didn't help her being mad. At all.

---

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Two Weeks

I'm so glad that other mommies seem to have the same sleep issues. It seems that teething is a sleep-stealing culprit.

I have survived two weeks of my new schedule. The baby has gone from waking every 20-45 minutes, to waking every 2 hours or so. Still, we wake quite a few times, and I finally look at my watch, and think "my lord, it's only 1:30 am?". I signed a contract for a little over $3500 that should start appearing in my bank account March 30th, so that makes it a little more worth it. At least I'll be able to start paying my bills and they won't turn my gas off again (those people have NO patience! Sheesh!)

So why am I still up blogging at 10:00 instead of following my own advice?


The culprit! (The tooth, not the runny nose. Or maybe its the tooth AND the runny nose.)


This one's purdy cute!

But this one: puts me in the diabetic coma is so sweet!!!!!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Pens

This totally made my day ...



I am a bit pen ... obsessed. I didn't used to be this pen obsessed. In college, I would write with whatever pens I had available. I did try to switch between blue and black from class to class, so I could see in my notes which were from one day and which were from the next. But I wasn't anal about it or anything.

Until I got to grad school, and met a wonderful lady who introduced me to the beautiful luxury of crossing off your to-do list in an organized Franklin Planner with a silky black line from a uni-ball rollerball pen.

Some serious dopamine must have been released in my brain, because at that moment I swore off the use of ballpoint pens forever.

I have become so entrenched in my use of rollerball pens, that I carry them with me. If I need to use a pen, I will pull out *my* pen. I HATE to complete forms, especially forms with tiny little spaces, with a ballpoint pen. I much prefer the fine writing of a good rollerball tip. There is no way to decribe how freaked out I got the day we closed on my house, and I pulled out my rollerball pen to be told "no, dear, we have to sign these forms in blue ink. Here, use one of our pens." I almost died on the spot. I did it - that's how much I wanted the house. But I glared at my mother, who knew about the blue pen issue and didn't warn me.

Apparently, pen obsession is genetic. It runs in my family, down the side of the women (I'm so sorry, wee one. Pick your poison now, and mommy will stock up for kindergarten). If you open the drawers on my mothers desk, you will find so many pens that she has rubber banded large groups of them to hide in the bottom drawer.

A cousin was helping Mom get organized, and commented on finding pens everywhere in the house. Then admitted that she's a pen addict. She even steals them.

We will discuss Post-It Notes at another time. That addiction is apparently genetic as well.

This is a rollerball pen that FEELS like a retractable ballpoint pen. It's a Pilot Precise, which is one of my fave pens in the whole wide world. It is very lightweight (in fact, I'm not sure I really like that part of it, it doesn't have the rollerball "feel" to it). But yo, no more leaking ink. And my OCD self can go back to click click click click clicking. Awesome stuff!

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

I Won!

I checked my Google mail yesterday. It's a fairly new email, basically started to start this blog with a version of the "Mommy V" that I've been using. So I don't check it every day. But I entered a CONTEST, yo. No email about winning. Bummer, I was really wanting to try the THIRSTIES prewash and superwash, and would really have liked to win.

Tonight I'm sitting waiting for laundry. I'm terribly exhausted and will be going to bed very shortly, probably by 8:30 if all goes well in my little world for the next 20 minutes. I checked Facebook, and then decided to check that Gmail again.

Where I find this ....

Hi V~

I am emailing to let you know the original winner of the THiRSTiES pre and super wash did not respond to my email within the 24 hour period. We did a re-draw and my son pulled your comment number 82!

Please reply with your mailing information. I will forward it to the THiRSTiES Company and they will mail you the Pre-wash and Super-wash directly.

Thanks for entering!
Jamie
of http://mylilcupcakes.blogspot.com


HOW AWESOME IS THAT? I WON!!

So now I totally have to follow her blog because we're like kin or something, right?

I sent her a big thank you email. I am really glad for this, because wee one has more butt cream slathered on her little ... well, you know ... because she is rashy. I think blaming her "big poo"s is getting old, but I have no energy left to try to identify whats causing it. The pockets don't seem to be hurting, the prefolds seem to be the issue. I don't want to not use my (expensive) GMD reds... Again, no energy to try to figure it out.

But now I can wash everything in the Thirsties and see if that makes a difference. Yay!

Monday, March 1, 2010

This looks interesting

A few weeks ago, our Natural Sciences and Mathematics Division had a Seminar Day.

When I was in grad school, we had to go to seminars at least once a week. Some person doing research would come to our department and talk about their research and we would listen politely. I would wrack my brain for an intelligent question, because usually the grad students would have an hour to spend with the person, and it was really freaking boring if noone had anything to ask. You also got a mean look from one of the profs if you had nothing interesting to say.

During one such seminar, I realized that I liked being in an educational environment where people talked about the things they found interesting and other people asked questions about the parts they found interesting. I decided that I would like to stay in such an interesting educational environment. But not do research.

Eventually I found teaching. And I'm actually quite good at it. Nominated for awards, yo. That's pretty cool.

But being in the community college environment doesn't lend itself to seminars, or listening to people talk about their research. You have to go to conferences for that now. And that involves requesting travel. And there is nothing worse than having to justify travel to try to get reimbursed from the state of Where I Teach. Ugh. Torture. Usually I just pay for most of it myself.

So I actually really enjoyed the seminar day we had a few weeks ago. It was interesting hearing a geologist talk about things he is interested in. And to think about the environmental impacts of what he was discussing from a biologists perspective. It was just interesting. And I thought "I need to do this more often."

There is a large 4-year university nearby. I'm sure I can find people there wanting to talk about their research. But I thought I'd start paying attention in case other divisions started advertising seminars close to home.

You see, now that I understand things better ("things" being such a specific term, you know) I can even see interdisciplinary connections to alot of the ideas that I hear people discussing. So maybe even non-science seminars would be interesting.

In my email this morning, the Social Scientists are having a seminar, and a woman named Drucilla Barker is giving a talk entitled Caregivers and Other Dangerous Strangers: Rethinking the Paradox of Caring Labor.

(A principle of education is that you can understand an argument at a higher level than you can make an argument. So you can read something and understand it and then not be able to discuss it in any intelligible way. I'm about the prove that.)

So, I've read some things that some feminists write about economic equality. About how the jobs that women get don't pay the same as what the jobs for men pay. And how a single mother is more economically disadvantaged than a single father simply because she is female. I've both read about and experienced how short-changed educators are in our society in the paycheck department, and I'm actually one of the lucky ones because I'm on the higher education side of that issue. If I were a high school teacher I'd be in real trouble. An early childhood educator?

So I'm not sure what the paradox of caring labor is. I'm not even sure that what I think "caring labor" is is in fact what it really means. But her background is intriguing. She is tenured in anthropology, writes about feminist economics, and is head of a women's studies program.

Bet its going to make me think. I'll let you know how it is.

This Scares Me

Aaaaaaannnnnnnddddddd if you ever wondered why Wee One remains nameless here in Blogville, this is why ...

http://www.absolutelybananas.com/2007/04/blogging-about-your-kids-balancing-safety-with-the-need-to-keep-it-real.html

And the flip side of anonymity

http://moodswingingmommy.typepad.com/am_i_going_mad_or_am_i_ju/2007/06/on_anonymity.html

As mommies, we fight the darkness. We fight fear and anger and depression. Some of us fight all of them at the same time. Some of us fight them every single day. What helps us fight is reading what other mommies write. About their struggles and their victories. About the mundane and trivial, since that is what all our lives have become.

I started reading mommy blogs a few weeks after getting my head (sortof) around the idea that I was joining the ranks. And what I read moved me to tears and made me laugh so hard I peed. But it comforted my scared, worried, wondering heart. Some of those mommies I still read to this very day. Some of those mommies still comfort my scared, worried, wondering heart.

Would I have been so comforted if those mommies couldn't be real, honest, open?

It is frightening to think about this world in which we live. I lock the doors at night and post pictures of her on the internet - and its likely I should do the reverse.

I'm still getting my head around deciding to start a blog. Noone reads it just yet (Mom got bored and left). I'm hoping one day someone is moved to tears, or laughs until they pee a little. I hope it helps someone feel good about being a mother, like all the other mommies I read.

Dr. Seuss for Nursing Moms

Oh, I just thought this was adorable. I found it here. I'm assuming she is the author, but I didn't ask and she didn't specify.

Dr. Seuss for Nursing Moms

Would you nurse her in the park?
Would you nurse him in the dark?
Would you nurse him with a Boppy?
And when your boobs are feeling floppy?

I would nurse him in the park,
I would nurse her in the dark.
I’d nurse with or without a Boppy.
Floppy boobs will never stop me.

Can you nurse with your seat belt on?
Can you nurse from dusk till dawn?
Though she may pinch me, bite me, pull,
I will nurse her `till she’s full!

Can you nurse and make some soup?
Can you nurse and feed the group?
It makes her healthy strong and smart,
Mommy’s milk is the best start!

Would you nurse him at the game?
Would you nurse her in the rain?
In front of those who dare complain?
I would nurse him at the game.
I would nurse her in the rain.

As for those who protest lactation,
I have the perfect explanation.
Mommy’s milk is tailor made
It’s the perfect food, you need no aid.

Some may scoff and some may wriggle,
Avert their eyes or even giggle.
To those who can be cruel and rude,
Remind them breast’s the perfect food!

I would never scoff or giggle,
Roll my eyes or even wiggle!
I would not be so crass or crude,
I KNOW that this milk’s the perfect food!

We make the amount we need
The perfect temp for every feed.
There’s no compare to milk from breast-
The perfect food, above the rest.

Those sweet nursing smiles are oh so sweet,
Mommy’s milk is such a treat.
Human milk just can’t be beat.
I will nurse, in any case,
On the street or in your face.

I will not let my baby cry,
I’ll meet her needs, I’ll always try.
It’s not about what’s good for you,
It’s best for babies, through and through.

I will nurse her in my home,
I will nurse her when I roam.
Leave me be lads and ma’am.
I will nurse her, Mom I am.