Fatherly Advice

The best advice my father ever gave me was sometime either during the summer before I left for college or sometime during the fall that I left.  Or maybe the summer after.  During my sophomore year?

Okay, that part isn't important.  It's what he said that's important.

"My hope for you is that you find something that so captures your imagination that you want to spend the rest of your life learning about it."

This was sandwiched between him trying to talk me into going to Officers Training School in the military and telling me that if I chose to get married while in college, it better be to a rich guy because he would be responsible for paying for the rest of my education.

It's that part in quotes that has stuck with me.  It was really good advice, and I've passed it along to others.  I'm hoping to pass it along to my wee one. 

Because it really is true.

More Genius

Okay, I hope Miss Lori forgives me for this.  This violates every kind of copyright violation, I know.  I hope she doesn't stop posting our photos on FB after this.  But I just HAD to show you ...

My girl.  I simply love this arrangement of all these photos together.  Seriously, if you're planning to vacation in the Southern Indiana area this summer (because, I mean, it's the place to go, right?) then please go see her.  Tell her we sent you.  (Ignore the large photo collage of my kid in the lobby.)

Other posts about (and work by) Our Miss Lori can be found here and here.  (And here.  I can't believe I put that thing about the underwear on the internet.)  Oh, and birthday party invitations here and here.

Prefolds - Action Shots

One of the posts that brings people to my blog is my CD 101 post on prefolds.  I have always thought prefolds and covers were one of the simplest diapering options, and it is still one of my favorite parts of my stash.  If you're looking for cheap, if you're looking for easy, if you're looking for all the benefits of cloth diapering, look no further than prefolds.

But looking back on that post, while it has some great information, it still makes prefold diapers sound kindof complicated.  I wrote about different types to try to help explain options.  Likewise with folds.  I hope it doesn't discourage any mamas from trying prefolds and covers - it really is quite simple to cloth diaper with prefolds.  I probably would have never switched from prefolds as the main part of our diaper stash if it wasn't for starting daycare (where we need to use pockets).

1.  Pick a cover type and size.  If I had it to do all over again, I would go with Thirsties Duo covers in snap versions.  Two sizes cover the range from small babies to potty learning.  Those covers weren't out when I started, so I used Thirsties sized covers.  Which are still awesome, and we stopped at size Medium, but that still means we've gone through three sizes of covers (XS, S, M) and it would be four if my kid wasn't so darn petite.

2.  Pick a prefold fabric.  I prefer hemp because it's so darn absorbent.  But that also means expensive.  (Thirsties, Knickernappies, Baby Kicks, or my newest fave, Hemp Babies are my recommendations for hemp.  Panda Tushies is my recommendation for bamboo.  Little Lions or Econobum are my suggestions for cotton prefolds.)

3.  Pick the size prefolds that you need to fit in your chosen cover type and size.  (Preemie sized prefolds worked in XS covers, infant size worked well in S covers.  GMD reds work well in size Medium covers, but by then I had moved on to hemp.  Thirsties Duo Hemp Prefold in size 2 works magically in Medium covers.)

4.  Trifold the prefold.  Lay in the cover.  Fasten cover around baby.

That's it.  Prefolds boil to down to simply that.

Trifolding works awesome because it puts the most fabric in the wet zone.  I've tried - and describe in the prefolds post - a couple of other folds.  I've come around to the conclusion that trifolding is the way to go.

And now for some action shots of prefolds in covers on my kid.  Maybe she's so cute, she'll convince you.

Most recent shots of prefold in cover in the backyard swimming pool are here.
Prefold in cover on the beach can be seen here.  The green snap cover is a Flip with a prefold in it.

Others:

Econobum cover.

Purple Flip cover.  Doll stroller.

Econobum cover.  Grandpa shoes



Econobum cover.  Messy kitchen.  Melting down kid.

 As always, feel free to email or comment with questions about prefolds, cloth diapers, or anything else.

The Circle of Blankets

Gifts come in, gifts go out ...

Hopeful responded to my post by giving me both her email address and her home address, so I could stalk her send her a baby gift.  Two essentials: Aden+Anais swaddling blankets, and Babylegs (well, the Target version).  I also almost sent her a copy of Happiest Baby on the Block but I couldn't find it on the Target website.  She loved the gifts (yay!) and I know she's going to get good use of them.  I have followed her journey from Thinking to Becoming, and it's so exciting that her bedrest is almost over!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, while I have tons of useless crap in my house, I gave away almost all of the cheap receiving blankets I had when the Wee One was really wee.  The couple that I have she loves to use as blankets for her baby dolls, but they keep getting left in the car or at Nan's, or get dirty in the outside play.  I tweeted that I was kindof cursing myself for not having the foresight to keep them as doll blankets, when another mama that is part of my online circle came to my rescue.

Thank you to @StumblingGrace and Isa, the blankets are much appreciated.

Because doesn't every mother wear sunglasses and vamp for the camera when swaddling a baby?

And Hopeful, don't worry, you get the hang of swaddling pretty quick.

Thank you, God, for my Circle.

Yea, So I Totally Let My Kid Play In The Rain

But why wouldn't I, when she's so darn cute?

Well, He's Somebody's Daddy, Just Not Yours

So, Father's Day is this weekend, apparently.  Who knew.  Anyway, apparently they have been "discussing it" at daycare, because my kid has been all about "Daddy" for days.

I've tried "we don't have a daddy at our house.  We have a Mommy.  And a Nan and a Grandpa that love us very much."

I've tried the above plus "every family is different.  Some families have just a mommy like ours.  Some families have two mommies like (name-of-kid-at-daycare)."

She's been out-of-the-blue saying "Daddies".  When we sing "Wheels on The Bus" we ALWAYS have to do the Daddies Go Read-Read-Read part.  (What, don't mommies read on the bus?  WTF?)  Sometimes I just let it go, and sometimes I try to remind her of the above conversation.

This weekend, she called my father "Daddy" from another room.  We jumped on that with "Grandpa?  Do you need Grandpa?"

Today at dinner, out of the blue she said "Daddy".  I said "we don't have a daddy, honey" and she said "Two Mommies" (from the aforementioned conversation). 

At this point, I'd rather talk about "two mommies" than "daddy".

If I just didn't have so much guilt about depriving my kid of a father, these conversations probably wouldn't bother me so damn much.  I hope I'm doing it right.  Suggestions?

Backyard

One evening, while having couscous and vegetables for dinner, my kid saw two bunnies in the backyard.  She then had a fit about the two bunnies in the backyard.  So I drug out the camera, and you get inflicted with get to see the rest:







The Great American Backyard Campout is coming up.  I've been dying to take my kid camping, but I haven't camped in a couple of years.  I used to think it was challenging to camp with a dog.  I had no idea.  I think she'll like the backyard campout.  I think it will be a good test to see if my tent is still seam-sealed.  And if it goes horribly wrong, we can just come inside.  Right?

Is anyone else doing Great American Backyard Campout?