Let's talk diapers..

    

   I can't stop raving about the bumGenius 4.0 snap diapers. I've been using them for about a month now, and just LOVE them. I posted about them after I only had them a few days, and I still feel the same about them. In fact, I love them more. Let me break it down..

Closures
    The diapers I ordered have snaps. You can decide between snaps or hooks&loops. I only know about the snaps, but I love them. The diapers are one size and will very much fit a newborn - toddler. The snaps adjust down and across, so that as your baby grows, your diaper grows too. The snaps are secure on the diaper and have not budged since I've been washing them everyday. I read that the hooks&loops are easier for a squirmy baby, but Connor is very, very squirmy and the snaps are so easy. Way easier than disposables. That was quite the challenge.
Colors
     There are plenty of colors to choose from, and they are adorable. The good thing about the bumGenius diapers is that you don't have to buy diaper covers. You can if you want to, but you don't need to. Connor has dark blue, baby blue, dark green, lime green, yellow, orange, white, beige, etc. The pictures online are pretty exact to what you see when you open your diapers. I was really impressed. I've also noticed that the colors have not faded at all after washing them A LOT. 

Fit
    Connor is a big 4 month old. He is 25 inches long and weights about 17 lbs. So, he's my chunky monkey, and these diapers fit perfectly on his little behind. My friend, Kelly, has a 2 month old who is 25 inches long and is 12 lbs, and these diapers also fit him perfectly. So, these diapers fit all different sized babies. The diaper is also elastic so that as your baby grows, the diaper stretches! 

The inner layer
     The microfiber inserts are incredibly soft and absorbent. It's amazing to me how much these pieces of fabric can absorb. Each diaper comes with 2 inserts (one big insert and one newborn sized insert). During the day, I use the big insert. At night I use the big insert and the newborn sized insert in one diaper (I also make the diaper a little bit bigger so that it isn't squeezing Connor). The inserts dry quickly too, and I haven't had a single stain on any of my inserts!
Durability
      The bumGenius diapers are very durable. I have 12 with the intention of getting about 6 more to add to my stash. I haven't seen a flaw in any of my 12 diapers since I've had them. Like I said, I wash them everyday and they are all very much intact. With 18, I think I can wash every other day and help them last longer, but I foresee these diapers definitely lasting me through Connor's diaper days and possibly even the next baby. They recommend 24 or more diapers, but the bumGenius 4.0 (especially with snaps) are very well designed. I don't see the need in 24 after the Newborn stage.
Leakage
    When I used disposables, we had a lot of trouble with leaks. I know the diapers were on securely, but Connor is a heavy wetter and he would pee through disposables. I've had my bumGenius diapers for a month and I have not a single leak!!! Even at nights. I double stuff his diapers, but I don't change it until morning, so he can go as long as 10 hours without a diaper change with no leaks! I have seen his inserts completely soaked with pee, but no leaks! 
Washing  
    When I first started using the diapers, I was just using Dreft baby detergent to wash them. It did fine, but I did my research, and I decided to switch to the ALL Small & mighty free and clear... it was great at first but caused buildup, sooo NOW I ordered the bumGenius detergent. $11.95, no tax, & free shipping on cottonbabies.com. 66 loads too! I advise to just buy the correct detergent. Saves you a lot of time & money! Besides, what is the difference if there is no tax, and shipping is free? Also, The Dreft has ingredients that can cause your diapers to break down. I would prefer my diapers to last me as long as possible. Washing is easy. I do a Cold Rinse, Hot Wash, and another Cold Rinse. I, then, hang up the diapers and throw the inserts into the dryer, and the diapers dry really quickly.
Smell 
    I haven't had any issues with smell. Dreft did make the diapers smell "sweeter." But, they have never smelled bad. Laundry build up can apparently cause the diapers to smell, that is why I do 2 rinses. Honestly, when Connor poops, I can't even smell it, (and he's on solids now)! In fact, My mother wanted to know if Connor was wet and couldn't tell with these diapers, so I stuck my finger in there... well, he had pooped. Lovely! haha 
Price

    bumGenius 4.0 are $17.95 a diaper. It seems a little expensive, but to put in perspective, I have 12 diapers equaling out to about $215. I did get mine on sale and saved money, so I spent $173 for 12 diapers. (You can usually find a sale going on). If I get 6 more, I will have spent a total of $281. Over the course of your child's diaper days, you spend at least $4,000. The average family with a baby spends about $2,000 a year in diapers. So, I'm saving at least $3,700. It seems like a lot because it is money up front, but in the long run, you are saving sooo much money. Besides, you are doing something wonderful for the environment. It's win-win.


Convenience
    Go ahead and say it, "ewww gross" you touch your baby's poop. All I have to say to that is, "Did you give birth? Because it doesn't get more ' eww gross ' than that." It is really NOT that bad. Poop rinses off the diaper very easily. These diapers do not inconvenience me at all. I am a stay at home mom, so I am the one who is usually dealing with the poop diapers, but my husband has cleaned one or two poop diapers and it does not bother him. I did order flushable diaper liners. They are so wonderful! The liners make going out in public so easy. You place them in your diaper and it catches the poop. So, when you are out in public, cleanup is not a hassle at all.. and they flush! Talk about easy. I do recommend the flushable liners for "outings." It was $12 for 200, and I only use them when I go out. I fully expect them to last me at least 6 months.

Rash
    Connor has sensitive skin, and he hasn't had a rash at all with these diapers. At all. I do lather up the buttpaste if he poops, before bed, and when I put a liner in his diaper, but the pee doesn't touch his skin. It's pretty great. He's happy, I'm happy, my husband's happy :) It's a beautiful thing.


Okay, so there you go. I hope this helps mommas who want to try the diapers and possibly convinces mommas who think we're just nuts!!

Connor's 4 month checkup :)

  Today was Connor's 4 month check up! He weighs 16 lbs 9 oz, and he is 25 in. long! He is 50th percentile for height, 70th percentile for weight, and 95th percentile for his head! haha my big headed baby. Thank goodness for a c-section right? Jussst kidding. Well, his doctor was very impressed with his development and health. I didn't really have any concerns, but I went in with a few questions. She said his canine teeth coming in first is actually normal, so she gave me a few pointers on how to deal with his pain :( I hate it when they really hurt him. I asked her about his wheezing. When Connor gets excited or moves around a whole lot, he will wheeze a bit, but it goes away. And I have noticed that as he gets bigger, it is starting to go away. Adam and I were just concerned it could be asthma. We both have family with asthma, but his doctor didn't seem concerned. I'm gonna keep an eye on him, but I wasn't too concerned. (Adam didn't want him to have asthma so he can join the Marine Corps, lol). We are keeping him on the Zantac for his reflux for now. I will probably start weaning him from it in a few months, but I'm not comfortable taking him off of it yet. We are officially doing Rice Cereal 2-3 times a day! Connor is doing so good with it on a spoon now! He loves it,and I think later this week we will try Oatmeal :) His doctor told me I can go ahead and start him on solids. As in vegetables and fruits. Adam and I talked about it, and we are going to wait at least another month. We aren't comfortable starting him on baby food yet. He is developing ahead of a typical 4 month old, but regardless, he was still 5 weeks early, and he has had tummy problems. I just don't know if his little digestive system could really handle the food yet. Even with the rice, I slowly introduced it into his diet to see how he would do, and he's fine. One of the most important things I have learned in mommy-hood is that you have to do what YOU feel comfortable with. Even though Connor's doctor told us to start him on baby food, I'm just not comfortable with it yet. Yesterday I did give him water in a sippy cup and he loved it! I have a picture I will have to post. Also, at his 6 month appointment, we are going to talk about giving Connor his flu shot. I'm not sure what I want to do. My sister is a pharmacist and she said it's the same strain as last year, so it shouldn't be a bad "flu year." I think that is something me and Adam are just going to really have to talk about. I'm torn with what to do. I don't want him getting sick, but I am a stay at home mom, so I don't foresee us being around too many "flu infested" people, haha. But, other than that, everything is wonderful! I gave him Acetominophen before his appointment, and it has really helped with shots! Of course we both cried, but he hasn't been as fussy today as he was last time he got shots. Thank you tylenol :) Connor is getting so big, and he loves to talk. In fact, when I lay him in his crib, Adam and I will just sit and listen to him talk to himself on the monitor, lol. It's so cute! He loves people and attention! It's so cute to watch him interact. He is trying SO hard to sit up. I don't think it will be long! Mom comes Thursday night! I am SO excited to see her! It's going to be so much fun :):) She isn't gonna know what to do with Connor! Last time she saw him he was so different. My diet is going well.. So far, I am down 10 lbs :) about 6 below my pre-pregnancy weight, and I am feeling good. My pre-pregnancy jeans fit me again. In fact, some of them are a little loose :) I have a few more lbs to go until I am at my goal weight, and I really recommend weight watchers to any momma's that are trying to lose weight after baby who can't get into a gym. Adam works so much, and I don't know anybody to watch Connor while I work out, and he's too young for the nursery. With WW, I can walk with him and just eat right. See ya next week :)

17 weeks old.

     What a stinker ;) Here is my little chunk ball at 17 weeks old.. I really can't believe he will be 4 months old on Friday. His 4 month appointment is actually next Monday instead of this Friday like I had thought. I can't wait to see how much he weighs, and how long he has gotten because I KNOW he's gotten sooo big since his 2 month appointment. It is so crazy. I switched out his carseat. I set up the convertible carseat that we got before he was born and replaced the infant carrier with it. I actually did that a couple weeks ago because he was getting really antsy in the infant carrier, and he loves the new carseat. He has a lot of room to move around and play with his toys. He is usually awake now when I'm driving around, but in the big boy seat he doesn't fuss at all. I also, finally, installed the mirror that hooks up to the headrest in the back so I can see him. It's awesome, and I definately recommend those. It really helps if they do fuss so you can see if something is wrong or if they are just whining. Like I said, he really doesn't fuss in the new carseat, but I still love the mirror. I do have to say that it CAN be a hazard if you are constantly looking in your rear view mirror at your baby! I did that at first, but quickly stopped that. lol. Connor is pretty much sleeping through the night now. He has been sleeping from 9-5 since last week and one night he even slept from 9-7.. 10 hours! I woke up freaking out! haha I'm still loving the bumGenius cloth diapers! I have 12 now, and recommend getting atleast that many. I do a load of laundry everyday regardless though, because it is really gross not to. haha... just sayin'. Connor doesn't really poop that often, so that is WONDERFUL for me. :) Cloth diapers are wonderful and really quite easy though, even when they poop. It takes a little longer to clean it up when they poop, but it's really not so hard. When I'm out in public I'm really going to make a point to find a "personal" bathroom because it is a lot easier to wash a poopy diaper off in the sink. lol. Adam has really gotten the hang of them too, and he really likes them. I've gotten some sassy comments about using cloth diapers... My favorite one was when someone made a comment of how "yuck" they are and how they would not even consider using them... unless they have changed a lot over 15 years. haha! Well, as a matter of fact, they have changed a whole heck of a lot. It's amazing what knowledge can do to a person. Get information, learn the facts, and then you can be the judge. But it is really a personal decision, and I'm happy with the decision my husband and I made for us and our baby. Anyway, Connor is still as much a Ham as he has been... or more I can say! We were at Wal-Mart yesterday and "blah blah" he was just talking to everyone! This little old couple just loved him. He is such a hoot, and I love him to pieces! He can completely hold up his head, and that makes life much easier. I can grab him out of the carseat and place him on my hip and off we go! He is constantly trying to sit up! He can sit if he's hunched over, but not straight up. You can see in one of these pictures that he is trying to sit up! I am excited for Monday when we can really start him on rice cereal and oatmeal. :) I think he will be much better with it. Adam had Connor "drink" out of his water bottle and he spit it out like "yuck, what's this plain stuff?" haha. He's getting SO big. I love all his chunk! I will update next week on his doctor's appt... Not looking forward to the shots though :(
p.s.- I've lost 3 lbs this week and 8 lbs. so far. Gettin' there!

I love my bumGenius!

 

    Okay ladies, the plan was to wait a week to post about the cloth diapers because I wanted to wait until Connor pooped in them and then if he pooped in them while I was in public... and he doesn't poop much. Well, to my surprise and my such luck, Connor pooped while I was out today! LOL Luckily, I was at a good friend's house and she uses cloth diapers too, but it was still an experience. First off, when Connor pees in his bumGenius, the pee doesn't get on his skin! The cloth insert absorbs it all. It is great. I was nervous about that, but so far so good.  I change his diaper about every 3 hours when he just pees since he isn't "newborn" anymore, and that seems to be fine. I change him first and then I rinse out the insert and ring it out really well. I don't usually rinse the actual diaper since it doesn't get wet! Then I just put it in the diaper pail. Arm&Hammer makes little discs that you can put in the nursery, diaper bags, or diaper pail, and they work wonders. Just a FYI. Pee diapers are really simple. As for the poop diapers. Not quite as much fun, lol, but it wasn't as bad as I imagined it would be. I changed Connor first and then pulled out the insert and rinsed that off. Then rinse off the actual diaper because, unfortunately, the insert doesn't absorb the poop, lol. You can rinse off the poop diapers in the tub. That is where I will do it at home. Connor's poops aren't solid, so it's easy to just rinse it off. When your baby's poop becomes more solid I imagine you can dump most of it in the toilet and rinse off the rest. When in public, it would be best to find a personal bathroom with a sink to rinse it off there. Yeah, it's gross, but it really isn't as bad as you think. You can also try to use a water bottle, and when all else fails you can just dunk it in the toilet. You're going to wash it anyway. A waterproof bag is a must, and that is on my list to buy! Another great item is the bumGenius Odor Remover spray. You can get it online and it's only like $5. Worth every penny for when you need to spray it in public or even at home if it is really stinky. I plan on putting an Arm&Hammer disc in the waterproof bag too. At night, I double up the inserts and make the diaper size a little bigger since Connor is sleeping 6-8 hours at a time now. When you go to wash your diapers, it is pretty simple. I do a COLD rinse, HOT wash, COLD rinse. In that order. I read that detergent build up can cause the diapers to start smelling, so the rinses are necessary. Plus, detergent build up can cause the diapers to leak too! So, only use about HALF the detergent you would use on a SMALL load of baby laundry. I have been using Dreft, but I know ALL free and clear is good too. Basically any detergent that is safe for baby and is dye free, perfume free, etc. I hang dry the diapers and tumble dry the inserts. The diapers dry faster if you lay them out in the sun. AND if your diapers have stains on them then I read the sun will remove the stains. But, honestly, the diapers don't seem to stain with the poop. (Even breastmilk poop that seems to stain everything!) For diaper rashes, they say to use a "barrier" between the rash cream and the diaper... but I don't. They are diapers and if you see a little stain from rash cream, then whatever... it's on his booty! haha Right now I have 6 diapers, but 6 more have been shipped out to me (thanks to my amazing mother)! 12 diapers will allow me to only wash once a day instead of twice a day, and that is perfect :) So, the verdict is that I LOVE bumGenius. They are easy, and not that inconvenient, even in public. I definately recommend them to all of you mommys to try. Connor seems to love them too. They seem really comfortable, and he doesn't have any sort of rash at all. Good Luck :)

16 weeks!

    16 weeks old! Last night I captured Connor rolling over SEVERAL times. He has rolled over before but he hasn't done it alot since he HATES tummy time. But I laid him on his belly, let the dogs outside, turned around and he was on his back! So I pulled out the video camera since I hadn't gotten it on camera yet, and got it on camera a couple of times. Adam and I also put the wheels on his walker and set him in the kitchen on the tile, and he was walking backwards! I know it isn't "good for them" but I don't leave him in it long. The kid likes to stand, so what am I to do ;) He is still weird with the bottle at times. He likes for me to stand or rock him while he's eating it? It's weird. We've given him rice a couple more times since he doesn't always want a bottle,and he's doing really well with it. We haven't made a habit of it yet though. I'm waiting until we go to the doctor for his 4 month checkup next week. Connor is in all 6 months clothing. Since day 1 of 3 months, he has gone from 0-3 months to 3-6 months to 6 months! He can't fit into 0-3 months and he wears 3-6 only in jeans/pants. I am pretty sure he is over 14 lbs, but we'll update that next week after his appointment. He continues to talk and babble. Sleeping is going well. He naps for about 3 straight hours in the afternoon and then goes to bed around 9/10. He wakes up once around 3:30/4:30 and goes straight back to sleep until 7:30 and this morning he even slept until 8! Today when I went to pick up his medicine at the pharmacy, these little ladies were amazed at how alert and communicative  he is. He is very aware of his name and  he has the sweetest little personality. His teeth are still hurting him, but the left canine is really coming in. At night he likes to cuddle to fall asleep, and I don't have a problem with it at all :) He is such a cuddly baby. As for me, I've lost another pound, so I'm down 5 lbs in 2 weeks. Last week wasn't extremely successful, but it is what it is :) I'm still doing it by the book and it's working.

Oh, and look what came in the mail today!! I ordered 6, but I will be ordering 6 more soon! I just wanted to try them first and make sure they are all they seem to be!

More and more people seem to be cloth diapering, and when I was pregnant, it never really crossed my mind. It is a wonderful thing for the environment. Did you know that one baby from ages 0-2 makes about 1 ton of waste with diapers in landfills. AND the average family with one baby spends about $2,000 a year in diapers. Sign me up! I will update next week on how it's going :)

All gave some... Some gave all.

   I'm sure most of you have read about the 31 US soldiers killed in Afghanistan on August 6th. Well I found an article from a friend and I'm going to post it.

Son of Fallen Chopper Pilot: 'Don't Forget My Dad'

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A week ago, 10-year-old Braydon Nichols started to think about his dad and how much he missed him. Army Chief Warrant Officer Bryan Nichols, a helicopter pilot, had been deployed for two months in Afghanistan.

The little boy, in the car with his mother running errands, brushed back his dirty-blond hair and ran his hand over his cheek.

Jessica Nichols looked over when she heard sniffles. Her son was crying.

"When is Dad coming back so we go camping?" he asked her.

Soon, she assured him. "Your dad is off fighting for this country."

The boy replied, "As soon as he gets home, we're going to go on a camping trip, just me and him."

Jessica Nichols cannot stop replaying that scene in her mind. That's because only a few days later, on Saturday night, she was cradling her boy who was crying once again. Except this time she could not tell him that his father was coming home. She had just received a call informing her that Bryan Nichols was one of the 30 Americans who died that afternoon when their Chinook helicopter was shot down in Wardak province in east-central Afghanistan.

"It was just so devastating that a week ago or so Braydon had that worried look on his face, thinking about his dad," she said.

"Braydon and Bryan were so connected. Braydon was like a little version of his dad."

Bryan Nichols and Jessica Nichols met in sixth grade. Bryan was a born military buff. His father was a soldier and served in Vietnam. Bryan enlisted in the military before high school graduation. A few years later, he and Jessica married and had Braydon. Bryan worked his way up through the military ranks.

"He always wanted to be in the Army," she said. "He came across the Chinook and was so fascinated. His father flew Chinooks."

Bryan Nichols did three deployments during their marriage. It proved to be too much for their relationship, she said. They divorced when Braydon was 3, but remained close to raise Braydon.

Bryan remarried, and his new wife and Jessica all got along. They all loved and cared for Braydon, she said.

It was Bryan's wife, Mary, who contacted Jessica Saturday night to say that Bryan had died. "She was screaming," Jessica said. "She was screaming that Bryan was dead."

Jessica couldn't believe what she was hearing. She hung up. Her heart was beating hard. Braydon was in his room, still awake and playing.

Jessica walked toward the room, and stood by his door for a moment, overcome with grief.

"I went to my room and tried to figure out what was going on," she said.

Jessica pulled herself together as best she could and phoned her brother who lives nearby. He came to her house to support her.

Together, they called Braydon downstairs.

In his pajamas, Braydon stood in front of his mother and uncle.

"I said, 'Braydon, do you know much your dad loves you? Do you know how proud of you he is?"

Before she could say anything more, the boy wilted in her arms, sobbing

---

---

"I said, 'I'm sorry ... your ... dad died."

The mother and son held each other and cried. An hour, maybe, went by. At one point Braydon got off the couch and ambled over to a Shih Tzu puppy, Lucy, that his mother bought him when his father got deployed.

He held the dog for awhile. Then he fell asleep for a bit, and she went out to their porch.

The night gave way to day.

On Sunday morning, Jessica and Braydon Nichols watched the national news broadcast the first reports about the downing of a Chinook helicopter. They listened to reporters say that 38 U.S. and Afghan service personnel were killed, including 22 Navy SEALs. It was the single deadliest loss for American troops since the war in Afghanistan began in late 2001.

"Braydon asked me why they weren't showing his dad's picture like they were showing some of the other guys," Jessica Nichols told CNN.com. "I told him it was because people had gone online and were posting photos." That gave the boy an idea. The two went to the family computer. She pulled up CNN.com.

Braydon started saying, "iReport! iReport!"

Like his father, Braydon is an information sponge. He's always on the hunt for facts, his loves the computer, and he likes watching the news, his mother said. Braydon knew that he could post something about his dad on CNN.com's iReport.

So Jessica Nichols went to the iReport home page. Her son told her what to write.

"My father was one of the 30 US Soldiers killed in Afghanistan yesterday with the Seals rescue mission," she typed. "My father was the pilot of the chinook. I have seen other pictures of victims from this deadly mission and wish you would include a picture of my father. He is the farthest to the left."

He told her to sign his name.

Within hours, the iReport had become viral. Local news outlets across the country reported on it. More than 10,000 people on Facebook re-posted it. Twitter was abuzz about it. Many people left comments, expressing their sorrow for Braydon and telling him to be strong and that his father is a hero.

CNN.com began trying to get in touch with the person who posted the iReport to verify it, first reaching the boy's aunt. Sue Keller of Palco, Kansas, told CNN late Monday night that the boy wanted the country to remember his father not just as a soldier but as a dad.

On Monday night, Braydon's mother told him that a lot of people were talking about his iReport.

"He didn't say anything," she said. "He's been reading it over and over. He doesn't understand the people can post comments so I'm telling him that people are trying to talk to him. He just looks at the comments and then he walks away. "He says, 'Mom, can we go watch a movie?'"

Late Monday night, Jessica Nichols said she couldn't find her son for a moment. He had disappeared in the house. She was yelling for him.

She found him in a closet, curled up on the floor, crying, going through a box of photo albums.

The boy said he wanted to take one of the photos and put it in his wallet.

He asked her, "'Can we go to be with Dad?'"

She replied that they would go to his father's funeral and they would be there for anything and everything the boy wanted.

"He said, 'Yeah, I'd like to go be with him when he comes home, and I said, 'OK, we will be.'"


      I don't know if it is because Adam and I now have Connor or just because it's so easy to forget how lucky we are to have men and women willing to die for our country, but this article hit me hard today. I read it and sobbed. A "friend", who is no longer a friend of mine, shared his opinion of the military on his facebook, stating that it was a glorifed form of welfare, and he was degrading the military in other words also. I stated my peace and then deleted him, but I'm so angry. How can you say something like that when there are men and women dying for you everyday. Whether or not you agree with the war, these service men and women are doing their jobs, and they are doing them without complaint that they may not come home to their families... their little children. I can't describe the feeling you have when your loved one walks away from you and you don't know how long they will actually be gone, when the next you will be able to talk to them will be, and if they are even going to come home. I have only done one deployment and Adam didn't even deploy to a combat zone, but we weren't sure if he was going to or not when he left. It's scary. I have MANY friends who have sent their husbands off to war with their children standing by. It surely tugs at your heart strings. All I can say is, Don't forget that your freedom comes at a price. You never know whose heart is breaking because they miss their husband, wife, son, daughter, father, or mother. And don't forget that men and women are ready and willing to lay their life on the line so that you can live yours freely. Thank you to all our service men and women and their families. Thank you to my husband, Adam. I love you and all you do for your family and your country.