First Reactions

So we've been having fun the past few days cloth diapering. I think with all first time parents there is a learning curve, but we are slowly getting it.

Here are some thoughts. . .

1. Buying them is pretty addicting. All the cute patterns and types. So while we are in this to save cash, it's SO hard to rein myself in on buying more then what we need.

2. Hubs had some fun installing the diaper sprayer. He said the kiss of death in home projects by saying, "This will be easy, it should only take 10 minutes." Two trips to the hardware store, puddles on the bathroom floor, and new toilet parts later. . .we finally have a diaper sprayer that works.

3. Diaper sprayers are awesome!!! I did learn however that when you spray pocket diapers; make sure the open end of the pocket is at the bottom. The first one I did had icky toilet water pooling in the diaper at the bottom, it was gross. Also lift the toilet seat up when you spray. . .I don't know why I didn't think of this the first time, it's kind of common sense, but hey, I'm a girl, I don't lift the toilet seat ever (minus cleaning it).

4. Stainless trash cans with a plain pail liner is the way to go. I bought a hanging wet bag for the bathroom, but it's kind of annoying putting the dirty diapers into it. Maybe it's the type I bought (it's a Bummis zipper top bag) but it's hard to keep the bag open and get the diaper into it. After we spray the diaper I bring the bag next to the toilet so I don't drip gross water all over. . .but it's hard to keep the bag open and get the diaper in it w/out touching the outside of the bag or dripping all over. Somebody who cloth diapers leave me a comment and tell me the best way to do this. Because I haven't figured it out yet.

5. And finally. . . .They are WAY cuter then disposables. Makes me want to keep Bean naked all day. I'm glad it's summer and we can get away with that.

Don't you think?

Easy Canvas Prints

Just a quick little note!

Easy Canvas Prints is giving away a free 8x10 canvas on Kelli's blog! Her review is pretty stellar, check it out!

Taking the Plunge

Well. . . .I've been mulling over this for quite some time now, but I've decided I'm going to cloth diaper Bean. For the longest time the idea of washing poop in the same machine I wash my clothes in really grossed me out. . . .but. . .

With finances being so tight lately I've been searching for ways to reduce our monthly bills. Right now we spend around 80-100 dollars a month on diapers. That's a lot of money! Granted I can find sales/coupons, or specials on diapers.com to save money (right now I got a great temporary deal online, we are only paying 19 cents a diaper), but that requires time and effort both of which are on short supply these days.

Last weekend I borrowed a couple of different kinds to try out on Bean. There are so many different kinds it can get pretty over whelming. But I liked the pocket diapers the best.

True pocket diapers are pricey, but I think prefolds are just too much work and I wouldn't use them.

Plus there is the advantage if we do eventually have another baby, we won't have to buy diapers for that baby. Or if we don't have another baby, cloth diapers have a pretty decent resale, so we can get some money back.

So while I know how great cloth diapers are for the environment, yadda yadda yadda, this mama is doing it for her pocket book. Selfish, but true. Oh well.

5 Months

Ok, here is Bean's five month post. . . .better late then never I suppose.

Another month has come and gone. Here is a list of new things Bean is up to.

Little Bean: Five Months

Since he won't have another doctors visit I'm not quite sure about his stats. He's still wearing 6 month size clothes, although the footie pajamas are starting to get a little short. He might not be a chunker, but he's definitely tall boy. The 6-9 month pajamas fit best. I weighed myself and then weighed myself again holding him, according to our bathroom scale he's around 16lbs.

- Rolling! Every day he gets better and better, it's amazing to watch him learn how to maneuver his little body,

- Rice Cereal! We tried it again 3 weeks after the first attempt and it went great. He loves it! No yelling or crying. He's like a little bird when he eats, holding his mouth open for the spoon.

- Belly Laughing! I can get some pretty good laughs out of him now. Especially when I kiss his cheeks, chin and neck.

- Sleeping in his Crib! Ok, this one was hardest on me I think. I still don't like it, but I knew it was going to happen sooner or later. I think he was getting a little long for the bassinet anyway, now he has a nice big bed to stretch out in.

- Bad Sleeper? - Well Bean is kind of a bad sleeper. He's only waking up once at night to eat but he wakes up about 3-4 times a night when he spits out his pacifier. Once we stop swaddling I'm going to stop going back in his nursery to put it back in his mouth. . . we will see how that goes.

- Still teething/drooling but no signs of teeth

- His good nap stretch lasted only about a week. Right now he's only napping for about an hour. I suppose that's better then 30 minutes like before.

- He can finally use his jumperoo now! He won't jump yet, but he likes to sit in it and look at the flashing lights.

Stay tuned for more soon! Since this post is so late I should probably start writing his 6 month post so I can get it published on time next time! Ha.

Leap of Faith

I am so behind in blogging again it's not even funny.

I have a few posts in my draft folder that are half written (including Bean's five month post).

My camera is full of 365 photos waiting to be downloaded, edited and posted.

I've been wanting to burn some dvd's of all the videos I've been taking of Bean.

All these are projects that require me to sit down at the computer and work, but it seems whenever I actually sit down at the computer all I do is waste time surfing the internet or looking at facebook. Sigh.

We've also been dealing with a lot of "life" stuff lately too. The biggest one weighing on my mind being child care. Basically in the span of a week our whole child care situation got turned upside down, my mother told us she was only able to watch Bean one day a week, and our sitter told us starting August she won't be able to watch him at all. Oye!

This would be such a long post if I went into the details, but to make it short in order to solve the child care issue we decided that I will drop another day of work. This is very scary for me. I'm such a worrier about money and it makes me nervous leaving a good busy office. . . .what if I can't find more work later when Bean is older and in school? What if, what if, what if. . . .what if's will make you go nuts.

On a walk I was talking to my friend who recently had a baby. She's a teacher and she's leaving a very good job super close to her home to be with her daughter. I think everybody knows how the education system is. It's SO hard finding any job, let alone a teaching one. Do you know what her response was when I asked her if she was scared leaving a good job, living on one income, and finding a new job later? "I don't know. . . .I just don't worry about it, I know everything will be ok and work out."

Wow.

My new goal is going to try and have her attitude.

I'm taking my leap of faith that everything is going to be ok, job wise and financially. I'm not quite sure how it's going to work out, but that's ok. . . .phew, those last three words were hard to type. I'm not sure if I quite believe it yet. But I'm going to try!

Stinker

Oh the battles I've had with Bean over "tummy time."

Eventually I figured out ways that I could trick him into kinda sorta maybe doing it, but he still always hated it. Then FINALLY at four months old he raised his head from flat on the ground. I even got a smile out of him. I was so proud! I figured from here on out it would be easier. Each day we will do a minute or two more until he gets stronger and stronger.

Right?

Wrong. . .

It was going so well. He was getting stronger, he was lifting his head more and actually holding it up. It was going just as I pictured it. Then two weeks ago he discovered rolling. I was so proud of him, and believe it or not I actually got it on video, the FIRST roll (tummy to back).

Uh oh. . . tummy to back. Which means that Bean discovered how to get out of that uncomfortable position on his tummy. So now he's refusing to do tummy time again. Every time I put him on his stomach, no matter how much I try to keep his attention and entertain him, the little stinker rolls back onto his back.

I guess I shouldn't complain. Being a little slow on the motor/strength side of milestones means he's stationary a little longer making my life easier. But I also want him to be able to sit independently so I can get really cute pictures! It's hard getting cute shots propping him up on things, there are always shadows! :-)

We'll just keep at it, I'm sure he'll get it eventually.

I also need to write his 5 month post. . . .5 months, yikes! Look for that maybe by the end of the weekend.

Outside

The weather this year has been so crazy. Either way too hot or way too cool or way too rainy. It's a shame because Bean loves being outside. One of his favorite things to do is sit on the deck and watch the wind in the trees. It is so much fun watching somebody experience things for the first time.

Isn't the taco picture funny? I used that one for my 365. Guess all those tacos I ate while pregnant had an affect on him.