Slacking - Again!

I can't believe it has taken me this long to blog - AGAIN! I have had posts in my head, but I havne't sat down at the computer to type them for one reason or another.

Summer is in swing around here. We bought a plastic baby pool last week, and the kids like it. AJU6 is actually more of a fan of getting in than AJU5 it seems, but I guess part of it might be he doesn't care if his clothes get wet. AJU5 on the other hand requires her swimsuit to get in, and the thought of changing out of her dress isn't always desirable. I also signed "us" up for two sessions of swim lessons this summer. AJU5 will be in a preschool class, and AJU6 will be with me in a parent/tot class. I used to teach swim lessons, and I hated the parent/tot classes! But, I know he won't be happy watching her and taking them to the pool alone is a pain, so I decided to let him have some fun too (my husband isn't a big pool fan...).

We also planted a garden, as our backyard transformation is almost done. We have sunflowers, corn, beans, radishes, tomatoes, pumpkin, watermelon, strawberries, lettuce, peas, and bell peppers (I think). Most we started as seeds, and we are getting seedlings already so we are happy. Hopefully we will produce something this year!

Oh, and now I have been labeled a "cloth diaper expert." I am a page administrator for two Facebook pages about cloth diapers now. I get a little money to feed my addiction there, and it is easy work. I just have to answer questions as they are asked (and check in at least twice a day for said questions). The funny thing is 14 months ago I had very little clue about cloth diapers. I knew there were cute/colorful covers and you put things in them. Now I know most/all of the lingo and have tried out a good number of them (and want to try more but am not willing to spend the money YET).

Well, I think that is it. How is your summer going?

Searching for an Answer

AJU6 has had some not-so=pretty diapers lately. And now, I am searching for an answer! Is it the yogurt I started feeding him? Is it the cheese he has started eating (and loving)? Is it because he is nursing more lately?

Ugh! It isn't fun. And using cloth diapers is a mixed blessing in this case. I may have not noticed the change in the diapers as much if we were using disposables. It isn't diarrhea, but instead just more like infant poo. With the cloth diapers, I am having to rinse them off instead of just "dropping" the dirty into the toilet like I had been able to. And of course rinsing isn't that much fun.

So, now i have limited AJU6's diet a lot. He is going to eat cheerios, organic animal crackers, banana, and possibly some peas and corn until he is 'back to normal" (with the standard nursing on demand). Hopefully he will be "back to normal" soon. Hopefully it is just too much diary or teething that is causing him to be a little grumpier than normal...

Puddles, and More Puddles

Yesterday AJU5 decided she wanted to wear undies like Mommy. I took this as a sign she was ready to try potty training again, especially since she fought putting on a diaper for a good 30 minutes. So, she got undies for about 2 hours yesterday before we had to leave to go somewhere. And, there were accidents of course. Luckily AJU1 "caught" the big accident and cleaned it up.

This morning she wanted undies again (she actually had to be forced into a diaper to leave yesterday and at bedtime). So, I went with it. After four puddles and no success (and one heavily used diaper at nap time), I was about to give up. I posted on Facebook asking for ideas. AJU5 knew when she had to go. She would just dribble a tiny bit on her undies and let me know. We would sit on the potty, and nothing would happen. Repeat one more time, and then there would be ahuge puddle about 15 minutes after the second attempt. Clearly the problem was actually using the potty - not knowing that she needed to go. One friend suggested trying to have her sit on the potty while watching a show and drinking Gatorade. I gave it a try. After about an hour, she went. Then, about 45 minutes later, there was another puddle - luckily that one was outside in the grass so I didn't have to clean it up.

So, we will try again tomorrow. We will start with the potty/drink/show combo first thing in the morning. Then, we will probably try another suggestion - coloring while sitting on the potty - later. We have tried books with no results, but it might be that I am just not patient enough (20-30 minutes of reading kids books can wear me out, especially when AJU6 wants to play). Hopefully she figure it out. She really wants her trike - the current carrot for potty training.

Product Review Friday - Personal Financial Software

We started using MS Money shortly after we got married. In almost 8 years, it became very easy to use, and it was user friendly (as long as you are used to Microsoft at least). Then, about a year or so ago, they stopped selling it. My husband tried to adjust something on the version we had, it we lost the ability to download our transactions from our banking companies - about a year before this would have happened otherwise. So, we had to switch. Basically, the only option out there is Quicken, so he ordered that.

We aren't huge fans of it. It is harder to reconcile the transactions. You can't easily see the number of transactions needing to be reconciled per account. It does download the transactions "well," and it tracks our spending like we want. We don't have a set budget, so that isn't important to us. Maybe if we had a strict budget it would be a better program...

*We are fortunate at this point to have surplus each month after paying our bills, groceries, tithe, and depositing a set amount in savings. That remainder then is currently being used mostly for the backyard "remodeling" which is making our credit card bleed (well, until we pay it off each month). So, in a sense we have a budget, but because we have the surplus, we don't have to stress over it or even worry about it at all.


** I know have another blog for my cloth diapering journey. If you want the url, let me know. I am using my name there (but not the kids), so I won't link to it here.

Famous.. Sort Of...

I had a blog post "published" on a bigger site!
http://www.theclothdiaperwhisperer.com/2010/08/ready-for-anything.html
This is the site run by the owner of the cloth diaper store I have bought from (twice). Checked it out if you would like!

Product Review Friday - Cloth Diapers Part 2

So, Monday I got a package. Iw as so excited. It contained an Econobum package (three covers and twelve prefolds), a FuzziBunz one size pocket diaper, a Bummis Swimmi diaper, and a Kushies swim diaper. Since I have only used the FuzziBunz and swim diapers once, I will just review the Econobum now.

After playing with them for a day or two, I have decided to use the Econobum package for AJU5 and stick with the GroBaby covers and Gerber DSQ prefolds for AJU6. The main reason is that the Econobum works great for AJU5, where the other option led to more leaking. AJU6 has only leaked a few times, and those I think would have happened regardless of what kind of diaper he was in! Also, the Econobums are thicker, so they look big on him.

So, here is what I like about them:
Covers are big! AJU5 is only on the middle setting (she was on the last setting for GroBaby).
The covers are easy to rinse and dry if it is a very soggy diaper.
The prefolds are very soft and hold a lot.
They don't leak until the prefold is almost completely soaked. GroBaby would leak once the "target" was soaked, but these tend to allow for more distribution of liquid.

Negatives:
Covers are fairly thin. Some reviews I read/watched were worried that the covers would tear, but I don't see that happening unless you really tugged too hard.
Bulky. The softer, more absorbent prefolds are also thicker. On AJU5, this isn't a problem. She is big enough that you don't notice. But, on AJU6 they look big.
It is made by the same people that make Flip and BumGenius diapers. This company is very strict on pricing, meaning you often can't use coupons with them (like save $5 on a purchase of $40 or more). Luckily the site I bought from had a free diaper coupon that does work (which is how I got the FuzziBunz).


For $50, I think this is a great package! It works okay for smaller babies and great for toddlers.