My Experiences with Cloth Diapering

So I cloth diaper my four month old. Cloth diapering is pretty normal now to many I think, but in the rural area where I live, I might as well tell people that I wrap my daughter's hindparts in leaves and mud cakes. When I tell lots of people, they immediately ask "why." To my family, it is mostly a question of cost. My husband, who is incredibly frugal, likes cloth diapering A LOT. The day after my daughter was born, Matt walked into my hospital room with this huge smile on his face. When I asked him what was up, he said "You know, I think I'm going to really like this cloth diapering thing." It soon came out that on the way home the night before (it was an hour drive home from the hospital--told you we lived in the boonies!) he had figured out the price of disposables for two and a half years versus the price of cloth diapers and he was very pleased!

For me personally though, it is a question of comfort. I know that I would not want to wear paper underwear around for two years, so I wouldn't think that Alice would either. The cloth diapers we have are super plush and super comfy looking. To me, they just look better for a baby. Plus, I think they are super cute and fun--and to me, aesthetics means a lot!

I used disposables for both of my older children. When Gabby was born 10 years ago, I was very young, and although I wanted to cloth diaper (my mom had used cloth with me, and I had heard her tell people about it over the years), I didn't have the knowledge or time to track down something that was not readily available in my rural area. When Sam was born, I was in college, and I just didn't think--went right with the disposables. The only issues I had with disposables were the comfort issues and then the fact that I didn't like the way that they smelled--even unused. Something about it was just artificial and weird. But because I didn't think about it that much, I didn't think there was any worthy alternative.

I have been so pleased, though, with the choices you get with cloth diapering. When Alice was a newborn, we used fitteds (Kissaluvs) with covers (mostly Thirsties with a couple of Bummis thrown in), mostly all borrowed from a super awesome friend of mine. Then, as she changed sizes, we moved to prefolds and covers. I will just be honest--I am not the best prefold diaper-er in the world. But my husband...holy crap. My boy could go pro. I have no idea why or how, but I'm pretty sure he could slap a prefold on a writhering elephant. He's that good. Anyway, we rode that wave until Alice grew a bit more until we thought one-size diapers would flatter her and do its job.

And that's where we are now. Our "stash" is almost exclusively BumGenius One Size 3.0 Pockets. Why? Because they are the diapers the fit Alice the best. I tested Happy Heiny's and one FuzziBunz One Size (although I recently ordered a few sized medium Fuzzi Bunz to try), but the BumGenius are the easiest ones for everyone in the family to do (I have to consider my mother in law's input since she watches Alice while I work), and they work the best on Alice's frame. The just look comfy on her when she is wearing them.

We also have two Goodmama fitteds that I purchased off of Spots Corner. I bought then gently used because I couldn't bring myself to spend $30 on something that my baby will poop in. I like them, but (for us) I don't think they are worth that kind of money. For one thing, the fit is not as good on the BG's. Something about the way they fit around her legs doesn't look as fitted as the others. I'm hoping she will grow into them more. However, the prints are AMAZING. The two we have are kind of psychadelic, Pucci kind of prints. Just seeing them in the laundry makes me smile.

So far, Al has worn them under a wool soaker that her aunt crocheted for her. The soaker itself is adorable--gold with a magenta ribbon at the waist and a ruffle on the butt--and I love that it was homemade just for her. We have worn this specifically at nighttime. We have only done it a couple of times, but I'm not sure how much I like it. For one thing, I don't like waking up to the smell of wet wool. This is especially an issue when Alice is not such a heavy wetter, and is usually just fine in a Bum Genius pocket with the doubler for nighttime. So I don't have to wake up to wet wool... For the other thing, I haven't tried to fit anything over her fluffy woolly butt, so I worry about her being cold, even though she is covered in blankets. I like her to wear a blanket sleeper (she is wearing a fleece one as she sleeps beside of me right now), and I'm pretty sure that I couldn't get that over the wool. Those are my only issues, but since we are happy with other avenues, I might not do a whole lot more with wool right now. I know, though, that as she grows and changes, we will look into it again.

The final experience with cloth diapering I have had is just how addictive it is! You have no idea at how many websites I have looked at, and how many diapers I have read about. My husband thinks I am insane. But I think it is worth it...even if diapers are my new crack!

SNOW DAY!

We are out of school today for snow, which is AWESOME. Yes, I know we will have to make it up in summer time and I will bitch and moan about it at that time. But there is something magical about a snow day, no matter how old you are. Seriously. The public schools of the US should make a major ad campaign about this--people would sign up to be teachers in no time! I seriously got up this morning (at 9:15!!!) and thought about putting off law school indefinitely and keep working for the public school system just based on the totally delicious feeling of sleeping late and waking up to puffy white awesomeness.

Anyway, I desperately need to catch up on blogging, because really, I want to be a better blogger. But lately, mostly with the holidays and all, I just haven't been able to do that the way I would like. So let's hope that in 2010, I do better. We'll see. I'm not promising a lot, I guess, because I know my own limitations with work and the kids and being a viable member of the family. But I will try.

At any rate, my kids remain awesome in all ways. My son is currently standing beside me in his swimming trunks, which totally makes sense if you know my son. My oldest daughter is taking pictures of herself and the baby with her new DSi. And I am sitting here in the midst of it all, loving the noise and the happiness that radiate off of these little beings.

I took Sam to the doctor a few days ago, which was a hilarious experience. It was just a check-up (I am trying to be a good mom and scheduling everyone's medical/dental appointments at the beginning of the year so they are over and done with and so I can remember when to schedule them for next year). Sam, who has never met a stranger, sat down and immediately told the doctor, "We have problems in our house." I was sitting there, holding Alice, and my jaw dropped. I had images of Child and Family Services showing up at my house with crowbars and tasers. The doctor asked him what kind of problems he was referring to, and he goes, "My sister and I went on the recalled toy website, and we have THREE TOYS that were recalled!!" The doctor laughed, and I laughed (a little uneasily) and decided to breathe again. The check-up went along as planned. Then the doctor said she needed to check Sam's genitals. I helped him to pull his pants down, and the doctor talked to him about good touch/bad touch. He asked why she was touching him. She smiled and said that she needed to make sure that he was growing ok. Sam gets all serious and says (in a loud voice, mind you), "That thing on the top...it grows a lot!!! Really fast sometimes! I think it is going to grow and grow and touch the ceiling!" The doctor and I both had to put our heads down and silently laugh. I am going to remind Sam of this around the first time that he brings a girl from college.

Ok, now Gabby just took a picture of Alice and put a mustache and fuzzy black eyebrows on her. She looks amazingly like Mario.

It is days like this that I really should do more. We were out of school yesterday as well, and I got all my laundry done and cleaned out Sam's drawers and went through our unmatched socks to weed out potential matches and turning the rest into rags (dusting with socks is kinda the bomb diggity and I dare you to find those exact words elsewhere on the internet). But then part of me tells me that I should have more days like this, where my major accomplishments including watching Celebrity Rehab, loading the dishwasher, showering, and testing the merits of Herbal Essences new Tousle Me Softly mousse. I am usually such a Type A kinda girl--always running, always going, always holding myself to a super high standard that I'm not sure I ever really attain--that days like these feel super indulgent and wonderful. Could I do it tomorrow? Definitely not. I would go crazy. But right now I feel centered and happy and awesome.

My birthday is less than two weeks away. I will be 27. I think of all that I have done thus far--the three kids, the moves across the country, college, all the stuff that has been strange and hard and wonderful. I want it to continue--my husband has talked about slowing down as we approach 30, but I don't think I want to. I want this--I can't wait to get back to law school, I want all the challenges that that brings. As I approach my birthday, I feel better about myself than ever before. Part of that is the physical stuff, but most of that is having my kids and my family and feeling complete.

And on that note, Alice decides that she has had ENOUGH. I am off to give her a nap, and maybe take one myself!!!

Morgan is a size 8.

That is all I have to say. It is kinda the best thing ever.

Sitting in a bag beside of me is a pair of size 8 pants. 3 mothereffing pairs of them in fact.

I have not been a size 8...well, ever. I wore a 6 before my first daughter was born and a 10/12 after. I have been up to a size 16 (and a tight size 16 at that). I have spent most of my time as an adult as a 14.

I just cancelled every email sale alert I receive from a plus sized clothier. I am going to all my online shopping carts in a bit and deleting all the size 10's and replacing them with 8's.

And I am never going back. That is basically why I am writing this. The way I feel right now...I wouldn't trade it for anything on this planet. I am so proud of myself. I feel like ME. I don't feel like Mommy Morgan or Stressed Out Morgan. I feel like MORGAN, GROWN ASS WOMAN and OFFICIAL HOT MAMA. I feel strong. I feel comfortable in my own skin. I feel like I could go in anywhere right now at this moment and not be uncomfortable (well, I'd change out of my jammies first).

Fuck yeah!