Comparison-A Diaper Review

I've been pretty stressed out this week, probably why I've managed to blog twice.  When I'm stressed blogging really helps me unwind.  It takes my mind elsewhere.  *breathe*  *ahhhh*

Ok, to me cloth diapering is hands-down one of THE best decisions we've ever made for our family.  I was planning on doing the Flats Handwashing Challenge that I did last year...until I found out that it was while #1 was out of town for a week and I had all four kids by myself plus 7 ballgames scheduled in that time.  (Thankfully 3 were rained out)  I'm not a complete idiot and quietly bowed out of the challenge.

So instead of blogging about how you CAN wash your own diapers if there was an emergency and cloth diapering CAN be done on any income level (you can technically diaper a baby from birth till potty trained on $50...click on the link above to see how) I'm going to do a quick diaper review.

 Here is most of our stash of diapers.  There are a three pockets, two All In Ones (AIO) and some miscellaneous covers missing-most are in the wash.  I'll define those things in a moment.  I'd like to say first thing that NO ONE needs 28+ diapers in order to cloth diaper.  (I also have NB diapers I'm not even going to get started on today...so I probably have more like 40 some diapers)  We have lots for two reasons.  I've cloth diapered two children at a time three times.  Also I used to blog for a cloth diaper blog that would give me free diapers as compensation.  A third and TOTALLY irrelevant reason is because I may or may not have a cloth diaper habit.  Or should I say "had" a habit.  I've bought one (cloth) diaper since May of last year.  Not bad.

So here in the picture above are 23 cloth and 23 disposable diapers.  The 23 disposable diapers came in a pack of 36 which cost $10.  Those diapers cost about 28 cents each.    You can get cheaper disposables (these are Luvs) and you can get way more expensive ones.  We use one overnight and occasionally send Sweet Pea to the nursery at church in one.

So there sit 23 disposable diapers with a cost of $6.39  The 23 cloth diapers on the left cost me $369.04.   WHAT?  You spent nearly $400 on DIAPERS????  Well, in a minute and I'll show you that you've spent nearly $2,000.  Per kid.

 Here are my Kawaii diapers.  These are my cheapest.  I also have a very pretty purple one with white daisies that a friend gave me when Sweet Pea was born.  You don't want a picture of it right now, I assure you.  Pocket diapers have a cloth insert you put inside, then pull out to wash.  All of mine have snaps in the rise so they fit a variety of size babies-often from about 8 pounds to 30 pounds.

The three polka dot ones cost $12.95 each and come with double inserts as they can be used overnight (and they work!).  The yellow and red cost $10.95 each and while they are ok, they are cheap and haven't held up as long as others we've had.  The velcro isn't attached well.  They are comparable to the Bum Genius diapers you'll see in a minute...at first...the quality tapers off much quicker.  I'd recommend the snap (instead of velcro) diapers.  The red and yellow have been used on 3 kids.  Keep that in mind.

 Ah, I'm in love.  Bum Genius diapers.  Buy 5 get one free.  But I never bought 5 at a time, so I paid about $17.97 (current price) each over the past 5 years.  These are also pocket diapers.  Eight of these have been worn by three kids.  I have a little stretched elastic at the legs of a couple of them that were LMM's and one velcro is getting quite used...but other than that they are FANTASTIC.  I have a Bum Genius AIO (in the wash) but it takes a long time to dry and I don't appreciate that.  These are my recommendation to anyone wanting to cloth diaper.  Take the plunge, buy these, and be happy.

These are also pocket diapers.  I have a cute white one with rainbow snaps-I believe it is still hanging out to dry as they dry S L O W.  They're made of organic bamboo.  I couldn't find these being sold anymore, they now have microfleece instead and are retailing for $15.99..but I don't think that is the price I paid for them.  Two of mine I have had on 3 kids, two of them on only 2 kids.  Many many people have complaints about these diapers...but I don't. Except the slow drying time.  These fit skinny babies.  I have skinny babies.  Got a chunk legger?  Don't bother.  Got a long and or skinny kid?  Fantastic fit.  Oh, they're called BabyKicks.  

 Diaper covers (be careful when you go to buy pockets that you're not getting covers...read carefully) are used over fitted diapers (ACK.  HATE.  They're these fleece things that LOOK like what's above and have to have a cover over them.  I think they leak and are kinda useless but others rave about them.  My blog, my opinion!) or you can put them over flats or prefolds.  Flat diapers are what I used last year in the Handwashing Challenge and are a single piece of fabric that you fold.  Go to You Tube and search "flat folds" and you'll see lots of examples.  Prefolds are what many people still use as burp clothes today.  They are thick in the middle and thinner on the sides.

The purple cover is a Palm Tree that I got for free as a promotion.  I don't know exactly what one by itself would cost as the site I buy from sells them in a set of covers, flats, and fastener.  My best guess when dividing all that out is individually it would be about $13.21.  It has been fine but I don't use flats a ton.

The pretty pink and white one is a Bummis Whisper Wrap.  It retails at $12.97 and also has worked fine.  I do use both of these over velcro pockets these days.  Why over a pocket?  Because at nap time or anytime she doesn't have pants on Sweet Pea removes her velcro diapers.  #1 prefers velcro diapers so I don't have many snap closure ones.  So if I don't have a snap closure diaper to put on her, I put one of these over it so she can't take it off.  I call it security.

The diaper on the left is a Thirsties Duo diaper.  Thirsties is the first brand I ever bought.  I started with them because they had cheap covers with good reviews and all I could afford was a few covers and my mom gave me all the old flats and prefolds that were mine when I was a baby.  I still have a couple of those original covers (even Snug used them) but have sold most of them off.  I like the Thirsties Duo diaper but not as much as my Bum Genius ones.  At $17.50 each, I'd rather pay the extra 47 cents and get diapers I love.  It is a good diaper, and this print is cute.

Last and absolutely least is my (not so) Happy Heiny.  I don't have lots of nice things to say about it.  I've owned 2 and when this one joins its friend in the trash someday I won't shed a tear.  I think it is intended for chunkier babies.  It just fits poorly.  Again, other people love them.  I wasn't going to talk about NB diapers, but I do want to say something nice about this brand.  They have a NB size diaper that I really really like.  This particular diaper is a pocket and retails at $18.97.

Ok, so like I said, pictured was about $369.04.  That's based on current pricing, but diapers really haven't changed in price much in the past 5 years.  That seems like a TON of money.  

But think about this.  We'll base my numbers on a pack of 36 diapers for $10.  Say you change your baby only 6 times in 24 hours (when they're little way more than that I would hope).  That's 168 diapers a month-$46.67 a month.  Most kids are in diapers at the very least 24 months-most much longer-overnight way longer.  If you don't take into consideration that younger babies need to be changed much more often (but  have 5-6 more diapers per pack) and that as they get older there are LESS diapers per pack, and that many people pay more than $10 per 36 diapers you still get $1,120 for one kid to be diapered, and many people would consider that to be a low estimate.  

Suddenly my $369.04 doesn't seem like much.  Now I admit we buy one pack a month, so we spend probably between $120-$150 a year on disposables.  HOWEVER...of the diapers pictured, you'd only NEED about 16 and if you did all those in my favorite Bum Genius diapers at buy 5 get 1 free you could change your price to $251.58-much less.  Those diapers fit (per the manufacture) babies 7-35 lbs.  

Keep this in mind too.  Cloth diaper babies potty train months earlier than their peers.  They often are trained (even overnight) right around their second birthday.  According to the University of Michigan The average age for kids in disposables is girls 29 months and boys 31 months-and not overnight.  They say "it is common for children to wet at night until they are 5 years old".  Guess what?  Back when everyone used cloth, the average age to start to potty train was 18 months-and be diaper free overnight by 2.  MANY cloth families today will tell you this is very possible.  

One more thing.  With my large stash $369.04 plus lets say 2 years worth of disposables $300 (on the high end) I'm spending $669.04 (that four cents is really important, evidently .  Still not the (low) estimate of $1,120.  BUT IT GETS BETTER.  Of the pictured diapers, 13 belonged to LMM (read: three kids have used them), and all but maybe five or six (can't remember) BOTH of my girls wore.  So the cost goes down again.  Because it isn't $369 (dropping that four cents, its annoying) PER KID, its that PER FAMILY.  

If we are blessed with another baby, there are several of my diapers that might have to retire.  Always sad.  I've only ever had to ditch maybe 5 or 6-and all but one of those I bought off of other people who had used them on 2+ kids.  But even if I got an entire new stash, I'd still be saving money...and the environment (don't get me started).  

I admit cloth diapering isn't for everyone.  Neither is babywearing.  Neither is co-sleeping.  Neither is breastfeeding.  Or amber teething necklaces.  Many many things about parenting are not one size fits all.  I just wanted to put this out there for parents who are considering cloth diapering.  

Now I've blogged and am all de-stressed and ready for a three day Memorial Day weekend!  

THANK YOU to all the families who have lost a loved one to help make our country free.  We are so blessed to live in a country where we can decide babywearing or stroller.  Co-sleeping or crib.  Breast or bottle.  Amber or Tylenol.  Cloth or disposable.  So very very blessed.  

Playing Catchup

So.  Between the Flats Challenge and my computer being dead (hard drive is failing...be ready for me to be out of blogging for quite awhile at no notice) I have been a bit behind on our summer events!

 First up was strawberry picking.  We found this great place not too far away thanks to Jenilee.  Although these aren't organic, the farm uses minimal chemicals in their crops, much less than what is in strawberries you buy in the produce section at the grocery.

 I swear my kids each ate a quart of berries.

 I snapped this cute picture and then got that berry out of Sweet Pea's mouth.  It was her "first solid", although she didn't ingest any of it.  Strawberries are a high allergen...so probably not a good thing.

 The boys literally walked out of that place with handfuls of "free" berries.

 Little Monkey Man finished preschool.  This is his FIRST day of school...

 ...and this is a picture of his last.  He had a great year and we continue to see improvements in his speech, adaptation to new situations, ability to transition, and with his sensory issues in general.

 Ah.  Potty training.  Sassy McLassy has been doing great, terrible, and everything in between.

 She has days and days where she is fine.  And then she decides she isn't going to use the potty.  So we convince her otherwise.  Cause we're not going back to diapers.  Much.  There are times where her bowel is so messed up she can't help but have accidents.  We do have a date to take her to a GI specialist this month.

 We got to see some friends who we haven't seen since she and he were only a few weeks old.  He wanted to be friends.

 She wanted to tattle.  Tattle. Tattle.

 We all "ran" a 5K.  It was for the FOP that #1 belongs to.  #1 and Snug ran it.

 Mommy had Sweet Pea in the sling.

 And two in the double stroller.  I didn't run.  But I got MUCH exercise.  I also don't recommend babywearing and speedwalking with a double stroller.

 Here he is after the race, very proud of himself.  After all, he beat five people.  Mommy, Sweet Pea, LMM, Rosebud, and some lady he didn't know.  What a race buddy.

 Rosebud loved the race.  She got to eat.

 And eat.

 And eat some more. And what goes in must come out.  So that is loads of fun when she can't control it.  We kinda let her pig out because at nearly 26 months old she is barely hitting 22 lbs (on a good day-often closer to barely 21).

Here was Snug on his first day.

And here he is on his last day on Tuesday.  He loved his teacher.  I think he thought she walked on water.  She was cute as a button, so can you blame him?  He had a great report card.  The only things he didn't get perfect were that he makes the number "3" backwards and a couple of letters incorrectly.  However, he writes sentences on his own, reads on a beginning 2nd grade level (with fluency), and has great comprehension.

Watch out summer, here we come!!!!!!!!!!

Day 4

Today is the fourth day of the Flats and Handwashing Challenge.  As a reminder, this is a 7 day Challenge where participants can only use flat cloth diapers and have to ditch their washer and dryer in favor of good ol’ fashioned handwashing.  We are close to 500 participants this year and many are blogging their journey.  You can find their posts linked at the end.

Today's blog topic is "Whatcha Think About Handwashing?"

Well.  It hasn't been that bad.  I would NEVER EVER EVER EVER want to do it with my AIO (all-in-ones) or pocket diapers.  But for my flats and covers, it hasn't been too bad.  I do wash a pocket and 2 inserts each evening, and they take the most of my time. 

I have it easy though.  I am doing the challenge with an EBF (exclusively breastfed) baby.  That means the BM is completely water soluble.  That means she isn't a huge kid with stinky urine.  I feel like I cheated a bit because two weeks ago I potty trained my toddler.  First and foremost I potty trained her because she was ready...but in the back of my mind getting her done before the challenge didn't seem like a bad idea either!

So I am only washing diapers for one.  I do wash the wipes (I use 90% cloth wipes, and this week we are 100%) that I use on her bottom after she uses the potty.  So I guess there is some "gross" ness to the handwashing.  I wash about 7 flats and two covers, the previous night's overnight diaper (KaWaii Baby Heavy Wetter Overnight), about 10 wipes, and probably 3 fleece inserts that I use when we are out and about for extra absorbency.  I also have 2 homemade wetbags in my rotation and have washed them each once in the three days I have washed.  

I wash in the evening.  Each night I have tried something new.  

Night #1 I bent over my bathtub and washed in my camp washer with the lid on all nice and perfect.  

Night #2 I kept dragging my camp washer OUT of the tub and into the entryway so I could watch TV with my husband.  I'd take it back to the bathtub to dump/refill during commercials.  I ditched the lid and just used the bucket and plunger.  Much better.  I also noticed my hands HURT.  

Night #3 I sat with my feet in the tub and washed in my camp washer.  No lugging of the bucket. No standing and bending over. That was killing my back.  Timed the entire thing and found it takes me about 40 minutes. I also wore gloves. 

I like the way night #3 went the best, and will probably continue to do it that way. It also gave me some quiet time to reflect on my day and think about the Bible study I am currently in.  I am doing "Experiencing God" and it talks about listening for the Lord and waiting upon His timing.  This is quite the opportunity to do that as handwashing is pretty mindless.

This is my wash routine:

Fill 1/2 bucket with hot water

Agitation.
Dump and squeeze out water.

Put back into bucket.

Fill 1/2 bucket with hot water

Agitation

Dump and squeeze out water.

Put 1/2 tsp of Rock In Green detergent in

Fill bucket 3/4 with hot water

Put diapers back into bucket

Agitation for 5 minutes

Dump, wring out

Rinse bucket, and then put diapers back in

Fill bucket 1/2 with warm water

Agitation

Dump, squeeze out

Rinse bucket, and then put diapers back in
Fill bucket ALL the way, and bring out each diaper individually, run under the faucet
WRING OUT

Hang on drying rack/clothesline/pants hangers (thanks to Christina for the idea)

I basically am following the same wash routine that I do when I stick my diapers in our washer.  I've tried MANY things, and this is what I do right now;  rinse & spin, rinse & spin, wash, rinse, extra rinse.  

Esther left a comment yesterday (thanks Ester, always nice to know someone is reading!) and asked what I do about the "muddy" diapers.  I think I answered this before when I said that she is EBF.  Basically I don't have to deal with that part!  However, a diaper sprayer is allowed in the challenge so I could be using it if I needed to.  

Below I copied the list of rules...in case you are wondering.   (Note, I did receive 2 free covers that I am using for this challenge but not because I am doing this challenge.  It was because I was being "paid" for blogging on their cloth blog-just about using cloth in general.  There is a difference!)

Materials Allowed

The following diapering items can be used:

• Any flat cloth diaper, store bought or handmade.  A flat should be only 1 layer of material for easier handwashing and faster drying.
• 1 night time diaper per night of your choice although you are asked to make flats work for you (this diaper must also be handwashed)
• Doublers (not inserts meant to be absorbent enough to stand alone) if you absolutely must.
• A diaper sprayer.
• Wet bags/diaper pails for storage.
• Handmade “washing machine” for diapers such as the camp style washer I made last year.
• Non Electronic Portable washing machines (must be powered by you and cost less than $100.
• Commercially available or handmade covers.
• Commercially available or handmade detergents.
• Snappi, Boingo, and Pins for closure.
• Pocket diapers STUFFED WITH FLATS. (note that the potential for repelling on the stay dry lining could make your challenge harder but you can see what happens)
• Homemade or store bought fleece liners.
• Iron (to use in order to expedite drying time or sterilize)

Materials Not Allowed

• Electronic washer/dryer.
• Pockets with inserts other than flats, AIO’s, Fitteds, Contours, Prefolds, AI2’s, etc.
• Flushable liners.

Rules for Everyone

• You cannot use your washer or dryer.
• If for some reason something arises and an exception is made you need to disclose in the Conclusions Survey or on your blog if you are a blogger.
• There is no limit on the number of flats or covers you can use.  Should you purchase 100 flats for $100 and go a whole week without washing?  No.  Use your common sense on this one.  As a tip the more diapers in your camp washer/ sink/ tub the harder the washing will be.  

Rules for Bloggers

• You cannot be sponsored by received free flats or covers to use.  Bloggers will see a link to the rules in the form of a .pdf after signing up within the sign up application.

Sisters

Ok I had a REALLY cute picture of the girls here.  Rosebud is potty training (and killing it.  So proud of her).  She was on the potty next to Sweet Pea in her BeBe Pod (my cousin Crystal gave it to us back when Snug was a baby and it is still the greatest invention ever).  

But.  I took the picture down.  Because poor Rosebud didn't have clothes on, and although covered...it wasn't one she'll want out there for all the world to see.  If I get another cute one where she hasn't stripped down to her birthday suit...I'll post it.  I might even attempt to recreate the moment.  

No Bicycles In Bethlehem.

Way back when Snug was potty training a college friend of mine had a meme called "Friday Funny Pages". Her idea was that on Fridays moms could post the funny things their kids had done/said in the past week. Although she doesn't still do it I'm participating. By myself. On a Thursday (Here are my previous participations)

Little Monkey Man has been doing SOOO good with potty training. I take zero credit as it was HIS idea to start using the potty, and then with a little help from me he was completely trained within a week. I'm talking overnight, naps, everything. I'm not saying he never has an accident. But I am saying the extra pair of underwear/jeans/wetbag that has been in his little backpack that always leaves the house with us hasn't been replaced in over a week. Very happy mama. Anywho. He calls the toilet paper "tape". I can't convince him to call it toilet paper. It is "tape."

Along with re-naming the toilet paper, he cannot cannot get the concept of "cold". Whenever he gets cold, he cries "WAAAARRRRRMMMM". We have literally been working on this word for a couple of months. He cannot get the word "cold" into his vocabulary.

Some of LMM's vocabulary mix ups are because of his speech apraxia. While that isn't exactly a funny thing (ok, it is quite a bit of work to tell you the truth) it does lead to some funny things, like I mentioned above. And some downright puzzling ones. We are weaning him off of getting a Skittle after he uses the toilet. If at all possible we just distract him so he forgets and we keep moving with life. When he does remember and I can distract him he calls it "Canny Cane". But you know what he calls actual candy canes ? "Elmos".

I do preschool with my Draycare kids who are 3 and over. This week we did the letter "S" and I made up a stupid song about how a sneaky snake slithered up my rake or something to that effect to sing in the van with those who had to take the drive to and from preschool pick-ups (for those who attend preschool). On the way home, we were singing it again and Snug announced that he had learned a sneaky song at school. I was a little curious about them singing a sneaky song in preschool. He began to sing "Sneaky first the kingdom of God...and His righteousness..." I almost drove off the road. It was so funny.

The other night I was reading to Little Monkey and he was laying on top of me looking at the pictures as we laid on the couch. All of a sudden he sat up, turned over, patted my chest and announced "MILK!". Then he laid back down so I could resume reading. Oh dear.

And finally, again in the van on the way home from...somewhere this week, Snug was not happy about sitting in "traffic*". I explained that even though we were not going very fast, it was still faster than how it would be if there were no cars. I asked him what people did before cars were invented, and he had no clue. I asked him how we'd get places if we didn't have a car and he ended up coming up with a bike. I was trying to get him to realize that way back when people had to walk or ride horses. I asked him how Mary and Joseph got to Bethlehem thinking he'd come up with an answer along the lines of "a donkey". He got all indignant and said "MOM There were no bicycles in Bethlehem!!!"

Maybe you have to be here. But some things they do just are really funny.

*It always makes me laugh when I think of what we call traffic here. 90% of the time our "traffic" was normal driving where I grew up.

Early Christmas Presents-and Cookies

Everyone at this house got early Christmas presents. Two reasons for this.

1. Snug needed to give his daddy's hat back...so he got his new one early. Plus we got snowman snow (see below)
2. We had "Christmas Eve" early.

Snowman snow! We only get snowman snow maybe two or three times a winter. Most of the time it is way too cold and the snow doesn't pack. However, yesterday Little Monkey Man got to use his early Christmas present-a snowman kit! He got a wooden box with all the pieces (sans arms and actual snow) you see here, inside. Every time we get snowman snow he can have great pieces to make his snowman out of!

Here is Snug's new hat. Daddy got his old one back...finally!

Merry Christmas to Mommy! Little Monkey Man is potty training. He's been doing REALLY well. As of this moment he is 24 hours clean/dry!!!!! It is a Christmas miracle!

*And yes, that is daddy's hat. Maybe he isn't really getting it back...hmmmm

.

Last night we celebrate Christmas Eve as #1 will be working the actual Christmas Eve. The kids and I will go to church for service, but then they will come home and go to bed as usual.

When I was little we went to my uncle's house after church on Christmas Eve and had "party foods". I always loved it.

When #1 was little he and his brother would exchange a gift on Christmas Eve and would eat similar foods to the ones my family did.

So, last night, since #1 was home, we made a fire, had fun party type foods, read the Christmas story from the Bible, and the boys gave each other a gift. It was a lot of fun. Snug had used his own money to buy LMM a present, and LMM had a "store" at his school so he had bought Snug a present too. They both actually wanted what they had given each other...so that was an interesting dynamic to the whole thing also!

I got my Christmas present last night also. I would have gotten it Christmas morning...but if you hide the present in the Christmas decorations...your wife is sure to see it! I've known for a couple of weeks now...but I am the proud (and humbled and awed) owner of a Cannon Rebel T1i. This is the last post with pictures from the camera my aunt generously loaned to me!

I should mention that #1 got a present too, from Snug. It was protein powder. So exciting. Well, he was excited and I guess that is what really matters!

Poor Rosebud went to bed and missed the whole thing. Always next year. She started crawling backwards yesterday and cut her 6th tooth today.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Snug helped me with Christmas cookies this week. Although babysitting is such a blessing because I get to be home with my kids...it is so fun to just be "us" for a couple of weeks.

He got his own frosting and cookies because no one else wants to eat the ones he made after he licks the knife and such. I just decided to let him make his own for him to enjoy over the next few days. I even found a gluten-free sugar cookie recipe and LMM has some that look just like ours. He didn't decorate his own because they are very brittle and he'd break them all...that and he'd eat more frosting that what actually hit the cookies!

And these are our cookies (mom, I hadn't made the tree ones yet). They are my Great-Grandma's recipe, and I love them. Come on over and we'll share!

Nice.

Nice. It can mean so many things. But like soooo many other things, it totally depends on how you say it and not that you said it.

This past weekend we took the kids to a concert at the university I graduated from. It was homecoming. We also attended a parade where a friend of mine and I thought it would be fun to let seniors know that in _____ years they would be standing there with their children (her 2, my 3). I don't think they realize what they are in for. Anyway, back to the concert.

I would really like my kids to have a little culture in them. This concert featured most of the musical groups the university has to offer along with some faculty solos. Most of the music was classical. I had Monkey Man on my lap for part of it. As we watched the concert band play, I whispered "Nice! This is nice."

Then he proceded to say "nice" throughout the rest of the piece. I don't think anyone heard him as we were sitting pretty far from civilization and the piece was not quiet.

Fast forward to this afternoon when as I rushed to take off his diaper because he had to "potty". He had already made a deposit which I accidentally dropped on the bathroom floor in my haste. I muttered "nice." and started cleaning it up. From the potty I head "nice!" and as I look up he is pointing to the mess saying "nice!"

I can only imagine how he views classical music now...if both are nice...

Zoo pictures coming...I promise.

Not Me! Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Well, so much has happened in the last week. Last Monday I was showing off Snug's new haircut instead of letting you all know just how bad I had been. Since then...

I did not start giving Baby J formula after all the fighting against it I had done.

I did not spend an average of 2 hours a day crying this week. That would accomplish nothing, so I did not do it anyway.

I did not gag and then get kinda happy when Baby J gagged at the taste/smell of soy formula. I am so not like that.

I did not cancel Draycare three times in one week. Once for Baby J having a fever, once because I was not having an emotional breakdown over Baby J's growth, and again today because Snug has a fever/vomiting/etc.

I did not step on the scales and then think just for a tiny second that perhaps I need Grave's disease so I could lose some weight. I will not be so relieved when we know more of what is going on there...

I did not get so stressed at one point this week that I did not buy 2 liters of pop and drink them. I am giving up pop, so that was definatly not me. Ok, giving up...is a little strong, but I am trying to only have about 8oz once a week or less.

I did not get very envious in the nursery at church yesterday that other babies were doing so many fantastic things. I do not envy. Not Me.

I do not think that Baby J has the most beautiful little face on him and that Snug's smile could win over the world.

I did not leave random comments on BlogBaby so that Ringmaster could win a headband. A headband people. C'mon.

I do not wonder why Ringmaster's name isn't Ringmistress.

I did not tell Snug to be quiet and go to sleep at nap time when he said he had to potty. I always listen to those requests and take them seriously. He did not have a large BM in his pants during his nap. Upon awakening he did not say to me "I tode you mama".

I am not worrying again about the doctor's appointment for #1 today. I will not be twittering as soon as we find something out.

I did not frost over a section of cake that Snug had stuck his finger in before taking it to a church function. I did not do it after another mom said that is what she would do. Not Me! (Oh Christine and Janelle I know you are never going to eat anything I bring to church again!)

What on earth did you not do this week? Please tell me because I NEED some laughs at this point.

Friday Funny Pages

Ah it is FRIDAY everyone! Yeah! Snug has said some pretty funny things this week...here are a few...

We are working on getting Snug to stay dry during naps right now. We'll work on overnight when the naps are better. He is a sound sleeper, so this is proving harder than it seems. However, he has been doing better. When his pull-up is dry (working on a cloth substitute...none working so far...) he gets a small prize from a bag. The other day he got up and when I got him on the potty he exclaimed "Oh boy! A present! A present from God-my pants dye!" I just cracked up so hard I had to quick get him off the potty so I could use it.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Tar, Passes Passes, and Pizza Pider are a few of Snug's favorite songs these days...any guesses what they really are called?*

This morning as I was making scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast #1 walked in to the dining room to discover that Snug had dumped half a shaker of salt onto his plate (Dora plate). When I confronted him about this, as we have discussed taking things off the table that do not belong to us he explained: "I saw you a-me. I a-salting on Dora" I think poor Dora feels violated after being a-salted.

And my last is my favorite for the week, also happened this morning. I asked Snug after breakfast if he needed to go potty. He said "no". I reminded him that he hadn't been on the potty all morning. He replied "Yeah. In the sower (shower) on daddy!" I thought #1 was going to die when he heard it.

Happy Friday

*Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Ring Around the Rosie, and Itsy Bitsy Spider

Not Me! Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Wow...I twittered about taking stupid pills this week and I really think I did. Here is my not-so-short-list of things of course I did not do. Too bad I can't blame it on baby brain anymore.

I did not drink pop this week...twice. Oh how I wish I could give it up completely...it is seriously my vice.

I did not make a quadruple recipe of Draycare pancakes (scroll WAY down if you click that link to find the recipe) for 6 people-that would be enough pancakes for about 15 people. I was trying to double the recipe...ran out of room in my bowl so I split it up and continued to add ingredients...only I kept making a double recipe in both bowls.

My son did not wear a tiny blue turtle barrette to playgroup on Friday. In all fairness, he traded it with another girl and let her hold his precious blue bear...but still...

I did not at the same playgroup grab another person's daughter, plop her in my lap, and proceed to put E's socks on her. Her mother took it very well being a friend of mine, but wow, I was glad it was someone I knew!

Along the same child predator lines, I did not kiss a total stranger's baby I was holding at a Pampered Chef party over the weekend right in front of her. I think it is just a habit, I pick up small children all day long and kiss their little heads. Oh dear. (I did have her permission to be holding, just not smooching)

I did not drop Baby J out of the stroller and onto the floor. HE IS FINE NO PANICKING (because I know my mom and my Aunt Kim just had mini heart-attacks). He was securely fastened into his car seat which got tangled in a blanket and tipped off the stroller. He didn't cry, complain or anything. He just looked at me like "You're gonna blog this, huh?". I felt horrible.

I did not put Snug's blue kid toothpaste on my toothbrush and then try to brush his teeth with it. I did not then decide not to waste perfectly good toothpaste and use it myself. I must say it doesn't leave that minty fresh feeling I enjoy from Melaleuca.

I did not put an Imse Vimse liner into Snug's underwear at a basketball game because it was in double overtime with 45 seconds left and the game was tied. He said he needed to have a BM and I didn't want to clean that out of his pants. Nor did I want to miss the end of the game/walk in front of a ton of highly stressed parents watching their girls in districts! I had JUST taken him to the bathroom between overtimes and I was pretty sure he was just tired of watching the game. I was right, when we went to the bathroom less than 2 minutes later, he just laughed and said he was "all done" before we even got into the stall. They won by the way...go Warriors :o)

Not Me! Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I did not brush off tons of pieces of enchilada left strewn on the table from Snug and then call the dogs in to clean it up...not me.

I did not get a relieved/giddy feeling when the nice lady who helps to run Snug's class on Wednesday night came and got another mom because her kid had a potty accident, and for once it wasn't me. I did not feel totally terrible not even ten minutes later when it was me called out because Snug had a potty incident also. (I say incident because he did go in the potty...but also out of the potty) I am going to have to train toddler workers how to help little boys on the potty because the same thing happened again at church on Sunday.

I did not tear up just a tad today as my 2 year old marched himself into his new classroom and posed for a quick picture. I just feel like God is really blessing our church and I hope he finds me worthy of serving there.

I did not serve popcorn for dinner. #1 was totally ok with it as he wasn't very hungry either. That is my kind of Sunday night dinner!

I did not start brushing my teeth today...think something wasn't quite right, and then discover I was using my husband's toothbrush...maybe because I was so tired (the boys were up multiple times again last night...I forgot to give Baby J solids for dinner due to us just having popcorn so he was hungry all night, and Snug had a piece of candy...and well...there is more than just the health aspect to why he doesn't get candy).

I do not now have to brush the teeth of two of my Draycare kids every morning. Clearly I don't have enough to do already :o) I just fit it into the schedule...

I did not have to replace my blog counter. My other one died about a month ago...when I was moving things around and I couldn't revive it. I was at 3,000 something, so I just started the new one at 3,000. It isn't really accurate anyway because it counts ME as a visitor each time I log on, it started in October, and I have had a blog since April, and it was down for a month. Oh well. I really don't need it anyway, it just helps give me a good idea how many of you are out there...some of you show up on my blogfrog...but MOST of you do not. Those are just people who I follow their blogs, or people find me from their blogs.

Thank you to everyone who gave us advice on the heater. We still are not sure what we are going to do. We are leaning a little towards insulating our house, but we're not sure how much that will cost. After further research and your comments we're not sure the heater would help where we need the most help-our bedrooms. They are the coldest and they really do need to have their doors closed (especially our bedroom) for a majority of the day. We also do not want our bedroom doors open all night because if there was to be a fire, you have a higher probability of surviving (while sleeping) if the doors are closed. It buys you a few precious extra seconds by acting as a buffer between you and the flames/smoke. Toxic smoke kills more people than actual flames. We are cold in the main part of the house often too, and the heater would help that, but the bedrooms would get even colder. What a conundrum :o) Thanks for all your help! Happy Monday!

My Husband Did NOT flush Elmo Down The Potty

Ok, here is #1's Not Me. Snug has had a few mishaps in the potty area in the last few days. It could have something to do with the fact that the bathroom was all tore up...that at one point there was no toilet, or that life has just been so, well, exciting he doesn't want to take the time to go. Anyway, he had a 'not urine' in the underwear yesterday and #1 was using the spatula to do the thing that spatula does. After a few minutes my mom and I heard "uh...that's not good" coming from the bathroom. One small pair of Elmo underoos went slip sliding down the toilet into the city sewer system. Goodbye "Melmo".

On a happier note, here is what the tub box has been used for today. Hours of fun were had by all, and when nap time is over, hours of clean up will have to happen because every toy from the upstairs is currently residing in this box.

No paint and no trim yet, but the blue paint I picked is close to this blue, so you can use your imagination :o)

I LOVE our new flooring. I think it is what I am most excited about...and I really thought the tub was what I would be most excited about. Again, no trim or paint...but I will do it ASAP.

So, there is a story behind this...scene. My parents don't normally hang out in my bathroom like this. However, when the toilet went back in, it wouldn't sit flat on the wax ring (if you don't know what I am talking about, hope you never will). SO, I laid on the floor with my hairdryer trying to melt it a bit, and my dad and mom sat like this and eventually the toilet sank back down to where it belonged.

Laying the floor...

Ok, this picture is for my mom, because we both really enjoyed seeing how it looks under the toilet. REALLY gross. This picture also gives you an idea of how bad our flooring was. This was under the carpet (not a good idea with small children in your house) and it was so bad looking and so hard to clean. It always looked dirty because of the holes and glue marks from the carpeting.

Just a cute Baby J picture. Notice how he is gaunt and fatigued looking due to the weight issue...I am still going between worrying about him and his progress to being totally disgusted with the whole thing because I know he feels fine and is eating and that Snug went though the same thing. I need to just not worry at all and give it to God.

This is Baby J smiling because his mommy is making him homemade yogurt for supper! He is saying "my mommy didn't burn it!" if you want to know the truth! I will see how it turns out, and if it does, I will walk all of you out there through how to do it. OR you can buy Ruth Yaron's "Super Baby Food" book and do it yourself with about 100 other things!

I had my mom take this picture for me to show you another way I am using this sling. I like him better on my back, but it is hard to get him up there tight without a spotter. He really likes being up and seeing what is going on.

And last, but not least, here is a video of the tub box being enjoyed by all. It will go out to the recycle next week, but until then, let the good times roll!

Jack The Ripper Stripper

When I got Baby J up from his nap today, he had taken his arms out of his sleeper and was naked from his chest up. I hope this is not a sign of things to come.
Baby J finally is having some quality tummy time thanks to R and the new cash register.

Yes, my son wears fairy wings...to color...to play...to bed...and to church. They make him fly, what can I say?

Princess panties Pull-ups Model.

"I pitty momma" Princess take 2.

And this is how he came home from church Wednesday because he had no more pants...just princess pants.

Clearly Baby J is impressed with his older brother.

Just a little Baby J.

***Click the pause button on the Christmas music at the very bottom of the blog so you can hear him!***