Been a while!

Well, first of all, I want to sincerely apologize. It's been a while since I last posted anything significant, and I'm aware and ashamed of that. My original idea for this blog was to post at least weekly, if not more often, and I've been so caught up with life and everything it offers - and a lack of money that has made trying new items rather difficult - that I've neglected my sincere desire to post here and continue to review what I've got.

So, first and foremost, my most favorite topic of all: cloth diapers!

Okay, so you saw that coming. As a mom of an 18 month old who used disposables all the way through her first child (who is almost four), at this point, it's pretty much a guarantee that I'll be talking about diapers often enough to make non-parents scream, but they're a focal point of my life at the moment. A good diaper is hard to come by. They need to be taken care of, and when one ends up destroyed somehow it's either like the loss of a good friend or an opportunity to try something new and, potentially, better. And I'll admit, I've found favorites here and there, diapers I love and some that I simply hate.

Dipes I haven't tried yet
KaWaii Baby overnight diaper. I have one that I bought from Sara over at Cloth and Carry, and while she does have an online presence I'm lucky enough to live in the same city as her!

Dipes I've tried, and love
Thirsties Duo fitteds and covers. I obsess over these because the covers have the coveted LEG GUSSETS! Yes, leg gussets are worth it. Yes, they are amazing. And yes, they still fit my 26lbs, 34" long 18-month-old in MEDIUM! It's a small miracle, and makes me love these diapers even more than I did before. He will need to move up to the large size soon, but only because the mediums are almost too short - not because he lacks waist space. A somewhat smaller baby would easily be able to keep wearing these. I think he'll make it to two years in the medium dipes before a switch to the large size will be necessary. Just about any diaper will work under the covers, too, which means if you have a beloved fitted that needs a cover, all you have to reach for is a Thirsties cover and you're set.
FuzziBunz OS. I absolutely adore these diapers because of their versatility. They come with replaceable elastic for the legs so if you need more length, or if it breaks or stretches out, you've an extra set for BOTH legs. They're pretty sturdy diapers, well-constructed, and are soft both inside and out. Plus, their inserts are quite similar to the BumGenius microfiber inserts. Just about any insert will fit in here, and I actually love using the bamboo inserts from my Blueberry Minky dipes inside the FuzziBunz diapers - they're so trim this way! Plus, they have three snaps holding them on, so you're guaranteed to get an amazing fit on almost any size baby every time.

Dipes I've tried and are okay
BumGenius 3.0 OS. These are pretty good diapers, but not ideal in my opinion. I find that nearly anything you stuff them with makes them fairly bulky in comparison to the FuzziBunz dipes, and if you put in too many layers (even just their microfiber insert with a single soaker) the fit is horrible. The diaper ends up so bulky on A that he actually has gaps around his waist with it fastened on him as tightly as he is comfortable in, never mind that so much bulk means more of a chance of leaking in the legs. I've tried these as overnight diapers, and I have to say I wouldn't use them as such on a regular basis. I've also had problems with their hook-and-loop closures wearing out quickly - I have several dipes where it needs to be replaced ASAP. I haven't tried the 4.0 yet, and hope to before potty training.
WonderWrap OS covers. These are okay covers, but a lack of leg gussets (I'm so spoiled) and an unreliable fit around the waist means that they aren't my preferred line of defense against poo. I use them most often over prefolds with a Snappi. I do like the wider Velcro, though, and the waistbands are reliable when you finally get a good fit on them.

Dipes I've tried and dislike
Blueberry Minky OS with bamboo insert. These are adorable diapers in amazing colors and patterns, and they're incredibly soft, but they are also insanely overpriced. When I bought them, I think one was either $34 or $36, don't remember which now. I have two, and I don't think I'll get more. Each of mine has two snaps for the closure, which for us ends up meaning a pretty poor fit, and they become bulky quickly, moreso than the BG3.0 does. The inserts aren't bad, but one bad wash means they'll end up stiff and uncomfortable on your baby the moment they get wet. However, I do love the reverse adjustable snapping that they use on the inserts to fit them. I actually think I use the inserts more than I do the actual diapers.

Dipes I've tried and hate
GroVia OS with snap-in insert. I absolutely despise these diapers; for us they are a go-to when just about everything else is currently in a wash. I own all of one and will never buy more at this rate. They claim to have a reusable cover, but unlike the Thirsties covers that actually can be wiped clean and reused if desired, the GroVia diapers have a sort of cloth netting inside the cover that soaks in urine and poo the moment it touches the insert, rendering reuse a bad idea. The insert also bunches at the front with A, which may be partially because he's a boy and wets there first, but either way the insert doesn't soak in urine evenly. Plus, because the insert sits on top of the cover and has no elastic on either side to hold it to the baby, runny poop can be a total disaster. Overall, I'm not impressed, and wouldn't recommend them.
gDiapers. Okay, these were the first reusable diapers I tried, and I even made the effort to use them both with flats, prefolds, and the disposable inserts. And boy, do I have complaints! First, because any insert you use sits inside an elastic-sided snap-in "cover" for the cover itself (which is actually cloth and is not waterproof at ALL), any blowout will probably effect the entire diaper, which moots the point of being able to remove and exchange the snap-ins. Second, the disposable inserts are horrible at absorbing the runny poops of smaller, younger babies who are still mostly on breastmilk or formula. It really just sits there, which means you need to hope it isn't a blowout, and change that diaper ASAP or you're in for a LOT of diaper changes. Third, the actual cover isn't at all waterproof - yes, I already said that, but it's important enough that I feel I ought to say it again! It's a layer of cotton cloth, nothing more, so the moment it touches anything it can absorb, it does just that - which can lead to a lot of wet clothes. Prefolds were too bulky in these dipes, and flats did absolutely nothing - no style of insert helped prevent the blowouts and soaking issues I saw with the disposable inserts. My biggest beef with the disposables, though, was that even though they could be flushed, they had to be broken up first via a "swisher stick" used in the toilet - and they had to be ripped up first, before that. A total pain in the butt, and I would not recommend them to anyone personally.

So there's that bit. Hopefully I'll have the KaWaii dipe prewashed and ready to go tonight. I'm super-excited about getting to use the soap nuts I got from Cloth and Carry. I snagged a five-load sample pack for $4.49 so I could try them out before committing to them full time. I've been looking for a replacement ever since my Rockin' Green stopped doing what I need it to. Boo!

Eco-Friendly Eyewear

I think this is one of those things that people don't think about when it comes to living a greener lifestyle. We sort of accept that there are some aspects of our lives that we cannot or will not "go green" with, that there are some things that will always be environmenally unfriendly. But as with all things, technology has made it possible for us to take another step forward.

Take, for example, the eco collection by Modo. The company itself was founded in 1990 by an Italian immigrant who moved to NYC and wanted to make a difference - and now they're offering eco-friendly frame options for people with prescription lenses and those who are looking for sunglasses or non-prescription lenses. The frames are affordable, running about $129 per set (not plus the cost of prescription lenses), and can be ordered directly from the company via their website (as can any non-prescription sunglasses) or purchased from optical centers that offer the eco line. Their options are simple, comfortable, and most of all, stylish. The best part, though, is how their company operates. They use all recycled products to make their frames. For every frame set sold, they plant a tree. And, most awesome of all, they provide an easy way for consumers to donate unused frame sets to those in need of eyeware in less-developed countries. How great is that?

How do I know all this? Well, today I had my first eye appointment ever. And it turns out I have an astigmatism, so I need glasses. It also just so happens that Wal-Mart, of all places, carries the eco line! I was drawn there almost immediately, and quickly found something I liked. It makes me feel great (and so does the idea that in about a week my near-constant headaches will hopefully be going away)!

Next topic: IPT (Infant Potty Training, NOT the same as EC)

Partial shipment arrival!

First, I have to say, I am VERY impressed.

I ordered the Blueberry items on the 29th of April and took the basic shipping option, which was a 7-10 business day, no insurance option. I figured I still had some time before they arrived, since they were coming USPS. Ladies (and gentlemen?), my items are already here, in great shape. They arrived in a standard USPS shipping bag with no extra packaging. Promptness is always one of my big-deal things with any merchant, and I have to say that they get a 10 for that!

I feel almost bad using any of this stuff. These diapers are soft as silk and gorgeous. They're fuzzy and look insanely comfortable, and the best part is that since I also ordered two feminine pads, I can enjoy some semblance of what my baby gets to wear on his butt. I still say he has the better end of the deal, though.

The best part is that I still have more shipments coming today, and I'm waiting on an order from Kelly's Closet to ship. I will be leak-testing the Minkys tonight because I have heard too much about them not to!

It's 4AM and I feel lonely!

First of all, I am a seasonal allergy sufferer. Now, when I say "sufferer" I say it with all seriousness. The mere thought of springtime and pollen makes my nose start to run. It's one of those places where modern medicine and I agree 100%, and I take a generic form of ZyrtecD's 10mg pill. Antihistamine is a necessity for me. So forgive me if this is somewhat incoherent, as I have not yet gotten to take my lovely happy "please help me stop sneezing and clawing out my eyes" pill!

I have multiple cloth diapers on the way. As you may know, I have thus far tried the following diapers and combinations:

gDiapers with disposable liners (newborn)
gDiapers with flats (newborn)
BumGenius 3.0 AIOs (infant to toddler)
WonderWraps with Chinese prefolds (infant to toddler)

I now officially have a toddler on my hands, as A is cruising and crawling without difficulty. I would like to note that I have the following diapers en route and will be reviewing them as I go:

Gro Baby (one dipe with two organic cotton snap-in soakers)
Two more WonderWraps
Two Blueberry Minky OS Bamboo
Two Imse Vimse Organic training pants (for G)
Four Thirsties Fab Fitteds (medium; we'll see if they fit)
Four Thirsties diaper covers

Thus far I have been using the WWs with just a prefold inside, newspaper-style, no pins or Snappis. I do not own any Snappis because I am currently unwilling to purchase even more prefolds (the ones I have are a larger size and already do not fold in a way to wrap them around A's waist, the chunker) than I already have so I am stubbornly making do. Here's a brief rundown/reminder of my thoughts on the diapers I have and have used:

gDiapers with liners: Do. Not. Like. I am looking to get rid of these, actually; I have two of the smallest diapers in orange and cream, four liners, and a package of liners. Please take them off my hands. I don't have a set price, yet, so make an offer.
gDiapers with flats: A total waste of time. This is what helped me learn that flats are evil. The flats don't fold well into the liners, and the liners are the only thing keeping the diaper water-resistant. Thus, leaks and bunching.
WonderWraps with prefolds: Despite not pinning, I have found that a newspaper fold inside a WW works surprisingly well, especially as a quickie diaper. I would not travel with this method, just in case (I'm a worry wart), because there's nothing keeping the prefold in place; that being said I've found no extensive slipping or sliding. I haven't tried the India prefolds yet but I really like the Chinese; they are truly incredibly soft.
BumGenius 3.0 AIOs: These are awesome diapers. They are a great middle-ground for both cost and efficiency. They don't stain any easier than any other diaper and they fit pretty well (on their biggest setting they still fit my potty-training three-year-old, G!). My concern is that A is currently on the largest setting, and because of his wetting tendencies I need to keep the front portion snapped down on the farthest setting. Putting in an extra one of the microfiber liners makes the diaper too bunched. These are also sort of tough to fasten properly onto a baby with a big tummy (one that he's rapidly losing as he becomes even more mobile, sigh). However, they're easy to store and wash.

As a note, for all washing purposes I have an older dryer, a top-loading regular washer (although we have a brand-new one, woo!), and Rockin' Green soap in whatever scent I happen to get.

I have also ordered two organic cotton feminine pads from Swaddlebees. I wanted to get them from Cotton Babies, but they were out of stock, so I went to the source. I use pads at night often while on my period and am quite excited to give these a try. I'd love to work with some kind of reusable tampon! I've attempted something akin to a DivaCup (the "Instead" disposable cups) but I am thus far incapable of using them properly. Someone want to tutor me on how to use these things and I may seriously consider purchasing an actual DivaCup when I'm able!

As a sidenote, I am finally growing herbs! I was attempting to grow strawberries, too, but for whatever reason they have died, and I need to start over. I have parsley, oregano, and cilantro; the parsley and oregano are doing great, but the cilantro doesn't seem to have any clue what it's doing (although having G mess around with it and start putting his hand in the pot doesn't help any). Wish my herbs luck. I'll probably be restarting the strawberries after the move.

Let's see, what else.

Oh, next month we will be moving and this month we are looking for new housing. So expect some craziness during that!

My CottonBabies shipment should arrive tomorrow. That's one of the nice things of living 2 1/2 hours north of the store - shipments come really quickly! I haven't gotten shipping confirmation yet from Kelly's Closet, and I'm hoping my Swaddlebees order will be shipping on Monday.

Aww

No more planting today, unfortunately. I wanted to see if I could get anything done but to no avail - instead, it was a quiet day. I took the boys outside so G could play with some sidewalk chalk and both of them could get some sun. It turns out that neither one wanted to stay outside very long, but at least we got out there.

Tonight we'll have money for groceries, and we'll need one thing tonight (formula, unfortunately), but everything else can be bought tomorrow. I can't wait - I LOVE going grocery shopping! We've become broccoli addicts around here, and it turns out that if you cut it up and put it in plastic bags in the fridge, it lasts a long time. Which is great, I think, because a little broccoli can go a long way.

That's unfortunately about it. New washer works great. Need to make some kind of post plan for tomorrow...

Planting

Today is planting day.

I've spent most of the day getting together my pots and my soils and coconut fiber stuff and peat. Most of it's in little clumps that look freeze-dried - they've had to be saturated for about 10 minutes each but I have it all done. The soil - Organic Miracle Gro! - is already ready to go and is sitting in the bag in my living room.

You might be asking, "Why aren't you planting in the ground like a normal person with a yard?" Well, that's twofold - first, because the soil here SUCKS and it does not like green things. Second, because we won't be staying here past June. Those who are unfamiliar with my story should know that we will only be in this house until May or June, at which point our lease ends and we will be moving on. We could probably sign another one, but honestly we're done paying $500 a month (rent-to-own) for a place that is our own but is mediocre, and dealing with a negligent and confusing landlady whose bank doesn't want the house in their name anymore and who dislikes us (looooong story). So our stay here, as great as this place has been, is almost up. In lieu of permanent plantings outdoors, I've chosen to do a lot of potted plants - I have three small pots of spices (parsley, orgeano, and cilantro (or coriander if we choose!), a hanging basket of strawberries, and I have two hanging baskets still to plant that will be broccoli, butter leaf lettuce, and green beans. Everything but the veggies are planted and seeding, and I plan on finishing them in my coconut fiber planters tomorrow that I can hang outside. I LOVE coconut fiber, because as long as you don't over-water things, it will hold in the liquid and still allow proper drainage without soaking through or letting pieces of soil drop through. All the same, until I'm used to using the coconut fiber as a basket instead of a planting medium (the herbs are in peat, the veggies will be in organic potting soil, and the strawberries are in coconut fiber), I'm going to be hanging them outside where I can keep an eye on them. I wanted to hang them off of our deck, but that just isn't an option, unfortunately.

Also, we seem to have some sort of plants coming up in our front yard and around our house! Pictures later, as they look like tulips to me, but based on leaves alone I can't identify things for the life of me. Maybe one of you talented, knowledgeable peoples can help me out.

Weather here has been in the 70s today and that should hold out with plenty of sun through the weekend, when it'll crawl into the 80s. I could not be happier! This is amazing. We might take G to a local park that has water jets at it. Free, fun, and it gets us all outside. That's the best part of spring.

And speaking of G, he celebrated his 3rd birthday on Sunday. His actual birthday was Monday, but Sunday was free for most everybody. He made a good haul - a lot of books, a LeapFrog Jr. and books with it, and a lot of Nick Jr. toys. He adores that station and the online games that come with it, and I don't mind much. Other than the fact that it means he spends a lot of time on the computer (we don't have cable), it's cute, and educational - and let's face it, I couldn't teach him Mandarin like Kai-Lan does. We had his well-child checkup today - no shots - and he's in the 93rd percentile overall, 73rd in height (or so) and 95th in weight (or so). He's so smart.

Meanwhile, A is now mobile. He figured out crawling (although he's still very slow) and cruising at the same time. All that and he still has no teeth. It's amazing sometimes, and at other times it's scary that he's this big, this old, and still has no teeth. Today is organic baby food day, because I feel too lazy to get something ready for him. I might steam some carrots later to give myself something to do. I really want to plant more but I'd have to do so outside, and C is off trying to find a new job while G is napping in our room.

I just love planting. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Is that what I get for being born on Earth Day? Has anybody else started indoor planting yet? If so, what are you working on?

OH YEAH. We got our new washer! WOOHOO! I can go back to cloth at home!

Apologies!

First of all, a HUGE apology.

Part of being a responsible blogger is to acknowledge and accept the responsibility of actually updating said blog on a regular enough basis to make reading it a worthwhile venture for followers. I have not been upholding my end of this bargain, and as such, I am VERY sorry. I know that apologies don't really do much for most people, especially when the reason offered happens to be indiscriminately vague: namely, I have been depressed.

Okay, so let's take it a little further. I am the kind of depressed that modern medicine has been struggling to help.

I know that the crunchy thing to do would have been to take some St. John's wort and continue on with my life. Unfortunately, as we all know, sometimes the crunchy option is not always the best. Instead, I am on Lexapro, via prescription from my OB. I am also no longer on my previously chosen form of birth control (the Mirena IUD). The decision was made that the combination of the anti-depressant and the hormones were making my previous depression problems worse. For now, we are using a combination of not really having sex, pull 'n' pray, and condoms to prevent pregnancy. Once I have an established cycle back, we'll go into the "natural family planning" option of charting - not to conceive, of course, but to avoid it (colloquially referred to as "TTA" or "trying to avoid" by most of the forum communities I'm a part of). I'm already vaguely familiar with charting, so learning how to do it fully and keeping track of my cycles should (hopefully) not be difficult for me. It'll also be fun to help C learn how to do everything!

Also, I have made a couple of decisions. First and foremost, for anyone who is aware, I have a blog called "Believe In The Flowers". Although it hasn't been updated in several months, as of today, I will no longer be updating it. I won't be shutting it down, in case I ever want or need to access it again, but I have no intention of ever continuing to use it. This was a personal decision that I made based on the fact that I already don't update the blogs that I do have. I see no reason to continue a blog that has no real purpose to me anymore. Granted, I do still have things I want to complain about - don't get me wrong about that! - but I can always torture anyone and everyone that reads this blog as well by occasionally sharing my woes here.

More importantly (at least in my opinion), I have changed my name on Twitter. I used to be @bitf and as of this morning I have become @crazycrunchy instead. I have 24 followers who this currently affects, and I have sent all of them a direct message. However, if you are a follower, and you notice that @bitf is no longer updating, that would be why!

Regular posting will resume tomorrow!