Fabric Bins

      On pinterest I saw these adorable fabric bins awhile back.  Then around Christmas when I went to JoAnn's I stumbled across two home decor fabric remnants. Score! Half price makes it even more enticing.

         Both measure 10 inches square on the bottom and 12 inches tall.  I modified the original directions by sewing fabric handles instead of using grommets with cord handles.  Sadly the pink one is too girlie to store Evan's toys in.  On the bright side I know the perfect soon-to-be one year old that will love it!

     For the time being I'm using the light blue one as a laundry bag for Evan's clothes.  It looks better than just tossing them in a pile on the ground.

 

 

Diaper Time

      

    When it comes time to change Evan's diaper, you change it just like any baby.  Most of the time it is just wet which means unsnap the snaps, take the diaper off, pull out the insert, and toss both in trash can.

     We use a small trash can to hold all the dirty diapers until laundry time.  Nothing else is needed.  Then take a clean diaper that has already been stuffed off the shelf and snap it into place.  Done.

        If it happens to be number two, I rinse it out in the toilet before tossing it in with the rest.

       When you cloth diaper what do you do for wipes?  You can buy disposable wipes, but then you have the dirty wipes smelling up your nursery.  They do sell cloth wipes, too or other use baby wash cloths.  I chose to go through my scrap fabric and make my own.  I cut square pieces of flannel, which are nice and smooth on Evan's bottom.  I sewed a stitch around the edge to keep it from fraying.  Store them in a wipes container next to his changing pad.  Before using them I spray it down with a combination of water and Lavender Witch Hazel. It is nice and gentle on baby's bottom.

        Back to a dirty number two...you don't have to, but we chose to buy a spray nozzle.  It makes the process less gross.  I just hold the diaper over the toilet rinse the diaper, insert, and wipes off.   Wring out the excess water and flush the toilet.

       They say that's all you have to do. I found if the diaper was discolored after rinsing in the toilet that it is best to pretreat it.  Otherwise after doing the laundry the diaper has a yellow or black cast.   Since my aunt sent along a spray bottle of Biokleen Bac-Out that she used, I knew it was safe.  You have to be careful what you use with cloth diapers because you do not want to destroy the pul or polyurethane laminate.  It is what makes the diaper waterproof. The outer fabric is made of pul and keeps baby's clothes dry.  Spray down the inside of the diaper and toss into the trash can. 
      

       Every other day I wash diapers.  I dump the trash can into the washing machine.  Turn the water to hot and start a rinse cycle.  Then do a normal cycle with laundry detergent followed by an extra rinse cycle to make sure all the soap is out. 

      When you purchase cloth diapers the companies say you have to purchase special laundry detergent, but as long as you get something that is perfume and dye free you are fine.  I use Arm & Hammer free. We have hard water so I also have to toss in a little borax, otherwise, the diapers loose their absorbency.  My aunt who doesn't have hard water never had absorbency issues.  Another way to loose absorbency is by using diaper cream.  If by chance Evan gets a sore bottom, which rarely happens, I use a disposable diaper and diaper cream.

       Then hang your laundry out to dry.  It is best to let them line dry.  First because if you put them in the dryer, you might destroy the pul and no longer have waterproof diapers.  The inserts can be dried, though.  Second because the sun is a natural whitener and it is not recommended to use bleach on them. 

       This winter when I had to use a drying rack, I noticed the diapers and inserts were getting discolored.  Now that spring arrived and I can hang them outside the discoloration has disappeared.

After the diapers are dry I stuff them and put them back on the shelf ready for the next time.

     Evan usually goes through six diapers a day. So with 18 diapers I can laundry every other day.  12 diapers from the first two days and 6 to use while those are drying.  Luckily around Christmas time when we were hunting for diapers to buy so we could return my aunts, we found them on sale for 40% off.  Meaning we only spent $11 per diaper.  Much less than a box of diapers every week for 2-3 years, which is why we chose to go this route.



9 months old

 

      Three quarters of a year already, it's hard to believe.  It's getting harder to take Evan's picture because he would much rather play and explore than look at the camera.

        Prime example....the slate. Here Mom, let me help you out.  I can smear this chalk everywhere.  You didn't really want it anyway. Right?

     Oh look, no socks!  How about I play this little piggy went to the market.

     Either way, I was able to capture some adorable shots of our growing boy. 

        No crawling yet.  If you leave him on his blanket with all his toys, you just might come back to a baby across the room.  He is a rolling machine.

      

        Here you can see the three bottom teeth Evan is sporting these days.

       If you look closely, you might catch the three top teeth.  That's right, Evan is a teeth making machine!

      He also loves to read.  The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a new favorite.  Primarily because he can stick his fingers into the caterpillar holes.  It doesn't hurt that the pages are easy to turn, too.

      His favorite time to listen to a story is right before nap time.  It calms him down and gets him ready for a nice long nap....if we are lucky.

        We are beginning those reading habits early so hopefully they continue all through his life. 

 

Cloth Diapers

    

   When people first hear that I am using cloth diapers, I always get a look.  Really?  You must be crazy, I mean think of all the time it must take.  Then you have to mess with using those pins and plastic covers, but worst of all....gross that mess.         Those statements might have been more true in our parents generation when cloth diapers required a lot of effort.  Now there are all kinds of brands with all sorts of different styles.  I first got acquainted with them when my aunt used them with her daughter five years ago.  I remember looking at them and thinking, Wow, that looks so easy.  Plus, they were absolutely adorable on her. 
         Then when we had our bundle of joy, she offered to let us use them.  We love them.  You never have that smelly diaper lingering around.  There are less blow outs because the adjustable elastic allows you to get a good fit around the legs and back.  Evan doesn't really get diaper rash because the new design wicks away the moisture to keep his bottom dry.  Plus it is a one time expense.  You buy a stash and it will last. 

        I have heard up to seven years, which I can believe because my cousin is now 5 and hers are still in great shape.  This is one of hers and it still looks great.  All the snaps work and the elastic is good.

     How does it work you might ask??  Well let me tell you.  The brand I like is FuzziBunz.  Doesn't that just sound cool.  The brand is called a pocket diaper with an elastic waist and more around the legs.  First you have to size the diaper for your baby's size.   I have two different models of FuzziBunz.  Since my aunt is pregnant we will be giving back those and we invested in some of our own. 

     (This one has already been through one baby and 9 months of Evan.  Look no stains.)  Anyway you can see around the leg there is elastic that you slide over a button.  We are currently on the 2nd hole.

 

      The newer style hides the elastic on the inside, which I do like better.  Plus I'm thinking some people complained of their baby growing out of it because the elastic is slightly longer and the diaper is a little bigger.  So for reference before we purchased our own stash, I did check using my chunky two year old nephew to see if it would fit him.  It did!

    The waist band elastic works in the same fashion. 

      Then you stuff  the pocket with an insert.  For daytime I use one insert and for bedtime I use two.  If he needs it I could even use three inserts at night.

  The diaper comes with two sizes a small and large.  When you are first using them a small is all you need.  Especially since you get up every couple of hours to feed a baby anyway. 

        I do both of these things after they are clean then they are ready and waiting for the next diaper change.  Granted you only have to resize them when your baby out grows the current size.
        Well, I guess nap time is over.  More to come on this later.

Spring!!!

       When the crocus bulbs begin to bloom you know spring is here.  They are always the first sign that winter snows are melting into beautiful blooming landscapes.  

       Evan couldn't wait to get his strong grasp on those delicate petals.  



      Mom, I think I'm going to like this season.  Can we come outside more often?

Hidden Treasure

       My father-in-law made it for my husband when he was a little boy playing farmer in the middle of the living room.  Since that little boy grew up, the windmill has been sitting in the basement collecting dust and rusting away.  This winter we dug it out and spruced it up to look like new again.  Now it is standing tall in the nursery where Evan looks at it every time he gets a diaper change. 

      The windmill is about two feet tall with blades that spin like a fan and turn around in any direction the wind might be blowing.  Plus the tail turns back and forth too.  

       My husband recalls putting it in front of the fan at night and listening to it spin all night long.  Can't you just picture his little boy in his Ninja Turtles shirt playing with it.

Baby Chevron quilt

       Today baby Thannert's due date.  Time will tell when baby decides to make her arrival.  This picture was taken back in January when my amaryllis bulbs were blooming.  I was waiting to post it until after the baby shower, but then forgot.

       The pink material comes from a line called storybook.  There are castles with puffy white clouds, baby clothes hanging on a clothes line, song birds that make me think of Cinderella, and much more. 

8 Months Old

       Evan was 8 months old at the end of February.   He is a busy boy even though he is not mobile yet.  With his superb hearing he is always turning to look at where that noise came from. 

          At this point every toy he picks up goes directly into his mouth.  His third tooth, all bottom, appeared this month and we have been waiting for it's matching partner.  No luck so far.

      This picture is deceiving.  You might think Evan enjoys tummy time and is working on his preliminary crawling skills....but look closely that belly and bottom are planted firmly on the ground.

     As soon as he is on his tummy he reaches for a toy, gets it in his hands, and rolls to his back.  He might even roll from back to belly to back again in order to reach a toy. 

     Baby jibber jabber is one of his many favorite things.  A-da-da-da, on and on it goes.  He just started getting louder as he jabbers if he thinks you aren't listening.