i am…
A work at home mom, former coffee addict turned tea addict (ok I'm still addicted to coffee), writer who lives in this semi-large town in arkansas, is strapped always to her iPhone, Litfuse nester and is a sinner saved by grace. Dirty diapers, books, running (or not), paper loving, instagrams, messes, lover of one. Welcome to my world.
Category Archives: Baby
Will the Real Drew Please Stand Up?
I know. This is insanely crazy. It seems my husband was cloned. That’s all.
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Drew Month Two
- You have found your voice and you talk all the time. Such a sweet sweet voice
- You don’t like it when mommy drinks caffeine, so no more coffee for mommy.
- You can wear 3-6 months clothes… but you still can fit into your newborn clothes too. Mommy is going to blame it on the cloth diapers…
- You’ve been sleeping longer through the night. A good 5 hours stretch!
- Baby acne finally is cleaned up, but I’m still sure you have sensitive skin.
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Adventures in Cloth Diapering: Pre-folds vs. AIO
There are so many different choices when it comes to cloth diapers and brands. For my family, we’ve chosen the bum genius brand (one size, all in ones). It just made more sense to buy one diaper that will last from newborn to potty trained and for us the fit is great.
However, bum genius, at $18 a diaper, could be a bit pricey.
Pre-folds, on the other hand, are about $12 for around 12 diapers — do the math. That’s $1 a diaper. Plus since you can reuse the covers from diaper change to diaper change, you can get by with fewer covers.
Oh I want to like pre-folds. I happen to have quite the handful of pre-folds, but I can’t get them to work for me.
The AIO (all in ones) work like a regular disposable diaper – you put it on, they pee, you change it. With the pre-folds, it seems I have to change them every 2 minutes. Other cloth diaper-ers out there. What am I doing wrong? I have a few covers and a woolie, but whenever I use pre-folds it seems the prefold is completely pee drenched leaving my baby smelling less then yummy (and I’m only leaving the diaper on for 30 minutes to an hour). I also know that with woolies you can re-use multiple times between uses because it’s wool and won’t soak anything up — however, my woolie after one use is smelling yucky.
So, for those of you who use/have used pre-folds… what was your secret?
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Adventures in Cloth Diapering: The Diaper Routine
Most people would assume that cloth diapers = a ton of extra work.
I wouldn’t necessarily call it that. There is a little extra work involved, but really I barely notice it.
When changing the diaper a cloth basically is just like a disposable. I take the diaper off, clean the bum, put a new diaper on. Only difference is with E. Since she has “big people poop” (aka “I eat solids so my poop is disgusting” poop) I always put a liner in her diaper (except when I forget — and I always regret that). So after taking her diaper off, cleaning her bum, and putting on a new diaper, if there is poo I dump the liner out in the potty and flush. I then plop the diaper in the diaper pail (which happens to be a OU 5 gallon bucket. Awesome).
Then to the wash. Since I mainly use pocket diapers (think Bumgenius — love!) I take the inserts out of the diapers and throw everything in the wash. I put in a teaspoon of this detergent (in Smashing Watermelon flavor — yums) and run the rinse cycle in cold water. After the diapers are done rinsing, I put in 3ish tablespoons of detergent and run a full wash in the hottest hot water.
Then I dry on low heat.
That’s it. That’s the routine. Not much to it and nothing to crazy. It works and I absolutely love saving $80 bucks a month that would be spent on said diapers (ok, not that much right now because we’re still currently using disposables during the night — and sometimes when I’m lazy and we’re planning on being out all day, but I’m getting better I promise).
I can tell you that I am so ready for my toddler to finish being potty trained so that I will have one less in diapers. I don’t mind diapers, but I am absolutely loathing the potty training. If anyone has any good tips let me know. For now I’m just kinda letting her figure it out on her own.
Posted in adventures in cloth diapering, Baby, life
Tagged bumgenius, cloth diapers, how to wash, potty training
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Drew Month One
(photo via the sister)
- You smile all the time. I love your smile
- You nurse like a champ! Every two hours, which sometimes wears this momma out (especially during the night), but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
- You gained a whole pound and a handful of ounces at your two week check up.
- You don’t get mad very often, but generally when you do it’s food related. I feel bad, but some times I just let you cry and look at you — you are so stinking cute when you are mad! (Don’t worry I only stare for about ten seconds before I feed you).
-Your belly button fell off at the three week mark. I can’t say how glad I was to get rid of that thing.
- You are so patient with your sister. Even when she gives you lots of slobbery kisses or takes your “mimi” or tries to carry you across the living room (ok, you don’t like that one so much).
- You have terrible skin. Lots of baby acne. It’s totally different from your sister, so mom and dad are a little freaked out by it (but we keep telling ourselves it’s all normal).
- You haven’t outgrown any of your clothes yet, however, you can wear a size three month in Carters (that’s ok because I hear that particular brand runs small).
- You have out grown diapers and are currently wearing a size one.
- You are the biggest mommy’s boy. (I’m secretly glad).
Adventures in Cloth Diapers: Why do I do it?
It is a question universally acknowledged — why in the world do I cloth diaper?! There’s the issue of the extra laundry, the “inconvenience” of out on the town, and the poo. Oh the poo. (Can you tell that I know really want to read Pride and Prejudice… again).
Most people would think it’s an issue with money. In fact, I had a family member ask a few weeks ago if we were hurting for money so much that I had to use cloth diapers. We aren’t hurting for money. There is no reason I couldn’t go out and buy diapers every week for my kids’ tushies. I figured out the cost and for two in diapers it would run approximately $80-$100 bucks a month. $100 bucks! For something you throw away!!! I wasn’t to thrilled about that number. Personally I’d so much rather spend that money on something else.
Being a stay at home mom now and actually staying at home most of the time, I don’t really mind the extra laundry and there isn’t much “inconvenience” of our on the town when you rarely go out on the town anymore. (Oh how living with two will change your life). And the poo. Honestly, it’s poo. It’s a part of life. I’m dealing with poo with or without cloth diapers. That happens when your toddler is just potty trained enough that she knows that poo feels yucky and she’s not supposed to go in her diaper… So when she does go in her diaper, it promptly comes off. So poo dealing is a daily occurrence.
With all that being said, we still haven’t gotten back into the cloth diapering groove here at the Krumm house. Momma is still half-way recovering from only getting about four hours a sleep a night (yes, peoples this is what I live off of now… coffee is one of my best friends right now — thankfully it doesn’t/hasn’t bothered Drew yet). I did get all the diapers prep last week for when we do decide to give it a whirl. Mostly likely that’s going to happen when my “free-gifted” diapers run out. Honestly? I’m looking forward to it. Cloth diaper bums are simply adorable. What can I say. I’m addicted to fluff.
Posted in adventures in cloth diapering, Baby, life
Tagged cloth diapers, saving money, toddler
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Living With Two
(Sorry this post is posting so late in the day. My bestest friend had her baby today (who also happens to be Drew’s best friend) so I’ve been busy seeing her. When we got home life happened. Tomorrow’s post will be a little late as well 
This is what happens when I don’t get my posts scheduled over the weekend 
)
Living with two. I’m not going to sugar coat it — it’s a challenge.
I come from a big family. No. Scratch that. A huge family. I am the oldest of 27 grandchildren and there is talk about more being added. And that’s just on my mom’s side. My dad is the youngest of 7 and they all have at least 2 kids and then there is all the second and third cousins. So I have grown up around babies. Throw in being a nanny for three years to a family with five kids while I was in college. Without sounds egotistical I really figured two would be a piece of cake. Nope. Farther from the truth.
The first week there were no less then 4-5 break downs. Everything ranging from not being a good enough mom, feeling like I was leaving Elsie out, and not being able to get everything much less anything done. It was pretty ugly folks. I seriously remember thinking… “What in the world was I thinking?! And I want 5 of these?! ” (I’m blaming those thoughts on hormones. I’m pretty sure I’m crazy as I’m already wanting to be pregnant again. I promise I haven’t been on drugs…)
There are those products out there that are simply a life saver when it comes to moms with multiple kids — especially overwhelmed ones with a toddler and a newborn.
Wrap
I’m going to go out on a limb here and declare that the wrap saved me and my sanity. I have this wonderful wrap from Lovey Duds. I love this wrap and the fact that there are so many choices (I’m highly considering purchasing a second one). There is also the moby wrap and the ergo carrier — I’m not going to say much about these as I’ve never actually tried them out, but my close friend has both and I’m pretty sure she is happy with both.
Movies
Because sometimes a kid just refuses to take a nap. I honestly hate the television, however, it has been pretty awesome (sadly) this past month. (On that note — we need new movies. Pretty sure we’ve watched our movies 10+ times already).
iPhone
Mainly because my brain is gone. So my iPhone is my brain.
Chocolate
Really? Need I explain this one? I’ve really been living off this stuff lately…
What are some things you used to survive two??
Baby Number 2: What in the World To Register for!
Gone are the days of only a baby shower for your first baby. My church was kind enough to throw me a shower for my second and earlier this year they threw a shower of a mom due with her fourth!
This brings up the question — what does one register for for the second (or third or fourth) kid — this assuming you didn’t get rid of all your baby equipment and/or it isn’t gender specific.
I’ve come up with a list of eight. Eight things you are for sure going to need for baby.
1. Diapers and Wipes
Whether you are going for cloth or disposable you need diapers. Even reusing cloth, it’s nice to have extra/new for the new addition. Same goes with the wipe. I currently have two in diapers and it’s crazy how many wipes we go through!
2. Bath Stuff
Shampoo, bubble bath, powder, lotion, etc.
3. Blankets
Yes, this is number two. You would think I’d have blankets from number one, but no. Every blanket I had was either way to girlie or way to thick for my summer baby (E was a late fall/winter baby). So I registered for the lightweight blankets (and even had a friend make me an amazing quilt that going to be perfect for winter!)
4. Clothes
This one might not be as much of a need to others as much as it was for me. Given my number one was a girl and number two was a boy so I needed a whole new wardrobe. There is also season differences to take in to consideration.
5. Spit Rags
I have this favorite shop in Etsy. This gal makes the best and cutest spit rags. Again every single spit rag I owned was either super girlie or decked in flowers. Who doesn’t love a cute spit rag?!
6. Nursey Decor
My little dude doesn’t get his own room. In fact his bed (which is an owl pack n play) is a hand me down from his sister. However, some babies get their own space and with that own space comes with decorating. Be sure to register for the fun decor stuff!!
7. Nursing Pads/Milk Storage Supplies
If you are going the nursing route, nursing pads and milk storage supplies are a must!
8. Bottles, Formula, Etc
If you’re not going the nursing route, you’ll need bottles and formula. Even if you are going the nursing route, a few bottles to have on hand is a good thing.
