SHE is (finally) here!

 

Eleanor Blythe
Arrived May 14th, 2013 at 5:07 PM
7 lbs. 4 oz. and 20 inches

In love.

Birth Thoughts

Well, we are at the final stretch. The last week (or day or two?!) waiting for our newest one. I kind of feel like I am in the pre-labor twilight zone. I have had a terribly long pre-baby project list, and now, it's nearly complete. And I'm trying to rest, and wait. Which I am not very good at. If there is one thing I learned from having my first baby be a week "late," it's this: keep making plans and living life beyond your due date. Worse come to worse, you just have to cancel your plans (and most people are pretty understanding that having a baby is a good reason to cancel plans). It makes the waiting seem less like waiting.

But despite my plans and intentions, I still feel like I'm waiting...

Names are chosen.
Pantry is stocked.
The floors are swept & mopped.
Baby clothes and diapers are washed and waiting.
The birth pool is here.
My kitchen sink is empty and all the clean dishes are put away.
The playroom is organized so that the big brothers will have a fun place to play on these hot summer days.
My hair is washed.
And even my toe nails are painted!

Hopefully it won't be too much longer or it will all have to be done over again.

As far as physically, I do feel really pregnant. And I know that I am looking forward to not being pregnant anymore and being able to be more active. But really, for being at the end, I feel pretty positively about the pregnancy and while I have my aches and pains, it's not unbearable. But maybe that's just because I know it won't be much longer. I know I really won't be pregnant forever. I know that it goes oh, so fast, and I just might miss all of this.

Preparing for the birth:

I read this book.
I watched this film.
I read this lovely storybook to the big brothers. Many times.

I highly recommend all three. I can't believe that I waited until my third pregnancy to finally read "Birthing from Within". It might be my favorite book on natural childbirth.

A funny conversation with the biggest brother:
Dmitri is very convinced that the baby is a girl. Or, as he likes to say, "a gril". In the book "Welcome with Love," the big brother expresses that he wonders whether the baby will be a boy or girl, and that he is hoping for a brother. Dmitri says, "I'm hoping it's a sister." I respond, "But, it could be a boy and that would be okay too, right?" Dmitri says, "Well, that would be alright. Because if it's a boy, then there must actually be two babies and the other one is a girl."

He helped me make a bow for the baby's hat, just in case he is right. (And if he's not, we'll just take it off the safety pin).

I've mentioned preparing the homebirth supplies; well, I piled all of mine into the baby's crib (which is in the "birthing room" aka guest room). And this is what that looks like (except for the pool):

Sanitized towels and sheets. A hose for filling up the pool. My clothes for during labor and after. Baby clothes, diapers, hats. Receiving blankets. Trash bags. Lysol wipes. A flashlight. Drop cloths. Bowls. Various absorbant pads. Paper towels. Etc.

We are ready.

Make It and Hoard It...

There is something about nesting that leads me to stockpile household and personal items. As if, when I have a baby I suddenly need to have two years supply of deodorant, toothbrushes, and toilet paper. Maybe I fear not leaving the house for months. (As if I won't be looking for any excuse to get out of the house within the first few days). I suppose I don't want to feel like I HAVE to leave the house because I am out of something essential when it's inconvenient to me.

Whatever it is, I have been filling my shelves with some of my favorite DIY products. So I thought it would be a good time to share some of the things that I like to make myself. Pinterest and the blogosphere are full of homemade product recipes, and over the last few years I've experimented with numerous recipes for everything from toothpaste to dishwashing detergent.

My love of doing-it-myself merged with using natural ingredients only takes me so far, though. So I have some criteria for things that I make myself.

1. It has to work as well as or better than store bought products. If it doesn't work well, then I think it's a waste of my time and I could just buy some from the store instead of going to the trouble of making it. Who wants to use deodorant that only works when you are in air conditioning? Not me. And I'm not saving any money if I have to wash the dishes twice.
2. Ingredients must be inexpensive, easy to come by, or something I have on hand.
3. Simple to make. It should make my life easier and better. Not more complicated.
4. Saves me money. I'm not going to make it myself and then it end up being more expensive than store-bought.

With that being said, here are a few recipes that I mix up myself that I think are totally worth the effort:
Deodorant:

Recipe. 

I use baking soda, tea tree oil & coconut oil (and I'll throw in some shea butter if I happen to have some.) I use whatever essential oils I have on hand- my favorite are lemon and lavender. I add more baking soda to make it thick, and I stick it in an old deodorant tube.

Cloth Wipe Solution:

Recipe.

I used the ingredients above because it's what I have on hand. It smells AMAZING. I cut up an old stained flannel receiving blanket to make extra cloth wipes. Not only is it much cheaper than buying wipes,  they smell better, work better, and have less harmful ingredients. The "Gentle Baby" essential oil blend is from Young Living - it's a bit expensive, however, it works wonders on diaper rashes. I store it in peri-bottles. Easy to squirt and portable.

Vanilla Extract:

Two ingredients: vanilla beans and vodka. Steep for 3-4 months. Bam. Amazing, homemade vanilla extract at fractions of the cost. Also makes a great gift... ; )

Bathroom Spray:

Witch hazel + essential oils in a spray bottle. Took two minutes, smells fantastic, and is all-natural.

So there you have it. A few things I like to make; I have tried making other products, but none that I'm crazy about like these. Have you found any DIY products that you love?

37 weeks and counting...Time to make your final guesses!

37 + weeks and counting...

Time to make your guesses!

Boy or girl?
Birthday:
Weight:
Name:

Thoughts to go on:
-My due date is May 12th.
-Dmitri and Damon weighed 6 lbs. 12 oz. and 8 lbs. respectively.
-Dmitri and Damon were born at 41 weeks and 39 weeks and 6 days respectively.
-Both of the boys' initials are D.A.

Today I was supposed to have my home visit. But we had to re-schedule for Thursday. I'm excited about officially having everything ready for our newest arrival. I'm planning to rest, and wait, and enjoy the next few weeks as leisurely as my two boys will allow.

This Season.

My infrequent blog posts are becoming more of a normal thing than I would like. On the one hand, I miss blogging more. But on the other, the reason I've been more quiet is because of how full my life is right now. Mostly in a good way. Little thoughts that could be longer posts, but a look into life right now:

Dmitri and Damon have become even more rambunctious and demanding of my time and intervention. I think that I was quite lucky that they played so well together from the time Damon was 6 months until nearly 2 years old. Over the last couple months they have become increasingly more challenging. I am not sure if it's just their own developmental stages or less structure in our lives over the last couple months, but some days it just seems like the day is one constant fight. Navigating this has required us to make some lifestyle and schedule changes- honestly, just keeping ourselves more involved, busy, and playing with friends. They both love to "go." The last thing that Dmitri says before we say goodnight is "Let's talk about what we are going to do tomorrow." In the morning, Damon wakes up saying "Ready?!!!!! GO!!!!" I am eternally thankful that we had children when we did, even if it was younger than we originally planned. I am not sure that I would have the energy to keep up (and at full-term with baby # 3, I feel like my head is bobbing under the water rather frequently these days).

Friends. We have some wonderful old friends, and are continuing to make new ones. I feel so lucky to live in a place where there are kindred spirits to be found. I've really felt recently how important it is to invest in relationships and build community. I don't think it comes naturally, and I choose to make this a big priority for me and the little ones too.

Springtime is here, and is probably the busiest season for us. I think it's my favorite (although, I think I say this every time a new season comes!) There are so many fun things to do in Athens this time of year. Farmer's market, festivals, enjoying the outdoors before it's too buggy, muggy, and wretchedly hot.

With the fading of winter, I am ready to be done with all of the illness that we have been dealing with since last August. One (or all) of us has been sick every two weeks since August. I have been researching and reading, seeking any and all knowledge on the immune system. I have always been fairly health conscious, and we eat a whole foods diet, so it's not new to me. But something really needs to change for us. It's greatly effecting our quality of life. The first steps we are taking is extremely limiting all added sugar (pretty much no sugar with the exception of what occurs in fruit and a small amount of dark chocolate), making sure that we are getting a minimum of 30 minutes of direct sunlight every day, going to bed earlier, and eating less dairy (and switching to raw dairy) and less, but only, whole grains. All in all, we are just trying to eat more fruits and vegetables. We will see where this leads us and what we need to do next. Here's to hoping for well children this summer, and a well new baby!

And springtime means planting. My "planting day" yesterday is clearly becoming a planting week. As long as my garden is in before the baby arrives, I will be content. Hopefully sooner though. My belly gets in the way, my back aches, and the heat is already bothering me (It is in the upper 80's in the afternoon!) I've spent a couple hours each morning weeding, composting, and digging, and I have one bed fully planted. Just three more to go...my seedlings are looking happy and the only plants that I bought this year are a couple of tomato plants. I'm excited about re-arranging my garden layout and I'm going to give some pretty crazy trellising a try to maximize my garden space. I am also planting a bigger herb garden this year, which I am excited about. We will be growing 7 varieties of tomatoes, cucumber, yellow squash, okra, kale, brocolli, eggplant, melon, and watermelon (plus herbs). Not a huge variety, but they are all things that we eat a lot of! I would love to try to do some potatoes if I get around to it.

Aside from gardening, we are still busy pre-baby project-ing. Several building projects are close to finished, and we are installing a farm fence around our property this weekend. I am excited to have a contained space for the little ones to play. I'm hoping that it will put less stress on me, as I re-learn taking care of a newborn while chasing 2 other growing ones around. And hopefully I really will have some photos soon.

Speaking of photos. I have an SD card thief on the loose. I am suspecting that Damon has been taking my SD card out of my computer after I upload photos. I've lost two in the past two weeks this way....and so my photo taking has been limited. I need to find them so that I can 1. Post photos to the blog 2. Take a bunch of photos of my two boys while I only have two boys and 3. Be ready to take a gazillion photos of baby # 3 (I'm getting the photo props ready! Pom pom hats, hair bows (?))

For now, iPhone photo dump:

 35 weeks on Easter

Honeypops - our Saturday morning farmer's market ritual 

A little sneak of one of our building projects. This laundry basket organizer is seriously changing my life.

Mixed Emotions at 36 Weeks Pregnant.

David said to me last week, "Are you ready to not be pregnant anymore?"

I stopped and sighed. Yes, I am. In some ways, very ready. And yet, I'm not. And that simple question, which I think my husband thought would be so easy to answer and he probably meant as rhetorical, has led me down a long and winding self-analyzation this past week as I enter my 36th week of pregnancy.

Pregnancy and I - we have a love/hate relationship.


I hate...

...puking for weeks 5-18.
... the exhaustion, at first from the hormones, and later from hauling around the two of us.
...when my body fails to allow me to follow through with my to-do list.
...wanting to fall asleep at 11 AM after a full night's sleep.
... the constant weight fluctuations, changing sizes, and awkward in-between clothing moments.
...having three or four different sized wardrobes.
...being so exhausted, yet unable to sleep.
...the anxiety.
...being overly emotional.
...swollen feet.
...heart burn.
...dizziness.
...hot flashes.
...round ligament pain. (So severe that at times I physically can't walk).
...back aches.
...Braxton-Hicks.
...peeing. All. the. time. (And 4+ times a night).
...post-pregnancy body.

...and love...


...the excitement of looking forward to a new life, that grows mysteriously and wonderfully.
...the first butterfly flutters of a moving and growing baby.
...hearing the heart beat for the first time. And then every time.
...the motivation; getting things done makes me happy and an impending arrival is incredibly motivating for a goal-oriented person like me.
...that my body is able to create a human. That's crazy.
...that by my third pregnancy, I actually have maternity clothes that I like.
...the anticipation of labor starting.
...nesting.
...picking a name (or two.).
...the new appreciation I will have for my non-pregnant state. The littlest things will amaze me (like not having to pee every 5 minutes).
...(and this time) guessing whether it's a boy...or a girl....or a boy?
...the opportunity to write a new and different birth story that's my own.

But most of all, I absolutely love having a newborn- those first moments, days, weeks. The cuddles. Every single move and eye-lash twitch seeming somehow magical. Falling in love. And that's why I do all of this. All the loving and hating. The mixed emotions that leave me a mess (and probably annoy everyone around me. Although, I'm lucky enough to have a husband who knows better than to say anything-- except after the baby arrives I'm sure he will exclaim over and over how happy he is that I am not pregnant.)

I'm not quite ready yet. I'm still savoring more of the loves than the hates.

But, I will be soon.

I'm focused on finishing my to-do list - I think everything that was an "absolute necessity" has been accomplished. Now just tying up some other projects that would be put on the back burner post-baby(organizing the playroom, building, fencing).

A bunch of teeny tiny diapers arrived today, and I couldn't help but feel giddy to think of the little one who will be wearing them so soon.

I'm reading Birthing from Within. I'm finally making room to prepare mentally and emotionally for the birth - which after having done twice, is still overwhelming and intense.

We are organizing and decorating what will be "the birthing room". Building a new bed, re-arranging, building an awesome laundry basket organizer. Photos to come, I am sure.

I am so excited about my Blessingway this Friday.

And other things are growing, aside from my belly. Like my spring garden sprouts that I need to transplant this week. (But weeding, I'm not sure that the growing belly is going to allow for that. We will see. And at least try).

A belly photo soon.

Nesting

9 months is quickly approaching, and I have been satisfying my nesting urges with the little things that really make a difference in making my home feel a little bit more together. No stunning before and afters, just subtle changes that make me smile- when I hang up my towel or turn on the fan (even on these cool Spring days). And feeling just a little bit more together and organized is exactly what I crave when I'm carrying around an extra 40 lbs. and can barely bend over to pick up all of the toys scattered on the floor, and I'm slightly overwhelmed by throwing a third little one that is completely dependent on me for it's survival into the whirling dervish that is our daily life.

Snapshots of the small things:

New hooks in the bathroom 

 A hanging fruit basket to free up counter space.

I frosted our bathroom windows for privacy.

Musical light fixtures. We moved this fan from the playroom.

The fan that was previously in the sunroom. 

 But really, all of the switching was so this beauty can hang in our playroom.

Birthing supplies arrived today! 

It's getting closer!
We are still going to try to work in another big project or two (like fencing our yard!!) I am hoping to have a full playroom reveal soon. And I'm working on setting up my own photography website too. It's nice to have new things to get excited about and look forward to...I need that right now.

Right Now::

Right now, I am::

:: wishing my dear husband a very happy birthday.
:: thankful for the excuse to get a cake.
:: feeling more like 40 weeks pregnant than 34.
:: thinking that it's probably because I weigh the same as I did at 40 weeks with my last two pregnancies.
:: happy it's spring. (Our seeds have sprouted!)
:: still feeling quite down and at a loss. 
:: overwhelmed.
:: looking forward to Damon's 2nd birthday this weekend.
:: in denial that it's been 2 years already. He's still my baby.
:: frustrated that my little ones are still very out of whack since our unexpected events and travels.
:: grasping for a way to re-center them.
:: guessing that this baby is a girl. Just because.
:: already dreading David starting school in August.
:: trying not to think about it ^. Unsuccessfully.
:: praying for my body to stop aching.
:: looking forward to labor and birth. Already.
:: admitting that I love "The League." David and I watch an episode every, single, night.
:: taking an online Photography 101 & 102 class. 
:: super proud and excited of a photoshoot that I did with my little ones amongst the daffodils this weekend. (I will share soon, I promise).
:: popcorn. 
:: eager for more spring picnics.
:: continuing to organize our house. Spring cleaning + nesting. If only my body didn't give out on me.
:: anxious.
:: carrying on.

My Expulsion of Cloth-Diapering Experience

My cloth diaper drawer

We have been cloth diapering for nearly 4 years (and having two in diapers for almost 1.5 of those years, and we are about to plunge back into having two in diapers come May, unless my almost-2-year-old decides to potty train before then!)

Cloth-diapering has become popular in recent years, and it's not just some crazy thing that hippies do. Parents from all different back-grounds and lifestyles choose to cloth diaper for various reasons. However, while I frequently meet other people who cloth diaper, or who have tried cloth diapering, I'll be honest. It's rare for me to hear a true success story.

I remember when I was pregnant with my first, upon seeing that I had registered for cloth diapers at my baby shower, a mom of two told me how she had tried to cloth diaper but how she just couldn't keep up with the laundry and so she gave up. She said something to the effect of, "Well, I hope it works out for you...."

Now, having experienced many cloth diaper challenges, and overcoming many of them, I want to share my experience here. Maybe just to satisfy your curiosity, maybe to encourage someone who is considering giving it a try, or to help those who did give up and want to try again! And so, here is my attempt at summing up all that I have learned in the last 4 years of cloth diapering...

Why Did We Start Cloth Diapering?

-Environmental: We did not like the idea of thousands of diapers sitting in landfills, especially since they take hundreds of years to decompose. 
-Cost : Poor college students with a baby- we like saving money where we can!
-Chemical Exposure: A secondary reason, however, diapers do contain a lot of chemicals, and it concerned me to expose my baby to these 24/7 for the first three years of life
The Evolution of our Diaper Stash

I'll sum up what we use right now, but if you are curious as to how we came to this conclusion you can read the story of the different diapers I have tried below.

-We have about 32-36 Fuzzibunz pocket diapers (some are Perfect Size Mediums and some are the One Size). I really like the Fuzzibunz Elite that they sell now. We use these from about 3 months until potty trained! (We have that many because of having 2 in diapers. If we only had one in diapers I would probably have 18-24).

-For the first few months, we will use newborn size fitted diapers and covers with the new baby. I like the Bummis Super Whisper Wrap (velcro) and the Thirsties Duo Wrap for covers. The fitted diapers that I have aren't made anymore, but you can look at a wide variety of them here. I prefer velcro over snaps, although I have some of both. We have 4 covers and I hope to have 12-18 fitted diapers.

If you begin researching cloth diapers, you will quickly realize that there are A LOT of brands and types of diapers out there. Pre-folds, fitted diapers, pocket diapers, all-in-ones, it can be pretty confusing!

Here is what we did:

When Dmitri was a couple days old, we started him out with pre-folds and wool diaper covers. Pre-folds are one of the cheapest options, and this was the reason we decided to try these. We quickly became overwhelmed- by the frequency of newborn poops, by poop leaking out of the pre-folds, by constantly trying to clean the wool covers...I was ready to give up very quickly.

And here is where I learned what many, many cloth diaper veterans recommend:

Start out with disposables for the first few weeks, because newborns need 10-12 diaper changes per day. After a couple weeks, that slows down a bit, and cloth diapering becomes much more feasible!

We switched to disposables for the sake of our sanity. Life with a new baby was overwhelming enough! When Dmitri was about 2 months old, I decided I wasn't ready to give up on cloth diapering. I decided to try different diapers after doing a lot of research, and this made a big difference in my cloth diapering experience.

I bought 24 Fuzzibunz used, but in good condition, off of eBay. Fuzzibunz are a popular brand of pocket diapers, and are one of the more expensive options, which is why I bought them used. We used these 24 diapers until the elastics degraded in them; I then replaced the elastics with the help of my sister-in-law, and we are still using them over 3 years later!

I like pocket diapers for a few reasons:

-They look similar to disposable diapers, and so other people can figure out how to use them fairly easily (pre-folds freaked out some family members!)
-They dry faster than AIO (All-in-ones).
-You can strip the inserts, double the inserts, replace the inserts, etc. Which you can't do in an AIO.
-I chose Fuzzibunz because the snaps supposedly last longer than velcro diapers do.

Along came baby # 2, and we had two in diapers. I needed more diapers, so I ordered Fuzzibunz in a perfect size small to use with him for the first several months. Somehow, I also ended up with fitted diapers and covers in a newborn size, as well, and we used both. Over the couple months that he fit in newborn size diapers, I realized that I liked the fitted diapers quite a bit more for a newborn. And here is why:

-My babies have skinny legs, and the fitted diapers fit better. (Dmitri wore preemie diapers for weeks, even though he didn't fit in the weight limit, just because of his legs). The fitted diapers had velcro, which was more adjustable. While I've heard that velcro isn't recommended for durability, my babies are only in NB sizes for a very short time, so long-term durability would not be a concern for us.
-The fitted diapers weren't as bulky and didn't make our newborn look funny in clothes (a silly complaint of pocket diapers, but it is a factor).
-Overall, for whatever reason, David and I both found them to be more pleasant to use. No stuffing diapers, etc.

Third time is the charm, so we will be using fitted diapers and covers for the first 3 months, and then switch to Fuzzibunz with baby # 3.

The Financial Investment

I have heard many people say that they have not had the money to buy cloth diapers, and so they use disposables. Financially, this is really short-sighted.. However, if you do feel like you don't have the money for the initial investment, here are a couple of ideas to try:

Option 1. Register for cloth diapers, or ask for cloth diapers if family members ask what gifts you need for the baby. (I know we did not get very many cloth diapers, even though we registered for them. I think most people don't really understand why cloth diapers are "so expensive" nor really want to buy them as gifts. However, maybe your family might! More and more stores carry cloth diapers, or if you do an Amazon registry you can register for cloth diapers.

Option 2. From the start of your pregnancy, budget $50/ month towards diapers, which is how much it will cost once the baby is here to diaper with disposables. Consider taking that much out of your bank account in cash and putting it in a piggy bank or envelope. In 6 months, you would have $300 to invest in cloth diapers. If you did this for your entire pregnancy, you could have $450 and have an extra big stash.

Option 3. Say that you weren't able to save money during your pregnancy, or you just learned about/decided to cloth diaper at 9 months, and don't have an extra $300 to spend on diapers. Another idea: Amazon offers 0% financing for 6 months on purchases over $150. If you buy 12 diapers for $227, you would only have to pay $38/ month to have it paid off in 6 months. Most likely, you will want more than that, say, at least 18. You could pay for those in 6 months with only $56/month. Which is the same you would be spending on disposables. BUT, that's only for 6 months, and not 3 years.

How Much Does it REALLY Cost to Cloth Diaper

You may have seen cost comparisons of Cloth Diapers vs. Disposables, claiming that you can save thousands of dollars by using cloth. Do you really? Well, here is the breakdown of how much I have personally spent on cloth diapering.

First cloth diapering purchase, pre-folds + wool covers (2009) - $150
24 Fuzzibunz used from eBay (2009) - $260
Diaper Sprayer (2009)- $40
Portable Wet Bag (2011)- $15
2 Wet Bags for home use - Given to me by a friend
12 Fuzzibunz size smalls + 2 covers and 6 fitted diapers for baby # 2 (2011) - $120 (very gently used diapers, almost like new)
12 Fuzzibunz Elite Diapers (2011) - $227
2 Additional Covers for baby # 3 - $35
12 fitted diapers for baby # 3 (budgeting) - $80 (will by used).

Amount Spent on the Actual Purchase of Diapers and Accessories for 3 children over 4 years: $920
Minus cloth diapers that I did not use that I have sold: - $180 (I have also donated to people in need some of the diapers I was not using, which I have not included).

TOTAL: $740

However, this does not include the expenses of detergent, water, and energy. 
I spend $15 every two months on detergent. And let's say about $5/ month on utilities (we do have a HE washer, so I'd say that's being generous). 

That's $150/year on detergent and utilities.
(We usually throw in a few towels and other items into our diaper loads, so really, I feel this is being generous. Because we don't JUST wash the diapers with the detergent and utilities).

Over 7 years that would be:

Utilities $420
Detergent $630

To diaper 3 children over 7 years, we will have spent $1790.

Disposables cost about $600/year/child. To diaper 3 children for 3 years each in disposable diapers, it would cost us $5400 from birth to potty training!

Total savings over 7 years: $3610

No complaints here! Your specific circumstances might be different. You might use different diapers, or have less of them, or only have one child in diapers at a time. We definitely have not cloth diapered the absolute cheapest way, but it's worked for us, and still saved us a lot of money.

Washing Cloth Diapers

Here is where it seems most people get hung up or grossed out. Yes, you have to wash cloth diapers. People have been washing diapers for quite some time - disposables only became popular in the last 50 years. But, most people seem to be a bit bothered by bodily excrements and the idea of washing diapers just seems weird. As someone who is hyper-sensitive to smells, I want my diapers to be super clean and completely odorless. I expect nothing less. And the smell of disposables bother me a lot too. So here is how we clean our diapers. Nothing revolutionary- I think it's probably how most people do it, but if you are curious....

After diaper change:
1. If applicable, rinse solid waste into the toilet with a diaper sprayer. (Only applies if baby eats solids)
2. Remove insert and place diaper into wet bag. We keep ours hung up in the bathroom (which is also our laundry room).
3. When wet bag is getting full, dump diapers into the washer and throw the wet bag in too.
4. Rinse in cold water (no detergent).
5. Wash on hottest cycle - we use a "Sanitize" cycle with a cloth diaper approved detergent (My favorite is Rockin' Green). Follow with a cold rinse/extra rinse.
6. Before placing diapers into the dryer, I ALWAYS do a smell-test. There is nothing worse than a funky smelling diaper coming out of the dryer.
7. If they smell fresh and clean enough to rub all over my face, then I dry either in the dryer or in the sun.
8. When dry, I throw mine into a basket and call it done.

If they still smell funny coming out of the wash, which is rare, but occasionally happens, I either re-wash them on a short hot cycle with Funk Rock detergent, or I remove all of the covers and rinse the inserts with a vinegar rinse. Either option always takes care of the smell. I also like to dry them in the sun if I can.

Trouble Shooting Common Cloth Diapering Problems & Challenges

Here are a few problems that I have run into with cloth diapers, both for myself and friends, and what helped us to work through them.

I was cloth diapering and it was great, and then my diapers began to smell....

A few things to try:
-Switch detergents. I used Charlie's Soap for months and months, and eventually they started to smell. Fine in the short term, but not for the long haul. Switching to Rockin' Green has worked much better for me.
-I use Funk Rock every 2 weeks - 1/month to help prevent ammonia build up.
-You can rinse the inserts in vinegar.
-The sun is great for "bleaching" and really really helps with smells and bacteria build up. It also bleaches stains out!

Cloth diapers were perfect until my child got a horrible diaper rash...

Both of my boys got really bad diaper rashes when they started eating solids. What worked best for us was to switch to disposables until the diaper rash cleared up and use a diaper creme. (You can't use a diaper creme with cloth unless you put a barrier between the creme and cloth. I.e. rice paper, wash cloth, etc.) Once it was cleared up, we switched back to cloth, and made sure to change their diapers as frequently as possible. It's important no matter what kind of diaper you use to change diapers frequently, but with cloth especially because there aren't a lot of chemicals keeping your baby's skin dry.

Also, laying diapers in the sun can help with any bacteria that might be causing a diaper rash.

Leaks...
Cloth diapers should never leak. If they do, it could be for a few reasons.
1. Diaper doesn't fit properly.
2. Elastic has worn out.
3. The detergent you are using is causing repelling. Check that it's cloth diaper approved and/or switch.
4. Diapers need to be changed more frequently.
5. Adding a more absorbant liner...When my boys got to be about 9 months old, we started using 2 liners in every diaper. You can also try hemp liners which are supposedly more absorbant (I didn't want to pay extra for hemp liners, personally.)

Products I have Mentioned
Fuzzibunz One Size Elite Pocket Diapers

Rockin' Green Laundry Detergent & Funk Rock

Diaper Sprayer (Bum Genius is the one we use)

Wet Bag (portable)

Bummis Super Whisper Wrap (Newborn Diaper cover)

Thirsties Diaper Cover

And there you have it, my expulsion of cloth diapering experience. If you have questions, I'll do my best to share any thoughts or help. Over all, cloth diapering has worked well for us, and I'm so glad that we've stuck with it and trouble-shooted when we've needed to. I hope you'll consider it too! 

Preparing for Baby (When You Don't Know the Sex!)

Since we do not know the sex of baby # 3, preparations have been a little different this go-around. I like to be planned and prepared, and this has been one of the challenges of not finding out for me. As winter shows hints of spring, I am reminded that my due date is getting closer. And it makes me a little bit more anxious to be ready for this baby! And knowing that I will still have two rambunctious boys to chase, as well as taking care of a newborn, makes me want the post-partum period to be as organized and stress-free as possible.

I eased a little bit of my anxiety this weekend when I pulled out all of the boxes of baby clothes and sorted them. I added a few new pieces to the mix that have been piling up on my desk over the past few months (gifts, little things I find at consignment sales, etc.) I cut up some cardboard for dividers to keep everything neat.

Doing this really did the trick for me. I feel much more ready...baby can arrive, and we can pull out the box of clothes and put them in baby's drawer (well, we have to get a dresser for baby still...another pre-baby To-Do.)

Photos of my boxes.

 The newborn box. Labels, so that anyone can figure it out. (eh, hm. David).

3 months + box. It made me sad to realize that my boys wore these sizes by the time they were 4-5 weeks old. They grow so fast! 

Sometimes it's the little things.

As for other preparations, here is my To-Do List.

Baby # 3 To-Do List

-Finalize names (we have a boy name & a girl name).

-Organize baby clothes.

-Set up the crib!

-Get a crib bumper.

-Finish crib bedding...Mattress pad and sheets.

-Acquire a dresser to store baby's clothes & diapers. I have been checking my swap group & Craigslist with no luck so far. We are maxed out on clothing storage as it is, right now, so we need to find a 3-drawer dresser to add to our bedroom.

-Complete diaper stash. We need 6-8 more newborn diapers and 2 more covers.

-Re-arrange carseats and install infant seat (we will probably wait until 36 weeks or so to do this.) 

-Update Dmitri & Damon's photo books. I was up to date through last summer, but I want to make sure I am completely current by the time # 3 arrives. Repeat it with me, I WILL NOT TAKE LESS PHOTOS OF CHILDREN #2...#3... + It's pretty much one of my greatest fears, and I'm not giving in.

-Summer wardrobes for Dmitri & Damon complete. (I think I only need to get them swimsuits and shoes. Knocked out a lot of it this weekend at a consignment sale, and I'm going to another next weekend! Yes, I am one of those moms. I sure do love buying used though!)

-Make a bunting for baby's crib.

-Hang curtain above crib

-Find a stroller that is car seat compatible. Neither of mine are. Maybe this?

-Finalize birth plan & childcare plan. We are stumped with what to do with the big brothers right now.

-Borrow a co-sleeper.

-Figure out what other house projects we want/need to complete.

-Assemble birth supplies.

And probably a bunch of other things that I'm forgeting. Suddenly, I feel unprepared again. Time to start knocking some of these out!

Any other ideas on things I should do before # 3 comes and shakes things up?! Hitting the third trimester next week. Bring it on!

Pregnancy 3.0 - 26 weeks

26 weeks pregnant with bebe three.

-I am enjoying being pregnant right now.
-Which gives me more room to feel so very happy and excited about this little one.
-It's almost as if I woke up and suddenly remembered, I love newborn babies and birth. And I can't wait.
-When I'm feeling this good, I push back David's vasectomy appointment.
-We can have seven or eight kids, right?
-Just kidding.
-Happy + pregnant. I'm definitely reaching the end of my second trimester.

26 weeks pregnant with Damon.

Pregnancy 3.0 - 22 weeks...and counting

22 weeks

I'm over half-way through pregnancy # 3! I oscillate between feeling like it has passed very quickly thus far, and yet, feeling like we have known about this little one for so long, and that I am ready to meet him/her. And very frequently, I obsess over whether it is a him or a her.

I'll be honest, the miracle of pregnancy is a little lost on me this third time around. I'm really just here for the baby, and if I could have skipped all of the pregnancy symptoms, I would not have thought twice. I love babies. I hate being pregnant. And since it's my third pregnancy, I am a lot less shy about saying it.

But I digress, little one is moving around in there quite a bit these days, and that makes even a pregnancy-hater like me smile.

I've done a poor (more like, non-existent) job of chronicling this little one's time in utero, so here is a full update with all the little details that I might want to look back on one day.

Feeling
I stopped vomiting around 15 weeks, finally, but still felt pretty terrible until around 19 weeks. Reaching the half-way mark the week of Christmas had me really feeling up! I was finally feeling less tired, dizzy, nauseous, and pukey, and just a bit more like myself. I still have random waves of nausea in the afternoons from time-to-time, but nothing debilitating. Unfortunately, I am having insane round ligament pain. I have had it with all three pregnancies, but this time, I am at the point of not being able to walk much or pick things up off the floor without being in excruciating pain. I am really looking for ideas on how to cope and minimize the pain. 18 more weeks of it just doesn't sound bearable. And it makes me sad that I have not been up to doing some of the activities that I had hoped to this pregnancy - like prenatal yoga. I'm hoping that I can find a way to manage it enough that I can add this to my weekly routine. But it will all be worth it in the end. I know.

Wearing
I finally bought a pair of maternity jeans (Gap) at a consignment shop for $9 this past weekend. I have gotten by with borrowing some with my last pregnancy, and having a July baby for my first- I only wore maternity shorts! I have no idea why I have put these off. They are so ridiculously comfortable. I'm also a pretty big fan of my fleece lounge pants (non-maternity, but stretchy). I wear them multiple days in a row around the house. Don't tell.


Boy or Girl?
It's a surprise!

We decided not to find out this time around. I just wanted to do it differently with # 3, and have the experience of waiting until the birth. I am just as much of a planner as anyone, so, I am still obsessing over "if it's a boy, then..." and "if it's a girl, then..." But I love surprises. Even if I am so, very impatient.

I do have this terrible fear that I am going to be disappointed if the baby isn't what I am hoping for. I worry about it a lot- and it's why I found out with Dmitri & Damon. I wanted to have time to process whether it was a boy or girl, and then just be excited about the arrival of my baby. This time, I am trying to console myself with two thoughts 1.) Knowing whether it's a boy or a girl does not change whether it's a boy or a girl. and 2.) When I hold my baby for the very first time, I will not care whether it's a boy or a girl. I will most likely feel nothing but love.

So what do I think it is?! Up until a couple weeks ago, I was pretty sure it was a girl. But now, I am really doubting that and I'm convinced it's a boy. That could possibly change back and forth over the next 18 weeks, and I should probably just stop thinking about it! Haha!

What do the big brothers think?
Dmitri is very excited about having a new baby, and has been since the beginning. At our first midwife appointment, he started crying as we were leaving because we didn't get the baby. He thought we were getting it right then and was very disappointed! He has since come to understand that babies take quite a long time to make, essentially forever in his 3-year-old mind, even though he has tried to convince me that he wouldn't mind if the baby were really teeny tiny- he would still hold it. He frequently comments on my growing belly, and smiles quite a lot about the baby getting bigger. I think he is going to be a very sweet big brother. 

Damon is mostly oblivious from what I can tell. He loves babies, and he plays with his baby dolls a lot. Holding them, rocking them, feeding them, kissing them, putting them down for naps in his bed. Considering that he is my wild child, I am frequently and pleasantly surprised by how gentle and compassionate he is. He got really excited about hearing the baby's heart beat (at my 14 week appointment), and whenever he sees my sewing measuring tape, he lifts up his shirt and tries to "measure his belly". It's ridiculously cute. I am a little worried of what he will think of having a new sibling, and I am sure it will be an adjustment. Especially since he is very much mama's baby. But seeing how much love there is between Dmitri and Damon gives me comfort (even though they of course fight like any other siblings!).

Birth plans
We plan to have a home birth with the same midwife that we did with Damon. It was a perfect experience in every way, and I cannot imagine doing it differently.

NamesWe have a boy name picked out. And it does not start with a "D"! We have a list of girl names to choose from. Maybe we will narrow it down, maybe we will wait and see if it's applicable/meet her.

Preparations
Since this is our third baby, I have a lot of the necessities- like a car seat. And if it's a boy, he will have plenty of clothes. If it's a girl, I will have absolutely no problem shopping for her as soon as she arrives (and we are saving a few Christmas gift cards for  this purpose). I have a crib and mattress, but I still need bedding for it. We plan to co-sleep, but I have the crib set up in the guest bedroom for nap time. This is the first time that we've set up a crib, so I am really excited about it - it's so cute! I need a few more newborn diapers, and we might have to get a co-sleeper for everyone to fit in our bed, but otherwise, there isn't a whole lot "to do" as far as preparing.

And so I am trying to be patient. And I am started to get very excited. And I am knitting a teeny tiny hat that makes me smile, no matter how I'm feeling.

Thankful x 3.

We are back from our Thanksgiving tour of family, and this year we had a little surprise that we brought with us...

Soon-to-be family of 5!

 Baby # 3!

16 weeks - Thanksgiving

I am so excited to have three children to be thankful for this Mother's Day!

Baby # 3 - EDD May 12th, 2013.

And it's making the holidays just a little bit more magical, exciting, and celebratory.

This pregnancy has been a little intense - plenty of nausea, vomiting, dizziness, heartburn, back aches, exhaustion, breathlessness, and tension headaches. But I am thankful firstly, for a healthy baby, and also that I'm feeling a little bit better as I am getting well into the second trimester. I hope things continue to look up from here.

And I am glad that we are finally sharing the news. We heard the heartbeat for the first time at 14 weeks, and wanted to tell our family in person, so we've been keeping it in for a long time. We got a positive pregnancy test on August 31st. (Although, since I started showing around 8 weeks, I don't think we fooled too many people).

Hope that you had a very happy Thanksgiving! Tonight, we are trimming the tree we chopped this weekend.

Co-Sleeping: Three Years Later

 source

Three years into co-sleeping, I still get a lot of questions about it. When we were pregnant with Dmitri, I did a lot of research on different methods of parenting babies, from attachment parenting to baby-wise. And while I read about many different philosophies, it really wasn't a very hard decision for us- we went with our instincts.  It just made sense to us to co-sleep, and we knew it is what our human ancestors have been doing for hundreds and hundreds of years. There were some practical considerations too - something about getting out of bed every time my baby woke up seemed like it would make breastfeeding a newborn more laborious and frustrating, plus I have a hard time falling back asleep once I've gotten out of bed. There are plenty of other reasons to co-sleep, and I'm not necessarily trying to present an argument for why one should co-sleep, but I'm sharing some of the reasons that it made sense for us.

Now, three years into it, I have a lot more knowledge and experience of what it really means to co-sleep, and not just with one, but two little ones. And so I wanted to share my experience, some of the pros and cons, and answer some questions that I hear frequently.

I am not trying offend anyone who has different parenting styles, but just sharing my experience.

Some Pros of Co-sleeping

-It makes traveling with little ones easier. We don't have to worry about bringing a pack n play, or about having enough beds. And because they sleep in our bed, they don't sleep very differently then they would at home; because very little has changed for them. We are all there together.

-All the sweet bedtime and morning snuggles. I love getting to cuddle with my kids.

-I don't have to get out of bed. Ever. This is especially nice when my children are sick or teething or have bad dreams.

-Since David is gone the majority of the littles waking hours, sleeping snuggled up next to Papa means a lot to them.

-I never have to worry about my littles at night. Which means I sleep better.

Some Cons of Co-sleeping

- There are extra people in your bed. So you have less space. (We have a King size bed, which helps a little...)

- You will most likely have to find a different location to have sex. This could be a pro or a con. I've never found it to be an issue, as we have a guest bedroom and, well, other places in our house too.

-You might not be able to leave your children for the night until they are a bit older than if they slept in a crib. David and I have never left the kids with anyone, and don't see this as an option in our immediate future either. (I have, however, left the children overnight with David a couple of times).

FAQs

Logistics - How do the four of you sleep in the bed?When Damon was a baby, we slept Damon - mama - Dmitri - papa. This requires either a guard or barrier to keep the baby from falling off. Now, we have moved Damon next to Dmitri, and they enjoy sleeping next to each other. We hope that this will make the transition into their own shared bed a little easier.

Speaking of their own bed, "Will they ever have their own bed?"
Nope. Never. Unless they move out of the house after they are 30. Then I guess I will let them have their own bed in the cabin that we will build next to our house for them.

Yeah, right. So, we plan to move them into a queen bed of their own that they can share, when they are ready. I was thinking when they are 4 & 2 and moving them together. As that approaches, I am not really feeling a rush. I know the day will come when they are ready, and we will do it then. I'm not interested in making it a traumatic event. We will also wait until we are settled, either here, or wherever we move since that is a possibility.

Does co-sleeping effect your marriage?
I'm sure it does. As does having babies and toddlers in general. I think that it makes us closer as a family. But it definitely cuts down on cuddling with just my husband. I know that we are both looking forward to having the bed to ourselves one day, but we know that this is a relatively short season in our lives and like any relationship between parents, we have to put effort into getting one-on-one quality time and we try to make this a priority when we can (although it's always a challenge.)

Does co-sleeping teach kids bad sleep habits? Do you they sleep through the night?
In my experience, my littles slept very well as newborns compared to others that I know who did not co-sleep. Both of them slept 5-6 hours straight at night within the first week. I think that this is because newborns are used to being inside of their mothers, and co-sleeping mimics the security that they knew within the womb. I think it varies from child to child as they get older. Dmitri didn't sleep through the night until he was 18 months old (that is, 12 hours). I know some co-sleepers do sooner, and others much later. If you let a baby cry it out, they will sleep through the night sooner, usually. At the age of 3, Dmitri goes to sleep in about 5-10 minutes and sleeps through the night for 12 hours. We've never let him cry without being comforted. Did it take longer? Yes. But did we reach the ultimate goal of having a good sleeper? Absolutely. And I felt that I accomplished this while still respecting him and his feelings, being an empathetic parent, and not going against my own instincts that its not ok for me to just let my child cry.

I've heard co-sleeping is a good form of birth control....It has not been very effective for us. And honestly, I think sex is just an excuse people give for not wanting to co-sleep. I'm convinced that we have sex just as much as anyone else with children our age, if not more, regardless of co-sleeping.

Isn't co-sleeping dangerous?
This has become an especially hot topic since a recent anti-co-sleeping campaign of billboards that are fear-based propaganda. I think that there are steps one can take to co-sleep safely. Including, 

-never leaving a baby unattended in a bed
-sleeping on a firm mattress
-not using down or fluffy blankets or having soft pillows near the baby
-never co-sleep while under the influence of drugs, including things like benadryl, and alcohol
-don't let someone who is not the child's parent sleep with the child 

There are probably more, but those are some that come to mind that we have followed. Another consideration when thinking about the safety of a child while sleeping, unfortunately, babies also die in cribs. There are many different opinions and theories on this, and I recommend parents research it for themselves. And most of all, follow what your instincts tell you. 

How do you ever sleep? I would never sleep with my kids in my bed.
There was definitely an adjustment period for us. But after a couple months, we got used to it and now we sleep just fine. David and I experienced the same thing when we got married - it takes time to adjust to having someone in the bed when you aren't used to it. But we do adapt, and I think many people underestimate their ability to do so.

So, have you ever wondered about co-sleeping? Any questions that I didn't answer?