The Dirty Details About the Diapers

I have been cloth diapering Meara and I love it. It is something I feel very proud of. I have made most of the diaper covers and many of the diapers I use for her.
Cloth diapers is something that I have become, dare I say, passionate about. I have been trying to convince some friends to give cloth diapering a try but he response I tend to get is a fear of dealing with poop. So I have decided to write a little about how easy cloth diapering can be to add to your routine, how it can even be painless to wash those diapers (yes, even the poopy ones) and how to start.

The Five Reasons I Cloth Diaper:

1. Money! Cloth diapers may be a big investment in the beginning but in the long run you can save thousands of dollars.
2. It`s Environmentally friendly. With a good washing routine and the fact that I am not putting them in the dryer, think of the energy savings!
3. They are super cute. It is just one more way to dress up my pretty little girl.
4. Less Diaper Rash. For most, when cloth diapering you will find you have less diaper rash, this is partly because your child will let you know immediately when the diaper is too wet, and partly due to breath-ability  If you are getting rashes it is likely an issue with the wash routine.
5. Cloth diapered babies potty train faster. Your child is more motivated to toilet train when they can actually feel that they are wet.

When I first tried seriously cloth diapering, Greg was a few months old. My only prior experience was with Birdseye Cotton Flat Diapers that I mostly used as burp cloths for Joey and only rarely put them on him when I was low on disposables between paydays. I had a lot to learn about diapers. There are so many types of diapers, and so many ways to wash them that it did seem a little overwhelming. Where do you begin?

Sunny Sunny Days

There seems to be something almost therapeutic about hanging laundry on the line. I woke up early this morning and started the laundry right away so that I would have time to dry a second load on the line today. While I was hanging the laundry on the line I was listening to the birds singing in the trees. It just seemed like a better way to strart the day then my coffee that was forgotten on the counter getting cold.

Dan and I have spent this week in the sun gardening, Dan planted corn, spuds and peas in the back, put a red current bush in the ground and moved the strawberry patch. I weeded out the front flower bed and am hoping to see an array of flowers that I sowed pop up soon. I also put together a few planters on the front deck. The yard looks great.

Beautiful new smiles

Birthday boy photos

Just realized I hadn't wished Greg a happy 5th birthday, not have I posted either of the boys birthday photos.
Joseph turned 8 on March 18th and the boys shared a party on the 31st (I'll have to get those photos from Dan) and Greg turned 5 on April 11th.

7 Weeks of Sleep Deprivation Later...

A proud big brother.

Well the little princess is 7 weeks old now and we are starting to get used to the coffee buzz and complete inability to do anything for ourselves. Ah the joys of being a parent.
Meara laughed for the first time last night. It was such a beautiful thing. I was tickling her and she had a very brief chuckle. I can't seem to get her to do it again, but that is all right, babies don't usually laugh until about 4 months. She is about as big as a 4 month old though, we had her weighed on the 23rd and she was 14 lb 4.6 oz then. I think she is already working on pound 16.
Yesterday, by the way, was Dan's birthday. Happy birthday, Love!
I have been sewing so many diapers. I am really quite impressed with how far my sewing skills have come with each of these little projects. I feel like my diapers are good enough to sell now. If Meara would just give me the time to sew it would be perfect.
The little princess has started sleeping in her cradle again. Yay! I bought her a nursery projector (I highly recommend this product) and suddenly it is so much easier to get her to sleep. She just loves watching the images on the wall. She lies there cooing at them. So adorable.
Life in this family is starting to slowly become routine, I have been eagerly waiting for that.
Tomorrow is Gram's memorial. I have been missing her, it is unfortunate that she never got to meet little Meara. It will be nice to see everyone again. The good thing that comes out of the darkness is the reconnecting with family.
So Gregory is ready for kindergarten. He has gone for his shots (gets a few boosters that he had missed later this month, poor kid) and just can't stop talking about it. Joseph has started reading chapter books, he has finished the first three Diary of a Wimpy Kid books and is working on the first Lemony Snicket book. I don't remember reading books like that till grade 4. I am pretty proud of that kid.
Well, this is about all the time I can spare.
Megan

The closest to a smile that I have been able to capture.

Getting Used to the Sleepless Nights

Sleeping in Daddy's arms

Meara has been here a little over 3 weeks now and the lack of sleep is starting to feel normal. There is even a hint of routine to it.
She is growing so quickly already. We haven't had her weighed since her one week check-up but she was just ounces shy of 11 pounds then and she hasn't slowed the growth either. I have already started retiring her clothes and half the diaper covers that I have made.
I haven't started the Thank-you cards yet for all the gifts we have received for Meara, we decided to wait until the birth announcements arrive so we can send them all together.
Here are a few photos of our new bundle of joy.

Cloth diapering has been going well so far with a few ups and downs. Little Meara is a heavy wetter, so we are changing an awful lot of diapers. Since we received so many disposable diapers as gifts at the baby shower we have decided to use them to get us through the nights as we are still trying to find an ideal cloth diaper for nights.

I have been sewing randomly when I do get the chance, although it takes me a lot longer to get through making a single diaper than it used to. Someone adorable keeps interrupting me.

That adorable someone is now waking up so I better cut this short.

More photos to come, even a few from Sundays Pirate Party.

Megan

Happy 8th Birthday Joseph

Happy birthday to my little man. He had a great day. Got everything he asked for, EVERYTHING!

She's here

Born at 4:17, Meara Elaine Jeannette Hall. It has been quite a night. My little princess weighed in at an astounding 10lb and 6oz.