Cloth Diaper Reviews: Covers

Covers


Imsevimse
-cotton




-soft


-wool


Thirsties

The Battle Belongs To The Lord

Do you ever feel completely exhausted? Totally worn out?

Almost every day by 4pm I am tired. There are more nights than I want to admit that I am even too tired to read a bedtime story or say prayers with my children. I'm not always "too tired" physically, sometimes it is emotionally. I am done - I just want my Outlaws to go to bed & I want my quiet time. I'm just tired.

A few weeks ago I received an e-mail, "The Battle Belongs to the Lord," from a mom on the TOG yahoo group I belong to. Unfortunately, I was asked not to post it to my blog, but this e-mail was so touching I have to share the idea. In the e-mail a mom listed several of the battles she is facing with homeschooling her children & another mom responded "The Battle Belongs to the Lord".

Do you ever grow tired with your homeschooling journey? Have you started the count down to summer break? Or are you worn out from constant battles with your children? What are you tired of?

I'm going to keep it real because so often when the storm hits our house, we tend to think we are the only ones. From the outside looking in at other moms & families we may see "Super Mom" or "The Perfect Family".

I get tired too! Totally & completely emotionally exhausted. Thank goodness my kids aren't all challenging at the same time - they take turns. However, every so often one gets out of control & needs a good ol' reality check - which means more work for me.

It is these times that bring me to my knees after reminding myself that no one is perfect & there isn't such a thing as "Super Mom". Only the Lord is perfect! As His children all we can do is strive to be like Him each day. To let our lights shine, to trust in Him, NOT to lean on our own understanding -- It isn't my battle to fight. The Battle belongs to the Lord. The fact of the matter is we ALL face struggles - even homeschoolers. We ALL grow tired every now & then & need a little wrest, wrest in the Lord.

I love this song by 2 Moms


My Prayer:

Here I am again, Lord, bowing down before You
asking You to help me out somehow.
God, You say You know my thoughts before I even think them,
Then You know just what I'm thinking now

I am tired and oh, so weary.
Renew my strength, renew my strength,
For when I am weak, You say that You will be strong,
And I need Your strength to help me carry on.

They greet me at the door with pictures that they've colored.
With excitement in their eyes, they say "let's play!"
And I feel a tinge of guilt knowing I am so exhausted
'cause the best of me's been spent throughout the day.

I am tired and oh, so weary.
Renew my strength, renew my strength,
For when I am weak, You say that You will be strong,
And I need Your strength to help me carry on.

Cloth Diaper Accessories: Part 2

Disposable wipes or cloth wipes?

Once I got started on my cloth diapering journey I quickly found wipes to be an issue. While preparing for my first order I noticed that most of the online stores also offered cloth wipes. Hummm . . . How does that work? Just for fun I decided to order a few brands of wipes (not knowing if I would ever really use them or not). Diaper Pin suggested purchasing 2-3 dozen wipes to get started. I ordered: Kissaluvs, Imse Vimse, & Fuzzi Bunz cloth wipes. After I got the hang of using cloth diapers & doing really well with it I decided to add cloth wipes to the mix. *Plus it was a pain having a cloth diaper dirty bag & still needing a trash can for disposable wipes.

How do cloth wipes work?

I'll admit - I never thought I would actually use the cloth wipes. *I was just having fun shopping online for baby stuff :) I was intimidated by the thought of using cloth wipes (for some reason this intimidated me more than the diapers did ? ? ?)

Then I read an article about how easy using cloth wipes is at

I also visited Zany Zebra & for a fantastic cloth wipe tutorial. Zany Zebra's article explains it ALL & even gives wonderful wipe solution recipes.

After visiting these sites & reading how easy using cloth wipes is I gave it a go. It is VERY easy!!

Here is what I do:

I mix my solution in a bowl, dip my cloth wipes in the solution, squeeze out excess water from the wipes (leaving them damp), fold them in half (like a hot dog), & roll. Then I place them in my: Prince Lion Heart Cloth Wipe Warmer. - YES, you read that right! THERE IS A WARMER MADE ESPECIALLY FOR CLOTH WIPES & IT WORKS! It holds 12 cloth wipes, keeps them moist & warm. Once I use the wipe I just toss it in my wet bag along with the dirty diaper & wash. The wipes tend to last as long as the diapers do.

By the way, my FAVORITE wipes are the Fuzzi Bunz Cotton/Fleece Wonder Wipes. They are so soft & gentle. If you use cloth wipes or are thinking about it you have to try these - you won't use anything else after these. They are FaBuLoUs!

For my solution: (*I sorta use my own recipe)

2-3 cups of water (for about 12 wipes)
4 drops of lavender oil
4-6 drops of tea tree oil
4 squirts of baby oil
2-3 squirts of baby wash (Burt's Bees baby wash)

Our Graduate

Our Big Girl has graduated from 8th grade. We now officially have a high schooler. OMGoodness!!

The Outlaw With Many Faces

Ever since Tucker was a baby he has always had a look for everything. I wish I could capture all his "faces" - some make you laugh, others melt your heart & almost bring tears to your eyes, some make you want to strangle him . . . Here are a few of his "faces" that will make you laugh:






Little brother in training:

Silly Boys!

Cloth Diaper Accessories: Part 1

Bags or Pails?

Wetbags are made to hold wetness & oder in. These can be used for dirty diapers, wet clothing, or swimsuits. Most wetbags have a small loop attached to hang over a doorkknob or hook, or where ever you may need to hang it.

Pails are just a simple waste basket with a waterproof diaper pail liner which is great for holding dirty diapers.

Wet or Dry?

A wet wetbag or pail is when you fill either half way with water or a combination of water & vinegar or another mixture to soak your dirty diapers in while waiting to wash (every 2-3 days). Some wetbags come with a special slot for inserting oils (tea tree oil) for smell.

Dry is just that - same system without adding water to soak. You can sprinkle baking soda to cut the smell of dirty diapers.

Click HERE for an article by Diaper Pin on wet or dry options.


I decided to use a dry wetbag. Beginning this journey I wasn't quite sure how this was going to work, so I just purchased 1 basic wetbag from Imse Vimse for household use & 1 very cute Rodeo wetbag from Diaper Doodie for my diaper bag.

I quickly realized I was going to need at least 2 wetbags for household use so that I can use one while I am washing the other & not have a pile of dirty diaper collecting in the process - so I went shopping at the Cloth Diaper Superstore! I had a little fun . . .

I got a Large 16 x 20 Wet Bag
custom made in the cow print fabric. I am very excited about 2 new features of this bag that the Imse Vimse does not have: It has a 3 x 3 fleece square inside for placement of oils & the handles have a snap for snapping onto something so you aren't limited to just hanging.

And just so I could take advantage of the free shipping I went ahead & forced myself to get a 10 x 6 Cloth Pad/Wipes Bag & the Grab-N-Go 9 x 9 Designer Wet Bag (*which as a dry & wet section) both in the cow print as well.

You just thought the decisions were over . . .

He Is In Love Too!

Outlaws Will Be Outlaws

They don't ever fight!

THANK YOU NICKI!!

Look what Nicki @ 400 Things made for my boys:

Truman's sweet cowboy snugglie



Trevor's big boy cowboy blankie


This blankie has a little story behind it. . . This was a little "remodeling" job for Nicki. With ALL of my Outlaws I have bought special little blankies & tried everything imaginable to make them "Blankie Babies." Despite my great efforts none of them developed an attachment for a blankie (instead it was my mouth, my boob, my tummy & binkies -- that is another story though). . . . When Trevor was 2 he began carrying this soft sweet blue blanket with his name on it that the kids' Nana gave him when he was a baby (before his Mustang days). He had to suddenly have this blanket before bed & at emergency times. **Pause** on this story.

After blinging up a blog for Nicki & her girls I hit her up to make matching western/cowboy blankets for the new baby & the other Outlaws.

**Back to Trevor's Blankie** I knew if I had a new blankie made he wouldn't like it as much as his old blankie. So I took matters into my own hands & did what I had to do: I stole my son's blankie! Yes, I took it without permission (well, after permission was denied - I tried to warn persuade him). Horrible I know. But guess what?

IT WORKED!!


Here are some more shots of the awesome blankies Nicki made.
*She is still working on Tucker & Tyler's so I will post as soon as they come in.




To see more of Nicki's FaBuLoUs quilts or to ask her about making you or your babes a blankie just Click Here!

THANK YOU NICKI! We LOVE THEM!!

Cloth Diapers: My Stash

After stalking MckMamma's blog doing my research on cloth diapers I prepared to place my orders.

I narrowed down my brands, picked a few systems that appealed to me, decided how much of Big Daddy's money I was going to use money I was going to invest, & I created my own beginner's package.

During this process, I did a little comparison chart myself. I took into consideration a new "How Much" & compared it to the type of diaper, how many I wanted, & how long we would use it (*most diapers have a weight & or age range). My charts looked like this:










*I did not bargain hunt. I found Soft Cloth Bunz & compared their prices with a few other sites & was satisfied. They beat a few other prices & were a little higher on some; however, when considering shipping & placing several separate orders - this seemed to be the best bargain for me. So, prices for all brands (excluding Imse Vimse & Kushies) are from Soft Cloth Bunz.

So here is what I compiled:

Diapers (24-36): MckMamma uses the contour diapers & makes it look so simple; however, the fitted diapers are more in my comfort zone. I went with both, so if I continue using cloth diapers when Truman out grows this stash I will have a better idea of what I want to order next. I ordered 6 fitted Kissaluvs, 6 contour Kissaluvs, 4 Imse Vimse flannelette contour & 1 Imse Vimse terry contour.

Covers (4-6): Kissaluvs don't have their own brand of covers, but the Imse Vimse will work with them - which was perfect for me. I ordered 2 cotton covers & 2 wool covers from Imse Vimse.

AIO (3): The AIO's are awesome, but they are also awesomely expen$ive. Choosing these was a tough decision. Since this order was my "trial" order, I decided to order 1 of each brand I had my options narrowed down to. I ordered 1 AIO (w/ snaps) from Imse Vimse, 1 bumGenius one size, & 1 pocket diaper from Fuzzi Bunz.

Doublers (12-24): I ordered 1 bumGenius insert (*will fit with Fuzzi Bunz pocket diaper too), 4 Kissaluvs booster doublers, 2 Imse Vimse terry liners, 5 Imse Vimse flannelette liners, 2 Imse Vimse stay dry liners, & 200 flushable liners from Imse Vimse.
Here is the chart I made to help me decide which liners I wanted:


I really liked the Kushies, but decided to wait on ordering any b/c the first size only fits to 10lb. For the price + shipping it was not going to be cost effective to just order 1 to "try." After I gain some experience with using cloth diapers I will order some Kushies if I decide to continue this journey.

Cloth Diapering: What Kind & How Many?

I think I mentioned before that I was entertaining the idea of using cloth diapers (especially after reading MckMamma's post on cloth diapers). I did my research, reviewed several brands online & placed an order.

It all began with this post at My Charming Kids. Then I began to stalk her blog & found this post. After my stalking ended I hit google & found answers to most of my questions.

My first questions were "What kind & How Many?"

What kind?

Did you know there is such a thing as "diaper talk"? Yes, mam - there is even a cloth diaper glossary! I was so confused . . . contour, doublers, liners . . . WHAT?! Do they just have a beginners package?

First, I had to decide on the system & types of diapers I was going to use. You can still find the old fashioned cloth things that you fold & fold & fold then fasten with a pin. Like this image from Cloth Diaper Whisperer: YIKES!
However, cloth diapers have come a LONG way over the years. You now have several options: one size, all-in-one(AIO), pre-fold, contour, fitted, pocket, & the list goes on.

Next, I started researching the brands of cloth diapers. I began with MckMamma suggestions (b/c she is just way cool & knows her natural living pretty darn well). Then I did a little googling "top cloth diapers." I narrowed my picks to:
Imse Vimse
Kushies
Kissaluvs
Fuzzi Bunz

Once I visited these websites & thought my choices were more limited - I discovered I had to choose the types of fabric: fleece, wool, cotton, flannelette, terry, bamboo & this list continues . . . Then there are: doublers/liners, snaps or hook & loop, pins or snappis, velcro . . .

Diaper Pin has a great pro & con list explaining most of this diaper talk. Parenting By Nature has a wonderful explanation of What's what in cloth.


How Many?

How many cloth diapers you will need varies depending on the age of your baby & how often you will be using cloth diapers.

I created my "Wanted List" using Diaper Pins suggestion of:

24-36 cloth diapers (*some sights suggest 18-20)
3 all-in-one diapers
4-6 diaper covers
1-2 polar fleece or wool covers (suggested for use at night)
12-24 doublers/liners

Here are a few other links to help make a "Wanted List":

Soft Cloth Bunz: How many diapers are needed?
Soft Cloth Bunz: How many diapers to buy?
Mama Oh Baby: How many cloth diapers?
Nicki's Diapers: FAQS
Parenting By Nature: Getting Started With Cloth Diapers

I Am In LOVE

With This Baby!!
He is the sweetest little boy! I'm not even sure he can be an "Outlaw" (yet). All my children have been wonderful babies. They seriously trick me. Total angels until their 1st birthday. Then over night they turn into Wild Mustangs! This sweet boy . . .

I'm not so sure about. He is different. He goes beyond "a good baby." He is a perfect baby. His temperament is unbelievable. He is almost 2 weeks old & has not cried for longer than a minute. -- He isn't a fan of diaper changes & the whole belly button cleaning routine. When he wakes up & is ready to eat he just squirms around & sucks on his fingers - no tears. Trevor cries more than he does! Truman loves his mommy! He is alert with wondering eyes, trying to focus in on my familiar voice. Noises don't bother him in the least either. In fact, my momma asked if he passed his hearing test at the hospital. Not that we need any additional noises in the house (the Outlaws give plenty!), but my mom vacuumed right by him while he was sleeping in his swing & he didn't even move. He sleeps a lot, but is starting to have longer awake times at which he loves to be held, but is not the least bit demanding. He is completely content just laying in bed. He is nursing wonderfully & pooping & peeing like a very well-fed baby (or like a True Man).

I could not ask for a better baby!



One more has completely stolen my heart!

The Name: True Man

Naming this baby has been a huge battle between Big Daddy & I - right into the delivery room. He has called this baby Truman from the very beginning & I protested from the moment I heard it come out of his mouth. For the majority of my pregnancy I pleaded for the name Triston, but continued to be unsuccessful. Then a few weeks ago I became hopefull on a compromise - Tellan. It was a name that we both liked - Our baby that died is named Talon & Big Daddy wanted to name Trevor "Tell" (I won that battle) so Tellan was a great compromise - Right? Not so much.

When Truman was born, he peed all over my doctor before the cord was even cut. At that point my doctor said, "Well, he is going to fit right in with the rest of them - he is a True Man (marking his territory)." When my doc said that it just seemed right. All my boys are TRUEly boys! 110% Then Big Daddy came over to my bed with tears streaming down & asked - "Can we name him Truman?" I realized how much it meant to Big Daddy for our son to have this name & I was happy to agree.

Truman: Faithful Man, Loyal