Monday, November 30, 2009

Mission Accomplished

It’s the last day of November, and so the last day of NaBloPoMo for me.  I did it. 30 posts in 30 days, 33 posts as a matter of fact.  Don’t count on December being prolific for me.  I need to start cleaning my house again, the kids are starting to notice and I’d prefer to keep CPS from stopping by for an impromptu visit.  BUT what I can’t do in quantity, I vow to make up for in quality.  Enough posting for posting’s sake, I want to make it count. 

But not yet….  Today I treat you to one shot of this sweet little baby that I got to photograph on Sunday along with her extended family while they gathered for the Thanksgiving holiday.   (That was a really long sentence… sorry!)  You can see more of my work (and later this week, more of HER) at my photography blog RIGHT HERE.

Happy November to you all!

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Sunday, November 29, 2009

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

 

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I  am a volunteer professional photographer for Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (NILMDTS).  This organization provides bereavement photography to families show have lost or who will shortly be losing a child or infant.  It is a difficult job that not many can do, but so very rewarding.  My heart goes out to all those families with whom I’ve worked, and all the others who have received the NILMDTS services.  This organization runs on donations of time, money, and services. 

If you have Facebook, please take a moment and Fan & Vote for NILMDTS.  Chase Community Giving is giving away $5,000,000 to charities around the U.S.A.  They are using FaceBook voters to decide what charities will receive the money, so please go vote!!

Or if you feel led, click the banner below to donate to NILMDTS. Thanks!

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Getting my fix…

It’s Saturday morning.  I just worked a night shift at the Birthing Center.  Sometimes that 12 hours drags on.  Sometimes it goes so fast I have to take a minute in the morning and mentally check to see that I did everything I was supposed to the night before.  For me on the 7am to 7pm shift, 5 am is about where I crash.  Unless I’m super busy or involved, I’m usually in the nursery babysitting.  Watching a brand new babe under a warmer while I sit in a rocking chair is just a recipe for sleepy time.  Besides being there to welcome new babies into this world, I love giving baths to new babies.  They get so pink and smell good, their skin is all clean and new.  I enjoy washing their hair to see what it really looks like.  Peach fuzzy or thick and curly.  It’s really fun to hand a fresh clean baby back to mom and dad, and watch them inspect their new addition.  Love it. Also, very tiring.  I love coffee, too.  It helps me drive home where my bed and my own babies are.

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Friday, November 27, 2009

Turkey Shrapnel… I mean Fragments.

Friday has arrived yet again, and with it Friday Fragments.  This week all I have are Turkey Fragment.  Everywhere.  Like a turkey exploded.  Actually other than tempers near boiling points, nothing exploded except our waistlines.  Drop by Mrs. 4444’s Half Past Kissing Time for more about  Friday Fragments, and to leave your own link!

Friday Fragments?
  • Thanksgiving done!! YAAY! We hosted this year, so we started the week out planning and shopping and prepping for cooking.  My hubby was the main cook, I did a few sides.
  • I was very proud of the yams I made.  They were really Mrs. 4444’s yams, a recipe you can find RIGHT HERE!  They were fabulous, and as I type this I am re-heating some for lunch.  MMmmmmmm!!! (SHE will notice I used big marshmallows, I didn’t have small ones!)

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  • We had the in-laws over as well as our neighbor and his 21-yr-old son and the son’s girlfriend.  When  my husband asked us all to go around the table and say what we’re thankful for, the son mentioned our garage.  Yep is was THAT GUY who smashed into our garage two years ago.  Funny how things change.  The son and dad came over in the spring and fixed up the garage and we’ve been friends ever since.
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  • I almost went out shopping at 3am.  But I decided against it.  I mean, for real, is it really worth the $10 you’re saving???  My BFF was going out for it!  I gave her a list of “if you happen to be there” items.  I’ll have to check in with her after her nap.
  • What’s the best part about the day after T-day? Duh, leftovers.  We invited the neighbors back for dinner tonight to eat. Again. Same stuff. They’re happy to do it.
  • ALSO, the kids got to eat their own pumpkin pies for breakfast.  After we didn’t eat them (my ugly pies) hubby gave them each a spoon and a pie and said have at it! IMG_6699a

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Thursday, November 26, 2009

Thankful, but missing you.

Dear curls, I’m thankful for the haircut, but I still miss you.

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Dear mom and dad, I’m thankful for you and everything you do for us, I wish you were here, I miss you, too.

Dear extended family, you guys are the best and I’m thankful for you and all the um, “spice” you add to my life, I really wish we all lived closer.

Dear hubby, I am thankful that we can spend this day together, it was hard not having you here, even for just one Thanksgiving.

Dear children, even when I get mad and proclaim I miss my sanity, I am so very thankful that you are mine, and you are well and whole.  You are the light of our lives. God has blessed us and to Him we are thankful, too.  Now stop trying to eat the turkey until its done cooking.  You’ll get sick. Yes, you can eat that stuffing, your dad made it so I’m sure its safe.

Where was I? Oh…..

Happy Thanksgiving!

A Thousand THANKFUL Words Thursday is brought to you by theMomJen at Cheaper Than Therapy.  Don’t forget to stop by and wish her Happy Thanksgiving!

Cheaper Than Therapy

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

I admit it…

Wordless Wednesday is hosted by the wonderful ladies of 5 Minutes for Mom.

Mom Blogs

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~~~~~~~~~~ and the WORDFUL part ~~~~~~~~~~

I have to admit it.  I secretly enjoyed when the baby was sick.  I didn’t like that he was feeling bad, that part I could leave.  But I really liked the part where I got to snuggle with him all day.  He never lets me do that.

See more Wordful Wednesday at Angie’s Seven Clown Circus!

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

I Heart Faces - Sunflare

I Heart Faces is a blog dedicated to capturing those beautiful faces, kids and adults.  This week’s theme is Sunflare.  Please stop by I Heart Faces to see more.

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Monday, November 23, 2009

Review & Compare: Fuzzi Bunz, Coolababy, Rainbow BB, Sweet Doll Baby, Babyland

I want to start out by saying that this is an unsolicited review. I purchased these diapers with my own money and am not being compensated in any way.

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Are you shopping around for inexpensive pocket cloth diapers? Scouring eBay? Need reviews? Stop here and read on!!

When I started my diaper hunt, I knew I wanted to use the pocket diapers. They seemed easy to use and quick to launder. I started hunting around for good deals online, eventually ending up on eBay. There I found many different pocket diapers from all sorts of bulk sellers. What I couldn’t find was much input on what actual users thought.

So today I’m writing this for you…

I have already written about the Coolababy and Rainbow BB in a review HERE, as well as the Babyland diapers HERE. Armed with several new samples, I am going to compare them all. The diapers include: Fuzzi Bunz, Coolababy, Rainbow BB, Sweet Doll Baby, and Babyland.

Materials and Look:

All of the diapers are made from an outer shell of PUL (polyurethane laminate), plastic snaps, and fleece lining. The inserts are microfleece and extremely absorbant.

Fuzzi Bunz: very sturdy outter PUL that comes in several nice colors as well as cute patterns. The buttons snap tightly and seem like they’ll last. The inner fleece is thick and plushy. They are sometimes sold with 1 insert.

IMG_5706Coolababy, Rainbow BB, Sweet Doll Baby: These all have similar PUL, snaps and fleece lining. They don’t seem to have quite as sturdy PUL as the Fuzzi Bunz, although I think the Coolababy is probably the best PUL of the eBay diapers. These also come in many fun colors, but not patterns. 1-2 inserts are usually included. For whatever reason, the PUL of the Rainbow BB is more sticky on the inside of the pocket. This doesn’t change the functionality, but makes the inserts a little bit more difficult to slide in. The only real problem I had was with poor elastic in the Rainbow BB diapers. If you are handy with a needle and thread, this is an easy fix that I explain HERE.

Babyland: These snaps were just as good as the other brands. The PUL seems a bit more stretchy and came in several colors and also a couple patterns. The SpongeBob PUL is actually flannel-feeling, very soft and comfy. Babyland’s fleece was also very plushy and would rival the Fuzzi Bunz material. 1-2 inserts are usually included.

Fit and Wear

Fuzzi Bunz: These are not one-size diapers, the one I have is a Medium. The 2 rows of snaps are staggered and the off-set tabs make the fit easy to adjust. The tabs meet in the middle, but do not overlap. With the staggered snaps it was easy to adjust the leg as well to provide the best fit for a thin or chunky baby thigh.

Coolababy: These diapers are sold as “one size” to fit 6lbs up to 29lbs. They have snaps down the front to adjust the rise. Even with the rise adjustments, I have a hard time believing that they’d fit a newborn. For a chunkier baby they are perfect. The buttons are in even rows and do not overlap at the middle. This makes the fit for the legs and waist a little limited, but fine on older babies.

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Rainbow BB: These diapers are sold as “one size” to fit 7lbs up to 30lbs. They have snaps down the front to adjust the rise. Even with the rise adjustments, I have a hard time believing that they’d fit a newborn. For a chunkier baby they are perfect. The buttons are in even rows and do not overlap at the middle, but they do have a middle snap that Coolababy does not. I also noticed that the crotch area is a bit wider than the others. Nice for extra inserts, potentially a problem for early walkers as the diapers can be a big bulky between the legs. Still a better fit for older babies.

Sweet Doll Baby and Babyland: These two are so very similar that I am lumping them together. Both are one size sold for babies 7lbs to 29lbs. The snaps are in straight rows across the top and down the front for rise. Unlike the other “one-size” brands, I actually believe these would fit a newborn. The tabs have an extra set of buttons that allow them to overlap to fit a skinny baby, and the legs are more snug.

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The eBay diapers all seem to suffer from “wing droop” at times. I don’t have this problem with the Fuzzi Bunz.

They are all, as expected, bulkier than disposable diapers, but not enough to keep pants from fitting (snugly). I have gone up a size on some pants for a beter fit and I'm also a huge fan of leg warmers for around the house. (Makes diaper changes and crawling easier!)

This picture shows the two patterns I found as well as the rise difference from the newborn snaps to the full size. Below, you can see how very similar SDB and Babylands are.

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The pockets of the Rainbow BB, Sweet Doll Baby and Babyland Diapers are all similar and include and extra top flap to fully enclose the inserts. As I mentioned, the Rainbow BB’s PUL is a bit more difficult to slide the inserts across.

The Fuzzi Bunz and Coolababy diapers have regular pockets, with no additional flap at the top, this can lead to the inserts sticking up in back, but I’ve had no problems with that.

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Function

I have had very good results with all of these diapers. They hold a lot, stay fairly dry through naps and overnight, and do their job. I have had a few “blowouts” around the legs usually. I think a disposable in those situations would have had the same problem. I usually use 2 inserts during the day and 3 for sleep times. Very rarely do they wick on to the clothing. I am not a change-every-90-minutes cloth diaper-er so I expect them to hold a few hours worth of…. well, whatever. They do.

I launder everything in Crunchy Clean Diaper Soap (and it smells soooo gooood!!) and occasionally use 1 cup of white vinegar and a shake of baking soda. Because the microfiber inserts are SO absorbent, they can get stinky after a while. The best solution I’ve come up with is to separate the inserts from the rest of the diaper shells and wash them alone. Soak them in hot water with 1c of bleach and your usual detergent in a full washer (just stop the cycle after the washer fills), then wash and dry them as usual. I always use a second rinse with my diapers and dry them outside whenever possible, or in the lowest setting in the dryer.

NONE of these diapers are stained. The fleece is really stain resistant and all of my diapers look great, even after a summer and fall of use. I did buy flushable liners that catch the solids (usually) and they do help with changing and clean up (and husband participation!).

Good: The eBay diapers are at a good price, they are made of nice material and function well. The Fuzzi Bunz are the only ones made in the USA and are of quality material. Both have inserts that are super absorbent.

Not So Good: The eBay diapers are NOT made in the USA, the Rainbow BB elastic was substandard in several diapers. You will need to strip the microfleece inserts more often to keep away the stinkies. The Fuzzi Bunz are about twice the price of the eBay diapers.

I would definitely recommend these diapers if you are looking for an inexpensive alternative to the name brands that are out there. Please feel free to ask me about anything I haven’t covered, and leave your comments! I’d love to hear what you think!!!

Buy Them: You can get Coolababy, Rainbow BB, Sweet Doll Baby, and Babyland Diapers online through eBay. These may also be available in bulk from their respective companies. Do some hunting, you should be able to snag these diapers with TWO inserts for about $8 including shipping.

Fuzzi Bunz are available through several retailers online, you can search for them at the main site FuzziBunz.com.

Please do not copy this review without proper credit. Feel free to link this review back to this page!

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Sunday, November 22, 2009

Got Bob?

Max’s first word, perhaps soon to be his little brother’s as well.  Bob.

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Got Bob?

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Thematic Photographic - Orange

Thematic Photographic is a week long photography theme hosted by Carmi Levy at Written, Inc.  This week’s theme is Orange.  Please stop by his site to be stunned by his photos, and enlightened by his writing. Or at least click on a few ads for him, I’m sure he’ll appreciate it ;)

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Friday, November 20, 2009

Friday Fragments – That movie with the, well, you know.

Friday Fragments?

It’s Friday Fragments, time to purge your mind! Got a bunch of happenings hanging around that just don’t quite make up a post? Today’s your day.  Thanks to Mrs. 4444, you can frag away! Link up and read more at Half Past Kissing Time.

  • I’m going to see that one movie, you know with the vampires and stuff.  To keep the search engine at a minimum I’m not mentioning the name of it. Like you don’t know.

    I'm a Esme! I found out through TwilightersAnonymous.com. Which Twilight Female Are You? Take the quiz and find out!Twilight Trailer!
    Take the Quiz and Share Your Results! 
  • I am also mixing up a batch of Hot Wassail (plus a little extra) for standing in line.  We already have the tickets, but we’ll still have to stand in line at least an hour or so to get a decent seat.
  • My BFF texted me at 11pm last night and said “Guess where I am”.  She must have gotten tickets to that midnight showing, it was sold out when I tried.  I tried texted her back, it was a rare action because I wasn’t even aware that she knew how to use her text function.  Her response was all garbled and weird.  Like this “¥è$ý   Úªłč    ĘĻŠſŁ  ĶēďȃǨƥǷ….” No clue what happened.  When I texted her to try again, she sent the same thing.  No wonder she never texts anyone.
  • We’ve invited the in-laws for Thanksgiving.  Only my hubby’s parents are taking us up on the deal, his two siblings and families are going to their in-laws, too.  That’s fine with me, although we certainly have the room for more.  Sometimes I get the feeling that they look down at us and our not-brand-new house and everything that goes with it.  Whatever.  I am quite happy where I am.
  • The kids’ sock hop went well.  I posted a bunch of pictures on Facebook.  Did I mention I made Aria’s poodle skirt?  Ok, just checking.

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  • OK, I guess I don’t have much else.  I’m kinda pumped about the movie thing.  I’d better go get ready!!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

ATWT – I Need a Little Support Here…

Cheaper Than Therapy

It’s all gone. I did it. And I had tears in my eyes the whole time.

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Remember this picture from last week? Well here’s today’s…

IMG_6441aIMG_6435a I clipped it off. His beautiful girly curls. There was a pile of blonde hair at my feet. He looks so boy now, so hardcore, as Aria would say. Well I’m not hardcore. I think I might cry. To top it off, after I was done, Mr. Military Daddy told me, “you know I really didn’t care anymore that it was long.”

Excuse me while I lock myself in the bathroom for a few hours.

While I’m doing that, please stop by Jen’s Cheaper Than Therapy for other photos worth a Thousand Words. Hopefully they’re already done crying in the bathroom *wink*.