the Cloth Diaper Adventures #1

I've decided to chronicle our adventures in cloth diapering our firstborn...

My personal favorite: her ladybug (or Minnie Mouse) diaper

Today we embarked on a journey...a cloth diapering journey. I always said that we would cloth diaper in hopes of saving money, plus it makes for an adorable baby bum.

A friend of mine told me about Alva Baby diapers. I immediately checked them out and saw how inexpensive they were...This is doable, I thought. After talking with the hubs, I picked out 25 and hit the purchase button. 

On their website, it says that it'll take 3-4 weeks for the diapers to get here. Good, I thought, that'll give me more time to prepare. Low and behold though, they turned up about a week later! It felt like Christmas opening up and looking at my new selection!

It took me another couple of days to actually wash them. I justified this with "researching" what the best method would be for pre-washing and caring for my diapers would be. But boy was I confused! There was so much debate on how to wash and how not to wash, and what detergent to use and not to use. Many methods contradicted each other and ended up just confusing me more than I already was. 

I eventually decided to just wing it. I knew what "not to do" and just made sure that I strayed away from those things. 

So today is our first day using cloth diapers. 

It's a learning process for me. One that I'm willing to work on and find the best method for us.

How cute is that jean bum?!

I'm excited about this journey that we're on! The hubs is anxious (more nervous) about learning the techniques of cloth diapering this weekend. 

I am proud to say that these diapers contained their first major poop! Typically this poop would have been a blowout in her disposable diapers, but the cloth diaper contained it! I was ecstatic! It's the little things.

Oh Baby!

Today I'm over at Homegrown and Healthy writing for their two weeks of Everything Baby series. I wrote about my initiation into Motherhood...They are also having a giveaway for some awesome things Baby! There are lots of prizes for our readers...Maybe one of you will win ;) I sure do hope so!

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My week in Instagram

Trying the Bumbo for the first time. She loved it!

She fell asleep while playing.

Sleeping soundly

She's getting so big!

Keeping warm while it was snowing outside.

Snuggle time with Mommy.

I just love that hand!

I asked Daddy to watch her while I showered. I came back and they were both back asleep!

I love this blue eyed beauty! I wonder if her eyes will stay blue or if they'll change later on!

Feel free to follow me @ awood009

Sick days

This weekend was a rough one. The hubs was down with a stomach bug and I was left taking care of him and the baby girl. Now this was our first bout of having sickness in the house with a newborn and I was completely conflicted with what to do. Normally I don't let the hubs being sick bother me and I typically go about normally. But I've never had a new baby to worry about. 

So I played single parent for the weekend. It was rough. The first night the girl and I spent the night in the living room. I "slept" on the couch. I use the term "sleep" lightly. It was a rough night. Though the girl slept, I did not, and then I woke up smelling like dog (that's where my dog typically likes to lay when we're not looking). So the next day I cleaned up the guest room so that we could get to the bed and sleep in there. The second night the girl decided not to sleep, so I didn't either. 

From Friday morning to Sunday night, I barely got any sleep. Maybe 2 hour snatches here and there. Most of the time I was running here and there taking care of the girl and the hubs. To help me out I got out the Bumbo and gave it a try. 

She loved it. Thank goodness!

The hubs is now on the mend and back at work. But it was hard when he was down for the count. I didn't know what to do. I hated having to divide my attention between the two and I hated even more that he couldn't hold or be near our girl. Most of the time I made a mess of things and became completely overwhelmed. Luckily, the girl made gave me lots of smiles to help calm me down.

 It seems that the girl and I have avoided the illness (knock on wood) so we're going on as normal now. I've started a deep cleaning of the house so that we can continue to avoid sickness...speaking of which, my girl is sleeping, so rather than write this post I probably should be cleaning. Priorities right? 

My Week in Instagram

Morning cuddles are my favorite! I cherish these moments with my girl!

I just love her!

Her chubby little legs!

First nap in her crib...it was harder on me than it was on her!

Sleeping beauty :)

Exhausted after a long day of running errands.

Feel free to follow me on Instagram @awood009

Losing the Baby Weight

I gave myself six weeks to chill before getting serious about losing this baby weight. So today marks the day where I start actually trying to lose the baby weight.

It shouldn't be hard...I mean, I only have 4.5 lbs to go before I hit pre-pregnancy weight, but I was trying to lose 15 lbs before I got pregnant. So the total weight loss goal is 20 lbs. I'm gonna need all the support I can get. Eating well is really hard for me, and I always find an excuse to not work out and I imagine with a newborn those excuses will come even easier. 

I'm wanting to be able to wear a bikini confidently this summer when we go to the beach (and we better be going to the beach for at least one weekend!).

So anybody got any hints on how I should start? What should I do? I've already fallen in love with green smoothies and will definitely be keeping those in the diet, but what else? I'm such a bad dieter and it's hard with a picky husband (not to mention my gluten-free diet). 

source

Now let me add that I'm not doing this because I think I'm ugly. I love my post-pregnancy body because it's a symbol of what I've been through, but I believe I would feel better and be a better me if I was healthier and lost a little bit of weight...

Blessed

I've only got a few minutes before Baby Girl gets up from her nap to eat. It's in this silence, while my little love bug is sleeping peacefully that I realize just how blessed I am. It's in these moments that I just sit and look at her and am just consumed with love.

 

Well, she's starting to wake up. Now for cuddles while she eats and then bedtime routines. I just love this time with my love bug!