Still using Cloth?

So, my three bites of cloth diaper trial weekends came and went and I didn't tell you what happened?  So, here is the very quick version.  We started out this trial with one weekend.  I had 10 BumGenius 3.0s which are pocket diapers, 3 Econobums which are prefolds and covers, and I got 3 Thirsties covers and a ton of prefolds.  The first weekend went great and quickly and I mean quickly went to us using the cloth diapers nights and weekends.  I immediately loved the cloth.  I love her big fluffy butt in the cloth diaper and I liked the fact that it was all cloth touching her skin and no plastic or chemicals.  I thought that they would be gross and difficult but other than having to keep up with washing them they haven't been.  I still need to install the diaper sprayer which will make it even easier but for now it's all working!

CGR's very first cloth diaper! 

 After that first weekend, I already was using them at night.  Whenever I change her diaper as long as it's not the morning diaper that she goes to her nanny's then it's a cloth!  I have used the prefolds a couple times, however, I'm a much bigger fan of the pockets and they get a lot more use.  I will use the prefolds now if I run out of the pockets and need something to put on her.  They don't make her feel very dry like the microfleece pockets do and so she seems a bit uncomfortable.  I think if we used them often she would get used to it as well as we'd be changing her more and that is always a good thing.

My hubby is still resistant against the cloth.  He doesn't understand why I want to do this and I don't understand why he is resistant.  This weekend I made with the help of my sister some cloth wipes.  I took some of the receiving blankets that I don't plan to reuse...I had so many...and made 2 layer cloth wipes with them.  My sister really helped the most with this!   I also got a spray bottle because I don't plan to store them wet as we aren't using them all day but spray them and use them like that.  I have not started this as I couldn't get the 97 cent spray bottle to work but Special K thankfully fixed that!  I made the wipes just big enough to fit in an old Huggies container so they pop out like the regular wipes do.  I'll let you know how it goes.  I figured since I'm already doing diaper laundry what would adding wipes do.

Cloth diapers also make a great pillow when in shopping

I also would love to try out a couple other types of pocket diapers and maybe some All in Twos or hybrids.  That involves spending money on them and since the hubby is still resistant we'll see when I get to increase my fluff stash.  I would love to increase the amount of non prefolds I have by double since right now I can't seem to make it through the weekend without a Saturday night laundry load.  I don't mind doing the load but I would love not to have to so I'd have enough to get me through the weekend. I already have my list of ones I want to try.

Well...all in all I am a cloth diapering convert!  If I stayed at home, little miss CGR would be in cloth all the time.  If you are even considering doing cloth diapers, you should try the three bites weekend.  I know several online retailers do a trial pack that you can use and send back.  This would be a great way to figure out if you even like them.  They are a big investment if unlike me, you don't already have some in the family to try.  I hope that you'll consider them.

I'm sure you will hear more about them as time comes.  I will do a review of the ones I try once I start trying them.  The ones I have are no longer produced so I can do a review but honestly you'd only be able to get them used.

Happy Cloth Diapering!

Journal Day #1: Firsts

As I find a way to make more of this blog, I have found a solution! I was just yesterday thinking I'd like to make it more of my journal again. When I started this blog back in April 2007...wow, this blog is 4 years and 2 months old...my first post said it all!

This blogging thing is harder than it looks. I've always loved to journal but what craziness that I write do I really want others to read. :) I don't always make sense to others but when you keep reading it might in the end. I plan to post videos, pictures and what I can share of me. Hope you enjoy. :)

Crazy that this thought has come full circle.  Fast Forward to present day, and I've been knitting for almost 4 years, this blog turned into a podcast, and now facebook, twitter, and plurk exist!  So many outlets to post random things about yourself but what I really want again is my journalling blog where I posted my thoughts and just let people either read them or move on! :)  I say this often about my podcast, but not everyone enjoys every blog or ever podcast.  The blog and podcast is part of that person and let's be honest...not everyone likes each other and that is FINE by me.  So, if you don't want to read my ramblings or like my writing style and you liked the format of this blog lately...very little posts and mostly pictures...then you might not want to keep reading because I think it's about to get wordy in here.  For those of you willing to stick around....ENJOY!

Danielle over at Sometimes Sweet is starting a community blog project called Journal Day! Weekly, she’ll be sharing a writing prompt to spur your creativity.

This week’s prompt is:

Describe a “first” (first date, first lie, the first time you experienced something, first time in a particular setting, etc). Include as many details as possible to paint a picture

I bet most of you will not have to even read further to know what I'm going to talk about. :) I'm pretty predictable in the fact that when I start thinking about something...if it's something I become passionate about...I get a little obsessed.  At first I was trying to think of a different first so that most of my family wouldn't just let out a collective groan but honestly...whatever!!  You will all love me anyway and it's on my mind and so here it is.  For my first journal entry I want to share my first cloth diaper weekend trial with you.  It's the first time I've ever tried cloth diapers and so there were a TON of firsts.  I'll go into more details in another post about the types and such but for now we'll just talk cloth diapers.

I had been so excited to try cloth diapers after all my researching and waiting for the diapers to get here from my cousin that I wanted to slap on a cloth diaper on her Friday night after work but we were going over to my father-in-law's house for a birthday party so Special K kindly asked that we wait until Saturday morning.

For a little background, he is not as excited about this, what he really hopes stays as just a trial, cloth diapering experience.  He is happy with using disposables, however, he only changes about one diaper a week so in all honestly I don't think using cloth is going to effect him much.  The only way he even agreed to the weekend trial was that there was NO initial cost.  Our cloth diapers were purchased or gifted to my sister in CA and never used, then were passed on to my cousin in TX and never used, and now they live with us and other than two of them have now been used. :)  Those two will get some use this week I promise!

Carmen in her very first cloth diaper

Back to my firsts...Saturday morning I finally got to put the cloth diaper on her!  We have 10 BumGenius 3.0s which are hook and loop closure aka Velcro. (did you know that Velcro is a brand and hence copyrighted?) We also have three Econobums prefold and covers. I started with the BumGenius because those were the ones I was most excited about.  They are bulkier than disposables so I had to use a onsie that was a bit bigger but they fit her pretty good on the medium setting.  She wore that during her first nap of the day and we went over to my sister's house and she was great.  I changed her and used another one and it was strange not really knowing when she is wet.  Usually you can tell because the gel in the disposable starts to feel a bit solid...now that I think about that...that just grosses me out so much but anyway.

When we got back to the house, I put a prefold and cover on her because we were just hanging around but she fell asleep for her nap and the prefold made her feel a bit wet so it didn't really let her sleep long.  I used two of them and they worked GREAT but I think I'll try to avoid using them for naptime.  At least until she is more comfortable in those.  I think the BumGenius's are much more comfortable for her even though they are bulkier.

At the end of Saturday, I had used 6 diapers.  One poop diaper which REALLY wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  However, using 6 out of my 13 made me nervous for Sunday so I did a wash that evening.  The washing was not nearly as bad as I had thought either!  I would love if I had a little more of an advanced washer that I could preset the extra rinse and set the temp more but they got clean using it and the Rockin' Green Soap (review and giveaway for this product to come).

Saturday evening, I added the infant insert alone with the regular insert for a night time diaper and she slept FANTASTIC!!  She was sleepy so I'm not sure if it was the diaper or the need for sleep but she did great!  I've already decided to use these for night time diapers during the week too. Sunday worked out pretty much the same but I skipped using the prefolds.  I had to change a poopy diaper at the restaurant Sunday night and again...not nearly as bad as I thought it would be.  I just put it in the wetbag. That night I did another load of the ones I had used that day.  All the diapers were then clean but the one she was sleeping in.  I have to stuff the inserts into the diapers because we are using pocket diapers but other than that I'm set for next weekend!

In conclusion, my first weekend cloth diapering went great!  Lots of first and lots of learning.  I have a lot more to learn about cloth diapering but I'm very happy with how it went.  I promised myself that I would give them three honest weekends of trial before making any decision but with the fact that I'm already using them as night time diapers...I have a feeling that I'll be a convert.