Lots of new diapers this week!

So it's been a good week for diapers in our house, lots of new things to try out! I'm just going to combine them all into one post to save time and space.

On the right is the Watermelong Bed Bug, Middle a Sposoeasy with snaps and left the bee fitted.

First we got some Holden's Landing diapers that I have been waiting on for almost 2 weeks. I must say, Bonnie was incredibly great to work with and for the price you can't beat a pretty much custom diaper. She has lots of options for her diapers. You can pick the fabrics you want, the type of diaper (fitted, all in 2 or Bedbug which is her nighttime diaper) the colors you want (she dyes each diaper however you want for no additional charge), embroidery, turned and topstitched or serged and even the snap colors. While the prices were slightly more than some other fitteds I think considering all the work she puts into them they are well worth it.

We got 2 of them, one is a 'Watermelon dyed' BedBug that is all OBV (organic bamboo velour) and the other is an organic cotton fitted that is dip dyed blue and yellow with a little bee embroidered on it. I was very impressed with both and they both fit Lila very well although a little bulkier than I usually prefer but with spring just around the corner they'll be great under dresses. And as a reminder fitted diapers will need some sort of waterproof cover if they are going to be in them for a while. I personally prefer wool. And here is a picture of Miss Lila sporting her bumblebee fitted.

We also got a Sposoeasy All in Two (AI2) diaper that I've been hearing a lot of buzz about. An AI2 is pretty much as simple as you can get cloth diapering. Everything comes together, there are no covers, no inserts, no stuffing pockets. In general I've never loved the AI2 diapers but this one had great reviews. I snatched it up from http://www.sewcraftybaby.com/store/WsAddprod.asp and with the coupon code newcustomer you get an extra 10% off. It's definitely not my favorite diaper but I do like that it's all natural fibers except the PUL outer. The fit wasn't spectacular on my little chubber but it wasn't bad either. I will say, if you have a husband who is scared of cloth diapers this would be a great diaper to have on hand when he changes diapers (if your husband actually changes diapers, mine doesn't).

We got 2 Bagshot Row Bamboo diapers this week as well. These are very sought after diapers and pretty hard to get, I was lucky that my fingers are quick enough to nab not one but two of them. I must say, I LOVE THIS DIAPER! It's super absorbant but also ridiculously trim. It is a fitted diaper but the neat thing with the BSRB is she doesn't put snaps on them which some people may not like but it makes the diaper incredibly adjustable so it should fit your little one from birth up until potty training. You can fasten this diaper with either a snappi or pins, whichever you prefer. I will definitely be stalking her site from now on trying to grab up a few more of these.

Another diaper we got was a Bohemian Babies, although I won't say much about this diaper since the store is closing (or possibly already closed) but we do like it a lot. If you can pick up an used one on for sale or trade somewhere I would definitely get it!

And finally we got a Rumparoo pocket diaper. This is probably one of my least favorite diapers but it is cute. It doesn't fit Lila very well right now but my toddler tried it on and it fit her well so I predict we will put it up for another year or so and then try it for Lila again. This is a pocket diaper though which means you you a waterproof outer and a stay dry inner with a pocket in it that you stuff with whatever you need (I use hemp inserts for extra absorbancy). If you like pocket diapers then this is a good way to go but I'm not really a huge pocket fan.

That is it, if you're counting that's 7 new diapers this week, I feel like my stash is nearing completion. I do have a few diapers I'm hoping to unload in the next few weeks so I can get more of what I really like.

Never fear spoiling children by making them too happy. Happiness is the atmosphere in which all good affections grow. . -Thomas

Funstation 2000

So after almost 2 weeks of being cooped up in our house because of cold and lack of things to do I decided we had to get out and explore the world a little bit. After some deliberating we decided we would try out the soft play huge climbing tower thing at Funstation in Statesville (I have no idea what the technical name for that thing is). So we bundled up and headed out in the 11 degree weather to see if we could have some fun.

We met Paw Paw and Aunt Chelsea there and I have to say we were very impressed. We were the only customers there on a cold Friday afternoon so we had the place to ourselves. There were lots of arcade style games, a few little rides for the kids, laser tag, a little pizza restaurant and what looked like a billiard room. Oh, and of course the huge tower of plastic and foam to climb (seriously what is that thing called?).

Gwen had a ball though! The soft play thing was clean and she had free reign for the first several hours we were there. We climbed up the tower, we climbed down, we climbed back up, we slid down, and up again. Are you getting the picture? She got Aunt Chelsea in there with her for a while. It really was a great and cheap way to get some cooped up energy out of her. It was only $3 for the whole day for her and adults were free to go in with their kids.

We will definitely go back again soon, and next time bring daddy with us. I'm not sure how much climbing and sliding I have left in me.

So if you're in the Statesville area and looking for something fun to do on a chily day check out Funstation 2000. It's a great way to spend an afternoon and it's always great to support our local businesses!

Motherhood qualified me to let the child within come out and play. - Christy Borgeld

And then there were 3

While I was pregnant with our first daughter Gwendalyn I had lots of plans and lots of opinions on how kids should be raised. I think most first time parents do. I'll admit that I was that young woman in the mall, dressed nice with my hair fixed looking at all those frazzled moms with their hair in a ponytail and spit up stains on their shirts saying "That will never be me". But here I am 2 years later with spit up on my shirt and while my hair is not in a ponytail that probably would be an improvement to what it looks like right now.

I also had a lot of opinions on things some parents did. I said my kids would sleep not only in their own beds but also in their own rooms after a couple of months, if you had told me I'd be breastfeeding a 2+ year old I would have called you crazy. But like most moms learn, all those "I'll nevers" quickly go out the window when you have your own kids. You actually regret all those times you found yourself judging another mother for certain things and realize that everyone has to do what works for their family.

When our oldest daughter was born I had a nice little wooden cradle for her and we had a room that was painted and decorated very pretty. I'd so carefully chosen the colors, we went to several baby stores and picked out just the right crib, I gave thought to bedding and all the things that go along with a nursery. Now, 2 years later she has yet to sleep in that nicely painted room, that perfect crib that matches the molding so well is now attached to my side of the bed with bungy cords to make it an extension of the bed, and up until last night she spent every night for the last 2 years cuddled up next to me.

At first people thought we were just trying to make it through the wakeful 4 month period with our restless sleeper. They assumed that the bedsharing would be shortlived. Then as she approached 1 and people found out she was still in our bed we would get asked how long we planned on letting her sleep with us. When I got pregnant with our second daughter I think they all assumed we were in a tight race to get her out of the bed before the baby came along, we weren't.

I'll admit that in those 2 years I have had lots of restless nights, lots of nights with little cold feet pressed up against my stomach or a baby pawing at me to nurse for the 5th time since we had gone to bed. There were nights when we just wanted to carry her across the hall and put her in her own bed in her own room but we never did. Because for every restless night, kick in the face or crowded bed we also had a sweet little girl cuddling up against us, tiny little kisses on our cheek in the middle of the night and feeling that little girl reach out and grab our hands just to make sure we were still there. I know that 20 years from now I will look back and smile remembering all those nights we shared beside one another and all those cuddles that she shared with us and I'll be so greatful that I didn't give in to all the pressure and move her into her own bed before she was ready.

But our bed really is getting crowded now. Since our baby was born almost 4 months ago we have all been sharing a bed. Daddy on the outside, Gwen next, then mommy and finally baby sister Lila. That's a lot of people for one Queen size bed. And we've started to notice that Gwen just wasn't sleeping as well as she did before. I imagine that she was feeling very crowded herself. I had been testing the waters with putting her in her own room in her big girl bed but it pretty much failed everytime. But yesterday I realized that maybe I was pushing things too much. We are talking about a little girl who is used to spending nights in our room, next to mommy and daddy. So we pulled her mattress into our room to the foot of our bed. Put her princess sleeping bag and pillow on it and talked about how that was her special bed. She seemed excited about it.

So at bedtime last night after she fell asleep cuddled up next to me I moved her down to her own space. Tucked her in with her princess blankets and put her baby next to her. And that's how she stayed, without a peep, until 6 am when she crawled up onto our bed and snuggled in between daddy and mommy. I consider that success for our first night but don't count on it always being that easy and we both agree that our bed will always be open to our kids when they need us. So if tonight, or next week or even next month Gwen decides that she no longer likes sleeping on her own we will happily all crowd in again until she's ready to try out her bed again.

For now I will get all the cuddles I can during the day and enjoy those mornings I feel her scooting down between the husband and I. I'll remember how it felt to have a tiny little baby sleeping beside me for the first time and also how it felt to have a big strong toddler snuggled up on one side and a tiny newborn on the other. I'll remember how she reached over me every few hours and put her hand on baby sisters stomach and how it feels to wake up next to a smiling and cooing baby and later on an energetic and bouncy toddler.


“Growing up is never easy. You hold on to things that were. You wonder what's to come. But that night, I think we knew it was time to let go of what had been, and look ahead to what would be. Other days. New days. Days to come. The thing is, we didn't have to hate each other for getting older. We just had to forgive ourselves... for growing up.”
The Wonder Years

It's a Goodmama kind of Saturday

If you ask most cloth diaper lovers what their favorite diaper is you will almost always get the same answer "Goodmama". I admit, I was very intrigued by this Goodmama diaper, they look cute, they were all the rave on cloth diaper forums and they cost more than I had ever paid for a cloth diaper. So I sought after one, I begged my husband to cough up the dough, I asked for them for Christmas but to no avail there was no Goodmama under the Christmas tree for me. So I took the plunge and bought one on my own, after all I had to know what all the fuss was about.

I waited what seemed like a painstakingly long time for that fluffy little package in my mailbox. The neighbors probably thought I was expecting some sort of top secret government surplus or something. Finally a week later it arrived. I ran inside, opened it up and did what all cloth diaper lovers do when they get a new diaper, I rubbed it, I opened it up to see all the layers, I inspected the snaps and then I rushed it up to the washing machine so I could take it for a trial run when Lila woke up from her nap.

First impression of this diaper, it's definitely nice, obviously very well made, super absorbant and silky soft. Goodmama's are a one size fitted diaper made of organic bamboo velour. For those that don't know fitted diapers go on much like a disposable would and then you put a cover of some sort over them to keep leaks away. They are made of all kinds of materials, but the most popular seems to be cotton, bamboo and hemp. Fitted diapers are my favorite of the moment.

So how do I like the Goodmama? I give it an 8 out of 10, which is pretty good for me. I haven't had a leak with it sense, not even overnight. As far as performance goes this diaper is darn near perfect but I did have to deduct 2 points because the snap placement bothers my little girl. I predict that as she gets bigger and more mobile the snaps won't bother her so much and Goodmamas may be my number one diaper of choice. Until then I will be continue my quest to find my favorite cloth diaper.

And just because you can't have a cloth diaper review without seeing it on a cute little green bottom here it is.

"A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on."----- Carl Sandburg

MoonDance Soaps

I love to support local small businesses and this is one that I am more than happy to support. I had actually never even heard of MoonDance Soaps before my second daughter was born. I got a tiny little sample size Babies 1st Soap in my discharge bag from the Birth Center in Chapel Hill. I gave it a try for Lila's first bath and loved it immediately.

They have 3 different types of Babies 1st Soap: lavender, unscented and calendula. My personal favorite is lavender. I love how it makes my girls have just a tiny scent but not the overpowering smell of typical baby washes. I love that it has no mineral oil, petroleum jelly or sodium lauryl sulfate in it and my girls come out of the bath with nice soft skin.

At my 2 weeks post partem checkup I hit the boutique and got several more bars of soap and a few of their other products to try and they really are all great. I have since been ordering from their site http://moondancesoaps.com/.

Not Your Mama's Cloth Diapers

So, I'm a cloth diapering mama. Usually when I tell people that I get weird stares and confused looks. I get all kinds of responses some people think it's great and want to hear more, some have no idea that people still cloth diaper and then others find it disgusting and weird.

Really though, cloth diapers are not what they were 20 years ago, well actually some of them still are but it's still a whole new ballgame these days. There are so many different types and styles of cloth diapers these days and many are no more complicated than a disposable diaper.

We use cloth diapers for many reasons though. My number one reason is the environment. Did you know that it is estimated it takes 250-500 years for a disposable diaper to decompose? That means all those diapers you throw away will still be hanging out in the landfills for our great great great great great grandchildren, that's not something I want to pass on to future generations!

Also there is the economic standpoint. It is estimated that a family spends about $3K on disposable diapers per child. That is a lot of moola! With cloth diapers you can spend as much or as little as you want. Some people keep it simple and buy a stash of prefolds and covers and others fancy up their stashes a little bit. Either way you will be spending much less than $3K on diapers and just remember cloth diapers can be reused for future children.

Of course, what any cloth diapering mom will tell you also is cloth diapers look darn cute on those tiny little bottoms. Warning though, if cloth diapering is something you decide to try out it can become addicting there are so many diapers out there and you will want to try it all!

And of course, there are lots of other reasons to try cloth diapers, I won't bore you though. Here is a great site if you want to do your own research. http://www.realdiaperassociation.org/diaperfacts.php

Stay tuned in the next couple of days for some diaper reviews and a little information on all the diapers that are available.

Bitter are the tears of a child: Sweeten them.
Deep are the thoughts of a child: Quiet them.
Sharp is the grief of a child: Take it from him.
Soft is the heart of a child: Do not harden it.
~Pamela Glenconner

Welcome

Welcome to Green Baby Bottoms! I'm so glad that you have stumbled upon this blog and hope that you enjoy. I'm dedicating this blog to all things baby/toddler/kid. It could be anything to fun events that my kids and I have done, reviews of cloth diapers, my favorite wahm stores, crafts or some days just unloading about the trials and tribulations that come with motherhood.

I'm a mama of two little ladies. My oldest is a fiesty and hilarious 2 year old. It's not uncommon to catch her dressed up in princess clothing playing with trucks or her trains. I suppose that means she has diverse interest, I'm sure that will come in handy when we start working on college applications ;).

My baby is a rolly polly 3 month old. Right now her main interest is breastfeeding and holding her colorful triangle rattle. I suppose those could also be diverse interest depending on how you look at it.

We are of the 'Attachment Parenting' school of thought. I think everyones definition of Attachment Parenting is different and I don't believe there is any wrong or right way to raise your children, just do what works for your family. We have done what feels right to us. We have a family bed, practice extended (and tandem) breastfeeding, we wear our babies, and believe in gentle discipline. In addition to our parenting style we also try to live a natural lifestyle. We hope to be able to help and preserve our world for our girls to grow up and raise families.

I'm so glad you've found us here in Blog world and hope you stick with me. Who knows, maybe you'll find a new great place to shop or book to read. Hold your little ones tight!