Big Transitions: Potties and Rooms

Last week I started two different posts, and never finished them. I thought about another five more...and didn't write them.

BUT...now I have a few different things to write about Kiddo because this past week ended up being a major one...like a whole MASSIVE Kiddo C-change.

Namely, we got Kiddo a potty and transitioned him to his own room and bed.

*GASP*

Yes, folks, it was CRAZINESS. And while there were a number of other things that happened, I'll save that for next week. These I think, are more than enough for one blog post. Frankly...I'm going crazy now.

Potty Time

On a whim this past Friday we bought a potty. It was the cheapest multi-stage potty I've seen ($13 for a stool, potty, transition seat situation) and so I snagged it. We've been discussing potties for a while, what happens when people go, how to go etc. We've talked about underwear. We read a few library books about potties....but this was the first major step in the direction of potty training.

Honestly, I think my parents were more excited about it that I was, mostly because it will save everyone a lot of money. A few months back we switched over to sposies entirely because:

1. Kiddo no longer fit in his cloth covers.
2. The cloth diapers no longer had enough asorbancy.
3. I would have to upgrade my entire stash to make things work.
4. And you know, we kind of have the WORST DROUGHT EVER. I couldn't stomach washing his dipes daily with double rinses etc.

With sposies on all the time, while it is convenient, I feel guilty every time I put them in the garbage. Also, I hate how expensive they are, knowing what I know about cloth stashes. It's a bit of a Catch 22, lose-lose situation.

SO the POTTY is really attractive for those reasons as well. That and there is the possibility of really exciting underwear for Kiddo (which if I can get motorcycles, sports, or Sesame Street characters, it will DEFINITELY be an incentive.).

Thus far, Kiddo sits on the potty with the lid up but not with his pants down. He decorated it with stickers, but he's not interested in actually using it. He does comment about when he's going. Sometimes he even requests potty time, but we still haven't made any kind of effort at getting him to actually fill it. Still, his love of his potty is encouraging. We may yet be potty trained this summer, and that would be VERY exciting.

Big Boy Bed

The transition to Kiddo's own room and bed has been a mixed bag. The first night he took twice as long to get to sleep because he was looking around the room, at his night-light, playing with his giraffe, etc. In the middle of the night he woke up, wailed, and only went back to sleep when I went in to nurse him. About 4 hours later he woke up wailing wanting to nurse again.

Needless to say, that night I did not get very much sleep.

The second night however, went better. He fell asleep faster and there was less wailing (even though I did end up going in twice). He seems to like the idea it is his bed and his room. Kiddo got very excited when he realized his clothes were in the closet and dresser.

2nd night with his motorcycle pillow, dolly, and kitty.

So we'll continue along this path with the bed and room. Hopefully we'll get to a place where he no longer needs me in the middle of the night. I hope that is in the near future, but I'll settle for a few months down the road (Am I too optimistic?).

Other Transitions

Beyond the potty and his own room, Kiddo is clearly becoming a child. There is no trace of infant in him. He asks questions and uses full sentences. He requests things, tells stories which are increasingly understandable, and follows two part instructions.

There are parts of me that see this and mourn the loss of the baby he used to be. Still, I celebrate as he progresses, knowing as he moves through life, things like good story-telling and full sentences are not only helpful, but necessary.

The New Fluff: Updates to Our Cloth

Well I got a few packages in the mail. WOOHOO!

From Amazon I got:
1 gallon Bac-out (not pictured)
3 Charcoal bamboo inserts
4 Thirsties hemp inserts
1 Planetwise medium size wetbag
1 Blueberry coverall diaper cover
1 Bummis whisper wrap (not pictured)
1 Bummis pull over wrap (not pictured)
1 Thirsties duo cover (not pictured)

From Nicki's Diapers I have:
2 Nicki's bamboo AIO
1 Nicki's pocket
1 Nicki's fitted cotton
1 Nicki's fitted bamboo
2 Imagine cotton flats
3 pairs baby legwarmers

Now let me explain my purchase choices. Bac-out is a magical stink and stain remover. I've used it on Christian's motorcycle clothes, Java's puke stains, and Kiddo's diapers. It's hard to find so it's cheaper to order a huge thing and just have it on hand.

I know I like hemp inserts, so I wanted to get a few of those to replace the bulky stuffing I have in my pockets (they still need another layer for them to work as they are just hemp). I wanted to try the bamboo because they are well loved. These bamboo inserts also have a layer of microfiber, so I shouldn't have to stuff them with anything additional unless I want to (for night for example).
The wetbag goes perfectly with our diaper bag (like...seriously matches...despite difference in brands) and will be used exclusively with the diaper bag.

As Kiddo is a big kid, I wanted a few covers that would work with his chunky legs. Blueberry coveralls have a reputation for working with bigger kids. I've had him wearing them the last couple days on the middle rise and there's plenty of room to add padding if need be. I may buy another in the future. The other covers, the Bummis and Thirsties I had in smaller sizes and used when Kiddo was little. They fit really well with Kiddo's unusual shape. I'm really excited to use them this time around.

As to the Nicki's purchases, I wanted to try their pocket diaper. I may be retiring some of my current pockets and so I will need replacements (because of leg hole size issues). I also wanted a few nighttime options. I can get Kiddo through a nap with his Kawaii pockets stuffed with hefty cotton prefolds, but night? I decided to try the AIOs for this purpose (wish me luck cuz Kiddo is wearing one RIGHT NOW AS HE SLEEPS!).

Because I finally will have covers that fit Kiddo, I felt comfortable ordering things that require them like fitteds. I personally lurve fitted diapers. They're my favorites, and I wanted to try a cheaper option than some of the others in my stash. If it works out, I'll probably get some more. They could be used for day or night, with added inserts etc.

Since I'm into variety and have covers to use, I really went far afield. I've been curious about using flats, so I thought I'd just get a couple to try out. I've heard they're very trim and they have the added benefit of being dirt cheap as well as fitting any size baby. Looking at them for the first time, they seem REALLY thin. I'm not sure how that will work with the Kiddo fountain, but we'll see. I have to practice a few fold configurations once they're fully prepped. If worse comes to worst, I'll use them as back-ups or pad-folded doublers.

I could have gotten another diaper... I could have, but I just hate pants when cloth diapering. Actually, I lied. I just hate pants. Baby legwarmers are kind of amazing. As I can't find my sewing machine in storage and have had some problems with getting the hand-sewn leggings through the wash intact (user error I think), I decided to get a couple pairs. Plus I got another pair free. Sweet.

Next cloth-diapering post I'll let you know about my prepping as well as the good, bad, and ugly of my new fluff.

Got any new fluff? Share some pics below! I lurve them!
 

Fluffing an Alien

If you read my last post, you know I have a problem. I need more cloth diapers. I want to be confident and cloth diaper in public. I want to confidently cloth diaper at night. Badly.

There are a few problems with this:

1. Kiddo has sensitive skin. He gets rashes whenever he stews in his own juices.
2. I have really bulky cloth diapers.
3. I only have a day and a half worth of cloth diapers that fit Kiddo.
4. I probably need a fourth wet bag.

I have some ideas about solutions to these problems!

1. Fleece and wool covers
2. Hemp/bamboo inserts/doublers
3. Flat diapers
4. Bigger covers

Of course, when you solve one problem, you create more (see: US federal legislation on...well...anything). These are not cheap (especially the covers!). The flats, while cheap in the world of cloth diapering, are not daddy friendly. There is a learning curve involving folds.

Aside: I don't know what it is about men and cloth diapering, but for some reason hook and loop pre-stuffed pockets and all-in-ones are the only things dads feel comfortable using.

So what's a girl to do? Well, I talked with Christian and finally decided on a path to correcting our cloth diaper situation. The result was two larger orders of a variety items from different retailers. Unfortunately there is no local retailer of cloth diapers (How poopy is that?! Don't. Say. Anything.). This means I had the luxury of shopping online. My first order was from Amazon, because they have retailers from all over selling there. Usually I can get the best price, and even if they don't have exactly what I'm looking for (specialty items generally aren't available on Amazon) they have *most* things.

I didn't want to pay for shipping from a thousand different places, so I took my time deciding what other retailer I wanted to patronize. In the end, I decided on Nicki's Diapers because their brand is very well respected and much more economical for the materials involved (plus they have some hard to find items and daily sale awesomeness!).

Rather than going home, I went big on these orders. I researched and I read reviews and I compared my own experience with cloth. When I get my fluff in the mail I'll take some pics and explain the reasoning behind my purchases because I think others will find it helpful (and they're coming on different days...so it'll be like Christmas for a week!).

What do you like to use for cloth diapering? What have been your concerns with your stash? Stay tuned for more adventures in fluffing an alien!

Updating Fluff

Oh for the days of smaller butts!

Everyone always has questions about cloth diapers. So to contribute to general knowledge and all that, I'll share what I know.

Firstly, here is my current stash:
7 Kawaii pockets
1 Bumgenius pocket
2 Babykicks pockets (each w/hemp/microfiber insert)
3 Thirsties all-in-ones
2 Motherease all-in-ones
4 Prowraps (note: These don't really fit Kiddo's thighs any more so I question including them at all in this list.).
1 Kushies fitted diaper
1 Kissaluvs contour
1 Kissaluvs fitted diaper
2 Babykicks hemp prefolds
1 Babykick premium hemp insert
18 cotton prefolds (too small to wear except padfolded/used as pocket stuffing)
10 Bummis fleece liners
A bagillion microfiber inserts (I don't use bc Kiddo is so active they ALWAYS result in compression leaks even when used with prefolds)
3 Snappis
2 Kanga medium wetbags
1 Planetwise large wetbag

Let's go over the pros in my stash: The usable diapers I have can be used by anyone. Grandparents can easily put Kiddo in the pockets and AIOs. Daddy is confident in putting these on Kiddo. Family members like them so much, they even become choosey about which colors they put on (have to match Kiddo's outfit!). And these things are good...however...

If you know anything about cloth, you know I have some problems with my stash. I have 5 diapers I can't really use (even though they are my current FAVORITES) because I don't have covers to go over them. I also don't really have a night/nap solution. AND I don't have enough diapers.

Cloth diapers, with the exception of flats and one-size (sort of), must be sized. I had a great stash for the first 3 months of Kiddo's life and then I started seeing it whittle away as he grew. Some great covers suddenly were too small. My prefolds barely fit around his waist and thighs much too quickly.

I've learned a few things about cloth and I would have changed some purchases knowing what I do now, lessons which I will graciously share.

I love hemp. Hemp is where it's at for heavy wetting. Mixing hemp with a prefold or microfiber is winning. Spending a bit more on a diaper or cover that will get used longer is okay. Fitted diapers are a great compromise between prefolds and pockets. I really love Motherease - it's an unsung hero in cloth, but there you go. I like to try things out. It's addicting. Hook and loop closures work best for us because of Kiddo's kind of an odd size. Cloth is easier for older babies because they poop less, but when they do, a sprayer or scraping implement better be close by. Cloth diapering is addicting.

I have to confess, thinking about cloth diapering makes me want to have another kid...just so I can do cloth from the beginning and revamp my stash. That's totally a normal response...right?

In my next CDing post I'll share what changes/improvements I would/will/have make/made to my older baby stash as well as my wish list. Stay tuned!

What's in your stash? What are some lessons you've learned about cloth diapering? What are some changes you'd make? Leave a comment below!

SAHMs Need Adult Time

This week has been rough. I had the poop spectacular, horrible teething, clinginess, soaked sheets (another lovely thing!), and a whole lot of sleep deprivation. I think I also have a bit of a cold...or allergies? Whatever. It involves post-nasal drip and it's annoying as hell. Did I mention it's also HOT? Yeah. Loving that Cali heat right now.

I am convinced single parents are tetched ... or plum crazy.

Needless to say I'm in some serious need of adult time. Adult time is any time when kids are absent or you are doing adult things. Adult things range from getting your freak on (obviously) to watching a movie that has explosions, fighting, gore, swearing, or sexual situations. Even working out could be adult time if the kids aren't around vying for attention. Adult time also includes taking a leisurely shower or bath without any pressure to finish quickly.

I've gotten...a little adult time. I think I can count one shower and one movie (sort of - both were a little rushed). But today I'm sitting in Ellen's Pancake House waiting for a friend and guess what? No Kiddo. He's with his grandparents. My friend is running a little late. It's actually wonderful because I have time to write this without having to worry about Kiddo needing something. I even texted some friends I haven't talked to in ages.

I do however feel pressure from the waitstaff and other patrons....one waitress or another has come over to ask after me like five time. I want to tell them, "Don't you know I'm a stay at home mom and I had a crap week this week?! Give a girl a break!"

They probably don't care. It's fine. I'm good. I'm getting adult time.

Well Baby Clinic Fun with MediCal

You might not know this, but I'm currently poor. By some accounts, I'm even homeless. You'd think that would make things easier for me in some ways, like getting government assistance. Ironically it made things more difficult. I talked to an insurance agent weekly, and called him daily in an effort to make sure our application for coverage was accepted. Finally it was, but our son? He didn't exist. So for the last three months I've been fighting to get my dear sweet boy health coverage through that lovely government program, MediCal.

Don't get me wrong. Without government assistance we'd be up a creek. Kiddo would be one of the kids living in poverty without preventative care. That would truly be a travesty (and I'm not saying this because I'm biased).

Through a little pushing and pulling we finally got an application through, but of course it would take another 45 days to be processed. Fortunately California has temporary coverage that it offers (I'm not sure if it's only for babies, for kids, or for anyone). All I can say is, I just about kissed the ground when I found out about this.

So we scheduled an appointment with the clinic in Lompoc. Christian couldn't come with me because he was working, so I asked my dad to come with me. I thought it would be easier to handle kiddo with vaccines etc if I had another person with me. I was right.

Our appointment was at 2. We arrived around 1:45. I had to fill out at least 6 forms. Once those were through we had to wait. This was difficult because the room was full of families and at least one child under two who from now on will be called "The Banshee." Kiddo was not pleased. He didn't cry, but he was wary of how loud the room was. He's my son - he likes quiet.

Finally we got called back to get kiddo measured and filter any questions I had. The nurse said kiddo looked just like his dad. I wanted to say, "How would you know?" but then I realized she was talking about my dad. I smiled politely and said, "That's his grandfather." I couldn't tell if she thought my dad was my father-in-law or what, because she said some strange things which I ignored.

After kiddo was measured with something akin to a medieval torture device, we went back to the lobby with a diaper only kiddo wrapped in a blanket. Impossibly, the lobby was even MORE full. Now the Banshee's wails were joined by the squeals of several children chasing one another. Kiddo started fussing almost immediately. It was his nap time. He was tired. He was hungry. He was annoyed by these loud children. First I tried to jiggle him. Then I tried to feed him a bottle of milk I'd brought. Then I tried to rock him. Finally, I got him to stop fussing by playing with him and making him laugh. His laugh was so loud and so sweet the room got quiet to listen. I noticed other children and parents watching me play with my very fair, now very smiley baby. When I sensed the play was coming to the end of its effectiveness, my dad handed me kiddo's pacifier which I promptly stuffed in his mouth. He went to sleep immediately. I shushed him and rocked him back and forth to cover the noise of the playing children, but most of the people nearby were quiet. They watched me, marveling at how kiddo went to sleep in an instant while other children fussed at having to wait. I felt like a superhero.

Eventually they called kiddo's name and we went back to see a doctor. She, like most people, fell in love with him immediately. She was impressed I give him Vitamin D drops daily and that we cloth diaper at home. Everything looked healthy and perfect. Kiddo is still around 95% for height (28 inches), but he's dropped down the % in weight at 19 lbs 8 oz (a good thing I think). His head circumference has stayed the same % it's been the whole time (75%). She advised me that he wouldn't have to have some of the shots from the 4 month visit that he missed because the vulnerability wasn't there any more (thanks health care!). Basically, he was lucky he didn't get sick.

Insert: frown

She then told me I could introduce solids, like rice cereal, if I wanted to, but I didn't have to (which is good because I don't want to - but I might get iron drops because it seems like we'll need them). I was also advised to get sunblock because it's fine to use on babies 6 months and older (we picked some up today). The one thing she said which I struggled with was the fact that she mentioned we should get him to sleep on his own.

Ha! That will be a separate post. Yeah. It's that good.

After we finished with the doctor, we waited in a different area next to the lab where they give vaccines. Kiddo was happy and smiley at all the people walking by. When we were called into the lab a few minutes later he smiled at the tech. He smiled in between swallows of his oral vaccine. And then she stuck him in his left thigh. He was quiet for a second and then wailed. Then I had to turn him and he was temporarily distracted by a cap on the counter before she stuck his right thigh once, and then twice. He was miserable. I hugged him as tight as I could, but unlike his earlier pediatricians' offices, I couldn't nurse him. We were directed to a nearby room to dress him and as soon as we got his shirt on I gave him the bottle of milk. He calmed immediately. I held him all the way to the car, along with the milk.

By the time we got to the car, he seemed pretty happy. His infrequent sniffs were nearly gone. By the time we got home, he was his normal happy self. I gave him some pain medicine, and he slept... for 2 hours straight. He woke for a little while and then he went back to sleep.

Then in the middle of the night he woke up crying, then he started to choke. It sounded like he was throwing up, but it was gurgling. In between this he wailed. I turned his body on the side like I was taught at so many swim classes. Whatever it was came out. He wailed. His body felt extremely hot. I'd forgotten he'd gotten a fever the last time he'd been vaccinated and I freaked out. I started to peel off his sleeper. It was too warm. Kiddo screamed. I told Christian to get the Ibuprofen and dropper. I got the sleeper off and I nursed kiddo while Christian came back with the Ibuprofen. By that time, kiddo was calm and easily took the medicine. Christian changed his diaper which was unusually full for that time of night and then I nursed him. He fell asleep, waking in fits and wanting to nurse throughout the night. It was a long night for everyone, and while his fever was significantly less in the morning, I was still a little anxious.

I didn't want to have to deal with the clinic again and I didn't want kiddo to be ill, even if it was a fairly normal reaction to a vaccine at such a young age. Thankfully, kiddo is a healthy little boy. Though his legs were definitely sore today, his temperature was back to normal 24 hours after his shots. He was the happy-go-lucky little boy that everyone loves, except now he's protected from polio and whooping cough thanks to MediCal.

The Six Month Wiggle

kiddo's first selfie

There are many things about babies and movement. There's the first time a pregnant mom feels a baby move in the womb. Then these little gurgles slowly turn into breath-stealing kicks and bladder-busting punches.

Then when the baby arrives, there's a little bit of a reprieve. You don't have to worry about the baby going anywhere. You put them on their back, swaddled (so they can't move), and they sleep like 18 hours a day.

But then, somewhere around 4 months, they roll over. At first it's just one direction and their one arm gets trapped so they fuss and get frustrated. Then they add the other direction, and things get even more dangerous.

Combine this with the whole grasping and grabbing, gumming and licking, and a lack of real control and you get a kid that hits himself in the forehead regularly with a drool soaked toy. This inevitably happens right after he makes his way onto his tummy awkwardly on the couch next to you.

But none of this even comes close to the six month wiggle.

Once babies get to six months, they are distracted by everything. This means they really only want to play and have no interest in being still unless they are falling asleep (even that's debatable), waking up (almost always true), or asleep (mostly true). This is one of the reasons why I can't ever get clear face photos of kiddo. He's moving constantly.

The least convenient time for this constant moving is changing - both diapers and clothes. Diaper changes can go smoothly because only one half of his clothing has to be removed and so we can give him a toy to play with while we clean him up and get a fresh diaper on. Clothing changes are hopeless.

Inevitably something distracts him so much that he nearly twists himself. Sometimes he even gets onto his tummy. He wails as we take away his toy so we can get his arms into his shirt sleeves. He gets frustrated even if he gets laid down on the changing pad - he hates being still that much.

The only thing that seems to work consistently to keep him from wiggling right off the changing area is song. I made up a little diaper changing song which helps to calm him down if he starts to fuss over being laid on the changing pad. If he fusses over getting dressed, we do the "Hokey-Pokey" which makes him smile and laugh. While this is fairly successful, it's not an easy endeavor, especially when I have the energy level of a snail.

I just keep telling myself that it's a phase that will pass soon enough and that I should relish even the difficult moments. Besides, there's the added benefit of all that upper body work I get to do without schlepping my tired butt to a gym. Oh the hidden benefits of motherhood...

What are your tactics for dealing with a wiggling baby? Leave a comment below!

How to Cope with The Fussy Six Week Baby

I knew it would happen eventually. I knew at some point kiddo would go from being the angelic darling that he's been for the past month and a half and turn into the fussy hellish imp that all babies become at some point during infancy.

Yes, we reached the six week mark.

For some reason babies start to turn around 5 weeks old. They become "fussy." Well, not just fussy. They begin to "cry excessively." Usually they do this during the late afternoon and early evening. If you're lucky like us, the baby does this from about 7 pm to 11 pm, and likely starts even earlier.

Well, there are strategies, tactics if you will, for dealing with this emerging imp.

First, collect your arsenal. This should include the following:

• Your diaper changing stuff
• Feeding paraphernalia
• A burp cloth
• A pacifier
• A bouncer/swing
• A baby carrier (sling, K'tan, etc)
• A glass of water
• A swaddling blanket
• A car & carseat

Okay. Ready? Here's the process:

1. First check his (I've got a son so I'm sticking to male pronouns. Deal.) diaper. If dirty or wet, change him. Still crying? Go on to 2.
2. Feed him. Still crying? Go to 3.
3. Burp him. Make sure to continue burping until you get a few good burps (and possibly curdy spit-up all over your shoulder/burp cloth). Still crying? Continue on!
4. Give him a pacifier. I've heard if a baby spits it out you're supposed to pull on it and they'll latch tighter but this trick has NEVER worked for us...so if the plug comes out, give it a try and let me know how it goes. Still crying? Paci only a temporary fix? Let's try something else!
5. Set him in the bouncer! This gives your arms and back a break too. Not working out? We've got some more options!
6. Sometimes carrying a baby works better than putting them in a bouncer (the whole heartbeat, warmth thing in addition to movement). Kiddo usually goes right to sleep in our K'tan. If this doesn't work you may need to combine tactics...
7. Make a loud shushing noise right in his ear or sing a lullaby (this is why you need the water)! Sometimes babies need the noise combined with some of these other options (for example the paci and the carrier). Man if this doesn't work you better brush up on tucking baby in!
8. Swaddling REALLY works well. This puts kiddo to sleep in a few minutes. Combine it with a paci and you've got a winning combination. But if this doesn't work then...
9. You better go for a drive.

These are tactics I've learned from reading books like Happiest Baby on the Block and Dr. Sears' The Baby Book as well as blogs. I've heard them repeated by moms and grandmas regularly. And then of course, I've used them myself and seen them work.

They do work for the typical fussy six week old baby. They will not work on a baby that has something medically wrong (dairy sensitivity, GERD, etc). Of course, if these things aren't working or you're at your wits end - send in the cavalry. I've had to take a break myself. I won't be the last parent to do so. Don't be afraid to call for back up (like grandma or the pediatrician). There is definitely a time and a place!

For now I'm going to enjoy a few more hours of relative calm before the fussy imp makes his appearance...and you should too!

Have you tried these tactics? What worked best for you? Leave a comment down below!

Projectile Poop - The Myth is Real!

I'm not putting any pictures...or video for this post. Seriously. You need to be able to eat later.

My dad says the scariest words in the English language are "projectile poop." I'm not sure if they're the scariest but they're certainly up there. There's nothing like being startled by a 9 lb wonder child jettisoning his poo through the air on to his surroundings in a great farty burst.

The first time this happened my parents were still here. My kid's poop went about 2 feet and landed on my poor father (who was attempting to change kiddo at the time) and the cement floor. In some ways that was a blessing. My dad just got it on his arm, which along with the cement floor, was easy to clean.

We were not so lucky last night.

Last night kiddo had already filled his diaper and needed to be changed. As I mentioned in a previous post, we're battling the chemical burns of diaper rash and so it's even more important to change soiled diapers immediately. The problem arises when the kiddo poops again. Breastfed infants poop a lot. It's just part of the deal...which of course means just as many diaper changes...and the possibility of kiddo pooping while being changed.

So I took off his diaper and began cleaning his tiny newborn bum. Then, just as I went for one more wipe, I heard the horrible farting sound that begins just before kiddo poops. In less than a second I jumped and screamed as kiddo's yellow feces flew through the air in a 4 foot arc across the room and sailed miraculously in the garbage can, with only minimal casualties.

Our carpet wasn't spared. Nor was our flat sheet...or my arm...or Christian's leg.

It was a poop spectacular. Really. Spectacular.

Diaper changes might need safety goggles, aprons, and gloves. Possibly a hazmat suit. Just saying. This is for real. You've been warned!

Do you have any diaper changing adventures? Share them below!