Cloth Diaper Confusion no more!

So way back in September, which now seems like a different lifetime ago, I wrote about my confusion about all things cloth diaper related. I did a ton of research, nearly driving poor Andre insane, and decided to purchase a few different brands to try out, and then go from there. I also contemplated doing a cloth diaper trial from a more local store, but couldn't resist the pull of fluffy mail. I even went as far as to buy a cloth wipes kit from Baby Steals. Thank goodness I actually like the cloth wipes!

After all that research I ended up with three different brands to try: BumGenius 4.0, Happy Heiny's, and Best Bottom diapers.  BG's and HH's are both one size pocket diapers, and BB's are one size All in two (AI2) diapers. Now anyone who has done even just the teeniest of research on cloth diapering has heard of BG diapers. They are very well known and loved by a ton of cloth diapering moms out there. One of the newer diapers on the scene were the BB diapers. Everyone loved that you could reuse the covers and just snap in a new liner. After talking to a friend of mine who had used them I decided that I too had to try them. The other diaper, the HH's are also well known, very similar to the BG's, but more reasonably priced.

So here was the run down on my cloth diaper stash:

First off on the list, Best Bottom Diapers:

BestBottom Diapers

I started out with 4 one size Best Bottom covers, 3 with snaps, and one with aplix (velcro), and 12 Stay Dry (microfibre and fleece) inserts in size Small.

I really like these diapers, and these are Andre's favourites. The obvious pluses of these diapers is when your LO messes the diaper if nothing gets on the shell (like with a pee) you just wipe or air dry the shell, and then snap in another liner and reuse it! With four shells and the liners, just these diapers could last one whole day as long as Emilie didn't get poop on the shell. I have to tell you that even with liners poop usually gets on the shell, so with a #2 you will most likely have to toss the shell in the wash. They adjust super small at the waist, so even at just 5 weeks old they fit Emilie great, at this time she was around 8.5lbs, so at the same weight they say the diaper will start to fit your LO.

They are also a trimmer diaper, but the least trim of all three of the diapers. I think the reason for this is the thickness of the Stay Dry inserts. I'm sure the Hemp would be a little more trim, but I haven't tried them out to know for sure. Also the PUL (the waterproof and cute shell) is the most "hard" of all three diapers. It's just not as soft, which you can feel through the clothing.

We have had no leaks with these diapers. The leg and front and back gussets are fabulous, and have kept all of the messes in the diaper, which is a huge plus.

The bottom line with these diapers: Great diapers. I would recommend them to anyone trying cloth diapering. I think one of the best diapers for travelling with your LO, and you can just throw in a couple shells and then just bring a bunch of inserts. For anyone buying in Canada, they are a pain. I had to order directly from Nicki's Diapers in the States, I couldn't find anyone in Canada that was selling them. I don't know whether this has changed since I purchased them last year.

Well, Little Miss is now up from her nap, so you'll all have to wait for the review of the Happy Heiny's and BumGenius!

Happy Easter!

Time is passing by at lightening speed lately it seems. Everyone always said it would once our LO was born, and they are very right. Easter Sunday will mark 7 weeks since our little Emilie was born. It's been a roller coaster of a ride that's for sure!

I couldn't resist these bunny ears when I was out picking up some ingredients for some Easter cookies (which I will hopefully blog about at a later date). My little Emilie was a good sport when I had to snap some pictures to share with you all.

So Happy Easter from our home to yours!

Introducing...

Emilie Helen!

I have a few minutes to post before we have to rouse our little angel for her next feed so I thought I would fill you all in our new arrival! She was born at 38.5wks after an induction (definitely more on that at a later date). I was induced last week on Saturday March 5th, which just happened to be my 32nd birthday, and she was born at 2:34pm on Sunday March 6th.

She is everything that we prayed for and more. Not to say that this parenting business is not hard, because man, it is HARD, but when she looks at us with those beautiful big eyes, and gives me a gassy little grin when I'm ready to burst into tears for the second time that day everything was worth it. All the dildo cam visits, the failed Clomid cycles, the tears, the injections, everything was worth it to be able to hold my little girl.

My only prayer is for those out there that are still struggling to not give up hope, and that your dreams will come true as well.

So here are a couple pictures of our little girl:

Emilie Helen
March 6th 2011 at 2:34pm
7lbs, 9ozs
approx 19 inches long (they didn't measure her in the hospital I did)

Peanut's room is almost complete!

My last blog entry showed some preliminary pictures of little Peanut's bedroom. Well since then we have been hard at work. My goal for the bedroom was to have the furniture in there, and all the newborn, 0-3month, and 3-6 month clothes washed and put away before our shower on February 5th. My mother and I also managed to get some art hung on the walls as well, so it's really starting to look like a nursery. I'm really happy with the final results!

Here are some pictures I snapped of the nursery just this past weekend.

The view from the doorway of the room.

The crib. We're doing the "bare" crib thing for now, with just a fitted sheet. I had to show off the blanket that my grandmother made though, so it's hanging on the back.

Storage in the corner of the room. A basket with bibs and other little things. Then our stash of cloth diapers to try out (more on that later), our collection of receiving blankets most made by my grandmother, then some of our blanket collection. We have so many.



The change station. We're starting with disposable diapers, so the basket is stocked and ready to go.



What has to be the oldest item in the room. This picture was made by my great-grandmother Helen for my youngest sister Lise at least 20 years ago. Now it hangs above the dresser. It will be a little reminder of Peanut's namesake since her middle name will be Helen.



Right now we're still deciding on what we're going to put above the crib. We think we may have decided on something from the Uppercase Living Catalogue though. My parents have decided to buy us a glider for the nursery, so as soon as that arrives the crib will move down that wall farther from the window and we can then hang something on the wall. Until then we're just waiting on Peanut!





Peanut has a bedroom!

Right after Christmas we started with the big Peanut related purchasing. Andre's parents had been very generous with us this year starting with a cash gift for our Anniversary in September, and then another cash gift this Christmas. We decided that instead of using the money for something for the house, we would put it towards Peanut. So Boxing Day we actually went shopping and picked up the crib (Graco's Lauren crib), and then the following weekend we went out and purchased the dresser at The Brick.

The day the dresser arrived mother nature decided to co-operate with us (in a way) and start snowing, so what better way to spend the day then huddled up at home assembling a crib?! I have to say that I am so proud of Andre and I. We have a horrible track record of bitching and moaning while assembling furniture, but we were so great assembling this crib. Not one curse or negative word was uttered. We worked so well together!

We haven't finished the nursery completely, but we have a pretty good start I think. The only piece of furniture that we still have yet to put in the room is a glider. My mother has decided that she is going to purchase this for us.

Here is a before of the room after clearing everything out, and then a couple pictures of our furniture, before we cleared recycled all that cardboard (oh the cardboard!!):

We haven't put any bedding in the crib since we have a cat, and we didn't know what Mikey was going to do with the crib in the house. Thankfully he hasn't figured out how to jump into the crib, but that might change once there is a glider right next to it. We have some artwork for the walls, but I need to get some picture hooks first, and figure out exactly where we want the crib to go on the one wall. I think for safety reasons we might end up putting the glider in that corner and moving the crib farther along the wall towards the closet, who knows.

We still have 6-8 weeks to make those final decisions, and get a ceiling fan hung (sitting in the box next to the dresser), and purchase a blind for the room, and decide once and for all if we're keeping the current drapes. At least for now Peanut has a room, and a dresser full of clothes already, and we haven't even had a shower yet!