Two in Diapers

We've never had two in diapers at our house before. After four children, you'd think it would have happened at least once but no. Each child was potty trained before the next new baby came along. The oldest two boys were around 2.5 years old and our daughter was just under 2 (her choice, not mine, to be clear).

It's starting to look like that streak will come to an end though. Our youngest is just over 2.5 years old and absolutely NOT interested in potty learning at all. Sure, he'll go every once in awhile in the potty but he uses his diaper more often than not. Here's the kicker: In February, I'm excited to share, that my family will add a brand new addition via adoption! We are so excited about our newest little girl!! She is actually due on the same day as our second son's birthday which is really fun (though the odds of her actually coming that particular day are so slim as I feel that due date should actually be a due week, but that's a different post, lol).

Now it looks like I'll have to "put my money where my mouth is" in that I've been saying for a LONG time that I have enough diapers to diaper at least two kids! And while I know that's true, I just can't believe I'll actually have to do it. Lol.

I have been doing a lot of research on this particular issue and this is what I've come up with so far in the way of tips (remember, without the experience yet!):

1. Just because you had a favorite diaper with one child, doesn't mean it will be your favorite with the next one. All diapers fit all babies differently. Try a variety at first so you can find your real diaper love.

2. Wash more often. While I can easily go several days between washes now, I need to remember that I will need to be washing every day or every other day for quite awhile to keep up with the diaper laundry AND so I don't overstuff the washer.

3. It's easier to share one-size diapers between children who are on the same snap setting. This doesn't mean it's impossible to do it between settings, just easier if they ARE.

4. Don't forget to consider the diaper bag! Either use 2 smaller ones or use 1 bigger one. Either way, you need space for diapers for 2!

5. If you're making any portion of your diapering supplies (prefolds from t-shirts, wool longies or covers, etc) start early! The earlier the better! Projects always seem to take me longer than I expect so allow for extra time.

If you all have anymore tips for me, I could sure use them! Please comment on this post below and share with us if you have anything to add. :)

Christmas Cookies!

I found some really fun recipes to share with you all! Check them out! I think we are going to do the Advent Calendar cookie style thanks to this recipe. :)

1. Advent Calendar Cookies: http://familyfun.go.com/christmas/christmas-recipes/christmas-cookies-gingerbread/advent-calendar-cookies-821007/

2. Candy Cane Cookies: http://familyfun.go.com/christmas/christmas-recipes/christmas-cookies-gingerbread/candy-cane-christmas-cookies-820336/

3. Choo Choo Train Cookies: http://familyfun.go.com/christmas/christmas-recipes/christmas-cookies-gingerbread/choo-choo-train-christmas-cookies-820368/

4. Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls: http://familyfun.go.com/christmas/christmas-recipes/christmas-cookies-gingerbread/chocolate-peanut-butter-balls-689320/

5. Dancing Ginger People: http://familyfun.go.com/christmas/christmas-recipes/christmas-cookies-gingerbread/dancing-ginger-people-804807/

See you all tomorrow!

Knickernappies Winner and New Giveaway!

I'm not sure how, but I forgot to post the winner and new Knickernappies Giveaway in November!! :O

The winner of the one-size Knickernappies diaper in choice of in-stock color and insert (LoopyDo or microfiber) is...

Ticklemetiffyyyy!

The winner has been contacted and has 48 hours to respond and claim her prize. Congratulations!

On to the next giveaway!


For your mandatory entry this month, you'll need to do two things. First, go add yourself as a follower of this blog. Did you do that? *waits a moment* Good! Now in a comment, tell us, "Are you hoping for any diapers this Christmas? Which ones?"

As usual, this giveaway is for any in-stock color of a Knickernappies one-size diaper. The winner will also choose the insert (either microfiber or LoopyDo).

**Please remember to enter using an actual name! We've had several "anonymous" entries over the last few months and these aren't valid entries. I have to delete them! Also, you MUST include a way to contact you. If you don't include an email, I can't tell you you've won, so I have to move on to the next entrant.

Extra Entries:

You can earn extra entries once your mandatory entry is complete. Each item is worth one extra entry unless otherwise noted in parentheses following the item's description.

1. Become a Knickernappies facebook fan.

2. Be a Wee Little Changes facebook fan (2 entries).

3. Follow the Knickernappies blog.

4. Follow the WLC blog (4 extra entries in addition to the one within the mandatory entry from above).

5. Tweet about this giveaway, including @weelittlechange (no s) in the tweet. Limit of 10 tweets per contest. Come back and leave us a comment.

Rules:

This contest is open to US residents only and will run from Friday, December 2, 2011through Sunday, January 1, 2011. The winner will be chosen via random.org and posted here on Monday, January 2, 2011. Anonymous entries will not be counted and will be deleted. You must leave a valid email address in your comments so that a winner can be contacted. If our winner doesn't respond within 48 hours, a new one will be chosen. The diaper pictured here is an example only and not necessarily what the winner will receive. Again, the mandatory entry above must be completed before any extra entries will count. This contest is subject to change at the sole discretion of Wee Little Changes

Edible Ornaments!

It's that time of the week again! I've got some fun Christmas crafts for you and this time, I'll be giving you links to some really fun, edible ornaments!! These would make great gifts for family and friends or even just look super cute on the family Christmas tree. :)

As usual, these ideas are from www.familyfun.go.com/ and even more can be found there if you're interested.

Here they are:

1. Popcorn Ball Ornaments: http://familyfun.go.com/christmas/christmas-ornaments/popcorn-ball-ornaments-689284/

2. Edible Ornament Cupcake: http://familyfun.go.com/christmas/christmas-ornaments/edible-ornament-cupcake-685626/

3. Candycane Sign Post: This one will need a couple of adjustments to be edible! Just use a real candycane and add your sign post decorations to the wrapper of the real cane. :) http://familyfun.go.com/christmas/christmas-ornaments/candy-cane-signpost-668162/

4. Popcorn Garland! I don't have a link for this one, but you can thread popcorn onto string or floss using a needle for a fun, old time look. This one would also be easily done with ring cereal like Fruity Cheerios or Fruit Loops.

5. Cookie Ornaments: Again, I don't have a link for you but, gingerbread cookies in any shape you want with a hole in the top for stringing (try punching a hole in the dough before cooking using a straw) would make for some yummy, great-smelling ornaments. Of course, you can't leave them there for long! ;)

Have fun with your edible ornaments!

So Your Newborn is Bigger...

The average newborn is anywhere from 6 to 8 pounds with lots and lots of babies falling under this average AND over it. So what do you do if your baby is estimated at 9 or 10 pounds? Do you really need a newborn stash at that point?

Well, the short, sweet,and somewhat confusing answer to that question is yes and no. Yes, you'll need something for those early days in diapers but no, it may not need to be newborn sized depending on the size at birth.

First, let me tell you that an "estimate" from an ultrasound is still just that. An estimate. There is absolutely no way for anyone to predict with absolute certainty and exactness what your baby will weigh at birth. While the doctor may tell you that they estimate your baby will weigh close to 10 pounds at birth, it's entirely possible that he/she will come out just over 8, for example. The estimate they offer you is often within a pound or two of the actual weight which doesn't sound like much until you consider how very LITTLE a newborn actually weighs. One to two pounds is a BIG difference in this case!

When I was expecting my daughter, my doctor felt my belly (yes, so scientific, right?) and guesstimated that she would weigh around 8, 8.5lb. She was only 6lb 5oz at birth. Lol. Maybe with an ultrasound, the guess would have been more accurate, but still...

So how do you prepare for a newborn with no idea of the size of your baby yet to be born? One great thing you can do is use prefolds and/or flats in the beginning. Prefolds have a weight range of 7 up to 15lb and so will fit a wide range of infants. I've also found that covers are very forgiving and will often fit a little longer than you'd expect.

If you really want to go the newborn pocket route, you definitely can. However, if your baby is on the larger end, they won't fit as long. The average newborn pocket fits from around 6lb up to around 12lb. I actually skipped the newborn pocket stage and went straight to smalls with my youngest. The smalls fit from around 8lb, so he was able to wear them pretty fast. We then went straight on to the one-size diapers and never really looked back. My youngest was 7lb 11oz at birth and gained several pounds quickly in the first 3 months (before stalling on his weight gain for a couple more months but that's another story).

There are definite benefits to using the newborn diapers at birth. For example, many newborn diapers are made to accomodate the umbilical stump and they are small enough that even the skinniest of legs usually fit in the leg holes. A friend of mine used newborn diapers and was unable to use the next size up until just recently; her daughter is 2 months (almost 3) and she started using the size smalls on her earlier this month. For her, newborn diapers were perfect!

In the end, the choice to start with newborn diapers or small diapers is entirely yours. You need to make your best, educated guess as to whether the newborn diapers will fit your little one well enough and long enough to make it worth it to you.

Repost: Diaper Stripping Directions!

Yesterday I touched very briefly on the idea of stripping your diapers. Diaper stripping should happen every few months regardless of the detergent you're using. No matter which one you swear by, they all leave behind some residue after a few months. It's inevitable. Some water washes soap and other residue out better than others. I've found that mine does an all right job, but as I said, my diapers need stripping every few months.



But how, you ask?




We've almost all read the Dawn idea. I've tried it. It doesn't really seem to work. Yes, my diapers often smell better but I find myself wondering if that's because they're full of dish soap. Lol. Plus, it's really not good for a Front Loader, which is what I have. I'm pretty sure the majority of us have one as well.




So how do you strip them then?




You're in luck! I'm going to walk you through the steps I take with my own stash on stripping day.






1.Gather all your diapers and either fill up the bathtub (my preferred method) or use the soak option on your washing machine. I like to use warm to hot water and add a couple of tablespoons of my favorite detergent to the water before adding my diapers. I then soak them there for an hour to most of the day, depending on my time constraints. If you're using your washing machine, a top loader can be filled and then left open. This usually stops the cycle and allows for soaking. If it's a front loader, they often come with a soak option. Mine only allows you to soak for 35 minutes though, which is why I prefer the bathtub. It's up to you.



2.When they've soaked as long as you'd like them to, drain the water. If you're using the washing machine, simply run a hot cycle with no soap two times. If you're using the bathtub, get some of the excess out of your diapers, as they get really heavy when they're all wet, and put them in the washing machine. Again, run the washer two times on your hot cycle, no soap.



3.Finally, if you can, take your diapers out to hang outside. I really feel like this finishes the job and gives an extra fresh diaper. In fact, if I know it's supposed to be nice for several days in a row, I like to leave them out for a couple of days to really air them out. We had a bout of nice weather a couple of weeks ago and I actually did this. Lol.



This stripping cycle will work well for build-up and/or smell problems. If you've got yeast in your diapers, you might want to add a small amount of bleach to your cycle (check with your manufacturer to be sure it's safe to do this) in order to kill all the yeast.




Good luck and happy stripping!

Pattern Time! A Fuzzy Cupcake Hat!

A Fuzzy Cupcake Hat-newborn size

Materials: J hook, Vanna’s choice in chocolate, White Fun Fur, and off-white or white Red heart worsted weight yarn, ~12 buttons to use for sprinkles, a yarn needle and some scrap yarn for button sewing.

Size: Fits a newborn sized to small infant sized head, approximately 13-15” (give or take) with a note for slightly larger heads after row 9.

Hat:

Row 1: Holding white and white fun fur yarns together (here and throughout top of hat), ch 2. Work 12 dc sts into 2nd ch from hook. Join last st w a sl st to 1st st to create a circle of dc’s, ch 3 and turn (ch 3 counts as 1st st in next row here and throughout unless otherwise noted).

Row 2: Work 1 dc in join sp, then 2 dc in each dc sp around, join, ch 3, and turn. (24)

Row 3: DC around evenly, join, ch 3, and turn. (24)

Row 4: Work 1 dc in join sp, 1 in next dc sp, *2 dc in next sp, 1 in next sp* repeating * to * around; join, ch 3, and turn. (36)

Row 5: DC around evenly, join, ch 3, and turn. (36)

Row 6: Work 1 dc in join sp, 1 in each of next 2 dc sp, *2 dc in next sp, 1 in each of next 2 sp* repeating * to * around; join, ch 3, and turn. (48)

Row 7-9: DC around evenly. Fasten off white and white fun fur. (48)

Row 10: With brown, join to hat where you stopped with the whites to continue to your next row. Decrease by 6 stitches evenly around (every 6th st worked well for me). (42)

**If you’d like this hat to fit a slightly larger head, do not decrease the sts in row 10, but continue to work with 48 sts per row adding 1-2 rows more of rib below bringing the final row count to 15 rather than 13.**

Row 11-13: Rib the hat by repeating 2 FPDC, 2 BPDC around being sure to match the stitches around from the rows above. (42) Fasten off at end of row 13.

Decorations:

Using your yarn needle and spare yarn to match the top of your hat, sew on buttons scattered randomly across the top.