weelittlechanges.blogspot.com

Two in Diapers

2011-12-06T07:40:00.004-05:00

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!

2011-12-05T09:28:00.002-05:00

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!

2011-12-02T08:36:00.003-05:00

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!

2011-12-01T09:21:00.002-05:00

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...

2011-11-30T08:01:00.003-05:00

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!

2011-11-29T09:14:00.003-05:00

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!

2011-11-28T07:37:00.002-05:00

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.

Black Friday/Cyber Monday Specials!

2011-11-25T08:20:00.002-05:00

The majority of the deals at Wee Little Changes will take place on Cyber Monday rather than today (Black Friday). However, if you just can't resist shopping today, you can use the code "fall" for 10% off your purchase today. :)

Cyber Monday:

On Monday, you won't want to miss the big sales! I can't go into a ton of details right now, BUT, the sale will include some great brands...

Thirsties...

Grovia...

FuzziBunz...

Need I say more? :D Check the store out on Monday to get all the details. You can also tune into the Facebook page and maybe April will give you all more information before the big day. You never know!

The Facebook page is here: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/WeeLittleChange

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T09:59:00.002-05:00

No post today, just a picture! :) Everyone have a happy and safe Thanksgiving today!!

Ten Things I Wish I'd Known...

2011-11-23T07:47:00.002-05:00

Cloth diapering is awesome. In fact, I would definitely call myself an addict. But there are things I wish I'd known before starting. None of these things are deal breakers for me and some are actually just helpful little bits of information.

1. What works for one child, won't necessarily work in the same way for another. Just because you love prefolds and covers or bumGenius pockets on one baby, doesn't necessarily mean that you'll love it on the next child. Different diapers fit different babies in different ways.

2. Before trying every fancy cloth diaper detergent on the market, you might want to give some of the easier-to-find, cheaper options a try first. If they don't work, they don't work, but at least you gave it a shot.

3. Disposable wipes don't typically break down in the washing machine and can actually be used again after a run through the machine.

4. Dirty cloth diapers that sit in the pail for more than a day smell just as bad as disposable diapers. Lol.

5. One-size diapers DO fit most babies, but they're really bulky on a newborn. So, if bulk bugs you, skip the one-size options for now.

6. Newborn diapers truly only fit newborn babies. They won't last you long at all. Keep this in mind if you're on a really tight budget for diapers.

7. There are some awesome sites out there for reselling the diapers that aren't working for you. Check out www.diaperswappers.com for starters.

8. Cloth diaper stores like this one, along with the blogs and facebook pages, are FULL of information and run by some great people who love to help out with cloth diapering issues if you ever want to ask a question. :)

9. While there are lots and lots of cloth diapering mamas online, I am fairly alone here in my corner of the world and so get lots of questions and lots of funny looks. But to be fair, none of the questions or looks have killed me yet. Lol.

10. Not all of the places my children go (or will go in the future) are cloth diaper friendly. For example, not all day cares will do cloth diapers and not all church nurseries welcome them either.

Have a great Wednesday!

Repost: Pail Liners-Which one is right for me?

2011-11-22T10:09:00.002-05:00

You've decided you want to cloth diaper. You've done the research and you know what detergent you want to try and which diapers look like they'll work for your family, but have you considered how you'll store the dirty diapers between washes?

Well there are two basic kinds storage for your diapers. You can use a hanging wet bag like the apple green FuzziBunz to the left or you can use a pail liner in a pail like the blackberry Grovia shown below.

Hanging wetbags: One of the perks of a hanging wetbag is that it doesn't take up a lot of space and that it can be moved here and there without any issue. If you're short on space in your little one's room (and that's where you're planning on keeping your wet bag), this kind of bag is perfect for you. You can get these kinds of bags in both drawstring style and zipper style.

Pail liner: With a pail liner, you'll need a pail. You can look for a genuine kind of pail that is made specifically for diapers, but I like to use a regular trash can. I got mine at Target. If you're going to go this route, make sure you look for a can that closes completely. The ones with the swinging lid seem to seep smell into the room. And since the pail liner is fitted around the opening of the can, this can become a big problem-especially if you have a super smeller in your house like my DH! Lol. He can smell a dirty diaper from miles away. ;)

A couple of dirty diaper storage tips:

1. Put your pail where it will be both convenient and out of the way! There's nothing worse than tripping over a dirty diaper pail or having kids get nosey and dig around in there. Eww! We keep ours in the bathroom.

2. Buy at least 2 pail liners or hanging pails. You'll want to be able to wash one and use one all at the same time. I've done it with just one and it works if that's the way you have to go, but it's so much more convenient to have 2.

3. When in doubt, buy the bigger one. If you're between a couple of sizes and not sure which to get, buy the bigger one. They always seem like they'll be bigger than they are when you read how many diapers they can hold. Buy the one that is meant for large amounts of diapers. That way, if you're having a bad day, you don't have to wash diapers too just because you ran out of storage space.

4. Line dry it when you can. I don't know for sure if this really makes any difference, but I feel like line drying your pail liner increases the life of your liner. It seems to me that the more things go through the dryer, the more they deteriorate a little faster. Not to mention, the smell of a freshly hung liner is nice. :)

That's all I've got for today!

Homemade Christmas Gifts that Kids Can Make!

2011-11-21T08:16:00.003-05:00

Over the years, I've gotten a lot of Christmas presents and none were so awesome as the ones that were obviously made by hand. Some of my favorites include a crocheted scarf, a knitted hat, and a really neat "picture" made up of individual photos of naturally occuring letters to spell out our family's last name.

Because these gifts are so special to ME, I've been making more and more of our Christmas gifts as well! This year so far, I've made my daughter a sweater (you can see a pic of her modeling it here but I haven't officially given it to her yet, haha) and am in the process of making the youngest boy a sweater as well. For my older boys, I plan to make Perry the Platypus hats. Lol. But making gifts doesn't stop at my immediate family for me; I've made scarves for many of the ladies in our family as well. We've made ornaments. All sorts of things.

Today, I'd like to share a list of items that your kids could easily help you with to make Christmas a little more special. I think a homemade gift says, "I was thinking about you and I wanted to make a little extra effort on your gift this year."

Here's the link to the homemade gift ideas: http://familyfun.go.com/christmas/homemade-christmas-gifts/christmas-gifts-kids-can-make/

My favorites from the list? I'd definitely say the Candle Jars and the Cookie Cutter Candles are among my favorites! Candles are a fun present and a fun project too! :)

Anyone else planning on a homemade Christmas this year? What kinds of items will you be giving and making?

Make Your Own Wipes Solution!

2011-11-18T07:53:00.002-05:00

You've decided against the store-bought disposable wipes and are jumping on the cloth wipes band wagon. The problem? You have no idea where to start! Well, have no fear! I have a couple of ideas to share with you this morning that should help. :)

If you're interested in making your wipe solution as simply as possible, I would suggest clicking on the "shop our store" button to the right, choosing "diaper accessories" and then "wipes, liners, sprayer and more" and getting some Baby Bum Drops. These drops are simple to use and one package makes about 50 cups of solution!

Here's some of the pros of this solution:

-Chemical free; no propylene glycol; no sodium laureth sulfate
-No allergy-causing synthetic fragrances
-Soothing and gentle to newborn skin
-Convenient, easy to make & use with your cloth baby wipes
-Safe, anti-bacterial cleansing for baby’s bum

If you're thinking you'd rather make your own, however, then I have a recipe for you. Here's the recipe for the wipes solution:

Mix together, 2 tbsp baby wash, 2 tbsp olive oil (you can add tea tree oil or lavender or whatever you want here as well), and 2 cups of water. Either keep it in a spray bottle and spray as you go OR pour the solution over your wipes and they're ready for you when you need them.

Original Stash VS Current Stash Part Two

2011-11-17T08:58:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, we left off with the fact that I went from all pockets to all prefolds and covers for my little guy when he was just a few months old. After the rash cleared up (and as I said yesterday, it was a combination of tinea and eczema that we treated with various creams and ointments through our dermatologist), I went back to pockets but had a much more open mind about prefolds and other types of diapers.

We tried all sorts after that: Hybrids, pockets, flats, fitteds, prefolds, AIOs, AI2s...our stash looks more like this now:

-3 BG4.0OS

-5 FBOS

-2 BBOS

-1 Happy Heiny one-size

-1 Babykicks One-size

-1 Tiny Tush one-size

-1 Knickernappies one-size

-3 Flip covers

-2 Thirsties Duo snap covers

-1 pair of wool longies

-8 Flip organic inserts

-14ish premium prefolds

-2 WAHM-made fitteds

-2 Babykicks fitteds

There's probably more but that's what comes to mind right now. There are other things that I've tried and then sold as well when we didn't like them and/or they didn't work for us. It's not that the diapers were terrible or anything like that, they just didn't work for US. Some of them are diapers that I've read rave reviews on. They just weren't good for us and that's okay. We don't all have to like and use the same diapers, right?

As our children grow, our diaper needs for them change as well. When Ian was tiny, I wasn't loving the Fuzzibunz but now that he's older, I adore them and am so glad we held on to them! Another example: my favorite brand for my daughter was bumGenius. I even loved it for Ian when he was really tiny, but now that he's older, I find myself reaching for the Fuzzibunz more often and sometimes the Flips with organic inserts.

My point here is this: we won't all like the same diapers all the time. Odds are, YOU won't even like the same diapers throughout your child's diapering days. So enjoy all the diapers! And on a sidenote, how many "disposable diaper mamas" do you hear saying that? Lol. Have a great day! I'm off to start school with the little people!

Original Stash VS Current Stash Part One

2011-11-16T08:11:00.006-05:00

When I started cloth diapering my youngest, I was fairly confident that I would love the bumGenius one-size pocket diapers as I'd tested them out for a little while on my third child and really liked them.

Sure, I toyed with the idea of prefolds and covers briefly but wound up getting just a few of those along with some Dappi covers to go over them. I threw the majority of my proverbial eggs into the one-size pocket diaper basket and continued on with my pregnancy.

Here's what we had (basically, I can't remember it exactly):

-3 Happy Heiny small prints

-6 infant prefolds

-2 newborn Dappi covers

-1 or 2 bumGenius AIO's in small

-12 bumGenius 3.0OS

-2 Blueberry one-size (one minky and one deluxe)

-1 Happy Heiny one-size

-1 Fuzzi Bunz one-size in snaps (this may have come soon after he was born but I know it's been part of our regular rotation for a long time)

-2 small Drybees

This list includes only the diapers we had, not all the extras like wipes, wet bags, etc. And there may be some things missing; I can't be sure. Lol. Oh, and everything-with the exception of the FB and the Dappis-was aplix closure. Anyway...

When Ian was born, we waited about 6 days to start cloth diapering and then dove in head first. We went from 100% disposables 100% of the time to 100% cloth diapers. And I loved it! I learned quickly that I truly did love the one-size diapers because, although they were bulky, they held my super soaker's pee at night and I knew we'd be able to use them for a long time. Plus, DH could figure out how to change these diapers. They were very Daddy-friendly. :)

But, as with any love story, our carefree, happy days would not last. At two months old, Ian got a strange rash that just kept getting worse and worse. I'll spare you the pics but just know that it started out as small red bumps and by the time it was at it's worst, it was an angry red that spread throughout his diaper area and was working it's way up to his belly and down to his legs. This was over the course of a month or two (and yes, we saw the doctor several times in there including the dermatologist who diagnosed him with eczema and tinea together. We treated it and it cleared up, but in the meantime...).

When that rash appeared, I didn't know what it was. I hadn't changed anything in our wash routine. He wasn't wearing any different diapers. It just didn't make any sense. While we tried to figure it out, I knew I had to switch diapers. Either he had to go back to disposables or we had to do prefolds and flats so that I could bleach them at each wash without ruining them. So that's what we did. I ordered more prefolds, I bought some fleece and made pull-on fleece covers for him so his buns could breath, and we changed his diapers every hour or two at the most in hopes of clearing it up.

In that time, I really started started to like prefolds and covers! To the left, you'll see a picture of a sleeping Ian. If you look closely at HIS left leg, you can see a small portion of the angry red rash peeking out of the cover.

Tune in tomorrow for Part Two...

Cup Cake Recipe...an awesome gift idea!

2011-11-15T08:42:00.003-05:00

When my little people were in public school, I was always looking for a great holiday gift for their teachers. I wanted it to be something they'd actually like but that wouldn't break the bank for me. I think I've finally found it...too bad I'm the kids' teacher this year! Lol. Or maybe that's good for me?

Anyway, I got the recipe and instructions for this from the Family Fun website here: http://familyfun.go.com/christmas/homemade-christmas-gifts/last-minute-christmas-gifts/cup-cakes-661762/

If you want the glaze instructions or any other ideas, you'll need to click through to the website as I've only posted a small portion of it here:

Materials
One 1-pound, 2 1/4-ounce packaged cake mix -- yellow, devil's food, or spice flavor
16 plastic sandwich bags and twist ties
Glaze mix (see below)
16 adhesive labels
8 large microwave-safe ceramic coffee mugs (1 1/2 cups or larger)
8 index cards
Ribbon, scissors
X

Instructions
1.For a batch of 8 cupcake gifts, empty the dry cake mix into a large bowl. Help your child place 1/2-cup portions of the cake mix into plastic sandwich bags and close them with a twist tie. Then, using the list of glaze options below, she can fill 8 more bags with 1/3 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons of the appropriate glaze ingredients. She should label the bags "cake mix" and "glaze mix."

2.Have your child copy the Cup Cake directions onto the index cards. She can then use ribbon to tie one cake mix and one glaze mix bag together with each card, and set them inside a mug.

3.Directions for Cup Cake: Generously spray the inside of the mug with cooking spray. Empty the contents of the cake mix bag into the cup. Add 1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of water. Mix well, approximately 1 minute. Microwave for 2 minutes on full power or until cooked through. Use a pot holder to remove the cup from the microwave and allow the cake to cool for 1 minute. In a small container, combine the glaze mix ingredients with 1 to 2 teaspoons of water, mixing well. Pour the glaze over the cake and enjoy!

**Again, variations of this plus the glaze instructions are listed at the website above. You can also see the picture of it there and find even more homemade gift ideas!

Repost Plus: Tie Dyeing Prefolds PLUS a little something extra!

2011-11-14T08:02:00.003-05:00

We talked yesterday about the reasons everyone should cloth diaper and I mentioned that there were ways to have a fun stash for just a little bit of money. The best way to spend the smallest amount of money on cloth diapering is to buy either flats or prefolds and a few covers.

For this photo demonstration, I’ll be using prefolds and Dylon dye (photos and dye gifted to me by my friend Ellen, from the blog, My Cute Cuddly Monsters. Thanks Ellen!)

Here’s a list of what you’ll need:

-rubber gloves to protect your hands from the dye
-yarn, string, or rubber bands for tying around the prefolds
-a stack of prefolds to dye
-scissors to cut the string (etc) off in the end
-Dylon dye or any other dye you choose to use
-plenty of salt
-hot water
-a bucket or sink to use to soak the prefolds in the dye (keep in mind that the dye could dye whatever you soak in!!)

Now that you know what you’ll need, let’s get started. First, you need to take your string, rubber bands, or yarn and tie several pieces tightly around your prefolds. You can try all sorts of folds and shapes. Every one of them will give you a different look in the end.

Next, prepare your dye by mixing the dye with salt and boiling water. We added one packet of dye, followed by 4 tbsp of salt and 4 cups of water.

When the dye is mixed, pour it in the sink or bucket, add your prefolds, and add enough hot water to completely cover the prefolds. Let them soak there for at least 45 minutes.

At the end of 45 minutes, remove the prefolds from the dye water and rinse until the water either runs clear or very close to it. Ring out the excess water and throw them in the washing machine with a little soap, then dry. If you’re dying more than one color, be careful about washing them together-they may bleed into one another.

Once they’re dry (the dryer is fine by the way), they’ll look something like this!

Now for the PLUS in our title above! :D Do you know how you can make double use of those freshly dyed prefolds? They'd make awesome gift bag stuffing instead of tissue paper or even wrapping paper over a cute baby gift for a baby shower or an expectant mom at Christmas! It'll save you money on wrapping paper while not wasting more paper. Win-win!

See you all tomorrow!

The Sanitize Cycle?

2011-11-11T08:40:00.003-05:00

Washing cloth diapers should be easy, right? I mean, we all know how to wash our clothes. Around here, we stuff as much as will fit in the front loader and add a scoop of Tide to the drawer. Then we say a prayer that it will all come out clean and smelling fresh. :)

The diapers are a different story though. For starters, I'm the only one that does the diaper laundry. Maybe that's because no one else WILL wash it. Maybe it's because I don't trust anyone else to do it right.

One thing I do know, though, is that there IS a right way and wrong way to wash your diapers.

First, be sure to use the right amount of detergent. Too much or too little is a problem. It can lead to diapers that aren't really clean or, on the other side of things, cause build-up from all the detergent.

Second, it's very important that you run your diapers through the proper cycle. Getting them clean does require hot water, but many companies don't recommend making it TOO hot. Check out Cottonbabies' post on this in reference to bumGenius, Flip, and Econobums:

http://clothdiapers.blogspot.com/2011/11/cloth-101-do-not-use-sanitize-cycle-on.html

I've read many posts about people who've made the water too hot and their diapers got ruined. Ruined diapers from hot water voids the warranty if the temperature exceeds 100* F in your machine. You can see the FAQ, including use and care of the bumGenius brand here:

http://www.bumgenius.com/help.php

My last tip on washing your diapers is rinse, rinse, and rinse some more. You want the bubbles to be gone to ensure the detergent is thoroughly washed out. Part of this is not using too detergent as previously mentioned, but much of it depends on lots of rinses.

Have a great Veteran's Day! Thank you to all our troops, both past and present, for all you've done and continue to do for our country!

Wee Little Changes Clearance Items!

2011-11-10T08:48:00.003-05:00

The clearance section is my favorite section at absolutely ANY store. I've gotten whole playdoh sets for $3 (retail $16.95) in the clearance section. I've found shorts and bathing suits for the following summer for the kiddies in the clearance section for anywhere from $1-$3 (no joke, shorts for $1 a pair at The Children's Place last fall!!).

But my favorite clearance finds have to be cloth diapers and other items to go along with it. :) I've gotten a Blueberry Deluxe One-Size ($25.95 retail at the time) for just $13; it was brand new and NOT one of those half price sites.

Today, I thought I'd share some of the awesome deals going on in the clearance section at Wee Little Changes!

Tiny Tush is on clearance today from $17.95 down to $16.95!

This is one of the most exciting finds for me! If you go to the clearance section and choose the lilac color, you can get a Moby Wrap, normally $44.95, for just $29.95! That's unheard of as far as I know!

There are a few Fuzzibunz insert packs left on clearance too! Instead of the regular $9.95, they're down to $5.48!

And FuzziBunz continues to be on sale right now for $14.95 for the singles. The per-diaper-price gets lower in packages too! You can find those there as well. :)

So head on over to the clearance section right away! There's even more awesome deals over there right now. Just click on the "shop our store" button to the right and then "clearance." Happy shopping!

It's Pattern Time! A Turkey Leg Hat!!

2011-11-09T07:22:00.003-05:00

Let me know if anything in the crochet pattern below is unclear. This is my very first written-down and then published pattern, done in honor of Thanksgiving! I think you're all going to love it!! :)

A Turkey Leg Hat

Gauge: 10 rows, 16 double crochet stitches in a 4X4” square
Materials: J hook, or size needed to obtain gauge; Caron Simply Soft in chocolate brown and Red Heart off white
Size: Fits 19-21” head (Newborn adjustment listed under rd 6 and fits ~11-13” head)

Hat:

With brown, ch 2
Rd 1: 12 dc in 2nd ch from hook, join w sl st to 1st dc st. Ch 3 and turn (ch 3 counts as 1st st in next rd and beyond).
Rd 2: 2 dc in each st around. Join, ch 3, and turn. (24)
Rd 3: Dc around. Join, ch 3, and turn. (24)
Rd 4: 1 dc in ch 3 sp, 1 dc in next sp, *2 dc in next sp, 1 dc in next* repeat * to * around. Join, ch 3, and turn. (36)
Rd 5: Dc around. Join, ch 3, and turn. (36)
Rd 6: 1 dc in ch 3 sp, 1 dc in each of next 2 sp, *2 dc in next sp, 1 dc in each of next 2 sp*. Repeat * to *around. Join, ch 3, and turn. (48)
(Newborn size: Rd 6: 1 dc in ch 3 sp, 1 dc in each of next 6 sp, *2 dc in next sp, 1 dc in each of next 6 sp*. Repeat * to * around. Join, ch 3, and turn. (42) Rd 7-13: Dc around. Fasten off. (42))
Rd 7: Dc around. Join, ch 3, and turn. (48)
Rd 8: 1 dc in ch 3 sp, 1 dc in each of next 5 sp, *2 dc in next sp, 1 dc in each of next 5 sp*. Repeat * to * around. Join, ch 3, and turn. (56)
Rd 9-17: Dc around. Join, ch 3, and turn. (56)
Rd 18-19: Work in a ribbing pattern, *2 FPDC, 2 BPDC*repeating * to * around. Fasten off.

Turkey Legs (make 2):

**These turkey legs are worked in a spiral as for amigurumi style toys; place markers at the ends of the rows as necessary**

With brown, ch 2
Rd 1: Work 6 sc in 2nd chain from hook
Rd 2: Work 2 sc in each of next 6 sc spaces (12)
Rd 3: Work 1 sc in each of the next 12 sc sp (12)
Rd 4: Work 2 sc in next sp and then 1 in the sp after that, alternating through the round (18)
Rd 5: Work evenly through row (18)
Rd 6: Work 2 sc in next sp and then 1 in next 2 sp, alternating through the round (24)
Rd 7-8: Work evenly through row (24)
Rd 9: *dec across first 2 st, 1 sc in next 2 sp* to end of round (18)
Rd 10: Work evenly through row (18)
***Stop here and stuff the end***
Rd 11: *dec across first 2 st, 1 sc in next sp* to end of round (12)
Rd 12: Work evenly through the row (12)
Rd 13: *dec across first 2 st, 1 sc in next sp* to end of round (8)
Rd 14-15: Work evenly through the row (8)
***Stop here and stuff a very small amount of stuffing in the “leg” of the turkey leg***
Rd 16: Switching to white, work 8 sc evenly spaced and then weave the ends through the st in order to pull tightly and close the end. Fasten off.

Assembly:

Attach turkey legs to upper sides of hat. Use the picture above and try out the spacing on your child’s head to figure the proper placement.

Cloth Diapers and Travel for the Holidays

2011-11-08T07:58:00.003-05:00

Traveling with a baby is always an ordeal. You have to pack your vehicle like you're moving for life! But just because you're traveling, you don't have to stop cloth diapering. You don't have to resort to disposables.

But what about storage? Washing them? It can be done! If you're visiting family, they likely have a washing machine you can use. You can also google laundromats in the city/town you'll be visiting and call ahead to check out whether they prohibit cloth diaper laundry (apparently some do) and how much it costs to do a load. Or, if you have enough, you can just bring along as many as you'll need while you're away and wash them when you get back home (depending on how long you'll be away of course).

Some tips:

1. Bring extra wet bags for dirty diaper storage.
2. Don't forget your favorite cloth diaper detergent. And you don't have to bring the whole package! You can make some "samples" for yourself, measuring it out into smaller bags so you can just dump it in while you're away.
3. Consider bringing some plastic hangers to hang your diapers on while they dry. They can be hung on a shower curtain rod in the bathroom and be pretty much out of the way. This is how I dry my diapers in the winter. :)
4. Consider doing a hybrid option either the whole time or even just part of the time. If the idea of trying to travel with cloth is just completely overwhelming for you, this is a great option. I've done the part time disposable insert option when we were on vacation for a week a while back. It worked great!
5. Pack the diapers and all the diapering paraphanalia in a separate bag if you can. It'll be easier to find everything and it'll be easier to check and double check that you've packed it all back up when it's time to go home again.
6. Bring a couple more diapers than you think you'll need, just in case. You never know.

Most importantly, while traveling for the holidays this year, enjoy your time together, be safe, and have some fun! Have a great Tuesday! I'm off to start school with the kiddies.

Thanksgiving Appetizer and Dessert Recipes!

2011-11-07T07:02:00.002-05:00

I've got some fun Thanksgiving appetizer and dessert recipes! You have to click through to http://www.familyfun.go.com/ to check them out!

1. Fruit gobbler recipe: http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-dinner-recipes/thanksgiving-appetizers/fruit-gobbler-688370/

2. Gobble me up: http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-dinner-recipes/thanksgiving-appetizers/gobble-me-up-783884/

3. Edible Indian Corn recipe: http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-dinner-recipes/thanksgiving-appetizers/edible-indian-corn-688364/

4. Pigs in Pilgrim hats: http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-dinner-recipes/thanksgiving-appetizers/pigs-in-pilgrim-hats-1027250/

5. Teepee Treats: http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-dinner-recipes/thanksgiving-appetizers/tepee-treats-689030/

Super fun ideas here! Check them out and have a great Monday!! :)

Our Final Trick or Treat Giveaway Winner!

2011-11-04T08:02:00.002-04:00

Well, Halloween is officially over and now, so is our Trick or Treat Giveaway month! But we have one more winner to announce before we move on to our next fun giveaway (at some point later in the month!).

Our last winner of the Trick or Treat Giveaway is...

Brooke!

Congratulations! Our winner has been contacted and has 48 hours to respond and claim the prize.

The answer to this past week's Trick or Treat trivia question was:

Trick or treating.

Thanksgiving Crafts to Decorate your Table!

2011-11-03T10:15:00.002-04:00

I have some super cute Thanksgiving crafts for you this morning! :D Wait until you see them! As usual, these crafts are available at http://www.familyfun.go.com/ if you'd like to see more.

The crafts:

1. Glowbird: http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-craft-decorations/thanksgiving-table-decorations/glowbird-674658/

2. Indian Corn Napkin Rings: http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-craft-decorations/thanksgiving-table-decorations/button-indian-corn-napkin-rings-669427/

3. Finger Stamp Name Plates: http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-craft-decorations/thanksgiving-table-nameplates/finger-stamp-place-cards-673438/

4. Sugar Cone Cornucopia: http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-craft-decorations/thanksgiving-table-nameplates/sugar-cone-cornucopia-662735/

5. Pilgrim Place Cards: http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-craft-decorations/thanksgiving-table-nameplates/pilgrim-place-cards-664068/

Happy Thursday! Check back tomorrow for our final Trick or Treat Giveaway winner! :)

A Thankful November

2011-11-02T07:59:00.002-04:00

For the last few years, I've noticed that many of my Facebook friends have started November with a "thankful status." In other words, they ring in the new month with a status all about what they're thankful for. :)

The idea of a "Thankful November" is this: each day, you log onto Facebook, Twitter, your blog, whatever and share one thing you're thankful for. In a culture that is becoming more "me, me, me" and less about others, it's nice to not only read what other people like about their lives but to also think about something in your own life that you truly appreciate.

Today, I posted this as my thankful status for the day on Facebook:

"I'm thankful for my wonderful husband who makes the coffee every morning so that I don't have to!"

So, what will you share today? What are YOU thankful for in your own life? Tell us in a comment on this post!

Happy November!

2011-11-01T08:28:00.004-04:00

Can you believe that November is here already? And, at least around here, there's snow on the ground to welcome it! :)

Last night, we went trick or treating in the snow for the first time ever. (To the right, you'll see my youngest in his costume for this year; he's a robot!) In fact, according to some oh-so-reliable facebook facts and googling, the last time it snowed in the northeast like this was in 1972! The same year as our last big flood from Agnes! Talk about weird and ironic: flood in '72 followed by bizarre snow in October and then flood in '11 followed by wacky snow in October!

And back on the right track again...

As is typically the case, we'll have recipes and crafts galore to share with you this month. We'll also talk about cloth diapers, shopping for Christmas, travelling with cloth for the holidays, and more! Don't forget, Black Friday and Cyber Monday happen this month. These are two of the best deal days of the YEAR! You won't want to miss it.

And let's not forget about the giveaways! We always have a new Knickernappies giveaway going on each month. You'll have to watch the blog carefully to see if we have anymore popping up this month too.

We'll see you tomorrow morning for an awesome November post! Have a great day!

Trick or Treat Safety Tips!

2011-10-31T07:43:00.003-04:00

Happy Halloween! Around here, we will be trick or treating tonight! My 2 oldest made up their own costumes and the youngest two will be a fairy and a robot. The robot costume, I got from The Children's Place on Black Friday last year for $1.99!! But I digress...

Today, I wanted to share some quick tips for staying safe this Halloween.

1. Check all candy before allowing the kids to eat it. If any is open or ripped, throw it out.

2. Use a flash light, glow stick, and/or reflective tape while trick or treating. It's difficult for passing cars to see kids in costume, especially when there's a lot of them and if the costumes are on the darker side. *One great tip I read was to design your child's lighting so you can identify them from afar.

3. Check that the candy your child receives is age appropriate in that it won't be a choking hazard for them.

4. For anyone with a child with allergies, this goes without saying, but check for allergens.

5. If your children are too young to know their own phone number, prepare them by writing your name and number on a wrist band and having them wear it.

6. Remind your kids not to go off with a stranger or get into a stranger's car.

7. Use only non-toxic face make-up.

8. Wear comfortable shoes.

9. Plan your route ahead of time, aiming for the safest and most child-friendly neighborhoods. (On a side note, we have 1 house in our neighborhood that had a guy standing outside with an actual chainsaw and chasing anyone who came up to the house. NOT cool, in my opinion)

10. Carry a spare bag in case your first one breaks.

Sources:

1. http://orangepark.firstcoastnews.com/news/news/63267-trick-or-treat-safety-tips-candy-glow-sticks-and-face-paint

2. http://www.pollyklaas.org/enews-archive/2010-enews/halloween-safety-fun.html?gclid=CIyw0I_tkqwCFYpn5Qod4HCXmQ

3. http://www.halloween-website.com/safety.htm

Trick or Treat Winner and Another Giveaway!

2011-10-28T07:58:00.002-04:00

Last week's Trick or Treat Giveaway has come to a close and, thanks to random.org, we have another winner!

And the winner is...

Vanessa Coker!

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

On to the next giveaway!

Every Friday in October, we'll post Trick or Treat! Here's how it works:

I'll post a trivia question for you to answer. When you're sure you have the right answer, post it as a comment on this post. That's it, you're entered. :) The following Friday morning, I'll post the random winner (chosen via random.org) along with a new trivia question-and you have to have the right answer to the trivia question to win!

Sound like fun? The winners will each receive a "Too Cute to Spook" onesie sticker from Baby Fables. You can check them out here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/babyfables

Here's this week's question:

Traditionally, children go from door to door, dressed in costume, asking for treats. This tradition is known as __________.

Be sure to leave your answer as a comment! Have a great weekend!

Cloth Diapers and Halloween Costumes!

2011-10-27T08:39:00.005-04:00

Last month, as part of the Knickernappies Giveaway, we asked you if you'd be using cloth diapers as part of your Halloween costume. Many of you, for one reason or another, said some variation of, "unfortunately no."

Well, this morning, I thought I'd show you one mom's cute way of using her newest baby's cloth diapers in her costume!

Isn't she adorable as an angry bird?? :D This beautiful babe is wearing a red Lil Joey as the bottom part of her costume. And on her head? An angry bird hat (which I made as a gift, by the way, lol). And while she won't likely be going trick or treating this way this year, she is going to be a trick or treat greeter at the door according to her mom! Won't their neighbors just love her?!

**This picture comes to us courtesy of Ellen of BellaBamboo! You can check out her store here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/BellaBamboo She sells wipes, swaddle blankets, cute Halloween mini totes, and more!

Halloween Cookie Decorating!

2011-10-26T07:49:00.005-04:00

For a quick and easy activity to do with the kids, grab either a tube of sugar cookie dough and a can of frosting OR make your own at home (of each one). Then get out some fun cookie cutters and go for it!

We used a cat, a pumpkin, a ghost, and other cute Halloween cutters for ours. We baked them up then added frosting that I'd tinted orange (I used some food coloring). It was at that point that the kiddies got involved. I gave each one some decorations to use-colored sugar, sprinkles, etc-and let them go at their cookies any way they wanted to!

It really didn't take long but it was fun and the kids got to be creative any way they wanted to! Above, you'll see my two youngest babies (we call them the Tiny People here, lol) decorating their cookies.

Go grab some cookies and orange frosting and decorate cookies for the season with your Tiny People today! Have fun! :)

It Might Be Time to Size Up If...

2011-10-25T07:58:00.003-04:00

Cloth diapers don't come in number sizes in a box that tell you about the perfect time to size up. It's often not just about the weight range that the diaper fits either. So how do you know it's time to size up if you're using sized diapers?

Our family has never been very into the sized diapers because I love the wide fit range of the one-size diaper, but we have owned a few in the last several years. To the left, you'll see my youngest in a small, alligator print Happy Heiny. He is clearly getting too big for it in this picture.

While the aplix still closes very easily, the rise is on the shorter side in this picture and the openings at the legs are a little tight. This was a picture I took just before letting go of this adorable diaper.

So, if you're wondering whether or not it's time to size up at your house, I have a great post for you!

It might be time to size up if...

1. Your baby's plumber crack is hanging out the back of the diaper. That rise is much too short for your baby if this is the case! Lol.

2. You're getting lots of leaks. Too much compression can push pee out of your diaper faster.

3. You're getting lots of blowouts! If there's nowhere for the poo to go, it will go up. I think it's one of the Diaper Laws or something (much like Murphy's Law!). ;)

4. You can't seem to get the snaps/aplix closed very easily.

5. You're baby is getting a muffin top in their diaper. On the opposite side of #4, if you're having to pull the diaper too tight in order to get it to close, it's probably time to size up instead. Pulling the diaper too tight can't be comfortable.

These are my top 5 tell-tale signs that it's time to size up. If you have anymore you'd like to share, please feel free to add to the list by commenting on this post! Have a great Tuesday!

Repost from TMuffin: Why Wool?

2011-10-24T09:52:00.001-04:00

Why Wool?

-Wool is natural, renewable, and breathable. Not only does it absorb 30% of its weight in liquid before feeling damp, it has natural antibacterial properties which help reduce odors, and natural lanolin, which helps protect against leaks. Wool is warm in the winter, but it is also VERY breathable, which will keep baby cool in summer. Waterproof diaper covers with PUL can hold in moisture, heat, and bacteria, causing uncomfortable rashes. Wool covers allow air to circulate while absorbing moisture and preventing odors. Wool helps regulate baby’s body temperature, keeping baby warm in winter and cool in summer.

-Wool is easy to clean. In fact, you only need to wash your wool soakers every 2-3 weeks or when soiled. Simply hang to dry between uses, and the wool’s natural antibacterial properties will eliminate all odors, and the soaker is ready to use again when dry.

-Wool is a great value and investment. Wool stands the test of time over thousands of uses. Wool soakers are forgiving and stretchy, which means they will grow with your baby. Tmuffin wool soakers come in sizes Newborn S, S/M, M, and L, but the sizes are approximate and you may find that you don’t need to buy the next size up after the next few growth spurts.

-Wool is stylish and cute! Soakers can be worn under clothes, but why cover them up? A t-shirt and a soaker make for an adorable summer outfit. Add baby leg warmers for an easy winter getup. It’s quick and easy to get baby dressed and out the door, and makes diaper changes easier.

Trick or Treat! Giveaway AND Winner!

2011-10-21T07:42:00.004-04:00

Everyone guessed last week's trivia question without a problem! The answer was, of course, Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were Rabbit!

And we have a winner! This week's winner will receive a "Too Cute to Spook" onesie sticker from Baby Fables. And the winner, chosen via random.org, is...

Carrie Phelps!

Congratulations! You have 48 hours to respond to our winner email and claim your prize!

On to the next giveaway!

Every Friday in October, we'll post Trick or Treat! Here's how it works:

I'll post a trivia question for you to answer. When you're sure you have the right answer, post it as a comment on this post. That's it, you're entered. :) The following Friday morning, I'll post the random winner (chosen via random.org) along with a new trivia question-and you have to have the right answer to the trivia question to win!

Sound like fun? The winners will each receive a "Too Cute to Spook" onesie sticker from Baby Fables. You can check them out here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/babyfables

Here's this week's question:

True or False: Pumpkins come in just one color, orange.

Easy enough, right? :) We'll see you next week! Happy guessing!!

Halloween Cupcakes!

2011-10-20T08:11:00.002-04:00

Who doesn't love a good cupcake? And what better excuse to make some fun cupcakes than Halloween? These all come from www.familyfun.go.com/ so go check out the others as well!

On to the fun:

1.Brain Cupcakes: http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-recipes/halloween-cupcakes/brain-cupcakes-688207/

2. Hairy Daddy Long Legs Cupcakes: http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-recipes/halloween-cupcakes/hairy-daddy-longlegs-cupcakes-685481/

3. Scrumptious Skeleton Cupcakes: http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-recipes/halloween-cupcakes/scrumptious-skeletons-686972/

4. Sweet Monster Cupcakes: http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-recipes/halloween-cupcakes/sweet-monster-cupcakes-683517/

5. Witch's Hat Cupcakes: http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-recipes/halloween-cupcakes/witchs-hat-cupcake-688346/

My favorites have to be the sweet monster ones! My kids would love making those and then eating them too, of course! :)

Have a good Thursday and remember, if you haven't entered our Trick or Treat Giveaway yet this week, go back to this past Friday and get your answer in for your chance to win! Tune in tomorrow for the winner for this week and to see the new trivia question for next week!

How Many Covers?

2011-10-19T07:59:00.004-04:00

If you're using fitteds, flats, or prefolds as your primary diaper of choice, you're going to need covers to go with them. These diapers are not water proof, so you'll need to choose a cover that will be. Whether it's fleece, as we discussed yesterday, wool, or PUL, you have to have something! But how many is too many? What's the right number of covers?

Assuming you're starting out from the newborn stage, you'll want a good number of covers so that you can wash diapers and covers every few days, you'll have back-ups if there are any leaks onto the covers (easy in the newborn stage), and so you can go between a few at each change to give the others a chance to air out between changes. Another thought on this is that newborns go through an average of 10-12 diapers a day. Because of all of this, I would recommend at least 6-8 covers in the newborn stage.

When choosing covers, I would try to get a variety. Get different brands so you can see which ones you really love and the ones that work/fit well on your little one. Get different types of closures so you can decide if you prefer hook and loop or snaps. Also try one-size versus sized covers. You just never know if you're going to prefer the fit and ease of a one-size (since you don't have to get anymore covers with the one-size, at least not for a long time!) or if you'd rather have the cover be more of a perfect fit like you get with the sized covers.

As your baby gets older, you'll find that you'll need to change a little less. They begin sleeping through the nights more often and taking longer naps, cutting out a few of the diaper changes. If you begin your cloth diapering journey now, you may be able to get away with a few less covers. By around 6-8 months, you can, in my opinion only, get away with just 4-6 covers. I found that by this age changes were reduced to 8-10 with the addition of more sleep to our schedule.

In the toddler stage, it has been my experience that my babies begin holding it more often and so need even fewer diaper changes in the day. My toddlers often slept/sleep for 3 hours at naptime and 12 hours at night. At this point, we still change fairly often but are down to 6-8 changes in a 24 hour period. My "baby" is 2 years old now and goes to bed at 8:30pm, wakes up at 7:30am, and takes a nap from 1-4pm every afternoon. He gets changed twice in the morning, once at lunch, once just before his nap, once after his nap, once around the dinner hour (we often eat between 6-7pm), and finally one more time before bed. Knowing this, I'm still comfortable with 4-6 covers for a toddler.

Another easy way to figure out about how many covers you'll need is to divide the number of diapers you'll be covering between washes by 3. So if, for example, you have 24 diapers, you'd need around 8 covers. The idea is that a cover will stay fairly fresh for about 3 diaper changes.

I hope this helps you all make a decision on the number of covers you'll need throughout your babies' diapering days. Have a great Wednesday!

Repost: Why Fleece?

2011-10-18T08:51:00.000-04:00

Fleece is the man-made alternative to wool. It has been described as similar to a sheep’s coat. It’s durable, soft, and holds up pretty well over time. There are lots of great reasons to try fleece. Here are just a few:

1.Affordable- Fleece is often a more affordable option than wool though both work similarly. Fleece can be purchased for as little as a few dollars per yard and used to make a whole bunch of covers. You can also pay a little more to have them done for you. Monster Fluff Studios ( http://www.hyenacart.com/monsterfluffstudios ) takes their covers a little further and adds beautiful embroidery to the back of their soakers.

2.Breathable- Fleece allows fresh air to pass through to the baby’s skin when worn as a cover. This can help heal diaper rash quicker and is similar to allowing baby to go diaper-free.

3.Adorable- Fleece is available in so many different colors and patterns. There’s something out there for everyone.

4.Usable all day- So long as you are changing regularly and no poop gets on the cover, you can easily use a fleece cover all day just as you might a PUL or wool cover.

5. Hmm, Not Leakable- Fleece is leak resistant. It’s not completely waterproof. Obviously if you don’t change your baby regularly throughout the day, you will have compression wetness; that is where the diaper is pressed against another surface squeezing wetness out.

6. Workable- Fleece is rather easy to work with, which also helps to keep its cost down. Wool often requires one be able to knit or crochet while fleece can be cut and sewn up pretty easily. It doesn’t fray on the ends either.

7. Washable- Fleece can be thrown in with your regular laundry or your diaper laundry. It doesn’t require special soap or hand-washing. It’s easy to care for.

Those are my top reasons for using fleece! Can you think of any others?

Halloween Decorations...Outside!

2011-10-17T08:25:00.003-04:00

It's a new week! And this week, I thought we could take a look at some great craft ideas from http://www.familyfun.go.com/ that would work great outside! My kiddos are always begging to decorate outside for every holiday. Some of these might actually work for us this Halloween!

Here they are:

1. House 'O Lantern: http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-crafts/halloween-yard-crafts/house-o-lantern-785223/

2. Black Magic Cat: http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-crafts/halloween-yard-crafts/black-magic-cat-661000/

3. Spirit Jugs: http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-crafts/halloween-yard-crafts/spirit-jugs-673388/

4. Ghost Wind Socks: http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-crafts/halloween-yard-crafts/ghost-wind-socks-661344/

5. Spooky Spider: http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-crafts/halloween-yard-crafts/spooky-spider-669208/

Have fun decorating your yard and we'll see you tomorrow! :)

Trick or Treat Giveaway!

2011-10-14T08:21:00.004-04:00

Every Friday in October, we'll post Trick or Treat! Here's how it works:

I'll post a trivia question for you to answer. When you're sure you have the right answer, post it as a comment on this post. That's it, you're entered. :) The following Friday morning, I'll post the random winner (chosen via random.org) along with a new trivia question-and you have to have the right answer to the trivia question to win!

Sound like fun? The winners will each receive a "Too Cute to Spook" onesie sticker from Baby Fables. You can check them out here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/babyfables

Here's this week's trivia question:

In February of 2005, a movie with a Halloween theme was released featuring "Wallace and Gromit." What was the full name of this movie?

Good luck! And please, US residents only for this giveaway! :)

Halloween Crafts!

2011-10-13T08:01:00.002-04:00

I've been visiting the Family Fun website again here: www.familyfun.go.com/ and came upon some super cute decorations/craft ideas! I just HAD to share them with all of you!

1. Fur-ocious Wreath: http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-crafts/halloween-decorations/fur-ocious-wreath-1024768/

2. Spectral Eyes: http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-crafts/halloween-decorations/spectral-eyes-1024703/

3. Owl a Glow: http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-crafts/halloween-decorations/owl-a-glow-930946/

4. Bat o Lanterns: http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-crafts/halloween-decorations/bat-o-lanterns-674621/

5. CandleEyebra: http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-crafts/halloween-decorations/candleeyebra-674583/

Time to Potty Learn?

2011-10-12T08:07:00.003-04:00

Your child is 2.5 years old and you are just a little tired of changing diapers. You're starting to think about potty learning. But is it really the right time for your child, or just for you?

Take it from me, as a mom of four-three of whom are successful in potty useage at this point-you do NOT want to push a child who isn't ready to BE ready. Does that make sense?

You can read about one of my potty learning mis-adventures here but come back!
http://weelittlechanges.blogspot.com/2011/04/potty-training-gone-wrong-reprint.html

Before you ever start the actual process of potty learning, I'd suggest trying several things to help the potty become normal for your little one.

1. Let them see you or your husband or even your older kids use the potty so they can learn that it's normal and how it's done.

2. Have them sit on the potty regularly. You may catch a few good pees or even a poop. If you do, be sure to praise, praise, praise! If not, don't make it a big deal; offer praise for the effort.

3. If you can tell your little one is about to poop, suggest a trip to the potty. I can't tell you the number of times my youngest has ended up pooping on the potty because I realized he was getting ready to do it.

4. Talk about getting to wear underwear a lot so they get excited about learning! My daughter couldn't wait to get Princess Panties for knowing how to use the potty. She was just shy of 2 years old when she told ME that she was ready. And believe it or not, she actually was and had very few accidents!

Signs your child may be ready to start learning:

1. They tell you as soon as they are wet or poopy.

2. They can pull their own pants up and down.

3. They actually WANT to sit on the potty as often as possible.

4. They have a word or words they use regularly for the potty and/or pee and poop (or the like).

5. They have periods of 2-3 hours where they are dry.

**For more signs of readiness, check out this checklist from Babycenter: http://www.babycenter.com/0_potty-training-readiness-checklist_4384.bc

***The pictured trainer is called Bumble Pants and is available from Wee Little Changes. Click the "shop our store" button to the right and then "potty learning" to find them in the store!

Inserts...

2011-10-11T07:52:00.003-04:00

I'm about to tell you about something that may not have occurred to you before this post. The following information was "corner turning" (for lack of better words to describe it) for me on our cloth diapering journey. So here it is:

You don't have to use the inserts that come with your pocket diapers. *Gasp!* "Say what?!" I know that's what you're thinking. Lol. But it's so obvious and so true. AND, to my own embarrassment, it took me several months to come to this conclusion. So I thought I'd share it with you.

Before I continue, please keep in mind that my microfiber feelings are only my own. You don't have to agree with me. In fact, it seems that the majority of the cloth diapering world does NOT agree with me since most pocket diapers come with microfiber. I am only offering up my experience with it to help someone else.

Reasons why you might not want to use the inserts that came with your diapers:

1. While you love the cut and fit and style of the actual pocket, you aren't feeling it for the inserts. In fact, the inserts are making you question your sanity.

2. Your diaper only lasts half an hour before the inserts are totally soaked-along with your little one's clothes- and THAT is making you crazy.

3. You and/or your child have a sensitivity to the insert materials.

4. Despite all of the wacky things you've tried with your wash routine, the inserts continue to hold onto the pee smell unless you do something drastic with them. And who wants to do "drastic" at every wash??

5. *Fill in your own awesome excuse here, please.*

Insert alternatives:

1. Prefolds. This is my all time favorite. They're natural fibers. They're nearly impossible to ruin. They last and last and last...They can be used in the pocket as an insert or against baby's skin with the pocket acting as a cover. They can be trifolded and placed in there or you can snappi/pin if you so choose.

2. Flats. So easy to wash. Even easier to dry. They can be folded in a million different ways and still work. Again, they last forever. AND they can be used in all the same ways as the prefolds.

3. Hemp. This is a super trim option and very absorbant. The only issue is that sometimes it can hold onto stink too, though I haven't experienced this phenomenon with mine.

4. Bamboo. Again, very trim and super absorbant.

5. Disposable inserts. This is like the hybrid cloth diapering option. It works out to be a bit pricey since you have to replace your inserts all of the time, but it's an option worth mentioning and is great if you'll be travelling and will have zero access to running water/washing machines.

So again, this is what I've found works for us. If it works for you too, then great! If not, then keep doing what you're doing if you're happy with it! Have a great Tuesday everyone! I'm off to stalk the mailbox for a package I'm expecting...hehe...

Knickernappies Giveaway #17 plus a Winner from Last Month!

2011-10-10T07:45:00.003-04:00

Last night was the last night to get your entries in for the 16th Knickernappies Giveaway. This morning, thanks to random.org, we have a winner!

And the winner,who will receive his/her choice of in-stock Knickernappies one-size diaper (winner chooses color and insert, either microfiber or LoopyDo), is...

Holly Wilson!

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

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, "How many diapers are in your current stash?"

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 Monday, October 10, 2011through Thursday, November 10, 2011. The winner will be chosen via random.org and posted here on Friday, November 11, 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.

Crock Pot Chili

2011-10-07T08:07:00.002-04:00

If you've ever looked at the sodium content on the label of a can of soup or chili, you know it's way too much. It seems like there's sodium in everything these days. But what's a family to do when one member needs to watch their sodium intake for health reasons?

Make things from scratch, that's what! :) Today, I have this great chili recipe that I made just yesterday. I checked several websites to find the perfect combination of spices and ingredients since I can't just use a premixed chili packet or a can that acts as a chili starter (though they ARE good, I admit it!).

Here's what you'll need:

1. 1 lb hamburger meat

2. 1-2 cans reduced sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed

3. 1 can diced tomatoes, no salt added

4. 1 small can of tomato sauce, again no salt added

5. a dash of salt

6. red pepper to taste

7. 1 tbsp chili powder

8. 2 tsp cumin

9. 1/4 tsp dry oregano

10. 1/2 cup-1 cup of white or yellow onion (as much as you'd like)

Here's what you'll do with it all:

1. Brown hamburger meat, adding the diced onion to the pan. Drain and pour into slow cooker.

2. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beans. Mix well.

3. Add all spices, mix well again.

4. Cook on low heat 4-6 hours, stirring periodically.

If You Only had $100 for your Newborn Stash...

2011-10-06T07:44:00.002-04:00

What would you get? How would you split that money?

If it were me, I would first consider how many diapers I think I would need based on how often the average newborn is changed and how often I would ideally like to wash diapers. Next, I would figure out how long I wanted that stash to last. If it only needs to last 6 months, I could go with some smaller, sized diapers. But what if I needed it to last the entire 2+ years I was diapering? What then?

I actually faced a similar issue when building my stash for Ian 3 years ago (while I was still pregnant). I had a limited amount of money that I could spend on his diapers and very little knowledge about cloth diapers in general at the time. I knew, at that point, that I liked bumGenius pocket diapers because it was what my BFF used on her kids and because it was the diaper I'd tried with Lily.

So, I suppose the very first thing I did is what I do best. I researched like a crazy person. I looked at different stores to find the ones with sales and free shipping. I found the stores with good reviews from their customers. I read cloth diapering blogs and joined a cloth diapering forum. I read article after article about cloth diapers. I read until I felt comfortable making my first order. I needed to know that I knew what I was getting myself into before that first order.

What I ended up with then is not what I'm going to list here though. For one, the choices are different now. Some of those diapers aren't even made anymore. And there are lots of other ones that I would go for if I were buying a newborn stash now.

Here's my list for $100 or less (keep in mind I am shopping from WLC and applying the 10% off code from the right):

1. 1 Grovia pail liner: $15.25 - $1.53 = $13.72
2. 2 Thirsties Duowrap covers, size 1: $25.50 - $2.55 = $22.95
3. 3 packs Indian prefolds, infant size: $30.00 - $3.00 = $27.00
4. 3 Econobum individual kits: $29.85 - $2.99 = $26.86
5. 1 Snappi: $3.25 - $0.33 = $2.92
6. 1 pair of pins: $1.25 - $0.13 = $1.12
7. 1 Joey Bunz hemp insert/doubler: $5.35 -$0.54 = $4.81

Total: $99.38

This list includes 1 pail liner, 5 covers (3 are one-size), 21 prefolds (3 extra from the Econobum kits), 1 Snappi, 1 pair of pins, 1 Hemp doubler for overnight. You'll notice I didn't include detergent or wipes. You can use most anything for wipes. My favorite? Take all those old receiving blankets that get passed to you, or you just have too many of and cut them into wipes the size you want to use. Sew a zigzag stitch around the edges and there you go. Wipes. Cheap and easy. As for the detergent, everyone is different on this one. Some people like to use the cloth diaper safe detergents they find online while others swear by Tide and other in-store brands. I use Rockin Green here, for what it's worth.

This stash will last the average newborn about a day and a half to two days (figuring on 10-12 changes per 24 hour period). The infant prefolds fit babies up to 15lb. This can happen quickly or take awhile. Again, it depends on the individual involved. When they get older, however, you'll no longer need to use a Snappi on the prefold (the poop of a newborn is often pretty runny). So, you'll be able to trifold those prefolds in your covers for a few months longer as well.

Well, there you have it. That's what I would do with just $100 for a newborn stash. Anyone else care to chime in? Leave a comment on this post!

Halloween on a Tiny Budget-How I do it!

2011-10-05T07:49:00.005-04:00

There's nothing very wordless about this particular Wednesday. ;) Above, you'll see a picture of my youngest little man in his costume for this year. Some of you may be aware that this is a costume from last year. A few more of you may notice that it is from the Children's Place. But do any of you know what I paid for this cuteness?

$1.99!!! That's right, on Black Friday last year-just after midnight, no less-I got this costume for this year for less than $2! That's tough to beat in the deal department. With the original price marked at $22.50 on that costume, that's more than a 90% savings!

A few years ago, I also got a Wolverine costume for less than $5 (I want to say it was $3, but I can't be sure). How? I waited until after Halloween was over and hit up the stores that carried costumes. None of them want to keep them around so they put them on super discount to get rid of them! And that's the time to do some guessing and buy for next year!

Other great places for costumes are consignment shops. A friend of mine got an awesome dinosaur costume for just a few dollars a couple of years ago. Her boys love it!

Have a great Wednesday everyone!

Fuzzibunz Blowout Sale Going on Now!

2011-10-04T07:13:00.004-04:00

Right now, you can get your favorite FuzziBunz one-size diapers for 25% off at Wee Little Changes! That's just $14.95 for individual diapers, $14.25 for a 6 pack, and as low as $14 each when you buy a 12 pack!

And that's not all! All the packages come with a free gift too! :)

These awesome diapers fit a wide range of babies and toddlers from 7lb in the newborn stage all the way up to 35lb! If you check out the size guide above, you can see where to set each of the hidden elastics to get your perfect fit.

FuzziBunz one-size is one of our favorite diapers around here. My son has been wearing them since he was just weeks old and now, at 2 years (plus), we are still loving them! They come in a wide variety of colors and in my opinion are one of the trimmer one-size diaper options. Even better, they don't have the sizing snaps all down the front!

Click the "shop our store" button to the right and check out the sale now! Happy shopping!

Happy October! Costume Ideas!

2011-10-03T09:04:00.002-04:00

It's October! And while we don't agree with most of the Halloween season, we do enjoy dressing up and trick or treating around here. :) And since I know some of you probably agree with me, I'm going to give you some cute "do it yourself" costume ideas! These are from http://www.familyfun.go.com/

1. Cookie Cutie: http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-kids-costumes/funny-costumes/cookie-cutie-671206/

2. Come Clean Washing Machine: http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-kids-costumes/funny-costumes/come-clean-washing-machine-669175/

3. Crocodile Wrestler: http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-kids-costumes/funny-costumes/crocodile-wrestler-667955/

4. Ham and Cheese, please! http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-kids-costumes/funny-costumes/ham-and-cheese-please-667069/

That last one was shown because it totally made me think of my oldest son. I could see him wanting to dress up as a sandwich for Halloween. Lol.

Enjoy! Have an awesome Monday! :)

Grovia VS Flip

2011-09-30T07:15:00.005-04:00

In the last few years, we've seen the emergence of two more hybrid systems: Grovia and Flip. Both are awesome choices in your cloth diapering routine, but which would work better for you? Does it matter?

Today, I thought we'd look at the differences and similarities between the two systems. You can see both of them in full detail here: http://weelittlechanges.com/category_2/Cloth-Diapers.htm

Similarities:

1. Each one has both cloth and disposable insert options, hence the term "hybrid system." Lol.

2. Both come in several different colors.

3. They are available in snaps and hook and loop. (Thanks for pointing out my error! :))

4. Both have received great reviews and recommendations by cloth diapering mamas.

5. They are both one-size options.

6. Both can be used as a cover with any type of prefold, fitted, flat, etc. They aren't limited to just the inserts that came with them.

7. They fit approximately the same weight range with Flip stating 7-35lb and Grovia saying 8-35lb.

Differences:

1. Disposable packages are 50 count for Grovia and 18 count for Flip which may account for the price difference in the disposable hybrid system.

2. Grovia has a lot more color choices and even has prints. Flip doesn't offer that at this point.

3. Flip offers more insert options, a disposable, an organic, or a stay-dry.

4. Flip costs slightly less than Grovia when compared. For example, one Flip cover (no inserts) is $13.95 while one Grovia cover (again, no inserts) is $16.95.

5. The inserts snap in with the Grovia covers while they get tucked under the front and back tabs with the Flips.

I believe that I've covered all the major differences and similarities. Beyond this, the only way to know which you'll like better is to give them each a try. Good luck choosing and have a great Friday!

Prepping Prefolds

2011-09-29T07:26:00.003-04:00

If you're new to cloth diapering and thinking of going the prefolds route, you should know that they require prepping. When they first come to you, whether in the mail or you actually go to a store to get them, they will be large and not at all soft. They require a certain amount of prepping.

To prep them, this is what I do:

1. Put all of the new prefolds in the washing machine alone. Don't put any pockets or anything in there. Just keep it to the new prefolds. Anything that's on the prefolds at this point could get on your older diapers and mess them up.

2. Run them through on a hot wash cycle. I often add a small amount of soap at this point as they're new and need to be cleaned before use.

3. Run them through a dry cycle until they're actually dry.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 at least 3 more times.

You may notice after washing that your prefolds look smaller. That's okay! They're meant to do this. Also, as you continue to use and wash these diapers, they will continue to get softer and softer.

Have a great Thursday!

Wordless Wednesday...My proud kindergartner wearing her pattern necklace (it's Fruit Loops!)

2011-09-28T07:52:00.001-04:00

To Keep or Not to Keep, That is the Question...

2011-09-27T08:08:00.002-04:00

At this point, I've been through a lot of diapers in my house. My original stash was made up of several sized diapers that clearly don't fit anymore. This includes about a half dozen pockets, a few AIOs, and 1.5 dozen infant prefolds, along with the appropriate size covers (and I had PUL wrap-style, fleece, and pull-on type covers-lots of them).

So what do you with them when your little one has outgrown them? Many moms sell them on Craigslist, Spots, Diaper Swappers, and more. This is what I did with the majority of our small diapers. I've even sold a bunch that didn't work for our family there. For example, we don't really like the old style bumGenius all-in-one around here, so I sold the couple that I had and replaced them with something we DO like.

When preparing your diapers to be sold, I suggest avoiding terms like "excellent used condition" or the like as those terms are very difficult to understand for most. What is EUC to one person is not necessarily EUC to the next. The best way to list your diapers is to take plenty of pictures in good light (inside and out), mention all flaws you see with the diapers within your listing, and mention whether your house has pets, a smoker, etc in it as there are many people who have allergies to these things. I also like to include the detergent I use on my diapers for the same reason.

If you want to keep your outgrown diapers for any reason, be sure that you store them properly so the elastic, etc isn't ruined in storage. Extreme changes in temperature are a big problem for anything you store, but it's especially bad for diapers. So for the most part, the attic and the garage are out. Moisture is also an issue for diapers as it can cause mold, so this knocks out the basement as well. I've found the best place to store the few diapers and covers we've kept (and I'll likely sell them here soon) is in a bedroom in a sturdy plastic container with the lid on.

One last note on diaper storage: If you've already stored your diapers and are planning to use them soon, be sure to take them a few months ahead of time so that you can check each one. Check the PUL, the elastic, and the closures. Make sure everything still works. Look for stains that may have shown up that you don't remember.

Halloween Recipes from Hershey's!

2011-09-26T08:05:00.002-04:00

Fall is upon us now and Halloween is just around the corner. While I don't like all the yuckiness that goes into Halloween, we do like to dress up around here and eat some yummy snacks! So this morning, I thought I'd share some fun recipes with you all! :)

Keep in mind, if you're looking for gross eyeballs or anything that looks like blood, I'm not going to link you to that here. These are all cute, fall and/or Halloween themed ideas appropriate for all ages.

All the recipes mentioned below can be easily found at this link:
http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipes-by-occasion/137/Halloween.aspx?ICID=KH1449

1. Witch's Hats: These are chocolate cookies topped with chocolate kisses.

2. Confetti Brownies: These look like great brownies topped with the mini Reese's pieces that come in fall colors like orange and yellow.

3. Halloween Cookies on a Stick: Cookies. On a stick. Need I say more? Lol. Seriously, these are decorated with icing however you want. You can put some fall leaves and pumpkins on them or bats and ghosts. It's up to you.

4. Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkin Spider: This adorable little spider looks easy AND yummy! I'm betting my kids would have a lot of fun making these!

5. Happy Halloween Monster Pops: Even if you don't do Halloween at your house, these are a really cute idea. You use a regular chocolate chip cookie on a stick and decorate with icing and candy to make any kind of face you want. Your kids could make themselves and then eat them! :)

Because of the way these recipes are laid out, I can't link you directly to each one like I usually do, but if you mouse over the pictures in the above link, you'll easily find them on the first two pages. Have a great Monday! I'm off to start homeschooling week #4! Wish me luck!

What Do You Think?

2011-09-23T09:53:00.003-04:00

In considering today's post, I came across yet another new disposable print. Have you seen these new holiday Huggies yet?

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11998822

What do you think of them? What is your opinion on the disposable diaper companies coming up with new prints to make the diapers look more like cloth?

I've seen the jean print and a camo print too. Who knows how many others there are out there that I haven't seen?

My opinion? I think the disposable diaper companies are starting to see how well cloth diapers are doing and one of the big reasons that lots of people give for cloth diapering (beyond the environmentally friendly part of things) is the cuteness factor. If they can win over a few of those, they make more money. It only makes sense for them to add new prints.

So, tell me, what do YOU think of the disposable companies coming up with new and "exciting" prints for their diapers?

Have a great weekend everyone! :)

Poopy Diapers

2011-09-22T08:19:00.004-04:00

We've talked about lots of fun things here, and nearly every disgusting thing you can talk about related to cloth diapering on this blog. Today, I thought we'd tackle one MORE. :) Poopy diapers. What do you do about them when you can no longer just drop the poopy diaper in the machine but the poop isn't solid enough to just plop in the toilet untouched?

While considering the blog post for this morning, I came across this particular question on a popular cloth diapering forum. It made me smile, thinking about our first poopy diaper sans sprayer. It was awful. *shudders* I'll spare you the disgusting details about that day and just say that I have some better alternatives listed below.

1. Toilet paper: I have a diaper sprayer, but at this point, I often just "help" the poop into the toilet with a bit of paper.

2. The Poop Spatula: It's exactly what it sounds like, a spatula (you can pick one up at the dollar store) from the kitchen department that is dedicated only to poopy diapers in the bathroom. Many moms put it under the sink or get an attachment to hang it from the back of the toilet. It's also important that you rinse it in the toilet or wipe it with a clorox wipe, something to disinfect it between scrapings.

3. Dunk and Swish: This is an age old way of cleaning diapers. You dunk the diaper in the toilet, hold tight, and flush. Do NOT let go of it. The idea is that the swirling water will rinse the poop off for you, easy peasy.

4. The Diaper Sprayer: This is, by far, the option I like best. We have one attached to our upstairs toilet (okay, to be honest, it's our ONLY toilet, lol). I keep it turned off until I need it so that no little hands get ahold of it and water the bathroom. Then, when an offending diaper enters the scene, I spray and drop in our diaper pail. Done. Easy. No yuck.

5. Disposable Liners: If you're good at predicting when the poop is coming, or you don't mind using one for every diaper, this is a great option. Then when the little one poops, it's easy to clean off the diaper. You just remove the liner.

6. Part Time (or even full time) ECing: If you're really, really good at predicting when the poop is coming (you can read your baby's cues, etc), you can plop them on the toilet before the pooping happens. The poop goes straight into the toilet; no messy diapers AND your little one is learning where the poop should really go. It's a win-win! We actually have been doing this for quite awhile-I'd say at least a year. I don't catch every single poop (sometimes he's good at pretending he's NOT pooping and sometimes I just don't see him doing it), but it's been a great introduction to the potty. Now if only he'd be interested in peeing on the potty too...but I digress.

There you have it! 6 ways to deal with a poopy diaper! Pick the one you like and go with it! And have a great Thursday!! We'll see you tomorrow!

Wordless Wednesday...Ian at nearly 5 months old in a double-stuffed bumGenius for night!

2011-09-21T07:52:00.001-04:00

It's Official, Football is Here for the Season

2011-09-20T07:31:00.002-04:00

As much as it pains me to write that (I'm not a football lover), I know that so many people are big fans here. If your family is among them, then I've got some great football themed recipes for you to try out!

1. Touchdown Treat: http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/touchdown-treat-football-cupcake-684828/

2. Football Fare: http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/football-fare-817289/

3. Bobbleheads: http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/bobbleheads-668078/

4. Pencil Goalposts: http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/pencil-goalpost-675648/

There were a bunch more listed, but these were my favorites. The bobblehead was irresistable. Lol. I could totally see making one for each of my kids. :)

Have a great Tuesday and we'll see you tomorrow!

Line Drying even when it's Cold Out!

2011-09-19T08:08:00.003-04:00

As the weather has grown chillier and chillier over the last week or so around here, it makes me think about what my bathroom looked like last winter: there were diapers hanging all over my shower curtain rod trying to dry! It made me long for the days of warm weather, nice breezes, and especially dry shells in an hour. :)

By now you all know that I am a big advocate of line drying PUL covers and shells. But how do you make it work in the winter if you have snow up to your door knobs outside? Or what if winter for you means more rain? Or just lower temperatures?

Whatever the reason you can't hang them outside (and I hang ours outside until I can't stand going out there anymore, lol), there's a solution somewhere INSIDE.

If you want to spend a little money, or already have this around, you can buy a drying rack that folds up when not in use. They don't take up much space even when you're using them, honestly, and they work great for drying a bunch of diapers.

But if you're like me, and you don't really want to spend much money just so you can creatively dry your diapers indoors, then you can try something from the list below.

1. Hang a wash line in your basement, over the washer and dryer, or somewhere else inside and out of the way. It'll work just like the line you have outside! It will likely just take a little longer to dry.

2. Hang your diapers over the backs of your chairs. This seems painfully obvious, but sometimes I miss the simplest ideas so thought I'd mention it. ;)

3. Hang your diapers on hangers and hang them up in your bathroom, on the shower curtain rod. Don't have a shower curtain rod? A friend of mine has a rod hung up over her washer and dryer and hangs hers there! I like hanging mine on the rod over the tub because then the diapers drip into the tub.

Happy Birthday Wee Little Changes

2011-09-16T08:34:00.000-04:00

A personal thank you to all my customers out there that have supported Wee Little Changes and cloth diapers over the last three years! In honor of you, please enjoy 20% off your entire order today only (ends midnight EST). In order to receive discount, please use coupon code "happyanniv" during checkout.

Grovia Announces New Cloth Trainers and Colors

2011-09-15T07:00:00.000-04:00

Who says potty learning can’t be fun? Give your tot the control they crave with the GroVia® My Choice Trainer! Your toddler has reached the age where choice and options are essential. They're ready to do it all on their own, and this one-of-a-kind cloth trainer lets them mix and match colorful panels and create their own stylish look.

And two new colors...

CLOUD

and SURF

Excited? The new prints start shipping October and the new trainers start shipping out December. Leave us a comment and tell us what you think.

How Many Diapers?

2011-09-14T07:48:00.004-04:00

It's the age old question. How many diapers do you really need to get started with cloth diapering?

The answer depends on many different things. How often do you want to wash your diapers? How often are you changing your baby? Do you know, with any degree of certainty, which type of diapers you prefer?

Let's start with the second question, since it will dictate the actual answer to the first. If your baby is a newborn, you have to figure you'll be changing him/her every 2 hours (tops) around the clock. Many newborns don't sleep through the night. They also love to poop in the middle of the night (at least that's been my experience, lol). If you figure on changing every 2 hours for 24 hours, that's 12 diapers for one day. If your baby is older, say 2 years old, and beginning to hold it now and again (preparing for potty learning time), then you may be changing less often during awake hours. You may only need 6 diapers per 24 hour period if your little one is sleeping 12+ hours a night (that's still a diaper every 2 hours while awake).

And that brings us to the first question about how often you want to wash your diapers. If you have a newborn and are planning to wash every other day, you'll need at least 24 diapers to start. If your baby is older and being changed only during daytime hours, you may only need 12 or so. But keep in mind, you still need to diaper your baby while the diapers are washing. So you might want to pick up another 1-2 to use in the meantime.

And finally, do you know what type of diapers you like? When I got Ian's first stash, I knew I wanted mostly pockets. I'd read a lot about cloth diapers online and had tried them out with Lily when she was an older baby, so I knew I really liked the convenience of them. The only questions I had left were 1. which pocket is my favorite? and 2. would I like any other type of diaper?

Because of those questions, I ended up getting some prefolds, fleece covers, and Dappi pants to try out as well along with several different brands of pockets. Today, if I had to choose one favorite, it would be our bumGenius 4.0s. But each mom is different. You'll need to find your perfect diaper on your own.

I hope that wasn't too "all over the place" and was actually helpful. To sum up: plan on changing every 2 hours; figure out how often you realistically want to wash and then plan accordingly.

Have a great Wednesday!

Fall Craft Ideas...

2011-09-13T07:40:00.003-04:00

This morning I thought I'd share some cute fall craft ideas. Some are easy, some are more challenging; some are environmentally friendly and some are almost completely unrelated to the environment. :)

1. Bee House: This one is a cool one for the environment but very involved. As many of us know, the bee population is getting lower and lower. This little house will help encourage population growth as the bees can make a home here! http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/bee-house-876193/

2. Pounded Flower Prints: With summer coming to an end, many of our favorite flowers will be dying off for the winter season. Why not preserve their gorgeousness by transferring their color to paper? http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/home-garden-projects/gardening-nature-crafts/nature-crafts/pounded-flower-prints-876204/

3. Family Sign: If you're headed out for a day of fun or going camping, this one is great for marking your family's spot. http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/home-garden-projects/gardening-nature-crafts/nature-crafts/family-sign-932879/

4. Macrame Bracelets: This is a fun little jewelry project for you, your children, or even some friends! I could see this being fun at a birthday party for older kids too. http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/home-garden-projects/gardening-nature-crafts/nature-crafts/macram-bracelets-709402/

All 4 of these came from Family Fun magazine's website. Check it out for a TON of other fun activities, crafts, and recipes!! www.familyfun.go.com/

New Colors, New Prints, New Products...What Next??

2011-09-12T07:12:00.003-04:00

Have you seen the latest video released from Jenn of Cottonbabies?? There are new colors AND new prints on the way, plus a whole bunch of other fun stuff to see! Go check out the video and come back; tell us what you think! Do you love the new prints, hate them? Wish they would make something specific?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xi2euQHUFM

I, for one, LOVE Albert. That is one cute print that I would totally wear on my little man! And I'm thinking we're going to need to test drive those awesome training pants sometime soon. :) He'll be ready to potty learn very soon, I think.

Tell me your opinions now! And have an awesome Monday!

Knickernappies Winner and Knickernappies Giveaway #16 Begins!

2011-09-09T07:25:00.002-04:00

Last night was the last night to get your entries in for the 15th Knickernappies Giveaway. This morning, thanks to random.org, we have a winner!

And the winner,who will receive his/her choice of in-stock Knickernappies one-size diaper (winner chooses color and insert, either microfiber or LoopyDo), is...

Damiesmom!

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

On to the next giveaway...

For your mandatory entry this month, please tell us in a comment on this post:

What's your favorite go-to diaper? Pretending they're all clean all the time, which one would you grab first from your stash?

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!

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

3. Follow the Knickernappies blog.

4. Follow the WLC blog (5 extra entries).

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, September 9, 2011through Sunday, October 9, 2011. The winner will be chosen via random.org and posted here on Monday, October 10, 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.

Flooding thanks to Lee...

2011-09-08T07:44:00.004-04:00

Have you seen the pictures of Hershey yet? You know, "the sweetest place on Earth?" Well, it's not so sweet right now. It's flooded. And it's entirely too close to home...

Some stories:

http://www.wgal.com/news/29113067/detail.html

http://www.wgal.com/ulocal/19791732/detail.html

http://www.wgal.com/weather/29092371/detail.html

These are pictures taken by my brother from outside his house yesterday afternoon:

Please pray for the Hershey residents at this time. It's totally isolated and flooded. No one can get into or out of Hershey at this time. :(

Thanks blog readers!

Fun Fall Crafts!

2011-09-07T07:24:00.002-04:00

This month marks the beginning of the fall season and to celebrate that fact, I've got a bunch of fun craft ideas that I've found on the Family Fun website! I think you're all going to love these!

1. Nutty Boats:
http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/home-garden-projects/gardening-nature-crafts/nature-crafts/nutty-boats-930976/

2. Painted Turtles:
http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/home-garden-projects/gardening-nature-crafts/nature-crafts/painted-turtles-909097/

3. Mermaid Wands:
http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/home-garden-projects/gardening-nature-crafts/nature-crafts/mermaid-wand-1019696/

4. Pinecone Swag: http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/home-garden-projects/gardening-nature-crafts/nature-crafts/pinecone-swag-940458/

5. Tree Sculptures: http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/home-garden-projects/gardening-nature-crafts/nature-crafts/tree-sculptures-932886/

Choosing the Right Rash Cream

2011-09-06T07:48:00.002-04:00

Most of us will see very few rashes in our babies since we use cloth diapers. They just aren't as common amongst cloth users. Maybe we change them more, maybe the cloth is just less irritating, whatever the reason, it's a nice bonus to cloth diapers. But you SHOULD be prepared for rashes in the event your little one gets one.

Some natural things to do for diaper rashes caused by irritation:

1. Air time: This is by far the best thing you can do for a diaper rash. Each time you change your baby, let them get some air time before putting on the next diaper.

2. Breathable diapers: Unlike disposable users, cloth users have the option of choosing a breathable diaper. Prefolds or fitteds (coverless if you're brave, lol) with either wool or fleece covers are a great option.

3. Olive oil: I haven't actually tried this one out, but have read that it can work really well on dry, red rashes (1).

4. Coconut oil: Again, this is one I haven't tried but have read raves over.

Choosing the right cream:

Above all, look for the unfriendly ingredients first. You don't want anything with fish oil, cod liver oil, or zinc oxide. These ingredients not only stain diapers, but they also cause a nasty smell in them after washing since they don't like to be washed out. Additionally, they can cause repelling (when the diapers develop a barrier and don't absorb liquid).

You can prevent stains and contact with your diapers if you simply use a liner. In fact, most manufacturers strongly recommend you use liners whenever you use any type of diaper cream period.

When Ian was just 2 months, he got this horrible, unidentifiable rash in his diaper area that wouldn't go away. In fact, it just kept spreading and getting worse. While we waited to see the dermotologist (the pediatrician was at a loss honestly), I switched him to prefolds and fleece 100% of the time as I hoped the natural fibers would help but also that they'd be easier to disinfect should he be carrying some kind of illness that would be difficult to get rid of. Because we did this, we were able to bleach the prefolds when necessary; this was especially important when we found out it was Tinea (ring worm, which is contagious) along with eczema.

Some of our favorite diaper creams that I've found to be safe with our cloth diapers are:

1. Grandma El's
2. CJ's BUTTer
3. Yum Bum Butter (my current favorite!)

This is NOT a complete list, only what I like so far. I also loved Northern Essence but you can't get that anymore. :(

All right, well I better get to school with the kids. Have a great Tuesday! We'll see you tomorrow!

Sites I used for info:

1. Pinstripes and Polkadots:
http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/diaperrashcreams.htm

2. All About Cloth Diapers:
http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/cloth-diaper-safe-diaper-rash-creams/

3. California Baby:
http://www.californiababy.com/products-faq.html

4. Delish Naturals:
http://hyenacart.com/delishnaturals/mt/2486/32582/Yum-Bum-Butter

Happy Labor Day!

2011-09-05T08:22:00.001-04:00

No post today! Have a great Labor Day!

Choosing the Perfect One-Size Diaper for your Baby

2011-09-02T07:45:00.008-04:00

There are so many one-size options out there and everyone has a different opinion on them. How do you choose? What makes one better than another?

At Wee Little Changes, we carry a wide variety of one-size diapers-all great for different reasons. Here's a list of the ones we have available right now:

- bumGenius 4.0

- bumGenius elementals

- Grovia

- FuzziBunz

- Knickernappies

- Tiny Tush

- Tweedlebugs

- Babykicks 3G

When choosing the diapers I wanted to use, I started by looking at the most popular brands that I'd heard good things about. Both bumGenius and Fuzzibunz were the ones I started with, along with some others that WLC doesn't currently carry. I ultimately decided on bumGenius to start and purchased a couple to use as night diapers for my daughter just before her second birthday when she was beginning to potty learn.

The first thing I looked at for each diaper (beyond the brand and reviews) was weight range. Since the BGs claimed to fit a baby up to 35lb and my daughter only weighed around 25lb at the time, I figured we'd have no problem with fit. Luckily I was right. She is short and thin, with very thin thighs and little to no butt. The tallest rise setting was perfect for her, though she could have used more absorbancy in the way of inserts in those diapers; they were on her all night, after all.

When I was pregnant with my son later that year, I looked at things that mattered more. I took a look at rise, waist, and thigh measurements, quickly learning that the weight range didn't matter so much as all those measurements. I read story after story of babies who didn't fit the diapers within the weight range because their measurements didn't match up with the diaper. I also read stories about women who hated one diaper because "it leaked" or "it rubbed the belly" or any number of other reasons while other mamas raved about that same diaper for the exact opposite reason! The more I read, the more confused I became! Why would the same diaper leak on one baby, but not on another?

As I read more, I learned that the leaking was caused by fit. Fit is something you can't really be certain about until you try out the diapers on your baby yourself. So then I decided that I would try several different brands and not put all of my eggs into one one-size diaper basket. In my very first stash (looking only at the one-size diapers) for Ian I had:

- bumGenius 3.0

- Blueberry

- Happy Heiny

- Fuzzibunz

After trying them out, I fell in love with the BGs and the BBs. I wasn't so wild about the HHs or the FBs in the beginning. Now that Ian is older, I find myself reaching for our FBs before anything else. I also really the Knickernappies and Tiny Tush that I've acquired and love the BG4.0s.

So, in the end, choosing the perfect one-size diaper for your baby is something only you can do. You'll have to read the reviews, see which diapers worked for babies built in a similar way to yours most often (thick thighs, buddha belly, no heiny, etc), and give them a try!

Free Breastfeeding Products??

2011-09-01T07:56:00.003-04:00

I was looking through the other blogs that I follow when I came across this post: http://beccasclothdiaperblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/free-breastfeeding-products.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AQuestForThePerfectClothDiaper+%28A+Quest+for+the+Perfect+Cloth+Diaper%29

Now I've seen that sevenslings.com has offered free items in the past when friends have posted about it on Facebook but I've never tried it.

According to this post, uddercovers.com and sevenslings.com are offering a free breastfeeding product with the code "breastfeeding." The writer of the post goes on to say that she has tried it and received her free products for the cost of shipping, which for her was $10. It sounds like a great deal, if it's true!

Now I've visited uddercovers.com and put a nursing cover ($32 value!) in the cart and applied the above code and it DID work...

Anyone try this in the past and have some experience to share with us? What were your "free" products like?

I just thought I'd share this deal with you all in case it actually IS true! Let us know! :)

Wordless Wednesday...One of many family pics we got done this summer-can you spot Ian?

2011-08-31T08:31:00.001-04:00

Fun T-Shirts for Back-to-School!

2011-08-30T08:14:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was the official start date for school in my area (though my darlings won't start until September 6th thanks to cyber school, yay!). What better way to ring in the new school year than a bunch of fun t-shirt decorating ideas? You can decorate old shirts and make them look new again! How fun is that??

Some ideas that I just LOVE:

1. Identi-tee: Help your child decorate a new shirt or an old one using old scraps of fabric, patches, whatever you want-and make their name on their shirt! http://familyfun.go.com/back-to-school/back-to-school-fashions/back-to-school-t-shirts/identi-tee-672277/

2. Marbled Tie Dye: Try out this twist on tie dye for a fun and unique looking shirt! http://familyfun.go.com/back-to-school/back-to-school-fashions/back-to-school-t-shirts/marbled-tie-with-spray-bottle-dye-666914/

3. Sweatshirt Shrugs: Take an old sweatshirt and make it new again by cutting it into a shrug for your little girl!
http://familyfun.go.com/back-to-school/back-to-school-fashions/back-to-school-t-shirts/sweatshirt-shrugs-670929/

4. Summer Snapshot Shirts: I absolutely love this idea. It's such a fun way to make your own t-shirt to remember the summer by! I'm going to have to try this one out! http://familyfun.go.com/back-to-school/back-to-school-fashions/back-to-school-t-shirts/summer-snapshot-shirt-672999/

There's tons more of them over at the Family Fun website! Go check out their ideas! Have a great Tuesday! I'm off to enjoy our last week of summer vacation. :)

Make Your Pocket Diapers Last for Years!

2011-08-29T08:11:00.004-04:00

Yes, really! They can last for years if you take good care of them and say a few prayers along the way. To the right, you'll notice a picture or two of 4 cloth diapers. From the top and clockwise around they are:

-Red FuzziBunz one-size (notice the lack of hip snaps) with snaps
-Black Happy Heiny one-size with velcro
-Baby blue Blueberry one-size with velcro
-Zebra print minky Blueberry one-size with velcro

Each of these diapers is a minimum of two years old and one is even at least 4 years old as I got it used. I'm sure you can guess which one just by looking at this picture of them, and while they don't all look brand new anymore (far from it, actually!), they all work well and still do their jobs.

When I looked at the calendar this morning to prepare for this post, it occurred to me that it's been 3 years since I first suspected I might be expecting my little man. 4 years since I began to realize that there was a chance I would get to nurse another baby, cloth diaper a baby for the first time, try making my own baby food for the first time...and that's when I realized just how old those cloth diapers are!

The red FuzziBunz was bought sometime between April and June of 2009. I can't remember exactly when I got it, just that I know I had it when Ian was only a few weeks old. There's a picture to prove it somewhere...

The Blueberry one-size diapers were bought at the same time on a super after Christmas sale and I believe the site was discontinuing them from their store. Either way, I got a really good deal on them. I got them at the end of December 2008 or possibly early January 2009. Keep in mind, though, that Ian wasn't born until May 2009 so we've just celebrated the second anniversary of these diapers' use. Lol.

The black Happy Heiny was a last minute purchase from a cloth diapering friend. I wanted a diaper that would match our black and red flame Babylegs and she agreed to sell me her black one. I didn't care how old it was, I just wanted one that matched. And even better, it was a brand I'd been dying to try anyway. So just before Ian was born, I bought that one from her too. Doing the math, it's at least 4 years old now.

So how do you make cloth diapers, pockets in particular, last a long time? This is how I did it:

1. Line dry only! Not only is it better and easier on the PUL, but it's better for your velcro and elastic too.

2. Space the diapers out. If you can, try not to use the same diapers day after day, week after week. Try to give them a little break in there. We have enough diapers of varying kinds that I could cloth diaper 2-3 kids I think! One would be in pockets, another in prefolds and covers, and one more in fitteds and Flips! I like it this way too, because then we can give some of our diapers a break from the routine.

3. Replace parts as necessary. Now I, admittedly, have not replaced anything on my diapers to date, but if you notice that your elastic is stretched out or your velcro isn't sticking anymore, replace those parts. Most manufacturers offer replacement parts for a small fee and you can often find instructions for doing it yourself with a quick google.

4. Use cloth diaper friendly detergent. It will help your diapers! Detergents with the addition of additives as listed on various detergent lists will ruin your diapers over time.

5. Try different inserts. In my experience, microfiber doesn't last forever and often collects stink pretty quickly and easily. If you like your microfiber, keep using it! If you're like me and don't love it or are noticing it's getting dingy and yucky, then try something different. I like to use prefolds trifolded into the pocket. I also like hemp, but don't have a lot of that.

I hope these tips help you out! Let us know in a comment if you have any other ideas for making your diapers last! We'd love to hear about it! :)

Christmas Shopping...Now?!?

2011-08-26T08:48:00.003-04:00

I know it's the end of August and Christmas is still four months away, but did you know you could save a ton on your Christmas shopping by starting now?? If money is tight, that's an even better reason to get on it now.

Some thoughts for saving:

1. The chain stores are putting out "last year's toys" on deep clearance to make room for this year's big hits. That means that hitting up places like Target, K-Mart, and Walmart will likely get you some great stuff at low prices. An example?? I got the Hamburger Play-Doh set at Walmart this week (regularly $15-20 depending where you buy it) for just $3! Plus I found a cute interactive Elmo Memory Game for $3 as well! How can you beat that??

2. With school right around the corner, everyone is offering deals on clothes. Pick some up for Christmas now! And even better, all the summer stuff is going on sale and will continue to get cheaper and cheaper as the months wear on. If you can guess the size you'll need for next summer, you can get that wardrobe awhile for next to nothing!

3. Online shipping will never be cheaper than it is right now. Last year I stalked the Leapfrog site, waiting for just the right deal for my daughter's Leapster Explorer. Well, October rolled around and the free shipping minimum went up! I waited too long! Thankfully though, I was able to combine my purchase with my mom's and we still managed to get the free shipping.

4. Going out of business sales. Border's is closing up shop which is super sad, but also means great deals if you're willing to pick through! We found some great games and books for our kids when we were there last week and saved a bunch too!

5. If you've never tried out a rebate site, now's the best time to get started! I use Ebates, which you can see here: http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=Yps600ma3RpQWjeM27%2BzRA%3D%3D I've gotten lots back from them already, starting with gifts I bought my kids last year at Christmas. Each store offers a different percentage back too. And there's others out there like this as well. This is just the one I like to use. :)

So get on out there this weekend and start your shopping! Even if you only get one thing, you can say that you've started! Have a great weekend and we'll see you Monday!

11+ Years and Counting...

2011-08-25T07:49:00.004-04:00

More than 11 years ago, I became a mama for the very first time. It was May 1999 when I found out I was expecting my first baby and at 18 years old, I was more than a little nervous and scared about it! That's right, I'm one of "those moms."

January 9, 2000, I gave birth to a perfect, 7lb13oz baby boy and named him Andrew. His birth was anything but normal between the induction, the pushing for 2.5 hours with no progress, and being knocked out for his actual birth during my c-section. I woke up only to discover I was no longer pregnant and someone had already fed my baby for the first time without me! They showed me this adorable little man and said he was my son. At 19 years old, I felt some of my selfishness wash away at the sight of him.

A month and a half later, I gave up on breastfeeding (and forget cloth diapering, I didn't even know it existed!) when it got "too hard" and went to formula. And at the same time, I got a new label. I was one of "those moms."

In May 2002, I married the man of my dreams, my best friend and we got pregnant with baby number two almost immediately. When he was born in February 2003, we were elated. Andrew was in love with his new baby and we were so happy! But as the months wore on, Lukas was not the perfect baby. He was a tough baby that cried ALL THE TIME. A friend suggested I try the sling to help him calm down and relax. It was the best thing for him! He could sleep 4 hours at a time in that wonderful contraption. Peace reigned again in our house! When I did that, I again became one of "those moms."

January 26, 2006 was the birthdate of our very first little girl. She was tiny and beautiful (and just a little hairy, lol). She slept with me in the hospital, not in her bassinet and again when we got home. She loved her brother's sling as much as he did. And she breastfed until she was 30 months old (Lukas only did it for 13 months before her). And again, I was one of "those moms."

After trying cloth diapers with our daughter as she potty learned, I decided to give cloth a go full time when I got pregnant with our fourth (and currently) final baby boy. Two years later, he's been worn in a wrap, breastfed for 24 months, and cloth diapered for 2+ years. I am definitely one of "those moms" with him!

So which one of "those moms" are you? The young mom? The formula-feeding mom? The breastfeeding more than 2 years mom? The baby wearing/attachment parenting mom? Whichever one you are or aren't, it's okay. We're all moms doing the best we can with what we were given. As you go through your day today, remember that just because we don't all do it exactly the same way doesn't mean we aren't all good moms! YOU are a good mom! And your child loves you for it!

Have a great Thursday!

Wordless Wednesday...

2011-08-24T08:08:00.002-04:00

After School Snacks

2011-08-23T08:09:00.003-04:00

I don't know about your kids, but when mine were all in public school, they came home starving! But what was a good snack that I could give them that was quick and easy? Well, for your perusal...and your amusement (lol), I present to you all:

After School Snacks, Familyfun website style!

1. Apple Bites: http://familyfun.go.com/back-to-school/back-to-school-lunches-snacks/after-school-snacks/apple-bites-688193/

2. Arctic Oranges: http://familyfun.go.com/back-to-school/back-to-school-lunches-snacks/after-school-snacks/arctic-oranges-699585/

3. Fruit Cake:
http://familyfun.go.com/back-to-school/back-to-school-lunches-snacks/after-school-snacks/fruit-cake-688931/

4. Fruit Kebobs: http://familyfun.go.com/back-to-school/back-to-school-lunches-snacks/after-school-snacks/fruity-kebobs-679425/

5. Fruity Frog: http://familyfun.go.com/back-to-school/back-to-school-lunches-snacks/after-school-snacks/fruity-frog-699462/

Those arctic oranges are probably my favorite and I'll definitely be trying them out with my "fruit hater, popsicle/ice cream loving" little man!

Have a great Tuesday!

1,000 Follower Giveaway Winner!

2011-08-22T07:21:00.002-04:00

Yay! Well, you all did it! We've made it to 1,004 followers as of the writing of this post. :D So exciting! If you can believe it, we had just a couple hundred followers this time last year. Time flies, doesn't it?

As promised, we chose a winner via random.org when we reached 1,000 followers and we have a winner for you! Remember, the winner will receive a $30 gift certificate to Wee Little Changes!

And the winner of this awesome prize is...

Tara!

Congratulations! An email has been sent to our winner who has 48 hours to respond and claim the prize or a new winner will be chosen. Thanks for entering everyone and for getting us over 1,000 followers!

See you tomorrow! :)

We're Almost There!

2011-08-19T09:19:00.002-04:00

We're only 5 followers away from announcing the giveaway winner! Do you think we can get that many by Monday morning so I can choose a winner? If you haven't entered yet, visit this post to enter:

http://weelittlechanges.blogspot.com/2011/08/1000-follower-giveaway.html

After entering, go post about the giveaway on Facebook, your blog, or Twitter and get us some more followers! If you do that, remember, you get an extra entry. :)

We'll see you Monday and hopefully, I'll be announcing our big winner! Have a good weekend!

Repost: Fitteds VS Contours

2011-08-18T07:47:00.002-04:00

You’ve seen them both. They look very similar. But there’s one very obvious difference between the two- the contours cost a little less than the fitteds. Why? What’s the difference between the two? Who uses a contour?

Today, we’re going to answer those questions using Tiny Tush’s contour and fitted diapers as our examples.

First, the contour. Tiny Tush’s contour diaper is shaped to fit your baby as opposed to a prefold that you have to fold to fit your baby. It’s made with organic cotton and has extra layers in the “wet zone.” Because everything is loose and not completely sewn down all around, the contour dries up fast. It comes in two sizes, size one from 5-15lb and size 2 from 15-30lb, so it’s not one-size but they’ll still last a long time. One downside to the contour diaper is that you may still want to use some sort of closure for it (either a Snappi or pins) though you could also simply hold it in place with your diaper cover since it does require the use of a cover anyway. Finally, it’s a lot trimmer than a prefold while coming in a little cheaper than a fitted. At just $8.06 (on sale right now at WLC), it’s a great, economical alternative to fitted diapers.

The fitted diaper is so named because it “fits” to your baby. It has elastic in the legs and either aplix or snaps for a closure while the contour does not. This means that on rashy days when baby’s bottom needs to breath or just days at home where you’d like to go coverless, you can (keep in mind that compression leaks will happen if you don’t use a cover). Tiny Tush’s fitted is also made from 100% cotton. It is a one-size fitted, adjustable for a newborn through a 35-lb toddler so it’s great for parents with several children in diapers and also a great purchase for anyone looking to buy just one stash. Many fitteds have a pocket opening to add absorption or several sewn-in layers that make the diaper take longer to dry. However, Tiny Tush has a snap-in liner for the inside of their diaper so there’s no stuffing and no longer drying times. But one of my favorite things about Tiny Tush’s fitteds is the price. So many of the fitteds I see these days cost close to or more than a pocket diaper. In my mind (and I know not everyone agrees with me here), a fitted should cost less since it still requires a cover. This one is only $11.95-13.95! It’s probably the cheapest one-size fitted I’ve found yet.

Hopefully you’ve found this break-down helpful. For more information you can visit our store here: http://www.weelittlechanges.com/ or Tiny Tush’s website here: http://www.tinytush.com/

A Few More Back-to-School Crafts!

2011-08-17T07:52:00.002-04:00

School is right around the corner here! Some have already started, others will start in the next few weeks. Either way, tis the season for school! And because of that, I wanted to share a few more fun back-to-school craft ideas to help you get ready. I think I found some fun ones again this time around. Enjoy! :)

1. Blue Jean Bag: http://familyfun.go.com/back-to-school/back-to-school-crafts/school-supplies/blue-jean-bag-710298/

2. Checklist Placemat: http://familyfun.go.com/back-to-school/back-to-school-crafts/school-supplies/checklist-place-mat-785108/

3. Lunch Money Locket:
http://familyfun.go.com/back-to-school/back-to-school-crafts/school-supplies/lunch-money-locket-667122/

4. Picture Perfect Notebook: http://familyfun.go.com/back-to-school/back-to-school-crafts/school-supplies/picture-perfect-notebook-668882/

There you have it! 4 more fun back-to-school crafts. I think my favorite is the placemat checklist! Maybe it would cut down on all the questions I have to ask when we're trying to get out the door for different things. :)

Sensitive to Wet, a Rash, or Something Else?

2011-08-16T08:14:00.004-04:00

Recently I was visiting a popular cloth diapering forum and came across a question about sensitivity to wetness. The original poster was simply looking for things to do for her child to help combat the wetness sensitivity in cloth. But that raised a different question in my mind. How do we know when it's simply sensitivity to wetness and not something else, like irritation from the detergent or some kind of rash?

One way you can figure out whether or not your child is sensitive to something other than just being wet is to look at a few things in your cloth diapering life:

1. Have you recently switched diapers? Some babies are sensitive to different materials used in the diapers. If you suspect this is the case with yours, switch to one you know is okay and see if it gets better.

2. Have you recently switched detergents? Not all detergents are created equally. Some will bother one child while working great for another. An example? My DH (yes, my DH!) can't use certain detergents; they make him itchy and irritated. But he CAN use Tide and Rockin' Green without issue.

3. Have you gotten a new washing machine? You may need to switch up your wash routine, if so. Sometimes, switching the machine is enough to need more rinses, less detergent, or any number of other things!

4. Are you changing your baby as often as before? If you take a step back and notice your LO is going longer and longer between changes, simply changing more often may make the difference. We all get busy, but sitting in a diaper too long is never good.

5. Is your little one getting enough to drink? I've noticed with my little man that the less he drinks in a day, the more likely he is to get red fast. I don't know if there's any scientific evidence to this one, but it seems to me that his pee is more acidic and burns him.

6. When was the last time you stripped your diapers? Stripping your diapers regularly helps them to stay cleaner, if you ask me. To strip, I like to soak the diapers in the detergent I use (RnG) in some warm water in my bathtub. After a couple of hours in there, I run them all through a hot wash cycle in my machine with no soap two times. After that, we hang them outside to dry. We never use Dawn as it screws up my machine.

7. Finally, when's the last time you bleached? Not every mama will agree with this one, but I really feel like sometimes my diapers just need a little bleach in the load. bumGenius actually recommends bleaching once a month. Sometimes this is all it takes.

If you're sure it's not the diapers or some other change in your routine, and your little one is truly just sensitive to the wet, then I would suggest a few things for this as well.

1. Change more often.
2. Many mamas swear by coverless fitteds, prefolds, or flats so you know the moment they wet and can change it. This also allows some air circulation.
3. Try using a fleece liner to add an extra barrier between baby and diaper.
4. Use some cloth diaper friendly diaper cream at each change.

If it's none of the above, you may have to visit your doctor to figure out a new plan. Your little one could have an infection of some sort. Ian had Tinea (ringworm!!!) when he was just 2 months old and then got eczema on top of all of that to boot! We had to treat it with meds. :( I have no idea how he got it either; all I know is that he doesn't have it now two years later.

As always, these are simply my suggestions and things I've found to work in our own house. If you don't agree with something or find it doesn't work for you, then just don't do it. :) If you have a suggestion to add, please comment below and share with us!

To Stuff or Not to Stuff?

2011-08-15T07:55:00.002-04:00

Now THAT is the question!

If you're a pocket diaper user, you likely already know where this is going. Do you leave your pockets unstuffed, stuffing as you go, after they come out of the laundry/off the line/whatever you do...or do you prestuff them all?

I do both, honestly. And there's no good reason for why I leave them unstuffed, though I could come up with a few. The real reason I leave them unstuffed is that I just don't always get around to prestuffing them straight from the laundry.

Some great reasons to prestuff:

1. The diapers are already ready to go, shortening your diaper changing time slightly.

2. Even the most inexperienced cloth diaper changer can change a diaper for you at any time if they are ready to go.

3. No digging through the inserts trying to find exactly the right one (if you're the type that cares which insert goes in which diaper).

4. Prestuffed diapers often look much neater all put away than a big pile of inserts and shells.

5. You'll always know exactly how many you have left at a glance.

Reasons to leave them unstuffed:

1. Unstuffed shells are easier to customize according to the use. If, for example, you've decided you want to use a particular diaper for overnight and you know you need a little extra absorbancy, you need only to add that to the stuffing.

2. If you're like me and you use prefolds to stuff your pocket shells, you can change your mind about the kind of diapering you want to do for the day on a whim.

3. Maybe your unstuffed diapers fit better wherever you put them away...

4. The time you save not stuffing your diapers is better spent doing almost anything else-making dinner, playing with older kids, doing a load of dishes, etc.

So what does everyone else do? Leave them unstuffed or stuff them ahead of time? Why do you do it?

1,000 Follower Giveaway!

2011-08-12T07:59:00.003-04:00

We're coming up on 1,000 followers! Can you believe it? To celebrate, April and I decided that a giveaway was in order. :) So, when we get more than 1,000 followers, one lucky blog follower is going to get...

A $30 gift certificate to Wee Little Changes!

How do you enter? It's simple, if you're a blog follower, simply leave us a comment on this post to enter.

You want some extra entries to up your chances of winning? You can get more entries by tweeting about this giveaway (must include @weelittlechange in your tweet to count!) and/or post it on facebook (must include @weelittlechanges in your post so that it shows up on the fan page to count!). If you've done either or both of those things, you can come leave an extra comment for each completed item.

Some Rules:

Please only enter if you are a blog follower. The winner must be a blog follower; you can't follow the blog and then un-follow it after entry. No anonymous entries will be accepted. You must use an actual name when entering. Please include a valid email address with your entry (ies) so we can contact our winner. The contest will remain open until we hit 1,000 followers. The faster we get 1,000 followers, the faster it will come to a close! This contest is subject to change at the sole discretion of Wee Little Changes.

Recycled Craft Ideas!

2011-08-11T07:40:00.003-04:00

This morning, I'm on a mission to find some great recycled craft ideas for everyone and I think I've found some really fun ones! I'm completely tempted to try out that fourth one with my kids, and the first one sounds like another great use for old t-shirts as well!

As usual, I've found all of these crafts on the Family Fun website: http://www.familyfun.go.com/ You absolutely HAVE to check this website out if you haven't yet. It's stuffed with fun crafts for kids of almost all ages and all sorts of holidays, etc.

Here's some of my favorites:

1. Backpack Shirt:
http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/crafts-by-material/recyclable-projects/backpack-shirt-922871/

2. Cardboard Cabinet: http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/crafts-by-material/recyclable-projects/cardboard-cabinet-844461/

3. Easy-Weave Newsprint Basket: http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/crafts-by-material/recyclable-projects/easy-weave-newsprint-basket-858559/

4. Hula Hoop Rug: http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/crafts-by-material/recyclable-projects/hula-hoop-rug-995304/

5. In-Style In-Boxes: http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/crafts-by-material/recyclable-projects/in-style-in-boxes-844499/

Which Detergent is the Right Detergent?

2011-08-10T07:39:00.003-04:00

By now, many of you have read my praises for Rockin' Green Cloth Diaper Detergent. But what if it, for any number of reasons, doesn't work for you? What do you do then? Where do you turn for help choosing?

Generally speaking, you want to choose a detergent that is free of enzymes, brighteners, dyes, and fragrances. These can be difficult to locate locally, though certainly not impossible. You also have the choice of finding a new detergent online.

If you've found yourself in the boat with so many others where you just don't know where to start, I'd suggest starting with some of the following detergent charts. They'll help you see, at a glance, which are recommended within the cloth diapering community and which are not.

1. http://www.diaperjungle.com/detergent-chart.html

2. http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/detergentchoices.htm

3. http://www.zany-zebra.com/diaper-detergent-chart.shtml

4. http://www.cottonbabies.com/clothdiaperdetergents.pdf

Caring for Coen!

2011-08-09T07:40:00.002-04:00

Imagine having your child diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, something that would completely rock and change your world forever-all by itself. Now imagine financial hardship striking at the same time. As if dealing with a new medical diagnosis weren't enough, right?!?

This is exactly what happened to Coen's family recently and the online blogging community wants to pitch in and help!

On August 1st, a raffle began here:

http://lifewithmylittles.blogspot.com/p/giveaways-woot-woot.html

There are more than $1400 worth of prizes to be won!

If this isn't your thing, that's okay! Help us out by tweeting the following:

“$1400.00 worth of prizes #clothdiapers to #win @oregongal1 for #caringforcoen to include $100.00 cash http://tinyurl.com/3buf9hw”

Or by posting the following on your blog or Facebook:

“$1400.00 worth of prizes #clothdiapers to #win @oregongal1 for #caringforcoen to include $100.00 cash http://tinyurl.com/3buf9hw”

Thanks for checking it out everyone! Have a great Tuesday!

Knickernappies Giveaway Winner and Knickernappies Giveaway #15!

2011-08-08T07:52:00.004-04:00

Last night, Knickernappies Giveaway #14 came to a close and a winner was chosen via random.org!

And the winner is...

Spottedjagiwar!

Congratulations! An email is being sent to our winner this morning and he/she has 48 hours to claim the prize or another winner will be chosen and emailed. Thanks for entering everyone!

And now...

It's time for another Knickernappies Giveaway! 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!

To Enter:

In a comment on this post, answer the following question one time for your mandatory entry. With Halloween fast approaching, tell us, will you incorporate your cloth diapers into the costume your baby wears or cover it up?

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

3. Follow the Knickernappies blog.

4. Follow the WLC blog (5 extra entries).

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 Monday, August 8, 2011 through Thursday, September 8, 2011. The winner will be chosen via random.org and posted here on Friday, September 9, 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.

Teach Your Children Their Letters!

2011-08-05T07:42:00.004-04:00

With school right around the proverbial corner, I thought it'd be great to stay on this track. After all, learning is something children do at all ages. It's never too early to start working on things like colors, letters, numbers, shapes...they all need to know these things!

So today, I thought I'd share a great idea for teaching your kids their letters. :)

An alphabet book by them!

That's right! You can start by googling (a side note: do you realize that when I was a kid, if someone had said the word "googling" I would have looked at them cross-eyed and been so confused! Anyway...) for alphabet printables. When you find the ones you like, print each letter out and let your child color them. You can do them once a week if you want, or all at the same time, it's up to you. I liked the idea of doing one each week and filling in the other days with other things that would support that letter.

Above, you'll see an example of one of our letter pages. This is our letter C page and as you can see, she has practiced making the letter C at the bottom (I drew dots for her to follow) and colored a picture of a cow to reinforce the sound of the letter. On the bottom right, you can also see that she practiced writing her name on her paper, something that all kids must do in public or private school.

When you're done with all the letters, you can put them together, add a piece of construction paper to the front of the pile and one to the back, add 3 hole punches to the pile, and tie the holes together with yarn to create your "book." Don't forget to have your little author decorate the cover!

Not only will this help your child recognize his/her letters the first time through, but each time they read it to you, they'll reinforce that letter...not to mention all the confidence building going on as they "read" a book to you! This is the beginnings of reading. You can teach them to picture walk through this as well (a skill they'll likely learn in kindergarten to help them while learning to read).

You'll also be able to teach them about the parts of a book plus the correct way to hold and then read a book.

As they get better at recognizing the letters, you can add pages of pictures that have the same sound as the letter on the page before. For example, after the letter L page, you can add a picture of a lollipop, a lion, and a line or for the letter A, you could add a picture of an apple, an airplane, and an ant!

Have a great Friday everyone! And remember, we'll be choosing our Knickernappies winner on Monday morning! :)

A Dresser, Recycled and Repurposed!

2011-08-04T07:18:00.003-04:00

This year is our first year keeping all the kids home for school. Because we'll be cyber schooling all 3 school-age kids, we needed at least one more desk in our school room (it's actually our front room that you walk into to enter our house, lol). I'm embarrassed to even post a picture of what the space looked like before, so just believe me when I say, we NEEDED more shelf space! There were board games and video games falling all over the place, books that didn't fit on the shelves, puzzles missing pieces...you get the picture.

While I knew we needed more shelf space, I also knew that we didn't have the money to just go to Target and get some new shelves, so I started looking around the house. What could I use in that space? What could I repurpose for something else?

And that's when I remembered this dresser. It had been in our attic when we moved in here 10 years ago. It was missing the bottom 2 drawers and had more dust on it than you'd ever believe! It's been hosed down and wiped down a lot in this picture.

I decided that this dresser would be our new piece for the school room. My husband not only has a power saw, but he actually knows how to use it (great combo, right?); so I asked him to create 2 shelves from an old piece of panelling in our attic, which he did!

I then painted the dresser, with the help of my second son who's 8 and quite the crafty little guy, using the same paint I'd used on our bathroom walls just a couple of months ago. So all in all, this was a totally recycled project that cost me nothing but time! And even THAT was made up in that this project gave me something fun to do with my older boys. :)

So, what do you think? :D I thought it turned out pretty well! It does the job and cost me nothing but effort. It also cleaned up the space enough that we were able to bring over a desk, given to us by our wonderful neighbors, and get a second one in there.

Wordless Wednesday...what we were up to on vacation a couple weeks ago!

2011-08-03T07:36:00.002-04:00

It's that Time of Year Again!

2011-08-02T07:26:00.003-04:00

You know what I'm talking about. The time of year where everyone is rushing to the stores, buying paper and pencils, pencil boxes and lunch boxes, back packs and new clothes...it's back to school time!

Whether you home school, cyber school, or send your little ones off to public or private school, they all start back up sometime! But before you get back into the swing of things, I thought it'd be fun to share some great crafts! I found them all on the Family Fun website and have provided links to each one. :)

1. Changeable Carry-all Tins: This first one is great for recycling all those mint containers. It's a fun way to get lunch money (or in our case a check for the lunch account!) or notes to the teacher safely from point A to point B. http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/changeable-carryall-tins-670902/

2. Magnetic Marker: This would be a fun way to make your reading list for the year AND hold your place in your book while doing it! http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/magnetic-marker-668892/

3. Tee is for Tote: Yet another fun recycling project!! And who doesn't love those? This is a fun way to turn a favorite shirt into a fun tote bag. http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/tee-is-for-tote-785100/

4. Secret Code Backpack Chains: This one would be a good one for the kids who are off to school and using a locker. I was always forgetting my combination but this would have helped me remember it! http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/secret-code-backpack-chains-668918/

5. Carton Wallet: Another great recylcing craft, this one holds change, trading cards, or whatever! http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/carton-wallet-675068/

Hopefully you saw some fun ones above or you clicked around on the Family Fun site and found any number of other fun crafts there!

bumGenius! Do You Love the Potential New Artist Series or No?

2011-08-01T06:55:00.002-04:00

Last week, I was surfing Facebook as I often do and came across a new album posted by bumGenius. It was entitled "Artist Series Concepts" and had pictures of several new prints, many of which I'd actually wear on my boy (not true of the last artist series, they were too girly. As a side note, I wish I had a girl to wear diapers on because I really liked the black artsy diaper from the last round, but I digress...).

Check out the newest potential prints here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.10150244360866640.323410.38922631639&type=1

What do you all think? Do you like them or no? There's definitely mixed opinions on them within the album itself. bumGenius has also got a question listed on Facebook for their customers and fans to answer about the newest series. You can see it further down on their fan page to answer it, but here it is for you to think on: "How do you feel about the Artist Series concepts we just uploaded to the photos section?" ("we" here refers to Cottonbabies/bumGenius)

We'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on this potential new series! But remember, when telling us what you think of the new series to be respectful. Other people were involved in the creating of this series; they worked long and hard on their ideas and love them. Try not to be hurtful in your comments. Thanks everyone and have a wonderful Monday! :)

Reader Tips for Cloth Diapering on Vacation!

2011-07-29T07:55:00.002-04:00

With July coming to a close, I thought we'd finish off the month with a few more reader tips for cloth diapering on vacation. Hopefully, those who have already gone on vacation have found at least a few tips that they used and those that will be going in the weeks ahead have found several things that they plan to do as well!

On to the tips:

1. wb said... "Just got back from cloth diapering on vacation. It was not much different than at home as our friends had a wash machine. However I forgot to take diaper detergent and couldn't buy any in the small town we were staying in. Instead we ended up just using prefolds that could stand up to standard detergent with an extra wash cycle."

2. chelsea said... "We haven't been on a "vacation" yet but I did use prefolds and covers on a trip to my grandma's. 3 hr car ride and all. We had no problems but camping trips, etc make me a little nervous. Maybe next year we will get a real vacation!"

3. Ashley said... "Cloth diapering on vacation..well we are actually doing it right now. :-) We travel a lot and always CD. This time we are in a hotel for 2.5 weeks and have to pay to wash, it may turn out to be a little bit more than disposables cost, but it is still way better for the bum. It's NOT hard at all. Give it a try, don't be scared off. :-)"

4. Eco-Mom said... "I have used the GroVia Biosoakers before and I think they'd be a great choice for vacation if there wasn't easy access to laundry or if you didn't trust the washing machines in the hotel laundry room!"

5. slang76 said..."I have decided to use a combination of disposables, Flips with disposable inserts, stay dry inserts, a hemp prefold, and a thirstis insert, and then my normal pockets at night...we will see how it goes!!"

6. Anastasia said... "we have always cloth diapered on the road, but only weekend trips - next week we have our first week long vacation - that should be interesting! We're renting a small house, so I'll be bringing detergent and bucket since there is no washer. Yes, I'll be hand-washing on vacation, it's a good thing we're in the middle of potty training and she only goes through 4 diapers a day!"

7. Andrea said... "We use our normal diaper routine on vacation- mostly Bumgenius one-size, and just find a washer/dryer."

8. Erin said... "My tips: take a good wet bag, and, rather than take all of your detergent, buy a couple of samples!"

Have a good Friday and don't forget to enter the Knickernappies Giveaway this month! We'll announce the winners on Monday, August 8th. :)

Useless, Really?

2011-07-28T07:24:00.003-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I read a post on a blog about the top 10 or 20 useless babyshower gifts the writer had received. It went on to bash a good number of products and their givers for their "thoughtlessness." I was left wondering how we'd gotten to the point in our lives where we think a gift is only good if we like it?

Yes, I understand that the author was (hopefully) making an attempt to be funny, but at who's expense? I assume that the individuals invited to her baby shower were family and friends and that at least some of them read her blog. I know I wouldn't be laughing if I saw a picture of my gift to her on that list. And I like to think I'm pretty understanding of other's blunders. Lol. I have enough of my own!

Sure, condoms at a babyshower are a little inappropriate (actual product on the list, no joke! Lol.), but there were peepee teepees, memory books, wipes warmers, blankets, and more as well! Honestly, I've received all of these things and loved them! Trust me, I've gotten some weird stuff too that I just wasn't into, but the person who gave it to me truly thought I would love it and use it. For that, I'm thankful. I appreciate the time that went into their gift selection and recognize that I am not entitled to gifts simply because I'm pregnant (which I'm not anymore, to be clear!).

*Jumps off soapbox with a flourish!*

That particular post got me thinking about some of the "useless items" on that list and why I loved them.

1. Wipes Warmer: These are amazing for cloth wipes and keep them nice and toasty for the wee one. Have you ever considered cleaning up yourself with an icey cold wipe? Not fun! Warm is definitely better and if someone's considerate enough to get you one, awesome! Even if you don't cloth diaper and/or are using disposable wipes, these are great. We used disposable wipes for our dear daughter and kept our wipes warmer stocked for her. Honestly, the wipes warmer was my darling husband's idea for our daughter because he just felt especially bad for her having to have a cold wipe on her bottom. Lol.

2. Blankets: Especially home-made (which some commenters mentioned below this lovely list I'm referring to)...I love getting blankets for my new babies. New blankets means I don't have to reuse the old, falling apart ones on them. I can turn them into other things! Old receiving blankets can become flats, old fleece blankets can become diaper liners, the possibilities are nearly endless. And the hand-made crochet or knit blankets are my favorite! As a knitter/crocheter myself, I know exactly how much time and energy the person has put into that gift. Each time they sat down to work on it, they thought of the baby who would be getting it. That's special.

3. Peepee Teepees: These were listed as possibly the most useless gift in history. I must beg to differ on that. Lol. These little teepees are so cute and a funny novelty gift. I actually got some for my youngest as a gift; they worked pretty well when he was really young and at the highest risk of peeing on me. If you get some and they just aren't your thing, pass them on to a pregnant friend who WILL like them!

Those are my top 3 things that shouldn't have made the "useless list." I, of course, have many more amazing gifts that I could share, but wanted to stick to the topic at hand. Who else has a great baby shower gift they want to share? What did you love about it?

Wordless Wednesday!

2011-07-27T07:10:00.000-04:00

Laundromats and Diapers and Vacations, Oh My!

2011-07-26T07:32:00.004-04:00

Last month, for the Knickernappies Giveaway, I suggested asking us questions about cloth diapering on vacation for your entry. Well, lots of you came through and I'm here today with another great question to answer!

Mrs. Smitty said..."Here's my question.. if you're planning a longer trip and will need to wash diapers at laundromats along the way, how do you plan accordingly when some laundromats ban diaper laundry?"

My first and best suggestion for a solution to this particular problem is to figure out several laundromat options before you ever leave. Go to Google Maps or Mapquest or any of the other free mapping services here on the internet and see what you can find. Call ahead, find out their hours, whether they accept diaper laundry, their prices,etc.

When you arrive, you can scout them out in person and decide which one looks and feels "right" to you. As I'm sure you're aware, some laundromats are better than others. Some are in better areas of the city/town you'll be visiting. And some just have better customer service than others.

My next suggestion is to ask around if you'll be visiting people you know. Family and friends may know a few good laundromats in their own area, you'll just have to ask. Even if they don't, they may be willing to check a couple out for you and save you that trouble once you arrive.

Finally, and this may sound obvious, remember to bring your detergent (or at least several samples!) with you to the laundromat. Using a different washer will make the diaper laundry difficult enough without adding the use of a non-CD-friendly detergent into the mix.

Have a great day everyone and we'll see you tomorrow!

Knickernappies has a new print?!?

2011-07-25T07:06:00.002-04:00

There is one print in the world that I love more than any other. It's awesomeness can be summed up in just two words: Ooga. Booga.

That's right! Knickernappies is releasing a brand new print for their diapers!!! I can't even tell you how excited I am about this! I LOVE Ooga Booga and the fact that I can get it on one of my favorite one-size diapers too is like Christmas in July!!

Check out the full story here:
http://knickernappies.blogspot.com/2011/07/knickernappies-just-released-their-very.html

Then come back and tell us if you're as excited as we are! :)

Have an awesome Monday everyone!

Fresh New Summer Colors

2011-07-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

Introducing two new colors for this summer...

Fuzzibunz just released their new Spearmint color

And, BabyKicks 3g now comes in Sunset

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-20T14:05:00.001-04:00

Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!

Re-Diaper Gives Back (repost)

2011-07-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

If you are done with cloth diapering and would like to donate your cloth diapers, Re-Diaper.com is collecting usable cloth diapers. These diapers will be used in one of two ways:

1. Distributed to low income and foster familes wanting to cloth diaper through the Diaper Loan Program. Be assured your diapers will go to someone in need. (These are diapers that are functional, but not in resale condition.)

2. Sold with all the profits sent to The Cloth Diaper Foundation. These donated diapers will be listed as such and all proceeds will be sent to the Cloth Diaper Foundation. (These are diapers that are in good enough condition for resale.)

Or you can donate directly to the Cloth Diaper Foundation. Help to keep cloth diapering going strong!

If you, or someone you know is in need and is interested in cloth diapering, you can contact Re-Diaper.com for information on the Diaper Loan Program. We work on a case-by-case basis. Not everyone will qualify for a diaper loan. A small deposit will be required to insure the diaper loan is returned after use.