Wisdom for the ages

"When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet."

Proverbs 31:21

Did you know that "Scarlet" is a form of felted wool? We have it in black and white in the Bible - God's word telling us to put our babies in woolies!!! Get started on those repurposed Butt sweaters ladies! Haha - just kidding on the last bit. But scarlet IS a form of felted wool...

When I think about this verse, a few things pop into my mind. It is a very practical verse. Surely it's application is both practical AND spiritual. Your family is protected against the physical cold & snow with the warmest fabric in existence. In the same way, your family (all of them) are protected against the storms of life with the protection of love you have rooted their foundation in.

Still, I like that God tells us to put our kids in felted wool. Mittens... Hats... Sweaters!!

Flats Challenge - Day 6!

Happy Saturday! This will be a short one since my husband are going on a date tonight!

I have fallen into a great groove with this challenge - just when it's about to be over. This morning I did a big load of diapers. It's taking a lot of time to dry them since it is so humid. 

My mom is coming over in a bit to watch Finn. I told her all about the flats and handwashing challenge. She told me all about how that was how she diapered us when we were babies. In her words: "because we were broke!" Interesting how, the previous generation used flats if they were broke (disposable diapers were a luxury). But in today's society, parents can't imagine life without their 'luxury' disposables that they just dry and reuse them? What happened?

Off to change a poopy diaper.

Flats Challenge - Friday

Last night, my husband handwashed flats in our camp washer. Our bucket washer's lid is broken now (he admitted from "vigorous agitation")... It still works and all. No problem, there's just a crack. In retrospect, I think putting tape or some kind of protection around the lid hole is a good idea.

End of the week thoughts: Whether this challenge impacts the people who were reusing disposable diapers is somewhat moot. I had a great experience so far & that is immediate and matters. As for the 'target,' (so to speak) is it that all these parents need is an education in modern cloth? Is it that they just don't care about the earth, their child's butt, etc. Or do they have 3 jobs and just trying to make things work? Who knows... probably a mix of all three and more. I chafe at categorizing people, but I have to admit, reusing disposable diapers is not smart.

I think it is a shame when people make decisions without all the facts. Maybe that is just the way I am - I like to research things, weigh the pro's and con's. Now, I don't sit with a yellow pad and do this for EVERY decision, it's subconscious at this point. But I firmly believe in looking into my options and getting educated for myself. It's just that there are a LOT of things that come up once you become a parent: diapers, feeding the baby, health (yours, your baby's), how and where to give birth, life insurance, investments, etc! It's overwhelming!!! I think we let a lot go by the wayside - just letting life get in the way (there is ALWAYS an excuse for procrastination). Don't get me wrong, I am a procrastinator... big time. I'm working on it! But what really gets me is when decisions are made without proper information. You just do it because it is what everyone else does. 'Everyone' gives birth at the hospital, uses sposies, thinks the food pyramid is the authority on how to eat right, etc. etc. etc. 

I was on Syracuse's premier local diaper store's website (Basic Baby) and the icon that corresponded with laundry is an old fashioned wash tub and board. I feel blessed to be living in an age of modern conveniences. Yay for my washing machine! Yay for my dishwasher for that matter! 

Flats work really well. Recently I have been having problems with night leakage. This week, I have had NO LEAKAGE at all! I knew that this challenge would force me to be more comfortable with flat diapers (which I had an interest in). I never thought that I'd like and appreciate them so much.

Unanswered questions: 

Each time I have handwashed the dipes this week, I keep thinking about the bucket washer - Is it safe to be washing dipes in VERY HOT water in this plastic bucket? It wasn't labeled as a safe plastic, so I'm assuming that it is not. Call me weird, but is this plastic paint bucket releasing some horrible chemicals into the diapers that my son is sitting in right now?

I am a stay at home mom. I can guess what it's like for working mom's to use flats and handwash full time, but it would be just a guess. I know what it's like to be a mom, and what it's like to work, but the two thus far have been mutually exclusive. I am curious as to the feasibility in situations other than mine.

I hear about the growing population of teen mothers - through TV, a MOPs outreach at local high schools, media, etc. I'm wondering how receptive teen mom's are to cloth diapers? It can't be easy in first place, but if a large portion of your paycheck each week is going towards poop catching - ouch! In my ideal situation, (not that teenage mothering is always ideal) these girls could buy a pack of flats and save the difference from pampers until they have enough to buy a couple of pocket diapers & use cloth full time. I know that is what I would do NOW if we didn't have enough money. Nine months ago when Finn was born? probably not. I just didn't know.

Thankful Thursday 5/26/11

I am thankful for my washing machines. When I lived in apartments in college and right out of college, I couldn't wait until I lived in a place with washing machines en suite! Well, I have lived in my house since late 2007 & I think I have forgotten that feeling.  This week handwashing diapers has given me a new appreciation for my washer!

Thankful that Finn went in the potty this morning! We have been casually practicing Elimination Communication for the past few months. I am always excited when we have a "catch," but especially this week! This morning, Finn not only peed in the potty, but he poo-d too! Which means about three less diapers for me to clean :) Happy baby, Happy mommy!

Thankful that I can have all the cute diapers that Finn needs and I wants. We are richly blessed with the means to buy many luxuries. At the same time, we (try to) have the wisdom to limit our indulgences.

Flats Challenge - Wednesday

Flats on a line!

For anyone who hasn't been following the challenge, Kim has updated her original post to include all the links to tutorials and whatnot. Take a look!

Here are the official rules:

• You MUST use Flats.
• You MUST handwash them.  How is up to you.  (bathtub, sink, large wash tub, portable non electronic washing machine, or camp style washer (bucket and plunger- think churning butter)
• You MUST air dry them.  (indoors or outdoors, makes no difference)
• You MUST limit your number of covers in rotation to 5 or less.
• You can use any detergent you want.  (Keep in mind that you still want cloth safe detergents)
• You can still use your nighttime diapers but I ask that you try to make flats work.  Maybe try a prefold wrapped in a flat.
• You can use disposable liners.
• You CAN’T use a diaper sprayer.  I thought long and hard about this one, but at an average cost of 40.00 this is one diaper accessory that is out of range for many families.  Dunk, swish, flush, or scrape!
• You MUST start the morning of May 23 and end the evening of May 30.

Finn's trying out his new water table

This morning, I did another washing. It ended up being two separate "loads." Since there were diapers from all day yesterday, PLUS he did a big poo this morning. I am SO proud to say that the Big Poo came out completely! I just rinsed the stuff off in hot water in my utility sink, then washed (cold rinse, hot wash with detergent, cold wash). It's all hanging outside right now! I figured since rain is in the forecast for tomorrow and friday, today is the day! Honestly, I felt really apprehensive about the handwashing. Not that I couldn't do it (have you seen these guns? LOL), but that I wasn't getting them as clean as a machine could. Well, getting the Big Poo out (no stains!!!!) really bolstered my confidence in the handwashing process.

Finn in his new shorties

Shorties for my Shortie

Until today, I've been using only 3 covers since my woolies have taken this long to dry. Well, I just put Finn into his blue wool shorties (with an origami folded flat underneath). So stinkin' cute! I just hope he doesn't poo in them (although I rolled the edges of the flat, it'll probably get on the sides of the cover if he poos). 

Flats challenge - day 2!

Happy Tuesday to everyone!

We had a fun second day of the flats challenge. Playdate in the morning with my MOPS crew. Little boys are mayhem!!! Finn isn't there yet, but I had a taste of what is to come I think (especially if we have any more boys!) After the playdate, Finn fell asleep in the car, so we transferred to naptime right after that - no time for a diaper change.

Well, let me tell you - I was surprised that the diaper I had him in performed so well for that whole duration! 8:30AM to 1:30PM! All I had him in was an origami folded Ikea flat with a blueberry cover. WOWZERS! who knew? the dipe was SOAKED. really wet all the way thru, but NO LEAKS!

After playing around, the FedEx man delivered some new tubby toys for meFinn ;)

Then, we met daddy at Panera Bread for some yummy dinner (thank you credit card reward points!). Finn loves panera bread's baguettes. takes after his carb LOVIN daddy... Then we went to Target to pick up a water table!

So it was kinda like Christmas for Finn - new tub toys AND a water table? He really enjoyed it.

One thing I was thinking at the start of this week - Finn had a little rash that cleared up pretty quickly with some angelbabybottombalm recently. I was worried that it would come back, but honestly - his skin looks great! I am really liking the simplicity of these flat diapers!

Monday Mission

my bucket washer setup 

this is me agitating the dipes

 Welcome to Flats and Handwashing Challenge week! This week's challenge if you care to accept, is to join me in this challenge! So I started yesterday, which was not the right day to start! oh well, looks like we're using these flats for one extra day! So let's call today the OFFICIAL day one of the challenge. I had the distinct honor of doing a bucket of laundry today...

All in all, it wasn't too bad. Here are my initial thoughts:  1. wow, kind of a workout! I think my arms will have some extra special mommy muscle at the end of the week! 2. If this was our normal mode of washing, I would probably bring my dipes to my parents house to use their washing machine once a week (assuming I didn't have one). My method: First, cold rinse and pump the plunger a few times to get the big nasties out. Then, HOT water with a scoop of cloth diaper detergent (I'm using ruby moon right now). Agitate for three minutes vigorously (this was the workout part). I actually set a timer on my watch to get the full three minutes in. next, dump out the water, press out the water from the diapers. Then a cold wash. No detergent. Just agitate for three minutes again. I decided to only wash four flats at once, so  I actually did that whole cycle twice. From now on, I'll wash everyday for the sheer fact that it's hard on my arms doing two cycles at once! Here are the dipes drying...

I hung the dipes inside since there was a threat of rain

mmm... bread!

Just to prove to ya'll that I didn't just wash and dry diapers all day... I had time to bake some tasty wheat bread, take Finn to swim class, clean up the garbage my dog ate, go for a walk, play with my son, and read him ten books.