Sling it, kid & hair for the garden

Sunday, Keagan fractured his arm (it's basically a hairline crack).  He needed a sling, and not one single store in our area had them in kid-size. After hitting up a series of stores with no luck, Keagan and I returned home with a mission.  We were going to make one ourselves!  Why didn't I think of that in the first place?

We used some camouflage fabric from a hand-me-down shirt to create this cute mini-sling.  The soft, worn t-shirt material makes it comfortable and breathable.  Perfect fit for this little boy!

Of course, having a "bum arm" hasn't slowed him down any.  He's still on the go!

Speaking of my little Keagan, as you can see, he got a major haircut! While I miss his wispy locks, I love his short hair.  (I'm a little torn- I really loved his long hair! He looks so grown up now, which is cute, but... eep! What happened to my baby?)

A while back, we learned that human hair is great for keeping certain bugs from nibbling at your garden! So, after his haircut, he got to sprinkle the trimmings throughout our plant beds!  Talk about making the most of what you've got!

Sewing Fleece Diaper Covers

Evangeline has outgrown her size one Thirsties Duo diapers.  I'd say they're pretty much my favorite because they are adjustable and blow-out resistant because of their double gussets.  They come in two sizes.  The size ones fit her comfortably from newborn to six months.  She could still fit in them at seven months (and now, at eight months), but I have to keep the inserts slim, which means less absorbency. Even though I try to take her out of diapers to the relieve herself, this doesn't always happen, especially during naps.  And, the tighter the fit, the less room to hold poo when there's a massive, um... release.

Here's the thing, folks. If you are having troubles with blow outs (whether in cloth or disposables), it may be because the diaper is too fitted against the heiny.  There needs to be a little wiggle room there, some space, really.  If the insert or the disposable is pressed tightly against the bum, there will be no where else for the poo to go... other than out the gussets.  Just a tip for those having these issues. If you keep having diaper blowouts, it's time to go up a size in diapers.

Anyway, so I decided it was time to make some new covers for Evie.  I really like Thirsties Duo Wraps, so I did purchase one in size two (which also adjusts and will last the rest of her diapering days), but I also knew that I could make my buck stretch further if I made my own.  I really like fleece diapers.  They're more breathable than PUL (which is what Thirsties and most diaper covers are made of), and they're easy to care for.  You can wash them with the rest of your wash, if you need to.  No special care.  So, if a little poo gets on them, I can toss them in with the rest of my wash, regardless of whether I'm using free and clear detergent.

They're easy to make and significantly cheaper than purchasing covers from a shop, especially if you happen to have an old fleece blanket laying around!  Let me give you the breakdown.  One yard of fabric will give you two diaper covers.  Each diaper cover is made of two layers of fleece (extra protection!).  If you purchase the fabric full price, then you are paying about $4.50 per diaper.  I never buy it full-price.  When they are on sale, each diaper comes out to $2.75.  If I buy fleece off the clearance remnant section (50% off), it costs me $2.25 per diaper.  Add in the cost of elastic (.25 per diaper, typically), and that's a pretty cheap, handmade diaper.  If I use a 10% off total coupon, well.. I can get it even a bit more cheaper.  (I shop at Joann, btw. They have great sales in store and online.)  Plain fleece is cheaper, but not by much.  If I use plain fleece, I like to use some pretty fabric to dress it up, which usually ups the cost a bit, unless that fabric is repurposed or from my scrap bin.  This diaper below probably cost me about $4.00 to make.  When I saw this delicious quilting fabric, I had to have it.  It's just too adorable!  I was a cupcake fan long before cupcakes were the "in" thing, and, believe it or not, one of my favorite colors is brown.  (I know some people think brown is a ugly color, but I love it.)

Evangeline looks so adorable in it- chunky legs and all.  She's just so sweet, I want to nibble her up!  It's been a while since I've had a chunky baby to snuggle since Keagan was super tiny.  I mean, her legs are way chunkier than his were.  He had little stick-legs.  Her body is chunkier than his was at a year!  (And I love it! I just love all those soft squishy rolls!)

 



Fleece is super comfortable. I recommend buying anti-pill fleece because it stays looking nicer for longer.  But, hey, if you have an old fleece blanket laying around, use it.  I don't have a snap press, so I just use a Snappi or pins.  I'm thinking about making a fleece cover that ties in the front.  I'll have to ponder a pattern for that one. I have an idea in mind!  There are also patterns out there for pull-up fleece covers, so you don't have to worry about snaps, Snappis, or pins.

I don't have my own pattern posted- but you can find free patterns all over the internet. A fitted diaper pattern will work just fine as a fleece cover pattern, although you may want to make your cover just a bit larger (maybe just 1/2 an inch larger all the way around).

Diapering preferences

I'm often asked which cloth diaper system and product I like the most.  There certainly are many to choose from, and, for the beginner, the choices can seem overwhelming.

We started cloth diapering because we wanted to save money.  This means my diapering system needs to be one that gets the most bang for my buck. However, I don't think I'd really stick with it if it were not for the cuteness aspect, so I do "splurge" a bit to get colors and prints I like.

With Keagan, we used one-size pocket diapers, and while I was grateful for them, I found them to be a bit of a hassle.  Later, I changed to Bummis Super Brite covers with inserts instead of using pocket diapers. I bought Keagan two covers, which will lasted us a whole day since they are wipeable and can be used over and over, unless there has been a bit of a blowout, then thrown into the wash at the end of the day. 

I had been given microfiber inserts and had bought a few more of my own, but I disliked how they held the stench and seemed to require extra attention because of this issue (more rinses, stripping, etc.).  I ended up switching to natural fibers.  Bamboo became my favorite insert. They are very absorbent and soft- much softer than cotton, actually.

I decided to use the same system with Evangeline- covers and inserts. I fell in love with Thirsties Duo Wraps. They come in two adjustable sizes. At eight months, Evangeline is now nearly out of her size ones, so I am beginning to build my size two stash which should last her until she is out of diapers.  I like that TDWs come in two sizes because the size ones will comfortably fit a newborn, where as most one-size diapers are too big and bulky on a newborn.

I purchased my first TDW size two yesterday, and she is able to wear it on the lowest snap, so I know it should accommodate her until she is diaper-free as she has plenty of room to grow.

I personally prefer the Aplix version (think Velcro) over the snaps, because the aplix not only allows me to put the diaper on quicker (my fingers fumble with snaps), but seems to make a snugger fit around her waist.

We do still use disposables, and, as I've mentioned before, we also use the method of Elimination Communication. We have found that a combination of the three work best for us.

I think pocket diapers work best for night time, especially if you have to wake up to nurse and change your baby in those wee hours. Pre-stuffing pocket diapers for this occasion makes it less of a hassle since you'll likely be quite groggy at that hour. I don't know about you, but I don't like having to fiddle with a cover and insert when all I really want to do is snuggle back under those covers!

That is the upside to pockets- if we prestuff them once they been washed and dried, they make diaper changes just as easy as disposables.  I like Bumgenius Aplix pocket diapers. A friend of mine gave me some hand-me-down BG pockets, and I love them! I also like Blueberry's pockets.... and they have some adorable prints!

I used folded up birds eye flats as inserts when Evie was a newborn. (Similar to prefolds, but with more options, since they are not "prefolded".) These are perfect for newborns. Don't be afraid to buy inserts in newborn sizes- you can always use them as a "booster insert" as your child gets older and requires me absorbency.   As I previous mentioned, I prefer bamboo inserts. That is what we mainly use now. My bamboo stash is small though, so when I run out, I use birds eye flats or prefolds.

The first taste

Our gardens aren't producing much yet, but some of our tomato plants have finally brought forth the fruit of our labor! If you've never had a homegrown tomato.... you're really missing out!

Our hanging strawberry plant is having a tough time. Every single berry that buds ends up drying out.  Our weather has been quite strange- very hot and dry... and suddenly a cold blast (with no rain).  Our city water seems to damage our plants as well. It's all been an educational lesson, though.

We have two (out of about ten) squash plants that survived (so far). Something kept munching on them until I finally sprinkled hair clippings and baby powder around.  There were three, but I tried to transplant one and.... yeah... I killed it.

I'm just thankful God was gracious enough to at least allow us a taste of our produce. It's just so amazing to be able to pluck something from my own yard and eat it. I often wonder what it would have been like in Eden.  What will it be like when Christ comes to reign in the new earth?  Am I the only one who ponders food in this manner?