new Brody pics!

Doing some Brody catch up this week--with videos and now some newer photos. yay!

Even though Brody's FAVORITE "toys" are things like cell phones and electrical cords, water bottles, and thermoses, there are still a few actual toys that will hold his attention!

He totally digs his activity table. He's really grown into too--when he first got it, his standing stamina wasn't was it is now, and after a while I would hear a panicked whimper and look to see him with his legs so straddled that he couldn't stand.

He also loves this car/walker converter he's borrowing from a friend right now. He loves using it both as a car and a walker--though sometimes he pushes the walker faster than he can actually walk and does a faceplant.

Apparently pens are also a new favorite

Proof that he does indeed smile

And of course, one of the best toys EVER, the mirror!

for manly babes

Today marks a red-letter day on Brody's and my vacation out West to see our families:

1) it is the first day I've been running this whole trip--and the ONLY reason it happened was because I didn't want to have taken up the space in my suitcase for no reason. The shoes must be used!

2) the first day I've blogged.

You know what that means? Super restful! I am LOVING all this time to get to see fam and friends--and the free, eager babysitters!! Can't wait to put up pics when I get home!

But for now, check out this manly nursery from Bower Power. Most baby rooms are either girly or pretty androgynous--hardly ever do you come across something this straight-up BOY. I love it!

I LOVE their totally boy wooden accent wall (here's how they did it). Tied for favorite with the accent wall is the Watson Creek sign they made for over the bed--she stenciled it on some planks and then sanded it down. And I've never considered animal heads my style, but good to know if you want them, ebay's got 'em all ready to be painted white!

Owls are a big theme in the other side of the nursery, so she also has this print hanging in there, which I would love to get one day! Taken from one of my FAVORITE baby books Love You Forever. I'd love to tell you I sing this song to Brody, but I don't. I just kiss his little face so hard that he starts crying. (Seriously)

Baby favorites--Months 1-6

I just discovered this really cool site called Polyvore, where you can clip photos of different products and make collages. I've seen people build outfits with it, taking clothes and accessories from different stores and getting to see them all together. Pretty cool. I haven't done that yet, but I have a bunch of friends that are having babies and trying to figure out what they need and what they don't.

Everyone's different, but here are some of my favorites so far. :)

1. The Infantino Twist and Fold Activity Gym. Brody's outgrown this now, but from 2 months till Brody was starting to sit pretty proficiently, this was awesome. In fact, it was MAGIC. When I had to get stuff done, I could just plop Brody down on this and he would entertain himself forEVER. Put him in the Bumbo, waaaah. In a bouncer, waaaah. A swing, waaaah. But he was completely fascinated by this. Also, I think it's one of the cutest activity mats, at least of ones that aren't like 80 bucks.

2. Boppy. (These aren't necessarily in order of how much I love them--just clockwise from the middle)When Brody was first born, I thought this was the most pointless baby "necessity"--I think I used it for nursing maybe twice. So it got thrown in Brody's closet and forgotten about--until he started sitting. Once he started sitting, he wasn't interested in lying on his tummy or back--but his balance wasn't all there, so he would topple and bang his head and then start screaming. The bumbo was TOO much of a cheat--plus it always made him mad after just a few minutes, but if we put a boppy behind him, he could just sit and play until he fell and then fall on something soft--and--no screaming!

3. SwaddleMe--For Brody, this was the magic sleeping tool his first 2 months....he's loved his sleep since day one, and when he was wrapped in a swaddler. You can totally swaddle in a receiving blanket, but he never stayed in those. But these velcro so he couldn't get out. And wherever he was--in a crib, on the floor, being held...he immediately and blissfully drifted to sleep as SOON as we fastened him in.

4. Kushies Polka Dot Changing Pad--honestly, it doesn't have to be this changing pad, but it's cute and I like that it can be thrown in the washer. But basically, besides the nursing cover and the diapers and wipes, it was the only thing I actually cared if it was in the diaper bag. It's not glamorous or unusual, but it's GREAT for traveling, and it's my fav for a gift stash--I just bought a bunch off Amazon, and now they're ready to give to people whenever they need it!

5. The Ergo Baby Carrier. LOVE IT. I started out with the Moby wrap when Brody was itty bitty, and it was great, but took so long to get on and tie that I always dreaded it. Maybe other people are handier with lng strips of fabric than me, but I LOVE my Ergo. It hangs from your shoulders, but also has a support band around the hip, so it doesn't put strain on your back. It's easy to snap on, Brody loves it and you can wear it as a front carrier or a backpack carrier. Also, you can use it all the way through toddlerhood...till like 35 pounds or something. BEST THING EVER.


A lot of people love the Johnny Jump Up, and I WISH I could have used it, but sadly our apartments don't have doorjambs. So no Johnny Jump Up and no chin up bar for Ellis. I loved the idea of a Johnny Jump Up cause it's so little and easy to put away and store, but oh, well. Brody is using a huge hulking Jumperoo instead, which he got for Christmas, and LOVES--it'll probably be on the next list if I make one.

Some finished things

I love using this blog as a sort of notebook to write down great ideas I want to do so I don't forget them, but then what I do forget to do is follow up and actually post the things that get checked off the list. Normally it's like turning in a paper: once I'm done, I'm DONE, and on to try and finish a few of the millions of things I've started and need finishing. But here are a couple of things that got done this fall. (these pics taken back before I got my d40)

First a blanket for Brad and Rache for Christmas. I started this in September and needed to send it off by Thanksgiving, and I think I did 3/4 of it in the last 2 weeks, when panic set in. It was a really fun pattern--I love doing blankets and just pulling them out to work on whenever I watch a movie. Fun as it was, though, I think I prefer crocheting blankets cause it just goes so much faster!



Then also finished Brody's quilt in October! Or I should say...my mom finished it. This summer I got it 95% done....but I just was not motivated to finish the last bit of the binding. But that's what's so great about moms! When Mom came to visit, she sat down and finished the binding in like 10 minutes! Thanks Mom!


The quilt is pretty much a complete copy of Purl Bee's Zig Zag Quilt, colors, fabrics, and everything. I just loved the original so much, and figured for my first quilt I would just go with what I knew I loved! Molly's tutorial on Purl Bee is super great and easy to follow, and I can't wait to make quilts for all my kids! And maybe one day this quilt:

LONG Nerdy Cloth Diaper Post

A very late Round 2 post to follow up my "Round One" one over a month ago.

We've been at the cloth diapering for almost 2 months now--it will be our two month clothiversary in exactly one week! So far we have LOVED it--it really doesn't seem like any extra work at all. It takes a little bit to get in the groove, but now both Ellis and I can change a cloth just about as quick as a disposable. The thing that takes the longest is making the decision as to what kind of diaper to put him in next. Do I slap on a prefold and Thirsties, a Best Bottom, or a Bum Genius 3.0? Although honestly, I normally just grab from which pile seems most abundant because I like to keep the piles as even as possible. ;)


Anyway, cloth diapers. My current stash consists of:
--2 Flip one-size diaper covers and 6 stay-dry inserts
--2 Best Bottom one-size diaper covers and 6 stay-dry inserts
--1 Thirsties cover, Sz. M
--1 Bummis cover (the Super Whisper Wrap), Sz. M
--3 BumGenius 3.0 pocket diapers (one-size)
----A BUNCH of prefolds (small, medium, and large)

The other thing I have--which maybe I mention this before--but it's worth mentioning 20 times because it is FANTASTIC!! But it is this diaper sprayer!



A nice and big pic so you can see just how fabulous this is! And you can even see the little illustration of how it attaches to the toilet. Anyway, this is $45 new at the Cotton Babies website, which would be totally worth it. We got ours for $30 off Craigslist. (Don't worry--it had never been opened. I guess a used toilet accessory would be kinda gross...) This is what makes cloth diapering so easy for us. It would still be easy, but the sprayer means no washing out in the toilet, which is really nice! It also cleans the diapers off faster and more thoroughly, so less stains!

Ok, real quick reviews of the diapers:


The Flip:

This was Brody's very first diaper, so I totally have a soft spot for them. Both the Flip and the Best Bottom diapers are hybrid diapers, or All-in-Twos. They have an insert that you just plop inside the cover and then when they're dirty, you just change the insert and reuse the cover. Usually what I do is switch the cover out each time and let it air out just to keep it fresh, but then I can use it at the next change. If there's a major poo that gets on the leg "gussets" (it actually doesn't have gussets--I just don't know what to call them) , and you don't have the diaper sprayer, you'll have to wash the cover. But if you have the diaper sprayer, just spray it off and let it dry! Another reason I love!

Anyway, the Flip insert is one-size, which is nice because once you have it, you have it, and you don't have to worry about ordering the next size. Also makes it cheaper. :) However, it does mean that it can be kinda chunky on a little baby, but not too bad.

The Flip is cut wider through the crotch than the Best Bottom, which makes it a little bulkier, but makes it nice and versatile! When I don't use a pocket diaper at night, double-stuffing a Flip cover (prefold and Best Bottom insert is my fav combo) is my favorite nighttime option. I love just being able to put any sort of insert in the cover and anything fits! P.S. I think they're the cutest. :)


Best Bottom:

Like I mentioned earlier, these are very similar to the Flip.

A few key differences.

1) The inserts snap in to the cover. LOVE this. Makes it easy to prep the diaper beforehand to make for a quick change OR to make it easy for someone who's not familiar with cloth diapering.

2) The inserts are sized. The disadvantage is that you have to buy more than one set of inserts, but the advantage is that they're trimmer! Also, these inserts are contoured, which I LOVE LOVE LOVE.

3) The covers have leg gussets. I haven't really noticed that gussets make a difference with regard to leaking, but they make these much easier to just wipe out and reuse after a blowout than the Flip.

4) The covers themselves are contoured, which is great for fit, but means you can pretty much ONLY stuff it with a contoured insert. Also you have to be careful about the inserts poking out the top of the cover--I like that the Flip has a little flap at the top to tuck them in.


Bum Genius 3.0


These are great too! It's like comparing apples and oranges though. You just stuff the inserts into a pocket of the diaper. Pretty similar to the All in 2 except that there's a layer of fabric over the insert as well. I love that the pockets can be "prepared" beforehand so I feel no guilt asking Ellis or anyone else to put him in one of these, haha.

This is my favorite nighttime option right now--to put in an insert and a doubler in a pocket. Works great and not near as bulky as a double-stuffed Flip.

The only thing I don't like quite as much as the All in 2's is that every time you change this one, it's done. You have to put the whole diaper in the pail. It's so nice laundry-wise to just throw the insert in the pail. But still really like these.

Prefolds and Thirsties and Bummis Covers

Honestly, I use these interchangeably with the Flip and Best Bottoms. I don't pin them or snap them or fold them in any fancy way whatsoever. I just fold them in thirds (as they are wont to go anyway :) ), fold down the top, and plop them in a cover. Super easy.

The smaller prefolds don't hold as much as the Flip/BB microfiber ones, and the larger prefolds hold a lot, but are pretty bulky too. But they are cheap and they feel so authentic and diaper-y and I love them.

As for the two covers, since they are not one-size, they are still a little big on Brody, so I've had a few leaks. But they're great covers--can't wait till he grows into them.



Hope that's helpful to people who are trying to wade through all the cloth diaper reviews and recommendations out there and who are feeling overwhelmed like I was.

Basically it helped me to realize that they all hold poop and pee and I would probably love whatever I got. There's no wrong diaper and no perfect diaper. But I love the All in Two system, because there is less laundry (and we only have a laundromat, so that was a huge factor) and it's so versatile and interchangeable. And it holds poop and pee.

Maybe Baby Food

And because I've been at home all weekend, it's the perfect time to catch up a bit on this blog. :)

My amazing friend Shaye inspired me to make baby food this summer, so I gave it a try. So far I've just been doing this with fruits and veggies we had lying around (i.e. things that were about to go bad). We mostly plan on giving Brody blended up bits of whatever Ellis and I are eating (which is exactly what this is), but it will be great for times when we're out and about and don't have a blender. Also, it just seemed like a fun experiment.

Cooking it all up

In nice little baby-sized portions

Into the freezer!

I think I got such a thrill out of this because I am not naturally organized AT ALL, and have been working really hard since being married to become that way. And projects like this make me feel like I'm playing dress-up and being super organized like so many of my great mom friends!

We'll find out how edible this is in about 5 months or so!

Cloth Diapering, Round One

This is the first of many posts to come, I'm sure.

When I first started thinking about and researching cloth diapers, I noticed something strange about a lot of the people that cloth diapered: they all seemed to approach it like a hobby. And the really weird part is that this no longer seems strange to me. I have a cloth diaper blog as one of my favorite links (All About Cloth Diapers), and I visit Nicki's Diapers multiple times a day to check their stock. Every time I get on Craigs List I do a quick search for cloth diapers. It's become a quest!

The thing that overwhelmed me at the beginning (and still does...) is the sheer variety of cloth diapers out there, and the strong but varying opinions people seem to have about them. I'd seen a bunch of people talk about investing in their system of cloth diapers, buying a whole stash of one kind of diaper. And so I thought I needed to have it all figured out beforehand, so I could buy a dozen of one kind of diaper, and overnight never need another disposable.

I've been glad to discover that that's not at all how things need to go. My friend Tamara had recommended the Flip diaper system to me, and so I decided to buy a daypack of 2 covers and 6 inserts as a starter. I bought them from a locally based online company called Diaper Junction, which has local pick-up, so free shipping. They also had a 30 day return policy so it didn't feel like quite as big a commitment, which is ALWAYS a plus for me! :)


Flips from Diaper Junction!

So I tried out the Flips and LOVED them! I also had a BumGenius 3.0 I'd picked up at a consignment shop last year, so my little stash (1 pocket diaper, 2 covers, and 6 inserts) obviously wasn't enough to last me long. So basically I've been putting Brody in cloth for a day, washing, and putting him back in disposables in the meantime. I'm wanting to switch over entirely to cloth, but for now the mixing and matching with disposables is working just fine.


Looks pretty pumped, huh?

Bee Baby

So I'm wanting to dress Brody up as a bee for Halloween since his initials are BEE. I'd love to make him a homemade costume (even if it's glaringly amateur, which it will be :) ), partly because this particular bee is $23 on amazon (for something he'd wear ONCE), and partly because I always said I'd never get my kids generic Wal-Mart costumes.

Only problem is I have no idea where to start or where to find inspiration. Has anyone seen any cute ideas for DIY kids' costumes on the web?

Baby Woot

The woot.com of baby stuff: Green Baby Bargains.

Each day at 12 PM EST they post a baby deal. Today it was cloth diapers (sold out before I saw it)....tomorrow...who knows? Check it out!