Vera Luz is turning 1 this month

What? 

Vera will be one in 17 days? 

What happened to my baby?

 I have to be honest,,, been thinking about skipping the party and totally ignoring the fact that she is turning one ( sneaky mom) I think I need 12 more months to be ready to accept that she is growing faster than I imagined.

Here are a few of my favorite shots from last month (Valentine´s Day, 47 weeks)

Hey mama

Holy Eyelashes :-O

So just to fill you in ... Vera has been walking since 10 months and 1 week, we have been practicing BLW since 8.5 months (when she started on solids) and she is working on her 5th tooth, she is all smiles and I can already tell she is going to be a talker :-)  

Peek-a-boo is pretty awesome right now and I swear she is already starting to try on my clothes. They say your kids get their personality from their Grandparents, I agree,,, she definitely has her grandmas temper (let´s just say both so to not cause mayhem). 

She seems to be in such a hurry to grow up, during my pregnancy I heard someone say that the way you enter the world has a lot to do with who you are,,,and so far , true,,,she just won´t slow down for anyone  (bitter sweet) 

In essence, she is the sweetest little girl ever created and we love her to pieces  xoxoxoxo

I feel such a connection with her, I pray that we can have a genuine relationship and I can only hope to live my life as example worthy of her following.

Giveaway from Paxbaby

For all of my babywearing friends,,, here is the link to a giveaway by paxbaby carriers.

There are lots of fun stuff ; such as, a babywearing pendant, baby legs, and even A WOVEN WRAP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Run over there and enter, it is so easy.  I especially love that you dont have to like a million fan pages !

http://paxbaby.com/10000-fan-giveaway-at-paxbaby-facebook-page/

2012

2012 has been an eye opener, it is amazing how a different perspective allows you to see things in a different way.

Moments and memories that should bring joy are exchanged for the opposite.
People you love, enemies, they can switch places with just a blink of an eye.

Who can we trust ? I know I am not the only one who at times wants to just run away from the world, to just be able to forget the hurt.

It's so hard to forgive 7 x 70, like God wants us to. Or to forgive and forget, just like Him.

The truth is, we CANT trust anyone in this world. We can only trust God.

Phil. 4:6-9

:-)

So much has happened since I last posted ... If you didn´t notice, the last belly picture I posted was upside down :-Z thanks to my wonderful phone app.
Ivan is getting huge, Vera is already 10 weeks YOUNG and a thousand other things.....
heads up for a labor story soon :-)

36 Weeks people

Where has this pregnancy gone?

Struggles

2011 was full of ups and downs, triumps and failures ... and a lot of blessings. Although we have struggled financially, the Lord has come through for us EVERY TIME.  We have not gone hungry, we are not on the streets, and we have clothes on our backs.  It can be hard to accept help from other people, especially when its more than once.
As a parent I feel that the hardest part for me is the feeling that I have lost  authority over my child.
What he eats depends mostly on what is given to us, what he wears is dictated by someone elses taste, and lots of other little things that all add up....  I realize that in many situations, I do not feel comfortable doing something or giving my son something, but since "Beggars can't be Choosers" somehow I feel impotent, like I can't say NO, or I think "Maybe next time, they will ask first".
I was a bit discouraged the other day, and even though I don't like sharing discouragement with others, I mentioned it to my sister. I couldn't really explain in words  how I was feeling, but she knew exactly what I was talking about. Now, I know that the only person making me feel that way was ME, and I was allowing the devil to use my feelings and situation to sow seeds of resentment and hurt ... But sometimes, it is nice to hear something you already know from somebody else (It always makes more sense).
She reminded me once again that God answers prayers. If I have a need, he fulfills it. She also reminded me that I AM THE MOM, and no matter what, I have the final say when it comes to Ivan (Of course daddy does too).
I know this post is a little out of the ordinary... Have you ever felt the same way ? Did you allow yourself to stay in the dumps ? What did you do to snap out of it ?
Here is a promise.
Phil. 4:19

New Blogger App.

Test post ;-) Lets see how this works.
I just downloaded the blogger app on my phone and am curious as to how the final layout will be.

What to Get for New Baby ???

We have been blessed to be surrounded by people who love us.  Many of you have already given us presents for our new princess, and others have asked how they can help.

What do we need ...

Well as you know we are a cloth diapering family.  Cloth Diapering our baby will help us save a lot of money; there is however an initial start-up cost. On that note, we would be more than happy to receive any help offered to the cause :-)

To give you all an idea of what we would like and need, I have created a gift registry at Kelly´s Closet, one of my favorite online diaper stores.

If you would like to check out what we registered for (whether or not you plan on purchasing) here is the link:

Give the gift that keeps on giving:
 gift registry

I know from experience that friends and family ask you what you need and when you mention cloth diapers,,, it goes in one ear and out the other, so I am taking a huge leap here :-) I hope that if you are a cloth diapering family, that everyone will chip in for you too !!! 

2011 Tag Time

Rules :

1. You must post these rules.
2. Each per­son must post 11 things about them­selves on their blog.
3. Answer the ques­tions the tag­ger set for you in their post, and cre­ate 11 new ques­tions for the peo­ple you tag to answer.
4. You have to choose 11 peo­ple to tag and link them on the post.
5. Go to their page and tell them you have linked him or her.
6. No tag backs.
7. No stuff in the tag­ging sec­tion about ‘you are tagged if you are read­ing this.’ You legit­i­mately have to tag 11 people.

11 Things about Me 

1. I look younger than I really am (In my opinion) so unless I get all dolled up I am pretty sure people wonder ¨Is that her kid or is she just the pregnant babysitter ?¨

2. I love color, I had a rainbow belt that I wore the last few years of high school, not because I was trying to be a gay rights activist, the first week I got a few questions, I wore it because I LOVED IT.

3. I also love black and dark tones... I like to consider myself a versatile person.

4. I feel comfortable wearing tie dye, flowing skirts, and my awesome beach hair (which takes me almost an hour to achieve) -or- a ball gown, business suit and stilettos... once again VERSATILE

5. I don´t consider myself an awesome chef, but I have to say that pretty much everything I make tastes awesome! my husband agrees :-) I think my forte is pasta, and cookies.

6. I have a flexible personality, but when it comes to my child(ren) I am realizing more and more that I am NOT... I have a certain way I want things to be done with them and when I see or hear someone else doing differently (especially w/o consulting me first) my blood boils :-) in a nice way of course.

7. I have been described as  ¨Silent but Deadly¨ ... I am not sure to agree or disagree.

8. Every time I go to Denny´s you can be sure that I will order Chicken Strips.

9. I hate hearing curse words !!!!!!! I admit, there are times when a few have crossed my mind and I really felt like spitting them out,,, and I am not saying that I have never said one,,, but please, is it necessary to use one in every sentence in a movie. Vocabulary people ... expand it ! 

10. I feel like a boxed in artist most of the time.  If I had the space, time and resources I would make everything I own, clothes, food, furniture and art :-) Don´t think this means that I don´t enjoy buying things other people have made.

11. I don´t like kids. I love mine, and a handful of others, but no, I don´t want to babysit yours :-) 

*** Bonus for 2012 ***

12. I believe in giving people the benefit of the doubt and having patience with others.

Shirley´s (Golden Dreemz) Questions for me

1.  If you won the lotto, what are the top three things you would use the money for? 

- After giving my Tithe and putting a fraction of it into a savings account that would acquire some interest.  I would #1 BUY A HOUSE with a yard :-) #2 Open an online store and  #3 I would go crazy and splurge !!!! 

2.  What was the best gift you gave this Christmas?

- This Christmas was very tight financially, nothing new, So everything we gave was handmade, I really enjoyed making each and every one.

3.  What was the last thing that made you laugh hard?

- I don´t remember what it was, but I was talking on the phone with my sister... we always have a good laugh about something.

4.  What is your favorite recipe or food?

- ICE CREAM, If I  could eat it every day, I would. seriously. The other day I thought that being an ice cream food critic would be a pretty cool job, but than I realized that I would have to eat all different flavors and weird combinations, so that wouldn´t work out.  I like to stick with vanilla, strawberry and cookies n cream :-) Oh my soul ... I could I can eat a whole container of Eddy´s Cookies-n-Cream .... I am drooling right now because I haven´t had any since June.... Why Spain? why don´t you have the one thing I love ????????????

5.  What do you do when you're stressed and need a moment?

- Since I am a SAHM (Stay at home Mom) if I am the only adult around, there aren´t many options... Usually I just go get some fresh air, or take an extra long shower or read. 

6.  What are you working on for self-improvement in 2012?

- I am going to work an speaking my mind and not being such a push over (in the right situations of course, I am not talking about being rude and disrespectful to others). I have realized that I have certain bottled up feelings toward people, and it is because I do not always tell them how I feel about something.

7.  What happened in 2011 that you will definitely do again in 2012?

- I will enjoy God´s Creation more... Since college and working and having a baby, i don´t get out into nature much, but I love it.  It is such a breath of fresh air in comparison to the hustle and bustle of life.

- And I will take even more pictures ... I did better in 2011 than the previous year, but I can definitely improve.

8.  What won't you do again in 2012?

- I won´t worry about what is out of my control

 

9.  What is your favorite blog post of 2011 on your blog? 

- I would have to choose My Long Labor and Delivery Story, I am glad I took the initiative to write down a very special memory.

10.  What is your favorite blog post of 2011 on someone else's blog?

- I honestly don´t have an answer to this question.  I have read so many amazing blog posts this past year.

11.   Do you believe we'll still be here by the end of 2012?  Or are the Mayans right?

- I believe that the world will be over when God decides. It can be any day now,,, So as much as I would love to be certain I will live to meet my great grandchildren, I know that It can be any moment, so I will take advantage of NOW !!!

My Questions to those I have Tagged

1. If you could do something different with your life( ex. same family and friends but different job) what would it be ?

2. Why do you blog ?

3. What do you spend most of your time doing ? honestly ?

4. What is your favorite fruit and vegetable ?

5. What Country or place  (ex. the amazon river) would you be afraid to visit and why?

6. What do you do when you are nervous (fiddle with fingers, clear throat) ?

7. Do you think you could spend one week without the following: Phone (home or cell), internet, computer, T.V., Radio ? Or would you have a nervous meltdown ? 

8. What were the last 3 books you read in 2011 ?

9. What do you like most about yourself ?

10. How do you feel about Morning Breath Kisses ? I vote NO, but I know there are many out there that think it is cute... please explain 

11. Do you reference Google on a daily basis ?

Who am I tagging ???

I have never tagged anyone before, and most of the time I wonder if I am writing to myself or if people are actually reading my posts :-)  soooo 

1. Rachel from el patito preciocito

2. Stephanie from Our Journey of God´s Faithfulness

3. Confessions of a ¨Martha¨

4. Mariana from lennyandmariana... two american kids growing up in mexico

5. Lucy from heavenandhelenna

Sorry I am not fulfilling the ¨11¨  :-)

But 5 are better than none right !

Happy 2012

¡Ay! Que Alivio

During my first year of college, first semester to be exact, I wrote a paper for my ¨Español 101¨ Class... not my favorite class... but I am very proud of my paper.  I keep a copy of my one page paper with my New Testament, and yesterday it occurred to me to post it here :-) Hey, I only have one copy and if I lose it, I will not be a happy camper.

I apologize ahead of time to any readers who are not fluent in Spanish.  Here it is :

¡Ay! Que Alivio

¿Podria ser? ¿Es posible? ¿Como sabia este hombre lo que estaba pasando?  Hablaba, y cada uno de sus palabras eran contestaciones a mis preguntas.  Era como si alguien estuviera ultrajando mi mente.  Contestaba lo que sentia.  Lo que desde hace mucho tiempo me estaba inquietando.  Se que lo hice.  Todavia me acuerdo cuando lo hice.  De hecho, es algo que nunca podre olvidar.  Yo entendia exactamente lo que estaba haciendo.  Era muy joven, pero yo entendia, hasta te puedo explicar exactamente como fue, aunque, ultimamente, he tenido dudas.  Algo o alguien estaba causando pensamientos de inseguridad.  Sus palabras eran como una espada, apuñalando mi corazon.  Sentia conviccion y a la misma vez, una cotestacion a mi duda.  De repente senti una necesidad, una necesidad de pasar al frente, pero mis pies no se movian.  Senti temor de lo que fuera a pensar la gente.  No me movi, mi cuerpo empezo a temblar y no sabia porque, pero me imaginaba que tenia algo que ver con lo que iba a pasar.  No aguantaba mas, queria estar cien por ciento segura, queria borrar esa duda. Respire profundamente, me pare de mi asiento, baje las escaleras, y me dirigi hacia el frente.  Alli me encontre con una joven de la iglesia, el altar estabe lleno, vi que no era la unica con el deseo de librarme de mis dudas.  Me llevo a un rincon al lado del altar, le explique lo que me estaba pasando, y ella me enseño como podia estar cien por ciento segura.  Alli mismo, cerre mis ojos e incline mi rostro, y oramos juntas.  Inmediatamente senti un alivio, mi carga desaparecio, no quedaba ni una sola duda en mi mente.  ¡Yo sabia! Despues de muchos años de inseguridad, yo estaba segura de mi salvacion.

It´s the Little Things that Matter

Now this is something that I truly appreciate !!! 

I know that a certain few of you would too :-)

Why Cloth Diaper ???

I recently surveyed a few of my Facebook ¨Mama Friends¨, I wanted to know if they would consider cloth diapers, If they had no interest at all, or if they wanted to know a little more about it.  Well the results are as expected. The yes and nevers were equal, and a few mamas wanted to know more about cd´s.
How exciting :-) Together there were more mamas who would cloth diaper and mamas who wanted a little more info, than those who said no!

Lets get started

There are many reasons parents choose to cloth diaper their child/ren. 
The Top 3 are:
1.Cost Saving
2.Health
3.Environment

Cost 
Disposable
It is estimated that a baby will need @6,000 diapers during his first 2 years of life.
Lets say a baby uses 60 diapers a week at an average cost of @ .23 (store brand) per diaper, 60 diapers a week at .23 is $13.80,  multiply that number by 52 (weeks in a  year)   $13.80 x 52 = $717.60. Multiply the product by 2.   $717.60 x 2 = $1,435.20.
That is how much it will cost to diaper your child for 2 years, and hopefully your child is an overachiever and potty trains by age 2 (some do).
If you decide to have more than 1 child than multiply the that number by however many kids you do have.


(Keep in mind that as your baby gets bigger his diaper size will too, the price may stay the same as size 1 diapes, but the amount of diapers you get, will go down) 

That is a LOT of money !!!!!!!!!


Cloth 
You can go the most economical route, or you can go all out with cloth diapers.  Since we used a store brand for the estimated cost of disposable diapers, I am going to be using prefolds in our cloth comparison (second to cheapest option).


Prices of prefolds and covers can vary depending on brand and if you buy new or pre-owned.


To make things simple take the Econobum brand by Cotton Babies (The makers of Bumgenius) It is a great way to diaper your baby for less with a trusted brand name product.
A pack of 12 onesize prefolds, 3 onesize covers and 1 wetbag only costs $48.95. If you buy 3 (enough to wash every 3 days) you can diaper your child from birth to potty training for only $146.85.

(Keep in mind that as your child grows out of the newborn stage, he will most likely not be needing 12 diaper changes a day, so you can even get by with only 2 packs of the econobum and diaper your child for under $100)

Plus cloth diapers can be used on multiple children. I would add about $50 to the total for extras or replacements per extra child.  We will just round up to $200

So cost wise, it is a wise choice to use cloth, it is VERY healthy for your wallet :-)


Health
Disposable
It sounds kind of funny to say ¨Ingredients¨ when talking about a diaper, a diaper should be simple; however, when it comes down to what goes into the process of making a disposable, they are anything but simple.
Here are some of the ¨Active Ingredients¨ found in each disposable.


Per diaper: 
one cup of crude oil  - the plastic
four trees - the liner
chemically bleached non-woven fabric - the filler
sodium polyacrylate - a superabsorbent polymer gel added to the filler
adhesives and a soup of toxic chemicals, all fused together.


Disposable Diaper Ingredients
NBC12 covers diapering


It is almost impossible to live a completely toxic free lifestyle, but we can make better choices, especially when it comes to our little ones.


Cloth
There are various options available in modern cloth diapers. The materials used can be all natural; such as, organic cotton, hemp, bamboo or some people prefer using microfiber or Zorb inserts.  Either route, anything that touches your babies precious skin is soft and fluffy, no need to state ´cloth-like¨on the box... IT IS CLOTH !!!


ENVIRONMENT 
Disposable
Most people don´t think much about this, but disposable diapers take hundreds of years to break down. They say it takes from 250 - 500, and seeing as disposable diapers have only been on the market for a little over 50 years, that means, the first disposables are still intact, with fecal matter wrapped tightly inside, somewhere in a landfill.
Over 92% of single use diapers end up in landfills, and even though the instructions on the packaging states that all fecal matter should be flushed down the toilet before disposing of the diaper,,,lets be real here, how many moms do you know really take the time (have the time) to do that ??? I know I didn´t    :-Z


Our landfills can only hold so much, they are getting pretty ¨full¨and disposable diapers play a major part in their contents.

Cloth
Even though many people may argue that the water it takes to wash your cdiapers causes more of an impact on the environment... there is not a whole lot of research to PROVE it... and in my opinion, using water causes a lesser impact than throwing garbage into the ground :-)


To wrap up this LOOOONG post, using cloth is smart for your pocket, good for your babies health, and better for the environment.

Kitchen Breakdown :Z

At least twice a week I have what I like to call ¨A Kitchen Breakdown¨.

One of the challenges of living here, is living in a compact place :-) Hey, it could be worse, we could be on the streets.

It can be very frustrating ... Just a few dishes in the sink makes it look like a wreck. It is sometimes a hassle to cook since only one burner really works (The other one works, but it is a less than ¨simmer¨ setting)

So, as inspiration to remind me not to feel overwhelmed when I am having one of those moments... here are some pictures of my ¨Clean¨ kitchen :-)

Cloth Diaper Care

So how do you wash  and care for a cloth diaper anyway ?
Most people assume that washing cdiapers has to be rocket science... IT´S NOT !!! trust me.

For regular changing...
If the diaper is wet all you need to do is remove the insert (If you are using pockets) and place everything in your wet bag or diaper pail.

If the diaper is dirty and the poop is ¨plopable¨, than plop it into the toilet and place the diaper in the pail.  If the poop is not ¨plopable¨ than you remove as much possible (diaper sprayers come in handy right about now),  remove the insert, and place the diaper in the pail.


The basic wash routine is...
1. Cold Rinse - Rinsing your diapers out before the wash will remove any excess waste you were unable to get.  Be sure you use COLD water, or else you will just end up baking the waste into your diapers.

2. Hot Wash with detergent - Obviously this is the wash cycle,,, it washes your diapers :-)

3. Cold Rinse - An extra rinse will make sure that all the soap has been rinsed out of your diapers... you don´t want any build-up or else you might run into leaking and repelling.

I recommend starting off with this simple routine.  If you run into any issues, than tweek it to suit your needs....

For example.  Ivan is now a toddler and he eats a variety of different foods. When a persons diet changes, so does his waste, no different with toddlers. On diaper laundry day, I was noticing an amonia smell coming from the diapers. I had never had this problem before. So I decided to just strip my diapers (More on this later) to see if maybe I just had some detergent build-up. It worked for about 4 days, and once again I was smelling amonia.

I did a little research and found that this is a normal occurence with toddlers. Also it was summer time, and heat causes a quicker chemical reaction with urine... It turns it into amonia faster.  No wonder I was having amonia problems, the hook I hung my wet bag on was getting direct sunlight for atleast 7 hours a day. Now sunlight is great for diapers,,,CLEAN DIAPERS, not dirty diapers.

So after I did another soak and got rid of the amonia smell, I changed up my washing routine...

MY CURRENT WASH ROUTINE

1. Every night, no matter if it´s wash day or not, Dirty diapers go into the washer for a COLD rinse cycle, this way I can make sure that as much urine is removed from the diapers between wash days.

2.  I store the diapers in a dark place - THE BATHROOM, and I dont close the bag. You probably think I am crazy not to want to shut the bag and lock all the smelliness in... But really, the more air is circulating through your diapers, the less smell you have, and since they are rinsed out... You really can´t smell them

WASH DAY
1. Cold rinse

2. Hot Wash with detergent

3. Hot wash without detergent

4. Cold rinse - If I have the time, If not I skip this step

So far so good, I have been able to keep the amonia away for a whole month :-)


*****
Striping your diapers...

Ever so often maybe, once a month or every few months, you should strip your diapers :-)
Overtime, diapers will get a little detergent build-up, you might notice a little stink after cleaning, or even some repelling.  This problem has a simple solution. STRIP YOUR DIAPERS:

TO STRIP YOUR DIAPERS

After you have cleaned your diapers, using your regular wash routine.

1. Put them in the bathtub, top loading washing machine, or in my case, Ivans big orange bath tub :-)

2. Add 2 Tbsp. of your detergent... I recommend Rockin´Green (I use this detergent and it smells soooo yummy)

3. Fill with HOT water,,,VERY HOT

4. Let the diapers soak for at least 1 hr. I recommend letting them go overnight.

5. Run a few hot wash cycles until you see no more suds.

6. Enjoy your fresh diapers :-)

This Weeks Favorites

While cleaning up the kitchen yesterday, I noticed Ivan was being really quiet , so I peeked around the corner to see what he was up to...

He loves his Dr. Suess book

Getting a closer look,,maybe if it wasn´t upside down it would be easier to read

Pretty edited picture.. without diaper laundry hanging over the side of the crib :-)

Big News !!!

We are expecting Baby #2 in April of 2012 :-)

Here is a week 14 belly shot ;-P

Excuse the clothespins on the curtain, It was pretty early inthe morning.

Breastfeeding in Public... Yeah or Nay???

We have been living in Spain for almost a year now.  Last year we arrived right at the end of summer, so this was our first ¨European Summer¨.  Most people think that Puertorican´s don´t wear enough clothes, but they have no idea what they are talking about.

I am ready for this summer to be over, not only because it has been scorching hot, but becasue I am so sick of seeing topless and naked people (So much that I close my eyes while I take a shower... just kidding !!!) I think I have seen every type of boob out there... white, black, pale, tan, huge, microscopic, wrinkly, taught, old, young... the list goes on and on.

When I just so happen to glance at a naked adult, it really just makes me want to gag. I think that what really ticks me off is when I see kids running around naked. I know that the excuse is ¨There just babies, it doesn´t matter¨ ... YES it does !!! It´s not like you are in the privacy of your own home, your out in public. The other day there was a boy that could´t be younger than 7 years old stripping down right in front of me, what in the world !!! It seems like people have forgetten to teach their children the importance of decency.
I have been told that I will grow accustomed to it... I hope that I never do.

Okay,,, so lets get back on track,, sorry, I needed to vent.

Breastfeeding in public is a touchy subject. Ever since the invention of the bottle, many people have come to the conclusion that there is no longer any need to breastfeed a baby anywhere else than your home.
Having the convenience of bottles has not only discouraged the act of breastfeeding, it has also encouraged formula feeding. Hey, why take the time to nurse your baby, when you can prepare a bottle and ask your mom or hubby to feed baby.

Bottles can be used in conjunction with breastfeeding.  Many moms have to, or choose to return to work after having their baby.  I admire moms who go to work everyday.  I have to be honest and say that I HIGHLY admire those that decide to continue to breastfeed and pump breastmilk while at work.  It is a job on its own, not only the time that it takes to actually pump milk, but the storage, cleaning, steralizing, and packing ... it all takes time.

There are also times when a breastfeeding mom, needs to go out for a few hours, run a few errands, or just have some alone time. A bottle can be a ¨sanity-saver¨ . The sticky situation in this case can be a baby who doesn´t want to take a bottle :-) Breastfed babies can be very picky, I think they are smart, They want the real thing !!!

My son was a picky one, and it wan´t until he was past the 8 month mark that he grew out of it.  We tried a few bottles, including but not limited to... Milk bank, breastflow, avent, soothie, the bottles that came with my medela pump...which in the end, he didn´t mind.  Finally I splurged and payed 18 dollars for the  mimijumi, very hungry baby bottle... and it worked for us for the few times that we needed to bottle feed.

I love the packaging...If I remember correctly , on the side of the box it says, my mommys milk :-)

So cute, I really don´t know why I didn´t keep it :-Z

 Okay... once again, back on track.

The big debate,,, breastfeeding in public, yeah or nay? covers? no covers? nursing rooms? anywhere you want? discreet nursing? whiping the boob out?
There are so many diferent ways that moms manage to nurse their little ones in public. which at times can be very tricky :-) especially if your baby is fidgety.

I think that one of the reasons why it is such a big deal, is because we live in an unbalanced world.

I am a Christian and I believe that God created us all with a purpose, everything about us (our body) has a purpose as well.  When it comes to breast, they are dual purposed ;-) One of those purposes is most definitely asthetic (beauty, sexual, pleasing to the eyes).The other one is nurturing (to feed and console our baby) The imbalance comes when we fail to recgonize the dual nature of the boob.

Now, it is my opinion that the first purpose of the boob, was the asthetic ... God created Adam, put him in the Garden of Eden and when he saw that it was not good for man to be alone, he created him a help meet, EVE !!! (Here it comes) and when he saw her,,he said WO- MAN !!!  I had to put the joke in there ... Well I have no idea what he said or how he felt.  But I am pretty sure that he really liked what he saw, hey where did you think Cain and Abel and the rest of humanity came from.  Obviously, once Eve had her children, she breastfed them (boob purpose number 2).

The Bible is very clear about the fact that we are supposed to be modest in the way that we behave and dress.  I believe that this principal should be carried out in every aspect of our lives.  Yes, even when it comes to breastfeeding.

Just to fill you in, my son is almost 20 months old and he has not yet weaned.  He pretty much eats most foods you give him (everything a 1.5 year old can eat)  so we don´t nurse much in public anymore. If you haven´t read my recent post about Nursing in public , Oh The Places you will nurse... Move over Dr. Suess, than click on the link now. I have nursed many places, and I am about 95% sure that I have managed to do so in a modest way, WITHOUT COVERING UP MY CHILD.  If nursing covers are your thing, well than go for it. Covers never worked for us, I bought a really cute one and had to return it because the second I put it on, Ivan looked like he was having a panic attack :-) It was a little funny.

I am sure that many , if not most people don´t believe the way I do about nursing in public... and that is okay.

-Do I think that you should just whip out your boob and nurse your baby in front of everyone present? personally... NO. Would I give a bad look, and mock or bad talk a mom who does...NO.  I would probably defend her right for feeding her child. Hey, some woman can manage to do that without anyone knowing, I on the other hand have been very well endowed and believe me, It isn´t as pretty when your boob is bigger than your baby´s head ;-)

-Do I think that if there is a Nursing room provided than you should nurse there?  No, I think that Mom and baby should have the liberty to nurse where they please.



Breastfeeding is a natural thing and our unbalanced world needs to balance itself out. I think that Nursing moms play a big part in this. Lets face it, not everyone wants to see boobs, not every mom wants people seeing their boobs ... me ! and some people could care less. It´s ironic how most of those who don´t agree with public nursing, don´t mind lingerie adds ... which sometimes show even more skin.

The important thing is that we respect eachother. Which means, people around nursing moms, don´t stare, don´t give bad looks, don´t invade their space... just let them feed their baby. Nobody likes being stared at while they are eating.  Moms, respect the fact that others also have rights.  The world we live in is getting further and further away from modesty, breastfeeding is a beautiful thing; unfortunately, some people don´t realize it.  Let´s help them remember.

This Weeks Favorites

At the Park 

Cute stuff <3

Types of Cloth Diapers

I am going to start from the most basic (Old Fashioned) and work my way up :-)

Flats
Flat Diapers are pretty much a sheet of fabric. One ply. Quick dry time and the most cost effective you can get. So cost effective, you can even make them out of an old bed sheet or t-shirts that you already have.
Flat diapers fit a range of sizes, you just need to learn how to fold it onto your baby.  You can use either a snappi or diaper pins to secure it onto your child. Flat Diapers are not water proof and NEED a cover if you want them to be.

flat diaper

One of many flat diaper folds

Prefolds
Prefolds cost just a bit more than Flats. They were created to make the diapering process simpler, less folding than with flats, because they have less material. They have multiple layers, with more absorbancy in the wet zone.  They are reffered to as 2x6x2, or 4x6x4 etc. which means that a 4x6x4 has 4 layers on the left, 6 layers in the center, and 4 layers on the right. This is a very popular option, especially for newborns, who go through what feels like millions of diapers a day, and pretty much anyone who wants to diaper the cheapest way without so much folding.  You can find pre-folds in walmart and people use them as burp cloths. Your best bet is to buy on-line !!! gerber isn´t known for there quality prefolds, so don´t waste your time or money.
Prefolds are not water proof and NEED a diaper cover if you want them to be.

Prefold fastened with a snappi

Chinese Prefolds

Fitted Diapers
Fitted Diapers have the shape of an easy diaper (aio) but are not water proof, the whole thing is made out of absorbent material; making this a good idea for nighttime diapering. They sometimes have closures, but most likely won´t, you can use a snappi or diaper pins to fasten onto your baby. Another option is to just put a cover on top, this really takes care of the fastening onto your baby part and you wont need to use pins or snappi. Fitted Diapers are not water proof and NEED a diaper cover if you want them to be.

Fitted Diaper

Fitted Diaper

Diaper Covers
A diaper cover is what you place over the prefold, flat, or fitted diaper to add a water proof outer. Diaper covers are usually made out of one of 3 materials. PUL, fleece, or wool. PUL being the cheapest and wool usually the most expensive. They can all be used more than once (as long as they haven´t been soiled with you know what). PUL comes in either velcro or snap closures, fleece and wool are usually the pull up type, but ocassionally fleece covers have velcro or snap closures.

Fleece Cover

Wool Cover

PUL Cover

Pocket Diapers
Pocket Diapers are quick and easy. They consist of 2 parts, The water proof outer with a lining and  opening (either in the front or back) and the insert. Pocket diapers come with either velcro or snap closures  Pocket diapers are a convenient way to diaper your baby. They are quick drying and are very easy to use, no folding or pinning, just fasten onto your baby.

Pocket Diaper

All in One
The AIO diaper is the most convenient diaper out there. They are the most similar to there disposable counterparts. there is no stuffing the insert into the pocket, no pinning the diaper onto baby, no folding, no cover needed.  AIO´s are a one step diaper. You simply fasten the diaper onto your baby and Voila,  thats it !!!

All in One diaper

All in One Diaper

There are other variations to each of these categories, but this is the most general explanation I can give. Let me know if you have any questions.

Cloth Diapers ??? what? how ?

Lately I have been getting a lot of questions from friends and family about cloth diapers... How do you use them? What type of diaper is that? How about washing them? So, this is what I am going to do...

I am going to write a few posts about the basics... this way, I won´t have to write and re-write the same information for multiple people ( Not that I mind... It is my pleasure to help out,,, this will just make it quicker and easier for everyone ).

Topics I wil be covering :

1. What is a cloth diaper and the different types of cloth diapers
2. How do I care for my cloth diapers
3. Updated cloth diaper stash ( my diapers,,, favorites and not so favorites)
4. Cloth diaper accesories
5. Why you should really consider cloth diapering

This list may change :-)
stay tuned ...