But what about the Poop...

.... is the biggest question I get when we tell people that we cloth diaper. That and "Oh no that will never last, you'll buy regular diapers soon". Oh, oh, and "I could never touch poop it would make me gag."

Lets be real, when you think of cloth diapers you think of the pins, and diaper services, and 1952. Cloth diapers have come such a far way from then. When Magoo was born I toyed with the idea of doing cloth diapers. But in the end we did what was "easier". I kick myself every day when I think of the money that we literally threw away, covered in poo. Instead of it being washed and reused. To be fair and honest we didn't have an apartment with laundry in the unit until I was 8.5 months pregnant with Magoo, and had already purchased "sposies" at that time. And we didn't know ANYTHING about it. My brother in law was doing cloth for his daughter at the time but we were young and didn't now any better. We do now, and would never go back.


Why did we decide to cloth Chipmunk? Well that's really easy to explain, we were trying to find any way we could save money with having 2 kids that we would be putting in daycare. Between life bills and daycare, adding an additional $200 or more a moth in diapers was not in the cards. We needed to find a way to make it all work, and that's when I really started doing my research into cloth diapers. Also they are so fa-reaking adorable!

Is it hard to Cloth diaper?
    Nope! Its just doing another load of laundry. Now of course there can be hiccups when it comes to washing your cloth diapers. For instance you need to check if you have hard water, and you need to have a good washing routine. Without a good wash routine  you will not love cloth diapers. They will stink, or they wont hold in the pee and poo anymore. You can strip your diapers, they tell you not to do it too often because it will bread down the diapers. We bought some pre-loved diapers. I did a bleach soak on them in cold water, then in HOT water I rinsed them off. Threw them in the washer on HOT and did a wash. They are basically brand new. If you really think about it, its not hard. Its just another load or two of laundry a week. I don't know about you, but Id rather pay slightly more for electricity. Instead of paying an extra 200.00 or more a month for something you're only going to throw away. I'm going to be completely honest here. We were gifted disposable diapers, and we used disposable diapers in the hospital. I was SCARED to switch from what I knew and was used to, to trying something new that no one else in my circle of family or friends used. But we weren't buying disposable diapers so I had to suck it up and use the diapers we had.
But really, what about the poop? So I breastfeed Chipmunk, because well again the price was right.(I am going to do another post all about our nursing journey soon, so stay tuned.) And EBF (Exclusively Breast Fed) poop is completely water soluble. Which means I just throw it in the washer, do a pre wash with half a cap of  laundry detergent, then a full wash with 1.5 caps of detergent in HOT water. and its all gone. We have no stinks at all. We do have one or two diapers that stain, but let me tell you the BEST stain lifer we have ever used and it was completely free.... the Sun. Yep we just pulled a diaper out of the washer and then laid it out in the sun and BOOM all the stains were gone. it was amazeballs! Once she is on solids we will plop the poop in the toilet and flush it away just like  everyone else does with their poop.

Why buy the fancy ones if you're going to cover them? Well, what do your underwear look like? Its pretty much the same thing. Only her cloth diapers can double as pants. once she is bigger ill throw on some baby legs (if you know where I can get any, leave me a comment) and a t shirt and she will be good to go. Right now if she's not in jammies or a onesie she's just in a diaper. Let me tell you, I read about the clot diaper addiction, and was like yeah... ok.... sure you are addicted to buying them. IT HAPPENS. I am currently on the hunt for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. She needs to have holiday diapers. I also am looking to get away from using pockets as much and want to use some AIO's (all in ones). There are different types and fabrics to use, and inserts, and then there are flats and covers. There is so much to talk about when it comes to Cloth diapers. I never would have imagined in a million years that I would be blogging about cloth dipers, but here I am. I plan to do another post on the different types that we have used and which ones are my favorites and why, so stay tuned for that as well!

Okay I think I have bored you all to death gone on long enough about why we use cloth diapers and what we do with the poop. If you are thinking about doing cloth diapers for your kids DO IT, you wont regret it. Even if your family turns their noses up to it and they tell you " you'll never be able to do it, you'll be using regular diapers within a week" keep with it just to show them they are wrong.

If you are interested in having Chipmunk as a brand rep for your diapers leave me a comment!

Chipmunk is 3 months....

...Wait... How did 3 months go by SO FAST?!

There is a good portion of me that wants to cry at the fact that my squishy little baby is not a squishy little baby anymore, I cant do it. She growing into herself and her little personality is coming out more and more. I absolutely ADORE IT!

 I looked at her the other night and the teeny tiny little baby chipmunk, and that newborn look in her face is gone. She an infant now...

Lets be honest here. Between her and her brother she is a SLEEPING champ! Magoo was up ALL THE TIME. Chipmunk wakes up MAYBE twice a night. Eats like a champ, and is back to sleep. None of this being awake for hours on end. My girl likes her sleep.

Now watch, I said that she is a sleeping champ. She will be up the next week in the middle of the night. Just to prove to me that after 2 kids, I shouldn't praise their sleep.

I wish I had these for the first 2 months, (And Magoos first year.. lets not talk about it). But here's what I want to remember about Chipmunks 3rd Month...

Weight: 12 1/2 pounds (as of 9/4/18)

Length: 22 3/4 inches (as of 8/30/18)

Hair: starting to thicken up in the front. Its starting to get longer in the back. She loves to paly with it when she's eating.

Eyes: Are so blue! And keep getting lighter, we are hoping she keeps the blue.  Her eyelashes are long as ever and are so precious!

Clothes: It depends on the piece of clothing, some Newborn stuff fits her, some 3 months and some 6 months. I have to accommodate for that fluff butt. But other than that she's anywhere between NB to 3-6 months.

Diapers: Cloth diapers here. Smallest rise snap, and there's 1 snap in the waist fit that's open.

Sleeping: We are sleeping 4 hour stretches! I am so stinking excited about that! We were waking up every 2 hours to eat. I tried swaddles, she doesn't like them, wants her arms free. I get it. So we use sleep sacks, and just a blanket sometimes (gasp!) She will suck on her hand or binky until she's out then she doesn't want the binky anymore, and I am OK with that!

Likes: mornings, baths, her hands, being sang to, and her brother. This kid simply adores her older brother. The face splitting smile that comes across her face when she sees him. It melts my heart!

Dislikes: tummy time for more than 2.5 seconds; we are working on that, getting her nose cleaned out, and when she is nursing and then moves her face and puts her hand immediately in her mouth and cant get anymore milk.

Eating: Chupmunk eats every 3 hours or so, we just upped her bottles at school to 4 oz and it seems to be holding her over a little longer. When I am home I try to keep her on her same schedule which is roughly every 3 hours. I pump twice a day at work, but get close to 20 OZ those 2 pumps and nurse on demand at home. I have been using Pump Princess form Legendairy Milk Its been a godsend. If you nurse or pump check them out!

Milestones: She is doing so well holding her little head up, it gets better every day. She started cooing and jabbering at us this month, its been so fun to "talk" to her in the mornings.  She also really focuses in on you and will follow you across the room with her eyes. It's so neat to see all these little changes in her over the last month!

Momma's favorites: Her sweet, sweet smiles and squeeks first thing in the morning. When I hear her wake up, I'll look down in her bassinet and sometimes shes smiling, others she farting. But shes happy. Oh, oh, oh and when she sees her brother and smiles at him like he is the most inportant person in her world...

Baby items we can't live without: her unicorn wubanub, bouncer seat, rain rain app for nature sounds.

 

Game Changer...

... I recently started branching out on my Instagram and following companies and boutiques that are geared towards kids because that's what my ENTIRE day revolves around, My kids.

So as I was mass following all the bow botiques and trying to find ones that had stuff for Magoo and Chipmunk I came across the brand Caboosee (www.caboosee.com). If you haven't heard of them you NEED to look them up. We message back and forth and I HAD to try the 24/7 suit. Here is why... It stops the sniff detection AND the stick you finder in the diaper and pray to god you don't come out with a poop filled nail.

I mean do you see why I was excited to try it.

Here's the next thing that I LOVED about it once I got it, it was one of the softest things I have held in a long time. you can never been to sure when ordering online how something will feel. I just kept rubbing it on my face saying how soft it was. No im not kidding, yes I am aware how it looked. So here I have size 3-6 months. I ordered it a little bigger because we have a fluff butt. So I accommodate for our cloth diapers.  Let me tell you, these fit over Cloth diapers so well. I LOVE IT! have I said that enough?

I even challenged Bret to see how easy it was to check her diaper. Was he happy I took photographic evidence? Nope, did I do it anyway? Yep I sure did...

And here it is on Chipmunk, She was asleep and not happy that I was moving her around. She was fussy that night and when I put this outfit on her she settled down and fell asleep. It had to be that comfortable for her.

 

There are is 1 other style in 2 colors. They are long pants with fold over feet to make Jammies. I mean come on have you heard of anything more brilliant?! I cant wait to order them too. I said to Bret "cards on the table, we are ordering the long pants too" I can not say enough good things about them. Even the shipping time was EXTREAMLY reasonable it took 4 days for us to get the onesie. Trust me when I tell you its worth checking out!

 

Check them out www.caboosee.com and use code 247 at check out to get 2 24/7 Suits for $40.00 and tell them Addie Sent you!

 

I had...

... A really good post.

It was, it was about how I don't know what do to get magoo to sleep through the night. But then I realized. This Mommy monday trend turns to what I am doing wrong as a mom.

Instead I wanted to take a break at what I need to work on as a mom and share a story about an experience I had at a resturaunt.

Bret Magoo and  I went to lunch yesterday. We went to a sports bar and grille so that we could get something to eat and Bret could watch some football. Now they were relatively busy being sunday and the eagles were playing. We were seated and orders were taken. Now I have a 1 year old. He has a short attention span keeping him happy and playing sometimes in a restaurant is a challenge. But we were doing pretty good. He was coloring we were waiting on our food. Once our meal came out he instantly took Bret's fries. Then saw I was dipping my fries in ketchup (yep im a dipper.. for everything)  So naturally he wanted to try it, Which I allowed. Of course as my luck would have it, the tvs all go out for literally a minute. thats it and of course that's when Magoo decides mommy is not cool for stopping the party he was having with the ketchup.

Let me stop here, I have younger sister and brother. They are 18 and 15 years younger than me . I know how it is to be out with kids and they have a melt down. If this has never happened to you, then you are from a different planet. I digress...

If it wasn't bad enough that magoo was screaming because i was wiping him off the only two tables by us who also had kids at them proceed to turn around and not only stare at us but shoot me dirty looks almost like "omg i cant believe you let your kid scream like that". I was embarrassed. Not because my kid screamed. He is 1, that is his way of communication. But because those people who i'm sure have been in our shoes chose to stare at us instead of going on with their lunch.

I just don't understand why that is the reaction they choose to have. Just ignore us. I know its hard but he didn't scream the whole time it was once because I stopped the ketchup party. Its not like you are missing the game. The tv was jacked up.

I can honestly say I have never shot a mom with a infant/toddler a dirty look. And its happened to me. They apologized and i told them not to even worry about it. And I am not that nice of a person.

I guess this was a vent to those people. You sucked in that moment when I was trying to calm down my toddler with your judgy looks.

Put your self in someone elses shoes for just a minute. You would want a little understanding.

Until next time..

Weaning my toddler...

... is hard.

Let me stop right here, before I go any further. This is MY decision. It is what was best for me and my family. In no way do I think that I am superior because I nursed. Actually there were times I envied moms that bottle fed. For ME nursing was hard, it wasn't a field trip. I just wanted to let it be known. Your decision on how you feed your baby is amazing. Whether it be bottle, breast or supplementing both. You are doing a great job mom, keep it up!

My little nursling just turned one on Friday, September 25, 2015. Now, I never thought that we would have made it this far nursing. Magoo and I have more than surpassed my thoughts of how long we would be nursing. He doesn't nurse all the time. Just in the mornings when he first wakes up. Most of the time its the comfort.  Because when we get into the kitchen he has milk.

I am trying, albeit not the most effective. But trying nonetheless, I said to everyone by the time he is one, thats it were done. But the reality is I enjoy the time with him. Mimi(my mom) and Daddy and uncle beard and Nana and papa can all dress him, change him, give him big boy food. But only I can nurse him and give him his milk, That time is for me and him. I work 40 hours a week. I love the quality time I get with him.

All that said, it makes me sad to stop nursing, because that quality time of just magoo and I will go
away. But it will be replaced by better things. Now comes the work on my end the weaning part. Im not sure even how to start. I need help with it. That is where i struggle the most. The idea of getting out of bed at 4 am to get milk (once in a while) does not sound like a good time.

So I guess I have to start looking at ways to wean from that last nursing session. As sad as it makes me. Its time for our family to stop nursing. I cant take the biting anymore!

Any advise? I'd love to hear it


As always, until next time....

To my son...

... On your first birthday!

Happy Birthday My Sweet boy,

I just peeked in on you in your bed. Your little eyes are shut tight and you are in dreamland.  I want to thank you. Before you came into your fathers and my life we didn't really have much purpose. Of course we love each other there is no question about that. But  once you came along we had a purpose. We are your parents, we were chosen. You picked us, and we are better people because of you. Magoo you are our first born and today on your first birthday I'm overcome with emotions. You and I have experienced so much together in such a short time. Some things I missed out on, like your first word. But I was there the first time you cried, and I was there for your first step, and the first time you crawled.

You have brought so much joy into my life I can't even explain it. One day when I am old you will understand how much you can love someone unconditionally. It is the best! I promise you that.. Mimi  told me how much I would love you. But she never told me how consuming it is to love your kids. You are on my mind from the moment I wake up until I go to bed. I miss you even when you are in the other room napping.

I remember or first time together alone. Just you and me in the hospital. I watched you sleep. I was amazed that I was able to bring someone so wonderful into the world. You have changed my world. Now it is full of giggles and hugs and kisses. Will strive to give you the life you deserve. With a puppy and a brother or sister (one day, maybe when you are 4. Deal?) and I can guarantee that you will have plenty of hugs and giggles and kisses.

Today we celebrate you. Wonderful  you.  The little Magoo that came into our lives when we needed you the most. And you are the best thing I have ever done in my entire life. I know you were in heaven with my angels before you  came to meet me. I will help you to know about them, they were wonderful people!

Magoo, today you are a whole year older. You will teach me more things than. I ever thought I would know. I cant wait to see what life brings you.

I loved you  then, love you still. Always have always will.

Happy Fist birthday Magoo!

Mommy

I'm a Mom....

...And its the the best job I have ever had.

I have posted about Magoo a few times here already, and I realized that I have never shared my birth story. So for this thrilling edition of Mommy Monday I will share it for you all. Some of you that read this know the story, Most of you don't, so get comfortable, this could take a while.

January 14, 2014 9:00ish (I don't remember the exact time but it was def in the 9 pm hour) PM

Bret and I were in the car and I said to him, I think I might be pregnant. Now I guess I should admit here that I had the worry every month that I was pregnant. I am paranoid. I'll admit it. He laughed it off and said then take a test. Now because of my paranoia I had tests just kinda hanging out. I told Bret its late and it will most likely be negative. They are always negative. plus its not morning pee which is always best when you are early pregnant has a higher HCG hormone level.

Well we got back our apartment and as luck would have it I had to pee. So I went into the bathroom and took the test. It was the longest 3 minutes of my life. I went back into the bathroom and looked at the test "Babe" I called Bret and then went " I think I'm going to vomit". He yelled back " don't mess with me" I said " I am not kidding, come here". Now we had a little bathroom with just enough room for one person at a time. i was leaning on the sink dry heaving. Bret looked at the test and went "okay cool" I looked at him "That's it, that's all you have to say. We are having a baby" He looked at me dead serious and said, " do you want me to be freaking out or something". "Yes join me wont you" I answered. I went to the living room and it said out loud a few times " we are going to have a baby, our lives will never be the same again."

Friday January 17,2014 (my 24th birthday)
We had just gotten done dinner and I said to Bret, I need to tell my mom. I cant keep it from her anymore. So i called my mom, and I bawled my eyes out. Her reaction was laughing. she thought i was kidding. Then I showed her the test on FaceTime. and it was real. I was going to be a mom. I was scared. I am still scared but I am kicking ass at it.



I saw this face for the first time and I was absolutely in love with my little Nugget.

He was so perfect even then. 

I didnt have a terrible pregnancy. I had to take the glucose test 3 times. It was horrible but I passed and that was a positive. I also had gallstones. If you have ever had gallstones throughout pregnancy, GIRL I know what you are going through, It is worth it once you have that baby in your arms. 

I was put on bed rest at 37 weeks. I worked in a call center for insurance and sat all day with no way to elevate my feet. I left work one Friday, and my socks were cutting off circulation. It was bad news. Bed rest was boring, but what we needed to keep Magoo cooking.

I was scheduled for my induction on September 25,2014. My mom was flying in that morning and with the swelling and high blood pressure they didn't want me to wait any longer, My Due date was September 26,2014. So at 5 am on September 25,2014 we got up i got dressed and we were off to have a baby 

So dark, but packed to the 9s

Everything was going really well, induction started at 6, water broken at 8, epidural (Yes I got one, no I don't feel bad about it. kindly respect that) at 12. Things were moving along smoothly. Mom was on her way from Tampa at this point everything was good. Around 3 my nurses ( I wish i could remember their names, I know one was Ruby.) said lets start pushing, in walked Mimi. I had two great coaches. Bret was right there the whole time he was great. When he took a break mom was there to keep me going. I wasnt resting much between contractions so I had oxygen. Magoo was doing great. The could see the head.

Fast forward 5 hours and multiple positions to push (while having an epidural. yep, I am a rock star) They said that he was face up and stuck, Around 7 I told them he wasn't coming "Come on baby big head we can do it" I kept saying. But I knew it wasn't going to happen. Bret was given something to eat. (thanks mom for getting the nurses to give him food) . 

I don't remember much after that. My epidural ran out and I was "making animal noises". It ran out at 8, they took me back at 9:20. I know they gave me some kind of pain medicine. Oxygen was the best thing ever invented, and the nurse was my best friend. I remember being wheeled into the OR, and getting the spinal block. Arguing with the anesthesiologist that I couldn't breathe and then I fell asleep. Next thing I knew they were saying "Lets get ready for a baby" And Bret was there.

I listened and listened. Then I heard it. The most precious sound in the entire world. I heard my son cry for the first time. Sitting here typing about it I'm welling up. It was the best moment of my life. suddenly there was another person in the room but no one opened the door.Bret was there He told me he was proud of me we did it, we had our son. And he was perfect.

 At 10:15 pm on Thursday September 25,2014 I became a mom. It has been the most rewarding and exhausting job I have and will ever have. On Friday this little nugget will turn one. I cant believe how fast this year has gone.I swear, he was just born, and now he is running around and laughing. Telling us all Ah Ah Ah while wagging his little finger and giving bear hugs.

Happy Birthday Baby Boy. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love you. Thank you for making me a mommy.

Until Next time....

sometimes I pump...

hey hey hey kids, i figured id go with the obvious here as a new mom that nurses. Sometimes, I pump! And let me tell you it is one of the most annoying tasks of nursing ever. I mean Magoo is sleeping so its not like he can nurse right now plus we nee to build the supply. but to be honest I'm not even sure I've been doing it right.

Magoo is gaining weight and we get great reports from his pediatrician but i never was given any helpful hints when he was born about making sure he was latched on and how long to nurse and all the right things to do. I don't know if this is more a mommy Monday type of blog but i couldn't care less. This week you're getting what ya get.  

I dont usually whip it out in public to nurse Magoo, I have been lucky enough to either feed him before or when we get home. Or I go to the family bathroom. I know it is my legal right to nurse my son wherever I am and be proud. But here's the deal. My choice to nurse is not your choice to see it happen. If you nurse in public that is awesome and I absolutely am in awe of you. I just could never get the nads to just whip it out.

Now dont get me wrong I have nursed my son at a restaurant right at the table as i ate we were covered and no one said a thing, if the would have well it would not have ended well, for them. But I just never was comfortable to do it while walking in a store that everyone knew what was going on. I have nursed magoo while he was in his ergo carrier so that no one could see.

I never had the day 1 second 1 here is how to latch and pump and make sure that you switch to the other side NONE OF THAT happened. My nurses were A JOKE. i still have some sadness when it comes to Magoo's birth. I will touch on that Monday, Long story short i felt like i was shoved in the back room and forgot about. I didn't even get to see MY obgyn, not even once. It was HORRIBLE.


Anyway back to where this all started. Pumping its not my favorite, I would rather just nurse.Its the time that I get with Magoo, no one else can do that for me. Its one on one time with my son we bond and its beautiful and I will never ever get that time alone with him ever again so I embrace it for everything it is worth. I don't know im literally rambling at this point about a subject that to me is a personal choice and i don't get into the you're great or you're terrible. Who cares what one mom does and another one doesn't do. We are all moms our choices for our own kids are great what ever they are. Love me or like me but I don't raise my kids to be how you want them to be. I raise them to not be little assholes you see on the street. and if that is done by nursing ever other one, well that's what I will do!

See this whole ramble session started because I had to pump and I didn't want to because its loud and sometimes it hurts and then the parts need to be cleaned and now its 11:04 at night and I just wanna go to bed. Good Lord what will happen when I really have something I was to get off my chest?

Until next time... Do good things!

Mommy Monday.. am I doing it all wrong?

Happy Monday, at least for the next 33 minutes on the East Coast of the USA. I thought today I would do a Mommy Monday. 

I am a new mom, I mean pretty freeking new still. Magoo is about 10 months old and I consider myself new until he is 1. I cant help but feel like I am a mediocre mom. Maybe mediocre is not the right word. I feel like I could be a better mom. I mean my son is happy, He eats and loves to play and has a ton of people that love him. I guess in the internet first world I feel like I'm doing it all wrong. 

Every mom is different for instance I nurse Magoo, but i was formula fed. We buy the store brand diapers but I was in Pampers, I never went to daycare and Magoo was in at 2 months old. I guess I feel like I should be a more hands on mom. I mean I am there with him every night when he wakes up to nurse, Yes he still wakes up once a night. No i dont need to know how you got our baby to sleep through the night at 6 weeks old. 

I guess there are things I wish my Magoo did that I dont know how to help him figure out. Like sleeping through the night, We are trying to "sleep train" So when he goes to bed after ive seen him for 2 hours it breaks my heart to let him lay there and not pick him up but only pat him and tell him that mommy is here. I feel like I am doing him a disservice by going in and comforting him. 

Eating, this boy will share his food with you and also expect you to share with him. He HATES the bottle. He is getting the liquid gold I pump twice a day at work but he suddenly HATES the bottle. So now we are trying to figure out how to get him to have his milk besides nursing. I'm mommy, I should know how to get him to take the bottle. Or at least how to get his milk intake up. 

Nursing has also been a challenge when I had Magoo I NEVER saw a lactation consultant. NEVER once. The nurses didnt even help me with nursing. I have been figuring it out all on my own. I guess  I am doing a good job Magoo is a whopping 20 pounds and is happy as a lark. 

I dont know I guess as a first time mom I'm supposed to feel like I'm failing because my son is happy and healthy and has two parents that would give their lives for him and a ton for aunts and uncles and grandparents that would do the same. 

You tell me, how did you feel as a first time parent. Please tell me that I am not alone. 

Until Next Time... Do Good Things!

Dude where have you been?

So it has been about 5 months since I "seriously" dedicated myself to blogging. I have had every intention to blog I promise. I've been busy Trying to catch up on sleep, and dealing with super strength heart burn, registering for cute little things. Reading books about some interesting things... 

Ya know what. I'll just post a picture that will sum up all the Dude where have you been questions. 

That's right kids. We are having a baby! Our son will be entering the world in September. 

Am I forgiven yet? 

I am going to make a serious effort to make some more blogs. Mommy Mondays, any hauls that we have I promise that I am going to try hard to blog again before this little baby is in college. 

Just wanted to do a quick blog post. Love your butts.