Win an Envibum Diaper!

http://www.theclothdiaperreport.com/2010/03/envibum-one-size-diaper-cover-review.html

Enter for your chance to win!

Win a Flip cover!!!

If anyone is interested in trying out cloth, or if you want to boost your stash.  Enter for a giveaway here...

http://www.theclothdiaperreport.com/2010/02/diaper-shops-giveaway-flip-diaper.html

Fabric Designing, Potty Training and a Funeral

This week I created a custom fabric and entered it into a contest.  I'm excited to announce that I won; therefore, I'm getting 2 custom made diapers with my fabric. I'm soooo stoked!!!  My little man's bum will look so cute in his daddy's little helper hammer/wrench diapers.  :)

Other things this week...

We've been potty training Alayna and it's been going very well.  She's at the point where she's pee peeing on the potty on an average of 8-9 times per day with only 1-2 accidents.  She cries very hard when she has an accident and it's adorable.  I know that sounds horrible, but I find it very awesome that she cares so much about making it to the potty.  This girl is ready to be toilet trained!

Yesterday we traveled to Oklahoma City for Grandma Joye's memorial service.  It was nice to see family that we never get to see.  It just stinks that it takes death to get everyone together.  The service was nice and dinner at Ingrid's German Deli was AMAZING.

Tomorrow Colton gets dedicated at our church.  

Rest in Peace Grandma Joye

This morning, at 6am, we received a call. When your phone rings at an early hour like that, you know it's not good. Unfortunately, we knew this was a call that would be coming at any time.

Roberta Joye Thompson passed away. "Joye" is Brady's grandmother and the sweetest woman I've ever met. The mother of 8 children, she was strong... very strong. Married to the most wonderful man, Robert Thompson, who passed away a few years ago unexpectedly.

Joye was put on hospice care last month. Leukemia entered her body and after a long fight of breast cancer (which she overcame) and another disease, which I don't remember the name of at the moment. She had a long fight with her health and assured us that she had a full life. She was ready to meet Jesus and be reaquainted with her one true love. Although I'm happy she's in a better place and isn't in pain, it's still difficult.

I had a very delightful thought enter my mind about 45 minutes ago and I'm going to continue to remind myself of this when I get sad. I imagined Joye in heaven speaking to her husband, Bob. She says to him, "Bob, Brady and Shauna visited about 2 weeks ago and they have this perfect little baby boy. He never cried and was just a delight. Oh, and they named him after you!" Bob says, "This I know, dear. I sent him to them, as I did with their daughter. I would only pick out the best for them." Now that, makes my heart smile.

Our children, Alayna Joye and Colton Robert are named after these two outstanding people. I have never met any individuals as amazing as Bob and Joye and I'm so happy I was a part of their lives. Rest in peace.

Making Reusable Wipes

I'm VERY new to this, so you may be able to find some better recipes online.  I've just been using a modified version of the previous recipe I posted for disposable wipes.  You can make cloth wipes real easy, just take some flannel and sew up the sides (or buy pre sewn cloth wipes online via a cloth diaper website).  Fold or roll them and place them in a wipes warmer.  Those of you that have a wipes warmer just hanging around because you disliked it while using store bought wipes (dries them out), you will be able to use it rather than it just hanging out like a bulky paper weight.  You can probably even use some cheap children's washcloths for the wipes.  I'm going to try that next.  Soak the wipes in the warmer with your favorite wipes solution or use a spray bottle to spray them.  If you don't want to make your own, various cloth diaper sites offer pre-made wipes solution for purchase.  I use these wipes to sponge bathe my baby because they smell oh, so good!  I use them for diaper changes and also to wipe my older daughter's mouth after she eats.  She's pretty messy!  When you're finished, throw them in your laundry hamper to wash or in your wet laundry bag if you're cloth diapering.  This will make your dirties smell a whole lot better!

Making Disposable Baby Wipes

OK, so I thought I'd post information on how to make disposable wipes.  It really does save $$ and that's a big deal with the recent economy.  Honestly, it's super easy and they work TONS better than the store bought wipes.

I use the Johnson and Johnson's wash in Cucumber Melon (smells yummy) and I use Johnson and Johnson's baby oil with vitamin E and Aloe. Truthfully, your large container of baby wash will last a good 2 years, no kidding! I ran out and have started using the cheaper Walgreens version. You will need a 3 qt Rubbermaid Servin' saver container for the wipes.

Recipe:

1. 2 1/4 cups water (adjust the water according to what size of Bounty roll you use... Bounty BIG roll only use 2 1/4 and the Super Roll use 2 1/2).
   
2. 16 squirts of Johnson's baby wash
   
3. 3 tablespoons of baby oil
   
4. Dump ingredients into the rubbermaid container, put lid on and shake well to mix.
   
5. Then you take a PLAIN(no prints) Bounty BIG Roll(has to be the double or super roll) and cut in half DO NOT take out the center cardboard piece.
   
6. Put one half of the paper towel roll into the container with your mixture in it.. put lid back on.. flip container over and let the baby wash mixture soak all the way through the paper towels. 

Once paper towels are all wet.. flip right side up, take lid off and then pull out the center cardboard piece.  You will then pull the wipes from the middle. One paper towel roll makes two bigs things of wipes and they last a long time!  :)

Pure Bliss

I think the most therapeutic activity is rocking a baby to sleep, especially if it's your own.  If you're not a parent, it's hard to describe the feeling that you get when you love your child.  It's not a love you've ever experienced, it's almost more than love.  To rock your child and have him/her sleep in your arms is the most blissful feeling!  I think I enjoy cuddling with my children more than I enjoy anything else.  It's love at it's finest.  The picture I'm posting is of my son napping in my arms earlier today.  I look at it and see serenity within his expression.  I know he's at peace and in pure comfort and this makes me feel so wonderful.  I crave these moments, but what's really sad is that they don't last forever.  Babies grow up sooo so fast.