Fluff Mail!!

I got my first 2 trial pairs of cloth diapers in the mail today! I was excited to actually show them to M so that he could see what I was talking about. I thought he was going to pass out when I first suggested it, but he seems to be getting on board slowly... he agreed to "try" them today. That's a step in the right direction :)

I ordered 2 Blueberries (supposedly the Cadillac of one-size pocket diapers, we'll see) made by Swaddlebees. I ordered from the clearance section, there is supposedly something wrong with them, but I don't see anything. I got them for a much cheaper price (18 bucks each), this is one of the more expensive brands of one-size pocket diapers.

Here they are at the smallest size



For a quick lesson in these diapers, they come with either snaps or velcro closures. Some people prefer one over the other, so I got one of each. Essentially, they get longer by undoing the snaps across the bottom and fastening them wider. You can see the difference in the picture below, the one on the left is at the smallest size, and the one on the right is the largest size.


There are three rows of blue snaps on the right, that allow you to make them longer and the legs wider, and the velcro/snaps across the top also get larger. There looks like a much bigger difference in size in person.

There is a pocket in the back. The inside layer against the baby's bum is fleece, which allows the liquid to go through onto the doubler while keeping the skin dry.



In the pocket you put a "doubler" which is basically two or three layers of organic bamboo/cotton to absorb the liquids (or pee, whiz, urine, etc). When you change the baby, you take out the doubler and wash all the parts together, then restuff them when they're clean.


I think we are going to use a type of disposable liner inside the diaper, too, to catch solids (or poop, fecal matter, stinkies). I'm really not interested in scraping poop off of a diaper with a spatula. This way, the poop and the liner go into the toilet. Flush. Voila, clean diaper.

Yes, I am aware that this does not account for massive baby blow-outs. We'll cross that bridge when we get there folks. (I might need the spatula to scrape the walls, I should keep one handy)

Even though these diapers run about 18 bucks a pop for the cheaper brands, they will still save money over buying diapers and wipes every week. If we go the cloth diaper route, we'll probably use a combination of disposable and cloth wipes, too. We're hoping to get about 20-24 cloth diapers, if we decide to use them, so we (by that I guess I mean "I") only have to do laundry about every other day.

Also, there is no need for a nasty "wet pail" that I've read horror stories about. You can use a traditional trash can type thing with a lid and a leak-proof bag, that goes in the laundry right with the dipes. Hopefully flushing the solids will also help.

From what I've researched "they" (that would be the earthy crunchy people I've been stalking) say that cloth diapers prevent rashes better than disposables, they are more absorbent and have less leaks, and really aren't so bad once you get in the swing of it. I do think it is an upgrade from folding diapers, using large safety pins (ouchie), and rubber pants. I might change my mind in about 7 months ;).

If you want to see more of the different kinds of cloth diapers, there really is a lot out there. Check out some of these websites
www.kellyscloset.com
www.theclothdiaperwhisperer.com
allaboutclothdiapers.com/new-to-cloth-diapers

Houston, we have a nursery!!

M and his friends set everything up yesterday and I go in the room every chance I get just to look at it all. I had a little buyers remorse after we bought the furniture, but now that it's home and I get to see it again, I love it even more and know it was the right choice!!

Here are a few photos (we'll probably be rearranging the furniture a little, but right now it doesn't really matter)





We had a doctor's appointment on Friday, too. I will never, ever, ever go to the Providence office again. We waited for an hour and 15 minutes. I had to send M to find rations because I hadn't eaten a big enough breakfast, and I had to pee in a cup and keep it in a paper bag at my chair (yes, I was that girl)until we went in because I couldn't hold it any longer. Back to the smaller office I go.

We got to hear the baby's heartbeat again, it was in the 150's, and the doctor almost seemed surprised at how "strong" it was. Which makes me excited! It is the most beautiful sound I've ever heard!

We will be scheduling the "BIG" ultrasound for about 3 1/2 weeks from now, hopefully we can fit it in with our next appointment. Unfortunately the smaller office wasn't open on Friday so I have to wait until tomorrow to actually make the appointment. I can't wait to see the baby again and get to find out if we have a boy or a girl. We have a lot more choices to make, and it will be fun to get to start thinking about bedding, and other options.

In other news, M finished the patio in the back, and it is BEAUTIFUL! He is so great at what he does. I can't wait to have a BBQ back there, get the pool set up and really be able to enjoy our backyard. We just need to get some grass growing where we had to tear up the lawn, but otherwise it looks great!

We also got to go to a Red Sox game on Friday with some close friends. It was a lot of fun!

Now for the weekly update!

How far along? 15 weeks 1 day

Weight gain/loss: Holding steady at down 5 pounds. I almost can't believe it with how my clothes are fitting, but I'm trusting the Dr's scale!

Maternity clothes? Pretty much all the time. I can still get away with regular shirts, but my choices are limited. I've started putting away some clothes to make room for the maternity clothes that I have.

Stretch marks? Not yet!

Sleep? Ok, but I'm having a hard time not sleeping on my back. I always seem to wake-up on my back, and then I feel like a bad mom which keeps me awake for a little longer. It's so hard not to stress the little things!

Best moment this week? Setting up the crib

Food cravings: Not really, I'm eating most of the normal foods, but I'm a little sad that Kraft mac and cheese is now making me nauseous.

Gender: Still thinking boy, we'll see in a few weeks

Belly button in or out? In

Movement? I don't think I've felt anything. Sometimes when I'm laying in bed I try to concentrate to see if I'm feeling anything, but there's nothing. I'm hoping to get some flutters within a few weeks.

What I miss? Nothing right now, I feel great and anything I have to complain about just isn't worth it!

What I'm looking forward to: The BIG ultrasound and getting to register for all the baby stuff in a few weeks

Weekly wisdom: Today I am pregnant, and I love my baby.

Milestones: 3rd appointment!

First baby purchase

And it was a big one!!

We started shopping for our nursery set this weekend, I just couldn't wait and know that eventually we'll need the furniture even if (God forbid) something awful happened. Originally I wanted a black crib, but that has been pretty impossible to find. Most companies that make black furniture make it "rubbed" which means its almost antiqued and looks a little country. We are not country. Exnay on the rubbing.

The other snafu was that most of the black or really dark licorice stained furniture was also outrageously expensive. The salesman today basically told us that black doesn't sell so no one makes it. Awesome. Move to plan B.

For this reason we started looking at Espresso finish furniture which is basically really dark brown. Definitely not black, and wouldn't really go with the black white yellow thoughts I was having so we decided to not really care so much about the finish and just find a set that we love love loved. We still like the dark finish more than white or light stain.

So we went to Baby Boudoir which was interesting to say the least! In Baby Bargains someone wrote in the it is a "rusty warehouse in a bad neighborhood" - which is totally true. It was almost comical how everything is set up. The bathroom didn't have a lock and there was a hole in the ceiling - no joke. However, they had a TON of stuff at awesome prices and the people that worked there totally knew their stuff. In order to get upstairs to all the good stuff, you had to walk outside, up the loading dock, in a small door, through a narrow hallway and up some more stairs. I was worried we were in some kind of scary movie for a minute.

They had more cribs than anything I've ever seen. Everything was set-up with prices and some really great package deals. We found a few things that we liked and ended up deciding on the Sorelle Maxine set. We got the crib (sleigh convertible), toddler bed rail, armoire, dresser with hutch, night stand, mattress, and changing pad all for about what we would have paid for a new 3 piece Munire set. Orginally price $3500, we paid less than half.



It's solid birch with a traditional cherry finish (which we discovered is more brown than red). We actually bought the floor model of all of the furniture, which is part of why we got such a great deal, but at this store they don't see nearly as many fingers, jacket zippers, and purses than they would somewhere else. There was no damage that we could see. Can't wait to pick it up on Friday!!

If you live anywhere near New Bedford (even hours away) go to Baby Boudoir. If you can't find something you love there I'd be surprised!!

Otherwise, I also bought a snoogle. Which is my new favorite person. It is basically a C-shaped pillow that wraps around your body to give your back and hips support. It is so comfortable and has helped with the minor back pain that I've been having. It also helps me stay sleeping on my side throughout the night.

Here is the weekly (well almost weekly) poll:

How far along? 14 weeks 1 day

Weight gain/loss: I will let you know next week when I have my next appointment.

Maternity clothes? Most days I have maternity pants but I can still get away with regular shirts.

Stretch marks? Not from this angle ;)

Sleep? Fabulous now that I have a Snoogle!!

Best moment this week? Buying the crib, officially making it into 2nd tri

Food cravings: Nothing I want to brag about, lol

Gender: Still thinking boy, but who knows!

Belly button in or out? In

Movement? nope, too early

What I miss? I miss excederine this week. Aspirin just isn't helping my constant headaches!!

What I'm looking forward to: Next appointment on Friday. I'm hoping to hear the heartbeat and then find out when we get to see what this baby is packing!

Weekly wisdom: Today I am pregnant, and I love my baby.

Milestones: 2nd Trimester!!

Nursery Ideas

Yes, I'm jumping the gun, I realize that. But I can't help but try to start planning something. It's hard to wait until 20 weeks to decide everything that you want.

I just started looking at cribs and periodically asking M's opinion, and I think we've both decided we like black furniture. Originally we were looking at the Graco Kendal crib, because we wanted high safety rating and a relatively inexpensive price (this one is 169.99)



We also got our taxes done this week and I was pleasantly surprised. So I'm thinking we might start looking at some more expensive options. There are 2 warehouse type stores in the area so I think we'll look there first and see what we like. I think I'm a fan of the more traditional crib though, not so much the sleigh/convertible ones, but we'll see.

For the nursery, I'm love, love, loving black, white and yellow. A sort of "bumble bee" theme with less bumble bees and more prints. It seems gender neutral to me, but M isn't quite sure yet. We have plenty of time. I'm not finding a bedding set that I like with the color combination, so I might just sew a bed skirt and valences for the windows to make sure they are what I want. Here are a few rooms (obviously done by professionals) that I'm loving right now.












Obviously formatting is not my strong suit, but let me know what you think! Too girly? Too ugly?