ADVENTURES IN CLOTH DIAPERING

As if life isn't hectic enough, I've decided to try my hand at cloth diapering. Now before I get started let me just say this: Cloth diapering (CDing) has come a LONG way... no more pins and folding (unless you want to). Today's cloth diapers are simple to use, easy to wash, and cheap on the wallet!

I'm lucky to have a fellow clothie - my friend Latrice to experiment and learn with. Together we have researched, diapers, diaper creams, pail liners, diaper sprayers, wet bags, etc. There is definitely a lot to learn, but its all interesting and I feel like I'm doing my small part to help the environment. Plus - its cool. Cloth diapers come in so many cute colors and patterns :-)

Most people know bumGenius cloth diapers - but there are so many others. Major retail stores are starting to carry some different diaper brands now. At Babies R Us you can find G Diapers, Target.com carries Kushies, Fuzzibuns, and their own brand Trend Lab. Even Bed Bath and Beyond is in the game selling the Bummis brand and of course Amazon.com has every single brand you can think of. My source so far for diapers has been independent stores such as Cottonbabies, Kelly's closet, Nicki's Diapers, and Diaper Junction. I have also bought a few new diapers off Ebay.

This is my first stash shot. I started out with only 6 bumGenius diapers. I naively thought this would get me through a day.. hahahah NOT.

These are All in Ones (AIO). They have a liner inside so there is no stuffing needed. If I want a little extra protection I can add another liner. This particular bumGenius style 3.0 came in sizes. The greens are larges for Khyri and the yellows are mediums for Kielle. *crossing fingers* hopefully Khyri will be potty training soon so I bought fewer larges for him. I still use these, but man have I come a long way....

Here is my current stash shot:

I now have 28 diapers of different colors, types and brands! My stash consists of bumGenius, Fuzzibuns, Kawaii, Happy Heinys, Blueberrys, EcoBritches, and BestBottoms. Most of them are pocket diapers - meaning I have to stuff the liner into the diaper shell. Trust me its not as time consuming as it sounds ahahah. I like the pockets because they take a shorter time to dry since they are separate from the shell. Except for my bumGenius 3.0s all of the other diapers are one size. They adjust using snaps in the front to fit a little one from 8lbs up to 35lbs. They are not a trim fit - especially on Kielle right now, but its more economical to buy one size. On Khyri, the one size fits really nicely. I think I need to get my stash up to about 30 to comfortably be able to CD the two munchkins full time. Of course Khyri will still use disposables at daycare - they are not having it! hahahaha, but at home I'm gonna CD as much as possible.

Kielle goes through about 8 or 9 diapers a day and Khyri about 5, so I need to do laundry every other day. Now for some that might be a deal breaker, but for me, Kahlillah Aisha Dotson Mosley - LOVES IT! ahahhaha laundry is my absolute favorite... I know I'm a weirdo. For some reason it is very relaxing for me.


 Anywho, back to diapering... I've been psyching myself up to use cloth diapers for an outing and I finally did it Wednesday 4.27 when we went to the park. I've been nervous about carrying around dirty diapers. So to prepare, I ordered what is called a wet bag. Its a cloth bag on the outside, but the inside is lined with a plastic that locks in moisture and smell.I changed Khyri and Kielle at the park and the wet bag worked perfectly. I didn't smell anything. When I got home, I transferred the dirty dipes into the larger wet bag that I keep near the laundry.

Speaking of laundry, I have learned a lot about what is in different laundry detergents. For CDs we have to use detergent that does not have any fragrance,  dyes, enzymes, or brighteners. We use Charlie's Soap to wash our diapers and so far its working ok. I did have some ammonia issues around week two, but I just put a 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar in the prewash and that got rid of the stinkies. Oh yeah - prewash... so the laundering of the diapers is a little more intensive than normal clothes. after all these fabrics are going on sensitive baby parts. Here's my routine:

Prewash with cold water
Wash with hot water
Cold Rinse
Cold Rinse

The second cold rinse is the mot important step. This ensures that all of the detergent is washed out. After washing, I toss the liners in the dryer if I need them right away, or if its a sunny day, I hang them on the drying rack and stick them outside. Here's a picture of the drying rack before I put it in the backyard.


So far Kielle and Khyri both seem to enjoy the new diapers. Khyri hasn't noticed the difference. I can't wait to put Kielle in the patterned ones under her dresses!

*update* I got some fluff mail!! I forgot that I had ordered some more diapers last week and they arrived finally. This batch had awesome patterns.

more dipes and another small wet bag

hearts and polka dots!

So now my stash looks like this all put away - pretty much complete:

I went to target to buy the Up&Up diapers for Khyri to use at daycare. A box of 82 size 4 diapers costs $14.99 - each diaper costs 18 cents. So I did some quick math to make the comparison:
Khyri uses 5 diapers a day, let's say there are 30 days in the month. So Khyri would use 5 x 30 = 150 diapers a month. Multiply that by .18 and we get $27.00. If we multiply the $27 by 12 months we get $324 per year. Keep in mind that this is for a toddler who has more control of his water than an infant. With Kielle also in diapers, the $324 cost is doubled (assuming that she uses only 5 diapers a day which is SO not the case), so that's $648 per year.

So far I've spent about $375 on cloth diapers. Most of the diapers range between $9.95 and $18.95. I only order from sites with free shipping, so that helps to keep the cost down. I also order seconds or slightly imperfect diapers. Its a high initial investment up front, but if I launder these correctly they should last until Kielle is potty trained and maybe even for baby Mosley #3! ahahhaa

We'll see how this experiment goes.

For more information on Cloth Diapering, take a look at this post by a fellow clothie:
http://www.exposuresbynoel.com/ClothDiapering/

'NIGHT NIGHT' - BIG BOY STYLE

So for the past couple of weeks, Khyri has been playing the role of Houdini and escaping from his crib. At first Keith and I were surprised. You'd hear Thump... Rumble Rumble Rumble... and then he'd come busting into our room. Sad to say, we're now used to getting wake up calls in the early morning.

One recent Tuesday, I opened my eyes to see Khyri standing at the edge of my bed eating grapes and watching me sleep. To top it off, he had turned on the television - the morning news was on. Are you serious?!?! Clearly it was time to move him from his crib into a big boy bed.

The pressure was on to find a bed. I've always wanted him to have a bunk bed so we focused on finding one that would fit in our small, cramped, tiny house and could be separated into two beds if needed. I searched for about 2 weeks. I couldn't decide if we wanted a twin on top of twin or a twin on top of full.

We found what we were looking for surprisingly at Wally World aka Walmart. It was the right price and got great reviews. We had it shipped to store to save on delivery charges and got a friend to help us transport the bed to the house. We got all three boxes into the house and they sat in the hallway for awhile... I mean this is a big step - no more little Khyri...psychologically we weren't ready to put the bed together.. haahaha.  This past Sunday, Keith woke up with gusto and put together the bed -  it took all day, but it looks great!

Its a twin over full cherry wood bed. We decided to go with the full since we already had a full mattress from the guest bed that was in the room before. We didn't assemble the ladder - hopefully that will keep him off the top bunk for awhile. For now the top serves as storage - lords knows we need the extra space!



 
He seems to like the bed so far. The hardest time is nap time. He just doesn't stay in the bed until he literally falls out from exhaustion. Most of the time he's playing and roaming around the room. I've started moving things out of the room so he would have less distraction.

The lego blocks were this first toys to come OUT of the room for naptime

Night time is ok. After we do the whole routine - bath, story, brushing teeth, etc he'll calm down a bit. The past two days its taken about 4 to 5 "Khyri head down - time for night night" repeats before he finally went to sleep. Tonight, however, he is back in the crib with the special "Mosley lockdown" (due to possible Child Protective Services issues I can't share my technique hahahahhha). He decided that at 10:30pm he wanted to be wide awake AND try to slip under the gate to get free so I had to nip it in the bud.

So... this big boy bed thing is still a work in progress. The plan is to fully transition him to the bunk bed by June and then move Kielle into the room too in the crib. We've started getting her used to the crib by putting her in there for naps when Khyri is in daycare two days a week. She seems fine in there. Especially since she's found her soothing technique - her thumb!

While we transition - don't fret, Khyri will still have plenty to climb on... his new one is climbing up onto the changing table. I came in the room and found him up on top with his toys. *sigh* boys will be boys...

How did he get up there?!?!

He's growing up too fast for me. First a bunk bed, next a college dorm room... arrrgghh!

HAPPY EASTER!

Spring is in the air and eggs are plentiful!

For the second year, we ventured to the First Baptist Church Atlanta to attend their Easter Festival. We had a WONDERFUL time. With great friends and plenty of eggs - how could we not?!?!

Kielle had on a nice summery Easter outfit for the occasion. I forgot my maya wrap *bad mommy* so she lucked out and got to rest on the shoulders of me and Dawn the whole time. hahahah lucky duck! She stayed awake most of the festival - her awake times are getting longer and longer.

Happy Easter Everybody!

Last year Khyri just sat on the ground and played with two eggs - that I found for him ahhahaha. This year he had a good time running around searching for the eggs. He is such a giving person - he mostly enjoyed giving eggs to his friends Gabi and Aziz and then random other kids in the area.

     

After the egg hunt, we went over to the  'make your own sand bottle' table. Gabi and Khy made souvenirs while I nursed Kielle who was sweating bullets by this time. (She is such a warm bodied baby)

  

The festival had a petting zoo with chickens, goats, rabbits, and a lamb. Normally I'm all "naturey" - but this joint STUNK. I felt so dirty in the petting zoo. Khyri had a good time - my nostrils were on fire.

 

oh yeah there was a nasty pig there too - yuck

This was a great way to kick off springtime!

FUN IN THE CITY

It was so great to be back in the city! You could just feel the energy everywhere. I was really excited to introduce Kielle to my friends and family. We had something planned for every day of the week. I was all set to hit the streets running - until we realized that there was a cold front coming in... Now a Georgia cold front is 50's maybe 40's - a New York cold front... 20's. We were not prepared! I had only brought my jean jacket and Khyri's fall coat. I figured we would layer if it got nippy... not so much. Danielle snapped into action and was able to call a friend to borrow a heavy winter coat for Khyri and I was able to use her bubble coat. I don't even remember the last time I had a bubble coat! hahahahah but I was warm!! So with Danielle's umbrella stroller and my maya wrap, we set out into the city.

Don't let the sun fool you - its freezing

GOTTA EAT!
We had a lot lined up. First up: an early dinner at BBQs with a bunch of friends. This was our first venture into the city. I forgot about the whole NYC parking thing. You could be going to a restaurant on 23rd street and might find a parking spot on 28th... yeah hoofing it. We luckily found parking 3 blocks away - but one of those blocks was an avenue block (If you know anything about NYC avenue blocks are like 2 long regular blocks arrrggh) Good Lord.

Look mom! I'm a New Yorker

 
Arhima had Khyri holding her hand and I lugged Kielle in her carseat. Now my Kielle is a chunker... I swear my arm was almost numb by the time we made it to the restaurant and I had worked up a serious sweat. But we made it and I was extremely happy to see my folks!

Shout out to Arhima, Tarah, Jamila, Reggie, Scharon and Stephanie! Its always good to hang out with the crew and joke around. Reggie is not comfortable around babies... and I think Kielle can tell!

SIGHTSEEING
One of our anticipated outings was to the American Museum of Natural History! It was a horrible rainy day but Jamila and Arhima braved the weather and met us. I remember going to this museum every year in elementary and middle school. The exhibits are still the same hahahah. I totally remember the Native American wigwam and tee-pee section!

I'm listening Auntie Jamma... teach me everything you know.

The museum suggests that adults pay 16 bucks and children 9. That suggestion was too much for me bwuahaha so I donated 10 bucks. We had an awesome time. Besides having to battle with people to get on and off the elevator, it was great to see the different exhibits and learn some interesting facts. Khyri enjoyed seeing the animals. I think that museums might be better than zoos for toddlers because the animals are stuffed so they are easily spotted ahahaha. There is nothing worse than going to the zoo and the wildebeest is hiding behind a bush or the meerkat is burrowed deep and won't come out. Everything was in plain site at the museum hahaha. Definitely worth the 10 bucks.... maybe even 16 :-)

Khyri's hands down favorite part of the museum was the new high tech glass elevators. *sigh* so simple... ahhahahaha

We had a little bit of a scare when we were leaving the museum... I thought I had lost the car. I couldn't remember where I parked - which by the way was 4 blocks from the museum. I was soooo nervous that I had gotten the car towed. How do you make that call??? Good thing it didn't happen. After 15 minutes of walking up and down a few blocks I found the car and all was good.

PAPA DOT

Kielle finally got to meet my dad - Papa Dot ;-) She looked so tiny in his arms. Papa Dot and Khyri had a good time catching up. I think my dad was really excited to see how much Khyri has developed a personality! It was really nice to see my dad smiling and enjoying Khyri - it almost made me want to move back home - almost.

Ahhhhh Riverside Park! Memories.

My guinea pig Aisha is buried in this park.

STATEN ISLAND
One afternoon we journeyed out to Staten Island to meet Great Grandma Ruth, Aunt Deloris, and Cousin Stuart. Khyri had a great time running around in the backyard, watching the Yankee game, and playing with Great Grandma's fruit magnets!

 

Khyri fell in LOVE with the fruit magnets

MEET THE TWINS
After visiting with the family, we went to check on my friend from undergrad Chinedu. She and her husband Maks had fraternal twins in February. I had seen plenty of pictures and video of the twins but meeting Little Miss Veronica and Master Victor in person absolutely fabulous!!!

When I say these are the two yummiest children!! Its amazing to see double of everything hahahaha. Poor Chin was nursing around the clock - I can't even imagine. She's a trooper. I know Maks and Chin are gonna have tons of stories in the future with these two. They already have started to show their personalities. Amazing. Who would've thought that the Director/Writer and the Producer of Black Theater Company's Spring 1999 masterpiece DAX - The Black version of GREASE - would have four children between the two of them! Times sure have changed :-) I guess we're all grown up now huh!??!

CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE
We capped off the visit by driving to Philadelphia on Friday and coming back Monday. The ride down was ok. Kielle slept most of the way - but not that Khyri... nope he was WIDE awake the whole time. This was after we spent an hour in at the playground. Khyri is like me and my Grandma... We will ride and stay awake the whole time - and yet I still get lost everywhere I go! hahahahha I guess I'm looking out the window but not really paying attention. The ride was only an hour and a half. I did have to stop once to nurse Kielle and change her. But all in all, not a bad ride.

The little people got to hang out with Aunt Pat, Cousin Kimiyo and Cousin Kenya. It was so much fun to see them lounging in the house and being really comfortable. Aunt Pat calls Khyri Fluffer Nutter and when she finally got to see Kielle in person, she named her Stuffer Nutter!!

Kielle's kinda cool right Aunt Pat?

Aunt Pat got to give Khyri his first bath in a big tub (Yes I still fold him into the infant tub - there's no need to waste all that water! haahaha - don't judge me) and also help him with brushing his teeth. Kenya just loved playing with Kielle in her outfits! hahahahha

 

I'm pretty - even when I'm sleeping!

Danielle let me borrow her doubler stroller for this leg of the trip and that was a lifesaver! The first night we struck out walking to the corner store to get our mega millions ticket hahahaha. We didn't hit the jackpot *sigh* but I did win 2 bucks. Hey its a start!

The highlight of the trip was witnessing Khyri Mosley get out of the pack n play numerous times. I thought this was a fluke, but its now come to light that -yup- he is an escape artist. I don't have video of him in Philly, but I've got this video of him escaping from his crib at home (courtesy of Auntie Netta).

DELTA FLIGHT 235
On Monday we headed back to Jersey. Our flight was at 7pm so we had enough time to go back and hang out with Cadence and Aria before flying out. I must admit I was PETRIFIED of traveling with two kiddos on the plane by myself, but Danielle was THE BEST! She walked me all the way through security to the gate. We checked our one big bag and the two carseats at the ticket counter so the only thing I was carrying was the diaper bag and two munchkins. When Danielle left, we had about 45 minutes to burn so I tried to tire Khyri out by walking up and down... and up and down... the terminal. I had Kielle in the maya wrap and I held Khyri's hand. We looked out the windows at some of the planes taking off, and I bought a banana for the flight.

They always allow people with infants to board the planes first, but I decided to board the plane dead last. I know that Khyri does not like sitting still. I figured its better for us to be the last ones on the plane so by the time we sit down and buckle up its time for the cabin doors to close and we can get to moving. My plan worked!

The flight was only about half full - plenty of open seats. For this flight, I had to buy Khyri his own seat since I could only carry one child in my lap, and Kielle had that prime location on lock. So here we are sitting in a row of three - Khyri at the window, I'm in the middle and a man in the aisle seat. Let me go back... the plane was half full. Why is this man still sitting here?!?!?! The row in front of us was empty, the row on the other side of the aisle was empty and the row behind us was empty - but we're squeezed up in this one row like sardines. Seriously!?!?!  Stay cool... Kahlillah Stay cool... The flight attendant announces that the passengers are free to move around and change seats since there clearly are open seats before we taxi away from the gate. I turn to my left and look the man straight in the eye and say "It won't hurt my feelings if you move" I added a smirk and maybe a little chuckle on the end to make him feel at ease. He promptly got his butt up and switched to an empty window seat in another aisle. I mean really!??! who prefers to sit crowded up next to two children for 2.5 hours?!?!? Man - GET UP! ahahhah.

Once we were all settled, the next 2.5 hours were filled with me singing 'The Wheels on the Bus', "If You're Happy and You Know It', and "The Itsy Bitsy Spider' over and over and over again. I cycled in some books, changed some diapers, and Khyri was captivated by the snack tray coming through the aisle. The last 20 minutes was the hardest part of the flight. For most of the flight Khyri was able to roam around in our row and stand in his seat and look out the window. But when the plane started its descent, everyone had to buckle up and sit down. not.a.good.look. Khyri pitched a fit moaning and groaning, etc. I simply tightened the lap belt and made Khyri sit down - of course by this time he had wedged himself face first into the seat of the chair. His ears started popping so I wedged his sippy cup down there to help with the pressure, while I nursed Kielle.

Next thing we knew... we landed - and I had survived!!!