A Nerd Like Me

2

Adventures in Cloth Diapering

We’ve had leaks and we’ve had mishaps, but overall I’m really enjoying using cloth diapers! Once you find your groove (and the right products to avoid those leaks) its really quite simple. I’m going to share our system with you, as well as review a few products for ya. Lets do this.

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Our System

First, lets talk about the system we’ve got going on. I have a tall garbage can and two cloth diaper pail liners. These liners are waterproof on the inside. I use one liner a day, switching them out every morning when I wash the diapers. I just dump the contents and the liner into the washing machine together (more on the washing process below). I also have a small plastic bag attached to the inside for dirty disposable wipes. That bag gets replaced everyday as well. The key to making our system very user friendly is pre-stuffing the diapers as soon as they are clean. That way nobody has to worry about stuffing diapers with a fussy baby on the changing table. Once stuffed, they open up and go on just like a regular diaper. Easy peasy.

Notes:

1) Leaving the garbage can open and allowing air in has kept the smell to a minimum. Washing everyday also helps, but I do that because I only have enough diapers for one day. Although, if I had enough diapers I would stretch the washing out to every other day.

2) We have a diaper sprayer attached to the toilet, but I don’t use it right now because breastfeeding makes for very watery (and water-soluble) poop. When he starts on solids that will all change.

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Washing Our Diapers

Washing cloth diapers is super simple. Don’t let the internet scare you here. I simply do a bold rinse/spin cycle without detergent, then a hot wash with a cloth diaper safe detergent (I use Planet Ultra Powder). Using the right detergent will help you avoid losing absorbency due to buildup and, therefore, avoid leaks. I also make sure not to dry them with a dryer sheet, which can also cause buildup.

Notes:

1) If you need to strip your prefolds (not microfiber), simply do one hot wash cycle with a cup of vinegar, then one hot wash with detergent. But don’t even get me started on microfiber inserts…those gave me leak problems, even after stripping and avoiding diaper rash cream, so I quit using them. More on that in the gDiaper review below.

2) Diaper rash happens, so make sure you have a cloth diaper safe cream on hand. I use California Baby Calming Diaper Rash Cream (available at Target) at every diaper change as a barrier and have not had any trouble with absorbency.

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gDiaper Review

The gDiapers were a gift from my cousin. I don’t think they had ever been used before, so they were basically brand new. Here are my pros and cons:

Pros:

• The small gPants fit a newborn perfectly. I love how snug they are on a little bottom compared to most cloth diapers.
• The colors and fabric are dreamy.
• Velcro in the back = genius.
• gDiapers have a disposable, biodegradable insert option for parents on the go.
• This who system is super easy to use.

Cons:

• The gCloth inserts are microfiber and started leaking almost immediately. Even after stripping and avoiding the use of diaper rash cream, they still leaked. I had to improvise then – I had Drew’s aunt cut some larger prefolds in half and sew the seams so they would fit into the small gPants. No more leaks!
• These diapers started showing wear and tear after the first washing, which is disappointing since they are sp cute.
• gDiapers are not adjustable, so moving up in size happens pretty quickly. This is no fun since gDiapers are pretty pricey.
• Disposable inserts cost more than disposable diapers, but since you can flush them it may be worth it to you.

Verdict: I love the fit on a newborn, but would not use or buy these if they had not been given to me. The cost and quick wear and tear outweighs the cuteness. That being said, I do love them and they were free soooo win/win.

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Thirsties Duo Wrap Snap Review

I chose Thirsties covers from the very beginning, and bought two types of inserts: organic prefolds (from Green Mountain Diapers) and Flip microfiber inserts.

Pros:

• Once the baby has gained a couple of pounds, these covers fit great.
• These are adjustable and grow with the baby, with only two sizes from newborn to potty training.
• Snap closures will make it more difficult for those little hands to remove the diaper.
• Cute colors and patterns.
• Hold up well in the wash and dry very quickly.
• Can be wiped out and reused without washing if the piping stays clean.
• The organic cotton prefolds from Green Mountain Diapers are amazing, soft and super absorbent. We use them for absolutely everything, from burp cloths to diapers.

Cons:

• Bulky on a newborn.
• Not as soft and fluffy as the gDiapers.
• The Flip inserts don’t work well in these and leaked just like the gCloth inserts.

Verdict: These are a great buy! I will continue to use Thirsties covers with prefolds for as long as Westley is in diapers.

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Real Nappies Review

I don’t have much to say about these yet because the covers, although one-size, are too big for W right now. They were used and given to me by a friend, but from the little research I’ve done I can say that they are very affordable and the prefolds are extremely absorbent (I had some of them cut in half to use with the gDiapers).

Verdict: Jury is still out.

So there you have it! Our extremely long and incredibly detailed adventures in cloth diapering. Got questions? Suggestions? Advice? What kind of cloth diaper system do you use? Leave a comment and let me know!

(And if you’re a company that would like some diapers reviewed, I love handouts. For real. Bring it.)

 

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1

On Choosing Cloth Diapers

{photo credit}

I’ve been going back and forth on which cloth diapers to buy, because even though they will save us so much money in the long run, they are also quite an investment up front. I wanted to be sure that I was making the right decision. Finally, I think I’ve registered for an assortment of cloth diapers and accessories that will get little Westley through his first year. Total cost: $160. That’s a steal for a year’s worth of diapers, don’t you agree?

I have two girlfriends who have been helping me choose, thanks to their own experiences. In the end, I’ve chosen 6 Thirsties covers, 2 dozen organic cotton prefolds, and 1 dozen stay-dry inserts. The great thing about the covers is that you can reuse them a few times before having to wash them, you just change out the insert. The prefolds will be fantastic during the day (and double as burp cloths), but the stay-dry inserts will be great at night to help baby sleep through the night and/or get out of the house without feeling so wet. I’ll be sure to do a full review of my choices after I’ve actually had the chance to try them out for a while. To see exactly what I chose, check out my registry: Baby List.

Bonus: I found a brand of disposable diapers at Target (online only) that are biodegradeable, vegetable-based, CO2 neutral and hypoallergenic. These will be perfect for that newborn stage when the cloth diapers will be just a bit too bulky for the little one. The diapers are called “Attitude” and you can find them here.

Do you have any cloth diapering advice for a newbie?

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5

On Creating a Sustainable Household

I am a firm believer in the idea that one person can make a difference. I’m not saying it’s going to be a big or even noticeable difference when you look at the entire scope of things, but a difference nonetheless. Creating a sustainable household is a goal that Drew and I work daily to achieve, even though we understand that our impact, as a tiny family of 2.5, will not really change much regarding the future of our planet. That’s why I’m writing this post – to hopefully appeal to you and get you to do just one thing to make your home more green and sustainable. Consider it a challenge. What habits will you change in your home to make a small difference?

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Let’s start from the beginning – the first thing we ever started doing to be green….

1. Started Recycling – My college roommate taught me how and what to recycle and I’ve been doing it ever since. When Drew came into the picture and was all about it too, I knew he was the right man for me. We recycle all paper, glass and cans, as much plastic as we can (Mobile is picky about the plastic they accept), and even grease! Know what really warms my heart? When Drew picks up random pieces of litter without even thinking about it. Love it.

2. Began Using Cloth Grocery Bags – If you really think about the amount of plastic that is used just for your groceries in one week, it really adds up. This is a tiny, inexpensive way to greatly reduce your dependence on plastic. I still use my old Winn-Dixie cloth bags at Target, which can be slightly embarrassing, but I don’t really think it’s right to buy brand new bags just because I shop at a different store. Doesn’t that defeat the purpose?

3. Purchased a Prius – This is not something I’m saying everyone should do. A Prius is a big purchase. But it was time for me to get a new car and the Prius was an automatic for me. The dealership promised 48-50mpg, while I only get about 42-44. Turns out that you can buy tiny little Chevrolet’s these days that get the same gas mileage without a hybrid system, but I like to think that every time I hit the brakes, I’m recycling energy. Ponder that one for a while, kids.

4. Started Buying Secondhand Clothing – I went on a huge “thrift store only” kick for a while, but I was really sacrificing my personal style, which means a lot to me. I haven’t been to a thrift store in a while, but since finding out the other day that it takes 1,000 gallons of water to create one cotton t-shirt, I’m going to start going back. My ideal wardrobe will include both secondhand and classic, new pieces that will last for a very long time. Drew, on the other hand, pretty much buys all of his work pants from Goodwill and buys his shirts new. Again, good guy.

5. Started Buying Organic Food – I started doing this about two years ago, but didn’t get really serious about it until this past year. The more I read, the more I value the importance of organic foods. When you buy organic, you are not only helping your family by lowering the amounts of chemicals and pesticides they put into their bodies, you are also helping the farmers who grew those foods. The big, non-organic companies force poor farmers to spend tons of money on pesticides, which then harm them, their workers and their families, and considerably lowers their profits. Organic farmers do not have to buy pesticides, do not have to be exposed to those chemicals, and make a little more money in the process. I’d call that a win. (I read this info in an article and really wish I could cite that right now.) Some would argue that buying organic is worse for the environment because the food has to travel so much farther than local food, and I totally agree. But until Mobile can get me local, organic food, I’m going to do everything I can to keep chemicals out of our bodies in the Davis household. I like to use this guide for deciding what to buy organic and what isn’t really worth it:

6. Started Weening Ourselves of Disposables – We use aluminum water bottles. I take my lunch and snacks to work in reusable containers. It’s Drew that I’ve been slowly working up to the change. He relies very heavily on plastic ziploc bags for his lunch and snacks, but yesterday he bought a new, larger lunch box that will accommodate plastic containers instead. I would really love to eliminate plastics altogether, but glass and aluminum lunch containers are so expensive. My next mission is to get rid of paper napkins and purchase some great, easy to take care of cloth napkins to use with our meals. I want paper towels to hang around only for gross things, like dog messes. Yuck. Would anyone like to sew me some cloth napkins?

7. Started Composting – We’ve been talking about this for a while and finally got around to it. Our garbage can probably feels neglected, since we recycle and compost now, but I’m fine with that. Less garbage means less plastic garbage bags wasted! I hope to have some beautiful compost soil by next spring, so that we can start growing our own organic food.

8. Made a Rain Barrel – We went to a class the other night where we learned about safe water practices and made our own rain barrel to take home. The cost was $40, which will save us so much more than that when we begin watering our plants with free rainwater. The container holds 50 gallons, which can fill up in a matter of minutes during one of our Mobile downpours. The Auburn Marine Extension is having another rain barrel class in Mobile on May 19th. Here is the link to the previous class info, but you can contact them for the next class.

9. Started Monitoring/Changing Our Water Use – That class got us thinking about how we can reduce our water use around the house. We took the “40 Gallon Challenge,” which means that we pledged to reduce our water use by 40 gallons each day by making simple changes such as: not running the water while brushing our teeth, cutting shower times by 2 minutes, only watering the grass before 10am, and only running the dishwasher when it is full.

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What about the future?

10.We will use cloth diapers. This is a biggie for me, and Drew is totally on board. Even before I ever knew I wanted a kid, I knew cloth diapers were the way to go. I’m still researching and will be trying out a couple of different brands and methods when Westley gets here, but I’m certain that we will find our groove and be able to pull this off. You can read all the stats about the harmful impact of disposable diapers here, but this is the one that really motivates me: “Disposable diapers are the third largest single consumer item in landfills, and represent about 4% of solid waste. In a house with a child in diapers, disposables make up 50% of household waste.” To top it off, poop should NOT go in a landfill. Do you really want that nastiness seeping into your ground water? No thanks. Cloth diapers, especially the fancy, all-in-one organic kind, can get pricey, but I like to think of it as a one-time investment. These diapers can grow with the baby and last from 7 pounds to 35 pounds! That’s major! And if you take really good care of them, they can last through a second child, which further reduces your environmental impact. BAM!

11. We will make homemade baby food. Duh. I wouldn’t have it any other way. After the initial “try only one or two foods at a time” phase, in which I’ll be steaming and pureeing fresh fruits and veggies, I plan on simply smashing up the food we already eat for Westley to enjoy. That not only means that I know exactly what is going in his body, but it will also help him develop a healthy, well-rounded taste for foods.

12. We accept all hand-me-downs for the baby. Like these adorable leg warmers that Drew’s coworker gave us the other day. Can anyone say hipster baby? I’ve also accepted a ton of things from my sister, including a travel system (stroller and infant car seat), swing, play mat, baby carrier, bouncy seat, and more clothes. I love being able to reuse things. It makes me happy.

13. We will grow our own organic fruits and vegetables. That tiny organic  tomato seedling that my friend gave me is finally starting to produce fruits. This one plant is my test to see if I can actually keep something alive long enough to enjoy the fruits of my labor (see what I did there?). I usually kill plants because I’m not motivated enough to water them, but I’ve really been taking care of this one. I think it’s the fact that I can actually get something out of this plant, as opposed to pretty flowers that give me nothing but allergies. If this works, we’ll really get our own garden started next year. Then we will finally have our own local organic produce stand – right in our backyard!

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So what can you do? I’m not bragging here – I’m simply trying to make the point that everyone can do something, no matter how small or big. I challenge you to make one change in your home that will reduce your environmental impact. So, I ask again: What can you do?

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3

I got a new toy!

No, not her, you perverted bastard.  She’s my friend, Kristi.  And I took that beautiful picture of her, thankyouverymuch.  Kristi gave me my new toy today.  Its a happily used iPod Nano, and I LOVE it.  See, when it comes to mp3 players, I don’t ever buy them new.  At least, I haven’t needed to yet and we have 3.  Two of them were used and completely free.  The other was only $25.  I see this as a little eco-friendliness in a world of wastefulness, since most mp3 players are upgraded when the old one is perfectly fine.  This has been a nice upgrade for me, since I have been using a 1GB shuffle, which holds about half of an audio book.  My “new” nano, however, is now holding 3 whole audiobooks and hundreds of happy songs, with room to spare.  HAPPINESS!!!  Thank you, Kristi!  If I weren’t married, I would TOTALLY kiss your face.

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0

Coastal Cleanup, Kitty Cats, and Punched Faces

Coastal Cleanup is tomorrow.  8am.  Be there or be my bitch.  If you would like to know what happens when one becomes my bitch, see the clip below.

See you tomorrow!

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4

Eco-Friendly Friday

I saw these two wonders on Etsy this morning and just HAD to share them!  I want them.  Like, bad.

Reusable Snack/Sandwich Bags

These are amazing!  Think how much less plastic we would waste if we use these instead of ziploc baggies every day.  I’m going to get this retro design for myself and a set of black ones for The Hubs.  And at only $14.50 for a set of 3 bags, I think these will make excellent birthday presents as well.

Organic Reusable Vegetable Bags

Don’t you just hate wasting all of that plastic at the grocery store?  I personally have a set of reusable grocery bags, but still have to use the plastic bags in the produce section.  With these reusable veggie bags, I can feel good when filling up my basket with fruit and veggies!

Happy Weekend Everyone!

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2

Rave Reviews!

I have a lot to do today, but one thing I’m looking forward to doing is going to my favorite local consignment shop, Rave Reviews!  And I’m taking everything in this basket with me:

Can’t wait to show you what I find!

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1

Philly finds!

Our first day in Philadelphia, we just walked and walked, without any actual destination in mind.  What we found was an art festival going on down at Penn’s Landing, which made is very happy campers!  I found some pretty neat upcycled and recycled clothing, as well as other businesses, stole some business cards, and promised to blog about them.  So here are my two favorites!

Recycle My Dress

You know those bridesmaid dresses that you will never wear again?  Or that vintage dress you found that has amazing…potential?  Well, Recycle My Dress can turn it into a whole new look!  I loved what they had on the rack, but couldn’t buy anything at the time.  My favorite transformation that I saw on their website was turning this vintage dress:

into this gorgeous piece:

You can purchase already revamped dresses from their Etsy shop, or you can send them your own by contacting them through the Recycle My Dress website!

Dahling Accessories

Gretchen, the designer at Dahling Accessories, makes one of a kind handbags mostly using vintage fabric.  They are absolutely adorable!  You can read more about her on the Dahling Accesories website, or shop in her Etsy shop.  Here is my favorite item from the shop:

Happy Etsy shopping everyone!

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2

Happy Earth Day!!!

Happy Earth Day!  I’m going to make this short and sweet.  I want to challenge you today.  If you see a piece of garbage or litter on the ground…PICK IT UP!  And throw it away in an actual garbage can.  That’s all I’m asking.  Think about the difference we could make if every single person did that once a day.  Or better yet, if nobody littered!  Yeah, right.  If only it were that easy.

I hope you have a fantastic day enjoying this precious planet.  We wouldn’t be here without it.

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10

the nerd gets crafty…

The Hubs was blown away by my craftiness the other day.  As you may already know, I have Mondays off, so I enjoyed that special day this week to prepare some “wall jewelry” for our freshly-painted-and-soon-to-be-redecorated-home-office.  Weather permitting, we will be driving up to my grandparent’s in Montgomery to get our ‘new’ antique office furniture this Sunday.  I can’t wait!

Anyhoo, I have some habits that The Hubs despises.  First, I write little notes and lists to myself and leave them all over our desk.  Since our new desk will be half the size of our current one, this will not do.  Second, I put things in boxes and pack them away, saying, “I’ll do something with that soon.”  I never do….

…until now!

Ladies (and gentleman), I took one measly little unused picture frame that has been taking up space in our closet for years, and turned it into 3 important objects for our office!  How freakin’ awesome is that?  Not to mention good for the environment.  Just sayin.’

Object #1: Corkboard (to take care of the notes all over the desk)

To make the corkboard, I used the frame, a piece of foam poster board (to keep from sticking pins straight into the wall), and a thin sheet of cork from the craft store.  All I did was attach the cork to the foam with hot glue, cut it to the exact size that would fit into the frame, and insert it into the frame.  The foam was so thick that the back of the frame wouldn’t go back on, leaving me no way to hang it on the wall…so I improvised….

…with a paper clip.  A-to-the-MAZING!

Object #2: Memory Collage (to take care of the Italy memorabilia that I crammed in the closet)

After making the corkboard, I had the back of the frame left and a whole lotta maps, tickets, and pictures from our trip to Italy stuffed in a box in the closet.  As I sat on the office floor, staring at this perfectly good frame back, I had a epiphany: cover this with Italy memories and hang it on the wall!  Duh!  I meeeeean, it already has wall hanging thingamabobs, so why the heck not?!?!?!

For the background, I attached our map of Rome that helped us get from place to place for 3 days.  This map is fan-freakin-tastic.  It has all of our writing on it, like circles of certain sites to see, lines on which roads to take, bus routes, metro routes, etc.  Then I placed various tickets and whatnot on top of the map.  Top left is a train ticket from Florence to Venice.  Top right is a ticket into the Vatican Museums.  Bottom right is our Roma Pass, which gets you on the metro and the buses.  And bottom left is a ferry ticket to get from our hotel in Venice to the Venice airport….which is a whole other blog entry…fun times.  Fun.  Times.

Finally, in the center of all of this Italy goodness is a collage I made on Picnik of our fave pics from the bunch.  There are 36 pics in all.  You have to get really close to see them all, but I plan to put this in my new reading area in the new office, so the memories will be right next to me when I relax every night with a glass of red and a great book.  The Hubs loved this.  LOVED it.  I’m glad.  I did it for him.

Object #3: Book Table Top

I don’t have a picture of this yet, but as soon as our office is put together, you will see what I’m about to explain.  I love to read.  LOVE to read.  It can sometimes be difficult to get my read on when The Hubs is lounging on the couch.  So I will be setting up a nice little reading area in the corner of our new office.  Check it!  The area will consist of a recliner, a lamp, and a stack of large books acting as a table.  That is what I will be putting the glass piece from the frame on top of, to protect the books.  I cherish the books I will be using for this table.  The stack includes my grandmother Algie’s old dictionary that she passed down to me (that happens to be the size of a small child), my new and antique bird identification books (also huge), the world’s largest bible, and some more dictionaries.  Oh, I can’t wait!!!!!!

So, have you gotten your craft on lately?

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