Cloth Daipers

While in AZ for Spring Break I watched my SIL use cloth diapers on her twins. Sure, I didn't see the laundry side of it, but it didn't look to daunting. After realizing that Iann won't potty train this summer, we decided to switch to cloth for a couple of reasons. First, to save money. Second, to use the cloth to help him realize when he is wet. And third, for the environment. (Honestly though, the environment alone wouldn't have cut it. Shhhhh!)

So I spent LOADS of time (thus no posts here) researching all aspects of cloth diapers. Did you know that some people will spend up to $40 on a diaper, which will then be covered by a PUL, fleece or wool cover???? Crazy. I haven't gone that far, and I won't. Seems a waste of the money we want to save!

Based on my research and word of mouth, I started buying diapers. Oh, the tax refund money helped too. I bought a bunch of large FuzziBunz diapers, which are basically just like disposables: snap it on, take it off, put in diaper pail, put next one on. No 2 step diaper then cover process, easy for Jon and preschool next year. The large FB's say they fit babies from 25 - 45 lbs, and since he's already 30 lbs we went with those. Most of the others topped out at 35 lbs.

A friend also gave me her prefolds, that can be used to add absorbency to these. The first lot arrived and I was so happy to wash them and get them out to dry:

Unfortunately, after 2 weeks of trying everything we could think of, it is clear that these are the wrong size :( He leaks out of them all day long. Very sad. So I am now trying to resell them, so I can try something else, that will fit better.

Note to self: Just buy 1 to see how it fits ...

Karate Boy

It has been so long since I posted, that it has started getting a little overwhelming. How to get everything from the last few weeks down????
To save you from mega long posts, I'll do it in a few shorter ones instead.

First up, Brynn. After he passed level 3 in swimming he was ready to start karate. We took a few weeks off to restore some family sanity, and promised him he could start after Spring Break.

I took him to his first class and it was great. His teacher - Sensie (sen-say) - has all those kids under control. Brynn tried to talk once or twice, and then has stayed quiet since then. It's fun seeing him learn to punch, block and kick, and I'd say he starting to get it now, 3 weeks into it. Jon reckons it is muscle memory, but whatever it is, it's working!

He was a little stinker on Monday morning, so much so that we gave him one more chance to behave, or he wasn't going to karate. Guess who missed class that night???????

I finally got the camera out and took pictures this evening. Pretty darn cute, don't you think?

Iann's Favorite Pastime

I brought Iann's favorite book with us - Runaway Bunny - and he is walking up to everyone with it, looking so darn cute that no one can refuse him ... Jon and I are encouraging him to take it to all the other adults since we get to read it so much at home. Of course he is happy to have any book read to him!



Uncle Jon reading Sammy The Seal

Auntie Rose reading Runaway Bunny

 Daddy reading Runaway Bunny to Iann and cousin James



Nani reading Green Eggs and Ham

I would love to tell you what Brynn has been up to, but since his older cousins arrived yesterday morning, I haven't really seen him. Well, he shows up for mealtime and then disappers! I guess that means he's having a good time :)

First Report From Spring Break Vacation

Jon recently won the Employee of the Quarter award, gaining a nice plaque for our wall and one extra day off. By combining his weekend, his regular extra day off, the awarded day off and one vacation day, he managed to get off the Mon - Fri of Brynn's Spring Break. At first we invited his parents to come out to CO,  instead they sent some gas money for us to come to their log home in Northern AZ.

When we arrived yesterday, Auntie Rose, Uncle Jon and thier twins were already here waiting for us. Knowing this was going to happen, I will admit that I was a little nervous about how Iann would react: a long drive, new place, new people, new table, new food, new bath, new bed etc. You get the picture.

Thankfully, both boys did great on the drive. We set them each up with a DVD player: Iann watched various Baby Einstein and Baby Signs movies, while Brynn watched The Lone Ranger and Busytown Mysteries. Each time Brynn said "Are we almost there yet?" Jon would say something kind like, "Well, we're closer then we were last time you asked. Me, I said "No," and left it at that.

When we arrived Brynn ran in to get settled, as I carried a shoeless Iann towards the house. He had a very autistic moment when he wouldn't look at anyone, but was happy to get down and play with Nani's basket of toys. I breathed a sigh of relief. Things were going to be OK.

And then they weren't. I'm not sure what happened: one minute he was fine, then next he was crying. The crying lasted for the rest of the evening, all through dinner, until he was in the bath. That magic formula (bathtime) didn't even calm him down right away - he had to sit under the running water for 5 minutes before he calmed down. Amazingly, we went through the rest of the bedtime routine and into the pack and play weiht no more tears. He must have felt secure in the familiar.

Again, I was super apprehensive about how today would be .. so far so good, for the most part!

Whose hand is that? Do I need to freak out now?

Eli comforting Iann after they ran into each other.



Brynn loves helping Nani in the kitchen ... this time he had helpers of his own!

Wind Whispering

 Most of us dread early Spring in this part of CO: the wind is really strong, blowing red Utah dust all over our beautiful mountains. This year, I have found at least one person who LOVES the wind ... my little wind whisperer. He stands on the little picnic table, raises his arms and watches the flower spin on the top of the swing set:

 BTW, the wet patch on his tooshie is the bubbles he got hold of a little while ago ...

Mothering High's and Lows

A few days ago I was nattering away to a friend on the phone, washing dishes and keeping an eye on Iann in the back yard. At least I thought I was ... I walked into the boy's room to do something and heard my name being called from the back yard. It was the voice of my neighbor.

"He's in my yard," I thought. "What is Iann up to now?"

Well, Iann had pushed open the side gate and gone for a wonder in the front yard!!!! My neighbors were driving past and thought it looked a little strange that he was out there alone. Gee was I worried ... and a little embarrassed.

I thanked the man profusely and told Iann I would swing him, after I got some shows on. In the 3 secs it took for me to get shoes he'd opened the gate again and gone wondering towards the same neighbors car, as they were pulling away from my house.

I was a even more embarrassed! Needless to say, the side gate is now secured with a bungee cord that Iann can't move!

That was the low of the week.

The high occurred this morning. Brynn likes to snuggle in bed with us in the morning if he wakes up after 6am, but before we're up. I was half awake as he climbing in this morning, and dozed off again when he was settled.

"Dad," his little voice said a few minutes later, "do you hear the lovely song the birds are singing? It is beautiful. I like birds now. I'll never chase them or try to catch one again." I hadn't even heard the birds, and

This from the boy who lost his Wii AND TV privileges the other day for purposefully stepping on his sleeping dog ... so while the sentiment was great we'll have to see if he follows through with it!