12.29.2011

starting out with cloth diapers

We have lived cloth diapering for a couple weeks now, and I wanted to update you on how it's going and how I got started.  Even before getting pregnant, I considered diving into the cloth diaper world.  However, I had no idea where to begin.  And let me be honest, I was overwhelmed.  My research started very slowly...occasionally reading about it on websites and blogs.  When we got pregnant, I started reading a lot more about it, saw how it worked for others, and realized the money-saving aspect of it, and I was set on trying it.  (Although I was even still a little skeptical of how well it would go.) 

Justin was very skeptical.  The inconvenience.  The poo in the washer.  He just wasn't hooked at all like I was.  However, he supported me in trying it and became more and more okay with the idea as I taught him everything I was learning.

I wanted to write this post, because we didn't enter the cloth diaper world full-force.  We started with the bare minimum and took it from there.  We've had success and I am so excited to be a cloth diapering momma and have a little one with a cloth diapered bottom.

Adeline in her only pink bumGenius (we went gender-neutral with most of our colors to be practical)
Cloth diapers have intrigued me from the very beginning for a few reasons:

1.  (Main reason) Savings!! I'm not going into all the nitty gritty money details here because you can find it all over the internet.

2.  My mom did it.  Now I know that shouldn't be a main reason.  But come on...if my parents did it when it was just the nice cotton diapers (basically what are now similar to our burp cloths) and safety pins....I think I can do it with the Cadillac of cloth diapers that are available these days.

3.  Somewhat to be "green".  This would not be reason enough for me to do it.  However, I believe in being good stewards of what God gave us--this earth.  I'd like to know I did what I could to help Adeline have an earth to live on that God intended.

4.  They are cuter and safer.  You can throw a top on your baby with a cloth diaper and have an outfit (in the warm months, of course).  And I like knowing that I'm limiting the toxins that are entering her body from the get-go that come from all those disposables.

Let me be real:

1.  I realize I put money into the cloth diapers and cloth diapering could have just ended up not working for us.  I'm was open to that and okay with that.  Also, I realize there are times that cloth diapering might not be as convenient...say, traveling.

2.  We didn't start right away.  We started around week 5.  This was perfect for us because as I was healing and learning how to take care of a newborn, the absolute last thing I wanted to think about was laundry.  I wouldn't change this one bit and will probably go the same route with the next baby.  Plus, the diapers we purchased (there are newborn options available that we just didn't try out) didn't fit her well until she was about 9 or so pounds.

3.  I'm going to be a full-time, working momma.  At least for a little while at the beginning of her life.  I don't expect caregivers to use cloth diapers.  We realize we will need to buy some disposables for when she's out of our care during the days.  However, we will use cloth in the evenings, on weekends, and on days off (and as a teacher, I get a lot of those).

4.  I don't believe it's for everyone.  I'm not going to be all "preachy" about it.  I just would much rather know we tried it and it didn't work, than to not try it and know it could have possibly been a good decision for our family.  I'm all about families doing what personally works for them in every area of raising a child.

Here's what we did to get started and try-out cloth diapers:

-We had 7 diapers. Cotton Babies and Kelly's Closet are my favorite cloth diaper websites so far.  We purchased our diapers from there and a few came from a local "green" store that carries cloth diapers.  Some diapers were purchased with our own money, some with gift cards, and some were given to us as gifts.


-Stuck with my staple detergent that I'm also using for all of Adeline's other clothes--All Free and Clear with Oxy-Clean.  I found a great site here that outlines all possible detergents that can be used with cloth diapers and how well they work.  I'm not about spending high dollar for special detergent if my normal detergent will work.  So far so good.

-Didn't go with a diaper sprayer.  At least not right now.  Adeline is solely breastfed and rinsing the diapers isn't necessary since BF poo is water soluble.  However, if there is a huge mess, I do sometimes use my bottle sprayer I got from the hospital to help with my healing and spray some of the mess off into the toilet.  Not necessary though.  We may purchase a sprayer for when we start solids.  (I have found it's much cheaper to purchase these on Amazon than from diaper sites or in stores.)

-We did not start with a wet bag, although it would be ideal.  I just put a bunch of old grocery bags in her changing table and threw the dirty diaper into the bag, tied up the bag, and threw the bag downstairs for the laundry.  Easy.  Cheap.  Worked for us.  (Honestly, you could do this system and completely forgo a wet bag.)

our little cloth-diapered cutie
 Our system starting out:

-As I said, we started out with 7 one-size diapers (they will fit her to potty training):  5 bumGenius 4.0 one-size stay-dry diapers--2 hook and loop (velcrow) and 3 snaps (comes with a large one-size insert and a newborn insert); 1 Flip diaper (comes with cover and stay-dry inserts); 1 FuzziBunz one-size cloth diaper (snaps)

-We use disposable wipes still (I'm still not ready to try reusable wipes). We have not had to purchase any yet due to all the gifts at showers!

-We started when she was about 5 weeks old and about 9.5 pounds.

-Because we only started with a day's worth of cloth diapers for her at 5 weeks, we also used disposables (mostly of which were gifts from showers) when I wash the cloth diapers.

-We put wet diapers into the grocery bag and toss them downstairs to our washer (no extra steps).  We lightly spray the poo diapers with biokleen bac-out enzyme-fighting spray to help break down the poo.  (This stuff is amazing and basically breaks down all the poo before you're even ready to wash it.  You can find it on Amazon, but I purchased it at our local "green" store.)

-On the hook and loop diapers...I make sure to hook the velcro down so that the diapers don't get stuck together (a.k.a. "diaper train") in the wash.

-I wash the diapers in the evening usually.  We have HE front-loaders.  When ready to wash, I pull out the inserts (you don't have to do this if you don't want b/c they come out in the wash), throw the inserts and covers into the wash.  I do a cold soak (about 20 mins.) with no detergent--the poo is basically gone after this first rinse, a cold/hot wash on my normal setting with a drop of the detergent (about 50 mins.), and then a final cold soak with extra spin (about 20 mins.).  I dry the inserts for about 30-45 mins. on the medium setting and line-dry the covers overnight (you need about 7 or 8 hours).  We don't have a drying rack, so I just hang the liners over our kitchen chairs--works like a charm.

-I stuff all the diapers when they are dry and put them ready-to-go into her changing table.

What we have on the way:

Now that we started cloth and it's working, I was ready to invest in more diapers and a wet bag.  Thankfully, we had gift cards left from our many baby showers to use!

I just recently purchased 8 more diapers so we will have 15 in all!
-6 more bumGenius 4.0 one-size (in both hook and loop and snaps)
-2 FuzziBunz diapers (one one-size and one size small (was free with my purchase!))

I also recently purchased a large Planet Wise wet bag from Kelly's Closet and a reusable swim diaper from the same place.  I got a small wet bag for the diaper bag (from Target) for a Christmas gift.

(I plan on just tossing the diapers into the wet bag instead of the grocery bags now.  I am just going to hang the wet bag in her room since it zips shut.  I will wash the wet bag with the diapers.)

Cost:

I just recently read that the average baby in the US goes through approximately 5000 diapers before potty training.  I believe it! I have found my favorite diaper is Target brand's diaper.  If I find those on sale and use a coupon (rarely available), a good deal is about $0.14.  That would be $700 spent on disposables (and this figure is low compared to other costs I have found  in my research).

With 15 diapers, a large wet bag, a small wet bag, a reusable swim diaper, and a large pack of disposable inserts, we have a cloth diapering system "stash" worth about $300.

With being smart, looking for sales, using gift cards, and receiving some items as gifts, we have only paid about $50 out of our own pockets.

Basically, what it comes down to, is with our personal expenses on cloth diapers, we have saved ourselves about $650 just on diapering Adeline.  And Lord-willing, we would like to have other children...they will basically be diapered at little to no cost.

My other, random thoughts:

-I have found a "good deal" on a new cloth diaper is about $10-$14.

-You can find gently-used or new cloth diapers often on craigslist.  There are also places on Facebook where people want to swap diapers.  (Fluff Swappers is one.)

-Cotton Babies is a website you'll want to check out and sign up to be on their mailing list.  They often have seconds sales where you can get bumGenius (normally about $18) for $10.  They are in perfectly fine working condition.  This site also offers buy 5 get one free deals or buy 2 get 1 free deals often.  We have gotten in on both of these deals and got great prices! 

-Your little one will have a bigger bottom with cloth diapers and possible go up a size in clothing.  This is no big deal at all to me.

-We have had no diaper blow-outs in cloth.  We had tons in disposables.  We also had some minor diaper rash in disposables...none with cloth.

-There are tons of options out there! You can research until you're blue in the face to find what you like.  I recommend getting a couple different kinds, live cloth-diapering for a bit, and then decide on what you want to buy more of.  I'm not crazy into researching, so I found a couple we like and just stuck with those brands.  I could research a lot more to find other kinds, but it's not worth the time to me.

-I like the brands we have equally.  I do feel like the bumGenius are better quality all-in-all.  I like hook and loop more than snap--easier to quickly put on a squirming little one--but I feel the snap diapers will hold up better in the long run.

-Ignore people when they are skeptical of your diapering plans.  I got many funny looks and semi-rude comments from people when they found out we were going to try cloth diapering.  It was a challenge to me...and I love challenges...so I just tried to ignore them.  I often like to prove people wrong...this is yet another place I'm doing that.  Just approach these people with a smile and go on your cloth-diapering way. 

-I was most scared of the laundry.  Not bad at all! Honestly, call me weird, but I enjoy the cloth diaper laundry because I love that we're using them.  (And believe me...I probably dread laundry more than the normal person.)  With 15 diapers, I will wash approximately every 2 days.  With more diapers, you an make it even easier on yourself. 

-About those hubbies...Justin has grown to be just fine with cloth diapering.  Would he be sad if we stopped? No.  Would he do cloth diapering if it wasn't for me? No way.  However, he's 100% on-board and I so appreciate his open mind! For the daddies out there...his favorite are the hook and loop (velcro) cloth diapers because they are the most similar to disposables.  He also prefers not so spray off the poo diapers, but just throw it into the bag.

Other resources/deal-finding:

Some of my blog and real-life friends that have recently posted about cloth:
-Natalie recently posted an awesome post here about her adventures into cloth.
-Ashleigh at Thankfully Thrifty has info on cloth diapering.
-Page posted a great post recently on her adventures into cloth with helpful, detailed reviews of many different kinds of cloth diapers.

(If you have recently posted a how-to on cloth diapers and would like me to add you to this list...just let me know! I apologize if I missed it--with a newborn, I'm out of the blog-reading loop quite a bit these days!)

-You can find gobs of reviews and how-tos on YouTube.

 There you have it! Don't hesitate to let me know if you have questions about something I didn't include in this post--I would be happy to share my thoughts and our experiences with you!

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12.20.2011

who slept through the night?


this girl!! 

This sweet girl had her last feeding of the night at 9:50 and didn't wake back up again until 5:45! I'm pretty sure she knows Santa's watching! ;)

Merry Christmas to Mommy!

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12.19.2011

a merry miscellany monday

Linking up with Carissa today for Miscellany Monday! My mind pretty much only thinks miscellany these days.  Now I know exactly what people were talking about when they said that "pregnancy brain" only leads to a much more extreme version of  "baby brain".  Living it and wouldn't change a thing!

One...

My daughter is much more of a fashionista than me.  Her newborn accessories include white, furry boots that she definitely rocks.


Two...
Speaking of fashion.  Is it funny that I feel like a runway model just by wearing non-maternity clothes? Okay definitely not a runway model...but I feel like a million dollars when I'm able to put on a shirt that would have come up to my chest a couple months ago.  Now pants are a different story.  I'm still rockin' the maternity jeans some, because let's be honest, I refuse to go out and spend money on new jeans.  I am determined to get back to my pre-pregnancy pants if it's the last thing I do.  Breastfeeding does help tremendously...but those last 5 pounds decide to stick around.  Maybe it's God's way of reminding me of accomplishing pregnancy and bringing a sweet new baby into the world.  Let's just say that even though I've lost most of it...things definitely end up being flabbier and shifted a bit.  Hello, Mommy body. ;)

Three...

On a serious note, we lost my dear childhood pup a few days ago.  My sweet yellow lab, Nick, was my buddy since 4th grade.  He was 15 years old and it was just time.  He will remain in our hearts.  Doesn't he have the sweetest face?

 Four...

As if I wasn't an over-achiever already, Pinterest has made me more of one.  I feel like I have to complete every neat craft I find, cook every new meal or baked-good I pin, and organize our memories just like all the ideas in my "memory keeping" folder.  Thank you, Pinterest, for giving me more anxiety on being an "I-have-to-do-everything" kind of girl.  Yikes...can we say "prioritize"?!

Five...

I'm married to a kid-at-heart and I love him for that.  Two nights ago my hubby brought his trains from his parents' house and decided to set them up around our tree.  So fun! Then last night I found him "playing" under the tree with his trains.  Gah.  Yet another reason he makes such a wonderful daddy!


Six...

Live Action! We are obsessed with "Call of the Wildman" on Animal Planet (Sundays at 10pm).  Anyone else out there? Well I will admit we only started watching because he lives in Kentucky...but this man is crazy and got us hooked! "Turtle Man" goes into nasty ponds and grabs snapping turtles out with his bare hands.  Actually he'll grab any wild animal by hand.  As great as we think he is...let me clear a few things up.  Not everyone in Kentucky is without teeth.  We do wear shoes.  We do not take baths in huge Rubbermaid tubs.  And we do know what cell phones and the internet are.  Just wanted to set that straight in case you decide to watch. ;)

Seven...

We have gone through our first "batch" of cloth diapers! Adeline decided to only use them for her wet diapers....she didn't poo in one of them.  So really, I feel like we haven't completely ventured into the cloth diaper world because I haven't had to deal with a messy one.  Oh well...the first load of cloth diapers should be easy to wash! How considerate is my little one month old?

Eight...

My pastor preached a great sermon yesterday on JOY.  He gave us this great acronym to remember on keeping our focus on what is most important first and second, while we should keep ourselves last.  J-Jesus, O-Others, Y-Yourself.

Nine...

Justin and I are working to get back into the swing of date nights.  Adeline just successfully took a bottle from her daddy a couple nights ago.  She's been a little finicky with the bottle and she definitely is all about Momma still.  I'm not complaining...selfishly, I love that she is so content with nursing, but I do want her to be able to take a bottle to allow us to have some time together and her to have time with those adoring grandparents that can't wait to have her to themselves.  And I know Justin adores the time with her when she takes a bottle from him.  Now Justin and I just have to buckle down and release the grip a tad bit to leave her.  I cringe...but I do know it's what's best for us and for her.  I'm convinced it's crucial for a sweet little one to have a mommy and daddy that love each other and make each other a priority.

one of our last date nights before our sweet girl arrived
Ten...

Our Christmas festivities begin mid-week and will continue through the weekend.  I adore Christmas.  The time with family, the time reflecting on Christ, the traditions, the joy, and the memories created and the memories cherished.  It is even more special this year as we start our own traditions as a family of three.  Having a baby heightens the joy of every day...so this time of year is just icing on the cake.  I'm sure blogging will take a back seat yet again this week.  So Merry Christmas to you and your family! Have a joy-filled time celebrating the birth of our Savior.  He is the reason for the season and the best gift of all.

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12.18.2011

happy birthday to Boone!

It's our sweet pup's 3rd birthday today!





We love our sweet pup.  He's so good-natured, smart, and has definitely stepped into the "big bro" role pretty easily! 

Happy birthday, Boone!!

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12.17.2011

cuteness under the tree

Here are some photos of our "at home" Christmas photo shoot! I had way too much fun snapping pictures of this sweet girl (and her pup)!

Boone was the first to have his time in front of the tree...such a cutie!


Next was sweet Adeline's turn...





Both of my cuties in front of the tree...


And because I like to keep it real...here is an outtake :)


Joy to you all this Christmas!!

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12.15.2011

christmas tree hunt

Growing up, we always had a live Christmas tree. I love that our tree was never artificial.  Because of this, one of our Christmas traditions was to pick out our Christmas tree.  It has varied over the years where we purchase the tree, but it is always a special family time.  Even now that I'm married, Justin and I continue to be a part of this tradition to help my parents pick out their tree.  It was tons of fun this year to introduce Adeline to the tradition!

We started out eating dinner together out at a new pizza restaurant.  Adeline slept through this part! She was decked out in her special Christmas tree onesie her aunt made her and her pretty bow my mom bought her. This picture was in my last post...but just because she's so cute...I'll show you again!


Next was picking out the tree! It wasn't too cold, so Adeline snuggled in the Moby and helped pick out the tree.

the crew--from left--Justin, me, Adeline, Amanda (my little bro's sweet girlfriend), my mom, my brother Matt, my dad


We ended the night hanging out at Starbucks


Such a fun time together as a family!

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12.14.2011

lots to love

I'm linking up with Jamie today for What I'm Loving Wednesday!

I'm loving...

That my baby girl slept 5 hours straight last night between her late night feeding (11ish) and her middle of the night feeding (4ish).  Then she slept 4 more straight hours until her first feeding of the day (8ish).  Whoo hoo!

her sleeping habits crack me up--hands and feet out from covers at all times!

I'm loving...

That I have been able to cook more.  Some of my faves have been crock pot recipes! Thank you Pinterest for all the inspiration! Beside Pinterest inspirations, we've also had Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken Tortilla Soup, and "Fried" Rice with steak and chicken! I'm planning on trying a bar-b-q chicken recipe and pot roast recipe soon that I've pinned. (Sorry for the lack of links...Pinterest is down right now.)

I'm loving...

That I was able to spend some time yesterday with two dear friends! Adeline and I met Page and her sweet baby, Selah, for lunch yesterday.  It was the first time for our sweet babes to meet.  It was so refreshing to sit with another momma and chat all things newborn and postpartum from breastfeeding hiccups to diaper duty.  It was so good for the soul! Then in the afternoon I got a call from my sweet friend, Cheri, and she stopped by to just hang out and chat while Adeline was napping.  (She's due with a sweet little girl, Anna, in April!) Love all these sweet girls that will be around for playmates for Adeline!


I'm loving...

All the Christmas festivities!! We have shopped till we've dropped for one thing! Adeline is quite the pro shopper already.  I am loving all the Christmas devotional reading we've been doing as a family and that I have been doing with Adeline during some of her awake time.  She already loves to be read to! Tonight we have our Christmas Cantata at church...my mom and mother-in-law are in the choir and it's always such a joyful celebration of Christ's birth! We've also spent quite a bit of time decorating our tree and then Adeline and I spent the day with my mom to help her decorate their huge live tree.  Adeline also met Santa for the first time at church on Sunday!

Adeline and Boone enjoyed the decorating festivities--the lights are a hit with the sweet girl

our tree


I'm loving...

The new addition to our stockings! We ordered Adeline a personalized Pottery Barn stocking and it's perfect!

 I'm loving...

Dressing this girl up in Christmas attire! Actually dressing her up in anything! :)



I'm loving...

All the cuddles in front of the Christmas tree lately!



 I'm loving...

My little angel and our sweet little family (Boone included)!


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12.08.2011

pinterest-inspired

If you're like me at all, you have gobs of pins on pinterest and the best intentions to actually get around to making/doing all those things you've pinned...but it just doesn't happen as often as you'd like.  I've found that my craft-time has gone from here and there...to almost non-existent with a newborn.  I'm okay with that...the trade-off is pretty sweet.  However, I have just completed one project that I found on pinterest and have piles of craft supplies on my kitchen table to work on some other projects that I'm excited about.  So here's my most recent pinterest-inspired project.

Inspiration:

via on pinterest

Completed project:

color version

my fave--black and white

So I'm not a professional photographer and I was working close to nap time which meant a slowly melting baby...we were very near a meltdown...but I'm so happy with how this photo turned out! I'm picturing it framed on the wall for sure!

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12.07.2011

One Month!

Dear Adeline Grace,

            You are one month old! Oh my! How in the world are you already one month old baby girl? This past month has been the most amazing month for your daddy and me.  We can’t even begin to imagine life without you now that you are here in our arms.  We look at you and see all that we prayed for.  You are our little living miracle.  We just sit and stare at you often, so thankful that God gave you to us here on this earth.  What an amazing blessing! Words definitely can’t explain our love for you but know we love you bigger than this world and always will!




So what have we learned about you this month and what have you been up to in your first month of life?

First of all, you have had so many firsts! It’s so fun right now, knowing that almost everything we do with you is a first in your little world:

-On 11.11.11 you came home for the first time! Boone and your Papa and Gee were here to greet you.  Your other grandparents (we are still waiting on your name for them) and your aunt also came over to greet you that evening.  You slept the entire time.

-On 11.14.11 you had your first doctor visit with your pediatrician.  Your length was still 21 inches (same as birth) and your weight was already back up to 7 lbs. 4 oz.  (You were born at 7 lbs. 5.7. oz and then dropped down to 7 lbs. before we left the hospital.)  Your doctor was so impressed with your weight gain and let us know that you were more than thriving.  She went on and on about how perfect you were and everyone couldn’t get over how beautiful you are (including all that hair)! You also rode to Burger King and slept while your mommy and daddy ate in the car.  It was nice to get out!

-On 11.18.11 you had your first outing other than to the doctor.  We went to your Grandma and Grandpa Curry’s for your grandma’s birthday.  Of course, even though you slept, you were the life of the party!

-On 11.21.11 you had your second doctor visit.  Another great one! You were up to 7 lbs. 13 oz.,and the doctor was very impressed! (You’ve been a great eater since day one!) You were still 21 inches long at this visit. The doctor let us know you were in the 50th percentile for your weight and head circumference but a little above the 50th percentile for your length (Will you be petite like mommy or tall like daddy? This measurement made us think you may be a taller gal.)  Your mommy also had a doctor visit on this day also due to a few hiccups with breastfeeding.  Everything is just fine now and you never had trouble eating throughout everything.  Because of my doctor visit, we decided to go out to lunch at Penn Station.  This was you first real outing to a public place.  You were wonderful again, and slept the entire time in your seat.

-On 11.24.11 you celebrated your first Thanksgiving! Mommy had so much fun getting you dressed up! We hung out as a family that morning watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, mom cooked a dish for Thanksgiving, and you and Boone had your pictures taken together.  We then went to your Grandma and Grandpa Curry’s for our first round of Thanksgiving.  Your Uncle Matt, MaJo and PaJack, Papa Curry, and Aunt Jill were there.  That evening we went to Aunt Phyllis and Uncle Doug’s.  Your Papa and Gee were there.  So were your Aunt Jennifer and Uncle Matt.  You met your cousins Cooper, Hadley and Gentry there for the first time! Carol Jean, Todd, Nicki, Alex, Emma, and Ella were also there.  We came home that evening and relaxed after a busy, busy day!

-On 11.25.11 you went on your first Black Friday shopping excursion with your mommy, Grandma Curry, MaJo, and Aunt Jill.  You went to both malls, to Target, and to Lowe’s.  You were so great, slept most of the day, only waking up to eat.  (That was the challenge for your momma…to find private places to feed you on such a busy shopping day!) Your daddy met up with us a couple times and we rode with him back to your Grandma and Grandpa Curry’s for Thanksgiving leftovers.

-On 11.26.11 your daddy and I realized that nighttime (7-9 or so) is your “fussy time”.  This first night we were very concerned, because you hadn’t been fussy at all the first couple weeks.  Now this has continued, and we realize it’s just your time to be a little upset.  We think you fight sleep and just want to be around us instead of in your bassinet.  We don’t mind that. ;)


-On 11.27.11 you had your first church visit.  Everyone was head over heels about you! They had been waiting and waiting for you to come into this world and were thrilled to meet you.  You were awake most of church and of course looked so pretty in your sweet little outfit.  Pastor Owen even prayed a special prayer of thanksgiving for you during one of the prayers.

-On 11.29.11 you had your first real tub bath.  (This was just a couple days after your cord stump fell off.)  You squeaked at first when we put you into the water, but then you decided you loved the bath and cooed the entire time.  You really loved when your daddy dried you off with the towel!

-On 12.1.11 you started batting at your play gym toys a bit.  You work so hard to get your hand to touch those funny things that hang down in your face.  Mommy got a video of it of course and praised all of your sweet little efforts.  We love watching you learn! On this day you also went outside to get the mail with mommy for the first time.  The sun was shining, and I decided you needed some fresh air other than just going quickly to and from the car.

-On 12.2.11 we took a short road trip to mommy’s college roommate’s wedding with your daddy and Grandma and Grandpa Curry.  Your grandparents sat in the car with you while your mommy and daddy went to the ceremony.  (You still need mommy for your feedings quite frequently at this point! And I don’t mind one bit.)

-On 12.3.22 you went Christmas tree hunting for the first time.  This is a tradition on your mommy’s side.  Your daddy, Grandma and Grandpa Curry, Uncle Matt and his girlfriend, Amanda, were all there.  We went to dinner beforehand and you cuddle up in the Moby Wrap to look at the trees.  We also had a visit to Starbucks after!

-On 12.4.11 we decorated your first Christmas tree! You sat in your bouncy seat and stared at the lights while Mommy and Daddy decorated.  You already have so many ornaments on the tree—all with a special story!

-On 12.5.11 we had your first Christmas pictures taken.  The photographer decided you were the happiest baby she had ever worked with and also decided that you were prettier than any of the model babies in the pictures.  (Your daddy and I already knew this, of course!)

You also had gobs of visitors your first month! As you can see, you’ve had so many firsts and special memories created just within your first month of life!



So what do you like and dislike?

You love…

-Curling up into a little ball and laying on our chests
-Lights and music
-Being talked to, read to, and sung to
-Eating
-Your bouncy seat
-Riding in the car (when it’s moving!) and riding in your stroller (when it’s moving!)
-Tummy time (for the first 5-10 minutes)
-Your pacifier
-Your Sally Seahorse
-Having your toes and fingers free
-When we let you “air out” on the changing table
-You loved hats your first couple weeks and hated for them to be taken off (this has changed)
-Moving and looking around

You dislike…

-Being swaddled (even though you loved it the first week or so) and having a blanket on you when you’re sleeping.  (We often cover you up after you fall asleep.)
-Gowns
-Getting dressed
-Going to sleep (you fight it like crazy but you have gotten to a point where you can get yourself to sleep most of the time)


What are your sizes?

You are in 0-3 month clothes for the most part but can still fit in some newborn clothes like onesies and pants.  You are in size 1 diapers due to your crazy diaper blow-outs.  We still put newborn diapers on you sometimes immediately following a dirty diaper.



What are your eating habits like?

You have been a great eater since day one! You have had Mommy’s milk only since the beginning and still only eat that.  (This is something Mommy prayed would go smoothly!) You are a breastfed baby and have not had a bottle yet.  You latched on when we were doing “Kangaroo Care” in the hospital and the nurses were impressed with your eating throughout your hospital stay.  You started out as a very slow eater (45 minutes or so).  Now, you often eat for just 10 minutes (the doc said that is fine) but will still eat up to 20 or 25 minutes occasionally.  You started out eating almost every hour but now often stretch your feedings to 3 hours during the day and you can go 5 hours at night.  Occasionally, you will still want to eat after 2 hours.  You’re a great burper and you rarely spit-up.  You get the hiccups often after you eat and they make you a little angry.  (You got hiccups all the time in Mommy’s tummy too.)  We do give you gas drops after your late night feeding to help your tummy overnight.  You don’t seem to deal with bad gas the rest of the day, although you do have some very “healthy” diapers a couple times a day.  This just shows you are getting the right amount of food and that makes us happy!

How is your sleeping?

You have been such a great baby since the beginning! Even though you woke up a lot your first couple weeks of life, that was okay since you were hungry and Mommy’s body needed you to eat often to make sure she had enough food for you! You have always been great about going right back to sleep after you eat.  Now, you usually eat around 11 or 12 and then don’t eat again until 4 am or 5 am.  You wake up around 7 or 8 to eat and you usually go back to sleep until 9:30 or 10.  However, that’s been changing recently, and you want to get up after your 7 or 8 am feeding.  You do have trouble going back to sleep if you have a dirty diaper during the night.  You can sleep right through your wet ones but the dirty ones make you pretty mad!You are also a great napper! (You must get that from your daddy.)  You do fight sleep, so it hasn’t been easy to get to a point of where you self-soothe to get to sleep.  However, we’ve worked a lot on it, and usually with the help of some patting (you love to have your little bottom patted), your pacifier, and your Sleep Sheep, you get to sleep.  You sleep in your bassinet next to our bed, nap there for your morning nap, and then usually take your other nap or two in your bouncy seat.



So what makes you, you this month?

From the very beginning, you were beautiful both inside and out.  The nurses couldn’t get over all your gorgeous black hair, long eyelashes and your eyebrows at birth.  One of the nurses even took you out into the hall to parade you around and show all the other nurses.  You’ve been such a content, happy baby since day one also.  (We prayed for this and are so thankful you have such a wonderful demeanor.)  You already have such great head control and you are such a mover (your feet, legs, and arms are never still).  We love your little feet and toes and how you want them free to wiggle and squirm.  You already coo and smile at your mommy and daddy.  It melts our heart! You are such a happy baby!  You get so much attention when we go places (that doesn’t surprise us! ;) You are hardly ever quiet.  You squeak and coo in your sleep and when you’re awake.  You watch people and things around you so intently, taking them in.  You are such a cuddler and love to be loved on.  We already see Christ shining through you and how you draw people to you.

Adeline Grace, you are such a blessing.  Happy one month little girl! We can’t wait for all the months ahead of us and what they have in store.  We love you more than you’ll ever know!

                                                                                                    Love,

                                                                                                    Mommy and Daddy

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12.03.2011

newborn must-haves...Adeline's list

I've decided to do a series of posts about our must-haves and what have gotten us through the various stages of welcoming our sweet girl into this world.  First off, are our must-haves for a newborn (beyond the obvious necessities like wipes and dipes).  This list is definitely based on Adeline's preferences--if I've learned anything the past few weeks--it's that every itty bitty is different, you can't solely rely on the books, and just because something worked for another baby, it doesn't mean it will work for your baby.  I am loving getting to know this sweet girl and what works for her and her personality.


1.  Receiving blankets---LOTS of them! We have used these to swaddle, to cover, as a stand-in burp cloth, to prop her up in her vibrator seat, to keep her in place sleeping, to prop her up on her side sleeping, to lay on the floor for some tummy time, etc. etc.


2.  "Sally the Seahorse" (aka Fisher-Price Ocean Wonders Soothe and Glow Seahorse-Pink).  This toy has been crucial to get through fussy diaper changes before a feeding.  Adeline talks to her, sucks on her nose, and stares at her for solid minutes.  She loves her Sally.  (The name was given to her by Justin. ;) She hangs out on our changing table and goes for long car rides if needed.  Her belly glows and she plays soothing music--the great thing is, you can hold down on her belly to turn her off to save battery.  We highly recommend this!



3.  Fisher-Price Calming Vibrations seat--Adeline loves this for some of her play times (it plays music and has lights), but she also adores it for an afternoon snooze.  It's also a great item to pull into the bathroom and allow Momma to get a shower in the morning.


4.  Tiny Love Mobile (Tiny Princess version) I first saw this on Ashleigh's blog and was amazed with the remote control option to turn it on and off.  Adeline loves this.  Even though she's not sleeping in her crib, it allows for a few interactive playtime moments for me to get some laundry folded and put away in her room or for me to turn on the monitor and hop in the shower.  The light on this draws Adeline in each time.  Plus, I love that you can remove the mobile part of this when babies start pulling up and you still have a music and light box.  Perfection!


5.  Daddy's chest and Mommy's arms--Sometimes it's the only thing that will calm her down during her fussy time in the evening.  Nothing beats holding this precious girl in my arms! I love that she loves to snuggle.



6. Pretty notebook This neat notebook was made by our friend, Amy.  It has been perfect to record important things from the hospital and on.  I record all of her feedings and bathroom times in this notebook to keep me on track.  I also make sure to jot down important firsts each day...b/c let's be honest...these first few weeks are way too busy to do anything super special as far as memory-keeping goes.  I love that I'll have everything recorded to transfer to a more special memento like a scrapbook or baby book once we are beyond these busy,busy newborn days.  I also used it in the hospital to record her birth story before I forgot the details.


7.  Bassinet We have loved having a bassinet in our room for Adeline.  She sleeps right next to my side of the bed. This has been really handy for middle of the night feedings.  At first we thought we would just use our pack-n-play.  However, we got spoiled in the hospital being able to wheel her right to the bedside.  We just found our bassinet at Wal-Mart and are really happy we chose to purchase one instead of borrowing one--it's already faced some spit-up. ;) I really like the nightlight feature on the bassinet.  Addie can take or leave the mobile feature.  It's also nice to be able to wheel it into the living room if needed.
8.  Sleep sheep The white noise that this provides has been crucial in helping Adeline go to sleep in her bassinet without our help.  There are four options (whale sound, ocean, waves, and rain).  You can conrol the volume and it goes for a long time.  (I think Justin and I are even getting to the point of needing this to get to sleep. ;) We also have the giraffe.  You can find these almost anywhere--ours are from Target. 

via
9.  Footy pajamas After about a week and a half or two weeks, Adeline was completely over swaddling.  She hated it and would kick fiercely until she had herself unswaddled and then would go to sleep.  We even tried the Swaddle Me blankets--she wouldn't even consider it.  We decided it was like a baby straight jacket on her since it wasn't soothing to her like it is some babies.  From there it also got to where we realized she didn't even want a blanket loosely laying on top of her.  She just loves to kick and move her feet and legs.  So we tried nightgowns to at least keep her warm and comfy...what did she do with those? Kick fiercely, pushing her feet straight against the fabric, trying like crazy to get her legs free and out of the hole at the bottom.  Finally, we decided footy pajamas were the trick.  She was warm enough if she kicked her blanket off and her little toes were covered.  Her legs are free to squirm...and a happy, warm, sleeping baby makes for a happy mommy and daddy.

 

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