Fall Fail?

I often think of Fall as a time to reassess priorities. I don't know if it's the weather, or school starting back in session... something reminds me of a clean notebook and sharpened pencils and to do lists.

This week, I didn't have a lot on my to do list. Make sure the Peanut naps, cook (because I can be lazy when the Sailor is gone), take some new photos, blog a bit with said photos. 

However, Fall gave me a bit of backlash this week. 

I somehow managed to take out two overdrafts on our bank account. Now, this might be common for some people (my neighbor casually informed me she was $500 in the hole last week on her account.) But I balance our books to the penny. 

So it was with great chagrin that I incurred way too many charges recently because I somehow miscalculated, oh, say hundreds. (Thankfully, the money was in another account, but I still had to explain to the Sailor to not use his bank card overseas.) 

THEN, my credit card got phished. I don't know how, because again, we are meticulous about where we use our card and we're very secure online with it. Nonetheless, I had a fraudulent charge and now have to wait for a new card in the mail. 

The irony of all of this is that last week I found a debit card in the parking lot and I phoned the company to cancel it, because I would want someone to do the same for me. 

Next, I decided to make a delicious and healthy smoothie for lunch for the Peanut and myself. My blender has seen better days, but this time, it actually started to vibrate across the counter on its own. I'm pretty sure blenders aren't supposed to do that. 

Finally, I started taking some new photos and got excited about getting back into using my SLR camera more often. However, midway through a few pics, my screen flashed red, then black, then came up with a gigantic error message. The manual only relayed my fear: Contact a Nikon service rep if error message persists.

My camera is about as old as my blender. 

I can easily replace the blender. The camera? Maybe I can get it fixed. If not, I guess I may have to start saving more in that bank account, so that I can use my new credit card to get another one. Let's hope it doesn't come to that. 

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to head back out to my sunny porch with a view, pretend I'm starting the week over, and hope that I don't mess up my crochet project.

Summer Recap

I may have fibbed when I said I would be back in September. I meant to be, honestly, but then life kind of took over. Even though we extended our summer holiday well into September, the season was far too short. 

REALLY too short. I felt like I needed one final trip to the beach to mark the closure of summer... one last hurrah with the Sailor before he jetted off to another continent to return to sea. But alas, time got away from us, and while we managed to squeeze a ton of things into what should have been a rather relaxed summer, we didn't manage a trip to the beach.

Here's what did happen though:

I went to a dear friend's wedding. Actually, I got a flat tire on the way there and missed the wedding... but the Peanut and I made it in time for the reception. 

I reunited with my college besties for a few days in beautiful Boulder, Colorado. The last time the four of us converged, we were all on the brink of major life changes. This time, we discussed all that we've gone through in 20 years (20 years!) together. 

We moved to a new apartment with a view. The Sailor happened to be thousands of miles away working at the time, so I rallied a work crew and thankfully the Peanut gave me just enough napping time to box up our belongings. 

Only a few days after unpacking the last box, the Peanut and I took a 700 mile road trip to visit friends and family. The Peanut promptly learned to climb stairs at a friend's house.

The Sailor arrived home to our new apartment just in time for the Peanut's first birthday party. I'm not big on giant parties for little people, so I planned to simply celebrate with a cupcake for the little guy. Instead, he decided to get his first cold. The cupcake was quickly forgotten, because it was soon time to pack for...

SINGAPORE! The Sailor had some work training courses to complete, so the Peanut and I tagged along for two weeks. It was a LONG few flights, but worth it. 

Singapore was a food and shopping mecca. On one of the Sailor's earlier trips there, he brought back a magnet that said: 'Survivor Singapore: Out Shop, Out Play, Out Eat.' I thought it was funny back then, but I totally get it now.

I have traveled solo to many places, so obviously wandering around with a baby brought a whole new element to sightseeing. The Peanut and I had a blast together though and it was super special to see Singapore through his eyes, in a way. (Singapore is also very kid friendly... more on that later!)

  

(OK, so we DID manage to get to the beach, but only for a short while.
Just long enough to watch the ships.)

I managed to get a few crafty things started over the summer, like this lofty cross-stitch that I MAY finish by the time the Peanut is 18. 

Finally, I've probably been procrastinating with restarting this blog because I keep thinking it needs a change... a new direction or something. Maybe since I started this blog at the beach, I needed a trip to the ocean to figure out that new direction. I'm still not sure where it's headed, but I hope you'll stick around to find out. 

I hope you all had a wonderful summer! 

Summer Break

Summer is generally a slow month in the publishing world and like most students, I used to look forward to the season with tremendous anticipation when I was in school. Summers are generally lazy... a time to head to the beach, lay around the pool, catch up on paperback fiction, and sit on porches to watch the sunset. 

I need a good summer. 

I need a summer to sit around with a beverage of choice (even if the Peanut is clamoring up my legs...) I need a summer to travel and see friends I haven't seen in years. I need a summer to work on crochet blankets, one square a time. I need a summer to read at least one book that I can't put down — even if it means missing out on some sleep. 

I don't want to spend my summer thinking of projects to do, and then spending more time at the computer trying to blog about them. 

I want to actually try out the recipes from my homemade cookbook. I want to add the Peanut's photos to my Project Life album. I don't want to rush a single cuddle with the Peanut because time with him is already flying by too fast. I want to spend time eating lemon meringue pie and picnicking in the park with Pyrex. I want to sit on the porch while the Peanut (briefly) naps. I want to actually clean and purge and declutter, not only the cobwebs from the apartment, but from my mind. 

Many years ago, I volunteered with Mercy Ships as part of their communications crew. I wrote stories, hosted media teams and even took photos. After my nearly five years with them, I took three months out of my schedule to take a photography course in South Africa. I needed that time to create without the confines of an organization. 

I came away from the course refreshed and bursting with creative energy. (I also realized during the three months that I could never be a full time photographer... I needed to write and do other creative things to feel fulfilled!) 

I need a similar sort of break now. I need some time to actually work on projects and simply enjoy life, without wondering if I took enough photos and if I'll have time to document it in a blog post. 

With that in mind, I'm taking the summer off from blogging.

I know summer doesn't officially start for a few weeks, but according to most people, Memorial Day hails the unofficial start. And let's face it, it's hot enough to swim where I am, so it already feels like summer! 

I'll be back sometime in September... right around the same time school starts. In the meantime, enjoy your own summer and get out there and enjoy life around you. And for the small handful of you regular readers, if you're in need of a Typing Sunflowers fix, there are plenty of posts in the archive to get you through the next few months. 

Thanks for sticking with me! Ciao for now.

Cloth Diapering Basics

I didn't know much about babies before I had one, but one thing was for certain — I knew if I ever had a child, I'd use cloth diapers.

Cloth diapers have come a long way since I was a baby. I'm happy to report that I've been using them nearly exclusively for almost 10 months now, without a single pin in sight. 

If you are in the market to swap out your disposables or if you're considering cloth as a new mama, you may be as overwhelmed as I was with the choices out there. I ended up Googling 'cloth-diaper-how-to' and found some great YouTube videos. (Sadly, I forgot to bookmark them to share with you.) But I figured I could still possibly help a mother or two out there who is curious about cloth diapering. 

(If you couldn't care less about diapers... well then feel free to skip this post! Even if you do care about cloth diapers, this post is quite lengthy, so grab a cup of coffee...)

I discovered that there was no right or wrong way to cloth diaper. Everyone has their own preference and I had to go through several types of diapers before I found the ones that fit our lifestyle.  

In the cloth diapering world, there are numerous types of diapers. Some examples include: All-in-One (AIO), pocket-diapers, and shells or covers that you use in conjunction with either pre-folds or flats. Another cloth diapering mama told me to gather a few of each and then figure out which ones I liked.

In the end, the old-fashioned very basic, versatile and cheap flats were the most effective for my little Peanut — and they were my favorite diapers to actually use. I purchased several covers, and only washed them when they got wet or soiled. 

Initially I had a diaper service for six weeks, so I used their pre-folds in my covers. The pre-folds worked well, but as they come in two sizes, I didn't like the idea that I would have to invest in two sets of pre-folds as the Peanut grew. I also knew that pre-folds take longer to dry, both in the dryer and air drying. I wanted to simplify my life.
 
Flats are just that. Flat pieces of cloth. (I'm not talking about the cheapies you can find at Walmart that are actually labeled 'cloth diapers'... use those awful things as burp cloths instead.) Traditional flats are thin and dry very fast both in the dryer and on a line. These are the traditional old-fashioned cloth diapers that our moms pinned on us... only nowadays, you can simply fold them in half twice, then in thirds and then stuff them into a cover that you snap onto your baby. Voila. No more fancy folding or pinning! 

That being said, you can totally do the old-fashioned fold and pin, with a cover over the top. I just think these Planet Wise covers are super easy to use!

Plus they're simply adorable. They come in two sizes. For a while, I was able to overlap using both sizes with the Peanut, when I adjusted the snaps on the smallest two (top) with the larger sizes (bottom). As you can see, the snaps adjust so you can make them smaller or larger, and you can even snap down the cover for that (semi-gross) newborn stage when the umbilical cord still needs to fall off.

I invested in two of the smaller size and four of the larger size. (I had a few miscellaneous smaller covers I found at consignment sales.) I also had two of the Thirsties brand in the small size. There are lots of other covers out there — some have snaps; others use velcro-like closures. I prefer the snaps, although now that the Peanut is super wiggly, I suspect the hook and loop closures might be quicker and easier! 

While the Thirsties worked out well, especially because they dried super fast, I preferred the Planet Wise covers because I could pre-stuff them with a flat diaper before a change. 

I found my flats online. Initially I purchased a dozen each of the bleached and unbleached versions of OsoCozy flats. After a few months, I bought another six of the unbleached ones since I wanted to keep a stash in the car and in my bag. I prefer the unbleached because they hide stains better and they generally feel softer overall. 

I also purchased about eight of the micro-fiber fleece pocket diapers from both Jungle Roo and Lotus Bums. I found them on Zulily, where they were much cheaper than on their sites. Initially I used them overnight because I could stuff two inserts in at a time, but I discovered they seemed to leak worse when the Peanut was laying down. I swapped over to the flats overnight, stuffing two into the cover, and so far it's working!

I had a few different all-in-one diapers that I didn't really like using. I just thought they were really bulky... and I wanted something smaller to carry around in my bag. I also don't like using the micro-fiber fleece ones when I'm out and about. They seem to take up more space in my bag. Flats and the covers fit the bill perfectly. 

If you cloth diaper, you need somewhere to store your dirty diapers until laundry day. We bought a galvanized trash can, similar to this one, and then a large wet bag to put inside. We keep the trash can in the laundry room. I hang smaller wet bags in the room where we change the Peanut. I found several wet/dry bags on Zulily also. Planet Wise also sells a number of super cute ones.

And as far as laundry goes, it is more, but nothing that is out of control. I can go every three days with my stash, but I prefer to wash every other day. I soak the diapers, then run a cycle using Nellie's All Natural Laundry Soda (I can often find a dented tin at TJMaxx and similar stores, much cheaper) and at least one extra rinse on hot water. When the diapers start to stink more than usual, they need to be stripped of excess laundry soap, so I end up washing them with vinegar and rinse, rinse, rinse. 

What about the poop? I hear you asking. Well, exclusively breastfed poop can go right into the washing machine! It's water soluble, after all. Once the baby is on solids, poop is, well, poop, so you need to toss it into the loo. I found that it comes off the micro-fiber fleece a little easier, but it's not that hard to get it off the flats. Some people purchase a sprayer for their toilet, others use a scraper or just swish the diaper in the water to loosen the gunk. 

And really, you're supposed to flush the poop even if you use disposables, so it's not that much more work. 

For wipes, I purchased about 40 small baby washcloths from TJMaxx. I used them quite heavily when the Peanut was tiny and pooping a ton. Now that he's also eating solid foods, I found that I only need about a dozen wipes in my stash to get them through several days.  I use plain old water, or this Kissaluvs Diaper Lotion Potion that smells super.

When I'm out and about with the Peanut, I still cloth diaper. I just keep a wet/dry bag in our stuff and I cart home the dirties. They don't stink in the bag. I usually have disposables wipes with me instead of the washcloths though. Disposable wipes are needed for all kinds of messes, so it's worth it to me to keep a package in my bag. 

Someone asked me the other day if I thought it was cost-effective to use cloth. Um, yes. I estimate that I spent about $300 on my stash and I probably could have spent a little less. I haven't calculated how much I've spent in laundry soap, water and electricity, but the bills haven't skyrocketed. They have gone up only slightly, and it's still much cheaper than disposables.

The only time I've used disposables were those first few days I spent in the hospital, and then I've also used them while traveling long distances, such as on an airplane. I had some serious sticker shock when I had to buy diapers for those traveling occasions! I used them exclusively for my 10-day trip to Idaho, and even though I bought chemical free disposables, it was the only time the Peanut got a rash. I would have carted my cloth stash with me, but I only traveled with hand luggage (and the Peanut, of course!)

I also used them traveling to and from South Africa, but since we were there for nearly a month and we had a larger luggage limit, I brought my stash with me. In the end, it was a lot more work to wash them there, since my mother-in-law has a very old-fashioned washing machine (along with a separate spinner), and we had to hang dry the diapers, but even the Sailor got on board with helping out and it worked out fine.

I found that for traveling, disposables are definitely easier to deal with. They are also less bulky than cloth diapers, so you can stash more in your bag. Even when the Sailor and I went on a short road trip out of town for a few days, we took the cloth diapers with us. In retrospect, it was a little icky to cart home a whole load of dirty diapers in the trunk, but I wanted to prove to myself that it was possible to travel with cloth.  

I'm not sure if the Peanut has noticed a difference, but I certainly have with the amount of cash we're saving. I feel a little less guilty splurging on other things for the Peanut now. 

I'll be traveling a bit this summer, and while I will definitely use cloth at my destinations, I'll be using disposables along the way. After all, I'll be on vacation. 

Some great cloth diaper vendors: 

Kelly's Closet

Diapers.com

Green Mountain Diapers

Amazon carries a number of items, of course. I also found a few things through Walmart and Target, available online only and not in their stores. 

Did you make the cloth diaper switch? I'd love to hear about it! 

(Halfway Through) May Day!

I don't know about you, but time is flying by right now. I have heard this phrase several times since having the Peanut: 'The days are long, but the years are short.' I cannot believe my little guy will be one in just a few short months. However, some nights feel like they are never-ending, depending on how much sleep we are all getting!

Once again, I have too much to say and not enough time to type it out. If I'm lucky, I'll at least finish this post before someone wakes up from their nap. (I didn't...)

Exciting things in our household of late: 

The acquisition of a new coffee maker! 

As you may already know, I love my coffee. I also love frequenting coffee shops, of which there is no shortage in my city. However, it's not always easy to get out the door and actually stay at one long enough to enjoy a beverage. I'm not a fan of getting coffee to go and drinking out of a disposable container, unless I'm actually on a long road trip in the car. 

So, the Sailor and I splurged on a Breville Barista espresso maker. I'm actually drinking less coffee these days because of the Peanut, so I figured that my daily intake should therefore be excellent quality.

We managed to nab it with a sale coupon and we cashed in points on our credit card, so the price wasn't as scary as we initially calculated. Plus, I've already saved on the amount of ah-mazing coffee I've had since we bought it. Best thing about it? The Peanut can be bouncing off the walls and I can still enjoy my coffee without fear of him knocking over a table at the coffee shop, or at the very least, coffee that I had to pay a ridiculous price for.

Drinking outstanding coffee at home in vintage Pyrex is simply a bonus. 

I'm smitten. 

This crochet blanket is still coming along...

The Sailor and I are working our way through our list of recorded TV series. I usually manage to get one or two squares crocheted per show, and now I'm about halfway through with this blanket. 

Friends from a distance visited a few weeks ago and gifted me with this awesome plant for my porch! I may not get much time to sit on the porch these days and admire the other plants, but I can see this one from the living room all of the time.

My little cross-stitch project that I started on our recent trip to South Africa is still in limbo for the time being. I may have to just save and finish it on the next international trip. 

And, I really am working on that cloth diapering post I promised months ago. I know that when I was ready to take the cloth diapering plunge, the Internet helped me immensely with navigating through the many options! I hope to help some other new mom out there with what I've learned. 

Finally, my aging iMac, Walter, fried himself this afternoon, so I'm in the processing of restoring everything (isn't technology a pain?!) In fact, I was about to add the photos to this post and then hit publish right when it all conked out. I had to retake the pics and then use another piece of technology to actually publish this post (isn't technology amazing?!) All that to say... bear with me while I sort out my technological issues! 

Happy mid-May Day!