Today was one awful day.

Kaeda pushed every boundary. She wouldn't come, didn't listen, poked her sister, threw her toys, made a mess, wouldn't stay in time out, wouldn't stay in her room, didn't want to go potty, demanded sugar, wanted to watch tv all day and alternatively wanted to be held by me or pinch me.

Now this isn't totally unheard of or anything. However, today I felt like dying. My head has been killing me all day. My wrist is twisted or sprained or something... and I am just full of aches and pains and general unhealthiness.

Now these two things are bad, but put them together and I felt like every second thing I did or said I instantly regretted. My patience was next to nil. I really hate it when I feel this awful and Kaeda gets it worse because of that. Perhaps she was feeling bad too and so we were both irritable.

On the plus side Bowynn's evening fussiness was curbed by a wet cloth thrown into the freezer until it was solid. A momentary break from the craziness that allowed enough time to whip up a turkey casserole - which I have to admit, I'm pretty proud of myself for doing in my state. Once B got home things mellowed a little. I am so thankful I have such a caring, loving and considerate partner!

In fact - he's made me a hot bath with candles, bath salts and tea! So this momma is logging off!

Green Line Diaper Review

I've been wanting to do a review on my Green Line cloth diapers for some time now. I love sharing a product that I've been really happy with - especially one that comes from a small, local, mom-made business! So, since my latest order arrived today, I took some pictures and set myself up to do a review! 

Some Background:

Let's start off by saying I only really started cloth diapering when Kaeda was about two and a half because pull-ups and diapers were frustratingly expensive and wasteful! I found some gDiapers and tried them out and loved how cloth looked on my girl! I went on to try Kushies Ultra AIO diapers... which... I hated. They were bulky, smelly, and didn't dry well. So, I went back to gDiapers and made my own cloth inserts. They were okay - but the velcro was weak, the pads still took ages to dry and they just started to look worn and grubby. 

Before Bowynn was born I started looking into more diapering options. I'm not even sure how I stumbled across Green Line, but at the time they only had a couple hundred fans on Facebook. I was immediately drawn in by the fabric choices! I bought two covers and five bamboo/microfiber liners to try. It was a couple weeks wait (sewing time mostly) and they showed up in the mail. They fit wonderfully on both my girls. Kaeda was even able to use the pads I'd sewed for her gDiapers with the GLD covers.

Kaeda, just 3, and Bowynn 2 months. 

Kaeda potty trained shortly after this photo and Bo didn't use hers for another couple months until we had gone through our disposables.

I'm still working on my diaper stash but this is what I have so far: 

- Costco bought microfiber cloths (I haven't found any as big or as trim folding as the GLD soakers)

- undyed bamboo/microfiber GLD soakers (they are now using a bamboo/cotton mix)

- fleece liners for the stay-dry feeling 

- GLD small wet bag with pocket for extra soakers 

- solid and patterned print covers 

A bit about the diapers:

The covers have a breathable, waterproof, ultrex interior and a cotton exterior. The velcro is good, heavy duty stuff that holds up amazingly to daily use and the washing machine/dryer and allows for the best fit. The cord-locking legs are one of the initial things I liked about the diapers - they don't stretch out like elastic and allow a better fit for more different sized babies. the Covers have high backs that can stay up for extra coverage or fold down. One of the best (and more addictive) things about the covers is the wide variety of ever changing prints they come in! 

A bit about the soakers:

GLD soakers are now made of 70% bamboo and 30% cotton. They are a single piece of fabric that folds into 3 and then in half making six layers of absorbent, soft cloth for your baby's bum! The great thing about GLD covers is that they work with many different soakers/liners. However, I like their system (folded inserts) best because it washes and dries way faster than a pad type soaker. 

Getting the fit right:

Getting the perfect fit takes practice. As your baby grows and changes so too does the fit. The easiest way to get a nice fit is to adjust the cord-lock legs every time. Personally, I don't do this unless the fit is just not working for me. Until I got the hang of it I had a few leaks and left a couple red marks on Bowynn. It didn't take me long to figure it out but it is something to be aware of before you buy. Also, it's important to note, there are videos to help with this and I've experienced that GLD is always glad to tackle these problems with you.

Washing:

I love that during a diaper change all I have to do is throw the soaker in our dry-pail and put a new one in the diaper! If it's been a couple changes or there was a poo I switch covers. I rinse out the messy diapers and throw them in the pail too. I primarily hand wash my covers and hang them in the bathroom to dry (they're always dry by the next morning). However, the covers machine wash and dry wonderfully! 

Bowynn, now 5 months, uses these diapers all day and for outings. We still use disposables at night but plan 

to phase those out (plus I hear talk of a night time diaper by GLD!). She has never messed through her GLD like she has her disposables. Bowynn also has sensitive skin and has been doing much better now that we are using these. She is a chubby, active baby and these diapers work for her.

One more thing I would like to add - one of my diapers had a sewing error, the stitching was coming undone - I emailed GLD and the were amazing! They were friendly, helpful and prompt in their response. They replaced my cover with no fuss or hassle.  

A diaper change in pictures:

This diaper held a messy surprise for mommy.

The new cover, GLD soaker and a fleece liner ready to go.

note: the back of the cover is already folded down.

Soaker adjusted and against the skin. 

The cover pulled up snug and tabs closed, cord-lock not in place yet.

The finished product!

Kaeda wondering why I'm taking so many pictures of Bowynn's "stinky" bum!

All done up again! I would say these diapers fit like a slightly wet disposable diaper (in terms of trimness in clothing)

She looks like such a chunky monkey here!

I have been very happy with these diapers (obviously!) and so I'm happy to share them with anyone interested (and some who aren't) in cloth diapering. I really admire Natasha, the young mom who created GLD, for her dedication, creativity and involvement with her customers and fans. GLD has come a long way in the short time I've been following them. I look forward to adding to my stash and seeing what other things they come up with!

You can find Green Line Diaper at these places:

http://www.greenlinediaper.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Green-Line-Diapers/122411517039

http://www.etsy.com/shop/gldiaper

My Two Darlings

In Kaeda's words: 

"Can you take a picture of your two darlings?" 

 Kaeda at her friend's house dressed up to party!

My wild girl enjoying the sunshine! Summer is going to be so fun!

Out on our "Rain Walk" in which is poured...

Kaeda wore her fancy boots because I couldn't find her rubber ones!

She also LOVED the umbrella - and it was just about her size too!

The girls having a party.

Kaeda taking care of her sister - see how frightened Bo looks?

"I love you!" *squish*

Tummy Time

So Bowynn is now 5 months old. And for the last couple nights she's been sleeping on her tummy. 

Now I know that once they are able to roll themselves over it shouldn't be a problem.... however... it's still driving me crazy! Now I wake up more just to go and check on her! I feel so paranoid about SIDS - which is ridiculous because of so many factors  - she's healthy, breastfed, put to sleep on her back, not exposed to smoke, no objects or bumper pads in her crib, passed the peak age for it - the list goes on. On top of that B and I are really healthy people (with the exception of his diabetes which is not conclusively genetic) and so our kids seem to be too. If I try to encourage her to sleep on her back she wakes up way more than usual. Every 2 hours actually. 

I never went through this with Kaeda because of two things: she co-slept in our bed and she hated being on her tummy at any time. It makes me feel like a first time parent because in a way I am - a first time parent doing it the "normal" way with my little one in her own room.

Not to go off on a tangent (but I totally am) I stumbled upon this blog (Peaceful Parenting) that has a lot of really interesting articles. It's a little strongly opinionated at points but the overall is pretty much in line with my parenting beliefs. It's actually making me feel a little guilty about not co-sleeping much with Bowynn. I have to remind myself that she sleeps better when we're not in the same room.

But back to the problem at hand, I guess one good thing about it is that sleeping on her tummy makes it hard for her to use her soother - so maybe she'll self ween?

I suppose the better she gets at sleeping like that the more comfortable I'll be. 

Happy Easter!

Today was our Easter. Well, the important part anyway - the egg hunt. It was all over too fast for me. I love the egg hunt. I didn't have enough time to hide the eggs very well, just enough to make sure she went on the right path through the yard. She was, of course, thrilled with the whole thing. It surprised me that she remembered last years egg hunt and the fact that she got a giant lollipop (because this year she didn't). 

It was the perfect day for it :) I love how her shadow falls in this picture.

Enjoying the spoils of  Easter (I had to buy a bigger basket to fit all her eggs, but don't worry they were filled with fruit snacks and yogurt raisins as well as chocolate!).

It was such a beautiful day today that after dropping B off at work I couldn't just go home. So instead the girls and I checked out the trails and park behind Tillicum Center. We had a great time walking and throwing sticks in the river and playing at the playground. I wish I had thought to buy/bring a picnic as the park was so lovely I could have stayed there all afternoon. 

As it was, it was a wonderful was to pass the time and I will have to return there better prepared next time.

Kaeda realizing she is covered in sap. (me unfortunately realizing this way too late). 

More of Bowynn's adorableness. Seriously. Babies are so cute. The happier she gets the more she opens her mouth. What a goober. An adorable, squishable, kissable goober. 

a break from the craziness (well most of it)

The last two nights have been a great break from the regular. Friday night Marly and I went to the pre-sale for a kids consignment sale. We both showed up sans kids, bought some delicious Starbucks coffee and perused the the tables and racks of meticulously organized, priced and presented stuff. I love going to these sort of places even though I find once I get there I don't buy a lot. I did find a couple cute outfits for Bo to grow into, some books, a puzzle and a toy impact drill for Kaeda for Easter.

While I was going through all the toys there I noticed I buy Kaeda lot of boy's stuff. She loves dinosaurs, dragons, trains and tools. She also loves my little pony, horses, all animals and the occasional princess. Still I was pretty happy to find the drill because she always likes to go "work" with daddy and now she has her own version of what he has.

Last night Kaeda stayed over at Grandmere's house. It's amazing how much quieter it gets without the monster. B and I even went out for dinner. It was a quick one though because Bowynn really didn't like the noise level and it was getting close to her bedtime. 

I was reminded yesterday too the problems that can come of assumption. See I assumed that because we were down the rowdy child it would automatically be a date night.... unfortunately, B did not come to this conclusion and was surprised when I got mad that he had invited Karl over. The long and short of it was that I said, yes, fine, have Karl over for a early night then we'll have a hottub and movie  - early ended up being pretty much bed time so it was hard to enjoy what was left of the evening when I was so preoccupied being irritated. 

What I learned: Yes, I should have been more clear that it was a date night, and Yes, I should have insisted that he call off his plans (he had offered to and we do see Karl pretty much every night). I should have known that it wouldn't work out any other way. 

Ending on a happy note! Bowynn with her new dragon toy from Australia. She is constantly trying to munch on his ears!

Ah, to be back home...

Well, I obviously didn't get to post while I was visiting my folks. Way too much effort to use their old machine and get my photos onto it.... (which really translates to: I'm lazy). But really now, Kaeda can be so exhausting! Don't get me wrong, I love how clever and chatty she is. I'm totally enjoying being able to have conversations with her and hearing the world from a 3 year old's POV (it's pretty hilarious!). BUT OMG THE MIND BATTLES! I feel like I have the verbal runs. "Kaeda gentle. That's nice, what a good big sister. Gentle. Do you like to be pinched? Then don't pinch her. Kaeda, are you listening? What did I just say. No, you can't watch tv, you just finished your show. No. No. No. I said No. I don't care what you said, I said No and I make the rules. Why don't you play with your toys? Or draw? Do you have to go pee? Kaeda what's wrong? Are you sure you don't have to go pee? Maybe we should go try. Do you want to go try?" And of course it's so much worse when we go out. Worse as in even more exhausting. 

Today she also had an accident when we were out. Which is... so weird. I mean she's been great, I don't even really have to ask her if she needs to go - she tells me. Then today on the ferry, I was nursing Bowynn and suddenly she pees. *BIG SIGH* thankfully we were some where private where I could clean it up and she had a change of clothes... not so thankfully I did not have a change of clothes. 

Kaeda loves her music. Is it possible to have a musical child with two parents who are completely tone deaf or musically challenged (as I like to call it when you can't sing, play or 'get' music)?

While Auntie Cait was visiting we discovered that Bowynn is a total ham. She would start to fuss and cry and if you pointed a camera at her she shut up and tracked it. She flails her arms adorably at you and makes all kinds of silly faces.

I attempted to go out and party on Saturday. I feel so old. Clubbing is just not my thing anymore and I guess it kinda surprised me. Anyway, the point I'm getting at is that I gave Bowynn formula for part of the night cause I'd had a few drinks (she took to the bottle no problem!). So the next morning Kaeda really wanted to give Bowynn a bottle and we thought, why not? Photo op!!! Mom and I went crazy with the cameras.

Bo really loved watching the grass fly by as she sat in the swing. I'm going to have to get B to put one up in our yard.

Bed-wetting free future?

Well so much for my post-every-day attitude. Although I admit that gets pretty boring when you're a stay-at-home-mom and the days start to blend together. There's only so much poo and pee and drooly baby stories to talk about. 

Speaking of poo and pee - I took Kaeda out of her "night time panties" which are Kushies Training Pants. I didn't really mean to but she made a mess in her last pair right before bed. Anyway, I made a sticker chart and told her that she was wearing her big girl panties but that her whole bed would be wet if she peed at night now - just call mommy or daddy if she needed to go pee. Well it's only been two nights but both have been dry after a week of wet panties. Last night she got me up and actually went poo without all the bribing and begging... I was half-asleep and only noticed when I looked this morning. *crosses fingers* Please let this be a sign she's done fighting potty time and wetting the bed!

Yesterday, after preschool and the library, my little miss fell asleep at the table playing on Karl's iPhone.

Bowynn handled her shots well. She screamed bloody murder (the baby clinic was like a baby torture place with all the infant cries) but had no ill effects. She wouldn't nurse there though, that's what Kaeda always did after her shots to feel better. Bowynn has definitely decided that unless I'm going to lay down with her she's going to complain through the whole feed. 

I looked up Kaeda's old 'baby passport' and found that at 6 months she was 15.10 lbs. Bowynn at 4.5 months is 16 lbs. My little chubby monster!! :)

Here she is beating up on dad (and drooling on his face).

We have been using Green Line Diapers on Bowynn during the day for the past little while. They're awesome cloth diapers that are soooo cute. I really want to do a post that is all a review of them, I'm just waiting for the newest ones I ordered to arrive in the mail so I can do another little photo shoot of Bowynn in them. I'm so much happier not having to buy disposables anymore - such a waste of money, space and the environment. 

I keep trying to capture Bowynn's chatting on camera but every time I whip out my iPhone or camera she stops. I just made an attempt and she just smiled at me until I put down the iPhone then she started up again!  .... She's so cute. 

I'm going to visit my parents on the mainland tomorrow so we'll see how often I can manage to post!

Babies are soooo cute!

Why are babies cheeks just soooo kissable?!?! It must be a survival tactic. I swear it borders on baby abuse how much I kiss those cheeks! It's not like she can say, "Mooooooomm, not again!" But they're just so soft and squishy and adorable! And sometimes they're what keeps me sane when she screams non-stop.

Ok, enough mushy-mom posting.

We're off to get Bowynn's 4 month shots! (YAY!... no, not really)

Sal

Today was just one of those days... thank god for my mommy playdate or I would have totally lost it. It just feels like I got up on the wrong side of the bed. My thoughts are scattered and full of little worries.

My dog passed away today. Sal wasn't really my dog in the sense that she didn't live with me. In fact she was only really my dog for a few days, thirteen years ago when I found a stray dog on the beach near the house we had rented in Australia. She followed me everywhere - she even seemed to listen when I talked to her, cocking her head to one side thoughtfully. I bawled like a baby when we pulled away from the driveway one last time - there was Sal staring after us looking so lost, inching forward like she might just run after the car. I begged my parents to let me keep her - even though she'd have to be in quarantine for months and then would need a plane ticket to Canada. In the end, the goodness and generosity of my uncle and aunt saved her. They drove all the way up the coast and retrieved her from the pound (where the rotten neighbours had sent her). She was a troublesome dog! Sneaking off to the local school, constantly going "walk-about" and always needing to be checked out for ticks. Sal lived a long, happy life surrounded by a family and passed away at home in her sleep. It's the best end a stray dog could wish for and though I am happy for the life she lived, her passing shocked me more than I expected when I heard.

Add that news to a very fussy, teething baby, some gloomy weather and being stir-crazy... well, I'm definitely looking forward to bedtime so I can do non-kid-related things without interruption.

On the plus side (cause there always is one) I feel like I've finally met a local mom with similar interests and the same level of crazy as me! Hurrah! (I type with screaming in the background... oh, bed time come faster...)

Woes of the pee-bed & a bit of geekiness

Yesterday I did three loads of laundry - and it didn't even feel like a crazy laundry day!! I guess that's just what happens when your partner gets dirty just as fast (or faster) than your 3 year old and your baby uses cloth diapers. I also washed Kaeda's bedding because she had another accident... *sigh* We use Kushies training pants at night and they've been really absorbent but still not diapers - a good medium for nighttime. Lately, though she has been leaking through.

So this morning the washing machine is going again... it's frustrating because she'll be dry for weeks and I'll start thinking she can just have regular panties at night and then suddenly she wets her bed for a couple nights in a row. She went before bed, has a potty in her room and didn't even drink any of her water last night... some nights when that's all backwards she stays dry! I should probably just count my blessings, after all the struggles of getting her out of diapers and into panties in the day time was waaaaaaay more frustrating.

I still hate washing the bed linens.

Now to bring out my geeky side. Through our good buddy Karl I became aware that EA had released a new Sims game! Now, I've played the sims games since... forever it seems; Sim City, Sim Ant, The Sims - 1, 2 and 3. So, naturally I had to check it out. The newest one is sort of a branch off of Sims3, it's called The Sims Medieval. Part castle building, part quests and all controlling the lives of your towns people! Anyway Karl is supposed to bring it over today and I'm super excited! It's a perfect day for it too, miserable and rainy. I'm definitely thinking of my parents in Australia with envy today.

Well, nothing left to do but drink coffee, play with the kiddos and wait...