September 2014

We had the wonderful chance this month to host G.'s cousins while they were in town for their niece's baby blessing. It was a blast to have them and their two sweet children stay with us. I wish so badly that we had taken more pictures but we just had to much fun to think to take them. 

We have been avoiding the Children's museum because it was so busy this summer with school out. Now with school back in session we were able to go back and have a wonderful time exploring all the exhibits without all the crowds. 

G. and Mr. B got some last minute tickets to the football game last Saturday. They had a blast and Hoden I enjoyed the quiet afternoon at home. He woke up with the best hair ever after his nap. I am so glad I got a picture. Overall its been a wonderful month and we look forward to the rest of Fall and the fun it will bring. 

Staycation Week

The second to last week of August we decided to drive up the canyon near our house and do a mini camp out with the boys. We didn't spend the night we just had a campfire and picnic lunch. The boys absolutely loved it. They ate lots of marshmallows but mostly just enjoyed playing in the dirt. 

That night we headed up to G.'s mom's house for her annual Dutch Oven night, its also morphed into my birthday dinner and I absolutely love it because it means I get a dutch oven pineapple upside down cake as my birthday cake. Its a win-win. My mother-in-law is an amazing chef and everything is incredible. We look forward to it every year. 

 The day after dutch over night my parents drove into town and we all met up at a condo/timeshare up in the mountains. The place was incredible and we had a wonderful time. It was the perfect vacation without driving super far. We made so many wonderful memories.

Tuesday we had the fantastic opportunity to tour a LDS temple. It was a absolutely perfect day and you could feel the spirit of God as you walked through the sacred halls/rooms. 

There is a wonderful park near where we stayed where the playground is on astro turf. I am someone who hates bark and other itchy things that normally get in your shoes at parks. I wish it was closer to our house so we could go all the time. Even with how high the play structure was Hodie would clim to the top all by himself. What a brave boy. Mr. B was more concerned with playing on the modern merry go round spinny thing that they had. He could have spun around all day. 

We probably went swimming twice a day everyday the whole week. And when the weather didn't permit the boys used the gigantic tub in the room to "swim." On the last day we had a huge double family get together at the waterpark with my family and G's family. The weather amazing. What a perfect last day at the waterpark. That Sunday (my actual birthday) it was back to business as usual and we spent the day unpacking and lamenting that our fun week had come to a close.

Extended Cloth Diapering

Most parents excitedly count down the days until their child is ready to potty learn. They can’t wait for their diapering days to be over. Yet for some kids the typical potty training age comes and goes. Whether its due to medical or developmental challenges some children may spend a few extra years (or possibly forever in diapers). Yet pull ups and larger sizes of disposable diapers can get incredibly expensive, placing a huge financial burden on families that are usually cash strapped as is. Sadly in these situations cloth is often overlooked as an option. Some families fear that cloth diapering will be too expensive or too much work. Others simply didn’t even know about cloth diapering at all. Because of my son’s medical condition we have had to explore our options for the future and have found a variety of options.

When the problem is simply that a kiddo is too big for typical “one size” cloth diapers sized diapers and adjustable absorbency trainers fit the bill. Brands like Thirsties and Blueberry have a size 2 diapers that fits a 40 pound child comfortably. Fuzzibunz also also offers a XL that will fit 40-55 pounds and a xxl that will fit 50-70 pounds. Adjustable absorbency trainers and special night time trainers may also be an option (sewn in soaker trainers alone won’t replace a diaper but doublers can provide extra absorbency). There are options on even the tightest of budgets the cheapest option will be large sizecovers and toddler size prefolds. Or for those into DIY they can sew their own extended size diapers.

Even if the child does not require the full absorbency of diaper a child may continue to have issues (such as minor bowel and bladder incontinence) that warrants some type of waterproof underclothing. For these children cloth diaper trainers are a great option. They often come in sizes beyond the “one size” 10-35 lbs while providing just enough absorbency to prevent accidents from affecting the child’s clothing (and the embarrassment that that can cause). Cloth diaper trainers also often look like underwear making them a great options for kids that are self conscious about wearing disposable pull on diapers.

While a stash of extended size diapers may seem expensive, when you consider that some children will spend much more than the typical 3 years in diapers the savings of cloth become even more substantial. Cloth diapering is not just for the average sized, normal peeing/pooping kiddo. Cloth diapers are an option for all with diapering needs. Whether your kiddo simply has outgrown their “one size” diaper, an option for small accidents or a permanent incontinence, there is a cloth diaper type/system that will work for them.

Or check out my original post at The Cloth Diaper Whisperer http://www.theclothdiaperwhisperer.com/2014/08/extended-cloth-diapering.html