I have been this way as far back as I remember...I take you for granted while you're here, but the moment we're separated is when I miss you most.
I have a super hero husband, I swear. When I reflect on all he has done/and does for us...it makes me so proud. He has remodeled TWO houses now (completely on his own) giving us a good chunk of equity in both houses that we've purchased. Since I stay at home, we live pretty paycheck to paycheck and aren't really able to save much. Knowing that we have this equity in our house at a time when most are losing their butts, brings me such relief. Although at times I complain about his perfectionism...secretly it amazes and inspires me. We have a clog in the plumbing...he gets a book from the library...researches it and before I know it he has all the heavy iron plumbing on the floor and he's putting it back together just the way it was before (minus the clump of icky nasty hairball). So far, there has been nothing that he comes across that he can't do! That is why I will call him Superman (just without him knowing or else he'll get a huge ego)!
Sometimes I need a little reflection time to think about this....and all the sacrifices he makes for our family. I know it doesn't sound too difficult to fly away for 4 days and stay in nice hotels (in cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Jose)...but it has to take it's toll on him too. He asked me to refrain from telling him when J asks for him while he's gone...because it's too hard to hear. I can't imagine only seeing my babies only 2 days out of 8. That is how many times he saw his kids in the past 8 days. Though he gets much more sleep not being at home...I know he'd rather be here watching them grow everyday. Usually the first hour or so that he is home from a trip, C doesn't seem to recognize him. It takes him a little while to remember "Oh yea, that's my Daddy...the one that makes me giggle and smile so big". When you see him smile up at his Daddy after being gone on a trip....that makes it all better. Seeing J sit in the front window and say "Daddyyyyy, Where ARE you??" and "then shouting "Daddy's home" when he sees the white car pull up. That makes it all better too.
So I guess, lesson to myself today....hug him a little while longer while he's home, don't sweat the small stuff, and value his perfectionism.
Now off to spend Memorial Day weekend alone. Well at least we'll be seeing Cat in The Hat today ;)
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
Addiction.
Everyone struggles with it in some form. Lucky for me...it was never drugs or alcohol. However, I have always had and still have an addiction to spending money. More specifically--finding deals. Then--I enter the world of cloth diapering! Talk about feeding the addiction!!!! Man, we started this to save money but I could totally see how people spend twice, maybe three times as much as you do on disposables. That being said. Let me tell you a little about our cloth and how we are saving money (we really truly are) and the planet.
I tallied up our stash a month or so ago (before my last few purchases and sales of a few diapers) and It was around $300. it's probably more like $400 now but our stash includes the following:
17 Pocket diapers
9 hemp prefolds
6 regular prefolds
12 Ikea flats
3 Thirsties duo size 2 covers
2 Gen-Y covers Large
3 Thirsties duo size 1 covers,
12 infant prefolds green edged,
2 snappis (I HATE pinning)
2 pair of Wool shorties
1 wool soaker
1 fleece soaker
4 gdiapers (2 for each child for traveling).
WAYY too many cloth wipes (bumgenius and fuzzibunz)
2 Superundies trainers
1 HH trainer
1 Blueberry trainer
This was supposed to be used on 2 children. That changed when C was born. J decided he wanted to use the potty from then on and he never wears pants, let alone diapers! I probably need to sell some of my stash but I'm afraid to make any sudden decisions and have sellers remorse.
Where did we start? Well I first visited a local natural baby store and talked to her a little bit. She suggested that I buy 1 diaper and try it out. I bought a Bumgenius 3.0 one size pocket diaper. I think I fell in love right then and there in the store. I was officially hooked on the cuteness of cloth diapering long before I knew just how addicting it was about to become! The Bumgenius were basic and very easy to use. She explained, you put the diaper on just like a 'sposie (disposable) and when it's dirty you take the microfiber inserts (that you stuff into the pocket of the diaper) out and throw it in a pail for laundry. I fell in love. It was so easy. Anyone could do it. I will add here a little bit about my gag reflex and why when I say ANYONE can do it...I mean it. I have a severe gag reflex. I cannot handle vomit, poop, food in the sink drain...hair in the shower. Ick. I actually dry heave...it's not a joke...it's for real! So...I REALLY didn't think I'd be able to "swoosh" diapers around in icky toilet water! WAIT.....GUESS WHAT?!? I CAN (but I don't have to)! We don't even own a diaper sprayer (although once we move into a new house I'd like one). We used bummis flush-able liners for J when he was using diapers and with C he is EBF so the poops are water soluble and you just throw it right in the wash. It's as easy as that.
I do feel bad for not consistently shopping local and supporting my local store. However, we need to save AS much money as possible. That is why we started doing this in the first place. In order to do just that, I search and search and search online [NAK helps with this :)] and take advantage of any sale or discount I can (Amazon coupon codes were like crack to the crackhead).
I suggest to anyone wanting to start cloth to start with a pocket diaper. Most people start with prefolds because they are cheapest but for me they were a little too intimidating. I needed to start with something that was almost identical to 'sposies and work my way down to the cheapie prefolds and flats (which I am now in love with and wanting to switch to completely)!
I know it's kinda overwhelming but it's really really really simple! I remember my hubby "M" was NOT on board with cd-ing at all!! He said he'd have his 'sposie stash and when he changed a diaper he'd use a sposie. Well that soon changed when the sposies ran out and I didn't buy anymore!! MWAHAHAAA!!
A lot of people will argue that you don't actually save any more money when you factor in laundry soap, water use etc. Well THEY'RE WRONG! Like anything...you can spend a lot or a little. It IS possible to use cloth and save money, water etc. For example....you do need a certain kind of cloth diaper approved laundry detergent. If you are conservative in the least bit you can find deals on that stuff too! A lot of people have had great success with Tide and Duh you can get that at good old walmart! I got my detergent (babyganics) from babies r us on clearance and I cleaned them out of the stuff! I will not have to by detergent for a longggg time!
So in a nutshell....The rules are pretty simple. Don't listen to what other people say (negatively) and do what you love (addicted or not) and do what inspires you!!! Rock on!
I tallied up our stash a month or so ago (before my last few purchases and sales of a few diapers) and It was around $300. it's probably more like $400 now but our stash includes the following:
17 Pocket diapers
9 hemp prefolds
6 regular prefolds
12 Ikea flats
3 Thirsties duo size 2 covers
2 Gen-Y covers Large
3 Thirsties duo size 1 covers,
12 infant prefolds green edged,
2 snappis (I HATE pinning)
2 pair of Wool shorties
1 wool soaker
1 fleece soaker
4 gdiapers (2 for each child for traveling).
WAYY too many cloth wipes (bumgenius and fuzzibunz)
2 Superundies trainers
1 HH trainer
1 Blueberry trainer
This was supposed to be used on 2 children. That changed when C was born. J decided he wanted to use the potty from then on and he never wears pants, let alone diapers! I probably need to sell some of my stash but I'm afraid to make any sudden decisions and have sellers remorse.
Where did we start? Well I first visited a local natural baby store and talked to her a little bit. She suggested that I buy 1 diaper and try it out. I bought a Bumgenius 3.0 one size pocket diaper. I think I fell in love right then and there in the store. I was officially hooked on the cuteness of cloth diapering long before I knew just how addicting it was about to become! The Bumgenius were basic and very easy to use. She explained, you put the diaper on just like a 'sposie (disposable) and when it's dirty you take the microfiber inserts (that you stuff into the pocket of the diaper) out and throw it in a pail for laundry. I fell in love. It was so easy. Anyone could do it. I will add here a little bit about my gag reflex and why when I say ANYONE can do it...I mean it. I have a severe gag reflex. I cannot handle vomit, poop, food in the sink drain...hair in the shower. Ick. I actually dry heave...it's not a joke...it's for real! So...I REALLY didn't think I'd be able to "swoosh" diapers around in icky toilet water! WAIT.....GUESS WHAT?!? I CAN (but I don't have to)! We don't even own a diaper sprayer (although once we move into a new house I'd like one). We used bummis flush-able liners for J when he was using diapers and with C he is EBF so the poops are water soluble and you just throw it right in the wash. It's as easy as that.
I do feel bad for not consistently shopping local and supporting my local store. However, we need to save AS much money as possible. That is why we started doing this in the first place. In order to do just that, I search and search and search online [NAK helps with this :)] and take advantage of any sale or discount I can (Amazon coupon codes were like crack to the crackhead).
I suggest to anyone wanting to start cloth to start with a pocket diaper. Most people start with prefolds because they are cheapest but for me they were a little too intimidating. I needed to start with something that was almost identical to 'sposies and work my way down to the cheapie prefolds and flats (which I am now in love with and wanting to switch to completely)!
I know it's kinda overwhelming but it's really really really simple! I remember my hubby "M" was NOT on board with cd-ing at all!! He said he'd have his 'sposie stash and when he changed a diaper he'd use a sposie. Well that soon changed when the sposies ran out and I didn't buy anymore!! MWAHAHAAA!!
A lot of people will argue that you don't actually save any more money when you factor in laundry soap, water use etc. Well THEY'RE WRONG! Like anything...you can spend a lot or a little. It IS possible to use cloth and save money, water etc. For example....you do need a certain kind of cloth diaper approved laundry detergent. If you are conservative in the least bit you can find deals on that stuff too! A lot of people have had great success with Tide and Duh you can get that at good old walmart! I got my detergent (babyganics) from babies r us on clearance and I cleaned them out of the stuff! I will not have to by detergent for a longggg time!
So in a nutshell....The rules are pretty simple. Don't listen to what other people say (negatively) and do what you love (addicted or not) and do what inspires you!!! Rock on!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Fresh start
My first thought as I re-try this whole blog thing?!?! Mike is going to be so pissed that I have started another "computer" project. He despises the computer. Facebook mainly. It's actually the root of many, many of our arguments. I do spend WAY too much time on the computer, but he would prefer we got rid of the computer and internet all together. NOT HAPPENING BUDDY! He was brought up in a Pleasantville like town where most kids didn't have cable, divorce didn't happen and you left your keys in the ignition while you ran inside to grab milk from the park n shop. As annoying as it is to have your husband come from Pleasantville...I am also grateful that we have ties to a community like that and are soon planning our move back there. So as he is flying somewhere up in the sky tonight...somewhere between Denver and Chicago....what he doesn't know wont hurt him!!! I am going to let the house be trashed for a few more minutes and take this time to do what I love. Write. Express my heart and soul with words. No promises that my posts will be remotely entertaining...or that I will be able to consistently do them...but why not let you take a peek into my fun filled (beer a night) kind of life. Kidding. I don't drink that much. Maybe every other night ;)
That's it for my first post. Lame I know. I just want to establish the relationship slowly with my blog.
That's it for my first post. Lame I know. I just want to establish the relationship slowly with my blog.
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