Almost 9 Months and Green Detergent

Noah is jabbering all the time now - too sweet! He is pulling himself up on everything he can reach. So wonderful :)

I have decided I am going to write about one "green" thing at the end of each post.

Today it is detergent. I did not realize until recently that almost all detergents at the store are not biodegradable. They have enzymes, optical brighteners, perfumes, and many chemicals that simply seep into the ground and end up in our water. Here's an article about it http://www.brighthub.com/environment/green-living/articles/17617.aspx

So now I am buying Charlie's Soap, an organic natural detergent that cost no more than the Tide I had been buying. http://www.charliesoap.com/

8 Months Old = 4 Teeth

This picture cracks me up

Daniel was sent to the store to buy groceries and a nighttime outfit for Noah.  This is what he came home with :)

Noah has figured out how to reach up into his toy box and pull himself up to look/dig around inside.  I went into his room on Saturday after his first nap of the day and he was standing up at the railing, bouncing up and down smiling.  We lowered his bed.  He is so long that he can lean over in his exersaucer and climb out!  

Spring Break 09

The Wichita Mountains

Noah Getting Increasingly Mobile

First tooth (three came in at once)

All the Cousins

First Bonk on the Head :(

Cloth Diapering 101

(Everything in italics is a link to online shops)

You may think this is odd, and it really is, but I love using cloth diapers.  So as often as people tell me that it is gross or inconvenient I thought (at the suggestion of Cassy) that I would blog about our clothing diapering (aka: "cding") experience thus far.  

Here is our "stash" of diapers.  We primarily have prefolds, from Green Mountain Diaper. 

18 orange edge - newborn

24 periwinkle edge - 10-15 lbs

24 red edge - 15-30 lbs

6 brown edge - 30+ lbs

4 snappis

30 wipes

1 wetbag

2 liners

These are our covers.  The two solid colored ones are Sugar Peas wool.  Wool is a naturally breathable material that helps prevent diaper rash.  The other cover (plus one on the bum) have a layer of waterproof material on the inside and cotton on the outside.  These are good for car rides and outings.  4 in all.

You can also use cloth wipes.  I keep mine in a wipes warmer with water.  We do use disposable wipes for outings.

How to Fold a Prefold

Lay baby on the prefold

Fold over the front to make a V shape under the bum (this catches any poo)

You have to pull the two flaps on the side tightly next (I didn't have enough hands to take a picture of it)

The snappi is what holds the diaper on.  You hook one side on one flap then stretch it over to have the other side hook on the other flap.  Pull the bottom part down to hold the middle part.

Tucking the leg holes in helps to make sure nothing leaks out

Put your cover of choice on.  This is a Gen-y 

What to Do with Dirty Dipes and Wipes?

All wet diapers go into this trash can with a waterproof/reusable pail liner.  You can see one of our wetbags in it from when we visited Daniel's parents yesterday. 

This is installed next to our toilet.  There is a bucket that has water and antibacterial soap in it.  We spray any poo diapers into the toilet and then put it in the bucket to soak.

Every 2-3 days we take the pail liner and dump the contents into the washing machine.  Then we pour the soapy/poopy water out of the bucket and dump the diapers that had been poopy into the washing machine.  I add half a cup of Tide to the wash and do a full wash cycle.  I like to line dry the diapers (to get out any light stains) but usually just toss them into the dryer.

That's it, thanks for looking!  It's really a piece of cake.  A cheap cheap piece of cake :)

Noah and Goats

Look at this big boy. Aren't his shoes too cute?

He's been making this face a lot lately. Too funny.




I'm going to cut that hair above his ears...

Beautiful

Things are going well. Noah measured 29 inches and 17 pounds at his last appointment. We finally got a TV converter box. We have rabbit ears, and now we get 31 channels perfectly! Granted, about 4 of them are in Spanish, but the rest are great! I really don't see us getting cable in the future - a waste of money I say.

The farm I go to is selling goat's milk again! Yay! Confused about my choice to get goat's milk? Here are some comparisons of it to cow's milk. Just plain better for you :) We got to see some of the kids that were just born and they are precious! Noah wasn't interested because he just stared at the girl holding them, but one nibbled my finger when I pet it. When it's almost the end of the world I am buying two goats and some chickens. This is my plan.

Learning

Is it weird sometimes when you want to write a blog but then you realize that all the things that are on your heart are things that shouldn't be shared with everyone? So what will I write to satisfy my need to share...

The Lord is sweet to me. I think that I have been so quick to plan things that make sense to me instead of letting Him guide me into what He has. I am embarrassed that I have been so controlling over my life that I stiff armed God when it came to some decisions I have made. "No God, clearly I can do this better than you. It doesn't go against you Word." I didn't intentionally reject Him, but I sure didn't intentionally include Him either. "Lord bless MY plans." Ridiculous.

So I am learning to not be this way, and I am learning that my plans are going to lead me into a life without satisfaction. Or minimal satisfaction. I am in a Gateway group now and in our study there was a question that basically said, "when was the last time you ask God to give you a task you could not do on your own?" I guess my answer is never. I'm good at getting things done but maybe I have taken on tasks that suit my abilities instead of praying for opportunities that require me to grow and trust the Lord for help. 

I am a work in progress. I am waiting.

Almost 6 Months

Noah is still the greatest.  He's eating sweet potatoes and squash and loves it.  His sleeping has gotten so much better - putting himself back to sleep if he wakes up (sometimes) and sleeping around a 7 hour stretch.  Here are some pictures, compliments of Kari :)

3 1/2 Months Old

Here are some pictures of Noah.  He's so great, and crying so I don't have time to type :)

Two Months Old

Sweet Noah is now two months old!  He had a doctor's appointment on Friday with Dr. Fricker and had to get some shots.  I was working but Daniel said that he did really well.  Noah is 11 lbs 6 oz and 25 inches long.  His height is above the 95th percentile an weight is at the 50th percentile.  

Here are some pictures of the sweet boy.  We just love him so so much :)

2 Months of cloth diapers and goin' strong!  Haha.

One Month Old

Noah loves tummy time :)  The pack n play is set up in our living room and that is where he takes naps during the day.  We went to the pediatrician this morning.  Daniel was sick so he dropped us off and went to CVS, Noah was hungry and fussy, and after struggling in the waiting room for 20 minutes the nurse came out and told us that we would have to come back because it had been 29 days and not the required 30 days since his newborn shots.  Argh.  Going back Friday afternoon.

  

I bought a clothesline and hung it outside.  I LOVE it, who would have thought?  It is on the side of our house so you can't see it when you walk outside.  I would like for it to be longer than 9 feet, but it is perfect for hanging out our diapers.  If our dryer ever goes out (which it shouldn't because it is less than 3 years old) I know I have a way to dry our clothes, haha.  I calculated it and if I just used my clothesline for diapers and towels, I will save over $200 a year.  Not a ton... but something :)