cloth diapering

leon uses a cloth diaper part time. the main issues for us are money and time. there's a coin-op washer and dryer in the basement, so washing 16 prefolds and 6 covers every 4-6 days costs an extra $4.50 per load (two washes, cold and then hot, and a dry). the diaper service is about $20 a week, which ends up being as expensive as our disposables. the reason why i like cloth is because it allows for a closer fit and leon's skin looks better (although he never had really bad rashes). i usually do laundry at night when he's sleeping, and so far it hasn't been too much extra work.

i decided to go with prefolds because they're simple, easy to use with a snappi, and quick to wash and dry without worrying too much about stains because they're so cheap ($2-3 each). the apple cheeks cover (the red one) is actually lined in microfleece and has a pocket for an insert. supposedly it agitates out in the wash so that you don't have to take it out before putting it in your diaper bag. i think the size 2 (18-40 lbs) fits leon a little too big, but no leaks so far with a prefold. i haven't tried an insert yet, but i do have two bamboo prefolds that are small enough to fit in the envelope, so i'll try that this week. i don't know if it's because it's too large, but this cover definitely gives leon a bubble-butt. plus the elastic is a bit ruffly, adding to the poofiness of the whole look. the thirsties duo-wrap (size 2) is definitely too big and will easily fit leon as he gets bigger. i'm not so sure about the apple cheeks... but at any rate, the duo wrap hasn't given us any issues, and it's a bit cheaper than the apple cheeks. normally i prefer snaps to velcro/aplix, but the laundry tabs on the thirsties have been doing their job so far.

i don't think i'll switch to full-time cloth diapering. when you're outside for more than a few hours, you end up carrying a lot of bulk if you bring cloth diapers. eventually i'll have to carry more stuff than i do now, but i'm going to try to avoid that for as long as possible. i am glad, however, that i didn't try cloth in the beginning. 12-16 diaper changes a day would have driven me crazy. now it's more like 6-8, which is fairly manageable. the only annoying thing about cloth is that i need to size up in bottoms and onesies because leon's regular size doesn't fit over the covers. a t-shirt and diaper cover works for now, but winter will be trickier.

shopping for fall

maybe it's because today was cool and rainy, but i'm already looking forward to leon's fall wardrobe. this little jersey coat would be perfect with one of catherine's wool pants. plus a pair of lambskin booties, a merino long sleeve kimono top, and leon's bieq mia knitted hat in the cheeriest yellow, and he's set for crisp autumnal strolls.

we're also trying out applecheeks diaper covers. they have the most beautiful colors that i've seen so far.

*EOWE for 10% off and free shipping on Boden. i just ordered the coat for leon.

swinging

the best part is when a look of concern flashes across his face right before he erupts in laughter again.

less than cheerful moments

leon is not an easy baby. he demands your attention, loves to be in the thick of things, and bores easily. we've had a week of rough nights, 5-6 feedings from midnight until 8 am. my dissertation has screeched to a standstill as i try to maintain some level of sanity. he also has no problem telling you his complaints, as you can see in these photos. but as hard as it has been for nearly five months, i can't help but find his sad and pensive faces to be just as endearing as his wide-eyed smiles. plus, i adore kissing his chubby, frowny cheeks when he's pouting.

we're also experimenting with cloth diapers. there's a shop in somerville that offers trial packages. you pay $25 to try out 8 different diapers. whatever you don't like, you return. the rest you buy. right now we're planning to cloth diaper half-time. as for disposables, a friend recommended nature baby care diapers, and we love them. haven't had a single blowout in over 3 weeks, they fit Leon well (the sizing runs small), and are soft. we had quite a few blowouts with the seventh generation diapers, and the whole foods 365 diapers are too stiff for my liking. who knows whether i'll stick with cloth diapers, but so far i've enjoyed trying them out. even with a coin-op in the basement, laundry hasn't been too onerous.

touch your toes, touch your nose

nyc must have done wonders for leon. ever since we returned, he's been rolling from side to side, grabbing plates and cups, pulling his socks off, and finally rolling onto his back. he 'talks' nearly constantly, mimicking sounds that i make, and can't stop wiggling. we throw him up in the air and his giggles are incandescent. one of these days we'll get it on video.

leon had a fever of 103.1 from the vaccines two weeks ago, but we kept on with the tylenol until he was back to normal. i hope he doesn't continue to have bad reactions to his vaccines, especially since there are so many left to take.





behold, leon's second rollover. the first happened while i was sorting papers next to him. i heard a thud, and there he was, frowning at me instead of doing tummy time. he's also quite good at wiggling on his tummy so that he slowly turns like the hands on a clock.