Cloth Diapering: The long overdue update

Well, I just checked and I have not done a cloth diapering update since Griff was 3 months old- oops! Sorry guys that actually care! I have been meaning to for months now, but obviously writing longer or more detailed posts hasnt happened much lately. So I will try to give a quick update now, and then give you some more detailed updates soon. A few things to share about cloth diapering thus far:

• I would never cloth diaper without a diaper sprayer (once my kid was on solids at least!). Griffin was exclusively breastfed until 6 months old, so his dirty diapers were no biggie. There was no need to rinse them out first, and he didnt have very many dirty diapers anyhow. Then we started solids and I realized I love my diaper sprayer! During our bathroom renovations, my diaper sprayer was not accessible and I was not a fan. Totally took a long break from cloth diapers, because trying the old "dunk and swoosh" method was gross and ineffective. **A diaper sprayer is a sprayer attached to your toilet that you can use to spray off the "dirty" parts of the diaper. It looks like the kitchen sink hose basically. 
• I definitely prefer bamboo inserts to microfiber, mainly because they are so much less bulky. I would recommend buying them from alvababy.com (even better, buy them from an alvababy co-op group on facebook for only $1.20 each). They hold a lot and are pretty thin. 
• I have yet to find a great nighttime solution for us. This is partially because my son still nurses at least once a night and takes in quite a bit. I will have to say that the disposable diapers seem to absorb way more at nighttime than my cloth diapers do (at least the pampers baby dry ones do). 
• I have used some of my pre-folds and covers recently, and they are much trimmer now that Griffin is bigger. They are trimmer than the pocket diapers are. 
• I use Tide Original powder laundry detergent on them now. The Rockin Green just did not get them clean enough I dont think. 

Thats all I can think of off the top of my head. I will try to do a post soon on the fit and specific brands I have. 

But for now, what questions do you have about cloth diapers?

Digging

Griffin loves this toy box at daycare, and I am always hearing stories about his short little legs dangling out of it while he true to get some toy from the very bottom! Too cute. Once he actually ended up with both little legs up in the air dangling! How precious?

Photos of late

Big Steps

My boy and I are taking big steps these days...

--- Griffin has been taking several steps this week, like actual steps people! He can stand alone pretty well, and if he has his balance he can take about four steps in a row by himself! What? Craziness!
--- Tonight I am spending my first night away from my boy since we brought him home from the nicu! I will actually be going 24 hrs without seeing him. Whew, pray for this mommy!
--- We have our youth DNOW this weekend (a youth discipleship retreat event), which is why I am away from my boy. Pray for patience and me to not be distracted but be focused on my youth girls. And for energy!!
--- Pretty sure I am getting a cold/sinus infection/ allergy attack of some sort. I woke up with a sore throat, then I started sneezing like crazy, and now I am having a runny/stuffed up nose. Fun times and great timing, right?
--- I have a giveaway in the works for ya! Woo hoo! Get excited :-) Details coming soon.
--- You doing anything fun this weekend?

Couldnt have said it better myself...

For weeks I have wanted to write a post on parenthood and how this new role has just down right shaken me to the core. I was trying to find the words to basically communicate how my world really is turned upside down, while still showing just how much I love being a mother.

Enter my dear friend Morgan...

Morgan's Mommmy Memoir: My Thoughts On Parenting: Before Eli, I had this vision of what I thought parenting looked like.  Of course this picture was influenced largely from what was modeled ...