needing a new mantra

In this entire potty training--or the new phrase is potty learning.  Which I hate--it makes me feel like my child must be stupid if she can't learn to use the toilet.  But, boy that's kind of off topic, so I'll try again.

In this entire potty training process with CD, I've had a mantra.  I'd repeat it every time I was feeling frustrated, which pretty much meant I was repeating it daily, most times many times per day.  What's this wonderful, calm-inducing mantra you ask?  "How many 21 year olds do you see wearing diapers?"  Lately, it's dawning on me that my 4 year old may become one of them. 

We are having daily accidents--of both varieties.  It's a good thing we have so many pairs of panties, because we sure go through them fast.  It's not unusual to see her in 3+ outfits a day--because when the bottom gets wet, the top needs to be changed too--in her opinion at least.

My theory?  I think she's trying to withhold pooping again.  Despite the fact that she's on a daily dose of MiraLax.  I think she's withholding and in the process, is wetting as well.  Because let's face it, you can't hold that back forever. 

And I suppose there's the added pressure of 4K coming up in the fall.  I struggle with the thought of my kid being the pants wetter in the class--or even worse, the pants messer.  Though why this bothers me, I'm not sure.  LE has already had 2 accidents in kindergarten this year.  I know that in 4K they want a spare set of clothes going back and forth in the back pack, but right now I can only imagine that CD will be coming home wearing different clothes than she goes to school in--every day!

Of course, there's the feeling that I'm failing her somehow.  I mean, she's four for goodness sakes.  TO was daytime trained by 2 and LE was daytime trained by 2.5.  The nighttime wetness wouldn't even bother me so much if she didn't poop in her pull-ups also. 

I'm not just struggling with her over the potty training though.  It's everything.  It's the attitude, the not listening and did I mention the attitude?  I know that it's going to be a up-mountain battle with her over everything.  I know that it'll be easier if I start now instead of starting later.  I know this, and yet I can't bring myself to do it.  Could I be more of a mothering-wuss?

So I need a new mantra for dealing with her--potty training-wise and general-wise.

diaper hindsight

I'm dealing with a bit of diaper remorse right now.  Omega had a really bad diaper rash--we actually ended up buying a box of disposables once it progressed into some open sores.  And I discovered that I hate, hate, hate disposable diapers--the smell, the crinkly-ness, the smell.  Not to mention the squishy feeling they get when they are soaked--or the way I leave them on for longer than I should, so I can get the most for my money.  But with cloth diapers, I couldn't use my normal remedy of butt paste.  And I needed something for the poor, little guy right now--not in 3-4 days.  Arg.

So, after a full week of disposables (I'm sure my mom thanked me), he's finally healed up.  No more open sores--patches that are obviously new skin, but no more open sores.  And I'm soooo glad to have him back in cloth.

But, I'm a little mad too.  When I first started diapering, I was using prefolds and covers and there was nothing going wrong.  Then I decided to switch things up and started using pocket diapers.  And I passed on all my covers and prefolds.  Now I'm wishing that I had them back--everything was so much simpler then.  I've even gone so far as to look into getting some more prefolds and covers--just the bare minimum.  But I'd be looking at about $20 per dozen prefolds and $13 per cover. 

I think the hard part is that in my head I'm an all-or-nothing kind of person.  I want to be all pockets or all prefolds/covers.  And on some level I feel like I've already done the prefolds/covers and moved away from them--what's to keep me from moving away from them again?  Arg.  I hate my indecisiveness.

Bum Genius 4.0 with aplix--a review

Every place I looked, I only heard good about  bumGenius! 4.0 One Size Pocket Diaper.  There were never any used postings for them on my favorite diaper sites, so I figured they had to be good or people would be returning them.  I was excited to try them.   I finally broke down and bought 2 hook and loop versions (in twilight).  I took them out of the packaging, and thought 'hmm--what's all the fuss about?'

But after using them, they quickly became my go-to diaper for going out and bedtimes.  The leg openings fit snugly without leaving any of the inner suedecloth exposed (I've had issues with this in other pocket diaper fits).  The hook and loop allows for a very customizable fit around the waist.  I have not had any leaking or blowouts with these diapers!

I did not start out with these on a newborn.  Omega was about 9 months when we started (19 pounds, 28 inches--a little on the skinny side).  But, even now at 11 months, he is still in the smallest rise setting.  Just for laughs one day, my 4.5 year old asked to try them on--and they fit great, even with 3 large inserts stuffed in!  I have no doubt that these diapers will be with us up until the end of diapering Omega.

Perhaps my favorite feature is the 1-2" strip of outer waterproof material that is at the top of the inside front of the diaper--I believe they call this feature an 'insert stopper.'  It's great for keeping waistbands from touching the inner suedecloth.  No more wet tummies if the insert gets too wet.

And speaking of the insert, the adjustable one-size insert that the diaper comes with holds a ton!  One insert can go through the whole night with Omega--although I like to add a second one as a booster, just in case.  I don't use the newborn size insert (it comes with both the one-size and a newborn size) except occasionally for extra absorbency at nap time or bed time.

There are two things that I would change about this diaper.  1.  I would add another rise setting--a few of the other pocket diapers I have tried have 4 rise settings, instead of just 3.  But as evidenced by my 4.5 year old, they do have a wide range of fit.  2.  I would like to see these with some brighter colors and/or more prints.  But that's just cosmetics.

Overall, I would highly recommend these diapers--I've joined the bandwagon and you won't be seeing mine on any used diaper posting.

my favorite load

As I was folding my diapers today, I realized that I absolutely love doing diaper laundry.  It's the only load that I can't wait to get folded.  Most of my other loads sit around in their baskets for a day or two before I get around to folding them, but not the diapers.  There's something calming about getting everything put together and seeing everything stacked up and ready to go.  It makes me smile--until Omega decides to pull everything out.

See, doesn't it just make you smile?  Well, okay, so it probably only makes me smile, but still...

I thought we'd given him enough time.

LE got a check from his godparents for Christmas this year--and being the beginning reader that he is, he recognized his name and asked what it was for.  We explained that after Christmas we would let him pick something out with the money.  And I assumed he would forget.

A few days ago, he reminded me that he wanted to go shopping, so I presented him with his first choice--actual in-the-store shopping or online shopping.  He chose online so that he could get packages in the mail--his absolute favorite thing to get!

So we talked a bit about what he might like to get with his Christmas money.  And at the top of his list was more things for his Thomas & Friends Trackmaster set.  LE and I did a bit of browsing last night, and again this morning and decided on 2 different sets (plus I added a pack of switch tracks out of my own pocket).  I ended up ordering off of 2 sites--amazon.com had the cheapest prices on 2 of the items and had free shipping.  toysrus.com had a cheaper price on the 3rd item--even with the shipping figured in it was cheaper.  So the lucky boy is getting 2 packages!  Yay!

Not 2 hours after I clicked the 'submit order' buttons, LE comes to me and says he decided to switch to Batman stuff for Christmas.  Boy, did I have a sad boy when I explained that we can't just switch the orders.  And that I won't be sending them back.  I told him he has a whole week to get excited about the train sets.  I mentioned that he could look for Batman toys for his birthday.  Now he's begging to do some more browsing for his birthday list--his birthday is 4 months away yet.  I think we'll be holding off on the browsing for a bit yet.

I need to stop

I need to stop--or at least be more selective--of the blog on cloth diapering that I read.  I subscribe to a few different blogs of the main stores/sites that I purchase the cloth diapers from.  And both, but especially the one, does a lot of posts on natural parenting.  Which is fine--really fine.  But, when I read posts about how the c-section doesn't need to be done, or the wrongness of pacifiers, or how if you don't breastfeed your child until they're 5...It just makes me feel like a really crappy mom.  Even though I'm completely done with those stages in our children's lives, I still feel like I failed them somehow.

So here's my New Year's resolution--less parenting blogs, more Toddlers & Tiaras (because that show makes me feel like an excellent parent).