Mommy did a great job! No epidural and only about 30 minutes of pushing! We are all pretty tired, so stay tuned for updates . . .
Micah Andrew Wagler
The new "fam" - Mommy & her boys
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Micah arrives!
Micah arrived today at 2:31 p.m. He weighed in at 7 lbs. 11 oz. and was 20 1/2" long.
Mommy did a great job! No epidural and only about 30 minutes of pushing! We are all pretty tired, so stay tuned for updates . . .
Micah Andrew Wagler
The new "fam" - Mommy & her boys
Mommy did a great job! No epidural and only about 30 minutes of pushing! We are all pretty tired, so stay tuned for updates . . .
Micah Andrew Wagler
The new "fam" - Mommy & her boys
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Year End Diaper Review
You may or may not know that we use reusable diapers. We have had much success (at least we think so) with our experiences. We plan on continuing to use the reusable diapers with both of our boys once Micah comes. Starting in October I got a part-time job at a local store that sells reusable diapers. I was able to put most of my paycheck towards buying more diapers to add to our "stash" so that we would have enough diapers to circulate between the two boys. This post will mainly be about the diapers that we have tried and our own personal findings and opinions. Hopefully you find it helpful in some way!
Bum Genius Diapers
When we first started cloth diapering (about a month after Luke was born) we had already collected a few different types of diapers to try out. At that point we had 4 Bum Genius 2.0 diapers, 1 Fuzzibun (size small), and 1 Haute Pocket (one size). After circulating through these few diapers we decided that we really liked the Bum Genius so we went online and ordered the 12 pack of the Bum Genius 3.0. These diapers have a velcro tab closure, they have snaps on the front to allow for 3 different size rises, a removable absorbent pad and the diaper comes in various colors, they can be washed in three cycles in the washing machine and dried in the dryer, and they have laundry tabs.
At that time we really liked using this diaper and even took all of our Bum Genius diapers to France last summer and used them the entire time.
Now that we have had these diapers for almost two years they are starting to show wear and tear. The velcro is not as sticky and the laundry tabs no longer work. I find that when we wash them in the washing machine they come out in a giant chain because the velcro has stuck to each other. The elastic in the legs has started to stretch out too. I have had to retire one diaper that was having consistent leaking problems due to the stretched elastic.
I cannot say too many bad things about this diaper because it has served us well for nearly two years but we have found some diapers that we like better. Two years ago the Bum Genius was the only one of its kind but now many companies have come out with similar and more improved diapers.
Smartipants:
Yay! We love Smartipants diapers. They are like the Bum Genius in that they are one size diapers with a removable terry cloth absorbent pad. They do not have velcro which is one of the reasons that we like them so much. As Luke has gotten older and more active he has also taken interest in taking off his diapers. We have also been working on potty training. When those two combine trouble (for me at least) follows.
Some other benefits of Smartipants diapers are that they are reasonably priced. You can buy a single diaper for $14.95 and a three pack for $39.95. Compare that to a Bum Genius diaper that sells as a single for $17.95 and $53.10 for a 3 pack! On top of that you have shipping costs unless you buy them locally. Yay for buying local. You can order Smartipants diapers here. This is the website for the store that I used to work for: Barefoot Kids & Barefoot Herbs.
There are 6 colors of Smartipants to choose from and also white. Reusable diapers can be really cute!
Flip Diaper:
The Flip diaper is made by the same company as Bum Genius. It is basically a one size waterproof shell that has an absorbent pad that lays right in the diaper. It is NOT a pocket diaper like the Bum Genius or the Smartipants. The benefit of this type of diaper is that ideally you don't have to change the entire diaper every time it is soiled. We have really like this particular diaper so far because we can reuse the waterproof cover multiple times and just change the pad. The flip that we have only came with one pad but we have a few prefold style diapers that I fold into one long strip and lay in the diaper cover and we are good to go. We have not had any problems with leaks either which is a huge plus. It is a one size adjustable diaper and it closes with snaps so there is no velcro to deal with. You can order the Flip here. A single Flip diaper and pad retails for $16.95. It is not a bad price if you have multiple pads that you can use to make the shell last longer. You can order a package of five pads for $9.98 here.
Econobum:
The Econobum diaper is very similar to the Flip. It is a one size adjustable waterproof diaper cover with snap closures. It comes with a prefold diaper that basically lays right inside the diaper cover. I consider it an old concept sold in new packaging. Moms have been cloth diapering in this way for years by using prefolds and rubber pants. I do think that this is a practical system because it does not involve diaper pins or Snappi's and it is quite economical.
You can order the Econobum here. Only $9.95 for the cover and it comes with a pad.
Before Luke was born I bought a 6 pack of cloth prefolds and two small waterproof covers with the intent of using them with Luke but the pocket diapers ended up being just too easy. I never got around to using them. I am planning on using them with Micah though. I still have all of the infant inserts (absorbent pads) from our original Bum Genius diapers that were hardly used. I am going to lay them inside the waterproof covers and basically use them just like the Flip and Econobum! I will let you know how that works out!
Blueberry Diaper:
The Blueberry diaper is another one size, pocket style diaper. It does not have velcro (Hallelujah) and it comes in a variety of cute patterns and colors. The store that I worked at had two Blueberry diapers with a black and white cow pattern so Of COURSE I had to get one! Luke is so cute in it and he really likes it a lot! We like it too because it has never leaked. We will have to get back to you on that one though because have only had it for about two months. It works really well at night though in case you were wondering. So the next time that I worked I bought the other one so that we now have TWO cow printed diapers for our two cowboys! I can't wait for them to be matching.
As you can see from the above picture they come in really cute patterns and fabrics. I would love to have the one posted above. The price for one these little cuties is $27.97 for a single!!!! Yep, that is not a joke. It is definitely worth it in the longevity department and if you have more than one child in diapers at a time (which we will) or if you get a discount because you work at the store part-time.
And last but not least...
Gro Baby Diapers:
I sold a lot of Gro Baby diapers when I worked at the store. They come in four different colors and four different patterns. They have velcro closures but the velcro is slightly different than normal velcro. The hook part is not rough to the touch and is not scratchy. The are one size adjustable diapers and they do have an organic option that closes with the snaps. That would be the one that we have, well actually we have two.
They work like a diaper cover and they have an absorbent pad that snaps in. They are very trim looking underneath clothing as well which is nice because most reusable one size diapers are a bit bulky underneath clothes. We have two shells and 4 pads from this diaper system. We have had mixed feelings about this system. I know that it works well for a lot of people but we have had problems with leaking. The other problem that we have run into is that if the soiling of the diaper is not #1 but #2 then we have to change the entire diaper. The shell and the pad go immediately into the diaper pail. There is no using that shell again and then we have unused pads just sitting there.
This is another system that we will have to get back to you on since we have just started using it and it might be great for a newborn! We just don't know yet. As far as the price goes...$24.95 for a single diaper shell that come with a soaker pad. You can buy that here. This price is for the velcro style diaper. The prints (they are adorable, especially if you have a girl!) are a few dollars more and the organic one that snaps is the same price as the print diapers. The rumor is that the company is coming out with a snap style in a print! I will be watching for that for sure! This diapering system also offers bio soaker pads that are disposable/biodegradable that have sticky tabs that stick in the diaper cover. This is a nice feature if you are traveling or for nighttime use.
That is going to be all for now folks! We have used Haute Pockets and Fuzzibunz before and I did not talk about them at all today...maybe in a future post. We are also committed to updating you on our findings as we further use these various diapering systems. I did not talk at all about why we cloth diaper or why I think other people should consider it. That is a post for another time as well. I do hope that you gleaned some valuable information from our experiences! Check back for future updates!
Bum Genius Diapers
When we first started cloth diapering (about a month after Luke was born) we had already collected a few different types of diapers to try out. At that point we had 4 Bum Genius 2.0 diapers, 1 Fuzzibun (size small), and 1 Haute Pocket (one size). After circulating through these few diapers we decided that we really liked the Bum Genius so we went online and ordered the 12 pack of the Bum Genius 3.0. These diapers have a velcro tab closure, they have snaps on the front to allow for 3 different size rises, a removable absorbent pad and the diaper comes in various colors, they can be washed in three cycles in the washing machine and dried in the dryer, and they have laundry tabs.
At that time we really liked using this diaper and even took all of our Bum Genius diapers to France last summer and used them the entire time.
Now that we have had these diapers for almost two years they are starting to show wear and tear. The velcro is not as sticky and the laundry tabs no longer work. I find that when we wash them in the washing machine they come out in a giant chain because the velcro has stuck to each other. The elastic in the legs has started to stretch out too. I have had to retire one diaper that was having consistent leaking problems due to the stretched elastic.
I cannot say too many bad things about this diaper because it has served us well for nearly two years but we have found some diapers that we like better. Two years ago the Bum Genius was the only one of its kind but now many companies have come out with similar and more improved diapers.
Smartipants:
Yay! We love Smartipants diapers. They are like the Bum Genius in that they are one size diapers with a removable terry cloth absorbent pad. They do not have velcro which is one of the reasons that we like them so much. As Luke has gotten older and more active he has also taken interest in taking off his diapers. We have also been working on potty training. When those two combine trouble (for me at least) follows.
Some other benefits of Smartipants diapers are that they are reasonably priced. You can buy a single diaper for $14.95 and a three pack for $39.95. Compare that to a Bum Genius diaper that sells as a single for $17.95 and $53.10 for a 3 pack! On top of that you have shipping costs unless you buy them locally. Yay for buying local. You can order Smartipants diapers here. This is the website for the store that I used to work for: Barefoot Kids & Barefoot Herbs.
There are 6 colors of Smartipants to choose from and also white. Reusable diapers can be really cute!Flip Diaper:
The Flip diaper is made by the same company as Bum Genius. It is basically a one size waterproof shell that has an absorbent pad that lays right in the diaper. It is NOT a pocket diaper like the Bum Genius or the Smartipants. The benefit of this type of diaper is that ideally you don't have to change the entire diaper every time it is soiled. We have really like this particular diaper so far because we can reuse the waterproof cover multiple times and just change the pad. The flip that we have only came with one pad but we have a few prefold style diapers that I fold into one long strip and lay in the diaper cover and we are good to go. We have not had any problems with leaks either which is a huge plus. It is a one size adjustable diaper and it closes with snaps so there is no velcro to deal with. You can order the Flip here. A single Flip diaper and pad retails for $16.95. It is not a bad price if you have multiple pads that you can use to make the shell last longer. You can order a package of five pads for $9.98 here.Econobum:
The Econobum diaper is very similar to the Flip. It is a one size adjustable waterproof diaper cover with snap closures. It comes with a prefold diaper that basically lays right inside the diaper cover. I consider it an old concept sold in new packaging. Moms have been cloth diapering in this way for years by using prefolds and rubber pants. I do think that this is a practical system because it does not involve diaper pins or Snappi's and it is quite economical.
You can order the Econobum here. Only $9.95 for the cover and it comes with a pad.
Before Luke was born I bought a 6 pack of cloth prefolds and two small waterproof covers with the intent of using them with Luke but the pocket diapers ended up being just too easy. I never got around to using them. I am planning on using them with Micah though. I still have all of the infant inserts (absorbent pads) from our original Bum Genius diapers that were hardly used. I am going to lay them inside the waterproof covers and basically use them just like the Flip and Econobum! I will let you know how that works out!
Blueberry Diaper:
The Blueberry diaper is another one size, pocket style diaper. It does not have velcro (Hallelujah) and it comes in a variety of cute patterns and colors. The store that I worked at had two Blueberry diapers with a black and white cow pattern so Of COURSE I had to get one! Luke is so cute in it and he really likes it a lot! We like it too because it has never leaked. We will have to get back to you on that one though because have only had it for about two months. It works really well at night though in case you were wondering. So the next time that I worked I bought the other one so that we now have TWO cow printed diapers for our two cowboys! I can't wait for them to be matching.
As you can see from the above picture they come in really cute patterns and fabrics. I would love to have the one posted above. The price for one these little cuties is $27.97 for a single!!!! Yep, that is not a joke. It is definitely worth it in the longevity department and if you have more than one child in diapers at a time (which we will) or if you get a discount because you work at the store part-time.And last but not least...
Gro Baby Diapers:
I sold a lot of Gro Baby diapers when I worked at the store. They come in four different colors and four different patterns. They have velcro closures but the velcro is slightly different than normal velcro. The hook part is not rough to the touch and is not scratchy. The are one size adjustable diapers and they do have an organic option that closes with the snaps. That would be the one that we have, well actually we have two.
They work like a diaper cover and they have an absorbent pad that snaps in. They are very trim looking underneath clothing as well which is nice because most reusable one size diapers are a bit bulky underneath clothes. We have two shells and 4 pads from this diaper system. We have had mixed feelings about this system. I know that it works well for a lot of people but we have had problems with leaking. The other problem that we have run into is that if the soiling of the diaper is not #1 but #2 then we have to change the entire diaper. The shell and the pad go immediately into the diaper pail. There is no using that shell again and then we have unused pads just sitting there.
This is another system that we will have to get back to you on since we have just started using it and it might be great for a newborn! We just don't know yet. As far as the price goes...$24.95 for a single diaper shell that come with a soaker pad. You can buy that here. This price is for the velcro style diaper. The prints (they are adorable, especially if you have a girl!) are a few dollars more and the organic one that snaps is the same price as the print diapers. The rumor is that the company is coming out with a snap style in a print! I will be watching for that for sure! This diapering system also offers bio soaker pads that are disposable/biodegradable that have sticky tabs that stick in the diaper cover. This is a nice feature if you are traveling or for nighttime use.That is going to be all for now folks! We have used Haute Pockets and Fuzzibunz before and I did not talk about them at all today...maybe in a future post. We are also committed to updating you on our findings as we further use these various diapering systems. I did not talk at all about why we cloth diaper or why I think other people should consider it. That is a post for another time as well. I do hope that you gleaned some valuable information from our experiences! Check back for future updates!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Family Portrait
Luke drew a family picture of all of us. He drew very precise circles and then pointed at each one and told us who they are. There is one for momma, daddy, Sanibel, Luke, and Micah. I like being the double circle!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
New Years Resolutions
I guess I should get my New Years resolutions up here before any more of 2010 disappears.
We have talked a lot lately about our family goals as well as our own personal goals for 2010! Some are a given : Phil will be graduating, taking the bar, and starting his job at Barret & McNagney in September. Luke will be taking on the roll as "big brother" to baby Micah. I will be giving birth to baby Micah in the next month or so and we will all be moving as a family to Ft. Wayne! So much change is in store for us. (Good thing that I LOVE change! Phil...not so much.) These are all very wonderful and exciting things but there are a lot of "unknowns" still on the horizon. The kind of unknowns that can make a couple like Phil and I (who LOVE to plan) go a little crazy with restlessness.
All of that being said, I hope that I don't bore you too much with my personal list of goals for 2010:
1) Bake and perfect an authentic French croissant in my own kitchen! There is a wonderful recipe in the book "French Woman Don't Get Fat" Please don't be turned off by the title of this book. And also, do NOT assume that her croissant recipe is "healthy" or anything like that. I have put it off because her recipe requires a three day process. I also have picked up a few tips from Julia Child in this area! (No joke) She worked hard to recreate French recipes and cooking techniques for the American kitchen. Love her.
2) Make my own homemade yogurt! Yet another recipe from "French Women Don't Get Fat" book. She actually makes hers authentically French but she does use a yogurt making machine. I have done some research and discovered a few recipes that you can make in your very own crock pot. This is a little more realistic for me since I don't see myself investing in a yogurt maker at this point in my life!
3)Experiment more and expand my cheese making skills. You know how I LOVE cheese? My friend Kristin and I made mozzarella last winter and it was a great success. We both got ourselves cheese making kits and we made a stringy and beautiful batch of cheese! The main reason why I have been putting this task off is because you need "raw milk" to get the best results. I would actually prefer to use and buy raw milk for my family but you have to be very careful about foods like that when you are pregnant. Raw milk is not fully pasteurized and that is a big no no for pregnant moms! I do so look forward to all of the wonderful cheese combinations that my mind can think up!
4) Teach myself how to can green beans. My grandfather had a huge garden every summer and he canned green beans like clockwork. I grew up not even knowing that you could buy cans of green beans in the store! They were heavenly though. I have not yet been able to recreate the flavor of those green beans. I do know that the process is a lot of hard (hot) work. From picking the beans to cleaning them and then the canning process some might say that it is not worth it? Of course that does not discourage me at all, it only fuels my fire of desiring a challenge! I am always looking for the next challenge.
That's it! That's my list. Short and certainly sweet but in reality deceivingly difficult. All four culinary adventures. You may be wondering why, oh why, all of my goals involve the kitchen? Well, because at this current season of life I find myself taking care of little ones at home. I have discovered that a lot of practical creativity can take place in the kitchen. Everyone has to eat everyday so I might as well have some fun making that happen!
I send you lot's of love in your own 2010 ambitions. I do hope that you have them. Goals are important stepping stones for personal growth! I am not putting any pressure on myself to achieve any of these goals...but be reassured that I will update you with my adventures/findings along the way.
Sanibel
Sanibel has a favorite spot at the top of the stairs in a patch of sun. I must admit that I love the warmth of the sun this time of year. Have you ever laid down on a patch and soaked it up?
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
35 Weeks
Saturday we had our birth class. So, I guess this is all really going to happen whether we are ready or not! We think that we are ready. We made a place for baby Micah in our room and all of his clothes are washed and ready. We also have added about 20 new reusable diapers to our diaper stash thanks to my part-time job! It is debatable to whether that is going to be enough or not? The hope is that eventually Luke will be potty training and moving away from diapers. We will see on that one!
As you can see, my belly has expanded quite a bit! Baby Micah does not have very much room left to move around. He has stayed in the same position for the past few weeks. He is heads down with his back and bum on my right side. Yesterday when I woke up I was surprised to find him on my left side! It really made me feel squashed and odd. There must not have been much room there because about an hour later he found his spot back on my right side. He is still very active and I can feel his every move. I like to think that he is "leaping for joy" like John the Baptist! I try to think positively because I have entered into the waiting/uncomfortable stage of pregnancy. I have become a little paranoid about my water breaking. I did not think about that with Luke but his labor started with my water breaking. I know that all labors are different but since that is my only experience it is fresh in my mind! I start my weekly appointments with my doctor tomorrow. It really is the end! From now on out baby Micah will mostly be putting on weight. We want him to have those chubby cheeks and arms! That's what makes babies the cutest! He is probably a little under 6 lbs. and 18 inches long. I am excited for my appointment tomorrow to see how he is growing. At my last appointment I was 34 weeks but measuring 35 weeks! I am hopeful that was Micah gaining weight and not me just enjoying the holiday goodies a little too much!
Phil starts class again tomorrow! Last semester!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are so relieved and blessed to be entering the final law school hoorah and season of life. He only has 9 credit hours this semester so we look forward to having him around and available at home. What a fantastic season to be having a second baby?!
Friday, January 8, 2010
Snow!
We finally got some snow!
Maybe even 6 inches!
The boys played in the snow.
Luke likes to throw snow for Sanibel to catch.
I stayed inside and made these:
Homemade doughnuts!!!!!!!!! These will need to made again for sure!
All Good Trees Must Come to an End
Taking the Christmas decor down always involves the "fitting the tree back in the box" dilemma. Will it fit this year?
Ornament removal
It fit! It always does! Why do I question the tree? It feels so festive when you are putting up the tree and decking it out. It feels just as good to take it all done and pack it away. A cleansing! You cannot beat that feeling of having your house back!
Mac & Cheese
Not only does Luke ask for "Mac and Cheese" by name but he wants to help make it. His new love has bumped lunch making up a few stress levels. He especially likes to "hep mix" I am looking at this photo right now and I can't get over that belly! Add a belly my size into the lunch making mix and you have many memories for sure!
More New Years Eve
How many adults does it take to color a picture with a toddler?
That depends on your definition of "adult"
Thursday, January 7, 2010
New Years Eve
IU played Michigan at noon on New Years Eve. We were completely blessed to have our dear friends and IU basketball fans Sam and Jenni Augsburger in town!
Sam and Jenni
We wanted to take Luke to an IU basketball game before we moved away.
Luke seemed to really like the game. He did move back and forth between the girls and the boys! Luke does not know it but this was his 4th IU basketball game.
We had popcorn!
Luke liked the cheering and cheerleading!
Sam and Phil enjoying the game! It was a good one. IU won and it was a big deal because it was a Big 10 win!
It was a fun game!
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