I had had enough. Pocahontas, teething ferociously for the last 4 weeks (4 teeth in 4 weeks is torture for baby and mama!) was refusing to sleep well, cranky and super needy. My breasts we sore from her biting and incessant nursing and my mind was sore from lack of down-time. Enter Mowgli with his boisterous personality (to mention one of his wonderful characteristics that turned horribly annoying to me that day.) "Mom can I..." FILL IN THE BLANK- I can't even remember what he wanted to do or have at this point. "No, it's not time for that now. Now it's time to read or play quietly in your room- your sister is sleeping (finally, grrr) "But why can't I?" "Because we all need a rest now" "But what is I do it this way...." "No, Mowgli" "But how about like this?" "No, Mowgli" "Ok, so how about this idea?"

The boy was coming up with idea after idea, argument after argument- anything that might mean not doing what I had asked him to do. "Ok, that's it- no more arguing"

"Mom, I-"

"I said NO MORE ARGUING, no more NEGOTIATING!!"

So here's where my 5 year old turns into parenting counselor...

Being my mom would be so easy if you just followed my directionsKarate Chop to my Pride!"Mom, Mom, wait, you didn't even let me finish. I wasn't about to start 'gotiating again! You should have let me finish. If you would have let me finish I was gonna say "Mom, I won't argue any more. I'll have quiet time. But you didn't listen. You shouldn't interrupt. Do you want to know what you were supposed to do? (I don't remember whether he continued without waiting for my answer or if I simply nodded dejectedly)

"You were supposed to let me finish, and then, if what I said was 'gotiating, and since you just told me no more 'gotiating, then you could have just put me in time out or spanked my bottom- I rather time out" (Yes, we have chosen to spank bottoms occasionally in our house- I'm happy to talk with anyone about this decision.) "But since I wasn't going to 'gotiate, you wouldn't have to do those things, but if I did then, I would just be in trouble- that's it! You really should listen first though."

I think I must have staggered away in a daze...

Ok, so what response was I to give to THAT? "Uh, Sir yes sir, I'm sorry sir, It won't happen again SIR!"

I do try very diligently to raise a thinker, a problem solver and a good communicator. Sometimes, it comes back to bite me in the butt- like when my fiver year old is giving me parenting tips, and they are pretty much right on! Sheesh!

I have nursed two babies, so you'd think I know what I'm doing right now. But as it turns out- I'm clueless. With Mowgli, I had a raging infection and had to stop cold turkey at around 9 months, so there was no weaning at all. He was already taking the bottle well and the 2 day transition was easy as pie.

This time it's different. So, Pocahontas is 11 months old and starting to wean. She doesn't really take a bottle- she mostly plays with sippy cups (drinking bits here and there) and mainly loves water from a normal cup witha  straw. I am still her main source of fluids. But things are changing. Some days she nurses 4 times a day, sometimes twice a day, other days she wants to nurse 5-6 times a day. She's also getting tooth upon tooth right now and is biting, biting, BITING! Ouch! I am struggling with my milk supply being painfully in flux, soreness from her teeth, the heartache of knowing our special close time is almost over, and elation at knowing that a little more freedom is just around the corner. I would love some tips about how to do this well. Moms out there- help! What do you think? Send me your tips.

First prize (1 Thirsties Diaper cover and a gift certificate for $10 PLUS a coupon for $20 off of $50 at the diapershop! This little guy will be featured on our website... look out for his picture!)

Second Prize (Gift certificate for $5 PLUS  a coupon for $20 off $50 at the diaper shop!)

Third Prize (Coupon for $15 dollars off $50 at the diaper shop!)

Fourth Prize (Coupon for $10 off $50 at the diaper shop!)

We would like to thank all contestants for their participation and offer a coupon for $5 off $50 at the diapershop as a way to show our appreciation! Contact us for the private coupon code.

Thanks again, and be on the look out for more giveaways in the future!

The cloth diaper photo contest is now closed! NEARLY 900 votes came in. Thank you to all of you who participated. Check back for the announcement of the winner during the afternoon of April 15!

Thanks again!

You make up a batch of whipped cream- no not for company or a fancy meal- just to eat it by yourself!

You throw a shoe at the dog because he smells.

You tell your son you're putting 10 minutes on the timer and secretly put 8 just to be spiteful.

Oh, oops, that was all me! Who is spiteful to a 5 year old you ask with doe-like innocence and wonder in your eyes. That would be me, I am sorry to say.

Mommies, when is the last time you checked in with yourself to see how you're doing? Or better yet, when is the last time you checked in with another girlfriend to see how each of you are doing? Time has got to be on the list of endangered resources these days, and I know it can be hard to find even a half hour to sit down and take stock. But if you can bear the thought- just hear me out for a sec- if you can find some time to be quietbear the thought of leaving the dishes in the sink and the laundry unfolded just a little while longer. If you can let the kids run in the yard *gasp* semi-unsupervised, or *bigger gasp* set them down in front of a show for a little bit, maybe you can find someone to talk to, to pray with to kvetch, moan, cry or laugh with for just a little bit. Or take the time to sit alone and be quiet.

Quiet reflection and talks with girlfriends-  I have been missing this big time lately. Big, big time. With all of the business there just hasn't been time for the "frivolous" self-care or self-assessment. But guess what, I'm a stingier mom, and a grumpier wife when I foolishly assume that it's impossible for me to make time for me. If I don't sit down to think, journal, pray, trouble soon follows. I am slowly learning that.

Just these past few days I've had occassion to talk with some on my closest friends about hte things weighing down my heart. How encouraging! It reminded me of just how much I need this.

So one of the wagons that I am jumping back on is this one: taking care of my heart. Are you taking care of yours? If yes, how? I am still trying to figure this all out!

Well, we did it! We finally found the reason the internet exists: FREECYCLE! For those of you who don't already know, freecyle is message board based forum for people who are looking for something or have something to give. Everything must be absolutely free in order to be posted on the board. From curling irons to baby cloths to... Outdoor Play Equipment! Which is where our 'happy summer days' come in. I have been stalking the Philly Freecycle boards for months waiting for a swing set or monkey bars set to Hard at work: Can we build it? Yeah!be listed. They are rare and disappear in a flash when they finally are posted. As soon as I saw the posting, heart racing, palms sweaty (ok no really- but I was very excited) I emailed, I called and I promised a quick pick up ('quick pick-up' is worth gold in the freecycling world)!

Of course, I can't singled handedly disassemble a swing set and haul it back. Enter my trusty dad- who is handy, retired and owns a pick up truck (coincide, I think not, it was for such a time as this that he was made!) He set out at 8 am the next morning with his tool box and came back 6- yes 6; thanks dad!- with an unattractive pile of weathered wood in the bed of his truck. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder though- it must be, because that pile of weathered wood looked to me like an ab ripped hottie (or better yet, a thick slice of cheesecake...can you tell I'm dieting?!) I envisioned the days of having my children happily occupied on the swings and slide while I sip lemonade and tweet about the joys of The finished productmotherhood.

Mowgli and Pocahontas, each with their own swingSo after more hours of hard work, here are the results. I am very pleased, very thankful, and yes, I will be tweeting about this!

I've gotten some requests from others moms as to what we read in our home. Mowgli is a very imaginative fellow, as you've no doubt learned by now, and it can be tricky to keep his interest sometimes. One day he's totally into reptiles; the next robots, you get the idea. So, books are a big, big part of life for us. We read the bible with him every night, he reads books on his own (though he can't actually read yet- but he enjoys the pictures and remembers the words on some pages almost perfectly) during quiet time, we read together at the library (we visit weekly on Fridays) and at home.

Another favorite of his (and mine) are audio books. This can be an excellent alternative to watching TV and also can help with the development of the imagination and increase the attention span. I will often sit down in my office to do some work, and set up a book on cd for Mowgli to listen and 'work' (this can be in the form of coloring, cutting paper, drawing, painting, working with clay- anything that requires sitting at a desk) along side me. The result? Mowgli is enjoying a great story and I ususally  buy myself at least 30 minutes to an hour of fairly peaceful time (that is if Pocahontas is asleep or otherwise entertained).

So- take a look at the ticker on the left side of the website for a lists of books that we are currently reading (I've included children's and adult books)

Enjoy this video of Mowgli reading to Pocahontas back when she was just a few months old.

Ok, so I'm all about cloth diapers (except when we travel- then we use g-diapers or disposables), I buy my beef from a local farm (we buy 1/4 to 1/2 cow at a time! But we still get cheese steaks from our local corner deli) We drink raw milk (sometimes- it's expensive) and I make my own baby food (except when someone gives me their leftover 50 jars of Gerber!) I use vinegar to clean my fridge and baking soda on  the drain (but Windex for the stainless appliances.) We drive a fuel efficient car (but I forget to turn the lights off all the time - much to Jake's dismay.)

You don't have to look very hard into my life to find inconsistencies all over the place. I'll admit it, I am neither perfect nor a purist about much. What works one day may not work another. Sometimes, what's on sale rules, other times, we sacrifice to make the wiser purchase. This 'flip-flopping' shows up in other areas of life too, not just what we buy or what we eat, but how we spend our time and how we run our home as well. In this highly politicized world where 'flip-floppers' are doomed to public ridicule, it feels Moms have to bend in all sorts of directions!good to confess! Granted, some of these flip flops are things I want to work on, places where I want to see growth and change in my life... others, are just a result of living a life so full that somethings spill over the edges and somethings can't always be the same.  Actually I prefer to think of myself as flexible (sounds more flattering doesn't it?) Life is dynamic and sometimes requires the flexibility of a Cirque du Soleil contortionist. We try to find what works, make the best choices that we can, and use what we have to the best of our ability. So, I'm ok with our inconsistencies... to me they just mean that 'my plan' doesn't rule my life.  Besides, the weather's getting really nice... definitely flip flop season!

Where do you flex, or flip flop?

So last week, inspired by a friend who had stopped doing cloth and wanted to get back into it,  I talked about falling off of the wagon. Well, today it is officially time to get back on the healthy eating wagon! This is particularly important now for a number of reasons... primary being, Pocahontas is beginning to wean! Ahhh! At 11 months this is shocking, exciting and sad all at the same time. It also means that I will no Mowgli and Pocahontas taking a ride in the wagonlonger have the breastfeeding calories being burned, and with weight being a constant issue of contention between me and my metabolism (and appetite!) I figure I'd better get serious about getting fit! So, it is with great mourning that I officially declare: "no more sugar!" I am addicted, and I only respond to cold turkey therapy...moderation will come later. Feel free to check in to see how I'm doing. Let us know which wagon you are bravely climbing back onto!

Update on Monday, April 5, 2010 by Phillydiaper Team

I had some success today and several failures.. sheesh! Who brought that birthday cake in the house? Where did the pringles come from?? I guess climbing up on this moving wagon is going to be tough... send your prayers!

Update on Monday, April 12, 2010 by Phillydiaper Team

Ok- the week was pretty good except for one big oops. I was having a stressful day and wanted soem diet coke (coke zero actually) and poured myself a nice big glass. This was oops number one because I've been trying to focus on good old H2O. The Coke was amazing- really hit the spot. Then I realized why, after I had finished the whole tall glass. It was original Coke. Yep- probably 400 calories of pure sugar. What a waste.

Other than that, things are going pretty good. I'm down 3 lbs, and I just signed up for a 2 week boot camp fitness class which I will start in June. How are you other fitness chasers doing? Anyone successfully hopped back on their wagon yet?

Update on Tuesday, April 13, 2010 by Phillydiaper Team

Ok... I feel good about starting this week right! Made it to the gym for the first time in a long time- mainly thanks to my friend who encouraged me to get my butt in gear. Thanks Christe!

Fancy restaurants, the last minute workplace meeting scheduled on your "supposed" day off, uptight relatives' homes, etc.

Actually, I have brought my kids to 'those types of places' and endured the looks, sighs and 'polite' suggestions.

Loud, inquisitive, rambunctious, energetic, argumentative, strong-willed. Yes, I have those types of kids. And most days, I'm pretty glad about (albeit wiped out by) this reality.

3 feet in the air- as usualMy son, 5, (we'll call him 'Mowgli', since he has gorgeous shiny dark hair, and sometimes people think he was raised by wolves) struggles to not ask you about that weird mole on your face, jumps from the top step in our 10ft celing Colonial Revival, and uses words like Sarcophagus over dinner. Yes, I linked it; no need to be shown up by a 5 year old.  

 My daughter (we'll call her 'Pocahontas' since she's a free spirit), is decidedly a complete and utter people person; she wants no part of alone time or being put down for a nap (we do it anyway!). She never took a pacifier, blankie or any other type of outside comforter. She wants only to be with someone, in their arms, playing chase and jumping together. She will scream to high heaven if she isn't kindly invited to join you when you use the toilet.

So yes- I have those kind of kids, and probably, so do many of you. Good news! Those kind of kids, grow into those kind of adults- brilliant, daring, courageous, ambitious, caring and bold. But it takes lots of patience to see them as more than 'a handfull' sometimes. I have made it a goal to encourage moms and look for encouragement wherever it may be. So, in the grocery store, when a mom is struggling to parent well the child who is throwing a tantrum, I look at her. I'm sure you've been looked at before in the grocery store when your child is throwing a tantrum. You get the kind of looks meant to embarrass you. The kind of looks that make you want to give in to the tantrum just to make the scene stop. No, that's not the kind of look I give- I give the 'yep, mine did that yesterday' look; the 'hold firm mommy!' look.  I love when other moms look at me that way too!

What kind of kid do you have? How do  you struggle to parent well? How do other moms make it harder or easier for you? Let us know!

Wow! It feels like there is so much that I can say about our home. First, let's just get a few things out of the way: Yes, our house was a funeral home; No, we don't hear ghost noises; Yes, it is sort of a mini-mansion (10 bedrooms, 2 living rooms- you get the idea); Yes we are fully aware that our house would at least triple in value if we moved it, oh about 2.5 miles North, or 5 miles South; Yes, we do like it just where it is.

So, with that out of the way, here are the quick WHYs, HOWs and WHOs of it all.

I (Jess) live in this crazy stone Colonial Revival with my husband (Jake) our two children, Mowgli and Pocahontas (more on these aliases later) my parents, two friends and a dog. We made this leap 4 years ago when we realized that we have a deep and compelling need for community that just was not being met by our living situation. We were living in East Germantown then (we are currently in West Our house in the blizzard of 2010Germantown) and my parents were living in the Northeast section of the city. I had a 1 1/2 year old Mowgli in tow and would travel (almost daily) back and forth to their house to get some much needed grown-up time and to let them see their grandson. We were a 7-10 minute drive from our church (which to most people sounds close, but in our church, most members live within walking distance, making for easier relationship building.) One night, the idea came to me that we ought to sell our respective houses and buy a house to live in together with my folks. 6 months later, it was done. We bought this quirky and beautiful stone home right smack on Wayne Avenue- one of the busiest thoroughfares in the neighborhood.

4 years later we are enjoying (and sometimes complaining about) multi-generational family life. We quickly welcomed 2 more people into our home- our dear friends Ana and Heather who complete our ragamuffin group. We are walking distance from our church (though we drive anyway since we have our instruments to schlep!) and we love the community on our block. Our house is not quiet inside our out (Wayne Ave can be loud and so can my kids) it is not always tidy inside or out (Wayne Ave is a trash collector and our big house is a lot of work to clean!). It is not perfect or pristine, or pompous. It's just big, and full- of life, laughter, good smells (and sometimes bad ones, ahem, diaper day!) and great people!

Tell us what makes your home special- where do you find community?

This morning I received an email from an old college friend. We live worlds apart- she, in Wisconsin with her kiddos ; me, in Philly with mine. Something she wrote, however reminded me of just how similar our lives, and probably the lives of many moms actually are. She explained that she had been an avid cloth diapering mommy but had fallen off the wagon, so to speak, for a bit. Between the laundry of a large family, the demands of the day and a Target store just around the corner- disposables had been easier lately.

No judgement- I totally get that. In fact, I do not belong to some cloth diaper exclusive society that has a revolving secret password (actually I do, and today it's "fuzzi bunz"; tomorrow, "thirsties"; Friday, "bumgenius")

The point is, however, that she wanted to get back into cloth diapering and today, she got back on the wagon. She mentioned that I inspired her to start up again but the truth is- she inpired me! To get back on the wagon, that is. Which wagon...well I'm not exactly sure yet. I feel like I've fallen off of many wagons lately. Really, there are so many loose carts going around that I feel they could form a whole train and run me down if I let them.

So, I'm getting back on the wagon of, well, looking at my wagons! Then, I'll decide which one to hop back on first.

So, how about you? Which wagon has run away without it's rider in your life? Cloth diapering? Eating healthy? (I've been to Rita's twice this week!), Exercise (haven't seen my step class in months!), Journaling? Prayer? Family time? Budgeting? Yes, Yes Yes...

I'm just going to choose one runaway wagon and work on that, then one more, maybe!

Let us know how you are staying on the wagons in your life- share any tip that make it easier!

Update on Monday, March 29, 2010 by Phillydiaper Team

By the way, lest you misunderstand my point of view...

I am aware that life will be a series of falling of wagons repeatedly. More importantly (and thankfully), it will be a series of getting picked up by grace and the love and help of others. Just tonight, after my post, I had a milkshake... really. So there goes the healthy eating wagon... Oh, but for the grace of God!

Cleaning up messes like this!

Stuffing all-in-one (or G-diapers) like this.

Playing peek-a-boo like this:

Well, I don't think I'll be mentioning cloth diapers in this post, except to say this- when the problem (which you are about to learn about) was resolved, a nice absorbent cloth diaper came in handy to clean up the mess...

So, what was the problem you ask? Pain. Intense pain- the kind that makes it hard to sleep or focus on much else. The cause? A terrible case of clogged milk ducts! I have nursed 2 babies now and this is my first serious case of multiple clogged (or plugged) ducts. I'll tell you what, I wouldn't mind going the rest of my life without an encore.

I first noticed a problem Thursday night when I tried to nurse my daughter at midnight after not having nursed her since 3 p m. She is 11 months old and is working on weaning, it seems- that's part of the reason for the 9 hour gap in nursing. The other is that I had been in class from 5:30-9:00 pm and she was already asleep when I got home. That was my first mistake- I should have woken her to nurse or at least expressed some milk at 9 pm, but I was feeling tired and lazy and wasn't experiencing any discomfort. I foolishly thought I could wait until she woke up. WRONG! By midnight I was really ready to feed her. I nursed her on both sides, but noticed that the right breast was still engorged even after she had nursed for 10-15 minutes. Exhausted and hoping things would be better in the morning, I went to bed. I work up to the most horrible pain at 4 am. I was totally engorged on the right side and could not even express a trickle!

I didn't know what to do. After talking with a good friend, a breast feeding counselor and a lactation consultant I took a few steps to relieve the problem (which thankfully did not turn into a raging case of mastitis- which could have meant lots of antibiotics to combat the infection and high fever!)

In hopes that you do not suffer the same ordeal here's what I did:

- Hot compresses (hot water bottle, hot shower hot wash cloth- the moist heat helps a ton)

- Massage, massage massage (preferably in conjunction with moist heat- in the shower was best for me. Be warned, it hurts like heck, but it helps!)

- Nurse, nurse, nurse. The temptation is to be hands (and mouths) OFF because the pain is so bad, but don't be tricked. This will only make matters worse. The breast needs to be massaged and emptied and baby suckling is the most effective method.

- Ibuprofen- it helped to make all of this tolerable.

So, after 2 days of pain, the suckling final bore some results. I could feel the clog actually passing (it hurt big time) and the all of a sudden, it was like the dam broke and the flood gates were opened. And THAT is when the cloth diaper came in handy!

Take a look at this article by Jack Newman and this blog post by Amy Ellen Kise on the topic of plugged ducts. They were helpful for me!

Update on Wednesday, March 31, 2010 by Phillydiaper Team

So... here it is 5 days or so later and the trouble still lingers. Thankfully a full blown plugged duct has not recurred but I am still battling htis pesky (and painful) "minor" obstruction which is slightly visible on the surface. In case there are some guys reading, I won't go into too many squemish details... but check out this article and let us know how you've dealt with this annoying problem!

Well, that's a little bit dramatic; but biodegradable, flushable liners are a godsend! As you know, I'm always looking for ways to highlight how easy, healthy and affordbale cloth diapering can be. These liners definitely fit into the EASY category! This week alone, my daughter has had at least 6 really, I mean REALLY messy poops. We are talking the kind of sniper diapers that leave you having to wash your hands, bathe your child and change the changing table linen! Each time I open one of these kinds of diapers, and see a flushable liner I am so thankful that I don't have to figure out how to get all of that mess off of my diaper before dropping it in the washer or diaper pail. I simply pick up the messy liner and flush it! The diaper can go into the pail or washer as usual. Easy peasy! If they are not soiled (just wet) they will survive the wash cycle once or twice, so I toss them into the diaper pail and wash them to be reused again. I know, I know, a little green extreme- but it works!

 So, did biodegradable, flushable liners really save my marriage? Well, let's just say, it certainly helps to not be totally grossed out and frustrated (not to mention smelly fingered) when dealing with your spouse. In that respect- yes, they are good for my marriage!

The Sun is shining today (at least it is here in Philly)- take advantage!

The sun is a wonderful 'natural resource' that moms everywhere need to be reminded to take advantage of. It's great for a number of things:

- Getting over the winter blues. Lots of moms (and dads too) suffer from SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, and know how the winter blues can hit hard and drag on. But even those who don't suffer from this disorder can experience a refreshing and rejuvenating sense of living by just getting out in the sun a little bit. It certainly helps to tackle the rigors of parenthood to have a few moments of "ahhhh" whenever possible.

- Get that Bilirubin level down! Have a newborn who's a little jaundiced*? Lots of doctors reccommend that sunshie works wonders! Too cold? That's ok, snuggle up with baby in a sunny window. Don't forget to strip baby down- down to this cozy cloth diaper that is!

- Get those stains out! Have a few stains on your cloth diapers? (Well this is a cloth diaper blog afterall- we had to get this in somehow!) The sun is one of the most powerful natural bleaching agents around! Hang your cloth diapers on a line outside, or on a rack in front of a sunny window (if you window have UV protection, opening the window can help) and watch the stains disappear before your eyes! All the power of chlorine bleach with none of the damage to your diapers, or harsh effects on the environment or baby's skin.

- Let your kids play in the sun! It's not just adults who get a little, ahem,' cranky when cooped up all day. Has your little one been a litle MORE bonkers and a little LESS responsive (happens in my house plenty!)? Maybe it's time for a good run in the sun to get the wiggles out. Afterwards, sitting down and resting will be a welcomed option!

* This blog is a commentary based on a mother's experience. All medical decisions should be made in consult with your doctor.

Today I received a really great email from a woman who uses cloth diapers. She wanted to know what makes Philly Diaper Service a better choice than any other diaper service.

I thought I would share my response with you all:

Hi [removed for privacy],

Thank you so much for your thoughtful and encouraging message. I appreciate you taking the time to reach out to us. We are aware of the other Lancaster based diaper service and their competitive pricing. We are hopeful about our service doing well in the city for several reasons. We are different in a variety of ways:

-We have environmental and social responsibility at the core of our service- we use diapers made in the USA and fairly traded foreign materials. We plan our routes efficiently so as to minimize the gas and energy spent on travel- we have several routes throughout the city and suburbs to be as efficient as possible.

-We are local. Since we service only the Philadelphia metro area, we can be very specific about where we deliver each day, which helps us to minimize "driving waste."

-Local economy- We LIVE and WORK in the city, which means all sides of our taxes come back to Philadelphia (this also means we pay lots more in taxes than business located outside the city)

-Service options- we offer a wide range of options, including twice weekly pick up, home made wipe solution and cloth wipe service, customer delivery on purchases from our gently used and retail stores.

-Service quality- every new client receives a free consultation with us. We often spend an hour with new moms, dads and babies, helping them get situated with cloth diapering and natural parenting in general. It can be overwhelming and we've already done it so we love to help!

-Accessible- we are young, tech saavy Philadelphians who love being in constant contact with our clients to meet all of their needs. We communicate with clients via text, email and phone so there is never a glitch or lapse in high quality service. Many of our clients are "friends" on our Facebook page!

In short- we strive to offer an excellent service to parents in our city and we'd love to have your business as well. We know that there are many reasons that go into choosing a diaper service and we respect whatever choice you make. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to introduce ourselves to you. We hope to get to know you more in the future!

Thanks!

Jess
Philly Diaper Service

Hope this answers some questions for you out there as well- we love answering your questions and hearing your thoughts. Share your thoughts and questions with us- post a comment!

It takes a village to diaper a child! Well, not quite, but it certainly helps to have help. Yesterday, a friend was having trouble finding a sitter for her two children and I was reminded about how unusual my household situation is and grateful I am to have, what essentially amounts to, a small village to share the joys and burdens of life with. We live in a large house containing a total of 6 adults and two children- this is an intentional community. We share the common spaces of the living room, kitchen, dining room and laundry room, try our best to eat meals together several times a week and share the workload of cooking and cleaning as much as possible.

D Day: Diaper Day takes place about twice a week, but there is always something going in the washerEach time I wash diapers, I am reminded of the blessing and responsibility that living in community holds.  As you can imagine, there is A LOT of laundry being done on a regular basis! Because I wash my diaper loads on a heavy duty cycle, the washer can be occupied for several hours when I do laundry. I will often see several laundry baskets full of dirty clothes (not mine) lined up waiting for a turn! It is, I'm sure any would say, a bit of a burden to not be able to wash clothes the instant the need arises, but it also forces compromise and an awareness of the needs of others. Many conversations have been sparked in the laundry room as we treat stains, fold dry clothes, change one another's loads and move the wet piles from the washer to the dryer.

Small glimpses into each other's lives; mundane? Yes. Precious? Absolutely.

How do you find community? Let us know, Post a comment!

Lots of moms choose to make their own wipes and wipe solition at home. A friend recently contacted me and asked for my wipe solution recipe, this reminded me that I had been meaning to share it with you all:

Wipe solution is very simple to make; play around with the ingredients to find your own special recipe. Here's mine, (it is great for keeping yeast diaper rashes away):

3 Cups water (use boiled or distilled to make your solution last longer)

1/4 Cup Olive Oil (very good for skin health)

1-2 drops tea tree oil (anti-fungal, it does have a strong woody scent, but we like it)

3-4 drops lavendar oil (also has anti-fungal properties and smells great)

1 small squirt of aveeno baby wash (optional, for extra cleansing)

I make this in weekly batches for my diaper service clients. This wash can be used with cloth wipes, or home made cloth or disposable wipes.

My home made wipes with ribbed cotton on one side and flannel on the otherThere really isn't much to say here except... get out your sewing maching and give it a try. Here are a few helpful tips:

- Try a soft flannel, or cotton terry (I like to have something like terry on one side and flannel on the other making once side really soft and other other side a little scrubbier)

- Fleece doesn't work very well in my opinion- too slippery when wet.

- If you are going for cute colors, be sure to check your fabric for color fastness- the last thing you want is a purple-dyed baby bottom!

- Pre-wash and shrink your fabric before sewing, unlike cloth diapers, which you want to quilt up, you want wipes to lay flat.

- 7x7 or 8x8 is a nice size for the average diaper change.

* You can also make disposable wipes by cutting paper towels (look for softer, thicker brands like Viva)  in half lengthwise and folding in half again. These work well for the diaper bag and outings.

SUPERSAVER TIP! Do you find yourself with dozens more receiving blankets than you need? These are the classic 'welcome baby' gift that everyone gives and every mom ends up wondering 'what am i going to do with all of these?' Cut them up and make them into baby wipes. They're soft, preshrunk, won't bleed ink and best of all- FREE!