Why Take the Flats and Hand washing Challenge?

Today is Day 1 of the Flats and Handw ashing challenge and I am excited to get started.  I completed the challenge last year and it was such an insightful and rewarding thing to be part of.  Today I am sharing the reason(s) why I decided to take the 2015 Flats and Hand washing Challenge!



 

Looking back on my reasons for taking the challenge last year I realize that four out of five of my reasons were for myself.   Of course there is no wrong reason to take the challenge but after successfully completing it last year I now know I can and therefore have a whole different reason to take the challenge.  Of course I want to prove to myself that I can do it again and feel the sense of accomplishment of finishing the "challenge" but really my main goal now is to spread awareness.  After taking the challenge last year I was shocked how "easy" it is, how clean my diapers got and was very moved to try and help use that knowledge to help those that may not be able to afford expensive AIO diapers and a fancy HE washing machine.  I have been reaching out to local companies that provide mom/baby assistance and while I have not successfully talked them into letting me do a demo (and giveaway!) yet, I know it will be soon.  Hopefully one more year under my belt will show my knowledge and commitment so I can help others.

 

If you are taking the Flats and Hand washing Challenge this year what is your top reason?

 

gDiapers: Trial Results and Review

Two years into my cloth diaper journey I am finally sharing cloth diaper trial results of the first cloth diaper I ever hear about, gDiapers.  Years ago, before I even had kids of my own, a friend registered for cloth diapers and I distinctly remember gDiapers being on the list.  My first thought was that they were really expensive and it was gross (boy was I wrong!!).  Fast-forward about 3 years and I’m researching cloth diaper for my own baby and the majority of what I read was not in favor of gDiapers so I never even tried them, until now.  Here are the results of the gDiapers trial:
 

Number times of uses: 12Number of leaks: 1

Longest wear without a leak: 4 hours
Big Booty factor – 1
Best Use: Around the house, under tight cloths/jeans

 

Pros:

* Very trim, probably the most trim of any diaper I have tried

* Reusable shell, so each change is less expensive (approx.. $12 a change)

* Lots of great color and print options

* Inserts are natural hemp/cotton but also have a stay dry feel

* No tight elastic to leave marks on your baby

Cons:

* More complex to use and has a slight learning curve

* Does not have a one size option so have to purchase multiple sizes

* Hook & Loop closure is on the back of the diaper making it hard for squirmy babies

 

 

Before I ever ordered my gDiaper to try out I was convinced that it would not work well.  The vast majority of the blogs and other personal reviews had very little positive to say about gDiapers so I was sure that I would have the same experience.  I actually put of putting gDiapers through my trial because I was certain they would not perform well, boy was I wrong!!  As you can see above, they actually performed really well, just as good if not better than most brands I have tried. Most of the reviews I have read in the past complain of constant leaks but I actually had very few.  This made me consider why so many people would have bad results when I didn’t experience the same thing.  Looking at the gDiaper construction, while it is very interesting and different than anything else I have seen, it seems like if you aren’t careful that leaks probably would be easy.  If I was new to cloth diapering I can see how you might not get the whole insert tucked into the waterproof pouch, or have a hard time putting them on your baby leading to more leaks.  Thankfully after 2 years of practice and experience with many, many types of diapers I think that my experience made it so that I was more successful.  While this brand is frequently the first brand that people try, it is clearly not as user friendly and I can see why people would have problem and become discouraged.  While I like to include my thoughts with the trail results I do like to focus on the actual results, which were actually excellent!

 

 

As noted above, this diaper has a very unique construction with some features I have not seen on any other diaper I have tried. The first is that the outside of the diaper is actually cotton and therefore is not a waterproof later but the use of a cotton knit makes the diaper really trim and also limits the tightness of baby’s thighs.  The material used on the outside probably also makes it easier to gDiapers to have a bigger variety of prints and colors.  The second interesting feature is the waterproof pouch that snaps inside the cover.  This is the part where the absorbent insert gets stuffed into and since it is very small if any part of the insert is outside of the pouch it will cause wicking onto the shell and leaks.  The pouch is wipe able and makes the cover reusable.  I just had one shell so I would have to restuff each time, but I have heard of people having multiple pouches that are prestuffed and then they just snap them in and out of the shell.  The last interesting feature is the natural fiber insert that is microfleece topped.  This give the diaper the benefit of the absorbency of natural fibers but also makes it stay dry against baby’s skin, which you don’t see a lot.  The one feature that I don’t like is the hook and loop closure.  gDiapers does not have a snap option and the H&L fastens behind your baby which is very awkward to secure with a still baby let alone a squirmy baby.  I found that I had to lift my daughter up to get it fastened (if you have a suggestion to combat this please leave it in the comments below!). 

 

 

Overall I was pleasantly surprised with this diaper.  I LOVE how trim it is and the performance was actually great.  There are a few awkward features but mostly its an interesting diaper.  My only comment is that I would not buy this for someone new to cloth diapering, I think they will have more success after trying out some easier brands.  I will definitely keep this in my rotation though and I keep eyeing some of their adorable prints!

 

Have you used gDiaper before?  What was your experience?

  *Post contains affiliate links.  I have not been compensated in any way and all opinions are my own*  

Five Games Every Parent Wants to Play

A few weeks ago I read a blog post by Scary Mommy titled I Hate Playing With MyChildren.  This post really hit home with me and it felt good that I am not the only one that feels this way.  A few days after reading this post I realized that there are actually a few ways that every parent actually LOVES playing with their kids.

 

 

 

 

Hiding in the closet with my coffee

Hide and <Eventually> Seek

Every mom loves hide and <eventually> seek.  When you have small children getting 30 uninterrupted seconds of peace and quiet is very difficult to find and Hide and Seek is the answer.   The best part about this game is that it works two ways!  You can either be the hider and hide someplace hard or even just take a potty break.  You can also be the seeker and just take your sweet time finding your little cherubs, maybe while you sip a cup of coffee.


 

 

 

Hair Salon

This is literally my favorite game ever, for so many obvious reasons.  One, I love to have my hair brushed by almost anyone, I don’t even mind if it’s more of a mess after the game than before. The second best part is I normally get to be seated for this game.  I have two daughters so I am hopeful for many years of playing Hair Salon with them. Bonus points for anyone that can get their kids to do a full scalp massage!

 

Nap Time

The Doctor prescribed a nap!

Kids love to mimic anything that their parents do and one of my favorites is when they put me down for a nap.  It normally involves them bringing out ever throw pillow we own and a few blankets but I must say that they make a pretty comfy bed.  Of course the more you resist the more they insist that you lay down and be quiet so you might even be able to get in a two minute power nap if you are lucky.  Lately my girls also like to put each other down for a nap, making a bed on the floor for the other one, its a nice quiet game. Note this also works if you are the patient while playing doctor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Play Cleaning

Chores or game?

Continuing with the mimicking theme, my three year old is now obsessed with cleaning even declaring that she wants a vacuum cleaner for her birthday (her Uncle David would be so proud)!  Some of my favorite ways to play this game are to give her a dusting rag and just let her dust whatever she wants or a broom and let her sweep.  My three year old even likes to bring out her little stool and help me dry dishes. One of my good friend’s daughter even likes to unload the dishwasher. This “game” is the best because not only do you get something done but you also get some quality time with your child while they learn a life skill. Take advantage of it before they figure out you are putting them to work!

 

 

 

The Searching Game

This game works differently on different kids and depending upon the child can last for a long time.  One of the best things about this game is that it can be customized to fit any situation.  The general premise of the game is that you either hide objects for your children to find or you ask them to go locate a particular item in their room/play room.  Lately we have been hiding (or just throwing them on the floor) Easter eggs for the girls to pick up.  You can also work on colors, shapes, etc. by asking your child to go into their room and find a certain object.  This game is great because you can normally sit at the table drinking your coffee (or wine, I won’t judge) while your child plays this game.

  These are some of my favorite games, comment with your favorite game or activity to play with your child!    

Diaper Trial Results: AppleCheeks Cloth Diapers

Ever since I started cloth diapering I have been dying to try AppleCheeks cloth diapers.  I kept hearing about how much people liked them and it seemed like there were a lot of collectors in the cloth diaper community. I joined a buy/sell/trade group online a while ago and noticed that people that love the brand, LOVE THE BRAND.  I noticed that most of the diapers being sold on the b/s/t page held their value really well so I figured it couldn't hurt to buy one and see what I thought. 

Results of the Diaper Trial:

 

Number times of uses: 14
Number of leaks: 0
Longest wear without a leak: 3 hours
Big Booty factor: 4
Best Use: naps, travel, out and about

Pros:
* The cover can be used as a cover/AI2 or a pocket diaper

* The dual size system makes it so that you can get a better fit on your baby

* They hold their value really well with hard to find colors selling for more than retail.
* Natural fibers are trim but absorbent

Cons:

* The dual size system could get more expensive than a one size option

* The three layer bamboo insert is a little bulky (they offer a two layer also) 

* Expensive (approximately $30 for a cover and 3 layer bamboo insert)

 

I was really excited to snatch up this diaper in the Raspberry Sorbet color before it was discontinued.  The brand comes in a dual size system, size 1 fitting from 7-20 pounds and size 2 fitting from 18-40 pounds.  Because I have really skinny girls, I decided to try the size one for my daughter.  When I bought it she was about 18 months old and 20 pounds and is now 21 months old and about 23 pounds.  She continues to be on the last snap or two at the waist but it fits her really well.  Through watching the AppleCheeks b/s/t page I noticed that a lot of people love the covers but choose to use different inserts but of course I choose the AppleCheeks 3 layer bamboo insert to test.  As you can see from the results above, this diaper performs amazing.  Out of the 14 total uses four of the times were for 3 solid ours without a leak.  Because it was performing so well I did try it out for night time to see if it was a good night time option but unfortunately my daughter woke up soaked so I didn't try it again.

I have read that a lot of people use these as reusable covers but I actually liked using mine as a pocked because I don't really like inserts that you just lay in the cover.  Overall I really liked this diaper.  The performance was obviously stellar and I love the look of the diaper.  Some other bonuses are that they come in a lot of pretty colors and so far seem to hold their value really well.  I may have to try out a size 2 cover and maybe even the two layer inserts later to see how they do. 

Have you tried AppleCheeks cloth diapers?  What did you think?

 

 **Support future diaper trials by purchasing through the affiliate links within this post**

     

Healthy Snack Review: Mum-Mums

Like most kids, my kids LOVE snacks.  Given the choice my oldest would survive solely on snack items and never eat another meal.  To get them to eat healthy, I do sometimes pretend that a banana is a “snack” but frequently they will tell me they want “something crunchy” (although they do love fruit).  When my oldest was a baby I remember a friend having these snacks called “Mum-Mums” so I was excited when the company asked me to do a review of some of their different products.  When the box came I was pleasantly surprised about all of the different options that are available for kids from 6 months to 5 years. 

What are Mum-Mums?  Their website shares that they are made of non-GMO Japonica rice as the base.  I checked out the ingredients of the various types before feeding them to my kids and was glad to see that frequently there were less than 5 ingredients and they were all things that I could identify and pronounce.  The baby versions were simple but delicious (I tried them all too ;)) and the toddler ones had fun flavors like strawberry banana and apple cinnamon (my 22 month old’s favorite).  One of the best parts of trying out this product was that it was easy to share.  We love having play date with our friends and since Mum-Mums are free of the most common allergens I knew we could share with everyone without worrying too much.  They are also conveniently individually wrapped so that you can just throw them into your diaper bag or purse and go!

 

Of course the real test is if my girls like them. The first ones we tried were the toddler strawberry ones and they were begging for more.  Over the next few days we tried out the other flavors and even the baby versions, all of which were a success.  I even had my niece over (11 months old) and she loved them, so it was a big hit all around.  My 3 year old even came home from church the next week upset that they didn’t have any Mum-Mums for snack time!

 

As a mom of course I like that they are non-GMO, organic, few ingredient snacks that my kids like but an unexpected positive that they aren’t so filling that they keep my kids from eating meals.  They are perfect for that late afternoon snack that keeps your kids from being hangry by dinner time but also doesn’t get in the way of meals.  Mommy rating: A+!

 

  **Sample products were provided for my review, all opinions are my own**    

Jamberry Review and GIVEAWAY!

On this blog I love to cover natural parenting things; breastfeeding, cloth diapering, baby wearing, etc.  As parents committed to what is best for our babies we sometimes forget to do something nice for ourselves.  One of my favorite relaxing actives pre-parenthood was getting manicures and pedicures but as a mom of two little girls (who are now 3 years and 21 months old) I find that I am so busy that I don’t have the time or budget for this activity anymore. 

 

I thought I was destined to have boring hands until a friend introduced me to Jamberry a few months ago and it has been love ever since.  I love that in about 20 minutes I can have beautiful nails that can range from fun to professional.  These also are super durable and last 1-2 weeks for me even with all of my house hold chores, sewing, playing with my kids and typing on a computer at work.

 

Haven’t heard of Jamberry yet? Jamberry is a line of nail products that started as nail wraps (applied with heat and pressure) and has since expanded to nail care products and even nail lacquers. 

 

 

So the big question is how does this relate to a natural lifestyle?  While leaving your nails completely natural is obviously the best when it comes to avoiding chemicals, I think that Jamberry offers a very good option when you want to have nice looking nails.  Jamberry nail shields are non-toxic, cruelty free (not tested on animals), vegan and made in the USA.  The nail lacquer is also “5 Free” meaning that is free from 5 of the top toxic substances: Dibutyl Phthalate, Toluene, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, and Camphor.  

Over the past few months I have tried out the shields and recently my friend Melanie who is a Jamberry consultant also provided me with a nail lacquer to try out, here is what I think of each one. 

 

Nail Wraps

 

I love the wraps because they are so easy and nail polish ALWAYS chips on me within about 24 hours.  They come in over 300 designs and I think most people like the really fun ones but because I work in a business setting I really prefer the more subdued ones.  I recently put on the French tips and they were pretty easy and they look amazing.  I also like that they are economical, each sheet is $15 on its own or are always buy 3 get 1 free making them $11.25 each.  From each sheet you can get about 3 manicures (or 2 manicures and 2 pedicures) plus have a few accent nails left over making the total cost per manicure $3.50-$4.  Jamberry also sells sets for children that are smaller wraps (and they sell Mommy and Me sets!).  My daughter is 3 and while she loved it when I put the nail wraps on her, because she wouldn’t let me prep her nails well they fell off within 24 hours so in my opinion waiting until you child is about 5 is probably better.  Overall though the nail wraps are my favorite Jamberry product because I love how easy they are, how nice they look and how well they last!  There is a slight learning curve, but once you get the hang of it, it’s super easy.

For those moments when your nails need to match a cloth dipaer

Fun Holiday Nails

One of my favorites - Puppy Love!

 

Nail Lacquer

 

I was excited to try the nail lacquer not only for myself but also for my daughter.  She loves having her nails painted so we paint them all the time with other child safe polish but it normally is completely gone within 12-24 hours.  I have always avoided painting her nails with regular polish because I don’t want her exposed to all of the chemicals so trying out the 5 Free Lacquer from Jamberry was a great solution.  For my 3 year old I put one layer of the Jamberry base coat and 2 layers of lacquer and it lasted for at least 3-4 days looking really good and a week later she still has a little bit of polish left. 

My Daughters Hand after 24 hours

 

For myself I tried out the lacquer a few different ways.  The first way I tried was with one layer of the Jamberry strengthening base coat and then 2 layers of the lacquer and then a topcoat I already had.  I also put an accent wrap on my ring finger to see how well the wrap kept up over the polish.  My nails are really weak at the tips so they chipped a little bit the first day, but I was surprised how well the polish held up over the next few days. I would say that it performs at least as well if not slightly better than regular polish.

 

Base Coat + Polish +Top Coat

 

The second way I tried it was with just two layers of the lacquer (no base or top coat).  Surprisingly the lacquer was really shiny on its own and lasted almost as long as with the base coat and top coat so I was really pleased that this could be an option for a quick fix. 

Two Layers of Polish

 

The last thing I tried was one layer of basecoat under some Jamberry wraps.  I loved this and will be putting the base coat under all my wraps!!!  For whatever reason it made the wraps really easy to apply, they seem to wear less and look really good for longer!  The only downside of using the base coat under wraps is that once you place the wrap you can’t lift it and try again because the base coat sticks to the wrap and will be peeled up.  Also if you use the basecoat under your wraps be sure to let it dry really well before you apply your wraps!!! 

 

French Tips over a Base Coat

 

Since I love my Jamberry wraps so much and since I really like using the basecoat under my wraps I have decided to do a giveaway of the basecoat.  Anyone that wants to try out Jamberry and places an order (here) before January 16^th 2015 will be entered in a raffle for a free base coat!

 

If you would like to be kept up to date on any Jamberry information and specials make sure you like Melanie’s FaceBook page.

  **post contains affiliate links**  

Diaper Trial Results: Grovia Hybrid Shell and Organic Cotton Insert

The Grovia All-In-One was one of the original diapers that I put through my diaper trial and it was also the first All-In-One style diaper that I ever tried (thus commenced my love of this style).  I had really good results with my Grovia All-In-One and I have wanted to try the Hybrid version for a while.  I love following Grovia, I think they make a great product and I love that they have partnered with Giving Diapers Giving Hope.  I also thought their Kickstarter campaign was brilliant and I can't wait to receive my O.N.E. diaper and put that through the trial!  For my test of the hybrid diaper I selected the Organic Cotton soaker pads since I prefer natural materials.

 

Results of the Diaper Trial:

 

Number times of uses: 15
Number of leaks: 2
Longest wear without a leak: 4 hours
Big Booty factor: 3
Best Use: naps, travel, out and about

Pros:
* Very unique colors and patterns
* TPU backed inserts makes it so your hands don't get wet with diaper changes
* Soaker snaps in at front and back of cover

Cons:

* Might not fit skinnier babies (snap shell version)

Overall this was a great diaper.  I only had 2 leaks out of the 15 uses and one was really tiny (after 1.5 hours) and the other one was right after I put the diaper on so I think it was a fluke.  I love All-In-Two or Hybrid style diapers because they are more economical and for me if you are going to reduce waste it just make sense to be able to reuse the shell.  Like all of the AI2 diaper that I have tried, I am able to use the shell until my baby poops and then I like to use a new shell.  One of the great features of the Grovia Soaker pads is that they are backed with TPU.  I noticed that this served a few functions, first it contains the moisture and keeps the shell from getting wet but it also makes it so that when I am transporting the used soaker pad to my diaper pail that I don't have to touch a wet insert. 

I was very happy with the inserts but I also liked the cover as well.  I used the cover when I tried out the disposable inserts, including the Grovia BioSoaker, a few weeks ago as well as with other inserts/flats and was pleased with them all.  My only concern with the cover is that my 23 pound, 21 month old alternates between the tightest waist snap and the next snap down so I would be concerned that it might not fit on a skinny or very young baby.  My girls are tall and skinny though so this may not be a problem or might only be a problem for a very select few. 

I loved this diaper so much that I definitely plan on buying more covers and inserts in the future.  I love all of the fun colors and patterns that Grovia comes up with and I have yet to try a product of theirs that I don't like.    Have you tried Grovia Diapers?  What is your favorite Grovia product?
 

 **Support future diaper trials by purchasing through the affiliate links within this post**