Popping the cherry..

My first blog post!!

I'm not sure who can see this so I probably won't end up using people's full names if that's alright.

What is it with toddlers and naptime? I would love it if someone told me to go lay down for a couple of hours before playing again. Currently my 7 month old is sleeping - though for how long I can't tell you as his bedroom is directly beside that of my almost 3 year old. She is doing a combination of jumping on the bed, throwing toys at the wall, banging her blinds around, running and twirling. All of her bedding is now on the floor, and she is screaming too - just to get attention. She looks directly into the video monitor's camera as she does it.

I highly recommend video monitors for toddlers. We have the summer infant best view one and it allows me to move the camera from the hand held receiver. It sort of freaks my toddler out but sometimes that gets her to lay down for at least 30 seconds. If I ever have to buy another one the only other feature I would want to get is the talk back one. Then I could do things like sing a lullaby, or yell at them to stop banging on the wall.

Sidenote - in the time it took me to write the above, I had to go up and tell my toddler to stop swinging on the aforementioned blinds. I can just picture the hospital trip that would cause...

I wish I could tell my toddler how much she will appreciate having the time to nap when she gets older. How curling up in a bed is such a luxury.... and how sometimes mommy needs just a few minutes of peace and quiet to get dinner ready, tidy up, or write in a blog.

Great - she found the WonderWoman jet that makes noise.

Speaking of dinner - I need to start that before all the noise wakes the baby.

Being a Mom shouldn't mean giving up your hobbies... right????

So Ella is now six months old, and I hadn't had the chance to really do one of my favourite hobbies in almost 8 months - until this past Monday! My hobby is photography... and I know what you are all thinking - you have a baby - of course you've been doing what you love during this time! Well you'd be partially correct.  Of course I've been taking pictures of Ella as she grows.  But one of my favourite parts of Photography is getting out into the fresh air with my camera, and getting some photos of subjects that aren't necessarily my own baby...

Finally on Monday, I gathered my camera (Hubby got me a new Nikon SLR for my birthday last December), put Ella in the stroller, got Maya ready, and grabbed my niece.  The objective was to walk.  What happened was an impromptu photo shoot of the two older girls!  This made me feel so good since Ella tends to always be the subject of photos - so it was nice that Maya got her time to shine again :)

Here are a few of my favourite shots from the session (not edited):

 

And one Edited version:

All images appearing are the exclusive property of Shawna L. Reed and are protected under the Canadian and International Copyright laws.

The images may not be reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without the written permission of Shawna L. Reed.

Use of any image as the basis for another photographic concept or illustration (digital, artist rendering or alike) is a violation of the Canadian and International Copyright laws. All images are copyrighted © 2014 Shawna L. Reed.

The Dirty On Cloth Diaper Inserts...

Many people new to cloth diapering are very overwhelmed when they start looking into all the different types.  One of the first things they will encounter is a huge selection of diaper inserts. I'm going to breakdown each option by fabric, to try and make things simple for those who are new to cloth.

Microfiber:

Absorbency: While they absorb liquid really quickly, they do not hold as much as other options.  Compression leaks can also happen with microfiber.

Dry Time: Extremely quick drying time

Price: Microfiber tends to be a very reasonably priced insert option ($$)

Notes: Microfiber has been known to trap in smells overtime, and difficult to really clean.  Also important to note - this cannot be put against the skin - it can only be used in a pocket, or with a skin safe layer in between the bottom and insert.  If put against the skin, it will absorb all the skin's moisture and will cause a horrible rash. Microfiber is also quite bulky.


Hemp/Cotton:

Absorbency: Amazing absorbency, will hold about 2.5 times what microfiber will hold.  However it does not absorb as quickly as microfiber does.

Dry Time: Takes a bit longer than Microfiber to dry

Price: A bit more expensive than microfiber, but less than Bamboo ($$$$)

Notes: All natural fabric is safe to be against the baby's bottom, which makes it usable in various types of cloth diapers.  Easy to clean, but requires more prep time to reach full absorbency. Very trim inserts.

Bamboo:

Absorbency: More absorbent than microfiber, but not as absorbent as hemp.

Dry Time: Using a dryer can break down the fabric more quickly, so line drying is recommended. It can take a  noticeably longer time to dry than the alternatives.

Price: The most expensive option ($$$$$)

Notes: Bamboo Rayon is a synthetic fiber derived from natural inputs. It is not a Natural Fiber like Hemp or Cotton. It is very soft to the touch. Requires more prep time to reach full absorbency. Very trim inserts.


My personal preference is Hemp inserts.  There are various reasons for this - first being that they are a natural fabric.  They also have fantastic absorption, and I don't have to stuff them into the pockets, I can just lay them in the cover.  Every person and baby is different, so it is important you select the insert that works best for your needs.  I recommend trying various types to determine what works best for you!

Bummis Flannel Fitted Product Review

Disclaimer: I was provided a free Bummis Flannel Fitted for the purpose of this review.  I was not compensated for my review, and all views are my own honest opinion of this diaper.

I was really excited to be selected to be a product tester/reviewer for Bummis Flannel Fitted diapers. I've done product testing and reviews in the past - but never for cloth diapers! Since I have a six month old, and quite a bit of experience with cloth diapers, I knew this would be a great opportunity to try something new! 

I should start off by telling you that I tend to gravitate toward diaper covers with either hemp or bamboo prefold inserts. 

Since Ella is so tiny (she's six months now - and 13.5 lbs), I was excited to see how these diapers would function on a tiny baby. I was pleasantly surprised!

 The diaper is made in Canada, using American and imported fabrics. It is a One Size diaper, meaning it fits from birth to potty training. It's interior is made out of 100% organic cotton Sherpa (made in the USA); and it's extremely soft. The exterior is made out of Flannel, and it comes in a variety of feminine, masculine and unisex prints. There is no microfiber in the diaper, which I was very happy about. It has cross-over tabs, and rise snaps to give a perfect fit even on teeny babies. This diaper would easily fit a newborn in my opinion.

Rise Snaps

Sherpa Interior

Snap Quality

Cross Over Snaps 

Very tiny Snap setting

 Cute Prints!

 Great Leg Elastic!

 Wide Comfy Waist Elastic

 Wide Comfy Waist Elastic

The Fit on my 13.5 lbs daughter

The type of diaper is a fitted - which means you put a cover on top of the diaper.  It is very trim, and fit perfectly under all the covers I tried. Part of me was a bit sad about having to cover up the super cute print! I do like that if Ella had a rash (never happened yet - but you never know) - I could put this diaper on without a cover to get some air to her bum without worrying about accidents on my floor/furniture.

This specific diaper is meant for daytime wear, and if using for nap time or night time, a booster would definitely be needed. I found that Ella completely saturated the diaper after about two hours.  With that being said we've only been using it for three weeks, and I know the absorbency increases the more you wash it. We have not had any leaks while using this product. It has great leg elastic, and really wide waist elastics!

The average cost of this diaper seems to be around $24.95 each. In comparison, I usually spend around $26 for a cover & insert, so it's a bit more pricey, as this diaper also needs a cover to be used in addition to it.

I expected the diaper print to fade after a few washes, but it hasn't.  It has also remained extremely soft, and it dries quickly!

Based on my positive experience with this product, it will definitely remain in our regular rotation.  I'm also interested in one day trying out the Bummis Dimple Diaper - which is their night time fitted solution!

Click this link to see all available prints on the Bummis website: BUMMIS FLANNEL FITTED 

Click this link to find a retailer near you: WHERE TO BUY or you can check out Calgary Cloth Diaper Depot (where I buy diapers) - bonus points if you note in your order comments that Shawna Reed sent you! Calgary Cloth Diaper Depot - Bummis Fitted

Nana's stuffed zucchini

This is my mom's creation, and I love it! It can be made with so many different ingredients.

WHAT YOU NEED:

• 1 Large Zucchini (hollowed)
• Portobello mushrooms (diced)
• Red Pepper (diced)
• Corn
• Stuffing mix (prepared)
• Ground meat (browned) - we use Turkey
• Cheese (Shredded)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees / or preheat the BBQ
2. Start with the Zucchini 
3. Add a layer of cheese
4. Add a layer of meat
5. Mix stuffing with diced peppers, mushrooms and corn
6. Add a layer of stuffing mix
7. Top with cheese
8. Cook until zucchini is soft and heated through (roughly 40 minutes)

Enjoy! (Preferably with an adult beverage)

There are so many variations of this family favourite. Sometimes we do Mexican, Italian etc.  Sometimes we stuff peppers or mushrooms.  

Do you have your own variation? I'd love to hear it!