Cloth Diapering your baby in 4,000 words or less...

You’re having a baby! Congratulations! Time to start making a lot of pie in the sky statements about what kind of parent you will be and pick out all organic cotton clothes and the most modern looking baby toys you can find and start reading baby sign language books!

While we didn’t end up sticking to our guns on all of those things (we did eventually break down and buy an exersaucer, play pen and some polyblend pajamas and I couldn’t tell you how to even sign the word “hi”), one thing we have stuck to is using cloth diapers vs. disposable. 

I know what you might be thinking. It’s so much work. It’s gross. It’s just as expensive in the long run.

Say what you will about cloth diapering—I know it isn’t for everyone—but if it is something that you are really interested in, I am here to tell you that YOU CAN DO IT! It’s really not that hard, it’s really not any grosser than using a disposable diaper, and you can do it quite affordably.

First a disclosure: With most subjects related to babies and parenting, lots of people will tell you that you are crazy for wanting to cloth diaper your child. Like they might want to hold an intervention for you. And they might buy you boxes of disposable diapers because they think you are too poor to afford the "luxury" of disposables. To those folks, just smile and say something like "bless your heart" and then brush that off your shoulder as you return those diapers for some store credit, because don't knock it until you've tried it, folks. I'm not that big of an evangelist for anything, but I do feel like if you want to do this, you shouldn't let anyone talk you out of it by scare tactics. So, the purpose of this post is to explain how we did it and maybe help make your decision a little easier!

And to those who have never wanted to use cloth, more power to ya! To each his own! God Bless America! and all that good stuff. I've never wanted to ride a horse and you won't catch me saddling up anytime soon!

And so we begin...

Black Bean and Quinoa Patties (Baby and Toddler Recipe)

When Dennis and I began experimenting with giving Weston solid foods we soon discovered that black beans were his absolute favorite. We began by smooshing black beans between our fingers and giving them to him. Then I made him a black bean, red pepper, onion puree. When he started to prefer picking up foods with his fingers and feeding himself, I came up with the recipe for these patties. When they are cooked, these patties crumble into nice finger sized pieces that he can pick up and stick in his mouth- all by himself!

INGREDIENTS
1 can of black beans
2 cups of cooked quinoa
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup of red pepper
1/4 cup of green onion
1/4 cup of corn
1 egg
2 Tbsp flour
salt and pepper to taste

COOKING DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix well until combined.
3. Spray two baking pans with oil.
4. Place heaping spoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking pans leaving about ½ inch in between each spoonful.

5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

This recipe makes 12-15 patties depending on how large your spoonfuls are.

After the patties have cooled place them in a Tupperware or glass storage container and freeze. Patties will keeps for about 1 month.

To prepare them for your baby or toddler, place patties on a microwave safe dish and microwave in 15-20 second intervals depending on your microwave until heated to desired temperature.

You may find that you don't have all of the ingredients needed to make a recipe or that you have something similar but not the exact ingredient. You may also find that your baby or toddler may not like some of the ingredients listed or you may not be comfortable feeding them certain ingredients yet, like seeds. For instances like these, I've offered some recipe variations below, but its always fun to experiment with what you have. Who knows? You might just find your babies new favorite combination!

Recipe Variations
Substitute green onion with red or white onion.
Substitute red pepper with yellow, green, or orange pepper.
Substitute egg yolk for the whole egg if your baby cannot yet have egg whites.

-Jenn

Sweet Potato and Lentil Patties (Baby and Toddler Recipe)

I love making these for Weston. One of the first solid foods he ate was sweet potato and he absolutely loved it. I can't get enough of watching his little hands scoop up pieces of these patties and shoving them into his mouth and then making the sign for "more."

These patties are still soft in the middle after baking so they are nice and mushy for babies and toddlers and with sweet potatoes about to be in season these are a great addition to the Thanksgiving and Christmas table for your little ones.

Ingredients
2 Sweet Potatoes peeled, chopped, and steamed
1 cup of cooked split peas
2 Tbsp of flax seed
1 tsp of cinnamon

Cooking Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. If you haven’t done so already, steam the sweet potatoes and cook lentils
(To cook lentils bring approximately 1.5 cups of water (or broth) to a boil. Add 1 cup of lentils.  Allow the water to return to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until lentils are soft.)
3. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
4.  Spray a baking pan with cooking oil.
5. Spoon the mixture onto the baking sheet sheet.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

This recipes makes 18-24 patties depending on how big your spoonfuls are.

After the patties have cooled place them in a Tupperware or glass storage container and freeze. Patties will keeps for about 1 month.

To prepare them for your baby or toddler, place patties on a microwave safe dish and microwave in 15-20 second intervals depending on your microwave until heated to desired temperature.

You may find that you don't have all of the ingredients needed to make a recipe or that you have something similar but not the exact ingredient. You may also find that your baby or toddler may not like some of the ingredients listed or you may not be comfortable feeding them certain ingredients yet, like seeds. For instances like these, I've offered some recipe variations below, but its always fun to experiment with what you have. Who knows? You might just find your babies new favorite combination!

Recipe Variations
Substitute green lentils with yellow or red lentils or peas (cooking instructions are the same).
Substitute flax seeds with poppy, chia, and sesame seeds or omit the seeds altogether.
Omit the cinnamon.
Add 1/4 tsp of nutmeg.

-Jenn

Squash,Carrot, and Potato Patties (Baby and Toddler Recipe)

These squash, carrot, and potato patties are a great way to incorporate fall seasonal produce into your baby's diet and use up those extra vegetables from your CSA box. 

INGREDIENTS
2 russet potatoes – shredded
2 carrots- shredded
1 yellow Squash- shredded
1 egg
1 cup of flour
½ onion-finely chopped or shredded
3 garlic cloves –finely chopped or pressed using a garlic press
¼ cup of green onions- chopped
1 Tbsp of olive oil or other cooking oil
1 tsp of basil
1 tsp of oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

COOKING DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix until well combined.
3. Spray two baking pans with oil.
4. Place heaping spoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking pans leaving about ½ inch in between each spoonful.

 5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until patties are a golden brown.

This recipe makes 18-24 patties depending on how big your spoonfuls are.

Cooking tips: For shredding the potatoes I use the coarse side of a cheese grater and just grate it directly into the bowl. I use my Kitchen Aid to mix the ingredients together (mostly because I just love an excuse to use the Kitchen Aid) but it can always be mixed by hand.

After the patties have cooled place them in a Tupperware or glass storage container and freeze. Patties will keeps for about 1 month.

To prepare them for your baby or toddler, place patties on a microwave safe dish and microwave in 15-20 second intervals depending on your microwave until heated to desired temperature.

You may find that you don't have all of the ingredients needed to make a recipe or that you have something similar but not the exact ingredient. You may also find that your baby or toddler may not like some of the ingredients listed or you may not be comfortable feeding them certain ingredients yet, like seeds. For instances like these, I've offered some recipe variations below, but it's always fun to experiment with what you have. Who knows? You might just find your babies new favorite combination!

Recipe Variations:

Substitute russet potatoes with any other kind of potato.
Substitute herbs with other herbs such as parsley or Italian seasoning or omit herbs all together.
Substitute yellow squash with zucchini.
Substitute egg yolk for the whole egg if your baby cannot yet have egg whites.
Omit onions or garlic depending on your baby's taste.

-Jenn

Is This Thing On?

Hello there reader and welcome to our little corner of the internet.

Urban dictionary—being the literary companion that it is—defines “it’s a wonder” as “it is surprising.” And well, we think that is pretty darn appropriate way to describe this thing we call being a mom.

To us, “It’s a Wonder” can mean many things. You may think to yourself “It’s a wonder we survived those first 3 (or 6, or 8) weeks after the baby was born!” or the more popular “It’s a wonder I haven’t fallen asleep in the shower, I haven’t slept in days!” (Kathryn WOULD NOT be able to say that, as she took many a shower nap in her first few weeks of motherhood). Or just simply “Wow, it’s a wonder my head is still attached to my body at this point.” Or maybe you are saying “I don’t agree with ANY of those statements!” and to you we say, bravo, friend. Please just do us a solid and let us know when we’ve put our shirt on inside out or maybe, you know, we’re wearing two different earrings. Deal?

With all the craziness of motherhood, at the complete opposite side of the spectrum is all the awesomeness that comes along with it. Anyone with a child can attest that there is so much wonder in the process of growing and raising a human. You are front and center to someone learning everything there is to know about being a person. How crazy is that? And while everyday might not be wonderful, it certainly is filled with some sort of wonder or wonderment.

The wonder in our lives is what we experience, create, think, feel and do. And so, here we are. Trying to capture that wonderment and share it with you.

Jenn and Kathryn

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DIY Cleaning Chart and Free Printable

My husband and I like a clean house. We’re not crazy everything has to be its place kind of people, but we’re not big fans of dirt, dust and clutter … or animal hair. And since we have two cats and a dog, that last one is sometimes kind of difficult to keep under control. On top of that, both of our parents have allergies to our animals so it is important for us to keep the house clean and somewhat free of dust and dander. After our son was born and I went back to work part-time my mom and mother-in-law watched him on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I would spend all day Monday cleaning in between nap time and play time. I hated Mondays. I always felt so exhausted and felt like I wasn’t able to devote enough time to my son and cleaning the house. I know what you’re thinking—why not just let the housework go?! Doesn’t your husband help?? Well, since our parents are allergic to the animals, I thought it was really, really important that I mop and steam every week to keep the dander down. And yes, Dennis does help. He helps a lot. (Although he doesn’t clean the bathrooms. Can’t he just clean one bathroom?? I mean, he’ll clean the whole house, but he won’t touch the toilet! ... but he does help). Also for some reason, I had it in my head that since I was staying home, it was my job, even though he told me repeatedly that I didn’t have to do anything but lay around with the baby. After a while, I just couldn’t keep up. It wasn’t just MY job. I was exhausted, I was angry, and my house wasn’t clean.

 

These guys are cute, but they sure do leave a lot of hair and vomit all over the place.

One of the ways we have been able to divvy up the chores, keep a clean house, and stay sane since our son was born was to develop a cleaning chart. I took some inspiration from Pinterest to come up with a cleaning list that suits our home and schedule. I divided the chores into daily, weekly, monthly, and semi-annual chores and designed the chart in Microsoft Publisher. This can be easily done in Word or any type of printing program as well. If you don’t have access to Word at home, your local library probably has a computer you can sign up to use. There are also a number of free and purchasable printables on the interwebs or feel free to download this printable and use it in your home. I printed ours out at Office Max (it’s the closest), framed it, and hung it in the kitchen. We use a wax pencil or wet-erase marker to check off the chores when they are done. So simple—anyone can do it!

Meal Time Essentials

Whether you're bottle feeding, giving cereal, purees, or doing baby led weaning, one thing is for sure—you're going to need some gear for that. And the options for each can be slightly overwhelming. Here we will tell you want worked for us and what we each consider our meal time "essentials."
(Note this post does not include items for nursing. See that list of essentials here.)

Bottles

Oh, bottles. This is the one category that pushed me over the limit when it came to choices. They come in glass, plastic, and even stainless steel, with a variety of shapes and sizes and nipple styles. Heck, now they even make one that is PRETTY DARN CLOSE to an actual breast. I don’t know what to say about bottles, beyond “it’s probably going to be a crap shoot.” I registered for the Born Free and Dr. Brown's because that's what people said their kids liked. We  didn’t get our daughter to drink from a bottle without a problem until THE DAY that I went back to work. Talk about nerve wracking. I tried Medela, Dr. Brown's, Born Free, Playtex, Avent, and probably a couple more that I can’t remember. She ended up taking the Playtex Drop-ins bottle with the brown latex nipple and then eventually transitioned to using the Born Free and Dr. Browns (although I preferred the Born Free for ease of cleaning and also less leakage). My advice would be to register for just 1 or 2 of a certain kind (not the huge starter kit or anything) and then just see what happens. You could get lucky and your baby will drink from anything or you could be like me, up in Target and Buy Buy Baby, like a crazy person buying one of each bottle in hopes that something sticks. I hope that you are the latter!

If you are using formula, having a formula dispenser is nice for on the go. 

J: We registered for the Playtex VentAire and the Dr. Brown's. Weston never really took to the Dr. Browns so I gave those away, but we were pretty happy with the VentAire. Both have multiple pieces that can be kind of cumbersome to put together when you are half asleep or have a crying baby who needs to eat NOW, but the only real issue we had with them, is that if you didn’t screw on the bottom pieces just right, they would leak-but we quickly got the hang of it. I got a free sample of an AVENT Natural Bottle in the mail and that quickly turned into my favorite. I found that it most closely mimicked the breast and Weston loved drinking out of that bottle. They also make glass versions! Given the potential health hazards of plastics I keep reading about, we’ve been trying more and more to use glass or stainless steel food storage, including bottles.

Burp cloths

You can find some really cute burp cloths, but I just used Gerber cloth diapers. They are a good thickness, absorbent, easy to wash and for the price you can’t beat it. We usually kept one of these on hand in every room, along with a washcloth, for quickly wiping spit up and stuff. Aden and Anais makes a nice burp cloth that can be snapped into a bib. It’s a great multipurpose item and the shape fits nicely on your shoulder. Now that my daughter is a toddler, I just keep it in the diaper bag as my go to bib because it's easy to use when out and about.

J: We used the gerber cloth diapers as well, and like Kathryn, kept stashes around the house. If you own a sewing machine and want to spruce up your burp cloths (something I always wanted to do, but never got around to it) - check out this great video tutorial (hit mute if you don’t want to listen to the Jesus music). Here is a no sew option.

Speaking of bibs

I received so many bibs it was ridiculous. And while they were cute, looking back on it, I didn’t really need them. The only ones I registered for and that I would still say are a must have are GreenSprouts Waterproof DripDrop Bibs. They are totally waterproof, but yet soft and have a foam rim that keeps stuff from dribbling between the bib and neck. I never used bibs until she started taking a bottle at 3 months but I then I pretty much ONLY used these bibs on a regular basis. Other ones are cute, but these were and still are the most used bibs I got or bought. Once you transition to food, you will want some wipeable bibs and also some smocks to make mealtime a little less messy.

J: OMG! The amount of bibs we received was RIDICULOUS! At one time we had 42. No joke. I counted. We were the couple who decided to save pretty much everything we got at our shower or received as presents because, as first time parents, we had no idea what we would need. The funny thing is we hardly ever use them! Weston hates wearing them and usually rips them off. I eventually gave most of them away but we still have a few we use for when we know dinner time is going to be pretty messy. We usually just let Weston eat without a bib and if he gets dirty we’ll change him.

Pacifiers

I'm not sure what category to put pacifiers in, but the only ones she ever took were the Avent soothies. And even then, she never was a pacifier baby, she only took them on occasion. In those desperate times of “why are crying and what can we do to soothe you?” we tried about five different kinds and that is what worked for us. We registered for some of them at the advice of someone else, but you can get one from the hospital and if he/she likes it, get more. And people will also buy you pacifiers, so you can try other brands/types.

J: Weston never took a pacifier. My goodness did we try. After his surgery he was an awful sleeper and as much as we tried to substitute the breast with a pacifier,it never worked. We tried every brand, to no avail. He pretty much just wanted to nurse and suckle all day and all night. So, that is what we did.

Cleaning bottles, etc.

We both have the boon lawn drying rack and accessories. I love it because it holds a lot but isn't tall. It does take up some counter space, but doesn't seem cumbersome—and it looks cute.

I have this brush and I like it. You can replace the actual brush without having to buy the new holder, so we have replaced the brush a couple times since she was born and still use it to clean sip cups, etc. They also make a travel one. I would suggest using any natural dish wash without a scent. I did not register for any dishwasher baskets because we wash stuff by hand (we don't run our dishwasher often enough to wash bottles, etc.) but we bought one of these and it did come in handy on occasion.

J: We use this dishwasher basket, by OXO, but I just saw they make a silicone one, so we may be switching.

Plates, bowls, utensils, and snack containers

We use oxo plates and bowls. I actually find that discount stores like TJ Maxx and Marshall's carry these and sell them at a very discounted price. They have held up well in the dishwasher, and the bowls come with lids so you can store any leftover food. Even though I like these, I kind of feel like plates are plates and bowls are bowls. As long as it's safe to eat out of, I think they are all kind of the same.

Same goes for utensils. The only utensil I would recommend are these Gerber spoons. The bowl of this spoon is perfect for little mouths who are just learning to eat. And the metal handle is slim and not as cumbersome as some of the other plastic baby spoons. They come in both "bold" colors and pastels and as odd as this may sound, the bold color spoons are actually better than the pastel. The rubber on the pastel is hard and I found that it was not as easy to eat off of for my daughter.

Now that she is a toddler, she eats with fork and spoon—again, there are a zillion options and really I don't think one is better than the other. One thing I do need to invest in is a travel set (and remember to bring it with). I constantly find us at restaurants giving her a large adult fork and hoping she doesn't jab herself (or one of us) in the eye with it.

We got a ton of snack cups and I rarely use them. Around the house, I used the Munchkin snack catcher when she was younger and now she's fine with just a plate or bowl. I like the Munchkin brand because the top was easiest to get your hand in and out of but still contained the snacks—not the crumbs however, so neat nicks beware! When we go out, I use this Beaba snack tower and I love it. The different sections all twist on to each other, so when one snack is done you can move it to the bottom. And the top has a "funnel" like feature so you could store powdered formula in there or use it to pour smaller snacks out into little hands.


J: We have these melamine Skip Hop bowls and plates that come in the cutest patterns. They are extremely sturdy and seem almost unbreakable. The downside is that melamine cannot go in the microwave or dishwasher and it cannot be recycled. And as I read more about the health hazards of plastic, the health hazards of melamine also came up quite a bit. So we recently started using plain ole’anchor hocking glass storage bowls. Booooring! I know! Also, I know that I am probably just paranoid. But why risk it?

Food Storage:

I made a lot of my own baby food. I found it to be enjoyable and not that time consuming. There are a lot of books and websites that you can consult on making your own food. I was given this book by a friend and I used it as a guide. It pretty much tells you anything you need to know about feeding your baby and toddler. It has a very nice month to month breakdown and it also explains how to cook different foods, how to store them and how long they can be stored and an extensive index so things are easy to find and flip to.

I didn't buy any of the "baby food makers" because I already had a small food processor and a immersion blender and I just steamed the veggies the old fashioned way. I honestly don't think it's necessary to buy any new appliances, but that's just me.

For storing baby food we used the OXO storage blocks and covered ice cube trays. Both held up well and were easily stacked in the freezer.

J: We bought the Green Sprouts Baby Food Storage Cubes to store the baby food I made and while I love the way they stack for storage, some of the lids have cracked in the freezer or become deformed in the dishwasher. If we ever have to purchase more, I think I may go with these by Sage Spoonfuls. The caps look a little more sturdy, although these are more expensive. Sage Spoonfuls also has a great starter kit that includes an immersion blender if you don’t already own one. For on the go, I love these resealable storage bags from Blue Avocado and Itsy Ritzy. Both can go in the washing machine or dishwasher, but I have found that my food tastes like soap after I put them in the washer, so now we just  hand wash them and place them on the Boon to dry. We have also used these snack cups which work great.

Gear

Where are you going to feed this baby/child of yours? That's a good question and I'm happy to say there are many options that suit just about any need. When it comes to high chairs, they generally fall into three different categories: the traditional high chair, the space saver chair and the clip on/portable chair. Even within those three categories, the options are pretty overwhelming. Basically, it comes down to your preference and needs.

I live in a relatively small home, so for me, the main priority was something that didn't take up a lot of space and that I could store easily. I registered for and received two different high chairs. A more traditional one (the Joovy Nook) that folds up almost flat and is easy to open and close (with one hand) and SUPER easy to wipe clean. I also like that the tray swings open instead of clipping on, so it makes it easier to get the baby in and out. It does not recline, but that wasn't a feature that I needed.

We used this high chair when my daughter was first eating and then we transitioned to the Chico 360 hook on high chair. I loved this chair. I left it attached to the table since it's just me and my husband. But when I did need to remove it, it was easy to get on and off, the tray comes off if you want to just use the table, and I loved that it rotated. When my daughter was a lot younger, we could swing her out to feed her and then once she started feeding herself, we just kept the seat facing forward. We used this chair until she turned 2 and transitioned to a booster seat/arguing with us over sitting in a seat at all! The fabric chair part comes off relatively easy and is machine washable. It comes apart and folds completely flat and even comes with a travel bag. I wouldn't bring it to a restaurant or anything, but I've brought it to relatives house and that was more convenient than lugging the big chair. There are lots of options for chairs that clip on—some more portable than others.

My mom has a Fisher Price space saver chair at her house and it works just fine, too! This is a highchair that you strap to one of your regular chairs. It has a tray that is removable so you can scoot the chair right up to the table if you like and sort of transitions into a booster seat.

All three options work well for us, but when shopping for a high chair here are some things to take into consideration:

Do you have space to leave it out in the kitchen/dining area?
If you need to be able to store it, does it need to fold flat?
Do you have an extra chair to use for a space saver?
Will you want one to use it at home and also take with to restaurants and friends and family's house?
What kind of material do you prefer—is fabric that has to be thrown in the washer going to be a pain? If so, then you might want a more wipeable material.
How much are you going to have to move it around? If you'll leave it one place, a heavier chair won't be a problem. But if you will be storing or moving it around, you'll probably want a light weight, less cumbersome option. 

Last, don't forget a mess mat of some sort! You can buy a plastic one, or just get a cheap shower curtain liner or even use a towel to protect your floors and make for easy cleanup.

Nursing Essentials

Those first few weeks of breastfeeding are magical, after all you are nourishing a little human with your own body! Of course breastfeeding is a different experience for every woman and child, but I am sure every mother has felt overwhelmed, frustrated, and uncomfortable from time to time, especially if it is your first time breastfeeding. Really, all you need to breastfeed is your breast and the baby, but whether you are someone who is nursing for the first, third, or fifth (kudos to you!) time, it is always nice to haves some additional items to help make the experience even better. We've gathered up some essentials that we have found helpful throughout our experience.

Nursing Bras

Nursing bras are great because they have a clip on the strap that allows you to continue wearing your bra while allowing baby access to the breast. Non-underwire nursing bras are highly recommended by OBGYNs and Lactation Consultants as the underwire can cause milk ducts to clog (which is super painful). Almost any store that sells maternity clothes will have nursing bras for purchase and they come in a variety of styles. We recommend actually going to the store and trying on bras before you purchase them in store or on-line. You may also choose to buy a couple nursing sleep bras, these have less support but are way more comfortable for sleeping in and those foggy night time nursing sessions.

Here are some of our favorites.

Where's My Dinner?

5:30 p.m. We fade in on a couple, still dressed in business casual, staring into an open refrigerator…

"What do you want to eat for dinner?"

"I don't know, what do you want?"

"I don't care, whatever you want..."

An hour later...you are either eating take-out, again, or making some very unappealing meal out of whatever is left in the fridge.

Does this scene sound familiar?

I don't doubt that everyone has had this conversation and has wandered around the grocery store, dropping random things in your basket only to get home and realize you spent a lot of money on food and you have absolutely no plan for using it.

 Pizza, again? Blarg.

Many moons ago, after living together for a while and experiencing the struggle with what to make for dinner EVERY night of the week, Sean sent me a link to a Lifehackerpost about making a meal plan. We decided to go ahead and try the template from Unclutter. We used this method for years with great results. We started out using the exact template they created but over the year we edited to fit our exact needs. You can check out our old template if you like. There is a space for a shopping list on the side, so as you put the meal in, you can list the ingredients needed right away.

COMING SOON

SEPTEMBER 15, 2015