Hot Fluff Cool Baby Event

I'm so excited to announce a cloth diaper giveaway event I'll be participating in during July. We are giving away a $300 cloth diapering prize pack from Greenie Beanie Bottoms! 


If you're a blogger and want to participate, sign ups are now open for the Hot Fluff Cool Baby giveaway event! Head on over to Just Add Cloth and sign up for this free event! There are a few guidelines, so read carefully to make sure you qualify!

Wordless Wednesday: Daddy's Helper

Getting water for the chickens - he loves to help feed & water the chickens!

Winner Announcement: Publix $25 gift card giveaway

Karin A. is the winner of the $25 Publix gift card giveaway! Thanks to everyone who entered during the Running Out? Run In event!

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Flats & Handwashing Challenge: Final Reflections

I'm late getting this post up, but I felt like I still should put something up reflecting on the Flats Challenge. 

I found the flats challenge much easier this year. Perhaps this is because I regularly use flats now (at least one a day in a pad fold). I've also used them at night when our fitteds are not clean, so I knew that flats would work for us at night. I also have more covers this year and since there wasn't a limit of 5 covers this year like there was last year, I didn't have to constantly rinse covers clean.

If I had to use flats full time, it wouldn't be bad. I would definitely miss some of my easy AIO diapers and some of my cute pockets, but I would do it. Flats in a machine wash beautifully, dry quickly, and don't develop stink like microfiber does.

Now, as for handwashing, I don't think I could do that full time. This year was harder since Jaxon is eating solids. However, he still drinks a lot of breastmilk, so his poop is are just gross. Add to that the fact that he's taking iron drops and it gets even grosser. I'd need a diaper sprayer or something to make handwashing easier. I'd also want to do a wet pail, not a dry pail like I do now. Lots of water and soaking really helps make handwashing easier. If for some reason we did not have a washing machine, I would handwash and supplement with frequent trips to relative's houses to wash. I mean, I'd have other laundry to wash as well so I'd have to go somewhere. There's no way that I could handle washing all of our laundry by hand! I had a blister on my hand by day 4 - that made handwashing especially painful once it popped!

I do think everyone should have a small stash of flats. They are cheap, very versatile and great for use in an emergency. If you end up never using the flats, they can be used for all kinds of other things. I typically keep 2 flats and a cover in the van for "just in case" emergencies. I've never run out of diapers and needed it, but I have used mine as a nursing cover, a bib (I loosely tied it around Jaxon's neck), to clean up sudden spills in the car, as a lightweight blanket for Jaxon, and as a changing pad. They also make great cleaning towels (they're lint free, so they are great for windows and furniture). 

In summary, flats are wonderful. Handwashing is hard, but doable. It's certainly better than letting your child sit in a dirty diaper for too long or reusing soiled disposables. That makes me so sad to read about! I've tried to think of ways I can help. While most of the families we currently assist through the food pantry do not have young children, we have provided disposables in the past when families have come for food. I'd love to be able to offer a supply of flats and a cover with a Snappi, along with a print out of washing, drying, and folding instructions. Even if this was just used a back up to disposable diapers, it would help. 

Did you find the Flats Challenge easy or difficult? How did it impact you to help?

Flats & Handwashing Challenge Day 6: Going Out

Flats are cheap. Flats are readily available. But are they realistic to use outside the house? Definitely! The important thing to remember is to keep it simple and be prepared. 


When we go out, I pad fold our flats into GroVia shells. Most of the time, this works great. It can be a challenge with Jaxon, though, since he's very squirmy and can take the diaper apart with one hand in about 2 seconds. If I know I will have to do a quick diaper change in the car or might have to change his diaper somewhere that's cramped, I will stuff a pocket diaper. It really just makes things easier. My Mabu Baby covers have also made changes easier, since a pad folded flat fits nicely into the diaper pad holder and keeps the pad fold from sliding around while I struggle to keep Jaxon still. When handwashing, a simple wet bag, like those from GroVia, work best.


Yesterday was our anniversary. We weren't able to do anything last night, so Jason wants to take me out tonight. Alone. Without Jaxon. He asked his parents to keep Jaxon for a few hours while we go have a quiet dinner. We've never left Jaxon anywhere before! I have only left Jaxon a couple of times with Jason. This will definitely be a test for me!


Since we've never left him, no one has ever changed Jaxon's diaper except for Jason or me. When I realized that my mother-in-law's introduction to changing cloth diapers would be with flats, I decided I'd stuff pockets instead. Here I've been bragging about modern cloth diapers and how easy they are for all these months and then I show up with flats & covers for her to use? It hardly seemed fair. I have a Softbums Omni shell in Aplix that I used at the doctor on Thursday. It washed up nicely afterwards and was dry by morning. I also stuffed an Applecheeks the other day for nighttime use and so I'll use it again. I will probably send a BumGenius stuffed with a flat as well, and some pad folds inside GroVia's just in case. I haven't had any issues with my pockets repelling, so this is a realistic option for using flats on a daily basis, even when handwashing is necessary. 


I didn't post on any tips yesterday and most of the ones I had were covered by other bloggers anyway. I haven't seen this one yet, though, so I'll mention it now. I have found that blue Dawn (many people use this for stripping diapers) works well to clear up stink (I had one cover that was stinky) and helps with staining (it got all of the staining out of one of the pocket diapers I used the other day). I've never used blue Dawn for stripping since I've heard conflicting things about it with front loaders. However, it really did work nicely for this purpose and I've been using it for the past 2 days now. 


On a side note...my husband was outside processing chickens (that's the nice way of saying he was killing them so they can be eaten) while I was hanging my handwashed flats out. I felt all pioneer like for about 15 minutes. Then I came back in to the air conditioning and felt much, much better. I don't mind using flats, but I'm so glad that handwashing isn't part of my daily life.

The Bundle Borrow Review

My kids are constantly outgrowing their clothing. While I enjoy shopping for them, I tend to be frugal when it comes to kids clothing that I know will be quickly outgrown. So when I heard about The Bundle Borrow, I was instantly intrigued. The Bundle Borrow is a subscription based baby clothing rental service. They provide new and gently used clothing for your child on a monthly basis. When your child outgrows it or when you are ready for some fresh choices, you pack it all up, send it back and they send you a new bundle of clothing. 

Carter's romper

I am all for letting kids, especially babies, wear used clothing. They are in them for such a short period of time that they just don't have time to wear them out. We love hand me downs, but I don't seem to have any friends that have kids right above mine who can hand stuff down to us. When I first contacted The Bundle Borrow, I basically thought I'd get a box of hand me downs in Jaxon's size. I was pleasantly surprised to find out it is so much more than that!


First of all, they don't just send you random pieces. Everything is coordinated and put into outfits so you don't end up with a random pair of plaid shorts with no shirts to match it. We received the "10 To Use Again" bundle with 10 outfits, but there are other bundle levels that include more outfits if you need them. Shipping is always free, both to you and back to the Bundle Borrow when you're done with your clothing.

Genuine Kids shirt with
Cherokee denim shorts

Once I was signed up, I filled out a style intake form that would be sent to my assigned stylist who would pick out Jaxon's outfits. This is where it is fun! I definitely have some clothing choices I trend towards. I pick up blues and greens before any other colors. I also love anything that makes me think "That would be perfect for the beach." No, we're not planning a beach trip, but beachy clothing just makes me happy, I guess. So I was thrilled to get to tell my stylist what I like. 


For those who may not be quite as picky as I am or who may not really know what their style is, there are some prompts on the form to help you. Don't care much about color, but definitely don't want your newborn wearing skulls? There is a place on the form that allows you to check whether it's okay to receive clothes with skulls, animal prints, rock and roll, and themes like Grandma, Uncle, Mommy, Daddy, etc. Got a favorite brand? You can mention that, too. If your child has a current favorite character, you can even tell them that. All stocked up on shorts, but in desperate need of shirts and onesies? You can even specify that. They have really thought of everything.


My intake form said I liked blues and greens (though I also checked that black clothing would be okay since Jaxon looks good in black). I told them we needed shorts and shirts, that I liked polo shirts, and that I loved ocean inspired/beach themed clothing. I also said that rock and roll themed clothing was okay and that my favorite brands were The Children's Place, Gymboree, and Carter's. My stylist contacted me to confirm my choices and ask a couple of clarifying questions, then she went off to pack my bundle. Here's what we received:

In that package, we received 10 shirts, 6 pairs of shorts (including 2 pairs of denim shorts that can be used with several of the shirts) and a sleeveless romper. I thought my stylist did a great job picking items that were my "style" - even my husband commented that several of the outfits looked like something I would pick myself. In fact, we actually own one of the shirts they sent, just in a smaller size that Jaxon had already outgrown. 


Jaxon has looked adorable in each of his Bundle Borrow outfits. He's been showing off some of his Bundle Borrow outfits in Wordless Wednesday posts,   but just in case you missed them, you can see them here and here. One of the shirts didn't fit. While it was a size 18 months, it was a little snug and didn't look comfortable on him. However, we still had plenty of outfit options so I didn't feel like that was a big deal.

Carter's shirt & shorts - I love this outfit!

I was concerned that we'd stain the clothes and wasn't sure what would happen at that point. No worries - The Bundle Borrow wants you to enjoy your baby and not worry about things like that. There's no fee or problem if something is stained. But if you send the bundle back looking good, you get points that can be used towards discounts, extra items, and more. Included in the first bundle is a laminated sheet with laundry tips to help you keep the clothes looking new. 

They also include a sheet detailing what you were sent to make it easy to remember what to send back. Each piece also has a ironed in label inside showing it's from The Bundle Borrow. When it's time to send the clothes back, just pack them back in the reusable bag they came in, flip the shipping label over (postage is already paid), and put it back in your mailbox. It really is very easy!

Interested in trying a bundle for yourself? Sign up for The Bundle Borrow here. Through the end of May, you can use the promo code "4MOM" to save $10 off your first bundle! You can also connect with them on Facebook and Twitter by clicking the buttons below!

Flats & Handwashing Challenge Day 4: Handwashing Therapy

I didn't wash diapers last night, but I should have. Jaxon had a doctor's appointment today and I stuffed a couple of pockets with flats so we'd have easy diapers for that. Since I wasn't in need of my covers, I just had to make sure I had enough flats. There were 6, which isn't enough for the whole day. But then I remembered I had two extra flats in the van, stashed there for emergencies. I figured that would be enough.

A large load of flats and covers soaking in the tub 

We had an uneventful doctor's appointment and headed home. As soon as we got home this afternoon, I started the diapers to soaking. No matter how much I swish the diapers around, they hold their folds unless I am deliberate about unfolding them. Then I agitated them for a few minutes until Jaxon called for me. Jaxon was very tired since he only took 30 minutes of a nap in the car. I nursed him on and off for a while and then finally remembered that I had wanted to get the diapers out and drying in the sun. At that point, it was almost 5. Still a couple hours of sunshine left!


I went to wash the flats, leaving Jaxon with Daddy. While I was washing, I got to thinking about all kinds of things. We are dealing with a lot of stuff this week...negative, yucky stuff. As I was washing and thinking through things, I realized what handwashing is good for: stress therapy. If you're stressed, you should totally take it out on a load of flats. The bottom of our tub is textured and I scrubbed them against the tub bottom and against each other over and over again. Then I rinsed them well. My flats are clean. They smell clean and are rinsing clean. I wrung them out over and over and over again. Wringing is hard work - the worst part of handwashing, in my opinion. I then took them outside, wrung them out again, and then shook them out, which helped release even more water. I must have looked like a crazy woman, but I could feel the water flying in the air so it must have helped. I wrapped my covers in a towel to help get excess water off of them since I didn't want to subject them to my brutal wringing. 

Flats and covers drying outside!

It's like a million degrees outside so I think that everything will be dry pretty quickly. (updated to add: most of the flats were dry by 7:30, all of the covers are not -they are now drying inside under the ceiling fan - I had used a couple of pocket diapers which are taking much longer to dry than my Flips & Econobums)


I don't find handwashing to be difficult. When you're stressed, it can even be therapeutic. However, wringing the diapers out is awful. I have a callus on my hand where I got a little carried away with the wringing today (wearing rubber gloves might prevent this). I could see myself washing diapers this way on a regular basis, but I think I'd have to come up with a more creative way for getting the diapers wrung out (does anyone have one?). 


All in all, this is a viable diapering and washing option. Even if it's just to supplement disposable use, it's definitely something that is feasible and affordable for most people. If I can handwash with Parkinson's, then almost anyone can do it. I don't throw my Parkinson's around often like that, but it fits here. Sure, it's challenging, but it's doable. Lots of things in life are a challenge, but we handle them. Handwashing is certainly better than reusing soiled diapers or choosing between buying diapers and buying food. Want to help provide cloth diapers to a family in need? Check out Giving Diapers, Giving Hope to find out how you can help. 

itti bitti bitti tutto Review & Giveaway

bitti tutto in turquoise

I have always loved minky fabric. It's so soft! Jason laughs at me because I have to touch minky blankets when I walk past them. When we started buying cloth diapers, we purchased several that were labeled as minky. One was not minky at all...it was barely even fuzzy. The other two fell somewhere between fuzzy and minky, but they weren't quite what I was looking for. Then itti bitti, a well known brand in Australia, came to the U.S. We ordered one and finally found the minky softness I had been looking for! So when I was contacted about doing a review, of course I said yes! We were sent the itti bitti bitti tutto in Zeebra - how cute is this print?

Not only is the itti bitti diaper soft on the outside, it's also soft on the inside. The snap down inserts are made with a bamboo viscose and organic cotton blend so they are incredibly absorbent. They are topped with a layer of polyester so that the baby feels dry. I dry all my diapers, inserts, and covers on a drying rack. If you've ever line or rack dried clothing, you know it typically ends up stiff. Natural fibers seem to be the worst at becoming stiff when line dried. However, the itti bitti soaker pads remain soft, even after laying on the drying rack. 


This itti bitti bitti tutto is designed as an All in Two system, so that the shell can be reused if it's not soiled. Because this is not a wipe clean system, the cover does need to lay out to dry in between changes. If Jaxon is not soaked, I will do this, but Jaxon loves to poop in his bitti tutto so this does not happen often for us. Itti bitti has designed this diaper with internal gussets and a patented "poo fence" in the back and I can attest to the fact that it works. Speaking of poop, though, this diaper is not a lot of fun to clean poop off of because there are so many parts. I do not have a diaper sprayer, so I'm dunking and swishing in the toilet. Thankfully, the stay dry layer on the top of the soaker pads lets the poop easily slide off, but sometimes it can be tricky to take the diaper apart without getting your hands dirty. One thing I do love is that this diaper does not stain. I don't know why, but it just doesn't. We've had some nasty messes in it and if any stains remain at the end of the wash cycle, they are faint and easily sun out.

Largest setting, as compared to BumGenius 4.0

Smallest setting, using crossover snaps - it gets very tiny!

Now, some people find this diaper a bit intimidating when you first take it out of the package because it is a highly customizable one-size diaper. Not only can it size down to fit newborns (starting at 8 lbs) or up to fit toddlers (44 lbs!), you can also customize the absorbency levels. There are hip snaps (shown below) and crossover snaps. The bitti tutto comes with 3 soaker pads. They each have color coded snaps, which I feel makes it easy to figure out how to put the diaper together. As shown in the picture below, you can snap the mini soaker to the short soaker (middle bottom picture) or the long soaker (bottom right).  

The hardest thing about this diaper, in my opinion, is not putting it together, but getting the right fit. Because it's highly customizable, those first few changes were spent trying to figure out whether or not to use the hip snaps, which snap placement fit best and how best to position the soakers. We had a few leaks in the beginning as I experimented with all of this. However, once I figured out which settings were right for Jaxon, it fit beautifully -look how great this fits him!

bitti tutto in royal blue

A perfect fit, front and back!

When we first started using itti bitti diapers, I only used the one long insert or the short soaker with the mini soaker snapped to it. That was easily enough absorbency for him for 2 hours (I typically change him every 2 hours). Now he is wetting in greater quantities so I now use all three soaker pads While I still change him every 2-3 hours, there have been a few times we've been in the car and missed changing time. With all three inserts, he can wear this diaper for 4-5 hours with no leaks. The inserts, while small, are extremely absorbent and hold a good deal of liquid. We haven't tried this diaper overnight, but additional boosters can be added to increase absorbency.


Another thing to love about the itti bitti bitti tutto is its trimness. All of Jaxon's pants fit well over it and it doesn't cause a huge fluffy butt like many of our diapers do. I don't mind a fluffy butt, but for those of you who have trouble getting your kids clothes to fit right over cloth diapers, the itti bitti bitti tutto is definitely the solution. Because of the soaker design, this diaper is also extremely trim between the legs. 


I'm often asked what my favorite cloth diaper is. I have an extremely varied stash and have compiled it with a lot of "free with purchase" diapers (thanks, Kelly's Closet) and wins from contests. However, I realized the other day that if purchase history says favorite, then I definitely have a favorite. We have purchased more itti bittis than any other type of diaper, so I think I can finally say I've found my favorite diaper!

Seven of my nine bitti tuttos

You can purchase bitti tuttos at Kelly's Closet for $26.97. 

Want to win a bitti tutto of your own? Enter using the Rafflecopter form below! (click "read more" if you can't see the form)

Wordless Wednesday: Mommy's Helper

This boy loves to vacuum

Flats & Handwashing Challenge Day 2: What I'm Using

It's Day 2 of the Flats & Handwashing Challenge. For more information on the challenge, you can read my Day 1 post. 


Today's topic is supplies. I didn't prepare much for this year's challenge. I already had flats that I had been using since last year's challenge. A flat is any large square piece of material so you can use anything from a receiving blanket to a towel to a birdseye flat actually sold for cloth diapering. 


I'm going to be using flour sack towels from Target, Osocozy flats, a Snappi, homemade fleece liners, and a variety of covers. I am using covers from Econobum, GroVia, Rumparooz, and Mabu Baby. I'll also be stuffing some pocket diapers with flats since I find these to be more convenient when we're away from home. Jaxon is very squirmy and pocket diapers just make things easier. 


As for washing, I've been washing in the bathtub. I'm using Clean B Grape Cabernet detergent because it smells amazing and actually makes handwashing pleasant. I'm doing everything by hand, using the textured bottom of the tub to help scrub the diapers clean. They've been coming out smelling fresh and clean, but I'm not doing well with stains. I'm hoping to sun the diapers later this week. 


I'm drying my diapers indoors because I've been washing at night. I have a drying rack, and I'm turning on the ceiling fan to help them dry faster. Last night, I hung them out around 10 and they were dry by this morning. 


Have you ever used a household item such as a towel or receiving blanket to diaper your baby?

Second Annual Flats & Handwashing Challenge, Day 1

Today kicks off the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry. For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them in an effort to prove that cloth diapering can be affordable and accessible to all. I participated last year as well. You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post. This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world! I'm participating for a few reasons: to help raise awareness, to help prove it can be done, and to practice being a little more self sufficient. I'll readily admit that I'm a little spoiled by modern conveniences. It's always good to know how to do things in a more "old fashioned" way, even if you only have to use your skills every once in a while when the power goes out. 


Last year, I was more excited than I should have been about handwashing diapers and folding flats. I was so happy to be participating in something that could help show that cloth diapers don't have to be expensive and that you can use cloth even if you don't have a washing machine. This year, I'm still happy to be participating, but not as excited for some reason. It could have something to do with the headache that's been plaguing me for about 3 weeks now! I also think the novelty has worn off for me, which has me wondering if I'm going to make it through the challenge! 


Flats aren't hard to use and I use them about once a day anyway. But handwashing can be a pain- it makes my hands tired. However, it's an integral part of the challenge. Many people who would need to use flats just don't have regular access to a washing machine. I'm pretty committed to having Jaxon in cloth so I think I would still use cloth if I didn't have a washing machine. However, I'd probably be looking to borrow access to a machine once a week or so to give myself a break.  


I went ahead and put Jaxon in two flats last night, diaper bag fold, with a pad fold in the middle for extra absorbency, inside an Econobum cover. No leaks, even though he also pooped! Since I normally rinse Jaxon's nighttime diapers before dropping them in the pail each morning, I decided to just go ahead and wash these two diapers this morning. They are now drying on the hanging rack inside since it's raining outside.


In doing this, I learned that our hall bathroom sink stopper doesn't work. I left the flats to soak and came back to a sink with no water in it. I also learned that two flats, a cover, one wipe, and one fleece liner fill up the tiny sink. If I want to wash more than one diaper at a time, I'm going to have to use the tub.


I'm definitely going to have to wash diapers tonight. I'm not sure where all my flats have gone to, but I thought I had 20. However, I only have 6 left after today and I know I didn't change Jaxon that many times.


Are you participating in the Flats & Handwashing Challenge? How did your Day 1 go? 

My First Crayola Winner!

Congrats to Jennifer, who won the My First Crayola prize pack!
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Leading Lady Review & Giveaway - 6/7

Guest post by: NaturalHairLatina

Finding a full figure bra with comfort and support is a bit of a task. Not to mention the limited selection and costly price for full figure. Thanks to Leading Lady for the opportunity to review
Scalloped Lace Underwire Full Figure Bra (5044) in the color black. Guess what? The comfort and support with Leading Lady is a winner.

About:

It all started with two slightly used sewing machines and a man with a whole lot of ambition.

Leading Lady Brand is best known for manufacturing nursing and full figure intimate specialty apparel and accessories. Read more (_HERE_)

Review

Scalloped Lace Underwire Full Figure Bra (5044)

Price: 

$39.00

Content:
Back: 85% Nylon, 15% Spandex
Lace: 92% Nylon, 8% Spandex
Exclusive of trim

Care:

Hand wash. Use only non-chlorine bleach when needed. Line dry. Iron as needed using low temperature.

Country of Origin: Imported

Pros:
Comfort
Support
Lightly padded cups and straps
Side coverage

Cons: 

Only available in black, nude and white.

Conclusion:

Having the ability to shop for quality, support and comfort online is at your fingertips with Leading Lady. First, I thought the lace would itch. To my surprise, NO! Second, I was highly impressed with the support and full side coverage under arms. I could lift arms with ease and have coverage on sides. Also, no protruding under wire. Last, it has a comfortable fit for day or night. Leading Lady offers quality at reasonable and affordable prices.

Source: http://www.leadinglady.com

Our friends at Leading Lady would like to offer one lucky reader the opportunity to win Scalloped Lace Underwire Full Figure Bra (5044)


a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclaimer
NaturalHairLatina or event bloggers are not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. Full disclosure on Rafflecopter.

Fiber One Chewy Bars - Review & Giveaway!

Fiber One recently sent us a great pack of goodies to celebrate the launch of their new Fiber One Chewy product. These new chewy bars are available in two flavors: Chocolate and Strawberry PB & J.  

We tried the new chewy bars out yesterday at the park, after the kids kicked their new soccer ball around for a while. We also received some sidewalk chalk and a flexible disc to encourage outdoor active play, as well as a water bottle and a tote bag to carry it all around in. 


The kids each picked a Fiber One Chewy variety to try and the chocolate was definitely the favorite! The kids enjoyed the PB & J variety as well. 

I liked the chocolate bar a lot. It tasted like a good chewy granola bar should, was drizzled with chocolate on top and also had a chocolate bottom (the PB & J flavor has a peanut butter flavored bottom). I have never liked the combination of peanut butter and jelly, not even when I was young. But I still tasted the PB & J bar. It tasted just like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (which wasn't a good thing for me, but you PB & J lovers out there should enjoy it). 


Jaxon enjoyed both varieties and finished one of each flavor off in about 15 minutes. It was only after he finished the bars that I realized that he had just eaten 10 grams of fiber! 

His little cheeks are stuffed full :)

I like that the texture was not tough or hard. I regularly buy Fiber One bars but my only complaint about them is that sometimes I feel like I'm choking the bar down because they can be dry. These new chewy bars are not like that at all. Even though they contain 5 grams of fiber each, they are moist and yummy. They contain no high fructose corn syrup and only 7 or 8 grams of sugar (depending on the flavor you choose). These are great for kids and adults. They are a little messy when it's warm outside (especially the chocolate variety), as shown by the photo below. 

Want to try some Fiber One Chewy bars for yourself? One winner will receive a Fiber One Chewy prize pack just like we received. 

Not Really a Baby Anymore - Jaxon at 15 months

While he'll always be my baby, it often feels like Jaxon is anything but a baby at this point. He is talking more and more. He has begun consistently nodding his head yes and shaking his head no which had made communication easier. He has started displaying that independent, stubborn, "I can do it myself" attitude.


There is something about having multiple older siblings that either makes a toddler enjoy being babied or makes him strive to be able to do everything his older siblings can. I'm the oldest of 11 children and I've seen it both ways. I have siblings who were content to let the older kids do everything for them, and I have siblings who learned to walk at 7 months and were talking in sentences by 12 months. Jaxon is clearly the type that strives to do everything his older siblings can. He watches them and then mimics everything he sees them doing. 


He wants to do schoolwork like they do. He wants to feed the chickens like they do. He wants to ride a bike like they do and tries to get on their bikes. When the big kids start singing, he "sings" along, even though he's not using real words. He pays attention, too, pausing during the breaks in the songs and singing only when the other kids are singing. 

This baby is really good with a fork.

Every day it feels like he does something new. He picks up on things quickly and his memory is incredible. 


A few new notable/interesting/funny things:


He has discovered M & M's and loves them. He gets very excited when you ask him if he wants M & M's. 


He eats paper. And books. And other inedible objects, like crayons (side note: green crayons will stain your cloth diapers). While this isn't new, it's something I thought would pass as he learned to understand us more and yet it has not changed. We have to really watch him, but often find him like this: 

He's just hiding God's Word in his stomach

He loves throwing things away for me. I now have to check the garbage throughout the day since sometimes things he is supposed to put in the dirty clothes hamper end up in the garbage! 


He likes to switch the laundry from the washer to the dryer or take it out of the dryer and put it in the basket. He also loves when I lift him up so he can be the one to press the buttons to start the washer & dryer.


He adores cleaning - mopping, sweeping, vacuuming, and wiping things off. He is actually really good with the mop and is a great little helper! 


He now takes his diaper off after he wets/poops in it. This is not part of being my great little helper since it often results in more work for me. 


He sits on the potty and pretends to use the bathroom. Then he takes toilet paper and wipes himself when he's done. 


He can point to most of his body parts when I ask him to.


He STILL does not sleep through the night. Ever. We consider ourselves lucky if he sleeps 3 hours at a time. 


He's super adorable and gives lots of kisses and hugs, which makes those sleepless nights bearable. This little guy makes me smile everyday. 

Sweet hugs for Mommy

Publix Running Out? Run In Event w/ giveaway!

I've said it before - I love Publix. I enjoy shopping there. I like the clean, wide aisles and the helpful employees. I also love the deals!


During the Running Out? Run In. event, you can take advantage of great savings on your favorite brands, including Crest, Charmin, Totino's, and Cheerios. On a most recent visit to the store, we picked up this sheet of coupons, good through June 2, that included coupons for each of the brands I mentioned, as well as several others. 

Happily, it included coupons for toilet paper, which was one of things we were running out of. We also picked up laundry detergent and, of course, our favorite food items. I'm grateful that Publix offers great prices and deals on every item in the store, not just groceries. It's nice to not have to make a separate trip to another store for paper and cleaning products and toiletry items. You can get everything you need at Publix. 


Right now, you can receive a $5 Publix gift card to use on your next shopping trip when you purchase $30 or more in participating items during the Running Out? Run In. event (5/16/2012-6/2/2012). Simply mail in the rebate form found in-store or online at runningoutrunin.com along with your receipt(s). 


Want to make your shopping trip even more of a pleasure? Enter to win a $25 Publix gift card using the Rafflecopter form below!

Wordless Wednesday: Splash Pad!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! I hope you have a wonderful day filled with lots of hugs and kisses from your little ones! 


Praying for those who have lost little ones and for those whose dreams of babies have not yet been fulfilled - I know this is an especially hard day for all of you so you are in my thoughts!

Carry Me Please Ergo Giveaway!

Welcome to the Carry Me Please giveaway! Babywearing can be a wonderful time for both mom (or dad) and baby! For some it is a necessity, for others it is just a way of life. For what ever reason you wear your little one, you should be able to do it in style!

Tailor Made Momma has put together an amazing giveaway and is offering up the winner choice of an Ergo or Pikkolo baby carrier!

This giveaway is open to the US and Canada and will end on May 26th!

Don't forget to come back and get your daily entries in!