Musings of a Marfan Mom

May 5, 2009
by marfmom
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A Boy of the Cloth

After spending $34 for one case of diapers a few days ago, I decided it is definitely time to switch over to cloth diapers. I am really, really excited about this!!! My friend Abbey started using cloth diapers for her daughter a few months ago and her posts about the subject convinced me that when Menininho was born, I would go that way as well.

I decided that I would wait until he was about 3 months before switching over, mostly because by now he is going through significantly fewer diapers than he was at birth. By the time everything I ordered last night arrives, it shouldn’t be too long before Menininho is 15 lbs and can fit into them (probably by the beginning of June). The only downside I’m seeing is that Menininho may not be able to fit into some of his pants anymore, as Abbey pointed out that most baby pants are made to fit disposable diapers, and cloth diapers are a little more bulky.

I asked around a lot before deciding which cloth diapering products to go with, and here is what Mark and I ended up choosing:

Chinese Prefold Diapers

Bumkins Diaper Covers

We bought 1 dozen diapers and 4 diaper covers (NO diaper pins needed!). They’re sized for babies 15-30 lbs, so I think we’ll be getting a lot of use out of them. Since the diapers can’t be washed using regular detergent (or even Dreft), Abbey found a recipe for making her own laundry detergent. It comes out to about $0.01 a load! So, I plan on using that too. I’m really excited about all the money we’re going to be saving with this switch, and I hope I can stick it out (especially once Menininho starts solid food…). Since I’m not helping bring money into the household right now, I figure my job is to help us be smart with the money we have.

Wish us luck!

April 20, 2009
by marfmom
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Mother of All Mothers' Day Giveaways

I don’t know how many of you have become acquainted with the blog The Meanest Mom on the Block, but not only is her blog really funny, she also hosts the BEST giveaways. From now until April 24th at 11:59 PM EST, you can enter to win one of 11 fabulous prizes, all designed to make you feel like a Hot Mamma this Mothers’ Day.

My reason for wanting to win (AKA, my pitiful plea to the computer program that will randomly select 11 winners to select moi)?

I’ve been trying really hard to lose the baby weight. Any of you who have kids know that this isn’t the easiest thing (or most of you, anyway). I thought I was doing pretty well. Of course, then my doctor had me change up my meds to see if I’m still swelling and I gained back 1/3 of what I’d lost in the past 6 weeks. 🙁 But still, I was thinking I looked pretty good and, at least until the med change, was almost back into my pre-pregnancy pants.

Then yesterday after church, waiting waiting for a meeting with the president of the women’s organization, her 1st counselor, and Mark, when Hat Lady walks over. “Can I ask you a personal question?” she asks.

“Uh, sure” I reply (b/c really, how do you say “no” without knowing the question?)

“Well, I noticed you’re a bigger girl and I have this dress I don’t wear anymore and I thought you’d like it.”

At first, I thought she meant “bigger” as in my chest size, b/c I’m breastfeeding and all that. But then she continued and it was painfully obvious that is NOT what she meant.

“I used to be big like you, but then I lost all this weight and I was going to give it to GoodWill but since you look like you’re my old size I thought you’d like it. It’s black, and it’s the dress I bought when I was a new widow and wanted to go to Single Adult activities.”

Ouch. 🙁 So, as you can see oh-great-random-number-generator, I need to win. Especially that Shabby Apple Dress. KThanx.

Good luck, everyone!