ICLW and A Few Thoughts

Welcome ICLW! I've heard crickets so far this week, but maybe a new post will help. I've been having some issues trying to post from my iPad, so I hopped on my laptop for the night. For any newcomers, a little background and some current thoughts are here. I totally need to do a "My Story" post soon, I know. Sorry! :-)

In honor of many ICLW participants, several friends going through fertility issues right now, and my (our) background of infertility - I saw this picture and love it:

For those of us who know infertility, this is powerful. Whether you are actively dealing with fertility issues or you have in the past, this statement on waiting strikes right in the heart.

I still have a lump in my throat, an ache in my chest, tears well in my eyes as I read this and re-live trying to survive two weeks at a time.

Two weeks of being busy with shots, pills, ultrasounds, measurements, and blood draws. Then, two more weeks of trying to be positive and pretty much holding my breath while crossing everything, wishing on stars, praying long and hard, and trying not to implode.

And by the final cycle, I was doing exactly and only that - surviving.

Oh, yeah, and I was exercising extreme self-restraint at every. single. person. who told me to relax. "Relax, and it will happen," or, "As soon as you stop trying, you'll get pregnant." 

As well-meaning as people may have been, those statements cut straight to the bone. I wanted to scream that relaxing wouldn't do shit for us - I simply do not ovulate on my own. And you can't make a baby without an egg, y'all. Nope, nopey-nope.

I am thankful every day for my son. Every minute of every day. I know exactly how lucky I am. I think about all my comrades in the ALI (Adoption Loss Infertility) community every. single. day. I read their blogs. I cry tears of joy and sadness with women to whom I have never spoken nor met. I hit my knees in prayer for them. 

I went through it alone, the only online community I knew of then was amazingly exclusive of newcomers to the site. But that's for another post, another day...

To my ALI friends, hold on. As long as you can, hold on to the dream...


Much love...
Shelley

Happy Mother's Day To ALL Mothers

I don't want to talk much about the Time magazine cover. I know most people won't open it up and read the article on attachment parenting thanks, more than anything, to the phrase, "Are You Mom Enough?"
That's just an awesome way to alienate those who aren't familiar with AP.
Yargh.
I will NOT contribute to the Mommy Wars. Nope. "Not I, not I," said the big brown bear. Nuh-unh.

I WILL say:
Whether you breastfeed or formula feed or do a combo of the two...
Whether you wear your baby or not...
Whether you co-sleep or bedshare or your babe is in a crib in their own room...
Cloth diaper or disposable diaper...
Circumcised or uncircumcised...
If your baby is still residing in your belly...
Work or SAHM or WAHM...
Crunchy or creamy...
If you are an Angel Mommy...
Whatever "kind" of parent - of Mom- you are, if you love and care for your lil one(s), I say,
"Happy Mother's Day!!!"

I will not contribute to the Mommy Wars. Good moms, like awesome cupcakes, come in all flavors. I think we should all support each other in this wonderful and scary adventure of raising our children. So long as your children are happy, loved, and cared for--- You are doing it right!

Happy Mother's Day! Love to you all!

Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to snuggle up with the little person who calls me mommy and  thank him for making today one of my favorite days of the year!

Cloth 101: All In One Diapers (AIOs)

An All In One (AIO) is exactly what it sounds like - the whole shebang is one piece. Nothing to stuff, nothing to cover, nothing to snap in. You put in on baby and Bob's your uncle! Good to go.
AIOs are often called "Dad friendly" or "Sitter Friendly" because they are so easy (not that pockets or AI2s are 'difficult').
So what does one look like? I will show you two bumGenius AIOs (LOVE my BGs. Love love love them.):

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You can see it's pretty simple. Next to baby's skin is usually a stay dry material like suedecloth, but it can also be a natural fabric (think bamboo or cotton velour - mmmm... squishy soft!).
Then there is an absorbent core. The one shown to the left has a microfiber soaker sewn to the back of the stay-dry lining.
Then there is an outer, water proof PUL shell.
But it's all one handy dandy piece!
(This is a bumGenius newborn AIO to the left. They used to make other sizes, which I have a ton of, but sadly they quit making the sized AIOs).

To the right is another bumGenius AIO, the Elemental. It has organic cotton next to baby instead of stay dry material. This one has the soaker layers exposed instead of hidden. They way they are separated cuts drying time way down.
Then it has the waterproof PUL layer.


( I know most of my illustrations are of bumGenius products. Yes, I really love their diapers. They also happen to have some pretty awesome pics and descriptions. :)   )


The pros to an AIO cloth diaper are that it's, well, all one piece. There's no stuffing, no need for covers, nothing to snap in... It's all there ready to go.
The downside of it all being one piece is they tend to take longer to dry. Often, a great deal longer. If you have a decent sized stash and can afford to hang a diaper for over 24 hours (indoors), then no worries. If your stash is small, you may find yourself needing to dry them in the dryer - and sometimes for longer than the rest of your diapers.

So another style with both good and not so great points.

And for your enjoyment... Here's Boogs sporting an AIO in one of my favorite pics of him:

No, you can't really tell it's an AIO, but look how stinking cute he is! This was last summer. Oh, he's so big now, and he's changed so much. How I loved all those rolls! *sniff* I'm gonna go crawl in bed with him and snuggle before he goes to college next week... Bye.


What's next? AI2s? Wool? Fitteds? Oh my!