Cloth Diaper Try

I finally gave into a month's worth of temptation and tried a cloth diaper on Ameliya today.  I couldn't stand it any longer.  Although we are using "one size" pocket diapers that are supposed to fit from 8-35 pounds, experience from friends and FB groups has been that these fit best at around 12 pounds.  Mike and I got a great steal on a case of natural, chlorine free, organic Honest baby diapers and bought just one case of size 1's.  That's what Ameliya has been wearing thus far and we have 2 packages in that case left to go.  I will NOT waste them or store them - I'm determined to use them up - so today was just a "try it on and see how cute she is" trial.

And cute she is!

Miss "Ham-it-Up" thought the cloth diaper was just fine.  She's wearing a JC Trade "Hungry Hungry Caterpillar" print diaper.  It was a smidgen looser in the thighs than I'd want for everyday wear so another week or two of growth as we finish out our disposables will probably do us good. 

A couple of answers to some questions I've fielded from curious folks:

(1) Isn't it (cloth) bulky? 

Yes, cloth is bulkier than disposable.  There are trimmer diapers than the OS diapers we purchased but we bought these because they are cost effective.  At $3-5 each, if one gets ruined I won't need to cry like I might if I ruined a $20-30 diaper (oh yes, there are such things!).  While cloth is bulkier it's not horrendously bulky...and no more bulky than the big white folded diapers some of us wore with plastic pants over the top. ;)

(2) Won't the laundry be a pain?

I love laundry.  Strange but true.  Will it be more work?  Yes.  But I *am* home all day...not to say I'm here and not doing anything as I take my 'job' of teaching and keeping after three youngsters and keeping house (kinda) pretty seriously.  The diapers will add an extra load every day to every other day.  That's all.  And I don't mind.

Eagerly waiting to switch over 100%!  Remind me of that when I'm knee deep in diaper duty. ;)

Son

This boy pushes the limits, loves well, makes bad choices instantly and immediately feels remorse.  He is fiesty and ornery and all things boy.  His mind never stops and neither do his 20 million questions a day.

There is a special place in my heart for this son of mine...

 Snagged these pictures tonight...unstaged, camera on auto...just real life Xavier.

Fun to Compare {Beeler Babies at 1 Month}

Natalee @ 1 Month

 

Mia @ 1 Month

Xavier @ 1 Month

 

 Mia @ 1 Month

Me @ two weeks (couldn't locate a 1 month picture)

Mike

1 Month Old {Ameliya}

Our sweet Ameliya Darby is one month old today...

Here's what I have to report, in no specific order:

• She has a beautiful smile.
• The nickname "Mia" is sticking.
• Her brother and sister are over the moon in love with her and hold her, talk to her and read to her daily.

• She nurses every 2-3 hours...except for one 5-6 hour stretch at night.  She goes to bed between 9 and 10 and sleeps hard for 5 or 6 hours...no paci, no squirming...just zonked out sleep!
• She weights 10.8 pounds and is 23" long!
•  She notices the world around her.
• She LOVES the outdoors.
• The vacuum sweeper puts her to sleep every time (and ours is a LOUD Kirby).
• She is a "good" baby but a particular baby...she likes things HER way. 
• She has to burp big time after every eating and often in between - and she doesn't sound too ladylike!
• She has a 2 stork bites on the back of her head/neck (her hair will cover them someday if they stick around) and a small mark about her eye.
• She goes through a LOT of diapers daily, which means she's eating quite well.
• She's never had formula - only breast milk.
• She got a Mooshka Tots baby doll for Easter and is starting to take quite an interest in her.  Her name is Kella.  Mia will coo at her and suck on her pig tail occasionally.

 

• She loves being naked!

• If I stick my tongue out at her she will usually respond in kind.
• She continues to sleep in the co-sleeper attached to our bed.  I'm loving it a lot and glad my sister, Andrea, suggested it.
• She loves her Aden+Anais blankets.
• She rolls from tummy to back (which requires concentration and terrible face-making!)

 

• She fights sleep already.  She rarely will nurse to sleep, instead has to be full and then tucked in to my arms tightly or laid in her bed to drift off.
• She has almost 100% head control...a couple more weeks and I'd say she'll be there.
• And, of course, the most important things we want her to remember...she is wanted, she is priceless, and she is loved.

New Space

We greatly enjoyed our new school space in the reorganized home this morning!  The windows open and the mirror by the table made the room feel quite large and we worked well at our tasks all morning long...

Natalee got her new reading book today, as she finished her first one last week. There is much excitement as we are in the "learn to read" stage of the program.  Today she reviewed her letter formations, worked on singing through the phonics song fluently, and then we all played "Pick a Sound from the Merry-Go-Round."  Little brother is enjoying being included when he can be, and I expect as a result reading will come quite naturally to him in his own due time.

 

Math was still done on the carpet today as Mondays are "new lesson" day so Natalee and I watch the DVD that goes with the curriculum.  This week she's learning different ways to make 10...it's just to watch her "get it"...she began using the block manipulatives and after the first side of one practice page it all started to click into place...

Xavier enjoyed his turn in the new work space today, too, and was even eager to take a break from his Legos to have his turn.  As a bonus, when he opened his art box he found a very important missing Lego piece that he needed to complete his Lego motorcycle! (A wheel...he'd used his scissors from his art box to cut open a package of new Legos last night and the wheel must have fallen in...we couldn't find it and gave up after scouring the carpet & under the couch!)

Lastly, I introduced a new character traits curriculum this morning.  It contains 48 scripturally based character traits to learn, complete with a Bible verse for each one.  Since we finished our Bible curriculum for the school year I thought this would be a fun, laid back, but still very important and relevant way to keep Bible education throughout our summer.

This morning's song was quite catchy and the Bible verse made Natalee stop and think...

She, like her mother, has a quick temper that sometimes moves before it should.  We will memorize our verse together this week, and help each other maintain self control.

Overall, we've felt quite productive today, even with tornado watches, hail, and strangely eery weather!  Happy Monday, friends!

Three Hours {Xavier + Legos}

Xavier has been reaching for his Lego bucket more and more lately.  We have a ton of Duplo Legos but his hands are agile enough to work the small "regular" Legos and he is loving them.  

Today was a stormy rainy day and after naps he brought his Lego bucket into the living room and invited his dad and sister to play.

 

Mike played for about an hour...Natalee lasted maybe 30 minutes.

Three hours later...

Yesterday after I purged and cleaned and rearranged I put this as my Facebook status:

This is a PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT brought to you by Beeler Mommy:
The Beeler children need NOTHING. No toys, no coloring books, no stickers, no clothes, no shoes...NOTHING. We are beyond blessed with an abundance. Xavier's birthday in June is officially canceled. {Okay, that's a joke - but seriously...house = full!}

Since I can't actually cancel his birthday (because that's not kind) maybe he *would* enjoy more Legos.  Seriously, three hours of quiet knowing he was doing something constructive and not destructive...ya can't put a price on that, folks!

Ready to Worship

We truly love Sundays here at the Beeler house...

worship fills us up and sets the mood for the week.

Pre-church cutie. 

My little worship companions...

Here's praying that YOU have a place to worship and fill your cup up for the week ahead.  Days are easier when God is at the forefront.

She Likes to Air Out

Ameliya LOVES to have her clothes off.  After church I put her in a comfy sleeper, then decided it was hot and muggy in the house so I stripped her down.  She put on quite a show of smiles and happy faces laying there in just her diaper...so much so that she went most of the day wearing just her chub rolls and her cutsie Honest company diaper.  I project a lot of our summer will be spent in diaper only attire...maybe a t-shirt or a light dress if we're feeling fancy.

Only a couple more pounds (and 2 more packages of disposable Honest diapers from the case I ordered) before we change to cloth diapers!  Likely in a week or so!!  Here's what's new in Mia's collection...

Mommy chose rainbow chevron, Daddy chose Star Wars, Xavier chose TMNT, and Natalee chose My Little Pony.  The wars will be on when it's diaper change time and the 2 older kids want to pick what diaper to put on her!

Reorganization

If you know me very well you know that every few months I like to big time move things around and "facelift" our living space.  I call it "growing a little house."

Today was the day!

With the close of daycare I sold my big dual sided cubbies and rearranged.  The kids' table left the dining room and went to the playroom.  The piano left my bedroom and came back to the dining room.  And the bedroom got a breath of fresh air with some cloth diaper organization and a little more room to move!

Bedroom Before:

Bedroom After:

Drawers 1 & 2:  Pocket Diapers; Drawer 3:  Fitteds & Gusseted Charcoal Bamboo Inserts

Drawer 1:  Microfiber Inserts; Drawer 2:  Gusseted & Regular Charcoal Bamboo Inserts; Drawer 3:  Waiting for treasure!

Basket on Top:  Bibs & Burp Cloths

{and we're still using Honest company disposables until she puts on a couple more pounds...then it's cloth goodness!}

Playroom Before:

Playroom After:

 

Dining Room Before:

Dining Room After:

 so much more floor space!!

 Mom's Nook...