FuzziBunz

I recently switched Rose to cloth diapers, and it has been going very well. When I was pregnant and in the early days of Rosie's life, it just seemed way too gross and too much work to even consider. Then as time passed and I started to feel better, I began considering it as a worthwhile alternative to forking out $55 dollars a month for disposables, wipes and the special trash liners for her diaper pail (especially because we must buy formula!). So I did some research. I talked to a few moms in my church. I thought about the fact that legally you're supposed to flush the contents of disposables before trashing them, even though no one does (lol). I considered the thousands of diapers Rosie would go through. I thought about how the best disposables (Pampers) are also the most expensive, and neither Bobby or I are impressed with Costco brand. I considered the cost of water, electricty, and detergent (still less than disposables) and then bought a nice "start-up" kit.

I'm starting with some of the least-expensive diapers: cotton prefolds and covers. Prefolds are the absorbent layer that you (easily) fold over the baby, secure with a snappi (think of those little clips that hold an ace bandage on) and top with a thin waterproof cover (that closes with velcro). Unlike disposables, I have never had an issue with leakage or those infamous "blow-outs" you hear about. I have to change Rosie pretty frequently, but it's actually no more than I changed her disposables. I didn't let her go as long as possible in the disposables, because I didn't want her sitting too long and too close to that gel-like stuff that absorbs pee.

I also bought two Fuzzibunz "pocket" diapers, which are high-end in cloth diaper land (they really reduce the bulk factor). They are built just like a disposable, with a soft flannel lining and a waterproof outer shell. Between the lining and the shell is room for "inserts" made of microfiber or hemp, which absorbs the baby's pee. I've been using this for overnights with great results. Before there was only one diaper (Pampers) that would barely get her through the night, but when she wears the Fuzzibunz she wakes up and can even have her morning bottle before a change. I'm going to slowly build up my stash of Fuzzibunz - I like the one-size version, which can grow with Rose (I just adjust the leg elastics and waist tabs).

Finally, I am using baby wash cloths as wipes. I only need one per change, and it's way more effective than disposable wipes. I keep them in a plastic container that used to store cereal. Now, I mix up some water, baby soap, and lavendar essential oil and pour it over the washcloths, then just toss them into the cloth diaper pail.
Anyways, I know it will get gross as time goes on and Rose eats solids. I'm okay with that. Saving a ton of money and being able to pull fresh diapers out of the dryer in the morning is worth it!

I Love This Face

Pedro the Lion, the Devers, and the Ocean

Mark and Connie's son, Nathan, signed up their house to host an intimate, 40-seat concert for Pedro the Lion. Sweet, I know!

So Mark and Connie vacated for the evening, and took Bobby and I out to a great dinner at a restaurant called Sequoia, overlooking the Potomac. We had amazing food - chowder, crab cakes, different kinds of breads...so tasty.

Afterwards we walked down to a theatre and watched the new Disney "Oceans" movie. The commentary is not as rigurously educational as Blue Planet - it's definitely images designed to delight. We all saw animals that we'd never seen before. I'd recommend it!

We wrapped up our evening hanging out with our friends Teresa and Kata - they watched Rose for us, and we enjoyed a cup of tea before they left. Good times! It was especially nice because the Weekender began yesterday, so four days of Bobby being busy busy busy and not getting home until late!

Please pray for us this weekend - we're heading out to Maryland on Sunday morning - Bobby is preaching out on the Eastern Shore. We've been to this church many times, and their pastor is attending the Weekender, so Bobby is filling the pulpit. He's preaching from Psalm 95...looking forward to it!

He's Ruined for Pens

Last Friday, Bobby and the rest of the 9Marks staff had a brain-storming/planning meeting up at Covenant Life Church - they used their conference rooms. CJ Mahaney was there as well, and gifted all the 9Marks guys with Faber-Castell ballpoint pens. The pens are super high quality, have a good weight, write smoothly, and so on. Bobby is using his instead of his V5 pens that he always had on hand. "The other ones just feel so slight in my hand now," he says. I told him for his birthday I would get him a replacement ink cartridge for the Faber-Castell, because that's the only one he's going to have for awhile. : )

Today at Cafe 8

Fiona and Alec (Rose's third set of grandparents : ) are here from California for the weekend. Today we went out to lunch at Cafe 8 on 8th Street here on Capitol Hill. We took some good pictures, this one included.



Bobby: "I love this picture because it accentuates her bird-like features."

Rosie talks!

We're having more and more conversations these days! : )

Moving!

So, if all goes as planned, we're leaving our little Hobbit home in three weeks time. The plans have moved quickly and we're quite excited (if maybe a little overwhelmed with packing!).

Our friends Jamie and Joan bought a condo (the deal has to close. This is the 'all goes as planned' part : ), and we are going to be the first tenants. Jamie is a budget master-mind and pastor at our church who worked with Bobby's boss (who also works based out of the church) and us to figure out a way to make it feasible for us to cover rent on this beautiful, two-bedroom, fourth floor condo. And it's happening!

We're stoked. It's definitely a home. And since we're going to be here for five or six years, and there may or may not be more kiddos, it's nice to be in a place where we can settle and grow.

Lots of windows. A skylight. An elevator. Four blocks from our church. Beautiful east-facing view of the city (so no monuments, but we get the arboretum!). I mean...we'll have a real bedroom. And Rose will, too.

There is a nice, smallish kitchen - but I love it.

And maybe my favorite part besides the windows? A wood-burning fireplace! So cool.

Anyways, we can actually host visitors now. Just expect an air mattress until we can get another bed.


PS
Because Stephen reads this blog and will think this is cool: Shai Linne is moving into our current place. : )