Diapers

I've seen a lot of facebook status updates about diapers and diaper brands, so I thought that I'd do a quick little blog so I can remember for the next child.

Newborn
Pampers Swaddler diapers are much softer and more absorbent than most diapers and don't cause rashes. I made the mistake of using off brand wipes on Micah and his poor little tooshie paid for that mistake. Next time around I'll definitely use the sensitive wipes until I feel like their bottom has toughened up a bit.

3 Months and Up
Once their bowel movements are a little more predictable and solid and their bottoms are a little tougher, I switch to off brand diapers during the day and the name brand diapers a night in order to save a little money. The only off brand that isn't really a "bargain" has been the Walmart brand Family Choice because I have to change their diapers more often due to leaking. Although, I have friends who have had good luck with them. I've also found that although Pampers is a little more expensive than LUVS or Huggies, they hold more and cover more of the boys' bottoms and are worth the price. I also have a "Strike Three" rule - after 3 blowouts/major leaks I up the diaper size.

Between 12 & 18 Months
Both of my boys began to wet through their night time diapers even though I was putting them in name brand diapers as well as in one size bigger than they wear during the day. Micah woke up several nights in a row one week soaked ... I quickly mastered changing a toddler's clothes and diaper in the dark. Eventually I gave in and bought Pampers special overnight diapers. Again, they are more expensive, but if it saves me having to change an entire outfit every night and getting more quality sleep for both me and Micah it's worth it.

Potty Training
I don't do Pull-Ups (you can read my potty training blog for more details). I think that I can just as easily take off and put on a normal diaper for early potty training and save the extra dollars. When Jackson was in his later stages of potty training I put him in underwear and never looked back ... I just hope I'm as lucky with Micah.

Cloth Diapers
I'm not an expert on cloth diapers all I know is that there are SO MANY different brands to choose from. I have a lot of friends who use them for various different reasons. I'm a just a little too lazy for them perhaps. If you have questions about them I know some great women who would love to answer any questions you have!

Click!

At various stages in children's lives things just click! Before that moment you think "they'll never learn to walk, talk, feed themselves, climb stairs, jump, use the toilet, ride a bike, pee standing up, etc." But then one day it seems that they wake up and they set their mind to a task and they "get 'er done."

Here are a few things that have "clicked" for Micah and Jackson over the last couple of weeks/months:

Jackson:

peddling his big wheel


coloring and beginning writing skills

and ...yes ... peeing standing up (I don't have a picture for that one folks).

Micah:

talking, talking, and more talking... (this one counts for triple)


It's SO FUN to watch skills magically happen! It's the wonderment of learning that I love the most. You never know when it's going to happen ... when they'll FINALLY get it, but they do and I feel so privileged to get to see it happen.

My First Dentist Appointment by Jackson

So first we went in. And then we played with toys. There were Duplos and there were stuffed animals (a giraffe, a polar bear, a panda bear) and there were more, but I don't remember them.

Then the waitress said, "Colin it's your turn." And then we went into the room where there were chairs and tools. There was a big chair and there was a small chair (like a rocking chair) and I sat in it and then I rocked. Then I read books while Daddy climbed up in the chair and then they started fixing his teeth.

Later Daddy put on an apron (a really heavy apron) and then ... um... cuz they wanted to take a picture of his teeth. The picture looked like a big picture with five pictures on it and it was turquoise color.

Then Daddy got out of the chair and then it was my turn.

I sat in the chair and then they looked at my teeth and they had a hook and mirror. They kinda got in between my teeth and then they counted my top teeth (there were ten). Then they counted my bottom teeth and I had ten teeth down there. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, TWENTY!

Then when I was all done I got to ride up and down on the chair. After that she showed me "Mr. Thirsty." He's a tool that sucks up water. They put it in a cup with water and he drank up all the water. Then I drank a cup of water and spit out in the sink. Then Pat (the dental hygienist) gave me a toothbrush and some toothpaste and some floss and some other floss... two toothpastes and a pencil. Then I said, "goodbye."

Then Daddy talked to a lady and I got a sticker to put on our calendar to remember when we would come back.

THE END

United States Flag

Our next door neighbors (the ones that I've blogged about before) are both in the military. When we moved in the father was deployed and now the mother has been deployed since August. We've become good friends with them and their daughter and Jackson are inseparable. So, we sent a thank you letter and picture to the mother soon after she was deployed and yesterday she sent us this in the mail:



Yes, that is Jackson using the USA flag as a blanket.

The certificate says that the "flag was flown over the skies of Afghanistan on the 9th day of February, 2010... in a Close Air Support mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in finding and destroying all those who threaten our very way of life. With great appreciation we present this certificate to those who support the few that fight for the freedoms of many: Colin, Corinne, Jackson and Micah.

We thought that it was WAY cool to receive that gift and what a wonderful teachable moment for Jackson to learn about our country and what we stand for. As a result we are now beginning to work on memorizing the "Pledge of Allegiance." I'll be sure to post the video.

Video taken on 3/10/10: