I'm so proud of myself! After a couple of hours researching online and trying to figure it out.... I've finally created a button for my blog! Yea me! LOL. Check it out below or "Grab It" from the right side bar!
Look for a new post coming soon!
A blog for the Fluff FANatic in all of us...
Friday, August 26, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
Weedle Weedle
If you read my last post, you know that I've become an affiliate for Just Simply Baby... Well, I've also become an affiliate for Weedle Weedle! I'm so excited to have TWO great companies to share with you! I have spent many many months shopping around trying to find the best companies to purchase from with the lowest prices while maintaining the quality that I expect.
Weedle Weedle has everything from cloth diapers to toys to laundry detergent to diaper and hand bags and more! Weedle Weedle was formed out of a mother's desire to leave the corporate workplace and stay home with her children, yet still be connected to the business world. ALL of the products Weedle Weedle sells are products that they recommend because they have either personally used them or because they are recognized as the "best of the best" within the natural parenting/cloth diapering circles.
They have a great customer rewards program, wonderful customer service and a price matching guarentee (something I always look for!). I personally am a big fan of shopping around for the best price or free shipping on products, whatever is going to save me the most amount of money for my family (and I'm sure you are too!)... Weedle Weedle helps take the guess work out of it. You'll find nothing but great products with competitive prices and FREE SHIPPING!
Go check them out and enjoy your shopping experience! Click the below logo or the logo on the banner to the right to go to their website and have my affiliate code automatically entered for you!
Enjoy your shopping!
Weedle Weedle has everything from cloth diapers to toys to laundry detergent to diaper and hand bags and more! Weedle Weedle was formed out of a mother's desire to leave the corporate workplace and stay home with her children, yet still be connected to the business world. ALL of the products Weedle Weedle sells are products that they recommend because they have either personally used them or because they are recognized as the "best of the best" within the natural parenting/cloth diapering circles.
They have a great customer rewards program, wonderful customer service and a price matching guarentee (something I always look for!). I personally am a big fan of shopping around for the best price or free shipping on products, whatever is going to save me the most amount of money for my family (and I'm sure you are too!)... Weedle Weedle helps take the guess work out of it. You'll find nothing but great products with competitive prices and FREE SHIPPING!
Go check them out and enjoy your shopping experience! Click the below logo or the logo on the banner to the right to go to their website and have my affiliate code automatically entered for you!
Enjoy your shopping!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Just Simply Baby
Guess what everyone... I've just become a Just Simply Baby affiliate! I'm so excited to share this with you! I LOVE this company. I found them a few months ago and finally completed my first order, noticed they have an affiliate program... and (after talking with the hubby, of course) decided to become an affiliate!
Why do I love this company?
I love this company for many reasons, first... it's in the name Just SIMPLY Baby... They are all about cloth diapering being SIMPLE. These are not your mother's or your grandmother's diapers! They are just as easy as using disposables, but better! They are reusable! I also love them because they are Christian based (peek around their website and see what you find!). A WHAM, Katie, developed Just Simply Baby because she wanted "a good diaper at a great price." And, if I do say so myself, she was quite successful!
About JSB:
Great diapers at great prices. EVERY diaper comes with TWO (yes, I said two) microfiber inserts... and note, it's not a newborn insert and regular insert... it is two regular inserts (both snap down to fit the appropriate size). They offer FREE shipping to military families (see their website for details). They only work during the week, during their working hours, the rest of their time is for their family's (another thing I love!). Their diapers can be used as swim diapers (awesome!!), just don't put an insert in... Lastly, they have a wonderful 30 day return policy, if you're not happy just contact them and return the diaper's NO QUESTIONS ASKED! They can be un-packaged, washed and used... and they will still take them back!
If you place an order, please use my affiliate code... you'll get a 5% discount AND I will get credit! My code is: ARCOL
So, click here to go to Just Simply Baby and place an order with this AMAZING company!
Why do I love this company?
I love this company for many reasons, first... it's in the name Just SIMPLY Baby... They are all about cloth diapering being SIMPLE. These are not your mother's or your grandmother's diapers! They are just as easy as using disposables, but better! They are reusable! I also love them because they are Christian based (peek around their website and see what you find!). A WHAM, Katie, developed Just Simply Baby because she wanted "a good diaper at a great price." And, if I do say so myself, she was quite successful!
About JSB:
Great diapers at great prices. EVERY diaper comes with TWO (yes, I said two) microfiber inserts... and note, it's not a newborn insert and regular insert... it is two regular inserts (both snap down to fit the appropriate size). They offer FREE shipping to military families (see their website for details). They only work during the week, during their working hours, the rest of their time is for their family's (another thing I love!). Their diapers can be used as swim diapers (awesome!!), just don't put an insert in... Lastly, they have a wonderful 30 day return policy, if you're not happy just contact them and return the diaper's NO QUESTIONS ASKED! They can be un-packaged, washed and used... and they will still take them back!
If you place an order, please use my affiliate code... you'll get a 5% discount AND I will get credit! My code is: ARCOL
So, click here to go to Just Simply Baby and place an order with this AMAZING company!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
It's Thirsties Thursday Giveaway Time!
Okay, I know I blog about Thristies A LOT, but they have GREAT giveaways! Seriously, there are a few facebook pages that I "stalk"... lol... and Thirsties is one of them... Again, I haven't had the pleasure of trying out this particular brand of fluff yet, but I have friends that just LOVE them! I can't wait to have the opportunity to try them out someday! I am slowly but surely adding to my personal stash for DS, but it is a slow process!
This week's Fabulous Thirsties Thursday Giveaway (#10!) is for :
This week's Fabulous Thirsties Thursday Giveaway (#10!) is for :
SO great! So please, go check them out, say hello! Enter the giveaway and tell them Thanks for the giveaway!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
KAMsnaps
Okay friends! Time to let you in on this great giveaway going on at KAMsnaps! They are giving away a coupon for $87 to buy a Snap Press! Wait.... there's more! Yup, they are also giving away 6 snap pliers (for a total of 7 winners!!!)... EVERY DAY you can enter to win, so be sure to check them out, like them on facebook, sign up for their blog email and ENTER for your chance to win!
Here's the link to check it out: http://on.fb.me/qt5Ndj
Happy Entering!
Here's the link to check it out: http://on.fb.me/qt5Ndj
Happy Entering!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Happy Heinys
I recently purchased a couple of Happy Heinys One for ALL diapers from Milies Boutique (great little online boutique with a great owner, you should check her out!) because I've heard such great things about them! A couple of things that I liked right away without every having seen their diapers:
1. They are from Southern California (I know this isn't really a selling point, but hey, I'm from SoCal too... keep it local! Haha!). And what's better ALL of their diapers are made right there in SoCal! Amazing, 100% American Made right there!
2. They don't sell their seconds diapers. Now, I know that many of us frugal mama's like shopping for seconds (because who really cares if a stitch is out of place when you are on a tight budget, right?!)... and I would love to get my hands on some more HH diapers... but I LOVE that they don't sell their seconds... They DONATE them! Yup, you heard me right; Happy Heinys donates ALL of their seconds diapers to families in need. To me, that is way better than getting a diaper cheaper because it wasn't made 100% correctly. They made the decision to do this way back in October of 2003 when fires rampaged California (I remember them well!). Well done!
When I received the two HHs I ordered, my first impression was how soft they were! I was so excited to try them on my DS so I quickly put them in the wash (side note: you don't have to wash them a bunch of times before you use them, just once! Of course, the more you wash them, the more absorbant they get... they only suggested thing is to change your baby a little more often until you've washed them a few times).
Once I had the diaper on my DS, I was sold! I was amazed at how trim this diaper is (especially compared to the prefolds I had been using!) and how well it fit my chubby chugs/skinny waist/no butt boy!
My DS is 7 months old and weighs about 18 lbs so I have the diapers snapped down just one size. I love the double row and layer snaps to secure the diaper on, meaning you can get just the right fit. I also love that whether my DS is sitting down playing or standing and bouncing, the diaper moves with him and there are never any leaks!
Needless to say, I was already impressed with this diaper... but then I put it to the test... the overnight test! My DS is a heavy wetter (mostly due to the fact that he loves to night nurse and he still wakes up multiple times a night... ) and so far, we haven't found much that will keep him dry all night. This diaper did the trick on a normal night (where he wakes up twice to nurse). I put both of the inserts in with the longer insert folded over the smaller one (just slightly) and put the bulky part in front of the pocket... and when we woke up the next moring, our bed was dry and he was dry! Hooray! (*little side note, the HH diaper did not stand up to DS nursing ALL night long... however, like many say "a diaper is only as good as the stuffing inside" lol... I don't think any diaper can hold up to that and therefore if you have a baby that periodically likes to nurse all night long, you will want to plan on changing their diaper half way through the night, just to make sure they stay dry and comfortable and you don't have any extra laundry to do!)
Would I recommend this diaper to a friend? Yes I would, 100% percent! But try it out for yourself! Before buying a huge stash of any diaper, you should always try out a couple first... just to make sure it works for your baby and you! Visit Happy Heinys today and find a retailer nearest you or online!
*I purchased the diapers that I reviewed and I was in no way compensated by any of the companies mentioned in this blog. I was also not asked to write this blog by anyone. This blog was written by me and the opinions within are my own. If you have any questions, please email me at 1flufffanatic@gmail.com.
1. They are from Southern California (I know this isn't really a selling point, but hey, I'm from SoCal too... keep it local! Haha!). And what's better ALL of their diapers are made right there in SoCal! Amazing, 100% American Made right there!
2. They don't sell their seconds diapers. Now, I know that many of us frugal mama's like shopping for seconds (because who really cares if a stitch is out of place when you are on a tight budget, right?!)... and I would love to get my hands on some more HH diapers... but I LOVE that they don't sell their seconds... They DONATE them! Yup, you heard me right; Happy Heinys donates ALL of their seconds diapers to families in need. To me, that is way better than getting a diaper cheaper because it wasn't made 100% correctly. They made the decision to do this way back in October of 2003 when fires rampaged California (I remember them well!). Well done!
When I received the two HHs I ordered, my first impression was how soft they were! I was so excited to try them on my DS so I quickly put them in the wash (side note: you don't have to wash them a bunch of times before you use them, just once! Of course, the more you wash them, the more absorbant they get... they only suggested thing is to change your baby a little more often until you've washed them a few times).
Once I had the diaper on my DS, I was sold! I was amazed at how trim this diaper is (especially compared to the prefolds I had been using!) and how well it fit my chubby chugs/skinny waist/no butt boy!
Needless to say, I was already impressed with this diaper... but then I put it to the test... the overnight test! My DS is a heavy wetter (mostly due to the fact that he loves to night nurse and he still wakes up multiple times a night... ) and so far, we haven't found much that will keep him dry all night. This diaper did the trick on a normal night (where he wakes up twice to nurse). I put both of the inserts in with the longer insert folded over the smaller one (just slightly) and put the bulky part in front of the pocket... and when we woke up the next moring, our bed was dry and he was dry! Hooray! (*little side note, the HH diaper did not stand up to DS nursing ALL night long... however, like many say "a diaper is only as good as the stuffing inside" lol... I don't think any diaper can hold up to that and therefore if you have a baby that periodically likes to nurse all night long, you will want to plan on changing their diaper half way through the night, just to make sure they stay dry and comfortable and you don't have any extra laundry to do!)
Would I recommend this diaper to a friend? Yes I would, 100% percent! But try it out for yourself! Before buying a huge stash of any diaper, you should always try out a couple first... just to make sure it works for your baby and you! Visit Happy Heinys today and find a retailer nearest you or online!
*I purchased the diapers that I reviewed and I was in no way compensated by any of the companies mentioned in this blog. I was also not asked to write this blog by anyone. This blog was written by me and the opinions within are my own. If you have any questions, please email me at 1flufffanatic@gmail.com.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Chocolate Hair / Vanilla Care
Hi friends,
I know I mostly share about fluff and life with an infant with you but I will, from time to time, share great blogs I've found or blogs I've been introduced to or my friends' blogs... Right now, I want to share my friends' blog with you... Chocolate Hair / Vanilla Care. In her blog my friend, Rory, chronicles her life as an adoptive vanilla mama to a chocolate girl. Rory and her husband adopted their daughter "Boo" when she was just 6 days old. They are such a wonderful family that were made to be together! Rory does AMAZING hair styles on Boo and teaches her readers how to do them too! Now, I don't have a daughter that I can do these hair styles on, but Rory also shares lots of other great things with her readers, like I recently learned a LOT from her regarding sunscreen, search her blog for it!
Here's what Rory says about her blog: "In addition to chronicling everyday activities such as growing hair, products, and step-by-step instructions, I also talk about what it means to be a vanilla mama of a chocolate girl, and how we explore identity, respect, and empowerment, using hair as our common language." She really is a great mama and wonderful person!
If you are interested in learning about adoption or how to do chocolate hair, Rory & her blog are a great resource! Please go check out her blog and follow if it is of interest to you (and do please share with others!).
Also, check out Rory's giveaway! She won an Apple iTouch and she's going to give it away to one lucky reader! Here's the link to her giveaway: http://www.chocolatehairvanillacare.com/2011/06/im-sharing-my-winnings-with-one-of-you.html Hurry though, the giveaway ends on Thursday, June 30th at 5:00pm PDT!
But please don't stop at the giveaway, check out the rest of her great blog! You'll enjoy it!
I know I mostly share about fluff and life with an infant with you but I will, from time to time, share great blogs I've found or blogs I've been introduced to or my friends' blogs... Right now, I want to share my friends' blog with you... Chocolate Hair / Vanilla Care. In her blog my friend, Rory, chronicles her life as an adoptive vanilla mama to a chocolate girl. Rory and her husband adopted their daughter "Boo" when she was just 6 days old. They are such a wonderful family that were made to be together! Rory does AMAZING hair styles on Boo and teaches her readers how to do them too! Now, I don't have a daughter that I can do these hair styles on, but Rory also shares lots of other great things with her readers, like I recently learned a LOT from her regarding sunscreen, search her blog for it!
Here's what Rory says about her blog: "In addition to chronicling everyday activities such as growing hair, products, and step-by-step instructions, I also talk about what it means to be a vanilla mama of a chocolate girl, and how we explore identity, respect, and empowerment, using hair as our common language." She really is a great mama and wonderful person!
If you are interested in learning about adoption or how to do chocolate hair, Rory & her blog are a great resource! Please go check out her blog and follow if it is of interest to you (and do please share with others!).
Also, check out Rory's giveaway! She won an Apple iTouch and she's going to give it away to one lucky reader! Here's the link to her giveaway: http://www.chocolatehairvanillacare.com/2011/06/im-sharing-my-winnings-with-one-of-you.html Hurry though, the giveaway ends on Thursday, June 30th at 5:00pm PDT!
But please don't stop at the giveaway, check out the rest of her great blog! You'll enjoy it!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Thirsties Thursday Giveaway!
Okay readers! This might be a weekly blog, lol! Thirsties Thursday Giveaway #3 is up on their blog! GO check it out. Thirsties is an amazing company... Good luck!
Here's the details from their website... but you have to go there and enter (can't enter from my website!)
Thirsties Thursday Giveaway #3 includes:
1-Thirsties Duo Wrap (in your choice of size and closure)
2-Thirsties Duo Hemp Prefolds
How Do You Enter ? (5 EASY WAYS!)
1) Post on your Facebook wall AND tag Thirsties that you entered the “Thirsties Thursday Giveaway”. Leave a comment in reply to this post that you posted on your wall and the date that you posted.
2) Become a fan of Thirsties on Facebook. Leave a comment in reply to this post and let us know you are a Facebook fan.
3) Follow Thirsties on Twitter. Leave a comment in reply to this post and let us know you are following us on Twitter.
4) Join our Thirsties Newsletter. (Sign up below “giveaway rules”.) Leave a comment in reply to this post and let us know you have signed up for our newsletter.
5) Subscribe to the Thirsties Blog Feed. Leave a comment in reply to this post that you are subscribed.
BONUS 5 Entries:
Write a blog post about this week’s giveaway on your blog and link back to this post. Leave 5 comments in reply to this post that include:Your blog name, the url of your post, and entry # (1-5)
Giveaway Rules:
U.S. Residents only. No purchase necessary to win. Void where prohibited by law. Eligible entries MUST be posted by end of day, June 22nd, 2011. A winner will be randomly drawn and posted on this blog on Sunday, June 26th, 2011
Here's the details from their website... but you have to go there and enter (can't enter from my website!)
Thirsties Thursday Giveaway #3 includes:
1-Thirsties Duo Wrap (in your choice of size and closure)
2-Thirsties Duo Hemp Prefolds
How Do You Enter ? (5 EASY WAYS!)
1) Post on your Facebook wall AND tag Thirsties that you entered the “Thirsties Thursday Giveaway”. Leave a comment in reply to this post that you posted on your wall and the date that you posted.
2) Become a fan of Thirsties on Facebook. Leave a comment in reply to this post and let us know you are a Facebook fan.
3) Follow Thirsties on Twitter. Leave a comment in reply to this post and let us know you are following us on Twitter.
4) Join our Thirsties Newsletter. (Sign up below “giveaway rules”.) Leave a comment in reply to this post and let us know you have signed up for our newsletter.
5) Subscribe to the Thirsties Blog Feed. Leave a comment in reply to this post that you are subscribed.
BONUS 5 Entries:
Write a blog post about this week’s giveaway on your blog and link back to this post. Leave 5 comments in reply to this post that include:Your blog name, the url of your post, and entry # (1-5)
Giveaway Rules:
U.S. Residents only. No purchase necessary to win. Void where prohibited by law. Eligible entries MUST be posted by end of day, June 22nd, 2011. A winner will be randomly drawn and posted on this blog on Sunday, June 26th, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Traveling with an Infant, Part 1
It goes without saying that an infant requires A LOT of stuff... one would think that the smaller you are, the less stuff you require; however, they would be wrong. For the past 7 weeks my DS and I have been away from our home. (DH has been away too, just on the opposite coast for a USMC class.) We flew back to California to visit family & friends and we stayed at my brother & sister-in-law's house. We had a great time and it was such a blessing to stay with family...but it's still not home. You don't have all the things you are used to so it throws off your routine a little. We adapted well to the change in environment, DS barely even missed a beat with the 2-hour time change! We didn't have everything in our normal routine at home (including daddy!) but Granny helped make us feel more at home by purchasing a few items for us (like an entertainer, a booster seat, toys, a COFFEE maker, etc). AND we had some extra hands when we really needed them with Granny, Aunti and Uncle around!
To make this 2,100 mile journey for 7 weeks, I was able to pack us in two suitcases, a diaper bag, and computer backpack. We did also have the stroller and carseat that we had to check at the gate every time we got on a plane (held DS in my lap - yea for free fare!) but I carried DS in the sling and pushed the stroller with everything in it to lighten my load. In our two suitcases (and I have the matching set where they nest in each other and the smaller one is considered a carry-on) I packed enough clothes to only have to do laundry every week and we really stretched it longer, I think I did laundry 5 times while we were there (not including diapers, but we'll get there). I packed us plenty of clothes (all of DS' 3 month, 3-6 month and 6 month clothes), some smaller toys, a few books to read, toiletries, 3 pair of shoes, 18 cloth diapers, fabric to make more cloth diapers, shopping cart cover (we used it a lot!), towels & more. You name it and I probably packed it, haha! On the return journey, we had significantly more because DS got lots of new clothes and toys from Granny. Even with shipping TWO 14x14x14 boxes home (mostly with the fabric and clothes that DS doesn't fit in anymore), I still had an extra bag at the airport! It was so nice to not do laundry every two days like I do at home; I really don't mind doing laundry, it's way better than dishes, but it's still nice to get a break!
DS did GREAT on the plane! I flew with him when he was 1 month old and that went well too (he mostly slept and ate!). But these last two flying experiences, he was much more active and bouncy. He was such a good traveler! He nursed or slept for every take-off and landing except the last one coming home, and even then he never complained and just happily sucked on my finger as we changed altitudes. He was happy laughing or bouncing or playing or happy-squealing the entire time when he wasn't nursing or sleeping. Everyone commented on how good he was, how cute he was, and how happy he was... made this mommy very proud! I am also SO grateful for all of the wonderful people I met along the way who helped me navigate the airports with all my luggage and DS. At every point in my journey, someone was offering to help me. It truly was refreshing to know that there is so many helpful and generous people out there! And it is also so nice to be able to chat with them while they are helping me too! The flight attendants were also very helpful and kind too. It really was a great experience traveling, the only thing that would have made it better is if I was traveling with hubby too!
I did became a little lazy with cloth diapering (we used sposies for most of the trip, scandalous, I know! But even the biggest Fluff Fanatic might not CD 24/7)... however, there was another reason for my laziness with using cloth: we've got some major stinkies going on! I stripped the diapers before we left Alabama, but it didn't work. So once we got to California I rocked a soak with some Rockin Green Classic, then soaked in Funk Rock and then washed in Classic and triple rinsed, but it didn't work out so well, we still got ammonia smell after using the diapers. Admittedly, I should have been using Hard Rock because the water in California is soooo hard, but I didn't think about it at the time. After much research online, I've decided to try rockin another soak once we get home (we have more to our vacation, won't be home for another 10 days or so, yea! - that's part 2)... I'll be using Rockin Green Soft Rock (because that's what is recommend for where we live), more funk rock and LOTS of water. I'll tell you how it goes and if it gets rid of our super stinky mess!
I'm sitting in a hotel room waiting anxiously for DH (and passing time by blogging =P). His flight came in a day later than ours so we just stayed close to the airport rather than having to take a shuttle 2 hours home just to come back again the next day to start our vacation (of which, I still don't know where we are going or what we are doing! DH has kept it a surprise!). It was great being in California with friends and family (and we will miss them) but I'm so ready to have my hubby back! We didn't do "tourist" things while in Cali, we really just hung out with friends & family, went to church and went to a couple of street fairs.
Oh! DS did fall in love with doggies! My bro and sis have 3 dogs; a Boggle, a Pit Bull and a German Shepherd-like dog (the latter two are both rescue dogs!). The GS-like dog was his favorite because he would come up and lick DS' toes and hands and face (which mommy compulsively washed afterwards, haha) and would then lay his head across DS' lap and go to sleep, it was too cute and we have lots of pictures to show for it! The Pit Bull is the princess of the family; she is not only one of the sweetest dogs I have ever met (and the biggest kisser!) but she is also a trained Therapy Dog. She regularly visits nursing homes and slobbers all over the patients while they love on her and tell her how beautiful she is. The Boggle is the most well behaved (surprisingly so, he was the MOST rambunctious puppy I'd ever seen!). Mr. Boggle is also the sneakiest one of the bunch.... he can steal a bone from the others without them knowing it or steal a muffin out of his mommy's purse without disturbing the contents; he's a regular Houdini! DH and I have talked about getting a dog for ourselves, and we would LOVE to do so, but since we live in an apartment we are just worried about the amount of care we could truly give the dog while we have a 6 month old too... we'll see where God takes us on that one!
Enough of my long-windedness, DH is due any minute! YEA! After we finish our vacation, I'll blog about the rest of our journey. I wish we would have been able to try out some cloth diaper traveling systems (like Flip or gDiapers) rather than sposies, but we didn't really plan to change our normal CD routine...maybe next time. In the end, I guess it's really all about being flexible and doing whatever works best for you in the situation you are in.
Anyone have any great travel stories to tell with their LO? I'd love to hear them!
To make this 2,100 mile journey for 7 weeks, I was able to pack us in two suitcases, a diaper bag, and computer backpack. We did also have the stroller and carseat that we had to check at the gate every time we got on a plane (held DS in my lap - yea for free fare!) but I carried DS in the sling and pushed the stroller with everything in it to lighten my load. In our two suitcases (and I have the matching set where they nest in each other and the smaller one is considered a carry-on) I packed enough clothes to only have to do laundry every week and we really stretched it longer, I think I did laundry 5 times while we were there (not including diapers, but we'll get there). I packed us plenty of clothes (all of DS' 3 month, 3-6 month and 6 month clothes), some smaller toys, a few books to read, toiletries, 3 pair of shoes, 18 cloth diapers, fabric to make more cloth diapers, shopping cart cover (we used it a lot!), towels & more. You name it and I probably packed it, haha! On the return journey, we had significantly more because DS got lots of new clothes and toys from Granny. Even with shipping TWO 14x14x14 boxes home (mostly with the fabric and clothes that DS doesn't fit in anymore), I still had an extra bag at the airport! It was so nice to not do laundry every two days like I do at home; I really don't mind doing laundry, it's way better than dishes, but it's still nice to get a break!
DS did GREAT on the plane! I flew with him when he was 1 month old and that went well too (he mostly slept and ate!). But these last two flying experiences, he was much more active and bouncy. He was such a good traveler! He nursed or slept for every take-off and landing except the last one coming home, and even then he never complained and just happily sucked on my finger as we changed altitudes. He was happy laughing or bouncing or playing or happy-squealing the entire time when he wasn't nursing or sleeping. Everyone commented on how good he was, how cute he was, and how happy he was... made this mommy very proud! I am also SO grateful for all of the wonderful people I met along the way who helped me navigate the airports with all my luggage and DS. At every point in my journey, someone was offering to help me. It truly was refreshing to know that there is so many helpful and generous people out there! And it is also so nice to be able to chat with them while they are helping me too! The flight attendants were also very helpful and kind too. It really was a great experience traveling, the only thing that would have made it better is if I was traveling with hubby too!
I did became a little lazy with cloth diapering (we used sposies for most of the trip, scandalous, I know! But even the biggest Fluff Fanatic might not CD 24/7)... however, there was another reason for my laziness with using cloth: we've got some major stinkies going on! I stripped the diapers before we left Alabama, but it didn't work. So once we got to California I rocked a soak with some Rockin Green Classic, then soaked in Funk Rock and then washed in Classic and triple rinsed, but it didn't work out so well, we still got ammonia smell after using the diapers. Admittedly, I should have been using Hard Rock because the water in California is soooo hard, but I didn't think about it at the time. After much research online, I've decided to try rockin another soak once we get home (we have more to our vacation, won't be home for another 10 days or so, yea! - that's part 2)... I'll be using Rockin Green Soft Rock (because that's what is recommend for where we live), more funk rock and LOTS of water. I'll tell you how it goes and if it gets rid of our super stinky mess!
I'm sitting in a hotel room waiting anxiously for DH (and passing time by blogging =P). His flight came in a day later than ours so we just stayed close to the airport rather than having to take a shuttle 2 hours home just to come back again the next day to start our vacation (of which, I still don't know where we are going or what we are doing! DH has kept it a surprise!). It was great being in California with friends and family (and we will miss them) but I'm so ready to have my hubby back! We didn't do "tourist" things while in Cali, we really just hung out with friends & family, went to church and went to a couple of street fairs.
Oh! DS did fall in love with doggies! My bro and sis have 3 dogs; a Boggle, a Pit Bull and a German Shepherd-like dog (the latter two are both rescue dogs!). The GS-like dog was his favorite because he would come up and lick DS' toes and hands and face (which mommy compulsively washed afterwards, haha) and would then lay his head across DS' lap and go to sleep, it was too cute and we have lots of pictures to show for it! The Pit Bull is the princess of the family; she is not only one of the sweetest dogs I have ever met (and the biggest kisser!) but she is also a trained Therapy Dog. She regularly visits nursing homes and slobbers all over the patients while they love on her and tell her how beautiful she is. The Boggle is the most well behaved (surprisingly so, he was the MOST rambunctious puppy I'd ever seen!). Mr. Boggle is also the sneakiest one of the bunch.... he can steal a bone from the others without them knowing it or steal a muffin out of his mommy's purse without disturbing the contents; he's a regular Houdini! DH and I have talked about getting a dog for ourselves, and we would LOVE to do so, but since we live in an apartment we are just worried about the amount of care we could truly give the dog while we have a 6 month old too... we'll see where God takes us on that one!
Enough of my long-windedness, DH is due any minute! YEA! After we finish our vacation, I'll blog about the rest of our journey. I wish we would have been able to try out some cloth diaper traveling systems (like Flip or gDiapers) rather than sposies, but we didn't really plan to change our normal CD routine...maybe next time. In the end, I guess it's really all about being flexible and doing whatever works best for you in the situation you are in.
Anyone have any great travel stories to tell with their LO? I'd love to hear them!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Why "Fluff Fanatic"
Well, the name is pretty obvious... I'm a fluff fanatic! However, I feel like the blog name needs a little more explanation... I first learned about cloth diapers from my friend who had 5 kids (she now has 7 =D)... she was using Cotton Babies' Econobum prefold diapers and covers. She also had some of Cotton Babies' bumGenius one-size diapers for when babysitters/church nursery workers needed to change a diaper. I fell in love with the idea of cloth diapering then (it was almost 6 years ago) and it was SO easy! I didn't decide to cloth diaper for the environment, although there is a significant impact on the environment by using cloth; disposables are estimated to take around 500 YEARS to decompose in a landfill, yuck! (Also did you know that the Pampers bag recommends you dump the poo in the toilet before you dispose of the disposable diaper in the trash... I don't know anyone who does this!) I didn't decide to cloth diaper (at first) because of the health benefits to our child, although there are many including keeping baby's bottom dryer and keeping chemicals from disposables away from my baby's sensitive bottom! I mostly decided to cloth diaper because of the cost savings.
During the first month of our DS' life, we used disposables. I had some cloth diapers, but we lived in an apartment that didn't have a W/D for the first two weeks; then we moved to my mothers for two weeks before moving to Alabama. (I also didn't have the right size cloth diapers, I didn't buy infant size (oops!)) In that four weeks we used approximately (yikes!) 365 diapers (about 14/day for 4 weeks)... We used Pampers Swaddlers, with an average cost of $0.25/diaper, for $91.25/month. (*note: everyone's diaper usage varies depending on their child, we really did use about 14 diapers per day because our DS is a heavy wetter and he didn't like pooping in a wet diaper, haha!) According to Pampers, they expect you will change about 10 diapers per day on a newborn, therefore about 280 diapers per month, average cost of $0.25/diaper, for $70/month. Either way, that's A LOT of money! For $70/month you can get anywhere from 25 prefolds (at $1 each) & 5 covers (at $9 each) to 7 pocket diapers (at $10 each). That's A LOT of cloth!
In our stash before our DS was born, we had 6 one-size pocket diapers, 36 regular prefolds and 10 covers. I had bought ALL of them on either sales or seconds and had only spent about $160. That's less than two months worth of disposables in our house! Since then I have added to our stash (spending about $80 to get 8 more pockets, 18 prefolds (in infant size!) and 6 more covers). All in all, I've spent about $240 on our entire stash and have more than enough diapers to do laundry every two or three days.
Since our DS was born, I've become even more of a fanatic! I have found so many great companies that have great cloth diapers and I have found some companies that have GREAT deals on their diapers (for brand new, not seconds or preloved). I can't wait to try them all out! Besides, there are SO many CUTE prints out there for cloth diapers!! =D
For more benefits of cloth diapering check out The Real Diaper Association's diaper facts.
During the first month of our DS' life, we used disposables. I had some cloth diapers, but we lived in an apartment that didn't have a W/D for the first two weeks; then we moved to my mothers for two weeks before moving to Alabama. (I also didn't have the right size cloth diapers, I didn't buy infant size (oops!)) In that four weeks we used approximately (yikes!) 365 diapers (about 14/day for 4 weeks)... We used Pampers Swaddlers, with an average cost of $0.25/diaper, for $91.25/month. (*note: everyone's diaper usage varies depending on their child, we really did use about 14 diapers per day because our DS is a heavy wetter and he didn't like pooping in a wet diaper, haha!) According to Pampers, they expect you will change about 10 diapers per day on a newborn, therefore about 280 diapers per month, average cost of $0.25/diaper, for $70/month. Either way, that's A LOT of money! For $70/month you can get anywhere from 25 prefolds (at $1 each) & 5 covers (at $9 each) to 7 pocket diapers (at $10 each). That's A LOT of cloth!
In our stash before our DS was born, we had 6 one-size pocket diapers, 36 regular prefolds and 10 covers. I had bought ALL of them on either sales or seconds and had only spent about $160. That's less than two months worth of disposables in our house! Since then I have added to our stash (spending about $80 to get 8 more pockets, 18 prefolds (in infant size!) and 6 more covers). All in all, I've spent about $240 on our entire stash and have more than enough diapers to do laundry every two or three days.
Since our DS was born, I've become even more of a fanatic! I have found so many great companies that have great cloth diapers and I have found some companies that have GREAT deals on their diapers (for brand new, not seconds or preloved). I can't wait to try them all out! Besides, there are SO many CUTE prints out there for cloth diapers!! =D
For more benefits of cloth diapering check out The Real Diaper Association's diaper facts.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Thirsties Thursday Giveaway
Okay, there are a lot of great giveaways going on at anytime on the internet... especially for FLUFF! One such company with a great giveaway on their blog is Thirsties, Inc.
Thirsties, Inc. is a great cloth diaper company with all of their products made in the USA! Here is a little bit about their mission (note: info straight from their website, here for convenience):
The mission of Thirsties, Inc. is to make it easy and affordable for every family to choose cloth while simultaneously investing in our local economy and sustainable business practices.
We are committed to building our business in a sustainable manner by focusing on the health of our babies and the environment. Only the best USA-sourced components are chosen for our products in order to reduce our carbon footprint, to help support domestic textile mills and our local economy, and to ensure that Thirsties diapers will last wash after wash. We are committed to creating only the highest quality products and dedicated to providing exceptional design and unparalleled performance while saving you money.
We are very proud of the fact that all Thirsties products are USA-made by a group of very talented women, many of whom work in the comfort and convenience of their own homes. With your support, we are able to employ more staff each year, helping to support more families in our local community.
Each and every aspect of the design of our diapers is carefully considered, and all fabrics and components are vigilantly selected for their extremely high quality. Thirsties, Inc. strives to provide the very best products available for comfortable, leak-proof cloth diapering while operating in accordance with superior ethical business practices.
Now, I have not had the pleasure of trying these diapers yet on my DS. However, I have a cloth diapering friend who LOVES them and says that a Duo Fab Fitted is the only diaper (double stuffed with Hemp inserts) is the only thing that will keep her heavy-wetting DD (dear daughter) dry overnight. I can't wait to try these on my DS, he is such a heavy wetter too!
Thiristies is starting a new feature on their website, "Thirsties Thursday Giveaway" and this week happens to be their FIRST ever Thursday giveaway! Every week they will offer a new giveaway from their products! What a great way to add to your stash! This week they are giving away 2 (yes TWO) Thirsties Duo Fab Fitted Diapers (in your choice of color). Go check it out and enter! But hurry, this giveaway ends June 8th, 2011! Good Luck!
http://www.thirstiesbaby.com/blog/thirsties-thursday-giveaway-1/
Thirsties, Inc. is a great cloth diaper company with all of their products made in the USA! Here is a little bit about their mission (note: info straight from their website, here for convenience):
The mission of Thirsties, Inc. is to make it easy and affordable for every family to choose cloth while simultaneously investing in our local economy and sustainable business practices.
We are committed to building our business in a sustainable manner by focusing on the health of our babies and the environment. Only the best USA-sourced components are chosen for our products in order to reduce our carbon footprint, to help support domestic textile mills and our local economy, and to ensure that Thirsties diapers will last wash after wash. We are committed to creating only the highest quality products and dedicated to providing exceptional design and unparalleled performance while saving you money.
We are very proud of the fact that all Thirsties products are USA-made by a group of very talented women, many of whom work in the comfort and convenience of their own homes. With your support, we are able to employ more staff each year, helping to support more families in our local community.
Each and every aspect of the design of our diapers is carefully considered, and all fabrics and components are vigilantly selected for their extremely high quality. Thirsties, Inc. strives to provide the very best products available for comfortable, leak-proof cloth diapering while operating in accordance with superior ethical business practices.
Now, I have not had the pleasure of trying these diapers yet on my DS. However, I have a cloth diapering friend who LOVES them and says that a Duo Fab Fitted is the only diaper (double stuffed with Hemp inserts) is the only thing that will keep her heavy-wetting DD (dear daughter) dry overnight. I can't wait to try these on my DS, he is such a heavy wetter too!
Thiristies is starting a new feature on their website, "Thirsties Thursday Giveaway" and this week happens to be their FIRST ever Thursday giveaway! Every week they will offer a new giveaway from their products! What a great way to add to your stash! This week they are giving away 2 (yes TWO) Thirsties Duo Fab Fitted Diapers (in your choice of color). Go check it out and enter! But hurry, this giveaway ends June 8th, 2011! Good Luck!
http://www.thirstiesbaby.com/blog/thirsties-thursday-giveaway-1/
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Welcome!
Welcome to my blog! I went back and forth on whether to start a blog or not... Pros: I enjoy writing and I enjoy helping others find deals & steals, sharing my LOVE of fluff (it really is an addiction!) and other money saving or baby friendly ideas and items. Cons: I have a 6 month old "high needs" baby and therefore little time, lol. In the end, I decided "why not"... if I blog everyday, that's great. And if I blog once a week, that's okay too! This blog WILL be a friendly one where people can share their views, so please be nice and respectful and not mean. Remember that we do not have to have the same opinions as others do, but we still have to respect what others believe. You may educate, but not demean. I will speak of my family in general terms, but I will not go into specifics or details of my family dynamics out of respect and privacy.
My hope for this blog is for it to be an outlet for me, a place to find deals & steals (when I find them), a place for advice and wisdom to be shared, and a place where I can *hopefully* write reviews and do giveaways! (If you own a business, and want me to do a review & giveaway on my blog, please email me at 1flufffanatic@gmail.com).
A little bit about me:
I am married to an amazing man who also happens to be a Marine and currently a college student. I am a baby-wearing, breastfeeding, co-sleeping, cloth diapering SAHM (stay-at-home-mom) to a 6 month old DS (dear son). He is both a joy and a challenge! We have dealt with thrush and reflux in my DS' short life so far and have conquered both (or at least I hope so!). We moved away from my home state of California (and away from family & friends) when my DS was 1 month old. I have to say that I am enjoying our new home in Alabama very much, but I do miss my friends and family (especially when I need some "mommy" time, lol)... I believe in a BIG God who can do BIG things in our lives if we just allow Him to work through us. I believe that the Bible is THE Word of God. I believe that "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" Romans 10:9. I am not perfect, I have my flaws, but my flaws make me who I am, who my husband loves and who my God cherishes.
My hope for this blog is for it to be an outlet for me, a place to find deals & steals (when I find them), a place for advice and wisdom to be shared, and a place where I can *hopefully* write reviews and do giveaways! (If you own a business, and want me to do a review & giveaway on my blog, please email me at 1flufffanatic@gmail.com).
A little bit about me:
I am married to an amazing man who also happens to be a Marine and currently a college student. I am a baby-wearing, breastfeeding, co-sleeping, cloth diapering SAHM (stay-at-home-mom) to a 6 month old DS (dear son). He is both a joy and a challenge! We have dealt with thrush and reflux in my DS' short life so far and have conquered both (or at least I hope so!). We moved away from my home state of California (and away from family & friends) when my DS was 1 month old. I have to say that I am enjoying our new home in Alabama very much, but I do miss my friends and family (especially when I need some "mommy" time, lol)... I believe in a BIG God who can do BIG things in our lives if we just allow Him to work through us. I believe that the Bible is THE Word of God. I believe that "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" Romans 10:9. I am not perfect, I have my flaws, but my flaws make me who I am, who my husband loves and who my God cherishes.
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