Need a reason to try mama cloth?

And THIS is why we're moving everything in our house to cloth products... eww. I'm so glad I don't have to buy these any more. Mama cloth (cloth menstrual pads) seemed so gross and challenging before hand, but now I wouldn't have it any other way. AND I don't have to give these people my money anymore!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/28/moldy-tampons-tampon-danielle-parr-woman-black-spots-kotex-product_n_1386388.html

Spring!

This is probably my favorite week of the whole year. Finally, all the windows can be flung open with a reasonable expectation of not having to be closed again (at least until AC time). Finally, I can plant my baby plants and lust longingly for fresh tomato salads. And, finally, I can spend hours outside with Grace and our friends, not doing much of anything and enjoying EVERY minute.

My dear friend has a little girl who is just a few weeks younger than Grace. She's in the habit of doing pictures regularly, and when she decided to shoot the 9 month pictures, she invited Grace and I to join! We dressed up our spring flowers, dragged out some props, and let them play for the camera.

At least until they got bored... It was a blast!

The only downside is now I DESPERATELY want their house. As you can tell, they live in the middle of absolutely nowhere, near a dot on the map appropriately named "Cornland, IL." Seriously! I didn't believe it the first time. But alas! There it is. And one day I'll live out that way, too, in the middle of nothing with pretty grass and clean sky. God willing!

Photo credits belong to my sweet friend :)

Of Diapers and Dust Specks

Instead of sewing what I should be sewing - putting the hem and finishing hand work touches on my black knit dress - I went for double instant gratification. For those of you who don't know, I cloth diaper Gracie. And, I'm addicted. There's something so ridiculously cute about modern cloth diapers. They've got fun prints, soft fabrics, and who can resist the absolutely fluffy bums that result!? It was only a matter of time before my two loves (diapers and sewing) crash-course collided into each other. So when a local friend told me she had some extra waterproof fabric on hand (that her husband told her to get rid of), I was glad to assist her by getting it off her hands (while MY husband rolled his eyes at my quickly-growing pile). One naptime plus one cartoon later, I had THIS!

I've been eyeing this fabric since before Christmas. Who can resist the Ooga Boogas, also refered to by my charming, obliging husband, as the "Dust speck diaper." They may look like dust bunnies but they're just too cute!

I have some definite changes to make to the pattern - check out that super fluff Miss Grace is strutting! I couldn't put pants over this diaper if I tried. Not that I'd want to... then you couldn't see the dust specks! But for a free pattern (Sprout Snap, if anyone is interested) and 2 hours of time, I'm rather pleased :) Off to tweak the pattern then make more, at the benefit of my several cloth diapering friends with little girlies! After all, I have a whole yard of this stuff to use up!

Slumber Party

When one of my dear friends told me her husband was having surgery, I didn't hesitate to offer to watch their little girl while they both needed to be at the hospital. Only later to I realize the implication of having 2 little high-energy girlies running around my house. But my lovely girlies turned out to be more fun that I could have expected. I miss having slumber parties!

This was the first time we've had any of Gracie's friends over without their moms in tow (I love playdates). We had our fair share of tears, but so much laughter as well.

It was Grace's first time in the big tub! Before now I've always kept her in the smaller infant tub, mostly because it uses less water. But what's a slumber party without a splash-fest!?!

Then, of course, semi-naked, cloth-bummed story time. I can't get enough of big, fluffy, cloth diapered babies. M. is cloth diapered only part-time at home, and not at nighttime, so I extra stuffed hers just for insurance. Look how fluffy!

I think I had more fun than the girls did. I can't help but think how much fun Grace would be as a sister. And how much fun I'd have being busy with two.

Oh bother... now I've got baby fever :D!