Thursday, February 28, 2013

Big decisions.

   When I started looking into cloth diapering, I had NO IDEA how overwhelming it could be. The community is huge, and there are TONS of options. I thought I knew what I wanted, but then I found more and more, and they just kept looking like great options, so I've had a tough time deciding. I think I know what I want to try out first, and based on reviews and recommendations from moms who cloth diaper, I am really excited, but I am not prepared to shell out the $400 to get a good stash until I've tried them.
   I've found a site that has the diapers I want in package deals for really great prices, so I have been thinking about buying 3-6 of them to try out, and if I don't like them I can resell them for almost what I paid for them. If I DO like them, they have another package that comes with accessories and 18 diapers, which will complete my stash. I want at least 24 diapers in my stash since I only get to do the laundry every other day.
   At first I thought I wanted pocket diapers, but the more I thought about it, the more they seemed like a lot more hassle than I could handle with a toddler and a new baby, considering I was just getting into cloth diapering and I'll be back in school, so time is a factor. It also seemed like it would be harder to go out with them, and stuffing them is time consuming, and unstuffing before washing seemed really gross and time consuming. Most of the all-in-ones I looked at I was not impressed by, until I looked at the bumGenius Freestyle OS AIOs. I'm really excited about them. I posted on the cloth diapering forum I'm part of looking for reviews and advice, so hopefully I'll hear the good, the bad, and the ugly about these diapers and can make a decision about whether or not to order trial diapers. I have a lot of time, but I just feel like I should have a good idea of what we want to try BEFORE baby gets here, and I am the type to over-research everything, so I have been. Plus it gives me something to think about other than, "Holycrapwe'rehavinganotherbabywhatwasIthinkinggoingthroughwiththis?!" I'm a little freaked out about having a newborn and a toddler. I know women do it all the time and have done it for ages, but it's scary.
   I've been planning a lot of stuff. This time I'm throwing a baby shower for myself. Morgan is going to help me. This way I can invite everyone. Last time my step-mom threw one for me, and it caused some issues with my mom's side of the family that I didn't invite them. This time I'm inviting everyone, my family, Brandon's family, Inez and Charlie... anyone that isn't adult enough to get along can decline the invitation and then it's their problem for choosing not to be involved in it. I'm sick to death of juggling families. These people are adults and can be courteous to each other. Damn it. Hahaha.
   Anyway, I've been thinking about what to do at the baby shower, and when to do it. I'm thinking the end of May or start of June would be best. No MAJOR holidays in May or June, but I'm due on July 13th, so I want to be big enough that it looks like I just ate too much Taco Bell, but not so big and uncomfortable that it's not fun. Cooper was born right after the holiday season, and the shower was right before, so people were already stressed about money and bills and the holidays, and it was just another THING to worry about. This time I'm stressing on the invite that gifts are appreciated, but not expected or anything. We're going to do a picnic at the park so Cooper and my younger cousins can run and play and I can take Raymond and not have him stuck home alone all day. Music, maybe water balloons, fried chicken, watermelon, lemonade, I might grab an ice cream cake right before we get there and pop it in a cooler in hopes it holds up. Nothing major. Just a fun get together to celebrate Baby. We might have a betting calendar, where you guess the date the baby will be born and the gender, and the winner splits the pot with us. A friend of mine did that at her shower and everyone seemed to like it.
   I've got the registry done, just in case. I've figured out what cloth diapers we want to try out. I've picked the nursery furniture, which I'm getting around my birthday as my gift. I'm hoping we can move back to Boise in the fall, since it will be extremely hard to move in the summer. Brandon thinks we can do it. He's been working so hard to make everything perfect. With Cooper we weren't prepared, we took on too much having a friend and my sister both live with us for a time while I was pregnant in our tiny apartment, then there was job loss after we were stolen from and it just all fell down. This time we're moving more slowly, and setting goals, but not over-extending our resources to reach them. We've got this. If we have to live here another year, that's ok. We'll make it work.
   Cooper is so funny about the new baby. He's trying to process it all sometimes, but it's got him stumped, I think. He's a good kid. I'm getting heartburn. Time for some toast or something.

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