Mother of the Year!

So, anyone else experiencing "mommy brain"?  It is the wonderful phenomenon where once you have kids your brain goes to the crapper.  Actually, I think it starts going to the crapper when you are pregnant.  I forget EVERYTHING.  I'm pretty sure that my mind is so focused on not forgetting the kids and getting everything they need that I cannot remember anything else.  That is my theory anyway.  Anybody else have a theory?  I'd love to hear it!  Does it ever go away?  I was forgetful to begin with, now I'm a mess!

And on the topic of my forgetful, "mommy brain" I did something today that is going to qualify me for mother of the year (sorry all those other mothers that are reading, you are now out of the running).  Here is a picture of my sons in their stroller that I purchased when we found out we were having number 2:

To fold up this stroller the little seat in the back tucks in and the whole stroller folds in half.  Now imagine you put your littlest (the one in the back) in the stroller first WITHOUT locking the stroller after unfolding it, then returning to the car to get your oldest.  Yes, you guessed correctly.  The stroller folded in half with the littlest inside.  There was crying, but no injuries, only a scared little 8 month old.  HOW DID I FORGET TO LOCK THE STROLLER?  I blame the Mommy brain.  I was too focused on getting my oldest out and moving along before we got hit in the parking lot or blown away (isn't this wind crazy?).

So there you  have it.  I win, for today.  Everyone else can retract their applications.  I am Mother of the Year.  Don't worry, I'm sure there will be a lot more reasons for my big win.

Let me know your "mother of the year" stories.  I hope you enjoyed mine!

P.S.  Here is the littlest in one of the designs of the cloth diapers.  Cute huh?

"It's the most wonderful time of the day...."

Do you remember the Staples commercial from our childhood?  If not let me refresh your memory.  There is a man dancing around the store waving back-to-school supplies in front of his children (who are not happy) while the Christmas song, "It's the most wonderful time of the year," plays in the background. It really is genius.  I didn't realize how fantastic a commercial it was until I had kids.  Now my kids do not go to school yet, but sometimes when I put them to bed I hear in my head, "its the most wonderful time of the day," and I smile.  On really long days, I even sing it out loud.  My husband laughs, I laugh... HAHAHA funny. But he has no idea how true that sentence can be sometimes! 

The Potty Competition

After the 2 year check up for my oldest the doctor told me not to worry about potty training.  It isn't a big deal.  She said (and I quote) "He's not going to be 18 and still in diapers".  But she mentioned maybe just getting a potty and having it around.  You never know he might be interested in it.  Sounds good to me.

About a week later I went to the baby store to pick up a potty.  I got the Baby Bjorn potty.  Apparently they aren't just baby carriers anymore!  But it looked easy to clean.  No crevices for nasties to get stuck in.  Really, that is all I care about.  While I was there I learned something very important.  I AM FAILING AT THE POTTY COMPETITION.  Another Mother noticed me buying a potty and said that I shouldn't be worried about the potty competition between mothers.  My son will go to the bathroom when he is ready.  Her daughter did.  WHAT?  What I did not realize was that how good of a mother (as perceived by other mothers) is when my son potty trains.  It is like an unwritten Mom competition.  Everyone says "Oh your son will go when he is ready," but what they are really thinking is, "HA, my daughter started using the potty at 16 months"!!!  Honestly, if my son was potty trained at 16 month, I'm pretty sure I would tell everyone.  I'd actually probably just have a shirt made so everyone could see what a good mother I am!  So if your kid potty trained early, feel free to brag in the comment section - I would.

Well, I've come to terms with the fact that I am probably going to lose this one.  I'm okay, I've moved on.  Sometimes when I'm changing an especially nasty diaper I think longingly about the day when I won't have to do that anymore.  But then again, with potty training brings, getting the kids all packed up, out the door, and then a mile down the road, "MOM, I have to go to the bathroom!"  It really is a catch 22.  Ahhh!  The joys of parenthood.

So I brought the potty home and put it in the downstairs bathroom.  My son sat on it the first time we went in the bathroom.  Yet another reminder that parenthood was the end of privacy.  I was so excited he sat on it.  I gave him a sticker for sitting on the potty (potty training 101 - reward good behavior) which he ate.  Okay, no stickers....

 He are still just sitting on the potty when I go to the bathroom, although now he drags the potty over to me so we are toe to toe and just stairs at me.  I convince myself that he is learning.  Please let him be learning.  I'm sure he will be trained in no time........

Some days I'm sure the pediatrician is wrong....he WILL be 18 and still in diapers!

Cloth Diapers

Ever since my second son was born I've been feeling guilty about all the disposable diapers I have been using.  My husband thinks I'm crazy. So I purchased 7 cloth diapers for my youngest and started using them last week. I NEVER thought I would be using cloth diapers.  I used to tease my Mom that she had to use cloth diapers with us. HA! Sucks for you!  But you know what?  They aren't anything like I thought they would be.  Here are some of my misconceptions:

1.  You pin the diaper to the baby and put big ugly plastic liners over them = uncomfortable baby + high probability that I will stab him with a pin
            Reality: They are REALLY cute.  And they look and work like disposable diapers (for the most part). So far - not so bad.

2.   You have to dunk them in the toilet when they are poopy and then soak them and they stink up the house.
         Reality: Okay, if this were my first son, I might be grossed out by poop.  But the fact is that I have been pooped on puked on and cleaned up some of the nastiest things I have ever seen.  This really isn't as big of a deal as I thought it would be.  Plus, should you choose, you can buy flushable, biodegradable liners and the poop just falls right out of the diaper.  Bonus!  They also sell wet bags to put the diapers in that seal in the stink, or you can use the diaper pail method.  I'm working with a variation on both right now, so far - no smell.....

3.  Cloth diapering is cheap.
     Reality: Um, I kind of had to commit to cloth diapering (somewhat) because they are not really THAT cheap.  I guess I would have saved more if I started 2 years ago with my first son.  And I supposed it depends on the brand you buy, but they are 20ish to 30ish dollars each!  But I guess that is about the price of a box of diapers.  Bonus, the brand I like had an outlet say this week and I bought 13 more.  I guess I'm REALLY committed now!

4.  My husband won't change cloth diapers.
     Reality:  My husband won't change cloth diapers.  This is a work in progress!   

5.  Uncomfortable for the baby and they leak.
     Reality:  Sometimes they do leak, I've only had it happen twice, the more used to them I have gotten, the better it has been.  Baby doesn't complain, and his butt looks SO cute in them.  Now will my oldest find them uncomfortable?  Maybe, I haven't fully committed to the cloth yet with him.  I'm still just working with the youngest.  But maybe if the oldest hates them enough he will go to the bathroom in his potty.  OR he will just pee on the floor.  My money is on peeing on the floor!

6. They are pain to clean and have stains.
    Reality:  You do have to clean them, and then put them all back together (I use the pocket diapers). So that is kind of a pain.  They take FOREVER to dry.  Which made me wonder if I was even saving money because now I'm running the dryer FOREVER!  So, I bought a drying rack and do laundry on sunny days (so far).  It has worked (granted this is a very short term analysis of my experience). Plus they say the sun helps with stains.  Although, so far, all the diapers have come out of the washing machine clean.  Side note - you have to use a special detergent, and not just for the diapers, for all of your cloths because of the residue left in the machine and on the cloths.  Apparently it makes the diapers less absorbent. 

Overall, I like them.  Interesting.  If you knew me better, you would find this discovery even MORE interesting.  I will continue writing about my experiences with cloth diapers.  Because I'm sure there will be a lot more to write about.  Plus, I'll have to post pictures of the baby with them on, just because they are so cute!  My best advice if you are considering it.  Go to a baby store where they have a big selection and the people who work there know what they are talking about. That way you get to see them in action and actually see the differences.  I found reading about all the brands online overwhelming.  Then just buy a couple and see how it works for you.  Good luck!  Write to me and let me know how it goes.  Ask me questions!  If I don't know the answers I know people who do and I'll find you answers!

What am I doing?

What am I doing?  I really don't know anything about blogging, but I do know that when I've needed some information about being a Mom I have found the most reliable information from other mother's Blogs.  SO....I figured I have two kids (both still young) and I might help someone by sharing my experiences.  I'm going to skip the "getting to know me blog" and I will just share as I go. 

I love buying stuff for my kids.  Mostly because I'm still not pre-pregnancy weight and I'm not going to buy new clothes until I am! So I live vicariously through buying my kids clothes and other things that claim they are going to make my life easier - like a wipes warmer, except no one tells you that when you wipe your baby's butt in public and the wipe is cold = baby screams!  Plus, it broke, like, 6 months later.  SOOOO, many of these items which are now boxed up in the basement.  Why do I need 5 + strollers?  Who knows. All I know is that I am currently searching Craigslist every day because I want a BOB now.

Maybe there are some Mom's out there that can benefit from my experiences.  HEY, maybe there are some Mom's out there that are WAY better at this than me and reading my blog will help their self-confidence!  Whatever your reason for reading my blog, feel free to leave me advice and comments. 

I hope you enjoy my blog!