Money Matters - Mint (dot) com

i just have to post this. i hope i dont have to tell anyone that they did not pay me to do this...but they did not pay me to do this.

i help my husband run our family business....i also run my own business...i am also responsible for our personal finances. because of this...especially because our family business is like a full time accounting job that i cram in to 20 hours a week...our personal finances get overlooked. like majorly overlooked. like i never know how much i even have in my account. i have operated from a "feeling" that we have enough to cover this...well...turns out my feelings dont always match up with my bank's feelings...

so this past month has been a real "come to Jesus" as far as my accounting goes. i realized i suck as an accountant. i begged my husband to fire me for like 4 days straight...when he explained that it was neither a financial option nor a marital option...i tried to figure out how to get it all straight.

i have spent about 10 hours just working on budgets...i still have about a weeks more worth of work in figuring everything out...that is just how mixed and crazy it all is. we recently had this amazing opportunity in our business to finally stop working from a cash negative stand point, so the BUDGET has become full focused.

my problems with budgets in the past is that i dont enter all my receipts until months after the fact. so if i am over budget and continue to be over budget it all happens much too late. also - i dont really have a grasp on all the things we spend money on during the month on a regular basis. we have multiple businesses and our personal finances get all wrapped up...so it gets tricky.

enter Mint.

this is so incredible.

i signed up (for free) and plugged in my bank accounts and my credit card and they categorized all my spending and i set up my budgets. and now on my phone (and my husband's) we can look at a glance where we are with spending. if we are where we should be...if we are over...if our bank account is getting low...if we need to be focusing our budget on other things. its all there...and i cant help myself from looking at it at least 10 times a day right now.

if you are a budget-challenged person like myself...you might just love this app. it is also a website if you dont have a droid or iphone...and so easy to use...so easy to manage. this has completely changed our (financial) life.

so check it out...seriously...and tell them they should pay me or something.

Fort Awesomeness

source

i just saw this photo on lmnop and bought the kit right away for a birthday present for Bryson. to be honest...it will be for all of them...and if it is as big a hit as i believe it will be...there may be more that need to be purchased as presents. after Christmas this last year we quickly realized how "toys" in our house had become so divisive. not just divisive, but a constant, constant source of chaos and hurt and arguments.

with the age differences between our bigger boys (bryson 5 and bodie 2) - bryson was not good about picking up his toys and storing them. bodie was not able to understand "mine" and "yours" (nor to mention age appropriate toys) and also bryson was not the best at sharing. we worked with them every day for hours and hours on sharing and picking up and taking turns. it felt like a constant constant ugly battle with very little headway.

i came to my own conclusion that in overwhelming them with these "toys" we kind of created these monsters. so we basically got rid of the problem. we got rid of every toy that made noise. we got rid of every tiny toy. we got rid of any toy that wasnt truly loved. i am talking about 3 garbage bags full. we boxed up "sets" of all the cars...all the building toys...all the trains...and stored them away. to be taken out on special occasions where they might stand a chance of getting played with because they werent in sight all the time. i also got rid of every stuffed animal that lacked any sentimental value.

what i left was toys that still could foster imagination. toys that didnt flash or make cool noises. and i also made sure there were enough duplicates of the cooler things so that it didnt become ugly.

seriously...this was one of the best things we did for our boys. they have totally changed the way they play. they are more focused and not so distracted since there really arent a lot of toys to be distracted by. they play outside more - on their bikes and scooters and that is what i prefer anyway!

it is what has worked for me and my family and last night when my husband and i were watching a show that takes place in the 20s there was a scene of a group of kids literally kicking a can around and bryan and i laughed and were like, "look - those are our kids - here is a can - lets kick it!" because our kids totally play with trash recyclables more than anything.

so back to this kit...sorry - didnt mean to tangential like that! - is that to build forts inside (which is our favorite rainy day thing to do) bryson makes an absolute mess of everything - brings chairs from everywhere and takes out a billion blankets and then clean up is inevitable and usually ends up being me...so i think this is a perfect solution to let their little imaginations go crazy. bryson especially is way into building and legos are great, but small and i have an almost one year old that would love to eat legos, and plus that whole picking up toys after himself thing has not gotten much better....so this would also be a family friendly solution!

the website is here for more info!

A *super sad* goodbye to ReadyMade

oh man...did you hear the news? i just heard this weekend and i am indeed so sad...so sad...in 2001 i graduated college...got married...moved into our first apartment together...found my first job (at a publishing house) and that is where my love for ReadyMade began...

we were SOOOO poor when i started working for Fairchild Publications...like...so poor...like we had been paying rent on our credit cards because we moved to LA in Sept of 2001..and a little over a week moving in Sept. 11th happened...just so happened to happen on the day of my interview at Dreamworks...needless to say that interview was postponed...then cancelled...and 3 months of temp jobs and juggling credit cards led to me working at Fairchild.

i was introduced to magazines of every type and not sure how i found out about ReadyMade, but i contacted their manager and worked out a trade every month of our publications for theirs...i have subscribed to their magazine ever since. i believe i have received every publication since their inception. i think i have kept them all too.

anyways...it is one of the only magazines i have ever subscribed to (apart from Mothering) and look forward to it every month and it is my go to bathroom magazine (TMI?) i have kept all the issues because there is inspiration everywhere and i believe it started my love for DIY...and made me feel normal for not throwing certain things away and for scouring thrift stores endlessly.

i think what blows me away is that this magazine is so ahead of its time and fits in so well with our economy and state of mind with how design is going...how can it fold? well, being in publication and specifically working for ad sales for magazines i can venture an educated guess, but it saddens me...deeply.

i will miss you ReadyMade...and hope and pray an e-magazine fills its place...that is just as cool and edgy and thought provoking!!!

Toms Eyewear

y'all know i am a toms fan...i wear mine just about every day - on my 6th pair now and love the company. i dont know if you recall in this post, but Toms had a secret marketing campaign around their next step - next product and gave retailers first right of refusal, but didnt tell them what it was...it was finally unveiled...

eyewear!

using their one for one model, for every pair of glasses you buy you are giving sight to someone in a developing country - either through medical visits, glasses or surgery.

pretty cool! read more about it here...

*picture from toms.com website

For the Star Wars Geek (and their geeky children)

my fellow star wars geek friend from high school just sent me this link...how amazing are these? available at Williams-Sonoma and on sale ($9.99!) eeeeeekkk...i totally just ordered it and bryson is going to be so excited when he sees a millenium falcom PBJ!!! now i am just debating whether or not to keep the tin for myself....hmmmmm

Goodbyn on Gilt

earlier i had posted on how much i love the Goodbyn lunchboxes...good news you Gilt members! They are only $15 on Gilt.com - i just ordered 2 more...because i know they will get use...and i can just put B. Barnes on them and they will work for all my kiddos...that was super smart of me i know...

The Coolest Lunchbox...Meet the Goodbyn

and no...i am not getting paid to type this...i wish! or just send me a couple goodbyns...that would be fine too! okay so...let me start by saying that i am new to this whole "pack a lunch" thing for school thing...i am also not very creative with it...more on that later...so i first started out using a soft lunchbox type thing...which got nasty and i hated cleaning it and then i would use the re-usable sandwich bag and snack bags (i bought at craft fairs) so then i had 3 or 4 different things to clean...which is exactly what i dont need in my life...is more things to clean by hand...

then i saw this amazing lunchbox...every compartment seals - eliminating the need for bags...and its dishwasher safe...and it comes with its own little drink box...so no more nasty juice boxes (i havent found a whole lot of healthy options there)...bryson got this for Christmas and we have used it probably 2 times a week since then and have no complaints - love it! and i love visiting their site for inspiration. bryan packs it the best...i usually stick to PBJs...what usually is in your kids' lunches? what is your kids' favorite snack? Have you seen this site? Vegan Lunchbox - amazing...

Tummy Tub Revisited

remember this? this was when bodie was around bobby's age now. i remember that he filled up the whole tub...but i still loved the idea of it, so we kept it around for little bobby. i have been using the tummy tub mainly for his baths - i like that he can sit up comfortably and he seems to love it too! you can tell in the last pic that bodie is quite sad...he kept saying "Bodie turn...Bodie turn!" so we let him crawl in after bobby was done...holy crow - he is obsessed now! he will stay in there for at least a half hour.

he is such a ham - he is always trying to do whatever we are doing for the baby...tries to go in the swing - tries to swaddle himself - gets into the walker and the infant car seat.

This one was given to me as a gift, and at the time i think they were kind of hard to find, but i found this one on Amazon.

so apparently they work for your big and littles :)

fuzzi bunz one size review

so finally...i got one! i needed to...what with my boy growing so much and what with this baby on his heels - i will have 2 clothed bums and i dont even want to think about the laundry...i dont know why i am constantly surprised by the amount of laundry boys go through...you would think i'd be over it by now, but no - its craziness...there are hardly any days where we can NOT wash an item of their clothing...and i will look at their clothes at the end of the day like, "what? when did you drink a dirt shake?" what was i talking about again? oh yes...diapers...right...so...specifically i was going to review the Fuzzi Bunz one-size pocket cloth diapers. this is a sort of follow up to my Cloth Diaper Review - in case you never read it...

in short - i love them! I am going to order 6 of them soon, and probably 6 more after baby comes because i will be that lazy with the laundry :) 

in long - here is the scoop on them. first the negative: they are the same size (well actually a tad narrower) than the fuzzi bunz original medium and quite a bit smaller than the fuzzi bunz large (which Bodie being 26 lbs now wears - but he can also still fit the medium as well). i would have wished them to be a bit longer and wider to start...its not a problem now, but if this boy continues on his growth nonsense then he will be wearing a towel with some pins...

so here is the one size fuzzi bunz on top of a fuzzi bunz size LARGE you can see the difference...










here is the fuzzi bunz one size (far right) next to (from left) a fuzzi bunz size MED and a Bum Genius One Size Diaper (of which they are about the same size as well)

here is the fuzzi bunz one size on top of the fuzzi bunz size MED for comparison

and here is the schnazzy way they adjust - a pocket elastic on the inside - (which i like much better than the bum genius and all the snaps and having to adjust the inserts and sometimes them coming undone in the wash, etc)

so for the positive - i am really impressed with the diaper...if one can say that with passion i believe i just did...i definitely prefer it over the bum genius and over the old school fuzzi bunz...mainly for their beautiful insert...they are amazing...they hold like one more pee than the rest...thats exciting people! anyway - hope this helps make up some of your minds...please feel free to comment as always and email if you have anything to add!

backpack carrier - best evah

OMG(oodness) - can i tell you how excited i was to see this highlighted in the last issue of Mothering Magazine? bryan's parents lent us their backpack from the 70s that carried all of the Barnes' children (from when the eldest was 3 months)  and we recently returned it since they now have a grandbaby in their general vicinity- it was my preferred carrier for Bryson from about 6 months. he could see everything i could from my vantage point...he could stand on the little bar at my back like they like - EVERY time we went on a flight i foregoed strollers and used the backpack and it worked splendidly...it was so much easier on my back and not to mention masculine enough for Bryan to comfortably wear it also. (this pic is of bryson when he was around 1 yr.

anywhoooo...since returning it i have scoured craigslist and thrift stores and second-hand childrens stores to find something similar and NADA...all the backpacks now-a-days are clunky and heavy and cumbersome - not a daily choice! more like a once-in-a-blue-moon hiking choice...so imagine my excitement to see Kokopax makes one similar! its a little pricey (around $150) but, if you are any sort of a traveler - it is well worth it! 


I currently use the ergo for when i want to carry Bodie on my  back, but i think the backpack would be better for a couple reasons: 1. he can't bite my back as easy 2. he probably won't pull my hair so much 3. he can stand up on the bar 4. he can see things better (like at the aquarium for instance - we went last week and it was a little awkward in the ergo and 5. he can't bite my back as easy...did i already say that? yeah...we have a biting problem...its those dern badger teeth!

bel kai designs

my very talented friend Whitney Hill who owns Bel Kai Designs designed a custom necklace for my sister-in-law. I have had my eye on her necklaces for a while and LOVE the custom kid ones, but so many of my friends don't have a *complete* family yet...which is why i have my eye on the charm necklaces - ya just keep adding...even if there is an "uh-oh"...which there has happened to be quite a few in my group of friends these days...hopefully that doesn't catch on in the Barnes house...i mean...how could it? i practice natural family planning...its FOOL proof, right? right? hello? anyone there?

anyway - my SIL is going to love it! its simple and feminine without being girly...which is hard to do sometimes...check out her store for more fabulous necklaces!

i heart video monitors

i am not a *techno* person...if that is a term...not sure...because i don't usually care. my phone is practical - i dont want email going to it...my computer bryan bought...this blog is about all i can do with computers...cut and pasting...it took me about a year to find out how to post a video...my mom got me a camera to skype and i still have yet to figure it out...my grandma sent me a pic text before i ever did...anyway - you get the picture!

i had to share this *product review* because i think it just saved me probably 30 minutes of my *alone* time last night (bryan was out wit da boyz). Its the Summer Video Monitor and I highly recommend it if you are as neurotic as I am.

my girlfriend had a similar video monitor with her daughter and she sold me on it. i can't tell you how many times i woke my baby just to *check* on them (i.e. make sure they are breathing, not tangled in blankets, buried under a ceiling fan) its amazing how many different ways a mother can imagine their child in danger! truly...amazing.

anyway...back to my story. so i love watching my baby sleep in the video. i love watching them breathe and not touching their back or feeling their breath praying they dont wake. so anyway - this night i was reading a book alone and looked over at the monitor and saw my cat licking herself next to my child!! why my cat thinks the baby's bed is her bed is beyond me. yes arwen was our first *baby* but seriously...

i walked in the room and just over to the baby's bed (pack n play in our room at this point in our lives) and the cat jumped out - she so knew how wrong that was. i removed the cat and closed the door and baby continued (thankfully) to sleep. if i didnt have that monitor i know that darned cat would have head-butted my sleeping child...that cat and her head butting! so thank you Summer Video Monitor!!

the only negative thing about it is the range kinda stinks...also there can be electric interference a lot, so i usually have the volume way down and rely on visual and the noise light sensor. BUT it is portable...we take it with us on trips and the video is handheld and can be unplugged (but dont use the video all the time that way because it wears out the batteries)

baby hats

the car is packed...the kids are asleep...the parents are exhausted and in need of some serious sierra goodness! we are about to embark on our annual fishing trip, but wanted to share these darling pics bryan took.

this hat is just my favorite- my dearest friend jena gave it to him when we visited her last september before he was born. i remember getting so happy that soon a little baby head would fill it and now here it is! it is a great baby hat because it is stretchy and soft (cashmere it feels like) and stays on his head...for now - he is not big enough yet to tear everything off his head that you attempt to put on...














i always get stopped and asked about this hat - jena told me the creator is faith hats and she has an etsy shop here, but i didnt see any kid hats on her etsy shop, but found a darling one here.

its repurposed and handmade and sewn by hand...not like my "hand" but a true hand...i think i remember jena telling me that the lady who makes them doesn't even own a sewing machine. which is pretty amazing if you can see the overlock on the inside seams! (and then i go and post my cheesy kindergarten style embroidered shirt and congratulate myself...someday when i am retired and a grandma that is what i will do - work on sewing by hand...hmmmm....)

anyway - hope you have a fabulous weekend! i hear the fish calling and will now go to sleep dreaming of pulling a 5 pounder out of lake sabrina! wish me luck!

diaper excitement

can diapers be exciting? i suppose if one is consumed with a diapered child finding that *perfect* diaper can be...oh how my life has changed since college days! anyway - i wanted to share since my post before on cloth diapering 101 - that now fuzzi bunz has come out with a one-size diaper! they come with 2 inserts - a baby size and toddler size...which is great because you can double up on them when your babe starts to sleep longer (which i look forward to...it will come...it will...it will...it will right?). i love my fuzzi bunz - i think their inserts are the BEST - its like they hold one more pee than the rest...that should be their slogan i think. anyway - if you are looking for a one-size or need more diapers for your collection - this is a great investment as they fit a babe 7-35lbs! i haven't ordered one yet...once bodie gets too big for his med. fuzzi bunz i will surely be in need of more...i think the apple green color is adorable!

tummy tub review

(bryson took this photo...he is becoming quite the photographer...its getting the camera out of his hands that's the tricky part!)

we tried the tummy tub today. julie sent this to us - she ordered it from England to try. i like the idea of it - bathing a baby is usually awkward - i've tried bathing bodie in the plastic tub thing in the sink, in the sponge thing in the bath, in this lawn-chair like thing in the bath, while holding him in the bath and shower - all these ways are difficult to hold a wet squirmy baby and bath them at the same time. the tummy tub was definitely the easiest way i have tried to bathe him. he did keep standing up - on his own and holding onto the sides..."wait...you are WAY too little for this - quit rushing things!" i told him and then caught my breath.


it kinda looks like a plant pot. you could probably get a plant pot without a drainage hole and put a mark at 5 inches and you'd be good.

Bodie didn't quite know what to think. i think the idea of sitting with liquid covering him was at first comforting then a little scary...but for the most part he enjoyed it....especially the standing up part.

it also comes with a stand that turns into a stool once you are done with it, which is nice - i am always a fan of baby products that grow with your baby. it is also easy to clean as well. overall i think i will use it above the other methods if bodie continues to enjoy it as well...although my little guy will soon graduate from this at the rate he is moving...what do you think rashelle? once he is done with it you think delia would dig it?

Nursing Necklace

I am in love with my new nursing necklace...and I am not the only one!

i think these are just the greatest ideas! i am so bad with cheap costume jewelry...i am like hoggle from The Labyrinth...seriously - its bad. but after bryson could grab i put it all away until he was around 2 and i wasn't carrying him around so much any more...bodie is already at the grabbing stage so away goes my jewelry again - except for this little necklace.

i bought it at an etsy store - Stones of Healing - and love how bodie now grabs this whenever i hold/wear/nurse him! its made from all natural unfinished birch and they have sanded it super smooth.

i found myself with a headache at the end of the day from his fat little hands grabbing my hair all day long. clumps of hair (i must get better at taking my calmag!) anyway...they are getting better now...still he manages to outsmart me! not just that, but it is so great always having a toy/teething ring/grabber at hand. instead of searching every corner for something to occupy him - i have one around my neck. i wore it last weekend in modesto and several people complimented me on my "necklace" - so who knew i am stylish too?

ergo love

i love my moby...well jena's moby...but i mean the moby in general. no lying i have used it EVERY day since Bodie was born...well maybe one or two days i didnt...like today...so perhaps a little bit of lying, but to get my point across it is much more emphatic to say EVERY day. anyways - a lot of moms have told me that the moby is great for the first 3 months and then it gets harder to fit them in there...i can see why that would be, but i have also seen moms wearing their 1-year-olds in their moby's...at any rate it can be a hassle to take on and off and on and off - for instance - while running errands it is not so much fun to take him in and out and in and out - and i have to run errands a lot because of our business. i did not enjoy the Baby Bjorn either. my husband likes it and has worn Bodie in it (facing out already no less!) but for me the straps cut into my shoulders and it was really heavy on my back. i have heard a lot about the Ergo and i have yet to hear a negative thing about it - everyone that uses it seems to LOVE it - actually i did hear one negative thing (i am all about exaggerations today!) i heard one mom say it was a bit of a bummer that you can't face the kid out...which would have been a BIG problem with Bryson, but with Bodie i can see that perhaps not being an issue...

So the thing about Ergo's is that nobody parts with them apparantly - not on Ebay or Craigslist - I am also a little picky on the color of it, but still - they must be good! So in my effort to not buy any more baby/kid stuff i posted a bunch of stuff left over from Bryson that i dont use anymore on Ebay and with all my postings i was able to purchase one from an ebay store...so technically i did buy it, but i like to think of it more like a trade...

I used it for Bodie at Disneyland this week and he is still a bit small - it wasnt the greatest fit and i am too cheap to buy the infant insert. Bryan was asking me the weight limit and i had read this on their website:

"ERGObaby recommends a weight limit of 40 pounds for its carrier; however, the carrier has been tested up to 90 pounds. Our carrier will accommodate you as long as you would like to carry and/or your baby would like to be carried."

so we wanted to test it...bryson looks severely non-plussed in these pictures, but it was a novelty. we are going to bring it hiking with us just in case bryson decides he doesnt want to go any further.

Cloth Diaper Review

i decided to put this extensive review on here for a couple reasons: 1 - when i was starting out with cloth diapering i wish that there was a source for me to know which kinds of diapers were right for me and also to take out the mystery of how to use them and 2 - to remember which ones i like and dont like for the new baby since we are "working" on potty training bryson

i came into cloth diapers kind of by accident and also rather late. my baby was well over a year old - i believe he was around 19 months or so - i can't remember when i started, but i poo-pooed the idea of cloth because i had these visions of pre-folds with safety pins and covers and dunking poop all day. when i started sewing i was looking at different baby sewing sites for ideas and inspirations and came across a diapers sewing diva ring. there was all this talk of "pocket diapers" and things that i had never heard about...so with a little research i found out all the options out there for cloth diapers and my cheap self started adding up all the money i could save and i never looked back!

Basically - if you are interested in cloth diapering your options are:

1. prefolds (or DSQ - diaper-service-quality)

2. pocket diapers - either one-size or size-able

3. all-in-one diapers

4. G diapers

1. Prefolds

Prefolds are what you think about...or at least i thought about...when you picture cloth diapering - the standard rectangle of cloth - either already folded or contoured to baby's shape. Some of these come with options to close that do not require pins - there are alternatives to pins you can buy, such as the Snappi and these require a waterproof cover over them. I really like the Wonder Wraps covers because they are one size fits 8-30 lbs adjustable and snug around the legs to prevent leaks.

Prefolds are probably the most economical choice, however they can be warm for a lot of babies especially in the summer and more time consuming than the pocket diapers.

2. Pocket Diapers

These are the new options in cloth diapering. I love mine and can't say enough about Bum Genius and Fuzzi Bunz. The difference between those two is that Bum Genius has a one-size option, whereas you need to purchase different sizes of the Fuzzi Bunz as your child grows - S, M and L - check out their website for sizing.

***UPDATE: FUZZI BUNZ NOW OFFERS A ONE-SIZE OPTION AS WELL!

These work with a pocket inside that holds a cloth insert. the lining of the diaper - either micro-fleece or micro-suede super soft lining - catches the solids and the liner absorbs the liquids. when you change the diaper you "knock off" the solids into the toilet, remove the insert and throw them into the pail.

I like to use a disposable/flushable liner -especially when i know he will have a poopy diaper - I like Imse Vimse's flushable liners sold in packs of 100 - they have the texture of a dryer sheet and you just put it over the diaper and strap baby in and the liner will catch all the solids instead of the diaper, which makes cleaning even easier...cause lets be honest - the poop doesn't always "knock off" and dunking in the toilet is quite gross...especially when they are eating human food exclusively and the smell isnt as lovely as a breastfed baby's...

Now for the review part...

My favorite is Bum Genius because of the economics of it. A regular bum genius one size diaper costs around $16 ($25 for the organic) and you typically need around 18 diapers - so figure $300.00 or so - but that will last your baby from 7 lbs to 35 lbs (although my son is not even 30 lbs and they are a bit snug on him)

The other one size pocket diaper i have tried is the Tiny Tush. I tried both the organic cotton one and the elite one size. The organic cotton one leaked every time i used it - you would need a waterproof cover and that would be way too bulky and hot and annoying! I also tried the elite, but the insert they come with was AWFUL - i used my fuzzi bunz insert on it because theirs was pretty much useless - also it leaked every other time i used it. Also - i was pretty peeved at them because i ordered what i thought was red and turned out to be hot pink...so i could never put them on my son if we were going out because my husband draws the line at pink diapers i guess.

There is another option I found - the Mommy's Touch, but every time i tried to buy it the stores were out of stock...Sorry - nothing to review there - but another option for you to look into if you are interested in one sizes.

Fuzzi Bunz are my second favorite - i purchased both the Medium size and the Large size - Medium they are in for the most part, but I started out with these until I found the Bum Genius. I think if I were to do it over I would have just stuck with the Bum Genius because of the money factor - Fuzzi Bunz are around the same price per diaper - $16 - so $300 every time your baby grows out of them. You can re-sell them and save them for the next if there is a next - either way you will save money if you are changing from disposable, but considerably less than if you go with a one-size. One thing i do want to say about the Fuzzi Bunz is that their fit is great - because they are sized they fit a little better than the Bum Genius...in my opinion.

I also tried the Kissaluvs diaper, which is also available in different sizes. I liked their fit - they come with velcro as opposed to snaps like the fuzzi bunz - so a little easier i guess, but they don't always come with a liner, so they can be more expensive.

3. All-In-Ones

AIO don't have a pocket, but don't require a seperate liner either. they have the liner built in. The only AIO i tried was the Imse Vimse AIO. I used it a lot, but the fit was awkward and bulky in the crotch and they took forever to dry - at least 2 days inside. that is all i have to say about AIO - they are around $20 for the Imse Vimse diaper...not worth it in my opinion.

4. G Diapers

I haven't tried these, but saw them at Whole Foods and i know a mom that uses them and loves them - she likes that they are less bulky than the cloth diapers and less time consuming. you can flush the liner or compost the wet ones - they take 50-150 days to break down in a compost - they are plastic free. In a landfill they will break down in 90 days as opposed to 500 years for a disposable diaper (yikes!) They also come in sizes so you will need to buy S, M & L sizes for your baby (although Medium covers up to 28 lbs so if you have a smaller baby perhaps you will never get to large!). The starter kit is $27 for 2 pants and 10 flushable liners. The refills are around $15 for 40 or so liners. So this option may be a little pricier, but perhaps the convenience of it all is worth it. Like I said, I haven't tried these, but it is an option.

***PLEASE NOTE*** - Paige Bartel informed me:

One thing to note about the g-Diapers is that they are 3-part: (1) outer-waterproof piece, (2) inner snap-in liner, and (3) the disposable insert. The outer most part is the most expensive, about $18. But you can also purchase a 2-pack of extra snap-in liners for $4.99. That really cuts down on the number of waterproof parts you need, since the snap in liner catches the poop most of the time. They recommend 4-6 outer liners, and 8-12 inner liners. So even though they are sized, it doesn't take quite as much $$ at start up since the inner liners are so much cheaper.

FAQ

What do I need to get started...besides the diapers of course?

1. Diaper Pail - I use a trash can with a lid that I got at Target or Lowe's or something - I don't think it is necessary to purchase an expensive diaper pail.

2. Waterproof Liner - Most of the online cloth diaper stores sell these in sizes S - XL - i think mine is a L, but i probably should have gotten an XL to fit my particular trash can - check your sizes before ordering...unlike me :)

3. Drying method / Rack or Clothesline- I use a foldable drying rack from Target (available in the laundry section) because i dry mine inside - because of convenience really - it is best to dry them outside (perhaps a clothesline with clothespins or drying rack) because the sun actually helps bleach the cotton and keeps them stain-free...or almost stain free as i am told.

Thats all you NEED...i also like to use the disposable liners...again...they are little miracle workers...I also have Tea Tree oil that i sometimes put in the really stinky loads to help with the smell and for detergent i use 7th Generation soap and Borax. I also have a waterproof bag size S that i put in my diaper bag if i take him out in the cloth just in case...if i am going overnight or for long periods of time i will generally use disposable diapers.

How do I wash them?

A: There are different methods that come with the different diapers, but this is my method that i found works the best for me and my child and my budget and my time -

Please note - this is for the pocket diapers since that is what i mainly use - before you wash them the inserts must be separated from the diapers.

I wash a cycle on the gentle cycle with HOT water and i use just a tiny bit of 7th generation soap. like a couple tablespoons - depends on the size of the load. i generally wash around 6 or 7 at a time and use a medium setting - they soak up a lot of water, plus you want a lot of water to get them extra agitated. After that cycle i check them out and smell them. if they are looking and smelling good i give them an extra rinse and dry the inserts in the dryer and hang dry the waterproof diaper part. If they are still funky i wash them again with BORAX - about 1/2 cup and then do a rinse after that. This is generally for the really poopy load.

How many do I need?

A: I think 18 is a good number because it gives you a day or 2 off between loads. the more diapers you have the less laundry you are doing. figure out how many diapers you are changing per day and you will find out how frequently you will be needing to do laundry. Also - a lot of people have asked if they could try just one and i don't recommend that. you have to wash the diapers separately and it just doesnt make sense to do a whole load for just one diaper. if you want to cloth diaper - you should commit. I tell people to start with 6 and see how easy it is and use both cloth and disposable - which can fit in the budget easier too, since $300 is a big investment for a one time shopping spree. Buying them in bulk is usually cheaper as well online in their starter kits.

Where do I get them?

I have personally shopped at the following stores online:

Maine Cloth Diaper Company

Soft Cloth Bunz

Cotton Babies

I have never had a problem with any of them and if they were out of a color or anything they have been good at contacting me.

If you are in the Orange County area - Belly Sprout carries some brands. Also some of the cloth diaper websites have store locaters.

Also - Craigslist or Ebay is also a source if you don't mind secondhand diapers this can be the best option economically - they hold up extremely well!

Well - I hope this has been helpful. Please comment if you have any questions, any disagreements or additional information and I will post it - it is always helpful to have other people's experiences and references i think!