I've been sitting here for the last few hours after the final presidential debate contemplating politics...and playing mahjong. I haven't watched much of the debates this time around because I don't care for either candidate and I find them pretty frustrating. My husband and I have been arguing over how we should vote. He's been pretty adamant that he'll either vote Libertarian or not at all. I keep arguing that we have to choose the lesser of two evils and get Obama out at the cost of getting Romney in. After tonight, he's finally swayed me (he usually is right). Not surprising, considering how both candidates parrotted their talking points, repeating the same dead arguments, and failed to demonstrate the ability to think critically or to show consistency in their political philosophies (though Obama probably did better on that count).
Ultimately, if you identify with the Libertarian viewpoint, you have a choice this election between voting your ideals or voting pragmatically for a slightly more favorable outcome. The bottom line is that at the core Romney and Obama are very similar. Both believe in big government, running at a deficit, and sticking their noses where they don't belong. Obama puts his in closer to home, in funding endless programs and controlling how I spend my own money. Romney wants to poke his in everywhere, policing the world. Both believe in spending too freely, whether it's my hard earned dollars going to those who are too lazy to work or in lives far too casually spent in wars we don't belong in. The Republican party has become more and more about big government over the decades, trying to validate it's massive military spending with supposed free capitalism ideals. The tea party movement has tried to bring us back to conservative roots but the choice of a presidential candidate indicates they've failed, at least for now. I keep hearing that you can't "waste your vote" by voting for a third party, but the problem is that by voting for Romney, you're not just voting against Obama. You are voting for Romney and everything he stands for...at least when he's choosing to stand for it. For me, I can't in good conscience vote in someone who is going to increase the debt my kids are going to inherit.
So the question is, do you still have hope for true conservativism in America? If you don't, then by all means, vote for the lesser of two evils so that you're not "wasting your vote." If you do, then instead of "making your vote count," make it count for a candidate that most closely lines up with your political philosophy. Is the Libertarian party going to win this election? No. Next election? Probably not. But I'm going to hope that by the time my daughter can vote that she'll have an opportunity to vote for someone who believes in small federal government, stronger states, upholding the constitution, and protecting our property and our rights vigorously.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Saturday, October 20, 2012
All I Owe
Our church just had a launch party for our new building and got Indelible Grace to do a concert for it. If you're not familiar with them, they're a great group that puts new music to old hymns. They sang one song that I hadn't heard before that really stuck out to me:
All I Owe
Verse 1:
When this passing world is done
When has sunk yon glaring sun,
When we stand with Christ in glory
Looking o'er life's finished story
Then, Lord, shall I fully know
Not till then, how much I owe
Chorus:
All I owe You paid for me
From all I owe I've been set free
And all I owe proves Your great mercy to me
Verse 2:
When I stand before Your throne
Dressed in beauty not my own
When I see You as You are
Love You with unsinning heart
Then Lord, shall I fully know
Not till then, how much I owe
Bridge:
Chosen not for good in me
Wakened up from wrath to flee
Hidden in the Savior's side
By the Spirit sanctified
Teach me, Lord on earth to show
By my love, how much I owe
Words by Robert M. McCheyne and Matthew S. Smith. Music by Matthew S. Smith.
(c) 2003 Detuned Radio Music (ASCAP)
Money has been on our minds a good bit lately. We have a lot of debt and sometimes it feels like we are being crushed under a mountain of financial responsibilities. The wording in this song "all I owe" brought to mind our debt and I realized that what we owe financially here on earth is miniscule compared to what we, in our sin, owe God. We could never repay it. That mountain of debt crushes all life from us and we cannot make the smallest dent in it. Yet God says that through Christ's death and resurrection, our debt is completely wiped away. Sometimes I like to make that a smaller thing than it is. Like God opened an excel spreadsheet of my net worth and just cleared out a few cells that were red and put me in the black. But in reality, my debt to God is like sinking sand, and I can only sink farther and farther with the certain promise of death. That's what Christ died for and rescued me out of.
All I Owe
Verse 1:
When this passing world is done
When has sunk yon glaring sun,
When we stand with Christ in glory
Looking o'er life's finished story
Then, Lord, shall I fully know
Not till then, how much I owe
Chorus:
All I owe You paid for me
From all I owe I've been set free
And all I owe proves Your great mercy to me
Verse 2:
When I stand before Your throne
Dressed in beauty not my own
When I see You as You are
Love You with unsinning heart
Then Lord, shall I fully know
Not till then, how much I owe
Bridge:
Chosen not for good in me
Wakened up from wrath to flee
Hidden in the Savior's side
By the Spirit sanctified
Teach me, Lord on earth to show
By my love, how much I owe
Words by Robert M. McCheyne and Matthew S. Smith. Music by Matthew S. Smith.
(c) 2003 Detuned Radio Music (ASCAP)
Money has been on our minds a good bit lately. We have a lot of debt and sometimes it feels like we are being crushed under a mountain of financial responsibilities. The wording in this song "all I owe" brought to mind our debt and I realized that what we owe financially here on earth is miniscule compared to what we, in our sin, owe God. We could never repay it. That mountain of debt crushes all life from us and we cannot make the smallest dent in it. Yet God says that through Christ's death and resurrection, our debt is completely wiped away. Sometimes I like to make that a smaller thing than it is. Like God opened an excel spreadsheet of my net worth and just cleared out a few cells that were red and put me in the black. But in reality, my debt to God is like sinking sand, and I can only sink farther and farther with the certain promise of death. That's what Christ died for and rescued me out of.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
A ridiculously long post about cloth diapering
For anyone who hasn't used cloth diapers, you may find the idea a bit gross or complicated. I was worried about this and Nate considerably more so. We've both found it surprisingly bearable however. I even find that Izzy's cloth diapers tend to hold in the smell of a dirty/wet diaper better than a disposable does. With the better diapers, you also don't have those explosions out the diaper and up the back and down the legs that you'll often get with disposables. You do have to be prepared to wash them every 1-2 days depending on how many you buy.
So, when I reached out for advice on which cloth diapers to use, the only consistent recommendation I got was to try a little bit of everything before investing in a lot of any one type. And that's what I did. Four months and eleven diapers later, I've got a pretty good idea of what works for Izzy and me so I thought I'd share. I will preface this by saying that Izzy is a very thin baby and not all diapers work for all babies.
Newborn:
If I was going to go back and do it all over again, I probably wouldn't use cloth until my baby fit into a one size diaper simply because it's not that cost effective and I'm using cloth for the savings rather than green benefits. Most one size diapers start at 8lb. though they really start fitting well closer to 10lb. On the flip side, the newborn diapers only get used for such a short time so they will probably make it through 3-4 kids, adding to the savings. It also gives you a chance to figure out what you like.
I'm going to start with my favorite, Kissaluvs fleece fitted diapers (around $13). The fleece is soft and stays feeling dry even when it's pretty soaked which is my favorite feature. The diapers fit well and never leak. Their trimmer than most prefolds, although thicker than some other fitted options. They work for 5-15lb. and so far that's been true for Izzy. They fit well even when she was only 6lb. and she's still on a small setting at 11.5lb.
I tried both the snap and the velcro versions of the Thirsties Duo Wrap cover ($13) in size 1 and prefer the velcro because on the tightest setting it lays flat. This is a great cover and well worth the money. It comes in cute designs and I've never had a leak.
I decided to try a cheap fitted diaper as a prefold alternative and went with the Green Mountain Workhorse which is only $5 for the newborn size. It works for 5-10lb. As a prefold alternative, this is a great diaper. It has similar absorbency but holds everything in better than a prefold. However, it feels wet even when it's not that wet and has to be changed more often than the kissaluvs and did leak on occasion. Still not bad if you need something really cheap.
I also tried two prefolds, the Dandelion Unbleached ($2.65) and Indian Prefolds ($1.50). I hated the Dandelion because they are so thin that they don't hold much, were too small, and the sides are so thin I was worried about using Snappis. I will say though that a lot of people love them so maybe I was doing something wrong. The Indians were way better and worked well when she was really tiny but started leaking when she got a bit bigger so I went through covers so much that it wasn't very cost effective. They do make great burp cloths though if you decide you don't like them! I have a lot of friends who love their prefolds and don't have as many leaks, so maybe it depends on the baby!
I also tried some AIOs because I wanted something a bit easier, especially for babysitters and when we're out and about. I tried the GroVia Newborn AIO which is great as far as being trim and easy to use but I had constant leaks. I think this is because Izzy's legs are so thin and that it would be an awesome diaper for a chubby baby. We also tried the BumGenius Newborn XS diaper which has a smaller size range but leaked almost every time I used it despite fitting pretty well.
I also tried the Thirsties Duo AIO which is a pretty good diaper. It's fairly trim but absorbent, feels dry, is easy to use, and comes in velcro or snaps. Thirsties is a two size system, 6-18 and 16-35 and seems to run fairly true. I did think it was a bit bulky when she was really small but is pretty trim now. I have had a few leaks from it and you have to be careful that the attached soaker is tucked inside all the edges. I would only buy this if I was going to do both sizes because of the cost-you want to use it all the way through both sizes.
One-Size:
If you're going to use fitteds with covers, there's not really much of a cost savings in comparison with AIOs or pocket diapers because you need one cover for about every 3-4 diapers and the fitteds aren't cheap. I still prefer a fitted with cover for a newborn just because it worked better than the newborn AIOs, but for the long haul I wanted something a bit easier.
After everything I tried, I went with FuzziBunz One Size Elite Diapers ($18-20). This is a pocket diaper which is a little bit of a pain because it has to be stuffed, but is still easier than using a cover, especially when you're in a hurry. They're trim and have adjustable elastic that makes them fit well on any type of baby. They're absorbent and stay feeling pretty dry. They're easy to put on and and I've never had a leak. They advertise themselves as a 3-year diaper though they only have a 1-year warrantee so we'll have to see on that point. You can shake the insert out of the pocket without having to touch the dirty part of the diaper so that's definitely a plus. The inserts do take quite a while to dry though.
I love the BumGenius Freetime diaper ($18-20) as a nighttime diaper because it has two attached soakers that hold a lot and stay feeling dry. I've never had a leak so I trust them for 8-12 hours. The reason I won't use them as a daytime diaper is that they are super bulky, and are way too wide between the legs to fit well under clothing. They also dry super fast which is nice when you're behind on laundry!
Despite my poor experience with the GroVia Newborn, I tried the AIO Organic One-size ($20-24) because the leg gussets are designed differently. While they still didn't hug Izzy's legs, I've never had a leak even when using them overnight and they were a close second runner to the FuzziBunz. They're fairly trim, super easy to use, and hold a lot. The only real downside is that they're not quite as obvious to use as the Fuzzibunz so babysitters may be a bit confused and they're not quite as trim.
I also tried the Flip diaper with the Stay-Dry soaker (4-6/$50) just because it's about half the price if you're getting 2-3 uses out of the cover. I can definitely see this being a good option on an older baby but it was very bulky because Cotton Babies diapers run wide between the legs. I can definitely see the cover lasting through 2-3 inserts though I don't think it would make the best nighttime diaper. If you're looking for a cheap way to diaper an older baby, it's definitely a good option.
Other Cloth Diapering Stuff:
I use the Planet Wise Wet bags and have one large one and two mediums. The large I keep in the nursery, one of the mediums in my diaper bag, and the other medium as a backup for when I'm washing one of them. You can also do a trash can with disposable liners which probably protects against odor better but is also a recurring cost which I'm trying to avoid.
I've been using Nellie's detergent and haven't had any problems with it. I recommend doing a cold rinse, hot wash, and then another cold rinse to make sure you have all the detergent completely out. If you don't do the extra rinse, the detergent can build up and react to the ammonio in urine, causing a bad odor. I just got some EcoNuts and am excited about trying them because they're super cheap and have great reviews. I use Nellie's for all my laundry and plan on doing the same with EcoNuts. You may have to play around with how much detergent to use to get the diapers clean without causing buildup since it can vary based on how hard your water is. No matter how many diapers you have, you have to wash every other day because you can't leave them dirty longer than that.
I just started using cloth wipes and it's definitely not as bad as I expected. I only use them at home because it's just too much hassle when I'm out. I use water with a drop of baby body wash in a plastic container that I leave in my wipe warmer. I have 24 wipes and I only use them once then wash them to cut down on the gross factor. I got bumGenius wipes ($12/12) but I'm guessing there probably are not huge differences between brands.
Liners/Diaper Sprayers: With breastfed newborns, they don't really have solid poop so you don't have to worry about getting it off the diapers. I just throw them in the bag as is. I have tried bioliners which work quite well but are really unnecessary at this age. You'd need about 1-2 packs/mo and it'll run you anywhere from $12-24 depending on the brand. I might use them again when she's eating solids but right now that's a lot of cost. The better option for removing solids is a diaper spray (around $40) which attaches to the toilet. I haven't tried it but I've talked to a few people who swear by them and it's probably the route we'll go later on. Fuzzibunz has good reviews on theirs.
How many to buy: Newborns go through more diapers, usually around 12/day so I recommend having at least 18 (washing every day) and up to 30 (washing every other day). Once they get to about three months, they only use around 7-9 diapers/day so you'll need anywhere from 12-24 depending on how often you want to wash.
Where to buy: There are tons and tons of website that sell diaper products from WAHM sites to the big names like Amazon and Diapers.com. While I love to support the WAHMs, I've generally found the bigger sites to have better prices, especially on shipping, though there are exceptions. JackBeNatural does free shipping on most orders and has great customer service. The Baby Grocery Store has great customer service and they have a physical location! If you live near Charlotte, I highly recommend it as a way to go and actually see and feel the diapers before investing. He'll also negotiate prices a bit if you'll buy bulk. I do buy most of mine from Amazon because they sell pretty much everything and only once or twice have I found a better price elsewhere. Purchases over $50 get free shipping so I just make sure to order enough. You can run a google search on specific diapers if you want to price shop. You can also buy used off of Craigs list or even Facebook sites like JackBeNatural JackRestash. Also checkout http://paddedtushstats.com/ for info on laundry detergents, diaper reviews, washing tips, etc.
As mentioned before, I'm cloth diapering because of the cost savings, though I do like the idea of natural cloth on Izzy's sensitive skin rather than chemicals. However, there's a limit to how much hassle I'm willing to go through to save a few bucks so when we travel, I do use disposables (gasp!) and I think it's definitely the way to go! If I'm on vacation or doing a lot of running about visiting people, the last thing I want to worry about is washing diapers!
So, when I reached out for advice on which cloth diapers to use, the only consistent recommendation I got was to try a little bit of everything before investing in a lot of any one type. And that's what I did. Four months and eleven diapers later, I've got a pretty good idea of what works for Izzy and me so I thought I'd share. I will preface this by saying that Izzy is a very thin baby and not all diapers work for all babies.
Newborn:
If I was going to go back and do it all over again, I probably wouldn't use cloth until my baby fit into a one size diaper simply because it's not that cost effective and I'm using cloth for the savings rather than green benefits. Most one size diapers start at 8lb. though they really start fitting well closer to 10lb. On the flip side, the newborn diapers only get used for such a short time so they will probably make it through 3-4 kids, adding to the savings. It also gives you a chance to figure out what you like.
I'm going to start with my favorite, Kissaluvs fleece fitted diapers (around $13). The fleece is soft and stays feeling dry even when it's pretty soaked which is my favorite feature. The diapers fit well and never leak. Their trimmer than most prefolds, although thicker than some other fitted options. They work for 5-15lb. and so far that's been true for Izzy. They fit well even when she was only 6lb. and she's still on a small setting at 11.5lb.
I tried both the snap and the velcro versions of the Thirsties Duo Wrap cover ($13) in size 1 and prefer the velcro because on the tightest setting it lays flat. This is a great cover and well worth the money. It comes in cute designs and I've never had a leak.
I decided to try a cheap fitted diaper as a prefold alternative and went with the Green Mountain Workhorse which is only $5 for the newborn size. It works for 5-10lb. As a prefold alternative, this is a great diaper. It has similar absorbency but holds everything in better than a prefold. However, it feels wet even when it's not that wet and has to be changed more often than the kissaluvs and did leak on occasion. Still not bad if you need something really cheap.
I also tried two prefolds, the Dandelion Unbleached ($2.65) and Indian Prefolds ($1.50). I hated the Dandelion because they are so thin that they don't hold much, were too small, and the sides are so thin I was worried about using Snappis. I will say though that a lot of people love them so maybe I was doing something wrong. The Indians were way better and worked well when she was really tiny but started leaking when she got a bit bigger so I went through covers so much that it wasn't very cost effective. They do make great burp cloths though if you decide you don't like them! I have a lot of friends who love their prefolds and don't have as many leaks, so maybe it depends on the baby!
I also tried some AIOs because I wanted something a bit easier, especially for babysitters and when we're out and about. I tried the GroVia Newborn AIO which is great as far as being trim and easy to use but I had constant leaks. I think this is because Izzy's legs are so thin and that it would be an awesome diaper for a chubby baby. We also tried the BumGenius Newborn XS diaper which has a smaller size range but leaked almost every time I used it despite fitting pretty well.
I also tried the Thirsties Duo AIO which is a pretty good diaper. It's fairly trim but absorbent, feels dry, is easy to use, and comes in velcro or snaps. Thirsties is a two size system, 6-18 and 16-35 and seems to run fairly true. I did think it was a bit bulky when she was really small but is pretty trim now. I have had a few leaks from it and you have to be careful that the attached soaker is tucked inside all the edges. I would only buy this if I was going to do both sizes because of the cost-you want to use it all the way through both sizes.
One-Size:
If you're going to use fitteds with covers, there's not really much of a cost savings in comparison with AIOs or pocket diapers because you need one cover for about every 3-4 diapers and the fitteds aren't cheap. I still prefer a fitted with cover for a newborn just because it worked better than the newborn AIOs, but for the long haul I wanted something a bit easier.
After everything I tried, I went with FuzziBunz One Size Elite Diapers ($18-20). This is a pocket diaper which is a little bit of a pain because it has to be stuffed, but is still easier than using a cover, especially when you're in a hurry. They're trim and have adjustable elastic that makes them fit well on any type of baby. They're absorbent and stay feeling pretty dry. They're easy to put on and and I've never had a leak. They advertise themselves as a 3-year diaper though they only have a 1-year warrantee so we'll have to see on that point. You can shake the insert out of the pocket without having to touch the dirty part of the diaper so that's definitely a plus. The inserts do take quite a while to dry though.
I love the BumGenius Freetime diaper ($18-20) as a nighttime diaper because it has two attached soakers that hold a lot and stay feeling dry. I've never had a leak so I trust them for 8-12 hours. The reason I won't use them as a daytime diaper is that they are super bulky, and are way too wide between the legs to fit well under clothing. They also dry super fast which is nice when you're behind on laundry!
Despite my poor experience with the GroVia Newborn, I tried the AIO Organic One-size ($20-24) because the leg gussets are designed differently. While they still didn't hug Izzy's legs, I've never had a leak even when using them overnight and they were a close second runner to the FuzziBunz. They're fairly trim, super easy to use, and hold a lot. The only real downside is that they're not quite as obvious to use as the Fuzzibunz so babysitters may be a bit confused and they're not quite as trim.
I also tried the Flip diaper with the Stay-Dry soaker (4-6/$50) just because it's about half the price if you're getting 2-3 uses out of the cover. I can definitely see this being a good option on an older baby but it was very bulky because Cotton Babies diapers run wide between the legs. I can definitely see the cover lasting through 2-3 inserts though I don't think it would make the best nighttime diaper. If you're looking for a cheap way to diaper an older baby, it's definitely a good option.
Other Cloth Diapering Stuff:
I use the Planet Wise Wet bags and have one large one and two mediums. The large I keep in the nursery, one of the mediums in my diaper bag, and the other medium as a backup for when I'm washing one of them. You can also do a trash can with disposable liners which probably protects against odor better but is also a recurring cost which I'm trying to avoid.
I've been using Nellie's detergent and haven't had any problems with it. I recommend doing a cold rinse, hot wash, and then another cold rinse to make sure you have all the detergent completely out. If you don't do the extra rinse, the detergent can build up and react to the ammonio in urine, causing a bad odor. I just got some EcoNuts and am excited about trying them because they're super cheap and have great reviews. I use Nellie's for all my laundry and plan on doing the same with EcoNuts. You may have to play around with how much detergent to use to get the diapers clean without causing buildup since it can vary based on how hard your water is. No matter how many diapers you have, you have to wash every other day because you can't leave them dirty longer than that.
I just started using cloth wipes and it's definitely not as bad as I expected. I only use them at home because it's just too much hassle when I'm out. I use water with a drop of baby body wash in a plastic container that I leave in my wipe warmer. I have 24 wipes and I only use them once then wash them to cut down on the gross factor. I got bumGenius wipes ($12/12) but I'm guessing there probably are not huge differences between brands.
Liners/Diaper Sprayers: With breastfed newborns, they don't really have solid poop so you don't have to worry about getting it off the diapers. I just throw them in the bag as is. I have tried bioliners which work quite well but are really unnecessary at this age. You'd need about 1-2 packs/mo and it'll run you anywhere from $12-24 depending on the brand. I might use them again when she's eating solids but right now that's a lot of cost. The better option for removing solids is a diaper spray (around $40) which attaches to the toilet. I haven't tried it but I've talked to a few people who swear by them and it's probably the route we'll go later on. Fuzzibunz has good reviews on theirs.
How many to buy: Newborns go through more diapers, usually around 12/day so I recommend having at least 18 (washing every day) and up to 30 (washing every other day). Once they get to about three months, they only use around 7-9 diapers/day so you'll need anywhere from 12-24 depending on how often you want to wash.
Where to buy: There are tons and tons of website that sell diaper products from WAHM sites to the big names like Amazon and Diapers.com. While I love to support the WAHMs, I've generally found the bigger sites to have better prices, especially on shipping, though there are exceptions. JackBeNatural does free shipping on most orders and has great customer service. The Baby Grocery Store has great customer service and they have a physical location! If you live near Charlotte, I highly recommend it as a way to go and actually see and feel the diapers before investing. He'll also negotiate prices a bit if you'll buy bulk. I do buy most of mine from Amazon because they sell pretty much everything and only once or twice have I found a better price elsewhere. Purchases over $50 get free shipping so I just make sure to order enough. You can run a google search on specific diapers if you want to price shop. You can also buy used off of Craigs list or even Facebook sites like JackBeNatural JackRestash. Also checkout http://paddedtushstats.com/ for info on laundry detergents, diaper reviews, washing tips, etc.
As mentioned before, I'm cloth diapering because of the cost savings, though I do like the idea of natural cloth on Izzy's sensitive skin rather than chemicals. However, there's a limit to how much hassle I'm willing to go through to save a few bucks so when we travel, I do use disposables (gasp!) and I think it's definitely the way to go! If I'm on vacation or doing a lot of running about visiting people, the last thing I want to worry about is washing diapers!
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