diapering and mothering

One thing I've meant to write more about lately is diapering this time around, since it's what Adam and I spend a good part of every day doing. Like Phillip, for the first few weeks after Thomas was born, we used disposables; mostly PC Green or Seventh Generation. (A side note on PC Green diapers - I hate that they slag cloth diapers on the package and try to convince the reader that hundreds of packages of disposables is somehow better for the planet than cloth. Aside from being completely ridiculous, it conveys their assumption that the person buying them uses exclusively disposables, and is trying to make them feel happy about purchasing their product. It makes me ooze wrath. But I bought a package the other day because they're on sale, they're a decent option, we do use disposables at night, and such is life.)
Once we got our system sorted out, we started using cloth at home and disposables out and at night. Now we're one step further, using cloth at home during the day and when we're out, but still the disposables at night. We used several really cheap covers with P, and they were no longer usable after being a) used so much and b) in storage for a couple of years. So I picked up a couple of new covers for T at Stylin Mama when we were in Saint John, including a couple of Applecheeks, which I love. That's what T is wearing in these pictures. They are so soft and well-fitted, not to mention adorable. They're fleece-lined, and the elastic has the ideal amount of stretch. And they're made in Canada! T is still a wee bit under the weight for this size, but I didn't want to buy covers that he might only wear for a couple of weeks. A couple more Bummis Super Whisper wraps, too, (also made in Canada) and we're all set. (I love the new celery dot print!)
One thing that I've found works really well that I didn't do when P was in diapers is to use a scoop of oxy stain remover in each load of diapers I wash. They come out much cleaner and fresher than without. And we have had no trouble whatsoever with washing them in our front-loader. I have a custom wash programmed in with an extra rinse, and it's been working like a charm. We've also been using cloth wipes, of course, simply wetted with a bit of water, but I wanted to try something a little more moisturizing on that adorable bum. My first plan, naturally, was to make my own wipe liquid, but after reading rave reviews about this Baby Wipe Juice from Lusa Organics, I had to order some. It arrived yesterday, and I mixed some up today and used it for the first time. It smells amazing (slightly hippie-fied, but pleasantly so, with low levels of the patchouli factor - just nice and natural) and feels lovely on his sweet skin. I'm a fan! Oh, and the bottle is super concentrated, so it will last forever. So far, I love it!

I think I first saw the diaper juice featured in the most recent issue of Mothering, where there is also an excellent article, "The Diaper Dilemma" that has me seriously considering cloth diapering all of the time. Although I don't subscribe to everything that Mothering promotes (co-sleeping, for example, is just not going to happen in this house for a variety of reasons, not least of which is that Adam is 6'3" and we sleep in a double bed), I love reading the magazine. It's full of thoughtful reflections on parenthood, practical advice and recommendations, and plenty of opinions on controversial parenting issues. I really enjoy reading the letters to the editor and the varied readership they represent. If you're intrigued, you can get a digital subscription for $4.95 - I prefer the print copies, since I sometimes lend them out and often refer back to them. The online forums are an amazing source of information on natural living and parenting, too - be prepared to be in the rabbit hole for awhile.
Thomas has been working so hard to get his thumb in that little mouth of his. Any day now, he'll have it down pat.

Adam took all of these beautiful photos tonight of our beautiful boy.