billandcorrie.com

The bad news is the estimate to fix our camera is as much as a new camera.  The good news is, that means we are getting a new camera.  However, it has been a long time without pictures!  Even though we couldn’t document our weekend in photos, it was a fabulous couple of days.

A cool front moved through this weekend, resulting in idyllic climatic conditions — blue skies, highs in the upper 70’s, gentle breezes.  We decided to take full advantage by trying out Lily’s new bike seat, which Bill received from us for Father’s Day.  After some research, I had selected the iBert Safe-T-Seat, a front-mounted seat so that Lily can get an unobstructed view. 

We had a fabulous time, and Lily seemed to enjoy every minute of it, aside from the putting on her bike helmet part.  It was so neat to do an activity that we did pre-Lily, but this time we got to share it with her.  We were just sad that Angus couldn’t join us.  His short little legs just can’t keep up!  We’re considering getting a bike trailer for him.  (I’m only half kidding.)

After an invigorating bike ride, we felt frozen custard was in order.  Lily quickly put away her entire kid cone, then insisted on bites of Bill’s and my concretes.  Since she missed her afternoon nap that day, she went down without a fight at 6:55, and Bill and I were able to enjoy our favorite Indian carry-out out on our deck…in the absolutely perfect early summer evening weather.

Sunday dawned cool and bright, and we dressed quickly and headed down to the City Market, which is less congested on Sundays as compared to busy Saturdays.  We strolled about and then had breakfast outside at a restaurant that serves bigger-than-your-plate pancakes.  During our second cup of coffee, we received a call from our friends Brian and Patti, who were going to be in our neck of the woods around lunch time and asked to stop by.  Lily was quickly expiring, so we hurriedly paid the check so we could get her in the car to nap.

While Lily napped in her car seat, back home in her room (thank goodness she still fits in her portable infant car seat!), Bill tidied up the house and I mowed the lawn.  Seriously, the weather was so fantastic that even mowing the lawn was something of a treat, just to be outside.  Lily soon joined us outside and helped Bill weed (ate sticks).  I asked Bill if he felt emasculated to be “gardening” while his wife mowed the lawn, but he said he didn’t mind a bit!

Brian and Patti, with their six-month-old Kalee, stopped by and we had lunch and a few cold beers on the deck.  I had a moment of realization that I am truly the mother of a toddler when Lily tried to poke Kalee in her eye socket, aptly naming it “EYE.”  So now I am the one quickly intervening and saying “Honey, be gentle,” instead of being the one instinctively protecting my infant from a curious and rambunctious toddler.

Later:  Date Night!  My parents graciously agreed to sit with Lily so that Bill and I could get out together.  At first we thought we’d see a movie, but then decided not to waste precious time together sitting silently in a dark theater.  So we took Angus and the Mustang for a leisurely drive with the top down, cool wind in our hair.  We meandered downtown to the Liberty Memorial, which astute readers may remember was the site of our engagement.  Basically it was just a good night to walk around outside, hand in hand, our pup by our side — reminiscent of days gone by.  We sat outside the Westport Coffee House for dessert and coffee, reading each other interesting tidbits from the newspaper until the sun sank low and we could no longer see the words on the page.  We drove home through downtown, and I leaned back in my seat to see the towering buildings above, thankful for this much-needed respite.

Nothing spectacular.  Just a string of sweet everyday moments that I want to commit to memory.  And the images in my head are probably better than we could have captured on film anyway.

I mentioned around Earth Day that I should do a post about cloth diapering, in case any of my friends might want to consider this option.  Now my friend Abby has posted about their experience, so I thought I’d join in!  (WARNING:  This is an extremely detailed and lengthy post, so if you’re in it for the long haul, better grab a snack.  Oh, also — the subject of “poo” may come up here and there, so this is not for the faint of heart!)

We have cloth diapered Lily since birth, though we are not too hardcore and do use disposables at night and for convenience when we’re out and about.  Still, we have found even part time cloth diapering to be rewarding for the environmental impact, and it has been easier than expected.

You have several different options with cloth diapering, each with its own advantages.  Most people find a combination of options works well for them, as their needs vary (i.e. night time diapers, going out diapers, around the house, etc.).
 
Prefolds (with covers): These are the old-school diapers, which require a cover to make them moisture-proof.  They come in sizes (like preemie, newborn, infant, regular/premium, toddler).  You can pin them or use a rubber clasp, called a Snappi.  I prefer to Snappi because I am afraid of pins!  You can even choose to just fold one in thirds (trifold) and lay it in a cover.  This is a quick and easy option, but is not great for containing runny newborn poo.  There are different folds you can use with prefolds, too–just takes trial and error sometimes to find out what works well for your baby.  For instance, I used the jellyroll fold (rolling both sides in before bringing the front of the diaper up to snappi), which is great for containing newborn poo.  Prefolds come in basic cotton, or the more expensive versions may be a blend, like hemp, which is more absorbant.  You can also choose between Chinese Prefolds (CPF) or Indian (IPF).  Chinese are generally more durable, but not quite as soft as IPF.  Prefolds have the advantage of being a pretty inexpensive option, as they run $1-2 apiece.  If you were to use only prefolds and covers, you would probably want 36 diapers and maybe 6-8 covers (newborns tend to go through more covers because of runny poo).  The covers can be used through more than one diaper change, as long as they are not soiled.  The prefolds you can buy in stores, like Gerber, are generally considered to be less absorbant and lower quality than ones you can get online (though they make great burpcloths!).  A lot of people swear by the basic prefold and cover option for simplicity and cost-effectiveness.  I myself really liked this option when Lily was a newborn – easier than I had anticipated.  However, as she has gotten older, she is so wiggly that it can be difficult to get a good fit with the prefold, and the two-step process of diaper and cover is just sometimes one step too many!

 Snappi fasteners         Prefold w/ Snappi

Fitteds: Fitted diapers are ones that have elastic in the legs and waist for a more snug fit.  They usually have snap or hook and loop (Velcro or Aplix) closure.  They do not require pinning or Snappi-ing.  Like prefolds, they require a cover.  They come in different materials, like cotton, hemp, bamboo, etc.  They will run you more per diaper, like around $8-12.  There are also “contoured” diapers, which are shaped more like an hourglass, so they don’t require folding like a prefold, but they don’t have elastic (and must be secured with a pin or Snappi).  They are usually cheaper than a fitted.  Kissaluvs is a brand that makes both a fitted and a contour diaper.

 Fitted (Kissaluv)        

 Fitted with Cover (Prorap cover)

Covers:  Huge range of varieties in covers!  You have basic PUL (polyurethane laminate), which is closest to the vinyl pants of our youth (but softer, not crinkly!).  They generally have Velcro closure, and sometimes have nice features like leg gussets for extra leak protection.  A few examples of PUL covers include Proraps, Thirsties, and Bummis Super Whisper Wraps.  There are also fleece covers, which are more breathable than PUL.   I don’t know much about fleece, though (except that it is bulkier–too bulky for a trim look under clothes, in my opinion).  And then there is wool.  We don’t use wool, but it has a lot of fans among hardcore cloth diaperers!  I did try them briefly, and they work amazingly well, but are not a great option under clothes (bulky).  Wool covers have to be lanolized to make them waterproof (meaning you have to soak them in water with lanolin from time to time).  It is more breathable than PUL, so some people feel it helps keep babies’ bums healthier.  A lot of people seem to like wool for night time, since baby will be in the same diaper for a longer stretch of time.  When it comes to wool, there are also “shorties” and “longies,” which are knit shorts or pants that act as both diaper cover and clothing.  A lot of women knit their own, or buy from WAHM’s (work-at-home-moms).

AIO (All-In-Ones): These are basically diaper and cover in one piece.  They usually have a PUL outer with absorbant material inside, sometimes with a feel-dry liner, like suedecloth or fleece.  AIO are most like disposables — easy and convenient — but they are also more expensive, like $15-20 each.  So for people trying to cloth diaper inexpensively, sometimes they will just have several AIO (or pocket diapers…more later) for going out or for babysitters.  A full stash of a couple dozen AIOs gets pricey, but some people prefer it.  AIO can have either Velcro/Aplix or snap closure.  The main disadvantage to AIOs is the very long drying time.  Because it is all one piece, it can take two full dryer cycles to get completely dry.  An example of an AIO is bumGenius, which makes both an AIO and a pocket diaper.

Lily (7 weeks old) in a BumGenius AIO

Pocket Diapers:  These are similar to AIO, except instead of having the absorbant material sewn in, they have a pocket (with opening at the back of the diaper) for you to “stuff” with whatever you like.  This is nice, because you can vary the absorbancy, like more for night.  They are often sold with an insert — like microfiber — but you can add whatever you want, like a hemp insert, or bamboo, or even a prefold.  You can double the inserts for added absorbancy.  With these diapers, you have the added step of putting the insert in the diaper, and taking it out for laundering.  They dry much faster than an AIO since you take the inserts out before washing/drying.  Many brands of pockets also have the avantage of being one size fits all.  They have different snaps to accomodate baby from newborn through potty training.  They are usually the most expensive option, ranging from $17 on up, plus you may then wnat to buy additional inserts, which may be several dollars apiece.  But with the one-size, you are investing in a diaper that will last you for years and can be used for more than one child at the same time (i.e, if you have both a toddler and an infant, you can adjust the diaper to fit either child). Examples of pocket diapers inclue Fuzzi Bunz and Haute Pockets, and bumGenius also makes a one-size pocket diaper, which is what we use most now that Lily is bigger.  She is still on the smallest size setting, so these diapers will last her through potty-training.  And Happy Heinys makes some adorable prints.

Diaper pail:  Most people find a standard trashcan with lid works fine, lined with a washable pail liner (like a Wahmies brand liner).  You may want two liners — one for the pail while the other is in the laundry.  Wahmies have a nice little fabric square sewn in that you can put a few drops of essential oil for odor control.  Some people prefer to use a wet pail, in which you leave some water to soak the diapers as you put them in.  It helps with preventing stains, but can be a bit messier with having to lug a heavy pail to the washer and dump the yucky water.  We have a bucket next to the washer (which is in the basement), in which we sometimes soak dirty diapers before washing.

Laundering: Cloth diapers require a detergent without fabric softeners, so you don’t want to use Dreft.  There are quite a few detergents that are recommended.  (see Pinstripesandpolkadots.com for laundry help and detergent reviews.)  Bleach is also not recommended, although some people do use it sparingly and infrequently.  That is a personal call. Diapers of babies who are exclusively breastfed don’t need to be dunked in the toilet; the poo is water-soluable, so the diapers can go straight in the washing machine and will wash out completely.  Solid poo needs to be shaken off into the toilet first.  Some people find a diaper sprayer (which can connect to your sink or even directly to your toilet) is helpful for spraying off solids before laundering.  You can choose to line-dry or put in the dryer — your choice!  Our wash routine is: presoak in the washer (or sometimes in the bucket overnight), then wash on hot with a sparing amount of Country Save powder detergent (biodegradable, no perfumes or dyes, no fabric softener).  We do a double rinse cycle to ensure all detergent is out of the diapers (detergent build-up can affect absorbancy).  Then into the dryer on high.  Some diapers require going through the dryer a couple of times (my AIO take at least 90 minutes to dry).  If we have time and the weather is nice, we will line dry at least part of the time (to reduce energy consumption).  Some people add things like baking soda and/or vinegar to their wash routine, but this is usually to combat a problem like odor.  Basically, most people find cloth diapers just add a couple of loads of laundry per week to their usual routine — so not much trouble!

Buying:  There are tons of online retailers!  Many have nice basic newborn packages or other trial packages (like the trial offer from Jillian’s Drawers) with a bit of a price break or free shipping for buying a lot at once.  In my opinion, though, it is good to get a sampling of options, so that you can see what works well for you.  I found a combination of Indian prefolds (IPF) and Proraps, plus several AIO and pockets for outings worked great for the newborn stage.  Later, we tried more fitteds (Thirsties Fab Fitteds, BumGenius bamboo fitted, Swaddlebees) and some different covers; Thirsties and Imse Vimse Soft covers are my favorites.  If you want to wash every 3-4 days, you will want to have around 2-3 dozen diapers on hand.

Finally, I just want to list some of my favorite retailers (many of the links in the text above will link to some of these retailers):

• www.jilliansdrawers.com (Great customer service, good online tutorial for new cloth users)
• www.nickisdiapers.com (Some of the best prices, free shipping on all covers)
• www.cottonbabies.com (Primarily a bumGenius retailer, but lots of other products, too)
• www.greenmountaindiapers.com (Has nice prefolds, good info, bad website)
• www.happybottomus.com (The only actual cloth diapering store in Kansas City — great for seeing things in person)

Overwhelmed?  I was!  I hope this info is helpful for anyone considering cloth diapering, and at least mildly interesting even for those who aren’t.

We returned today from our annual week-long family vacation (my parents, my sister’s family, and us) at the Lake of the Ozarks.  This family trip pre-dates even me — a tradition started by my parents when my sister was only around two.  We had a favorite place in Branson — Sammy Lane Resort, which was owned by my parents’ friends and situated on the banks of Lake Taneycomo, at the end of Main Street in old downtown Branson.  This was not the Nashville/Vegas/Gaudytown, USA that Branson grew to be; it was a quiet little piece of property with towering sycamore trees surrounding an enormous azure pool, with quaint cabins sprinkled over several acres of green.  We spent entire summers there when my sister and I were young (benefit of having teacher parents), and continued to spend a week there every summer until several years ago, when, following a transition to new ownership (our friends finally having the good sense to retire from this 24-hour, year-round job), the vile new owner sold out to the city so the resort could be leveled to make way for another trite shopping strip and parking garages.  We were grief-stricken to be losing our home-away-from-home and panicked to find something to take its place, knowing full well we would never really be able to recreate the 25 years of memories we had cataloged at Sammy Lane.

We found a nice little resort at the Lake of the Ozarks, near Sunrise Beach.  Though it is a pleasant place to spend a week lounging by the pool or floating on an air mattress in the lake with a cool cocktail, I do miss walking the few blocks on Main Street “uptown” in Branson to get ice cream at Mr. B’s, or picking through “10,000 Things Under One Roof” at Dick’s Five and Dime, or experiencing “Springfield-style” cashew chicken at Tran’s (FYI, “Springfield-style” involves a “gravy” which is not likely to be found at P.F. Chang’s).  If you have visited the new “Branson Landing” at the foot of Main Street, please do not tell me about it.  I have vowed never to return to Branson ever since the city stole my childhood utopia.

But, I digress.  I had some good days and some tough days on this year’s vacation, since Bill was needed in Austin for work for a few days in the middle of the week, leaving me to manage Lily on my own.  I know that sounds ridiculous — I am a grown woman and Lily is only one very small child.  But I do sort of panic when I have her on my own, because she is pretty much in constant motion from 5:30 a.m. until bedtime at 7:30, save for a couple of brief catnaps.  And she does not meet with many daily tasks with an open mind.  Meal times, diaper changes, getting into the carseat — these are all met with noisy aversion and intricate calesthenics.  My family was able to help out, but it was still a busy few days for me, with little time for vacationing.  I guess it’s just a bit of a reality check that our lifestyle has changed a good deal.  We all had a great last day yesterday, after Bill had rejoined us and we were able to split some time so that we each got to relax a bit.  I even managed to get a bit of a tan (though long gone are the days of hour upon hour of strategically flipping front to back with SPF 2 Hawaiian Tropic tanning oil; now it’s more like SPF 30 sweat-proof sunblock and a hat).  Lily enjoyed floating around the pool in her floaty ring, and she did great with going underwater several times — spluttering a bit, but not at all perturbed.  She loved strolling each morning with Papa to a nearby shop to get the daily newspaper.  And she loved watching the birds from our second-story lakeview deck.

Lily also used this week as an opportunity to perfect her walking.  There is nothing stopping her now!  She can stand up on her own from the floor now (no need to crawl to something to pull up anymore), and she is really starting to pick up speed.  This also means she is EVERYWHERE.  It’s like the whole world is her oyster now.  And she cannot wait to try every cabinet door, every drawer.  And she can run AWAY from us!  Fun for all!

It’s always nice to come home, and Lily was so happy to be in familiar digs that she hit the hay at 7 tonight.  I think Bill and I are not far behind.  Vacationing can really take it out of you!

Corrie and I loved the banner you made, however I needed to adjust it to fit the stylesheet that I’m using for the clog - so I had to use a little creative license to re-imagine it.  Hope you don’t mind - It is an awesome design!  PS - I’m a photoshop freak too.   - Billy out.

Only a few more months of “Still President George Bush,” it can’t get any worse right? Wait - what’s that - “Iran has to make a choice,…..”

Well, Bill’s post below certainly set the mood for our romantic five-year anniversary date!  We had thought we might take a trip to commemorate the day, but we weren’t ready to leave Lily for a few days yet, so we decided to postpone our anniversary trip for this fall.  We’re thinking Napa.  So for the actual day, we decided to go out for a nice, leisurely dinner — a rarity these days.  We chose Justus Drugstore, a relatively new place just 10 minutes north of us in Smithville.  It has been getting rave reviews since it opened, and we were anxious to try it.  It was fabulous.  If you’re local, you have to get up there.

Jonathan Justus and his wife opened the restaurant in downtown Smithville, in the space that was formerly a drugstore his parents had owned when he was growing up.  The food is all prepared from the freshest, locally-acquired ingredients, from local growers, ranchers, and organic dairy.  I started off the evening with a cocktail prepared with honeysuckle-infused vodka — honeysuckle that they had “picked last night.”  Bill and I shared a goat cheese herb spread with homemade crostini to whet our appetites, and then we each had a salad — Bill’s was an endive salad with breaded soft-boiled egg, thick cut bacon pieces, and blue cheese, and my salad consisted of vinaigrette-dressed greens and sliced apple with a chunk of bacon-wrapped goat cheese.  Each menu item, from starters through entrees, had a suggested wine pairing given, so I enjoyed sampling a few wines, available by the glass or half-glass, which was a great feature to allow some variety.  Bill’s chosen entree was a flat iron steak with a bacon and wild mushroom cream sauce and chive mashed potatoes.  I selected the chicken, which I often shy away from at nice restaurants because it seems so mundane.  But this chicken was amazing.  It was served with an elderflower sauce (I wasn’t too familiar with the elderflower, but I can say the sauce had a subtle honey flavor that complemented the chicken perfectly), scalloped potatoes and onion saute.

And — oh, the desserts.  Goat cheese cheesecake with sour cherries for Bill, apricot beignets with cinnamon ice cream for me…melt in your mouth heavenly.  We lingered over these with French press coffee (from a local roasterie) and conversation, just like the good ol’ days.

Because we had dined early, the night was still young as we left the restaurant, and — heck — we had a sitter (my folks) for hours yet.  So we raced home to change clothes and hit a movie.  This is where the evening takes a less exotic turn.  We had to choose a movie based on start time rather than our burning desire to see it, so we headed off to see Kung Fu Panda.  And it gets better.  Twenty minutes in, I fell asleep on Bill’s shoulder and only woke a few minutes before the credits rolled.  That’s pretty much how I roll these days.  At least it was still pretty romantic to be cuddled up with my hubby in a dark theater.

The next evening we revisited our wedding video, which we haven’t seen in a few years.  We paused the tape repeatedly so we could pick through all of the faces in the crowd, remembering the joy and appreciation we felt having all the important people in our lives there supporting us.  We listened to the entire homily, which I admittedly missed a good deal of the first time around as I was focusing on staying upright (”don’t lock your knees!”), and it was so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes.  There were some lovely moments caught on film where Bill was whispering sweet nothings in my ear, and I so wish I could remember what he was telling me.  Whatever his words, they made me beam.  Five years later, he still has the ability to do that.

5 years ago today I woke up early and alone in a house that was to become our home.  Corrie was still asleep at her childhood home.  Drawn to the sunroom, I watched the sun rise into layered gold and crimson lined clouds, it was stunning.  Time moved on in blurry flashes of family, friends and snippets of laughter and excited panic until I appear standing with my dashing brother on the alter steps, waiting for a door to open.  The skies that had gone through many evolutions during the day had grown thick and poured doubt, were clearing. On comes the little ones, sprites of rings and flowers, a promise of the future then all is quiet.  In front of me my family and close friends wrapped in their best, a good looking bunch.  Beyond was a glorious crowd made up of our life’s historical touchstones, mentors and support, and also a group that would journey with us into the future.  To say I was humbled is beyond understated.  The power of the emotion I felt as the realization of who was there, how far they had come, why they had come, and the love on their faces is something that I believe you can only experience once, and is a source of great strength for me.  The music starts again, everyone stands up, and the doors swing open.  It’s no wonder so many grooms pass out at weddings.  Walt is beaming as he slowly guides a celestial princess, shimmering and floating toward me.  As she came to me, and we stood together I held on to her and I knew I could never leave her side.  We shared a few private moments of levity during the ceremony that allowed me to know that the princess was really her all along and that I was very very lucky that she was drawn to my sense of humor, and near sighted.  The presentation of Husband and Wife, are you kidding me….then my father stands up and everyone follows with applause and cheers as I lead her away quickly toward the exit before someone can catch me.  I grab hold of her and we float together through a narrow path in the crowd.   Quick bursts of Rose petals catch the astonishingly living sun that has finally taken over the sky.  Silver white bands play on the few remaining clouds, and the deep green grass, and the wet bark on the tree catch the light in little golden lamps. 

5 years have gone by with many seasons and sunny and stormy days.  And Corrie is impossibly more beautiful today to me as she is now adorned with the mantles of our life together, our journeys, our joys, our sadness, and our dreams for the future.   She is the colors of the sunrise, without which it’s just another day.

Love - b