Hybrid Diapering

So, most of you who know us have heard that we, well more like me, (Leslie) wants to do cloth diapering. I was very pro cloth diapering, but after taking my environmental biology class this summer, I realized that both cloth and disposable have their pros and cons.

Cloth Diapers

Pros:

1. It's WAY CHEAPER! If you are sissy about it and get a diapering service to launder them for you, then it probably won't be cheaper. But for the most part you can save about $1500 doing cloth diapering.
2. They come in really cool colors and styles, so you can match them with any outfit.
3. The diapers I'm using, FLIP and ECONOBUM are inexpensive and practical. I like the fact that they are NOT all-in-ones. I can get away with using only 2 covers per day and about 6-8 inserts depending on how much peeing and pooping Ruby does.
4. Less Diaper rash!
5. Less landfill waste.
   

Cons:

1. Not too convenient for traveling. However I can get disposable inserts that are biodegradable for my cloth covers.
   
2. Higher electric bill (since we don't pay for water, luckily we don't have to worry about that expense.
3. Lots of laundry. Luckily since I'm using the covers and inserts instead of the all-in-ones, laundry won't be that bad!
   
4. More burning of fossil fuels for electricity, and more water use.
   

We spent a total of $114 on 6 diaper covers and 10 inserts. We're going to get more inserts once we figure out which ones we like the best. Since the first few weeks babies poop a lot, and because it will be easier on me for the recovery, I bought a pack of newborn pampers, and a pack of size 1 as well. We'll go full swing with cloth diapering once I'm feeling better and once Ruby stops having so many wet diapers in one day. I feel good about it. I'm not trying to kill myself going all out "granola girl" but I'm also trying my best to save money and not clog up the landfills with my child's non-biodegradable diapers.

Activities Committee Co-Chairs

We moved into our new church in may when we moved into our new apartment. We got callings about a month later to be on the activities committee. At our first committee meeting the entire committee told us they were moving, and wouldn't be able to make it to the big camp out on August 13-14. Great! We thought. We have no idea how this particular ward works, etc.

So everyone moves away and a week later we get called to be the co-chairs (the heads) of the activities committee. What? A week before we have activity that we have NO IDEA how to pull off or even where the campsite is located we get called? Why did they call us to such a time intensive calling when I'm do in a month? A million thoughts were going through my head when we heard that we were going to be the new co-chairs.

Soon I realized that everything would work out, because it ALWAYS does. The Lord always prepares a way for us to accomplish what he wants us to do. No matter how big or small the task. So, Sunday we got called, and yesterday was our first activity-just ourselves-no committee. Here's how it went (we were in charge of providing dinner):

• Friday afternoon- Brad and I drive to the church to get coolers out of the shed. They key they gave us doesn't open. Call Bishop.
• We realized we don't have the drinking cooler in the shed. Call bishop.
• Go to closet and get all the paper products.
• Go to costco. Momma Leslie sat down to a slice of pizza and ice cream while brad gets everything on our list. What a superstar!
• Go to sunflower market to get cantaloupes that were on sale for 3 for a dollar!!
• Go to walmart to get all the condiments plus a big container of powdered lemonade.
• Go home, cut up all the tomatoes and onions for the hamburgers.
• As the onions were being cut eyes were tearing noses were running. Those onions were so intense!!!
• Wait for the Relief Society president to bring us the drinking cooler. Fill up the other one in the mean time with ice. Prepare to fill up the RS presidents cooler.
  
• RS President's cooler gets filled up with lemonade and a ton of ice.
• RS President's cooler has a leak. Leslie get's frustrated! Darn these coolers!
• Leslie goes to load up all the light stuff, Brad is sweating his but off heaving the coolers into our little mazda.
• Leslie tries to open the car door and spills the powered lemonade mix all over the road. Leslie laughs. She's too stressed to be mad any more!
  
• Leslie and Brad are running way late, empty the cooler, and head out to the campsite that they don't know where it is. Traffic was so so bad.
• Brad and Leslie get some help unloading the car. Brad grills tons of hamburgers and hot dogs. Leslie cuts up a watermelon and 6 cantaloupes all by herself.
  
• Leslie and Brad are the last ones to eat. They make new friends, which made it all worth it.
  
• Brad and Leslie get home before 10. They are exhausted!! They look to see if their lemonade is still on the road, or if someone guy at the liquor store thought it was crack. Final result:

Hypnobirthing Grads!

Well, if Brad and I aren't graduating from college before we have a baby at least we are official Hypnobirthing Graduates. After the initial shock of how all the pregnant ladies looked so perfect in the first class, I loved it! Here are some insights I have about the whole experience:

• Driving to Murray every Wed. after a long day of classes was really hard. We would leave Provo at 5:30 and be in class from 6:3-9:30. I enjoyed the Wendy's runs after class was over. I always wanted a frosty when I was done hypnobirthing for some strange reason.
• We got a lot for our money. I have looked up doing home study, or being taught by an independent hypno instructor out of their home or birthing center, and it was just way too expensive. I got 4 weeks of 3 hours classes for 150 dollars at the hospital in Murray. Other classes online went for about 300-400 dollars! No thanks!
  
• Having classes in the hospital made it easier to prepare for the birth and learn how to relax in a hospital setting. I'm glad we didn't take classes in someones living room, because I'm not going to deliver my baby in a living room- at least I hope not.
• Speaking of relaxing...Debbie (our instructor) would have us get in a comfortable position on the ground with our pillows and blankets and then she would go through a script (she would read a very imagery full script that would put us into deep relaxation. On the last day Brad was even snoring because he was so relaxed! When I went to scold him, he told me I was twitching and softly moaning like I do right before I go to bed (at least that's what he says I do)!
• Yoga is very complementary to hypnobirthing. Doing yoga squats has helped to open up my pelvis, and the instructor talked about squatting during labor to help give the baby more room to ease down the birth path (they don't say birth canal).
  
• Speaking of "birth path" hypnobirthing has it's own words for labor and birthing. A contraction isn't a contraction, it's a surge. Your husband isn't your birthing coach, but your birthing partner, etc.
  
• Do I know the ultimate outcome of my birth, no! But do I feel confident in my abilities to birth my baby happy and safely, yes!

Brad and I look forward to meeting our little one in a month!

Check out the BIG BELLY!! I think Ruby's coming early!