Then And Now

Having written recently about losing the cloth love of late, perhaps it was no small coincidence that I came across some never before published photos and videos during my attempts at proper archiving* earlier this week.

We've been using cloth since the boys were big enough to fit into the smallest size diapers that I'd bought. I think my guys were around 6 weeks old at that point. The smallest diapers I had on hand were intended for a minimum 7-8 lb. baby.

The first time someone pooped in one I wondered what I'd gotten myself into.

It took a day or so and a wash cycle (3 wash cycles to be more accurate**) to realize it was probably doable.

And it was.

And for the most part I was glad we were doing it even at the time. We saved a lot of money and once I had a routine down (which happened surprisingly quickly) it really didn't feel like extra work.

Except lately it kind of does.

I think there's at least a few obvious reasons:

1. Toddler poop vs. baby poop. You would think poop is poop, but I assure you not all poop is created equal. Toddler poop is it's own special entity. Phrases like "peanut butter poop" were coined to describe this phenomenon. I've probably already said too much so I'll just leave it at that.

2. The boys are well into 2 year sizes and at this point clothing manufacturers pretty much quit making clothing for a bulky diaper bum. We tend to buy from the Gap, mostly because their clothes are great for skinny babies/toddlers, but lately what is baggy everywhere else is oddly snug around the hip with cloth diapers.

3. The overall diaper malfunctions since last summer are not boding well. "Uh-oh. Raisins." was kind of a clincher.

Lately my toddlers babies have been showing some vague signs of being ready for potty-learning. I already know the ticket is in getting one of them to do something, so I don't have to get both on board so much as one on board strongly. I'd wager a guess at this point over who it will be, but I'm almost always wrong when it comes to stuff like this so I'll refrain. It really doesn't matter who goes for it first – the main thing is my unwavering belief that the other will follow suit with minimal effort on my part simply because they like to keep pace with each other and are keenly interested in what the other one is doing.

So maybe with all that said, it was more than fortuitous timing that I came across those nearly forgotten photos earlier this week.

It didn't re-inspire the cloth love per se, but it did make me want to have what might very well be a last hurrah, which I did.

Just in case.

Without further ado, the OP nostalgically presents: 1 year ago in our brand new pocket-stuffed diapers...

Checking out an equally new mitten for the first time.

Chewing on a favorite toy because the perpetual teething was already well under way.

Plotting the great "Penaten Caper". 

Plotting a variety of future capers which seems obvious now but at the time I was all, "Awhhh! Nate is reaching for stuff he can't reach yet. How cute!". 

• • • • • • •

1 year later. Same diapers, same babies, different (and yet also kind of the same) hijinks: 

They only look peaceful because I've given them some previously not-allowed magazines. They are pretty obsessed with "MAG-ZINE!" by the way. Usually they get Grandma Leslie's throw away Chatelaines or an old IKEA catalog. This time I offered up two design periodicals from my private stock. The only thing better than "MAG-ZINE!" is "Mommy's MAG-ZINE!" so they sat kind of still for a couple of photos at least. 

Until we got an urge to stretch. 

Followed by some climbing. 

Followed by even more climbing. 

Followed by everyone wanting to get in on the action, which kind of cut our camera time short since these were not the most sturdy perches to be hanging out on. Also the scent of shenanigans was in the air. 

Is like hurricane blew through here, everyone!

Surveying the aftermath of "MOMMY'S MAG-ZINE!". Even though you can't see the debris in any of the photos, there was an extended period of destruction after the first two shots were taken.

– L.

PS. There's a new video on our YouTube™ channel with clips from last year and clips from last night. Shenanigans and cuteness abound. I threw in the toddler tantrum at the end to kind of balance things out. Enjoy!

PPS. A follow up regarding the "Uh-oh, Raisins." incident since you may have noticed a bit of funny business going on in at least one of the pictures further up this post with an ill-fitting diaper.

Here is a better look at what I mean: 

With the exception of last night's trip down memory lane, Seth hasn't worn these particular diapers in several months. He's a pretty skinny guy and at some point it didn't seem to matter how much I adjusted the rise, the leg would gape. It's odd that these fit him so well as a baby and not now – but this pic does make it pretty easy to see how some "raisins" might end up on the floor and how pants would wind up soaked 30 minutes after a diaper change.

Obviously, a less dramatic version of this is happening with the other style of pocket diaper I have for Seth that I thought were a snug fit. Or maybe they were a snug fit and it's just time to go begging for sandwiches again. 

• • • • • • •

*Getting my game on with proper backups is yielding a bumper crop of undiscovered pics, so don't be surprised if there are a few more posts of this variety coming your way.

**Washing cloth diapers generally takes 3 cycles through the machine, plus a cold water pre-soak in the infamous Poo-Buckets™. It was a little faster at our previous residence, but we have better machines where we live now (even though it takes a little longer).

Generally speaking – since everything comes out in the wash (bad pun intended) this was our typical routine:

• 30 minute pre-soak in cold water 
• 1 short cycle cold wash with pre-rinse stinkies remover (35-45 minutes) 
• 1 long cycle hot wash with diaper-friendly detergent (Rock'n Green got the job done where others fell a bit short) and a splash of bleach (upward of an hour - closer to two hours at the new place if I use the sanitize cycle) 
• 1–2 rinses (20-35 minutes) 

At minimum it's been a 2 hour and 45 minute commitment every other day. Sounds a bit crazy on top of the copious amounts of regular laundry, but it really wasn't a hassle somehow. Although I expect this fully explains why there is almost always a washer or dryer as background noise in nearly all of our videos.