Queer, Pregnant, and Parenting! November, December, and January 2013!!! - Page 39

[seraf]

Planet, he's a cutie. Yay for sleep!

CaNanny, they're getting big!

Max, half an ounce! Woo hoo!

We don't have a magic night diaper, Shay is dry at night so long as he has a diaper on. We change Soren a couple of times a night because he is restless when he's wet. He wears an elastic belt with a flat or prefold tucked into it. I just pull the wet one out one handed and chuck it into the wet bucket and tuck a new one in. They both sleep on fleece blankets to keep the bed dry. When I was sleep deprived in the beginning, I would take wet diapers off Shay in my sleep and put them in top of the dry diapers.

Also, wool. I love wool longies. They are cute, warm and dry.

[Cananny]

Planet.. im doing ok.. I can still walk.. the nurses at the NICU were shocked to see me up and about still.. I get very tired and cant walk long distances but I still manage :) I have not been sleeping to well.. as its quite un comfy.. but the longer they stay in.... the better..5 weeks .. 5 weeks.. 

Seraf.. Yeah they are getting big.. its a 2 edged sword. knowing their weights makes me worry a little.. but then not knowing would make me worry too.. Its such a diff experience than carrying one baby.. 

:)

[prettyisa]

Max--that's awesome on the pumping!

Carmen--my dad and his wife bought her childhood home, and it's so sweet to go and visit them. She has pictures of her as a little kid playing in the places Edie is playing now, which just feels special. I hope it works out for you!

Cananny--So amazing that you have those three growing babies all going strong! keep up the good work!

Planet--I'm so happy that Wylie has found his sleeping groove! And I love the pic in the carrier--I'm going to have to try to copy that hat, if I ever get anywhere with learning to crochet...

Cloth diapers: we have been using thirstees duo snap covers with prefolds all along and it's been mostly great. We have a couple flips, which are ok (I don't love how the snaps go--so confusing late at night! but then, we're probably trying too hard for snapping perfection before dawn for that to matter). She's been ending up in disposables more and more lately, though, which is almost entirely because DP is waging some kind of silent protest against the cloth. I think it's because we no longer have nice EBF poo and she's grossed out. We're also going to try using a doubler at night, since we have them but have never used them, and I think they might solve the need for more absorbancy problem we seem to be having lately. So thanks for all the advice, everyone! I'm hoping it helps me win the war!

Edie is definitely learning to pull herself up on stuff. She doesn't try to cruise anywhere once she's standing, but she's very excited to be able to get to a new vantage point. Here's one of her yesterday at her 9 month photo shoot. I looked away for a minute and she crawled over to the ottoman and stood up. So we handed her the sign.

[carmen358]

planet, adorable photos :)

cananny, I'm impressed you're up and about too! Almost time!!

isa, edie is a sweetie too! very cute photo.

The house is about 20 minutes from downtown - about 25 minutes from us. It's a great location on the north shore. There is no way we would be able to afford to buy in the neighbourhood otherwise. They are all 1-3 million dollar homes. Crazy. DP had a great childhood and family life so there are lots of good memories and good energy in the house.The local elementary school has the IB program which is also a bonus if we decide not to home school. And there is also an "open home schooling" school close by as well as the city's waldorf school. All a bonus as we consider what to do education wise. I hope it works out too!

[starling&diesel]

We are Sparkle Stories fans!  And Story Nory and Barefoot Books and Story Home ... which are all good audio story providers.  Barefoot Books is probably the best.  Free!  And with some amazing narrators.  I could go on for AGES about quality audio stories for children, because we are in fact planning to set up a website to sell just that, and so have been researching like mad for quite some time.  E listens to about two hours a day of audio books, and has done for about three years, so I've heard a lot of what's out there.  Once we get our little on-line business up and running, we will most definitely have queer families featured!  And I'll happy give anyone here a discount for spreading the word!  Right now we're looking into production requirements and web capacity, so we're still a ways off.  No queers in Sparkle Stories that I've heard yet.

Diapers ... We are Fuzzi Bunz fans.  We have used about 16 of each size (I'm not a fan of the one-size thing), bought used off of CL for our first child, and are using them again for DS.  We've spent maybe $200 on them, all put together?  We use bamboo inserts and doublers at night.  When we travel we use 7th Generation sposies.  I don't like gdiapers.  I've heard that the 'flushable' liners clog up your own pipes and city pipes too.  They didn't fit my children well, either.  And I had a skinny-minny and a chunky-monkey too.  I absolutely love Fuzzi Bunz!  And I would never buy them new.  Craigslist or diaperswappers all the way!  I've used lots of different diapers over the years, but keep reaching for our FBs first.

Carmen! Awesome that you're nearly 12 weeks.  That's great!  And AWESOME about moving!  Whereabouts?  So exciting to get into a HOUSE around here!  Way to go!

Hi everyone else!

xo

Originally Posted by wishin'&hopin' 

Hey folks!  Does anyone subscribe to Sparkle Stories?  (It's an old fashioned radio show style subscription service for children's stories)  I am thinking about ordering for DS (he listens to audio books/wee sing cds for quiet rest time).  If you have a subscription, is it any good?  How is the quality?  Are ANY GLBT families represented?  (I e-mailed the company, but thought I'd ask here)

That said, I got a GREAT deal on a 6 pack of BumGenius (it's what we use for overnight once baby stops pooping at every nursing and is sleeping more than a couple of hours in a row).  SO excited, it was a local stores clearance!  

[lillielil]

Regarding diapers... We have gDiapers and I am very ambivalent about them. We do not have to change everything every time. We change the pad every time, liner if it has poop, and cover only if there is a leak/explosion. My wife made a ton of pads - much cheaper than buying them and she was able to make them a lot thicker. However, we have had some leaks. I think this is because my 10 lb baby is still too long and skinny for the size we're using. They tend to gap around his legs. We have been using the giant stash if disposables that people gave us for nighttime and those are NB size and fit him fine. I really think the "small" gDiapers are for a pudgier baby. I did not like the design of the "tiny" gDiapers very much and they are supposedly only to be used with disposable/flushable, not cloth pads.
Edited by lillielil - 1/19/13 at 4:50pm

[esenbee2]

What AWESOME knowledge has been shared about CDing! It is great to soak all of this in. There really is SOOO much to learn. It's helpful to get everyone's opinion

[seraf]

Starling, that sounds all kinds of awesome.

Isa, it's funny, Soren can't crawl, but he cruises. His thighs are no where near as fabulous as E's.

Carmen, what's open home schooling?

Diapering: It's funny because we all have different opinions. I disliked velveo with my first and now (maybe because I double up on diaper changes?) I can't stand snaps and I'm making new Velcro covers. I've been over snaps since Shay learned to roll over.

He escaped half naked at the science museum today (water play, diaper only).

[pokeyAC]

Congratulations on the house, Carmen!  That sounds wonderful!  

isa--Edie looks so cute in her Thirsties!  I think we might go with those.

[carmen358]

Starling, it's in North Van - I hope I'm not getting excited for nothing! We'll know for sure in the next week or so.

Seraf, I didn't know how to describe the school I'm talking about - here is the website - http://windsorhouseschool.org/

[starling&diesel]

Ah, I should have read your post more carefully, Carmen!  Of course you're talking about North Van.  Awesomesauce!  

We are keeping Windsor House in the back of our minds in case E or H want to try out brick-and-mortar school down the road, although I have some serious reservations about the place, which I'd be happy to get into over coffee at a campsite sometime when you're big and preggo!  You can borrow our blow up bed!  

[chortles]

I'm a lurker from QC - I am gobsmacked by the CD info! Perhaps at some point in the future we can create a separate post for it? I know I won't be able to find this amazing info when I need it

[granite]

This might be helpful too:

http://themiddleofeverything.wordpress.com/2012/03/01/the-mother-of-all-online-cloth-diapering-guides/

It was written by someone on here, actually, but I can't remember her username!

[maxK]

Cananny- you are a master baby carrier! Such a great job you've done of keeping hose babies in here!

Whoever suggested larger breast pump flanges to me, thank you. Pumping doesn't hurt at all now which is such a relief. We are officially one day past due today and I'm starting to come to terms with having an Aquarian baby. I don't know much about that sign but I'm hoping she is of the "humanitarian" type.

[prettyisa]

Max--Ha! We totally did our best to arrange around my DP's weird obsession with NOT having a gemini. She has some weird prejudice against them (despite several excellent friends and one mother in law who personify its better aspects!). Funny that you're having some similar thoughts.

[carmen358]

starling, I have mixed feelings about all the options at this point lol But yes, I'd love to hear your thoughts on Windsor House. We hope to get DP's VW on the road this summer so perhaps a caravan is in order ;) (ps both my nieces boyfriends are grads from Windsor house - one of them is in the video on the site - but I have yet to ask their impressions)

 

chortles, there is a whole section on MDC on cloth diapering as well :)

 

max, I'm so glad pumping is no longer hurting. I remember the pain of nursing the first few days - I was in agony and when my milk finally came in it was such a relief! I used to care about what sign my future children but after actually going through the process I didn't really care :) This new baby will be a Leo and it's the one sign I know the least about....with Aquarius being the next mysterious one to me lol

[mrsandmrs]

max - i'm glad pumping is going better. less painful is good. you must be on pins and needles with this baby being overdue. i really love virgos, and my wife is a virgo. our due date falls in virgo, and i was so excited about it! then i found out we're having twins, so my best hope is that they stay in long enough to be leos. i have liked leos but i have never really loved a leo. i know that it ultimately will not matter, but i am still kind of irked. irrational, i know. 

[seraf]

Max, yay for the pumping comfort!

Leos are interesting! Soren broke the pattern, besides him all girls in our house are fire signs and the older boys are water. Sara ad Ari are leos. They're intense and wonderful. They would probably be differently intense if I was not a Sagittarius.

[lillielil]

This update is all about babywearing. DW wore him in the Ergo when we went to Ikea. I hoped it would be nice bonding time for them. Instead it hurt her back, and she described it as being "strapped to a sweaty, suicidal little oven." I ended up running out to the car to get the stroller. I think the biggest problem is that we used the infant insert - I went for a walk without it yesterday and was fine.

My birthday is this week (hello Aquarians!) and I asked for a ring sling, which I really hope I'll be able to nurse in. Does anyone here have advice for nursing while babywearing with large, low-hanging boobies?

[onemommyonemama]

Sage is 10 months today. Woke up to her smiling beside me and we had a little snuggle. Morning time will always remind me of the day she joined our family in person.

Which by the way happened on the cusp of Pieces/Aries. My wife is pieces and I am a stubborn and know it all aries :) we were both gently encouraging sage to be born under our sign. She chose both I suppose. Labour started the afternoon of the last day under pieces and everyone, including the midwifes predicted she'd arrive under that sign. But Sage planned a sunnyside up afair that stretched into the sunrising on the 21st of march - and an aries, she is. Though grasping hold of pieces for sure.

Max. I am just so very excited for you. I'm glad pumping is more comfortable and that you are so very close to holding her :) !!!

Cananny - you are awesome. Thinking of you in these last weeks. I hope you are as comfortable as possisible and that you are able to get restful sleep!

Isa - I love that pic of Edie :) so sweet. And so capturing her at 9 months. Leaving the blanket. Soon she will be jumping up and down wtih the sign... :)

S&D - I'd love to try a fuzzy B. I've heard loads love them. Just need to find some used :) How is your household these days?

carmen - just smiling and cheering - so happy :)! how are you feeling at 12 weeks?

Seraf - true. I did love velcro at that age for the speed! :)

M&M - I love your twins in your weeks counter there :) makes me smile every time.

Hi to all !!!

Here are some pics of Sage taken this past month :

Smirky smiles

Bundled up to watch skating

Using unstable bouncer to stand - she loves the thrill...lol.