Homeschool Teacher

I taught a session on writing stories to two of my nieces this past week. They are both being homeschooled and I jumped at the opportunity to see how homeschooling feels. I had a great time though I kept finding myself 'telling' them how to write and had to remind myself that they needed to learn for themselves. I think this would get better as time goes on and have offered to do more with writing and english with the girls in the next school year. I am brimming with new ideas and can't wait to do it again. It's getting me excited about homeschooling even though V won't be in school for five more years.

Bad Hair Day

I have been hunting high and low for the American Girl doll my parents got me when I was a young girl. I thought I had brought her in the house but worried I had accidentally stuck her in a donations bag that went to a local thrift store. Last week, I was in our 'storage shed' (aka the remains of the trailer) digging through a box of junk and what do I find? My doll! Only a mouse had decided to take a nap on her head...*Sigh* Anyone got a good way to clean mouse poo from doll hair?

Diaper Duty

I've been using clothies on V for just over month now and thought I would share what I've learned during that time. I do the old-fashioned tri-fold diapers fastened with Snappi's and plastic pants/diaper covers at home and use the bumGenius brand diapers on V for town trips and chores.

-bumGenius 3.0 All-In-One pocket diapers are awesome! They are the only diaper (to date) that can contain V's 'explosions' when he is in his car seat. The only downside is that they are a pretty bulky diaper. Still, a bulky bottom looks cute on a baby.

-Snappi's are pretty cool. I love that it's 1-2-3 and the diaper is on without any pricked fingers. Daddy would prefer diaper pins but since Mommy does 98% of the diaper changes, she gets the final say.

-I don't feel bad about changing four diapers in five minutes anymore because I am not thinking about the expensive diapers that are being wasted and added to our landfills.

-V is happier in clothies. Perhaps they are softer and/or more comfy than disposables? Not sure.

-Old-fashioned tri-fold diapers aren't all that hard to change. I was intimidated at first, but after doing them for a few weeks, it's not that hard.

The one thing I have yet to do is bring my clothies on a road trip. I am heading out of town for a vacation this weekend and am doing disposables. It's going to be at a jam-packed house and I am not sure of how much room is in my ride for diaper pails and my diaper bin. At least that's my rationale-that it's just easier to do disposables. I feel bad not bringing my cloth diapers but I don't feel comfortable enough yet to bring them. Maybe the next trip...

Baby's First: Sleeping through the Night

Well, that 7 hour night was a one-time-only deal thus far but a greatly enjoyed one for me. At least his 'short' nights are in 4 hour stretches and I am not getting up every two hours anymore. Now if only he would let me put him down more during the 'awake' periods during the day. So far today-20 minutes in the swing and five minutes on his infant gym. Such is Mommyhood I guess.