Our bedtime routine with JOHNSON’S® NATURAL® #JohnsonsNatural

When I just had one child, bedtime was a simple thing. We had our routine of potty, bath, tooth brushing, pyjamas, stories and cuddles down pat.

With two, it gets a little more complicated, especially while Baby D is still so little. He needs to go to sleep around 7:00 pm, while my daughter's bedtime is 8:00. He needs about half an hour of quiet nursing and cuddles to fall asleep - and my daughter has Crazy Time right before bed when she is full of beans and noisy as anything.

On good nights, however, we do manage to coordinate bath time so they can have a bath together (it's usually a two-parent job at our house!). My daughter adores the bath, and my son is starting to really enjoy splashing and relaxing in the water (though coming out of the bath is his cue to WAIL!). Even if my daughter is tired and getting whiny, the promise of a bath is enough to get her to behave and change her attitude. And a cranky baby is always soothed by warm water!

She loves "helping" by pouring water on him, and we're extra careful to explain that splashing is fun, but we don't splash each other in the face! 

Bath time, while they're small, is a time for them to play together and relax after busy days. We are still using JOHNSON’S^® NATURAL^® baby products at bath time which I feel helps keep things consistent. The familiar smell is a part of the routine, and they associate it with sleepy time. And as an informed and concerned parent, I appreciate that they are paraben-free, dye-free, and phthalate-free.

I think if there's one thing that is a must for bedtime, it is story time. I strongly feel it's important to instill a love of reading in our children. Reading to kids is such a wonderful way to share time with them, explore language, discover new worlds (real and imaginary), and set them up for a lifetime of enjoyment and education through books. The only times our little ones go to bed without a story is if we've been away on a day trip and they've fallen asleep in the car - or if they've lost the privilege of story time by being naughty (my almost-three-year-old is very aware of her behaviour near bedtime so that she doesn't lose story time!).

We always let our daughter choose her two stories, and it's fun to see which ones she chooses to hear us read each night. Sometimes it's a streak of one thing or another (currently, Dr. Seuss is on heavy rotation), but sometimes she surprises me by pulling out an old favourite. It's also fun to watch our son as we read the stories aloud - he looks carefully at all the pictures and is fairly patient (for a four-month-old!) as we read through two books.

After story time, lights go out - we have a star projector for my daughter's room, and a night light for my son. Darkness helps cue the brain to sleep, and we try to keep things pretty dark without a complete blackout. 

With a consistent bedtime routine, soothing all the senses, little ones can drift off to dreamland easily.

Disclosure – I am participating in the JOHNSON’S^® NATURAL^® Blogger Campaign by Mom Central Canada on behalf of JOHNSON’S^® NATURAL^®. I receive compensation as a thank you for participating and for sharing my honest opinion. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Yes, I know my baby's crying.

It happens every week. A morning grocery trip turns into a spectacle as my three-month-old son screams. I know you've seen and heard babies crying at the store before. Maybe you're a parent and you've been there. Maybe you're not and you think you have something to offer.

I've had comments of all sorts from people who surely mean well and aren't implying that I don't know why he's crying or what to do about it.

Believe me, I KNOW he's crying. I do.

I've had people offer to unload my groceries onto the conveyor, pack my bags, random offers of help like that.  That's kind - and sometimes I do take people up on it - if it's gotten to the point where he's so upset I need to take him out of his car seat and bounce him to soothe him.Then, I don't have enough arms to get us out of there fast and hold him and unload groceries.

I've had the dirty looks too - like I'm a terrible mother for "letting" him cry and not doing something about it immediately. Or maybe it's for the way he's interrupting their blissful grocery shopping trance.  Or conflicts with their idea of what a mother should be doing.

Here's what I am actually doing:

I'm buying food to feed my family, just like you. I happen to like spending time with my husband on evenings and weekends, so weekdays it is. Afternoons are nap time for my toddler, so I'm there in the morning. I need to get out of the house and see adults - even if the only adult conversation I have all day long is a mundane exchange with the cashier.

You'll see me hastily shoving groceries into my cart as we make our way through the store, trying to get everything on our list while comparing prices and using coupons as I try to also save money for my family. You'll hear me talking to him, trying to reassure him that we're almost finished. You'll hear me asking my toddler to sing to him and make funny sounds to try to flip his mood. And you'll see the stressed-out look on my face as I try to manage a heavy cart, my coupons, my purse, my toddler and this crying baby. 

I'm making silly sounds. I've even nursed while shopping - one arm full of baby, one arm wrangling a big and awkward grocery cart down the aisles. So sorry if I got in your way.

And here's why he's crying:

He's tired. He naps in the morning, and while ideally he would sleep through a grocery trip, the store is so big that it takes me a while to get through it, especially with a toddler who is curious about everything she sees. I've taken the time to talk to her and answer her questions as we shop, showing her interesting vegetables, and discussing where food comes from, and the different kinds of things we eat, and how we try to save money with coupons and sales, and answering a thousand "Why?"s. Perhaps I should do that at home to speed up the trip. But, then how could she touch a dragonfruit, or wrinkle her nose at the spices? How could she see the crabs and lobsters in their tanks? Would we get into a random discussion about coconut jelly? So, I cross my fingers and hope he'll sleep most of the trip, that the motion of the cart will lull him to sleep and nobody drops a can or my little girl doesn't poke him awake.

He's hungry. Although I always nurse him before we leave the house, he's a little guy and he eats often. So I can bust the boob and try to steer the cart (near impossible, tried it, had the awkward convo-while-nursing with the bakery staff); I can steer my full cart back across the giant store to spend twenty  minutes sitting in the pharmacy waiting area and nurse him while attempting to entertain a bored and hungry two-and-a-half-year-old with a pen and a brochure (done it). Or I can rush through the check-out line - inevitably busy - while he cries loudly - and nurse him in the passenger seat in the parking lot, while my daughter reads one of her books in the back (that's what I usually do).

He's hot. Car seats just are hot. My daughter was always sweaty in hers, and he's no different. I can't do anything about that. Carrying him throughout the trip is just not on - he's too heavy, and it's too awkward. He can't sit up on his own yet. So while I can take off his blanket, I can't really solve the problem any other way. He's got to be in there. Yes, I will pull him out and bounce him in the parking lot before buckling him back in and driving away.

He's ill. My healthy looking, chubby and mostly happy little guy has tummy troubles. We've got a specialist, and we're giving him medicine for it. But the medicine doesn't completely solve the problem, and it's at home as it's a big bottle and needs to be measured out. I can't bring it in my purse. So if that's the trouble, he'll just have to wait until we're home. Home is less than 10 minutes from the store. And you can bet if that's what's wrong, I know - I can tell by his cry - and I'll be the one standing in the bathroom in the dark with the fan on, bouncing him and holding him up with his head back, the only combination of things that will eventually calm him down.

So yes, I know he's crying. Yes, I know why. Yes, I know what to do about it. One of the best things I can do is get out of there fast - but I still need to finish the job. Because we need to eat too. So if you don't mind - just be nice, don't say anything and trap me in a polite but unwelcome conversation, smile, and... get out of my way :)

Newborn Nesting {$800 Nursery Giveaway!} with #SearsBabysRoom

For my daughter, I took 9 months to prepare the perfect nursery. From creating a wire alphabet to slip-covering a glider, I was all DIY awesomeness. Take a photo tour of her nursery here! Seriously, check it out. I am proud of it - I loved everything about it.

Then, we moved. And while the stuff came with us, the light in the nursery is different (Calgary light is so different from Toronto light!), the floor is beige carpet and not warm maple, the walls are painted mud brown (by the previous homeowner). It's just not the same.

Mia's just moved up to her Big Girl Room this past weekend (more on that later!), and now it's my task to make the nursery perfect for our little guy. He's still co-sleeping with me, but soon will need to move into his own room. And, a lot of Mia's stuff of course goes with her to her new room. So I am doing newborn nesting all over again!

Lucky for me, Sears is having a Newborn Nesting event from September 8-16 (isn't that timely!). Last month we had the big kids' sale with the Back to School event, and this month our littlest family members give us a chance to save! Here's the deal: Buy anything baby, from gear to furniture and even baby clothes (not including Carters and Osh Kosh, aw!), and get a cash card as follows:

Spend $200 and get a $25 cash card, $300 for a $50 cash card, and $400 to get $100 cash card! The cash cards are just like gift cards that you can redeem between October 7-31*.

*this offer excludes Vancouver. Vancouver gets a 15% off sale on everything baby instead! 

So for Dexter's nursery, I am thinking the palest blue paint to brighten up the walls, and lots of bright lamps as well as curtains.

I love this wardrobe/dresser too! I wish we had room for it! 


We do have a lot of Mia's baby stuff still - some of the crucial newborn things, like a bath seat, change pad, swaddling wraps, and carriers, we held on to. The one thing I had to buy another of at Sears? A Cloud B Sleep Sheep (read my initial review of the Cloud B Sleep Sheep from over two years ago!). Mia still uses hers nightly, and it's so awesome that I bought another just like it for Dexter.
colours brought in with books, toys, and art. He might just need some new

And now for the wonderful news you've been waiting for: 

Sears is generously giving one reader across the Sears Baby's Room bloggers a complete three piece Stork Craft nursery set valued at $800! It includes a crib, change table and side table/chest for storage. You can enter across any of the participating blogs, but there will be only one winner. This giveaway is for Canadians only (sorry - no Quebec :( )!  Fill out the Rafflecopter form below by September 15th to enter! Good luck!!!

For your comment entry, tell me what one thing you *need* to get for baby, or always recommend to new mums?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I am part of the Sears The Baby’s Room Ambassador program with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

A safe and happy bath time with JOHNSON’S® NATURAL®

When we first started trying to conceive, years ago, I made a very conscious effort to rid my life of unnecessary chemicals. Products with parabens and phthalates were among the first on my "toss" list as I cleared out my cupboards. (Read more about why this is important for your health, and check out this fantastic - and scary - video as well)

I found that purchasing natural products made me feel better and more informed about what I was using on my body, but it also can be expensive and tricky to track down products that fit the bill.

Since I've had children, my views on ingredients in skin care products hasn't changed one bit - but I am happy to discover that there are some options for our little ones that are widely available, 97-99% natural, and paraben-, dye-, and phthalate-free: JOHNSON’S® NATURAL® Baby line.

We have been testing out these products for a couple weeks and I'm happy to say I like them.

The JOHNSON’S® NATURAL® Baby Shampoo is lightly scented (not that - sorry, but - nasty baby powder smell, either), and foams up quickly and well for good coverage of little heads. I use it on my two-year-old with her mid-back length hair as well as on my one-month-old with his 1cm of fuzz. I find it quite liquid, which makes it easy to spread out in a hurry. I emphasize the time aspect because the baby haaaates bath time for now, and getting his hair washed and clean fast is important!

 The JOHNSON’S® HEAD‐TO‐TOE®   Body Wash is also very lightly scented (the scent on both these products fades fast, I find). I appreciate not being overwhelmed by scent. It is great to use on a baby washcloth, getting nice and bubbly without using a ton of it.

The last product we are trying out is the JOHNSON’S® NATURAL® Baby Lotion. Of all three, this is the one I was least impressed by. The lotion smells lightly, and smooths on easily. It has a nice consistency, not too thick or thin. However, I feel like it goes on well but doesn't seem to absorb or do as good a job moisturizing as I would have hoped. My baby has some dry skin - nothing serious, not eczema or anything like that - but the lotion didn't seem to help that much with it. I do like this lotion for baby massage, though, as it's nice and light and slippery! 

Bath time for my daughter is a pleasure - she loves the water and would happily play in the tub for hours, playing with her water toys if we'd let her! She's not crazy about the practical aspects of it - hair washing, for example - but is thrilled to show off her burgeoning swimming skills by doing back floats and blowing bubbles with her face in the water.

Bath time for my son is a different story. He's still too little to really enjoy it, and mainly we try to minimize his discomfort by getting through it as fast as we can! He sits in his bath seat while we keep pouring warm water over him and get him washed and rinsed quickly. Draping a warm, wet washcloth over his body helps a little. The best part of his bath time is the cosy towel snuggles and his sweet fuzzy head after!

Disclosure: Product provided as promotional consideration to Emily's Latest by Johnson & Johnson Inc.

Meet the new baby, and an interview with Dad #SearsBabysRoom

I'm thrilled to say - our new little baby is here! We are thrilled to welcome Dexter to the family, born Tuesday morning. At just shy of 39 weeks along, he was 8 lbs, 5 oz and 21" - a solid 90th percentile baby. So far, so good! 

Mia's proud to be a big sister, though it is hard on her to have to share our attention. Although we did our best to prepare her, it's got to be a hard concept to grasp for a toddler before a new baby actually comes. I think he's much less fun, and taking up much more Mummy and Daddy time than she expected. 

Here she is holding him for the very first time Tuesday afternoon!

And here's my husband, what a proud Daddy he is! I love this photo - everyone smiling (okay, Dexter was sleeping) and happy. Mia's cuddled up right next to her Dad, and Dad's holding on tight to his newborn son. Cadbury, our 9-year-old chocolate lab, was pretty excited too - he's great with littles though was a little anxious about us being gone overnight! What a great first day for our little guy.

I asked him what his favourite part of being a Dad was, and here's what he had to say: "Watching our kids learn is pretty cool." Definitely! It is amazing to see how they process new experiences.

He also had some tips to pass on. Baby #2 has got to be easier than Baby #1, right? Even though they all come with individual challenges, you kind of know what to expect in general. So here are some Dad tips from Dexter's Daddy:

• Hold that baby! Babies love to be held and it doesn't always have to be Mum - the heat, heartbeat, movement and cuddles from Dad are great for soothing little one. 
• You get used to poop. Yeah, you never thought you would - but eventually (and with babies pooping all the time, that 'eventually' comes pretty quick) you have seen so much poop that another one just doesn't faze you. 
• Let Mum get some rest when you can help out that way. Seriously, happy Mama = happy family - and an exhausted Mum means grumpy Mum, kids who are clamoring for attention and unhappy babies (not to mention a Mum who's too tired is not going to accomplish those tasks that used to be priorities, like cleaning, laundry and cooking!).

I know Father's Day is technically over - but is there really a day as a parent when you're "off"? Not in my mind! So if you're thinking of picking up a little treat for Dad (or, hey, for yourself), check out Sears Days - on now until June 23rd, at Sears Canada locations and online at sears.ca which includes brands in The Baby's Room. Spend $50 between June 21-23 and get $10 in Sears Bucks to spend on your next purchase between June 24-27. Also - free shipping almost anywhere in Canada until the 23rd!! See in store for more details!

Disclosure: I am part of the Sears The Baby’s Room Ambassador program with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

I'm having a baby!

Well, my water broke 19 hours ago and aside from some irregular contractions, labour is not really coming on. If things don't get going on their own overnight, I will be induced tomorrow. Either way, get ready to meet Baby #2!

Of course, that means I may be a bit later on getting the winner picked and contacted for the International Delight giveaway! Bear with me! It will be done :)

Sears The Baby's Room - a tour for you (and a SALE soon!) #SearsBabysRoom

With one month to go before Baby #2 arrives, I'm really tuned in to baby stuff! That's why I am so thrilled to be part of the Sears The Baby's Room Ambassador program.

I've always shopped at Sears but over the past year have seen a remarkable transformation occur in their baby department. With the introduction of wider aisles, new clothing lines and new products, as well as attention to detail like budget-conscious nursery furniture as well as some fabulous higher-end products, Sears has impressed me lately.

The new and improved Baby's Room at Sears has five departments to meet your baby needs:

The Nursery section has beds and furniture, and decor items such as lamps and mobiles.

What I like about this section:

• The nursery furniture is set up with bedding, decals, lamps and gliders - so you can get a feel for a complete room. The Sears I visited at SouthCentre Mall in Calgary has 10 little room setups (most Sears locations have 5), so lots of chances to see the furniture in place and try it out. 
• The gliders come with ottomans - no surprise added cost! 
• There are LOADS of different furniture options to choose from! And, most come in a variety of colours, so if you like a design but not in white - just ask, it's probably available in a different finish.
• Most of the cribs are transformable - either into day beds or full beds. Nice to have a crib that grows with your little one!
• There are lots of glider options, with different designs and movement.
• The cute bedding often comes complete with wall decals - what a nice touch! And, there are "boy", "girl", and cute gender neutral options. 
• There's a sign in each little room which breaks down the cost of each furniture item AND provides a room total - so you can see exactly how much it's going to cost you for that setup. 
• They also have a great nursery monitor selection - lots to choose from!

The Travel section has play pens, car seats, carriers, strollers, and accessories.

 What I like about this section:

• Again, items are set up so you can examine them. Play pens, strollers, car seats and carriers are all out of boxes and assembled.
• There are many different options for price point and features in everything!
• They are now carrying Diono and Brica accessories
• I was happy to see lots of carrier options. I would have loved to see some more unstructured carriers (think Baby K'tan, Boba, or sling carriers), but it is nice to see babywearing featured at a national retailer!

The Feeding section has everything you can think of for feeding babies - think bibs, high chairs, bottles, utensils, as well as tools for making your own baby food.

What I liked here:

• Seeing fun and cute Boon products!
• The cute bibs - check out the cowpoke ones in the top row, so cute for Stampede! And the little 'tuxes' - perfect for wedding receptions! Aw! 
• I was interested to see they carry baby blenders and even yogourt makers! It looks like these products might be discontinued, so watch for some sale prices coming soon!!

 The Bath section has what you need for bathing baby.

What I liked:

• "Naked" tubs are collapsible, soft-sided, and even come with a hook to hang from the shower. Smart design.
• Boon frog and whale pods attach to the shower wall and scoop up and store bath toys. Practical and cute! 
• Lots of cute, fun bath toys as well. 

The Gift section has a good range of gifts for new babies.

 What I liked:

• Pretty picture frames
• Lots of stuffies and soft blankets
• Cloud B products (a favourite of mine), though I didn't see the larger Sleep Sheep and Twilight Turtle there (both on my must-have list for a nursery, we have loved those for our daughter - so much so I bought a second Sleep Sheep for the baby on the way).
• They also have sleep sacks, another must for babies! The Halo ones are very popular AND what is great about Sears is that they go on sale periodically - for around 25% off!
• I also loved that they carry reuseable snack bags and wet bags (for those of us who use cloth diapers, a good wet bag is a necessity!). 

They also have needed items like baby gates and bouncy chairs (the new Fisher Price Snuggabye swing and chair are super cute!).

I also can't forget my favourite section: the amazing clothing department. With the recent introduction of Carters and Osh Kosh clothing lines, the cute and well-priced clothing section at Sears just got better. I also love that they have widened the aisles without reducing the selection - there's just less of each item out on the floor. So, you can still see everything, but now you can get your stroller through easily! The bright, fun colours are so appealing and the prices are great.

What I like most about The Baby's Room at Sears is that there is lots of selection, and that the prices are good. Not only that, but Sears has regular sales on that make us budget-conscious parents even happier!

My crushes this time around were on some super sweet little Carters outfits. I can't wait to outfit our little guy in teeny, tiny shorts and shirts :)

What I'd love to see Sears carry next - and they are getting LOADS of new products soon (not that I know what's coming!) - cloth diapers, baby-friendly detergents and cleaning products, and tummy time play mats. I didn't see these things on my tour (though I forgot to ask - next time I will!). 

Now I know you are all excited for details of the SALE coming up! To celebrate the one-year anniversary of The Baby's Room, Sears is having a big sale from May 24th to June 5th! What to keep an eye out for: big discounts on product lines they are discontinuing to make room for new stuff, including bedding, feeding equipment and bright and colourful Sassy baby toys! Mark your calendars (I have) to visit while the deals are great!

Disclosure: I am part of the Sears The Baby's Room Ambassador program with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Our Fisher Price Favourites (and a discount code!) #FPFavourites

 I bet every family you know with kids has something - or many somethings - by Fisher Price. Their classic, fun toys and practical gear are on must-have lists for parents and kids. We certainly have used our share of Fisher Price toys and baby equipment in our family - and will be acquiring more as we head into baby #2, I'm sure!

Our gear favourite - and I mean, I could NOT have gotten along without it, especially as an overwhelmed first-time mum last time - was the Fisher Price Baby Papasan seat.

I'm not even sure this is still available, but it was a LIFESAVER. It allowed me to take a shower (with the seat within view). Go pee. Sit for a few minutes without a baby on me, knowing Mia was safe, secure and comfortable. She napped in it, sat in it, played in it and joined us at the dinner table in it so that we could eat with two hands free. Best. Thing. Ever. Would I have survived the first six months without it? Debatable! I am not sure it's possible to thank my sister in law enough for this one, as it was a gift. I am seriously kicking myself for passing it on to another new mum after Mia outgrew it. Sure, it wouldn't have fit in the car on our jam-packed drive back to Ontario... but it was so awesome... argh!

The current crush in baby seats (and we're going to need one very soon) is the My Little Snugabunny Cradle N Swing.

Music and motion (side to side or head to toe), a moving mobile, and a cute bunny plush... oh, it looks awesome. I like that it's gender neutral as well. And, not hideous - you won't be cringing at the way it clashes with your decor. Some baby seats are just garish, aren't they? Not this one.

One thing I loved about the papasan seat was that it was quite portable - this one, not so much - but it has way more features.

As far as toys go, we are enthusiastic over here about the Little People Animal Sounds Farm. Mia got it for Christmas and it's gotten daily use ever since. Cute little animals and movable parts make for fun farm adventures.

In fact, I decided to leave the batteries out until just a couple of days ago. When I put them in, the new sounds it makes
absolutely delighted her - it's like a new toy!

Seriously, she plays with this every single day.

These are just a couple of the products on the 12 top must-have list for mums that Fisher Price has put together. Here's that list (if you're creating a registry or gift shopping for a tot, take note!):

1. Ocean Wonders Aquarium
2. My Little Snugabunny Cradle N Swing 
3. Infant to Toddler Rocker 
4. SpaceSaver High Chair 
5. Discover’n Grow Jumperoo 
6. Brilliant Basics Rock a Stack 
7. Laugh & Learn Love to Play Puppy 
8. Laugh & Learn Say Please Tea Set 
9. Laugh & Learn Click ‘n Learn Remote 
10. Brilliant Basics Stroll-Along Walker
11.  Little People Wheelies Stand ‘ n Play Rampway 
12. Little People Animal Sounds Farm

Generations of little ones and their parents have loved these products world-wide, and they have passed the test of time (and the test of children... a tough one!).You can read more about the Fisher Price Favourites at this special site they have set up.

Fisher Price and Mom Central are offering an exclusive discount code at Toys R Us for all of the Fisher Price Favourites - to give you 20% off!!! Awesome! Use the code FISHERPRICE20 at Toys R Us until April 30th to receive the discount!

Disclosure: I am part of the Fisher-Price Blogger Campaign with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Wean Green review

Let me say right off the bat that this is not a paid review. I wasn't asked to write it at all. I just wanted to share an excellent experience with a company - so rare these days!

Wean Green is a Canadian company that makes air-tight glass containers. They are perfectly sized for snacks, lunches, or even tiny servings of homemade baby food. The lids come in bright, fun colours like raspberry, carrot, pea and blueberry. Cute, right?

I got some of Wean Green's Wean Cubes about 2 years ago. I got them to use for Mia's baby food when she was starting solids. Eight little Wean Cubes have been in heavy rotation in our kitchen ever since - now that she's well past baby food, we use them for salad dressing, snacks for the purse, cut up carrot sticks, and so on. They've been great.

Then, within the last month or so, two things happened. First, one of the clips on one of the lids snapped off. The lid still seals okay; it's just short one clip.

Then, one day I opened the dishwasher to find that one of the Wean Cubes had absolutely shattered in the dishwasher - just on a normal wash, not high heat or anything. Bear in mind, I have been using the dishwasher to clean these all along. I guess this container just finally gave up the ghost. There was glass all through the bottom of the dishwasher. You know, it didn't occur to me that there might be glass slivers on our dishes or cutlery - I didn't even check. Luckily, there seem to have been no ill effects, so I guess we're okay on that front.

Surprised, I contacted the company on their Facebook page just to make sure that they were dishwasher safe (the packaging had been long ago recycled).

Within hours, Wean Green had responded and asked me to send an email to them directly. Their immediate response to my problem was to describe how they have changed their manufacturing (down to moving to a different country for factory production) and improved their products since my Wean Cubes were made. And beyond that, they offered to replace the products I had.

Wait. Let me repeat that one. They offered to replace products that were two years old and well-used, just to ensure a happy customer. They provided a gift code for me to shop on their site - and when I had some technical difficulties, spent time on the phone with me sorting it out and making sure that my order was placed and on its way.

Within a week I had new sets of Wean Green products, which we are happily using already. And I'm also left with a really positive impression of the nice people and a company that stands by their products. I'm so impressed with their level of customer service. I'm thrilled that they have improved on the original products, and wholeheartedly recommend Wean Green to anyone!

Potty training... the adventure begins!

Yeah, I'm going right ahead and talking about poop on my blog. I became a Mum, that's what happened.

I admit it, I'm not entirely ready for potty training. We have one more big trip coming up (two weeks in Maui! I can't wait!) and I feel like we should wait until that upheaval's over before we begin.

My husband is ready - and has been for about 5 months.

My 23-month-old daughter? Well, she's surprising me.

We started her on the toilet at about 5 months old, really sporadically - put her on, go "Sssss" and she would sometimes go. Great, but not reliable and I honestly wasn't anywhere near regular with it. The good of that is that she is used to sitting there, not afraid of the flush (she likes to do it herself), and understands what it's for.  We also have a fairly open-door policy (where she is concerned) with us using the bathroom. She sees Mum and Dad using the toilet and we talk about what we're doing, wiping, flushing, washing our hands, and so on.

Santa (a.k.a. Mummy) got her some fabulous Big Girl Underwear for Christmas, which made a big impression. She talks about her owl underwear often and I think she's pretty keen to wear it.

I also got this great book out of the library, Diapers Are Not Forever, which we have been reading daily. She is REALLY interested in it, and asks for it, sometimes twice in a row, at bedtime and nap time. I like the way it doesn't dumb things down, but explains how and why we go on the toilet instead of in a diaper. Just like the big kids! I strongly recommend this book, as I think it's really helping her understand and prepare for the change.

I have looked at the various lists for readiness (stays dry overnight or during naps, can pull pants up and down by herself, tells when she needs to go, etc) and I don't see it. She will stay dry for a nap (her naps are short anyway), but definitely not at night. She has trouble with her pants, but can do it if she puts her mind to it. She definitely won't tell us when she needs to pee, but is pretty obvious about pooping.

We have had a bit of a breakthrough lately because of that. She was (ahem, TMI maybe) a little constipated this past weekend so it was extremely apparent when she was trying to poop. So we made a bit of a point of taking her to the toilet to try. And we are using chocolate chips and lots of praise as an incentive for successful trips to the toilet.

We had a successful toilet poop on the weekend, and then yesterday caught another one. This morning we were cuddling and nursing in bed (hey, she wakes at 5:30 am.... I'm not ready to get out of bed yet and like to prolong the down time with nursing) when she told me, "I poop on toilet!"

"What?!" I nearly shouted with excitement, "Do you need to go?"

"Yes!" she said, and off we rushed to the bathroom, where she promptly peed on the toilet. Yeah, her diaper was already soaked from the night, and okay, so she hasn't quite got the lingo down. But wow, that's awesome!

And today I have caught her 'trying' to poop in her diaper twice and we made it to the bathroom to do it in the toilet both times.

So we are doing remarkably well with poop... now to figure out how to get her to pee there on a consistent basis!

I'm seriously not in a rush as I feel like the traveling we'll be doing might set us back and that would be frustrating and disappointing for her. I want her to feel proud of her success. That said, I'm not that fond of dealing with poopy cloth diapers - and I definitely want her to be well out of diapers by the time the new baby arrives in June! The time is coming!

My loose plan is go simply go without diapers and straight into underwear (or go Naked Baby style if I don't think she'll catch a chill) and hang out in our tiled (and therefore easy to clean up accidents) basement for a few days. Incentives and praise for success, no shame in misses. I've heard this can be a one- to seven- day process, so I want to be able to set aside and commit the time and effort to it.

What were your successes with toilet training? Did you get on it early, or late? I'd love to hear your experiences.

Note: the links for the book are affiliate links, meaning I get a few cents from Amazon if you choose to buy through these links. I'm not kidding though, this book has really made a difference in the way she perceives going on the toilet. 

Surprise!

I've been a little quiet lately, keeping some BIG news to myself. We were waiting and waiting and waiting until our trip home over the holidays to let our family know that....

Mia's going to be a big sister!

I'm 16 weeks pregnant today! Baby's due in June.

The first trimester was really difficult this time. I was much more nauseous than with Mia, and so, so tired - no full night sleeps and first trimester exhaustion really wear on a mama. I'm a little less sleepy now, but I still need an afternoon nap when Mia naps to keep from becoming a cranky monster. 

I'll admit, I've had more than a few "what were we thinking?!" moments, as Mia at 23 months is still (yes, still!)  not sleeping through the night. She did SO well on our trip, with three nights in a row of 8 hours of sleep straight - which makes six nights in her entire life where she has slept 6+ hours in a row.

But, she is back to her old habits now that we are home. Last night she was up four times, at midnight, 3, 3:40 and 5:45am... I will say that I am used to it, but that doesn't really make it any easier.

And she's such a busy toddler, I have no idea how I'm going to manage the constant needs of a newborn with the constant needs of Mia! But I tell myself women have been doing this for thousands of years... I'm sure I'll get by. The hardest part is that I have no support system out here in Calgary. All our family is back in Ontario, and while I have friends here, they are busy with their own kids and won't exactly be able to drop everything to help me out when the baby's born.

Mia's also still breastfeeding about 2-4 times a day, which is actually way down from three months ago, when she was still nursing between 10-15 times a day(!). I don't mind nursing her at all, but I know that she won't be thrilled about sharing Mummy's "milks" with a baby.

Anyway, we'll be finding out what the gender is in early February. Any guesses? I can post a nub shot if anyone's into that, but I warn you, it's the most ambiguous nub shot I've ever seen :) Tricky little one!

Hallowe'en!

Mia has been running around shouting, "Hallowe'en!" and "Ticky-Teet!" for the last week. I don't think she really gets the concept of it, but the words are fun to say.

As I mentioned before, I decided to make her costume: an owl. This is her first Hallowe'en (last year she was just 8 months old). I seem to remember my mum always making, or helping me with, my costumes (one of the more memorable ones was the amazing ladybug costume she made for me when I was about 2). I like the idea of homemade costumes rather than the ubiquitous polyester costumes. I definitely need more practice, though!

 Here's the costume from the front. I made the tunic out of linen (an old curtain), the mask of felt and cloth, and the wings are linen on the inside, with feathers cut from a feathery shirt I found at Value Village.

 Here's the back - lots of feathers on the wings! They took a while to cut out. The wings button on, so if they get too annoying for her I can take them off.

 Here she is spreading her wings - this is a rare moment between the loud, "All done!" when I try to put it on her, and the crying and screaming "All DONE!" about the wings being attached to her wrists. Sigh.

She did tolerate it for several hours at a Hallowe'en party last week, so I'm hoping she can manage to stand it for today as well, for the Big Night. Tomorrow is Hallowe'en again at the community centre play group we go to. Fingers crossed for no costume meltdowns!

This is what happens when I try to get her to wear the mask... She cries, runs away and shouts "ALL DONE!!". She really doesn't like the mask. At all. Which is a surprise, as we already have a felt mask that she does like to wear - I expected her to like this one, too. There's no point even trying it, though - it's just not worth the misery. I might pin it to her hat tonight, if she'll let me.

So overall, the costume is not the biggest hit.

And I should have made it bigger, to fit over a sweater or jacket. There's about 4" of snow on the ground here, and it's snowing more today. She'll have to wear a jacket tonight as I take her around.

I think we'll just do the 7 or 8 houses on our little street and that's it, more to say hi to the neighbours than anything. She's pretty shy, and she certainly doesn't need the candy. 

Do you have a toddler going out for Hallowe'en? Did you make, or buy the costume? And what are they going as?

First Cheerios!

One of the big milestones in any baby's life is starting on solid foods. I know everyone has their favourite methods and recipes for baby's first foods, whether it's homemade organic or store-bought, but I think just about every parent I know included Cheerios in with the first finger foods.

With their high fiber, low sugar, and low fat content, Cheerios are a winner for both parents and tots. The size and shape make them easy to pick up for little fingers (and great for practicing the "pincer grasp", improving fine motor control), and once baby is able to chew, they love them.

I still like Cheerios for breakfast myself - Mia and I often share a bowl. One of her favourite things is to drop Cheerios one at a time into yogourt and eat a bite with both on the spoon. Maybe a little weird, but she likes it!

General Mills (the makers of Cheerios) has a fabulous campaign again this year to celebrate First Cheerios moments. You can join them on their Life Made Delicious Facebook page, and share a photo of your little one enjoying Cheerios - and it may even be included on the special edition 400g Cheerios box, in stores in Spring 2013! What a neat way to commemorate a fun moment in your child's life.

The first 1000 participants receive a coupon for a free box of Cheerios (one per household), and after that everyone gets a $1 off coupon towards your next box (one per calendar year)!

I added my photo to the group and loved seeing the photos other proud parents have submitted. How fun! When I was going through my photos, I realized just how many pictures I have of Mia having Cheerios. Of course, those can't just sit in my files - here's my own little mosaic of her Cheerios moments!

I hope you take advantage of this fun opportunity to share your baby's First Cheerios moment - and get a great coupon as well!

Disclosure – I am participating in the First Cheerios Blog Tour by Mom Central Canada on behalf of General Mills. I received compensation as a thank you for participating and for sharing my honest opinion. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Toes

I needed a re-do on my toes, and was busy during her nap, so it happened while she was awake. Of course, my toddler was fascinated.

"Mummy! Toes!" she said.

and then, much louder:

"MIA! TOES! PEASE!!!"

So I did.

Never thought I'd be painting an 18 month old's toes - it just happened. And yes, it's very cute! She loves it and keeps talking about her toes.

I'm not sure about it, though.

Why? Well...

- am I setting some kind of precedent here? Some kind of image/beauty thing? I don't even want to get into that. I mean, she's seen me apply makeup before and obviously has seen my painted toenails before... but to do it to/for her, that's different.
.
- I didn't have kiddie paint so used regular... what about toxins?

Hmm.

Bambino Miosolo Cloth Diaper Giveaway!

Following up on my review of the new Bambino Mio Miosolo cloth diaper, Childish Notions has generously offered to give away one of these great cloth diapers to one of my lucky Canadian readers!! The colour will be a surprise (they have a lovely selection, so it will be nice!).

Entering is easy with the Rafflecopter form below (click "Read More" if you don't see it).

Fairhaven Health Nursing Time Tea - Review and Giveaway!

I know, another giveaway?! Oh, my. I'm finding it a little hard to keep up with a toddler and a blog (how do those mums of many do it all??), and it seems the rambling posts have given way (for now) to the review posts. Hopefully my lovely readers can stand yet another review and giveaway :) 

I have had the pleasure of working with Fairhaven Health several times already and have never been disappointed by any of their products. I actually reviewed the Nursing Time Tea previously, back when Mia was just about 3 weeks old (read that post here, if you like).  Early on, I was so engorged all the time it was painful, and leaked ounces at every feeding (for about seven months. So glad that doesn't happen - often - anymore). Supply was not really an issue for me!

Now she's 15 months old, and it's a whole different game.  These days, I find that my milk supply changes with the time of the month, and there are days when she lets me know that I'm not meeting her quota!

I'm still nursing Mia frequently - I guess it's not that usual, as people seem surprised when they ask how much she nurses, and I reply, "Well, it's about six times before noon, and beyond that I lose track - as often as she wants!" I am proud to still be breastfeeding, especially after the ridiculous challenges we faced in the early days (raging thrush, mastitis, overactive letdown... it was excruciatingly painful for me and difficult for her). We are stubborn creatures, my daughter and I! (She does eat solid food, of course; she just loves her milk!)

And that's where the Nursing Time Tea comes in at this stage. I find that it helps during those times of the month when my supply is low. It's a relaxing blend of herbs that are lactagogues (promote milk production), help with gas for baby, and contain nutrients for mum and child. The ingredients are organic, and it is caffeine-free. A bag is about a 1-month supply!

I find the flavour to be herbal rather than "lemony" (as it is described) - with a predominant flavour of anise, which I love. Add a little honey or maple syrup in there and it's truly fabulous. I tend to brew a big pot, then keep it in the fridge. Hot, it's relaxing and soothing. Cold, it's refreshing.

Do you know what? I think the loose tea would be lovely in a not-too-sweet shortbread as well. A new kind of lactation cookies? Hmm! I may just try that.

Anyway, I am thrilled that Fairhaven Health has generously decided to offer one of my readers a bag of the loose leaf Nursing Time Tea to try out for themselves!


Click "read more" if you don't see the Rafflecopter form to enter!

Also, feel free to visit some of my past reviews for Fairhaven Health products: FertilAid for Women, FertileCM, FertilAid for Men and Digital Basal Thermometer, Natural Pregnancy Deodorant, DreamBelly Stretch Mark Cream, Nipple Nurture Balm, Nursing Blend Breastfeeding Supplement and Nursing Time Tea, Nursing Postnatal Breastfeeding Multivitamin and DreamBelly Stretch Mark Butter. Loved. Them. All.

Mom4Life

I just wanted to share with you an online store for mum and baby products. Mom 4 Life is US-based (and offers free shipping with no minimum order in the US - if only that was for Canada, too!), and carries loads of products that take you from maternity through labour and delivery, to parenthood.

I love the name, it really resonates with me. Especially with Mother's Day just past, I really feel the honour, joy, and responsibility that comes with being a mum. Definitely a mum for life!

A couple of products they carry that I can personally recommend are the Ingrid and Isabella BellaBand (fabulous for pregnancy, it's a firm yet stretchy fabric that keeps your belly comfortable and covered - and there are some in the clearance section! Deals, mamas!) and the popular BabyLegs - super cute legwarmers that make diaper changes so easy! Mia has several pairs and they're great. Mia also has a Wubbanub that she loves. She never took to soothers (fine with me) but adores her cute Wubbanub puppy. It's a plush toy with a soother attached, which I find helps keep track of the soother and makes it harder to lose! They carry cloth diapers as well!

It's  a store to check out if you are doing some online shopping for babies, mums, or mums to be!

Disclosure: Mom4Life sent me products in return for an article on their store. My opinions of the products I've mentioned are honest and my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

Friendship, for Mums

After my daughter was born, I felt so isolated. My husband went back to work after a glorious - and exhausting - month of tandem newborn parenting; suddenly, it was just me and Mia. On top of that we moved for a three month stint in a different province while she was 3-6 months old – then moved again when she was just shy of a year! My BBFs (before baby friends) pretty much made the requisite newborn visit and that was it. They mostly had older children of their own, so we weren’t in the same trenches. The friends without children… well, they weren’t interested in my favourite (okay, only) topic of conversation, and suddenly staying up late or going out was not an option for us.

Meanwhile, I was going mad without adult conversation!

After a while – when I recovered from the birth, and the shock of having a new baby - I realized that it was entirely up to me to get out of the housebound rut and make some new friends.  I really am a shy person. It is not at all second nature to me to go out and meet people; it is a major effort to get over myself and stop being such a loner! Here’s how I overcame my shyness and made some mum friends that I have a lot in common with – because that was one of the hardest parts of having a baby, for me.

Here are some of the things I did that helped me make some great new friends.

• Sign up for Baby and Me classes. Here are some places to try – your library, recreation center, fitness studio, Early Years centres (in Ontario – I’m not sure what the equivalent is elsewhere), and community centres. I joined Baby Goose at the library, which was a half-hour, once-a-week stories-and-songs program that went on for eight weeks and was quite inexpensive (I can’t recall, but I think it was around $40 at my library).  Most libraries offer programs for children.
  
  I also joined a Mother Goose program put on by Early Years, which was free (!), and that was amazing – mums’ chat time before and after, songs, stories, and lots of resources like guest speakers on topics like car seats, vaccinations, that sort of thing. I highly recommend that program if you have one in your area!
  
  A Mommy and Me Aquafit class at the local pool was also loads of fun. The babies sat in floating turtles, and us mums tugged or pushed them around the pool. We got a decent workout, the babies got to enjoy the water, as well as meeting some new friends.  There are loads of fitness programs for mums and babies; check your local rec centre, yoga studio, or look up a program like Salsa Babies. The fitness programs are generally a little more expensive, but it’s great for the self-esteem to start working out post-partum, and if you can take your baby with you, you don’t have to worry about arranging babysitting or sketchy gym childcare!


• Do drop in at the drop-in play centres. I went to one in a local church basement that had loads of toys, lots of kids, and friendly people (again run by Early Years). They had a toddler and a bigger-kid room, and did circle time and snack time as well, for the once-weekly morning drop-in. That one was free; many of the drop-in play centres have a small fee, $2 or so. Check in your area – there are bound to be centres near you in community facilities or churches (often without a religious aspect, if that is holding you back). The parents are generally local and are often regular attendees, so you will definitely have a chance to get to know some new friends if you go back a few times 


• Look online for mummy groups. I found one when we were in Calgary the first time on Meetup.com, just by searching my neighbourhood and interest. I managed to meet some really awesome people and have made at least one good friend that way – we kept in touch while I was back in Ontario and she is one reason I was not hating the idea of moving to Calgary for good – I knew I had a friend here!
   
• Start your own group. Organized mums can post their groups on community forums or on the big sites like Meetup, Craigslist, Facebook, etcetera – and get a group of like-minded people together.
  
  After I had met a bunch of mums through the various classes in Ontario, I set up a Facebook group for mums of babies in the same age group in my town. I added some of the mums I’d met, and they added more. That group is still active and getting together for walks and playdates.  My group of mum friends here in Calgary also has a Facebook presence. That makes it so easy to keep up with what‘s going on, and to arrange outings and playdates.
   
• Get out of the house and talk to people. You will find that just about everyone wants to look at and comment on your new baby – and many of those people have something to offer, whether it is advice (wanted or unwanted!), or community. Smile at other mums you see, and say hi – it just might open the door to a new friend. Nursing and baby changing rooms at malls are often full of mums just like you – getting out of the house in the daytime with their babies. In the summer, the park is a good place to meet parents of children the same age as yours, who usually live conveniently nearby. You can meet new friends anywhere that you can strike up a conversation.
  
  As an example, we just signed some papers at the lawyer’s office. I got to chatting with the receptionist about moving to a new neighbourhood, and not knowing where to get a child’s hair cut. It turned out she has a daughter close in age to mine, and was able to recommend a children’s salon. After our appointment, she gave me her email address and said she gets together with some other mums if I’d like to join them some time. How easy is that? All it takes is being friendly.
   
• Ask for advice. Everyone LOVES to be asked their opinion or for advice. Really. Think of the last time you were able to help someone with something, even finding the right aisle in the grocery store – and you will remember the good feeling that helping someone out gives you. So give people the opportunity to have that feeling – ask a question of a likely stranger! See a mum perusing the baby aisle? Ask her which products her baby loves, or what she’d recommend. It’s such an easy opening to a conversation. 

One of my favourite things about being a parent is that Mia is an instant icebreaker, and I now have at least one obvious thing in common with a lot of the people I meet. Whether we like the same movies, books, music, whatever – it doesn’t really matter, as we always have something to talk about: our children.

Making friends has now become something I work at. Knowing people in the same phase of life makes such a HUGE difference. You can commiserate together, and celebrate the milestones.  Having friends with a baby the same age makes it easy to schedule playdates (with social benefits for mums and babies), talk over any troubles, get ideas for new things to try with your baby and get advice or resources when you need them.

I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the women I have met as a mother – they are funny, intelligent, friendly, and, perhaps best of all, are perfectly willing to talk about babies at length (as well as any other topic under the sun!).

I hope this inspires you to get out and make a new friend. It’s not as hard as you might think it is!

How have you expanded your social circle after children? I’d love to hear from my readers of experiences you’ve had meeting new friends – and any of your tips are welcome as well!

Cloth diapers - my stash review!

I have been using cloth for over a year now and thought it was high time to do a little comparison and review of the diapers in my stash. I found it overwhelming when I started out, with the number of different brands (and prices from $5 to $30 per diaper). How do they stack up?

Here are the diapers I have tried and what I thought of them. Most are OS pocket diapers.

Applecheeks. These are Canadian-made, high quality pockets (and pricey at around $30). The microfleece liner is soft and good quality - it does pill but not to the extent that some of the cheaper diapers do. The envelope design allows the insert to come out in the wash (most of the time). I like the bright, intense colours and the prints are cute as well. The bamboo inserts are absorbent, but I don't like how crunchy they get if line-dried, and when they are wet they seem to get hard, which must add to the discomfort of a wet diaper. The microfiber inserts are wonderful, very thick and absorbent and even indicate which side to put away from baby's skin to keep the moisture away. The downside - again, the diapers are tight on my baby's thighs. They come in two sizes, I have gone through size 1 and 2's and even at the largest setting they do leave welts on my chunky daughter's thighs. She is not at the weight max by far; she just has fat little thighs. And she is walking and showing no sign of slimming down (I can only hope that by the time she's in her teens her thighs are more in line with the rest of her!).

Bamboo Baby. Canadian-made. These are the only AIO diapers I have. I have mixed feelings about them. They are extremely absorbent, don't leak, and are very soft if dried in the dryer - stiff and crunchy if line-dried. The velcro laundry tabs work most of the time.  My daughter has figured out how to undo velcro, and it's only a matter of time before that translates to taking these off herself, but so far, so good. (They are also available in snaps). I don't like how they really keep the moisture close to her skin, though. About $20 each.

Best Bottom. I was apprehensive about these ones at first. They are a PUL cover (unlined) that you snap inserts into. You can reuse the cover by wiping it and snapping in new inserts to change wet diapers, and replacing dirty ones entirely. My apprehension is twofold - the PUL right against baby's skin, and the inserts seeming to keep moisture against baby's skin as well. I have grown more fond of these in recent months. I like how easy it is to change the wet inserts out. It is less bulky than many other diapers, and if you are out and about it's less to carry around in the diaper bag - just bring a few inserts and a cover along instead of 3-4 full out diapers. I like the double leg gussets. Poop is kinda gross in them (but when isn't it gross...). About $18

BumGenius. I don't have a lot of "big name" diapers because I started out with cheapies and then could not justify the price of the brand name versions. However, a friend gave me a BG 4.0 Artist Series and you really can tell the difference in quality of the fabrics. The PUL is soft and thick. The microfleece is fine, soft, and resists pilling. Nice thick microfiber inserts. Is it worth the price, though - around $30 each? I am not entirely convinced.

Charlie Banana. This is a really nice diaper, good quality.  They come with two microfiber inserts (a longer and a shorter). Double up for extra absorbency, or just use the small for a smaller baby and the large when she grows. I have found the inserts get a little stiffer than most of my other inserts. Not sure why.  I have a plain one in "butter", but looking at their website they have some really adorable prints and a "Fashion Collection" that I love. Mid-range at about $21 per.

ComfyRumps. This is a Canadian company, but Chinese-made diapers. One of the first diapers I tried (read my original review of ComfyRumps diapers), and these are still in daily use at our house. They're cheap (around $7 a diaper) and plain (though now they have a few prints and minky diapers). I had two of my dozen delaminate and that seems to be a common complaint if you read their Facebook page. They will replace faulty diapers, but it can be tricky getting a response from the company. The microfleece has pilled fairly heavily but is still functional. However for the price I am quite happy with my ComfyRumps. The microfiber inserts have thinned out and stiffened over the year, but I could always pick up new inserts (which I probably would not buy from CR) if I wanted to. They have fit from newborn (around 8 lbs) to now at 23 lbs, and still have room to grow in the snap settings. I think they have modified their design a bit from when I bought, but still I would recommend these.

Giggle Life.  Again, I only have one of these that a friend gave me. The microfleece liner has pilled quite a lot - the most of all my diapers. I have found that there is "seepage" along the seams - not enough to call a leak, but poop has stained the outside of the diaper where it has wicked out along the stitching at  the inner thigh. The outer is TPU (not PUL) so is softer and less plasticky, but breaks down more quickly if you wash in hot water or use the dryer. Good fit but another I would not invest in if I were to buy. They are about $18 each or cheaper if you buy by the dozen. I will say that my daughter (a heavy wetter who needs to be changed every 2 hours at minimum) once went 4 hours in this diaper with no leaks.

Go Green  I only have one of these, a "fuzzy", and they're pretty good for Chinese-made cheapies (approximately $7). The elasticized hole to stuff prevents the insert from coming out in the wash, which is a pain. The Go Green does have wing snaps. Overall, functional diapers (and cheap, and lots of cute prints available) but would not be my first choice to buy. That said, I have not tried the Go Green Champ and have heard good things about it. Would love to try that one out. *Go Green and Lovely are IMO pretty much the same diaper

Happy Heinys These have cute prints and fabulous inserts (fluffy and soft even when air-dried, and quite absorbent. They have lots of snap settings and don't tend to droop. Good fit on my chubby-legged daughter and rarely leak (remember, she's a heavy wetter). 


Knickernappies. American made. My husband hates that these are side-snapping, I don't mind it.The hemp Loopy-Do insert is quite absorbent, but is wide and bulky. Two inserts come with every diaper. A fine everyday kinda diaper. They have loads of room to grow and fit chunky thighs beautifully. About $22 for the diaper with microfiber inserts, $27 if you choose the hemp inserts.

Lovely Diapers. I only have one of these, a "fuzzy", and they're pretty good Chinese-made cheapies (approximately $7). The elasticized hole to stuff prevents the insert from coming out in the wash, which is a pain.  My Lovely diaper has had a snap fall off (they offered to replace the diaper if I sent it back - not worth the shipping IMO). It does have a vast rise, and is the only diaper in my stash in which we are not on the largest rise setting. Lots of great prints available. *Go Green and Lovely are IMO pretty much the same diaper

Monkey Doodlez. I haven't used their diapers, per se - but I love their swim diapers. Mia's on her second size and I'm ready to buy the next size up (if anyone hears of a Monkey Doodlez sale, let me know please!). At $20 a pop they are pricey, but we love taking Mia swimming and they are super cute. I only wish they lasted longer in terms of size. Note: We have never experienced an "aquadump" (as my husband so charmingly puts it), so I can't entirely vouch for the containment properties!

OsoCozy Diapers. I have just one of their all-in-one diapers. The first time I used it, it leaked out the legs, but I think I hadn't tightened the Aplix enough. The second time I used it, Mia had it on under a dress and at naptime I went in to find her standing in her crib with a wet diaper in her hands, having removed it herself! The down side of Aplix! However, under clothing it is fine and no leaks since I tighten it a bit more. I find the cotton takes ages and ages to dry. At least two days hung on a drying rack indoors. I love the deep purple colour of the one we have. I do find the cloth/elastic at the legs is a bit less soft than I would like (it's almost like a hard edge because the fabric is stiff), but overall this is one I use often.

Rumparooz. I have tried their fitted and one-size. I love the double gussets in the fleece. I don't love the inserts - they are pretty standard micro-fleece, quite thin. They have snaps on the inserts for size settings/doubling up in front or back, as well as the "super-R" soakers which are smaller, hourglass shaped inserts for doubling. I don't find the inserts that absorbent (they're thin!). I also find that these have too many snaps. Four snaps at each side. It does prevent droop, but it's a pain and I can't always get a good combination of thigh to waist settings because the snaps are close together. With a tiny waist and chubby thighs, these are not the best for my daughter.

Sunbaby. These come in fabulous prints that change all the time and are dead cheap. I think I got 12 for $60, shipping included from China to Canada. It's a Chinese brand, supposedly with good labour practices if you believe the website. They worked well (no leaks, narrow microfiber inserts that were just fine in terms of absorbency) but sadly my daughter has enormously chunky thighs, and by the time she was 7 or 8 months old they would leave red welts even on the largest setting. I ended up selling the entire bunch on to a friend with a skinnier baby. I miss the cuteness. I understand that Sunbaby has recently created a new size that is larger and I am tempted to give them a shot - except I really do have enough diapers.

Wudda H. A Malaysian diaper that did not fit well when Mia was smaller, but now is one of my favourites. Great fit on Mia. It's not much to look at (plain white) but is a great diaper. The liner is some kind of terry (bamboo blend, perhaps?) that is soft after many washes and wicks moisture away. The soft, absorbent insert snaps into the pocket and has the same fabric on the upper layer. I have no idea what these cost in Canadian dollars (I think I must have won the one I have) but I like it a lot. I find their online store is a bit confusing.
** Note: delaminated after about 6 months' frequent use. That's disappointing! The nice bamboo terry/microfiber insert is still in rotation, though.

Zippy Doo. I still adore the fabrics (read the full Zippy Doo diaper review) and quality of these American WAHM-made fitteds. I still resist using a cover - another layer adds bulk - so these have ended up on low rotation for now. I think I'll use these more in the summer when I don't need to put a cover and pants on Mia. They are quite absorbent and so, super, lovely-soft. They take quite a while to dry, but I feel fine with putting them in the dryer as there is no PUL to delaminate or destroy, of course. The fit is great. Around $22.

more to add later...

Disclosure: this is a totally unsponsored, unbiased, non-affiliated, spur of the moment post.