MommyCon Philly Part 2

Now for the rest of the story:

We managed to sneak in a nap after the day's events, thanks to the exhaustion of our three young charges.  Then we headed out to dinner with some baby wearing friends from home.  The convention center was right next to Chinatown, so we had some fabulous Dim Sum.  Little girl was a unimpressed but sat fairly nicely through the meal.  Baby boy fell asleep nearly the moment I laid him on the bed while I made a cup of tea and slept for 12 hours straight. Little girl was happy to go to bed on her little cot, while I luxuriously stretched on my own bed!

Day 2!

We snagged breakfast at the hotel and headed over so my friend could head to her sleep consultation seminar and I caught the tail end of 8 Things the Slow Movement Can Teach You with Slow Mama.   (I would have heard the whole thing except that I had left my badge in our hotel room and had to go back for it).  What I heard was amazing.  The biggest thing that struck me was her encouragement to be yourself. She admitted that it sounded trite, but pointed out that even when we find a group we belong to, we are still tempted to change to fit in perfectly.  It gave me something to think about.  

After that, it was time for the Babywearing World Record.  Everyone crowded into the main ballroom.  It was amazing to see so many caregivers (moms, dads, grandparents, older siblings, and others) wearing their babies in every kind of carrier.  Some humor, some photos, and the exciting announcement of a Beco toddler carrier.  

There were so many great events that I had a hard time choosing: Play Based Learning, Babywearing Ballet, #ISupportYou with Jamie Lynn Grumet of I Am Not the Babysitter, and Attachment Theory with Dr. Henrik Norholt.  The only downside was having to chase the toddler instead of paying attention to all the great information coming my way.  There were also dozens of amazing vendors.  

At the end of it, MommyCon is incredibly uplifting, inspiring, and exhausting.  Just being around so many other families that are looking for the best way to raise their children is awesome.  Kids run amok and everyone looks out for them, women nurse their babies without fear of judgement, and lots of happy children are wrapped up with their beloved caregivers.  I loved seeing a 12 year old girl wearing her little baby sibling, happily kissing the top of the baby's head.  

Oh, and as for the swag bag?  It was absolutely incredible.  I got more and more excited with each item that I pulled out.  I could hardly believe the generosity of the sponsors.  

I more than got my money's worth out of the event, and I've been sharing about the amazing experience with everyone who will listen. 

MommyCon Philly

Last year, a friend and I took our eleven month olds to MommyCon Philly and had a great time.  We were hoping that the next event would be even better.  Spoiler alert: our expectations were far exceeded.

We opted for the VIP Package because we were interested in seeing The Honest Toddler's mom speak at the Saturday VIP event.  The VIP tickets included Saturday and Sunday events, two nights in a hotel, and a swag bag including a Beco Soleil baby carrier.  Was it worth it?

Absolutely.

We left our house at 5:00am and drove through the foggy morning up towards Philadelphia.  This time, instead of eleven month olds, we had two two year-olds and one three month old.  Surprisingly, none of them slept for more than 20 minutes on the four and a half hour drive.  It took a bit of driving around the block to figure out how to pull up to our hotel, but we finally figured it out.

In case you've never traveled with small children, packing light can be a bit tough.  We filled up two luggage carts.  We'd brought food, lots of changes of clothes for potty trained toddlers, cloth diapers for the baby, baby carriers, a pack and play, and a cot.  Finally, we got everything unloaded to the room, and rushed to registration at the Convention Center, right across the street from the hotel.

We got checked in, and the registration ladies were nice enough to give my little girl a lanyard as well.  We settled down in the back of the room to hear Honest Toddler's Mom (Bunmi Laditan) as she did giveaways via a game of "Who Has It Worst?" Prizes went to those who had gone the longest without showering, the most years without sleep, had the longest pregnancy, and the longest labors.  In between each prize, she had the audience in stitches with her keeping it real humor about motherhood.  She was even funnier in person than she is when writing in toddler persona.

The Leaky Boob was one of the biggest improvements over the previous year.  Jessica Martin-Weber is an inspiring speaker, but last year it felt a little bit like she was speaking to the choir about breast-feeding.  This year, she spoke about the measures we need to advocate for to support breastfeeding. She spoke about maternity leave, desexualizing breastfeeding, and education of health professionals.  I left feeling empowered to pursue those measures.

The day wrapped up with Baby Guy NYC doing a Q&A.  My favorite question was about what gift to splurge on for a new mom.  He recommended a good baby carrier or carseat, or a postpartum doula.

More tomorrow!

Announcements and More

Hello readers!  I know it's been awhile. There've been some changes around here.  As much as I enjoyed working with other moms to sell their products with Green Mama Life, I needed to make a change.  I am now a cloth diaper educator and sales consultant with Diaper Parties.

Here is why I love Diaper Parties: when I look in my kids' rooms and diaper bag, I see products that Diaper Parties carries.  My two year-old wore BumGenius 4.0 and Freetimes cloth diapers until she was potty trained.  I've wrapped both my babies in Aden & Anais swaddle blankets. We pack our lunches in Planet Wise snack and sandwich bags.  Since joining the Diaper Parties family last spring, I've been introduced to some fabulous new brands and products.  I'm madly in love with my new Ju-Ju-Be Super Be diaper bag (more on that soon).  We're trying out the Best Bottoms training pants for those days when my toddler is a bit too distracted to remember to get to the potty in time.  I'm loving my new Zen Rocks teething necklace.

Our customers get rewards points AND the individual touch of a personal consultant, all while paying standard retail prices for great products.

So, what's going to happen with this blog?

I'm going to continue sharing about green living and family life, with a sprinkle of information about Diaper Parties products.  Most Diaper Parties information will be on our Facebook Page.  Shopping is in the Diaper Parties store.  Just remember to select my name as your consultant at checkout!

Coming soon: the story of my adventures at MommyCon Philly!

Cloth Diapering Budgets

Did you know that a third of American families struggle to find room in their budget for diapers?  And it's no wonder--disposable diapers are expensive.  According to the National Diaper Bank Network, diapers can cost $936 annually per child.  A friend recently told me that her costs are a bit more conservative, closer to $500 per year.  She was interested in trying out cloth diapering, but wasn't sure if it would be economical to start now, with her nine-month old, if she didn't plan on having any more children.

Let's take a look and see, shall we? Maybe we can help her make a decision.

First, let's look at how many diapers babies use daily at each age. Newborns can use more than ten diapers per day.  By the time babies are a month old, they may only be using six diapers per day.  That use continues through toddlerhood.  My daughter used a dozen or more diapers per day as a newborn. At eleven months old, she uses six to eight diapers per day.

Second, we need to think about how often we want to do diaper laundry.  In our house, we have decreed Mondays and Thursdays diaper laundry days. If you do laundry every three days, you can make do with two dozen diapers with an older baby.  If you have a newborn, you'd want three dozen diapers with that laundry schedule.  If you have a smaller stash of diapers, you just need to do laundry more often.

Third, we need to decide what kind of diapers we want to use.  In this section, we will talk briefly about the different kinds of diapers and the set-up cost for an older baby with the above laundry schedule.

Best for Budget--Prefolds, Flats, and Covers

Wearing a diaper cover from the shop

Just about every family with a baby has a few prefolds around the house--usually pressed into service as burp cloths.  Often, people are intimidated by the idea of having to fold, twist, and pin these diapers.  Luckily, the Snappi has replaced pins for many parents.  With older babies, as bowel movements become less runny, prefolds become even easier.  I fold my prefolds into thirds and just lay them into a cover.  Flats are just squares or rectangles of cloth that are then twisted and folded into a more absorbent shape.  YouTube is great for learning how to use prefolds and flats.  Flats can be easily handwashed and line-dryed. Stephanie of Abby's Lane tells of using old washcloths as diapers.  For more on hard-core frugal diapering, read her blog article.

Prefolds and flats both require the use of a waterproof cover.  I'd recommend 5-6 covers for our laundry schedule.  You can alternate two covers throughout a day, letting one air out with the other on the bum unless poo gets on the cover.  They are also easily rinsed out.

How do they compare to our disposable diaper budget?
Prefolds cost around $25/dozen on Amazon.com.  Flats cost the same or slightly less.
Covers range in price from as low as five dollars to about eighteen dollars.  Let's say twelve dollars per cover.  We need two dozen diapers and six covers.

Total Cost:  $50 for diapers + $72 for covers= $122
Savings: $378


Best for Daycare and Babysitters--Pockets and All-in-Ones

Modeling BumGenius Freetime

All-in-one and pocket diapers are faster options on the changing table.  When convincing other caregivers to use cloth diapers, these modern cloth diapers are much more appealing.  Putting them on requires about the same amount of effort as putting on a disposable diaper.  They do cost more up front but they have great resale value.

Obviously, prices can vary depending on the brand, so I'll do this comparison based on my two favorites: Fuzzibunz One Size Elites for pockets and BumGenius Freetimes for All-in-Ones. Since both are one-size diapers, they may fit through potty-training. (No guarantees for the individual child). Fuzzibunz can be purchased in six-packs at $116.70 ($19.45 per diaper. Individual diapers cost $19.95 each).  BumGenius Freetimes can be purchased in a 24 pack for $399.95 ($16.67 per diaper. Individual diapers cost $19.95 each).

Total Cost for Pockets: $466.80
Savings: $33.20

Total Cost for All-in-Ones: $399.95
Savings: $100.05

Other Options
Fitteds, Hybrids, and All-in-Twos are other diaper options.  For more comparison, visit this site.

What Else Do You Need?
Don't be overwhelmed with all the diaper accessories: pails, wet bags/pail liners, fancy cloth wipes, and diaper sprayers.  You can make do without those things, although they do make life easier.

If funds are tight, hold off on wet bags until you have a little extra.  They can be used in many ways and totally are worth it.  DH loves our diaper sprayer, but I can do without it.  Rags and baby wash cloths make fine baby wipes. So do flannel receiving blankets.

The Final Word
All of these cloth diaper methods save money over disposable diapers even without keeping the following in mind:

• Cloth diapers can be sold.  I sold two of my all-in-one diapers, used, for only a few dollars less than what I paid. If you can afford the up-front investment, you can probably make back more than half of what you paid.  Don't try that with disposables!
• They can be used for subsequent children.  At this point, any children we have after Abby will be cloth diapered for free.  
• Cloth diapers can be purchased second-hand for lower prices. 

We have a luxurious diaper stash, and we still have not hit that $936 estimate.  

Some argue that you may see a higher electricity and/or water bill.  That depends on your area.  We haven't seen an increase in either bill during our time of cloth diapering.  

What do you do to cloth diaper on a budget?

Crunchy Baby Essentials

When I was pregnant, I had a lot of people telling me about the things that I *had* to have. In reality, we found that favorite things vary from family to family and baby to baby. Abby loved her swing and hated pacifiers. Other babies might be the opposite. But for us, here is our list:

 1. Cloth Diapers

For our seven pound, fourteen ounce daughter, we loved using Fuzzibunz Elite One-Size Pocket Diapers. We bought a dozen to start, along with a dozen BumGenius and a couple oddballs.  The Fuzzibunz fit her the best as a newborn.

 We also found that prefold diapers and covers worked really well for her. We used Snappis as an alternative to pinning. They were quick and easy!

Here, Abby models a diaper cover over a prefold.

 2. Cloth Wipes From the beginning, we've used a combination of cloth and disposable wipes. Our cloth wipes are actually the super cheap baby wash cloths. We received bunches as gifts in addition to a few extras that we purchased.




3. Baby Carrier We started taking Abby places right away and the stroller was a pain. There are also many proven benefits to baby wearing, to be addressed in a future post. We loved two carriers from the beginning:

 The Moby: The Moby had a bit of a learning curve but was super snuggly once we got it all figured out. By Thanksgiving, I was able to wear her while I put things on the table.








 The Beco Gemini: I bought this one on multiple recommendations. It fit both me and DH very well, it was quick, it was easy, and super comfortable and supportive. I've heard from many people that the Baby Bjorn, much more well-known, isn't as comfortable. It also has a pretty low weight limit. The Gemini can be used from birth to toddlerhood. It's also great for newborns, even without an added insert. It can also be used for hip and back carries, once the baby has good head support.

Here is Abby at three weeks old, at her first Renaissance Festival.  It's very rugged, hilly, and crowded. Not very stroller friendly. But that didn't stop us!









4. Aden & Anais Swaddle Blankets





There are many brands of cloth diapers and baby carriers that are equally awesome. However, I haven't found any other brand of cotton muslin swaddle blankets that I love as much as these. Abby was an early September baby, so flannel receiving blankets were too warm. They also weren't big enough to swaddle her easily. These generously sized blankets were big enough to really tuck in all the ends when we swaddled her, but we didn't have to worry about overheating. They were thin enough to use for car seat covers and nursing covers. We folded them over for burp cloths when we found that anything marketed as a burp cloth didn't give us anywhere near enough coverage. I've given quite a few of these as shower gifts since Abby was born and I rave about them to anyone who asks about baby gear.

Other Things We Loved
We bought a personalized wooden teething ring on Etsy.  It was easy for Abby to grip and she loved gnawing on it.  Give it a rub with food safe oil to keep it moisturized. Three month old Abby was a big fan!

Vulli Sophie the Giraffe Teether is the toy that parents love and hate. It has an annoying squeak but babies love chewing on the natural rubber.

I couldn't have lived without our swing.  It gave me a chance to eat a hot meal with two hands at the same time as my husband. But some babies hate them. I recommend trying to get one for free or borrowing one and seeing how it works out.

Other Notes

• There are lots of great cloth diaper brands out there and pockets and prefolds aren't the only option.  The fitted diapers in the shop right now are one-size, but might be a little bulky on some newborns.  Whatever you choose, keep in mind that newborn babies can go through a dozen diapers a day.  We recommend 2-3 dozen diapers, depending on how often you want to do laundry. We recommend the same number of wipes, if you will use cloth wipes exclusively.  Cloth wipes are also handy for spit up and any other number of messes.  
• For baby carriers, Boba and Ergo are also good brands for newborns.  More on baby carriers in an upcoming baby wearing post.
• If you are interested in buying any of the products I've mentioned, click through the links and product photos.
• Putting up all these squishy newborn photos made me feel really nostalgic. Abby will be eleven months old next week and rarely stays still for photos anymore.  

What are your recommendations for someone making a baby registry?

Meatless Monday (on Wednesday): Black Bean and Avocado Quinoa Salad

I'm a little behind with this week's Meatless Monday post, but I have bonuses for you to make up for it.

I forgot to plan ahead on Monday. I had a 4:30 doctor's appointment, and then we had to stop by the walk-in clinic for Abby (she's fine). It was almost six by the time we left the medical center.  Nap time had gotten in the way of our planned trip to the grocery store.  Then I remembered this recipe: Amazing Tomato Basil Pasta.  It's amazing because everything is cooked in one pot and it only takes fifteen minutes. We had all the ingredients except for Parmesan, so we substituted goat cheese.  We were too hungry for pictures.

I did promise you a bonus.  Earlier on Monday, I'd checked out a book called One-Dish Vegetarian Meals.  I figured this would make DH happy because he is the one who usually does the dishes.  Tuesday night, I made the Black Bean and Avocado Rice* Salad.  DH, a devoted carnivore, gave the dish a rave review.  Today, he informed me that it also made excellent leftovers for his lunch.

*We switched out the rice for quinoa. Quinoa has more protein, and we already had some. It keeps very well in the fridge.

Black Bean and Avocado Quinoa Salad
Adapted from One-Dish Vegetarian Meals by Robin Robertson

Ingredients:

• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder (optional)
• 1/3 cup extra virgin oil
• 2 ripe avocados, diced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 cups quinoa, cooked and chilled
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1 four-ounce can mild green chiles, drained
• 12 cherry tomatoes, chopped

Directions:

1. Whisk together the lime zest and juice, vinegar, orange juice, garlic, brown sugar, chili powder, and cayenne.  Slowly drizzle in the oil, constantly whisking, until smooth. Set aside. 

2. Toss the avocados in the lemon juice.

3. Combine rice, beans, onion, and chiles.  Gently fold in the avocados. 

4. Add the dressing and stir gently.  Top with cherry tomatoes and serve. 

Notes: 

We left out the cayenne because Abby and I don't love spicy things. We also had a partial can of green chiles left from another recipe, so we used less than the recipe calls for.  

Meatless Monday: Ratatouille

If you hang around the foodie/food activist region of the blogosphere, you may have heard of Meatless Mondays.  Meatless Mondays promote giving up meat for at least one meal per week.  Why? It takes more energy and resources to raise animals for meat than it does to raise plants.  Giving up meat, even just for one meal a week, is a simple way to reduce your carbon footprint.  It can also be friendlier for your wallet.

I frequently cook and order vegetarian meals, even though I am not a vegetarian. I unapologetically adore bacon.  The perfect steak or burger can transport me into foodie bliss.  However, a friend once told me that he had a theory: in general, vegetarian food tastes better so that vegetarians don't miss meat too much.  It's an interesting theory, and I have often found it true.  In fact, in a recent conversation, I learned from DH that he hadn't even noticed how rarely I cook meat. I think it's because I have found so many delicious vegetarian recipes that don't scream MEAT SUBSTITUTE.  This is one of those meals.

Ratatouille, made famous by the Disney movie of the same name, is a French peasant dish from Provence.  No spoilers, but the scenes where the chef prepares ratatouille and serves it to an impossible to please critic are my favorite scenes in the movie.  In the movie, the ratatouille is a work of art. In my own kitchen, it's somewhat less elegant.  However, it is so delicious that my carnivore dad requested in even when chemotherapy made food less appealing, and my carnivore husband scraped his bowl clean last night.

Ratatouille--Based on Julia Child's recipe

This dish features summer vegetables, and the fresher the better. If possible, get them at a farmers market. Not only will they be flavorful and fresh, you will be supporting small farms and local economies!

Ingredients: 
3 medium eggplants, sliced 1/8" thick
4 zucchinis, sliced, sliced 1/8" thick
Olive oil
2 bell peppers, julienned (any two colors)
1 onion, sliced 1/8" rings
4 tomatoes, cubed, with seeds and juices reserved
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 large eggs
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Toss the zucchini and eggplant with 1 teaspoon of salt. Let stand for 30 minutes, then rinse, drain, and pat dry.  (Last night, I forgot to rinse them but we didn't notice any problem). This is a good time to chop the rest of the veggies and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat and lightly fry the zucchini and eggplant for one to two minutes on each side.  They should be just turning brown.  Take the zucchini and eggplant out and put in a bowl on the side.
3. Lower the heat to medium and in the same pan, saute the bell peppers and onion until tender but not browned, 6-8 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant.
5. Add the tomatoes, reserved seeds and juices, herbes de provence, thyme, and sugar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, then cover.  Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stir, then raise the heat and boil for 3-5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by half. Remove half of the mixture to a bowl.
6. Spread the remaning tomato mixture across the bottom of the skillet.  Layer half of the zucchini and eggplant slices across the top (in a circular pattern if you're feeling fancy). Add the rest of the tomato mixture and the parsley, then layer the remaining zucchini and eggplant in the same fashion as before.
7. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.  Uncover and baste with remaining juices. Cook for another 15 minutes.
8. Using the back of a spoon, create two indentations in the mixture. Crack an egg into each well. (DH suggested doing this with four eggs instead of two).
9. Cover the pan and put the whole shebang into the oven for six to eight minutes. You want the egg whites to be cooked but the yolks to still be a bit runny.
10. Serve in a shallow bowl.  Crusty bread and a green salad make great accompaniments. Even better, serve with a glass of wine.

(Next time, hopefully I'll remember to take a picture!)

Note: I based this recipe on one that I found on a blog and printed out. Unfortunately, I didn't write down which blog. If you've seen a similar recipe around, let me know so I can give proper credit! Also, if you're in a hurry, you can truncate some of the cooking times. I cut out the second cook time in step 7 because DH is not a fan of soft veggies.  The longer cooking time does allow flavors to meld together.