Thought I would share this deal with my readers. Free Chik-fil-a with a reservation September 9-14.
Click Here and make your reservation.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
We Got Our Citrus Lane!
So after seeing it advertised over and over, plus all the adorable items I kept seeing didn't help, I decided to sign Ava up for a subscription to Citrus Lane. Since they don't ship new orders out until the 15th of each month we had a small wait however it was worth it!
I stalked the mailbox for 5 days waiting on our package to arrive. Well it is here and we couldn't be more impressed with it! This month was "Back to School" themed so all the smaller kids got educational toys to make them think!
We paid $15 for this months box thanks to me signing up under a fellow friend. They have a referral rewards program that saves the person who signs up under you $10 as well as credits you $10. Here is the breakdown of the items we received.
Rich Frog Little Stacker - Bunny $12.95
Ah Goo Baby Bottle Strap - $10.49
Cleo's Color Book - $6.29
Clean Well Wipes - 4.99
FabKids.com Coupon - $39.95 (downfall Ava does not fit in 2T+ clothing yet at 7.5 months old lol)
3 Samples of Weleda Baby - $?
For $15 or even if we would have paid the $25 regular monthly fee I would have to say I'm very impressed with Citrus Lane and we will be ordering another box for next month! Ava had a blast opening the box up and pulling everything out. And of course sticking it all in her mouth!!
If you want to try it out and get $10 off your first month and of course it gives me a $10 credit Click Here and sign up!
I stalked the mailbox for 5 days waiting on our package to arrive. Well it is here and we couldn't be more impressed with it! This month was "Back to School" themed so all the smaller kids got educational toys to make them think!
We paid $15 for this months box thanks to me signing up under a fellow friend. They have a referral rewards program that saves the person who signs up under you $10 as well as credits you $10. Here is the breakdown of the items we received.
Rich Frog Little Stacker - Bunny $12.95
Ah Goo Baby Bottle Strap - $10.49
Cleo's Color Book - $6.29
Clean Well Wipes - 4.99
FabKids.com Coupon - $39.95 (downfall Ava does not fit in 2T+ clothing yet at 7.5 months old lol)
3 Samples of Weleda Baby - $?
For $15 or even if we would have paid the $25 regular monthly fee I would have to say I'm very impressed with Citrus Lane and we will be ordering another box for next month! Ava had a blast opening the box up and pulling everything out. And of course sticking it all in her mouth!!
If you want to try it out and get $10 off your first month and of course it gives me a $10 credit Click Here and sign up!
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Oh Yeast Rash, How I Hate You!
Ugh. We have been battling yeast rash now for over a week now. It originally was a very mild case so we used liners on her diapers and started our usually diaper rash treatment prescribed by her doctor. After getting better and now horribly worse I finally broke down and decided it was time to give the diapers a good old fashioned tea tree oil treatment.
It is a fairly simple process and takes no time to do. Here is my routine.
Wash Diapers Per Usual.
1. Cold Rinse with 2 tablespoons of vinegar
2. Hot/Cold Wash with my detergent (2 cups washing soda, 2 cups baking soda, 2 cups oxiclean)
3. Extra Cold Rinse
Once Finished I do yet another rinse and depending on the load size add 10-20 drops of Tea Tree Oil. Followed by yet another rinse. Process complete. I then sun my diapers outside and dry my inserts on high. (I'm using pocket diapers)
It is a fairly simple process and now all her diapers smell of yummy tea tree oil. I also have made a tea tree/coconut oil diaper rash rub consisting of 1/2 tsp of tea tree and 6 tablespoons of coconut oil. I melted the coconut oil and added the tea tree. Blended well and then put it the the fridge to harden up quickly. (Note if your baby's booty has any open sores this will HURT so do not use!)
Benefits of Tea Tree Oil Tea Tree is a natural anti fungal and antiseptic. It also naturally helps get the stink out of your diapers. It is a natural way of killing yeast as well as has many other benefits around the home.
We actually mix 1/2 tsp of tea tree oil with 1 cup water and use it as a pee pee cleaner for our horrible chihuahua (We love her she is old).
As mentioned above you can mix tea tree oil with another oil such as coconut or olive oil and use it as a diaper rash treatment. Do not use though if there are open sores in the rash. You will not be happy with the reaction your child gives.
I am now adding 4 drops of tea tree oil at the beginning of my wash cycle in hopes of yeast never returning. If you make your own wipe solution try adding a couple drops to it as well. It will help kill any fungal growth on your baby's bottom as well as give them a lovely smell.
It is a fairly simple process and takes no time to do. Here is my routine.
Wash Diapers Per Usual.
1. Cold Rinse with 2 tablespoons of vinegar
2. Hot/Cold Wash with my detergent (2 cups washing soda, 2 cups baking soda, 2 cups oxiclean)
3. Extra Cold Rinse
Once Finished I do yet another rinse and depending on the load size add 10-20 drops of Tea Tree Oil. Followed by yet another rinse. Process complete. I then sun my diapers outside and dry my inserts on high. (I'm using pocket diapers)
It is a fairly simple process and now all her diapers smell of yummy tea tree oil. I also have made a tea tree/coconut oil diaper rash rub consisting of 1/2 tsp of tea tree and 6 tablespoons of coconut oil. I melted the coconut oil and added the tea tree. Blended well and then put it the the fridge to harden up quickly. (Note if your baby's booty has any open sores this will HURT so do not use!)
Benefits of Tea Tree Oil Tea Tree is a natural anti fungal and antiseptic. It also naturally helps get the stink out of your diapers. It is a natural way of killing yeast as well as has many other benefits around the home.
We actually mix 1/2 tsp of tea tree oil with 1 cup water and use it as a pee pee cleaner for our horrible chihuahua (We love her she is old).
As mentioned above you can mix tea tree oil with another oil such as coconut or olive oil and use it as a diaper rash treatment. Do not use though if there are open sores in the rash. You will not be happy with the reaction your child gives.
I am now adding 4 drops of tea tree oil at the beginning of my wash cycle in hopes of yeast never returning. If you make your own wipe solution try adding a couple drops to it as well. It will help kill any fungal growth on your baby's bottom as well as give them a lovely smell.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Watch Your Diaper Rash Cream!
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Many people new to cloth diapering don't realize that many diaper creams available are not cloth diaper safe. Zinc oxide can cause major wicking on your diapers as well as it is nearly impossible to wash out. You also want to watch for creams that have cod oil in them. Many diaper companies will have their recommendations on what creams to use with their diapers and some may recommend not using any creams at all so always be aware of the care instructions that come with your diapers.
Here are a list of common diaper rash creams that are safe for cloth diapers:
Angel Baby Bottom
Baby Bottom Better
CJ's BUTTer
California Baby (I do not recommend the Calming. It made Ava scream bloody murder and we have not used it since.)
Coconut Oil
I'm a big fan of coconut oil. I use it as Ava's daily moisturizer as well as her diaper rash cream. She is a rather yummy smelling baby. Coconut oil is all natural and completely chemical free. The only time it has not worked for us is when we had a nasty yeast rash a few weeks ago and our pediatrician had to prescribe a compound cream to get rid of the rash (she got it thanks to a food allergy and having very acidic bowel movements from it - no more yogurt). If for some reason you have to use a non-cloth diaper friendly cream I recommend purchasing the flushable liners and lining your diaper with them each change. We get our liners from Amazon. They are $6.00 a pack and got the job done of protecting the diaper from the cream.
Many people new to cloth diapering don't realize that many diaper creams available are not cloth diaper safe. Zinc oxide can cause major wicking on your diapers as well as it is nearly impossible to wash out. You also want to watch for creams that have cod oil in them. Many diaper companies will have their recommendations on what creams to use with their diapers and some may recommend not using any creams at all so always be aware of the care instructions that come with your diapers.
Here are a list of common diaper rash creams that are safe for cloth diapers:
Angel Baby Bottom
Baby Bottom Better
CJ's BUTTer
California Baby (I do not recommend the Calming. It made Ava scream bloody murder and we have not used it since.)
Coconut Oil
I'm a big fan of coconut oil. I use it as Ava's daily moisturizer as well as her diaper rash cream. She is a rather yummy smelling baby. Coconut oil is all natural and completely chemical free. The only time it has not worked for us is when we had a nasty yeast rash a few weeks ago and our pediatrician had to prescribe a compound cream to get rid of the rash (she got it thanks to a food allergy and having very acidic bowel movements from it - no more yogurt). If for some reason you have to use a non-cloth diaper friendly cream I recommend purchasing the flushable liners and lining your diaper with them each change. We get our liners from Amazon. They are $6.00 a pack and got the job done of protecting the diaper from the cream.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Charcoal Bamboo 5-Layer Inserts
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I purchased some Babyland 5-layer charcoal bamboo inserts (CBI for short) from one of my regular co-oping groups. After having a few leaking issues with just microfiber inserts I figured it was time to change things up. I've tried the blended inserts from Sunbaby however I just wasn't that impressed by them. They didn't seem to hold much for the cost and description that came with them.
I'm on day 5 of my CBI inserts and I LOVE them!! I double them at night and always get 12+ ours of sleep from them and during the day Ava gets probably 5 hours with just one insert at 6 months old. I usually change her sooner than 5 hours but it is helpful if we are out shopping or socializing not to have to stop every 3 hours and change a diaper due to having a heavy wetter. They also fit wonderfully in all my diaper brands (i.e. Sunbaby, Charlie Banana, Happy Flute, Flip, Weegro)
So here are the perks to using CBI inserts:
* They don't stain as much as the white microfiber inserts do
* You can put them directly on skin so you can use them in covers as well.
* The insert is 2 layers of 100% bamboo charcoal and 3 layers of 100% microfiber inside which is suppose to make them 5 times more absorbent.
* Charcoal bamboo is naturally antibacterial.
The other plus is that they are easy to prep but you will realize how much liquid they absorb while prepping. I prepped mine the following way:
1. Bring large pot of water to a boil
2. After water is at a boil place as many inserts that you can into the pot (Be careful cause it will bubble and boil over if you put to many)
3. Boil for 20 minutes and then careful remove the inserts and let them cool down (They retain heat for a good 20 minutes)
4. Wash inserts like you usually would with detergent on hot/cold
5. Rinse inserts and extra 4 times on a cold rinse
6. Dry inserts either by line drying or in dryer (I am a fan of line drying however these take FOREVER to dry due to being so absorbent)
7. Stuff your fluff! You are good to go!
I always do an extra rinse before washing soiled inserts and diapers after using them. And on a super exciting note I should be getting some new fluff this week to try out and review! I'm stalking the mail lady!
I purchased some Babyland 5-layer charcoal bamboo inserts (CBI for short) from one of my regular co-oping groups. After having a few leaking issues with just microfiber inserts I figured it was time to change things up. I've tried the blended inserts from Sunbaby however I just wasn't that impressed by them. They didn't seem to hold much for the cost and description that came with them.
I'm on day 5 of my CBI inserts and I LOVE them!! I double them at night and always get 12+ ours of sleep from them and during the day Ava gets probably 5 hours with just one insert at 6 months old. I usually change her sooner than 5 hours but it is helpful if we are out shopping or socializing not to have to stop every 3 hours and change a diaper due to having a heavy wetter. They also fit wonderfully in all my diaper brands (i.e. Sunbaby, Charlie Banana, Happy Flute, Flip, Weegro)
* They don't stain as much as the white microfiber inserts do
* You can put them directly on skin so you can use them in covers as well.
* The insert is 2 layers of 100% bamboo charcoal and 3 layers of 100% microfiber inside which is suppose to make them 5 times more absorbent.
* Charcoal bamboo is naturally antibacterial.
The other plus is that they are easy to prep but you will realize how much liquid they absorb while prepping. I prepped mine the following way:
1. Bring large pot of water to a boil
2. After water is at a boil place as many inserts that you can into the pot (Be careful cause it will bubble and boil over if you put to many)
3. Boil for 20 minutes and then careful remove the inserts and let them cool down (They retain heat for a good 20 minutes)
4. Wash inserts like you usually would with detergent on hot/cold
5. Rinse inserts and extra 4 times on a cold rinse
6. Dry inserts either by line drying or in dryer (I am a fan of line drying however these take FOREVER to dry due to being so absorbent)
7. Stuff your fluff! You are good to go!
I always do an extra rinse before washing soiled inserts and diapers after using them. And on a super exciting note I should be getting some new fluff this week to try out and review! I'm stalking the mail lady!
Friday, June 28, 2013
Off Topic: Baby Teething Biscuits
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So I decided with Ava teething I would try to make my own teething biscuits. This is the recipe I came up with after a few failed attempts.
Ava's Teething Biscuits
Preheat oven to 350
1 cup baby oatmeal
1/2 cup flavored baby rice cereal (I did banana apple)
1/2 cup plain rice cereal
4 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons gluten free flour (Our family is known for wheat allergies)
Ice cold water
Mix dry ingredients then add coconut oil. Slowly add in ice water until you get a dough consistency. After that roll out dough to cracker thickness and cut into squares.
Grease pan (I used coconut oil) Cook squares on one side for 8 minutes and then cook on the other side for another 8 minutes. Should be golden brown.
After they cooled off I cut off the crunchy edges so they are just chewy now.
I then freeze them so that they are hard and cold :-)
They are similar to a more bland banana bread and dissolve easily in her mouth when she nibbles on them.
So I decided with Ava teething I would try to make my own teething biscuits. This is the recipe I came up with after a few failed attempts.
Ava's Teething Biscuits
Preheat oven to 350
1 cup baby oatmeal
1/2 cup flavored baby rice cereal (I did banana apple)
1/2 cup plain rice cereal
4 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons gluten free flour (Our family is known for wheat allergies)
Ice cold water
Mix dry ingredients then add coconut oil. Slowly add in ice water until you get a dough consistency. After that roll out dough to cracker thickness and cut into squares.
Grease pan (I used coconut oil) Cook squares on one side for 8 minutes and then cook on the other side for another 8 minutes. Should be golden brown.
After they cooled off I cut off the crunchy edges so they are just chewy now.
I then freeze them so that they are hard and cold :-)
They are similar to a more bland banana bread and dissolve easily in her mouth when she nibbles on them.
How to Prep Your New Diapers (Inserts and Pre-folds)
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Ok so you finally went all in and decided to purchase your cloth diapers. So how exactly do you prep them.
*Note this is my own personal way of prepping my inserts*
How To Prep Inserts and Pre-folds:
What you need - A big pot and some water
Step 1: Fill pot with water
Step 2: Bring water to a boil
Step 3: Place inserts/prefold into boiling water (I usually do 10 inserts or 6 pre-folds at a time)
Step 4: Let boil for 20 minutes
Step 5: After boiling let inserts cool off to room temperature (they will be super hot because they hold alot of water)
Step 6: Run on one rinse cycle in the washer with cold water
Step 7: Wash on a hot/cold cycle with the diapers as well using 2 tablespoons of my detergent recipe
Step 8: Do 3 more cold water rinses
Step 9: Line dry the diaper part and place inserts/pre-folds in dryer until completely dry
That is it! The more washes the inserts get the more absorbent they will be come. It usually takes 4-6 washes for mine to reach max absorbency.
Cloth Diaper Detergent Recipe
2 Cups Washing Soda
2 Cups Baking Soda
2 Cups Oxiclean
Hope this helps!!
Ok so you finally went all in and decided to purchase your cloth diapers. So how exactly do you prep them.
*Note this is my own personal way of prepping my inserts*
How To Prep Inserts and Pre-folds:
What you need - A big pot and some water
Step 1: Fill pot with water
Step 2: Bring water to a boil
Step 3: Place inserts/prefold into boiling water (I usually do 10 inserts or 6 pre-folds at a time)
Step 4: Let boil for 20 minutes
Step 5: After boiling let inserts cool off to room temperature (they will be super hot because they hold alot of water)
Step 6: Run on one rinse cycle in the washer with cold water
Step 7: Wash on a hot/cold cycle with the diapers as well using 2 tablespoons of my detergent recipe
Step 8: Do 3 more cold water rinses
Step 9: Line dry the diaper part and place inserts/pre-folds in dryer until completely dry
That is it! The more washes the inserts get the more absorbent they will be come. It usually takes 4-6 washes for mine to reach max absorbency.
Cloth Diaper Detergent Recipe
2 Cups Washing Soda
2 Cups Baking Soda
2 Cups Oxiclean
Hope this helps!!
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