Gee, Diapers?

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a sucker for trying new "gear", particularly baby gear, and particularly baby gear that's billed as being "green." My latest experiment is yet another diaper system.

First we used your basic "Chinese Prefold" cloth diapers with a diaper wrap. Actually, first we used the pampers that the hospital gave us, then we went on to the cloth. They were actually really easy when Molly was an infant. We were changing her constantly anyway, and we had the lovely diaper service (thanks everyone who contributed!). The wraps were easy enough, and the use of a Snappi Clip made holding the prefolds in place a breeze.

Then she started growing. In the beginning I was able to find an ample supply of the next-size-up wraps used. But apparently most folks give up on the cloth sometime around size M. (sizes go N, S, M, L, XL) I found a few L, but that was also around the time we decided to start washing our own. And then our neighbors offered to lend us three Fuzzi Bunz that they weren't using and that happened to be the right size.

That started us down the Fuzzi Bunz lane. They were soft & relatively easy to use, so I picked up a couple more. Plus, I'm a sucker for bright colors - and Fuzzi Bunz have got the colors! I think mostly I just wanted to see Molly in a bright orange diaper. What a sight!

We also started experimenting with the various "eco-groovy" disposables out there. Depending on what your issues are, there are various disposables that try to deal with it. There's Tushies that doesn't use any gel; 7th Generation that doesn't use any chlorine; and Nature Boy & Girl that seem to have some sort of corn-based outer something or other. 7th Gen & NB&G both use the "dreaded" gel. For the uninitiated, (or rather I should say for the folks who don't live in the Bay Area) there's a swirling debate in the natural parenting worlds about the dangers of the so-called gel. The "gel" is a "super-absorber" that diaper companies put in their diapers to suck up that liquid.

So, for the last few months we've been using a little of this, and a little of that, with a few Huggies and Pampers thrown in for fun. A few weeks back, though, Zach saw mention of a New! Diapering! System! that's trying to make it's way in the American market amongst the eco set. I read about it, was intrigued, but left it at that. I need to show some restraint, right? No need to order yet another diapering system just yet.

And then there it was. Mary & I were walking down the aisle in Whole Foods and sticking out on a special display case was the upcoming revolution in diapers: a gDiaper starter set. What is this revolutionary new product? It's a flushable, disposable, reusable, platypus. No, seriously, it's actually a kind of neat idea. There's a wrap, like usual, and then a "disposable" insert that actually can be ripped open after use & dumped into the toilet. Fancy. The say it can also be composted (sans poop). As one commenter noted: she wants to do the right thing, but that's awfully hard in a small NYC apartment with no washer or dryer.

And the best part? It comes in four fantastically fun colors (including bright orange). Okay. That's not really the best part. But it's pretty good. We've only used the gDiaper a few times - I'm a little reluctant to introduce yet another system for the babysitter to use - but it's been pretty painless dumping the stuff in the toilet. The only problem is that we have these really awful, wimpy toilets. Now we just need to get a nice Toto to go with the system. I hear they really pack a punch. ;)

Yes. I really did just write eight paragraphs about diapers. I really did.

(Note: unfortunately our camera has gone missing. Perhaps it's on a vacation in the tropics, recovering from several months of very intense work (I suppose photographing Berkeley's most beautiful baby can be difficult) , or maybe it's just under that big pile of stuff that's all over the house. Either way, that means we don't have any new photos to share. I'm sure we will figure something out soon! Sorry about that.)

Nona's craft project

Nona came to visit this weekend and spent a lot of quality time with Molly. She did the morning babysitting (while Zach & I got to sleep in!) and they hung out during the day, too, while I worked, ran errands, etc. Molly had a really really great time, especially because Nona let her do fun things like play in the sink and with the baby in the mirror. No pictures of Nona this time. She was too busy behind the camera to let us get ahold of it. ;)

But our BIG exciting project over the weekend was [drumroll please]...


a family picture book! (using directions courtesy of Mr. DeGroof via Daddytypes) Now Molly will have fun recognizing all her relatives, no matter how close or far away they live.

Cute

Yes, she is.

And, of course, scientists have something to say about why we think so.

... As a species whose youngest members are so pathetically helpless they cannot lift their heads to suckle without adult supervision, human beings must be wired to respond quickly and gamely to any and all signs of infantile desire...

Also interesting (but not related to Molly!):

...The human cuteness detector is set so low, researchers said, that it deems cute practically anything remotely resembling a human baby or a part thereof, and so it ends up including the young of almost every mammalian species; fuzzy-headed birds like Japanese cranes; woolly bear caterpillars; a bobbing balloon; even a colon, hyphen and closed parenthesis typed in succession...

...At the same time ... the rapidity and promiscuity of the cute response makes the impulse suspect, readily overridden by the angry sense that one is being exploited or deceived. "Cute cuts through all layers of meaning and says, Let's not worry about complexities, just love me," said Dutton, who is writing a book about Darwinian aesthetics. "That's where the sense of cheapness can come from, and the feeling of being manipulated or taken for a sucker that leads many to reject cuteness as low or shallow.".

Molly, don't worry, no one feels exploited or deceived by your extreme cuteness.

5/6th of 1 year

Last night Molly celebrated her 5/6th of 1 year birthday. It was wild. You should have been there. There was some excessive (milk) drinking that led to, well, pants on the head. She's a crazy one, that Molly!

Zzzzzz

Wednesday night I slept for 8 hours.

In a row.

Uninterrupted.

In a really comfy bed.

This was made possible by through the generosity of some really lovely people. And I am so thankful. I had been day-dreaming of this night for weeks since I first came up with the plan. Zach's mom found the location (thanks SR & family!!!) for my "vacation", Zach's brother provided the backup, and I slept like a log!

The poor baby is getting better, but is still pretty congested and has a hard time falling asleep. She's also cutting at least two more teeth (on top this time). I do know that it will get better, though. Just before she got sick it was much much better - she slept for hours and hours in a row! It will get better. Yes, indeed it will.

In other news, we also had a lovely time visiting his folks. The Great-Grandparents came up and we all had a big lovely Hanukkah dinner.

My Baby has the Best Daddy

Seriously. I know that statement goes in the category of “my baby is the cutest ever”. But this guy is amazing. He’s been a rock for the last week while Molly & I have been sick (me for a week and a half now, Molly just 3 days). Even when it was just me sick, he was great, really pushing me to take care of myself and taking over Molly duties whenever possible, even cutting short a visit with a friend when it was clear (to him, not me) that I needed help.

And then when Molly got sick he just shone. Not that it’s ever nice to see your baby sick, but probably one of the most touching moments was when Molly was first sick and we didn’t really know what was going on. We just knew she was unhappy. I tried nursing her (my ol’ standby when I don’t know what else to do) but as soon as she saw Zach she just reached her arms out and practically jumped out of my lap to get into his arms. And he picked her up and she laid her head down on his shoulder and went to sleep.

She just wanted her daddy.

It was so wonderful to see that they have such a close relationship. And such a relief to me that he could provide her with such comfort, just by his presence. I remember back when I was going to the mom’s group one of the moms commented that she thinks dads and non-nursing moms tend to develop a larger repertoire of comfort measures for their babies because they don’t have the nursing to rely on. I think she’s right. Not that it’s better or worse. We each bring something different to parenting.

And it’s wonderful to have such a solid partner in parenting on nights like we’ve had recently. We’ve been able to survive by taking five hour shifts. It’s getting easier. The first night she had to be held practically all night long. Last night she slept in her crib almost all night. But because we’re worried this is croup we’re keeping a close eye on her and taking turns sleeping in her room.

All this is to say: I couldn’t have imagined a better partner and father. Thank you Zach!

And to everyone else, I hope you’re enjoying the holidays. Wishing you all a Happy Christmas, Merry Hanukkah, and Joyous New Year.

Cell phones, work, and family (and more ThxG pix)

Photos: Molly & Uncle N. discuss the cooooold weather [thanks to Melanie for the warm jacket & handy stroller!]; Molly can't believe what Uncle N. told her this time; bright lights, Big City life for Molly in the Big Apple; Great "Faux-Na" helps Molly pet Willow the dog; it's a party in the ExerSaucer!; Molly & Uncle N. discuss the benefits of traveling by train vs. bus vs. plane vs. car; my very own 11 year high school "reunion"; Mary P gives Molly tips on caring for naturally beautiful hair; Molly in a sea of Fish; Molly gets into the New College spirit to cheer on Stacy's peanut-to-be.

Not that we really needed verification of this, but it's sometimes nice to have a "scientific" study support what we could intuitively deduce.

"These findings seem to support my intuitions about how cell phones affect our daily lives -- blurring boundaries between work and family life because of increased accessibility," said Tate Kubose, a cognitive scientist at the University of Illinois Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology.

"They also support the notion that we should really appreciate our women more, as they seem to shoulder a lot of the burden, even in marriages where both spouses work," he added.

That said, I know that both Zach and I rely on our cell phones to provide us with the ability to have the flexible work schedules that we have. This just re-enforces the idea that perhaps we should really be treating our mobile phones like a convenience, not a necessity. Molly, on the other hand, has not yet had her cell phone implanted. Perhaps we'll hold off on that procedure until there's a definitive answer about the necessity of cell phones... ;)