More pics!

Kathryn and Adam's wedding

getting ready for the wedding...

Trip to Virginia

Back to cloth diapers!

A couple months ago we decided to go back to cloth diapering almost full-time. We cloth diapered Avery about 5 months in Los Angeles, but then stopped because we didn't have our own washer/dryer and paying to do diaper laundry was no fun! When we moved to Charlotte, Avery's eczema flared up a lot worse than in LA, and we never went back to it, because she really tried to scratch a lot during diaper changes. So, disposables were the fastest way to do the diaper change.
Well, partially a way to save money, and partially to see if cloth would be better for her skin we dove back into the cloth diapering world. There are so many awesome cloth diapers out there now! Above and below are pictures of my attempts at pinning a bamboo velour prefold on Avery. This material is soooooo soft, and more absorbant than cotton! But I have to admit, that pinning isn't the easiest way to cloth diaper for me, even though prefolds are a very trim fit!
Fitted cloth diapers velcro or snap together just like a disposable fits and then you put a cover on top of it and off you go! I love fitted diapers because you can still find very soft, gentle and natural fabrics. These diapers are the nicest to our daughter's eczema. My favorite brands are Goodmamas, Baby Beehinds, Dream-eze, and Muttaqin Baby. All-in-one diapers and pocket diapers have the cover already sewn onto the diaper so it acts just like a disposable with no additional cover. Just snap on or velcro on and go! These diapers are definately the fastest and easiest! My favorites of these are Knickernappies and Dream-eze. Dream-eze all-in-one diaper is by far the trimmest cloth diaper I have found and it doesn't give my daughter a big butt!

Here is Avery in a Googie Baby bamboo velour prefold, it's pinned in the back. (the only way i can pin it and it stays on her without sliding down!)

Two of my favorite cloth diapers...

So....while we're on the subject of cloth diapering I will show you two of our favorite cloth diapers. I don't have a picture of Avery in this diaper, so this will have to do. This is the Dream-eze All-in-one. This diaper you use just like a disposable except you wash it instead of throw it away! The outside is a waterproof, breathable PUL material and the inside is organic cotton.

We have two of these Goodmama brand diapers, and I wish we had more! Unfortunately, they are hard to buy because once the stores are stocked with them, they sell out in minutes online. The material is bamboo velour. Very soft and squishy like velvety cotton almost. This diaper needs a cover in order to be waterproof, but I have taken Avery to Target and running errands without a cover before. It is so absorbant that she can usually pee once or twice in the diaper without it leaking through. Many times she's wet on the inside, but the outside is still dry. I'm sure if I left this on her for hours and hours the outside would be wet, but that hasn't happened yet. Sometimes I put her down for naps in this diaper too, but being wet whether it's a cloth diaper or disposable is something Avery DOES NOT like! I believe this is a sign to potty train, but she's not very interested right now despite hating her wet diapers!!

Avery's buddy, Jake Creehan

Today we had the privledge of having the Creehan boys over for the day!
Megan and I were pregnant together (across the country) with Avery and Jacob and now they are best buds and have a blast together. Here they are today playing in our pot and pan cabinets...and that is Avery smiling for the camera. Whenever she sees a camera now she closes her eyes and smiles as big as possible!

What Kyla is doing...

Kyla is reading a lot these days!
Mostly 3 and 4 letter words...she is also learning to write letters and
enjoys socializing with just about anyone. She loves to make new friends.
After she tells someone her name, she tells me, "Mommy, they know me now, they are my

friend!"
She loves being a big sister. She plays so well with Avery and they spend most of their days pretending to have babies, having tea parties, and coloring. Kyla's new favorite art activity is cutting paper.

What Avery is saying...

Today Avery said (word for word)...
"I want a cracker, mommy" and so after I gave her some crackers she said, "that's a lot, mommy."

"I want to go to the pool, mommy!"
"I want wake up Kyla, mommy!"
Avery always wants to wake Kyla up from her nap. Avery wakes up before Kyla so Avery begs me to wake her up to play.

"Mommy, I need help, mommy!"
"Boos hurt, mommy, kiss it."
"Change diaper, please, daddy."
"Watch a movie, mommy." "Dave's sleepin', read book first."
(she likes to watch dave and goliath veggie tales. Sometimes I tell her dave is asleep and it's not time to watch dave yet.")

Visiting the Philippines

After a lot of prayer, thought, and counsel, Pete and I decided it would be important for one of us to use some of the "extra" time we have this summer and visit Davao City, Philippines. This will help us to get a better feel for what life will be like in the Philippines if we move there next summer. Even though regular academic classes will not be in session for students, I will still be able to go into the clinic some and see what students do during their rotations.

Mid-July I will be flying to Davao for 2 weeks and staying with one of the women who is in the midwifery program. She is also a mother and has two small children, so she is in a similar time of life just like our family.

We are very grateful to several close friends who have given to support this mission at Mercy Maternity Clinic and have allowed us to use some of the money given to support this visit to Davao this summer.

When I arrive in Davao, my plan is to keep a daily blog about all that I am learning and doing while in the Philippines. I'm looking forward to sharing stories and pictures with you!

Veronique and me on our front porch.

Veronique, Peter, and baby Ian

The Guy Family Visits us in Charlotte, NC

Veronique, Peter, and their boys arrived late on Sunday night and spent Memorial Day and several more days with our family. Jerome, Seth, and Kyla really enjoyed playing playdough, going to the park and pool, and just being able to be friends again.

I cherished every moment with Veronique. I am so happy that they felt comfortable to make themselves at home in our house. Avery was in the middle of a bad eczema outbreak and a little cold, so she was even more clingy than usual while they were here. So, my hands were a little tied up more than normal and things like fixing everyone breakfast or lunch didn't happen like I wanted it to. They were so great and just made themselves at home in our kitchen so I was truely thankful for that!

Veronique and I had a chance to go out for smoothies one afternoon and just catch up and talk. I miss you so much already!

What a beautiful family and what wonderful friends!