Simple Mom Giveaway

So, while I'm being a "WannaBe Simple Mom" I have to mention her latest giveaway! If you're curious about cloth diapers, check out this past weeks Cloth Diapering 101 (authored by a guest blogger). She discusses the MANY options available and gives pros and cons to each option.

We used G Diapers with Mia for several months. {ohmygosh...I just saw these ruffle numbers! Too cute!} To same money moved on to some chlorine-free disposable diapers . I'd like to try using pocket diapers! For sure with baby #3 (should we get a newborn).

If you're a Mommy to babies in diapers and are interested in winning any of the following, go here and leave a comment! Good luck :)

• From FuzziBunz, two people will win three pocket diapers — two of their one-size diapers and one of their perfect size diaper. Each set of diapers is worth over $55.

• BottomBumpers will give one reader a three-pack of their all-in-one diapers, worth around $60.

• Swaddlebees is giving one reader two of their diapers, a Blueberry Minky One-Size snap pocket diaper and a Swaddlebees EcoNappi, worth $62.

Pinocchio Lies!

Ok. WHAT is up with these classic Disney movies? They are so freaky and scary! I remember Kevin and I were very nervous about showing Brody Bambi earlier this year because we both remembered how sad it was. After watching it, we both thought it was rather tame. I mean, after watching Simba's Daddy get trampled by wild wildebeest (p.s. funny word) in The Lion King, Bambi was, well, almost boring. And definitely strange....is that King deer his Daddy...why doesn't Bambi's mom tell him...does this mean that Bambi's little girlfriend was also fathered by the King? I don't know. It weirds me out.

But NOTHING prepared me for Pinocchio. We checked it out at the library (yea library!!) and I thought, "Oh, this'll be fun. A lesson on not telling lies." I'll tell you what...the Howdee-Do-Dee Yippy Skippy Happy Wooden-Boy-Turns-Real Boy flick is the true liar here, my friends. THANKFULLY, I decided to watch it with him just in case. Could this movie be more inappropriate for kids? Maybe only if they added a sex scene.

First there is the issue of all the smoking and drinking by & around children. Then the kidnapping. Then the issue of the bad man who is stealing "stupid" (the forbidden word) little boys. Then the issue of said 'stupid little boys' turning in JACKASSES. Which they insist on saying not once (maybe it'll slip past him) but twice ('Mommy? What's a jackass?" "They said donkey, silly."). Thank you very much, Mr. Disney.

Needless to say, I got more lesson opportunities than I bargained for out of the little Jiminy Cricket flick. I felt like I was talking throughout the entire film!

"Don't drink"
"Smoking kills"
"Never go with strangers"
"Don' lie"
"That boy is naughty. His mommy should spank him for acting that way"
"Stay away from whales!"
"Don't ever wear over-all shorts. They're sissy"

How did I not remember these details? This simple fact is what puts my mind to rest. It can't be too damaging if I didn't remember the horrors it contained. Can it?

Brody called me an idiot the other day - which is Disney's most favorite word. Especially in the oldies. Cruella can't finish a sentence w/o peppering it with an 'idiot' or two. Jeez! I'm not sure what word is more appropriate but idiot seems harsh. Am I over the top here? Does the rest of America not care if their kids run around calling people (teachers, friends, friends mothers, stray dogs and cats) idiots?

When he called me 'idiot' I asked him what he said? He said idiot again. Understand, he said it as tho he was saying 'you with the hair on your head'. It wasn't hateful. There was no malice. He was just...trying it on for size. So I asked him to look me in the eyes. "You will never call Mommy that name again. You will never call anyone that name again. It's ugly and mean and not ok to say. Do you understand me?". "Uh-huh" he stammered. Obviously taken aback by my seriousness. "Yes, ma'am?" I hammered. "Yes, ma'am." Kiss and hugs and life goes on.

So, our little boy is getting bigger. More than ever we have to protect his little ears & little eyes. Pinocchio, the little freak, is going straight back to the library with a big thumbs-down from me!

A Green Baby Is Not A Goblin

Ok. I made the leap. Several months ago I posted that my girlfriend Julie was going to use cloth diapers with her newborn baby girl who is a week younger than Mia. That prompted me to research the options and found the G Diapers website. I was fascinated but too hesitant to commit. Now that Mia is a little older we decided to give the G Diapers a try.

I'd read mixed reviews on the G Diapers and noticed that the complainers were all the people going from the classic cloth diapers to the G Diapers (which describe themselves as a "hybrid") but those going from disposables to G Diapers seemed to be very pleased. Also, according to their website 50 million disposable diapers enter the landfill every day, where they sit for up to 500 years. That is just more than I can handle. Especially considering that we were in the practice of wrapping poop diapers in plastic grocery bags!!! There is also a freaky great video that shows the decomposition of a leading chlorine-free diaper, a disposable diaper and a G Diaper insert. You've got to see it to believe it. It's an investment, I know. But I feel like if I can cut down my impact on the ever growing poop filled landfills (you flush poop G Diapers down the toilet and can flush, toss or compost the pee-pee ones!!) then I can rest a bit easier. Besides, I also read that some people use cloth diapers as inserts in the pants. I could always try that. Plus, I've got a sleeve of disposables left. I'll let you know how it goes!

BONUS: I bot our G Diapers on http://www.diapers.com/. For 10% off your first order use the coupon code: CHRY3121

I also bought a bottle of California Baby®Non-Burning & Calming™Diaper Area Wash (only $7.95 from www.diapers.com versus $11.50 from California Baby's website). We're going to try using this instead of baby wipes. The point is to avoid alcohol and fragrance. I just read this article on www.thedailygreen.com which recommended holding baby under a running faucet at every baby change. Uh...I'm not really about all that. I can't really figure out the mechanics, am not down for the poop-in-the-sink scenario, plus then there's the whole wasting water issue. My girl Julie uses Booty Cubes which she loves.

At Mia's 4 month check-up, the doctor noticed that she has a vaginal adhesion. "Nothing to be concerned about", she said. "Just glob on the Vaseline and it should take care of itself." Vaseline is 100% petroleum jelly which is thought to be a carinogen because of the way it is manufactured. It coats the skin like plastic so it cannot breath. I don't want that on Mia's arm skin much less up her...area! That lead me to Alba's Un-Petroleum Multipurpose Jelly. I had to go to 4 local stores before finally finding it at Lazy Acres Market (our local Whole Foods-like store). While there I also found a ton of other great non-toxic baby products like this Rainbow Kids hand sanitizer.

Presently, I'm not as concerned with what I put on my skin but I'm highly concerned about what I put on their skin.

And as Christians, if we're not concerned about protecting 'our' planet - which we all know is not and never will be ours - then we are nothing short of hypocritical. In his book Serve God, Save the Planet, Dr. J Matthew Sleeth says,

As all those who consider themselves people of faith grow in their understanding that God holds us accountable for care of his creation, we will begin to see positive changes on an unprecedented scale.”