On Being a Modern, Eco-Friendly Mom. Sometimes.

I had the opportunity recently to do a full product review for a fantastic new cloth diaper (and accessories) company based out of Ontario. After weeks of Seedling being sick, and not really wanting 'those' poops happening in a cloth diaper, we were finally able to test everything out! Here is the full deal:

Lil' Helper Cloth Diaper Review

Included in my demo kit were:

1. Organic bamboo diaper with organic bamboo inserts - two of these, one in orange, and one in the most adorable denim pocket print

2. Organic bamboo charcoal diaper with organic bamboo charcoal inserts

3. PUL-lined wet bag with drawstring

4. PUL-lined wet bag with zipper

5. Extra inserts - cotton, bamboo, and charcoal

6. Bamboo wipes

Right off the top, can I just express how adorable their logo, packaging, and prints are?! Everything just looks cute! Appearance, however, is not always everything - I'm sure you all want to know about performance.

The diapers are an AI2 (All-In-Two) model, with snap-in inserts and doublers. I always used the doubler with Seedling, as he would have soaked right through to his pants otherwise. For ease of use, I will give these diapers a 10/10. The sizing adjustments are fantastic, and while I do prefer velcro to snaps, these provided a wonderful fit around both the waist and legs. The snap-in-snap-out inserts are also great. If Seedling hadn't soaked through both inserts to the cover, all I did was swap out the inserts. That made for easy changes that even my husband wasn't afraid to try. I love the idea of diapers where you just swap inserts. The snaps on these make sure that they aren't bunching up or sliding around inside the cover, which is a problem we have had with other similar diaper styles.

The different choices for inserts also makes these quite interesting. They offer a way to combine different outers and inserts for time of day, or where you will be going. My favourite inserts BY FAR are the bamboo charcoal. Genius idea. Honestly, I don't know what made them think this up, but it is so smart. The charcoal addition to the inserts makes them a gorgeous gray colour (less staining, people), and so incredibly absorbent. Not to mention, they don't smell. Like anything. After they blew me away, I decided to do the ultimate test: what if I left a diaper in the wet bag and forgot about it for...say...2 days? After the waiting period, I took the diaper out and expected that abhorrent ammonia odour to be permeating my nostrils. Zilch. Nothing. The diaper was dry, and if I didn't know better, looked and smelled clean. Crazy. It does make it a little more difficult to tell when a change is required, but if you stick to the rule of every 2-3 hrs for cloth, you won't have an issue with leaks. The only downside to the bamboo charcoal inserts is that they are bulky. I preferred to use the charcoal inserts with a regular bamboo outer, just to cut back on the amount of bulk on Seedling's rear. Goodness knows he could use some help holding up his pants a little (skinny little thing), but the combo of the charcoal outer and inserts was enough to make him look like he had an 'old man' pouch in the front. Plus, he was crawling all funny and had trouble standing up.

The organic bamboo inserts are deliciously soft. Like, rub them against your cheek soft. They are also absorbent, but not quite as well as the bamboo charcoal. I used these with the charcoal outer, again limiting the amount of bulk while still benefitting from the charcoal. When put together with the bamboo outer, these are extremely trim. No leaks, either.

The only inserts I didn't like at all were the cotton. When washed and dried to prep, they shrunk funny, and didn't hold their shape. They seemed scratchy and bulky. If you were going to make the investment in these diapers, I would pay a little extra, and just get the organic bamboo or charcoal. The cotton inserts were also the only ones I used that leaked.

Their wipes and wet bags are great. The wipes are very soft, and when dampened, do a great job of cleaning up those extra-messy messes. One side is a little rougher for cleaning the dirtier bits, while the other side is velvety and soft for gently cleansing the most delicate areas. The wet bags are pretty standard, nothing too out of the ordinary there. I didn't have any leaks with them, and they held about three diapers with inserts when wet/dirty.

You want to know how much they cost now, right? They range from $20-$26 per diaper, which includes one set of inserts. Not bad, when you compare with others that are a similar style. Plus, you're supporting a Canadian company. Inserts range from $8-$10 per set, wet bags range from $6-$8, and a set of 5 reusable bamboo wipes will set you back $10. Their online store also offers free shipping in Canada for purchases over $60, and to the USA for purchases over $90. The nice thing about these diapers is that you probably won't need as many outers as inserts, because for changes that haven't leaked through or gotten extensively stinky, you can just swap out the inserts and keep using the same cover. You also don't have to buy any different sizes. I tried putting the diaper on the smallest size on one of Sprout's dolls. It fit like a dream, and that baby would probably be in the 7-10 lb range if it were real (she thought it was staying on the doll, and loved it so much that she cried when I took it off to use on her brother).

All in all, I would give Lil' Helper cloth diapers a 9/10. I would have said 8.5, but let me tell you a little bit about the company and their philosophies. They have a policy called "Baby Do Good", where they donate one cloth diaper to a family in need for every three diapers purchased from their company, whether it is online or in store. I love companies that do things like this. While I don't cloth diaper exclusively, I do understand the impact of disposable diapers ending up in landfills all across the world, and I think that what Lil' Helper is doing is a fantastic way of decreasing the waste of others. You should also really visit their website, and read the biographies of the two co-creators. Did I mention they are of the male persuasion? Surprising, right? Refreshingly different in all aspects, and Canadian. Check them out. You won't be disappointed.

Charcoal Bamboo Cloth Diaper

Organic Bamboo Cloth Diaper

Seedling wearing the organic bamboo with charcoal inserts

Organic bamboo cloth diaper in denim print

Why are they so embarrassing?

Mischievous Sprout Look #33,298

Mischievous Seedling Look #3,217

Kids do the most embarrassing things in public. I swear, they are all born with this little microchip in their brains that turns on whenever you leave the house. It whispers little things in their ears, like "Psst...hey...you should totally ralph up that bottle of formula right now. All over your Mommy. And then laugh about it, that will make it awesome." Or, better yet, "Hey...hey kid...you know what would be super funny? Yelling out 'I HAVE A VAGINA' from the top of the crowded playground equipment. Wait until it sounds like things are super quiet though, that will make it so much funnier!"

Now comes the time to discuss the matter of naming the unmentionable areas for a child. There have been studies conducted that have shown that one of the top characteristics a child molester or pedophile looks for when seeking out victims is that the child does not use the correct anatomical terms for his or her private parts. What has been shown is that a child who does not use the right terms for their anatomy is less likely to go to someone after the fact and tell what has occurred. That, alone, is enough for me to use proper terminology with my children. Not to mention that I think it's ridiculous to make up 'baby' words for things, especially in that category. Sprout has always been ahead of the game in terms of her vocabulary and comprehension of the world around her, so when she began full-on potty training at 20 months, she naturally had some questions and curiosity in regards to what that, down there was. And when her little brother Seedling came along, she wanted to help with everything. Diaper changes were the big event that she was able to be a part of from the beginning. Even being as young as she was, she would ask "What's that, Mommy?" and "I have a vagina. Grayson does, too?" So we taught her correctly. It is one of those things that will prove to be both positive and embarrassing for a number of years, I'm sure.

Take, for example, the time we were at the grocery store, walking through the checkout line. We got to the till, and my 22 month-old Sprout was chatty with the cashier (as per usual).

Sprout: "You a girl, lady?"

Cashier: "Yes, honey, I'm a girl. Just like you!"

Sprout: "Just like me! You a girl, like me, lady?"

Cashier: "That's right, I'm a girl too!"

Sprout: "I'm a girl. I have a vagina. You have vagina too, lady?"

Cashier: "Uhhhh...." (Obviously mortified, but not as tomato-faced as I was. Pretty sure I hit the shade of red you find on those ugly fluorescent orange-red berries that fall off of the trees and make a mess all over the sidewalk.)

That's just one story. This is how the train of conversation goes (and derails) when she talks about Grayson and Daddy: do they have a vagina, oh no, that's right, they have a penis, they both have one, why doesn't she have one, her and Mommy have a vagina, she is a girl, Mommy is a girl, Daddy and Grayson are boys. The other day, she ended this one by calling Grayson a "poopy penis". Fan-freaking-tastic. I'm just waiting for her to pull that one out at Wal Mart. Here's another gem from her talk with Daddy while she was on the potty the other night:

Charlie: "I have a vagina, Daddy. I'm a girl."

Daddy: "That's right, Charlie. Remember, though, we don't talk about that in public, right? It's not polite. You can talk about it with Mommy and Daddy at home, especially if something is sore or really itchy."

Charlie: "Vagina. Vagina (whispered)."

Daddy: "Charlie...that's not polite."

Charlie: (Cups her hands around her mouth and leans forward, whispering) "You have a penis"

Okay, how do you not laugh? I'm worried that I'm going to send her to preschool in the fall (Yes, I'm probably sending her in September. Yes, I'm freaking out about it. No, I'm not sure that's what I'm doing. Don't ask me about it because I might cry.) and she is going to be that kid, who gets a letter home to their parents about inappropriate chatter at school.

So, it's fantastic that she knows the right words to use when referring to her own private anatomy. Right? I'm not changing anything, and I wouldn't. I still feel it is incredibly important, but it can lead to so many embarrassing situations. She's only 2. I'm waiting for a lot more. And Grayson is learning from watching and listening to her...sigh. I'm in for it. And so are YOU, if you have kids! (Did I really have to tell you that? I'm sure you've had your moments already.)

I love you more than you know, Sprout & Seedling. Please, please try not to put me in too many of these situations as you grow up. I understand that it will happen when I least (or most) expect it to, but keep the questions and the socially unacceptable chatter to a minimum, okay? Only a few hundred times each. Before you're 4.

xoxoxo

Mommy

Doubling. Remember that?

I know what you're thinking. Really? Two blogs in one day? Just wait for it, there might even be THREE! (Probably not, don't get your panties in a bunch)

I recently began a search for a new double stroller for carting my kidlets around on walks (hahaha...those trendy things), to the zoo (when it's not winter), to the mall (when I'm not broke, which is...never), or just anywhere that Sprout might want to sit down too, in general. Before I had Seedling, I bought a secondhand Joovy Caboose Sit & Stand stroller, anticipating that Sprout would probably want to walk wherever we went, but giving her the option of both standing on the cute little platform and holding the handles, or perching on the little bench seat. It did not work for us. At all. Sprout was mad every single time we used it, because she wanted to sit in the big seat where Seedling was. When we had the infant car seat in it (those stupid gigantic things), the seat had to recline, so if Sprout tried to sit down, she had to lean way forward and she got bonked in the back of the head if we went over a pebble. It was ridiculous. I always ended up carrying one or the other, so I finally decided that something had to give.

Gathering up all the baby-baby stuff from the basement storage was fairly easy, and selling it all proved to be not a big deal either, so then it was time to look for a new double stroller. Here are the ones that I researched:

1. City Select Double Stroller - Avg price of $699 CDN with the second seat: Awesome stroller, very light and compact for a double, with stadium seating and comfortable seats with 5-point harnesses. Unfortunately, for a decently tall toddler, they don't work that well. Also, the perk of having 6 different seating arrangements with the seats is fantastic, but in my opinion, there were other strollers that suited our needs better for way less. And like I said, we are broke.

2. Peg Perego Aria 60/40 - Avg price of $399 CDN: Again, a very awesome stroller. Light and compact, fits through standard doorways, and quite cute for a side-by-side (I find a lot of these to look really industrial and kind of ugly). Unfortunately, this one would not fit in the back of my Sunfire, and the fact that both kids don't have the same amount of room kind of bothered me a little bit. Again, not the right fit for us. I was looking for something under $300.

3. BOB Revolution Duallie - Avg price between $400-600 CDN: Not the right price point, not the right stroller. I don't like the look of these ones at all, but that's just me. I have friends who have this stroller and absolutely love it. If I had twins, maybe, but I think I still would have gone with...

4. Kolcraft Contours Options II Tandem - Avg price between $190-300 US, incl. shipping and taxes. Not available in Canada. Anywhere. Must be ordered online, or scavenged for on Craigslist or Kijiji. Or hauled back from a vacation: Okay, so I was completely blown away by this stroller. After finding one on Kijiji for $250, and realizing I could buy a new one on sale from Amazon.com (not .ca people, they don't carry them) for $191 plus $10 shipping, I had to go for it. Let me give it the full review it deserves, interjected with a few pics.

Review: Kolcraft Contours Options II Tandem, 2011 Model (Colour: Tangerine)

Price: $191 US plus $10 CDN for shipping from www.amazon.com

Weight: With seats attached, appx. 50 lbs; without seats, appx. 40 lbs.

Can accommodate two children up to 40 lbs each, and seats very easily interchange to both face the parent, face each other, face back-to-back, face forward, with an infant car seat, or with the front seat only and the rear open for storage. Both seats can also recline, and have swivelling cup or snack holders.

Comes with one infant car seat attachment, but additional is sold separately so the stroller can accommodate twins. (All the spare parts on this stroller are incredibly inexpensive - only $25 for an entire replacement seat). Also includes extra-large storage basket below seats, iPod speakers and docking station, large and sturdy parent drink holder/organizer with ventilated cup holders, adjustable canopies and footrests for taller toddlers, walking handles on both sides for toddlers, and Free Stand™, which allows for the stroller to be folded and stand upright on its own.

Okay, whew. Those are the specs. Anyways, here are my thoughts after taking it out for a spin with both kids. Keep in mind, it is winter in Alberta, and the sidewalks are still fairly icy and slushy although it has been unseasonably warm these past few weeks.

What I love:

- It is SO easy to rearrange the seats. Literally, push the 2 little buttons on either side, lift, and it's out. That, and they are extremely light. Both my kids loved all of the different seating options, but they especially liked facing each other.

- It FITS in the back of my SUNFIRE. Yes, I have to take the seats off and stack them on top, but they are light, and it makes the stroller fit. Enough said.

- It turns and corners like a dream. Even on icy wheelchair ramps.

- The iPod speakers are fantastic - they even have a little mesh pocket to put the whole contraption in. Sprout was delighted that she got to listen to her music while we walked. She sang the whole time.

Sprout: "Mommy, I want to listen to Dragonette. That song where it says 'Hello...oh oh oh'." What can I say? The girl has good taste in tunes.

- The canopies really do adjust well, as do the foot rests. Sprout is in the 75th percentile for height, and she has lots of room to grow. Her feet will not be dragging on the ground anytime soon, unlike a few of the other strollers we perused.

- 5-point harnesses are a must for me, for both kids. I don't want any wigglers wiggling their way out onto the pavement. Headfirst. Plus, the padding on the harness and headrest is extremely plush.

- They don't mention it in the specs, but there are these 4 awesome toddler steps on the stroller that allow for an older child to climb into the seat him/her self. Such a fantastic idea.

- That storage basket is GIGANTIC! I could go for groceries with both kids in the stroller! (Not going to, but you get the drift)

I could go on and on. It pushes easy, feels light with both kids, etc. The best part? They both loved riding in it. That was the biggest thing I was looking for. Ahh. Now for the cons.

What I wasn't so bananas about:

- Non-pneumatic tires. Kind of a win though, because I will never have to fill them. On icy pavement, they are fine, but this is not a stroller I would push through a snowy field or anything. Not that I would, I have a wagon for that, but that is what some people look for. Not an off-road model.

- The fact that I won't be able to stick Sprout in this until she is 4. Seriously. I just love it that much.

- Only one colour option. Not like it mattered, really. For some people, maybe, but I just don't care - as long as I love the stroller, it could have been puke green covered in candy-apple red and pink squiggles. In other words, I have had an extremely difficult time finding something that I really don't like about this stroller.

So there you have it. This is my review. I think that for the amount that I paid for it, this is way nicer than some of the very expensive models out there. Having the different seating options was the biggest draw for me, because Seedling screamed every time I put him in that stupid other stroller and he faced away from me. Now, he can look at me and his sister, and we don't have any problems at all!

I love this stroller. Can't say enough about it. But now my review is done, and so is naptime, apparently. Thank you for being patient enough to let me write TWO blogs today, my cute little Sprout & Seedling. Now to go and get mentally and emotionally prepared for that damn Preschool night. What am I supposed to wear? I don't think I should wear my dance gear, although I will have to run around like a madwoman after the info night to get to my class and get changed. Will the fact that I haven't showered today weigh into Sprout's acceptance? Let's hope not. Mmm...vanilla perfume. Okay, done.

Love you, little peanuts. Glad you like your new sweet ride. Even if you didn't, you wouldn't be getting another one. Let's not kid ourselves.

xoxoxo

Mommy

It's been a while.

Why, hello there. Welcome back! Or maybe I should be welcoming myself back. Either way, it's been much too long since I have had time to actually sit down and write a blog post! There are actually a couple of them coming your way over the next week or so, including a review of a most wonderful item that I purchased from across the border a couple of weeks ago. I have had a difficult time trying to figure out what topic to write about lately. Usually while I am driving, I end up with these fantastic blog ideas with nowhere to write them down, and they disappear by the time I get home. So, you are all stuck with my mediocre ideas. Yay for you.

I thought I might start with the most distressing thing in my life right now: Preschool.

The thought of leaving my beautiful little Sprout at school, even for just 5 hours per week, is enough to make me want to vomit. The financial obligation is also making me nauseous. Here's the deal: We want to send Sprout to this amazing, private Christian school in town, because the public school options in the city where we live are not great. There is a Catholic school, but both my husband and I are opposed to sending our CRC daughter to a Catholic school (if you know the fundamental differences between them, you will understand what I mean). The fact of the matter is that private schools are not cheap. Think the amount of a very large vehicle payment to send 2 kids there full-time, plus uniforms, plus extracurriculars. Plus, plus, plus. It all adds up to a crazy sum. I have contemplated homeschooling, because I am confident that if I homeschooled my kids, they would not end up being the 'homeschooled' kids who don't have a clue how to act in society, or who have been so sheltered from modern-day life that they experience a major shock once they are out in the world on their own (sorry, long sentence). The major deterrent for me homeschooling the kids is that I believe I learned valuable lessons in school. I learned how to function in society, I learned how to take instruction from someone other than my parents, I learned how to withstand peer pressure, I learned how to make friends (and keep friends), I learned how to be a leader, and I learned that life would hand me things that would be difficult, and that I could work them out on my own. I learned life skills. Social skills. And I was also put into situations that helped to shape the person that I am now. Most days, I like that person. As a mother, I don't want my kids forced into some of the situations that I was during school (especially throughout my teenage years), but I think conquering those things are an integral part of growing up, and guiding Sprout & Seedling through is part of my being a parent to them. Okay. End rant about homeschooling.

So I've got the preschool information night tonight at the private school. I already know I am not sending Sprout in September. She will be too young - though definitely cognitively beyond ready - and I am not ready to let her go quite yet. I also think if I put her through two full years of preschool, she will be bored to tears the second year, and then again in kindergarten. She is counting through to 13 (followed by eleventeen, her own made-up number), knows her ABCs, her address (including the city), her full name and birthdate, and she can recite entire books by memory and 'read' them to her little brother. I don't need to go on and on and brag about how crazy smart she is (I could. It would be a whole blog to itself). Her pediatrician said that her speech and vocabulary are on par with an average age of 3.5-4, as is her comprehension. There. Bragging over. I would like to send her there in January, so tonight is basically just to see what the program is like, and if they would take her halfway through the year.

When the hell did it come to preschool? I just brought my baby home, right? Good grief. The thought of her going to dance class by herself is enough to bring me to tears. That's right - dance class. On her own. I cried about it last week. She is already almost a year younger than the rest of the girls in her current, parent-assisted dance class, so I expected her teacher to recommend that she do the same class again in the fall. The thing is, she has caught up with her peers, and even excelled beyond them in certain areas. She will go to the next level in September, which both delights and scares me. When others always used to say "they grow up too fast," I would always scoff. Life was slow! I know now what they meant. Seedling will be 9 months next week, and he is signing, crawling, standing, walking around furniture, saying "Mama" and "Dada", and getting so big!

Cross your fingers, wish me luck, and all that jazz for tonight, please. I don't want to walk into the room and burst into tears, but it might just happen. And for those of you with children, give them an extra snuggle today, especially if they are under one. That first irreplaceable year blew by in an instant with Sprout, and I find myself 3/4 of the way through already with Seedling. Sigh. Also, perhaps...cross your fingers that Sprout doesn't have some kind of meltdown or say something inappropriate that will ruin our chances of getting into the school. She's been on a 'penis' and 'vagina' rant lately (hilarious blog about that coming up soon), and I don't think they would appreciate it. Although, probably better than what some people teach their kids to call their private areas (blog about that, too). Enjoy your evening, and don't forget to think about those precious first moments you held that baby in your arms. I know I will.

Love you, my sweet baby boy and beautiful, precocious big girl. You will always and forever be my babies.

xoxoxo

Mommy