38 week appointment update!

We had an AWESOME doctor's appointment this morning! I am starting to dilate. AND....the baby is dropping! My fundal measured 33cm, down 2cm from last week...which is the indicator that he is dropping. I learned that fact today!!! The baby's HR was 150.

AND THEN....I had a 'growth scan'....which is basically a sonogram where they check all of his measurements. :) I was not scheduled to have another sonogram unless there was a need. I didn't want a 'need'...so I had given up on the idea that I would see "baby McReynolds" in the womb before he made his appearance into the world.

I was SO excited. Fortunately, I had brought our "Baby Movie" DVD with me....so the tech popped that in and recorded the session. Baby McReynolds' head is measuring 37 wks, while his femur and stomach are measuring 38 wks and 2 days (which is exactly what I am today!). This all equates to a weight of approximately 7lbs 8oz!!!!!!! She said that could be +/- 1lb! When I exclaimed that it could then mean that he was 8.5lbs, the tech assured me that he was not that big. :)

So...we're making progress...but the chances are LOW that we'll have a baby this week!

Maternity Shots by Kristin Greenlee!!

When we went to Texas in May, we spent Saturday morning with a wonderful friend, and Dallas-Fort Worth professional photographer, Kristin Greenlee. Kristin took maternity photos for us and it was great fun! Here are some of our favorite shots.













Check out more of Kristin's work at www.kristingreenlee.com and read her blog at http://kristingreenleephotography.blogspot.com/

Great check-up...all things considered

Last night was rough. Melissa woke up with major stomach cramps at 11pm. Not knowing what was happening (i.e. the cramps elevated too quickly to be labor), Clint ensured that Melissa did not have a fever and tried to encourage some water consumption. For the next four hours, Melissa spent a lot of time in the bathroom, and finally around 3am it seemed to subside. With no fever, we assume Melissa had food poisoning. But it could have been a small flu bug, since there is some of that going around.

We had our standing doctor's appointment at 845am, so we we went there for a check-up. As usual, and regardless of the previous night's events, Melissa's vitals were great, as were the baby's. The baby's HR was 150. Still pretty high...but nothing to be alarmed by. The baby is definitely sitting comfortably with his head down. At times, we have commented that Melissa's belly looks lopsided and unsymmetrical, and after mentioning that to Jacquie, she confirmed that the baby is mostly on Melissa's right side. But that's ok....just as long as he is comfortable! :)

Melissa caught up on her sleep today and hopes to return to work tomorrow.

Swiss Chard?!?!?

What's with all the vegetable references when it comes to Babycenter.com describing the size of our baby!?!??
This week, babycenter.com compares our unborn baby to a Swiss Chard!!! We are 37 weeks pregnant...and we are therefore considered FULL TERM! The lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb. It is estimated that Baby McReynolds weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures 19 inches....head to heel....like a stalk of Swiss Chard. :)

All else is well. Momma and baby are doing great. And Daddy is enjoying his first and only "Father-to-be" Day!!! Baby McReynolds surprised him with a Texas A&M onesie, a Texas A&M bib, a Texas A&M pacifier holder and a Texas A&M sippee cup/snack holder. So....the little man is ready for Texas A&M Football season!!!!

Our travel system!

Our travel system arrived today!!! We ordered the Chicco Cortina Key Fit 30 (color scheme: Romantic...which is black and grey...odd, we know). It was ordered in April....and we took a big risk, as it was to be on backorder until the end of June. But....we were pleasantly surprised when it arrived early today!! It is all unpacked and has been tested out. Tomorrow we will
install the bases in the cars and then we will be ready to bring the baby home from the hospital!!

Baby Shower in Texas!!!!

The weekend of May 29th-31st, we went to Texas for a visit with Clint's family and to be the guest of honor at a Baby Shower in Texas!!!We enjoyed our visit with Nonnie and Pop on Friday, which included great meals, computer/TV tech support and a new game called Sequence. We shared a wonderful meal with Aunt-to-be Heather, Uncle-to-be Victor and all the kiddos on Friday night. Our niece and nephews have so much energy!!! It was fun to play with them and get caught up on their favorite things!

On Saturday, our friend Kristin Greenlee did maternity shots for us. We had a great time with her and LOVE the product!!! We hope to be able to provide a link to the photos soon. That afternoon, Melissa went to her baby shower, while Clint visited with best friend Michael Gallian.

The baby shower was absolutely fabulous. It was great to visit with friends at such a wonderfully planned and thoughtful baby shower!! The very talented Gloria Mapston created a masterpiece of a cake...a 3D standing green elephant complete with a fondant baby sporting a Texas A&M hat!! Glo, Wendy Timson and Mandy Lucke (the hostess) decorated the house in greens, browns and elephants to go with our nursery theme! The food and drinks were fantastic too! And everyone was so generous with their gifts for Baby McReynolds (and Mom-to-be!). What a wonderful afternoon!!!

The cake!

The Peppers!

The Punch!

Wendy and Melissa!

Mandy and Melissa!

Generous gifts!!!

36 week check-up!!

I (Melissa) had a great 36 week check-up today! All my vitals were good and Baby McReynolds’ HR was 144. When his heart rate was being recorded, he kicked which made all in the room laugh. Jacquie Tessen (our doctor) confirmed that the baby is turned and is getting ready to descend into position. :)

My Fundal length measured 34cm…so I am about 2 cm behind in size. The doctor is not concerned about this, as it probably just means he is sitting back (which we have always expected) and/or he has not hit his major growth spurt yet.

Other than that....Baby McReynolds has been VERY active lately!!! He has had the hiccups at least three times a day for the last week or so and his movements have been strong and often constant for 30 minutes to an hour. He was REALLY active last night...from 4:30pm until we went to bed at 10pm. I mentioned this at the doctor's office today and Jacquie said that for some reason babies can sense pressure changes in the atmosphere...sure enough there was a LARGE storm that rolled through here last night. Very interesting!

Jacquie also officially told me today that I cannot deliver between June 24th and July 5th. Reason being - she will be out of town. We have no indications that he will come early...so I think we're safe. Worse case, the on-call doctor will step in (obviously), but it would be nice to have our friend/dr deliver us!

We are getting very excited to meet Baby McReynolds. Clint and I went on a mini "babymoon" this past weekend to Pensacola beach (pictures to come). It was WONDERFUL! We rested and relaxed with no schedule or timeline the whole weekend. We enjoyed great food, beautiful white sand, cool ocean water and most of all...each other's company. We did comment a few times that this was the last vacation with "just the two of us". Even if we can break away and leave Baby McR with Gram/Grandpa Lloyd (?? What is your "Grandpa" name, Dad ??) or Nonnie/Pop McReynolds...it will not be the same! But...we're ready and super excited to be parents...and that's the important thing.

The hiccups!!!

I (Melissa) went to visit a co-worker and friend, Christy, in the hospital yesterday. She just had her baby boy, Levi, on Tuesday. He was precious! As I was holding him, he had the hiccups. Christy told me he had had them while she was pregnant with him and that it was a really neat feeling. She described them as "methodic kicks". It then dawned on me that I too have felt those "methodic kicks", but didn't come to the realization that they were hiccups!

Tonight, after Clint and I finished eating dinner, I sat back in my chair and Baby McReynolds got the hiccups. Clint placed his hand on my belly and felt them too. Such a neat feeling! I am beginning to wonder if I will miss feeling him moving, kicking and poking me on the inside after he is born.... :)

Week 34 Check up

Melissa had her Week 34 Check-up today and as usual...all is well! Just the way we like the check ups! The baby's HR was 148, higher than the previous visit...but Melissa did note that Baby McReynolds was moving around while the doctor and her talked about the mild pains he has started to give Melissa.

The doctor confirmed that the swelling in Melissa's feet was nothing to be worried about as it is normal and can somewhat be controlled by not eating too much foods containing salt and drinking as much water as possible. The mild back pains are in fact just spasms and the back's way of saying "I'm getting tired of carrying this bowling ball around". :)

Next appointment...June 16th and then we go every week after that until Melissa delivers!!!

37 days and counting (until the due date!). CRAZY!!! Not long now!!!

Work Baby Shower

Last Thursday, several VERY sweet ladies at work threw a baby shower for us! It was wonderful! Everyone is so generous and we are so grateful. Many many workmates chipped in and got us the baby swing and the Baby BJORN. We love them both and they will be well used for months to come!
The cake was beautiful too...complete with an elephant and circles made of fondant to match the nursery! Here are some pictures!







Thank you HONEYWELL!!!!

Oh...and Baby McReynolds is...

....the size of a cantaloupe...
But...what I can't figure out is...why does my belly look like there is a watermelon in there!??!?!
Just kidding...I know why....but it is still amusing! :)

Back from Texas...swollen feet and all

Well...I am experiencing my second set of swollen feet. In April, my left foot swelled one day after being on my feet too long....but on Friday and currently....both are puffed out like sausages. I could blame it on the plane ride to and from Texas...but I think majority of the blame lies in the fact that I did WAY too much this weekend...but LOVED every minute of it and would not have done anything differently!!! We flew to Texas on Friday and spent the day with Clint's parents. We had dinner and spent the evening with "Aunt Heather, Uncle Victor and cousins - Jaydon, Jacalyn, Jonathan and Jakob". It was great to see everyone! Saturday morning, Clint and I went to Kristin Greenlee's for maternity photographs. We are excited to see how all the pictures turned out!!! I then went to my baby shower at Mandy Lucke's house, which was absolutely incredible! And that evening we had dinner at Michael and Elizabeth Gallian's house (a fabulous brisket cooked on the BGE!) and went to the Texas Rangers baseball game (Rangers: 14, A's: 1!!!). We flew home first thing this morning and I promptly changed and went to Amanda Rupert's baby shower.

MORE LATER!!!! I will post more about the maternity pics and the shower once I get some pics to post! :)
Now it is time for a nap....

Another great check-up!!

Melissa had a good check-up at the doctor this morning. Weighed in, got BP and HR checked, heard the baby’s HR (140) and got the fundal length measured (32 cm...still right on track since this was the 32 week appointment!). Next apppointment is in two weeks! Appointments are getting closer together now! 53 days left before our due date!

A large jicama??

We just got our weekly email from BabyCenter.com (a great website to join when you are expecting!!!). The weekly update for Week 32 says that baby McReynolds should be approximately 16.7 inches long and 3.75 pounds....about the size of a large jicama!?!?!?!? Not having heard of that before, we went to wikipedia to determine what it was:


Jicama is one species in the genus Pachyrhizus that is commonly called yam bean, although the "yam bean" sometimes is another name for Jicama. The other, major species of yam beans are also indigenous within the Americas. It very much tastes like a sweet pea pod.


VERY FUNNY way to describe the size of our baby in the womb!!!!

What an awesome week!

We don't even know where to start. This past week was amazing!!! Clint went to Vegas to spend some time with his good friend Michael, while Melissa finished up her MBA school work here at home. Then, on Mother's Day, Melissa's parents arrived from North Carolina. It was a great day to celebrate "almost being" a "Mom" with her Mom! It was relaxing and enjoyable for all. Then, the hard work started on Monday. So many projects were started and completed throughout the week....too many to name! Diaper Inserts were sewn, a toilet was fixed, a fan was replaced, our kitchen backsplash was tiled, over 60 two-person meals were made for the freezer AND the nursery was completed (it's all ready for Baby McReynolds to move in!). We're probably missing some projects....but the point is...so much was accomplished this week! We are so thankful and appreciative for the help, support and love from Melissa's parents!!! Thank you Mom and Dad!!!

Here are a few pictures of the meals (only about half is shown!):


And a few of the finished nursery (Click on the pictures to make them larger):





In addition, Melissa and her Mom were thoroughly educated in the art of breastfeeding. Angel, a sweet and generous lady from church, came over for two hours on Thursday to tell us stuff that no one else would about the process. Overwhelming as it was, all her tricks and tips will definitely come in handy this July!! Thank you Angel!!!

The week concluded with a great celebration over in Birmingham - Melissa graduated from MBA school. Clint's parents flew in from Texas and we all enjoyed a wonderful lunch at Brio's before graduation. Samford Brock School of Business knows how to do "pomp and circumstance"!! It was a very nice ceremony and the party afterwards at the Lohrke's was fantastic! It was a very special day for our family and we felt very blessed to have everyone together to celebrate!



We are also thankful for Nonnie and Pop McReynolds for getting the Pack and Play off our registry! Clint assembled it on Sunday morning and we are certain that it will come in handy when Baby McReynolds gets home, as well as when we travel. It has a great bassinet and changing table built in. Of course, it has the obligatory sounds and music player so we can all get our fill of the ocean, birds chirping and baby lullabies.

Glider, Vegas and Family!!

We ordered the glider for the nursery last weekend and received notification that it should arrive this Tuesday! That will be the final piece of furniture to make the nursery complete. We selected the Dutailier 611 UltraMotion Sleigh Back Glider. As we live in an area that does not have the shopping for this type of thing, we have to rely on the internet reviews of products such as this one. It looks comfortable in the picture....and it received nothing but great reviews.



Clint left for Vegas this morning. He is meeting his best friend from high school, Michael Gallian, there. This trip is somewhat of a tradition....as they met there in 2007 a few months before Michael's first baby was born. Much fun will be had prior to our baby arriving in a couple of months!!!

Melissa's parents are headed this way tomorrow. It will be nice to spend Mother's Day with them! They will be here for the week and we're certain it will be a productive one, as always! Plans are in place to sew diaper inserts, finish up the diaper wet bags, and put art/etc. up on the nursery walls. In addition, they will be here to receive the contractor who is going to tile the backsplash in our kitchen. It will be great having them here...one final visit before the center of attention shifts to the future little man of the house! Clint's parents are traveling to Alabama this week too. They will arrive on Thursday to visit some more Alabama-family and then celebrate with us as Melissa graduates from MBA school on Friday.

Should be a fabulous week!!!

A full Friday

Yesterday, Melissa (and the baby) had the day off from work. After sleeping in, the day exploded into a whole lot of fun! First stop - lunch at Brio's with a couple of girlfriends from school. We ate outside....so the atmosphere was beautiful, the food was fabulous, but the company was even better. The next stop was Samford University for an honors ceremony. Then began the whirlwind Birmingham shopping tour! Erin and Melissa only hit a couple of stores....but they were well worth it! The stops included Babies R Us and the Carter's Outlet mall. With Erin's help, Melissa fulfilled an item on the baby registry at Babies R Us, and picked out over $110 worth of baby boy outfits for just over $30 at Carter's!!!
To the left is a recent picture of Melissa's belly. Erin and Melissa had a good laugh about being able to park in the "Expectant Moms ONLY" parking spot at Babies R Us!

My baby shower!

Almost two weeks ago, on April 18th, a very precious friend of mine - Amanda Rupert - hosted a fabulous baby shower for me.

Amanda decorated her house in browns, blues and elephants, but more importantly she opened up her home to many wonderful ladies to celebrate!!! As I have mentioned, my parents drove down for the weekend so that my Mom (Gram-to-be) could attend.

The food was tasty, and the green sherbet punch was refreshing and VERY yummy. All the friends and family that came were extremely generous in their gifts for the baby. The stories shared made me realize how 'real' this is. More importantly, I was able to conclude that I will be able to handle everything/anything that comes my way with the support and love I have from all my friends and family!

Baby Movement...

WOW...This week has been crazy-busy AND full of FUN feelings! The baby is moving SO much. His movements are often so strong that Melissa's belly moves on the outside. So much so, that people have started to notice when it moves! Including Clint, who thinks it is really neat to see/feel and wonders what is actually poking Melissa (a hand, a foot, a head, a butt?). :)

We used to think sugar or food 'activated' him...but this week it didn't matter what time of day or night it was...the baby is active at a wide variety of times. It is a really neat feeling.

Will write more this weekend, as we still want to document last weekend's activities!

Fill-in post

With Easter, work and school we were really busy at the beginning of April and we neglected to write about our visit with the McReynolds grandparents-to-be. Jay and Paula came over to Alabama the first Friday in April. We stood around our kitchen island as they showed us many keepsakes from when Clint was a baby. Including the outfit he went home from the hospital in! Here is a picture. How sweet!






Paula also lovingly made the baby a beautiful "Miracle Blanket" (http://www.miracleblanket.com/video.htm) and a sling for us. Hand-made gifts are the best and we can't wait to use them.













On Saturday April 4th, we headed up to Loretto Tennessee to celebrate Aunt Opel's 97th birthday. We can now say that we had the youngest celebrator with us! We enjoyed a very nice lunch with over 35 family members and sat outside in the beautiful spring weather for most of the day (even got a little sun)!

Jay and Paula headed back to Texas on the first flight on Sunday morning in order to be home to celebrate our nephew's third birthday. Lots of celebrations lately! And more to come!!!

28-week appointment

Once again...Melissa had a flawless check-up this morning at the doctor's office. This was the appointment where Melissa had to drink the prescribed bottle of syrup for a glucose tolerance test. The solution went down easier than anticipated at home in the presence of her departing parents. A few minutes after arriving at the doctor's office (an hour after drinking the solution) her blood was tested and she passed, as expected.

The fundal length is still on track - 28cm. And his little heart rate was 147 bpm - loud and strong! :)

Not much to report...but that's a good thing! Our next appointment is in four weeks, and then the appointments will switch to being every two weeks. We thought we could get another look at the little guy next time, but apparently according to our insurance, it is not standard to have one at 32 weeks :( Oh well...we'll meet and greet him in person soon enough!

Melissa will post more later about some other great events that have occurred lately (visit from the Lloyd grandparents-to-be, baby shower, etc.).

Cloth Diaper Care and Washing Instructions

First - apologies for not writing in over two weeks. Things have been busy. As promised, we are going to post wash and care instructions for cloth diapers. These instructions are authored by Melissa's Dad, Carmen Lloyd and edited by the diaper maker herself (Melissa's Mom), Sue Lloyd. If you have any questions, please leave a comment and we'll get you some answers from the experts!!! Also...if you are interested in cloth diapers, let us know as the diaper factory at the Lloyd household is open for business!!!

Also - we know a few of the blog followers already use cloth diapers. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please leave a comment! Thanks!

Diaper care and washing
Before you use –
1. Pocket diapers, covers, inserts and items made from micro-terry or bamboo need a quick wash. Warm or hot water with detergent (see below for recommended detergents).
2. Organic/unbleached cotton and hemp products require several washes before they will be absorbent. 5-6 hot water washes (or more). If possible, hot water for wash and warm water for rinse.

Ongoing maintenance –
1. 10-12 diapers per wash
2. 1 short cycle cold water wash with detergent (you can also use 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda in place of detergent to neutralize acid and odors). Add 2 gallons of water with a bucket after it fills.
3. 1 long/heavy duty cycle hot water wash with detergent. Add 2 gallons of water with a bucket after it fills.
4. 1 additional rinse (warm water rinse if you have that option). You can also use ¼ cup vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser to break down residue, restore ph, reduce lint and eliminate static cling.

Detergents – Use ¼ recommended amount for front loaders, ½ for top loaders
1. Diaper friendly – “Charlie’s soap”, “Allen’s Naturally”, “Vaska” (available on-line at diapershops.com) or “Country save” or “Planet”.
2. Not recommended – free & clear detergents, baby detergents, any detergent with fabric softeners, whiteners/brighteners, enzymes, fragrances and/or bleach.

Periodic maintenance –
1. Stripping – if diapers are leaking/repelling often or you have smells when they become wet, then it is time for a stripping with several (4-6) hot water washes (no detergent) to get rid of residues. You may consider adding ¼ cup of vinegar to the first cycle or two (optional).
2. Or, use “RLR” laundry treatment once or twice a month. Wash on hot, then wash 2 or 3 times more on hot with no soap or anything.
3. Or, use a couple of tablespoons of dawn dish soap in the diapers once or twice a month, then wash 2 more times on hot without soap

Do you have hard water ?
Use a water softener (ex calgon), never a fabric softener.
Calgon can also be used to strip diapers by washing clean diapers 3-4 times with hot water and Calgon (no detergent).

How about bowel movements ?
The best recommendation is to use “rice paper flushable-biodegradable liners” – remove the soiled liner and flush or throw in trash.
You can also use a “diaper sprayer” to remove the solids right into the toilet.

How about pre-soaking ?
If you wash often enough, you should not need to pre-soak. However, if you go long on washings, pre-soaking will reduce the amount of staining. To do so, fill diaper pail with water and if especially soiled, add a small amount of baking soda to the pail

How should I dry the diapers ?
Dry on warm to hot cycle - make sure to close the loop & hook (velcro) closures. To further shorten drying time, a dry towel can be thrown in to draw moisture.

The Nursery!!!

We are SO pleased with the nursery furniture! Clint and Paul (Clint's co-worker) brought it home from Birmingham on Thursday. By the time Melissa got home from work, all the boxes were unloaded from the truck and in the baby's room. After Paul got something to drink to re-hydrate himself, he headed home with many of thanks and much appreciation from us.

Clint was unaware of what the night's events were going to be....as Melissa had already decided that the furniture would be assembled on Thursday! Other than helping get the furniture pieces out of the boxes....Melissa was not a part of the assembly process. It turned into Clint's project and what a fine job he did!!!




According to Melissa, the crib is not yet in its place....but we are going to try out some different configurations before settling on its location. Now all that is left to do in there is to buy a glider and decorate the walls. The glider will be purchased sometime this month, so we'll have it no later than mid-May. The ideas for the walls have been generated and the materials purchased....now it is just a matter of finding time to get it done!

Nursery Furniture

The baby has Daddy to thank for getting all his future nursery furniture ordered! And...the baby will have to thank his Daddy and Daddy's co-worker for getting the furniture home this coming Thursday!

It is very exciting to be getting the baby's room ready! As mentioned above, Clint ordered all the furniture last week and he will be picking it up this Thursday to bring it home. It was all finalized last Friday...so we spent our Friday evening packing books from two large bookshelves into boxes and taking about the Sleep Number bed in that room. Sleep Number beds are not the easiest to assemble, or disassemble for that matter! But we got it done and everything was moved up to the attic for storage.

Melissa started on some craft projects for the walls of the nursery and hopes to be finished with those this week. All the bedding is in, so the crib will be 'dressed' on Thursday! Watch for pictures on Friday!!! :)

Another great check-up

This is Melissa writing...I went to the doctor this morning for my 24-week appointment. All is well with baby and momma! I heard the heart beat and it was 152 beats per minute. Still rockin' right along! My 'fundal height' (the distance from my pubic bone to the top of my uterus) was measured for the first time today. It was right on track - 23.5cm (should be ~ the number of weeks that I am pregnant +/- 2cm).

The doctor ordered a hemoglobin test to make sure my iron levels were ok after I mentioned I was more tired than normal. My levels came back normal....so the recommendation was that I slow down and try to not do as much. I will see what I can do about that... :)

The doctor did not seem to be concerned about the red blotches on my skin, nor about the tingling sensations in my legs. The blotches are from increased blood flow and the sensations are most likely because our little guy is sitting on a nerve at the moment. She said to just keep exercising when I can and feel like it and once I make more room for the baby, he will be able to re-position and relieve some of the pressure he is causing.

At my request, my doctor recommended some pediatricians...so I will most likely start calling them in the next few weeks so I know which one the nurse should call when we are in labor and delivery.

Overall...another great appointment with the doctor!

Parenting 101

We attended our prenatal class at Anniston's Regional Medical Center (RMC) today. Labor and Delivery Nurse Lisa presented a lot of great material to ten expecting moms and their respective partners. The hospital seemed very grateful for us being there. We are their job security!! The topics ranged from how to tell when we're in labor to what the delivery process is at the hospital. Postpartum was also explained including how our baby will be cared for after he enters this world. We all got a quick lactation lesson, which was both important and informative. And we received a tour of the labor and delivery area, which reduces a lot of anxiety of what the environment will be like in a few months. We were impressed with what we saw at the hospital and are pleased to have such a great Women's Center in our area. As first time parents, we both commented that we were glad we spent our Saturday the way we did!

Exciting day

Yesterday Momma-to-be had an exciting day....the baby moved SO much that the movement was visible on the outside of her belly! It happened at about 8:30am and Melissa ended up staring at her belly waiting for it to happen again....and it did! It was crazy, but very exciting. It means that Daddy-to-be should be able to start to feel the baby move. Fun stuff.

Crib and Glider Research

We have settled on a crib and dresser/hutch combo (for the changing table, dresser and bookshelf). It is the Babi Italia Pinehurst Collection from Babies R Us.


We will not be getting the wardrobe in the middle of the picture, but the crib and the dresser/hutch are exactly what we have been looking for.

We've also started to do some research on gliders for the nursery. We have looked at a lot of rocker/gliders, and found that many are reviewed poorly by owners. Several gliders out there are too small to be comfortable when sitting in them to nurse/feed a baby. That's not good, since that is what we will be using it for!!!! Others report that the glider squeaks after a few months of use. We definitely want a glider that is covered in microfiber. We just know the quality of this fabric is great and it cleans up well. We also know that we want the wood to be a 'pecan' color, as our furniture for the room is "tea stain" in color. And, we want an ottoman to match to rest our feet!

Here are our top finds:

GLIDER and OTTOMAN SETS:
Shermag Ultra Glider & Ottoman Set in Pecan
http://www.rockingchairs.com/glider-rockers/indoor-gliders/shermagultragliderwithottoman.cfm#ReviewHeader

Dream Collection Glider Rocker and Ottoman - Pecan
http://www.babysupermall.com/main/products/she/she37779pec.html

Crib Sheets - Coming this Friday!!!!

I just got an email with the confirmation that our crib sheet set will arrive via UPS on Friday. I am SO excited to see it, touch it and...well....leave it in the box. :) We will order the nursery furniture in a couple of weeks.

Tonight's sewing project

This is Melissa...I sewed two burp cloths tonight. The pattern is SIMPLE. 9x22" with rounded corners and notches cut out of the middle (to fit the contour of a neck). They consist of two layers of flannel (one patterned and one solid) with a terry towel in between. I still need to work on how to finish out the end that needs to stay open in order to turn the cloth to the right side after sewing all three layers together. Some pictures are to the right.
A great way to spend Spring Break Night! :)
Now back to cutting out some more....

Diaper Materials used

As previously mentioned A LOT of research went into making the cloth diapers. The diapers we make are called "All-in-Ones" (AIOs). AIO diapers are a one-step diapering system that is easy to use. They are shaped like disposable diapers and consist of a waterproof outer layer with a sewn-in absorbent layer and then fitted with a soaker (or insert). All-in-one diapers are put on just like disposable diapers: Open the diaper, lift the baby's bottom, slide the diaper underneath, close the diaper and you are ready to go! The one-size method that we chose is adjustable based on the size of the baby. For smaller babies, the front flap is placed higher on the baby, the touchtape is secured around the baby and then the flap is folded down securing to some touchtape tabs.

Why Cloth!??!? Well...numerous reasons...Not only are cloth diapers comfortable for the baby, they are more economical, healthful and environmental. From the comfort stand point - would you choose to wear paper/plastic undies!??!?! Cloth diapers are made from breathable and cushiony fabrics that are soft to the baby's skin. The inner fabrics are moisture-wicking, keep the baby's bottom feeling dry. They don't have any plastic on them that would otherwise rub against tender skin. From a health standpoint, the fabrics used in cloth diapers allow for increased airflow inside the diaper, keep the baby cooler and help to prevent diaper rash. Disposibles contain chemicals and plastics that have been known to cause allergic reactions and other health problems. And from an environmental standpoint, hands down cloth diapers are a responsible choice. Disposable diapers leave a trail of waste from manufacture to disposal. In addition, the solid waste in disposible diapers goes into our landfills, which can leach into groundwater and potentially spread disease. On the other hand, cloth diapers release solid waste where it belongs - into the sewage system to be treated with other household waste water.

All those reasons aside....I can't help but mention that cloth diapers are CUTE!! They can be stylish and soft at the same time. We chose to do solid colors with a contrasting color on the inside. The ones in the pictures from yesterday's post are red/navy, celery/olive, burgundy/black and turquoise/brown. The remaining sets to be sewn for our little guy are sage/chocolate, baby blue/navy and chocolate/turquoise.

What we decided on was to use at PUL fabric on the outside and a suedecloth on the inside. Then a Microfiber insert is placed between the two layers through a welt pocket in the suedecloth. This insert comes out and is washed seperately. The benefit is you can adjust where the insert lies, depending on how big your baby is and whether you need more up front (for a boy) or more in the middle (for a girl). We also choose to use Touchtape to close and secure the diaper around the baby.

Fabric glossary:
PUL (Polyurethane Laminated Polyester) - The PUL fabric is a highly waterproof fabric. A thin polyurethane layer is bonded to a stretchy polyester knit in a high heat industrial process. It is recommended as an outer layer on diapers and for waterproof bags for wet diapers

Microfiber - Usually 75% polyester 25% polyamide, and is a great diaper fabric for soakers and inserts. It traps moisture between its fibers and can absorb up to 8 times its weight in liquid! Light and thin, microfiber dries quickly and gets more absorbent with use.

Suedecloth - Is thinner than microfleece but has many of the same qualities that make it perfect for diaper inners. Suedecloth wicks moisture away from baby, resists staining, and does not hold pooh. In addition, suedecloth does not pill and stays new-looking longer.

Touchtape - Is a durable hook & loop system similar to velcro and aplix. We prefer touchtape to aplix because it is so flexible and has an extremely strong hold. Best of all, touchtape comes in lots of colors to match our beautiful outer diaper fabrics!

One big resource for the above informaiton is http://www.zany-zebra.com/

...more later on storing dry and dirty diapers and how to wash cloth diapers.

The Diaper Factory!!!

We went to Mom and Dad Lloyd's this weekend for a visit and to start up the diaper production line!!! Mom and Melissa completed 24 diapers! Doesn't sound like much to some??? Well...these little diapers are made completely with LOVE and HARD work!!!! And LOTS of both!! They are very labor intensive, but we had good fun making them. Mom had already done a lot of prep work (all the diapers were cut out, the pockets were made and the velcro was cut). After a few hours, we had a system created on the production line and had a complete set of six diapers done on the first day, plus another set that just needed its velcro sewn on. The second day we finished the set from the day before and completed two whole sets.
There was lots of talk about going into the cloth diaper making business. Any buyers out there? Let us know!!!!

Below are some pictures.

Sets of four diapers in each color that we made.

All the different colors we made this weekend set-up in the bigger size ("Bigger Little Man Under Pants").

All the different colors we made this weekend set-up in the smaller size ("Little Man Under Pants").

A front view of the turquoise and brown diaper. On the left is the "Little Man Under Pants" and on the right is the "Bigger Little Man Under Pants".

A side view of the two different ways you can fold the diapers to fit a growing baby!

First Public Pics!!!

Here are some scanned pics from our last sonogram (@20 weeks, February 26th). The scans did not come out too clearly...but we can make out the profile of our little guy, as well as the big foot he stuck in front of the camera. Check it out...he has all five toes!!! :)

Baby Wise

This past weekend when we drove to GA to register, Melissa started reading a book from Nonnie and Pop called Baby Wise. Since Clint was driving, Melissa read important and interesting parts aloud and we both learned a lot. The theories presented are completely our style and we plan on implementing the suggested schedule from day one. What can it hurt?? We are new at this and don't have any better ideas than those proven by others!
Melissa finished the book by the end of the weekend and was happy to have several questions answered. Of course....there are a million more left unanswered....but we still have four months (and the rest of the child's life) to learn! :)

For the other expecting mom's reading this - let us know if you want more details about the book or would like to borrow it for a couple of weeks. It is a quick read!