Did you hear that?

That is the silence of a sleeping child.

Julia has been F-I-G-H-T-I-N-G! her naps for the last, um I don't know, ever. But really so this last week.

But as of right now she is out.

And that makes this mama really happy.

Silence is golden.

If they made fortune cookies just for moms...

While Julia is napping, I thought I'd share some funnies from the latest Parenting Magazine: "If they made fortune cookies just for moms..."

- You will travel over the ocean, and your 3-year-old will use the airplane bathroom 26 times.

- Now is the time to be daring. Take your toddler to the park without a diaper bag.

- You enjoy nourishing your loved ones, but if the peas touch the meat loaf, you can forget it.

- Elegance and grace are your trademark in dress. Also baby spitup.

- Your love life will be happy and harmonious, especially if you remember to lock the bedroom door.

- You will soon find a long-lost treasure, and you will decide to check under the couch cushions more often.

- New friends will come into your life, and they will ask you to run the spring fund-raiser.

- People are entranced by your voice - at least those listening to you read Runaway Bunny for the thousandth time.

- You have a keen mind and an enviable intellect, expect when it comes to third-grade math homework.

- A handsome man has his eye on you - and he's wondering when you're going to make his macaroni and cheese.

How is cloth going.... really.... I mean, how is it going?

This what my friend, Leah, asked me today. That, my dear readers is a loaded question, and one that I, in fact, asked myself this morning.

So, how is cloth going...

I've come to this one simple conclusion, if you are going to do cloth with your babe (or babes) you have to really, REALLY want to do cloth. It has to be something that you are willing to put in a little extra time and effort. Plus, it helps if you can deal with a little poo. See, me, I have a very high tolerance for all things gross. Blood, vomit, pee, poo, nasty, nasty trash. Low gag reflex, high tolerance. However, if you are like, say, Jonathan, who gags thinking about gross things, then dealing with poo cloth diapers are not for you.

We are still using disposables when Julia sleeps at night (for mere ease and not worrying that she'll wake herself because of being wet) and plan to use them when we travel - as I don't really see cleaning a cloth diaper in the hotel room at Faithwalkers or at my mom's house!

Alright, now to answer the question that I know everyone is thinking. Just how do you "dispose" of the poo?

Step by step: I change Julia, putting the poo diaper on the edge of her diaper hamper. Once she is taken care of, I take the poo diaper to the bathroom and dunk it in the toilet. Using the parts of the none poo areas, I clean the diaper as best as I can. I rinse out the excess water and drop it into her diaper hamper. After which I wash my hands. ***Now, I will say that I do use my elbows for a lot of things during this process as not to touch anything - like the faucet or toilet handle - with my hands until after they are thoroughly washed (I've become even more obsessive about washing my hands since this new diapering adventure!).***

I haven't had to soak any of the poo diapers and they haven't stained, even after sitting in the diaper hamper for two or three days (they don't stay longer than that because I have to wash the diapers every 2-3 days to maintain our supply).

There have been a few minor draw backs in my mind.

First, I never really know when Julia is wet because I can't feel her diaper like I could with disposables. And I really think she needs to be changed at least every hour, hour and a half at the max. More than that and the diaper doesn't absorb like it should. Of course, I could use a doubler/liner but don't.

Second, it did take Julia about a week to adjust to cloth from disposables. She is more aware now when she is wet than she did before. This made for some crying whenever we were out shopping and she peed. She's gotten use to it, and we've even gotten to where she'll wear them for nap time. On the flip side, the good thing about her heightened awareness is that it'll hopefully help her potty train sooner.

Third, is that cloth is a LOT bulkier. This makes for some snug fitting pants, which is a little more annoying since Julia seems to have issues with shorts/bloomers being to tight in her legs, now they are too tight in the bum too.

Ultimately, I am glad we made the switch. I really do love the idea of cloth diapering, I love the look of the wraps, and I really think they are going to be better for everyone (Julia, me, Jonathan, the planet) in the long run. I think that if there is ever a Baby Dubya 2, we will start from the beginning using cloth - hopefully even using them at night but having disposables for ease of traveling. Using them from the beginning will help alleviate any transition period for the babe and will just, in my opinion, be easier in the end. Plus, when the poo diapers are solely breastfed poo, then you can wash them without rinsing them out first. Which is one less step to deal with and makes things easier! And, as my engineering minded husband points out, the money saved is unbeatable. Jonathan figured that we've spent at least $400+ on disposables so far that we can never get back. If that is in, say, 8 months time, then you're looking at roughly $600 a year, or $1200-1500+ for two or more years. Our start up cost for cloth was less than $200, and the on going cost for Julia is sure to be less than another $200. Yet, like I said before, you have to really, REALLY want to do cloth, otherwise I think you'll be far more likely to stop and switch to disposables.

I hope that helps answer any questions for you curious minded people. If not, ask away and I can provide any answer, sparing no poopie detail! :)

These are a few of my favorite things... (sung like Julie Andrews)

Since we've made some crazy green changes in the Windham household, I've come to have some new favorites that I can't sing about enough. Really, I do actually sing about them. Mostly to Julia who thinks I still have a pretty voice.

1. Lentils. I'm not sure why, but lentils just never seemed all that appealing. But since we're having two vegetarian meals a week, lentils were bound to get into the rotation. So last night I made Curried Lentils with Vegetables. Can I just say "Yuuuummmy!". Man, that stuff was delicious! Thanks to my success with last night's meal, lentils are now making their way to my favorite things list.

2. Curry. Curry scares me. Not the taste, because I love, love, love curry, but actually preparing it makes me really nervous. Whenever I see my favorite Indian dishes I always imagine that it must have taken hours and hours plus years of experience to create such a scrumptous dish. Turns out it just takes curry powder. Ha, who knew?

3. Bummis Super Brite Wraps. Sounds like a food, but it's a babe butt cover. These Bummis' have gussets that help keep the cloth diaper (as well as the contents of the diaper) in the wrap. They are a bit more handwashing friendly then their cousin, Bummis Super Whisper. But the gussets alone were what sold me.

4. DTV. We just got the digital converter box for out TV. Despite the fact that we did actually lose some channels (long story there), we did gain two PBS stations! And since we Windhams love our PBS, it has been a wonderful addition to have.

5. Finally, a picture of three of my most favorite things, ever.

Ready, set, go!

And she's off!

Julia is offically crawling! About a month ago she started getting up on all fours, rocking back and forth and then *splat*. Well yesterday, I sat her down, started doing something, looked back and she was moving! She's pretty slow, needs lots of encouragement, but she will go from on side of the livingroom to the other.

But wait, that's not all! She's also pulling herself up too!

Pretty amazing stuff.

I will say she looks mighty funny when she crawls, as it is not the traditional knee crawling, but foot/knee crawling:





Good thing we set this up recently:



And here she is pulling herself up:

Monkey see, monkey do

A lot has changed in me since I had Julia. The way I think and act are all being affected by the idea that this little person is watching me and making her opinions on the world based on my actions. Whoa, that in of itself is a lot to take in, but we aren't going that deep.

Anyways, I really, really, really don't like mushrooms. Like really. And I am of the opinion that since I have given them a try several times and each time have disliked them, then I am free to continue disliking them forever.

But then about 4 months ago the thought hit me that if I don't like mushrooms, Julia most likely won't like mushrooms. You know, monkey see, monkey do. If it's good enough for mama, it's good enough for me. So I set out to start eating mushrooms. Now, I'm not going for full out enjoyment of mushrooms, but rather not picking them out of food. **Disclaimer - Because my mama raised me as a good Southern girl, never, ever in my life have I actually picked out mushrooms when I was served them at someone else's house. That is a major no-no. Just wanted to throw that in there in case mom is reading this!**

Twice now I have cooked with mushrooms. First time I made spaghetti with the canned mushrooms. Bad idea. Very bad. Seeing as my whole complaint is that mushrooms are slimy and rubbery, the last way I want them is soaked in a gross juice to make them even more slimy and nasty. Needless to say, I gagged through most of the meal. And truth be told I did pick out most of them to pass along to Jonathan.

However, I attempted using them yet again tonight when I made veggie pizza. This time I got fresh mushrooms. The recipe called for steaming all the veggies, but I thought "Hmmm... that would make the mushrooms slimy, so let's not do that." Instead, I just cut them up and added them along side the onions. And you know what, I ate all of them!

Sometimes I can trick myself into not thinking about what I am eating and just down it and move on (again, those good Southern graces), but tonight I consciously thought "That is a mushroom and I am going to eat it." Perhaps it helped that they were smothered in cheese, sauce and along side my favorite veggies. But all the same, I am paving a path for my mushroom eating ways.

Next food to conquer: coconut.

Toto we aren't in Texas anymore

I cancelled my subscription to Southern Living tonight. Way, way sad day.

I am now subscribing to Midwest Living.

Me on the computer cancelling my SL subscription: "This is way sad. Way sad."

Jonathan: "But you're getting something better."

Me: "Yeah, but it's Southern Living. I love Southern Living."

Jonathan: "You don't leave in the South. You live in the Midwest."

Me: "Ahhh! Don't say it! If you don't say it, it's not true!"

Door frame - 1; Julia - 0

Julia is learning to pull up on things, sometimes she doesn't choose the wisest things to try out her new found skill. Unfortunately, today she lost a battle with the door frame.

The injury (upper left side of her forehead):



The culprit:



After much crying and lots of kisses everything was a-okay.

Did I miss something?

I recently found out that a good friend of mine from college is moving to 23rd and Lexington in NYC now that she has completed Optometry School. When I first heard the news, there was a pang of remorse that rose up inside me. I have always, always wanted to live in NYC. The traffic, the people, the buildings, the subways, the constant go, go, go, just makes me feel alive and excited. Years ago Jonathan and I were on our New York track. We had planned out how long it would take him to finish school, what types of jobs we could get in New York, where we would live, what an amazing adventure we would encounter. If everything had gone as we planned, I would be celebrating my one year New York Anniversary this summer.

But alas, over Faithwalkers 2005 we both felt that New York was a dream we need to let go. Oddly enough, God spoke strongly to both of us on separate occasions, and neither of us told the other one for sometime afterward. But then one day I blurted out that I felt God was asking me to give up New York and Jonathan agreed. And as strange as it seems, I did really mourn the loss of my dream. I spent another few months pining away, thinking that there must be some way for me to still live there and be in God's will. So far I haven't seen an open door.

Anyways, back to my pang of remorse.

It's kind of shaken me this week, the idea that I too could be moving or already living in New York. I ask all the "what if" questions and start to see my life as less than glamorous. I mean, I'll be honest in saying that for most of my life I never truly thought I'd be a mom, and that if I ever did go down that path it would be much later than now. And I'll state the obvious when I say that there isn't much that is glamorous about mamahood. Sure, people are envious of the cute babies, but the poop, crying, vomit, lack of sanity, lack of sleep, road trips that take twice as long as normal, the continually dying to self. Yeah, I'm not sure I've ever heard someone say "Gee, I just really want a lifelong less in selflessness, I think I'll have a baby!". Yet, that is my life. My life isn't living in an apartment loft off the Upper West Side. It's living across the road from a park where Julia and any possible future babes will spend their playtime. My life is giving my all to my marriage, my family and my God. And it does make me sad that I can't just pick up and take a trip somewhere, or that I can't spend my "weekends" sleeping in, doing as I please, or being able to have a job at NYU or Columbia, or having to constantly be mindful of what I eat because it might make Julia fussy. Yeah, I do want all those things, I do miss the idea of freedom and jet-setting, I do love NYC. But far more than that, far more than chasing after that dream, I love my God. I love my husband. I adore my daughter. And really, if it came down to choosing the Upper East Side loft or the duplex in Iowa with my family, I would time and time again choose the latter.

With that in mind, I am stepping back and wishing luck to my friend. I am choosing to say that God is good for having me here, for allowing my life to be so fully blessed. And who knows, maybe one day I might just move to Manhattan.

Just maybe not the Manhattan that I expected.

No 'poo and cloth diapering update

I've been doing no 'poo for almost three weeks now. I'm washing my hair with b/s every Monday and Friday and doing a acv rinse every third wash. I've started just putting a small amount of b/s in my palm, adding water and making a paste I scrub on my scalp. The trickest part so far has been figuring out how much acv to use. Everything I read says 1-2 tbsp, but when I do that I find my hair is super oily. The funny part is that it's oiliest in the very front, which is where I first pour on the acv. So yesterday I cut back to 1 tsp acv and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this does the trick.

I will say this much about no 'pooing. My hair really has gotten a lot more compliments! And the amazing thing is, people are complimenting on it even when I haven't washed it in a few days. Sweet! Plus, I barely have to curl/flat iron it, because it's holding onto so much more volume than before. Double sweet!

Now for the diapers...

When I first started reading through the instructions that came with the diapers I seriously thought of returning them. The instructions called for all these expensive detergents that I would have to order online, saying that I needed to completely scrub my washer and never use any other soap than what they recommended, unless I didn't really care that much about my daughter. Plus, I needed special oxgenated detergent that I should use for the second washing cycle. Like the good mama I am, I went off to New Pi to search for these detergents. I figure if New Pi has it, I'll buy 'em. They didn't. Surpisingly, neither did Hy-Vee or Wal-Mart. So I gave up and bought Seventh Generation for Babies. I figured I don't really want to go through all the trouble of scrubbing my washer, buying special expensive soap and oxgenated detergent. I'll stick with a nicer brand when it goes on sale.

Yeah, so that all happened before we even tried the diapers.

The first few times with the diapers were bumpy to say the least. Julia is NOT a fan of being able to feel wet after she pees. And the problem is, even if she pees just a little it's too much for her. The first day I felt like I was changing a barely wet diaper every 20-30 minutes before I just put on a disposible and went on with life. Then this weekend we were traveling a lot and had guests in town, so she spend the majority of the time in disposibles. I would attempt to put her in cloth, but then it would only stay on her for less than an hour before I switched back over to the others.

Finally today, she has spent a good majority of the time in cloth. I even got the joy of changing her first pooping cloth diaper! It wasn't so bad in all actuality. She's adjusting to dealing with being wet longer than a minute (because I really don't want to be changing her every 5 minutes!) and we've set some rules for when to use cloth and when to use disposibles. Since Julia wakes herself up if she gets wet while she sleeps, I'm still going to put her in disposibles for naptime and overnight for mere sanity! Otherwise, I'm hoping that during the day she will be sportin' her ghetto cloth diaper booty.