And so I have decided to merge all my interests and blogs into this single space. There will now be posts about knitting alongside baby stuff mixed in with some food, fashion, vacations, and whatever else I feel like.

To keep up with me and Peaceful Baby, please add Peaceful Knitter to your blog reader.  Thanks!

Peaceful Baby is 4 1/2 months old and has already been to 7 states and Canada.  She is one well-travelled babe!

I am so thankful we have been brave/crazy enough to take her out and about with us.  Life changes when you have a baby, but it doesn’t stop.  So we have tried to live our lives with patience and flexibility, taking opportunities as they come.  I think it has helped PB become a pleasant, social child who can go with the flow.  So far, anyway….

What’s your baby in to these days?

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week.  A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

– Amanda Blake Soule, Soule Mama

During a particularly gung-ho phase of my pregnancy, I purchased 3 types of cloth and hybrid diapers, as well as some more “natural” disposable diapers.  I figured I’d give everything a try, not be too hard on myself one way or the other, and see what worked best for our family.

Well.  If you’ve ever seen newborn poop, you’ll know it’s a sticky, liquidy mess.  I knew that if I was hardly able to make it to the bathroom to brush my teeth those first few weeks there was nary a chance I’d be cleaning loads of icky diapers.  So we used the ‘sposies and happily tossed the sodden landfill bombs into the trash.  Once I felt I was getting a handle on mothering and maintaining personal grooming at the same time, I tried putting little PB in various cloth diapers.  Results were mixed.  One brand had all cotton inner linings, which meant that the wet stayed wet against her skin, and the poo stained right away.  The hybrid diapers were bulky on her wee frame, and the biodegradable liners felt stiff and rough.  Back to a mixture of Pampers and 7th Generation.

Now that PB is 4 months old, her exclusively breast-fed poos are fewer and less voluminous.  And she fits securely into the Bum Genius 3.0 one-size pocket diapers (say that 3 times fast).  This adjustable diaper has a waterproof outer layer and a soft, micro-fleece lining that wicks moisture away from Baby’s skin into the removable micro-fiber insert.  They are made with polyester, which isn’t very eco-happy, but they wash up super easily and haven’t leaked so far.  I had to actually pull out the liner to see if she was wet the first few times it was so effective!

So, we are in the process of making the switch from disposable to cloth.  There’s definitely a learning curve, but we are coming up with a system that works for our family.  I’m certainly going to be keeping some 7th Generation diapers around for travel and laundry emergencies, giving myself a break if need be.  But in my experience so far, these modern cloth diapers are so simple to use I don’t see a reason to not make the switch.  I think the benefits far outweigh any inconvenience.  Plus, they’re cute and colorful, and that goes a long way to brighten up the often smelly diaper-changing experience!

Here are some sites that I found helpful:

Mothering Magazine, Diapering Naturally

Diaper Daisy; try renting to see which cloth diapers are for you

Baby Cotton Bottoms; 5% discount for Ravelry users

Types of Cloth Diapers

Bum Genius

Fuzzi Buns

Diaper Swappers

It fits her perfectly, and we all love it!  Thanks, Heki!

Even after my most dedicated yoga practice I don’t think I’ve ever been able to get my toes in my mouth.  Not that I’d really want to put them in my mouth, but the ability would sort of be neat.

Have a great weekend!

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

First petting of the dog

What is your moment this week?

We jumped in a taxi, PB cozy in her Ergo Baby carrier and me slightly anxious about the whole experience.  Fortunately our cab driver wasn’t a complete maniac on the road, and neither of us sustained a neck injury.  The funny thing?  My sister had her baby in a carrier on the other side of me!

We are both avid fans of these carriers.  I didn’t use it more than once or twice during PB’s first 3 months of life, instead preferring to use our sling.  But now that she’s holding her head up and is curious about the world, this is just the thing.  When it’s inconvenient or undesirable to push a stroller, wearing your baby is the answer.  My sister throws her son in the Ergo while she cooks or does housework, either on front or on her back.  When my arms get tired of carrying PB around, I’ll be putting her in her carrier right away.  It concentrates the baby’s weight onto your waist like a backpack, so it’s easy to wear for a long period.  Anyway, I feel like a commercial now…. but I just wanted to say that this carrier was great on our recent trek through Manhattan.  We felt safe and cozy and didn’t have to tote the stroller around.  Win!

to playing with her Auntie and cousin for the first time,

Peaceful Baby has been one busy little lady!