I know it's been quite a while since you've heard from me regarding anything- but that's what happens when you return to work post-maternity.
After returning to work we quickly discovered that having only 8 shells was not quite enough- especially after coming home from a long day at work, getting the kids & us settled in for the evening... dirty diapers didn't always make it into the wash every night. So we decided to increase our stock. After much deliberation, we decided that $20+ per shell/insert set was a lot of money & while purchasing in the large sets brings the price per diaper down... it was still a lot of money to have to dish out for another set of Softbums. So we decided to expand our "selection" of brands.
Before I get into that, let me state as fact that we have no doubts about the hydration of our daughter and no concerns that she's getting enough to eat/drink while nursing. This is because she is a flood waiting to happen. She pees like a champ! That being said....
As the baby has gotten older (now 6.5 mo) we've discovered leaking problems with the Softbums. It is not that the inserts need to be stripped- in fact the inserts are totally soaked top to bottom, front to back when she is changed- but she definitely experiences "overflow" around the legs, at the sewn seam around the legs and through the outer material itself in the front. I also want to point out that as she has gotten older the same problem has occurred with her poo... and don't get me wrong, we don't leave her in a dirty diaper for hours on end- she's usually changed within a few minutes of completing her task, so it's not like she's had 4 hrs of 'build up" to contribute to the leaking. We're also finding it more difficult to change her with these since you have to get the insert adjusted & placed then pull the shell up & around, and doing this on a squirming 6 mo old who wants to be crawling & climbing on everything has been... trying. We're also having a little struggle with the snap closure diapers, but at least with those you're just fighting her to get it snapped closed, not having to fight with the insert in addition to closing the diaper. This just wasn't working for us.
I was so excited when I found Maude Baby & DucaDuca diapers (from all appearances these are the exact same diaper just with a different logo embroidered on the back) on BabySteals- these are a OS Snap Pocket style diaper. These diapers also include 2 sets of button elastic for the leg adjustment and 2 microfiber inserts. These diapers have a very trim look & are very soft. However- they leak like crazy. It's a guarantee that every time she wears one there is going to be an outfit/wardrobe change involved. The leak problem with these is similar to the Softbums- except that the entire shell also absorbs... so you can see the wet shell in a |)(| pattern along the front starting at the legs. I was fairly disappointed in these diapers.
Then our sitter scored a ton of used bumGenius and Fuzzibunz so she passed along the "girly" colors to us... while I really like the fit of both of these (bgs are OS & the fbs are "perfect fit") there are poo leaks with both of these- in the back for the Fuzzibunz and at the legs for the bumGenius. We also discovered that the bumGenius have a "flap" outside of the pocket that is designed to protect the insert from actually becoming soiled. However, when the poo is not only all over the inside of the diaper but also overlapping onto the "flap"- it makes for a very messy separation of diaper & insert.
We consulted with the sitter (since she's home with hers & our kids during the day, she has a better opportunity to research diapers, etc) and she recommended KaWaii Baby diapers. I'd heard of these before, but had not had an opportunity to get any. www.theluvyourbaby.com To my surprise, these were only $7.75!- I went ahead & purchased 6 of the "Goodnight Heavy Wetter" diapers, 1 each of the dots & zoo animal prints (because if you're going to spend $13 on shipping for orders over $12, you may as well get all you can to get your $ worth from shipping)... unfortunately the one I really wanted (cow print) was not in stock. These are a OS snap adjustment & closure pocket diaper. These also have an extra flap to protect the insert, but this flap is inside the pocket itself instead of outside covering the pocket like the bumGenius. The outer material of these does not feel like any of the other diapers we have. I received these on Monday (10/31) and got everything washed up yesterday (11/2). So we decided to go ahead & give them a go last night.
Pretty much every single morning our little princess awakes soaked- diaper, outfit, sheets & all.... NOT THIS MORNING! The sheets & her outfit were as dry as when I put her in them last night, the only thing that was soaked was the inside of the diaper!! We proceeded to change her and put her in another KaWaii. Then came the true test. Around 9:30-9:45 I was getting ready to change her (about 3.5 hrs- wanted to really test these out) when I heard her working the grunt machine... so decided to give her a bit to finish up before changing- heck, if we're going to test these, lets make it worth while. At 10:30 she was finished & it was changing time. As I picked her up I thought "she was totally messing with me" because I didn't smell anything. I began taking off her onsie/sleeper & noted that the outfit was still dry- impressive. I opened the diaper & all I can say is WOW!- she had pooed but it was all contained along with some very soaked inserts, but the outside of the diaper was clean & dry!! To say that I was thrilled would be an understatement, but I'm at a loss for the perfect descriptor for what a feel about these diapers at this time.
Obviously it's just day 1 with the KaWaii, but if they keep performing like this, I think we'll have found our perfect diaper- our new favorite!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
WDIDTS: ADS pt 3- Love my Softbums!
So here we are 2 months later-
Our journey started with me scared to even think about trying cloth diapers. (See parts 1 and 2 of my "Why didn't I do this sooner: A Diaper Story" series.)
I can't even tell you how many times I've been asked "why are you using cloth?"- sometimes with an inquisitive tone, others with a slightly... well confused bordering not on disgusted, but the "eew" factor is definitely present in their tone of voice. So let me answer that right here and now...
1) Cost! Once I did the figuring and realized we had spent nearly $4,000 to disposable diaper our son through potty training, it was crazy for us to continue to fork out money (that we really don't have) monthly (or more often) on something that you use once and throw away. Honestly- who can afford that? I don't think anyone really can, but people do it our of a sense of necessity and may not realize there's a better way. Now don't get me wrong, there are people who would not want the extra laundry even if it saved a ton of money... but personally, that just wasn't enough of an incentive for me to continue to justify the lost funds.
2) Adorable! How cute is it that you can make a diaper a part of your baby's outfit? I love it!
Now- let me expand on my choice of Softbums (http://www.softbums.com/ - check them out)
To start with- I didn't want to have to mess with stuffing and unstuffing pockets, I didn't want to keep spending a bunch of money by having to have multiple sizes for her growing bottom thus buying a new size up to 2 more times, and I didn't want to have to have a ton of shells because the insert AND the shell had to be washed after only 1 use every time.
My "a-ha" moment came when I found the Echo system on the Softbums website. You simply snap in an insert and adjust the "Slide2Size" toggles to make a perfect fit- THAT'S IT! When baby is ready for a change, you just open it up, unsnap the insert & toss it in your wet bag then lay the shell out to air a bit until the next change. If the mess has happened to get to the shell, well you just toss that into the wet bag too.
Let me tell you- this system is so user friendly that even our babysitter is on board. Now, don't get me wrong- this isn't an "even an idiot can do it" statement- she's a very smart gal! This is a "how many sitters would honestly want to mess with a family using cloth diapers?" statement, and the answer is... not many.
Our daughter is what we call a "super-duper-pooper" and a "wee-wee queen"... so when I tell you that these diapers are "tried and true"- I mean she has put them through the most "strenuous" testing she can offer... which is pretty extreme. I can count on one hand how many "blowouts" she's had in her Softbums- & 80% of those were "operator error" because they weren't adjusted properly; 10% was either how she was sitting in her car seat or the angle she was being held at creating gaps, etc; and the other 10% is explained by the first nickname listed above- enough said. We always try to use a Super pod and a Mini pod for bedtime- which works wonderfully and is a great amount of absorbency for her.
The best part is- we get to reuse the majority of her shells multiple times each day before it needs to be washed. She generally uses 4 shells a day- at the end of the day 1-2 are usually in the wet bag soiled, 1 is airing out and 1 is on her. This is nice because I can wash either every night or every other- but I currently prefer nightly since she only has the 8 shells (GTG pack 24/8/8)- but am hoping to get some more shells to give her more uses and variety and give me more days between washes.
I've seen a few comments about the Softbums customer service on social networking sites... I too have previously experienced a delayed response- but as a small business owner myself, I empathize with them. It can be difficult to get to emails and messages each day and especially so when you have new products that you are trying to get ready to go out. So take my advice- be patient with them... you WILL get a response. I was taught that a little kindness goes a long way- so if you don't feel you're getting a response fast enough, just email them a friendly reminder that you are awaiting their reply... they haven't forgotten you & they will get back to you.
Now that I have some experience under my belt, I remain confident in my purchase of Softbums cloth diapers and would most definitely recommend them to anyone considering or experienced in cloth diapers.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Back to work omen?
Well- my first week back at work has proven to be an interesting one.
Info you should know: 1) All hell ALWAYS breaks loose when the boss is on vacation; 2) Brian "opens" each morning- so he has to be to the branch by a certain time- if he were to drop me off 1st, he'd never make it on time- so I drop him off & pick him up; 3) you know what they say about the best laid plans...
Friday:
The boss calls to double check that I'm returning Monday & to tell me to send pics (oops- had been forgetting to do that). Says she's going to send me an email with "stuff". OK
Send photos to my girls & contemplate blogging about how I feel about returning to work & leaving the kids after 3 mo home- laptop screen dies before blogging had commenced- guess I won't be blogging tonight.
Saturday / Sunday:
Spent the day kicking myself for having to leave my kids. We all have done this, so no big surprise here.
Contemplated trying on my work clothes as I'm not sure what everything will fit like- I'd been wearing maternity clothes into April and been able to wear lounge pants & t-shirts for the past 3 months. Decide it's too hot to play dress up & pick Monday's outfit on a whim.
Write out list of things I need to make sure I have together for Monday, prepare breakfast & lunch, put together & pack diapers & extra inserts for the sitter, get together the baby's bottles & formula (in case she pigs out on the milk I'll be leaving for her) for the sitter.
Take a shower, set the alarm clock and go to bed.
Monday:
Hear on the news that major storms are moving in- GREAT! What a way to start the week! But wait, they are suppose to hit the suburbs around 8:30a- if they don't speed up, I might make it in the building before getting drenched- yea!
Drop of the kids, give extra kisses (especially to the baby) and mentally prepare myself to cry my eyes out all day on the drive in.
Drop Brian off.
Arrive at my branch, go inside (downstairs for those who don't know- this is important, you'll see why in a minute) & am grateful that I got inside before those nasty looking clouds got any closer.
Eat breakfast & halfway though realize I need to ask one of the girls upstairs if there is an extra chair they can put in the back restroom so I can pump in privacy.
Go back upstairs where there are actually windows & it is pitch black outside- dark as night, down pouring rain... restate my relief at entering the building before it hit.
Make arrangements for the chair & head back downstairs (with no windows) to finish breakfast & continue the task at hand. The "stuff" email was letting me know that I'm not going to do my job, I'm going to re-train on ATM stuff & train on the coordinator's other tasks. Although I had the day mapped out in my head on where I would be with my stuff, I like the coordinator & enjoy learning new things, so I'm cool with sitting with her until further notice- we'll have fun (hehehe). Of course, the boss is on vacation, so the ATM gal has to do the boss' stuff first before we can get to refreshing my training, but we'll get it done eventually.
Less than 10 minutes later- we lose power. Of course, our branch has a massive generator outside, so power is restored in a matter of seconds, but having to re-do all of our computer start up procedures makes most of us grumpy.
Brian emails, his branch is without power- that sucks- they are our call center branch- without power they can't help customers... customers will not be happy.
1 hr later Brian calls- no power equals no work getting done- I need to pick him up & bring him to my branch so he can actually work... woo-hoo- road trip! (At this point an estimated 864,000 people were without power.)
Pick up Brian & find Park Ave closed- what? Apparently a water main busted Saturday & they decided not to fix it, so what happens? The road collapsed- DUH!
Return to the branch via alternate route.
Discuss with Brian & my girls how well I was doing for being the 1st day back (or away, depending on how you look at it)- Had a blast with my girls, power flickers a couple more times, wrapped up the day, headed home.
Drop Brian off at home (it was hot & he wanted to check on Sparky since he was in the laundry room all day [with water, food & a fan mind you])... the boy's slide is in the front yard- CRAP! We didn't have a chance to put his mini-playground in the garage- guess Brian will be dragging it back while I pick up the kids... hehehe.
Pick up kids & give lots of hugs & kisses- go home.
Arrive home to the slide in the garage but the rest of the playground no-where to be seen- uh-oh. Yep, sure enough, Brian can't find it & none of the neighbors have seen it... grrr.
Brian takes van to case the neighborhood for the playground while I get the kids settled. Brian returns empty-handed.
Later discuss possibility that playground was stolen & that thief, believing they would be caught, took off before finishing loading the slide. This is one of those large plastic sets- 3 upright sides, a deck (to make it 2 levels), foot supports (to help keep it stable) and slide- you're telling me that the wind was strong enough to blow away 90% of this in 1 piece but the lightest piece didn't go any farther than our front yard- hmmm.... doesn't add up to me.
Tuesday:
On the drive in Brian receives a call- his branch is still without power (it should be restored by noon), he'll be working at my branch again- cool... can go straight from my branch home & don't have to stop off the beaten path to pick him up on the way. Score! (368,000 still without power) Power should be restored by 4:30a Wed.
Sit with ATM gal & train.
Brian finishes out day at our branch & we head home.
Watch Masterchef, get set up for tomorrow, go to bed.
Wednesday:
Try to drop Brian off, but guess what? Still no power! He comes with me to my branch. (199,000 still without power) Manager calls Brian to let him know power should be restored by noon Saturday- uffdah!
In-branch training to be held Thursday, Brian tells mgr he'll take it at our branch since he'll likely be here anyway.
Discuss new dress code with the girls- all are excited to wear open-toe shoes! Lots of dresses now being worn!
Late afternoon- Brian gets a call- power has been restored. grrr, now I'll have to drop him off then go back & pick him up later so he can make his afternoon meeting at my branch.
Thursday:
Arrive at work to learn the person who was going to do the training quit yesterday- training will be rescheduled. How weird... at least I don't have to leave to pick up Brian mid-day.
Main bank program down most of the day resulting in very little work able to be done but lots of complaints. Should have brought something with me to combat the headache.
Friday:
Most of the day was normal- until I realize my phone is not ringing & is just kicking everyone straight to my voice-mail after it rings once on their end. Contact IT to have E troubleshoot & set up for him to pick up my laptop at Brian's branch after work so he can retrieve my files & hard drive.
Spent 20 min talking with E & Brian about the laptop- T tells us "GO HOME!" lol!
Talk Radio says all toll & express roads are bad- suck! Take back roads to Eola Rs then catch I88... late picking up kids, but our sitter is way cool about that, especially since we called to tell her we were running late.
If this week was any sort of sign of things to come, I don't know what to think!
Info you should know: 1) All hell ALWAYS breaks loose when the boss is on vacation; 2) Brian "opens" each morning- so he has to be to the branch by a certain time- if he were to drop me off 1st, he'd never make it on time- so I drop him off & pick him up; 3) you know what they say about the best laid plans...
Friday:
The boss calls to double check that I'm returning Monday & to tell me to send pics (oops- had been forgetting to do that). Says she's going to send me an email with "stuff". OK
Send photos to my girls & contemplate blogging about how I feel about returning to work & leaving the kids after 3 mo home- laptop screen dies before blogging had commenced- guess I won't be blogging tonight.
Saturday / Sunday:
Spent the day kicking myself for having to leave my kids. We all have done this, so no big surprise here.
Contemplated trying on my work clothes as I'm not sure what everything will fit like- I'd been wearing maternity clothes into April and been able to wear lounge pants & t-shirts for the past 3 months. Decide it's too hot to play dress up & pick Monday's outfit on a whim.
Write out list of things I need to make sure I have together for Monday, prepare breakfast & lunch, put together & pack diapers & extra inserts for the sitter, get together the baby's bottles & formula (in case she pigs out on the milk I'll be leaving for her) for the sitter.
Take a shower, set the alarm clock and go to bed.
Monday:
Hear on the news that major storms are moving in- GREAT! What a way to start the week! But wait, they are suppose to hit the suburbs around 8:30a- if they don't speed up, I might make it in the building before getting drenched- yea!
Drop of the kids, give extra kisses (especially to the baby) and mentally prepare myself to cry my eyes out all day on the drive in.
Drop Brian off.
Arrive at my branch, go inside (downstairs for those who don't know- this is important, you'll see why in a minute) & am grateful that I got inside before those nasty looking clouds got any closer.
Eat breakfast & halfway though realize I need to ask one of the girls upstairs if there is an extra chair they can put in the back restroom so I can pump in privacy.
Go back upstairs where there are actually windows & it is pitch black outside- dark as night, down pouring rain... restate my relief at entering the building before it hit.
Make arrangements for the chair & head back downstairs (with no windows) to finish breakfast & continue the task at hand. The "stuff" email was letting me know that I'm not going to do my job, I'm going to re-train on ATM stuff & train on the coordinator's other tasks. Although I had the day mapped out in my head on where I would be with my stuff, I like the coordinator & enjoy learning new things, so I'm cool with sitting with her until further notice- we'll have fun (hehehe). Of course, the boss is on vacation, so the ATM gal has to do the boss' stuff first before we can get to refreshing my training, but we'll get it done eventually.
Less than 10 minutes later- we lose power. Of course, our branch has a massive generator outside, so power is restored in a matter of seconds, but having to re-do all of our computer start up procedures makes most of us grumpy.
Brian emails, his branch is without power- that sucks- they are our call center branch- without power they can't help customers... customers will not be happy.
1 hr later Brian calls- no power equals no work getting done- I need to pick him up & bring him to my branch so he can actually work... woo-hoo- road trip! (At this point an estimated 864,000 people were without power.)
Pick up Brian & find Park Ave closed- what? Apparently a water main busted Saturday & they decided not to fix it, so what happens? The road collapsed- DUH!
Return to the branch via alternate route.
Discuss with Brian & my girls how well I was doing for being the 1st day back (or away, depending on how you look at it)- Had a blast with my girls, power flickers a couple more times, wrapped up the day, headed home.
Drop Brian off at home (it was hot & he wanted to check on Sparky since he was in the laundry room all day [with water, food & a fan mind you])... the boy's slide is in the front yard- CRAP! We didn't have a chance to put his mini-playground in the garage- guess Brian will be dragging it back while I pick up the kids... hehehe.
Pick up kids & give lots of hugs & kisses- go home.
Arrive home to the slide in the garage but the rest of the playground no-where to be seen- uh-oh. Yep, sure enough, Brian can't find it & none of the neighbors have seen it... grrr.
Brian takes van to case the neighborhood for the playground while I get the kids settled. Brian returns empty-handed.
Later discuss possibility that playground was stolen & that thief, believing they would be caught, took off before finishing loading the slide. This is one of those large plastic sets- 3 upright sides, a deck (to make it 2 levels), foot supports (to help keep it stable) and slide- you're telling me that the wind was strong enough to blow away 90% of this in 1 piece but the lightest piece didn't go any farther than our front yard- hmmm.... doesn't add up to me.
Tuesday:
On the drive in Brian receives a call- his branch is still without power (it should be restored by noon), he'll be working at my branch again- cool... can go straight from my branch home & don't have to stop off the beaten path to pick him up on the way. Score! (368,000 still without power) Power should be restored by 4:30a Wed.
Sit with ATM gal & train.
Brian finishes out day at our branch & we head home.
Watch Masterchef, get set up for tomorrow, go to bed.
Wednesday:
Try to drop Brian off, but guess what? Still no power! He comes with me to my branch. (199,000 still without power) Manager calls Brian to let him know power should be restored by noon Saturday- uffdah!
In-branch training to be held Thursday, Brian tells mgr he'll take it at our branch since he'll likely be here anyway.
Discuss new dress code with the girls- all are excited to wear open-toe shoes! Lots of dresses now being worn!
Late afternoon- Brian gets a call- power has been restored. grrr, now I'll have to drop him off then go back & pick him up later so he can make his afternoon meeting at my branch.
Thursday:
Arrive at work to learn the person who was going to do the training quit yesterday- training will be rescheduled. How weird... at least I don't have to leave to pick up Brian mid-day.
Main bank program down most of the day resulting in very little work able to be done but lots of complaints. Should have brought something with me to combat the headache.
Friday:
Most of the day was normal- until I realize my phone is not ringing & is just kicking everyone straight to my voice-mail after it rings once on their end. Contact IT to have E troubleshoot & set up for him to pick up my laptop at Brian's branch after work so he can retrieve my files & hard drive.
Spent 20 min talking with E & Brian about the laptop- T tells us "GO HOME!" lol!
Talk Radio says all toll & express roads are bad- suck! Take back roads to Eola Rs then catch I88... late picking up kids, but our sitter is way cool about that, especially since we called to tell her we were running late.
If this week was any sort of sign of things to come, I don't know what to think!
Monday, July 4, 2011
WDIDTS: ADS pt 2- "It made me laugh."
Our poor Moms!
We decided to use disposables for the Friday/Saturday (6/24 & 6/25) portion of our vacation since we would be hitting Galena and then Northfield before finally taking pause in Swea on Sunday. Since we were going to be in the car and wouldn't have much time for laundry, we thought having dirty diapers in a warm car for several days didn't sound very appealing; so before we left Friday we had every cloth diaper washed & packed and baby was wearing a disposable. I didn't realize I had already become so accustomed to using the cloth diapers until Saturday night at the hotel when I told Mom & Brian "I can't wait to get her back in cloth!"
Sunday morning Mom stole the baby into her room with "the boy" in tow while Brian & I loaded the car. While Brian was doing the final check of our room, I went to Mom's & the baby had just spit up- on herself & on the bed. Mom & I agreed that a fresh diaper for the road was a grand idea so I took her & laid her on the bed to change her diaper & noticed that she had gotten Mom as well. Ok, no problem, we'll just wipe them down, right? WRONG! Not only had she spit up but she had unleashed the holy demon of poops onto my Mom which had claimed not only the outfit she was wearing, but my Mom's shirt as well. Yuck! We get to Swea & immediately put her in cloth. (I loved Aunt Renee's interest in my mini CD tutorial.)
Fast forward to Saturday (7/2 for those of you keeping track)- We are all ready to take the kids to the fishing derby & my MIL wants to keep the baby- ok, 1-on-1 with the boy & she gets to have the baby all to herself- win-win! I asked if she had a diaper preference & she chose disposable because that's what she had "more experience" with, so I put her in that & left several extras out for her. After the derby we get back to the house & notice that the baby AND my MIL are both in new outfits- uh-oh! Sure enough, she blessed yet another Grandma with the queen of all poops! We all laughed as my MIL joked that I did it on purpose & I told her "I told you so."
So now I'm thinking "what is it with her & letting it fly on her Grandmas clothes?"
While we have had nearly non-existent numbers of leaks with the cloth (some of the really runny poops start to color the stitching seams after a minute or two, and Brian had a drop on his arm one day- but that was due to holding her at a funny angle, one-handed & the diaper wasn't adjusted fully)- these leaks are nothing compared to the blessings she has bestowed upon her Grandmothers when wearing disposables.
And I have to say... it made me laugh.
We decided to use disposables for the Friday/Saturday (6/24 & 6/25) portion of our vacation since we would be hitting Galena and then Northfield before finally taking pause in Swea on Sunday. Since we were going to be in the car and wouldn't have much time for laundry, we thought having dirty diapers in a warm car for several days didn't sound very appealing; so before we left Friday we had every cloth diaper washed & packed and baby was wearing a disposable. I didn't realize I had already become so accustomed to using the cloth diapers until Saturday night at the hotel when I told Mom & Brian "I can't wait to get her back in cloth!"
Sunday morning Mom stole the baby into her room with "the boy" in tow while Brian & I loaded the car. While Brian was doing the final check of our room, I went to Mom's & the baby had just spit up- on herself & on the bed. Mom & I agreed that a fresh diaper for the road was a grand idea so I took her & laid her on the bed to change her diaper & noticed that she had gotten Mom as well. Ok, no problem, we'll just wipe them down, right? WRONG! Not only had she spit up but she had unleashed the holy demon of poops onto my Mom which had claimed not only the outfit she was wearing, but my Mom's shirt as well. Yuck! We get to Swea & immediately put her in cloth. (I loved Aunt Renee's interest in my mini CD tutorial.)
Fast forward to Saturday (7/2 for those of you keeping track)- We are all ready to take the kids to the fishing derby & my MIL wants to keep the baby- ok, 1-on-1 with the boy & she gets to have the baby all to herself- win-win! I asked if she had a diaper preference & she chose disposable because that's what she had "more experience" with, so I put her in that & left several extras out for her. After the derby we get back to the house & notice that the baby AND my MIL are both in new outfits- uh-oh! Sure enough, she blessed yet another Grandma with the queen of all poops! We all laughed as my MIL joked that I did it on purpose & I told her "I told you so."
So now I'm thinking "what is it with her & letting it fly on her Grandmas clothes?"
While we have had nearly non-existent numbers of leaks with the cloth (some of the really runny poops start to color the stitching seams after a minute or two, and Brian had a drop on his arm one day- but that was due to holding her at a funny angle, one-handed & the diaper wasn't adjusted fully)- these leaks are nothing compared to the blessings she has bestowed upon her Grandmothers when wearing disposables.
And I have to say... it made me laugh.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
What the....?
I had this post mostly completed before we left on vacation, but didn't get a chance to finish it or post it- so now I've had a chance to add to and update it... so here it is.
Wednesday, June 22:
In all honesty, I'm not as tired today as I thought I would be after being up for half of the night.
Let me run you through a normal night- eat supper, play with the kids, go to bed. If I wake up thirsty, unless it's that "I'm so parched I'm going to choke" dry mouth/throat, I don't get up- I just go back to sleep & get a drink in the morning.
Now let me tell you how last night really went- eat supper, turn on news & weather because it was looking nasty outside, grab kids & run for the basement when the sirens went off, spend 1+hrs downstairs, came upstairs, got kids in bed & got to bed ourselves.
Somewhere between 1 and 1:15am I wake up thirsty. It's not the "important" thirsty that would cause me to take action, it's just that normal thirsty that happens occasionally. But this time I can't ignore it & I'm not sure why.
I get up & go downstairs to get a drink & immediately am anticipating someone grabbing me in the dark. Someone was there watching me. Obviously this was ridiculous- the doors were all locked & if someone was going to grab me I would have already seen them & they would have already done it before I got my glass & poured myself some O.J. (which is about the time my brain was actually having this thought.)
I turn around & face the sink chug-a-lugging my OJ & behind me the microwave starts running. WHAT THE....? And it's not like someone pushed the button & the button beeped & then it started running for 60 seconds- NO! It just put itself on 60 sec & starts going- double WHAT THE....?!
So here I am, pushing the clear/off button trying to get the stupid thing to stop fearing it would wake the kids (which was a stupid thought anyway- our microwave is not that loud, but I was still 1/2 asleep & probably more worried about the "cook end" beeps than anything) and this thing isn't stopping! I open the door thinking I've been pushing the wrong button & again try pushing the clear/off button multiple times with no result.
"Ok" I say to myself, "I'll just restart this, let it run & complete the cycle & it will be done." right? NOPE! Now it won't restart. (Yes, I closed the door first.)
Suddenly BEEP-BEEP-BEEP "KEYPAD SHORTAGE- MAY NEED REPAIR" scrolls across the screen. WONDERFUL! Finally the thing stops beeping after a minute & I go upstairs not entirely sure what I just experienced. "Brian, are you awake?" "uh" "No, I need you fully awake because I need to know you understand what I'm telling you." As he says "was something beeping" the microwave starts beeping again! So we both go downstairs with the same results as before. We even tried unplugging it & plugging it back in with no better resolution- so he just unplugged it. Luckily we kept the counter-top microwave from the apartment- so I cleared a space on the counter & he brought it up from the basement.
Tonight my FIL came over to take a look & since we couldn't find the book for it at the time we were looking the microwave up online & were shocked to find a number of complaints about these "blowing up", starting on fire or smoking! WHAT THE...!!!
Monday, July 4:
Happy 4th to all my readers! Not that there's that many of you, but hey- you deserve some credit if you're reading my boring blog.
Needless to say- we left the GE mounted & the counter-top microwaves unplugged while we were gone.
After regaling my Mom, MIL & SIL with this adventure I am convinced that someone was looking out for us. Someone made me get out of bed & be in the kitchen when it started running so we would know it was happening before we left. I have no doubt that had we not known & left for vacation with it plugged in, we may have come home to a pile of ashes where our house once stood.
I feel blessed that someone is watching over my family!
Wednesday, June 22:
In all honesty, I'm not as tired today as I thought I would be after being up for half of the night.
Let me run you through a normal night- eat supper, play with the kids, go to bed. If I wake up thirsty, unless it's that "I'm so parched I'm going to choke" dry mouth/throat, I don't get up- I just go back to sleep & get a drink in the morning.
Now let me tell you how last night really went- eat supper, turn on news & weather because it was looking nasty outside, grab kids & run for the basement when the sirens went off, spend 1+hrs downstairs, came upstairs, got kids in bed & got to bed ourselves.
Somewhere between 1 and 1:15am I wake up thirsty. It's not the "important" thirsty that would cause me to take action, it's just that normal thirsty that happens occasionally. But this time I can't ignore it & I'm not sure why.
I get up & go downstairs to get a drink & immediately am anticipating someone grabbing me in the dark. Someone was there watching me. Obviously this was ridiculous- the doors were all locked & if someone was going to grab me I would have already seen them & they would have already done it before I got my glass & poured myself some O.J. (which is about the time my brain was actually having this thought.)
I turn around & face the sink chug-a-lugging my OJ & behind me the microwave starts running. WHAT THE....? And it's not like someone pushed the button & the button beeped & then it started running for 60 seconds- NO! It just put itself on 60 sec & starts going- double WHAT THE....?!
So here I am, pushing the clear/off button trying to get the stupid thing to stop fearing it would wake the kids (which was a stupid thought anyway- our microwave is not that loud, but I was still 1/2 asleep & probably more worried about the "cook end" beeps than anything) and this thing isn't stopping! I open the door thinking I've been pushing the wrong button & again try pushing the clear/off button multiple times with no result.
"Ok" I say to myself, "I'll just restart this, let it run & complete the cycle & it will be done." right? NOPE! Now it won't restart. (Yes, I closed the door first.)
Suddenly BEEP-BEEP-BEEP "KEYPAD SHORTAGE- MAY NEED REPAIR" scrolls across the screen. WONDERFUL! Finally the thing stops beeping after a minute & I go upstairs not entirely sure what I just experienced. "Brian, are you awake?" "uh" "No, I need you fully awake because I need to know you understand what I'm telling you." As he says "was something beeping" the microwave starts beeping again! So we both go downstairs with the same results as before. We even tried unplugging it & plugging it back in with no better resolution- so he just unplugged it. Luckily we kept the counter-top microwave from the apartment- so I cleared a space on the counter & he brought it up from the basement.
Tonight my FIL came over to take a look & since we couldn't find the book for it at the time we were looking the microwave up online & were shocked to find a number of complaints about these "blowing up", starting on fire or smoking! WHAT THE...!!!
Monday, July 4:
Happy 4th to all my readers! Not that there's that many of you, but hey- you deserve some credit if you're reading my boring blog.
Needless to say- we left the GE mounted & the counter-top microwaves unplugged while we were gone.
After regaling my Mom, MIL & SIL with this adventure I am convinced that someone was looking out for us. Someone made me get out of bed & be in the kitchen when it started running so we would know it was happening before we left. I have no doubt that had we not known & left for vacation with it plugged in, we may have come home to a pile of ashes where our house once stood.
I feel blessed that someone is watching over my family!
Friday, June 17, 2011
"Why didn't I do this sooner?": A Diaper Story pt1
This will be a multi-part post with this being the first "installment" & updates on our "progress" to follow:
I never thought I would "be able" to use cloth diapers on my kids.
I was intimidated by the mere thought of having to pin cloth, stuff pockets, store, rinse poop & launder of cloth diapers (aka: CDs). It was too much effort & would never be for me.
When our son was born we were ecstatic to receive disposables as gifts. We struggled through times in the past 4 years where we skimped on groceries to be able to afford the next package of disposables. It probably wouldn't have been a problem had we been the only ones using the diapers which can save on the number used each day, but having to purchase disposables for daycare in addition to home can almost double the cost at times (our previous sitter used quite a few more diapers each day than we ever did at home- changing clean & empty diapers? IDK). Needless to say, we were excited when he was completely potty trained in January. This left us saying "at least we won't have to buy diapers for 3 months" until our next baby was born in April. Again, we were pleased when we received packages of disposables as gifts. Our daughter was born & it was business as usual- buy, use & throw out disposables.
When my Mom came out to help me during the early weeks, she commented about my use of disposables as "easy" for her to help & that she had felt bad when she had visited my step-sister-in-law to help her after she had her son last November as she was using cloth diapers. Mom felt bad that she didn't feel she could be more helpful to my SSIL because she was unsure about how to put the cloth diapers together, which inserts she was suppose to use, etc. I'm ashamed to admit that my comment was "I would never use cloth diapers" as if it was outdated or taboo or some dirty little secret that only certain types of people use cloth diapers. My Mom's response to this statement was that it helped them save money & helped allow her to be able to stay home with her son. That reply got me thinking...
Over the next few weeks I did some research & calculations. :
(http://www.diaperdecisions.com/pages/cost_of_cloth_diapers.php used for average calculations. All calculations are based on diapering a child for 30 months/2.5yrs.)
The average child will have approximately 7174 diaper changes from birth through the completion of potty training (counted at 30 months, but this obviously is not true for every family & will vary as it did with our son).
Calculating out the average cost of a package of diapers & the general number used in each of the sizes available the average family will spend over $2500 (that's the equivalent of a 60" 3D television!) on disposable diapers, which is about $0.36 per change ($21.50/week through potty training/30 weeks).
There are multiple types of cloth diapers-
The cost of purchasing sets of small, medium & large fitted CDs to last through the growth of the child along with energy & water consumption costs is appx $1400, or $0.21 per change. (Compared to the cost of disposables each week- these would pay for themselves in 65 weeks/16 mo.)
The cost of purchasing sets of AI2 CDs (these "grow" with the child & should last from birth through potty training [6lbs-40lbs]) along with energy & water consumption is appx $989, or $0.15 per change. (Compared to the cost of disposables each week- these would pay for themselves in 46 weeks/11.5 mo.)
Hmmm.....
I discovered that CDs were not what I had thought they were. I had the "safety pin a chunk of fabric" visual in my head as what CD-ing was- I couldn't have been more wrong! There is such a variety of colors, pattern & styles with waterproof covers, soft inserts & NO SAFETY PINS that I initially felt lost in a sea of choices & felt pretty dumb for not looking into what options had been available sooner. The more I looked into this I found claims that CD'd babies have 80% less diaper rash & typically potty train 6 months earlier than disposable diapered children. Further research found statistics that supported these claims.
Now- everyone knows I'm not one much for the whole "lose sleep over my carbon footprint" environmentalist point of view- but there are a couple of views regarding the environment from both camps. Disposable advocates claim the water & energy used in cloth diapering washes with or costs more than disposables. (I was under this impression for years.) But based on the calculations I found above- each of the "per change" amounts accommodates the energy & water usage which comes out to appx $0.01 per change/ $0.10 per load for gas powered water heater (which we have)- & those per change totals are STILL lower than the disposables. I found this very interesting.
Taking all this into consideration & having some supportive conversations with my SSIL, we decided to take the plunge and give it a try. After all, if it will save us money in the long run, why not?; and if we decided we didn't like it, well, we could always resell the CDs & just go back to disposables. I did more research & decided I didn't want to have to purchase different sizes for our baby to grow into. I soon found AI2s (All-in-2s) in which the diaper can be adjusted to fit through a wider range of weight/size- so you should only need to buy the one size as they are a "one size fits all" type of thing. I found a style & brand I liked but was soon dissuaded after reading that the company listed their inserts as microfiber, but didn't state what, if anything, it was covered with. Microfiber should never be directly against the skin, especially in the areas that diapers are used. After some more searching I found an AI2 brand that not only would last through potty training, but also specifically listed the microfiber inserts as being covered in fleece, etc- these were the diapers I'd been looking for.
Being as uncertain and "scared" as I was, I put off ordering for several weeks (being on maternity leave, our funds have been extremely restricted & the initial costs were a hard pill to swallow.). Once my insurance payment arrived, I decided that putting off ordering any longer was just increasing my costs with disposables as I threw more away each & every day.
Our order arrived & I immediately began the pre-wash process- I was excited & raring to go! Once this was done we started using them that night. I immediately noticed how soft the insides & inserts were & our daughter seemed to notice as well & seemed to have much less discomfort than when she was wearing the disposables. I hadn't even realized that there would be a difference or that she would notice a difference until I put her in them & watched her relaxed reaction. Those first couple of days were our learning period- adjusting the diapers to her size, mentally adjusting to not throwing the dirty diaper in the trash as well as the difference in diaper bulk from disposables, and general care of the diapers. Of course it didn't even occur to me to check out clean & care guidelines online in addition to those that the company sent me- so like a fool, I tried to clean her poo off the first day & didn't think it was working well. After I looked online I discovered that poo of breastfed babies is water soluble & doesn't need to be rinsed from the cloth diaper, just toss it in the wash & it comes right off. (Obviously the hot cycle sanitizes them & the washer, so that was a relief.) This made life easier- poopy diaper?- into the wash it goes!
I humorously emailed my SSIL telling her how stupid I felt & we laughed at how much we both "enjoy" changing the babies diapers now because it is like putting a new outfit on each time because CDs come in all sorts of colors & patterns. Even my husband is completely on board, namely because of the money saving aspect- but his support in "our" decision has been vital & is very appreciated.
Looking back I see a difference in how we react to our daughter "filling" her diaper. With disposables we were always rushing to get it changed before it came leaking out the sides or up the back or worse, up the front- all of which would result in not only a diaper change but also a wardrobe change and more than likely, a bath! As a matter of fact- I even posted on FB one day regarding a blowout diaper. One thing I didn't expect was not having this issue with CDs. We have not had a single "blowout" issue- not one! I know that when I hear her "taking care of business" that I have time to finish feeding her, etc without having to worry about her diaper leaking all over me in addition to her, the blanket or play-mat she's laying on or the changing pad- the mess is actually absorbed into the insert & away from her rather than sitting on top to run all over once the diaper is opened & removed.
Each time I put a diaper in the pail I say to myself "that's money that isn't going in the garbage!" While writing this post it occurred to me that the costs were based on 30 months- WAIT A MINUTE! Our son completed potty training this past January, so he was in diapers or training pants for 44 months- making the figure for the total cost of diapering him closer to $3779!! Wow! Now keep in mind- I realize it would have been exceedingly difficult for us to have CD'd our son while we were living in our apartment as we didn't have good access to a reliable laundry facility & having a weeks worth of CDs to take to the in-laws so we could launder them would have been very smelly & really gross. However, it would have been feasible for us to start after we got our house (& thus our own laundry room & machines), but it never occurred to us & we would have justified the continuation of disposables with "he'll be potty trained soon, so it's not worth it." Even the 8 weeks we used disposables on our daughter could have been eliminated had I known what I was missing- or rather, what I was losing by using disposables.
So here we are 1 week later & I couldn't be happier! I intend to order a 2nd set to give us additional diapers & inserts to for more options in colors & better supply for multiple days & ability to wash a few times a week rather than every 1-2 days. After the 2nd set we will have spent appx $600 on CDs, which will put our per change costs around $0.08 (If we get a 3rd set we will be around the $0.15 mark.) & they will pay for themselves in 28 weeks. After that time, we're essentially diapering our daughter for $0.01 per change/ $0.10 per load in laundering costs.
Now, don't get me wrong- CD-ing is not everyone's cup of tea & I do not think poorly of parents who use disposables- we did for almost 4 years! However- knowing how much we'll be saving, taking our daughter's comfort & health into consideration & the general ease of use & laundering- so far I'm loving our decision to use cloth diapers! Which leaves me wondering....
WHY DIDN'T I DO THIS SOONER?!
I never thought I would "be able" to use cloth diapers on my kids.
I was intimidated by the mere thought of having to pin cloth, stuff pockets, store, rinse poop & launder of cloth diapers (aka: CDs). It was too much effort & would never be for me.
When our son was born we were ecstatic to receive disposables as gifts. We struggled through times in the past 4 years where we skimped on groceries to be able to afford the next package of disposables. It probably wouldn't have been a problem had we been the only ones using the diapers which can save on the number used each day, but having to purchase disposables for daycare in addition to home can almost double the cost at times (our previous sitter used quite a few more diapers each day than we ever did at home- changing clean & empty diapers? IDK). Needless to say, we were excited when he was completely potty trained in January. This left us saying "at least we won't have to buy diapers for 3 months" until our next baby was born in April. Again, we were pleased when we received packages of disposables as gifts. Our daughter was born & it was business as usual- buy, use & throw out disposables.
When my Mom came out to help me during the early weeks, she commented about my use of disposables as "easy" for her to help & that she had felt bad when she had visited my step-sister-in-law to help her after she had her son last November as she was using cloth diapers. Mom felt bad that she didn't feel she could be more helpful to my SSIL because she was unsure about how to put the cloth diapers together, which inserts she was suppose to use, etc. I'm ashamed to admit that my comment was "I would never use cloth diapers" as if it was outdated or taboo or some dirty little secret that only certain types of people use cloth diapers. My Mom's response to this statement was that it helped them save money & helped allow her to be able to stay home with her son. That reply got me thinking...
Over the next few weeks I did some research & calculations. :
(http://www.diaperdecisions.com/pages/cost_of_cloth_diapers.php used for average calculations. All calculations are based on diapering a child for 30 months/2.5yrs.)
The average child will have approximately 7174 diaper changes from birth through the completion of potty training (counted at 30 months, but this obviously is not true for every family & will vary as it did with our son).
Calculating out the average cost of a package of diapers & the general number used in each of the sizes available the average family will spend over $2500 (that's the equivalent of a 60" 3D television!) on disposable diapers, which is about $0.36 per change ($21.50/week through potty training/30 weeks).
There are multiple types of cloth diapers-
The cost of purchasing sets of small, medium & large fitted CDs to last through the growth of the child along with energy & water consumption costs is appx $1400, or $0.21 per change. (Compared to the cost of disposables each week- these would pay for themselves in 65 weeks/16 mo.)
The cost of purchasing sets of AI2 CDs (these "grow" with the child & should last from birth through potty training [6lbs-40lbs]) along with energy & water consumption is appx $989, or $0.15 per change. (Compared to the cost of disposables each week- these would pay for themselves in 46 weeks/11.5 mo.)
Hmmm.....
I discovered that CDs were not what I had thought they were. I had the "safety pin a chunk of fabric" visual in my head as what CD-ing was- I couldn't have been more wrong! There is such a variety of colors, pattern & styles with waterproof covers, soft inserts & NO SAFETY PINS that I initially felt lost in a sea of choices & felt pretty dumb for not looking into what options had been available sooner. The more I looked into this I found claims that CD'd babies have 80% less diaper rash & typically potty train 6 months earlier than disposable diapered children. Further research found statistics that supported these claims.
Now- everyone knows I'm not one much for the whole "lose sleep over my carbon footprint" environmentalist point of view- but there are a couple of views regarding the environment from both camps. Disposable advocates claim the water & energy used in cloth diapering washes with or costs more than disposables. (I was under this impression for years.) But based on the calculations I found above- each of the "per change" amounts accommodates the energy & water usage which comes out to appx $0.01 per change/ $0.10 per load for gas powered water heater (which we have)- & those per change totals are STILL lower than the disposables. I found this very interesting.
Taking all this into consideration & having some supportive conversations with my SSIL, we decided to take the plunge and give it a try. After all, if it will save us money in the long run, why not?; and if we decided we didn't like it, well, we could always resell the CDs & just go back to disposables. I did more research & decided I didn't want to have to purchase different sizes for our baby to grow into. I soon found AI2s (All-in-2s) in which the diaper can be adjusted to fit through a wider range of weight/size- so you should only need to buy the one size as they are a "one size fits all" type of thing. I found a style & brand I liked but was soon dissuaded after reading that the company listed their inserts as microfiber, but didn't state what, if anything, it was covered with. Microfiber should never be directly against the skin, especially in the areas that diapers are used. After some more searching I found an AI2 brand that not only would last through potty training, but also specifically listed the microfiber inserts as being covered in fleece, etc- these were the diapers I'd been looking for.
Being as uncertain and "scared" as I was, I put off ordering for several weeks (being on maternity leave, our funds have been extremely restricted & the initial costs were a hard pill to swallow.). Once my insurance payment arrived, I decided that putting off ordering any longer was just increasing my costs with disposables as I threw more away each & every day.
Our order arrived & I immediately began the pre-wash process- I was excited & raring to go! Once this was done we started using them that night. I immediately noticed how soft the insides & inserts were & our daughter seemed to notice as well & seemed to have much less discomfort than when she was wearing the disposables. I hadn't even realized that there would be a difference or that she would notice a difference until I put her in them & watched her relaxed reaction. Those first couple of days were our learning period- adjusting the diapers to her size, mentally adjusting to not throwing the dirty diaper in the trash as well as the difference in diaper bulk from disposables, and general care of the diapers. Of course it didn't even occur to me to check out clean & care guidelines online in addition to those that the company sent me- so like a fool, I tried to clean her poo off the first day & didn't think it was working well. After I looked online I discovered that poo of breastfed babies is water soluble & doesn't need to be rinsed from the cloth diaper, just toss it in the wash & it comes right off. (Obviously the hot cycle sanitizes them & the washer, so that was a relief.) This made life easier- poopy diaper?- into the wash it goes!
I humorously emailed my SSIL telling her how stupid I felt & we laughed at how much we both "enjoy" changing the babies diapers now because it is like putting a new outfit on each time because CDs come in all sorts of colors & patterns. Even my husband is completely on board, namely because of the money saving aspect- but his support in "our" decision has been vital & is very appreciated.
Looking back I see a difference in how we react to our daughter "filling" her diaper. With disposables we were always rushing to get it changed before it came leaking out the sides or up the back or worse, up the front- all of which would result in not only a diaper change but also a wardrobe change and more than likely, a bath! As a matter of fact- I even posted on FB one day regarding a blowout diaper. One thing I didn't expect was not having this issue with CDs. We have not had a single "blowout" issue- not one! I know that when I hear her "taking care of business" that I have time to finish feeding her, etc without having to worry about her diaper leaking all over me in addition to her, the blanket or play-mat she's laying on or the changing pad- the mess is actually absorbed into the insert & away from her rather than sitting on top to run all over once the diaper is opened & removed.
Each time I put a diaper in the pail I say to myself "that's money that isn't going in the garbage!" While writing this post it occurred to me that the costs were based on 30 months- WAIT A MINUTE! Our son completed potty training this past January, so he was in diapers or training pants for 44 months- making the figure for the total cost of diapering him closer to $3779!! Wow! Now keep in mind- I realize it would have been exceedingly difficult for us to have CD'd our son while we were living in our apartment as we didn't have good access to a reliable laundry facility & having a weeks worth of CDs to take to the in-laws so we could launder them would have been very smelly & really gross. However, it would have been feasible for us to start after we got our house (& thus our own laundry room & machines), but it never occurred to us & we would have justified the continuation of disposables with "he'll be potty trained soon, so it's not worth it." Even the 8 weeks we used disposables on our daughter could have been eliminated had I known what I was missing- or rather, what I was losing by using disposables.
So here we are 1 week later & I couldn't be happier! I intend to order a 2nd set to give us additional diapers & inserts to for more options in colors & better supply for multiple days & ability to wash a few times a week rather than every 1-2 days. After the 2nd set we will have spent appx $600 on CDs, which will put our per change costs around $0.08 (If we get a 3rd set we will be around the $0.15 mark.) & they will pay for themselves in 28 weeks. After that time, we're essentially diapering our daughter for $0.01 per change/ $0.10 per load in laundering costs.
Now, don't get me wrong- CD-ing is not everyone's cup of tea & I do not think poorly of parents who use disposables- we did for almost 4 years! However- knowing how much we'll be saving, taking our daughter's comfort & health into consideration & the general ease of use & laundering- so far I'm loving our decision to use cloth diapers! Which leaves me wondering....
WHY DIDN'T I DO THIS SOONER?!
No cookie for you!
Let's face it- I've always loved discounts & freebies!
I grew up seeing my Mom put together shopping lists with her big rubber-banded coupon holder & spending several hours in the store helping her shop for the month's worth of groceries. (I was about 10 before I realized that she took us along as a guarantee that we would be there to help her carry everything in the house when she got home, not because she loved having to deal with us at the supermarket. Ingenious!!)
I've used coupons my entire adult life & have had to step it up since going on maternity leave this spring, which has allowed me to amass a small stock pile (252 items for which I only paid an average of 40% for) of necessities & items I wouldn't have normally been able to afford, that will last us a good long while (won't be buying deodorant or shampoo/conditioner for months!).
I've even crossed the bridge of giveaways & freebies- after all- someone wants to give you something free just for trying it, for your opinion or for using their service- why the heck not?!? It's not like I can afford to do those things if I have to pay full price for them.
So I was appalled the other day while reading comments in response to a Nook post on Facebook regarding free cookies when you purchase a frappuccino by showing the "coupon" you downloaded to your Nook to the cashier.
So many people commented about not liking frappuccino & how disappointed they were that this was the drink you had to get or that there wasn't something "better" for free.
WHAT?!? Barnes & Noble is giving you a cookie! Something free is better than nothing free- what is the problem here!?! Has our society become that selfish, self serving & down right gluttonous regarding what people think they deserve to have handed to them on a silver platter that people can't be grateful for a free cookie?!?
I don't get it!
In this day & age, we have to take what we can get & be grateful for it. Companies don't have to give stuff away, but they choose to- granted it is for their own benefit, but free helps me out & I'm happy to let them take advantage of me if I'm getting something out of it.
Most people can't afford to be picky about freebies; so if all you are going to do is complain about something that's offered to you for free because it doesn't live up to your standard of what you think you deserve- get your snobby nose out of the checkout line so those of us who appreciate the opportunity can get ours!
I grew up seeing my Mom put together shopping lists with her big rubber-banded coupon holder & spending several hours in the store helping her shop for the month's worth of groceries. (I was about 10 before I realized that she took us along as a guarantee that we would be there to help her carry everything in the house when she got home, not because she loved having to deal with us at the supermarket. Ingenious!!)
I've used coupons my entire adult life & have had to step it up since going on maternity leave this spring, which has allowed me to amass a small stock pile (252 items for which I only paid an average of 40% for) of necessities & items I wouldn't have normally been able to afford, that will last us a good long while (won't be buying deodorant or shampoo/conditioner for months!).
I've even crossed the bridge of giveaways & freebies- after all- someone wants to give you something free just for trying it, for your opinion or for using their service- why the heck not?!? It's not like I can afford to do those things if I have to pay full price for them.
So I was appalled the other day while reading comments in response to a Nook post on Facebook regarding free cookies when you purchase a frappuccino by showing the "coupon" you downloaded to your Nook to the cashier.
So many people commented about not liking frappuccino & how disappointed they were that this was the drink you had to get or that there wasn't something "better" for free.
WHAT?!? Barnes & Noble is giving you a cookie! Something free is better than nothing free- what is the problem here!?! Has our society become that selfish, self serving & down right gluttonous regarding what people think they deserve to have handed to them on a silver platter that people can't be grateful for a free cookie?!?
I don't get it!
In this day & age, we have to take what we can get & be grateful for it. Companies don't have to give stuff away, but they choose to- granted it is for their own benefit, but free helps me out & I'm happy to let them take advantage of me if I'm getting something out of it.
Most people can't afford to be picky about freebies; so if all you are going to do is complain about something that's offered to you for free because it doesn't live up to your standard of what you think you deserve- get your snobby nose out of the checkout line so those of us who appreciate the opportunity can get ours!
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