Cloth Diapering: My Journey to become a CD Momma

I had always loved seeing all the cute fluffy bums and prints but never really made the dive into becoming a cloth diapering mom. I had bought some pocket diapers to try it out but just could never get into it. I didn't like how it looked on Adylee or the constant laundry (I only had 5) so I decided to quit and go back to regular pampers until she was potty trained.

Well, recently I hit a financial snag and really needed a way to stop spending $50 on diapers every week. Between home, going places and daycare I was going through boxes of diapers much faster than I liked. I had a talk with one of my parents at my daycare who cloth diapers and I asked her how much she saved. When she told me, my jaw hit the floor. I never realized how much I had spent on diapers in a year and 6 months. So I decided to go with a different route of diapers than the pockets. I looked and looked and had remembered that my parent told me that her Flip diapers were her absolute favorite. So I decided to buy some covers and inserts. I was hooked!

We now have 15 inserts and 9 covers with one on the way and I plan on buying more in a few days. I love the prints on them, clean up is easy, washing them is a breeze and they fit Adylee very well. I am super pleased with the Flip brand of cloth diapers. 

I know inserts and covers aren't very every cloth diapering momma but for me they have worked the best. I find them to be so much more easier than pockets and I really can't wait to make the plunge into doing them all the time. Right now we only use the cloth diapers at home because it's a bit hard for her teacher at daycare to do two cloth diapered kids and especially cause they are using the same brand and colors. Just easier so nothing gets mixed up. But soon I plan on getting rid of Pampers unless we are going out to the store or when she is sleeping. 

I highly suggest that if you are a new mom wanting to cloth diaper, a mom who stopped and wants to get back in it or a mom who just wants to try them that you try out the Flip diaper system. You may fall in love like I did!!

Adylee's First Birthday Party: Diva Turns One

Adylees birthday party was on the 5th and we had an absolute blast! She had so much fun and got lots of new toys and some clothes too!

She was definitely the diva for the day! We had lots of fun playing with friends and family all afternoon until it was time for presents and cake! 

She absolutely hated the smash cake part. I don't know if it was the icing, everyone watching her or that she is still hat boring a double ear infection. But she made faces and cried till I washed her up. But her cake was gorgeous!!!

Her favorite toys from her party would have to be her kitchen from me and her fourwheeler from my aunt. She loves them and plays with them everyday. She even goes to the door and points to it wanting us to take her out on her fourwheeler.

Adylees first birthday party was a complete success! It was my first time ever throwing a party so I was very nervous but it went smoothly. I wish her dad could've been there, of course, but things don't always work out the way you want them to. 

It's hard to believe that she is now a peddler still. I'm sure I'll get used to it eventually. It's only been a week ;) 

You're gonna do great things, I already know...

Since Adylee has turned one I have been thinking about the life that I want her to live. I obviously want nothing but the absolute best for her but I know that her life isn't going to perfect. Because face it, no one's is. Even the celebrities go through trials and tribulations that are much deeper than who they were spotted with this weekend at the club.

I just want Adylee to grow up knowing that she is loved unconditionally. I sometimes get this feeling of failure because things didn't work out like they should have with her dad. I'm not 100% blamess in our relationship but most of the issues did come from him. I gave it my all and it just wasn't enough. You can't change someone who doesn't want to change. And he didn't care to change nor want my help. I chose to walk away because of Adylee. She deserved so much more than that. She deserved to be in a house full of smiles, laughter and most importantly love. 

I want Adylee to be an independent and a strong woman. That no dream is too big or too impossible for her to achieve. She has been my anchor throughout this past year and I know that one day I will have to be that for her and that's the day I look forward too. I want to be able to give her guidance and tell her what the right path may be but I am also going to let her fall down and get back up again. 

I know that she is going to do great things in her life she just has that quality about her. I can't wait to watch her grow into the person she is meant to become. 

12 Month Update: My now 1 year old

As I sit here writing this, I am in tears. I seriously can't believe that my little newborn baby is now a one year old. Where did the time go? I feel like just yesterday I gave birth to this amazing miracle who changed my world the minute she let out her first cry. When they laid her head on my chest, I instantly knew what unconditional love was and as soon as I looked into her eyes I knew that my life was never going to be the same. I was a different person from that second on. This little helpless human being would now depend on me to bathe, feed, change, and teach her how to become an amazing woman. 

I am so grateful to be her mom. That God chose me to be her teacher and guide her through this crazy, mixed up life. I feel like she was given to me to show me how life can change in a minute but how it's always for the better. I would not trade a single minute of this last year for anything. I learned so much about myself, my daughter, and the person I want her to be as well as the person I want to be. Even though it was not the easiest year by any means, it was still a great one. As Lee Brice has says in his song, "I wouldn't trade a single day for a hundred years the other way." 

Every single day is a blessing to me. Especially because of all the issues that her and I went through during my pregnancy and labor. I will always say that she is my miracle baby. She survived things that she probably shouldn't have. She is perfect in every single way. I could not imagine not having her in my life. I can't even remember who I was before I had her. 

Now that it's just me and her I have vowed to myself and to her that I will make sure she has every single thing she needs and wants. She will get the best of everything and then some. But most importantly, I will love her unconditionally. I don't ever want her to feel that she is not loved in any way because she is. I love her more than I love anything in this world. She's given me more than she knows. 

Today we also went to the dr and she got shots :( but she was a trooper through them! She's officially off the Prevacid for her acid reflux! Doctor said she was growing and developing right on track. Sadly she has an ear infection so she couldn't get her shots but once her fever goes away then I can take her in to get them. Other than that she was perfect! 

After her doctors appointment, we met my mom for lunch. She loves her Nana. My mom had wanted to spend the day with her but she couldn't take off so we decided lunch would be better. We had a great time and then made our way down to the mall for some mommy & daughter time at Build A Bear where she made her own bear named Lovebug!  She absolutely loves her.  We also hit up The Children's Place where we picked up some cheetah boots and a onesie for when it starts getting cooler. 

After that, we went to pick up her first birthday pictures (some are in this post) and then we went up home where we had a cupcake for her birthday and opened up a few gifts from Mommy as well as Nana and Papa. 

She got mega blocks that came with a cart from me. Nana and Papa got her the Sofia the First talking doll. She's loving her toys as you can see! Haha. The best ones are to come when she has her birthday party!!! 

Adylee is 100% off the bottle as of a couple days ago! My goal to get off the bottle by one was achieved! She's on whole milk now and loves it! We are still taking a pacifier and I don't plan on breaking that anytime soon unless she starts to do that herself. By 2 though she will be off it completely. 

Now onto some facts about my princess:

-Is wearing a size 4-4.5 in shoes but slowly growing into a 5

-Wears a size 12-18 month in clothing depending on brand

-Loves anything that has music

-Loves balls

-Is a total momma's girl

-Has been saying some new words or rather variations of what should be words haha. Such as, "down" and "thank you"

-Weighs 22 lbs and 7 oz 

-Is 29 and 3/4" tall

-Her head circumference is 18"

-Loves it when you scare her or pretend to chase her

-Decided to call my mom "MiMi" instead of Nana like we have been telling her to say

-Has been very attached to her pacifier and her lovey lately

-Is sleeping in her own room now so the co-sleeping has been cut down to a bare minimum.

-She's been falling asleep in her crib by herself more lately rather than falling asleep with me and then moving her to the crib 

-Is now going to daycare full time and loves it! 

-She can blow kisses now

This little girls smile is all I need to brighten up my day. She's all I need. I am so thankful for all the help I've gotten along the way this year. I wouldn't have been able to do it without it. Now starts the fun part of raising a child! My little baby is officially a one year old and a toddler. She's no longer an infant. She's becoming such a big girl and I am so proud of her. I have truly been blessed beyond belief. It can only get better from here on out!