Things I am inspired by + excited about

LOVE the orange colour scheme (orange is my favourite colour!). Good for you on choosing to try cloth nappies. I used them for both my kids; the only time they got nappy rash was with disposables. I also think they potty trained themselves much earlier because they knew when they were wet. Anyway, good luck with it all, and thanks for taking the time to share all these bits and pieces with us all :)

We are a cloth diaper family also and all of my girl friends think I'm nuts. We use BumGenius and the company who makes them, Cotton Babies is very philathropic.

Ali, I LOVE those colors for a baby's room and that quilt and mobile are beautiful!!! Great website :-) I'll have to bookmark it for when I have a baby... how joyous!

I'm cloth diapering my triplets and LOVE it! Stay away from wool, though. Its super addictive.
I love the vibrant colors in baby stuff now. Rally makes me want another baby.

i am so glad you are pregnant too! its fun to read your great tips. i think i'll try cloth now, they look so easy. our little boy is due 2/3 : ) hope your doing well--

I was thinking of babies and when I saw the little fabric gift tags I thought that you had made nursing pads!! I did make my own nursing pads out of flannel and they looked a lot like those gift tags, only white. :-)

Hi Ali! Congrats on your girl news! We are cloth diapering our baby #4 (boy, boy, girl, girl - you know we love symmetry at our house!) and I 'm so sorry I didn't go there before. Check out Monkey Snuggles at Etsy - her pocket diapers are great for going out, etc. I didn't think I'd like the pockets, but I really do!
All the best, Janette

Have to laugh at all of the cloth diapering (CD) comments and the person who thought the tags were nursing pads :) ha. Could see how that happened :) CDing with our 2nd child who is (GASP!) now 10 mos old. (GULP) Highly recommend the CPFs and Kissaluvs for newborns. Really liked Bummis and Motherease covers. It looks like everyone loves Bum Genius for a pocket diaper but we've enjoyed Fuzzi Bunz better. Once baby is past the newborn stage. And yes -- someone mentioned wool (for covers etc) and wool is indeed very addictive per one of my mom friends here. Thought I would pass on a site or 2 from here in Canada...I'm definitely not one to solicit (I just like to shop! ha) but I highly recommend checking out this site --- http://hyenacart.com/RecyclingBabies/ or other sites like it for baby clothing/diaper products made out of adult clothing (ie, recycled!).
A few other sites for CDing:
http://www.diaperpin.com/home.asp
And eco babies :):
http://www.theconsciouschild.com/
http://greenlivingideas.com/babies/natural-clothing-for-your-eco-baby.html
I'm sure there are a million and one other sites out there.
Best wishes for VITALITY during such an exciting time for you and your family!! :)
Heidi

I've been inspired by paper envelope tags that are from K is for Calligraphy (shop is on Etsy).

YOU!!! I am in Australia and have been looking for 'your' square purple punch and today I found it! I can't wait to see what I can create with it! Thanks!

My husband and i were just talking about cloth diapers and homemade baby food while we were cleaning up from dinner this evening. We laughed that somehow we were really those people. I used cloth with our now 4yr old and I would so do it again. I loved using them. I didn't mind washing them (that's wierd) and I adored hanging them on the clothesline in the sun. Our clothesline was on the roof and the bright white (yeah, they came that clean) against the blue sky- I could sit up there all day watching them dry. But we just used the cloth diapers from Gerber that you can buy at Target. Diaper pins I remember being hard to find though.
This would almost be enough to make me want to take the plunge and have another one:)

I am excited to hear so many others have had success with cloth diapers. I meet SO MANY people who think I'm plain nuts for using them. Didn't see anyone mention "Snappies" the most AMAZING alternative to pins. These are cheap ($2 each or so) and work great with prefolds. My source for all my CD's was
http://www.babyworks.com/catalog/Default.asp
They are in Portland, and have the best return policy I'v ever seen--30 days money back EVEN IF THE DIAPERS HAVE BEEN USED AND WASHED!! So you can try a bunch of different kinds and pick your favorite. They have snappies, too. Anyway, that's my 2 cents. :)

Ali - I was in your album track at CKU Anaheim last year (A Week in a Life) and I wanted to let you know that you are inspiring me... In August I started a project I am calling 52 - Our Life in Weeks. I am using an 8.5x11 binder and making one page a week as I go. I am documenting our everyday life, thoughts and 'stuff'. I tried talking others into joining me and they said they don't "do anything"... but to me that is not the point. The point is documenting the everyday life we all have, not just the big events. Thank you!

Ali,
Just had to share ... I attended a lovely baby shower this weekend where the mama to be received a mobile from the etsy shop you mentioned (red, green, brown, & white). Completely adorable, so well-crafted, and just plain happy. I'm sure you will enjoy - plus, now I have some more gift ideas for that mama to be, thanks to you! Thanks for the inspiration, as always. :)

what great colors for the babies room. Love the idea.
I used cloth diapers for my last 2 and it is easier to start and the beginning. I used a few kissaluvs. thought they were great. Then changed to regular diapers and covers. But they were definately easier with the newborn. Snaps are so much better at that age.
good luck.

Just another plug for bumGenius!, this one from New Zealand. Tried cloth with my son who is same age as Simon and gave up. Have 10 week old now and tried lots of options before trying bumGenius! and I must say I'm impressed. I'm sure you're over all the recommendations but I couldn't resist.

Hi Ali!
I did cloth diapers with my last two kiddos and loved the money saving, environment helping aspects. I use Bum Genius All In Ones and love them. Super cute colors and easy to use/wash.
Also, I'm attending the Seattle CKC and was wondering if you are teaching the Pieces of my Life class? I'm super excited to spend a whole day on one project (I've always taken short classes before). Looking forward to seeing you there!
Rachelle

hi ali!
just wanted to wish you well on the cloth diapers! we didn't do them with baby girl (now 3.5) but wanted to try with this baby (now 6 mos) and we LOVE them.
we just use prefolds and thirsties covers (if that's the route you're going, it's cheapest, and thirsties covers are THE BEST). plus a hemp for nighttime cause we found that this baby boy was a super soaker! we got the hemp (and the thirsties covers) at www.babycottonbottoms.com - great help there, too.
good luck!

haha. since the gift tags were right below the cloth diapers I thought, "wow those are pretty breast pads!" guess you can tell i'm in the throes of breastfeeding these days! love your baby room colors! also, have you checked out Fuzzi Bunz? There great...they are fleece so the moisture is wicked away like a disposable.

Love cloth diapering! We use BumGenius and they are AMAZING! My husband calls them the 'bionic' diapers. Fewer leaks than we were having with disposables.
Yeah cloth diapering mama!