Photo Card

Pictures Galore Christmas

Turn your favorite photos into your favorite Christmas cards!

View the entire collection of cards.

Fired up for the Kindle!

I'm not as gadget crazy as some of my friends or the DH. With that being said, I have begged, pleaded, and was almost willing to sell something of high value just to have an iPad. hahahahaha. What a mistake that would have been! I mean that.

I received my Kindle Fire this week since the DH is banning most fruit products from our home (sans iPhone and the iPod) because they are too trendy and that company over-patents everything anyways. So, here's the good, bad, and ugly about the Fire:

Good
Size
So, the Kindle Fire is compact and less bulky than the iPad (great). It weighs just over a pound with a case and under a pound without. The device feels weighty for being so petite. The "standby" button is in the same location as the Kindle - at the bottom. Amazon decided not to go with a similar apple-trademarked design for its device. If it did, sales would most likely be halted somewhere in this world. As an aside, the DH and I have issues with the fruit company over-patenting silly items. Who knows - maybe one day we won't be able to use the word apple without paying 2 cents per use to that company.

Back on point... The device is relatively easy to use. There are several options for finding your apps, news, going on the web, etc. The device runs on the android OS - it is relatively fast and easy to browse. There are "headers" for newsstand, books, music, video, docs, apps, and the web.
I'm not one to use the "newsstand" because I don't believe in paying for an on-line newspaper when I have to see ads. However, the device allows you to purchase your favorite glossy-papered magazine or newspaper. I could pay $2.49 per month for The Onion, but why when I can read from the website? And why on earth would I want to pay almost $20.00 per month for the NY Times? The same with Reuters. I can subscribe to at least Reuters RSS feed on my google reader at no cost. I can also link my google reader to the Pulse application for some light reading. On the plus side, one can subscribe to international newspapers if you wish. One plus side: People is free if you have a paid subscription. Come on, it is the best gossip mag out there!

Value
This device cost $200.00 plus shipping (free if you subscribe to Amazon Prime). Compare that to the cost of the iPad. I have the intention of using the device primarily as an e-reader rather than a camera/e-reader/gadget-that-can-do-it-all type of thing. Really. I might put pictures on the device; however, I see that as one of the "bad" part just because of ease of getting files on the device.

There are several delightful things about having a kindle: Copyright expiration for Classics. Yup. Most of these don't have a cost, you just need to own the device or the application for cell phone or computer to read a book. But I can read my stuff in color. This will work beautifully for texts in January.

Also, Amazon owns Audible so you can hear your books on tape, or similar to that concept.

Bad
Battery life while watching anything over WiFi is short. I'm not sure of the longevity if one were to only utilize this product as a color e-reader only. But why would anyone want to do that?

Similar to the fruit Pad, the kindle has no wandering WiFi connection. Ah, how cell phones have mastered this!

Lastly, the applications are a little limited. Yup. It would be nice to be able to utilize a few more apps on this device; however, I can find what I need on the internet. Some conveniences of the iPhone have not carried over to the android world.

The Ugly
If you have expectations of the iPad on this device, well, don't purchase the Fire. Also, I expected to receive a USB and plug charger with the fire (you know, the one that comes with the Kindle Keyboard); however, all I received was a wall-type charger. The cost of these accessories comes to 19.98 for the USB cable and the "Wall adapter." However, don't waste your money on these accessories as they are not needed. Any USB wall adapter will do as long as it has the right micro bus (cell phones like the Samsung Galaxy use a the same style port. Just sayin').

The other UGLY thing about the Fire comes in the photo department. First, I read reviews that state (home) videos don't play on the device. I have yet to try this, so you are getting second-hand information. But photos... I love my baby and want to share pictures with people and usually do so though the fruit phone (apple has perfected the picture thing). The fire is slow to load pictures and they often flicker when browsing through them. The exception here are the pre-loaded Amazon "sample" pictures.

So, here is an overview of my review:

Value: 4-stars. You can't beat the price for the device and its features if you have Amazon prime. 3.5 stars for those who don't just because they can't sit in front of a 7" screen mini boob tube. The fact that the device is lacking the USB port charger irks me.

Size: 5-stars. The device is not the ergonomically-friendly awkward-shaped iPad. Rather, this device is compact just like the Kindle of previous generations.

Features: 4-stars. Don't expect the iPad or a device which includes a camera and you will be happy. This is an e-reader that can browse the web as a mobile device and use some apps. Battery life is limited but that can be resolved by carrying a USB charger for your car with you.

Useability: 3.5 stars. I have yet to figure out how to organize things in the app store to my liking. Also, this device came with an instruction card rather than a few-page manual. My time of looking up ways to use the device or make my life easier is limited with having a baby around.

Overall: 4-stars. You can't beat what the device has to offer for the price. This device is even better for TV viewing if you have Prime. It is a great e-reader that surfs the net, allows you to edit documents, check email, watch videos/shows/movies via stream, and share pictures. It is not perfect - maybe the second generation will be more what those fruit-heads what the device to be. Also, don't expect the iPad for the Fire. You WILL hate it.

Did you make a poopy?

Back to the wonderful world of diapering. The MIL gave my child some wash cloths of a handkerchief-like quality. I didn't think they were ideal for washing my little one because I wanted something with a little more texture - you know, the terry-cloth like one we are all used to with our bathing accessories. So I had my epiphany: my not just use 'em as baby wipes. They are thin and inexpensive, and can't really serve any other purpose. I think it took me over a month to go through a large pack of wipes manufactured by Kimberly Clark or Proctor & Gamble since A) My husband uses the manufactured wipes and B) I use 'em when I run out of the washable ones.

There are a lot of options for making diaper wipe solution. My preference is for one with Dr. Bronner's Castille Soap with a Lavender scent. Tea tree smells awful (like a petrochemical) and I'm afraid peppermint might be too cooling on the baby's diapered area (when cleaned and drying). I will also (secretly) admit that the baby's diaper rashes started decreasing after I started using this on her skin. I don't know if there is something in the other wipes or just that time of the year - but I'll let you fellow readers know in the summer.

Consider "reusable" wipes if you don't mind mixing up the Dr. B's with some tea tree oil, essential oil, and another oil for the skin. Zany Zebra Designs has a few solutions worth making. That peri bottle you get in the hospital (pending you gave birth naturally) is the perfect size to mix all ingredients to make 8 ounces (240 mL) of solution.

Happy wiping with great smelling solution and "wash cloths!"

What a Flap!

My latest project for das Kind was a hat with ear flaps. I purchased Knitting Pure and Simple's Baby Hats, Mitts, and Booties. The instructions are simple enough for even this beginner knitter to have a great looking completed project.

Yes, I made a few errors on this project. Instructions begin with making one ear flap then starting another. The first ear flap is joined to the rest of the hat. Pull the yarn as tight as you can (without breaking, of course) to avoid leaving a hole like I did. Yup. Plain as day. The kiddo won't care. She's just sporting a pink hat with ear flaps. The "strings" are just a simple I-cord. Thank you, Judy, for your tutorial.

The hat was completed on size 6 double-pointed needles with Cascade 220 Heathers in color 2449. I would recommend this pattern for a beginner looking to advance his or her skills just a little due to the connecting the ear flap and adding a cord.

Happy Knitting!

For the Wee One

I'm always making something for the little one. It just happens to be a pair of hilarious leggings right now. http://thewitknit.blogspot.com/p/patterns.html and look for Little Johns. The pattern price is $4.99.

I recommend using an inexpensive yarn if this is your first project or are new to knitting. The instructions are simple and easy to follow. YouTube videos are always available to help you too.

Project details to come. I'm having a lot of fun with these as I have most of my knitting projects. I cannot wait for these to be finished since I am a cloth diapering momma. Wool naturally repels water when properly lanolinized (washing the wool in a lanolin wash such as Eucalan no rinse delicate wash)

Happy Knitting :)

The Cottage Industry Continues...

My husband purchased hand-wrapped dryer balls a couple of years ago to help cut down drying time of our clothes. We have had issues not with our dryer but the amount of distance the vented air has to flow out of the house. This distance caused several problems including clogging of the roof-top vent, backing up of water in my home, and need for a dryer booster fan. I also feel that we lost a dryer because of the issues we have had in our home. Much of this could have been avoided if the property manager listened to us about the issue (as many people in my condo complex also complained about the same issue). But, that is not the purpose of this entry. The purpose: detailing why wool dryer balls are more superior to those plastic things. Oh, those plastic things don't help your clothes dry any faster. Not that I am an expert, but I do know 2 hour drying times from 40 minute drying times.

There are crafters on Etsy that sell a completed project or you can make your own. If you are a knitter, use scrap yarn for the inner core and a cost-effective yarn for the outer core. Obviously, you should be using wool not superwash, merino, acrylic, cotton, or any synthetic material for home-made dryer balls. The ones my husband purchased have been with us for over two years and keep helping us reduce the time our clothes need in the dryer. The down-side: they keep shrinking as they collect water and dry.

I look forward to crafting some more of these handy little balls from scraps of baby projects!

(Bath) Bombs Away!!!

The DH decided to make bath bombs - making them is a lot cheaper than buying them at places like Lush. So... how did we do it?

Purchase all your materials (I know, you already know to do this).
For a good list, check out http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-Bath-Bombs/

Some modifications: I used a spritzer for adding water to spread the water more evenly and make a more homogeneous mixture. See http://www.skiptomylou.org/2011/02/04/youre-the-bomb/ for another suggestion on how to construct bath bombs.

I used grapeseed oil initially just because I had some. I used it as a massage oil for the baby but didn't like it on her skin. I think I would go with apricot kernel with a touch of tea tree oil plus essential oils per recipes. Oh, with essential oils, less is better. Stick to the 2 tsp amount and you will be good. Any more can yield a very potent product.

Last but not least, use a mold rather than a snowball maker if you want a rounded product. I was only able to produce hemispheres with the snowball maker.

Check out http://www.notmartha.org/tomake/bathbombs/ for more info, experiences and happy (bath) bombing!

Tales of Houseguests and a Newborn

This summer my little family had the pleasure (and pain) of many houseguests. I guess that comes with the territory of having a baby, especially your first.

The first guest stayed for a week - and the visit was much over-extended. First of all, I was upset by the mere fact that I watched this guest sit on the couch and watch television while I cleaned the dishes and tried to eat before my baby cried for food. The guest only offered to hold the baby while I completed the household chores. I wish the guest would have offered to wash the dishes in the sink because I did feed this person during the visit. Also, it seems like common sense! Taking care of a newborn is very busy. I did not ask for this person to clean the dishes and I don't know that it would have mattered in this case. I also told said houseguest that my rule for the baby (to reduce risk for SIDS and other respiratory conditions) was no smoking. The baby is exposed to the chemicals and smoke that linger on a persons clothes. The excuse for not smoking: it is so hard and I've tried. My thoughts: whatever; obviously minimal effort was made if you weren't using electronic cigarettes, trying the patch, or medical interventions such as Wellbutrin or Chantix.

The first houseguest also purchased lottery tickets during the visit. I've made it known how much I hate that tax on the village idiot. The first time was a whatever type of situation, although the $2.00 tickets didn't have a high enough win ratio as compared to guests homestate. The part that angered me about the lottery ticket purchase was the second purchase during the week. We were on our way back from a comic book store and I heard my baby rousing in the back seat and made it a point to say that the baby needs to eat in a few minutes. Apparently, she wanted a newspaper (my mistake thinking this), so I pumped some gas. Little did I know that my child would be screaming in the back seat a few minutes later. This houseguest purchased a paper, snack, cashed in lottery tickets, and purchased new ones. My child screamed in the back seat of a car and refused to take a bottle that I prepared for her. I rushed home and rushed my baby to her room to calm her and feed her. The baby was very tense until just before I went to bed for the night.

The next houseguest was almost an improvement from the second. At least the dishes in the sink were cleaned. A couple of things angered me. One was the guest almost kicking me out of my house to watch the baby. WRONG thing to do. My husband and I were also told by the houseguest how proud this person was of the job that my husband and I were doing with the baby. Thanks. Like I need approval on how to be a parent to a newborn (which isn't that hard... all they do is eat, sleep, and excrete waste for most of the day). Thank goodness for a three day visit and the fact that these visitors do not live within driving distance.

The last houseguest was the most laid back. We smoked salmon, cared for the baby, cooked some delish bombster scallops and even made a trip to Abbots in the Rough. The DH and I subsequently suffered a bout of intoxication from something in our shellfish that night... but I should digress. Things were cleaned (unlike with the first visitor) and I was not told anything that hinted this visitor wanted to give me approval for anything related to my domicile or rearing of a newborn. The only thing bothersome was having to hide breastfeeing. Um, it is natural and my has the kid grown because of my super milk. This visitor followed the three-day rule to a T. Too bad we live so far apart.

All in all, there is an art to handling your visitors. First, lay some ground rules. Trust me, it will make the visit much easier. Then ASK not expect or assume for help. I probably would have suffered a "why?" or something similar from my first visitor. Remember, I just had a baby and need help not a houseguest who expects me to cater to him/her, a newborn, and take care of myself.

All In on Cloth Diapering!!!

I'm not using your momma's cloth diapers (exclusively)! The world of cloth diapering has changed a lot since I was born roughly 30-ish years ago. The baby was started on pocket diapers this weekend and I hope to have no regrets except for a slight increase in laundry. She's got a couple of brands to start with: Bum Genius (the 4.0 with snaps and artist series with velcro), Fuzzibunz, Swaddlebees, and Kawaii diapers. All of the ones I have selected are the one-size diaper. I also have babykicks prefolds with thirsties duo wrap covers and the Thirsties pocket diaper.

Here's my review so far:
For the least expensive option, go with the Kawaii Diapers. All the pocket diapers have a fleece lining and theirs is the softest. There are 1-2 downfalls, depending on your opinion. In my case, there are two. The first is these are shipped from Western Canada, so either you have to pay for expedited shipping, buy these used, or just wait a while for them to arrive to your house. I think I waited two weeks. The second is a personal preference issue. I use Charlie's Laundry Soap (not a detergent) to clean my clothes. Since purchasing these very cost-efficient diapers, I have realized that I need to keep detergent in the house (using Dreft and Rockin' Green).

The most expensive options are the Swaddlebees and Babykicks prefolds. The Swaddlebees pocket diapers retail for $28.95, which is roughly $8.00 higher than the industry standard. Next, the diaper manufacturer says the inserts are made of organic cotton and bamboo. Bamboo is a name for a synthetic fiber, not the tree consumed by pandas. It is adjustable (like all of the options that I picked) and has cute patterns. Cute patterns and an organic/synthetic blend pad are not enough to make me want to purchase any more than the one that I did for the baby. The next most expensive option is the baby kicks prefolds that can be used with any diaper cover. I just happened to have chosen the Thirsties brand. They are expensive prefolds. In fact, three of these cost as much as 12 OsoCozy trifolds. Why did I spend so much money? I don't know, but I will tell you that I really really really like BabyKick's product. It is a hemp/cotton blend that is super soft and super absorbant. I've used a cotton trifold and found that it becomes soaked with urine very quickly. I cannot testify to the absorbancy of OsoCozy's diaper - just the Babykicks. I would recommend this brand if you wanted the traditional trifold and had no qualms about the cost of the diaper.

The Thirsties pocket diapers are nice for the wee ones. I have heard that babies tend to pull the velcro when they are older and feel that these are good for babies who have yet to figure out the velcro concept. Also, only two sizes are available rather than one large adjustable size. The advantage to the velcro system is a personalized adjustment for the baby. Also, the pocket has two openings to make adjusting the inner pad much easier. The Thirsties brand includes one hemp liner which is great for absorbing all that urine babies tend to make and expel throughout the day!

Now for the two "common" brands: Fuzzibunz and Bum Genius, weighing pros and cons.
First with the cons: I feel that the Fuzzibunz do not grab around the baby's legs even for the weight they are rated for. The website claims that the diaper can be used on babies weighing 7 pounds up to 35 pounds. My child weighs just over 8 right now. I used one that did not leak urine; however, I cannot testify to poop. The other downside is with laundering the diaper. Again, this is one where it is not recommended to use laundry soap but rather use laundry detergent. Bummer... I just don't like having to keep up with different types of washing for the diapers. On the other hand, I can use Charlies Laundry Soap on the Bum Genius diapers!!! I also don't have a problem with poop leaking from these diapers. Oh, I noticed the Kawaii diaper had stool around the leg openings and attribute that to a size thing - I have a tiny baby :)

My personal preference is for the Bum Genius (4.0) brand; however, I am sure that will change. I'm also digging the BabyKicks trifolds with a diaper cover. Both are great with preventing poop from leaking on baby's clothes.

Now... the down-side to cloth diapering is the baby will most likely need to wear clothes that are a size bigger to accomodate the bulk. If you can handle that - then you can handle anything!!! Also, depending on the brand, you may need to purchase some liners just in case you have to use a skin barrier on baby's bottom. Many of the materials are altered when products stick to the surface of the inner fleece. Kushies makes a great product to line diapers with. in My little one does not seem to mind the paper material in her diapers when I apply buttpaste to protect her skin.

Worried about a diaper pail? No worries here as I am using my washer (yup). The tub is filled about half-way with water and a detergent, which this week happens to be Rockin' Green. I'm not happy with the Rockin Green detergent. It does not keep the smell of the stool down and it requires a double-rinse. It does not seem efficient to double-rinse a product when a baby keeps you busy enough. The extra time added to the rinse could be better spent with clothes drying or starting a new load of wash.

BSJ - Revisited

I'm knitting my third BSJ - a pattern created by Elizabeth Zimmerman. The little miss is going to be so spoiled! I'm using size 1 needles for the latest one and hope that this one is a better fit for her since she weighs all of 8 pounds right now.
The jacket is quite fun to knit and I cannot wait to finish this one! Then I can make an attempt at a baby bonnet.