setbacks...

...seem to be the norm around here. Meghan's diaper rash is flaring up and I was a bit mystified until I stripped half of our diaper stash yesterday. Before, when we only had cotton prefolds and covers, I would just boil the prefolds for 20-30 minutes and covers for 10 minutes. You're not supposed to boil anything with PUL or snaps, as it can warp or cause leaks, but I haven't had any problem with that technique. Now that we have some microfiber inserts, fleece pocket diapers, etc., we get the stinkies/ammonia sometimes. What started this recent bout of stripping was I put Meghan in a Happy Heineys pocket diaper for overnight. We love this because it's easy to use and easy to stuff with extra inserts for overnight. Meg has turned into a heavy wetter at night time since she started drinking milk, water, and juice. The new routine is: I wash everything on hot with a regular amount of diaper soap, a squirt of Dawn dish soap and 2 splashes of bleach. Then an extra wash with just water, so rinse everything clean. I brought all the diapers upstairs and boiled them. Then I rung everything out by hand and hung it all up to dry. The diapers take overnight to dry thoroughly when doing the everyday diaper laundry. The stripped diapers were still quite wet this afternoon, so they're getting a spin in the dryer right now.

I use Dawn because it is "the grease fighter" or whatever their slogan is, so it helps to remove residue left behind by rash creams. I've been using coconut oil, which works great and washes out of the prefolds well, but not the Happy Heineys. The cover is repelling liquid and so Meghan is just sitting in her wet diaper until the liquid is slowly absorbed by the inserts-resulting in the red, angry rash. I'm using the bleach to keep the yeast away until Meg's bum is completely clear. I'm only going to use the 2 splashes of bleach every other week so that the diapers don't deteriorate too fast. Hopefully. :/

I wash every other day or every 3rd day. Lately, every other day. So our diaper stash is split into 2 loads and I'll be doing the whole stripping routine again tomorrow. Big plans for my Saturday-haha.

The beginning of this week didn't start out so great, as far as the scale goes. I gained instead of losing over the weekend. I did not eat right last weekend or exercise and I paid for it on Monday. In addition to not watching what I was eating, I didn't get a chance to exercise, so on Sunday shovelled out our car so I could use it and get some cardio in. :) Kim (mil) called me on Sunday afternoon to say that I was invited to Drew's cousin Katie's baby shower and that it started in 3 hours! I was excited to go because I love babies and parties and getting to see a bunch of Drew's family and their friends from their church.

As Kim was telling me about the party and that I didn't need to bring a gift because of the short notice, I was racking my brain to think of something to bring or quickly whip up with my crochet hook. But 3 hours just wasn't enough time. Add my "workout", Meg's late nap and getting ready to that...I ended up bringing a card. Kim and I were talking about how it would've been nice if I had the time to make an infant sized Mohawk hat like I did for Drew's brother for Christmas. I wish I had had the time to whip up a hat because that would've been too cute and Kim said Katie's husband would've thought it was a hoot. I might make one and give it to Kim to give to Katie anyway, or mail it to her. I don't know. I started a baby blanket for another relative who is due in April and it's not even 1/4 way finished. I started it right after Christmas and I'm only like 10 rows into it.

So back to the exercise deal. I'm thinking about posting my weight numbers on here. I'm not sure if I want the whole world to know exactly how much I weigh, but it would be nice to keep track. I'll probably just post about the milestones, like every 10 pounds or something. I'm not at 10 pounds yet, but I'm getting there! I did work hard all week, worked out every day and I saw a new number today! Very excited about that, I texted Drew right away. :) I also started the Special K diet, like the cereal. I'm eating a bowl for breakfast with fruit, a Special K protein meal bar for lunch with fruit or vegetables, and "regular" food for dinner. Plus Special K protein water, fruits and vegetables for snacks. I do slip up and catch myself splitting a Slim Jim snack with Meghan or eating Goldfish off of her high chair tray when she's done. Sometimes I have a mental battle with myself. ;)

I also have stopped snacking after dinner. It sort of happened subconsciously, the other night I just wasn't hungry after dinner, so I didn't eat. There's a new concept, eh? ;) Then the next night I just didn't eat anything after dinner. Usually Drew and I will have some sort of snack every night when we watch tv or movies together after Meghan goes to sleep. It's getting easier and easier every day. This is such a relief to me because sometimes it feels like an uphill battle.

I love it when it takes 3 4 hours to write a post...