Cloth diapering numero dos

I fully recognize that I'm cursing myself and as soon as I hit publish Miranda will learn how to eat solids and my wash routine will be ineffective and disaster will ensue. 

But I still have to say how well diapering is going this time!

It took me a bit longer to get into a real rhythm. Honestly because it took me a while to figure out regular laundry for the four of us (we were a disaster- generally messy and newly potty trained two year old who changed undies multiple times per day for the hell of it- newborn with bodily fluids coming out every which way-.me with similar fluid issues). Plus the diapers I settled on for Andrew didn't fit well on newborns. 

So at first I just used them when I had them and didn't stress too much. 

By mid/late March things started to clear up. Miranda began to fit into the diapers that make up the majority of our stash, I had a good laundry routine going and we'd found a daycare willing to accommodate. 

Since then it has been totally smooth sailing!

Here are the reasons I think this is so:

1. No learning curve this time. Michael and I are both well trained and know the routine. We're both pretty pleased with ourselves on how few leaks we've had. 

2. I am taking a pretty relaxed approach.i had started to get frustrated that I couldn't get the absorbency right for nighttime but instead of killing myself over it we just use a paper diaper at night. This also lets me slather her booty with whatever cream I want overnight which helps keep her little chubby thighs happy. 

3. Andrew broke in the diapers absorbency wise (the elastics are also a bit loose so that's a bummer). All of the natural fiber diapers and inserts have been washed a million times and are super thirsty. 

4. I know how to use a cover and I'm not afraid to do it. I have to send an intact diaper to daycare but on the weekends I now can use covers and this greatly reduces my laundry burden. 

5. This baby only poops once a week or so. Makes laundry nice. 

I'm so excited that it is going so well so far. I'm not sure why it is a thing I enjoy but it is. 

Maybe it's because of this cuteness

*i have many fewer pics of Miranda in diapers than Andrew, guess the novelty wore off. 

Damn he was adorable. 

I hear a symphony!

The job I had before this one gave me many hours of being in an empty BSL-2 tissue culture room which was inside a basically empty lab. With this amount of isolation-before I discovered podcasts or audiobooks- I not only listened to music but I sang merrily along. *

The most fun and most nostalgic genre for this was Motown. 

I was reminded of this on Saturday when Michael and I went to a restaurant/music venue which had a Motown band playing. 

So today I dusted off my old iTunes playlists and (carefully-my current lab bench isn't nearly as isolated) am happily singing along today. 

It is a welcome break from the heavy news and gut wrenching podcasts (Embedded anyone?) I've been consuming. 

Nothing makes an ELISA go faster than a little Diana Ross! 

Also accomplished this weekend

Haircut, swimming, etc. 

*i was later told that I could be heard sometimes. Whoops. 

Struggle Bus

I am on it. 

Man I am struggling getting into shape. There are many valid reasons/excuses and I am trying to accept that with all of the life changes I've had in the past six months it isn't crazy to still be struggling.  

Not to mention my body still feels kind of broken. Most acutely in my foot. I've had so much foot pain since I had Miranda and it has resulted in a vicious cycle of wanting to exercise to get in the mental place of weight loss and fitness- my foot hurts too much to exercise- I don't lose weight that might help my aching feet. 

I have also eaten* most of my feelings in 2016 which means I've eaten A LOT. 

In an effort to exit the struggle bus I am going to try to use transparency here as motivation(self shaming?). 

I need to lose 25lb to get to my pre pregnancy weight. 25lb on someone my height is a lot. 

My commitment this week:

Hit my step goal everyday

Swim 2X

No dessert

*i fully realize that weight loss happens in the kitchen but I know myself enough to know that exercise makes me feel better and more rational around food. So getting on track there is paramount. 

Me looking short and heavy next to my adorable heel wearing sister. 

Hilarious graduation gift

Things to remember

A compilation of things I want to try to remember from this always-on-infant+toddler season of life:

- when I kiss a sleeping Miranda, most of the time she gives a reflexive sleeping smile. 

- the "don't be sad Miranda" song

-listening to Michael and Andrew do andrew's nighttime checklist as I feed Miranda (sort of chuckling at how much more complex 3 yr old bedtime -WE FLOSS THIS CHILDS'S TEETH- is than baby bedtime at the moment.) And the feeling of gratitude I have that I have a kick ass co-parent. 

- Andrew fetching toys for Miranda 

- baby hand resting on my chest as she eats. 

Dozer Day!

Fact: thus far all of the kiddie type fairs we've taken Andrew to have been at least 50% failure. 

Dozer day however was a giant 100% win!

It was well organized, the volunteer staff were super great and they knew their audience. Plus Facebook hadn't ruined it and, while crowded, it was totally manageable. 

Andrew didn't want to drive any of the big machines but he was freaking elated to be up close and see them working. I stood in line for the 12 and up driving but Miranda didn't want me to do it and eventually cried in protest. 

We are totally going again next year!

Highlight of the day- sand piles for digging

HUGE dump truck

Sunny day selfies

There were rows of working vehicles to watch and drive. Swoon!

We stopped for lunch at a cute crepeiere in sumner afterward. 

(Check out the cameo of the awesome wait staff)

And baby sister, baby sistered like a total sweetie. 

Full outfit because she looked adorable 

Full Andrew ensemble because he looked adorable. 

Today

We had a bit of a party today. It was loud, kind of crazy, pretty messy. There was toddler snot and tears. There was too much food that got too cold before it could be eaten. Beers that were abandoned. 

There were balls flying all over the place. 

It was perfection *

Our friends and our friends kids were all in one place, playing together (as developmentally appropriate) and getting to know each other. 

It makes me so happy to have time to get to know these little people (even as I attempt to get mine to cooperate). I'm excited that as we go forward the age gaps between these guys will shrink along with our need to mange their interactions. 

*id ideally live for my sister and her kids to be here too but that's not too likely. But maybe. 

Reading so light it flows into your ears!

Now that I’m back at work and commuting by myself I have started listening to audiobooks again. I have found that the best audiobooks for me are narrative non-fiction. I like books with many chapters or vignettes that don’t necessarily build on previous chapters so that I can listen to them as I’m able to but not get too lost if I need to stop multiple times or get distracted by driving or work or some other unimportant issue.

 

My favorite of this genre have been history of science type books. 

-          Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

-          The Disappearing Spoon

-          Gulp (many of Mary Roach’s books fit )

-          I read and absolutely went gaga for all of the Call the Midwives books

-          Emperor of All Maladies (I’m actually still working on this one, the history of cancer…sucks)

 

But recently I’ve noticed the other trend in my read-listening- memoirs. I LOVE them. I like hearing about other people’s lives. It has made me realize a) I have led a very lucky and charmed life and b) I will likely never be great.

 

Some of the good ones in this genre

-          When Breath Becomes Air, Paul Kalanithi

-          A Queer and Pleasant Danger, Kate Bornstein

-          The Sound of Gravel, Ruth Wariner

 

Fiction is the hardest via audiobook for me but I like rereading classics this way. It is easier when you know the story a bit.

 

I have read or reread quite a few:

-          Uncle Tom’s Cabin (I am considering writing a thesis with the rough title “ Mulattos and their Role in Abolition” because rereading it I was stricken that one of the main storylines was about a boy being sold away from his mother and by the description of his lineage he is nearly the same percentage black as Andrew) 

-          The Jungle, Upton Sinclair. 

-          Pollyanna

-          Slaughterhouse Five

 

New fiction definitely stays with me less but has been pretty fun.

-          The audiobook of The Martian was fantastic

-          Where’d you go Bernadette àSpoiler: She didn’t go anywhere fast enough for me

-          Still Alice- that was a horror book

-          In the Unlikely Event- this is the new Judy Blume book and it also scared the heck out of me.