Today is Poo Day. My most hated of days and probably the most disliked day for most cloth nappy users. Actually, now I think about it,most days are poo days in this home, where one child is forever on antibiotics and number 2s are frequent, to say the very least. At least she’s regular. Regularly defouling my nappy stash! A good argument for toilet training is Poo Day.

Now, I’m not sure how other MCN mums do it but for me, it’s a put - it - off - until - you - absolutely - have - to kind of thing. The non poo nappies usually just go in with the regular wash or go in as a wee only wash but the poo nappies go in a bucket until I can face them…or until the smell coming out of my laundry gets too funky. Don’t get me wrong people, I do wash them every few days, I’m not that gross!

Anyway, today is the day and it seems that for every pooey nappy I clean and load into the machine, Ivy pumps out one more to counteract my productivity.

Of course, every MCN user has some tools of the trade. There is the poo stick; not to be confused with the wooden spoon (eww), used to scrape the offensive pat into the toilet, it’s a cloth nappy mum’s best friend (or worst enemy, depends on how you look at it, I guess). There are the buckets - used to store the soiled nappy until poo day, then there are gloves (for those who worry) and soap (for those who don’t). Some mums have a thing called a ‘little squirt’ which is a spray hose thing that attaches to the toilet to spray the poo off and into the bowl. I couldn’t bring myself to buy one with visions of my two spraying loo water all around the laundry. Who knows what they might have done!

Gross, I can hear you all whispering, how can she do that?  Wouldn’t it be easier to wrap it all up into a disposable and throw the whole lot out, especially with two little monkies pumping out effluent? Yes, quite frankly, it would and I have BTDT for the first nine months of their lives but variety is the spice of life and why not add something else to the mix to give me a whole lot of curry?

It all started because our ’sposie’ just wasn’t holding overnight, we were getting all sorts of disgusting blowouts and it was causing Ivy to have nappy rash too. After that, it was for the cuteness factor. I love a squishy round clothed bum! Alas, it has become a bit of an obsession. It’s the colours and the different types of textiles that can be used that gets me in. They kind of become like some weird collectors item, some of them, prizes, almost. The harder to get ones, at least. (Insert Homer Simpson drool here). Also, there is just something about a clean pile of nappies that makes me feel like the ultimate mother. (I know, I am a very sad person, with no life).

Anyway, Poo Day Thursday is now almost done. (Thank goodness) The second last load has gone through and I am starting to assemble the dry ones, ready to be warn by Poopeye and Pooperella once again. Ahhh Poo Day. It’s enough to give anyone the s****!

Today I received some more fluffy mail from Jolmaz.

2 cute covers, some liners and 2 very cute doll nappies.

When David and I saw them we both came to the same conclusion at almost the same time. Those little nappies could have fit Ivy and Noah when they were born! The girls are totally in love with them. Thanks Maz!

I checked it out and what do you know? Four of the spotty minky nappies jumped into my trolley!

So much for my resolve not to buy more nappies! Yay for more fluffy mail though! I am hanging my head in shame (and hoping David doesn’t read this part of the blog - sorry honey, Noah made me do it).

When Imogen and Madeline were toddlers if you even mentioned the word harness, you were considered cruel, now they are a fashion statement. I’m seeing them on the backs of  ‘independent’ babies everywhere. The mother’s have serene, relaxed, stress free faces. The promise of that was too much for me and the harnesses had been on my wish list for a while. Call me cruel, I don’t care. I want some of that serenity when I go shopping!

Mum’s nappies are all too small for the babies now. They have lasted well and have covered little bums for well over nine months. It’s sad to retire them but no matter how hard I try, they just don’t fit. It’s tempting, oh so tempting to go and buy some more to replace them but I must be strong! I don’t need any more of the lush fabrics and colourful, fluffy things. David says I have enough.

Shhh, don’t tell him that I did get some Lou Lou’s and some more Bubblebubs (from Baby Blossom) before he banned me from nappy buying…oh and don’t tell him either that I bought some more covers and liners and flongies from my new fave

nappy WAHMs JolMaz… am I addicted?

I guess I should also confess to buying more clothes for Summer at an incredible outlet store. Yummy gorgeous clothes… (I’m not addicted - I can stop whenever I like!!!!)

*STOP PRESS* The flongies are here!!!! They are lovely.

Just when I needed it some fluffy mail arrived from Maz, a gorgeous lady and fellow bellybelly girl. They are just adorable with monograms of Ivy and Noah’s first initial sewn on the bottom. Ivy and Noah have them on tonight and I’ve taken some photos for you to see. I was wrapped in them…actually Ivy and Noah were literally wrapped in them but I loved them, ALOT! Thanks Maz!

Lily turns 9 in 5 days

The big kids come home tomorrow

We are going to see Dierdre, our ECHN for Ivy and Noah’s 18 month check up (don’t forget the blue books, Tiff).

Noah, for the most part, has been his normal, happy self. We went for a walk today and he had to stop to peer into every drain, stomp on every patch of grass we saw and call out ‘weeeee!’ everytime his sister shimmied down a stop sign pole. This afternoon when Ivy was beside herself. Lily quietly took Noah outside and together they picked up sticks for the fire, which he flung at me one by one, whilst I was feeding said fire.

Lily has been a fantastic help while the big kids have been away. I have really enjoyed spending some quality time with her this week, especially in the evenings when the cherubs and Mal are in bed. She is growing up into a beautiful young girl (with flashes of tomboy thrown in).

Our bus has a name, courtesy of one of my good friends Trish, who suggested "Trevor".  I know, I know, it’s a boy’s name. So, for the first time in our family history we have a male vehicle. I told the kids, who have taken on the name and so Trevor it will be. Trevor, the terrible Toyota. Trevor Tregenza. Trev. A suitable name for a bus living in the sticks, me thinks.

I know this is really, really late but HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to all the mummies out there. Hope you had a lovely day. Mine was wonderful. I went shopping on Saturday, woke to brekkie in bed and pressies on Sunday then went out to lunch. It was perfect. The best thing of all was at the end of the day when the big kids ran me a hot bath and decorated the bathroom with candles and infused the air with essential oils. It’s nice to know that, for at least one day of the year, they ‘get’ me. Thanks kids! Love you lots.

I have recieved alot of nappies this week. Good retail therapy does wonders for the soul. My Beetlebums arrived. They are just the most devine minky nappies I’ve ever clapped eyes on. Ivy and Noah  took them for a test drive this morning and christened them well. My Twins In Cloth are here too. Very nice and my Baby Beehinds Bamboo are on their way via my sister in law.

Mum’s cave man nappies are here too and while Ivy loves hers,( ‘Awwww pretty’, she says as she rubs the fur) Noah’s are nothing but pull off material. On his first test drive of his blue cave man nappy, he came wandering out with it in hand. No matter how often I put it on, he pulled it off just as fast. It was the same deal with his orange one. Hmmm… I guess he’s more a minky man!

Last night we finally took delivery of our new bus. (Yay) It was surrounded by much anxiety and stress but finally it is ours. I drove it home from the dealers and must say it was a very smooth ride! I have been gliding here and there all day. Not once did I worry that I wouldn’t make it somewhere. Traditionally we have named our cars. Our last bus’ name was Madge, although I liked to lovingly think of her as Bertha. The kids were trying to think of an adequate name today but the best they could come up with was ‘Heaven’. I told them they needed to keep thinking.

We went to the post office early (in new gliding bus) for our parcels and amongst them we found the photos of Imogen, Madeline and Lily from the Miss Cessnock competition. The girls loved looking at them this afternoon. My little models! They were a long time coming and I thought that we had been taken for a ride, our money extracted and photographers having left the country (so weary and jaded am I) but NO. If you click on the girls names, it will link you to some of the shots. I think they look gorgeous (but I don’t know a mother who wouldn’t think their kids are cute).

Also today (wow how busy was I today?) I met up with a couple of the girls from Belly Belly, Sharon and Dee, to go for a walk. It was great. It was wonderful to get out of the house with some women who had babies around the same age as me. We simply walked and talked. It was a great idea of Sharon’s and now we are seriously considering starting up a Pram Pushing Club. We could advertise our walks at the Early Childhood Nurses Clinic and about town. It could be really good. I’d forgotten how much I actually enjoy walking.

My Scrapbooking class at the school will take off this Friday and I just had to post a photo of the paperbag album that I finished as an example. I am quite proud of it and hope that the children will be very happy with their efforts.

On a sad and final note for tonight. I just wanted to mention one of my online ‘friends’ Chris who sadly passed away on Mother’s Day. She leaves behind her husband and her little son, William. Rest In Peace, Chris. I hope that you are in heaven playing with your angel twins.

Of course, Ivy and Noah are wearing them today and look very cute as they toddle around. There is just something about handmade stuff that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. Alot of love went into those pants. Thanks Mum!

Last night I discovered that I am teaching Scrapbooking to a class of children at Bellbird PS. The girls put me forward to take on the task and I was advised yesterday that I needed to be ready to go for Friday (tomorrow)! EEEK! What am I going to do? I haven’t even thought about it. Maybe a paper bag album would be good. Small, cost effective and you can use scraps of paper to pretty it up. I better get organised!

More nappies for me (I mean Ivy and Noah hee, hee) I won a Beetlebums auction for a custom made minky nappy the other day. I get to pick everything. Mel, the owner and WAHM contacted me and offered to make one for each baby! I am over the moon with this! I’ve picked a green and a yellow minky. I have to say that minky (think thick, short, soft fur type material) is my favourite material for nappies. So soft and on a cute little bottom, so, SO cute. I am looking forward to this fluffy mail, that’s for sure!

Here is a picture of Noah in his Dalmation Berry Plush minky nappy, comparing spots with Linus the dog. Mmmmm, minky

We have had such a busy, busy week here. My head is spinning. We have had sickness and lots of blood tests. First for Ivy and then for Maddy. Maddy found a lump in her neck some time ago. It hasn’t gone away. She has some other things going on too - tired, bruising, nose bleeds. She’s lost 6kg. Her paed has ordered some tests and so we have gone through the motions of having them done. My heart will not let it steal itself into thinking the worst. It’s most likely nothing. A prolonged infection and the tests are just a better to be safe than sorry kind of thing. I guess we’ll find out, when I ring the doctor.

Noah, after a month of pretending to walk, has finally taken the plunge and is pottering around the house, arms out like chicken wings, for balance. It’s very cute to watch but another reminder that my babies are growing up way too fast. Last week I let them feed themselves a yoghurt for the first time, with hilarious results. Thankfully it was the end of the day and I could strip them both down and put them in the bath and their yoghurt infused clothing through the wash.

Ivy in true baby girl fashion has a fetish for shoes and handbags. She follows me around most days with shoes in her hands grizzling for me to put them on her. They are not necessarily HER shoes, anybody’s will do. She says "schoo..schoo, (pushes shoe into nearest family member’s hand) SCHOOOOO!!!!!"  Very cute MOST of the time.

I have had a bit of a cloth nappy binge this week. My ultimate in retail therapy. Sad for some, heaven for others. I purchased 4 new Baby Beehind Bamboo nappies, two Lou Lou nappies and some Twins In Cloth nappies. Mum has been busy too. She has been knitting madly and produced a gorgeous soaker for Ivy and for Noah, she has almost finished a pair of blue and red longies. Oh, drool. I LOVE my mum! Next on the nappy making for her are some cave man nappies. I have cut some faux fur and some pink fleece, which she is going to line with PUL and put some bamboo fleece in for the absorbent layers. I’m hoping for a cute yet functional nappy for all occasions!

Just wanted to share also, my kids’ obsession for Beanie Bears. I took some pics of them yesterday, with all of the bears. Just when I think we have MORE than enough bears in our home, more find their

way in!!! I think the girls first started collecting when it was more fun to get toys for chores, rather than money and it has continued on as a love for all things Beanie.

Not much else to write about at the moment. We are on the countdown for Kelly’s impending birth, so not wanting to go too far away. One of the girls Dee, from Belly Belly, came out to talk to Kel about VBAC. I think it was really good to get the perspective from someone who has done it successfully. I was really grateful to Dee for it. I’ve told her before that she is my VBAC pin up girl! Someone I really admire.

After all that was sorted and we took the twins BACK to the church we then made our way to the Regional Museum for the local reusable nappy week ‘picnic’. Originally planned for a parkside do, because of the rain we were forced inside. The museum was great, the kids had a ball. I didn’t even know that anything like that existed in Newcastle, so I was pleasantly surprised. The girls were lovely. Really very welcoming and I met Sue from the Itti Bitti Nappy company!!!! Felt a bit starstruck meeting this famous WAHM in the flesh! LOL. Anyway, I got to feel all these beautiful nappies, Dave and the kids got to run around pushing and pulling buttons, so everyone (including the babies) were happy.

Our final outing for the day was to the girls performance with the Hunter Singers and Hunter Kids Sing. The choirs were absolutely amazing and the sound that came from the church was gorgeous. I was very proud of the girls. Noah and Ivy, by that time, were feral from bad food, lack of sleep and being up in arms all day. It started out badly (with Noah throwing up all over Grandma’s jacket) and escalated to basically being forced out of the performance by filthy stares and horrible comments. Ok, Noah was screeching at the top of his lungs and Ivy was crawling into all the crawl spaces and yammering on to the little old ladies’ heavily beaded necks (occasionally touching them too) but what do people expect of babies and what do they expect of us? We have kids in the choir, we want to hear them sing, we have to bring the baby cherubs (devils today, but usually pretty good) Babies make noise. Babies can’t sit still. UGH. I’m sure those old grannies had babies once, they just forget what it was like. Surely they didn’t tape their baby’s mouths shut when they went out and surely they didn’t just stay locked up in the house until their kids were old enough to have silence beaten into them! I don’t know…

We left halfway through (after the girls items were over) and I was never so glad to get away from anywhere. I felt like we were the Feral Family and had no place in Novocastrian society. *SIGH*

So that’s me for today, a little disheartened, a little beaten down, looking forward to my bed. All my babies are tucked up now. I think I’m just going to have a little cloth nappy buying therapy and toddle off myself. G’night all.