I used to visit the grocery store and think a little about budget, but mostly considered convenience and taste. I tried to be wise with my money, but consistently splurged. A Washingtonian, I’ve recycled most of my life, but didn’t explore many more “green” ways of living. My interest in budgeting, frugality, parenting topics, and cooking gradually developed after the birth of my daughter.
I began, as most first time moms do, with soaking in all of the information I could find on pregnancy. I looked into the merits of breastfeeding, baby slings, and the myriad of baby gadgets. Afterward, parenting magazines, books, and websites became my focus. When our family moved into our first home, I started associating with some excellent cooks. I wanted to learn to add more variety and nutrition to our meals (this definitely cost more at first). With the birth of our second child, additional expenses, and a home to care for, my interest in frugal living increased.
My husband, Tim, and I loved the addition of our second baby, but detested the increase in disposable diaper trash. During the first few months with our little guy, I would regularly complain about feeling as though we were contributing to our own personal diaper landfill. We wanted to potty-train our daughter, but she had her own ideas about this. I met a friend who cloth-diapered her children and I began asking questions about it. When I mentioned cloth diapers to Tim, I was surprised by his openness. Truthfully, though, I shouldn’t have been. The cost and waste associated with disposable diapers was driving us crazy!
When I initially looked into cloth diapers, I wasn’t converted. Weeks later, I still found myself considering them, however, and Tim once again encouraged me to look into them. Once I started researching the topic, the world of cloth diapering fascinated and overwhelmed me. I looked for local cloth diaper stores, but they were all more than an hour’s drive away. I spent hours researching the different styles and brands. I couldn’t believe all of the options! Then I discovered the Diaper Daisy Cloth diaper trial at www.diaperdaisy.com and decided I needed to jump in and try some cloth diapers.
I decided to chronicle what I called my “Cloth Diapering Adventure” on my family blog. I transferred these posts to this blog and you can read them beginning with the first August post. My trial proved invaluable and I discovered that cloth diapers are adorable, easy to use, simple to wash, and truly not much more time-consuming than disposables. I use them when we go places, I don’t mind washing them, and the whole poop experience isn’t that big of a deal. Plus, something about using them simply feels right. Once I purchased my own stash, I only wished I had the funds to buy a larger amount and more pricey diapers!
Since I love to gather more information, research, and share facts, I found myself visiting cloth diapering sites and blogs. I soon discovered this whole community of cloth diapering moms sharing their experiences, writing reviews, and giving away free stuff. I wanted to be a part of this and realized my family blog was filling up with posts about cloth diapering, links to giveaways, and mommy stuff. So, I decided to start this blog to share my passion for cloth diapering, as well as other simple living topics.
Now, more than three years and two babies in cloth later, I’m a cloth diaper enthusiast, sharing my passion for cloth diapering on my blog, twitter, and facebook page! I truly believe cloth diapers are great for the pocketbook, the environment, and babies. Please feel free to contact me any time with questions!
This post is part of the Cloth Diaper 101 Blog Hop hosted by Maria at My Cloth Diaper Stash.
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