If you haven’t noticed I’m very excited about cloth diapering. The washing “process” sounds a little bit daunting but I know it’ll be easier with a new washer that actually has settings and options… and is bigger. I have no idea if I’m going to start out with disposables and transition to cloth after the little pooper has stopped needing quite so many diaper changes each day as the beginning… I am definitely not investing in a big stash until I try out several brands and find what works, so I guess I’ll need at least some disposables. But it makes me go :yuck: . I don’t know why really, but cloth diapers are just SO much more attractive to me – and I don’t mean better colors/prints. But I know how uncomfortable wearing disposable pads are during my period… I tend to get extremly itchy and a little rashy by the end of AF, and if I couldn’t stop using them after 4 days I would have some serious problems. Cloth breathes so much better and it is SO much better for the environment! I am not the best at being eco-concious – I mean, we drive an SUV for light’s sake – and I tend to forget to recyle cans and stuff (though I do try! or did, until our recycling bin blew off in a big wind storm :sigh: ), but I am concious of the effects.

We have so much to buy/get done before a baby gets here. Thank goodness mother nature gives you a good 9+ months to prepare, right? Just off the top of my head:

• The “breezeway” needs to be completely re-done. This room is un-insulated and trashed right now, and full of Den’s grandmother’s stuff (they used to own our house). It is going to be a dual-purpose room: both Den’s office, and the laundry room. I cannot WAIT until I get space to put a new washer and dryer and get them out of our kitchen!! And of course Den needs that room done so he can move in there because…
• The second bedroom of the house needs to be converted from an office to a baby’s room! It’s not going to be as easy as painting the walls either. The room has dark wood panelling overtop of slightly moldy and completely horrific wallpaper. I’m voting for tearing down the walls and putting up sheet-rock. (It’s I think plaster board right now… UGH is the only word for that crap.) While the walls are open we’re going to need an electrician to come in and replace the old rotting wiring and install an overhead light (or lights?). Then we put sheet rock up, tape, sand, prime, paint. Even though we have family members who can do the sheet rocking and taping, and it’s not all that expensive, projects like that ALWAYS run over budget.
• Speaking of a new laundry room, we’ll need/will be getting a new washer and dryer. I’m assuming that’ll be around $800-$1000 alone.
• Then of course there’s all the baby stuff. Furniture, clothes, diapers, and all the other accoutrement that babies come with. Not cheap.

Of course money is an issue but I just think of all the things we spend our money on that are far from a “necessity” and could definitely be taken out of our budget if we needed the spare cash. Plus I’ve started saving already…. I haven’t opened up a new savings account yet (because they need a $250 minimum to not charge a monthly “service fee” – oh how I hate our bank) but I will soon. Just start socking away money now while we can. I know my business isn’t making a whole lot, but I do what I can. Plus my part-time job pays a little bit… we were splitting that money between our “house improvement” savings (which will pay for the housework listed above) and the “travel” savings. Well since we used a huge chunk of our tax return to put away all the cash we need for our vacations this year I can put the monthly amount in the baby’s account instead. Every little bit helps.

I feel forever thankful that Den makes such a great income on his own, allowing me to focus on our home and our future baby…. allowing me to be a stay-at-home mom like I’ve always wanted.

I cannot wait to get started on the next two cycles!