PoopsieDoodles

 

 I am very excited to share this week with you a couple of new favorites of mine, PoopsieDoodles! The owner Noelle contacted me asking if  I would be interested in trying out and reviewing a couple of her diapers and I am glad I had the chance to do this. Noelle has been sewing diapers for over 2 years now and offers great products. The two diapers I was sent were the AI2 diaper (monkey print) and the fitted diaper (oogas).

 I will start with an into to the fitted diaper. For a fitted diaper it is pretty trim considering what all is inside of this diaper. It is a OS diaper that features a fold down rise. This fitted offers the AI2 style so the extra inserts snap into the outer shell. Below you can see the snaps on the back of the diaper for the inserts.

 The outside of the diaper is pretty basic. It has cross over snaps for the skinny babies and it offers three snaps on each wing which helps greatly with the terrible wing droop. I have had no issues with this fitted getting droopy thanks to the snaps. You can all see across the waist the two rows of snaps for the fold down rise.

 The inside of the diaper is a nice soft velour material in a great shade of bright green. I love this fabric for night time on my sons bottom. Even though it is not stay dry it does help a little with reducing the feeling of him being wet. 

 Now here is why this is my new favorite night time diaper. The diaper some with two inserts. A small size which is great for when you have the rise folded down (we haven't had to use that yet) and a large one for when the rise is up all the way. You can use one or the other or both at the same time.

 The large insert is on the left in the picture below. On each side of the tag you will see two snaps and then a second row of snaps below the tag. If you want to use both inserts at the same time you snap the insert that is on the right side of the picture onto the bottom row of snaps on the large insert then you snap the large insert onto the shell of the diaper with the four snaps on the top row. Seems so confusing but its not! Check out the video on PoopsieDoodles HC page for more info on how to use their great insert system.

 In the picture below you can kind of see how the fold down rise works. Just below the green waist line of the diaper on the ooga print you will see two snaps. You will fold over the waist and hook the snaps together. Then you secure the wings to the front. Once again, watch the video from PoopsieDoodles. She does a great job explaining how the system works way better than I can show you in pictures.

 The second diaper I was send was the AI2 OS diaper in the cool Monkey print. My son wanted to wear this one right away and kept taking from me as I was trying to get these pictures. Apparently he likes the monkeys! This diaper is also pretty trim, doesn't look to trim in the picture but once its on his bum it is. The leg area is nice because it has a nice fleece that goes against his skin to help keep him more comfortable.

 The front of the diaper has three rows of snaps to help pick the right rise setting that your little one needs. It also has two rows of snaps for the waist.

 Now the two rows of snaps that go across the waist on this diaper are really neat and different. On the left side of the diaper it has the 'male' snap and on the right side of the diaper it has the 'female' snap.

 The inside of the diaper is lined with fleece and then the inserts are made with bamboo and topped with velour. Super soft as well.

 This diaper also has the cool insert system as the fitted diaper and again you can watch the video here if you need to.

 Below is a little size comparison of the two diapers. The fitted is on the large setting and the AI2 is on the small setting. 

 Below they are both on the large settings.

 Here is the AI2 on my son. I have it on the middle rise setting for him and don't have problems with it leaking at that setting.

 As you can see the diaper is actually really trim on him.

 back side view

 front view...he is a tricky little dude to get pictures of.

 So now what you are wondering...
THESE DIAPERS ROCK! I have reviewed and tried out a good size selection of WAHM diapers and these two are by far my most favorite. The first thing I though when I took them out of the package after getting them was "Night time!" I never ever even consider using diapers for night time when I first get them and even after that don't even want to try it out in fear of knowing that they just wont work through the night on my heavy wetting son. But I didn't even hesitate. As soon as they were washed they were used for night time. And guess what...THEY ROCKED! They can hold so much pee it amazes me. I will honestly say that I probably only used the monkey AI2 diaper once during the day because I always use it for night time. The fitted has only been used at night time with a cover over top.

While emailing back and forth with Noelle I told her that these have replaced my other night time diapering system and she asked what that was that I had been using...SBISH, yeah this fitted diaper is (IMO) a way better solution for us then the SBISH. I like it more because its so much softer and doesn't get all hard after being peed in all night long like other fitted diapers do.

I has asked my husband to grab the fitted out of the diaper bag one night as we were getting the boys in their jams before heading home and he pulled it out and said "Wow, that is a really soft diaper!" Now take it as you may but my husband NEVER says anything about the diapers. (Thats my specialty.) So I was pretty impressed by that as well.

Okay enough talk and on to the great news. Noelle from PoopsieDoodles would like to give away a fitted diaper and an AI2 diaper. There will be two winners, each winner will receive one diaper. Pretty great I think! Plus if you don't want to worry about not 'winning' the diapers you can score a great deal anyways. Noelle has offered CDA readers a discount to use on your purchase!

To receive a 10% discount on a PoopsieDoodles diaper use the code "Blog05" at check out. The code will be good from May 7 until May 31.

              

I was sent two diapers free of charge from PoopsieDoodles, all opinions are my own and I was not paid to write this review. Your experiences may differ from mine.

Darn Good Chocolate Cake!

Ever need a moment to just sit, relax, and enjoy a special treat?  Well, if you decide to whip up this incredibly easy, amazingly awesome chocolate cake - you can have that moment (or ten!).  It's called Darn Good Chocolate Cake and it's from the The Cake Mix Doctor.  Ever seen these books?  They're awesome!  It's one of my two go-to chocolate cake recipes.  The best part is that you don't need to ice it!  There are chocolate chips baked inside, and when served warm, it's all gooey and wonderful.  Okay, enough drooling - here's the recipe:

Darn Good Chocolate Cake

-1 package plain devil's food cake (by plain, it means the kind WITHOUT pudding in the mix - like Duncan Hines)
-1 (4 serving size) package chocolate instant pudding mix
-4 large eggs
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. warm water
1/2 c. oil
1 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate cake
powdered sugar for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 350*.  Grease a Bundt cake pan.

2. Combine the cake mix, dry pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, warm water, and oil in a large bowl.  Beat with a mixer on low for 1 minute.  Increase speed to high and beat for 2-3 minutes.  The batter should be thick and well combined.  Fold in the chocolate chips - making sure they are evenly distributed.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it out with a rubber spatula.

3. Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes - until it springs back lightly when you press it with your finger and it just begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.  Allow it to cool for 20 minutes.  Invert it onto a cake plate and allow to cool just a bit longer.  Just before serving, dust the cake with powdered sugar.

This cake is best served warm.  If you can't bake it and then serve it right away, I highly recommend microwaving the whole cake for a couple of minutes before serving.  Or, if you're enjoying it slice by slice yourself, cut a nice piece and microwave it one slice at a time (15 seconds or so).

Enjoy!

Fluffy Rumps Fleece Longies

This past winter I purchased a cute soaker from Fluffy Rumps and love it. Rhonda the owner and I got to talked and she asked me to review a pair of her fleece longies that she was adjusting the pattern on so I said I would love to.  She was so awesome to work with and was able to do custom sizing for my son so that they had a higher rise than normal. I love to use fleece for night time over top of fitteds so have that extra rise on the longies was so awesome. I just went with a simple red color of the longies because its easier to match stuff to.

The longies feature a double sewn in around the 'wet zone' just for extra protection.

One of the things I love most about fleece is how breathable it is. Paired with fitted diapers it is the best option for helping to clear up any butt rashes because it doesn't keep moisture trapped in against baby's bottom like a PUL cover does and its also way cheaper than wool.

The longies that we got from Rhonda at Fluffy Rumps fit perfectly and still do. We haven't had any issues with stitching coming undone, any issues with wonky fleece, nothing at all! They do have the normal wear (pilling) from wash etc but they are still in amazing shape after numerous times of being used and washed.

Fluffy Rumps would like to offer our readers the chance to win a $10.00 store credit! To enter you will need to fill out the form below.

Here are some links you may need:

Fluffy Rumps on FB

Giveaway ends May 1, 2012

I was sent a pair of longies to use and review free of charge. The opinions above are my own and your experiences may differ from mine.

BABY by Danish

Hello all!

I was given an opportunity to review a Classic Wet Bag from BABY by Danish.  One word: Wow!  This is a great bag!  The ultra super cute print I picked is called Earthy Owls.  BABY by Danish offers six really sleek designs {check them out here}.

The size listed for these bags is 12 inches (width) by 14 inches (height).  However, my bag did shrink down to 10 1/2 by 13 inches.  The outer cotton is a really thick cotton, and even if you line dry it, there would be some shrinking because of the hot water in the wash.  Rachel (the owner) was prepared for this: "I love the look and feel of our thick duck cotton but unfortunately it does shrink, so I tried to design this into the dimensions of the bag knowing that the bags will be washed.  I actually sized the exterior cotton to be an inch and a half longer than the lining so it shrinks to 13-13.5" to fit the lining after being washed."  Way to be on top of things!  And she's right, even thought it shrunk down some, the lining still fits inside the outer cotton.  And really, the prints are incredibly adorable so it's totally worth it!  I've gotten several compliments while out and about with this wet bag. =)

Now about that inner lining, it's REALLY thick!  I REALLY like it!  I decided to test out the wet bag a little differently than normal - I used it to protect a book, composition notebook, my wallet, and phone while I was at the gym. Even though it was sitting against my super wet towel, everything on the inside stayed dry.  I didn't really expect anything different, but it was fun to do a "reverse test." =)  I have not had any odor issues with this either.  Using it for diapers, everything stays inside.

I found that the bag could hold 4 AIO diapers or 4-5 inserts and 3 shells.  

It's the perfect size for a day of running around.

One really handy feature is the cotton twill handle with poly snap.  Many of the smaller-ish wet bags do NOT have this function and this is a MAJOR perk in my book!  In fact, this wet bag will be spending most of it's days in our bathroom - hanging - just waiting for our used, wet, cleaning wipes to be tossed into it.  I just started doing a lot of natural cleaning in our home and I love being able to use cloth wipes for this purpose - and a hanging bag is a MUST.




PLEASE NOTE: this giveaway will close on April 25, 2012 at 9pm(est). At that time, I will use random.org to choose a winner. The winner will be emailed and have 72 hours to respond, lest a new winner be chosen.

Disclaimer: I received a Classic Wet Bag from BABY by Danish for review. All opinions are my own and honest. You may have a different experience. BABY by Danish is sponsoring the giveaway of one Classic Wet Bag. 

Alfalfa & the Sprout - Review

I'd been a fan of Alfalfa and the Sprout for quite awhile, oohing and aahing over her adorable up-cycled wool covers. Looking through her etsy shop and Facebook page, you can tell that Alex, the WAHM behind Alfalfa and the Sprout, has quite the imagination and creative side, not to mention talent. The designs she comes up with are incredible.

Alex sent me "Master of Disguise" to review:

Seriously. I "LOL'd" when I first saw it! "Funny mustaches" are all the rage right now, and I fell in love with this silly face! It brought back so many memories of wearing the goofy glasses/nose/mustache as a kid.

Master of Disguise is made from 100% Merino Wool. I can't begin to tell you how incredibly soft this woolie is. It's like silk in your hands. I was worried that the added design would mess with the wool and make it snag, but nothing like that has happened.

The front of the woolie is plain (forgive the wrinkledness mess. I lanolized it and placed it neatly back in Caedmon's "cover basket" to get it ready for pictures, and, well, he thinks it is dreamy-soft too, and is always toting it around and snuggling with it (no. joke.)

Inside you can see the hem lines, as well as the extra "wet zone protection".

Alex made this custom size for Caedmon a couple months ago and it has fit like a dream since day 1 of receiving it. (not the best action shots, but, welcome to toddler-hood!)

There is usually a gap in the back when he squats, but when standing/laying the gap is non-existent.

Trying to get him to be still for a second ;) I love the "shorts" style of this particular woolie.

Side shot. Great coverage all around.

From behind. TELL me that doesn't bring a smile to your face!!

So yes, it is adorably cute, but how does it work? I was seriously so impressed with how well this woolie worked for us. I was nervous - it is very thin, much more so than any of our other upcycled woolie covers. I tried it out during the day several times before trying it out at naps. It was almost a month before I even dared to try it at night time (I need to not be so fearful of wool at night!!) I paired the woolie with a Goodmama fitted and hoped for the best. Twelve hours later...not a leak. I shouldn't be surprised, but I was ;-)

I love that there is information about what makes wool so amazing on the Alfalfa and the Sprout
etsy shop:

Wool is the only fiber that can absorb up to 1/3 of its weight in moisture. Despite that fact, wool does not feel wet. The moisture immediately evaporates into the air. When it is hot, wool keeps the body cool and the heat out. When it is cold, wool keeps the body warm and the cold out. Wool is resilient, maintains it shape, soft, breathable, odor resistant, antibacterial and it is very easy to clean!

I mean, it really is that awesome ;)

Alfalfa and the Sprout has a ton of design choices to choose from! You can click here to see so many of them.

If you've been hesitant to try wool, I encourage you to give it a shot! It really isn't as intimidating as it seems.
You can find Alfalfa and the Sprout in the following locations:
Alfalfa and the Sprout Etsy shop
Alfalfa and the Sprout Facebook page

Disclaimer: I received a "Master of Disguise" woolie for review. All opinions are my own and honest. You may have a different experience.