On cloth diapering...

I've almost hit the 30-week mark in this pregnancy and I'm starting to try to wrap my head around all the practical preparations that I'll need to make before little Anna makes her arrival.  The nursery is baby-ready and we've gotten a sweet little Moses Basket all ready for her to lay her sweet little head in.  I've gotten a lot wiser by this third go-round.  I'm not so focused on making sure I've got a baby bath (which I never used with Penn or Jude anyway), or a high chair (which we won't be needing for quite some time), or things like that.  But, what I am realizing that I don't have, but will need is diapers...and a lot of them!

Penn and Jude were both diapered in the modern-traditional way...disposables...and aside from cringing from the amount of money we spent buying pack after pack, I didn't really consider anything else.  Then, when Jude was 17 months old (or so...I can't exactly remember), I made the switch to cloth diapering 24-7.  We used gDiapers (not the most economical choice for cloth diapering, but I was able to score all of my diapers used  on Craigslist and only spent less than $200 for all of my supplies (covers, liners, cloth inserts, and detergent) to last me until he was potty trained (which, as it turns out happened about three months later)...AND they are still in great shape to use again when Anna is big enough!  We were really happy with the choice and I was shocked at how simple cloth diapering really was and how nice it was to not have to worry about ever running out of diapers.  I was so excited about them, I even wrote a review here on the blog! 

So anyway...Baby #3 is on the way and I haven't considered that I would do anything else besides cloth diaper this little girl.  But since I've never cloth diapered a newborn before, I need a little advice from some veterans...

• Do I need to buy "newborn" cloth diapers or will "smalls" be sufficient assuming I have another 8lb baby?
• How many diapers will I need to have on hand?
• Are there any "issues" with cloth diapering a newborn that I should be prepared for?
• Considering that I'll probably have some disposables that I received as gifts, would it be too rough on a newborn's skin to switch back and forth (I only ask because I had problems with Jude's little hiney breaking out whenever I switched back and forth)?
• Finally, since one of the huge factors in me cloth diapering is the "frugal" quality, what are your best tips for scoring great deals on cloth diapers?  I've had good luck on Craigslist for gDiapers, but I'd be interested in some other sources as well.  They don't have to be super cute or girly...but I do want them work well.
• Is there anything I'm missing???

Permission granted...

By writing a publishing this post, I hereby give myself permission to:

• Forget about how much weight I gain or how big my belly will get.  The scale WILL go up and my belly WILL get big...really big.  It's okay.  I won't be pregnant forever.
• Feel entitled to get special treatment because I'm pregnant (or a mom, or a woman, or a human...whichever excuse works to get a foot/back rub).  I'm not above groveling.  This can also apply to other situations designed to make life easier for a pregnant woman (i. e., I am going to start looking for the "expectant mothers" parking spaces.)
• Shop in the girls' department without having to retrace my steps back to the boys department to get Penn and Jude something.  They have lots.  Anna...not so much.
• Ask for help.  With chores.  Or watching the boys.  Or getting me off the couch (it's hard work these days...).  Just ask.
• Just say no, sometimes.  To laundry.  To taking Penn and Jude somewhere every. single. day.  To getting off the couch (I said, "sometimes," not forever.).

Basically, my goal in the this third trimester is to loosen up and resist the urge to stress over those things I normally stress about.  Being pregnant is amazing (even the third time) and I want to be able to enjoy these last few weeks before Baby Girl makes her grand debut.  Because then, I figure, she'll be the one granting permission.

Happy THINGSgiving Month;)

This morning, when Penn and Jude came to our bed for our morning snuggle (or their morning wake-up wiggles), we were talking about what day it was.  Penn asked, "Is this the month where we give people things?"  I assumed he was talking about Christmas, but in fact, he's just been misunderstanding us when we've been telling him that it's "Thanksgiving month" and we are supposed to be giving THANKS (not things) for everything and everyone.  We enjoyed our little morning chuckle:)

On that note, here are a few things I'm thankful for this week:

• Kisses from "super-heroes."
  
• A husband who likes to thrift shop.
  
• Feeling little Anna's hiccups for the first time this week.
  
• Finding a store that is actually selling baking pumpkins after Halloween!
  
• Having two churches (here and in SC) that we feel connected to.
  
• A Savior that has been so patient with me as I learn how to hear and obey His voice and be more aware of Him working around me.