JUST FOR YOU............... BECAUSE YOU ARE AMAZING!!!

Mami's & Papi's Sisters & Family are now able to purchase CJ's Lotion in Sample Size. You won't find this anywhere else.... as it is reserved at this time for the M&P's Family.

Why you ask? The Mami's & Papi's family has grown very close knit over the last few months and welcome new family members daily. We share stories, moments, feelings, successes, disappointments and yes........... even cloth diapering advice.

Amazingly, at any moment in time we can all come together, have a little fun... and realize that "we are not alone" in this quest to be AMAZING!!

Over the last few months we have had "challenges". To accept ourselves, make time for ourselves and put our best effort forward in our daily lives.  As a reward for YOUR AWESOMENESS.... CJ's Sewing Room is giving you the exclusive opportunity to .... get a little something for yourself. 

As you buy diapers, nursing pads, CJ's BUTTer for baby's bum, Lulu's in the Fluff or RNG laundry detergent, inserts or liners...... You can now add a little something for yourself without breaking the bank.

A sample lotion for your purse, a little something for your hands after doing dishes, a little softness and soft scent to make you feel beautiful, or even a tangy fresh smell to refresh you during the day.

THIS SURPRISE IS............... JUST FOR YOU!!!! 

We will take a vote for the TOP THREE SCENTS!

When you take the poll, click your choice and hit vote. It will then take you to another page where you will have to do it again. This will register your vote and add it to the counter. CHOOSE ONLY YOUR ABSOLUTE, CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT FAVORITE!!

Then the top three scents will be exclusively made and kept in stock for Mami's & Papi's Family with surprise scents popping up when you least expect it. YOU ARE AMAZING........... get a "little" something for yourself.

What CJ's Lotion Scent would you love in sample size?

• Natural
• All Natural Mango, Sugar, Mint
• Apples & Spice
• Bamboo & Lotus Blossom
• Bergamot Coriander Eo
• Blueberry Crumble
• Cherry Blossom
• Coconut Lime Dream
• Cucumber Melon
• Green Irish Tweed
• Honeyed Patchouli
• Lavender Essential Oil
• Lavender, Bergamot, Coriander EO
• Lavender & Tee Tree EO+
• Lavender EO & Vanilla
• Love Spell
• Lullaby Baby Lotion
• Monkey Farts
• My Pixie Pie
• New Mown Hay
• Oatmeal, Milk & Honey
• Orange Essential Oil
• Orange Essential Oil & Vanilla
• Perfect World
• Pink Sugar
• Sea Spice
• Tea Tree Essential Oil
• Toasted Almond & Cherry Blossom
• Warm Vanilla Cake

View Results
Create a Blog Poll

Please.... I need a new home. My owners can not keep me.

RUMPAROOZ NEEDS A NEW HOME!!

A note hoping for a new home:

Our  "fluffy foster parents" (Mami & Papi)  have loved us from the moment they chose to accept us into their home. We knew this would be a temporary situation until we could find a permanent home. With their move to Alabama fast approaching they simply do not have room to take us with them and we need a new home fast!!!

We want to have a permanent loving and caring family.

WILL YOU LOVE US?

Sincerly,

Rumparooz Wet Bag & Pail Liner

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We are opening the adoption process for the Rumparooz Wet Bag and Pail Liner. We are moving and simply do not have room. While they were in "Fluffy Foster Care" we loved them very much. They are well behaved, work hard, and were very trustworthy.  If you can find it in your heart to care for them ---- please submit your loving adoption poem. We will have the head of the "Fluffy Mail Adoption Agency" (Random.org) choose their new home.

:-)  Please apply by writing a simple poem to show how much you would love Rumparooz Pail Liner and Wet Bag.

:-) And for an added entry (not mandatory) --- please post a picture of a dinner fork (not salad fork)  in a creative photo on Mami's & Papi's facebook wall. :-)

Example of what you would post on the blog for your entry---- 

Oh how I would love you my lil' Rumparooz.

You would be family and help me take care of your little brothers poo poo's.

We all pitch in and work together as one,

Please let us take you home with us... we will have lots of fun!

For my extra entry --- I posted a picture on Facebook.

Mrs. John Jane Floppy Whopper III

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ENTRY MUST BE RECEIVED BY FRIDAY AT 6:OO P.M.  Two winners will be chosen. One for the wetbag and one for the  pail liner :-) THESE ARE BRAND NEW!!!

__________________________________________________________________________________



Antonio says ---- "If they want something, they have to do this"

Our new giveaway comes straight from the heart. Antonio (our four year old son) has been super dooper cute lately and has decided his own terms to win "his gift".

The Winner Will Win a Set of TWO Vanilla Teething Rings

From the Makers of Sophie the Giraffe

My sister-in-law saw the power of these first hand. Alejandro ( our youngest son) was screaming bloody murder, and was completely miserable. We had forgotten to put on his amber teething necklace and he let us know it! We broke out the vanilla teething rings for the very first time to see if they held the power to help Alejandro. My sister-in-law now calls them Baby Crack! It's like catnip for babies.

It was immediate relief and comfort. Now everytime Alejandro gets upset Antonio finds the teething rings and says --- "hear, this will make him be quiet!" LOL.

So, Antonio said "They NEED these because babies are TOO loud" LOL!

So............. what do you have to do. Antonio says you must "make a tent in the living room and have a slumber party with your kids and big people too (meaning significant other). And they have to wear Pajamas and brush their teeth. They need popcorn and food and they have to let their kids watch cartoons and not the news."

Because I love this one so much........ I am going to make this prize super special and added onto Antonio's gift of vanilla teether rings, you will also get to choose from a Sophie the Giraffe or Inspired By Finn Baltic Amber Teething Necklace. :-)

A TOTAL OF TWO GREAT PRIZES!!!

You must post a pic of your family (on Mami's & Papi's Facebook) --- slumber party ready ---- and your tent or slumber party area and a story of how your night went with the entire family.

Big Kids, Little Kids, and Adults must camp out together. Bring your mattresses to the living room, pick a great movie (that the kids want, not the news), grab the food and spend the entire night as a family. Play games, talk and have fun.  No phones or computers allowed. :-)

DEADLINE --- You have until Tuesday to enter your photos on Facebook :-):-)

Have Fun!!!

There will also be a bonus prize --- but it is a secret until the winner is announced :-)

Gro-Via Shell Set (Choice of Boy or Girl Print) GIVEAWAY!

WINNER CHOSEN!!!! ---- JAZZ SLATER :-) YOU HAVE YOUR CHOICE OF AN INSTOCK GIRL OR BOY GROVIA SHELL SET :-) CONGRATULATIONS!!!

The GroVia™ one-size diaper is a revolution in cloth diapering. Our innovative shell design minimizes diaper waste and cost. Shell sets come with:

• 1 GroVia™ Shell
• 1 Organic Cotton Soaker Pad

When your soaker pad is wet, simply snap in a fresh soaker pad

HOW CAN YOU GET A FREE GRO-VIA SHELL SET???  

1.)POST  A REVIEW ON DIAPER PIN FOR ANY PRODUCT YOU LOVE. LET US KNOW WHO YOU POSTED A REVIEW FOR.

2.)You can get ONE extra entry for posting a review for your favorite cloth diaper store. ( Our listing is not up yet, although we will be soon. :-) Let's kick up those DiaperPin Reviews!!!  This will help those looking into cloth diapers know that they have great resources to find what they need :-)

IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO BOTH ENTRIES --- PLEASE ONLY POST ONCE! 
Example:  You want two entries--- You would post ----

I posted a review for --- (Cj's BUTTer)
I also posted (for an extra entry) because  I love " cloth diaper company"

THIS WILL CLOSE ON FRIDAY :-) NOVEMBER 12TH  

ONE WINNER WILL WIN THEIR CHOICE OF GIRL OR BOY PRINT GRO-VIA SHELL SET

(From instock inventory)

•  Less waste in our landfills
•  Save hundreds of dollars each year
•  Healthier for baby, less diaper rash
•  No Dioxins
•  They’re cute
• 
  
  

GroVia’s hybrid diaper system matches our unique one-size cloth shell with an organic cloth Soaker Pad. The perfect solution to on-the-go parenthood, travel-friendly and great for daycare, GroVia’s Hybrid Diapering system gives parents options in convenience without harming our planet.

Review: Earth Mama Angel Baby Milkmaid Tea Review and mini-giveaway

GIVEAWAY CLOSED - Congrats Sylvia and Erika!!!!
Let's face it - providing mama's milk for an infant, either via the breast or via pumping and a bottle, is rewarding but can be challenging! Each of our children have nursed for different lengths of time, and I've both nursed and bottle-fed pumped milk to each on occasion. Our longest nursling (so far) went approximately 13 months, and I was working outside the home about 3/4 full time toward the end. It was a constant struggle to pump enough milk to feed to him while I was away. I would have been so grateful to have known about this product then!

Earth Mama Angel Baby offers a product called Organic Milkmaid Tea. It is a natural combination of ingredients which support and increase milk production. I have to be honest - I am not crazy about the taste, but I believe it is a more than fair trade-off for it containing only natural ingredients, and it does work for me!  I prefer to steep it, then cool it to drink over ice. It has a sweet, maple syrup-y smell, and can also make your urine smell of maple syrup.  This is nothing to be concerned about, just a natural result of the ingredients. (Hey - I promised honest reviews, right?!).

I'm currently nursing our 4 1/2 month old, and have no problems with milk supply, since she is with me 99% of the time. I will soon be working outside the home again a few days a week for a few months - I will DEFINITELY be looking forward to having this in my "back pocket" to use just in case! In the past I've experienced a drop in milk supply if I try to lose the pregnancy pounds too quickly.  As I'm looking forward to getting back to my pre-pregnancy size soon, I'm curious to see if this will help in that situation also.

Mami's and Papi's do not currently carry this product, although they do carry some of their other awesome products! I wanted to put this review out for you since I had the opportunity to sample it. I also have some samples for two of YOU! If you are a nursing mom and would like to try this, please enter below.  Get your entry in by Wednesday 11/3 at midnight EST, and random.org will choose two winners to receive two teabags each.

Good luck!
~Prima~

AND THE WINNERS ARE............

~5-$5.00-5 Giveaway~

AND THE WINNERS ARE..........

-Diaper Dad-

~Emily Albritton~

-Mark & Megan-

~Fancy Girl Nancy~

-Caroline Marine-

Please email Mami or Papi @

mami@mamisandpapis.com or papi@mamisandpapis.com

Please have your account ready at http://www.mamisandpapis.com/ so we can add your store credit :-)

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Need some CASH to feed your STASH?????

~~~OPEN TO EVERYONE~~~

------NOW------

is your opportunity to WIN!!!

FIVE (5)

$5.00 STORE CREDITS

ARE GOING TO

FIVE (5)

Mami's & Papi's  SISTERS or BROTHERS!!!

All you have to do is pick your favorite product...... go to that products Facebook ...... and let them know that Mami's & Papi's sells your favorite product and has FREE shipping!!!

Example:  You love Bottombumpers!! Head over to Bottombumpers Facebook page and say........ I'm so glad Mami's & Papi's stocks Bottombumpers... and I'm so happy they have FREE SHIPPING :-)  I love your Bottombumpers One Size Diaper.

IF you see someone has already posted a comment.... try to comment below their's instead of making a new one. That way we don't slam their news feed :-)

Example :  A sister post on Applecheeks... just post a comment to her post. :-) You can even just say DITTO :-) 

Come back here and let us know who's Facebook you stopped into visit :-)

5-- $5.00 store credits to --5 different people!!! :-)

AND THE WINNERS ARE!!!

~THE WINNERS CIRCLE ~

~~~~~

The winner of the Happy Heiny's One Size Diaper is:

Brandy Cherie !

~~~~~~

The winner of the Sing Along with Mami---"Don't worry, be happy"

$$10.00 Store Credit

Nicole Buffington (Nicole Raposa)

PLEASE EMAIL MAMI@MAMISANDPAPIS.COM

to claim your prize :-)

My Heiny is Happy! Is Yours?

THANK YOU HAPPY HEINY'S!!!

Today (10-22-2010) Mami's & Papi's facebook family had the opportunity to help Mami & Papi support an amazing company!

Y'all pushed them over the 3000 Fan Mark!!! We weren't trying to "win" so we didn't ask you to put --- "M&P's sent me" but somehow we won a prize for sending the most Fans!!!!

Can you say WOW!!!  We won something without even trying!! Because Mami & Papi couldn't have done it alone... we are giving our Facebook family the opportunity to "win" what we "won". :-)

What can you win?

A NEW Happy Heinys One Size Diaper :-) In your choice of color!!

They are in Snap or Hook & Loop!!!

How can I win?

All we ask is that you stop by Happy Heiny's Facebook and Like them.  No need to comment. Let's just up that Fan counter!!! I'll check to make sure the winner is a Fan of Happy Heiny's before announcing.

Please do not say Mami's & Papi's sent you :-) We don't want to "spam" up their page. There are lots of fantastic retailers that sell Happy Heiny's :-)!!

*****You must post a comment on this blog saying what color and closure you would like! :-)*****

This company amazes me!! They know how hard it is for a small business to get up and running.... they allow Mami's & Papi's to "drop ship" their items! It gives us the opportunity to really carry their full line.

They have an intense amount of colors and prints!!! It is truly amazing!!!

Thanks for helping us give them lots of love!!!!!

We will have HH One Size Available for Purchase soon :-)

IT'S OUR ANNIVERSARY!!!

Papi & Mami are celebrating their anniversary!!

~ October 20th ~

We are very, very, very much in love!!

This Anniversary Papi Gets to Choose What We Are Doing!

We will let you know how the day goes :-)

~ With Love ~

Mami & Papi

Diaper Review: sustainablebabyish | sloomb OBF fitted

My love for these diapers started recently as I was chatting with Mami about my (then) 2 month old heavy wetter.  She asked if I'd ever tried sustainablebabyish | sloomb products, and I said that I had not.  She had the snapless multi in stock, so I bought one of those along with a interlock wool cover.  I was in love... Then Mami told me about the organic bamboo fleece sized fitted.  She mentioned something about it being a "magic" diaper and said the word "overnight" - I had to know more about this diaper, because I was struggling for overnight solutions, and my baby was still close to being a newborn!!  So she sent one to try...

I was honestly a little confused about the name - organic bamboo fleece fitted (OBF fitted). When I heard "fleece" I was thinking of poly-fleece or polar fleece, and was also thinking "how can this be absorbent"?  The diaper is made of bamboo/cotton fleece, but the jersey side is facing out. The first thing that struck me after reveling in it's fluffiness was just that it was pure, simple, and beautiful. The OBF fitted comes with a snap-in soaker as well as an extra doubler, both made from deliciously soft material!  It's pictured here with the snap-in soaker folded back.

Little J was almost 14 pounds when Mami and I were talking about which size to go with. She was right at 50th % for height, and mid-60th % for weight. Mami suggested the size medium, and it was a perfect fit with plenty of room to go. According to sloomb's size charts, the medium fit her a little early.

This is a fitted diaper, so needs to be paired with a generous cover. I use the sloomb knit wool cover, but did not want to picture that here since the one I currently use is her 18 month old sister's, and it's a size too large.  I didn't want to post a photograph of the too-large cover which might give you a poor impression, but it's an absolutely unbeatable combination!  (More on this knit wool cover and lanolizing in another post!) I can relax when she's in this combo - mamas of heavy wetters know what it means to be able to say that I can relax! In fact, by the end of this mini-photo session, she had fallen asleep without a cover.  I had a wild idea in me to just put her in her crib without waking her to put on a cover, and the diaper was still dry to the touch on the outside when she woke up! Wow.

Trying to get an unimpeded shot, but she wants you to see her DBW booties, I guess!

And apparently she wanted you to see the back, since she kept rolling over...

Finally! Diaper testing is hard work...

I'd also like to share a little about the company. Mami shared with me that Erin from sloomb went out of her way to get these diapers to Mami so they could get one in my hands - talk about customer service! In the "ethos" section of their website, they explain what's behind the company, and it rocks!  Most of the products are also handmade in the USA (that's local!). As I mentioned, I have one of their knit wool covers, and the wool covers and longies come with a tag with seeds implanted in it that you can grow!  I LOVE this - it was a fun little project to do with our two oldest.  I don't have a green thumb as I tend to over- or under-water, but I do have a few sprouts!  Even if the seed tag doesn't work out, for every diaper purchased, sloomb ensures that a tree is planted!

If there's one thing I would change, it would be Nothing about this diaper, but that the new interlock knit colors would be available NOW!  Oh, but they're soooo worth the wait!

~Prima~

"Prima is Practicing" Giveaway

I have wanted some flannel and organic bamboo velour (OBV) cloth wipes since I have known they existed!  I can sew...so I ordered some fabric....actually LOADS of it!!  I found one of Mami's favorite prints (think DBW Paradise Garden) in flannel, and decided to make some wipes for her Alejandro. :) I knew the OBV could be a little tricky to work with while I was getting used to it, and planned to have some "seconds". Guess what - a lucky blog follower can cash in on a set of four of these cloth wipes!

I'm giving away a set of four cloth wipes that most WAHMS would consider "seconds".  They are totally luscious and functional, but might have some minor cosmetic issues since I'm not a professional :) The bamboo velour is organic, but the flannel is not, and the fabrics were pre-washed to help control shrinkage.

I will leave this giveway open through Sunday, and random.org will choose the winner!  The only requirements to enter are:
1) Become a public follower of this blog and
2) Realize these are "seconds".
The winner can choose the "girlie" print on the left, or the "boyish" option on the right. Leave a comment below after you've become a follower (unless you already are!) with your choice of girlie or boyish and a way to contact you if you win!

Good luck!
~Prima~

Missing...

MISSING: one wool dryer ball. Approximately 3 inches in height. Last seen Wednesday, October 6, 2010 with female - brown hair and eyes, 32 inches in height.  This female has arms and is dangerous when approached to retrieve said ball. Missing ball is considered to be in extreme danger, as female has been known to try to consume spherical objects. Use extreme caution.

photo courtesy Eminence Photography www.eminencephoto.com

I think we should talk Mami into a "toddler pack" option for dryer balls - it would have at least one more than you think you need in your dryer at any given time...what do you think? 

~Prima~

WAHM Weekend: Sunday's Giveaway

Today's featured WAHM is Carrie McDonald of The Little Snap Pea!  You've seen her around Mami's and Papi's facebook page, and she has her own facebook page as well as an etsy store. Carrie custom creates coordinating Snappies (Snappy Straps), Paci Snappies, and Nappies to help make life with your little one a little more bright and tidy!

Carrie has some amazing ribbon prints! After I'm finished with this blog post, I'm off to take a closer look - anyone who knows me knows I'm a major germ freak but we're on the run a lot too.  If a toy is dropped, it's quarantined until we get home...  What a smart idea Carrie!

Carrie is offering a $15.00 gift certificate to The Little Snap Pea to a lucky winner!  To enter, fill in the form below. Random.org will determine the winner of this giveaway as well as the Friday and Saturday editions of WAHM WEEKEND on Monday evening October 4th.  Good luck!

WAHM WEEKEND: Saturday Giveaway

Today's giveaway is sponsored by Olivia Merrick of Feminine Essence, a member of the Mami's and Papi's facebook family! She is a busy mama, and she's offering one nursing cover and an unpaper towel for this giveaway. (Shhhh- don't tell Mami I let you know, but I happen to know she thinks they're "fabulous" and has been drooling over them (not literally, though!). )

Take a look at the Feminine Essence website and also the facebook page.


This giveaway is the 2nd of 3 WAHM WEEKEND giveaways, and will remain open through Monday evening October 4th. Winners for all three giveaways will be selected Monday evening by random.org. Good luck, and thanks Olivia!

WAHM Weekend: Friday's Giveaway

The first item up for grabs in our WAHM WEEKEND is actually made by me (Prima)!  I'm not your typical WAHM - my etsy store and blog sites only activated but not stocked, but I do love making custom knit and crochet items on a small scale for those who know that I knit and crochet.  I especially love knitting and crocheting hats for little ones :)  This newsgirl-style cap is made of 100% cotton, and is machine washable, although I wouldn't dry it.  It fits ages approximately 3 to 9 months. To enter, just fill in the form below!  Each of the giveaway items for WAHM WEEKEND will remain open until Monday October 4th when winners are selected by random.org and announced. Winners will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is drawn.  Good luck, and be sure to check back Saturday and Sunday for more giveaway items!

WAHM GIVEAWAYS THIS ENTIRE WEEKEND!!

Each day, starting Friday and going until Sunday, we will be hosting a new WAHM Giveaway.  They will be simple  and sweet and introduce you to our fabulous WAHM's. 

Check back for pictures and giveaway entries beginning Friday Morning :-) 

First person to post.................. MORE GIVEAWAYS FROM MAMI AND PAPI....... on our Facebook wall receives three extra entries in every WAHM giveway this weekend.

Diaper tip mini-giveaway

Let's have a little fun - post your favorite bit of diapering, potty-learning, ECing, nursing, or babywearing advice.  It can be funny, helpful, or both!

Post as a comment below - one entry per person this time please!  Five winners will be selected by random.org on Thursday 9/30/10 at 10 pm Eastern time to win $0.50 in store credit

I'll start:  One should always keep his/her mouth closed while using a diaper sprayer to wash poo into the toilet....(purely hypothetical...)

Make sure you scroll down - there were two blog posts today!

~Prima~

Diapering Tip: Relaxed Elastic

I had heard of elastic giving out, but was shocked when it actually happened to one the diapers in our beloved stash. I had assumed that elastic giving out happened to old diapers, and to covers had been dried a lot in the clothes dryer. Imagine my surprise, then, when I hung this diaper on the line after a wash and realized that on one side, the leg gusset now hung straight!!

I was totally confused. This diaper, while a little older in age than others in my stash, was one of the most gently used! It was purchased early in 2008 - it's birth mother (my cousin) told me it had been line-dried in San Antonio about half the time, and dryer-dried the other half of the time.  After a few months of use by my cousin, it was in storage until we adopted it in June of this year. Within two weeks of us beginning to use it (line-dried only by me), this happened!

After some quick research, I learned that one major cause of this happening is stuffing pocket diapers while they are still warm. Apparently stretching elastic while warm causes it to "poop out" early while the rest of the diaper still has lots of life left to live!

Lesson learned here! And I'm sure there are other causes too - I have seen photos of elastic burned from a dryer setting that was too hot. Feel free to comment below with your own diaper life-extending tips and experiences!

~Prima~

P.S. The first 4 people to post on Mami's and Papi's facebook page "Stretching my diapers' elastic while warm may cause the elastic to "poop out" early!" can claim $0.25 in store credit! Copy and Paste allowed :)
CLAIMED - CONGRATS BLOG STALKERS!!

Diaper Giveaway Winner!!

Random.org has determined that mbmcbride08 is the winner of the bumgenius 3.0 all-in-one diaper from the blog entries. Congratulations!! Contact Mami at mami@mamisandpapis [dot] com to claim your prize!!!

MAMI AND PAPI LIKE TO PARTY!

First 5 to post this wins $0.50 in store credit.

Post on Facebook............

"Mami and Papi Like to Party!!!" All done... winners already posted on FB :-)

We are mixing it up at M&P's !! Giveaways will be everywhere and many times "hidden". Be sure to check Facebook, our discussion tabs, product pages, the blog posts and more! :-)

Diaper Review and Giveaway: Bumgenius 3.0 all-in-one

Have you seen what's new at Mami's and Papi's?  They are now stocking bumgenius 3.0 all-in-ones (AIOs)! As an all-in-one diaper, the lining, absorbent material, and waterproof cover are combined into a single unit. This makes them extremely user-friendly and simple to use - they are great for sending to daycare, leaving with babysitters or family willing to help with diapers, or just busy mamas!

These are sized diapers, which means if used exclusively, you'll need to purchase different sizes as your baby grows.  My first experience with these was for my older baby.  We purchased one of the size large diapers - it is a great fit, and I loved having it in the diaper bag.  (It got points with Daddy, too, for being velcro/aplix, and ready to go without any stuffing or prep work!) At that point, the majority of our stash was one-size, and we had another baby coming along.  I knew I wanted to cloth diaper the new baby from birth, but also realized life was busy and knew I'd have help with diapers.  For simplicity, I purchased the bumgenius AIOs in extra small.  The rise on the extra small is intended to fall below the cord on newborn babies.  I was really pleased with the fit of the extra smalls, but by two weeks of age, our heavy-wetter was occasionally sleeping 4 hours at a time, and the absorbency was not enough for that length of time.  Here is a photo at 10 days old, 8'8", 20.5 inches long.

The next step for us was to move up to the size smalls, for babies 8-16 pounds.  Our family could probably have used the size smalls initially if we had waited until the cord was off.  While the extra small size does not have a pocket to add extra absorbency in case the sewn-in microfiber is not enough, the sizes small through large do have the pocket.  The size smalls worked really well for our heavy wetter through about 8 weeks of age, at which point I needed to add an additional newborn insert first at night, then all the time.  This photo was taken today - the fit is still great with room to go, and she is just under 14 pounds at just over 3 months of age. 

Here is a photo of the inside of the diaper.  The material against baby's skin is microsuede, which is considered a stay-dry material.  The wetness is drawn through the microsuede layer into the microfiber pad which is hidden in this type of diaper design. Toward the front of the diaper you can see the outline of where the microfiber pad is sewn to the stay-dry lining.  At the back, you can see part of the microfiber pad as well as the pocket formed by the microsuede/microfiber pad layer and the cover with the PUL waterproof coating.

As a generality, I find that all-in-one diapers take longer to dry, just by the nature of their design.  During the heat of the summer, I have been able to get them completely dry on the clothes line. They do take about 3 times as long to dry as some of the faster drying diapers, but they are not the last of my AIOs to dry, either. With the days getting shorter, I have had to throw them in the dryer for just about 7-10 minutes for them to be completely dry.

I really couldn't ask for a better fit from this diaper - cottonbabies has this part down!  In the all-in-one diaper category, it is what I would consider to be middle of the road in terms of the "trimness factor".  It has a simple and easy to use design. The fact that it is an all-in-one but still has a pocket to add extra absorbency is an added bonus for a mom to a heavy wetter!  Many won't need this option, though, as I didn't with my older baby.  These have served our family well as a transition for our new baby into her older sister's mostly one-size stash, and we also love the larger size AIO for it's trimness and ease for on-the-go.

Need to try this diaper?  You can purchase it here at Mami's and Papi's online store, or ENTER TO WIN ONE BUMGENIUS 3.0 AIO HERE!!! Entries accepted through 7 pm Eastern Daylight Time on 9/28/10.

Until next time,
~Prima~


Disclosure: the opinions of this review are my own. The diapers reviewed were purchased by me.

Win $0.50 in M&P store credit - CLAIMED, THANK YOU!

*****Already claimed - it pays to keep an eye on the blog!*****
First person to post on Mami's and Papi's facebook page "I've still got it!" wins $0.50 in store credit....

Review: Diaper Bag Wrangler Changing Pad

There's a beautiful diapering accessory at Mami's and Papi's online store...not easily noticed, but it deserves some love!  The Diaper Bag Wrangler (DBW) has several handmade items available at Mami's and Papi's (even a few exclusive's!), and the changing pad is just one of them.

The DBW changing pad measures approximately 22" by 17" in length - a perfect size.  It has a beautiful cotton print on one side and a super-soft unbleached organic cotton as the reverse.  The first thing I noticed about it was how vibrant the colors are on the cotton print - the pictures do not do it justice!  The second thing I noticed was how nicely it was made.  The fabrics are substantial, not thin, and of course it's washable!

I would hate for this to be limited as just a changing pad. Around here it's been miserably hot and humid. At the suggestion of a friend, I folded the two sides in and lined our seat with it, and it helps wick the moisture away. As an added bonus, our carseat got a facelift! With Fall just around the corner in the Midwest, it would also be nice to have the flannel side facing out.

Here are a few more action shots of the "changing pad" in use over the last few weeks.

Replacing our folded bath towel which was functioning as our changing pad...

If you're missing your "changing pad", check to see if it's being snuggled with - it's that soft!!

Not pictured are it's use as a baby lap blanket in the infant carseat during a recent unseasonably cold weekend, and as a blanket for my 1 1/2 year old's dolly. My only problem is figuring out which way to use it - good thing it's washable!

I would love to see an option for a second generation changing pad with a layer of PUL sewn in! I would call it "not-just-a-changing pad" :)

Need one?  Find it here at Mami's and Papi's where it's available in beautiful prints that coordinate with some of the DBW's other items such as aprons, booties, and wetbags! There are even military-print yellow ribbon items from which a portion of the purchase goes to the USO.

Until next time!
~Prima~

Disclosure: the opinions of this review are my own. I was provided this item to review free of charge.

Reviews

Mami's and Papi's is ready to add another aspect to the blog - reviews!  Before we get started, we wanted to let you know a little about the approach to reviews.

My reviews will be honest reviews.  Mami and Papi have worked hard to carry quality products, and I have an open mind when it comes to products (maybe this is why I've tried so many!).  I believe it is a dis-service to you as readers and members of Mami's and Papi's family to write a review that may have an important aspect left out because it may be less than positive.  If I were purchasing a product, I would want to know everything about it. That said, just because a particular product has a point that is not perfect for my family, it doesn't mean that product is not perfect for another family.  You will find a wide variety of reviews - some diapers, some diapering accessories, and some non-diaper related.

As embarrassed as I am to admit this on the internet, I had purchased many many of the products that Mami's and Papi's carries in their online store before I knew they existed. You'll find that the vast majority of the items reviewed were purchased by me, and you can find this information in the disclosure in each post.

Some of the reviews in the future will include giveaways, some will not.  You'll need to follow closely, and you know what Mami says about the size of the Mami's and Papi's customer family and giveaways... ;)

Now that we have that out of the way, on to reviews!
~Prima~

Worth it's weight in gold...

And, no, I'm not talking about that premium diaper you've had your eye on!  I hope this post will be worth it's weight in gold - the golden rays of the sun, that is!

This post may seem like an odd first diaper-related post, but I wanted to introduce so you can try this before some of us cloth diapering parents in the latitudes further North begin losing our precious hours of sun.  Sun and cloth diapers were made for each other! The sun provides several benefits to those parents who cloth diaper. By line-drying in the sun, you realize some energy savings by foregoing the use of the dryer, have the benefit of the UV rays' sanitizing effect, and (my favorite!) you have the stain-blasting power of the sun's rays.  The energy savings aren't enormous per load, but at a cost of about $0.40 per load x ~3 loads per week x 16 weeks, that's close to $20 savings.  Could you buy your favorite diaper with that? ;) The areas of the diaper that are directly exposed to the UV rays are subject to a sanitizing effect.  This wouldn't help the inside of an all-in-one, but every little bit helps! 

My favorite benefit is the topic of the remainder of this post.  When UV rays hit a stained surface of a wet diaper, magic happens!  The most important detail of this concept is that the diapers MUST BE WET OR DAMP!  It doesn't even matter if it's partly cloudy - the UV rays that are most responsible for this effect are UVA rays.  UVA rays penetrate clouds, clothes, your skin, etc.  On a sunny day, you have the "benefit" of UVA and UVB rays, but even on a cloudy day, the UVA rays are around working their magic. 

Here are some photos demonstrating the sun's impact on stains.  These are pocket diapers with microsuede interior and microfiber inserts, and were freshly washed, but still stained with EBF poo. NO photoshopping was done to these photos other than cropping!

On a partly cloudy day "before"...

...and "after"! I got this set damp one more time, and it was perfectly white!

On a bright, sunny day "before"...

...and after!  Perfection occurred after only about 45 minutes!

Just a few more things to note from my personal experience.  When I hang the diapers on the line, I face the surface that has the most stain toward where the sun will be the majority of the time the diapers are out. I've found that the sun's effects are nearly perfect on microsuede and microfiber in just one shot on a sunny day. It works "very well" on microfleece, although after numerous sunnings this summer, my microfleece pockets still have some shadows.  Sunning still works well on natural fibers such as cotton and hemp, but it may take several rounds, or you may need to use some advanced stain-fighting techniques (another post!).  This past winter, we had almost no sun, but I did the best I could in windows on a sunny day. The house we live in has some UV-blocking function in the glass, so I had stains for a few months. When I started drying them on the line this spring, they were gone within a few washes! The most important thing to remember, is that the diapers MUST BE AT LEAST DAMP!

Happy sunning!
~Prima~

A little about the author - my cloth diapering "credentials"

It's Prima, here!  Get ready for a wealth of information to be posted on the blog!  Before we get rolling, though, I thought you might like to know a little about who I am and about my cloth diapering journey.  I have four children ages 7, almost 5, 17 months, and 3 months.  Each of the four children was cloth diapered for varying lengths of time, and I've tried just about every type of diaper out there from flats, prefolds, and fitteds to pocket diapers, all-in-ones, and my newest addiction - wool!  I have been through the ringer with diaper laundry too! I started cloth diapering close to 7 years ago when my first son was a few months old - by today's standards and with the "modern cloth diaper", that was "ancient times"!

When we had our third child, I was ready to cloth diaper full time.  We started with her at about 5 weeks of age, because I wasn't knowledgeable about how to cloth diaper a newborn. (Never fear - that deserves it's own post!). Then, we had our 4th child born 14 months after our third. By then, I was totally addicted to cloth diapering and knew that two in diapers was the best excuse possible to expand my stash! I know some of you are there with me... So I went *NUTS* trying one of every diaper out there! Ok, I'm exaggerating, but only a little!

I read and read and read about cloth diapering and the best ways to take care of them, launder them, organize them, and more.  I created page-long documents on cloth diapering for my friends and I have a few converts!  Now it's time to share all this with you!  We want this to be your SOURCE for information - let us know what you'd like to see.  As you come to know Mami's and Papi's, you'll learn that it is a family-oriented business, serving families.

Please take the time to fill out the mini-survey here so we can serve you best!

~Prima~

For $1.00 Store Credit...CLOSED

This Giveaway is now CLOSED

The first person to fill in ALL of these blanks to finish the names of well known patriotic songs wins $1.00 store credit to M&P's.

 Please list your email with your post! 

Good Luck!

1. _______ the beautiful.

2. All quiet on the ______ tonight.

3. On top of old ______.

4. When _______ comes Marchin' Home.

5. The Yellow rose of ________.

6. Mine ______ have seen the beauty.

7. My ______ tis of thee.

8. ______ races.

9. Amazing _______.

10. Grand old _________.




Congrats to LilyPad Mom!
I missed a little mistake (sorry), no worries though $1.00 also goes to OpenDesertEyes!

For $1.00 Store Credit...CLOSED

This Giveaway is now CLOSED

What is #6 in the M&P's Giveaway and Behavior Code of Conduct? 

First to answer wins $1.00 store credit! 


Congrats to Rachel S. and again I forgot to ask for your email ( I get a little too excited)!
 Please send it to me at pprice3@emich.edu

Just wondering....

Is everyone having fun?!

For $1.00 Store Credit...CLOSED

This Giveaway is now CLOSED!
For $1.00 Store Credit...

This will be a RANDOM win! The winner will be picked randomly, but the giveaway is only open for 5 minutes! 

Click HERE to enter!


Congrats to Rachel S. 
Who had the first correct answer of: Fuzzibunz (Tereson Dupuy), Happy Heinys (Linda Byerline), Bummis (Shirley Murdock/Betsy Thomas) 

For $1.00 Store Credit...CLOSED

This Giveaway is now CLOSED
To win $1.00 Store Credit to M&P's---->

Draw a sign that states your M&P status.

ie. Stalker, Senior, or Freshman.

Take a picture of yourself with that sign and post it on the M&P facebook page wall!

First to post WINS!
Example:

Congrats to Sarah Laing!!

For $1.00 Store Credit...CLOSED

CLOSED!
The first person to post all of the ingredients in a can of Sprite 

WINS $1.00 store credit to M&Ps. 

You must comment on this post to be entered! (click the numbered box in the upper right hand corner of this post to comment)


Congrats to Kimberlie!


please send an email to pprice3@emich.edu to claim your prize! 
(sorry I forgot to ask everyone to post their emails in their answers, Mami's gonna need it to credit your account)

For $1.00 Store Credit...CLOSED

This giveaway is now CLOSED
The FIRST person to CALL Mami on her phone and confess their true love to her

wins $1.00 store credit to M&P's!

Yep, find that number. I promise it is listed SoMeWhErE.

She will let me know who got to her first :o) 


Congrats Katie Phillips!!