The 3rd Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge is almost over.  We have made it to day 6!  Being the weekend it is once again an open topic day for the bloggers who are participating so you will have to visit their blogs to see what they are writing about today.

I haven’t washed any flats since Wednesday.  I will wash Everett’s soiled night time diapers this morning and then anything left on Monday morning.

Since I haven’t had the chance to be a full participant for a few days I’m going to leave the good ideas to the bloggers.  Please go visit them to see what they will talk about today!

The question, “What is working” for the Flats and Handwashing Challenge also implies that there are certain things that just aren’t.  As much as I feel that this event can be a powerful tool to showcase how easy using flats can be,, it is also a way to showcase what doesn’t work.  Even better, it is a way to compare notes on things that work better than others to make handwashing and using flats, when necessary, easier.

The thing I have heard most often this year in the “chatter” has been how great the flats are working for participants!  Several people have decided to sell off their stash and go back to flats.  Maybe they will use them with covers, or they might start using them as inserts in their pockets.  The reason?  Flats work!  They are absorbent and wash and dry like a dream.  In 2011 I had “I’m bringing flats back” to the tune of “I’m bringing sexy back” because this was the sentiment then too.  Flats were selling out at many stores!  Now I think retailers increase their stock around May!

Another surprising discovery people have been making is that flats DO work overnight!  I’ve heard each year from moms who assumed they would still need to use their night time diapers but found out that 1 or 2 flats will still work!  And if they needed a stay dry liner, well, those are easy to DIY and a fleece liner can be used in the diaper to help baby from feeling too wet at night.

As I’ve said in the past 2 posts- Ev has potty trained during this event!  I’m still in shock and it was very unexpected but I won’t stop him when he is so ready.  That means that I haven’t had the “full” experience and he has only used two diapers (one each night) since Tuesday afternoon.  Still, I’m using flats overnight pad folded in a cover and I’ve done two loads of handwashed diapers so far. On our first 2 days he was in flats using the diaper bag fold or the pad fold and it was awesome, no leaks!  Yesterday I posted my handwashing routine and that has been working well also.

As for “fails” well, the only fail this year so far has been my motivation and enthusiasm.  Before the challenge began I was dreading it.  I really didn’t want to handwash diapers.  I always strive for honesty on this blog so there it is.  I still got out my supplies, even after waiting until the very last second to do so, and when I had enough diapers that needed washing I did it.  As always, once doing it I’m reminded that it isn’t so bad.  Washing machines are easier and require far less effort.  I just throw the diapers in and forget about them for an hour until they need to be dried.  With handwashing I have to be fully awake and present.  I can’t zombie wash- I have to have the energy and being a mom to 2 boys who rarely gets a solid 2 hour stretch of sleep this is hard for me.  I can see how it would be hard for working moms too.  I have the luxury of waiting until I feel awake to do so which can often be after 9 or 10 am, or will wait until the kids are napping to have less interruptions.  I know this system can work but it requires a lot more of the parent because they are the machine and it is 30 minutes of solid work.  The only thing that I don’t love about the act of handwashing is the wringing of the diapers.  This can take a toll on my hands.

Every diaper fold I’ve ever tried has worked for us but I have my favorites.  The diaper bag fold and Jo fold are easiest and can be folded ahead of time.  I don’t really like the Origami or Kite fold.  But I’m too lazy for folding so I stick with the Pad fold.

Now I want to hear what is working for you!  And what isn’t?

On the fourth day of the Flats and Handwashing Challenge the topic I and the other bloggers linking up will be discussing is an important one- the handwashing part.

I think out of this entire event the handwashing is what people find the most terrifying and most curious.  Why, WHY would anyone do something so crazy and what is it like?  Is it hard?  Is it gross?

This is my third year participating in this event and I’ve handwashed my diapers on various other occasions when traveling.  Each time I learn more about what works best when handwashing my diapers, pick up tips from others involved, and realize that handwashing is not easy but it is possible.  I have a how-to handwash video using the camp-style washer from the first year as well: How to Handwash Cloth Diapers.

I store the dirty diapers in the bucket I plan to wash in.  When it is time to wash I fill the bucket with cold water and do a pre-rinse that includes a couple of minutes of agitation with the plunger or breathing washer.

I drain the water, and usually dump all the contents into the bathtub.

This is when I make sure all of my flats are unfolded, and if not, I unfold them and put them back in the bucket.

Next I fill the bucket with hot water and add a few drops of my detergent.  I had a sample of Vaska so that is what I have used this week (but any free/clear detergent will work).

I agitate using the breathing washer for a few minutes.  I never time it but I usually go longer than what I think is good just to be safe because often I think I have been agitating forever and I look and it’s only been 2 minutes.

I dump out the water and diapers, rinse each diaper in the cold water coming from the faucet, then put it back in the bucket and fill it once again with cold water.

Agitate with the washer again.  If I see too many bubbles from soap (not bubbles from the agitation) I pour the water out a little, add more, and agitate more.

Next each diaper is hand wrung and the covers are rolled in a dry towel to help them dry faster.

I dry them on an Ikea drying rack outside when I can, or inside if not.

The entire process takes about 30 minutes.  (28 if I look at the exif data on my camera!)  

Drying the diapers is something that is totally subjective to where you live and how you hang them.  It took several hours for mine to dry due to the humidity and the fact that I didn’t wring them out super well.  Today’s batch dried faster inside and I wrung them out bone dry, as good as I could by hand.  My trick to soften air dried flats is pictured below, but basically you twist and beat the diapers quickly and they soften up completely!

I’ll be honest and say that I never look forward to washing the diapers.  I never look forward to my normal diaper laundry either.  It truly isn’t that hard and it isn’t too time consuming but even at only 30 minutes a day it can be a chore for anyone coming home from a full day of work.  Even though I never look forward to it I always get it done and though I dread it I find, while washing, that it isn’t that bad.  That is generally how I feel about all of my chores around the house and even my work online.  I’m a procrastinator and always make things seem worse in my head but when I finally get off my butt and do it I wonder why I made such a big deal of it?

I think just having someone try it and see that the results- clean diapers for very little cost and not a huge amount of effort- could get more people to consider this method.  There aren’t places to try a bucket washer so having educational videos and articles on the Internet is one step in that effort.  More hands on the ground helping in crisis centers, food banks, and diaper banks are other ways to get this information to families who would consider it and who would benefit from it most.  As for the gross part… well I’ve been lucky this week since my son’s stools were completely solid.  I’ve washed a variety of poop out of flats in the other years I’ve done this and it isn’t pleasant but if you have a diaper sprayer, or use the shower head to rinse the poop into the toilet first it is very easy and not as gross as one might think.

Now it is time to visit the other bloggers and see how they are finding this whole handwashing thing!  The best part is seeing the variety of answers.  Some have loved this experience, some have struggled with keeping up with the washing due to the number of diapers being used, and some are having a rough time with the weather and getting diapers dried in time.  All will have valuable experiences to share.

Day 3 means we are almost halfway through our 7 day challenge to use flats and handwash for 7 days.  This week there are over 60 bloggers participating who have been linking their posts and today instead of there being a prompt for writing they are picking their own topic.

For me I wanted to expand on a tip I shared a few days ago about using this time in flats as a way to start practicing Elimination Communication!  *Post contains affiliate links.

Before disposable diapers were the norm all babies wore cloth diapers and almost all of them potty trained far earlier than babies do today.  It isn’t unheard of for children to still be in diapers when they start school!

Each year when I do this Challenge I find myself more inclined to give my baby “diaper free” time or to let him wear a flat with no cover on.  The best motivation for potty training early when you are washing diapers by hand?!  Not having to handwash diapers anymore!  You can see why our grandmothers made sure to give their babies lots of potty chair time and lots of naked bum time.  One pee on the potty (or on the grass!) means one less diaper to wash.  When you are the washer you think a lot more of how many diapers you are going through.

I’ve shared my youngest child’s issues here on the blog before about his trouble with pooping and withholding.  He has been much better about going without me having to help but it has always been in a diaper.  In the earliest days of his problems I would try to encourage him to do his business on a potty seat but that made him associate it with pain.  Even after his troubles resolved the mere mention of the “potty” word caused him to protest, often cry, and the subject was dropped.

I’ve given him diaper free time here and there but the potty never entered the equation again until yesterday.  Everett did have a hard time passing a very large poop and I “doula’d” it out with him.  He had smaller movements 3 more times.  I knew that at this rate I would have to wash diapers for the second time that day and I was hoping to wait until the morning so I removed the diaper, cleaned him up, and set him free!

I put the little Bjorn potty in his room and he played while I went about my crazy productive streak and sorted all of the toys in the house, matching pieces as I went.  He began showing signs of needing to pee so I asked if he would like to go potty.  Surprisingly he said yes!  I rushed him to his seat and he was happily sitting and playing but nothing came of it.  About 30 minutes later his father was home and noticed the same signs, he ushered him to the potty and after a few minutes of sitting and playing he did it!

Of course I did a ridiculous song and dance and the long promised reward of M&M’s for pottying was finally realized!  That kid loves chocolate and was happy to get his treat.  Later that night before his bath I had him sit again and, after a few minutes and having read a short book, he declared that he did it again!  And he had!  More dancing, singing, and a reward.

It is my hope that today is the start of our road to underwear and our goodbye to cloth diapers.  I won’t be pressuring him but I know an opportunity when I see it and it is waving at me.  We are still participating in the Challenge and I’m sure he will have more wet diapers, even if he is miraculously trained during the day we may have nap and overnight dirty diapers.

I realize that when mothers and fathers work full-time your care provider isn’t going to give your baby diaper free time.  However, there is no rule saying EC is an all or nothing thing, just like cloth diapers.  Every family can benefit from introducing the potty and “cues” for pottying at any age.  I started ECing my other son when he was 6 months old and we have many days where he didn’t have a wet diaper at all!  Schedule changes would interrupt our best days but I know that our EC time made him potty train easily and without resistance at a pretty early age compared to the American average.

If you are participating in the Challenge (or not) try leaving the diaper off for a bit.  You might have a pee on the floor, or you might catch a pee on the potty.  For anyone interested in learning more about EC “The Diaper-Free Baby” book by Christine Gross-Loh is excellent and gave me a lot of insight into ways to make EC work for us.

Now I can’t wait to see what topics our bloggers will choose today!  Follow their links below!

It is Day 2 of the 3rd Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge, that yearly even where we only use flat cloth diapers and handwash them for 7 days.  Our second day will focus on the diapers and other items we are using.  Since flats are so economical it will be fun to see what our other participants have spent to participate!

This year I didn’t purchase any new flats for the Challenge since I already had quite a few.

My flats-

4 Ikea Flats (2 packs of 2) from last year- $6.00

8 Target Flour Sack Towels (2 packs)- $8.00

9 Diaper Rite bleached flats from Diaper Junction- $13.50  (I have given some away… which is why I don’t have a dozen)

3 t-shirts as diapers- $1.50 total from thrift store

4 flats made from an XXL shirt- $1.00 for all 4!  (Tutorial to make cheap and easy t-shirt flats)

$30.00 TOTAL for all flats.

My Covers-

Since I review diapers for a living I have several covers but I only chose to use a few that have been in my collection for a long time.

Thirsties Duo Wrap Size 2- 14.95

Swaddlebees Capri Cover- 16.95

Blueberry One Size Coverall- 16.95

Applecheeks Envelope Covers (2) Size 2- $38.00

$86.85 TOTAL covers cost.

The total cost is $116.85.  I realize these aren’t the cheapest covers on the market but I also didn’t want to run off and purchase more covers when I already had many.  Even though the grand total is over $100 this is a very economical amount to spend on a stash of cloth diapers.  I counted everything I laid out to use, however my gut tells me I will only use about 10 flats total from what I have, if that, and 2 covers each day.  Since I will wash every 1-2 days that still isn’t too bad!  If you have to get a stash of cloth diapers for less there are ways to cut cost by using cheaper covers and maybe even sticking to the t-shirt flats since  they are about .25 each!  I have listed many options for getting cheap cloth diapers on another post that you might find helpful.

I also already had a bucket around here, and my breathing washer (pictured on the right, affiliate linked to Amazon) from the first year’s event.

Now I want to know what you spent on your stash?  Link up your blog posts!  If you aren’t blogging tell me in the comments!  I wonder who spent the least?!

On the first day of the 3rd Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge our topic of discussion is “Why take the Challenge?”  Rather than repeat my own reasons that you’ve read again and again I asked others who are taking it to see why they wanted to participate.  We have had over 400 people sign up from all over the world to participate in the Challenge.  At the end of the post you can find blog posts from bloggers who will be writing about their experiences.

“I’m taking the Challenge to bring awareness that flats are very much a viable option in today’s modern world. I am using 24 flats and 6 covers to cloth diaper TWO boys!”

-Callie Fritts, mama of 2 boys and consultant/blogger for www.diaperparties.com

“I am taking the challenge because I love to challenge myself. I want to be able to teach others how to cloth diaper on a budget and have experience in it. I am also interested in learning an alternative to using disposables or hybrid diapers on the road.”

Allyssa Streeper – mom of a 7 month old and owner of Crunchy Canadians from B.C., Canada (http://www.facebook.com/CrunchyCanadians)

“…to prove to myself (and hubby) that I can be ready in any situation and to have experienced it firsthand! I am blogging about it to share the experience and raise awareness that cloth diapering can be done on any budget!”

Melissa Alexander, part time working mom of 3 and author of Teen Toddler Newborn

“…for reasons two : 1. To spread awareness that cloth diapers are a viable option for low income families and
2. To remind myself that I decide to cloth diaper to save money.  There are so many beautiful fancy diapers available, it’s hard not to want them all, but I don’t really need them.”

Jessica Dunn, mother of one http://lifeourwayblog.blogspot.com

“I’m taking the challenge for the 1st time this year to show that moms working outside of the home can cloth diaper their children and save money for other family needs.”

- Kayla Dusseau @kaylalorri Blogging @ notquitehomemade.wordpress.com

“…to have the knowledge to tell others from first hand experience that cloth diapers don’t have to be expensive and intimidating.”

-Heather Lucas, mommy of two munchkins, @HeatherLucas777

“…to learn something new and to raise awareness than anyone can cloth diaper no matter what their income or situation.”

-Michelle Ferguson of The Not-So-Secret Confessions  http://www.mommyfergblog.com

“…because many people with low incomes can realize how easy is to get savings, happy baby butts, and most of all, healthy conditions of life only with a cloth and a bucket.”

Elena Santoyo, Full time mother of a chubby baby in cloth diapers, and blogger.  http://elenalovediapers.wordpress.com

“I’m taking the challenge because I want to demonstrate the ease of cloth diapering, how fun it can be and how great it is for both baby and the environment.”

Eva Lepe mother of two and the writer of http://clothdiaperingmx.blogspot.mx/  @EvaLepe

“I’m taking the challenge because I was afraid of using flats and my competitive nature is stronger than my fear. Plus, I wanted to find a better way to cloth diaper while camping.”

-Crystal Ferguson

“…I could do that! I could do that ANYWHERE!”[the challenge] and I immediately considered how easy it would be to wash flats and a couple covers in a sink on a cruise ship or motel room. I could hang them to dry just inside the open door of the balcony or simply take advantage of the AC. I could still use her adorable little covers and know that I’m doing what I feel is best for my baby even in unusual situations.”

-Lara Jackson, contributor for www.dirtydiaperlaundry.com

“I’m participating in this challenge for the third year because I want to be more diligent about noticing my daughter’s cues for when she has to go potty.”

~Sarah McKelvy, Mother of 1, Blogger at http://www.wifemummynurse.com

“I am taking the challenge to help show parents that when money is tight, they have options. You don’t have to spend your hard earned money on expensive disposable diapers that you are going to use once and throw away. Cloth diapering is a very realistic option!”

-Stephanie Beck, Mother of four and owner of: http://www.apronstringsattached.com/

Now take a look at the blog posts from today about why others are taking the Challenge.

Even though I don’t have a newborn to show the fold on, I was able to get a good grasp of how well the Mini-Kite Fold would work on one.  The shelf in the back and the jelly-rolled legs make this a perfect fold to hold in those runny poops and prevent poopspolsions in conjunction with a good fitting cover.

In the video I am using an Ikea flat (a burp cloth purchased from Ikea that is square and perfect as a flat) and it measures about 28″ by 28″ and is close to square after being washed.

I made this tutorial based on the requests of so many who wanted a newborn flat fold tutorial.  I have several other flat fold tutorials already and you can find them all by visiting this YouTube Playlist: Flat Cloth Diaper Fold Tutorials.

The 3rd Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge begins this Monday, May 20 and will go until the evening of May 26.  As a quick reminder, this event will involve hundreds of families from all over the world; they have signed on to only use flat cloth diapers and handwash them for 7 days.  That’s why we say “No Washer.  No Dryer.  No Problem.”  On the surface this event may seem like fun and games (well, as much fun as handwashing dirty diapers can be!) but the goal is to prove that cloth diapers are possible in almost any situation.  1 in 3 families struggle to afford diapers for their babies but flats are the cheapest diapering option available and they are easily handwashed and air dried, unlike other styles of cloth diapers.

If you have decided you would like to participate but think you won’t have time to get prepared, have no fear!  I’v got some tips to get you started.  You can sign-up and read the rules on the announcement post: Rules and Sign-up.

Even though you won’t have time to take advantage of the sales offered by our retail partners you can still find flats at your local big box store.  You heard me!

Supplies you might need are listed below that you can still get this weekend.

Target sells “Flour Sack Towels” in their kitchen department.  These sell in packs of 4 for $4.00.  They are thinner than your traditional birdseye flats but they will work, though they won’t wash up perfectly square and are a bit smaller than the standard flat size.  You may need to double them up depending on how heavily your baby wets.

Wal-Mart has an equivalent for the same flour sack towel, same rules apply.

SAM’S Club also sells them in larger packs of 12 (Baker’s and Chefs brand) and these are rumored to be the best quality.  They will cost an extra .10  per flat and are 12.94 for the dozen.

Ikea sells “burp cloths” that are by far my favorite flats.  They are a bit more a piece, about 1.50 each and sold in packs of 2, but if you want to keep using flats after the challenge these are perfect and cute.

For an even cheaper alternative you can hit up your local thrift stores or raid your husband’s closet for XXL T-shirts and cut them along the seams to make 2 flats.  They shirts have to be 100% cotton.  I have a full tutorial for this- Cheap and Easy DIY T-Shirt Diapers.   If you get the shirts on sale for .50 each then you have two diapers for less than a dollar.  WHAT?!  Mind blown, right?

To get a camp style washer ready you will have to get a few supplies unless you have them already- but it isn’t hard.  Run to the dollar store for a plunger and find a 5 gallon bucket at a hardware store for about $5.00.  Instructions for making one: Make a Camp Style Washer for Cloth Diapers

And a few tips I shared last year about handwashing should help as well:

• If using a plunger/bucket washer wear rubber gloves to prevent sore hands and callouses.  Also use gloves for wringing diapers as this can also cause soreness and chaffing.
• Roll your covers in a dry bath towel and apply pressure (by kneeling) to take out as much water as possible to expedite air drying.
• Line dry your flats in a well ventilated area if at all possible.  Outdoors if it isn’t humid or indoors under exhaust or ceiling fans.
• Iron your flats if you need them to dry faster.  This can also kill leftover bacteria that may not have washed out.  Think of it as sterilizing while making them pretty too.
• Use a light hand with the detergent- too much and the extra rinses will be time consuming.  Remember the volume of you washer/sink is likely a lot less than your washing machine.
• Rinse with warm water.  According to a laundry expert warm rinses=easier to wring out more (or spin out more in machine)
• Let the water work for you- if you can leave soiled flats in a SAFE place to soak then do so to remove waste.
• Practice EC!  Nothing like handwashing diapers to make you more observant of your little one’s cues!  Let your baby go coverless and you might just notice a pattern to their pees.  Start putting them on a potty, cue them, read to them, and just see what happens.  One less pee/poop in a diaper= one less diaper to wash.
• Don’t use wet bags.  Store dirty diapers in your bucket or sink because handwashing the bags will take valuable space.
• Wash daily or at every change.  Washing larger loads means harder work, longer work, and the potential for the diapers to get less clean.
• Beat the crap out of your dry flats to make them soft again.  Air drying=stiff.  Wring, snap, and roll your flats and this will remove the crunchy feeling.
• Got stink?  Probably not enough detergent or not washing long enough.  Set a kitchen timer because a few minutes handwashing can feel like a lot longer.

Now you are ready!

If you plan to blog along there will be a prompt for each day of the Challenge to write on.  They are as follows:

Monday:  Why did you decide to take the Flats and Handwashing Challenge?

Tuesday:  How did you Prepare?  List your supplies, where you bought them, how you made them, how much you paid, etc.

Wednesday: Open Topic Day

Thursday: Thoughts on Handwashing- How am I doing?

Friday- What is working for me?  What isn’t?

Saturday- Open Topic Day

Sunday- What did I learn/ How did it go?  Do I think others could do this and how could they make it work?

You will have the chance to add a link directly to your post (not your main blog address) each day.

Add your main blog link to the linky if you plan to participate in the link-up each day!  

I want to share a little story with you.  It all started at 1 am two Sundays ago.  I woke up to my son screaming in pain.  At the time I assumed it was tooth related.  I nursed him what ended up being all night and he was still in pain the next day.  Turns out the kid had strep throat, double ear infections, and lymph node infections.  (I wrote about Everett’s illness just a few days ago in greater detail and his eventual hospital stay)

Let’s just say that the next few days were HELL.  I know my kid was sick but holy cow, I was miserable too.  He didn’t like sitting down so I walked him around the house all day Sunday.   He got as much boob as he wanted but even that didn’t help.

I didn’t eat, hardly bathed, and watched far more cartoons that any person should.

Then on Cinco De Mayo, the best excuse to make Mexican food ever, I took him to the grocery store with me.  I packed him into my BobaAir on my front and we shopped.  As luck would have it, this made him happy!  He was content.

Grocery shopping with the sick one.

Then I kicked myself because, HELLO, of course babywearing would make him happy.  My arms were practically the size of a weight lifter’s from almost 2 days of carrying him around for hours.  He is 2.5 years old people!

I got some looks because, well, I’m 5’3” and petite and my son looks almost as big as me.  Do you think I gave a flying fish?  Nope.  After that successful day I spent hours each day until he was better finding excuses to go out and walk around with him in my Boba.

We bought supplies to make homemade iced coffee and he rode in the BobaAir happily.  I went thrifting and bought 7 more doors for the inside of my house and he was safe and happy in my carrier.   I even made it a point to go to Ikea just to endure the long shopping trip that would be in order to have a reason to walk around with him in the BobaAir.  My most genius move?  Going to a PetSmart to let him look at the fish.  It is cheaper than an aquarium.  Anything, anything to make him stop crying and give my arms and boobs a break.

I tell you.  I almost lost my mommy mind.  At least there were 2 solutions that worked for me while Ev was miserable: Boobs and Babywearing.

I mentioned this earlier, but my son ended up being admitted to the hospital.  I even found babywearing to be a saving grace there, and on the rare occasion he didn’t have his IV connected I would wear him and walk up and down the halls.  At one point he was in a lot of pain and I reluctantly asked for morphine to help him because he was so upset… I walked him around the halls and within 5 minutes of being worn and walked he was suddenly feeling much better!  The nurses were so surprised when they saw how much better he was feeling, without even taking the medicine, and they all wanted to know what the “contraption” was that I was using to wear him in.  The good news is that after our 2.5 day stay he was feeling better and we were discharged.  Right now he is at 98%.

As for the deets on the BobaAir and how it works for us I will give you that too since that is more than likely what you want to hear.

The BobaAir is the first carrier that is totally self contained for travel into a small zippered pouch.  Unzip it and unpack it to reveal a carrier!  While it is not padded on the waist belt or shoulder straps like the Boba 3G it is still comfortable enough for shorter trips such as shopping.  I’ve been using it since it was released (so about a year now), with my  2.5 year old, and even with a toddler it has enough support.

I like to wear the shoulder straps slightly over my shoulders to spread out the weight in order to compensate for the lack of padding.

Often I get asked about how hot it gets because it is nylon.  I live in sunny Florida and have used it indoors and out.  I haven’t noticed it being any hotter than other styles of soft structured carriers.  And honestly, all carriers get hot because you have the body heat of a small baby or toddler next to your own body.  Things just get hot and sweaty regardless.  As for it being hot for the child, I would say they are hot from your body too.

The BobaAir goes on easily once you unzip it and pull it from the pocket.  I love that even though it is a bare bones carrier it still have a sleep hood and that it can be tucked into the zip pocket at the front.  My only minor complaint is that is can be difficult to get the carrier quickly packed back into the pouch.

The price is low at $65.00.  If you are only babywearing for smaller trips and excursions it could be your primary carrier, however for those with younger babies who will likely be wearing their them for long periods around the home and out this is more of a secondary carrier.  Being small it has a lot of advantages.  I keep it in my car, and if I think I will need it, I throw it into my purse.  It has been a real lifesaver this year.  I grab it even when I’m home to use inside on occasion because it is so darn easy to put my son in.  He is almost too old for babywearing and these days only likes to be worn when he is sick.  It seems like he is getting sick on a way too regular basis so the BobaAir and I have been getting closer, especially last week when he had strep and HSP.  He literally didn’t walk for 8 days and preferred to be carried, worn, or pushed anywhere he goes.

Now the Boba Air also comes in Blue and I’m sure as time goes on they might come out with more colors. Update! They literally just released a new color this week- WHITE!  

So yeah, I’m a fan.  I really love Boba and have been using their carriers since it first came out so when the BobaAir came out I was really excited!  I know it took me almost a year to write this review but I’m glad I waited until after using it in so many situations and at so many places.  I grab it whenever we think Everett might get tired of walking when we are out and about and having that “safety net” of a carrier always handy, in my car or purse, is a good feeling.

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Extra Chance to Win on Instagram!

Upload a creative and fun photo that shows why you need a BobaAir to Instagram!  You must tag @Boba and use the hashtag #BobaSaveMe.

Da’ Rules- The most creative and applicable to the subject photo will win.  Think outside of the box!  Did your kid pull down a shelf of nicely folded towels at Target because you didn’t have your carrier with you?  Use that!  A photo of you carrying your kid around when you would have rather had a BobaAir?  That works too!  I’m sure you guys can think of some funny and interesting ways to show how handy this little pouch can be to have around for those unexpected times that you really could have used a BobaAir to save you!  You don’t have to be babywearing in the photo or even have a child in the image!  Almost anything goes if it fits the theme!  Please, please just use common sense… if you are staging a photo and using your baby do it safely.   The photos will be judged by the Boba Team and myself.  Upload a photo between now and midnight on 5/24.  A winner will be announced on 5/28.  Only open to US Residents 18 and older.  I don’t think I’m as good as you guys but here are a few fun ones I came up with… just to get you started with ideas!  You do not have to include text with your images but a caption to the photo is encouraged.

I have a pretty amazing life, a beautiful home, two incredible kids, and a handsome husband who has worked hard to move up in life and provide his family with everything we have.  I don’t have anyone to thank except him, and myself.  We made this happen.  While, in our lives, I’m sure events transpired that were “lucky” or “fortuitous” that helped us get here but we are the result of hard work.  Our lives exist because of that work.

Since there have been a few remarks about how fortunate I am, and how “out of touch” I am with those I am reaching out to help with the Flats and Handwashing Challenge, I thought today was a good day for a back story.

Kim today is pretty different from the Kim of 20+ years ago.  I didn’t live in a house until I moved in with my boyfriend (current husband) during college.  No home I’ve ever inhabited had stairs, and it was never permanently anchored to the ground.  I was a trailer park kid.  I’ve lived in plenty in my lifetime, some pretty sad looking, and some that are the “cadillacs” of mobile home parks, with paved roads (NOT DIRT!), and back again.  I recall using a rusted mattress on our front porch, that was basically only rusted and sharp coils,  as a trampoline when I was 5.  We were poor, and a little white trashy too.  We were never rich, but it was only towards my adolescence that things got worse.

About 5-6 years old

Thanks to a string of bad luck our family was thrust into a period of Hell that I’ve tried to block out.  In fact, most of my life between the years of 10-18 are a blur.  A haze of misery and disappointment, rage, pain, and depression.  My mother re-married a very nice man when I was in sixth grade.  We loved him.  But he had recently started suffering from a severe form of Epilepsy that disabled him to the point of not being able to work, and for years, he could hardly function due to the severity and frequency of his seizures.  The Epilepsy was triggered by a head injury from a fight (over my mother) while they were dating.  To this day he still suffers from it but over the years he has gotten better at recognizing his aura and doesn’t drop like a fish in public places (my chorus concert, Wal-Mart, etc) and injure himself as often, or as severely.  He can reach a safe place in time.

We were poor.  My Mother had a hard time keeping a job because she was also trying to care for my step-father, who was very ill, and would lose each job she had.  We didn’t have insurance or income.  Diseases are expensive and paying for the medications my step-father needed took everything and more that we had.  We relied on food banks a lot to eat, and were often on either Welfare or other public assistance programs.  Sometimes we had medicaid (which is the only reason I had braces- a real life changer), but often we didn’t.  And yes, I’ve eaten welfare cheese.

I won’t go into a lot of detail, but things got way worse.  Both of my parents became addicted to prescription and street drugs.  I was essentially raising myself during these years.  My grandmothers made sure we had food in our cupboards in the worst of times but neither really knew how bad things were.  I would wake up for school and see my mother and step-father and other random people already awake, looking quite cheery.  The smell of burnt metal and acrid smoke would still be in the air, needles and paraphernalia were poorly and hastily hidden when I entered the room.

The only reason I didn’t lack certain things was because my mother and step-father were, how do you say, helping themselves at department stores.  It took a while before I realized how my mother came to posses such nice things.  At that point I began refusing her gifts.

Eventually their lifestyles caught up with them.  My mother overdosed in the middle of the night, my step-father and I followed the ambulance (I didn’t have a license but had learned to drive a stick in case I ever had to take over when my step-father started to seize) and we learned that she was in a coma.  She died, but was brought back.  I went to school the next day because I was a lawyer in a mock trial I had been preparing for for weeks.  It was my time to shine, and I did amazing.  Later that day I was called to the office because my mother woke up, and was picked up by family members and taken to the hospital.

We were eventually kicked out of our home… there was a raid… other illegal activities had happened that resulted in a long investigation and arrests, though no charges stuck and my step-father didn’t do time.  I was “homeless” and shuffled around from family member to family member, trying to stay in my district because I didn’t want to lose my friends.  I settled in with my grandparents and credit that time with them for saving me from a dark place of hatred and resentment.  I was seething and of course, blaming my parents for making my life abnormal.  Every teenager craves to be normal and accepted.  I kept a good front going in school and no one knew except the closest friends, what really went on.  Even then I didn’t like for people to see where I lived, the car my family drove (when we had one), and what my life was really like.  I was poor…

I’ve lived without power, without air conditioning during the blistering heat of North Carolina summers in, what is essentially, a heated tin can.  I’ve slept under many blankets and relied on kerosene heat when we hadn’t paid the power bill and it was winter.  I’ve had to heat water on a kerosene heater and had to flush toilets with a bucket, and pee using a lighter in a dark, windowless bathroom.  I’ve lived with roaches (lots of them).  I’ve gone hungry because of pride… I didn’t want people to know I qualified for free lunches so I didn’t eat lunch.  I would read a book in the hallway or nap in the library.  Eventually, I was able to pay for my own lunch when I got a job at 15 years old, working late nights washing dishes and stocking a salad bar.  I got a loan from my grandmother that enabled me to afford a (really, really shitty) car, I paid my insurance and cell phone bill, started buying my own food, clothes, and music.  I worked illegally, got paid under the table, and therefore “laws” didn’t apply and so I could do late shifts on school nights and work more hours than allowed for my age.  I wouldn’t change it for a thing because it is how I earned my money and survived.  In fact, I was “adopted” by the people I worked with and the patrons.  I lived to work and I have the best memories of my “work family” who came to replace my real one.  It was my home.  Eventually I started working two jobs, and between them I logged a lot of hours and started providing myself with very nice things, because I could.

My second job was at Outback in High School

I graduated high school and counted the days until I would live on campus.  I graduated college, while working full time in retail and had worked up to a supervisor position, married my husband, moved to NY with him, and we started our family.  I was fortunate enough to quit my job there and stay at home with my first son, then my second, and that afforded me the time to start this website.  Now we live in Florida in a home we bought (all credit really goes to my husband) and a home I’ve worked my butt off renovating.

So you see, I have no idea how “the other half lives.”  And that is right, I don’t know how the homeless, truly impoverished, hungry, cold, desperate live.  We were never THAT bad.  We came close, but we had a safety net in the government, disability, and family.  And I’ve never been poor while having children and can’t imagine the stress of trying to provide for my kids when there is no money.  But the majority of Americans are like me, like I was, with enough to scrape by most of the time.  We never had a baby in the family (I’m the youngest of my mother’s, my step-father had 4 other children but none were babies when they married) and I don’t know what we would have done in our hardest times.  I do know that we had the tools, and the time, to have made handwashing work.  Funny thing though, we were poor and had a washer and dryer.  I suspect a lot of other poor families do because poverty is diverse and includes a wide range of families from the poorest, to the almost poor.  We weren’t having such hard times when my mother re-married, but it got that way.  Things happen in life, situations change, and sometimes you do what you have to do.

I’ve come a really long way from my former life.  Sometimes it feels like it never happened and that I started to exist in college.  As much as I distance myself from the past I’ve been shaped by it and want to help others who are having a tough financial time.  I am not forcing anyone to try this but it is an option.  It works, it helps, and I am thankful I don’t have to do it myself and won’t be ashamed of the fact that I don’t have to.