Diaper Sewing

I finally got around to attempting to repair some of our velcro tabbed BumGenius diapers.

I did not have a good time.

Many of the diapers look like this:

The tabs are curled at the ends, making them not stick so well.  After I repaired this one, I decided James could wear the rest as is, providing his clothes covered the diaper.  Otherwise it’s too easy for him to unfasten them.  :)

Actually, I think the main reason they’re curled like that is because for awhile, I washed disposable wipes with the diapers.  I only use them when we’re out and about, but I just went ahead and threw them in the diaper pail with the diapers.  I don’t do this anymore.  They go out with the trash.  If, in fact, this is the reason they’re not working after less than a year of use, then repairing them is not so daunting.  It’ll probably make them useable at least until James is out of diapers.  If they’re just curling because that’s what they’re going to do, I want more snappies!!

Anyway, I used my handy dandy seam-ripper to take off the tabs.

Joanna was watching me, and decided to go get her sewing machine and a shirt to repair.

She told me her sewing machine irons and fixes things.  I’ve got to get me one of those!

Here’s my new tab, all sewn on:

You can see old on the left and new on the right:

All I claim is functionality.  Not aesthetics.  Especially since the first one I sewed on UPSIDE DOWN!  Oh that was frustrating.  And I had no one to blame but myself.  And a few very cute people around here.  I originally had it lined up correctly but somehow moved it.  sigh  I fixed it.

It’s funny, my BG 4.0 velcros are the ones that have the curling tabs.  My 3.0 diapers’ tabs are fine but the laundry tabs (where you stick the velcro when it’s time to wash so they don’t stick to anything) are completely useless.

These are pretty “easy” to fix.

You just sew the new tab over the old tab.  It is a little difficult to reach with the sewing machine, and if you are… ahem… distracted (Thing 1, Thing 2, Thing 3) you just might find yourself sewing all the way through the diaper and having to try again.  Or something like that.

New on the left, old on the right.

And I replaced the other tab too but no “after” picture.

I have one more kit from Bum Genius which includes two sets of outside tabs and two laundry tabs.  Because my diapers all have one problem each, I just used one kit to fix two diapers.  I will get two more fixed.  Then I just might be done for awhile.  :)  It was hard.  I was distracted.  I didn’t like it.

I had all my curly-tabbed ones put away, awaiting repair, but I decided to just use them until they won’t stay closed.  Then I’ll put them aside.  I didn’t have enough diapers to last two days, and it was making me crazy!  Especially since James was on a poop spree.  (TMI?)  The ones with the too-soft laundry tabs tear other things up in the drier, so they really aren’t useable right now.  I only had four of them to begin with though, so I don’t have a ton out of commission. 

I really really want to get more snappy Bum Genius diapers, and get rid of some of the velcro ones.  Frugal Jessica is battling Material Girl Jessica.  Right now Frugal Jessica is winning, but I just might have to take her out.  There’s a sale, and I don’t have any of the dark blue and dark green ones.  :)

Airport Fun

Thursday was a busy day for the Pence girls.  After the dentist appointment (which Gran watched James for – wahoo!), I left all the kiddos at home so I could go to the doctor and the dermatologist.  Yay for Gran!

Then after dinner, Joanna and I headed to the airport to pick up Lisa and her girls.  They’d been gone over a week and we missed them!  Joanna wanted to park by the wall so we could look out at the planes.

I liked watching her watch them.

We snagged a cart from the parking lot and headed to baggage claim to wait for the Vandenberges.

The girls were soooooooo excited to see each other!

They couldn’t hold still for a picture!

The girls were so wound up and crazy on the ride home.  They are so fun to listen to!

We sure are glad to have our friends back home and we’re so glad they had a great time with family!  Joanna LOVED our adventure to the airport; she talked about it the next day as well.  We may have to head back.  It only cost $2 to park.  :)

Another dentist visit for one, the first dentist visit for another

Prepping.  :)

Um, yes that is an empty toilet paper roll on the counter.  And yes, we keep the trashcan on the counter.  But no, there’s no dirt or gunky stuff.  I don’t care what you think you see.  My bathroom is immaculate.  :)

Joanna was up first.  She’s such a pro.

Sponge Bob was on, which we’re not really into, but Natalie was checking it out.

Then she got very curious about what was happening to her sister.

Joanna had x-rays done, then it was Natalie’s turn!

We told her to pick out a pair of sunglasses.  We had to repeat a few times, rephrasing a bit.  Finally she said, “I don’t know how to.”  So cute!  She was trying to make it more complicated than it was.  :)

We could fit a whole other person on the end of that chair!

Look at that little baby!

She just held so still and listened so well.  I really couldn’t believe it!  I know watching Joanna helped some.

I think Joanna’s always had a tough time understanding what exactly to do with the straw sucker thing, but Natalie knew just what it was for!

Dr.  Farrell invited Natalie over to “help” while he checked Joanna’s teeth.  She held the mirror for him.

Then it was her turn to have her teeth counted.  She has 19 1/2.  :)

Honestly, the main reason I went ahead and took Natalie to the dentist was just because I could.  When we added Joanna to our dental policy, all the kiddos got added for the same cost.  I’m the teensiest bit concerned (just because I like to have things to worry about) about her thumb sucking, and the dentist is a good person to advise about that!  He noticed it, of course, but said not to worry a bit at this age.  Okay!  Although, I am trying to break her of the habit when she’s awake.  It’s her sad/scared/nervous thing, which is just fine, but it’s also her bored thing.  She can do something else while she’s watching TV!

Natalie will have x-rays next year.  Dr. Farrell did confirm what we thought, that Natalie has more space in her mouth than Joanna (Hallelujah!).

Natalie picked out stickers for herself and Sister, and they both picked out toothbrushes and floss.

The girls, their clean teeth, and their goodies!

They both just did so so good!  It sure makes a Momma proud to hear her kids complimented.  :)

Swimming at Aunt Mindy’s!

Last Sunday Mindy and Steve invited us over for swimming and dinner. (Okay, so really what happened is that Joanna called them and invited herself over.) :)

Anyway, we headed over after naptime for some pool fun!

Joanna the fish got some good practice.

I deeply deeply love that for once the adults outnumbered the kids. Lovely!

James is still not crazy about the water. (Oh, and this coming up is the only picture of me from the day. Can someone talk to my husband about this?) :)

Mindy and Natalie feeding Weensie a little pool water:

Natalie wanted to lay out in the chairs with Uncle Steve.

Isn’t she the cutest little thing?!

Almost a smile from James!

Mindy did some carting around of the girls. They LOVED it!

James liked sitting on the raft. He could be mostly out of the water but still splash some – yay!

Happy boy!

And just for grins, here’s Joanna on the same raft in the same pool at almost 8 months old:

I don’t have goggles for Natalie, but Mindy dug up an old pair around her house. Hilarious!

Putting her face in:

This whole summer, I could not find this floatie thing. Both girls used it, and I can remember putting it away last year or the year before, but I could not find it! Just before we left for Mindy’s, I checked one more time in a closet I’d already looked in four hundred times. Lo and behold, it had magically appeared!

James tolerated it for a little while.

I LOVE this picture of Matt and James. LOVE.

After swimming we all got dried off, warmed up, and snuggled in for a movie!

Natalie borrowed some of Mindy’s socks because her feet were cold. :)

We had chicken nachos for dinner. YUMMMM! This is Matt’s plate; you know mine didn’t have so many vegetables on it. :)

Thanks Mindy and Steve for letting us come over. We had so much fun, and the kids slept GREAT that night!