What has gotten into me, you are probably wondering. Well, I like to blame it on New Zealand. "WHAT?!" Yes, I'm blaming it on my new home. Some of these changes were brought on by it being the norm (recycling/reusing) and some by force. I'll admit, I was a bit skeptical to begin with. I grew up with air conditioning. When I realized that most people over here didn't have (or use) the a/c, I was a bit wary. When I saw how many clothes lines were strung up, again, I was slightly O.o (that is googley eyed, in case you are wondering). I pouted a bit when I realized there are things from the States I can't get here, or what I can get is expensive/tastes different. Since I was in a new country, there were two things I could have done. I could have whined and resisted, and ultimately made adapting harder, or I could enthusiastically jump in with both feet and have a go of it. Yes, I dove in, and giggled like a school girl as I hung out my first load of laundry.
Were there a few groans along the way, you betcha! The weather here is very unpredictable, and I nor the weather man can determine if it's going to be a good drying day or not. There have been many rain soaked clothes, and I have wanted to be like the lady that lives behind me and leave them out rain or shine because they will eventually dry....even if it is a week later. ;) There were a couple of times that I wished for air con. I went through summer pregnant, and not just pregnant, but my final trimester of pregnancy...you know, the most uncomfortable part. Also, it wasn't just any summer, it was the hottest summer in history (click that link for proof). By the end of my pregnancy, I was waddling around scoffing at those complaining about the heat and humidity. Pfft...amateurs!! This Bama girl knows all about heat and humidity. That being said, it's probably the only thing that saved me from whining, crying, and begging for a/c to be installed.
I started to learn to make things in order to replicate the taste of products I missed from the U.S. It began with taco seasoning and Sloppy Joe's. Yes, they have taco seasoning here, but I didn't have any on hand and refused to go to the market. Hmmm...maybe laziness should be added to my list of reasons for becoming more crunchy. A Facebook status made me have a craving for Sloppy Joe's, and I knew to not even bother with trying to find Manwich mix at the grocery store. A base recipe, followed with a dash of this and sprinkle of that, and Voila!!! I made my own!!! They tasted just as good, if not better than the can mix. The same goes for the taco seasoning, it tasted just like the packets of Old El Paso, but without all of the preservatives!!!!
That did me in, I was on a mission to make as many convenience products as I could. I saw they tasted the same or better and they didn't have additives. That's right; I said additives...I've also started calling them "nasty fillers" and ugh..."chemicals". No, I nor anyone I know has died from the before mentioned, but if I have the option to buy versus make, I now choose to make it. Since my initial kitchen diy experiments, I've also taken on the task of making cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, steak sauce, and chili mix, just to name a few. All of my attempts have been successful. It's started to become sort of like a game of Make It If You Can. I don't bother looking for the pre-made ingredients for recipes any longer. I make what-ever it is I need, toss the extras in the freezer or pantry, and it's very cost effective. Win!!!
Cost is another factor that lead to me "going to the green side". Have you seen the cost of diapers?!?!?! They're not cheap, but I am. After seeing what they cost when Root Toot was a baby, I decided I wanted to forgo that added expense. Hello cloth diapers!! After researching and reading and more researching and reading, I decided to go with BumGenius 4.0 diaper...or nappies as they're called here. They seemed the most user friendly, had great reviews, and the best part...I got them when they were buy 5 get 1 free with free shipping!!!! Woohoo!! We did use disposable for about 3 weeks, so including that cost of around $100 and the cost of her BG nappies, she has been diapered from birth to potty for less than $450.
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| BumGenius 4.0 on smallest setting |
I also decided to save money by forgoing disposable wipes. I make a wipe solution of water and a few drops of tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is great, and when she did get nappy rash while wearing disposables, it helped clear her bum right up!! Also effective at clearing up a red bum and diaper rash...COCONUT OIL!!!
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| Coconut Oil...versatile natural product |
Coconut oil is anti-fungal and safe for cloth nappies. It's also inexpensive and easily found. Go check out the cooking oil or international food aisle at your local market, cheaper than all the other creams and just as good. It's also great for use as a moisturizer and hair treatment...that's why I have a big jar of it. ;)
To be on the safe side, and to make nappy clean up easier, I did buy fleece to use as a liner. It's really easy to make your own, which is what I did. Since I was at the craft store, I also bought felt to make Stevie a mobile and hangy things for her car seat. Cheap, and I can make more so she doesn't have to see the same one over and over.
Sewing, laundry detergent making, and soap making are next on my diy/crunchy living list. Ben's going to get me a sewing machine, so we'll see how that goes. I'm picking up the dedicated soap making pots and pans this weekend when we head to market. I would say my poor family, but Ben is a good sport, and actually encourages me...lol We'll see how encouraging he is if I mess up the pH in the soap and he gets a chemical peel. Muahahahahaha!! Yes, that was my evil villian laugh.
Perhaps the biggest change for me came with my maternity care and Stevie's birth. I'm not going to get into the maternity services of New Zealand right now, but I will say that as long as you're having a normal pregnancy, it is less medicalized than the States. I had an amazing midwife for my maternity care. I also chose to not give birth in the hospital. I had Little Stevie at Waterford Birth Centre. I had an unmedicated waterbirth. Yep, I opted to go all natural...no epidural, no iv pain meds (or iv for that matter), and no air & gas. I had her in the birthing tub, delayed cord cutting, delayed her bath, and brought home her placenta (not to eat or encapsulate..I'm not that crunchy, but kudos to those who are).
On that note, I'm going to leave you to mull over that last paragraph. The little monster is awake, and I have laundry to do, which I accomplish by wearing my baby in a wrap. Hope everyone has a great weekend!! I'm going to think about rather or not to post up my birth story and get busy with a few diy things...Cheers!
