Part 2 of Cloth Diapers/Nappies/CD/MCD/MCN/You Get The Drift...

Okay, so, last time, I talked about what diapers we picked and why, along with a few negative things I've been told about using cloth.  What I really didn't do was go into much detail about what to do once your nappies have arrived.  So, here we go...

We decided to use disposables during the newborn stage, and we also needed Little Stevie to be big enough to fit in her cloth.  Babies need to be around 4 to 4.5Kg (9-10lb) to really fit BG.  Let me just say, I couldn't WAIT to get her in cloth.  We had more blowouts in those blasted disposables than I care to count!  It's 2 am, I'm trying to feed her in the dark, and I'm like "what's that wet spot?!?"  Yep, leaky diaper, and more often than not, it was poo.  It would come out the back, out the sides, and it didn't matter what size she had on...they leaked!!  We tried a couple of different brands, and still, they leaked.  See why I'm not afraid of rinsing used nappies?  Rinsing cloth isn't nearly as bad as snuggling your baby against you only to realize you're drenching yourself in baby poop.

Thankfully, the day arrived that we felt comfortable with the fit of her cloth. We knew how to put them on, but what happens once they come off?  Well, that's easy, and it depends on who you ask.  Again, everyone (you know who everyone is...the internet Cloth Diaper Guru Moms) has something different to say, but I go by the general consensus.  I do the following:  take them off, take out the insert, unsnap them, give them a good rinse, squeeze out the excess water, and pop the nappy into a dry pail.  A dry pail, well, my dry pail, is a plastic storage container that sits in my bathroom.  It has a lid that I put on, but I don't seal it.  I have nothing in the container....no water, no detergent, nothing.  On wash day, I tip the pail over my washer, pour everything in, turn on my washer, and clean my bucket.  Often, I'll set the container outside to air out and get some sunshine.  No smells!

You can also get a wet bag, which is what I use when we're out and about.  Some people find them to be a great option because you can hang the bag wherever you need it to be.  I find my dry pail more convenient because I have the perfect space for it to sit, and I don't have to unzip and bag.  I kinda just kick my lid off with my foot.  Here's the lowdown on wet bags.  Wet bags work like dry pails.  They're lined zipper/snap bags.  You store diapers the same way as a dry pail.  On wash day, pour the nappies in the wash, pop the bag inside out, toss the bag in washer, and turn on your machine!

Speaking of washing, there's a big hooplah over "the right way to wash".  Basically, here's what I think, if it works for you and doesn't ruin your nappies, go for it.  Again, be careful and go by your diaper manufacturers' guidelines.  You don't want to ruin them or void your warranty.  Other than that, it's variable based on your diaper, washer, detergent, and water.  I do the following: cold wash on the longest cycle with the most amount of water possible, extra rinse, hang outside to dry.  I use an eco friendly wash that's not harmful to nappies.  I use 3/4 of the recommended amount because nappies will get a detergent build up if you use too much, and they won't get clean if you use too little.  Build up prevention is why I do an extra rinse after the wash cycle.  Sometimes I pre-rinse in the washer, if for some reason she's been really rough on the diaper, but we do a good job of rinsing them when we take them off, and we've had no issues with my routine.

Some hot wash because it gets them cleaner, or they think it's more sanitary to wash in hot.  I'm fine with cold washing.  We have no smell or diaper rash issues, so I know my method is fine.  I can bleach them per BG with 1/4 cup once per month, but I haven't needed to.  I line dry in the sun, and if it's raining, I use the clothes horse.  Sometimes, the inserts get dried in the drier, but only if there's no chance of sun, or if they're just not drying inside and we're soon going to run out of nappies.  I never ever ever dry my shells in the drier.  It's not good for them, and again, if it is harmful to your nappies, just don't do it.  I really don't like drying my inserts in the drier either because I'm convinced it will wear them out if done long enough.  I don't think it really will, but I don't want to risk it.  Just to be safe, and because the sun is awesome, if possible we do all drying outside.

Clothes Horse Drying

Sun is nature's bleach, and each time they come in after being outside, they look brand spanking new!  Also, the sun works to kill the fungus that causes nappy rash.  Here's another little handy dandy sun fact.  If you have a little one that has a bit of a rash, or a stubborn rash you can't seem to get rid of, stick that little bum outside in the sun.  Use common sense here, don't let the little tush burn!!  If you lack common sense, just don't do this, continue to use your over-the-counter products and consult your doctor.

You can tell, washing and sunning are kind of a big deal.  I'm a bit anal over these two things because I want to continue to not have issues.  Yes, I will admit, I've been known to get so hung up on my washing routine that I have gotten a bit grumpy at Ben over not washing the way I want them washed.  He chunks them in, sets it on a quicker cycle, uses the amount of water that you would usually use wash a similar sized load of clothes, and then sets the washer for another rinse cycle.  I walk in, see this, and go Mommy Dearest on him.  You know Mommy Dearest?  The movie where Joan Crawford spazzes out over wire hangers?  Well, that's me except I'm all "No short cycle with low water!!!!"

In case you don't know about Mommy Dearest...here's the clip

Mommy Dearest No Wire Hangers Ever!!!!

Me Being Spaztastic Over The Washing Routine

He now uses the longer wash cycle, since I asked, but I'm still not sure rather or not he uses the water setting I prefer.  I make a point to not walk by the washer if he's thrown them in because I don't want to go psycho over it, and mainly, I'm just thankful he'll take the time to wash nappies for me.  I could be one of those women grumbling about how her husband never helps around the house.  Nope, I'm going to keep my mouth shut and be grateful for the chance to snuggle under the cover and sleep in a bit longer while he goes on nappy washing duty.

So, what are these horrible things I'm trying to prevent?  Detergent build up, ammonia build up, stink, and repelling.  You read a variety of causes and a variety of solutions.  Some people get worked up over the right way and wrong way to remedy each problem.  Again, I think the remedy is whatever works for you based on your nappies, washer, and water type.  I have no personal experience for dealing with any of these things, so I'm going to refrain from saying what does and doesn't work for each issue.  If we do have any of these issues, I'm sure you'll get to read aaaaaallll about it in a blog post.

There you have it.  My thoughts on washing and cloth problems.  We've been in cloth full time for two months now, and I really am pleased with our decision to use them.  I can't complain about BumGenius, and I would recommend them to anyone.  They're user friendly, and it's nice to not feel like you're asking for your family to put forth a lot of effort when they babysit.  We've had no blowouts due to diaper error, and only 2 or maybe 3 due to Mommy error.  I didn't stuff the inserts correctly a time or two, and another time I didn't put the diaper on her straight.  You know what happened!  The cloth still did a better job containing the blow outs than the disposables EVER did!!

I like cloth so much that I'm anxious to try the different types.  I really want to get my hands on a few prefolds and covers with varying blends of material.  Any other children we have will be in cloth from the moment a nappy is first put on their behind, so I think it would be wise to get accustomed to prefolds now, since they seem to be the best fit for newbie babies.  No, there's no newbie on the way, but it never hurts to be prepared!  I am also a bit curious about the absorbency of different nappy fabrics.  We don't have any complaints now, but again, for future reference it would be nice.

Any materials or brands you would recommend I try? 

Cloth Diapers/Nappies/CD/MCD/MCN/You Get The Drift...

What's all that cd/mcd/mcn mumbo jumbo?  That's cloth diaper world abbreviations for cloth diapers, modern cloth diapers, and modern cloth nappies (nappies = diapers in NZ, OZ, UK, etc).  The world of cloth diapers has its own language.  You get into things like ai1, ai2 (all-in-1's and 2's), os (one size), pockets, fitted, flats, prefolds, workhorses, pretties...  You also have brands: BG (Bumgenius), FB (Fuzzibums), RR (Rumparoo), GV (Grovia), and then you have MWAH nappies (mom working from home). The list goes on and on, and THEN you get into the fabrics they're made with: cotten, bamboo, microfleece, microfiber, minky, hemp, organic Himalayan silk (not really that last one, but it did sound good).  Once all of this is mixing around in your head, you're probably thinking exactly what I was...WTH!!!!  That's what the heck in case you didn't know, well, I said what the heck, but I'm sure there are other meanings.

What happened to the Gerber Birdseye diapers?  I just wanted to stick a piece of cloth on my baby's butt and be done with it.  In case you're wondering, the Gerbers are on the store shelf next to burp cloths, which is where they should stay unless you intend to use them for spit up rags.  Back on point, selecting cloth diapers...  Okay, so how did I decide which diapers to use?  The same way I make every other decision...I read and researched, albeit with a few tears and eye bleeds since I was trying to figure out what all that crazy lingo is about.  After countless hours, I finally decided upon a brand, much to Ben's pleasure.  I'm pretty sure he was sick and tired of hearing about all of it, and he probably would have used a plastic bag with leg holes cut out if it meant I would shut-up about all of it.

So, what did I choose?  Ta-da!!!!

BumGenius 4.0

I chose Bumgenius 4.0 with snaps, which are one sized pockets that have a suedecloth top layer and micorfiber inserts. Why did I choose these?  Simple...they're user friendly.  If I'm starting something new, I need it to be as painless as possible.  If it's too complicated, I'm not as likely to stick with it.  To use these, I make sure the cover and insert are snapped to the appropriate size, stuff the insert into the pocket, make sure the insert is correctly, and put it on Little Stevie.  It goes on like a disposable, but it snaps instead of velcro-ing (is that even a word?).

Largest Size Setting

Smallest Size Setting

Diaper Unstuffed With Insert On Top

Both Inserts

If you find snaps too difficult, there is a velcro option, but I didn't want to risk it wearing out before I was finished using them.

Velcro Option

See?  Cloth diapering made easy!  Everyone, and by everyone I mean all the cloth diaper guru momma's on the internet, said to start out with a couple of different brands to try.  You're able to more accurately determine what will or will not work for your baby and life style.  There are trial packs you can buy, or you can demo used diapers.  There are a couple of different options to help you decide what you like.  I decided to take a risk and go with BG.  I had read both good and bad reviews, so I knew what I was getting into.  For me, the pros outweighed the cons, especially when I checked out the New Zealand price.

Here, you're looking at over $30 per diaper.  Back in the U.S. I could get them buy 5 get 1 free, which came out to $14.35 per nappy.  As an added bonus, I got FREE shipping!!!  Remember I'm a tightwad!  Yes, money factors into my decisions.  So, armed with my knowledge, I bit the bullet and ordered the diapers in the U.S. before I moved.  I figured if I didn't like them, I could sell them and try different brands once Stevie was born.  I packed them into a suitcase, and they came over on the flight with me. 

Here's what a suitcase of nappies looks like.

Suitcase Full of Nappies

 You may be wondering why I didn't just wait until I was in New Zealand, order from the U.S., and have them shipped here.  Well, for one, shipping costs ALOT, and for second, BG won't allow international shipping in order to be fair to your local stockists.  I'm okay with that.  I could have had them shipped over by some of my family, but I don't exactly trust the postal system.  A box of my belongings took a tour of New Zealand before it arrived at my door.  It somehow made its way from Auckland (northern part of the the North Island) to Dunedin (southern part of the South Island) and finally, back to Hamilton (northern-ish North Island).  It arrived a little over a month after I shipped it, but I'm not complaining.  It arrived...could have been worse!!!  That's why I brought a suitcase of nappies with me.

So why did I decide to go through this "hassle"?  New Zealand is really pretty, so I want to do my part to keep it that way.  The bigger reason, I'm a tightwad!!    For less than $350 Little Stevie will be diapered from birth to potty training.  That's including her wipes and liners (diaper topper to make clean up easier).  Yes, there are a couple of added expenses such as laundry detergent and a slight bump in power consumption, but that cost is minimal in the grand scheme of things.  Here is a pretty good cost breakdown.

We decided that since we were going to be doing laundry, we might as well use reusable wipes and liners.  They're much easier than worrying about throwing away wipes or flushing liners before doing a diaper rinse.  We rinse it all at once and we're done.  In case you're wondering, we bought the baby wash cloths to use as wipes.  Fold them in half, and they fit perfectly into a regular disposable wipes container.  We simply put water in there with a couple of drops of tea tree oil, and Voila!  Baby wipes!!!  As a bonus, the tea tree oil is a natural anti-fungal that helps keep rash away.  The liners are made from microfleece that I bought and it's cut down to size.

Some think it's gross rinsing diapers.  Who wants poo all over them?  Well, nobody enjoys poo being all over them, but don't think you're immune if you choose disposables.  I've had more disposable blow outs than I care to think about.  Besides, you don't have to play in the diaper to rinse it.  Oh, and did you know, you're actually suppose to dump the nasties out of disposables?!


Proof!!

"If nappy is soiled, empty contents into toilet"

 I've been bombarded by people claiming I'm making the wrong choice by cloth diapering.  "It's expensive!" No, it is an investment up front, but it's much cheaper long term.  It's gross rinsing diapers.  Again, I don't play in it.  I've also heard all kinds of other reasons for not using cloth.  My favorite..."Who has time to sit around and wash diapers all the time?!"  Ummm...yeah, cuz that's what you do when you cloth diaper.  You sit around and wash diapers day in and day out.  Actually, we have a whopping 2 to 3 extra loads of laundry a week.  We wash them every 3 days, and it literally consists of dumping and starting the machine.  We're not using a washboard or anything.  Yeah, we take a bit of time stuffing them, but no more than it takes to go purchase diapers.  "It's too much work!" I'll admit, to begin with, it takes a bit of work to figure out what works for you, but by the first or two, you'll get a routine, and it's gravy from there!!

Yes, I like my cloth diapers, if you can't tell.  I'll get into some of the ins and outs such as washing, some problems that may arise, and a few other tid bits in part two.  For now, I'll leave you with this, and another reason you should consider cloth if you haven't.  There are no disposables that can compare to PRETTIES!!!!!!

Mini Muffets Click here for more info.

Scrumptious Nappies Click here for more info

Scrumptious Nappies Click here for more info

Those are reason enough to choose cloth over disposables!!  That's a few pics from some of our local MWAH nappies.  There are tons more out there.  Do you have any favorite nappy brands? 

Going Crunchy

I feel like I should be at some sort of 'Anonymous Addiction Meeting' as I admit this.  "Hello, I'm Callie, and I'm turning crunchy..." For those of you that know me, I'm sure there are a few gasps and slack jawed expressions going on as you read this.  I know, I found it hard to believe myself...well, initially.  After the shock wore off, I embraced my new found love of all things some things crunchy.  Hey, I'm a newbie to the granola world, I can't love all things.  There are places I draw the line...ie "no poo".  For those of you not into the lingo, no poo means no shampoo.  Yes, there are some people that don't use shampoo (no judement intended).  I've not researched it, so I don't know how it works.  Regardless, rest assured, I do still wash my hair...although at the end of the day, it really doesn't look like it (or smell like it) after Little Stevie's spit up in it a few times.

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.

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!!!

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!

Wow!! It's Been a While!!

My how life has changed since my last post!!  The last time I wrote, I was running around trying to finish up last minute things before Little Stevie's arrival.  Yes, that's what we call her Little Stevie...short for Little Stevie Wonder.  You should see her head groove!!  LOL  Sometimes she's referred to as Snaggle Tooth, but that's a whole different story.  Back to my original train of thought...life changing.  I was heading into my midwife appointments, buying a few little last minute things that she "needed" (ie. cute gowns), buying a few last minute things that I needed, and trying my hardest to get her to turn and drop.  The closer I got to my due date, the harder I worked to achieve the latter of the before mentioned...and then I saw my due date approach...and then I saw my due date pass.

Let me tell you, it's not exactly exciting to watch your due date go by.  All I could do was think "OMG!!  I don't want to be induced!!  I'm a labor and delivery nurse with a BIRTH PLAN!!!!!"  For those of you unaware....being a nurse pretty much ensures that something is going to go wrong, and having a birth plan is kinda like signing consents for a c-section.  So yeah, I was pretty much the poster child for an induction followed by a stat c-section.  To all of my ob friends...I did NOT sit down and write a formal birth plan...let me repeat...I did NOT write a formal birth plan.  The birth plan was filled in by my midwife and was part of my medical record.  I am happy to report, I did not get induced, nor did I have a c-section!!  Woohoo!!!  The U.S. nurse/birth plan juju did not cross the Pacific Ocean with me!!!! :D :D :D  I had a short and sweet labor followed by the arrival of Little Stevie!!!

Here she is...a couple of hours after birth.

Don't Swaddle My Hands!!!

Here's some more photos of her throughout the past weeks.  You can see how much she's changed and how time really has flown by!!

Snoozing at the birth centre

I'm Getting Sleepy

Pitching a Fit!!

Crashed

Night Night

Since her arrival, we've been pretty busy, to say the least!!  Ben was home to take care of us for a while, and I am so thankful for that.  I got to rest, we got our nursing routine down pat, and we had time to bond before the day to day activities kicked in.  She had her first outing (to the library), has been to the grocery store, to the markets, and she has even made a quick trip to The Base (the mall).  We've embarked on our journey with cloth diapers and wipes.  We've figured out a bath routine...the longer it lasts the happier she is.  We're getting more sleep at night, and she's awake more during the day.  All in all, life is good.

Now that we have somewhat of a schedule, I'll have a little more free time and be back to blogging more frequently.  She's telling me she's ready to eat again, so that's all for now.

I hope everyone is doing great!! 

"THE Incident"

I've been in my new home for a little over a month now, and so far, settling in has been going great.  I know everything I have written about so far has been on the positive side, but there have been hiccups along the way.  Hiccups are to be expected, right?  Of course they are, it's what makes life funny..well, not at that moment, but in hindsight at any rate.  Looking back, I'm having a laugh right now as I think about what Ben has started referring to as "THE Incident".

I had started thinking about things like, food in general (thanks Pinterest)...which in turn lead me to thinking about grilled chicken, which in turn made me start thinking about side dishes for grilled chicken.  Side dishes...hmmm...potato salad!!  Yes, and potato salad has pickled relish in it.  Pickled relish, oh I needed that, because then I could make tuna salad, egg salad, deviled eggs, and chicken salad...you can see how my train of thought quickly derailed and honed in on the pickled relish and all things surrounding it.  Needless to say, I spent the rest of the afternoon fantasizing contemplating all the wonderful things I could do with one jar of pickled relish. 

Fast forward a few hours... My amazingly wonderful dear hubby walked through the door after he got off work, and announced he was going to the market.  I nearly squealed with delight!  He asked THE question I wanted to hear "Do you need anything?"  Why yes, yes I did.  I looked at him with eyes full of hope (much like a child as they sit on Santa's lap and whisper their Christmas wish list) and said, "Do y'all have pickled relish here?" He was thoughtful for a minute and then proceeded to tell me how they have aaaaaallll kinds of relish here.  Yes, that's great...but that did not answer the question of if New Zealand has pickled relish.  I tried again..."ummmhmmm...do you have pickled relish?" He looked at me and said, "What do you mean by pickled relish?"

I quickly realized that we were about to have some cultural difference issues, and decided that I would personally oversee the purchase of  the relish.  I told him it was okay, I would check it out when I went, and requested a Milky Bar instead.  Milky Bars are basically white chocolate bars, and it was just what I needed since my relish dreams were smashed for the moment.  One Milky Bar and a couple of days later, I had all but forgotten my pickled relish infatuation. 

Life continued on, and I found other things to obsess fixate occupy my time.  The weekend rolled around, and we did our normal errands like, grocery shop.  We were fighting the crowd and participating in buggy wars, and I had still not thought about my beloved relish...until we walked past chicken.  You guessed it...the wheels in my brain started turning, and everything in my head stopped and immediately returned to zeroing in on pickled relish.  I became possessed...must have pickled relish NOW!!!  So, we immediately went to where all things relish was located.

I happily pranced up to the shelf, and I surveyed the many different types of relish.  Nope...no dill pickled relish...no sweet pickled relish...no cucumber pickle relish of any kind.  I was slightly disheartened, but hey, it's okay...I'm from Alabama...I can improvise!!  I can dice up my own dill pickles!  Problem solved!  I march myself down to the pickle section, with Ben in tow helping me search, and I see all kinds of pickled vegetables.  The one thing I did not see was dill pickles.  How can New Zealand NOT have dill pickles?!?!?!  I was heartbroken!! 

I start to rant and mutter about not having dill pickles, and who eats stupid gherkins...much less bread and butter gherkins, and come to think of it, why are their no dill gherkins, does New Zealand not know what dill is?  Ben was wanting to know what's wrong and what did I mean by a dill pickle.  Ummm...you know, a pickle that is dill flavor...NOT bread and butter and NOT a gherkin.  "A pickled what?" he asks.  Apparently, we were having a cultural difference, but I was too distraught to notice, or care. "A CUUUU-CUM-BER!"  At this point, I noticed that I was on the verge of becoming irrational and I just wanted to go before I started crying in the middle of the grocery store. 

Ben, bless his heart, was trying his hardest to help me out, and he continued to look for pickles.  I was becoming more agitated by the second because I knew it was futile...all of my hopes and dreams were ruined, and all I wanted to do was bawl my eye balls out.  "I don't want them, they're not here, let's go home." He looked at me like I had lost my mind, and I had...I wanted pickles, they weren't there, and I have pregnancy hormones running through my blood stream...need I say more?  He continued to look and explain to me that it helps when I clearly describe to him what it is I'm searching for.  My irrational emotions make it harder to contain my tears, and none of this is what I want to hear at the moment, so I do like any woman, and quickly repeat that "I want to go home" before saying nothing. 

He finally gives up on the pickles, and we make our way through the rest of our shopping with me replying "no" to everything he asks from that point forward.  The ONLY thing I wanted was dill pickles, and they did not have them.  I managed keep my composure, and we got in the car to head home.  At this point, I'm still not speaking because I know how silly it is that I'm this upset by the pickles, but there's nothing I can do about it.  I just wanted to go home and wallow in my sorrow.  Poor Ben, he just wouldn't give up, and he pulled into a Mediterranean specialty store to see if they had them.  I knew from the moment I saw what type of store it was...there were not going to be any pickles, and I was not going to be any happier about the whole situation.  After my knowledge was confirmed, we then once again, made our way home.

Once we got to the house, I was finally able to console myself.  I sprawled across the bed and cried before having a nap.  4 1/2 hours later, I woke up feeling a bit better.  I had a little more sense about me, and went to the source of all knowledge...Google!!  If there were dill pickles to be had in New Zealand, Google would know!!  Apparently, this has been a topic of interest from others that moved over, and I did manage to find a couple of recommendations as to where they might be carried...including an American specialty store in Auckland.  Ben, checked them out online, but unfortunately, they don't have online shopping.  It's okay, we're headed to Auckland in a couple of weeks, and if I have not found pickles by then, I will be checking them out while we're there!

So, there you have it....the story of my temporary insanity and my unsuccessful quest for dill pickles in New Zealand.  My Momma had to hear this story shortly after it happened.  She did NOT make me feel better...she laughed at me, and then she told my Granny.  I found out about Granny knowing when I called to see how she was doing, and after exchanging pleasantries, she said, "So, tell me...how are the dill pickles in New Zealand?"  She immediately cracked up laughing. 

Now, every time I say something positive about New Zealand, I'm quickly informed of how tasty the pickles are back home...LOL  I can get a laugh out of it now, and I think someone in my family is going to take pity of me and ship me some.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I find them here, but if anyone wants to send pickles my way, I'm willing to provide my address! :D  Until next time...everyone take care and eat a few dills in my honor!!

Catching Up...Boxing Day & The Belly Excuse

That's right....I said Boxing Day, celebrated on December 26th.  I'm pretty sure you're having the same reaction that I had the first time I heard about Boxing Day.  I couldn't help but think, "Sheesh...a whole day devoted to the sport of boxing?!  Mike Tyson fans much..."  (for the record...I don't think NZ is all to keen on Mike, considering they banned him from entering...click here to read more.)  

Okay, okay, back on point.  What exactly is Boxing Day?  Well, there's two theories as to its origins.  The first theory is that back in the day, servants had to work Christmas, but were given the day after off in order to celebrate with their families.  The servant's employers would present them with gift boxes on the day after...hence the term Boxing Day.  The second theory is that the collection boxes in churches were opened up, and the proceeds were distributed to the poor on the day after Christmas.  Today, it's like Black Friday, except you don't have to request off work because it's a public holiday!!  Oh, little side note here...Boxing Day isn't just celebrated in NZ.  Canada, Australia, and the UK all celebrate BD, too.

We got up bright and early, just like everyone else that hadn't participated in the mass exodus to the beach, and prepared to go shopping.  We didn't hit the "early bird" specials, but instead we waited and hit the shops around noon-ish.  The traffic was insane, and there was nowhere to park.   The Base. (one of the malls) has this nifty little feature telling how many parking spots are available.  Well...there weren't many, and everyone was having to park out in the middle of nowhere.  

Security was directing traffic, blocking roads and areas that were full, and indicating where you needed to go to park.  We WERE being directed to the great abyss, but what did Ben do?  He decided to use my bulging belly to get us closer.  Yep, he pulled right up to Mr. Security Guard and said something along the lines of  "My darling is pregnant, is there any way you can get us closer?"  Mr. Security laughed and said "Yeah, she has had a bit too much Christmas pudding!  Go right over there, and we'll get you in."  We ended up with front row parking!!  

I was really thankful for the great spot once the rain set in.  To be honest, I was really grateful I didn't have to waddle any further than necessary...I had shopping to do and couldn't be bothered expending all my energy navigating the parking lots trying to get to the mall!!  Let me rephrase that, I thought I had shopping to do.  It turns out, after visiting nearly every store at The Base, we went home with 1 purchase.  That's right...it took 5 hours to find one thing to buy, AND it wasn't even on sale!!!!  

In summary, Boxing Day was spent fighting traffic and crowds just to NOT get a good deal.  Sounds about right huh?  It wasn't a complete waste though...we did manage to get a great laugh out of the parking arrangement....and yes, after 5 hours of walking around that place, I was even more grateful to have the awesome parking spot.  Thanks again, Mr. Security Man!! :D

Week Review

So, this week has been pretty eventful.  It all began on Tuesday when Ben and I got married.  I know...I know...we didn't exactly advertise that we were going to, we just up and did it!  It was nice, quiet, and simple...no fussing, or all the stress that goes into wedding planning.  We couldn't be happier!  

On Wednesday, I saw my midwife for the first time.  Yes, I said midwife.  In NZ, you pay out of pocket to see an OBGYN if it isn't medically necessary, or you see a midwife for free.  This girl decided tot take the free option.  I found her and was in contact with her before I came over.  She is really nice, and I couldn't be happier with her.  I'll talk more on midwifery in a later post.  I do have to have an ultrasound next week because the chunky monkey is measuring a little ahead, but no worries..it's not uncommon for that to happen.  All in all everything is fine on the baby front.  I see her again on Monday, and then every two weeks until I get closer to term.

Wednesday night was Christmas lights night!  Ben, his mother, and I went to see the pretty lights around Hamilton.  There's a subdivision called Harrowfield, and they really go all out with the Christmas lights.  I'm talking these people rival the Griswold's from Christmas Vacation!  There were so many people there viewing the lights..some drive through and others struggle to find a parking place and walk through.  We accepted the park and walk challenge, and really got to enjoy the pretty lights.  We saw just about everything you could think of.  One house was all lit up with someone dressed as Santa sitting on the front porch.  There were kids lined up having their pictures taken with him.  Another house had a projector set up, and they were playing the story of Christmas on a screen on the side of their house.  There was a caravan (camper) all decked out with a Santa scene inside for you to see.  Someone had a fake snow machine set up right off the side of the street.  When you walked up to see the little polar bear they had set up, you triggered a sensor, and got covered in fake snow!  It was fun, and I was glad to see some people still go all out! It kinda reminded me of Christmas City when it first started out...I know some of you remember Christmas City!!

After we left there, we went to the Mormon Temple to see their pretty light display.  The Temple lights are the gift to New Zealand from the Mormon Church.  You get to park and walk there.  Lights are everywhere...including on the palm trees.  One side has the Temple itself with all the trees and shrubs  surrounding it in lights.  The other side of the street has trees in lights, boards lining the sidewalk telling the story of Christmas, and a beautiful ivory colored nativity scene.  They also have a the New Zealand Visitor's Center open with various pictures of Christ on display.  We didn't go through, it was pretty packed.

Here are a couple of pictures from the Temple.  Most of the ones I took blurred out, so you can't see exactly how pretty it really is.

The Temple

Hillside Lights

Lit Up Palm Trees

 If you want to see how pretty the lights are, click here.  If you want to read more about the Temple, this link will tell you more.

We also saw the Hamilton Christmas tree downtown.  That thing is massive!!  By massive, I mean 88 1/2 feet tall.  It's the tallest tree in New Zealand!  No, I didn't get any pictures of it because someone *coughBencough* was busy pretending he was a NASCAR driver while we were going through the downtown area.  Here's a link to the tree if you want to see it, and I will get pics of it before Christmas is over!

I think that about sums up my week.  I'll update everyone again soon!  Have a great day tomorrow, and no, you can't be off work because it is the end of the world.  It' already 12/21 here, and if it were gonna happen, I would know first! LOL! XoXo Until next time!