Cloth Diapering

First, before I get into all that, I have a quick newsflash:

Mike felt the Baby kick for the first time last night!!!!
She's been a lot more active in the past several days. I feel her moving several times a day now - sometimes just little flutters, and other times it's more noticeable thumps. When I feel the thumping, I can often see my belly move with the pressure. She was moving enough last night after I got in bed that I had Mike put his hand on my belly, and sure enough, she kept kicking! He was so excited to feel something, but all he said was "wow, that's weird!" LOL

Okay, back to topic:
From the start, I have intended to cloth diaper. Mainly in order to save money on diapers, but also for the environmental reasons. I want to make an effort to be as "green" as I can! I did a bit of research, and it looks like cloth diapering and doing all the diaper laundry at home is the cheapest route. Disposables would be second, and the most expensive route would be cloth diapering using a diaper service for the laundry. I intend to do the laundry at home. Since I'm planning to be home with Baby, I don't see why I wouldn't be able to do my own laundry. I know there will be a high volume, but I think it will be manageable.

In the last few weeks though, I've been a bit undecided.
1) For one, Mike mentioned the other day that he did not like the idea of having to change a cloth diaper. (He's pretty freaked at the idea of changing a diaper, period, so cloth really scares him!) I also wonder how practical they are to use when we are out in public, or when she has a baby sitter.
2) Also, cloth diapers are EXPENSIVE. There are SO many different options, I'm kind of overwhelmed. I understand prefolds and snapeez. They are pretty much the same thing that my mom used for my little brothers (but she used pins instead of snapeez.) I've also seen some other diapers that look more fitted with snaps on them instead of snapeez. And then there are the pocket diapers, and the covers. The covers look to me like they are just as thick as the diaper itself! Do I actually put a big fat fitted diaper with snaps on, and then a big fat cover on top of that? I'm confused. Then there are those who use liners, and those who use sprayers. My good friend Dani has a sprayer built in by her toilet for quick cleanup. I don't imagine we will do that though, so how would we spray out the diapers?

For those of you who cloth diaper, what type do you recommend? There are so many brands out there - which are best?
Are prefolds the best, or just the cheapest?
Does cleanup get messy? I assume we'd use liners rather than a sprayer.
I've seen little packaged diaper sprayers - how do they work?
What is the laundry like - how often do you have to do a load of diapers? Does it get to be overwhelming when you have to do adult laundry, baby laundry, AND diaper laundry?
Does the diaper pail get smelly? What kind of a pail do you use? I told hubby that a Diaper Genie would not work for cloth diapers, but he thought that it might?
What other benefits are there to cloth diapers besides saving money and not filling the landfill with diapers?

Any other tips or advice? If I do choose to go the cloth diaper route, I want to get started on building my stash soon, but I hate to buy any if I decide not to use them.

Advice, please!!! :)

September 7th, 2009

Letter to Baby

September 7, 2009
This has been an exciting weekend for us! This has been the first weekend that Mommy knew you she was pregnant with you. The first day, after Mommy told Daddy, she was really tired, and didn't feel like doing very much. Yesterday, all three of us went out to look for houses to buy. Right after that, we picked up Grandpa Daryl from the airport, and told him that we were expecting you. He was very excited to find out that he was going to be a Grandpa! That afternoon, we had our first day together at the Del Mar Races, and that night, we went to the movies.

Today, we went on our first motorcycle ride together! Mommy didn't want to go, but Daddy asked her to please come with him and Grandpa, so we had an adventure and went riding all over town. It was actually a lot of fun!

We have already done so much together. We went to see Daddy's band play about a week ago. And, I didn't know it, but you already went to your first Chargers game with Mommy and Daddy! We watched the Chargers beat the 49ers. That was the night before Mommy found out she was pregnant. You'll be going to your next Chargers game (regular season!) when they play the Ravens on the 20th. We are going for Daddy's birthday, and he doesn't know yet! I can't wait to take you to your first game after you are born!