gDiapers! How did I ever live without them!

Gdiapers are awesome.  They fall in the class of hybrid cloth diapers, but I think they are more like pockets the way they are set up.  This is a gDiaper and I use prefolds with them.  (They do have inserts that come with them but I like my prefolds!)

This is a gDiaper process.

1.  Collect your three separate pieces.  Cover (Blue); Pouch (White); Prefold/Insert (Tan)

2. Place your pouch in the cover.   As you can see each corner just snaps right in.

3. Fold your prefold into thirds.  (Step unnecessary if you use inserts)

4. Place your prefold into the pouch.  If you have a boy, make sure the bunched up part of the prefold is at the front.

(Front of the diaper)

(Back of the diaper)

(Flip side of the back)

5. Place diaper on your kid. (This is the inside of the diaper)

(This is what the back will look like once diaper is on.)

You can also lay another insert or prefold on top of the other insert for more absorbancy.
Tip:  Make sure the elastics are not tucked between baby bottom and prefold or you WILL leak.  (Sorry kid moves a lot so pics are blurry without flash [and with flash you can't tell what you are looking at.])

good elastic position

bad elastic position - this will likely how the diaper
naturally is when you put it on.

Now why do I like gDiapers?  Okay so its annoying sure to have to have different sized diapers for your baby's growth increases.  However, I find that the way they are designed with the snap in pouch is easier to conform around your baby's bottom and keep from leaking.  That's the biggest reason I enjoy them, because I feel like they last longer than prefolds and covers or most other hybrids.  Sure, if they get wet, the covers don't dry as fast as PUL covers, and you can't just wipe them if slightly damp. However in my experience, the covers still last longer because your cover is protected by the pouch.  If the pouch is soaked but cover isn't, you can still reuse the cover.  However, once PUL is completely wet or pooed, you are done.  At least this is my experience with the gdiapers.

My Battle With Mr. Anxi Ety

Yes, I have moderate to severe anxiety.  There are days when getting out of bed just seems like a chore because of how much I have to do during the day.  Some days even getting myself food is a daunting task.  But I cope... These are my 10 greatest lessons I've learned in my daily battle with Mr. Anxi Ety.  I've a number of personal experiences relating to each one, however, I do not wish to publicize most of those stories.

#1 - You are not Superman.  Stop acting like you are.
Anxiety is in short overstress.  The more you try to do, the more stressed you become.  There are only 24 hours a day, and its recommended you get approximately eight hours of sleep.  So what you can't get done in sixteen hours without trying to do fifty things at once, will HAVE to wait. Calm down.

#2 - Do not be afraid to ask for help.
Sure, there are people in this world that will tell you, 'Its all in your head.' But frankly, living with anxiety is next to impossible alone.  You need someone to tell you its going to be all right if dinner is late.  You need someone to give you a hug when life gets hard.  Sometimes you just have to say, ' Come here and take this dirty diaper for me while I put a new one on the baby.'  Life's hard, and its not meant to be traveled alone.

#3 - It is not bad to cry.
There is a common misconception that crying is a sign of weakness.  Don't listen to those that would say this.  A good cry once in a while is a VERY good thing.  I'm no scientist, so I won't pretend to know the science behind it, but when you cry, there is a definite release.  Obviously a release of emotions, but its a physical and mental release as well.  Without a release, then you'll undoubtedly lose it.
#4 - Take time for yourself.
I personally have a tendency to be a people pleaser and I often forget about myself.  But when you have anxiety, living a lifestyle like that adds stress.  People often say, 'Helping others makes you feel good.'  Sure it does.  But you also need a break from life. Watch some tv.  Play a video game. Go for a jog.  You need some time to get away from the world and think.
#5 - Breathe.
This one seems like a 'duh' statement.  However when anxiety is your battle, your mind can race, your heart can race, and sometimes, the world spins so fast you don't even have time to think, let alone breathe.  However, if you remind yourself to stop and take a deep breath when the world is closing in around you.  The moment you take a breath, everything begins to clear, and the body will follow suit and calm down, and then you can think again.
#6 - Eat.
Oftentimes, we get so stressed out, we forget to eat.  And its a vicious cycle. It will continue.  You don't think about it at first, but very quickly, without the food, your body shuts down, which inevitably kicks the anxiety back up.  Not to mention, food gives you the energy you need to get through the daily stresses.
#7 - Do not be afraid to tell people about your anxiety.
Our society teaches us not to tell people we have a problem.  So we hide it and pretend everything is normal.  (Which boots anxiety up the more you hide)  Sometimes, we think if we tell our employer we have anxiety, we'll lose our job, or we won't get the job.  However, the truth is, it shows character if you say, 'Hey, I got anxiety.  This is what I need to handle it.  I need a regular schedule that I can rely on.  I can't be expected to do different things every day.  I need routine.  And please don't layer fifty things on me at once.  I only have two hands to work with.'  Obviously you wouldn't say all those things in those exact words, but when you say things like that, it shows strength, and your employer would rather have a person with the strength and character to say, 'Hey I need help' than have an employee who is perfectly healthy in every way and tackles way too much and inevitably gets it all wrong somehow.
#8 - If medicated, TAKE YOUR MEDS!
Simply put, there is a reason you are on meds.  Its not a disgrace to have to take medicine for anxiety.  Its the same as if you had to take medicine for a heart condition.  You can't handle daily life without it.  And its important to be able to function
#9 - Never be alone during an attack, even if it is just a phone call.
Speaking from personal experience, anxiety is VERY different from depression.  However, during a panic attack, if you don't have someone to help you through it, it can very quickly become like depression.  The world doesn't make sense during an attack.  All you want to do is scream, but in many cases you can't even make a sound, can't move.  It's frustrating!  And as you get more and more frustrated, it turns to depression, and you could end up in the ER.  (I did once.  The only time I ever was alone when I had an attack)
#10 - Don't be embarrassed by your anxiety.
The more embarrassed you are by your anxiety, the more likely you are to lose grasp on the things you can do to help yourself.  Embarrassment often leads to denial, denial leads to abstaining from doing things to help yourself.  Long story short, don't be embarrassed.

Vegan Roast

I eat a lot of vegan style foods since I've got a few intolerances not to mention esophagitis.  In short I don't eat fish, seafood, gluten, dairy, anything fatty, spicy, or acidic.  Drives my hubby nuts that I'm not a meat eater really, but I at least figure, well I can make him meat separately.  This was last nights dinner.  Roasted veggies with seasoned rice and nuts.  I LOVED it.

Roasted Veggies

1 large sweet potato

2 standard size Idaho Potatoes
1 large beet

1 handful of baby carrots (or 2 carrots. Or to your satisfaction. I just don't like cooked carrots)

Italian seasoning
Salt
Garlic (I use powder, the raw fresh stuff makes my esophagitis flare.  If you can eat it though, roasted garlic with it would be heavenly)

Olive Oil

First I preheated my oven to 425 degrees. I then chopped all my veggies into about 1 inch by 1/2 inch thick slices, leaving the baby carrots as is.  I then placed them in a single layer on a cookie sheet, coating them lightly with spices.  (I don't heavily spice my foods anymore due to esophagitis.  Season them to your liking).  I then sprinkled olive oil over the veggies and placed them in the oven.  40 minutes later I pulled them out and they were beautiful!  I turned off the oven and then placed them back in to keep them warm while I figured out what to make with them.

I settled on:

Sweet Seasoned Rice

1 cup rice

2 cups water (or required amount of water as requested on package)

Star Anise

Nutmeg
Cinnamon

Garlic

Salt

I prepared my rice in a saucepan since I didn't have a pot clean.  I put a pinch of each of the spices in the rice and water before cooking the rice as prepared on the package.  (I admittedly did end up forgetting about the rice so I boiled the water completely out and burned the bottom layer of rice, however the rest was perfectly wonderful and didn't taste burnt so I used it) I layered it on the plate and then put it in the oven to keep it warm.

Finally I prepared nuts (and meat in a separate pan with separate utensils the same way for my hubby)

Sweet Nuts

Sliced Almonds
Chopped Walnuts
Star Anise
Nutmeg
Cinnamon Sugar
1 tsp butter

I just put everything in a small saucepan on low heat, and frequently stirred so the nuts didn't burn.  (Burned nuts are AWFUL) once the nuts were coated and the spices were sticking I took them off the heat.  Tradition in my mom's house (she makes sugar coated almonds which inspired this topping) is to put them on tin foil to cool and then store the leftovers.  So I did exactly that.


FINALLY it was time to put my masterpiece together.  I pulled out my rice plate out of the oven, and then the veggies.  I gave myself a very generous helping of the veggies, and then heavily sprinkled nuts over the rice and veggies.  It turned out like this:

(And it was VERY delicious!)