My Name is Erin and I'm a Fluffymailaholic

I have a confession to make. I started out with this whole cloth diapering thing just to save some money. But now I'm also totally in it for the cute diapers. It's true. Better for the budget, better for the environment... sure, ok, whatevs. But they're stinkin' cute, people.

I might even admit (... I'm scared to put this on the internet but here goes...) that I secretly might maybe actually kind of enjoy changing diapers now. I get some kind of weird rush from choosing a diaper from the stash, feeling how soft it is, and putting the wet one in a bag (where I get to use it again and again and again... yes, being frugal is definitely part of the rush). Dorky but true.

So in the last month I have spent a lot of time and energy in the cloth diapering online community (yes, there is one, and it's surprisingly huge) hunting down new colors and patterns and kinds of diapers I want to try. I have been buying and trading online like it's going out of style (oh, it's already out of style, you say? ok then, um... oops). I have been stalking websites and facebook fan pages and chatting with other moms online who want to buy/sell/trade like I do. It's like some kind of weird non-hobby. And by non-hobby I mean addiction. But a fun one!

Every time I have new diapers on the way, I get a little antsy watching for the mailman. I'm pretty sure he knows we're stalking him. When he pulls into our street, we all pile out of the house (mommy, puppies, babies) and gather 'round the end of the driveway to see if he has anything fun (fluffy mail!) for us. I'm letting him believe that the stalking is completely about Nathan's obsession with his mail truck, even though that's only about 50% true. Really I am just crazy excited (way more excited than is normal or appropriate, I'll admit it) that he might have a package for me with some super soft fabric in pretty colors or patterns for my kids to poop on. I feel very sure I should not admit to our mailman what's really going on every day at our mailbox -- that I'm a fluffymailaholic and he's an enabler.

So what kinds of diaper bliss has my fluffy mail addiction brought into our lives of late? Well I'm glad you asked. (Because I am an addict and I have diaper mentionitis and I really really want to tell you.)

My new friend Erin (who had a baby like two weeks ago but somehow knows more about cloth diapers than I do) recommended trying Rumparooz, so I did. My original motivation was just to get a lavendar diaper, since BumGenius (the staple of our diaper stash) doesn't come in purple. Anyway I loved it. It's basically just like a Bumgenius 3.0 (similar rise snap settings, closes with velcro, stuffs with a microfiber insert) except that the fabric is a lot softer, and it comes in more colors, and there are double elastic leg gussets which keeps poop in better. Not that I have any problems with poop leaking out of the BGs (it's still never happened since we switched to cloth) but I imagine for some people or newborns with really runny poo, that's handy. Anyway I love love love love them -- I have the first purple one I bought secondhand and also a hot pink one that's furry on the outside like a teddy bear (apparently this is called minky. who knew). And since I liked them so much, I waited for a sale and bought two new (which I wouldn't normally do since they're more expensive than the BGs) in brown and bright blue. Also (and here is where you're going to think I am nuts) I made a video testimonial for Rumparooz and they sent me a free red diaper for doing it. Yes, I basically got paid in diapers. I do recognize that that should be sad and pathetic but instead it's just really fun.

Also I got a got a couple more (secondhand) Goodmamas since I liked them so well before. I can see these diapers being dangerous for me. Since she only makes a certain amount in any one fabric (doesn't come in standard colors like most other diapers), I find myself saying "oooh, I want that one! And that one! And that one too!" And I just need to stop it very very soon like right now. I love how squishy the Goodmamas are, and all the fun colors and designs, and how luxurious they feel (again, my bum is jealous of Anneliese's) but Mark is just not a fan since they close with snaps instead of velcro. (I admit I don't love that either, but come on. It's not that complicated. If you can snap baby PJs, you can snap a diaper. I promise.) But he does seem happy that we finally have an orange diaper. The other "orange" diapers we had were apparently not the right orange. To the extent that Mark wouldn't let Nathan even call them orange. {sigh.}

Goodmamas in orange and giraffe spots, and a red Rumparooz.

I do take some comfort knowing that I am not the only mom going through this addiction. I have three friends who also frequently include fluffy mail updates in their emails to me. Also, even though I know I am a legitimate contender for the Internet's Dorkiest Mom right now, I do feel better knowing that my fluffy mail addiction will have to stop soon. Even though I am not spending out of our working budget on diapers (just "extra" money like commission checks, consignment cash, etc, plus trading of course!), I still recognize that the whole point really is to save money, despite what the dangerous half of my brain tells the logical part of my brain about how Anneliese needs to have the cutest fluffiest bum in town. Plus, I think I'm driving Mark nuts. :)

And I am officially one of Those Moms who I mocked just a few short months ago. You can now mock me now; I know I deserve it. But I can totally take it, and it's totally worth it.