A couple of years ago (before I lost our entire blog), I wrote a post about cloth diapering and how easy it is. We loved our Fuzzibunz One Size Pockets, and I was pleasantly surprised at how convenient they were. Even compared to disposables! (Whenever we left the house, however, we put Charlotte in ‘sposies. Just seemed more hygienic, although there is no reason you can’t keep your kid in cloth all the time and just carry around a good heavy-duty bag to keep dirty ones in.)
Then Willa came along and I decided to use disposables for the first several months. Willa spent her first 3 months in South Africa, her next three in the US and Italy, and then we continued to live out of suitcases for a few more weeks in Ethiopia. It didn’t make any sense to use cloth. But our household effects arrived almost two months ago and I still haven’t bothered to resize the diapers for Willa. Before we came here, I shipped enough Luvs to last Willa until Christmas, hoping that would be the latest we’d have to wait for our stuff. I used the last of the Luvs today, but instead of getting out the Fuzzibunz, I went to the commissary and bought more ‘sposies.
So I’ll admit it, cloth diapers are not quite as convenient as disposables. You have to be organized; you must have a system. My “system” at the moment is very simple: enjoy my time off. If I planned to stay home with the girls long-term, I’d probably get my act together, join some mommy groups, maybe come up with some educational activities and games to do with the kids. (Or maybe not.) But since I’m still trying to negotiate a position with my current employer, I don’t know when it will start, and it could be really soon. One of my greatest luxuries at the moment (besides blogging!) is being able to take a walk whenever we want. When we were visiting my parents in Italy, we walked at least a few miles every day. My dad insisted on going with us every time we left the house. He was worried about us walking around the city, given the insane motorcycles and cars. The double stroller was a little wide for Roman sidewalks, but we found routes and parks that worked. Addis is a bit more challenging, but luckily our street is very quiet. If you walk to the end of our street and back, it’s a nice little 20-minute walk. When I left the house with the girls this afternoon, I was surprised to see that Dejene (our new driver) was coming with us. He said he was worried about our safety and that from now on, he’d accompany us on our walks if it’s okay with me. I’m not worried about safety here, but I truly appreciate his company. He has a granddaughter Charlotte’s age and he’s great with the kids. Having him along reminded me of our time in Rome and how much fun we had with my dad: no daily agenda, no plans, just the goal to get some exercise and maybe a cappuccino or two. I wonder if I will start to crave structure and schedules once again, or if my eventual return to reality will be a harsh adjustment. At the very least, Charlotte will be in school every day starting in January, which will force us into a weekday routine. Until then, the girls and I are all enjoying so much free time.
