I shall 'splan

It wasn't supposed to be a big deal...
I kinna feel like I need to explain myself...  After seeing all the other bloggy Moms doing the flats challenge I feel kinna left out...
or something like that...
The reason I decided NOT to do the handwashing part is actually pretty simple...  I've already done it.   I lived in Hattiesburg, MS in August of 2005.   I was living in a nice apartment complex off of I-59.  No one took the storm all that seriously...  We were all joking about how we would all get a day off from class... and that would be the extent of it.... boy were we wrong.
The eye of Katrina actually passed directly over my apartment.  I still vividly remember the feel of the walls of my neighbor's apartment shaking under my fingertips.  I remember watching the faux chimneys on the sides of the apartment buildings rip off and fly past the windows.
My neighbor had friends from the coast, with him who had run from the storm to the "safety" of Hattiesburg.
After the storm passed we were without power and water for about 2 weeks.  
Between the two apartments there were 8 people.  I fed everyone on a small 1/4" steel grill that didn't have any feet.  We burned the wood from the faux chimneys to cook and heat water. 
I had two of these.
Me and the only other girl between the two apartments (were we outnumbered or WHAT!) ended up washing clothes in my fabric stash buckets.
Yep.. I washed clothes for 8 people for 2 weeks in buckets.  See why I decided not to hand wash?  I've had enough hand washing for a life time.

But I did learn something from the flats challenge.  I learned LOTS. 
I learned that I like using flats, most of the time.  DH hates them and refuses to use anything other than Smartipants.. or some other form of easy change diaper.  Sometimes, if all else fails, he will change a Flip. 
I think they are great for at home use and for healing diaper rash.   Sure I have gotten wet a few times since I started using them, but that is because I never use a cover.  It isn't like I get soaked... just a bit damp.   We have also had a few poo leaks.  These past few weeks have been crazy with him being sick.   The antibiotics caused horrible diarrhea which caused horrible yeast diaper rash. The rash needed to breathe as well as meds.   Well.. I REALLY don't wanna use diaper ointment of any sort in my Smaris..  So.. I got rather good at the origami fold... and learned to make sure I fold it right to keep the diarrhea from leaking out..  ICK!!!

I'm still hopping to eventually get a Snappi though... I'll have to beg DH.. :P

What did you learn from the Flats Challenge?  Have you ever had to hand wash?  If so, Why?

3 comments:

  1. You are sooooo excused from the handwashing part! I'm glad I did it because I proved to myself that it was possible and once I found a routine that worked, it wasn't so bad.

    You might want to run your flats through a vinegar soak to make sure they don't retain any yeast once the rash is gone, if you haven't already thought of that. That's the only upside to disposables when a yeast rash comes along, no spore retention!

    P.S. The blue font is so much easier to read than the green, nice change!

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  2. I ran a Vin rinse on the flats & inserts. I let the Smarti's hang out in the sunshine for a full day. That should be enough right?

    Thanks! Blue is always my Secondary Go-To color :P

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  3. That is so scary to live through a hurricane like that. When my husband asked me to move to the states I asked one thing. Not to move anywhere near extreme weather. Instead I live in an area where we could potentially have earthquakes, erupting vulcanoes and tsunamies. Oh my.
    As for handwashing, growing up we would spend four weeks every summer at our summer house where we had no hot water nor any washing maschines. I learned early to wear my clothes till they were really dirty before washing and this summer we are going back there and for the first time I am bringing my kids too. It will be a good experience for them.
    Hope the baby feels better soon and that the diaper rash disappears quickly.

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