MAMI'S & PAPI'S

Cloth Diaper Retailers Near You!

2011-07-05T15:36:00.001-07:00

Store Credit for Reviews!!

2011-03-17T20:21:00.000-07:00

You asked for it! Product Reviews are a major source of information for those considering different products. Let's ramp up the reviews at mamisandpapis.com !!

Leave your reviews, then enter your reviews on the form below! Use the form below for each review - if you leave 3 reviews, use the form below 3 times to give yourself proper credit - no limit!! There will be multiple winners for store credit each week, selected by random.org. AND...once entered, your entry remains valid until it wins you store credit!! So the more reviews you leave and the earlier, the higher your chance of winning!!

Make sure you've created an account so it can be credited if you win! The name in the form should be the name on the account :)

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

A few visual comparisons

2011-03-04T07:24:00.000-08:00

More info coming soon, but I wanted to put up a few visual comparisons on some newborn diapers and trainers for those wondering about sizing while I'm working on full blog posts!

Left to right: bumgenius 4.0 one size, all the way snapped down, containing newborn insert only; bumgenius x-tra small; Rumparooz lil joey, micro-preemie disposable diaper (to fit 3-4 pound range)

Top row L to R: size 1.5 to 3 years, 20-33 pounds cotton trainers (like gerber); imse vimse super-large size; minkee blueberry size large (out of production, used for size reference)
Bottom row L to R: blueberry size small, charlie banana one size trainers, blueberry size medium

In the picture, it doesn't look like there is too much size difference, but the blueberry size small are definitely the smallest, with the charlie banana fitting right in between the blueberry size small and size medium. All of the trainers except the size large blueberry pink leopard print are fitting right now, and our little trainer is right at 27 pounds and pushing 35 inches tall. The short story is, I am loving all of these except the fluffy pink leopard right now - for the "catch small accidents, not totally waterproof trainers", can't go wrong with blueberry, charlie banana (note only one size that runs small), or imse vimse trainers!

Hope this helps a little for the short term!
~Prima~

MASSIVE 20-PRIZE-RETRO-THANK-YOU GIVEAWAY!!! WINNERS!!

2011-02-23T19:50:00.000-08:00

WINNERS UPDATED BELOW IN RED!!!!

INSTRUCTIONS TO CLAIM:

Email mami@mamisandpapis.com with "giveaway winner" in the subject line with the name of your prize and your address. Prizes will be mailed as soon as possible but may take up to a few weeks depending on the busy-ness of the business :) Thank you for your understanding and congrats!!

We want to thank YOU, our customer FAMILY, for all your support! You've helped us grow, and we've always taken a portion to turn around and give back to you! Instead of doing a giveaway where orders during a certain time are randomly entered for prizes, we're switching it up, doing it retro-style, and all as one big shebang!

ANY and ALL orders placed from day one of our business through the end of this giveaway (Wednesday March 2nd at midnight CST) qualify! We've made the order form easy peasy, but to give yourself proper credit, enter EACH order as a SEPARATE entry. Any order type (online or storefront) is eligible, just make sure we can verify. For orders placed at mamisandpapis.com, please include your invoice number. For purchases from A Nurturing Moment or purchases from Mayfield or San Antonio, please include the date of purchase.

There will be TWENTY (20) separate prizes!! Prints/color choices may vary, and are selected at Mami's and Papi's discretion :) ALL entries must be logged on the form below. Please do not enter entries as comments to this post or anywhere else if you'd like them to count!!

PRIZES!!!!!

(Prints/colors may vary from those shown)

1.) Inspired by Finn 11-12 inch boys diversity amber necklace

MONICA BARRIENTES

2.) Lulu's full size bag of laundry detergent

JESSICA RABBIT

3.) 2 Rumparooz doll diapers

MANDY HUBER

4.) 2 No Slippy Hair Clippys

PAULA CRAIG

5.) Boba Baby Carrier

SYLVIA MCCUE

6.) Grovia AIO Diaper

HEIRESS LULU

7.) Thirsties Duo Diaper

DAVID PAREDES

8.) CJ's BUTTER samples

KASEY GOODNOUGH

9.) CJ's Lotion samples

REBECCA DEAL

10.) sustainablebabyish | sloomb flat diaper

RACHEL OBROKTA

11.) super doopsy insert

AMBRIA DECKARD

12.) Rockin' Green sample 2-pack

KIMBERLIE TIEGEN

13.) Inspired by Finn adult amber nugget necklace ASHLEY UMANA

14.) Sophie Two-pack vanilla teethers BRIANNA LAUGHMAN

15.) $5 store credit JEREMY LAURIN

16.) $10 store credit MELISSA KITTLE

17.) $15 store credit AMBER SHERMAN

18.) $20 store credit CHANDI SANMIGUEL

19.) bumgenius organic elemental artist series diaper SARAH MORALES

20.) bumgenius organic elemental solid color ERIKA FRANK-POLETTO

ENTER HERE!!!!

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Review: sustainablebabyish | sloomb snapless multi and OBF fitted comparison

2011-02-08T21:11:00.000-08:00

Grab your cup of coffee, latte, soft drink, or glass of water - this is a long one, and for good reason! We give you honest reviews and opinions, and sustainablebabyish | sloomb, inc.'s collections are some of our absolute favorites! I could go on and on...and I think I will!

The words I would use to describe sloomb's designs and color palettes are fresh, clean, pure, and simple. Don't be fooled - these are not your mom's or grandma's diapers! Long story short, our cloth diapering journey started over 7 years ago with fitteds and covers (not sloomb). I didn't really know what I was doing, didn't have any resources (or where to find them), and I ultimately "quit". Twice. We came back to cloth diapering (again!) with pockets for the birth of our third baby. So when I showed the sustainablebabyish diapers to my mom recently, she laughed, knowing I'd "failed" them before. She didn't laugh for long! The quality is outstanding, and while the diapers (especially with the snapless multi) are "simple", that doesn't mean they are not well-thought-out designs. Both the snapless multi and the organic bamboo fleece (OBF) fitted are very smart designs!

Both the snapless multi and the OBF fitted are fitted diapers, which means they are not waterproof in themselves - they should be paired with a cover. (Try sloomb's wool covers or knit longies from Mami's and Papi's or sloomb!) The snapless multi is a one-size diaper. As the name implies, it is snapless. You can pin it or use a snappi. If you're not using a wool cover and it's one with velcro or snaps, you may not even need to fasten it! Being snapless, it literally has INFINITE adjustment possibilities. The OBF fitteds are sized, have snap-closures, and have a snap-in doubler (snaps in the front so you don't risk touching poo!). Each type also comes with an additional lay-in doubler (the snapless comes with two)! I usually don't even need to use them, but my older baby (non-heavy wetter) can use the snapless as an overnight diaper with the two doublers, and the lay-in doublers can be used, left out, folded in half for extra absorbency right where you need it (even front-and-center for little boys).

With these diapers increasing in recognition, there have been lots of questions recently on the Mami's and Papi's facebook page. Yesterday on facebook, Erin from sloomb graciously answered some of our burning questions for us! Here is what she had to say, straight from the authoritative source!

"...OBF Fitteds do shrink (our patterns are made to accommodate shrinkage & we increased sizing last Fall slightly for a slightly more generous fit)...

Snapless-multi fitteds are made of terry - these are incredibly stretchy and are 3 layers in the body so that they have approximately the same absorbency as the shell of the fleece fitteds. Bamboo fleece is not a very stretchy fabric. It is beautiful, ultra absorbent, and soft. You should care for the fitteds well. Don't over dry them, wash with Ecover fabric softener if you need to, use dryer balls, and an awesome cloth diaper safe detergent (like Lulu's!).

Regarding sizing, I have always recommended people size up in our OBF fitteds if possible. Sized fitteds are more expensive and in our opinion should fit more than one size - they were designed this way. Our son could wear S, M, or L at the same time. This gives you a choice. You can use a smaller fitted for a trimmer fit or size up and have more room, but it will last longer. Our cross-over snap in the front allows for a tighter fit at the waist if you want to move up to the next size.

The snapless is just awesome, plain and simple. It is versatile, well loved for nights or day use, is highly absorbent (they come with bamboo fleece doublers), and is super stretchy so you can add as many doublers as you need. Even if you love the sized fitteds, I always try to encourage people to at least try the snapless. Pins and snappis are very easy to use with our fabric, grandparents/caregivers/dads love them too!

A great tip is to fold one of the doublers in half in the wet-zone. For OBF sized fitteds try folding one of the snap-in doublers before adding the extra doubler in. This gives you an extra 3 layers without adding bulk where you don't need it. Our snap-in soakers snap in the front so that boys can also benefit from folding.

Which one is our personal favorite? I like both. We only used sbish for our son. He had about 18 diapers total, aprox 10 snapless, 8 sized + tons of wool."

As Erin mentioned, yes, products from sloomb could be considered an investment. But if you're going to splurge or set aside money for a great diaper (or several)- these are the ones! The quality is exceptional, and the diapers are made in the USA!! The absorbency and fit are amazing. Our younger baby is a heavy-wetter, and the OBF fitteds in particular are worry-free for the mama of a heavy wetter, especially paired with wool for a breathable combination. Here's the post where these began to be known as the "magic diaper". I agree!

Oh, you'd like to see pictures??? Great! I have quite a few! And Erin from sloomb has allowed me to post the pictures she took of the OBF fitteds. Thank you! Pay close attention to the captions, as the diapers look similar. For reference, our babies are 7 and 21 months. The 7 month old is right at 50th% in all measurements, weighs around 18 pounds, thigh measurement is 9.5 to 10", has a 14.5" waist, and approx. 11.5" rise. The 21 month old is mid-80th% in height, mid-40th% for weight, weighs 27 pounds, and is 34.5" tall with a 11 3/4" thigh measurement and 17 1/4 inch waist measurement.

all sizes washed OBF fitteds

all sizes washed OBF fitteds and WOOL!!

I wrote a blog post on the OBF fitted a few months back, but thought it would be nice to bring back these pictures :) At that time, she was borderline for medium, so Mami suggested we size up. About four months later, the medium still fits great and lots of room to go!

inside of OBF fitted with lay-in doubler

OBF fitted on 4 month old

And here's the same OBF fitted on the same baby, almost 4 months later!

For our older baby, I put the snapless multi on just as it is, with the full rise. On our younger baby, I fold the top/front of the diaper inward, then pull the wings across the front and fasten.

snapless multi, adjusted for smaller baby 7 months

beautiful!

snapless multi snappi'd

snapless multi on both, two ways to pin, baby on right has rise adjusted


OBF fitteds, size medium on left, size large on right

OBF fitted, size XL, crossed over snap

Besides the reasons I've already mentioned, there's another reason I love these diapers so much. After a year or so of uneventful cloth diapering with our third baby, she began to develop issues. It started as rashes that were difficult to treat, then we experienced ammonia burn, open sores, infection, more open sores, more ammonia burns, and lots of tears from both her and me. On the advice of a few friends, switching to a clean-washing, simple diaper design made of natural fabric was one of three changes we made that ultimately kept us in cloth diapers. (With some medical background, I couldn't help but make these changes one at a time with a wash-out period so as not to get confounding results along with a re-challenge :) ) Getting the right wash regimen and the right detergent was another piece of the puzzle, as well as some great skin products when needed. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with pockets or all-in-ones. And our younger baby in cloth could care less what's on her bum, but once I eliminated pockets and all-in-ones (even natural fibers) from our older baby, her skin is beautiful and healthy!! I don't need to cringe in anticipation any longer when I take a diaper off, afraid of what I might find. I can't say enough how important that is after MONTHS of issues last year. (As a side note, I'm speculating that our particularly difficult water conditions, paired with the more complicated design of pocket covers and all-in-ones (multiple layers including an attached waterproof layer) as well as microfiber that "grabs" everything combined with the sensitive skin of our older baby caused the issues.)

Sustainablebabyish | sloomb diapers and wool are beautiful, soft, pure, clean, simple, and healthy. All those descriptors are what cloth diapering is really all about, right?? Healthy for my babies' skin, and healthy for the Earth! You can't argue with that! You can find them at Mami's and Papi's online store (snapless multi, OBF fitted, knit wool longies, knit wool cover) or from sloomb.com (snapless multi and OBF fitted, knit wool longies and covers). Watch out - some of the trim colors may leave you searching for a sweet treat! :)

*Whew!*
~Prima~

Wing-droop!

2011-02-07T07:27:00.000-08:00

Have you heard the term "wing-droop" and are left wondering "What does that mean??" Simply put, wing droop occurs in front-closure diapers when the bottom layer of the overlap slips or slides out from under the top layer. I happened to catch an extreme case that occurred in our household on camera. You know we've promised honesty on this blog - here it is!!

(Disclaimer - if you happen to be able to identify the brand of diaper, I *believe* I have an older version than the version that is currently available with retailers now)

In my experience with several brands of diapers, this occurs most frequently with snap-closure, and when there is only one snap per side or two snaps without much spacing. In this instance, adjusting the rise of the diaper may have helped. I'm noticing that in the top picture, the snaps are not the same on both sides - I believe Daddy did this diaper change ;) Regular diaper changes, and getting a good fit when you put a fresh diaper on goes a long way in preventing wing-droop also :)

~Prima~

Review: Kanga Care (Rumparooz) Hanging Wet Bag

2011-02-04T20:10:00.000-08:00

Mami and I first saw the new Rumparooz Wet Bag, Pail Liner, Changing Pads, and Doll Diapers at ABC Expo in October and were very impressed! We'll get to each eventually, but first up is the hanging wet bag!

A wet bag is a wet bag, right? Nope! Kanga Care has done their research, as this design is very well thought out. Some wetbags have been known to experience some wicking once the wet and dirty diapers are contained for any length of time. By using the same material that their pocket diaper covers are made of, combined with a new seam-sealing method, I'm pleased to say that I've not experienced ANY wicking while using this wetbag! Here's a close-up of the inside seam. In layman's terms, it's as if an extra piece of the waterproofing TPU is laid over the seam with a wide border to yet to spare. Very smart!

Another unique feature is the dimensional design. It's not just two pieces of flat fabric sewn together, but is put together with shape. Once filled with a few diapers, it begins to hold it's shape. It holds more diapers this way, and when hanging (or even sitting on the floor), the flat portion of the "D" lays nicely against the wall. No twisting! Here are a few shots with the bag containing about 8 diapers.

Here is another shot so you can see the dimensional design. I've collapsed the bag accordion-style vertically (it has 2 diapers in it in the picture), and you're looking at the bottom of the bag - you can see the "D" shape.

The overall quality is very very good. It zips and unzips easily, and the snap holds well when hanging, even when filled with diapers. It's a larger, more substantial snap than used on their diapers.

In our personal experience, this is the perfect wetbag for us if we're out and about beyond 2 diaper changes, as we have two babies in diapers. We can travel all day and even a short overnight with this - it holds up to 15 diapers! (If you're looking for larger storage, the pail liner is HUGE! Will hold way more diapers than anyone should be doing in one load ;) )When we're at home, it's afforded us the luxury of having diaper storage in our "little" bathroom as well as our big bathroom. The little bathroom literally has no extra floor space, so it hangs on a towel rack (I'll spare you the picture in that bathroom :) )

This is a diapering accessory that I will not be de-stashing after potty-learning! I look forward to using it on trips to the pool, the beach, and who knows where else!

~Prima~

Snappi Service Announcement

2011-02-03T23:25:00.000-08:00

Did you know that a Snappi has a limited lifetime? Having only started using them recently to fasten our prefolds and snapless fitted diapers, I knew how to use one, and knew to s-t-r-e-t-c-h it before use to get best results. I was vaguely aware to keep it out of UV light, which could damage it. I didn't pay much attention to the rest of the packaging when I opened my first one. I ordered a second one just in case my first "walked off" but kept it in storage until recently.

About 5 1/2 months after I started using it, it seemed to be "giving up" on me...and I started using the diaper pins again as it would pop off as I tried to pull the wool cover over the diaper. As I'd need to stretch it from almost her back hip to back hip to get it to grab, I began to think "This seems longer than I remember. How would this work for a newborn? It's a size one - it would have to start in the back on an itty bitty baby!".

I pulled out the new one and started using it with much better results. When I got a chance to compare the two side-by-side later that day, this is what I saw. The top one had been in use for 5 1/2 months, and we'd *used* it! The bottom one has been used 2-3 times in this picture.

*Then* I read the packaging, which states that the Snappi is intended for use for six months. So there you have it!

~Prima~

Review: Inspired by Finn amber necklaces

2011-01-31T10:06:00.000-08:00

We promised you'd get the honest truth on this blog, right? Honestly, I have to admit that I was quite the skeptic of amber teething necklaces until recently. I have some pharmacy background, and while I don't rush to medications, I'm "used to" clinical trials and things of that sort to base my decisions upon. I was living a double-life for a while, not telling my pharmacy friends I wanted to try one, and not telling my crunchy friends that I was still a bit skeptical. *blush* Teething for lil J started to hit HARD, though...I wanted to buy one but I couldn't bring myself to make the investment on something that hasn't been "proven"! Then I received a surprise package from a special friend, and in it was an Inspired by Finn necklace!!! I was thrilled!

I had already done my homework to investigate the "mechanism of action". The amber is a resin, which when worn against warm skin, releases substances which include succinic acid. This has an analgesic effect. Amber is worn commonly for teething for babies and toddlers, and the jewelry should be worn close to the location of the discomfort, so a necklace is perfect for teething. I was expecting to be able to notice a difference in as early as 18-24 hours.

Unbelievably to me, lil J seemed to achieve some benefit within 4-6 hours... She'd been having fitful naps during the day and was up and down all night for several nights in a row. That day, she slept for 2 1/2 hours straight - a small miracle! Of course, most of me thought this was a coincidence, but after several more restful nights, I could no longer deny it's benefits. My husband even noticed as well! In fact, we'd been using it on our younger baby, but we also had a *really* cranky toddler. We joked that maybe she needed an amber necklace during the first week we had one. Two weeks later, we decided something had to give with our older baby. One morning, I showed it to her, and the girl who wouldn't let me put anything on her like hair bows or any type of accessory "allowed" me to put it on her. I held my breath that morning, and had to mildly correct her only a few times when she wanted to play with it or put it in her mouth. When bedtime came around, I doubled it and put it around her ankle under footie jammies. The next morning, I took it off to put it back on her little sister, and she would have NOTHING to do with her little sister wearing it any more. SHE was going to wear it. And she has ever since! Could she *really* associate it with relief, or did she just decide she liked to accessorize all of a sudden? Jury's still out on that one, but the bulk of her fussiness is gone. You decide! :)

Meanwhile, little sister still has teething full force, so we got a second necklace and pretty well breezed through two teeth coming through in two days, then 2 more teeth the next week! I'm not going to tell you there was zero fussing, but with her being our fourth baby, I can confidently say this is some of the easiest teething we've been through.

One of the most common questions is, "what size"? Size is a preference. You don't want it too tight, but since it's benefits are when it lies against the skin, you do want a close fit. Also know your child's tendencies. If they tend to try to put things in their mouth, consider having one short enough that it cannot be put in the mouth by the child, as it is not intended to be chewed on. To get your perfect fit, take a piece of string to find the length you'd like, then measure it. The Inspired by Finn necklace will come as a length "range". The range is small (1/2 to 1 inch), but by nature, the beads are not exactly the same size, so there will be a small amount of variability in length.

I definitely had some safety concerns at first. A few things that made me feel confident is that the string *could* break with enough tension, and the beads are individually knotted. If the necklace were to break, beads would not go everywhere. As a mom, I don't want a necklace that won't break - to me, that is a higher risk than one that would break if it experienced too much tension. These are not recommended to be worn at night by a child. Many do without problems, but if you choose to have your child sleep with it on, the safe recommendation is to double it and have it on an ankle under pajamas.

Here are a few pics of the girls wearing theirs. The 2-different is a size 14-14 1/2 inch, and the butter round (lighter color on the smaller baby) is in the 12 1/2 to 13 inch range. Our girls are about 6 and 20 months old in the pictures, for reference.

Now the once-skeptic is waiting on her very own amber necklace!! I'm going to try one myself for occasional headaches, and I'm excited! Regular over-the-counter meds work, but if I can avoid them, great!

Mami's and Papi's has a few in stock here for children and here for adults, but through tomorrow morning February 1st, they are doing a SPECIAL ORDER!!! If they don't have what you're looking for, let Mami know at mami@mamisandpapis.com or on facebook, and she'll order it just for you!!

~Prima~

Diaper Review: Happy Heiny's The ONE for ALL One-Size

2011-01-23T23:11:00.000-08:00

I saw the new improved Happy Heiny's one-size diaper at ABC Expo this past Fall, saw the steps they'd taken to improve fit and eliminate wing-droop, and I was impressed! But when I got a chance to see their new glow-in-the-dark skull print, I nearly flipped out! I knew I'd have to have one some day, even for our two GIRLS in diapers!

I was honestly still a little nervous about the fit. I'd heard through the grapevine that even in the new, improved version, the snapping diaper was still having wing-droop. So we put this diaper through the ringer on our two girls, ages 6 months ~17.5 pounds and 20 months ~26.5 pounds. I can confidently say that it was a VERY nice fit on both girls with absolutely NO wing droop (and we definitely have other diapers that do!)! Other improvements from the previous Happy Heiny's one-size were to decrease bulk in between the legs and to reduce overall sagging/bulk. Hopefully the pictures speak for themselves!

As a one-size diaper, this is designed to fit from about 8 pounds to 35+ pounds. And as with most other one-size diapers, the cut would be large on an 8 pound newborn whose thighs haven't filled out. By about 6 weeks of age, however, these types of diapers begin to be a good fit. The Happy Heiny's seems to be one of the more generous cuts in our stash. The snap setting is on the "second" option for our younger baby, and is on the "third" for our older baby. This leaves the lowest setting for a tiny baby and one left to go for our older one! Many of our other one-size diapers are already fully unsnapped in rise on our older baby. At the waist, it is the only diaper we have where the tabs "meet in the middle" for our younger and only have one set "open" for our older baby...a good fit with plenty of room to grow!

For both girls in all the pictures, this stay-dry pocket diaper is stuffed with the larger insert only. As purchased, the diaper comes with two three-layer microfiber inserts. The smaller insert can be used in the pocket opening for a newer baby alone on the smallest rise setting. The larger insert can then be used as you move higher in rise settings, and you can double the inserts as needed for extra absorbency.

If you look closely, you can pick up the glow-in-the-dark part. It's not the dark motif, but a lighter one...you can see one to the right in the picture, and there is also one not as easily seen "dead"-center above the lowest dark motif. Pun intended!

Props to Happy Heiny's to listening to customer requests for improvements AND putting out a "killer" print! Skulls aren't just for boys!! (Have you also seen Groovy Circles, Retro Swirl, Giraffe, Owl, Ooga Booga, and the enfamous Cow Hide?? I could go on and on...)

~Prima~

The Long-awaited Laundry Post!

2011-01-11T22:54:00.000-08:00

Let's get this blog rolling again, what do you say???

I hope this will be a good post to reference for many. The decision to cloth diaper is an awesome one, and for some, diaper laundry is easy! It was for me at times over the years, but in our current house, we have EXTREMELY hard water, and well water at that. Because of this, I not only have hard water to deal with, but inconsistencies in the water, based on the water table, etc. Our water table is pretty high, and our well is shallow, so very easily affected by local conditions. All that to say, this blog post on laundry may strike some as "over the top", but it's written from the "worst of the worst" perspective. Hopefully you have it easy, and you may not need all the steps outlined, but if you have a more difficult situation, you may find some tips to help you through!

Also, as much as we'd like it to be, diaper laundry is not yet an exact science...and may never be! For families, there are differences in water type, length of time between launderings, different washer types which affect the amount of water and length of time used to wash, varying water temperatures, dryer vs line-dry, sun vs no sun, dry pail vs wet pail, different detergents...and I've even found that different types of diapers launder differently, some easier than others. There's no one solution that works for everyone, but I've tried to focus this on well-accepted, tried and true methods. There are some common tips and tricks out there that work well for some but that can wreak havoc for other (and that would probably be me!). So that leads me to the...

*DISCLAIMER*

This post was put together with the best intentions as a compilation of the most widely-accepted current practices. All information and techniques are used at the reader's own risk. Always be aware of your diaper manufacturer's warranty information and washing instructions (they vary)!

That was my best attempt at being my own legal advice :) Now that that's out of the way, let's get down to business!

The Basic Wash Routine

The basic, accepted, laundry routine is to wash every other day using a cold rinse, then a hot wash with detergent, then an additional rinse.

If you're lucky (like I used to be!), this is all the information you'll need! It's all I had when I cloth diapered my now 7 yr old, and I did just fine! But there's more to the picture for many, so here's a *little* more on the subject.

Water

Water is one major workhorse of laundry - diapers need water to become clean! The basic concept is that water is a polar molecule that works to dissolve and dilute substances so they can be rinsed away. Front loading washers are great- they conserve energy and water, but the water-conservation feature may not be ideal for diapers. If you have a front-loading washer and your diapers have lingering smells after they are clean, or immediately upon becoming urinated in, one of the first steps to solving the problem may be to find a way to additional water (see advanced laundry tips (coming soon!) – this will increase the dilution factor). Extra rinse cycles may work for some, or you may need to reset your front-loader (FL) to accept additional water. If it’s not possible to cause your FL to add additional water, you may need to “trick” your washer, or manually add water (see advanced laundry (currently under development (will update with a link here once completed)). Some families may need to rinse diapers/inserts prior to storing for wash day to reduce ammonia content. The SOONER you can rinse and wring the diapers after they come off your baby, the lower your ammonia load will be, so don't delay!

Detergent

Detergent is the other workhorse of laundry. It is important to use “cloth diaper safe” detergent. Most agree that cloth diaper safe detergents are those that are free of enzymes and optical brighteners (think blue Tide - it's blue partly because of the optical brighteners in the formula). Cloth diaper safe detergent is NOT TO BE confused with “free” or “free and clear” detergents. Some sources (even a few manufacturers) will say that Tide can be used. Of the regular mainstream laundry detergents, Tide is the only one that is even remotely accepted. The issue is residues. Regular detergents have components the grab dirt, etc. and rinse. They are better at “grabbing” than “rinsing”. When they don’t rinse well, they collect in the diaper along with everything they’ve grabbed. Over time this causes the diapers to stink, irritate baby’s skin because of what has been collected/"grabbed", or repel and leak. IF you choose to use mainstream detergent, you should use a 1/4 or less of the normal recommended amount. If you have any suds during a clean rinse, you may be headed for trouble...

Hard water can also cause problems for families washing cloth diapers. “Hard” water is common to many parts of the United States, and this type of water has “extra” minerals (usually calcium and magnesium) in the water. When a detergent is added, the detergent is “used up” by binding to the minerals instead of working to clean the diapers. They have water-softening agents added to assist with cleaning. Two diaper-safe detergents have developed different formulations to account for varying water conditions: Lulu’s In the Fluff, and Rockin’ Green.

Bleach, vinegar, and other laundry additives

Vinegar: The concept behind vinegar is related to pH. Vinegar is an acidic substance, and urine (ammonia) is a basic substance. By adding vinegar, the intent is to neutralize pH, but there is MUCH more science behind “adding a little acid” (vinegar) to “neutralize a little base” (ammonia from urea from urine)....remember all the variables I mentioned above with water level, etc? How do you know just throwing a cup of vinegar in is the right amount? Unless you can run this equation, you probably should avoid vinegar ;)

Adding vinegar should be avoided in most cases, especially by those with hard water. It can make problems MUCH worse, and it can also decrease the life of elastic significantly with repeated use.

Bleach: Should be avoided for routine use. Some diaper manufacturers do not allow it per their warranties at all. Some allow an occasional bleaching (1/4 cup per load at the most) once per month. In my opinion, this is best left to inserts only, as bleach can cause tiny holes in PUL leading to leaks. Opinion alert!!! Even with our difficult water conditions, I've never found our covers to be the issue anyway! Some sources encourage monthly bleaching of microfiber inserts. If this is done, use a cup of bleach on inserts only, and rinse, rinse, rinse!

Other additives: generally not allowed or recommended per mfr., but oxygen bleach is sometimes used for stains, and products such as bio-kleen contain vegetative microbes to "chew through" organic waste. Opinion Alert!!! Stains are really cosmetic...a little sun goes a long way in reducing stains. I live in the Midwest, and have "overwintered" with stains that came out with either some chilly winter sun (I tried this last month - just make sure not to freeze your diapers...who knows what that would do to PUL!) or sunning late Spring!

A few last tips, thoughts, and opinions...

I personally categorize "stinkies" differently from "ammonia". Although, yes, ammonia stinks, it's a different issue (chemically) to me. You might have both stinkies and ammonia, but ammonia is serious stuff, and we've dealt with ammonia burns requiring medical attention in this house. I take it very seriously now for this reason. Opinion Alert!!! I honestly don't love using bleach, but when it comes down to it, using bleach eliminates ammonia, which allows me to keep my babies in cloth diapers. Using a cup of bleach a month, to me, still has far less impact on the environment than me using disposables, which was my only other option for a healthy bum for a while, due to the ammonia issues I was having. What worked for me was rinsing diapers after use prior to storage, changing detergents, and doing HOT instead of cold rinses. This allowed me to VASTLY reduce my frequency of bleaching. I'm currently testing/reviewing an ammonia-treatment, but so far still having slightly inconsistent results. When I get to the bottom of that, I'll be posting a review!

As a side-note, I'm finding that I have had the most difficulty with ammonia the ammonia battle in our all-in-one diapers. When it shows up, it's in those first, and ammonia doesn't prefer one diaper brand over another of all the all-in-ones we own, but it hits those first. I'm speculating that since the PUL is attached, the water and/or detergent can't "attack" (or rinse?) from all directions as easily. My natural-fiber fitted, flat, and prefold diapers are the "best", and with occasional bleaching, the microfiber-stuffed pockets are fine too.

To reduce "stinkies", I'm a no-poo-in-the-pail kinda mama...I know some will toss breast-fed only poo diapers in the pail without rinsing, but in my experience, rinsing EBF poo isn't too much of an extra step. It also goes a long way to reduce stink and stain! DEFINITELY once solids are started, plop/rinse solids in the toilet. Standard residential washers are not equipped to deal with human waste. And did you know that even disposable diaper manufacturers recommend plopping solids in the toilet??? Read the fine print on the box - it's there :)

If you're struggling with knock-you-over ammonia smell in only your nighttime diapers, definitely rinse those immediately prior to storage for wash day. Although the "dry-pailing" is now the recommended method for diaper storage, you may want to create a small "wet pail" for overnight diapers only. An economic solution is just to buy a small Rubbermaid-type storage container, fill it with water, and add a very small amount of your diaper-safe detergent. On wash day, spin these wet-pailed diapers out in the washer, add the rest of your diapers, and you should be set to go! Wet-pailing is not generally the recommended diaper storage method for a few reasons: there have been cases of accidental drowning, and it can drastically reduce the life of PUL and elastic.

Diaper creams should not be used in cloth diapers without either a disposable or re-usable liner. If re-usable liners are used, they should be washed separately. Diaper creams can cause repelling and leaking! Yes, there are cloth-diaper "safe" creams out there...Opinion Alert!!!! I still recommend using a liner. The diaper-safe creams have a lower melting point than mainstream petroleum-based diaper creams. Theoretically they should wash easier, but your diaper-safe detergents are meant to clean pee and poo...not necessarily creams. Some do just fine using diaper-safe creams without a liner...but some don't, and begin to have repelling issues. Until we can reliably predict, the safe route would be to use a disposable or reusable liner! Don't let this keep you from using diaper-safe diaper creams - there are some awesome ones out there...I love CJ's! It has worked small miracles for our family, and I wish I had discovered it a long time ago!!

Scented products should also be avoided (dryer balls, etc.). They may smell nice at first but can cause stink with time. If you love scented laundry (I do!), keep your scented balls a different color, and set them aside for use with your regular laundry! A few diaper-safe detergents have scent options. They're designed to be clean-rinsing. I think you'll still find that most diaper manufacturers will not recommend scented detergent, however.

I hope this is helpful - I feel like I've been through the ringer (pun intended!) with diaper laundry. In my years of cloth-diapering, I've had a top-loader, a front-loader, city water, well water, hard water, regular water, and used at least seven different detergents. Hopefully some of this experience has been helpful to you in this post!

~Prima~

JUST FOR YOU............... BECAUSE YOU ARE AMAZING!!!

2010-12-22T19:10:00.000-08:00

Mami's & Papi's Sisters & Family are now able to purchase CJ's Lotion in Sample Size. You won't find this anywhere else.... as it is reserved at this time for the M&P's Family.

Why you ask? The Mami's & Papi's family has grown very close knit over the last few months and welcome new family members daily. We share stories, moments, feelings, successes, disappointments and yes........... even cloth diapering advice.

Amazingly, at any moment in time we can all come together, have a little fun... and realize that "we are not alone" in this quest to be AMAZING!!

Over the last few months we have had "challenges". To accept ourselves, make time for ourselves and put our best effort forward in our daily lives. As a reward for YOUR AWESOMENESS.... CJ's Sewing Room is giving you the exclusive opportunity to .... get a little something for yourself.

As you buy diapers, nursing pads, CJ's BUTTer for baby's bum, Lulu's in the Fluff or RNG laundry detergent, inserts or liners...... You can now add a little something for yourself without breaking the bank.

A sample lotion for your purse, a little something for your hands after doing dishes, a little softness and soft scent to make you feel beautiful, or even a tangy fresh smell to refresh you during the day.

THIS SURPRISE IS............... JUST FOR YOU!!!!

We will take a vote for the TOP THREE SCENTS!

When you take the poll, click your choice and hit vote. It will then take you to another page where you will have to do it again. This will register your vote and add it to the counter. CHOOSE ONLY YOUR ABSOLUTE, CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT FAVORITE!!

Then the top three scents will be exclusively made and kept in stock for Mami's & Papi's Family with surprise scents popping up when you least expect it. YOU ARE AMAZING........... get a "little" something for yourself.

What CJ's Lotion Scent would you love in sample size?

Natural
All Natural Mango, Sugar, Mint
Apples & Spice
Bamboo & Lotus Blossom
Bergamot Coriander Eo
Blueberry Crumble
Cherry Blossom
Coconut Lime Dream
Cucumber Melon
Green Irish Tweed
Honeyed Patchouli
Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender, Bergamot, Coriander EO
Lavender & Tee Tree EO+
Lavender EO & Vanilla
Love Spell
Lullaby Baby Lotion
Monkey Farts
My Pixie Pie
New Mown Hay
Oatmeal, Milk & Honey
Orange Essential Oil
Orange Essential Oil & Vanilla
Perfect World
Pink Sugar
Sea Spice
Tea Tree Essential Oil
Toasted Almond & Cherry Blossom
Warm Vanilla Cake

View Results
Create a Blog Poll

Please.... I need a new home. My owners can not keep me.

2010-12-11T14:19:00.000-08:00

RUMPAROOZ NEEDS A NEW HOME!!

A note hoping for a new home:

Our "fluffy foster parents" (Mami & Papi) have loved us from the moment they chose to accept us into their home. We knew this would be a temporary situation until we could find a permanent home. With their move to Alabama fast approaching they simply do not have room to take us with them and we need a new home fast!!!

We want to have a permanent loving and caring family.

WILL YOU LOVE US?

Sincerly,

Rumparooz Wet Bag & Pail Liner

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We are opening the adoption process for the Rumparooz Wet Bag and Pail Liner. We are moving and simply do not have room. While they were in "Fluffy Foster Care" we loved them very much. They are well behaved, work hard, and were very trustworthy. If you can find it in your heart to care for them ---- please submit your loving adoption poem. We will have the head of the "Fluffy Mail Adoption Agency" (Random.org) choose their new home.

:-) Please apply by writing a simple poem to show how much you would love Rumparooz Pail Liner and Wet Bag.

:-) And for an added entry (not mandatory) --- please post a picture of a dinner fork (not salad fork) in a creative photo on Mami's & Papi's facebook wall. :-)

Example of what you would post on the blog for your entry----

Oh how I would love you my lil' Rumparooz.

You would be family and help me take care of your little brothers poo poo's.

We all pitch in and work together as one,

Please let us take you home with us... we will have lots of fun!

For my extra entry --- I posted a picture on Facebook.

Mrs. John Jane Floppy Whopper III

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ENTRY MUST BE RECEIVED BY FRIDAY AT 6:OO P.M. Two winners will be chosen. One for the wetbag and one for the pail liner :-) THESE ARE BRAND NEW!!!

__________________________________________________________________________________

Antonio says ---- "If they want something, they have to do this"

2010-12-03T21:50:00.000-08:00

Our new giveaway comes straight from the heart. Antonio (our four year old son) has been super dooper cute lately and has decided his own terms to win "his gift".

The Winner Will Win a Set of TWO Vanilla Teething Rings

From the Makers of Sophie the Giraffe

My sister-in-law saw the power of these first hand. Alejandro ( our youngest son) was screaming bloody murder, and was completely miserable. We had forgotten to put on his amber teething necklace and he let us know it! We broke out the vanilla teething rings for the very first time to see if they held the power to help Alejandro. My sister-in-law now calls them Baby Crack! It's like catnip for babies.

It was immediate relief and comfort. Now everytime Alejandro gets upset Antonio finds the teething rings and says --- "hear, this will make him be quiet!" LOL.

So, Antonio said "They NEED these because babies are TOO loud" LOL!

So............. what do you have to do. Antonio says you must "make a tent in the living room and have a slumber party with your kids and big people too (meaning significant other). And they have to wear Pajamas and brush their teeth. They need popcorn and food and they have to let their kids watch cartoons and not the news."

Because I love this one so much........ I am going to make this prize super special and added onto Antonio's gift of vanilla teether rings, you will also get to choose from a Sophie the Giraffe or Inspired By Finn Baltic Amber Teething Necklace. :-)

A TOTAL OF TWO GREAT PRIZES!!!

You must post a pic of your family (on Mami's & Papi's Facebook) --- slumber party ready ---- and your tent or slumber party area and a story of how your night went with the entire family.

Big Kids, Little Kids, and Adults must camp out together. Bring your mattresses to the living room, pick a great movie (that the kids want, not the news), grab the food and spend the entire night as a family. Play games, talk and have fun. No phones or computers allowed. :-)

DEADLINE --- You have until Tuesday to enter your photos on Facebook :-):-)

Have Fun!!!

There will also be a bonus prize --- but it is a secret until the winner is announced :-)

Gro-Via Shell Set (Choice of Boy or Girl Print) GIVEAWAY!

2010-11-03T22:01:00.000-07:00

WINNER CHOSEN!!!! ---- JAZZ SLATER :-) YOU HAVE YOUR CHOICE OF AN INSTOCK GIRL OR BOY GROVIA SHELL SET :-) CONGRATULATIONS!!!

The GroVia™ one-size diaper is a revolution in cloth diapering. Our innovative shell design minimizes diaper waste and cost. Shell sets come with:

1 GroVia™ Shell
1 Organic Cotton Soaker Pad

When your soaker pad is wet, simply snap in a fresh soaker pad

HOW CAN YOU GET A FREE GRO-VIA SHELL SET???

1.)POST A REVIEW ON DIAPER PIN FOR ANY PRODUCT YOU LOVE. LET US KNOW WHO YOU POSTED A REVIEW FOR.

2.)You can get ONE extra entry for posting a review for your favorite cloth diaper store. ( Our listing is not up yet, although we will be soon. :-) Let's kick up those DiaperPin Reviews!!! This will help those looking into cloth diapers know that they have great resources to find what they need :-)

IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO BOTH ENTRIES --- PLEASE ONLY POST ONCE!
Example: You want two entries--- You would post ----

I posted a review for --- (Cj's BUTTer)
I also posted (for an extra entry) because I love " cloth diaper company"

THIS WILL CLOSE ON FRIDAY :-) NOVEMBER 12TH 

ONE WINNER WILL WIN THEIR CHOICE OF GIRL OR BOY PRINT GRO-VIA SHELL SET

(From instock inventory)

Less waste in our landfills
Save hundreds of dollars each year
Healthier for baby, less diaper rash
No Dioxins
They’re cute

GroVia’s hybrid diaper system matches our unique one-size cloth shell with an organic cloth Soaker Pad. The perfect solution to on-the-go parenthood, travel-friendly and great for daycare, GroVia’s Hybrid Diapering system gives parents options in convenience without harming our planet.

Review: Earth Mama Angel Baby Milkmaid Tea Review and mini-giveaway

2010-11-01T08:06:00.000-07:00

GIVEAWAY CLOSED - Congrats Sylvia and Erika!!!!
Let's face it - providing mama's milk for an infant, either via the breast or via pumping and a bottle, is rewarding but can be challenging! Each of our children have nursed for different lengths of time, and I've both nursed and bottle-fed pumped milk to each on occasion. Our longest nursling (so far) went approximately 13 months, and I was working outside the home about 3/4 full time toward the end. It was a constant struggle to pump enough milk to feed to him while I was away. I would have been so grateful to have known about this product then!

Earth Mama Angel Baby offers a product called Organic Milkmaid Tea. It is a natural combination of ingredients which support and increase milk production. I have to be honest - I am not crazy about the taste, but I believe it is a more than fair trade-off for it containing only natural ingredients, and it does work for me! I prefer to steep it, then cool it to drink over ice. It has a sweet, maple syrup-y smell, and can also make your urine smell of maple syrup. This is nothing to be concerned about, just a natural result of the ingredients. (Hey - I promised honest reviews, right?!).

I'm currently nursing our 4 1/2 month old, and have no problems with milk supply, since she is with me 99% of the time. I will soon be working outside the home again a few days a week for a few months - I will DEFINITELY be looking forward to having this in my "back pocket" to use just in case! In the past I've experienced a drop in milk supply if I try to lose the pregnancy pounds too quickly. As I'm looking forward to getting back to my pre-pregnancy size soon, I'm curious to see if this will help in that situation also.

Mami's and Papi's do not currently carry this product, although they do carry some of their other awesome products! I wanted to put this review out for you since I had the opportunity to sample it. I also have some samples for two of YOU! If you are a nursing mom and would like to try this, please enter below. Get your entry in by Wednesday 11/3 at midnight EST, and random.org will choose two winners to receive two teabags each.

Good luck!
~Prima~

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AND THE WINNERS ARE............

2010-10-29T08:43:00.000-07:00

~5-$5.00-5 Giveaway~

AND THE WINNERS ARE..........

-Diaper Dad-

~Emily Albritton~

-Mark & Megan-

~Fancy Girl Nancy~

-Caroline Marine-

Please email Mami or Papi @

mami@mamisandpapis.com or papi@mamisandpapis.com

Please have your account ready at http://www.mamisandpapis.com/ so we can add your store credit :-)

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Need some CASH to feed your STASH?????

2010-10-25T16:36:00.000-07:00

~~~OPEN TO EVERYONE~~~

------NOW------

is your opportunity to WIN!!!

FIVE (5)

$5.00 STORE CREDITS

ARE GOING TO

FIVE (5)

Mami's & Papi's SISTERS or BROTHERS!!!

All you have to do is pick your favorite product...... go to that products Facebook ...... and let them know that Mami's & Papi's sells your favorite product and has FREE shipping!!!

Example: You love Bottombumpers!! Head over to Bottombumpers Facebook page and say........ I'm so glad Mami's & Papi's stocks Bottombumpers... and I'm so happy they have FREE SHIPPING :-) I love your Bottombumpers One Size Diaper.

IF you see someone has already posted a comment.... try to comment below their's instead of making a new one. That way we don't slam their news feed :-)

Example : A sister post on Applecheeks... just post a comment to her post. :-) You can even just say DITTO :-)

Come back here and let us know who's Facebook you stopped into visit :-)

5-- $5.00 store credits to --5 different people!!! :-)

AND THE WINNERS ARE!!!

2010-10-24T13:14:00.000-07:00

~THE WINNERS CIRCLE ~

~~~~~

The winner of the Happy Heiny's One Size Diaper is:

Brandy Cherie !

~~~~~~

The winner of the Sing Along with Mami---"Don't worry, be happy"

$$10.00 Store Credit

Nicole Buffington (Nicole Raposa)

PLEASE EMAIL MAMI@MAMISANDPAPIS.COM

to claim your prize :-)

My Heiny is Happy! Is Yours?

2010-10-22T18:47:00.000-07:00

THANK YOU HAPPY HEINY'S!!!

Today (10-22-2010) Mami's & Papi's facebook family had the opportunity to help Mami & Papi support an amazing company!

Y'all pushed them over the 3000 Fan Mark!!! We weren't trying to "win" so we didn't ask you to put --- "M&P's sent me" but somehow we won a prize for sending the most Fans!!!!

Can you say WOW!!! We won something without even trying!! Because Mami & Papi couldn't have done it alone... we are giving our Facebook family the opportunity to "win" what we "won". :-)

What can you win?

A NEW Happy Heinys One Size Diaper :-) In your choice of color!!

They are in Snap or Hook & Loop!!!

How can I win?

All we ask is that you stop by Happy Heiny's Facebook and Like them. No need to comment. Let's just up that Fan counter!!! I'll check to make sure the winner is a Fan of Happy Heiny's before announcing.

Please do not say Mami's & Papi's sent you :-) We don't want to "spam" up their page. There are lots of fantastic retailers that sell Happy Heiny's :-)!!

*****You must post a comment on this blog saying what color and closure you would like! :-)*****

This company amazes me!! They know how hard it is for a small business to get up and running.... they allow Mami's & Papi's to "drop ship" their items! It gives us the opportunity to really carry their full line.

They have an intense amount of colors and prints!!! It is truly amazing!!!

Thanks for helping us give them lots of love!!!!!

We will have HH One Size Available for Purchase soon :-)

IT'S OUR ANNIVERSARY!!!

2010-10-19T19:48:00.000-07:00

Papi & Mami are celebrating their anniversary!!

~ October 20th ~

We are very, very, very much in love!!

This Anniversary Papi Gets to Choose What We Are Doing!

We will let you know how the day goes :-)

~ With Love ~

Mami & Papi

Diaper Review: sustainablebabyish | sloomb OBF fitted

2010-10-18T19:13:00.000-07:00

My love for these diapers started recently as I was chatting with Mami about my (then) 2 month old heavy wetter. She asked if I'd ever tried sustainablebabyish | sloomb products, and I said that I had not. She had the snapless multi in stock, so I bought one of those along with a interlock wool cover. I was in love... Then Mami told me about the organic bamboo fleece sized fitted. She mentioned something about it being a "magic" diaper and said the word "overnight" - I had to know more about this diaper, because I was struggling for overnight solutions, and my baby was still close to being a newborn!! So she sent one to try...

I was honestly a little confused about the name - organic bamboo fleece fitted (OBF fitted). When I heard "fleece" I was thinking of poly-fleece or polar fleece, and was also thinking "how can this be absorbent"? The diaper is made of bamboo/cotton fleece, but the jersey side is facing out. The first thing that struck me after reveling in it's fluffiness was just that it was pure, simple, and beautiful. The OBF fitted comes with a snap-in soaker as well as an extra doubler, both made from deliciously soft material! It's pictured here with the snap-in soaker folded back.

Little J was almost 14 pounds when Mami and I were talking about which size to go with. She was right at 50th % for height, and mid-60th % for weight. Mami suggested the size medium, and it was a perfect fit with plenty of room to go. According to sloomb's size charts, the medium fit her a little early.

This is a fitted diaper, so needs to be paired with a generous cover. I use the sloomb knit wool cover, but did not want to picture that here since the one I currently use is her 18 month old sister's, and it's a size too large. I didn't want to post a photograph of the too-large cover which might give you a poor impression, but it's an absolutely unbeatable combination! (More on this knit wool cover and lanolizing in another post!) I can relax when she's in this combo - mamas of heavy wetters know what it means to be able to say that I can relax! In fact, by the end of this mini-photo session, she had fallen asleep without a cover. I had a wild idea in me to just put her in her crib without waking her to put on a cover, and the diaper was still dry to the touch on the outside when she woke up! Wow.


Trying to get an unimpeded shot, but she wants you to see her DBW booties, I guess!


And apparently she wanted you to see the back, since she kept rolling over...

Finally! Diaper testing is hard work...

I'd also like to share a little about the company. Mami shared with me that Erin from sloomb went out of her way to get these diapers to Mami so they could get one in my hands - talk about customer service! In the "ethos" section of their website, they explain what's behind the company, and it rocks! Most of the products are also handmade in the USA (that's local!). As I mentioned, I have one of their knit wool covers, and the wool covers and longies come with a tag with seeds implanted in it that you can grow! I LOVE this - it was a fun little project to do with our two oldest. I don't have a green thumb as I tend to over- or under-water, but I do have a few sprouts! Even if the seed tag doesn't work out, for every diaper purchased, sloomb ensures that a tree is planted!

If there's one thing I would change, it would be Nothing about this diaper, but that the new interlock knit colors would be available NOW! Oh, but they're soooo worth the wait!

~Prima~

"Prima is Practicing" Giveaway

2010-10-14T23:33:00.000-07:00

I have wanted some flannel and organic bamboo velour (OBV) cloth wipes since I have known they existed! I can sew...so I ordered some fabric....actually LOADS of it!! I found one of Mami's favorite prints (think DBW Paradise Garden) in flannel, and decided to make some wipes for ~~her~~ Alejandro. :) I knew the OBV could be a little tricky to work with while I was getting used to it, and planned to have some "seconds". Guess what - a lucky blog follower can cash in on a set of four of these cloth wipes!

I'm giving away a set of four cloth wipes that most WAHMS would consider "seconds". They are totally luscious and functional, but might have some minor cosmetic issues since I'm not a professional :) The bamboo velour is organic, but the flannel is not, and the fabrics were pre-washed to help control shrinkage.

I will leave this giveway open through Sunday, and random.org will choose the winner! The only requirements to enter are:
1) Become a public follower of this blog and
2) Realize these are "seconds".
The winner can choose the "girlie" print on the left, or the "boyish" option on the right. Leave a comment below after you've become a follower (unless you already are!) with your choice of girlie or boyish and a way to contact you if you win!

Good luck!
~Prima~

Missing...

2010-10-08T19:58:00.000-07:00

MISSING: one wool dryer ball. Approximately 3 inches in height. Last seen Wednesday, October 6, 2010 with female - brown hair and eyes, 32 inches in height. This female has arms and is dangerous when approached to retrieve said ball. Missing ball is considered to be in extreme danger, as female has been known to try to consume spherical objects. Use extreme caution.

photo courtesy Eminence Photography www.eminencephoto.com

I think we should talk Mami into a "toddler pack" option for dryer balls - it would have at least one more than you think you need in your dryer at any given time...what do you think?

~Prima~

WAHM Weekend: Sunday's Giveaway

2010-10-03T11:07:00.000-07:00

Today's featured WAHM is Carrie McDonald of The Little Snap Pea! You've seen her around Mami's and Papi's facebook page, and she has her own facebook page as well as an etsy store. Carrie custom creates coordinating Snappies (Snappy Straps), Paci Snappies, and Nappies to help make life with your little one a little more bright and tidy!

Carrie has some amazing ribbon prints! After I'm finished with this blog post, I'm off to take a closer look - anyone who knows me knows I'm a major germ freak but we're on the run a lot too. If a toy is dropped, it's quarantined until we get home... What a smart idea Carrie!

Carrie is offering a $15.00 gift certificate to The Little Snap Pea to a lucky winner! To enter, fill in the form below. Random.org will determine the winner of this giveaway as well as the Friday and Saturday editions of WAHM WEEKEND on Monday evening October 4th. Good luck!

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WAHM WEEKEND: Saturday Giveaway

2010-10-02T11:18:00.000-07:00

Today's giveaway is sponsored by Olivia Merrick of Feminine Essence, a member of the Mami's and Papi's facebook family! She is a busy mama, and she's offering one nursing cover and an unpaper towel for this giveaway. (Shhhh- don't tell Mami I let you know, but I happen to know she thinks they're "fabulous" and has been drooling over them (not literally, though!). )

Take a look at the Feminine Essence website and also the facebook page.

This giveaway is the 2nd of 3 WAHM WEEKEND giveaways, and will remain open through Monday evening October 4th. Winners for all three giveaways will be selected Monday evening by random.org. Good luck, and thanks Olivia!

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WAHM Weekend: Friday's Giveaway

2010-10-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

The first item up for grabs in our WAHM WEEKEND is actually made by me (Prima)! I'm not your typical WAHM - my etsy store and blog sites only activated but not stocked, but I do love making custom knit and crochet items on a small scale for those who know that I knit and crochet. I especially love knitting and crocheting hats for little ones :) This newsgirl-style cap is made of 100% cotton, and is machine washable, although I wouldn't dry it. It fits ages approximately 3 to 9 months. To enter, just fill in the form below! Each of the giveaway items for WAHM WEEKEND will remain open until Monday October 4th when winners are selected by random.org and announced. Winners will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is drawn. Good luck, and be sure to check back Saturday and Sunday for more giveaway items!

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

WAHM GIVEAWAYS THIS ENTIRE WEEKEND!!

2010-09-30T14:30:00.000-07:00

Each day, starting Friday and going until Sunday, we will be hosting a new WAHM Giveaway. They will be simple and sweet and introduce you to our fabulous WAHM's.

Check back for pictures and giveaway entries beginning Friday Morning :-)

First person to post.................. MORE GIVEAWAYS FROM MAMI AND PAPI....... on our Facebook wall receives three extra entries in every WAHM giveway this weekend.

Diaper tip mini-giveaway

2010-09-29T12:47:00.000-07:00

Let's have a little fun - post your favorite bit of diapering, potty-learning, ECing, nursing, or babywearing advice. It can be funny, helpful, or both!

Post as a comment below - one entry per person this time please! Five winners will be selected by random.org on Thursday 9/30/10 at 10 pm Eastern time to win $0.50 in store credit

I'll start: One should always keep his/her mouth closed while using a diaper sprayer to wash poo into the toilet....(purely hypothetical...)

Make sure you scroll down - there were two blog posts today!

~Prima~

Diapering Tip: Relaxed Elastic

2010-09-29T08:18:00.000-07:00

I had heard of elastic giving out, but was shocked when it actually happened to one the diapers in our beloved stash. I had assumed that elastic giving out happened to old diapers, and to covers had been dried a lot in the clothes dryer. Imagine my surprise, then, when I hung this diaper on the line after a wash and realized that on one side, the leg gusset now hung straight!!

I was totally confused. This diaper, while a little older in age than others in my stash, was one of the most gently used! It was purchased early in 2008 - it's birth mother (my cousin) told me it had been line-dried in San Antonio about half the time, and dryer-dried the other half of the time. After a few months of use by my cousin, it was in storage until we adopted it in June of this year. Within two weeks of us beginning to use it (line-dried only by me), this happened!

After some quick research, I learned that one major cause of this happening is stuffing pocket diapers while they are still warm. Apparently stretching elastic while warm causes it to "poop out" early while the rest of the diaper still has lots of life left to live!

Lesson learned here! And I'm sure there are other causes too - I have seen photos of elastic burned from a dryer setting that was too hot. Feel free to comment below with your own diaper life-extending tips and experiences!

~Prima~

P.S. The first 4 people to post on Mami's and Papi's facebook page "Stretching my diapers' elastic while warm may cause the elastic to "poop out" early!" can claim $0.25 in store credit! Copy and Paste allowed :)
CLAIMED - CONGRATS BLOG STALKERS!!

Diaper Giveaway Winner!!

2010-09-28T18:20:00.000-07:00

Random.org has determined that mbmcbride08 is the winner of the bumgenius 3.0 all-in-one diaper from the blog entries. Congratulations!! Contact Mami at mami@mamisandpapis [dot] com to claim your prize!!!

MAMI AND PAPI LIKE TO PARTY!

2010-09-28T08:30:00.001-07:00

First 5 to post this wins $0.50 in store credit.

Post on Facebook............

"Mami and Papi Like to Party!!!" All done... winners already posted on FB :-)

We are mixing it up at M&P's !! Giveaways will be everywhere and many times "hidden". Be sure to check Facebook, our discussion tabs, product pages, the blog posts and more! :-)

Diaper Review and Giveaway: Bumgenius 3.0 all-in-one

2010-09-27T14:46:00.000-07:00

Have you seen what's new at Mami's and Papi's? They are now stocking bumgenius 3.0 all-in-ones (AIOs)! As an all-in-one diaper, the lining, absorbent material, and waterproof cover are combined into a single unit. This makes them extremely user-friendly and simple to use - they are great for sending to daycare, leaving with babysitters or family willing to help with diapers, or just busy mamas!

These are sized diapers, which means if used exclusively, you'll need to purchase different sizes as your baby grows. My first experience with these was for my older baby. We purchased one of the size large diapers - it is a great fit, and I loved having it in the diaper bag. (It got points with Daddy, too, for being velcro/aplix, and ready to go without any stuffing or prep work!) At that point, the majority of our stash was one-size, and we had another baby coming along. I knew I wanted to cloth diaper the new baby from birth, but also realized life was busy and knew I'd have help with diapers. For simplicity, I purchased the bumgenius AIOs in extra small. The rise on the extra small is intended to fall below the cord on newborn babies. I was really pleased with the fit of the extra smalls, but by two weeks of age, our heavy-wetter was occasionally sleeping 4 hours at a time, and the absorbency was not enough for that length of time. Here is a photo at 10 days old, 8'8", 20.5 inches long.

The next step for us was to move up to the size smalls, for babies 8-16 pounds. Our family could probably have used the size smalls initially if we had waited until the cord was off. While the extra small size does not have a pocket to add extra absorbency in case the sewn-in microfiber is not enough, the sizes small through large do have the pocket. The size smalls worked really well for our heavy wetter through about 8 weeks of age, at which point I needed to add an additional newborn insert first at night, then all the time. This photo was taken today - the fit is still great with room to go, and she is just under 14 pounds at just over 3 months of age.

Here is a photo of the inside of the diaper. The material against baby's skin is microsuede, which is considered a stay-dry material. The wetness is drawn through the microsuede layer into the microfiber pad which is hidden in this type of diaper design. Toward the front of the diaper you can see the outline of where the microfiber pad is sewn to the stay-dry lining. At the back, you can see part of the microfiber pad as well as the pocket formed by the microsuede/microfiber pad layer and the cover with the PUL waterproof coating.

As a generality, I find that all-in-one diapers take longer to dry, just by the nature of their design. During the heat of the summer, I have been able to get them completely dry on the clothes line. They do take about 3 times as long to dry as some of the faster drying diapers, but they are not the last of my AIOs to dry, either. With the days getting shorter, I have had to throw them in the dryer for just about 7-10 minutes for them to be completely dry.

I really couldn't ask for a better fit from this diaper - cottonbabies has this part down! In the all-in-one diaper category, it is what I would consider to be middle of the road in terms of the "trimness factor". It has a simple and easy to use design. The fact that it is an all-in-one but still has a pocket to add extra absorbency is an added bonus for a mom to a heavy wetter! Many won't need this option, though, as I didn't with my older baby. These have served our family well as a transition for our new baby into her older sister's mostly one-size stash, and we also love the larger size AIO for it's trimness and ease for on-the-go.

Need to try this diaper? You can purchase it here at Mami's and Papi's online store, or ENTER TO WIN ONE BUMGENIUS 3.0 AIO HERE!!! Entries accepted through 7 pm Eastern Daylight Time on 9/28/10.

Until next time,
~Prima~

Disclosure: the opinions of this review are my own. The diapers reviewed were purchased by me.

Win $0.50 in M&P store credit - CLAIMED, THANK YOU!

2010-09-26T20:29:00.001-07:00

*****Already claimed - it pays to keep an eye on the blog!*****
~~First person to post on Mami's and Papi's facebook page "I've still got it!" wins $0.50 in store credit....~~

Review: Diaper Bag Wrangler Changing Pad

2010-09-21T12:43:00.001-07:00

There's a beautiful diapering accessory at Mami's and Papi's online store...not easily noticed, but it deserves some love! The Diaper Bag Wrangler (DBW) has several handmade items available at Mami's and Papi's (even a few exclusive's!), and the changing pad is just one of them.

The DBW changing pad measures approximately 22" by 17" in length - a perfect size. It has a beautiful cotton print on one side and a super-soft unbleached organic cotton as the reverse. The first thing I noticed about it was how vibrant the colors are on the cotton print - the pictures do not do it justice! The second thing I noticed was how nicely it was made. The fabrics are substantial, not thin, and of course it's washable!

I would hate for this to be limited as just a changing pad. Around here it's been miserably hot and humid. At the suggestion of a friend, I folded the two sides in and lined our seat with it, and it helps wick the moisture away. As an added bonus, our carseat got a facelift! With Fall just around the corner in the Midwest, it would also be nice to have the flannel side facing out.

Here are a few more action shots of the "changing pad" in use over the last few weeks.

Replacing our folded bath towel which was functioning as our changing pad...

If you're missing your "changing pad", check to see if it's being snuggled with - it's that soft!!

Not pictured are it's use as a baby lap blanket in the infant carseat during a recent unseasonably cold weekend, and as a blanket for my 1 1/2 year old's dolly. My only problem is figuring out which way to use it - good thing it's washable!

I would love to see an option for a second generation changing pad with a layer of PUL sewn in! I would call it "not-just-a-changing pad" :)

Need one? Find it here at Mami's and Papi's where it's available in beautiful prints that coordinate with some of the DBW's other items such as aprons, booties, and wetbags! There are even military-print yellow ribbon items from which a portion of the purchase goes to the USO.

Until next time!
~Prima~

Disclosure: the opinions of this review are my own. I was provided this item to review free of charge.

Reviews

2010-09-21T12:43:00.000-07:00

Mami's and Papi's is ready to add another aspect to the blog - reviews! Before we get started, we wanted to let you know a little about the approach to reviews.

My reviews will be honest reviews. Mami and Papi have worked hard to carry quality products, and I have an open mind when it comes to products (maybe this is why I've tried so many!). I believe it is a dis-service to you as readers and members of Mami's and Papi's family to write a review that may have an important aspect left out because it may be less than positive. If I were purchasing a product, I would want to know everything about it. That said, just because a particular product has a point that is not perfect for my family, it doesn't mean that product is not perfect for another family. You will find a wide variety of reviews - some diapers, some diapering accessories, and some non-diaper related.

As embarrassed as I am to admit this on the internet, I had purchased many many of the products that Mami's and Papi's carries in their online store before I knew they existed. You'll find that the vast majority of the items reviewed were purchased by me, and you can find this information in the disclosure in each post.

Some of the reviews in the future will include giveaways, some will not. You'll need to follow closely, and you know what Mami says about the size of the Mami's and Papi's customer family and giveaways... ;)

Now that we have that out of the way, on to reviews!
~Prima~

Worth it's weight in gold...

2010-09-15T19:12:00.000-07:00

And, no, I'm not talking about that premium diaper you've had your eye on! I hope this post will be worth it's weight in gold - the golden rays of the sun, that is!

This post may seem like an odd first diaper-related post, but I wanted to introduce so you can try this before some of us cloth diapering parents in the latitudes further North begin losing our precious hours of sun. Sun and cloth diapers were made for each other! The sun provides several benefits to those parents who cloth diaper. By line-drying in the sun, you realize some energy savings by foregoing the use of the dryer, have the benefit of the UV rays' sanitizing effect, and (my favorite!) you have the stain-blasting power of the sun's rays. The energy savings aren't enormous per load, but at a cost of about $0.40 per load x ~3 loads per week x 16 weeks, that's close to $20 savings. Could you buy your favorite diaper with that? ;) The areas of the diaper that are directly exposed to the UV rays are subject to a sanitizing effect. This wouldn't help the inside of an all-in-one, but every little bit helps!

My favorite benefit is the topic of the remainder of this post. When UV rays hit a stained surface of a wet diaper, magic happens! The most important detail of this concept is that the diapers MUST BE WET OR DAMP! It doesn't even matter if it's partly cloudy - the UV rays that are most responsible for this effect are UVA rays. UVA rays penetrate clouds, clothes, your skin, etc. On a sunny day, you have the "benefit" of UVA and UVB rays, but even on a cloudy day, the UVA rays are around working their magic.

Here are some photos demonstrating the sun's impact on stains. These are pocket diapers with microsuede interior and microfiber inserts, and were freshly washed, but still stained with EBF poo. NO photoshopping was done to these photos other than cropping!

On a partly cloudy day "before"...

...and "after"! I got this set damp one more time, and it was perfectly white!

On a bright, sunny day "before"...


...and after! Perfection occurred after only about 45 minutes!

Just a few more things to note from my personal experience. When I hang the diapers on the line, I face the surface that has the most stain toward where the sun will be the majority of the time the diapers are out. I've found that the sun's effects are nearly perfect on microsuede and microfiber in just one shot on a sunny day. It works "very well" on microfleece, although after numerous sunnings this summer, my microfleece pockets still have some shadows. Sunning still works well on natural fibers such as cotton and hemp, but it may take several rounds, or you may need to use some advanced stain-fighting techniques (another post!). This past winter, we had almost no sun, but I did the best I could in windows on a sunny day. The house we live in has some UV-blocking function in the glass, so I had stains for a few months. When I started drying them on the line this spring, they were gone within a few washes! The most important thing to remember, is that the diapers MUST BE AT LEAST DAMP!

Happy sunning!
~Prima~

A little about the author - my cloth diapering "credentials"

2010-09-13T10:14:00.000-07:00

It's Prima, here! Get ready for a wealth of information to be posted on the blog! Before we get rolling, though, I thought you might like to know a little about who I am and about my cloth diapering journey. I have four children ages 7, almost 5, 17 months, and 3 months. Each of the four children was cloth diapered for varying lengths of time, and I've tried just about every type of diaper out there from flats, prefolds, and fitteds to pocket diapers, all-in-ones, and my newest addiction - wool! I have been through the ringer with diaper laundry too! I started cloth diapering close to 7 years ago when my first son was a few months old - by today's standards and with the "modern cloth diaper", that was "ancient times"!

When we had our third child, I was ready to cloth diaper full time. We started with her at about 5 weeks of age, because I wasn't knowledgeable about how to cloth diaper a newborn. (Never fear - that deserves it's own post!). Then, we had our 4th child born 14 months after our third. By then, I was totally addicted to cloth diapering and knew that two in diapers was the best excuse possible to expand my stash! I know some of you are there with me... So I went *NUTS* trying one of every diaper out there! Ok, I'm exaggerating, but only a little!

I read and read and read about cloth diapering and the best ways to take care of them, launder them, organize them, and more. I created page-long documents on cloth diapering for my friends and I have a few converts! Now it's time to share all this with you! We want this to be your SOURCE for information - let us know what you'd like to see. As you come to know Mami's and Papi's, you'll learn that it is a family-oriented business, serving families.

Please take the time to fill out the mini-survey here so we can serve you best!

~Prima~

For $1.00 Store Credit...CLOSED

2010-09-12T21:25:00.000-07:00

This Giveaway is now CLOSED

The first person to fill in ALL of these blanks to finish the names of well known patriotic songs wins $1.00 store credit to M&P's.

Please list your email with your post!

Good Luck!

1. _______ the beautiful.

2. All quiet on the ______ tonight.

3. On top of old ______.

4. When _______ comes Marchin' Home.

5. The Yellow rose of ________.

6. Mine ______ have seen the beauty.

7. My ______ tis of thee.

8. ______ races.

9. Amazing _______.

10. Grand old _________.

Congrats to LilyPad Mom!
I missed a little mistake (sorry), no worries though $1.00 also goes to OpenDesertEyes!

For $1.00 Store Credit...CLOSED

2010-09-12T21:17:00.000-07:00

This Giveaway is now CLOSED

What is #6 in the M&P's Giveaway and Behavior Code of Conduct?

First to answer wins $1.00 store credit!

Congrats to Rachel S. and again I forgot to ask for your email ( I get a little too excited)!
Please send it to me at pprice3@emich.edu

Just wondering....

2010-09-12T21:05:00.003-07:00

Is everyone having fun?!

For $1.00 Store Credit...CLOSED

2010-09-12T20:59:00.000-07:00

This Giveaway is now CLOSED!
For $1.00 Store Credit...

This will be a RANDOM win! The winner will be picked randomly, but the giveaway is only open for 5 minutes!

Click HERE to enter!

Congrats to Rachel S.
Who had the first correct answer of: Fuzzibunz (Tereson Dupuy), Happy Heinys (Linda Byerline), Bummis (Shirley Murdock/Betsy Thomas)

For $1.00 Store Credit...CLOSED

2010-09-12T20:39:00.000-07:00

This Giveaway is now CLOSED
To win $1.00 Store Credit to M&P's---->

Draw a sign that states your M&P status.

ie. Stalker, Senior, or Freshman.

Take a picture of yourself with that sign and post it on the M&P facebook page wall!

First to post WINS!
Example:

Congrats to Sarah Laing!!

For $1.00 Store Credit...CLOSED

2010-09-12T20:27:00.000-07:00

CLOSED!
The first person to post all of the ingredients in a can of Sprite

WINS $1.00 store credit to M&Ps.

You must comment on this post to be entered! (click the numbered box in the upper right hand corner of this post to comment)

Congrats to Kimberlie!

please send an email to pprice3@emich.edu to claim your prize!
(sorry I forgot to ask everyone to post their emails in their answers, Mami's gonna need it to credit your account)

For $1.00 Store Credit...CLOSED

2010-09-12T20:15:00.000-07:00

This giveaway is now CLOSED
The FIRST person to CALL Mami on her phone and confess their true love to her

wins $1.00 store credit to M&P's!

Yep, find that number. I promise it is listed SoMeWhErE.

She will let me know who got to her first :o)

Congrats Katie Phillips!!

For $1.00 Store Credit...CLOSED

2010-09-12T20:04:00.000-07:00

This Giveaway is now CLOSED!
To win $1.00 Store Credit to M&P's---->

Click HERE and be the first to correctly answer the question in the blue and grey box!

Congrats to Janessa!
You've won $1.00 store credit!
The answer was Brooke Army Medical Center!

For $1.00 Store Credit...CLOSED

2010-09-12T19:43:00.000-07:00

Now CLOSED
To win $1.00 Store Credit to M&P's---->

Click HERE and be the first to correctly answer the question in the blue and grey box!

WINNER: Claire
Congrats you won $1.00 credit to M&P's!
The answer is Marie!

SOMEONE AWESOME IS COMING TO THE M&P'S TEAM !!!

2010-09-08T19:23:00.000-07:00

I am super excited because within the next few days one of my very good friends is joining the M&P's team. She is super knowledgeable in cloth diapering and has four children of her own and a loving husband.

We are so excited for the great new things coming to M&P's. New blog reviews, giveaways, participation events, and just good friends to talk to.

We may not be the biggest, but we sure are big in heart!

All the best,

Mami

OH WHERE OH WHERE ARE MY STALKERS NOW, OH WHERE OH WHERE CAN THEY BE??

2010-09-03T14:03:00.001-07:00

HERE'S ONE FOR THE REAL STALKERS.......................... FIRST ONE TO POST THAT THEY SAW A NEW POST ON MAMI'S BLOG, WINS $3.00 STORE CREDIT.

:-) POST ON FACEBOOK!!!

I don't leave the house, yet have hundreds of friends

2010-08-21T20:52:00.000-07:00

Mami's & Papi's Facebook was started to "promote" our store and let everyone know that we exist. It has now turned into the most fabulous stress reliever, friendly, mom supporting place ever. From giveaways, to challenging ourselves to be "amazing and beautiful", we are an amazing support group!

Thank you everyone for becoming an inspiration, a support and for allowing me "Mami" to have support as Papi gets better. I look forward to long lasting friendships with all of you. Even when you don't need CD's anymore :-)

NEW CHANGES

2010-08-20T21:25:00.000-07:00

M & P's has been going thru several changes and y'all have been right there with us every step of the way.

We appreciate each one of you and hope we show you this thru great customer service, a friendly and fun environment, and an open network to discuss any topic at anytime. We all need to stick together and help each other. Raising children morally and financially is always a day to day struggle. I hope each of you find friendship and happiness here at M & P's.

As many of you know, Papi is undergoing back surgery for an injury he received during miltary training. There will be NO shipping on Tuesday (surgery day) and possible Wendsday (depending on any complications). We will answer emails and contact form questions promptly. M & P's is run by Mami and Papi and our little helpers (kiddos). We work long into the night and are early to rise. Tuesday however is a day to focus on Papi. The kiddos start school on Monday (we also homeschool them thru the summers and breaks) and we are so excited for our children. Monday, Mami and Papi will deliever them to their classrooms and mark another milestone in their lives.

We have an awesome coupon code for each of you that can be combined with your store credits and military /firefighter/ and police discounts. Plus, FREE SHIPPING with no minimum. 10% off your entire order over $50.00 by using code USA.

There are lots of new products coming to M & P's. Applecheeks, Kawaii, Osocozy, Motherease, Imse Vimse, Babylegs, Lulu's ( a personal favorite), Rockin' Green, and so so many more. Bear with us as it takes time and honestly $$$ to make the orders. Keep shopping. The more you help us grow, the more we can offer you.

T-shirts are being designed and we hope to have them in production soon. I'M A STALKER of MAMI'S & PAPI'S is the theme.

Business cards are on their way and so are refrigerator magnets. We want M & P's to be a worldwide name. WE WILL NEVER LOOSE OUR FAMILY ATTITUDE AND SERVICE--------- NO MATTER HOW BIG WE GET. I can guarantee this with my entire heart. It isn't an option for us!!! We are all about Family, Country and being God's servants and that is how it will stay.

We will keep you posted on any new changes and things going on at M & P's. We are so blessed to have wonderful people to share our lives and our dream work with .

All the best,

Mami & Papi

2010-08-19T16:13:00.000-07:00

THIS IS OUR NEW GIVEAWAY CHALLENGE :-)

" I'M A STALKER "

2010-08-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

Mami's & Papi's loves to give back to our customer family-----

We have awesome giveaways with a fresh new spin. Instead of the random number or the scheduled giveaways we are impromptu and don't really know what's going to happen or when.

We ask silly questions, questions about our family, our website and our products................ know one really knows what is going to be asked...... so........... they stalk our website and soak up all the info they can. Our giveaways are fast and intense and so very worth the time and effort.

We don't mess around. We love our customer family and we want them coming back for more!

The following have been added to our "I'm a stalker" category. :-) It is the highest compliment a fan of ours can have :-)

1ST ON ----08/04/2010-HILLARY BUCKSON- BG ORGANIC ALL-IN-ONE
2ND ON----08/04/2010-KATIE STRAMER
2ND ON----08/04/2010-Kristin Gaudiello Mason-BG ORGANIC ALL-IN-ONE
3RD ON----08/04/2010-MELISSA ALVAREZ-BG ORGANIC ALL-IN-ONE
4TH ON----08/04/2010-JEFF GIRARD BLUEBERRY BAMBOO MINKY POCKET DIAPER
5TH ON----08/04/2010-BRANDI ATKINS- HOT DOTS BEBE AU LAIT NURSING COVER
GRAND PRIZE ON 08/04/2010 ---- $75.00 ---- ANGIE HIMES

08/08/2010 - MILITARY/FIREFIGHTERS/POLICE DISCOUNT WAS INTRODUCED

08/09/2010-LOYALTY PROGRAM INTRODUCED

08/09/2010-Everyone that signed up for a customer account received $5.00 in store credit :-)

1ST ON-----08/09/2010- Julia Swenton ----$25.00---- store credit
2ND 0N----08/09/2010- Jessika Whiteside----$10.00----store credit
                                      & Shannon Trevino---- $10.00 store credit
3RD ON----08/09/2010----Katie Stramer ----$5.00 store credit
4TH ON----08/09/2010----Shannon Trevino----$5.00 store credit

1ST ON 08/13/2010----  Kassie Greer----$5.00 store credit

     ******Mami won from H2o At home with Kerri********

2ND ON 08/13/2010---- Pattie Persia----$20.00 store credit
3RD ON 08/13/2010----Tiffany Williams----DBW wetbag!

1ST ON 08/14/2010----Ambria D----$5.00 store credit
2ND ON 08/14/2010----Chandi San Miguel----$5.00 store credit
3RD ON 08/14/2010----Tricia Quick----$5.00 store credit
4TH ON 08/14/2010---- Annette Robertson----$5.00 store credit
5TH O 08/14/2010----Janessa Solem-----$5.00 store credit
6TH ON 08/14/2010----Erin Powell----$5.00 store credit
7TH ON 08/14/2010----Chandi San Miguel----$5.00 store credit
8TH ON 08/14/2010----Annette Robertson----$5.00 store credit
9TH ON 08/14/2010----Leah Harvey Johnson----$5.00 store credit
10TH ON 08/14/2010----Julia Swenton----$5.00 store credit
11TH ON 08/14/2010----Tricia Quick----$5.00 store credit
12TH ON 08/14/2010----Tricia Quick----$5.00 store credit
13TH ON 08/14/2010----Julia Swenton----$5.00 store credit
14TH ON 08/14/2010----Katie Phillips----$5.00 store credit
15th ----Heather Boggess----$5.00 store credit
16TH ON 08/14/2010----Ambria D----$5.00 store credit

17TH ON 08/14/2010----Julia Swenton----$5.00 store credit
18TH ON 08/14/2010----Tiffany Williams----$5.00 store credit
19TH ON 08/14/2010----Jannessa Solem---$5.00 store credit

GRAND FINALE WINNER- Michelle Recher for $50.00 store credit