Fuzzibunz Elite

So anybody scouring the net for nappy reviews is sure to find the name FUZZIBUNZ come up more than the average nappy. Well good news is that this brand has hit South African shores and I for one am really tickled grape (you'll see just now why it's not pink!) that Sweetpea and I got to give this baby a test drive!

Introducing the Fuzzibunz Elite... in Grape

Ok so what do you get when purchasing your Fuzzibunz Elite from Earth Sisters:

1. The Pocket Nappy in a range of colour choices
2. Med/Large Microfibre Insert
3. Small Microfibre Insert for Newborns
4. This nappy comes with a Lifetime Limited Warranty that covers the snaps for 3 years (birth to potty) and any defects in material and workmanship for 1 year.
5. Comes with an added elastic incase yours perishes over time.

One of my favourite features is the generous pocket size so that even a daddy could stuff these pockets!

It has a lovely fit around the waist and legs and I would imagine no EBF newborn poop would escape out the back of these!

Still plenty of space left to grow in this nappy at 18 months...

What we enjoy about the Fuzzibunz Elite:

• I love the fit of this nappy and am really keen to try it on a newborn for size, it ranges from 3kg to 16kg.
• We haven't had a leak yet but now at 18 months I am adding an extra insert to the 2 that came with the nappy.
• The elastics on the inside are easy to adjust. I would suggest though that if you have more than 1 child in cloth to have different ones allocated for each child as it could become a pain to adjust the elastic every time you change a nappy.
• I love the structure and size of this nappy. It doesn't run on the large size but Sweetpea at 18 months still has plenty wear of this nappy.

The elastics can be replaced should they perish with the spare sent and without needing to sew them on. The button holes are generous enough that you don't struggle to use them but keep the nappy at the desired size without popping out.

• This is one of my favourites to wear out and add a matching T because it is just sooooo cute so imagine my shock and horror when at a friends house she got it butt and all in a pile of lovely red farm sand!!! Oh the sinking feeling only a cloth diaper addict would understand! Surprisingly though it NEVER stained and has had a few encounters of the disastrous kind, like spaghetti sauce and coconut oil bum cream on the outer PUL and no stains! 
• The fit is so great that I've actually used it as a swim nappy before too without the inserts in. 

My next purchase...

Fuzzibunz Elite in  Blue Lagoon

We received our Fuzzibunz Elite from

You can find them here:

Earth Sisters

Our homestead grows!!

So it's been a busy week for us, we celebrated Hannukah, had guests (family of 5 with our family of 6,awesome fun!) and we got new chooks!

Will be busy this week with preparations for Mr MovieMaker's 40th birthday party so posts will be slow coming but promise to share the details and pics next week! House will be filled with guests again and loads of laughter and fun! Can't wait...

KAWAN the Hevea Duck!

We were so SUPER excited when Heveababy in the US asked us to review their new release, of course YES!!! We are big fans of Hevea in this house and Sweetpea has had many of their gorgeous paci's since she was a few weeks old, you can read more about that here. Their range is beautiful and best of all TOTALLY SAFE! More about that later though, let me introduce you too... KAWAN!!

Man oh man is this rubber ducky more than I ever expected! For starters he is huge compared to other little rubber ducks!

See what I mean? Even Sweetpea noticed the difference!

What we love about Kawan:

• Kawan is a teether, bath toy and playmate.
• I love that he has no holes so no more yucky black water squirting out the bottom and filling baby's bath water with mould and germs.
• He actually floats! Yes a rubber ducky that doesn't just plop to the side and swim aimlessly!
• He is made from natural rubber so no BPA, PVC and is free from phthalates.
• He is dyed using natural pigments and done by hand (the love that went into this guy!)
• he has textured feet and beak which really help with itchy gums, Sweetpea defintely loves this feature the most.
• she loves the texture of his body too that has this soft velvety feel to him.
• His one piece design (much like the Hevea paci) has no cracks and joints that can harbour bacteria.
• What I love most bout KAWAN (besides that he is free of anything nasty) is that Sweetpea really enjoys him out the bath, (he even occasionally joins us on car trips) but then once he gets dirty it's so easy to just plop him in with her bath time and he quickly gets clean.
• I love that she can take Kawan out the tub as I lift her out and it doesn't squirt water all over our bed and her as she gets her bedtime massage. She happily continues to chew on him while I apply her cream, nappy and clothes.

They have a beautiful range of pacifiers, pacifier clips, bath toys and teethers.

Their goodies come packaged in these beautiful unisex boxes that make great gifts for the festive season , birthday's and baby showers and they are made of FSC certified paper.

We will definitely be purchasing more of these beauties for Sweetpea.

Heveababy Facebook

WEBSITE

Pure Gemsquash Bean bag and flip...

Woohoo we are exactly 1 week away from Hannukah! We are starting with our home deco, lights are going up tomorrow and count down calendars are being made... Just love this time of year!

As you all know we have 4 munchkins, you add 8 days of gifts for each and the grand total = 32 gifts!

My hubby and I have heaps of fun deciding on gifts for the children, we like a mix of educational, imagination, books and play. 

I love to purchase goodies that can be used as part of our homeschool day and I know many Homeschooling mamma's do too. Earlier this year PURE GEMSQUASH sent us this super cool package that Princess was really excited to open! I think it would make a great gift for any child and really can be used at different stages and ages.

I love to set up things we have in the house with toys and watch how they come up with ideas to play.

Ready...set...

And we're off!

The materials used in this wooden flip are of great quality. This set has really been put to the test for us as it's been used as a surf board, skateboard, fire engine, balance beam ( for little Sweetpea) and of course as a flip! The bean bag is stuffed with plastic recycled chips so makes it completely machine washable, handy feature as it spends a lot of time outside.

We use the bag on it's own for aiming games together with the washing basket and hoola hoop. Then we couple it with the flip in the same way to add some extra "spice" to the game. We plan to use it next year for a sight words game by writing the words with chalk on a pavement and drawing a circle or square around it. I will shout out the sight word and Princess will have to aim her flip and fire her bean bag to land on the right sight word!

Really the ideas are endless...  We will be posting more games next year as part of a homeschooling series and the bean bag and flip will be used quite often so keep your eyes peeled!

Miss Sunshine wanted to show you all how she can hoola hoop!

A friend gave me this gorgeous old wooden crate and for now it's being used next to our front door with what I call "invitations to go outside". We don't really allow our indoor toys to go outside on a daily basis but we do have this crate that I change up with different things in the house that can be used outside in the water, sand and grass. If you would like to see more ideas of what goes in our invitation crate join our FACEBOOK page. We will be occasionally posting pics.

PURE GEMSQUASH Facebook

FLUFFY FRIDAY! Moon.Me Nappy

Ok so when you start thinking cloth as a newbie, night time diapering can be quite daunting. Well I'm here to tell you it doesn't have to be! Let me introduce you to Moon.Me nappies...

There are 3 different insert options:

1. The first one in the pic is the 3 layer micro fibre insert with 1 layer Bamboo at the top
2. 3 layer Bamboo insert (middle one in pic above)
3. 3 layer micro fibre insert

Now I'm not the biggest fan of micro fibre because its something unnatural against babies skin but having said that they do work and do absorb and work especially well when combined with natural fibres which in this case is bamboo.

What we like about Moon.Me:

• Each nappy you buy comes with a 3 layer bamboo insert and a 3 layer micro fibre insert which I think is awesome. Most other brands other than Cherub Tree come with just one insert.
• The bamboo is softer than any other bamboo insert I've tried and has stayed that way wash after wash after wash! 
• The bamboo insert  is super absorbent but really trim so at night when I use all 3 layers in Sweetpea's nappy it really isn't bulky.
• The PUL has just the right amount of stretch to allow you to use all the snap combinations comfortably but still keeping the trim look (NOTE: all the pics taken of Sweetpea in the Moon.Me have all 3 layers in)
• The snaps are of excellent quality and so far Sweetpea hasn't been able to open this nappy like she has with her Babyland and Alva nappies (which are a similar make to Moon.Me)
• It's 3 layers of snaps on the rise (which adjust the size) and has crossover snaps too for a better fit on small waisted babies or young infants.
• I haven't tried this nappy on a very young baby and would be interested to see the fit as we really enjoy these and will definitely get more in the future (should we need more nappies!)
• I find this PUL to be of excellent quality and you can see the snaps on the rise won't eventually fall through the fabric with time.

• The fit around the leg is perfect and we are yet to have a leak in this nappy, day or night and at the moment it's our "go too night nappy" especially since we received it. 
• The elastic on the back is wide enough to make stuffing of the pocket easier for mamma's with big hands or daddies who help with laundry but yet still keeps in all type's of number 2's! 
• It's a really easy nappy to use so great for daddies, grannies, caregivers and for sending to creché.
• We like to use it during the day with the 3 layer micro fiber insert stuffed in the pocket and the bamboo insert on top of the pocket so only natural fibre's are touching Sweetpea's bum.
• At night if she hasn't used the potty before bed and has had a lot to drink at bedtime then I put all 3 inserts in the pocket and top it with a bamboo fleece liner.

Right so I think I covered all the nitty gritty of this nappy but you all know how I crush over a gorgeous  fluffy butt and let me just say that this company has some of the nicest prints available in SA! 

Esme at Mulberry Moon is a mama of 3 who uses these nappies herself. She is really lovely and can assist any mother new to cloth. Their website has loads of useful info and personal tips of how to use Moon.Me's, washing, stripping (if you should need too) and really good package prices and offers. 

For mamma's considering Baltic Amber and Hazelwood teething necklaces you can actually order it with your nappies from this site!

Their prices are really reasonable and an excellent investment!

MULBERRY MOON

Noonoo Pie Tie...

BENEFITS of Babywearing: 

• Babies that are worn are documented to cry 50% less than those that aren't
• They are calmer and spend more time in a state of "quiet alertness". So this allows them to focus on their surroundings and learn as they watch. If it becomes to much they can cuddle up to mom's chest and rest.
• Babies that are worn are close to mom's heart, they hear this for 9 months so it becomes their comfort, when they arrive in this world there is a lot to get used too. Lights, noise, lots of voices and this gives them security and comfort.
• They are also much closer to your voice so are able to hear the tones better and clearer making it easier for them to learn. They are also able to watch mom's face and expressions.
• It allows you to carry on with household chores, take care of other siblings, take the dog for a walk, go grocery shopping or just a hike!

WHY we love the Noonoo Pie Tie?

• It's mostly cotton so still breathable and comfortable in the summer and warm in the winter.
• It has just the right amount of stretch so easy to get baby in and out!
• The stretch also allows for easy breastfeeding as you can adjust baby to a lower position to feed and then just bounce them back up slightly and tighten it again should you need to.
• I love the tapered edges as you don't have this huge amount of fabric hanging over you legs as you walk.
• The wrap allows for even distribution over your shoulders and fans over your back which really prevents back ache, neck pains and shoulder strain, really it's much more comfortable than just carrying your babies in your arms!

• There are no belts or buckles that can rub against you skin or baby and cause pain or irritation. (Note: there are many carriers that do have buckles but the good ones don't have it in a position to inflict pain).
• It allows correct posture for baby and you. The fabric is wide enough to spread between the babies legs up till behind the knees giving baby good support
• This wrap is extremely useful with preemies needing skin on skin (or all newborns) as you can wear this without a shirt or top and it can cover all your new baby wobbly bits and essentials for around the house and hospital.
• it's great for moms with multiples and can be used with 2 babies at a time.

• It's  wonderful to use while preggy to ease discomfort of a growing belly and can help sooth contractions too.

It looks difficult or confusing to put on but once you have done it a few times it becomes something you master really quickly!

There are a few different holds that you can check out HERE.

We LOOOOOVE our Noonoo Pie Tie! Having 4 children and buying heaps of stuff to try with them I have really come to the simple things that really matter and that you both enjoy to use. My recommendations when Mamma's ask "what would you say I need?".  It's easy, a stretchy wrap, cloth diapers, organic baby bodycare products and a lovely large muslin cloth, TADA that's all!

Rolls up easily and fit's beautifully in a nappy bag...

Noonoo Pie Tie

FLUFFY FRIDAY! Bio Baba Review!

So over the summer months we tested out the new OSFA bio baba nappy. Now when we started our journey in cloth 5 years ago with Miss Sunshine, Mr MovieMaker and I went to the "Natural and Organic Fair" here in Cape Town. We left with our 2 first cloth purchases namely Bio Baba and the Mother Nature  Fitted. Then it was a sized nappy and we bought the medium which lasted our chunky baby from 3 months till 1 year so all in all a great fit I think.

This one differs quite a bit from that first purchase we made into the wonderful world of cloth!

Let me tell you how:

• The size runs larger on this one. This is their OSFA (One Size Fits All) and even on its smallest setting it was quite large. Bio Baba have since added another row of snaps in the front and I think this would make a HUGE difference!  Don't you just love a company that listens to mothers needs and alters their products to suit them, awesome!
• The outer fabric is much more durable now! This is our "go outside, play in the mud, bum shuffle around the dirt and be a curious baby nappy!" You know those pics you always see with the puppy chasing the baby and grabbing it's disposable? Well I think this nappy would survive that!

So what's stayed the same as the original:

• It's still made of hemp and therefore super absorbent and soft. Cotton on occasion can become hard when wet but hemp doesn't have those properties.
• It still has velcro tabs with strips to attach them too when you take nappy off and wash
• It only has natural fibres near your baby's bum so no synthetics rubbing up against them and making them hot!
• It's still a versatile nappy in that if you remove the inner pad it can be used as a swim nappy too.
• They are locally made and use small underprivileged companies in Lotus River, Mitchell's Plain and Athlone for manufacturing and this is all within 10 kms of Bio-Babas head office therefore not having a large carbon footprint.

All in all I like this nappy and have used them on all my babies, the only thing I would perhaps add is to roll the seams in at the leg and top stitch it. I occasionally found that the pants was slightly damp on the inside of the leg (having said that I found this to only happen with Miss Sunshine who was a heavy wetter and not with Little Man and Sweetpea).

You can check their site out here for a pictorial on fitting instructions where they show the different ways to use their booster pad to cloth a boy or girl.

They also make a great Organic Soak with all natural ingredients that I love to use on my flats when I do occasionally soak. It's great to disinfect and smells wonderful! 

You can check them out at:

BIO BABA