So begins the blog...

I have somehow concluded that I have this thing everyonecalls “spare time” and have decided that I should share my experiences as agraduate student, wife and mom. Here’s a little bit of background about thesituation in which I now find myself.

I started a Master’s program in Plant and Soil Sciences backin August 2009. During what should have been my last year in the Master’sprogram, I discovered I was pregnant (woohoofollowed by holy hell now what?). Thesad thing about being in graduate school is that rather than contemplating myloving and supportive husband’s reaction to life (our life) altering news, Ifound myself wondering what my advisor’s reaction would be. How was I going totell my advisor? Then the real world snapped back into place and the husbandand I began the process of notifying the proper authorities (ie:Soon-to-be-grandparents).

Thankfully, my field work was mostly finished and I mainlyhad classes and some lab work to finish up. That doesn’t mean everything wentsmoothly, but it could’ve been worse.

I knew I wanted to do cloth diapers for our baby and knewanother couple back home that were doing it so I at least had a little bit ofinformation to get me started. I got a few sarcastic comments of “good luck”from people but not nearly as many as people would lead you to believe. Myrationale for going cloth is partially from my inner crunchy granola hippy, andthe rest comes from my deep seated desire to keep what little money I earn frommy assistantship. Just do the math for how many diapers a baby goes through ina day, how many diapers are in a package/case (btw, bulk is your new way oflife when you have a baby, bulk wipes, bulk cereal, bulk in your bags andhopefully, that which few men complain about, bulk in your bra), how much apackage/case of diapers cost and how often you would have to buy them.Estimates that I’ve seen run about $2000 by the time baby is out ofthem (Diaper Facts).

So began the hunt for the perfect diaper (you’ll notice overtime that I’m perpetually searching for the perfect something, dog food,bottle, recipe, whatever- if it’s out there I’m searching for the perfectversion of it). At my baby shower, I received a Day Pack of Flips. I was prettyexcited about them but 2 covers and 6 inserts were not going to cut it. Afterreading what felt like every review of every diaper sold on Amazon, I settledon Fuzzibunz. I blame my pregnant brain for dismissing them earlier in the gamethinking they would be really hot on my poor baby that was already going tohave to suffer through an Oklahoma summer. Slapping a fleece lined diaper onher tuckus seemed almost cruel. 

In the posts to follow, I will share myexperiences (good and bad) of everything a lady with 3 full time jobs (wife,mother, PhD student) winds up dealing with. Stay tuned!