Preparing for THE Baby

I am deciding if I should start a book. It could actually be popular. Actually, I haven't looked at a bookstore to see if they have anything like this but I think it would be a great idea. I may just do that in all my spare time! It would be a book on how to plan and prepare for pregnancy. After going through the whole preparing for your wedding, step by step, there should be a list on what to do each month/week of preparing for a baby. Since finding out we were pregnant, people have asked if I've thought about this or done that or am I going to do this and frankly, the whole thing is overwhelming! Just figuring out your life as your know is changing and very rapidly, now you have to make all these decisions. So my book would be based a checklist. I work well with checklists and I can get things done if I check them off. They had it for me when I was getting married, by 6-9 months before the wedding I should have my venue and photographer booked. I could easily check off those things and I felt like I had accomplished something. So I think there should be a similar book about pregnancy.

That whole rambling has led me to the latest thing I have been contemplating. As we are nearing the halfway mark, it feels like I should at least know or be saving to buy the things we will need in the next few months. I can't believe I am 18 weeks and already thinking that 22 weeks will be here in a flash...and it will be...that's how the school year is going right now. Currently, I am thinking about cloth diapers. I'm not one of those SUPER eco-friendly people. I'm all about helping the planet since God gave it to us to use and to care for and I don't think throwing stuff away and filling up landfills is the best way to use what was uniquely created for us. However, I am for economic friendly and practical. After talking to a lot of people and reading forums and doing some research, I have discovered that cloth diapers are a major money saver. You can save almost $2,000 by using cloth diapers and they are now able to be used on the next child. There are some really neat ideas out there and they seam really durable. I have these unfriendly memories of the cloth diapers my mom used on my sister. Folding. Safety pins. Laundry. Bleaching in the sun. And the all around inconvenience of the baggy butt baby. I have looked a few websites and there are even some friends here that do use them and I will make my way of to their house to investigate before making any final decisions. Michael is for whatever is practical. Basically, anything to "plug a hole" and yes, the idea of cotton balls and gobstoppers was used to help in those areas. Quite humorous I am sure but those ideas are FAR from practical. I am not opposed to using both cloth and disposable but I do know we have a budget and need to stay in it. Below I have listed my pros and cons to the idea of cloth diapers. Let me know what you think.

PRO:
1. Save $2000
2. May be used with the next child
3. Easier to potty train a child
4. Easy to use diapers and adjustable to the baby (one diaper fits all)

CON:
1. Inconvenient
2. Daycares will not always take a baby that has them
3. Laundry several times a week

These are the two brands I'm looking into as well.
www.fuzzibunz.com
www.bumgenius.com