Zoe is now two months old, and very busy making wet messes in her diaper. It took about two weeks for the diaper to fit properly. The potty diapers are so easy to flush. Now, the poo-poo’s are an entirely different story. Yes, it can be a very messy ordeal. Yes, sometimes I immediately toss the inserts into a diaper Dekor, which uses biodegradable bags. Yes, the white liners are stained, but rarely a leak outside the liner. Because her poo’s are still so wet, I am looking into using cloth inserts in the gDiaper.

The gross factor rarely bothers me, it’s my baby’s poo, and until foods like the grape enter her diet, I am not gagging. I have never had a problem with the velcro tabs, though there was an improvement added about two years ago. I have only clogged the toilet once, though I believe the culprit was a rogue wipe.

I write this with the hopes it won’t be too gross for anyone (Chad included.) I do try to save the wet inserts for times when the toilet already needs to be flushed. With my three year old going potty every fifteen minutes, it seemed prudent to combine flushes!

I do not mind the extra effort, I wanted to have children and feel a responsibility to lessen their impact. The time it takes to prepare for a day with gDiapers is minimal, certainly a drop in the bucket compared to how much time it takes for the disposables we use to decompose.

Certain occasions do seem to be better suited for disposable diapers: sitters, grandparents and daddy times, along with travel. For these times, we choose Seventh Generation diapers. I also have learned that the while gDiapers are manufactured in China, the inserts are made right here for us in the U.S.

I do think that gDiapers are the best choice for babies’ bottoms and would love to see more around town. One can order them online, or purchase them at Earth Fare and Dwell Smart. Did I mention she looks super cute in them too?

Compared to our two boys, Zoe has been much greener right out of the gate. She was dressed in organic clothing, swaddled in a bamboo blanket, placed in a 6-year-old car seat, and driven home in a Prius. We were ready with eco-friendly baby wipes and extra chlorine-free diapers just in case (the G Diapers don’t fit her yet!) – and the ride home was wonderful. Zoe fell asleep that night in an organic Moses basket full of bamboo bedding, all of which was washed with 7th Generation detergent. By just making a few simple decisions and changes, we’ve reduced Zoe’s impact right off the bat.

Speaking of kids and their environmental impact, have we just contributed to humanity’s overburdening of the planet by having our third child?

I’ve read many times that having more than two children contributes to the unsustainable growth of the human population. You need 2.1 children per couple to sustain the human race, not 3. Of course, you can’t plan for everything…people have kids, right?

So, we’ll just hope that having 3 low-impact kids is more sustainable than 2 high-impact kids, but it’s hard to say. Kids born in Western societies use many times more resources than those in underdeveloped countries, no matter how green their parents are.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the impact of kids and population on the planet. And don’t worry, you won’t offend us. When a photographer from Skirt came by to shoot Jen for an article, the second thing out of her mouth was, “Oh, you’re pregnant. It isn’t very green to have more than two kids, is it?”

Hmmm…all that spooky fun can cause a lot of consumption and waste. Chad and I found some ways to manage our haunting excesses, and I’m certain we could always be doing more.

Buying local pumpkins was a cinch. Boone Hall Farms, hosts a Fall Festival with one of my boys’ most favorite places, their pumpkin patch. For five dollars, your kids will also love the jump castles, mazes, goats and tractor ride (check out all that bamboo!) This fun filled event is a mere 2 miles from our home. I’d love to hear where you all are buying your locally grown pumpkins.

Then the carving fun begins. Chad and I are looking forward to composting our pumpkins again this fall. From the pulp to the seeds to the sorry rotten faces jack-o-lanterns become, all will be put back into our own gardens.

We try to reuse our decorations, Chad does a great job organizing the crafts we’ve created or purchased, packing them all away for the year. After four years, most of our spooky fanfare appears new. We did, however, make one trip to a Halloween shop – the mad scientist supplies have proven worthwhile. Anyone need a potion?

While Chad and I will be wearing old costumes again this year (he’s really devoted to Obi Wan), our boys do have brand new costumes. Perhaps we should have visited Goodwill for the Thomas the Tank costume, but it’s a special moment when a little guy opens his new costume.

I also cannot resist handing out candies to our neighborhood trick-or-treaters. I thought about more practical reusable hand-outs, such as pencils, but I believe the whole family would protest, loudly. Maybe next year, when chocolate is easier for me to resist!

My biggest disappointment was my lack of a voice in planning the school party, even though I volunteered. I will try not to grumble about the fancy designer Halloween paper plates, napkins and cups our school children will be throwing into trash bins. I suggested one stack of Seventh Generation supplies to last a school year full of little parties. I guess my idea wasn’t cute enough. Again, I will try not to grumble.

My boys are counting the days until Halloween, and I look forward to answering the door to little pirates and princesses. Don’t forget, there is no reason to buy a pail or sack for collecting all those goodies. An old pillowcase has been my favorite Halloween bag since I was dressed as a tiger shouting, “Trick or Treat!” Have a safe and spooky Halloween!

The apparently sleepless Drew and Suzie Webster, of Everygreen Concpets and Charleston Green Fair notoriety, have launched EverGreen Concepts Jr – a website to help kids get more interested in going green. They’ve got some green crafts, green tips, and their own show: Eco-Patrol. I can’t wait to see where the site goes from here…be sure to check it out.

We have lived in our neighborhood for 8 years, and I have never heard of any sort of accident with the school bus. Bus #206 picks up the children from this neighborhood only. It stops at the end of our street, every morning and afternoon, right on time.

Belle Hall is a mere 2.5 miles from my garage. I can’t bike myself (six months pregnant), a five year-old, and a two year-old along Long Point Road at 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. I do not want to drive to that school 4 times day. 50 miles a week— back and forth — idling with all my neighbors is totally unacceptable. I don’t want to be wasting fuel unnecessarily and releasing more toxins into our atmosphere.

However, he is also only five, it’s a long day away from home, and he has only visited his new school three times. The thought of him becoming lost around those pods is worrisome. Wait a second, he is five! He knows his address and phone number. He knows where the bus stop is. He knows how to line up in a line and follow. He knows his bus number is #206.

Chad will take him the first few days, maybe weeks, on his way to work. Eventually we will wait for the bus in the morning too. After his first day of school, he will line up and ride his bus home. I will be waiting with proud tears. I hope to be able to tell my girlfriends that he loves his bus rides, maybe influence a few to give it a try.

We’ve been waving and watching that bus for five years now – he’s ready to climb up those steps!

So, while my little guy rarely complained over wet GDiapers, he definitely appreciates his undies. Graham has been willing to don thin cotton, and keep it dry.

Just another great reason to give up disposable diapers.