For The Monster - Northwest Arkansas Largest On Line Store For Cloth Diapers And MORE!

What do you see in this picture?

2012-03-18T20:36:00.001-05:00

What do you see in this picture? Do you see art or do you see all the new color of snappi's? I see art within the snappi's!

We call this Snappi art! This picture is made by Cesar. He got into his mama's store inventory and made this wonderful picture! I like how he laid all the colors out and made such a great picture. As adults we get to busy to see the beauty of what is going on around us. This time, the beauty was as simple as baby diaper closures being laid out, and photographed by his mom.

Thank You Cesar for giving me a great picture to blog about!

Gena

www.forthemonster.com

Lulu's In The Fluff

2012-03-12T20:28:00.003-05:00

Have you ever heard of Lulu's In The Fluff Glamour Wash? If you would have asked me what it was about 4 months ago, I couldn't have told you what it was either. After doing my research and watching retailers discussing about this stuff called Lulu's In The Fluff Glamour Wash I decided to bring it into the store, and give it a try!

All I can say is was WOW, after the first try. I mean WOW.... I have a 3 year old that will be 4 in April, that is still wearing diapers at night. He is totally day trained, nights are just our problem. My first order of Lulu's In The Fluff arrived her at my house and I had been waiting with stinky diapers! I ripped the box open and ran to the washing machine. Yes, I mean I went straight to the washer! The diapers in the bucket were pretty strong!

So we tossed in the diapers, did our cold rinse first, and then during the wash I added my 1 tablespoon of Lulu's In The Fluff Extra Glamour Wash Hard Water detergent and let them wash. Finally when the washing machine stopped I went to the washer, opened it and took one big old sniff. I wanted to see if the diapers smelled clean. BOY, it was a smell I wasn't use too, my whole washer smelled clean, I promptly put them in the dryer. I have to say, when they came out of the dryer before they had a "funk" smell to them, but this time they didn't. THEY JUST SMELLED CLEAN!

What has me totally sold on this product? The next morning when my son came to crawl in bed with my husband and I! There was NO ammonia smell. I couldn't believe it. It's been many months of that strong ammonia smell no matter what I did to the diapers! NO MORE AMMONIA SMELL.. I was amazed, and in love all at the same time! Is it possible to love a cloth diaper laundry detergent?

So now that I have sang the praises of our first and second uses, let me tell you a little about

Lulu's In The Fluff

Lulu's In The Fluff Glamour Wash was released to the cloth diapering community in the Spring of 2009. www.fluffenvy.com was the first cloth diaper store to carry the new brand. Lulu's was formulated because Lulu's son has extremely sensitive skin and every detergent broke him out. Lulu had many friends request that she make Lulu's for them, and that is when she decided to brand their laundry soap.

From Lulu: "It (Lulu's In The Fluff") is a very gentle yet effective cleaner and has proved to be what I intended it to be. We still have received zero rash complaints and that makes me smile"

Adam and Lillian Cannon have just recently purchased Lulu's In The Fluff.

I also have to say that Lulu's In The Fluff has made me smile as well! We will be selling Lulu's In The Fluff Glamour Wash on both of our websites. www.forthemonster.com and www.lilbunz.com

We think that you should give this cloth diaper laundry soap a try! If you are fighting the stinkies, what could it hurt? You might just be as amazed as I am with this product!! Lulu's comes in:

Lulu's In The Fluff Glamour Wash -13.95 - This is for soft to hard water
Lulu's In The Fluff Extra Glamour Wash - 14.95 - This is for extra hard water
Samples - 3.00/3.50

The bags will be 45/90 loads
Samples will do 3 - 5 loads

Lulu's In The Fluff suggest that you rinse your diapers before placing them in the diaper bucket, BUT I want to say, that I didn't/don't rinse my son's diapers first, and I was totally impressed on how clean and clean smelling they came out of the dryer.

Ingredients:

Sodium Bicarbonate

Sodium Carbonate

Sodium Percarbonate

Additional specialized surfactants and cleansers that are enzyme free, bleach free and suds free

PH Balanced

Click the image to be taken to the Lulu's In The Fluff website, please know they have it down right now for updates, and it should be up and running in a day or so!

Spring Fever 2012

2012-03-04T20:27:00.000-06:00

Its that time a year again. SPRING!! ( OK, ALMOST SPRING) Even though winter has felt like spring, so far this winter here in Northwest Arkansas. It was 62 degrees today (Sunday March 4, 2012) We have been working on getting the garden ready. This is the first garden we have had since 2008. We all are looking forward to feeling a little dirt between our toes this spring and summer!

The boys talked Eric into planting a few things in the garden today. Today we planted: Radish, White Onions, Red Onions, Carrots, and Beets today. I'm hoping they will make it, since they were planted so early. We will see, the boys did have fun helping me till and then planting the garden.

They were not happy with me when I told them they had to wait until May to plant the tomatos, squash, zucchini, green beans, and what ever I can get put in there! It will be fun watch the garden growth through the kids eyes.

I'm wanting to show our children that we can grow our on food, and how good it will taste all winter long! Hopefully this will lower our grocery bill some.

I like to plant flowers and LOTS of flowers! It will be fun this year, since I will have a brand new yard to landscape this year. So, if you have any flowers that you will be seperating this year, you can ALWAYS mail me a start off of whatever your going to throw away!!

Swaddlebees Capri Diaper Covers

2012-02-22T16:57:00.000-06:00

Click Here for Capri Diaper Covers at For the Monster

I didn't think it was possible for a diaper cover, make me want to have another baby! BUT THIS ONE DOES!!!! If you are a fan of the Weehuggers diaper cover, then you will totally be in love with Swaddlebees newest diaper cover, the CAPRI.

The Capri diaper cover is built like your old favorite, with a few customer change requests!

1. All covers are made of 100% polyester laminate.
2. The Stay Put flaps are also made of the same laminate material as the outer fabric.
3. Inserts are made with 100% cotton birdseye with an optional microfleece layer, similar concept to our One Size Simplex diapers INSERTS ARE SOLD SEPARATELY.

They come in:
Size 1 - 6 - 16 lb or 3 - 7 kg
Size 2 - 12 - 35 lb or 5 - 16 kg

I totally like the fact that you will only have to purchase 2 covers to fit baby from possibly birth to potty training! These covers are built tough!

I don't know, but I like all the colors and prints that are offered so maybe it is a good thing that I do not have a baby, because I would be going back to using these covers in a heart beat!

You can never have to many cloth diaper covers or cloth diapers right? Once again Swaddlebees has come up with another MUST HAVE diaper cover!!!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-19T15:09:00.000-06:00

As I set here and wonder where 2011 went, and how Christmas is only a few days away I find myself missing family. My Mom, that I lost in 2008; my In-Laws, Aunt Jo and Uncle Walter. Luckliy my sister is only 2-1/2 hours away from me, but Eric's brothers and sisters are DAYS away.

Not that we won't have a nice Christmas here with our kids, because we will. I just hope everyone will take the time to enjoy all the distant relatives you will get to see over the holiday season. Most of all remember the Reason for the SEASON! The birth of Jesus.

Try not to get bogged down with getting the perfect gift or a gift at all for that special person. Gifts are just STUFF and love is forever.

Merry Christmas, be safe in your traveling.
From your cloth diapering friends FOR THE MONSTER....
www.forthemonster.com

Black Friday Specials

2011-11-25T02:23:00.000-06:00

Here we go with our Black Friday On Line Sale!

Changing Diapers Book 8.98 for this weekend only!

FuzziBunz Diapers

Rumparooz

bumGenius 4.0 Velcro

Flip

Gro Via buy 2 get 1 FREE Gro Via

Diaper Covers Buy 5 Get 1 Free Diaper covers

The more you purchase the more you save!!

.01 - 25.00 = 2% off

25.01 - 50.00 = 5% off

50.01 to 75.00 = 6% off

75.01 - 100.00 = 7% off

100.01 - 150.00 = 8% off

150.01 - 200.00 = 10% off

200.01 and up = 15% off

Night time madness???

2011-11-16T19:59:00.001-06:00

Do you find as a parent you dread winter time? This is a time as a parent you need to become more creative at trying to keep your children occupied in the evenings so they don't fight all evening long!

My husband and I have really cut down on our kids and how much time they spend sitting in front of the computer and their DSi games. We do not have cable TV at our house, but we do own enough movies, we could open our own movie rental store. So they have slowly moved from "computer games" over to watching Scooby Doo. I can't make up my mind if watching Scooby Doo is any better than playing computer games. PLUS as an adult you can only watch "so much" Scooby before it starts driving you crazy! LOL

Tonight was the first evening that the kids couldn't go out and a play. So the boys started out playing on the computer and DSi, and then when I called for time to get off the computer and Dsi, it was time for dinner. (Dinner time is another blog post of it's own!) So quickly after dinner they ran back to their computer and games so after looking at my zombies for awhile I told them it was time to turn the electronic stuff off. So, they went straight to watching Scooby Doo before shower and getting ready for bed!

Now that winter is finally hitting NW Arkansas and other areas,we as parents will be looking for projects for the kids to work on in the evenings! I know at our house we will be adding a game night, just to keep the sanity in our house so the boys will not fight all evening long!

What do you do with your children, to keep the peace in your house during the winter months? What do you do to help your children burn that extra energy off?

PLEASE post your suggestions, game ideas, or just how you handle the winter months at your house!

Gena
www.forthemonster.com

Meet Me Monday Week 2

2011-11-14T00:01:00.006-06:00

Let me tell you a little about how I came up with the idea of Meet Me Monday. MME started with an idea of one cloth diaper store owner suggesting that we all start it. So I did. We are in week 2 of MME. How this works is... You the reader will post questions for me to answer the following Monday. IF I use your question and answer it, you will recieve a 5.00 e-code on the Monday I answer your question.

This weeks questions come from Alyssa V.

1. What lead you to using cloth diapers?

I have a friend named April R. She had her baby one year and a couple of weeks before I had my first child and after my first was born she brought her newborn cloth diapers for us to use. She brought us prorap covers, Bumkins covers and pre-folds. Then we purchased a few more of our own stash from an on-line store.

2. After how long did your use of cloth diapers turn into a business?

We used cloth diapers for a little over a year before we started our business. We actually started out carrying Maya Wraps baby carriers, and FuzziBunz was our first cloth diaper.

3.What were you doing or what did you want to do before you started For the Monster?

Before starting For the Monster, I was in training on having my first baby and being a mom. I am / was lucky enough to get to be a stay at home mom. Before I was a mom I worked in a well known door plant as a safety coordinator, and Workers Compensation Administartor.

Thanks for taking the time to read through this. Please remember to post a question and you could get a 5.00 e-code for just asking a question!!!

Meet Me Monday

2011-11-05T00:50:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday!

I hope that this blog post finds you doing well! Is Monday your toughest day of the week? Not for me, the retail store is closed on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday is my new Monday! So, now that I am going to do a meet me Monday segment, I hope to answer any questions you have for me!!!

1. Who am I?

I am Gena Gregerson the owner of For the Monster, I am a mom, wife and business woman.

2. What do I like to do when I'm not working?

I like to spend time with my kids, and I like to read. I'm starting the book on Steve Jobs next!

3. Do I have children?

Boy do I, I have two boys. Age 8 and 3

4. Do I like living in Arkansas?

Yes, I do like living in Arkansas. I do believe this fall was the most beautiful fall down here yet!

5.How did I come up with my business name?

Have you ever just had an idea and know it was right? I was sitting at my kitchen table one night and the name For the Monster, just hit me! I knew it was right. I told my husband about the name I came up with and he informed me that NO ONE would ever buy from me, because I was calling their children monsters! Here we are 7 years later, so I'm glad he was WRONG!!!

Post a question below that you would like for our Meet Me Monday segment and if we use your question you will receive a 5.00 off coupon from For the Monster.

Toddler Chasing??

2011-10-29T18:54:00.001-05:00

Are you tired of chasing your toddler around? Need another hand?

Baby Slings and Baby Carriers will keep you in direct contact with your baby for constant bonding. This is important because your baby will cry less and be more content. Spend more time in a state of quiet alertness -- the optimal state for learning, and have increased visual alertness.

There are many different types of baby carriers on the market today.

All baby carriers have their own individual look and feel, but all baby carrier share some of the same characteristics.

Versatile - Some baby carriers can be worn in all, or just a few positions. These positions are; in front, hip, back, reclining, nursing, and kangaroo carry positions. Additionally, some can be used as a harness, shopping cart strap, lightweight blanket and more.

Adjustable - Some ring slings can be adjusted independently, allowing a perfectly customized fit. Pouches now come with adjust-ability as well.

Great for both Mom and Dad - Most baby carriers are now made to fit both mom and dad. This means that both parents can be close to baby and still be able to get something accomplished.

Perfect for nursing - Mom can cover herself when nursing. Most baby carriers are made with nursing a child in mind!

Long lasting - Not all but most carriers are use able from birth to 35 lb.

With the new baby coming, the best gift you can give to yourself is to purchase a baby sling or baby carrier. This way you can have baby with you and baby will be happy while you are on the constant move while chasing your very busy toddler. A baby carrier or sling will also provide comfort for you and baby. You both will be close and still be able to get things accomplished.

My friend April made my first ring sling, I practiced with the sling before the baby arrived. I have to admit the ring sling defiantly has a learning curve, it was well worth the frustration of learning for us. We still use our slings today and my youngest is 3! We also use the Ergo a lot for back carries, and we also use our Boba Carrier as well!

Now, that you have decided that you want a baby carrier for your child, now is when the fun begins. You will need to decide if you want a wrap, carrier or a ring sling. If you are looking for a baby carrier for your toddler you can add to the list a Mai Tai, Asian Back Carriers.

If you are wanting to read and compare the best place that I have found is The Baby Wearer.
This is a place that you will find all types of baby carriers, so that you will be able to make an educated decision about your purchase.

If you are looking for a baby shower gift, I say look at getting the new mom a baby carrier! I will always say baby carriers are life savers for moms! Using a baby carrier while out in public was great for us, this way I didn't have to fight with a stroller and baby was up against me so during the cold winters baby was always warm with my body heat, and no one was able to cough on baby either!

Gena
www.forthemonster.com

For the Monster Retail Store Soon Turning ONE

2011-10-19T21:23:00.000-05:00

For the Monster started July of 2004 with a small operating budget working out of the 3rd bedroom of our house in Kansas. Then in December of 2007 FtM outgrew the bedroom and we had to move it into the office space upstairs. With that move we gained about 200 extra square feet.

January of 2009 our family and business relocated to Arkansas. At that time we experienced another growth spirt in our business! We had the 3 drawer Starlight totes stacked three high all the way around the room side by side, and in singles in the closet, and then stacked two high in the center of the room. FINALLY in October of 2010 I paid rent the first time on our 1000 square foot brick and Mortar location located at 2421 N. Center St. STE. D Fayetteville AR 72701 and as we are getting ready to celebrate our first year in our retail location we have just acquired the suite beside us for an additional 800 square feet. With this addition to our store we will be adding a play area, class room to accommodate 12 people, and adding used baby and toddler clothing.

We have enjoyed our year in retail. We have met many mama's in the area, and learned a little more history of Arkansas with each customer. It is amazing to me what pride Arkansas has in their College football team. It's amazing to see all the people that come to town for the football games!

November marks one year in retail business for us. With our expansion we are adding a classroom for up to 12 people, and we also will have used clothing for sale. We have also set up a play area for the kids, they can come and watch a movie while mom and dad shops! What we are hoping to gain in what we call the second side, is a place where mom can come and let baby play if baby is needing a changed of scenery! We will be holding classes over a wide range of subjects as well. We are going to start with a certified CPR class.

Our classes will start in December. Our Certified Pediatric CPR class will have a class fee of 30.00 per person. Those that sign up and pay for their class will receive a 15.00 gift certificate to For the Monster to help with the cost of the class. We will also be having a First Aid class as well. We have a long list of classes that we are working towards to find instructors for.

We are working on our week of Celebration for our 1 year retail birthday party. Please keep a watch on our blog for more udpates!

Gena
www.forthemonster.com

Washing routine?

2011-10-04T19:16:00.001-05:00

The million dollar question for cloth diapering parents... "How do you get rid of the stink in my diapers?"

Let me start out with a background on my own cloth diapering adventure with my two boys. I had my first child in 2008. We started out using prefolds and prorap classic and Bumpkins diaper covers. I used the wet pail method with my white Chinese prefolds. We used this set up until I purchased my first pocket diaper called FuzziBunz. I never looked back at my prefolds once I used the FuzziBunz diaper on my child. I quickly sold off my collection of prefolds and covers! During the time I used prefolds I never had an issue with stinky diapers. After about 9 months of constant use of pocket diapers with microfiber inserts I had my first trouble with stink issues. It just about drove me crazy because they would come out of the washer smelling clean, but wow the smell one my baby wet in them.

What I did was washed with no soap and then checked to make sure all the soap was out of them. To my surprise there was LOTS of soap in my washing machine. It took me at least 4 more full washes on hot and rinsing before I finally arrived at no bubbles and no more stink.

Then fast forward to 2008 and my second bundle of monster love arrived. We used pocket diapers on him from the beginning. The first time I noticed a smell issue with him is when he started getting teeth. I tried the washing with no soap and was rather surprised that there was no soap in them. So that sent me on to my washing detergent. I had been using Purex free and clear on my diapers with both of my children. So I decided to switch My detergent to Tide free and clear. As you would guess my stink issues cleared right up!

Fast forward a year and a half and a move to Arkansas. We started having stink issues again. At this time Rockin' Green was new on the market and I gave it a try! I ordered a bag, and the day it arrived I was doing the rock soak! I was so excited to see that my diapers were whiter and had NO smell! We had great luck for a long time and then all of the sudden and the monster was older one morning we woke up to stinky diapers once again. So I just decided to switch back to Purex free and clear for a few washes. Stink was gone and then I switched back to Rockin Green and life has been good ever since!

So after 7 years of running a cloth diaper store I have learned the following!

1. "All" Free and Clear Laundry detergent will work great and then all of the sudden start major stink issues and possibly leaks.

2. All the years of personal cloth diaper use I have never had to strip my diapers. I will confess that I have messed up more than once and used fabric softener on my diaper stash! (yes I had to do extra washes to get that out!) do not use fabric softener on your cloth diapers!

3. I am really starting to believe that cloth diapers build up immunity to laundry detergents used over long periods of time, and need to be switched around when stink issues arise.

So if you were to come and and tell me you were having stink issues this is what I would tell you to do!

1. First wash your diapers without laundry soap, check your washer and see if you have bubbles in the washer. If you do have bubbles keep washing until you see no soap in the water. If no soap bubbles, keep reading.

2. Look over your washing routine. Are you doing a cold rinse, normal hot wash, and then an extra cold rinse to make sure soap is removed.

3. Use a little more soap or a little less soap per wash. ( Normally more soap is needed)

4. If none of the above helps, I would say it's time to change laundry soaps for a few washes and after the stinks are gone you can switch back to your normal cloth diaper soap.

Washing your cloth diapers should not be time consuming or aggravating. Don't over think the process! Washing your cloth diapers is easy. Each manufacturer has their own washing instructions and can be rather confusing at times. Just keep it simple and you will have clean diapers!

Please leave us a comment and tell us what you did to battle the stinkies in your stash of cloth diapers!

Gena
www.forthemonster.com

What fun!

2011-09-24T22:04:00.001-05:00

Karen and I went to Gulley Park in Fayetteville tonight to do our 2-1/2 mile walk tonight. It was great getting out in the fresh cool air and stretch the old legs a bit! For some reason I have not been doing as well with the exercise as I should be!

As I'm setting here with the kids, I decided to look back through some of our old blog posts! Oh the memories, the sadness I felt as I read about Grannie, Grand Dad, and Mongo. This was the best set of grandparents a kid could ask for, and they are very very missed!

Its fun setting here looking back and then to think and plan about For the Monsters future! We are working toward adding 800 more square feet to our store so that we can start giving class. I'm really starting to look forward to start giving classes and to find guest speakers. We will be working on a kids corner so moms and dads can shop without worry.

Maybe I'm just getting old and more sentimental!

Gena
for the monster

Weekend Fun

2011-09-24T01:12:00.001-05:00

Here it is the weekend again, it's starting to get cooler and darker quicker now that fall is officially here. So far this weekend we have watched several animated movies and Ryan has been working on some website studying his math. Andrew has went to bad rather early tonight! I'm ready for the snow to fly but keeping the boys from fighting will be a challenge this winter.

When talking with some of the older folks here in our community they keep telling me that the almanac is calling for a snow filled and icy winter for us here in Northwest Arkansas. Not that I am overly excited about it, I'm just hoping they are wrong about the ice part. The ice storm of 2009 was enough for me!

I will slowly start building up our supply or construction paper, coloring books, and writing paper. I will be going to Hobby Lobby to check out their small craft projects for kids as well. You can usually find an excellent price on them as well!

What do you do with your children to keep them busy and content during the cold winter months?

Gena
Www.forthemonster.com

What is MY favorite diaper.

2011-09-20T19:53:00.000-05:00

The one re-occurring question I get the most as a diaper store own is "what is your favorite diaper?" At times I almost would rather NOT answer this question, because I do not want to sway anyones decision on what cloth diapers to buy.

98.9% of the time a person that is new to cloth will start out with the brands and style that whoever started talking to them about cloth diapers used. Meaning, if I was to convert you over to cloth diapers, you would start using my favorite brand. Now with that being said remember that not all babies are made the same, meaning one style might fit my baby well, and not fit your baby at all.

If you were to walk into my store wanting to purchase your first set of cloth diapers I would ask you the following.

Have you done any research on cloth diapers?
What brands have you been researching?
Which brands would you like to try?
How many different styles have you looked at?

If you had done any research or looking at them on line, I would show you the ones that you told me about, and I would talk with you about the differences between all the brands that you had mentions. The next step we would take, would to go over all the different cloth diapering options. (example: prefolds and covers, pocket diapers, all in one diapers, all in two diapers etc.) At this point anyone should or could be on information overload. So I make some small notes for you to go back and look and research just a little more. If you are wanting to take some diapers home with you that day, I do suggest that you purchase at least one if not two of the top two brands that you were intrested in. I want you to be happy with your first purchase of diapers. If you feel you made the best possible purchase, you are more willing to try more diapers later!

Have you noticed that I have still not answered the question that is the topic of this post? I want to education you on all the options you do have. I am willing to help with any questions or concerns you might have. Once you start cloth diapering it becomes an addiction. You may laugh now, but it really does. Once you start cloth diapering, you will find many on line communities of cloth diapering mamas AND dads!

More to come.....

Gena
www.forthemonster.com

2 10.00 E-Code Giveaway!

2011-09-17T20:06:00.004-05:00

Let's try a new giveaway program!

The Winner of the Melissa and Doug Sandwich Game

2011-08-25T19:59:00.000-05:00

Del, Kari, Kyle and Kolby

You are the winner of the Sandwich game, please e-mail me at gena @ forthemonster.com or call me at 479-442-3610 and I will let you know how to collect your winnings.

Please check back in a few days we will be doing another Melissa and Doug giveaway!!!

Gena

Melissa and Doug Puzzle Giveaway

2011-08-16T08:31:00.000-05:00

Let's start out the week with a Melissa and Doug Giveaway! I think it will be fun!!

It's the Sandwich Stacking Game!

Here are ten good reasons to play with your food! These unique activities use 4 bread-shaped gloves, which can self-stick to 14 sandwich filling layers, and 20 sandwich cards. Race to match the sandwich on the picture card in Fast Food or try to toss a sandwich filling onto a bread glove in Service on the Fly. Inspiring children to burn calories while improving memory and matching skills will put fun on the menu every time. Instructions include variations on many of the games to extend the fun.

Dimensions: 10.75" x 11" x 6.5" Assembled

Recommended Ages: 4+ years

Retail Value 29.99

All you have to do is:

1. like our facebook page
2. become a follower of our blog
3. comment here on our blog as to why you would like the sandwich game

Winner will be choosen on Aug. 23 from the comments on the blog here!!!

Moving Facebook Contest Over to blogs!

2011-08-16T08:17:00.001-05:00

Hello all,

We are going to move all Facebook contests over to the blog. The have specific rules about moving contests over to 3rd party sites. So we are going to move them so they do not delete our page. All we ask is that you become a follower of our blog so you will stay up to day with what's going on with For the Monster.

The Morning After the Fitted Trial

2011-01-09T20:51:00.000-06:00

My little super soaker went into his Duo Fab Fitted and Flip diaper cover at 8:50 pm.. I checked him around 2:30 am and he was still dry to the touch.. BUT when we woke up at 7:00 we and I mean WE were not so dry! So, I'm going to say I'M VERY IMPRESSED with the absorbency of the sewn in soaker.... This will be one diaper I will suggest to customers to take on long trips for sure. Let me mention one more time, that we did NOT add any extra absorbency to the Duo Fab Fitted at all!

So now both diapers are in the diaper pail waiting to be washed and used again! I must say that I'm loving the Duo Fab Fitted diaper by Thirsties!! I will update this post the more we use the diapers! We will put extra absorbency in on our next night time testing......

I admit, I'm a pocket diaper loving mama!

2011-01-07T21:27:00.061-06:00

I guess after so many years I should tell what my favorite style of diaper is: POCKETS. I started out with prefolds and covers that I purchased from Jardine's Diapers back in 2003! Then the rest it is history! LOL

AS OF TODAY....I am "officially" trending away from the pocket diaper. The new Duo Fab Fitteds by Thirsties have peaked my interest. I have actual pulled 2 from the order that arrived today, and they are in the dryer right now. I'm giving them the "Monster Review" I like the fact that they are ranged up to 40 lb pounds. They are soft, they are a duo, they are a fitted with a microfiber insert that is stuffable if needed. It's been awhile since we have stocked a diaper that I just had to try. Then it was amazing to me that it was a fitted diaper! Let me save myself here. When I bring new products in I usually find a tester, give them a list of questions to fill out about the diaper, but this time I just had to do it for myself!!

What we are testing at the Monster Review:

1. Duo Fab Fitted Size 2 Meadow Aplix Closures
1. Duo Fab Fitted Size 2 Ocean Blue Snaps

After the store closed I brought them home, tossed them in the washer with the rest of the diapers. Washed with Rockin' Green and now they are in the dryer! My wash routine is: cold rinse, hot wash, cold rinse, then to the dryer on med/low. They came out of the washer just super soft and the colors are wonderful!! It's really kind of funny because I was showing them to my husband and the first thing he said was "look we can put another insert in here if needed" I was in love with the man all over again! He noticed it was a different kind of diaper! I told him that he would have to use a cover with this diaper and he just looked at me. he said " a cover". I had to giggle. He too likes pocket diapers. After the diapers are dried and washed I put the inserts back in them, and then when he changes a diaper all he has to do is, put it on! With this, he will have to work, just a little!

I told him he could try one on Andrew and I wanted to put the other one on so I could to the fit check and all that fun stuff.

So stay tuned to this post as we go through our review process. I will post pictures when I can. My hope is that this will end out night time leaks!!

Feel free to leave a post telling me what your favorite fitted diaper is, or your favorite diaper cover! I will make sure you can tell when I add more information to this posting!

1/8/11

Well, I woke up with every intention of putting one of the Fitteds on Andrew today, but he decided to wear his big boy pants, and then I had to go up to the shop, so we will be putting one of the fitteds through the test tonight. After he has his bath I will take some pictures of the fitted on him, and then some with the fitted and the cover. Andrew is weighing in at 35.5 lb at age 2. He will be 3 in April. I will not add any extra absorbency in the diaper tonight and we will see how long it last. Andrew is the president of the SUPER SOAKER club. I swear that child puts out twice as much as he puts in! So for now we have to wait for bath time for pictures of the diaper on.. STAY TUNED.....

Blogger and I are NOT getting along tonight. Food for thought SAVE OFTEN OR REDO EVERYTHING! yes, I'm in the redoing stage right now!

This picture to the left is of the Duo Fab Fitted Size 2. Remember my monster is weighing in at 35.5 lb, and this diaper fits up to 40 lb. As you can tell by the tabs, he still has room to grow in this diaper! I also liked how it fits just right on/under his belly. This diaper was super easy to put on, and I know I keep talking about how soft the diaper is... but it is soft!

The picture to the right is just the back of the diaper. He was trying to walk away as I took the picture. As you can see the diaper is very trim and fits well. The way that the sewn in microfiber soaker is, I was curious to see if he would a fluffy backside. To my surprise NO!

Here you see the Duo Fab Fitted Diaper under a Flip Diaper Cover.. As you can see my monster is on the last few settings of the Flip, but it worked well for this experiment! I'm still liking how trim the two together are! I have always found fitted diapers to be bulky.. NOT ANY MORE!

NO FLUFF BOTTOM!!

This picture here just seals the deal for me! LOOK no poofy or fluffy bottom! That's right it's just a nice comfortable fitting diaper. I have to say this combination is more trim than most of the pocket diaper we have. This is how we have to stuff the diapers for Andrew.

1. microfiber insert
2. hemp insert
3 prefold

poor little guy walks a little funny in his night time diapers. That combination that I just explained only makes it about 1/2 a night. The only diaper that we have found so far that will almost or will make it all night is the Lollidoo diapers. So you see why are excited about finding another night time solution for Andrew! So he went into the test diaper with NO extra absorbency at 8:50 pm. SO we shall see if the diaper makes it all night, or will have to be changed. I'm still super exctied about the Duo Fab Fitted by Thirsties. If this works well, we will be saying goodbye to some pocket diaper from his stash!!

SO once again, stick with me and check back tomorrow late morning to see how the night time testing processes went!

Did you make it to 2011?

2011-01-04T22:59:00.000-06:00

We did here at For the Monster! Finally today we took down the rest of the Christmas lights and have it all packed away for another year! Ryan went back to school today, so we are settling back into a routine of things once again. Wow!! I did say routine..scary!

We also have the inventory counted and almost finished out 2010 business wise. So I am considering myself lucky.

We are getting ready to attend the NWA Women's Living Expo in Bentonville AR on Jan. 15th and 16th.

I am going to leave this short and simple for today! I hope you have had a wonderful start to 2011~

Gena
http://www.forthemonster.com/

Wow Crazy Times

2010-12-20T20:35:00.000-06:00

That's right! It's that time a year again. I'm amazed to see it has been since October since I posted last! I am thinking life has settled down, or the monsters and I have adjusted to having a retail store. So hopefully I will have more time to blog, do giveaways and all that fun stuff again!

As 2010 winds down, and we go into "inventory" mode we will be posting things for sale, things we just need gone. The goal is to thin down the inventory a tad so we do not have to count all that much!!

Let me take the time to Thank You for being customers of For the Monster. 2011 will be our 7th year in business, and I hope that we keep growing to be your favorite one stop shop for your cloth diapering and natural parenting needs. If there is a product that FtM doesn't carry and you would like to see them carry PLEASE let us know.

Gena

Retail Location

2010-10-26T08:47:00.003-05:00

Hello all!

We have been busy setting up our new retail location at 2421 N. Center St. Ste. D Fayetteville AR 72701. Do not let the address fool you we are still located in Elkins AR. We are in front of the Dollar General store.

As for neighbors we have a wide selection of neighbors! We have the White River Grocery Store, Hubba Bubba Subz Shop, Jacks Ol' Time Barber Shop, White River Valley News, and the Crazy Zebra Consignment shop. So you have a wide selection to visit if you decided to come on over to Elkins AR.

Here's some of the set up pictures!

We have worked very had at pricing over the last few weeks and stacking and storing! We are now open. Our store hours will be: Wednesday - Friday 10:30am to 5:30pm and Saturday 11:00am to 4:00pm. CLOSED: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. If needed we will set up appointment times for Monday or Tuesday, just give us a call at 479-442-3610. In our store we carry a wide selection of Melissa and Doug wooden toys, Rockin' Green Laundry detergent, GroVia, Bummis, Thirsties, bumGenius, FuzziBunz, Imse Vimse, Bravado Design Nursing Bras, Rumparooz, Lil Joeys, Medela, Happy Heiny's, Diaper Accessories, Menstrual Cloth for Mom and so much more!

If you are new to cloth diapering or veteran we would like the chance to help you with all of your cloth diapering needs! We have cloth diapered our own two children and nursed, and believe in baby wearing STILL!

So we can help you get started with cloth, baby wearing, or nursing products just stop by we will be glad to visit with you.

We have tried very hard to make our store comfortable and fun for mom and child!

We hope to see you soon!

For the Monster
2421 N. Center St. Ste. D
Fayetteville AR 72701
( we are in Elkins AR, in front of the Dollar General)
479-442-3610

Hours:
Sun Mon. Tue. CLOSED
Wed - Friday 10:30 - 5:30p
Saturday 11:00 - 4:00pm

and by appointment on Monday and Tuesday.

Additions to the Store!

2010-09-19T18:27:00.002-05:00

We have been going through our inventory and cleaning and making room, and putting stuff on the website, that just hadn't made it there this weekend!

First off we have put our clearance items on sale.. Yes that's right Clearance Items on sale!
For the Monster Clearance Section

We are trying to make MORE room in our storage area!!!

We also found a small number of Rumparooz prints!

These are only a couple of the prints that we have added to the store and we only have a small number of each print in stock. For some reason we just missed putting these on the website!

So do please swing by and check out the Rumparooz One Size cloth diaper in PRINTS!

This is one of our personal favorite overnight diapers!

We have also added the Doopsy Diaper to our web site.

The maker of Doopsy diapers have an awesome giveaway when you purchase either a 5 pack or 10 pack of Doospy diapers! You can switch between each style if you want.....

Choose between the:

Doopsy R

Doopsy D

Doopsy SD

Make sure you check out our website to see what the manufacturer is giving away when you purchase a 5 pack or 10 pack of Doopsy Diapers. Doopsy Diapers on For the Monster

Just today we have added Melissa and Doug Wooden Toys to our Store!

Some make sure you swing by and take a peek at our collection of Melissa and Doug wooden toys and coloring pages.

Thanks all!

Do you want a 5.00 coupon code?

2010-09-16T14:09:00.000-05:00

Hello!
What we are doing is all orders for 25.00 OR MORE that pay with PayPal will recieve a 5.00 coupon code in their order to use for their next purchase at For the Monster!

This special will run from NOW until Sept. 19th at Midnight!! Nothing you have to do, we will automatically add it in your order!

Just remember spend 25.00 or more and pay by PayPal and you will get a 5.00 coupon code for your next order!!

Gena

What's NEW at For the Monster

2010-09-14T09:37:00.000-05:00

There are many new items at FtM. I just keep adding products and NOT telling anyone!! Silly me!! Not to productive for business to do it this way!

I have added the:

Doopsy Diaper and Super Doopsy inserts. We LOVE our Doopsy Diaper.. The SD had made a great addition to our overnight diapering solution! These diapers a made trim and not bulky!

Rockin Green Sample packs

Magnetic Laundry Spoons

The Cow Jumped over the moon gift set - this is TOO CUTE!! I have more to add soon!

Thirsties wet bags

New Moby Wraps and even a camo print!

I could go on, but I will just provide you a like so you can check it out for yourself!!!

http://www.forthemonster.com/store/WsDefault.asp?iNew=New

I will try better at updating either this blog or the store blog!!

For the Monster Yahoo Group

2010-09-14T09:23:00.001-05:00

Are you a member of any yahoo groups? Are you a member of the For the Monster Yahoo Group? I don't know why I hadn't mentioned it before BUT...... Let me make up for lost time here!!!

For the Monster has a Yahoo Group. This group is used for store announcements, store sales, and members only sales and discounts!

It's not a very chatty group (yet) and it is moderated. So if you want to get some discounts and talk with like minded cloth diaper mom's join the group say hello and visit.

Here is the link to join!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/forthemonster/join

Mommy's Touch / Dependable Luxury Mama Cloth Wet Bag - WINNER POSTED!!

2010-09-05T20:05:00.003-05:00

This is a must have items for the mama's out there that use mama cloth. This is the best wetbag for cloth menstrual pads that I have seen so far!

For the Monster is proud to introduce the Dependable Luxury Feminine Cloth Bags.

Dependable Luxury is the newest addition to the Mommy's Touch product line. The Mommy's Touch cloth menstrual pads that you have come to know and love, will know come with the name Dependable Luxury on them. Rest assured you are still getting the Mommy's Touch style of cloth menstrual pad.

Dependable Luxury has done it yet again. They looked at the market and realized that ladies have special needs. When you are out and about using our Feminine Cloth pads you need a place to conveniently keep both the clean and soiled pads without taking up too much space in your already overcrowded purse. So Dependable Luxury came up with a design that allows you to keep both in one bag. Our bag has 2 sides, the first side is for your clean pads and to make that easy to spot we have a white zipper on that side. The other side has a black zipper. No more guessing where your clean pads are. These bags are sized at 5" X 9.5" and will comfortably hold 3 of our regular pads.

Dependable Luxury is also known for their Brocade pads:

Dependable Luxury also makes solid color pads for those that don't like fancy! With either the Brocade Pads or the Solid color pads you are able to pick if you would like the top of your pad to be white or black.

I have used these pads and I like both the white and black tops. If had my choice it would be the black tops!

For those that had never given Mama or Menstrual cloth a thought and would like to try, For the Monster has Mommy's Touch / Dependable Luxury 2nds for sale. This is a great way to try out mama cloth for yourself with out breaking the bank!

Let's do our next giveaway!

1. You have to like us on Facebook
2. You have to become a follower of our blog.
3. Post to this blog telling us you are a follower and FB and if/and what mama cloth you use.

The winner will win 3 mama pads of our choice and a Dependable Luxury Mama Cloth Wetbag.

This will end on 9/9/10 winner will be announced on 9/10/10

August Mama's Happy Birthday!

2010-09-01T11:15:00.000-05:00

We have the months broken out on our discussion tabs on Facebook. Be sure to add your name to the correct month!!!

Our August winner is:::: J. McHugh

Send me an e-mail at gena@forthemonster.com and congratulations and Happy Birthday... You are the 25.00 winner!

Referrals - Closed Dibs WON!!!

2010-08-28T08:18:00.001-05:00

OK let's do something fun here. The person with the most referrals to the For the Monster page on Face book, and they LIKE US, and posts on this blog in the comments.

The catch is they have to do both items.. They have to post to say who sent them, on our store page AND on this blog!

We will do this till 8 AM tomorrow morning! Good luck and have fun... OH, and I don't announce the prize until tomorrow morning!

News and Updates

2010-08-26T20:56:00.000-05:00

As most of you know, For the Monster is our main website and then we have other sister sites. This year a good friend of mine asked if I wanted to purchase her website.. And I did.. We are now having a Re - Grand Opening on this web site. I wanted to post to you what I have just posted on the LiL Bunz blog.

Have you ever had the feeling that you are just not doing something you should be? I have it bad tonight. Wonder what I am forgetting to do!

For the last 24 hours of Re - Grand opening sale at http://www.lilbunz.com/ we have made the cart to where it will give you an automatic 5% off. WE shall sweeten the deal a little for the people that follow our blog! We will give you another 5% off by using the code / voucher lilbunzblog. So with a savings of 10% you can purchase that diaper you have ALWAYS wanted!

Thank You for being our customer and we look forward to fullfilling you cloth diapering needs for years to come.

Gena and the Monsters!

I wanted to share the 10% code with you as well. The code will only work on http://www.lilbunz.com/

Mommy's Touch 2nds Mama Pads

2010-08-25T13:59:00.000-05:00

Add a little flair to your monthly cycle! Choose a Mommy's Touch Brocade Menstrual Pad. For the Monster has them on sale for only 11.00 for a 3 pack. This makes them 3.67 a pad!

Mommy's Touch Second Brocade Pads

Be sure to stop by and check them out before they are all gone!!!

Re - Grand Opening of our Sister Site.

2010-08-24T14:13:00.002-05:00

We are having a Re-Grand Opening on our sister site http://www.lilbunz.com/ we are showcasing one or two items per day. Till 9 pm tonight CST.. The show case items are FuzziBunz Perfect Size and bumGenius 4.0 with Velcro Closures.

Be sure to go visit our sister site http://www.lilbunz.com/ and take advantage of our Re-Grand Opening Sales.

Gena

Moby Wrap and bumGenius 4.0 Hook and Loop Giveaway! - CLOSED

2010-08-24T07:53:00.001-05:00

That's right! We are giving away two different items in this giveaway! All you have to do is:

1. Leave a comment as to what giveaway or BOTH, you would like to win
2. Become a follower of this blog.

Then on Thursday Sept. 2 I will announce the two lucky winner..

Gena
http://www.forthemonster.com/

THE WINNERS ARE: Becca A. - Moby Wrap
Lindsey G. - Diaper

Time flies when you are having fun!

2010-08-24T00:37:00.000-05:00

It's just amazing to me how fast time goes anymore. let me see what has happened since my last post!

1. SUMMER
2. I had surgery in June
3. Purchased our Sister Site http://www.lilbunz.com/
4. Ryan has started school

So, I can say, not to much has been happening I guess. Let me see what products we have added since March of 2010!

Rumparooz
Bummis Easy Fits
GroVia
FuzziBunz NEW COLORS came out
Kissaluvs came out with the V2 in their fitteds
bumGenius came out with the 4.0 on their One Size in Snaps and Hook and Loop
Updated our Swaddlebees Section
Updated our Blueberry Section

So we have been business!

Life In The Fast Lane!

2010-03-27T12:54:00.001-05:00

It's amazing how busy one stay at home mom of two child really can be. Not that I am complaining at all, it's just the curve balls that life throws at you. How do you handle them? Well for me, I ususally hold my head up and walk right into them. I come from a family that never gives up. (Thanks Mom, I miss you and love you for teaching me to "keep going"!)

What totally amazes me about my two boys is HOW DIFFERENT they really are. Ryan is more a 100% his dad, and Andrew is a MIRROR copy of his mama... Yes, that child is hard headed, heart strong and never gives up EVER!

Now throw in 2 websites and 1 I really need to be working on. Sometimes I think how do I do it all. Be Mom, Wife, and Business Women. I worry that I am skimpying by on some of my titles to make the other titles work for a day. I have come to the conclusion I can't be all 3 all the time! Sometimes my house looks like a tornado hit it, other times the business gets a little behind, and my poor husband. He has just learned to stay out of the way! LOL

Not that I would give up any of it, because I love it all! Like the business name says "For the Monster" and that's what I do it for, my monsters!

So we been working away on For the Monster and we have been adding new product lines and new products to some of the oldies but goodies!

Checkout what's New: http://www.forthemonster.com/store/WsDefault.asp?iNew=New

Be sure to scroll down the entire page it's long!

busy BUSY busy

2010-03-03T16:15:00.002-06:00

I lived through my medical procedure I had on 2/25. All was well. So life is good! We have been busy adding products to the website. We have now added The Natural Baby Company products. I'm kinda excited about the growbaby diaper. We have one in the wash to test out.. If you want to see a full line of their product check it out on our Sister Site Cloth Diaper Central

Also on our sister site we have added the FULL product offering of Thirsties on our main site we only have the thirsties Diapers

It's amazing to me how we could be gone for 3 days and it takes almost 2 weeks to get caught back up!! AMAZING!! We are working towards it.... WE are ready for spring here are you?

Gena
http://www.forthemonster.com/
http://www.clothdiapercentral.com/
http://www.gregandcompany.com/

Is it MONDAY again!

2010-02-23T23:50:00.000-06:00

You know I am not a big fan of summer time, but MAN I am ready for some warm weather so the kids can go OUTSIDE! Most of all, I am ready to get rid of the sickness.

I have had a chance to work on the store today which is a good thing. Probably didn't do the things I needed to do, but oh well! I did get a new product added. This will probably be the last product we bring in for awhile since we are waiting on a few new products to arrive!!

Check it out! GroBaby and more by Natural Baby Co.

I have decided I'm getting old, I can't hardly stay awake past midnight anymore! So I'm off to bed for tonight and will start again bright and early in the morning!!!

Night all...

http://www.forthemonster.com/
http://www.clothdiapercentral.com/
http://www.gregandcompany.com/

I guess I should say I have been doing a little and I mean "little" work to Greg and Company! If you have time go check it out!

Gena

FREE DAY!

2010-02-18T14:32:00.000-06:00

All orders are packed and I am heading to the Post Office, then we are heading to the park! We are taking the rest of the day off!!!

I will be working later tonight! Play DAY for now.

OH, and my new FREE time consumer is:

1. Getting http://www.forthemonster.com/
2. Getting http://www.clothdiapercentral.com/

Updated

getting http://www.gregandcompany.com/ up and going!!! If you are needing a gift PLEASE check out our new site.

Gena

Crazy Crazy Days

2010-02-14T14:34:00.000-06:00

The baby was in the hospital, and I am just playing catch up today with EVERYTHING that has been put aside... We have updated the Nursery Items on our website. For the Nursery and there are some really cool prints in there!! I like the Tabasco pattern myself... Good thing Andrew is out of the crib now!!

We are going to start adding Bummis today to Cloth Diaper Central! That order should be in tomorrow and it will have the new Easy Fit diapers in it! We are looking forward to getting our hands on this order we want to see those diapers!!!! We already have the diapers listed on For the Monster so you can check them out here. Easy Fit For the Monster.

I think we are all finally getting over the "bug" that was in our house! Well I better go the dryer is calling me once again!!

Happy Sunday all!

What a WILD week last week was.....

2010-02-08T22:07:00.000-06:00

So we spent 4 days in the hospital. We got back home Sunday night and the baby finally started eating and today he is at least up to 80% I would say. It broke my heart, because he wants to go play in the snow we are getting and I just will not let him go outside and play in it... I am a mean mama...

So this morning. Monday we worked like mad and were able to get all the orders out! What wonderful and understanding customers I have. THANK YOU!!! So we are back on track with shipping and life is back to normal. What ever normal is anyway!!!

I will say good night for now and will post some pictures tomorrow of our snow!!

It is amazing at how kids can be SO sick, and then bounce back so fast! Why can't we do that as adults?

Gena
http://www.forthemonster.com/

Last Day of Jan.

2010-01-31T17:43:00.000-06:00

I have to say this has been one crazy weekend being house bound with the family because of the ice and snow. This morning was the prettiest morning of them all because of the frozen fog. I had never heard of Frozen Fog until we moved to Arkansas. Here is a picture of it.

At least the ice and snow is melting and will probably become SLICK over night. Wonder what the mountain roads are like, and wonder if the kids will have school tomorrow?

The kids just brought in last years Halloween costums to be put on... Now Batman and Robin is running wild through the house! At least they are playing together and having fun!!

We only had a two day shipping delay with all the ice and snow... All orders from Friday and Saturday will be going out Monday! We have just finished packing orders, and sent out all tracking information.

Don't forget to become a fan of For the Monster on Facebook. OR follow us on Twitter

Gena
http://www.forthemonster.com/

WE HAVE POWER!

2010-01-29T11:11:00.000-06:00

I'm excited to say we had power all night long!! It is cold today and we have ice, and about an inch or so of it.

This a picture of the poor bush right outside my office window! BRRR poor bush! The cars are moving, not very fast but moving. So I'm going to try to pack orders and get them to the Post Office!

Northwest Arkansas Weather!

2010-01-28T17:07:00.000-06:00

You know when we moved down here, I thought GREAT not as much cold weather, not as much snow and ice. Boy I was wrong, really wrong. They keep saying tonight we could get another ice storm like we did this exact same time last year. There were people without power for almost a month. We here at For the Monster were lucky, the longest we went was about 14 to 16 hours without power.

So it started raining here today about 2:30 pm CST, and the temprature has hovered around 32 degrees all day long. The roads are still in good condition, I can see the cars out front zooming up and down doing their normal crazy fast speeds!

All of the orders that were received before 11 AM cst this morning are at the post office! I'm hoping that their totally wrong about the storm that is supposed to hit over night. They are calling for more ice and snow!

Here is a picture I took from my phone of the first icicle of 2010!

It's raining again here! UGH we just might get the possible 1.25 inches of ice IF this all freezes over night! I will keep you updated with pictures and more as the storm goes on in the next couple of days!!

If you are iced in here in NWA be sure to visit our web site!! LOL
http://www.forthemonster.com/

Gena

Cold Day in NW Arkansas

2010-01-27T09:05:00.000-06:00

As you all know we moved to NWA in January of last year. We were here TWO DAYS before the worst ice storm hit. It was the worst storm this area has seen in YEARS! It took weeks for the power companies to get the power back on to many families. Then we went through summer ok, and then winter hits again! Now they have had more snow fall than they have had in years.

Moral of the story is, we are getting prepared for another AMAZING winter storm here in NWA! Here is our local TV stations weather blog.NWA 4029 Weather . If you like to follow the weather take time to read through this blog and just look at how they come up with their predictions for our area...

So, if we do start getting the snow and ice, I will post something to our blog about a shipping delay and I will take pictures!! Stay safe and stay warm!!

Gena
http://www.forthemonster.com/

LONG Weekend and Bummis Easy Fits!

2010-01-19T17:32:00.000-06:00

All weekend orders went to the Post Office today! For the Monster had a great weekend of orders! Thanks everyone!

We were able to pre - order some of the new Bummis diapers that are coming out the end of this month. First I should say, the white color only and then the end of Jan. and then at the end of Feb. the colors will be coming out. Here's a little about them:

Bummis Easy Fits

Be looking for them on For the Monster soon!

Gena

Sunday

2010-01-17T10:55:00.000-06:00

Sunday and the sun is out!! That is a big change from the weather we have been having for sure! We are working on putting diaper covers and prefold packages on our web site. This has provided to be a bigger challenge than we thought. We will find a work around I PROMISE!!!

The baby monster is not feeling to well today so I better get off of here for now, I just wanted to let you know what we were working on!!

Gena
For the Monster

Welcome 2010

2010-01-16T20:06:00.000-06:00

No matter how you say it, twenty ten, or two thousand ten, it is here! What a fast and amazing year 2009 was for sure! We have finally settled down in Arkansas and we are quickly growing a local customer base and we TOTALLY love it!

We are going into our 6th year of business and we owe it all to our wonderful customers! Thanks for a great 2009 and we are looking to an even more exciting 2010! We have brought Rockin Green laundry soap into our store already this year! Check it out for yourself!

http://www.forthemonster.com/store/WsDefault.asp?Cat=rockingreenclothdiaperandlaundrysoap

We are also on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forthemonster

We are on Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/yk2ezz5

We hope to see you as a follower and a fan soon!!! Make sure you post and say HI

Time

2009-09-26T13:47:00.000-05:00

It just kills me that I can not remember to blog on this blog..... Here it is September 26, 2009. This year has been full of ups and downs for our Monster Family. In January of 2009 we moved to Fayetteville AR. My husband was one of the few that was offered a job in his company's main plant when the Pittsburg KS plant shut down.

Andrew had his first hand surgery in January as well. NOW that is one long drive from Fayetteville AR to Wichita KS let me tell you!!! Then at the end of Jan. the Fayetteville AR area was hit with a MAJOR MAJOR ice storm. Fast forward to March there we were experiencing Andrew's second hand surgery....

Then SCHOOL STARTED for Ryan. He is in kindergarten this year. This school thing has been harder on me, than Ryan. He loves school.

Here we are enjoying the somewhat cool weather, and getting ready to really start to work on updating our web site. We have added some really cool products over time. Probably to many to mention here. We are better at updating our in store blog with sale, but I will try harder I PROMISE...

My Oh My

2008-11-15T19:39:00.000-06:00

Here we are. I can't believe it's been a year since I have taken the time to sit down and blog. In the last year we have truly lost some great people in our life. Grand Dad, Grannie, in the end of 2007 and then my mom "mongo" in Feb. of 2008.

Then in April of 2008 we welcomed a new monster into the For the Monster family. Our second child was born with a birth defect of the left hand. He has a thumb, and 3 fingers that are fused together. He is missing 2 bones in his left hand. If the middle finger has a blood vessel they believe they can save the middle finger giving him all 3. If not he will have the thumb, little finger, and then the two that will remain fused together.

We have visited with two surgeon and we have choose to go with Dr. George Lucas from the Wichita Clinic. The first surgery is scheduled for January of 2009.

As for our oldest child, I can proudly say he loves his brother. he has shown only a small amount of jealous towards his new brother.

As for the business, we are working towards the end of the year, looking toward 2009!

Thank you to all our wonderful customers that stood by us while we were closed earlier this year, and we hope to meet more wonderful customers in the years to come! I will try much harder to blog and keep everyone up today as to what's going on.

We have the new color of bumGenius 3.0 One Size. My favorite color is the Moonbeam and Clementine. Check them out here: New bumGenius Colors! The green is pretty also, but Moonbeam and Clementine still remains our pick!

FUZZI BUNZ we have every color you want and even the X - Smalls are back in stock! The extra smalls are sized for babies that are 4 to 10 lb. The come in White, Sage, and Butter. Visit our Fuzzi Bunz page: Fuzzi Bunz Page at For the Monster .

We have many products just setting in boxes waiting to be put on our web site, so please check back often.

As always, if there is a product you would like to see added at For the Monster just drop us an e-mail and let us know!

Gena
www.forthemonster.com

Where does the time go?

2007-04-29T00:13:00.000-05:00

It just seems like yesterday I blogged something not almost 4 months ago! LOL. We have added lots of stock to For the Monster over the last few months!

Do not forget to join our For the Monster yahoo group for members only discounts and sales!

We have stocked TONS! If you are looking for Fuzzi Bunz we have every color in stock and ready to ship.

We stocked Imse Vimse swim diapers and even added a couple of new patterns!

Oh how could I forget out about the new Fuzzi Bunz Zoo Prints? Check it out.

The print is just too cute.. I think that these could be used on a boy or a girl. Click on the above picture to purchase your limited addition Zoo Print from Fuzzi Bunz.

I'm sure there is many things that I am forgetting to write about, so please come on over to www.forthemonster.com for a visit!

Gena
www.forthemonster.com

2007 IS HERE

2007-01-09T00:04:00.000-06:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2007 is here and now it is time, to make plans and get ready! We at For the Monster want to take the time to say Thank You to our customers for a wonderful 2006!

As we head into another year, we have some new and exciting products that we are working on bringing to our store. We are VERY excited to say that the first addition will be Bummis diaper covers. So for the next couple of days, we will be working to get this product on the web site for orders.

We are also carry a LARGE color selection of your favorite Fuzzi Bunz in stock, along with many other in-stock items.

Now, that the Holiday Season is settled down, and life is getting back to normal, (whatever normal is!) For the Monster will be working to become your On line store for all your lil' monsters needs!

Gena
www.forthemonster.com

Changes coming to Fuzzi Bunz on September 1, 2006

2006-08-19T19:15:00.000-05:00

Starting September 1, 2006 the makers of Fuzzi Bunz will be making it easier for you to purchase a complete diaper. All Fuzzi Bunz will come with a microfiber insert for 17.95 .

This is the perfect way to purchase your Fuzzi Bunz if you are starting out with cloth diapering. Now you will have a top of the line dipaer and insert! This price will be reflected in our diaper packages as well starting 9-1-06.

So if you do not want to purchase your Fuzzi Bunz with the insert PLEASE stock up before 9-1-06 because For The Monster will have to raise the price on the specified date AND sell them as a set, (diaper and insert) from 9-1 forward.

For The Monster has most colors in stock so come pick your diaper or diaper package out today

Gena
www.forthemonster.com

Deciding to cloth diaper?

2006-08-04T16:32:00.000-05:00

I have spoken with many mamas that have a very hard time deciding to cloth diaper. I have heard reasons of, I don't want to have to wash the diapers, or what do you do with what is left in the diaper, to I'm plain flat not cloth diapering!

I always wonder in the back of my mind, do people really know that you do not use pins and plastic pants anymore? No, really you don't. Today's cloth diapers are modern and are as simple to use, as a disposable WITHOUT all the harsh chemicals inside.

Oh, I know your thinking many many children have used disposable with no problems, but what about those poor little bottoms that have had problems!

In cloth diapers today you have so many choices it can become overwhelming for anyone new to cloth diapering. You have Chinese Prefolds, Indian Prefolds, Contours, Pocket Diapers, Diaper Covers, Fitted Diapers, AIO or All In One Diapers and then you have a ONE SIZE DIAPER. Then you throw in the million different companies, that make their own version of the each diaper stated above, and oh, am I sure I left a few out!!!

I find that all the different choices is what is overwhelming. Then to mention all the different colors and then the different fabrics that the diapers are made out of today! Oh now I just feel the need to complicate things even more!

Let's talk about accessories for cloth diapering! You can purchase a mini shower to help spray off those yuck diapers. The mini shower can either be run from your toilet or your bathroom faucet. Wondering where to put those wet and yuck diapers when you are out and about? WET BAGS! These are bags that usually are made from the same PUL that your diapers are made from. Some come with outer design fabric, or just the plain solid colors!

Oh my, I skipped right over storage of those dirty diapers. There are several options on how to keep those dirty diapers until wash day. You can use a child proof diaper pail and have a tote bag in it, or just a buck for dry pail storage with a pail liner.

There are so many other things that I could tell you about just to get you started with cloth diapering. Do you need all the items I mentioned above? WELL, I can't answer that for you; I strongly believe that cloth diapering is a PERSONAL CHOICE. People cloth diaper to save the environment, they feel that cloth is the best for their child, or cloth diaper to save money. I will not bore you with comparison to show you how much you will save. I cloth diapered my child, for the money factor. Sure, it was a lot of money in the beginning. I spent my initial money getting set up with what I needed, and washed and reused! No more money going out.

In my child's personal diaper stash I have had some diaper 2 years PLUS. So, I am happy with the fact that I still have the diapers that I first purchased and they are still being used! With disposables that money would have been gone over 2 years ago, but hey the disposable would still would be in the landfill!

Gena
www.forthemonster.com

Summer coming to an end.

2006-08-01T12:41:00.000-05:00

Wow, it is August already. I am sure most people are getting ready for their children to go back to school. Do you have a child going into kindergarten this year? Did you know that they will need a nap mat to rest on while they are there? Why not get your child a cool nap mat or sleep mat? Sleep Mat / Nap Mat These mats are sturdy and your child can carry their own mat.

Will you have a toddler getting ready to start preschool that is not fully potty trained. We are still in the potty learning stages out our house as well! So, we went searching to find a good pair of training pants and this is what we found. Training Pants We have used all of the training pants on this page. If you are looking for the most absorbent, then you will want the Happy Heiny's training pants. These are made "just like" the Happy Heiny's diapers, but they pull on just like pants, and come with snaps on the side to make it easier to take off when you don't quite make it to the potty! The Trickle Free trainers are best for later in potty training. These are for when you are just having a few accidents or small ones. The Imse Vimse are for the middle of training. They don't hold a lot, but can still save your child's clothing if the wet pants are changed fairly quickly.

It has been a long and hot summer here in Kansas, and with today only being the First. I am worried what kind of temperatures we will face as we get further into August.

So be safe in your outside activities,

Gena
www.forthemonster.com

Diaper Rash Cream and Pocket Diapers

2006-07-22T21:24:00.000-05:00

I had never really given much thought to the use of diaper rash cream and pocket cloth diapers until tonight. I was speaking with a new cloth diapering mom, and some how we ended up on the subject of diaper rash. Then the light came on, to tell her that "IF" she ever needed to use diaper rash cream to put a cloth diaper doubler or even an old wash cloth between the diaper rash cream and the inside of the pocket diaper.

You can not use anything that will coat the inside of the diaper that touches the baby, this includes diaper rash creams. Most diaper rash creams contain oils to help make a barrier on the baby's bottom to keep wetness away. When using pocket diapers it also creates the same wetness barrier when it comes into contact with the inside of the diaper. This means it can stop the wetness from getting through to the absorbent layer.

So, now I want to caution all pocket cloth diaper users. If you ever need to use a diaper rash cream, use a liner of some type, this will save you time and headache from having to strip your diapers to remove all the oils from the diaper rash cream.

Gena
www.forthemonster.com

Cloth Diapers Save Money

2006-05-22T20:41:00.000-05:00

Cloth diapering has become much easier in the 21st century. No pins, No dunking in the stool.

Today's cloth diapers are dramatically different than the cloth diapers of yesteryear. But why would you even consider a reusable diaper when you could use a disposable? Here are a few good reasons to consider cloth diapers, but in the end, the decision is up to you.

Savings
A baby goes through about 8 -12 diapers a day ~ or about 6,000 - 10,000 diapers before they are potty trained. At $0.30 a diaper, that adds up to about $1,800 - $2,600! By using disposable wipes, it will cost at least another $300. While the initial cost of cloth diapers costs a bit more, in the long run you do save. Even when you add the cost of washing and drying your cloth diapers, you will save $1,200 - $2,800 over this 2 - 3 year period!

Environment
A baby goes through about 6,000 - 10,000 diapers before they are potty trained. That adds up to over 2 tons of used, non-biodegradable waste per baby! Not only that, the gel used in the disposable diapers retain water, plus absorb even more.

You will only need about 48 - 72 cloth diapers for the entire diapering period! What a difference!

Convenience
Yes, convenience. Today's cloth diapers are as easy to put on as a disposable. With home-laundered cloth diapers, you'll never have to run out and buy diapers. Just wash them at your convenience. It's only about an additional 2 - 3 loads of laundry per week

So, now that you have decided to cloth diaper, how many will you need? It will depend on what type and style of diapers you choose to purchase. There are now at least 2 different one size pocket diapers on the market today.

Mommy's Touch One Size Pocket Diaper and bumGenius by Cottonbabies. Depending on the build of your new born one of these diaper could possible fit your child from birth to potty training.

With cloth diapering you have a very wide selection to choose from. You can choose a pocket diaper, a fitted diaper, AIO (All In One), or diaper covers and prefold diapers. With your cloth diapers and covers you will find that there are MANY MANY style to choose from. Some fit smaller framed children better and other fit larger framed babies.

So my suggestion to any new mom getting ready to cloth diaper is, do your research on cloth diapers and see which style of cloth diaper would be better for you. Then I would look at all the different style of diapers, and purchase one or two of the ones you want to try. This way you make the decision of what to purchase based on what fits your child.

If you have any questions about cloth diapers, please contact me and I will be glad to discuss any questions you may have.

If you are wondering what types of diapers are being used for our little tester, we have Mommy's Touch, bumGenius, Happy Heiny's, Swaddlebees, Fuzzi Bunz and we LIKE THEM ALL!!!! We also like our Stacinator Fleece Deluxe Covers!

Gena
http://www.forthemonster.com/

Are you tired of chasing your toddler around? Need another hand?

2006-05-20T21:03:00.000-05:00

There are many different types of baby carriers on the market today.

All baby carriers have their own individual look and feel, but all baby carrier share some of the same chararistics.

Versatile - Some baby carriers can be worn in all, or just a few positions. These positions are; in front, hip, back, reclining, nursing, and kangaroo carry positions. Additionally, some can be used as a harness, shopping cart strap, lightweight blanket and more.

Adjustable - Some ring slings can be adjusted independently, allowing a perfectly customized fit. Pouches now come with adjustability as well.

Great for both Mom and Dad - Most baby carriers are now made to fit both mom and dad. This means that both parents can be close to baby and still be able to get something accomplished.

Perfect for nursing - Mom can cover herself when nursing. Most baby carriers are made with nursing a child in mind!

Long lasting - Not all but most carriers are use able from birth to 35 lb.

With the new baby coming, the best gift you can give to yourself is to purchase a baby sling or baby carrier. This will provide comfort for you and baby. You both will be close and still be able to get things accomplished.

Now, that you have decided that you want a baby carrier for your child, now is when the fun begins. You will need to decide if you want a wrap, ring sling open tail, ring sling closed tail, Pouch. If you are looking for a baby carrier for your toddler you can add to the list a Mai Tai, Asian Back Carriers.

If you are wanting to read and compair the best place that I have found is The Baby Wearer.
This is a place that you will find all types of baby carriers, so that you will be able to make an educated decision about your purchase.

Gena ~ Owner
www.forthemonster.com

February

2006-02-17T23:13:00.000-06:00

Tonight I received a phone call that my Aunt has lost her battle against breast cancer. So, I urge every woman to get regular mammograms.

I actually received my first mammogram this year. Yes, I have heard of all the horror stories, of how they hurt and are painful. Well, I do have to admit that it was no picnic, but I didn't find that it hurt, or was torture. Yes, it does feel strange to have that part of your body trapped between to pieces of plastic. But if 5 or 10 minutes of a strange feeling, (yes that is all the time it takes to do a mammogram) can save your life, why not? I do believe you owe it to yourself.

Here is a link of how to do a BSE (Breast Self Exam)

http://www.komen.org/bse/

Please do take the time to listen to this through all the categories. You will find it very interesting. I did at least.

Maybe this just hit a little close to home tonight, I do not know. All, I ask is that you take care of yourself because if you do not, no one else will.

As the weather turns really cold here tonight and it is supposed to snow, I stay wrapped in my warm memories of Aunt Jo. The Heavens received an Angel tonight, may she rest in peace and know that this family will love her and miss her.

New Items at For The Monster

2006-01-17T12:14:00.000-06:00

Wow, it is just so hard to believe that January is half gone ALREADY! We have been working hard to find new products to add to our store.

So, we are happy to announce the addition of the Rumpsters AIO to our store along with the Mommy's Touch One Size Pocket Diaper. We think you will be happy with both of these diapers.

If you are new to cloth diapering then you might want to try the Rumpsters All In One . This is a diaper that is made from 5 layers of hemp and organic cotton. It also has sewn in "wings" to add to the over all protection. I am not a AIO fan, but I do like this diaper. It fits my skinny little man well.

The Mommy's Touch One Size Pocket Diapers are up for pre - order now. Mommy's Touch offers a wide range of colors, but for now we are only going to carry just a few. IF there is a certain color you would like to purchase please contact me, and I will work hard to get it for you.

The MT one size diaper is made from a polyester outer with a PUL layer of protection, and the inside that touches baby is made from a custom milled fleece, with leg gussets to help hold in those messes. This diaper is trim fitting, and should be a GREAT addition to your cloth diapering stash. I also suggest this diaper for first time cloth diapering moms, but you will need to purchase an insert to make this diaper function properly. Since it is a pocket diaper you will need to stuff your diaper with an insert, or a absorbent layer.

Another addition to the store is Nap Mats . These mats are good for kids that are in school that will need to take naps or even as a light sleeping bag, if you travel. They come with shoulder straps and roll up for easy carrying.

Welcome 2006

2006-01-02T03:26:00.000-06:00

Wow, it is just hard to believe that 2005 is done and gone. August marked the one year anniversary of For The Monster, and in December we were one year old on the internet.

In one year we have added so many products to our store. I will just name a few; Medela breast pumps and replacement parts. Moby Wrap, Snuggle Slings, Heiny Huggers by Happy Heiny's, please come visit us at www.forthemonster.com to see all that we carry.

In 2006 we hope to branch out to more quality baby gifts, and a few more surprises!

For The Monster just wants to say THANK YOU to all of our customers in the last year! We know we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for our customers!

Our first addition to our store will be the new Mommy's Touch One Size Diaper. This diaper has never been seen in the cloth diapering world. It will be released to the public Feb. 1, 2006

Come on over to the store for a visit!