Loving Cloth Diapers

This was a letter to Celebrity Baby Blog that was posted about us using cloth diapers. Abby was just a week old, maybe two in the picture.

In sharing our happiness, we also would love to pass along to other parents and or parents to be, one of the best discoveries in baby products that we have found, Happy Heinys cloth diapers.

Being conscious of the health of our baby and the environment, we had been discussing alternative ways to diaper our baby while Christie was pregnant. At the same time, part of our discussions were on how to make alternative diapering, like cloth diapers, work. We found ourselves facing many of the same worries I'm sure others have: What about washing and handling the diapers? How much time it would take to do so with our busy schedules? Where do you keep them until you wash them?

We first became aware of Happy Heinys while at the Boom Boom Room event in Hollywood where we met the owner and creator of Happy Heinys, Linda Byerline. There we were able to spend a lot of time with Linda discussing the pros and cons of cloth diapering. We went home and kept researching, looking online at reviews, and reading about how other parents did it. We went to www.diaperpin.com and saw that Happy Heinys were one of the highest reviewed products available. And thus we decided to make the leap and use Happy Heinys when our daughter Abby was born. We are so happy we did!

I called Linda and told her, "I want to be that person, because I believe and am passionate about not just the environment but our planet and the message we send to our kids and others through the choices we make. Although I have contributed in other ways through various charities, environmental causes, cleaning up beaches, etc ... there will never be a better opportunity to do one simple thing that will help make such a difference for our planet as using cloth diapers. When you think of all the plastic diapers, sitting all over the world, buried in our dirt, seeping into our waters ... waters we all enjoy ... you have to. When our children have babies and they face the same choice what will we tell them we did?"

And after using Happy Heinys for the first 6 ½ weeks of Abby's life, here are some thoughts that Christie and I have on using the diapers:

What we have found in Happy Heinys is a wonderful complete system of cloth diapers that makes it very easy, affordable, and with all the color choices, fun.

We all live in a world where brilliant minds have made things easier for us through technology, however in many cases, as we later find out, to the detriment of our health and our planet. Thankfully, we all are becoming more educated and aware about these issues. And, at the same time, that's when the rub happens.

We struggle with choices on how to make a difference in how we live, to live greener, but, we've all become accustomed to the ease and it's hard to step out and make a decision when many, even our friends and family, laugh at the idea, because they think it's impossible, or wasn't the way they did it, or that it doesn't make a difference.

Yet, it does come down to each one of us, individually, doing something, one thing, in different areas of our lives, doing what we can, that does make a difference, for the planet we all enjoy, and ultimately for us and our children.

Some of our debate about using cloth diapers was whether the handling and laundering would be overwhelming, considering our busy schedules. From day one, it's been nothing but easy. Once you change one dirty diaper, every parent finds out that the dirty doesn't bother you anymore. And 5 minutes, 5 minutes or less is all you need to get them in the washer. We argue, they're every bit as easy as using disposables.

Why do we really care? In our minds they just seemed healthy and clean, a nice choice over some plastic disposables that contain chemicals to absorb. And 500 Years!! Disposables made of plastics, sit in our earth, for 500 years. Christie and I both surf and are avid ocean and water lovers. We love the beaches and the beauty of the ocean. It so saddens us that after a rain storm it is advised that no one enter the water for at least 3 days because of the run off of pollution that the rain washes from our lands into the ocean. How does this effect the fish, the dolphins, the seals, the birds? How does it effect us? They warn us that you could get sick swimming in the water. We know many people who have.

Again it hit us; dirty diapers sitting in landfills for 500 years all over the United States, all over the world, being piled up on top of each other, day after day. Eventually, we have to believe, the waste will find it's way to water, our ocean, the water we drink. Using cloth diapers allows the waste to be disposed of the best way we all know how, through the sewer system where it belongs.

We have found tremendous fun, diapering our little girl in Happy Heinys. These bright, colorful diapers add great personality to her outfits. But we must say that we are most impressed with the care and quality with which Happy Heinys are made. Wash after wash they continue to look like new and easily work as well or better as any disposable diaper throughout the day and night. It's great to see brilliant minds like Linda Byerline and Happy Heinys coming up with and offering healthy alternatives that we can all feel good about.

Thanks for letting us share with you all. It's only through all of us sharing our human experience that we are able to come together as communities and people, to help and inspire each other. We look forward to sharing with you all more in the future.

Here is a deal I'm happy to share with you that Happy Heinys included on CBB

CBB Deal: Use coupon code CBB to save 10% at www.happyheinystore.com

Having Our Baby...

From an article posted on Celebrity Baby Blog about the birth of our daughter, Abby Ryder

So many people have asked us about our daughter Abby being born that Christie and I wanted to share a little with you and all our friends out there as well as a few of our favorite pictures so far.
We have been truly blessed by the birth of our daughter Abby Ryder Fortson. Becoming parents is a magical time and you find every single cliché coming true whether you want it to or not. Your life will change. You'll fall in love. You won't sleep. You'll just stare at your baby for hours. Etc ... It's all true.

What amazes both of us is holding her in our arms and watching her study our faces. Mesmerized, she seems to be so wise as she stares calmly back at us. Then for whatever reason the most beautiful little smile grows on her face. Filled with happiness, her smile seems to say how much she loves us.

At that moment, no matter where we are, standing in a store, at the farmer's market, at the park, the rest of the world dissolves around us. It simply disappears and there we are papa and baby and or mama and baby, alone, smiling contented at each other, hearts filled with love and with the singular purpose of nurturing this little angel of a creation.

In that moment of love and light, the sleepless nights, the fussing, the crying, the emotions, the questions of doing it all right or wrong, the impact our imperfectness will have on her, the worrying; it all fades away. Our world balances perfectly.

Read the entire article: http://www.celebrity-babies.com/2008/05/introducing-abb.html

And so she wants to crawl

My baby wants to crawl. Five months old, Abby has now discovered rolling. Well she's been rolling over for sometime and being a new parent it really is something. I mean I could watch her all day just, pulling one arm around, leaning her little head over, and twisting her legs until yes she's landed on her back from her stomach or visa versa. It's like watching the Olympics. Watching an athlete moving precisely to get from one place to another. I could do it so easily and really I never roll around on the floor, that it seems so foreign to me. Watching her is like watching a master make something you've never seen before. I'm fascinated.

It was just 9 or so years ago when a friend had called me to say that her son had rolled over and I said, "Well roll him back over." Big deal I thought. But as soon as Abby did it. Big deal, I thought!! I threw my arms up in the air in triumphant victory over physics. She got a perfect 10, as if in the Olympics. And I praised her and praised her and she just smiled completely unaware of what just happened and a little upset I think.

So here five months later, I'm watching her twist her body all around and so quickly, rolling over is nothing to her anymore. I don't congratulate her like I did, I have to say, I just more stand in amazement. It used to be that I'd lie Abby down on the floor in her room, give her a toy, say I'll be right back, and head off to finish my breakfast, or get the diapers, or something. I'd come back and there she'd be, right there, yes, she hadn't moved, not an inch, just licking her plastic ball. But now, I lie her down, give her a toy or her book she can squish and eat, walk out, come back and there she is, on the other side of the room, up against the wall, pulling on the drapes?!

It's as if there were magic happening in my house. I mean real magic, like poltergeist the movie. You leave the room, turn back around and there the dining room chairs are all up on the table. For a moment, scary. I stand there with half a smile on my face, perplexed. "How'd you get over there," I ask? She ignores me and sucks on the curtain. Or she smiles at me as if, you'll never know.

But now, oh, she's just not satisfied with rolling herself around. No, no. Just as I'm just not happy with this old cellphone and I keep eyeing that IPhone everyone has, she's not wanting to roll. She wants to crawl. Oh, that toy in the box today sitting in the living room that we hadn't given her yet was looking good. Completely board with her Mozart playing - safari animal play mat with hanging monkey, bird, and giraffe, she looked over, saw the colorful box and turned her body right for it. She was off. Here she comes. Reaching, stretching, groaning, kicking and she moved nada, not one inch. For ten minutes. Well she might of moved an inch. Simply by shear desire and maybe the reaching, but really she got no where.

"Abby why don't you just roll. You are so good at it," I thought. No, she leaned side to side, growling at the box, roaring at the box. Was she upset? Was she frustrated? Was she crying? It was hard to tell, she had moments of rest, then jumped right back into it and still got no closer really. But I loved watching her, she's pushing herself up and putting her head down and kicking her legs and I guess it's just this whole first time puzzle of the human brain and body that's so fascinating to me. She's growing and growing up, almost five months now. Where did the months go?

It's like she's been here for years and yet, it was just this year, a few months ago, she was inside her mama's tummy. Crawl, baby, crawl. I move her legs and push them forward and help her or hold my hand near her feet so she can push forward, not really crawling but scooting toward the box. I want her to get it and then I hear, "keep her down as long as possible." "I'm telling you, man, as soon as she can walk, that's it, having a sit down anything is over, your life is over," some people say. I don't know though, I'm excited. I can't wait for her to hold my hand and walk on the beach together letting the water hit our feet and drawing pictures in the sand.

I know we need to baby proof, but her walking out of her room, rubbing her eyes, and stepping up into my arms for a hug will just about crush me. So crawl baby, crawl. You can do it.

My Baby Is Not Mine

My baby Abby. How easy it is for me to say, "my baby." And she is isn't she. Four and a half months old. I go in pick her up at 2:30 in the morning, exhausted, change her, bring her in for mama to feed. Abby smiles at me, happy to see me. Lovingly I smile back at her. She is mine. I hold her and feel her little body against mine. Her tiny arms and hands wrapping around my shoulders, her head nestled into my neck. I love it and her.

In the morning, I'm so happy to see her, to lie next to her on the floor and hold her up over my head and see her laugh and smile back at me. My baby is mine. Abby is mine. My daughter, my sweet little daughter. Our eyes are locked. Her beautiful grey blues staring into my browns melting my heart. Our smiles mirror. And then, she looks away.

She's bored with me. What's she looking at? What's more important than her Papa? A light, the wall, a picture, her dresser, the floor? Abby I'm here, here, here I am, I think. Look at me. But she doesn't. Her face glides by me to look at the light shimmering in, peeking in from beneath the blind, then up at the ceiling fan.

And I get it. I see it, clearly. She is not mine. She is the worlds. I know in this moment that I don't own her. I can't control her. She is the worlds and I am here to only guide her. To get her on her feet so she can fly by herself. She doesn't and will never belong to me. She is her own person even at just four months old.

Wow. There's a selfish feeling squirming around inside me and I have to say it out loud. I'm jealous? I'm sad? What is it, I'm both. I'm aware and that's good, I guess all my self help therapy would tell me. I recognize that I'm just the father.

I can't help but to think of my father and what he thinks of us, our relationship. Who are we? I feel sad. I could cry. My daughter will up and move out, move to the other side of the world and through 2 misscarriages with my wife, and three years of trying and stopping and talking and crying and biting our teeth, she'll move away. Just like that.

She'll be looking at the light creeping into her room. The light of a college in New York, Europe, a boyfriend, a calling, a passion, a something calling her to pick up and be her own person. I see it already and through the insecurity, through the selfish thoughts, I am amazed at the power of life. I'm blown away by the power of spirit and our humaness. The basic life driving makeup we all share, to be our own person.

Today part of the piping in my house needed to be replaced. The main pipe that leads out of the house towards the sewer. I got it done, had someone come out, but still, I had to call my Dad. I had to call him and tell him the details, looking for a, you did good son or something. To share life with him. No matter what we've been through either apart or together and no matter my feelings toward him whether good or bad, I've never been able to say these weren't my parents.

Sometimes I wonder why can't they just be regular people that I can just forget? I've not lived with both of them for so many years now. My eyes focused on the light of a career and and life in California and on traveling and on surfing and on my wife and now my baby. I am all these things. A Dad isn't an end to end all for my child, the world is there for her to explore for a reason I guess. I know I enjoy it in my life. My Dad did it, I did it, and I know she'll do it. I have to give her to the world.

Now she's turned her head back to me and is smiling at me again. She holds her stare again and gazes deep into my eyes. I try not to count the seconds before she turns away again. I try and just breathe her in and enjoy our moment however long. Her silence speaks wisdom to me as if she could hear the words writing in my head. As if she could hear my insecurities. And her calmness, her stillness, her unflinching stare seems to say, You are okay, Papa, she says. You are okay. Then she looks away.