Kid Stuff

I've noticed recently that what is still ending up in the trash that isn't compostable (in other words, actual trash) is kid stuff.  Specifically, there's a lot of stickers, chewed up odds and ends, and diapers in our trash.  Let's see what could be done about each of these problems.

1. Stickers
Ruby is going through a phase where she has a first-class tantrum when I try to put her in the car seat.  Seeing as getting in is non-negotiable, and I generally like to get to work on time, I needed something high value and capable of  providing roughly thirty minutes of entertainment to coax her into the seat.  So, every day, she gets a sheet (yes, an entire sheet.  Amanda was the type of toddler who would have been content with a single sticker as a reward, but Ruby has a tendency to live life with a bit more intensity) of stickers, buckles up, and then sticks them in a wad on her knee while I drive to Palo Alto. Right now, I need these stickers like I need air to breathe.  Therefore, I am hoping this is a phase, and they won't be in the trash forever. That's right; I'm not even looking for a green alternative.  You've got to pick your battles.

2. Chewed up odds and ends
The girls leave their toys on the floor and the dog chews them up.  This is just going to take some vigilance to curtail.  I think we need to do a better job of instilling a sense of the importance of picking up a game when you finish before moving to the next one in the girls, and we also need to keep an eye on our tiny, rascally dog, too.

3. Diapers
Ruby is kind of sort of ready to get potty trained.  But mostly, she's not.  So, we persist with the diapers.  Her cloth diapers are really starting to look like rags, and we are trying to avoid investing in expensive new ones when we know she only has a few more months of wearing diapers ever.  So, we are down to only a few days' worth that are in good condition, and we don't have the extra diapers cushion we used to have when they are in the washing machine.  Thus, more disposable diapers in the trash than before.  It's true that there will be another tiny bottom to diaper before too long, and I have started looking into a compostable diaper service for those non-cloth-diaper times that I know will be coming up soon.  At this point, similar to investing in new cloth diapers, getting a service for Ruby for just a few months feels like a big chore.

In other news, we didn't buy any vegatables at all from the grocery store this week!  All from oour own garden, and it feels great.