ErgoPouch [Updated Review] + Giveaway

If you're new here, I'll update you: I am a mama.  A stay at home mama.  My little craft blog has changed over the last 4 years and instead of only sharing household DIYs, I've grown to add a lot of projects that are perfect for families, busy mamas and kids.  I've also opened my blog up to exploring some of the best baby/kids products out there.  It's a whole new world of products and I love being able to tell you the truth about each one of them (and I especially love being able to GIVE YOU FREE GOODIES because I love you guys and want to give you great stuff)

Today is a special treat, because I am giving away an awesome product, but I'm also giving an UPDATED review of this company that I've reviewed in the past. That means I've had a lot longer to "test it out" and I have a few new things to tell you:

{Disclaimer: I have received free product from ErgoPouch in exchange for an honest review of the product. This post contains a link to my initial review as well as my updated views on the product. Giveaway items are sponsored by ErgoPouch}

First things first, if you aren't familiar with how ErgoPouch "layers" sleepwear works, read about it HERE (it's a really cool system they've created).  Next, if you'd like to read my initial review, check it out *here* (it'll give you all my initial feelings about it and details about all the cool features)



Now.. onto my updated review.

I own both the 0.2 TOG and the 1.0 TOG "warmness" both in long sleeves. I'll talk about both here.

There are a few things I've really grown to LOVE even more as time goes on:

1- The 3-way zipper. I thought this was brilliant before but it is the best thing ever if your kiddo is potty training.  Other one-piece pajamas have to be completely stripped off if your babe needs to potty but ErgoPouch's 3 way zipper allows you to unzip and go- yes, even for little girls!!!

{Yes, she's actually going potty. The zipper is unzipped all the way in the back and as far in the front as you can see in the photo. SO much easier than standard footies!}

2- The different TOG numbers really do matter.  I can feel a physical difference between the 0.2 and the 1.0 TOG pieces that we own.  I love that we have a "warmer" option for those nights where it's a little more chilly.  They also make a 2.5 TOG for those extra cold nights!  And of course, the entire layers collection allows for you to mix and match pieces to perfectly dress your child in any season.

3- They have the most beautiful prints. In my first review I featured the adorable "clouds" fabric but as it's gotten colder outside, we've been using the one that we have in the print called "spring leaves". I found myself just staring at the colors and design on it the other day, it's so beautifully made.  These would not only make quality gifts for someone but are simply beautiful too.

4- The fold over "mitts".  I'll be honest, we have to fold the feet mitts over before putting them on my daughter or she refuses to have them closed off.  However, I love that we have the option for those on especially cold nights when her little feet get cold.  We don't use the hand mitts but especially for younger babies, these would be life savers!  We went on a "doughnut run" the other day in our jammies and since she had the mitts over her feet I didn't make her wear boots in the store (judge me all you will.  She's taking advantage of being able to do this while she can!)

But wait...

There is something I don't like as much as I thought I did before:

- The 3 way zipper.  (huh? I thought you said that was your favorite part you crazy lady...) Yes, I love it for potty training and I *thought* I loved it for diaper changes but it turns out that most nights it's just as easy for me to take the pants all the way off that it is to work around the partial opening from the zippers. This is just my personal experience and maybe since I used to like it I'm just doing something wrong now.

Either way, I wanted to be upfront with y'all on that change in my opinion.

Would I still recommend these?  For sure. These are legit quality jammies (sleepwear) and they are so adaptable to a variety of sizes, temperatures and needs.  And as I said before, they are cuuuute!


Why don't you go ahead and enter to win a pair while you are here? Just follow the prompts on the widget below:


a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

The "Potty Train" Technique

Raise your hand if you are beginning or mid- potty training.  If you just raised your hand, know mama [papa] that I feel you and am sending all good vibes, prayers and magical dust your way.  Let me also go ahead and get this comment out of the way:

You are doing great. Your child is doing the best they can.  Mercy... it seems like it's never going to end and honestly, sometimes it takes a long time.  Let me get real about my kids and our journey so that you can understand that all kids are different and that there is no "perfect magical potty training technique that works for everyone". I feel the need to say this because I felt enormous guilt and failure for a long time after a popular training method that worked for everyone else in our family (cousin in laws) just didn't work for us.  It seemed like it did.  Until it didn't.  Gah that is so frustrating.

The method I'm going to share with you today was the best "technique" we used and it was pretty much just made up. (ha- serendipity!) It wasn't perfect but for us it worked better than the previously mentioned and if this simple technique helps your kiddo go potty then I consider that a success. Why? Because we really need a break every now and then.

[Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links to products we used while potty training or products that can be used in this process.  Purchasing through these links earns me a small commission at no extra charge to you which helps support my blog.  Thank you.]

My son was fully potty trained by his 2nd birthday (using a popular technique).  A few weeks later we drove several states away with no accidents, he told us when he had to go, held it until we could make a stop, the whole shebang.  We arrive at our destination and things are a little here and there.  Skip ahead and he refuses to go potty and is having accidents left and right.  A year later and we no longer have a potty trained kid.  So I created the "potty train" and things finally clicked for him.  He no longer felt the pressure that the 1st technique created (he's pretty hard on himself anyways, it's in his nature and it stressed him out) and it seemed that he finally was able to go potty on his terms and it made the whole experience much better (for him and his mama!)


It's really quite simple:

Using some cardstock I created a "train" and sticky tacked it to the wall.  It included 3 sections:
1. "Thanks for trying!"
2. "You went PEE in the potty!"
3. "You went POOP in the potty!"

We set a timer on my phone to go off in increments of time that reminded my son to "go try". (They also make these potty watches that the kids can wear. I hear they are awesome!)  The popular technique we used when he was 2 discouraged against having them "go try" but after going through that and then trying this, we found that being AHEAD of the game was what worked best for my son.  Every child is different and you know your child best. EVERY time my son would try, he got a sticker.  He picked out which sticker he wanted and then he added it to his chart that I had hanging on the adjacent wall.

He preferred to put the stickers in a sort of orderly chaos on his chart.  Man I love this kid.  It's amazing how the simple act of picking out a sticker and putting in on a chart can give a child a feeling of control over the situation.  You'd think that the alarm would make him feel forced but it actually took the pressure out of the situation and he even started to ask me to "make the alarm go off" when he felt the urge to potty (hehe).  After the initial 'getting in the groove' with the alarm "tries" I allowed him to refuse an alarm.  What this did was created an opportunity for him to go potty when he may not otherwise be thinking about it but still have control over his body (because we aren't forcing him to try).

[Whoa blurry photo... as always, terrible lighting in my house]

That's the key here. 



So what about the PEE and POOP categories?

Every time he successfully went pee (even just a few drops) he got to pick a prize from the "pee prize box".  For us this was usually a handful of organic gummies , popcorn, or some other small food treat.  My son loves food treats so it worked for him (and we didn't have a million toys lying around) but at times we also did balloons or temporary tattoos.

For the "poop prizes" we picked small toys such as matchbox cars, fun chapstick or small art kits.  I also attached some "passes" to the train that my son could choose instead of the toy...

Our 'passes' were for: a movie, "Mighty Machines" (which are movies but he is obsessed, so seeing the logo made him want to earn it more!), getting to play with beads and getting to play with play dough.  His sister was little at the time so he didn't get to play with beads or play dough much when she was awake.  When he chose this prize, he could play it whenever he wanted. We also limit screen time so a movie is a treat! 

Pick prizes that you know would be a big deal for your kiddo.  Because, I'm going to say it again... you know your kid better than anyone.

...   ...   ...   ...   ...

Ready for my honest update on my kiddos?  And PLEASE listen to me here. Every child is so different and do things at their own rate. My son is now 4.  He goes potty by himself sometimes and sometimes wants mommy to go with him.  He occasionally still hides when he has to poop but if you let him be on his terms, he will follow through as he should.  He holds it at school and holds it with even my husband (his dad) and will only tell me and my mom (most of the time) when he has to potty. BUT GET THIS...

My daughter started potty training herself when she was 1.  She's currently less than 2 years old and although we still diaper her out and about, she tells us when she has to potty at home (and other places) and often runs to the potty by herself and does it all herself.  We don't push her but also don't want to discourage her since she's obviously interested.

Same family, same way of being raised, two very different outcomes.  So mama/papa... if it seems like your kid is never going to "get it", know that you aren't alone.  Give the 'potty train' a try and maybe your kiddo will find some comfort in that.  When it comes down to it though, your kid is going to do it when they want and how they want.  The best we can do is encourage them and for us, this simple train seemed to change the perspective on this potty journey.  It's not a cure all, it wont train your kid in 3 days or less... but it might help and dang it, that's worth a shot.

DIY monogram laurel wreath for under $10

My daughter's nursery is a lovely soft floral theme.  The walls are "peach parfait" (a light pink with some peach undertones) and it is decorated with flowers and signs that have encouraging messages and you guessed it... more florals.


I wanted something to go above her changing station that was large but simple. An eye catching design that didn't take away from the simple beauty of the room.  Then I stumbled upon those lovely laurel wreaths.  Paired with a large monogrammed letter and we have reached perfection.  I'm a frugal shopper and we don't have a lot of extra money for things like home decor so I saught out to make my own.

[I realize that wall doesn't look peach parfait.  As always, terrible lighting in our house for photos!]

I purchased all the greenery and made the vinyl letter all for under $10 (and it was easy too!).  I'll show you how:

[Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Purchasing through these links earns me a small commission at no extra charge to you. These are products you can use in this project 


Materials:
- floral stems from Hobby Lobby (or any craft store with a floral section)
- green floral tape
- adhesive vinyl (this is the brand I like) + cutting machine (or by hand if you can do it!)


Depending on how full/large you want it, you will need between 4-6 stems.  They are often on sale at Hobby Lobby for 50% off but they also have 40% off coupons available for you to use. Regular price (which I didn't pay), mine were $3.99/piece and I used 4 stems.



Step 1:
Trim down the stems. To get a more smooth curve on the laurel (and to make the stems go farther!) cut off all the "branches" at the base. Trust me: Use wire cutters. The stems have a metal base and although it's skinny, you wont be able to do it very easily with regular scissors.

Step 2:
Reattach the "branch" pieces onto the bare part of the stem, switching from left to right to keep it looking 'even'. I used green floral tape because it's a little stretchy and it blends in with the stems.

Set these aside and move onto your vinyl letter for now.

Step 3:
For the vinyl letter, simply cut by hand, or if you have a cutting machine (I love my silhouette cameo) it only takes a moment. I had to split my letter because it was larger than my cutting mat but with transfer paper it was easy to apply!

...and once it's on the wall. Tip: If you pick a curvy font like I did, it allows a little "wiggle room" in sticking it on the wall straight since there's not a definite straight center.



Step 4: 
Attach the large stems together to create an even larger piece (I used 2 for each side of my laurel)

For a non-permanent but sturdy way to attach these stems, buy a package of 3M hooks  and adhere them to your wall, snapping the stems into the 3M tabs.  I actually snapped them into the 3M's before sticking them to the wall to help me figure out where I want them.  Good news?  If you decide it's just a little off, the stems can be snapped out and rearranged (I may or may not have moved mine around after the 3Ms were stuck to the wall 1 or 2 (or 3 or 4) times.

[Here's the 3M pieces- as you can see, they hide themselves pretty well]

Oh, I'm in love...

That's it!
This project is so easy that even I (with zero experience using floral stems) had no problem completing it! Even better? it only costs a few bucks- less than a quick breakfast and coffee! Totally worth it.

SOHO "Kenneth" Diaper Bag Review + Giveaway

As many parents do, I have been on a several year hunt for the best baby products. I try out all kinds of items- some winners, some losers. One area that I've personally struggled in finding that "perfect fit" has been in a good diaper bag.  I know- it seems silly but unless you are head over heels over your current one (or if you are currently expecting and in the hunt- congratulations!) then hear me out.

Here's what I've always struggled with:
1- Size. Why are diaper bags so freakin' huge?

2- Zipper/Closure. I didn't think this was going to be an issue. It is.

3- Pockets/Storage. Limited pockets means everything is thrown on top of everything else.

I was introduced to this company and had to try it out. And you guys- I. Am. Hooked. It's my favorite. Let me show you why and oh... I'll be giving one away too!

[Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I was given free product from Soho Babies for an honest review of their product. All opinions are my own and I only positively review products that I personally love. Giveaway item is sponsored by Soho Babies and will be shipped directly from them to the winner.]

I'm going to get real with y'all. In the last 3.5 years I have used around 6 different "diaper bags". I discussed my issues with them above and I'll mention specifically why it was a problem and why this diaper bag solves all those problems. Did I mention it's also crazy affordable and comes in different colors? 

Issue #1- Size.

The classic "diaper bag" is gigantic. I have no idea why. I think because as new parents we all think that every single baby item we own needs to fit inside of it? Because that's exactly what I did. If I have a huge bag, I'm going to fill it. It's the law of big bags (okay, I just made that up but it really does happen!) I had 2 large diaper bags in my rotation and eventually replaced them with a small women's bag I already owned because carrying a large one everywhere was just unrealistic. 

I'll get into why that bag was a dud in the next point. This bag is the perfect size because it's got room for everything you'd need but it's a much smaller "backpack" style bag that's easy to carry and doesn't take up much space on your person, in the car, restaurant booth, etc.

Because it's a backpack, that also makes it HANDS FREE! I don't know why I never tried a backpack before but y'all it's the way to go. Especially if you have multiple kids and need both hands in a parking lot or busy store...

Or if you just want to use your hands for other things...

[Photo credit to my 3.5 year old son. Also- I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've ever actually used the phrase "FTW" (for the win). I try to be cool- ha!]

Issue #2- Zipper/Closure.

After realizing small bags were the way to go, I started using random bags I already owned. Purse style bags, tote bags, even reusable shopping bags! These had two problems: First, they had limited or no pockets (I'll get to that next) and Secondly, everything would fall out when the bag tipped over. Which was all the time. Everytime we got out of the car, the contents of my "diaper bag" would be spilled out. Not to mention all the times it gets knocked over when we are out and about.

I needed some closure. (hehe, get it?). When we traveled on airplanes I packed my large diaper bag because it had a zipper but well, again- big bags are no fun.

The Kenneth bag (the style I own) has multiple zippers as well as a large back "pocket" and 2 cup/bottle sized pockets on the outside to keep everything from falling out. The inside has multiple compartments that close up as well. Check out my facebook page to see a video of me emptying out our bag (to be posted Sunday, 8/26/18) to see all these pockets in action AND earn an extra giveaway entry!

It even has a snap that keeps the handle straps together and tidy. I like the look of it closed but it's also handy to have the straps already together if you are going to be picking it up/carrying it by the handles.

Issue #3- Pockets/Storage.

I touched on this already but the Soho Kenneth bag has a ton of awesome pockets. Not only are many of them zipper closed, others have elastic to keep the items firmly in place and there are even two thermal insulated pockets. You heard me right. That means those bottles stay cooler (or warmer) for longer.

I love these pockets located on the outside of the bag. Because of their elastic opening, they fit a variety of bottle sizes, all the way up to our favorite water bottles! (This is a big deal because these bottles don't fit anywhere- even in our nice car seat cup holders)

[See it peeking out there? I still can't believe it actually fits!]

Oh, and trust me on this whole pocket thing. I loved the small size of the bag I was using just prior to this review but it had no inside pockets. Here's the very raw honest look at how it was put together.  What a mess! Nothing had it's place and I had to dig around for everything.

Bonus Features:

Here are a few things this bag has that I didn't even know I needed but I love!

When you buy the diaper bag, you also get a cushioned changing pad, 2 stroller straps, a personal purse, and a compact diaper bag dispenser with 30 bags included.

[1-diaper bag. 2- changing pad. 3- purse. 4- plastic bag dispenser.]

The changing pad folds up to 1/8 of it's size and fits easily in an inside pocket. I like to use the personal purse to store a pack of wipes and 1-2 diapers plus some money in the front pocket for short term times when I won't need the other items.  I also didn't think I would probably ever use the plastic bags but I clipped it on my bag anyways.  Turns out, when we went to the (very muddy) park and the kids covered themselves in water and mud, those little plastic bags saved us by giving me a place to store all of their soiled clothes and shoes for the ride home.

They also work great for storing used diapers when you don't have a place to throw them away and don't want to risk them busting open in your diaper bag!

We never use a stroller anymore because my kids are only interested in walking (or occasionally being held) so I also thought I wouldn't have any use for the stroller straps. But again, they were already on the bag so I left them there. Turns out, they work awesome on shopping carts as well! I loved having the bag right in front of me to grab things out of but not tossed into the cart being sat on by the kids and buried under merchandise!

I'll admit, our bag was pretty loaded full this day and it was HEAVY. I thought the straps might not hold but even with just one it didn't fall! The Velcro was surprisingly strong.

These can be removed by the clip if you want but they aren't at all in the way so I just leave them there all the time.

Last but not least, these bags look nice. They have a lovely quilted pattern on the front and the straps, fabric and zippers are all very nice material.  They come in 3 colors: Tiffany Blue, Black and Gray. I almost got the Tiffany Blue because it is beautiful but opted for a more neutral color, thinking my husband might be more likely to use it if it was.

I was right...

I also need to point out that my husband is very picky when it comes to any kind of product. He believes in buying nice (i.e. often expensive) products because he believes they are simply better quality.  When my order arrived and we opened it, my husband surprisingly said "this is the one you're reviewing? Wow... this is really nice."  He then continued looking it over and repeated how nice it was.

This is extra funny to those who know him personally. Want to know the kicker? This diaper bag costs 3x less (THREE TIMES LESS!) than the regular backpack he bought to have for his coaching/teaching job. I swear to y'all this is true and I really think he might steal it to use himself!

This is a brand for parents, by parents and they make high quality items at a very reasonable price because we all know, we don't have a bunch of extra money to spend! Even if I hadn't received this item for review, I would definitively purchase it at retail value. This diaper bag is perfect for new parents, parents of toddlers, preschoolers and I'll be honest.. I'll probably keep on using it for myself when the kids no longer need me to carry around their stuff!

I know you want one now, don't you? How about I give one away? Just follow the rafflecopter widget below and complete the tasks to enter! Contest is open to US residents only. Contest ends 8/31/18 at 12:00AM EST    

***Make sure you're following Cut, Craft, Create on facebook because I'll be posting a few "bonus" entry options throughout the week!***

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ergoPouch Layers Review + Giveaway

For those who don't know me personally, I have been on a several month mega-purge of all things not completely useful (or truly meaningful) in our home. Over the last couple of years my husband and I have gotten rids of HUNDREDS of articles of clothing.  It's ridiculous we owned that much to begin with.  Having kids has only added to the amount of "things" we have.  That's why when I had a chance to try these pajamas, I jumped on it.

Wait, I got more pajamas during my purge?  Hear me out. You'll want a pair (or two or three) of your own too.

[Disclaimer: I have received free product in exchange for an honest review of them. I do not write things I do not personally believe and all opinions are my own. Any endorsements are of my own opinion. Giveaway items are sponsored by  ergoPouch and will be sent directly to the winner from them and not myself]

So what? They look like regular pajamas. Cute ones yes, but just like every other.  WRONG! You guys, I'm telling you... they are so cool!  Here's why:

First off, here's a little blip about the company just to give you some background:

Now onto why I like them so much:


First off, they are called "layers" for a reason. They are designed to be layered on and off for varying temperatures. Why do I like that so much? Instead of buying a bunch of say- summer pajamas and then only being able to wear them for a couple months, these pajamas can be worn at the basic levels in the warmer months and layered up for the cooler months. That's more bang for your buck and less stuff lying around.

Every single piece from the new collection comes with it's own room thermometer (really!) and guide to help you know quickly and easily how to dress your child for the temperature. I love this because I play the "guessing game" all the time (Is she going to be too cold in this? Will he get too hot in this?)

[The layers piece I have pictured on my daughter is the long sleeved 0.2 TOG]

Secondly, and maybe my very favorite part is the 3-way zipper. This is so cool. I was intrigued but skeptical about it until we had a chance to really try it out. There are 3 separate "pulls" along the zipper, which runs from the very top of the chest all the way through the legs and up to just as the waist in the back. 

This allows for the child to stay completely zipped up through their torso and yet we can unzip the bottom for mid-nighttime diaper changes.

This is helpful not only because stripping a baby down in the middle of the night, half asleep is no fun for anyone but also because they can stay warmer during the colder months since they will still have a majority of their body parts covered. No exposed legs or chest.


There is a zipper "cover" in the back where you can easily tuck in your zipper pulls, although I have found that we both prefer the pulls to be in between the legs. Personal preference but it's there if you want it!

"Yea, that's cool but my kiddo doesn't wear diapers anymore."  you say? Guess what? These are great for potty training and night time bathroom visits! Although we have not officially started potty training my daughter, she self taught herself starting a few months back so we will probably give it a "real" go here soon, which may include night time potty trips!  I'll keep y'all updated on how that goes but it seems like this zipper would make it a whole lot easier than other full body jammies!


It also has a zipper cover at the chest as well which not only looks nice but keeps the zipper pull from scratching and catching.

Thirdly, these pajamas really do adjust well to various temperatures. The 0.2 TOG that I have is about the thickness of a standard t-shirt but the long sleeves gives it a little extra warmth. As it gets cooler I can layer up but I can ALSO make adjustments to the pajamas themselves. The sleeves have fold-over hand mitts (also helpful for baby fingernails- ask me how I know!)  for added warmth...

aaaaand.... the feet have them too! I've seen them on the sleeves before but this is the first pair of sleepwear we've owned that has had them on the feet, which I love. We will use that a lot during the winter months! Way better than separate socks.

Let's recap: Made with natural sustainable fibers, made to last through various seasons for longer lifespan, great for diaper changes and using the potty, and includes hand and foot mitts to keep your child warmer and have less socks getting lost in the washer?

That makes me pretty happy.  How do you like them sweet girl?

They also come in some really great prints and are apparently very comfortable because we not only sleep but play in them too.  I'd love to hear what you think of this cool new layers collection and what about them you are most excited about.

Win a pair!
Oh yea, and they said I could give one of y'all a pair of your own. Who wants to win? Just complete the tasks in the rafflecopter widget below to enter! You pick the layers item, size and TOG if you win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Re-purpose a Desk into a Changing Station!

I like to give my husband a hard time (as many of us do with our significant others) but I have to admit: the man steps up every single time I have some furniture based dream in my head. Whether that's a plan for a detailed wall collage, a made-up dresser design (post coming soon) or a baby changing table, I tell him what I want and he somehow magically makes it happen.

And y'all I'm going to be real honest with you. I love this changing table. I love it so much. But I've literally used it for changing diapers about a dozen times between our two children.  Oh it makes my husband so mad. He doesn't understand how awesome it is as a whole that it doesn't really need to be used for changing diapers anyways. Oops. (You never know what kind of a parent you are going to be until you are one, am I right? Turns out I'm a "change 'em on the floor" kind of mom).

So here it is as it stands in all its glory today:

Want to know the story? I'll keep it brief. I didn't love any of the changing stations that I found online or in stores. I honestly can't remember why, but they either didn't have the right kind of storage or I didn't like the color/material, etc. I explained to my husband the kind of drawers I was looking for (some very shallow for small things like nail clippers and diaper creme, others very deep for cloth diapers and receiving blankets) and he suggested that we use this old dorm room style desk that he had from college:

"That's perfect!" I thought, except I don't feel comfortable with the changing pad just sliding around on the top. So what did my amazing and patient husband do? He made a custom top for it that can easily be taken off so that someday we can use this as a desk again if we want! Here's what it looks like (pre-paint job):

It can also be flipped the other way so that the front has a lip on it instead. As you can see in the above and below photos, the wood goes down farther along the outside edges "locking" it onto the desk so that it doesn't slide around.

He made sure to include an open but boxed in area for me to keep things I didn't want to get in and out of drawers every time to use (like the wipes warmer which literally never got used- again, you don't know what you're going to use until you're in it!)  This design is so simple and easy but really hit the nail on the head in becoming exactly what I wanted.


We then painted the top attachment and the original desk in a taupe/light brown color (to match my son's Peter Rabbit Nursery)  Here's how it looked in my son's room (first photo) and then now in my daugher's room (second photo):

{Using a desk also allows you to have the perfect space underneath for a laundry basket or trashcan. We had the tall trashcan for cloth diapers off to the side}

{I can't express the frustration I have with terrible lighting in my house. You'll hear me complain about it in almost every blog post. We have these amazingly adorable nurseries and you can't tell because even my best editing still looks like an old film camera! Anyone else? Commiserate with me!}

What do you think?

Are you sold on the idea of using already owned furniture to DIY your own diaper changing station? Not only are there some more options for styles/design but you've got great underneath storage for baskets AND best of all you can easily remove the top and keep using it long after your babe has outgrown the diaper phase! I'm so tickled that my husband came up with this for us and although I rarely change a diaper on it, it gets plenty of use and love every day!