Back to Cotton: The Honest Truth about Cloth Diapering

The Underground World of Cloth

Before Robby was born, we received a gift certificate for a diapering service. I'll be honest, I never considered cloth diapering nor did I even know that people still used them. Cloth diapering seemed far too outdated and why go through all the trouble if we had disposable diapers? I figured since I had a gift certificate and since it was a service where I didn't have to bother with the unimaginable cleaning of the diapers, I would just try it out. Sadly, by the time Robby was born, the diapering service had been discontinued, but I was left with a gift certificate to this cloth diapering company. I didn't know where to start with cloth diapering, let alone know if I could manage all the laundry, safety pins and the dampness of the cloth when it was soiled as I held Robby (I didn't quite grasp the concept of a waterproof diaper cover yet).

Fortunately, all my assumptions were wrong and after researching cloth diapering, I discovered that there was an underground world of mothers who use cloth diapers. I was amazed at how I never noticed this market before. There were so many options! AIO (all in ones), pocket diapers and prefolds... just to name a few. After looking at all the different types and styles, I grew fond of the adorable look of cloth diapers. But is the cute factor enough to convert? I decided to try it out part time and decide what the rage was about.

Robby as a newborn with a prefold diaper

Robby as a newborn with an Imse Vimse newborn diaper cover (bought gently used for $6.50)

Why Cloth?

It was hard not to see the controversy behind cloth diapers when researching the different types out on the market. There was the "gross factor". Who would want to handle a soiled piece of cloth every hour and then have a pile of smelly, poopy, stained diapers that had to be washed. And it couldn't simply be added to a load. It would require mild detergent, sometimes even specially made detergent just for cloth diapers, and it couldn't be used with fabric softener. What a hassle that seemed to do a special extra load for diapers! No wonder disposable diapers took over so quickly. It seemed so much easier to just not have to worry about any of that, and throw away those stinky diapers.

With this being said, after trying it out for myself, I didn't find any of my assumptions to be true. It truly wasn't much more of a hassle. It took all but an extra 30 seconds per diaper change and I was doing much more laundry every day cleaning up spit up, stained shirts from leaky boobs and did I mention spit up? And surprisingly, I discovered another benefit of nursing. Breastfed babies have water soluble poop meaning you can plop those diapers right into the wash without rinsing the diapers first. While I decided that it was far simpler than I had imagined, I knew there had to be something that drew people to choose cloth other than the shock of how simple it actually is.

The environment: If anyone has had a baby, they know how often they need to be changed, especially during the first few months. 10-12 times a day was our average and then the average floats around 6 changes per day by 1 year. That calculates to 3000 to 3500 diapers in the first year alone. Where do those diapers go? A landfill. I was never much of an environmentalist, but after having Robby, I am more concerned with the world he will be left with. If I was staying at home with him, why couldn't I just use cloth part time to help reduce the amount of diapers that end up in those landfills?

The cost: Diapers are expensive. Like cloth, there are so many disposable diapers on the market and each baby and parent develops a preference. We loved pampers swaddlers. They didn't cause him much irritation, fewer leaks and had that awesome blue line that appeared when he was wet (great for new parents!). But our preference came at a high cost. Pampers is one of the most expensive diapers on the market. Spending anywhere from $20-$30 a week on diapers was the norm. How much do cloth diapers cost? Well that varies, and no matter what type you use, they are pricey! Cloth diapers range anywhere from $10-$30 A PIECE! To build a stock, you have to have at leave enough to last you two days, that way you have enough to get you through one day why you wash the previous days. The cloth diapering market is hot, and folks spend $300-$500 to just start building their stock. That is a low estimate, and that number is still hard to swallow, but it is extremely low when factoring in just how long you can use the diapers (some can fit from birth to potty training and last for multiple children). You will easily spend over $1000 on diaper pail refills, diapers and wipes in the first year alone. You can end up saving thousands by the time your child is potty training by using cloth. $500 seems much more doable when it is put that way.

A roll of biodegradable linersfrom Bummis
(included in kit or $8 alone)

Motherlove diaper rash & thrush ointment for severe
 hot spots ($9.25)and GroVia Magic Stick for everyday use ($14.31)

Better for the bum: Robby has taken my sensitive skin. Anything will set off a rash. I have tried so many creams, diapers, wipes and the only diaper that doesn't irritate his tooshy is good ole' organic cotton, granted that he is changed shortly after he wets them. Cloth diapering had a bad wrap for causing irritation to the delicate skin of babies, but that is simply not the case, if cloth diapering is done right. How many people enjoy the touch and feel of synthetic materials? Look and see what your boxers/underwear are made of... diapers are no different. No one enjoys that feel of tough fibers found in artificial material. What disposable diapers have that cloth doesn't, is the small beads that expand when soaking up pee. The wetness is wicked away from the skin so parents don't have to change baby after EVERY poop or pee. That seemed lazy to me, since my job was being a stay at home mom/wife. Why couldn't I change Robby after each time he pooped or peed? Why wouldn't I WANT to change him after he soiled himself!? Cloth diapers lack those crystals that soak up urine and expand with each pee or poop so if you let your child sit in a wet cloth diaper for multiple hours and multiple poops and pees, they will get a rash. The answer is to CHANGE THEM OFTEN! Now I am also a realist and understand that overnight, naps or long trip, changing baby after each poop or pee is not always possible... I get it. That still doesn't mean you should grab that pack of Huggies off the shelf. Cloth diaper companies see this and have made "soakers" which is an added piece of thick, plush cotton or hemp that adds extra absorbancy. Cloth diapers have come a long way since our grandparents used them. I use the good old fashioned prefolds, but they are just as great for Robby's bum. The organic cotton is plush and thick enough to absorb, comes with a thin strip of organic fleece that help wicks away moisture from his bum, and instead of slapping on gobs of nasty butt paste with my fingers, we have an all natural organic stick of rash resistant petroleum that locks out moisture and looks like a glue stick. No mess, lasts longer, and guess what.... NO RASH! It is much more comfortable for him and I can invest my money in quality items that last much longer.

I love my baby: The ultimate reason we chose cloth was the same reason I chose to breastfeed. I love Robby. Now that is not to say that non-breast feeders and cloth diapering parents do not love their babies, because we know that is not true. There is controversy wrapped up in formula and disposable diapers, but there is absolutely no wrong in the wholesome goodness of breast milk and the same goes for cloth. Both are a labor of love. It is the satisfaction of doing the best with what we are given, not what society is trying to sell us whether it is the latest rage in pull up huggies or the "organic" similac formula.

Returning to Prefolds

Like breastfeeding, I ran into difficulties trying to keep cloth diapering during our 3 months of moving by myself with two dogs, a newborn and all our stuff. It was far from easy to live out of a suitcase, move from the US to Japan and  then keep cloth diapering. With Robby's posterior tongue tie, I had to pump every two hours, in addition to try to nurse him, then prepare him his formula as my supply still dipped. My biggest goal was to breastfeed as long as I could even wile moving solo across the globe, and sadly, cloth diapering took the back burner. I was hauling around a huge pump, and I couldn't do the same with my cloth diapers and run to the laundry mat (if they were available in our hotel) every day to clean them. Our military move took a toll, and just like nursing, we stopped cloth diapering at 6 months old.

Our diaper pail which is a generic trash bin ($9.99)
 with wet bag liner from Planet Wise ($16.50)

After we felt settled, moved in and started our new routine, I wanted to go back to cloth. I couldn't go back to nursing, but I knew I could go back to cloth. It was rather a simple transition! We still use prefolds, which is a layered piece of cloth that is folded to wrap around his bum and held together with snappies (which different from safety pins, is a rubber claw that grabs onto the prefold and hold it together). Then we have the covers that are oh soooooo cute and keeps his prefold diapers from leaking onto his clothes. The diaper covers are breathable PUL material and not "rubber pants" so it keeps leaks in and allows air to come through.

Since Robby is a tad bigger now (by 20 pounds) and we know that means bigger poops, we invested in liners (a 100% biodegradable piece of cotton, like a dryer sheet or piece of toilet paper, that lines the top of his prefold to catch his poops so we can easily plop them into the toilet) and then a cotton soaker to help absorb more pee since he is a heavy wetter. It is an easy process, and we have a special bin with a lid (just like a garbage pail) that is lined with a "wet bag" (which is a washable bag made from the same material as his diaper covers that keeps the smell and moisture in). At the end of every 1-2 days, I take the liner/wet bag and dump it into the wash with all its contents. It is easy! I don't have to worry about the blue sausage link of pampers from our diaper genie and take it to the trash. I just walk down the hall and start a load.

We still use disposables for sitters, long trips and we are ok with doing so. We know that not every place we visit will have a washer/dryer and I can't ask his sitter to man handle a tissue with his poop in it and flush it. It is easy, but Robby is also my baby so of course it doesn't bother me. I take a few prefolds and an extra diaper cover or two with me for day trips and errands, but when I travel for longer than that, I take disposables, because with my husband always being away doing his Navy duties, I lack the extra set of hands to carry the additional bag of cloth diapers

Traveling with cloth diapers is not impossible. Just be sure to have a smaller wet bag to keep your soiled linens in. I have one and it doesn't take up much room at all.

 Bummis Kit of 18 prefolds, 4 covers, roll of flushable liners, 5 fleece liners,  & large wet bag ($152.93)
Pack of 5 Snappies ($12.95)

Cloth Wipes

Now I have given you reasons why I use cloth diapers, but I failed to mention how we clean up. We use cloth wipes as well. This is beyond easy and I LOVE them. They make specially made cloth wipes, and we have 12 of those, but if you have any thin infant/baby wash cloths, those work great as well. We have 12 of those that we use in conjunction with our specially made cloth wipes. I have a wipe warmer, fold the cloths in half, place them in the warmer and put our home made mix of water, oil, baking soda and baby soap in it. It smells great, cleans well, delicate for his bum and goes in the wash with the cloth diapers.

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Set of 12 flannel wipes from Bumkins ($5.95) & wipe warmer from Munchkin ($25)

Homemade Goodness

I haven't purchased any specially made laundry detergent or wipe solution, but they are certainly out there. They are pricey, but of great organic quality. To save money, I make my own wipe solution and laundry detergent that is safe for cloth diapers. The reason cloth diapers need special care in the laundry is to reduce the risk of making the diapers less absorbent. Cloth diapers are all about absorbency and fabric softeners, fragrances and creamy diaper creams can build up residue on cloth diapers decreasing their absorbency abilities. I used to use plain Dreft on his cloth diapers, but even Dreft is slightly fragrant and that artificial fragrance can build up residue. Here is the recipe I use for his diapers and wipes:

Borax Free Detergent
1 5oz. bar castile soap, grated finely
1 c. washing soda
1/2 c. baking soda
1/2 c. citric acid
1/4 c. coarse sea salt

This is an AWESOME detergent, cleans very well, but will wear down colors, so be cautious when using on your regular laundry.

Wipes
3 c. water
3 tbl. oil (baby oil, olive oil, any organic oils...)
3 tbl. baking soda
3 tbl. baby soap (aveeno has some great ones)

I make a batch every week and pour over newly washed wipes in my warmer. It is easy! You can even take that to-go wipe container in your diaper bag and take some with you. 

The 1/2 Way Point Fly In!

Half Way There

There are perks to being in a forward deployed squadron... one of them being that families live closer to where the boat pulls in for their port calls so it is easier to meet our spouses every few months during deployment and one of those port calls happen to be here (in Japan!). Whenever we near the half way mark of the year's deployment, we get to have a temporary homecoming. How cool is that?!

The Fly In

So before the ship pulls into port, most of the pilots get to fly off the boat and come straight to NAF Atsugi (home). We were so lucky and grateful that not only was Rob one of those pilots, he got to fly off even earlier. For now we will ignore the fact he only flew home early just to spend his "break" in the Point Mugu, California for training.

This was our first fly in for Rob, as last deployment he walked off the boat which was equally exciting! Robby and I arrived at the squadron along with a few other spouses and Auntie Amanda and Uncle Shreve (our family friends from college who also happen to be stationed here). Everyone was dressed up to greet their husbands and dads! Robby wore his aviator glasses along with his Mickey Mouse aviator overalls. I opted out of the traditional heels and dress and went for comfort... ever try running after a toddler in heels while trying to keep your dress from flying up on the tarmac? Yeah, not a pretty sight for this gal! Auntie Amanda and Shreve brought their camera and took some pictures while we waited to hear for Rob's plane up above. We were so grateful for their support and help in trying to capture those moments as we anticipated Dada's return. More often then not, a geographically single mom that is stationed overseas ends up on the other side of the lens.  So we were grateful for their help in capturing the moment.

We heard the humming of Rob's plane and everyone looked up and saw the mighty E2 headed straight for us. They did a beautiful break overhead and Robby was in awe. What little boy doesn't like airplanes!? After the break they came in for their final approach and within minutes, they pulled straight ahead of the squadron.

Rob coming in for the break

Robby could not take his eyes off the plane

"Hi, Dada!"

Reunited! (for now)

The moment that we heard the engines winding down and the props came to a stop, everyone clapped and the kids and wives revved their engines waiting for the door to pop open so they can run to their respective family members.

This was an especially special moment for us... it was the first time Robby would walk to Rob. He has seen Robby balance standing and barely take a step, but missed his progression to full on walking. This meant that we were a tad slower than the other spouses and kids, but once Robby saw Dada, he decided he could cover more ground by crawling. It was an absolutely priceless moment!

It is said that being a military spouse is juts about the hardest job out there, but I can certainly say that it comes with the greatest perks. Having a reunion like that rivals just about any romance novel or film.

Waiting to run to dada

"It's really you, Dada!"

Reunited!

A family together again :-)

Future aviator?

"Let's go home!"

Land Down Under

One of many street signs

G'Day, port call!

So the cat is out of the bag by now... I met Rob in Brisbane, Australia where the carrier he is deployed on pulled into port. Port calls are very secretive before hand and the location and dates of these port calls are never made public due to security reasons, so as I anxiously anticipated this trip, I had to keep my lips sealed.

Originally, Robby was supposed to come with, but his baby sitter that we love and adore offered to stay at our place for the week so I could spend alone time with Rob for the first time since Robby was born. I was ridiculously excited to both see Rob and also have our much needed time as a married couple. It was a vacation in its self to just travel alone! I read a magazine and slept on the plane... seriously! OK, so I am sure you aren't wanting to hear about my travels there and are more interested in my trip to Australia so here we go!

 

"Oh, you're goin' to Brissy, aye?"

From the moment I saw Australia from my window on the plane I just knew I was about to fall in love with just about the most amazing place I have ever been. To give that statement some perspective, I have pretty much been everywhere. Australia is incredible!

 I landed in Gold Coast which is 90 minutes away from Brisbane. Upon going through customs, we were greeted by English speaking folks (a welcoming atmosphere after being in Japan) and they asked us some questions of where we were headed, though by this point all of Australia knew of the big US Navy carrier that just pulled in and knew we were there to see our husbands. In the most adorable accent ever they asked me, "Oh, you're goin' to Brissy, aye?".

As I mentioned we landed a ways a way in Gold Coast by Surfer's Paradise (made famous by, you guessed it, surfing and also Endless Summer). This was awesome as I rented a car and was able to drive through some of the country side and see more of Queensland (though hardly even a fraction of this gigantic state).

"I may never leave this ship, again!"

I had a red eye flight from Japan, so I got into Brisbane pretty early (around 10am). The last email I received from Rob stated that he should "easily" be off the boat by lunch and he was being dropped of in the city center where I would try to find him. Each hour I would get an update and each update had him delayed another hour until finally he mentioned that he had been watching guys trying to lower the gangways from the boat onto the dock and it appeared that it either wasn't working or that it wouldn't reach far enough. Neither of us had cell phones that worked in Australia, so I had to constantly find wifi in the city to stay posted. Rob had seemed hopeful that the problem would be fixed soon and that we would be reunited shortly. Hours passed and each email became more and more pessimistic. From the first email that stated his excitement that he would be off the boat soon, to that afternoon about him laughing at the problem that gangways posed and the attempts of each engineering contraption they used in attempt to fix the issue to the last email I received that simply stated, "I may never leave this ship, again!".

The good news is that he did eventually leave the ship, though after 8 hours of being "stuck" at the dock there were a few comical news coverages on the issue. I slowly saw a wave of obvious American sailors pour into the streets of Brisbane and I ran to my hotel to wait for Rob. After an hour of waiting I received an email from him that he was downtown with his bags, so I hopped in the rental and quickly found him. Reunited at last!

Port Call Newbie... Moms gone wild!

This was my very first port call and I was amazed. This was like being a freshman in college but worse and to my surprise, Rob said that this was a "tame" port call. All you have to do is imagine 5,000 sailors, mostly young guys, who haven't seen land, drank a beer or enjoyed the company of a young lady in quite some time... with money to blow. It is like putting a child in a candy store, folks!

The first night was a blast, but I assure you that even though weeks have passed, I am STILL recovering from it. In combination of the atmosphere and being childless for the first time in over a year, it was pretty clear that I was well on my way to having a show called Moms Gone Wild.

My life is complete. I cuddled a Koala!

After our night on the town (or the night Brisbane almost killed Tara), we were ready for a nice, easy going day. A short 20 minute drive away there was a perfect place for just that. We decided to go to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. It was a beautiful drive and a gorgeous day. Though it was August, it was winter in Australia which meant cool 70s all week.

Lone Pine is home to several koalas and yes, you have an opportunity to hold one! Holding that koala was just what I needed after spending my first night away from Robby. It was like I was holding and rocking Robby, except Robby typically doesn't poop on the ground as I pick him up and isn't quite as fluffy, but this was a close alternative.

Koalas really are gentle, quiet and sluggish little bears. They seemed drugged, but the conservationist assured us that the eucalyptus they eat didn't have anything to do with their drowsy state. Rob and I really liked these animals, and after the night we had before, we could totally relate to their sluggish temperaments.

The sanctuary wasn't home to just koalas. They had a large open field full of kangaroos. It was awesome to be up close and personal with these amazing animals. Just to see these marsupials hop around with such power and ease, was incredible. We bravely pet a few of the roo's, but in all honesty I was terrified to touch any kangaroo that wasn't a little joey. I had seen one too many videos of boxing kangaroos surprise unknowing tourists.

 

Nudgey Beach

The following day we didn't have much planned so we decided to hit the road and get out of the city.  Driving around Brisbane reminded me so much of a combination of all the places I have lived and loved. The city was clean and hilly like San Fransisco. The surrounding area was green, open and vast with palm trees and coastal shrubbery like back home in Florida. The mountains in the distance were like a tropical rainforest that was nestled in between Tuscan hills that were reminiscent of Santa Barbara. It was breathtaking.

Our scent for salt (and our navigation system) led us to the coast. It was like Cocoa Beach! Beach stores, camp sites, coastal highway... it was all there! We finally found ourselves in a park off the beaten path called Nudgey Beach. It was full of mile long winding decks that went though a forested area along the coast, over some mangroves, by an outlet (that looked like a scene out of Crocodile Dundee) and then passed the coast. It was relaxing, peaceful and just about as romantic as it gets for two kids who can't get enough of the ocean.

Walking over the mangroves

We ended our afternoon at a cute beach side seafood cafe and enjoyed scallops and shrimp before heading back to the city. It is easy to forget the easy going life style that Rob and I left behind in our coastal homes and being in the middle of the largest metropolis in Asia (Japan), but this day reminded us of how homesick we really were of that coastal living.

Kangaroos, Wallabies, and Lorekeets, OH MY!

Rob and I can't sit still for too long and we knew we wanted to see as much of Queensland as we could so we hit the road early and headed to Lamington National Park. This time we brought a friend, Amanda, who is a helo pilot deployed on the same carrier and also went to college with Rob.

Looking over the park

Lamington National Park is full of tall mountains and rainforests that are home to a lot of wildlife. There are hundreds of trails to hike, many of them day long trails, but since we had just a day, we stuck to the shorter 1-3 hour hikes. Though we were told to keep a look out, we didn't see any koalas in the trees. Believe me, we looked! We did see wild turkeys and lots of birds. The hike was gorgeous, but we weren't able to see the waterfalls we were told so much about. We still enjoyed the drive through the park and the hike though.

A cavern along the trail

As we drove through the park we began seeing both wallabies and kangaroos. It was remarkable to see these guys hopping along the hillsides and in their natural habitat. Rob and I couldn't take enough pictures and on more than a few occasions, we found ourselves braving on foot to get a closer shot. At one point it did cross my mind that we could very easily be featured in the show When Animals Attack.

Our last stop in the park, we went though a short trail that brought us to a tree top walk. It was suspended bridges between the tops of the highest rainforest trees. There were even spots to climb higher via caged ladders. It was amazing, though rather short. At the entrance of the tree top walks, there was a small shop that fed that many of the birds in the park and while I have always loved parrots, it was too much for even me to have hundreds of very friendly (too friendly) lorekeets swooping, diving and landing on us. Dodging bird poop has never been "my thing".

On our drive home, we passed several vineyards and felt that there was just so much we didn't see, though we all were very satisfied with our Aussie experience. After witnessing the beauty of the country, the amazing and unique wildlife and enjoying the company of each other, we felt it was already the perfect trip.

Wallaby

Our Trip of a Lifetime

This trip had already been perfect in so many ways, and we hadn't even hit our top three things to do on this trip:

1. Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef
2. Deep Sea Fishing
3. Go to an Aussie Vineyard

Rob and I both decided that we would make a trip back to Australia during the warmer season and dive/snorkel then. Deep sea fishing sounded fun, but again it was not the best weather (for me at least). We were going to spend our last night driving a few hours away to see a vineyard before heading back to the city for our last night, then we got an email from another couple in Rob's squadron. They were going to accompany us to the vineyard but came across a great deal that Rob and I couldn't pass up.

We did a little form flying with our friends

Though both Rob and his pal Gary were pilots, they were unable to rent and fly an airplane but that didn't stop a personal guide from taking us up to the skies! Rob, our guide and I were in one Cessna 172 and our friends, Gary and Stephanie were with their guide in another Cessna. We took off shortly after noon from a very small private airport, minutes outside of Brisbane and headed back towards the tall peaks and rainforests that Rob and I saw the day before. We did some amazing low level flying and saw the amazing waterfalls that would have taken us a day to hike to. The flight through the area was perfect in itself, but then we landed in the middle of a grassy airfield next to our Aussie vineyard.

Rob and I had to pinch ourselves. It was too good to be true, but it was in fact real. We visited a small 5 acre vineyard where a young retired coupled lived and spent their days perfecting the art of making wine! The owner's house was on top of a hill, over looking a creek, his hillside vineyard and the distant rainforests. It was absolutely breathtaking! On a picnic table, the owner had a cheese platter and a few bottles of wine waiting for us. As he explained the first type of wine, he asked us how we liked our steaks cooked, then he grilled us all porterhouse steaks "on the barbie"! We enjoyed several more types of wine with our lunch and had some great conversation with the owner, our pilots, guides and each other.

After desert and some more wine, we walked through his vineyard as the sun was getting low. It was the most amazing time, and I couldn't have been more satisfied. As we were headed back to the house, we saw kangaroos near the creek... the day couldn't be more perfect.

 

We took off just before sunset and as we were on takeoff, our kangaroo friends hopped along side the airfield. I was able to fly a bit before we landed and it occurred to me that I had the perfect life with Rob and Robby. How blessed were we to share this great experience with each other?

With our friends before take off

Spending a little time behind the yolk

Trip of a Lifetime

I couldn't have dreamed of a better visit with Rob. It was romantic, adventurous, beautiful and relaxing. Robby was safe and sound back in Japan, having a blast with our nanny, and Mama and Dada were able to enjoy each other's company in one of the most amazing countries we've been to.

Our last night wasn't an all night outing, but rather we did something reminiscent of being at home and living life as a normal married couple, something that us military couples rarely take for granted. We went grocery shopping, headed back to our apartment to do some laundry and cook dinner in our PJs. What was on the menu? Kangaroo filets, of course :-)

Iwo Jima

A few month back, Rob had to start preparing for his current deployment. Preparing for deployment for a carrier based pilot means they are to start practicing landing on a boat. It sounds easy enough, but as the wife of a tail hooker, I would like to formally say that it ranks up there with being the most dangerous thing a person can do.

Imagine a boat moving along the ocean. Now picture trying to line up with the moving target with your aircraft. Still not hard enough? Imagine your moving runway was bouncing up and down (pitching) with each wave. You now have to account for those sudden moves in your aircraft. You have a very small space to land already, but I should state that this isn't a landing. It is a controlled crash. You have 3 wires on the carrier, 3 chances to stop your plane, that catch the tailhook located at the rear of the plane. When you land, you don't reduce speed. You "control crash" at full power so in the event you miss the wires or aren't lined up properly, you have enough speed for  you to take back off the end of the boat. This is called carrier landings. It is done during the day and at night with zero visibility.

Landing on the boat is an art form that takes practice and if you haven't done a carrier landing in a number of weeks, it is time to go through carrier qualifications or "CQ". Even the best pilot needs a refresher and my husband is no exception. So when it is time to get ready for deployment and CQ, the squadron packs up and heads to Iwo Jima for field carrier landing procedures (FCLPs) to practice the type of landings that are required to land on the boat. FCLPs require a type of flying that is loud so it is mainly done in areas that have a permit for that particular flying or is in an area that is not populated. Many pilots refer to this as "bouncing" and if you have seen it you would know why. BOING! Carrier pilots based in Norfolk, Virginia head to Florida for FCLPs and because we live in Japan and that would be a long and expensive trip, Rob's squadron heads to arguably one of the most sacred islands in the Pacific.

VAW-115 Liberty Bells, Rob's squadron where he flies the E-2 Hawkeye, spends about a week on the island that is now called Iwo To. The Japanese meaning of the name is the same as Iwo Jima, but Iwo Jima is not really known for it being a sulfer and volcanic island. It is known for being the grounds of the bloodiest battle ever.

Visiting Iwo Jima had very special meaning to our family. If Japan allowed people to visit the island, Robby and I would have joined Rob on the trip, but due to the importance it holds, Japan limits the island to only US and Japanese military personnel, and even still the island is barren. On rare occasions, living decendents of those who fought in the battle of Iwo Jima are allowed to visit for one day. Rob took several pictures and videos of his trip and also brought home sand from Invasion Beach.

There aren't many words to describe how this trip is both exhilerating and humbling for Rob, so I made a video shortly after his trip to document Rob's FCLPs in Iwo Jima.