# ~*~May 2004 Moms~*~ One More Month to Three!



## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

Here's the link to the old thread.

Good Morning Everyone!

(I hope I didn't mess it up this time!)


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

(or in our case, two more months to three...







: )

~c


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

I was thinking the same thing (wrt thread title). And I was wondering... do we move to the Childhood Years at 3, or is it older?

I did all my catching up (and complaining about the germiness of our trip) on the March thread. You *really* don't want to miss that.









My children are *LOUD* this morning. Or maybe some of the fog is starting to lift from my ears. (My dad told me that I spoke very loudly the whole week.


----------



## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

OMG, KK my kids are freaking out loud, too.







:

Lisa, so sorry to hear about Annabel's illness! So scary! I can't even imagine. thinking of you all, sending get will vibes.









We are getting ready to go to a birthday party in a little while. Might that have something to do with my kids bugging out? Duh.

Jett screaming. Gotta run. Oy.


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

What?? I'm sorry, I can't hear you, it's way too loud over here. What's up with the need to yell all the time?

Allison has figured out that she can use words manipulatively. She came to me in the kitchen, looking sad, and said, "*pathetic little fake cough* Mama, I have a cough." I just looked at her. "Mama, *hem, hem* I have a cough. I need chocolate."







:

I'll tell you who needs chocolate, kid.


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Yay for emmalola being the one to start the thread!

And juice? WherEVER did she get the idea that when one feels poorly, one eats chocolate?


----------



## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Hey all,
Thanks for starting us up, EL.

I think we should stay in Toddlers a little while longer...isn't Childhood too old for us (or am I just delusional?) But, wherever y'all want to go is fine with me. I will follow.

KK-sorry you were all so sick. Yes, I have a feeling the germy park was part of it. Sorry 'bout that. G's feverish Friday turned into nothing. He didn't even take a nap today, so he seems all over it. Go figure. He's done this before. He just has a bad fevery day and then gets over it. Whatever his body is fighting, it either does it quickly or decides it's not worth it.

Midwife appt. was yesterday. All is well. I really like her. Baby's heartbeat was good; smart baby kept trying to move away from the doppler!

I meant to answer the earlier question about celebrity crushes. This is one of those areas where I must








: I've had crushes on celebs since I was a teenager and I've only gotten slightly better. I think I used it in HS to avoid the fact that I didn't date. Anywho, for pure looks, I have a thang for Matthew McConaughey. I've also been *this close* to him in person from our days in Texas and that was awesome. But, I also love many others, including John Cusack, Ben Stiller, Patrick Dempsey and Tom Cruise (though not so much that he's been doing so many wacky things in his personal life). My guilty pleasure is reading celebrity mags...so there ya have it.

Okay, gotta go to work for a staff meeting! At least I get paid.


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

isaac and i just colored some eggs and decorated them with disney princess jewels and stickers. we are *waaaaaay* into snow white over here. we read snow white and peter pan nightly.

we met with the doula today to talk birth plan. that was after a morning tromping around home depot and lowes arguing about every single aspect *possible* in creating a laundry room. the only thing we don't have different visions for is the cabinetry because it is going to match our kitchen cabinets. oh such fun. the reason we moved into this house instead of adding on to our old one (which had a georgous lot) was because we knew we would never survive such a major house project. i could get really into griping about the specifics but i'll spare ya'll







we are both sooooooo stubborn. every single thing doug wants is bottom of the line cheap. and that is just not my approach. i actually want to *like* it. we need to go to the rebuilding center and look at sinks and doors







:

napping has been scarce this weekend. none yesterday and maybe an hour today. and i am exhausted. i was up from 12:30 to 3am last night with insane uterine pain. can braxton hicks be painful enough to wake you from a sound sleep??? i never felt them with isaac. i don't know what was going on but i thought i was going into labor. and my stomach muscles just feel kind of 'sore' today. it was so strange and surreal since i was half asleep and convinced the full moon was doing it to me. i was awake enough to sit on the side of the bed for a while because i couldn't lay down comfortably. WIERD

it feels more like 2 months until 3 for us too since we are so close to the end of the month

kk - glad your trip was fun but man you got it in the illness department eh? mega drag.


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Emmalola, how are you feeling? Things going ok now?

Yay for heartbeats! And kiddos getting over fevers quickly.

KK, sorry you had a sickie week. Yuck.

Celebrity crushes: for me, it's all about the Depp. Although I think Heath Ledger is pretty gorgeous, too. Just don't tell Johnny I said so.

The chicks have doubled in size in three days. It's spooky. And yes, KK, we are raising them for the eggs. We're holding them a lot in hopes they will be nice, though, so they count as pets.







DH built the world's most solid henhouse this week for them, with cedar shingles and everything. It's kind of funny how hard he worked on it.

Ok, must go help in the kitchen. Did I mention how nice it is having my mom here cooking for us?







:

TTFN


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

i wish someone was here cooking for me! doug will go in spurts of cooking dinner and he is NOT in one right now unfortunately so it is allllllll me. i feel tired and uninspired lately! i foresee him never feeling the need to cook again after i am 'not working.' maybe i am projecting future paranoia onto the present







i guess i should check my 'taters in the oven.


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Posting to see if I am "banned".


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Nope!


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

What's for dinner here? Peanut butter & honey sandwiches! Boooring!


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Subbing and reading along, but that's pretty much it these days.







: C's eval last week left more questions than answers.







: ..........


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Heath, details, please.

Cannot just leave us like that.


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
Heath, details, please.

Cannot just leave us like that.









: What's up?


----------



## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mcsarahb* 

Celebrity crushes: for me, it's all about the Depp.

Yeah, I like him too. Can't believe I forgot.

Heather, sorry you feel lacking after your visit. Update us when you can.

P.S. This is the first time I've ever quoted someone successfully....I'm so impressed with myself.


----------



## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Subscribin, baby!








I, too, am all about the Depp!








(well, Depp, Davey, Jade, Hunter, okay, ALL of AFI...sorry, the fangirling is HUGE right now...I was watching I Heard a Voice, their concert video tonight.







:
I, too have always had celebrity crushes. My first? Sigourney Weaver, baby!

Heather,







hope to hear more when you're feeling up to it!









Elsanne, banned? Do tell!

I will write more tomorrow morning (being the Morning Goddess and all...am I still, even though I haven't posted as faithfully as I used to? I usually only post in the morning...) but I wanted to say I







you all!

MMF!


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Please do be our sunshine greeter of the 'morn.

I read about april fool's day mdc "banned" some members, meaning put "banned" as a senior title. wanted to check.


----------



## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
Please do be our sunshine greeter of the 'morn.

I read about april fool's day mdc "banned" some members, meaning put "banned" as a senior title. wanted to check.

I am honored to be the morning greeter!
















Oh! April Fool's Day! I totally forgot! Oh poop! My younger brother-in-law's birthday is today!!!







:


----------



## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

No Way!!! We go to the Childhood Years when they turn 3???







When did this happen, mamas??







:
So I wrote that above sentence like an hour ago, because Rowan came over and dragged me ito the living room. Not to play, not to read, but to sit, while he watched Caillou.







He didn't even sit with me! He just wanted to make sure I was there, I guess, after being away from me for a couple of days. DH took him to the IL's Friday and they came home yesterday afternoon. I was like, "WOOHOO!"







But I also missed them terribly. I needed the time though. Of course, not 15 minutes after they got home, Rowan was tearing around the house, freaking the f*ck out. Going from a nice quiet house with just a cat for company to my certifiable child and gross-meat-bingeing DH (not two days after watching all this stuff about why we should NOT be eating mass-produced meat, he pretty much ate crap ALL WEEKEND.







: What the...?) was just







I actually walked outside after dinner (that no one ate!) to keep from losing my proverbial shiznit.

But things calmed down considerably later that evening, Rowan got a bath (don't even get me started about how the whole weekend away he NEVER got bathed.







) and we sat down and read stories and cuddled till he nursed and went to sleep.

This morning has been pretty quiet, and soon I am making the little poop turn off the TV so we can go run an errand or two, then meet my best friend for lunch.

So, have a great day everymama! I am, if not posting evcery day, at least going to read every day so I don't get lost like I did last month! Haha.

I just changed my kitchen calendar over this morning. hehe. And I realized that we are seeing Laurie Berkner Saturday (after buying tix months ago!). DH and I made a vow to meet the woman and BEG her to make a new DVD, because the one we have? It's driven us INSANE.









Much love to my mamas!









ETA: Dude, whoever first mentioned needing that time in the morning? Um, YEAH. I am seriously out of whack if I don't get it, like today for instance!








Most days Rowan is cool with me checking my email and posting here, at least...other days, yeah.
Anyway, there with you. I need that coffee cup to be half full first thing in the morning!


----------



## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Good afternoon, everymama.

I feel like sitting around in my jammies all day- haven't changed yet.

Work is getting interesting. We have a new client who is in crisis and a suicide risk. She has to be line-of-site (which means we can see her at all times), unless she is in her room awake (where we have to document a check-in every half hour), or alseep for the night. At night we have to have two staff instead of one, to sleep near each exit. While this sounds crazy, she is actually very sweet and mellow most of the time. She is not a risk to others, and is safe to be around the kids. The extra staffing is good both because it bumps me up from 31 hours a week to 42, and because I have a lot less work to do, because I am usually single-staff large portions of my shift. I'm now doing a shift from Fri afternoon to Sunday morning. I am looking forward to my bigger paychecks- we are a even more pinched than usual with the new addition.

W and I were sick at work this weekend, but got better before we came home. L has a horrible diaper rash due to the antibiotics he's on for double ear infections and a penis soar. We put him in the bath after every time he gets diahrea (which is 3-4 times a day), but he got the rash anyway. Sigh. L is doing very well in the eating department, though (currently eating some yogurt as I type, to fend off yeasties in the diaper rash). W is healthy, happy, wiggly, smiley, and getting chunky.









I have some major mending to do of my relationship with dh, though. I take out my stress on him, and if he doesn't take care of L the way _I_ want him to when I'm gone, I chew him out. I've been aware of this for some time, but I seem unable to break the pattern. He's getting pretty tired of me not appreciating all that he does (his words), and I don't blame him. It's easy to take him for granted because he's so dedicated to our family.







:







:







:

KK- I hope that your voice will mend now that your earache is better and you don't find your self speaking at high volume.









Jess- I don't think I ever wished you a happy birthday. I haven't forgotten about the birthing ball- will try to get it to you soon. I really hope those are just bh contrax. Yipes! I never really had strong ones, but I think I might be abnormal.

Juice- chocolate cures everything.









Jacqueline- I get that same message about posting when I log on to my reflux board, about once every three months.









I would kind of like to stay in toddlers







, but then I always want to linger as long as possible in any particular stage.


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

I think they're toddlers until 4.


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

I think they should be toddlers forever *sniff*
Oh, wait, until they look at me defiantly and say, "NO!" and run away laughing. But then they get sleepy and cuddly and I think they should be toddlers forever again.

Fiddle, I had to go to work so I had to get dressed, but I put my jammies back on as soon as I walked in the door. The really comfy ones with the ever-growing hole in the butt seam









I either missed or forgot (or both) what your work situation is. My powers of observation lead me to believe it's mental-healthy and that you can take your babe to work. LMK if I'm wrong. Yay for more hours if that's not stressful, the $ are always nice.

The Dh stress and "proper parenting" thing... it's hard, isn't it? Only now, after baby #3, am I really able to just let him do his thing and truly not be bothered by it. Of course, it also seems that only after baby #3 does he realize that letting them sit on the floor and cry while he does something else is not really what we're about as parents... Anyway







I can relate. Knowing it's an issue is a huge step.

And Renae, i *need* that time in the morning. Need it.


----------



## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

I thought I was not very behind on reading, but then there was the NEW THREAD. Ha! April Fools!

Must mediate child interactions...


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

I know that "out in the world" toddlerhood goes through 3 (ie, lasts till the day you turn 4), but I kind of think that at MDC it's different. I have been wrong before, though.









I'm feeling all glowy today: (1) an old friend of ours visited this weekend (with his boyfriend), and it was so nice seeing him. And life is going really well for him/them right now, and it makes me happy. (2) We found out that the new minister at our fellowship will be someone who was a member of our old church in CA (small world!). And she's phenomenal. (*And* I think it will be good for her, too.







)

I forgot that I have always had an unwavering crush on Jodie Foster.







She rocks. I'll bet she's a good mom, too.


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Wow. This whole time I have been thinking "toddler" ends at 3, then becomes "preschooler." But MDC is different because "childhood years" is not the same as "preschooler." Hmmm.

Oooh, Jodie Foster.


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

celebrity girly crush: drew barrymore

definitely toddlers for me through the 3 year old year and maybe into 4.

juice: fiddle's work situation is in an adult home for people with developmental disabilities (i think that's how she would describe it). she's also a first-aid instructor now. her dh also works in the same group home.

els: can i just say i miss you? don't know why, seeing as i've met you all of... oh... one time. but i miss your posts and being privy to your life stuff. but i guess that means you are busy BEing in your life with your life stuff and with your girlies.

must go rescue all done pooping boy from potty...

~claudia

eta: S is *almost*almost*almost* crawling. like up on the hands and knees and occasionally accidentally moving legs and arms in the right combo. blows my mind.


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

i don't *feel* like i have a toddler anymore. too much sprinting around and not enough 'toddling' of course there are still those moments when i have *no idea* what he is saying







and i am reminded that maybe he still is a toddler. there is nothing toddler left in his appearance though. no rubber band ankles and male pattern baldness. someone replaced my baby with a lanky kid whose pants are almost all too short right now. we need summer to get here so we can wear shorts! i think most of last year's will still fit.

i bought a door today







and more importantly i bought a door that I wanted!!







ha. i hope i am going to love it. of course they didn't have the actual door there for me to view but it has all the qualities i am sure i will love....like it is real wood and double glazed







: now i am working on the sink. we went to hippo, rebuilding center and rejuv today and i am convinced that fixing an old sink costs the same as buying a new one. with more hassle of the funky plumbing. except there is one cute little one for $45 at the rebuilding center that just might win. then we will only have to argue about flooring and countertops







:

no more wierd pains last night. tg. i slept like a rock until 5am and then got up because i was sooooooo awake. i HATE that.

i have been wearing the same pair of pants for 3 days now. maybe because they FEEL like pajamas! my maternity jeans are too tight now. sadness.

good news on bigger paychecks beth







(and i got your message about getting a ride several days too late







) all we get on our answering machine usually are mortgage refinancing calls so i hardly check it. sorry!!

ok. must pay bills. daycare and the mortgage on the 1st of the month. always like hurking up a hairball.


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

agreed on drew barrymore. doug loooves her and right when we first started dating we saw her at a show in LA. she was amazingly petite and AMAZINGLY beautiful. like glowing. she had daisies in her hair. i had no idea from tv that she is probably a full 5 inches shorter than me.

and if you want to move more out of celebrity crushes into celebrity obsessions mine is courtney love.







: i'm a mega fan. she's nutso. like totally crazy but there's a really intelligent woman hiding behind the obnoxious behavior. she's been posting on the internet again lately....and i looove reading her posts. she used to post a lot on her own message board. mad rants which she would then delete. she's still ranting but purportedly sober.


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

totally unrelated to the crushiness, but every other person we meet in public comments that C looks like drew in the gertie/ET role.

had an u/s and meeting w/ perinatologist today and just *one* little bean (phew!) and wiggly at that. Will keep a bit closer eye on the little feather re: the kidney reflux issues (genetic and all). Doc was super nice and I had the babysitter today as well so I meandered around doing nothing in particular afterwards for a couple hours.


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *heatherfeather* 
totally unrelated to the crushiness, but every other person we meet in public comments that C looks like drew in the gertie/ET role.

Ooh yeah, totally see that. We get the Shirley Temple comments a lot. Less so now that her hair is losing its curl a bit. Great news on the bean!

Yeah, Jess, I guess that I feel like that too. I don't think of Lily as a toddler anymore. Not that she's tall and lanky, exactly (ha ha; she's tiny)...but just...not toddler-y.

Of course Ani D. is my girl crush. And Gwen Stefani just a little bit. Oh, and Lauryn Hill. Geez. Somebody stop me.


----------



## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

I still see Rowan as a toddler.







I mean, nevermind that when we were at the mall this evening, I asked him to push the "3" on the elevator, and not only did he KNOW which number was the 3, he could REACH IT!







: Wow. I still remember when I had to lift him to push the buttons. Haha.

HF, good to know that there's only ONE little bean in there!







From 2 to FOUR kiddos! Yeah!







My friend J (she's on MDC as mamajody) went from 1 to THREE.







And how exciting! eep!

Celebrity crushes...OMG jstar where does Courtney Love post?? I wanna read it! I adore her, crazy as she is.







I also love it when celebs write about stuff online, it makes me feel like I *know* them, even if I obviously totally don't. I use MySpace WAY too often because members of AFI (particularly Davey and Jade!) post in their blogs there all the time!








: They also post in the Despair Faction (that's the fan club and YES, I am a member!














Forum. Hahaha!
I also adore Drew. ADORE.

Okay, enough out of me. I should go eat more before it gets too late (dinner was disjointed tonight because we all ate leftovers). The WW works for the most part, but I have been going over my points a bit this whole weekend into today. *sigh* It's hard. Haha. But I feel healthier just because I've added a whole bunch of greens to my diet, and I've cut a LOT of meat and such out. I rule.









Have a great night, mamas!


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

TC, it made me feel so good that you said that about missing me!!!







:







:







:







:







:
Weeeeeelll things are oh-KAY, y'know, I have the typical male-sick Viet around, which is like oh wah wah and tonight and last night he went home to his MOTHER'S HOUSE to sleep so he can get better poor thing.







So guess who gets both kids all day all by herself, because Sol's on vacation. AND trying to "work", and the lack of attention to said "work" gets me really stressed out and then I don't do anything well--I am an inattentive mommy, etc...
We're in this phase with Sol where she wants to be with MEMEME all the time, and mostly that's fun, but not when you have to run around a LOT or be on the computer.
All because of Poor Viet's Headache.









But, a fun weekend was had. Let me describe:

Friday: birthday party. We whacked the hell out of the Little Mermaid (in pinata form) and who is still now hanging up in our house because we brought her home to whack on her here. Truly a fun toddler toy. This was out at an incredible ranch with great food.

Saturday: another birthday party. But get this: You walk in, past y'know, the fountain and the uniformed waiters, and the open bar/tender asks you what you would like. It's early, about noon, so it's a Bloody Mary for me. The first in my life, I feel so grown up. The staff is all over the place, offering this, and that. Bows on the rented chairs, and little chairs n tables with crafts and activities for kids. A jumpy castle (at EVERY Mexican birthday party there is a jumpy castle), and baby pigs in one hay corral and baby bunnies in another little hay corral. Sol jumps in with the baby bunnies and I don't see her for about two hours, while I'm getting souced with my mama friends. I eventually move on to Margaritas as the afternoon wears on. Another great pinata, I don't recall the figure, due to the Margaritas I think, and a great cake, and more bunny action for Sol. At one point I go check on her and she is sitting with ALL THE bunnies sleeping between her legs, and she is creating a protective cover with her arms and scowling at the other kids who would like to hold a bunny.

Sunday: private bellydance lesson for 5 Mexican women, from far away cities, it is a total blast. 3 hrs. Afternoon: another party, but an adult one. Sol spends most of her time playing in a hammock with other kids and Mama is chatting and bumping babies with another mama and dancing to the (kind of crappy yet okay) band.
Heather I am soooo glad you got a day to yourself! Especially with a prenatal visit, such a good way to care for you. You need all of that you can get, especially with #3 on the way.
C DOES remind me of that kid (I mean, Drew) in ET!
I am sooo out of the celebrity loop it's not funny.

TC--cannot believe S is almost crawling. Wasn't he just born??? Amara is crawling and standing solo!

Jstar Sol totally does not seem like a toddler to me to--she is so tall and big! I'm amazed she's still in her second year (though not for long) to look at her.

Jacqueline--go you for quoting someone! Now, the next step is to click that little button in between the quote and the other button, and it saves it up, so you can click on several people's posts and get the MULTI-QUOTE THANG GOIN ON!!


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Hmm. Totally jealous of the partay weekend. Our visitors this weekend (from dh's long ago SoCal days) reminded me once again that we used to have a much fuller social calendar. (What's kind of funny is that they left us the leftovers from their vacation, before they fly back home. Dude, I don't know what I'm going to do with all that liquor. Make a *lot* of herbal tinctures?







) Not that one needs a lot of alcohol (or even a little) to have fun, but drinking *does* tend to be a social activity, and social drinkers tend to organize social activities, y'know?

Meanwhile, IRL, no one will socialize with us (rightfully so), because I still sound like a frog (I should take a day off of talking, but that would just about kill me), and the kids still have green noses.

But the weather is beautiful. I think maybe I'll stick the boys in the sandbox and work on getting some of the stuff that dh said he'd gotten done done.









Hey... now that we've determined that our May babies are turning 3, toddler or not, how are you going to celebrate? (or not?) I'm not too thrilled about our birthday spacing (L turns 1, 3 weeks later Z turns 3, 5 weeks later T turns 6). I'm thinking something small and casual for L (and same for Z)--probably just a rah rah playgroup with our friends (ie, we'll have the same thing we always do, but add cupcakes and balloons). T will probably have a more actual party, but we'll do a limit on the attendees (that worked really well last year). I've determined that for my kids, having people over, having "cake", having "ice cream", and having balloons are the most important things. They could care less about going anywhere, having specific activities, having specific food (other than the above), and having goody bags.


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
At one point I go check on her and she is sitting with ALL THE bunnies sleeping between her legs, and she is creating a protective cover with her arms and scowling at the other kids who would like to hold a bunny.










i love this girl

isaac wants to buy a pinata every single time we go to fred meyer because i told him you hit it with a stick and candy falls out. i had one at one of my younger birthdays and still remember the excitement clearly









my edd is 4 days after isaac turns the BIG THREE. so no party for us this year in case i have to go birth a babe. i will make him a cake (or more like we will make one together) so we can do candles. he loooooooooves that part.


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

PS What does it mean that *everyone* in our family got the viral pinkeye except me? (Dh has it now.) Am I the *only* one who washes her hands? (I don't think think I want to know the answer to that one.) I do realize that if I'm too smug, dh will probably rub his eye on me while he's asleep.

PPS I've been looking through my herbal books, figuring out which tinctures I will be making. Plus, I think I *will* be having a gin and tonic when dh gets home from work.


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

i can't fahhhhreakin wait to have a margarita. my cravings for beer have passed. now it is just margaritas i am hankering for









kk i guess you really are superKK! virally resistant!!!

ps. renae - moonwashedrose.com. click 'continue to moonwashedrose.com.' courtney is posting under 'court' on some of the daily discussion threads. most of them are called 'love talk' or whatever. her posts are rambly and full of typos so they're really hard to read (on purpose i think). and dang she's gotten super skinny lately. and she keeps going on and on about how chanting has changed her life. hopefully it has.

32 weeks peeps! i dare to think maybe i only have 4 more weeks of this sitch. not likely but one can hope right? and my ob is climbing rainer a few days after my edd so i am hoping even more for an earlier rather than later birth. i would prefer him to be there and not someone i don't know :/

heath. i 've been thinking about you too. phew. just one little bean. twins would be so fun but i really can't imagine how uncomfortable i'd be with 2 babes in there right now!!!


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Well, Jstar, I definitely see double-birthday parties in your future. There is not a kids' party without a pinata 'round here. Just doesn't happen.

kk--whooooaaa on the pinkeye.


----------



## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Jett is walking!!! 11 months. First steps were on the first, and since then, he's taking off everywhere! 5-6 steps at a time!







He's _really_ trying to talk, too. Ball. Bath. All Done. Ow. No. Pa. (mama and dada too but those are so run of the mill)

Anyway, I had to come and brag.


----------



## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

I've never had pinkeye. And, I've never been the best hand washer







: But, the yeast on my breast still HASN'T GONE AWAY!!!!! I'm working on it....

Birthday parties: We will probably have something for G at our new home with a few friends. Nothing too crazy, but maybe a BBQ with cake and ice cream. It will actually be nice to be able to have people over again since we'll have more room and a backyard!!!! I like pinatas, and they were so easy to get in Texas. Not so much here.

I packed 3 boxes today. Just a billion more to go.

Mmmmm....margaritas. Sounds yummy.

elsanne-your weekend sounds very fun! Petting zoo at a birthday party would be cool.

Working tonight, but then not again until Monday!!! And, dh is taking G to get a haircut later tomorrow afternoon, so I'm going to spend an uninterrupted hour at Target getting Easter basket goodies and whatever else I want to! Yay me!!! I really need this. I really need a movie and spa get away, but Target will have to do on our budget.

TTFN!







to all my May Mamas.


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Meg--fun to read your myspace on your linky! I cannot BELIEVE jEtt IS WALKING! Holy moliferous.

Jacque sorry to hear about the yeast still on the breast! Ugh! You've tried tea tree?

Not sure about a birthday party. Sol keeps asking if today is her birthday. We're going to do something, just dunno what.

Gah just had a very hard time getting Amara to sleep, she ended up fussing herself to sleep after 3 (THREE!) nurse-downs. I REALLY REALLY wish there was an "off" button.


----------



## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Need. Coffee. Intravenously!!!








Yeah. Rough night. Long story.
I am eating a VERY unfortunate excuse for a bagel along with my coffee. It's a WW bagel (thought I'd try out some WW food--bad idea, Renae!) and well, yeah.







Oh well. Only one point!









After the Passover seder I attended last night, I kinda NEED to make sure I pay attention to the points today. Haha. The seder was fun though. Rowan found the afikomen (the piece of matzoh that signifies the end of the seder. Haha) He had a great time, ate more matzoh ball soup than I ever expected, and played with a weird scary mechanical parrot the rest of the time
(the seders we attend involving my BF are, to say the least...interesting.







I love her to death, and I love that she has made her own Jewish traditions over the years (like a seder for Tu'B Shevat, the Jewish arbor day! Well...let's just say it involves the HERBS of the earth!







She rules, even if she is







Yeah, she has her ups and downs (this is the friend who Od'ed the other week) but she's like my sister, KWIM?)
So anyway, this seder was at her parent's house, her boyfriend, her brother and his GF were there, and then me, DH and Rowan. We do the "cliff's notes" version where we skip a million pages of the text, and then we add a feminist perspective and reading to the night as well. And this year, there was a parrot reciting the plagues. Yeah, I'm not kidding.









So anyway, Rowan went to bed at 10, and woke up at 5:30! Good times.







: He is in rare for this morning so I am SO in need of this computer time! I made him a smoothie and breakfast, ad unashamedly plopped him in front of Sesame Street. Unashamedly, I tell you!









I'm secretly glad my friend M will be here with her DS later this morning, and I have a LLL eval meeting and then lunch with DH.

megan, OMG!







I cannot believe how the time passes! He's walking!







: wow!

jstar, haha, DH saw moonwashedrose.com up on the computer last night and he said "what does she write??? 'Dear diary, today I smoked crack'???" I was like
















I







you all, but it's time for another cup of coffee.







Have a great day!


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Renae--I like the "exclamation point" thing you say down in your sig!


----------



## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Oh sugar
there is milk all over everything
so I gotta go before I eve got to say anything

Naomi calls a pinata a yimpada


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

go jett go!! he wants to chase mia









why did i think i only had 4 more weeks to go?? some engineer that can't do math eh? WISHFUL thinking. 6 weeks on the 'early side' and 10 on the 'long side'. ok i think i'll hope for SEVEN!!!

i went to target for easter goodies on monday sans child. i SPOIL him rotten. i spent $50







: 2 dvds and 3 books and a basket. i decided i should save 'babe' for his birthday. and give him peter pan in the basket. babe was really more a purchase for myself because i used to own the movie....and that movie was the whole reason we got a border collie. hah. he will be stoked on peter pan (i think). he loves the book and we listen to the songs on a cd. (no real anti-disney going on in this household)







:

yimpada







tee hee hee

ok back to my decaf latte and permit application.


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

jstar said:


> why did i think i only had 4 more weeks to go?? some engineer that can't do math eh?/QUOTE]
> 
> I wondered that too...then I thought, "maybe she's wishing to go at 36 weeks? Boy this is the long part of the pregnancy. Sooner'n you know it, however, that babe inside you will be crawling, walking, and more! It blows me away that Amara is starting to be such a little person. And Sol too! How did this happen?!?


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Yeah, I thought you were hoping for 36 weeks, too. 38 sounds better to me.









This week is kicking my a$$. Class every day, including Saturday orientation at the hospital. And we have class 14 hours on Friday. I miss Lily! (And DH, and my mom, too). Did I complain about this already? Probably.

Wow on the walking Jett. 11 months, sheesh.

Birthday: didn't we talk about this already? We are doing a combo party with another friend who is turning 4 on the 3rd. Little BBQ and cupcakes, the usual. Should be fun.

DH making sushi tonight. I'm scared.


----------



## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Making sushi? I'm impressed he would even try.









Mia calls a pinata a pinesta. She def gets the idea that it's a party thing.

Jett just fell asleep in the highchair while eating grapes. Oh, the cuteness. And I'll have to remember that trick for the next time Mia won't let me have 10 minutes to nurse the poor boy for his afternoon nap... which will probably be, like, oh, tomorrow. Probably one of those one off things. They never do it when you want them to, yk?

Feeling in a bit of a funk these days, myself. Not really a funk... I don't know what it is. Anxiety? Not sure. Somethin.

I'm stealing the egg carton seed planting for my playgroup this week. I am trying to lead by example by providing an activity for the kids to do. We need more of that. Doing nothing and then having the kids just fight over toys is getting old for me, and if it doesn't change, I'm thinking about quitting playgroup. Which is kinda big for me, since I've been in this playgroup for over two years, and it's a small town, and I know some will take it as a snub that I'm leaving. Small town drama. Annoying. In fact, that drama is also a motivator for me to ditch the group. Are we in high school, ladies?????







: I remember not too long ago my super hip and cool aunt told me, "it never changes. women act like they are in high school their whole lives, especially in groups. don't expect it to change, because it doesn't."







:

Oh, so wait... I needed to ask something about the egg cartons and I"m too lazy to go look it up.







You line each cup of the carton with a little bit of newspaper, to make for easy transplanting, right? And did most of you do simple cooking herbs - basil, parsley, oregano?

Okay, I gotta go encourage Mia to use the potty before we have an accident. We are in underwear most of the time here (other than naps and nighttime) and while it's going pretty well, she's back to accidents again the past few days. Trying to stay on top of it, but she's resistant to me reminding and asking all the time if she has to go. Trying to learn her rhythm so I don't get to naggy about it.


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

megan: we turned the potty thing into a bit of a competition and some reverse psychology with marek. "oh, i think i have to go to the potty first, and then you go to the potty after, marek..." "no, i have to go first, i have to go first, I HAVE TO GO FIRST!" as he races to the bathroom past us.

birthday: my mom and dad are coming for marek's third birthday. contemplating a small party for him at home with a few friends since he is likely to get overwhelmed with the big crowd that i know...







: don't want presents for him, though, and contemplating a book swap for the party instead.

"mama, can you pick up me, can you pick up me, can you pick up me?"

oh wait, distracted by the train tracks...

spaghetti squash with feta, olives, basil (oh crap, do we have the basil?) and a little tomato sauce for dinner. with the homemade italian biga (like a ciabatta) that bill made 2 days ago.

splat baby fell over on the hardwood floor from sitting up...

~claudia


----------



## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Egg cartons, we planted some different types of flowers, and I also tried tomatoes. So far the only things sprouting are the flowers. Also, I didn't line my cups with newspaper, too lazy for that. Its a good project, and a good learning tool, its tough to be patient to wait for the little seeds to sprout.

I can't believe Jett is walking! It seems like just yesterday we learned you were halfway pregnant! So sorry you're in a funk, I'm finally coming out of mine, methinks.

Tooo funny on the Sol and baby animal story.

sarah, so sorry you're so busy while your mom is visiting.









We're going on a road trip to Ohio in three weeks to visit my fam. I haven't seen them since November! So we're gonna drive out, shouldn't be too terrible, mapquest says its an 8 hour trip. We've done 7 hour trips maaaannnny times, so 8 should be doable. we'll get to celebrate my nephew's 5th birthday and my sister's birthday while we're out there, so that should be fun! I've never spent abirthday with my nephew ever, and its been a good 6ish years since I've spent my sister's birthday with her, so that will be nice. Hoping we can make it to the zoo, I think the kids really would have fun with that.

OK, gotta go upload some pix to snapfish to order.

Later mamajamas!


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mcsarahb* 
DH making sushi tonight. I'm scared.


You mean he's cutting up raw fish, or he's making nori rolls? The latter is pretty easy and tasty. The former sounds a little scary.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jstar* 
why did i think i only had 4 more weeks to go?? some engineer that can't do math eh? WISHFUL thinking. 6 weeks on the 'early side' and 10 on the 'long side'. ok i think i'll hope for SEVEN!!!


Y'know, I read the orig. and wondered why you wanted to have a baby so early.







"Oh well, whatever floats her boat," I thought.









Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mama Faery* 
jstar, haha, DH saw moonwashedrose.com up on the computer last night and he said "what does she write??? 'Dear diary, today I smoked crack'???" I was like

















I shouldn't be so amused by this, but I am... She could also say, "Dear diary, I don't color inside the lines when I put on lipstick. What's it to ya????"

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jacqueline* 
I've never had pinkeye. And, I've never been the best hand washer







: But, the yeast on my breast still HASN'T GONE AWAY!!!!! I'm working on it....


I have bread on the brain, because I read this as "the yeast on my bread hasn't gone away", and I was wondering why you even wanted it to go away...

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamameg* 
Jett is walking!!! 11 months. First steps were on the first, and since then, he's taking off everywhere! 5-6 steps at a time!







He's _really_ trying to talk, too. Ball. Bath. All Done. Ow. No. Pa. (mama and dada too but those are so run of the mill)


Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamameg* 

Anyway, I had to come and brag.










Pretty impressive. This inspired me to write a post in my blog about L and *her* big accomplishment (high 5ing).














I don't think she'll walk for another couple months at least, and she's so busy making noises (and high 5ing) that I doubt language has occurred to her.


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KKmama* 

You mean he's cutting up raw fish, or he's making nori rolls? The latter is pretty easy and tasty. The former sounds a little scary.

Well, both. He made nori rolls with raw fish. He got some sushi-grade ahi tuna from a fish market and made some rolls with it. Also made some with little pre-cooked tiny shrimpies and some veggie ones (cream cheese, avocado, cuke, carrot, spinach, etc.) They were pretty damn good, actually. Although I missed the pickled ginger.


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Hoping to catch up a little later, but wanting to say I'm thinking abot A&L+2.

Oh, and I love coffee.


----------



## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Miss Juice, I







you!
I







coffee too, so if I say I







YOU, you must all feel special!









Ah, small town drama.







I totally get that. If the playgroup ain't workin' for ya, though, what can you do? It's sort of like me and the raisin mama. Who I still have not made a concrete decision on, because I am a wussy wuss wuss.







I haven't seen her for a couple of weeks though...she is taking my hint and sort of cutting down on the playdates, and our playdates are barely an hour now, so it's sort of working...this week they were sick and it is Passover, too, though, so that's why I haven't seen them in a while.









Today is day #4 of gray ICKY weather.







It sucks. I am running out of indoor things to drag Rowan to! I don't feel like interacting with other people and refereeing my kid in like, a museum/aquarium/library situation right now...it's been a weird week for me. The egg carton planting thing sounds way cool, but I don't feel like dealing with dirt in the house (I know, I suck!) and it's too cold to be outside, unfortunately. It was SO pretty last week and now, UGH. There are tulips coming up outside though!







: That makes me happy.

Oh, so my weird week has to do with something traumatic that happened to me like 8 years ago.







I feel like I should just get the hell over it already but well, you can't tell your brain to stop, so you know...
(maybe I'll elaborate over at the YG...) but I think I will be feeling better in another week or so. PMS ain't helping either.







:

My nails are getting too long to type. Haha. I should do something about that.

Rowan is also having WEIRD poops. I think he has a touch of a stomach bug or maybe he ate too much matzoh the other night, so I also don't want to take him anywhere if he's sick in any way, both to keep him from getting sicker AND to keep him from not giving anything to another kid. Tis the season, I guess...

Oh, and the Easter spoiling!







: DH and I BOTH went out and got Rowan a bunch of stuff! Stickers, and little cars (we found Matchbox low-riders!







This made me happy. and a motorcycle), and a cute teeny stuffed bear & bunny that will fit in his dollhouse, more paint and glitter glue...and some candy.







: I told DH that he could have a little candy if it was "worth" it...ie., quality, like Lindt and the like. He found a package of THREE little Lindt gold-foil-wrapped bunnies! Perfect for his "first" chocolate bunny! Heehee.
And two more means one for each of us! haha.

We were laughing about how for us, these times of year always turn into *seasons*...mostly because we are so lazy that by the time we get all our stuff together for Ostara (or Yule), it's already Easter (or Christmas) and we're like "oh well!" Haha.

Okay, I am being asked for food. He seems to have NOT seen the toast and cereal RIGHT in front of him.









He calls pinatas "pinatta"! I think that I may get him one for his birthday this year. I am SO strongly not wating a theme, but he loves Blue's Clues SO much...eep! We did plan on a date for his party (which I think will be in our backyard)...the weekend AFTER his birthday. Which is like the first weekend in June, i think. Hah.

Sorry for the disjointed post.







: I haven't had enough coffee yet.

Exclamation point quote brought to you by Jade Puget, guitarist for AFI. because I am the biggest. fangirl. EVER.


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamameg* 
women act like they are in high school their whole lives, especially in groups. don't expect it to change, because it doesn't."

Oh my GAWD, can you beLIEVE she SAID that?!? C'mere and sit next to me at the Popular People Table, Mamameg.

Renae:

I started singing "wusssy wuss wuss! Wussy wuss wuss! Wussy wuss wuss!
Wuuuusssyyyyy wuss wuss!" to the tune of (culture-ignoramus here) that church song that goes "haaallelujah! hallelujah! hallelujah! haaaaleeeeluuuujaaaah!" funny.

Sarah, yuuuum on the sushinorirolls! Can I just borrow a little bit of your dh's "nice guy" quality for a while? I'm not sure how to get it down here but I'll figure it out. Could he just channel a bit into Mr. MostSelfishPersonIKnow? I won't bore you all with details, but okay just one: He cannot be bothered to communicate, y'know, like VERBALLY or anything--to ask him "What did youguys do today?" or anything even remotely like that, including, "How Are You?" (said non-derisively, I might add, with great earnest) gets NO reply. Can I throw him out the window yet?*
Yesterday I was successful in not taking it personally but I could see that road just beckoning to me, to get really angry and resentful. Then I said, HEY, I can always communicate my way to the girls online! So instead of frustrating myself trying to make him like I want him, I brushed him off and did my own thing. Success!

*I can see Lisa feverishly gesturing to the wide-open window she's left open for this very purpose for years...


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

36 would be a leeetle too early. 37 or 38 i could handle







realistically i'll be stoked if it is closer to 40 than 42









TODAY IS GLORIOUS!!!!! 75 degrees







: (sorry renae). it will only be like this for 3 days i think and then back to the regularly scheduled spring gloom

i'm totally doing egg cartons this weekend. i have a bunch of flower seeds

i fried a circuit in our house this morning. dh was







: helllooooo as if i did it on purpose. we had an electrician out yesterday. i think his bid will be $$$$$$$$$. mmm. fun.

sushi sounds so good. i've been craving it. i'm HUNGRY! and i just finished a bowl of oatmeal. far too healthy


----------



## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Hey all....

Yes, I've tried tea tree on the yeast (and not the bread kind!)







I've been through so many things, I won't give you the list. Currently, I'm using gentian violet (purple on the nips is so springy--kinda like dyeing Easter eggs!) and taking some potent digestive enzymes designed to eat up the candida in my gut. So, we'll see. Eating Easter candy is probably not helping







: ....but that will be over soon enough.

Go Jett Go!!!! I can't even remember when G couldn't walk...time does fly by.

KK-Congrats on L high 5ing! Gabriel is still trying to figure that out.

And, elsanne, the Popular Girl Table? That was never where I sat. I hope we can still be friends









I put together a sweet little Easter basket, if I do say so myself. Bunny, some jelly beans and chocolate, a Thomas video and little Thomas train (since we can't find his other one), a sticker book and a Bunny book by Richard Scarry. I never had a basket this cool. It will be fun watching him take things out.

I just finished cutting up lots of fruit for a potluck dinner at church tonight. Tonight begins nightly church services through Easter Eve and then with Easter on Sunday morn, of course. We won't be seeing dh much. I take G to some of them, but am selective.

We close on Monday (if dh can still sit upright). Then, the following weekend the bishop is coming to do confirmation (a pretty big deal as churchy things go), so that's why we're not actually moving till April 21. Crazy busy time of year for clergy and we picked it to move! Well, it mostly picked us, but it is still mighty busy.

Okay, gotta git. Happy Thursday!


----------



## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

I looooooove talking about Easter baskets! It's funny, we're totally not Christian here, and I think y'all know my spotty spiritual path growing up, but one thing my mama ALWAYS did, even to the point of packing it up and sending it to my 19 year old self 3000 miles away, was make me Easter baskets.








I had this lame bunny that said "Happy Easter!" when you squeezed its tummy, and I think I got it when I was 21 from my mom.







I say lame, but I had it for years.








So, Spring baskets are a BIG deal here. I was nearly in tears when I thought we weren't going to get around to doing it this year (which is why DH insisted HE get the stuff...he's been trying really hard to be more sensitive, actually, speaking of, Els...sorry about your MrSuckyPoopyMan!







: I've opened my window for ya, and it's damn cold here so you have to know how special that gesture is!







)

Jacqueline, your gentian-violet-nipple comment had me







! I hope it helps though, mama. I tried tea tree when I had my er, yeasty issues a couple months back, and all it managed to do was make it a _burny, tingly_ sort of severe itch. *sigh* Haha. I couldn't find the gentian violet here either, so I had to resort to the damn cream.








Good luck getting through all the churchy stuff! I am still on the fence about whether we will go to church Sunday, I think it depends on how all of us are feeling; if it's nice we may just go to the public Easter Egg hunt near us, and I will make a big yummy breakfast, and we will spend all day together (if we went to church we'd all get pulled in a million directions because they'd invariably "need" me for SOMETHING...can ya tell church is getting us kinda







: lately? I feel bad but...) We'll see!
Gosh, good luck moving too!







to y'all for dealing with all that!









The popular table? Nah, come hang out with me at the arty-geeky-gothy-punk table!







I loved my last two years in high school; I moved to a new town, changed my name, met the friends who, even though they drive me







sometimes, are my family, and well, yeah.









I'm TIRED, damn!















I switched to Silk creamer (did I tell you about the PETA thing?? I think I did...sorry, no brain right now) and surprisingly, it's going pretty well. I do miss half & half though. The organic stuff's WAY too expensive so...

Oh kay! Rowan keeps padding into the room in his feetie pajamas, reminding me that he loooooves me (AWW!) and that I need to bring the bubbles to M & L's house today!







I also need to pack him a lunch--we have a playdate this morning.

Have a great weekend and happy Easter, mamajamas!









OH! I have "wuuuuussy, wuss wuss! WUSSY, wuss wuss...." stuck in my head now too! Elsanne!


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Aaaw, Renae









Getting my zen on this morning with a little green tea. Maybe it'll make for less chaos? OK, I'm really just trying to smile around my







: about the lack of coffee beanage in my home. No pirates to crack today, so a slower start is cool.

Purple is very springy







all the crocuses came out a few days ago and it was lovely. Now they are all covered in snow and not so lovely. On the nips, though, I've also heard great things about Grapefruit Seed Extract. Haven't had to use it, so no report on its effectiveness, but another option to google.

We didn't line our egg cartons, but that would have made sense. We also did flowers, herbs, tomatoes. Nothing's come up yet, but I'm not very good at keeping things watered







so we'll see what pops up (if anything).

Els, boo to the brooding artist. And if you ever get tired of the popular table, I'll be outside on the grass with my homemade carrotcake









All of a sudden Allison has gone from talking like a toddler to much more clear pronunciation and lots of big words. Her current fave is "because", which she uses multiple times per sentence.

I'm going to have to go tear through my freezer in search of emergency backup coffee now.


----------



## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Miss Juice* 
All of a sudden Allison has gone from talking like a toddler to much more clear pronunciation and lots of big words. Her current fave is "because", which she uses multiple times per sentence.









That's really cute! Katie's fave big word lately is "actually"

Dh and I are going out tomorrow night to buy Easter basket goodies! We have a babysitter and we'll probably go out for dinner, and then go shopping at Target. Wild date night!

Heather, how you doing mama? We all miss you! And Lisa-thinking of your family. Hope you can get a few minutes to update us soon.







:

Alrighty, better get moving. I totally agree with everyone who says they need their morning routine in silence. I like to read the paper and hop online for a few minutes and if I get interrupted (usually at least 24 times) I'm all







: .

Oh, one last thing, we'll probably just do a small family thing for katie's birthday. That's what we did for Sarah, and it worked out well. If its nice, we might throw some burgers on the grill, or we might just invite everyone over just for cake, which is even easier.


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Hi all-

Sherri, that sounds like a perfect date! I love just window shopping and walking around Target.







Although DH would probably hate it. See, Els, he's not perfect - he hates shopping, and has a phobia of fabric stores!









Lily is getting excited about Easter. She's not so sure about this giant rabbit that's supposed to bring her treats, but she likes all the fuss and candy in the meantime. DH's sister sent her a beautiful paper egg with a little bit of fancy candy in it yesterday, so she's already gotten a taste of the good stuff.

Jacqueline, I'm sure you've tried the GSE, right? Right?? Oh, and have a good weekend. Hope your DH survives and has fun.

Can't you just cut the egg cartons apart and plant them right with the seedlings?

OK, more to say, but must go. Off to my 14-hour marathon day. Learning how to suture, deal with shoulder dystocias, labor support, etc. Oh my!

Sarah


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Wow. Are we the only ones who don't do an Easter basket?







: It's funny because I totally know what to do about Christmas as a UU and non-Christian. But I can't quite wrap my head around Easter. For me, "Christmas" is more about the Solstice, renewal, spending time with friends and family, thinking of others, etc. For some reason, I can't quite do my thang with Easter... I guess it's because the non-Christian version (ie, the Easter Bunny) kind of freaks me out, and I haven't quite figured out a path through that. We *do* dye eggs with Grammie (will do that tomorrow--we really love doing that). No, I haven't explained that. I think I need to have a long chat with our DRE this weekend.

Ug. T was having all kinds of freaked out questions about death last night, and he chose to talk to dh, who was handling it pretty badly. (I don't know why, but dh was telling him about burial and cremation, and T's tearful feedback was that he didn't want bugs to eat him and that he didn't want to burn up.) T wound up sleeping with me all night, poor guy. Note to dh: when a child (especially a sensitive one) is asking questions about death, instead of just blinding lauching forth with all kinds of answers which yes, may be correct but are still potentially scary, ask a few questions of your own to find out exactly what he is wanting to know and what is prompting his questions. Just a suggestion. (Dh is in the doghouse about a coupla other things, too, but I won't go into it here and now.)

MCSB, the 14 hr day doesn't sound good.







:







:

Ooh, I loves me some Target (a little too much). I need to get some random stuff (a pencil sharpener, little boy socks'n'undies), so a trip to Tarzhay is in my future.

Z is a big fan of "actually" too.

Juice, I was thinking about coffee the other day, and how just a year or two ago, there's no way my body could have handled me suckin' down a couple of cups on a regular basis the way I do now. Hmm. Three kids have anything to do with it? I hate green tea. Give me real tea (ie, black tea) or nothing. Renae, I'm Silk Creamer's #1 fan. Hazelnut is my favorite. SC is what has allowed my coffee addiction to progress. Re the PETA thing... interestingly, my step-mother (who is a curious mix of gun-totin' western woman and very soft-hearted bleeding heart type) gets only free-range/organic/kindly raised and/or kindly slaughtered dairy products/eggs/meat because she can't bear the thought of the animals being mistreated on her behalf. (My dad rolls his eyes--grr--but he has to go along with it because she does the shopping.)

Are you *sure* it's yeast? When T was around 1, I totally thought I had a yeastie problem, but my nurse practitioner and dr. in Berkeley (defnitely by far the best health care providers we have ever, ever, EVER had) finally convinced me that it wasn't (in part, she swabbed and cultured and nothing came up). For me, it was a combo of hormones (I was about to get my period back) and a rough latch/too much comfort sucking. I say boo on the GV, yea on the GSE (in part because the latter is way more gentle).

In high school I was... hmm. I guess I was involved in more than one group. I was a brainiac (would have been the valedictorian, but I left a year early), and I was a band/jazz band geek, and I was prez of the speech club and a member of the drama club, and I did sports too (but I was the only "smart girl" on the team, and was generally mildly ostracized). But really now that I think about it, I was in a small town, and the music/art/speech/drama people had a lot of overlap. We sat outside and ate lunch together. Oddly enough, the only two people I am in contact with from those days (dh, and a mama friend IRL) are from that lunch bunch.

I'm curious what you changed your name to/from.

Jacquie, if you guys were smart, you'd have some kind of "action service" that involved the blessing and moving of all your stuff from one place to another.
















Re electrical stuff, I have a confession to make (re Z and electricity), but I'll do it on the YG.

Els, if you need help throwing him out the window, I'm volunteering.

Around here, the dirt makes its way into the house whether I want it to or not.

Meg, take a deep breath, and say buh-BYE to those people.

Renae, we got your weather. Gee, thanks.







:














:


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Dudes. Virally resistant KK sounds like a scary new disease. "Watch out for virally resistant KK. You'll scratch your @$$ off." And isn't Pink Kitty some kind of a drink? (or maybe it's a pornstar name.)


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

kk: pink kitty...







: virally resistant kk...









els: i will help kk toss mr. sickydaddypants out the window.

renae: maybe i can talk kk into helping me toss raisin mama out the window for you, so then you don't have to be wussy-wuss-wuss.









we went through the "actually" phase a little while ago. now it's "but why?" and after my brief explanation which probably sounds majorly patronizing, another "but why?" oh, and marek now has a philadelphia accent to much of his speech.







: bill's latent philadelphian?

jacquie: GSE, GSE, GSE!!! www.drjaygordon.com look up candida/yeast and follow his dilution recommendations. and i agree with kk that your dh/minister should consider an action service to help you with moving! play the pregnant wife card...

squeaky baby... leisurely breakfaster...







: egg hunt with friends this morning...

oh, we haven't done easter baskets yet with M. i never had them growing up. not sure if bill did. but we did get a couple of small present things for M, including a cheapy kids digital camera with the current fave Ariel the Mermaid so we don't have to deal with the zillion pictures that M *has* to take with our nice new digi.

yum, jellybeans. and i think i'm going to splurge on the yummy pack of easter truffles from moonstruck chocolates...







: not like i need more chocolate... omigosh, i scored a $6 box of mini brownie treats from costco yesterday. 36 of them in the box, made by just desserts. so







:

off to shower.

~claudia


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

slacking on personals as per usual














:

Just tired and more tired. Started today with what feels like BH occasionally? Too early for that at 11wks or no? Annoying at any rate!

We made some delicious pumpkin muffins this morning. C is quite a whiz with the baking and probably could fly solo if she could read the ingredients.







She is a total number nut these days and has most of them down to 100, but gets tripped up on the 19/20 29/30 thing and insists it goes 19, 10-teen, twenty...







Puzzles are suddenly a hit as well which is a nice QUIET activity. We're counting down the days til our trip to DC for her birthday where she thinks she will share cupcakes *with* the pandas....not sure how I'm going to orchestrate that birthday wish!









We're off to CT for the weekend after C rides her hippo tomorrow.


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

I'm here slacking off at the puter naking a sleeping baby while dh is with Z at his music class...

Heather (I keep forgetting to say woo on just 1







), I had BH earlier and earliest in each pg. I'm 100% sure that I had them by 11 wks with L, if not before. That's normal. But I'll let the real May Mama birth pros tell you that. (Me? I'm just an amateur.







)


----------



## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Yes, I'm using GSE in the morning and GV at night. I'm giving the GV a couple more days...I actually think it *might* be helping, but it's kinda hard to tell, cause my boobs are, ya know...purple! Makes it hard to see if the infection part is dissipating. I still have major itchiness (big sign of yeast), so it's not totally gone yet. Thanks for the reminder, KK, about actually having a culture done...and it did pop up for the first time when G was 1 1/2 and my period was about to return. I haven't had it cultured. Though a doc I respect back in Texas did diagnose it as yeast last May and prescribed something that seemed to get rid of it until the last month. My sense is that pg hormones and being out of whack have brought it out again. But, I haven't ruled out getting a culture. If the current treatment doesn't clear it up, that's my next thing. I'll just have to go to a CNM for that visit since my CPM doesn't have the facilities to do that sort of thing.

And, KK, Re: Easter....as far as the non-Christian significance...I think you could go with the whole new life, springtime, birth aspect here, too. Eggs are a big signifier of that. I was raised in a Baptist household and no way did we celebrate the Easter Bunny (or Santa Claus for that matter)...it was all about Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. But, Easter didn't make a lot of sense to me since the church I grew up in focused on the death part so much. So, when we became Episcopalians, I learned about the whole "new life" and renewal side of things and it made so much more sense as a celebration ...and actually made the Easter Bunny and Easter Eggs make more sense in an odd way. Also, going through Lent (a dark period of self examination and reflection) makes the Easter part make more sense to me, too. That's not something I grew up with as a Baptist.

So, there's my rambling Good Friday thoughts from your resident Clergy Spouse














As always, I respect all of my May Mamas spiritual beliefs and truly enjoy the ways we're all different. Just thought I'd share a bit of where I come from to add to the mix.









Now, we're off to spend a little bit of G's Easter money from Grandma!


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Still here, still naking sleeping baby (love those dh days off, he's going to go pick up T from K)... can't resist replying to Jacquie...

I posted about my own nipple thing in part because I was so convinced it was yeast (not saying that yours definitely isn't yeast, but wanted to share that sometimes, one has the "symptoms" of yeast, and it isn't). I had the pink shiny nipples, the itchiness, the flaky skin, etc. In fact, I have it now, too. And I had it around this time with Z, too. Like I said, I think some of it has to do with hormonal changes in my body as I move toward menstruating again (and I am--my hair and skin are greasy and I'm having a hard time keeping up with them, and I can tell that my body is moving toward the dastardly egg). Some of it I also think has to do with teething (and possibly irritating saliva from the kid and a rough latch). What has been the most helpful for me is rinsing my nipples after nursing (to get rid of the saliva), letting them dry well, and then using Lansinoh. My NP gave me a big lecture about GV







: how it can be a big irritant, how she thought it was not safe to use with children. It was also her opinion that it's *really* hard for healthy people who haven't been on antibiotics recently to develop yeast problems. Just food for thought.

I appreciate what you wrote about Easter. Really good stuff to think about there, and it resonates with me.

Okay, baby awake, and must go slay the laundry monster.


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

dastardly egg









i was going to say much the same thing about easter signifying the springtime and new births and growth. i've been talking to isaac about that a lot. baby animals are born and we are seeing the new leaves on the trees and new flowers. i really *love* the feeling of new growth this time of year.

my mom didn't do huge elaborate easter baskets but we usually got some little treat in the morning. i am going to take isaac to church sunday even though the easter story is not my personal fave. i can totally get behind the christmas birth thing (a great story for kids i think). i do not really get behind the rising again thing because i don't agree with that part very much even on a metaphorical level. (plus it seems it might be confusing to isaac if he gets it at all.) i really offended my mom in high school when i told her i believed in god but not jesus. which is pretty much how i feel. i believe in 'a' god...but more in the form of the ominpotent 'one' than a persona. and i believe there have been several significant spiritual people that have lived like jesus, siddhartha and mohammed, etc. but i don't elevate them to 'god' status in my mind. so while i have spiritual inclinations (which doug does not really at all) and they are kind of a moosh of many religions i do think christianity is my 'cultural' religion. it is most accessible to me living here and i would like isaac to be exposed to it. i was...growing up. i was also exposed to 'everyday islam and buddhism' living in islamabad with my friends and how they lived and their rituals. and i really enjoyed that too. but i don't feel like i could 'be' a buddhist properly because it isn't what i have been raised in. (not that it couldn't work for other people). i think i would just feel like i was not quite getting it right. so i still consider myself a christian







although i don't participate in anything. we've been to ONE baptism and isaac still talks about 'going to church.' so i think we should









whew. i got a little philisophical there.

the circuit that blew yesterday has all the plugs in our kitchen on it. so i couldn't make coffee this morning and begged doug to bring me a teeny tiny stumptown cuppa. he doesn't like the fact that i'm drinking coffee with this pg but he did anyway. he goes 'what is this kid going to be like??? you didn't even drink coffee with isaac and look how hyper he is!!!!' maybe that was the whole problem







i really drink very little (usually not even a full cup) but stumptown coffee is like crack. and then i made isaac a waffle by taking the toaster oven into the living room. it looks like we are getting a whole new electrical panel to the tune of $2000. joy! i got up at 4am this morning because i was having a financial crisis in my head. i still don't know what i was thinking getting pregnant.

poor isaac has a new cold today but they are having an easter party this afternoon. so he was pretty excited. he asked me ten times 'is this easter day????'

he is HEAVILY into WHY? right now. repeat ad nauseum. also heavily into death and dying. he lies down and puts quarters over his eyes and goes 'i died. mom, i died. i died.' i'm like 'quit saying that!' we've been reading the prince and the pauper (the prince and pop!) and he gets hung up on the king dying. and then he had a brief phase of 'i kill you!!!' which i did not love. but luckily he dropped it pretty quickly. his understanding is definitely not that of T's...which seems like he just reached the age where he really understands it









did i tell you we are going to go to salem for an egg hunt at an animal rescue farm? i probably am repeating myself. i'm so excited! they have 150 animals. and the eggs have treats inside to feed to the animals. i think this goes perfectly with the 'animal/spring' theme.


----------



## A&L+1 (Dec 12, 2003)

So many things to respond to, but oddly it is the revelation that Jacqueline was raised Baptist too that finally pushed me to post! You describe very well how I feel about realizing late the "new life" aspect of Easter. I remember well the day that the children's pastor told us at church that Santa and the Easter Bunny were Satan trying to lure us away from the real meaning of the season and then later revealed that my parents were Santa and the Easter Bunny. In my head at 8 years old the church told me that my parents were Satan. It was a bit unsettling to say the least. Easter is now one of my favorite things to celebrate and I semi-practice Lent too. Episcopalian - hmmm, you are the second person in recent weeks that has made me question my assumptions about Episcopalians. Must think on this.

Annabel is doing okay. We had a great week at home and I am at work now. Basically she coughs a bit and is all screwed up with her digestion because she has been on the evil Amoxicillin but otherwise seems fine. Here's my thinking on Annabel - I just gotta learn to trust that this baby knows what she is doing. She is a frightfully "good" baby. Frankly, it worries me. She gets tired and fusses every night at 8:30-9:00p, we swaddle her and put her in her bassinette, and *she sleeps until 5:30-6:00a*. Literally sleeping through the night, EVERY night, like clockwork, since BIRTH. She is a great nurser; content, gaining weight, asking to nurse every couple of hours that she is awake and then extra in the early evening. I don't know what is worrying me really (besides the to-be-expected "my baby just coughed up blood" anxiety), but she seems a little too content in my opinion. I am trying to work on my faith that she knows what she is doing and learn to sit back and watch and maybe pick up a thing or two from her laid back little self.

So, how does one repair the digestive tract of a 9-week old? Her poops smell yucky, she is farting, spitting up, getting a nasty diaper rash, etc. I would normally think probiotics, but does anyone know how you deal with an infant in this situation? It sucks and makes me so sad.

I am so looking forward to the weekend and some time to enjoy my family and reflect on new life. It is important to me this year.

------
Yes, Elsanne, the windows here are all open and I am flexing my muscles.

I've got my eye on the raisin mama too, Renae, so let me know if she needs to get flung out the window with Els' man.

It bugs me Megan that we live relatively close together, but not close enough that we can actually see each other. I am sorry you are struggling to connect with nearby moms.

Heather, enjoy your weekend (and your baking little girl - that is so cute!)

KK, I don't know about Pink Kitty, but around here the Pink Poodle is the sex shop on the corner. It is painted a bright purple pink - just like you!

Jess - that is the cutest egg hunt idea I have ever heard of - Have fun and feed a goat for me.

I am thinking about asking for this for my birthday: http://www.xtracycle.com/electra-townie-p-86.html We can't afford it really, but my dream is to bike to work (it's 5 miles one way) and I will need to research if I can get this on the front of a bus (as a Transit Supervisor this is critical) so that I could do a bike/bus combo trip to/from home. If you aren't already a biker does this seem like an impulsive thing to want to buy? What do you all think?


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Wow. I can't wrap my head around Lisa being raised a Baptist. I guess 'cause I see you as the anti-baptist now (not like Jacquie is the poster child for Baptists either, though). Easter Bunny/Santa = Satan ergo parent = Satan. Whoa. *That* is just wrong.

Lisa, L slept all night every night, too. Till she was about 3-4 mos., then she started nursing at night some. It freaked me out, too. Just get some sleep now and enjoy it, 'kay?







Look for some Bifidus--that's what babies have in their gut. You can get it powdered. Wet your finger just a tiny bit, put a tiny bit on your finger, and let her suck it off your finger. And Alison should take it, too. And *dude*--I've been eyeing the Xtracycle, too.









I can see that I'm not going to get a darned thing done today. (Except dh straightened me out about T and the death talk, and we're going to talk to him again, together, during this afternoon's nap.)


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

lisa you shouldn't even tell me that babies like annabel exist! i might think this baby thing won't be so hard. that is so WONDERFUL for your family though. probably very little disruption going on. i'm already getting worried about how the nighttime commotion is going to affect isaac's sleep. he's been sleeping like a charm lately but all our bedrooms are right next to each other and i fear it is going to be loud.


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Lisa, hugs on the abx distress. My Allison was on abx from 3 days after birth until she was 6 months (and then she had surgery so we didn't have to do bx anymore). Have your Alison eating probiotics regularly, and you can also get some for Annabel at a health food store. I think the one we had was called "baby bifidactlyl" or something like that. It's a powder, you can mix it with breastmilk and either put it on your finger and into her mouth, or in a dropper. But that might not all be necessary - once she's off the abx it shouldn't take long for her gut to stabilize on its own just by nursing.

So glad everyone's recovering.


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

I see my undercaffeinated fingers are too slow for KK and jstar!


----------



## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 

------
Yes, Elsanne, the windows here are all open and I am flexing my muscles.

I've got my eye on the raisin mama too, Renae, so let me know if she needs to get flung out the window with Els' man.


----------



## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
Episcopalian - hmmm, you are the second person in recent weeks that has made me question my assumptions about Episcopalians. Must think on this.

Yeah, dh and I were pretty excited when we found a church that actually thought it was a good thing to use your BRAIN! It ain't perfect, but it's home for now.

I'm so glad Annabel is doing better. I third the bifidus rec. We did that with G after a course of abx and it did help alot.

KK-I'm glad you shared your "not actually yeast" story. It was quite helpful. What did your NP ultimately have you do? Just the washing after nursing and Lansinoh? I have had intestinal yeast issues in the past and was on an abx last spring as well as over the summer, so it's possible for my body to still be working it out. But, your comments will help me as I go to the next phase.

We're doing an Easter egg hunt tomorrow morning at a local park. And dyeing them after G wakes up from his nap.

Did anyone read the article in this month's issue of Mothering about the woman who lost her baby during labor (Mothering Charlotte or something like that)? I read it just now as G was going to sleep and it was hard to do. I didn't bawl as much as I thought I would...but the thought of delivering a term baby that has no heart beat just sounds horrendous (though this mom has a wonderful perspective). I have more fears about this kind of thing with this pg just because G's pg and labor/birth went so smoothly. Is that normal for the 2nd (or 3rd) time? I keep thinking about worst case scenarios...but then again, I do that more now as a mom in general. I don't know why. Why do we worry ourselves so much? It's exhausting and not very productive. I'll work it all out before the birth, it's just bothering me that it's even on my mind at all.

DH is home for a while! So, I must spend some time with him.


----------



## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

I was totally stressed during my second p[regnancy. That something would go wrong, that the labor would be hard etc etc etc.

lisa, Mmmm, what in particular attracts you about that bike. It does seem impulsive, but 5 miles is very manageable by bike. In fact I have been thinking of getting my bike ready to ride again. Of course how to get two kids around I don't really know. N could do a tandem but I hate carrying a kid on the front.

Oh, bath is over


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

long day out. good. fun. will write more about it later or tomorrow.

lisa: i sixth or seventh or whatever the powdered probiotics with bifidus. jarro-dophilus or udo's choice are good high quality ones in the refrigerated section of the health food store and they both make powdered ones for infants.

jacquie: yes, i worried about the second pregnancy, too. especially about the possibility of a cesarean when two of my close friends had c's after planned homebirths about a week apart at the end of june. it's okay to worry a little, but then repeat your mantra of what you envision for your birth when you are done worrying.

heath: braxton hicks at 11 weeks sounds about when i started them with S. sounds pretty normal to me. glad it's just one, too.









must go read stories.

'night mamas.

~claudia


----------



## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Hey Renae, AFI is going to be on SNL tonight. Not sure if you knew that, but being the groupie you are, you probably already did.







Maybe its a rerun, but again, the groupie you are won't really care.


----------



## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

OK, I have to get read for the Easter egg hunt at preschool.

To add, Lisa, that bike looks comfortable and useful to boot. I realize that I would have to use a trailer for the two kids, which would be really heavy. Maybe I can find a better solution, like a tandem bike with a seat (so Naomi can do some of her own work)

I am glad to hear Annabel is doing well. What a scary experience.

I guess I knew babies like that existed, but I never seem to have them. Still, I am so glad that she is a mellow baby.

Well, I have very little to cime in on other than that since I am struggling to keep up anyway. But I think of you guys...


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Is the bike Lisa likes electric? I'm not so interested in the electric bike, but that co. makes good commuting-type bikes. Bikes which are easy to really load up with stuff (like groceries). (But I can also understand not wanting to arrive at work all sweaty.) I'm gearing up for the day L is big enough for the Burley...

Jacquie, what I did after the "it's not yeast" is not the good part of the story. My NP wanted me to see a dermatologist, and she had a specific one in mind (who was very breastfeeding friendly). But that one wasn't covered by our insurance, so I saw a different one. And that one was basically useless and annoying. But yeah, I figured out on my own that washing off the saliva and using Lansinoh helped. Also, in our case, I'm pretty careful about latch as they get teeth. T's lazy latch was exacerbated by using a sippy cup with a hard spout. I really explored this with my then LLL leaders, and I found a cup that had no spout at all (just a soft ring that opens when depressed by one's upper lip). I also wanted to say that *you* could probably benefit from taking acidophilis regularly, if it is indeed yeast.

I want to know who stole our spring. We were supposed to go dye eggs with my mom today, but it's 21F, there's freezing drizzle and a coating of ice on everything (and plenty of accidents on the highway).







We're going to go tomorrow.


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Our egg cartons are sprouting!!

OK, DD1's carton is sprouting. DD2's and my own are... not.
But it's a ton of fun to watch. Both girls noticed that the "plants" are bigger this afternoon.

OTOH, 5" of snow and it just. keeps. coming.







:


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

ThreadKillah here to report more than two feet of snow.























We did go to church (not a frequent happening) and the girls keep asking when we can go back. So maybe we'll get more regular with that... everyone enjoyed it.

Things have tapered off so I am certain school is on for tomorrow. Don't know whether I'm happy or sad about that.


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Miss Juice* 
ThreadKillah here to report more than two feet of snow.























OMG that's insane. Where are you, again?

It's rainy here but pretty balmy at 50-odd degrees. I FINALLY finished the yard this morning; put the soaker hose down and a yard of wood chips. Looks good.

Lily's been in LOUD mode today. Happy, just loud and repeating herself all the time. My ears are tired. It may be all the sugar from this morning. The loudness, not the tiredness.









I am tired in general, too. Looooooooong week last week and only one day of rest (today) before it starts all over again tomorrow. Sigh. My mom leaves Thursday and I'm feeling a little sad about that.

OK, I feel like I'm boring and bored. Someone's gotta think of a good question for us, ladies.


----------



## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Seeing as my brain is not working this morning (well, what morning does it EVER?







) I should NOT be the one to think of a question! Wait! I have an idea! Off the top of your head (or off the top of Wikiquote!) post a quote. It can be random, or one that makes you laugh or one that really *means* something to you. Until someone thinks of a good question we can do that!

Here's mine...but it might get us in trouble:
(during an interview with Jade Puget and Davey Havok of AFI)
Interviewer: "Hey Jade, are the rest of the guys jealous that the entire 'Girl's Not Grey' video occurs in your crotch?"
Jade: "Hey Dave, are you jealous that 'Girl's Not Grey' takes place in my crotch?"
Davey: "No, because I'm going to take place in your crotch."









Hahaha! Okay, I am infinitely amused by that. It's even my email sig line right now! I am so naughty.









Miss Juice, WHERE are YOU??? I forget.







: Good luck in the snow, hon!
Here, it's darn chilly but sunny. Easter was fun, we should have gone to church but we did not, because we've been really ambivalent about it, which makes me sad because we once LOVED our church...but I think the break was good for us. We'll be back this coming Sunday, I think.
Oh, so I made us a big breakfast, we watched way too much Oswald and Blue's CLues (he got two new DVD's for easter from Gramma) and we hid a bunch of plastic eggs, and Rowan ate his first chocolate bunny...in ONE sitting!







but it was fairly small and he didn't go TOO crazy from it, so...haha.
He wanted to keep hiding eggs ALL DAY, so we all took turns hiding them and then finding them.







It was a lot of fun.

Lisa, never look a gift-baby in the mouth!







or something.







I totally know what you mean though. I remember when I was amazed that Rowan was an "easy" baby (besides the sleeping, or lack thereof), back before he was 1...and NOW look at him!














:







:
Seriously, it's SO good to hear from you!







Enjoy the babyness!

I really have no brain today...so I will leave you with the quoted joy and my







! Love to you all!

ETA: OH WAIT!!! A momentous thing I keep forgetting to mention!! We saw LAURIE BERKNER in Boston Saturday, and truly, it was an amazing experience! The way Rowan's face utterly LIT UP when she came on stage...it actually made me AND DH *cry*.







: He was transfixed, she sang all his favorite songs (and one of my least favorites...







Hehe) and he has his FIRST concert tee! Awww! I can't wait till he's old enough for more shows. I will SO bring him to Warped Tour!








It was a wonderful experience, and I will share pics as soon as I can get them onto the computer.








Okay, bye for real!


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KKmama* 
Dudes. Virally resistant KK sounds like a scary new disease. "Watch out for virally resistant KK. You'll scratch your @$$ off." And isn't Pink Kitty some kind of a drink? (or maybe it's a pornstar name.)


























What happened to my email advising that you all are posting? I thought all my threads (all two) were just dead over the weekend. I just got the update email from Renae's post above. Hate coming into class late, I feel all







:


----------



## A&L+1 (Dec 12, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
What happened to my email advising that you all are posting? I

I hate when that happens! Usually for me it's because I forget to update my subscription from month to month or I am somehow logged out of MDC. It always takes me way too long to figure out that it's _my_ fault.

Photos of my whole family are availabe over yonder YG. Use the link in the message - we don't own the photos yet so they are not in the files. Post your comments here if you like because I won't be able to go into the YG to read until later tonight (no access at work).

My favorite quote is the one that I plan to send out when I quit my transit job for midwifery school. It's a cheesy commencement speech quote by Alan Alda but I like it for the bus reference and the focus on brave creativity:

"Be brave enough to live creatively. The creative place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. You can't get there by bus, only by hard work, risking, and by not quite knowing what you are doing. What you discover will be wonderful: yourself."


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure." -Marianne Williamson, from _A Return to Love_

This summarizes my experience thus far with serving women as a midwife.

Off to go look at Lisa's family...


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

"That which does not kill me makes me stronger." (Friedrich Nietzshe, translated a variety of ways.) Yeah, a little cheesy, but it's something which has stuck with me over the past 20 years or so. And at least I picked it up by *reading* Nietzsche, rather than from a pop culture source.









I'm feeling very aura-y today... I wound up falling asleep (yesterday) with Z during his quiet time (and apparently, he got up once I was asleep, trotted downstairs, and announced, "Mama's asleep!"), and I woke up very much on the verge of a migraine. I sucked down coffee and tylenol to keep it at bay, and I just barely managed. Despite the extra caffeine load, I sleep like a log, and I woke up still feeling funny (my head just doesn't feel right, and along with the aura sensation, it feels like my vertigo is mildly involved). Dunno what's up, but I can very confidently predict that I will get very little done today. My head feels best on a level, not moving very much at all. Which means of course that I can say, read my email, but that something like laundry is more difficult.


----------



## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Lisa! What a beautiful family! Eleanor looks soooo different from how I envisioned her. What a beautiful girl! And Annabel is precious. Her eyes looked really blue in the one picture, does Alison have blue eyes? And your hair is longer than I thought, for some reason from older pictures I thought your hair was shorter. I was cracking up on the pic where Alison is kissing the penguin-it looks like she's looking at you like "why am I kissing a penguin?"







And the pic of you and A smooching







Thank you so much for sharing, its been awhile since we've seen you and your clan, so it was nice to have a glimpse into your lives.

Emmalola, how've you been, mama? Thinking of you and hoping all is well.

KK-hope your viral resistancy will help you kick the migraine.







I love your DDDDC

OK, off to play Memory...


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

morning. or afternoon. it still feels like morning.

easter was groovy. isaac and i went to church. he was pretty well-behaved. we didnt go to the animal farm because doug moaned about driving that far







he spends a ton of time driving the metro area for work whereas i think 'going for a drive' is kind of fun. i live my life mostly in a 30 block radius. so we went to the park instead and doug hiked my easter-egg-like self up to the top of mt tabor







and then the best part is that doug went grocery shopping and we went to our friend's house and THEY cooked up easter dinner while i sat on my butt and i did not have to do dishes. awesome!!!!

isaac came downstairs yesterday to find his easter basket on his little table in the living room. and he looks at it. and then he stares at the bookcase for a while. i'm thinking '??????' he finally says 'where'd the easter bunny go?' he did not think this should be a santa-like stealth operation. the easter bunny came to daycare on friday so why wouldn't he deliver his easter basket in person??? silly mama.

baby boy is moving all over the place. hiccups are radiating from many locations these days. so that is good









i didn't get my egg cartons planted. maybe this evening.

right now i suppose i should work. but first i have to check the YG for piccies


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Lisa--I'm blaming my hormones, but I got all teary looking at those pics. Lovely! I have so many faves. I love all the ones of the four of you and of you and Allison. I miss those teeny tiny froggy baby legs.

Back from CT and exhausted. Why do you always need a vacation after a trip?? We're debating redoing our bathroom this summer which would involve me going to CT w/ just the girls and then inviting myself to Renae's for a few days.









okay...off to raid the easter baskets....







:


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Heath--you'll be seeing more teeny tiny frog baby legs soon!









Jstar--you made me laugh with Easter Bunny's stealth operation.









Sarahbee stole my alltime fave quote, except that she didn't quote it in its entirety so I will:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." (A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles", Harper Collins, 1992. From Chapter 7, Section 3])


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

i'm having a hard day, mamas. bill came home early at his own suggestion after i called him in tears. mostly it has to do with S and his weight gain (or very, very, very slow weight gain -- like an ounce a week for the past month). i timed his nursing sessions this afternoon. right side: 3 min; left side: 2 min; comfort nursed for another 4 minutes. an hour and a half later: left side: 4 min; started comfort nursing so i switched sides; right side: 4 minutes. i got him to latch on on that right side (the second side) while wearing the supplementer and he may have gotten a little bit (like 1/4 oz) from what was in the supplementer, but he took himself off the breast and arched his back like crazy and would not settle down again. finally about 5 minutes later, he burped, and i tried to offer the breast again, but he was too interested in the room, the carpet, the person next to him, simply getting out of my arms. i don't know what to do.

it is not right that he is not gaining weight well, but i am simply at a loss for what to do.

add to it a whiny almost 3 year old and i just feel awful and like a bad mom and like crying. it's not fair. it's just not fair. i can't seem to will these problems to fix themselves.

i don't feel like writing anymore.

~c


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Aw, TC. mega mega mama-love hugs to you. Feel like a dummy for askin', because certainly you've already said whether your PCP knows/has suggestions?
Regardless, I am sending you warm loving wishes tonight.


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

TC--mucho hugs! I remember back when I was doing that w/ E, plus before/after weighs. Do you think he has any refluxy issues? E's were a bit more obvious, but with the reflux she also has had no desire to eat appropriate amounts (still doesn't) and I'm sure that's rough on you to try and keep up your supply. Thinking gentle thoughts for you and S as you work this all out.


----------



## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

So sorry you're feeling down, Claudia.







: I don't have anything constructive to say, other than I'm thinking of you all. Big







s mama.


----------



## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

Oh, TC, I'm so sorry you're in this spot. Hug. no- scratch that- BIG HUG!

I spent the last hour reading up on everyone. It's all a blur. my impressions:

yeasties- I had seriously painful nipple yeast with the lentil. The ONLY thing that cured it (and yes, I tried everything short of Diflucan) was gentian violet. I had to do two courses of it, but in the end, GV saved me. I would swab my nipples three times a day after nursing, and I swabbed the lentil's mouth every night for three nights. I think I swabbed my own nipples for a week each time. It worked, but we had to put up with the lentil looking like he was asphyxiating for about two weeks from all the blue. This was after replacing all our washcloths, buying about 30 washcloths so I never repeated exposure with a dirty washcloth when I was rinsing off my nipples, taking GSE both orally and washing my nipples with it, using lansinoh liberally with each nursing, and so, so many tears. kellymom talks about GV in this link. I had to special order the GV from my local pharmacy, but they got it in the next day so it wasn't so bad.

Wouldn't you know it- I'm suffering from yeasties of the other kind right now, and wishing I could use GV down there. I hate the creamy stuff my midwife prescribed, hate having to use it for 7 days, hate that it won't work in the first place, hate that I need to drop another load of cash on an alternative practitioner because the western medicine approach to yeast is so pharmaceutically based. But the cream gets me through the itch for the time being, so I will endure.

Favorite quote: right now, I'm really into the quote "The good you do will come back to you." which comes from seeing a motivational speaker at this conference a few weeks ago. It just resonates for me right now.

Easter: We're not christian. We did an egg hunt with friends, but I really prefer to celebrate this spring celebration closer to the first day of spring. Unfortunately, we've all been so sick this year, we completely missed the boat. If we hadn't been invited to the easter party we went to, easter would have passed us by completely uncelebrated. We were in the air for most of the day anyway, traveling back from the east coast. Note to interested parties- Easter is an excellent day for air travel. no crowds, on-time flights, and cheap rates. rocknroll.

I'm still on east coast time, so I need to get myself to bed. last little bit- I had another prenatal visit today and the baby is healthy. I've gained almost 18 pounds already, and this is distressing. We had an ultrasound while we were in CT, and learned that the babe is a BOY! woo! and healthy! woo woo!

Funny quote: the lentil was going off on his own thing this evening at dinner. He's really into fairies and magic wands and Tinkerbelle and Glenda the good witch, so he was doing some monologue about fairies floating around in the air and interrupted himself to say, "Speaking of floating in the air.... I need to go poop!"


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Oh, Claudia, I'm sorry. Mega hugs and good thoughts to you.

Emmalola - Boy! w00t! How exciting. Yay for another set of brothers! And what the lentil said is pretty hi-larious.

Lisa - beautiful, cute, funny, and sweet. Sigh.

First day of call starts at 8 am tomorrow. Wish me luck!


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

omigosh omigosh omigosh i have just had 4 hours from h*ll...

i have a monthly meeting of doulas i go to, and after bill came home early and we ate dinner early, and i had a few more crying jags, my head was feeling funny but i often get a weird headachey feeling after crying, so i took an ibuprofen and drove off with stefan for my meeting. about 10 minutes into the drive, i thought maybe i should just turn around and go home and call them to say i'm not coming. nah, it'll pass. another few minutes later, same thought. by the time i'm about 8 minutes away, i'm furiously rubbing my left temple and trying not to throw up in my car. i call bill, tell him i'm going there, but i'm going to sit in my car for a bit and then turn around and come home. by the time i get there, stefan woke up and i needed to use the bathroom, so i grab him and go into the room and hand him off to my friend and tell her about this headache (i called it a migraine, but i'm not sure if that's what it was but it probably was) and run off to the bathroom to puke. i don't puke but i still feel like i have to.

i decide to call my friends who live just down the street and go to their house to see if i feel any better. when i get there, i realize there is no way in h*ll i can drive home later, so i have her call bill to come and get me. i go lay down and pull the covers over my head in their guest room and they tend to my unhappy tired baby along with their own cling-monster 9 month old. i finally puke and i feel a lot better but my head is still aching like the dickens on my left temple. after bill gets there, i finally emerge from their guest bedroom, nurse an already pajama-ed stefan while hiding my eyes and rubbing my temple and we pop both kids in the car and bill drives home while i pull the hood of my sweat shirt over my eyes and snooze. i feel tons better now, and i even was able to transfer stefan from the carseat, remove his sweater, hat & shoes, and put him in the bed without him waking.

going to sleep now.

thanks for all your thoughts. i will try to respond to your questions tomorrow.

~claudia


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

TC






















I hope today is better.


----------



## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

I have been online WAY too long already







: But I Wanted to give TC some serious





















s! I hope today is a better one, sweet mama.
















to the rest of you! More later...


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Aw, TC.







: You need a vacation. Me too! I sure hope today dawns brighter for you. No need to answer my question, unless you want to! Just inquiring about straws I'm sure you've already grasped...


----------



## A&L+1 (Dec 12, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TurboClaudia* 
(i called it a migraine, but i'm not sure if that's what it was but it probably was)

Claudia, sounds like a migraine to me - including the proceeding crying episodes, actually. I get them rarely now, but I used to fall apart 4-6 hours before a migraine would start. If there is anything stressful going on, let alone baby-feeding worries, in my experience it becomes overwhelming in the hours leading up to a migraine. I hope that you have the better symptom too - I used to love the post-migraine euphoria brought on by the energy rush of not being in so much f-ing pain.









Thanks for the kind comments on the pictures, all. I really like them too. She is going to come back to do more actually because she wants naked baby shots, more whole family shots, and to test out some different lighting. It's fun to be the guinea pig for someone who is already really good at what she does!

I forget who asked/commented what so&#8230;No, Alison does not have blue eyes. If it turns out that Annabel has blue then we have pulled off a pretty nifty trick of genes because we've managed to match non-birth parent eye color for both girls - I have blue, Eleanor has hazel, Alison has hazel and Annabel has blue (donor has hazel, btw).

I find the comments on my hair and femininity entertaining. I also find it strange that I have long hair and look so girly. I have not had long hair since very early college times and never highlights. I will sheepishly share the reasons for my long hair - I hate having "matching" hair with Alison and her hair is cut into my typical hairstyle right now, and -this is the one that I am most embarrassed by - I believe that midwives have long hair. Now, I know that's not true at all, but if I can't fulfill my calling to midwifery right now at least I can look like one in my own mind. Weird? Yes.

I haven't shared much about my dad in awhile. We have just found out that the lung cancer has metastasized into his liver, ribs, one lymph node, and his hip bone. They are coming to visit tomorrow (from Detroit) to see the girls before he starts radiation for pain-management only. Not good.

Okay, to end on a light note. I have been so enthralled by my new worm bin that I need to witness to you all - go get a worm bin and save the world from garbage! I love those wriggly suckers and so does Eleanor. She likes to hold a worm which I was not expecting since she says "eeeww, a BUG!" on occasion. I was a total outdoorsy type as a child so it's surprising to me when Eleanor is not. I really like that she likes the worms.

Good day to all. I hope this isn't an unreadable thread killer post.


----------



## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

lisa, I'll take the fall for threadkilla! Because I am so envious of your worm bin. I'm so wanting to start a worm bin, but we're still in the part of the year where it randomly freezes/snows with very little warning. But come May 15 (the official no-way-it's-going-to-freeze date), you know we're heading out for worm supplies.

Also- midwives have all different shapes and appearances. You make yourself into the person you need to be. If long hair gives you strength and confidence, then go for it! And I'm so sorry about your dad. It sounds like he's getting good care though- or at least modern care. The radiation should help considerably, with few side effects, if that's any comfort.

TC- migraines suck. I had my first migraine with aura two weeks ago and it still troubles me. I can't believe how horrible they feel. I'm impressed you were able to do what you did with your migraine- I would have collapsed on the bed and left the lentil to his own devices. (Oh, crap! how am I going to do this with two of them???!)


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Oh, wait, is "aura" a migraine term? I was trying to figure out how that fit in there, like "what color is your aura" type thing.

Lisa, good to hear an update on your father. Big hug to you. Big. And yes, you look so PRITTY these days! My midwife has black, Mexican, 80s hair (wavy in layers).
How cool about the worm bin. I want one! Then I will have a place to put all these cans of worms that keep getting opened.


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *emmalola* 
I'm still on east coast time, so I need to get myself to bed. last little bit- I had another prenatal visit today and the baby is healthy. I've gained almost 18 pounds already, and this is distressing. We had an ultrasound while we were in CT, and learned that the babe is a BOY! woo! and healthy! woo woo!


I thought that I heard/read somewhere that gaining a healthy amount by 20 weeks was good for ensuring that the baby is a good weight at birth and reducing the possibility of early birth? Also, I know for sure that I've read that mamas who gain a decent amount during pg (that at least 25-35 amount) are actually less likely to hold weight post partum (I guess you're not screwing up your metabolism by starving yourself during pg). I dunno. I hate the weight gain during pg (I feel big and awkward), but it feels entirely inevitable and uncontrollable, so it's good to know it's for a good cause.

WOO! on the boy.

Ug on the yeasties, BTW. I totally agree that the western medicine approach to yeast doesn't seem to be that helpful.







:

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TurboClaudia* 
i'm having a hard day, mamas. it is not right that he is not gaining weight well, but i am simply at a loss for what to do.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *TurboClaudia* 

~c


I'm so sorry this is going on. And yeah, the migraine sounded pretty awful.







s to you. I don't know if this is what you want to hear right now, but I keep thinking about how you got M through this successfully, and I'm confident you'll get S through it, too. (But I don't want it to be happening again, and I don't want it to be stressful for you!)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
I forget who asked/commented what so&#8230;No, Alison does not have blue eyes. If it turns out that Annabel has blue then we have pulled off a pretty nifty trick of genes because we've managed to match non-birth parent eye color for both girls - I have blue, Eleanor has hazel, Alison has hazel and Annabel has blue (donor has hazel, btw).


Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 

I find the comments on my hair and femininity entertaining. I also find it strange that I have long hair and look so girly. I have not had long hair since very early college times and never highlights. I will sheepishly share the reasons for my long hair - I hate having "matching" hair with Alison and her hair is cut into my typical hairstyle right now, and -this is the one that I am most embarrassed by - I believe that midwives have long hair. Now, I know that's not true at all, but if I can't fulfill my calling to midwifery right now at least I can look like one in my own mind. Weird? Yes.

I haven't shared much about my dad in awhile. We have just found out that the lung cancer has metastasized into his liver, ribs, one lymph node, and his hip bone. They are coming to visit tomorrow (from Detroit) to see the girls before he starts radiation for pain-management only. Not good.

Okay, to end on a light note. I have been so enthralled by my new worm bin that I need to witness to you all - go get a worm bin and save the world from garbage! I love those wriggly suckers and so does Eleanor. She likes to hold a worm which I was not expecting since she says "eeeww, a BUG!" on occasion. I was a total outdoorsy type as a child so it's surprising to me when Eleanor is not. I really like that she likes the worms.


IIRC (and I realize things may have changed in the million years or so since I was in college), the genetics of hazel eyes are the most complicated (along with green), and what you described sounds entirely plausible. However... Annabel's eyes can still change.

I think midwives can have short hair! My mw in CA had short hair. But I've definitely gotten the "hairstyle I think I should have for my stage in life" before.









I'm so sorry about your dad. Enjoy the visit--I'm glad he can travel.

Re worm bins... we had one in Berkeley, and it just wasn't my cup of tea (though I realize good for dealing with compost indoors!). It just needs more "regular" attention than a compost pile... a cp you can neglect and not worry about it dying off. I think part of the problem for me is that we've always needed an outdoor cp, too, because we generate so much yard waste, too... I think this comment reveals the depth of my slothfulness.









Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
Oh, wait, is "aura" a migraine term? I was trying to figure out how that fit in there, like "what color is your aura" type thing.


Yeah, it is. I reread my post from yesterday, and I realize it was a little discombobulated. I don't know quite how to explain... bright light hurts, and objects tend to have halos of light around them. My eyes feel like they are somewhat crossed, and there's ringing in my ears. My come-and-go vertigo was activated. Here's a wiki. The best way I have found to keep a migraine from happening/treat it in the early stages is to have a serious dose of caffeine combined with tylenol. I'm 100% positive that this recent episode was triggered by my raging hormones.

TC, when I get a full-blown migraine, I am usually nauseated (and often throw up). And it's always on one side of my head (always the left). I really hope this was a one-shot deal for you. Sounds like you've never had one before.


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

i feel 1000% better this morning after some good sleep (even if it was interrupted several time by nursing babe). omigosh, that was worse than transition labor.

but now i have a squeaky babe whose new pattern is to poop large amounts first thing in the morning while in the saucer while i'm getting breakfast ready for M and me. back later...

~claudia


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

ugh. migraines are the worst. WORST. i get them most severely in early pregnancy when you can't do much except crawl into a dark room and pray to die. or at least go to sleep. i get the super nausea and light sensitivity.

claudia - i too think you and stefan will get through it because you did with M. i know it probably doesn't give you much reassurance to hear that. and i am sorry it is giving you so much stress because that isn't fair. S is a happy chappy though! despite his mama's worries

i am a mega pregnancy weight gainer. from the day the pee stick comes up yes my body says yes to fat molecules







it is wierd to think of myself weighing so much right now but meh. i feel like a house. maternal fat stores. people keep telling me 'oh you're all belly you haven't gained anywhere else' uh....yes i have









i've realized it was much warmer at this time during my isaac pregnancy even though it was exactly the same time of year. i'm out of the mid-pregnancy clothes and yet my end of pregnancy clothes are all really summery. i'm wearing capri pants and flip flops today and i was FREEEEEZING on my way to work







brrrr.

lisa - i like your reasons for long hair. i don't think i would want to be 'matchy' either. and i think it probably is reassuring to people to have a 'feminine' midwife. my ob is old with white hair (but old-fit and energetic. he just just ran a marathon with a woman who was 7 mo pregnant no less. i can't *imagine* running a marathon right now). but anyway i think his hair makes me feel he is wise and experienced and has caught a lot of babies









that is cool the photographer is coming back to do more pictures.

ugh. too much to do at work today.


----------



## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

TC, big, BIG hugs to you, sweetie. I'd call that a migraine, too. Sorry to hear about S's gaining/eating issues. That kind of stuff if quite far from my area of experience, so I won't even try to offer advice. Just lots of hugs and support.









Lisa, LOVE the photos! I am laughing about your hair comments, especially because I was a little surprised to see your hair so long, and your reasons why are hilarious. I can sooooooo identify about not liking to match. If John dresses in the same hue of shirt as me before a party, I change, no question. I am the anti-matcher. But dude... your midwife ideas take the cake. I had to hold back a bellow (Jett's sleeping right on the other side of the wall) when I saw that. Funny thing is... my midwife has mega long hair. Small sample, but I think you might be onto something.









Also Lisa, so sorry to hear your dad's cancer is progressing the way it. Cancer sucks.







:

Sarah, good luck with your first day of on call! Wow, you're really doing it! GO Mama GO!

We are in the midst of teenage wasteland over here. Sultan is such a handfull. Think rebellious, hard-headed, hormonal tennager, but with the cognitive maturity level of an 8 yr old. And yes, I am being literal, not sarcastic. That is his reality, due to his brain damage and developmental delays. We are pulling our hair out as it is, but now his mother (who sent him to live here 3 yrs ago because she can't handle him THEN) is getting back in the mix because she thinks John is doing it all wrong.







:







:







: Talk has gone the way of "where do you want to live, here or with your mom?" and I am shamefully finding myself thrilled when he answers "with my mom".







: Thing is, the kids just wants to live where ever he thinks there will be no consequences for his actions and behavior. I am at my wits end with it all. Fine, go to your moms!!!!!









Okay, I'm finally finishing this post (been working on it intermittently for about 3 hours) and my mom just came to pick up and take ALL 3 kids for a few hours. AHHHHHHHH.... FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

More big hugs to Claudia. I'm so glad you're feeling better today. Migraines suck, and auras are scary, for sure. The only thing that helps me is ibuprofen and caffeine in combination.

Lisa, that is frickin' hilarious about the hair. Do I look like a midwife?? One of my classmates has super-short, bleached blonde spiky hair. Another's is short and asymmetrical with bright red streaks. And did you know that Ina Mae cut her hair to shoulder length last year? It's back down to her shoulder blades now.









Meg, hugs to you, too. I am scared of the pre-teen and teenage years, for sure. That is my fear about being a parent, big time. Can't imagine going through it now (plus toddlerhood plus babyhood all at the same time). Yikes.

Jess - I remember that heat wave in April three years ago. May 1st was HOT and we had all the windows open while I was in loud active labor.









So yeah. Went to the hospital this morning. Wow.

Thinking of you all-

Sarah


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

yep i have pictures of myself on easter in 2004 in a very thin little tank top and skirt. not so this year. i'm ready for some warmth!!

so 'on call'. does this mean you get called to go assist with births? observing another midwife? exciting stuff!

i forgot to write that i'm really sorry about your dad's cancer metastasing, lisa







so glad he can come out for a visit.

and i haven't posted a quote. i've been thinking about it and i think i am just not a quoty person







lame, i know. there are lots of lyrics i love. just no quotes i can think of.


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jstar* 
so 'on call'. does this mean you get called to go assist with births? observing another midwife? exciting stuff!

Yeah. I will be catching the babies from now on, with the MW watching. More on the YG.

Lisa, I am so sorry about your dad. It is so hard. I send you strength and centeredness for the road ahead.

Sarah


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mcsarahb* 
Yeah. I will be catching the babies from now on, with the MW watching. More on the YG.










: that is so exciting!


----------



## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Mmm I have an interesting picture of a midwife in my head, and she is older than either of you (or any of us actually). And short hair. We all have our own pictures.

TC I am glad you are feeling better.

I too have a worm bin and we love it too. 10000 pets who just eat garbage. And I am not too engaged in them, but it is time to empty the bin out which will be gross... Maybe tomorrow when both girls will be gone. Or this weekend. Julia also loves the worm bin and will frequently find a plastic glove (yes, I wear them when I am submersing my hands in worm excrement!) and will ask me for a worm. I wonder if you can get little latex gloves for kids








(personally I am sensitive to latex so I wear something else)

I saw some good comfortable looking bikes today at a bike store and though of you Lisa. They were cheaper.

So who rides bikes with 100+ lbs of kid? And how do you do it? KK? There is porbably some other forum where this question gets bandied about and I should check up on it.


----------



## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Lisa-0 I completely missed the mention of your dad. That is hard and I am wishing you strenght in this time.


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

"bandied about"!!! She said, "bandied about"!!!

I am SO using that soon. Just you watch.


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
"bandied about"!!! She said, "bandied about"!!!

I am SO using that soon. Just you watch.









up


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nuggetsmom* 
So who rides bikes with 100+ lbs of kid? And how do you do it? KK? There is porbably some other forum where this question gets bandied about and I should check up on it.


It's so funny that you ask, because I was just talking about this *last night* with some friends (at our night out!). They were referring to it as "making a train"--hooking up a trail-a-bike to a bike and then hooking a Burley to that. I think that's what I will eventually do (don't quite trust T to ride alongside me yet, plus it'd be nice to get the extra pulling power to drag the trailer o' kids along). I'm not there yet--we don't have a trail-a-bike, and I think L is a little young for the Burley (even going slow and staying on bike paths). They said something about some extra hitch you can buy (for ~$10) to make the whole process simpler. Do you want me to get details and report back?

Look at this image.


----------



## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Just finished the taxes- whew! and stressed because it's 11:30 pm and tonight we were going to pack for our whirlwind (30 hr- leaving Th coming back Fr) trip to the coast, but now it's obviously too late. We stayed up till 1 am last night starting the taxes. ZZzzzzzzzzzzz........

Claudia- I know that you are on top of this and it's hard because it's not clear whether S needs more intervention/tests/docs or whether he's just growin and doin things his own wierd way. Hopefully things will improve over the next few months as he gradually starts to eat more solids. As long as he is meeting milestones and gaining length/ head circ, and happy, and healthy, it seems to me that your plan of wait and see (though it means worry in the mean time) is the best one in the situation. Though I am sorry about the worry and the heartache, and I wish I could fix things for you. I just had a thought- would it be worth it to see a NP just to help things head in a healthy direction? I don't know- just tossing it out there. I also am aware that once you get medical people on board (even naturopaths), it's hard to follow your own intuition.

Sarahb- woo hoo for startin to catch babies!

Jstar- argh! I owe you an exercise ball and a halloween outfit and a pyrex dish! must. find. time.

Lisa- sending lots of love to you and your family. I'm glad you're able to see your dad- he will love seeing you and the kids, I'm sure.

I REALLY need to get pics off my camera and onto the computer. I am aware I haven't posted pics forever. Part of it probably has to do with unresolved feelings about L's tube. Sigh. We took it off for a formal family portrait a few weeks ago.

Is it true that you can't put babes in a trailer till they're one? Could you put them in a carseat in the trailer? Is there a reason that's dangerous? I have barely used our (very old hand-me-down) trailer with L. We have a trail-a-bike stored with a friend but I definitely don't think he's ready for it, as he doesn't know how to petal. And to think that when I was a student teacher, I didn't own a car, and I biked/ light-railed it to Beaverton and back every day! I'm such a slacker now.

Megan- I bow down to you, mothering a teen and a baby!

All right, I want to keep postin to people, but I MUST go to bed. Nighty night, sweet and wonderful May Mamas.


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Megan---eek on the







: teen issues. That sounds really, really hard to navigate. yay for your mom coming and giving you some quiet!

Gotta run and get dressed to take C to school and then run a couple errands if E manages to stay awake. She is such the car napper. C has her first dentist visit this afternoon!

I'm still feeling so sluggish and tired and nauseous and am wondering if it isn't due to the small cyst they found on the early u/s. Any thoughts KK? It's just starting to hurt now and again.

Ah....so wish I was in RI right now sharing some coffee with Renae....


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

I am sharing coffee cybernetically with you all.

I have a bike trailer that my instinct told me don't put Amara in, then I read that (1 yr) on the internet. I first put her in it and she's just so upright, and her little brain fluid so new, it just felt kind of wrong. So--not yet. But Sol & I have a great time bumping around on these cobblestone streets.

Busy days these days--but relatively fun ones. Today we have "mommy & me" singing class, then a mamaCitas meeting here at my house, then a free puppet show in the central plaza tonight with lots of toddler running about afterward. It is the Puppet Festival! I had no idea how great puppets can be until I started attending this festival. Where does work fit in? Work is happening, um, now. Right.


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

I'm here. I'm undercaffeinated (compared to my fighting the migraine phase). L has been taking marathon a.m. naps, so I write email and read to Z.

Heather, sorry you're feeling yucky. From what I know... it's not unusual for a pg woman to have a cyst (a residual corpus luteum cyst maybe?). If you're having pain and/or discomfort, maybe you can ask to have it checked again? Again, from what I know... most cysts "resolve themselves" (reabsorb? rupture?) within 4-6 weeks of being detected. Do you know how big it was? (Which side? Right is more common, for some reason.) If they do indeed check it again, expect to wait that 4-6 wks from when it was first detected. Maybe MCSB knows more????

Re bike trailers... I've heard 1, I've heard 2. In my mind, it has to be *at least* 1. We have a LOT of off-street concrete bike paths here (read: very smooth, very safe), and I will start with that. Yeah, I've heard of people putting a baby in a car seat in a trailer, but I dunno how safe that is? (or whether it leaves any room for a 3 yr old). I definitely won't put L in the trailer without a helmet.

Megan, I am so not ready to parent a teenager. I feel for you.







:


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Elsanne--puppets sound like a blast as does having fun days with lots of stuff for mamas and kiddos to enjoy.

kk--thanks for the info...it is right side and was smallish so perhaps it will go away in time. we have the next u/s in early june so I'm guessing they can check again then.

Here's my







: moment of the day.... I was running sooooo slowly this morning getting everything together to get out the door and just as we step outside, C protests..."Mommy, I don't have any shoes on!"







Oh good grief! So we ducked back in side to put her sure steps and shoes on. Glad she said something or I might not have noticed!









All is quiet for naptime so I need to get going on my knitting....


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

we haven't gotten our heads around the bike thing yet. at the end of last summer we bought one of the seats that attaches to the back of the bike...and never attached it to anything. i definitely won't be confident to use it with a 35 lber on the back so it will have to go on doug's bike. and my ancient schwin has a flat tire. and my friend borrowed my mountain bike and never brought it back. i know whose house it is at ...i just don't know where he lives! obviously i havn'et had much of a need for it







i think the burleys look heavy







but they are probably a load of fun

i'm going to try and use 'brain fluid so new' sometime today









oy on the teenage woes. especially if he has developmental delays so he has all the raging hormones but not the capacity to handle them probably







i don't think i knew that. i'm scared of the teenage years. i know what *i* did as a teenager. yipes.

beth - have fun on your trip!! if you're by my house sometime you can stick that stuff on the front porch or in the back yard. that may be easier than trying to coordinate something with our schedules. but no rush.....

i also have been too lazy to get pictures off the camera. but we got a new laptop last night







this may be my motivation. time to ditch our old computer. gracias, tax man.

i'm sharing a teeny tiny coffee from crema this morning (and a lemon creme muffin fyi). cyberclatsch







:

we really need to do a dentist visit. haven't done that yet with isaac. it is always on my list. the part of the list where the funds are always out in the future somewhere. i also need to go get new glasses before i lose my vision coverage. time is running out.....

there was a worm bin article in martha stewart in january. i'm impressed so many of you have them!

hf - i hope the cyst resolves itself. and the early part of pregnancy is just....a drag. here's to speedy first trimesters!

ok. i'm off to look for my focus. i lost it







and i am way behind


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

whoever espoused the virtues and joys of the silk hazelnut creamer, the coffee gods love you and i am







: because that stuff is so frickin good and i'm trying to cut back on the coffee. at least it's decaf and it might tame my starbucks beastly habit.

oh but the starbucks chocolate donuts that they run out of by 1230 each day might still require an occasional trip to the drive through...

how can a 14.5 lb baby be so strong to make my arm hurt while he sits on my lap squiggling to get somewhere?

toast boy is a mess. maybe more later...

~c


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Jstar---was it Isaac that really thinned out in the toddler years and dropped a couple pounds even? I made the mistake of putting E on the scale this morning and with clothes on it seems she is a bit lighter than she was two months ago at the last GI appt. I'm so trying to let go of all the worrying/fussing over her food/intake that I had to do for so many months when she was younger. She is always active and on the go (way much more than C ever was) and actually enjoys most food these days...

Claudia--toast is always an interesting experience at our house too!









okay....now I really must go knit or something.


----------



## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Hey mamas,

Checking in. It's been a busy week for us, but I've been reading. Here's some stuff I wanted to say off the top of my head:

Lisa, LOVE the pics! It was so great seeing you and Allison together and, of course, the little ones. I am sorry to hear about your dad, as well. That must be tough, to put it mildly.

emmalola-thanks for sharing your breast yeast experience; I found it very helpful. I did a week of gentian violet (which my local pharmacist had on hand). It seemed to help, but I wasn't sure if it was okay to take more than one week in a row. KellyMom.com said 7 days only. Anyway, I'm now rinsing with grapefruit seed extract twice a day and taking GSE pills 3x/day. At least G isn't nursing any more, so I don't have to also treat him. I hope you get the "other" yeast sitch cleared up. The reason you gave for not wanting to go to a doctor about yeast totally explains my reticence. Although I'm willing to try it if necessary, I feel deep down that it won't really take care of the problem. I also wonder if the amount of stress I'm under with all the changes we're undertaking isn't part of the reason the yeast came back. We shall see.

MCSB-wow! how exciting that you're on call and everything now.

Heather-Sorry you're feeling so icky. The fact that you're willing to through this a third time makes you a major hero in my book, though!

KK-that headache-y thing sounds horrible. And, Claudia, too! Dh gets migraines and I don't think I've ever had one, but I'm glad you're both feeling better.

Fiddle-glad you got the taxes done! And, enjoy your trip!

Elsanne, you have access to such neat kid activities! I'm so jealous. Puppets sound great.

I know I left of some of you, but here's a







if you want one! I am thinking of each of you as I read your updates.

We are now homeowners! It feels weird owning an empty house, but we are trying to take over small loads each day so at least some our stuff is there! The closing went well, now all that's left is the packing. I'm having such trouble getting motivated to pack. I just want to move!!!!!

I'm glad I got to write to you all tonight; it made me feel a bit more centered. I need that right now, believe me.

Much love to you all.


----------



## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Yay Jacqueline! I'm glad the closing went well. Its such a gigantic relief to have that behind you. And definitely having a little less stress to deal with will have a positive impact on your yeast IMO.

Lisa, I think I forgot to offer my thoughts to you regarding your dad's most recent health situation. I hope you have a memorable and loving visit with him. Big









Heather, sorry you;re still feeling blech.









Fiddle, enjoy your vacation!

Trying to think of something to do with the kids tomorrow. I'm coming up short. Maybe a trip to the library is in order. I could use a new book to read. Anyone care to recommend?


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

isaac is one who has drastically leaned out. i think he hit 34 lbs a really long time ago and has held steady while gaining many inches in height. he lost his rubber band wrists and cankles but he still has big cheeks









of course if i had ever designated ONE place to stick those weight/height stickers they give you at WBV i would actually be able to look and track his weight changes. but they're scattered around the house in various purses and every time i see one i think i should stick them ALL in his baby book. maybe i'll look for some and check it out. i think i'll be curious to see what this next babe weighs at the same weights and stuff.

congrats on closing and owning a new house jacqueline! that is so exciting







:


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Jess Sol is 34 lbs too, holding steady. At least as of two months ago. She was 95th % and methinks in Isaac's range...what I have discovered with #2 is that mama has much less time & milk (or something, maybe just Amara's a more delicate creature) so she's smaller, and in part my theory is that it's because I am under a bit more stress and responsibility than I was when all I had to do was be Sol's mama.

The day was fun, although I feel run over by a truck. More like, run over by 15 babies and their parents. Didn't make it to puppets, although two really wonderful fun mamas stayed after and much fun was had. Not all of it legal.







Except that later it was bedtime for bonzos, Amara screaming, and Sol tantruming that she was leaving with her friend. UGH.







: Viet nowhere to be found.


----------



## A&L+1 (Dec 12, 2003)

So, there has been bike-related thoughts put out there and I have not responded. Here's my thinking:

I want a commuter bike not a kid carrying bike. I was a regular bike-to-work gal in Oregon but I can't seem to get the habit here, in large part because my bike is a beach cruiser type with no gears and peddle brakes, but also because there are no commuter bike trails only bike lanes. Traffic freaks me out. So I like the Electra (not electric, the brand) because it is comfy cruiser-like but with advanved technology like - GEARS and BRAKES! I saw the xtracylce version and had all sorts of bike to _everything_ fantasies. I think that I will walk over the the local bike shop and see what they have, particularly those models that can get an xtracyle conversion kit installed later. Or maybe Craigs List or eBay has something. Around here it seems everyone has Lance Armstrong-type or mountain -type bikes. I want to a bike like I am in Europe travelling with a french bread under my arm (because that is what midwives-to-be look like







) Alison has already informed me that I am not getting a bike for my birthday because she already has something planned so it's all on me to budget and select the bike I need.

Sarah - I am a teeney bit jealous and a LOT excited for you as you start call. You have worked so hard to get to this point. And yes, you look just like a midwife to me.









My dad looks better than I expected and besides being more tired seems like his same old self. I am so blessed to have this time with them.

Except that I am at work, so I best get at it so I can get out of here.

p.s. to add - Did I tell you all that I will be a SAHM for two months? From April 27-June 24. Lord help me.


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
S like I am in Europe travelling with a french bread under my arm (because that is what midwives-to-be look like







)

p.s. to add - Did I tell you all that I will be a SAHM for two months? From April 27-June 24. Lord help me.

a)







:







:







:

b) ooooh will you nurse the baby? How great to have two nursing mothers, if so!


----------



## A&L+1 (Dec 12, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
b) ooooh will you nurse the baby? How great to have two nursing mothers, if so!

Cool, but no. Alison is very much the nursing mom this time and I will be giving Annabel bottles of pumped milk. We have not yet been successful in getting her to take a bottle though! She screams and will not suck on the bottle...could be a problem.


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TurboClaudia* 
whoever espoused the virtues and joys of the silk hazelnut creamer, the coffee gods love you and i am







: because that stuff is so frickin good and i'm trying to cut back on the coffee. at least it's decaf and it might tame my starbucks beastly habit.


I believe it was me. I picked up some myself today.







Glad to corrupt you.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jstar* 
we haven't gotten our heads around the bike thing yet. at the end of last summer we bought one of the seats that attaches to the back of the bike...and never attached it to anything. i definitely won't be confident to use it with a 35 lber on the back so it will have to go on doug's bike. and my ancient schwin has a flat tire. and my friend borrowed my mountain bike and never brought it back. i know whose house it is at ...i just don't know where he lives! obviously i havn'et had much of a need for it







i think the burleys look heavy







but they are probably a load of fun


Quote:


Originally Posted by *jstar* 

there was a worm bin article in martha stewart in january. i'm impressed so many of you have them!


I think the bike seats look heavier/more unmanagable, but I'm totally capable of falling over, and so it's burley for me.









I'm going to have to see what kind of decorating MS does for her worms' abode...

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jacqueline* 
We are now homeowners! It feels weird owning an empty house, but we are trying to take over small loads each day so at least some our stuff is there! The closing went well, now all that's left is the packing. I'm having such trouble getting motivated to pack. I just want to move!!!!!


Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jacqueline* 



I've been thinking of you--glad the closing went well. You're moving weekend after next, right? I hope the packing gets moving! (and moved!







)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
So, there has been bike-related thoughts put out there and I have not responded. Here's my thinking:


Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 

I want a commuter bike not a kid carrying bike. I was a regular bike-to-work gal in Oregon but I can't seem to get the habit here, in large part because my bike is a beach cruiser type with no gears and peddle brakes, but also because there are no commuter bike trails only bike lanes. Traffic freaks me out. So I like the Electra (not electric, the brand) because it is comfy cruiser-like but with advanved technology like - GEARS and BRAKES! I saw the xtracylce version and had all sorts of bike to _everything_ fantasies. I think that I will walk over the the local bike shop and see what they have, particularly those models that can get an xtracyle conversion kit installed later. Or maybe Craigs List or eBay has something. Around here it seems everyone has Lance Armstrong-type or mountain -type bikes. I want to a bike like I am in Europe travelling with a french bread under my arm (because that is what midwives-to-be look like







) Alison has already informed me that I am not getting a bike for my birthday because she already has something planned so it's all on me to budget and select the bike I need.

My dad looks better than I expected and besides being more tired seems like his same old self. I am so blessed to have this time with them.

p.s. to add - Did I tell you all that I will be a SAHM for two months? From April 27-June 24. Lord help me.


I think you should go to a good bike shop (bikes for real people, not Cyclists) and ask for input... there may be something else out there which you hadn't considered which is more affordable and still works well for you.

I'm so glad you're getting this time with your dad.









heh heh heh on the SAHM gig. What is Alison going to be doing during that time? (Just curious--I thought she was a teacher--is she going back to finish out the year?)

Supposedly, we're going to get up to a foot of snow tonight/tomorrow. While I'm sure the reservoirs, flowers, etc. won't mind, I will. I hope it doesn't happen....


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

MS had her worms living in a white plastic tote under the kitchen sink. with holes in the top. purportedly not stinking.

i would be totally capable of falling over with a big kid on the back of my bike too.

the kind of bike you want lisa is exactly the kind of bike i want. i have an ancient schwinn which only has 3 gears. i have a mountain bike which was a high school grad present....so it is ancient and weighs a ton. i also hate riding in traffic and prefer to be more upright than the mountain bike allows. i want cruiser style with modern gears









guess what i really want right now though???? cowboy boots







silly, i know. and not the kind of thing you buy when you are pregnant with fat feet. or right before summer starts when you won't be able to wear them anyway. but i WANT SOME. square vintage toe, roper heel. cute cute cute! (none of those pointy high heeled things.) i went to try some on yesterday









lucky on the sahm gig lisa, and i'm glad your dad is looking well.

isaac went to his first basketball game at the rose garden last night. it was a 'manly event' with doug and his friend and his son. and i think isaac had fun. he definitely had enough cracker jax to ensure a good meltdown at 10pm getting into bed. he wanted to 'do it again. today!'


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

KK, coming from recent snow I really hope you don't have it. The pics are from Easter Sunday, and if you flip through the album there are a couple of other recent things in there.

ETA also in the album are the egg carton plantings. They're seriously sprouting now!!

Lisa, your family is freaking beautiful. I am so incredibly happy for you.








I'm glad your dad's visit is going well.

I would love to have a bike but more than that I reaaaaalllly want a kayak.


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Juice is a thread killer!





















: Nice pix! (Cute kids!) That's what we had all winter.

We didn't get the snow! I singlehandedly diverted the storm, with my powerful glare







: . It *is* pretty cloudy, though, so I guess I'm not all *that* powerful.

Oooh.... I really want a (sea) kayak. I have this fantasy wherein I have a kayak, stored at a reservoir which is ~1 mi from our house, and I ride my bike over every morning and paddle around for an hour or so. Maybe it'll happen someday, but not anytime soon. (Also, I've never seen anyone paddling on the res, though I've seen a rack of kayaks, so I'm a little confused.)

Y'know, one of my things about the worms is that we are capable of producing *huge* pulses of compostable stuff, and we produce a lot in general. It seems like the outdoor bins are more forgiving/more flexible about amounts than the wormies are. (Seriously, we have a container in the kitchen which is ~a gallon, and I think we often empty it outside every day or two.)


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

so i had ANOTHER migraine last night until this morning and bill had to work from home for the first two hours because i couldn't get out of bed without feeling like i was going to hurl and then tip over. wtf???!!!??? must read about possible triggers 'cause i can't deal with these every few days.


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

i dug the easter kiddo pics too, juice (threadkilla). CUTE. but that is too much snow for APRIL

els - you were saying amara is smaller. i've been wondering about that with this babe. we have the mix of genes with 'big' people and normal sized people on both sides of our family. i'd say isaac definitely got the tall genes and he was such a chunky baby. but maybe this next boy won't be. i'm so curious to find out










so last night i put a cloth dipe on isaac (i wanted to try the snappi! but he is too big). and he stands up and goes 'oh i am a baby'







i couldn't resist 'yep you are still a baby because you wear diapers.' and then he insisted on putting a sposie on because he doesn't like the cloth. so i told him as soon as this baby comes we aren't buying any more diapers because they cost too much money. so maybe once he is presented with only the CD option he will choose underwear!

he's moving up to the preschool 2 class may 1! yay! my boy is growing up


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Claudia--so sorry about another migraine---ugh! Any chance you're ovulating or have recently....I had a few intense nausea/sensitivty to light spells

jstar--your cloth only plan sounds like it could work. I never bought pull-ups for C except for when we travelled and she got to a point where she was so over the wet in cloth feeling.

kk--I've always thought kayaking looks like so much fun...we see them go by when we're up in maine, but I'm not much of a swimmer so it'll probably never happen. I haven't ridden a bike in ages as riding in the city freaked me out and I don't even own one anymore. So glad the







: was enough to keep the snow away.

juice---cutey kids, but oh my not such cute snow!

worms skeeve me bigtime so that will never happen around here I guarantee that!







But if we get our fence redone this summer, I am going to find a spot to compost.

tgif!


----------



## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

Who replaced my son with this beast? Oh. My. God. Crying at every little disturbance, inconsolable if he doesn't get his way. I'm sorry, but there's only room for one hormonal pregnant woman in this house, I don't want to have to deal with another drama queen weekend. dang.

Seriously- I was all smug when everyone else was complaining about their fussy kiddos, and now I'm living with one. He's waking early, coming into our bedroom and freaking out if we don't hop out of bed and do his every bidding. We've been trying to ignore him when he does his 30 minute whine/cry, but it's starting to feel like parent abuse. We've taken to swearing in his presence, which we never did before. It's just so aggravating!







:

Juice (threadkilla), those photos are seriously precious. There was the snow bit, and my heart broke just a little for you, but the easter dresses were superfabulously cute.

KK- can you ask at the local kayak store where people are taking their kayaks? I'm assuming they must be buying them somewhere, since mail-order kayaks seems a little extreme.

TC- I'm so sorry about the migraines. My migraines were largely cured by regular attention by a good chiropractor. It's a little pricey, but when I think of the money I've saved on meds to control the pain after they happen, I'm happy to spend the money.


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

oh yes. he loves the pull ups. and i've bought them for novelty use at home to humor him. he lays them all out and counts them and picks one based on the picture and then it HAS TO BE THAT ONE and not the identical one that i am holding







: i don't send those to daycare because they're a pita. (he used to be in cloth up to age 2 and then they switch them to sposies at daycare and start using the potty).

i think it is the bulkiness of the CDs he doesn't like. he could probably sit in wet pee all day and not care. i can't cope with doing the cloth right now...so this plan will have to wait. plus i have the issue of his clothes not fitting over them. i think i have the issue of his clothes mostly not fitting AT ALL right now. on the *two* sunny days we had last week i went through his shorts and i think maybe 2 pairs will still fit him. good thing the grandmas will be coming to visit when this baby is born!!







and all his pants are getting hard to button and too short.

i would love a kayak. or a canoe.

sorry the lentil is being beastly.

yay friday - my back is so killing me sitting here. maybe i'll leave early.


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

No worries, ladies. Not the first time I tried to kill a thread - way to make a mama feel welcome, though









Snow mostly gone







and egg cartons sprouting furiously. Toddler home with a low fever today







but we seem to have survived. KK glad you skipped it









EL, my neverending mantra is "This is not a deliberate assault on my sanity" I've probably mentioned that before, but it's so very real over here... an assault, no doubt, but still not deliberate.


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Juice- So _where_ are you? Still confused. I thought you were near KK, but if she didn't get any snow...??? Cuuuute pics. Aww, sisters. Pics like those make get all misty-eyed about Lily being an only.

We don't have a worm bin, but our compost is about 50% worms. It's great. We have so much compost we can't compost it fast enough. Enter chickens. Supposedly you can just feed them kitchen scraps and don't have to buy feed, if you produce enough scraps.

So DH is taking Lily to a local rally for this tomorrow. I will be doing homework.









Hope everyone has a great weekend. Thinking of all you preggos and everyone else, too.

Sarah


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Top o' the morning, gals...I am sooo tired. Emmalola, I was grinning and nodding knowingly with the "wake up super early and demand that we get out of bed that instant to do his every bidding" 'cause I got me one of those too.

I really just want to brush all children and other obstacles (did not say debris) aside as I come complain here online with cuppa in hand.

Now bebe is up, and Sol is demanding I go see to her.

Gah.

Will Viet take the hint? Will he go in with Sol to get bebe? I am waiting, wishing, sending massive vibes for daddy to pick up the reins here...I am upstairs and they are down. I am using my typing forearms for support because I cannot/don't want to physically support myself. Wait! What's that I hear? I believe Viet has gone in with bebe! And is singing! Could it be? Yessssss!

The day dawns brighter.


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Sarah what a cool thing for daddy to take Lily to! Looks great.
She's in the land of Cleves. The juicy girl.

TC I am REALLY sorry to hear about your migraine. Another one! What gives!!! Time to do some research about how they come on and why...I sure hope they are manageable 'cause I know how much it would suck to get them regularly. I am sending you warm thoughts. I know you regularly see a chiro, have you seen him/her since the migraine and talked to them about it?

Juice, love your senior title. Like how you change it all the time, what with your pink power.

KK that pic of the 3 kids on the bike made me smile...but there are no nice, flat trails around here like that. Actually, nowhere I have lived. But I have been on them in my life! The San Diego strip there by the beach (aaaah), the greenway in Phoenix, those kinds of things. I really love rollerblading on those paths.


----------



## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

The lentil is sitting in the kitchen (next to the office) singing "I've been working on the railroad" to himself and who knows what, but he's happy and I'm tired of entertaining him. He's been pretty good today, but my patience is thin. bitch and moan.... I feel a little bad about not engaging him in some end of the day activity before bath, but at the same time I need a few minutes to check the internet and get a breather before bathtime.

My belly is at that place where it's starting to get a little unwieldy. I must be pregnant.


----------



## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

I'm here! I'm queer, get used to it!















Um, yeah.
Just wanted to let y'all know I didn't actually fall off the planet, though iut kinda feels that way.







: I've fallen behind, but I love you all and I am still around! I am mightily fighting off a cold, taking guitar lessons, going to a memorial service for a fellow church member's adult DS (







) And well, yeah. Just chillin'. Oh yeah, and fighting with DH over silly stuff.







: We're mostly over it now, i think.

Love to you all, have a great weekend! Off to trim my nails so I can actually practice some of the stuff I learned today.


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mcsarahb* 
Juice- So _where_ are you?

I'm in not so sunny Cleveland. Sadly not close to KK.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
Will Viet take the hint? Will he go in with Sol to get bebe? I am waiting, wishing, sending massive vibes for daddy to pick up the reins here...I am upstairs and they are down. I am using my typing forearms for support because I cannot/don't want to physically support myself. Wait! What's that I hear? I believe Viet has gone in with bebe! And is singing! Could it be? Yessssss!

The day dawns brighter.









may it happen again! Just when you want to







and you can't tell which option is worse... never getting it, or getting it at random intervals, with no promises of recurrence.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
TC I am REALLY sorry to hear about your migraine. Another one! What gives!!! Time to do some research about how they come on and why...I sure hope they are manageable 'cause I know how much it would suck to get them regularly. I am sending you warm thoughts. I know you regularly see a chiro, have you seen him/her since the migraine and talked to them about it?









ITA - first thought is chiro (occupational hazard) followed by dietary senitivities/toxicity but those are really random late night tired thoughts. Mostly just UGH. I've only had one aura-like think and it was terrifying.


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

juice--you remind me....I totally need to reschedule with my chiro. I totally flaked last week and forgot the appts I had made for me and E. Oops.







:

no snow here, but we're supposed to get buckets of rain tonight/tomorrow and I'm crossing my fingers that our basement doesn't flood (again)







: It's unfinished so not that much of a pita...just get tired of havign the furnace cleaned and drying it out when it wouldn't flood at all if the township would fix the durn drainage issues on adjacent properties.

....posted a handful of new pics on the yg.

....told DH's family about the babe tonight and sil's reaction was that we should've thought of how much money we're costing her (as in buying birthday/holiday gifts)







: She was somewhat joking, but is also the one who when I was pregnant w/ E had to remark " Wow, you sure got huge!" Just a bit of a pity party as it feels like people just aren't as excited about a third as we are. blah. what's with that?


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Hi all-

Thanks for the cluing me in on your locay, juice and elsanne. Got it now.

Having a chill weekend here with homework and weekend chores. Just got back from grocery shopping with DH and Lily, and also cleaned out various pet receptacles and made banana muffins today. Feels good to get stuff like that done.

The rally was apparently fun; Lily liked the crowd and the cheering and clapping. They biked (DH has the seat on the back of his bike, to join that discussion).

I get migraines with auras, but they rarely turn painful. I guess I'd rather have it that way. The second I get an aura I take 800 mg ibuprofen and try to get to some caffeine, and it goes away 9/10 times. I think I've only had the pain 2-3 times ever, and it was horrible. The auras start with a blank spot on the side of my visual field or little blank spots in the middle. Then there's a little aura of brightness around the edges sometimes, too.

Ooh, Heather, sorry about the lame family comments. I'm excited about your third!!







Tell your SIL to spend less money on gifts and more thought on congratulations...

I have to reschedule with my chiro, too. Sure does make me feel better when I go every week. It's REALLY bad for our budget, though.









OK, ladies, smoochie boochies. *mwah*

off to go look at the beautiful feather children...


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

"smoochie boochies"?? Must be Sarah in da house!

Heath--I can imagine the reaction, only because I took advantage of April Fool's Day to inform my mother I was expecting #3, which also got a lukewarm reaction. Now, in my case, she was thinking "how is she gonna DO it?", but still. I am very excited for your #3 and I think it's just a case of repeating the same, or similar, news packs much less of a punch. I get the very strong sense this little buggy is a boy.

love to all. Saw more puppets last night, suuuuper fun! I love me a good puppetshow. Tonight, more! last night of the Puppet Festival.


----------



## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

HF so sorry for the lukewarm reaction. That is a bummer, but maybe everyone was just taken aback and surprised and not sure how to react. And maybe they will get more excited soon. But it is very unsupportive..
OK, Julia wants to play pooter games


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

sucks about the lukewarm reaction. some ppl in my ddc expressed the same thing. lukewarm reception to their 3rd babes and downright negative responses to 4th/5th babes. not fair!

it has been a mellow weekend around here. housecleaning and we finally got our seed cartons planted!

i've been going to the chiropractor since....november i think when i got the pinched nerve in my neck. and i put it all through my insurance and they took so long to process it i just got a whopper bill for $350. so i'm feeling a little ACK. and i know i'm not going to be able to keep going after i lose my insurance. i think i'll try to get in at least once after the birth. it really helped my neck. but it is really wierd to me now because every single time i roll over in bed my back pops in some location. it wasn't like that before. i feel very...poppy! i'm going to miss those chiro visits though....they feel GREAT


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

I have completely lost it today. It has taken allll I have to deal and not hurt my children. I have dealt and not hurt them, yay me. Yay. Me. *deadpan voice and expression*
I guess what I feel is like, absent. Like it's so hard that I just vacate the premises.

What has been so hard? The question makes me want to cry. Nothing! It just IS! The thing that sent me over the edge was Amara needing to get out and be a nine month old, on her own, and there being no place to put her while out in public. No arms, no stroller, for HOURS, rather arms N stroller only options, and she starts to freak. So I start to freak. Then things spill, stroller wheels get stuck, flip flops trip and hurt big toes, and mama just kind of wigs. Hard to explain because even the retelling sounds like nothing. No way out but through. No way out but through. This too shall pass. Tomorrow will dawn ever brighter. Oh yes, and the paycheck that didn't make it in time to turn my $10 dinner with Sol in a restaurant into a $45 one, with fee, and no one to blame but myself. A job that I am not sure I am doing right or well. S.T.R.E.S.S.

Knowing that stress is a choice, I try try try to analyze why I am so stressed but now big-eyed toddler with watery eyes needs to go to sleep. More later.


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

els:







s don't know what else to say... wish i could be there personally and give you one instead... more







s

love, c


----------



## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Elsanne-







to you too. I hope you're doing better. here's some smoochie boochies for you, too









And, I have a question re: this...

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
Heath--I can imagine the reaction, only because I took advantage of April Fool's Day to inform my mother I was expecting #3, which also got a lukewarm reaction. Now, in my case, she was thinking "how is she gonna DO it?", but still. I am very excited for your #3 and I think it's just a case of repeating the same, or similar, news packs much less of a punch. I get the very strong sense this little buggy is a boy.

Did I miss an announcement and am I that out of the loop....or did you mean to say when you were expecting #2???? I'm thinking that's it. Anyway, I was beginning to feel really loco.

That's all I have time to post right now, but I just had to clear that up in my befuddled mind.


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Jacqueline, with all due respect, you being a priest's wife n all, but HELL NO there will not be a #3!! In this situation, with this man. NO.








No, but seriously: April Fool's! Got you too!


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

:

OMG I was rolling.

Els, sorry about the day. Sometimes mama just needs to wig, and that's OKAY. Real people wig, too.

Even cowgirls (and gorgeous hipmama tribal dancers) get the blues...


----------



## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

els
some days are just hard and they just take you over the edge and the retelling just doesn't do the internal turmoil any justice.

So







some more.

The april fools made me laugh though.

And me thinking today that I could have a third... That really I would be able to handle it with poise and grace.







:


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

I got no email noties. Didn't realize y'all were so chatty.

Last night, I dreamt that Beth was asleep with W in our guest bed. So cute! Of course, I did not wake them!!!

Heather, I was pretty scared to tell people I was pg with L, but I got almost all positive comments (esp. from outside the family







). I'm terrified of what they'd say of a fourth, though.







: It might be enough to stop me.







If it helps any, everyone adores L since she appeared on the outside.







What MCSB said was exactly right.

I thought Juice was in NM until the last storm, when I figured she had to be in Ohio. Juice, was I confused because you're *from* NM???

TC, I read the wiki on migraines after my last weird thing, and it had some interesting bits. Like: yeah, hormones can play a role (I had long suspected that but never knew, though what I've been through lately, I knew it had to). And it confirmed my "coffee and tylenol" method (but also mentioned that some people eat cold food to generate an ice cream headache which short circuits the migraine--how weird is that???) I really hope this is a freak thing for you and that it never happens again. I always loves me some acupuncture...

Ug, Elsanne. I've had days like that. I admire you so much, because when I'm in that place, I often have the option of calling dh and begging him to come home from work early/come and HELP MEEEEEE.







: I know that sometimes, the telling doesn't say it all. But I've been out and about (or visiting with childfree people) and just wanted to be able to put my child down but there's nowhere safe/easy/unbreakable/clean to put him/her. Dude, I was kind of with Jacquie about the #3. "Hmm. Is she/was she joking, did she mean #2, is she in the bun condition again, or what???"









Just what *are* smoochie boochies?

Jess, the pt I saw for my back/hip when I was pg with L said that after ~28 weeks, the relaxin *really* kicks in, so the loose-y/poppy stuff is probably just right where you are in pg (fun, fun).

Nuggets, wouldn't mind a check-in.







Ooh! I totally nominate you for a 3rd! I think you *would* handle it with complete grace and style!









It took me a minute to figure out why Renae needed short fingernails. Huh? Practice what?









Ah, I wanted to do the step-it-up! I was going to do the step-it-up! But we just stayed home (and tried to get stuff done!).

Emily, I'm so sorry that the lentil is having nighttime cranks. I can't *believe* you're almost halfway there. Uh, yeah. Just a little pg.







There isn't a local kayak store, per se (there's just REI). I know one can kayak at the BIG res far away (where one pays a hefty fee to do so)... I'd rather go to the local res, I just can't figure out why there are kayaks there if I never see them in use.

Not much else. Very yard-workin' type day. Planted 11 lilac bushes. Hauled woody yard waste to the curb (for city clean-up tomorrow). Spread two big wheelbarrows of compost. Tore down fence. Grunted at muddy children.


----------



## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
Jacqueline, with all due respect, you being a priest's wife n all, but HELL NO there will not be a #3!! In this situation, with this man. NO.








No, but seriously: April Fool's! Got you too!

Man! Well, you got me too, like weeks after the fact!









And







s mama. I understand. So often I feel like I am losing it over NOTHING. N-O-T-H-I-N-G!!! But it doesn't change the fact that I am losing it. *sigh*

I have SO MANY ruminations but many of them should most likely be shared in the YG, because they are, ahem...*sensitive* subjects! And I only trust my May Mamas with the info. So I will post over there soon. Wanted to try and catch up here first.

All I caught so far was the "migraine with aura" thing. I get those a few times a year, and I used to be able to do nothing about it. Ouchie. But I found Excedrin Migraine (or generic form thereof) and it's actually helped immensely.

I will go back and read more, but I wanted to start on that YG email. I







you all.


----------



## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Without further ado.....Heatherfeather's smilie parade! POOHPOOH on peeps who aren't excited about #3.








:







:














:







:




























:







:










































:







:
























































:







:






































































:







:




















































































:







:






































































:







:
























































:







:










































:







:




























:







:














:







:

*Congratulations!!!!*


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Amazing smilie art, Sherri. Truly a gift! You should see how they print out, it's neat. (I printed out Amara's birth & surrounding chat).

Today has dawned brighter. I now no longer hate my life and want to run away.
Does anybody else ever feel that way? It was a first for me (to that level; mild "hating life" happens fairly regularly).

Thanks for all the lovin', guys.







:









Yegads I wish Viet would pick up his daughter. Effin weirdo.

gotta run, she's screaming...


----------



## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 

Today has dawned brighter. I now no longer hate my life and want to run away.
Does anybody else ever feel that way? It was a first for me (to that level; mild "hating life" happens fairly regularly).

I'm glad today is better, Els. I have so been to the hating my life part you talk of. It's such a combination of frustration, anger, insecurity, desperation. I don't have those days much anymore, but I'm definitely in a strange restless funk lately. I don't feel fulfilled as a person and feel I need to find some outlet for myself, but I'm unsure what? I tried to explain it to dh a few weeks ago, but I don't think he "got" it. For him, he's always known his career path, never questioned it. It came naturally to him. So I don't think he understands how I can be lost. Yes, I love my children with all my heart and soul. But I still feel a little bit lost. I think some of it has to do with the fact that they're getting older, and don't need me constantly anymore. In alot of ways that is so freeing. But in some ways it makes me question where I go from here. I mean, when they're little, their needs are so simple. Now, I have such an overwhelming feeling of "am I raising them right? Are they going to turn out to be loving, empathetic, caring people?" All of the discipline issues weigh heavily on my mind. Am I doing a good job? I have so many insecurities about my parenting. OK, wow, this is rambly. I doubt it makes sense to anyone but me, but there you have it.







So sorry to go off on a tangent.


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

sherri: i think i understand what you are trying to say... (don't want to say that i feel exactly as you do because each person's experience is different so it's never exact) i definitely feel similarly.

and the hating life part, i definite;y feel hating certain *things* about my life, like our cluttered crazy house (all the clutter is easily hideable in the garage or office or closets or cabinets, but it drives me nuts and makes me feel so disorganized) or bill's tendency to be reactionary and defensive or my tendency to withdraw when i am unhappy which escalates the unhappy feeling... grrr...

i very often feel like "what am i doing here, mama of two, not earning an income, not using my adult brain aside from maybe two 5-mjinute convos each day?" or "how did i end up as a housewife/homemaker/some other word i haven't found yet that i don't find offensive?"

squirmy unhappy babe on my lap gotta go...

~c


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Wow, there must be something going on, a la mercury retrograde (though I know it isn't). I've just been feeling so disconnected, disorganized, disjointed, dis... whatever. Not grounded.

els, I'm glad today is better. For me, the difficulty is in the neverendingness of the needs. It doesn't have to be that there's anything spectacularly stressful happening, it's just that there is no moment "off".

Heath, I was so sad about people's reactions to our #3. The *important* people were happy, but most were lukewarm at best. One person actually said, "Well, it's still early, you could always miscarry." Wow, thanks!! I AM excited! Once I was visibly pregnant (about two hours later, if I remember) people warmed up, and now of course everyone thinks E is just the best baby ever... but hugs to ya. It was a real downer for me.

KK, I did come from NM. I've lived about a million places, though, so it's hard to keep track of me







: I'm surprised you remembered. NM will always have a special place in my heart, and will always be "home", if you know what I mean.

Oh, the other thought from my discombobulated brain - on those difficult days, the other thing that gets me is that *I* am the only person who's going to be able to fix it. If I lose it and get into a yelling match with my DD, chances are SHE isn't going to be the one to turn it around. So not only do I have to be the mom, I also have the be the adult. It's just a lot.

But it's an amazing thing we are all doing. A series of amazing things.


----------



## A&L+1 (Dec 12, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sarah'sMama* 
I don't feel fulfilled as a person and feel I need to find some outlet for myself, but I'm unsure what? I tried to explain it to dh a few weeks ago, but I don't think he "got" it. For him, he's always known his career path, never questioned it. It came naturally to him. So I don't think he understands how I can be lost.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *TurboClaudia* 
i very often feel like "what am i doing here, mama of two, not earning an income, not using my adult brain aside from maybe two 5-mjinute convos each day?" or "how did i end up as a housewife/homemaker/some other word i haven't found yet that i don't find offensive?"~c

Strange, as one of the WOHM in the bunch, but I totally get this. Now some may think that these feelings are why I am a WOHM, but in fact I still feel this way&#8230;I still feel like, "what am I doing with my life? All I do is work to pay the mortgage and spend time with my kids...what a privilege and a waste." It does not feel like I thought it would feel like to be a working mom and it certainly has not taken away the doubts I have about feeling lost and feeling underutilized while also being completely overwhelmed and in awe of my life. So so complicated and so hard to write out.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Miss Juice* 
For me, the difficulty is in the neverendingness of the needs. It doesn't have to be that there's anything spectacularly stressful happening, it's just that there is no moment "off".

and

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Miss Juice* 
So not only do I have to be the mom, I also have the be the adult. It's just a lot.
But it's an amazing thing we are all doing. A series of amazing things.









: Love all this&#8230;







.


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

totally forgot to share my joy from last friday...
my mom and i booked our vacation to hawaii (mom & dad, the four of us, my sis and her partner) over the christmas holidays. two weeks, baby! yahooey!
and ever since sarah said "smoochie boochies", that's all i've been thinking about working into conversations. haven't used it yet in real life, but...

smoochie boochies, MMF!

~claudia


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Wow, ladies, some deep thoughts for a Monday morning. Love you guys. Well, my input is that I am finally in graduate school, doing what I really really want to do and am passionate about, but there is also a lot of worry (and guilt) about being away for so much of Lily's young childhood. I've been reading a little bit of non-MDC parenting stuff lately, some Anne Lamott stuff, etc., and trying to get over some of my guilt. But of course it's impossible for me to blithely assert that every choice I've made in the last 5 years (including the choice to get pregnant) has been made with equal weight to my needs and Lily's needs. And of course we can all agree that those needs aren't necessarily equal for significant time periods of a child's life. But you know what I mean.

I try to think about the best interests of our family as a whole, and I think we do a pretty good job, and I am truly following my bliss and feel like it's finally beginning to happen for me. But it's not easy to leave Lily, even if it's to go sit in a fascinating lecture or catch a baby. I guess my point is that I have a hard choice between two amazing things, and I consciously made that choice, and I hope it works out. I think it will. Some part of me wishes I could go to school part-time, but in one way that would just drag it out interminably and DH is getting antsy for a break. And that's the other thing...DH really, really believes that I am doing the right thing and the Lilycare situation is as perfect as it can be for the time being. Soooooo...yeah. My long rambling $0.02.

In other news, DH leaves today for three days, and I have three long days of clinic/class. Deeeeeeeeeeep breath. So glad my friend now lives right up the street and can be here some mornings and evenings before and after nanny.

Off to do some prep for clinic...love to all.


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

That smilie parade rocks....love how you even worked the knittin one in there too!







:

Right now I'm listening to E sing on the monitor when she should be napping, but won't be cause she slept for all of 8 minutes and 27 seconds in the car on the way to get C from school.







: Would be a problemo 'cept her PT is coming at 230 and C's play therapist is coming at 245.







:

Our basement didn't flood (hooray) just some water that the sump pump could handle.

Too tired for personals, but hey--it's all about me anyway!









eta: woke up to snow this morning, but thankful it was only a bit and not juice-type snows. amazing how you happily greet the first snow of the season and then growl at the last...


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

hey heath: i just realized that you are oing to have a babe from each of three different seasons in your fam. that's nifty.


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Claudia---so funny that you mention that. The first thing out of E's mouth this morning was "snooooow!!!!" and I was like 'yup, kid, I guess you would love the snow being a winter babe' .... C is such an outdoors/spring/summer lover and being born in Sept I'm totally a fall girl.









All is quiet upstairs so I guess operation sing yourself to sleep worked!

back to cleaning up schtuff so the house is presentable for food playgroup tomorrow.


----------



## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Okay, Elsanne. Thanks for clearing that up for me! Whew!

Very sad about this whole Virginia Tech shooting thing. Man...April is bad for these kind of things it seems. DH is off planning an impromptu church prayer service for tonight (leaving a house full of packing to be done, though I'm trying to be understanding, but still! We have to finish packing!)

I should turn off CNN and rest while G is still napping. This isn't good for a preggo lady.

Love to you all...


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

do you all know about the family that was asked to move breastfeeding to their room at ronald mcdonald house in houston?

original thread
update thread
the mama and her sister (or maybe just the sister) were in a meeting at 4pm CDT so i'm anxiously awaiting an update, as is like half the mdc community, it seems...


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

On my way to bed. Yes, yes it IS almost 9pm. I am just that tired. Thoughts from the morning in haiku:

constant vigilance
neverending needfulness
parenting is hard

Maybe tomorrow I'll try for one the includes "parenting is sweet" or something along those lines.


----------



## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

wow. just so much to absorb right now.

Funny: I had a serious pregnancy dream last night. I dreamed that I was on a flight to meet up with sweets and the lentil in Amsterdam, and my plane had a layover in London. I was really excited- not because I was on my way to amsterdam, but because my pregnant tummy would be so happy because I could buy a bunch of british Mars bars at the airport. I love those things. Somehow, Milky Ways just don't do it for me quite like a good Mars bar does. The worst part of the whole dream is that the lentil woke up and woke me up just as I was approaching the newstand in the airport and I stay asleep long enough to purchase and eat my chocolate. sigh.


----------



## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Wow, reading all of this is making that next YG post brew even more in my head. *thinking*
I'll write more there in a bit; controversial stuff ahead, I warn you!







:

Smiley parades RULE, Sherri! Heather, if YOU are happy, then darn it, *I* am happy! Rock on!







You know, when I first got pregnant with Rowan, one of my friends said "well, it's still early, something *could* happen..." And I was like "WTF???" It sucked. I have to hand it to you mamas with more than one...







Yer my heroes! *grin* I am always happy for new bebes!









Okay, I am so sorry my posts have been so short lately, I've had a lot on my mind and I haven't been online all that much...so I will post more soon. The "hating life and wanting to run away" thoughts (







Els! Glad it's improved a bit since!) really resonate. *sigh* I am not hating life right now, but OMG, have I been there.

More soon, mama-jamas. Smoochie-boochies! I love me some Jay & Silent Bob!
















MMF!


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

I wrote this last night, but our internet connection was down, so here it is today:

***
Okay, first I have to be honest: I am here because Z just tipped over a bowl of pasta with red sauce on my lap, and I yelled "I need a break!!!"







: So I'm having a break. Whew. (Yeah. That kind of day.) I'm also taking a wee break from the teething nursing person. Who seems to be cutting teeth on my teta (to use an Elsanne word).

Juice, do "parenting is sweet" only if it is. 

I have such a hard time wrapping my head around mass murder. I really do. I've been avoiding it. (Reading about it, I mean.)

I like the 3 seasons babies. Now she definitely needs a 4th, in the last season! (except I think being big and pg in say July or August would be yucky)

"Juice-type snow"









Re the deep thoughts and what the hell am I doing being an X, Y, or Z and/or associated restlessless/unfulfilledness... Let me first say... I don't think our male partners are going through this angst. I *do* think mothers can overthink it, feel too much guilt, and so on. I am consciously trying to let go of some of that, because here I am. And truly--even when my kids make me want to scream, I'm so glad they're here. But. I am so totally there on the "how did I wind up as a housewife with 3 kids???". But... if I were a WOHM, I'd be questioning that. And if I didn't have kids, I'd be questioning that. I really *am* trying to dig down WAAAYYY below all the poop and snot and neediness and get something out of this. I hope that doesn't sound Pollyanna-ish, but it's just my headspace right now.

Yeah, being the adult. It seems like any time I slip and demonstrate bad behavior to my kids, they pick it up and repeat it over and over and over until I'm ready to go nuts. (And what better way to cure yourself of your bad habit? To completely have your nose rubbed in it till you scream UNCLE!) It's a *powerful* motivator to me to slow down, take a deep breath and *behave*.

I knew that family weren't necessarily going to be overjoyed about #3 even before I was pg (eg, my mil made it *verrrry* clear she never wanted 3 herself, and I told her, "Well that's great. You didn't have 3. You got what you wanted. We want something different."







) I think it's just as bad as when people bug childless people about whether/when they're going to have kids. In this country, The Perfect Family is one boy (pref. the elder), one girl (pref. the younger), spaced 2 years. Done. Period. People don't seem to understand if you want a family structure other than that (and let me toss in the married, heterosexual, protestant parents for good measure







). It didn't help that I was really not that overjoyed about a #3 a year earlier than we had planned, right on the heels of Z's eating/growth/motor issues.

Speaking of the eating/growth/motor issues... something happened IRL which made me realize that I am still *so* sensitive about that stuff, even now, that I cannot and will not ever give anyone any advice about that stuff anymore, even if they ask me for advice (and yeah, the incident IRL, I was of course asked). Ug. Seriously, they'll have to beg *and* be sincere.

***

And I remembered something I've been meaning to say for a long time... is Megan the only one (well, I guess besides me, sort of, well, and Juice, in the same sort of way) who didn't have a 2nd child of the same gender? See, this is part of the calculus which has me convinced that Jacquie is having a girl. She just has to; we have too many repeats. But I kinda think that Heather is having another girl, too. What do y'all think? (I'll bet I'm wrong, wrong, wrong!!!







)


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Morning, ladies.

I was really affected yesterday about the Virginia Tech shootings. I didn't find out until about 11 am or so, and then it was just non-stop. I didn't grow up too near there, but I have a few friends who went to Tech (back in the day) and it does seem pretty close to "home," if you know what I mean. All I could think about was the parents and families of the kids who were shot. Ugh. What a call to get. Sitting in class at a huge university. Ugh.









KK, ITA about the mama angst. My DH doesn't really get it when I talk about these things. He listens and nods, but he doesn't agree with me that it's even worth thinking about. He just assumes we're doing the right thing and everything will work out and all is good. Which is most probably is. But.

OK, must go get myself off to school. Buh-bye.

S.


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Jacqueline: girl

Heather: boy


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

i'm going with --jaqueline girl, heather girl.

i've been avoiding the virginia coverage too. i wasn't online or in front of the tv yesterday so it was pretty easy. we'll see about today when i'm sitting at my compy all day.

ob visit this morning. 3 lbs in 2 weeks







: i'd like to credit one pound to my danskos...which i have not been wearing at recent visits. they weigh a lot right?







in 2 weeks i get the lovely group b check. getting isaac to say obstetrician is pretty funny

i'm having an overwhelming urge to 'get ready' for baby. it still seems early but i'm going with it. i bought a pack of tiny sposies and a laundry basket yesterday. i'm ready to dig baby clothes out of the basement. and i need to go buy some newborn size prefolds. and i think that is about it









our weekend was pretty mellow. sunday i visited a friend who has terminal cancer. she's 37 and has a 6 year old daughter







it was a fine visit and not as depressing as i was expecting. i just don't know if i'll see her again. they said she'll be lucky to make it to christmas. she lives in england and was visiting her mom in salem. it is hard to even imagine what it would be like to be in her shoes. isaac had a lot of fun and keeps telling me he went to a party because there were also a 3yo girl, a 5 year old boy and the 6yo girl. and it is very much a 'grandparent's house' with lots of toys and a giant yard. and lots of aunts and uncles to entertain kiddos. isaac got to try tball and golf









as far as mama angst....i hope i am moving into a phase with more focus on being mama and less work. but there isn't really any way for me to predict what my 'satisfaction' level will be kwim? i'm a little scared about being mama to a newborn and an extremely energetic 3 yo. i'm hoping it is better (the overall life balance thing). i fear the constant neediness feeling of an infant coupled with the demands and acting out part. i am probably worst-case scenario-ing it in my mind to get ready for it though. at work we are having a meeting on thursday to figure out what we are willing to commit to in terms of contracting to do projects. so i should get an idea of what i plan to take on over the summer/fall. i have to keep working a bit. i hope the work is minimal and just enough to provide a distraction and semblance of adult-life.

very jealous about the hawaii trip claudia







: i wish we had a tropical vacation in our future. i love the sun

sarah - when you are done with school what type of schedule do midwives work? is it the typical nurse 3 12's schedule? it is always hard to hold out for the future but you are so close to being done and hopefully the actual working schedule will give you more time with lily. right now you are probably doing 6 12's a week







:

ok. i had no boob leakage at all being pregnant with isaac. and now i am having LEFTY boob leakage. this is not cool


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

I have no idea. I thought E was a boy because she was soooo different from C in utero....turns out she is just soooooo different from C.







I adore my girls and would love a third. I even told DH if this is a boy, I think we need to try for a third girl after that.









jstar---gosh, I couldn't even imagine only knowing you have that much time.







I think it was totally the danskos! I love that our mw doesn't care if we weigh at home and just tell her the #--definitely takes the surprise out of it!

My DH is a third opposite on the sahm/what on earth am I doing stuff. He is just so laid back and doesn't care if I stay home forever. Not so encouraging or motivating or something. I've thought of going to nursing school or getting a paralegal certificate. I have no idea. Some days it bothers me more than others.

I'm so over this feeling sooooo tired stuff. We had food playgroup here this morning and it was so eh. But am looking forward to Friday when we're going to do a P2P meetup....I think there are at least 5 or 6 of us and assorted kids going!

E is peeping....


----------



## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
Strange, as one of the WOHM in the bunch, but I totally get this. Now some may think that these feelings are why I am a WOHM, but in fact I still feel this way&#8230;I still feel like, "what am I doing with my life? All I do is work to pay the mortgage and spend time with my kids...what a privilege and a waste." It does not feel like I thought it would feel like to be a working mom and it certainly has not taken away the doubts I have about feeling lost and feeling underutilized while also being completely overwhelmed and in awe of my life. So so complicated and so hard to write out..

Now this completely fits in with my perception of you, as I know you're not working in a field you feel passionate about. I know how frustrated you are at not being able to actively pursue midwifery as soon as you'd like. You also bring up a good point to me. Sometimes I feel that if I had a job I'd be more fulfilled. I'd have more adult interaction and be away from home. But you are a reminder that a job is sometimes simply that, a job. I realize that a job isn't the end-all, be-all. It wouldn't automatically fulfill my needs and make me happy. I need to find something I'm passionate about, and frankly, I have no idea what that is. I feel really lost and confused about myself. If I had to tell you right now what my dream job is, I couldn't do it. I have no idea. What I really need is a life coach. Someone who can help me identify my strengths and weaknesses and point me in the right direction. I've always struggled with self-esteem, and simply feel I'm not good enough to do anything at all.

Wow, what an uplifting post, no?









So I guess I'd like to ask what you are doing as parents to bring your children up with healthy self esteeem. Any thoughts on the matter? What can I do to help my children build up a health self image and recognize their self worth?


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sarah'sMama* 
What I really need is a life coach. Someone who can help me identify my strengths and weaknesses and point me in the right direction. I've always struggled with self-esteem, and simply feel I'm not good enough to do anything at all.

So I guess I'd like to ask what you are doing as parents to bring your children up with healthy self esteem. Any thoughts on the matter? What can I do to help my children build up a health self image and recognize their self worth?


Sounds like you have your answer there.


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Sherri, I also want to say how happy and privileged I feel to be part of a group where you would open up like this; I get the feeling you don't do that much at all.
Feeling all









MMF!


----------



## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

I truly live in a bubble. This is the first I have heard of the shooting. Wow, nobody at preschool even mentioned it. I just googled it to find out what you were talking about. Google asked me where I had been and told me to talk to any human and I would find out! Seriously, now I get it.
As for updates
I am so ready for school to end. I will eat my words after two weeks of summer but right now the routine is beginning to drag. I am sort of glad that we did not go to the montessori school that is year round. Never mind that it is expensive and far away and I didn't hear about it till too late.
I definately feel the creeping malaise of restlessness. I think this may be seasonal. Like we are supposed to be planting right now, but instead we put in a few bean plants (not a whole field) and then we are restless.
OK, I should delete that but I will leave it. I am not drunk or otherwise under the iinfluence
I am also suddenly concerned with N's picky eating. I think a large part of it for her is issues with texture in her food. Like she can't deal with anything that contains multiple textures. No pilaf or rice and beans or soup or anything mixed up. No nuts in bread or seeded loafs, she won't eat jam on her PB. I think it is all part of her spiritedness and not a "problem" needing anything particular at this point. The thing that I don't know is if I should force her to try out textured food or just leave it alone. She will try things if she is motivated (like she knows there is something she loves in it) but she nearly choked with disgust on a Nestle crunch caramel egg. It was smooth and crunchy and runny all in the same bite and the look on her face was incredible. I just grabbed something and payed no attention, but she did not eat any more of those chocolate eggs. They were actually really good so I ended up eating them. Too bad for my WW.
Julia got the cutest shoes and then lost one down a storm drain. Naomi and Julia were both so devastated so I got her another pair.







: I am a little in shock about how much I spent on her shoes.
Also, we have termites and need to have the house tented...


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

OMG nugget, those shoes are adorable. $$$, but adorable. I just got these for Lily (my mom did, actually














.

So has N always been like that? Lily is similar, maybe not quite so bad. She will occasionally eat a sandwich with more than one topping. But anything like pilaf, soup, etc. she won't touch. I'm just wondering if N's pickiness is new or if she's had it for years...

Gotta go, freaking toddler.

S.


----------



## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

hi all- just spent an hour reading up.

i am somehow doing well today, but yesterday totally sucked. sounds like it was a bad day for many people. i am sad to say that there is no room in my heart to contemplate the v tech thing. i am unable to feel anything because i am too absorbed with my own fam.

i grabbed l yesterday and squeezed his arms tight as i was forcing him (more than once) into a time-out corner. we do not HAVE a time-out corner. i was just feeling so angry at his constant hit-the-cat, hit-the-baby, throw-the-food, dump-the-drink, demand-to-be-held, lie-on-the-floor-and whine, repeat, repeat, repeat, that i lost it.

we are tube weaning and l is on an antibiotic for a diaper owie (which is giving him diahrea and making things worse), and the whole babie is here to stay thing is hitting at the same time. oh- and l gave up naps 3 wks ago.

oh. and work is getting more stressful, and our company may eliminate part of my position leading to a pay decrease, and since dh is the manager the work stress hits him even harder than me.

so really, it's pretty amazing that i had a decent day today. but i should really get to bed. i miss all of you and wish i had more time to enjoy my wonderful may mamas!


----------



## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Hey mamas, not to rain on a parade that's already got its share of downpourings, but I finally got up the cojones to post what I've been thinking about over at the YG.

So that is my morning goddess post for the day. And dude, Rowan JUST woke up. Gotta fly.








Love you all and am thinking of you all too. Kisses mwah.

Please don't hate me for talking out this stuff over there!







:


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

renae---just read your thoughts in the groupie email and wanted to thank you for your honesty. when I'm a little less







: I will respond. Because in all honesty about half my day is







: and trying to be more







: than







: so I totally get what you were saying.

C has an eval for a music therapy class tonight and DH is meeting us there to wrangle crazy baby sister and then hopefully we can go do some fast foodish dinner because I so do not feel like cooking.







:

I adore those cutie shoes! Both my girls have really high insteps so shoe buying is always an adventure. Those see kai run ones might work. C had the 'katelyn' ones last year.

fiddly---so sorry about the work stress plus extreme toddlerness. yikes. *hugs*

okay...my quick morning computer fun is done done done.


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

saving us from almost page 3









wanted to tell you all the funny that marek said the other day.

i was nursing stefan on the couch in the front room (marek named it the toy room, and the kitchen/family room is the tv room since that's where the tv is). marek's holiday jingle bell necklace is hanging up on the key hooks, as we don't want just any kid to get it and also don't want to have unsupervised play with it since it has no safety clasp release.

marek: mama, can i have my jingle bell?
me: stefan's having ma-milks right now, so i can get it for you in one minute when he's all done.
marek: ok, thanks.
[climbs up on couch next to me, mumbling something, looking into kitchen and spots toy on top of fridge]
marek: oh, my thomas phone is on top of the fridge. can you get my thomas phone for me?
me: well, stefan is nursing so when he's done i can get that for you, too.
marek: and you can get my jingle bell, and you can get my thomas phone from the top of the fridge. [pauses] maybe dedo (our name for my dad -- slovak word for grandpa) can make me a bigger stepstool and i can climb up and get it myself.

:rotlfmao

i had a thought when i was reading something above, but my brain is swiss-cheesey today and i can't remember wtf it was... oh well.

~claudia


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Well, I guess it didn't work, because I found us on pg 3!

You go, Marek!









I will admit that I'm a big fan of See Kai Run shoes (Z's first shoes!). But they weren't as spendy in our local (normally super spendy) kid's shoe store--I think ~$10 less than what you paid? (And hey--they're cheaper than Stride Rites, and more flexible...)

Nugget, I could have said exactly what you said about school. And actually, what you said about N and food is somewhat similar to T and food. I asked Z's OT about it (when she came to evaluate L), and she said that it's not really a problem unless it gets to be a problem (and that I--and you--will know when it's a problem).







:

Sherri, big hug for you!







Re self-esteem: I guess what I am trying to do in that area is to help them find their own pursuits and interests. *I* was groomed too much to be a "pleaser", and as a result, I think it's hard for me to figure out what I want to do with myself. It seems like if you feel good about pursuing what you want to pursue, a side affect is that you seem to feel good about yourself. (I could be wrong.) T can tend toward being overly self-critical (yikes, where did he get that?














, and I just try to work with him on following through (because he usually ends up feeling good about what he did).

Gotta feed the monkeys...


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Claudia---love the way that boy thinks!







If we ever got him together with E...they surely would get into some good trouble!

The music therapy eval got off to a bad start as the therapist expected that I would let her take C back to the therapy room for the eval *by herself*. Um, no. She was not very tactful about it when I asked simply to go with her ---right in the middle of the waiting room in front of three other parents and kids and I had to get all







: and tell her I didn't think it was appropriate for her to do so. Blah. Turns out (and I'm not sure this is why she thought it was "okay") that she thought C was 4! --I guess maybe just going by her height and not the six page form of C's info she had in front of her.







: We did wind up signing her up from the session because it does address the things she needs, but good grief don't mess with this mama at the end of a looooong day.







:

And then we did go out to eat at a chain restaurant and it was gross and we won't be doing that again anytime soon!

Don't remember if I mentioned that my sis is coming Saturday to stay overnight with the girls while DH and I go to Atlantic City to see Norah Jones and stay at a fancy schmancy hotel and all that.


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

stopping in to say 'hola!'

heather that sounds like a fun little getaway









i love the see kai run shoes but isaac's feet are just giant now and they don't seem sturdy enough. can't wait to get my old ones out and reuse them with boy #2 though







they are SO sweet. i can't wait to get the old robeez out too. (the real reason i wanted babe#2...baby shoes!)

beth -it sounds like a lot going on at your house. L definitely has the baby brother reaction thing that i am expecting. and why do i think isaac will drop the nap when baby arrives?







: he's only 50% napping on weekends now even though he naps daily at school.

i bought tickets last night for a trip to CA this summer. i was really







: because i priced it all out last week and then we talked to family and coordinated and all that biz and it went up $200! i'm sure it will only continue to go up so i sucked it up and purchased. but it was a bigger dent in the budget than i hoped







the cool thing is that i am going down for 2 weeks and since doug can't miss that much work he will be coming down later. but my sister is going to fly up and fly down with me so i don't have to go solo with the baby and isaac. PHEW!

i have this very strong urge to go to disneyland. it would be foolish because a) doug won't be there and it would be a shame for him to miss isaac's first disneyland experience. and b) i will also have an 8 week old.

BUT c) i can get free tickets i think through a friend. and d) isaac talks constantly about how we are going to disneyland someday







: and e) i think doug's dad's family would definitely want to go and we haven't spent much quality time with them. so i think i'd have plenty of help and i don't think isaac will want to go on any rides anyway because he hates MOTION. i think the boat rides are the only ones that will fly.

i think all signs point to waiting *sigh* that would be so PRACTICAL









well my grand central egg salad basil sandwich just arrived so


----------



## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

i am officially a "working mom". even if it is only 15 hours a week. i started training this week, and this weekend, I am working at a big wine event.

larson family winery

cute, huh? super nice people, and a woman winemaker, too! cool! not many of those around. plus, she started out in the tasting room and worked her way up. double cool.

jett's eating chalk. i gotta go.


----------



## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Oh GOT TO DISNEYLAND! You can go again and Doug can go next time when #2 is bigger. I just love Disneyland but at Naomi's age they are already a little jaded and not so entranced in the magic.

Oh, I have to find easter eggs I guess.

A couple of days ago Julia came to me and asked "I want some Easter in my egg" Asking for candy I guess.









Go Meg on the job!


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

my sister votes yes on the disneyland plan too. she said we'll bring mom so WE can go on rides


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

and do the kidswitch... you do know about the kid switch, right? everyone stand in line together, get to the front of the line, someone watches kids while the other person rides, ride comes back, adults switch kid supervision, 2nd person comes back, everyone exits ride area together. genius.

still trying to convince bill we need to go to d-land in may before marek turns 3...


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

are they free before age 3? bonus! may would be a really good time to go too. not too hot. school is not out yet. august would pretty much be really hot and really crowded...and i still want to go.

a crew is tearing off our 100 years worth of ancient roofing shingles right now







:







:


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

eeeek. 2 may ddc babies have been born now. i've been participating more in the june ddc but this still is all starting to feel like a very real possibility now!!!


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Hey goils....writing you from sunny Albuquerque (







: emmalola!) where I am about to buy some serious tribal jewelry, and am at a coffeeshop now with my dad's laptop. yay! Totally smooth trip, I felt kind of triumphant walking through the Houston airport all calm and unruffled. (reference: last trip through Houston airport)

Life is good and bebe is soooo close to taking her first steps. whoa dude. Fun has been had, money has been spent, Trader Joe's has been ransacked. Been dancin like a, well, fool, dancin fool. Took my 15 y.o. niece to bellydance class and took my 5 y.o. niece to go hiking. Yay! Tomorrow is my birthday and more fun is planned.

love to all the mmmmmaaaayyyy mamas and I will now go back and catch up on what's been goin' down...when to expect Renae in Mexico, with or without Rowan...


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

another frickin' migraine kicked my a** this morning and i had to call bill away from a client 'cause i couldn't even function. wtf???? why am i getting these NOW, never had any before last week. finally seems to be dissipating, maybe, not sure.

happy birthday tomorrow, els! have a groovy day!

~claudia


----------



## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Claudia, I hope you kicked the nasty migraine to the curb. I hope you find out what's triggering them soon, they truly suck.









It's a glorious day here today! Finally spring has sprung, and we're outside soaking it all up.


----------



## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

I'm a threadkillah!!!!









Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend! Another day of beautiful weather here!


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Well the weather here is crappy. We tried to go to an Earth Day celebration yesterday, only to go home after 15 minutes because it was miserable and Lily was complaining. Plus I'm sick with a cold, and had to get up at 6:30 am this morning to report for call. Interestingly enough, I'm actually in a pretty good mood, considering. I really want to have a birth today, but I'm also sick so wouldn't mind napping all day, either. Well, I don't have control either way, so I guess I'll just go with the flow!

DH put the chickens in a bigger pen in the garage last night. I hope they don't get too cold. There is a heat lamp out there for them, of course, but I worry. They won't be big enough to go outside to their official henhouse for another month, but they were getting too big and loud for a cardboard box in the kitchen.









So DH and I have entered into our first (big) parenting disagreement. We disagreed about some of the sleeping stuff when she was small, but somehow it seemed different when she couldn't really talk. It's funny because I am turning out to be the "lenient" one and he is the strict one. I always thought it would be the opposite. I just think Lily is still so young and can't be expected to do some of the things he expects of her. I am always saying, "but honey, she's 2" or something along those lines, and he doesn't buy it. I tend to allow her things like me helping her with the potty, whereas DH will refuse to help her (because she's demonstrated that she can do it). So she gets upset, and he just ignores her until she stops screaming. Of course this isn't the whole picture, just an example. I was hoping that we could be more consistent with her, but it looks like the mama/papa differences are starting earlier than I'd hoped. Sigh.

S.


----------



## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Happy Birthday Elsanne! Hope it's been great for you. Sounds like you've been living it up!









Weather is crappy here, too. It's been raining all weekend. Blah.

Yesterday was my first real day of "work". SO FUN! It was a big tasting event, so it was extra busy, but I kind of like just jumping in, trial by fire style. I held my own when talking about the wines I was pouring, and only spilled once.







The winery owners then invited all of the staff and a bunch of their family and friends for a BBQ. What a great welcome! Kids running around in the rain with puppies, delicious food and wine, good, REAL people who are a part of fascinating local history. Not sure if you guys looked at the website, but the winery I'm working at is on the site of what used to be the largest rodeo in N. California during 1930-1950, the days when people were ALL ABOUT the rodeo. Seabiscuit was trained there, to boot, and all the while, this same family owned the land. It's pretty neat to be a part of a place that represents true California cowboy culture.

TC, how ya feeling today? Hope you can figure out how to stop those migraines. That must be awful.









MCSB, DH and I have similar disagreements about Mia's capabilities. He doesn't buy the "she's 2" argument either. Frustrating. But inevitable.

Gotta run. Kids freaking out.


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

OMG We survived the weekend! We went to a wedding in Iowa... DH's first cousin. Traveling with three kids is not for the weak. A good time was had by all, the wedding was beautiful if a bit quirky, the kids were mostly well-behaved, and the weather was splendid. I know I will not have the time to write the novel that is deserved, as it was ridiculously surreal at times, and very very National Lampoonish in terms of number of consecutive things that can go wrong. So here are some chapter titles I'm tossing around in my head, please make up the rest or ask questions if you really want to know:

Airplanes and Toddlers (hint - they don't like seatbelts)
Adventures in Minivan Rental
-Woman on cell phone blatantly cuts in line in front of exhausted family with three kids
-It's FUN to go to Wal-Mart and buy a carseat for your 28-lb rearfacer b/c the rental agency has nothing that will work
Thank Goddess it Wasn't MY Rehearsal Dinner
Cosleeping Redefined
Communications Breakdowns
Everybody Loves the Zoo
How to Feed Four Generations on $20
Three Kids, Two Parents, and a Swimming Pool (you do the math)
Of Course The Wedding Was Beautiful
Please Warn Parents in Advance if the Reception Dinner Includes Spaghetti
Cosleeping Redefined Revisited
We're Having a Nice Breakfast Together Dammit
You Want Your Tie, You Come Here and Get It
(alternate: Rooting Through a Suitcase of Dirty Laundry in the Middle of the Restaurant Searching for Grandpa's Tie)
Reimburse Me for that Carseat, Darn You
If You Miss Someone Send Them a Postcard From the Airport
Toddlers *Still* Don't Like Seatbelts
It's 90 Degrees on this Plane and We're Not Going Anywhere
Goddess, it's Good to be Home!

Epilogue: Every Fish is Dead

Appendix: Homeland Security - News From the Frontlines

And without further ado, I am longing for my very own pillow, and so there I go.


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

elsanne,

hippo birdie two ewe.


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

happy belated birfday elsanne. sounds like a groovy trip

juice, you the funneh







where in iowa? my mom is from iowa. i always feel like family trips there are national lampoonish.

the parenting disagreements are tough. ours started when we got a dog in 1996. and we've pretty much had the same issues over the kid









i went to cynthia's diaper sewing class yesterday and BOY IS THIS FUN> sewing adorable tiny diapers. awwww. and some 35 weeker just had her water break in the may ddc. i think i am going to wash a load of baby clothes tomorrow morning. i'm not ready. i have a permit application i HAVE to finish too. i mean...i don't. but i want to.

clauda ....are you sure you're not pregnant??? that is the only time i get many successive migraines in a row







:

ooh oooh ooooooh. i think we're on the verge of potty breakthrough. exciting stuff. he's doing MUCH better.


----------



## A&L+1 (Dec 12, 2003)

Alive. And well. Heading into my last week working before my seven week SAHM gig. Friday I will be home solo con kidlets. My mom and dad are home in Michigan and my dad has had his radiation tattoos placed. Alison is a pumping fiend and Annabel will now, finally, take a bottle. Eleanor is a grown up kid (that nurses before bed and won't use a potty, but still). I've been in a funk of sorts - not sure where it is taking me, but I am very anxious these days. I am coping.

Happy birthday to Elsanne! I hope you are recovering from some serious celebrations...

Juice, you made me laugh with your chapter titles. I was most curious about "If You Miss Someone Send Them a Postcard From the Airport" When I was in Zimbabwe the postal system worked the best/fastest from the airport so I often made a special trip to the airport just to mail something.

jstar - you have time! We felt so anxious about Annabel coming early so I totaly understand where you are coming from. He's coming soon but not yet!

Megan - Your job looks awesome. I want to go to that winery!

Sarah - Ugh, that sounds like a tough disagreement. I am also the more lenient one (eleanor calls me "mamacita" and Alison "mommy-grown-up"







). It has not been much of a problem for us, yet. The thing is, kids this age are very physically capable of doing many things independently, but emotionally and developmentally they are still fairly multiple-personality-disordered and thier physical selves and their metal selves don't always match. It takes another year or two to get consistent and in the meantime, imo, we have to be compassionate about it. Thier mood, the temperature of the air, the time of day, the last meal eaten or sleep taken are SO MUCH more overwhelming to their little bodies than we'd like to accept as parents. So, it's not that Lily is incapable of the _physical_ act of using the potty without assistance, it's that she has to figure out how to do it without complaint under 1,000 different emotional circumstances. I don't know if that makes sense, but it helps me to remember that Eleanor has never before been in _this exact situation_, whatever it may be, even if it is the 10th time that she has been to that park/made her bed/eaten a grilled cheese/whatever.

Love to the May Mama Rock Stars!


----------



## A&L+1 (Dec 12, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jstar* 
clauda ....are you sure you're not pregnant??? that is the only time i get many successive migraines in a row







:

Claudia - and the question in my head for you was "Are you sure you're not gay?"














:














: When I got migraines it was because I was not dealing with serious emotional issues under the surface. In the end, I came out, told my parents some bad family history stuff, and voila, the migraines went away. I hope you get to the bottom of these migraines soon. I really feel your desperation in your posts and I am so sorry.


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
Sarah - Ugh, that sounds like a tough disagreement. I am also the more lenient one (eleanor calls me "mamacita" and Alison "mommy-grown-up"







). It has not been much of a problem for us, yet. The thing is, kids this age are very physically capable of doing many things independently, but emotionally and developmentally they are still fairly multiple-personality-disordered and thier physical selves and their metal selves don't always match. It takes another year or two to get consistent and in the meantime, imo, we have to be compassionate about it. Thier mood, the temperature of the air, the time of day, the last meal eaten or sleep taken are SO MUCH more overwhelming to their little bodies than we'd like to accept as parents. So, it's not that Lily is incapable of the _physical_ act of using the potty without assistance, it's that she has to figure out how to do it without complaint under 1,000 different emotional circumstances. I don't know if that makes sense, but it helps me to remember that Eleanor has never before been in _this exact situation_, whatever it may be, even if it is the 10th time that she has been to that park/made her bed/eaten a grilled cheese/whatever.

Yep, I totally agree. Problem is, DH doesn't.







We're working on it. What can you do.

Hope you're more than just alive soon.







And _enjoy_ the SAHM gig, eh?

Juice, your trip sounds crazy. I do not envy you. Glad the wedding was nice, though, hey.

jstar, you are so funny. I never really got the whole cute diaper thing, but go for it, mama, go for it. You do have some time, but not that much. Enjoy it while you can, you know.









I'm still sick but recovering. I was on call last night but didn't get called in. I am sad and glad about it. Sad that I didn't get to be at a delivery, glad that I got to sleep. Someday I will catch a baby, someday soon!

The weather is supposed to be better this week, and I am happy about that. I am sooooo ready for real Spring.

Sarah


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

DH and I had a fantabulous night in Atlantic City (norah jones concert) and some adult meals w/o any plastic utensils or sippy cups at the table, etc. etc.







:

Sarah--we have some minor things like that, but what irks me the most is when he antagonizes her or sets up negative dynamics or something...can't quite explain it. Things like asking her yes/no questiosn when he knows he won't accept her 'no'. Not making sense, but do understand how it would feel easier if there was more consensus on how you tackled certain areas.

Lisa--Anxious about the upcoming 7 weeks?? *hugs* So glad you had the time to visit with your dad. Does Allison (one L or two...I always forget!







)need any lansinoh bags?? I have oodles leftover from pumping I could send. They make great freezer bricks.









Elsanne---belated, but hope you had a wonderful birthday!!! (no pulque I hope!)

Juice---oh my! sounds like quite the trip. Do we get to see cute wedding kiddo pics?

sarah---glad you got sleep and hope that first birth isn't too far off!

jstar--I love making dipes! I splurged a while back and got a snap press so I can make some faux fuzzi buns for the new babe. Those were my favorite w/ E when she was tiny, but I only had a few.

sherri--glad spring has arrived there! We had a wonderful day outside yesterday too! Are you guys still going to Maine in August?? We got our confirmation a few weeks ago and I'm already missing that we'll miss you there this year!

okay....must go wake C from napland before her therapist gets here...


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

i am most definitely not pregnant, as there are cerytain actions that must be undertaken for that to occur and they are simply too rare an occurrence around here for it to be the case.

and i'm pretty sure i'm not gay right now, although i do get much enjoyment from looking at some female cleavage sometimes. i reserve the right to change my mind about gayness when i am old and gray haired and alone and such. is that condescending to gay people? i feel like it might be.

~c


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TurboClaudia* 
i reserve the right to change my mind about gayness when i am old and gray haired and alone and such. is that condescending to gay people? i feel like it might be.

~c









:

I've often thought I'd much rather grow old with a woman than a man. Not sure why. Better conversation?


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Ack, post eaten. Time used up. Buh-bye!!!


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mcsarahb* 
Enjoy it while you can, you know.











oh i AM. last monday and today i have bagged work for just hanging at home and puttering/sewing/cleaning. i've taken isaac to school for the crucial activities of playing in the playground, lunch and nap and then i'll go get him. i went through my baby clothes totes and am washing a load right now. and i sewed 2 more dipes. it feels *really* extravagent to hang out at home by myself and not go to work. but also like charging a battery and saving up before the storm. i feel that 'no me time' thing looming ahead and it doesn't seem like it will be bad if i can take some ME time right now







so i am

i'm about to eat lunch and head to lowes to get some wood to make a strawberry bed....because it is SO nice out today. unfortunately the roofers are not here because the forman's daughter had to go to the hospital. i have the hots for the foreman







: hah

the cute dipes thing is kind of funny because they're going to get covered up anyway. i bought some PUL (waterproof fabric stuff) and i'm kind of scared to cut into it. looks slippery. i need to go buy some foldover elastic first anyway. and i was thinking i need a snap press too







fun stuff! cute covers seem more exciting than cute dipes. and the only fuzzibuns i have are large so i might attempt a few small ones of those.

i'm in the club of going gay when i'm old







i figure my man will die and then i will find a female companion. i also think they'd be nicer to grow old with







i don't want my man to die for many moons yet though....don't get me wrong.

lunch calls....


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

i didn't want to say about the man dying but yeah, i have that feeling that he's first of us and then i go girlie. weird, i think.
~c


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Just want you to all know you're killing me







:

Allison's new "thing" is rolling her r's in a ridiculously cute fashion. So all weekend we were talking about airrrrrrrrrrplanes. Actually, hairrrrrrrrplanes. I mean she rolls them for seconds - it sounds like she's purring.


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

jstar---if you want some foe, I'll send you some. I could never for the life of me figure out how to use it without mucking things up horrendously. I guess that's what I get for teaching myself to sew.







Do you want any more PUL?? It cuts really easily w/ a rotary cutter and I just use my regular foot to sew it w/ inner side up. We have an awesome strawberry bed leftover from the previous owners and I love it! I get so sad when strawberry time passes!

boiling pasta now for pasta salad w/ grilled asparagus, squash, olives, roasted red peppers and feta. yum!

*yawn* something about playing outside just tires me out....guessing allergies as everything is starting to bloom here. aaaachooo.


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

*glub*

That's me drowning in email catch-up...

just a couple:

juice, I am rolling. I want details on all of it. So sad, the epilogue!

Lisa, also giggling about TC being actually gay.

TC--not laughing about you maybe being a gay AARP member. Really, I'm not!

Borat = funny movie.

Nacho Libre = REALLY funny movie all must see, right up there with (but not, actually, anywhere near) TBL.

No return-trip nightmares, although I started to have flashbacks on the interterminable trail in the Houston airport, culminating in the same boarding gate where Sol melted down on me and I died inside.


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

juice: we are making you roll because of our end of life gay-ness talk? or something else? confused...

and yes, you must share more info about the individual chapters of which you gave tentative titles. carseat story is particularly interesting to me, as i just had a convo with my mom about the fact that i won't be renting carseats in hawaii at the end of the year when we go but will be bringing our seats with us. two gigundo britaxes. but the horrors i have heard about the car rental agencies and the seats they have make me cringe.

too short nap for bebe...

grrr....

~c


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Yes, it's the end of life gayness talk. I'm just right there with ya, that's all







Seriously, the maymamas just give me the warm fuzzies all the time. I don't think I've ever seen such a great group of truly nonjudgmental women, and I'm so glad to have found you









elsanne, I'm so glad you're back. I was starting to worry







How were your travels?


----------



## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

What a wacky bunch.

jstar- I've been having serious anxiety moments about going early too. Mostly because I don't have insurance and we'd have to pay for all the emergency stuff out of pocket. Last night sweets and I were discussing what to do with his birthday money and we decided NOT to use it to pay bills so we'd have something liquid should there be an emergency. Too heavy a conversation for a Sunday night.

The lentil and I have had the most wonderful afternoon. Despite it being "Turn off your Television" week, I let him watch an episode of Little Einsteins in exchange for him letting me trim his fingernails. is that a







: sort of parenting moment? We do a lot of negotiating around here. Hey! It works! Anyway, after the television moment (and we hardly watch TV around here, so basically, every week is turn off your television week...) he and I made popcorn and had a popcorn and milk snack. It was really nice. And fun. I'm loving that we can do fun things with our kids now where they can really interact.

juice- I'm sorry about the fishies. that stinks (literally!)


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

well my strawberry bed is not going to happen today because i am thoroughly pooped after buying the supplies







: which are still in the car and too heavy for me to get out. but i think this upcoming weekend *may* actually be nice weather.

if my man does not die first i'll be miffed as he has been a smoker since age 14. but as you know....these things are seldom logical

heather i'd love whatever supplies you don't want









nacho libre appeals the more times you watch it i swear.

isaac just broke my necklace by ripping it my neck and i'm a little







: ok maybe a lot. i think i'll go start dinner


----------



## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Hey friends,
We moved this weekend! It's been crazy busy and we will be without Internet for another couple weeks. We have been able to bum off our neighbor's wireless connection to do a few things, and I can check when I work (like right now). But, I will be a little more absent than normal for the next couple weeks. We are going out of town next week anyway...visiting Grandma in Kansas while dh goes to NYC for the week.

The move went well. We're all in and have cleaned out our old place, so we can focus on the new house right now. I'm taking it pretty slow, but haven't slept well because I got a cold/allergies on top of the moving stress.

I haven't had a chance to totally catch up with you all, but you're always in my thoughts. Talk with you more as time (and Internet access) allows.

xoxoxoxoxoxox


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Hi Jacqueline! Thanks for keeping us updated. I've been thinking about you and the BIG MOVE. Glad things went well. I'm also glad, as your internet midwife-friend, that you are taking it easy.














Have a good trip to Kansas.

Can I please stop being sick?! This sucks. I feel like my head is going to explode. I can't even hear out of one ear. I am overcome with snot. *whine*

I want to see Nacho Libre, but DH is lukewarm. He loved Borat, though, and I was lukewarm about that.

OK, going to go take all my anti-cold vitamins and go to bed early. *mwah*

Sarah

P.S. Where's Renae? How're ya doing, sweetie??


----------



## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Hi all!

readin along, as usual, happy to hear all that is goin on in your lives.

W: might win most mellow babe on the planet award, as long as his dipe is kept scrupulously dry.







an easy fix.

L: is learning how to drink more in feeding therapy, and how to answer questions in speech therapy. we have to hault the tube weaning cause he's dehydrated, so i really hope we'll still meet our goal of being done by the end of the summer. he's megga clingy still, but the obnoxious behavior is lessening.

there are 4 firetrucks outside our window, as the oriental food distribution co. across the street is smoking. i hope they didn't have too much damage- all the workers are so sweet to L as we pass by on our way to the park daily.

i wanna go to bed. gonna put W down, start L's pump, then do just that.

night, mama jamas


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

tube weaning is really exciting. i'm sure it is a process but it sounds like progress. and i'm glad W is such a mellow baby







:

i'm glad the move went well and you're into your new house jacqueline! you'll really be able to nest in a big way







sprucing up a new nest! i hope G takes to the move easily.

emmalola - how early of a birth would require emergency costs? the 35 weeker in my ddc just had a homebirth and the baby was a0k. didn't even need oxygen and weighed 6 lbs something.

i hope the snotties go away sarah! snot-b-gone.


----------



## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

jstar- the midwives can't legally do a homebirth any time before 38 weeks in my state. They are only legal in that 4 week period of "full term", although since my ovulation date is questionable we might be able to fudge dates a little. But still, it's nervewracking.

McSarahB- sorry you're







:! We saw Nacho Libre in the theater and while we laughed, it wasn't the funniest thing we'd seen all year, you know? And I'm a huge Jack Black fan, too. In retrospect, I wish we'd waited for the DVD and spent that money to see a different movie. I have Borat on my netflix list (should come tonight!) so I'll report back.

Fiddle- that's great about the weaning... it will be good, it will be good, it will be good!

jacqueline- wow- moving at this point in pregnancy! We moved during the first tri and it sucked. We're just unpacking now. I hope your nesting kicks in and you're able to make your nest just right before the babe comes.









my babe is kicking me right now. I love it. kick. punch. kick. wiggle. awwww. I am still in utter disbelief that I will have a second kid in just a few months. It sort of makes up for the absolutely horrible self esteem I have- pregnant, big cellulite, bad skin, ravishing hair. I've also got that chubby pregnant face thing going on. Ooooh- as a person with an already chubby face, this is the final insult.


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *emmalola* 
jstar- the midwives can't legally do a homebirth any time before 38 weeks in my state. They are only legal in that 4 week period of "full term", although since my ovulation date is questionable we might be able to fudge dates a little. But still, it's nervewracking.


strong sticky-til-38-weeks vibes for your babe. i'm sure it will be fine. too bad they don't make the law 37 weeks though since that is 'full term'. what side of his edd did the lentil fall on? isaac was so late i can't imagine i would really go 'early' but still prepping just in case.


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

snot-b-gone

Finally have a minute to sit down and do more than read. Of course the babe just woke up so we'll see how that goes...

The wedding was in Indianola, Iowa (about 20 minutes south of Des Moines). Indianola is very small and sweet. There was some kind of Harley Davidson thing going on, so it was very loud all the time.

Lisa, it's harder than it sounds to send a postcard from the airport these days. DD1 was having a really rough time leaving her uncle (who she adores and who lives in Idaho so we don't see him often) so I had this brilliant (I thought) idea to buy a postcard and write to him right then. It worked, and she stopped bawling long enough to write it, and then we couldn't find anywhere to mail it so she started bawling again. Eventually we got the guys in the gift shop to take it, after they assured her that they knew exactly where Idaho is. Poor Caitlyn was just so tired and overstimulated from the weekend.

Heath, I envy your overnight getaway. Someday...
Oh, and sadly no cute wedding pics, as my camera batteries died after the trip to the zoo. So literally all of my pictures from the weekend are of animals at the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines







Hopefully my FIL will email me some of his, but that's doubtful.

TC - carseat story. If you care at all, take your own. As we were just going for two nights, it seemed truly crazy to haul three carseats with us. I was desperately trying to cut down on the amount of stuff we had to bring. Bad choice. When we got to the rental agency (after about 7 hours of traveling with three kids ugh) well, FIRST, this crazy woman on a cell phone cut right in front of us in line







: and I didn't even say anything to her because any comment from me would have likely been accompanied by a thwap to the head. Who cuts in front of an exhausted family with three kids? OK, /rant, sorry. So the only carseat options were the rearfacing infant bucket, or the forward facing belt positioning booster. Ethan is 8 months, so not even legal (much less safe) to FF, and he's 28 lbs so a good 6 lbs over the weight limit for the RF bucket that he wouldn't fit in anyway. The supervisor was very nice and tried to be helpful, and ended up sending us to the local Wal-Mart to buy a seat that would work, for which they reimbursed us. It ended up fine but was a huge PITA, because we wanted to get to the hotel, and I'd vowed never to shop at WM again, but what do you do? SO yeah, the short answer is that if you care about your kids' seats, bring your own. Sorry for the novel









Oh, and the fish were dying of some mysterious tank ailment before we left. It's hard on the kids, but now we're sanitizing the tank and getting ready to witness the cycle of life all over again.

And our egg carton planting has been a huge success!!!


----------



## A&L+1 (Dec 12, 2003)

Question requiring the sensitivity and bluntness that can only be found amongst the May Mamas:

Would put a very gentle, compliant, 14+-year-old cat with newly discovered kidney issues through thrice weekly fluid injections (performed by you with a huge needle and an i.v bag of saline) and daily potassium supplements in the effort to extend her life? What if she is not otherwise eating/drinking but the vet says that she can comfortably go like this for "some time"? What if your dad is dying of cancer and your daughter loves this cat with all her heart?


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

oh geez, lisa... that's a toughie...

have you tried this process with the cat yet? because i love our older cat to pieces (when he's not clawing our new-ish leather couch or being a royal pain in the cuddly a** because the litter needs to be changed), but he wouldn't tolerate this process AT ALL if he were ill. no sirree bob, thank you very much. and it would kill me to have to say good bye to him, as much as his "quirks" drive me bonkers.








s

crazy almost 3 year old jumping up and down instead of finishing lunch... arrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh...

~claudia


----------



## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Lisa,







on the cat situation. My best friend's cat had kidney failure and she kept his alive for several months with injections and meds. It was very traumatic for her (she's an animal nut) and for the cat. In the end, she said she feels she made a mistake in keeping him alive, that she did that for her own selfish reasons, that he was not happy and she should have let him go sooner. Not sure that's helpful, hope it is. It's a tough decision. I'm thinking of you.


----------



## A&L+1 (Dec 12, 2003)

She purrs through the process. She is that type of cat. Me, I cry and bitch and moan about it. It feels wrong to have to do this but it doesn't yet feel less wrong to put her down, if that makes sense. I am dreading going home though because she is due for an injection and I hate it.


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

If it were me, I would put her down. I am pretty pragmatic about pets, though. Grew up on a farm and all that. And Lily seems to take pet deaths fairly easily, too. So that's my situation. But it sounds like yours is different. Hope you come to a decision that is comfortable for you and everyone. Sounds like she has had a good life.










Hi, Fiddle!









Emmalola - I think you will go at least to 38 weeks. I envision a beautiful, peaceful, perfect homebirth for you.







Hang in there, mama.

Presents are starting to arrive in the mail already. Sheesh. Can't believe they're all going to be THREE!!!

Sarah


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Aw, Lisa, that's hard. We're suffering through the loss of all our fish, and I'm surprised at how hard it's been for the kids - I'm not looking forward to that when it's one of our beloved dogs. Maybe you can use this time (however long you want to continue) to talk to E about where the cat will go?


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

i wouldn't be able to do the injections so there is no way i could cope with that. i'm sure i wouldn't be able to cope with my cat dying either. i would probably not do the injections but not take her to be put down until it seemed 'necessary'. (i have no idea what that option looks like.) what a tough thing







poor kittie and you.

our pets are all getting old. 2 cats which are probably both 14 (one i know is 14 the other is a guess she is the same age). and our dog is 11. he is getting old dog stanky. i've been saying that max is getting old and we recently had a grocery shopping trip which consisted of the repeat conversation "our dog is getting old. we need to get a new one" NO WE DON"T. i started to feel like 'don't talk about my dog like that!'









birthday season is upon us! we have 3 birthday parties in one weekend in may. busy busy. i'm hoping our relatives send clothes. isaac is growing out of everything and he will soon be nude. he wants a playmobile crane for his birthday. i ordered him a playmobile backhoe and it came in the mail. and now EVERY SINGLE cardboard box he sees he says 'is that my crane?????' and then cries when it isn't. and since they are roofing our house right now there are cardboard boxes all over the place. how can a 3 year old be so obsessed with some toy? he's a consumer monster like his mama







: i should have never let him know about internet shopping







:

oy i don't want to work today. can you tell? i am posty posty pants


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Presents are accumulating here, too! The fam sent me home with wrapped gifts...she's already wearing her tennies with flashy lights...but the rest will wait until her THIRD birthday. Egads!

Lisa, whoa. Sounds like you know your answer, there--

Am reading "Protecting the Gift". Anyone here read it? Whoa dude.


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
Am reading "Protecting the Gift". Anyone here read it? Whoa dude.

it's sitting on my bookshelf after i scored it for $3 at the catlin gabel rummage sale 1.5 years ago...


----------



## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Lisa, a note about purring. Sometimes they do that as a coping mechanism. Self soothing. Not always a sign that they are happy and content. But it's your cat, you would know.

I had another thought about the cat in relation to your father's cancer. Might it be better to let the cat go on your terms, on your time line? Like sooner rather than later? Maybe you would prefer to complete the cat situation before you are grieving for your father? (I hope this isn't sounding totally crass. I am struggling to find the words to express myself.







)


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Meg, that is a good point about the purring. I've heard that, too. And I get what you're saying about letting the cat go.

I also wanted to comment on your job sitch - that does sound really cool! I would love to be a part of something like that. Sounds like a great fit for you.

I read Protecting the Gift when Lily was an infant. A little early, I think. I should read it again. I remember thinking it had some excellent take-home messages, if a little preachy.

S.


----------



## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Lisa,

That is a really hard decision. I don't really know what I would do. I try to imagine myself in the same position when my MIL was here, or afterwards. It is a different situation because I was not close in the same way, and she was at my house. I don't think I could have handled the loss of a pet beforehand, while the whole deal was going down so to speak, but afterwards I would have felt odd grieving for the pet while I should have been grieving for the parent (inlaw).
I think it is true what Megan said, that it may be easier to let go of the cat on your own terms, but the time before death can be hectic and stressful even if you are not nearby. I think if you are far away you feel more helpless and out of the loop, even if you are kept in the loop. Because you are not there and not experiencing it. So having to grieve for a cat at the same time may be really hard.
Or maybe the experience with the cat parrallels what is happening with your dad and can help you feel connected in a different way to what your mom and dad are going through.
I know this was not an answer but I really don't have one. The truth is that you will have to grieve both your father and your cat withing short spaces of each other. There, I was blunt.
I sense that you are having a hard time with the injections, but how is the cat feeling/doing the rest of the time? besides not eating.
Kids can be very pragmatic about death too. Naomi at 4 was quite blunt about her grandma dying and did not apparently blink an eye when she woke up and Grandma was gone. Of course she would then start crying at some totally random tiime about it, but it wouldn't be very long.


----------



## A&L+1 (Dec 12, 2003)

I have had a headache all day but before I go to bed I wanted to take a moment to thank you for all the support and words of wisdom. We have decided that we're going to take her to the vet this week for euthanasia. It just seems like extending her life does not make sense when she is not going to get better. I really appreciate what you have said about the purring, the connection with my dad, the fact that we can do this on our own terms which can't be said about my dad's illness. So thanks once again May Mamas, it has been so great to have friends who can talk me down off the edge when I am feeling overwhelmed. Thank you!

I am going to snuggle my cat and go to bed.


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Hi guys--

Lisa I think that's a good idea. Sending you some good energy, because beloved pets getting old/dying is really hard no matter what.

Speaking of, did youguys know that I have the best dog in the world? No, really! Her name is Reina (queen) and she rocks. She is a King Charles Spaniel (or something like that, I dunno about these things) so she kind of looks like a small spaniel, big soft ears, intelligent eyes, very obedient and cute and sweet. When I take her out in public she walks right beside me and if I sit down, she sits at my feet.
Several people have made the comment that I "surround myself with cute things" (babies n Reina).

And Sol has a bunny. Before I left, Viet got her 9 chicks and a bunny. Now, there is just a bunny. Yeah.

Liking the "protecting the gift". Right now I'm in the "finding a babysitter" section which seems, frankly, overwhelming the way he suggests. Thankfully I don't have to deal with that at the moment, I love Laura. My wife. The persuasion techniques have been a very interesting read.

It is over 90 degrees these days around here. HOTHOTHOT. NO a/c. Apr/May is our hottest time.

Babes cryin, must go. Deep breath, and adelante!!!! Yes, I am having good attitude! REally!


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

I borrowed that book from the library a while back and browsed it. It certainly cemented my thought not to try to look for a babysitter. The one we have now is wonderful and thankfully a rec. from someone we know at church (her neighbor).

Lisa--thinking of you all! I didn't chime in because I don't really do loss that well and have no idea what I would do. *hugs*

jstar---FOE and a few PUL cuts on their way! I thought I had more PUL to share, but it's all girly colors! LMK if you have any interest in hemp for doublers or what have you as I have loads of that and some organic cotton fleece as well.

E and I had a fun morning planting our front garden bed while C was at school. She is in the cute helper stage and I adore it! DH and I are gardening clueless so I just put in a couple hostas and some petunias. C got to plant her marigolds and a couple random perennials yesterday in her own little bed.

KK.....I still have to send for more info from the agency here that does the PV grants, but DH is interested in pursuing it! So for now I'll just be a PV-wannabe. The local news just did a story on a local woman who has a 'green home' w/ pv panels, etc. Though we will eventually need to redo our roof so maybe that will have to come first???

Got C's eval report and she does qualify for some services that she can likely get at preschool.


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
I am going to snuggle my cat and go to bed.

this made me teary. enjoy all your snuggles and i'm really glad you were able to decide what to do

Quote:


Originally Posted by *heatherfeather* 
Ijstar---FOE and a few PUL cuts on their way! I thought I had more PUL to share, but it's all girly colors! LMK if you have any interest in hemp for doublers or what have you as I have loads of that and some organic cotton fleece as well.

you rock! i'd be interested in the hemp and fleece as well...i don't have any of either of those. i'm having so (sew) much fun sewing lately! i just cut out fabric for two of these kimonos and i hope i get a chance to sew them up this weekend.

baby kimono

meg - i forgot to say too that your job looks *awesome* that winery looks so cool. that is an amazing part of california...i wish i lived at a winery. so georgous and what great family history. i want to go stay at the little guesthouse









i think i should read protecting the gift.

we had a bad sleep night last night so i feel







: isaac was crying at 4am for me to sleep with him. his mattress is so firm my hips were aching in about 10 mins. i tried to sneak off. he woke up. he wanted a dry dipe. (i ran out of dipes and put him in cloth 2 nights in a row and he has instant mega diaper rash so he was telling me his pee pee was owie.) he came into our bed and i was so cramped i tried to sneak out again. he woke and went with me back to his bed. this is all 4am to 5:30am after i had already been up at 2 to pee







: 6am dh's alarm. 7am my alarm. i hit snooze til 8. which isn't really sleeping. oh mah gawd. no fun.


----------



## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Well, we are working on independance from diapers around here. I really feel like Julia is ready. She can get out of the bath when she feels like she has to go. When she sits on the potty she goes pee. It is just boring to do it all the time and it takes a while to get out of the habit of peeing any old place. So there we go.
3 days, 7 wet pants...
Sometimes I doubt if I am doing the right thing but I think we just need to forge ahead at this point. She has been able to bedry all day on several occasions and I think it is just getting used to having underpants on. And a question of getting very cute underpants (sparkly one if I can find that)

Sorry for the bad sleep.

I too want PV cells on my house but it may have to wait for the foam roof. And time to research...

Smoothie bootchies


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

i think isaac's PL (slooow progress) is just being lazy about figuring out he can't just pee anywhere anytime. or what i mean is he *knows* he just prefers to pee anywhere, anytime. he's started saying 'i'm not a baby!' and we are saying 'well yes, you are still wearing diapers' so all weekend he wore underwear and because he WANTED to he had very few accidents. like we went to several stores and a restaurant and all kinds of stuff. monday morning he wanted a diaper for school. i think he was either tired from the effort or just thinks at school it is more difficult if they are out on a walk or out in the playground. of course they would take him if he asked but i don't think he's that sophisticated yet.

i have some tall tales from isaac. i was laying in bed with him last night talking and telling him that when the baby is about to be born someone is going to come stay with him at our house. and that daddy and i will go to the hospital and then they will bring him to the hospital too. and he goes 'and the doctor will paint your butt?"





















then i asked him if he remembered being in mama's tummy and he said 'yeah i was like a ball. it was bouncy'







kinda makes sense. maybe he really does remember??? maybe it is just a tall tale









he keeps saying 'i'm growing into a big brother!'


----------



## A&L+1 (Dec 12, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jstar* 
he keeps saying 'i'm growing into a big brother!'









_That_ is the cutest thing *ever*.


----------



## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Where is Renae?

I always take the carseats with me. I check them and let the kids sit on their own on the plane though.

Time for lunch.


----------



## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude.

i am so losing my mind with this pooping in the pants thing. totally potty trained when it comes to pee, but she's never ONCE even TRIED to poop on the potty. in the pants/underwear every. single. time.







:


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

grrrrrrr on the poop in the pants thing... just grrrrrrrr


----------



## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Big







LIsa, what a tough decision to make anytime, not to mention you're dad's health situation.









Heath, I'm not so sure we'll be makign it to ME this August. Our August is filling up faaast with lots of things, so I'm really doubting we'll be there. I'm keeping it in mind, just in case the girls and I could make a little getaway, but I'm not feeling too hopful. I wish I could see your girlies and you! Speaking of which, do you still need pix from last year?







: I can send you copies or a cd or send a link to my snapfish. LMK what youwant. I'm so sorry about my forgetfulness.

mamameg-Katie;s not os good pooping on the potty. She's got peeing down cold, but we're still having poopy accidents. For a time, she wasn't even trying. grrrr. Then she got the hang of it for awhile, now we're backsliding and I'm not sure what to do to help her again. It's sooo frustrating when you know they can do it but choose not to.

els-how long was your trip to NM? Must've been short. Wish I'd have known, I could've sent some goodies to you... Hey how about you be my life coach? I don't know how you can sense so much about us all, but it seems you always hit the nail on the head when it comes to me. Your intuitiveness is most definitely a gift!







:

I know I'm missing lots of you for personals, but I'll give you smoochie boochies.









Heading out to Ohio in the morning. Will be back Sunday. My sis and nephew's birthdays are this weekend, so off to celebrate with them! Take care mamas!


----------



## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Just realized we'll be in Juice's neck o'the woods. Will send a big flying kiss your way, mama!














:


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nuggetsmom* 

Smoothie bootchies

Just want to point out Nugget's variation on the theme: smoothie bootchies! Not sure what it is, but it sounds yummy!








(teasing you mercilessly nugget)

Sherri, I know! Just come down here and I'll coach you over some nice margaritas. I'll only pull out the pulque in case of emergency. Like, if you needed to, say, purge some demons...








:


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

HEY!!! I'M PINK!!! HOW did that happen??? I have always had a mag subscription but I thought it was something else to be pink?

*tee hee*
I'm just tickled.
Pink.


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

now els....change your seen-yer member title to something fabu to go with your pinkness!!

sherri--send me the linky to the snapfish album that would be great! Just a hint....we'll be going to maine the second week in august for the rest of forever so you're always welcome!







: have fun in ohio!

With all the







: of the past year w/ the girlies, I am so very thankful that the pottying has been a breeze since last august.







: I guess that is one break I'm glad to have caught! I think C is one of the few in her 2's turning 3 class at school that is pt'd.

speaking of smoothies....I can't for the life of me actually make one and and drink it as I have two girlies who will beg and whine til they get to "share" which usually leaves me with fruit lumps at the bottom of the cup and nothing more!

this day is just dragging by.....I blame it on the rain....


----------



## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

PL- we haven't even started here. Everyone once in a while I offer for him to try sitting on his potty, but the answer is always a concerned "no??????." We'll go diaperless this summer, and hopefully get the whole thing under way.

turning 3- I was originally thinking of a big bash this year, but L is SUPER SUPER clingy right now, and does not do well in groups. So we're just gonna have the grandparents and uncles again this year. I guess 4 will be the first big party.

Lisa- thinking of you and your kittie and your fam.


----------



## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 

Sherri, I know! Just come down here and I'll coach you over some nice margaritas. I'll only pull out the pulque in case of emergency. Like, if you needed to, say, purge some demons...








:

Got me some of them, so bring on the pulque!!







:


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Awaiting elsanne's seen-yer-pinkness...
title.


----------



## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

you guy are too much.

Lisa- I wanted to respond but your cat situation is just so sad. I think you're doing the right thing, but that doesn't make it any easier. I lost my cat last year and it was extremely difficult, and we're still mourning her loss. I guess I just wanted to offer my sympathies and support during this really difficult time. Enjoy those cuddles and know you're doing the most compassionate act you can for your good friend.

{hug}


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *heatherfeather* 
now els....change your seen-yer member title to something fabu to go with your pinkness!!

Someone please 'splain me how to do this. I looked at all my edit options and see no "edit title" option.


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sarah'sMama* 
Got me some of them, so bring on the pulque!!







:

















:







:







:


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
Someone please 'splain me how to do this. I looked at all my edit options and see no "edit title" option.

it's under "Edit Profile"

in the optional information box.
custom user title.


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

You can put up an avatar, too.








your pinkness should last one year. Happy Birthday!


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Sorry so absent. How did I get 70 posts behind?







:

Re Disneyland... I feel like the Grinch, but I don't think it would be fun with a 3 yr old.







: Isn't there an awful lot he couldn't ride on?

Els, the whole b-d thang sounded great. Late happy from me...

TC, has AF returned for you? If not, I wonder if the migraines are hormonal in cause. That's what's going on for me. Will you promise us that if another happens soon, you'll get things checked out? I'm a little worried about you.

MCSB, I have a ? for you re chickens. We have a fox that hangs out in our yard on a regular basis. Also raccoons. I'm kind of thinking that these critters mean bad things for chickens, no? (ie, I couldn't be lazy about hypothetical chicken container construction... yeah, I'm still vaguely thinking about it.)

Re parenting... I think I am the strict one (because I have to deal with repercussions of behavior), though dh can be strict about things I think aren't important (but obviously, he does). I think the "he's only 2" argument is sound. There are limits to what they can do/understand, IMO.

Meg, the job sounds really cool. I *did* check out the site...









Juice, we've BTDT wrt the trip. Ack. I figure that when we take our kids to weddings, we're encouraging strict adherance to birth control for many years.









Speaking of TBL... my mama friends and I are planning to watch it next week for our Moms night out. (except we'll be in).

Jacquie, so glad you're moved. Now I suppose you're unpacking.









Beth, I was thinking of you yesterday at naptime (Z really likes that CD at going to sleep time). I'm glad you're in the tube-weaning process.










EL,







on the pg self-esteem sitch. I hear ya, because I've been exactly where you are (right down to the right down to the chubby face. (Don't do what I did and go off the deep end with high maintainance hair... btw, I wrote a long response at one point on your blog about the lentil's hair but lost it, and suffice to say, I love his hair, don't cut it unless *he* really wants to).

Lisa, I don't know what I would do about the cat.







to you and yours. I'm super squeamish, and it would probably push me over the edge, especially with everything else going on. But purring during treatments? Hmm. Can Alison do it?







: I think Meg's comments were really on the ball. Ooh... now I see you're going to put her down. I think that's a good idea. I am sure I would do the same in your shoes.























I think I recommended Parenting the Gift last year sometime. I think it's good food for thought. IMO, the most important take-home message is to honor your instincts, especially about safety, especially wrt your kids. Ie, if you think someone is creepy, don't ever brush off that feeling. If you think some situation could be unsafe, don't ever talk yourself out of that feeling. Mama Knows Best.

We're making slow progress with the PL, too. Z can be so stubborn that I am reluctant to push. I also want to keep dh out of it, because he gets soooooo frustrated (I hate poop in the pants, but it sends dh totally over the edge). We just bought him new undies. He was excited, but I doubt it will speed things up.

Something I've been wondering about... would anyone be interested in doing a kid compilation swap for the May babies? Obviously not with a super pronto deadline, but I think I've got it together enough to participate, esp. if we have a long lead-time (and dh helps me







). I have a few random songs I want to share...


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Miss Juice* 
You can put up an avatar, too.








your pinkness should last one year. Happy Birthday!


Awwww, senorita jugo!!! That is just so sweet!!!! No wonder you mentioned my "pretty pink self" in that PM....!!!!!!














:

Music swap: yes.


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

We would be up for a swappy-doodle....but I think our mix would be way heavy on the Elizabeth Mitchell as we just got her cd's from a friend and I actually can bear listening to them over and over.









I totally swear I felt some honest to goodness baby wiggling this morning!









Well nothing can top that so I need to go see how wet it is outside or find the girls some playclothes....


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

kid music swap:







: but i don't know how much i have of strictly kid type songs. more fave alt-pop songs around here.

on the migraine thing: no cycles yet. and after M, i had signs and a "feeling" for a couple of months before they finally started and i don't have that at all. and S still nurses at least 3 times during the night still and M was not nursing anymore during the night when my cycles returned. so i don't think that's it. i'm pretty sure it's food triggered since they are coming on late in the day (between 6-8pm) but i have no idea what specifically. thanks for worrying, and i'm planning on seeing my naturopath sometime in the next month to discuss this issue and some others.

~c


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Quickly in to ask: what are good homeopathic remedies for colds (for Lily)? Snot, congestion, cough? I know Jacquie knows, this, but I've lost the post where she gave dosages...anyone else? I've been giving her Hyland's Cold w/ Vitamin C every 15 minutes, but I imagine there's something better and more targeted out there.

Lily officially got my cold and was up around 10 times last night complaining.







DH told me to go downstairs to sleep around 3:30 am, so I let him sleep in another hour this morning. Don't know why LILY didn't sleep an extra hour, too.







: Poor kiddo.







:

The only kid music we have around here is Laurie Berkner. And I think one TMBG album. Kinda boring. Plus really no time to do it..so count me out.









Heather - YAY for baby wiggles! How exciting! Love that.

Sarah


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

sarah: try here: http://www.homeopathic.com/articles/using_h/


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

just looked at the page myself and allium or pulsatilla are most common. but check the symptoms and make a best guess or ask her what it feels like using some of the descriptions used.


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Thanks, Claudia! Very helpful page.


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Just an fYI, that one could not wrestle this trader joe's chocolate with almonds out of my hand without some serious scrapping and maybe, bodily injury.


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Well sheesh, then I won't even try!









So i took Lily over to her nanny share this morning. She seemed fine, just really stuffy, so I told the nanny to call me if she gets worse.







I called the other mama, of course, and she was like, "Look. I'm on my second kid. Colds don't phase me." So that was that.

So now off to do some work. Somebody slap me if I keep posting, ok? MUST GET STUFF DONE TODAY. I am on call tomorrow and we are going out of town Saturday-Sunday. EEeek!

S.


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mcsarahb* 
Somebody slap me if I keep posting, ok? MUST GET STUFF DONE TODAY.

S.

ha! same for me







i finished one permit application and yesterday i decided to clean out my office instead of working on the next big one i need to get done. you shoulda seen the recycling pile! 8 years of crap







and still more cleaning/procrastinating i'll probably do today

so my friend had her baby boy yesterday and we went to the hospital last night. sooooooooooo cute! i love newborns







i can't wait for ours!!!! it is the same hospital i'm going to so i thought this was a good 'trial run' for isaac to visit. he was pretty cute about it. they figured out once she got there that the lil guy was presenting butt first. so she had a C. she was pretty zen about it but feeling pretty uncomfortable. ouchie. i am so paranoid this is going to happen to me. i can't tell what this babe is doing lately and i've been having some serious cervix pains. i don't know if they are hand/foot punches or just dilation pains.

i think we are doing disneyland because i heard from my friend that the free tix are a GO! there is a ton isaac won't be able to ride on but i think that is actually preferable. his patience for waiting in lines is minimal. i think just being there will be fun enough for him. seeing the characters/castle/electric parade. and toon town is geared towards the little tots with lots of climbing structures. i think we'll be lucky if we can manage riding small world. and maybe the submarine. definitely the train ride. he hates swings and carousels and anything that actually moves quickly so dumbo is out. we went to red robin once and he was so excited about the costumed 'chicken!' that i think he would be stoked to see mickey or snow white or something. plus if it is free and we are totally overwhelmed after 5 hours we can leave and not feel guilty







i plan to enlist the help of one or more grandmas and aunties for maximal assistance. maybe even 2 of my cousins and their 3yo boys. i have so much family in the LA basin (my grandma, 3 aunts&spouses, 2 uncles& spouses, 13 cousins and 3 of my cousin's kids.) its a little nutty. for this trip i think i would only want maybe 2 other adults and no other kids just for stress management though.

i have one kids cd. exactly one. and another mix cd that we received at a kid's bday party that is really good. i would probably cheat and use that one







it is a great mix.

i am sleeping like poo. or not sleeping i should say. i am really lagging in the mornings. ugh.

i hope lily's sickies go away







:

as isaac was pooping in his dipe this morning and telling me it was not a cloth dipe so it was ok and that he was still a baby, i told him that maybe i would buy him the all-hallowed playmobil CRANE when he decides to do all his poops and pees in the potty! i'm the worst bribing parent







: well i phrased it kind of like 'a special treat to commemorate the transition in growing up' (aka bribe). ha. i could see the little cogs turning. and speaking of buying underwear he is outgrowing them before even getting into them so to speak. he had these thomas ones on this weekend that looked like they were cutting him in half.


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

did y'all know we are the chattiest mamas in the toddler forum? seriously. we have close to 300 posts for this month and other ddc threads are like 3 or 5 or 10 pages for the month or since the beginning of this year. are we really that chatty?

question:
describe your perfect mother's day. start to finish. possibly including what's for breakfast or dinner, where you might go, tasks that might be done for you, etc.

here's mine:
wake up, finish nursing stefan, then bill changes his dipe and takes him and marek to the kitchen to make belgian waffles with strawberries for breakfast while i sleep for a little while longer and stretch out in bed. eat yummy breakfast and freshly brewed







:

shower and get dressed for a day at the coast/park/somewhere in nature with our purchased the day before picnic lunch from elephant's deli







and hop in our packed the night before car & diaper bag and head out. chill out on a blanket and play games/dig in the sand/fly a kite/whatever for the late morning. eat lunch. relax a bit, then put stefan in the ergo on my back for a nap and take a walk along the beach/wherever. head back home and put a yummy freezer meal in the oven for dinner.

i put stefan to bed, bill puts marek to bed and DOESN'T fall asleep doing so, then we share a yummy dessert and a glass of wine and don't turn on the tv and have a nice snuggle and talk with no other intimacy expectations.

ahhhh...

expound. is that a word? i think it is... yes, it is. just dictionary.com'ed it. i







wikipedia and dictionary.com.

~claudia


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

um. going into labor in the morning after a fully refreshing night's sleep with very little waking and peeing. actually lets make that go into labor after a yummy breakfast and some coffee







: labor comfortably at home for a few hours. start to panic. drive to hospital. birth baby in a mere half hour/1hour/not very long after arriving. don't get the worst hemmhoroids in the world. feel pretty good and snuggle my baby. someone brings isaac right away so he can snuggle too and then takes him away to do something fun when he starts bouncing off the walls. someone brings us yummy takeout so we can enjoy a lovely mother's day meal that is not hospital food.

i can hope right? my sister was a mother's day present







she was a 10lb 11oz mother's day present. i do not want a gift that large









funny you should mention how chatty we are because i noticed the same thing today too.


----------



## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

MCSB-Yes, that was great resource TC provided. G had a runny nose last week and I always go straight for allium. We do a dose (3-5 pellets) of 30c every couple hours or so. We have good luck with it and it seems to stop it from progressing. I hope Lily is feeling better! We've had a snotty week around our house, too, so I can empathize.

Yes, we're unpacking. But, the kitchen is mostly done! Have to find a place to put the cookbooks, but all the dishes are in place, which is helpful. Our bedroom is mostly done, too. Now, I'm trying to organize G's room which is so hard since I've saved everything of his from birth. I'm not ready to get rid of it, of course, but I'm having trouble figuring out how to organize it. His current clothes are all hung in the closet, so the rest of his stuff may just have to wait until we get back from Kansas. All in all, we love our new place. Meeting the neighbors and everyone has a 3-year-old boy, it seems! We did get our first mortgage coupon in the mail, though! Yikes. I know it will work out in theory, but it's going to require some sacrifice on our parts (mostly just no eating out...our one splurge.)

So much more to respond to, but I have to finish up here at work.

Oh, we had a midwife appt. on Tuesday and all is well. Baby is sideways in my lower pelvis currently, but mw assures me he/she will move move vertex as he/she gets squished. I hope so! Since we don't have maternity insurance this time around, I'm a little more paranoid about positioning than I was last time! But, I must trust this little one is as smart as G and will be in the right place at the right time! BTW, I love my midwife. She's awesome...I feel better about her than I did with G's and I really loved her.

Okay, night night ladies. Love to all.....


----------



## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Oh, one more thing before I lose my quick Internet cxn.....

did any of you do (or will do) a sibling class for your firstborn when the second was due? Our local hospital offers one for $5 and it's only one hour geared to ages 3-7. Of course, I know it will be geared to a hospital birth and I'll have to talk with him about the homebirth part some more (though we already have). I just thought G might get a kick out of taking one this summer....any thoughts on those who've BTDT?


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Jacquie--glad the moving in is going well! lol at the built in playmates--cool! We didn't do the class w/ C the first time around even though they did have a class for younger kids. We won't do it this time either as the idea of it all is too abstract. She did visit in the hospital which went okayish, but I wasn't prepared for not having the patience/energy to deal with her so soon after E was born. Do you have someone lined up as G's support person?

Should be sleeping, but was up watching the Queen. I've been having the worst time sleeping. Any suggestions homeopathic or otherwise??

perfect mother's day....sleeping past 830, getting up and making choco chip banana waffles for my crew, nice weather for a walk or trip to the zoo, grilled chicken and veggies for dinner eaten outside and no one getting nutty in the after dinner to bedtime hours.







maybe an afternoon nap for me thrown in there somewhere!

not disneyland, but we're probably going to do Sesame Place once or twice this summer. I haven't been in years and years since my nephew was younger. Might try to wait until a day when MIL can come w/ us, but just got in touch w/ an old HS friend and may try for a day in June. It will be great or a disaster...we shall see!


----------



## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *heatherfeather* 
Do you have someone lined up as G's support person?

Yes, my mom is going to drive out here on August 1, so as long as baby isn't totally early, we're all set. If she doesn't make it, we *may* have some local church folks who he likes. We'll have to see.

As far as sleeping, I'm having more problems this time than with G. My legs sometimes just feel jittery and hard to rest...Anyway, what I find helpful is to sit on the floor and put my legs up vertically on a wall (In an L-shape). One of my favorite yoga teachers taught this to us and said if we'd do it each night for a while, we'd sleep better. It wasn't geared toward pg, but I find it helps with sleep as well as swelling. Give it a try!

Okay, I just got home from work, brought DH and myself a Mr. Misty from DQ







: and we're going to watch our TiVo'd "Survivor"







:







:


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Jacquie- That sounds like Restless Legs Syndrome, and it's a very common complaint. The pose you describe is viparita karani, and I used to teach it in my prenatal classes all the time.







Some other things that may help the restlessness is to take a warm bath right before bed (I know how hard this can be with a toddler in the house), eating more dietary iron, calcium, and magnesium (this is not evidence-based, but seems to help some women), and stretching, or yoga like you're already doing. Good luck; I have heard many women complain about how annoying the feeling is.

Thanks for the tips on the homeopathics. I ended up getting pulsatilla and some sinus remedy (more for myself), and Lily has been in a super-good mood all day. She's still snotty and congested, but not complaining. Hope the sleep improves tonight. I'm on the couch again tonight so DH got to call the PM medication shots and gave her some regular ol' decongestant, just hoping for better sleep for her.

I am thinking about my perfect Mother's Day. Will post on that later.

S.


----------



## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Perfect mothers day - Quiet all day - no noise whatsoever.
LOL
actually, get my coffee in bed (and DH did the wake upa nd get J thing so I feel rested). Eat bagels and cream cheese and then go for a walk (around the giant sattelite dish at Stanford) with my friend and no kids and then have coffee. Spend the afternoon hanging around the house (which is miraculously clean) and playing with the kids. Griling a lovely dinner and the kids go to bed on their own. Oh, and nobody needs to be reminded about going potty or pees their pants.

I would be up for a CD exchange thingy.

The PL is frustrating me a little. OK, a lot. J asks for underpants, so this is my cue. If she sits on the potty she can go, and sometimes she just goes when she has to. Particularly if she is in the bath, she will ask to get out if she has to pee. If she forgets, she usually stops the stream before her pants really get wet and then we run to the potty and she goes the rest of the way.
But today she feaked out when I tried to take her to the potty at N's school. I could tell she had to go, but she insisted that she wanted to go home to go potty. Today was "ice cream" day at school though and so I told her that if she wanted to stay for that, she had to go potty. But she just freaked out. I don't get it , because she has gone at other public places like Whole foods, and other peoples houses. She freaked at the hairdresser too. Of course there is sometime inherently scarier about a potty being used by 20 kindergartners, but really, it is pretty clean. Well, she won't go, so I say no problem we will go home and freeze the otter pops and go potty there. N is remarkeably agreeable about this and we all go home but J is upset that she is not getting an ice cream (this is every thursday and it is a fundraiser for 3rd, 4th and 5th grade to go to outdoor ed) Then she completely loses it because N gets out of her car door and she is throwing a fit and pees all over everything.

So I am second guessing this whole thing. Since she seems to be having lots of accidents. And is sometimes becoming resistant to going to the potty. But she wants to wear underpants and has all sorts of signs of readiness, both physical and cognitive I think. We play a hide the bug game sometimes to go to the potty.
Luckily tomorrow we will be around the house and it should be pretty easy to keep an eye on her and see when she has to go.

Disneyland will be great. There is so much to see that you can spend a day there not even going on any rides and just seeing the princesses and micky and stuff. And there are several rides that will be fine for his age. J went on quite a few rides. Winnie the Pooh, the carousel (I know, he doesn't like them) The teacups freaked her out. Alice in Wonderland was OK but a little dark and fast. A bugs life ride, train rides, car rides all were great. It was fun. But J's favorite part was really seeing the characters. N was already a little jaded (they are people in suits) but then that is how she is. So if the tickets are free you can go and see the characters and the scenery (there is a TON to see) and watch the parade and you won't feel like you need to get on enough rides to make it worth your while. BTW we stayed at the candy cane inn which was reasonable, close and clean. And tinkerbell brought a candy cane in the middle of the night.

I did not do a sibling class with N when J was born. I didn't even mention that there would be a sibling for long time. THere wa a baby in my tummy but I left it at that. Closer to the time I told her the baby would come out and be her baby sister and what that would be like, but I didn't really make a big deal out of it. N was so into it and she is really a great older sister now.


----------



## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Oh, and it is turn off TV week which is fine, but just makes everything just a little harder for me. N is into it and she is taking responsibity for it and doing other stuff to entertain herself, but I am not used to being interrupted while I am fixing dinner.


----------



## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KKmama* 
I think I recommended Parenting the Gift last year sometime. I think it's good food for thought.




They are gifts! I think it is important to remember that.









I make smoothie bootchies int eh magic bullet don't you know Elsanne


----------



## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

fiddlefern makin her may mama report.









kids CD: yes. This is the first exchange I've done, so I'll need guidance.









Perfect mother's day: sleep in. shower slowly. dh has gotten kids up and ready. we all walk to the coffee shop and hang out for breakfast. L drinks fluids without us having to resort to feeding therapy persuasion. W nurses with a good latch avoiding later fussiness. Dh preps lunch while I watch kids. nap for me. dh takes kids to park while I make dinner in blessed solitude. kids go to bed early and easily and stay asleep. dh and i cuddle and talk (i am so not into the bd at 12 weeks past birth







).

colds: i give allium for clear runniness, and pulsatilla for green thick snot. My naturopath also recommends pulsatilla when a kid is in a poor sleep/ super fussy/ possibly teething/ life's just not going well phase. I really think it helps.

nighty-night!


----------



## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Aww, mamas. Jacqueline inquired as to my total disappearance from MDC lately, and I must ask you to forgive me.








I've just not been online in the same places much anymore! I've been feeling pretty far-removed from MDC in general, NOT my May Mamas (hence the posting over in the YG) but well...MDC isn't giving me much anymore.
That's part of the reason I haven't been online here.
Another reason is just that I had been spending WAY too much time online altogether, and have been trying to keep it to a minimum which, like TV with Rowan, tends to be once a day, either in the morning or evening, and then only for an hour or so.
I also feel guilty when days and days go by and I just CANNOT keep up with my prolific May Mamas and then I don't know WHAT is going on? I dunno why I do this, but when I know I've missed a lot, I get all overwhelmed and find even MORE reasons not to just get my butt over here to post!
And work. Work sux (overhaul of employees and management; I am not the person who has been there the longest. ME! I've only been there since November! WTF??







: And don't even get me STARTED about how I'm not even allowed to touch the sound system over there anymore.







)
and Rowan is sick (his cough is sounding WAY yucky, poor baby; and we have to go watch my friend's DS this morning! And it's raining a LOT!)

What else; IL's will be here this evening, I have to work tonight, I am still taking guitar lessons, my 3rd one is tomorrow morning, and um, yeah.







:

I still want to stay a part of this wonderful group, and I didn't disappear because I'm not real (I promise!







) and, as always, I love love LOVE you all.

I'll try to stay better updated here. I have missed you muchly.


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Renae, I get the same too-overwhelmed-to-catch-up-so-not-posting thing.









I'm getting excited for jstar's baby. And EL's talk of baby movements was almost enough to make me want another one. Almost.

My perfect Mother's Day really just includes DH actually thinking about it in advance and putting forth some effort. Getting up with the kids because he thought I'd like that, rather than that I asked him to, that sort of thing. And some nice family time, but I'm not picky. Good food should be involved somewhere. I am a lover of brunch.

I had more to say but the babe has other ideas...

Has anyone read Raising Cain?


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Miss Juice* 
My perfect Mother's Day really just includes DH actually thinking about it in advance and putting forth some effort. Getting up with the kids because he thought I'd like that, rather than that I asked him to, that sort of thing. And some nice family time, but I'm not picky. Good food should be involved somewhere. I am a lover of brunch.









: You hit the nail on the head. My perfect Mother's Day involves DH remembering that it's Mother's Day!







:


----------



## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mcsarahb* 







: You hit the nail on the head. My perfect Mother's Day involves DH remembering that it's Mother's Day!







:

















































RIGHT???








I THINK DH will remember...we have a stupid party we have to go to the Saturday before, and he knows I got my new tattoos for Mother's Day...but anyway. I don't GET a "perfect" Mother's Day this years (family obligations like seeing MIL, etc) but well, it shouldn't suck.
I hope.







:


----------



## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Thank you for updating. I guess I don't often post very often either but that is my normal I guess.
Now my mornign is complete. Except the dishwasher did not run and I slept terrribly. And I feel lonely.


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

We need the morning goddess!!







: Work sounds so, um, weird! Must me strange being the senior employee at only 5 months!

Don't know why I bother with playgroups when C just can't handle them. Well E loved it and C did warm up in the last ten minutes, but grrrrr. What else are you going to do on a rainy day?

Will definitely try the yoga-ish stuff later. I have a prenatal yoga tape around somewheres that I should start. That and getting back to the gym. I feel like such a slug in that inbetween place where you just look fat and not pg. blah.









Any weekend plans?? I'm hoping DH is going to finally repaint our bedroom. I've hated the yellow that's up there since we moved in 3 years ago, but didn't have the heart to tell him since he did repaint the whole house from top to bottom. That and decluttering/spring cleaning *needs* to get done.


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

i haven't looked into sibling classes or anything. i even have a coupon for a free childbirth classe from mothertree doulas. (ah-ha ....just emailed to sign up for a babywearing class with the coupon).

i think i feel too busy for a sibling class







: going to the hospital to see the babe on wednesday felt like a good trial run.

heather i'm worried about handling isaac's energy right after the birth. he was bouncing off the couches and just being his usual energetic self when we visited the hospital on wednesday. and we were only there for maybe an hour and a half. the isaac handling thing is a bit up in the air since we have no family here. my mil is scheduled to fly up may 30. if i go into labor after she is here it will all be zen because her 'job' will be taking care of him (perfect because i wouldn't feel comfortable with her being there for the birth). if she is not here yet i have friends lined up to call for the 'we have to go to the hospital' labor part. but i'm not sure how long they would be able to be caretakers. my mom plans to hop on a plane when i go into labor so i *think/hope* she would get here soon enough to relieve whoever has come to our aid







this is much trickier with a kiddo at home.

my weekend plans are: digging tomorrow. getting that strawberry bed in. washing the dog that must have rolled on the dead baby possum in our yard that has since disappeared. *blech* he stinks to high heaven. birthday party on sunday. hopefully sewing during any quiet moments!


----------



## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

perfect mother's day- I'm a little conflicted about mother's day, actually. Sweets wants to go out to breakfast this weekend so we don't get stuck in mother's day restaurant traffic next weekend. I'm not against that, but I don't want to sacrifice my mother's day DAY for one sunday breakfast in a restaurant. But my perfect mother's day would be: Sleeping in, then getting up and showering on my own time. grab a quick but delicious breakfast (chocolate croissant?). Going for a hike with the family, then coming home to a delicious lunch. Take a leisurely nap while the lentil naps. The lentil takes an extra long nap. Maybe sneak in a little snuggle time with sweets during the nap. Have the afternoon off to do my own thing- maybe some crafting or something. Early dinner of delicious food, then we would all go for a walk or a bike ride. Sweets does the nighttime ritual with the lentil, then sweets and I snuggle up on the couch for a good movie. Bedtime with a full night's uninterrupted sleep.

Sounds great!

renae- I know what you mean about internet time and not spending time in places that don't cater to your needs. I basically only check this thread on a semi-regular basis, then go elsewhere for other stuff. like my own site.









We hadn't even thought about sibling classes. Since we're doing the homebirth, we're not really dialed into the local childbirth services. I'm sort of wishing we had a Bradley refresher course, but that isn't going to happen. not enough time, not worth the babysitter, etc.

speaking of babysitters- we had one last night for the first time since we moved. It went well, but when we got home at 9:45, the lentil was still up watching a movie. Apparently he refused to go to bed without a lullaby, and she wouldn't sing one for him. So he was overtired and fought us putting him down. It was nice to have a date with sweets, but disappointing to have to deal with cranky kid when we got home. We're not sure we'd use this person again, but then again we haven't found anyone else and we've already gone through the hassle of making sure she and the lentil had a nice connection, you know? grrrrr.

And the lentil is sick. again. runny nose, sleepy, cranky. no fever at least. He's complaining about an ear ache, but when I suggest we go to the doctor he changes his tune. Without a fever, I'm going to let that one be. If it gets worse over the weekend I'll take him to a doc-in-the-box for antibiotics.

Yoga this afternoon but all I really want to do is play with my crafting stuff. sigh. do what's good for the soul/body or what's challenging for the brain?


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

crappity crap crap
posting first and then will read what i missed

bill's car got rear ended just after we met him for lunch.
and he was all, "we'll talk about it later" when i dropped off clean clothes for him because he got coffee splashed all over the ones he was wearing

crying babe waking up from nap too early... grr...

~c


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

also wanted to mention that sears is now carrying lands end clothes & swimsuits including the mix and match top bottom ones. nak with distractable babe who doesn't like the ak part.


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Zx


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

omg there went my nice long thoughtful post. thank you mr. at-keyboard







:


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TurboClaudia* 
distractable babe who doesn't like the ak part.









:

Oh, TC. What a bummer about being rear ended. The nice part is it's not your fault and should be resolved fairly quickly--and on a weekend--kind of good timing--for a crappy thing.

Oh, is Mother's Day this weekend?

Sol's invites got finished late last night, at the cost of my good mood this morning! They are just beautiful though, and the coffee is clearing away my grouch fairly effectively. I am just excited about this little party and mostly fun making the invites. I have scrapbook-paper galore and used it and my extensive stamp collection to make some purty nifty invites.

Emmalola I'm glad you got to go on a date! Sorry the lentil was still up when you got home. It is so hard to find a good babysitter you are comfortable with, it may be worth the price of a grouchy child when you get home. Since it was among the first times, I'm not surprised he couldn't sleep whether or not she sang to him. He wanted to make sure you really WERE coming back.


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Jugo, that's you juice, sorry about the eaten post. That happened to me on this very thread yesterday morning and caused great consternation.


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

TC that sucks. i *hate* that. such a pain in the neck that no one needs

heather - you are fast mama! thank you for the lovely little package yesterday







i shall have to muster the confidence to cut into some PUL now!

emmalola - i would probably try the babysitter one more time. and i would tell the lentil that when the babysitter says bedtime it means bedtime. and tell the babysitter...he needs to go to bed! it can take time for both parties to get 'into to the groove' and work out the kinks. and if other than that it went pretty well....it might be worth seeing if it can get better. i am totally in the 'couldn't live without babysitters' camp though with no family here.

we've had a few nights lately where we are out doing stuff and don't get going on the bedtime routine until almost 10pm and isaac is a complete WRECK. i hate it. he is irrational and crazy and difficult. and i'm trying to avoid those nights but sometimes they're 'necessary' (sort of). or just happen

elsanne - your invites sound cute!

i'm moving slowly today. time to make some 'cancakes' and get outside


----------



## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

TC--ack on the accident! Hope Bill doesn't have any residual neck aches or such. What a pitb! I had to giggle at the nak'ing babe who doesn't like the 'aking....I never really got the hang of it.

EL---glad you had a night out, but hoping maybe next time the sitter will be a little more firm with the routines. And sing a lullaby darnitall---not that hard!

Elsanne---awww! I can't believe 3-ness is just around the corner for Sol/Lily....which reminds me of the trifecta LiSoLily bdays coming up!









Juice---ack on the postage lost! Happens to me on my blog now and again...

Jstar---glad the package made it there lickety split! Me, I prefer my mancakes to cancakes, but .....

Renae---loooove the new pics...if I was an inkin' kinda girl, I would so copy those little ones behind the ears---lvoe those!

Forgot that DH is going to a concert in NYC with his brother tonight and has left already.







: Debating what to do this evening to pass the time...it was supposed to be so nice today and it's rather cold so maybe we'll just wander round the mall or go to Ikea or something...


----------



## A&L+1 (Dec 12, 2003)

I am not sure what we'll do for Mother's day. It's actually a little odd for us because there is no dad to take the kids away for a little alone time and which mom stays in bed while the other onw gets breakfast together? We've talked about alternating years and the like, but in reality we just try to take it easy together and treat ourselves all day.

The birthday celebrations have begun for me and I have been given a new grill! I am pretty excited. Alison has said that she will never touch it and it kinda cracks me up that I am the "husband" on this issue. Note to those who are going to go lesbian when you are old - someone still has to take out the trash and do the grillin' so decide now which tasks you like and find a gal who likes the opposite. This is the secret to my success.

Gotta go...


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
Note to those who are going to go lesbian when you are old - someone still has to take out the trash and do the grillin' so decide now which tasks you like and find a gal who likes the opposite. This is the secret to my success.

Gotta go...









:







:








: at the "which mom's day" predicament...


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

And also when you said you "got a new grill" I immediately pictured a hip-hop set of teeth, all blinged out...


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
I am not sure what we'll do for Mother's day. It's actually a little odd for us because there is no dad to take the kids away for a little alone time and which mom stays in bed while the other onw gets breakfast together? We've talked about alternating years and the like, but in reality we just try to take it easy together and treat ourselves all day.

Aw, I'm actually kind of jealous. I think it would be wonderful to revel in Mother's day because it's such a blessing to be a mother, and not because we require someone else's acknowledgement of our accomplishments/commitments. Mother's Day is always such a let down for me, because I feel like I just want someone to notice everything (or anything) I do. Well, now I'm going to make it a point to make this Mother's Day about how happy I am to have this wonderful family. I don't mean to wax poetic, but this is a real paradigm shift for me, and I am really grateful!


----------



## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
And also when you said you "got a new grill" I immediately pictured a hip-hop set of teeth, all blinged out...


----------



## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

nuggetsmom- i am sorry you're feeling lonely.







It's sad that motherhood is like that so often in our culture.









you mamas are not gonna believe this: W will turn 3 mos on the 3rd, and he's already scooting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I unfortunately discovered this at work yesterday when i gave him tummy time on the couch, and went to the kitchen for about 2 minutes, and came out just as W was landing on the floor







: he was scared (me too) but ok. today when i put him down (on the floor!) he scooted about 6 inches in a few minutes. L couldn't move more than a foot until he was 10 months old, and i'll admit it made life easier in some ways. this kid's gonna give me a run for my money.







oh, and did i mention, every few nights he'll go 7 or 8 hrs of sleep in a row?????? it would be hard for my 2 kids to be more different.


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Ooooh excitement! Big party for Sol tomorrow! This is her first party and I'm having fun preparing for it. May 1 is a holiday in Mexico (Labor Day) so her birthday will always be a holiday down here.

Woot woot! THREE YEARs! How did that happen??

Fern, I can't believe your little one is scoooting and sleeping so long! Woooow!!!


----------



## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Here we are!!

Are you totally freaking out?? THREE! I am!!


----------

