# Sept 2004 Mamas - Welcome to Toddlerhood!



## Mama Bear (Aug 4, 2004)

rabbit rabbit!!!

:LOL


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

Why did I think it was rabbit, rabbit? :LOL

Thanks Becca! I can't wait to print that out and show my pedi.

Cynthia, I'd love it if you would ask the Dallas AP Mamas. When/where do you guys meet?


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

I've spent the morningin yard sale heaven:
First, a woman selling off all her baby stuff - all of it Gymboree, babygap, or old navy, some still with tags, all very hip and cool - $.25 per item! ANd I got a new native sling for $2 and a baby bjorn for $5 - both with all the paperwork! (I'll be passing these on to a friend who's pg with her 2nd - but her first is $5 and she has no baby stuff at all) I got lots of cute pj sets - all of the clothes were very BOYish, but I got a few things

THen - a giant church sale to benefit Katrina victims
THen - a giant neghborhood was having a neighborhood wide yard sale - park and walk to a few houses, then drive to the next cluster.

And Clint has RObin at his grandpa's....aahh, baby free yard saling!!

(I couldn't help it - found a few things for Tristan - so Jen PM me your addy so I can send them on.)

I have to say I'm glad to be in the toddler section. My energy to respond to infant posts was waning and I felt like a cycle wsa repeating after a year - Plus if I read one more "My baby is writhing in physical agony but I don't want to give him any medication b/c scientists are evil monsters who want to make him sick for the rest of his life and buying tylenol is equivalent to leaving him in a dumpster at the mall" (okay, i'm exagerating) post...I might crack (not to say that I'm not supportive of natural remedies, but I'm not supportive of dogma overruling common sense)

But really, I feel like robin is in fact a toddler: she walks, she eats food, she plays with other kids, she throws wicked temper tantrums, etc. So I'm excited to join a new forum and gain some wisdom from new BTDT moms!

I can't wait for halloween either!


----------



## StacyL (May 4, 2004)

Oh my goodness! You mean we officially have toddlers? How did that happen?! :LOL


----------



## chrissy (Jun 5, 2002)

I think it is rabbit, rabbit. :LOL

Today is Lilah's birthday!! We spent the morning running (well she riding in the jogger) in a women's only 5K. I was the second runner with a stroller to finish!

Happy October, mamas!


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chrissy*
We spent the morning running (well she riding in the jogger) in a women's only 5K. I was the second runner with a stroller to finish!
















you rock, mama! You must be in great shape! Happy birthday, Lilah!

Stacey - you thought it was rabbit rabbit because it *is* rabbit rabbit









Becca *envy* on the yard saling, how fun! When we had our neighborhood garage sale it was in the 90s and the air was soupy and hot. I pooped out by 11 in the morning and T was too hot to fall asleep in his stroller, so we quit after only 3 sales. Bought stuff for Tristan?! Wow! How did I get so lucky?! Thanks







and I agree with you on the striking a balance between natural healing and western medicine. I reach for the homeopathic remedies first but if T has a fever that just makes him miserable and the remedies I'm trying aren't helping it go away, I know that giving him some Motrin is going to help him sleep and the sleep is going to help him heal faster.

OK, I should be enjoying my alone time here while partner and baby are both asleep for their morning naps! getting up with T on the weekends really exhausts Jo :LOL but I'm still waiting for the day where she says "gosh, I can't believe you do this every day and don't take a nap and instead wash the dishes and do the laundry"...

xo, j


----------



## AugustineM (Mar 21, 2005)

Happy October! I have been meaning to say thanks to everyone for all the nice wishes about Thor, and the helpful ideas. Yesterday and today I am feeling much less worried -- which is good. I was worrying myself batty, to where anything was making me cry. And I thought, well maybe it's AF finally coming, but no, still 6 days late. I've taken 2 preg. tests and both were negative. So, I'm thinking it's the stress of everything... though that normally doesn't affect my cycles. Ah well, I'll find out soon enough I guess.

Chrissy -- You rock, woman!

Becca -- I, too, am envious of the great garage saling. I love it. That's how I've gotten a good 3/4 of Thor's clothes, and they're so nice. And so CHEAP!









It's finally rainy here and fall-like. I'm glad, though. I love it when the leaves start turning and the air is crisp. It's so nice to go for walks this time of year.

Hope everyone is well.

--Ashley


----------



## Almamiel (Dec 24, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *JenInMpls*














you rock, mama! You must be in great shape!











I couldn't find you guys and suddenly it dawned on me - they must be in the toddler section!









Dp's dad was here today (we see him rarely) and it was great for the girls to spend time with him. I'm beat. Haven't been sleeping well this week (new job = bigger paycheck and way more stress and worry!). The girls, by some miracle, are both asleep.

Think I'll be watching a Six Feet Under DVD and crashing. Have a great Saturday night!


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

Clint took Robin to his grandfathre's house while I was yard saling and they are still not back - and won't be back until like 8:30!! I'm so engorged, but I put my pump up = I've decided I'm done with it. I'm only pumping once at work, and Robin gets a bottle in the morning on her way to school and the rest of that bottle when she gets picked up - But she doesn't really drink it - like if I send a 5 oz bottle she comes home with 3 oz. left inthe bottle. SO, I'm engorged, but I don't want to drag the pump out when she'll be home in an hour. I've checked in, and she's taken 2 naps and eaten well and is in a good mood. I just didn't fully realize DH was going to be stuck there all day (He rode with his folks)

On the plus side, I finished a good book (Maid Marian - it's the Robin hood story from her perspective, very cerebral and interesting), got my bathrooms cleaned and beds made, put RObin's clothes away, etc.

Chrissy - You kick Booty, girl!!

Almamiel - hope you get into a good groove on your new job. It always takes a while to settle in, but I hope your stress level lowers. Enjoy your adult evening!!


----------



## HeatherB (Jan 30, 2003)

Ack!! Are we really toddlers now?! Yes, I suppose we really are... Iain has decided that, for the most part, walking is better than crawling, so he's toddling all over now. So cute!!







But so sad that my baby is so big!

Saw another mama with a September babe today at an event called BIRTH Fair. Her little guy looked so much older than Iain, even though Iain is 5 days older! Her babe was very thin, which is probably what made the difference. Iain's still got his baby cheeks.









Well, I haven't been around much and won't be this week, either. Getting ready for my big Open House. Still unpacking!! I hate unpacking!! And cleaning. Ugh. Then I have to actually get the stuff ready for the party. So I'm going to be VERY busy.

Chrissy, awesome job!







Happy birthday, Lilah!

Ashley, glad Thor is feeling better - and you, too!

Greetings and salutations to everyone... I hope I can catch up someday!!


----------



## jilly (Feb 14, 2005)

ribbit, ribbit! See, the great thing about this, is I'm always the first one to say ribbit, ribbit (I know, it's not ribbit ribbit, but let's allow me to be my whimsical self, shall we?







)

Well, our fever broke this morning after two miserable days, and Andrew was up and at em! Then, about an hour later, I was in the kitchen making breakfast, and Andrew was being really quiet because he was messing with the stero -- which he's not supposed to do, but I just pretended I didn't notice







-- when all of a sudden a little boy walks around the corner, looks up at me very seriously and says "oh." (which is what he says for every word lately). And I look down and there is poop running down his legs, and poop on the carpet. So I wake up dh to help me and run to the bathroom to start the tub and get Andrew off the carpets, and dh comes in all muzzy headed and half asleep and says, "You want me to watch him while you clean the carpet?" to which i say "yes" and rush off to clean up the (much smaller) mess on the carpet while he cleaned up the boy







.

Anyway, so bottom line, Andrew no longer has a fever, but he has a sore tummy and I think he may be getting molars because he woke up from his nap today looking older. Strange,but true.

Alright, he is SCREAMING at me to pick him up again, despite the fact that he wanted down. Oh, he's stopped. What was that you were saying, YBecca, about feeling like you fit in on the toddler board now? :LOL Happy October! This is my favorite month of the year! Jilly


----------



## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

Happy October everyone! It is hard to fathom that we have toddlers now. I now have two toddlers.

We spent the day doing yardwork. Aerating, seeding, fertlizing, and throwing peat moss everywhere. I hope we end up with a green yard. I don't care to have the HOA after us.


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

Yep, she's a toddler. We went to our fair today and Robin LOVED the carosel - big smiles and waves for all the people looking on - and the super big slides. It was fun going down them with her. Wealso went with my SIL, neice and nephew - MY BIL is going to be in Louisiana for the next 3 months working to set up temp housing, so she's alone with 2 kids and is in her first trimester. We're trying to arrange our schedules so we an help her out as much as possible.

Hope everybody else had fun weekends!


----------



## msrog (Mar 28, 2004)

Yes, my babies qualify as toddlers too all of a sudden. Most striking are their recent flop-backwards-onto-the-floor-even-if-it-means-I'll-hurt-myself temper tantrums over nothing. And William has started scrunching up his face dramatically and forcing a fake cry; I'm really hoping I can catch this on film....

McKenna took her first steps this week. So fun! And she learned a couple of new signs -- Daddy, and "excuse me" (hand over her mouth after burping or farting; quite cute!)

I had much to respond to, but now I've just woken up after a late night and can't think straight.

Love and blessings,
Savannah


----------



## banana girl (Jan 9, 2004)

Mielle's favorite word is currently.... "Stinker!" We laugh and tell her she's a stinker, she laughs and calls us a stinker. It's too funny. It never fail to make her laugh, even when she grumpy and crying. She knows that it means teasing and laughter.

Gotta go run errands, but will return later today to post for real.

Love to all


----------



## chrissy (Jun 5, 2002)

hi mamas,

BOTH of my kiddos are actually asleep!!! So I'm taking a few moments on the computer. I made a little photo album of Lilah on the day she was born and on her 1st birthday. It's in my sig. Man, looking at all her birth & newborn pictures really sent my baby fever into overdrive. Gotta lay off those for a while!!

Becca, how is Robin doing these days? is her face mostly healed?

anna, that is hilarious about mielle!

okay i really need to go be useful around here but i must tell you all that you need not be too impressed with my running. all of the real runners don't run with strollers. still it felt good to pass a few people. :LOL

off to tackle some dirty laundry,
xo,
c


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

But.

Chrissy.

You RUN.

Just the thought of running one block makes me feel like I should fall down, gasping and wheezing.

So I'm going to be impressed and you can't stop me









ok, poopy butt I gotta attend to...

j

ps Lilah NICE DRAGON!!!! *wow*


----------



## banana girl (Jan 9, 2004)

I am officially Not Pregnant.... That's right I just got my period. It feels awful. I forgot how rotten and miserable it is. Oh well, that's life.

I'm surprised at how relieved I am, we really aren't in a good position to be conceiving again.

However, I am excited to start charting my cycle, and hope to begin planning for our next baby.

thanks chrissy for including such a groovy link in your siggy. i'm looking forward to getting started. And wow, that Dragon is SOOOOOO cool!

Keeping super busy, but I found a little time to post on my blog (which I have been neglecting, big time!)

My MIL is spending the night tonight, so I had best get home instead of lurking about in my mom's computer room. mostly ignoring Mielle as she pulls objects out of boxes and spreads things around on the floor.....

Later


----------



## Subhuti (Feb 18, 2005)

Not Pregnant either! Just got my period... It was a false start for us. We weren't really trying to get pregnant. But I think, from my DH's reaction, he'd be into trying for real next month !!









Lulu is a toddler. She goes down the big kids' (well elementry school kids') slides ALL BY HERSELF.









She just toddles to the edge, sits down and flies down it with a big gapped tooth grin on her face. Sometimes I literally sweat with anxiety as I watch her and I stifle an involuntary shriek. (FYI: I am standing by the side of the slide lest anything happen -- but not so close that I'm "throwing her off" her groove). Other people think I am the most relaxed mom they know. Little do they know...

Hey, if anyone's curious what Lulu looks like, PM me. I'm so dumb I haven't figured out how to post the pictures (i'd need a website, right?) but I HAVE finally figured out how to email them. I think.

Lulu's starting to say a few more words other than mama/dada/cat/dog. She said "hi" for the first time in response to a "big girl" ( a seven year old -- the idol of a toddler). She said "na" (no) very politely when I offered her a diaper change. My husband says she says "diaper change." (??) And she will say "yesssssssss" when you ask her if she wants to do something (like take a bath, etc.). She's definately imitating two-syllble words, but I am not sure she knows their meaning. I was shocked, though, that she seems to follow "commands" like "go give the bread to Honey Bear."

And Lulu also clearly chooses NOT to follow "commands" like "come here, Lulu!" She giggles and then scampers away.

Lately she's too figedy and active for books as much as before she was toddling. And man, her already miniscule appetite is just dwindling. As if eating is just tooooo boring relative to all the delights in the world....

Take care all mamas!

Liz


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

Chrissy - cute pix, and I love the dragon also. Looks like a good birth and fun party too! Thanks for asking about RObin. SHe never got scabs, which they say is a good thing. The scars are still really tough - they don't lie flat and are thick. So her facial expressions are still lopsided







We might end up having to take her to a plastic surgeon after all. I just don't want her to have to go through life answering "So, what happened to your face". Scars are inevitable and I wouldn't trade one of mine, but I want her muscles and skin to work right. We'll see - I'm still hoping it'll keep improving, as it has so far. I was putting up a few bibs yesterday and was trying to remember when I'd used them - I'd already blocked out the days when it was so bad she was drooling b/.c she couldn't swallow - Hopefully it'll all fade away.
Of course, she was feeling and acting like her normal self - and then started running a fever of 101.3! Can't we get a health break? I'm hoping it's just a cold coming on = we'll see.

Anna and Liz - sorry for your negatives - but glad you can start trying in earnest, if you chose.

Congrats to McKenna on her first steps! Good luck chasing her savannah :LOL !

Robin Loves slides too - she likes to climb them, sit and slide all by herself - and with her falling/injury track record, It makes me a wreck. We still haven't set up tthe slide my folks got for her birthday - but I think we're going to put it on the screened porch - they got us pads to put under it too. She always wants to get nto the toddler swings, but then tried to climb out - fickle girl.

She's been saying what I thought was "orange juice" but upon closer listening, she's saying "Robin's juice" It's too cute!! At school, her teacher is constantly trying to keep Robin's Juice separate from Hendley's Juice as they are constatnly trying to trade cups. I think it's great that she now asks for Robin's Juice all the time (even if it's water or milk, we call it juice - milk is moo juice and a EBM bottle is mama juice)

We closed on our house in atlanta today - after putting it on the market before RObin was born. So on the one hand, it's a big relief to sell it. On the other hand...I cried. I was so happy in that house - so much fun, good cookouts, good living. We got married, got pregnant, had our baby - all in that house. Oh, I love it.







I'm just so sad to leave it behind. alright, enough of the pity party!


----------



## AugustineM (Mar 21, 2005)

YBecca -- Oh, I'm sorry about you missing your house. Houses are so.... full of emotion. I know how you feel. DH and I are planning on selling this house next September, but I already know it will be hard. Such cool memories... our first house together, getting pregnant, having Thor, all the firsts are here.

You all have such talkers! "Stinker!" That is so funny, Anna. The only thing Thor says, and I'm not really sure he realizes he's saying it, is "Muummmmmaaah" for me. I think he might say, "Hi" but it's not very clear. He is very clear that he understands LOTS of words, though, and it's so funny. He gets all excited if you say something he likes, like "nursing?" or "bath?" or "go bye-bye?" So that's good.

He seems to be pretty good, but his poops are still not normal, and he is SOOOO clingy. He seriously has wanted to nurse constantly for the last hour. The doctor finally called and said to watch for yellowing of the whites of his eyes, and if the poop isn't normal by Thursday to make a doctor's appointment.

OK -- So maybe I'll be next with AF, after Anna and Liz. Is there anyone else who's waiting on a late period? Mine is now a week late. And I don't feel like I'm starting it, except I've been a little emotional. I never had the excruciating sore nips this month that I've been having during ovulation of my cycles before. I wondered if that meant I never ovulated or if it meant something else...


----------



## HeatherB (Jan 30, 2003)

Yeah, my period's been late for 21 months! :LOL I still haven't had one PP, which I can't complain about! I think there are still a few others - right?

Anna, so hard to find out your not PG by having AF show up!







Hope she's over and your feeling better soon.

I can't remember now how long I went without AF with Gabriel. I was thinking 11 months, but it might have been as long as 13. I just don't remember.







I was thinking it was in February, which would be 11 months PP, and then I got pg with Iain in December. I guess 10 cycles in nearly 4 years isn't too bad!









I am NOT looking forward to AF, but on the other hand, I bought a Diva Cup several months ago and it's still just sitting there! :LOL (And grossing DH out!







)

Iain is just walking SO much now! I can't believe it when he just toddles into the kitchen from the living room. He's walking all across the house whenever he feels like it! And he can climb, too. He just climbed up onto the couch, where DH had a plate he didn't think Iain could reach! Thankfully we were there and got it out of the way in time!

He loves phones and thinks remotes are phones. DH found an old cell phone and gave it to him to play with. I remember Gabriel loving them, too! He sees a phone and waves at it, and often says, "Papa," who is my stepdad. He's suddenly signing more, too! He just picked up "more" and does it much more accurately than Gabriel did. He also started clearly meaning "eat." So he will say "eat more." And of course "milk," "hi," etc.

Just growing up too fast!!

Congrats on McKenna walking! I haven't been keeping up well - is William toddling yet?

Oh, Savannah, I have friends whom it looks like will be moving to Phoenix quite soon! They have an 11 year old, 3.5 year old, and almost 2 year old. I guess with my ILs in Tucson and these friends going to Phoenix, we'll get out that way eventually!









I oughta make better use of my time, I guess! Take care, ladies! (And babies!







)


----------



## jilly (Feb 14, 2005)

Hello!

Savannah, congrats on the walking (McKenna's, not yours)!

Anna and Liz, too bad, kind of, about not being pregnant. It's nice to know, anyway, rather than be in constant suspense.

Lilah's dragon and her party dress are awesome. She is so cute.

AugustineM -- I found out that I hardly said anything until I was almost 2, but then I started talking in sentences, so don't despair

Becca-- I'm glad Robin's healing up.

andrew also loves going down the slide by himself. Unfortunately just as he's getting mobile enough to really enjoy the park it is getting too cold to go there -- the high was 5 C today (40 F). I'll have to get him some proper warm clothes so we can keep doing stuff outside. He gets really squirrely if he's inside all day.

Oh my, my son has a temper! Last night, dh and I were watching a movie, and the tv was in our room, and Andrew was sleeping. Well, he woke up, and sat up and started watching the movie. So we turned it off so he would go back to sleep. Well, he started screaming and throwing himself around so badly I thought he was having gas pain, so I gave him some gripe water, but it didn't help. So I rocked him, and it didn't help. So dad came out and held him, which calmed him for a bit. But then I decided that since he was up I should change him. Well, this caused another fit of screaming and thrashing, which even Dad could not cure. Bottom line: he was up from 12:30 - 2:30, and he was screaming mad for about half of it. OR he had some mysterious medical problem that disappeared without us figuring it out. We have a fun few years ahead of us.

Well, I should go and clean. I made lasaungia to freeze for my friend who is due in 2 weeks, and one for me as a back up for fussy days, plus supper dishes are still strewn everywhere. We all had a 4 hr nap today to make up for last night around here, so nothing got done.

I shall be mostly offline for the week. Dh is going to a pre-ordination retreat, and I am going to hang out in Nipawin with my friend Sharon, whose dh is also going. We figure we can help each other -- she has a dd 2 weeks older than Andrew and a 4 yr old and she is 8 mos pregnant. So it should be fun. Have a great week, ladies! Jill


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

Chrissy, I love the dragon. And the dress!! Where do you find dresses like that?

I am so jealous of all these babes with hair!!! Kate still only has a few strands!







:

DH wants to start working on number 2, and I AM. NOT. READY. AT. ALL. I am still waiting for more than 4 hours sleep.


----------



## Marimami (May 5, 2005)

Hi all,

Chrissy, yay for doing the run and that is such a cool dragon! I saw him on a site the other day when I was looking at rocking things. My in-laws got Mari a rocking caterpillar









Glad to hear Robyn is healing. Hope those scars go away on their own!

Hope Thor continues to heal!

Mari is walking but she only does about 5 steps at a time and then decides that she is better off crawling. It doesn't help that she is such a fast and efficient crawler. I think she could crawl for miles! Friends of our have a 9.5 month old who is walking so I am trying to get her to encourage Mari to walk more.









But, she is still eating absolutely anything. I really hope she doesn't lose her willingness to try things. She can eat spicier food than I can!

She has such a large vocabulary now. I think it's up to 30 words or so by now. She is also finally talking in front of other people besides us so we know we aren't crazy. It's funny because the other night we went out to eat and we were just out for so long. She starts chanting "daddy daddy daddy car car car go go go go night-night night-night" over and over.







She doesn't get fussy, just tells us what she wants to have happen!

The neatest thing is that she seems to understand somewhat abstract concepts. I hurt my knee and was icing it. She was fascinated by the ice pack, and I kept telling her it was cold. She learned how to say cold. So, then a day later she was drinking some milk fresh from the frig, and she held it up and said "coooold". We couldn't believe it! She's done it with other words too. She's such a smarty pants!









So, my girl seems to be the most skilled with her mouth--eating and talking!







Those other skills will come along soon enough.









Holli


----------



## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

David is officially a toddler in my eyes. He pointed at something that he wanted the other day. I just about bawled. He is another kiddo than can walk for about 5 or 6 steps and then decides that crawling is much easier and much more efficient. I am not in any hurry to have him walk.

Chrissy that is such a cool Dragon! Can I have one????


----------



## banana girl (Jan 9, 2004)

I spent the evening yesterday and the today with my MIL, such a sweet wonderful woman.... Mielle had so much fun with her Abuelita (little grandma) whom she calls "Abwe". We had a cazy night at home just us women, we ate and talked and danced in the kitchen with Mielle.

Today we went to the apple orchards (in a rainstorm) and got delicious apple cider and my two favorite kinds of apples, Harelsons (very tart) and Honey Crisp (super juicey). It was great fun and I was gonna post pictures, but my mom's computer is being difficult and i don't have the time to argue with it! So, maybe later!!!

Gotta go!


----------



## Almamiel (Dec 24, 2002)

It was a pleasure reading everyone's lates posts! What great stories!

Becca- Mieke's birth was vacuum assisted (horrible!) and she ended up with a cephalohematoma that calcified. So my poor baby had this HUGE bump on her head (leading to comments like my dad's: "her husband (me inserting "partner") will be able to find her in the night!". Hah. Hah. I didn't find it very amusing. It was totally obvious in all of her pictures, too. But I just felt her head the other night and can't even feel it at all. The moral of the story, I guess, is that kids grow so much bigger than they are now! Maybe what seems like such a large scar now will just turn into a little mark of experience when she's a little bigger.

Raney is such a little maniac! Her new favorite word is "uh-oh" (imagine that!). She actually pointed to her diaper Sunday morning and said it, so I rushed her to the potty and she poo'd and peed!









To all the mamas TTCing:







No sign of a period here yet...With M it was at 14 months pp.


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

Almameil - Glad to hear Mieke recovered well. I took Robin to the stupid Ped today b/c she was at 102 again, actually got up to 102.9. I just wanted them to check her ears for a recurrance. THankfully, they were clear - just a virus, apparently. Just the fever and congestion so far. But I asked the doc about the scars and he once again insisted that they will fade and shrink, which I know, and he said the one by her mouth will thin and heal and it won't affect her facial muscles. So, enough worrying about it for the next 6 months.

Jilly - have a great trip. SIL and I are planning a beach trip witht he kiddos in a few weeks too.

Anna - so, where'd you get that Yoda onesie? You can't keep it a secret forever







. It's so nice to get along with your MIL. I love mine. WHen she's not making me crazy









I can't work tomorrow b/c Robin's sick> Today she wanted to nurse and be held all day so I was ridiculously unproductive - but we brought so much stuff down from atlanta I need to put away!

I started a new tutoring job today - it's 3 days a week for 1 hour helping these very sweet 7th graders with their homework. Boring, but nice kids and very good money - and I can dpo it aftr Clint gets home. It's crazy - I make as much in that 3 hours a week as I do in 8 hours subbing.

Holli - I'm amazed at Mari's vocab! She is quite the mouthy one!


----------



## veganbaby (Oct 28, 2004)

There you guys are. I found this link by clicking on the one from September.
Stacey~ Someone sent an email out about a good AP doctor. I'll trudge through my old email and see what I can find for you.
Anna~Sorry about your period coming. Blowing you and CatSkills baby dust!

I'm with Heather, I still don't have my period. I keep thinking that its going to come any day. Desi will be 13 months on Thursday.

I too am impressed wtih Mari's vocab! Two word sentences! Desi has about a 10 word vocab, although I think she has picked up a few more words this past week.
She also is slowly walking. She can take a few steps at a time and then decides, "Nah. I get there much faster by crawling."
She also has a bad temper. She has one great set of lungs on her.

So what are you toddlers going to be for Halloween? Fred's mom said that she is going to make Desi a tutu. So Desi is going to be a ballerina probably. I can't wait to see her. We were thinking of trick or treating for UNICEF...but since that issue arose, unsure what to do now.


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

Funny, we must all be aligned hormonally, I got my first PP period this morning. Nearly 2 years without it! Can't say I've missed it and I really didn't miss the sore breasts 2-3 days before it. Ow.

Jill I thought of you today while eating a digestive.

If I'm not mistaken, Anna got the yoda onesie at Hot Topic...?

Stacey - Jo asked me on the weekend if I really would want to try getting pregnant now, since I'm always bemoaning the fact that she is adamant about having only one kid. HECK NO! Want T sleeping through the night as a regular occurrence first! Maybe in a few years...? Will really mess with returning to work, though...

Cynthia - issue with trick or treating for UNICEF?

We're getting a visit from sistermama Sarah starting tomorrow!!









nigh-nigh,

j


----------



## chrissy (Jun 5, 2002)

lucky you jen!!! tell her hi from us!!

thanks you all for the compliments on my little sweetie. the dragon is actually a hand me down from my stepmother-in-law's friend. it is the coolest thing ever. it's made of velour and is so soft. lilah loves it!! when she rocks on she just howls with laughter. well, until she lets go and bashes her head on one of the handles, then she screams.

stacey, the dress is from barb at naturekins. it was a custom order. i soooooo love it. she has a banner ad here (on the top) a lot. her stuff is soooo beautiful but $$$$. i bought the dress and a few other things for l before i started being fiscally responsible. it was worth it though.









holli, wow!! how cool that mari is saying so much!! i hope to get to meet her in real life sometime soon.

i am sooo tired but have a loaf of bread in the oven (what was i thinking?). must stay awake for 15 more minutes.

good night all,


----------



## msrog (Mar 28, 2004)

Yeah, Jen, I'm jealous too!!! Please give Sarah our love.

Looking forward to a visit from Heather someday...

Not looking forward to a visit from "af" or whatever ya'll call it. I've been irregular all my life, except when on the pill. This will be the first time in my life to let my cycle resume on its own and do its own thing as far as regulating and becoming pregnant again. I'm sooooo curious how long it will take to get pg this time. I went on the pill when Nicolas was 12 months because it would "regulate my cycle" so I could get pg again. Even stopped nursing because I didn't want the hormones in the milk. Stupid me!!! Of course, it didn't work. The only thing that will regulate my cycle is leaving it alone, I think...

I'm feeling pretty isolated and unloved by my in-laws these days. =O( Apparently they are all ganging up on us and concerned about our parenting choices. I'm so glad I have some AP/NFL friends here locally that I've made, because otherwise I might really be sad and lonely! My in-laws (and my own East Coast family, for that matter) are flaming us for the things we actually choose to do because we believe it's best and most loving for our family: homeschooling, breastfeeding, delaying vaxes, taking in an exchange student, there are others but I can't remember them now. (They probably hate that I birthed naturally, didn't circumcise, and cloth diaper, too!) Basically, anything that isn't mainstream, they are freaking about! I wish they'd accept me/us as we are and butt out!!! Grrrrrrr....

Off to bed. I'm pooped. Jen, I finally finished one of the 3 diapers two days ago that I'm making for you and Cheryl. Egads. I even finally got a chance the other day to spend a couple of hours alone in the house, with the sole purpose of finally doing some sewing, and even that was cut brutally short with the student being stranded after homecoming dance and needing a ride back home. Grrrrr. I don't even know how these wahms get it all done! I hope one day I can actually sew a little bit every day... I miss it so much.

Ciao for now,
Savannah


----------



## maylea_moon (Mar 4, 2005)

Hey mamas. I guess I'm a year late joining huh?









My name is Alia, I'm 21 my DH Brian is 22 and I have birth on Sept 8 '04 to our son Rowan Nikolaos. I can't believe he's a toddler now! Fastest year of my life let me tell ya. Looking forward to getting to know all of you.


----------



## Mama Bear (Aug 4, 2004)

Welcome Alia!


----------



## chrissy (Jun 5, 2002)

((((hugs)))) Savannah!!

Welcome Alia!


----------



## PaytonsMom (Aug 31, 2005)

subbing.

Think Payton is cutting his first molar...

and he took 2 steps yesterday (as he was falling into my arms after standing my himself). This counts right? LOL


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

welcome Alia, you and me both







: for a







next time... can I be nosy and ask - how does it feel to be a mom at 21? Did you feel absolutely ready? When I was 21 I was living in Germany and travelling all over the place, and about to start graduate school. I personally would not have been ready to be where you are today. Just curious...









Amber you bet that counts!!! Go Payton!

Savannah, what is UP with your family! My sympathy on that end... and I have confidence that you will have the diapers done before the kids outgrow them







btw, my mom's best friend from HS had crazy, irregular cycles and ended up with 6 children! She never knew when a good time was to try to conceive or not, so they just had sex whenever they felt like it... guess it worked!

OK, gotta check FLIGHT SCHEDULES!







and get some more cleaning done...

xo j


----------



## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

Welcome Alia!

Jen have a great visit with Sarah! She is a hoot! Tell her "Hi!" for me.


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

Hey - gotta run tutor....just checking in. Apparently Robn is feeling much better - she has been running around like a manac, takingoff her diaper and pulling up her shirt to show off her business and laughing, etc. We just had a big tickle fest and peekaboo time - so good to have her in a good mood! Of course, I attribute it to the indian food we had for lunch - her first time, and she loved it! That's my girl. She evn liked the really spicy and salty stuff, although I didn't give the really hot stuff.

Have a good visit Jen, and i finally got T's stuff int he mail today!

Welcome Alia







Jump on in! Are you planning that next one soon? There are a few of us bitten by the next baby bug....

Savannah - Stay strong, sweetie. I know it's hard to not have the support of your family. Don't let their negativity get to you, and find support in all of us who know you aren't crazy! Well, as not crazy as a mother of 3 can be...

gotta run tutor my little angel kids!


----------



## Subhuti (Feb 18, 2005)

Welcome Alia, you'll love this group of moms. Are you the youngest mama here?









Holli- I can't believe Mari's vocab!! Fifty words!! And she's bilingual. You gotta smartie.

Lulu's really loving "na" these days. It's her delicate version of "no" -- always said in a soft gentle tone, with perfect expectation of my crumbling to whatever she wants or doesn't want...

Liz


----------



## maylea_moon (Mar 4, 2005)

Hey everyone, thanks for all the welcomes. I noticed earlier people were talking about their toddlers talking. Rowan says a few things, mama, dada, no, bite, ni ni (night night) and dog. This morning was really funny because he said something new. I asked him what he wanted for breakfast and he replied with, "No way". Hehehe.

Does anyone have pets? Cats specifically? My husband and I got 2 kittens a week ago, they're really mellow but I don't think Rowan really understands that they're living creatures. Today he picked one up my it's fur. The cat didn't seem to care but I'm trying to teach him how to be gentle with them. Any suggestions?

Jen - Being a mom at 21 has been good so far. In ways it's hard because most of my friends aren't even married yet let alone thinking about kids. But that's the only thing hard about it, that I can't really relate completely to my friends from highschool when it comes to being a mom. I do have my sister though, she's 18 and has a 21 month old. We talk on the phone every single day for at least an hour.







Rowan was planned, I just knew I was ready. I didn't feel "absolutely ready" but I'm not sure if anyone ever does







I felt confident.

Becca - We're planning on TTC #2 around Feb. I'm glad I'm not the only one who is being bit by the baby bug!


----------



## veganbaby (Oct 28, 2004)

Welcome Ali! I love the name Rowan. Most of our friends aren't married either. I'm 26 though and most of them are older than me. They're still in the party and barhopping scene.

Jen, Here is an exceprt
From: INFACT Canada
Subject: ACTION ALERT - UNICEF Withdrawing Support for the
International
Code!

Anne Veneman recently took over the post of the Executive Director of
the United Nations International Children's Fund (UNICEF), but has already
made some startling changes to the organization. Veneman, who was picked by President Bush for the position, has announced that UNICEF will no longer provide legal assistance for governments in order to enact the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes into national
legislation. Since the International Code was passed in 1981, UNICEF
has helped 64 countries legislate some form of the Code, and 23 additional countries now have similar laws pending. The withdrawal of UNICEF's support in this process seriously damages the ability of any further nations to pass the International Code into law.

A lack of strong legal measures controlling the marketing of breastmilk
substitutes puts infants and young children at risk and will surely
impede the achievement of the United Nations' Millennium Development Goal of reducing global infant mortality by two thirds by 2015. This decision by Veneman clearly runs counter to UNICEF's mandate of protecting the health of infants and young children the world over.
Veneman's action is all the more disheartening because of her links to
major food companies. Before becoming Secretary of Agriculture under George W. Bush, she served on the International Policy Council on Agriculture, Food and Trade, a group funded in part by Nestle, the world's largest baby food manufacturer and the greatest single violator of the
International Code.

While many doubt that Veneman's experience as a corporate lawyer for
major food companies qualified her to head UNICEF, unfortunately she has already been appointed and the international community will have to do its best to cooperate. This is a drastically important issue and urgent action is needed.

Sorry its long. We don't know when we want to start TTC. I hear you too on getting them to sleep.

Savannah, sorry about your unsupportive family. I just plug my ears when I go see my family. My inlaws are suportive with whatever I do fortunately. Although sometimes MIL can be annoying. She tells me tomorrow is going to be cold so make sure that Desi wears a jacket. Okay...its going to be 60. That's not exactly cold. Desi will sweat in a jacket.

Desi has taken to shake her head or nodding her head. Its so cute. I have no clue where she picked it up from, but I guess we did it without thinking. She does it when she is eating usually so we know if she wants to take a drink or take a bite. She also started saying bite too. Today though I told her to put away her crayons and she shook her head no. Her first protest.


----------



## HeatherB (Jan 30, 2003)

Welcome, Alia! I also know what you mean about being so different from your peers now. I married my DH when I was 18 (yes, I admit it! and he was a week past 27!







), and we found out we were expecting our first DS on our 2 year anniversary. So he was born when I was 21, and Iain was born when I was 23. (What I really can't believe is that I'll be *25* in just a couple of months!) Thankfully we were able to connect with a group of other young marrieds at our church - the "Young Marrieds" group quickly became the "Young Marrieds with Babies!" group. :LOL So we actually have friends with children from a year older than our DS down to a few months younger than Iain. But friends from school? Eek. No commonality now at all!! Anyhow, welcome!! I hope you enjoy this friendly group.









Savannah, I was once again telling someone today about what an awesome mom you are.







This was with a girl who's just found out she's pg and her DH tells her she's having twins! You're most definitely a role model for me and many others, I know! I know it must be very tough having family be so unsupportive, but you are definitely doing the right stuff - what YOU believe is best for your family!









I can't believe how many words these babies (toddlers!) are saying! And, Holli, Mari is just one amazing kid!! Wow!!

Iain signs milk, more, and eat, and understands "more" in multiple contexts. He says "mama," (mommy and/or milk) "dada," "papa," "duh" (duck)... not sure if there are more. He waves "hi" and will wave at the phone and say "papa," meaning he wants to say hi to Papa on the phone! Very cute. We gave him an old cell phone to play with so he'd stop trying to steal ours! :LOL

My mom is headed to Cincinnati tomorrow to be with my grandmother for what may be open heart surgery - an aortic bypass.







Hopefully this will be very helpful and she'll be able to continue on with only mild problems. I certainly appreciate any prayers for her surgery on Friday!

Oh, and I don't know if I'd mentioned it here, but I'm having an Open House for Stampin' Up! on Saturday. I'm offering 10% off orders, so if anyone needs anything, let me know!


----------



## Marimami (May 5, 2005)

:LOL Liz, she's only up to about 30 words, not quite 50 yet, but she has added some new ones this week.









Ali, we have 4 cats and Mari is just now at the point that she understands "gentle". We have spent a lot of time holding her hand and showing her how to gently pet the kitties. Every time she goes near them we say "be gentle with the kitties." She sometimes gets so excited and bangs on them too hard, and has had a few scratches for it! But, in the past couple of weeks she has really gotten better, and one of our cats and she are really starting to bond. Mari was giving her kisses the other day. So cute.









UNICEF is officially opposed to international adoption so although I respect many of their efforts for children. I cannot support an organization that is so politically organized against international adoption. Their official stance is that children should remain in their home countries. That is simply not a realistic solution for many of these children, and it also implies a rather narrow-minded viewpoint of what it means to be a citizen of the "world". I'll refrain from going too much off the deep end on this issue, but it is causing significant issues with Guatemalan adoptions right now.

Holli


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

Alia, I have been working with Kate on being gentle with our dogs. When she goes to pet them (or Grab them!) I model for her by gently petting them or stroking them and saying, "gentle." I think I learned that from someone else in our group...anyway, it's working pretty well. Now when she goes to touch them, I can say gentle and she does her version of gentle.

Savannah, I'm so sorry you're having a hard time with ILs. I can relate, but for different reasons. It's hard to go against the grain, but you have us!


----------



## PaytonsMom (Aug 31, 2005)

I had geckos before Payton came but got rid of them when he was about a month. Just too much to care for with a baby too. They were getting neglected *blush* But my brother has a dog (a boxer mutt) and she and Payton play very nice together. Payton is a very calm baby and easy going just like me. So that probably helps.









And we too are bit by the bug again. After our m/c we determined it was probably too soon to try again, so we're waiting (impatiently) for January.


----------



## jilly (Feb 14, 2005)

Hello! Well, I am typing quickly on my friend's ibook, and totally envying it. we're doing well here and having fun. my friend Sharon also has a one year old and they were fine for the first day or so, but now they're fighting over toys and hitting and its a bit crazy. I don't know how you do it Savannah! '

Well, just thought l'd stop in and say hi. Jill

\\


----------



## banana girl (Jan 9, 2004)

Here's the photos from the apple orchard trip. picturesI finally got the computer to behave!

So, i'm going out of town for the weekend. My grandmother is having her 90th birthday party on sunday. My mother, (my sister and my nephew) and (Mielle and I) are going up on Friday and will spend the weekend with some of my cousins who also have babies / toddlers. It should be a intimate time spent with women and children, I'm looking forward to it. The rest of the family will arrive on sunday for the "official" festivities.

someone was asking about Mielle's Yoda onesie... it was through Hot Topic They have a bunch of unusual baby clothes. It was sooo hard choosing which one to get!

Welcome Alia! I too have cats and recently had a kitten (we found a home for Bosco the kitten) and Mielle was very excited about the kitten. She was and is pretty used to our adult cats, they generally give her a wide berth but snuggle up to her when she sleeps. But the Kitten! Oh my! He was so energetic and they played together awfully rough! I found a home for him, because I wanted him to get more attention than I can currently spare. so, we found a young college student who has one cat and wants to try another. We told her we would take him back if there was any problems... anyway, i digress. We tell her to be gentle and pet the cats in front of her. Lately she has been hitting a lot and I've taken to removing her from arm's reach of whatever she's hitting... abrubtly and saying "no hit". It wouldn't have worked with Bosco though, he just Chased her around!

Hang in there Savannah, I'm so sorry you aren't getting the support you deserve. Keep up your faith, you know you are doing the right thing.

I must say Mielle seems to have VERY developed language skills. She uses 3 word sentences such as "I see dogee" and "take a bath". I recently wrote in my blog about her favorite words... o.k. so I was bragging about her, but it's true! She probably has about 50 words in her vocabulary and about 10 are in spanish! In addition, she makes about 15 sound effects, such as animal noises, and mimics many sounds. It's really cool when she does it around other people. I call it "dropping a language bomb" it makes people stop in their tracks and ask me, "Did she just say____?" I'm so proud of her!

Jen, tell sistermama Sarah Hi from us! sorry I can't join in on the fun this weekend, seeing as how I've got the Grandma thing to do!

Well, i need to go home and pack for our trip, better skeedaddle!

Love to all


----------



## Mama Bear (Aug 4, 2004)

Heather - I got married to my dh when I was 18 also.
My ds was born when I was 23. I guess I am one of the younger one's around here?!?!

Anna - your dd has such a beautiful smile!


----------



## FeministFatale (Dec 16, 2004)

Seems like we might have our fair share of younguns' around here. I'm 27, had my older dd at 22, and had LaRue at 26. I got married at 22, when Chloë was 3 mo. old which was quite a different experience than most. Right before the wedding I sprayed about a gallon of milk into the sink in the bathroom. Chloë wouldn't nurse and I was really nervous and both of those together equaled a whole LOT of milk being hand expressed out of my boobs about 5 minutes before I walked down the aisle. I barely even had to do anything with my hands, milk was literally shooting out of my breasts on it's own. At the end of this month we will be celebrating our eight year anniversary, and 5 year wedding anniversary.

Umm, I forgot everything else I had wanted to write about....


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

Anna - love the pix - especially the happy family shots. They'd make great holiday cards!

We showed Robin to pat the kitty/dog and said to be "gentle and sweet" - she's still pretty good at being genlte except her 2 bad habits - fisting her hands in the cat's hair and trying to grab the dog's tail (in her defense, it's so tempting when he wags it). Of course, I always warn the dog when she's heading his way so she won't surprise him.

Had another community meeting with the evil WalMart people tonight - and now there's another city council meeting on the issue on Tuesday. I was just on the news. This stupid old man was also onthe news calling all of us who came out in opposition "a handful of environmentalists"







: And now the next story is on a local job fair where jobseekers can't find jobs that pay more than minimum wage. Gosh, obviously WalMart would solve that problem, right? Grrrrr....

Heather: hope your grandmother's medical procedures go well!

On the toddler note, I took Robin to the grocery store today and she insisted on riding int he giant truck cart - the kind that look like a big truck and have seats with steering wheels. Boy, I was running into everything in that behemoth, but she was entertained andhappy for the whole trip! And today we were nursing, and she popped off, looked me int he eye, pointed to my nipple and said "Robin Juice" - then latched back on. She did it agian later. I tried to teach her that it's mame juice, but she thinks that's hilarious. It was very sweet and cute.









Alright, gotta get to bed.

Oh yeah, DH and I started dating 3 weeks before I turned 17







. But we didn't get married until we were 24, and I had RObin when I was 26 (turning 27) - 2 weeks after our 10 year anniversary. I don't think I would have been comfortable getting married any younger. In fact, DH asked me if I would marry him when we were 19, but it was theoretical. I told him I wouldn't answer theoretial questions like that so he said, okay will you marry me. I said no. He told me I was mean and that he'd never ask me again. So, 4 years later he set up this incredibly romantic picnic in the park for an outdoor showing of North By Northwest, and during hte movie he slipped an engagement ring on my finger (which took me over and hour to notice and was a complete surprise) - but he never asked me to marry him and I had to pop the question later than night.







I think we are so much stronger for having matured together, and we had the luxury of taking things slowly. My single friends feel like relationships have to progress much quicker when you start them post-25.


----------



## veganbaby (Oct 28, 2004)

Anna~ Those are great pictures! You two look alot alike! Look at all those teeth. Looks like her and Desi have the same amount of hari though. wow about the vocab.

We too are teaching Desi to do "gentle touches" She loves petting Wasabi.

Heather, I hope your grandfather's surgery goes well. Keep us posted.

I was unaware of UNICEF's views on international adoption. I'm beginning to wonder if we should just collect for some other organization now.


----------



## maylea_moon (Mar 4, 2005)

Hi everyone. Not doing so good today. I found out that my only living grandfather passed away this morning.







It's especially hard because it wasn't expected. To make a long story short, he was having a lot of pain and was very malnourished because he never had an appetite. (weighed 73 lbs). The doctors gave him some pain meds and told him he really needs to start eating so he tried to eat but was too loopy from the medication and choked at home in his bed.







I don't know if it's really sunk in yet.

Heather - I'm glad I have another person on this board who was a young mom and knows what it's like to have highschool friends who can't relate. I love my friends but sometimes I feel like the outcast.

Veganbaby - I think my son has a great name too







It was the only one DH and I would agree on.

Holli - Aw, I think Rowan is starting to bond with Sebastian or maybe it's the other way around. Our girl kitty Belle stays away from him but Sebastian follows him everywhere, even though Rowan's harassing him all the time.

Leomom - That's what I've been trying to do, telling him to be gentle and show him how to pet. I think he'll catch on soon.

Amber - Looks like we'll be TTC around the same time







We're planning on February to start again. I know how you feel about impatiently waiting. I feel the same way. The only thing that keeps me from trying right now is reminding myself how miserable it was being in my 3rd trimester in the sweltering heat while I was pregnant with Rowan. We're hoping our next child is born between November and March.

Becca - Wal-Mart...oh what a terrible place! Believe it or not I actually worked at that hell on earth for a few months while I was pg.


----------



## lucysmom (Oct 17, 2004)

We've been traveling the past few weeks and it has been hard to get online. So fun to read about all the toddler accomplishments, though I missed the last few pages in Sept. and I didn't hear about Thor's troubles, for instance -- so sorry he was poorly ...

Lucy is walking independently as of this trip (hotels and in-laws' houses with carpets are always good for milestones like that) and learning lots of words. She can say eyes, ice (loves ice), 'orse (for horse -- MIL has horses so she got to visit them every day), dog, dad, mom, up, down, this, that, wawa (water), and a new favorite, "boop," which means poop, and is said with a grin & usually when one has been taken.

Off to catch our plane; it will be good to be home & see the doggies (L calls all dogs "As" now -- one of our dogs is named Astro). I'll be back here this weekend. Warm greetings to all!


----------



## jilly (Feb 14, 2005)

Wow, you guys have chatty babies! Andrew was saying about 15 words (including "boob" and "orange"), but he has now stopped and will only say "oh" and "ah". I don't know what that's all about, but he was the same with rolling over and crawling and clapping . .. he does something for a week or so, then we don't see it for another 2 or 3 months. Crazy child.

Our cat is very shy of everyone but me and, strangely enough, Andrew. She likes to come and cuddle when we're nursing. And for a while when andrew was younger I had him trained to pat her nicely on the side. But right now he's obsessed with eyes and noses. Let's just say Beckett is not too pleased with being poked inthe eyes many times a day, so now she runs away from him.

Dave and I also got married at 18 after a 10 months courtship. But we waited 10 years to have Andrew becuase we were both in school, and he took forever to decide what he wanted to do with his life, and someone had to make a wage while he kept going back to school. I am 30 in 15 days. Yikes, where did the time go!

Well, Andrew is ready for bed, I think. We're back home, by the way. It was fun to be away and share childcare and housework and cooking with someone else, but its nice to be home, too. Although Andrew has been more screamy at home than he was at Sharon's house. I think its because he's more comfortable. Sigh. night, night all.


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jilly*
I am 30 in 15 days. Yikes, where did the time go!



I feel the same! Today i was at a new high school and a student said "are you out of college" and I laughed and said "yep, grad school too." and he said I looked like a college student. I was like "oh, bless you!" I have been feeling so old and fuddy-duddy since robin was born. I think mostly b/c we don't go out anymore, it's so hard to be spontaneous, and of course I'm a mom now. Between moving and mommihood, I really miss hanging out with friends.








And I'm trying to put together a playgroup, but the challenge will be finding time when we can get together, considering that we all put our families' need first, and they vary. But it's getting easier now that robin's older - and of course we're planning another one









We went out to eat tonight - only to spend the whole time chasing RObin. ANybody else with a toddler who won't sit down for meals, even with toys, books, etc? She's a little better at home, b/c we sit, eat, then she's up. But at restaurants she's a wild child. We mostly don't bother, but it would be nice to have options. :LOL


----------



## FeministFatale (Dec 16, 2004)

Leomom ~ I got the _beautiful_ keepsake today!! I'm over the moon about it, it's just simple beautiful







And I didn't even imagine that you could make it so that I can just hang it right up, I was thinking that it would be a scrapbooked type page that I would frame and hang up. I love how you did that. You should definitely put that service in your site for those of us who don't scrapbook, but would like something so pretty and meaningful hanging up in the house. And the colors and everything are perfect. I can think of no better background than lime green with white polkadots and then with the pink, it's just perfect. Thanks again, I'm already thinking of other keepsakes I want you to do for me. You've got yourself a new regular customer :LOL And no, I don't mind if you put it on your site. Thanks again, this is going to be a very treasured keepsake


----------



## AugustineM (Mar 21, 2005)

Hi All,

Well, I'm pregnant. Just took a test. Can't really believe it yet... it's quite a bit earlier than we were planning. I feel really nervous, especially considering that Thor slept like 4 hours last night and spent the rest of the night crying and wanting to nurse CONSTANTLY (OUCH).

Still needs to sink in a bit. EDD June 3... DH's Bday.


----------



## veganbaby (Oct 28, 2004)

Congrats Augustine! How exciting!

Stacey, I didn't know that you made keepsakes stuff. Do you have a website?

I still hate looking young for my age. When I was pregnant with Desi (I was very big) one guy asked me if I wanted a kid's menu. So even in pregnancy I look young.

Desi is the same way about learning skills. She is very tenative about doing something. She took her first step the day before her bday and then waited a week later to take some more. She is still very slow on walking. She will take a few steps and sit down.
She did say, "No" today. She thinks its a game though because I said it to Wasabi and Wasabi would look and me and bark. So Desi got a kick of saying No and making Wasabi run around the room.

Sorry about your lost of your grandfather, Alia. Hugs.


----------



## HeatherB (Jan 30, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mama Bear*
Heather - I got married to my dh when I was 18 also.
My ds was born when I was 23. I guess I am one of the younger one's around here?!?!

No kidding! I see you were married in 7/99, too! What date? When's your birthday? That's too funny to have the same anniversary month, being married at the same age, and end up with babies in the same month.









My grandma's surgery was today - did end up being "open" i.e., through the sternum. But from what I'm hearing, everything's gone very well. Nothing unexpected, and my mom said she looked better right afterwards than a much younger friend who had a bypass surgery, who also did very very well through it. Thanks for the thoughts and prayers!

Running ragged trying to prep for who-knows-how-many people tomorrow. I'll be seriously dissapointed if it's not at least 10, hoping for 20 (not too likely), and would be floored if I get the 30 I'm prepared for. Off to mount some stamps...


----------



## StacyL (May 4, 2004)

AugustineM - Congratulations! Come and join us on the June 2006 mamas due date club. Isn't that funny that our first babes have close b-days (Alex is 9/19) and our next due dates (I'm 6/1) are close too?


----------



## AugustineM (Mar 21, 2005)

Alia -- Forgot to say welcome! I'm sorry about your grandfather.

StacyL -- Yes, it looks like we're on the same timeline for our family! My dad's Bday is June 1. I redid a due date calculator, because I think I'm about 5 weeks, not 6, which would make the EDD 6/10/06. I am going to go over to the June due date club now... How are you feeling lately?

HeatherB -- I love stampin'. I would like to get into it more.


----------



## Mama Bear (Aug 4, 2004)

HeatherB - July 9, 1999 is when we got married. My b-day is Dec 16, 1980. Good luck with your party!!!

AugustineM - Congrats!!!!









We had a subdivision-wide garage sale today and I am pooped! Got some brand new pciture frames for $1 each and some brand name baby clothes for the winter! Need to go rest...


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Hi Sept 04 Mamas! Are you up for another new friend?! I would love to join your group for chats....

My baby, Cecilia turned one September 1st and this toddler thing is crazy! I joined the MDC community a little while ago when my sweet little baby became this amazing little *person*! All of a sudden I started wondering what everyone else's babies were doing. Of course, I can see what local kids are doing just by going to Target, but they are a little removed from the kind of parenting we're doing.

My name is Megan, I am 28, I live in Minnesota with my dh the kid, our dog Nigel and a couple of cats. We live in an old farmhouse with surrounding land we have planted in prairie grass and trees. I've worked with kids forever and love them, so I guess that I never thought about having my own; it was quite a shock when I figured out I was pregnant! When Cecilia was born I tried doing it all and realized that doesn't really work, so now I've slowed down my life to do the 'kid thing', which is so super fun!

I can't believe how much all of your kids talk! Cecilia confines herself to 'mama' and her own version of 'dog'. Might be because she has a pretty intense relationship with her 'rubber friends' (pacifiers) which she LOVES even though I've always nursed on demand and been available for her. Oh well....

And what cool names all the kids have! Names are so much fun....

I'm also super excited that some of you are thinking about baby number 2 or 3 or pregnant again! It feels good to know that I'm not the only one already longing to get those new baby clothes out again- lol!

okay, better go, hope everyone has some sunshine this weekend. I feel the big push to GET OUTSIDE before winter weather!!









Meg


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

Augustine - CONGrATS!!!! :LOL







I'm so happy for you! I hope I can join you soon!

Meg- Welcome!! My RObin was born on the first also. But she was 2 weeks late, and I think those 2 extra weeks cooking made a big difference :LOL .

It's cool today for the first time all season. I actually have to wear jeans with my tanktop and flip flops! I can't wait until I can break out a t-shirt. Clint has once again taken Robin to his grandfather's house without me. I think he's secretly trying to wean Robin by keeping us apart. SHe only wants to nurse now to go to sleep, but if I'm not there she'll fall asleep via other methods. Hmmm....Or maybe he just like sit that I clean when I'm home alone :LOL

Leomom - let us know when you post FF"s keepsake - I'd love to see some examples on you rsite!


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

Hi everyone. Man, I was gone for no more than a day and a half and so many posts!!

Cynthia, I will let you know a date as soon as I can find my calendar. :LOL We've have MICE in our garage, and it's turned my life upside down. There were droppings all over Kate's stroller...ugh....







: so, being the compulsive cleaner I am, I've been scrubbing everything and the whole house is turned upside down.









Harmony, I am soooo happy you like the frame. The words you posted just really touched me and I wanted you to have a way to preserve them forever.









I do lots of gift/keepsake type things for people. Haven't loaded any onto my site yet, but hopefully will get them up by mid-week. I made the cutest Halloween frames last night.









Here are pictures of Hamrony's gift. The words are pasted below, since you can't read them in the pic. I simply took what she posted a while ago and rewrote it in first person. I was really happy with how it turned out, but really the sentiment is what made it so special.









http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slidesho...e&conn_speed=1

I've been giving you lots of kisses and snuggles today, smelling your hair and skin to try to smell that newborn smell again.

It went by way too fast and I really did appreciate every moment.

Even when you woke up in the middle of the night those first few weeks and couldn't be nursed back to sleep, I would go in the living room, turn on the light, rock you, and just stare into your beautiful face.

And instead of resenting the fact that I was up at 2am, 3am, 4am..., I appreciated the fact that I got to spend more awake time with you. That I got to spend more time gazing into your beautiful face, trying to memorize everything about you because I knew that you wouldn't be a newborn for long.

Ahh, and I'm so glad I did....


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Wow, Becca, that's funny, Cecilia was exactly two weeks over as well! That means that we had the same due date AND the same birthday! I remember my midwife giving me my due date and telling her that I didn't think the baby would be born until September. Turns out it was a good thing she waited; my midwife was out of town the whole month of August.

Harmony's gift is really sweet and I love the sentiment. That little baby time really is so wonderful.

Mice are yuck! I was just in my garage today where I store everything making sure I have it all wrapped up. I am always freaked out about the possibility of rodents making a home in my stuff.


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

Heather, meant to say good luck with your party. Hope things go well for you!


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

Congrats to you newly preggo mamas, and good luck.

Meg I'm in MN too!!! and Cecilia was one of my girl names, but my partner nixed it







: good thing we had a boy, since we couldn't agree on any girl names... where are you at? Tristan was born 2 weeks and 2 days after his EDD - he was due sept 2 and was born the 18th.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Becca*
It's cool today for the first time all season. I actually have to wear jeans with my tanktop and flip flops! I can't wait until I can break out a t-shirt.

Oh, my. It's been in the 30s overnight here the past two nights. We've busted out our sweaters and wool socks and have been baking things looking for excuses to run the oven to warm it up as we are NOT turning on our furnace before the ducts get cleaned next week. Pumpkin bread, baked apples, etc. I've been working on getting a couple of sleep sacks from Germany, this unique kind that have a cotton outside and a wool fleece inside, as our house has been very cool at night. The things are EXPENSIVE but I've been tracking some used...

Tristan is walking all over and saying more things now - he says "hatchi!" when people sneeze (German for "ahchoo!"), "auf" for being picked up ("auf den Arm" = to be carried in arms), and what he's learned this week from Lucy - "uh oh" when he drops something... very fun.

Our visit from Sarah and Lucy has been very, very nice and I'm sad they're going home tomorrow. I feel like there are a ton more things we can do and that we haven't taken much time to just relax or go play at a park. We went to the Hanna outlet, and yesterday IKEA, and today the thrift store. Busy, busy, busy.

I found a set of Hanna striped long johns at the thrift store today for $3! They were in the Halloween section (?!!)...








j


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

(please indulge me - I have to gush a minute)
Robin just did the hand signals for Itsy Bitsy SPider! It's so cute! I used to do them with her (holding her hands), but really haven't done them much lately. But they do it at school, and her teacher's note last week said that she "Sang" Itsy Bitsy SPider but I assumed they just played it for her little class. Last night in the car she was fussing pretty bad so I started singing my playlist, and she was waving her hands about when I sang it like she was trying to dance. But tonight DH was watching Cartoon Network and a KidSOngs CD commercial came on. When htey sang a snip of IBS, RObin totally started doing the hand signals. DH and I muted the TV and sang it to her, and she totally does the spder climbing, and the sunshine, and the spder climbing again. She can't line up her fingers for the spider, but she turns her hands the right way. So cute









alright, gotta go work on the quilt square from hades. Leomom- I checked out your site again and saw the samples - they are great! and Harmony's page is so sweet. I'm going to have to add some pages to my list of things I want to do once we finish closing on this house...

hope everybody's having a great weekend!


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

Jen - maybe you should change your location..sounds chilly for iced beverages :LOL . Lemme know when you get my package - it was heavy so I shipped it like 4th class







.


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Isn't that funny? Two weeks over my due date seemed so long at the time, but really is so common. Do any/many of you have kids born on or very close to the due date?

I admire you scrapbookers- it's something I'd love to get into. It looks so fun! But even more than that I want to sew a little more often. I have a super cool old sewing machine and lots of ideas, but I need to just start doing it more often!

Jen-- I am outside of St. Cloud near St. John's University. I noticed that you were Minnesota too!

Ohhhh, I love good kids clothes finds! I am always looking for used nicer brand name stuff, like we all are! I have ordered sale Hanna's from the internet but I would LOVE to get to the outlet. However, dd does not think all that car time is that much fun.









Yes, MN is cold right now! Although, by February 30 degrees will seem warm! I also have been stubbornly refusing to turn on the heat. We mainly heat with wood and use gas only for back up and I don't like to have to pay that gas bill! That charming old farm house? Also a bit drafty. I've been putting Cis to bed in a onesie, flannel footed pjs and then she sleeps with us.

That is so cool that Robin's doing the hand signs. It is so amazing how much they are learning right now.


----------



## maylea_moon (Mar 4, 2005)

I know all about what it's like looking young for your age. I'm 21, most people think I'm 15-17. Even with a toddler on my hip! I get very interesting looks. :LOL

The weather here has gotten very cold all of a sudden. (Pocatello, Idaho) It's getting down in the 30s overnight. Am I the only one whose baby was born early? Rowan sent me into labor 20 days before my EDD! I was due the 27th, started labor on the 7th and he was born very early on the 8th. Making him
13 months today.

I can't believe how many of you mamas are pg, how exciting! Where is everyone in that area? Are any of you done having kids, pregnant, trying, waiting to try, letting nature takes it's course etc...? DH and I will be trying for #2 in February. I'm excited.









Augustine - Congratulations!!! All you pregnant mamas are making me more and more impatient to start TTC agan.







Must keep telling myself to wait! Afterall, February will be here before I know it.

Meg - Welcome! I've been a member of MDC for awhile but just recently found this group. So far it's great. I'm really enjoying it.


----------



## AugustineM (Mar 21, 2005)

Meg -- Welcome!! My DS was born exactly on his due date -- the very first one they gave me when I was 6 wks pg. I was so surprised ... I thought for sure he was going to be early. I'm curious to see what they'll say the due date for this new babe will be, since I haven't had a prenatal visit yet. The online calculators say June 10.

Alia -- DH and I weren't really trying to get pg again... actually we wanted to wait until February too! I thought we were being quite careful, but apparently my cycle was off and I ovulated way late last month... ooopsie







But the good thing is that school is out in mid-June, so I should be able to finish most of the school year. And my mom is also a teacher, so she will be finishing as well, and then have 3 months to help me out!

Of course, this is all assuming this baby is sticky...







I hope he/she is!

Leomom & Harmony -- The words touched me. I sighed and remembered all the nights that I sat/sit up rocking Thor, nursing him in the moonlight that comes through our bedroom windows. There is really nothing sweeter...


----------



## Marimami (May 5, 2005)

Welcome Meg!

I feel like an old woman with you all! I'll be 36 in December, and Mari is our first! We TTC and had fertility issues for so long. We married when I was 24 after dating/living together for 2 years. Then we had to be at a point where we could afford adoption. Mari is more than we could have hoped for so it makes all those years of waiting fade away! We're not sure if we'll adopt another, but perhaps when she is a toddler or preschool age we will adopt a toddler. I used to think I would miss the newborn stage, but with Mari coming home at nearly 8 months I realize now that it was a wonderful time for her to come home.

I love hearing about all their accomplishments. It's so interesting how they all focus on different things!

We went apple picking yesterday, and we were going to the pumpkin patch today but it's very wet so I don't think we're going to do it.

Hope everyone has a good remainder of the weekend!

Holli


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

Augustine..congrats! I'm curious, have you noticed a drop in your milk supply? How does that work, does it go down and then back up again?

Jen, I'm looking for someone to make me a simple quilt...basically sewing together squares of Kate's baby clothes. Could you do something like that? Maybe we could work out a trade? I wish I could sew!!!

Kate took her first dtep 2 days ago. Yesterday she took another. It's so exciting seeing how thrilled she is with her accomplishments!


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *leomom*
Jen, I'm looking for someone to make me a simple quilt...basically sewing together squares of Kate's baby clothes. Could you do something like that? Maybe we could work out a trade? I wish I could sew!!!

I think Becca's the mad quilter. I can knit like no one's business, but sewing is not my forte, especially machine sewing (as Savannah can attest to with the dolls I made her!!!). So I'd love to but you wouldn't want me to









Holli - you're not old. I'm 31. Not 36, but still in those 30s.

Happy Sundays, j


----------



## veganbaby (Oct 28, 2004)

Stacey~ The keepsake is beautiful! I seriously need to start my scrapbooking. I have so many ideas in my head.
Yikes about the mice.
WTG Kate on taking steps!

That's so cool about Robin doin the Itsy Bitsy hands! Desi goes to a music class and she has started imitating. And sometimes she will sing spontanteously. Its so cute. She has always responded well to music. Its our therapy.

Welcome to the group Meg!

Desi was born 12 days early according to my first EDD, 15 according to the sonogram.

I keep on going back and forth about when I want to TTC. I want them to be at least 2 years apart, but then with everyone getting all these BFPs its making me have baby fever. Its frustrating sometimes because I still don't have a period yet. But Desi still nurses quite frequently esp at night. I keep on thinking that I'm going to start. I get the cramps, the moodswings, but no menses yet.


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Hey!! It's so fun having other moms like me to talk to!!! I do have a few local mama's who are similar, but ya know, it just gets hard to get out and have a good ole time with the babe in tow. Live it up, is what I tell my little sister. All those hours of uninterupted shopping, sleeping, etc.- enjoy it. Because it all changes with kids, in the most wonderful way, of course.

If it means anything, while I am 28, I have ALWAYS felt about 35, my best friend and my husband are both 43. It's just now, for the first time in my life that I am making friends who are my age and younger. I love the young mamas, I just think they are so cool. I think I might have been a basket case!!! Although a lot of my girlfriends had kids right away and I loved hanging with them and their kiddos.

About the next baby..... well, I've wanted #2 since Cecilia was about 3 months! However, I'm actually pretty happy to have had a little time. I have everything done for my masters degree except that pesky little thing called a thesis and I promised myself that I would finish it before I could get pregnant again. So, if I get going, I was thinking I could start trying around..... drumroll, February!! How funny! Of course, trying for us, is, not trying at all. Cecilia was a complete surprise. My sister in law had to tell me that maybe the reason I couldn't get off the couch and had 'a touch of the flu' for three months might mean I was pregnant!

Okay, off for the Sunday night routine. Supper, Simpsons and then Desperate Housewives. meg


----------



## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

I am part of the 30s club as well. I turned 30 this past June. There are days where I feel like I am 21 and there are days when I feel like I am 40.

David just got over a 24 hour stomach flu. Poor guy threw up on me 3 times at Wal-Mart Friday night. Of course later that evening was a bit scarier when he hit 102.6 at 2:30am. Thankfully he is back to his happy self.


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

Poor David!

I am 30 also...will be 31 in December. I feel like I'm..well, 30,....not really young, but not really old. :LOL


----------



## AugustineM (Mar 21, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *leomom*
Augustine..congrats! I'm curious, have you noticed a drop in your milk supply? How does that work, does it go down and then back up again?

I'm curious about this myself. I find it so hard to know what my supply is doing. I hear Thor gulping when he nurses, but only right at first, and only if it's been at least 3 hours in between. So I know he's getting some. But the past 3 nights have been crazy. He wants to nurse, or be latched on, ALL. NIGHT. LONG. Thursday night I just couldn't take it anymore, so my husband and I layed in bed with him and tried to soothe him. He cried off and on from 1-4:30. He was supposed to go to daycare that day but there was no way I could take him, so DH stayed home with him. Then Thor stared getting sick yesterday, just a runny nose (yellow, yucky), and really has been stepping up the nursing a lot. So, I don't know if it's the pregnancy or the sicky that's getting him.

I was reading that often moms have a drop in supply at the end of the first trimester, then again at the beginning of the third. Some quit making milk altogether, some babies wean, but some just keep on nursin'. Which I bet is what Thor will do, since if he can't nurse he completely falls apart.

I'll be 30 in April. It seems strange to say. My 20's just went by so quickly. Met DH when I was 22... it doesn't seem that long ago!

Veganbaby -- The symptoms you have sound like what happened to me the month before I started AF.









YBecca -- That's so cool about robin doing the motions for Itsy Bitsy!! She's so smart.


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

Leomom - I'd be happy to help quilt Kate's clothes - and a trade could definitely be arranged







It might take a while though - I'm determined to finish the quilt I'm working on now, and I'm taking 2 classes to learn new quilts in early dec. But I one of the patterns is a great scrap quilt. Congrats to kate on those first steps.

So glad David feels better!

Meg - I go back and forth between feeling older and younger than my age (28). Being a teacher definitely highlights how much I've grown up inthe past 10 years, but it also keeps me in touch with young folks. I really miss having my own classes, actually - it's great energy for me to be around teenagers, even though they make me feel old too. :LOL


----------



## jilly (Feb 14, 2005)

Welcome, Meg! The more the merrier, I say! I found this group about 6 mos ago and I've been addicted ever since.

AugustineM -- Congratulations! I hope the baby sticks!

Leomom, congrats on Kate's steps, that's so fun!

YBecca -- I swear Robin is going to win a nobel prize someday, she's so clever

It is getting chilly around here, too. Forget t-shirts, I broke out all my winter clothes last week and stowed my summer ones. I've been in long sleeved shirts and layers for two or three weeks now. Sigh. I do love fall and winter, though, so I'm not really complaining.

Andrew's newest trick is to spin in circles and try to get dizzy. He sort of pivots on one foot and goes around and around. It's very cute. He is also facinated by our thermostat. We have to stop and touch it every time we walk down the hallway. And we have to open the hall closet and look at the vaccuum. Can we say future electrician or engineer, anyone? He is definitely over whatever was wrong and back to his happy self, which is nice. I think he is glad to be back on a schedule and have a mom with two arms again.

We are not TTC right now, but letting nature take its course. I think I'm going to finally get a period soon becuase I've been feeling really tired and crampy all week. Of course, "letting nature take its course" doesn't really happen, because I can always tell exactly when I am ovulating, so I can cheat.







I was at my friend's baby shower yesterday and it was giving me baby fever.

I am almost 30, and I'm pretty happy about it. When I was 15 my sister was 30, and she had a big positive influence on me in my late teens She was a super vibrant beautiful SAHM and then homeschooling missionary in her 30's, so I am inspired to be fantastic. And I feel so much more at home in my own skin now. I too am young looking, though. Two years ago when I was substitute teaching, there was this one secretary at this one school that would always think I was a student. She would ignore me forever until I said "Hi, I'm a teacher and I'm here subbing for . . . " And then she'd be all surprised. Now that I'm a minister's wife DH is forever telling me to dress my age so that people think I'm older. I'm not sure what it means to dress my age, but I try.









Well, I'm off to ignore my messy house and take a bath. Have a good night, all.

Jill


----------



## HeatherB (Jan 30, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mama Bear*
HeatherB - July 9, 1999 is when we got married. My b-day is Dec 16, 1980. Good luck with your party!!!

That is wild! You're two weeks ahead of me. :LOL We were married on July 24, 1999, and my birthday is December 30, 1980! If your DS was born two weeks ahead of mine, I'm gonna fall over. :LOL

AugustineM, congrats!! I still can't believe we've got mamas with more babies on the way!! I'm hoping to have another in 2 years or so - but of course that'll our 3rd.

veganbaby - Definitely sounds like AF might be on the way. I hated the "false starts" after Gabriel. I've had times when I was sure it was coming for me, but so far nothing. Of course I've also had strange muscle twitches - you know, the ones that those first "kicks" feel like!







But I'm really 100% sure I'm NOT pg! It helps that I had those twitches in between boys, too.

Iain just got his 5th tooth! I don't know when it popped through, but in the last couple of days. Still working on that first molar, though. Eek.

Thanks for all the well-wishes for the Open House! It was very small, but a success. The ladies who came had a lot of fun, and I confess, they liked my house!







We had to unpack a TON to get ready for this, so our house was, for the first time, just how we wanted it (at least in the public areas! :LOL). It was nice to have others in the house, see that it really DOES work for events, and have them appreciate it. They liked the project, the products, and overall had a lovely time. I also got a new recruit!! With ZERO effort! I was stunned, but thrilled! This mama actually has a September baby, too - he's 5 days younger than Iain. They got to play for awhile while we filled out paperwork and I helped her pick out her starter kit. She's as excited about it as I was when I first was introduced, so I know she's going to have fun! She also owns an online retail store with FB, HHs, Shoo Shoos, mini showers (just got one!), etc. So it was a good day!









Though, by the end of the day both boys were fried.... and Iain ended up settling down and going to play with Gabriel, still clutching a pen he'd picked up from my desk. It was a while later when I discovered that they had drawn all over my brand new pillow covers (discontinued), brand new couch (finally delivered 2 days before), and chair cushion (white).







: I've never been so furious with them in my life!! I sent G to bed straight away, deciding that was better than spanking the tar out of him when I was livid.







Iain was sobbing, Gabriel was sobbing, and it was all I could do not to cry, scream, or hit something.

The internet is helpful, though, and I found some ideas for using alcohol to get it out. Still working on it, but I think we'll be able to salvage everything. I'm wondering if I needed a lesson in what's more important - my stuff or my kids!! I confess, my brand new, finally "just right" stuff seemed awfully important!! But obviously my kids are a lot more valuable than furniture, which in 20 years just won't be all that great anymore, anyway. Gotta say an AP-perspective is a good thing in stressful situations! I kept thinking, "Never spank when you're angry... never spank when you're angry." I do believe in spanking under some circumstances, but I think G learned his lesson without it!

So, anyhow, it was quite shock to have my kids to something "naughty" (they're really such good kids!!) So Mommy will be more attentive and hopefully Kids will be back to their wonderful selves! :LOL

Eek, gotta get some stuff done for MOPS... anyone else involved in a MOPS group?

Take care, mamas!!


----------



## FeministFatale (Dec 16, 2004)

We aren't ttc, we really like having larger age differences between children. Chloë was 3.5 y.o. when I got pregnant with LaRue. I think if I were to do it again, I would have even waited until Chloë was 4.5 y.o. instead. I really like being able to just concentrate on one baby at a time, then when s/he is old enough to be more self-sufficient than it's time to have another. Though we aren't sure that we are going to have anymore children.

LaRue is going through a really big signing phase, she picks up signs instantly and she knows a lot of signs already. Bird, dog, cat, baby, eat, more, shoes, water, I'm forgetting some. After reading about Robin and Itsy Bitsy Spider I sang that to LaRue today. We love singing songs like that, but I'm always forgetting to sing that one. She picked up how to do the finger motions right away and for the rest of the day she would try to get me to sing it again by doing the spider climbing. It's great, she really loves to sign and when she learns new words she looks expecting for the corresponding sign. It's a good thing that we are sort of proficient in sign. Well, my dh knows lots of signs because his parents are deaf, which also makes it that much more important for our girls to know how to sign.

It's still really hot around here, today it was in the 90s. We had LaRue's birthday party today and it was held outside and it was so hot. We were planning on having her birthday party last week, but then there were a few local fires in the mountains surrounding my area and it was raining ash the day before her party. The air quality was just so poor that we decided to postpone it.

Ok, now I must get back to my work, I'm so friggin' exhausted though. The party took a lot out of me, so I've been putting off my work. I have to finish sewing up a baby sleeper for a customer.


----------



## maylea_moon (Mar 4, 2005)

I'm definately in that category where I feel much older than I really am. I turned 21 in July but most of my mom friends are in their late 20s. I relate to them better than my friends my own age because obviously, most friends my age aren't parents yet. The people I find I relate to the most are my 2 sister in laws. One is 26 with a 3.5 year old and a 3 month old. The other is 28 with a 3 year old and pg with #2 who is due in early May.

It's kind of a strange situation because I actually live somewhere where being a mother in your early 20s is the norm. I live in south eastern Idaho where the majority of the population is Mormon (I am not) and it's quite common for them to marry and have children young. But with them, as you can guess, I'm still an outcast because I am not mormon. All the friends I grew up with I can't really relate to either because in Seattle (where I grew up) it's much more typical to start having children in your 30s.

It's funny because now that I think of it (I come from a family of 5 kids) my mother had her first (me) at 21 and her last (my youngest brother) at 40 so she knows what it's like to be a young mama and a more "mature" mama.


----------



## lucysmom (Oct 17, 2004)

Just a quick note -- I've been up since 2:30 a.m. to take our dogs for a walk, do dishes, water plants ... and am now relaxing a little before heading to bed for another hour of sleep. I have been taking Lucy to bed about 9:30 & then I fall asleep too, try as I might to stay awake, creep away and do adult chores after she goes to sleep. So middle of the night, after DP wakes me when he comes to bed, is my only time to get much done. Weird schedule, but it seems to be working OK.

Anna, your tales of Mielle's conversations are mind-boggling. I don't think I've ever heard of a kid her age using sentences like that. What a smartie!!

And I just have to say that I think I must be the oldest of this group; I'm 39, had Lucy when I was 38. She's our first and probably our only child. I have regrets about that -- if my life had been different in my early 30s I would love to have had a second child. Always planned to. But I was working really hard on things that seemed to be important, and wanted to know what I could accomplish in the world if I was really single-minded; and then DP and I had numerous challenges it seemed we should try to overcome before having kids, none of which actually were overcome when we had Lucy, so that reason for delay I do regret. I wish she would have a sibling. If our fortunes change a lot quickly, maybe we will be in a position to foster or adopt another, older, child a little while down the line.

I worry that I will be an old mom who finds it harder to ski, bike, hike etc. with Lucy as she gets older, but I guess I just have to work hard to stay fit & healthy.

Anyway, all of you who just turned 30 and feel old ... you ain't!!

Off for my hour of sleep ...

Lisa


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

Beccam that sounds great. Just pm me whenever you finish your current quilt. I'm in no hurry.









Heather, I keep having those muscle twitches or stirrings and reminding myself that I just couldn't be pregnant- I think! :LOL


----------



## StacyL (May 4, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AugustineM*
StacyL -- Yes, it looks like we're on the same timeline for our family! My dad's Bday is June 1. I redid a due date calculator, because I think I'm about 5 weeks, not 6, which would make the EDD 6/10/06. I am going to go over to the June due date club now... How are you feeling lately?


I am feeling really awful. Yesterday was my worst day yet. I will be glad when the m/s passes. Speaking of ages, etc. I am going to be 36 in 3 weeks, so it is good I am pg since I am no spring chicken. I regret starting my life so late, but I figure I could get maybe 4 kiddos out before I run out of fertility.

Must. Go. Lay. Down.


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *StacyL*
I am feeling really awful. Yesterday was my worst day yet. I will be glad when the m/s passes. Speaking of ages, etc. I am going to be 36 in 3 weeks, so it is good I am pg since I am no spring chicken. I regret starting my life so late, but I figure I could get maybe 4 kiddos out before I run out of fertility.

Must. Go. Lay. Down.

Poor thing! M/S is the worst!







I hope it passes quickly for you.

Just this last week, Kate has gotten into the "tantrum" phase. She just gets so mad at me and I have no idea why. I can't figure out what she wants, and she has no patience for my lack of understanding.


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

Stacey - best wishes on the MS passing quickly.

Leomom- I sat up with RObin for a while this morning and couldn't go back to sleep for brainstorming quilt ideas! Are you wanting a wall hanging or a usable quilt?

Robin is entering a crazy nut child phase - running, spinning, dancing all the time she's awake. Getting into everything. It's exhausting! I have a few errands I need to run todya, and I'm dreading chasing her all over stores. The plus side is that she enjoys her stroller more b/c she likes looking at everything - but I have to stay in constant motion. and part of my errands today includes some shopping. I "shop" for clothes these days by just buying whatever I think might work, tryingit on at home and then returning it later. :LOL Not that I'm buying very much - I'm mostly buying and returning b/c nothing is fitting me right (ofcourse, I;m also limiting my options b/c I'll only buy stuff that's on serious sale. I'm still not fitting into all my pre-baby clothes, but I look like a hobo. I have to have some things for work, etc. but I hate to spend money on clothes right now)

Robin somehow just deleted only one paragraph of my post, so here it is again:

HeatherB - glad your party went well, but so sorry for your bg mess. Here's my best tip for removing ink form machin washables:
wet the area and scrub it with a little bit of detergent and a toothbrush. Then spray the area with hairspray and scrub some more. It doesn't need a lot of detergent, but add more water and hairspray and det. and keep scrubbing and it should all come out. Then machine wash as usual. This works everytime for me - and b/c I use my hands when I teach I write on my clothes all the time. it's the only reason I keep a little travel size hairspray! I don't know what would work best for the sofa, since it's hard to rinse. GOod luck. and it is frustrating, but probably inevitable.

Wish me luck - heading to the mall, old navy and target - what am I thinking?

But on friday I'm heading to the beach with my SIL, her sister and my mom (who wants to bring my brother grrrr....it's supposed to be a girls time!)


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

Becca,

a usable quilt would be awesome!









I, too, am having clothing issues. I am so sick of putting on pants that are just a little too snug to be comfy or look good on me.







: And these are the pants I bought AFTER giving birth when I had lost most of the weight. But now those are snug.







I don't understand how I am gaining weight. I eat healthy, when I get to, and I walk almost daily. It seems like I'm always cleaning or slinging or something, so shouldn't I be losing instead of packing it on?


----------



## Mama Bear (Aug 4, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HeatherB*
That is wild! You're two weeks ahead of me. :LOL We were married on July 24, 1999, and my birthday is December 30, 1980! If your DS was born two weeks ahead of mine, I'm gonna fall over. :LOL

Ds b-day is Sept 4.









Don't have much time -









Gotta run!


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Okay, so the being sick part of pregnancy I don't miss. I hope you're over it soon, AugustineM and StacyL.

And that clothes thing.... grrrr. The hardest part is to find some time to shop and enjoy it. This summer I did get out a little more, mainly because we don't have air conditioning and it was so HOT this summer. So I'd cruise the mall and let dh put Cecilia to bed. It was nice, but until we have an REI in our area, I'll always be bored.

I can't figure out ttc! What does it stand for?!

I think a little time between babies is nice, but I always get all freaked out about Greg's age and think we should get it done now! My goal is to be home full time for awhile (I still work a lot, although I take Cecilia with) and then Greg (dh) and I can kind of switch roles, he can be home more and I can work. I've never really had a 'career' although I have spent a lot of time in school!

Whoa, Cecilia hasn't markered my furniture yet, but I dread the day. I do love my stuff!! I totally feel for you, HeatherB. It is hard not to react in anger.

Leomom, I hear you about the tantrums. Cecilia can only use pointing, screaming and grunting to communicate and it gets frusterating. I tell her what I think she should be saying 'more water please, mommy? okay' and I am regretting not teaching her some signs.

Lucysmom, I love your schedule! That's so funny! I bet you get a lot done at night because it is so nice and quiet.


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

Meg -
TTC=trying to conceive (as opposed to TTA - trying to avoid (conception))
THe TTC boards practically have their own language of abbreviations. My fave is POAS - Peeing on a stick, or taking a preg test :LOL


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Oh, so simple, ttc, got it! Thanks Becca!

Hey everyone, what kinds of shoes are your kids wearing? Cis is in Robeez right now, but that obviously isn't going to cut it pretty soon. Ideas?


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *midwestmeg*
Hey everyone, what kinds of shoes are your kids wearing? Cis is in Robeez right now, but that obviously isn't going to cut it pretty soon. Ideas?

T has a pair of brown leather stride rites his grandma bought him. I kinda wish we had gotten the cruisers instead of the walkers, because the cruisers are more flexible but still sturdy, but oh well. I read on a web page that you should buy shoes as wide as possible. - j


----------



## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *midwestmeg*
Oh, so simple, ttc, got it! Thanks Becca!

Hey everyone, what kinds of shoes are your kids wearing? Cis is in Robeez right now, but that obviously isn't going to cut it pretty soon. Ideas?

Currently David doesn't have any shoes. He has been shoeless since summertime. He outgrew his 0-6month Robeez. I am planning on buying him a pair of 6-12month Shoo Shoos if I can find the pair I want at the mall. He hates shoes so my plan is to get the Shoo Shoos and once he is used to those and walking well, then I will get him a pair of shoes for outside. Probally from the Stride Rite outlet.


----------



## AugustineM (Mar 21, 2005)

I got some great old Stride Rites for Thor. They're blue and velcro. Though he always undoes the velcro, they always seem to stay on. They're regular shoes because he walks (runs) outside all the time.









Just curious -- how many of your babes are still nursing a lot a night? Thor is really starting to worry me... the past 4-5 nights have been just horrible! He wants to nurse all night and has a frickin tantrum if I don't let him for just a few minutes. But with being preg. and the nipple soreness.... ugh. I don't know what to do. I feel like I've done something wrong. Anyone else in this boat? Think it's a stage (well, I'm sure it is, since he won't be doing it when he's 13)? Any suggestions?


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

MIL to the rescue!! I called her to track down my lost stroller and she volunteered to help me run my errands. It made things so much more manageable to have a second set of hands. Plus, I had a Gymbuck to spend at Gymboree (you spend at least $50 and get $25 of it for free) and she got some things for my neice and nephew to help the bill go up to $50 - then since she was buying them stuff she bought RObin's stuff too! Score!

Augustine - Robin is nursing at least 2ce a night - occasionally just once, but that's like only 3 times ever. It's usually 2ce in the night and then several more times after 5am b/c I just wanna sleep. But, when she got bit, it was all night long and then when she had bad diarreah she was basically latched on all night, crawling over me and crying. Does it seem like THor is in pain? Digestive issues, or teething? Keep in mind that being pregnant may decrease your milk supply and change the taste/composition - he may be responding to that.

Meg - I just ebayed for another pair of Robeez for Robin. But, as the weather cools, I'm going to reserve them for inside wear and get her a pair of Stride Rites or similar shoes for school and outside. We don't have a SR store here, but we have a great family owned kids store with excellent shoe selection and knowledgable salespeople. HTey sell SR and other high-quality brands. BUt I'm probably only springing for the expensive stuff for her first pair of "real" shoes, then I'm going to try to find more reasonably priced options.

Leomom = I've got lots of quilt ideas - I'll PM you

Mama Bear - Who had Robin for the doll exchange?


----------



## lucysmom (Oct 17, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AugustineM*

Just curious -- how many of your babes are still nursing a lot a night? Thor is really starting to worry me... the past 4-5 nights have been just horrible! He wants to nurse all night and has a frickin tantrum if I don't let him for just a few minutes. But with being preg. and the nipple soreness.... ugh. I don't know what to do. I feel like I've done something wrong. Anyone else in this boat? Think it's a stage (well, I'm sure it is, since he won't be doing it when he's 13)? Any suggestions?









Lucy still nurses lots at night. I have been reluctant to change it b/c I work FT away from her, & felt like maybe she was getting a lot of her nutrition at night, esp. as I just stopped pumping at work. But as solid foods get more established, I've been considering trying to reduce the night nursing. I read this article last night:

http://www.drjaygordon.com/ap/sleep.htm

And of course the No Cry Sleep Solution has more gradual suggestions that seemed to work when I tried them briefly a few months ago, before deciding that maybe she still _needed_ night nursing for calories.


----------



## maylea_moon (Mar 4, 2005)

Am I the only one whose toddler hates shoes? I put them on Rowan and he screams and pulls at them, same with hats and socks. I have no idea what I'm going to do when it starts getting really cold out. My mom thinks he's going to grow up to be a nudist!


----------



## jilly (Feb 14, 2005)

It's me, YBecca. I am the negligent mamma who hasn't made my doll yet.







: Sorry. I couldn't lift my arm high enough to sew until last week, and then I was away last week when it was finally good enough to sew. I'll get right on it. I have the pattern drawn up and all the stuff bought, its just a matter of actually sitting down and sewing, and then mailing it.

AugustineM, I have two friends who are almost ready to deliver and they both have August babies (crazy, eh?). They both had nursing trouble after they were pregnant. One babe weaned herself when mama was 3 mos, and the other was really fussy for three or four months and then the mama weaned her. So it may be something to do with being pregnant that is making Thor nurse so much.
That said, Andrew had his nights, especially earlier in SEpt. I wonder if that related to the lack of holding because of my arm, though. He's back to twice a night or so now.

Well, I had an exhausting day. Andrew woke up at 6 and didn't nap until I took him for a walk,then I wanted to hang out with dh, because I haven't seen him all week, so I'm overtired and crabby. NIght night.

Jill


----------



## Marimami (May 5, 2005)

We have some soft shoes still that Mari is wearing, but I do have walking shoes ready for the fall/winter. I bought Ecco first walkers. They matched her clothing better than the Stride Rites. :LOL

Mari actually loves shoes. We started putting soft shoes on her in the summer because she was scratching up her toes crawling every where. Now she plays with them all the time...taking them in/out of things, and she loves her new shoes. We keep telling her as soon as she walks outside of the house, she can wear them. I'm hoping that's an incentive!









Holli


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

I wish I had a pair of Ecco's - I'm jealouso f Mari!

Jilly - oh, I totally understand - take your time. My DH made me paranoid that she'd been left out of the rotation somehow. How is your arm doing?

Maylea moon - RObin is going through a shoe fetish - she takes mine off, puts them back on, plays with her, and says "soo soo" She loves them.

gotta get in some play time b/f tutoring!


----------



## HeatherB (Jan 30, 2003)

Iain still nurses all night. I think he may be giving me more breaks, but I don't pay much attention! I know he slept well if I'm actually able to move around without waking him up. :LOL

He has both rubber and leather shoes. He still fits in his 6-12m ShooShoos. Got lots of compliments on them the other night! I also have some Elefanten sandals for him, and he walks well in both. It was definitely a little funny to him to walk in the Elefantens, but I only buy very flexible shoes for them (especially at this age), so he adjusted quickly. Gabriel had all Stride Rites at this age (outlets!!) so I may pull out some of his old shoes and see what shape they're in. Iain's feet are finally growing, so he's going to need more shoes soon!

Jilly, glad you're arm/shoulder is finally feeling some better!!


----------



## FeministFatale (Dec 16, 2004)

We are still doing the soft soled shoes over here. She has mostly been wearing Chloë's hand me down Soft Star Shoes, which I really love, they are the Little Dipper kind http://www.softstarshoes.com/index.c...&category_id=4 . She also wears a pair of non-leather sock moccasin type shoes that I got at Target, they are exactly like the Hanna Anderson kind.

maylea_moon ~ I've hung out with mostly older mamas since becoming a young mama as well. But for me a majority of them are in their mid-30s. I made a few semi-local mamas my age through the now defunct HipMama boards which was an amazing place.

LaRue still nurses often during the night. I'm a deep sleeper and I don't care to know how many times she nurses so I don't count or look at the clock. But I can assure you, that it's probably a fairly high number.

leomom ~ That happened to me after I had Chloë, I lost a lot of weight really quickly, but then when Chloë was around a year I started to gain weight. It really sucked. For me, I think it was mostly because after I had Chloë I was able to eat anything and everything and still lose weight, but then my body's metabolism slowed down and so I started gaining weight and having to slow down on all the food I was eating. This time around has been totally different. I didn't have that immediate weight loss, it's been gradual and if I eat a lot I will gain weight. So I've had to make good eating choices. But I'm still losing the weight gradually, instead of now gaining more weight since she is over a year.

Oh, a little pouch brag. Two days ago I went to my local Coffee Bean, that I visit almost everyday, and Lisa Ling was there (formerly on The View and now doing National Geographic Explorer show). She and her friend were both talking about how cute LaRue is and then Lisa Ling asked about my pouch. She asked what it was called and how it works. She said that it was really great looking


----------



## Robin926 (Jun 25, 2005)

Hi, mamas! I've posted a couple times over in the "babe" forum, but I found you guys hiding out over here today







: Welcome to Toddlerhood! I'm going to try to be better and keep up with the threads now. I kept getting behind and then being intimidated by all the pages so I'd just lurk. You guys are posting fiends!!!! :LOL

Congratulations to all the pg mamas! I cannot even imagine being pg again already, but then, we're looking at about an 8 year age difference in our kiddos so we've got quite a while to wait.

All your toddlers are so verbal too, wow!! Jacob says "mum-mum" and "dada" and an occasional "yeah" or "hi." But most of the kiddos on the thread are talking up a storm!! Awesome. I've been lazy about signing too







: so he doesn't have a whole lot of them. He has one sign we never showed him too, that we're not sure what means. He bumps his index finger into his palm and he does it a lot, but we haven't figured out the context. We thought it was pain, but he does it when he's happy so we thought he'd gotten "more" confused. He looks at us so expectantly too, and I feel bad that I don't know what he means!!!! Same when he babbles something in Jacobese and just waits for me to deliver, I can't understand a lot of it yet. Ah well, it'll come









While I'm posting, are any of you guys giving your little ones cow's milk? We bought some organic whole milk for Jacob, and he loves it. But I've noticed his poops getting really really firm when he drinks it. Anyone else notice this?


----------



## banana girl (Jan 9, 2004)

home from a long fun weekend with extended family. I will post some photos soon, but i have about 150 pictures to organize and it's gonna take awhile!

Welcome Meg and congratulations Augustine!


----------



## HeatherB (Jan 30, 2003)

Robin, welcome! The sign Jacob is doing sounds just like my older DS's sign for "more." In fact, I've seen other kids do it the same way! My 13mo, Iain, actually signs it much more accurately, but he's the first I've known to do it that way. So, quite likely it's "more" that he's saying! Yay!









FF, how cool to have such recognition for your pouches! They *are* so cool!


----------



## PaytonsMom (Aug 31, 2005)

Payton loves his shoes, but hates hats.

And he's on 100% cows milk (whole) now and loves it. And sadly, I don't miss BFing as much as I thought I would. Last night I had a relapse and thought how sweet it would be for him to nurse one last time, but it's over...


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

Announcement: hear ye, hear ye:

BECCA IS SO COOL.

Today we received a package from Becca and Robin that was chock full of German board books!

We are so excited and already looked through them once with a lot of pointing.

Thank you Becca and Robin!


----------



## banana girl (Jan 9, 2004)

I just organized some pictures, it took awhile....

I have posted them on my blog. They are of Mielle and her cousin Tristan. she was kissing and kissing him the other day. Her kisses are so sweet and gentle. We have been working on "gentle touches" and she thinks kisses are part and parcel of being gentle. It's soooo sweet. She usually gives me kisses right away in the morning when waking.

someone asked about night time nursing... lately I have been so frustrated with her, she wakes up to nurse every 2 hours! I NEED more sleep. I keep hoping it's just a growth spurt or something......

Jilly don't feel to bad, i haven't sewn FF's doll yet either! I still haven't found the power cord for my sewing machine!!!! Arrgh!


----------



## jilly (Feb 14, 2005)

I tried Andrew on cow's milk, but I think it gave him tummy troubles because he was waking int he middle of the night screaming, just like he used to when he was a little babe. But then he got a fever 2 days later and a rash, so perhaps it was unrelated. I'm going to try him again next week, after the IL's leave (they're coming for the weekend), becuase MIL is super allergy paranoid woman and I don't want her to know that he might have allergies unless in fact he does have allergies. (she thinks she's allergic to yeasts, molds, wheat, dairy, sugar . . . every time I go there she's "allergic' to something else. I think she just has IBS and needs to learn to relax and get more than 4 hours of sleep a night).

Anyhoo, I am really getting tired of bfing. It has it moments of cuteness and cloesness, but in general I'm so done with it. I think Andrew is starting to be done with it, too, because he tries to roll over and go to sleep in the middle of nursing, then he rolls back and nurses a bit more, then rolls over,then comes back. So I think once I figure out the milk thing, I will probably stop offering and see what happens. Last night he was on and off for over an hour while he was trying to go to sleep. Finally I just got frustrated and said "Okay, no more nursing. Go to sleep." and he popped off and went to sleep. Crazy, eh?

Shoes . .. Robeez are our mainstay around here, but I have to find something for winter. Since we have about 6 months of snow here (seriously not exaggerating -- it comes and goes in Nov and April, but still) he's going to have to be outside in the snow. There is no way I'm keeping him cooped up in the house for 6 months.

Okay, restless baby is about to climb off my lap into the great unknown of the floor (he did this yesterday and I didn't catch him in time) so I'd best go. Jill


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

I'm sorry that some of you are not enjoying nursing. I love sitting and nursing Kate and am consatntly worried that she'll wean before I'm ready, since she's already dropped to 3x's a day.


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Hey all, thanks for the shoe input! I have been looking at lots of web pages for shoes... those darn things are expensive!! I want Cis to have good shoes BUT, yow, I wish they could come with extenders or something. Oh well, I can always justify it because it could also be 'for the next baby'. We don't have a SR store here.... we have nothing cool here.... I checked Target but I am not paying $16 for Barbie shoes that gross me out!

I have never heard of Shoo Shoos. I'll check those out. The See Kai Run shoes I thought were expensive are starting to look economical.

Whoa, I wish my MIL would go to gymboree with me!!! What a score.

About the night nursing.... Cecilia was starting to use nursing every time she needed to get back to sleep, which meant I never got to get into a deep sleep. We only nurse on one side, so I always had to hook her up on the other side, because she sleeps in the middle of the bed and dh and I didn't want to swap sides. Does that make sense in a wacky way?

Soooo.... I figured out that she was really nursing at about 2 am, but 3:30, 5:00 and 6:30 were just to get adjusted. Then I nursed her at 2 am and went to sleep in a different bedroom. The first couple nights she and dh had to get up and get some water, change the diaper, etc but she didn't really cry, she did fuss, dh patted her back and she went back to sleep. After a week or so she wasn't really waking at night anymore and I came back to bed. When I came back I did have to spend some time patting her and then there was one tough morning when she wanted to nurse at about 6:00 and I was determined to make it to 7:30 am when we usually get up. That time was tough, but after that she either sleeps soundly or is comfortable laying near me and being patted.

I just knew it was time to night wean because I was starting to get really jealous of dh's uninterrupted sleep. After I did all this I read the no cry sleep solution and was sorry I hadn't read it FIRST!









Augustine, I don't know if you were even thinking about wanting to night wean, but I am so proud that we were able to do it I just had to share! That was the first time I kind of had to 'put my foot down' and it was HARD.

Cecilia dribbles cows milk down her chin and makes a face. She's not big into dairy. She still nurses a lot during the day, which I'm glad for.

Okay, long enough!

What is your babies favorite food? Cecilia loves soy ham and frozen peas. She will eat those two things reliably.

meg


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

Robin gets organic cow's milk but it's not her fave. She drinks it, but doesn't enjoy it like she does juice water. But she is eating better, so I'm less concerned.

Her fave food: well, this week it's Veggie Booty (like natural corn puffs covered with spinach and kale powder). Eggs are the only thing she's eaten reliably for months.

I enjoy nursing RObin. She's gotten really cute with the pauses in the middle to point at my nipple and say "Robin juice". And if I stop before she's done, she patiently pulls up my top, pulls down my bra flap, as though I'm so slow and she has to straighten me out. But I'm definitely over the night nursing. I can't sleep and nurse - I couldn't even nurse laying down until she was like 6 months old. It's wearing on me, now that I don't hav that new mother miracle deep sleep. I started the NCSS strategy, but then she got sick, and it's been one thing after the other since. But maybe aftr our vacation I can start it again. I don't want to traumatize either of us, but we both need better sleep.

Jen - so glad you like the books! The garage sale I found them at was a german mom and her soldier husband. Lots of local soldiers are stationed in germany, so there's actually lots of german restaurants, german gorceries in the stores, etc. considering the size of the town. Saw them and thought you might like them. Of course, I also didn't know if they were bad - couldn't read them!

Robin - welcome back! I've been wondering where you are!

FF - that's awesome, your brush with fame. My fave morning DJ in atlanta used to have th ehots for lisa ling and always called her la-la-la-lisa la-la-la-ling, so that's what I always call her in my head







Your stuff is so awesome, I'm sure you get stopped all the time.

Well, I made it to my first LLL meeting today, and I'm hoping to go to this other nursing moms meeting THurs. THere was one really nice but really bossy lady there, and the leader seemed kinda weird, but the 2 other women seemed nice. Oh, and th e bossy lady was the woman who sat behind me and nursed at that funeral a few weeks ago (so that my nursing would block her nursing). I was like "hey, I know you!" I don't know if it's a useful place for me right now, but I might meet a fe folks to invite to the playgroup I', starting.


----------



## AugustineM (Mar 21, 2005)

Glad to hear I'm not the only one with night nursing issues, even though I'm sorry for all of us not being able to sleep really well. Though I guess that's part of what having little ones is about!









Meg-- That's good advice. I know that DH and I are going to try something like that soon. I'm already starting to get worried about how to deal with Thor and a newborn at night, even though it's still 9 months away, basically. I hate the thought of nightweaning because I know it would be really hard, but at the same time I need to consider it for my own sanity and to make sure that things are not super difficult when the new babe is here.









It's funny -- when I read others post "I can't imagine being pregnant right now." I think, WOW, either can I! And then I'm like, WAIT I am pregnant!







Ha ha ha. I guess it hasn't really sunk in yet...

Thor's favorite food is chicken, cheese, yogurt, applesauce, spaghetti noodles, gardenburger, etc. etc. He has been eating really well lately, but he's not so excited about vegetables. But we've quit giving him cow's milk on the doctor's recommendation because of his weird poops. I have to say, they've gotten much more "normal" since quitting it. We give him water or little bits of pear juice and soy milk.


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

Kate's favorite food changes every day. One week she'll scarf something down and beg for more, the next she won't touch it.







: This week it's strawberries.

Forgot to say that Kate only nurses once at night, around 4:30.

Harmony, that's so cool!!!


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

On the shoe tip - for soft soled leather shoes, I once again have to tip the hat to Pia and her BOOTEEZ, do a search on eBay and you'll find them... you can look up other shoes she's made in her feedback listing. If she's not offering what you like, tell her what you want and she'll make them! $15 a pair custom made, 3 for $40 unless she's changed something...

Tristan's favorite food was whole milk yogurt until this week, he's been on a bit of a yogurt strike. He loves black beans from Chipotle and Don Pablo's, and hummus and whole wheat pita bread from a local middle eastern deli. But his all-out, total favorite food by far is gyros with tzaziki (cucumber sauce) from same said deli. He will eat and eat and eat and eat the lamb, the sauce, and the pita. The sauce he loves most, he will suck it off of our fingers. T loves Veggie Booty, too.

T is up once or twice a night to nurse, except for the rare nights where he sleeps through. It's so cruel when he does, because when he wakes up the next night, it's so much more exhausting...

We have found decent winter coats and boots at our local thrift store. I wish that I could find a set of bib snowpants 12-18 mos, now...

ok, nigh-nigh...

j


----------



## Subhuti (Feb 18, 2005)

Hi All, lots to discuss!

Shoes: I've felt frustrated with lack of shoe options, too. We love Robeez ($24), and half price Target knock-offs ($12). But they get wet when we go out in wet grass or visit our friend's restaurant. Lulu loves to dance in the spill-over from the giant ice machine in the restaurant's kitchen.

I've ordered some boots from LL Bean on sale ($12). They're waterproof and warm, but look terribly bulky, so I may have to send them back. But what we really need is a (REASONABLY PRICED!) rubber soled shoe. I like Preshoolians, etc. but they are just way too expensive. Even if we are going to have another child eventually... I agree, the stuff in the stores is garbagio.

Night Nursing: I am just a big old crank if I don't get decent sleep. I took care of Lulu for the first seven months at night, while my DH slept upstairs. Lulu would nurse all night long when she co-slept with me.

Now, Lulu co-sleeps mainly with her Da-da. It works beautifully. And I'd say 50% of the nights, she sleeps through the nights without waking once for a nurse!! If she does wake, my dh brings her down to me for a nurse, then brings her back up with him. He treasures the time with her, and I treasure the sleep. He said just last night Lulu somehow wedged herself between his legs, with her head at his feet. He said she was using him like a little cradle! So sweet.

BTW, my dh and I don't generally sleep together because of his high volume snoring. Which, obviously, don't bother the babe!!










Milk: Lulu drinks whole cow's milk, and enjoys it. She's not a huge drinker of anything (even cider) except mama's milk. But she will have an ounce or two here and there, or mixed into cereal. I have seen no ill effect, and milk intolerance does run in Dh's side of the family.

Weight: Yes, I'm stuck stubbornly at 10# higher than I used to be. But I'm content with that for now. I have zero desire to curb my eating or do more exercising. My body feels in balence. Except when I run, (like after Lulu, not jogging!!








), and all the extra padding flies around!!

I too am so excited by the two pregnancies!! Yippee. We may begin to try this month for real. If I am very, very good...

Fav. Food: Yo-Baby Organic Yoghurt. Luli could eat this stuff til it came out her ears and not be tired of it. She won't eat "non-organic," mainstream yoghurt like Columbo. I tasted it, and can't blame her! She loves eggs and chicken, too.

Love to all.


----------



## veganbaby (Oct 28, 2004)

Desi is still a frequent nighttime nurser...and daytime as well.

She hates shoes. She is always trying to take them off of her.

On food...she is at that stage where she only wants to feed herself. Of course tonight, I made soup...so we had to dip the toast in the soup so that she could self feed. She doesn't like to use the spoon. We're working on that, but she is great and drinking from a regular cup. And of course while I was spacing out, she decided to lift the bowl to her face and drink from it. Right now her faves seem to be toast, bananas and avacados.
Anyone giving your toddlers vitamins yet? I just started with the b12 to see if that would help her gain weight.

Mielle is so cute! I always love her smile.


----------



## msrog (Mar 28, 2004)

Hi, ladies. I'm coming up for a brief breath of air here. I've never imagined how awful this month could get. Waaaah.

But I'm amazed at all the talkers and signers here!! Wow. Mine are starting to yak and sign a little more now, too. And throw balls and climb things, fight and wrestle and tickle each other, and have giant, screaming tantrums. Luckily they are only waking once a night lately. Not at the same time, usually, so I do end up getting up twice, but still much better than each waking 3 times, ya know? Yikes...

YBecca, I was thinking that must have been the longest hour of your dh's life, waiting for you to notice that ring. What a cute idea.

Do any of you live in San Diego? I'm going to be there tomorrow through middle of next week. Because I need to RUN AWAY!

My in-law woes have culminated in the most astonishing display of betrayal and unscrupulous backbiting I've ever seen... To end a long and emotional story --- we were shocked and hurt Friday evening to find out that the in-laws have been encouraging our exchange student to find a new home. !!! By Sunday morning, we found out that the organization was on their way to help him pack his things (we never once were told by anyone anywhere that there was even a problem and never once did they encourage him to talk things out with us). Not only that, and to make it even worse, we found out that his new host family is .... my in-laws!! (pause to let the ramifications and awkwardness and betrayal sink in...)

and my dh's grandmother is coming in from Montana in 2 weeks for a big family to-do involving pictures with all the great-grandbabies. Oh, I am sick just thinking about it. I hope dh will agree we can just offer to have grandma come visit them at our house, so we can not attend all those family dinners and parties with those evil in-laws and my sneaky student sitting there. (Oh, wait, he's not my student now. Grrrrrr.)

So I'm going to join my dh in CA while he works on site there the next couple of weeks. Living in a hotel with twins and my homeschooler should be interesting, to say the least. I will stay with my aunt in Vista over the weekend, and am hoping to be able to spend time staring at the ocean while I'm there, praying and thinking and trying to figure out how to forgive these idiots and move forward. Ugh.

Thanks for listening. And thanks for your previously encouraging words when I posted last time.

Off to finish packing. (I hate packing...)

This too shall pass.... In all things give thanks... The joy of the Lord is my strength... Count it all joy... I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me... This too shall pass.... This too shall pass....


----------



## msrog (Mar 28, 2004)

Oh, and CONGRATULATIONS to Augustine!! And Stacy, feel better soon.

And welcome to the new and returning mamas...

And I'm pleased to announce that the twins have actually fallen asleep together in their pack n play for the last 3 nights in a row. They became too wiggly and dangerous (I was concerned about them falling off bed, roaming the non-childproofed house, fingers in fan, etc.) for cosleeping months ago. And they had stopped being able to be rocked and nursed to sleep and then placed in the crib. So here they are at 13 months still being strapped into their bucket car seats in front of a kids songs video in order to fall and stay asleep. I'm so thrilled that they're "growing up" and sleeping a normal way, flat, in a safe bed. Together, even. Aaaaah. (This will help with our hotel and family stays this week in CA, too!)

Ok, really must go now.


----------



## HeatherB (Jan 30, 2003)

Oh, Savannah!!














I am so so sorry for what your ILs are putting you through! At least at this point you know where the attacks are coming from - but I can't imagine how awful it must be.









I hope you enjoy your time in CA! My grandparents are actually in Vista! They live next door to my uncle and aunt up on a hillside with a spectacular, well, vista!







I hope that gives you a chance to relax and unwind a bit. If you can afford it, look up the pass options to the amusements there. We got a 2 day pass for the price of 1 day to Sea World and really enjoyed it. I know they have 5 consecutive day passes for 3 different attractions. Of course taking 3 kids to those might not qualify as relaxing! :LOL

Anyhow, I'll be praying for you!


----------



## Mama Bear (Aug 4, 2004)

I am sending you lots of hugs and prayers Savannah!!!


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

Savannah, I am *SOOOOOOOOOO* sorry about what you are going through and I am shocked, just shocked, at what is happening with Nicoló. Were things not going well with him? That is just too soon into a school year to just up and change a host family, and if I'm not mistaken, your dh's family speaks fluent Italian, right? You just don't place an exchange student in a family that fluently speaks his first language, it defeats the purpose. I know that your dh can speak Italian too, but you don't, and the kids don't, and that means that he would be forced to speak/practice/learn more English, which is part of the experience... What organization is he here through? Ah, my dear, I am so, so, sorry... I don't blame you for getting the heck out of dodge for a while. I get the feeling that Arizona is not turning out to be everything you had hoped...?

Sigh. You are in my thoughts! Keep holding your head high... you are doing nothing but right!

xo, j


----------



## AugustineM (Mar 21, 2005)

Savannah -- I'm so sorry. I couldn't believe it when I read your post!!! I was sitting here at school with my mouth wide open. How weird, and awkward, and .... just ... mean!! The ocean sounds like a welcome get-away. I agree that I would NOT want to be around them during a big family gathering. I would NOT agree to it, but then I'm a notoriously stubborn person.....


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Savannah, that is just wierd! What a creepy thing to do. On the students part and your IL's. Yuck. Just curious, what organization is the student with? I did a year abroad with AFS and I don't know if it was unique to my areas organization (Melbourne, Australia) but no student ever would have gotten away with that crap.

Also, I loved your description of how your twins were falling asleep. :LOL It sounds like they are doing so well now, that's awesome!

I think I am going to start thinking (do you like the way I have to slowly plan in advance?!) about putting a twin bed in our room for Cecilia instead of the crib and working on getting her to sleep in that. I love having her sleep with us BUT I am kinda starting to miss that time with dh. I like having her in our room, my theory is that one of us could still lie next to Cis when she falls asleep and then if she wakes up she can walk to our bed. I thought maybe she'd be ready for that in a month or two.

I am still trying to recover from the shock of how expensive decent kids shoes will be. I think I'll check secondhand shops tomorrow and see what's around.

And yes, love the Yo Baby Yogurt! We just discovered that.


----------



## veganbaby (Oct 28, 2004)

Savannah~ I'm so sorry that your inlaws backstabbed you like that. I hope some Southern Ca sun will help you.
Glad that your twins are sleeping together well. Desi is still sleeping with us...still waking up often.


----------



## Sitara (Sep 27, 2004)

Hi ladies!

Never posted to this thread before, but i'm so happy to have found it!!! THANK YOU!

My daughter was born sept 3 2004. Shes soo awesome!

Lets see... she wears Robbiez and also loves to carry them and hide them as much as possible.

Nursing: quite alot lately, but shes getting 4 teeth at once, and its painful for her. We don't give her any of that numbing teething gel, we got some homeopathic teething tablets, but they only do so much ya know? right now her fists and my milk are her favorite past time. Its amazing that we have these teethers for her...but of course, she won't touch them LOL, if its for teething she wants nothing to do with it, but once she gets her hands on a piece of cardboard, or her shoes she immediately trys to knaw on them









when shes not teething she nurses, once in the morning for quite a while at least 30 minutes. before her afternoon nap, before bedtime and occasionally once or twice during the night.

food: yobaby yogurt is her food of choice right now, she could eat and eat and eat it all day. She also loves oatmeal. It really changes from week to week though. One day she HATES peas, the next day its all she wants. Ohh she loves grapes too, sad their season is ending.

I was so relieved to read the tantrum lines from others...i seriously thought I was the only one. I've been feeling like i have been doing something wrong.

I have a question...does anyone else's child hit? My daughter just started doing this and only to me. I patiently hold back my tears, and say "gentle gentle" and demonstrate a petting motion, and it works sometimes, but other times, shes just not "down with the gentle gentle" I have NO idea where it came from...she doesn't watch TV, we don't hit her, or eachother in our household. maybe other kids at the park? I don't know.... i'm at a loss. A couple books I have say its "natural" but...i just don't know.

thanks for letting me release........
i really needed this thread.


----------



## jilly (Feb 14, 2005)

Welcom, Sitara! thanks for jumping right in.

Savannah, I can't beleive that. That is crazy! I was going to post about my crazy IL's who are coming to visit tomorrow, but after I read your post I was like, "oh my goodness, I have nothing to complain about". Well, okay, so I do, and I will, but nothing to the extent of what you are going through. HOpe the break gives you and dh some time to sort though things. I too would not go to the family gathering unless there was some major reconciliation before it.

WARNING:





















-- feel free to skip, I won't be offended.
Well, as I said above, my IL's are coming tomorrow and wouldn't you know it, Andrew has started getting a molar. So I still have a ton of stuff to do and the prospect of driving a hurting, grouchy one year old 2 hrs into Saskatoon tomorrow all by myself. Yay. The drive back should be better, but then dh is gone all day Saturday, so I have to entertain them all day and stop them from attempting to remodel my house while they're here. :LOL Then we somehow have to manage to get MIL out of the house by 8:30 the next morning so that we can all get to Prince Albert (another hour's drive) in time for Dave to get ready to get ordained at 10:30. Then I have to drive them back on Tuesday. So it should be thoroughly crazy.

I'm not so worried about them criticizing my childcare -- they seemed pretty happy with it when we were in Toronto , as that they will take over my house. MIL was already talking about brining a roast from Ontario to make sure she had some "decent" meat to eat while she was here. Which means she is planning to make the meals she wants to make and take over my kitchen while she is here to make sure her family is eating "decent" food







: Because after all, I can not possibly make "decent" food that is healthy and wholesome. She is such a control freak. When we were there last time she kept telling me I was feeding Andrew too many carbs and asking why I hadn't brought my food grinder with me. But on vacation, I'm not going to be a food nazi with my son when he's already out of sorts and in a strange place. Anyway, it just drives me nuts.

But I have decided not to let their anxiety rub off on me (can you tell?). They are chronicly stressed out and they carry this little envalope of stress wherever they go. I'm just not going to let them get me upset about every little thing. Just breathe and let it go. As my friend Cory used to say, "Water off a duck's back, Jill. Water off a duck's back."


----------



## Mama Bear (Aug 4, 2004)

Welcome Sitara! I see in your siggy that you are expecting #2 in a month?!?!?!?!? Congrats!!!


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Hi Sitara!! I'm with MamaBear; tell us about the new babe! I was holding a little one at my LLL meeting this morning and oh, I have new baby envy. New babies are so amazing. Now toddlers..... well, they are pretty amazing too.

About hitting: Cecilia went through a hair pulling phase that wasn't very funny to me. I did the same thing and it passed pretty quickly. I think you are doing the right things. Good job not losing your patience.









Jilly: IL's are so tough... even the good ones are a pain at some point, I think. Mine are the usual midwest passive aggressive type. VERY hard for me to deal with. I grew up with 'have a problem, say something and move on' so I have a tough time reading between all the lines. Good luck with them this weekend!

And, on the shoe note, I finally found some winter shoes for Cis! I broke down and went to our outlet mall this afternoon with my girlfriend and her one year old. The kids were SUPER good, amazing, and the mall was really quiet, which is good because if I see too many SUV's in the lot I can't deal. But it was nice and quiet and the best part was a little pair of Eccos for $15 and a pair of good sturdy winter shoes for $30. The second pair wasn't that great of a deal, but whatever, I am sick of looking.

happy friday, all!!


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

Savannah- hugs, sweetie. Stay strong and know that, as you said, this shall pass. well, I guess not that quickly when you're related







. Just do your best to not let them get to you - they seem really toxic. Hope your trip is restorative. FOcus on your own family and all the love and strength you have. BTW - it made CLint nuts how long it took me to notice the ring - he kept asking me what time it was so I'd look at my wrist, at least.

I kept my neice and nephew last night, plus RObin , and my dad and brother are visiting. Talk about a full house! Thankfully, my SIL decided to come get my nephew on the way home from work, b/c he woke up and wasn't going down. As CLint and I worked for hours trying to get him to sleep all I could think was "Who would CHOSE this over nursing??" It was making me nuts, putting him down with a bottle. If you don't have options, that's one thing, but how annoying! Robin isn't the easiest to get to sleep, but she'll always nurse and eventually falls asleep. (Nephew is the same age as RObin). BUt having all 3 of them, trying to get them fed, bathed and to bed, and hosting the family also was TOUGH! Savannah, I totally get it now.

Sitara - Holy 14 months apart!! That'll be an adventure! Hope your pregnancy is going well, and Welcome! Robin sometimes builds from patting up to hitting, but I usually can intervene and slow her down before she gets too harsh. uBut she's a serious hair puller - and is VERY strongly attached to my hair. SHe rubs and fingers it while she nurses and gets very upset if I have it up (Which I do at least every other day). Then she grabs those baby hairs at my nape and pulls them out.









Jilly - good luck, and breathe deep!

Tomorrow I'm heading to FL with SIl and all the kids - DH is going on one of his big fishing trips. So I'll be out of touch until TUes. I've been a nutcase getting ready all day and - I need a drum roll - FINISHING my quilt top!!! My dear brother entertained Robin so I could finish the last square then add all the sashing. I started this quilt hmmmm..in our first apartment, before I was engaged. Over 5 years ago!! To see it all together was amazing, and I am so ready to finish it and never see it again :LOL

Hope you all have fantastic weekends - and hope that my single-mom vacation is fun and not stressful. Anytime CLint and I are aprt for more than 24 hours these days, I feel such a new respect for single moms - I couldn't handle it full time.


----------



## jilly (Feb 14, 2005)

OH, yes, hitting. Andrew started hitting about a week ago. Sometimes he will just pat too enthusiastically, and that's okay, I just remind him to be gentle. But when I was at my friends' house, I had both Andrew and her 13mo old by myself and they were both tired, and I was trying to read to them,b ut the little girl kept turning the pages. So Andrew got really mad and "whack" slapped her on the face in jealousy. Then yesterday when I picked him up off the top of his toybox becuase it was time for bed he started screaming and "whack" slapped me on the face. We don't hit, but I don't think he had to learn it from anyone, he's just lashing out in frustration. Both times I just held his arm and said really calmly and firmly "no hit. okay? no hit." I think its something that's worth a no when I know it is done in anger.

Oh, that reminds me. Andrew's newest thing is to take my cooking / serving spoons and utensils and carry them around the house. He likes to wave them and also hit them on everything to see what kind of a noise they make. Well, he was wandering around doing this, and the cat was sitting in our armchair, and I saw him walk happily over there and lift up the spoon and . . . I just got inbetween cat and spoon fast enough! IT was kind of funny, though, because he was so innocent and enthusiastic and the cat was so shocked and terrified. I admit it, I have a twisted sense of humour.









Have a great weekend, all. I"ll report back on my trial by fire on Monday. Jill


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *midwestmeg*
But it was nice and quiet and the best part was a little pair of Eccos for $15 and a pair of good sturdy winter shoes for $30.

What! what! where did you find eccos for $15??!! Tell!!

Today was our anniversary. We left T with our neighbors and went out to dinner and to see the wallace and gromit movie (we are big w+g fans). T was good if subdued but the moment we came home he attached to me like velcro and I could not put him down until he nursed and was asleep. If I did, the bottom lip came out and the crying began - real crying, with tears. Poor boy.

I went to Marshall's today by myself - Jo had him for a few hours at work - and bought myself a pair of trendy bootleg jeans. Woo! Tried to buy a sexy red shirt but it's super-tight and not at all flattering...







: must return.

Time for bed, it was a long day. xo, j

ps Jill: congrats to your husband on his ordination.


----------



## AugustineM (Mar 21, 2005)

Jill -- I laughed out loud when I read about Andrew walking around with the kitchen utensils and banging on everything with him. Thor does the exact same thing. Whisks are his favorite. In fact, when DH goes to change his diaper, he grabs the most interesting (non-dangerous) kitchen utensil he can find, and hands it to Thor. While thor studies said utensil, DH quickly changes the diaper. It works, actually. But now I can't ever find a spatula, or noodle server, or ladel, or... anything.









Sitara -- Welcome! I, too, am dying to know about your new little one on the way. I have one due in June and am already wondering about nighttimes... Also, did you find that your milk supply dropped at all? I am already noticing that I don't have nearly the milk I used to, and I'm only 6 weeks along. Thor is getting frustrated at night/early morning because I am totally dry, and he's used to getting a good snack about 4-5am. I'm worried I might completely lose my supply...

Thor also does the same enthusiastic patting (almost like hitting) to our cats, and to other babies. I don't think he does it in anger or anything, but I think it can hurt, or at least really annoy the babies or animals. I just model gentle patting, and also he knows what patting is now, since I pat him gently while I rock him. And I say, "I'm patting you gently. Do you like it?" And now he pats me while I carry him around. It's so cute.


----------



## Robin926 (Jun 25, 2005)

Welcome, Sitara! Savannah, what an awful situation. Becca, enjoy your trip!

I just had to go catch up on a couple day's worth of posts again. I was out of the house all day yesterday, we were only here for about 3 hours! Jacob was super cranky last night though, being out of his routine so much. Poor babe. So he's staying home all day today and tonight. He's taking his morning nap early to catch up on some sleep too.

Hitting - Jacob is starting to hit now. He's been a hair puller since he was 5 months old, and I still can't get him out of the habit. I tell him that hurts mama, gentle, etc, and I pull his little fingers out and show him gentle touches. But I'm extremely tender-headed, and sometimes I get so frustrated and it just plain HURTS. It's hard to not react too much sometimes. He bites too. Ouch! I have little red bite marks all over. I pull him back, tell him not to bite, hurts mama, etc. He always thinks I'm funny.








: It's really bad when he does with strangers; I have to watch him like a hawk when someone else holds him. Of course, the advice I keep getting is to bite him back or smack him.







: I hope it passes soon!

Does anyone else have a climber? Jacob learned to climb onto the sofa and coffeetable. DH thought it was sooo cute and funny, because he gets onto the table and dances. But now if he's up, he wants to be on there! I keep telling and signing no (it's dangerous so I think it warrants no), pulling him back down, and trying to keep him from getting up there. I take him to his toys and play with them, but he just wants on that danged table! It really is adorable though, but he fell off the other day because I wasn't paying close enough attention.







: I wish there was somewhere in the house to put it away until he's bigger.


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Hey Jen! The baby Eccos are in the back of the Ecco store.... they don't have many of them and some are kind of strange (gold little baby boots?!!). I wouldn't have even gone in but my girlfriend insisted. We were at the Albertville outlet mall. I didn't know the one pair would be $15; they just rang up that way, surprise!

Becca, I hear you on that bottle thing! I don't know why...

Awesome tips on the toddler traits like hitting, biting, etc.

Good luck on the trips/IL visits/etc!

PS: the utensil thing sounds CUTE...


----------



## Sitara (Sep 27, 2004)

I just literally laughed out loud when I read Jilly's post about the spoon and the cat. We don't have any animals ( besides my dh







) but my daughter too loves to take spoons around the house and test them out on all sorts of surfaces. I can only imagine what any animals if we had some would go through.

Its really good to hear what other mothers are doing when their children hit. At first it was hard to differentiate between hitting in excitement and joy, and hitting out of frustration. I've got it down now though, and I'm just going to have to bare it out until it passes.

My daughter used to pull my hair, but she hasn't in a really long time. I actually had completly forgotten about that stage we went through, and it made me chuckle because hopefully one day i'll say the same thing about hitting









Yeppers! A wopping 14 months apart. I'm nervous and excited at the same time. Nervous, because I do all of the parenting myself here, my DH works alot, comes home eats then sleeps, and I don't know what i'll do when its my 2 daughters and myself. I'll just have to find a rythym and way to make it work. It will be hard at first like it was when I had my first daughter, but now its so easy with her.

My milk did decrease a bit, I started drinking mothers milk tea 3 times a day and HOLY MOLY I was like the fountain of milkies! Now towards the end of my pregnancy my colostrum is coming in and my supply seems to have built itself back up again, and i'm not taking the tea anymore.

I'm so stoked to be having another daughter. I can't wait to see her and hold her, but i'm so sad my pregnancy is coming to its end. Don't you all just love being pregnant? I do. My pregnancy is going really well. My first born daughter was breech, I was going to attempt a vaginal breech delivery and the only doctor that would do it with me, didn't show up...he missed the call, and before I knew it my daughter was being taken from me via c-section. I was devastated for months. I felt so violated, and robbed. So when I found out i was pregnant this time, I decided I'd have an unassisted home birth no matter my daughters position. I have been seeing the same midwives I saw last time, and by law they could only work with me for the delivery if this daughter wasn't breech, and guess what.................. SHES NOT BREECH!!! I'm so excited about it. Having a midwife with me does give me that bit of extra security especially cause we're good friends, shes been through so many births. I'm still shooting for the home birth, my daughter in utero has dropped, and I'm embracing what lies ahead for us. I'm really excited.

For halloween this year, i'm dressing up as a BIG duck, and my daughter as a duckling, and my dh as a hunter. ( even though he doesn't hunt, what else could we all be ?) then I thought we'd cruise the streets so my daughter could see all of the costumes out and about. But she doesn't eat candy so I think we'll pass the trick or treating.

well sorry to have rambled so much..... thanks for welcoming me so much, it feels good!


----------



## veganbaby (Oct 28, 2004)

Welcome Sitara and congrats! That is so awesome that you're tempting a UHBAC! I want a HBAC as well.
Jilly sorry about your PITA inlaws. My mom is the same way. It gets so annoying. One time she was complaining why I give Desi junk all the time...Desi had an avacado and a lime while we were there. And then at our next visit she wanted me to give Desi cake and icecream.
Happy Annivesary Jen! What did you guys do?


----------



## HeatherB (Jan 30, 2003)

Sitara, welcome and congrats on your soon-coming babe! I had an HBAC with my September babe. It was definitely the best decision I could've made! I had a wonderful midwife attend and she really was wonderful through it all. I sometimes wish for another baby just to be able to do a homebirth again! (Though then I remind myself *just* what it was like, and I get a little less excited!







)

I'll have to find out if we have an Ecco outlet! I have a pair for myself that I got on big sale out in Santa Cruz. But Iain is outgrowing his shoes so it's time to look for some more!

Has anyone tried sports bottle tops with their toddler? We just got SIGG bottles for the whole family, and the ones for Iain are SO cute! He knows it's to drink from, but I haven't tried letting him actually suck from it yet. He does well with an Avent sippy cup and really enjoys that.

We've had some sort of cold going around... Gabriel had a cough for a few days, but it seemed to get better. Though now it seems deeper than before. And Iain's got a runny nose and cough that sounds bark-y at night or when he's sleeping.







That's pretty typical for him with teething, though, and he's drooling, too. So hard to know what's going on! I feel awful myself, though, so I tend to think virus... but still, even I have other factors that could be contributing. I just hate having everyone feeling cruddy.









We've got a Houston Area Diaper Party tomorrow, which should be fun! It's been delayed for weeks due to the Hurricane, etc. We go to a 3yo birthday party and then the diaper party. Should be quite a day!!


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Sitara, you are going to do great with your two babes; I just know it. And I read your post and smiled, I remember really liking being pregnant too. Especially the later part of the pregnancy but before the last month when I just go impatient. I'm so glad the baby isn't breech! My daughter was born at Long Prairie Hospital in one of these deluxe birthing suites with a midwife. She was a water birth and it was great. What I'd REALLY love is a home water birth but I may stick with my midwife and the LP hospital because my insurance covers that. So I just can't wait to hear your story!

Ohhh, Heather, you got the SIGG water bottles?!! How cool. I noticed those on a web site, but sort of choked at the price. Anywhere you can get a deal on them?

Cecilia has a cold too! She was almost completely over it, but today we're doing the whole snot nose, coughing, congestion thing all over again. And I have been so good about keeping her warm and ears covered. Poor little babe is pretty pathetic today.

What's a diaper party? Sounds fun.

I love the ducks and hunter idea. What a great idea! I sent my sister into town this morning with my check card to pick something out at Once Upon A Child. Hopefully, I'll get a little more creative in the future, but for this year, just something warm and snuggly will do.

Oh, baby awakes!


----------



## Sitara (Sep 27, 2004)

ooh my daughter drinks really well from sports water bottle tops!








thanks for the encouragement about the hbac! I know its the right thing. I won't step foot in a hospital again ever, but thats just me, and to each their own.


----------



## veganbaby (Oct 28, 2004)

Desi is going to be a fairy this year. Fred's mom made the costume. Its so cute! I may try it on tonight to see how she looks. I'll take pics.
Desi likes to drink from the sports like caps. She has never mastred the sippy cup. She will sometimes drink from a straw and is really good at drinking from a regular cup.

A bit belated but I finally have her party pics up.
I did however get pics of Halloween up in time at least.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...mybMMI&notag=1


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

I've been giving T water out of a SIGG bottle since before he tried a standard sippy cup. I got one for myself in Germany years ago and at the time was disgusted that they only had the pattern I wanted in a 1/4 liter (4 oz or so) bottle... now I'm tickled because it fits perfectly in my diaper bag. Meg, we got 2 new ones recently on sale at Erik's bike shop, dunno if they are still on sale.

Cynthia thanks







we went out to eat sub sandwiches at a restaurant on the U of MN campus (my alma mater) and then we went to see the new Wallace and Gromit movie.

ok, baby is obsessed with the computer so I'm going to close it now... j


----------



## jilly (Feb 14, 2005)

Jen -- I LOVE Wallace and Grommit, too! Although I doubt the movie will come to the-middle-of-nowhere, Saskatchewan. NO one here would be able to understand it due to the accents, and the weird humour.







:

Sitara -- I am amazed by anyone who loves being pregnant. For me it is a means to an end. I hate being big. I hate having to pee all the time. I hate being punched and kicked and used as a trampoline. The crazy thing is, I didn't even have a complicated pregnancy; I just didn't like it. Maybe I'll like it next time. I'm glad you've enjoyed it, though. I'm so sort of envious, because I wanted to be pregnant again right away (to get the whole pregnant - nursing - diapers stage over as quickly as possible), but I"m still not even menstrating. Good luck with the home birth. You are a brave woman. I looked at the list of things you needed to have handy in order to have a home birth and decided it was not for me. I prefer to let other people clean up after me if at all possible.









So, the IL visit is going ok. No major fights so far. and I got to go to the mall by myself and pick out the fabric for my first quilt -- I"m taking a class in two weeks for my birthday present. I couldn't get quite what I wanted because the fabric was SO expensive, but it's going to be cool. My main pattern colour is black with these dark purply-red flowers. Andrew was exhausted by the end of the day, though, because he was SO overstimulated. And of course he is getting molars and woke up soaking wet and out of sorts at 4:30 this morning and didn't go back to sleep until noon.







But other than that its all good so far. Keep your fingers crossed, ladies, I'm almost half way through.


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

Kate drinks from a retractable straw cup. She just can't figure out how to tilt the sippy cup up, so the straw cup works better.

Cynthia the bday pics are so cute! Desi is small just like Kate.







I love the fairy costume!!!!

I hated being pregnant, too Jilly.







I didn't have a rough pregnancy, I was just sick all. the. time.







: Congrats, Sitara!









Savannah, you hanging in there?


----------



## Robin926 (Jun 25, 2005)

We haven't given Jacob a sports top yet, but I bet he'd like it. He tries to drink from anything he can get his hands on. He's pretty much always using his straw cup now though. He never figured out to tip the sippy cup up, either, so he'd just be sucking on it and getting nothing. As soon as he figured out the straw, we bought him that kind. He loves it!

I loved being pregnant, Sitara. I felt so beautiful and powerful. Amazing! I would love to be pregnant again, but I am SO not ready to have another baby yet! My friend came over with another friend's 2 yo and 13 mo a couple days ago. I was EXHAUSTED! Three toddlers made for a crazy crazy afternoon, but it was a lot of fun. I just wouldn't be able to do it every day :LOL

We haven't even found Jacob a costume yet, I'm such a procrastinator. I think he's going to go as a monkey, though. I'm always calling him my little monkey because he's climbing all over everything now. DH saw a monkey costume the other day he wanted me to go look at.

Now we're out for the day to get Jacob's 1 yo portraits done! (Okay, it's been a couple weeks since his birthday, but this was the first convenient day to do it )


----------



## AugustineM (Mar 21, 2005)

Jilly -- soooo glad that the visit with the inlaws is going well so far. Mine are coming to town Wednesday because MIL has to have surgery. They'll be here for over 2 weeks. It's the longest that I'll EVER be around them in the whole time DH and I have been together. One good thing is that they're staying in a hotel. One bad thing is the last visit we had with them in AK did not go well. MIL is in general often a "downer" type person. She gets angry and irritated very easily and I know she does not at all approve of how we parent Thor. She never breastfed, so doesn't understand it at all, and thinks we're spoiling him by cosleeping. She even said that while her and FIL were here they could build Thor a bed! I just laughed. I blog, so I always send her the link, and I swear it is the best way to let people know about how you parent and how much you love how you parent, and believe in it, because you don't have to directly tell them and thus risk a confrontation.







In my blog I have many times talked about how much I love waking up next to Thor. But I guess she still doesn't get it.

Well, it's weird because I don't feel pregnant really, yet, except my nips are getting excruciatingly sore sometimes. Nursing at night has become not good at all. So I'm slowly trying to nightwean. But VERY slowly, because Thor is a hard teether and has been sick lately. I'm just trying to do other methods of comforting at night and also giving him lots of time to try to settle himself before offering to nurse. He won't take comforting from DH lately at night at all so that is hard. He used to be so great about that. But, I think we can do this if I work slowly towards the goal of no nursing at night, or only once. I hope.... I don't see how I could deal with two nursing nightwakers!! Yikes.

Thor just in the past two weeks has figured out how to tip a sippy cup. I think it's from going to daycare and seeing the other kids to it. Now if he forgets I just say, "Tip it up" and demonstrate and he remembers! Amazing.


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

Augustine just wanted to say that we have been working on names for your next kid and want to suggest Loki for a boy and Freya for a girl









We went in search of piles of leaves for some cute photos and were successful. Luckily we got the pictures taken before he took a nice spill on the sidewalk and scraped the heck out of his nose...







ah the life, mother to a rough-and-tumble little boy...








j


----------



## banana girl (Jan 9, 2004)

Hey mamas!

After reading 3 pages of posts, my mind is spinning with responses and thoughts, but i can't seem to collect them and order them....

so, we recently faced the nursing dilemna that many others seem to be dealing with as well. I was feeling very resentful and frustrated with her waking so often at night to nurse, were talking about every 2 hours... all night long!
I found I was waking up angry and not being very compassionate with her and she was getting more and more hysterical when she woke. I swear she would scream like her Papa was burning her if I left the room to go to the bathroom. He would get so frustrated because she wouldn't let him comfort her, and I would get frustrated because he wasn't "helping" me with her at night.

So, I had to do some soul searching and really rethink my commitment to nursing on demand. We talked about night weaning and I found that simply giving myself permission to change things was very freeing. Sometimes I feel kinda bound by my child care philosophies... you know. Like I have to do things a certain way because it AP, or because that's how my sister did it. anyway, once i spent some time really thinking about her needs and my needs and how important nursing is to me, I came to a decision.

My decision was to continue nursing on demand. This meant that I had to mentally readjust myself to being more compassionate in the night, to prepare myself mentally to accept that she still needs me. So, i have started trying to get her to sleep earlier in the night, (because it seems like she sleeps deepest the 2nd half of the night) and to remember to be loving and responsive when she awakens.

It seems to be working. While she is not nursing less at night, she is calmer and more affecionate to me and Papa when she wakes up. Monkey see, monkey do... I guess. It also seems to me like she doesn't nurse for very long when she wakes and i have been able to shorten the length of time I'm awake with her. So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed but hoping it will get better soon.

Welcome Sitara! I also loved BEING pregnant, well after the first tri anyway! I have very fond memories of carrying my daughter and of our awesome home birth. Good luck with yours!

Jen Happy Anniversary! Tell Jo hi from us!

Savannah, I'm so sorry to hear that things just keep getting ugly with the IL's. I wish I could just give you a big old hug! Hang in there mama, and focus on your blessings. You have wonderful healthy children and know your heart. We believe in you.

Blessing to all!


----------



## veganbaby (Oct 28, 2004)

Jen, those are great pictures!

What do you guys think growth spurt or the vitamins? After 2 weeks of giving them Desi has gained almost a pound. Maybe she was lacking vitamin b12 in my milk. I still take a prenatal. I just hope its a growth spurt and its just a coincidence that she happened to be taking the vitamins during that time. She is now 14 lbs 4 oz.


----------



## veganbaby (Oct 28, 2004)

Anna, we must have hit reply at the same time. Hugs to you about such a hard decision. I'm thinking of night weaning. It gets frustrating when she wakes up every hour still.


----------



## AugustineM (Mar 21, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *JenInMpls*
Augustine just wanted to say that we have been working on names for your next kid and want to suggest Loki for a boy and Freya for a girl














j

:LOL :LOL Jen that is hilarious. DH jokes about naming the next boy Loki, too. And I still want to get a sign above our door that says, "Welcome to Valhalla." What we're really waiting for is to get a dog and name it Loki, because Loki is the god of mischief (and Thor's brother, for those who don't know) in Norse mythology. Thor was the lover and saviour of humans on earth... a very powerful and generous god.

Anna -- I totally feel where you are with the night nursing. The way you feel about DH and starting to get resentful about him not being able to help at night. That's the way it's starting over here. Because I'll be like, "Will you try to get him back to sleep?" And he'll try for like, 4 minutes, and then bring him back. ARGH.


----------



## HeatherB (Jan 30, 2003)

Megan, I got my SIGG bottles through a co-op. There's one open now, at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gaeasgarden/. I don't think you need an invite for membership, but if it says you do, just send me your email address and I'll get you invited!







It was listed on the TP here, so I assume it's okay to post about it.









I sorry to hear Cecilia's been sick, too! It's so hard to keep them from all of the germs out there, especially at this time of year. I'm still not 100% sure what of Iain's cold is teething related versus viral.









A diaper party is just a get-together for mamas who cloth diaper (or are pg and plan to). We bring our stashes (or part thereof!) and show people different diapers we have and love, get to "pet" other people's fluff, etc. It's a lot of fun! You can find stuff to buy and trade, too. This is the third I've been to in the Houston area and I organized one while we were living in California, too. So nice to hang out with like-minded mamas!









Sitara, you'll have to be sure to post your birth story here when your little one comes!









So glad to hear other babes do well with sport tops! We were at a birthday party yesterday (before the diaper party - busy day!!), and Iain wanted my cup of punch. Umm.. no! I'd forgotten his cup so I gave him some water from Gabriel's SIGG. Definitley messier than the Avent! But he seemed to like it. I guess I'll be washing out his SIGG now and hauling all three around with me. :LOL

Jen, which SIGG design do you have? Gabriel has the .4L size, Iain has the .3L, and I have a .75L and a 1L (and DH has 1L). The .4L is a great size for packing around, I have to agree! My big ones can get heavy - but it is nice to have plenty of water around!

Jill, so glad your IL visit is going well! How long are they there?

leomom and Robin, I remember when Gabriel was little laughing at the normal progression of cups. In theory they're supposed to have sippies and then straw cups, but in reality, it's often easier for them to drink from a straw earlier on, and then later they try to mimic OUR drinking and can't get anything out of a straw cup! :LOL I've been really surprised that Iain has done so well tipping his cup, though, especially as he's never been much for the bottle. He loves picking up cups of ANY sort and tipping them up to his mouth!









I still haven't gotten Iain's one year portraits done.







DH has the equipment to do it, but not so much the time... I've wanted to take him to a nice place in the mall, but have been TOO busy.







:

He's waking... gotta go...


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Oohhh; Desi is so CUTE! 14 lbs; Cecilia is 21.5! Wow, what a difference. I'm thinking growth spurt, but if you think the vitamins help, keep going with them?! Every kid is so different, I really think they were meant to do things at their own pace. :LOL She is such a cutie; and she looks happy and healthy. I'm a big fan of the 'try not to worry too much' approach.

Heather, thanks for the sigg tip! I'm going to check it out.

Are your kids getting molars, too?! I can feel the tip of one of Cecilias. But she still spiked a pretty good fever yesterday and we ended up starting her on Augmentin. I HATE







the feeling of having your baby be sick, wanting to make it better, but at the same time thinking 'is it really so smart to be giving antibiotics, is this teething, could a little ibuproferin (sp) get us through this?' I just wish I had the answers! Cecilia was almost over her cold and then BAM, yesterday she really was miserable.

I want to go to a diaper party!! Around here most think I'm nuts, although my LLL group is super cool and I have met a few other cloth diaper moms, and even gotten a few others started!

It is so cool to hear about the night weaning/not stories. Anna, I think what you are doing is really neat and I do think you are right, whatever you are going to do you just have to carefully evaluate your 'plan' and just go for it. Cecilia has been pretty good, even through her cold. She does want to nurse for comfort when she doesn't feel well, but then she starts coughing and up it all comes!! Gross!! And I hear you about the dh thing, Greg would get so frusterated that she didn't want him and I would pat her while she wimpered (she sometimes wakes at about 6:30 am and that's just close enough to morning that I try to hold off). Greg was TERRIBLE about trying to get Cecilia back to sleep if I was in the room at all, that's why I finally left him to it.

Right now I'm ordering the NCSS, a book about ear infections and a new Baby's Colors book from Amazon. Cecilia has been dragging Baby's Colors around since birth and it finally really fell apart.

Great pictures, Jen!

Augustine, are your IL's from Alaska? That's where I grew up.


----------



## veganbaby (Oct 28, 2004)

I'm spending way too much time on the net today. Desi is asleep.
Here is me as a cartoon!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...terman/cyn.gif

Here is one of Desi, Wasabi and me.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...iandWasabi.gif

Here is the website if you want to make your own!
http://avatarmaker.abi-station.com/index_en.shtml

No slings available or else Desi would be in one. Its still fun though.


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

Heather - T's Sigg is a .3 liter kids' model, it's yellow with little blue mice and cheese on it (not made anymore, I got it in 99). I'll try to get a picture of it sometime... we just recently got a .4l with a turtle design on it that also seems to be an "older vintage"...

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AugustineM*
Loki is the god of mischief (and Thor's brother, for those who don't know) in Norse mythology. Thor was the lover and saviour of humans on earth... a very powerful and generous god.

See, a perfect choice for a second son!!! Brothers and all!! Not nearly as horrible as when people hear that our son is named Tristan and they ask (oh so cleverly) "so, when are you having Isolde?" - ha ha. Yes, I think it's a great idea to name my children after doomed lovers.









OK, I need to go eat breakfast before T decides his nap is over. xo, j


----------



## Robin926 (Jun 25, 2005)

HeatherB, I am so jealous of the diaper party! Everyone I know IRL thinks I'm insane for using cloth diapers and usually either say "Ewwww" or "That's way too much work." I don't understand the grossed-out response though; how is it any grosser when you still have to change poop and put it in a pail with disposables!! You just have an extra washing step. Argh, people!

I really shouldn't even be on here, though. I have a mid-term in Medical Terminology tonight that I should be studying for. *hiding from the books*


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

Jen, or anyone else familiar with Ikea's merchandise:

Do they have a bookshelf for front facing books, similar to this:
http://www.shop.com/op/aprod-p25402116?sourceid=3

A friend has one from pottery barn, but I can't afford that! I like the one above, but I wish it only had the lower bar and not the top one....

Anyone have any ideas? I've got to figure out a way to organize Kate's books. Her baskets are overflowing!


----------



## StacyL (May 4, 2004)

I met with my midwife last week and I really like her. I think I will be in good hands. She's been doing it for over 20 years. I am so glad and surprised that dh has agreed to go along with a homebirth because after what happened with Alex's birth I never thought he would. (If you all don't remember I attempted a UC and made an emergency transfer and they kept Alex for six days, even though there was nothing wrong with him). When I told my birth story to the midwife, she said she hears this story over and over, e.g. mothers who try to give birth at home and then transfer to a hospital are "punished" in various ways by the medical staff. She even had one client that was forced to undergo psychological evaluation.

I cannot wait for the m/s to pass - I am such a wimp!


----------



## maylea_moon (Mar 4, 2005)

Wow this is an active thread! I'm gone for a few days and look at all the new pages.









Lets see, Rowan has been drinking from a sippy cup for a couple months although he's not very into it. He weighs 22 lbs and hitting is definately becoming an issue. I don't know what to do! He loves to hit and pull my hair. I know he thinks he's just playing but I can't make him stop. Usually I'll sternly tell him "no" and say "be gentle" and know what he does? He laughs at me! I think that he thinks it's a game and I hope this phase passes soon.


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

Who can tell me if it's normal for Kate to be pooping 4-5 times a day??? She'd starting to get raw from all the wiping and cleaning and I just changed her diaper and added diaper creme because it looked red (a different kind of cream since i had it with me) and she screamed and writhed like it was burning her?!? Now I don't know what to do because I don't really trust the nurses/pedi I have...where can I find out if it is normal for her to be pooping this much or if there is something wrong with her food absorption (she's sooo thin!)...now I'm just babbling and my mind is wandering...help!


----------



## PaytonsMom (Aug 31, 2005)

Payton is also on a sippy cup. His last bottle was just after his birthday (Sept 11). He is also 22 lbds and is 29 inches tall. And is making great strides to walk. He took about 10 consecutive steps last night.

Haven't had the hitting issues with him. He's a pushover just like his daddy.







He goes to daycare and I frequently hear how well he shares his toys, but when others want a toy he's playing with, they just take it and he puts his head on the ground and cries. Great! I'm raising a wimp!! LOL


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

stacey - I don't know that IKEA has such a bookshelf but next time I go I'll look. As for the poop, Tristan does that when he is TEETHING, and he has had a similar reaction to a zinc-oxide based cream before. I have also seen my friend's son react the same way. We use almost exclusively Weleda calendula cream, although I am actually still using up a jar of Motherlove Belly Salve from when I was pregnant and it works great, too! And Un-Petroleum Jelly is great, too, and so bland and THICK!

I would nurse her as much as possible, if it's possible for you to be nursing her more than she is...







breast milk is supposed to be very good for upset tummies / GI tracts...

Stacy you are NOT A WIMP, morning sickness is yucko!!! Good luck as you get through it...

T has a fever and vile slimy poops (sorry TMI) and I am not feeling so swell myself, at least I don't have the intestinal complaints that he does (yet)!

bye, j


----------



## Subhuti (Feb 18, 2005)

Stacey-- don't know about all the poop, just want to send out my sympathies from a mom from another skinny baby. Lulu finally gained a little weight and is at the 3% line. But that was after a month of stuffing her. And now, she's barely eating anything, my milk supply feels weak ... and I'm back to worrying. Just wanted to let you know I know how every little thing can make you worry when you've got someone with NO FAT RESERVES!

Jen- Don and I have the same anniversary as you guys! We ended up cancelling our babysitter and just having take-out at home. I was whipped from a long day. For our anniv. my husband sang me a love song (The way you look tonight) and accompnied himself on the piano. My husband has a hard time being vulnerable/emotional, so it was very, very moving to me.







We vowed to make this coming year the best year of our marriage. This past year had its ups and downs!









Lulu's asleep and I'm about to read two amazing books. One "What's going on in there" by Lise Eliot-- is a look at how the brain develops in the first five years of life. Very detailed (I love stuff like this!).

The second is "Our Babies, ourselves" by Meridith Small -- "how biology and culture shape the way we parent." Apparently it takes a very (academically sound) look at parenting across cultures.

When I hit a cross-roads in parenting, I always think about how women must be parenting in, say the Cote d'Ivoire. Or imagine how our ancestors handled something before we were "civilized." It has been so helpful. It helps me get out of my head and all the parenting controversies, and return to the basics.

Hope all are well...

Liz


----------



## AugustineM (Mar 21, 2005)

Liz -- Our Babies Ourselves is great. I love cultural and anthropological looks at parenting. I, too, find it so enlightening when I'm thinking about issues (worrying).

Kate's Poo -- does it seem to be diarrhea? Does she seem sick? If not, it is probably teething. Thor does that as well when he's teething badly. You could also call a healthline in your county or something. I think they're listed in the blue pages at the front of the phone book... or your healthcare might have a healthline. Ours does. Nurses answer it and are usually pretty helpful.

Stacy -- I met with my midwife today for the first time as well. She's in a group practice with four others at our local hospital. I was going to homebirth, but since I have a bicornuate uterus and a likelihood of another breech presentation, I decided to go for midwife in hospital. But I'm still tempted to go for the homebirth... don't know if DH would be up for it.

Still no m/s here but I'm crossing my fingers. We're due very close to each other! Only 4 days apart!


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

Thanks for your thoughts on Kate's bowel movements! :LOL I'm feeling better about it today. I just freaked out when that diaper cream hurt her. We usually use BB, but I had a sample in her bedroom that I just grabbed. Bad idea.







I agree that I think she is teething. She's gotten 3 new teeth in a few weeks. She just hasn't been fussy at night, which I usually attribute to teething...but what else could it be? It's no diahrea...









Liz, that's so sweet about your dh's song.







And what an exciting vow for the next year.

Meg, no molars here! We are only on our 6th tooth!


----------



## StacyL (May 4, 2004)

All this talk of poop is making me... I can hardly change a poopy dipe these days without immediately wanting to hurl.

Alex drinks from a sippy with handles, but if it doesn't have handles he always puts it in his mouth upside down, with the spout at the top of the glass, kwim? :LOL


----------



## GabeMom (Aug 17, 2005)

maylea_moon said:


> hitting is definately becoming an issue. I don't know what to do! He loves to hit and pull my hair. I know he thinks he's just playing but I can't make him stop.
> 
> 
> > Hi! I haven't written much on this thread because it would take me so much time to catch up, but I caught a bit and wanted to share my experiences with you. When ds picks up something new that I don't like (we've done hitting, biting, and hair pulling) and he laughs about it, I just make it into a game. I was kind of afraid it would backfire and he would always think these things were funny, but it actualy worked! If he'd hit, I'd take his hand and hit the couch instead. We would both laugh and he'd usually want to repeat it several times. After about a week, the behavior would be gone. It was like he was trying to learn limits and by making it playful, I could save my big "no's" for electrical outlets and the oven.


----------



## PaytonsMom (Aug 31, 2005)

I'm keeping that hitting into a game suggestion in mind- if and when Payton does start that up!


----------



## SiValleySteph (Feb 26, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *leomom*
Jen, or anyone else familiar with Ikea's merchandise:
Do they have a bookshelf for front facing books, similar to this:
http://www.shop.com/op/aprod-p25402116?sourceid=3

I don't think that Ikea has a bookshelf like that. I'm afraid I'm very familiar with Ikea merchandise.









How's that for delurking?

I have a September babe, too. I used to post some, but am shy since I WOH and stopped using cloth diapers after he grew out of smalls.

For books, we just use a normal bookshelf. DS has no problem taking every book off and putting them on the floor until he gets to the one he wants. :LOL He always wants the same one (Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar) at least 1-2 times a day.


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *StacyL*
All this talk of poop is making me... I can hardly change a poopy dipe these days without immediately wanting to hurl.

Poor Mama! I don't miss morning sickness at all!!









Thanks Steph, I was afraid they didn't have those types...


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Hey all!

It's so fun to read everyone's posts. I can feel Cecilia's molar! The back of her mouth is all bulgy and crazy. It is so amazing to me that babies get teeth so quickly.... or anyway mine does. The molar is her 9th tooth. BUT her friend in Alaska (also a Sept babe) has 12- probably 14 by now!

I agree that lots of pooping and a tender butt is probably related to teething. Cis always gets a kind of rash. I also think if they are fighting any kind of virus or something they always seem to nurse more and then poop more. Anyway, that's what Cis does.

I just heard about Our Babies Ourselves from someone else. It sounds good!

Cecilia drinks from a cup now! She likes my squirt bottle, too, but at the table uses a cup. That sippy cup phase was fast! She even sets it down and has begun refraining from giving her food a drink. I have little glass jelly jars that are perfect for little hands.

Good luck with the midwives, pg mamas! I just loved mine so much, it's such a neat relationship.

okay, back to work, meg


----------



## maylea_moon (Mar 4, 2005)

GabeMom said:


> maylea_moon said:
> 
> 
> > hitting is definately becoming an issue. I don't know what to do! He loves to hit and pull my hair. I know he thinks he's just playing but I can't make him stop.
> ...


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *SiValleySteph*
How's that for delurking?

Well hi Steph!! Good to see you again!!









T is sick







with some yucky poopy bug and a fever. Last night he woke up at 12:30 just miserable and hot, his temp was 103.5. He kept waking up and all he really wanted was to be held and snuggled, so finally I said "to h* with Jo's fear that she's going to roll onto him" and laid him between us, at which he protested until he realized there was a breast in his face :LOL and guess what, Jo didn't roll onto him! She says she didn't realize that he was there, I guess that's how out of it we were last night. Motrin and Tylenol got rid of the fever and he was super happy waking up this morning but he's since gotten his fever back. Of course he has his (belated) 1-year well-baby visit this Friday, for which he will not be well at all, it seems. Oh well...

I gotta go get some food on. Jo and t are out replenishing our supply of baby drugs.

j


----------



## Almamiel (Dec 24, 2002)

Hi, everyone! Welcome back, SiValleySteph! All's well here - the girls are growing like weeds. Raney is petite, too - everyone seems astounded when we tell them her age. She's now saying "good girl" to the dogs. :LOL Mieke CLEANED her room today - all by herself -
GASP! Dp said he just walked in this afternoon and she was picking up all her things and putting them away. Be still my heart.

Haven't been posting much but am reading all posts!


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

Whew!! 4 pages to catch up on!!

We're going nuts around here - Go tback last night from our lovely and fun trip to the beach (except RObin got a little cold while out of town w/o clint, which was exhausting) - and I've been running like a maniac since. Plus my family (mom, dad and brother) are coming tomorrow to stay for a few days - and my house is a disaster. I've decided not to worry about that. But I'm also trying to close on our new mortgage byt hte end of the month, and I'm in charge of the petition effort opposing a walmart supercenter, and SIL and I are doing a booth at the Halloween carnival at Robin and my neice's school! I feel like a crazy woman. Oh, and my new tutoring job, on top of subbing. Oy!!

But I'm glad to read how every one is doing, and so glad to see you new/returning mamas!!

Robin is cutting her last 2 teeth - thank goodness. Her mouth is officially full!

On climbing: RObin gets up on the kitchen table if we don't tuck the chairs under, so I consider the coffee table a safe other choice :LOL . SHe also can do her little tikes slide and her big step 2 slide all by herself. But, when I wanted to leaver her alone in the den when I did worry about her climnbing on the coffee table, I would turn it over. Then she couldn't climb it, and I would turn it right side up when I was able to monitor her more closely. Of course, it's not too heavy and it goes without saying that we don't keep anything on it!

Vitamins - we're using Floradix iron plus herbs. It's a natural, liquid food-based vitamin/herbal supplement. ANybody else using it? We've just started and her poo smells like wretched death. But her iron is low.

alright, gotta go - I'll share pix as soon as I can.


----------



## AugustineM (Mar 21, 2005)

Meg -- Forgot to say that yes, my whole family is from Alaska. Most of them are commercial fishermen. I was born and raised there and moved away when I was 17. DH is from there too, used to be a Bering Sea Crabber...

Thor just broke his bottom two molars. That makes, let's see, 12 teeth! The molars took so long... I'm dreading the rest of them, but hoping maybe he'll be done teething around 20 months, just before the new baby comes.

Oh, and last night Thor slept in his own bed from 8:30p-2am. Oh. My. Gosh!! That's never happened! Of course then he was wide awake from 2-3, playing in our bed, giving us opened mouth kisses in the dark, crawling all over us. Finally I got up and got him a snack of graham crackers and milk and nursed him for a while and he fell asleep until 7:30 when we had to leave for school.

Jen -- Hope Tristan feels better soon. Thor missed his 12 month well-baby because he was sick. I still have to reschedule it. He'll probably be 15 months by then!

Welcome Steph!


----------



## Almamiel (Dec 24, 2002)

Raney STILL only has 4 teeth! Two on bottom, two on top. She's working on two more on top, but geez, she's going to be teething until she's twelve


----------



## jilly (Feb 14, 2005)

Well, I think I have recovered from the ILs visit! It wasn't too bad, but it also was exhausting and frustrating. My ILs are the kind of people who can't ever let you do anything for them, so they raked our leaves, washed the dishes, fixed our central vac, added salt to our water softner, changed the furnace filters, bought us lightbulbs . . . you get the idea. Which is all very kind, but they will never just sit down and visit. The only time they will stop is if they are eating. So it is exhausting to try to do things before they get to them, so that they will not spend all their time doing stuff. They are such workaholics, and they hardly spent any time with Andrew, and then when they did they fed him apples off our tree (they are all soft and gross) and basically overstimulated him like crazy so that he was fussy and tired for a day and a half after they left! But we got through it and only got into one small argument, and I mostly put up with all the "oh, Jill, why don't you give him some more vegetables. I'm sure he'll thin right out if you start giving him more veggies." Andrew is not thin, but he's not fat, he's just chubby. He is 27 lbs, but he's also 31 in. tall.

Anyway, it's over and they're gone back to a land far, far away where they can only bother my answering machine.









Well, Andrew is getting molars too and he's grouchy and dh is amusing him right now, but he has to go to work, so I'll post more later.


----------



## maylea_moon (Mar 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AugustineM*
Of course then he was wide awake from 2-3, playing in our bed, giving us opened mouth kisses in the dark, crawling all over us.

Rowan does that almost every night! He goes down at about 9pm and then around 1 or 2 am he thinks it's playtime.


----------



## veganbaby (Oct 28, 2004)

Desi also has 4 teeth only. Its amazing how much she can pulverize her food thoughl.

Jilly glad that inlaws weren't too bad. Sorry you had to put up with them though.


----------



## HeatherB (Jan 30, 2003)

Hi, mamas!

Steph, good to see you again!







Are you guys still in San Jose? We were in Santa Cruz for 6 months, but are now back here in TX. We miss it out there!

I've been very busy with various things around here - not feeling quite as crazy but still overwhelmed! I keep losing track of what I have to do! So, I haven't been spending much time on MDC.

Iain is walking so confidently - almost running now! Tonight we were walking four of us across, all holding hands. He was holding on to his big brother's hand and mine. So cute! Would've loved a picture, too, as we were all decked out in Astros gear!!









I haven't checked to see if his molar has finally broken through or not, but he's working hard on it. He's got 5 front teeth, though. He's had a cold for the last week or so - can't tell how much is teething related.

Anyhow, gotta run and get some stuff done before heading to bed... Just wanted to say Hi!!


----------



## jilly (Feb 14, 2005)

Our benevolent dictator Andrew is becoming despotic! I know he is teething, but does he really need to scream at me this much? Not only do I have to carry our majesty, but I need to carry him to see and touch the things he feels the need to see and touch. If one of them happens to be off limits then its "off with your head". Oh, the loyal subjects are close to revolution today, I tell you.

Bookshelves: I forget who mentioned that they were looking for a way to face books out. Someone on the decluttering / organizing section suggested this: rain gutter bookshelves. Here's the link:

www.trelease-on-reading.com/oliver.html

I'm sure you could also find stuff on it if you just googled "rain gutter bookshelves". I thought it was a cool idea and may do it. HOpe that helps. HOpe you're all having a better day than we are.







Jill


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Hey Y'all!

Do you think colds and molars/teething are related? I think they must be, somehow although my MIL who is a DR says it isn't. Whatever- I say it is. It seems like a lot of our kids have colds/teething/molars right now! I hope T is better soon, Jen. Keep on the baby drugs. I hate giving them, but ibu./tylenol works! And I hear ya, Jill about the screaming. Man, is that tough to be patient through. Your post was funny :LOL

Oh, have you guys looked at Oompa toys online? I really want one of their little pull toys for Cecilia.

Augustine, that's funny. My dh and I worked Cook Inlet commerical fishing before we moved down here. I worked the cannery through college for summer $. We both miss fishing but it is nice to have steady, dependable income. The rest of my family is still in Kenai. Ironically, my good friend that I met through LLL is from AK also; she has family in Dillingham and was raised in Anchorage. It's a small world after all...

And a note on that 'night weaning' that we were doing so well on?!!! Well, Cecilia has finally connected the rocking chair with nursing. Greg has thoughtfully taught her how to slide off our bed, so for the last few nights at about 2 am, she slides off the bed, walks over to the chair and shrieks until I come over. Grrrr. Then she goes back to sleep until 7:30 or so, thankfully. It's cute, but I'm feeling silly. Greg laughed and laughed when he saw her do it. I suppose there really is something to be said for just letting it go however instead of trying to train them to do what you want. Sigh.

Becca; you are amazing. Can you teach me how to fit so much in my day and still be so cheerful?!


----------



## PaytonsMom (Aug 31, 2005)

Payton has 8 teeth- 5 on top (one molar) and 3 on bottom

he does so well teething and doesn't scream, but I do notice that his eyes water and his nose runs.


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *midwestmeg*
Hey Y'all!

Now, Meg, yer in Minnesoooooota, yer sapoooooosta say "hey, yooooou guysss!" We knoooooow yer not from da south, dere. (OK, this bad Minnesota accent is much better in person, and you ought to hear me get going with it after a glass of wine or two, yah. Sign me up fer da movie Fargoooooo!)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Meg again*
Do you think colds and molars/teething are related?

Yes, I do believe that teething does something to make the immune system vulnerable, although science doesn't back me up.

T had his 1-year appt today (a month and a few days late!), 31.5 inches and 22.25 pounds! He didn't enjoy waiting (and waiting, and waiting...) for the doctor, got squirrely in the tiny room... he had a finger poke to test his hemoglobin and lead (we live in a house built in 1911 and want to make sure that he's not getting lead from somewhere...) and he didn't mind the finger stick, but he did NOT like the nurse milking his finger to get the blood out.

Happy weekends!

j


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Jen you're funny! I'll work on that accent. I have lots of folks to help me, since we live around a lot of old german farmers.

I think that teething must somehow depress the immune system, too! How can mothers be wrong......

We had the lead test also. Cecilia didn't fuss once. She just watched. Apparently, her pain tolerance is pretty good. It was harder for me to watch them milk the blood- yukkie!

I'm outta here.... happy weekend!


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *midwestmeg*
Becca; you are amazing. Can you teach me how to fit so much in my day and still be so cheerful?!










Ha! I've been going nuts! really and truly nuts. Yesterday almost gave me a breakdown - hauling my whole family up to Warm Springs (40 min away) in 2 cars to have dinner with my GFIL, which I had to cook before hand, plus all the stupid mortgage paperwork had me running around all day. And of course, who was responsible for cleaning up after dinner







: ? I was steamed. Clint did pitch in, but only after a very huffy comment under my breath.

I taught home ec today, which was really funny in an ironic way. And my folks took us out to dinner, leading me to a new conclusion: Until Robin is more verbal and will st in her high chair through dinner, I am no longer going to restaurants that don't have either a playground or a fenced in outside area.







There is no longer any joy in eating out - Clint and I race to finish and take turns - literally - taking RObin outside the restaurant to run and squeal. Tonight he put her in the backpack and walked outside with her until we ordered, then from the time we ordered until appetizers came (mmmm...samosa) and then again until the food came. SHe's such a crazy monkey, it's no fun any more. But if there's a contained area where she can play (like Jason's deli has), I'll do that. She was screeching with joy int he restaurant just to hear the echo.









Robin learned a new trick from my neice: RIng Around the ROsy. SHe grabs my hands (and somebody elses if they'll play too) and leans her head into the direction we're walking with this big open-mouth grin, and when we get to the "They all fall down" she sits down and laughs. It's so cute! I'm amazed that she gets it. CLint has also taught her "GO!" by saying "ready, set, GO!" and running on Go - so now she says "GO" and runs or, more likely, expects you to run. She loves tellingm y neice to go and amazingly my neice will do it.

THe beach was fun: RObin was absolutley fearless at getting in the water and climingo n the sand. Clint came for one day b/c he was going on a fishing trip 10 miles away (SIL andI planned our beach trip close to the boys' fishing trip so we might see them there) BIL drove in from New Orleans, where he's been working hurricane clean-up as a FEMA contractor, so I let him and SIL take the single room, meaning Robin and I bunked with SIL's sister, who hates me, and my nece. It kinda sucked b/c every time RObin woke up - which was lots b/c she got a cold - I had to leave the room, thus waking myself up all the way. One night I swear I was mostly up from 1-5. But it was the beach - I can't really complain.

The tough part is I was single-parenting for a week b/tw my travels and CLint's, and then as soon as we both got home, my folks came to visit. I need to return to normal, ya know? I need a day at home in our regular schedule.

Alright, I think I might watch an episode of Sex and the City and go to sleep (CLint borrowed the 6th season DVD set, and it's my new guilty pleasure) (except I can't really muster up any guilt)

Meg - sorry to hear about the nightweaning glitch. We were trying NCSS a few months ago, but it was like RObin became paranoid - she started really waking up and fussing when I'd break the latch. It made getting her down really tough and was very discouraging to me. If ever my parents leave, I'm going to try the nursing her and putting her to bed with DH approach when she wakes up at night. But I need the guest bed to sleep in...

Jilly - Sorry to hear your leader has turned on you. Glad the IL visit is done. Andrew sounds about the same size as my nephew, which is definitely solid but not fat!

Almameil - My nephew only has 5 teeth. He still is eating really soft foods and even (jarred) baby foods. WHat is Raney eating? SIl has me nervous about what he can eat - I'm giving RObin all people food at this point, except when I try to use up the tons of baby food I made in the freezer.

Jen - luv that ack-sent!

Wish me luck - there's another big yard sale I'm hitting tomorrow!


----------



## AugustineM (Mar 21, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *midwestmeg*
Augustine, that's funny. My dh and I worked Cook Inlet commerical fishing before we moved down here. I worked the cannery through college for summer $. We both miss fishing but it is nice to have steady, dependable income. The rest of my family is still in Kenai. Ironically, my good friend that I met through LLL is from AK also; she has family in Dillingham and was raised in Anchorage. It's a small world after all...

:LOL :LOL This is hilarious. We probably know each other! My dad has commercial fished in Cook Inlet for 34 years. He was granfathered in. His boat is the Three Rivers (a speed boat) and he sells to Inlet Salmon (used to be Trans Aqua). I deckhanded for him from 18-25. Then I worked on the Trans Aqua dock weighing fish and running the crane for several years. And hanging out at the T-bar when I was off....







Also, DH grew up setnetting in Cook Inlet. I grew up in Soldotna. What boat did you work on? Which canneries? My uncle owns Snug Harbor Seafoods. I know most of the boats in the fleet from fishing on my dad's boat so many years...

I absolutely love commerical salmon fishing in Cook Inlet. It's such a safe, family friendly fishery. Too bad it's basically dying out, though my dad is trying to get DH and I to take over his boat and permit...

The ILs are here now. It's going OK so far but only been 2 days and they're not staying with us, thank god!!


----------



## Almamiel (Dec 24, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Yo Becca*
WHat is Raney eating?

:LOL Everything that we eat! I have to say that with kid number two, she gets whatever we get but cut up in smaller pieces - if she's lucky.

I'm so happy that I have NOTHING planned for this weekend! Between the new job and two weekends in a row with weddings, I am so looking forward to spending the entire weekend at home with the girls! Dp has a gig in cleveland tomorrow night, but we (the girls and I) are just going to have a cuddle fest all weekend.


----------



## banana girl (Jan 9, 2004)

Hey ladies!

Not much to say today, just wanted to let you know I'm here. Been feeling kinda out of it lately... borderline depression perhaps. Just feeling low energy and stuff, wanting to sleep a lot and not really connecting with anyone.

Went to a movie last night with Mielle in tow.... didn't work so well. She was squirmy and fussy and very distracted by the sounds and sights. I found myself super frustrated and embarrassed. She just didn't settle down and nurse to sleep, so we ended up taking turns holding her off in the aisle/tunnel on the side of the theatre. I almost decided to leave, but really wanted to see the movie. "Serenity" the movie is based on "Firefly" a tv show that didn't make it, and we are hoping that it will get re-picked up and continue after this. It was such a great series!

Been dabbling in some home sales stuff lately.... Pampered Chef and Melaleuca am considering trying to sell one or the other. Am interested in both and need to find some way to bring in money!!!!

anyway, hope all is well with the mamas!
Love


----------



## StacyL (May 4, 2004)

My son called the cops on me two days ago!









I was talking on the phone to MIL and she asked to say hi to Alex. After holding the phone to his ear, he threw such a fit when I took it back that I hung up with her and gave him the phone to play with. Twenty minutes later the doorbell rings, and there's two cops standing there! They said, "We just had a 911 call from this house with sounds of a baby playing in the background." I went to find the phone and sure enough, it was still off the hook! How embarrassing! I apologized profusely and the cops said it happens all the time. Note to self - don't let the baby play with the phone - sheesh!

Anyway, still feeling like total caca here..

Here's some pics from Alex's birthday:

pictures


----------



## veganbaby (Oct 28, 2004)

StacyL those are such cute pictures! I love the beach pictures!!!!

LOL Jilly! Desi is the boss here too. And she WILL let you know if you're not doing what you're suppose to.


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

Robin's last 2 teeth are sure a pain in the butt...literally - she's got the worst diaper rash ever, complete with crying and grabbing her crotch at every pee/poop/diaper change. My poor girl. and of course, congestion, fever, diarreah, etc. I'll be so glad when these bust through and we'll be done for a while!

I finally got time to check out y'all's latest links!

Cynthia - Desi is beatiful, and I love her little ballerina costume! Looks like a fun trip to the punkin patch!

Anna - The Melaleuca stuff looks really nice, but I think you might do better with pampered chef. At least around hree, people know PC stuff, and it has a great reputation. People want to get it and to give it as gifts, you can invite anybody to a PC party. Plus, at least for me, I have a hard time justifying getting pricey toiletries and household stuff. Like, if I'm going to spen money on something I want it to last or be a good gift - so PC stuff woud get my vote. Hope you feel better soon. My hormones have been all over the place for months, and it sends my energy all over the place too. I wrote a big P on my hand yesterday to try to remind myslef ot have patience and be positive. And, see above - I'm not going to adult places with RObin anymore. It's just no fun for me anymore. Do you have any family or friends close by who can babysit? Take a date night - or do a date night trade with another couple with kids. Clint and I have been doing this with our BIL/SIL and it's been fun.

Stacy - Alex's party looks fun. Your DH is a cutie! THis MS has got to be improving soon - hang in there! Robin called 911 from my MIL's house last week. SHe (MIL) had found the phone and hung it up. Then we got a call from the 911 folks to check if there really was an emergency. FOrtunately, they didn't bring up the real 911 call a month ago for RObin's dog bite.

Jen - I couldn't see the leaf pix. Dd I take too long?

Almameil - have fun doing nuttin. My SIL tries to protect my nephew and his few-teeth self, but that kid is trying to eat anything that even remotely resembles food...

Meg - do you sing "Cecilia" to Cecilia? That would be hard to resist. Robin gets "Rocking RObin" every now and then


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

Sorry, Becca, dunno why, it doesn't seem to want to share anymore - I'll keep working on it.

T is better but went to bed last night at 6 PM and woke up at 2:30 thinking it was time to start the day







Jo actually packed him into the car and took him to the grocery store. This would have been great except for the fact that he went back to sleep at 5:30 and woke up again at 7, and I thought that Jo was getting up with him so when she didn't, boy, was I peeved. It was a less than stellar morning. Plus I've been in pain all day, the chiropractor did something that makes my right shoulder hurt like crazy and going back did it no good... so I've pretty much been taking a lot of advil. How's that for holistic...?







ok, I gotta go to bed. nigh-nigh, j


----------



## veganbaby (Oct 28, 2004)

LOL about the babies calling 911. Haven't had that problem yet, but I remember my sister calling 911.


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

911- FUNNY! I really should consider this a warning and stop letting Cecilia play with the phone. But she LOVES it and it entertains her for hours. And no, the toy phones do not have the same effect.

Singing 'Cecilia'? Trust me, I don't have to. Everyone else does that for me. It's cute, though. I like it.

Augustine, we must know each other (somehow?!) because I worked for Paul & Brenda. I did buying stations, the docks and forklift at the plant. I loved it except for the middle of the season when its all hectic and then not so much love. My DH fished for CIP in Kasilof for a long time. I grew up with some of your cousins (Kristen & Amy)?! How funny. My dh and my sister and I are trying to figure out who you are! Greg fished the, oh I can't remember. I'll ask him. And yes, I've spent many a great evening at the Big T.









I hear you on the diaper rash, Becca! Cecilia has terrible diaper rash or maybe a yeast something because of her antibiotics. I tell you what, antibiotics are more of a pain then they are worth. I'm not a big fan of them except when absolutely necessary and my plan is to do anything to avoid them in the future. We'll see how I do. Robin was bitten?! How awful. I'm sorry about that- I didn't know.









Stacy; great photos and cute dh!! I love the one of Alex in the sink. Are you still queasy? Hope it gets better soon....

Anna; hope things get better for you.... I know it can be so hard to get out or get some alone time or get anywhere sometimes. I hate that feeling. How 'bout evening visits to town while DH watches Mielle (and I love that name). I found that wandering around Target by myself in the evening helped me go home and feel a little more refreshed.

I agree with everyone, by now it's no longer cute to bring baby- its just frusterating







. Baby needs a sitter!! We just had the same dining experience you did, Becca. It was a drag.

Jen; what a crazy night! It made for a funny story, though. I laughed!


----------



## AugustineM (Mar 21, 2005)

Meg -- Oh my gosh, that is so funny. Isaac and Anya are my cousins. Paul used to be married to my aunt. You must have worked a lot with Isaac. He is a funny guy. How old are you? Did you go to KCHS? I went to Skyview, but moved away in 1992. I graduated in 1994. Don't know if you've heard of the Mullen clan in Soldotna -- they're my fambly... Frank Mullen is my dad, he was on the borough board for a while. Marge Mullen is my grandmother, she's an old time homesteader.

I can't believe that we met up this way!!


----------



## jilly (Feb 14, 2005)

Hello. I'm just decompressing from a huge, mysterious midnight screaming fest with Andrew. He woke up, started crying, and then screamed for 15 or 20 min. straight. I figure it was either teeth or the fact that our friend gave him several tablespoons of icing at the banquet our church threw for Dave tonight (to congratulate him on his ordination last week). YOu should have seen Andrew 30 min. after eating the icing -- he was chasing balloons, running around in circles, laughing hysterically at nothing, playing the piano, trying to climb into this big dump truck toy . . . it was very funny. He is clearly a boy who does not get much sugar at home. Anyway, he is back to sleep now, and dh is also sleeping becuase he has to do a funeral tomorrow (his usual day off).

I actually just wanted to say that if you guys want a laugh, read the thread I started in the toddler section: "YOu know you are parenting a toddler when:". I found it very refreshing / a releif to hear other people echo the same things I'm going though.

Anna -- its a bummer you're feeling down. Does it also relate to your sis moving? Take a long bath or otherwise pamper yourself in the near future and know that we're all sending hugs.

Goodnight, all.


----------



## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

Anna Pampered Chef









David has started a new thing of waking up at 11pm, 2am, and 5am. I can't figure out if it is teeth or just needing to nurse. I am tired!


----------



## StacyL (May 4, 2004)

Alex is waking up a lot too - I'm beat.

Another funny story...

I had been bathing him in the sink, but he is now too big, so last night I gave him a bath in the tub for the first time in ages. He was getting really excited and rambunctious, standing up, splashing, etc. and near the end he flopped backward and his face went underwater. I grabbed him by the arm and yanked him upright and he coughed and spluttered and then stood up and said, clear as a bell, "No more!" and threw his arms around my neck. Poor baby! It was really cute.


----------



## banana girl (Jan 9, 2004)

Thanks for the supportive thoughts! I really appreciate it. Jilly, i hadn't considered how missing my sister may be affecting me, being with her and her kids made me feel so.... usefull and needed and.... exhausted! I spend a lot of time with my mom and my younger sister now, but it's a different dynamic.. I'll have to think about that.

I think most of my moodiness is associated with getting my period back... just more manic and moody.... oh, and horny, so it's not all bad!









Mielle is on the cusp of walking, she will stand alone and will walk if she can hold onto anything, a finger even! But not a step will she take by herself.

She's been less talkative lately and has been going through a "shyness" stage, it seems. She ducks her head and looks at people with wide suspicious eyes for awhile before returning to her normal self. My younger sister has a stepdaughter who ADORES Mielle, and Mielle adores right back, however we hadn't seen her in about 2 months and Mielle was SUPER shy with her, bratty even. Poor Vanessa, didn't know what she was doing wrong! I had to encourage her to give Mielle a little space and let her come to her on her own. It was soon fine, but initially Mielle was being a real stinker!

Well, i need to get going, my mother has "hired" me to clean house for her. 2 hours a week at 15 dollars an hour.... will be about $120 a month. Hey, every little bit helps! so, i better get off the computer and start cleaning!

Love to all


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

I agree about the pampered chef!









Everyone ready for Halloween?


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

I did check the 'you know you're living with a toddler' thread. It's super cute. People have added some really funny ones.

We're ready for Halloween.... Cecilia is going to be a giraffe that my sister found at the thrift store. Good enough!

Cecilia had a horrible night last night too!! I am trying to cover all the bases; tylenol in case her teeth hurt, lotion for her butt, thrush stuff for her mouth in case that's it and then lots of deep breathing and trying to think calm thoughts!


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

we're on day 2 of no (okay, a little) sleep. Robin went from severe teething to now a super-snotty cold. SHe's never had snot like this - 2 rivers from her nose, bubbling out when she breathes. If she wasn't my child it'd really gross me out







. And of course, she can't nurse b/c she can't nose breathe, so she's having a hard time getting, staying and getting back to sleep. I got 3 good hours of sleep sunday morning, but last night was tough - worse b/c DH's work called at 1 am, and he had to go downstairs and work until 3 am - and they called a 2nd time during that time. Both calls woke me, and one woke robin. And I had to get up and out to work by 7. SO, of course now I'm getting sick too.

we're going to bed, me and the snot child.

robin's going to be a bunny - got the costume at a charity sale used, but it';s cute. mil & i gathered and cleaned rocks and bought supplies for the halloween carnival. SIL and I are running a booth for the kids to make rock jack-o-lanterns. WE';re gong to paint the rocks orange, and cut out felt mouths. THe kids will be able to glue on stems, googly eyes and the mouths. (THey're 1-4, so they can't do it all themselves)

Okay = bath then bed. RObin loves her bath - she actually crawls into the tub to play at MIL's house.

g'night and wish me well.


----------



## AugustineM (Mar 21, 2005)

Ugh, sleep. Still a challenge here. Well, what am I talking about, it always has been with Thor. I realized the other day that he's never slept more than a 5 hour stretch and that's been, like, three times I think. Last night he went to sleep at 8:30, woke up at 12, 1, 3, and 6. Then dozed until 6:30 when he was up for good. It's weird, I know I'm more tired than usual because of pregnancy, but I don't feel totally wiped or anything. I nap when I can, though, which helps. And I've had a tiny bit of morning sickness but not much.

Anna -- When I got my period back I was really moody. But it tapered off after a couple months. I hope you feel better soon.

Becca -- Thor had that exact cold about three weeks ago. He was sick for about a week, and it's funny because he had never had that gross runny nose before, either. It was yucky. He was blowing snot bubbles all the time. And I kept wishing he understood "BLOW!" so that he could blow it out, but he didn't. Poor guy, his nose got all raw from wiping it so much...

Jilly -- I actually have the doll in a mailer and ready to go out. I'm hoping I make it to the PO tomorrow!! Yeah, um, only a month late!! Sheeeeesh. Oh, and it sounds like teeth with Andrew. Thor does that when it's really bad....


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Hey, Augustine, I did shoot you an e-mail yesterday, between Greg and my sister we figured it all out. My sister remembers your dad through the Anderson family. I tried shooting you an e-mail yesterday (so we don't drive everyone nuts with this I-know-you-b/c subtopic), but I don't know if it worked.

Becca, isn't it so annoying the way a sick kid makes you sick- AGAIN. I feel like we don't get sick much (love that bfing) but when we do, watch out, the whole family is sick forever.

Cecilia did a little better sleeping last night after 'I turned out bed into a giant crib' (quote from DH) and put up guard rails so she couldn't climb out on me. Then back to the patting and shushing, patting and shushing. I read a post awhile ago that started 'I wish elizabeth pantley had a hotline...' It's true. If she listed any contact information I would call her everyday.


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *midwestmeg*
. I read a post awhile ago that started 'I wish elizabeth pantley had a hotline...' It's true. If she listed any contact information I would call her everyday.









:


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

I wish pat and shush worked with Tristan. It sure doesn't. He only wants to be picked up and cradled in arms. There is no other good way to fall asleep in his book! (well, except at mamas breast, that is TONS better







)

We are slightly on the trail of a house, even though a new house/mortgage/moving is the LAST thing we need right now, but it had some key items - slightly more finished square footage, same age, hardwood floors, original woodwork, radiators (vs gravity or forced air), in the same neighborhood - that we had been kind of keeping our eye out for. I had put it behind me until I talked to my "froula" (was our doula, is now our friend as well) this weekend who lives across the street from this new house and 2 doors down and she said she knew the woman who lives there and no one wants to buy her house...! It's about a block total from where we live (1/2 block over and 2-3 houses down). Don't know if that move would be more or less exhausting. When I moved within a building from apt 108 to apt 110 it was somehow very tiring because it was a lot of back and forth and back and forth and back and forth...

And we are considering this *why?* after having had $800+ of 60,000 mile tune-up and brake pads and rotors replaced on my 5-year-old car?!!!

Jo lusts after the wood-burning stove in the living room of the house we're looking at.

T fell asleep on the way back from the car dealer (we dropped off our newer car for service and picked up mine) and is currently snoozing in his seat in the back seat of my 2-door hatchback - I knew there was NO way I was going to get him out of there still asleep. Gosh I love my hatch but boy is it a pain getting him in and out.

It is fall and it is beautiful!! Good colors this year.

xo, j


----------



## Mama Bear (Aug 4, 2004)

As some of you know I was born and raised in S Florida. Almost all of my family and some of dh's are still there.

They were all hit VERY hard by the hurricane. It is said it's the worst to hit that area in over 65 years. The eye passed over most of my family's homes. I haven't spoken directly to many, only hearing things through my older sister in Orlando. She and her family are fine, no problems there.
However, my mom's roof blew off - though I do not know to what extent b/c I haven't spoken personally to her, but my sister did and said she was hysterical. Other family members/friends have blown in windows, collapsed roofs, smashed windshields on their cars, no power (and not likely for several weeks in some areas), etc... DH's father and grandfather are most likely going to fly up here b/c his grandfather has lymphoma and needs to be in a more stable environment. DH's aunt (his father's sister) lives about 45 minutes away, so I don't know if they'll stay with her or us.

I watched some of the news reports and have looked at pictures from down there, and seeing places I grew up around just torn down has really shaken me up. I can't even imagine actually being there like my family is. I am SO thankful that we moved here before starting a family. I am grateful that no one is physically hurt. My mom has had a rough year, and I am concerned about her. A few months ago one of her sisters dies suddenly, then 2 weeks ago my stepdad was diagnosed with emphysema and she's been unemployed for 7 weeks. So now she's dealing with alot.

Ok - enough ranting for me. Thanks for reading - I needed to get that out.


----------



## veganbaby (Oct 28, 2004)

Desi never has slept for more than 4 hours (I'm lucky if I get 4). Its nice to see I'm not the only mama with a sleepless toddler...although I woudn't wish it on anyone.

I'm sad about Rosa Parks dying. At least she lived a good long life. Not many people get to see the world change so drastically.

I started watching a 6 week in the home. I got to tandem feed today, although one was formula. But it was still fun. Having him in th ehome has me realize...I'm not ready for a baby yet.


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

Christine, I hope you hear from your family soon and that everyone is ok. What a rough year for hurricanes.









Jo, I constantly go back and forth, back and forth over whether we should buy or just keep renting from my family (CHEAP rent!), or rent a bigger house. Some weeks I can't stand this place and just want to be in my own...and others I think I don't want to deal with the hassle of moving, and I don't want to pay more!







Good luck on whatever you decide.


----------



## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

We are definitely ready for Halloween! http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/DSCF0040.jpg Christopher is going to be the fireman and they are going to drive around the neighborhood in his Fire Truck Power Wheels.

I had a friend on another message board suggest clove oil for teething. She suggested rubbing it on the gums.

Please send new job vibes our way. DH has the opportunity to pick up a job in Nebraska. We are just waiting for the Job Description so he can say yeah or nay. He is going to deffinitely say Yes unless he is way under qualified.

Also please send healing vibes to Grant's Grandpa Don. He just had triple by-pass surgery and we are hoping he will recover so he can meet David. We would of gone to visit him earlier but Grant's boss is being a jacka** about approving vacation. This guy comes in late and leaves early and takes vacation and won't approve vacation for any of the employees and expects them to work 70 hour weeks. Hence the reason for looking for a new job. Ok enough ranting!


----------



## maylea_moon (Mar 4, 2005)

hi ladies. *yawn* i am sooo tired. my MIL took rowan for an hour and i just feel like i'm gonna pass out. that boy has so much energy! i think he's allergic to our cats, he's been coughing and has a pimply rash.







if it doesn't get better soon we might have to give our kittens away.
















i hope everyone is doing good. i for one, am pmsing like mad.







:


----------



## lucysmom (Oct 17, 2004)

Hi everyone ... now that Lucy does not sleep for prolonged periods in my lap while I work at the computer, it's harder for me to get here, I'm finding. But here is my 13 month Lucy report:

Working on words ending in "uck." Duck is "uckh." Truck is "rrrrrrrruckkkh." She thinks words ending in consonants are funny.

Walks & can stand up on her own as of this past week. Goes up stairs with help one giant step at a time -- too funny.

Appears to be teething (has 8 teeth, so is it molars now? Don't they get little eye teeth?) & was a little weepy last night. DP was out of town so I was staying with my dad for a few days. Last night my sister & her 6 year old, Lucy's admired older cousin, were over for dinner & Lucy was a sobbing mess while we were eating. But then I took her downstairs to see Grandpa & cousin playing. They were having a pillow fight, which she was a little cautious about at first, but then Grandpa brought her a pillow & sort of gently rolled her around with it, which she thought was hilarious. Next thing you know, she is trying to carry the pillow over to Grandpa (who is on the floor being subdued by 6 year old) to tackle him! Tooth forgotten entirely. Turns out horseplay can be a good teething remedy ... good to know! I think of her as this delicate little thing (not 'cause she's a girl or fragile, just because she's a baby), so it was neat to see her in another light, more rough-n-tumble.

Anna, I read your post about the mis-fire at the movie. That is one thing I really miss -- movies in a theater. I suppose in a few years it will all be different; either Lucy can come or she can stay with grandpa, etc., but for now, I feel bad leaving her with anyone since she is already at a sitter all day all week while I'm at work.

Speaking of work, off to it ...

Lisa


----------



## Marimami (May 5, 2005)

Hi all,

Trying to catch up! I had surgery a couple weeks ago and am almost back to normal now, just very behind on things.

Christine, I so hope your family and friends are okay. Those pictures were just so depressing.

Mari is a butterfly for Halloween. I'm a flower, and DH is a butterfly catcher.







We are hosting the AP playgroup Halloween party here on Saturday. I can't wait!

Mari has also caught that nasty runny nose cold! She was up every hour Monday night, and this is a girl who sleeps soundly for 12 hours every night. So, we bought a vaporizer last night and she slept much better, only woke a couple of times. I sent DH to get humidifiers for several rooms around here. It's gotten so cold here quite suddenly and her skin is so dry too.

I'm already planning Thanksgiving and Christmas now. We are visiting my parents for Thanksgiving and helping them clean out the house so they can move.

Mari is walking more than crawling now. She really wanted to be more confident about her skills before making the switch. She is still talking up a storm. Finally, her teeth have started to come in too. She looks so much like a toddler now!

Oct. has been busy for her! We went apple picking, to the pumpkin patch, the state fair, couple parties! If she doesn't think we've done enough activities in a day, she sits by the door chanting "go out go out" LOL. It's a riot!

Holli


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Hey Everyone...

Christine, I am so sorry to hear about your family. The storms this year have just been devastating. It must be so scary to think about your mom and extended family and worry about them. No fun feeling powerless. I hope everyone comes through okay.

Jen; I vote for the move! I can just picture the kind of house you and Jo are looking at and it sounds AWESOME. I love those kind of houses. We live in a very old farmhouse and I love it. No cool trim or anything, but a great hardwood floor and a very awesome 'shabby chic' exterior.

Holli; do you think the humidifiers make a big difference? Cecilia still can't quite kick her cold. Last night she had a coughing spell that triggered her gag reflex and she chucked ALL OVER my bed. Apparently, she ate more of the green and black olives off the pizza than I thought. Sorry for the gross out but it was DISGUSTING. It gets pretty dry in MN so maybe it's time to invest in a humifier or 10.


----------



## FeministFatale (Dec 16, 2004)

I just got back from Disneyland, we stayed there for 2 days for my anniversary. We had a really good time. We took my mil so that my dh and I could go out on our anniversary to Downtown Disney and go eat and get some drinks. It was so nice to reconnect. We haven't gone out alone together on a date since LaRue was born.

LaRue has a runny nose as well, it's not as bad anymore, but it was constantly snotty. I'm attributing it to teething, I think I see 2 white lines in her gums. She only has 4 teeth right now, she is taking her time in the teething dept. She eats everything we eat, and can chew up bigger pieces really well with those 4 little teeth.

LaRue is going to be a clown for Halloween. I finished making her costume last week. Here is my cutie clown http://static.flickr.com/29/54941462_b27c53b05a.jpg/ And here is my other girl as supergirl http://static.flickr.com/32/54939101_a941c42689.jpg .

StacyL ~ That's so funny that Alex called the cops on you, and amazing that they actually came. Around here, even if it is an emergency it takes forever for the police to come, they are too busy hiding in corners trying to catch people to give tickets too.

Mama Bear ~ I'm so sorry for your family, it must be really hard right now. I have a friend who lives in S. Florida. For some reason she didn't put storm shutters up, I think because they didn't realize it was heading right toward them and increasing in intensity or something. She has 4 kids ranging from a teenager to a 16mo. I haven't heard from her since Sunday and normally I talk to her everyday. They tornado passed right over her area. I read that it's going to be 2-3 weeks before they regain power so it might be awhile before I hear from her again and find out how she is doing.

hjohnson ~ positive vibes coming your way! Keep us updated.

I've been busy with my business. I went into a boutique for my first order with a store and sold 35 pouches to them, making close to $900. I have become immediately backed up and can't take any more orders until I sew all of these ones. I'm meeting with a manufacturer tomorrow to start getting them manufactured so that I can sell to more shops. I'm very excited!! I can't wait until I see my packages at these stores. I'm going to have to take pictures.


----------



## veganbaby (Oct 28, 2004)

Haramony I can't see your pics of the clown but can see supergirl. That's great about the slings!
Mamabear, sorry to hear about your family. They'll be in my thoughts. Please keep usposted.


----------



## FeministFatale (Dec 16, 2004)

Hmm, does this link work better http://static.flickr.com/29/54941462_b27c53b05a.jpg?


----------



## Almamiel (Dec 24, 2002)

Congrats on your pouches, FF! I just found out that my brother/sister in law are preggo, so expect an order from me in a few months!







I always wanted one of your pouches for myself, but never had the extra $ (and already had too many carriers,







). Now, with my new job and higher paycheck, I can finally get one for them! I am so excited to be an aunt!

M is going to be an angel and Raney is going to be a ladybug. Trick or treat in our town is tonight and Mieke is so excited!


----------



## msrog (Mar 28, 2004)

Hi, gals. Coming up for air again. I may never get to go back and see what all I've missed. In fact, I didn't get to check here again after I said I was heading to San Diego. I wonder if I missed a great opportunity to meet someone. Poo.

Wow, Harmony. Blow me over. I've decided that you are not human. No, you are a flesh and blood sewing machine, more amazing than any Singer or Brother out there. How do you do it????? Wild...

I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying those sweet babies! And the cooler weather.

I'm straining to keep the joy in the face of what my sister aptly called this "terrorism" by my in-laws. Ha. She said that because terrorists' goal is to make you nervous and fearful and change your way of life. Sigh. After a fabulous, refreshing week and a half in California getting my heart and spirit and mind shored up, we returned last weekend for the dreaded family get-together with the grandmother. All was OK, and supposedly the in-laws weren't talking to the visitors about all this conflict, so we could enjoy their visit... But when I was alone with dh's sweet, old grandmother (whom I've known and enjoyed company with for 12 years) and asked if her visit was going well, she suddenly turned cold and hateful and spat, "It was, until YOU got here!" Then she proceeded to actually call me "pure evil." ????? When dh walked back in, she immediately switched back to cheerful smiley grandma. I was devastated and angry and at the same time, had to laugh. How ludicrous!!! ME of all people, evil? Very ironic. I dare say in that whole room there isn't a single person who strives to love God, do his good, and serve people more. Sigh. Sadly, I feel the need to share my drama because it's just so overwhelming and outrageous to me, but never in my life have I been one to "gossip". Now I feel I'm in the realm of gossiping. I can't wait to finally sit down with my terrorists and find out what in the heck is going through their heads!! Dh is making me wait... he finally returns from the CA job this weekend, and he wants to meet with them alone first. So probably in two weekends. Then I can't wait to jump in there and have my say. I can't wait to see what mighty good work God is planning to make of all this badness...

Oh, and immediately after that family visit, our family got the flu. First William Sunday night... Then Tuesday morning/afternoon, me. Then Tuesday evening, Nicolas and Matt in California. Then 3 a.m. Wednesday morning, McKenna started puking. Oh, joy. Today we're all better, it seems. Now I can resume my search for the elusive Pokemon costume Nicolas wants. There were so many on eBay a couple of weeks ago, I thought I would find them at the costume shops no problem. Ha! I'll probably end up making them at the last moment in a panic. I'm wanting to make the twins into a pair of dice. LOL.

Gotta run.

Keep us in your thoughts, OK? I miss you all. Jen, tell Cheryl I feel like such a cad everyday when I pass by the sewing machine knowing I can't get to it yet again. (For some bizarre reason, though, I had finished Tristan's rainbow diaper right after the doll. So now I just need to dredge up your address and can at least send them to you. I had wanted to wait and send Cheryl's diapers at the same time, but that could be awhile longer.) Oh, if only I could have some PEACE around here and get on with my normal, happy, naive life!! =O)

Oh, and P.S. I'll have some really cute pictures soon... And William was crying the other day and I noticed that he suddenly has two top molars!!! What the??? So now he has 10 teeth, while McKenna still has 6. He's an expert walker; she's just taking timid steps here and there. Funny how they are --- the boy is more physical; while the girl is more verbal. She says more words and is now a sign language whiz baby. LOL. This week she started picking up new signs faster than I could introduce them. Too cute.


----------



## msrog (Mar 28, 2004)

Ha, I finished that last entry to go change William's diaper. While there, I discovered he just popped a bottom molar, tooth number 11. Wow.

Oh, and I wanted to share this epiphany I had while in California...

I had been wondering how a mother-in-law could be so judgmental and hateful and unaccepting instead of just embracing who her son chose as his life partner and loving her even with her different parenting choices... And was praying that I would not be that kind of mother. When it hit me. How incredibly hard would it be, if Nicolas grew up and married someone who embodied everything I tried so hard NOT to do with my own kids? Like, what if my daughter-in-law got pregnant in the middle of her career years, and was hateful toward the little "inconvenience", and chose to work full time and leave the baby with some careless sitter or center... and what if she felt breastfeeding was disgusting, inconvenient and barbaric? and what if she insisted HER son be circumcised? and what if she let the baby sit in seats and swings and cry in the crib all day; anything but actually hold the baby? And what if she valued looks over relationship, and spent all her free time cleaning and decorating and shopping and never read to the children or took them on little walks to the park? What if she never let them play in mud puddles because they would dirty their outfits? What if she refused to even consider homeschooling because "I can't stand being around them for the little time we're together now; there's no way I could spend all day with them." What if she fed them sodas, lollipops, beer, and smoked around them?

You get the picture. Wouldn't you just freak out?? You might even be tempted to call CPS, LOL. So this fresh perspective was very enlightening to me. No doubt my mother-in-law is coming from a completely opposite perspective from me, and sees everything I do as distasteful and not worthy of her son or grandchildren. Even though I see them as better than the choices she made in her own parenting.


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

I guess, dear Savannah, that the only way you can avoid having a daughter-in-law like that is to convey to Nicolas, on a very deep level, how important all of these things are to you, so that his values become a mirror of your values and he picks a partner who holds similar things dear to her. This is what we do with so many other things - I think this isn't any different. By the way, I told Steph about your situation and her opinion was that, if that happened to her, she would never talk to her inlaws again, they wouldn't see their grandkid again, and if her husband stayed in contact with them, she'd be livid. She feels that in this case, your husband's chosen bond with you as his wife and mother of his children trumps blood ties. I personally don't know if I could be so hard-core and I know that you are a forgiving type of person (it really makes life more peaceful, doeson't it?), but I just wanted you to know that you are definitely the one here who has nothing to feel remorse over, although I am sure you feel very sad about the whole situation.

Harmony those are some cute girls you've got there.







congrats on your big sale.

T does not have a Halloween costume. We get, despite being in the heart of the city, very few trick-or-treaters and last year spent the evening at our neighbor's house chatting. T doesn't need candy and neither do his moms! Our school does a Halloween walk in a local nature retreat which is absolutely stupendous, but I think it's way beyond him this year so I'm not taking him.

We looked at the house for sale and I'm so glad that we did, because we found out it was not what we wanted. It made me realize that the love and work we have put into this house is worth more to us, and the thought of re-doing it by moving into another house made us both visibly sag at the shoulders. Plus, there were some issues that really bothered us - the radiator pipes were old and rusting, only a few had been replaced; the stained-glass window in the dining room was cracked; the floors upstairs were in horrific shape, the 3rd bedroom technically wasn't a bedroom (would have been an acceptable office, perhaps) and, strangest to both of us, the pipe going from the woodburning stove in the living room went straight up and through the middle of a closet upstairs. Now I have seen something similar to this where the chimney goes through the middle of an attic, but a closet? And they hadn't done anything to finish the hole they hacked in the floor of the closet, either. It turned into a thanks-but-no-thanks and I am glad we looked and didn't spend energy thinking "wow, if only we had checked out that house... it would have been the place for us, no doubt!".

T is sleeping in his stroller (needed to induce a nap) and I think I just heard him say "bop", so I had better go look. be well, xoxo j


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

I have pneumonia. I am in misery. This is my first trip out of bed since yesterday, and I'm going straight back.

Hope all is well with you guys


----------



## Almamiel (Dec 24, 2002)

What a bummer, Becca - sending loads of healing thoughts your way.

Thinking of you, too, Savannah - I can't imagine what pain you must be feeling right now. It's hard enough to just be the best mama you can without second guessing yourself (or it is for me anyway) - to have these people who are supposed to be your support act in this disgraceful way must be agonizing.

Jen - glad you feel closure about the house that could have been!

Well, my little monsters made a haul tonight at trick or treat. R shouldn't eat candy, so that's an excuse for me to eat it all, right...


----------



## banana girl (Jan 9, 2004)

Tonight i am taking the bull by the horns..... I am goning to show up at a bar where an ex-boyfriend of mine's band is playing. He is my most significant ex and I haven't spoken to him in about 5 years... He holds a big grudge against me for how our relationship ended. I'll admit I screwed up, there's no denying it, however he has been ridiculously vindictive regarding the matter. And I've gotten so used to being afraid of seeing him.....
So, i'm gonna go to this bar tonight, since he's moving away and if I'm gonna confront my fears I need to do it now. It's not like he's a bad guy or anything, in fact he was really good to me and I hurt him. I've been wanting to apologize to him face to face for a long time....

Anyway, I'm sick to my stomach about it but that's why I'm doing it.
Wish me luck.

Mielle has been very difficult at night again, she woke up every half an hour for over 4 hours last night!!!! I got about 15 mins of sleep before 2 in the morning! Grrrrr... Am questioning my resolve not to night wean.

Well, gotta go
Love to all


----------



## msrog (Mar 28, 2004)

Thanks, Jen and Almamiel!

Unsick vibes to Becca

Yay, Anna, congrats and courage to you. I hope you get peaceful closure tonight.


----------



## veganbaby (Oct 28, 2004)

HOpe you feel better soon Becca!
Good luck to you Anna! Let us know how it went!
Savannah, sorry to hear about your inlaws. I worry about what Desi's partner will be like too..i know its a long way off, but i like to think ahead.
Harmony, I see it now! She is so cute!
Today I went to a vigil for women who have been killed by spousual abuse. It was sad. I took part in it by wearing white makeup and I repsresnted a woman who was killed by her husband. Desi and I may be in the paper. Someone snapepd a few photos of us...some of Desi nursing, some of my boobs I'm sure.
We also voted today against the amendemtn in Texas banning same sex marriage. Can you believe that is even trying to be passed?


----------



## vegaenglit (Aug 4, 2005)

can i hop in? i just joined MDC a while ago.

hi everyone


----------



## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *vegaenglit*
can i hop in? i just joined MDC a while ago.

hi everyone

Welcome Jillian! We are quite the group.


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

Well, I'm not quite healthy, but no longer bedridden! Robin started getting the super snot stream cold on Sat night/sunday morning, and I ended up having to cancel plans and stay with her all day. Monday I worked and she seemed a little under the weather, but then at night I started getting sick. By Tuesday, I was feeling so ill I could barely take care of her. CLint went to his mom's after work to help her deliver firewood (FIL is away on hurricane duty) - and I was calling like every 15 bminutes begging him to come home b/c I couldn't handle robin by myself. Robin and I had been sleeping in the guest room due to her not sleeping at all. Well, woke up Wed. mornig and felt like hell - took my temp and it was 104.1!! I was shaky and weak and couldn't focus or sit up straight. I've never felt that sick. Clint stayed with me until MIL came over and took us to the doctor, then she brought me home and watched Robin and cleaned up (Bless her - b/c my folks were coming to visit again) until CLint came home after lunch. So, all day wed and thurs, I've only seen Robin for a few minutes at the time, when my mom or clint brought her up to nurse or already asleep. I've missed her. But her nose is still super snotty, although there's no longer a fever. And I still feel weak and crummy. Pneumonia is bizarre - I've never felt so weak and sick. And I really didn't want my family to come with ROin and I both sick, but it turned out to be a good thing - my mom loves watching her and never gets to, and I could really rest.

Savannah - Hugs. I am amazed at the depth of negativity of your ILs. The only solution I can see is for you to not let them matter to you. I sincerely hope your DH can broker an understanding with them, but these vicious attacks are unacceptable. They must have little to do with their time, if they can devote so much energy to imagining malevolent urges behind your parenting choices. Stay strong, and focus on the positive folks inyour life. It sounds like your IL's are a big, close family - mine are too, and I don't see eye-to-eye with them on everything, but it's hard not to get sucked into them. I really hope you find peace.

Holli - glad to hear you came through everything fine. SOunds like Mari is having lots of fun adventures! Robin demand sot go out too - she grabs the doorknobs and tries to turn them.

Jillian - Welcome! Jump on in!

FF - CONGRATS! That's really awesome! You must be so proud!

alright, RObin's waking up! This is her first solo nap in a week!


----------



## Marimami (May 5, 2005)

Oh Savannah, my heart just breaks for you. I can't remember. Did you guys move to AZ partly to be near your in-laws? They are just so hateful. It's so sad.

Becca, I can't believe how sick you were! So glad you are on the mend now and Robyn too.

Mari still has her running nose but she has not had a fever. She is still teething so much too. The humidifier is definitely working though! We got a slant/fin warm mist one for her room. DH got it at Bed, Bath, and Beyond with a 20% off coupon. It keeps it so warm and toasty. She is breathing so much better with it too. She has slept mostly straight through since we got it. He got one for our room and the family room too but haven't set it up yet.

Tomorrow is our Halloween party. I'm so excited!

Holli


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *veganbaby*
We also voted today against the amendment in Texas banning same sex marriage. Can you believe that is even trying to be passed?

In Texas? Yeah I have no trouble believing that! Thanks for voting against it, though. Hmmmm, I wonder how my mother-in-law voted...

Anna - good luck! How'd it go?

Becca, glad you're up and about if not feeling super yet. Pneumonia is nasty, I had it when I was in HS and missed a couple of weeks of school.

Well, the cat is attacking me (not really, but she is trying really, REALLY hard to get onto my lap - nudging hands, arms, purring, etc) so I ought to go give her some good attention while T is asleep. xo, j


----------



## jilly (Feb 14, 2005)

Becca, glad you're feeling better!

Savannah, hugs. That sounds brutal. I agree that you're just going to have to accept that you're not going to get their approval and find a way to deal with it. Even though they're being crazy you don't have to be.

Anna, I hope all went well with the ex.

Jillian -- great name! Welcome aboard! YOu have to jump in on this thread or YOu'll never get a word in edgewise

Oh my goodness, I am SO BORED today! It is rainy and cold, and the stroller got left out last night, so its also wet and cold. Sigh. I have already baked bread, vacuumed, almost finished reading a book, eaten breakfast and lunch, did laundry . . . how am I going to survive the winter? Andrew and I are so tired of each other already today. Well, he is screaming because I wouldn't let himb bang the keyboard with a hairbrush, so I must go and be a good mommy. I am going to die this winter. Maybe I'll break down and get cable.







:


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

mmm..Homemade bread....sounds good jilly. I lost 4 pounds on the pnuemonia diet. It's fantastic, you don't eat anything, throw up a little bit, but don't have any hunger pains at all







. But now that I'm eatng again I'm having bizarre cravings...like rainbow sherbet, which I've never requested once in my life.

Anna - how did it go? It's good to get closure on that kind of stuff.

We're big humidifier fans around here, and I do think they help Robin sleep better.

Well, I broke down and bought Robin "real" shoes today. She is in love with the outdoors - begs to go out, cries when we come in. and with it getting cold and wet, I want more between the ground and her feet than socks and a piece of leather. Plus, she's been walking for 5 months now - I'm not concerned about her stability. Of course, they reommended the hightop, and I declined. She's done fine w/o ankle support so far, and I would find it really annoying. We narrowed it down to 2 pairs, one really cute, one really practical - and my mom, being my mom, said let's buy both! so she bought one and I bought the other. One is a pair of basic stride rite T-strap mary janes (white) (http://www.striderite.com/shopping/p...iProductID=256) and the other is a cute hot pink mary jane with flowers on the strap and a squeaker in the heel! (http://www.beesqueaky.com/shoes.htm the SQL233 in hot pink) Robin loved them - she was stomping in the store to make them squeak and grinning! But you can remove the squeaker if it gets annoying.

We did buy them in 2 different sizes, so as to be at least a little practical, and we paid less than the internet prices.

Cynthia - we had a similar vote in GA in 2004, and I was so disappointed in how our state voted. But the fact is that the people who vote in the largest numbers don't always represent the majority opinion - and unfortunately the poeple who agree with me don't get out the vote as much as the radical right does - and they are well-funded to get voters out. The hate movements are recruiting on a much larger scale than those who favor justice.

ALright - y'all have good nights!


----------



## SiValleySteph (Feb 26, 2003)

*HeatherB*, I'm still in San Jose! I hope you enjoyed your stay in Santa Cruz.









*Yo Becca*, I'm glad you're on the mend. Sorry you both were so ill!

I just rejoined and I'm already hopelessly behind!

I wanted to share a couple pictures from the pumpkin patch so you would have an updated picture of my little one. I last shared pictures when he was 3-1/2 months old (from our trip to China if anyone remembers)!

Picture 1
Picture 2

We have been having a bit of a rough patch recently. Lucas was sick over the weekend and he just moved up to a new room in daycare. It's an adjustment for all of us becuase we had all really come to love his old room and the teachers so much. The new room is great, though, because he plays outside twice a day and he loves that. The challenge is that they have a set nap time, on cots, they are to drink out of sippies (no bottles), and they sit at tables to eat. It seems so grown up!

I stressed to the caregiver yesterday that I wanted to be sure if he was going to drink one bottle of milk that it should be the breastmilk! I've stopped pumping, but he is still getting 1 bottle of thawed breastmilk a day as I clear out my freezer stash.

Are your kids signalling when they want to breastfeed? He's starting patting either my chest or his when he wants a drink now. It's so cute. Much cuter than a few weeks ago when he would pull on my neckline and look down my shirt.







Ok, that was pretty cute, too.


----------



## maylea_moon (Mar 4, 2005)

You ladies will never guess what. I don't know if any of you read my post about Rowan's pimply rash and cough and thinking he was allergic to our kittens or not but guess what? I took him to the Dr yesterday and he's not allergic to the kitties, he has the measles!!







I can't even believe it's measles. When I think "measles" I think of some deadly virus and he doesn't have a fever or anything. He has a rash and a cough but other than that he's happy as a clam. Odd isn't it? The Dr told me just to put Eucerin on the rash and be on the lookout for a fever. He also has an ear infection in his right ear due to the virus. Measles! Never would have thought!

I have a question about the ear infection...The Dr prescribed antibiotics but I'm hesitant to give them to him because I've heard if you give a child antibiotics they won't develop an immunity. I bought some natural ear drops with garlic oil and olive oil that I've been giving him and I also have been giving him Echinacea drops. He seems happy and fine and the ear isn't bothering him so the drops and Echinacea should be enough right?


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Wow, maylea moon! That is really cool that Rowan has the measles! I've been reading more about the MMR (thinking I won't do it with Cis) and it's not always easy for kids to get exposed now with everyone vaccinated, but it's important they do for immunity. So, sorry you have a sick kid, but it sounds like he's doing okay and how amazing that he has the measles!

As far as the antibiotics, he will develop natural immunity even if he has a round of antibiotics BUT if he's not super sick, I think the drops and echinachea should be okay. I've only done antibiotics after 1) Cecilia's ear drum ruptured (yes, I felt like a terrible mom and 2) when she had a really crazy fever (although I think I panicked and should have let it be).

SO speaking of sick kids and antibiotics, quick everyone, tell me how many times your one year olds have taken them. And yes, I'll be jealous when you tell me never. Cecilia just finished hers up and she is NOT BETTER







:

I have now officially reached the 'I will try anything stage'. I have just eliminated dairy from our diets, thinking that is the next thing I can try. They say sometimes chronic ear things are related to an allergy. Although I never take antibiotics (I'm not sick much) I think they are okay when you need them but Cecilia has had ear problems off and on since JULY or something and medicine IS JUST NOT THE ANSWER. I'm so frusterated. I started highlighting Michael Schmitz's book 'Childhood Ear Infections' and I'm going to try a chiroquack.

Yes, Steph, the nursing signals are super cute! Cecilia assumes the position and starts pushing at my shirt. Or she just starts trying to mouth my left boob through my shirt. We only nurse on one side, goofy huh. I wear a fakey on the right side to even them out. Now you guys probably have a great mental picture of me! lol!

Jill, how are you getting so much done?!!!!

Cute shoes, Becca! I am loving little kid shoes. I'm also glad you are feeling better.

I think I'll get a humidifier this weekend. Bed, Bath and Barf, as we call it is in town.

Anna, we need a report! How did your night go?

Savannah, I thought you had a good perspective on your MIL. Still sucks, though. You were a trooper to put up with it all. What a hard situation to be in.

Using the issue of same sex marriage is a huge diversion tactic to take people's minds away from what's really important, I believe. Instead of worrying about same sex marriages we should be worrying about if there will be people around to get married, or if we will just need to immediately ship them off to fight. Whoa, sorry to get heavy there.

Okay, Greg has once again taken Cecilia with him to do visiting this evening and completely forgotten about BEDTIME. Off to track them down. meg


----------



## veganbaby (Oct 28, 2004)

Steph, Lucas is so cute!!!!! I love the pumpkin patch pictures. Fall is my favorite season.

Becca, Get well!!!! 4 lbs! That's alot....or is that a good thing? Yeah it sucks that thr right wing is more apt to vote. I did try to spread the word though. I called all my friends and told people I knew that would vote no.

Alia~ That's cool about the measles. Natural immunization right there.

Megan, Desi had to take antibiotics once...on her bday she went to the ER for a UTI. She hated it.

I got to tandem nurse today!!!! I watched a friend's baby and they nursed together, holding hands. They're both sleeping right now...Nevermind one woke upl


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

Alia I have read that antibiotics make very little difference in how quickly ear infections go away, and if it's viral, they will make absolutely no difference whatsoever since antibiotics only work against bacteria. I would work to make sure it goes away, though, as one of the main lasting reminders of measles can be hearing loss. Keep up that garlic oil for sure!

Megan Tristan only had one dose of antibiotics when the GP in our clinic mis-diagnosed him with strep when he actually had hand, foot and mouth disease (a virus). We gave him a dose at the dr's office before I went home with a scrip which I of course immediately filled. So we have a large bottle of Omnicef sitting in our cabinet now







: the worst part about the whole thing is that the doctor never apologized for getting it wrong, even after we ended up going to the ER at Children's twice, worried about dehydration. Oh, and I can speak personally about the adjustments that chiropractors do to facilitate ear drainage, because my chiro did it on me when I had way stuffed-up sinuses - it worked. It may really be worth your time to look into it, even if you think chiropractors are quacks (which they're not *nudge*







)

OK, since I fell asleep with T nursing him to sleep, I think I had better go myself. Night night... j


----------



## Sitara (Sep 27, 2004)

i just wanted to mention that something I take to strengthen my immunity when I'm feeling a cold coming on is Olive Leaf Extract. I dont' know if its safe for children though so you'll have to check on that.

Measles how uncommon, but great that he can build up the immunity. I'm glad he's okay.










Has anyone else here been still nursing while pregnant? Lately my boobs hurt sooo bad when my dd nurses. And the pain doesn't go away. I don't know if its because they're swelling or what, but it hurts!! My colostrum is in too, and my milk has decreased again, I don't know what to do about it, i guess just wait it out.

i'm tired....must sleeeeeeeep.


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

That's so wild about the measles!

No antibiotics yet here...the only illness she's had other than a cold is the flu last winter, but she was over it way before I was...knock on wood....

Anna, I'm dying to know what happened with the ex!

Savannah, I'm so sorry about your in-laws. What crazy cooks. I don't know if I've told you this, but we haven't spoken to my ILs since Kate's bday in Sept. because of how they acted. FIL refused to come b/c he apparently hates me unbeknownst to me until that day! DH talks to his mom on the phone every once in a while and they just fight....but no contact with his dad....and there are no plans for them to see their first and only gc any time soon. Sad, but also really pisses me off.







:

Love the shoes Becca. Kate is just starting to walk. She takes a few steps and then plop.


----------



## banana girl (Jan 9, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *leomom*
Anna, I'm dying to know what happened with the ex!


Thank you guys for thinking of me. It was super hard and scary... I nearly threw up from nerves, but it turned out really well. A mutual friend of ours was the one who suggested / dared me to show up, so he was there to support me, and a good friend of mine went with me, so i had back up.

My ex is a musician, and was playing at this bar... so when I got there he was in the middle of a performance, but it turned out it was just him playing acoustically, not the whole band. I couldn't believe how much the same he seemed! I knew about half the songs he was singing by heart! Our mutual friend goaded me into drinking tequila shots right away and insisted I should get my ex a shot and bring it to him.... onstage. I bought the shots but waited untill a set break and approached him in a less public moment. He was super nice and friendly, we talked for almost 15 minutes, catching up with each other and talking about people we knew in common. He told me all about band stuff and invited me to come to another gig this Saturday. I asked him for a hug as he got ready to go back on stage and he gave me a really nice hug.

I ended up staying there until Jerome joined me around midnight, and eventually we headed back to my mom's house to pick up Mielle. This was the first time I've ever been drunk around my daughter... very strange. Jerome went in first and had little talk with her, warning her that mama was drunk and that she needed to have patience with me. I swear, she understood! She barely paid me any attention at my mom's house, she just wanted Papa! He cooked me a grilled sandwich and I drank a bunch of water. She slept like a rock that night, only waking twice during the rest of the night!!! I had to get up with her in the morning, while nursing a hangover, but all in all I got off light.

So, the weird thing about all this is that I don't feel any closure, in fact it feels like something has been re-opened. I've been having flashbacks of our life together, with textures smells and sounds. Things like the fabric on our sofa, the smell of cleaning products, the park near our apartment, old friends, songs he sang, his smile and laugh.... Lots of good memories which I haven't given myself "permission" to think about in a long, long time. I feel like I'm mourning the loss of... something that I haven't let myself mourn. And wondering where I go from here... he seemed open to at least a superficial friendship which is a big improvement from the outright hostility of the past. However, I am hesitant to be to friendly too fast and ruin the progress I've made.

Besides, I have my own life that doesn't include him. It's not like I want him back or anything, I just would really like to have his friendship back, he was the best friend I'd ever had... untill Jerome.

The coolest thing about all this is how much Jerome has supported me and connected with me during this situation. He believes in me and in our marriage so deeply that it seems like this has brought us even closer together. He held me while I cried this morning and told me that he is "proud of my courage and honored to be my friend"... awww.. so sweet.

so, there's the update. In the time since I have been horribly premenstraul and Mielle seems to be teething or something, she's been whiney and clingey and is driving me nuts! I brought her into town to my mom's house so I wouldn't strangle her! LOL Even my mom is commenting on how grouchy she's being. So, I should get off the computer and go interact with the rest of the family.

Later.


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

Sitara - One of my girlfriends nursed throughout her pg with #2 - her DS reduced nursings but didn't cut them out - but he was older than our kids are - he was 23 months when the second was born. But ultimately, if the eldest is eatng well, I think they get what they need between the food and BM - hope this is helpful.

Cute pumpkin pix Steph!. He looks like a grown up boy!

Antibiotics - Robin went on them at 11 months for a severe ear infection - she went on a nursing strike and was in clear pain, and it was baterial b/c it all started with a bacterial eye infection I had. THen on the day of her last dose, she got bitten, so that was 10 more days on amoxicillan. SO, it was one really long stretch. What I've read is that if the child has chronic ear infections, they aren't likely helped by antibiotics - but they worked in RObin's case. And I have another girlfriend whose DS had chronic ear infections, and they went away immediately when she started taking him to the chiro. I don't get it either, but it worked for her like a charm. SHe stopped taking him after a while, they came back.

My Tale of woe today:
We inherited a really nice fridge a few years ago from DH's g'ma and installed it in our house in atlanta. So, when we moved here, but were trying to sell our house there, we put a ratty hand-me-down fridge that made alien sounds in this house (and helped my parents move ther huge nce one to their new house). A few months ago, we got given a slightly nicer fridge, so we moved the ratty one into the laundry room and the nicer one in the kitchen. Well, we sold the house in atlanta a few weeks ago, so we had to move out the nice fridge, move the old one back in, and put th enice fridge in the garage here. TOday, our mission was the great fridge flip-flop: nice one from garage to kitchen, back-up from kitchen to laundry, scary one from laundry to garage, to be passed on. Each one had to be cleaned. Each one is a different size. NONE have EVER fit through the door/hall/door series leading to the kitchen easily. All told, we have made I think 11 fridge moves in this whole process, including the removal of 3 doors, 2 door knobs, a screen door, and 2 fridge handles, and had to haul a fridge up and down the back deck stairs (10 of them) twice. And load a fridge into and out of CLint's super high F-350 twicce. I am officially over it. THese are the fridges I'm sticking with until they DIE. And to anyone who ever custom builds a house: NO doors narrower than 36" between the outside and any appliance location!

(It didn't help matters that the ice maker faucet exploded, Clint turned off the water at the street to fix it and then we couldn't get it to come back on - had a plumber friend come and eventually called the water works guys - and RObin missed her bath last night, so I kept her up so she could finally get one at 9 when the water got turned back on)

Happy sundays everybody!

Oh - I have to order more Bummis SWWs - what's your fave diaper source? I alway use nopins4baby.com, but I'm looking for other options too.


----------



## StacyL (May 4, 2004)

My favorite diaper source is www.diaperco.com Enter coupon code MDC10 for a 10% discount.

I am pregnant and nursing and my nips hurt too. Although I am only 9 1/2 weeks along, so it may be different than being near the end like you are, Sitara.

I don't do antibiotics unless it were an extreme situation, and Alex has never had any antibiotics nor ever been sick. However, yesterday evening he had his first fever. He was really listless and yawning and hot to the touch, and I took his temp and it was 101.3. I sent dh out to get some baby Tylenol and I thought it might be a fight to get him to take it, but he sucked it right down. He had a very rough night, waking up about every hour, but the fever finally broke and he was 98.6 this morning and happy. But Mom is exhausted! I think I will have to get a look in his mouth for the suspected tooth, because he doesn't appear to be sick.

Savannah - What is up with your







IL's?? You have my sympathy.. My maternal grandmother died this week and I will be coming to Phoenix on Friday. The funeral is Saturday, but I will be there for 5 days. Maybe we could meet up? PM me if you want to.


----------



## AugustineM (Mar 21, 2005)

Sitara -- I'm also pregnant and nursing and having a tough time of it. I'm the same as Stacy -- about 9 weeks. Nip pain comes and goes. It was really bad at about 5 weeks, then went away for a while, and now is back. Thor knew at first, and tried to nurse and nurse and nurse because I think I had less supply. He also totally upped his intake of solid foods and milk. Now I'm working on getting him to nurse less at night, and I am doing some distracting during the day because he loves nursing and wants to nurse too frequently for me! Sometimes I just get this antsy feeling when he nurses like MUST STOP NOW!! But I'm not sure why that is.

Thor's never had antibiotics, but never been that sick. He's just had two little colds with runny noses. He just broke his 13th and 14th teeth, the two bottom canines. He broke four molars about three weeks ago. Gosh, I swear, he's a teething machine.

Anna -- That was a really cool story about trying to get closure with an ex. And so sweet what your DH said! I almost cried! I could picture myself in that situation because I have a very prominant ex -- we were together for almost 5 years, traveled together, and then were very close friends after we broke up, when DH and I met. DH and him are even friends. But then ex moved back to Vermont. But I know what you mean about the past life coming back to you...

Savannah -- So sorry about the ILs. Mine are here now, and though they are nothing as bad as yours, I do know how stressful it can be! Peace to you.

Midwestmeg -- Got your email! How funny that we met up this way!


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Thanks, you guys for all your replies on ears/antibiotics and the like. All the things you said made sense. I am aware that most ear things are viral, I don't know why I've been talked into antibiotics so many times. Well, I do know. Even though I have the 'just tough it out' attitude, sometimes I freak when I see a little sick kid!!

Okay, Jen, I don't TOTALLY think chiropractors are quacks, I just know SOME of them are. Thanks for the nudge.







I do have one to check out through my LL group; he's super holistic and I'm hoping he'll help. All of a sudden chiropractors are seeming much more credible and doctors less so.

I'm also trying the no dairy thing and IT'S HARD. One of my girlfriends mentioned that vegetarians sometimes overcompensate in the dairy area and that seems to be me. So now I'm at a crossroads: great time to become a vegan or else I have to start eating some chicken to get a little protein.







My FIL raises organic birds and he's always after us to take some (he's always running out of freezer space) so that would be easy. However, after being a vegetarian for 15 years I'm not sure.....

I like thanksmama for diapers. Ships fast and free shipping on orders over $25.

Wow, Anna, what a great night! I'm glad it went well.









Funny story about the fridge, Becca.

I didn't know that measles could cause hearing loss. The local AP list I belong to is having a discussion about vaccines right now. It's interesting, to say the least, what everyone's opinion about the subject is. The only thing I'll say is that I don't think anyone should ever make final decisions using only one reference source- grrr. The research nerd in me comes out.









gotta quit with these smilies


----------



## jilly (Feb 14, 2005)

Hello, hello, all! Well, Andrew must have heard me complaining Iwas bored because he was a terror Fri. night. He woke up at 10:30 and was awake for 2 hours for no apparent reason, screaming and crying the whole time. It was crazy. I think it was his teeth -- he now has parts of two top molars, and I can feel the bottom two pushing. Poor baby. So since then I have been just giving him Advil every 8 hours. I know I probably shouldn't, but otherwise he's just such a grouchy bear and I can not handle him.

He's been SO funny in the last few days, though. he's just cracked me up all the time. This morning when I was getting ready for church I gave him a little travel hairbrush and he stood looking at himself in the full length mirror in our bathroom and "brushed" his hair. It was so cute. He has also started bringing me books and climbing up on my lap to have them read. And moving furniture. He's just all around cute and funny this week.

Antibiotics: never. Although whenever I take him to the doctor for anything they always tell me I can't have antibiotics (and I"m like "hello, I just wanted to find out what was happening, I don't NEED antibiotics). He had one viral ear infection, but other than that he has been mercifully healthy. It must be all that sand he eats boosting his immunity







.

I am so excited because I was thinking of trying out some fitted dipes becuase he's way too squirmy and strong to use prefolds anymore







. But then I didn't want to spend the money. And I took him over to some people I'm starting to get to know so they could watch him during confimration class on Saturday. And she said "oh, I see you're using cloth diapers. Do you want some of my old ones?" and of couse I said yes! I got 6 really cute, trim fitteds. They're not as absorbent as my prefolds, but they are SO much easier to put on. I'm so excited! If I like them, I might buy some more fitteds in a bigger size that will last him for a long time. What a score, eh?

Okay, so on the hormonal-but-not-getting-my-period-yet topic: please, God, let my period come soon! I swear I have been PMSing all month long. I have been so grumpy and tired and crampy, it is miserable! But can I just get it over with? No, that would be too easy. I guess this is my payback for not having had a period in 2 years. Oh well.

Well, I should take a shower and go to bed, I"m exhausted. Have a good night, all. Sorry I didn't respond to anyone specifically, but I've been reading sporadically over the weekend and I don't rememer anything really specific.

Jill


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *midwestmeg*
I didn't know that measles could cause hearing loss. The local AP list I belong to is having a discussion about vaccines right now. It's interesting, to say the least, what everyone's opinion about the subject is. The only thing I'll say is that I don't think anyone should ever make final decisions using only one reference source- grrr. The research nerd in me comes out.

I'm pretty sure the hearing thing is well-documented throughout the years.

And I agree - there is a woman in my playgroup that starts all of her statements with "the research I did on the internet says..." - well, it says whatever she wants it to say. You can always find *someone* on the internet to back you up. One of these days I will point this out to her.

Anyway, time for bed! T managed to hold out til 8:30 in spite of daylight savings ending (he usually goes to bed at 9). night, j


----------



## lucysmom (Oct 17, 2004)

Greetings all!

Got Lucy her first real shoes today -- StrideRites. I knew her Robeez etc. were not going to cut it in the Seattle rainy season, and indeed it is pouring as I write this. But the real occasion was her Pippi Longstocking Halloween costume. She has the Hanna Pippi rag doll (given to her by my mom last Christmas) which has brown lace-up shoes which fascinate Lucy, so it was critical to get something similar for the costume. We found some sturdy brown lace-up boots that will do for both real life & the one-time costume. She was so funny when she first walked in them today -- looked like her feet had been dipped in concrete. I'm sure she couldn't really feel the ground for the first time, but she figured it out pretty quickly.

I stayed up till 7 a.m. yesterday morning (but only 6 standard time -- yippee!) sewing the little lace-trimmed shorts and other essential features of the costume, channeling my mom, who used to make my sister and me our Halloween gear, for which, I'm afraid, we were insufficiently grateful at the time. I was thankful for my meager sewing skills, which were just enough for this little project. I am so impressed with all of you sewing people! This costume thing really made me feel like a parent, I must say. I hope she enjoys it half as much as we will.

I HATE STANDARD TIME. It was bad enough, getting dark at 6:00 -- now 5:00, and soon even earlier!! Grrr. I feel like the lid has come down on the world. It truly puzzles me every year -- why do we "save daylight" during the summer, when we have more than we need anyway, and give it up again in winter, when so many people barely see daylight when they must leave for work before sunrise & come home after sunset?

Happy Halloween everybody!!!

-- Lisa, a.k.a. Pippi's Mom


----------



## Marimami (May 5, 2005)

Wow, measles! Hope it's a mild case for sure.

Anna, so amazing hearing your DH support you through this.

We had 13 families at our place on Saturday for our AP playgroup Halloween party. It was a lot of fun. But, Mari is at the stranger anxiety stage, which I'm secretly pleased about. It meant that mama or dada could not leave her side until she was ready to go off exploring on her own.

She is walking everywhere now and gets faster daily! More teeth are still coming in. She is really a riot.

She's never had any antibiotics. She has really only had 2 colds though. She's fairly hearty considering that she is around other kids all the time.

Holli


----------



## SiValleySteph (Feb 26, 2003)

: Lucas has been on antibiotics three times. And he had a 4th prescription that we threw out. He had a ruptured ear drum due to ear infection, so that was the first course. I think we did the 2nd due to ear infection also about a month later. He just recently had antibiotics again because he had a high fever for more than 5 days and had a lot of chest congestion. I was glad we ended up doing the antibiotics because he felt better right away. He tends to get a diaper rash due to the antibiotics even though we feed him a lot of yogurt. Poor kid.

For shoes, Lucas has a pair of See Kai Run shoes which we love! They are leather with flexible soles. Very cute, too, as an added bonus.

Thor has a lot of teeth like Lucas. He has the 1st 12, but I am pretty sure I see #13 peeking through. I am hoping for a respite from teething after these eye teeth come in. Maybe he will sleep longer if he's not teething? One can dream, right?









Is it strange that I've never known anyone that had measles?

We had an awesome weekend. We went to a birthday party for a 3 year old on Saturday and Lucas was right in there with the big kids. Yesterday we had one of our best dinners out in a while. Another family with 2 girls (maybe 4 & 6?) came in right after us and sat at the next table. They mesmerized Lucas for the entire meal, so we weren't rushed at all! We also went to Ikea for their birthday party sale and it was a mad house! We purchased a table & chair set for Lucas's Christmas present. It's unfinished, so we plan to paint it. Good thing we have almost 2 months...


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

Steph we too went to the birthday party sale only to find that within the span of a week they sold the last of AND discontinued the sofa bed we had been saving for... and they don't have any of the sofa (sans bed) in stock at their store. Both of them - sofa bed and sofa - are being discontinued in spring 2006. WAAAAH! Because we were working to be responsible buyers and actually save for it before buying it, we lost out - shoulda been typical American shoppers and just bought it on credit and been in debt for a few months. SIGH... I'm glad you found what you wanted, though, and we like that table and chair set, too.

Does anyone know where I can get a plain, unfinished, short (kid-sized) wooden stepstool? I was staying in a bed and breakfast once for a conference and they had an antique stepstool with the following painted on it:

This is my little stepstool
it's sturdy, red and wooden
It helps me reach the things I can't
and lots of things I shouldn't

And I reeeeeeally want to have one for T. There is a mom at my school who would be happy to do the lettering and IKEA sells a red wood finish - not a paint, really, because you can still see the grain of the wood, more of a stain, I guess. So... any tips, let me know.

Postman is knocking, guess i ought to go see what he's leaving... xo j


----------



## jilly (Feb 14, 2005)

Jen, I have also had that happen to me a couple of times. You spend the time to be responsible and think about wether you really need it, then you save up the money or wait a month until you can buy it, and poof, it's gone! This happened with a Majamas dress I was saving up for to wear to my neice's wedding last spring. The site I was buying it from sold out two days before I went to buy it, and then I had to find it in the US, pay US dollars instead of Canadian dollars and pay a huge shipping bill. IT was terrible.

Oh, oh, I forgot to lock the filing cabinet and hurricane Andrew is emptying all the drawer, got to go.


----------



## SiValleySteph (Feb 26, 2003)

Jen, what a bummer about the sofa! I hate when that happens. We were there once and couldn't decide whether or not we wanted a stool for our office/library and then of course as soon as we decided we did want it, they were out.


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *JenInMpls*

Does anyone know where I can get a plain, unfinished, short (kid-sized) wooden stepstool?

LeTarget, my friend. I noticed them just the other day. They are a plain, wooden sturdy square stepstool that I'm sure you could paint.

Sigh. I am so jealous of all those super healthy kids. Steph, thanks for the report. Cecilia has had a similar story, except the antibiotics don't seem to make much difference. Certainly the problem isn't gone by the time the medicine is.

Lucy's shoes sound so cute! So does her Halloween costume!


----------



## banana girl (Jan 9, 2004)

I want to wish you all a safe and happy Halloween. We are about to walk out the door to go Trick or Treating at the local mall with My sister and her baby boy. I had an awesome evening last night, we had a bonfire out at the farm and I took some really cool shots around the fire. I didn't use a flash and got some really weird images.... feel free to check it out Here!
Looking forward to hearing about everyone's holiday.. and seeing pictures!

Love


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

We have had such a festive Halloween! Jessie (my SIL) and I hosted the best booth at the Halloween festival at Robin and my neice's day school - and we had adult time to get ready while the kids were at school this morning. MIL and I hunted up 100 rocks (about the size of a plum), hosed them down, washed them with sopa, rinsed them, and cut little stems for the., THen I painted them orange. SIL and I hot-glued the stems to them, and she cut out felt mouths with pinking shears. THen at our table the kids (3-4 yr olds) got to glue googly eyes and the mouths to make little rock jack-o-lanterns. It was a ton of work for me, but they were really cute and the kids had fun (and it wasn't candy-oriented)

Then we invited SIL, her 2 kids, and MIL (FIL is on hurricane duty, and BIL is doing re-building in new orleans, so they are both single ladies right now) over for breakfast-for-dinner and to go trick-or-treating. RObin was too cute - she loved it! She loved getting the candy, trying to ring the bell, and especially walking up to each door. We had the wagon and tried to pull them from house to house, but Robin wanted to walk. I have super cute pix of her holding Witt's (my nephew, 3 days older than her) hand and leading him up to the houses. SHe seemed to dig her bunny costume. SIL and WItt came back home early b/c he was pooped, but RObin loved it.

Jen - that sucks! So much for being responsible! MIL has an adorable little wooden stool with a similar saying:
This little stool is mine/
I use it all the time/
to reach the things I couldn't/
and lots of things I shouldn't.
But there's no way she'd part with it









Anna - love the cool bonfire pix - and the fall leaf pix too. Robin loves hugging her cousin too, and he just cries and screams. (But he's older than her - what a wimp







) It's so sad they the objects of their affection don't return it.

I'm going to start putting otgether a photo album!


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

RABBIT RABBIT!

Um, is there a new November thread yet? I didn't see one...

T slept through







but woke up to a bit of Jo's coughing at 5. In my sleepy stupor I insisted that Jo get up with him since her clearing her through woke him up. I guess he stayed awake an hour or two, because she did put him back to bed, and he woke up again at 8:30.

Was I too harsh on Jo? At the time all I was thinking was "You woke him up, you get up with him, I always bite my tongue but this morning I'm not going to!".

Your thoghts, please.


----------



## lucysmom (Oct 17, 2004)

Here are pictures of my daughter Pippi Longstocking.

It was so rainy that only bedraggled older teens were out trick-er-treating in our neighborhood, but we took her to an indoor shopping center where the shops were offering candy & there was a story hour & costume contest. She had a great time clomping around in her new shoes, watching the other kids, getting balloons and seeing "pumps" (pumpkins), and was generally indifferent to the candy.

So, post your costume pictures, those who haven't!

Lisa


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

Lisa, those are so cute!!!


----------



## Yo Becca (Apr 17, 2005)

Very cute pix of Lucy as Pippi! Loe the yarn hair!

Jen - I don't think that's harsh. Sounds fair to me. Unless she was really sick.









Here's our beach trip and halloween pix: http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLan...fromshare&Ux=0


----------



## leomom (Aug 6, 2004)

Oh yeah, Jen I forgot to tell you that I don't think it was harsh. Unless maybe you screamed it or something...


----------



## JenInMpls (Jan 18, 2004)

Link to november thread!

j


----------

