# <<<May04 Toddlers in Nov: Only Terrible Housewives & Wannabe Vegan Nuns Allowed!!!>>>



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

Here we go, mamas!

Let's commiserate on the sorry state of our homes, or the latest crunchy thing we've done or created! Or both! Or something else entirely!

And isn't today Dia de las muertas? (Day of the Dead) I've got a hankering for some Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera artwork and Oaxacan food...









My terrible homekeeper tale:
We had our new carpet installed in May, so in preparation, we had to take all the stuff out of our office and our guest bedroom (aka where Marek sleeps most of the time). We stashed a lot of it in the garage and in the corners of our family room. Guess what? It's still there! And now that the rainy winter has decided to show up here in the green northwest, I still have trek the monkey outside to put him in his carseat when I could just clear out the garage and put the car in there, which is what garages are intended for, I think... oh well, just finished reading Honeymoon with My Brother by Franz Wisner and it's sort of a reality check when I think about the people they encountered in Cambodia and Turkey and Botswana and Ecuador and Trinidad who don't even sometimes have food or clothes, let alone cars... sobering reality...

My latest crunchy thing:
ummm... I haven't showered yet and it's almost lunch time...???








:









~claudia


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Love the title...


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Love the title, Claudia!

Terrible housekeeping: the dishes are in the sink from last Thursday before I left for puerto vallarta...

Crunchorama: Just made organic veggie soup for my baby bean...it's not much, but hey....it's my first day back...

Of course, the trip went GREAT!!! Have any of you ever been to those fabulous "all inclusive beach resorts" (totally non-crunch) vacation places? This one focuses on families & children (activities, toys, etc galore!!) and this mama was in heaven!!! Free! Daycare!! Cool toys! Family friendly restaurants! Beach! Ocean! Oh, and yeah, the dancing too...have much to say about that but some friends just rolled into town and want to go out to eat....kiss kiss...

e


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Claudia, you totally rule!







:
Okay, mamas, this month, I am letting my housekeeping go to poop, becausem yet again, I am doing NaNoWriMo!!! I rule! I will write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days!







:
Um, and it will be TERRIBLE.








So, I may not be writing much here (or when I do, know that it's because I'm procrastinatin'!) but I need your best wishes of luck! I will write, dammit!
And well, I don't have time to be a vegan nun this month, right? But a terrible housewife? You bet!









Okay, mamas, have a glorious month! I finally set up my altar upstairs, away from little hands that like to take crystals and make them into choking hazards, and I put some photos of my mother, DH's grandfather, and grandmother, with some snazzy Jesus candles (it's the Mexican in me, oh yes), and it feels great to have a space for all that again.








I will write more when I have writer's block for my novel. Hah!


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mama Faery*

I finally set up my altar upstairs, away from little hands that like to take crystals and make them into choking hazards, and I put some photos of my mother, DH's grandfather, and grandmother, with some snazzy Jesus candles (it's the Mexican in me, oh yes),


Kinda like in the south, say, Kentucky, they love putting Mary in a Bathtub? Dig a hole in the ground and plant a bathtub there, with a statue of Mary in front of it.

Els-sounds like a fab vacation! I've always wanted to try the all inclusive resort. BIL/SIL went to a Sandals resort on their honeymoon, and the all-inclusive included alkeyhol..


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

OK, here I go-

Terrible housewife moment: Housewife? I'm not a housewife! My MIL does all my housework for me! Hahahahahahahahahaha (just kidding - she actually has done a lot since she got here but we are not expecting her to do everything all the time).

Vegan nun moment: Um, let's see. Lily ate a bite of a Reeses Cup on Saturday night? No, no, that's not right. Um, nightweaning is going really well? No, *darn*, that's no good. Okay, okay, I've got it: I made organic spice cake cupcakes with molasses/cream cheese/orange peel frosting for my Halloween party! Yay! Yum! Can I be in the vegan nun club??

Sherri and Elsanne - Both of your vacations sound HEAVENLY. Glad you got some family time, Sherri, and some YOU time, Elsanne!

Renae - good luck with nanowrimo! I wish I had time to do that. I would love it.

jstar - glad you had fun at the pahtay. We really had a good time. It was great to see everyone. I wish fiddlefern coulda made it. Let me know if Isaac gets chicken pox - we just might have to make a little visit...(ooooh, did I just say that? And they call me a nurse!)

SO yeah, MIL is here in full effect. So far so good. Still some little kinks to work out but nothing major. Her dog is amazingly well-behaved and sweet, and Lily LOVES them both.







Now we just have to finish up the attic room, get our bedroom stuff up there, and move her into our old room...fun.

Sarah


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

the cupcakes most definitely qualify you for the club










i know! we needed beth there too. dressed as a fiddle. or a fern with a little fiddle sidekick

my terrible housewife moment: i'm leaving dh to his own devices while i go to bookgroup tonight. bwahahah. and another one: my mom visits and we spent about an hour de-dog-and-cat-hairing our living room and shaking all the dirt out of the rugs outside saturday morning. what a vacation for her!! of course my obsessive cleaner son thought this was great fun. he literally cries when i won't get the vacuum out when he sees it if we go down to the basement. dh thinks this is a sign we need to vaccum more. i think it is a sign he needs to vacuum more









my vegan nun moments are limited. lets see.....i only handed out organic spelt carrot carob gooballs for halloween.







jk.

dh is dying for one of those all inclusive vacations. i think it may be the only way we get to snorkel together at the same time ever again. i can't see us taking turns so maybe this is a good idea.

i'm dying for any kind of vacation. (wholistically unfocused today)


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## KateMary (Jun 14, 2004)

I wish my baby was born in May! You all are too funny!


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

Yeah, November!

vegan nun: Nope... nightweaning is great, the lentil loved the hot dog I gave him for second dinner (yes, we serve both second breakfast and second dinner around here now in a desperate attempt to keep our boy fed.) and those synthetic fibers I was wearing today sure were comfortable.









terrible housewife: does it count that I "played" washing dishes with the lentil today, teaching HIM to wash dishes so he could "help" mommy? Okay, when your toddler does more housework that you do, that's a problem. Is there a twelve step program for dirty homes?

So good to see everyone in a new month. We've survived to 18 months, mamas!

Renae, I'm also signed up for NaNoWriMo. I still have no clue what I'm going to write or WHEN I'm going to write it, but I am excited.

I SO want to go to an all inclusive resort. The husband isn't too hot on the idea, so I am trying to find someone who will play with me. So so so tempting to just pack up and go with the lentil.

Help me vegan nuns, I can't think of a single exceptionally cruchy thing I've done recently. Must.start.making.own.spelt.bread!


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Subscribing...

Terrible housewife moments: At last month's LLL meeting (yes, they're *still* at my house), the leader arrived early so she could sweep my floor.














: Last week, I felt good enough to finally clean the bathrooms (and the kitchen sink) for the first time in 2 months. A blind person could figure out which chair is Zeki's (using her/his senses







). Should I keep going?

My vegan nunness: Since Z has unfortunately weaned, I can eat dairy and eggs now (the small silver lining of the whole thing), and I've been going crazy for pepper jack (not vegan, but organic).


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## taosmom (Jul 1, 2004)

Terrible housewife...I've been here since August and still have boxes in the backyard, I leave my son's books on the floor 'cuz that's where they'll end up anyway. I only vaccum once a week-even around the highchair!








Vegan Nun-well, I used to be a vegan, so does that count?! Okay...crunchy, um...right now I'm drinking my Chinese medicine, it don't get much crunchier than that!








Happy November!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Emmalola: DO IT!! It is so doable for a single mama. Go on your vacation, and I betcha DH will sign up before you actually get on that plane. And yeah, Sherri, it does include the alkeyhol!!! mmmmmm...

Katemary, you can have an honorary may baby if you want...we are a fun group and at least 1 or 2 of us don't have babes born in may.

Renae, go go writer girl!

Okay, ladies, today I took the test, and it's POSITIVE!!!! I AM KNOCKED UP YET AGAIN!!!! PREGO!!! IN THE FAMILY WAY!!! BUN IN THE OVEN!!!
I am psyched and unpsyched about this. Totally psyched because I feel like I've "known" (intuited) about this for a long time (I'm about a month along, methinks due in early July). Unpsyched because Viet is being a







yet again, and I think a split is fairly inevitable (a real split, besides him just not living here). This is hard. I have a hard couple of years ahead of me, mamas. But, let's not get bogged down in the unknown, in the future...it's today and I'm happy for today.

In PV I got up & vomited one night totally randomly, and that was my second symptom after the boob ache.


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Wow Elsanne! Here I came to subscribe and found out your exciting news! I'm excited for you







:





















:







:







:







: Yeah, you've got a lot ahead of you, but you are right to just focus on the here and now. It does all work out, ya know. Of course you do. And, your vacation sounds awesome!

All of you gettin' preggers again, and me, still not bleeding. It's almost making me wistful.

So, my bad housekeeping moment: all of them! I'm serious, we've got so much clutter it's ridiculous. Gabriel hates the vacuum (he bawls when I do it) so I choose not to as much as possible. And, we've got cats, so you do the math. Lots o' cat hair and other things. I do manage to spray the non-toxic daily shower cleaner on the shower, though. And, the dishes stay done more or less.

Vegan nun moment: well, not totally. But, I did appear on the local Pacifica radio station (KPFT-radio for peace, alterna-radio) today as a member of a local AP-type parenting group called Parents With Awareness. Three of us were on the show called "Whole Mother" to talk about our group! It was kinda cool and maybe 3 people heard the show!







Small steps, ladies, small steps. But then, there's the pecan pie ice cream I plan to eat in a minute, definitely not vegan or nun-like.

Dh is going to Canada Thursday to do a wedding, so I'll be alone with G for 3 nights and 4 days (and 2 trips to the airport!) I think it will be okay, but I need to plan some outings so we don't feel cooped up.

Okay, I returned home from handbell practice (that's my big musical outing this year) 15 minutes ago to hear dh snoring on the baby monitor with Gabriel! Not sure if I should disturb him or not....don't want to risk G waking up!

more later...


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

OMG OMG OMG ELSANNE!!!







:







:










































:







: and much strength going out to you! Yay and more







s!
Wow. All my May mamas are starting to go all preggo on me!







: But I am NOT! Nope nope nope...no matter how wistful y'all make me.








I







my mamas

Okay, I have very little time because I should get my sick butt to bed (and I think DH is passed out in the living room







) but:
Bad housekeeping? Well, when I walked into the kitchen this afternoon, I thought I saw a GIANT BUG out of the corner of my eye and I was like







:...and then I saw that it was big ol' tuft of CAT HAIR, just floatin' on by on the kitchen floor...







:







:
And, when I sit on my living room floor I can feel the crumbs and dirt transfer themselves to my hands.
And, did I mention the cat hair? All over everything?









Vegan nun moments are harder...Rowan had his first taste of a Reese's peanut butter cup on Saturday! Wait...um, he ate three Junior Mints today? No no, that's not right. Wait! wait! He had organic mac & cheese from Nature's Promise (the Stop & Shop brand of organic foods out my way), with organic peas, and organic milk for dinner tonight!







I rule!








And um...we went to Whole Foods last week for some things.








Oh, and I used to live with a friend who cooked amazing vegan food and I still get to eat it sometimes! But she's not very AP...but she's awesome! Um...yeah.









I am 1800 words into my novel! It sucks! It's wonderful! Thanks for the well-wishes, mamas!
I am SO sick though, and I think the bebe is going to get sick soon too.














I am going to Whole Foods tomorrow for some herbal stuff. Grr, sickness. My best friend apparently is as sick as me. She called out of work today...I WISH I could call in sick!







DH did say he would stay home tomorrow if I am feeling as bad as I did today...I may take him up on it but you know, I worry about his job and stuff....*sigh* Anyway. Enough







outta me.
Good night, every vegan mama!


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Just a quick note to subscribe and to congratulate The Queen Vegan Nun Elsanne on her new pregnancy!!!







:







:







: You are going to be just fine, mama.









Terrible Housewife Tip of the Week: If you wait long enough to clean out the fridge, sooner or later your out of work DH will just do it himself and I'll be damned if he didn't do a way better job than I would have anyway!!!!









Shamefully, not nearly enough vegan nun moments to brag about. Mia has discovered chocolate (a few bites of a crunch bar throughout the afternoon yesterday) and I'm wondering WHAT WAS I THINKING opening that can of worms. I can't even open a crinkly package in the kitchen anymore without her running to me saying "share share share".







And honestly, DH has been doing a lot of the cooking lately, which is always quite tasty, but never close to being vegan. Does it count that he used organic chicken to make hot wings for dinner tonight? And there is organic chicken soaking in organic buttermillk in the fridge, waiting to be fried up into southern fried chicken delicisouness for tomorrow night's dinner.









Off to shower while DH puts the babe down to bed. Ahhhhh...


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

Holy Cow, Elsanne!







Congratulations!

I don't have anything else to say. I've been nauseous lately too, but that's only because my migraines returned when AF came back after a two year hiatus. And my milk supply is noticably decreasing. But no new legumes for us just yet, I gotta finish this dissertation.

renae, I'm 1,234 words into my novel. Already I'm looking for new ideas to spice up the thing. What was I thinking????


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

I had TWO WHOLE HOURS to work on my novel this morning (DH took the morning off so that my poor sick butt could rest, and I did, I slept till 10:15!







: ) and what did I do? I showered, made coffee (still gotta have coffee, even when sick!) and cooked up the last of the bacon in the fridge for a bacon, egg and cheese bagel sandwich for breakfast







Gotta say, I think I'm getting better when I crave THAT kind of food for breakfast!







: I have hardly eaten anything the past two days so I guess it's time for my appetite to come back.
I am feeling much better this morning though. My DH rules. Even thogh he has to go back in this afternoon and stay a bit later than I'd like. But hey, they're still out, DH will be bringing Rowan home at about noon to get ready for his nap. They went to the Children's Museum this morning.
I wish I didn't feel so guilty about asking for help, though, mamas. I was sick as a DOG Monday and Tuesday, but only now could I finally give in and tell DH I needed him today so I could actually get some rest. *sigh* I just feel bad when he misses work, I worry about his job security, I worry about EVERYTHING. Ugh. Anyway. I don't need this to become a pity party so I will stop. Heh.

Oh, the candy. We have the bowl of Rowan's treats on the dining room table (a bad place to have it for ANY reason!







), but I think it's time to freeze some of it for selective treats...everytime I carry him past it, he reaches out and goes "eh, eh, eh" and makes the "please" sign, the "eat" sign, and points to himself.







Totally freakin' adorable but ack, what have I started? I swear, the "loving the candy" gene is present in them, lying dormant, just like the Cozy-Crazy Coupe-loving gene!







: I mean, I didn't teach him "okay, whenever you see the Cozy Coupe, you are going to take all leave of your senses, okay?"







Anyway.

I don't have too much to say, I have 15 minutes before they're gonna roll up to the house, but I just wanted to say hi and hope you all have a great day, fellow vegan nuns!








Oh, and using organic chicken IS quite an accomplishment!







Even if it will be turned into FRIED chicken (mmmmmm! Pass some o' that over HERE!







)

Have a great day, mamas.


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

nak- that's my crunchy report right there









housework- fortunately dh does as much or more than i, or this place would be a dump 24-7.

Ds popped off. Gotta get ready for the naturopath appt in less than an hour.

Congratulations, Elsanne! Grow lil bunny grow.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

ohmigosh, elsanne!





















:happydance (there should be a happydance emoticon, goldurnit...







)

sarah: those cupcakes were (and still are!) deee-lish! still got a couple hanging out in the fridge waiting to be eaten. and the party was soooooooooo much fun.

jstar: i'm still picturing I & L & M playing with the barn together, too. :sniffle too cute.

renae: sending you healing vibes...

terrible homekeeper moment of the day: bill proceeds to give me a hard time about the pile of mail and stuff on the floor of the office, which only moved there about 2 weeks ago after living on the family room chairs, kitchen table & dining room table for over a month with no movement or shifting.









later, mamajamas...

~claudia


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## margauxmama (Nov 20, 2004)

Congratulations, Elsanne! How exciting! Does Sol know or do you plan to wait on that one?

Bad housewife story: DH just said, "Oh, did I tell you that somebody's coming by to look at the house today?" I did a mini freak-out because it's pretty much a disaster area - we had a friend's son stay with us last week and then we went to Maine for the weekend, so there's a lot of picking up to do asap, and not much time to do it....

Vegan nun story: Nothing too major, but last week I made homemade gingerbread (with whole wheat and spelt flour and blackstrap molasses for extra points) with our little guest and dd - used mini fall shape cutters like leaves, pumpkins, etc. - and then sent a batch to my two nieces for Halloween along with a homemade pumpkin card made from tissue paper art - Dd's first craft project! Lot of glue stickiness everywhere!

Renae and Emmalola - yea for progress on your novels! I've never heard of NaNoWriMo, but it sounds like a good deal. I'm working on a book now, too, but it's work related. Maybe someday I'll attempt a novel.

Margaux's starting to add lots of new words to her vocab, and it's fun to see. She's also been chronically snuffly for several weeks- seems to be a combo of a fall cold and teething (canines - hopefully the last of the lot) - lots of night waking/crying the past few nights. Oh well, so it goes.

Ok, off to clean and work and pay bills and.....


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Whoa, els! Congrats on the new lil' babe growing in your womby! Sol will be a magnificent big sis! And they'll be spaced exactly like my 2! They're a little over 25mos apart. Like the age diff, IME.

My house is the cleanest lately that its been in MONTHS. I've finally stopped being so lazy about the housework and just started trying to maintain a little better.....


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

congrats elsanne







it is exciting for you and sol! and the relationship woes will hopefully sort themselves out.

*bowing to all your vegan nun-ness*


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Wowee zowee, Elsasunshine! Congratu-baby-lations!




























I see you are succumbing to the May Mama peer pressure to have #2! (Or #3 in certain cases!







) But I, like my girlfriend Renae, will NOT bow down to the pressure! No! I will not! You can't make me! I am committed to remaining fetus-free for at least a few more years!









ANYway, I hope you feel better Renae, and am supah jealous of your breakfast. Ain't gettin' nothin' like that on WW.









So DH is really busy right now getting the attic finished up, but once that's done, we are going out! On a date! We're already planning which movie to see and which restaurant to go to. We've only gone out to dinner twice since Lily was born...and never to dinner AND a movie. I can't wait! There are benefits to intergenerational living...









Check yas later,

Sarah


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Love the thread title! I had to







at G being afraid of the vaccuum....I'm pretty sure C doesn't even know the sound it makes. No, really. We take shoes off when we come in, so it never really *needs* it...well not unless someone is coming over and I do a quick pass.







And I most definitely am a wannabe vegan nun...the kid likes candy corn that's all I'll say.









ELSANNE!!!!







I just knew it! Congrats, mama!

Sarah--- a date!!!?? Enjoy!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Big grins, everybody,







Heather I know you knew. There was just somethin about the way you posted to "...let us know about #2"! Thanks for all your congrats, guys. You are my homeys. No, not homies, homeys!

So, yeah, major freakout yesterday and this morning, peaceful afternoon and finally told dh: "Sol, did you tell your daddy the news? That you're gonna be a big sister? Did ya tell him?" And he says, Sister to whom? I smile and pat my belly, his eyes get huge! We're doing much better now. It always happens like this. So, life is all good at the moment. I am getting PSYCHED to be pregnant again! I'm going to go sign up for the due date club right after this! I am convinced this preg is going to be soooo different (sol's was downright traumatic in every way: total DH abandonment (without leaving the house), every physical malady including salmonella, flu, two strains of typhoid...etc..). So, yay! 3 weeks and counting! July 1 is the due date! A little cancer!!!!!!

Margauxmama, in the esoteric sense I do think Sol knows, she has been going crazy about "babies" lately that she sees, wanting to kiss and pet them. When my belly gets big I plan to tell her about her sister (i'm convinced it's a girl), and remind her of the whole birth scenario, I am truly hoping she remembers her own--"they" say kids do recall until about age 3. I asked a friend's child who is 3 if she remembered being born, and she kept playing with her toys and said, Yeah. I asked her, What do you remember about it? And she, continuing to play like no big deal, said: I remember going out toward the light.

Whoa dude!!!!

Anyway. Shall I post what the "what to expect the toddler years" says about the 19th month?


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Elsanne, I *totally* recall how rough your pg w/Sol was!







Sending easy, relaxing, laid back pg vibes your way!









By the way, I'm sorta tripping out that so many of us have now been online buddies for ~2 years, starting back in the due date club! So cool!







Actually, weren't we all pg when they started the due date cllubs? I think I recall we once just had a thread going in the pg forum. We're so old skool!









Oh, Elsanne, I also wanted to ask you - which all inclusive resort did you go to? I am obsessed with them right now becuase of the child care and activities provided, plus I like the idea of not having to spend a bunch of money once we're there, but DH isn't too keen on the idea. (He went to club med years ago and hated it.) How was the cheeze factor? Was there a lady with a clip board following you around, trying to convince you to take a windsurfing class? I couldn't deal with that, but if the atmosphere was laid back (as in, the staff ain't all up in my grill!), it might be really fun. Any tips you have would be awesome.

Healing vibes to anyone that needs them... including myself! Nasty cold has hit me HARD in the last 24 hours and I'm hurting. Dh is on kid duty though, so I'm hoping for some rest today.

I don't think I ever updated y'all on my friend's mom's funeral. My mom was my hero that day. She drove Mia and I down to San Diego from LA for the service, and actually took Mia during the service (showed her off to some friends







) so I could focus on supporting my friend. It was a bitter sweet day. So sad for my friend's loss, but so relieved for her at the same time. The cancer battle was loooong and so, so awful at the end. The hospice nurse said it was the worst case of cancer she had ever seen - melon size tumors - it's amazing the woman lived as long as she did. I'm not sure how her body was even funtioning.







But my friend pulled through the day well, with lots of support from many friends. All of us girls were there and it was a special day. After the service & reception, we went out for drinks at her mom's fave place in Hillcrest (Hamburger Mary's). Hillcrest is to San Diego as the Castro is to SF - so it's a lively place, and we weren't the only people having cocktails at 3 PM on Monday!







My mom took Mia for the whole afternoon, as well, so I was hanging with my girls freestyle! It got a little crazy and we ended up at a strip club. Sort of a long story, but basicallly my friend's little bro dj's there and she had been wanting to check it out and after a few drinks, somehow it seemed like a good idea







Grief... sure does make throwing caution to the wind a little easier. Hey, we were just following the preist's directions and living life to it's fullest while we are here.














: Speaking of the priest saying that, a cool, fun funeral moment was that Macy Gray sang Amazing Grace! My friend (whose mom died) is her assistant, so she came down for the service. Towards the end of the Mass, she got up and said, "Like the father said, we should use this event as a reminder to live life to the fullest... so I want everyone to stand up, and put your hands together and sing Amazing Grace." Nothing like using a priest's own words to get a party started in the church!







Everyone stood up and clapped and sang and it was really upbeat - just like my friend's mom would have wanted it to be.







But the cutest part was the alter servers - they had the cutest OH MY GOD IT'S MACY GRAY AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO TELL EVERYONE IN SCHOOL ABOUT THIS looks on their little faces. Such a sweet note on which to end the funeral. Sorry for the long ramble about this.... I just sorta realized I went on and on about it.









Halloween was fun. I'll post some pics on the YG today. Mia was a little bumble bee and she







wearing her costume!

So anyway, I guess that's enough from me for now. Love y'all mucho mucho.


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## Isis (Aug 2, 2004)

How does this qualify for terrible housewife? My washer & dryer broke last week so I have laundry (dirty) ALL over the house. Our new one was just installed but it's still ALL over the house!









Wannabe Vegan Nuns- Oh my! Ummm... I made homemade black bean enchiladas for dinner but it has cheese in it. So... guess that won't qualify.

Other than that, I'm SUPER tired and just not even half as funny as most of you today!


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Megan--so glad to hear that you were able to spend time with your friend and help her through. How very cool that MG was able to end things on an uplifting, celebratory note. I know it must have meant a lot to your friend to have all of you there with her. Hope that nasty cold doesn't stay for long! Can't wait to see pics of your busy, buzzy bee!

Isis--the cheese--how could you!







Welcome to the club!

Teething madness here...anyone else's kiddo dissolve into a mess of tears all day long?? Oh my...it ain't pretty. Finally got her to settle down for a second nap and we'll see how the evening goes. I think she has three molars cutting through at once. Yeouch!

I might have to bow out of the terrible housewife club though---our in home eval for the speech/ot stuff is on Monday and I will be in a cleaning frenzy this weekend and every week thereafter as the therapy is at home as well---yikes!

Need to go post some Halloween pics too!


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Mia has most of her teeth in, I think, but I guess some are only partially in and that could explain why she has been to meltdowny the past couple of days. But really, she's beeb super clingy ever since our trip down to SoCal where she was away from me for twice for about 8 hours at a time. Kind of shell shocked the poor girl. She did FINE when I wasn't there, but as soon as she saw me again she was like waaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh mmmmaaaaaaaaammmmmmaaaaaaaaa. I felt bad... but I have to say I'd do it again. I feel like a new person after having those breaks and I know I've been a better parent becuase of it.

Speaking of getting away... DH and I starting to plan a 48 hour get away for our 5 yr anniversary. It's not until June and Mia will be 2 by then. (HOW can this be????) But I think that would be a good time to have my mom and dad here at the house with her while we take a little vacay. I can't believe it, but we're thinking Vegas.







Lots of fun craziness, good food, high levels of letting loose, a pool to hang by for some relaxation! We need that. In a big way.


----------



## Isis (Aug 2, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *heatherfeather*
Isis--the cheese--how could you!







Welcome to the club!

Teething madness here...anyone else's kiddo dissolve into a mess of tears all day long?? Oh my...it ain't pretty. Finally got her to settle down for a second nap and we'll see how the evening goes. I think she has three molars cutting through at once. Yeouch!

Yes! My poor ds must be cutting his molars. He's so clingy and fussy. My poor babe! Oh... and my poor nursies! Ouch!


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Heather- you may have to bow out of the messy housewife club, but you can join kkmama and I in the speech therapy/ feeding therapy club.

Warning: long post about Luke's medical stuff ahead. Feel free to skim or skip.

Yes, that's right, folks. Luke had his developmental assessment today through our insurance, and they think he could benefit from some speech therapy. That part I wasn't surprised about. The part that's got me a little freaked is.......... they used the "A" word.

Yep, Autism.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaa!!!!!

OK, let me calm down a little bit. They did not actually say "Luke has autism." In fact, they said he has a lot of very encouraging social behaviors- eye contact, plays peekaboo, etc. However, he has some borderline things that make them want to monitor him. They think there's a possibility he _might_ be on a milder end of the autism spectrum. He sometimes will respond when his name is called, but more often won't. His receptive language (what he understands and can respond to) is pretty low for his age. Even though I've been practicing body parts with him for months, he won't point to any body parts. Actually, he doesn't point that often- he lunges. He rarely follow commands (doesn't follow commands like "Look at this toy. Give mommy the toy"). He doesn't seem to "get" pretend play. The therapist played that a sheep was hungry. He "fed" the sheep some "yogurt" out of a cup. He tried to get Luke to join in, but Luke just tried to drink out of the cup, and when there wasn't anything in it, asked, "more?" Despite the fact that I've been signing "milk" and "food" for months, Luke has no signs. He has 4 words. (No, more, dog, hi.)

So basically, they said he might be fine but because of the family history of autism and because of these borderline behavoirs, they want him to have speech therapy and keep an eye on him.

This is not all.

I went to the naturopath yesterday and that's a whole other ball of wax. I started writing about it here but it got too overwhelming, so I'm taking it to YG. Enough about that, already!

On the up side, I have been super- housewifey lately and made all kinds of delicious homemade food. I have been soaking my grains and nuts like a good mama, and using raw goat milk. Hand me some crunchy points please, but don't make them into granola unless you soak the grains and nuts first.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Fiddle...I read this post and the one on the YG, and











































Honey, I wish I had better words. The naturopath might make me kind of get my hackles up too, though.







Maybe I will write more on the YG about that when I get a chance. It sounds like even if they just "monitor" him, things will be fine, though...you have SO MUCH SUPPORT, just know that!!








I don't think Rowan would "feed" a sheep anything either though...I think he would do the exact same thing as Luke!







Anyway...you are SO in my thoughts!

Ugh, I SHOULD be writing my novel but I can't. get. motivated!!!







: The least of anyone's problems, for sure, but well, yeah.
DH is going to send his CD's soon, I swear! He feels guilty 'cause he got 2 already. Haha.
Rowan is the meltdown king lately...I think it's part fighting Mama's cold, and part dealing with some bottom eyeteeth (?? Like the bottom side teeth or something, right before the molars)...he got the molars earlier this summer.







:
Good times, good times. They will PASS! Right???






















At least I am finally feeling better...still a leetle mucousy (whee) and I cough occasionally, but it's better than the utter craptasticalness I was feeling just 2 days ago. Ugh. Thanks for all the healthy thoughts.

You don't even WANT to know what I made DH and I for dinner tonight. Broiled pork chops and a baked potato (oh, but it was "baked"...in the MICROWAVE!!!), and organic edamame!














:







Yeah, it was yummy, but it sucked too. The pork chops were plain ol' antibiotic-filled Stop & Shop brand, too. I am not a good vegan nun.







: Bacon and pork chops and FAT...yeah, I am not a WW girl...and you can tell!





















: I'm trying not to think "fat girl", but some days are harder than others, mamas, I tell ya.








Rowan ate an organic baby food jar, some cottage cheese, and lots and lots of those veggie stix from Nature's Promise. Drank lots of OJ, too. I am trying to fill him with the C, mamas. Tomorrow, we go to Whole Foods for ascorbic acid and Yin Chao, if I can find it!
DH swept the kitchen today, but the rest of the house...whoo doggie. Yeah. I win.









We did go to the aquarium this morning and had a fabulous time. It was later this afternoon, after Rowan woke from his nap, where I had to be in his visual sight AT ALL TIMES, or there would be DRAMA.
Poor sweet bebe. I feel for him, I do, but it's HARD sometimes!

Tomorrow we have his 18-month appt (several weeks early--it's just when it was scheduled so whatever) and it's with a new ped. Yet again! Let's hope this guy works out better that Mr. "this is why he should've gotten circumcised!" and "you NEED to give him ALL the vax's!!" Doctor-person.








And it's Friday, and I don't work alllll weekend...so maybe I will write more then instead of watching "Festival Express" and drinking beer.







:









Hope you all have a peaceful night.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

I just have to deposit in here that TWO (separate) PEOPLE seeing me today for the first time in years asked if I was pregnant. Gawd, is my stomach THAT out of shape?









Renae, I love your dirty-a$$ house-havin and pork chompin self. I agree, there are DAYS, man.

Beth, wowee. hearts, hugs & hands out to you mama, all is as it was meant to be. You are an amazing woman and have been chosen as Luke's mother, you know that, right? Plus, right now I am inspired now to go soak my grains.

Meg & Heather--dontcha hate the teething bit? We finally have canines in so we should get a reprieve for a while...phew! It is so hard for them.

Anybody brushing their babe's teeth daily? I am so NOT. I could count on two hands the times we've brushed her teeth, and even then who knows how well. I need to make it part of a routine, I think. Teeth are sooo important.

Hi Isis! Welcome and great name, goddess! Isn't it great to have a new washer? You really appreciate them when you don't have them.

Meg--I have to say I totally loved the resort and I am as crunchy of a granola hardcore earth lover that ever did move her self down to Mexico. There were activities being offered, in a general announcement way, but never ever anyone "all up in my grill"!!! I laughed hard when I read that. The SOL MELIA (solmelia.com) is where I stayed. I think with your older DS and your may babe youguys would have a total blast. Constant entertainment for every member of the family.
Sol & I: played on the extensive playground equip., sand play, ocean play if she didn't scream about it, fed the fabulous fishes, turtles & ducks in their pond, swam in the swimming pool, ate, snacked, borrowed a stroller and had naps, watched the dancers, the thousand other kids, saw other actor types being fred flintstone, with a parade, saw nightly fireworks, I mean if it ain't one stimulus it's another, and I never felt overwhelmed--just kind of floated from one activity to the next.

They have: pool table, foosball table, ping pong table, lifesize chess board, climbing wall, zip line (where you ride a line, suspended from it) internet (which I never touched), salsa classes, aquaerobics, some kind of line dance class, costumes for the kids ages 5-11, and the younger ones too, different activities all the time. One day I came to get sol in the daycare (which has every toy imaginable for their age, and the attendants studied Early Childhood Ed) and she was dressed as a ladybug. Cute!

Anyway, real Mexico it ain't, and this is coming from a returned Peace Corps volunteer who vouchsafes herself amongst Those Most Crispy (I just had to try to use that word, vouchsafe! I'm reading Wuthering Heights and they use it there)....I have to say I loved it. It was, in a word, VACATION.


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Upon further reflection, Dh and I have declared everything that has been said about Luke in the past two days to be absolute HOOOYEEEE. Ha. So there. We sure told them.

Had to post to let ya'll know- Dh walked by the puter, saw the dancing brocoli, and started to join in the brocoli dance. I started laughing, then Luke joined in, till our whole family was howling to the brocoli dance







:







:








:

Renae- good luck at the appt tomorrow









Elsanne- I'm sure it's the preggo vibes, not the tummy, that told the tale.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

I am not at all caught up (except to the part about Sol's new baby sib







woo hoo!!!), but I just wanted to let you all know that we are having a GIRL!!!! I'm going to go lie down now. I'll post more later. I do want to say




























to FF. If you think it's hooey, I'm with you. You've gotten so much bad advice and poor treatment, that I wouldn't be surprised if it's more of the same.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

KK--A girl?!!














:







Now I just can't wait to see what color hair this little sweetie has!









FF--







Sounds like the eval was quite picky and I suppose any help/speech therapy couldn't hurt, but it sounds like their info/assessment wasn't quite helpful for lack of a better way to characterize it. But you have their info/opinions and can process it and do what *you* know is best for Luke. Sorry the ND was disappointing--I was just







at some of the recommendations. As always, mama, you know best!

My little helper and I made mini-pumpkin cheesecakes this morning! YUUUUUUMMM! I'm still trying to devise some kind of tactic for avoiding the howling/crying that ensues when the goodies actually have to go into the oven to bake. I tried giving her a second bowl to play in, but she wasn't buying it!


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

KK - A GIRLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL




























i am so very excited for your family
















beth - buncha HOOOOHAWWW is right. or HOOOHEEEEEEE. he's so young. they're jumping in pretty early with the a-word.


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

ff-autism-schmautism. You're his mama, and you know whats right/best for him. I'm so amazed at the way you know how to sort out the good/bad/ugly. We all love our Luke!!

kk!!!!! A GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!! Awesome!!!!! How exciting!!




























:





















:










































:









Renae-good luck on your novel! You sure are brave. I get so proud of myself for writing a single paragraph post, no way could I do 50000 words!









meg-I'm glad there was a lot of healing at your friend's mom's funeral. It sounds like her friends really banded together to give great support and love. YAY for grandmas keeping little miss Mia!! Such a breath of fresh air to get away for a bit.

heather-what if you pour off a bit of ingredients from your bowl for C for when you put stuff in the oven. Like, if its using some pumpkin, dish some up into a small bowl, and save it for when you put creation into the oven??

Waiting for my cake to come out of the oven. (SOOOO Not Vegan-nunning the cake today, it came from a box














Have a good weekend all!


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Lisa-I KNOW you're reading! How are you?


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sarah'sMama*
Lisa-I KNOW you're reading! How are you?









that's so funny, 'cause i saw her on yesterday and wrote her a pm and she pm'ed me back even though she was breaking her "no email at work" policy...









she wrote that e is sick so they've been sleep deprived this week...








hi lisa! your may mamas love you...









~claudia


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Thanks, claudia. I miss my May Mamas when they don't post for awhile. (although I certainly understand why its difficult to read/post regularly). :sniff

Hope you're feeling/sleeping better VERY soon LIsa! (and sleep vibes to alison and eleanor, too!)


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

Wow, what a whirlwind thread so far (so tempting that I am doing this at work against personal policy - I just couldn't help it because you are all so loved by me). Let me start with a few responses and then I will give you all an update.

Els- OH MY GOD! Yippee Ki Yay!







I am so excited for you. Happy big sister Sol! Oh, and we do brush Eleanor's teeth everyday. I think it took about a month of really struggling with her to get to where we are now which is that she reminds us at night by saying "teeth" and opening wide. It's hard to do a good job but we just try our best each night and figure that's more than good enough.

KK- It's a girl!!! I have been thinking of you lots and sending you vibes of acceptance and peace with the disappointment that you posted about in the YG. I hope you felt my support although it was unspoken.







Now, about girls&#8230;sometimes -even if you are an uber-feminist lesbian mom who doesn't carry a purse - you can end up with a tiny toddler that loves all things of the shoe/purse/sparkle variety of girldom. Enjoy!

Fiddle - I agree with everyone else here - I trust you a HELL of a lot more than I trust a medical professional. Sure, they could be onto something or they could be way off base. Regardless of where things end up eventually, Luke is fine and loved - and so are you.









Megan - I had tears in my eyes as I read your post (and they weren't even entirely about being jealous of singing my favorite spiritual with Macy Gray). The funeral and resulting festivities sounds like the best possible conditions for healing and hope.

Nuggets - just wanted to say hello and let you know I am thinking of you.

And welcome to Isis, the cheese eater!
and to all the lurkers who are only here because of our bad-ass thread title. We really are this cool, so feel free to stay awhile.

So, my general update:
_Vegan-nunitude_ - not even close to happening although Alison tried to make pumpkin/wheat germ/egg balls from the Super Baby Foods book and even though they looked and smelled funky, I have eaten several. I can't however recommend that anyone try that recipe though as Eleanor won't even consider it.








_Homemaking_ - we have hard wood floors and a rug that we plan to throw out (y'know, to save on vacuuming/reduce number of times E brings one of us something yucky she found stuck to the rug). We bought a coffee table to put in that space over three weeks ago and it's still in the car, but we are unwilling to vacuum the rug because we are "just going to throw it away."
















I am feeling like I have more of a career plan (doula training in March, possible birth-related sidejob in addition to fulltime job until I explode). The big news around here is that we're trying for #2 (as of last night). Alison it pretty excited, as am I. Fingers crossed everyone.







:

Eleanor has been sick (fever and lots of bad nights this week) although she's recovered now. My dad is struggling. He started a new batch of chemo and it's really taking a toll on his immune system and spirit. I hope to see them sometime in the next two months but he's banned from small children for now.

Okay, marathon post right before the weekend - sorry. I really wanted to send you all some love so ..





















.. There you go.


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

Quote:

Lisa-I KNOW you're reading! How are you?
Dang, you can't sneak around here at all!


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1*
Dang, you can't sneak around here at all!




















Where's the stalker smilie??







maybe this one is appropriate...

Good luck with the baby #2! Mind if I ask if you did the home IUI? Good for you for having a plan for your fture! Sounds exciting!


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## jaam (Sep 29, 2004)

:

Here I am again, hoping that the ever-gracious May Mamas will let me rejoin after such a long absence. I don't even have much of an excuse besides a major mental/emotional funk that I've been in lately.







:







:

So I've only very recently caught tiny bits and peices of a few happenings, skimmed through the most recent yg postings and the new mdc thread, forgive me if I miss anyone's big news on anything!

Elsanne, congrats!!! (And WOOHOO for cancer babies, I'm one!) Are there other newly pg may-mamas too???!!! How exciting! (A tad jealous am I.)

Fiddlefern, beaucoup hugs to you, what a strong mother you have been to Luke and *are*! And fwiw coming from me, I definitely do'nt think you're being difficult witht he different "professional opinions. In *my* opinion you, as the boy's mother, are THE professional.

Nuggetsmom, some more big e-hugs to you and your family. Thinking of you.

Kkmama, read some of your yg stuff, thinking of you.

Heatherfeather, Fiddlefern, Kkmama, and any others possibly going through speech, OT, etc therapies.... I think we're about to, too. I've been wondering about getting her checked for *so* long, and I finally made the call last month. The "case coordinator" (is that what they're called???) came on Monday to start paperwork and answer any general questions I had. Of course I had WAY more than she could answer, but she's coming again next week with a speech therapist, occupational therapist, and I think another sort of specialist too. This is just for an initial eval, I had to special-request to have it in-home because Amelia can be so shy and closed-up in strange places. I'm generally concerned about her speech, but there may also be some sensory issues (she's an *okay* eater but FREAKS out about certain textures touching her hands/skin), and possibly some motor skill stuff. I am concerned about how much of this would be covered, if she's eligible for therapy which even the paperwork-lady thought she would be, by insurance. I know dh will think it's an unnecessary cost if we're asked to pay out of pocket for any of it.














I think (hope) there is aid I can look into getting. THen of course there's the little voice in my head saying "you should have done __ and ____ when she was younger and then your child wouldn't have these issues now..." that I'm trying to schmush.

I started writing this last night and so much has happened since then already!!!!

Lisa - YAYY!!!! for career plans, and







pregnancy vibes for Allison!

KK - a girl! How cool! I second Lisa about "girly" girls... I have one and I have no idea where she got things such as her shoe-fettish, hair-do's and need for all things pink/sparkly/feminine... sure as heck wasn't from her tomboy plainjane mom. So much fun, though.

Sorry so long, I promise to try so hard to keep up and contribute this month. Oh, and speaking of taking time out to write... big thumbs up to participants of NaNoWriMo!!!!








Love to all


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

I don't have time to post much (DH got home early to start our weekend!







: ) but I just wanted to say I LOVE you all!
More soon.


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## jaam (Sep 29, 2004)

Forgot to add my only recent vegan-nun qualification: I have 10 pounds of organic apples sitting on the counter waiting to be peeled, cored, and made into applesauce to can as soon as I get my arse out from in front of the computer! (Or maybe just freeze, that's easier.)

And bad housewife stuff, I could go on and on. Well the downstairs is alright I suppose, but the upstairs.... how about laundry that's been sitting waiting to be folded and put away for a couple weeks now, and dry leaves crushed into the carpet (Amelia's little treasures she brings in from outside) from a week, ok *two* weeks ago. And the play-dough that got smashed into the carpet a few days ago and is now crusty. (But hey, it's homemade playdough!)

OK I'm done.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Agrace!!! I have been thinking so much about you, was almost worrying about you last night. How are things? And I think homemade playdoh gets you crunchy quotient.

Lisa! I have also been missing you in a BIG way around here, bemoaning that "you didn't even know I was pregnant"..so yay for you being back on here. Here's an idea: only allow yourself to respond to the email letting you know there are new posts on this thread, and go no further! While at work, I mean. That could be a good compromise. That's what I used to do. Now I don't have a minute of time at work to even eyeball my own email! Although---drumroll please---
I'M GOIN TO VEEEEGAS!!! Not so exciting as all that, as we're just going to a work thing for two days, tuesday/wed of next week. And, I'm not a boozer (especially not now!) nor a gambler, so truly it's just fun to have a jetsetting type trip and my FIRST sans bebe. I'm most excited about hitting the Whole Foods! Stateside goodies! Yooot!

Claudia, have you gotten anything from Mexico lately? I sent you your $$ plus a lil surprise...

KK--OMG!!! A GIRL!!! Oh, yay, oh yay, I am so excited for you!!!!! Awwwww







I too am dying to see what color hair this babe has. I loooove red hair with all my heart and am envious that yours have it.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Okay, jeez, how did I get so far behind?

Elsanne, I really hope you have an easy pg. I think things sometimes happen for a reason (that's my excuse for my own current condition







), and you'll get through it. The 2nd child is much easier than the 1st (so far, knock on wood). T's b-day is 6/28, BTW. It's an auspicious date.









Jacqueline, what's your shower spray? Does it work? I'd love to find something both non-toxic and effective...

Meg, I totally do that fridge thing with my dh, too. heh heh

Heather, I used to clean the house for OT, but esp. since getting pg, that's totally gone out the window (it helps that the therapist had HG during her pg with her son, so she totally understands).

Y'know, I *really* was just going to make a crack about whether Lisa was going to be the next one to get "unexpectedly" pg.







(Guess it'd have to be Allison.) We're going to try to enforce a ban on pink, but if she gets to the age where she wants it,







. Heck, T loves sparkly stuff, jewelry, etc...

Ack! I don't know if I want us to start a therapy club! No one really wants to be a member! 

Speaking of which... AGrace, the thought is that the younger you "catch" a problem, the easier and quicker it is to deal with, and the less likely you are to have other problems stack up. (Tell your dh.)

Beth, I think I'm going to write you a pm when I'm all done with this. More







s Autism is the farthest thought in my mind about Luke, to be perfectly honest.

We brush teeth at least once a day, in part because it's part of the oral therapy...

So I had an amnio







: because I have been feeling so wigged out about this pg and have felt that something was "wrong". I think what was "wrong" was that the baby is a girl... T is super excited (and is telling everyone). During the u/s, he shouted, "It's a girl!!!" I'm kind of excited about a "different" experience (though every child is different, no matter what). I want your vibers set on high for red hair now.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

I should be writing my novel, I should be writing my novel...
But instead I am listening to Kristen Hersh and writing you lovely mamas!








OMG A GIRL!!!!!





















That is so fantastic, KK!







I'm throwin the red-hair vibes to ya!








And Lisa! Hi!!!







Miss you! OMG







to Alison! May your next foray in the land of the pg be a smooth one!








And OMG Elsanne! VEGAS, baybee!







Are you going w/o Sol? I ask because, we are *already* planning DH's 30th birthday trip...to Amsterdam (!!!) next November. A year from now. We will only be gone for most likely a long weekend but I am wondering how that will work if we leave Rowan with the IL's...can't even fathom it right now!
I love Vegas. Only went once, for two days on the way across the country, but it was a place that has alwasy intrigued me, and I am not even the drinking/gambling type!







Just one of those things, I guess. Cirque du Soleil has TWO regular shows there now that I MUST see...
(I said "OMG" way too much in that above paragraph.







)

AGrace, miss ya, love ya, hope you feel better! I hear ya on the tumult.







Post when you can, we're here!

If I missed anything from previous posts, sorry! I'm reading, I swear!
















I like this Kristen Hersh album a LOT (Hips & Makers) but it makes me think of not one, but TWO exes. Weird stuff.
Anyhow, I don't have a lot to report, my cold is much better but now Rowan has it, but he's not nearly as sick as I was (or at least, he doesn't seem to be as bad off as I was. Heh. He's sleeping, at least, for now...) We were going to go to the aquarium tomorrow morning, but DH needs to look at a new (used) car, our oldest car is about to kick it and we NEED to get a cheep car fast. Ugh. I hate priorities. But we may go to an Armenian festival in our town sometime tomorrow, which will be fun.

I am feeling kinda down this evening, because of a Mexican restaurant. I know, I know, I'll explain. I am of about 85-90% Mexican/Native American descent, raised in the Bay Area, my Mom had VERY Mexican family who spoke Spanish in the household all the time, cooked traditional foods (I LOVE Menudo and Pozole...things cooked with LARD, etc) but. My mother NEVER spoke Spanish to us, raised us with McDonald's uke, I am VERY "American", or rather, I grew up that way. I speak maybe two words in Spanish, and they are either food or badly pronounced.








And I can't tell you how many times a Hispanic person has come up to me and either tried speaking to me in Spanish, or asked me first, "what I was" (Puerto Rican is represented more than Mexican out here, I think they think I am Puerto Rican usually), and then, if I speak Spanish. They usually look REALLY disappointed when I say I do not. Some even have said "oh, that's such a shame!" *sigh*








But tonight for some reason, when I went to our favorite Mexican restaurant to pick up our take-out, I felt more "gringa" than Mexican by FAR. I spoke to the waitress in English, while everyone else except for the VERY white women next to me) were speaking Spanish in a quicksilver stream.
Then, a woman who looked _just like my dead mother, only NOT dead_ walked in. She was ME, my mama, and my grandmother from the nose up! It was uncanny, and freaky, and when SHE went up to the waitress and spoke to her in Spanish, I was like,







:







:







:







:

Okay, sorry for the venting. Long story less long; I should learn to speak Spanish, darnit.

And now DH wants to go to bed and I have written like 1000 words here and NOT in my novel. Hahaha!
I







you all and wish you a great weekend.


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

So...my son arrived in May of '04. Can I join?

If so, can someone explain the thread title?


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Molly, welcome!







:

What, does the thread title not make sense???







As you can imagine, we've been chattin it up for oh like 18 months now, so we have gotten a bit creative. Do you have any poor housewife anecdotes or ways in which you are, today, Crunchier Than Thou (otherwise known as the vegan nun quotient)? This came about because I made me a futon, dammit, and that just shot my crunchy quotient right up because the wool and canvas were harvested and made and blessed by vegan nuns, pure to the core. I chanted om and other interesting syllables the whole time while wearing only organic cream colored clothing while I made it.

(tongue in cheek there, and removing a piece of nut from my teeth)

Okay, hey! Here's my crunchy story of the day: I just made some cookies with no sugar (apple juice, organic!) org. whole wheat flour, oats, walnuts, butter (woops--the vegan nuns look askance), farm eggs (they clear their throats), and the most exquisite real 73% cacao chocolate wafers chopped up (they politely indicate the door)! They rock!


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne*
I just made some cookies with no sugar (apple juice, organic!) org. whole wheat flour, oats, walnuts, butter (woops--the vegan nuns look askance), farm eggs (they clear their throats), and the most exquisite real 73% cacao chocolate wafers chopped up (they politely indicate the door)! They rock!

Okay, Elsanne, I've said ti before but...oh dios mio, mama, you rock my WORLD!!!








And, welcome, Molly!







Jump right in!
I have no good vegan nun anecdotes today. I ate Mexican food covered in LARD, for christs. sake!







: Rowan hardly ate anything (he had dinner with DH while I napped, pasta and sauce and grapes), but he drank GREEN juice, a smoothie thing called "Green Goodness". That's kinda crunchy, right? I've been treating his cold with homeopathy for the most part (minus the Motrin tonight!







: ) and um...yah.
We also brush his teeth like 3 times a week, when we remember. And mostly, it's him chewing on the toothbrush for the most part!









Okay, back to trying to write, really!!


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

Aha!









Let's see...terrible housewife...rather than fold and put away the laundry, I piled it neatly and put it on the unvaccumed carpet in the bedroom. Because hubby's friend was stopping by.

Crunchier than thou? Vegan grain-based (not soy) "sausage" with black beans and onions with spices for DS last night? While DH and I ate Zatarain's dirty rice mix.









OK so did you *really* make a futon?


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

hi molly! remember me?







you most certainly can join in the fun... i always wondered why you didn't stop by after the babes were born, and am so glad you wandered your way in!

yes, she did actually make a futon. bunch of cotton all wrapped around for yards and yards and then a cover over it. the motivation to make said futon was instilled by a friendly psychic who noted that sol (elsanne's girly) has a lingering cough and snuffles due to mold and fungus and such. enter futon making. (and between you and me, i don't think the cotton was grown and harvested by vegan nuns...







but it sure does make a good running joke... )

terrible homekeeper daily update: dirty dishes continue to pile up next to my sink and on our kitchen table while all the clean ones are still sitting in the dishwasher waiting to be put away. oh, and i've reused the same bowl to put bananas and melon and apple (each on different occasions) for marek to eat at various meals in the past 2.5 days. not even rinsing in between. damn, i'm lazy.

vegan nun-ness: ummm... hmmm... well... this one time, at band camp... i seriously have no vegan nun-itude for today. we ate the usual oatmeal and yogurt for breakfast, marek had leftover mac & cheese for lunch while i ate crackers and tofu pate, and then marek had leftover aloo choley (garbanzo bean indian dish) and rice for dinner while i ate some potstickers before running out the door to my friend's house for a discovery toys party where i proceeded to chow down on mushroom turnovers, spinach and dill dip, and chocolate brownies. i think i ate a few vegetables dipped in ranch dressing... does that count? and we were totally lazy today since we're trying to battle off colds. oh wait, i did go to the chiro today. i guess that could count towards vegan nun-itude.

belated







to kk re: weaning and a belated







to kk re: baby girly belly...

fiddle:







you know you can call when you need to.

renae: the nanowrimo thing is tempting... kudos to you, mama...

megan: i know you posted it on the yg, but YAHOOEY on the jobby thing!

and all the pics are too dang cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~claudia


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

Hey Claudia,

I'm sure you know my post-Eamon issues...never really wanted to hang much with peeps who had different (better) experiences 'round the same time...

Plus I just canNOT figure out why MDC users make new threads for the same group of people every month! I got started in message boards with a place that has journals that span years, for goodness sakes. I'm used to talking and talking and talking in the same, easy to find, place for ages.







I could never follow the UC threads that changed "places" each month, either.









Wrapping yards and yards of cotton? Sounds amazing. Wanna make a king sized futon for us? I'm quite sure I've got lots of mold hanging about, and would love a mold-free sleeping space.









OK, kiddo is screeching, and I think it's due to DH trying to put him to bed before he's ready (yes, he goes to bed late, but makes up for it in a 10am wake-time, yay).

By the way, my guy just got his 16th tooth today.







OK so he only has 15 in his mouth due to a highchair accident last xmas, but still, 16 teeth? Since Nov.1 last year to Nov. 4 this year, all of 'em. We're hoping the second molars hibernate awhile..._all fingers and toes crossed for his pain sensors' and our heartstrings'/eardrums' sake..._

Hey, I know that my guy is younger for this crowd, but...getting checked out for speech delays and such already? Seems SO early! Is this the norm for 17/18ish months? I'm flummoxed by recent posts, by the docs wanting to look at these sorts of things already...


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Hey Mol,

Yup I made me futon...I daresay the shipping from here to there would cost about cuadruple the futon...but sure, i'd make you one!
We are one ofthose groups that makes a new thread every month. Do we even know why, everybody? somehow it's just something we do...Not hard to find but guess the same thread would also be not hard to find. Plus we had to move from babies to toddlers at the year point. What were all the post-Eamon issues, or some of them? So we can send ya some belated support...

Early Intervention programs do just that--with the referral of the doc.

Saturday yay! I am working a couple hours today for a couple I've worked for since I've been here--submitting insurance claims, tracking finances...

gotta go babe calls!


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

Elsanne,

Short version...I had what-turned-out-to-be rotten midwives turn the end of my pregnancy and my labor into hell. I was and still am, though to a lesser extent, extremely jealous of women who were laboring in the same month that I was, especially the ones that got what I should have had. I'm even jealous of women who had interventions that were actually NEEDED, and of women who WANTED interventions and happily got them. I was part of a due-month thread on another website, and every last one of those women got either what she wanted or got something that was actually needed, and I just had to run far, far away from women who became mothers around the same time I did.

**************************

Loooooong, non-gestate-in-peace'y, story... (yet not as long as the actual story)...

I had what should have been a blissful pregnancy made crappy with the help of some really, in hind sight, stupid midwives, and then they "ruined" my labor with him, missing some very important things, ignoring good things, being clueless, being idiots who wanted to interfere at every point, being and acting scared because of birthing climate and their own personal and professional issues...I recently realized they decided what should happen, LIED to me about everything that was going on (they were telling us one thing and my aunt a completely different thing, and we realized that both of those were lies from what they said after the transfer), forced me with those lies and what I call a 'tornado of fear' (baseless) to the hospital where they called ahead which made the choice of hospital stupid (we drove by the local hospital so I could go to the hospital with midwives, but they called the "OB side" and I couldn't sneak in), where they completely gave me up to "the man" and after 6 hours of ceaseless arguing with the staff while having massive contractions, I was forced into stupid stupid stupid surgery.

Turns out the babe was posterior with one, if not both, hands at his face. If anyone had ever checked for this they could have explained to themselves why it was taking so long, and it could have explained to me why it was hurting SO bad. If I hadn't given up so much of my power to them, I could have remembered to fire them. If I wasn't so tired I could have been sane. If my husband hadn't been so tired he could have remembered to trust in me...and so on.

It's been a miserable recovery, and I still have almost daily pain.

Everything the doctors said to me to scare me was ABSENT from my records. They pulled out of their butts so they could leave to start an extra-long weekend for Memorial Day (I totally forgot it was about to be that weekend while at the hospital).

Hubby and I have never been the best communicators, and we have had to pull out all the stops to get through this. A lot of it stemmed from us not knowing what the other was thinking, and with my hubby that turns him from communicator-guy to assumption-guy and tell-her-what-she-wants-to-hear-guy, SO while I was asking him if he wanted me to get the epidural b/c he looked so scared, he agreed *while thinking* "I wonder if I could carry her to the elevator and get out before security was called"...and while I was trying to ascertain if he would divorce me if I stayed at home or left the hospital, he was thinking how horrible it all was, and how everything I said about midwives and hospitals had come true (I had wanted to UC but he begged for midwives "for the first baby" and I gave in). So we've had a LOT to work on.

I had yeast until Eamon was 6 months old, and I couldn't ever seen to get a treatment schedule to stick to for me. I refused western medicine for it (plus I refused to speak to the midwives and wasn't going to see the OB for it, so had nowhere to go for a diagnosis or prescription), and there was one memorable episode of slathering gentian violet on all affected parts, then realize it doesn't easily come off un"used" parts like underarms, and having to scrub my armpits with rubbing alcohol, to get just enough of it off so I could wear a strapless dress to be a bridesmaid when E was 9 weeks old. Oh, scrubbing with rubbing alcohol on yeasty pits...works, but hurts like hell.

Oh yeah, the doofus intake people at the hospital got tired of me listing all the variations of Aleve's name for allergies, and decided to put that I was allergic to all NSAIDS. Which was discovered 24 hours postop when a different OB happened to comment on it. I started crying b/c I was having such pain, and said NO NO NO, and finally they got me started on ibuprofen as well as the percocet, and finally I had some relief. Then they kicked me out 42 hours postop because I was fine; I've had a look at my labs and I was NOT fine, along with the fact that I was crying my eyes out, begging to be allowed my 4 days. They kept trying to blame my insurance company, but they had the wrong insurance company (the OB on call was with Group Health, but my insurance was Great West), and insurance companies aren't allowed to dictate post-baby hospital stays anyway!

Well, the only good thing about being kicked out, forced to get up to my 3rd floor apartment 43 hours postop, was that my milk didn't come in until the 5th day. Best to be at home, solid in your confidence of colostrum and eventual milk, rather than being badgered by hospital personnel!

************************

So anyway...that's just the short and shorter version.







: I'm feeling quite brave, for joining you guys. But I think we're all far enough in time away from our baby's arrival that what happened back then won't be daily conversation, so I might not encounter too many triggers for my rage and shame and sadness.







And when I do encounter it, I'm a teensy bit better at just walking away, rather than posting while inside those feelings.

************************

Well, since I don't want to pay more for the shipping than for the futon, perhaps you can share the procedure? If you followed instructions, what were they? It's so intriguing, the concept of making your own futon! To me the innards of futons and mattresses and such are a mystery, and it's really rocking my little world







that a normal human could make her own.


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

I'm not supposed to be posting, I'm supposed to be making dinner for the clients here at the group home, but I popped in and I just have to say....

Mollyeilis..






























It sounds like you have been through a terrible ordeal, and that you are on a long road to healing that involves lots of truth-seeking. I think you will find that the mamas here, while JOKING about being crunchier-than-thou, are actually wonderfully supportive.

If you want, you can send TurboClaudia a pm, and she can tell you about the other forum we frequent. This one's great for smilies and big news and general chit-chat, but I also like the other one for privacy and vents. In the other forum, I can go on and on and on about Luke's Failure to Thrive saga, and I don't feel like I'm buggin people cause it's easy for them to skip it if they don't have time or interest in every gritty detail. I mention this because it would be a great place for you to vent all that rage you're trying to spare us.







Sometimes, a good rage-athon feels good, and you just might find some of these mamas who want to listen. Rage away, or do whatever you need to heal.









OK, I SERIOUSLY have to go back to work now.

Love to all, I'll try to reply to everyone else later this week.


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

Aw shucks, thank you.







Luckily? I found ICAN *really* early on, and that led to many other groups online that have allowed me to vent a lot.







But I still might join the group you mentioned...is it the same group of people, the May '04 baby-mamas? Ok that sounds funny.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Molly, what Fiddlefern (hi! Good luck at work!!) said.





















and I did NOT have the optimum birth experience either (and that is the biggest understatement I have EVER made!)...and I still have days where I am working through that. These mamas know, and they have been nothing but AMAZING and supportive...we all are. I







the May mamas like whoah!








So welcome, share, and yes, maybe pm TurboClaudia about our other group!







(and me if you want to commisserate! I would share my story if you'd like...)

I really don't have much to share right now. I vaccuumed the downstairs (the upstairs NEEDS it but I was too lazy to lug the vaccuum up there--haha) but the dishes are still in the sink.









Rowan ate organic tater tots and Spinach Munchees for dinner, supplemented by part of an Organic Earth's Best baby food jar (Spinach & potatoes), with some Green Goodness juice. *I* ate the leftover lard-encrusted Mexican food from last night.







: And I should see if we have any more of the tortilla chips from last night!
















Poor bebe has my cold







(which I am still trying to get better from, btw!), and DH made us ALL drive to this litle auto shop in the middle of bumf







k nowhere to look at a crappy little car _whose back right door would not open_.







To be fair, they didn't tell us about that little detail but well, we were both angry about it, and then DH was being all wishy-washy about whether he should buy this hunk o' junk rather than use the $1000 or so dollars to fix our old car, and I was so steamed! Rowan was upset and tired of being strapped into his carseat all morning, and I had planned for us to go to the aquarium (which was 45 minutes away) but instead we drove BACK to the mall near home (they had a carousel so we played there for an hour or so) and then got BACK in the car to see if Rowan would nap on the way to the aquarium this afternoon.
Bad, bad idea.
He was really upset, but when we sang to him, he fell asleep...for only 50 minutes or so. He woke up when we got off the highway.







So we had a VERY tired, sick baby at a REALLY crowded aquarium. We did have a happy hour there...but then all of a sudden Rowan wanted to push his stroller, whose handles he could not reach. When we tried to help him, he just got more and more frustrated until he had a meltdown and we had to go home.








So, BACK in the car where we hit traffic and it took all our mama & daddy skillz to keep Rowan from screaming ALL the way home.
A long, crappy day was had by all.





















<------*sad DH, mama and bebe*
I felt really guilty that I made Rowan sit in the car for so long today. DH comented about how "I don't remember being in the car so much as a kid" and I felt so bad!







He didn't mean it to be a barb at me and mostly, I didn't even take it that way; it was just making me sad to feel so isolated as a society--that unless we live in a LARGE city, we have to drive a LOT to get anywhere with other kids/parents/life.








Okay, enough ranting! Sorry.

We did have a good late afternoon, Rowan played all the rest of the time outside with DH while I got dinner together, and he fell asleep early. *sigh*
We have church tomorrow and then nothing, which will be nice. Rowan can nap in his own crib and not be stuck in the car all day.








I took a bath and again, I SHOULD be writing (DH is, and christ, his story is about VAMPIRES.







: I have to write!!!). So I guess I will go do that now.
Really. As soon as I find those tortilla chips...!


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Renae-I feel for your riding in a car story. I was having many of those same thoughts yesterday when G and I were stuck in a major traffic jam. What normally would take us 15-20 minutes took 1 hour and 15 minutes! I was upset with the whole car-oriented society, too. And, it's really bad here in Texas. No one thinks a thing about driving 30-40 minutes to get somewhere. I hate that about living here....well, that and many other things, but I digress. Anyway,









KK-The shower cleaner we use is called No Work and is made by Melaleuca. You have to be a preferred customer to order, which I am. It's supposed to be non-toxic, as are all their cleaning products. Before I used this, though, I used the Method brand Target makes and liked it pretty well. And, congrats on the girl! That's so awesome.

Molly, you are supported here! We hardly ever talk about our births anymore, so that shouldn't be an issue. You are welcome here!








Even if you don't make your own futons







And, my May babe only has four teeth all the way through! He's got 3-4 teeth in the back that have recently emerged from the gums, but he won't let me look close enough to know which ones! You do have a toothy one!









Okay, dh returns late tomorrow, and I'm so glad. Gabriel is really starting to show his tantrum phase. We got him a used Cozy Coupe at a consignment store, and he's got that "go nuts when ya see a CC" gene Renae spoke about before. I have to put it away, out of sight after we're done and I have to make sure he have plenty of time to play with it or he will just bawl if I pull him away from it early. He's got this same reaction with a 6-year old neigbor boy who comes over to play with him. He LOVES to play with Brent, and Brent does okay with him for the most part. However, earlier today, I noticed Brent was playing hide and go seek with Gabriel and G doesn't quite get the hard-to-find hiding yet, ya know? So he would cry when he couldn't find Brent. B thought it was funny, but I could tell it was frustrating G so I pulled him inside and he took a nap. I didn't let them play together later this afternoon cause I knew G was tired and it wouldn't end up well. But, when we went outside for a walk, he saw Brent and actually tried to run out into the street to him. When I wouldn't let him play in the street, he bawled and it was all I could do to calm him back down. Craziness! Diaper changes, taking an item away from him he shouldn't be playing with...all of it have been resulting in tears and fits.

Part of this behavior is because his napping is off due to the time change still. He's wanting to nap in the morning at 9:30! he'll sleep an hour, but then take no more naps that day. This is too long for him to go without napping, so he collapses at 6:30, thus making him get up earlier in the morning, and repeating the whole cycle. It will eventually even out, but it's tough. I've been trying to get him to take a later nap, but that doesn't always work out.

Okay, I'm














too much here. We had a nice time after dinner playing with his toys and reading books, without lots of drama. So, there are some bright spots. I just miss dh and will be so glad when he's back!


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Sheesh, mamas, we are







:














:














: lately!









Jacqueline- I don't think I know what a Crazy Coup is, but I think I'll steer clear just in case Luke has the CC freak-out gene.









Renae- sorry about the long day- hope your lil one feels better SOON. Sounds like maybe he finally succumbed to that nastiness you were fighting.









KK- Red hair vibes comin' your way.







If it's any conciliation on the whole preggo difficulty thing, I remember that one of the Kenyan old wives tales (I have Kenyan friends) was that you get more morning sickness with girls. Since I didn't have it too bad, and was getting along so well with my husband (another tale), they predicted a boy. Soooooo cute how excited T is about the sister that's coming.

Welcome back into "the fold," AGrace and Lisa. You KNOW you love us and can't stay away tooo long.







Plus we'd miss you way too much. Oh, and Lisa-









Sarah'sMama and Heatherfeather- you are my idols, baking with your kiddos. You know, it has never occurred to me to have Luke help. I think he's still too much at the grabby stage. But soon, soon.

We got the initial written eval in the mail today from the developmental assessment Thursday. I got all freaked out by the "A" word that day, but there was nary a mention of it on the eval. I actually completely agree with what they wrote: "Many age-appropriate speech, language, and social/communication skills were noted today, but inconsistencies were noted in frequency and initiation of use. Recommended speech/Language therapy through Kaiser; family will be called to schedule this." Yup. I do have some concerns about his language and communication skills: that's why I wanted the eval in the first place. And I do think that language therapy is a good idea as a preventative measure. It's just that when I look at my babe, I just don't see anything that says "autism spectrum" to me.

Oh, and KK-

Quote:

Ack! I don't know if I want us to start a therapy club! No one really wants to be a member! 






















: Thanks, I really needed that.


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

What's a cozy coupe?

How are all your May toddlers with music? Do all toddlers bop around when music is on? My guy goes mad for music, all music. Even music on TV ads (we don't watch children's programming, but we do have the TV on in evenings







)...he loves the Eminem/Ipod ad...

And earlier there was a bit of violin on and he went wild! That made me so happy, that he recognizes violin as music along with Eminem.







Made me want to look up the Suzuki Method for violin...









Hmm, this is kind of nice, being able to talk to people who have same-aged kids...


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *fiddlefern*
KK- Red hair vibes comin' your way.

For DS, we got red hair by having a bottle blond (turns out brown) mother and half-Korean, black haired father.







NO one expected a red-haired hazel-eyed kid.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *fiddlefern*
If it's any conciliation on the whole preggo difficulty thing, I remember that one of the Kenyan old wives tales (I have Kenyan friends) was that you get more morning sickness with girls.

Oh please don't say that...I had heartburn sooooo baddddd with Eamon...if it were to be worse with a girl, oh gosh I'm not sure I'll be able to TTC again.







However, I've since learned that baking soda and water is a miracle cure for heartburn, which is good because Tums never worked for me.

"inconsistencies were noted in frequency and initiation of use. Recommended speech/Language therapy through Kaiser; family will be called to schedule this." Yup. I do have some concerns about his language and communication skills"

So what were you noticing? I've been going along, figuring that Eamon's speech habits (which change every day, a step forward, step back, a step sideways, etc) were normal and would even out...he'd figure out the words he doesn't consistently, do, and so on...but now I wonder if I'm just being pollyannaish? I spoke early, but my brilliant brother didn't talk until he was 2...he didn't need to since I spoke for him! But we use sign and I usually pay a LOT of attention to DS's needs and wants, so he rarely NEEDS to talk, either.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

molly: music-mad monkey here, too. the past couple of weeks he's taken to bopping whenever he hears music, be it on the tv, radio, ambient noise in a store or restaurant, or even mama or dada singing. it's ridiculously cute. and as for our "other" group, it's a yahoo group of just us, private, not advertised, have to be approved to be a member. you can find us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/May2004MDCMamas and click on join this group in the top right corner. include your mdc name in the join request notes so i know it's you. we show off pictures there, and a lot of people feel more comfortable sharing more personal stuff on there. we started it after one of the many mdc down times when switching to new servers and more than a few of us were needing some virtual support but without the ability to get it because of no mdc.

today's vegan nun highlight: we went to a HUGE rummage sale that is a fundraiser for a fancy schmancy private school here in pdx-land, and there sure was a lot of cr*p there. i'll try and post a pic of the new toy we got mr. marek that he would not stop playing with while we were there so we had to get it...









the ongoing terrible homekeeper saga: dishes continue to pile up in the sink, around the sink and in front of the toaster oven while we pluck clean ones from the dishwasher as needed.

today's bonus vegan nun highlight: we lost power for about an hour this evening and lit candles and did non-computer and non-television things.
















~claudia


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Mollyeilis- I go back and forth about whether early intervention is needed with Luke. I'd rather err on the side of caution, what with his weight issues perhaps causing delays. The main issue, perhaps, is that he does not follow directions.







So the question is, does he not follow directions because he can't, or he won't, or because he hasn't been given the opportunity to learn being raised by nonconformist parents.







. Luke and therapist are looking through a tub of plastic animals. "Luke, can you give this dog to mama? Luke, can you give the dog to mama? Give the dog to mama." Luke totally ignores the therapist. Therapist asks me to call Luke, but Luke is stacking megablocks. I call: "Luke. Luuuuuuke. Luke. Hey, Luke." Luke totally ignores us. (the thing is, Luke DOES respond to his name, but not when he's interested in something else.) Therapist plays that he's feeding a sheep. Luke is not interested at all in the game. After finding no real food in the cup, Luke procedes to take the cup on and off the sheep's head, like the sheep and cup are megablocks.

If I say, "Luke, can you bring the ball to mama?" he looks at me, then does his own thing. Does he not know what I'm saying, or does he just not want to do it? Luke has about four words, and no signs. It's difficult to tell if he knows any body part other than his tongue, because he won't point to them if asked. He rarely points, claps on command, or waves on command. He just doesn't follow commands, for whatever reason.

Of course, this morning, he pointed, clapped, AND waved on command







So this morning I'm feeling like Luke just isn't in to performing in order to please other people, and maybe that's personality or maybe it's a touch of autism spectrum or maybe it's because I just don't push him to do things he doesn't seem interested in doing. Who knows?

OK, enough of that.

Babes and music: Luke isn't really a dancer- he's more of a racer. But he is TOTALLY into musical instruments. He plays either with the guitar or the keyboard every day. He is fascinated by my violin, and especially by the cello at church.

Claudia- wow, I forget you're so close to the coast that you were in the midst of all that storming/wind/flooding on HWY 26. Hope things get cleaned up there soon.

Ta ta- ds decided to dump O's all over the floor, stomp on them, and then eat them. He's about done with his play so it's time to clean up.


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

Gosh, that sounds like normal to me...I'm no expert, but I'm the oldest of five, and...that sounds like normal.

If some therapist were to do that with Eamon, well first off he'd barely know who "mama" is because I don't call myself that!







He'd have to say "can you give that to Molly".







And he might give it or he might not. And then the feeding thing...that just sounds like an odd thing to do. Especially for a first born. It's not like he's got much opportunity to WATCH someone being fed, right? I know Eamon would be mystified. We've barely fed him stuff from a spoon, since we delayed solids until beyond 11 months. By that time he would just feed himself, so he too might be mystified by the whole feeding sheep thing (along with the "what's that white fuzzy thing that I've never seen" issue).

I don't mean to jump in where I know NOTHING and tell you you're wrong, it's just these tests, I put so little stock in them.

Let me tell you the story of a test.







I'm the oldest, and I guess I was smart early on (before I noticed boys, grr), and the principal of my elementary school wanted to test me for the gifted program. I was dreadfully shy (which nowadays would likely get me tested for other things and NOT allow me into the gifted program) and the principal knew in order to get me to test well he couldn't test me in a group. So it was just the principal and me in his office, and he slowly and quietly went through the test with me. I passed and was in the ELP/GATE program until about 7th grade when I noticed boys and went stupid.

My brother, who is a freakin' genius (and incredibly popular, athletic, outgoing, blah blah blah, nightmare brother), was tested about 3 years later. New principal. New test. This test, according to my mother, utilized CARTOON characters, and pretty much required that you have knowledge of these cartoon characters for you to even get started on the test. It was like Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd, and you had to say who the shotgun belonged to...totally making that up, but that's what I'm talking about. Well, we were raised on public television, back when it was ONLY Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers. Not even Barney or those weird penis-looking things they have now (BooBahs?). So *of course* my brother failed. He had NO concept of who these creatures were and how they related to each other!

He was never in the gifted program, he got straight As until some kid sat on his Woodshop final project and landed him a B, in high school he got As in the million AP classes he took, he got an Electrical Engineering degree from Duke University and is now working in some hugely high level amazing 5-people-in-the-country-are-qualified-to-do-it job at Cisco Systems. Not gifted? Um, yeah...







:

I tell that b/c tests are just so subjective! Maybe your guy doesn't WANT to feed a white fuzzy thing. Ya know?









And I know my guy is at the end of May, but I *never* expect him to respond to me always...unless I whip out a boob, then I expect him to lunge.







Perhaps you should do that? cracking myself up here...

I'm not meaning to be annoying, and if I am I'm sorry. "hi, can I join here, OK now I'll butt in and be a poop"...







It's just...you're describing all of my siblings...









OK, whining child, gotta go.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

FF-- C is so not a performer either. She will hardly say a word in front of anyone other than DH or I or people she's been around for a while. She *just* started pointed to things last week and usually refuses to play along with requests to name things or do things on command. We have our eval in the monring so I'll have to share some tales afterwards! Agreed that the language support can only help and it sounds like the final opinion in the eval is to do just that. Just from our small little group here, it's so clear that there is a huge range. Heck---the little guy I nannied for hardly said anything but "quack" until he was almost 2!









C isn't much of a dancer, but is also drawn to music whenever she hears it. She has just started singing rock a bye baby which is v. cute! She'll even hug my big ole belly and sing to the baby.









I am sooo out of the bad housewife club. The entire downstairs is clean--just need to vaccuum and sweep in the kitchen. The upstairs--well, um, they probably aren't going to be up there and the doors can be shut!









Way lacking in the veganun dept---but I did borrow a whole foods for the family cookbook from LLL that is due back at the meeting on Wednesday. That counts, right?









Jacqueline---LOL on G having the CC gene too! I keep looking for them at sales and such and no luck so far. We have a great wraparound porch that would be perfect for that. She has a little hand-me-down bike that she's ridden a little, but I think the CC would be a huge hit! Hope your guy is home soon! Sounds like you both miss him! Sorry his sleep is off! I was actually hoping the time change would help some here, but miss thing still wants to go to bed at 9pm every night! She is an early napper too though. The only thing I've found that keeps her up later is being out at the library (only a short ride home) or at the park or outside playing. Car naps are my worst nightmare--20 minutes of snooze and she's done napping for the day!

Renae--aquarium you say???? We are thinking of visiting CT the first weekend (fri-sun ish) in December so stay tuned! We will get together one of these days and that would be the perfect in between spot. Bummer on the car--any decision yet whether to fix up the current one?? And shush on the lard encrusted mexican---that actually sounds really, really good now!! I am so craving some oaxacan cheese!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Molly--whoa dude--your story really moves me. I am SO SORRY you had to go through that. That is a total trauma. Here's some belated love & support for what was a godawful nightmare.
Futon making: there is a forum on here about something related to natural home or something like that (jeez, nice specificity elsanne) and I posted in the mattress thread, and I am going to find it so you can look at it but not this moment because I'm about to fall over tiredlike. I have since fielded many PMs about specific how to make your own futon questions...seems to be a popular thing once you find out how simple it is! Canvas! Batting! Put together, sew up!









So, our new bedtime routine to include more tooth care is: brush teeth, diaper, pajamas, teta, sleep! I say this mantra over n over again as we go through the steps and feel really good I've finally committed the toothbrushing to routine. I'd like to do it as the getting ready to leave the house in the am routine too.

I am pulling organic whole wheat walnut bread out of the oven right this moment...that's my vegan nun attempt of the day...

terrible housewife? CHECK.

Heather feather, must know if a) your belly got bigger much earlier this preg, and b) if you are still nursing and if it hurts like the dickens.
Anyone else who is preg again, please answer these too! KK!


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Elsanne--Definitely had the belly all out in front there right away. I actually gained a lot slower this time around, but yup--things changed right away. We're still nursing away here. I'd say up until 16-18ish weeks it hurt like h*ll when she latched on--I'd seriously have to look away so she wouldn't see me wincing--and then sort of just felt like a bad/toothy latch otherwise. Even then it got to be where maybe it wouldn't hurt so bad for a week and then it would again. I'm thinking things switched over to colostrum or something now (almost 26 weeks) because it really doesn't bother me much at all (just sometimes at the end of the day if it's the 10th time for the day)--just sort of feels like she's sucking *really* hard.

I ain't no vegan nun, but I've mostly finished sewing 6 dipes from the Very Baby pattern today.







Have to finish the applix closures and topstitching tomorrow and that'll make 9 dipes for the week! So much cheaper/more fun than buying them...well especially since someone gave me a lot of the materials and having two in dipes will be interesting!

Dh is driving me nuts on several fronts, but more on that on the group when I have a chance to gather my thoughts.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

I am JUST about to go to bed (DH is calling!







) but I wanted to respond on the music front--Rowan ADORES it!







a boy after his mama's heart. He dances to EVERYTHING and tries to sing, too.







So we are always listening to music, from The Beatles to Raffi, to Music Together to Tori Amos, to Coheed & Cambria to Reggae and Death Cab. I see preferences (doesn't care for Tori, *gasp!* Dances to System of a Down and the new NIN on the radio.







)
He likes making music too, but mostly he just loves listening to all of it. He is still a little drummer and that rules. I am SO psyched to be able to show him all the wonderful music out there.

Okay, bedtime. It's pouring and thundering here tonight. Have a great night!

Oh and Cozy Coupe=those plastic ride-in cars, some people call them Flintstone cars, they move with the toddler's feet (or when mama pushes them around.







rol







) and they are CRACK crack crack!!







:

Good night, everymama.


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

Oh, those! Just before I saw your post about the cozy coupe I looked it up. Turns out my son has been in one, once. We were visiting a friend with a 3 year old; they have one, and he thought it was pretty cool. Got in backwards, though, so he was facing out the back, then pushed his feet out. Made the thing look a lot easier, to sort of kick his legs, rather than pull them in like you would facing the correct way.

And since then, whenever DH takes DS to the store, I hear that Eamon goes nuts for the special shopping carts with the cars on the front. No wonder!

Making a futon is sounding easier and like more of a possibility...man would that be cool!


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

O. M. G.

So, my MIL moves in, my baby gets a sinus infection, I'm out of the loop for a few days, and LOOK WHAT HAPPENS! You guys have TOO MUCH EXCITEMENT going on for one group of May Baby Mamas!









OK, so seriously: Rock on with the girly vibies, KK! And red hair, red hair! You know I love it! We got the strawberry blonde look from an auburn-ish mama and a dirty blond papa - woohoo!

Welcome back, Molly! I do remember you from the due date thread, uh huh, uh huh. And I think I answered your request about sling shoppin' in PDX one time. Uh huh, uh huh.

Um, Megan - Double w00t w00t on the job! That is awesome news. I was thinking about you both.

Welcome back, AGrace! I asked about you a few pages back - been missin' you! So glad to hear you and the Peach are doing okay. Hugs for any crud you've been dealing with in the interim.

Glad to see you around these parts, Lisa! So excited to hear your news. Hope to hear more in the near future.









Renae -







to you, mama, just for being you. You rock, mama.







And you too, Elsanne. Play a nickel or two for me in Vegas.









Fiddlefern - we talk soon, ok? I miss you, mama.

So yeah, me. Lily has been SICK as a dog for the past few days. Today is just now coming out of the fog. Sinus yuckiness and cough for a month, multiple very high fevers starting Thursday night, etc. all boils down to antibiotics. She's been on 'em since Friday noon and is just getting better today. Poor DH has been on sleep duty and he is a dear. I've been on clingy-baby-only-wants-mama-milk duty and man, talk about raw nips. Anyways, I'm just blessed that she's okay now and on the mend.

Add to this MIL's first week in the house and let me tell you, I've been better. But we are FINALLY moved in upstairs as of this afternoon. This evening DH tore up the carpet in MIL's room (was our room), sanded and painted the floor. So she can move in tomorrow or Tuesday and get out of the living room. Whew. I must say though she has been a goddess-send in the Lilycare department, the cooking department, and the laundry department. So, sadly, I will have to bow out of the horrible housewife club. Because I have my own housewife - or houseMIL, I guess.









OK, enough of a book out of me, and I'm not even in NaNoWriMo! Off to do some homework, the first this weekend! Yeehaw!

Sarah


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Oh, and Jacqueline - glad your DH is coming home soon! I am always amazed at you mamas going it alone, for however long. Kudos to you.

OK, don't make me a thread killer, ladies! Happy Monday, and go to it!

S.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Sarah--glad the ab's are helping Lily get past the nasty sinus/cold stuff. Poor sweetie! Sounds like MIL will be a great addition to the household--you're lucky, mine can't clean worth a darn!







Hope the household itself settles down---N must be working his tail off to get things together! Kudos to him for helping Lily through some rough nights!

We had our in home eval today and it was **SOOOOOOOO** much more helpful than the one we had at CHOP. C was so at ease playing with the one therapist and even let the speech therapist try a couple feeding related things. More on the group at some point, but the ball is rolling at least. The O/T gave me a few ideas for things to try in the meantime.









We enjoyed really nice warm weather this weekend, but brisk and chilly fall has returned! C is thankfully taking somewhat later naps (going down at noon instead of 1030am) so we got our grocery shopping in and will hit the park this afternoon. So off to get some lunch and finish sewing those dipes---not a futon, but at least on the crunchy spectrum of sewables!


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Molly, I think I remember your birth story from the cesarean support thread...







I'm sorry things went so badly and that you didn't have more support at the time and afterward. Truly, this is a wonderful, supportive, accepting group of women, and this is a good place to talk about anything.







(although I tend to take my "private" stuff to the YG)

Heather, Z had 1 eval at home, 1 away from home, and we do all therapy at home. I *reaaaallly* recommend doing the therapy at home, if at all possible (I'm sure you understand why at this point). And AGrace, kudos to you for getting the eval in home. Let us know how it goes. (BTW, there's really good discussion about sensory stuff in special needs parenting.)

Elsanne, you seem to have all the good vacations.

Sarah, I can't believe how much you have going on. Wellness vibes to Lily.

Belly... okay, remember that I'm tall, have a longish torso, and that I've lost weight this pg... I'm still in my regular pants (the lowish rise ones... others are getting snug), which should tell you a thing about my belly. I'm probably going to "show" before I did with Z, though (and with T, I don't think I showed till 5 months or later, wasn't in maternity pants till the 6th month).







Nursing with T hurt a lot, didn't hurt at all with Z, but my milk lasted a lot longer with T.









Z likes to dance, stomp, bounce, wiggle, you get the picture. Apparently, it's part of being hypotonic; he *loves* the extra sensory input. He also likes loud sounds, lots of visual stimulation, etc. (Ie, he's the anti-T.)

Beth, I still need to finish that pm (it got deleted when I was 2/3 of the way through







). Z couldn't do a lot of those things "on cue" till we did some of the play therapy, and then of course, he masters it right away.







Maybe I'm a crappy mom and not teaching him the right stuff?







And part of what I was going to say is that all too often, it seems like folks throw around really serious, loaded terms (like the a word) without thinking, without it necessarily having any grounding, and they just don't realize what they're doing to the parents. We had a couple of those moments with Z, if you don't recall.









Renae, what's a spinach munchie? Munchie anything sounds good these days...

Jacqueline, I hope you get some extra "me" time when your dh gets back...









I just wanted to throw something out there, esp. for moms of boys... a lot of kids have speech "break-throughs" around 20 months. Of course, if there are obvious signs of a speech problem before then, I'd deal with it, but this is definitely a head-scratching phase, and things get better really soon.

Our house is slowly, slowly getting cleaner, and my cravings, while not necessarily vegan, have been thoroughly and disgustingly healthy.


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Hi chatty mamas!!

Welcome, Molly! I'm glad you are chattin' it up with us. I remember you posting on our thread when we were pg together. I'm so sorry you have so much to deal with in regards to Eamon's birth. Birthing our children leaves such a lasting impression, that its terrible when its clouded by breaches of trust and trauma.









Heather-so glad the eval with C went well today! Surely she appreciated being in her own familiar environment.

sarah-glad Lily is on the mend. Its so tough on EVERYone when our kids are sick. Sounds like MIL is a bit of a help?

Jacqueline-hope your reunion with the hubby was a good one!

fiddle-I'm glad you're feeling more at peace with the evaluation. Said it before, and I'll say it again....you are one awesome mama!

els-belly popped out much quicker with baby 2 than baby one!! I felt movement earlier, too, so that was great!

My baby is a mover and a shaker. LOOVES music and loooves to shake her booty. Actually, if you tell her to shake her booty, she'll wiggle her butt. Too stinking funny! She asks to hear "songs" and asksto "dance" and looves it. Once, she was on my hip in my Hotsling, and we were shopping. Well, a song came on the store radio that she was digging, and started dancing in the sling. She's a moooovin' groooovin baby!

Congrats on the hubby's job MM! Sounds like the perfect setup for your fam!

As for me, I had an incredible weekend. My dh is DA BOMB! Sat. morning my friend called me up and asked if I wanted to go shopping at the outlets with her on Sunday, dh said "go!!!" so I ddin't think twice about hittin' the road. So my friend picked me up at 930am and didn't get home until 530 pm. We shopped till we dropped. It was DIVINE!!! I had such a great time, and I got LOTS of Christmas shopping done. What a refreshing day it was.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Okay, it's 4 am, and I am waiting for the airport shuttle. *yawn*









I am excited about a few days travelling solo, but super nervous too. I hope Sol does not suffer too much.

Thanks for sharing about your pregnancies, mamas. I had my first midwife visit yesterday and we checked my bloodwork, etc. I am so excited for this babe! So happy I'm having #2!!!

I realized that it must sound like I just have the LIFE down here...beach, vegas, bellydancin, etc...







ain't nuthin' for free in this life...it has its price too! Namely, an unstable relationship and financial situation. Many times my mind has made a hell of heaven, as they say. Gotta say that right this moment, which is all we have, I'm happy and excited about life. And wish I could go back to sleep.

Sarah, hopin Lily gets better!! OH!! I was sooo thinking of you saturday night: I went to a tango dance and at the very end, they put on latin music like salsa-ish stuff and guess what song they played??? Lilly!!! The one you put on your mix! I sang along with it and danced with my girlfriend and thought of youguys!

Sherri, what a fun day of shopping you had! How fun--alllll day with you and your girlfriend, at the outlet mall! *sigh* Sounds like fun!

Meg--I am sooo psyched for your hubby's job sitch! Don't you just love how things "happen for a reason" like that? And the pix on the YG are just cuteness out of control.

love to all, here I go!

e


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

hi all

i'm not doing very well on my no-work rule but i've been trying to keep my posts shorter. (and therefore not responding to everything i've read and been thinking about). glad to hear about mm's dh's job--job stress instability is the WORST and everything else can be more zen-like when that falls into place

hi molly--welcome to the





















chatty group

isaac would not do any of that stuff they tried with luke. NONE of it. he has never play-fed anything. he has never even been interested at all in his stuffed toys or dolls. he knows his rolly-bear is a 'bear' but i doubt he could associate that with a picture of a bear or the real one at the zoo. so picking a specific animal out of a tub of them would be a no go. he *might* bring a ball to me if he was feeling like it. because he loves balls.

but yeah luke doesn't strike me as autistic and even if he were i think it is too young to tell. he seems too tuned in to be autistic. he seems to be an 'observer' by personality type but he IS tuned in to everythign going on around him. one of my former co-worker's son is high functioning autistic. basically so high-functioning (ie nearly normal) that he was not diagnosed until age 7 when he still could not read. but to know the child (which i did from age 4 or 5) you would not have thought he was autistic. mostly because children in my mind are so unique and unencumbered by social stigmas. they DO what moves them. which means kids as a whole DO a lot of different things. now that that boy is 12 i can tell more that he really is autistic because half your questions to him are mostly ignored. and the other half are carefully answered.

i also have an uncle i think most definitely meets the 'high functioning autistic' definition. and the last time i saw him he even said 'that's my autism acting up' ok the man has never been officially diagnosed but apparently he sees it too.

gotta run to aerobics. more on my diatribe lata mamas.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

so where was i going with that? i dunno. i think at the high functioning end of the spectrum most people are so normal that a diagnosis can be based on very subtle social interaction quirks or real developmental hurdles in some areas and extreme talents in others. it seems like that very subtle stuff would be hard to examine in an 18 month old where there is still a huge range in physical and verbal skills. and personality can play into it so much.

what else? music. yep isaac will bop to something that catches him. he likes heavy beats.

toothybrushing. part of our bedtime and morning routine most days. sometimes he's still eating when i brush my teeth in the morning, otherwise we brush together. he mostly chews on it and about once every other day i wrestle him for a good brushing. he also loves to brush the carpet. ICK!!!!

i caught isaac pulling one of our cats around the kitchen by the tail







naughty boy. she was pretty tame about it.

els - viva las vegas. hope you're havin fun mama!

sherri - jealous of shopping unemcumbered by bebe. i took my bebe shopping sunday and he was sooooo goood i had to praise him in the car afterwards. the ergo is the only thing that works for me now. stroller he wants to climb out of.

sarah - i hope lily perks up. the bf is such a blessing when they are sick because you know they're getting something.

speaking of which my milk is definitely dropping. i have no more letdown contractions to speak of. and there isn't as much 'glugging' noise. isaac is getting mad and hitting the boobs. and squeezing trying to get more i think. he is a cling-on with nursing lately and i think that's why.....not as much milk. it's a transition

sorry i haven't addressed everyone and everything else. i better get movin.

take cara mamas


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

giving us a bump! Will be back later!


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

I wrote most of this post two days ago but then my computer timed out and I've been busy since...

Quote:

Welcome back, Molly!... I think I answered your request about sling shoppin' in PDX one time.
Molly- are you an Oregonian? Close enough for a get-together some time? Once you get on the YG, check out the folder of pics from the PDX mamas.

Sarah- when's a good time to call ya, girl? Are evenings better? I'll try and give you a ring soon.

HF- I am so glad you had a good eval. It must be a relief to know the ball is really rolling, and to have ideas on what to try. I know that when Luke had physical therapy, it really helped him to get over that hump of being stuck and frustrated. Perhaps he would have gotten where he is now (totally caught up to normal in the gross motor skills) on his own, but I know that in the mean time it made our lives a whole lot easier. And all we did were some simple little things that fit into our everyday activities.

Elsanne- I am so impressed that you are a workin mostly-single mama and still find time to back whole-grain bread.









Renae- some day we'll form the May Baby Band with our muscial geniouses.









All right, I have to cook tomatoes down to pizza sauce and make cream of cauliflower soup today, 'cause that's what I got in my food box. Plus, ds wants some attention.










...so now for new stuff...

Sarah- so glad the MIL thing is workin out- hope Lily gets better soon.

KKmama- it is so nice to be able to share this whole FTT thing with you- somehow lightens my burden 'cause I know that you've been down this path (well, a similar one) too.

Sarah'sMama- sounds like a wonderful day- hooray for dh too









Elsanne- I think what you said is true for all of us- our situation largely depends on our perspective of it.

Jstar- you just rock









OK, everyone- send us some healing/calming vibes this morning. It's endoscopy time.









Love ya'll


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

fiddle: is it this morning? i totaly was thinking of the wrong day... probably got the dates confused... anyway, thinking of you and sending you peace & wisdom & healing vibes & whatever else you need that you didn't realize you needed...









els: i got your envelope from down south! thank you for my little surprise!

renae & fiddle: may baby band, yeah! can marek play the cowbell?







or maybe the maracas... hmm...

everyone else,







i love my may mamas and am dreaming of a vacation commune that we could all go to to chill and visit with one another...









must. shower. stinky.

~claudia


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Claudia--







Be glad you didn't say that in front of C--her favorite jokey thing to do when Dh or I announce the need to shower is make the bath sign then hold her nose until we go upstairs.









Sherri--outlet shopping---v.cool! But you should've let me know and I'd have made a Hanna list for ya!







That and I really miss the Crate&Barrel outlet!

Jstar--read on your other group reply about Isaac and school---yay! So glad he's loving it these days!

No word back yet from the doula, but found two others to email today. V. disappointed again yesterday w/ appt. with the new mw in the group. She's friendly/nice, but very ditzy.







She agreed to let me come back in 4 wks and not 2 since I'm BORING! But holy moly I'll be 30wks then!









I did find a harmonica and kazoo at the parent/teacher store, but C is clueless and sucks on them.







I tried bubbles yesterday w/ no luck. Will see about blowing out birthday candles today. We also got some fingerpaints so we're going to have some messy fun when she wakes up from her nap!







Oh and another OT suggestion was to try spinach--not sure why I haven't before now...but she LOVES it. She actually preferred that to the spaghettios







: I was offering. Okay enough







--must go steam some







: for her lunch.


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Fiddle-thinking of you and Luke and sending some good endo vibes...







Please let us know how it went when you get a chance.









heather, sadly, I did not go to the Kittery outlets. went to Freeport, still v. v. cool, just no Hanna or C&B









Els-hope you're having a blast in sin city!!

jstar-what a thought provoking post! You are quite the insightful mama. ...

As for us, we had a playgroup this morning. I was so proud of my older dd, she did so great. Recently there has been more-than-usual bickering amongst two of the girls, and I was so proud of Sarah for how she acted with them today.









My IL's are coming to visit this weekend, and I really need to start preparing, but dang, I'm lazy!


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

We're baaaack.

Heather- good luck on all the doula/midwife/kazoo/fingerpainting stuff. Gee- I guess you're already living as the mama of two, aren't you?

Sarah'sMama-hooray for a good playdate









Luke's endo/broncho went great this a.m. Whew! What a relief. Everything looks "normal" structurally, but we'll have to wait till next week to get the report on the biopsies.

As Luke was going under, I actually started feeling faint and had to sit down. Sheesh. Dh had to listen to the fact stuff, cause I was mentally out of it. It was hard on me, but LUKE has bounced back quickly. In fact, I wish he was a little MORE sedate (but not sedated







) this afternoon. I guess he did all his napping this morning. I'm like "That was an exhausting experience!" and Luke's like, "Hey mama, let's go out in the sunshine and play!"

Speaking of which, I think we will.








Love to my main May Mamas


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

I'm up in Washington.







We do enjoy an Oregon trip, though (a couple weeks ago went yurt-camping on the OR coast), and in fact got married in Hillsboro (and DS got his start in Forest Grove LOL).

On the sling trip mentioned we found no slings (Ergos being too expensive and too "modern" for my taste), but it was fun to find a brick-and-mortar place to look at diapers, even if all we bought was a 5-pack of Kushies AIOs.









Man oh man has our guy seemed tired! He's getting sleep, LOTS of it, but he just looks tired.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Heeeeeello May Mamas! I meeshu, I meeshu, as Lily says!

HF, OMG! 30 weeks coming up! Wowzers, how did it go so fast. I'm so excited for you.







Bubbles are weird here. Lily used to be able to do it a month or so ago (blow bubbles through the wand thingy) but now she can't, or won't, or something. But she still loves us to do it. A great bathtime treat now that it's cold outside. How funny about C holding her nose! One of Lily's new jokes is to say, randomly, "Papa peepee poopoo. Stinky!" And then she laughs. Don't know how THAT one started.









Fiddle - glad the appt. went well this morning. I'm sending some belated calm vibes. Maybe they'll reach Luke this afternoon instead. Call me any eve except Thursday; that's my late night. Hope to talk to you (and see you) soon!

Sherri - shopping sounds like so much fun. I can't wait to get some Xmas stuff done. Don't know when, but someday.

Well Lily is 100% better. I am as wary of antibiotics as the next vegan nun, but boy howdy, sometimes they really do the trick. In other news, she slept almost 11 hours STRAIGHT last night, first time ever without waking up at all (or if she did, niether of us heard her!). She's in a single bed right bed right next to ours now, and she likes the idea of "baby's bed." We really talked it up and she took to it like a dream. The last few nights she's come into our bed (on DH's side) in the wee hours, but last night she didn't even stir from 9 to 7:30. It's absolutely the most amazing thing.

I leave really early a few mornings, so I pump those mornings and she drinks a sippy full of mama milk right upon waking. Doesn't seem to mind. She attacks me as soon as I walk in the door in the afternoons, though.

Hi to everyone - I'm thinking about you all!

Sarah


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Hi mamas from sin city--thanks for the wishing me lots of fun--I am working my tushie off and we have stepped out of the hotel two times, once to go to the strip for dinner and gawking, and once to go to Whole Foods! I spent my entire week's salary there and am sooo psyched about everything I got.

A brief moment alone as the other gals went to go get lunch--I had some spotting yesterday which wigged me out, I attributed it to the travel and not enough sleep...did any of y'all spot in your pregnancies?

I MISS MY BABY SOO MUCH! My breasts ache and I have manually expressed several times, even though it hurts. I don't want the supply to drop totally. I'm not ready for weaning, even if she is!!







Sometimes I really wonder if it is right & good to wean when pregnant. The pain, the pain! I am taking Heather's word for it that the pain will stop.

MMF!


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Els--I spotted about the time my period would have been due and it lasted about 3ish days?? The PA I saw at the ob's office said it was normal for brownish kinda stuff to last that long. What helped me was to practice my breathing --nice deep breath in when she latched I tell ya!

Sarah--C loves her bed as well and woke a couple times a night in the beginning, but pretty reliably snoozes 9-630 or so most nights. LOL at being attacked in the afternoons! I went into the city the other week and was gone 4-5 hours and boy was she glad to see me when I got back!







Glad the ab's did the trick!








: Glad your boy did so well! Sounds like you have promising news--what are the biopsies looking for?? I have our appt for the GI next month and am wondering if they'll recommend some similar studies (swallowing etc)--will need some hand-holding then if they do!

Have some cutie pics of the finger painting to share----she loved it!! I think we went through almost half the finger paint that I bought! Will have to request some for Christmas gifts for sure! She loves all art related things---we're thinking of getting her an art easel for her big gift for Christmas.









Okay my non-vegan dinner of spaghettis and meatballs needs to be cooked!


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *heatherfeather*
Els--I spotted about the time my period would have been due and it lasted about 3ish days??

Hmm, was it obvious that it was just spotting, or could you have thought it was a period?


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

ME--it was pretty clear it was spotting brownish/pinkish/mucousy at times, but never red, red. Hope that's all it is Els!!---that and you're jaunting all over the strip and being busy, busy! I bet your girly can't wait to see you again!

Sherri--Oooh---I love those outlets too--I like that you can walk around there moreso than the ones in Kittery. I want to move into the LLBean store.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

I spotted during my pregnancy, early on. All was fine. I heard it happens sometimes when the egg adheres to the uterine wall or something? There was an official name to it, but I forget what it was.








Also, DH and I had just had..."relations", and so I thought we "hurt the baby" or something.
So, no worries Els! Resting vibes coming your way! Don't work TOO hard!







And have a GREAT time!







I love Whole Foods, and unfortunately, I don't get to shop there very often either. Money, eech!

FF, SO glad the appointment went well!







and calming vibes to everyone! I so totally would have passed out!

Molly, Rowan looks tired too; he has big shadows under his eyes. My chiro said it's both because he's just getting over his cold and because he's teething, yet again! *sigh* Poor bebe. We had a ROUGH night last night, mamas, let me tell you!







I am hoping tonight is better, but he went down at 7:15 and has already woken up once. This too shall pass, this too shall pass...
So yeah, you mamas who have babies who are SLEEPING....when, god!? When's gonna be mah time?!?!???!















Someday. You all give me hope.

When I go away for more than a couple of hours, he is ALL over me too. So nice to be missed?
Remember this time LAST year, when we could barely imagine leaving our babes for too long, even we who went back to work only left our babes when we HAD to...and now, we can leave if we WANT, and they are fine, and love us when we get back! Wow, the time has passed!







:

We've been playing a game where I draw something on his MagnaDoodle toy thing, and he tells me what it is. Like, I drew a (really bad) sheep and Rowan says "Baaa!"









Okay, okay...DH just walked by and said "THAT'S NOT YOUR NOVEL!"







I am not even 9000 words in! Arg!

If I missed any responses, sorry! I am SO tired and I have to go write! Wish me luck, mamas!


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mama Faery*
Molly, Rowan looks tired too; he has big shadows under his eyes. My chiro said it's both because he's just getting over his cold and because he's teething, yet again! *sigh*

Oh man, if Eamon is teething again I will freak out.

And yet, when he opens his mouth wide, I can SEE the outline of those dang second molars back there, and today when I stuck a finger in his mouth (man he hates when I do that!) I could feel a ridge that wasn't there yesterday.

Man oh man it's going to suck if he moves onto those second molars SO soon...is there some sort of World Record for getting all the baby teeth in a certain amount of time?









And if so, can *I* get a medal as well as Eamon? Because even though he's gone through the pain, I've gone through the wringer, too!


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

els-glad you popped in to see us! Hope the spotting is over by now. FWIW, my sister, who is due the same time as our very own heatherfeather, spotted off and on for weeks, and so far so good. Very scary to deal with, but many times its OK. Take it easy if you can.

Heather-glad C liked the painting! ...gulps....I'm too lazy to do that with my kids. I hate cleaning all the time! Ack, what a mother I am....







I just found a box to put the dipes in today, so hopefully I can get them out in the mail by the end of the week. Sorry its taken me so long.









mollyeilis-my dd has all but her two year molars in as well. All hers came together and fast. I actually prefer it that way, if they're in pain for one tooth coming in, might as well get 3or4 teeth to pop through at the same time. Hey, if Eamon's 2yrmolars ARE coming in, you'll be DONE with teething!! Yeehaw!

Sarah-soooo glad miss Lilypie is feeling soooo much better! And the sleep! Wow! Bet you're feelin good, mama!

llbean-yeah, cool store to shop in. They've got all kinds of displays the kids love to look at. I bet if you hid in a tent in the camping section, nobody would every know...







Didja know they're open 24hours a day??

Dh has been working lots lately (what's new







) and Sarah was getting quite down about him not being home, so we ordered takeout, and ate it in his office. He came in to chat when he could, so that made her happy.

Anyway, I gotta make up a grocery list. IL's are crashing at our place this weekend....


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

i







the LL Bean store! we made a few middle of the night roadtrips from boston to freeport when i was in college JUST to go to the LL Bean store...









and if anyone ever needs hanna outlet things, we've got one out here in pdx-land, too. just let me know.








: okay, how cool is it that there is an emoticon that we can use for your name?







glad to hear that all went well and mr. luke is none the worse for the wear.







to you and tom.

oh, the sleep drama at our house, mamas... the night-time going to sleep is bad, and if we are not on our way back from lunch or a playdate during the afternoon sleep time, it's even worse! i will write more about it later, but right now marek is putting his feet up on the table and trying to kick his apple slices into the bowl he's holding in his hands. he's also yelling at the cat to get away from the food that has been dropped on the floor.









MMF!!!!!!!

~claudia


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

The finger painting pics !


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sarah'sMama*
mollyeilis-my dd has all but her two year molars in as well. All hers came together and fast. I actually prefer it that way, if they're in pain for one tooth coming in, might as well get 3or4 teeth to pop through at the same time. Hey, if Eamon's 2yrmolars ARE coming in, you'll be DONE with teething!! Yeehaw!

Good to know he's not the only little one with so many teeth. Actually, he's missing one, since it was lost in a highchair incident last December.









I'm hoping if they DO decide to come in now, that they just come in. He started teething behaviour at 4 months and then got them all starting about 2 months later in just outside 2 months. He got two months off, then it started again in March, but these 8 didn't even start coming through until August. So I won't yell at the Universe TOO much if they just come through, but if it's going to be several months of behaviour with no actual teeth, ay ay ay...

Heather, she's a May-born toddler? Wow, she looks SO much older than my guy! Such a difference part of a month makes, yes?


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

HF - so cute! Looks like she's having some serious fun.









Molly - you should take a look at all the babes' photos on the Yahoo group. It's awesome how different they all are.

Sarah


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

HF--OMG I am gonna DIE she is just so CUTE!







Now I am feeling like I could possibly be brave enough to bust out OUR fingerpaints sometime...maybe in the basement (which is much closer to being finished lately, well, at least, it's not all dirty and scary down there and Rowan even has a few toys to play with! Woo! My DH rules!








It's almost 7 and Rowan is still sleeping but I am afraid to go take a shower because I just KNOW today will be th day he wakes up totally upset and I won't be able to run up there to comfort him. But if I sit here he will wake up happy as a clam and play for 1/2 hour, maybe then I will shower.








I am SO tired. Rowan slept better last night but dude, us losers went to bed at 11:30!







Oh well.

We should TOTALLY start a baby band! We would become famous! Rowan can play drums like nobody's business, and sing the ABC's/Twinkle Twinkle/Baa Baa Black Sheep (they're all the same melody!)...or at least make the sounds in almost the right key!







Amazing how quickly they pick this stuff up!
"I have a disease...and the only cure is...MORE COWBELL!" Yes! Cowbells RULE.








(this is what y'all get when Renae is sleep-deprived. Aww yea)

Bad housewife-->I swear to the goddess I vaccuumed like three DAYS ago...then why, OH why, does it gross me out to walk barefoot on the floor down here??








And hmm, is that a stain (okay, two) from where Julio puked up a hairball last week? Oh.
And...*crunch*crunch* kitty litter on the kitchen floor!







Excellent.
Yeah. it's like that.

Vegan nun-itude-->Hmm...bagel bites for dinner last night? No...wait! We had organic spinach! It was frozen, but organic!







And...oh! I participated in a Mothering Chat with Hathor the Cowgoddess last night! That HAS to earn me some points!
















Okay, I thought I had more to say but not really. At least it seems as if Rowan is not quite as congested/coughy as he was even two days ago. Our chiro appointment must have helped a bit yesterday, and well, he's just better now. Whew! Poor bebe.
It's raining a lot today. Blah. We have music class though, yay.
DH has to work late tonight. Blah. But we'll be okay.









Okay, totally babbling and I have to go pee. Later, everymama.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

we're getting the canines right now but they're all poking through at this point and don't seem to be buggin as much. i haven't given motrin in a while now but when they were really aching him i gave him motrin a few nights. then he ASKED for it by pointing at the cupboard where we keep it







bad huh? so now i figure if he needs it he'll ask for it









did i ever tell you i got a 3rd front tooth that came in sideways between my regular two as a baby? MUTANT.

glad luke survived unscathed! i would have passed out too. i almost passed out and had to sit down for a while after my PAP SCHMEAR last month. not kidding. the thought of someone scraping my cervix makes me nauseous. ILL. before i got pg i hadn't had one in 3 or 4 years. my doc thinks i'm nuts. i told him i still can't believe i survived childbirth. i have so much respect for all the nursey folks i know because i would DIE doing that stuff. i'd flop over. isaac cut his thumb recently and i almost flopped over. if he really hurts himself i'm going to be useless. (i guess i should say *when* he really hurts himself). ewwww

vegan nun moment: i made acorn squash apple curry soup the other day. only about half organic but don't tell the nuns.

non vegan nun moment: isaac discovered the joy that is peanut m&ms. of course i bit half of each one so he wouldn't choke







then dh was opening a pack and isaac heard the rustle of the paper and got excited and i thought UT-OH. i've created a monster







dh did not share







he crammed em all in his mouth

bad housekeeping: one of the cats puked on the front porch 2 days ago and i haven't cleaned it up yet. of course i saw it when we were leaving and went DOH! i also need to change the litterbox. ugh. the house is in pretty ok shape though. my friend and her bf stayed over the other night







and made all kinds of noise in the middle of the night and we were mad but she did all the dishes from the big spaghetti and meatballs extravaganza i made so it was a pleasant surprise when we got home from work. then she asked to stay again and i said NOOO. now that we have a kid we are officially too old for the friends flopping on the couch program.

for the first time ever isaac had sippy cup before boob when we got home last night







but then he wanted boob.

he does lots of finger painting at school so i don't do it at home (cute pix hf). i've been there when they're doing it and it is hilarious. they usually have 2 kids painting at one time and it is a MAJOR effort to keep the other 6 from grabbing and getting paint all over. very comical. isaac brings home lots of artwork. so far i'm keeping it ALL but starting to realize we might eventually drown. but i'm a packrat so what to do???

this morning i was telling our dog that he is shedding too much hair to get on the couch and isaac turned around and lifted up his hair





















funny yep, hair!!

our sleeping is ok, not fantabulous. bedtime is a dream at least. 8pm in the crib with no fuss. but he's still waking. i'm still feeding 1 or 2 times a night. i do a pat on the back sometimes but the other night he woke at 2 and his stomach was growling. and i don't really have enough milk now to fill him up so he woke again at 4 still growling and i nursed him again. i might need to have a box of crackers in his room or something! i try to really fill him up at dinner and give a graham cracker before bed or something but i think he's just growing so much.

MMF!!


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

"did i ever tell you i got a 3rd front tooth that came in sideways between my regular two as a baby? MUTANT."

My husband got and lost a baby tooth, got the adult tooth, then knocked that one out, and...grew another. He's a shark.









Last night Eamon jumped around amusing us. If he grows up to be a comedian I won't be surprised.







He accidentally fell from slipping on our comforter (boxspring/mattress on the ground so our comforters rest on the ground), a really slow and silly fall, and we giggled so much he started faking it. Which was even more hilarious.


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Okay, I just got caught up and it's the tail end of G's nap, so we'll see how much time I have to write!

Heather-cute pics. A friend gave us a used art easel with chalkboard and we've only used the chalk side. But, maybe we should get some paint & paper for that baby and try it out! I always loved finger painting.

Elsanne-I had spotting once during the pg, early on. Just brownish-pinkish. It happened the day we were going to tell people, so I remember holding off on that until I was sure all was well. It was! Travel can do that to you, so try and REST! Have fun, too, of course.

jstar-I hate the big SCHMEAR myself. I had to make an appt. for my yearly exam the other day, so I have a couple weeks to prepare. Yuck. Also surprised I could give birth, the way I hate that darn speculum. I tense up so bad! At least this year I'm going alone...Gabriel was 6 months old last time and he sat on the floor in a little chair while I was on the table. I talked to him to let him know everything was okay when he fussed, but I was also calming MYSELF down







He ended up sitting on my abdomen while she finished up (my midwife is KEWL). The things we mamas do....

Sleeping: we've got a twin-sized bed by our bed, too. He's doing better and will sometimes sleep in it from 7 or 8ish until 1 or so (after being nursed down in the bed, unless it's his dad, and then he's rocked to sleep and laid down). But, many nights, he wakes up an hour after we get into bed. Then I bring him in the bed and he gets to nurse whenever. I'm guessing he nurses maybe 2-3 times (sometimes more) before 6, then he seems to nurse non-stop until he wakes up for good around 7. I'm giving this system until Thanksgiving and then we'll re-evaluate and see if I need to go to another room for more sleep and let dh handle the night waking. I don't really want to night wean totally yet, I just want him to sleep bigger chunks and that might require some night weaning, I guess. When he wakes in the middle of the night, he makes an awful whining, cry-y sound and shuts up when I nurse. So far, if dh tries to pat him while I'm there, he just ramps up into a full-blown cry. We'll see. He's a barely-May baby, so maybe an additional month will see some more "mature" sleep patterns!









Okay, that's all for now. I know I didn't catch up with everyone, but I'm with ya!!!! A big







for all my May mamas. MMF


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Bumping us up...hope I'm not a thread killer! Can't believe it's been almost 24 hours without a post! Where is everyone?


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

I just had to share that I am holding my friend's newborn babe in one arm as I type this.








I forgot that this could be done! hehe..
more later, he's squirmy.


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

Awwww. new baby. awwww. I am a tad bit jealous of the may moms who are expecting right now. Although I'm relieved not to have to deal with the nausea and whatever else comes my way, the thought of having a little baby here just makes me swoon. awww.

I haven't checked in for awhile so I'm going to take a little break from the work and say hi. We're good here- the lentil wakes up once or twice a night but my husband now deals with it so I can sleep. Ah, glorious sleep. The lentil goes back down usually after a pat on the back and a little blanket rearranging, so I usually don't even know he's been up. He doesn't even wake up crying, he just starts calling "dada! dada!" until my husband goes in to him. Nice. He has been sleeping until 4 or so most nights, then it's a struggle to get him to sleep until 6:00. At 6:00 I get up and nurse him and my husband goes back to bed. It's working out pretty well.

I love this age! The lentil is so amazingly cute. I'm really tripping out lately on how he's becoming his own person. He expressed opinions, he has favorites and not so favorites, he does certain things, he tells jokes- it's great. I love it. I love my son.









we,, MMF. back to lurking.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Haha, well, I am still in the camp of "oh, the baby is cute, but it sure is nice to be able to HAND HIM BACK when I'm all done!"







Seriously though, what a total cutie. I forgot they came that small!








My friend came over this morning at 9, picked us up in her brand-new almost-SUV (ack, but it IS a nice car, and we were able to put Rowan in her older son's carseat and he rode alongside the little baby in the back!) and we went to the new IKEA store about 45 minutes away.
IKEA. IKEA!!!








Holy moly, mamas, I had NEVER been inside and Ikea before...and since it opened like 2 DAYS ago and today was some sort of holiday...well, insanity ensued. But it was insanity borne quite well when you're with one of your best friends and her newborn sleeps through it ALL!







Rowan, well, he did fine for about an hour but then all the colors, all the things to do (especially in the kid's section! Wow!) all the PEOPLE (!!!), well, he got way overstimulated and just totally lost it for a while there. I held him while he cried (he didn't even want to nurse he was so distraught) but finally he calmed down and I gave him a cheese stick and he was okay. We got out of there right quick and hung out in the parking lot for a while so my friend could nurse her babe, and Rowan ate more lunch.

He was awake the whole way home and then when we got here he ZONKED and my friend ordered sushi for us and we ate while he napped. He is JUSY waking up now and we have a lpaydate at 4. Busy day!

Anyway, better go. Just wanted to tell you: IKEA is a wacked-out place! But I found a good, cheap place to buy safe fun wooden toys! Yay!

MMF!


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

Ikea...oh, Ikea....

Yes, going on Veteran's Day just after it opened is NOT the best idea for a relaxing time.









For the future, assuming you guys don't work out of the house during the week, go on a Wednesday, middle of the day. That's usually the time that will yield the fewest crowds.

I'm an Ikea expert. My house looks like a showroom for Ikea. I once took a camera there and snapped pictures of one of their little showrooms, to plan for our own living room.









And now Eamon loves playing there; not in the ballroom of course (too young, still in diapers), but in their kid's section.

Did you eat there? I love their veggie lasagna (though it's just Stouffer's) or a bowl of potatoes plus their veggie platter. Yum!


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

I LOVE IKEA! What a dork. We went there all the time when we lived in San Diego. I drool over the catalog all year and we make one big trip to the Seattle one every year. I am soooo excited about PDX getting one.









Jacqueline - IME there has been a lot of change in sleep patterns from week to week and month to month. I think we wouldn't have even tried to...um...gently and positively change Lily's sleep association...even two months ago. There was an obvious shift that we recognized before trying it. Sounds like you are doing the best thing for your whole family.









I can't believe T-Day is so soon! The year is really flying by. Only three more weeks of school, then a month-long holiday break. w00t!

Have a grrrrreat weekend, mamas and babes.

S


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

So Portland is getting one? Are you sort of bummed about that? I think I would be, in the same way I'm bummed that Lush just opened up in Bellevue. Means we don't HAVE to have a trip to Portland or BC in order to get shampoo.







:

Woo at T-day. I usually don't get excited about it, but we're going to stay at a new Westin hotel that day/night/next day. We're vegetarian and don't have pleasant family to visit, so we figured, might as well go stay somewhere lovely!


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

The Lentil LOVES ikea. In fact, we're going there tomorrow. He loves jumping on the bed and "reading" all the display books in the kids rooms. It's a great place to go on a bad weather day because they have everything you need: shopping carts (no strollers!), endless play toys for the kids, other kids, interesting things for me to look at, and ice cream for only a dollar. how can you go wrong?


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

OK< you are all making me jealous. I've NEVER been to an ikea before, but I MUST VISIT one before I die. That's my goal in life.









Sarah double w00t on the three weeks of school!

Turkey day: I'm excited this year because my Mom is flying in on T-day, and going to eat dinner with us. Its the first holiday we'll spend with her since we moved to ME over three years ago. Then we're getting up super early on Friday to go shopping for a bit. Then our town does a Holiday parade the day after T-day, so we'll all go to that, and then Santa comes to town at the end of the parade. Then she flies back home on Sat.







But we'll have a blast while she's here, I'm sure.

Katie's got a bit of a bug. Some virus. She's had a runny nose for a week now, with a low-grade fever off and on. Mostly OK, tho. today she started with really watery diarrhea. hope it passes soon!

OK, enough from me....I'm so excited, The Wizard of Oz iis on tonight at nine, and you betcha I'll be watching it!


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Well Sherri, FWIW, I can hardly stand IKEA. I do agree that it's a great place to get affordable home furnishings (and I do love their wooden hangers), but everytime I've been there I end up with a headache and I always get to a point where I'm like, MUST. LEAVE. NOW.







But I've never been what you would call a good shopper (it's a hassle to me, not especially fun), so maybe it's just me? Not to deter you or anything, just trying to add some prespective to the May Mama IKEA love fest.









Sarah... I didn't know you used to live in San Diego. I grew up there! Where abouts did you live? I lived a few blocks from San Diego State University. (Did we already have this conversation?







)

Gotta love the Wizard of Oz! It's right up there with The Sound of Music, for me.









I'm feeling admittedly grumpy this evening. DH is cooking dinner and I had a relatively okay day... not sure why I'm so







: . Feeling a bit burnt out I guess, and not really up to dealing with Mia's tantrums (when the hell does this phase END????), and in need of a break. I dunno... maybe I just need to take a few minutes to myself and chill out.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Megan----I kwym about the irrational, exuberant toddler tantrums. We're in a mellow phase at the moment, but I'm sure things will swing back soon enough! I love Ikea, but you're right about he must. leave. now. thing---I think it's just way too overstimulating visually in the showrooms...not to mention the wicked bright lights in the lighting dept.

Sherri--come visit us--we'll take you to Ikea! And just as someone suggested--midweek during the day is a perfect time to browse and wander! And I've been known to stop in the cafe for a yummy dessert. For when C was younger, they also had jarred Earth's Best in the cafe too! So glad your mom can come out for a visit (albeit a too short one!) The parade sounds like fun! Maybe if the weather isn't too cold here, we'll take the train into the city for the parade. Hope Katie feels better soon and that Sarah doesn't catch it!!

Sarah---3 more weeks!!







:







:







:

Renae--awwww! There was a 5 week old at our LLL toddler meeting and I was melted! I even go back and look at her tiny baby pics and can't imagine it. You're welcome to come visit in Feb and get another fix!

It was COLD (40ish windchill) here today, but we still ventured out to a fun park with a wooden castle-y play structure and I brought the camera and was able to snap our Christmas card pic--yahoo! I have a ton of baking to do this weekend for SIL's baby shower so I'm sure my little helper will be thrilled!
A bit







: ---neither doula has called me back yet---eeps! But I did get a call back from the crochet teacher at the yarn store and I start private lessons next week on Tuesday eve







--my first for me, for fun thing in a looooong time!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Hi mamas, I'm BAAAAACK!

Never been to Ikea. Bet they're not putting one in central Mexico anytime soon...but it sounds nifty!

WEANING.







*sniff*. That's what's on the agenda 'round here, and I am sad, and so is Sol. Her little heart breaks when I tell her No, teta ouch. She wails.

She did great while I was gone, didn't even ASK about mama (can you believe? such a huge alteration in the routine and she doesn't bat an eye?). She slept through the night, waking once and being comforted by papa. I came home with huge tatas, having expressed while away, and about 5 am she sees me in the penumbral light and says, "mama?" incredulously. What a moment. Then we nurse, yaaaay and all is well. Then the milkies RUN OUT. They just STOP! Since she drank it all down that once, I have hardly produced a drop since. It hurts like the dickens and I am physically ready to wean. Emotionally, I am not, I feel like she deserves so much longer...I am sad about that. Trying not to be so that I don't "spread" that message to Sol. Now thinking about it, I should just be true with my feelings, because she knows the truth anyway: that it hurts, but I am sad we cannot nurse because I like it too.








I really thought we'd nurse until like 3 or so. *sigh*

I had no plans for turkey day until today, when I found out I can reserve an ORGANIC TURKEY!!! It'll cost an arm & a leg but I thought, I really can't pass up an organic turkey. So I guess thanksgiving's at our house this year! Better start getting the goodies now!

Molly, you deserve a "MAD MAMA SKILLZ" maymama certificate of recognition for your teething tolerances.

The spotting stopped right away--it was a dark color, not at all period-ish. Phew!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Heather--you are one extraordinary mama! Loved the kiddo pix. She DOES look so old! Even older than Sol! How cool you are going to learn to crochet...you are so crafty, mama! My trouble with baking with my princess is that she never wants to relinquish any part of the stuff, and my efficiency gets all irked that I could do it so much faster if....y'know? That last part I just have to get over...just me...


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Els--yes, it does hurt like the dickens. Early on I would limit her to a few minutes at a time or distract her with something that would get her to pop off early. I guess time is just different for the kiddos and her papa is so familiar---woulda been nice to be really missed though!







I think my baking (given all the holiday baking I have coming up) will have to be way inefficient. Sherri gave me the suggestion to leave a second bowl for her. Although it seems to work if I leave some in the bowl and don't bake all that is intended to bake---I mean really, do we need the whole dozen muffins??







-----glad the spottin' stopped--sounds like it was similar to what I had. I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary once it stopped.








: turkey?? Way cool! There is one place here that has organic eggs and also a poultry biz...wonder if they would have organic birds?? We decided on just a small T-day for the three of us here so it should be fun. She is all about the mashed potatoes these days so those will definitely be on the menu. Oh and perhaps lots of frijoles---man can the girl put away the refried beans and cheese!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

I loooove me some turkey...and if you think about how the average bird is raised, and injected, it's just frightening. I've been newly freaking out about poultry's hormone problem....must buy organic whenever possible!

Ooooh it is so hard to be decisive about this weaning thing. I don't want to wean yet truly think it's the best thing....yet I think, if Heather can do it, I can too! Hmmmmmmrrrrrh!


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

"Molly, you deserve a "MAD MAMA SKILLZ" maymama certificate of recognition for your teething tolerances. "

Thank you.









*****
I haven't had an organic turkey (or any tukey) in AGES, but my mom used to get them from the health food store. They were expensive and small, but, as I recall, *so dammit good*.

It's like eggs straight from under the chicken vs eggs from the store, the difference of the organic vs Butterball. Real vs plastic, basically.

Strange for a veggie to be talking like this, but my last few turkey-eating Thanksgivings involved organic turkeys, and they were good.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Okay, mamas. We did it. We're weaned. Just like that. Last night I slept in the other room and viet did the nighttime parenting, like he did while I was gone, she woke & cried & asked for me, he soothed her, end of story. In the morning I went in and we all played & talked, and she patted my breast and said, teta, and I said yes, teta, we don't have milk in the tetas anymore, and we both looked kind of sad but resigned and that was that. No drama, every time I told her No a little less drama. The first times were ridiculous. She gets it and we are both sad. Viet said that she was in my arms this morning holding her little bottle and looking at it like, so this is it? This is my destiny, huh? *sniff*

I am sad and miss it. Strange how my breasts STILL have no milk, and it's been over 24 hours since she nursed.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Els-- *hugs* Everyone and every pregnancy seems to have it's own physiology and hormones and all that jazz. Sounds like it's been a quick transition for you guys which can make things easier and harder at the same time. Glad Viet has been there to help out more. *hugs*


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Hi mamas -

Re: turkey and hormones -

From http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/hormones/ :

"By law, hormones cannot be given to poultry and hogs. But animals can be fed growth enhancers and feed additives in order to make the poultry grow faster. These additives are not considered hormones, but there is concern that they might affect human health. It is best to find farmers who do not feed their animals any hormones, growth enhancers or any type of chemical feed additives.

You also might want to ask if animal protein was fed as an additive or as part of their diet. What you are concerned about is if any of the animal protein fed to poultry or hogs contains hormones. If a chicken, turkey or pig is fed beef or a beef byproduct, that beef could conceivably contain hormones - this is one way hormones are thought to be getting into the poultry supply. It is uncertain whether this type of hormone transmission is affecting human health, so you must decide whether or not this is important to you."

I had heard before that it is illegal in this country to use hormones in any poultry anyway, so chicken labeled "hormone-free" is just a marketing ploy. So I just looked it up and this is what I found. Haven't found a link with the actual law itself. And it looks like antibiotics are another story, so you are getting that if you buy "all-natural." Of course I'd rather support my local, free-range growers anyway.







MIL ordered a free-range gobbler from the natural food store for us this year. She said, "I only got a 15-pounder." ONLY?! There's ONLY three of us, for goodness sake. Hello, leftovers.

Elsanne - Thank you for sharing your weaning woes. I'm sorry things aren't working out like you thought they would. It sounds hard. I know it is hard on you, mama, but it also sounds like Sol is getting lots of love and help from mama and papi.







s. I know it's not nearly the same level, but FWIW I had some of the same feelings about Lily sleeping through the night. It was almost too easy. Even though I love the sleep, I am still a bit sad about the "end of an era."

So DH and I had a wonderful date last night. Went to a trendy, expensive, yummy restaurant, saw an excellent movie (Good Night and Good Luck), and then had a super-decadent dessert at a cute little spot near our house. We didn't get home until 10!







ha ha. Lily had a great time with Grandma, baked cookies and read tons of books. Apparently she went down to sleep without a peep. Yay!

Megan - We lived in SD 2000-2001 - just long enough for me to start grad school, figure out I didn't like that subject, then quit!







We lived a year in PB and then in La Jolla (I was going to UCSD).

I am feeling so crafty these days, but have NO time to do anything. So much for homemade gifts this year!









S.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

http://www.meatpoultrynutrition.org/faq.htm#Q1

http://www.fda.gov/cvm/hormones.htm

http://www.mindfully.org/Food/Chicke...els11dce02.htm

I am just presenting these as information...I personally buy the local/free-range stuff myself. It does definitely taste better!


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

I don't buy meat that often but when I do I like to try to get the organic/free range stuff too. A turkey sounds







!!
It freaks me out about the additives so I try to get my meat at WF or something...I'm not perfect at it (no vegan nun here!) but I try.
Eggs are ALWAYS free range now, since Rowan eats so many of them.

We are staying home this t-giving (I may have to WORK that night!







: ) but I am scared of cooking a WHOLE turkey all on my own!







Like, I'll mess it up or something. Maybe I'll try a free-range chicken...

I am actually about to make some organic chicken noodle soup! I've never done it before but I got the broth at WF today and organic carrots and celery and have to cut up & cook the chicken tomorrow. Wish me luck!

I am very tired and a little into my cups this evening (wine!







One glass and it's all over!







) and DH wants me to eat ice cream with him and watch a DVD.









Sarah, sounds like a great date! I need to go on one o' those...









Elsanne,







s Every body is different, but you know that. You were awesome for nursing her as long as you did, but you know that. She is getting SO MUCH LOVE from you and Viet, and I hope you know that, mama!





















But I understand the difficulty. *sigh* We are actively trying to cut down on the night nursing and it is going okay...but I still feel very bittersweet about it. He nurses right before bed and then again eaaarrrlly in the morning (like 5:30-6) and it's been going okay, DH is helping but it's also kinda sad.







"End of an era", indeed.

Oh, some kinda significant news! DH and I became members of our UU church this morning at services! It was so great and it amazes me that I belong to a spiritual community that I really *feel* a part of, KWIM? So it was kinda a milestone to be there, signin their book in front of the whole congregation and bein welcomed afterwards. We've been going there since late Spring or so.







Rowan loves the child care ladies.








What made me sad is that my "best friend" was suppose dto be there but she basically begged off..pretty much because she has some pretty serious mental health issues (her and her DH)














I was so disappointed because, well, my friends are the only real family I've got, you know? And I am trying to be compassionate but I can't help but think she could have her sh*t together a whole lot better than she does. *sigh* Anyway, don't mean to ramble.
All in all, even with work two days in a row, we had a good weekend.









And now I am off. Mamas, have a great night!







MMF!


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Renae--Cool! I







those UU ceremony thingies because they are intimate in a totally different kind of way. We decided we're going to wait til we're done having kiddos and have them all dedicated at once--there was just one last week for two little babes and it was the sweetest thing. So sorry your friend couldn't be there! And on the soup front----don't put the cooked meat in until the way end or it will get rubbery/chewy! And if you're adding any noodly stuff, mostly pre-cook them and add them at the end as well or they will take over your soup!


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

Congrats, renae! What a great day for you. and I love homemade chicken noodle soup. I may just have to copycat you now!

the lentil is watching sesame street right now.







I couldn't help myself. We're going to a walk with friends, but we have fifteen minutes before we're supposed to leave and I am just too worn out to try to come up with some great activity for those fifteen minutes. can you say lazy?

I'm going to another conference on Thursday and will be gone three days, two nights. I'm so worried that the lentil will have decided he's done with nursing when I get back. Already he's pretty much only nursing in the morning and at night and I know he won't take a bottle of ebm, so I am just taking my chances. There's a part of me that is so over nursing- the sore nipple that has been painful since the day he was born, the acrobatics every time he nurses, the constant grabbing and picking... it gets old. But there's a part of me that knows I will miss having that magic cure for all that ails him, diarrhea, bump on the noggin, bad day, etc. I like being so powerful, you know?! My husband was trying to give me this lame-ass pep talk last night and I had to interrupt him and tell him to just give it up. he just doesn't know what it's like and he can't be the one giving me advice. We'll wean when the lentil is ready and I will do my best to follow suit. If he's ready after my three day absence, so be it. (but I'm taking a pump with me to the conference anyway, just in case!)

Okay, going to join the boy and his elmos.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

i will be getting my free fred myer turkey cause we po' like dat. definitely not







: but i did roast an organic chicken friday night because that was the only whole chicken they had. and i was freaking because it was $11 instead of $3.50 but dang it was DELISH







we are actually doing a lot better financially and i've been on an insane spending bent so i'm trying to restore my frugal-bone. it SO does not come naturally to me mamas. i had to have some retail therapy after months of deprivation. i've been out under the guise of christmas shopping buying stuff (like i needed a new outfit and shoes







). and i got isaac a huge tote of mixed wooden train parts and thomas trains from a guy off livejournal (very randomly) for $100. isaac's santa pressie (we're going to set it up christmas eve--i think it will take up the whole living room). it has the thomas roundhouse which is pretty darn cool. and then i decided isaac needed one of those fisher price barns that moos because he loves lily's so i won an ebay one (23 with shipping...not too bad). and it reminds me of playing with that barn myself. next i need the a-frame







i need to stop spending now.

and i am not sad at ALL that we are getting an ikea







in all of its overstimulating glory. i'm just sad it will take so long because there is a rug i want there right *now* and shelves for the basement.

els - sad about the weaning but it sounds like it went fairly well. i am a little jealous. my milk has really dropped off since nightweaning. i rarely feel 'full' anymore. only at 5am if he went to sleep at 8 do i feel heaviness. and i think the lack of milk is making him clingy/nurse more. i'm kinda like emmalola. i love having the 'answer.' it is such a sweet thing. but i'm ready for the end to be in sight. i've recently weaned him off nursing 1st thing when i pick him up at daycare and that was more about me feeling wierd than anything. i am the ONLY mom that nurses when she picks up her child. now i know that sounds like i am not the wierd one and i know there are other nursing moms there. i know the moms in the baby room pump all the time but their babies don't claw frantically at their breast when they pick them up. i've always nursed him but finally decided we can wait til we get home. the dads mostly look at me wierd with this big toddler in my lap. i think i make them uncomfortable. i'm pretty sure isaac is the only babe in the toddler room still nursing. and i don't know if anyone in preschool 1 is. the other day while i was nursing isaac the preschool 1 teacher was talking about one kid who nursed up to preschool 2. so if that was noteworthy i guess there haven't been that many kids. preschool 2 is age 3.

why should i care????? i don't know but i do.

i should be taking a shower and getting ready to go. isaac is still sleeping so i'm enjoying my coffee









my parents are coming up for most of the week for t-day. and my sister is even coming for 3 days. i still have a beef with my sister for leaving to move back to CA while i was in labor. i'll never get over it. so i hardly talk to her...maybe once a month. it's stupid and i'm glad she can come up too.

friday we're flying to sac (well roseville) for the weekend to stay with doug's sister. and his mom will be there and she hasn't seen isaac since JUNE. which is light years in toddler time. he's changed so much. and my friend is having a surprise birthday party being thrown for her about an hour from sac on sat. so we get to leave the boy with grandma and go to a partay





















and that friend does not suspect a thing because she emailed me this week that she might fly up to visit in early dec. bwhahhahhahahahhahah. i can't wait to see her expression.

dh worked both days this weekend







we missed him. we got to go out on a date saturday night (where'd you go eat sarah?). we drove around forever trying to decide where to eat but i wasn't dressed very spiffily. and dh was so tired we were back home by 9:30. but it was nice to get out

babe awakens.......
mmf


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

jstar and anyone else who is contemplating being "done" with nursing, I wanted to let you know about the weaning support thread I started. I'm NOT trying to push anyone to wean. I feel its a very personal decision, one made between a mother and her child, but I feel its something I am ready to do (gradually, over the next month or two), and I need support. I thought other may mamas might want to know the thread is out there.

I rambled a bit about weaning, but decided to take it to the yg. See ya there.









Gotta go suck back some coffee and make dss's lunch. Buh-bye.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *heatherfeather*
And on the soup front----don't put the cooked meat in until the way end or it will get rubbery/chewy! And if you're adding any noodly stuff, mostly pre-cook them and add them at the end as well or they will take over your soup!

Uh-oh! It would figure I would read this NOW, AFTER I have already added the cooked chicken, most likely WAY too early!! Ahhh!







: Well, we'll see what happens. Haha.
I will take your advice about the noodles, then! Thank you!









Hmm, that was pretty much it. I am making soup, doing laundry and cleaning up a tiny bit before Rowan's little girlfriend comes over for a playdate!







I am not a bad housewife today, um...unless the soup gets all messed up!







:
Even my vegan-nun powers are pretty good today! The soup is MOSTLY organic!









I hope you all have a great day.








Oh, and Megan, thanks for showing us that thread. Even though I am not ready to FULLY wean Rowan, I am definitely looking in that direction for some thoughts! You go.







You know what is best for you and your bebe, and I totally support you, hon.
Peace!


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Renae--if in doubt, just spoon out the meat into a clean dish and throw it in the fridge til just before you need it. I just love how the house smells with soup cooking for hours!! I'm your polar opposite today----I fed the babe some leftover CAKE! from SILs baby shower, cause you know what?? It was good and holy cow she wanted to eat it (new food!)
















Beautiful fall day here and we're getting ready to head out back to rake some leaves to play in! I also talked to one of the doula candidates today and she's coming over tomorrow afternoon for an "interview"









Megan--peeked at the thread and I really hope it stay a safe place for mamas to talk about all the issues involved in weaning. I actually was so relieved to find a wide variety of opinions at our LLL meeting (as compared to some places here!)

Jstar--the train gifts sound like so much fun!!! I think that might be C's and little siblings big gift next Christmas. That chicken sounds delish! Hope your weekend is a blast!


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

jstar - We went to Mint. It was SCRUM. The wild mushroom pasta was da bomb. Then after movie we went to Pix Patisserie, the new one in NE. What a lucky score on the train stuff! How fun. I am almost loathe to start a train fetish for Lily. Kids are so obsessed with that stuff, it's eerie. But who knows what she will find to be obsessed over. With my luck, it will prolly be Barbie or Bratz or some such.







. Trains are way better than that, I guess.

I hear you about the toddler nursing thing. I have always intended to nurse Lily until at least 2, and longer as we both see fit. But I was unprepared for my reaction to NIP these days. I am totally, completely, fully, yada yada, a pro-NIP nazi, in theory. But goshdarnit if I didn't get all embarrassed when she started yelling "Nurse! Nurse!" in the middle of Restoration Hardware the other day. Sheesh. And,







:, I hurried her outside and made her wait until we were safely in DH's office before nursing. What is up with that? I really do have every intention of nursing her for quite a while longer, but social pressure rears its ugly head. It doesn't help when she asks for a specific breast, complete with "please"... ("Mama, 'dis one, 'k? OK? 'Dis one? Peez?")









And whole-hearted support to Megan, and whoever else going through pre-weaning stuff. You know I trust in your good intentions for your families.









Renae - enjoy your soup! Sounds delish.

Happy Monday, mamas!

Sarah


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

I'm right there with the NIP conflicts. The lentil also claws at my shirt and begs for his nunus as soon as he sees me at day care. (all the neck holes in my shirts are all stretched out from his pulling at them!) I know he's not the only nursling there, but I am definitely the only mom who still nurses him "in public." Although not really. When I pick him up from day care we always nurse in the car before we go home. There has been maybe two days where he didn't ask to nurse immediately upon seeing me. I would like to say that I felt totally comfortable nursing him in public, but I just don't. Part of it is his precociousness with language making him seem a lot older than he is, and part of it is that he's such a little acrobat that I have a very time protecting what little shreds of modesty I have left when I nurse him in public. If he had his way I would nurse him totally naked so he could play with one nipple with one hand, pull at various hairy parts with the other hand and turn cartwheels while still latched on. There's no way I can nurse him quietly in the corner when he's making it a major show. So we sit in the car and try not to be too obvious.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *emmalola*
If he had his way I would nurse him totally naked so he could play with one nipple with one hand, pull at various hairy parts with the other hand and turn cartwheels while still latched on.










What a visual!







And I TOTALLY know what you mean.
Okay, so Rowan woke up from his nap with a fever of 102.5.






















No other symptoms but crankiness and clinginess, and being really quiet, WEIRD for my babe.
Anyway, send us get-well-from-whatever-the-heck-this-fresh-hell-is vibes!


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

I don't have much to add to a weaning discussion, as I would be killed in my sleep by my late mom's LLL friends if I weaned DS anytime before 4 years. I've gotten letters from them, I know this.









Plus karma has it's little jokes with me...last week one day he nursed all day long, all day. It was insane, I was so thirsty! I had the thought "OMG is he ever going to STOP?" And then that night he slept SO well, I was up at 4am trying to remember the last hour he'd nursed, and I freaked out that he'd decided to wean. I was wrong, he didn't, but those hours freaked me out and paid me back for having the thought.









But I don't NIP. Never really have, except when absolutely necessary. And in retrospect, those "necessary" times for me were completely unnecessary. Not that he didn't need milk, but I should NOT have been out. It was too early for me to be out.

So nowadays I nurse in the car before we get out, if I even think he's hungry. And if he starts signing (he doesn't use a word for milk yet) (and he signs "more" rather than the fairly obvious "milk") I take him somewhere private ASAP. Or give him a banana. Or raisin.

And, hiding head in shame now, sometimes when the signing occurs at the same time as I need a restroom, I have no problems taking him in the stall with me and nursing him while I pee. Actually there's no choice, as he usually insists on nursing while I pee anyway, and he almost always comes with me to the bathroom.









So there's me, nursed until I was 4, daughter of LLL goddess, proponent of NIP....having zero problem nursing my guy in a bathroom.









But since not enjoying NIP causing thoughts of weaning just came up, I figured I'd share that. Ya don't have to love NIP.


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Gosh, where do I start- I'm sure I'll miss something.

NIP: Luke is a pretty mellow nurser. He pops off often, but other than that isn't too acrobatic and he isn't really verbal so for the most part I still feel pretty comfy "NIP"ing. I still pretty much stop-and-latch anywhere I happen to be, unless it's right before I want to feed him solids.

Luke and I went through the aweful forced semi-weaning at 13 months per doctor's orders, and probably as a result of that experience niether one of us is interested in stopping. Though I must admit as his premolars are coming in I'm feelin kinda oochie.

We are all in different situations, and the right time to wean is a dance between us and our kiddos. Hugs to those who weaned but weren't feeling ready, and those who ARE feeling ready but havin a hard time of it.









Sarah- I'll TRY and remember to call ya tonight. My brain seems to go out the door in the evenings. I've been thinkin about you.







So glad that the MIL thing seems to be working out so well.

I know I have msgs I never replied to on YG- gotta get to that some time soon!

Luke update- he's back down to 19 pounds. Ped thinks GI doc is gonna want to tube feed. Dh and I are SO OVER ALL THE INTERVENTIONS! Will they cart my kid off to protective services if I tell them all to take a flying leap and leave our family alone? (You don't really have to answer this question- I'm just venting







)

MMF!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Oh, Fiddle--I am so over the interventions too (in hearty support of you and DH!)!!! What a thing. Jeez.

I totally giggled about the visual, emmalollolola, you are soooo right! That was how Sol was too. I absolutely hated it when she'd play with the other nip. I always kept it covered but if I wasn't wearing a bra she'd insistently yank up the shirt...aaaah...

feeling a bit better about the weaning thing now, as we have smoothly transitioned...sometimes I hold her close and we talk about teta and she pats it, and I tell her I miss it too...but it sure is nice to not have the pain and the suspicion that it's not the best thing for my body (just felt like too much output). I had my first tri blood work done and I'm on the edge with the salmonella and typhoid antibodies I carry--right on the edge of positive result--meaning any significant stress or overstretching could cause a relapse into illness.

Thinking of you all, Sarah, Meg, Molly, Renae, Heather, Jstar, and sending you much love and MMRF!!!

(May Mamas Rock Forever!)

ps sarah LOVED the links to the articles, thanks!


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

So, it's 7:10 and Rowan is STILL asleep!







: He woke at 6 to nurse and still feels really warm but he slept pretty well last night (and of course he nursed like 4 times throughout the night...I don't refuse when he's sick) and well...I dunno. If the fever is really high when he wakes but he has no other symptoms, should we just lay low all day and not worry about calling the doc? I dunno. I know a fever in and of itself doesn't mean he's seriously illl, but it just seems so suspicious to me when there's this high unexplained fever...ack. Being a mama...TOUGH JOB!









Okay, more in a sec. After a big ol' cup of coffee, the bathroom is calling my name....gotta pee!
















to my May mamas!


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

'K, I'm back.








Fiddle,





















!!! I wish I could go over there and shield you and your family from the interventions!







Love & support to you always.
Elsanne! Wow, you take good care of yourself, mama.








I am SO in caretaker mode!







I want to go to each of you and offer my time, my help, my services! (wait...that last part sounds bad!







: Y'all know what I mean) I guess having a sick bebe makes me into the mama bear for sure!
I'm not looking forward to just laying low this morning/maybe all day, sitting on the couch and watching teevee with Rowan because he won't stop nursing or won't let me put him down...but I am fully expecting that. We'll see how today pans out. I was supposed to watch a friend's DD this afternoon while she went to an appointment, but she is SUPER-germ-paranoid (and i don't blame her; her DD has hardly EVER been sick, even with a cold!) so we may not see her.

And then, I bought a ticket to see a concert tonight, like a month ago! And well, I wouldn't feel guilty about going if Rowan wasn't feverish!







: But now I feel like a bad mama, leaving him with DH while I go out.







Poor bebe. Even though if last night is any indication, he'll be FINE. *sigh*
Mama guilt, part of a healthy morning routine!









Okay mamacitas, I have to go for real now, bebe will be up any minute! I hope you all have a wonderful day.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

wanna see some really stinkin' cute babies & toddlers in halloween costumes?
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...&x=0&y=-yevfmc

(marek is in photo #76 by himself, and in #77 and #78 with me)

~claudia


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

OMG, Claudia, those are great pics and I really love the last one of you two, where he's got his shades on and you have a nice smile...
Have you not gotten your package yet? It's been two weeks now! Hope it comes soon.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

els: i got it! i haven't gone to the bank yet, though... but i love my little surprise! thank you!

~claudia


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## jaam (Sep 29, 2004)

Happy Wednesday mamas! I still have to go back and read a few pages to catch up still but I wanted to check in.

Hugs to mamas and babies weaning/ed.

Cute pics, all of 'em (here and in the yg)!!!

More later, thinking of you all.


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Claudia- please tell us the story behind the cowbell/maraka costume- tee hee!

Elsanne- I'm glad to hear that the weaning has gone ok. There's our ideal and then there's life, and life's good too.









Renae- hope you enjoyed the concert, and hope the wee one is recovered ok.









Sarah- SERIOUSLY. I MUST remember to call you. It's like the sun goes down and my brain sets too.









TTFN. MMF.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

So I think there were *4 pages* of new messages during the 6 days we were gone.

Fiddle, I agree that it's nice to not be alone in FTT and feeding issues, but it sucks that it happens at all (I know you agree). The daughter of some friends we stayed with is in the same boat (but then again, both her parents are small--her mom is *tiny*, like no more than 90 lbs--but the girl is definitely thin, too). They have gotten no help, so I tried to share what I could... I'm glad the endo is over, and I'm even glad they didn't find problems (even though yes, at times, "answers" are tempting, but the folks at P2P dealing with those answers don't seem to have an easy time of it). Did you get the biopsy results?

Heather, to get Z to use his mouth toys, we demonstrate them ourselves in a very exagerated way (and/or we get T the toys, too). He tries to eat the bubble wand, still, months later. Other suggestions I can give you: blowing bubbles in water with a straw (if you do the wrong thing, it doesn't taste yucky the way bubbles do), making a game out of blowing (gently) on her face and encouraging her to blow on you (Z thinks this is a lot of fun). There are easier mouth toys than harmonicas and kazoos.... if you have a store where they sell cheap plastic trinkets and toys, you can probably find some (eg, penny whistle, those red plastic lips that you blow through to make a siren sound). BTW, C is beautiful.

Elsanne, I had no spotting with T and Z, heavy bleeding this time (but everything was okay). You know that Whole Foods is called Whole Paycheck, right? More on weaning on the YG...

The canines (teeth) have been EVIL. No further comment.

I'm kind of dreading TG, because it's another trip (driving this time). This one kicked my @$$, and I feel like I'll be barely recovered before we leave again. And it's an "obligation" trip rather than a "fun" trip.

I love IKEA, esp. the kid stuff... it was one of the many stops we wanted to make but couldn't squeeze in. I think they don't "do" land-locked states, so we'll never get one. But in general, I HATE SHOPPING.

One babe-related highlight from the trip is that we got a babysitter for the 4 kids and went out with our friends... as I kind of implied above, our friends' daughter has more serious feeding issues than Z, and even though he's going through teething and separation anxiety right now, the FD is actually *much* needier/more difficult than Z is, and the F have a good babysitter who is good with it. So we figured that the excitement of extra kids + the good babysitter was worth trying, and it went really well. So I think we're going to take the plunge and really try to find ourselves a good babysitter for occasional outings.

Non vegan nunness... we let the kids eat pretty much anything on the trip (at least we went to an area where there are loads of healthy options). Part of it was just keeping them in a non-hungry state, and part of it was a way of letting them "enjoy" the trip, too. They liked organic vegan PB cookies.

And OMG, you should see the piles of laundry and dishes. The house was fairly tidy before we left (except we left dishes), but we brought back tons of dirty clothes.

Renae, congrats on the membership step. We're big-time UUs (whatever that means







). Z and T are finally getting dedicated in December.

Marek looks like a Kewpie!


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

I came back because I wanted to say a couple more things about the trip...

Visiting people with kids the age of your kids is AWESOME. The kids loved it. The trip was totally about friends, kids, and FOOD. (The food at the wedding was 1 1/2 hrs late but then so good!!!!)

I have to start sleeping well soon or my body will disintegrate.

Dh's relatives make me look like a shrimp, and I'm tall.









Our wrinkles (and T's eczema) disappear in the Bay Area. (Back now, though.)

We had tight connections and ~10 hours of non-stop strapdownedness and/or lines for the kids (car trip to airport, [delayed] short flight, mad dash to connecting flight + no lunch, shuttle ride home). On the 2nd flight (5 hrs. into the craziness), the woman in front of us asked very snarkily if T could stop kicking her seat (honestly, he'd done it ~3 x). It's hard to teach your kid manners when they interact with adults with no manners... Also, we searched desperated everywhere for those in the airport golfcart transports, to no avail (like I said, it would help if I looked more pg). Finally, we arrived in Denver, and there was one magically waiting right as we got off... I nearly cried, I was so thankful (and exhausted and achy).

And I forgot to say...







to HF on the doula.


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

Just a quick check in to say hello and send some support to the weaning, FTT, trip-taking, pregnant, mama-warriors of May. I have been thinking about you all, keeping up with reading here and on the YG, and I just want you all to know that I think that we are such an exceptional group of moms. Big







to you all.

We will be trying to get Alison pregnant again next month (and yes, at home IUI!). I am disappointed of course that it didn't work this time, but right now I am mostly just feeling stressed about the expense (about $600 per attempt with one vial)! Consciously TTC is harrowing under the best of circumstances and I am feeling a bit whiney about all the ways that it is harder for us&#8230;must not compare ourselves to others, I know, but it's hard. Some days I feel like acting like a toddler and throwing a tantrum. Think it would help?

The bright side is that I am assisting in the research for a revision of this book: http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-1555836267-0 and I am learning more about fertility and IUIs. I hope this will lead somewhere and I will have the patience to wait for my next step.

Blessings&#8230;


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Hi mamas!

Lisa, how cool about the book research! I'm sure it is quite interesting working on the book and "living" it day-to-day as well. I am sending you all the fertile-goddess-mama-baby-sticky-warm-welcoming-uterus-vibes I can muster! And hey, how's E.??

Welcome back, KK! Glad the trip was full of friends, food, and fun. Now get back on the couch!









Hi, AGrace! I'm so glad you're still peeking in now and then.









Our excitement this week has been Lily's allergic reaction to amoxicillin. She got the antibiotics two weeks ago for the sinus infection, went through the whole 10 days, then the last day she started getting hives. I didn't realize that's what they were at first, and didn't worry too much. Then the next morning (Monday), she woke up with her eyes almost swollen shut and bright red hives ALL OVER. We took her in to the doc and they said that's what it was. We gave her a few doses of Benadryl over the next couple of days, and now she's much, much better. But it was scary at first! And now we have our first drug allergy...







The weird thing is that she acted completely normal and happy the whole time. She didn't even seem to notice her eyes were swollen. Thank goddess for small favors! In better news, we also did her 18-mo checkup, and she's still 50th %, doing great.

Back to studying - big pathophysiology test today!









Sarah


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Lisa--so glad you peeked in! Thinking lots of good thoughts for you and A!! Just had the "oh my" thought that your sweetie will likely be pg over the summer--don't envy her that!







How is that sweet little E?? How is the daycare thing working out? It sounded like a great fit for her.

Sarah--scary about the reaction, but v. strange (and lucky!) that she didn't seem to notice it. Pathophys---oh the joy! Good luck on the test!

KK--welcome back! Hope you're catching up on your rest after a busy/fun time away!

Short nap day today so I'm







and going to throw lunch at her







and head out to the mall and Whole Foods.

Any plans for the weekend coming up?? We're taking C to the dog show (the one that is on nbc every thanksgiving!) and I think she will melt from joy and excitement because she







s doggies. Will have to share pics on Sunday.


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

First, I want to thank everyone for all their support on the yg re: weaning. It's a tough thing. And now I'm really not sure where I am with all of that, due to a recent development.....

Turns out I'm pregnant.







Just found out today during a visit to a new ob/gyn who I went to see about my chronic urinary tract infactions. She did an exam and felt my belly and found "something" so she pulled out the u/s (I was nervous becuase she said I might have an enlarged ovary or the like) but she just looked at me and, "Well, you have a baby in there."









And get this... I'm 20 weeks.







Yes, I am one of those women who I used to laugh at, thinking, "what kind of fool doesn't know they're pg when they are that far along???" Well, turns out, I am that kind of fool.








: Apparently, what I thought were my first pp af's were actually spotting. So I am one of those who got pg w/o ever getting a pp period. Crazy, eh?

I am shocked, excited, thrilled, nervous... all the good emotions that come with pg, but like a million times amplified becuase I really didn't know.

I'm still taking it all in and getting used to it, but I had to pop on and let my sisters know wassup! Love and peace to all....


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

omg!!!!!!!!! 20 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!! wow you're halfway there already















congrats







that is so wild

hi agrace









hi lisa. i'm hoping for low-stress on teh IUI front. keep that dollar figure out of your head. or else just go ahead and have a tantrum and you'll feel better







take tips from E (if she's anything like my tantrumer)

good luck on your test sarah


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Megan--- Wahoo! Where's that back-flippin' supah excited smiley! Holy moly! You're not that far behind me! Congrats to you and DH!


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

WOW! Woohoo! Yippe skippee! How exciting, Megan. 20 weeks, that's awesome. So are you all of a sudden feeling movement - as in, "oh, THAT's what that was?!" Congratulations to you, DH, and big sister and brother!

Heather - we are going to try for the zoooooooo if this nice clear weather holds up. Have fun at the show!

S.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

wow megan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

happy baby vibes, once you get over the







of course...

briefly, i think it was kk that inquired about the more cowbell & maracas costume marek wore for halloween... maybe it was someone else, though... hmmm... anyway, we had discovered by accident when we were in vegas that marek's hair will go all spikey when sunscreen is mushed into it. so i thought, hmm... he could be a rockstar for halloween and wear some of his regular clothes that are a little funky (the pants and the red socks) and we could put something funky on a t-shirt, do up his hair and give him his kazoo and his maracas. and bill immediately said, wouldn't it be funny if we put "more cowbell" on his t-shirt like that saturday night live skit? i was like, huh? until i googled it and remembered that christopher walken, in one of his many appearances on snl, did a skit about the infamous band blue oyster cult and their song "don't fear the reaper" in which they prominently use a cowbell, one of the few rock songs ever to feature a cowbell. and thus, the more cowbell! t-shirt on our 1 year old son for halloween.

MMF!

~claudia


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

First of all, Claudia, I LOVED Marek's costume, and how cute was he?!?! I have a livejournal icon that is Will Farrel playing the cowbell!
"I've got a disease...and the only cure is...MORE COWBELL!"







: I love snl and I miss it (no TV!)

Second, OMG MEGAN!!!!!!







Congrats and just...WHOAH! Didn't I tell you about my friend out here who never got a pp AF...and is now pregnant?








Happy baby vibes for sure!

I have more to write, but tonight I am wiped. Plus, I may have some big news (NO, I'm NOT pregnant!







) that I won't be able to share till tomorrow. Gotta not jinx it!









Have a great night, everyone, good to see you, Lisa (good luck with the getting the wife pregnant!







) and AGrace.








MMF
I adore you all. You've gotten me through so much!







:


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Wowee zowee Megan! I can't believe it! That means you're due in April, too! ('Cause I'm due ~4/23, and if you're ~2 wks further along, I assume you're due-ish roughly the 1st wk of April?) I'd practically *kill* to be halfway done without realizing it.














Congrats! I'd love for you to explain further (here or the yg) what you meant about weaning. V. curious now.

BTW, TC, I'm probably Will Farrell's biggest fan. And I think he was a much better W than the current dude on SNL.

Lisa, I really hope that your IUI is *EFFICIENT* (ie, that Allison gets pg). I know this isn't a consolation, but think of all the money you've saved over the years on birth control.







(just kidding) That book looks awesome.

I'm still resting, because I either have the flu or a bladder infection (I think the former). Ack!

And ack! on the Lily hives! Reactions are so scary! I'm glad she's better.

I'm going to grab my tea and go back to bed.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Oh, I forgot to say:
Did someone say CANINES?!?!?! Holy moly pooptastical...that's what;s up with Rowan.





















:







:
I am the lamest mama EVER.
Well, not really. But wow. I feel bad for him now. We had a calmer day today though, thanks to Hyland's and chamomile. Whew.
Okay, really off to chill. Peace, everymama.


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

OK, I totally missed out on this thread. I am really a spaz. But the last page has lots of news on it. Congratulations Meg! Wow, 20 weeks.

My sister just found out she is pregnant too. Due in July. Julia must go to bed right now. She is frustrated because she can't tuck her babydoll under a wash cloth.


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Wow Megan! Woo hoo! That's so exciting. 20 weeks? And no PPAF! Now I'm getting scared because I've had no AF yet, but yet have been gaining weight, with no other symptoms (tiny amount of spotting)....nah, I'm sure i'm not, but interesting that it could happen like that-especially for you







! I've got my annual exam on Monday, so we'll see. But, many dancing bananas to you!





































Claudia-I love the "more cowbell" costume, too. I told dh about it and he said he wished he thought of it! We love that skit and downloaded the sound clip to our computer and replay it occasionally. If you google "more cow bell video" you'll find several clips.

Lisa-many sticky pg vibes to your partner & you! Good to hear from you.

We've got some big teeth coming in here, but I don't know which ones...Gabriel only has his four front ones, and four big ones in the back have come through, but with nothing in between as reference point, it's hard to tell what teeth these are! Maybe a molar or two...ouchies.

Sarah-too bad about Lily being allergic, but great that she handled it so well! I'm glad she's feeling better.

We started a Parent Child Circle today at the local Waldorf school and had a good time. Are you all familiar with Waldorf? I'm just a beginner at learning about these different private schools. I figured going to these circle at this age would be a good way to know if G was a good fit for it when he starts school and/or pre-school. He loved it! I left feeling good, too, so that's a bonus. It's a very uplifting place for my spirit...it just feels good! We have to wait 2 weeks to go back since Thanksgiving is next week, though.

I always said my kids would go to public school, because I support the ideal of public education. However, the reality is so depressing, and I'm not sure that's how I want G to start his education.





















That's a whole other topic.

We also got his hair cut yesterday (for the 4th time). He hates it, hates it, hates it and almost got left with a mullet cause he was screaming and flailing about so. It may just have to grow long! He was fine at the park afterward, but mamas, that crying fit of a haircut was horrendous.

Okay, off to do more while he's asleep. TGIF! (Remember when that used to mean something ;0) ?


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Heya mamas!

Jacqueline-theres this salon here in my town that has a toy car raised up to the level of the chairs, and kids can sit in there and pretend they are driving while they get their hair cut! Its too cool, and too bad you don't have something similar. Maybe next time, take in a Cozy Coupe, I hear the kids go wild for those!









Renae-where are you with your news girl? I'm dying to know!

Meg-how amazing you have a new baby coming! And halfway there, too! Its so funny, how you discussed your hunger for a new baby not too long ago. who'dathunkit? Congratulations!

KK-sure hope you're feeling better soon. You've been through the wringer with this baby girl!

Sorry 'bout Lily's reaction.







That's so scary. I'm glad she's through it tho.

Lisa-glad to see you check in with us! Keeping my fingers and toes crossed for A's next IUI to be a success! Maybe mamameg and heatherfeather, and KK can send some babydust her way!

Turbo-Marek's costume was so cute! I get so jealous of creative mamas. I end up just buying something off the rack and drooling over all of the other creative costumes.

Tomorrow night dh and I have big plans. He's on an important board, and is benig sent to represent said board and members tomorrow night at a dinner with our state senator to discuss the future of healthcare in Maine. Ought to be interesting.....


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Hi Nuggets!








Rowan gets frustrated a LOT (A LOT!!!) lately. Whoo doggie. I am still trying to figure out how (if!) I can defuse the tantrums...the past week has been HORRIBLE. Ever since the fever. I think the canines started popping right after the fever, and it's just been insanity from there. Everything causes a tantrum; E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!!!




































Yeah. I am not the best mama at these times, so I am trying to find a way, each moment, each tantrum, to be a better mother. I was able to NOT squeal in frustration and run out of the room before naptime today!














*sigh*

Anyhow. The biggest news development in our world is; I got a job. !!! A job during the week, 15 hours a week, M-W-F, 9-2! At a home daycare about 25 minutes from my house. I am technically the "teacher's assistant" but, really, it's the one woman who owns the house and me, so I am gonna be putting my daycare teacher's license to use again!







I am SO NERVOUS and I START MONDAY!
I still DJ once a month and I still work at the club on weekends. But DH and I have been SO stressed out about money and we recently maxed a HUGE credit card, and one of our cars died so we need a new one, and so, yeah.







I'm nervous as all get-out but also excited too. There are 4 kids, ages 3-4, and the best part: Rowan gets to come with me.







The only super-huge concern I have is this: NAPTIME. I fear it like nothing else. I figure at the worst, I will sling him on my back while I clean the house during the older kids' naptime, and then he will sleep in the car on the way home.







: We do what we have to. There are two dogs at the place, which makes me nervous but they are not downstairs where the actual daycare is, and Rowan ADORES them (we went this morning for our interview and she hired me on the spot. Because I RULE.) and well, I'll just keep an eye out.
So yeah. HUGE news. And it seems like it happened so quickly because well, it did. We foundout how maxed our credit was Tuesday. I freaked, started looking for jobs. Thursday morning found the ad for the "mother's helper" and emailed her, she called me because she said that out of the 3 or so applicants she got, I sounded the best.
















The other bit of worry: she is so mainstream it HURTS! She got this super-blank stare when I mentioned that Rowan still nurses, she said the "only child" in her group of kids is "spoiled", and, worst of all, when she brought me upstairs to explain the rest of the household "duties"....she TURNED ON THE TV AND LEFT THE 4 KIDS DOWNSTAIRS TO WATCH IT. ALONE!!!
(yep, that warranted all-caps. Haha)
But I figure, I will always be there with Rowan, and the TV will NOT be on in my presence, if at all possible.







: I mentioned it to DH and he was like "Well, that's why she needs YOU there!" Haha.
Anyway...I have to go, Rowan is gonna wake up any second and I need to talk to DH before that.

Love to all you awesome mamas.


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

RENAE! We must've been posting at the same time! Your new job sounds awesome! What a great setup that you can bring mr. R with you to work. He'll have a blast playing with the other kids. AND you can bring Ms. Mainstream over to the dark side...


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

awesome renae







if the kids have a naptime while you're on shift i bet you can get rowan to nap too. peer pressure can work to your advantage sometimes







at isaac's daycare they all have little cots so they pull them out and get everyone to nap at the same time every day. it astounds me but the kids get so used to the routine it just works. so i bet rowan would get into the groove. when they first put isaac on a cot instead of a crib they just rubbed his back til he fell asleep so he would stay on the cot.

sherri--woo your dinner sounds cool. your dh is such a go-getter







way for you guys to make a difference!

isaac needs a haircut.









i'm still amazed meg, you made it 20 weeks without feeling pukey or being totally offput my SMELLS or anything. whoa. what a great easy pregnancy! the non-pregnancy pregnancy









isaac's teacher told me yesterday that she saw him teasing an older kid. (like it was a new behavior she hadn't seen him do before and he is getting older). teasing him like 'i wanna be your friend' it was a kid from the preschool 1 class. so i thought that was cute







probably because dh has been teasing him







:


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

groovy cool news on the jobbie, renae...







bring that daycare provider over to the "dark side"...









still in disbelief over the megan-baby news...

kk: sending you peaceful tummy vibes

sarah: ack! allergic reaction!

jstar: teasing isaac sounds like fun.









everyone else:









and on the more cowbell note, the snl with christopher walken & the cowbell skit was rerun last night on E! and we TiVoed it so I can show it to some friends who had no idea what the heck i was talking about when explaining marek's costume. it was fun to watch it again. i love will ferrell. and christopher walken. in that creepy, geeky, not quite right way.

MMF!

~claudia

p.s. note to self: title for December thread should be

Vegan Nuns Declare: May04 Toddlers Have Mothers of the Year! --Dec News


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Megan- WOW. wow. WOW. That's amazingly cool. You got to skip the yucky part of pregnancy, and start right out with the baby-is-healthy-and-comin'-soon part. Oh. my. gosh. I just can't believe. Congratulations!!!!!

That's it, I'm goin' out and getting a pregnancy test tomorrow after work. I've NEVER been regular, so I have no way of predicting when I should have my next period, but I wanna make sure I'm not preggers. Of course I'll be happy if I am, but just for the record my ideal would be not to have a 2nd biological child at all. I'd like to adopt in 4 or 5 years. (Psst- we had unprotected bd exactly 15 days after my first period. That was 18 days ago. WHAT were we thinking? Oh yah- we weren't. D%$^& hormones. As kk said a while back, aren't we to old enough to know better?














).

Renae- Congratulations on the job!!! How wonderful that it came through so quickly. Hopefully, you and she will discover that you DO have some common ground philosophically, and where you differ, hopefully you can learn from and respect each other. (Oh yah, and I welcome her in advace to the daaaaaaaaaark siiiiiiiiiide







) He he.

Sarah. I suck. Some day I will remember to call you





















. Maybe I'll phone dh when I get off and get your number from home. Glad L's over the scariness.

MMF


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

Well, perhaps i should wait until we hear the results of the pregnancy test from fiddle, but...

MEGAN - oh - my - goodness!!!! I am beyond delighted for you. Alison and I were just stunned by your news. This is going to be one special baby!!!


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## taosmom (Jul 1, 2004)

Just stopping in for a quick hello, and WHOA!







Megan, get out! That's wild, to say the least...can't wait to rub your tum!

Congrats on the new job, Mama F! I've just posted in the local paper for bookkeeping work @ home so please send some energy our way, too!







:

I've been really caught up in the whole ceremony thing...the website is published but still needs a lot of work...here's a sneak peek just for you guys (seriously, no one else will see it until it's finished/I send the invites):
http://www.benjaminandalexandra.com

Remember, it's still rough (like the parent's page-that image is just a test), but I think it's coming along. Sorry for not checking in more, but know that I always love you!


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Asaalik, OMG your web page is *gorgeousness*.








Just had enough time to say that and send you some good job vibes!








Peace.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

asaalik: your website is









must go. crying, somewhat sick babe is being grumpy for dad and dad doesn't know how to handle it... *hrumph* umm... you gotta hold him?

~claudia


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

HI everybody! Congrats, Meg & Renae,

so much to say to everybody and sending get well QUICK vibes to KK...

Get this everbody tomorrow my family is doing an intervention on my mom, she is addicted to oxycontin and takes many, many other prescription drugs and finally we're doing what we have to do. She threatened suicide and a bunch of other stuff (imagine the most normal mom turning WHACK in the last year)...anyway we've been doing family training & stuff with a professional interventionist and tomorrow's the big day. I am scared, sooo scared. She is a powerful, manipulative woman who is out of her mind but still incredibly sharp.

not much time but I'm pretty stressed, my stomach is in knots, but I'm so glad we're finally doing something. I'm in albuq. now.

mmf!

e


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## taosmom (Jul 1, 2004)

Thanks for the love everyone...

Wow, Elsanne-I'm sending you lots of CORE power, compassion and breath. This is such a tremendous and difficult thing you're undertaking and bless you for doing it. I'm also familiar with the intervention scenerio, so I wish you lots of determination, love and luck in helping your mother to regain her spirit. Please let us know how it goes. Until then


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

els: sending you peace, love, strength, wisdom, comfort and anything else you may need that you don't know you need...









~claudia


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

I'll be thinking of you Elsanne. You are such an amazing and powerful woman to do this for your mother. Good luck.

Whenever you tell me you are in albuq. I think, "Oh, turn left"








Sorry couldn't help myself.

Alexandra, the website is awesome.

I am having a dillemma with Naomi. When Julia is going down for a nap, she is doing naughty stuff. Like crayon on the wall, eating crackers from the cabinet, and just generally stuff she should not be doing. The problem is of course that she is basically not supervised. So, do I let her watch TV, so she is in one spot while I put J down for a nap? Seems like a lot of TV to me since I often fall asleep with J for a while. So I am out of N's sight for an hour. Then I would deny TV later but that is still 3 times as much as usual. And daily too.

I must shower before J wakes again.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Elsanne, I think (hope!) I sent you vibes in another thread where you mentioned your mom's intervention, but







and MANY many good strong vibes to you and your family, darlin'.









Nuggets, I wish I had some sort of advice! Because right now Rowan is watching a Baby Einstein video in the living room while I do this real quick before we go to work.







:
He also likes to follow me into the room even when there is a movie playing to check on me though.








I hope you work something out. IMO, a little TV isn't horrible, but yeah, an hour all at once with you not there...well, ya know, you do what you need to do. How about setting Naomi up with a fun activity while you get Julia down? Like stickers, washable (!!) markers (or better yet, those Color Wonder ones that only work on the special paper? Expensive, but maybe worth it?), some books in a special corner? Anyway, there's some thoughts. Take care mama.

So yeah...we leave in 1/2 hour to start our first day at the home daycare today!!







: Wish me luck, mamas. I am hoping it goes relatively smoothly, and I think it will, I think the only real snafu will be the nap situation. We'll see though. Rowan woke at 6:30 this morning, so I hope that will facilitate an easier naptime at work (he usually sleeps till 7-7:30!).

I've been up since 4:45 with DH so I am really needing the







today! But at least it gave me time to make sure I had everything ready for our first day at "school".
I am nervous, sure, but also very excited! This will be fun. Take care, mamas, I'll be back this afternoon.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Asaalik--







the website! What a wonderful way to share with family and friends!

Els--much strength to you, mama! My mother has "issues" as well and I know how hard it is to sit and watch things unravel. Thinking of you!

Renae--hope your first day is going well!! What a lucky bunch of kiddos! Hope Rowan has fun with his new pals! Look forward to hearing how it goes!

We're having a rough few days here w/ the food stuff. Lots o' puking







and otherwise regressing. Very, very impatiently waiting to hear from the OT to even just schedule our first appt.







: Will give it a few more days and then look into private treatment. I just feel like the clock is ticking and I only have so many weeks when I will be able to focus all of my energy on this with her.









In fun news---I brought the sand/water table into the kitchen and filled one end with rice and beans and C loves it! Going to get some cheap pasta shapes for the other end.

Anyone traveling for T-day?? It'll just be the three of us here and I'm actually really looking forward to a quiet holiday for a change!


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *heatherfeather*
In fun news---I brought the sand/water table into the kitchen and filled one end with rice and beans and C loves it! Going to get some cheap pasta shapes for the other end.

Anyone traveling for T-day?? It'll just be the three of us here and I'm actually really looking forward to a quiet holiday for a change!










Did you make the table, or buy it? If bought, where did you find it?

Just the three of us are going a few miles up the highway to a fancy new Westin hotel on T'day. We'll likely have Chinese food, or just whatever's open (I'm not totally against Denny's on Thanksgiving LOL)...there's actually a totally veggie Chinese restaurant that has a lot of veggie protein things, and they are haing a pseudo-Tday meal...hubby likes that idea but I'd rather NOT do the tofurkey sort of thing.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

hey molly! you're one of the mothering.com newsletter's new senior members of the week! congrats!

thinking of you, els...









and thinking of you, too, renae...









oh gosh, just thinking of all of you...









MMF! (i want an emoticon that says MMF!)

~claudia


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

that's hilarious. Is it the thousand post thing? (I just noticed I'm at 1004 plus this post) So what do I win?


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

yep, it's the 1,000th post thing. and you "win" the opportunity to give yourself a special senior member title thing-y, like MamaFaery has "Tattooed little love goddess". as you can see, mcsarahb and i have absolutely no creativity and still remain boring ol' senior members. i keep contemplating what i would name myself and have had no inspiration.

and today i have way too much internet time on my hands.









~claudia


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Elsanne, I've was thinking of you all weekend (didn't know exactly which day the intervention was) and I really hope some positive movement came from it.









Renae, how was Rowan's first day on the job? Just think, this will make his first day of school a piece of cake.









Lisa, sending you and Al huge, BFP vibes!









Alexandra, I







you and Benjamin's wedding website. VERY cool. I especailly love the pic of you two in the dust storm. Oh the playa... how I love thee.









HF - thanks for mentioning the sand/water table, because I've been at a lost as to what we should get Mia for Christmas. I forgot all about one of those and I think she would love it! Good thinking on brining it inside!









Mamas, thanks for all the great responses re: my pg. I am still kinda trippin on it all. I'm having a Level II U/S tomorrow, so I should get a more clear picture on how far along I am. I'm super anxious to know! My belly had really popped out in the past few days. Or maybe it's just that I've stopped sucking in my gut so much.







Seriously tho... I had been feeling really self-conscious about my weight in the past few weeks. I was literally thinking, "gosh, I've been eating okay... I've been going to the gym... I know they say the belly is never the same after having a baby, but it seems like all this weight is going straight to my gut...







" DUH!









As for TG, we are laying low and staying home just the 4 of us this year. At first I was a little bummed about it (I love a big TG celebration!), but now with all the pg excitement and the busy months ahead of us, I'm quite relieved and looking forward to it.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention! We had our first non-family babysitting experience this past weekend and it went soooo well! John and I had a surprise b-day party to go to from 4-8 PM on Sat and Mia stayed with a friend of mine who is the mom of one of her little buddies. Mia was so enthralled w/all of her buddies toys she didn't even look at me when I said goodbye.







The girls had a great time together, had a bath together (I really wish I could have witnessed this cuteness







) and when we arrived to pick her up around 9:00, she was excited to see us, and NO "ohhhh yeahhhhh... you've been gone all evening... wait, I missed you!" tears at all. In fact, after a few hugs and kisses, she was right back to playing with the dog. All in all, a great first sitter experience. Definitely gave me confidence and we'll be planning more adults only outings soon! And what's more, my friend enjoyed having her so much, she suggested we do it once a month. Uhhhh.... OKAY!









Fiddle.... ummmm... what up with that pg test????? May Mamas inquiring minds wanna know.


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

congrats, molly!

renae? how'd it go?

I'm back from my conference and the lentil is still nursing like crazy, so the weaning scare is over. I shouldn't have worried so much about it.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Oh mamas, it is with grieving heart I write,

my mom walked out of the intervention. Nuthin doin. She ALMOST bit, but then she wigged. As a family, though, we trained all day long on sat n sun and learned sooo much together, about addiction, about codependency. The worst part for me is that I am the ONLY one my mom "trusted", everyone else has been alienated, and now I am here over thanksgiving and am not to contact my mom (who has no one to spend t day with) until she accepts treatment. My codependent mind is REALLY STRUGGLING WITH THIS!

My daughter is eating like 5 yo babys per day. She's having lots of fun with her cousins and their toys.

So much more to say and I just wanna send love to y'all and and big warm hugs as I need em!

xoxo


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Els---a million warm hugs for you and more. So hard for me to know what you're going through right now as I do know how uniquely painful it is to deal with a parent's addiction. Glad your family has been able to pull together on this. Much strength to you mama! .....and yes, my kiddo can put away the Yo Baby too!









The meltdown of meltdowns here this morning.







Hubby won us a free lunch at a local yummy BBQ place today so I'll have to wake C early from her nap to get there---so not the day to go light on the nap---wish us luck!

ME---our sand/water table is just the one from Step 2, but if we didn't have that --and maybe for next winter, I might have DH help me build some sort of wooden box to hold the rice/beans/noodles. It is a HUGE hit! I had actually thought of leaving it up in our semi-finished attic w/ a tarp under it and still use it as a sand/water table, but this works out even better I think--and much easier cleanup!

Megan--so glad the babysitting experience went well!! Can't wait to hear how your level 2 goes!


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Elsanne, I'm so sorry your mom is resisting. I truly hope she, you and your family can find some peace in this situation soon. I can not even imagine what you are going through, but I have been thinking of you often and I'm sending lots of strength and well wishes.

Em, glad to lentil is back to nursing.









Okay, I have to eat something NOW.


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

Just sneeking on to let you know that I am sending you love, light and strength, Els. You are doing the best you can in the fullness of your love for your mom...she is blessed no matter what her choice is. Peace to you and your family.


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

elsanne, you are doing the best thing for your mom by following through with the promise of not contacting her until she gets help. Taking steps to quit an addiction is extremely frightening, and is no way a linear process. You are so courageous to step in and tell her how her actions are affecting you. I'm proud of you. I can't imagine how you feel right now, but I wanted to offer you support and a hug.


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Sorry to leave ya'll hangin'- we're on the road for T-day. We're at Grandpa B's house right now, babe is sleepin', so I had a moment to pop in. And the verdict is..... no babe on the way. Whew! Thank goodness! The more I think about it, the more I am certain that I don't want another bio kid. Dh and I decided 1 bio, 1 or 2 adopted when we were still dating, but ya never know how you're gonna feel years down the line. Well, here's how I feel.... I just don't feel like my body has what it needs to grow and feed another baby. One is all I can handle. I am an incredible earth-mama, but not a prolific one, I think.









So much news I missed while on the road. Elsanne, I am so sorry I missed the post about the upcoming intervention. I'm sending you lots of follow-up vibes. I hope your mom can employ her power and her intellect to acnowledging and healing herself, rather than defending the system she's put in place to cope with life.





















Really looking at yourself, and letting go of the things you've used to defend what's precious inside, can be scary.







You are so brave and wonderful to intervene.

Heather- I hope you're able to get the ball rolling with the feeding therapy. Dealing with the healthcare system can be a pain in the A$$.

Asaalik- that website is incredible! Loved the photo album.







The whole thing is so beautiful and spiritual. A labor of love.

Renae- DO tell all about your new job.

Claudia- hope the babe is feeling better.

Peace out, mamas.


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

FF, glad to hear you are happy with your neg test results. I trust that you know your body and if one bio babe is the path for you, then more power to ya! I think the adoption route is an admirable one.

Okay... so we had the u/s today... and it's a boy! I'm due 4/8 (or thereabouts... y'all know how that goes), putting me at 20 weeks, 4 days. I'm still trippin out over this.







But I'm stoked that it's a boy! I would have been happy with either, but it will be fun to do the boy thing this time around. I guess now that I know my due date, I can check out the due date clubs in the pg boards!









Gotta run, but wanted to check in quickly with the big news.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

just lurking about and found the news that Queen of Cups had her baby on the 19th! read her birth announcement with brief story here: http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=373086

MMF!

and now off to the airport to pick up my parents who are flying in for the t-day weekend all the way from NY!!! wahoo!!! they are going to pee their pants with all the cuteness at our house lately...










~claudia


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Thanks everybody for the love...and support...your words bring tears to my eyes, because I just have to take it one day at a time. Just for today, like in AA, to not contact my mom...very very hard.

yesterday I moped around most of the day, as everyone else here got back to their lives...then took the bus down town, (nob hill, emmalola or anyone else who knows abq) and that pulled me out of my funk. We're doing big city joys, i.e., zoo, aquarium, going to explora next...costco!

fiddle, wooot about the non-preg! I met someone on the plane here who is adopting from albania next month and it was an interesting conversation. They are so excited.

And meg, aawwwwww about the widdle BOY! OMG, can you believe you are pregnant? Wow. I am remembering when you were ill a while back...and didn't you have mastitis or something? Maybe that was early pg breast pain? I bet you've already done all that analyzing about early symptoms you missed, thinking they were something else! What a story!

oh TC have so much fun with your parents. I absolutely love where you live (north plains). That keychain by the way is the virgin of miracles so I have it on my car keys, hoping for a miracle...to keep it runnin! '92 toyota camry with 265K miles on it...and Mexico is ROUGH on cars!

What else...heather how fun about the sand table!! DH is wanting to make a sandbox for Sol too, and she just loves sand (bean etc) play!


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

elsanne-I haven't been around much lately, so I'm sending you some belated hugs and support. I can't even imagine how difficult this is for you right now. But know that you are doing this FOR your mother and not TO her, if that makes any sense. We're always here for you, so come here anytime to vent or get support.

As for us, we've been busy lately. My mom flew in yesterday and so the past few days have been busy preparing for her arrival. Tonight we're doing a soooo-not vegan nun thing and taking the girls to see Chicken Little. And we'll eat popcorn too.









Anyone making a bird tomorrow? I got mine sitting in the fridge, and I plan on brining it. I've heard good things about it, so lets see how mine turns out. I'm not exactly Martha Stewart....

Big Turkey Day wishes to all!


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Hi Peeps!

Elsanne - sorry from me, too, on my lateness with support. I agree with everyone else - you are doing an amazingly strong, supportive thing for your mom, even if it doesn't feel like it right now. Hope you enjoy the rest of your stateside vacay, and thanks for checking in with us!

Fiddle - please don't beat yourself up over not calling me.







I've been so busy lately my head is spinning. We'll hook up sometime after tday, ok? And







re: the neg. test. I'd feel the saaaame way.

Megan - w00t! So exciting! A BOY, a BOY! Yummy. Jeez, I'm beginning to feel outnumbered here with all you preggo mamas. I hope it's not something in the water...







:

Claudia - have fun with your 'rents. How nice that they are coming out. I can't wait to see mine in a couple of weeks.

Sherri - we are having a gobbler. MIL is picking it up right this second and will do the honors tomorrow. She's got some supta-dupta-special stuffing recipe all planned out and I'm just gonna let her do her thang. All I'm going to make is the cranberry relish and some sweet potato casserole...

Renae - can't wait to hear about the job. Fill us in!

Well Lily is one giant ball of snot, STILL, and I am really getting sick of it. She has been congested since September without a break. What is up?! I feel so bad for her. She's gotten really good at nursing with a stuffed-up nose: sip sip, DEEP breath. Sip sip, DEEP breath. *Sigh*









Hope everyone has a great holiday. See ya'll on Monday!









Later gators-

Sarah


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Hey all, not much time, getting things ready for turkey day, or well, for us, chicken day!







:
And, butternut squash and hazelnut lasagne day!







(MIL has made it since I started coming to their holidays--I used to be a vegetarian and she and I found this recipe and WOW! Even though I eat meat now I still ADORE this lasagne. MMM!)
I'm making a WHOLE chicken (I fear it!







) and all sorts of sides, fresh cranberry sauce, yum yum! MIL is bringing the lasagne, and a pie. Mmm, pie.
I can't believe I am pretty much "hosting" thanksgiving here! I mean, it's just the IL's coming over but still! They're only coming for Rowan.









Elsanne, I hope me talking about this doesn't make you x-tra sad or anything. :-( Actually, hearing about your trials makes me think of how my dad and I no longer speak, in BIG part to his extreme alcoholism.







It's so sad. I give you strength, mama.









The job...well, I am quitting on Friday.







Long story short, it's NOT a good match. She leaves the kids ALONE WAY more often than I'd like, INCLUDING MINE!







I went upstairs to use the restroom because she was down there with them, and then SHE CAME UP AS WELL! WTF?!?!??!







I was SO streamed, I didn't even know what to say.
Rowan is miserable there, and I think part of it is it being a new situation, part of it is...it SUCKS. I wouldn't send my own kid to this daycare, so why should I work here?? Tuesday she had three more kids than she expected, so while I took care of the "regulars", what do yout hink she did with the others upstairs?
You guessed it. Teevee.








FOR ALMOST THREE FRICKIN' HOURS!!!!!!!!!
No joke. They watched a movie, then they watched Barney and Caillou (sp? I have no clue) it was awful. All the books there (the few she has) were product tie-ins like Dora, Barney, BARBIE.
Oh hell no, mamas. No way. Mama Bear reared her hairy head and I wanted my son OUT of there.
I am going in alone Friday to finish the week, get my check and tell her I am sorry, but it's not going to work. She just got foot surgery too...ack ack ack...but no WAY am I bringing Rowan back there again.
Oh yeah, on top of meltdowns? He wanted to nurse, EVERY chance he got, while at the daycare, and he would WAIL if I said no, or wait, or later...







It was AWFUL. He was down to like 4 nursings a day, before and after sleeping pretty much, but those two days? I lost count.







He was so sad!

He ws a different child today, and that's what clinched it. When I asked him to get his shoes so we could go out, he vehemently shook his head and ran away!!







He thought we were going back to "school".














When I explained that we were going to the store and to see the animals at the pet store, he let me get him ready and was SO HAPPY we were not going to daycare! DH came home from work early and Rowan would go between both of us, giving hugs and kissing and ALL SMILES!
And he nursed like "usual" for him. Morning, before and after nap, and bedtime.
So yeah. My short stint in employment, all done!







I jumped into it quickly because I needed work. Well, I need my sanity and my son's well-being more.
I posted an ad in the same place she did asking for ONE more child to come to my house, and maybe I can make some extra cash that way. I will make jewelry again and market it better. I will sell stuff on Ebay! ANYTHING! I know I am smart talented enough to NOT need to compromise my child's (and my own!) well-being for a JOB. Yep.
Anyway, luck, vibes, strength to quit like a (wo)man Friday? Yeah. Kinda anxious!

Okay, mamas, enough outta me! It is late! I hope you all have a good holiday. MMF!







I am so very thankful for every one of you.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

*bump*
For real?!?! I killed the thread! Oh my goodness!








Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.








Rowan has an ear infection.







We went to the ped. and he gave us a prescription for Zithromax, but he approved my choice to use Hyland's earache tablets along with warm olive oil infused with garlic, willow bark, and calendula (I think the company "Herbs for Kids" makes it--we love their stuff) until Monday, when I have to make an appointment with our regular ped. and he can see how the bebe looks then.
Anyway, part of me is relieved that there was *Something* making Rowan act like a total freakshow the past week, but I am also sad that I didn't figure it out sooner.







He has been so much better today though, after some good treatment and lovin' from Mama & Daddy.
Okay, just wanted to say hi, and I miss you all, and DH's birthday is tomorrow and I have to make him a cake!
Take care, everymama.









ETA: oh, the quitting on Friday went surprisingly drama-free! She just nodded and said "okay, good bye good luck I'll just pay you and send you home"! Well, more than that but that was basically it! I have to give her props, and I am glad I ended the job in such a mature fasion (not usual for me, I must admit!







: ) So now, I am jobless (well, besides my club job), but relieved.
Okay, bye for real now.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

yay for threadkiller renae!







:

my mom and dad are flying out late tonight, and i will miss them something fierce. my irritation level with bill has increased exponentially over this weekend, and i don't really want to talk about it. with him or with anyone. but then again, i do want to talk about it with him and tell him off, but i'm feeling kind of guilty about that and like i don't have a right to complain about the things he does/ doesn't do.







just irritated with him.

maybe i will expound more on the yg.

wishing everyone safe travels home after the t-day! anyone brave the shopping? we went to the knitting shop yesterday and bought some yarn and that was it.









MMF!

~claudia


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Renae--







thread killer!! Glad the quitting went smoothly! Hope Rowan bounces back from the ear troubles--will have to remember to ask about those homeopathic treatments if we get another one here. We're going to CT this Fri-Sun---not sure exactly what our plans are, but we might be doing the aquarium on Saturday.









TC--hope you had a chance to talk through some of the irritating things. We go in spurts here and I can't stand walking around







: when he hasn't got a clue.

Had C's 18mos checkup on Friday and she has gained weight/grown some so I was







and giving much credit to the gallons of yogurt she consumes.







Finally got a # for our assigned therapist so will call Monday and try to get something scheduled. Therapy was supposed to start this coming Tuesday at the latest, but I don't see that happening. We're heading up to CT this coming weekend so I need to get some holiday gifts bought/wrapped before then so I can avoid the hassle and $$ of shipping them before Christmas. Pissed off the vegan nuns yesterday and went to the mall and Marshall's to do some shopping. Have some books to buy online and then I am DONE! I have to gather recipes this week and then the Christmas baking shall commence. Spelt cookies anyone??


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Thank you SO MUCH EVERYBODY for your words of love and support, it really means so much to me. Youguys are awesome. MMF!

Spelt cookies here!!! Actually, regular whole wheat ones I made last night. MMMmmmmm! I was thinking of you, Heather, & C, as Sol helped me make them! At first I was just making them and she was playing, but I realized that she can help, and it can be a participatory thing...thinking of you...we had fun! No drama once the cookies went in...







And yay for the weight gain, Heather! We went to the aquarium last week, and the zoo, and yesterday explora museum...the big city delights!

Renae, so glad you found out about the ear infection! That explains everything! Glad you're gonna try the natural stuff first. Also glad to hear the job-quitting went drama free.

Sarah--hope that Lily has become less of a ball of snot now...Sol was sick with a cough etc for MONTHS so I getcha mama. She also had green snot for EVER.

TC--sure hope things have calmed down....god the whole DP thing sometimes makes me roll my eyes. I just think that no matter who the p is, there are going to be rough spots, and doubts, I've really been thinking about this because ...wait, to be continued after I explain about the "date" I had...we did do a little shopping and it wasn't too intense for me, but my bro went after the advertised incredible deals and struck out a few times. I just was shopping at the natural foods store.

I'm returning to MExico tomorrow, yippeeyiyay!! I am psyched to return to my life.

Oh, this is hilarious, she is lugging around a monster costco bag of chocolate chips which she has poked a hole in and she's NOT letting it go.

Okay, so, I went on a DATE Friday night, a pilates instructor from the Y where my SIL goes (she set me up, darn her!). We went to class one night and started chatting, he has an "earthship" up in the mtns outside of Albuq. and I just had to hear more about that! It's made of tires & dirt, & recycled cans & bottles, and collects rainwater and uses solar energy and composting etc...I just respect that lifestyle sooo much. Anyway we went out to Vietnamese food (can't get THAT in San Miguel) and played pool in a cool divey bar. Very fun. Nice to stop thinking about my mom, who has started sending barbed, exploding emails to all of us.

Anyway, he was totally into me, which was awesome to feel, treating me really well and obviously partner-shopping--he's ready to settle down. He was NOT put off by the fact that I'm pregnant, which I told him right away. I was honest about Viet, too. So I realized that any person I would choose to "settle" with (*sigh*) would bring their whole host of issues, thinking of everybody here in our group, some of you whom I believe have this great, perfect relationship and then realizing that that just doesn't exist--EVERYBODY's got issues--
Anyway so once again I just realize I'm just not good wife material. I mean, I am, honestly guys think I'm just the pacha mama...which I certainly am, except that I cannot be trusted to not run off with the next best thing. OMG! Did I just write that? WEll, right now Ijust think I'm looking for it "all" in one person and according to this great article in the utne reader that is just unrealistic, and back when people just "made do" with what they got, getting their friend needs met elsewhere...

Sol just dumped the entire contents of the costco choc chip bag on the floor of the little play gym...knew that was coming...arrrrgh!

So methinks I need a lover, a husband, and lots of good girlfriends.

Except that right now I need to be alone for a bit, which I am, and it's great to really start to find out "who I am"...

okay, phew. Done with that diatribe for now.

love ya mamas

MMF!


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

els: i used to have a plan to have a man on every continent.







i think i still have one in switzerland and western australia, so i've got europe and australia covered.







it's nice to dream about that sometimes. and on my drive back from the airport last night, alone, i thought about just driving, driving, driving to somewhere far away just to piss bill off.

but then i came home instead. oh well.

~claudia


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

ok is my dh upstairs sleeping in while little man is pulling at my leg and yanking the mouse?? yes. does this happen every weekend morning? pretty much







so yeah. i totally get it. when we went down south last weekend and went to a friend's dh commented how lame and univolved her dh was. i'm thinking yeahh uhh huh. and he _is_ totally uninvolved so it is all relative. but my dh shouldn't be getting any awards that's for sure. he gets shunned by isaac a lot though so i just don't get why he doesn't modify his behavior when it is clear as day to me. but i've pointed that out and there isn't much more i can do







:

els. that guy sounds cool. i've never met a guy with an earthship







and i hope your mom comes around soon. that sounds so hard. you have me thinking about relationships and all that biz. my dh is so not perfect and yet i am so in love with him. he really has the more lover qualities and i should find the typical husband qualities somewhere else









i hope everyone's turkey days were lovely. i did end up buying a vegan nun-raised turkey and it was yum. my parents left yesterday which is kind of nice we still have the weekend to ourselves to relax. love the p's though. my mom is just a leetle uptight. they did actually babysit though friday night and we went out for our friend's birthday. too much debauchery









isaac is really starting to try out a lot of new words now. it is so funny

we moved isaac's rocking horse up into the living room yesterday. it is one of those old 70s ones with the springs. he loves it. he figured out how to get up on it by himself within a couple of hours. scary stuff. he is fearless. i thought it might be ok if he could only get up there when i put him up. it might have to go back into the basement

renae - glad you're quitting was smooth and i hope rowan's ear feels better soon









i shopped briefly with my mom. nothing major

well ol dh surfaced and is keeping the kiddo occupied now. bout time. our house is a TIP. every dish is dirty. every.single.one. i just can't roll out of bed and start cleaning though. gotta build momentum.

isaac's 18mo appointment is tomorrow. i'm always curious how big he is. i just bought him 2T christmas pj's that are too small







he's a freakin giant. ya know how jammies are made to be tight...well his wrist fat was bulging out the end of the arms and his cankles out the bottom. sooo uncomfortable looking. they should make chubby kid size pjs.

ok. happy sunday ya'll.


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Oh yes, the dirve far, far away and never come back fantasy. Oh wait... TC didn't mention not coming back. Maybe that's just my thing?









Elsanne, I've often wistfully though of your life in Mexico and thought it must be so nice to live so freely, so off the grid, so on your own terms. Lately I've been envying my single friends. They get to come and go as they please. Sleep in any time they want. Make decisions w/o having to have a big negotiation about them. The list goes on.

But at the same time, I am overjoyed about the life growing inside of me and the new babe that will be here oh-so-soon. What can I say? I'm a pisces, forever swimming in two directions.









Plus, I know how much my single friends also envy me and my stability and the life I have build with my partner. The grass certainly can appear greener on the other side, eh? I think we all need to recognize that each side has it's fair share of weeds and crabgrass.

Don't mind me... in a bit of a funk this morning.







Coffee's ready... maybe that will help me out.


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Hey mamas-
Happy Thanksgiving Weekend to everyone. We didn't brave the stores, cause I came down with a cold! Icky! I'm better now, thought still awfullly stuffy. But, at least my throat doesn't hurt and my nose isn't dripping anymore!

My brother is here visiting, and we've had an okay time. Except that I've felt like doing nothing! But, he and dh and Gabriel went to "hooters" for a male-bonding night (yeah, I bet the vegan nuns were pissed) and I got to go to a movie all by MYSELF! Fun. I saw "Walk the Line" and it was great...actually found out that the guy who plays Jerry Lee Lewis was in my freshman class in college! Pretty funny to see him on the big screen after 15 years.

So, Elsanne, I'm late with the support, but I was reading along and supporting you between Kleenex blows. Sounds like you're carrying on well, and with a date and everything!







Also sounds like you're being very realistic about your needs right now, and that's so healthy! You're on a good path, but no one ever said it would be easy, right?

Heather, glad C had gained! G has his 18-month visit this week, and we're trying out a new doc, so I'm eager to see how it goes. She comes highly recommended from a friend at LLL. She's Canadian (the doc) and is totally okay with our lackadaisical (sp?) vaccinating. I love Canadians!

Renae, yeah, let us know how the natural remedies go. I love that you worked out that solution with your ped. I don't think G has had an ear infection *yet*, but glad to know you have another option available! Sorry the job didn't work out, but you did handle it all very maturely. Hope the right thing opens up to help out your $$ issues.

TurboC-I thought about driving off last Friday when I came back from the movie. But, I really just wanted to sleep in my bed since I felt so icky. I'd never do it, but it's fun to think about. I do like my dh pretty much all the time even after 15 years together! And, G, although entering an annoying phase I feel, is also extremely fun to watch and interacct with at this point. I felt so "naked" at the theatre by myself!

Okay, that's my essay for the day. Gotta make some spinach soup and cornbread! Ummm, yum. Oh, I did make my first-ever cinnamon rolls last week, and my mixer broke, so gotta get a new one for the holiday baking. The cinn. rolls were are full of white sugar and flour as you could get, but boy were they yummy. I had fun making them, anyway.

MMF!


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Jacqueline, hope you're feeling better soon! I want to see WTL! (Actually, I'd take just about *any* movie in a theater at this point.)

Renae, the saga of starting to work/stopping work happened while I was sick and then gone for TG, but here's a big







for you. I totally understand trying to bring in more $$, but you did the right thing in quitting.

And Elsanne, same thing on the intervention...







. Very brave of you and your family, and I hope you can hang in there and get through to your mom eventually. I hope she wakes up and realizes this is for her own good and is happening because people care and are worried. It's hard to be the adult when your parent is not...

Ff, I'm glad you got the answer you wanted.







And I agree, dealing with the healthcare system is a pain. Heather, if you feel like you're getting the run around, ask your ped's office to help you request an insurance case manager. (PM me if you want more info.)

Megan, woo hoo about the boy! I still can't believe you're further along than me... I'll bet anything your baby comes a whole *month* before mine, too.

Renae, I totally approve your ear infection treatment. Most ear infections are viral (meaning the antibiotics won't do a damned thing to help), and if it isn't better by tomorrow, you'll know that it's more likely bacterial. How's he doing?

TC/Elsanne, I think that relationships wax and wane (over short and long time periods) and that a certain amount of it is just part of the trip. Our big relationship realization in the past week or 2 is that we both *suck* at communication.







We're definitely in it for the long haul (remember, we've got 20 years invested already), but this is one of those times for, uh... personal growth.

HF,







on the gain/growth. Ack, I wish Z could eat yogurt! We're going to do another set of egg and dairy challenges this month probably.

I'm exhausted, but not so much sleep deprived. We moved the futon (softest mattress in the house) from our sunroom to the floor of our bedroom... yes, I am truly a princess because of the pea in my tummy.







I've slept better the last 2 nights than I have the last 2 months.

We went to W. Colo. for TG (the "obligation" trip







), had an unturkey (approved by vegan nuns) and hung out in non-childproofed houses around non-child friendly yappy dogs. We came home a day early because the weather was threatening, Z hadn't eaten for the whole trip, and I hadn't pooped or slept. That summarizes it.







I think I'm finally starting to bulge a little (could be all the poop again though), and I'm feeling a little better again with the barfiness... I think I might be able to stop the Reglan within a week or 2. Can you believe it? (About frickin' time!)


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Aak! I never got e-mail notification. It's almost midnight and I REALLY should go to bed, but just posting quick-like to make sure I'm subscribed.

Had a TOTALLY fun and relaxing T-day in Minnesota, where it snowed.









Love ya'll.







FF


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

Are we talking about T'day?

OK...I found a great deal on a night at the new Westin in the town where hubby works, so we went up there. With baby-guy, of course.









Hubby has family near, but it makes them uncomfortable to eat with us b/c we're veggie. So they never actually invite us. My family is far away, and they are weird, so they never think to invite us.

So we're free as birds (not turkeys, though) on holidays.









We went up there, did some last minute grocery getting before Whole Foods closed, and had potato chips, cheese sandwiches, veggie sushi, sesame tofu, and veggie spring rolls for dinner. Ooh random!

Went to sleep late, and very shortly after we went to sleep, I woke up, raging fever, hallucinating, scared scared scared. Managed to wake up hubby (oh it's nice to be in a King bed, especially a Westin Heavenly Bed which has, like, a mile of pillow top) without waking up the boy between us, and he sat at my side for hours, until around 7, when my fever and hallucination-rants subsided and I started sleeping.

I felt tired and rather hungover next morning, but not sick. Very very weird. I'd coincidentally brought Emergen-C packets along with my inhaler, the latter being doubly weird b/c I haven't had an episode of true asthma in ages. That was part of my nighttime illness, though, heinous heartburn (almost worse than what I experienced when vastly pregnant), some liquid pooling in my throat causing me to feel like I was drowning, and my lungs getting more and more difficult to deal with. Two shots of the usually-hated albuterol later, and I felt better, lung-wise. I know I was babbling about how I hated albuterol but when it was really really needed (I'd brought my nettles as well, in case of a low-level asthma attack, but didn't even think of it at 2am) it could be "miraculous". Didn't even cause me shakes or jitters or insane thoughts like it normally does, just helped my lungs breathe.

So anyway!

Either there was something huge and random but short-lived going around, or or or....because the hotel was new there was mega-offgassing. When we got into the room I could smell the newness of it all, and it didn't smell good. But within minutes I couldn't smell it anymore. I don't know which theory I believe, but it was weird!

And we watched Finding Nemo (we watched it on our train trip up to BC for our honeymoon cruise back in '03, but there was no sound for it then LOL) and though I liked it, I'm really really tired of the driving force of all these Disney flicks being the death of a mother. Harumph! Yes, it's a major maturity-finder, yes it can be a journey of self-discovery, but do kids NEED to know this? no! So tired of the rampant destruction of Disney mothers. At least in Lion King it was the father. Same thing but different for me emotionally. Harumph.







:

Eamon, just today, nursed for a few minutes, hopped off my lap (unlatching at the last moment), and said his version of "thank you". Quite cool.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Molly, OMG about the scary nighttime sickness!







and glad you are feeling better. And that you had a good thanksgiving! I am not close to my own family AT ALL, so it was just the IL's over and I ruled with the vegan-nun-approved free-range, organic chicken I roasted, and guess what?? MIL made the butternut squash and hazelnut lasagne (did I mention this? It is HEAVEN--I found the recipe for her waaaaay back when I was pure veggie and I spent my first thanksgiving with DH and his fam. Turns out she, DH and I ADORE this dish! So we have it every year along with whatever else. Haha) and the butternut squash was ORGANIC! She is all excited that there is both a Trader Joes AND a Whole Foods just opening up in her town!







: Maybe there's hope for them yet!








And yeah, meds. Sometimes you need the meds, y'know?

Speaking of...I think we are going to have to get the antibiotics on today, mamas.







Rowan seemed better Saturday after we started the natural treatments...he liked the oil in his ear! (though he would stick his finger in after we did it and lick it.







and I couldn't tape cotton there, he just pulled it off.







) But he slept the same as he had been the past week; badly.








Then Sunday, he was pretty much back to his cranky, moody, poopy-pants self and though he slept MUCH better last night, he still NEEDED Mama and mama ONLY when he woke up! He woke at 4 and was up till 5:15, until we gave him more Motrin and Earache tablets.







Poor guy. He's still sleeping now, after waking at 6:40 to nurse.
When the Dr's office opens at 9 I am calling for an appt. Wish us luck! I have the probiotics at the ready!







And I won't stop the oil or anything, but yeah, I think it's bacterial at this point.
Again,







and hope this passes soon! Thanks for the thoughts, mamas.









Elsanne, still thinking thoughts for you.







and take care, mama! The dude with the earthship sounds rad.









Oh gods, the driving far far away and starting a new life in a tiny little hippie town, all alone, on my own terms.....

....

*snaps back* Oh, um, sorry...where was I?
Yeah, I have those fantasies.







: A lot more often than I want to admit. Some days I think I am not cut out for this mama trip, and I think I was insane for thinking I could do it. But you know, I'm doing it. Day by day, we all are.







I read Jacqueline's email about Mother of the Year (there's our reminder to use that for our subject line next month!







) that is hanging on my fridge and I feel so much better.

I love you all and feel so blessed that I have this group (virtually) around me with love and support. You all are amazing.

Well, I am off to drink my swedish coffee and wait for my bebe to awaken! (MIL got the coffee for me at IKEA. IKEA!!!







) I am so glad I don't have to wake him so we can go to that awful daycare. Today it's just us. I do have some errands though...I can do them whenever, and I think I am keeping my sweet one in his jammies all day.







he deserves it.
Dude, any ideas on how/where I can go to figure out how to make some money from home?? I put some auctions up on Ebay this weekend (still have some more to do) and I am selling some books on half.com (mostly pregnancy books since even if I DID get PG again (NOT likely!) I wouldn't read most of these again!)...and I am hoping to make some nursing necklaces sometime soon...when I can figure out a good place to put all the jewelry materials so Rowan won't get at them!
Ahh, anyway.







I'll figure it out. Take care, everyone.


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## taosmom (Jul 1, 2004)

Okay guys, dropping in...yes-running away, yes! Yes, po'd at partner-yes! Yes, dirty dishes-yes! Yes, earthship-YES!!!!! Anyway, this is what I've been up to in wedding land:
http://thebiobuilder.com/BioBuilderPro/v/asaalik/
I love you guys and will let you know how Tao goes at his 18 mo. (actually 19 on Dec. 5). He's walking whilst holding our hands so that's really exciting and he's talking like a madman-he'll pretty much try any word we ask him to tray...except water, but that's cool 'cuz he knows the sign and can say agua! (Shouts out to my sol sister, Els!) Anyway...gotta eat and p.s. thanks for the job vibes, I know have 2 clients and a third on the way!


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

MF - I have a friend who is making money by buying stuff at Nordstrom Rack, TJMax, Marshalls, etc and then selling them on ebay, new with tags. She is a sahm, has two girls and only attends to her auctions after her girls are in bed at night. She told me she brings in about $1000 a month doing this. Not bad, I say! I've considered doing it, but don't think I can get myself that together. Also, she enjoys shopping (I don't) and frequents those stores anyway. She has learned what items do really well (handbags and certain children's boutique brand clothing) and pretty much sticks to those things now.

BTW, hows about posting that lasgna recipe. Sounds







!!!

Asaalik, gorgeous wedding stuff! I loved planning mine, and sort of mourned the end of the planning process.

mollyeilis - whoa dude! on the crazy fast but intense illness! Glad it passed and you're feeling better.

kk - I bet you start popping out soon. I sure have! Hope the non-barfin trend continues.

Jacqueline - those cinn rolls sound so delish! Sometimes you gotta tell those vegn nuns to back off, and allow yourself to enjoy the white sugar and flour goodness. You've given me a hankering now and I might just have to get myself a cinn roll today!

Feeling a bit better today. Don't know what yesterday's mood was all about. PG hormones? Yeah... that's it!









Trying to motivate to go the gym this morning. It's raining (supposed to all day) so I should take the opportunity to get out of the house and get Mia some good playtime with other kids. She LOVES the daycare at the gym, and I love that she loves it.


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Wow, Asaalik, you are putting so much thought and beauty into your website and planning.

Molly- that DOES sound scary. Thank Goddess you had your dh there.

Renae- good luck with the money sitch.









Oh. My. Goddess. You will NOT believe what Luke just did. He was sitting at the high chair, pointing at the sunflower oil bottle, begging for it. I thought, "that's crazy. He has no idea what it is- he thinks it's something to drink." But I poured him a little bit, and he DRANK IT. And ASKED FOR MORE! Isn't that wild? He probably drank a tablespoon before he didn't want it any more. I am so glad- maybe this will become a trend. Nothin' better for my babe than some pure organic fats.







Did I mention that as of 2 days ago, the boy is suddenly an eating fiend? Hooray!

Also- this morning he's wanting me to play the John Denver and the Muppets version of "Twelve days of x-mas" over, and over, and over again.


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Hey May Mamas!

I feel so out of the loop. I've been reading along for days, but haven't had the time or energy to reply.

Hugs to all experienceing job/health/partner woes. I totally notice an ebb and flow to my life. Its certainly tough when its not going the way *we* want it to

mamameg, I was totally







at your comment about telling the vegan nuns to back off. too funny.









As for us, we had an incredible Thanksgiving. My mom flew in on Tues. and home on Sat. We had so much fun while she was here. Her and Sarah have a strong bond, so its so nice to see them interact. She played with the kids nonstop while she was here. Sarah didn't let her sit down to relax for a minute. Then on T-day we had a bit of snow, so we all bundled up, and headed outside for a SNOOOOWWBALLL FIGHT! It was a blast! We stayed outside for well over an hour, playing, snowball fighting, sledding. It was awesome. Then my Mom and I cooked our dinner and we feasted! Sarah and Grandma made the pumpkin pie together. At the end of the night Dh and I talked about how it was our favorite T-day ever. Then Friday morning my Mom and I hit a few stores, and got some awesome deals. I have so much of my Christmas shopping done, and it feels gooooood. Sat. was tough, takign her back to the airport. I really miss my Mom, and was in a funk all day long after she left. Sarah was totally bummed for her to leave, too.









So, there's my T-day story. It was a great week.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Asaalik, WOW! Just...wow. Makes me want to renew our vows just to do it cool!







Well, my wedding was cool too but darn, woman! You RULE!









Megan, here's the recipe:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/re...s/views/105911
Funny that it came from SUCH a schwanky mag, but I used to nanny for a woman who would get these magazines in her HOUSE, and I'd get bored, and read them...so yeah. SO







!

Yay for eating babes! And wow, pure sunflower oil, huh? Amazing!
Rowans been a little







at mealtimes...*sigh* We're trying to just live through it.









Ah, mamas, today I am feeling like a not-so-good mama, so I am just trying to be better. He's napping now so we get a well-deserved respite from each other.
What a challenging stage!

Peace and







s to all that need them (including me!)


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Megan- we cross-posted earlier. Didja get to the gym?









Sarah'smama- your T-day sounds so wonderful. It's great that you have such a great relationship with your mom.

Renae- sending you peaceful vibes for tomorrow, and sleep vibes for tonight to recoup from what sounds like a hard day.









I need nightweaning advice- I took it to YG cause it was getting long here.

TTFN


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Hi guys! *waves from Mexico* HOLA!!! I'm hommmme! so glad to be here and Viet is being a champ, worshipping the goddess that is me like he ought. *hooot hoooot!* He's got competition...

Anyway feelin really good about being home. Asaaalik, so enjoyed your planning site! How much fun are you having!!!! Love everything you're doing. I was married once and had a total blast with all the prep, it truly was the day of my dreams and I will never forget it. Weddings became so much more interesting to me after I had one, knowing how they reflect the couple (the bride, usually) and their personalities. Well done!

Fiddle, wonder how the nightweaning is going. Don't have time to wander over to YG right now but I will. Sol is doing something so cute, when I sleep nude she nuzzles up to the boobs in the morning and plays with them, and talks about them, but doesn't try to nurse...it's very sweet. I'm always looking for ways we can still be quiet and have nice moments together like nursing...

Sherri, that sounds like fun...it is such a letdown when they leave, huh? Hope you're feeling better today.

Jacqueline in TX--I spent 3 hrs in Houston yesterday at the airport and totally thought of you lots n lots...imagined you & Gabe out there "somewhere"... we rode the interterminal trains a bunch 'cause Sol is waaaay into it...
she also ate almost an entire bean burrito (taco bell) all by herself!! This girl can put away the food!


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

I looooved planning my wedding. so much fun. asaalik it is so cool seeing the things you're into and you guys make a da*n cute family!!

isaac woke up this morning at 5:40 going bah! bah! bah! (boohbah







: actually i really like the show for him) i'm like it is still nighttime!!!! but there was no more sleeping going on. my mom was commenting he must be in a growth spurt because he was sleeping so long and so well and i think said growth spurt is over. the last 3 nights have been wakeful and short. i have a new eye twitch from sleeplessness







ugh.

we had the 18mo appt yesterday. he is holding steady on height % and dropped about 5% in the weight. only gained a few ounces since the 15 mo appt. he had polio and dtap and only let out one aaaaghhhhh! before he realized it was over and that was it. i think i would have cried longer







we'll do mmr at 2 (or after) and she was ok with skipping ckn pox. also didn't mention flu yesterday. yay

isaac is turning into a climber. i'm expecting to find him on top of the fridge soon. he figured out he could reach the lightswitches (new obsession) climbing up the wingback chair and did a total bodyslam falling off it. this morning he climbed up on the toilet to turn on the faucet. i am by nature a very 'let them explore' type mom but if he gets hurt doug will KILL me. so i reallly need to watch him more right now. he is so stereotypically boy it hurts

glad to hear about all the chow-hound babes. and the great thanksgivings









mf - that lasagne sounds soo good.

molly - i'd guess it was all those new-ness chemicals in the hotel that caused your attack. whoa. all those dang flame retardents. i don't know if they're using formaldehyde as much these days.

i need a new car. a family mobile. i have a 2door and it is just.not.working. i love and hate buying cars all at the same time. i've had this car for 4 years and no payment and it has been great. and i've been trying to cling to that because getting a new one is going to require a payment. bah. but the luxury of having a door to open to put isaac in his seat will be amazing


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

ff - I DID get to the gym, but only long enough to get something in my eye (darn contacts - i only wear them to the gym and this is why - they annoy me more than anything else) and then leave. I did run into a friend (mdc mama!







) and chat with her for a while and that was nice. I shared my pg news (hadn't told her yet, she'd been outta town) and we had a good laugh over my lameness for not knowing until 20 weeks.







She and I have discussed fertility and ovultion while nursing and weaning so we can get pg at GREAT lengths, so it was fun to tell her. And she offered to come and hang out with Mia during the birth and to be our childcare backup in case we need to traansfer to the hospital. She's attended many births (from the time she was quite young, actaully) and I really appreciate her offer. I feel Mia would be in good hands, and I know she knows what I want from this birth and would be very supportive of that. So yeah.... I didn't work out, but it was a worthwhile trip outta the house anyway.









Welcome home Elsanne! How cute about Sol playing with the boobies. So sweet!

jstar - are you looking to up to a 4 door, or are you thinking of taking the van plunge? I need a new car, too and I think I'm kidding myself if I think I can go much longer w/o a van. I am more than a little resistant to the switch. A VAN? HOW DID THIS HAPPEN TO ME????







Everyone I know who has one loves it, so I'm getting real with myself, checking my coolness and the door and trying to get okay with it. I can still be a cool mom and drive a van, right? RIGHT?









On that same note, I'm now researching double strollers. I ask you all again... how did this happen to me???? At this rate, I'm going to have my hipster card revolked any day now.

Oh, and Mia loves BoohBah, too. We do pretty limited tv (like when I need to get something done kinda thing) and I TiVo BoohBah, Sesamae St, and Teletubbies so I always have one of those shows available. She really prefers them to the Baby Einstein DVD's (excpe the Old MacDonald one, which she LOVES, except I lost it), so I let her watch them. She would watch any ol' cartoon that's on if I let her, but I can't stand the rest of the nonsense kids shows (I'll be damned if my child ever loves BRATZ - ugh!), so thank goodness to TiVo! Vegan nuns don't approve? I say, bring it on, sistas! You're all welcome to come and cook my family dinner and do all the laundry and keep the house clean, too. Really. Anytime.

Renae, thanks for posting the link to that recipe. Looks so good! I might just have to make it this season. I could see it becoming one of those traditional holiday dishes!

Phone call.. gotta run.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

i can't even bring myself to consider a station wagon so the van is definitely not on the list. but yanno if you need one, you need one. my coworker once turned in her van for a volvo wagon with the jump seat because she said it sucked the sex appeal right out of her. sluuuuuuuuuurp.







if i had to get a van i'd want the one that looks more like an SUV. can't remember the name but my friend has one. LOTS of seats.

i need 4wd or awd for snowboarding and camping and i can't get a subaru (practical as they are)or afford a volvo or audi. i am currently the only mom in my playgroup who does not drive a subaru wagon. must.not.conform. so i want an evil suv. i can justify the gas-guzzling because i live about 2 miles from my job and my daily commute is short and sweet. i only get gas every 2-3 weeks. well unless we drive up to the mountain. which we haven't done yet and there is SNOW. an suv would be ideal--room for the kiddo, the muddy dog and the gear in the back, and good snow driving.

i'm getting depressed at prices though so i have no idea when i'll pony up to the car thing. every single time i get isaac in the car though i think i should.

i really like boohbah. i think it is genius. isaac is glued to it. cartoons and a lot of other kids programs he ignores because i think they are too busybusy. he does like teletubbies though. we dont have tivo so we're either watching it at 6:30am or we are sleeping







and he recently asked for it when it wasn't the time. so hard to explain to him. boohbah and telet are the only shows we watch because by then we need to be out the door.









good luck on the double stroller search







and that is cool about your friend you saw at the gym


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

2 miles from work, Jstar? Ummm...the vegan nuns are whispering to me that you could be walking to work....







oh yeah I guess ya gotta drop Isaac off at daycare...


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Elsanne- hooray for home sweet home and attentive lover(s)! (tee hee)

Jstar- good luck with the car hunt. I'd suggest a hybrid SUV, but I'll bet the price would be astronomical.

Megan- hooray for the productive gym trip

TV: We don't watch till after he's in bed (we're Everwood fans, plus the occassional movie). At the group home, there are several TV's on all the time. Luke's main interest in the TV is finding the button that turns it off, because the clients USED to think this was hilarious and he could get a good laugh out of them. They're a bit tired of it now, but I'm pleased as a peach.









Failure to Thrive update: they want him on an NG tube. They're concerned that his height is falling off (we're talking about a miniscule 3 or 4 % drop). The whole team spoke (down to us) with two resounding messages, over and over, through the whole appointment: 1. wean. 2. feed him more junk food.
That's right. Though I explained over and over that I offer a variety of high-cal foods, and that I offer snack foods from the health food store that have the appropiate appeal of crunch, salt, and flavor, they want him to eat more cheetos, oreos, and gummie snacks. Dh left the appointment feeling that we had failed as parents for not weaning or feeding him enough junk food. During my meeting tonight, he fed Luke ice cream, gummy snacks, and Pediasure, per dr's orders.

I am SO PISSED at the dr's right now, though part of me whispers: maybe everyone's right and I'm wrong. Also: maybe his FTT -IS- serious. Maybe he needs the @#$#$%^ tube.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Oh, Beth, I could just spit! I cannot BELIEVE that junk food could possibly help your child thrive! What are they thinking??? Oh, my god. Ice cream, gummies, & pediasure? Yeaaaah. Sounds like the medical model hard at work. Feed em junk, and make sure they get their vitamin. Okaaaaay. Oh, mama. What can you do? Oh my gods. Is there an alternative practitioner you could see? You want the # of that psychic I called?








I sure wish I could wave my wand and make him plump right up. Please keep us updated on his progress. And yours.

Much love to you and yours.


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Beth, I'm so shocked to hear that junk food advice! Weird. And I can't imagine what it's like to get such advice that goes against all your instincts as a mother. What are you supposed to do with that??? Argh!

But, now that I'm thinking about it, maybe this prespective will help you out. My step son has a rare urea cycle disorder (I've mentioned it briefly before) that makes him unable to digest protein. He lives on 10 grams of protein a day, plus daily medicine and an amino acid supplement. Finding foods with such low protein can be difficult, and as you can imagine, often end up being pretty junky. The kid lives on a combo of veggies, some fruit (if I can get him to eat it), cereal and junk food. Why can't he eat just veggies? Well, because they don't provide enough protein (he needs that full 10 g a day) and they certainly don't provide enough calories (he's 13, after all!), so we have to supplement with other stuff. So, it's weird to watch it in action, but it really works for his body. He is in great health otherwise, and is the only member of the family who basically NEVER gets sick (cold, flu, etc). I'm certinaly not saying that Luke should be living on Oreos (that sounds a little over the top) but there may be some food combos that go against the typical healthy diet ideal that would work for him. I don't presume to know the answer... just trying to provide an the prespective of example of a diet that works for an individual, that would not work for the average person. Take it as you will.









On that note, I gotta run. My cleaning lady is coming in half an hour and there is so much junk all over the house and I need to uncover the areas that need cleaning.







:


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

ya - i _should_ walk or even better...bike! i used to bike sometimes before isaac on nice summer days (from my old house out at 72nd). now i live on 45th, drive up a big hill to 60th to daycare and back down to 28th to work. all between division and burnside (if you remember the streets in ptown). it isn't bad in a car and i have done it on the bus when my car was out. but the time factor...i'd lose a lot of precious work time. i want to maximize my earnings while trying to minimize the time isaac is in daycare.

but i love how close i live to everything in my daily routine. dh is always trying to get me to move out to the hills. i'd love to live out in the middle of nowhere but i have no desire to spend hours in the car every day. noooooo thank you. it's one of the things i love most about portland.

i haven't even looked at hybrid suvs. i should check into it.

oh beth







this has to be so hard. buy some trader joes jo-jos. no hydrogenated oils (or is it the hydrogenated oils they want???). i suppose if they insist on the ng tube all you can do is hope it works. and maybe it will. it would be scary but maybe it is worth trying. especially if you can use that to your advantage with the breastfeeding. do what they want with the tube as long as you can continue to nurse. strike a deal. i can't see how continuing to breastfeed would work against what the tube would be doing. he would be getting the calories the "docs" want with the tube feedings and still getting his mama love nursies







is their goal with the tube to stretch his stomach? do they talk about that? do they talk about discrete milestones? how do they gauge whether it is working? volume he consumes or weight gain percentage? do they lay out a clear plan for how long they think he would have to have the tube? or what would indicate to them that it isn't making a darn difference and that plan isn't working? you have probably done a lot of research.

nothing like feeling under the gun i'm sure







: good luck with all these big decisions. and glad to hear life is better with preservatives







(not)


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Beth, I would feel frustrated too. I'm sure you'll figure it all out, but don't think you're a bad parent cause you haven't been feeding him JUNK! Moderation is good, only hard to achieve. Megan's story is helpful....just finding the right combo of what works for you will be the challenge.

Jstar-as far as a car, we purchased a used Toyota 4Runner after G was born and have mostly been happy with it--except for the price of gas, but a 4Runner doesn't get quite as poor mileage as other SUVs. If we had to do it all over again, I think we'd try to get by on an overall smaller vehicle, but this works for now. I've heard good things about Saturn VUEs and Toyota Matrix.

elsanne-thanks for thinking of me while you were in the airport! We only live about 30 minutes from there. I'm glad you're back home and things are going well for the little fam.

Sherri-glad you had a good visit with your mom. Your holiday sounds idyllic! Very cool.

We do limited TV, also, and try to keep it off for the most part until after G goes to sleep. Though, he does like Teletubbies and Sesame Street (though SS is on at 7, so we rarely are up and ready enough to watch). Don't know when boohbah is on. I also watch "Oprah" if we're inside doing things at the time, but not every day. TV is a big weakness for me, so the fact that we're limiting it as much as we are is a triumph. It's about small steps, mamas. When my brother was here, he had the TV on non-stop all day. That was kinda annoying, but he doesn't have a TV at home and now I know why. That's all he'd do! I'd prefer to have a TV and watch it sparingly than go without and go all crazy for it when I'm around one, ya know?

Okay, he woke up, so I better go. I wish he'd take naps longer than one hour, but at least he's napping.


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## 01veganmamma (Oct 4, 2005)

Hi I'm new to this thread. So please fill me in








Thankz








Sahm angelina 7 months owen 2/12 years old.














: who lives on














:2bfbabe:


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Welcome 01veganmamma!!! Just jump on in on our conversations. We're chatty and quite silly most of the time. But also a supportive and loving group of mamas.

Fiddle- I hope you can achieve a balance that feels right for you. I can't see where feeding a kid straight junk food would be all that healthy, but perhaps an oreo or two here and there might work?

gotta go-hubby on the phone...


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

hi 01veganmamma! we are crazy group of funky mamas of babes born in May 2004 and this is just a chat thread where we talk about the latest goings-on in our lives and such. does that answer your "fill me in" question?









glad to hear you made it back home safely, els!

and







to everyone else! MMF!

there is much i want to say, but i think i will take it over to the yg later tonight, since that seems to be where the serious discussions are happening right now...









~claudia


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Elsanne- believe me, I have had visions of packing up the car and heading to Colorado to hang out with a best friend, meet KK in person, and avoid the stupid FTT team here in PDX. But sadly, I think they've got my number and I don't really think it's an option to skip town or even do alternative therapy.

Megan- thanks for the story. It's easy for me to feel polarized on issues, and as Sheri said, perhaps there's a place for moderation here. At least that's what my dh keeps telling me.







D&%n that man is wonderful. Even when we disagree, he's so good at being respectful about it (me not so much







)

Claudia- hello you wonderful mama!









Jstar- I really appreciate your thoughts. I think I need to stop thinking of needing the tube as a failure or as torture to Luke, but as an option. And if it's between weaning or the ng tube, I pick the tube. Part of me thinks, am I taking this EBF thing too far? I'd rather have my son on a feeding tube than wean? But then again weaning is no garantee of avoiding the tube, and weaning is forever. And nursing is so wonderful in so many ways and I'm not feeling ready to give it up and I KNOW Luke isn't feeling ready. Right now when he has a cold I so much appreciate how it is warm liquid, it is medicine, it is calories when he doesn't feel like eating, and it is comfort, all rolled into one. Give that up? No thanks, not ready.

Jacqueline- I'm kinda like your brother. We keep our TV behing a closet door because I physically cannot turn it off. DH has to. Congratulations on discovering your ability to be moderate with it.









Whew- got my may mama fix. I can face the night.


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## taosmom (Jul 1, 2004)

Beth-I'm freaking out!!!!! This goes against everything I know about weight gain and nutrition...all junk food does is put on an unhealthy weight in my experience...and that ffod is loaded with all sorts of things that are very harmful (partially-hydrogenated fats, artificial colors, MSG, GMOs, the list goes on...) I think you should totally follow your gut, increase the amount of HEALTHY fats and calories in Luke's diet...add oils like olive and hemp to his meals? Try whey? I don't know if he can do that stuff, but it would seem that anything's better than junk...especially CHEETOS, jesus! Anyway, big hugs and hope all works out...we're at each other a bit over at my place, basically I asked for Ben to watch Tao while I teach (it's a total of about 3 hours a week) and he's hemmin and hawin and BSing about how difficult it is and all that mess...I feel like clawing his eyes out sometimes. Does this sound strange? Do any of you get a break? Am I crazy?!


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Aasalik---bs indeed! Early on I didn't get much in the way of breaks,but more and more as she is older. DH takes over after dinner and does the bath/book reading routine. And usually one day on the weekend I'll go out for 2-3 hours to shop/window shop/drive/do nothing! 3 hours to teach a class sounds more than reasonable---are there specific concerns he has or does he just need Tao's routine/likes/dislikes spelled out for him? I used to have to leave specific meal ideas, eating times, toy preferences, etc. but he has the hang of it now.


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

Hey all, I started our new thread (wow!) You can get to it here:

http://mothering.com/discussions/sho...d.php?t=377559

Last year, when I took the work out of the home role that is traditionally the husband's and my wife was the SAHM, I can say that I would have been beaten to death if I so much as hinted that my wife shouldn't take at LEAST a few hours a week to do whatever she wanted. So, if you are feeling at all guilty for asking for some time every week, Asaalik, I say DON'T. If you want to know how to get your husband to step in without complaint, I can't help you except to say that he probably needs to vent through the transition and express his frustration with how difficult it is. It IS hard, but given time he will likely be totally happier that he is taken a more balanced approach to his partnership in parenting with you.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

.


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