# *~*In like a Lion! March thread for May 04 Mamas!*~*



## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

How did I get to be the first poster today? And new thread starter?

Not much to say, but thought I'd get us off to start the new month! Sorry for my lack of creative thread title!









ETA: link to old thread


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

Holy cow. You started one already and I just started one and THEY BOTH HAVE THE SAME TITLE!!! How completely bizarre. May moms- post here! She started it!


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *emmalola* 
Holy cow. You started one already and I just started one and THEY BOTH HAVE THE SAME TITLE!!! How completely bizarre. May moms- post here! She started it!









Oooooooo wacky. You must be psychically linked. Or else March is being lionish in both places. Here it's kind of like a soggy, muddy, cold lamb. Pew.

Happy March! Went out for drinkies with some school mates yesterday afternoon (happy hour). It was fun - we went to a restaurant in the tallest building in Portland. It was quite a view. And good food. There are three of us with birthdays this week; crazy.

Operation W is going well. We are down to once a day and often Lily even forgets to ask. But I remind her if it's getting late because a. I get sappy that it's almost over and b. my boobs get a little uncomfortable after 24 hours. Sigh. I really wanted this to happen but now that it's happening I'm a bit sad. Although I do love that I don't have to wake up at 5 am every day and try to fall back asleep while DH and Lily lie there snoring beside me.

Hope everyone has a good day.

S.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Wow. Separated at birth.

Woo on 2nd tri, EL.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Oh I so don't need the confusion....I subbed to this thread and that's that!









Sarah--we're down to 1x at bedtime too and it is bittersweet. Goal is by 3ish...we'll see!


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

: (maybe i can be a mexican gringa, too, what do you think, els? another pale chick down south... can they handle it?)

back to eating my breakfast...

~c


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

i ate breakfast and i just got to work and now all i can think of is eating something else. RAVENOUS.

and spacey. drove all the way to walgreens without the purse this morning. back home. back to walgreens. you get the pregnancy brain picture







:

tequila or any kind of cocktail sounds amazingly delicious right now. it shouldn't but it does







something sour sounds great. we've been really hooked on the paul newman's virgin limeade lately. why are they virgins???????????????????????????????? isaac calls it lemon juice

that phone thing drives me batty. i have to hide to make phone calls.

we met a doula last night and both liked her. we thought about interviewing 2 and then deciding but i think we'll just go with her. i think she'll be a lot of help. and her personality is very analytical. i'm debating about whether that would be a good thing (or if i want more woo woo?) but i think it is a good fit with our personalities.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

who'd you interview? if it was kelley burke, i'd say it'll probably be a good fit since like 75% of the people that have interviewed me in the past 2 years and then her ultimately chose her and had a great experience. i have never met her in person, though.


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Well, today is officially a better day!!









It isn't Friday yet, but it's _practically_ Friday. Good enough for me.

Hugs on the pregnancy brain. It's sooo hard!

I'm going to go eat while the little man sleeps.


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

TC- are you going back to doula-ing? I didn't know that. Cool.

oht, reading but not feeling inspired to post this am. all is well at the moment.

peace out


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Ahhhhhhhh.... what a difference a day makes. Especially when that day includes DH deciding to take today AND tomorrow off to spend time with his mom. *pumping fist in the air* YYYYYYYYES!!!!!!!!!!

I did not do tequila shots yesterday. But that was only because we didn't have any in the house. Okay, I admit it, I was being dramatic.







But I DID have a glass of wine at 5:00 and BOY did it make a difference. Freshened me right up for the evening chaos.

Okay, baby freaking out. Must go.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

it wasn't kelly but i asked for her because she was highly recommended to me for her massage background. i guess she does massages at a salon a block down for my office...villa villa coola. still might try to get in there for some pampering. (or maybe checking out zenana.) kelly isn't taking clients right now. it was gretchen. are you doula-ing claudia? i assumed you weren't right now with S being small. the massage background with kelly sounded reallllllllllly appealing to me but gretchen said she does massage too.

my parents are coming into town tomorrow night and staying until monday. quality time with the grandparents. it is my dad's bday on saturday. WHAT TO GET THE MAN???? we are baking him a cake on saturday. i'd love to get him a little something though but i am uncreative. stumped.


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

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mcsarahb* 
Operation W is going well. We are down to once a day and often Lily even forgets to ask. But I remind her if it's getting late because a. I get sappy that it's almost over and b. my boobs get a little uncomfortable after 24 hours. Sigh.

We nurse once a day at our house (okay, A&A nurse 20x/day, of course). We only do it at bedtime and it has resulted in me not having very satisfying milk - as in "Mama, no milk!#[email protected]#[email protected]#!" and "It's not working today" I feel bittersweet about W too.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *heatherfeather* 
Oh I so don't need the confusion....I subbed to this thread and that's that!









I subbed to the other one, so I was very very confused...all set now.

More later 'gators.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

I would like a full year's subscription, please.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

i had to nurse grover yesterday. not just on the outside of the shirt. we had to use the real nipple. still so very interested........ but he doesn't remember how to do it.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jstar* 
i had to nurse grover yesterday. not just on the outside of the shirt. we had to use the real nipple. still so very interested........ but he doesn't remember how to do it.


Yeah, those fuzzy blue guys have a hard time remembering how to do it.








:









Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamameg* 
I did not do tequila shots yesterday. But that was only because we didn't have any in the house. Okay, I admit it, I was being dramatic.







But I DID have a glass of wine at 5:00 and BOY did it make a difference. Freshened me right up for the evening chaos.


Okay, so I remember pre-kids a period when I had a really stressful job. I walked in, and my roommate handed me a drink (gin and tonic?), and I could just FEEL the stress trickling away as the drink trinkled down. And I thought, "Ah. This is how people with @#!!% jobs become alcoholics."







:

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jstar* 
we've been really hooked on the paul newman's virgin limeade lately. why are they virgins???????????????????????????????? isaac calls it lemon juice


Maybe they are Vegan Nun Lemons. It's Paul Newman's--are they organic? I assume that puts them one step closer, anyway.









Back to your regularly scheduled afternoon.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

dangit. i've been wracking my brain for the perfect present for a friend's daughter and i finally decided a waldorf doll was the perfect thing because they are SO dang cute. and i just figured out how much they cost. whoa. if anyone knows about affordable waldorf dollies...shoot yr info my way pls. of course if i had time to MAKE one.......








whoops. yeah grover can't remember how to do it either. but his mouth is nice and wide open for a good latch









i think they are virgin vegan AND organic limes. and they're probably grown at convents.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Jster I think you just take a stick, wrap some fabric around it, and glue some wool as hair.
Remember, in waldorf, less is more. The kids make up the rest with their imaginations.















:







:

btw, I







waldorf.


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Emmalola, all I can hear in my head is the theme song from.......dangit, I can't remember the movie.







Oh, its "the twilight zone" I knew it would come to me if I stared at the screen long enough.

Got some long overdue things done at the DMV today, after three previous attempts.







: Talk about red tape.

Yay for drinks! MCSB and mm! I'll be partaking tomorrow night out with some gal-pals!

Not much to report, just checking in on my girls! And juice I'm so glad today's better.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

i've heard great things about gretchen, too. and i'm not doula-ing right now or in the near future. i'll probably wait until next summer(2008) to get back to it because my parents hope to be moved out here by then and i'll have some more reliable last minute childcare options in addition to bill. if you feel like interviewing someone else, i have a couple people in mind for you. let me know.

will write more about my crazy afternoon expedition to trader joe's with tired marek and woken out of a nap stefan later... suffice it to say, we spent more time in the bathroom at TJ's and the bathroom at the library down the way than we did actually shopping and reading books...







:

~c


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

oh my. john's mom had to be taken to the ER this afternoon because her incision site on her head was leaking a bit. turns out there is an infection and a big bunch of puss underneath (or around it? not sure) the plate in her head. she is being transferred right now to the bigger hospital 30 miles away from us where she will undergo emergency neuro-surgery tonight. wow. i am caught between feeling







: and







: . can't a sister get a break?????


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

So much for a relaxing visit, huh....hoping the surgery is without incident.







: indeed!


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

sheesh, megan... thinking of her and of you all... sending her some healing vibes...









~c


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamameg* 
oh my. john's mom had to be taken to the ER this afternoon because her incision site on her head was leaking a bit. turns out there is an infection and a big bunch of puss underneath (or around it? not sure) the plate in her head. she is being transferred right now to the bigger hospital 30 miles away from us where she will undergo emergency neuro-surgery tonight. wow. i am caught between feeling







: and







: . can't a sister get a break?????

OK, I missed something, apparently something pretty big. I knew she was there, I knew she was watching a lot of TV - I didn't know there were medical issues... I'll have to go back and read more.





















please update when you can.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sarah'sMama* 
Not much to report, just checking in on my girls! And juice I'm so glad today's better.

Today didn't have any freaking choice. It HAD to be better! And is was, and is, and while life still ain't perfect we are moving forward step by step. And now I have to run, as the baby is really not wanting anything to do with Daddy.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamameg* 
oh my. john's mom had to be taken to the ER this afternoon because her incision site on her head was leaking a bit. turns out there is an infection and a big bunch of puss underneath (or around it? not sure) the plate in her head. she is being transferred right now to the bigger hospital 30 miles away from us where she will undergo emergency neuro-surgery tonight. wow. i am caught between feeling







: and







: . can't a sister get a break?????

Oh... My God. Meg, many many good things, warm hugs, positive vibes to you and your fam right now.

Mercury in Retrograde is right, man. The good news? My mom got her plane!!!

OUTTA HERE!!!!

Check my blog for my latest glam shots. Viet took those for some promo material.


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Okay, recap for Juice and anyone else who might not recall the deets on my MIL. Her med issues stem from an accident she was in a year+ ago. She was riding a moped, in the rain, no helmet... at 4 AM. (Drug addicts do that sort of thing, if ya catch my drift.) She suffered a major head injury and has had a few surgeries over several months. The last surgery was a few months ago and supposed to be the "last one" and she was supposedly good to go. She's made a rather miraculous recovery, including a "cure" for her drug addiction. Her brain was so altered from the accident, the addicted part of her brain is no longer. Weird, huh?

BUT.... now it turns out, no one asked her doctors if it was okay to fly







: so that may have caused this infection. It seems logical to me that the cabin pressure could potentially cause swelling and stress and spark in infection, don't you all think?

I feel guilty for being frustrated with her visit and with her, and for feeling like this new surgery is just one more thing for me/us to deal with, but no one really asked us if she could come in the first place. John's uncle bought her ticket w/o consulting us, because he wanted to go on vacation (well deserved, but still) and she can't be left alone. So rather than find someone to stay with her at their house, he decided to fly her and her busted head across the freakin country (from FL to CA) to come stay with us for 10 days. Did I mention







:







:







: ?

She was scheduled to go home on Sunday, but who knows when she'll go now. I assume she will be in the hospital for several days, and then at our house for several more before she can travel home. If she can even fly, that is. The outcome of this situation is sooooo uncertain. We've just got to get through the surgery and the rest will fall out from there.

The prospect of her being here for like a month is sending me into a total tailspin. Can. Not. Deal.

Thanks mamas for letting me vent about this. John shares my sentiments, but it's still weird to talk my DH about his mom like that. He has a long history with her (not good) and he's no mama's boy, that's for sure. But I still feel like I have to hold back some of my exasperation. He has put up with my parents visiting a million times, and although it's drastically different, it's in-laws and you do what you gotta do.

I guess at this very moment I'm just super glad John took today off. If he had not, it would have been me and the three kids taking her to the ER, and following her to the other hospital to wait for the surgery. I'm feeling relieved that all I have to do it 100% kid duty tonight. Suddenly, the diner/bath/bed routine seems like a piece of cake.


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

You know, I must be psychic. Earlier today at the store, before all this news, I was mysteriously drawn to the easter candy display and was compelled to buy a bag of cadbury mini eggs. Mmmmmmmmm.... turned out to be just want I need. I can have chocolate for dinner, right?


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

You so did not need this, meg. I hope it all works out as it should, and am so relieved John was home for the drama, and spared you alot of hospital-sitting.


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Megan-yes, chocolate is great for dinner, especially given what you've gone through this week. I love me some of those cadbury eggs. Yummy.

I'm just subbing....at work right now and don't have much time as I need to count my drawer and go home!

But, I wanted everyone to know that I wrote a nice post yesterday and the electricity went off right at the end so I lost it! And I didn't have time to re-do. I'll have to do it at some point.

Gotta run.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Wow dude, I was offline for a DAY!















Elsanne, your instructions for a Waldorf doll had me







! Hahaha! Awesome. I made a doll for someone like that once...

Meg, WOW.







I'm sending some "give a sister a break!!" and "MIL get better!" vibes your way!
OMG I love me some mini-eggs. I was tempted at work the other day (I work in a mall, there's a drugstore there, and the Easter candy is in full effect!







) but I resisted. I'll wait till perhaps a bit closer to the actual day. Maybe. Or maybe I'll get some when we go to the grocery store this afternoon!







: Haha.
Wine at 5pm...mmmm! Tequila, not so much. I, like many people I know, had some baaaaad experiences with tequila back in the day.









Rowan is still sleeping, but I don't expect it to last much longer, and I want coffee.







I







and am thinking of you all sooooo fondly!

Finally subbing to the (correct!) thread! I am a dork, though. I was reading the end of the Feb. thread and I was like, "why hasn't there been any new updates?"









Have a great day, mamas.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Hi everybuggy. Feelin chatty today, but not a lot to say. Meg, REALLY thinking about you--you know it's serious when the bed/bath/dinner routine alone sounds like a piece of cake. I am prayin for you and her that all is resolved easily and well, or that somehow you get lots and lots of help to deal. Keep us posted. When is the surgery? Today? Meg, I think chocolate for dinner and tequila at noon are actually decent coping techniques. That's what I told myself yesterday, anyway, when I eyeballed the nice rose wine in the fridge...

I cannot believe Sol is 2 y 10 m now! This is two months away from 3!!!! Any parties in the works for our may babies? I don't have any plans yet, although I would love to throw her a party. Viet says, next year.

And little Amara is 8 months! How did that happen?

TC--I can just imagine the TJs debacle. I know these scenes altogether too intimately.

Sherri--doesn't it feel good to get things like dmv paperwork accomplished? I love the feeling. The car I brought down here is now officially illegal in the States. I let the tags lapse after two years down here, and were I to return in it I'd have some trouble. I tried to renew them online but couldn't, and I'm not sure why--told me to go to my local dmv. Yeah. So, anyway, the car (which I love with all my heart), now has 275k miles on it and I don't think I'd trust it for another return trip, unless I had to. Plus, driving that far with two lil uns, noooo thank youuuu.

It is actually getting hot here these days. Like, tank top and hose-yourself-off-outside kind of hot. May is our hellroast month, not July, so we're gearing up for that. 6 weeks ago I was still sportin' the turtlenecks. Go figure.

And please assuage my ego by checking out my bellydance glam shots. I think I will just print them out life-size and put them over my actual self so that I can always have that image. Instead of sloppy housewife.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

1. I LOVE Cadbury eggs.
2. Elsanne, you are beautiful.

That is all.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Els--love those pics! 8 months...where does time go? Is she creepign/crawling and getting into everything now? V. jealous of the warm temps! I can't wait for warmer weather!

We went to check out the preschool that C's OT recommended and we will probably start her now (eek!) in the 2 mornings a week program. Much easier to try it out for a couple months now as the fall may be a bit busier







She didn't want to leave which is a good sign. She also was a bit miffed that there wasn't actually a school bus that she could ride to school. They are very used to working with kids with "issues" so that is a plus.

I have paperwork up to my ears...so best tackle that while E is napping...


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Thanks Sarah & Heather. My ego beams.







:







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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
Thanks Sarah & Heather. My ego beams.







:







:







:







:

As it should! Those are wowie pics.

Meg, thanks for the recap. What is UP with all our crazy parents? I hate to say, it makes me feel better on one level. I always thought I was the only person whose father was likely to be found wandering naked in the desert with only a cell phone and an umbrella, but apparently it's more common that I'd thought.

I really really hope that everything goes well, and she recovers very quickly and is able to fly home. The idea of having *anyone* in my house for any significant time sends me into a tailspin - I can't imagine.







and take care of yourself. Chocolate is definitely warranted.

Heath - fingers crossed for good preschooly experiences!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Heath--how exciting about the preschool!!! What is the "eek" about? Is it hard for you to imagine C going to "school"? I remember mentioning this as a possible sanity-saver for you a while back, and don't remember you responding. Is it something you wanted to wait as long as possible to start?


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

beautiful pic-cies, els! you DO look SOOOOOOOO glam. but then again, i think you look glam everyday.

megan: thinking of you today.







and :chocolate: (we need a chocolate smiley)

heath: yay on the C not wanting to leave the preschool! marek is so tentative these days, i can't even imagine it.

squeaky stefan... must go...

~claudia


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

Oh no, megan. I am so sorry you are dealing with so much right now. We are all thinking of you today.







s

Heather, that is so cool about the preschool. I think two days a week is a good amount for easing into it. Eleanor would want the yellow bus too. She knows that I work managing public transit (the white buses) so whenever we see a yellow bus she says in a sad voice, "that's not your bus, Mama."

Els, damn, you ARE glam and gorgeous! How much does that getup weigh? (Don't think I haven't noticed that you have needed reassurances from us recently - first your absence, now the pix - I am completely supportive of you and will be your cheerleader any day, but are you okay? Feel our love. And BIG kudos to you for asking for what you need from us!)

Anybody else have fond memories of using the Cadbury (or cheap-o versions) as make-up as a kid? We used to lick the candy coating and wipe it on our faces for blush, eyeshadow, lippy. Gross, but it's making me crave them nonetheless.

My girlies are good. Eleanor is feisty as ever. We are struggling with nighttime and general listening. She's just soooooo independent. She is totally chill with Annabel though so that is good. She helps with her bath (we shocked ourselves and actually gave Annabel two baths in one week!) and loves to bring her toys to lay on her chest. Did you know that Annabel is a month old already? I am hoping to carve out some Alison and me time this weekend. How does one coordinate naps???????

We didn't co-sleep with Eleanor - we were open to it but she slept better on her own than in arms/in our bed. I was kinda sad about that actually. This one seems interested in being more snuggly and she is a great sleeper (4-5 hours in two consecutive blocks each night!). Any thoughts on co-sleeping with Annabel but not Eleanor. I am on the fence about cosleeping with the second kid while struggling to get the older one to stay in her room and go to sleep alone (although I do NOT want to sleep with both of them at this point) Your thoughts? I am scared of the Nighttime Parenting forum.

Love to the may mamacitas!


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

mamameg that is just.....crazymaking! i too would be a) freaked out by random medical emergencies you aren't expecting and b) really freaked out by not knowing how long she might stay. here's hoping for a smooth surgery and great recovery. whoa.

i'm currently looking for the PERFECT stick. and perfect dolly head.







people in my neighborhood are really into the mutated dolls as yard art thang so i could probably walk around and find something appropriate. it might not turn out very waldorfy looking.

actually i'm currently printing out THE giganto REPORT. cue the drum roll. mega PHeW. and i found out i am getting an ammmmmmmmmmaaaaaazzzzzzzzzing bonus.







:







:







: i feel like kicking my heels together. (or bellydancing a la ms. super beautiful tribal mama!!!! awesome pics!) my boss is trying to keep me....and well it is working! my SAHM dreams are not going to happen but i'm not going to work as much as i have been or as regularly. i think i'm going to look for a really flexible nanny or see if the babysitter i love is willing to work for 10 hours a week or so. i don't know. financial reality is you know....not lining up with me thinking i am going to sit on my toosh while dh makes the big bucks.

loving the updates. glad C liked the preschool. isaac thinks he is going to get to ride the big yellow bus when he starts kindergarten but i am pretty sure they do not have schoolbus pickup for our local elementary.

i was wondering if eleanor was having any jealousy issues. it sounds like she is being a verrrrry sweet big sis







i would go with the cosleeping with annabel thing just because i think with newborns it is so much easier (if they like it). i am not a longterm cosleeper myself personally. i slept with isaac completely until ~3 months when i started putting him in the crib sometimes and cosleeping sometimes. it was my way of gradually getting him used to sleeping on his own while still being flexible about getting sleep myself if it wasn't happening with ease. and as he got a few months older and i wanted a regular bedtime for him i always put him down for the night in the crib and then (most of the time) brought him in our bed during one of the night wakeups. this sorta both cosleeping and not was perfect for us.... and as isaac slept in my bed while doug was gone last weekend and kicked and squirmed i was really feeling YES that makes me







: i have a hard enough time sleeping on my own without someone waking me more. if eleanor had questions i would just say baby is sleeping with you now because she is teeny tiny and as she gets older she'll sleep in her bed just like her big sis. (or something like that).

isaac still wakes up in the night every 2 or 3 days...usually if his covers come off and he gets cold. doug or i will go in and usually he'll want us to lay down. luckily he is now in the full-sized bed so there is room. or he will come padding into our room sometimes at 5am and hop in for a snuggle and go back to sleep. i'm already wondering how the musical beds will go once baby arrives









no big bday party here for turning 3 since my due date is within 4 days of the big event. so we have promised the promised land of chuck E cheese. pure parental torture but he went there once and STILLLLLL talks about it. it can be a totally flexible with going into labor celebration


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Els---the eek was that I didn't think this was something we would start until 4-ish, but as her issues have come to a head, you just kind of have to roll with it and change plans.

Lisa--C was the snuggliest of cosleepers, but E just wasn't having it and then she needed her reflux pillow so then was in the cosleeper next to the bed. I say just do what works for the babe and you both. Coordinated naps didn't really happen early on, but moreso as E settled into 2 or 3 naps a day.

jstar---woooot! on the bonus. Sounds like the part-time ish work thing would work???

And double and triple eek! I just called back to talk to the director and C will actually be starting on Monday! I figured with the monthly tuition that it didn't make sense to wait until the 19th (she has one of her evals on the 12th) so we shall see. I'm more following her interest and excitement about the school than my own hesistance.







I also think it will also help us pinpoint more of the specific issues she needs to work on with. And it's only a commitment til June so if it's not quite the right fit we can reassess then.

Life here is always interesting....


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Els, you look divine (as in, goddess-like). And honestly, those pictures exactly capture you the way I imagine you.









Meg, I was thinking that it was really good that your dh was home for that. I'm sorry things are such a mess and so uncertain. It really sounds scary. Yeah, I'll bet the plane trip was not good. And it's not like you needed this.









HF, I think that's really good news re the school. If she and the school are ready now, then great!

Lisa, I think you should follow your instincts. When Z was born, it was so obvious that all kids (even sibs!) are soooo different.








on the bonus, Jess.


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

subbing

Yeah, the waldorf stuff is expensive but I wish we had done it from the get go and not be living in a trashheap of plastic right now. Oh well.
Gotta get kids out of the bath. Catch up later.

I frequently miss that the month has changed inspite of N making a big deal of it and then I get no updates on the other thread and I lose track of my maymamas! So I would like a 1 year subscription too.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Must share... last night, as I was changing Z's dipe, he rolls over, sticks his fanny into the air, and farts. He says, "I go poop into the air."







I think it's time to start pushing a bit on the PT.


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Too funny KK. This morning DD was standing, with her hands on the couch, singing, "Shake shake shake, shake shake shake, shake your booty" with accompanying booty-shake. I have no idea where this came from.

Here are some smilies from DD:







:







:





















:







:







:







:







:







:

She REALLY likes the broccoli, "Look! The broccoli's dancing!" and the dog, "The puppy's running! Woof! Woof!"

Back to your regularly scheduled maymama chatter.


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Hi all. Things are going well. I just really don't have much to say these days. I think my post-partum brain is still in babymoon phase. I am reading along and thinking of you all.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Hi maymamas. I am still pondering Lisa's comment, and may need to take it to therapy with me. Look what you've done, Lisa!! Why IS it all about me???







: Actually, I think I am the perfect opposite of Fernitude--in terms of clamoring for attention, or asking for support: quite vocal. Am trying to figure out now what it all _means_. Thanks to Lisa. But I do mean thanks, despite my silliness: I am dealing with the mega-mommy-issues with my mom (who is NOT HERE), and trying to digest the fact that she really IS bonkers. And how I can love her anyway.

Good Sunday, very mellow, took the Sol-child to the Mega Shopping Store, which was fun. Got the week's groceries.
Also got out the bike-car-thing (the trailer for two children) and actually put it together and on my bike all by myself!!! *sense of accomplishment*Then we went round n round the fountain park in front of my house, because it's awfully bumpy on cobblestone streets.


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Els, you look so great in those photos! Glamour-puss!







on the mom thing. What is it about all these crazy moms?







: We do seem to have more than our fair share in MMF Land.

Heather, school starts tomorrow, right? Good Luck! I'm sure she'll love it, even if there is a bit of an adjustment period. Mia looooooooves preschool. So much so, that I am now saddened at the fact that she has a verrry hard time leaving when I pick her up. Getting in the car is always a big scene. I just figured out it's because she doesn't really want to leave.







It's hard to let go and see them want things other than just mamamamamamama.









Lisa, I'm







at Eleanor's buss comment. Too funny. Sultan takes a yellow bus to school and he gets picked up right in front of the house, so Mia sees the bus every day. But recently, whenever we see ANY yellow bus any where, she gasps dramatically, and with much concern asks, "Where is Sultan's bus going????"









Glad to see we're not the only one's skipping out on the big b-day party for the may babes. We are going camping the weekend after Mia's birthday, and I just don't feel like doing a big thing. We will have the obligatory huge party for Jett's #1 - which is less than two months away - and that seems like enough party for one season.

Okay, my house just went from calm to crazy and I have to go.

Oh, short update on John's mom. Surgery went well. Still in hospital. Will be there 5-6 more days. We're looking into finding a rehab facility for her to stay in after that, because it's not exactly safe for her to be in our house with an IV, what with the kids and all. Taking it day by day.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Els---I've totally had to work on digesting the mom stuff bit by bit and making sure to hold onto all the realizations that I've had over the years and not allowing myself to try to change my mind on them. I pretty much only have an "in the moment" relationship with her these days and try to enjoy things phone call by phone call and visit by visit and detach in between. *hugs*

Meg---glad the surgery went well. Sounds like she will need lots more supportive care than you guys can offer at home. I think the rest of the fam ought to be coming out here to drive her home when she is well!

Eek....just got done packing the backpack. She is way excited and picked out her special LE horsey pants to wear tomorrow. Will have to update tomorrow afternoon!


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Hi everyone.

Meg - glad to hear your MIL is doing ok. Hope things go smoothly from here and no more surprises. Day by day is right.

Heather - School tomorrow! Yay! Funny how things sometimes change virtually overnight. I hope C loves it and you adjust well, too.









Els - Hope you aren't too bent out of shape. There's a difference between wanting to be missed and a cry for help, huh? I do hope you're ok, but I also think you are, KWIM? And I'm glad (I think?) that your mom's gone. Everything as well as can be expected on that front?

Claudia - thinking of you, mama...call me if you feel like chatting, ok??

I don't remember if I talked about Lily's bday thing here. We're doing a shared party with a friend who's turning 4. Low-key, casual, basically cake and ice cream and preschoolers running around in the yard. I'm hoping we can do it at their house, not ours!









We had a pretty fun weekend. Dinner out last night for my birthday, delicious awesome ($$$!) restaurant. Then to a wine bar for dessert and syrah. Yuuuummmm. One of my (childless) friends watched Lily, and when we got back at 11:30 Lily was still awake. Wow. My friend was like, "Well, she just didn't want to go to bed." I was like, "And that's when you say TOO BAD!..."







It was really totally fine, though, and freeeeee so I can't complain.









Then today we went shoe shopping and I bought two pair! That is major in my life, gals. Rare. One pair was DH's big bday present to me (nice Danskos) and I got another pair with some bday money. Felt soooooo splurgey.









Also have actually done quite a bit of schoolwork, and DH is almost done digging the huge trench for the new retaining wall in the front yard. Yay for getting things done!

And now here comes Monday again...







:

*mwah*

Sarah


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

sarah---I totally missed doling out birthday wishes over yonder...sounds like a splendid birthday celebration. So glad you splurged on some awesome shoes!!







at the babysitter antics...that Lily knew she had it good!









I think I mentioned....we're not doing a birthday party/bbq thing this year. Instead, we're going to DC to see the pandas for the long holiday weekend. I really can't wait!


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

Sarah- nice shoes! Danskos are crucial for the midwife. And what are the others? I've done a bit of shoe shopping lately and I've definitely got shoes on the brain.

Birthday- We're still on the fence about birthdays. The lentil has been to two birthday parties for kids in his class this year turning 3 and neither of them was a tremendous success. I think part of the problem is too many kids- the parents here seem to want to invite everyone in the class, not accounting for different levels of development (his class has 2 and 3 year olds). The range in development tends to hinder group projects, like painting ceramics or doing party games. I'm inclined to have a very small party with just a few friends and let him celebrate without having a big blow-out. His school actually sent out a letter this year telling parents not to invite more children than your own child's age (age 3=three guests). I think there's a certain wisdom to that. But 3 kids means someone is the odd kid out, and that's awkward too. Maybe we'll have an informal picnic.

Meg- I'm glad you MIL is somewhere else watching television all day. That would drive me bananas. Keep taking it day by day and you'll get through this.







:

Els- your photos are amazing. I love the movement. And I also loved the group photo- looks like a pretty cool gang of ladies.

Mom stuff- My mom is coming to visit this week. I'm already mentally preparing my retorts for her incessant backhanded compliments (I can't believe you paid that much for this house! I mean, it's a nice house, but that's a lot of money." Or- "It's such a nice place, have you tried cleaning the grout yet?") I know she means well, but she's just on a completely different planet. It's her 60th birthday, and she hates aging, so I have to brace myself for all that "I hate how old I am, my friends all tell me I look 40, I can't be 60, I'm practically dead!" She's also gained some weight recently, so I'm preparing myself for the unending onslaught of "I'm so ashamed of my body" and "I can't believe how fat I've gotten" and "I lost 10 pounds already!" Can you tell we have, um, issues? I'm trying to be excited about this visit, but I just can't drum up the energy. Maybe this time I will just be honest the entire time, instead of being the good girl and trying to make her feel good.

Ug. I'm so judgey. I need to just let her be.

If it's not one thing, it's your mother.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Danskos (in black)

and

Tsubos (in brown/slate/blue)








:


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Hi everymama!

heather, hoping today went well for you and C. If my hunch is right, it was much tougher on you than it was on her. And those two hours or so she was gone seemed endless. And is it safe to do a smiley parade for you yet? I don't think you noticed my question on the previous thread for permission, so I'll ask again.

I saw a cute idea in a magazine the other week. It suggested using empty egg cartons to plant seeds in. Brilliant! I wanted to do a seed planting experiment with the kids, but never woulda thunk using empty egg cartons. So excited to get started!

Cute shoes Sarah! Everyone needs new shoes! And gorgeous pix of Miss L o'er yonder. Her eyes are so captivating! Beautiful girl!

We won't really be doing anything big for Katie's birthday this year either. Probably just invite some family over for cake and maybe pizza. That's it. I'm not really going to do a big party for the kids again.

Els-you're stunning in those pictures! You look so mystical and magical! You go girl!

mamameg-I was walking through Walgreens today because I had to pick up some pictures from their photo lab, and of course had to walk through the Easter candy aisle, when I was suddenly pulled to pick up a bag of Cadbury mini eggs. I'm blaming you for planting the thought.








Oh how I love Cadbury chocolate! Divine!

Emmalola-how're you feeling these days? Sending strength for your visit from your Mom.

I've got brownies baking while dh puts kids to bed. I'm savoring the quiet for now. Talk to you peeps later!


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Sherri---dare I say wait til April fool's day?







: School went well...her teacher said she "had a wonderful first day" I was indeed a bit teary pulling away from the school and leaving her on the playground, but grocery shopping with just E was such a treat! I have many ideas for things I can do in my time with just 1 kid! Love the egg carton idea! I have some stashed away w/ art/crafty stuff, but we need to plant seeds too. Really hoping we don't have a dreadfully hot summer again...our garden just wilted last year.

I'm







: at dh....he got me sick last week and of course his version turns into a head cold and I'm starting a nice chest cold. Debating going to the doctor tomorrow. Certainly that would be fun w/ two kids in tow, no? ack!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *emmalola* 
If it's not one thing, it's your mother.









: Ooooh yes!!! I would totally "engage" with those backhanded compliments. That's a tough one for me. I can't even figure out what my therapist would counsel about it.

Sarah, those shoes ROCK my socks! I am so glad you had a great birthday! That's really wonderful--may it be the best year yet!

Sherri--you got it exactly--"mystical"! I told Viet, Mr. Obnoxious Photographer, I was going for "mystical and beautiful", not closeups of my paunch. So then we kept laughing about "mistica y bella" while I was all stress-y. It helped.

Heather---yaaaay for happy toddler days! And yay for a break for you! I honestly don't know how you've done it so long without that teeny tiny, not exactly a break, break. I have both girls all day and I feel like I've been hit by a sledgehammer by the time evening rolls around. Now, if we had TV, boy, I could get LOTS of toddler-free time...


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

OK, I'm going to try a post today. I hope it's ok if it's all about me- it's easier not to leave anyone out if you leave everyone out.







:

Basically, I'm really enjoying the kids, and I have a lot of support, in terms of visitors holding the kids while I take care of the basics like food and clothing. BUT, there is so much more to do, that there are all kinds of things that are falling off my plate. I missed the deadline for renewing my teaching license, and am about to miss another deadline (it costs more the longer I wait). I haven't ballanced my checkbook or paid bills or even deposited checks since the babe was born. There isn't time and frankly I'd rather nurse and read Jane Austin.

So, while emotionally and physically and spiritually I'm in a good place, I also don't feel like I'm "allowed" to just hang out on the computer right now. So that's why I'm reading along but being kinda quiet.

I'll hop in to the chatter about B-days, though.







It's funny that just as all of you are getting burt out from the big B-day bashes, I'm thinking about throwing my first. The other years were just grandparents for cake and ice cream. This year I'm thinking about a celebration complete with kid friends. Since I live in a small 2-bedroom apartment, I'll probably ask to have it at the living room of our house church.

L is back from the park with dh, and asking for dinner, so I gotta go.

- ta ta!


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

mcsarahb- you have my shoe taste. I adore tsubos. And they are the only "fashion sneakers" that give me enough arch support, so I am the happy and proud owner of two pairs. And I have more mary-jane style shoes than one person should.

fiddle- go easy on yourself. Don't forget you had a baby just weeks ago. Or was it days? anyway, these things will be done eventually.

We went to the park for a real park afternoon today. It was so nice outside, we just needed light jackets. The lentil played for two hours. He didn't want to leave, even when he was ready to leave. It was cute. And so nice to be outside. The place was packed, too, which always adds to the festive feeling. I met a few nice moms too. Missing close female friends, you know? I call them, but I wish I had that kind of bond with my friends here. Most of them I either don't know well enough, or just don't connect with like you do with people who you've shared things like childbirth with.

I'm feeling so much better. Less need to nap every day, and the nausea is starting to get better. What a relief. I'm in maternity pants, but that's just a convenience. I realized today that I don't spend every waking moment thinking about the baby, which is such a switch from when I was knocked up with the lentil. It's almost weird.

I forgot to tell y'all that the lentil had his first sleepover at a friend's house on Saturday night. Sweets and I went to see Pan's Labyrinth then stayed up really late looking up the Spanish Civil War on wikipedia. True geeks. We were sitting there for at least an hour reading each other snippets from their sites on all sorts of random listings for the war, Franco, the fifth column, etc. I'm embarassed to even write this, it sounds even geekier on the computer screen. I think we needed to do that to intellectualize the violence in the film. that was a rough one. But anyway, sleepover! He had a great time and totally cried when we came to pick him up in the morning. I can imagine him in a few years pretending that we're not his parents and that he was adopted so he can play with his friends more. It was such a treat to have a night without peeing in the bed or early wake-ups. I missed snuggling with him in the morning, but that wasn't the end of the world.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *emmalola* 
mcsarahb- you have my shoe taste. I adore tsubos. And they are the only "fashion sneakers" that give me enough arch support, so I am the happy and proud owner of two pairs. And I have more mary-jane style shoes than one person should.

Ha. They are cute, for sure. I'd never heard of them before yesterday, but loved the color and they feel great, too. Wow on the sleepover. I don't think we're ready for that yet. Lily would do fine, I'm sure, but not me.







Also glad you're feeling better - may the rest be a piece of cake!









Fiddle, I'm glad you're in a good place. I agree, don't worry about the other stuff. It will happen. I really wish the world stopped a little more for new babies. Why should one have to think about things like bills and checks while nursing a 4-week-old? Sigh.

Heather - yay for good first days! I'm sure that made you feel good...and a little sad.







So glad C. had fun.

I just ate some Girl Scout Thin Mint ice cream. OMG, what a concept.

S.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Holy moly, I've got some catching up to do!








I did see those a-m-a-z-i-n-g pictures of Elsanne though! Sooooooooo pretty. My friend and I are looking for a local bellydance class that we can take together; we both used to do it and we both miss it so! I'm SURE my city has *something*. We'll see.
Seriously. Elsanne, I am in awe of your goddess-ness!







:

Well, Rowan has a cold so we've been sequestered since Monday, he seems better today but he didn't sleep well and woke up at 6 this morning.







Speaking of, I gotta get my coffee on (cup #2!







)
We figure if he seems okay tonight, DH will take him to their music class. Otherwise I'm gonna have not one, but TWO make-ups to schedule! Which is kinda okay because I don't get to go to music class much anymore, and I really like the teacher.









Oh, and of course, AF is here with a vengeance! Owowowowowowow. Ow! My entire lower back and torso just...HURT. Ah well. At least I'm still in my jammies.

And DH and I have had some trials and tribulations lately too...so um...it's been kind of a weird weekend.







We're okay...it's just weird. *sigh* More about it later.

I am going to go back and read what I've missed, and write more later.







to you all!


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Just had to comment on this real quick:

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
Anybody else have fond memories of using the Cadbury (or cheap-o versions) as make-up as a kid? We used to lick the candy coating and wipe it on our faces for blush, eyeshadow, lippy. Gross, but it's making me crave them nonetheless.

Um...NO!







! Hahahahaha!!! That's awesomely gross! And it made me nearly fall off the chair laughing. Because one day, our own kids are gonna do that.








My memories of the Cadbury eggs are being incredulous that a bunny laid eggs (remember the commercials?) and that the inside DIDN'T taste like egg. (which is obviously a GOOD thing! could you imagine? A chocolate covered RAW egg. But that's what I thought!







)

Damn, now I want one.
I actually got myself a bag of those Cadbury mini-eggs, the milk chocolate covered by the thin sugar shell? Yuuuuuum. I think they'd make a fine breakfast, especially in my AF-ness!









Okay, back to reading. Still haven't gotten that coffee, either.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Thanks, Renae!!!







:







: You always make me feel so good. What's your city? Providence? I can look up amongst my tribal belly contacts to see what's going on 'round there.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *emmalola* 
I realized today that I don't spend every waking moment thinking about the baby, which is such a switch from when I was knocked up with the lentil. It's almost weird.


Whoa on the sleepover, and







: at the geek parents!!! Funny! Also--this thought was in my head too with Amara--I often FORGOT I was pregnant, unlike with Sol, which occupied every waking moment.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

i can't forget i am pregnant right now.

this is my quickie 'if its not one thing its your mother' post. we had a great weekend overall except two







: conversations which happened in succession and put me in a bad mood. the first comment was 'don't you think you should get him a teddy bear instead of a doll?' like he's a *gasp* boy! god forbid i should attempt to raise a nurturing boy who may someday grow into a good parent :rollseyes: this is after she tells me last week that she's glad i'm having 2 boys because she was raised in such a sexist environment and she wasn't allowed to do so many things that her brothers did. well, reverse sexism is just as bad. right after that we had the 'circ' convo. i knew that one would be coming. i had to walk out of the room. and then i just found out last night that she made comments for the rest of the weekend to doug about it







: of course my dad is a peach and there is no drama there.


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Aaaaw, don't you hate it when you have a nice, thoughtful post typed out, and *someone* smacks the keyboard and it all goes away?

Well, trust that I'm thinking of you all. I'm too







: right now to go do it again. Don't worry, I'll get over it


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Just bumping us back up! Not much to say, it's coooold here! And Lisa, I've never used Cadbury Mini-Eggs as makeup, but I think I just might start now.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

It'd be a lot cheaper than going to the department store for makeup.









Speaking of, everymama, would anymama be willing to stop by a pharmacy (walgreen's or similar) where they sell cheapy makeup? I need a fresh infusion of certain eyeliners for bellydance! I can paypal the $. It's not much but super important 'cause I can't get them here!
Heck, I can't even get cadbury eggs down here for makeup.

(speaking of, Lisa, I hadn't heard of that either!)

We are all







: around here today, all three girls. Mega-schnoppy noses. Ugh.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

And juice, there is nothing worse than having a nice thoughtful post smacked to keyboard oblivion. Actually, there are lots of things worse, but I can totally commiserate. It angers me no end when I lose something I labored over into cyberspace.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Well, since I am the second early bird this morning, I will be happy to volunteer to pick up some Wet 'n' Wild eyeliners for you.







PM me and let me know what you need.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

I've been fairly out of commission for a few days... I've had a pretty nasty tummy bug that really wiped me out (dunno if I've ever mentioned this, but I had giardia for ~10 mos. when I was in college, and I think it did some permanent damage to my gut, and one of the results is that I'm really susceptible to gut bugs, and when I get one, I get it BAD... I've wondered if the severe m/s I get has anything to do with this, too... but I digress). I'm back (but not all of me--probably about 10 lbs lighter). Oh yeah--I had a *cold* at the same time. It seems absurd to have 2 viruses at once, but I did.

I'm hopelessly behind, though I read everything. I have to say, though, gaak on all the mother stuff. I seriously hope that I am a good mother to adult L and a good mil to the boys' partners. I'm giggling about the Cadbury eggs as makeup. I can help with the WnW, too, if MCSB isn't good enough.









Els, if you're looking up BD for Renae, will you look for me, too? I've given up trying to convince my friends to go with me. I want to use my "mama" nights to either take an advanced knitting class (I can do everything quite proficiently *except* multicolor stuff--I need to be TAUGHT that














or a BD class. (My mama friends always want to go out to eat, and while I enjoy the gabbing, I don't enjoy the food... I think restaurants in the Bay Area were VASTLY better, and local places here just don't do vegan well at all). Not that I could ever be as good a knitter as some of y'all, and not that I'll ever come close to Els in the BD dept. But we all have our dreams, right?


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

Els - I didn't mean to unsettle you with my comments. I hope you also felt the love in my post. I admire you and your spirit so much precisely because you are such an ALIVE spirit - seeking out and finding what you need; learning about yourself; and being open to your children and life. I really struggle with living purposefully and staying awake for my life and I often think of you and how, for better or worse, you throw yourself headlong into life. It's awesome and beautiful to know you.

KK - I am glad you are feeling better. I read you were down and out over on your blog - which I love by the way. I want to write one but I am afraid I will get fired for doing it at work. I never have home time on the computer and I already spend too much time on the internet at work. I am working on it. ANYWAY, about you, my dear, I like reading more about you and you thoughts on topics beyond what we discuss here. Blogs really satisfy the voyeur in me, so thanks for sharing about your thoughts on such great topics.

Heather - I am so glad the school day went well. I can't wait to hear about all the hippo and school adventures.

Thinking of you and your family today, Megan.

Love to all the mamas of may!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Aw, KK. My ego purrs. Thanks for that, and I WILL look into bd in the boulder area.

Sarah--how did you know they were wet n wild?







: And honey, be sure about this, because it involves going there, and then mailing them down here. Two whole errands for a busy midwife-to-be.
I want turquoise, black, and more black, LIQUID eyeliners. Also a nice obnoxious waterproof mascara, again black. Any wild n crazy color LIQUID eyeliners. The brush on the wet n wild is not the best but the colors are. hence, another brand of black for the best brush--which ideally is more felt tip pen-like instead of scary long bristles. not sure if you can open n check, though.


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

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
I really struggle with living purposefully and staying awake for my life and I often think of you and how, for better or worse, you throw yourself headlong into life.


Ooooh, how very egotistical, I am quoting myself! I just wanted to share this Brian Andreas print with you all because what I wrote above made me realize that I was thinking of Elsanne as one of these kind of angels and I thought you might appreciate:

http://www.storypeople.com/storypeop...nextStory.y=14

"Most people don't know there are angels whose only job is to make sure you don't get too comfortable & fall asleep & miss your life." Story People called Angels of Mercy

Anyway...


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
Els - I didn't mean to unsettle you with my comments. I hope you also felt the love in my post. I admire you and your spirit so much precisely because you are such an ALIVE spirit - seeking out and finding what you need; learning about yourself; and being open to your children and life. I really struggle with living purposefully and staying awake for my life and I often think of you and how, for better or worse, you throw yourself headlong into life. It's awesome and beautiful to know you.


Um, WOW.







:







:







: I'm going to print this out and put it on my fridge. I did indeed feel the love, and in fact, you were that angel for me (ref. angel below) when you said that. I took of course no offense with you whatsoever, espejito espejito, Viet always says (mirror, mirror), because you were acting as a mirror for me, a check in with reality. No sleepies on the job/life here. Even though I was/am coasting along "fine", as Sarah said, it's always good and interesting when someone points out something that is worthy of mental mastication, as your comment was.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
Ooooh, how very egotistical, I am quoting myself! I just wanted to share this Brian Andreas print with you all because what I wrote above made me realize that I was thinking of Elsanne as one of these kind of angels and I thought you might appreciate:

http://www.storypeople.com/storypeop...nextStory.y=14

"Most people don't know there are angels whose only job is to make sure you don't get too comfortable & fall asleep & miss your life." Story People called Angels of Mercy

Anyway...

WOW. I think I need this on my wall too. Because I cannot figure out why, when I was so happy and cozy and comfy as a wife in Arizona, I CHOSE to come down here and go to the depths of the depths when I already had it all figgered out durnit! Why go figure it out again! *sigh* Gawds. I need to just think about needing to pee, like Juice's dh, instead of all this house of mirrors business. Too many avenues to really explore, and I think too much anyway.


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

I love Brian Andreas.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Argh emmalola, I just typed out a long, thoughtful response on your blog and it got munched. Grrrr. It made me laugh, and made me cry. Your work is so important.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

I knew it was Wet 'n' Wild because that is the cheap, drugstore brand that has great colors. I will go tomorrow and get your goodies. Do you have a $$ amount/number of treats in mind?

I love Brian Andreas, too.

In class - more later.

S.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

why o why did i leave my papaya enzyme at home???????????????. ugh. and who woulda thunk carrot cake for breakfast would cause so much acid reflux???? i'm currently waiting for a burrito. that should help
















kk that sounds like a really awful few days there. i'm glad you're on the upswing.

GD test for me tomorrow. it was supposed to be yesterday but i didn't realize i would have had to eat breakfast by 8am and i didn't. so there was no way i was going to make it to noon or later with only sugar for sustinance. tomorrow i have to get up early and eat eggs or something. i'm prepped to fail and i haaaaaaaate that stupid 3 hr test. although it got me over my fainting problem with needles. which is nice









i have shoe envy







: all i want to wear right now are sneakers anyway.

not much for antics from isaac lately. he's in a phase of running away from doug from hugs and kisses so as we were driving home i told him he needs to give daddy more loves becaues he was hurting daddy's feelings (he really *does* get his feelings hurt). he told me 'he has scratchy face!' ah-ha! i said 'kiss his lips - they're really soft!' so he was more kissy last night which was cute.

i'm so out of it i just realized i need a babysitter for this weekend and for next week and i need to call. waaaaaaaay last minute. wish me luck!

burritoooooo is calllllllling


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mcsarahb* 
Do you have a $$ amount/number of treats in mind?

I am thinking about 4 eyeliners and one mascara. I'll pm you my address.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
Els - I didn't mean to unsettle you with my comments. I hope you also felt the love in my post. I admire you and your spirit so much precisely because you are such an ALIVE spirit - seeking out and finding what you need; learning about yourself; and being open to your children and life. I really struggle with living purposefully and staying awake for my life and I often think of you and how, for better or worse, you throw yourself headlong into life. It's awesome and beautiful to know you.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 

KK - I am glad you are feeling better. I read you were down and out over on your blog - which I love by the way. I want to write one but I am afraid I will get fired for doing it at work. I never have home time on the computer and I already spend too much time on the internet at work. I am working on it. ANYWAY, about you, my dear, I like reading more about you and you thoughts on topics beyond what we discuss here. Blogs really satisfy the voyeur in me, so thanks for sharing about your thoughts on such great topics.


I totally 2nd what Lisa said, Elsanne. I definitely feel that knowing you has been an incredibly positive thing for *me*. You've made me think a *lot* about how I do things. I need to do a little more "headlong" and a little less "premeditated" in *my* life.

Lisa, isn't it great that I can't be fired from *my* job for blogging on the job?







(I don't know why I think that's so funny, but I do.) Thanks for the compliments. It means a lot coming from you.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
http://www.storypeople.com/storypeople/WebStory.do?storyID=1075&showBehindStory=false&sto ryInSearch=200&startIndex=11&productCategoryID=100 0&submit.nextStory.x=24&submit.nextStory.y=14

"Most people don't know there are angels whose only job is to make sure you don't get too comfortable & fall asleep & miss your life." Story People called Angels of Mercy

Anyway...


Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
Um, WOW.







:







:







: I'm going to print this out and put it on my fridge. I did indeed feel the love, and in fact, you were that angel for me (ref. angel below) when you said that. I took of course no offense with you whatsoever, espejito espejito, Viet always says (mirror, mirror), because you were acting as a mirror for me, a check in with reality. No sleepies on the job/life here. Even though I was/am coasting along "fine", as Sarah said, it's always good and interesting when someone points out something that is worthy of mental mastication, as your comment was.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 



I should print it out and put it on my fridge, too. I guess my angels of this nature are my kids (and no, I'm not saying that to be smarmy... it's just that they've forced me--one way or another--to reexamine so much of myself... I could avoid just about everyone else, y'know, but somehow, not the kids).

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jstar* 
GD test for me tomorrow. it was supposed to be yesterday but i didn't realize i would have had to eat breakfast by 8am and i didn't. so there was no way i was going to make it to noon or later with only sugar for sustinance. tomorrow i have to get up early and eat eggs or something. i'm prepped to fail and i haaaaaaaate that stupid 3 hr test. although it got me over my fainting problem with needles. which is nice










Quote:


Originally Posted by *jstar* 



How I hate the stupid GD test. You have my sympathy.

Look at me, multi-quoting like Sherri.


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

kk--asafoetida? croci? Gonna have to open up dictionary.com...

thanks for the love, too, girl!
Riiight back atcha!


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jstar* 
why o why did i leave my papaya enzyme at home???????????????. ugh. and who woulda thunk carrot cake for breakfast would cause so much acid reflux???? i'm currently waiting for a burrito. that should help
























When I was pregnant, ANY refined sugar would inspire heartburn. It was heartbreaking, because I was craving crud like donuts. Sadly, I would often choose to eat them anyway and just pay the price







:

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KKmama* 

I totally 2nd what Lisa said, Elsanne. I definitely feel that knowing you has been an incredibly positive thing for *me*. You've made me think a *lot* about how I do things. I need to do a little more "headlong" and a little less "premeditated" in *my* life.









:
And rock on with your multiquoting self, KK!


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

mmmmmmmmmm donuts. i haven't figured out any correlation yet with what i've eaten so i think it is purely a baby position thing. i had a few glorious days last week without it but it is pretty much constant and gross







: the enzyme tabs don't really even do the trick for me but at least i feel like i'm 'doing' something. i took them out of my purse because a certain little man was eating far more of them than i was.

i just have to say i feel reallllllllly stressed today. i'm behind on many many deadlines. or at least i just have too many people that want something right now and they all think they are the only person on the planet. my boss is gone and therefore my phone rings waaay more than usual allowing me to get *nothing* done







: i did just finish one thing though and i am 'zen breathing' before i start the next. i'm getting a headache. *le sigh* hey only 3 more months of this mad house!!!!


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

well, i'm glad i didn't try to call you today, then.

but if you want to take a break, call me.
















~claudia


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Diggin' the new avatar, Miss Claudia!


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

thanks, els. that was taken on our snowy day last month (or i guess it was end of january).


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Aww, so much







shared! This morning was rough (and hey, so is tonight!) because Rowan is sick







:







: Poor baby. My friend M. and her DS are sick too. I am just waiting...I know I am going to get it...
Damn dude, it's almost 10pm and Rowan is STILL not asleep.







I guess I'll go relieve DH...
Just wanted to say







, my mamas.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Hey girl--







:







:







:







:







:







:







:







:







:







:







:







:







:







:







:







: This is me, and Amara, and Sol a few days ago. And the week before that, it was Amara only different, and Sol a few days prior. And the week before that, my mother, and Sol. Then Amara.

Feeling poorly at the moment. This too shall pass.


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

to all the







:







:


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
kk--asafoetida? croci? Gonna have to open up dictionary.com...


Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 


The asafoetida was definitely a pre-







: thing. Right now, I'm more on the







bandwagon. And I've finally seen my first crocus. It's warming up around here. FINALLY.

I also







: the very cute new S pic in TC's avatar.

Dudes, while I was







:, laundry just did NOT happen around here (except for a load of dipes that dh grumbled through... T ran out of socks'n'underwear, which he got very







: about. (Actually, I don't think there's an emoticon for "whiney".) Now I'm playing catch-up. Isn't it curious how the laundry and related tasks wait for us, oh so patiently? I want laundry that has initiative and does itself.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

I want a _man_ that has initiative and does himself.








:

Oh, I crack myself up. I really can't complain; my DH does more laundry than I do. I'm sorry everyone's sick around these parts. Pleeeeease don't give it to me as I have so much to do in the next 2 weeks to get done with this quarter. This weekend I think we may even have to ask MIL to watch L while I do homework and DH work on the retaining wall. We have this huge 2-foot deep trench right next to the front sidewalk that could kill somebody falling into it in the dark or something. Must fill it before we get sued.

Oop, hear a whistle. Gotta run


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

kk: i wasn't even sick and i want laundry with initiative. maybe we could invent some self-folding laundry...??? and then get the kids to put it all away.

talked to fiddle on the phone yesterday and i mentioned that i'm still trying to figure out what to do with M while i'm at my appt with the therapist next wed. and she offers to come out here and be with M while i am out.







: i







: you, fiddle.

time for a shower now...

~c


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

I REALLY like the idea of a man with initiative that does himself.







:

Okay, kk and renae, here ya go! Check out the convo and the ladies mentioned.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

my dh had no clean work pants this morning. there's his initiative to do laundry







: i am also not a pregnancy love-machine so he has to do himself too







poor man.

i refuse to carry laundry up and down the two flights of stairs right now. it's the one pregnancy excuse thing i do. if it is down in the basement i'll wash it. somehow though i managed to carry a few items of my own clothes down because i'm on limited wardrobe possibilities right now.









my dh is so mean. this morning i had to eat really early so i can fast for 2 hours for this test and i tell him 'why am i sooooooo starving and sooooo thirsty just because i know i can't have anything?' and then i drop isaac off at daycare and he drives by me having a love-fest with a huge bagel from zupans and honks at me. evil man! i shall get revenge!!!!









isaac has graduated from being class pita to class angel. 3 girls just moved up who are terrorizing everyone. the frequency level of the shrieking is definitely different. it went from almost all boys to almost all girls overnight. i guess on the first day during lunch one was pouring milk on her plate and another was throwing food and isaac and his little buddy were shaking their heads saying 'that is not ok.' and looking at the teachers like 'aren't you going to do something?????' the teacher said isaac and his little buddy are getting along great because they're so taken aback by the new little pistols in class







COOL!

gotta run.


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Claudia- right back atcha, mama.
















Oh, and Heather- I got the pillow Monday and we



































it!!!!!!!!!! W likes it when he's awake, even, if I need to set him down. It works so much better than a carseat or swing because it keeps his back straight, which seems to help. And at night, I get a little personal space while I sleep, which is delicious.

L is at music class with grandpa, so I've just had a delicious sweet potato, and am now off to a long shower while W sleeps. Life is good.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

i passed







: i am soooo relieved i don't have to do the 3hr. mega PHEW. my iron was good too and last pg it was low. so i'm doing better on all fronts.

claudia i have a client coming at 2 but i think i'll have a break to give you a call after he is gone.

that is awesome that little W likes the pillow


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Jstar---awesome on passing the test!! I had a feeling all would go well!! too cute about Isaac and his buddy! I'm so glad you were able to work through all the chomping stuff with them. C's new school basically has a no tolerance policy...one bite is it...second bite they're out. Eek!

FF---Yay!! I told you there was lots of comfy baby karma associated with that pillow. It is perfect for not putting pressure on the belly! Glad you have some quiet time! I love sweet potatoes!

C's eval at the IU (intermediate unit) was such a waste of time.







: I'm just spent from dealing with so much BS that I won't even get into it. She did awesome and we went for a quick lunch at Ikea afterwards for some of her beloved meatballs. Two more evals on Monday and then we are done with that







: til closer to her birthday.

2 girls napping atm.

I need to find something fun to do this weekend....any ideas??


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

jstar - so happy for you! So they give you your results right away, same day? That is cool. Where I'm in clinic right now they have to wait until the next visit or call in to check.

Heather - sorry about more BS.







You deserve a break from that, mama! What kind of fun this weekend? By yourself? Family?

I am like this right now-->







'cause I just found out I will be at the hospital I wanted next quarter for intrapartum clinicals. I will be catching babies in a month, gals!







Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *heatherfeather* 
Jstar---awesome on passing the test!! I had a feeling all would go well!! too cute about Isaac and his buddy! I'm so glad you were able to work through all the chomping stuff with them. C's new school basically has a no tolerance policy...one bite is it...second bite they're out. Eek!


we would never make it with that policy







we've had long conversations though about how he is too old to bite and toddlers bite when they don't have any words to use. maybe some of that sunk in...he has been repeating it to me. our school could always ask us to leave over the issue but i think mostly they're understanding and trying to help him develop better coping skills (as am i)

bummer about the bunk eval
 






: i'm a fan of the ikea meatballs myself









woooot sarah - i can't believe you'll be catching babies so soon!!!! that is really exciting.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Wow Sarah, cannot beee liieeeeve that you'll be catching babies so soon! Lucky lucky ducky! Good work, girl! I am so happy there will be more mws like you out there.

Heather--I can only imagine how totally up to *here* you are with all the gar-baaaaage you have had to deal with. Mmmm meatballs. Sounds goood.
How is school going for C? Sol walked in and never once looked back, any day since. Only hard time was after christmas break, when the routine was long gone.

Fern, so nice to have a moment to one's self...I can feel the peace radiating from your post.

Jstar, mega excited and happy for all-clear results! "pregnancy love-machine" bwa ha ha haha!

Meg, thinking about you and MIL. How goes it?


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

My washer is broken. It is not spinning the water out. I want the laundry to walk itself to the laundromat and do itself. I will give it quarters. New washer is ordered though and coming Monday (I hope)

Reading, but I am too tired to respond to much.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Sarah, how exciting!







Wow! I can't wait to hear all the amazing baby-catching stories you will have!









Nuggets,







My washer is on its last legs too...okay, well, it has been for um...years now! I'm lucky it hasn't gone kaput thus far.
But I ALWAYS want the laundry to do itself. Dishes and vaccuuming, too.
Not to mention the bathrooms!







Anyway.

My tummy hurts. I think I had too much coffee this morning. Wait, who am I fooling? There is NEVER such a thing as too MUCH coffee!







Haha.

Elsanne, thank you SO much for the bellydance info!














I can't wait to show my friend M.! She and I want to take classes together. I will look into it soon. I am about to get Rowan dressed so we can go to her house, actually. My day to watch the kiddos.

I am scheduled to work ALL WEEKEND.







: I need the money and it's worth it, but I basically don't get a weekend this time around. *sigh* It's also rare; a couple people got fired or are on vacation, so that's why I'm on so much. Hehe.

In other news; my cat's not eating (not even his regular 1/2 can of wet food! He gets 1/2 a tiny can of food twice a day along with the dry stuff), possibly not drinking (this is something I am !!! about! But he doesn't seem dehydrated or anything), and he looks thinner to me.





















He's only 3, so it's not an age thing. *sigh* I am leaving things as they are today (I kind of have to) but if he still isn't eating tomorrow I am taking him to the vet. Sucks.
I checked him this morning, he's sleeping upstairs (nothing new) and he got all annoyed that I was poking and prodding him and he tried to bite me.







So I think that's a good sign.
Cats are weird. I just hope he's being a brat. Nothing's changed with food, we've been feeding him the same stuff for ages.

Ugh. He's another of my babies, you know? I'm gonna be worried about him all day.

Okay, I gotta pee and make Rowan get dressed to go to M.'s.







Wish me luck!

I hope you all have a great Friday.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Renae, just want to point out that more info has been posted on that thread since I posted the link--yaaaay for bellymama!


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

we went to toysrus for the first time ever last night (well since i was like....10). land o plastic but of course isaac was a.m.a.z.e.d. our intent was to get a scooter but we came home with a big wheel instead. ooooooooooh boy the excitement. he had to kiss it goodbye this morning.

it was cute too when doug left. i said 'bye honey!' isaac said 'bye honey!' 'bye peanut butter!'









happy friday ya'll. i do noooooooooot want to worrrrrrrrk today. it is nice and quiet in the office though.

sarah - i missed answering your q about the test. yep they take a blood sample from the finger and then stick it in a little machine which reads the glucose and iron in a couple of minutes while you sit there. i was skeered of getting my finger pricked (wimp!)

i hope the new washer arrives monday nuggetsmom. ours are almost 10 years old so i expect we'll hit some problems anytime now. they've definitely been workhorses. fingers crossed on that front.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Jess, not only land of plastic, but land of plastic CRAP.

I was thinking last night that MCSB is about to be *catchin'* babies, while the rest of us (almost all of us, anyway







) are too busy *droppin* babies.









Julio! Get better soon! Meow meow meow meow (I said it again in Cattese.)

Ug on the laundry.

I had a good laugh about what y'all said about laundry (and men). I made the mistake of telling dh, and for some reason, he didn't find it as funny as I did.









Meatmalls were/are one thing Z would consistently eat. They're still in regular circulation. Boo on useless eval.

Uh oh, Z woke up. Gotta go.


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KKmama* 
Jess, not only land of plastic, but land of plastic CRAP.

true dat! we got a big ol plastic bigwheel and as i was putting it together i was thinking it may last all of a year. but we'll see. i have fond memories of my bigwheel. i had ET in a basket on the front of mine










the only other section i looked at were baby dolls. i've been wanting to get one for isaac. he has never been interested in loveys or *anything* doll or stuffed toy related until recently when he started wanting to sleep with his grover and pug and shrek. so there is a nice plastic boy doll at the yuppie toy store which pees in its own little blue potty when you give it a bottle. i'm thinking....hmm this could be useful. it can also go in the bathtub. but it is $$ german toy (anatomically correct!) and i have this feeling he may not even touch it with a 10 foot pole. although why do i think the pee thing might be mighty fascinating for him??? then i also love the waldorf dolls and how freakin cute they are and he may be way more inclined to 'love' one of those because they are soft and he seriously does sleep with his little arms wrapped around grover's neck right now. (maybe grover is enough? i starting looking at baby dolls because his teacher thought that might be a good getting-ready-for-baby thing).

anyhoot. my point was i looked at baby dolls at toysrus last night and every single last one of them was PINK. well, dressed in pink. sooooooo much pink. and they had these creepy ones that do facial movements when you squeeze their hands. wierd.

so what do ya'll think? should i get a pee-pee boy doll? skip the doll altogether and just stick with loving on grover? splurge on an adorable waldorf dolly that i will probably dig more than my 2 boys will? who am i really buying a doll for anyway???







: ha!

i've had a GOOD NEWS day today. i discovered recently that the case was never closed on decommissioning the oil tank at our house when we bought it 2 years ago. so i was freaking out and finally called and pursued it. all is (probably) a-ok - they just never sent the report in to DEQ (a glitch). so it *was* decomissioned and we should be getting a case closed letter. PHEW because we want to put a driveway over it. AND i found out we're getting a great tax return. very unexpected based on a few prior emails where we figured out we had to claim more income and i figured we'd be getting $50 back or something. mega YAY! AND i procrastinated so long in finding a babysitter for a silent auction thing we are going to on saturday i was going to be screwed but i did hear back from our other babysitter today that she can do it. another PHEW!

i feel very







: right now


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jstar* 

so what do ya'll think? should i get a pee-pee boy doll?

YESSS!!! You know what is so great about having two kids? The fact that any purchase you make for #1 for a good thing is doubly justified because #2 will most likely get great use out of it too!
And every potty training book I've read recommends a doll that also pees. We didn't do that, but I didn't find a great doll that peed.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

yep i do think about that with another kiddo coming. one of em will be bound to enjoy it. i think i will go get pee-pee boy today. i actually have a toy i need to return so that will take a notch out of the price







and i think i'm going to order a waldorf doll kit. they're about $25 instead of $120. that way we can have both!!! and they will have the hard and soft options to play with. i actually ordered a small 7" waldorf doll for a present and it came yesterday. it is an adorable little girl with an easter egg basket and isaac said 'for me?????????'

our potty training is at a wierd stage. he knows how to do it. he does it on a whim. he *wants* to wear diapers. so







: actually lately he is wanting to buy pull-ups so i've been telling him he has to keep them dry to keep the little patterns from disappearing. so trying to get him to 'use' them more like underwear and talk about them like that....even though to me they are a waste of $ and a pain in the butt to get on and off. other than that i'm just holding off doing or saying much about it right now and thinking maybe once he moves up to the preschool 2 class that he may 'see' all the other kids in underwear and feel older himself (?). dunno.

doug talked isaac out of swimming and into going out for pancakes this morning. sounds like a great idea to me


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Hey Mamas! We were on page three!

Not much going on here. We have a busy week coming up, Sarah's birthday is on Friday. She's going to be FIVE! How did that happen? We have some friends coming in Friday to spend the weekend to celebrate her birthday. On Wed. night we're having cake and ice cream here for the family. I have alot of cake and cupcakes to bake this week! A cake for family get-together Wed. night, cupcakes for her to take to school on Friday, and a cake for her birthday Friday night with our friends. A whole lotta cake. Think I'll be tired of it by the weekend,









Feeling very blah lately.







: I'm sooooooooo ready for spring and nice sunny weather. I really need to pick up some seeds and potting soil to start our egg carton planting.

Have a great Sunday, everymama!


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

I forgot to ask how our pregnant mamas are doing? Heather, you hanging in there with the rough first tri? EL, how's the ms? And is your Mom still visiting? Anyone else pregnant that I'm missing? OH! Jstar! I can't believe how far along you are. Seems like just yesterday we were talking about doug's, y'know....


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Sherri, my DD1 just turned 5. Amazing, amazing. And I am also longing for spring... I'm absolutely stealing your egg carton idea. My girls will love it!! Spring is taunting us here today - it's very bright and sunny, and warmer (45ish) but that is causing all the ice and snow to melt and it's just muddy and yucky outside. *sigh*

Is anyone else's maybaby going through an "If I don't hear you I don't have to do it" stage? Allison just completely ignores most of what I say and it is driving me batty. I know it's not her ears. She can hear the word "ice cream" whispered from two rooms away. How do you all handle this? I try to be patient, and then I get really aggravated.


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Also, Sherri, what are you going to plant in your egg cartons? I'm a novice gardener but I really want to do some fun stuff this year - I could use a little guidance, though.


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

I'm glad I enlightened a fellow Maymama with my egg carton gardening!







I just thought it sounded like a fun idea to do with the kids, and easy to do as well. I think I'm going to plant some flowers, maybe petunias? I'll have to see what kind of seeds I can get. I'm thinking some tomato plants as well? And whatever strikes my fancy in the seed aisle at the store. I'm no great gardener either, so hopefully what I plant inside can be transplanted outside. I've also been saving yogurt containters in case the egg carton plants get too big before they're ready to plant outside. I think all of this will transpire after my houseguests leave next weekend. 'cuz I'm going to have all my windowsills in use os my plants can get some sun!


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Sherri---I'm never much of a puker, but favor the all day queasies which are in full effect for sure.







:

Busy week ahead w/ lots of schtuff to take care of.

Weather warming up
Seeds to plant in egg cartons
Spring here before long!

....


----------



## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

We found a little seed pod in my backyard the other day so I borrowed your egg carton idea and we broke open the seed pod and planted the seeds. No potting soil, just earth from the backyard, but I figured that would be decent. Yesterday I bought some sunflower seeds at the farmer's market but I think that they will be too big for egg cartons. We spent yesterday in the backyard gardening and cleaning up dog poop. It was nice.

The morning sickness seems to be better. I still have pretty strong food aversions, but I'm not gagging anymore and I go through most of the day NOT thinking about how queasy I am. I still haven't felt the sweet pea move, so I'm a little worried, but the books say it may not happen for awhile, so I should just cool it with my disaster planning. I'm in maternity pants now, at least. So either I'm getting really fat or there's a legume in there. Stay tuned!


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

You can also make a little newspaper origami cup to put int eh egg carton so that you can transplant more easily. I will see if I can find directions online for it. the newspaper can go straight in the ground.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

I am having a "good mama" feeling: I did not lose it with either child today, we had lots of fun and I managed the tribal excursion well (arts n crafts faire, park), and just got both to sleep by myself! The last two nights I've done this and so far it has worked. Been a long time coming:
I tell Sol she has to wait for teta until Amara is done and asleep, and she has done it! Then she falls promptly asleep! And not too much talking/loud whispering/moving around and my attitude about all those things was much more relaxed than usual. It's funny, in a way, to "fiercely" sign as if you were fiercely speaking--I used to emphatically and not very nicely sign "just a minute" just as if I were speaking to her all frazzled.


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Hey all, it's me. I feel so awful for not posting more, but I need to get over that. I AM reading and feel very caught up with you all in my head at least (if not in my actual typing). We've got a lot going on right now, too much even, and I'm just trying to take care of myself and little bean in utero.

In the last week, we traded in our non-front-wheel drive 4Runner for a front-wheel drive VW Passat Wagon so I'm now a stationwagon mom, I guess. Oh well. We like it a lot. But we had to drive down to Denver to do the trading and that's not the most fun 6-hour-round-trip trip in 24 hours. It left me with some lower back pain/hip/knee/butt muscle pain that I went to the chiropractor for and am getting a massage for tomorrow. Also, the thrush I had a year ago has come back on my breast, even though I haven't nursed on that side for well over a year and haven't nursed at all for almost a month. So, I'm trying to battle that so it's cleared up before the gals must get back to work again!

And, we were finally able to get the contract on the house through, so we're under contract and close on April 9. Must move out of apt. by end of April....that means mega packing must ensue. In addition to the other stuff ya gotta do when moving. We're excited, but just wish we could teleport all our stuff to our new home. This is the 3rd time we've moved since I've been a May mama, and I'm tired of it (which is a severe understatement).

Baby is good, some movement but not lots. Less nausea (I finally gave up the sea bands) so I'm glad about that. Starting to really wonder who's in there!

Once again, my post is all about me. I don't like that, but it's where I am right now, and I know I'll come out of it soon enough. Despite all that's going on, I really think I'm in a good place and eager to nest for real! I am thinking of all you often (more than you imagine, probably) and send love to you when I do!

I'll try to post a link to the new home on the YG.

Thanks everyone for listening and I'll be reading along....


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

els: nice to hear of your good mama/parenting flowing feeling... i, too, have been having a few days of good parenting/nice flowing life-ness.

~c


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jacqueline* 
Once again, my post is all about me.

This is a bad thing? Why didn't anyone tell me that?







I do it all the time!

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TurboClaudia* 
els: nice to hear of your good mama/parenting flowing feeling... i, too, have been having a few days of good parenting/nice flowing life-ness.

~c

YAAAAY and high fives. High cinco, from down here!


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

Just a hi to all this morning. I am not feeling very well today, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to be happy for Caludia's good days and a check in from Jacqueline. I had been wondering about the house situation.

Love to all,

oh, and Renae. I got it! Thanks


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Hope you're feeling better soon, Lisa.









Claudia!







glad to hear good news!

And jacqueline, I knew I was forgetting one of our pregnant may mamas! So sorry.







: Your house looks gorgeous! Looks like the perfect place to call home.

Els-good for you for good-feeling-mama days. I love it when I have them!

Took Katie to the car wash to get all the gunk off it, and sh was fascitnated with the experience.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Your "reason for editing", Sherri, had me a-chucklin'.

Lisa--hope you feel better soon mamacita. Hm. Somehow, "mamacita" doesn't work for a lesbian, and I don't know why that is. I guess somewhere deep down I see or feel a latino catcalling when I use this word.


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

Els, now that is just funny! I call Alison mamacita _all the time_. Catcalling? Oh yes.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
I call Alison mamacita _all the time_. Catcalling? Oh yes.

Meow-rowr!!!


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

checking in to say hola before i go to dh's office for a bit. and i need to do some laundry because we steadily ignored it all weekend long.

i bought pee pee paul and omg what a hit! boy is that a lot of fun







isaac is taking him to bed and everything. he's actually way more into it than i even expected.

so glad to hear some of the nausea-mamas are coming out of it. and sorry heather that you're getting into the thick of that part of pg. i'm in the part of pg where i think maybe i could handle this again someday.....so easy to forget the early days when i swore i would never subject myself to that hormonal poisoning again. i'm sure birthing will reaffirm that feeling though









i think babe went head down again. hardly any heartburn for the last 2 days and babe had the hiccups last night that were shaking my pubic bone









glad to hear there is some good parenting flowing and feeling better going on. we had a pretty easy-going weekend. this week looks crazy-busy with all kinds of appointments on my calendar. i feel exhausted just thinking about it. we are supposed to see modest mouse thursday night and the tickets have NOT ARRIVED in the mail. i am more than







: right now because i am pretty sure there is nothing to be done about it. i bought them directly from modest mouse not ticketmaster in the presale and they have no phone number and have ignored my 2 emails. just a little note on their website saying they can only guarantee delivery of fed-ex tix. of course i went with regular postage. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. i am going to cry if we can't go.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Ug, I had a post typed up, and someone (who shall remain unnamed) restarted the computer.
Here's my personal double-ug:
(1) T had a getting fillings appt at the dentist today (dh went with him, and apparently it was pretty harrowing, and only 1/2 the fillings, so 1 more appt! ack ack!)
(2) L had her weight check today, see my blog for that.







:


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

I feel like blah. I had it much easier with the first two for sure. Boy or twins perhaps.







:









The OT/PT evals today went *much* better TG. C was a mess though as it was in the middle of lunch/naptime. Both girls down for late naps now and I will follow I think.

KK--replied over yonder!

Jacquie-- LOVE the house! So happy you'll have plenty of time to settle in before the new babe arrives.

Jstar--so cute about the doll!! He is going to adore his baby bro for sure!

*yawn*


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Hey guys. Checking in. Things have been craaaaaazy. Roller coaster hospital and family drama. BUUUUUUUT.... MIL is going home to Miami tomorrow. I can hardly believe it, and I won't fully believe it until it happens.

Today's my birthday, and so far, it's been pretty bunk. Mia has been an absolute nightmare this afternoon. I think I've had all of 4 minutes to myself today (not counting right now - the brood is out on the front lawn, rolling around and eating grass). John will likely not be home until his normal time of 7:00 or later. Yay me. John has made promises of good prezzies tonight though, so things might turn around later on. (Yes, I am that much of a brat that a good gift can and will turn my whole day around







)

Mia screaming outside. Must go.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Aw jeez Meg, sure hope it DOES get better! Report back on the prezzie!

And HAPPY BIRTHDAY, hon!!!


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

:







:







:













































Happy Birthday mamameg!!


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

birthday? why is it not on the yg calendar? did i forget it? off to check...

in other news, omigosh, today was going soooooooo well, until AFTER nap. and let me just say, when it rains, it pours, and it pours pee. marek napped in the car, and then when he woke up, he wouldn't let me help him out of the carseat to climb down, so he proceeded to pee all over his legs, pants, and carseat, and he peed so much that the pee then ran down onto the seat of my car. grrrr... and he was sooooo stinky and so sweaty from his nap (he's a sweat machine when he naps) that i made him take a shower with and i washed his hair and omigosh, that was/is always an ordeal. now the carseat cover is in the washing machine, the carseat is out on the front porch (well, our lame excuse for a front porch but really just an entry way platform) drying. grrrrr...

finishing my smoothie and off to a meeting with the S-meister.

~claudia

eta: it is on the yg calendar, but i didn't get a email reminder even though it's set to send one.

so...








:Happy Birthday Megan!!!







:


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Happy Birthday Megan!!!

Here is to good mama days and boo to pee everywhere. I have resingned myself to getting the carpets steamed soon.

I still have no washer and the people on the other end of the phone are just not helping me.

BOOHOOO.

OK, but other than that I am feeling good. Tomorrow is my morning off. Whoohoo.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

As it has been lately, I will update first and catch up later!







:
I have been at the retail job since, oh, THURSDAY!!!







: I don't have to work again until this Thursday and while I like my job well enough and the discount rocks (as does the money) it IS retail and it DOES tire me out. *sigh* And I felt like I never really had a weekend, and Rowan has been in RARE form because I haven't been around (read: possessed by THE DEVIL







)...it's been a real eye-opener to how thankful I am that I have mostly been able to stay home with him this long. WOH mamas, again, I salute you:









Anyway. A lot of things have been going on with me this past week, and I will update more on the YG when I get a chance (which will hopefully be today because Rowan and I are doing nothing more strenuous than going to the wholesale store (It's called BJ's--my BF always laughs when I mention this place. Because she is immature. And I don't laugh, nope!







But why couldn't I have a membership to Costco or something







:







) and I am joining he and DH for music class tonight, because I promised after being called in last-minute to work last night.









I miss you all and I am here.







The main issue I wanted to talk about (but not here) involves the big W and the "vitamins" (not related)...but I feel fairly good about the decisions I have been coming to lately.

Hope to write more soon. Now, time to read back! I







you all, as always.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Oh, right, I just wanted to give HUGE thanks to the mighty Elsanne for helping me out with bellydance in my area!





















THANK YOU!!!
I've been checking out that website and I sent the link to my friend. Ooh, so excited!









Anyway, thank you thank you thank you!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

You are welcome! Let the dance begin!

What is the big W? Work? GW Bush? What's going on?

Yesterday was another god-mama flow day. ha! meant to write GOOD-mama but think I'll leave it.

Want to hear how mizzymeg's birfday went.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

i think the big W renae refers to might be "operation W" with regards to the milkies...

gotta get ready for a playdate but hopefully more later...

~c


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

I'm reading and thinking of all of you, with new babies, babies gestating, new houses, MILs leaving, vitamin changes, etc., etc.

The quarter is coming to a screaming close, I have two presentations - today and tomorrow, my mom arrives tomorrow night, I leave for a 3-day conference on Thursday, and my brain is basically a heap of quivering jello.

~whimper~


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

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mcsarahb* 
I leave for a 3-day conference on Thursday, and my brain is basically a heap of quivering jello.~whimper~

I know you are overwhelmed and I feel for you even though my heart is a quivering heap of jealousy. I so want to be at that conference! May your days between now and then go smoothy and may you share a glass of wine and unwind with some rocking midwives by the weekend.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
I feel for you even though my heart is a quivering heap of jealousy. I so want to be at that conference! May your days between now and then go smoothy and may you share a glass of wine and unwind with some rocking midwives by the weekend.

















I'll be thinking of you, and I will report back. Next year, baby, next year!









Sarah


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mcsarahb* 
The quarter is coming to a screaming close, I have two presentations - today and tomorrow, my mom arrives tomorrow night, I leave for a 3-day conference on Thursday, and my brain is basically a heap of quivering jello.

~whimper~

Oh, Sarah. You have my sympathies, in spades, as I have been there! That feeling--not the conference--
sharing wine with rockin' midwives? I think I wanna go too!
Best of luck on the presentations. You'll do great, I know, and it will be over! Dang, girl you are one BUSY girl these days. Biiiiig huuuug and deep relaxing breath...


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

OMG, worst birthday ever. In fact, worst day I've had in a looooooooong, long time. Mia and I fought pretty much all day. Nap attempt was a failure and a total scene. Then bedtime came and she fought me on going to bed for 1 hour and 45 minutes. (Any wise words about this craziness? It's been ramping up for the last couple of weeks, and in the past few days, her resistance to going to bed has increased exponentially and it's driving me up the wall. What to do????) A few times during the battle, I left her in her room to her own devices (music, books, monkey business) because I was seriously about to hurt her.







: I'm glad I had the control to remove myself from the situation, but why did it get to that point? I'm the parent... why did I let it get so out of control?









Anyway, I talked to John on his way home and told him all about how awful my day was, and the dear, dear man had mercy on me and "gave" me one of my birthday gifts over the phone. He told me he booked a massage, a facial AND a pedicure for me at the spa right by our house. He booked these treatments for me this Saturday, which also happens to be HIS birthday. He went on and on about how much I sacrifice for our family and for him and he wanted to clearly show me how much he sees that, and he can take a day off for his birthday anytime, and that I NEEDED a break asap.







I wept on the phone as soon as me said "massage" and it really did help my mood a lot. He finally got home at 10:00 and we ate a pizza that I ordered (he picked it up on his way home) which was just another disappointment because they didn't' get the order right, so we paid $21 for a pizza that we didn't even care for.







: Annoying.

Oh, and he also got me a bottle of some yummmmmmmmy smelling perfume (Betsy Johnson) and I love it. So, bad birthday was turned around a bit by the prezzies. And the thought of an entire afternoon at the spa in a few days will get me through the week. No doubt.

And it really is amazing what a good night's sleep can do for one's outlook. My very first thought this morning upon waking was, "it's a new day. yesterday is over. yay!"
















for everyone who needs it. I gotta get Jett down for a nap and my cleaning lady will here any minute and the house is wrecked.


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Ooops, I forgot to thank you ladies for the awesome birthday wishes! Sitting down and reading them during my fleeting moments of peace made for some warm fuzzies.







:


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

happy belated birthday meg!! sorry it was a struggle of a day. the spa afternoon sounds MAHHVELLOUS!!!! oh so nice









boo as well for pee in the car. lack of washers. totally overwhelming end of quarter days. and working too many days in a row.

isaac was a bit of a trial last night. we tried a malaysian restaurant and he was &*&^*% obnoxious through the whole meal. just naughty and it was very







: and he picked at the food and tried quite a few new things and liked some and spit out others. but i don't think he ate enough because he asked for a bagel before bed and it was already 8:30 so i told him he could have one for breakfast. well who got to make a bagel at 5:30 (which felt like 4:30) am??????? yep. and then he went promptly back to sleep while i didn't. so i feel a bit zombied today.

a chiro visit later should get me sorted out


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Yeah, "operation W"....which I am not that serious about...ESPECIALLY when I mentioned something about getting Rowan down to nap yesterday w/o nursing to the RAISIN MAMA and she said, sounding rather disdainful "oh...I didn't even realize you still DID *that*..."









So this afternoon when I was telling Rowan what the rest of our afternoon would entail (home from grocery store, diaper, nap) he said, all hopefully, "nurse!" and I stopped, thought for a second and said "You know what? Yeah, we're gonna NURSE!" Hahaha.

Anyway...HAPPY lovely belated birthday wishes Megan!







Sorry your actual birthday was craptastical, but it sounds like it was a bit made up for with those fantastic gifts!
And OMG, I am sorry about Mia's craziness...but it has also made me feel a little bit better, because _I am not the only one!!_ Rowan has been in RARE form the past week or so...and DH and I are both at our wit's end. It's not ALWAYS bad, but the other night DH got up with him from 5-7am, trying to deal with the screaming, squriming, sleep-refusing child who nonetheless did NOT want Daddy to stop patting him!







: Yeah...
And I was away working the past few days, but this madness started BEFORE that. *sigh* We're trying to ride it out.

And now, that is enough out of me. I have to sort some laundry before Rowan wakes up (He's still napping! woo!)







Loves to you all!

ETA: comical laundry story: right, so. I have been washing Rowan's load of laundry for THREE DAYS now. Wanna know why? Because the kid dropped a handful of CRAYONS into his laundry bag, and I failed to notice them until it was too late.







:
Good thing they were washable crayons...


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Happy belated BDay, Meg! Sorry it was not so good, but hope Saturday more than makes up for it.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

OH, Meg. What fantastic gifts. What a scheit-y day you had, and I am sorry 'bout that. It's all about YOU this weekend, though...yaaay! Did MIL make it on the plane?
What is the deal with 10 PM??? dh arriving home? Work? Commute? I remember you 'spected him about 7 pm and that was bad enough. I cannot imagine how hard you work, girl. I am really thinkin' bout you. The nighttime drama is so hard. Trust that it will pass--I think I would take a different tack if I were you, which would be to not fight it. Not like I got it down, you understand, except right now I do. It always changes. But whenever we are fighting the bedtime big time I just throw my hands up and at its worst I told her FINE--stay up--but I'm going to do what I would do if you were asleep and I am NOT PLAYING WITH YOU. You stay up, but do your own thing. Usually she will eventually fall asleep looking at books with me or viet after that. It is so hard when you are alone, though, and no other adult to take over the baby/toddler unless one is already mercifully asleep.
That is just one idea, I have a handful I use but basically the one that works is the one where I can attempt to go with the flow and not fight. And wait until she's really, really tired to try again. I struggle too though so truly it's mostly commiseration I offer.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

megan: we've only just (like since the end of january) entered the land of minimal struggles and relatively short bedtime routine for the toddler. we finish dinner, play a bit, get dressed in pjs, brush teeth (if we remember), maybe watch a little bit of thomas the tank engine or maybe just go right to the bedroom, read some books, turn off the light, and he's usually out within 20 minutes if i lay down with him but sometimes 45 minutes if it's bill because i'm otherwise occupied with babe. this is with no napping in the afternoon. if there is a nap, the routine does get shifted back towards 9ish instead of 730ish.

currently, babe is napping in the turned off car in the garage and i just finally got to clip marek's fingernails while he watches between the lions on pbs. watching tv is the only way to clip his nails. ever. and toes are still impossible with it. and what's with the fear of water on his head in the shower or bath? he hate, hate, HATES getting his hair washed. and he has long hair! so it needs to be washed every week or so. or at least gotten wet.

also, jealous of your spa day, megan. sounds yummy. enjoy it!

oh, and bill and i FINALLY got to talk for a while on sunday evening after the monkeys went to sleep. we shared some dessert and wine and had a nice conversation and cried and it was a start. we have more to talk about on an ongoing basis, but some things i was assuming are in fact not true, so all in all, i feel better about things.

~claudia


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

claudia-G has the same issues with nail clipping and hair washing! The fingernails are getting better, but toenails are impossible. And, dh does bathtime mostly, but I hear the screams during hair washing. He's always hated water on his head, but I keep thinking it will get better. It hasn't. He also despises any shirts that aren't button-up because he doesn't like anything tight on his head. He's gotten a little better on the shirt thing, though. I'm hoping they'll outgrow it all eventually....but it is frustrating.

Claudia-I'm also glad you and Bill got to talk.

heather-sorry you're feeling so icky. I feel for ya!!!!

Renae-sorry you had no weekend. that sucks. Hope you have time to relax this week!

MCSarahB-you'll make it! Your conference sounds great and hopefully is enought of an incentive to get you through it.

Meg-Happy Birthday a little late! Sorry it was so rough with Mia but spa day will make up for it a little. Birthdays just aren't the same as when were younger, are they?

Thanks everyone for your kinds words about the house. We were supposed to have the inspection today but it was postponed, so G and I got to go to LLL and then to the park. The weather here is absolutely beautiful and I'm loving the taste of spring.

I need to go get ready to drop G off with dh so I can work tonight. Peace out, mamacitas!


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

i am still in risk of cutting off a toe every single time i cut the so-long-they're-curling-under toenails. he haaaaaaaaates it. i have to sit on his legs and do other pretzel maneuvers in order to do it. i hate it too! fingers he is fine with and holds his hands out. it is SILLY. isaac hates his hair washed too. and i have to wash it because he smells like sweaty playground boy already if i don't get it every few days. luckily he's been pretty into going in the shower with me instead of taking a bath and for some reason if i pick him up and hold him 'in the waterfall' he is fine with it.

i'm glad you got to talk to bill.

i have no words of wisdom about bedtime struggles. i've heard a visual chart on the wall can be good. like take a picture of her doing each step and put them up in order and then talk through the steps as you do them. if you want to only read 3 books show her holding 3 books. she sounds more like she understands the routine and is just exerting her autonomy instead









i've started really working to institute a bedtime. our dinnertime is really all over the place (so consequently his bedtime was a bit random) but in the last couple of months doug and i decided 8pm is when we start the bedtime routine. i start giving warnings at a quarter til... 'you have 15 more minutes to play because it will be 8 oclock and time for jammies' i'm usually back downstairs by 9 for a blessed hour of quiet tv time


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

I need to somehow block the access to the restart button on the computer. I had a nice message ready to post this a.m., but ....







:

Anyway, I wanted to say yippee on the house, Jacquie.







You deserve it.

And big







s to Meg on the birthday. I am ssssooooooooooooooooo glad your dh did right by you.









And I just want to tell MCSB to hang in there! (Your fan club is rooting for you!!)

Not the RAISIN MAMA!!!!!!!!! Just say no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!







:
















I want to write more, but I have to supervise homework. I just want to say







and how much I enjoy reading my May Mamas every afternoon, especially this one!


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

holy cr*p jess! are you really almost 30 weeks???!!!??? i mean, i know you are, but are you really? you could have a babe in less than 2 months!!! or as much as just over 3 months!!! wowza!







sending you don't freak out too much about the giving birth vibes...


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KKmama* 
Not the RAISIN MAMA!!!!!!!!!

ITA, Renae....wassup with that...

My therapist and I went round n round (well, it was pretty cut n dried, actually) about relationships/friendships that were not beneficial for me and cutting them out of my life. Think on that one, chiquilla.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TurboClaudia* 
holy cr*p jess! are you really almost 30 weeks???!!!??? i mean, i know you are, but are you really? you could have a babe in less than 2 months!!! or as much as just over 3 months!!! wowza!







sending you don't freak out too much about the giving birth vibes...

tell me about it!!! i am reaching parade float status







i'm really just hoping not to be pregnant to 42 weeks. one can hope right??????????? it hadn't really occurred to me that i could possibly have a baby in 2 months. but you're right ----------> argggughghhhhh!!!!! whoa.

(i've only been managing to update my ticker every other week so i'm gaining 2 weeks at a time on the visual thang).


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Claudia. Glad things are looking and feeling better with Bill. Keeping talking.









BTW, that Guster song Satellite is so all over the radio right now and I think of you guys every time I hear it. Fun.

Thanks for the thoughts on the sleep thing. I know I need to let up and stop fighting her. It's one of my parenting challenges. I get really hung up on consistency and I could stand to be more flexible. I fear that she will think me "letting" (ha!) her stay up will result in a bad habit forming, so I hold on tighter than I should. Ugh. I had this overwhelming experience last night of knowing just now NOT in control I am of Mia. Or any of these kids. And coming at it form a place of control, just sooooooo does not work. But it's my default when I am stressed, which has been a lot lately.

And for John's late night, I knew it was going to be at least 7:00 and even when I typed that, I knew I was being optimistic. Thing is, he went in late (due to dealing with his mom's situation), so he had to stay late. Same with today (he took her to the airport this morning). Anyway, I knew that was going to be the case, so we had my birthday dinner on Sunday night. He cooked delicious organic steaks on the grill, baked potatoes, broccoli for him, asparagus for me. So yeah, I knew the late night was coming, and there was some compensation prior to it, but it still made for a long day for me. Yes, I do work hard. Most days, I just suck it up and somehow make it through. But I do notice my stress level is perpetually high and I'm yelling at the kids a lot.







: Something needs to change.

And that, my friends, leads me to sharing a big decision I've made for myself. I'm going back to work. Not a lot (15 hours a week), not a stressful job (pouring wine at a winery tasting room), but it's okay pay (any bit will help at this point) and has a fun, social environment. My mom will watch the kids two days a week (5 hours shifts) and the third shift will be on the weekend so John can keep the kids. This, to me, is an ideal situation for me. I felt guilty for a long time for wanting to do something other than be a full time SAHM, but I'm working through that and realizing I really do think it will be better for everyone if I have a little something else going on. There. I said it.









Okay, I've been working on this post all afternoon and although there are more responses I should make, I have to hit send before some one comes along and smacks the keyboard.


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Kids are cutting me a break, so I'm back.







(Today was a much better day, BTW. I made an effort to chill out and Mia responded by being a cool, fun little kid. And both kids napped at the same time. That makes any day better.)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KKmama* 
Not the RAISIN MAMA!!!!!!!!! Just say no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!







:































: Although, I shouldn't talk. I have a fairly toxic friend here in Sonoma who I know I should cut out, but can't bring myself to. I successfully keep her at arm's length, but I am still sometimes annoyed with myself that I put up with her at all.









Quote:


Originally Posted by *TurboClaudia* 
holy cr*p jess! are you really almost 30 weeks???!!!???

I know HUH???? How did that happen?

Time keeps on slippin slippin slippin, into the future....

Have I mentioned how tripped out I am that I am planning Jett's first birthday party? It's in 6 weeks! Holy Time Warp.

Jacqueline, SUPER COOL HOUSE! I love the look, the price, the size, the everything! Reminded me that we are pretty foolish to live here in CA. Everything here is $$$.

MCSB, keep on truckin, mama. You can do it!

Okay, break's over.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Thanks for thinking of me, gals. Big presentation today, over and done with, went well. One down; another presentation, two papers, and two final exams to go!









Megan, glad to hear today was better. I bow down to those of you with kids all day, every day. And multiple kids, just wow. Yay for going back to work! It sounds like a fun gig. And good timing.

Jstar, I would totally love to see if I can tell if babe's head down, any time. Seriously. 30 weeks has gone by awfully quickly. Holy gestational progress, Batman.

Jacqueline, the house sounds divine. I do envy you the jacuzzi. Mmmmmmm.

Claudia - so glad things are looking up a bit. Sorry I missed the BSN meeting last night; I was just beat and had to prepare for today.

On nails: Lily will let us cut them if she's in the mood. So we just ask a few times until she says yes, and then she will sit still.

On bed: DH has gotten it down pretty well in the last month or so. It was getting more and more drawn out and annoying, with Lily asking for more and more books and time with him laying next to her, so he put his foot down. Now he tells her how many books to pick out (4-6ish, depending on how late it is) and when they're done, he gets up. 9 times out of 10 she's out in 10 minutes, and the other time she squirms a bit and talks to herself, he reminds her to go to sleep, and she settles down. Maybe 2 or 3 times since this routine started, she's whined and gotten out of bed, but he just ignores her and she eventually has gone back and fallen asleep. It's really been quite a good system. I do want it to be earlier; lately it's gotten later and later, but since I don't have to do it I really can't complain. Now that I've said this I'm sure it will get bad again, but oh well. It definitely has been bad before.

Pizza for dinner tonight - this week is kind of crazy so we're letting dinner plans be flexible, tg.

TTFN-

S.


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Meg, That sounds like an awesome kind of job. Fun, social and leave it when you are done. 5 hour shifts sounds reasonable and not too long and tiring. Great. As for bedtime, the chart sounds like a great idea. I like consistency too and N really needs it from me. J is more flexible and can stand changes in routine though it doesn't happen much. I also read exactly 3 stories and then leave., I will let them read a book for themselves or listen to music OR lately they have been listening to this obnoxious story reading bear which I love since they love it so much.

Sarah- I guesss you are probably finished with your presentations and on your way by now.

Renae- stay away from teh Raisin mama. All she is raisin is your blood pressure!

Jess-wow. seems like things are going fast.

Actually I can't believe school is almost over! And Julia can go to camp this year if she is potty trained, so here is hoping she is... Of course I could do something more about it but I am hoping she will stip wetting herself and decide that she can poop there on her own. I mean, she knows we do that! Well, we will see. I can sign her up...


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Nugg, thanks for the reminder about the chart. I remember reading that here recently and totally forgot about it. I think it would do us some good!

Potty training. We are just about there. This weekend we are making the big switch to underwear. Her teacher told me today she said she wanted to wear panties, and that she's been using the potty as school pretty consistently all of a sudden. Teacher also recommended a method for making the switch. It goes like this.

Choose a weekend where things are mellow in the house, not too much unusual stuff going on. Set child up with easily accessible clean pants and underwear, along with a basket of rags. When child has an accident, don't react or get emotional about it at all. Calmly direct him/her to change their own clothes, and use a rag to clean up any mess they made. Make it their thing. After all, it IS their thing. Only they can do it. So let them do it.

I'm excited about it. Gotta go shopping for underwear though.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

nuggets: is that TJ Bearytales? (or as marek likes to call him, "PJ Beh-wee-ta-oohs" -- he can say the letter t in thomas the train, but chooses to call him PJ instead







)


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Meg, I am so psyched for you that you are taking steps to change your stress level!! Yay for a lil job-cito! When would you start?
I too am a control-monster and I struggle because two of my wonderful irl friends with girls Sol's age believe that I am a super-lax mom, that I am not anywhere NEAR as controlling as I need to be. And Viet is at the other end of the spectrum, and I see what my need for control does to my relationship with Sol. It's a tough one for me, because I believe that her personality requires more flexibility although my personal belief is consistency above all things. My ex-dh would also comment on my lack of flexibility, no doubt. I have a feeling this is going to be an issue for many years to come, in different ways. Gah.

Meg when Sol first started "school" in september she was wavering on that PL edge, and I decided to just send her in panties instead of dipes to push her over that edge. It worked--and they are used to accidents. In all that time she's had about 5 accidents. Now we almost never have them! I do try to cart around a pair of pants/undies for most excursions, jic.
Cannot BELIEVE Jett is going to be a year old. Wow.

Jstar I cannot believe how fast time flies. Any preg pics?


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Meg, don't feel guilty about taking care of yourself. I think it sounds like a *great* idea. (And remember--when mama isn't happy, NOBODY'S happy.)

Els, I identify with your 2nd paragraph there. (And hey, wasn't that the point about my blog piece about not nagging T in the morning????) I have friends/acquaintances IRL who I'm sure think that I border on neglect (because I no longer hover over Z at the playground while he's climbing, because I let them get FILTHY at the playground, because I don't always "have it together", etc etc etc), but I also know some find me SO UPTIGHT.







: I think you're great. (I'm probably okay, too.







)

Gotta go.







: mamas.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

i have preg pics on teh camera but none uploaded yet. i've been wanting to post some in the ddc belly pix thread. if i ever get to it i'll post a link here.

meg - that job sounds like a lot of fun. hardly like work!

we are on the loooong path to PL by like age 6 or something. his new thing is stopping what he's doing and standing still and then going 'mom i peed in my diaper!!!!!' greeeat. maybe this is progress.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Jstar--put that boy in undies and leave him that way for a few hours while in the kitchen or outside, or wherever you don't have carpeting. Just here n there, and I betcha it'll happen. At LEAST by age 5.


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

just hopping in to say hi! off to a conference tomorrow, mom left this morning (whew!) and I'm exhausted. so exhausted. but hi!

and Renae? raisin-momma? really?


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

well we do do undies on the weekends when we're around the house. but he's so meh about it. i think we just need to keep going with that. he does do a little better when it is undies with no pants on over it. but you know....i'm expecting an overnight revelation of 'wow i can pee and diapers suck' but he really isn't feelin that. s.o.m.e.d.a.y. i don't know why christmas day he was sooooooo into it and made it all day long without a single accident. even through a nap. since then it is more like 'mom i peed'. i'm fine with pee pants and changing with no fuss. we'll just keep persevering. we've been at this stage for months though. i expect snappier results









for the love of god i finally got an email from the modest mouse folks saying they never mailed tickets and they'll be at will call. nothing like waiting until the shows are tonight and TOMORROW to let people know. i was getting increasingly irritated and sent 3 increasingly rude emails to them. geesh. now we're debating about selling the tix for $100 each and going to a movie instead







although i know i'll want to go in.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Z is about where Isaac is wrt PL. He'll ask to put on undies, but he just doesn't remember to pee on the potty. (He will often pee when prompted, but IMO, that's not Z PL, that's Mama PL, and I'm already PL and have too much other stuff to do.) Jess, I'll race you to 5!







Seriously, though, I'm not messing around with this. If he's too distracted to remember, then he can wear a dipe.

Fergot to say that if I had Meg's job, I'd be tempted to glug glug glug all the leftovers...


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KKmama* 

Els, I identify with your 2nd paragraph there. (And hey, wasn't that the point about my blog piece about not nagging T in the morning????) I have friends/acquaintances IRL who I'm sure think that I border on neglect (because I no longer hover over Z at the playground while he's climbing, because I let them get FILTHY at the playground, because I don't always "have it together", etc etc etc), but I also know some find me SO UPTIGHT.







: I think you're great. (I'm probably okay, too.







)


You are so totally on my list as a mama I admire. Not leastly because you have no TV! KK can do it, so can I!! Every time I lapse into wishing I had the electronic babysitter (and BOOOY does it work!) I think of you, and keep playing blocks/books/whatever.


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Sarah, I have no idea how I totally missed your post right before my own. But then I am mostly absent.

I do so admire that you do not use TV at all KK. And I am also the neglectful mother who lets her kids run wild at the playground. Last week I was hanging out on the bench with my friend and my kids were all over, in the sandbox, on the playstructure, they were fine.

J can sometimes tell that she has to pee and sometimes she totally forgets. But she doesn't mind the wet pants at all so that is not a big motivator here. Still, we are slowly and surely getting there. Her legal counsil, N, has negotiated treats for her lately so that is fine. We will run out at some point and then we will be out. DH will eat most of the gummi bears anyway. (he buys them) But if we keep reminding her to try to use the potty and keep on keepin on it will all work out fine.

J is so focused and intense sometimes and lately it has been about puzzles. She spent all morning doing puzzles and can do a 48 piece puzzle by herself. Of course she wants me to sit right next to her while she is doing it (and not be doing someting else) but hey-it was kind of cool to watch. I want to run out and buy a 100 piece puzzle now and see if she can do that. Maybe my neighbour has one I can borrow.

yes, it is TJ bearytales.









We are making garden plans for our backyard garden and I am feeling super excited. Of course I will probably forget to water it and everything will be a bust but OH WELL! The planning is about 10 % of the fun anyway.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Wait, Jacqueline, your location says "half absent". Not mostly absent.









A 48-PIECE PUZZLE??? Wowza!! That is impressive.

I got a kick out of J's "legal counsel" negotiating treats for her. Kids!







:


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

I'm here, I promise!







Mightily trying to keep up but thinking of you all the time with much much







! Especially when my friend M. and I get all excited about the bellydance classes we're hopefully going to take this summer! :bounce We've been singin' your praises, Elsanne!







: I have to call that Zingari East place...the website is a little out of date!

I've just been doing other things on zee internet and around the house, enjoying the FABULOUS weather here (which I think will be ending on Friday. Oh well) and falling in love with AFI's side project, Blaqk Audio. *swoon* I have an unhealthy obsession with these pretty boys.







: What can I say! I love love love me some androgeny!







I think part of it is wishing *I* could have some of that androgeny myself, but knowing that I am so totally female, so the gorgeous creatures who aren't any one gender (looks or otherwise) just really, really awe and intrigue me.
Okay, enough gender-philosophizing out of me!









What else is going on...I have decided to cut down on my "vitamins"...why keep taking a million things that make me feel like crap to keep me from feeling like crap?? I am tapering off of everything sloooooooooowly, and so far, so good. I mean, it's not even been a week yet and this process is going to take months. I'll keep going to therapy, and finding alternate ways to deal with the anxiety and depression.

Don't get me wrong; I think meds can work for many many people, but for me, they just don't. And if by next fall/winter I am still feeling like crap (or even worse, feeling even...um, WORSE) I will be open to trying meds again. I dunno. I had to have a long "talk" with the therapist last night but at least she supports my decision. Now I have to call the doc who PRESCRIBES the stuff to me.









Just having made the decision has made me feel so much better. Wish me luck.

I am so sorry this post is all. about. ME! I will write more with more responses and stuff, but Rowan is awake. Daylight savings did NOTHIN' for him.









Oh, and in super-amazing-exciting news...oh wait! I got TWO bits of exciting news! One of my dear friends in CA is pregnant, due in October, so I will be out there to help out like she did for me when Rowan was born!







: And...my in-laws were going to go to Vegas this August for a tax conference, and bring us (DH, Rowan and I) along...but DH's older brother's fiance/wife/whatever is going to a family reunion in HAWAII in late July...so guess where we're going as well?!??!?!?







I am still trying to take that all in, it's so freaking SURREAL.

Have a great day mamas, I may not be as present this week, but I am still here and







ing you all!









Oh, and potty-learning?








yeah. He'll be going to high school in diapers.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

claudia turned me on to zoom baby gear and i want some of their totally bada$$ training pants. i think those will be necessary when we get to the stage of attempting to leave the house in underwear (you know....in like 2010). the tps are pretty pricey though. i bought one of their completely adorable little dipes on monday though







: awwwwwwwwwwww

i'm impressed with the puzzle kiddo J. isaac got a thomas floor puzzle for christmas and he does lots of watching someone put it together for him

good luck with the vitamins plan renae. and wow...hawaii!

i would glug the leftovers at meg's job too


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

just a quick mwah to the mmf to let ya'll know i'm still here.

have committed to a friend to start a homeschool preschool group with her in the fall. i'm sooooooooooooooooooooooo excited! if l still qualifies for ei, i guess we'll be doing p-sch 4 days a week instead of 2. kinda hopin at this point that he doesn't qualify, though maybe that's wishful thinking.

got a sweet lil babe asleep on my shoulder. awe. he's got incredible deep blue eyes when he's awake, just like his daddy and big bro. we all have a little cold, but it's pretty mild. so glad this one's a healthy guy in general!

my goal is to participate with the mmf by next month- baby steps.









ttfn!


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

FF--the homeschool preschool sounds fun! Once upon a time, I was really thinking of hs'ing, but don't think that's the best thing for C right now.







So when do we get a pic of those sweet blue eyes??







:








: should be my tag. C's dev. ped eval is the 28th! Getting cold feet a bit, but then she does something quite typically C and I'm reassured that it's what's needed right now.

But the best news is that the hippo place called and her eval is moved up to *this* Saturday and they have a Saturday slot for her which would be better than Thursdays ....and I might be able to volunteer during her session since I won't have E with me. I don't know diddly about horses, but I guess I'll learn!

I had a







reading the manicotti box earlier (yay me...I actually made dinner during naptime!)


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Thread killa??

Sherri---hope Sarah has a wonderful day!!!

A tad bit snowy here...quite a let down after 70 degree weather!

E's OT coming at 10 and that's about it for today. I think C and I will do bake some pumpkin muffins during E's nap.

Any fun weekend plans?


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Happy Birthday Sarah, Katie's sister!























Heather that manicotti box made me smile, I get the biggest kick out of that kind of stuff. Specifically, check out engrish.com , super fun ways of smile.
Indeed







: should be your sig. You amaze me. I am really interested to hear how the ped eval goes, and glad for the moving-up of the hippo eval!

Fern, in my mind, you ARE participating! And I am amazed by how well you are doing with two...seems to be easy peasy for you! That is awesome! I am so thankful W is healthy and mellow, you worked so hard through L's babyhood to keep him healthy!

Where is our morning goddess?


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

I have this problem where I think I need to respond to everything if I'm going to bother to post. And that leaves me.... not posting! Reading, but not posting. Lame lame lame.

So here I am, with many thoughts and warm fuzzy feelings. Yay for good mama days, babycatching, potential employment, preschool, babysitters, updated blogs and coffee.

Shmeh to pottylearning dilemmas, exhausting parents and inlaws, dizzymaking evals, presentations and all other forms of necessary but shmeh-making stress.

Boo to broken washers and, dare I say it, raisin mamas. And cranky, snotty, fevery babes who can't sleep or nurse comfortably, but feel too lousy to play and too restless to snuggle.

Smooches to all you wonderful mamas.


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Here are the primary reasons I don't post more frequently. The first shot captures Miss A's personality very well.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Juice--I dare say the babe looks like he's got the same feisty grin as A!


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

FF, the homeschooling group sounds fun. I have come to full grips with the fact that homeschooling would not work for us. I only entertained the thought slightly, but I do admire those who do it. Way cool.

After reading about J's puzzle doing, I indulged Mia a bit when she brought me a puzzle yesterday, thinking, "hey, maybe she can do it!" Ummmmm... no. She liked looking at the pieces, but that's about it.









Dudes.... I'm so irritated with Sultan's mom right now. She just called to tell him she canceling their weekend visitation because she has a runny nose. A RUNNY NOSE???? Gimme a break, lady.







: He expressed to me that he wanted to see her anyway, so I told him to call her back and tell her so. We'll see how/if she responds. I'm sorry, but unless you are really sick, you take your kid for the weekend. She takes him all of four days per month - I think she can handle parenting two of those days with a sniffle. Whatever.

Random thought of the day: I want an Ergo. I think Jett would love riding around on my back, but I can't justify the $$$ for it right now.

Speaking of money, one of our cars is in the shop and needs to have the whole sunroof replaced, which is NOT covered by the extended warranty, so it's going to run us ~$3000. We were JUST getting ahead and actually saving some money, and now we are back to broke status. Grrrrrr.....

Okay, I should really shower. You don't even want to know the last time I did. Although, I bet KK's got me beat.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

juice: you may post whatever, whenever you can and want and need. and you can eventake a page from elsanne's or renae's books and make your posts all about "me, me, ME!!!" no need to respond to everyone all the time. although we would hang on your every word of mama-wisdom if you did.









heath:







just thought i'd send you one of those

megan: mmm... shower...









today we are making playdough for a present for a soon to be one year old we know. and drawing "lucky" pictures for the grandparents.

~c


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

No! Surely FilthyFern's got you beat.







: jk, fernfriend.

I just wanna smack Sultan's mama upside the head for you. A RUNNY NOSE? Does she have ANY IDEA? No. The answer is no.

*note to self: right. compassion. love. right. sigh.*

Juice love the pix! The oldest n youngest look so much like you! Alison is her own little birdie...


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Wait hey! Forgot to entreat you all to spy upon mine progeny,

newest pix in me blog.

SEE THEM! NOW!


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

looking...


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
Wait hey! Forgot to entreat you all to spy upon mine progeny,

newest pix in me blog.

SEE THEM! NOW!

oh so cute!

so my question of the day: which may babe has the longest hair? sol, mahko, marek, maybe eleanor? i think sol and mahko have a close race...


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

the blondie cuteness!!! Does your camera do video clips, Elsanne? I think we need some of those next!







:

Snow?? Seriously. GO. A. WAY.

Meg---well crap on the $$ stuff. That is so







: about her trying to cancel on him. Ugh. Hope for his sake that he gets to see her anyway since he wants to. blah. ....and totally late....but so excited for you on the job front! Sounds perfect!


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

I think Sol's may be a tad bit longer than C's, but not by much!


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

oh yes, C... she would be in the race for longest hair, too, definitely.

snow: heath wants you to go away! it's almost spring goldurnit!


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *heatherfeather* 
Juice--I dare say the babe looks like he's got the same feisty grin as A!

I think you're right. People who know him IRL say the same thing. Oh, what I have to look forward to







:







:
We're sharing your weather. 70 degrees, followed by a huge thunderstorm and now, snow. Y.U.C.K. I like snow but I am tired of it, and I want to plant some stuff in egg cartons already.

Meg, I don't know all the deets with Sultan (dp's babe?) but it sounds like a mama is trying to skip out on her child, which would be intensely uncool. Poor kiddo.

Thumbs up on the ergo! Allison loves it, though only for a minute at a time. THen she wants to run around chasing her sister. Thumbs DOWN on the car - though it makes the ergo look pretty cheap.

Thanks TC - I just *like* to respond, and find myself without any free arms. Sigh.

All this talk of showering has made me feel stinky, so here I go!


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

oh the juice n elsanne offspring cuteness is a lovely way to start the day!!

especially when combined with my friday donuts









nothing too new to report here. very glad it is friday. i am super unfocused at work and thinking more and more about baby things






























snow does not sound good. i'm wearing flip flops today in hopes it will actually hit 65







snow snow go away.

i'm a dork because i want a new ergo. i have the denimy color one and the fabrics are SO MUCH CUTER NOW. so it would be a purely aesthetic upgrade. the ergo was the best for isaac after ~9 months because he was such a fatty. any one-sided sling thing just didn't feel good. for all his early chunkiness he has not gained a single pound all year....just height.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

need some of jstar's friday donuts...







:

after i change s's poopy dipe that he is currently expelling...

~c


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jstar* 
i am super unfocused at work and thinking more and more about baby things






























i'm a dork because i want a new ergo.


a) Awwwww! Cuuuute pregnant mommy!!!!

b) That's the only reason?







:














:

Heath my camera is actually a video camera, and I just take the stills...I haven't figured out how to download the video onto my computer. It's too fancy. I think I need a still camera that takes video instead of vice versa. Wait--I think I might know how to do it--if I video onto the card instead of the tape--ah ha--

I weighed Sol at a well-child check the other day and she is 34 pounds. 95th percentile as per usual.

Amara plummeted from 50th to 25th percentile for weight, while sprouting in the length. Keeping tabs on KK's experience jic.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

ok...it's just ONE of the many reasons i am a dork









i think isaac has been 34 pounds for-evah. probably since before he even turned 2. so i'm sure he's dropping in weight % and turning into lanky kid instead of block of cheese kid.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

I am the shoveling goddess...that is all.









I think C has been 34-35 for a while yet and getting taller by the day. E has been around 23ish and leveling off now that we've stopped the periactin (appetite stimulant) and are letting her figure out the food stuff a bit more on her own and giving extra smoothies when needed.

I want Spring!


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

p.s. I have a coral ergo (older style...2ish yrs old?) that we hardly use at all. I just don't dig the boob squish factor....any takers?


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Ooh, y'all were busy while we were out enjoying sunny weather (we deserve it!).

If Nuggets' kids run wild on the PG, surely mine are okay doing the same.














(I see Nuggets as the Mama of all Things Sensible.) And yeah, Z doesn't mind the wet pants.







Legal counsel...







T was *really* into puzzles at this age. Z is not (he's into stringing and lacing). I think it's interesting how they all have their own interested and skills, even before age 3.

Renae, I hear you on the vitamins side effects. UG. Keep us posted. I'm actually going to look very seriously for a therapy light. Woo on the pg friend and woo on the vaycay.

Ferny, a friend did a co-op homeschool preschool that really worked out fab for the kids. There are *so* many great resources on the web, too.

HF, the hippo stuff sounds fab. I think that if you get to volunteer, it would be FUN. Hang in there on the evals, and keep us posted.

Juice, when I try to respond to everyone, someone comes along and smacks the keyboard (or pushes the reset button under the desk). Loved the goofy pix.

Meg, when is that spa day--tomorrow, I hope??? The one really getting shafted is Sultan, poor kid (though I imagine that it's hard to be an adult and not say something snarky when his mom pulls crap). I love our Ergo, but we've cycled 2 kids through it, so I was able to justify it. Have you thought about looking on the TP or elsewhere for a gently loved one? HF's?







(I actually shampooed the other day... I'd been no-pooing and thinking it was helping my scalp and then all of a sudden, I was mega itchy and flaky... I think I need me some serious tea tree oil... not ready for the H&S yet!!!).

Els, A is so spunky-cute. And S is sooo beautiful (and she looks like you). I thought your blog posting was very interesting... I've wanted to post comments, but somehow, I can't???? Wrt weight curves flattening out... I think with some kids, it's normal and fine (probably L, but want to make sure), and with other kids, it's not (Z for sure). I'm no dr., but I'm pretty sure that moving down from one major line to the next major line (isn't that what going from 50th to 25th is?) is acceptable. Check my sr. title.























Jess, T doesn't gain any weight anymore it seems... he gets taller and thinner.


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

KK, I love your senior title. I love it sooo much...

And meg, I wanted to say before, your post about your DH giving you a spa day on his birthday brought tears to my eyes. What planet is he from anyway?


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

I am truly guffawing aloud right now in ways I have not in many moons for kk's and miss juice's senior titles. This is so fun! laughlaughlaugh!

Anyone who doesn't get it, check my blog, the post right before the pix.

I can't stop chortling and snorting!!

kk, obnoxious yahoo only allows people with yahoo blogs to post comments. I am scared to go wordpress and I don't know whyyyyyy.

heath--shoveling is good aerobic exercise! Huff n puff, woman!

Mama had a good day today, involving an improv dance class, lots of walking, hearing a talk from NPR commentator John Burnett (yes, in San Miguel. Morning Edition-All Things Considered), doing good work and seeing immediate results (Tierra Adentro biz) with an inquiry into a rental, my first inquiry, and picking up my new awesome bellybusinesscards, commissioning an artistic sign for Tierra Adentro, and arranging dance space for weekly belly practice with my tribe. Wahooo! Did I mention the Bible Study I had with Viet? It was, in a word, inspiring and devotional. Okay, that's two words.
Did you see any kid business in that list? No! You did not! Rest assured it was there, Amara saw John Burnett too, and the business cards and the commissioning art thing, and Sol's hair was fully brushed and she had a good lunchbox. I did me some motherin', although Sol was otherwise occupied much of the day. She had "school photos" taken today, I look forward to seeing those.

So yay tgif. Now, on to the dreaded WEEKEND.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Elsanne---yes!! fantastic series of events for you!

Snow blows. C's gym class and the hippos cancelled. blah. I want my 70 degrees back. now.

but can't complain too much....it's the weekend at least!


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Just checking in before I head off to the Twins Sale (no, you don't buy twins, you buy their cast-off clothing and paraphenalia).

I *almost* chose the title that Juice chose. This close.

I had inmomnia last night and finally gave in and got up to write Deep Thoughts. I'll post them later on my blog (probably this afternoon and tomorrow) after I proof for sense (what you write in the middle of the night sometimes seems a little... well, you know, in the light of day). I also got to watch Z and L interact at 3 am... Z was curled up around L, with his arm around her, and L woke up and was trying to pinch Z's nose.









Darn snow. Too bad about the hippos.


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

KK, I was that close to using "also plainly a kitty".

Elsanne, enlighten me with regards to the difficulties of your weekends. You've hinted that weekends are harder, but haven't 'splained it that I remember.

My mini rant for this moment is that Dh is "sick", which is worse than having him not here at all. I am trying my hardest not to yell, "If you're going to stick your nose in a book and ignore us all, take it upstairs where I can at least pretend you are at work instead of thinking you're going to actually participate."

OK, I'm off to ... um .... everything.







:


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

MJ HOO BOY can I relate to "sick" partners. If they EVEN KNEW what kind of sick we mamas must be to "go read upstairs"...think it's a male thing.

*snort* it is ALSO apparent that your lifestyle of leisure does not allow for you to read my blog with 100% retention. If it had, you would of course recall that in entry #10 or so, I complain about a lack of wife on the weekend. It's worse, it's lack of wife and Viet instead. Wish I could describe it adequately, but I think it's something similar to what you are experiencing this weekend. Except imagine your dh with a permanent "oppositional defiant" type of attitude. OH so much more but Viet is currently ignoring the longass cry of Amara so must go rescue her GRRRRR


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

'twas post #34, my dear.
The first entry I ever read on your blog was "Sol's Lunchbox". But now I've read it all, and FINALLY I know what pulque is!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

For me, it is do expansion of irresponsible to drink pulque ever again. Betcha I will, though.

Post #34. You Funny!


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Just wanted to check in. Been a ROUGH week.







Love to you all, mamas.
Elsanne, the bebes are SO adorable! I think between C and Sol, the hair is just flowing!









Rowan is *sniff* out of the race...but I don't plan on cutting it again for a WHILE.

Okay, later mama-jamas. As soon as I feel I can BREATHE, I will post in length.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Um, for real?? Where is everyone??
Hi!







I've missed you all! Sorry I haven't been around much, the past week or so has been...well, kinda crazy to say the least. My best friend took a bit toooooo much Klonopin Thursday night, so instead of going to work, I spent the night in the ER with her. She's fine now, and I am now rather







: at her gross irresponsibility, and her refusal to get more help than she is getting. Ugh.

But enough of that. I also had major church stuff yesterday, an impromptu speech, then I had to help our membership chair run the first new UU class. it was good though.
I meant to attend an anti-war rally later in the afternoon but we never got there. Rowan has been in RARE form.

Are we still talking about that a bit? Rowan has gone all insane on us.







He whines CONSTANTLY, regardless of how much attention we give him, he speaks in tongues (this is new; DH is worried that he's touched in the head now.







A joke, but it has a bit of a grain of truth in it!







) and he gets all wild and crazy at random times, like running in circles screeching. This sounds like normal ("normal"?!?!?!) toddler behavior but there's more than this and it's driving us INSANE. The tantrums if we say no to MORE TV watching







The tantrums when it's bathtime, diaper time (still a total REFUSAL to use the potty) time to leave the house, time to get dressed...no amount of GD seems to work, so I end up screeching and DH ends up manhandling our screeching toddler into the car seat, or into his diaper, or into his clothes....*sigh*

Anyway, we have been dealing with this a LOT lately, which is possibly why we haven't been online much.

I am in the middle of working on some LLL stuff (we have a meeting Wednesday and our annual regional conference is this weekend! Yay! I have to pack, eep!) and I have some phone calls to make (gotta change some appointments, I forgot I had to work Thursday) but I wanted to pop on here to let you know I am still around and I still love you all! And I miss you muchly.
I am going to try to catch up, but know you are all on my mind with much







!








MMF!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

I'm here!







:

Had a good! weekend. Yesterday Sol n I grooved in communication ways, it was a great thing. Unlike her cuz Rowan, but man have we been there too. I sure hope he gets with the program.

One thing that I did differently this weekend was not try terribly to do much else besides be a mama. When I do, the fractioning of the brain makes me not attend fully to anything, and then it all suffers: the relationships, and whatever it was I was trying to do.

Something Viet said really made sense to me. We were talking about Sol and how he is "training" her to be his little buddy, basically teaching her how he likes to play so that they will be able to play together, instead of the reverse which he feels most parents do (train them to do what they DON'T want them to do). So with that in mind, I put on some jammin' music for dancin' (anyone up for another music exchange?) and thought, I really want to be able to dance with Sol. Usually, the first thing she does is grab my hands and want to be swung. BOOORING, because that's all we do, go round n round in circles; boring. Instead of getting my panties in a bunch about it, I decided to go with it but take it to a different place instead of the usual place, and for me that ended up being falling on the ground with her laughing instead of her falling and getting back up and insisting to be swung yet again. Then I would kneel, or stay on the floor, and keep groovin to the beat in a different way that did not entail hand-grab-swinging.

Anyway, it was an interesting exercise which I kept up in different capacities all the live-long day. Again n again, I take my hat off to the fulltime mamas.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Just popping in to say hi! Renae, whenever you (and actually Jess) talk about your May baby's







:, it *really* reminds me of T at this age. He is such an amazing kid now (well, he was then, too, but you know what I mean!). Just hang in there. I think in some cases, the







: indicates a pretty cool soul in there trying to work out its kinks.







I don't go in big for parenting books, but Dr. Sears' book about "the spirited child" gave me a few hints (although I have to warn you that it's mostly about babies, IIRC). Even more, I think it just helped me feel compassion for his sensitivity and craziness.

Els, I think you put into words (well, maybe Viet did it) something that I've probably thought unconsciously for a long time. Basically, if I want to hike, and bake, and whatnot, I have to train up my kids.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

i'm here. not ready for monday morning. it was a pretty productive weekend though. we finished up our swim class and got to go on the BIG SLIDE. of course i knew isaac would only go once....he hates swings/carousels/really fast waterslides







: not a motion boy









i did some cleaning....the nesting urge i have been waiting for. it wasn't really an urge but i somehow managed to get a bit done. and weeding! yay for weeding. i'm so excited things are sprouting leaves. it was beautiful this weekend although i think it is going to cool off again







nooooooooooooo.

doug keeps thinking i am further along than i am because the belly is so big. it is now at the stage where it hangs out from the bottom of some of the maternity shirts that aren't quite big enough







i soooooooo am hoping for another may babe







at first i was hoping to make it to june for variety's sake. silly me







i have this paranoia that babe is facing the wrong way. is that posterior? i feel the hiccups on my colon instead of on the front underbelly like i did with isaac and i don't feel the butt sticking out. i'm trying not to be paranoid but it isn't working. still plenty of time to move around....

not much else going on. i have some sewing projects to finish up. a shower gift for a friend and a baby quilt. must.finish.today. i was too pooped out from yard work to sew last night.

ob appt tomorrow. i'm always fascinated about the weigh-in


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

I'm here too! I was gone for awhile at a conference, but I'm back.

Long hair goes to Sol- the lentil's hair is long, but we did do a ceremonial cut when he was 1 so his is shorter by a few inches.

I just can't tell if I'm feeling the baby kick or not. It's so wierd. I think I feel it sometimes, but then I think it's gas. And it's not all the time, and it's not in the same place all the time. I think I'm going to have a dolphin. A very active dolphin. If it's a girl, I could name her delphine.

I think I didn't post this- but sweets and I are firm supporters in the "find out the sex" camp. And I found out last week that my health care provider can't tell us, not because they don't want to, but because they can't afford to pay someone to come and do the level two ultrasound on the machine they have on site. It's like, next door to the prenatal rooms. So they tell me some bull about how they reviewed the literature and it's not diagnostic blah blah blah and if I have an emergency they will do a level whatever ultrasound but without a skilled technician they can't tell me the sex blah blah blah. And since I'm smart, I know that this isn't about science, it's about money. grrrrr. So we're not finding out the sex. Although sweets and I are considering paying out of pocket for a level 2 ultrasound, just for our own peace of mind to be sure we aren't dealing with any unusual anatomic issues. But they did do the quad screen last week, and hopefully that will come out perfect.

Okay- time for my mid-morning snack. and walk the dog. and recover from my conference. soooo sleeepy!


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mama Faery* 
...Rowan has been in RARE form.

Are we still talking about that a bit? Rowan has gone all insane on us.







He whines CONSTANTLY, regardless of how much attention we give him, he speaks in tongues (this is new; DH is worried that he's touched in the head now.







A joke, but it has a bit of a grain of truth in it!







) and he gets all wild and crazy at random times, like running in circles screeching. This sounds like normal ("normal"?!?!?!) toddler behavior but there's more than this and it's driving us INSANE. The tantrums if we say no to MORE TV watching







The tantrums when it's bathtime, diaper time (still a total REFUSAL to use the potty) time to leave the house, time to get dressed...no amount of GD seems to work, so I end up screeching and DH ends up manhandling our screeching toddler into the car seat, or into his diaper, or into his clothes....*sigh*

Anyway, we have been dealing with this a LOT lately, which is possibly why we haven't been online much.

i could have written this same paragraph about Marek lately...







:

perhaps i will write more later, but right now, Marek is taking the leisurely route to eating his breakfast (complete with whining about the cereal, the banana, the elf cup, the water cup, the frog bowl, the spoon, and some other indecipherable things) and Stefan wants to be held.

~claudia


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

I came back to say that Els, I *have* checked out the bellydancing stuff online, and WHOA, it looks really cool but I am a little intimidated (I'm very uncoordinated and unflashy and it looks so cool...). Anyway, I am working up the nerve to visit a beginning class. I'll report back when I do.







(It actually makes me think a little bit about yoga... I love yoga, but I am doomed to always be a beginner there, because no matter how much yoga I do, my body is just not that limber... doesn't keep me from doing it, though, so I suppose my awkwardness shouldn't stop me from bd'ing, either.)


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

I couldn't get to sleep last night owing to stabbing ear pain.







: Waaaay too old for an ear infection. Plus bronchitis. Blah. E and I went to the chiro this morning while C was at school and will go to the doc this afternoon as well.

Renae--ack on your friend. Doesn't sound like you get much back from that relationship, no? C is always very opinionated these days and







: is the norm.

Jstar--you crafty, mama, you. I have lots of little sewing projects to get to as well. I'm guessing may babe...the 25th is a good day!









EL--hope you can get something figured out w/ the level 2! E was a total "popcorn" babe early on and I could feel her everywhere. Totally fits her now as well...she is always on the move.

Els---we do that a lot with C...take what she likes to do and change it ever so slightly to increase her play repertoire...or in Sol's case her dance repertoire.








: ....


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Hi Everymama! Missed you all! Got back from the conference last night and I slept straight through all night until 8:30. Wowza. Very late for me.

Lots to process from the conference but overall I'm very glad I went.

Jess, I have some thoughts on the posterior thing if you want to chat. Main points: There are some things you can do now to encourage a good position, and in the end a baby that has been consistently posterior usually flips before labor (or in early labor). So definitely don't stress about it.

Ummmmmmmmm what else. Thinking of everyone else but must go study for patho final. Three more days of school and then I'm FFFFFRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

S.


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Elsanne-wwhat you said about getting them to do your thing really intrigues me. I must think about that.

Renae-raising your spirited child byt Mary Sheedy Kurchinka. Are you worried that there are other issues, or simply that you are not handling them very well? N has been subjected to the forcefull carseat insertion more than once. I find that it is hard to get advice on this age because they are in between being nursing distractable immobile beings and beings who speak our language, have some logic (albeit faulty at times) and can at times be reasoned with (and on whom GD actually works)

A few weeks ago This american life (available in a podcast) had a cute episode about kids and logic.

I gotta go


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

I'm not here.

We're "on vacation", which is neither as tropical nor as restful as it sounds. Tomorrow we're going to the Great Lakes Science Center, which should be fun.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

OH, Miss Juice. Do you need a bouquet of flowers? Here's one, with lots of roses and baby's breath and green stuff.


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

My sig is strangely cheerful which I don't really feel right now.

THe new washer is great great great though! And we may even get a bunch of water and electrical rebates. I hope we do.

HF- DH has had an ear infection as an adult. Now he has exterior ear canal problems and he can't hear very well these days (the fungus growth is so thick I guess - I know really really gross!)


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

I, too have had ear infections as an adult...usually in conjunction with sinus infections. Good times, good times.









So some of what was said about my issues with Rowan was very helpful (even though I wasn't looking for advice, I got some really good thoughts that helped, so thank you!







) and Elsanne, I think what you did is just what is needed here. I SO often multi-task, and begin to play with Rowan and then find myself hopping up to check on dinner, email, the cat, to clean something, etc...and I bet it can be frustrating for him. Also, I mentioned to DH that I think we have been so used to Rowan being so good at playing by himself so much of the time that we expect it more often than he is able to do it.







: So, today we have no real plans and though we really MUST vaccuum at some point, he usually helps me with that and then it's just us.

The whole "training" our little ones to enjoy what we enjoy (in part anyway) struck a chord too. I love music and dancing, and Rowan usually just wants me to hold his hands while he jumps on the couch (yes, I let him jump on the couch!














and it gets BO-RING, really quickly. But maybe if I flow with it...I've already started putting some of my own music in with the damn Laurie Berkner and Music Together stuff (well, I've dome that all along really) and it makes me smile to see him stop during an AFI song and go "I know this!" It makes me so happy. Now for some Tori Amos and The Cure!









So operation W is still kind of chugging along, not too strictly, we no longer nurse before naptime, but we still do before bed (when I'm not working) and sometime in the eaaaaarrrrly morning...which I am not sure is a good idea; when we do it, it takes an HOUR (or more) to get him back to sleep. I have been up since 4:45 in the am, because Rowan woke then and did not go back down until 6:45!!! I knew it was either that or have a super-grumpy-Poopy-McPooperton on my hands all morning. So he's still sleeping now, which leaves me in that conumdrum of "do I make him nap or not?" The sleep is transitioning and it's kinda rough. I NEED naptimes, but he may not anymore. When he naps he then often doesn't go to bed until WAY too late. Anyway.

Enopugh rambling out of me!







s to Miss Juice on "vacation",







s to Nuggets (I totally know the feeling, Mama),







s to everymama. I







you all.

Oh yeah, and I have a secret that is not really a secret. My friend M and I started weight watchers yesterday. It's hard! But I think I can do it. I need to do something. Anyway, yeah.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Hey Renae, I am sooo glad some of my ramblings helped you. This morning upon waking and proceeding to the powder room Sol somehow fixated upon my toes and that she MUST PAINT HER TOES RIGHT NOW, and it became drama central, from zero to CRAP in .002 seconds...continuing our routine we (I) proceeded into the kitchen to start coffee with her wailing-trailing behind, and all of the sudden I wryly remembered my post to you and your post about what HAPPENED to Rowan, and wondered if so fast like that she could have done the switch and blah blah blah...

I have a busy day ahead of me today. kid to school, money dropped off at cafe to start highway sign for TA (retreat center), belly class at 10, quickbooks consulting with Patrice to help her biz get more organized, then it all slows down after that which will be around 3 pm. Whoa dude!


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Here's a quickie... Renae, I wasn't trying to offer advice, really, I was more just sympathizing. Maybe I'll try to say more explicitly what I was trying to say, and I'll say it about *my* experience strictly. What I mean is "here is what I've been through, if there's something there for you, please take it."
















T went through a very, uh, energetic stage as a toddler. (Z, who unlike T, is capable of a tantrum, is actually easier, and no, I don't think it's because I'm more experienced and "know what I'm doing", because I'm having to learn some things all over because they are so different. But I digress.) I went through a phase (around the time I moved to CO, of course, and hadn't yet established a good circle of new friends) where I was getting feedback from people that there was something wrong with him, that I should do things different, that he was somehow "bad". (Now, y'all know that I am capable of recognizing "not normal" and acting on it, and T was clearly not "not normal"... he was just himself.) I will say that T is not typical, though, and that there are ways in which he marches to his own drummer. I can say at this point that it's been easier to work with that as he's gotten older. Part of it is that we have both mellowed out a bit (4-5 has been a pretty golden age for us), part of it is that somehow, I think for other people, it's easier to accept the range of personalities that come out as they get older (and part of it is that I have *much* more confidence that I am a good mama and doing the right thing for him). I don't know if that makes any sense.

The people who were giving me negative feedback about T could be classified the following way: (1) crotchety older people who either had parented such a LONG time ago and forgetten what it was all aout or who didn't ever have kids themselves or who had parented in frightening draconian ways (you know, the people with the belts); (2) self-centered 20/30-somethings who had never had children/didn't know a thing about them; (3) other parents whose kids were frankly dull and milquetoast-y; and (4) other parents whose kids genuinely had something wrong with them, and the parents were in denial and the denial was helped by projecting *all* of the difference onto my kid (I'm not joking about this; this describes 2 little boys we've known, possibly a 3rd).

One side note about other parents... some people think that having a kid makes you an expert on parenting. But all it makes you an expert on is *your* kid. And if my kid is different from your kid, well... then you probably don't know diddly squat.







(I *do* respect eg, our prechool teachers, though, who have training in ECE, child development, etc, and have worked with hundreds of children over 20-30 yrs.)

Anyway... probably what started the evolution of my parenting self-confidence was that whole horrible interaction with that crazy dad at preschool. I don't like confrontation, and I don't like saying no to people, but he was clearly so full of sh!t about T. It's been a growing experience for me, but I wish I had given him the 4Qs at the start (and asked to have him take his kid elsewhere).
Don't get me wrong--T has given me some







and







: and







: days. Reading about Rowan just reminded me about T at that age, and I wanted to give you a







and tell you "this too shall pass" and that there is probably a silver lining to all the







, as







as that sounds.

Okay, that wasn't a quickie. L has her eval today. I'll try to post this PM and let y'all know how it went. I assume everything is fine.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Good thoughts on playing and being present and training kids to like what you want to do.







We do a lot of parallel play these days, like "I'm going to read my school book, and you can read your books right beside me on the couch." It works sometimes, and sometimes not, but I think it teaches her about living in a family where we like to just hang out together, but not necessarily engaged in the same activity. Also we try to model asking someone to participate in something, and politely declining. For instance, if Lily asks me to read her a book, but I'm trying to make dinner, I'll say, "No thank you, honey. Would you like to help me (tear the salad/set the table/whatever?" And she often says, "No thank you, I'm going to read the book to myself instead" or whatever. This may come back to bite me on the butt in later years when I'm going to want her to help me more, but now it serves well to get her out of my hair. And of course sometimes she does want to help me, so it evens out.

Of course the point I got out of Elsanne's post was trying more to just be present and yes, get down and play with her and be engaged for as long as I possibly can and forget about the dishes. But try to work with her so you're both doing something you enjoy, not just catering to her every whim that you may not enjoy.









The conference (Midwifery Today) was mostly wonderful and a little discouraging and a little woo-woo and somewhat inspiring. I met some good people and hung out with my friends, which was great.

Renae, you go with the WW. I love it. I've been off and on it forevah and use it to lose those 5-10 lbs that creep on every year. I think it's a really good, healthy way to look at the whole fewer calories thing.

Big hard exam coming up this afternoon - I'm on class watching presentations and must surreptitiously study a bit.

Love to all-

Sarah


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

Just a quick one to say: YOU ROCK, KK. I loved your post.
Especially about how parenting makes you an expert in your child not in parenting.

Also, Sarah, I so want to call you and talk about the conference when you have time. Or email...I will PM you my address. Discouraging....hmmm.

Love to all - I know I am overdue to spend some time here. I will soon, but in the meantime just know that I am thinking of my may momistas.


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Ooohh Renae- I have been doing WW for a while and I am a lifetime member finally. It was really hard at first, but now it doesn't feel so hard. So you go girl.

I like what KK said too. The purpose of my earlier post was to just be supportive mostly but I do like to look at that book once in a while. R reminds me a little of N at that age. Something in your post made me think that you were concerned that it was more than just twoness though. It was more of a vibe than anything you said outright, so are you worried about that? Because if you are not, I will simply shut up (about this one little thing, not ingeneral-that I would find hard to do







)
I am a prime example of how other people can misinterpret ones parenting and get weird about it. CPS indeed!
And my two are totally different personalities. J is really good at playing alone, and I run into trouble with that sometimes because I use that to get things done and then she will sudden;y be clingy becuase she did not get enough attention and then N gets home and requires (yes, still) 85 % of my energy. Also, J likes to hang at home more and I have to let go of taking her to lots of classes and social things etc. her week is full enough and she needs to just hang out at home.

With N ihave been trying to do the parallel working thing when she has to do her book journal for school but she just can't do it. She constantly interrupts me in whatever I am doing, and I like to work in quiet. She just even works out loud. It's a different learning style I think. I find that I am more able to handle that if I remember what my expectations are in that regard. If I think I am going to be able to read, or make a grocery list or whatever-forget it- I just get impatient and grumpy. If I realize that I will sit down and pretend to do that then it is supportive of N's effort to sit and do a school thing, and a meditation excersize for me. J usually colors or does puzzles with us.

OK, I must finish the taxes and investing plans


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

I'm just cutting and pasting this from my blog--it's about L's eval.

I have to report that I now know what the third flavor of opposite is, at least with regard to processing sensory stimulation.

After talking with the OT on the phone about how L was doing with her eating and growth, the OT sent us a questionnaire a few weeks ago to fill out to and set up today's appointment. The questionnaire had to do mainly with how L responds to sensory stimulation. For example, does she like to make noise? (Yes, constantly, with her mouth or by banging things.) Is she disturbed by loud noises? (No, not at all.) Is she distractable when eating? (Yes, very much so.)

The OT gave me an overview of L's results today, and we'll get a more formal report later. (Hopefully, what I'm reporting today from memory will jive with the official report.) It was very interesting. There are a lot of ways that L is sensitive to her sensory environment (like T). She's very picky about flavors, and generally likes things sweet and bland. She prefers her food to be warm. She doesn't like to be bathed. She's very distractable when eating. But there are a lot of ways that L is compelled to seek out extra sensory stimulation (like Z). She really likes making noise. She really likes to feel textures and to mouth objects. She _loves_ swinging. So apparently, what this indicates is that she has some sensory confusion and sensitivity, and she's trying to make sense of it by seeking more stimulation in some areas (and then there are others where she needs help, because it's just not getting through). Overall, she's more like Z than T, but her eating issues are manifesting themselves somewhat differently than Z's did. (But now I've got one child who is sensory-sensitive, one who is sensory-insensitive, and one who is sensory-confused.)









All in all, the OT said that she sees a lot of "pink flags" rather than red flags. Right now, L's profile is not "average" (or "normal", as it were), but she's not deep into the danger zone. She gave us some things to work on with her. Some of this is old hat, since we did a year and a half of occupational therapy (focusing mainly on oral and feeding issues) with Z. There are some tweaks to it, though, to tailor the work to L's particular needs and predilections.

I feel much better. I am reassured&#8230; I thought that perhaps something was a little wrong, though not as serious nor in the same way as with Z, and I was right. I was confused about what I was seeing in her, because I just couldn't quite put my finger on what her responses meant, and I have a better understanding now. We'll be working on nudging her along in the areas where she's stuck to make sure the pink flags don't turn red.

(Big sigh of relief, basically.)


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

we have our fair share of toddler screeching insanity here too. it seems to go in waves. i am noticing a definite improvement in the 'consequences' department though. like i pretty much haaaaaaaaaate chasing isaac every morning to get his clothes on before school. and it is his favorite game to run away. and a couple of days ago i told him we needed to go and he *needed* to come over. and he didn't. and i told him he would not be able to xyz (can't remember what it was). and he actually stopped and thought and then came over. now this is a MASSIVE jump in his self-control and reasoning abilities. i was pretty amazed.

not that i'm always the consequence mama but sometimes i think the fun things get to go away if he is being really a trial on purpose kinda thing. he also asked for chocolate the other morning and i told him no candy or sugar before school. i said 'a piece of chocolate after school is ok'. and he has remembered that and repeated it to me. whereas before he would have just melted down when i told him no if that was what he had his mind set on. and boy can he get his mind set on chocolate







:

sarah-i'd love to hear the things to do with posterior to encourage good position. i know about sitting/leaning forward to get gravity to pull down rather than sitting in really reclined positions. but any other tips would be great help.

i really have to work on the being engaged and playing thing. i also try to engage him in what i am doing a lot because it is usually stuff i need to do....and he likes to be a helper.

sooo sleepy today. i'm not getting good sleep at night. ugh.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KKmama* 
(Big sigh of relief, basically.)

crossposted

yay! your intuition is so on. i'm glad nothing was a red flag and they gave you some things to do. so interesting how different they all are.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

KK---sounds like you got some helpful insights! I dread what a third will throw at me since my two are already opposites!

What a looooooooong day....C saw all three of her EI therapists today







: and then the first mw appt (eek!







: )

Is it Friday yet?


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Hi there, mamajamas!

So relieved for you, KK. Sounds like you and the OT are so on top of things, that the pink flags shouldn't turn red. I admire your attentiveness and perceptiveness when it comes to yoru kids. I often feel like I don't notice things I should about my kids, or that I'm not paying enough attention to details, if that makes any sense at all.

So, HF, do share about the MW appointment! Hope you're feeling better!

Its been a crazy few days, whatwith Sarah's birthday festivities and all. She had a fantabulous day ,and was just beside herself with excitement about all that was going on in her honor. I think her fave part of the day was being the "Special Helper" at school. Each day there is a special child helper, and the parent of the child is the helper of the day at school as well. Sort of a co-op, but not really. And they schedule the kids to be the helper on their birthdays, so I went to school with her on Friday, and got to see her in action. Seh was just so darn proud to be the helper, and knew exactly what to do. Then I got all choked up while the kids sang happy birthday to her. I can't believe she's five. That sounds so old to me!

And Katie's just so darn much fun these days. Such a little grown-up person. She's just pure joy. And she knows her birthday comes after Sarah's, so she's been asking me alot about her birthday coming up. I hate to say it, but we're in a good place these days. I definitely hear you and understand alot of what some of you are saying about your struggles with your kids. I think our difficult time was closer to 2.5, and we're coming to the honeymoon whole year phase. Definitely th half years are most difficult. It's amazing the level of frustration you can have for such a small person!

Hope you all are having a good week!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Yay for groovin', Miss S! Groovin' witcha lil buddy!


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Thank you all SO much. You're right...I was starting to worry that it was something MORE than two- or two-and-a-half-ness, but you guys brought me down from the worries about that!







All you have said has helped SO much. Today was a groovier day.

I would write more, but I have to get up and put these rice crackers away before I eat the whole bag.







: I did well with the WW today, but now I am just mindlessly snacking. So off to make some tea.

Love you ALL.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *heatherfeather* 
K
What a looooooooong day....C saw all three of her EI therapists today







: and then the first mw appt (eek!







: )

WOW. That is a LOT of stuff. Do you take the girls to the mw appt?


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

mornin' mama jammas









the sun is shinnnnnnnnnnninggggggggggg. i want to be outside.

aw sherri, mama to a 5 year old. that must feel wierd. i look at how tall isaac is now and i really can't believe how big and 'grown up' he is getting. yesterday they geve me a whole stack of photos in his cubby box at school that were from about 12 months old until recently. he was so BALD! and so chubby! and so different than he is now. it really made me nostalgic (and also excited for some chubby baby cheeks again)

i'm really getting excited about this babe (which is good right??? not focusing on the fear of labor. ha). and getting excited about sunday







(my friend is giving me a teaparty shower). silly tea party hats and gloves and acoutrements are totally appropriate--i'm not sure if you are able to make it claudia and sarah, but i thought i'd let you know about the hats thing. i told beth on the phone. it will be silly. i work with some fun silly ladies







my friend from college is flying up on friday to be here too. and she's staying through my birthday next tuesday.....so all in all i just wish i were at home getting the house ready instead of working!!!

doug is taking down asbestos shingles today. dear god i hope he doesn't contaminate everything







: it is nonfriable...but still. he'll be wearing the suit and all that biz.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

I have to say, I am so friggin' excited about everyone's pregnancy.







:
Jess, I definitely focus on the baby, not on the birth, though birth can be pretty exciting, too. (But babies are cute! And they are for keep! Now let's see if I can *not* have a 4th!!!) I wanna hear about the mw appt, too, Heath.

Sherri, I thought it was the odd years, not the half years?







:

Have I told you guys I'm going to be gone all next week? Visiting the other gparents over the mts (my mil and my dad and step-mother). Wish me luck!









The weather has been good lately (winter couldn't last forever), and the boys have been playing outside a LOT. Oh, it's such a sanity saver for all of us. No wonder I was losing my marbles mid-winter.


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

:







:







:











































:





















:



































:

















This right here is my 1000

OK, That is all I have to say. I wonder if I will ever get to 2000


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

, Jacqueline! Welcome to the super-special, exclusive, elitist group who is now privy to all sorts of benefits. Just you wait!








:


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

:







:







:







:







:


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Jacqueline!







Woohooooo!!!!
Now, time to find a senior (I typed "senor"







) title!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Ooooh I need a seen-yer tidal too! One 'dese days.

renae--senor title--







:


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nuggetsmom* 





















:





















:



































:









this line of dancing produce disturbs me. why does each type of produce dance to a different time signature?

but yay for







nuggets!

it's frickin' late here but i'm not tired but i really need to go to sleep because we have a busy day tomorrow. will write about it after it happens.








:

mmf!

~claudia


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

nuggets of wisdom!








:

I kind of like the a-synchronized produce, watching & waiting for that poetic moment when they are all together, then going off on their own rhythms again...


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TurboClaudia* 
this line of dancing produce disturbs me. why does each type of produce dance to a different time signature?


Dude, the line of dancing produce has ALWAYS disturbed me. For me, the banana never even dances.








More later, but I am going














: With my toddler in the house. We already had an hour-long tantrum. Good times.








But he happily ate the hummus-and-broccoli "burrito" I threw together at the last minute for lunch.









Okay, time to try and coax him upstairs for "resting time". Later, mama-jamas!









p.s. Sorry I have been kind of out of the loop lately. Been dealing with various crises, both personal and friend-related (mostly friend related) and of course, trying to be a good mama when some days, man...







Haha.

Talk to you soon...


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## afishwithabike (Jun 8, 2005)

I know I haven't been a major participant in this thread BUT seeing as you ALL have children around L's age I NEED some advice. Our dog ran away and was hit a few weeks back THEN a plug sparked and siezed in her bedroom JUST after we put her to bed. NOW she doesn't want to sleep in her "Big girl" bed and she tells me it scares her. I am trying to come up with a GOOD solution so I can get a little sleep at night. I get her feet in my back and DH's arm shoving me back over into her. If I put her in the middle of our bed I am afraid that DH would beat her up in his sleep the same way he does me. Do you think I could switch my children into the empty bedroom in our home? Does anybody think this would help my poor sweet little Lilly? I am desperate for ANY kind of humane solution.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

FishBike, I am hearin ya. I think I would keep your eye on the goal (that she sleep happily in her room again someday) and work toward it, sharing verbally all the way. First step: doesn't work for mom n dad that you sleep in our bed. I am not getting enough sleep because we're too crowded and that makes mama grouchy. What can we do? a) just two nights (or whatever), you can sleep in this little sweet nest we are going to make just for you right over here in this corner/beside my bed/whatever. or b) Do you want to change your room to the other bedroom? In that room, things do not explode, not scary. (but if the goal is to get her back into her room maybe talk about how that just happened once, and won't happen again because X)

Just a couple ideas/framework about how she can have some control over the decisions and process as it happens...? hope it helps...


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## afishwithabike (Jun 8, 2005)

I have explained that the plug was fixed and it won't happen again. Since it was our electric supplier that caused the surge and they fixed it outside as well as US replacing the plug etc in the house. I offered that she could sleep on the couch. She asked for the couch, but when we got there she wasn't happy with that option either. She has TWO beds in her room as it is. Her actual bed and a matress on the floor. If I had the room I'd put the matress in MY bedroom. I just can't find a spot for it. DH rocked her to sleep lastnight BUT she woke back up. I am going to see if switching rooms is an option that she wants to try. I just NEED some sleep soon. I can't keep going on NO sleep.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

can you fit in her bed with her and sleep in her room for a little while to build up her confidence??


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## afishwithabike (Jun 8, 2005)

I wish, I am not able to sleep in a toddler bed WITH the toddler very well. I think I may have come up with a solution. I re-opened the nursery where the baby and I used to sleep. I pulled the cover off the rocking chair and ottoman as well as put Lilly's cousin's bed back together (we have a bed for when she stays). There is a slight chance that I can get her to sleep in Haley's bed. Especially since the nursery doesn't have a door on it. I'll no longer have a place to sew BUT I feel it's worth the sacrafice right now. If she's in the nursery I can sleep on the floor next to her. It's a bigger room.


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
I kind of like the a-synchronized produce, watching & waiting for that poetic moment when they are all together, then going off on their own rhythms again...

You know, I don't need another reason to sit here staring at my monitor for ... hours ... waiting ... for ... synchronization. I do the same thing at traffic lights with people's left turn blinkers. It's maddening.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *afishwithabike* 
Do you think I could switch my children into the empty bedroom in our home? Does anybody think this would help my poor sweet little Lilly? I am desperate for ANY kind of humane solution.









fish, I'm a relative newcomer to this thread, so I don't know your situation - how old are your kids? (I am bright enough to imagine that one of them is almost three.) Is your maybaby the oldest? Is she in a toddler bed or a twin? It sounds like you've got a workable solution already, so it may not matter anyway... If you're looking to keep her in her current room for the long run, I'd try to work toward supporting her in being comfortable there, even if it means lying down on the floor together. If you're good with her moving to the other room permanently, then I'd work that angle, but if you want her to get BACK into her current room, it might be hard for her to transition twice.


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## afishwithabike (Jun 8, 2005)

Yeah sorry, Lilly is the nearly three year old. My guy is the younger at 19 1/2 mos. I am NOT attached to where they sleep really. NOT until they're older will I really care. I just want them happy for now. I haven't done any real decorating or anything because I want THEM to choose how they want to sleep. As it is the nursery was closed up because Lilly asked if her brother could sleep in her room when she was going through the "There are Monsers in my room" phase. For some reason there were "monsers" everywhere for a while. Now the "monsters" are gone and she's scared of her bedroom. That is what she told DH and I last night. I really don't know why exactly because she couldn't tell me why. She has mentioned the plug fire as well as our recently deceased dog. I am not sure which is triggering this BUT it NEEDS to be addressed. I am going to see if she'll sleep in her cousin's toddler bed tonight and if it works I'll move her car bed over. I just don't want to move that monstrosity of a toddler bed unless I KNOW it will work. Currently she just fell asleep on the couch. If I have to leave her there so be it. I just want to make sure she knows that I love her and I'm there for her. I am just having issues because I am losing a LOT of sleep.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Fishwithabike, I wish I had some advice for you!







A lot of the thoughts here seem great! Rowan is afraid of some stuff nowadays (the aquarium, yo!) but luckily, nothing at bedtime yet. Sorry if this has already been suggested or is not an option, but what about a mattress in your room? She can sleep near you but not ON you, ifyaknowwhatImean.








Rowan would just climb right out off the mattress and onto us, but you know, it's a thought...

Speaking of weird sleeping arrangements, we are going away to our regional LLL conference tonight (MA, VT, RI represent!







) and will be spending the night in a hotel room until tomorrow...and for the first time, we are NOT bringing the pack & play!







He's SO outgrown it, so there's no point.
So, we thought (for about a second) of getting him to sleep with us, but Rowan in our bed=NO SLEEP FOR ANYONE.








But our room is going to have a pull-out couch, which we thought would make a good little nest for him, and it's obviously not too far from us, and one of us could even sleep with him if it comes to that. Thanks to the nap thing not happening much lately (try EVER...the past few days we've just had "quiet time", which is working surprisingly well, actually) he goes to sleep at night much quicker, and is even sleeping better...weirdness.

So um, yeah. And we are planning a BIG trip in late July (Hawaii!!! My IL's sprung it on us a week ago or so...I am still in shock!) and we are going to pack as lightly as is reasonable for such a big/long trip. Here's the maiden voyage.

Anyway, in other news, I got my lip pierced last night. Because I am SO hardcore.







It's neat to have a piercing in my face again (I used to have like 4) Rowan made me fall out of the rocking chair this morning though, when he said "Mama, what's on your lips?" I told him, "I got my lip pierced last night, it's like an earring, and it's a boo-boo so you can't touch it for a while" and he said "oh, like Daisy!" And for a second I was like "HUH??"







:
And he said again "Like DAISY!" And then I realized what he was talking about: Davey Havok, my recent rock n' roll obsession. AFI's lead singer.








He has his lower lip pierced on the RIGHT side. Mine's on the left. I was like "HOLY CRAP! Are you that inundated with my musical tastes that you REMEMBER that this guy has a piercing like mine!?!?" Biz-ARRE!
So I said "yes, yes, like Davey"







: How awesome.

Anyway, there's my funny story for the day. Much love to you all, have a great weekend! I will most likely not be back on the internets until sometime Saturday night.









MMF!


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

My kids love sharing a room. I love sleeping with them, until you hit the point where nobody sleeps but the acrobatic toddler. Then, not so much. How did it go last night?

Renae, HAVE FUN at the conference! If you're worried about R rolling off the bed, you could pull the dinky mattress off the pull-out couch and put it in the floor. It might be more comfy that way anyway? Have fun have fun have fun!!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Hey Juice (and other mamas in this sitch) when did your two oldest start sleeping together in peaceful harmony? When can I kick these monkeys outta my bed, is what I REALLY wanna know?








jk, kinda....so far I LOVE sleepin' with them but I just know there will come a day....


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

lately isaac calls out to me ~4am and i go in his room and he says 'you lay down with me' and when i get in bed he goes 'i need to snuggle' and he nuzzles in and then we both roll over and go back to sleep. moving him to the full bed was the best maneuver. i couldn't quite get comfy with him in the twin.

i hope lilly took to her cousin's bed last night.

yaaaaaaaaaaay friday! and i'm taking a 4 day weekend so i am even more 'yay!' wooo wooooo

babe is moving all over the place again. which is kind of a relief to me. i really can't wait to not be pregnant anymore. i forgot how you get SO uncomfortable that you really don't care how much birthing hurts









we had an almost electrical trauma last night. our friend - god love 'im - is working on our house (well we're paying him). so yesterday he was ripping out old siding and plaster and lathe. we're finishing off our back porch to be laundry room/mud room. and so he did something funky with some wires he encountered and none of the lights upstairs worked anymore. so he showered and left (!!!!). i'm amazed the place didn't burn to the ground. then doug comes home and flips the switch on the breaker box which starts sparking. and calls to tell me this. fabulous darling! somehow he figured it out before i got home from work. great fun. more male nesting. this project is so not in the budget







:


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Male nesting! Love it!









My two girls started sharing a bed about three or four months ago. It's something they chose for themselves. They wanted to do it, so we just ran with it. I have no idea how they would have done earlier in the game.

Jstar-you never let us know how Modest Mouse was!

And heather, how ya doing?







:


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

the show was fun. not enough old songs but i







them. it was supercute- they had a nautical theme with all these lanterns and striped sailor shirts. i think i'm done with concertgoing for the remainder of this pregnancy though. i was fine through the show but my back and hips actually felt sore the next day from standing so long. (probably a sad reflection of how out of shape i am getting from not exercising at all....my good intentions are GONE)

isaac knows when modest mouse comes on the radio. or if i play the cd. kinda like your afi thing renae







he knows we went to see modest mouse last week. and that isaac brock is the singer


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

marek recognizes most any guster song, and knows the names and faces of all the guster guys: "that's... adam! that's... ryan! that's... brian! that's joe!"








: on the electrical thing, jstar...

fishwithbike: no thoughts on that one. after the newbie was born, we went through about 4 months of marek waking up way too much during the night. also a lot of "that's scary". we just kept reassuring him that he would be okay, that we understood he was scared but that we were there to take care of him and everything would be okay. hope you find a good and sleep-allowing solution soon.

must finish my lunch while they are both still napping...

~claudia


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## afishwithabike (Jun 8, 2005)

I went through ALL the trouble of opening up the nursery and she wanted to sleep on the couch. I have been letting her because I am tired of NOT sleeping at night. If she can live with it then so can I.


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

I'm in a fretful space right now. I've been pushing myself, although I didn't think I was really overdoing it. But in the past month I've had several episodes of spotting, once after exercising, once during a conference where I wasn't able to take breaks or naps, and now today, after basically doing nothing but having a family day with my guys at the children's museum. I'm tired, but that's normal, right? I cut way back on the exercise, I'm trying to take naps when I can, and I'm not lifting anything heavy other than my son (who's probably about 40lbs now, give or take). I don't want to quit everything, I really believe that moderate physical activity is healthy for a pregnancy. I hate to think of what more I could do to prevent this spotting. And since it takes hours to see my midwives without an appointment, I'm loathe to go in unless I really think there's something wrong. I guess I need someone to talk some sense into me. This sucks.


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

EL-







sounds like you're listening to your body. good for you.

i'm such a folk girl- L's favorite song is currently michelle shocked's Arkansas Travelor. Sample lyric: "Hey farmer, when you gonna fix that leaky roof?" "Well, stranger, when it's rainin, it's too wet to fix it, anf when it's dry, it's just as good as any man's house."

ok, got toddler tag team duty- bye!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

OH emmalola I hope one of our midwifin' chicas get on here and assuage your fears. I have heard many women say they "spotted throughout their whole pregnancy"...


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

...


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

I think I have figured it out. All that medical education hasn't been wasted. what a relief, I think. I think the bleeding is from an internal hemorrhoid, which I will confirm with the midwives when I get a chance to go in. Until then, I will eat more prunes, you know?

But until then, the lentil has a nasty case of stomach yuckies. Up all night, throwing up giant chunks of carrot. It was gross. Today he's feeling better, with a low-grade fever and occasional pukies. And he's back in diapers because he's got this gross diarrhea. When it rains, it pours around here!

and it took me so long to reply, my server timed me out. typical.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Ugh, EL, sorry about the rain.







I hope the bleeding is "just" a hemorrhoid. It probably is. Good idea to get it checked out to make sure. I would say that a little vaginal spotting is not necessarily a horrible thing, but a little regular exercise shouldn't bring it on. Sometimes women get little sub-chorionic hemorrhages that are nothing to worry about, but it's a good idea to get it checked out. Ruling out the 'roids is a good idea. And that's about the extent of my current knowledge.









Jstar's shower was absolutely fab. Delicious scones and tea. You have fun friends, Jess!

As for me, life is, um, weird. It's kinda strange having my mom here for a month. Feels like I'm on vacation, but I'm not, and it's hard keeping my normal life on schedule. Luckily I'm on Spring Break next week but I still have tons of crap to do and I'm not really motivated. I just want to garden and craft and take advantage of my mom watching Lily to do fun things. It is so nice to have her here and Lily loves her. Right now she is giving Lily a bath and there are belly laughs drifting from the bathroom. Sooo cute.

OK, must go. Lots of house/garden/chicken planning going on and DH wants my attention. Oh yeah, we are getting chickens! This week! Eeeeek.

S.


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Hello everyone. I dissapeared for awwhile though I was actually here. Just a reallly frantic week and about to start another one. I told N's teacher that I just couldn't do the gardening this week. One thing too many.

My chiropracter moved 25 minutes away where he used to be just 5 and I am really hesitant to drive that far even though it would only be every other week. I am just not a fan of driving. It tires me out KWIM. But then again he seems to be the only network chiropracter in town so what do I do?

BTW Ms Juice my kids call him the pirate cracker!


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

EL,







s and thoughts! Hopefully you can get the bleeding straightened out. I still remember when I was pg that I spotted whenever I over-exerted myself...not a LOT, but it happened. I went to the doc the first time, but then I was pretty confident it was the same thing when it happened a couple times later. Internal hemorrhoid?? Whoah.







I have only experienced your run-of-the-mill hemorrhoids.








And







with the sickies. I hope your boy feels better soon!









Hmm. we've had a long weekend too, and today Rowan says "i'm going slow, Mama!"







Yeah, honey, we ALL are...hehe. He's watching Sesame, I'm making a mix CD for a friend's birthday (and I have one due to some ladies in another forum too! Ack!







: I'm getting to it! It's gonna be AFI-heavy, I warn you!) Hah. So yeah, so cute to hear our little ones who know our music.







Yesterday my phone rang and I have an AFI ringtone, and Rowan says "Mama, Davey's callin' you!" And I was like, "I WISH!"








I like Guster. I don't know much of their music but what I have heard, I like. Modest Mouse is not something I've gotten into, but again, what I have heard, I like okay.
I remember when I knew I was done with concerts during pregnancy...DH and I saw A Perfect Circle when I was about 6 months along. And we had SEATS, and I was STILL like, "ugh, NO more shows for a while!









So, the conference was....okay, I guess. The very last session I attended made the whole thing worth it, so I think I may go to the Sunday sessions next year, and I will go ALONE. Rowan had fun but it was a wild ride. DH also had a good time, we enjoyed being out of the house for a night, and we took Juice's suggestion (thank you!) and put the pull-out's mattress on the floor. He was SO excited about his "new bed!" and he jumped all over it, lay there for stories, and went right to sleep on it. But then, he was waking up every couple hours or so.







I also didn't sleep well, so we were eager to go home to our beds the next day. Hah. So thanks for the suggestions! Glad to know you're working out some sort of sleep arrangements, too, fishwithabike!







We didn't use the nursery for SO LONG...
Sleep deprivation...ugh. DH and I were remembering that last night for some reason, remembering how he would fall asleep ON THE ROAD







: and I would sleep sitting up on the couch, child at my breast. I was practically hallucinating those early days. I know you know what I mean.

Okay, Rowan is looking for me so I had better go. I also have to get coffee #2! Oh man.







He was just whining about how "the mirror PINCHED ME!" (our full length wall mirror) and I asked him how, and he said "I was trying to get it down (ie., PRY IT OFF THE WALL!!!














And I said "well, if you leave it ALONE, it won't pinch you!" He kind of looked at me like "um...okay" and walked away.







Dude.

Have a wonderful day, wonderful mamas.

OH! And CHICKENS!!! Sarah, you have NO IDEA how jealous I am! I adore me some chickens. DH thinks I'm
















p.s. Damn, my lip hurts.







: But it's worth it! I look cool!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Renae, I forgot you got your lip pierced! whoa dude! Are you on the tattooed & pierced tribe? Because you should be!

I have nothing tattooed or pierced, except for the run-of-the-mill ears. If anything I'd get my nose pierced for bellydance and a cool tattoo (again for bellydance) on my rump (well, that beautiful curve above it, visible) that somehow represented my two chitlins.

I am in strange ways conservative.

Sarah, I had me some hens in Arizona, pre-Mexico. I had six and their names were Mary Margaret, Phoebe, Henny Penny, Virginia, ack. Can't remember the other two at the moment. I LOVED feeding them chicken scraps, deep yellow yolks, and one of them laid GREEN eggs! Araucana I think is the breed, a beautiful hen. I LOVED it. And Viet has been prepping a little piece of yard/cage for some hens here--yay! I loved when they would dust-bathe (I let them out of their cage every day) and just lay their looking strangely wounded in the dirt, but in total ecstasy.


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Hey mamas!

Thinking of you el-I hope the spotting resolves.







how stressful, and I hope the lentil recovers from his bug.

Sarah-sorry you have work to do when you'd rather be hanging with Mom.

cute pix of hippos, heather!

TC-thinking of you, mama. How're you doing these days?

Renae-you just rawk with your piercing and tattoing ol' self!

jstar-can't believe how close you're getting!

beth-how's it going with the new little man? And Lisa? Hows Alison and new baby A doing?

Not much going on here. I'm in a major funk, and can't seem to shake it.







: I feel I'm constantly snapping at the kids or talking to them in a less-than-desirable tone lately. Everything just bugs me. I get this way every now and then, and I hate it. I'm soooo tired of all the snow that's taking far too long to melt. We still have a few inches of snow on the ground, and the places that aren;t covered with now are all soggy and muddy, so we can't go out to play. I'm sooo dreaming of summer time! Speaking of, lets talk fences-anyone have a fenced in backyard? I'd really love to fence in ours for several reasons. My backyard neighbors have an above-ground pool, and I'm a little wary of it, because their yard isn't fenced. They have a deck on the pool with a ladder that folds up, but still....maybe I'm just uptight. But I worry the fence will make us look like snobs, or unapproachable or something. I really want it for safety reasons, and to keep my kids contained a bit. What do you all think of fences/fence owners? I would just like a picket fence or soemthing similar.


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Sherri, our back and side yards are fenced in (tall fence). Most people here have a fence, but I believe we are required by law because we have a pool. I'm sort of surprised your neighbors with the pool aren't required to fence in their yard. Maybe that's just a CA law?









We also have our front yard fenced in. It's a a short fence and you can see through it - like a metal grate style. I'll take a pic of it (when it stops raining) so you can see. I LOVE our front yard fence. It allows me to send the kids out in the yard and not have to worry about them running in the street.


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

mamameg, I'm not sure if they're required by law to have a fence around the pool since it is above ground and access to the pool is gained by pulling down the ladder and climbing it to the deck of the pool, if that makes any sense. Also, around the top of the pool itself is a lattice-type screen, which I imagine is supposed to deter people from climbing in it. I totally hear you on the fence being nice so kids don't run off into the road. Its a big reason for me wanting one. Also, my kitchen is in the back of the house, so if the backyard were fenced, I could run in the house and prep dinner a bit and keep an eye on the kids through the window.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

We have a fence around our backyard. Well actually two of our neighbors (back and side) have tall fences, so those serve as fences for us, and we put up another little fence joining our neighbor's fence to our porch and a little gate on the other side so the side yard is enclosed. Then our garage serves basically as a fence to the other side. Anyway, we really like it and I feel good letting Lily play out there for a short bit without us. She usually just stays on the porch but when we're all outside I can focus on gardening or whatever while she wanders around. The front yard is not fenced but she is really good about staying on the sidewalk. I definitely don't let her out of my sight, though, and never let her in the front without someone out there with her.

The pool would scare me, too. That reminds me, we had to remind MIL last summer not to let Lily play in the kiddie pool without direct supervision. She actually asked me if it was ok if she was working in the front while Lily was splashing around, and I was like, Um no and I was so mad. This is one reason why she doesn't watch her very often anymore.









Ooops gotta go to the chiro...aaaaaaah.

S.


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

We are fenced in on all sides with tall fences. I don't think it matters here if the pool is above ground, it is supposed to have a fence.
And I let my kids play in the backyard and I go in and out. Obviously N is older but we have a lot of windows in the back and they just play out there independantly. But now if we set up the pool obviously.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

My .02 about the fence: a nice, low-ish see-through type fence is not snobbery, it's safety.

Sarah: MIL: duh!

My house (and pool







: ) are all fenced. To the outside, a huge big wall so none see in, I don't see out. Around the pool a little white picket fence. No water in the pool, btw, never will be. No heater. unheated pool = uh uh.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Ugh, not much time, I think Rowan is getting a cold. Or a stomach bug.







I am PRAYING it's just a cold. He slept terribly last night and today he's all sluggish and clingy. Which is why I may have to get mine a$$ off the computer sooner rather than later today.
I used to be on the tattooed and pierced tribe! I may have to revisit it.







I'm on the "Mamas with reeeeaaaalllly long hair tribe" though. My hair is back down to my waist!







I need a trim though.
I know. I am SO hardcore.















My lip freakin' hurts today too. Hehe. Serves me right. I can't eat a sandwich! or an apple! I have to cut it up first.
We have an above-ground pool in our backyard (came with the house) and a tall fence around the backyard...I think the fence is okay, but the pool is SUCH a total eyesore. But DH wants to keep it for a while. Rowan can't get into it without help, since it's so tall and you can remove or lift up the ladder to get in...but I still hate it, and Rowan is never outside without us anyway. Our backyard is small enough though, and this takes up SO much space. I may try to convince DH to take it down after this season...I mean, it IS nice to have somewhere to go when it's horribly hot and humid out here.







I dunno.

Aww Sherri.







I've been in a funk lately too. Kind of a natural state for me though so I guess I shouldn't complain.







But I understand. I feel like I sound annoyed whenever I talk to Rowan, and I need an attitude adjustment right quick.







Yup.

Rowan wants smileys:



































:














:







:




























:

He also likes the "party face" below. So I put it in there.









So I have to go. Have a great day, mamas.









Elsanne, TOTALLY get a tattoo!







: That would be SO pretty...but I'm not biased or anything...


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Hey mamajamas. We're slowing down. I need a provocative question.

Today is the Open House for the retreat center, so I've got a lot of bizzybizzy details to attend to. Surprisingly I'm not terribly stressed because I have all day to do them, until 3.

Provocative question: jeez! When you've been together 3 years, there's not a lot new! Hm. Anyone have any ideas?

How's this--
what's for dinner tonight, or dinner last night? Maybe we'll get some cooking inspirations.
Mine last night was (surprise!) quesadillas. That is the base and then I put like purple cabbage, tomatoes, avocados in them.
I found a GREAT source of organic tortillas and chicken and other stuff (all organic) so I am PSYCHED!


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

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
When you've been together 3 years, there's not a lot new! Hm. Anyone have any ideas?

Before Alison my relationships typically lasted exactly three years. Alison was a little nervous at the three year mark (we're now pushing eight). I hope that my relationship-death-at-three-years thing is fully cured. I'd be heartbroken without my May Mamas.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
what's for dinner tonight, or dinner last night? Maybe we'll get some cooking inspirations.

Alison was so proud of herself because she cooked a full meal for us last night. It was yummy baked salmon encrusted in matzo and dill, potatoes, steamed green beans, and for E some of her fave macaroni and cheese. Our roommate opened a bottle of nice wine. Fantabulous.

On that note, we have roommates! The girls' Fairy Godfathers and our best friends, Paul and Scott, are moving to Vermont in June. In the meantime they are living with us as they sell their house. I am still upset they are leaving us, but it's great to have them with us.

We leave for London tomorrow. We're going for a retirement party for Alison's aunt. It's only a week long trip so it will be fun but painfully jet-lagging short. I am excited just to have a break from the work-home-work routine that is the WOHM lifestyle. We'll be back on Thursday next week. Wish me luck as we go trans-Atlantic with two bambinos!

Els- Good luck with the Open House. I think it's such an amazing space!

EL - Bleeding hemorrhoids are terribly worrying and annoying (speaking from experience here) so it's hard for me to say that I _hope_ that is what you have. Still, I am reassured that your are checking everything out. I love the MotherCare 'Rhoid balm when things go external.

Hugs to our funksters







: Rain, rain, go away from Renae and Sherri.

Must get some work done.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

lisa: you said "girls' fairy godfathers"...







: how sweet. we don't have , any godparents or even fairy godparents, but we call them "our boys" now. still







:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JSTAR!!!
in your favorite color pink...

tea party/baby shower for jstar was totally fun and W and S were the hits of the party, aside from J's belly of course. mcsb even got to practice her "maneuvers" and felt for the bambino in utero. J has some funny friends and coworkers...









*sunshine*? to sherri and renae...

i think this is my new favorite time of year here. daffodils are out, trees are sending out new green shoots, whododendrons and azaleas starting to bloom, cherries in massive bloom, grass turned green and growing... ahhh...

i am doing well. aside from my back of my mind worries about S's weight and my milk supply. but he's sitting up now and almost crawling... ummm... you're only 6 months old!!!

lisa, have a great and uneventful (child-wise) trip! bill wants us to go to japan with him sometime this spring summer for a business trip and i'm like, are you crazy? we are contemplating a trip to disneyland in the nexyt month or so before M turns 3 and has to pay to get in.

natives getting restless...

more later.

tonight for dinner:
leftover baked ziti

last night for dinner:
leftover white chicken chili & from scratch cornbread muffins (the only thing i know from memory how to bake)

my mom flies in tomorrow eve for 3.5 days, so fun, fun, fun!

omigosh, what us with the crazy screeching?







:

~c


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

just popping in to say 'allo! and thank you for the birthday wishes







33!!!!!

i had so much fun at the shower. i do work with some wacky ladies i have to say







too much goofin off and not enough work going on in my office. until we have deadlines and then we get down and busy.

i have to call an electrician right now. the kitchen lights all went pfffft when the coffee maker was going this morning. mmm yeah. scary.

i'll be back for a real update later


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Well, heck, here's my first ALL ABOUT ME post, which I am shamelessly c&p from the July 2006 thread, because that is how much love I need right now. I am just overwhelmed beyond belief and I don't like it. There are two factors working against me this week. 1.) Ethan refuses to sleep. This is not his normal pattern, I have no idea what's going on. I am not worried about it at all, and I'm sure it will pass, it's just bad bad bad timing. He's been up every 45 minutes to an hour at night, and won't sleep longer than about 20 minutes in the daytime. He's tired and therefore very cranky. He goes to work with me, and when he's cranky it's a huge distraction, not just for me but for the other tenants of the building, as they were kind enough to point out today. Factor 2.) My girls are out of school this week, but my DH and I still have to work. So every single moment that I am not at work, and then several that I am, I am tending to three kids by myself. DH is great once he gets home, but by then I'm pretty toasted. Not the fun kind of toasted, either. For instance today I took them ALL to work with me at 7:45, (yes I got them up and fed and dressed by myself before taking them to my office) and they all hung out there, very well behaved, until grandma could get there at 9:30. They were sooooo good but I was sooooo stressed. And tomorrow, more of the same. I'm just counting the minutes until they go back to school next week. I finally got a minute to post by getting my toddler to nap, insisting that my 5 yo go upstairs for some quiet time, and leaving the baby to roll around on the floor in a state of mild protest. I want to cry all the time but my kids can't exactly wait for me to do that, so...

So I'm still here, I'm just stuck somewhere between







: and







I think I'd feel better if I could just get a little







but right now I am relying on


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

juice: sending you mucho, mucho







and mucho, mucho









and i will presumptively give you a







from the MMF!

~claudia


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Thanks TC! Elsanne came to me in a dream last night and told me to just find the rhythm and try to flow with it. Ethan slept much better last night (waking only thrice, much more manageable) so I'm feeling brighter this morning anyway. Yesterday afternoon I had the girls decorate their egg cartons, and this morning the sun is out and they are postitively clamoring to get outside and plant some flower seeds in them. I predict a smooth, if busy, morning.

Renae, how's the lip? I've never had anything pierced since the ears. Though I am currently cultivating a lovely zit above my lip, which hurts an awful lot too...

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
Wish me luck as we go trans-Atlantic with two bambinos!

Good luck and have a wonderful time!!

Happy belated, jstar. And wow, you're coming into the home stretch! Ack on the electric woes. Electricity scares the dickens out of me. Dh replaced a switch in our house, and I was terrified. I stood there with the phone in one hand and the fire extinguisher in the other. Definitely prefer to call in the pros.


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Flowing thoughts coming your way Juice! I hope you get into a good groove for the rest of the week till the kids can get back to school!

Lisa-have a great trip! I'd so love ot go to London again. Dh and I have been there twice, and we always enjoy the city so much.

Planted our seeds in the egg cartons a few days ago. So far nothing's sprouting. Still early, so I need to stop obsessively looking at them! I sure hope this project isn't a bust for everyone, I'll feel so guilty!







:


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

Sooo, all about me: I went to the Indian Health DisService hospital yesterday to find out the cause of the bleeding. 3 and a half hours, AND I'm sick on top of it. stupid cold. Anyway, they gave me a really bad NP, and I'm not one to diss my fellow NPs. She was just super awful. Anyway, she didn't listen to my complaints, kept asking the midwives questions instead of just sending the midwives in to see me, and ended up telling me my bleeding is from BV (bacterial vaginosis) and to take a week's worth of flagyl. And she gave me a script for yeast infection cream that I already KNOW won't work, and she should know that too because I TOLD HER. They took blood and pee, she did a really bad pelvic exam (I've never had someone tweak my clitoris during a pelvic before. That was like, rule #1 in NP school.) and she didn't take any samples to actually verify that I have BV. She didn't do the right tests to even consider hemorrhoids. So what do I do? I've called my old midwife in CT, and I've called my homebirth midwifes. I started the flagyl this morning, just in case, but only grudgingly.

the lentil isn't puking anymore, but he has nasty diarrhea that requires us to use butt balm again, and he wants to wear a diaper in case he has any leakage. It's been pretty gross around here- 24/7 laundry, if you know what I mean. I figure it's okay with him if he wears the diapers, and it saves him the trauma of having nasty accidents all over the place,so we're going with it. And diapers protect his clothes from the butt balm. And now sweets and I have this vicious cold with sniffling and really painful throats and I can't take anything useful for it. Oh, the rain is falling on our house this week.

our seeds sprouted! But we can't plant them until May because there's usually a late frost around here. I want to plant more now.

happy birthday, jstar!

dinner was burritos with chicken and veggies. yum.

fence: I would totally put up a fence. I think it's irresponsible to not fence in a pool. no matter what access is- a fence is better than a fold up ladder, any day. My friend tried to charge her neighbors for the fence they had to put up (similar situation, same kind of pool) but the neighbors didn't bite. Just do it for the peace of mind! We have a fenced in yard, but that's pretty typical around here. And we need it for the dog, as well as the kiddo.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *emmalola* 
So what do I do? I've called my old midwife in CT, and I've called my homebirth midwifes. I started the flagyl this morning, just in case, but only grudgingly.

Call your homebirth midwives again and bug them. If this is bothering you, you should get it checked out. Depending on your exact symptoms, they might want you to get an ultrasound. Sounds like that NP was a doofus. You should have gotten to see the midwives. Grrrrrrrrr on your behalf.







:


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

emmalola, thinking of you as you struggle to get good care.







You're stressed enough worrying about the bleeding, all this extra worry just sux

Thanks to all for your input about the fence. Dh and I have talked and it definitely gets put on the must-do list for the summer. We typically do one big project per summer and this will most likely be it. Oh, I guess we'll be doing two big projects, we need a shed, too. so ack!

dh is bathing girls and putting them to bed himself tonight. aaaaaaaaaahhhhh


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

hiya mamas. thanks for the birthday wishes here and on YG







it was a fun day. cherie and i (selfishly) took isaac to school for the middle of the day so we could get pedicures and do a little shopping unencumbered. imelda's and 3yo boys do not mix. i restrained myself from shoes. the pedicurist had a recent pregnant client on her due date and she told her the reflexology in the foot massage might help her labor. well i guess she made it 1 block down the street and went into labor and had to call an ambulance. i'm like 'ambulance??' maybe she couldn't drive safely. in any case i know where i'll be going when i hit 40weeks







and i'll pay for the extra massage time

we went out to dinner and then we went home and isaac opened my presents for me







he's really into the birthday thang.

juice - big hugs mama. that sounds really really sucky. on all fronts. i hope the week passes quickly for you

sherri - funk be gone!

emmalola - that sounds like a pretty awful appointment! i would be really worried too. nothing worse than feeling like your health care providers aren't REALLY listening

fences - i WANT ONE. our back yard is fenced in by chain link. and i'm sorry if any of you are big fans but i completely hate it. haaaaate it. so NOT asethetically pleasing to me. oregon is one of those more open to your neighbors back yard places and i am way too californian for that. i want a pretty wooden fence. our old house had huge hedges around the entire yard and was completely private. i want to be able to go out in the yard in my bikini top and pull weeds if the mood strikes. i want to be able to leave the 3 yo out in the back yard for a few minutes by himself if i go answer a phone call without thinking someone could be walking down the sidewalk and take him. i reallly want to install a fence but that would probably be a few thousand dollars and we already have many many other projects going so it is low on the list. plus doug thinks the chain link is fine. he doesn't share my aesthetic needs. someday i will get my fence. i the meantime i am planting as many shrubs as possible to hide the chainlink. right now they are all about 1 ft tall. this yard isn't going to look good for years.

ahhhhh - a trip to england sounds fabulous! peaceful travelling (you must be travelling today a&l+2). i think tiny babes are mostly easy on airplanes. it is the toddlers who are harder. i feel like a toddler on a plane...i don't want to sit in that seat for that long either









renae - lets see some pics of that lip ring on yg k? when it heals.


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

jstar- what about planting climbing vines over your fence? Sweet pea is so pretty, and grows like a weed in your humid climate. Also, what about just planting regular string beans? Then you would have a crop for feeding hungry family people types this summer. I love string beans. They are so easy, and so yummy when they are fresh off the vine. mmm. yet another seed for my egg cartons.

Thanks for all the nice words, friends. I finally got off my duff and called my homebirth midwife and my old gyno people back in CT. Now it looks like we will have a chance at having our level two ultrasound paid for after all (fingers crossed!) and that they will see me to take care of this bleeding. And my homebirth midwife was soooo wonderful- even over the phone she gave me all sorts of great ideas and was just plain soothing. Now I know this is the woman I want to have around when our baby comes due. Not that I was questioning it before. It's just really nice to have someone tell you that you don't have to take a million pills, just eat prunes. I'm getting tired of the pills- prenatal vits, antibiotics, calcium... where does it end? I got off all the pills when I got pregnant with the lentil and I haven't felt comparably better since. I used to take mountains of medications for my migraines. It turned out there were better solutions than modern pharmacopeia, you know? Anyway, the homebirth midwife simply said, "If your gut is telling you it's 'roids, then listen to your gut!"

Now if I could do something about the poor lentil's gut. He has the grosses diarrhea! It's competely fluid. He won't eat anything substantial, he only drinks water, and today he went completely pale after a big watery poop. I rushed to the store and bought him gatorade, because nothing else is helping. Poor boy. I don't want to take him back to the freaking Indian Health Service- 3 1/2 hours in one week is enough for me, thank you. We'll go to the doc in the box down the street if it gets really bad. He doesn't appear to be dehydrated, just kind of loggy. I wish I could just make him better.

wow, I'm chatty cathy today.


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

EL-glad you're being heard. that makes such a huge difference.

So sorry 'bout the lentil. When I'm feeling ill like that, food doesn't appeal to me at all, so he's just following his body's lead. I'm sure you knew that, but there you have it.







As far as hydration, my kids prefer gatorade/powerade over pedialyte. How 'bout popsicles? Jello?


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Wow, Lisa, like Hey we're going to Europe tomorrow (today)! I'd be telling everyone for weeks I think.

EL so glad you are feeling bettah about things; it is such a bummer to have poor health care service. SUCH a bummer. Yay for your midwife!
boo for lentil's digestive tract! Sure hope it goes away soon. That must really suck for both of you.

Jstar sounds like a FUN FUN FUN birthday and baby shower, I am so glad you are being treated (and treating yourself) wonderfully! I had my massage therapist do foot/calf reflexology and while I felt it give me contractions (BH type), nothing ever really happened. We did it several times at the 40 week mark. She likened it to having a stick with a peach tree--if the fruit is ripe, it will fall when prodded; if not, it won't.

The Open House went well...lots of work and stress but overall a great thing.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Thinking of all ya'll...

Juice; hope things are better. EL, glad you talked to a real midwife and got heard. I really hope the lentil feels better soon. Sick babes are so pitiful. I feel for him (and you and sweets) so much. Jstar, evergreen clematis is beautiful right now and keeps leaves all year. Lisa, hope the flight goes well. Egads. Els, glad the open house went well. *Big sigh of relief* for you.

Get your chick fix here! Their names are Antoinette, Babette, Zsa-zsa, and Gigi. They are so cute and so dumb.







Lily loves 'em.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

I have some catchin-up to do!







Sorry I've been so incognito...I've been wasting time on other parts of the internet and been cheatin' on my May Mamas!







: MySpace is addictive.









So anyway...fairy godfathers...that makes me SO happy!







Hey, if they're moving to Vermont and you go visit them, that's like only a couple of hours from RI!







: Heehee.
We also have no god-anything. I have some friends who have "gosh"parents for their kids.







We just...yeah. Haven't gotten there yet. That and a will.







: We got nothin'.

I remember DH and I getting just past the mark of my longest relationship before him (just under 5 years) and he was like, marking it to the DAY. So as soon as we got to like, 4 years, 8 months, 4 days, he was like "AWW YEAH! I'm your longest relationship!"








(incidentally, DH's longest relationship before me was like a year and a half or something) We are now almost at 9 years (in July).







Whoah.

I also don't want our MayMama relatioship to die! MMF, man!!









Dinner...well, last night we kind of fended for ourselves, because I was out for a therapy appt. DH and Rowan had grilled cheese, I think. And when I came home, I had vegan "chicken" salad on a bunch of greens.







And strawberry shortcake for dessert.







: Yeah, points...I think I got through all the flex points for this week already...which is a damn shame since we're going to be having dinner with a friend for his 30th birthday tomorrow! Hahaha. Oh well.

Dinner tonight? Well, I have to work (sigh) so I think I will be making like mac & cheese for Rowan and DH and scarfing some down before I leave.
We haven't sat down to a meal since like Monday. Eek.

All about ME:
Speaking of eating...I saw a documentary about the Vans Warped Tour last night, called Wake Up Screaming...it was made with a guy from PETA. Um. Yeah.
In the extras, there were a bunch of PETA propaganda films, one called "Meet Your Meat" (bet you've heard of it!!)
I made DH watch it (I know, I'm cruel) because I've been edging back towards vegetarianism and he, well, he actually TOLD me "I want to stay ignorant, thanks!" So I was like, NO.
Well, we were both in tears by the end of it. I mean, like







and DH was mad at me for the rest of the night.
*sigh*
Well, not REALLY mad, but pretty damn upset.
But at least he is on the same page with me now.







: I mean, this is the longest time in my adult life that I have been an omnivore (since I was pg with Rowan) and well, I KNOW I need to be more mindful of it.
We can't afford free range everything, so if we can afford free range, cool, but usually we can't, so I have to find alternatives.

I know PETA has an agenda, and they want everyone to be vegan, but I don't think I could just make my omnivorous family vegan, just like that. We'll see. Anyway, crazy introspective night.

Miss Juice, SO MANY





















s to you mama! I hope today is less stressful.

Now, I need to go back and read what I've missed! I hope you all have a wonderful day!

Rowan is indeed sick. Bad cold. He's all stuffy and sad.







We're watching a lot of PBS and doing art projects today. Hehe.

MMF!









Hey! If you're bored, answer my silly question!
Any celebrity crushes???
Me: Davey Havok of AFI, and well, the rest of the band too! But mostly Davey. Hotness!









Yes, I am a silly teenage fangirl!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

I am so out of the celebrity loop. Seems like there was one I liked. ??

Dinner last night: I don't remember! Oh, wait: a dish of mex. rice, chicken mex. style, and nopales. Cactus, for those of you who haven't un clue. Organic chicken.
Renae, I am right there with ya. I recently read an article in Rolling Stone about pig farming and there's just no way I can support that (not a big deal--pork was never a fave) but it made me realize that ALL meat is pretty much like that.
Can't do it. Beans are fine. I was a veg for many years pre-Mexico and mostly even vegan. It all started when on my julymama thread someone there talked about how the mama cows suffer when their babies are taken from them, then we get the milk/cheese/cream/ice cream. *sniff*
FTR, still not off dairy, but it's organic.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

celebrity crush: jack black... i just wanna hug him and squeeze him and laugh with him and it's a good thing bill shares his stature and sense of humor...










sarah: chicks are key-uuuuute! love the names...









my mom is here... yay! (cute note: marek just leaned over from eating breakfast and says to my mom "i love you" and i'm not even jealous that he never says that to me. it's super cute.)

later, mama jamas...

~claudia


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

So all this talk of inhumane cattle/pork practices leads me to somthing I've been considering heavily lately. Dh and I aren't vegetarian, not even close. I've been really thinking lately about purchasing a side of beef from a local farmer.we've got a large upright freezer, so storage wouldn't be an issue. I somehow think small local farmers raise their cattle in much more humane ways than the big farms. Whaddya think? Am I way off base in that thought? Have you ever known anyone who has travelled this route?


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Sarah: chicks are outta control cute. Love the names! How fun for Lily.

Sherri: GREAT idea. First, ask how much medication the cow has received and observe the farm, if you can. Just see if the cows look happy or miserably penned.

Otherwise, fabulous idea, always support the little guys versus the corporations who couldn't care less!

TC: CUTENESS about the I love you! Sol still hasn't said it to me either. I ask her if she loves x, and she says yes, but it never comes out by itself.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

clematis. oh i know. i lovingly fed one through and up the chain link on the north side to find it lovingly laid back down on the ground the next day. it is not MY chain link fence and apparently on that side i am not allowed to trail anything through it (old german lady). am i evil to want to put up a big wood fence and block the sun on all her sun loving plants right there?????????? (yes). on the back there are climbing roses which are starting to go to town. and i planted a shade vine in the shady part. i haven't tried stringing anything on the other neighbor's side but she wacks at our bamboo so i'm not sure how receptive she'd be to clematis covering it. it is 'her' fence. we're just fenced in by everyone else's ugly fencing. i've noted more people in our neighborhood removing the chainlink and replacing it with picket fencing in front yards and i think HALLELUJAH!!!!!!

jack black. so cute and dang funny. i don't know if i have shared that nacho libre is isaac's current favorite movie. i don't think i have because it is actually pretty violent so i feel kind of







: there is one scene where he catches the kids wrestling and tells them kids can't wrestle. so i've been capitalizing on that. it is the *most retarded movie* evAR but the more i see it the more i see the humor in it. and i decided isaac just *has* to be nacho libre for halloween this year.

my celebrity crush. jake gyllenhall is pretty hottie methinks. but i had to think pretty hard to come up with one. i'm more fascinated with the local indie band boys here in portland. minor crushes on lots of em









meat. i read an article last weekend about gestating pigs being kept in confinement cages where they can't turn around and have no bedding. and for the most part all pigs are kept in metal cages where their waste just falls below them and there is no bedding and the hydrogen sulfide fumes are horrendous (and toxic) so they pump them with millions of pounds of antibiotics. being gestating myself it *really* depressed me. and i know the entire meat industry is horrid. i tend to think chickens are not as complex emotionally but pigs are smarter than dogs and exhibit signs of depression and anxiety. (not that i think keeping chickens confined is ok.) since reading the article i have only bought bacon at wild oats. but i still don't even know if that bacon is confinement-cage free. actually yesterday buger king announced they are going to purchase confinement-free pork but when i opened the article it said their goal is 10%. i don't eat burger king and the 10% figure is not all that impressive but i have to say that is a major step in the right direction for the fast food industry by raising the bar...which really feeds the horrid meat industry. sherri- i definitely feel like buying a side of beef is better on all fronts. supporting a local farmer. reducing transportation and pollution by staying local. and smaller farmers are likely going to have better conditions.

relationships. it is supposed to be the 7 year itch not the 3 year itch







i definitely had the 7 year itch.

those chicks are cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute! how perfect for springtime









EL - the lentil's runs sound like a mega drag. and thank goodness you got some reassurance!


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

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jstar* 
ahhhhh - a trip to england sounds fabulous! peaceful travelling (you must be travelling today a&l+2). i think tiny babes are mostly easy on airplanes. it is the toddlers who are harder. i feel like a toddler on a plane...i don't want to sit in that seat for that long either.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
Wow, Lisa, like Hey we're going to Europe tomorrow (today)! I'd be telling everyone for weeks I think.

Um, yes, well...We boarded the plane but we didn't go anywhere because Annabel got very sick. Alison was nursing as we were getting settled in our seats, Annabel coughed and I look over she's coughing up blood. We freaked and ran off the plane. At this point she was still and very pale as well although breathing. The airline called the paramedics and Alison and Annabel went to the hospital. Eleanor and I followed in a taxi. Annabel has pneumonia. The had to draw blood, x-rays, etc. She came home last night, but we're going to the doctor today. It was the scariest moment of my life. Eleanor was amazing and handled the drama very well (not so much her mamas). Annabel is going to be okay...but no casual flights to Europe for some time.

I gotta go get Eleanor to the park for some much needed fun. I just had to update you all.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
Um, yes, well...We boarded the plane but we didn't go anywhere because Annabel got very sick. Alison was nursing as we were getting settled in our seats, Annabel coughed and I look over she's coughing up blood. We freaked and ran off the plane. At this point she was still and very pale as well although breathing. The airline called the paramedics and Alison and Annabel went to the hospital. Eleanor and I followed in a taxi. Annabel has pneumonia. The had to draw blood, x-rays, etc. She came home last night, but we're going to the doctor today. It was the scariest moment of my life. Eleanor was amazing and handled the drama very well (not so much her mamas). Annabel is going to be okay...but no casual flights to Europe for some time.

I gotta go get Eleanor to the park for some much needed fun. I just had to update you all.

not the post i was expecting from you!! how awful and scary!







and how lucky it didn't start happening once you were up in the air. that would have been reallllllly scary. very glad she is going to be ok







:


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Oh, my goddess, Lisa. I am soooo glad Annabel is okay! How very scary! Had she exhibited signs of illness prior?
Did you think it was just a little teeny cold and then-bam! ? I am soooo glad it didn't happen AFTER takeoff!!


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

omigosh, lisa... so glad that things are looking better, but wowza, scary. ditto what els said about it not happening AFTER take off.







mama...

~claudia


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

holy crap! Thank goodness you hadn't left the gate! Wow. So scary. I'm glad Eleanor handled it well. That sort of thing can be especially scary when you're not sure what's happening in the first place.


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
It all started when on my julymama thread someone there talked about how the mama cows suffer when their babies are taken from them, then we get the milk/cheese/cream/ice cream. *sniff*
FTR, still not off dairy, but it's organic.

But then I heard ona podcast that in order for the cows not to get mastitis when they are organic (and can't have abx) they have a very rough and tough milking schedule for them. So now I am torn with organic and not. But I am not ready to cut dairy or even meat because soy just does not agree with me.








: This is a thing that makes me crazy.


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
Um, yes, well...We boarded the plane but we didn't go anywhere because Annabel got very sick.

WOW I am so sorry, that sounds so scary. I am glad she is OK, but still.
Still, too bad about the trip to England.
Had she had a cold? WOW.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Lisa - strength and warm thoughts to everyone! So glad she'll be ok. And it happened when it did. Poor baby.


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Wow, so sorry for the scariness, Lisa! I would'a freaked too! And sooo glad it happened before takeoff, so you could get help as soon as you did. And I'm thanking lucky stars that e handled it well, so you two mamas could focus better on Annabel. One positive is that you are on vacation from work, and can be home with your family and get everyone well again. Big







for you and your family.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Oooh, Lisa!







I am SO glad everyone is ok! I would have lost it as well! And yeah, something good in having it happen BEFORE the plane took off!







How frightening.
Much love to you!

Els, I read the Rolling Stone article too.














That's when I started thinking about all of this in depth.

More later though. I just had to offer Lisa and Alison and Eleanor and Annabel HUGS!


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

Thanks guys, feeling your well wishes is nice.

Annabel had no cold or warning signs really. She was fussy in the evenings for the last couple of days which in hindsight is unusual for her. She had coughed and sneezed 6-7 times in as many days, so certainly we had no idea she was developing PNEUMONIA. I think that the surreal factor of blood out of nowhere was part of the whole stress for me. It just seemed like it couldn't be happening. So, so scary. There is something about this kid though - coughing up blood was exactly the thing to do to prevent us from flying - she seems to know how to get what she needs.

We're all okay, but I am so tired right now I can't think and I need to do some dishes and get to bed. I will catch up on the may mamas goings on soon and post something - I saw there was discussion about cows and Rolling Stone?!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

It's okay, Lisa. Feeling our well wishes IS nice.

that is a funky sentence but grammatically a-okay!

It's gonna be a party-filled weekend here, we have kids' parties today and tomorrow, then an adult party sunday that is daytime so kids-okay.

I have this thing in the mornings where I want to brush all debris (kids, etc.) aside as I make coffee and read emails/mdc, and not be bothered until that routine is finished, about 1 hr or so. This is in direct conflict with Sol and Amara's plans for me in the morning. I say they have plans for me, but really they are plans for themselves, and darnit they are the most self-absorbed baby and toddler I know! (just kiddin there--don't get scared)
I know that I could get up an hour earlier than they do but a) no I can't, and b)I get precious little sleep as it is, and c) no fucking way.
Whoops--did I say that? 'scusie!







: It is still within that hour of which I speak where the coffee cup is half empty, instead of half full.
Besides, I don't have an alarm clock in my bedroom. It's in the bathroom. My two little alarm clocks are these cutie-cute blonde warm things on either side of my person, perfectly designed to make me not flail imprecisely seeking the "sleep" button on them. I am never late for work.

Love to my maymamamuses. I like this morning thing I just wrote so here I go c & p to blogdom...

happy fridays. How is Annabel today, Lisa?
Juice--it's Friday! You just may have survived this week! (she was having a hard one)


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

i also want the morning ME peace time but my want is about 15 minutes of the world's top headlines and a cup o coffee. this turns into MY TURN!!! when the wee one wakes. i have to put him off until i get in the shower and then i put a show on for him because i know he won't be running around the house doing anything scary. doug *hates* the fact that i start my/our day with tv but he doesn't have to shower alone in the house with a toddler on a daily basis. i'm trying not to take him in the shower anymore because i am just too big to hold him. so tv it is for now







:

this morning there was a little snippet about a 6 year old boy whose dad came home from iraq and came to his school to see him. the boy cried and I BAWLED!!!!! too touching for the pregoo lady. i feel so lucky my hub is not in iraq. the worry would be so hard. i think i cried because i hate the fact we are at war. hate it.

happy friday!!! we have no plans for the weekend except hopefully meeting the doula on sunday if she isn't at a birth. i think i'm going to go get some wood and strawberries and build a little strawberry bed in the backyard. i had a great one at my old house

isaac's teachers have both told me this week that he is doing WAAAY better in sharing and not lashing out over toys. i am so glad to hear it. he picked up a book this morning as i was leaving and a little girl grabbed it out of his hands. he didn't do anything but kept talking to her. then a few minutes later he came and cried to me. but this is major progress for chomps!

i hope you get some rest lisa. and hopefully you'll get a little break from work even if you haven't gotten to take your trip. soooo wacky there were hardly any warning signs!!!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jstar* 
this is major progress for chomps!










:


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

I better post something....I actually got a message when I came to MDC today at the top of my screen saying something like "you haven't posted in a few weeks. Why not take a moment and do so?" I was coming here to do just that, but I didn't expect MDC to add to my guilty feelings!







I know my May Mamas, though. It's a no guilt zone. Hooray.

So, first of all, Lisa! I've been thinking about you and your scary ordeal all day. I'm glad things happened when they did, but wish they didn't have to happen at all. We took G on a plane ride at about the same age, and I would have freaked. Try to get some rest and TLC for all of you. Also, sorry you missed your trip, but so glad A is okay.

There are many other things to respond to, I know. But, I'm so far behind, I best just stick to the basics.

We saw KK along with T, Z & L on Sunday. They were passing through town and we met at a park and spent an hour or so together. She also gave me loads of baby clothes....many of them pink! Probably jinxing me, but I'll give them to a good home if we don't use them, of course.

House closing is on April 9. We move April 21. Barely started packing. It will happen.

G has been feverish and sicky all day. He just wanted to lay on the couch with his water, Pooh, and blanket and watch his shows. I let him, he was so pathetic. His nose started running tonight, so maybe it's just a cold. He kept saying "mama, I'm cold!" yet he was pink-cheeked all day. He's so rarely sick, I just feel so helpless to do anything for him. I did hold him a lot.

MW visit tomorrow, so I'm eager for that.

I am reading and feel pretty caught up with you all. Just been too busy. You are often in my thoughts, though, and I talk about you all with dh on a regular basis. Through all my moves in just the last three years, my May Mamas have been there.






























Off to bed!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Hi Jacqueline! That's wild that mdc does that! You will be moving on my birthday...I"ll be thinking of you!
Sol has been going through a renewed "mamamamamamamamamama" stage wherein she just wants to be with me. Probably a backlash from the last months of pregnancy/first months of Amara when she was only minimally with me? I dunno. I enjoy being with her, mostly, and taking her places, but I still am not crazy about taking two children places. Just the physical logistics! let alone diaper/aguarightnow/food/sleep stuff.

Had a great time yesterday, onto more busy-ness and parties today. My mother let her apt her lapse without rent pymt (grrrr) so off I go to remove her scheit.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Hi Jacqueline! So good to hear from you. I've been thinking about you and your little (big) log cabin.









Hope your whole FFF is doing well now, Lisa.

Elsanne, have a fun weekend.

I am planning on going out for Thai food for lunch with my mom, then DH and I are going out to a movie or something this evening. Wow, decadent. What it really is, is my last gasp of freedom before the quarter starts on Monday. Sigh.

We ordered a dollhouse kit for Lily's birthday. I am hoping a) it won't be too terribly time-consuming to put together and b) it's not too "old" for her. I do like doing things like that, though - i.e., cutting and gluing/nailing tiny little bits of wood - and if she's not interested in it now, she will be someday, right? Hopefully. The grandparents on DH's side really wanted to get one for her, so they're paying for most of it.

I'm looking forward to Easter. We're going to a neighborhood egg hunt on Saturday and Lily is already excited.

Happy weekend, everymama!

Sarah


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

I'm back. It was nice seeing the grandparents, but egad, I'm tired.

I'm going to whine for a minute, but it *really* was a nice visit...

First... L had pinkeye the morning after we arrived. Then Z had an ear ache midday (and my step-mom ran to the store for children's motrin and homeopathic eardrops and pink eye drops--is it okay to mix those things?). Then T had pinkeye. Then I had the ear ache. The kids weren't sleeping well. By Tues, T's pinkeye was raging--I wound up calling the ped at home Tues night, and got a prescription for antibiotic eyedrops (yeah, the PE was viral, but he had rubbed his eyes so much they got a bacterial infection). By Wed, we're all getting sore throats. Thurs/Fri, I had no voice (sound like a frog today). We went through half a bottle of motrin this week (I gave L a couple of 1/2 t. doses during a couple of bad nights, and took a 3 t. dose myself a few times, then there was Z's ears and also T at some point). Last night was the only night they slept at all decently. (Thankfully, since I drove back today.) Yesterday the hacking cough/dripping noses continued. We went through 1/2 a bag of cough drops on the way home. (Jacquie, be thankful we saw you on the way there instead of on the way back, and yeah, I wonder if we got what that kid at the playground had... and they slept from Montrose to Vail today, anyway!) I never would have survived if my mil hadn't "given me a nap" every day (she's never done that before, and we're getting along better than we ever had in the 21 yrs I've known her, so that was all good). She took T, and I'd lay down with Z and L and pass out... Oh yeah, I took apart her faucet and replaced the washers (it was dripping), and she was *so* impressed. (Like "I didn't know girls could do that!" impressed







:







)

Then I get back, and... I'm so disappointed. Dh was supposed to be "getting stuff done" (finishing up the painting downstairs, reinstalling the babygates on the stairs correctly, stuff like that). It feels like he got only about 1/2 of what he should have gotten done accomplished.







Argh. And then I yelled at him







: and re-lost my voice.

That's about it. I want to read through the May mamas that I missed and catch up. I feel like I lost a week of my life. Oh well--it was a good cause.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

MCSB... it's probably time again to say how impressed I am that you're plugging away at the CNM thing, and I love everything you share with us.

Els, during the trip, Z was constantly in this "Don't leave me, Mama!" thing, which was a little annoying. (I can't leave you even if I want to for the whole WEEK, kid!) And a different take: I am *thrilled* when I only have 2 kids to take somewhere.









Ha, ha, MDC guilt! I want you all to know that Jacquie is the picture of glowing pregnant health. And G had a ball (that's a joke... I've never seen him without one







). I hope G feels better soon. (I'll bet it was that hacking kid at the playground!)

Jess, glad chomps is chomping less. Your comment about the war reminded me that I had a really funny political dream while I was gone... I dreamt that GWB was living in the house kitty-corner from us (a bunch of not necessarily well-behaved college students live there). I was out in our front yard, frowning at the house (I'll admit that I do this from time to time), and W pops out, in a sweatshirt and baseball cap. He dumps a plastic bag of trash on the sidewalk. I ask him what he's doing. "I'm puttin' out the recyclin'," he says with a s******. Then he hops into a car and sideswipes our neighbor's car.

Lisa, I'm so relieved that Annabel is okay (I read up backward through the posts, and it was a little scary). Mega







s to all of you.

Celebrity crush... I feel a little embarrassed to admit that for a long time, it was Richard Gere. Then maybe George Clooney (yes, I have a major thing for prematurely grey hair














.

Meat/dairy/whatever... I feed Z and L only organic/free-range meat, and when we eat fish (rare occasion), it has to be wild-caught. And the chickens and dairy cows have to be organic and pastured (no Horizon for us). I feel bad enough that two of my kids are eating meat, that we eat any fish at all... Yeah, Sherri, your plan is







.

MCSB, are you gonna raise chickens? (Very cute pix!) I have a friend here who has some, and he says we should do it too. I just don't know what I'd do when they got old....

EL, poor lentil, and poor you.







I hope the u/s is paid for and that you can get relief in the ahem dept.

Juice,







s to you, too. Definitely an ack week. I'm looking forward to spring break being over, too.

Dinner: we're having Nepalese takeout, I think, because dh is trying to appease me, and because the fridge is empty, and because I'm exhausted.

I had another thought for EL... make sure that you make sure that you don't have a fissure instead of rhoids... they can look very similar externally, but they are treated a bit differently...

Ug, Sherri, I can't tell you how crazy snow makes me. You have my sympathies. We have a fence, but major chunks fell down with big wind this winter, and we're supposed to be finally replacing it in the next month or so. Can you talk to your neighbors about it? (Dh has talked to all of our neighbors about our fence plans, to get their feedback, and to get them to contribute $$.)

Renae, I'm very curious about the lip ring, too (post pix!), but I'm definitely not a piercing/tattooing person.

I think I need to say random hellos to Claudia, Nuggets, and Heather.... anyone else?

I think I'm all caught up.


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

I just started the new thread here!


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