# ~~~~May 2004 Mamas ~~~~ Feelin' Thankful it's November ~~~~



## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

Ha! I get to start the new thread for November!

So very exciting.


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

BOO!
I am still here. Just on a sugar high!

I will catch up, I will! But now I have to go to sleep


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Happy Day of the Dead, everybody! Today is all souls' day (every dead person) and tomorrow is all Saints' day (every dead child). There are altars up all over town, in the streets, in homes, etc. Sol will dress up in costume today (a nod to halloween) and they'll make an altar at her school and eat tamales and sweet bread (pan de muertos). Cool huh!

I just love the idea of creating an altar and honoring the dead people you love and miss. When else do we do that? We don't have a set "grieving day" for that in U.S. culture. On the altars they decorate them with beautiful paper cuts of death (skeletons, etc) and sugar skulls and fruit and certain flowers that are orange and fuchsia, putting up pictures of the deceased and their favorite food and drink for them to return to and enjoy.

Because I am horridly holiday-challenged I will just enjoy from afar because no, I don't have my scheit together to create a great home altar. Someday! If I were Sherri I would have the loveliest porch altar EVER.
I do have some beautiful paper cuts hanging on the wall above my computer.

OH OH OH! I had a vivid dream of a maymama get together and Sarah Bee had a new baby girl named Zulma! (pronounced in the spanish way), Soool-mah. I was mortified I had not clicked on the link she had provided to let us all know of her birth story and so I didn't even know she had had a baby, let alone was pregnant etc....


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Love that dream! (I approve of *all* nutty dreams!














)

I love the Day of the Dead, too. There was a much bigger presence of it in the Bay Area (esp. SF) than here (guess I'm kinda in white bread land). I don't think something like that could fly in the US... we're too repressed, especially wrt death.

Y'know what's kind of funny... with my mom gone, I was able to really CLEAN the house yesterday afternoon. (The kids were calmer, and I had one less person to take care of.) I started a thread in the toddler forum about the issue that got the annoyance going (cpr/1st aid)...

We did trick or treat (a bit), but man, it was frickin' COLD. I let the kids eat the fruit leather than our crunchy friends down the street gave them, plus an honest to goodness piece of candy. The rest of it will disappear. And where will it go?







Actually, I think I need to send it with dh to work... I'll try to post pix of the jack-o-lanterns (art directed by T) and the kids in their costumes later.

Just wanted to say also that Jacqueline, I've had a wacky cycle like that too, and







. (And I'm really looking forward to seeing a pic of G, because IMO, he'd make a perfect little cowboy.)


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

PS How long are we supposed to stay boo'd?

And hi nuggets!!!!


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Hi Mamas!

SOrry I haven't been more present. My internet's been on the blink. Not sure how long I have it before it goes on the fritz again, but checking in while I can. My hard drive is about to go, so I'm posting from the laptop. I want to update some pix on the YG when I can. Got some cute Halloween pictures to share!

LISA! Congrats on selling the house! What a big relief, huh? Ours is supposed to have the home inspection today at 1pm, so holding my breath everything checks out. When are you supposed to close on your house, Lisa? PLease repost the link to the new place on the YG! I'd love to see it!

Emmalola, congrats on the house buying! When will you close?

Big super big hugs to you Jacqueline. What a whirlwind of emotions you've processed. I am glad you have a good perspective of it all. Big hugs for you, youare so strong.

els-you'd be disappointed in my current porch. No decorations yet. Waiting till Christmas, then I'll bust some out.

Welcome MissJuice! I grew up in Ohio, so nice to see a fellow Ohioan! Go Bucks! Loving the Ohio State football team this year!

Faery and Nuggets-welcome back!

Fiddle, I've read of your current struggles with the yeast and the pg. I have everything crossed that all works out for you. You are so stroong, but I wonder why you have encountered so many hardships? Frustrating I'm sure. But you have my support no matter what.

Turbo-how's the Mom visit?

KK-glad you have some space back. I love being able to get back into our routine after family has left. It's a relief for dh to start work this week, because I feel so helter skelter when he's around. We're adjusting quite well to the move, and he really likes his new job so far. Having some furniture delivered today, so that will be excitiing!

I'll be MIA for a few days, going to Ohio to visit my Mom, so I'll beback on Sunday!

Love to all!


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

emmalola, where in NM are you? I'm a transplanted New Mexican myself.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
I just love the idea of creating an altar and honoring the dead people you love and miss. When else do we do that? We don't have a set "grieving day" for that in U.S. culture. On the altars they decorate them with beautiful paper cuts of death (skeletons, etc) and sugar skulls and fruit and certain flowers that are orange and fuchsia, putting up pictures of the deceased and their favorite food and drink for them to return to and enjoy.

That sounds awesome. My oldest DD is having a lot of questions about death lately, and seems really frightened - I think it would be nice to "celebrate" and make something positive out of it.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sarah'sMama* 
Welcome MissJuice! I grew up in Ohio, so nice to see a fellow Ohioan! Go Bucks! Loving the Ohio State football team this year!

Thanks! I've only been in Ohio for the last 6 years (wow, 6 yrs already??), my DH grew up here. I love it, though. Unfortunately I am officially a Football Idiot - no matter how I try, I just can't understand it or get into it. Not even with the help of beer. Baseball I managed to figure out and learn to love, not so with football. But I keep trying!

Well, I've now been pooped on. And I have to go to work. Quite the conundrum.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

posted linky to this thread in the oct thread... more later
~c


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Subbing real quick.

Hi Miss Juice.







Anyone who is obsessed with Elsanne is a friend of mine!









Halloween was a whirlwind. Will post pics of the adorableness asap.









Gotta run and take advantage of the mia's-at-school-and-jett-is-napping downtime.

Oh, and thanks for booing me everyone. Sorry I had to be such a pathetic brat about it. Funny.... my mom tells me I used to always whine about "no one ever tells me ANYTHING" when I was a child. Looks like that complex is still kickin' it live. Hmmm... where's that Personal Growth forum again?


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

trick or treating was fun (but COLD!). so cold we didnt' get enough trick or treaters and i still have half a bowl of candy left. we only did 2 blocks on our street and isaac thought the whole concept was GREAT! he ate one tootsie roll pop and i was amazed he didn't throw a tantrum about eating more. (or when he woke up this morning). pics later

lisa i had a dream we came by your house and hung out with you and A and E. and my old roommate is from san jose so she was in the dream and then doug and her and i left to drive from san jose to bakersfield and i was getting all confused on the freeways trying to find 101. then we hit this amazing redwooded area where there were fish running (which were actually koi and not salmon...as if there are any salmon left down there but the koi were HUGE and had big eyes and bright orange, etc.) but they had a new nature trail along the stream so we stopped to hike that. very funny dream


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

My mom just left here so I have my computer back. I should be preparing for my gardening project in the classroom tomorrow, but Oh WELL!! This is all turning out to be more work than expected. Also I have some ambitious holiday knitting projects which is where I have really been.
We did celebrate Dias de las Meurtes in Oakland at the museum. Decorated sugar skulls etc. Maybe a little shrine here would be something but not really done this year.
I will see if Julia will eat something besides candy. Yes, I am the one who let them have whatever they wanted. Then they happily traded my mom for most of it in exchange for barbies. Where are the paper bags. I may have to use one of hte trcik or treat bags...


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

I'm here, joining up for the month.

DH is doing an All Saints Day Service at our church tonight...as close as a bunch of white Episcopalians get to dealing with the issue of death. It's basically a regular church service with a time set aside for reading the names of the departed in our lives. That's pretty powerful, but G and I will be staying at home. The service starts at 7, and G was already out late last night.

I'm doing pretty well, but your thoughts have meant alot to me. I'm still bleeding pretty heavily, but the cramping has slowed down, so I'm thinking the worst is over.

G was an awfully cute cowboy, but I took pics with an old-fashioned FILM camera, so it will a little while before the film is developed. We went to the community center deal, but the prizes at all the carnival games were stickers, plastic toys, and such...no real CANDY! So, we visited a few homes and put some sugar in his bucket. Now, we've been rationing it...but dh and I might just finish it off late one night!









Okay, better fix dinner. Happy November all!


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Jacqueline,







I'm so sorry.

Again, I only have a second, but I wanted to post these.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...1cNWLl&notag=1


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Jacqueline, you are in my thoughts.

Meg - Such cuteness...I love Halloween. Here are some of mine on my flickr page.

Sherri - have fun in Ohio. And you'd better get your 'puter fixed pronto, missy. We don't tolerate our May Mamas being away for long.









Hi, Miss Juice. Sorry I forgot to welcome you earlier. As you will find, I'm the resident pop-in-when-I-have-time-and-only-comment-on-a-few-things May Mama.

I am feeling totally overwhelmed with schoolwork right now. Usually it's the clinical hours that kick my a$$, but this quarter there are no clinicals. It's the freakin' reading and projects/papers that are really piled on. They frontload us with a lot of academic stuff this first quarter so we can concentrate on clinicals the rest of the time. I have one huge paper, three group projects, and numerous smaller homework assignments, not to mention tons of reading. Ridiculous amounts of reading. Like so much reading I couldn't even do it if I didn't have a 2-year-old. Arrgh. I'm not used to feeling so behind.

Anyways, off to go do some homework.







:

S.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mcsarahb* 
As you will find, I'm the resident pop-in-when-I-have-time-and-only-comment-on-a-few-things May Mama.

S.

Aw, SarahBee. You must be so overwhelmed you didn't even catch the fact that I am intuiting your next child. It's okay. Everything's gonna be alright!

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jacqueline* 
It's basically a regular church service with a time set aside for reading the names of the departed in our lives. That's pretty powerful,

Sounds pretty powerful indeed. As the wife of a preacher, how does that feel? I mean, what is it like? I am imagining a pressure to behave a certain way or maintain the happy family image...what are the good parts, the benefits of being a a priest's wife?
I am thinking of you...take some iron pills if you can. Slow FE is a good one.

Sherri so sorry your computer is on the fritz! I go through withdrawals. I could not move into this new house until the actual day the cable internet was hooked up.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
Aw, SarahBee. You must be so overwhelmed you didn't even catch the fact that I am intuiting your next child.

No, I am just studiously ignoring it. You must have the wrong mama.









Brrrrrrrr I am cooooooooold.


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Tee hee







It doesn't matter how many times ya tell these folks you're only wanting one, Sarah. We've got some mamas here that WANT YOU PREGNANT!







I personally hope you're spared at least for a while, so you can finish school and get some time to be a midwife.

Hooray! Good to hear from you, nuggets. I admire your ability to hold off the MMF addiction long enough to prep for the holidays. I haven't even thought about that stuff yet.

Speaking of which, MCSB mentioned secret santas for the mamas. If we do it, count me in.

Meg- I LOVE the pic of baby rhino.









Some GOOD news: I found out today that our company needs a new 1st Aid/CPR trainer, and it pays WAY more than my current $9/hr wage. The instructor trainings are almost all on evenings when I'm already working so I won't have to a hire a sitter, plus the company will pay me to take the instructor trainings. Woo hoo! I'll take the courses in Novemeber and start instructing 1st Aid/CPR in December! Twice a month, I'll work a couple of extra hours and make some good money for a change. I told my company I need to take Feb and March off, obviously.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

awesome ff









lovin the halloween pix. mine are on YG.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

For the Record? Sarah, I don't particularly want you pregnant, per se, I just dreamed that you had little Zulma. That's all. If that belies my deepest desires, well then, yeeeaaaah. I know you feel strongly that another is just not on the menu.

FF I think a first aid trainer is a GREAT thing.

I want to do Secret Papa Noel too! I would love to do a mama thing, or a child thing, or both, or whatever! I know! Let's all go to Sherri's and help her decorate that porch and have some warm apple cider...then we could go to her old house and take sleigh rides around and around on that ponderous lawn...which would be all snowy. Then we'd get off and make snowpersons ('cause we're all so pc), maybe make a pregnant one in honor of all the pregs, and the non-pregs would pelt one another with snowballs and then go inside and play pool and eat nummies.


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

:

Count me in on the secret santa, snowball fight, pool playing, and nummies! Especially the nummies.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

i'm in for the secret santa. i think it should be for the mamas.

fyi, apparently mercury went into retrograde again, so be aware of communication issues in relationships.

also, two friends of mine had their identities/ wallets stolen, so hold on to your personal identifications, mamas.

more later.

~claudia


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Hi!! We have our new computer! WOO!

I don't have much time to do other than this, Rowan just woke up and is he pi$$ed! *hugs* I am in on everything too! In in in.

Later mamajamas.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Meg, your kids are too cute! Added 2 pix in my 2nd folder on the yg.

I'm up for the xchange--thanks for allowing plenty of time!

I think ff should come and train my mom in cpr.









I had a great girls night out last night, and arrived home to discover that dh had burnt the bread I had left for him to bake. Poor thing was really embarrassed. But I'm so enlightened that I see that he probably could have used more explicit instructions from me.







So T and I are going to get some more started now.


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

I'm in! What are the rules?

not much time for posting. very tired. hopefully accepting any and all babydust. hi!


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

I'm tired too. Exhausted, actually. Three midterms in the last week, including a lab midterm on "paid patient models" today. Here's all my unwanted babydust from the fertile land of PDX:







Seriously, though, in addition to ALL THREE of the PDX May Mamas, I swear all of my other mama friends are pregnant. It's more than slightly scary.

KK - Yay for girls' night out! DH and I are going to a movie and decadent dessert tomorrow night; leaving L with a fun sitter. I can't wait. I think we're going to see Little Miss Sunshine.

As far as the Secret Santa, I'm thinking pretty basic: Anyone who wants to participate puts their name in, we "draw" names, and send a fun $10-or-under gift by, say, Dec. 25th. Gifts for mamas is my preference. Anything I'm not thinking of?

S.


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

I totally want to do the secret santa thing. I really need another knitting project. I am insane with the knitted projects right now. In way over my head. Heather got me going again a couple of years ago by the way so I blame her for my not very presence.
My sister does her holiday shopping all year and she is already done. Then she called me to tell me that so I was panicking! That is what is going on.
I am just loving N's school. A few weeks ago they had a presentation by a local author at the school. This weekend I am going to a gardening workshop to learn how to teach gardening to kids. It is all so much fun.
OK, time to go to bed.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Rowan has a cold and is being super-clingy.







So I'm not sure how much time I have. Hmm, this should make watching my friend's DS this morning...um...*interesting*!








I am either fighting the cold or at the end of it. We'll see how that works out.









I saw AFI last night in concert and um...wow, I feel like a 15-year-old fangirl! What an awesome show!







It was over at like 10:30 but then I went to a friend's house (at my former job she was my supervisor and now, since I quit...I feel like we can be better friends! Heh) and we hung out and ate a late dinner and I got home at 1:30am.







Way to feel like a teenager again!
Except, well, I am so not a teenager and am paying for that fact this morning!








But I had a fabulous time out!









This new keyboard is like a laptop's, so I have to watch where i type or there ends up being mega-typos.







I barely touch a key and it shows up on the screen.

Anyway, I don't have much to report, I am in for secret Santa (I wish I could crochet more than baby blankets!) and I agree it should be a mama-gift. We deserve Mama-gifts!









On the Day of the Dead; I helped my minister give a service this past Sunday where I had to write a call to worship about my own experiences with the holiday, and then I did two additional readings. It was so nervewracking to be up there in front of everyone, even though I know most of the people in my church, but it was also amazing. I felt so much more *in* the holiday because of it!

And weirdness; I spent a lot of time talking about my mother during the service (she died 7 years ago in December) and I had been wondering whether my own father is even still alive (long story; we don't talk at ALL) and also about my younger brother, who I hadn't heard from in forever, and lo and behold, last night he CALLS ME.







: I wasn't home, but he left his cell phone number so I have to call him back. Weird and scary and kind of exciting, even though it's anyone's guess how the conversation will go with us.









Okay, mamas, Rowan is DONE with me being on the computer, so I have to go. Have a wonderful day.


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Hi mamas!

First off, to respond to elsanne's questions about being a priest's wife/family...We've only been doing it for a little over two years, so we are not experts by any means. Luckily the Episcopal church is known as the church of the Middle Way (via media) so folks are mostly open minded about a variety of things, minister families being one of them. Of course, it's also regional, so Texas was a WHOLE OTHER THING, but here we are pretty free to be who we are. G and I go to what we want and leave the rest. Obviously, having a little one has been a great way to ditch activities I don't really want to participate in anyway







I'm sure there are some people who have "expectations" of me, but I try not to focus on that. I actually find I have more expected of me from people who are NOT Episcopalians, but just people we meet out in the community who immediately hear "priest" and I see a wall immediately go up between us. Then, when they try to make conversation with me, it's often about church stuff or they feel like they can't be themselves. It's sad, but does happen a lot. Lots of religious baggage out there, and with dh's profession, everyone feels the need to tell him what they think of it. So, sometimes we DON'T say what he does if we're not in our own community. It's easier.

So, that's a snapshot of what it's like. Mostly, it's all good cause I know dh is truly following his bliss, and it's so great to see him in that after all these years together. But, occasionally, it does feel a little binding. We are totally normal people and some folks do expect clergy to be "super human." DH is trying to be part of a new paradigm of church leaders, but that's not always easy.

Okay, 'nuff of that!

FF-congrats on the new job opp! Very cool

Jstar, KK & MCSarah-I checked out your Halloweenie pics and they are great! I'll share mine when they are ready.

Renae-Sorry about the colds. I've been dealing with scratchiness all week myself. And, the call from your dad (or brother?)! WOW! I hope it goes how you need it to. Maybe should wait until Mercury is out of retrograde, though









Gotta go do some exercises, I guess. I work tonight and then am excited for a calm, pg-test-free weekend!


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Did I miss Sarah's pix???

Jacquie, I appreciate your thoughts on being a PW (preacher's wife














). It seems like I knew plenty of PKs when I was growing up... families of ministers/priests/religious leaders definitely *are* just like the rest of us. I know it's not the same, but I get a weird reaction from people sometimes when they find out that I go to *church* (even though it's UU, which is very unchurchy). Popular perceptions can be very interesting.... Every once in a while, I think that going to seminary when I'm about 50 and becoming a UU minister would be really interesting. (I don't share that thought with *anyone*.)

Renae, good luck on the bro stuff. Our D of the D service was very moving, but it could have been *more*... sounds like there's some interesting "flow" going on with your D of the D, the call...

I appreciate the comments on knitting and crocheting, but don't raise the Secret Santa bar too high for those of us who are, uh... creativity challenged.









My bf is in another round of IVF (probably for the last time), so please, please, please send some







her way, especially you fertile PDX mamas. (MCSB, you can send Zulma her way







)

We're in the process of really finally redoing our wills and pricing out additional life insurance, etc. (we started this up a while back, but then various things interrupted the last steps). Even though I think we have enough life ins, I've been realizing that maybe we ought to have a little *more*, so that if whooever gets the kids wants a nanny, they can have one... I'm realizing that even though *I* am fine with and totally on top of taking care of 3 kids, not everyone else is. (That's not a statement implying I'm any better; it took me 5+ yrs to get to this point, and it's just reality.) Another funny thing... I think you guys know that we're not ruling out one last kid... I started wondering if having another kid would make the guardians listed in our wills back out (guardian #1 is my bf, and I think she and her dh could handle it, but still...).

And the very last things... I don't think I mentioned that L had a reaction to a shot a couple weeks back (we separate out and space out all the shots... this was to a Hib shot... her leg got red, the area around the shot was hard, she had a slight fever, and she cried for 1 1/2 hrs, which is *extremely* unusual for her). At her 6 mo appt, I refused to get another shot (want to wait a while). The next shot we'd be getting is DTaP, which I think is pretty important here (pertussis is endemic in Boulder... we have the lowest vax rate in the country, and some things are very common here as a result). We've never had a rxn in 5 1/2 yrs in 3 kids, and I want to find some balanced info (which I don't think exists). And last but not least... As I mentioned, L is not that interested in food. She's somewhat willing to have the spoon, mesh feeder, finger go into her mouth (ie, sometimes interested, sometimes not), but she's not swallowing (everything gets raspberried out). I didn't talk about this with our ped (he's pretty old school--and old... he's good with illness, but I just try to ignore the parenting stuff). He really wants her to get going on the solids of course, and I see that she's just not ready. Her weight curve has dropped a bit (like Z's did at this age, but she's way, way ahead of where he was with oral and gross motor stuff). Anyway, I'm thinking that I might call Z's OT just to hear her say that everything is fine (to cancel out my anxiety from the ped).


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

KK-Sorry about L's reaction to the shot. I've also found it's so hard to find objective info on this topic. We have spaced out G's shots, too, and we waited until he was 1 to get any. So far, no reactions. But, we're a bit behind, of course. And I need to find a ped here who's okay with delaying/selecting, cause G still needs a DTaP booster. I hope L doesn't have any other reactions. One thing that may have helped us is to give G a homeopathic remedy two days before he's to get a shot and 1 day after (we give Ledum 30c, 3x/day). Ledum is the homeopathic indicated for puncture wounds, btw. We found this suggestion in a book by Aviva Jill Romm about vaccs (it was either that book or "What your doctor doesn't tell you about vaccinations" or something like that) Both books were extremely helpful.

Oh, and Sarah mentioned somewhere about their pics....I think I read that! Anyway, I did see Halloween pics on the YG of Miss L!

Off to finally shower!


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Hi mamas,
I'm still hanging around







mostly lurking and getting a feel for everybody. It's a little strange busting in on a DDC 2 years later! My DD has a bit of a cold herself, and is really really clingy also (thankfully she's napping now).

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mama Faery* 
And weirdness; I spent a lot of time talking about my mother during the service (she died 7 years ago in December) and I had been wondering whether my own father is even still alive (long story; we don't talk at ALL) and also about my younger brother, who I hadn't heard from in forever, and lo and behold, last night he CALLS ME.








: I wasn't home, but he left his cell phone number so I have to call him back. Weird and scary and kind of exciting, even though it's anyone's guess how the conversation will go with us.












OK, here's what else is weird. I also wonder whether my father is alive. We don't speak very often, he's a little crazy (or a lot, depending on the week) and we don't have a non-speaking relationship but it's a lot of work so it can be a year or so between conversations. I also have a younger brother, who I don't talk to very often at all, and last night he called me. I did talk to him, and it was a little awkward, but felt good all the same. We're in VERY different places in our lives right now, so not a lot in common, but it still felt positive to reconnect, at least a little.

Just very interesting the similarities there. My family is pretty unique, if ya know what I mean!


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

isaac had that same rxn to one of his vax. the hard red bump on his leg lasted a week or so. actually now that i think about it he had one vax where he cried inconsolably for an hour. and then the hard bump was a later vax but didn't have any associated crying or anything. of course i can't remember what they were. i think hib was the crying and dtap was the bump but really who knows. i have vaxd because isaac is in daycare and pertussis is pretty endemic here as well because of the low vax rates. i think oregon is one of the lowest in the country? i waited on the mmr but he did get that one at our last visit.

i'm in for secret santa









if mceesarahbee ever had another one i'm sure it would be sooooo far in the future she would have to have completely forgotten about the insanity of babies







but her dh will probably take care of that option by then







one of my friend's husbands just made a V appt. and she freaked. they have 2 kids but she comes from a family with lots of kids and her bros and sisters are major kid producers. so even though her dh is adament they are done she has reservations. so they had an ongoing mirena/V debate for several days. and she was insisting on freezing some sperm. he finally relented to the mirena. i think it is great when both partners want the same thing. and so hard when they don't!

good luck with the call to your bro renae









sarah i was thinking about you and i have no idea how you do school with a 2 year old. major kudos woman. school is so demanding.

i am leaving for a conference for 3 days next week. my longest departure from my boy!!!!!! getting nervous about it. getting nervous about feeling ill too. that won't be fun.

yay for friday!!


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

KK--some one of these days I"m going to pick your brain on UU stuff as DH and I are newer UU's and don't always get a chance to attend services with wacky nap schedules and such. I think calling the OT about L is a great idea. It's so interesting to me to see how different C and E are with their issues. Sorry to hear about the shot reaction. E screamed for a half hour after her first hib and not at all after the others in the series.

Jacquie--I'm glad you can feel more relaxed about expectations in your new home. You're next on my list for brain picking....about homeopathy and such. I get so intimidated trying to search for answers and info so I don't even know where to start on gathering the basic remedies and most helpful stuff.

Nuggets--hehe! Glad to see you pop in. Glad I got you started on your kick again. Might have to ply you with some yummy yarn from my stash if we get matched up!









Sarah--midterms begone...sounds like an exhausting stretch! Come on over for some chai when it's all through!









Renae---ick on the cold, but v. jealous about your teenage antics!

Where are all the kids?! If it's only mid 40's we're the only people at the park. I know there are more at home moms/kids around here. Grrr!

I'm excited that E is almost nearly dropping the morning nap or only needing a catnap in the car or stroller. Funny how things change. I know I was pulling my hair out when C ditched the morning nap at 11 months.









I know had more interesting things to chat about, but been trying to finish this blurb for a while now!


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

getting ready to have lunch here. my mom is making pot stickers for M's lunch and tamales are in the microwave. thank g*ddess for trader joe's...







:

belated welcome Miss Juice! (i'm the other unofficial may mama, as our older son decided to wait until 8 days after his due date to be born.)

tamales all done, so more soon.

i'm waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay ticked off at bill because of home server things and our photo files and etc. i will try to get pics of our halloween lion up soon, as well as some newer pics of S.

~claudia


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

*grunt*

just checkin in for the day.

*snort*


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Uh, Elsanne? [tap tap tap] You in there?


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Grunting and snorting?

KK - pix on my flickr page. I posted a link before. Here it is again.









Claudia - sounds nice having your mom here. Would be nice to meet her one of these days...

Jacqueline - Cool to hear of your POV being a priest's wife. Although it is pretty much what I thought already.







I totally understand how you fear automatic judgment from people, one way or another. Sometimes I get that merely because I'm from the South. Pacific NW people generally pride themselves on being all open-minded and sh$t, but then they'll say something like, "Oh, I could NEVER live in the South because yada yada..." Like we're all a bunch of ignorant crackers. Grrrrr. Not that I think Episcopalians are ignorant. Or crackers. But YKWIM.
















to KK's bf. And to emmalola. Just get it away from ME.







Although the form of BC I use is better than sterilization. And NO, it's not abstinence, you silly geese!

Ok, so far for the gift circle I have moi, Heather, Jacqueline, Fiddle, Elsanne, Lisa, Claudia, KK, emmalola, Nugget, Renae, and Jess. Is that everyone who wants in? Sorry if I missed anybody - let me know.

Nugget - I'm glad to hear you are enjoying the school thing. It does sound fun. It is so rewarding to be involved in something worthwhile, and that you enjoy. Your daughters are lucky.









Jstar - enjoy the conference! Sounds fun to me. I am going to the Midwifery Today conference for 3 days in March. Yay! Ina May, Michele Odent, Penny Simkin...oh my!

OK, off to do more hw before DH notices what I'm doing.







:

S.


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

ha!

checking in as well. 10 dpo. triphasic chart. kind of excited. can't think of anything else. Oh, except the house inspection, which went pretty well. We need a new hot water heater and service on the furnace, but other than that the house is good. what a relief.

Miss Juice- I'm in Santa Fe. Born and raised here, until high school when my parents divorced.

Ug- vax reactions. ug.

babydust! here! ! and to all the other mamas who want some. we can share.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

ow wow ina may in the flesh. that will be COOL. i'm staying at the empress hotel in victoria. AND having high tea the moment i get there. i've never been to cana-duh! so i'm pretty excited. and very happy i'm not speaking because my boss usually makes me chair a session to go on these things (and every year at my performance review she says i should give a paper)







: i chaired a session when the conference was in big sky montana so i had to introduce the speakers and i hate public speaking. so this one is no stress. there is always a big party night with excessive wine drinking and lots of dancing (YEP engineers can dance!) and i'm kinda bummed i can't get in on the silly drinking. i can still shake it though







they have a black banana award which is this rotten-looking plasticized banana on a plaque and the prize is usually awarded related to some antics on the party night like getting locked out of your room in your underwear. yours truly won it however in big sky because i outed my love of BIGFOOT







: so then they announced to the whole conference that i saw bigfoot on the snowshoe hike. embarassssssing!!! i also had this guy from uzbekestan fall in love with me at that conference. i so could not shake him and he emailed me for months after that. gawd only knows what will happen in victoria. things to look forward to!!!









i was born in the south. hence the love of fried foods.


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

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mcsarahb* 
I am going to the Midwifery Today conference for 3 days in March.

Kicking myself because I really want to get to Eugene again and go to this. Babe number 2 is due late January so it may not be a possibility for me to be away to attend...but I want to I want to I want to!


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Lisa, did you go last year? I'm vaguely remembering something about something about something like that...


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *emmalola* 
ha!

10 dpo. triphasic chart.

Translation, please. Does this mean, "I may be pregnant"?

I'm here, kk, just wasn't very here earlier.

Jacqueline, I really liked hearing your POV as well. I am glad you are in a place where you feel like you can be yourself. And glad you are able to not participate when need be. I know if I met a person who was a priest's wife I might get all funny at first, thinking I should be more spiritual or something. So I'm glad I knew you as a PERSON first, not as society's label for you!

Jstar! You missed your opportunity to have Uzbeki babies!!! What is WRONG with you!!! And I would love to see you shake your groove thang. When I was first preg with Amara and didn't know it I went to that bellydance conference in puerto vallarta, the one with all the booze included, and I drank about 3 drinks per day. Baaaaaad.


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Oh I should so be in bed.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
*grunt*

just checkin in for the day.

*snort*

What, 'cha just wakin' up?

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TurboClaudia* 
belated welcome Miss Juice! (i'm the other unofficial may mama, as our older son decided to wait until 8 days after his due date to be born.)

Thanks much. I must say y'all are very friendly. My other DDC is July 2006, which has only existed for a year. I get a little territorial when someone new comes in *now* and says "can I join you?" so I was hoping you'd be more tolerant than I









Quote:


Originally Posted by *mcsarahb* 
Ok, so far for the gift circle I have moi, Heather, Jacqueline, Fiddle, Elsanne, Lisa, Claudia, KK, emmalola, Nugget, Renae, and Jess. Is that everyone who wants in? Sorry if I missed anybody - let me know.

I am definitely opting out of the swap because I don't feel I know anyone well enough yet to participate well. Also I barely have time to attend to personal hygeine, much less participate in extracurricular activities. Look for me in the next one, though!

Quote:


Originally Posted by *emmalola* 
ha!

checking in as well. 10 dpo. triphasic chart. kind of excited. can't think of anything else. Oh, except the house inspection, which went pretty well. We need a new hot water heater and service on the furnace, but other than that the house is good. what a relief.

Miss Juice- I'm in Santa Fe. Born and raised here, until high school when my parents divorced.

Ug- vax reactions. ug.

babydust! here! ! and to all the other mamas who want some. we can share.

Ooooh, LOVE Santa Fe. Never lived there (funny because I have lived in so many places in NM), but have many friends there. Good luck with the move - where are you going? Elsewhere in SF?

You can have ALL of my babydust.









I found recently that when you type







too quickly it comes out :guh
and I say :guh to vax reactions. Just :guh (and







)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jstar* 
i was born in the south. hence the love of fried foods.









I wasn't born in the south, but I lived in Atlanta for 4 years and I definitely developed a love of fried foods. And a tendency to say "y'all" which for me is truly a term of endearment.

OK bedtime.


----------



## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Juice, I just gave you a shout out on the Survivor thread. Yo!









You guys were prolific today! I was barely home and I still have to read all the posts.

Very tired today. I was up with Jett from 3:30-5:00 am last night. For no good reason. At least if he was crying or somethin I woulda felt sorry for him, but no, he was perfectly happy, just awake. I think maybe he's caught on that MTV only shows actual VIDEOS during the wee hours of the morn. Kids these days, I tell ya!









Despite my tiredness (and extreme crankiness







: ), and against my better judgement, I ventured to Target (what a scene that was - and I Love how my child acts like a crazed lunatic for me, but waves and smiles happily at every passer by) and then to playgroup which was help in a jumpy house extravaganza type place about 20 min from home. And then, because I am complete glutton for punishment, we went to In'n'Out for lunch (mmmmm.... burgers - quiet thyselves, vegan nuns!) where Mia acted like a complete FOOL. She was in rare form all day (what is WITH her these days - pressing every button and pushing ever boundary imaginable) but the lunch scene was the worst. I ended up throwing her fries in a bag and leaving in a "if you can't act right we are going home" frenzy. Then in the car she proceeded to have a HUGE fit about how the fries were arranged in the bag. "OH NO.... THEY *SPILLED*!!!!!!!!!!!" Oy. Calgon, take me away.

So that's my day, in a nutshell.







:

I should also tell you all, you're quite the churchy bunch. And you've inspired me. I've been eyeing a couple of UU churches in my area (both are abut 20 min from my house tho) and I decided to try one out. DH even said he would come! We both independently have been thinking our spiritual centers are a little off center. I'm excited to explore my spirituality without the confines of The Church (I was raised Catholic). I also like tha DH and I can go to one church (he is Jewish) and take the kids and have it be something we all do together. Not sure if it will be this weekend, but we are going to go soon and I'm really looking forward to it. Thanks for being such an inpsiration to me, oh churchy may mamas.







:

On that note, I'm off to go watch The Ten Commandments with Dh and Sultan. Just a little light Friday night movie action.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

*grunt, snort*

Now I AM just waking up. Have to go return kitten to where I found him/her even though I love her and want to hold her and keep her forever n ever because Viet put his foot down about bacterias, toddler eyeballs being scratched out, etc...had a mega hissy fit about it. Grrrr.


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

Oh Els, keep the cat and return the man to where you found him. Grrr.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

:


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

I have nothing else to say. How weird.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Lisa, that was a GREAT answer.


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

I like Lisa's answer too!









Just waking up myself this morning, after a night of not-so-good sleep. Here's a suggestion for all of you: do not watch "Hotel Rwanda" before going to bed. That was a bad idea. But, a very good movie. Extremely hard to watch in parts. Since I became a mama, I can't stand to see any movies where kids get hurt and/or separated from their parents. It was amazing to know that all went on just 12 years ago! I even tried to watch something mindless afterwards just to clear my head before going to bed, but it didn't work. Lots of dreams with Rwandans in them. I guess it should stick with me.

Meg, glad we've all "inspired" you to try finding a spiritual home near you. If dh weren't an Episcopal priest, I think I'd really enjoy going to a UU, while there are also some aspects of Judaism that attract me, too. But, we do love all the tradition and ceremony in the Epis. church. For me, it's important to be part of some spiritual community, and that's why we picked what we did, warts and all.

Speaking of which, gotta get ready for church. Then, I hope I can get ina nap this afternoon.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Ooh, Jacquie, maybe I didn't share that I did what you describe a couple of weeks ago. Watched HR, went to bed, cried, didn't sleep.


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

I don't think I could watch that movie. I have a really hard time with people being cruel to each other. It amazes and saddens me the lengths that humans will go to to hurt each other









OK, on a WAAAYY lighter note, I am really interested in getting to know you all. So, can you tell me a few things about yourselves?

1.) What CD(s) is (are) in your stereo RIGHT NOW?
2.) What is the last non-kid movie you watched?
3.) How many kids do you have and what are their ages?

I'll go -
1.) We have a 5-disc changer. DH loaded it most recently:
John Mayer (Heavier Things), Barenaked Ladies (Stunt), Vertical Horizon (Everything You Want), Shawn Colvin (These Four Walls) and U2 (How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb).
2.) The Big Lebowski, thank you Elsanne. I really liked it. Weird, but good. The Dude reminds me a lot of my dad (really). I always like Julianne Moore, and I like her more now.
3.) I have three. My first daughter will be 5 in January. My second daughter is two, and my son is three months.


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

OMG I killed it. Ignore me, and carry on.


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

KK-I vaguely recall your movie-watching experience...but I'm still glad I saw it.

Hey Miss Juice-
We do seem to be a little slow today! But, I get the daily digest, so most days, I try to just read once a day. Otherwise, we must be a busy May Mamas this weekend!

Here are my responses:
1. We don't have a CD player, per se. We have iTunes on our Mac and every single one of our CDs has been imported. We do a lot of random play...but I think we recently listened to all our Beatles stuff, Frank Sinatra, and I don't know what else. We have a pretty eclectic collection.

2. Last non-kid movie--Well, since I told you how well *that* went, let me mention we did see "The Departed" a couple weeks ago on an actual DATE!

3. Gabriel is 2 1/2 and is our one and only right now.

That's me!


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

ben harper (both sides of the gun), built to spill (you in reverse), muse, & modest mouse (good news for people who love bad news). in my car it is the thermals (the body, the blood, the machine) which i'm addicted to right now.

the last movie was just like heaven on on demand. the last movie i rented and watched was matchpoint which was crazy. i honestly can't remember the last time i went to the movie theater. it has probably been a year.

(els i realized we have the big lebowski dvd here so i need to watch it.)

i have isaac, a sassy 2.5 year old







:

i haven't seen hotel rwanda yet.

i just ate waaaaaaaaaaay too many enchiladas







: soooo full.

we've been having sleep crazies here. i think halloween was a little too scary. some of the kids that came by had insanely creepy masks and we've had lots of middle of the night crying and saying he is scared







he slept with dh friday night. i also put him down for nap yesterday and he didn't go to sleep and was fake crying in between talking for over half an hour. i finally went in and he was diaperless and told me his pee pee hurt and he peed in the bed







: lovely. the dipe stayed on today and he actually napped after talking in his room for an hour. he napped long enough for me to sew him a new blanket for daycare







(the pee pee hurting is diaper rash and these days he asks for diaper cream).


----------



## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Miss Juice* 
1.) What CD(s) is (are) in your stereo RIGHT NOW?
2.) What is the last non-kid movie you watched?
3.) How many kids do you have and what are their ages?


1. We have a loaded up ipod that we play and most recently we were playing Shawn Colvin then NWA. My car CD is Priscilla Herdman and Joan Baez. Truth be told though, I am really into listening to podcasts these days. Cast-on, The creative mom podcast, Lime and Violet, Wiggly Wigglers, and Barack Obama are some of my favorites.
2. The 40 year old virgin
3 two kids, DD1 is 5, DD2 is well, a may 04 baby so she is 2 and some. She is barely a may babe. Came early on the 31st because she knew...








aint


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

I'm cracking up at the thought of nugget listening to NWA. Maybe it's because I've you in person, but that is the LAST music I would ever expect you even own, much-less listen to.







I love it!

1) Killing Joke, Zero 7, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Best of Toddler Tunes. That said, I most often listen to itunes through the stereo speakers and my most often listened to thing is etherbeat.com, which describes itself as funk "jazz hiphop world reggae deepbeats".









2) I don't even know what movie... lemme think. Ummm.... V for Vendetta, maybe? It was okay. I was lost through most of it, only paying half attention.

3) 3 kiddos. Step-son Sultan, age 14.







Daughter Mia, age 2.5.







Son Jett, age 6 months.







:

And don't worry about killing the thread. It only means you are officially fitting in with us. We take turns as threadkilla! Looks like today was your day!









Mia is sleeping in her BIG GIRL BED for the first time tonight.







It was pretty funny... we were finishing dinner and she came out to tell us quite sternly, "Be Quiet. You're making too much noise for me to sleep!"







So now the crib is free for little Jett-o. I side-cared it onto our bed, so we'll see how that goes. He is just getting so big and DH and I (neither of whom are small people) only have a queen bed, so sleep has been pretty crappy lately. J wakes up whenever I touch him, so I'm thinking (hoping) he will sleep a little better with some space.

I'm wiped. To the couch with me.


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

1) CD: Just checked- Sing Along Songs and Lullabies, by my friend Carrie. L is obsessed with it. I seldom get to listen to adult music anymore except in the car, where I usually listen to the classical station because L is into it. Most recent adult CD I think was Fela i ura- Folkemisikk fra Bjerkreim (Norwegian). Most recent tape was Michelle Shocked, which L loved because it has violins and banjos.

2) I can't remember, but I think it was Little Miss Sunshine a coupla months ago. LOVED it.

3) 1 2/3 kids- L age 2 1/2, and W age -1/3. That's my former math teacher sassiness comin out.









Sending







out to Meg and Emilie again.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Man, the whole new computer thing is kinda fun, but also kind of a b*tch when you have to put all the stuff you had on your OLD computer onto your NEW one.







: I have been reminding DH daily that he is a dork.








Anyway, I'm here, just a little frazzled and confuzzed by the new 'puter, but all is well...well, as well as can be expected when Rowan has a bad cold and now I am getting it too.







We're sick, we're staying home and vegging out and even though it kills me not to do ANYTHING all day, it will be good to get some rest. He's been watching WAY too much PBS lately but I m not going to feel guilty about it so there.









Anyway, I'm here, trying to keep up, trying not to get totally ill, but feelin' good about life anyway. I baked 300 cookies for the homeless last week and that's done now (deadline was Sunday--my UU church makes lunches for the homeless shelter nearby once a month) and I am going to PA with my MIL and a bunch of female relatives for an annual shopping trip--we leave Friday morning!








I keep meaning to ask you where you live, Heather! Maybe I can stop by and say hello! That would so totally rule...I have to check to see where exactly we're going too though.








DH and Rowan will have a "boy's weekend" and I am afeared.














I'm sure they'll be great. But this weekend Rowan's been testing, testing, testing, partly because he's sick, partly because he's two and that's what they do now. Whoo boy.

Speaking of...gotta go, Rowan is asking for my attention.







*sigh* Sick babies. No fun.

Much love to you all. I will respond more later!


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

.) What CD(s) is (are) in your stereo RIGHT NOW?
2.) What is the last non-kid movie you watched?
3.) How many kids do you have and what are their ages?

We haven't unpacked our CD player, so it's all via ipod these days. Mostly I listen to audiobooks, or This American Life podcasts. But we have been listening to a lot of John Vanderslice at bedtime.

Last non-kid movie... hmmm. I think it would have been Gros Point Blank, which is in my Dad's movie collection and I watched it while sewing the lentil's halloween costume. In a theater? Little Miss Sunshine, which we saw in October, a mere 2 months after it came out.

We have the lentil, who is 2 and 5 months. And Biscuit, who is a canine kid, less than a year old.

Mamas- think sticky babydust for me. I'm testing Wednesday and am trying not to be too optimistic. My temps look good though...


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Emma's temps lookin' good! Wahoootie!

Juice,

ha!

that's all.

No wait, there's more:

a) cds: first of all, I want some of yours and jstars's music. I don't know what or who NWA is. Sounds like trouble. My cd player does not work but when I attempt to get it to, or put something on the computer, last time it was Argentine Tango. Then Bellydance music on the computer. How predictable.

b) Again, predictable: The Big Lebowski! It is the only movie not bellydance related that I own.

c) what was the question? uuuuuuh

oh yeah kids: I have five. My first two I had when I was eleven, twins, that I gave up for adoption but now have them back although one of them is pregnant, making me a gramma. The third is doing time in Utah for illegally entering the country from Uzbekistan. The last two, well you know about here.


----------



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

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 

c) what was the question? uuuuuuh

oh yeah kids: I have five. My first two I had when I was eleven, twins, that I gave up for adoption but now have them back although one of them is pregnant, making me a gramma. The third is doing time in Utah for illegally entering the country from Uzbekistan. The last two, well you know about here.

You are, like, totally _weird._

Me -
listens: Susan Werner (who is coming out with a leftist gospel album in the spring







); American Bluegrass Favorites; and always, always, always, the Music Together CD that has Baila, Baila, Baila on it (much to my dismay, dismay, dismay.)
watches: Probably something made for tv. Seriously, I haven't seen an adult movie in months. Note taken to seek a babysitter ASAP.
offspring: One girlie child born in May 2004 and one of unknown gender in gestation but expected in late January.

editted to add: Serious baby dust for Emma! I hope this is the stickiest!

Off to work.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
You are, like, totally _weird._



THAT is a compliment! Everybody must check out my personals ad in my blog, tell me what you think.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Els--I think if I weren't already married...







:







Love the pic!

I think John Mayer heavier things is in my cd player too! I have a hard time listening to that sometimes though as it was the only CD I had w/ me at the hospital the week C was in the NICU after she was born.

I haven't watched a movie in foreeeeever so no clue there.

My oh so two May toddler was born on the 25th and my second dd is 8.5 months old.

Renae---I bet you will totally not be too far from me....PM'ing you! We will get together one of these days.

Cuuuhrazy morning with a full on tears and meltdown all the way back from the park.







: The park itself was fun, but oh the transition to going home just can't be done some days. Dh coming home early today so I can run into the city--yay! Only other fun/scary news is E is now totally starting to cruise furniture and started letting go and standing w/o holding on. She is definitely a daredevil baby who doesn't care if she tumbles/falls in her efforts to destroy the house.









toodles poodles as some one of you would say.







:


----------



## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Blue skidoo, you can too!








It's been that kind of a day. TV on the WHOLE TIME, Rowan took a crappy nap, we're both sick, it sucks.







I'll live though...DH will be home in about 2 hours! Woot! And then, even though I am sick, I am hieing my fanny over to the craft store or something. I need safety pins. Yup.
Fun questions!

1.) What CD(s) is (are) in your stereo RIGHT NOW?

Here in the house, we have iTunes on the computer which has been playing Veggie Tales, Tori Amos, and AFI, in no particular order. In the CD player, there is a Carbon Leaf CD (the new one; "love, loss, hope, repeat"), a CD from the Tori Amos box set (







) and I think a copy of an AFI album I have in the car.
In the CAR, AFI, AFI, AFI!!! Three different albums. Can you tell I'm an obsessed fangirl?







I saw them live last Thursday and I am just in total







with them right now!
Oh, and we have the Music Together--Fiddle CD playing in random places, too.
Lisa, you made me







with the whole Baila, Baila, Baila thing.







I think we have that one too.









2.) What is the last non-kid movie you watched?

We watched Freddy vs. Jason on Halloween night!














(DH got it for me as a gift, it was $4 at the store! Heehee)
And we watched like three episodes of Lost last night...but that's not a movie, but it's non-kid-related!
I am going to put TBL on my Netflix cue RIGHT NOW! I looooove Grosse Pointe Blank, too.









3.) How many kids do you have and what are their ages?

I have one little one, his name is Rowan and he is a cutie-patootie Mr. Poopy McPooperton.







He's 2 and almost-a-half.


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

i'm kinda feeling the churchy inspiration from this group too (and i think also just having a kid makes me think we should get some sort of spiritual structure in our lives). dh is completely non spiritual/religious. i'm a wierdo because my mom is quaker and my dad catholic. my dad's side of the family is very catholic and all attend church. i'm drawn to both of those churches and would actually love to baptise isaac. my grandma talks to me about it every time i see her







doug is completely opposed and i don't think he gets that it is a symbolic family tradition thing for me and not writing in stone that isaac has to be catholic. my sister and i were baptized and neither of us have confirmed. but i still like going to mass. and i can groove on all the yadda yadda ceremonial stuff because the quakers are completely opposite from that. i like both approaches. i want isaac to experience both. actually the only church service he has ever been to was mass. so i keep thinking about starting some 'church' life with him but have yet to *do* anything about it. it will just be me and not dh. although he says he is willing to try the quaker church i seriously doubt he would like the silent meeting part. i've never been to the friends church in portland (any of them) but there is one really close to my house.

interestingly both the built to spill and the thermals albums have some themes of religion. the bts only really has one song but the whole thermals album is like a concept religious examination album. on first listen you would think it was complete sarcasm but there is some self-analysis in there. which *really* surprised me. quite the stretch for hutch. most of it is about the hypocrisy of our government doing completely horrific things in the name of 'god' they have a super cute video on youtube for 'a pillar of salt' linky on their myspace page
http://www.myspace.com/thethermals
<3 looooove them.

i haven't listened to nwa in sooooooo long









sticky sticky for emmalola!!

off to check elsanne's blog


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

"Nugget With Attitude"














Gawd, I haven't listened to that since middle school. My older brother was into it then, not me.









Elsanne, I'd let you have my babies any day.







:

Um, my answers:

1. I honestly don't remember what's in the cd player currently, but here are some recent things I've listened to: Mike Doughty (of Soul Coughing), Stefan Grappelli, Laurie Berkner, Ladysmith, and a mix my friend gave me mostly of the Be Good Tanyas.







In the car it's 99% Laurie Berkner.









2. We just saw Borat in the theater on Friday night. I dunno, I just can't get into him. DH practically died laughing, though. We were supposed to see Little Miss Sunshine but it wasn't the right time.







: Also watched Incident at Loch Ness on DVD Saturday. Wow, two movies in one weekend - unusual. That one I liked.

3. Our one-n-only Lily is tied with Sol for the title of oldest May baby







, born on May Day 2004.

It is freakin' wetwetwet here. Flooding. Downpouring. Torrential rains.

Re: churches. We've tried the local UU church here twice and it is so HUGE that it doesn't feel right to me. Like really, really big. 2 services and microphones and seats so far away you can't see the pastor. DH was raised UU and we went to the YRUU group in high school together; I dug it. I really wouldn't mind joining a UU church if it weren't so darn big.

Sarah


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Churchy: I guess I grew up knowing "good churchy people" and "bad churchy people", and boy, the good ones were *amazing* and the bad blew my socks off. A lot of UUs are actually freaked out about the word "church" (including many at my CHURCH which is why we call it a fellowship... no biggy to me) I know it's hard to get beyond the bad to see the good though, sometimes. (with apologies to Jacquie and Beth, not wanting to malign the word "chuch"--I count you as "good" churchy people







).

On the questions:

(1) They Might Be Giants "Here Come the ABCs" (to which I am addicted, and I sing the vowel song *all the time*







). I also listen to whatever dh is listening to, and he's a hip artist/designer type, so I'm sure I'm just as cool as y'all but not intentionally.









(2) Uh... I think it was Hotel Rwanda. (We did watch some Wallace and Gromit with T, does that count as adult?)

(3) T is almost 5 1/2 (ds), Z is almost 2 1/2 (ds), L is 6 mos.

Els, you are CRAZY. I think we should have a contest to see who can write Elsanne an even *better* ad.









EL, I'm really thinking







toward you.

I'm getting my panties all in a wad about the election. Did 8-9 hrs of phone banking this weekend, and my house looks like a disaster as a result.







:


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

emmalola-







lots and lots of it!

elsanne-love your personal ad.

KK-yea for you doing phone banking! I'm excited that our votes will actually count this year (as opposed to the years we were in texas.) I love election day...though much of the drama is gone for me as I did an absentee ballot. I'll probably watch all the election news on TV though. I'm a dork that way.

I should have mentioned that we play the Music Together Fiddle here ALOT as well as Sticks and Veggie Tales. And, we discovered today that G actually knows words to the songs we sing! We actually sort of sang a song around the table at dinner time!

G's new words/phrases are "Not really, mom" (sounds like "not reddy, mom), "Sometimes __" (fill in the blank... I play soccer, I race cars, etc.) and "I did it." His language is just growing by leaps and bounds. It's quite amazing thinking that I was listening to some of you talk about your uber-talkers a few months ago and thinking G would forever just say "no" and "mama." He CAN communicate!

DH is leaving tomorrow morning to go to a clergy retreat in Colorado Springs (about 4 hours from here.) So, we're on our own until Thursday late afternoon. DH hasn't been gone overnight since we moved here, so this will feel a little odd.

Okay, off to enjoy some TiVo since it's the last night I don't have bedtime duties for a couple days.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

CDs: in the car: John Mayer (not the new one, but not the oldest one either... can't remember the name of the album), Guster (Ganging Up On the Sun), some mix that Bill made, some other Guster album, and Barenaked Ladies (Are Me -- the new one, which i find hysterically funny, especially the song about the bank robbery). no CDs in the house currently as our DVD/CD player died many months ago and i don't know how to use the dang playstation to play the DVDs. and bill has rhapsody so we tend not to buy CDs anymore, either.

movies: i don't remember the last adult movie i've watched. i haven't been to a movie theater since early june 2004, except for the penguin movie that i only got to half pay attention to at a second run movie theater/beer house because marek was with me.

We have two boys: Marek is the youngest (and unofficial May04 babe) born on June 8th. Stefan is our new babe, born Sept 16, 2006.

time to eat dinner...

~claudia


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

:







:
Ah ahb sooooooo sig, nmabas...
(translation for the stuffy-nose-speak: "I am SO SICK, Mamas!"







)
I'm the sick that is so stuffy I can't stop blowing my nose, but it doesn't help. My nose hurts.







My head is allll stuffy and I feel like poooooop! But I am about to dose myself up with NyQuil and go to bed. Haha. I will kick this before I leave Thursday night! Yep...*ugh*
Rowan's nose is still running really badly too; at bedtime he was trying to nurse but couldn't breathe, so he unlatched and said "I need a tissue, mama!" I think it's great that he can tell me that now.








Soooooo much talking. Somehow, it seems to go with the fact that he's completely stopped LISTENING to me.







Or at least it feels that way.








Yeah, it was a looooooong day!







Tomorrow looks like much of the same. Wheeee. Whee.








Though I might take him at least to the library or like the mall or something, so we don't kill each other.









Mike Doughty is







! I saw him in concert a few months back. I have always loved him (and Soul Coughing, who I saw live in SF many years ago!) and I just put a bunch of his stuff on my iPod this evening for the car ride to PA. It's a-gonna be a LONG one; I don't exactly get along with my MIL's sister, and she's riding with us!









Many many sticky







y vibes to emmalola!









I have to go read Elsanne's blog now too. I have been blogging up and down the internet lately, I have actually been using my MySpace blog which is SO unlike me. It's because I'm stalking AFI.





















I am so fifteen years old!








I have felt so out of touch with the internet lately, and I am trying not to let it eat all my time like it used to before the 'puter broke. But it's hard. I feel like I haven't read anything in AGES online. Ah well.

That's all from me. I have to go to bed. Hope you all have a wonderful night! I love reading all the answers to the questions.







NWA, OMG!







I had a friend in junior high who listened to them. I never really did. I was a hair-metal sort of girl back then.









Oh, who am I kidding? I still secretly lust after Sebastian Bach!


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Does it really stand for "Nuggets with Attitude"? Does Nuggetsmom know about this?


----------



## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Nah Els, it's the OTHER n-word.









And have you really never heard of them? Dr Dre, Ice Cube, Eazy-E (RIP).... they are the founders of gangster rap. hence, you can see why I was surprised that the Nugg with Attitude listens to them.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

: I really have never heard of them. I am so not into gansta rap. And yes, I'm surprised too then that Nugget with Attitude has them in her playa!!


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Elsanne...







That would rule if it was "Nuggets with Attitude"! Hee!
I never listened to them much either, but growing up Mexican in California exposed me to a bit of the gangsta rap, even though, um, I mostly grew up in the suburbs!








Yeeeeah.
I have also been listening to a lot of Laurie Berkner lately. Yay. She's at least one of the cooler kid's musicians! I own Raffi too though!







:
I have TMBG's "No!" and we







it, but I need the ABC one now too, I hear it's awesome. DH and I think that ALL TMBG is kid's music though!









I am still soooooooooooooooooo (add about a million "o's" to that!) SICK.







: SO it's another lazy television day. We'll snap back to ourselves over the weekend/next week. I hate staying home but I literally have NO energy to do much else. I may take Rowan into the basement later to do some sort of easy art project, but that will be the extent of it. *sigh*

Just checking in. Off to prepare some tea and use the bathroom. You all needed to know that.







Have a great day mamas, or at least, a better one than I am currently having.







:


----------



## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Nuggets with Attitude







:








I love that.








to EL

I just wrote a paragraph explaining my music choices but I have decided to let it remaina mystery and a personality quirk for you to ponder over. Just think of the lady in slack and a shirt in her station wagon...

Els - you are funny.

I am supposed to be working right now so I will get back to that.


----------



## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

wow els!! you funneh

i heard the heartbeat!! 170 bpm







: my fears are eased. at least for now. i'm getting the GD test early (greeeeat). and she gave me a blood sugar control diet. NO PASTRIES??????? (until the afternoon). omg. i just discovered this new boulangerie a few blocks from my house and have been there 2 times in 2 days for breakfast. no pastries?????????

i actually think my baby was big because my husband is big. but whatev.

my favorite current toddler pronunciations are:
soo-sac (music). i want to listen to the soo-sac
and another one i can't think of right now. but it will come to me


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Wait... you're not even to the end of the 1st tri, and a GD test?







: He wasn't *that* big, was he? No one has ever given me any crap about the size of *my* babies (though I have always been asked to do the GD thing, because of my AGE, but that was ~28 wks). (I really do feel like I am preprogrammed to produce 9 1/4# babies which pop out at 42 wks, +/- 2-3 days.)

Congrats on the hb. That's one of my favorite things about pg.

EL, you have to let us know asap tomorrow after you poas.









Renae, feel better!!!!

I am very anxious about the election... I guess Jacquie and I are twin election dorks.









I have to share what someone said about L when I was phone-banking last weekend: "She's as cute as a Cabbage Patch Kid fresh out of the box!"


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KKmama* 
"She's as cute as a Cabbage Patch Kid fresh out of the box!"
























AWwwwww! Cuteness! She sure is especially cute.

I've been participating in this modern dance workshop intensive over the last few days and Amara goes with; we are having fun! She is such a good baby. She lays there and watches. Although each day that goes by she requires more and more attention to be there...like she's getting used to the "drill". I just love taking a class, of any kind, by which I mean the kind that I take for fun and not for credit.

Jstar--no pastries? Bummah. Was there ever a food more designed to just be velcroed to one's thighs and butt cheeks?

I'll leave you all with that visual.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
Was there ever a food more designed to just be velcroed to one's thighs and butt cheeks?

.

no there was not! imagine one huge cream cheese croissant on each buttcheek









i don't really mind in that i would want to know if i had gd (although it does strike me as paranoid to do it this early). what i think will happen though is this: fail 1hr test at 16w. go take torturous 3 hour test. maybe pass. fail 1hr test again at 28w. take stupid 3 hr again. maybe fail maybe not. who knows. i just hate blood tests. almost as much as pap smears









isaac was 9lb 3oz and my grandpa was diabetic/insulin injector. so i guess that was her concern.


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jstar* 
i heard the heartbeat!! 170 bpm







: my fears are eased. at least for now. i'm getting the GD test early (greeeeat). and she gave me a blood sugar control diet. NO PASTRIES??????? (until the afternoon). omg. i just discovered this new boulangerie a few blocks from my house and have been there 2 times in 2 days for breakfast. no pastries?????????

i actually think my baby was big because my husband is big. but whatev.

my favorite current toddler pronunciations are:
soo-sac (music). i want to listen to the soo-sac
and another one i can't think of right now. but it will come to me

OOooooh congratulations. (I'm still getting a feel for who's pg and who's trying etc














OK, the GD test - how big was yer last baby?? My most recent was 10 lbs 9 oz., I've always been GD-. Or did you actually have GD last time? I just wonder b/c I know the GD test is only accurate in a short window - I think it's 26-29 weeks but I'd have to look it up. I wouldn't want to take a test that was invalid by definition.

Quote:

EL, you have to let us know asap tomorrow after you poas.








I am very anxious about the election... I guess Jacquie and I are twin election dorks.








So much







: for Emmalola!

I too am anxious about the election. I know a lot of people who chose to vote absentee because they were worried about the electronic voting. But I'm just as worried about the counting of an inordinate number of absentee ballots, KWIM? Uuuuugggghhhhh.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
Jstar--no pastries? Bummah. Was there ever a food more designed to just be velcroed to one's thighs and butt cheeks?

I'll leave you all with that visual.

Thanks







: I'll just have to imagine pastries strapped to my a$$ from now on.


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

jstar, x-posted. I think that much testing is ludicrous. But I am a SERIOUS needlephobe, so keep that in mind. The 3-hr GD test almost killed me - much worse than labor IMO.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Miss Juice* 
I too am anxious about the election. I know a lot of people who chose to vote absentee because they were worried about the electronic voting. But I'm just as worried about the counting of an inordinate number of absentee ballots, KWIM? Uuuuugggghhhhh.

move to oregon! i think we are still the only state with ALL vote by mail.

jstar: the testing for glucose tolerance at this early stage seems a little off to me... doug is tall and quite built, and i, too, think that's why isaac was big. and we all know you make cream and not just milk, given isaac's height and general all around bigness, so you need those pastries, goshdarnit!

els: pastries taped on the buttcheeks...







:

juice: a rundown of the pregnant may mamas:
most recently not pregnant a second time after giving birth in mid-sept: me
due next: A&L+1's partner due in january, fiddlefern in february, jstar in early june
currently trying: Jacqueline (aka Jacquie) and emmalola
most fertile city for may mamas: portland, oregon, where 3 of the 4 may mamas living here have or are expecting a second baby. (not really the most fertile city, just the highest number of may mamas living in the same city, with the bay area coming in next with 3 may mamas)

off to finish my vote by mail ballot...

~claudia


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TurboClaudia* 
move to oregon! i think we are still the only state with ALL vote by mail.

AND you aren't allowed to pump your own gas!! At least last time I was there. I was up from NM, on my way to Seattle, and I stopped at some out-of-the-way station and tried to just Fill'er Up. This guy came RUNNING out of the station, waving his arms, yelling, "You can't do that here!!!" I thought I was gonna get shot. Then eventually he told me Oregon was all Full-Serve, which made a lot more sense than what I'd been thinking.

Thanks for the MMF expectancy rundown. Don't think I won't be referencing that post for the next few months!


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

ok there were some other things that rubbed me wrong at my visit today but it might be more appropriate for the yg. but after talking to my coworkers i think my bad vibes are pretty justified. so maybe i won't be going back. or at least voicing my concerns at the next appointment and THEN not going back if i'm not satisfied. i think maybe i should have just stuck with my ob.

i didn't know the gd test wouldn't be accurate this early. thanks for the info miss juice


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

um, so, I don't have access to the YG yet... am I cool enough for someone to PM me with that?


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Um, I dunnoooooo....








TurboClaudia knows the scoop.

JuicyJones I am just dying to see a photo of thine countenance. I can't imagine the goofy girl behind your words.


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Elsanne, you kill me. Don't think I haven't noticed you never call me the same thing twice. A while ago my DH had to ask me, "Why does our google window say 'penis synonym'?"


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

since elsanne has vouched for your ever-so-coolness, i sent you a pm with yg info, juice.







:

so if you are lying, els, then i shall have to send you to the vegan nunnery for some new training.

~claudia


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE can I go to the vegan nunnery? They don't allow kids there, do they? How long can I stay??????


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE can I go to the vegan nunnery? They don't allow kids there, do they? How long can I stay??????









(while coughing and hacking--laughing makes me cough.
















You all are a riot! Miss Juice, welcome to the party, for reals.








Now, it's time to down some NyQuil and go to BED.
(I know, the vegan nuns will slap my wrist, but damn, I love me some NyQuil when I'm really sick; during my pregnancy I got at least one bad cold (PG in NEw England wintertime, wheeee!







I slipped on ice I remember, too!) and I have a recollection of going into the bathroom at 2am, opening the medicine cabinet, and sighing with longing over the bottle of NyQuil I COULD NOT TAKE.







:
Hah.

Have a great night, mamas. Hope the poas works out







magically, EL!

Aww, Elsanne, I NEED to find a bellydance class out here. Even with a pastry strapped to my butt. Mmmm, pastries.
I have a bumper sticker that says, "Does my fat a$$ make my a$$ look fat?"







: Ahem, sorry. That might not have been appropriate.








Soooooo......siiiiiicccck......







:


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

My M M's always cheer me up!


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Renae, so sorry you are sicky poo. I love your bumper sticker!!! And bellydance is beautifully executed with a few kilos extra on one's hide. There is a reason it's called BELLYdance.

Jacqueline, your M & Ms always cheer me up too. I mean, mine. Yes, I know you meant MayMamas but with all this pastry talk, it got me to thinking about M & Ms...


----------



## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

jstar, i have never heard of the glucose screen being done that early, but I will sniff around a little. Who are you seeing?

I am worried about the election, too but trying not to agonize. I am really anxious about the measure here in Oregon about mandatory parental notification for teenagers seeking an abortion. Sigh.

Dude. I ate a cheese danish this afternoon and then came home to read about that very thing strapped to my a$$. Thanks a freakin' lot, kids.







: Just pile on the guilt, will ya.

I have a 12-hour school day tomorrow due to a loverly 6-9 pm lab. Yuckity yuck yuck.

Renae, I hope you feel better. And I hope you don't give it to me. The last thing we need right now is a cold. Sleep has been sucky lately all by itself, thank you.

OK must.go.to.sleep while I can, i.e., while Lily is asleep and before she wakes up and whimpers for the first time of the night...sigh.


----------



## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

oh nuggets, i'm so glad you're back in the fray...







i missed you.

renae:







healthy vibes coming your way...

els: will begin the search for the appropriate vegan nunnery for you: no kids, bellydancing classes included, and personality evaluation classes to teach you how to find the secret may mamas hidden inside everyone...

eating my mom's homemade apple cake and drinking tea...







:

and imagining this pastry glued to my a$$








:

~claudia


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

_Caution: shameless political statement, Republicans ignore._

Dems win House! w00t! Yayayayayayay!

Ok, sorry, back to your regularly scheduled program.


----------



## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

You mamas crack me up.









Jstar, I read the YG stuff 1st, and now after coming here, I gotta say DROP that woman. She may be a good midwife, but she is not a good midwife for you. For whatever reason, she's being hyper-managing-controlling-worrying. Just because someone has midwife training doesn't mean that they actually trust women and their pregnancy/birth process. I definitely found that out by seeing a diff midwife for almost every appt last preg. I picked the one I liked best this time, and it has made a huge difference. I feel that my current midwife trusts that everything is going well unless there is good reason to be concerned.

If you trust your old ob, it doesn't matter that he's male or that his title isn't midwife. If he trusts in you in and in your process of making a baby, then all is good.


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

OH, ye gawds. I sent in my ballot yesterday. I hope it counts. You should have seen it: literally covered with toddler scrawls in different color sharpie pens--the whole big green envelope. I hope they will count it. Hope it's not too late. It was kind of a classic mommy ballot--late, and covered in kid scrawl.


----------



## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

Hi all! I tested this morning- negative. Since my period is a little late, I'm still hopefully, but given the data, this is probably not the month. disappointed, a little sad, discouraged, yes. tired because that's all I could think about last night, yes. moving on? yes. just waiting for AF to rear her head so we can start again. sigh. thanks for all your good thoughts my way!


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

EL:







thinking of you...
~c
p.s. oht with a squirmy babe sucks...


----------



## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Bummer, EL. I'll still hold out a little hope, if that's okay with you.

I agree, drop that mw (and I said it over yonder, too). IMO--if you're going to drop her, don't use the next visit to explain it to her. For the first what, 6 months? of pg, you only get 1 visit a mo., which means that you'd only start seeing a new provider 2 mos. from now. I think you need to see a new provider *next month*. Get on the phone, tell the mw you're through, and go see someone else. IMO, she's not even good enough to be a backup. And if you don't want to call, write a short, polite letter.

What's glued to *my* a$$ is the chocolate I've been nervously nibbling watching election results. I'm glad about the house, hopeful that the senate will pull through, and pretty bummed about the domestic partnership referendum failing (that's what I was working on) and the gay marriage ban passing.







And Marilyn Musgrave didn't get the boot.







I don't know if y'all heard about what happened in Denver, but it was absolute, utter chaos. I'll bet thousands of people were disenfranchised because the #@$!! computers screwed up.

Z has had really gnarly poo lately, and I think we need to start doing a food diary (because we're too dumb on our own to figure it out).

Here are some feel better soon vibes, Renae.


----------



## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

EL- sorry for the - test, but you never know. Then again, maybe this isn't the month for a May mama to get pg. On to the next one, right?









KK-I also indulged in too much chocolate yesterday, but it was before I even starting watching election results, so I can't blame it on that! I was overall pleased with the results here in CO, but bummed about Ref. I failing (domestic partnerships) and the amendment defining marriage only as b/w man and woman passing! I feel much more optimistic than I have after the last few election days.

Day 2 of dh being gone and we're doing okay. I'm missing him and so is G, but we're okay and he's back tomorrow. It's funny that in dh's absence, he is the main source of G's conversation. Eg., "daddy bought me that book," "daddy eats peanut butter, too," and my fave, "daddy has boobies, too." Apparently daddy rules while he's not here...I'm assuming I'd rule if I was gone, too!

Renae-I hope you're feeling better. Colds suck big time.









Off to write on the YG...


----------



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

to emmalola. Thinking of you.


----------



## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
OH, ye gawds. I sent in my ballot yesterday. I hope it counts. You should have seen it: literally covered with toddler scrawls in different color sharpie pens--the whole big green envelope. I hope they will count it. Hope it's not too late. It was kind of a classic mommy ballot--late, and covered in kid scrawl.

I sent in school registration forms for my two DDs like that, and immunization exemptions as well. (who's stalking who, I ask you?)

EL,







and









I am happier about the election with every passing minute.

NAK in the dark totally sux, so I'm off.


----------



## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Emmalola, thinking of you. There is so much baby dust being blown your way it's not funny.

Here's my latest whine: I'm tiiiiired of caring for baaaaybies allll daaaay looooong. I'm tiiiiired of carrying Amara around and breaking my baaaaack. Where's a good chiro when you need one? (thinly veiled reference to jessica juice, there)

I'm wearing a black shirt that I got from this dance course that says, "Dance or Die!" on it, in neato font. I'm wearing some black stretch dance pants that show every extra kilo. I'm feelin all groovy with the dance thang. Every day that goes by (of this dance course), Amara is less okay with just laying there watching. She's close to sitting up and would really like to be doing it all the time thankyouverymuch. And if she needs you to get as close as she can, well so be it. You MUST hold her!
waaaaah, just tired. that's all.

Aw, Jacqueline, how cute about G talking bout his daddy. Do you have him all the live-long day or does he have an activity he goes to? ie, do you have any time off besides when he's with dh?


----------



## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jacqueline* 
Apparently daddy rules while he's not here...I'm assuming I'd rule if I was gone, too!


I know I am chopped liver, gone or not...









EL - I am still hoping for you, or maybe next time. I imagine it is dissapointing. If I didn't have the IUD I would be so tempted right about now. Then regret it later, only not really. BooHoo.

DH went back to work and I am supposed to have a field trip to a farm organized.


----------



## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Quote:

Aw, Jacqueline, how cute about G talking bout his daddy. Do you have him all the live-long day or does he have an activity he goes to? ie, do you have any time off besides when he's with dh?
No, I have no time off besides when he's with dh. Except when grandmas come for a visit, that is. But we haven't found any care providers for him here, yet. Not that we had any before...but not living near people we know kinda sucks at first. Today we had music class and library story time, so those activities helped to make the day go by quickly. And, I can't work while dh is gone, 'cause of not having anyone to watch him. I'm thinking maybe a twice a week preschool next year when he's 3 or so...but he is such a slow warmer-upper to new folks and new situations, it could be longer. I keep thinking "this too shall pass."

Anyway, thanks for asking. I still think I have it way easier than you, o single mama of 2!







I am in awe of single mothers...


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Yeah, count me in with the Elsanne (and all single mamas, and hey, ALL MAMAS!







) worship!








I sometimes feel like a schmuck when I whine about my ONE, relatively not-that-difficult (well, usually.







) child. Especially when I know mamas with twins, mamas with close-to-twins (her own plus an adopted one the same age roughly), and mamas of well, ANY more than one! I hang my head in shame when I feel the need to complain.








But hear me complain anyway, okay?









I feel like this ENTIRE week was a total WASTE.







: Since we've both been sick (me more than Rowan) we've done...NOTHING! It's been a spectacular waste of brain week, with the TV on every single day for HOURS, neither of us doing much of anything besides whining about being sick, me trying to get some work on the computer done but Rowan not really letting me, tantrums, sobbing over the fact that I cut his pizza up into little pieces instead of leaving it "big", or the fact that no, he can't have another cookie because he's already had THREE.







:
And let's not talk about how sleep has been this week. Nap and otherwise. Ack ack ack.
I feel like a terrible lazy mother when I am sitting on the couch letting him watch yet another movie because I am just too stuffed-up and tired to do anything else.








Next week, next week we will atone. Yup. *sigh*
I'm done with the whining now, I promise.

So, I baked another batch of yummy cookies (oh yeah! Here's the link to that recipe!







) to take to my relatives for our shopping trip. I am a little nervous about all the shopping. I love and hate to shop at the same time. I leave tonight for the IL's to sleep there and we leave at 5am (!!!) on Friday. Heather, call me!









I am making an mix of AFI for DH to listen to while I am gone. The stuff I think is the best, because he still doesn't get the obsession.








I will miss my boys very much this weekend, but I am also SOOOOOOO excited!









I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I will be online most of today but then I am computer-less all weekend!







:
Much







to you all.


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Renae-I printed out that recipe. It sounds totally yummy. I'm a sucker for cookies of any kind, anyway.

BTW, Renae, I saw the response you wrote to the LLL magazine "New Beginnings" in the July/August issue, I think. I'm a little behind on my reading, obviously. When I saw your name, I thought, "Hey, I know her!" Kind of nice to see you exist outside the Internet, ya know?







I mean, since we haven't met IRL. Does that make sense? Good response to the LLL mama.

Time for breakfast. See when dh is gone, I have more time to update y'all!


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Is 5 two year olds and assorted younger siblings and mamas at a pizza hut a bad idea? Eeps. We're doing that for C's food playgroup today--not my idea of fun!

My dryer finally got fixed yesterday and 7! loads of laundry were done to catch up. That and our sump pump died and the basement was all soggy yesterday with the rain.

But today is supposed to be 70ish?!?!

jstar--didn't weigh in over yonder, but egads get you to a new mw/ob or what have you. And agreed w/ kk to not even give her another appt (or notice...but I'm cranky that way) and just start afresh with a new provider. *hugs* hope the trip is fun!!

Okay...must get my crap together and try to find directions to pizza hut.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Renae, give yourself a friccin break already! When you're sick you're SICK!! Anyway, you have done important things, especially because I want a copy of that best-of-AFI because I just am so totally unhip and out of the new-music loop.








: And thanks for the props Jacq & Renae. About bein' a single mom n schtuff. I definitely have lots of help and it's still definitely hard. I am amazed and astounded by those stateside who have two, and way more, and no wife, and still do this. I wonder how one can remain sane. I mean, I'm barely hangin' on as is.

The beauty of single motherhood when the father is active? Is that he takes the child AWAY to be with her and then mom gets a break. If he lived in mi casa I would not get said break. Even when he's here, she follows me EVERYWHERE I GO.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Also, Heather: five two year olds and assorted & sundry siblings ANYwhere sounds chaotic. Pizza Hut, well at least they're fed & contained. I would go somewhere with a play yard. Even McDonald's, just for the play yard.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Elsanne, I know I've said this before, but I LOVE YOU!
I will totally send you the AFI mix! Then you can make fun of me for my fangirlishness.







:

More later, Rowan demands my company as we watch Winnie-the-Pooh. I'll cut myself some slack with the TV now.
Especially since I will be going away this weekend anyway! Woot! DH is going to put the smack down TV-wise while I'm gone appparently.







We'll see how THAT goes. He has some fun daddy-son time planned though. I'm happy for them.

*hugs* I







you all.

And I hate being sick. Blah.







:


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Yeah Renae, the TV when you're sick is just one of those things. We are actively trying to cut down, too. I find I have the most success when I have another, more appealing option ready to go. Let's read a book! Let's paint! Let's play with playdough! Let's go outside! All of these things are more fun to her than TV, so I just get all hyper-enthusiastic about it and she usually joins right in with a "HHHHHHHHO-KAY!".









Heather, yes, that does sound hectic, but I can't help but think YAY for getting the food playgroup back together. Not sure if you mentioned that already, but I remember you being bummed that it was disbanding, so I'm stoked for you that it's back together.









Els, you make me miss dancing. I grew up dancing and then switched to the clubs for getting my groove on, but now... now I miss it a lot. Dancing in the living room usually only reminds me how much I miss the collective energy of a group of people all getting groovy together. Your stories transport me to that place in my heart!







: It is because of this I am able to forgive you for not knowing who NWA is.









(Lest you all think I'm some kinda gang banger, I should tell you I grew up as the minority white kid in mostly black and latino populated schools, so rap and hip-hop has always been at the forefront of my musical experiences. I've since moved onto much more conscious hip-hop, music with a message, etc, but I still love the classics like NWA's F*ck the Police. And at the time, that WAS consciousness music on some level. Poor, black, urban youth were fed up with being vilified and f-ed with for just being who they are, growing up in the society they were born into, doing the best they can with what they've got, when rich white america is what put them in that position in the first place. Okay.... stepping down.







)

EL, sending you lots of hugs and baby wishes.









Okay, mgotta run. We have Mia's first parent-teacher conference this morning! And I know she's been a handful lately...


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

mamameg said:


> (Lest you all think I'm some kinda gang banger, I should tell you I grew up as the minority white kid in mostly black and latino populated schools, so rap and hip-hop has always been at the forefront of my musical experiences. I've since moved onto much more conscious hip-hop, music with a message, etc, but I still love the classics like NWA's F*ck the Police. And at the time, that WAS consciousness music on some level.../QUOTE]
> 
> Love this. I grew up on this too (in a white-minority school in suburban Detroit) and my partner does not get why I feel nostalgic about early rap. I love the feel of it even though I was more interested in Echo and the Bunnymen, Legendary Pick Dots, New Order etc. in high school. Now the closest I get to hip-hop is Michael Franti and in the end I listen to mostly folk. I like folk for the same reasons I like early rap - music with a message. So, if you have any suggestions on hip-hop that I might like, I will take it!


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Okay, Z's poop issue is that he has a bug (I know this, because now we all have it).









I talked to Z's old OT about L today, and it was mostly reassuring. I might share later on the YG... some things I don't like to discuss around here.
















to Heather and the (hectic) food group.








about our hip hop mamas.

I think it's funny that G misses his daddy ('s boobies







). I'll bet you'll both be glad when he's back.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

We survived the Hut! Only four kids and two younger sibs. It was so nice to see our old OT again and C got her money's worth---kids under 3 are free at the buffet!









Though naps were late and the girlies are still awake at 9...eeps!

KK--glad you got some reassurance...please do continue your thoughts elsewhere!

C's latest fascination...the banana fo fana song thing... tonight I was going to wash the diapers diapers bo biapers banana fana fo fiapers....







During the day she'll randomly start singing about different words.

ack...I hate late napping!

**(Renae---feel better and yes, what Elsanne said...give yourself a break and veg veg veg until you guys are feeling better!!)***


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Heather Feather Bo Bether--did you recently edit your location? I am so glad, if so! If it's been a while, forgive me. I am kind of a space cadet. I am having the reverse of your sitch--no nap=early bedtime. Yeeeaaaah! They were DOWN at sevenfifteen! Oooooh yessss!

About hip hop: ye gawds I am such a white girl. I could not even pretend to relate to hip hop culture, I am like freckled & braids in a wheat field, in overalls. I am all down with the Latin culture but not especially the Chicano, east L.A. type. That's a whole other world. Lisa, growing up in De-twah, wowee. and Meg, we know how very intimate you are with the black culture...


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Did anyone else notice that Heather turned the corner? Do share...


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

KK, sorry about the bug. Yuckers.

I grew up in central Virginia, and while not inner-city, had a large black population. My high school was majority black, too. I still didn't listen to NWA, though.







More like Arrested Development, etc. Anyways. Here I am in lily-white Orygon. But in a largely black neighborhood.









Um, I'm going to the dentist tomorrow for the first time in over 2 years. Should be a blast. DH and I have back-to-back appointments and will have to take Lily to Target while the other parent is dentisting.

Last night I learned how to fit people for diaphragms. That was interesting.

Dude, 9 pm bedtime is nothin'. Lily napped until 5 today, so it will be a late night, but even when she doesn't nap, 9 is totally normal. But she wakes up at 8:30 or 9 am, which is nice for DH.

Blah. I am feeling blah. Tonight is my Friday, kind of, but I do have to do lots of homework tomorrow. I am doing a group project on lesbian health care for my Reproductive Health class. Lesbian-specific risk factors, etc. Do any May Mamas have any input for me??







:









Blah blah. Blah. I think I will go drink some more wine...

mwah


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Wow, what a lot of stuff went on today.
Me, I am sitting for the first time today.
I took N's class on a field trip to a farm, I then took her to soccer and ran after Julia, then we rakes leaves and jumped in them outside with the neighbors and then we went to the pizza fund raiser for our school. THen I put the kids in bed. Why they are still awake I don't know. I am ready to pass out.
Tomorrow I have a lot of TV planned. After a trip to the yarn store and maybe the bead store if I can find one...


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

S is making a new pattern for himself the past few days: awake for a couple of hours in the morning, nurse and sleep for a few hours, wake up and nurse, awake for another hour or so, nurse and sleep for a few hours, wake and nurse, awake for another couple of hours, nurse and then sleep for a few hours, change into nighttime clothes, nurse and go to sleep in bed with mama (and sometimes dad, if he's not doing crazy work things or sleeping in M's bed with him), nurse and sleep throughout the night with mama, cluster nurse from about 5am-7am each morning, repeat the whole cycle. makes things a little more predictable.

went to see a friend today at her new house, which is only about 5 miles/10 minute drive away from our house instead of the previous 20 miles/35 minutes away. she has a boy who is turning 2 next week and when they see one another regularly, he and M play well together and we mamas get to shoot the shiz together. i'm so excited she is so close now, as she is a really good friend.

S is snuggled up sleeping in the moby wrap on me right now and M is watching his nightly just before bed half-episode of Thomas the Tank Engine to wind him down a little. i'm sipping my own glass of wine and going to lay down with M to put him to sleep.

i'll post another note about the putting to sleep thing tomorrow because i really need ideas from you mamas of more than one about how you do the going to sleep thing... it's driving me batty here.

~claudia


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

oh Claudia, the bedtime routine was just wonky for quite a while. Mostly now, Amara goes down around 7ish, and Sol goes down about 8.30, so that gives me a chance to focus on each child individually. I insist to Sol that Amara must go to sleep now and must nurse (almost every time she sees her nurse she wants TEEETAAA).

Sounds like a hectic day, Jacqueline! Hope you get some fun craft/tv time in today.

What crafty hobbies do the maymamas get into? Maybe we've gone over this and we all know that Heather knits like a madwoman, but I'd like to hear it again. I absolutely adore paper crafts--cardmaking and scrapbooking. I have a formidable rubber stamp (aka building block) collection. Another vegan nun futon is in the works downstairs, king size. I can sew a bit but don't do so regularly--did diapers for the girls, the occasional blanket. No clothing.


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

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mcsarahb* 
I am doing a group project on lesbian health care for my Reproductive Health class. Lesbian-specific risk factors, etc. Do any May Mamas have any input for me??







:









Don't get me started...but taking the bait nonetheless...

Please Do Not Go On About the No-Babies=Higher-Breast/Cervical Cancer Assumption. If I get told one more time that being a lesbian is a health risk because we don't do the normal womenly things like reproduce I will scream! Some women do not see themselves ever having children so they are less connected to their reproductive health then they could be, but again tread carefully here because I hated when people assumed that I was not intending on having children because I am a lesbian. I have had more than one medical provider say, "you should be happy you don't need to worry about birth control" while also telling me that I am at a greater risk for reproductive system/breast cancers because I am a lesbian. Um, no, I am at greater risk, by some studies _if I never have children_ but it's not because I have sex with women, thank you very much!

Also, some lesbians have/have had sex with men - so lesbian-specific risk factors depends on how specific the scientists are being about who gets to count as a lesbian. STDs are really mystifying for some lesbians (i.e. lesbian transmission rates are not well studied but medical providers feel the need to go on and on about transmission possibilities even though they have no language with which to talk about lesbian sex) so a lot of lesbians seem to believe that STD transmission is a myth or at least very unlikely. I personally think that the big area of interest should be lesbian fertility. There are lots of issues there from lesbians having sex with random men to get pregnant to feeling the need to jump right to high cost ($ and to their bodies) fertility treatments to waiting until older to realize they can/want to reproduce. I think that is an area worth a lot of thinking and effort (oh my future plans...).
________________________________________________

jstar- I know you're gone on your trip, but I agree with everyone else - run from that mw and get a new one pronto.

I am cringing at your description of your daily routine with S, Claudia - although you sound like a total rock star!







I have completely forgotten how much lather rinse repeat it is to nurse/sleep/nurse/sleep a new baby. I am so scared of a second child. With E, Alison and I were both home with her for three months and them Alison for another year or so. This time one or the other of us will need to be working after the first six weeks. Crazy time ahead.







:

Even though it is Veteren's Day and I work for the government I must now go work.

Love and happy weekends all.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
I have completely forgotten how much lather rinse repeat it is to nurse/sleep/nurse/sleep a new baby.


OOOOOH I really like this apt description! That's what I'm going to be thinking as we go through the cycle.
Amara does the same, but I just don't think about it. I don't have time!! (not that tc does, either!) Basically, Lisa, it IS scary buuuut: you just realize that every two hours, approximately, they will sleep (after the newborn sleepies wear off). So, been up for two hours? Time for sleep! No biggie! I would like to semi-encourage you because it is true true true that #2 (unless there are unusual circumstances) is much easier. No more freaking out over every tiny choking noise, etc etc. You just don't have TIME, so #2 gets plunged into the family routine.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

One fits WOMEN--not people--for diaphragms.


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

Oh, come on, KK - women are people too!







:


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Thank you, Lisa, for your ideas. We were definitely going to touch on some of the points you brought up. I'm glad you reminded me to very specifically define what a "lesbian" is. We were going to some stats in the beginning just to make people realize - how many women identify as lesbians, how many have ever had sex with a man, etc. And we're also going to be very explicit about language to use about lesbian sex. It's basically going to be a laundry list of tips for providers, so your input is greatly appreciated! If you have any other specific tidbits you think I should know, please PM me! Thanks!

KK, in my midwifery education, the only people I talk about are women, so it's just obvious to me...









Another bunch of kudos to those of you doing this for the 2nd/3rd time or about to...yikes.

Ok, must go attend to shrieking toddler...


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Please someone tell me why I thought it would be a good idea to go to the zoo today?? Did I really think I would be one of only a few dozen (and not hundreds and hundreds) who had the same idea....yikes!

Our whole lather, rinse, repeat cycle is way off today.







:

Okay...must go wrangle my napless girlies and get out of the house before we all go nutty. First must find new pants as I spilled my drink all over them and C thought it was funny that I looked like I peepeed my pants.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

OK, must revise my previous post. I meant to say, "very specifically define what a lesbian is, _i.e., not a stereotype_. So providers get it into their heads that WSW are unique and have unique health issues just like anyone else." Duh.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Happy Saturday! Let me be the first to greet you. It just started raining buckets just as I arrived home LATE after the dance show (end of the workshop). Fun! Tomorrow night, another show. I am the money lady. I sell the tickets at the door. Not quite like dancing in it, but a) I have other priorities this time around, and b) strangely enough there was little dancing done by the locals (she brought her company too). More dance theatre than strictly dance. She had a codirector who is big into dance theatre.

So, girls asleep (Amara apparently had a hard time of it, crying a bit), mama taking a few moments before I join them.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

oh ladies let me tell you the empress hotel in victoria is FAAAHHHbulous! it was lovely. a lovely getaway. albeit too busy. conferences are way too scheduled for the woman who needs at least an hour a day to sit on my booty on the couch and breathe (pregnancy rest i say)








but it was fun. and very empowering. there is some statistic about only 10% of working engineers are female but this conference featured presentations by some *amazing* smart beautiful and extremely accomplished women of all ages. i'm talkin power career mamas...many of whom have families so it isn't like they have had to sacrifice 'life' to do all this. it was totally inspiring to me. i wonder if it is because the field by nature (environmental causes) are more attractive to female engineers than say....building robots. this organization/conference is all about air quality, sustainability, green buildings, and that type of thing. i saw one incredibly depressing presentation by a guy who did tree bark sampling around this town libby in montana next to a vermiculite mine which was contaminated with asbestos. it is a superfund site now. anyway the tree bark has TONS of asbestos fibers embedded in it far and wide from the mine and the town uses mostly wood heat. asbestos doesn't ever break down and go anywhere and if you're burning contaminated wood you're putting it all into the air







freakin sad. other topics like growing algae for biodiesel and the progressiveness of portland in terms of building green buildings were more uplifting









anyhoo i think i enjoyed it even more because as i ate my $28 bacon and egg breakfast no one was throwing eggs or screaming







and i wasn't paying for it!!! i even had high tea! (sans screaming toddler)

i talked to the screaming toddler on the phone every day. he did fine and was very well behaved while i was gone so he descended into screaming tantrum as soon as i got home as predicted. my friend carrie hung out with him all 3 days instead of taking him to school. so he got to go to her mom's farm and sit on a horse and feed ponies and just generally had more fun than usual. the nap schedule shifted to like......5-6:30pm so now we are going to be course-correcting. greeeeat!

it is funny (jacquie) because as i drive around with isaac everything is 'my daddy took me to fred meyer' 'my daddy parked upstairs' 'my daddy took me to school' i'm thinking 'your mommy does that 2343546 times a month.' but carrie said he talked about ME nonstop while i was gone 'my mommy this and my mommy that' so how's that for making a mama feel better??????????







: i'm sure G would talk about YOU nonstop if he were with dh.

i totally agree with ya'll that i should not waste another appt going back to that midwife for another appt. and thanks for listening to my freakout.

my house is a *disaster* ~shudder~ and i actually have to do some work this weekend but dh is at work. so i'm going to attempt to take isaac to my office right now which i pretty much *know* is futile. i think mcdonald's might give me a blessed half hour to focus







:

EL - did af arrive? i will still hold out hope if af hasn't arrived but you might know by now.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

threadkilla forgot to answer the crafty question. i wish i had more time to be crafty!!! i knit. i wish the yarns i covet weren't so pricey. i have yet to make myself a sweater because i think it would be $90+ and what if i don't LOVE how it fits? i'm freshly back into sewing although i haven't sewn in years because i sewed my finger. last weekend i made isaac a new blanket for napping at school. flannel on one side/cotton on the back/batting in the middle and ribbon edging. i just did a grid pattern for the quilting. i have a bazillion quilt triangles cut out to make him a quilt but i have yet to stitch one. i like scrapbooking. or crapping as my mom calls it. i have scrapbooked exactly 2 pages since isaac turned 1. yeah. i better get on it. but i went to a little scrapping party and now i have realized i *need* these oval/circle cutter things. and rounded corner cutters. i can't possibly scrap another item without them.

i need to go pay my bills







: joyous occasion.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

IT's the weekend. You know how these girls get over the weekend. Like, too good to be posting with us, are you?

So, here's the thing. I spent tonight selling tickets for the dance performance otra vez. Two nights out on the town. This particular night, no wakies! Not a one! Can you HANDLE it. I cannot!
Feeling good. Returning to now. Been a helluva day, in terms of the two kid thing. My head felt like it was going to explode with the details of trying to leave the house. My details, Sol's details, Amara's details. House details. It is way too much to organize in any semblance of timeliness. I wigged! I had me a meltdown. Sad.

But, I was paid to go out and drink wine and watch dance. That's my idea of a good time! And the pay only just covered the babysitting, the taxi for the babysitter, and a glass of wine. Alas. At least I got to go out and not pay out of pocket for it!

happy sunday!


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

craft: scrapbooking! Did me a bunch of it this weekend. Finished up Luke's birth and first few days. Being preggers and doing this activity is a recipe for sentimental tears.

Wow. I really have nothing else to say. That's a first. Peace out, wonderful mamas!


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

When are we going to do the secret santa assignment? If there's any chance that I *might* do something crafty, I'm going to need *time*, and I might like to know *who* before I decide what I'm going.

Speaking of crafty, who asked about it? There are a lot of things I *used* to do (sewing, spinning, knitting, beading, etc.) but which I don't really have time for anymore.







: I have a fantasy that when my kids are more independent/off leading their own lives, that I will get a floor loom and take over a bedroom as my craft room. (That's about 10 million yrs from now







).

I'm online, because I'm emailing PV installers requests for quotes. This war thang has driven us over the edge, and we're ready for energy independence (well, at least for electricity at our house).

L is almost sitting. Amazing the difference a *week* makes at this age. She's also doing "more stuff" with her mouth... I can see her little pink tongue moving around, her lips doing more (and wowee zowee, Z did *NONE* of this at this age, or for that matter, at a year, or a year and a half). I really appreciate what y'all told me about your kids and food at this age--very helpful.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Hey kk, what is PV? Are you involved in off the grid activities? This is news to me.
What does tongue movement mean in relation to food/eating issues? I ask because Amara has an outta control acrobatic tongue. She also seems really abnormally interested in food already (4 mos). She's almost at the grab-it-off-your-plate stage. I am not interested in feeding her yet, because of her pristine digestive state. Anyway, glad to hear L has an active tongue! And that she's almost sitting! Coolio!!


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

PV = photovoltaic. Right?

Crafts: beginning knitter and crochet. I've made several knit and crochet scarves, and do mostly tatting (teeny tiny thread lace and flowers) with crochet. Love beading - currently making beady things for Christmas gifts. Beginner sewing, but very interested and have tons of fabric that I WILL eventually something with!







Miscellaneous craftiness - whenever I see a cool idea I have to try it.

Elsanne, Lily was very interested in food from 4 mos. on. We held out until about 5 mos. and let her gum a peach slice, suck on an ice cube we held, etc. But as soon as 6 mos. hit we let her try avocado, sweet potato, etc. She was interested in theory but never really ate much (at all) until over a year.

jstar, the hotel sounds fun. I think I would have liked it.

Finishing up a group project tonight and then on to reading articles for tomorrow's class. How can such an interesting subject be so boring when it HAS to be done???

S.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

So, I thought of a couple really positive things about today and wanted to share:

a) I purchased Sol a castle/loft bed with a slide! I am so psyched. She played with it in the store tons, and it was a great price! Early Christmas 'round here.

b) And it's from Denmark, with cotton tent drapings! (I didn't dare peek until I got home, so the madeinchina wouldn't deter me.) Vegan nuns tsk tsk at my cowardice.

c) Sol and Amara and I and a friend and her two children all went to Queretaro (an hour away) to the MALL. This is a couple times a year event. It was packed, and I had no way to control Sol, and she was a champ--stayed with the pack! First time I have attempted anything like this and WE DID IT!! And MY KID IS AWESOME!!! I was so happy with how she "minded" me. It was extremely stressful overall anyway, but no crises or tantrums or grabbythings or breakythings, even tearing herself away from REALLY interesting things to mind me.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

I may not have that much time to respond...it's Monday morning and I have been in PA ALL WEEKEND!








Heather, I am SO SORRY we never hooked up!







I underestimated the madness of The Shopping with my relatives! And let me TELL you about my MIL's sister!





















(okay, maybe I should say something about THAT in the YG! Ugh ugh ugh)
So I had no car of my own and I had no idea where I was, except we stayed at the Inn at Reading, which was lovely. And ate at this fabulous restaurant called Viva, across the street from the outlets and I had martinis! Fun times were had, even when I wanted to







my...aunt-in-law? Anyway. Yeah.

Laundry is buzzing, Rowan is not letting me out of his sight, so I will answer the crafty question and then write more later:
I crochet, but I only know how to make granny squares and I make baby blankets a lot.







It's usually one biiiiiiiiig granny square, where I go around and around and around...I can do it without looking at this point though (been doing it since I was 16) and it's great busywork at church.









I also make beaded jewelry, necklaces, bracelets, anklets, and hanging thingies (like crystally things to hang from windows and rearview mirrors; one of my friends used one as a lamp pull-chain), and occasionally earrings and wine charms.







I do craft shows when I can (just started up again oh, two and a half years after Rowan was born!







) and I loooooove doing it, even though it doesn't make a whole lot of money. I have been beading since I was 16 too, and I am hoping to make a little $$ from it. We'll see.

I also adore collage, paper-related crafts (not as cool as Elsanne but I have stamps and glitter and stickers!







) and the art of making a mix CD. Music=









I could go on, but I'd say I was pretty crafty.








Have a great day, mama-jamas! It's all grey and yucky out here but we have a playdate with some friends (the anti-raisin mama!







) for the first time in TOO LONG--everyone is feeling MUCH better.


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Hi all,
I'm still hanging around







mostly lurking because this one-handed typing is a PIA.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jstar* 
threadkilla forgot to answer the crafty question. i wish i had more time to be crafty!!! i knit. i wish the yarns i covet weren't so pricey. i have yet to make myself a sweater because i think it would be $90+ and what if i don't LOVE how it fits? i'm freshly back into sewing although i haven't sewn in years because i sewed my finger. last weekend i made isaac a new blanket for napping at school. flannel on one side/cotton on the back/batting in the middle and ribbon edging. i just did a grid pattern for the quilting. i have a bazillion quilt triangles cut out to make him a quilt but i have yet to stitch one. i like scrapbooking. or crapping as my mom calls it. i have scrapbooked exactly 2 pages since isaac turned 1. yeah. i better get on it. but i went to a little scrapping party and now i have realized i *need* these oval/circle cutter things. and rounded corner cutters. i can't possibly scrap another item without them.

i need to go pay my bills







: joyous occasion.

You make me smile! I also like to knit, also like the spendy yarns and also don't want to commit to a *real* project like a sweater. I don't sew because i am pretty sure I would sew my finger in short order. I love scrapbooking but my perfectionism gets in the way. Also I can't get any of my stuff out because I'll instantly have "helpers" and a 2yo with a corner rounder is a recipe for disaster. I avoid crapping parties because I don't want to know what lovely tools I'm missing. I love my corner rounder, though







:

Also I'm glad you're feeling more resolved about the MW/OB situation. It's so vital to feel supported.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KKmama* 
L is almost sitting. Amazing the difference a *week* makes at this age.




I was just thinking that! Ethan is just starting to reach for things. He's not rolling over at all, which hih sisters did at this age, but I'm calling that a blessing.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
a) I purchased Sol a castle/loft bed with a slide! I am so psyched. She played with it in the store tons, and it was a great price! Early Christmas 'round here.

b) And it's from Denmark, with cotton tent drapings! (I didn't dare peek until I got home, so the madeinchina wouldn't deter me.) Vegan nuns tsk tsk at my cowardice.

c) Sol and Amara and I and a friend and her two children all went to Queretaro (an hour away) to the MALL. This is a couple times a year event. It was packed, and I had no way to control Sol, and she was a champ--stayed with the pack! First time I have attempted anything like this and WE DID IT!! And MY KID IS AWESOME!!! I was so happy with how she "minded" me. It was extremely stressful overall anyway, but no crises or tantrums or grabbythings or breakythings, even tearing herself away from REALLY interesting things to mind me.

Bed sounds fun! And yay for toddlers pulling it together when it's important. Of course, when it's NOT important...

On that note, do your maybabies completely ignore you when you're talking to them? Mine does, and it's really testing the limits of my GD patience. And if I start to get edgy, she laughs at me, and it goes downhill quickly from there. Anybody got any good tricks?

Dh and I have our consultation with the urologist to discuss the big V today. Not really related to the toddler conversation, but there it is.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Oooh there are a few women here who have experience with the big V! Well, one that I know of anyway!

juice something to say about that not listening but gotta run.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Yeah, I sacrifice virgins on my altar all the time. Oh wait--that's not the V you're talking about, is it?









Miss Juice, it's actually my 5 yr old who does more of the ignoring when I'm talking. I have a phrase which I use which helps getting their attention: "I'm asking you nicely." (What it translates to is "Mommy is going to get grumpy and louder if you don't start interacting." We got to this point because T doesn't like me to yell--I don't like to either, it's my ongoing self-improvement project--and when I do, he asks me to talk nicely... so it's basically a reminder that I'm trying to keep up my end of the bargain, so he has to keep his.)

I was talking to an older friend who's an OT/PT (and she happens to work with Z's old OT peripherally) about child development, and we agreed that it just seems like such a *miracle* (and you notice the miracle more after you've been dealing with a child whose development is slower/different).

Jstar... It sounds like you're in a better place wrt caregivers for this pg. You need someone you both like and trust (though your opinion counts for more than your dh's), and if that person happens to be an ob, it's okay.

Yeah, PV = solar cells (I must've been tired). CO passed a law couple of yrs ago which puts a tax on the electrical utilities to fund more renewable energy, and our utility uses it to provide a 50% rebate on solar cells. (And then there's the federal tax rebate, too.) So the time seems right (and ripe!) for us. It would be grid-tied.

On the tongue mvmt... Z's tongue (and really his lips, too) never moved at all. And what it meant for eating was that he couldn't move food (even tiny dabs of purees) around in his mouth, and he couldn't swallow it.


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Once again I have paying work and once again I am ignoring it.
Well, crafty stuff
I like to knit, paint -watercolor only
I sketch and garden and sketch the garden
I also scrapbook though I haven't been into it lately. I spend too muchmoney on tools altogether and I don't even go to parties. My friend ia a creative memories consultant though and she ahs all the stuff so if I am over at her house I drool over her scrapbooks and want her stuff. Really, I want her to do my scrapbook for me.

My grandmother has a huge floor loom and a spinning wheel and I want them but I don't see how I will get them here from The Netherlands and more iportantly, fit them in my tiny expensive house with no heat...

I admit it, I am cold today. My "office" has no heat.
I also want PV's and a foam roof and I want double paned glass. This is really ironic since I have a whole wall of glass...

DH went out and got a huge flatscreen TV this weekend and I am super pissed off. I could rant about this but I really don't want the big TV to dominate the living room (which is small). I admit that the penguins in high def were really cool, but so what. Then he wanted my opinion and I kept pointing to the little TV but he really wanted the 37 inch monster TV. He actually said that we would be sacrificing status if we got only the 37 inch off brand TV. I pointed out that I am sacrificing status b y simply having a TV at all. Then there were all the furniture and accoutrments for said TV and the whole living room got rearranged.

I DON"T WANT TO HAVE THIS TV! I DON"T WANT TO WATCH TV ALL THE TIME and what else are you going to do with such a huge presence in your living room (which is tiny)







:








: and then I turned it on this mornign so I could get J dressed wothout a fuss in something besides the tinkerbell costume.







:
I better make some money now

I need a new computer if I am going to make my latest and greatest idea work with a ton of expensive software...

So here I go


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Ick on the HUGE tv. We have a giganto one leftover from DH's law school days and I can't wait to get rid of it!

crafty: I taught myself to knit when C was a babe and learned to crochet last year. Have been on hiatus though and mostly spend my free time reading hs'ing books these days. I sew well enough to make the girls some diapers and blankets.

LONG day. We had to be at E's ENT appt at 8am and it took us over an hour to get there during rush hour and we were late. egads. all is good which is good. another copay down the drain. Seriously...I think we could have funded a week's vacation in PDX on all the medical expenses this year. blah!

Question:: where oh where has saartje gone?? and I do still miss maggie


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *heatherfeather* 
Question:: where oh where has saartje gone?? and I do still miss maggie









I think about them too.

tinkerbell costume









my kiddo was not-so-nice this morning. i had to tell his teacher 'good luck.' his latest thing is SHRIEKING. when he gets mad







: restaurants, school, home. *sigh*


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

jstar---eek! C has started protesting vociferously in public. It's usually a shouted "that's not my favorite thing to do!" or "I don't like that so very much!"







:

um, where is everyone? the weekend is OVER. come out and play! Sherri is probably out on her porch rearranging her mums or something.














:


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

I have also been thinking about them.

I am here. I have got to clean my house though.


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Waaaaahhh major mommy crisis here!
DD's preschool class is having a parent/grandparent morning tomorrow AM. For 1 hour, one parent or GP for each child can come to class and participate. They try for 100% participation. I can't go because I work Tuesday mornings. DH was supposed to go, and put it on his schedule weeks ago. Well today he got saddled with a court appearance at the same time in a city 45 minutes away








Grandmas arent available, and FIL's wife has to stay home because they have a furnace inspection scheduled







:
I am so worried that DD will be the only one without a parent there









What do I do??? I could take her to work with me... oy, that would be beyond awful. I could cancel a bunch of patients at 8am...

Waaaaaaahhhhh.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Jess, bless your mama heart. I put in my .02 on yonder thread, I think I would just send her off to school, and go to work, and hope for the very best. Maybe carve a special moment to take her to a meal at her favorite place.














: I am sad for you because I know how very hard you try to balance it all. Which speaks to that place in me, very much. This is such a hard job, and you are doing your very best, woman! Deep breath, big hug, try to get some rest. It will be okay.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

just typing to say hi and that i'm thinking of you all. i put my info in the gifty database on the yg.








you all...









MMF!

~claudia


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Thanks, elsanne. Crisis managed - I called up FIL's wife (grandma 3 for those counting) and begged her to change her furnace appointment, which she agreed to do. If that falls through I will cancel a bunch of patients and go myself. I really want someone to be there for DD. And the furnace people should just be able to come later in the day. *sigh, that was way too much work*


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Netflix sent us The Big Lebowski yesterday.







: I so know what we're doing this evening!








Can you believe DH has NEVER seen it??
Elsanne's DDDDC got me thinking about it again. As usual.









Miss Juicy Juice! Good luck with everything, mama. I agree with Els, do what you have to do but you know, I bet your DD won't be the ONLY child there whose parents/grandparents couldn't come. Life happens, you know? I know you do everything you can to balance your work and parenting, and you do an AWESOME job I'm sure!







Good luck. Let us know how it goes!
(and omg, you just managed it.







Rock on with your bad self!







)

So I am in the "what am I doing with this TV thing???" camp right now too. I have it on right now so I can catch up on some work here (applying for craft fairs, checking out etsy.com to sell jewelry...*sigh* I am glad I quit my sketchy whippersnapper job, but I NEED to find some other income, mamas!







Wish me luck...) and we turn it off after Curious George...but then later he'll ask for a movie and I cave SO OFTEN.









We're having some shrieking issues here too...and the WHINING. Everything that comes out of his mouth, whether it's asking for something to drink or for me to read a book: "Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaammmmaaaaaaaaa! I waaaaaannnntttttt NuuuuuunnnnnnnnN!!!!!"







: Ugh. I feel like all I repeat nowadays is "how do you ask?" and then he mumbles "please"









Anyway. Not much else to talk about...it's still yucky out here, I added my gifty stuff, and I realized something; with the shopping trip in PA and the renewed jewelry making, I can pretty much get my gift stuff out of the way totally early! Woot!
This NEVER happens. Hee.

I'm just babbling now. I hope you all have a wonderful day. I'm watching too much YouTube. Ask a Gay Man makes me









I think of Saartje and Maggie too. And QofC! I got a birthday reminder in my email this morning. I hope you all are well.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Renae, check out your new siggie! You rocker! I can't believe dh has not seen the big lebowski. Enjoy!!! It is way fun.

Hi TC!

Jess so glad someone can be there for her. I think this was a bigger issue for you than it would be for her, kwim? Glad crisis was averted.

Must run. Amara is sitting up, almost!! OMGOMG!


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

oh yeah whining too. dh claims isaac was an angel while i was gone with NO whining and no screaming. wellllllllllllll clearly i am his comfort zone and all that pent up behavior has been pouring out since i got back. now dh is gone for the week so i am dealing. bedtimes have been a pita ever since halloween. i was so enjoying the easy thing while it lasted. shoulda known it would change







:

juice - is this your 04 dd? she may not have been too bothered. but i hope it works out!

i slept in today. feeling guilty but actually rested. and omg the sky is BLUE. it has been raining insanely forever. have you locals seen the pics of highway 35 at white river? i'm freaked because we are big snowboarders and usually go to meadows all the time (or i should say it was all the time before isaac). i won't be this year, obviously. so i guess if the highway was going to wash out the timing is good. i feel *terrible* for people with season passes. there is no access to the resort right now but i have a feeling they will get the hood river side open and no one will get a refund. we always drive that way anyway because the govy side is a traffic nightmare. but now hood river will be a traffic nightmare. (we had insane amounts of rain - and the glacier got so overloaded with water a glacial dam broke.)

i can't wait until isaac is big enough to ski!!!

4 days til vacation







: which won't really be a vacation. my mom invited 43 people to thanksgiving. that is insane.


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

43 people. Ummm, wow! Is she renting a banquet hall? You could barely fit 43 people in my house at the same time, and you definitely couldn't give them all a place to sit.

Everything went fine at school. Grandma said Allison (yes, my 04 babe) was really happy to see her. I've given some thought to why I was so upset about this, and why it was so important to me, and I think it's that she's my middle child, and she's very easygoing in general so it's kind of easy to overlook her. She's getting the short end of the stick attention-wise since the baby was born, and I'm trying not to let that be a trend. I was the oldest of 5 kids, and I have never before felt much sympathy for the plight of the middle child - but I can see how it's hard for her. She isn't big enough to do everything her sister does, and isn't little enough to demand attention the way the baby does. And while it might not have been a big deal for her if nobody was there this morning, it WAS a big deal that someone was, if you know what I mean.

This parenting stuff is hard sometimes!!

She's not doing much in the whining or yelling department, but she's very big on ignoring me until I start to lose my cool, at which time she laughs maniacally.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Miss Juice* 
She's not doing much in the whining or yelling department, but she's very big on ignoring me until I start to lose my cool, at which time she laughs maniacally.


Just had to respond to say, um, YEP!







: Mine does that too.







: Dude. Parenting is hard indeed.
And sleeping being a pita lately? *nod* I mean, this is ROWAN we're talking about here, so it's not like it was EVER sunshine and bunnies but man, for a while there it wasn't torturous! Take today's naptime for example: He complained about it; "NO NAP!" then when I gave him the option of sitting upstairs alone in his crib for an hour if he wouldn't let me pat his back,. he let me...but it took 40 minutes.







: THEN, he slept for 45 minutes before waking up and grumping, so back upstairs I went to pat, pat, pat his back for another 20 min. and then I got another 15 or so before he woke up AGAIN. I patted him for another while, and now...well, he's making grumping noises again. ANd I am done patting him so let him wake up.







:







:







:

And bedtime has been an utter joy lately, too.







I am definitely the comfort zone here too; while away this weekend DH had a great time with the little poop. Now that MAMA'S back, it's all back to the testing. ARG!

Though, the night I got home from PA, I nursed him down at 8:30 and HE SLEPT UNTIL 6:40 in the am!!







That will never happen again, I'm sure.









So, he's up. Gotta go. It's dreary here today but we saw our chiro this morning and my neck feels so much better. Yay.
And I do indeed ROCK.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

sunshine and bunnies







tee hee isaac keeps telling me he is scared of his room (aka i'm going to work my mom now). so my new approach is to tell isaac that he's a pony and his room is a barn and he gets to go to sleep in the sweet warm hay. it worked 2 nights ago. last night he goes 'i'm not a pony! i'm isaac br***!!!' oh, ok!

my parents' house is huge but 43 people is still a boatload. i think maybe 7 or 8 of those are kids. my mom thought one of my aunt/uncle/cousins grouping wasn't coming so she invited her friends and then my aunt etc really are coming. so it got a little out of hand. but i am sooooooo excited about the food.


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Renae-G does the same thing about everything, although he doesn't really yell it, he says very loudly "I Want ______" And he always wants it NOW. Please is getting harder and harder to come by; we always have to remind him. I guess he says "want" because since he was a little baby, we've said "what do you want" (in a nice way) before he was verbal. Now I wish he didn't "WANT" everything.

Crafty: I'm so NOT crafty. I play playdough with G and love working with glitter from time to time, but that's about it. I know how to cross stitch, but have completed ONE actual project in my whole life. I took beginner sewing while I was pg, and I think I could enjoy that, but we still don't have our own machine, so it makes it hard to sew! I have tried scrapbooking, but it just takes so long. I'd rather just slap the pics in a photo album and be done with it. I admire other's books, though. I used to be in journalism/PR and did loads of magazine layouts for various publications. So, I have an "eye" for design but just don't know how to bring it out in any tangible ways (besides a very well-designed Christmas letter, thank you very much.) I do bake, though, and really get into the holidays for that reason.

Miss Juice, I'm glad you found a solution to your situation. I hear what you're saying about wanting to make sure the middle child feels included. That's so important, and it sounds like you're working hard to make sure it happens!

It's been snowing here for the past couple days and today we've had some of the big, fat white pretty flakes. G went outside yesterday and tried to make a snowman with dh, but there wasn't that much snow and it didn't pack well. He's really into the snow now, which is fun to watch.

Here's a new sentence G spoke to me at the LLL meeting this morning: "I want milk from mama's boobie." He's really stringing the words together. It's fun to hear.

And here's a newsflash for me: I bought some new bras on Sunday....non-nursing bras! They aren't sexy, lacy numbers or anything, because I do have to whip it out on occasion and I need something capable of stretching. But, I feel so much better. My nursing bras were getting so stretched out and made me feel so icky. I had to measure myself because my pre-baby size was really too small. So, I had to go up to a harder-to-find size, but I found 'em.

Well, I need to balance the checkbook and get the laundry out before G wakes up from his nap.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Jacquie, how much did you get total? All we got was BIG gusts of wind and ~25 flakes. (And G is *very* articulate... knows what he wants







)

Z's doing much better napwise lately. I got a pointer or 2 from the AP friendly sleep book I looked at (sheesh... which one *was* it???). But I think his teeth are finally done, too.

Miss Juice, I worry about Z being the middle child, but honestly... I think they wind up being the most sensible and balanced as adults.







(the oldest are neurotic, the youngest are spoiled







) I think they don't have a chance to fall into their siblings' pitfalls.

Dh got Donnie Darko (or should I say Donnie [email protected]$$) from Netflix. He started it before I got home from a concert with a mom friend. He fell asleep before it finished. So I haven't seen the beginning, he hasn't seen the end. (I wanted to return it today, he wants to finish it.) We're both kind of amused seeing young Jake G., since the last movie we saw with him was Brokeback (roles are slightly different, no?). Frank the bunny scares the bejeezus out of me.

Ack, I was thinking about Saartje and Maggie, too. Are there email addresses for them over yonder?

Jess, shrieking is a big boy thing. You should see all the K boys SHRIEK when they play after school...

My dh totally wants the huge TV. He lately admitted he wants one BIGGER than Nugget's. It seems like a ridiculous expense to me. We don't *watch* TV (but I will admit, we love us some Netflix). But I am holding it out to him like a







so we can finally get our @#$!! painting project done, house finally sort of decorated, stuff on the walls, etc. (And TV for husby)

Also, Nugget, my spinning wheel is a Louet (Dutch!).

One last thing... I am *so* stalking Jess' baby... if you decide to find out gender, the second that you find out, you must report back (because I know you want a girl).


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

kk: your siggy note cracks me up...







:

that's all my brain can process and put out tonight.

~claudia


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

KK--"about 25 flakes" of snow? Were you out there counting??

Did youguys see this?---->

















































































Just had to do that. What the hell kinda smilie is that. I mean, that states nothing about me that anyone on this board could need to know or care about. I mean, I will never say, oh jeez everyone I feel like







today.

Jacquie baking is so considered a craft. I adore baking too. Yay for new bras!! And yay for bigger sentences! Sol is really exploding in the language dept as well, although for the most part she is NOT saying things like "that's not my favorite thing to do!" or "I don't like that so very much!" (which, btw hf, is freakin hilarious).


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Hey mamas... DH's grammy died last night.







Her death made the front page of the Miami Herald. Please take a moment to read about her. She was an amazing woman and we can all draw strength from her story. Here is another quick synopses of her life and contributions.

Rest in Peace, Grammy Range.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

So sorry to hear of her passing, Megan. Thanks so much for the link; what an amazing woman. I daresay I think some of her spunkiness lives on in Mia. **hugs**


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

she sounds like a really inspirational person. what a go-getter! your dh must be so sad.

i really like the







i liked a few of them a lot.





















can't wait until i walk through an airport and see it.

ugh. so i have many years of big boy shrieking to look forward to







: my response to him is that it is allowable in the playground and not in the house. and the next time he does it at a restaurant we are leaving. i find some of his restaurant behavior to be less than acceptable but i really am non-plussed by it. dh becomes absolutely *mortified* soooo embarassed. i'm like 'meh' let's work on future behavior!

we are going to find out the sex. i want to know if i can shop for girly things or if i need to get used to the idea of boy #2 before the hormone-crazy day of birth. i was toying with the idea of waiting since i wanted the surprise the 1st time and didn't get it. and i asked doug and he said 'YEAH' in the same tone as DUH we ARE going to find out. oh ok, twist my arm.

i thought jake g was super hawt in brokeback so i rented donno dorko after that. so not up my alley. my sister watches it over and over.


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

Megan- wow, what an amazing woman she was. May she have in death the grace and dignity she had in life. My thoughts are with your family.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

125 AWARDS!! Wowee what a woman. Much love to you & yours Meg.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

What an inspiration. I'm sure she will be greatly missed.

My sig comment is in response to *yours*, TC.







:


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

mamameg, hugs to you and your DH. What an amazing life she led! I'm in awe of how much impact she had on the lives of those around her and after her.


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

*whew* I'm wiped from rearranging my mums on my porch 349765 time.







Thanks for thinking of me, Heather. I feel the love! We are utterly ticked off at Time WArner cable right now. We've had *no* internet for two weeks, and reaaaaally spotty internet for the four weeks we've been here.







: But we should be good to go. Now I just need my husby to replace the hard drive on my 'puter, I'll be good to go!

mamameg-what a lady! A true inspiration.

I think my hubby's tv puts y'alls to shame. A mere 60 inches. That's it. It is tiny. Really.







: I call it his third child. He thinks it is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Now I have to admit, it will be nice to watch the Ohio State/Michigan game on it Saturday. Hey LIsa, are you a wolverine? Better not be. Gonna start trash talking them, LOL!

I can't begin to respond to the two weeks of posts I just caught up on.

Hosting Turkey Day at my house next week. Can hardly wait.







:

I'm trying to be more present as my internet connection allows...


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Sherri, the mums thing made me chortle. And of COURSE Thanksgiving is at your house!! Wow--since you just moved in I am







to you. I could not imagine doing so.

Jessica I REALLY WANT a beeeeer right about now. Toss one o'er here, will ya?


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Megan - the world is not the same because of Grammy Range. What a gift to us. So sorry for your loss.

Now, I need to make sure the bathroom is the same. The kiddos just closed the door. (Yes they are in there by them selves, they are too loud to get up to any trouble)


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Oh, they wanted privacy, and my bathroom looks like a tsunami hit it. Funny, the rest of the house looks like a hurricane came through.







:


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

:







love ya, sherri!

E had her 9mos check today....almost 21 pounds!!





















Have to see the ortho about her hip as she favors one side when crawl scooting. Really just want to make sure we have been to every specialist under the sun before she turns 1.









mmmm....beer! I haven't had one in ages and I do so miss a nice cold Stella.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Stella Artois?


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

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sarah'sMama* 
Hey LIsa, are you a wolverine?

Here's my college sports breakdown:

1. Oregon Ducks
2. Stanford (although pretty much just for women's basketball)
3. MICHIGAN
.
.
.
And way down at the bottom, with credit only for being in the midwest, ranks Ohio State.

Sorry, chica...watch your trash mouth!


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Looks like we're gonna have a problem, my dear friend.







:


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Sherri!


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

Hey, the truth is that I pick my teams based on the overall attractiveness of the uniform 90% of the time (which I admit nearly caused me to drop the Ducks entirely - damn Nike and the curse of bright yellow!).

One of the benefits of living in an all-girl household with a tiny tv that we never turn on is that football and the like is so not a factor in my life. I do like the righteous fight though and if pressed I will claim my teams with a great deal of unjustifiable passion. My greatest fear is that we'll have a boy and he'll want to _play_ football...no wait, my greatest fear is that we'll end up with a cheerleader (shudder). Do we have any secret cheerleaders in the May Mama crowd? Elsanne? Hmmm....who would I vote for most likely to be a cheerleader?









Which brings me to my own topic - let's give each other "Most Likely to..." titles. I suggest Sherri as "Most Likely to Teach Martha Stewart a Thing or Two."

And on an entirely different note. I think that I shared with you that it drives Alison batty that I try to fix things that aren't broken all the time. I am currently researching preschools/daycares for Eleanor even though we love her current child care sitch. Here's the thing: I love Montessori as a concept and we didn't look at those schools when we found the place that she's at. I just discovered that they have them sit at a computer and watch Elmo interactive drawing videos when it's raining outside at her current school. It bugs _me_, but _she loves it_ there. I have serious issues with feeling like I am missing out on something so I get caught uip looking and searching for more, more, more.. What is that about???? Besides the sincere request for comments on the insecurity I seem to have in my choices, should I ask Alison to come with me to observe at the Montessori school?


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Hm. Computers at age 2? I dunno if I like that. I mean, with mommy at home is one thing, but at school? Hm.

I LOVE the most likely to, and I think Sherri's title is apt.

I am "most likely to run off to Mexico and dance my little heart out". Oh wait, I already actually did that.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

I'd be most likely to stay in my pajamas/yoga pants all day!









What is everyone doing for Thanksgiving?? We know Martha is cooking...anyone else? We were supposed to go to CT, but I'm not up for it so we'll probably just stay home and cook a small not so vegan turkey bird and some of our favorite dishes.


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

Quote:


Originally Posted by *heatherfeather* 
I'd be most likely to stay in my pajamas/yoga pants all day!









No way! You are Most Likely to Knit World Peace

And Els is Most Likely to Meet and -ehem- *Love* a Rock Star!

I am Most Likely to Get Fired for Posting on the Internet at Work.

Sigh.

We always go to Alison's brother's place for T Day. I love that we don't cook at our house, but I will be bringing port and cheese and some yummy pumpkin dip with homemade dipping cookies.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

: i was a cheerleader for a whopping 3 months or so. but that was in pakistan. not exactly the typical high school american cheerleader football game thing. and i got to go to delhi







(in the subcontinent there are 5 international schools so 3 times a year everyone travels to one of the schools to have a sports convention. basketball is one, field hockey is the 2nd and volleyball/soccer is the 3rd.) i also played basketball and field hockey. i couldn't have played *any* sports at my american high school where you have to be playing a sport year round since age 4 to make a team. pakistan was so much fun.

i would prefer isaac play basketball over football because i hate football. but i do really hope he is 'sporty' because i think after school practice is a lot more constructive (and healthy) than after school recreational drug use

we are flying down to cali tomorrow night and staying the week for thanksgiving







: i can't wait. isaac is even more excited. i'm doing the daily countdown to going on an airplane but he insists it is 'two weeks!' also, everything that happened in the past happened 'last night!' last night daddy took me to school. his time concepts are really cute right now.

lisa - i would ask alison to go observe with you. then you can talk about the pros and cons together. i think the montessori programs are cool. very hard to get into up here.


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Renae is Most Likely to Run Away and Become an AFI Roadie.









Some much needed humor on what is a CRAP day! I'm not up to running down the whole list of awful things that are going on, but both DH and I are up to our eyeballs in stressful nonsense, making the whole grammy dying thing just THAT much more stressful. Dh is going to Miami again this weekend for the funeral. I asked my mom if she could come up and help me out (4 days alone with 3 kids makes Megan a very







: mama and she has said SO MANY TIMES "anytime you need to me come up and help, I can, no problem") and she said, "well.... it's really a bad time what with Thanksgiving travel and all.." OH, YA THINK????? So Mom's not coming







: and I am just feeling completely overwhelmed. DH is overwhelmed too (he actually said those words "I feel really overwhelmed right now" with his head in his hands - neither of these are things he EVER does, so I know he's on the edge) so I'm busy trying to alleviate his stress, as well.








:

Oh, and it's really raining here, too.

Sorry for the big negative purge. Blech.

Just to wrap this post up on a more positive note, I will admit here and now, I was a cheerleader. Yes, I was. Shocking, isn't it? I was even in the Super Bowl Half Time Show when I was 15! Hmmm... thinking back upon those fond memories, it almost makes my current stress factors just fade away.... NOT!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

OH, heavens, I did not pin Meg as most likely to have been a cheerleader! Jstar does make some sense, however. Lisa is most likely to NOT have been a cheerleader. I am most likely to have tried out for-and not gotten to be-a cheerleader.







:

Meg, whoa dude, whatta drag! Let's see...other options...you DO need help those days...I guess running away to Mexico while oldest two fend for themselves is not an option, is it? I can't believe Mom isn't gonna come through for you. Any way you could talk her into it, or sweeten the pot a bit?

Thanksgiving will be celebrated with my modern dance teacher, who after giving the course stays around for a few weeks and puts on a real shindig, with all her family and friends arriving from san diego.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

That's it....I hearby declare that Thanskiving festivites will be taking place for any and all may mamas in Mexico. Pack up your cars now and get a move on...

Megan--how irksome!! Is there anyone local who can help out with the older two for a stretch so you can have some snuggle naps w/ J? So sorry this time is weighing on you and DH so heavily now. I hope your mom thinks it over and comes through for you in the end!


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
I am most likely to have tried out for-and not gotten to be-a cheerleader.







:

.

well why do you think i was a cheerleader for only 3 months?? didn't make the cut!!







: and then when one girl got kicked off for grades i got my big day in the sun







or in the short skirt i should say

go meg! (superbowl halftime show!) i've tried watching the dallas cheerleaders show and dh won't let me.







: boobs bouncing around and he isn't interested?? mystery!!

that is poopy about your mom meg







: it all sounds like a lot of stress right now.


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
Besides the sincere request for comments on the insecurity I seem to have in my choices, should I ask Alison to come with me to observe at the Montessori school?

Definitely don't know you well enough to comment on the insecurities







, but I have some nice Montessori experience. Both of my girls, my 4.75 year old and my 2 year old, attend a local Montessori school. We LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I wasn't sold on the Montessori concept at first, I was mostly interested because they offered a full-day preschool class, as opposed to just AM or PM. It has honestly changed the way I parent. And I saw INSTANT changes in my DD's behavior, not that she was ever troublesome, she just suddenly seemed more comfortable in her own skin. Now my maybaby is there too, in the Toddler Community. She loves it. There are so many things I love about it, I could go on and on. If you're interested, I'd say definitely take Alison for an observation! What struck me about the observation was that a class of 27 3-6 year olds could be that calm and quiet with only 2 adults in the room. Anyway, I'm happy to ramble on, but I have to go pick up said preschoolers now.


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

jstar-Most Likely to SOlve Global Warming or Most LIkely to go Snowboarding!

Lisa, I'm totally laughing at me teaching Ms. Martha a thing or two. I really am not all that Martha-like. I get a kick out of being compared to her, though. Why do you think of me in that sense? Just curious if something I've said leads you to believe I'm more crafty/homey than thou.

mamameg-Big hugs coming at you. Having a really crappy week, here, too. I know the overwhelmed feeling, and hope something comes through for you this weekend. I hope your Mom has a change of heart.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Sherri---it's the porch...inextricably linked and explanatory of your Martha-ness.







: But I should freely admit that I just made DH get me a Marth subscription after I read one of the more recent issues at the gym.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Where is Renae?

(it's rainy, the girls are both napping and I am soooo bored...suppose I could be knitting...)


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Big hugs comin' at you down the coast, Megan. I wish I could help you out. And your DH's grammy was an amazing woman, for sure. Sorry it's so stressful for you right now.









Lisa, I feel like we could miss out, too. I mean, I love our current sitch with an amazing nanny, and our choice to unschool eventually...but I do often think about what else is out there. I would definitely go to observe, and drag Allison there. It can't hurt to just go look, right?

Dude, I would kill for a Martha subscription. DH would probably $#&* his pants, though, 'cause he's already on edge about all the crafty stuff I have in the house that is taking up room and never getting used. It will someday, though, I swear!

So what's my title...Most Likely to Get Drunk and Get a Tattoo?

S.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Uh... most likely to fit PEOPLE for diaphragms? (that's too easy)
Most likely to make the dean's list?

Who matches each of these?

Most likely to say dude
Most likely to have a napless child
Most likely to have pastry glued to @$$
Most likely to be a vegan nun
Most likely to abuse smilies









Megan, you heard it here first: your mom is being lame. I'm sorry everything is crapolicious right now. If you can't twist her arm into helping you with a dose of sanity, what are your alternatives? I'd be cashing in favors with friends, doing EASY meals (from the freezer or take-out), etc. Do you have a trusted babysitter? If so, maybe you can schedule an afternoon or evening of freedom?

I hope I don't get







: , but I'm not that surprised about Meg and Jess and cheerleading. And *I* want to be the one to save the world from global warming (but I guess I'd have to get a job to do that, no? doesn't continuing to pump out the pups just make the global warming worse?







)

I find Martha *fascinating*, but truly, I am the anti-Martha. I am just so not into House Beautiful, Craft Beautiful, and Food Beautiful. (More like House Tidy, Craft Functional, and Food Tasty







)


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KKmama* 

Who matches each of these?

Most likely to say dude
Most likely to have a napless child
Most likely to have pastry glued to @$$
Most likely to be a vegan nun
Most likely to abuse smilies




Okay, I'll bite:

1) I think of Renae, although maybe me
2) This would be me, or Sarah Bee
3) pastry glued to ash, this would be jstar, or maybe me
4) Vegan nun, Beth, or could be me as well
5) Abuse smilies, Renae although Sherri can do some nice artwork with them. Definitely not me.

Because, as we all know, it's ALL ABOUT ME!!!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

"Most Likely to Want to Box DH about the Ears"= TC!!!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

I'm on a roll.

"Most Likely to get her doctorate"=Emmalola. Who is the other one?


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Dude (







), seriously, does anyone's May babe really nap anymore? Lily takes maybe one nap a week, sometimes two, on a good week. Except for KK...we all know how she is the Nap Nazi.









Pump out pups...omg, rotflmao!

No coffee today so far...I THINK I can, I THINK I can, I THINK I can...


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

i just got a martha subscription for $22







her recipes take far too much TIME though for my highly-scheduled a$$. but i think it is a purdy magazine.

i think i am most likely to get drunk out of all ya'll. although i'm on hiatus right now and the sight of celebration ale in teh stores is torturing me. and i miss my girls night out at the BAR







now i have girls night on the couch









i can't BELIEVE you guys think i am cheerleader material







i thought you had to have rhythm to do that







and i always think of cheerleaders as blond. i am definitely not blond.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

That's true, you ARE an engineer, who are not known for being bubbly.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Yes, but she is bubbly. A bubbly engineer. Who woulda thunk?

And no, I am definitely the most likely to get drunk. No, wait, maybe I am tied with Elsanne. Oh, did I tell you guys how drunk I got last Friday night? Word to the wise: don't drink wine and gin on the same night.







Although I was surprisingly ok the next morning, just veeery tired since I only got 4 hours' sleep.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Sarah--C is taking marathon naps these days 3+ hours is the norm, but this was preceded by a cycle of take it or leave it nap days. Her behavior these days is atrocious (see yg post) so I don't know if there's a connection.

I am most definitely *not* bubbly.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
I'm on a roll.

"Most Likely to get her doctorate"=Emmalola. Who is the other one?

Um, isn't nugget the most likely to get her doctorate? Or did she not quite finish? Now I can't remember.







And KK is the most likely to get her doctorate in 2020.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

this is all cracking me up.

isaac has his daily "socialized" nap at school at 12:30. the routine of it works like a drug. i swear i couldn't get him to nap at 12:30 on a weekend unless we stayed up all night. he usually doesn't go down until 3ish but i FORCE it or he is insane by 6pm. 'i not seepy! *yawn* i not seepy!' uh, yeah.

i don't know if i'm bubbly but the world is definitely lacking in bubbly engineers. i think i work with ALL of them. i have some awesome cohorts.


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

I'll be "most likely to show up 2.5 years late." Which is funny because I am generally very punctual, toddler tantrums aside.

Though I do enjoy


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

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Miss Juice* 
I'll be "most likely to show up 2.5 years late."

This is great!

I am glad you're here. Thanks for the Montessori thoughts...it does make me want to go and at least check it out. I hesitate only because Eleanor really does like the other kids and the care providers where she is...yet I don't like that we are TV free and she knows the Elmo song.


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Both kids are napping!!! That can turn even the worst day around.









Obviously, naps are still happening here. For now. We go in phases. Right now we are "on" because DH has been home. (More on that later on the yg, but let's jsut say its definitely part of the whole mess of stress we have going on here. Oy.) When he is home, she naps for him and then gets on a roll, so when he's not here (like today) she will still take a nap for me. But if he is gone for more than a few days, she remembers that I am weak and the naps fade away.

drink? you guys drink?







:

In more mom lameness, I just spoke with her and she joked that she was giving me a break by not asking me to go look at rental houses for them this weekend. (Edited to explain they are moving here next month and I am scoping out potential houses for them.) I know she thought she was being funny, but that is so not funny right now.







: I will not beg my mom to come here. I just can't do that. She clearly doens't want to come and she's told me so in her own way. They have done a lot for us this year, and I don't feel like begging for more. If she doesn't want to come, I don't want her here. It will just stress me out more. But it still sucks to not have the help.









I have no regular babysitter. But I know someone I can call. Might be short notice, but it's worth a shot.

Okay, both kids are up now, gotta run.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Most likely to run away and become an AFI ROADIE?!?! NO way. Try "band aid"
(read: GROUPIE!!!







)
But I would totally be happy if I was a roadie. A roadie-groupie? Do they exist?!

Oh no! I don't abuse the smilies, do I?














:







:















:







:







ABUSED.







:
















I like this:







I printed it out and stuck it on the bookshelf in here. Hee. I want to hang it everywhere!

Okay, um, I don't have a lot to say, my computer is being mighty slooooooooooow, (like I think it took some bong hits. THAT slow.







) so I tend to throw up my hands and storm out of the room rather than wait the million years it's taken to load anything today. ARG.
And I have to sell stuff on Ebay, and Etsy, man! ugh ugh ugh. Lame.
Speaking of, I really really should go downstairs and work on some jewelry for my upcoming craft fair. Money has been the pits lately, mamas. Credit cards are maxed, we have bills, I have no job.







Ugh. Anyway, sorry to be all negative too...







s to everyone else having a trying day.

Most likely to be a vegan nun: ELSANNE!









Heather, I WISH you could make it to CT...that's where we'll be; but MIL wants to make reservations somewhere so no one has to cook. I'm down with that this year. Haha. I cooked last year, if you all remember. It ruled but I don't feel like doing it this year.

Okay, Rowan just got a hold of my scissors.







: Oh Crap, and he unwrapped a gift I wrapped this morning!







:

Later mamas.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

i honestly can't think straight enough to know what i am most likely to be...

fiddle is most likely to herd a caravan of musical cats.

jstar is most likely to martha up her yard.

els is most likely to host a may-mama commune.

renae is most likely to participate in said commune.

i got nothing left, mamas.

you all were posting fools today.

oooooooooooooooh.... great news: S weighs 11lb9.5oz!!! still around the 50th percentile where he was born and where he was last month, too. he's a solid baby and is really getting strong and good at holding his head up and his whole body up, too.

going to OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science & Industry) tonight for a special Star Wars exhibit.

~claudia


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Hey, I needs me a good nap. Does that make me a Nazi?







:

Yeah, actually I have the mojito impression of MCSB.

I made the titles purposely vague, so y'all would think they were about y'all. (especially those of you who know it's all about you







)

I'm probably the most vegan, though... doesn't that count toward nunness?









Ack, *I* need to be most likely to FINISH her doctorate.







(I need to quit being most likely to say yes if someone asks me to do volunteer work, but that's another story... maybe I'll whine on the yg sometime)


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Oh yeah, not to make anyone







: Haha...Rowan still takes naps about 95% of the time.







:
He HAS to! If he doesn't, he's pretty much a mess from 3 until 6, when he CRASHES.
Then wakes several times at night (more than usual-remember, no sunshine and puppies here!) only to be UP for the day at...you guess it, 6am!















I usually get him down for naps at about 12:30-1ish, and if he fights it I tell him he has a choice; I can pat his back till he falls asleep, or...
He can stay in his crib for an hour of 'quiet time'
!!!
I can't even tell you how well this works. I haven't had to leave him for more than 15 minutes yet! If he acts like a poop after we nurse and I lie him down, I say "okay, I'm leaving you to rest and I will see you later" and leave. He will shriek or yell for a moment (NOT CIO, obviously--I don't think it's possible at this age!) and then when he realizes I won't be coming back until he's lying down, he finally asks nicely "Mama pat the back, mama pat the back! Please?" And when I go back in he lays down and lets me pat him. Usually it doesn't even get to that point.

Anyway, the nap is still in full effect here; at least when *I'm* home with him. Sometimes DH isn't so lucky, and Gramma or Papa (or any other rare caretaker )? No freakin' WAY.
Also, on Fridays when I am at my friend's house watching her DS, the nap is negotiable. So yeah. 95% of the time, Rowan is still a napper.









Yay communes!
Yay








Yay









I like that sign, though I can't really say "I'm feeling








"! But hey, maybe I'll put it in my siggie!

Okay, enough tipsy rambling from me (I don't drink!







) I will be back later. I can't think about who'd be most likely to do anything...most of you have already said the awesome stuff!









I







my May Mamas!

Have a great night, y'all.

ETA: Omigosh! I can't believe I didn't say anything about Grammy Range!







I'm lame. What an amazing story, what an amazing woman! Thank you for sharing this with us, Mamameg. And good luck handling things while DH is in Florida!


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Renae: Most Likely to Post Whilst Intoxicated!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

TC : Most Likely to Go To Bed Early.

MF, we were nappin out real regular-like until this week. I am kind of diggin the 7 pm bedtime. But, like you say, she seems to wake more when she goes down early.

KK--true about the veganity. Are your kids also vegan? Do tell about child diet! But, y'know, it's not like you're out there making FUTONS or anything.









Oh TC I'm sure you are, but are you taking a really wonderful dietary supplement of any kind? Even if it's all psychological, it does me wonders to feel like I'm covered in the nutrition arena. I take All-One vitamin powder in a smoothie with all kinds of other goodness every morning, or if I forget, in the afternoon. Any excuse for sweets (because it's yummy). Anyway just thinking of you and any coping methods I can share. Yay for S gaining weight like a champ!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Who would be "Most Likely to Post in Other Forums"? (ie on MDC)


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
Who would be "Most Likely to Post in Other Forums"? (ie on MDC)

Definitely TC. That girl gets around!


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Definately not me. I only post here and obviously not enough to keep up with two pages of new posts in a day!!!








I have no idea what I am most likely to do. Oversleep? which we did this morning. Let her kids eat cookies for breakfast? Let said kids buy icky (nonvegan) lunch at school? Go to a yarn shop instead of buying stuff to fix lunch?







:
Most likely to get overwhelmed and not keep up with her MMs


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Whoa....42 posts to the daily digest since yesterday? I just can't keep up with you all.

So, just call me "most likely to still be waiting on sr. memberdom in 2020."

Also, most likely to watch TiVo late at night.

Meg-what an amazing woman dh's grandma was! Wow. What an inspiring story. Thanks for sharing with us. Sorry your mom can't help out, but soon she'll be closer, which will be good, no?

G still naps here, though some days are better than others. Nursing him down rarely works and falling asleep in the car only turns into an actual nap if he get home within 10 minutes of falling asleep. Any longer than that and he wakes up too much in the transition from the car to the house. I don't thinks he's slept longer than 1 1/2 hours at naptimes for months. And, he's never been a 3-hour napper. Never. Me, on the other, hand, I could take a long one. He sleeps through the night, mostly.

The talk about Montessori has been interesting...we were involved with the Waldorf school in Texas and I was planning on hooking up with the one here. But, I'm also interested in looking into the Montessori schools they have here, so we'll see. Waldorf is just so expensive, and so very anti-TV. I'd love to be totally anti-TV, but I'm just not *there* yet, so we'll see.

I guess G had a meltdown with dh tonight while I was at work. Not cause I wasn't here, just cause he's 2 1/2. And I think his 2-year molars might be coming in cause he rubs his jaw a lot and wakes up shrieking. He's also told me his teeth hurt. It was exactly a year ago that his one-year molars came in cause I remember it was around Thanksgiving.

Speaking of Turkey Day, we're staying here. One thing about being married to a minister is that our holidays are not our own. There's a Thanksgiving Day Service and at Christmas, well, it's crazy busy. It's sort of nice not to have to travel at those times, but I miss getting to share the time with family. Family can come to us, and last year my brother visited, and sister came the year before. This year, nobody is coming. We're going to a friend's home for dinner and I'm making my awesome sweet potatoes with praline topping. Yummo! Hopefully, we'll be in a more permanent residence next year (and roomier) and I plan to invite the whole fam damily for one or other of the holidays.

Where has Emmalola been? I've been thinking of her the past couple days. Hope you're doing okay!!!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Jacqueline: Most Likely to be a First Lady.

Now, Waldorf/Montessori. I have much to say on the matter, only because after much reading here on MDC I have made a decision I never ever expected to make! And for Sol, the winner is: Montessori. Surprise! (to me, anyway)

Here is a synopsis, certainly flawed as viewed through the filter of me:

-Maria Montessori was asked to educate poor Italian children, whose home life was full of fantasy, outdoor, and group play. Her techniques involve individual "work" (not play) with "materials" (not toys), highly structured activities, and mostly working with real life issues or routines (ie, household duties, etc).

-Rudolf Steiner was asked to educate German children of workers in the Waldorf cigarette factory in the post WWII era. These children knew the daily grind, knew routines, and had little opportunity to "just be kids". His ideas include rhythm vs structure, group vs individual play, heavy on the fantasy and light on the academics. The German culture is very structured, as a rule.

Fast forward to Mexico, 2006: Sol's life at home involves a lack of structure, heavy fantasy play by herself and with her dad, very rhythmical in and out of activities. Sounds very Waldorfish, no?

Mama just had another baby. Mama and Sol are developing unhealthy patterns of behavior because Mama cannot deal. Mama thinks Sol would better spend those few hours with stimulating activities instead of crying and whining at Mama's feet.

A quick decision, and the closest school: Montessori. Best for a variety of utilitarian reasons. Upon closer analysis, however, when comparing Sol's life at home and what Montessori is teaching her, it is found to be the best fit pedagogically as well. Even I am starting to put things back in their places as a result.

The next years? I am not sure. I know this school starts with "homework" at around age 4, which I am NOT crazy about, and I just might switch to the Waldorf school around then.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

i like the montesorri philosophies. i've looked into some of the programs here but i'm happy with isaac's place and i think changing would be a BIG thing. they don't have tvs or computer's at the y and spend as much time playing outside as possible. yesterday because it wasn't raining they had snack outside, went on a long walk in the neighborhood and spent a lot of the day out in the playground. lots O fresh air which i like. also very gd.

we are leaving tonight. yahoooty


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

I think it is so important to visit the schools too because when I looked inot preschools for N I really wanted a Montesorri or Waldorf. Waldorf was expensive and far to that fell out of hte running. Ultimately the Montesorri was not right for N. I don't know why, but it just wasn't at that time. Now it might be different but we are on the path we are on and I am happy enough. And Montessori only goes to K here (nearby). We ended up at a developmental preschool which was a coop and I loved it but ultimately I would not have moved N if I hadn't quit working. She was happy where she was and missed the daycare terribly
I have to go


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

Okay, so here's what I am thinking about Eleanor's care situation:

I am REALLY concerned about leaving her current place because she does love it there and she is so comfortable. It's hard because it really is amazing how much it's a home for her and it would be a BIG deal to leave it, as you said, Jess. I don't want to put her through the trauma of moving to another place because I want to experience more, more, more (and really, the computer thing irks me, but her school is awesome, totally gd, loving, and community-minded, and the teacher was using the computer to engage the kids so it wasn't a mindless activity, nor was it the only activity going on - there was a couple of other stations set up with kids doing puzzles, play-doh, water play with other teachers - it's just wasn't my thing and I don't think it should be one of the options).

Here's the rub, she's going to go through a lot of changes over the next several months and now that I think about it, it pretty inevitable that she's going to need to leave/take a long break from fulltime care no matter where she's at. When Alison has the baby one or the other of us plans to be home for at least 8-9 months. During that time I don't think we can afford to have Eleanor go to her daycare even if we wanted to have her go for the continuity of it because only one of us will be working. Regardless, while one of us is home I really don't want her going someplace fulltime anyway - we should be together. Her current place does part-time, but I think we should also consider other designed-to-be part-time or parent participation places for her until next fall because I think the transition from fulltime to nothing plus a sibling may be too much for all involved.

In the fall, we'll have to make decisions about fulltime care for both the new baby and Eleanor. We'll look at our options then (yes to Montessori, no to Waldorf is my gut). On top of that though, I am really not okay with a baby under one year being in fulltime care, but I don't see how we can afford to have one of us be at home&#8230;we are both trying not to think about it and hoping that a solution will materialize between now and then. Worst case is that I work an early morning shift and work the weekends so that we minimize the time that we would need care. I really don't want to never have down time with my family - I need that so much - so it's not going to be easy to figure this all out.

So, yeah, this is a phenomenally bad time to move Eleanor to another fulltime place. I don't know what I was thinking







: - but I do know that if I thought I was overwhelmed by the idea of researching other places, I am completely, insanely, in-over-my-head, afraid of the reality of the next 12 months for my family. Now I am so thoroughly overwhelmed I may have to resort to drinking.


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Wow, Lisa, you've got so much going on. I don't have any magic answers, either, but I just wanted to give you a







You are really thinking through it all and that is good. But, as you must know by now, things do have a way of working themselves out. I do the same thing....look at the big picture so much and make myself feel totally overwhelmed. I have to remind myself that we have to be where we are right now. I'm always working on it....

Good thoughts on the diff b/w Montessori & Waldorf. Food for thought...

Gotta go to the grocery store. Just wanted to give Lisa some calming vibes....Here's my mantra "all shall be well, and all shall be well."


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Don't the pending solar panels count for anything???? The kids aren't vegan. (and for the record, I *do* have fish ~1x/mo these days, so obviously I'm not a true vegan, but I don't eat meat, nor dairy nor eggs, and I've been veg for the last 20 yrs) T is ovo-lacto + occasional fish (funny story: in K, they're learning about Thanksgiving, so they're having a mini-meal today with what the pilgrims had their 1st winter--hardtack, jerky, etc., and I took some fruit leather for T and the other veg kids to have instead of jerky), Z is still eating poultry and fish (because he's still sensitive to dairy and eggs). To be honest... I don't think kids should be vegan... I think ovo-lacto is fine, but vegan kids tend to be shorter than their peers, and to me, that means they must be missing something. I think "vegan" is more of an adult diet (just my opinion, of course). But they eat pretty super-crunch most of the time, at least compared to most of their peers. Though dh definitely likes "meat analogs" (eg tofu bratwurst, unturkey, etc.). By super-crunch, I mean no refined sugar, really try to stay whole grain/whole food/unprocessed, plenty of fruits and veggies, etc. I used to be super hard core about this, but after Z's problems, I've lightened up somewhat (ie, I realize that the occasional cookie won't kill them).

Re school... this may just be Boulder... and take what I say with a grain of salt... The waldorf school here is really expensive. So are most of the Montessoris. And here's where I'm kind of







:... the people that I've met who have their kids in these schools--for the most part, I haven't liked them, or their kids.







:







:







: Boulder is already kind of an upper-middle class (and up), white kind of place to live, and it seems like exclusive preschools here are well, even more exclusive, with the baggage that goes along with that (of course, I may be TOTALLY wrong, I will admit, because NO, I haven't visited the schools, just perused online and met associated families). I liked the idea of co-op preschool way more than a system which seemed too rigid for T (Montessori) at the time. It was also really important to me to have him in a public school (for K on up), again, for a more real experience with real people. His school is really excellent, has won awards, and has more diversity than average in Boulder, in part because it has an ESL program and a very comprehensive special ed program. [I realize that by sending my kid to a public school and not homeschooling him or sending him to M or W that I'm kind of against the grain of MDC, but







] Anyway...


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

x-posted with Lisa, and out of time, but just want to give you a







and I may say more later. Decisions about stuff like this are never easy.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Just wanted to offer Lisa some more







s







s







s!
More in a bit; I am at my friends house and there is a rare tandem nap going on right now (the one year old went down with little fuss at 11:30, Rowan went down with a little MORE fuss at 12:30....Oh my goodness, there are no little ones clinging to me at this very moment!







:
(I DO abuse the smilies, don't I?? Sorry bout that...







Haha!)
I think my friend's DS is getting more used to me; he only cried for about 2 minutes when she first handed him to me to leave for work! Woot! Now, to figure out a way to entertain them BOTH without the use of Baby Einstein. *grin*

Okay, I am outta here at 3ish, so have a good day, mama-jamas. Much love to you all.


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

I really hope you can come to a workable solution on childcare once the new baby arrives. And try to enjoy the last few weeks of Alison's pregnancy and take the time to enjoy your family of three. Yes, adding a new baby is stressful, if not overwhelming. But you will get through it. If I can do it, anyone can. You and Alison seem like such a team, always so in tune to each other, I know you two will do just fine. I admire your determination to come to a solution everyone is comfortable with. I hope your magic answer does materialize, and the sooner, the better!


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
Now, Waldorf/Montessori. I have much to say on the matter, only because after much reading here on MDC I have made a decision I never ever expected to make! And for Sol, the winner is: Montessori. Surprise! (to me, anyway)

Mama just had another baby. Mama and Sol are developing unhealthy patterns of behavior because Mama cannot deal. Mama thinks Sol would better spend those few hours with stimulating activities instead of crying and whining at Mama's feet.

A quick decision, and the closest school: Montessori. Best for a variety of utilitarian reasons. Upon closer analysis, however, when comparing Sol's life at home and what Montessori is teaching her, it is found to be the best fit pedagogically as well. Even I am starting to put things back in their places as a result.

The next years? I am not sure. I know this school starts with "homework" at around age 4, which I am NOT crazy about, and I just might switch to the Waldorf school around then.

Elsanne, nice synopsis. I don't know as much about Waldorf - there are none around here anyway. I so so so hear you on the patterns of behavior and needing to swich thing up a bit. I'd be sending my kids to school even if I wasn't working. I probably wouldn't send them all day, but I'd send them. I'm surprised that your school would have homework so soon, though! Our Head of School gave a big talk about homework. The school goes all the way through 8th grade, and I know they don't get homework until at least middle school, if even then. Parents complain about it. So anyway he gave this great talk about how hard the kids work all day, why should they have to do it all again when they get home, and how we shouldn't expect them to work a second shift at the tender age of 6. I was pretty impressed.

It took me a long time to understand the value of the "work" and the "lessons". As you said, it ain't play. The kids enjoy it that much, though! At any rate, my love of Montessori (for preschool certainly) has really come from watching my DD go through the program. She started there when she was just turning 3, and she'll be 5 in January. We had her parent teacher conference this morning, and I'm so pleased.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nuggetsmom* 
I think it is so important to visit the schools too because when I looked inot preschools for N I really wanted a Montesorri or Waldorf. Waldorf was expensive and far to that fell out of hte running. Ultimately the Montesorri was not right for N. I don't know why, but it just wasn't at that time. Now it might be different but we are on the path we are on and I am happy enough.

The most most most important thing is that it's the right place for your child. Childcare and school decisions are ROUGH!!







s to all of us for having to even contemplate it.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
I am REALLY concerned about leaving her current place because she does love it there and she is so comfortable.

Here's the rub, she's going to go through a lot of changes over the next several months and now that I think about it, it pretty inevitable that she's going to need to leave/take a long break from fulltime care no matter where she's at. Her current place does part-time, but I think we should also consider other designed-to-be part-time or parent participation places for her until next fall because I think the transition from fulltime to nothing plus a sibling may be too much for all involved.

In the fall, we'll have to make decisions about fulltime care for both the new baby and Eleanor. We'll look at our options then (yes to Montessori, no to Waldorf is my gut). On top of that though, I am really not okay with a baby under one year being in fulltime care, but I don't see how we can afford to have one of us be at home&#8230;we are both trying not to think about it and hoping that a solution will materialize between now and then. Worst case is that I work an early morning shift and work the weekends so that we minimize the time that we would need care. I really don't want to never have down time with my family - I need that so much - so it's not going to be easy to figure this all out.

So, yeah, this is a phenomenally bad time to move Eleanor to another fulltime place. I don't know what I was thinking







: - but I do know that if I thought I was overwhelmed by the idea of researching other places, I am completely, insanely, in-over-my-head, afraid of the reality of the next 12 months for my family. Now I am so thoroughly overwhelmed I may have to resort to drinking.























That's a lot to think about, but kudos for giving everything such careful consideration. I think a lot of times people makes decisions quickly based on what's best for them personally, not necessarily the child or the family.







sounds like there's a lot on the family plate right now. When is the baby due?

It does sound like a lot of transitions. I wouldn't want to switch if there is already another switch planned for the near-ish future. My experience when my second was born was that keeping DD1 at her daycare was VITAL. We went to part time, but she needed that structure, and I needed that space. When the little guy was born in August, we didn't do it that way (couldn't afford it) and I was suddenly HOME, all day every day, with three kids under 5. It was really really hard on everyone. Too much TV was watched by all, and our attitudes towards life and our family members went downhill fast. Fortunately it was only 6 weeks before the girlies went back to school.

I've lost track of my point, and I'm not even







though I am







: . I think what I was trying to say was that with everything coming up, it might be best to keep her where she is for now, and then look at transitioning after the baby or after the babymoon. More







s transitions are so rough. Kids are mighty tough, though!


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

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Miss Juice* 
When is the baby due?

Late January. I think we're the next MM family to have another wee one.

Thanks all, for the hugs and thoughtful posts. I really just thought all this through as I wrote it so it's great to have this outlet here with my virtual peeps (I might of pushed these issues away from my mind until the $hit hit the fan in January and that would be much much worse). Thanks for the love. And right back at 'cha.























KK - a lot of what you said rings true for me too. I love the diversity and "public school" attitude of Eleanor's current place. That may be a big issue for me when we look at other places. Thanks for putting it into words.

Oh, on crafts - I quilt rarely and I am generally artistic but with no regular outlet. On naps- Eleanor is going to the dr. today because she has been having screaming fits about "not laying down, no" It's bad and the last time that this was the complaint we didn't do anything until we happened to take her to a well baby visit and discovered big infections in both ears. We are generally anti-antibiotics, but we want to rule out the possibility that that is what is going on again.

Feel better, Juice and happy weekend to all!


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Lisa, have you thought about asking about the computer station/asking that it be removed? I wouldn't like it, either, and *I* certainly feel empowered to question/complain about everything I don't like.









It really does sound like you have a lot of transitions coming up, that you're putting a lot of thought into how to do the best thing for *everyone*, and that there are no easy answers. I just think that it's good that you're being sensitive about everyone's needs. That said... toddlers are pretty resiliant, so don't torture yourself, once you make the decision.

I realize that I may have been a little glib/incomplete in my previous post about school. Part of what I need to say that we each have to do what's right for our own, very individual children... ultimately, a lot of our final decision about preschool had to do with comfort with the teachers at the preschool T went to, and that can go beyond the "philosophy" of the place, y'know? And I'm not sure what kind of decision we would have made if we had remained in Berkeley. A small part of the reason we moved was because we knew we'd have access to more uniformly high quality schools.

Renae, I wasn't necessarily singling you out (I feel like *I* abuse the smilies, too).

I'm finally getting my hair cut this afternoon (was supposed to be last wk but had to reschedule), so hopefully, I'll be leaving the "most likely to have frumpy hair" behind.

And last but not least, one last word on craftiness... if we won the lottery (which I assume you need to actually buy a lottery ticket to do), this is what I would do:
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/Art/bfa/fibers.html
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/Art/works/fibersDemo/FibersDemo.swf


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Many thanks for comments over yonder on C's two-ness or rather 2.5 year old-ness.







: I'm mulling over options for schooling and the library has a preschool fair in Feb-ish that should make that task easier. For now, we're considering hs'ing or the local charter school. KK --I think you're totally right abou it being a matter of rightness of fit rather than this philosophy of schooling is superior kinda thing.

okay...somebody pooped...must run....


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KKmama* 
I realize that I may have been a little glib/incomplete in my previous post about school. Part of what I need to say that we each have to do what's right for our own, very individual children... ultimately, a lot of our final decision about preschool had to do with comfort with the teachers at the preschool T went to, and that can go beyond the "philosophy" of the place, y'know? And I'm not sure what kind of decision we would have made if we had remained in Berkeley. A small part of the reason we moved was because we knew we'd have access to more uniformly high quality schools.

I don't think it was glib at all, and I completely agree. The most most most important thing is a good match for your child and your family. I definitely appreciate the social factors involved... I feel so lucky to have found a great match for my kids. Thank goodness they have financial aid, because being a private school we couldn't afford it. We're planning to move to the public schools in first grade.


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

As soon as I opened this window, I have to go again since DH is having a hard time with bedtime. I guess chasing the kids for 15 minutes before story time... not such a good idea!

Julia totally colors and tries to stay in teh lines and it is so cute. And I am so proud of her.







And she sings little songs too and told me today -no that is orange and she was right!







:

I bet Renae knows all the smilie codes too. Most likely to know the smilie codes.

Maybe I am most likely to eat steak.
Or drink beer.
Mmmm

I have more to say but will try to say it next time.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Most Likely to Get Pregnant?

NOT IT!

Most Likely to Sleep with a Person Not Children's Father?
Lemme guess here...

Most Likely to Travel Internationally? (I don't count for this one) Hmmm I think maybe Jstar. Although none of you get out much with toddlers.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Hoot Hoot! "Most Likely to Sleep with a Person Not Children's Father"==

Lisa!


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
Hoot Hoot! "Most Likely to Sleep with a Person Not Children's Father"==

Lisa!









: that's a good one, els...







:

nuggets: are you an A-1 steak sauce kinda steak eater? or just a steak with its own juices kinda steak eater? and i guess you can be the beer drinker, since sarah-b is the mojito drinker. i'll be the gin and tonic drinker. or the wine snob.







:

jacquie: praline topping for sweet potatoes/yams?







: must have recipe so bill can make it for me.







: i am most likely to injure herself with large knife while chopping vegetables, hence the liberal use of the food processor around here.

i suppose i should try to get some sleep soon. wish i was in the mood for some snuggling, but the lack of connection with bill really makes me not in the mood. he *thinks* the insaneness of his project *may* be over for quite a while as of 830pm earlier tonight, which is when he finally got to leave his office and come home.







:

happy weekend, mamajamas...







MMF!

~claudia


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Tee hee! Elsanne, you crack me up almost daily.

While we're on this subject (thinking outside the dominant paradigm of gender/sex/family make-up), I have to be a good transgendered ally and point out that one does fit PEOPLE for diaphragms. For instance, what about a gay FTM?

I'll spell it out: A person's plumbing is female, but the person identifies as male in gender. This person falls in love, it so happens, with a man. They get married (haha political right wing- how ya gonna stop THAT?) They want children, and don't mind putting off any sort of actual biological changes (hormones, surgery) so that they can have biological children. So....one day mcsb COULD fit a man (gender-wise if not sex-wise) for a diaphragm!









This situation is not unlike one involving a close friend of mine.









Oh- and while I'm posting, I just have to say Elsanne that I'm "most likely to be in the prayers of the vegan nuns." I'm sure they care about me deeply, but they couldn't accept me into the fold, as I would have trouble keeping my vows, what with driving a car and eating meat and daily feeding my child artificial formula and junk food.

We do what we can.


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Hey Claudia, we cross-posted!

I've gotten your phone messages. I just never seem to be home and awake and coherent during times that would be good to call. I'll keep tryin.







MUST go to sleep now, though.

Nighty-night!


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Oh. My. God. I think I may officially lose my mind this time.







: Talked to DH at 7:00 AM (he took the redeye to Miami last night) and it turns out his flakey jakey family gave him inaccurate information, and he will now be staying 2 DAYS LONGER THAN EXPECTED!!! He thought, per his family, there was a private funeral service on Sunday and a public one on Tuesday. He opted to attend the Sunday service, as he has always somewhat resented having to share his grandmother with the public (I guess that's the tradeoff for doing so much for the public... your family suffers to a certain degree) and the private service seemed more up his ally. Also, his brother is getting married today (I'm so sad for he and his bride... Grammy's death will cast such a shadow over their day and will forever be associated with their anniversary







), and going to the Sunday service allowed him go early enough to attend the wedding, too. But now it turns out that the Sunday service is not, in fact, a funeral at all and his family is begging him to stay for the actual funeral (Tuesday), so now he won't be home until Wednesday afternoon, instead of the original Monday night.







:

Honestly, if I had known he was going to stay until Wed, I would have nixed him going early enough to attend the wedding, too. He could have made it a much shorter trip, centered around the actual funeral (Tuesday). I am







but I'm not showing any of it to DH. It's not his fault - it is what it is - and the last thing he needs right now is me bitching at him about his lame, poorly communicating family (they are notorious for this sort of thing).

Oh, and did I mention it cost $213.320 to change his reservation? That's on top of the $508 we already paid for the original ticket. Yeeeaaaahhhhhhh........







:

I have more I'd like to say, but the kids are bouncing off the walls to the Laurie Berkner DVD and I need to reign them in. Plus, Jett is super done with the exersaucer.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

And THAT, my fernyfriend, is the whole reason I post at all! To make you smile! Well, besides gittin me some support n shit.

Aw, meg. I sure wish I could alleviate your load somewhat. Do you have a sitter at all?

Today has been







: so far for me...Sol, napless in San Miguel, went to bed early last night (yay) and woke up REALLY EARLY today (boo): 5 am! This, after mama went down at about midnight. Grrrr not enough sleep makes me unable to deal. I know, it could be worse: I could be alone with 3 kids until Tuesday. Must not complain too loudly.

Fern: I still don't see how mcsb could fit a person for a diaphragm that has no uterus. I know you spelled it out but I be dyslexic or sumpin'.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *fiddlefern* 
They get married (haha political right wing- how ya gonna stop THAT?)









:

Els, this person does have a uterus (and a cervix and a vagina, which are the parts actually fitted for a diaphragm).







: Fiddle said it's a biological WOMAN who considers himself a MAN, waiting for the operation until s/he can have children with his male partner. Clear as mud, huh. Yay, Fiddle! Working in Portland, I'm may just come across a case like that! Although diaphragms are going out of style, so it may actually be an Rx for BCPs or somesuch.









Megan, I feel for you sooo much. I was pretty bitter when DH went to Vegas for 5 days, even when I knew about it for a month. Arrrrgh. It didn't help when he got home and told me it was professionally useless, and all he did was get drunk with his friends.









ANYWAY. Now he and Lily are on their way to a children's play for a couple of hours while I do some home work and maybe hit a WW meeting. So exciting.

Toodles, poodles.

S.


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Have you guys read Peggy's essay this month? I just read it and it has soooooo turned my day around. I can't believe how positive I feel! I can and will handle these 5 days because I am a powerful woman! I urge you all to carve out a few minutes to read it. So inspiring!

Thanks for all the support, pals. No, still no babysitter. 2 days just isn't enough notice, especially not with the holidays coming up. It seems everyone is super busy with social stuff these days, so it makes sense that no one would be available. I also admittedly only have a couple of people I would use anyway, so that doesn't help. Oh well. My neighbor is having a birth day party this evening and after I put Mia to bed, I can set Sultan up with a movie and a pint of sorbet, toss Jett in the moby and head over there later this evening for some adult company. Looking forward to that! And tomorrow is a birthday brunch for another friend. Lots of friends will be there to help me wrangle my brood. I figure, the more we fill up our time, the happier everyone will be.









And double thanks for all the comic relief. You guys are cracking me up.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

megan:







wishing you a quiet and peaceful thanksgiving weekend once your husband gets home after the extended trip... and was the crazy expensive airfare even with a death in the family allowance? you can tell the airlines your travel is for a death in the family and provide them with a note of some sort and they will give you a more reasonable fare. that's crazy expensive, so that's why i'm asking, just in case you didn't know they did that.

fiddle: your fitting a FTM for a diaphragm hypothetical story cracked me up. you doing t-day up with your fam?









having wine with dinner tonight. or perhaps i should say having dinner with wine tonight.







: (i'd rather use the drunken smilie but i don't know the code and i'm too lazy to open the little window to find it out.)

squirmy babe in moby that really needs to sleep more...

adios amoebas!

~claudia


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Oh, I like my steak in its own juice and medium rare! With beer! I like wine but am definately not a connoisuer, or even very picky. I joke with my friend that I am a plain drunk.
My kids are mesmerized by the huge TV and I must say that it is weird to be able to see the texture of their football jerseys (they are watching football with its copious commercials). And like DUDE -these guys shoudl shave their legs or wear long socks already!








I have nothing to add to the diaphragm discussion.
I too think that it was very good for Naomi to go to her regular daycare after I had Julia for at least a while.
For those of you wishing to homeschool yet wanting preschool - I think a coop is almost like homeschooling. Of course it is a lot of work, but it is also really fun. I wish our grade school was a little more like that but it is pretty involved anyway.
Also, Lisa I think you can totally ask that the computer station not be used, or that E not use it.

My grandma lives in The Netherlands so I may travel internationally. I have. But Sherri lives close to Canada (closest even?). Shopping trips to Toronto...(is that the big city on that side of Canada - the rumors that European kids are better at geography is totally unfounded! I suck at geography)
We are actually going in July because a friend of ours is getting married.

Megan- I am glad you are finding strength. Keeping everyone bisy and finding plenty of adult interaction is definately key. I would meet up in Oakland if you wanted to but I can't make it till Wednesday because of school activities etc.

OK, I am going to turn the TV off right now and put the kids in the bath.


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## nuggetsmom (Aug 7, 2002)

Claudia I am always too lazy to open the little window.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

I adore this radio station...even though I have to listen to them on the internet now because they're in Boston and I'm, well, not.








They were just playing "Cheech the School Bus Driver". Oh yes!

Anyway, I just wanted to wish you all a peaceful Sunday night.







I feel so thankful to have you all in my life, you have been my friends for so long now and I just don't know how I would have gotten through this journey without you! Just reading all these supportive, sweet, honest, hilarious posts since I last logged on...it's just amazing to me that we are this tigvht-knit group of mamas...and many of us have never met in person! That just rules (not the not-meeting part, the part where we all are so important to each other despite that...oh, you all know what I mean!!)







:
Okay, enough sap (and abusing smileys!







) from me.

I would write more, but the IL's are here and I am about to leave to go to the mall for dinner with my MIL and a friend who is meeting us there.

Much love to you all!

(there is not a song about cheese on the above-mentioned station. Wow.)


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

bump

Cheech the School Bus Driver is pretty darned funny. I haven't heard that one in a loooong time. (Think we got it from the library...)

How you doing, Megan? I've been thinking of you... And thanks for sharing Peggy's essay.

I finally remembered to come and ask a question I've been wondering about... those of you MMs who are doulas... are you taking a break now, or working? If working, how are things different with kid(s), and how are you adjusting? If not, when will you start taking clients again? (And anyone who wants to talk about work in general--even if you're not a doula--chime in... I've been thinking about *that* whole thing again.) I have a stack of old Mothering mags that I was flipping through this wkend, and I found an interview with Madeleine Albright and Sandra Day O'Connor, both of whom had 3 kids, stayed home with them, and then went back to work at some point. It was good food for thought.

Today I am "most likely to be congested". Ug. Thanks for sharing, kids. (I suppose if they didn't crawl all over me and smother me with sticky kisses, I'd still be well, so I guess I take being sick.)


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

KK-
As you know, with the exception of the first three months of Eleanor's life, ever since I've been a mother, I've mothered and worked. I can't therefore comment on not working and then coming back to working. I have taken doula training, done the reading, and prepared most of the test that I need to complete for ALACE doula certification, but I have not attended any births. I just can't do it now. My fulltime job costs a lot in terms of time away from my family, but contemplating doula work is just too much (and I suspect I would feel this way if I was a SAHM right now too). It's a greater commitment and it's a job that I imagine will take up some of the emotional energy that I prefer to use now for mothering. My job is SO different from mothering that there really does seem to be very little overlap in terms of my energy and intellect. I doubt that would be true for doula work. For me, I am in the planning stage. I expect to transform my life again in 5 years by pursuing midwifery training then. Until then, I like doing work that is energetically and emotionally different from mothering and being a mother. Maybe that's a fractured way of thinking/living, but I imagine the next 5 years will be a slow, gradual, tipping of my life toward wholeness, and that is enough.

So, I don't know if that resonates with you or even speaks to your question at all, but it's my way of showing you support for thinking through this issue carefully and deeply. It's so much more complicated (for me? for everyone?) than the work/stay-at-home media debaters seem to want moms to believe.

What are YOU thinking about doula work and working while mothering?


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

Killing threads...

So what do you all think about this article:

http://www.sundayherald.com/59117

_"Is my idea dangerous? I have never condoned child abuse or neglect; I have never believed that parents don't matter. The relationship between a parent and a child is an important one, but it is important in the same way as the relationship between married partners. A good relationship is one in which each party cares about the other and derives happiness from making the other happy. A good relationship is not one in which one party's central goal is to modify the other's personality."_

I like it. I will think about it more and try to articulate that some, but I would like to hear all your thoughts.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

*I* am not thinking about the doula road (though I love all doulas everywhere, mwah mwah)... I just realized that I don't think we've heard from our MM doulas about the stuff I asked, and I was curious.

Lisa, I do have have the utmost respect for you, for Jess, for Elsanne, and for any and all mamas who W (or study) OTH. I wouldn't mind hearing more of your thoughts on balance, etc. I really get what you say about the emotional energy, the fractured way of thinking/living, etc.... being a mama is intense, and working takes a lot of energy, and pursing a fulfillment... whoa, that takes a lot, too.

I'm beginning to wonder if maybe I could use some pretty nitty gritty career counseling and/or a life coach (and I feel a bit sheepish about that... it seems so woo woo).

The article... I dunno, maybe I took it the wrong way? I think good parents can have an *incredible* impact on their children. (So can bad parents, but in a very negative way.) And the "My idea is viewed..." paragraph really kind of turns me off; I guess I don't identify with parenting that way. I *don't* think I meet their every demand (and I don't try--some of their demands are a little silly). I *don't* think our family life is phoney. I deliver a lot of love, but I don't think I overdo praise.


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Here's a MM doula, checking in! I have not attended any births since G was born. It's only now that I feel like I'm in a place to do that at all. I have actually received a phone call from a prospective client who is expecting in March...we still need to set up an appt. to get together and meet, but the phone call went well.

I'm still a little unsure if I'm totally ready for it, to tell the truth. Like Lisa said, doula-ing takes a lot out of you. It's a lot of caring, giving of oneself. And I feel like I do that all day. I still love birth and strongly believe in every woman's need to be supported in labor in some way. I just renewed my certification through DONA and had to do it as inactive since I was unable to attend 3 births in the last 3 years (a necessary req. for re-cert.) I went to the DONA conf. this summer and it renewed my desire to do something in the birthing field, I'm just not sure if only being a doula is it...I would also like to teach childbirth ed. classes but that's a whole other certification process and I just kinda want to find something and stick with it (this is the story of my life, career-wise. I've always been so interested in so many things that it's hard to pick).

Being a full-time stay-at-home mother has been a natural choice for me--something I could really focus on. And I'd like another baby sooner rather than later, so I don't want to devote too much time to anything else *right now*, IYKWIM.

I do have a part-time job, in a totally unrelated field, and I work about 12-20 hours a week. It keeps me plenty busy right now, believe me. But, if I did one or two births a month, I could make the same amount of $$.

So that's my totally chain-of-consciousness anwer. Not real definitive. But it's where I'm at right now.

I read the article and am not sure about it either. It takes me a while to formulate my thoughts on stuff like this...Gee, I sound like a major wishy-washy person tonight! I'm really not....I prefer to think of myself of a mediator, peacemaker, etc. I always see good things about both sides. Yet, I definitely have an opinion about many things.

Ugh, I'm just rambling now. I think I'll sign off. Lots of things to think about.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KKmama* 
I wouldn't mind hearing more of your thoughts on balance, etc.

(and I feel a bit sheepish about that... it seems so woo woo).


KK, gettin WOO on us! No, I think that is very self-aware of you. Always looking to learn & grow; what else is life about?
Here's one thing I am sure of: it is WAY EASIER to go to work than deal with Sol all day. I think the anguish of leaving a baby, a small baby, is NOT easier. I adore the fact that I work part time, mostly. I do feel balanced. I do get enough time for me, and I like the work. That is very important.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&L+1* 
So what do you all think about this article:


Very thought-provoking!!! Here's one thing I cannot get over: is not all the years of therapy to undo that which was done to us as children? Or most of it? If so, was that karma, was I born with those issues? I could buy that, to a degree. It doesn't explain actual traumatic events. It just seems to be so mega-important. I just read somewhere else that the reason we are codependent is because as children, when we had needs they were not reflected back to us appropriately, instead we were required to be aware of others' needs which trumped ours. To that effect, I have been intensely attempting to reflect Sol's needs back to her (ie-tantrum-what she REALLY needs in that moment--love, a hug, whatever). That would put me in the "too intense parent" camp. Hm.

*sigh* Please check YG when you have a moment. Elsanne's latest crisis. Ugh.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Just when I thought I'd have time to post...Rowan is awake and I have to get myself ready for a job interview this evening.








I swear to the gods, I could give the kid a cup of sugar and it wouldn't change his sleep habits. I could dose him with morphine and he'd STILL only nap for an hour and a half. *grin*
I will post more about why I thought he would sleep longer on the YG. Don't want the vegan nuns gettin' testy.








And why is it that EVERY cranberry-walnut muffin recipe involves SHORTENING?!?!







Can I use 1/4 cup of butter or veg. oil instead? Baking goddesses, help me!









I want to write a whole bunch about the whole working outside of the home/stay at home mama thing. Like Jacqueline, the story of my life career-wise has always been all over the place--I have been so many different things, from a retail wage-slave to a model (don't ask--or rather, ask on the YG!







) to a daycare teacher and nanny to a DJ and bartender, to a artist/crafter to a homemaker for the elderly. I really like that I have/had my hands in all sorts of things, but being a mother full-time has been one of the only things I felt "born" to do. As "traditional" as that may sound, I LIKE being a wife and mother. I LIKE baking, dammit!









But, I also wish that I could afford to send the little poop to preschool when the time comes.







: Some days I just want to work somewhere ELSE full-time, and let the preschool or daycare deal with Rowan for a few hours. *sigh*
Due to my not-much-higher than high school education, however, any full time job I were to get would pretty much ONLY pay for the daycare or preschool Rowan would have to go to while Mama worked. It makes sense financially for me to stay home (and try to work from here, I guess--yeah, I should be doing that instead of writing here! Oh well...) but when we're still barely making ends meet (oh, who the hell am I fooling?? We ask DH's parents for money EVERY MONTH.







: ) I just wonder if there's anything else I can do...

Oops, I kind of digressed. This has NOTHING to do with doula-ing, forgive me. I'm just thinking out loud.

And the article is another thing I want to writer about...when I am not making cranberry sauce, folding laundry, and makign sure Rowan doesn't sit on the cat.









Love you all. Enjoy the rest of your day.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mama Faery* 
J Can I use 1/4 cup of butter or veg. oil instead? Baking goddesses, help me!










yes dear, you ALWAYS can substitute most any fat for most any other fat.

Another tip from the baking goddess: Substitute maple syrup for sugar. YUM. Not quite as much syrup as sugar (ie, 1 C sugar= .5 C Syrup). Or something.

For muffins I always use oil. About 3/4 cup. Milk, 1 cup. Maple syrup, .5 cup. Maybe a dash extra for extra yum.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Yah yah. If I were subbing butter for shortening I would let it get to room temp and then cream it rather than melting it. Just me.









Sounds like we are all in a bit of a funk for various reasons, gals. I thought Mercury was out of retrograde?!







: Sigh. My life is like







: right now, but not for any one big reason...just lots of little reasons.

The article...hmm. I think she did a mediocre job of saying a good thing. KK, I think you maybe did take it the wrong way.







: I agree that we shouldn't follow our kids around, anxious that everything we do will mess them up. I think that is the message she was trying to get across. She didn't do a wonderful job doing it, however, IMO. Just my take.

I haven't doula'ed since I was about 6 mos. pregnant, and don't plan on doing it again as a doula. I start once-a-week 24-hr call in Spring term, though, as a student midwife...does that count??







Yikes!

Do any of you PDX mamas want to contribute to a Discount School Supply order with me, to save on shipping??







:

Sarah


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Yes, you can sub butter or oil for the shortening. And as for WHY recipes call for it, it really does give the best consistency. It's hydrogenated grossness, but MAN does it give a pie crust THE BEST FLAKE EVER. I don' use it often, but occasionally I cave and make a pie crust with it. It really is the best for that sort of thing, grossness and all.


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Here's more info on the shortening/oil debate: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf595034.tip.html

and here's a substitution list for just about everything...
http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Common-S...ns/Detail.aspx

Gee, now I feel all domestic.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

That was a handy reference, Jacqueline! You domestic goddess you! Whatcha gonna bake?

Last thing I baked, besides lasagna yesterday, was peanut butter cookies. I am way into my sweets done healthily: I used WW flour, maple syrup instead of sugar, and organic PB!! Nuuuummmmyyy. No eggs because I didn't have any.

Feeling a bit better today.

NEWS FLASH: Sol has been putting HERSELF to sleep the last few nights. This is the first time in her whole life! I am now able to say to her, "Be right back, I'm gonna go get some water" and she goes to sleep by herself! No drama! And the third night of this, after she had teta, I pulled back, and she asked, "Agua?" which meant "Are you going to go get water? Good night then, mother."

YEEEESSSS!

Last night, she had a little harder time with it but I had also hardly seen her during the day so she needed a lil more mama.


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

I made a lasagna yesterday, too, Elsanne! Ours was a spinach lasagna and quite yummy. The next thing I'm baking is the sweet potato dish for T-giving, which reminds me that I need to give the recipe to Claudia!

DH did make some no-bake chocolate - oatmeal drops the other night and they were delish. Real sugar, but natural peanut butter, so I get half credit.

Yeah, Sol! Putting herself to sleep! That must be so exciting.

We bought G a new potty today. We had a hand-me-down wooden version, but he couldn't seem to keep his penis down enough, and we were ending up with pee all over the bathroom floor. Not fun for mama, though I wanted to applaud him for the effort. I wanted to avoid the plastic potty, but this one has a great splash guard, which seems to be important for the boys! We'll see if this increases his frequency.


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Mmmmmmm... baking. I have cornbread in the oven right now (smells so yummy!) for the Thanksgiving stuffing. I am doing Thanksgiving Lite this year. We are spending the holiday at home, just our family. DH gets home tomorrow (YAY!) and we are looking forward to some quiet family reconnecting time. We are going to go for a walk at the regional park that morning and while there we will collect some fall leaves to add to our TG table centerpiece. Fun! Then we are going to get super old-skool and make hand-print turkeys! Craft it up, toddler style!







For dinner, I am making Turkey Wings (braised in a mushroom wine sauce), Cornbread Stuffing w/ Prosciutto, and Green Bean Casserole OR Garlic Sauteed Baby Artichokes (if they are still good - I meant to cook them last week, but with the death and all, there they sit in the fridge, surprisingly still edible looking, but we'll see how they look on Thursday).

The funeral was today and DH said it was beautiful. The ArchBishop (big wig, for all you non-Catholics) said the Mass. They pulled out all the stops. Like John said, "Damn, they had the big tall hats and the frankenscence and everything!"







A zillion flowers, a bunch of people speaking about what a wonderful woman she was. I talked to DH when he was riding home in the car with him mom and a couple of uncles and they were all laughing and joking around - I think the funeral left them feeling joyful and put them on the road to healing. It amazing what a good bit of ritual and community support can do for the soul.

I've been surprisingly FINE by myself with the kids this whole time. Seriously, reading Peggy's essay just set my mind on such a different path. Also, I've been keeping in touch with DH each day and I know what he and his family are going through is so much more difficult than what I am doing here. Keeping that perspective has really helped me keep my head up and do what I have to do to support my family.

GO SOL! That's so awesome!

Regarding work, I miss doing something other than mom-ing 24/7, but the thought of working makes me stress way out. My mom has offered to watch Jett a couple of days a week once they are moved up here, and that sounds appealing, but we'll have to see. DH is looking for a new job (again!







: this is part of the other major stress stuff we have going on right now, besides Grammy's passing ) and he might be making more money by then, so I'm playing it by ear. I'd like to ideally wait until Jett is 2 to start working again, but if I have to bring in some cash, it's nice to know I have options. Putting him in day care is not an option I am comfortable with, and my earning power is not high enough for it to make any economical sense anyway. But if my mom watched him for free, that would be a great opportunity for us to utilize if we need it.

But as for BALANCE with all the working and parenting etc.... I have no idea how to balance it all out.







:

Cornbread's done... and all the kids are sleeping... and there's a big fat cream puff in the fridge with my name on it!


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Reading, tempted to respond to quite a few things, but sleep and Red Cross Instructor Training are really the only things I have time for right now.







Love to all- you mamas rock.

Peace!- Beth


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

fiddle: i like your new siggy.









jacquie: need sweet potato with praline topping recipe!!! (not that we're making it for t-day, just need to have it)







:

haven't read peggy's article or the one lisa referenced above, but will try to over the next couple of days since so many of you found them interesting.

bill is majorly ticking me off this week. don't feel like expounding on that right now. just wanted to let you know he is still rubbing me the wrong way... (and that's not in the "in bed" sense, elsanne... getcher mind outta the gutter...
















s sleeping on my bed, bill putting m to bed, going to sleep in a few minutes... i'm tired.

love you all... MMF!

~claudia


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Arg. I still have not eaten that cream puff. Jett has been up about 8 times since I put him to bed at 7:00. My usually great sleeping baby is teething badly (poor dear) and we've had rough sleep the last few weeks. I am getting bitter about it.







:

FF... Red Cross Instructor Training? That sounds cool!









I'm a slacker and haven't even read the article you guys are discussing.







: Since reading that other article, I've barely been online. Trying to catch up.

Have I mentioned how excited I am for John to come home? (see YG for elaboration







)

Jett seems to have settled out for a while. Maybe I'll see if that cream puff is still up for hanging out.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

That's some comsic cooking connection. At the last minute, I decided to make a lasagna because I spied some no bake noodles in the pantry.









The article was kind of eh and I'm wondering what the rest of the book is like. Sometimes with topics like that I get a little annoyed at the pretentiousness of talking around and around the issue of mothering/parenting when I am assuming that the target audience is one of means or means enough to be likely to have decent parenting skills. What I thought she was getting at is that having loving/neutral parenting is enough...that you don't have to go over the top. But what then of the part about wanting to make the other happy? Maybe I'm just lumping that blurb together with the NYTimes article I read on martini playdates and related blogs. Would be interesting how the NY Times would think of some inner city mothers playing around their kids drinking 40's on a weekday afternoon. But martinis are classy so....

Gah...really do wish I could drink some coffee so maybe my thoughts would be coherent.

Girls have their EI review in a few....


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

We should be off pretty soon (well... actually we're running late this morning). Over the river, through the woods, etc. Going to get to see Jacquie and G on the way. Back late Saturday.

I'm keeping all of you in my thoughts.







:


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *heatherfeather* 
That's some comsic cooking connection. At the last minute, I decided to make a lasagna because I spied some no bake noodles in the pantry.









The article was kind of eh

Girls have their EI review in a few....


a) no bake noodles are the WAY! I can't believe I ever made lasagna with normal noodles. Whatta hassle THAT was.

b) I had never seen this phrase written out: the article was kind of eh. Like it.

c) How did it go? the EI review?

I was thinking: since Heather has so many doc visits (may you be blessed with good insurance) and Sherri's hubby IS a doctor (right?), shame y'all couldn't work out some sort of exchange.

Okay, huhuh, not as funny as it was in my head. Der.

Fiddle, I think the "pending" is just very cute.

KK, have a great time, and say hello to Jacquie & G for us!

TC, I'm just so sorry he's not rubbing you the RIGHT way.














:









Tomorrow I go to a friend's house (the modern dance instructor, who stays down here for thanksgiving every year and puts on a shindig). Fun!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

OH OH OH and really really glad, Meg, to hear that it has gone pretty well! I was worried for you. You rock as mamajama!


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *heatherfeather* 
Would be interesting how the NY Times would think of some inner city mothers playing around their kids drinking 40's on a weekday afternoon. But martinis are classy so...

Very excellent point.


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Great point HF about the martinis vs the 40's. I say all the time, we are no longer a racist society as we are a classist society.

I think I forgot to mention Mia is sick and I think she has Croup. Her cough sounds AWFUL! Barking seal. She's running a fever (~101.5) and is having minor breathing difficulties (wheezing).







I am calling the ped at 9:00 and will take her in today to get checked out. Not sure there is much they can do, but I want her air passages looked at before we go into the holiday weekend. Plus I want to find out if she is still contagious and for how long. We have plans to go to a brunch on Friday and there will be several other children there, so if she's contagious, we might have to stay home. Wah!


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Yah, I figured after 3 years maybe I should have a real siggy.

Today dh is staying home in the am so he and I can move all the furniture in the bedroom to clean the mildew that's been under the bed for......hmmmm....I noticed it when I became pregnant.







Probably from water getting knocked off the windowsill. Fun times.

Stayed up till 2 am thinking about how to rearrange the back room at work so it will work for 1st Aid/ CPR and all the supplies I need to order. Can we say redirected nesting energy?









Have a great T-day tomorrow everyone!


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

Loving the comments on class...though I am not going to edit my essay below to go there right now. Feel free to skip this blah, blah, blah.

I agree with Sarah - the article makes some interesting points but isn't written in a way that is particularly effective.

That said, I agree with her that the urge to over-schedule and generally over-manage children stems from insecurity in the parents. It's not the kid that needs constant care/coaching/stimulation, it's the parent who needs it to fend off the fear that they have about their kid (or themselves) being less than, behind, etc. All this activity and uber-care is just feeding the parent's fear and ego - not the child. I get this and I do this sometimes too, I can admit.

I think that general respectful parenting with an emphasis on helping a kid learn their own heart, head, and interests is so important and _it does matter_ though. The other way, the way that the author is criticizing, seems so frenzied and frantic to me. Like what she had to say about good relationships means not expecting that through the relationship you can make your kids better people - you can teach them and model for them better decisions, yes, but you can't change who they are in their soul on their spiritual path. It brings to mind for me the cases I have heard of kids who do a bad thing. I was about a mile away when the Thurston school shooting happened in Springfield, Oregon. There were lots of people whose worlds were rocked because the family of the shooter was a "good family" and the parents were "good" and were respected educators - even the boy was well liked. In the end, that boy chose to do what he did and it didn't matter that he was a boy scout that spent time with his dad. This was part of the trauma for some of the people around me - the fear that it could happen to them even if they do the right things. I think that some people take super-parenting as insurance that they have staved off the boogeyman and the truth is you can't. You can practice whole, respectful living and model right for your kids; you can get help if your kids needs it, but you can't control your kid by managing their lives to the nth degree. That boy is not a bad person - he did one of the most horrific things that can be imagined - but he is not bad, his parents did not make him bad.

I was sexually abused as a kid. I am a very resilient person and my parents were typical 70s parents (worked, watched tv all the time, and valued convenience). I think that the years of therapy, Elsanne, helped me to get back to who I really am and that the abuse was a big deterrent in me finding my path - it stole some of my time. Yet, the abuser was raised by the same set of parents (my brother), and he is a lot healthier now but still comments on how jealous he is of my ability to "bounce back" and "be positive." Is it genetic, learned, innate, that I am the resilient one?

I was talking to my therapist about my concerns about the impact of the upcoming move and a new sibling on Eleanor emotionally. She was so funny in her response. She told me that when she questions herself about whether or not she's doing enough for her child she tries to remember that usually that fear is about her -her fears, not real fallout for her kid. To keep in check, she'll play Remember When with her daughter. She'll say to her daughter, "Remember when I took the day off work and took you to the zoo when you were three." Her daughter always replies, "No." My therapist always chuckles to herself thinking 'why did I stress out to make sure you had two or three great experiences each week when now you don't remember." Kids are strong (someone here just told me that in response to my angst about Eleanor's school) and what we do as parents can't be thought of as a way to ensure our kids turn out okay.

Ohhh, rambling like this is sure to kill the thread.

Happy Thanksgiving, May Mamas. I am so glad to know you all.

Thinking good EI review thoughts for your girls, Heather. Update?

Megan, i am glad you have done so well and sorry Mia might have croup. Eleanor's ped told us that after the first night it's generally not contagious.
Fiddle, yuck on the mildew!


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

I haven't caught up since I posted yesterday, but I am about to log off and try to finish packing for our trip to CT (we leave when DH gets home from work--he is going to be late, that







But anyway!)
I hope you all have a glorious holiday. I adore you all and am so thankful to have you in my life!

I'll post more later. Just wanted to send you all my L







VE!
MMF!


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

gave EI update over yonder...

So thankful for the loooong weekend ahead. Lots o' knitting in mind! eeekss...must go remove baby from toddler potty (empty)







:


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Talk to me about thrush. I have one breast with breast pain inside, I can almost pinpoint where it is, and the nipple is also painful.
Mastitis it is not, it's not red or swollen.

I thought maybe a plugged duct. I posted o'er yonder BF forums and several think it's thrush. Could it be only on one side? Could everybody have it now that both have nursed like crazy on that side (me trying to prevent mastitis)?


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

Thrush sucks. Yes, it could be on just one side, but prolly not for long.

I'm here! I was gone, haven't been able to check emails and then spent forever trying to get caught up and it's all a mess. Happy Thanksgiving, All!

(did I miss out on the gift exchange? I didn't seem to get any emails about it...)

Ug. I will never get caught up here. please forgive me everyone. It's been a crazy few weeks.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

emmalola, DH just checked and he did email yours out...he thought maybe it went to your spam folder? He emailed it again just in case. Is the email correct in the database?

Elsanne, yes, thrush can be that deep breast pain, usually accompanied by nipple pain/burning. Sometimes the nipple will be red and/or shiny-looking. I agree that it won't be on one side for long if it is that. There's no telling who'll get it - sometimes the kid(s) won't get it at all, or at least not show symptoms. As always, I recommend GSE, topical at first to see if there's improvement.









It could also be a plugged duct, not yet mastitis. How is it today?

Sarah


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Oh, and Happy TDay, everybuggy! I am excited for going out to a nice German restaurant tonight for our turkey.









We are going with some friends, one of whom is British...should be fun.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

You were right on, Sarah...went to bed last night just fine, and woke up burning with fever in the night, total f'ing NIGHTMARE of a night. Compounded by whiny, crying toddler and whiny, crying, fever/chilled mama. AWFUL. Today have had a fever all day







: and cannot believe just how terrible this mastitis thing is.

Anyway, took 2 naps today and am about to head off to turkey friend party.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

els: why am i supposed to ask you about moving and spiritual bible study?

happy t-day everymama!








i am thankful to count you all among my friends.

~claudia


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Food is cooked and eaten (OMG the turkey was







!!), pie was savored (except for the cherry cheesecake DH made with a RANCID graham crust!







Good thing I made a pumpkin pie!) DH and I have to get Rowan jammied and sleeping, and then we are going to a MOVIE.







:

Els, I am giving you very gentle







s. Ouch, mastitis!







I hope you feel better soon, sweetie.

I am so thankful for every one of you. I hope you had a wonderful day.








MMF!


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Ouch, Elsanne! Feel better, mama!!

Renae--eeps on the crust! Reminds me of a nasty bday pie DH tried to make me one year.

A







: day here, but more on that later...

mmf!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Okay, feeling mucho mejor today. Thanksgiving was even salvaged, mostly.

Renae dh must have been SO BUMMED! It is such a bummer to make a great thing only to have one part of it all wrong. I like how you said "very gentle hugs" because indeed everytime I have to hug someone I feel like I have breast implants. Well, one anyway. And I very gingerly hug them, on the right side only. Hope you had a nice movie.

hEATHER- whyfore was your thanksgiving







: ?

TC--*tee hee* Weeeellll on the Julymama thread I had shared that Viet and I were together in the Biblical Sense and that one night's, ah, Bible Study had been particularly moving and spiritual.


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

Ah, Thanksgiving. It was great. We hosted 25 of our closest friends and family (right! ha!) and even though I only knew about half of the guests, it still felt good to be providing an excellent meal to people who may not have had a family to spend the day with. Lots of work, and I'm worn OUT today. We're off to go shopping for a refrigerator and washing machine- big sales today. Kind of exciting!

McSarahb- I will look again. My hotmail is being very cranky, so I may not get to it because the stupid machine is not liking me. But when I get it I will let y'all know. thanks!

back to the family... happy long weekend, everyone!


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

hi everybuggy! i feel B.L.O.A.T.E.D! fat and happy. i looooove thanksgiving.

we're having fun and lots of family craziness. don't know how much longer the little man will sleep this morning. he was worn out by crazy cousins yesterday.

lisa - i like what you said about your work tapping different energies than your mothering. that's how my work is. and i like that. a whole different set of stimuli. and it IS mostly easier to do my work than to parent. although not always because my work can get pretty stressful at times.

i'll have to read that other article later.

i know a woman who is a teacher at mclaren school for boys (ie. the penitentary that kip kinkel lives at). he is about to turn 25 and will be moving to the adult prison on his birthday. hard to believe he is that old now.

i think i need pumpkin pie for breakfast. i woke up thinking about stuffing leftovers. i wish i could sleep IN! what is the dealio?


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Elsanne---see a post over yonder for explanation of







: and it's not even about MIL's inability to cook a turkey!









DH went into work today so just our usual day here. We walked to the park and then to the bakery. Wish I could send you all a virtual chocolate almond croissant...yum! C loves the cinnamon rolls and the owner even taught her how to say cinnamon in french.







Sometimes they are out of them and I get her a cookie or something else. When we were leaving the park today she announced, "I am NOT getting a gingerbread man today!!" Lucky me that they had plenty o' cinnamon rolls!


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Elsanne-so sorry you're feeling icky.







: I'm hoping it gets better.

We had a nice THanksgiving, too. DH had a church service at 10 a.m., and then we went home so I could make the sweet potatoes. G took a brief nap and then we went to a friend's home for a late lunch/early dinner around 2 p.m. Just 5 of us adults plus G, so it was nice.

It's still weird not spending this holiday with family, but since dh has been a priest, we've had to get used to spending most holidays away from family. Of course, they can come see us, but no one is coming this year. Not that we really have room for guests this year; maybe next year!

We did get to see KK and family on Wednesday, so that was fun! We met at the park and everyone was there, even Mr. KK. And they got to meet my dh, so much fun was had by all.

I'm working tonight while dh is taking G to see them turn on the Christmas lights at Hotel Colorado...an historic hotel in town that supposedly really puts up lots of lights. I think Santa will be there too. Santa is also supposed to show up downtown in a couple weeks, but I'm scheduled to work, so I think I'll have to switch my shift. I really don't want to miss out on all these little Christmas 1sts...he's so much more aware of all these holiday things this year!

G has been saying "it's really funny, mom" or "it's really tasty, mom," about various things. He's just so verbal right now, I love the conversations we've been having. He has also been talking about a baby in mama's tummy, and that babies nursie from mama's boobie to get milk. He's just putting so many things together in his little mind, it's amazing.

Can you tell it's a slow night at work????


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jacqueline* 
And they got to meet my dh, so much fun was had by all.



Well of COURSE, my idea of lots of fun is hanging out with an Episcopalian Priest, who WOULDN'T have fun??














: I am so kidding you sweetie!
I interpreted the "so" in your sentence as "therefore".
I bet that is something you hadn't thought of when you met & married DH, that you wouldn't spend holidays with family any more. What a trip.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Mr. KK...tee hee







So glad (and jealous!) that you guys were able to get together!!

okay...back to knitting....totally should have started my holiday gifty/crafty knitting this summer or something!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

OooohIwonder who's got me! oh yay space bar! I spilled coffee on my computer this morning (bad) and just now on another thread had no space bar. Yay!

Sitting next to me is an empty beer bottle. Victoria, which is a mexican beer that rocks.

All is well this fine morn, I am feeling much more positive. Yesterday I had a nasty run-in with a random stranger about his parking and my inability to get out. Eventually I just squeaked my way out when he started getting really mean. All this, and diplomatic moi, with a baby in arms. Could have smacked the old man. Anyway, don't want to give the sitch more power over my mood than it already has so I have decided to stop relating the story.

Heather, in a knitty frenzy. I meant to write "knitting frenzy" but knitty works even better!

This morning I am bundled in mega sweaters and what is Sol wearing? Nada! She insists, and it's not a fight I am choosing. So. Very often the child is buck naked in very very cold temps.

Have we already reviewed how everybody met their DPs? If so I've forgotten and would love to hear love stories.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Els--mine is easy enough....blind date!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Ooooh but that is SO not all of the story!!! A blind date?!? Who arranged you, etc etc? How long ago? WAs it love at first sight, or second or third? How long til you got married?


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
Sitting next to me is an empty beer bottle. Victoria, which is a mexican beer that rocks.

This morning I am bundled in mega sweaters and what is Sol wearing? Nada! She insists, and it's not a fight I am choosing. So. Very often the child is buck naked in very very cold temps.

Have we already reviewed how everybody met their DPs? If so I've forgotten and would love to hear love stories.

So is the beer from last night or this fine morning ?









Allison is very clothing-particular. She has a terrible cold, too, so I was less than pleased when she came downstairs wearing her sleeveless tie-dye dress. I said, "honey aren't you going to be cold?" and she pointed to her feet and said, "No, mama, I haff my SWIPPERS!!" FTR we keep the thermostat around 62 degrees here, when we're home.


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

How I met sweets: I was living in San Francisco, working for a non-profit AIDS fundraising company. at least half of my co-workers were gay. When my work friend started waltzing around the office announcing that his friend from college was moving in with him from out of town, we all assumed his friend was gay too. He would bring his friend to volunteer events, and as his date to office parties, and since his friend was always so well dressed, it only confirmed our suspicions. When he called and asked me out on a date, I was floored, having been convinced that this wonderful guy was completely out of my league (so to speak). Well, he wasn't gay. And he's my sweets now. It turns out my friend brought him to all the events and parties because sweets wanted to meet eligible single women, and our office was full of eligible single women. Lucky me, I was the one he liked.

The lentil is so particular these days. He definitely favors his dad, which is starting to make me a little sad. He also refuses to change out of his pyjamas unless we have a big to-do, and is starting to refuse to go to the bathroom, which just makes him more upset and then he will have an accident while he's mid-tantrum. We're getting so tired of the constant drama every time we have to do something different: get in the car- tantrum. eat dinner- tantrum. take a bath- tantrum. Stop reading whatever book after 17 million readings- tantrum. bleh- I'm pulling my hair out! My baby is a boy now. sigh. a boy with definite opinions on everything and a need for absolute control. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, apparently.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

We have definitely already had this conversation. But I will humor you, Elsanne.









I met DH in 5th grade. I was the new girl in school, having moved from a tiny farming town, my beloved farm and private school where my mom taught. We weren't really friends at first (boys were still pretty yucky at that point) but we became very good friends in 9th grade, started dating at the end of 10th. Broke up right at the end of our senior year in high school (his fault), got back together after I went to Alaska for 6 mos and he begged me to give him another chance (honestly!). Went to the West Coast together for me to go to college, been together ever since. Married in 2000. This year was our 6th wedding anniversary, and 13th year of being a couple! Yikes.

EL, Lily is pretty much exactly the same. With her it's getting on clothes and getting hair combed. I'm tempted to just shave it off. Really. She even claims to want to be bald...







And ya'll know I am NOT the anal every-hair-in-its-place kinda mama. I just want it to not dread itself daily. Groan.

S.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

These are great stories, emmalola and sarah! I have so not heard them previously. Anyway, even if I did, I am getting full joy value now.

EL I love that he picked you, that well dressed not-gay man!

And Sarah, wow, like meant-to-be-together couple. *sigh*

And EL I am bummed to hear how hard of a struggle it is to transition into/out of activities. I'd suggest some things but I am 100% positive you've already tried them all, and it's just not his cuppa tea. Maybe he's a "fixed" sign astrologically--hard to make change.
Sarah what works for us with the hair biz is that we can't leave the house and go do X fun thing unless her hair is brushed. And she is dressed, etc... for insurance I put a book in her hands, or some other interesting thing.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

And JessJuice, the beer is from last night.







: I can prove it: was not my space bar stuck from coffee this morning? Have I not waxed poetic about my true love and relish of my morning joe? I would never forsake him.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
Sarah what works for us with the hair biz is that we can't leave the house and go do X fun thing unless her hair is brushed. And she is dressed, etc... for insurance I put a book in her hands, or some other interesting thing.

Problem is, 9 times out of 10 Lily doesn't want to leave the house at all. She's such a homebody. And we do books, stories, stuffed animal stylists, etc. every. single. time. just to not have blood-curdling screams.


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

So, dh and I met 16 years ago this past August. We met on the first day of college-we were in the same freshman orientation group. He was dating someone else at the time and we were just friends the whole first semester. When we came back from the Christmas break, I had totally sworn off men (a bad 1st semester college crush gone awry) and was gonna solely hang with my girl friends until guys my age could get their sh*t together. So, of course, that's when T saw me as "more than a friend" and so began those long late-night conversations about "really important things" that happen only when you're in college. We had our first "date" in March and, as strange as it sounds, we knew we were "the one" for each other by the end of that school year. We dated almost two more years before we got hitched (yes, we were mere Juniors in college when we married). And, who'd have thunk it would have worked so well? Our 14th anniversary is Jan. 9!

And, just for the record, I HAD NO IDEA when we got together that he was going to be a priest. He was a journalism major, I was in PR. We were going to take the publications world by storm. And, we did that for a while, until he told me about 9 years ago, "uh, honey? I think I'm supposed to be a priest." So, there ya have it.

Love hearing these stories...Sarah's sounds vaguely familiar, so we must have shared before. But my memory has really gone down the hill since G was born.

Oh,yeah, and he's suddenly developed an opinion about everything too. "I Not Like.....fill in the blank" is a large part of what he says each day.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

i'm feeling pissy at bill (this is nothing new, of course, but is beginning to feel quite old and depressing), so it's not unlike the first time we met, when we argued about the state of health care in the u.s. he was studying for an exam with our friend george, who i had gone to visit at cornell from boston where i was at college. the second time i met bill, i got pissed off and both him AND george for being too loud. bill got all sour-pussy and went off by himself and we found him laying in the grass staring up the summer sky full of stars. i apologized for getting pissy at him and we had a nice chat. the next day, bill and george and i got into a huge tickle fight and my face ended up underneath a pillow not far from bill's face and the next day we talked on the phone and realized that we were both thinking about how much we wanted to kiss the other person while we were under the pillow. the rest of that summer was full of way too long drives from boston to ithaca and thai dinners eaten late and delicious late brunch sandwiches from ithaca bakery and well, umm... you know, uterine fitness exercises that elsanne loves so much, too.

gosh, i haven't thought about that stuff for a long time.

eating enchanted broccoli forest for dinner...









who has a toy kitchen for their may child? do you love it? my parents want to buy one for M for christmas and bill is being a b**ch about the one i like and "prefers" the not "so clunky looking" ones.







:

~claudia


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

TC---we bought C a nova naturals one after seeing Gabriel's. My mom went ahead and bought her a second one and matching fridge (kidcraft I think?...the primary colors one?) They are both simple/basic with spinning wooden knobs and that's about it for fancy. I think E plays with them more than C does if you count eating play food and opening/shutting of doors. I think C would say the most important factor is how much stuff can you shove on one of the shelves of the stove/fridge rather than how it actually functions as a "kitchen"









today was for knitting, tomorrow is for massive decluttering. blah. former is fun, not so much for the latter.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

Dh and I met in our sophomore yr in HS. His art class was illustrating short stories my English class wrote, and he picked mine. We got to know each other a bit better that year, started going out the next fall. We've known each other 21+ yrs now, will be married 10 yrs in May...

We have a toy kitchen. It's 2ndhand, we enjoy it.

I did read the MDC last night (but too tired to post). Mr. KK--ha ha ha!!! Y'know, Mr. Jacquie is a very nice guy--it was great to chat with him (and yes, I did do some churchy chatting, ladies, because I *like* talking about churchy things, I think it's interesting, and it's fun to encounter someone who knows something about it--like a *priest*).







I promise he didn't have 3 heads or anything.


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

We have the toy kitchen Heather mentioned and G loves it. I think he loved it more at our old home where he had more room to play with it. Here, it's sorta shoved against the wall as an afterthought and he doesn't do as much "cooking" with it as he used to. He does enjoy emptying it out and throwing everything in it all over the place, though!

Thanks for standing up for my guy, KK. I do think he's pretty special.







: Glad you returned from your trip all in one piece.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Well, how I met and fell in with my DH is a pretty long story, but let's see if I an give y'all a Cliffs-Notes version!








I was dating my California high-school-sweetheart. He got into school in MA, I decided to "take a year off" (turned into um, how many years has it been now?







) we decided to *stay together* while he went.







(but hey, if we had broken up...) a few months after he had been living in MA and I in CA, he asked me to move out and live with him. I agreed wholeheartedly, being 19 and a dork.








About a week after moving out there, we were eating dinner in a "Mexican" restaurant (remember, we were in Massachusetts at this point!) and future-DH walked by the big window we were sitting by with his girlfriend at the time. Now-ex-bf points out the window and says "Hey, that's my friend J--!" and I looked in time to see him crossing the street with his gf, and all I saw were two heads of long, shiny brown hair and big winter coats (COLD winter in March!) and I said "which one??"








A few days later we were walking around the campus, and ran into future-DH (and his gf!) outside one of the buildings and um, as cheesy as this sounds, we kind of INSTANTLY clicked. I thought he was like, WHOAH hot, and he couldn't believe my now-ex-bf could "get" a girl like me! (I was pretty tattooed even then, and I had um, quite a few piercings, many of which were on my face!







I also liked to dye my hair colors not found in nature. Hehe) Apparently he thought I was exotic and gorgeous!







: I honestly didn't think much more about him when we first met, just that he was cute and friends with the guy I was dating. We got along, but I wasn't "looking"...despite my tendencies to not exactly be *faithful* back then. I know! I know! I was a bad girlfriend!

Right. So over a couple of years, we talked a lot, got to be friends in our own right, and then we started going out dancing together. My n-e-bf didn't like to do ANYthing that I thought was fun during those times (drinking, dancing, clubbing, occasional um..._questionable_ things.







uke







) and he and I were pulling apart, already more like roommates than lovers, so I went out with f-DH a lot. We had SO much in common and he was pretty much my best friend (still is!)
When now-ex and I finally bit the bullet and broke up, future-DH and I pretty much got together the NIGHT I was newly-single (not counting the kiss we had already shared!







). Not exactly the wisest choice, but well, can I say I was young and stupid? *sigh*
I swear to the goddess, I didn't need to watch Dawson's Creek; I was LIVING that sh*t!

It took a few stops and starts here and there (we dated the same girl, bizarre love triangle indeed! Had nasty break-up with girl, explored some other things that would probably best be kept on the YG...you know how it is!) but we have been more or less together and smitten since 1998. It scares me how much I adored him at first. I think I put him on a pedestal but I've long since been cured o'THAT!







I couldn't BELIEVE he wanted to date ME. Now, well, I know we're BOTH lucky.









Anyway, still going strong, he drives me crazy sometimes, he's a total geek, but he's my soulmate, if such things exist.







I remember exploring some amazing parts of myself with him at my side, introducing him to new foods (he had never had an AVOCADO before me!!) talking, talking talking about all the "deep stuff" in college, on the phone for hours, up until down, blah blooty blah, and um, the uterine exercises, I think they're called here?







Holy MOLY.








And also going through some really dark things together, a bad breakup, pregnancy loss, my mother and his grandfather dying, ultimately the breakdown of our relationship for a while there. We've seen the best and worst of ourselves together and well, we're still here, still in love.

I think I'm feeling extra-smoochy today because he is 30 years old TOMORROW! Weird. Amazing. Yeah. I've known him since he was *18*!

Amazing wonderful stories, everyone! I don't even care if I've heard them before. My memory is totally shot. Heehe.

Other things real quick: Rowan has a toy kitchen that DH built him last Christmas, if you recall. It is lightly stained wood, really simple & wonderful and he still loves it. I think we need to rearrange or revamp some stuff though. Same ol' food/dishes, whatever in there. But there's a chef hat! *grin* He plays with it more if he has friends here. I think DH wants to put a clock on the side of the fridge for a holiday gift this year.

I want to have a big May-mama gathering! Hearing of KK, Jacqueline, husbands and kiddos all hanging out has me all jealous! And totally psyched that some of our May Mamas get together! My friends came over tonight with thier two kids and Rowan had such a blast, I felt kinda guilty that he doesn't have many playdates lately. I gotta get on that, or let go of my guilt. Not sure which.

I am just babbling







(and abusing smilies!







:







) at this point, so I think I am going to bed. DH has the new Wii (Nintendo game system--DORKUS! But um, *I* got it for him for his birthday!







: Yeah, I know. But he's 30, we needed to commemorate it spectacularly! Or something. By buying video games. Um, yeah.







Sorry. Still have a little bit of buyer's remorse over this, can ya tell?) and I think he is staying up later tonight. Haha.

I heart you all. I hope you have a great night.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jacqueline* 
We dated almost two more years before we got hitched (yes, we were mere Juniors in college when we married). And, who'd have thunk it would have worked so well? Our 14th anniversary is Jan. 9!

And, just for the record, I HAD NO IDEA when we got together that he was going to be a priest. "uh, honey? I think I'm supposed to be a priest."

WOW youguys have been together a long time! And that's wild about him hearing the calling. I have a lot of respect for your man and his choice, please take my razzing not at all seriously! I have a friend whose DH is studying to be an episcopalian priest.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TurboClaudia* 
i'm feeling pissy at bill (this is nothing new, of course, but is beginning to feel quite old and depressing), so it's not unlike the first time we met, when we argued about the state of health care in the u.s.

and well, umm... you know, uterine fitness exercises that elsanne loves so much, too.

gosh, i haven't thought about that stuff for a long time.

~claudia

Awww...why does it not surprise me that you met him arguing about the state of health care in the U.S.?








"uterine fitness exercises"!!

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mama Faery* 

Anyway, still going strong, he drives me crazy sometimes, he's a total geek, but he's my soulmate, if such things exist.







I remember exploring some amazing parts of myself with him at my side, introducing him to new foods (he had never had an AVOCADO before me!!)

I think I'm feeling extra-smoochy today because he is 30 years old TOMORROW! Weird. Amazing. Yeah. I've known him since he was *18*!

I want to have a big May-mama gathering!


Awwww...how very sweet. No avocado? Weird. 30? Young! Is he younger than you? I can't recall how old you are...

I have figured out that the maymama gathering either needs to happen a) HERE where it's nice weather during winter, or b) at some summertime music festival/family campout thing.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

I vote for Mexico!







: Heehee. Not just because I'm a Mexican grrl and I have never been, either!









I turned 30 in January. We're both younguns! *grin*

Rowan woke us at 5am, and I haven't had my coffee yet.















I'll be back later!


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

I have so told this story before, but I am loving everyone else's so much that I will play too:

Alison and I met at Girl Scout camp in the Santa Cruz mountains where I was the Outdoor Education Specialist and she was Assistant Camp Director. She was straight then and I was fooling around with the life gaurd (Australian and quite cute, as I recall). We were just friends who meant a LOT to each other for years. I kept all the letters we ever wrote to each other because I loved them so much. Alison says I would call her and tell her all the ways that my current love would reminded me of her and how great I thought that was (I don't remember this, but I know I never felt the special comfortable closeness with others that I have always felt with her). Anyway, eventually Alison tells me she's a lesbian (DUH! Even her family said, "yeah, we know." when she came out to them) and we talked about how that was for her. I was in a serious long term relationship at the time but eventually that ended painfully. About a year or so later I had nowhere to go for Christmas. After I admitted to my therapist that Alison was who I most wanted to spend time with over the holidays, I called her and basically invited myself over for Christmas. That was 1999 and we started the new year together. So, we met 11 years ago, we have been "together" for 7, and we were married in 2002.

We have the Target wooden kitchen and Eleanor LOVES it. It is primary colors, not clunky looking, but still wooden so I think it's got style.

I am SO ready for a May Mama shindig in Mexico!!!!


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

we have the target kitchen which i think is freakin adorable. but isaac really doesn't play with it. he'll play with the food all over the floor but he never 'cooks' with the kitchen. oh well. he got a little metal bbq at the same time and he does all the cooking with the Q! he is ace with the tongs

i love these love stories. doug was the 'mailboy' at a big oil company that i worked at every summer when i was in college. he would walk by 5 times a day with the mail cart and i would act busy and try to look cute because i thought he was sooooooo handsome and he had the skaterboy aesthetic i so love. we went out to lunch one time with another girl who knew him. and then he asked me out one time to lunch just the 2 of us. we both were dating other people. the next summer on my first day i got in the elevator and he was in there (*swoon*) and i said 'you're still here???' trying not to sound too excited. and he asked me if i wanted to go to a dead show that weekend. hells yeah i did. we went with another friend of ours (jerry died a few weeks later). after the dead show we started to hang out every single day after work. went to another big festival in LA the following weekend. i was trying sooo hard to get him to smooch on me but no dice. so i thought 'ahh just friends' we still hung out just about every day and maybe 5 weeks later he finally got REALLY flirty after a drunken night at chuy's. we made out in front of my parents house for an hour. it was teenage love!!!! except i was 21 and he was 20. we finally, er, consummated the relationship in santa barbara (romantic!). several weeks later i talked him into moving back to college with me. i was supposed to do an exchange to utah but he said no way so we went back to arcata. neither of us mentioned the end of the summer ONCE until about a week before i was supposed to leave. that was 11 years ago this past summer. we got married in 2000 after he moved up to portland with me when i graduated. i still swoon for him. my mom was so unhappy i was living with sin and we had only been 'dating' for about 5 weeks so no one thought we'd last very long. somehow we have made it. i just felt like i could be myself with him more than i ever have with anyone else. it felt so great! (ok that was too long)

i am feeling kinda like poop. i'm having insane incapacitating headaches twice a week right now and they last for 2 days. i can't wait to get past this stage







i didn't even get out of my pjs yesterday because i felt so bad all morning. took a long nap and the headache was better. went to bed at midnight and woke up at 3:30. it was back and so bad i couldnt' sleep until 6. i'm drinking a ton of water and taking tylenol which just doesn't help much. waaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

i took isaac to school today so i can work a couple of hours and then run a million errands and go home and clean the house. we have dog hair up to our ears and there are no groceries. and the MIL is arriving tonight to work in portland for 2 weeks. joy.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Ah, now that these stories are coming out they are feeling vaaaaguely familiar! I have such a poor memory.

Here's mine:

Feb 2001. I am getting really into Dance, in all forms--finding there an outlet for an intensity, a passion, an ecstasy that one can also find in really good sex (there, I said it.). Larry (then-dh) and I had a wonderful, sweet, supportive, platonic marriage where he was a pilot, I was a teacher. High school. Spanish & Dance (& History & English). We lived in Arizona.
I was really exploring Contact Improv Dance, a form where you maintain physical contact with a partner, then improvise. It's wild, and very challenging in many ways--mentally and physically. I searched about workshops online and saw one in San Miguel de Allende. I thought, wow! Mexico, and Dance? My kinda thang!!! So I went.
In said workshop was Viet. We had a few dances that just went BEYOND anything I had ever experienced with anyone, and it scared the living daylights out of me. I was a happily (if platonically) married woman! If you had told me then where I am now, I would have laughed in your face. No WAY would I leave my loving, wonderful husband for VIET. Ha! So, workshop ended, I went home a changed woman. I would never again be the same. I began searching in earnest for that totally intense, totally met, totally consuming sensation I had experienced dancing with Viet by dancing all kinds of things, whatever I could find a class in. I missed it. I longed for it. It wasn't about Viet. Or was it?
As a couple Larry & I decided we needed a major change, so we decided to move to Puerto Rico where I could be a housewife for a while and he would fly planes in & out of there. He got the job offer in the mail on Sept. 11--when he called American Airlines to line up training, they let him know they wouldn't be hiring after all due to the tragedy.
Meanwhile, I had quit my job, trained the replacement teachers, packed up EVERYthing in the house or sold/gave it away. The idea was that while he was in 6 weeks of training in Houston I'd go to San Miguel to take Latin dance classes & just dance my little heart out. It wasn't about Viet, I told myself.
I said, well, I still want my vacation, even if we're not moving after all. I came down here and like magnets Viet & I were inexorably drawn to one another. I had told myself I wouldn't seek him out, just maybe see him at dance classes or around town. Yeeeaaaah.
So at this point I am actively CHEATING ON MY HUSBAND. Something I NEVER EVER thought could happen; something I'd judged others harshly for. I fessed up, we split up, I came back and got my stuff out of storage (Our life was incredibly easy to break down, after years of building. Life is not as stable as you think.), I drove back down to San Miguel and have been doing my best ever since.
It has not been easy. Some of the most intense, most painful, most powerful experiences of my life; whereas my life with Larry was easy, flowed, peaceful, supported, predictable.

I often (daily) wonder if I did the right thing. Yes yes, the babies, they are wonderful. That was my destiny, my karma. But every day I miss the relative ease and stability I left behind. The car/life/health insurance (kind of). Life is such a balancing act.

On the other hand, here I am, living (what is for many) a dream. Taking lots of risks. Life is full color; a trip to the grocery store is not ever boring or predictable.

So now I am semi-seeking a man (or woman?) between the two: vivid, fun, passionate, but someone I can count on for support and working together as a team. I'm not actively looking by any means, because Viet and I are still together _in the Biblical Sense_. Anyway, I have a long way to go personal growth-wise before I am truly Wife Material.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Oh. My. GODDESS!!!
Excuse me for abusing some PI$$ED OFF SMILIES!!






























































































I wrote this BIG, long, totally thorough post...and then accidentally CLOSED THE WINDOW I was working in and LOST IT ALL!!

I cannot even DEAL.







ARG!

(more later when I am not so ANGRY.)


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

oh that is such a mega-bummer!!!! HATE IT when that happens.


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

I'm enjoying the meeting of partners stories... I would've posted more details, but I'm wary of posting really personal stuff in a public forum. I wouldn't mind if we moved it to the yg...

Also, I posted pix from our visit with Jacquie there.

I don't think I shared this: L started crawling during our trip (because she had access to carpet... she's back to commando crawling at home, though she's really trying to do her "real" crawling on our slick wood floors), she has 2 new teeth, and she's had a cough for a week now (took her to the ped yesterday, she checked out fine).







: Nothing as interesting about the boys.







(Oh yeah... Jacquie, I hope we didn't give you guys our cold this time, too???)


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## KKmama (Dec 6, 2001)

I'll share one other thing from "life" right now. I've become a little bit uh... carbon obsessed. We're still moving forward with solar panels (probably do the installation in January). Now I'm starting to check out biodiesel. The process of making it oneself looks surprisingly easy (well, okay, I'm very adept in a lab, but still, it *does* look very easy). I'm doing research on what we'd have to do to get going on it. We'd have to get another car, though (so I'm looking into used diesel vehicles).


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Hey Mamas,

been reading, but life's been crazy for a few weeks, so I've been slacking on my posting.

I've been enjoying reading your stories! I know I've read some of them before, but I know I haven't read others, so it's been fun.

Dh and I met when we were both students, I was in college, he was in med school. I met him about two weeks or so before he was to go somewhere else to do another rotation. So we started talking, and dating. On weekends I would drive to visit him and we'd spend the weekends together. I have such fond memories of all we did back then. We knew pretty quickly that we would marry eventually. We dated about a year, got engaged, and married about a year after that. We married in 1999, so we've been marrie for 7 years, and together about 9. Sounds like a long time, but it really has just flown!

OK, so Katie's decided she wants to wear panties. WHAT DO I DO? HELP!!!


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Newsflash for elsanne and anyone else interested:

I decorated my porch yesterday.

I'm not quite done yet, but when I am, I'll be sure to post some pics for your viewing pleasure.

End of PSA


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

KK- that's cool about the carbon. Sweets is working on a project researching carbon and current forestry practices. Very interesting stuff!

No baby here yet... still trying, still not getting anywhere. Lots of practice though!







Many days I am thinking it's actually good that we're without a second babe just yet, especially with the lentil deep into the terrible, terrible twos. Dang, that kid can put up a fight!

Panties: let her! There will be a few days of messes, but in the end it really is better than diapers. I was on the fence for awhile, but now that we're safely on the other side of the "learning" I feel it's safe to say I'm so relieved not to have to deal with the diaper scene for awhile. (hoping I can get knocked up soon... )

I'm enjoying the partner stories too. So many different ways to meet a lover, yet each story seems like it was destiny. Awwww.

My brain is scrambled eggs today. I'm hating this TTC bit. forgive me.


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

Quick question- play kitchens: I wish we could afford one of the really nice ones from Elves And Angels, but alas...which play kitchen do the may mommies recommend from Target? They seem to have a couple...


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Sherri--eek! Just lots of reminding and potty practice with the undies on and she'll get it. As soon as C wanted the undies is when she turned the corner and started using the potty reliably. I'm sure Sarah can be her personal cheering section! I should post pics of my dusty, pathetically undecorated porch for comparison!









Renae--ack!

KK--cool!

EL--







on the practice...that is the fun part, eh?

C has her swallow study this afternoon and I can't let her eat/drink for the next four hours--fun! I'm trying to convince her that she wants an early nap and she's like


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Oooh I cannot wait for my viewing pleasure of Sherri's porch!!
Um, just put the dang panties on. Take her to the potty every hour and a half or so.







Sol is fully pantied now. Even at night, because I haven't bought diapers. Scary, but 5 nights consecutively of dryness.

CarbonQueen, I am so happy there is you to do those things. Then tell others about it, those who are interested but incapable, then maybe we can all be eco-friendly eventually!

I was going to come on here and ask all sage mamas: please tell me that I am not ruining my relationship with Sol forever n ever because I am not like her father, who is absolutely amazing with her. Please tell me she'll love me too despite the fact I don't put aside everything and put her first at all moments. I am despairing a bit because all she ever wants from me is TETATETATETA and I'm going







: and it makes me want to avoid her. I don't want to have an antagonistic relationship with her.









Viet is truly amazing with her, and I am so glad he is in her life and she has someone who will be so fully present with her for hours on end. It's his gift (hence the good s-x). Sometimes I am kind of jealous, and then realize that that is the one thing he does provide as a father: play. I play, but precious little. My two parenting roles are: provider and nurturer. That's plenty, but it's just not as much FUN as his job. Which, in all honesty, I am not good at because I am so distracted with details at all times--the practical stuff. It's not a mega-goal of mine to be any different, particularly. I just want the best for everybody, y'know?


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

Quote:


Originally Posted by *emmalola* 
Quick question- play kitchens: I wish we could afford one of the really nice ones from Elves And Angels, but alas...which play kitchen do the may mommies recommend from Target? They seem to have a couple...

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html...sin=B000CCXF7G

I think that both Eleanor and Isaac have the same one - the Play Wonder Kitchen Play Set. It is really one of E's favorite toys to play with. We love it because we can tell her to go make supper while we cook in the real kitchen and _she does_.


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

KK-G did come down with a runny nose on Saturday, I think. But, it's just been that, nothing major. And he's acting totally normal, just stuffy. So, I caught it, too. I don't know that it was from your kids, though. There's a lot of this going around!

emmalola-the whole ttc thing is a pain, sometimes, I agree. I am right there with ya. Someday, I'll write a book, or at least an essay, describing the myriad feelings that ttc brings up for me. Currently, I don't know how to really put it into words, though, so my book will have to wait. I'm pulling for you, though.









elsanne-I have been feeling much of what you described about not being the "fun" parent lately. I too feel so caught up sometimes with the mundane (laundry, pay bills, do dishes, clean up cat puke, etc) while G is at an age where daddy is just IT! And dh does really play well with him, remaining so present. I start to play and then think of something I need to do. G is so good at playing with himself for long periods of time, too. But, like you said, not sure I really want to change it, just realizing where my strengths lie. I'm still the one who he asks for when he gets hurt, so I guess I've got that.









G is actually taking a nap on this cold, snowy day. I have to get out later today and go to work, but really would rather whip up a pot of hot soup and stay inside!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jacqueline* 
I start to play and then think of something I need to do.









: This is me exactly.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

ditto on the play thing and wanting to be more fun. everything is "daddy, daddy" and "where'd my daddy go?" and "i need to lay down and go night-night with you, dad" these days. not that i mind most of the time since i am occupied with the new one, but still... i remember those days of fun and i miss them...

must go... clawing awake baby in the moby wants ma-milks...

~claudia


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

you are not ruining your relationship with sol. don't worry. the nurturing parent is also totally necessary for toddler stability and happiness.

i saw my ob today. he got an u/s machine for his office...clearly his new toy. so i got some pictures! and got to see the little it with the hiccups. of course i'm thinking 'not necessary' but at the same time saying 'oh COOL!' it is not a flipperbaby (phew) and the heartrate was 143 according to that thing. of course i'm now thinking boy. and i've only been concerned about boy names. who knows. its little legs were crossed and i think it was sitting on my cervix. but i saw tiny FEET and HANDS and so cute!!!! it is amazing how proportional it is already (i'm only 14w). and it is only ~6cm from head to butt. i called dh to tell him i saw the baby and he said 'did you get pictures?????' i thought that was cute because this is a man who doesn't get overly excited about baby stuff









i hear every day 'i want to go to work with daddy!' what about MOMMY??? MOMMY has a cool job too!!! heh. daddy is just the bees knees for 2 year olds i think. which is fine because the man was chopped liver without boobies for the first 18 months









can't wait for porch pictures!!!! i'm looking forward to getting a tree this weekend. isaac talks about it all the time. we have been reading the night before christmas all year because he remembers our tree from last year.

i saw a presentation on biodiesel production from algae farming. pretty interesting. do they have retail biodiesel sales in boulder or do you have to make your own? you can actually buy it in portland now which is cool.

i hope the swallow test went well

claudia is your mom still in town or are you doing it all solo nowadays?


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

Wow- just posting to add that the lentil is ALL about his dad these days too. I was excited about it at first, but now I just wish he'd play with both of us sometimes.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

jstar: yes, my mom is still here. she is staying until just before the new year, and my dad flies in for the week of christmas and so do my sis and her girlfriend. it will be a packed house for that week.

the solo thing scares the crap outta me. not excited about that in january.

~claudia


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *emmalola* 
Quick question- play kitchens: I wish we could afford one of the really nice ones from Elves And Angels, but alas...which play kitchen do the may mommies recommend from Target? They seem to have a couple...

Love the play kitchen. We got a smaller, round one for DD1 when she was 2.5, and she loved it. By "round" I mean it had an play areas on both sides, and an oval countertop. The problem with it was that you had to keep it in the middle of the room to really play with it well (or move it all the time, but that's tricky). Then a few months later, someone gave us another one that her kids had outgrown. It's bigger, and you put it up against a wall. It's kind of likr this one but with a tall fridge on one end. This one gets used a LOT more than the other. I like that it's big enough for both of my girls to play at the same time. DD1 went through this really cute phase of playing Rachel Ray - she'd use play-doh and make plates of food and walk around saying "I'm Rachel Ray and I make 30 meals" and "Just look at the color on this garlic." Now both of the girls will play together.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
I was going to come on here and ask all sage mamas: please tell me that I am not ruining my relationship with Sol forever n ever because I am not like her father, who is absolutely amazing with her. Please tell me she'll love me too despite the fact I don't put aside everything and put her first at all moments. I am despairing a bit because all she ever wants from me is TETATETATETA and I'm going







: and it makes me want to avoid her. I don't want to have an antagonistic relationship with her.









It's tough, the toddler thing. You're not ruining the relationship, it's just a tricky time. It's hard to have a 2.5 yo and a new babe. (I've done it twice, what was I thinking??) IT GETS BETTER. I thought DD1 was going to end up hating me. It gets better, you'll be able to connect and play in new and exciting ways. She'll ask you if she can wash the dishes. She'll help you in the kitchen, and actually be _helpful_. I think it just gets more and more fun as DD1 gets older. DD2, the 2.5 yo, I'm feeling very distanced from right now.

Quote:

I just want the best for everybody, y'know?
Of course you do.









I love all the meeting stories. Someone said earlier, they're all so different but they all seem fated... very true.


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

Hey Claude, do you like the Moby? I want a wrap type sling and Alison wants an Ergo. We have a New Native in Alison's size and LOVE it. I want one in my size, as well as a wrap sling and Ergo. We have a mei tai and sutemi (which I dislike). I am thinking about the Ergo as a Christmas gift for Alison.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

lisa: i love love love the Moby, and so does S. he hates any laying down in a sling hold since about 3 weeks old (except occasionally the Kangaroo Korner fleece pouch which is Bill's size). i haven't even tried him in the Ergo yet because he's not a fan of the spread legs and now he's too big to put in a tummy to tummy hold with scrunched up legs. i guess i could try him sideways sitting, but the other thing i love about the moby is that i can take him out, put him in the carseat (we got another britax convertible so no infant seat to carry/lug around), drive somewhere WEARING the moby, take him out of the carseat and directly into the moby and ta-da: he's happy. if he's really tired and sleepy, he even goes right back to sleep.

~claudia


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Miss Juice* 

I love all the meeting stories. Someone said earlier, they're all so different but they all seem fated... very true.









So where's yours?







:

I got an ergo recently, and I like it--although for quick n easy, variety of positions, a ring sling is where it's at for me. I feel all strapped in with the ergo. When she is on my back, rarely, I can feel the ergonomic love, however. That's where the ergo is best imo.


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

I totally second TC's love for the Moby. Everything she said! Esp the part about being able to pop 'em in & out, w/o having to re-wrap. I also love that if Jett falls asleep, I can stretch the fabric over his head, and he stay snug and close to me when I bend over to do toddler duty, his head doesn't fling backwards. I just got one a few months ago and it immediately became my fave out of all 5 slings/carriers I have.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

I adore the Moby...or, er, I did. Hehe. Not like Rowan would EVER let me strap him into it now!








I have a black one (of course), which is sitting in the linen closet. I used it with my friend's boy once, but she has a mei tei and I







it.

Speaking of; she is home with Rowan right now and I am at the library, fresh outta the gym and all showered and HUNGRY. I need to think of lunch, but I wanted to come and post a little sumpin' sumpin' after the loss of my post and temper tantrum yesterday morning.








And, um, I'm an Internet addict. there, I said it.







No, actually, I really like being able to use the computer, headphones on, and finish a post when I start it, unlike at home when I hop up every few seconds to do...well, something else.

Jacqueline and Elsanne:

Quote:

I start to play and then think of something I need to do.








:
I have a really hard time staying "present" with Rowan during the day. Most days are filled with PBS in the morning (while I try to catch up with email or Ebay or writing, or what have you online, or while I'm in the kitchen making his breakfast and packing the diaper bag for the day), then he's accompanying me on errands in the morning, or maybe a rare story hour or playdate, and then after naptime he asks me to play, and I do...only to hop up every minute or so to start dinner, fold laundry, answer the phone, check my email or clean or clean up cat puke or...







:
(wow, I just wrote a whole bunch of self-serving whiny pap! But I deleted it and moved on! Hahaha!)

I think, for me, having a hard time with Rowan at times has something to do with his needs changing. I have always felt like I am a day late and a dollar short keeping up with Rowan and what he needs, his routines, etc. When he was going through a growth spurt I never seemed to realize it until it had passed, or we'd have a week of the worst sleep of my LIFE (oh wait, I mean 2.5 years!







) and then I'd realize, hey, I need to change something...and then I'd have to change it AGAIN for good measure.
Does that make any sense? It could be hunger talking.









I realized that until recently, I had been relating to my child like he was still JUST "my baby". The boob doesn't fix EVERYTHING anymore?!







When did THAT happen?!?! My kid has WANTS and DESIRES and at the same time is starting to realize that MAMA has wants and desires that don't always mesh with his and he's freaking out? I have to help him deal with that PLUS try to deal with everything else he throws my way (literally and figuratively)?? Holy crap!!!








Daddy is definitely the shiz around here too, not to the total exclusion of all else (he'll play with both of us still...sometimes), but you know what's happened here? When my friend M. comes over to watch him with her DS, Rowan just about shoves me out the DOOR. He *cries* when she leaves sometimes, he doesn't want to leave her house when we have playdates!
She parents a little different than I do. She's still in that all-encompassing-love-for-babies stage (remember, her child is barely 1) where she gives her babe her FULL attention and utter love...and she does that for Rowan too. Kinda like Gramma.








At first I was like, "he's an ANGEL for her! He LOVES her!! I'm a terrible mama by comparison!"

But you know what it is? He acts like he does for me because I'm SAFE. He KNOWS he can whine and throw things and hit me, and though I might yell at him or set him down and walk away when he does some of that stuff, I won't leave him. I'll still adore him, even when I call him Mr. Poopy.








He understands, even if he doesn't necessarily like it, that I am Mama but I also have to cook, and clean sometimes, and sometimes, I need a moment to post to my friends at MDC. *grin*
He knows he'll get my attention at some point. He still kisses me and hugs me and follows me everywhere (if he's not held captive by Blue, Steve and Elmo!














and he asks for me at least once every night (though Daddy's name is the very next thing out of his mouth if Mama's not available).

I am just so full of







today, mamas! I may not get to the computer again today and I guess I'm just making sure I get my daily blather on.








Sorry for the online brain-fart...I guess this is what's in my head right now. In short (too late!) I think we are all doing a phenomenal job.









I wish I could remember some of what I wrote yesterday morning. I know I wrote that I am adoring the stories, and that Elsanne, what you write just makes me love you even MORE, on a daily basis! From your siggy to your insights, you RULE.









Miss Juice, I think the kitchen play is priceless! "Just look at the color on this garlic"!







that is so awesome!
DH is making a play clock to put on the side of our fridge in Rowan's kitchen. We rearranged things in there recently and it seems to have made a big difference in how he plays with it. Actually, he was playing with M. in the kitchen when I left the house this morning.
















Okay, I think my "runner's high" is about to wear off and I NEED FOOD.

I hope you all have a wonderful day. Thanks for listening to me ramble. (and abuse smilies! I'm a smiley abuser!







Bow down!






























(I forget who dubbed me "most likely to abuse smilies" but it makes me laugh everytime I think of it. You should see me on forums where the use of smilies is "limited"! I always have to go back and delete stuff! Haha!)
Okay, really, bye.


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Hi mamas-

Feel out of the loop. Busy busy busy.

I'm fasting today 'cause of a lovely procedure tomorrow. Hunger.

Re: carbon: We try. We have one car that we rarely drive (weekends mostly). When it dies, our next car will be a (bio)diesel or hybrid. Love Portland for the biodiesel stations. We are putting in radiant heat floors next summer, with an on-demand water heater, and eventually roof solar panels when we get the $$$. Just got foam insulation in the walls.

Speaking of petroleum products, our play kitchen is a plastic behemoth that we got free from a friend. Despite its political incorrectness, Lily likes it and does quite a bit of cooking and stuffing of things into its various orifices. I do like those Target ones for style, though.

Lily does not really have a strong parent preference going on. She switches back and forth hourly. DH is definitely more of the playful one, but we are both good at being with her in the moment and being silly. Other times we are both busy and she gets a lot of encouragement to play by herself while we work. Overall our roles are really pretty much equal in a lot of ways. Since he works at home and I don't, he is around more and I get to just play with her in the evenings. I don't know. I guess there's just not an easy way to delineate our roles. We can both be playful and both be "strict."

Um, what else. I loved the Moby for months 1-6 of Lily's life. Love the Ergo from months 12-present (we got it at 12 months







). IME, they serve different purposes and were both indispensable. I would give you my Moby but I already gave it away to a women's center, sorry.

LOL at porch pictures. I so want to finish my cute little fairy flower lights I am working on and put them up, but honestly it won't happen before we leave, and then it will be too late. It will be all I can do to finish up the few gifts I am making and get them in the mail.

OK, off to class.

TTFN

Sarah


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Swallow study went well and she passed! So no idea what to try next or maybe just nothing. The ST's only suggestion was to encourage more straw drinking. I am so tired of chasing her around with drinks. Anyone have any cool straw sippy cups they've used?

Had to take E to the lab to get stuck like a pin cushion....err get her lead/iron tests. The first phleb. was useless and she had to get someone else to get her in the other arm.







: She howled and cried and promptly fell asleep in the car. Then we went to a new park that has all the old dangerous metal play structures and a "spinny go 'round" according to C. Pics later over yonder...


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

Quote:


Originally Posted by *heatherfeather* 
Swallow study went well and she passed! So no idea what to try next or maybe just nothing. The ST's only suggestion was to encourage more straw drinking. I am so tired of chasing her around with drinks. Anyone have any cool straw sippy cups they've used?

Had to take E to the lab to get stuck like a pin cushion....err

What a day! I am so sorry about the poking and proding. Poor babe. It's great that the swallow test went well.







We use a straw sippy that has a flip top straw cover thingee - maybe playtex? I didn't buy it but Eleanor used it at her aunties house and she brought it home with her. She requests it and cries if it's dirty. I will look at the brand if you want me to. I like that the straw is flexible at the top and hard at the bottom and it's spill proof. I dislike that it is plastic (but with no disney characters at least!).

I am going to hook up with this local WAHM: www.portablebaby.com and get one of her custom dyed Ergos for Alison for Christmas (_green or brown???_). While I am there I think I may check out one of her wraps. She had some interesting comments about the Moby and I think my issues with it might be similar to her experience - the Moby looks too stretchy and the non-stretch ones look bulky. Then again, her version is too much $$$. Sigh. I love slings...it's like a high to do online research about slings. Is that sad?


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

Lots going on here today! Glad I checked in or I would have been overwhelmed when I got the digest this evening.

So, Lisa, I like the green Ergo on that website. The brown is nice too and would probably go with more things, but the green just looks happier. I had a Sutemi (well, I still have it) but could never get it to feel right in the back position, which is why I bought it. So, maybe the Ergo would be a better choice. So many slings, so many choices, right? I agree with you....researching slings is fun!

Heather, glad the swallowing went well, but sorry about the needle sticks.

Here's my news for the day: I got a positive preg. test this morning! I'm late, just like I was last month. Which, if you'll remember, ended up being a very early miscarriage. Last month, I poas on cycle days 29 and 30 and got one totally faint positive on day 30. This time, I waited until the day AF came for a visit last month, which was day 31. So, when I took the test this morning, the second line showed up right away. Of course, I still feel like my period is about to start any minute and I keep going to the bathroom to check...very sad, isn't it?







I'm a little worried, especially after what happened last month, but I feel totally different physically this time. Last time I could just feel something wasn't right. This time, I'm totally surprised and still can't hardly believe it, but am optimistic. So, I'd still like to request some sticky vibes, but so far it looks like we'll be due Aug. 6, 2007! A leo baby...oh my.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Let's see if I can out-smilie Sherri....
















:







:







:
























































:







:







:







:



















































Yay!! So excited for you and T and G!! I got a lot of early pg crampy/ouchy uterus stuff with both girls too, but I certainly understand why you're a bit nervous.

btw...loved all those recent pics of you guys and the KK crew!


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

I find the moby can be too stretchy if you don't tie it tight enough. The first few times I helped John put it on, he said ti was too tight... then after wearing Jett like that a couple of times, he realized how much he was sagging down. But tying it tighter seemed to fix the prob.

Oh, also, it seem the Moby D "color panel" is NOT stretchy, and people say they feel more support than from the reg Moby. Plus, it's shorter (I think) and overall less fabric to deal with. There are a few threads about it over in the babywearing forum.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

Oh and before I forget (and before the girls wake up







)....I'm not an ergo lover here. DH likes it for carrying C and eventually E, but since I'm not on the smallish side, I just felt like the waist/belt thing was akward and accentuates my tummy in a not so flattering way. Has Alison tried an ergo on before or used one w/ E?


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Jacqueline, we cross posted.... Congrats on the BFP! How exciting! EEP!







:


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

OH.MY.GOODNESS as Eleanor would say!





















:



































:



































:









I am so excited for you, Jacqueline! Very sticky thoughts headed to you!


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

Quote:


Originally Posted by *heatherfeather* 
Has Alison tried an ergo on before or used one w/ E?

No, but she met this woman and talked to her about it for a long time - first time that Alison ever showed sling-love-and-envy. Alison is generous in body and I am not-so-much, but tall, so it's trick to find one sling that works for both of us. I guess not that dissimilar from straight couples







, but the Ergo is supposed to be flexible that way. I like her return policy if we don't like it - and the colors have won me over.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

jacquie: yay yay yippee yay!!!







:

sending you sticky









agree on the moby must be tied tight enough. and has alison used the ergo with E? did it feel right to her? 'cause i have some friends about alison's height/build and they hate the ergo because it cuts into their chest by the armpits and makes their boobs unnecessarily accentuated when they use it for a back carry.

~claudia


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Lately I've been frustrated with feeling like I never have time to write a post that properly covers all the stuff I want to discuss, so I end up not posting at all, and that's just lame. So I've decided to go renegade on you all and start posting at random, about what ever I can, whenever I can... kinda like Elsanne does.







:







But seriously, I notice she posts lots of short notes, rather than long novels, and that seems to work for her. Since she's my idol








, I figured I might as well try to be like her in every way imaginable.







:


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

:




































:



































:









Woooo wooot! Jacquie I am so psyched. I wonder who chose you as their mama?!???


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

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TurboClaudia* 
they hate the ergo because it cuts into their chest by the armpits and makes their boobs unnecessarily accentuated

oh no -you saw Alison _before_ she was pregnant- and she certainly does not need any unnecessary breast accentuation now.


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

YAY jaqueline!!!!!!!







:







:







:







: very sticky vibes coming to you!!!

i love the ergo (even though i HATE HATE HATE the fabric of mine). i have used it a ton though. it looks ridiculous on dh. much too small for him.

maybe i need a moby for the new babe???? i've never tried one.


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jstar* 
maybe i need a moby for the new babe???? i've never tried one.

I say YES, and get it early so you have it for the newborn stage. I got mine when Jett was about 3.5 months, and the moment I put it on, I was like







I should have had this from day one!

Off to the store. That is, if I can get Mia to put a shirt on.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamameg* 
But seriously, I notice she posts lots of short notes, rather than long novels, and that seems to work for her. Since she's my idol







, I figured I might as well try to be like her in every way imaginable.







:









: This gave me a much needed







. I mean a much needed







. Aw heck, you know what I mean.

It really is better that way. Otherwise no posty.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Now I sit here imagining every way imaginable you could be like me.







: Well, we both like the brown ones, that's a start. We both like to wear boots. You know the boots I'm talkin about!

I had to go have another child to be like YOU.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Okay, on a roll with these short posts. I have to admit something to youguys I'm kind of embarrassed about.

I have a yeast infection.

Now, that's the embarrassing thing, but how I am treating it is MORE embarrassing and I just want some input as to whether my birth canal will ever be inhabitable again.

I thought I'd douche (cringe at the word) with a dilute of GSE, several days in a row. ~5 drops in a liter of water. Seemed to aggravate it after two days, but I am a GSE believer, so I thought: aHA. I know what's going on. It's killing everything (and leaving it pretty dry, not a friendly chemical) but only yeasties are repopulating. So. Today: another wash (that's a better word) with GSE, then yet another (egads) with a yogurt dilute solution. Have I irrevocably altered the environment there? Am I stupid to have put GSE in my vagina?


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

maybe you're just sensitive to GSE in your yina? have you tried the whole peeled garlic clove inserted overnight? yeasties s*ck.

~c


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

oh yeah, megan short posts rock. my memory is so shot these days i can't even remember more than a couple of things to post about.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

That is a great idea, TC. I will try it tonight.


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

:






























Yay Jacquie! Sticky sticky.

I, too, am going to try to be more like Elsanne. But then I can't tell my DH-hookup story.

It's boring anyway - typical Boy Meets Girl, Girl is Dating Another Guy, Girl Hates Boy Anyway, Girl Flashes That She's Going to Marry Boy and Flees in Horror, Time Passes, Girl's BF Graduates, Summer Ends, Girl and Boy Hook Up Much to Girl's Dismay, Girl Wonders What the Hell is Going ON, Girl and Boy Fall in Love Even Though Girl is not Sure She Even Likes Him, Boy and Girl Fight for Six Months Straight (title of first fight, 48 hours after initial hookup "will our children be allowed to smoke pot") Girl Realizes it's ALL About Communication, Boy and Girl Learn to Actually Talk to Each Other, Things Get Better, One Year is Spent Together at College, One Year WAY Apart Girl in Atlanta Boy in New York, One Year Together in Atlanta, a Midnight Proposal Initiated by Girl, Another Year, a Wedding, Two More Years in Atlanta, a Big Move to Cleveland, Boy Starts Law School, Girl Goes Way in Debt to Start Her Own Chiropractic Practice Because She Doesn't Want to Play Anyone Else's Game, Practice Opens January 2001, BFP (!!??!!) April 01 (NOT part of the business plan), a Baby, a House, Law Degree, Another Baby, an Underpaid Job, and Another Baby Story.


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Oh yeah Juice... THAT story? I've heard that one a million times. :yawning:


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

I wanna be like Elsanne! She rocks my socks!















Yeah, if I don't post in short bursts, I end up with the gigantic NOVEL over on the other page.







: Then it's all rambly and doesn't make sense. Blah.
So, to be like Elsanne, we have to be, moved by spiritual bible study?








GSE, huh? Didn't it hurt? I remember when I put a few drops in a glass of juice to head off a cold, and UGH.








But tasting gross is a different matter.
I think the peeled garlic clove is a good idea. Even if it sounds weird.














I hope you feel better, Elsanne!
I remember reading putting UNdiluted plain yogurt "down there" to help with yeasties...but I am one to reach for the monistat if I get a yeast infection.







: Sorry I can't be more helpful!

Miss Juice, the way you told your Boy Meets Girl story was awesome.







Thank you for sharing!

YAY Jacquie!





















and more sticky







! Whee! And an







thrown in for good measure (I love that new smiley! I have afro envy!)

I am







. I had a church thing tonight and I just got home. I am going to go transfer the stuff in my old diaper bag to my new "Early-Christmas-Present-to-myself" pretty satin diaper bag (on sale from zannadu.com!)

Much love to you all.









Oh, those of you considering Mobys; if anyone wants to borrow mine for a bit to try it out, let me know! I'd even be willing to resell it (at a MUCH lower price)! I mean, I don't think I'll have occasion to use it anymore, I still prefer my Hotsling to anything, and well, yeah. Let me know.
And Lisa? I like the green best.







I think green can go with just about anything too!









Heather, so glad the swallow test went well! And ouchie on the poked and prodded babe; we got an incompetent phlebo person once (back when Rowan's hip was all weird) and it was he!!








s to you all! Sorry if I forgot anyone. I'm all flighty tonight.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

OMG this is hilarious, especially this part:

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Miss Juice* 





















:















Girl and Boy Hook Up Much to Girl's Dismay, Girl Wonders What the Hell is Going ON, Girl and Boy Fall in Love Even Though Girl is not Sure She Even Likes Him, Boy and Girl Fight for Six Months Straight (title of first fight, 48 hours after initial hookup "will our children be allowed to smoke pot")

So, will the kids be allowed or did you just shelve that one for another ten years?









Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamameg* 
Oh yeah Juice... THAT story? I've heard that one a million times. :yawning:



















Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mama Faery* 
I wanna be like Elsanne! She rocks my socks!















Yeah, if I don't post in short bursts, I end up with the gigantic NOVEL over on the other page.







: Then it's all rambly and doesn't make sense. Blah.
So, to be like Elsanne, we have to be, moved by spiritual bible study?











Yay, I have my own fan club! Good thing youguys don't realize that I'm really an aging male of Asian descent looking at 2.5 year olds' photos on the internet for kicks. I now know where you all live, too.

In order to be like Elsanne, one must gain weight. Lots of it. And complain about it plenty.

According to the Elsanne Book of Things (no, it was not invented right now): Engaging in spiritual bible study is a path to enlightenment. When I figure out the correct partner part, I will let you know. I had to rewrite that whole section because my previous guidelines led me astray.

What I wonder is which of you I truly annoy. I KNOW at least one person out there rolls their eyes







when I'm goin' off. Anyway I try to keep it all in good fun so they can't hold it against me too hard.







:


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

And in all seriousness, Heather, I am thinking of you and the babes. Every time I hear about another copay or doc visit from your family I send you lots of hugs and love.

And then there's JACQUIE, who as we speak may be implanting a blastocyst! Or the cells may be dividing, with some of them saying YOU! Over there! Git to the head area, you're going to be an ear. And YOU! Down to the feet, we need some toes!


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Oh gaaaawd there she goes again...jeeeeez will that gringa ever shut up.

Oh, oops, did I say that out loud??
















JK!

YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY Jacqueline! Excitement comin' your way. Tons of sticky stickies, too. Double w00t w00t.

Hey Lisa, we got a 99 on our project. Thanks for your help!









S.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Elsanne, I can't imagine ANYone being annoyed by you. ME, on the other hand...







Sometimes I annoy MYSELF.









Haha.









Okay, no time to post much more, just sending you all love and







s...I think it's supposed to snow here this weekend. Not sure if I am psyched or bummed. I like snow, but...it means it's COLD!









I gotta move to Mexico...









Have a wonderful day, mama-pajamas!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

I guffawed aloud, sarahbee...I just KNEW you would be the one to do it! You eyeroller you!
Yay for your 99!!!


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## Sarah'sMama (Nov 30, 2002)

Stick baby stick! Way to go Jacqueline! I'm so excited for you. As SarahB would say double w00t w00t!!! Congratulations

The potty thing is going pretty well. We've had our share of misses (or should I say messes?) but each day is getting a little bit better. I feel like she knows what to do, and is working on getting the timing right. I've spent aloooot of time in the bathroom sitting on the floor while she sits there thinking. It's awfully cute to see her concentrate and try. So, so far, so good. I feel like we're making some headway, and we're going to keep on plugging away!! We went to target last night to pick out some more underwear, because the three pairs she did have didn't last too long. Had to start digging into Sarah's undies, lol! So three cheers for the potty train!!

Anyone care to tell me your stories? What did you do? How long did it take? etc.

I've just been putting her in panties and asking her frequently if she needs to go. That's about it. Not making a big deal out of accidents, just pointing out that she needs to put her pee or poop on the potty next time. So thankful for the large spaces of hardwood floors in our new house!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Sounds like you're doin it just right, sherri. Whatsa matta, you don't remember training Sarah? Or Katie's just a different bird altogether?

Our version is: wear panties. Have lots of panties. Take her to the potty every 1.5 hrs or so, even if her response is "no" upon asking whether she needs to pee. She will now go do herself.
The other day we were at a friend's house when she looks at me and says, "popo", it's already coming out but not too bad--we run to the bathroom and put her on the potty and she goes! Change of panties, end of story. It's the second time she's pooped on someone else's toilet while we're out. I think that's a milestone!

But what I REALLY WANT TO KNOW, TC, is this: Say one tries the garlic thing, and one puts it up there, maybe too far. and one cannot fish it out the next morning. WHAT IS ONE TO DO????

It's okay, you can all laugh at my predicament. I just wanna know when the garlic is done roasting, okay????


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

I don't think it's going to be lost up there forever








But seriously, some people wrap it in cheesecloth to make it easier to get back. Like a nice cheesecloth garlic tampon.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Miss Juice* 
Like a nice cheesecloth garlic tampon.









:


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

cheesecake garlic tampon. i hope it comes 'back' to you!

renae ME ME ME! i wanna buy your moby. but not this week. i'm perilously on the brink of overdraft at the moment and having insomnia from it. grrrr. i frankly want to strangle dh's business partner at the moment. he's an idiot sometimes.

meanwhile i was laying and reading to isaac last night and could see my abdomen moving around. i swear i didn't see or feel anything until 18 weeks this time. how was i missing all that? i really wasn't feeling any kind of 'bond' until i saw the little babe moving around on the screen a couple of days ago







:

isaac is asking more frequently to use the potty. and telling me 'pee pee is coming out right now' in his diaper. which i think is a good sign he's figuring it out. i'm not ready for the underwear messes. maybe after christmas. kinda waiting til he asks for underwear

my kid(s) are not smoking pot til they go to college!!!! yeah right.







i'll be happy if they stay off the smack/crack/meth.


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

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jstar* 
my kid(s) are not smoking pot til they go to college!!!! yeah right.







i'll be happy if they stay off the smack/crack/meth.

Um, you do know that pot is _the gateway drug_, don't cha?


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## jstar (Jul 22, 2004)

so i've heard (recently)!







the gateway to fun. JOKE. i think cigs are the true gateway drug. funnily enough i smoked hash before i even tried alcohol. that's what living in a muslim country does to you.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

A Parent's got to have rules:

1) No methamphetamines during the school week.

*weak laugh* I just realized how un-funny this could be--there are some families out there--


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## emmalola (Apr 25, 2004)

Yay, Jacqueline! what great news.

now, stick, little blastocyst.

And elsanne? coming to ABQ?

too cold to type. snow day. wish me luck. must shower.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Yes, coming to ABQ! Jan 4-16. After the holiday rush. Nervous about the plane ride. Two babies. No stroller. Ack.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

Chef: "Children, what did I tell you??"
South Park Kids: "There's a time and a place for everything..."
Chef: "And that place is?"
Kids: "College"










More later. Today has been an INSANE day.


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

Hello, you super-posty mommies.

Let me try to catch up...

Jacqueline- Hooray!!!!!









Dh and I met my first day of work at the group home. He told me a week later he thought I was what he was looking for in a wife. WHAT?!!!! Dated for two years, I broke up with him twice, but turns out he was right about us: I proposed to him in the end, but it was no risk because I'd heard through the grapevine he had already bought the ring.







Honeymoon was a biking/camping trip. Wedding registry at REI.









Potty-training: not even on our radar.

garlic: it may have slipped out and been flushed down the toilet without you noticing. That usually happened to me if I didn't wrap it in gauze first. Gotta say I've got the most unkillable yeast infection out there (must be albicans), cause it's baaaaaaaaaaaaack. Hope the garlic works for you.

Cool about the tummy movement, Jstar

Midwife apt yesterday. I still have two plus months to go, but the "outer os" (sp?) of my cervix is dialated 2-3 cm. Midwife says it's ok as long as the "inner os" holds tight. Darn squishy cervix. Got the whole preterm labor signs talk. I don't have to alter my activity level unless I start getting serious contrax. So far I've only noticed one contract my whole pregnancy.









Our front wall is full of mold, apparently. Called cause the wall was oddly squishy near the door. Now we have a big open wall that's covered in plastic and taped up. Fun times.

Luke is using 4-word sentences. I'm so excited! Ta ta mamas.


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## orangecanoe (Aug 3, 2003)

FF---yay for a verbose L!! Cool beans! And on the yeastie beasties....how's your thyroid? Just random associations as another mama I know has hypothyroid troubles and battles the yeasties on occasion and the two can be related.

We had a fun playdate with an MDC mama and kiddos this morning...yay! Both girlies took car naps and are taking late naps now....predicted bedtime 930-10pm!! Oh and totally doing leftovers for dinner.









Late for pumping so toodles poodles as Sarah and now C are fond of saying. I almost spit the first time C said it.









Oh and before I forget....E took her first step today! It was only one before she collapsed on me and she might have a while yet before she walks, but yay baby!


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mama Faery* 
Chef: "Children, what did I tell you??"
South Park Kids: "There's a time and a place for everything..."
Chef: "And that place is?"
Kids: "College"










More later. Today has been an INSANE day.










!!!!

Quote:


Originally Posted by *fiddlefern* 

garlic: it may have slipped out and been flushed down the toilet without you noticing. That usually happened to me if I didn't wrap it in gauze first. Gotta say I've got the most unkillable yeast infection out there (must be albicans), cause it's baaaaaaaaaaaaack. Hope the garlic works for you.

Our front wall is full of mold, apparently. Called cause the wall was oddly squishy near the door. Now we have a big open wall that's covered in plastic and taped up. Fun times.

Luke is using 4-word sentences. I'm so excited! Ta ta mamas.

Only two months left? Wow! These times are going fast. Yay for 4 word sentences! Sorry 'bout that mold...uck.

Is it possible the garlic slipped out? I got me some serious pelvic floor muscles (the bellydance thang) so I am in doubt. I have also noticed a faint garlic odor about me all day. I sure wish it would slip out.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *heatherfeather* 
.E took her first step today! It was only one before she collapsed on me and she might have a while yet before she walks, but yay baby!

Oh this is truly exciting! yay baby E!


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## mcsarahb (Aug 25, 2003)

Els, have you tried everything to get it out? Positions and everything? I can't really imagine that you couldn't reach it in some position. Let me know if you want specifics and I will give them.

Fiddle - yay for 4-word sentences! That is awesome. I've been thinking about getting together with you for a while now...do you happen to be free tomorrow morning??

I'm back from my procedure and feel much better after some juice and yogurt. Gawd, the last two days have been hellish. Truly.

S.


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## Jacqueline (Jun 11, 2003)

I've been trying to post this reply all day, but our Internet connection was slow and then things just got busy.

So, thanks everyone for your well wishes. So far, so good! I've got another HPT to take in the morning, just for confirmation. Plus, it's one of those cool looking digital tests that I've been wanting to try (what kind of a geek am I?







)

I'm at work tonight. It was a crazy day. We took our non-front-wheel drive vehicle in to see how much we could get on a trade-in. Well, not nearly enough to even pay off 1/2 of what we owe on it, so we're holding on right now. We tried to sell this vehicle before we moved here, but there was just just too much going on then and it didn't happen. We had our first serious snowstorm this week and driving in it was no fun. Luckily we have another vehicle with front-wheel drive that we can share on bad days. Still not sure what we're going to do. blah!

Well, it's busy at work so I better go.


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mcsarahb* 
Els, have you tried everything to get it out? Positions and everything?

I'm back from my procedure and feel much better after some juice and yogurt. Gawd, the last two days have been hellish. Truly.

S.

Okay. With Viet here playing ob/gyn, I got it out! I was crouching in that reclined squat and he was looking puzzled with a Petzl on his head when I told him, look, you just gotta do THIS--and ba-da-bing!
That was WAAAY more than you wanted to know, but admit it: it was amusing.

Sarah what is going on? What was the procedure for? Was the hellishness your garden variety in-nursing-school hell or otherwise?

Cute story:
Amara woke from a nap, and Sol went in to be with her ("Bebe UP!"). I left them alone for a while, and came back and both girls were completely dotted about the face with small flower stickers, courtesy of Sol. It was hilarious, and pictures were taken. When I get them developed I'll post along.


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## Miss Juice (Jun 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elsanne* 
Amara woke from a nap, and Sol went in to be with her ("Bebe UP!"). I left them alone for a while, and came back and both girls were completely dotted about the face with small flower stickers, courtesy of Sol. It was hilarious, and pictures were taken. When I get them developed I'll post along.

YAY for garlic-free hoo-haas. Yay for Viet taking a stand, so to speak.

Allison (Sol's counterpart) is always poking at Ethan's eyes. "It's eyes is open!! It's awake!!" Even if he was soundly sleeping...

She calls him "baby Neefum"


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

omigosh, garlic-free hoo-haas, what a great thread title if i wasn't feeling protective of our little community and not wanting others to peek in...







:

marek sleeping in his bed, stefan sleeping on the sleeper sofa, free arms for mama... aaahhhhh...

had our last appointment with our midwife this past tuesday. it was a bittersweet day for me, and the weather here matched my mood. there's a poem waiting to be written about it that i'll hopefully be able to pen over the weekend. happy news from the appointment: stefan now weighs just over 12 lbs at age 2.5 months.







: that's what marek weighed at... like... 4 months.

funny story from today: i lay stefan down on his belly on my bed so he could test out his little arms a bit. marek came in and climbed up on the bed and was giggling at stefan flailing his arms and then lay down on his belly, too, and try squirming forward like a snake. it was really cute.

really must get some new pictures of stefan on the yg for you all to see. he's really cute now. will try to do that tomorrow.

hopping on the "toodles poodles" bandwagon...









~claudia


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## fiddlefern (Nov 9, 2003)

MCSB- was planning to go shopping for 1st Aid/CPR supplies at a medical place tomorrow, but will gladly cancel said trip for a chance to hang wicha.







As a matter of fact, I just realized that I should shop on the weekend anyway, when I can get PAID to do it. So yes!!! Let's hang. I'll call ya in the a.m.

Last night class tonight. Aced the instructor test, which is good cause I teach classes on Monday and Thursday next week.









Claudia- you can imagine how reassuring it is to me to hear how well Stefan is growing.









Miss Juice- I am TOTALLY worried about the eye-poking thing. Sounds like your babe has survived.









HF- hooray for first steps!

Elsanne- can't wait to see those pics- how funny.

Night, all.


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## Mama Faery (Apr 19, 2004)

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...82#post6663482

The new thread is started, baby!


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