# Nov~Dec 2002 tots



## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

OK, We've officially moved to a new thread. Welcome back to all the wonderful mamas who like to chat about their babies born in the winter of 2002.

All new mamas are welcome, too! Come on in, brag about your baby, get to know us crazy mamas, and have some fun
















For all who need a recap, I'm Leah, 24, SAHM to Zachary (12/3/02), and foster mama to Julianna (2/27/03) and Crystal (7/29/96).


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Thanks for the new thread Leah!


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

I have a baby girl born december 5th 2002. She's about 30 lbs, loves to play in water, and she got a fever right now.... just a few things about her.

thanks for starting the new *fresh* thread kidsatheart.


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## ekblad9 (Nov 21, 2001)

I have Jackson. Born 11/27/2002. He's doing well. He's definately the hardest of my five kids. Very "spirited" shall we say. I love him dearly but many days I feel like he's going to push me over the edge.







He's very easy to set off and once you have set him off you can expect a good 20 minute tantrum. He really loves The Wiggles (on video or the radio) and I try to save that for the times during the day when I have to be one on one with an older child. I just got The Learning Tower and man is that a life saver! He loves it! Standing up there by mom is just what he needs. I actually got to make dinner tonight with him either crying at my legs or in the Ergo reaching for stuff.









We're still nursing and he sleeps with me when he wants to. He likes his own space, though. He's just learned how to take his diaper covers off. That's a problem. :LOL


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## Korwynne (Feb 18, 2004)

Thanks for starting a new one, I tried to read the old one and was overwhelmed, so never joined in.

I'm Jodi, and I've got two children - Lindsey's 2 1/2, and Joshua is 15 1/2 months - born Dec. 17th, 2002.

He is SO into climbing all of a sudden.. he's got really short little legs, so he has to climb onto things and will go out of his way to find a box to climb on to get up where he wants to be.

He's a brown eyed redhead, and was 22 1/2 pounds and 31 inches at his 15 month appt. Got his first tooth at 14 1/2 months, his second 2 days ago - they're his top center teeth rather than the bottom ones, so I've been telling him he's my little easter bunny









we're still nursing, co-sleeping and he loves his sling


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

ekbladlady, good to hear from you.

ruby mei is sixteen months, spirited, smiley and somewhere near 30 pounds. she climbs and rides the big slides. she pats your head if you are crying. she runs. she carries as many things as she cans, and can gauge the moods of each person in a room in seconds. very serious about dancing and singing and really washes the dishes. she has oodles of charisma. i now know that one is just born with it. it will be really something to see what she does with that power when she grows up. she's slingcarried and nursed and our family of five sleeps together.


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## AnnaLaughs (Jul 10, 2003)

Yippee...a new thread. I've been waiting for this








I never posted on the last ones but did enjoy checking in from time to time.
I have Anna....she was born December 16, 2002. She is amazing. She talks so much and it is the highlight of my day to have conversations with her. She is plump (although she is getting taller now) and beautiful and has the most amazing smile. Ok, this proud mama will stop for now.
She is breast fed and has 12 teeth







She just got 4 at once and that was the first time in her short little life so far that she has come close to a tantrum. She walked at 13 months.
We have a pretty solitary life...read and walk alot.
I'm looking forward to being a part of this new thread.


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## abranger (Dec 15, 2001)

I don't post much but I have been here since we were all pregnant. Seems like we have been through so much together and we don't even 'know' each other.

I have Georgia she was born 12/27/02. I went kicking and screaming into this motherhood thing. I was never going to have kids but my dh 'wore me down'







Now I cannot imagine my life without her.

We are about to start some basic potty training. GA seems ready. When I ask her if she needs a new diaper she always is right. If she says no and I look anyway nothing there. The other day she went to the couch in the study where we change her downstairs and handed me a wrap









She was a late walker. Took her first steps in late feb but ony last week started to walk as transportation. She would not eat any solid food until around 10 months and really didn't eat much until around a year. Now she is the human garbage disposal. She said her first word at 6 months ... dr didn't beilve me until i pointed to a photo of a cat in the office and she said clear as day keedat. Now she has about 100 words and so many cute animal sounds. Elephant is my fav (blows rasberry while raising one arm) I am amazed by how much she understands.

We have been having some sleep issues. She wakes up every 3 hours still and it is hard for me b/c I work 3 days a week. We did the Dr Jay Gordon plan in Dec and it worked great, then we have had one sickness after another. Now that spring is here I hope we can get back to 7 hour stretches.

Welcome to all the new mommas!

Amy


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

Hi!
DD was born on christmas morning at home, so she is just over 15 mo. We are a non vax, co sleep, bf family. We practice TCS and are pretty much vegan. DD has food sensitivities, so the no dairy part is real easy.









She walked on my birthday- Jan 8. She is still pretty much a breastfed girl (which is funny bc she started getting teeth at 4 mo, and now has 12), but likes a few things here and there. she's been sick w/ roseola, so her appetite really decreased, and she lost a pound. so now she weighs just under 22#. she is only 30 inches tall. so she is small, but for me she seems like a big girl compared to the baby she was last year at this time.









she is starting to climb, loves the garden and being outside, and is a very spirited girl. i love this about her, but it is challenging to stay patient and aware at all times.







she makes me want to be a better person- more conscious and thoughtful and full of love.

she does not talk all that much. in fact, she said more words 4 months ago then she does now. but she knows what things are. lately mama seems to be her favorite word.









wow, i think i've writen enough. can you tell dd is sleeping? :LOL


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Guess I should say something about me for all the new mamas.









I'm Rachel, mom to Jacob who is 8 years old and Owen who will be 16 months on the 13th.

I've been on an amazing journey regarding health, baby care, child raising, etc. for the past 2 years and I'm loving where my life is going because of it.

Dh and I were young when we had Jacob and we listened to mainstream ways and doctors. He's pretty much fully vax'd (although we were lucky and delayed a couple for whatever reason), formula fed, etc. Since there is 7 years between my children, I learned a lot before Owen was born. I started out going to breastfeed for as long as I could (thinking that by a year I'd be done) and we were going to selectively vax/delay some.

Well...Owen is still nursing--going strong!







He has never had a vaccine, never had medication of any kind, and has only been to the ped's office twice (WBC). And you know what? He is the healthiest child I know. He's had a couple of colds, which he's managed to kick in a day or two.

Sadly, both my boys are circ'd. Can't change that now, but I will not do it again, that's for sure.

Owen is a very curious, busy toddler. He keeps me on my feet all day long. He's a climber--I'm amazed at what he will try to scale. He's actually very good--haven't had any falls or anything. *whew* He's also a talker. It's so amazing listening to real words come out of that little person.









We have recently taken up walking. Sounds simple, but I can't tell you what a difference it is making for me. I have a backpack carrier. Owen LOVES it and my attitude has greatly improved since I'm actually doing something for myself, but with a happy child in tow.

Anyway...can't wait to get to know the new mamas better!


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## ekblad9 (Nov 21, 2001)

Quote:

_Originally posted by Brayg_
*Sadly, both my boys are circ'd. Can't change that now, but I will not do it again, that's for sure.

*
My first two boys are circ'd too.







I didn't know any better then. My third boy is not circ'd. You're right, you can't go back and change that. I used to beat myself up about it but I don't anymore. I just didn't know. Now I do and I've changed things.


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

hi mamas (ummm and if any dads are reading, you're welcome to jump in too. it's not an exclusive club!)

my dd Erin is umm, 17







: months. She's not talking too much (mama, dada, puppy, baby, kitty, bubbles and nurse are her words). She's recently a climber of sorts, although she is a very cautious child.

I guess I don't have many labels for us. LOL we don't really fit into many molds. We're still nursing (is that EBF?). she sleeps mostly in her crib, but sometimes mom or dad goes in her room and cuddles her down again in her "big girl bed." We did cosleep for 11 months, but it just didn't work for our family after that. We vaccinate -- in a reasonably informed manner (i.e. not 10 shots in one day). I am a full time phd student and a full time mom (meaning daycare 20 hrs a week and she's with daddy exclusively 20 hrs a week). Erin's skin is super sensitive to paper diaper products so we cloth diaper her (also Erin's dad can't stand the smell of disposables and would rather do laundry than smell perfume on his baby girl).

ummm....diaper changes...I don't think we're ready yet for the potty, but whenever we do a diaper change (on the floor in erin's room on a little blanket) we tell erin "pick out a diaper" and she goes to the basket, pulls out a diaper and brings it over. Then she lies down on the mat. Do you think we should get a potty already? I guess I only know kiddos who've done it at 2+ yrs? And I'm not really ready for my baby to be all grown up


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## ekblad9 (Nov 21, 2001)

My earliest potty trained kid was 2 1/2. The rest were 3 or older. I'm far too lazy to potty train before that, :LOL


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Well this morning I was thinking back to when we were all pregnant and then sharing the early days of our new babies. This is what, the 3rd or 4th 'new' thread? Kind of nice to have that sense of continuity, mamas.

I'm Rose. See my sig line for ds's birth date. We do all the crunchy stuff I guess--ebf, sling, co-sleep, cd etc









Welcome to all the new mamas.


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by ekblad7_
*My earliest potty trained kid was 2 1/2. The rest were 3 or older. I'm far too lazy to potty train before that, :LOL*
whew. not going to worry about it. hereby ignoring all discussions of potty stuff (IRL mostly, not so much here!) until my dd is really interested.

Rose -- :LOL -- I looked at your sig and didn't REALLY read it and I thought "no birthday there" and then I was like wait a minute. I know when the solstice is


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:

I used to beat myself up about it but I don't anymore.
Me too Amy. It took me a long time to get over it, but I realize I was being the best mama I could be then.

We have a potty chair for Owen. It's in the bathroom. He hasn't a clue what it is and I have no desire for him to use it. Not ready for all that work, plus my (er...I mean Owen's :LOL)beautiful diapers wouldn't get used then.


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## ekblad9 (Nov 21, 2001)

:LOL about the diapers not being used! I love my diapers too! Plus I just don't feel like they're actually potty trained until they can pull their pants down and up on their own. Like I said, I'm very lazy!


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## MamaFern (Dec 13, 2003)

hello! im fern and my son elwynn was born at home dec. 26th 2002. he's a walking, talking, climbing, monster. well not really. maybe sometimes. he is getting molars so he's a bit grumpy these days, and we just moved to a new house. transitions are hard on him. anyways hello to all you mommas with 2002 babies.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Hi, I'm Rynna, mommy to one sweet EliBean Boy, 17 months old. He's small (30", 20 pounds soaking wet and fully clothed) and brilliant and beautiful and he's going to be a big brother soon!







Eli would love help with using the potty right now as he hates being messy and having his pants changed (he has to hold still and stop doing what he's doing) but it will have to wait until after his sibling arrives. He's definately looking forward to having more nursie milk, and I think he's going to be a wonderful big brother to NewBean.


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

First of all,







s to all the new Mamas here!!!









(And for anyone else who wants to join, just jump right in, don't feel like you have to read back a whole year and a half worth of posts, LOL )

solsticemama, I NEVER knew your name was Rose until just now. How nice to finally know it LOL! I still don't know your DS's name, but I know you are entitled to your privacy. (XmasEve doesn't post her DD's name, either...)

Looks like we all fall into our own little groove, rather than rigidly AP or mainstream, or whatever. I vax, co-sleep, bf, cloth diaper, don't circ., eat meat, and let my kids watch TV (gasp!). I find MDC refreshing (and extremely informative) when it comes to parenting from the heart. I'm glad to know all of you mamas, and it's fun to hear about your parenting styles- and of course I love hearing about the babies!









PS- Zach just went to the doc today and he's 20 lbs. 6 oz., 30 in.... He's a little guy!


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

ok, i don't feel so bad that dd is not very big. it was getting me concerned, bc she has weighed the same amount since xmas. of course, after she started walking i knew the energy was eating up those calories before they ever got to her tummy or thighs. :LOL
anyway, i'll stop being concerned about that.


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## MamaFern (Dec 13, 2003)

my little guy is scrawny too!


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

My name is Anna. I have 2 girls; my youngest Scarlett is 16.5 months. She was born Nov.19, 2002 at home. I don't vax., she now sleeps in her own bed (which both of us like better!), and she is already weaning herself and only nurses at night. My guess is that she is around 23lbs. She has 4 teeth and is currently getting 2 more plus 1 molar. My oldest is 33 months. They are now at a point where they can play together and it is fun to watch them. I am a single mama, but get a lot of help from my mom, who watches the girls while I work pt. Right now we are located in Nebraska, so if anyone is in the neighborhood let me know!


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

so I was wondering.. what happens to all those developmental milestone charts after the first year? it's not that i'm worried about eli or that i feel some need to prove just how extraordinary he is.. i was just wondering why there are zillions of things out there for the first year milestones (cutting teeth, sitting up, walking, etc) but like, half as many for the second year and almost none for after that?


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

well, they aren't physically measureable but there are quite some milestones....i'll have to think about what they are. much of it has to do with realizing that they are individuals and their place in the world. my belief is that most of the first year for humans is an unusual thing when it comes to mammals, hence the milestones. if we were horses our foals would be born at around this stage of development.

i don't fret about size though i tend to have giant heavy kids. one thing to keep in mind is that their weight will not change much in the next year or so. generally they will just get taller and longer and outgrow shoes overnight. ruby has been basically the same weight since nine months.

as for potty training, it really depends on the kid's motor skills and awareness of body, and if you are not ecing there's quite a range. having a laid back attitude is important. i know a few boys around 5 and 6 that are in a laxative cycle and holding their poop, which was enough to scare me into being cool and making no comments.

my first boy daytime trained after four. second boy wanted to train the same time and i was not up for it and trained around 2 anyway. ruby will train anytime soon since it is already getting too darned hot and she's aware of the whole process. since i have only one toilet this should be interesting. at least she is young enough to possibly accept the potty in the van so i don't have to make extra bathroom trips when i'm out. i've also been spoiled with the boys being able to hide behind a tree. boys train differently since the orfices are obviously different, and learn two different positions. i had better luck with clay sitting on a bjorn seat on the toilet for any output. girls just know squatting gets something done.


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## Bethkm (Jun 27, 2003)

Hi mamas! I'm a lurker and post occasionally. My DS is 17 months, born 11/12/02. I love hearing what all the babies/tots are up to!

Tyson was such a huge baby and is now a petite little guy! I'll stop worrying too, he's been gaining so much slower lately and is right around 22-23# and 30 inches. People comment on such a little baby walking whereever we go! The funny thing is he was a later walker, 15 months.

We are in the midst of molars as well, I also saw two eye teeth through this morning, the poor kid can't get a break, well he's almost done at least.

He is still nursing a ton (8-10x/day) and loves our family bed (DH and I do too!) I am amazed at you mamas about to have another baby...DS seems like such a baby to me I can't imagine another one yet! More power too ya! I'm thinking another year or so on that one.


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

sometimes i get envious of mammas with littler kids. i think i would be more tolerant of childish behaviours if my kids didn't look so large, and it would be easier to physically move them. and my first is and was such a strong talker that i tend to try to reason verbally in situations i can see later as a ridiculous attempt. which is why i'm in no hurry for ruby to talk, though she clearly understands.....


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Casina--my Jacob was that way. He was bigger, he walked early, talked early...everything. He just seemed way older than he really was (he actually still does at 8 years old). Owen is just your typical child--doing all the thing that babies/toddlers do, but he's given me a lot more baby time, kwim? It was actually very refreshing to be able to spend that baby time with him. Jacob was a baby till about 3 or 4 months, then he was off and running! (well...not really, but he crawled by 6 months and walked by 10)


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Casina-- there are lots of advantages to having a smaller child, but even though he's the size of your average 9 or 10 month old (I think.. maybe 7?) he looks much older than that. When he's just sitting in his stroller, or he's out with me, people think he's 2 or 3 by the look on his face. Then he stands up to walk and they kind of blink every time, because he suddenly looks really petite :LOL. Or if he's standing next to another child, he looks older even if they're younger and much larger, kwim? People ask me all the time if he was a preemie, because he's so tiny but he looks (and acts) so mature.







: The thing I like about it is that he can wear his clothing more than once. This winter, he had several outfits that he could wear from last year and this summer it looks like all but a few outfits are going to fit him again. Hopefully NewBean is another slow-grower! Otherwise they'll be in larger clothing than EliBean come October. :LOL


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

my kiddo is small, has been basically since birth (she was, umm, well i can't remember but 9lbs 1 oz is sticking in my brain for some reason).

one thing that is very fun is that epople think she's a REALLY advanced 10 month old. Then I tell them she's 17 months and they're like "that's why she's running!"


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## 1Plus2 (Mar 13, 2003)

I'm so glad this new thread was started. This way I can familiarize myself with everyone and feel more "in the loop".









Quick rundown on me again...

I'm Karen, 29 (and holding!) SAHM to 3 dd's. Haven is 3 1/2 (9/4/00) and Lillie and Faith are almost 16-months (12/16/02). Haven bf'd until she was 25-months which was also the beginning of my 3rd trimester with Lillie and Faith. They are still nursing. We plan on ttc again in a couple of years.

Island Mommy - In the last thread you asked about night weaning/weaning Haven. I got pg again when she was 19-months-old and she was still VERY frequently night and daytime nursing. When I found out I was pg I knew that sleep was going to be essential to me so I decided to night wean her. I read Dr. Jay Gordon's method on night weaning the co-sleeping toddler. I talked to her about what was going to happen for a couple of days building up to night 1. I would tell her that she could nurse to sleep but that if she woke at night that I would do other things to help her fall back to sleep. She could nurse again when the sun was in the sky. On night one she woke to nurse and I rubbed her back, sang to her, etc. (tried not to pick her up). She fussed, tossed and turned...that kind of thing for a couple of minutes each time but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The second night was a bit tougher. I think she was hip to what I was doing.







She got angry when I'd try to sing or rub her back and kept asking for "ga-ga" (her word for nursing). I just kept telling her how we'd nurse when the sun was up and kept doing what I was doing before. She did cry that night but I never left her side, never stopped comforting her, she was never alone. She also never cried longer then 2 or 3 minutes...which seems like a lifetime in the middle of the night. On night three she would barely wake (and it was much less then usual) and was easily put back to sleep. Night four she slept over 12 hours straight! After finding out at 9-weeks that I was carrying twins, I decided to slowly wean her over the course of the pregnancy. My OB was completely supportive of me continuing to nurse her (I would have done it anyway). If I had not been carrying twins I wouldn't have weaned her at all. She stopped nursing the day I began my 3rd trimester...she was 25-months old. She was 27-months when her sisters were born. She did ask to nurse again in the hospital and I let her but she didn't actively nurse....just sat on my lap in my arms with her mouth on my nipple. She asked again once or twice after we came home and I let her then too. She hasn't asked in at least a year now.

*mamajaza* - It is funny that we keep running into each other! I do remember your message from the BabyCenter board. We both have great taste in names.









My girls are getting their first haircuts today!! I'm just getting a little trim for them and am thinking of having bangs cut (not sure though). I have to buy film and make sure to take my video camera...I'm a sap for "memories". By the way...check out their webpage if you want:

http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/l/lilliefaith
Password: two girls


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

OMG 1Plus2 - those picures are so adorable!!! i love the nursing one. my heart went boom boom when i saw that.









i just found out that dd's first eye tooth is coming in.







that ends my hiatus from teething.







so three more teeth to go and then we're done i think?


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Karen, your entire family is absolutely beautiful







Thank you for sharing the pics!


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

1plus2 lovely pics of your family. The one of the 3 girls sitting on the beach, arms around each other w/their backs to the camera is so sweet. Something about the vastness of the ocean and the smallness of their bodies makes it so poignant.

On the subject of small babies...ds is 30lbs and yet he is still very much a baby. He's still got 'tootsie rolls' on his arms and legs and his cheeks seem to be a magnet for hands, they're so round and kissable. He did alot of the physical things--crawling, walking etc on the later side but his vocab is quite extensive. Nevertheless I still think of him as a baby rather than toddler. As dh says he is enjoying his babyhood. A friend of mine has a baby 9 days younger than ds but he is alot skinnier and a bit taller than my guy and I definitely think of him as a toddler.


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

Awww, those kids are sooo cute! Identical twins are a blessing indead. It was interesting seeing Haven, as well. I might be able to post some pics soon.


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## 1Plus2 (Mar 13, 2003)

Quote:

_Originally posted by Mona_
*i just found out that dd's first eye tooth is coming in.







that ends my hiatus from teething.







so three more teeth to go and then we're done i think?








*
Until the 2-year molars come through. My girls cut their top two eye teeth 2 weeks ago. We only have the bottom two to go until the 2-year molars.

Thank you all for the wonderful compliments on my girls and their page.







I truly do feel so blessed by all of my children. Don't we all?


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

1plus2 I forgot to add about haircuts...how did it go? Ds's hair is so long and it's now starting to get into his eyes a bit but I still not ready to cut it YK? Anyone else cut their dp's hair yet?


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

no hair cuts here. my mom is always saying how i should cut dd's hair, but i'm like, BACK OFF!!! :LOL we put a little barrette thingy in her hair to keep her bangs out of her eyes.
don't know if would feel comfy doing that with ds. you could just trim the bangs a little bit....


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

I know what ya mean. I've gotten a few not so subtle hints...like "when are you going to cut his hair?" and I feel the same way..."back off!" It doesn't help that he occasionally gets mistaken for a girl. Trimming his bangs is probably the way to go.


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

when i was a kid i baby sat for this boy who had the most beautiful curly red hair. his dad always wanted to cut it, bc it was too "girly" and his mom didn't bc it was so beautiful.
i hate that the gender pressures start so early.
i mean, what is wrong w/ a boy having beautiful long hair?









and if it makes you feel better, i got a "talk" from my mom about how dd always wears stretch pants or runs around naked, instead of wearing dresses.







yeah, dd is definetly a tom boy!!


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## XmasEve (Jun 18, 2002)

Aha! So here is where you all snuck off to! You'll have to try harder than that if you want to ditch me.







:

I'm XmasEve, mother to dd, who was born- drumroll please- December 24, 2002. I'm a SAHM to her and my doggy love and dh, when he's not working. (He's gotta work a lot to support his 3 princesses.)

Dd is her-sized. That is, I don't know her numbers, but she seems the perfect size to me. She has over 10 teeth now. Nurses a lot, that's a good thing, and eats a lot, that's a bad thing because she still has so many food sensitivities, but they are getting better with NAET.

She has always been a jock rather than an intellectual. Been walking for more months than I can remember, but still has only a handful of words. She herself is a handful, but I love it!









She has been ec'd since birth and hasn't worn diapers since she was 10 months old. Now that she can use sign language, she tells me when she needs the potty and we go. She still can't pull her pants up and down by herself, but I'm not looking forward to that because she'll probably insist that they go down and OFF!


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Eli's hair is almost long enough to get into his mouth. It's not getting cut until he's three years old. This is only an issue with strangers, for the most part. Mike's mother made a comment about it one day and I went out and bought some hair clips. Once he had a clip holding his hair out of his face, and he still didn't look like a girl (







: ) I stopped hearing about it. I'm absolutely certain that FIL has something to say, but he knows better than to open his mouth about it in my presence. :LOL Mike is fine, and my mother would probably flip out if I had his hair cut any earlier. :LOL

Just this week, someone my sister used to work with commented on how long Eli's hair was and asked when it was going to get cut, and she said "When he's three" very matter-of-factly. She had to repeat herself a few times, but she did get the point across.


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## 1Plus2 (Mar 13, 2003)

The haircuts went fine. I really only did a trim...no bangs. When my oldest dd was their age I got her hair trimmed regularly along with bangs. I decided against bangs for L & F because they look so cute with it all pulled off of their faces. Lillie did great but I had to hold Faith while she got her's cut. She was fine with the cutting...didn't want me to put her down though. I'll let their hair grow long once they're older and it's beyond the thin/baby hair they still have. KWIM? And as for boys having long hair...I'm all for it! Cindy Crawford's little boy has hair almost to his shoulders and it's precious.


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

lovely. i forgot so many of us are still nursing.

i finally put some recent fotos up.
http://community.webshots.com/user/casina102


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

Scarlett has lots of hair, always has. It grows fast too. I trim her bangs and still pull the top back with a clip or fabric hair tie. The way her hair grows is forward. So, it doesn't naturally want to sweep to the side. She also likes to pull the clips out of her hair. She would end up like Cousin IT if I just let it go! :LOL


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## Zaxmama (Mar 2, 2004)

Greetings and Salutations!!
My name is Jaime, I am a 27 Y.O. SAHM to my Sweet baby Boy, Zachary Michael 16Mos. ,he is the apple of my eye...weighing in around 26lbs or so..(he was huge at birth 10.5) with sparkling hazel blue eyes and LONG curly blonde hair (we get the "what a beautiful lil girl "comment just about daily..I just say thank you, rather then correct them) we BF, sling and semi co sleep..meaning he starts in his own bed and ends up in mine... however lately he has started this obnoxious new routine..where he wakes up at 4am and is WIDE AWAKE for about 3 hours then he wants to nap for a few hours and I am trying to let it run its course but let me tell you..it's not easy...







: ... so anyhow..just wanted to give attendance and share the love!


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## bakeria (Jan 10, 2004)

Hi Mamas. I'm Maria, 35. Dh and I own a tiny bakery at the beach and dd has come with me to work since about 3 mos or so. She now considers herself the official bakery greeter. She was born 11/17/02 and we are flat out in love with her. She has just started saying hello, bye-bye and thank you. We are still breastfeeding, cosleeping etc. I love being part of this group of women who are so passionate about mothering. I learn so much and you mamas are never short of thoughtful advice.


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Quote:

_Originally posted by eilonwy_
*Eli's hair is almost long enough to get into his mouth. It's not getting cut until he's three years old.*
Is this an arbitrary decision or is there some significance to the 3 year mark?


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## ekblad9 (Nov 21, 2001)

Jackson doesn't have hair :LOL My kids are slow in growing their hair. So we don't have to get hair cuts.









Jackson said "up" today when he wanted to get into his Learning Tower. He said "out" when he wanted out of the wagon. I was so excited!


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Do you like your Learning Tower? Could he fall out of it easily? I need something safe for Owen to climb on...


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## ekblad9 (Nov 21, 2001)

I LOVE it! OMG, it's a lifesaver for us. I don't think he could fall out easily. He's a climber and gets into lots of trouble but has never fallen out of that. He really loves it. I wish I would have had it for my first four kids!


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Hmmm...I may have to seek one out. Thanks!


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

I want a learning tower as soon as someone will buy us for it.
:LOL


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## XmasEve (Jun 18, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by Mona_
*I want a learning tower as soon as someone will buy us for it.
:LOL*
I think I have that same sentiment but worded a bit differently...:LOL

Hair, ha! The older dd gets the more she gets the "what a cute little boy" comments-- her hair just can't keep up with her! It's very thin and doesn't even cover her forehead, and barely tickles the back of her neck. But it makes life much easier for me that I don't have to deal with it.

Everyone has such cute pictures of their kids. Seriously the kind of pictures that would make me want a toddler, if I didn't already have one.

Bakeria, I'm hoping to take a trip to the Oregon coast this summer. If it all pans out, I'll PM you for the address of your bakery and maybe get to meet you and your dd. Please? Cool!


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

I want a learning tower as soon as someone will buy us for it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think I have that same sentiment but worded a bit differently...
__________________________________________________








:


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

Quote:

_Originally posted by XmasEve_
*I think I have that same sentiment but worded a bit differently...:LOL

*
OMG that is too funny. my occassional dyslexia is coming out again.


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## ekblad9 (Nov 21, 2001)

:LOL You guys are too funny!

I got my Learning Tower at a major discount. I was lucky!


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

what's your secret?


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:

_Originally posted by *solsticemama*_
*Is this an arbitrary decision or is there some significance to the 3 year mark?*
It's an Orthodox Jewish tradition (I don't think that it's a religious injunction, but I could be mistaken; I'll have to ask my mother). You don't cut any child's hair until they're three years old because a child is like a fruit tree, and you're not supposed to harvest the fruit of a tree for three years, because you want the tree to be healthy and strong and the fruit to taste sweet before you do it.

The first haircut, when a (boy)child is three years old is a big occasion, you make a party and it's a really special day.







I'm looking forward to it!









I'd love to get a learning tower, but even the discounted ones I've seen are way out of my price range.







I'm going to have to find someone with older children who are all too big for it, I guess. :LOL


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## punkprincessmama (Jan 2, 2004)

Hi Everyone

I'm Carrie, 23 (for a few more days anyways) SAHM to my dd, Mariah Rose Andrea, who is 16 months old.

Sorry to have dropped off the face of the earth this last month, the move went well, but there is so much to do to get settled in. For the past two weeks I've been sick on and off, really sick, and now dd has a cold/cough.

I am soooo tired.

I'm glad to have found this new thread though, because honestly I was dreading having to read and read to catch up from where I left off in the old one.

I sincerely hope you are all doing well.

P.S. My dd still doesn't have any hair.... but like someone else said, at least that is one less thing to deal with! She is long and skinny - 31 1/2 inches and barely 20 lbs at her last WBC a few weeks ago....... All I can think of is she must have a great metabolism because she is either eating or nursing. I guess it helps that she has been walking since 10months and now she runs - the child is never still.

Sorry for the ramble - I need sleep!!!!!

Good Night y'all!


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

Where do you find discounted Learning Towers?!


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## bakeria (Jan 10, 2004)

XmasEve - I would love to meet you and let the dds at eachother. Just let us know when you're on your way - we are always around. You should have been here today 85 degrees - no lie. My dd has lots of blond hair but all the length is in one little curl down the center of her back. I'm worried it looks a little 80's but dh won't let me cut it - he thinks it could be the source of her power . :LOL


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## bakeria (Jan 10, 2004)

lilmissmama - I've been looking at the towers too. The cheapest I could find was $125 with free shipping. Still pricey but the site was heirloomwoodentoys.com.


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## ekblad9 (Nov 21, 2001)

Sorry, it was a one day special thing a while back. I didn't even find out about it until it was almost too late.







Anyway, I honestly do think it is worth whatever you can buy it for. I wouldn't have bought one full price before I had it but I totally would now. If that makes any sense. I running on fumes here.


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## AnnaLaughs (Jul 10, 2003)

Wow...I love hearing about all these babies. No haircuts in our future.....DD is getting some length....to her shoulders...but we are no where near the need for a trim.
XmasEve said her DD was "her-sized". I love that! That is how I feel about Anna. She hasn't been weighed in forever but I'm guessing around 25-27 pounds. Who knows! She is just perfect so I don't think about it much...until I look in her baby book and realize I don't have those numbers.
I have officially become "Mommy".....we have always been "mama" and "dada" but this week it became "mommy" and "daddy". A little bittersweet somehow.
She says hi to everything....tonight it was "hi, tatoes" while I was cooking...if I open the fridge it's "hi, eggs"...so funny.
She has always called our dog "good dog" even now that she can say his name she will still call him "good dog". That will forever be his rightful name now.
"Book" has now changed to "read"....before she would thrust books at us and say "book, book, book"....now it's just politely "read". It is amazing to me how these subtle little changes come about.
I could go on and on....can you tell I don't have much of a bragging outlet in our quiet little world?
I'm so glad to finally participate a little here....can't wait to get to know everyone!


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Feel free to brag to me! :LOL I periodically start 'bragging threads', because I'm just totally impressed with every little thing that Eli does. He's so cool, but I feel like I'm going to make other people insecure if I talk about him too much.







I love to hear about the cool things that other people's kids are doing, because I feel better talking about Eli then, kwim? :LOL Even if it's not terribly impressive to outsiders (though it usually is!) it's just so impressive to watch someone who used to be a brand new Bean only capable of nursing and sleeping transform themselves into a communicative, walking, talking person.


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

My baby says HI! to everyone she meets.... on the street, in the shopping centre, grocery store, park.... it's so funny. People will sometimes say "hi, how are you", back to her, and she just stares or says Hi! again. :LOL she doesn't say too many words, but does say whatz at? ba- bath, bay- baby, hot, and she gets her point across with many other noises and etcetera.

She's into having TANTRUMS these days. Poor baby. I feel so bad. She doesn't want me to hold her, then she wants to, then she wants to go back on the floor and arches her back and she hurts her head sometimes. I think it's rough not being able to say how you are feeling, or even *know* what you are feeling.

I'm glad many others have joined our tribe. Our babies must be pretty special, if we are the only ones to continue on in the toddler forum. I guess there are others starting up now, but YKWIM?


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Quote:

_Originally posted by eilonwy_
*The first haircut, when a (boy)child is three years old is a big occasion, you make a party and it's a really special day.*
Begging the question...does this special day apply to girls also?

Btw, pregnant mamas--I think there are just 2, eilonwy and *mamajaza*--have you all decided on what kind of a birth setting you'd like? Home birth, hospital, birth center, water birth etc?


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## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

I'm pregnant too! I will be delivering at the hospital and I am hoping with no interventions. Right now I am trying to figure out what to do with DS should I go into labor and my parents aren't here yet.


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

Solsticemama- I'm going to have an UC with my close family nearby. It's exciting!







I'm going to have a pool set up, but it's going to be in the middle of the summer, so I don't know at what temperture I'll have that water.

hjohnson~when are you due?


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:

_Originally posted by *solsticemama*_
*Begging the question...does this special day apply to girls also?

Btw, pregnant mamas--I think there are just 2, eilonwy and *mamajaza*--have you all decided on what kind of a birth setting you'd like? Home birth, hospital, birth center, water birth etc?*
I'm not sure if it applies to girls.







I don't think it does, because you're not supposed to cut a girl's hair at all as far as tradition goes. That said, there are many people for whom the first haircut (it usually happens on the same day for all three-year-olds) is something that correlates with weaning; the child is finished nursing, finished 'being a baby', as it were, and the haircut is the next step to being a big person. I think that the party is just as reasonable to do for girls, but not much of a tradition exists because, traditionally, girls don't get their hair cut at all. Of course, there might be people out there who do the same thing for girls.. I wouldn't be at all surprised by it. I'll have to look (it just never occured to me, because I have a boy. :LOL)Clear as mud?

Here is a link to an article about the first haircut ritual & party. Very short and to the point (unlike it's url! :LOL)

I'm planning to give birth in a hospital; I want my drugs. You can attempt to flame me if you like, but if you've read Eli's birth story or been involved in this discussion with me before, you'll either understand where I'm coming from or decide I'm a hopeless case and give up. :LOL I am very well educated about my decision and am going in with my eyes wide open. I'm due 30 June, but expecting to go closer to the middle of the month. By my math, I get a due date of 13 June; Eli was born a bit early, but I'm still thinking this one will show up sometime during the second week of June. If we go later, I can deal with that, though. I've got my mind wrapped around the 30 June date, so I will be less likely to be pulling my hair out if I don't deliver exactly when I expect to, kwim?


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## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

Nothing wrong with using drugs. I was drugged up while in labor with DS. I had a severe form of toxemia so they had me on Mag Sulfate and some other fun stuff. I slept through my whole labor. I am hoping that this time I won't have the toxemia. Curious to see if I can make it minus drugs.

I am due on September 3rd and we are expecting another little boy.


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

*Mamajaza*- I couldn't access your pics. It said I needed an email address and password.


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

lilmissmomma, I know, you have to have an account to see them. I would like to use another site that's free, where you don't have to log in see the pictures. Do any of you know of any sites?


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Hi I can't believe it took me 4 pages to notice this thread.

eilonwy - that thread about hair cutting was so intresting. what a sweet sweet tradition. It makes me want to wait to cut my childrens hair. I was just chatting with someone this mornign about how when you cut a babies hair for that first time they suddenly apear to be a big kid. even though they aren't any older than theywere 15 minutes before the cut. I was just thinking about cutting Avas hair but I am gonna wait. She is a mess but who cares.







I am not ready for my baby to have a big kid hair cut.


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

*Mamajaza*--sorry, but I don't know anything about posting pics. (as you can see I don't have any in my sig.!) I don't have a digital camera either, so that probably doesn't help. Maybe someone else will have an idea.


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

mamajaza- i have a shutterfuly link, but it won't let me see your pictures if i use my own email and password, just my own.
i use msn to post my pix. (see below) it's free. a bit dorky, but all i've been able to come up with so far.


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

i just looked at your pictures again mona. she is just so cute. I thin my fav is the one of her in a pink sweatshirt showing off her diaper.(a). I love the sweatshirt and (b). she is just such a cutie! So expressive with her face. And so much hair!!!

So...I always get good ideas from ya'll. Can you tell me your child's favorite (a). book and (b). normal household item used as a toy? (or favorite activity not requiring a new purchase? I'm bored with erin's toys and need to jaz it up a bit.

ours: teddy goes to bed (or something similar. basically a cloth book with a teddy that goes into a pocket on each page. like "teddy rides his rocking horse up and down" and there's a spot for teddy to ride on the rocking horse.

erin LOVES to take ice cubes from one glass and move them to another.

oh and







to the pregnant mamas. I dreamt about ya'll last night.


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

kerc- thanks so much. i was having a real bummer of a morning, and your comments made me smile big.







and just so you know, she was showing off her belly in that picture. she loves to show everyone her belly, esp one of my male housemates. that is her greeting for him. :LOL she loves to pat her own belly, and everyone elses. funny girl.

a).favorit book
she doesn't have one really. she has a bunch of wooden books that she likes, and she likes any book that has babies in it. she also likes animals in books, as i always make the sound effects.

(b). normal household item used as a toy? keys, phone (we have an old one that we gave her), laundry, play silks that she can hide under (a sarong works good too), beaded necklaces, measuring spoons and cups (metal), metal bowls with a metal spoon, wet wash cloth. i think that is enough

i'm curious to read about everyone else's choices.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

books! eli loves books. his favorite used to be 'the very quiet cricket'; we'd take it out of the library every week until i bought him a copy of his own for his birthday. he also loves 'runaway bunny', 'goodnight moon', 'the very hungry caterpillar', anything by dr. seuss (his cousin reads those to him and he loves it!), 'where is baby's belly button?' and anything with letters, numbers, or cars & trucks. :LOL he's very interested in new books, so while the old favorites have a strong appeal, he loves to listen to something new.

eli's favorite household item toy is probably the shower or a mixing bowl with water and a measuring cup. he loves to play with water, just about anywhere. we don't have a bathtub, but if we did i'd let him play in it every day! instead, i turn on the shower and let him sit there with a washcloth and empty shampoo bottles. he has the time of his life, and he gets to be naked, too! :LOL


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## abranger (Dec 15, 2001)

Georgia's favorite books are all from Eric Carl. She loves "that's not my cat' 'does a kangaroo have a mother too' brown bear brown bear what do you see' 'polar bear polar bear what do you hear' she also like jamberrry, the big red barn and goodnight gorilla

Favorite nontoy toy these days: for some reason we have been saving wine corks for YEARS. No reason we just kept them in old juice bottles under the sink. Probably have a hundred or so. Well she found them a few weeks ago and it was like she hit the jack pot. she love to sort things mostly blocks into different containers. when she found these corks it was like "oh my gawd I have so much work to do"







she got so serious we gave her some tupperwares to sort them into and I cooked dinner with no interuptions. now the corks stay in the kicthen and they are 'special' for when mommy is cooking. funny what they will like

questions for moma's with the learning tower. i had been planning to get this when georgia was a little older. I was thinking like 3 or 4. do your 15 month olds really enjoy it? do they just get in your way on the counter or can you keep them interested in other things while you cook?

amy


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

2 things for *Mamajaza*:
Zachary does the same thing as Haeven when he throws fits- he pushes his cup away, then cries when I put it down like he wants it again, then he doesn't want to nurse and he starts squirming so I put him down and he starts screaming like he really does want to nurse. Ugh! It's so frustrating, for both of us. He wants to tell me stuff, but he doesn't know how, and he knows that screaming and crying will NOT get him what he wants, but he's so frustrated that he just doesn't know what to do. It's scarey to think that the tantrum phase will not be done for another 2 1/2 years or so...









I went to your link for the photos, but it's just a link to look at OUR photos. Try to find an icon for a "Share with friends" link or something like that. I can't wait to see what Haeven looks like finally!

~~~~~

Native Americans kind of have a ritual for haircutting, also. They don't usually cut their hair unless they've done something "wrong", or disrepectful to their tribal beliefs. (Like, they'll cut their hair before going to jail...) A lot of them don't follow that tradition anymore, but some do.

We're not cutting Zach's or Julianna's hair EVER. OK, well, maybe someday when they ask for a haircut, :LOL. They've both got a lot of growing to do since they went through a bald stage at about 6 months. I'm jealous of the babies who have such long hair already! We get so many comments about Julianna looking like a boy, and Zach looking like a girl-







It's like, hello, he's in blue and she's in pink and you still can't get it right??? We have to get Julianna's ears pierced and then she'll look more like a little girl!


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Owen's favorite books are the touch-feely board books from Usborne--especially the kitty ones.

Non-toy toys--the tupperware cupboard and pots and pans cupboard. Also cups--I threw a few plastic cups in the tub the other day and he was in heaven--dumping water from one to the next. Cardboard paper towel/toilet paper rolls, keys (but he always manages to push the PANIC button on mine--embarrassing! :LOL), pictures (just ones that I print out on the computer of him, his brother, the dog, etc), magazines and catalogs--especially ones w/babies and animals, etc. HTH!


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## ekblad9 (Nov 21, 2001)

I would say the Learning Tower is definately acceptable for younger kids. Jackson loves it and he doesn't like anything, :LOL Of course you have to supervise but that's no big deal. For as much money as it is I want to get the most possible use out of it.


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

Scarlett's favorite books... A series of books about a little dog named Biscuit by Alyssa Satin Capucilli, The Frogs Wore Red Suspenders rhymes by Jack Prelutsky, and the Touch and Feel board books.

Her favorite household toys is the phone, and plastic pitchers.


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## ekblad9 (Nov 21, 2001)

We love the Biscuit Books too! We have a crate full of board books. Jackson loves Goodnight Moon and Runaway Bunny. We have both in giant board book style and we also have a giant Hungry Caterpillar book. He loves that one too. Eric Carle is always a favorite with my toddlers too.









As for toys, Jackson likes play silks, bean bags, anything outside, we have a wooden block sorter that he likes too. As the others said, the non toys are the best.


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

Does this work? http://www.shutterfly.com/share/pictures.jsp







:


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

it's asking for a password.

mine takes a while to load, but i just have a link to eli's geocities site... free, and easy!


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

s for my Scarlett, poor baby has been falling down and bumping body parts since last night. Last night she slipped in the tub after repeatedly being told sit down and me physically sitting her down (she hit her cheek and there is a little bruise today). Then this AM she bent over to pick up a plastic egg and hit her head on the fireplace. A few minutes ago she came to show me her foot that she scratched on I don't even know what.








Revina hardly ever got hurt so this is new for me. They are so tough though. She didn't cry for more than 30 seconds after hitting her head on the fireplace even though I heard it go thump, so I know it was a hard hit.


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Thats the same link as before, Jaz. Try clicking the "share online" button, then highlight the website adress, copy it, then post it in here. That's what I did right now- I uploaded a pic of Zach, see if you can view it here, maybe? You can also go to photoisland.com or dotphoto.com, and share pictures for free.


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

http://www.shutterfly.com/share/pict...21b3ff8e6a4524 ???


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

That's it!!! She is SO beautiful!!!


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)




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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

There must be some other way to do that, though, because whoever goes to that link can edit/crop your pictures. (I'm sure no one will, but it's kinda crappy that they have that option...) Anyhoo, I'm glad at least it finally worked!

Haeven has such big beautiful eyes- she looks like an old soul. And Elwynn's curls are so cute! I can't believe you're going to have another baby soon, Jaz! You're going to be busy... But I can tell you'll be able to handle it (and big sister Haeven will help you, I'm sure!)


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Oh, and I just have to say that I really _commend_ all you mamas who can have your babies at home... Lord have mercy, that takes a lot of strength and courage!!! I can't even imagine...


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Great pics Jasanna! Thanks for sharing your "baby" with us.









I would love to have a homebirth, but it would scare the *$^%out of me! But I have 2 c-sections under my belt (literally! :LOL). My first pg was perfect and sometime during labor, the cord came down before baby (cord prolapse) and it became a very dire situation. Plus, Jacob managed to flip over during labor as well. Nobody could have predicted that would happen and I wouldn't be a very peaceful labor-at-home person...worrying about what could go wrong.

Now, I would







to have a hospital birth in a tub. With 2 c-sections already and the fact that tub births in a hospital are pretty scarce yet, I don't think that'd happen. I guess I'll find out when we get pg again (hopefully soon!).







:


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Did y'all see this? It was in a thread in TAO

http://danielfairbanks.com/jude/jude.htm

Very beautiful.


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Are you guys TTC, Rachel?








We toss it around all the time. Somedayd I can't wait for another one, and other days when Zach and Julianna are screaming and I've been chasing them all day I think "Why, oh why, would I do this again?" LOL. Maybe when they're both in pre-school... We will definitely get another foster care placement, then add on to the house to make more room, and have one more baby of our own. I just pray I won't have preterm labor again, because it would be almost impossible for DH to take care of all the kids, house, dogs, finances, groceries, etc., etc., while I'm on bedrest... And Zachary is nowhere near weaning and I'd probably have to stop breastfeeding before I got pregnant again. Like I said, I commend all the women who have those perfect pregnancies and natural homebirths. It's just not possible (or safe) for some of us!


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Yes, we are. I have PCOS and it takes a long time to conceive (there's 7 years between my kids) so we thought we'd get a jump on it! :LOL

I now know some things I have to do in order to get pg again (regulating my blood sugar, insulin levels, hormone levels, etc) so hopefully it won't take as long this time. That and last month I finallygot my first post partum period (after 25 months of not having it). I haven't gotten it yet this month (last Thursday would have been day 28) but I took a test this morning and it was negative. Hopefully I'll get







soon so I know that things are "working" properly.

As much as I do want another, somedays I look at Owen and think "I can't have another one yet" but I know that in 9 months he'll be so much older, kwim? But I am not ready to give up him being my baby, so I flip flop between it all. I figure if it happens, it's meant to be. Hopefully he won't wean if it does happen--I'm not ready for that yet.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Holy Crap that web site was awsome. Is that a mommy here?


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

That video made me cry!







So amazing, no matter haw many times I see women giving birth. There really is a baby in there!

Thanks for looking at my pics. I'm going to leave it up for a short time, because I want to find a better place to display them. I don't know about you guys, but I love sharing my pics and hearing everyone say how cute my baby is!


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

She IS cute!!! Even if we didn't say so, she would still be a little beauty! Her face is so expressive, she looks like she knows so much. Again, it's nice to see what she looks like finally, after hearing stories about her for months! :LOL

Here's a little "get pregnant" vibe for ya, brayg!


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Isn't that cool?

I don't know if it's a mama here.


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Yeah, that link was great. The music is what made me get misty eyed. I especially loved the expressions on the kids' faces when their brother was coming out, not knowing what to expect but probably thinking "This is SO cool!" Wow, what a miracle childbirth is. Amazing...


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

I loved the eye contact the baby made with his mom right away. And the "big" brother meeting him. :*)


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## Bethkm (Jun 27, 2003)

I know we've talked about this before but let me just tell you that signing with Ds is great! He only knows one..."more" but uses it so well. We didn't start till about 14 months and he signed it right back to me that first time. Now he uses is a lot to ask for something to eat. Just over this past weekend he started asking for regular food. Before he only ate if I offered him something, otherwise he nursed. He is still nursing a ton but actually going into the kitchen and signing for more and then getting food...it's so great to communicate so clearly. ANd he is so excited when he gets what he asked for. THis is so great, I can't believe how much I love him!

THat link to the birth was so cool, really makes me think about another one! what if I got anohter one as great as DS??? Makes me cry to think about it!


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

What a beautiful video! It made my eyes misty too


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

I'm pretty sure that baby is an MDC baby.. but not positive.

And I still couldn't see the pictures, Mamajaza..







. I too love hearing how cute my Bean is. I know he's adorable, but I feel better about it when I hear it from other people. :LOL


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## ekblad9 (Nov 21, 2001)

I've always wanted to sign with my babies but never got around to it. Is it too late to start at 16 months?


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

This thread moves fast. I looked in early this morning for a quick check-in. I can usually count on Kerc for an early monday morning entry, tho not today. When I logged on this time there was almost an entire page to read









*Mamajaza* I can't access the pics either. It looks like you have to have an account with shutterfly to view them. Did you have Haeven at home? Blessings on the UC. You might let us know when you go into labor and we can send some loving, healthy, peaceful vibes your way. Just a thought









Eilonwy, same goes for you. And hpjohnson, you three. Maybe we should have an online 'birthingway' for our pregnant mamas.

I saw the birth video also. It was lovely, the little baby looked so present when he was born. And I agree, that moment when he looked into his mama's eyes was powerful. I watched it the first time without sound, not realizing there was music accompanying it. Then I read all the posts about how great the music was so I turned the sound on and watched it again. Quite a different experience. No







here tho, I think I'm in the minority on that one. No pp AF either so that might explain it.

Brayg blessings on ttc. Not sure if I mentionned before how sweet your boys look in their pics.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Thanks Solstice...


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

*Mamajaza*- that link times out your session if you haven't accessed the site recently, so there must be a better way to do that... I see people giving links to shutterfly all the time, so...?







: I'll let you know if I find out anything!


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Look what you can do at PhotoIsland.com!


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

Mamajazza-- I have a question for you... Why do you want to have a UC birth? (Not flaming you, just curious). I'm not sure what UC stands for exactly, but I am guessing it means something like unattended. I am curious as to why people want to do this. I had Scarlett at home and it was a wonderful experience, so I understand that part, but I loved having my midwife and doula around. Do you not have any midwives close that you like? I loved my midwife and it felt wonderful to birth in the presence of such beautiful strong women. My mom and best friend were also there; it felt wonderful to me to share such a powerful amazing experience with them.
Anyone else who has done this before is welcome to chime in too.


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

Why do I want to have an UC (unassisted childbirth).....

1. There is NO midwives in my area that are free for July.
2. The doctor that I saw for a couple of visits is great, but she is in a team of 4 other doctors, including MY EX-BOYFRIEND"S DAD. I would have no way of know which of them would be at the hospital at the time of my delivery. They are the most alternative doctors around, and I wouldn't feel comfortable with any more "medicalized" doctors.
3. I don't want to have my baby in the hospital anyways, and they don't do home births
4. I believe birth to be a natural thing that doesn't need to be undertaken in an emergency setting, unless I had a history of problems...
5. Which I don't. Haeven was born after three pushes, and I was semi-reclining, so her descent was slightly impeded. I can get babies out *quick*
6. I have regrets about having the midwife there for her birth. She did things that were unneccessary because she wanted to prove herself, as I made the mistake of telling her I was considering UC earlier in the pregnancy
7. I'm very independant, and I know that I can do it
8. I want to be in charge of *how* I give birth, as when I had the midwife last time, I wanted to give birth in an *empowering* position, like standing up, or squating, and she wouldn't let me.








9. I want my baby all to myself!







when I gave birth with the MW, I felt like she gave me the baby, and that's just not right, IMO.
10. In the rare occurance of a problem, I live very close to a hospital.

By all means, I don't think UC is for everyone. But I for one, want to trust my body and instincts about having one, it's fine. Some people need the reassurance of a doctor, I just don't. I find that it impedes my ability to birth. I want my family with me, and memories that go beyond description. I hope that answers your question.


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

Thanks!
I can definetly understand your no hospital stance.
Your last midwife doesn't seem like the type of person I think of when I hear midwife. I think of mine... very hands off, just supportive, definetly not proving herself, and trying to empower me in my birth process.
I wish you a wonderful birth; and I hope everything goes how you want it.


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Ds is asleep after some swaying and singing in the sling. His little body is wrapped around a dream only he knows. The house is quiet and not too messy. Some dishes in the sink, a few toys on chairs. I'm tired but content with this present moment. This moment full of grace and moonlight and cool night air. There is still a load of diapers to be put into the dryer and some clothes to fold. There are always things to do. Right now, while things are still, the day and it's activities seems far away. This morning of sand castles and water play, chai and the arrival of mail are all in the kingdom of another time.

Far away from this night. This night that is a gesture. This night that is opening. This night that has beautiful hands. Poetry without words. Soon I'll creep into bed and begin the sun-down of nursing. Soft little hands searching out my warmth and comfort until the light unfolds itself across the sky in the morning. And then we'll begin again. Gratitude.








Sleep well mamas


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

*solsticemama* -- your words are beautiful...


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

THAT'S how *solsticemama* used to write all the time... remember? She puts everything into persepctive, makes you _think_, and appreciate.









Your DS is lucky, Rose!


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

hijacking thread --> so UC means unassisted as in no trained people, just family? Somehow I just imagined that it meant you all by yourself.

---edited out a question that is i can't find a good way to word. ---

I *DO* think it is really a neat thing to have a baby surrounded by family and for you to be the person who says how things go.

and babies....is it normal that my kid calls any 4 legged creature a puppy?? this morning she was banging on the window, yelling puppy, puppy and i looked out and there was a squirel


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by Brayg_
*Now, I would







to have a hospital birth in a tub. With 2 c-sections already and the fact that tub births in a hospital are pretty scarce yet, I don't think that'd happen.*

hey so we up here in the sticks (lol!) are hearing ALL the time about how progressive minneapolis is about birth. like there's a tub for every mama.

and typing that up made me think we really should try to meet up sometime soon. I may be in the cities in the next month or so. You wouldn't be able to meet erin, but I could meet you!


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

kerc- I've heard it is VERY common for kids to refer to all animals as "dogs" (or whatever) for awhile, until they can tell the difference. Zachary refers to everything round as a ball ("ba!")- grapefruits, oranges, apples, cotton balls, round-shaped candles, EVERYTHING! If he sees something round that even resembles a ball, he wants to throw it LOL.

Today Zach said his own name for the first time. I was talking to him, pointing to me and saying "Mama", pointing to him and saying "Zachary", etc. Julianna crawled over and he pointed at her and said "Nanna", and then pointed to his chest and said "Sack".


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

yes, that's normal language development, whether it be apples for spheres or horse for four legd creatures.

i dunno if there is a tub for every mamma in mpls but i remember hearing that half the births were with nurse midwives, and that most of the units had tubs (the day i had reed there were four times as many births as usual so i did not end up with a room with queen bed and tub....i remember the midwife rolling her eyes)

i want unassisted birth for the next time, if there is a next time. so much that i placed it as criteria for having sex again though i have an iud now.
unassisted means yes, no outside monitors. i did have three decent births and did love my midwives, but its not the same as keeping my energy and power and knowing my body. and knowing my husband's vibe and my reaction to it, which has affected my births. training is relative. and when you decided unassisted, you also know that if you have serious problems you can always go to a hospital. i would also like to explain that in homebirth, a midwife would not do anything extraordinary that would compromise her career or the mother and baby's life. i guess except for when my first lay midwife. who stuck with me when clay was almost a month late (two weeks was the legal limit). homebirth and uc are beautiful things that appear normal and boring, compared to the parade of tech and hecticness of the hospital route.

i would also like to loudmouth that i think it is more brave to go to the hospital, it is a monumental feat to deliver vaginally with pitocin, odd to me the idea of recovering from an episiotomy, and bizarre the idea of staying still a contraction while they do an epidural. for me homebirth is the path of least resistance. i'm also one of those silly control freaks that would end up with csections if i had gone near the norm down here.

okay, back to my shell. i'm pretty grumpy these days, with allergies and such. of course i need to shake myself out of it since i'm fostering all time whine records.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:

hey so we up here in the sticks (lol!) are hearing ALL the time about how progressive minneapolis is about birth. like there's a tub for every mama.
I s'pose that's right, but I'm a good 40 minutes on a real good day away from those city hospitals. I'm down here in the south metro--guess I'll have to look into it more when I get pg again.









Quote:

we really should try to meet up sometime soon
That'd be great--LMK when, where and how.









I'm just going to paste the thread here instead of re-typing out what Owen got yesterday. My poor baby. It's now 2:20 am and he sleeping soundly (since about 8:30, PTL) but I'm up. Grrrr...

http://mothering.com/discussions/sho...hreadid=134350


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Oh, and Owen thinks anything with wheels is a "car". It's so cute...lawnmowers, snowblowers, trailers, etc.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Brayg where are you. My first midwife is awsome and works at a birthing center in Olympia? Olivia? right outside the cities that do water boirths almost exclusively (of coure if you didn't want one you wouldn't be pressured to have one).

her name is Edi weiss-haultzbaur. not sure of the spelling but she is great!


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

I'm in Jordan--just south of Shakopee (y'know Valleyfair?). I really haven't looked into it (as i'm not even pg yet). I know w/a VBA2C, I'd definitely want to be in a hospital. Being in the water sounds dreamy.


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Ds calls all 4 leggeds 'how?' He first heard a cat say "meow" and that's where the name came from. Always said with the inflection of a question tho he's not asking, simply stating.

I birthed ds in the water so I have no experience with a land birth. At the time I wasn't so aware of the compassion of water--it's helpful effect on gravity, the way it supports the body, the qualities of flow and ebb, cleansing and so forth--but more just of its elemental nature, the feeling of warmth around me and on me and thru me. Ds came fast and I'll never know if the water had an effect on the speed with which he arrived but I do feel the quiet setting influenced my body's ability to open.


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## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

DS has a thing for dogs right now so all animals except for the duck is called "dog".


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## 24hr.mom (Feb 29, 2004)

I've been very busy these days. Ive been reading but not posting. Finally, they are both napping. Here is my re introduction

I am Terri, 34 and a SAHM to 2 boys. We vax and the boys sleep in their own beds in our room. They are both uncircumcised. Giovanni stoped nursing at 5 months due to lack of milk while being pregnant. I am nursing Gavin now. We do disposable diapers.

Giovanni is 16 month and about 24 pounds. He loves to run and climb and tumble. He eats just about anything. Says mama, dada, gagin for Gavin my other son, ganpa for granpa, na nana for banana, naw moer for lawn mower and moon. Likes balls, airplanes, cars, bird, tv, music, books...... the list goes on. He knows when asked where is his hair, head, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, teeth, toungue, stomach, fingers, legs, toes and even peepe.

Hey mamas, How do u get thru a full story? Giovanni always stops to ask was tat and proceeds to turn the pages out of order to ask was tat all over again. I cant seem to get to read a full story to him, so he does not have a favorite. The upside is that he can point to, if I ask him, the ballon, fish, bird, ball, frog, apple and so on.


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## MamaFern (Dec 13, 2003)

elwynn refers to everything with wheels as a "car" anything with 4 legs and fur as a dog and anything with wings as a duck. he also says "duck" as thank you-when i give him saomething like a drink he says"duck" its so funny. ball is anything round, he has a lot of multi purpose words. he has been signing lots too but he uses the sigh for cookie for more, but he knows the milk sign and the enough, and hungry or food. he says Hot every time he sees a fire place or stove or light socket. what a smart little dude.


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

Last night Scarlett started singing! Not words I could understand, but definetly singing some sort of song in her baby jabber. She was dancing around the living room swinging her arms and doing that hunker down and bounce up and down dance move. After she finished each song she would clap and say "yeaaaah!" So cute!


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## ekblad9 (Nov 21, 2001)

Jackson hums as he plays. He walks around the house with his hands behind his back and humming. It's very cute.


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## smaug (Feb 22, 2002)

Hi everyone!

wow, I see so many familiar mamas from "expecting nov.2002"!
Time has really flown by. good to hear everyone is doing well, and all the babes are too.
To re-introduce myself-- i'm Jenny and I had Julian Dec.1, 2002. He joined Elwyn(now 3and a half!) They are the best of friends. and sometimes the worst of enemies! but it is such a joy to see them play and love on each other.
I am going to go catch up some more on this thread. wanted to jump in before there are 20 pages here!!


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Ava started siunging just this month. No words but she does a swell job of hitting the right notes. I swear to you Madeline didn't sing a single word until she was almost 4. I was so sad about it. Whi was this unhappy child. Lilyka was about 2 when she started singing. She had left her doll in the car and I asked if she was going to bring her baby in. She slammed the door and started singing in the sweetest little voice "baby gonna cry all night, oh well, that baby is just gonna have to cry all night. . . . ." for weeks she went on like that and then would giggle evil villan style hehehehehehe. Thats my Lily. It is nice to have a child who sings :LOL


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

I've given a little thought to birthing in water, but it really doesn't appeal to me.. I'm just not a watery person.







Everyone does have access to a tub where I'm planning to deliver, though, so we'll see. I've had this recurring dream about giving birth in the shower here at home, that I wake up in the middle of the night and have to pee, get into the shower and am just enjoying it when I suddenly feel an actual labor pain. I figure it's just one and stay in the shower and then I have two more and there's a baby between my legs. In my dream, I'm mostly concerned about the time.. "What time is it, what time is it, I have to know what time the baby is born!!"... I keep getting hysterical in my head, but I don't want to wake up my husband so I get out, check the time, then I get back in and I'm sitting there nursing the baby for a while before I decide to wake Mike up. :LOL It's a strange, and very funny dream. :LOL

Eli has been extra lovey of late





















. He's such a cutieman!














:heart


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## punkprincessmama (Jan 2, 2004)

Mariah is doing so much these days. I don't know where the time has gone to. She sings (baby words that I don't understand) and dances. She has quite a few words, though our friends tease us that we are making that up because she is so shy around other people. She never talks when anyone else is around. Lately she is obsessed with the telephone. She walks around with it all day saying " Hello? Hello??" in this super cute voice. She is growing up so fast.

We have hit a very challenging time in our relationship. I guess its the move that has put her on edge, made her whinier (is that even a word?) I think it is partly a stage though, as she is also suddenly challenging me. I call her or ask her to do something and she suddenly ignores me. She has also started hitting me, in the face. Out of nowhere. It's not connected to her being angry or anything. It's very disconcerting, as I have no idea where she has picked this up.

I am trying to so hard to stay calm and sane. I am telling myself "this too shall pass" I told my mom that the other day and she laughed and said "yes it will pass, it'll pass right into something else more challenging"














:

Not exactly the reassurance I was looking for!!!

Solsticemama, your earlier post was just beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.

Oh yeah, about the birthing in water... I was drawn to water all the while I was pregnant with my little Zoomba. I took loooong showers, baths, dreamnt of swimming pools and oceans. I labored in water the whole time, but birthed on land (long story I have mixed feelings about still) Zoom is soooo drawn to water. She loves baths, playing in water, washing her hands. Anytime there is water running in our house she is there. Kinda funny, huh?

We are not planning or trying to conceive right now. but just for the record (since it was being discussed earlier) I am definetley having a home birth next time. I loved my midwives and the birthing center where Zoom was born, but I have enough faith in my body now that I want to be on my own turf when the next time comes. I'm not quite ready for UC but definetley can understand why some women desire them.

Gotta Run ---

ETA - elionwy (hope I spelled that right, sorry if i didn't) - my dd loves loves loves your ds pics!!! also, what does TBP mean (in your sig)


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:

_Originally posted by punkprincessmama_
*
ETA - elionwy (hope I spelled that right, sorry if i didn't) - my dd loves loves loves your ds pics!!! also, what does TBP mean (in your sig)*
Thanks! Isn't it funny how kids like to look at other kids & babies? Eli is on a huge baby kick lately, he gets really excited whenever he sees one, be it a picture or on tv or in real life. He doesn't think of himself as a baby (except for that strange and vagely sad nursing thing a few weeks back) but when he sees pictures of himself, he says "Baby Eli" more often than not. It's almost like he can't believe he looks so young. :LOL







:

TBP stands for Tapioca Brain of Pregnancy, which is what I call that well-known aspect of pregnancy where you can barely remember that your pants really ought to go on before your shoes, and other such things we thought we'd all mastered before we were 5 years old. :LOL


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

be careful I had a dream that I gave birth effortlessly at a Dr. office and so I did. If you start feeling labor pains in the shower I recommend you take it seriously :LOL


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## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

Thankfully the hospital I am delivering in has a jacuzzi tub in each LDRP room. I am hoping that I will be able to sit in the tub instead of being restricted to bed. You ladies keep your fingers crossed that I get the 50% chance of not having toxemia again. Mag Sulfate Sucks!


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

punkprincessmama- Scarlett has been hitting me lately and I remember Revina doing it too. I'll just be holding her and out of no where, smack, right in the face. What I have been doing is telling her not to hit mama, it hurts. Then I take her hand and show her how to touch gentle. If she does it again I put her down. I am not sure what else to do.

What causes toxemia? How does it effect you?


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## ekblad9 (Nov 21, 2001)

Jackson so loves the park. Now that it's nice weather he wants to be outside all day long. He loves the slides, the swings, the whole thing. He really did not like being outside last summer so I'm happy he's enjoying it now.


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

hjohnson, I had to get Mag Sulfate too. It didn't effect me as badly as I've heard it can. I did get really flushed and hot, and my arm hurt where the med came through the IV, but there wasn't much I could do. Suffer through the Mag or have a baby at 30 weeks, I chose to suffer LOL. I've heard major horror stories from Mag Sulfate, though, so I feel lucky!

Zach hits too. He hits the dogs, his foster sisters, me, and whatever is close to him when he's mad. I have no idea where he got it, either. No one else hits anyone in our house, so







: ??? I'm glad I'm not the only one who has a hitter LOL. I do the same thing as someone else said- I grab his hand, tell him "No, hitting is not nice" and show him how to be gentle.

He has really shown improvement on his attitude and temper tantrums these past few days. We have been really strict with him, not letting him get out of control. We're trying to get a handle on his behavior before it gets out of hand, and I'm actually pleasantly surprised that it seems to be working!


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

well for my kids, hitting is also a gesture of love if they are happy with it. they had no reference that it is a "mean" thing until we told them. with my rough boys i ideally draw the line at blood or tear inspiring pain.......really though, the verbal skills will help much with the hitting and other frustrations. generally that is a direction we aim for, from physical to verbal. these babies are still very little though, and lack the impulse control to do much else. personally i recommend ignoring most of the hitting. over here the more fuss we make about negative behaviours, the more it becomes part of the communication dynamic and gets in the way of love.

rachel/brayg, hope you and owen are resting. these are the moments mammas are made of, that remind us of our vulnerability and responsibility, and move us towards being experts about ourselves and our children. you were able to act rationally, make an informed decision, and deal with the situation. it is a wonderful thing.

i was talking to dh the other day and remembering that 16 months is when my kids turn feisty, or "skippetty" is another term we use to describe the seeming ornery behavior. it definitely is related to the fact that they know they are not part of mamma anymore. i'd have to crack open the penelope leach book for more details......or maybe i don't want to remember......


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

alright, i just looked at penelope leach's your baby and child and read the introduction to the toddler, from one year to two and half. i highly recommend reading it, since it is just too darned long for me to copy it.....


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

soon to be birthing mamas-
i just wrote my birth story and submitted it for publication. while writing it i realized that other then during meditation, it is one of the few 8 hour streches where i was purely in the moment. despite it being my first and being at home 30 minutes from the nearest hospital, despite the fact that my midwife was snow bound at her house for more then half of my labor, despite all the new ness and not knowing what was going on







, i stayed in the moment each second, and never worried. what an amazing occurance. birthing is what our bodies are made to do, and that is amazing in itself.
water- i spent some time in our bath tub- the first few hours. but it was too small for my big belly and i had back pain to boot so found more solace in squating, dancing, ect.









hitting- dd has been hitting and torturing the cat for months. i tell her "soft" and show her, using my own hand and then her hand. i also tell her that she is hurting the cat,and "ouch". she also hits dh and i with things sometimes. i tell her that we don't hit pepole with things. (ok, we don't hit people at all in this house :LOL)
i often have to remove her from the cat, and remove the item from her hand. it seems like a slow process.....







:

dd has been doing this interesting thing lately. she lays down on her tummy on the floor. she sometimes does it when she is a bit frustrated. and occassionally she does it more violently as a mini tantrum. i think she is trying to ground her energies and calm herself.

have a wonderful day mamas!


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

I had Mag Sulfate with Eli, too; they started the line after I started swelling up like a balloon & spilling protien in my urine (during labor!). I had a siezure as I was delivering EliBean and had to stay on the magnesium for 24 hours after he was born. They kept telling me not to eat, but I basically threw a fit and one of the nurses snuck in a meal for me in the middle of the night.







. Later, when I went to visit EliBean the NICU nurses remarked that I was very alert considering the magnesium. I whispered that the secret was *food*; yeah, you can feel like a limp dishrag on magnesium, but eating some real food can do a lot for your equilibrium!

Toxemia is the old-fashioned name for preecclampsia, if I recall correctly; they're exactly the same thing. No one knows what causes it, but they do know that it's most common in primiparas (fist time mothers), people carrying multiples, overweight women, diabetics (gestational or otherwise), and women with high blood pressure before they get pregnant.

Eli has mostly stopped hitting; every now and then he'll get excited and do it, but we remind him to be gentle and he understands that pretty well.


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

toxemia ---> isn't it supposed to help reduce your risk if you eat enough protein?

my baby brag for the day -- yesterday we went out in the woods with a mama friend and her two kiddos. They were making maple syrup over a wood fire. It was sooo fun. They had cut down some trees to make a small trout pond and hadn't yet cleared them. So imagine mud bog with trees for a 3.5 yr old to play balance beam on. My own child (here's the baby brag) spent the day just picking up mud, squeezing it and putting it back down. then doing the same with everything out there -- twigs, leaves, etc. It was darn fun. Then she fell asleep on the way home and SLEPT FOR 14 HRS STRAIGHT!!!!!!

I told my dh as i left this morning for work that we were going to go out and I was going to "run" her again today. Kind of kidding, but she had fun, I had fun and she slept great!

and this mama is a friend who's more of an aquaintaince. She just casually invited E and I to come out for the syruping at the last minute. I went on a whim, had a VERY fun time. Turns out that we are on a reasonably like mind when it comes to parenting. Her dh is a prof at the univ. i attend (in physics -- I'm in geology), so I've never really pursued the friendship much because, well, it was a kinda weird/awkward thing. But maybe i should...I could use some more mama friends. I was soooo happy to find out that her 3 yo doesn't have a favorite TV show, that she's still nursing her 14mo (and he hasn't had cow's milk, cause well she didn't think he needed it) and it was really fun to be with someone who didn't freak out when I let my kiddo play in the mud.


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

First of all, a







to brayg for the "Tylenol story". Sheesh, I feel like a real heal- Zach's had Tylenol AND Motrin already. Not to mention his ocassional Albuterol syrup and Xopenex SVNs for his asthma, and the Prednisone and antibiotics he got when he had RSV, pneumonia, and bilateral ear infections... (I guess since both my parents, four aunts, and an uncle are all RNs, and I finished all my pre-req's for the nursing program before Zach came along, I'm more inclined to just give them some medicine when I think they need it. Just me...)

casina- thanx for the insight on hitting. It makes sense, since Zach hits the dogs even when he seems happy and excited to be petting them. Maybe it's just his "pat of excitement"







.

kerc- that's so awesome that you found someone you can get together with. I need to broaden my horizons and find some more IRL friends, too. It's so hard to find friends who aren't fully mainstream in their parenting. Of course, I don't have anything against these mamas, but it's clear to both of us after we meet once that we won't be calling each other again. It's sad, it's like a date that doesn't work out, LOL...

I know toxemia is a condititon with your blood, and it can be genetic. Very scarey thing.

They never really discovered why I had preterm labor, so I have no idea if it will happen again. When I went in for my first Pap at 18, the NP told me my uterus was slightly tipped to the left, and I've read that a mishapen uterus can cause preterm labor after the baby gets to a certain size. That scares me about getting pregnant again...


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## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

They put me on Mag Sulfate because when I went in for my weekly visit, my BP was up at 146/110. They told me you are having this baby! I also had spilled some protein into my urine and I was quite swollen. My liver enzymes were elevated as well and they thought that it was going to develop into HELLP Syndrome. I didn't have the Hemolysis or Low Platelets though. After my son was born, it took 3 weeks for my liver enzymes to go back to normal and it took me BP 3 months to stabilize. I had Gestational Diabetes as well.

So far with this pregnancy, my blood sugars haven't tested high and my BP is in normal ranges. My OB is watching me like a hawk though. One advantage I have is that I am 10 pounds lighter going into this pregnancy than I was with the first.

Christopher doesn't hit as much as he throws things when he is mad. We are working on it but it is tough. We are trying to teach him the word "gentle" especially since we have cats and it is definitely working. If we say "gentle" he will pat the cats instead of hitting them.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:

rachel/brayg, hope you and owen are resting. these are the moments mammas are made of, that remind us of our vulnerability and responsibility, and move us towards being experts about ourselves and our children. you were able to act rationally, make an informed decision, and deal with the situation. it is a wonderful thing.
Thanks Casina. He came to bed w/me again last night (we are not cosleepers--my kids don't do it well and I don't do it well). He woke at 2am, nursed, and cried when I tried to put him back to bed. The fact that he and I both need some sleep made me bring him to bed w/me. He and I both slept amazingly well. At 16 months, though, I am NOT going to start cosleeping, but it's a sweet moment anyway. :*)

He's quite the crank though. Can't blame him, but it's wearing on me. Dh is working between 80-90 hours/week right now, so I'm kind of going it alone right now. Trying my best...don't know how single mamas do it. Wow.

He looks like he's been beat up though. I was vacuuming this morning in Jacob's room and I didn't know he'd come in there and Wham! Right into his forehead and it knocked him over. He's got a lovely goose-egg on his forehead now. Add to that some sort of rashy red-patch that developed under his eye late yesterday (I really hope it just has something to do w/the virus and not something else) and he looks pretty rough.

I see little tiny bumps on his chest/belly and back. They aren't raised yet, but look like the start of something. I was almost hoping they'd be chicken pox, but I think it also has something to do w/the cocksackie virus as well.

Other than that, it's beautiful here--in the 70s (not bad for Minnesota, eh?) and sunny. We have been still walking up to get Jacob from school. Figured the sun and fresh air would be good for Owen. He doesn't complain, so that's good.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:

Then she fell asleep on the way home and SLEPT FOR 14 HRS STRAIGHT!!!!!!






















Wow!

Quote:

First of all, a to brayg for the "Tylenol story". Sheesh, I feel like a real heal- Zach's had Tylenol AND Motrin already. Not to mention his ocassional Albuterol syrup and Xopenex SVNs for his asthma, and the Prednisone and antibiotics he got when he had RSV, pneumonia, and bilateral ear infections...
Oh, I didn't mean to make anyone feel bad!







We do what we have to. I just wasn't sure how I felt, kwim? I've read so much about not messing with an immune system at work that I was scared. With Jacob, it was so different. I didn't think twice about giving him meds. (I should have, but didn't) I just didn't want to go against my beliefs about healthcare but was stuck trying to figure out what was the best for Owen. What it came down to was that he needed relief, so that's why I did it and I don't regret it either.


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

Brayg - did you find out what ds has? poor guy, and poor mama.







s
right after dd got over roseola, she started teething again. it seems like it is always something :LOL we used baby advil a few times at night after her fever left for lymph discomfort from the roseola, and a few times at night for teething pains, although not yet this time around. i too dislike it, but when nothing else works, her misery is just too hard to handle.... ykwim?


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

They dx'd him w/Coxsackie virus. Anyone here have experience with it? I'm concerned about the red patch under his eye and those little tiny bumps on his trunk as well.

I think his throat hurts him still (although he eats and drinks just fine). He had the blisters on his throat.


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Reading over the recent posts I am so struck by the quality of Love that is inherent in being a mama. I'm not talking love arising out of emotion, more Love without subject or object. I mean, gosh, seizures, awful drugs, various medical conditions not to mention LABOR & BIRTH ITSELF and still the mothering heart beats on, still we make an offering of our bodies, become an accomodation, a yielding. What could be more miraculous than a woman's body in birth? We are all buddhas in that moment.








blessings mamas


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:

_Originally posted by Brayg_
*They dx'd him w/Coxsackie virus. Anyone here have experience with it? I'm concerned about the red patch under his eye and those little tiny bumps on his trunk as well.

I think his throat hurts him still (although he eats and drinks just fine). He had the blisters on his throat.







*
I'm pretty sure those tiny red bumps are consistant with coxsakie virus.

And now I have to go dress my EliBean and get going! :LOL


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:

I'm pretty sure those tiny red bumps are consistant with coxsakie virus.
Thanks. I figured as much, but you just never know. In the midst of all this, he cut 4 molars. Yay







:


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## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

Quote:

_Originally posted by *solsticemama*_
*Reading over the recent posts I am so struck by the quality of Love that is inherent in being a mama. I'm not talking love arising out of emotion, more Love without subject or object. I mean, gosh, seizures, awful drugs, various medical conditions not to mention LABOR & BIRTH ITSELF and still the mothering heart beats on, still we make an offering of our bodies, become an accomodation, a yielding. What could be more miraculous than a woman's body in birth? We are all buddhas in that moment.








blessings mamas*
I'll tell you I was real nervous about getting pregnant again but I wanted more kids and I wanted to make sure DS has a sibling. I think this is going to be my last pregnancy though. DH and I are talking about adopting after this because there are children out there that need a home and family.


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

i think my post got lost....

anyone want to join me in celebrating tv free week? I even talked DH into it. He's a news freak and is having surgery (minor) on tuesday. But he agreed and we both think it will help us end the winter-induced tv creep-up (watching more and more and it becomes background noise).www.tvturnoff.org has more info.


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

I'm there! :LOL of course we don't have television in this house, in that we get no channels.


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

My baby hits as well. She has her cousin around a lot, so they actually fight.... she hits and pushes, and he bites. It's very frustrating. It's nearly impossible to keep them apart all the time. We actually tried that a couple of times, to keep them apart, but they got all mad at us...







My baby has had bruises from her cousin biting her.









I hope it will go away soon, I don't want to have a bully when she gets older. She will also hit other kids. We went to a LLL meeting, where she hit every kid, I think. Jees, that is frustrating. I try to tell her "don't hit", "be gentle", "that hurts", I frown at her sometimes after she hits, I remove her sometimes... nothing seems to work. Someone suggested to me that babies do that to get attention, even though it's negative attention.

Anyways, I've got a hitter here too. I'm glad I'm not alone.


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Quote:

_Originally posted by hjohnson_
*DH and I are talking about adopting after this because there are children out there that need a home and family.*
As much as I want more babies, too, DH and I feel the same way right now (only we do long term foster care, not adoption). There are so many crazy people out there having kids they can't take care of, so why not take care of them ourselves? I will definitely have one more someday, I'm just very nervous (and downright frightened) of having preterm labor again, only this time having a premie baby. I don't know if I could handle that, a baby in the NICU and a family at home needing me... Ick! OF course, I could get extremely lucky and have a perfect pregnancy, and then DH better look out 'cause I'll have a ton more!


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## XmasEve (Jun 18, 2002)

So I was gone for 4 days and came back to 6 new pages! Boy do we ladies like to talk a lot! I decided to enjoy my naptime and read through it all before posting, and I did enjoy every post, but now my brain's a jumble of it all so I have nothing to post. I think I'll go snuggle with dd for the last 10 minutes of her nap.
Thanks for being here girls!


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## 24hr.mom (Feb 29, 2004)

wow, i'm glad we are talking about hitting. Giovanni hit me and Gavin for the first time this past Monday. It was not in anger because we were all sitting together. Maybe it was partially my fault. I was showing him how I burp Gavin by patting him on his back. A few minutes later he hit Gavin on his head and me in my face. He was not aware that it was bad. So when he went to do it again I told him a firm No, not nice. I think he got it. At least I hope he did. He has not done it since. Good to hear that its not just me.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

AVa is a hitter but not in a malicious way. I don't know maybe she likes the twacking sound or the way my flesh jiggles. SHe does it when she is happy, when she needs my attention and I am ignoring her (she is third, you'll understand when you get there :LOL I am not a bd mommy really, but i have two ears and three children,and don't multitask very well I am outnumbered sometimes) I ususally grab her hands and put her down.

KAH - I know the worry of having another preterm labor/hard pregnancy. I was paralized with fear while I was pregnant with #2. I counted down the days until iut was safe to deliver. I took a wonderful tour of a different NICU just to be prepared. the lady was more than happy to point out each baby, how old they were when they were born and what challenges they faced, what I could expect each step of the way etc. . . . .And then 35 weeks came and all systems were go and we waited and waited and waited and 7 weeks later we induced







:

How are things with Julianna? You had mentioned a while back the the wheels were in motioin for her birth mother to start coming back into the picture.


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

lilyka: last I heard, Julianna's mom had violated probation somehow, and she is back in jail. No communication with Scoial Services on her part, so no visits anytime soon. Thanks for askin'!


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

I feel kinda bad that I am so happy about that. Julianna deserves the love that she recieves from you guys. I t would totally suck to pull her out of the only home she has ever know.


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

My sentiments exactly. We love her


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

hey we both need to get to bed


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

birthing is an interesting thing to me in that mammas always want to talk about it, even many years later. on mom's night out it always becomes a topic, even for the moms of teenagers. that's one of my hundreds of projects, to conduct a revisiting birth seminar.....there seems to be a healing that women are looking for when their births are very different from what they expected.

one thing after reading penelope leach yesterday i'm remeinded of is that the little ones have very little memory, and life experience. they do not remember their actions and our corrections that well. i don't remember much of what i did or said yesterday either....maybe i whined some as well.

the community of local friends i have found have mainly been through le leche league or my homeschooling group. i recommend highly looking at both venues for buddies.

it is trickier learning to parent the hitters and screamers in this society. there's not much to do for the little ones though it has taken me years to not behave horrified just for the benefit of others. sometimes that meant that the strangers won and my family lost and we felt miserable. my children will react worse if i show disapproval. if anything they probably need a time in (or sometimes the one being hurt is feeling sensitive and needs sleep and food, etc). it is my attention and acceptance my children want. the only thing i have found to be necessary action is that the mom of the one hurt offers comfort. and it is important to be flexible about leaving or having a guest leave when things become so uncomfortable for the kids that a bad vibe permeates the occasion, even though the mammas usually want to visit desperately.

i was telling a lady today at kungfu, who had a 14 year old only son, how i find having more than one child easier on me, except for the physicality of it. when i had only baby reed i felt the need to know his every movement and address every action he did, respond to every phrase and every emotion he had. of course it was a whirlwind romance that i do miss, but i wish i had known to be easier on him and myself about little things. sometimes i just turn my back and pretend i didn't see something the kids are doing, and it saves me from interfering with my love for them, and sometimes they never repeat the action again.....like yesterday it would be pouring ashes from a big bonfire into the house from a multitude of large containers.....my reaction is always mellower after the fact, so i'm just wasting my energy catching them right in the act and turning it into a "see mommy make funny faces and holler game".....


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## punkprincessmama (Jan 2, 2004)

nak ---

just wanted to say i always enjoy your posts casina

thank you


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

I agree. I always find casina's posts rich in insight and experience. Actually, casina I was thinking about you the other night after ds had woken for the nth time, not necessarily wanting to nurse but wanting the grounding of my body and energy, little hands on my skin. Some nights this is challenging, YK, lack of personal space and such and I thought of casina and her brood--all 5 of you in the same bed. How do you work with this lack of emotional/psychic/physical space? Have you just surrendered the idea of any space at all?


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## XmasEve (Jun 18, 2002)

I get some dirty looks from strangers when I'm out with dd. I finally had a woman at the library explain it to me. I look so young (I'm 23) that they see me out with dd and I'm sooooo casual with her, that they assume I have a whole bunch more at home and must have been baby-making since I was a teenager. I find that, that loooong train of assumption, so ridiculous that it just makes me laugh.

But then I read casina's post about bonfire ashes in the house and it reminded me to a day last week when I carefully planted flowers in the front yard only to have dd thoughtfully dig then up and replant them on the living room carpet. What would be the point in yelling? So I didn't. Of course, that wasn't one of those days when I had to do 5 loads of laundry or anything...

I find that I'm almost ashamed of myself when it comes to "teaching" dd to share. She's just recently learned NOT to share, a trick she's picked up from her friends. I know she's learned it from them, because they don't share with her, but when she's with her cousin, who does share, she shares well. Ideally, I'd like to let dd figure it out on her own. If some other kid takes what she's playing with, let her deal with it. But so often I find myself jumping right in, trying to teach "fairness" and smooth over all ruffled feelings, until both kids are so distraught with frustration that the toy has to be removed. Am I making any sense? I find my thought process much clearer when I limit sentences to a handful of small words...


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

I don't really notice if people give me dirty looks or not because my glasses are broken... but I bet they do. I'm 22 and I have a big huge belly full of baby besides the one in the stroller.

I have to use the stroller because of the huge belly. This stroller I have, I call it the SUV of strollers (I did NOT pick it out). But it's one of those pegperego mondo-huge things with shocks and everything. There are very few vehicles that can actually accomodate this thing! Haeven gets a pretty good ride in there. I also put a sheepskin in there and hindu goddess stickers over the big name brand, so she looks like a little princess.
:LOL

I can't imagine what it will be like once the other baby comes... I have a baby trekker and I guess I'll put the newborn in there while I push the suv-stroller. I sure must look like a baby-machine, and even more so once #2 is here.

Does anyone else hate name brands on their kids clothes? I take off all the osh kosh and gap that I see, and cover the spot up with beautiful butterfly appliques, or something like that.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

I don't have a problem with small ones on clothes. especially name brand clothes because it ups the resale value to tleave them in place. i know shallow but I really do hape to get some money back on the large investment we have made in our clothing. especially since we have had to buy mostly new things for Ava since everything from theother girls has worn out or been completely covered in stains.

I never buy clothes with great big logos. Well maybe Old Navy but Madeline relaly had a thing for it because someone special always brought her treats from Old Navy an she grew very fond of the brand because it reminded her of that person. She could recognize the logo by her second birthday.







:

I have a bogger dial with it on stuff. And I usually cover it up with stickers. If it is going to sport a name brand it should be of somehting we sell. So I have bike decals on most of my baby products and other amusing bike related stickers (or put one of our stores stickers over it. ) Even our vaccume is decorated. Oh wait that one blew up. Incedentally we put flaming 8 ball stickers on it. Who would have guessed.

Gees I am such a lame-o. Ava has been a pill all day. She has been clingy and whiny and keeps asking to nurse. I couldn't figure out what it was. Then a second ago she walks in with her arms full of cups and water bottles she has found laying around the house and throws them at me. They were all empty and I relized I hadn't given the poor child anything to drink all day














like a brick wall. I can be so dense sometimes. So now she is sitting around sucking down a milion ounces of water.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

oh well n ow I feel even lamer. Earlier tonight she kept taking my finger and putting it in my mouth. Meant nothing to me. I just kept thinking "well this is an irritating game. then she comes over to me after she has drank a bit, grabs an empty cup. sticks her finger in it and the puts her finger in her mouth. sticks my finger in it and then in my mouth. over and over and over like "DON'T YOU GET IT WOMAN!!!!!!" And then it still took me a minute to make the connection that this is more or lss the sign for drink I hjave been teaching her. Gees, I need to wake up and smell the sippy cup.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

We all have days like that, Lilyka.









This is one of those times, though, that I'm really glad Eli has so many words. He started crying this evening for no apparent reason and I said "Use your words, please" and he told me "I drink a water!!" I hadn't given him any since we'd been home this evening because I wasn't thirsty.







:


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

She was funny when she was showing me the sign. It was like "OK I a m going to make this realy easy for you , you simple minded mama. See this is a cup. ususaly ther is water in it but look! no water







butif there was water in it it would go from here to your mouth. OK now do it with me. Good mama







."

She is so good to teach me so gently :LOL i guess earlier to day she kept smaking me so maybe she just discoverd that corpral punshmiment doesn't work that well.


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

punkprincess mama and solsticemama, big hugs to you both for your words. they gave me a good feeling all day.

in person i am notoriously blunt, loud and opinionated......so i enjoy posting.
as for the space issues, i guess i have basically given up for the most part and try to get space in other ways like running a twenty minute errand alone. i'm a fervent believer in the bed, even though reed kicks me and ruby in the head at night and i have to push him around. i found actually it is because we have too much space (two queens on the floor) when the four of us were crammed in a double sandwiched by higher furniture in taiwan no one had room to move at all. there were many times we tried to have reed in other places but he is a person that really soaks in quality physical presence, so anytime he slept apart i would have to deal with a much more difficult child during the day. and i guess with my three, it is how i ensure that they feel loved physically since i find it hard to clock in real time during the day. so it is worth it for me, even with laying on my back with two kids on each side nursing all night. good thing my breasts are just large enough, right? it is a great example of my learning to live only in the moment as it is.

something i keep in mind is a pie chart i've seen.....where my life is probably going to be over 70 years long, and for now there's a piece of a ten year period in that life that i'm sleep deprived and not able to pursue all my "adult" projects and instead am wallowing in the lushness of babyhood and the miraculousness of children. and this has been the most rewarding part of life for me so far. it's funny when i complain about the children holding me back because they are actually such motivating forces. of course then i can get riled about lack of community and and architectural needs in healthy lives.....

it also helps that lately i've had contact with semi-bored before children adults, and parents of older children. they are always appreciative of the delight in having little ones around. and even though it seems interminable at times, this period will go really fast. it is rich and dense with vitality. enjoy these moments.


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

I *finally* got my baby weighed etc. yesterday... she didn't gain much, but she's now 27lbs 8 oz. with a t-shirt and cloth diaper on. And she's 34 inches tall! She'll be a tall girl when she grows up.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

27 pounds & 34 inches.. such a big girl!

Does it seem to anyone else that only yesterday you were looking at a tiny new baby and now you're looking at a toddler person and it just happened overnight, by magic? I was watching Eli asleep today and he just looked so big to me, I can't believe that my little baby has gotten so big! And he's a little tiny guy! :LOL


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

that reminds me....a general indication of adult height is derived from doubling the height at two years.

lilyka you crack me up. cos you figured out what ava wanted anyway. at least it's not perpetual back arching for cheetos, which is what ruby wanted yesterday and today from other people's snacks.


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

My friend and her 7 yr old DD are visiting from Washington (I used to live there), and they've stayed at our house the past two weekends. We've gone to the lake both Saturdays, and it's just beautiful! We take the boat out to a sandbar and meet up with other friends with kids. The kids play in the sand, and throw rocks into the water, and enjoy the sunshine. The only problem is that both my babies fight tooth and nail not to take a nap. Zach will nurse and nurse and eventually give in and fall asleep, but the second I try to put him down and he realizes he's not in bed he'll wake up screaming. Julianna drinks bottle after bottle and rubs her eyes and cries, but will not let herself fall asleep. Last weekend they both finally gave up and slept for an hour on a blanket on the beach, but this weekend was horrible! I bet it was the wind that was bothering them, now that I think about it...

We're really having a great spring. The weather is nice and warm, cool enough to be outside all day, and warm enough to go to the lake and swim. I'm enjoying it thoroughly- dreading the days of 100+ degree weather that are to come... Ugh...


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

I will have to take Ava to the post office and weigh her. the last time we had her weighed she was 26# and 11 months old. I don't think she has gained anything since then. She had actually gone down a pound fom her 9 month weigh in. she is definitely getting longer. I walked in and she had turned sideways in the bed. adn she almost stretched the entire length of it! of a queen size bed. crazyness.


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

At my 2 year height, doubled, I would have been 6'1" by now.. but I am 5'10". I wish I was 6'1" :LOL I think Haeven will be taller than me.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

My doubled 2-year height made me just over five feet, which is where I am; I know this because my mother told me about it when I was 9 or 10. She said that I'd probably stop growing fairly shortly (no pun intended) because I was 4'10", and she didn't think I'd make it much past 5'.







:

I hope Eli is taller than that! :LOL

My nieces should both be really tall by that logic, especially the younger one.







Of course, they have a tall father (his whole family is tall!)


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

leah, that sounds like way too much fun. i wouldn't be able to nap either.

i remember something about sharing. good luck with that ladies. it is a difficult one to instill without organic social community, and annoying enough to wish for a week in daycare or school just to teach them the hard way. the other day our homeschool group was laughing about how we don't do sharing. (a schoolboy was pestering one of the kids to "share" his lightsaber and went to the trouble of finding the mamma to complain). taking turns can work with a bit of cleverness and distraction, and otherwise the goal is for true generosity and the patience to wait. which does happen eventually......haha, i'm laughing thinking about how many times i've yelled about : please just let him have the durned thing. and i have to remind myself that i don't like to share my things either. in fact i'm more protective about my stuff and the way i do things than other people (forks go up in the dishwasher!)......good thing i'm propagating these genes, huh?

i know, it's a habit i got from my mom that want to tone down (no one can throw away trash correctly around her). but all my stuff gets broken and ruined and my home gets disgusting. maybe it's a money thing. if i felt i could afford time and money to replace items than i would be not so antsy. let's see, according to the wise woman in me, if i don't care so much then they wouldn't break stuff, maybe? i guess i need to rethink my childproofing schemes. but i want so much to be continuum about objects and function......maybe i should just find a way to hire out my kids as consumer testers, since they are such experts at dismantling.

alright, i'll measure soon.


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

hola,
just checking in for a bit -- i'm trying be online less at work. more time spent working = more time with my family.

we just hosted a LLL enrichment meeting on cloth diapering. Also slings -- kind of interesting on both counts. I got to see in person one of those didymos slings. makes a mama want one REALLY bad. Too bad we already have a backpack, front pack and maya wrap. I think I might have to sew one up and see if I can talk erin into riding on my back in it.


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## punkprincessmama (Jan 2, 2004)

We took Mariah to a WBC at the end of March, she was 31 1/2 inches long and almost 20lbs. Long and lean she is.

That is really interesting about doubling the height at 2. I will have to write that down somewhere or I will forget!!

Someday I will figure out how to post pics to a website so y'all can see my little Zoomba. Maybe this summer.........

Do any of you have nicknames for your little one(s)? Do you use their given name or their nickname more?? I started calling Mariah "Zoomba" around the time she started crawling and would "zoom" around the apartment so quickly. I tend to call her Mariah or Mariah Rose more than Zoomba, but dh almost exclusively calls her Zoomba or Zoomey (nickname on top of nickname!!). Surprisingly she answers to all of these (when she wants to answer! Sometimes we go through all of them and still get no response! Stubborn!!)

Just curious...

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend. We did.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Madeline is Poo which is short for princess poop which goes back to a NICU incedent and some really good distance and aim. :LOL

Lilyka shortened naturally to Licky so she gets called Licky B (b is short for baby) or just Lick.

Ava is Bava (short for Baby ava) or Steve or Avy or Avy bean occaisionally bavy. She answers to all. Steve happened one day when I was sick of everyone assuming she was a boy and when they said "my what a cute little fellow you have i said "thanks his name is steve." It also goes back to a carton where one of the characters was " Hey Steve" (www.homestartrunner.com - look under strong bad e-mails. I think it is called the greatest cartoon ever. it is pretty fiunny in a twisted so bad you have to keep watching kind of way)

anyhooooooo, didn't get her weighed today because just as we were walking out the door a huge hail storm blew in . one minute it was sunny then dark. I called dh to tellhim we were about to leave and within a minute I said "holy crap looks like a storm is gonna be here soon, 30 second later I quickly hung up and started strappin stuff down. I git the bikes on the porch the recycling bin reassembled and put in our windless place and the lid to the sand box on and then the hail started pelting me. about every 5 second they doubles in size until they were the size of, . . . of. . . . well biogger than peanut m&ms and smaller than pingpong balls. I sent the girls to the basement, closed the windows (which I had just opened" turned onthe news, and then it was over. j ust like that. our lawn was completely covered with ice in about 6 minutes. weirdest thing. It didn't come back but I wasn't about to risk going anywahere. So my chunky monkey still hasn't gotten weighed.


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## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

DH and I call Christopher either by his given name or Chris, Bubba, and when I was pregnant with him Peanut. Why I call him Bubba I don't know. He got the name Peanut, because they did an ultrasound at 8 weeks when I thought I was having a miscarriage and he looked like a peanut in the ultrasound. Currently we call DS #2 "lil' bit". DS will show up in September.


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## punkprincessmama (Jan 2, 2004)

Quote:

_Originally posted by lilyka_
*It also goes back to a carton where one of the characters was " Hey Steve" (www.homestartrunner.com - look under strong bad e-mails. I think it is called the greatest cartoon ever. it is pretty fiunny in a twisted so bad you have to keep watching kind of way)*
I have seen that website, it is funny. I had totally forgotten about it though until you brought it up







:

Quote:

_Originally posted by lilyka_ *

anyhooooooo, didn't get her weighed today because just as we were walking out the door a huge hail storm blew in . one minute it was sunny then dark. I called dh to tellhim we were about to leave and within a minute I said "holy crap looks like a storm is gonna be here soon, 30 second later I quickly hung up and started strappin stuff down. I git the bikes on the porch the recycling bin reassembled and put in our windless place and the lid to the sand box on and then the hail started pelting me. about every 5 second they doubles in size until they were the size of, . . . of. . . . well biogger than peanut m&ms and smaller than pingpong balls. I sent the girls to the basement, closed the windows (which I had just opened" turned onthe news, and then it was over. j ust like that. our lawn was completely covered with ice in about 6 minutes. weirdest thing. It didn't come back but I wasn't about to risk going anywahere. So my chunky monkey still hasn't gotten weighed.*
That is so crazy!! And definetley a good reason why you didn't way her today! Being from S. Texas I can't even imagine what your day was like!


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## punkprincessmama (Jan 2, 2004)

i'm glad we aren't the only ones with a kooky nick name for our kiddo!! (I'm thinking about Steve for Ava and Princess Poop here, not so much Bubba)

Although on the Bubba for Christopher issue, I started calling my DH Boo one day for no apparent reason and it has stuck for years now!! Isn't it funny how these things work?

I'm still curious to hear everyone elses nicknames for your dc, if you have any.


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

reed has given ruby a multitude of names. the best one is "professor sabe" (like wasabi?). she is named ruby mei and mei mei means little sister in a few asian languages, so we use that alot.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

ooo, that should have been
www.homestarrunner.com sorry about those pop ups


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

(I know I said I was going to be offline today. taking a coffee break!)

erin is .... peanut, bunny and most often "champ" her dad gave her that name and it just sorta stuck.


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

haeven is bubby, stinky poo face, angel, sweets, ... got the stinky poo face name from my bro, who calls his son elwynn that sometimes.


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Zachary's nicknames: of course Zach, and Zachary Soza when he's in trouble, but mostly we call him "Mac". Dh started calling him Mr. MacHenry (Mack-en-ree) when he was little, then it shortened to Mr. Mac, and now Mac. Sometimes we'll mix it up and call him Smack Down or Zacharoni. When he was a newborn I had to force myself to call him Zachary, because I called him "Pumpkin" all the time LOL. We used to call him Spike for awhile when his baby hair stood up straight.









Julianna's nicknames: Julianna or Juliana, however you want to say it; Julianna Rose when she's in trouble; "Nanna" from Zach. Osa, which means bear in Spanish, is the most common one. She also answers to Jul, Osa Bosa, BoBo, SoBo, and the Spanish pronunciation of Juliana (Hoo-lee-on-ah).

Funny to hear every else's nicknames, too!


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Eliyahu's Nicknames: Eli, EliBean, EliBellyBean, BeanBean, CutieMan, Sugar Pea, Sugar Plum, LoveyMan, LoveyMuffin, LoveyBean, SweetieBean, CuteAndHandsome, BeanBoy, Bananas, Nanas, MiniBuns. He also gets "awards" from me all the time... for example "Most Kissable goes to.... EliBeanBean!!!" (lots of kisses and cheering from Daddy). :LOL Most Kissable/Huggable/Loveable/Nursable/Washable... You get the idea.

NewBean's Nicknames: NewBean, MiniBean, SiblingBean, SisterBean, SisterBaby. I'm sure more will come after she's born & we name her. :LOL

I have a niece named Elizabeth; I used to call her "A Little Bit" but she has long since ceased to be a little bit of anything; she's a big girl! I call her Beasty-Beast, which is derived from "ElizaBeast of the Apocalypse". She's also MooseBaby or BigGirl ("I'm a baby girl big girl!") When she was learning to stand up & walk, I called it "The Rise and Fall of the Elizabethan Empire", which was hilarious. :LOL She has a sister whom I call Chibi, so when I call them or refer to them together they are Chibi and Libby. My mother calls her "Lizabeast", "Lizardbeast" or "Lizardbreath". :LOL

My other niece is Chibi, Chibi-moon, Usagi, Usagi-moon, Usako, Usagi-chan, Moon-moon.. you get the idea. I also call her Skinny or Slim Shady sometimes. :LOL She's a stringbean.

I don't see my nephew often enough to have a nickname for him other than the obvious shortening of his name.







My brother was calling him "Dr. Poopenstien" or "Poopstain" for short, which I did not approve of.


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

Scarlett is sweatpea or sugarbunch or sweetiepie, but mostly Scarlett. My family doesn't do nicknames, I guess I have never thought about why. After reading all of these maybe I should come up with some good ones!

Also, Scarlett is totally into asking why? after I tell her something. She even says it in this high pitched raised voice, question format. Right now she is walking around in swim goggles. She thinks she is so funny and she's right!:LOL


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

You gals have been chatty lately!









Owen started out as Peanut (the hospital staff named him that because he was so little) but I eventually started calling him Monkey (which I suspect was a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy). I do about half and half.

lilyka--we got that storm too (Twin Cities) last night. Our power went out for about an hour. We were in the basement for a couple of hours, just in case.


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by Brayg_
*lilyka--we got that storm too (Twin Cities) last night. Our power went out for about an hour. We were in the basement for a couple of hours, just in case.*

we got the storm too -- but we got cheated on the warm weather. the high was like 57, when I had about 10 people at my house it was like 37, sheeting rain and howling winds. The waves on lake superior were big enough to surf on.

Kinda OT: I had a really crappy work day. Meaning crap at work and I didn't get crap done. then came home to a rejection letter in the mail and then had to head out to fed ex to get some stuff in the mail -- 1 hr trip due to unexpected detour. urgh!!!

More OT: My dh is having a hernia repaired tomorrow and he's making such a big deal out of it that I am worried about being a not-single, but yet single mom. Meaning he's still here but i'm doing all the work. and then some. I don't think it will be a big deal, I keep telling him I had MAJOR abdominal surgery (csection) AND had to feed and diaper a kiddo (which I had never done) and I lived to be 29! I think the key problem is his standard of reference: he had scoliosis when he was 13 and had his lower vertebrae fused together. Which was a 1 or 2 week hospital stay and was totally misserable.

I was totally worked up while out on the fed ex run and then came home to my sweet dh putting my sweet dd to bed in her big girl bed. Cuddles and snuggles and dh came out all happy he got his baby girl to sleep with no mom-juice and no tears.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

It was 88 here yesterday before the storm hit. Unbelievable!









Sorry bout the crappy day Kristin.

No boob juice? Has she done that before? Owen has never been to bed without it. I'm sure he'd be just fine, but I don't have a desire to find out yet.


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by Brayg_
*No boob juice? Has she done that before?*
yes, she's done it. On occasion I have to travel to the twin cities to use the lab down there. i usually nurse, then leave at 6 am and return home around 11pm. He used to put her to sleep with a bottle of ebm, then with a sippy cup with cows milk. Then i told him i thought it was bad for babies to go to sleep with milk in their mouth so he stopped the milk and gave her water. And tonight no cup whatsoever. She's been needing more and more mom juice these past few weeks I think she's on the verge of something big (talking? robbing banks? using the potty?). So tonight was a surprise to come home and find her in bed.

I;ve been asking dd if she wants to sleep in her crib or in her big girl bed every night. Usually she gets up after nursing and walks over to the crib. I guess tonight she wanted to stay in the bed cause she just crawled under the covers


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

wow! Can't imagine Owen staying in a bed. He NEEDS the crib or he'd never get to sleep. Neither would I! :LOL


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

Scarlett is the same way... she needs her crib. Sometimes she will wake up in the night and I will bring her to bed with me. She toss and turns and finally I'll say "do you want to sleep in your bed." She will nod her head yes and then I will lay her back down and she goes back to sleep. (we do share a room though)


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Quote:

_Originally posted by lilmiss'mama_
*Right now she is walking around in swim goggles. She thinks she is so funny and she's right!:LOL*
:LOL :LOL :LOL

The visual I have for this is too cute


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## TchrGrrl (Nov 15, 2003)

I hope it is ok for me to jump in!

My name is KC and I am a SAHM to Zachary born 12/28/02. He is a beautiful, friendly soul who is working on expanding his vocabulary and running even faster than before!


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

hey kc!

kristin, good luck. i know a little too much of what you're going through. many of you know that my dh hurt his back two years ago in my first trimester with ruby. he ruptured a disc and layed in bed for a year. he is working part time never more than 20 hours now. the past three weeks he has not been able to pick up ruby, which he started doing occasionally for the past six months or so. his pain is for the most part the same but he is learning to deal with it beautifully, especially getting off the narcotics after surgery last year.

probably the hardest for me is just having the dynamic of having him around and me working to get alone time. i do treasure his company and for a long time it was hard to take care of him since he was such an invalid but not accepting of much help (and the drugs were crazy). the weirdest is just dealing with my kids not understanding and having to monitor all the interactions (what i mean by that is jumping on him while he wallowed in pain, and them feeling rejected when he yelled and locked the door). i really think that some men and boys are not as aware of their bodies (and therefore overly aware when there are problems) and a little more self-centered. these traits have served men's survival.

ruby has been a real pleasure lately, so much that i had forgotten what it was like because she was cranky and sick and fighting being sick for the past few weeks. i stuck with some homeopathics and i think this is the first time i can officially say they have worked for us for an illness.

maybe y'all can laugh at this. clay has some favorite new shorts i made him today that he specifically requested, and i'm a little worried about him wearing them tomorrow to a homeschool field trip even though it is a group open to all faiths and beliefs. i did not realize what they would look like until they were done. they are bright red spandex shorts with a long skinny red spandex tail.....


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

KC!


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## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

Quote:

_Originally posted by Brayg_
*wow! Can't imagine Owen staying in a bed. He NEEDS the crib or he'd never get to sleep. Neither would I! :LOL*
Christopher is the same way. We co-slept for 3 months (Christopher slept in an Arm's Reach Co-sleeper) and decided it wasn't working. DH's snoring would wake up Christopher, any movement by Christopher was waking me up. We moved Christopher into a crib in his own room and he has been happy ever since. Lately I have been trying to get him to nap on the travel bed we have for him so he can get used to it but he cries and whines and as soon as I put him in his crib, he passes out.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:

DH's snoring would wake up Christopher, any movement by Christopher was waking me up.
Oh yeah...I know how that goes!

Owen woke up at 4:00 this morning. Not sure why--he wasn't crabby or anything. I thought I could get away w/nursing and laying with him in our bed. He tossed and turned for an hour, then dh's alarm clock went off. That was it--sleep was all over for us! :LOL Owen was up and dancing, singing, playing, etc. He did fall asleep while eating his breakfast at 7:30 though. :LOL


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## TchrGrrl (Nov 15, 2003)

Oh, oh! I am dealing with a hurt DH right now too.







My DH hurt his back last week while helping my brother move. It is like having 2 babies now, but one of them is much too big.







The doctor told him that he cannot pick up 30lb Zachary for at least 2 weeks which makes them both sad and leaves me frustrated because all of the wonderful things DH used to do with DS he cannot do anymore - bath time, rocking, diaper changes, cleaning him up and getting him out of the highchair, etc. It is really a bummer.

Then I feel awful because I have been losing patience with DH (I seem to reserve it for DS) and he took amazing care of me through a difficult PG, recovering from a c-section and then breaking my leg just 5 weeks post partum. DH is an amazing nurse and I am just a impatient brat!


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:

breaking my leg just 5 weeks post partum
Yikes!!!









I don't have a hurt dh, just one that's been having to work about 90 hours/week. It kind of s*cks not having him around. The money's great though. We know this will happen every spring, so it's nothing new to us. He usually only puts in maybe 60-70 hours/week though. His boss had a heart attack in February, so while he was recovering, the work got kind of backed up. Now they are scrambling to get it all done. He works for a turf and forage seed wholesaler (grass, alfalfa, wildflower, etc) and it's definitely the "busy season" right now.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

I'm not having a good day right now! Eli has decided that he wants to spend every waking (and sleeping!) moment with his hand down my shirt. This could potentially be avoided by wearing turtlenecks, but it's really warm so that's not much of an option. If he can't get his hand down the neck, he reaches up the sleeve. If he can't get in that way, he'll just pick it up from the bottom. And if I try to get him out, he pinches my nipple!!!! It's excruciatingly painful right now!!!! I want to strangle him! And when I put him down and say "No pinching!!" He gets all sad and cries and wants to be held even more!!

My husband has a problem with losing lids/caps/covers... there's a jar of peppers in the fridge going over in a hurry because he lost the lid to them... and he lost the cap to Eli's excema cream, so we've naturally lost about half the tube to crustiness and it landing on the floor & getting stepped on. I'm absolutely livid, the stuff costs us $25 to get and it's the only thing that works and if he would just PAY ATTENTION we would still have a mostly full tube instead of the mostly empty one we have now. I want to call him up and yell at him, and I want Eli to go back to sleep without me so I can start this day all over again!!!


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

mama


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## 0cean (Jan 11, 2003)

I am master lid loser and Foil, sometimes with rubber bands, will usually do the trick!

The boob invading is insane I have lived with that for half a decade.....








Find something for him to "mouth" maybe? Sing a song? Make him laugh? Have a treat? I dont know, I resort to bribery too much these days, but I suppose its better than strangulation!
Peace
your sympathetic friend!


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

VERYcute pic of Owen, Rachel!









Zach likes to hold my boob, too. He's sucking on one nipple and trying to play with the other one. I HATE it!!! I just keep moving his hand, and he gets mad, but if I keep doing it he'll eventually stop. I also have a small mole on my ribcage, and he'll rub it and pull on it- Ugh! Very aggrivating. I like it when he runs his hands along my arm, or tummy, while he's nursing. It's our own special little loving bond, which is nice!

Recently he's started aking a small bite of his snack, then taking a sip of mama milk, then taking another bite! He used to bite me when he tried to nurse with food in his mouth, but he's figured out how to do it and now he does it a lot. He smies up at me and thinks he's so cool.

:LOL I cracked up imagining Scarlett running around with her sissy, in swim goggles!

And Kristin's comment about Erin robbing banks... Too funny! Zach has been nursing A LOT, too- what's up with that?


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Sorry about the typos, NAK of course...


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Thanks Leah. He's STILL sleeping--3 hours later! :LOL

Owen rubs my chest/arm/face when he nurses. He also likes to get his arm in my shirt--kind of purposely tangles it up in there--must make him feel secure.


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## punkprincessmama (Jan 2, 2004)

Quote:

_Originally posted by KidsAtHeart_
*. He's sucking on one nipple and trying to play with the other one. I HATE it!!! I just keep moving his hand, and he gets mad,*
This is something I've been meaning to post about on the EBF board. It is making me crazy. Mariah mostly does this when falling asleep, she pinches and picks at my other nipple and drives me to insanity. I do keep redirecting her hand but she gets mad and starts crying, which does not help her fall asleep!!

She has never fallen asleep without nursing. And has always hated her crib. Sometimes I think it would be nice to have just dh and I in our bed, but on the whole co sleeping works really well for us.

Elionwy, I am so sorry yu are having a bad day. Have you tried the Bachs Rescue Remedy :LOL

Seriously though, Hugs to you. I know how it feels when everything seems to be falling apart. On those days, I say to hell with whatever I had planned and do everything the easy way. My goal is survival. Is there something fun that Eli likes to do that is easy - maybe a bath or playing with something special or taking a walk or something? Just to relief some of the stress you both must be feeling??

Yesterday was my 24th bday. It was wondeful. I hadn't seen dh in days so it was so special that he got to be home most of yesterday. I took a loooong bath all by myself, something I hadn't done in almost a year. I put on classical music and lit candles. It was delicious. It is amazing what a little alone time can do for a woman. I wish I could have more, but I'm grateful for what I do get.

casina, im laughing over your son's shorts!!! How did the homeschooling trip go?

brayg, cute pic. Im so glad Owen is feeling better.








kc, welcome to the group.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Eli is asleep. I am now officially declaring this *a new day*.


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Hmm all this hand-diving the breast talk has me wondering about ds's nursing. He used to do alot of pinching and so forth but lately he's let up on it a bit tho he still has to have one hand on the other breast at all times. Last night I don't think he nursed more than once







He still woke about 6 times and needed me to comfort him. Mainly this involved him being able to have his little hands on my tummy and breasts and a :binky in his mouth. In the past he's refused the binky and only wanted milk but lately he's taken to it at night. Does this sound like nightweaning? He doesn't nurse a ton during the day either. Unless of course we're sitting around then it's 'boof?' (his name for nursing) on a regular basis. But this morning, after a long and lovely 45 min nursing session in bed, we were in the living room and he said 'boof?' and then just wanted to look. I'm going to count up how many times he nurses today just so I know.

I'm torn YK. I could continue offering him the binky thru the night which would basically be nightweaning him with zero tears and effort. Or I could ditch the binky and continue to night-nurse until he no longer wants it or the binky. Or I could nurse once in the night. I can't believe I'm having questions about this. Ds was always a champion night nurser. A month ago I would have jumped at the chance to be able to have him use a binky instead of suction cup nursing mama 10+ times a night. But now, I dunno, it seems kind of sad and I also want to do what will be best for him not just me. Thing is, nightweaning is a bit of a misnomer. Just 'cause ds isn't night-nursing doesn't mean he isn't waking and needing me and my warmth and voice to get back to sleep. So I'm still waking several times a night to position him, soothe him etc but I have to say I've felt less tired the past couple of days.

Even *getting* him to sleep has more to do with my body presence than nursing. I always sling him down and we start off nursing but then a couple minutes into it I offer him the binky and he happily takes it. He doesn't seem to have alot of preference at this point YK as long as he's snuggled up to me. The other thing is that we're going to Europe this summer and it would certainly be easier on me if he was nightweaned by then tho I had decided I just wasn't up for doing it by then and had basically surrendered to the fact that he'd still be nightnursing then.


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## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

Rachel what a cute picture of Owen! A couple days ago, Christopher refused to nap. Probally because he wasn't feeling well. Anyways, I had a Mom's night out so DH and Chris were hanging out. DH took Christopher outside to run around like mad. Brought him back inside, tried to feed him dinner, but Christopher fell asleep in his highchair. The last time he fell asleep in the highchair, he was 6 months old.


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Zach has never fallen asleep anywhere but in someone's arms, or in the carseat... I *WISH* DS would take a pacifier. It would make getting him to sleep so much easier. Like, just today, I was trying to schedule a CPR class for DH and I, but the only time avail. was from 6-9 pm. I just hate to leave DS with someone else, because he's such a pain in the butt around bedtime. He'll fall asleep eventually, but he wakes up every 10 mins crying, until he gets the boob. It's like he can't let himself go to sleep for the night without nursing LOL.

Good luck, solsticemama. I know this time is bittersweet. I'm ready for DS to wean anytime now, LOL... But, I won't push it. I've read that when they latch on for a few minutes, then go back to playing, that it's a good time to wean because they're just nursing for comfort. I try to ditract him a little bit here and there, but if he really wants to nurse I let him. Sometimes a drink of water or a snack is all he needs, and he doesn't mind if I don't let him nurse. At night, most of the time, there is no other way to get him back to sleep than to nurse him. Sometimes DH can hold him tight and he'll fall back to sleep, but most of the time he screams until he gets a nipple in his mouth, LOL. Anyway, I don't have any words of wisdom, but I send some ~happy~mama~vibes~ your way, hee hee.


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## Bethkm (Jun 27, 2003)

I love the picture of Owen too! I'm always amazed at kids who fall asleep like that, Tyson would just cry and want out and fall down crying and not fall asleep until I held him and nursed him!

We've been working on the bedtime routine...ending with nursing in our bed but not falling asleep on the boob. He pops off, helps pull my shirt down, and rolls over and falls asleep! SOmetimes he needs more help than other times and occasionally he'll fall asleep nursing if he is really tired and just can't help it. I lay with him but I'm mostly hands off.

I thought it would help nightwaking...we'll it hasn't yet (we've been at it about a month) but I have faith. Maybe once those nasty molars are all in.

Tyson has also been really increasing the nursing night and day. He used to be a 5-10 min nurser, now it's like 20-45 minutes! That is a huge change! I 'm continuing to offer table food and once in a while he'll take a bite or two. SOmething big must be happening in there!


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

solsticemomma~~ About your baby nightweaning, I'd say to take this chance when he seems into the binky, because as you said, you will be going to europe, and you were hoping he'd night wean by then. He'll still get plenty of mom-milk during the day, and you seem very dedicated to "extended breastfeeding". Maybe he will go back to nursing during the night at some point as well.

My baby twiddles my other nipple all the time







I just hold my arm or hand over the "free nipple" when I can. But times like right now, she's nursing, and I'm typing on the computer. She's cooperating by not twiddling. But most of the time I have to stop typing to push her hand away.

I want to tandem nurse, but I wonder if I can really handle all that nipple stimulation, with them both on at the same time. I might have to nurse them separately.

I only have clear colostrum right now, but my baby nurses as much as ever before. I know she will go on an eating solid foods strike once my milk comes back in after the baby is born.


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Mamajaza, you are so tough! Hang in there!


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

Kidatheart~ Thanks!


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Happy Birthday punk!









Thanks all! Owen was also about 6 months old the only other time he fell asleep in the high chair. I got a picture of that too! :LOL


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Oh yeah, Happy Belated B-Day to punkprincessmama!


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

: Happy Birthday punkprincessmama! Your day sounded wonderful!


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

i'm in a groove with tandem nursing. a year before ruby was born i would have told you i thought it was unnatural and definitely not for me. i do know that i'm not good with partial nursing. it feels much less icky when clay is full time nursing.

some mammas have good luck with a longer necklace for the baby to twiddle with. lately i have better luck with gently pulling the child when they are doing something i don't like, and they pull away....instead of pushing. clipping nails is my major problem. i do not have nipples of steel however. i have a friend that had no problem with her children twiddling away, and it makes the rest of us mamas cringe everytime.

with nursing and such, it is better for me to follow my heart and know i can change my mind at any time. i weaned reed at 2 due to many pressures and still regret it. solsticemama, there is know way to know how things will pan out going to europe. and it may be easier to nightwean then because the situation is different. or it may be harder because of sleeping situations and your child will naturally want to have you around more. when i went to taiwan ruby went from becoming very independent to being in the sling most of the time. sometimes intellectuallizing this physical relationship can make it harder than it is.

we did not wear the pseudosatanic shorts, which clay is calling spiderman shorts. it was some weird agricultural department show at the university. they had a cow they intentionally did not milk so they could show how it was milked for different schoolgroups. so it bellowed the whole time we were there. i really felt for the engorged cow and we nursing mammas were impressed how it roared like a dragon.


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## smaug (Feb 22, 2002)

about the nipple twiddling- if I am laying down, I have a way of pressing my arm tightly against my "free" boob, and tucking my hand under my pillow. It cracks me up how Julian will say "booboobs" and then I will say "want some booboobs?" and he will get this big smile and say "mm hmm" or if we are in bed he throws himself down and lays on his side! I am so sick of hearing people comment (not to me specifically) "if they are old enough to ask for it, they shouldn't be getting it" And it usually comes from people who didn't breastfeed anyway!









I plan on letting Julian self-wean, but I really miss caffeine sometimes. And if I have a little bit of soda,I pay for it at night when he won't go to sleep until midnight. Anyone else miss foods or drinks while bfing?


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Call me harsh but I will not stand for nipple twiddling and it will end the nursaing regardless of how much they cry. Drives me crazy.Hand down the shirt though, my almost four year old does that. And she weaned when she was 2 :LOL

We scheduled a spech evaluation for Ava. Do your kids drool? they asked when I was chatting with them. what has that got to do with anything? I gues I should ask if your child drools and how they talk :LOL Now I have to wait 3 weeks for the appointment. They did say it was good that she is a chatter box. I supoose that means it is good that she is trying.


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## punkprincessmama (Jan 2, 2004)

thanks all for the birthday cheer!!

Lilyka I had a dream the other night after hearing about your snow storm. i dreamnt about a sudden storm that was over quickly. Its funny how these things find their way into our dreams....

Mariah does not drool and hasn't for awhile. Every so often she might drool a bit when a new tooth is coming through or something.

We have some very good friends whose (sp?) son drooled A LOT. I mean excessively. He drooled past age two and didn't talk much until after two. He just turned three, doesn't drool and talks up a storm. I'm thinking they asked about her drooling because maybe it has something to do with the development / control of the mouth, the tongue etc. ??? I'm just guessing here. But I did notice that when our friend's son started talking more the drooling stopped.


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

I don't restrict myself too much with foods while BF. My baby seems pretty tolerant of everything. I







de-caf mocha frappe's, and I'm not about to wean myself now! :LOL


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Well so far today he's nursed about half a dozen times. He probably would have nursed more but it was my weekly morning off. Ds and dh spend a few hours together solo while mama goes out and about. Anyway I came back and he was diaperless, in his high chair and covered in black beans but as soon as he saw me he wanted to nurse. Which I happily did







Then over the course of the next hour a few more times, then later in the afternoon a couple more times. He spent half an hour in the sling with the binky tho while I tried to get him to sleep. Which he didn't end up doing, thanks to my dh







Long story, I have a headache and I don't want to go into it. Anyway I'm wondering whether tonight will be similarly 'nightnursingless' We'll see.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Where do you get De-caf mocha frappes? everywhere I have ever been has told me they only come in caffinated. So its a sacriffice but one I am willing to make. I'll take the caffien. It is a hard job but if I don't drink mochah frappes who will i ask? WHO!?


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

Lilyka~Well, the place I get them from, they are made from "scratch", and instead of adding a regular organic coffee shot, they put in an organic de-caf, with ice, chocolate syrup, and milk. I didn't really understand what you were trying to say at the end of your post, either.


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

You're so funny, Jasanna! :LOL

Oh, casina, I felt so bad for that cow as I read your post... Ow!

When Zachary was a newborn he was very sensitive to chocolate and dairy. He would SCREAM in pain after I nursed him. He would get gas if I ate onions. I slowly started to eat chocolate again, but never really got back into dairy (accept butter!). Now, nothing bothers him. And I never gave up on coffee!!! I am so addicted, without my 2 cups of fuel in the morning, I'm exhausted. It's so black DH calls it "motor oil" LOL. Oh wait, I did give up caffeine while I had preterm labor, but I had coffee the morning after DS was born! (I'm bad, I know!)


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

I posted pics of my girls! Check out my sig









eta:these were taken about 3 months ago. I'll try to get some recent ones up soon.


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

Scarlett really is "so cute" as her overalls say. Big beautiful brown eyes too.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

awww...they are adorable!


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## bakeria (Jan 10, 2004)

I love this group of mamas there are the first timers so that I know I am not alone and then the experienced mamas so I know what to do about it.
Do I remember reading a long time ago about some mamas noticing differences in dc's nursing behavior when AF returned? AF is here and dd seems less happy with nursing. Could just be teething I guess. Love to all the babies and mamas. You are so beautiful.
PS:THE NIPPLE TWEAKING HAS GOT TO STOP!









Maria


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

milk tastes a little different with af, and your nipple sensitivity is higher.
all this tweaking talk.....that's why i'm a big nighttime nurser.


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## punkprincessmama (Jan 2, 2004)

Quote:

_Originally posted by casina_
*all this tweaking talk.....that's why i'm a big nighttime nurser.*
Casina, how does the nighttime nursing help? I still nightime nurse Mariah, have never restricted her at all. Since the move she is nursing at night about 3 - 4 times. But she is also tweaking, espesially when falling asleep for nap or night.

Thank you for all your lovely, sage advice.









P.S. lilmiss'mama, your girls are so beautiful! Thanks for sharing their pics.


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## XmasEve (Jun 18, 2002)

Just want to interject, quite after the fact of course, that my 2-year height indicated I would be 6 feet tall. Well, I hit 5'4'' in middle school and that's where I still am. Not surprising, since my family is short on tall. I just shot up real quick, being one of the tallest in my age group until everyone else got their adult height at puberty. Dd is tall for her age, and people say, oh, she'll be tall as an adult because her father's tall, but I'm not ready to make that prediction...

She's teething REALLY badly right now, an upper molar. It's so swollen that it's purple and feels as squishy as a water balloon. I'm sure it will bleed when it comes through. It's causing her to nurse much more than she has been. She had even nightweaned herself until this happened. I was sad that she was weaning, but decided it was my first step in learning to accept her growing up. I always offer her the breast first, so I don't feel the weaning has much to do with my signals, just her preferences.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Most babies don't tweak in their sleep, and that's why nightnursing helps. I know that's why I've always been a big fan; even when Eli was teething and biting me during the day, or when he first got control of his head and started popping off and turning every time someone walked past or made a noise, the nightnursing was a beautiful thing. I'd wake up with a full boob, he'd be just turning his head a bit... I'd latch him on and he'd nurse that boob flat. No funny business, no twiddling, no biting, just the world's most efficient and effective breastpump. It was such a relief! As a bonus, if I could stay awake, I could stare at and enjoy my son in the twilight of a nightlight, just adore my beautiful little Sugar Plum instead of watching like a hawk with a finger poised to break the latch and a tube of lansinoh warming in my bra. It was like the nursing relationship got back to the newborn days when there was nothing but me, Eli, and the nursies. Very nice!









I always wondered why people are so keen to nightwean first. The way I see it, I'll be willing to continue nightnursing long after daytime nursing has lost it's charms. :LOL


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## smaug (Feb 22, 2002)

eilonwy, I'm so with you on the nightnursing. It is just the coziest time of my day. His little body curled in the fetal position. It is such a timeless moment. I love how I catch a glimpse of him in the middle of the night, and he looks just like a newborn.









Molars are the worst! Especially when they take months to totally come in. Julian has become a little hylands addict. He insists on taking them himself. Picking up one little pill at a time.

What kinds of things do you all do for yourself? I started horseback riding lessons over the winter. i have wanted to for several years. It really gives me something to look forward to, and a chance to socialize.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Its my duty to drink them







Someone has to drink them or the poor coffee shop on the corner will surely go out of business. That is how I justify getting a $4 drink full of stuff I shouldn't be having :LOL)

I wish someone here served organic coffee







and made them for real rather from powder. I was already addicted to them (from starbucks) before I relized they were a powder mix. Then i couldn't stop. every shop (both chain and local) made them from the powder. different flavor, still instant.


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

What do I do for myself?? I wish :LOL Really, I don't have much that I do for my own pleasure, except watch The Sopranos every week.







Being a single mama and not much extra $$ for a babysitter; I don't get out much. My mom watches the girls for me while I am at work, so I don't like asking her to watch them at night too.
I am studying to be a doula, so I guess that is something I do for myself. Plus, I just found out this week I got the grants and loans I need to go to school for shiatsu, so that will start this fall!! We are required to take electives and one of our choices is pilates. I have really wanted to try this since it is supposed to improve your posture. I am definetly looking forward to that!
Have any of you tried pilates?


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:

What kinds of things do you all do for yourself?
I come here! :LOL


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## punkprincessmama (Jan 2, 2004)

Quote:

_Originally posted by lilmiss'mama_
*Plus, I just found out this week I got the grants and loans I need to go to school for shiatsu, so that will start this fall!!*
Congrats!!


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

eilonwy/rynna, you said it perfectly.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

I'm sure you can tell I'm a big fan of nightnursing.









What do I do for myself...







Well, I try to get to Torah study once a week, and I really enjoy that. I always feel better when I make it. I love to do needlework, but right now I'm working on a birth sampler for NewBean, so does that count? :LOL I'll give that a definate maybe.







Oh, and I read every chance I get. That generally means sneaking a paragraph or two when I go to the bathroom...







: I also read while I'm nursing, so much so that Eli's taken to bringing me a book when he wants to nurse. He'll pick up my book off the bed, bring it to me, hand it to me and say "Eli wants to nurse!"







:














:LOL He's such a LoveyBean! :LOL


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

ahhhhh--->i've become a not single, but single mama. my dh can't do anything really to help me. My heart goes out to those mamas who really ARE single mamas. I don't know how you do it. My mantra has become "six weeks, i can handle six weeks." Meaning dh is not supposed to lift anything more than 10 lbs for 6 weeks.

What do i do for myself? ---> sew after dd goes to bed. I'm getting back into knitting because i usually sew clothes for my dd, but someone gave me 2 yrs worth of clothes last week. What a difference it makes to have more than 5 outfits!

ummm and I also exercise! walk with babe in backpack, stroller or sling. run, chase my dd, ride bike with babe in trailer, ski with baby in trailer.








for getting grants and whatnot for school.

lilyka -- don't beat yourself up for coffee drinks. life's too short. there's always SOMETHING that is the forbidden fruit right?


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Quote:

_Originally posted by eilonwy_
*Most babies don't tweak in their sleep, and that's why nightnursing helps.

I always wondered why people are so keen to nightwean first. The way I see it, I'll be willing to continue nightnursing long after daytime nursing has lost it's charms. :LOL*
Well not my ds. Last night his little bear cub paws







were all over me. Mainly just patting and smoothing but the occasional tweak. I imagine how wonderful nightnursing would feel if you were just doing it once, twice heck even 3 or 4 times a night but after 10+ times the "twilight of the nightlight" is lost in shadowlands of sleep-wake-wake-wake-sleep-wake-wake etc etc. That said I'm still just not ready to nightwean









I have to admit tho, last night ds nursed only twice. He probably woke about 8 or 9 times tho and I spent a good part of the night patting him and soothing him, offering the binky and positioning myself so he could have his hands on my body so I don't see that nightweaning would do much good. I've been waking in the morning with a very achey side.

I've still got a bad headache which I think must be hormonal. Punkinprincessmama belated birthday wishes to you. Lilmiss's mama great news about your grant. Your girls are adorable. I'm planning to do my first doula weekend workshop this fall with alace.

As for what I do for moi? Well, dh and ds spend one morning a week together so that's my time off. About 3 hrs total. I usually go out for breakkie and then do errands. MDC is a big part of my 'down time' at this point in life. I'm probably going to be studying tibetan this fall if I can swing it. Excercise is something I'm just starting to reconsider :LOL. Yoga would be helpful I think but I don't have alot of motivation for it right now.

Mona where are U?


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Today I am doing something for myself... It is our 4th wedding anniversary, so DH and I are going out for a few child-less hours. I told him I don't even want to TALK about kids. Only adult conversation allowed!!!

I work-out almost every day. I have a Curves that's less than 5 minutes away, but I drive to the one that's 10 minutes away so I can exercise with my mom. We gossip and work out our stesses and it is actually fun. I seriously think I'd die if I didn't get that hour or two alone each day. And DH certainly doesn't mind watching the kids while I'm gone, since he enjoys the results of my hard work!









I'm really conflicted about weaning DS. He is SOOOOOOOO addicted to the boob, it's unreal. He just comes up to me to nurse whenever he gets bored, sad, tired, thirsty, etc. Sometimes I don't mind, but just the past few days it feels very draining when he nurses. I don't really have a point to this little aside, but I guess I needed to vent about it, LOL...








Happy Day, Mamas!!!


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Happy Anniversary Leah!









I went to Curves for a couple of years. I loved it. I lost 70 lbs in 7 months. I continued going while pg w/Owen even. But after he was born, it was just too hard. I don't have anyone I trust to watch him during the day. Dh works between 70-90 hours/week from Feb through May. Then once school's out for the summer, I have 2 kids to find someone to watch. It just doesn't work out for me right now, although my goal is to get back there. I have about 30lbs to go to get down to my pre-pregnancy weight (which is still higher than it should be, but realistic and attainable).

I do walk w/Owen in the backpack nearly every day. It was rainy here Tues and Wed so we didn't get out. We'll go again today though. I like it. I'm down 10lbs but it's taken me a month and a half to get there. Ugh!


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Happy Anniversary.

What do I do for myself? I am learning French. I was doing yoga regularly but got a cold and haven;t done it since. I am teaching myself to play guitar. And I come here. :LOL


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

solsticemama-- when i get done with the doula training I am doing online now i am going to start with ALACE too. I was hoping to make it to Tucson by May to go to the weekend workshop, but that doesn't seem like it is going to happen. So, I guess I will just start with the reading requirements first.

Thanks everyone for the compliments on my girls! I really put them up so you guys could have a look. Personally, I like to have a visual, so I thought others might too.


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by Brayg_
*I do walk w/Owen in the backpack nearly every day. It was rainy here Tues and Wed so we didn't get out. We'll go again today though. I like it. I'm down 10lbs but it's taken me a month and a half to get there. Ugh!*
month and a half -- like 6 weeks? that's not terrible. from what i hear a realistic weight loss that you can keep off is 1.5-3lbs per week. Keep that walking up! and walking is something you can keep doing with multiple kiddos. (this from the woman who was -10 at her 4 week postpartum check up. baby was 9lbs +







: ).

leah -- happy anniversary. have fun with dh.

my dh just had that surgery this week. he's unable to help me. Right now though he's on the deck supervising erin who is playing with dish soap and water. Umm, yeah she's soaking wet and it is sunny and about 45 out. My dh told me i would never win mother of the year for that one. I told him I didn't care. erin was having funa nd doesn't appear to be getting too cold.







it's warm water after all!


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

I lost 20lbs my first month when I lost weight before though. I was heavier then too, so maybe that has a lot to do w/it.

We didn't get on our walk today, despite the nice weather. Owen woke up at 5:30 this morning (about 1 1/2 hours earlier than normal) and we had toddler time class today till 11:00. He nursed and conked out at about 11:30. I had to wake him up at about 2:50 so we could go get Jacob from school. I'll shoot for tomorrow.








:

-10 lbs? Wow Kristen!


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

hi mamas!









we went away for the weekend, and then when we came back dd got a cold.







her immune system tends to be weak when she is in the midst of hard core teething, so i guess it isn't a surprise, but a total bummer. i'm getting it now too, so ugh.

let's see---- twidling. i do not let dd twidle the other nipple. it just drives me crazy. especially since i'm afraid she is going to hurt me. :LOL the nails! the nails! so i hold the palm of my hand over that nipple, and let her play with the rest of that breast. she also rubs, pinches, tugs at my tummy, back, arm, neck, ect. i try really hard to keep her nails trim, but still have cut marks all over my chest.







: she does not do this while sleeping/night nursing, but rubs my back or tummy, which i love.









what do i do for me? um, not much. :LOL mdc, meditate, yoga, qi gong, writing....

food restrictions? lots of 'em.... i stay away from wheat, soy, citrus, caffine, no dairy of any kind.... suits me pretty well as i am mainly a raw food vegan. i had soy today, so i'll see what happens. dd's digestive system is better now that she is older, but her skin still breaks out if i eat the "wrong" thing.
i am jealous of you coffee drinkers. i have a decaf w/ soy milk latte every once few months. heaven!!!

dd's new activity is climbing. she can climb up the stairs, climb up into the rocker, ect. it is pretty exciting. she feels like a real champ when she does it.

oh, nick names--- lots of them. bugga (as in "bugga bugga boo, mama loves you.... :LOL) , monker (from monkey), bubba (from who knows where), katrinka (my mom's nickname for her)..... i guess that's it.









well, that's all for now.


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

sorry, that was ONLY minus 10 lbs. As in apparently the placenta weighed nothing or else I gained a lot during the first month. I'm not saying which







:.

and mona, i agree watching personal satisfaction is great when it comes to climbing. That's what makes the "guess what mom, look what i can do" much more bearable when she's into everything.

in fact, that might be among my favorite parts of watching erin grow up. watching her gain the personal satisfaction of learning to do things.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Eli wants to potty learn.







I can't do it right now, I just can't bend over and squat and chase him. I'm too tired, all I want to do is sleep! This is so frustrating for me, and I feel sooo guilty about it!







Who ever heard of a kid being ready to learn before his parent? And why couldn't he have waited just three more months?!? He's been 'ready' for a long time now, but recently has decided that he hates wearing diapers and has taken to running into a corner and hiding, removing the diaper (he's gotten very creative about this, and can always do it unless the diaper is pinned on) and peeing/pooping. When he poops, he either comes and tells me about it or he picks it up and hands it to me.





















: The other day, he brought me a poop and said, simply "Yuck." I had to agree; that is pretty much the definition of "yuck". *sigh*


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

i had to laugh, as dd also hands me her poop








if i'm lucky it's not all over her. YUCH!!!!!!!


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:

sorry, that was ONLY minus 10 lbs. As in apparently the placenta weighed nothing or else I gained a lot during the first month. I'm not saying which
Gotcha! I was thinking -10 from Prepregnancy weight for some reason. :LOL


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

hugs to you Rynna, but just a reminder that in 3 months time it would be no better-- you'll have a nursing baby right and sure as anything you sit down to nurse that sweet one and, bam, Eli would want to use the potty.

man, i *wish* my dd was ready. I'm shopping for a potty and a booster (for the kitchen table) this weekend at goodwill. Just in case we're ready for the potty. We ARE ready for the booster.


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

I was trying to post some pics, didn't work, have to find some way.


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

*mamajaza*- if you open a yahoo email account (which is free) you can post pictures using yahoophoto. That is what I did; it was easy, and I am no computer genius!LOL


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

I think I may have got it..... http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/...3685&members=1


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

oh, how pretty!

eilonwy, i'll have to agree with kristin's point though i did the same thing: clay was ready to train when i was huge with ruby and i waited. get yourself a sling and learn to nurse in it. i'll make you one if you would like. you are lucky your kid is so aware and able with his body. maybe you can just leave a door to the yard open for him or have him go in a shower stall (i wish i had one). that reminds me, i really want to put a drain in the middle of my bathroom floor. my kids like the baby bjorn seat on the big toilet with a stepstool.

ruby has been looking for her penis, and runs to stand at the toilet and leans in to pee. maybe i'll have to fashion a cone for her for when we are out a year from now.

though i always encourage other mammas to have a life, i admit i was taken aback by the direct question of what i do for myself. it seems like i'm always struggling for that. or struggling just to ride in the car alone or do any kind of grooming. right now i'm sewing two identical dresses for ruby and my friend's daughter because i was inspired to recycle a big hippie skirt. the other day i had a dress on ruby and i was nicer to her all day because she looked so pretty. though usually if i'm sewing i'm doing it for money, as well as cooking. i'm trying to pick up the guitar again. me and dh are ready to start a band but i haven't figured how we can both leave my kids for a few hours when they are asleep. i guess when we sheetrock the studio i'll actually think about it. every other monday i get out with some other homeschooling mammas. and my house is seventy years old so the projects mulling in my head are endless.....any kind of gardening and eating what i grow is one of my favorite things, though i haven't put my tomatoes down yet since i have a bed to build.

i spent the day grumpy and then went to kung fu with reed where ruby slept in the sling and i had no responsibilities and was unable to do anything productive for an hour and half. it is as close to personal meditation as i get for now.


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Quote:

_Originally posted by casina_
*
the other day i had a dress on ruby and i was nicer to her all day because she looked so pretty.*
I have days too, where I wake up tired and grumpy and I dress ds in his extra adorable outfit just to inspire and remind me of patience and generosity in my mothering.

*Mamajaza* I can't see the pics tho I did get to your homepage. I saw a lovely blue background and titles to the pics but no pics







. I'm working on getting our pics up too. Btw I remember way back when we were all in the LWAB forum and you mentionned that you sewed and quilted. Have you made anything for the new baby? What about posting some of your quilt pics. I'd love to see them.

We had a very restive night. I think ds must have woken about 10 times and several of those times specifically asked to nurse, the binky didn't do it. So I guess I was wrong about him nightweaning. Who knows what is unfolding in the universe of their little bodies. Too refined for us adults to fathom, I think.

Did y'all read the Soy article in the latest issue of Mothering?!!!

Ok mamas







blessings

ETA Leah Happy Anniversary


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

I can't post any other pictures, because I just had a digital camera while DD's daddy was visiting. He's gone now with the camera, so I can't take more pics.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Jasanna--I saw the pics. Very nice! Thanks for sharing. Haeven looks a lot like you.









I made a vow with myself (hope I stick to it) that I come online less. Our "big" computer is downstairs in the family room, but we spend most of our time during the day upstairs. I have a laptop with a wireless card, so it's just way too easy to sneak a minute here and there and come online. It's mostly just a waste of time, too. If I just stick to naptime for a while and in the evening for a while, I'll be fine. Wish me luck.







:

I've also decided to try not to turn on the tv during the day. Owen's only 16 months old. It's not really like he watches it, but it's background noise, kwim? I'm tired of it--even if it is PBS, it's stuff we don't need. We listen to a lot of cds, but I'm getting bored of the same ones--gotta get more I guess.

I just came in from mowing the lawn. Just the back. It's nice and shady underneath the deck (we have a walkout basement so we use the area under the deck) and the grass was growing really fast. It looks nice and makes up for the walking we haven't done since Monday...well, sort of. :LOL


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by *Mamajaza*_
*I think I may have got it..... http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/...3685&members=1*

oh my gosh! she is just so pretty (as are you mama!). and you look so much alike. thanks for posting. so fun to have a face with your name!

and...I'm too trying to get offline more often. I feel too plugged in KWIM?


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Quote:

_Originally posted by *Mamajaza*_
*I can't post any other pictures, because I just had a digital camera while DD's daddy was visiting. He's gone now with the camera, so I can't take more pics.*
Aw shucks







. I have a feeling that you have a way with beauty, YK, an affinity for the 'visual' and I'll bet your quilts are just gorgeous. I did finally manage to view your pics. Lovely. You and your dd both. And I agree, she looks alot like her momma.


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## smaug (Feb 22, 2002)

casina- speaking of a cone for ruby, i almost ordered a female stand up pee tool from a camping catalog. it was like a plastic funnel with a little curve to it. so chics can pee standing up outside! when i was pregnant a few months ago (befoe i miscarried) i really felt 3 kids would do me in. i was just getting the groove of 2 boys, and then bam! another was coming. after a week of knowing it was going to happen, ready or not, i got real excited about another ragamuffin. then the miscarriage happened. i still feel that 3 must be so different from 2. specifically, how much you can get done alone. how did it change when you had ruby? and the same question to other mamas of 3 (or more) especially going from 2 to 3???


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

Thanks for looking, everyone!


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

*Mamajaza*
what sweet pictures!!! thanks for sharing.


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Quote:

_Originally posted by smaug_
*i still feel that 3 must be so different from 2. specifically, how much you can get done alone. how did it change when you had ruby? and the same question to other mamas of 3 (or more) especially going from 2 to 3???*
I have one but my mom said that 3 is far more than 2 + another.


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

I only have two, but I did watch a group of sisters before I had my girls. Sometimes I would have 2 sometimes all 3. They were 2, 4, & 6 years old. Three was very challenging to to me. I thought just having 2 of them was much easier. It just changed the whole dynamic. It seemed like there was a lot more fighting and disagreement when there was 3.

*mamajaza*--Haeven is such a cutie!

People always say my oldest looks like me too and I am always told I look like my mom. It must be something with first born girls!


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

*solsticemama*
what did you read about soy? i looked thru Mothering again but didn't see any soy articles....


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Thanks for all the well wishes, everyone. DH and I went out to the river for some quiet time, then out to dinner. We were home by 7:30, and my brother and sister in-law were YELLING at us that we needed to stay out longer. It was nice to get out and enjoy some peace and wuiet, but we ran out of places to go and we didn't want to drive around all night just to stay gone, YK?

Love the pics, Jasanna. I love you DD's little slippers- SOOOO cute!

Gotta run, the little man is screamin for the boob... AGAIN...


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Oh, and I wanted to post my e-mail up here, im case any of you wanted to keep in touch while MDC's boards are down this weekend. It should only be for a few days, and I know many of you are trying to spend less time at the computer, but you can have it anyway









[email protected]


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

What?! The mothering boards will be down for the weekend!!! What will I do? I'm going to have to get my fix somewhere else, I guess. You'll see me back here as soon as I wake up on monday for sure....


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

I thought going to three was far easier than going from one to two and I htink having three is easier than two. They just all work so well together. Someone always has someone to play with. On the other hand Ava is the easiest baby in the world. Even with her new exciting naughty streak :LOL Also I am such a better mother now than I was with #1 ( besides have practiced on two before I have been at this for 7 years already, much older and smarter in general) which just makes things easier.


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

i understand my place much more now with three. i am the mamma, i cannot really take sides and cannot attend every little need. it is generally an easier transition to three, though personalities, gender, and spacing have an impact. my younger two were definitely not planned and are now such blessings. though when i can get a minute alone with any one of them, they are such wonderful and personable creatures. when you have more than one child you are also parenting the dynamic between them and yourselves which on a bad day for me can be a monster bigger than any of us. i felt saved by learning to use the sling with clay whether it be for nursing and washing the dishes or going to the bathroom. it certainly protected him from physical attack for awhile.


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

This new board construction is fun.. all these new things to learn.... like this is the quick reply button... ooooooo.....


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## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

My eyes need to get used to the bright colors of the message board. LOL! DH and I plus Christopher went to an Indian Festival. Christopher enjoyed the Mango Lassi and the dancing. DH and I were watching his co-worker's daughter dance with her group. She is 5 and did a great job.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

I'm digging the new format of the boards, but it's going to take some time to get used to! I'm SOOOO glad it wasn't down for too long--I was panicking this morning because I forgot all about it and didn't "prepare".

Last time the boards were down (in Jan. for a week or so, wasn't it?) I went and joined Amity's. :LOL


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## aishy (Dec 13, 2001)

I just found this thread! My youngest son was born 12/20/02. His name is Lochlan and he is tons of fun







I also have a 3 year old & 5 year old (both boys).

As for having three kids. Sometimes I find it harder than just two, like when we go somewhere and I have to figure out how to hang on to all of them at the same time while crossing streets or in a parking lot or just a crowded place (and that is how we decided the maya wrap has a long tail for a good reason - the oldest can hold the tail!) And it can be easier too, like when it is naptime and the older two can keep one another occupied for just a little while in their room so I can nurse the baby down. It helps that my oldest can read easy readers (SUPER easy readers, like the Bob books) now too







He has read to his brothers while I make supper/wash dishes/get ready to go out/whatever!

The good things totally outweigh the difficult things though. I love having three. And watching their personalities develop is amazing. They are each their own little person, and that is just sooo cool! Even with their similarities (everyone looks like daddy).

Okay. Nuff. I'm gonna post this now









Aisling


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

does anyone else find the new format a little strange?







:


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## punkprincessmama (Jan 2, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eilonwy*
does anyone else find the new format a little strange?







:

Yes!!

I guess I'm a little out of it these days. i didn't know they were closing the boards this past weekend until it was too late.

Welcome Aishy!!


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Yeah, this new format is a little weird, I think...

I spent the weekend browsing susunweed.com, and hip forums. I'm going to change my name to DecemberSun here soon- I want all my user names to be the same at all the boards I post on. Someplaces I'm WildMtnHoney, others I'm MountainMama, KidsAtHeart, or DecemberSun. Too Confusing!!! So, don't kick me out if I come back with a new name, LOL...

We went to the lake again this Sat. and both babes slept on the boat for about an hour!!! Yay! They were so much nicer to be around after they had a little snooze. Everyone oohs and aahs about how cute they are, hee hee.

Zach woke up two mornings in a row saying "Nanna? Nanna?", then when we go into Julianna's room and he sees her he gets all excited.







It's so cool how much he loves her!


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

hola everyone.
i think the new format is...well up in the air. one thing i like about it is the ability to set how often you want to be notified there is a response to one of your messages.

i just read the raising your spirited child book. I found (a). I am a very spirited person and (b). my daughter is too. We have many of the same traits. No wonder we butt heads so often and no wonder when I get all wound up she does too (vice versa as well). Anyhow I found it a useful reference both in managing MY reactions and for helping her learn to cope with this big crazy world.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kerc*
one thing i like about it is the ability to set how often you want to be notified there is a response to one of your messages.

K...how d'ya do that?


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

hey ladies. yikes, i'm not as great as others dealing with change. especially when it is something i consider a comfort zone like looking over here. i'm sure i'll get used to it.

my home is populated with fitness balls. they are ten dollars at marshalls and most of them come with a pump you can use on balloons. balloons are my favorite diaper bag toy, stickers running second. i've actually been sitting down more with these balls, since it is hard to share my lap, and they have a gentle movement ruby can tolerate asleep.

it's allergy insanity over here. the ligustrums/privets are in bloom and most of the population is suffering. it is so silly that people have done these sumb wicked things to ourselves.


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Well I'm not keen on the new look for the forum but that's irrelevant. I'm just gonna give a little internal nod to my discomfort with it and carry on. Sooo...last week's quick foray into no nightnursing turned out to be a blip on the mothering road. We're back to the all-night-suction-cup-nursing-and-must-be-on-mama-at-all-times waltz. Oh what a dance it is









On Saturday we discovered a creek. It was such fun wading with ds, the pebbles were shining with water, the water was freezing, the smell of mud in the air, the trees stretching round us, the sun filtering thru the leaves, and that wonderful sound and feeling of children and outdoors and natural water... Today I bought him some little wading shoes to wear so we're gonna go back and try it out again.

Mona the "soy" article is in the latest May/June issue of Mothering. Check out the good eating forum, there's a whole thread on it.

Ok mamas


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

This new board makes me feel all disoriented. Is there still a "since your last visit" button. Ipoushed new threads but only a few threads came up.









Other disturbing things this weekend - there was a drive by shooting 2 blocks from my house. 2 blocks! my oldest can ride (uh, well, could, no longer) her bike down to the corner putting her 1/2 - 1 block away from the shooting. That is close enough to catch a bullet. My friend and relestate guy both told us torun from thie neighborhood, but dang it is pretty in the summer. and our house, despite being on a corner seems so secluded by all the trees. we quickly found out what a false assumption that was. ahhh, we knew the neighborhood was going to pot but it usually stays off our block. guess not.

Back to having three. I think one of the reasons I find three easier is that it forced me to cange my roll. suddenely I had all these things to coordinate, I had to be organized enough to get us in and out of the store (no small thing with three) , had to organize nap time and bed time for everyone. there was no flying by the seat of my pants. It was now a job. something that had to be done in a systemic oirganized fasion if every9ones needs were to be met. I only wish I could have figured this out with 1 child. things would have gone much smoother.


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## punkprincessmama (Jan 2, 2004)

Oh my gosh Lilyka!! That IS scary. I know because we had a drive by shooting in the apartment complex we just moved from. It was just one building over so I know your fears exactly. I can't find the hug icon so I will give you this







and I know no one here will be opposed!


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

lilyka-- drive by shootings







For some reason I don't think of South Dakota as having those problems.

DecemberSun-- Thanks for mentioning the Susun Weed forum! I just signed myself up, I am purpleherbalista over there. I completed a 9 month herbology course a few years ago, but since having the girls haven't done much studying. I am so excited to have a forum to discuss plants!

Also, we have entered the CD world! I bought a bunch of diapers off the TP forum and my first 2 came today. I was showing the girls and Revina says "oh wow, those are pretty diapers!" :LOL

You know what bugs my the most about this new forum... the smilies are all out of order! I have to look and look for what I want.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Ahhh, you would be surprised







Sioux Falls is a pretty big city (not like huge but big enough to have the haves and have nots and no where bigger to funnle the trouble to) and South dakota as a whole has some of the most poverty stricken coiunties in the US. I belive Shannon county is #1. we also have the largest percentage of working moms, kids in a daycare and highest SIDS rate in the nation. Tada! Welcome to south dakota







Also I should mention I do live in the hood. It is hit and miss. one street wil be good and the other will not. And believe it or not the very bad neighborhood and the bad neighbor hood are seperated by train tracks, so litterly you have "that block is on the wrong side of the tracks you don't want to live there. Most violence in our neighborhood happens on the tracks or across it but occaisionally it drifts over to our side. Like I sadi. we gotta move.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

So Eli's decided that ready or not, he's going to get himself out of diapers. Yesterday I went to teach Sunday School and Eli stayed home with daddy... and peed on the potty three times! The first time Mike put him on, but the second & third times he took off his diaper and went by himself with a gentle reminder. The fourth time, he took off the diaper and pooped on the floor. :LOL Even so, Mike could see Eli's dedication to potty learning, so he has agreed to do it with him in the evenings when he's home. Soon, we'll have a new problem.. how to find underpants for a boy with no tushie!!! :LOL Seriously.. my son has no hips at all. He kind of caves in where his hips should be. Like Hank Hill only small, and cute. :LOL I posted to ask if anyone knew of teeny tiny underpants, thinking that there'd be some EC'ers who'd know for sure, but apparently even the skinniest ones can wear a 2T.. Eli definately can't.







There's just no







, iykwim. :LOL


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Oh and they have arrested the guys who did the shooting and don't think it was gang related (which they tend to go to more quickly than they need to because having gang problems gets us special funding . . . .) and they don't think it was random and it did hit the guy who it was aimed at not some innocent bystander. All of which are good things for the people in the neighborhood.. Doesn't help the guy who got shot, but you lay down with dogs. . . .


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

eilonwy - check target or Kohls. They often have boxers in infant sizes. 12 months and up. Also you may want to try girls 2T undies. they are tiny. Seriously tiny. And the gerber training pants fit tight. My children both wore 3T/4T even though they wore a 24M/2T when they astarted wearing them. Hope you find something. Are you opposed to pull ups? I know they make those pretty small. and they would give him some padding to keep his pants up :LOL


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lilyka*
eilonwy - check target or Kohls. They often have boxers in infant sizes. 12 months and up. Also you may want to try girls 2T undies. they are tiny. Seriously tiny. And the gerber training pants fit tight. My children both wore 3T/4T even though they wore a 24M/2T when they astarted wearing them. Hope you find something. Are you opposed to pull ups? I know they make those pretty small. and they would give him some padding to keep his pants up :LOL

I didn't know that the girls were smaller than the boys, but that was what I tried on him (an old pair of his cousin's-- he didn't mind the flowers. :LOL) I'll have to look for the infant sized boxers, though, I've never seen them.







The gerber training pants are too big even in the 2T, and the smallest pull-up (which is actually a pampers easy-up) says it's a 1T-2T but is so big in the legs that it's barely useful. (To say nothing of the fact that we a)can't afford them and b)I'm morally opposed to disposeable training pants. :LOL) Plus, wearing a disposeable anything none of his pants stay up-- the only reason he wears 12 month size shorts is the giant cloth diaper. :LOL







: In a disposeable diaper, Eli needs 3-6 or 6-9 month shorts. His body is longer than that, and his legs, so the size he actually needs is an 18 month super-slim... but they haven't made those in 30+ years.







He's just a miniman!







:


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

hey...on the panties issue (is it still panties for boys? probably not. sounds too girly!). Do you sew? I have the kwik sew pattern for toddlers panties (umm, girls that is). Ijust cut out the 1T pattern pieces to try a swim suit for my dd and they look kinda tiny. As in would probably qualify for 18 month super slim. And what about the mother of eden (or similar) training pants like naturalbabies.com sells? Do they come that small?

lilyka - yowzers.

I think I missed a lot of posts cause ya'll were very talkative today and I can't figure out how to get it to recognize me without logging in each post. urgh.

on setting the email thing....when you are replying scroll down to the additional options. there are actually two different places where you can tell it to submit your reply. right above the bottom one.


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

welcome aisling. sounds like we have the same age kids. and you've got three boys. whew. my boys keep me running.

solsticemama, i'm glad you sound okay with the nightweaning/notnightweaning.

it is called "underwear" for boys. which neither of my boys
care for.....
eilonwy do you want something absorbent or not? waterproof or not?


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Holy cow he is tiny. Have you considered having someone make some. My MIL swears undies are a snap but I couldn't tell ya :LOL perhaps with an adjustable waist band









and there is always comando









Oh! Maybe look in the newborn section and find some diaper sets. They come with a little dioaper cover and tank top usually. The diaper covers are usually just a cotton knit (carters makes them) and look quite like undies. Those might be an option if they were high enough in the rise.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

I'm not sure.. I think I want something semi-absorbant; that is, if he starts to pee in his underwear, I want to know about it but I don't want him to drown himself, kwim? :LOL I don't think we'll ever need waterproof ones. We take long car trips all the time, and I can just put diapers on him for those. It's not like he's going to outgrow them any time soon! He's a petite fella, that's for sure! :LOL

The whole commando thing scares me.. first of all, I can't tell when Eli's going to pee if he's naked; if he's wearing something, he'll try to take it off before going and I'll know to get him to the potty, but if he's naked he'll just pee/poop where he is. Secondly, I worry about chaffing and third, my brother had a bad experience as a child.. I don't want my son's bits getting caught on anything!







:

This morning, Eli woke me up to inform me "I go potty now." He took off his diaper and I said "Quick, come to the potty!" He ran after me, I showed him the potty and he sat down & peed!







He's getting out of diapers, whether I'm ready or not! :LOL


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Gosh eilonwy that's quite something to have such wee one out of dipes. He sounds pretty aware of his body. Luckily for you you don't have a cloth diaper addiction :LOL Altho with the new one coming that wouldn't be a problem. I just noticed in your sig line the 'it's a girl' Blessings.

For all our pregnant mamas have you chosen names yet?

We had a great time at the creek yesterday. It was sooo hot but nice and cool by the water. It's a pretty crunchy place. I saw a nursing toddler, a baby wearing bumkins and a mama using a sling. In fact I saw 2 mamas wearing slings yesterday. I felt quite at home there. Ds had a great time. Thankfully I thought to bring a change of clothes 'cause he promptly sat down in the water and spent the better part of an hour simply playing with the pebbles, giving them to me, tossing them in the water, splashing. It was great fun.

It's so fascinating hearing him ask the names of things and then repeating the word as he is able. I'm so enjoying being able to witness his language unfolding. Makes me realize how physical language actually is, how muscular. The tongue has to learn to move in a certain way, that muscle has to be developped and I can almost feel the newness on his tongue as he is sounding out new words.

Right now his favorite food is 'bewy'. That would be strawberry. And sometimes down is up and down is down but up is never down. And when he bumps himself he scrunches up his little nose and says 'oh...sowee' He's heard me say 'sorry' when I've accidentally bumped him getting him into the car etc. It's sooo sweet.

It's my morning 'off' but we've been up since six and I've done a load of laundry, lots of nursing, diaper changing, and spent alot of time in the garden identifying flower, bird, door, water, sky etc etc. Right now ds and dh are on a walk and I'm about to go and have breakkie but I just wanted to check in with my mamas


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by **solsticemama**
Gosh eilonwy that's quite something to have such wee one out of dipes. He sounds pretty aware of his body. Luckily for you you don't have a cloth diaper addiction :LOL Altho with the new one coming that wouldn't be a problem. I just noticed in your sig line the 'it's a girl' Blessings.

For all our pregnant mamas have you chosen names yet?


Thanks. :LOL Cloth diaper addictions are for people with money, so that's not a problem for me! :LOL







:

We have two names and have decided that we need to lay eyes on NewBean before we choose. We've also talked about a few other names, so nothing is carved in stone yet, as it were.


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

eilonwy, is he circed? there's protection if the foreskin is intact. as for the no underwear issue, and many others, the earlier they are used to it the less likely accidents occur and the easier it is in the long run. knowing some ec might also help you with the seeming randomness of peeing. since he is trying to strip before the event, he seems to know beforehand....i'm still thinking about the underwear design.....

on a side note, i read a facts of life book to the boys the other day called where did i come from.


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## abranger (Dec 15, 2001)

Hi Momma's-

Georgia peed in the potty today! We had a bad night and woke uip pretty late (8:40!) I was changing her diaper and I had to go so I took her naked but into the bathroom and sat her down on the potty while I peed and when I was done I heard her peeing!!!!!

Where has my baby gone?

Amy


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Casina, Eli never had an intact foreskin-- he was born without one. He had a Bris, but there was not much to snip so he had a slightly different ceremony and now he looks the same as when he was born; nothing like most boys at all.









Even so.. can't a foreskin get caught in a zipper the same way as any other bit of skin? Not that he has too many zippered items now (the winter pajamas have been put away) but he will soon enough!

abranger-- I'm asking the same question. What on earth happened to the Littlest Man I brought home from the hospital, and who is this little boy I see in his place? I don't know whether I should laugh or cry.







I'm totally impressed with him, everything he does is so amazing to me, but at the same time I'm trying to figure out what happened to the newborn days. They totally got away from me! One minute, he's just learned to roll over and then you blink and he's running around and asking you to take him to the potty.







I'm afraid sometimes that I'll go to sleep at night and wake up to find him asking me to take him to get his driver's license. :LOL


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Solsticemama- I laughed out loud reading your post about your DS saying "sowee"! I'm feeling the exact same way about my boy and his talking. He tries to repeat everything I say to him, watching my mouth and how it moves. He says a new word again and again until he's satisfied with how it sounds, LOL. It's just amazing. I mean, I know he's 16 months old, and he understands almost all of what I say to him, but it's just plain WEIRD when your little baby starts naming things, and expressing his ideas and thoughts in little words. I'm getting misty eyed just thinking about it.

On another note, I've been having problems with insomnia lately. I've never had this problem before, and I have no idea what's causing it. I had a KILLER migraine yesterday and last night that was seriously making me suicidal and for the life of me I couldn't even sleep it off! I laid awake from 9:30pm until about 1am when I could finally doze until about 3:30. Then I was up again until 4:30, fell lightly back to sleep, and then woke up at 7 to get Crystal ready for school. Any wise women have ideas for me? Right now I feel like a zombie. I know I'm tired, but I just can NOT sleep. I'm off to susunweed.com to see if anyone has any herbal remedies for me that are safe while breastfeeding.


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

yeah, we don't do zippers. i'm about to have to buy as much elastic as i can stand since i go through it so quickly. and there's always those little walmart shorts for 2 or 3 dollars, that maybe you can use for underwear. clay makes me cut out all the tags out of his clothes as well, and the button down shirts are frustrating for them and get set aside for tshirt independence. the foreskin could get caught i suppose but the chafing is not as much an issue.

they are still babies. it is hard to believe and will be even more so when you have a littler one. that's why i need getting out to reed's all ages kung fu and the park, to see the older children and remind me how little mine are. it is humbling to see an eight year old crying over a frustration and being held by a mom.

eilonwy, look into foodstamps. when we got them before ruby was born i couldn't believe we could have qualified all this time. look online for charts, just to give you an idea of if you are in within the guidelines. if you are paying for vehicles or credit cards they will not deduct that however towards the food amount. for a family of three the income needs to be around 1600 and under. don't quote me on that though! i'm not sure if that is earned income or not, since we were on worker's comp when we started. our food amount went up when damen started working part time.


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## Bethkm (Jun 27, 2003)

All this talk about potties is crazy!!! I can't believe it. Tyson's cousin has a potty and he sat on it today (clothed) and was all proud of himself. Maybe I need to buy one just in case...

I'm wondering if any of you have left your kids overnight yet??? Dh and some friends want to go to a baseball game 4 hours away and spend the night in Sept. I would love to go but I just don't know about leaving DS. He still night nurses but will be 22 months by then, I guess I could just make it my goal for him to be night weaned. I think he would do ok otherwise, I would probably pump some milk just in case he'd want it from a cup or whatever. THe ironic thing is, two of the other moms going will have a 5 month old and a 3 month old and one is excited to leave her 5 month old, the other is not sure, more like me. The longest I've ever been gone from DS is 5 hours.

So, have you left overnight? Would you think about taking this trip at 22 months? What about being over 4 hours away?


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

I had a thought about the tiny underwear. Nothing earth shattering but you might want to ask on the EC board. they might have some tips for you. Since many of thier children PT early.


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Leah, I've got a mild headache right now and last week had one that lasted for 3 days. I think mine are hormonally related. I also tend to get one if I haven't drunk enough water. As for the insomnia, oh







s to you mama. Not fun! I find that often before a full moon I may have a bout of sleeplessness for a few nights in a row. YK awake for 3 or more hours at some point in the night. When you described your night and then having to be up and on so early the next day I really felt for you. It's not like we've all got a huge bank of good sleep to begin with so starting the day even more tired than usual is









Bethkm I haven't left ds over night. The longest I think I've been away from him is about 3 hrs and he's been with dh then and I've been only about 20 mins. away. I'm scheduled to attend a birth in July and there's a slight possibility I would have to be 5 hrs. away distance-wise from ds depending on where we are when the mama goes into labor. Well I decided I just don't want to be 5 hrs. away, it's too far YK. So I'm gonna have to work around it.


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## XmasEve (Jun 18, 2002)

About training pants for babies. Dd's been out of diapers since 10 months, and into training pants since 12 months. She wears the 2T size. They are too big by themselves, but pull pants over them, and the combination bulk keeps them up. I don't think anyone NEEDS underwear, but we had a short not-pooping-on-the-potty phase and this way the turds stayed in the panties instead of falling out her pant leg and littering my house... fun. And that's what potty-training at any age is, fun! There are going to be accidents whether they start at 1 year, 2, 3 or anywhere in between. So don't expect it to be a neat and tidy experience... I can understand wanting kids to be in diapers, some days I would LOVE to put dd in diapers! But I just can't look into her innocent but eagerly learning face and say "sorry sweetie, I'm busy, just use your pants and sit in it."

I haven't been away from dd for even a 2 hour stretch yet. I think we could probably both use the break, but I'm not ready to actually go through with it...


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

how bizarre that w/ all this potty talk, my dd suddenly pulled her little potty off the shelf in the corner and dragged it to the center of the room to play with. we had gotten it for her w/ intentions of ec'ing, but that never happened. i don't know what it means, but thought it was a funny coincidence. :LOL

dd has started to screeetch loudly the last couple days if something doesn't go her way. she looks like she is in pain. it is a frightful sight. it usually happens when i don't stop what i'm doing and pay attention to her. i am caught in what to do about it. i want to honor her needs, but don't really like the mode she is telling me- i don't want her to always do this tantrum screetch when she is ready for me to get off the computer, for example. so far i've just told her that i'll be done in a second, finish what i'm doing, and then let her take me by the hand into another area to play or whatever. it seems to work ok so far. i know that she is a bit more needy emotionally right now as she is going through another developmental leap phyiscally. she is climbing more and going outside her comfort zone in some areas, whcih means she is emotionally more needy. so lots of breastfeeding, snuggling and holding in between the climbing events.

she is not saying many words yet, but points to things and wants to know what they are, or wants to hear me confirm that they are indeed what she already knows them to be. i can see the wheels turning up in her head, but she has no desire to repeat or say much, that i can understand anyway.
i mean, she is talking a lot more, but i just don't know exactly what she is saying....









in regards to the insomnia-- i heard that magnesium is important for sleep, and calcium ups the body's ability to absorb mag. i take a mag, calcium and zinc combo before i go to bed.

headaches--- ME TOO!!! right behind my eyes! yuch. i hate those. being tired makes them so much worse.









well, i guess i've rambled on long enough.

sleep well mamas!!!!!


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## mum5 (Apr 10, 2004)

Hi there, Mum's.
I am a transplanted Brit by way of Florida, now in living in Rhode Island.
I haven't posted much, but love to lurk, I really enjoy reading everyone's opinions and ways of doing things. So interesting.
What a great web site!

I was glad to see this thread, our dd was born 12/03/02 ,7 lb 3 oz, had a bumpy entry into this world, will eat just about anything you put infront of her, absolutely loves to climb, kiss her mum, dad and kitty, and her Elmo!! She hates to brush her teeth ,we haven't succeded an attempted brush yet!

Aren't they just so great at this age







We just can't stop kissing her!
Love to you all


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

decembersun, i'm having the same problem for me it is allergy related. and the changes of spring. i feel much better at night so i keep staying up.....

beth, it can be done and it will help you if you trust the person you are leaving your baby with and he is comfortable with the caregiver. i would play it by ear. my little experience with leaving little ones is that they tend not to wake as much if i'm not there. it is something i have been musing about since me and dh want to start a band. generally attached babies cope well in unusual circumstances. it is really about you as all parenting decisions are about. it is a balance of how much fun you can have when you leave the baby. if you are going to be worried the whole time and delirious and short-tempered because your breasts are full then and come back and hear that he cried, you will be hard on yourself and regret leaving. if you really want to go, knowing that it will feel a little weird but that you will feel refreshed and knowing your little one has had you 400 nights versus one, then it will be fine and well worth it.

i had fallen into a bad pattern with my kids where i did not want to wake up for the past week. i already wake up sour, and for the first time in five years they are okay awake without my supervision since reed will tolerate having ruby's company as an alternate to having mine. he can't stand to be alone. so i had acquired a habit of not popping out of bed, especially with morning nursing. the other morning reed was stomping so hard the house is shaking, clay kicking me in the head and ruby smearing strawberries on me and the bed, me yelling hiding under the pillow, even more convinced i should not get out of bed. i realized later that day that i needed to act like the adult and get out of bed as soon as reed does no matter what. my behavior seems ridiculous now. and no, most kids are not as wild and crazy as mine.


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

ella-makes-3

casina-- I just hate the days I wake up grumpy. It seems like the whole day is just ruined, mainly b/c I don't try hard enough to get my head together. And it reflects in the girls, b/c they are grumpy with each other. Which spirals into the everyone is grumpy and mean show. I had the same realization last weekend that I have to suck it up, be the adult and get over my mood! Easier said then done sometimes.

*solsticemama*-- your days at the creek sound wonderful. Both of my little water signs adore the water. It would be lovely to live near fresh running water.

Decembersun-- did you get any help at susunweed.com? While in school we learned that feverfew is good for migraines. However, I have never had one (knock on wood!), so I can't speak from experience. IMO, the majority of herbs are safe while nursing as long as your not drinking a bottle of tincture a day!

Is anyone into astrology? I know just a little, but would like to find out more about my little Scorpio! Some of you have Sagitarius babes and maybe some Capricorns?


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

i have no personal experience with migraines but my friends tell me that oxygen affects them. perhaps pay attention to your breathing and look into liquid oxygen?


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Casina - there must be something in the air. I was exactly there a couple of weeks ago. Forunately I had a homeschool camp for the last two weeks (I was teaching and offered to take my friends kids) so I drug my tired butt out of bed at 7:30 every morning. I htink i will continue to do that now that I am in the habit. I am actually looking forward to tomarrow because 2 of them are sick and I can quick run the big kids to class come home and have cleaning time while my vegatable babies are vegging in front of the TV (we have a no holds barred video and PBS fest when anyone has a fever over 103*. That is just the rule.)

Someone reassure me. If your baby has a high fever but otherwise feels pretty OK there is no reason to do anything about it right (except for a favorite blankie and extra kisses of course.) Madeline used ot get fevers up to 105* and it never bothered me. And that was on a pretty regular basis. But gees I just took my sweet baby to bed and she was on fire. I should take her temp. She was by far the hottest child I have ever felt. Also what should I watch for with dehydration again? (it has been a long time since anyone has really been sick) My other kids can throw up for days without a hint of dehydration. Ava has had a fever for a little over 24 hours and I don't recalk any really wet diapers and no poops. That concerns me a little. Should I be freaking? should I just watch. why have i turned into a parenting freak with this one!!!


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

Hey Lilyka, I heard that the CURE for fevers is COD LIVER OIL. You can mix it with some sweet drink, like O.J. But I swear that my daughter's fever went away in a couple of hours after I gave her some CLO in some O.J. Apparently, it has something to do with Vitamen A. If your kids get fevers quite often, maybe try to up their Vit. A intake.







CLO is very high in Vit. A, but I assume you could find another souce if they won't take the CLO.

HTH~~


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

i'm a high fever person myself, so i tend to not get too excited but everyone else does. the only time i got taken to a hospital was when it was 108. actually the reason i started to believe in fevers was when i had mastitis three times in a row after reed was born, two rounds of different antibiotics, and told to go to the hospital the third time just to check. when i checked in i had a 105, and by the time they finished with me i had a new scrip but the fever had broken, and the mastitis never came back.

sorry i'm digressing. it doesn't sound too serious from over here. for dehydration i look at the deflation of the balls on boys. you wouldn't need to worry about dehydration without diahrrhea and vomiting. worry stuff for me is the same as emergency room vital signs. superfast breathing, can't sleep at all, no laughing or playing all day, wrong color of skin, more than 105 fever. try a room temp water wrung washcloth on the skin and flip as necessary. and call somebody if you get worried anyway. i'll send some healthy vibes over.


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

lilyka- i understand how you feel about fevers. on the one hand they are natural, but when your babe is burning hot it is hard not to have some alarm. when dd had roseolla a few weeks ago, she got such a high fever in a short amount of time that i was pretty freaked out. but i just let nature run her course. let us know how it works out....

both dd and i are capricorns. egad. poor child. i had so wanted an aquarius, but oh well. capricorns are great in some areas, but a bit too grounded, stubborn and anal IMO. of course, it really depends on the rest of the chart, that was just a huge generalization. :LOL


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## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

I have heard that if your child has a high fever and is lethargic then you should worry. DS gets a high fever every now and then and he will be running around the house.


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## punkprincessmama (Jan 2, 2004)

lilyka, I'm sorry your little one isn't feeling well. I believe flax seed oil also has a lot of vitamin A. We mix a teaspoon full with a bit of yogurt or kefir for Mariah every day. We had a scare concerning dehydration back in October, but it was due to vomiting and diarrhea. You want to keep track of wet and poopy diapers, also do a skin press test. Press down on Ava's arm with one of your fingers and notice how quickly the color returns. Slow color return would indicate possible dehydration. Is she still nursing?

Can someone please tell me how to remove ink from painted surfaces? My little one went to town with an ink pen all over our front door and a window sill. TIA


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

She nurses once a day. I have a killer case of thrush for months now that I have given up on. i can bear it once or twice a day but that it is. Often she doesn't ask for the second nursing usually. The first however is a no skip deal :LOL I havemade sure that she is never more than an arms reach away from a sippy cup with water.

Ink frm surfaces: If it is semi gloss or higher you can use a 100% cotton ball or pad and 90% or high ispropanal (sp?) alcohol and rub rub rub. Shouldn't take much paint off. Another option is magic eraser. rinse after erasing with a clean soft cloth. they don't mention this on the box but it does leave, and often filthy, film. So just rub and rinse. That easy. so far we have encountered nothing that it won't get off. Including stuff that has been on for months. I could kiss the people who invented this.


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## punkprincessmama (Jan 2, 2004)

lilyka thank you so much for the info on removing ink.


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## Bethkm (Jun 27, 2003)

Good news! My friend decided she didn't want to leave her 3 month old overnight so that made it easier for me to decide that too! It's just nice not to be the one saying no for once. I'm NOT ready to leave DS and not ready to nightwean him either.

Lilyka, I'm sorry your dd is not feeling good, it sucks to have sick kids, especially when the weather is finally getting nice (at least it is here!). I've heard the same thing about fevers...to watch the kid instead of the numbers, if they are having periods where they seem like thier normal selves and playing and taking fluids, just keep watching, if the fever seems to be getting the best of them, it's time to be concerned.


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

Mona--I agree with your Capricorn generalizations, anal and stubborn!LOL Both my dad and sister are Caps! We take each other in small doses. I am sure they have a problem with my airy Libra ways as well!
You are right though, a lot does depend on the rest of the chart. You can't tell everything by the sun sign.

Astrology is intriguing to me which is why I asked if anyone else was into it. One of my links in my sig. is to a great astrology site, IMO!


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *XmasEve*
this way the turds stayed in the panties instead of falling out her pant leg and littering my house... fun.


:LOL :LOL :LOL

Thank you for making me laugh, I needed it!


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ella-makes-3*
our dd was born 12/03/02 ,7 lb 3 oz, had a bumpy entry into this world,

Mine too, mine too! My son was born Tuesday, Decmeber 3 at 10:30 pm MST, weighing 7 lbs., 3.7 ozs...

~Cool!~


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

lilmiss'mama- i liked the site on your sig line.








i like this guy's readings. i've been reading his stuff for years.
http://www.freewillastrology.com/horoscopes/


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

OK, thanks a lot for all the info re: migraines. I already take Calcium and Magnesium (recommended my a neurologist) as a preventative measure. I'd heard of Feverfew- gonna go out and get some. Never heard of using O2, but Crystal is on oxygen, and we have two tanks here, so next time I get a migraine I'll just hooke up to some air LOL! Sounds like it may help, so I'll try it!

Baby cryin'...


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## XmasEve (Jun 18, 2002)

Removing ink: rubbing alcohol.

High fevers: I freak out. I'm so sorry Ava's feeling this way. I'm a pretty hands-off person, dd hasn't been to a doctor in gosh, over half her life. She oftens runs small fevers, but had a horrible one at 11 months when she got the flu. I freaked and gave her baby tylenol or something. It made her SO SICK. So when we had the repeat experience a month later, I just tried to keep her a comfortable temperature on the outside, nurse like crazy, snuggle her to sleep, followed her lead, and we had a MUCH more peaceful experience. My only tiddly-bit of advice is to keep your cool. The worry in your head, is it your momma voice? Or all the fears foisted on you from society's medical norm?

Dd was supposed to be a Sagitarius, but due to my concerns about my medical care, I held on to her extra long and she ended up a Capricorn. We had been psyched about the third fire sign tho, as I'm Aries and dh is Leo. And dd is true Capricorn, funny. It's already pretty scary how she butts heads with dh and I because of it. Dh wants our next one to be an Aries so I'll "have someone else to be childish with."

I never knew you could see signs of dehydration in a boy's scrotum. What an adventure it will be if I ever have a boy! I was thinking today how incredible it is that of all the different people in existence, I gave birth to this individual.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *hjohnson*
I have heard that if your child has a high fever and is lethargic then you should worry.

When Owen had coxsackie virus a couple of weeks ago, he ran a 101 fever for about 36 hours--ran around, played fine, ate, nursed, etc. Then he spiked to 103 and was very lethargic; not himself at all. That's when I decided to take him in (didn't know what he had till I took him in). I also did give him the tylenol. What a decision that was to make--I was in tears because it seemed to be going against everything I had thought previously. But I did know he needed some relief and some sleep. It worked out fine--he bounced back very quickly.


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

My DD is a sagittarius. I am a Virgo. She has absolutely no earth signs in her chart, purely air, fire and water. I guess I am her grounding.

It's kind of "funny" that I have a sag. because when I was younger I read this book that said sag. and gemini don't get along with virgo, so I thought I would make sure not to have a sag or gemini! HA! My little monkey had other plans. And not only that, her father is a gemini with no earth signs in his chart, and my mom is a gemini too. *sigh*

BUT, this new little one will be a cancerian, and I really get along well with them, so that's good. Earth and water....

I love this astrology talk, as you can tell!~


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

i'm virgo, dh cancer. reed leo, clay capricorn, ruby scorpio. on top of that reed is a tiger and clay is year of dragon: in taiwan once i explained that people were accepting of their intense chemistry. we've got the fireworks over here.


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## mum5 (Apr 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *DecemberSun*
Mine too, mine too! My son was born Tuesday, Decmeber 3 at 10:30 pm MST, weighing 7 lbs., 3.7 ozs...

~Cool!~

DecemberSun, Way Cool!!! Ella was born 7.17 pm EST, so we are nearly on target. How many hours difference are you from me?
Would love to hear your birth story and see how similar they are or not.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

It isn't my mama voice or the medical community. It is that loss of innocence. that having been a mama long enough to see all the horrible things that are out there that I was too nieve to believe could ever happen to us or to babies in general. Also I know now how many times I really have blown off somehting serious and gone in for stupid stuff. We don't have insurance either whichi s usually when I blow off stuff. After all you don't want to expose a bunch of already sick kids to your sick kids, waste an hour (or two if you need an x-ray) of your time, spend a $100-$200 doing it only to hear "Virus, rest and fluids. call me if you need anything. You have a wonderful baby, it was nice to see you again" knew it was a virus, knew she needed rest and fluids, knew she was wonderful, & would rather see you when you were spending money in our store . . . why did I come in again? :LOL But then that little nagging cough Madeline had and her little fever turned out to be pnumonia caught just in the nick of time. It is such a judgment call. The thing I am most worried about with Ava is her general lack of pee. Finally I decided I had suceeded in finding the right wash routien to make my diapers super absorbant and just turned her lose naked. She peed a little but not floods like usual. No other signs of dehydration though.

I am not catagorically opposed to Tylynol or any OTC that will make us feel better. I think herbs are great but gimme some nyquil already. The thing i do have a prblem with is reducing a fever just fo the sake of reducing a fever. Madeline always gets high fevers (an exampl e of the above is that it genuinely never occured to me that 104 was a high fever because I didn't know what other kids gt and that is what Madeline always got and was just fine through them.) and passes out for a few days and then wakes all refreshed and healthy. Lily on the other hand hit 99* and you would think she was dying. moaning and writing and being a wee bit over dramatic. She can have some tylenol any time she wants it. she is simply unbareable when she is sick. Ironically she won't touch the stuff. She had to take motrin when she was a few months old due to a broken bone and would rather suffer with the pain. and she was baring weight on this bone (the broken bone was related toher obsession with crawling - a new skill at 4 1/2 months and as soon as she figured out how to work around the brace she was at it again. - little freak!)


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## punkprincessmama (Jan 2, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *XmasEve*
I was thinking today how incredible it is that of all the different people in existence, I gave birth to this individual.


I think about this too. It's amazing isn't it?

I love my family







I still find it amazing that dh and I created this whole other person. This perfect little person.









Yes, I'm feeling mushy tonight. Yesterday was a difficult day and today was so much better. We still had fits and rages and usual toddler stuff, but mama was able to stay calm and so it was a better day. I am trying so hard to focus on staying calm and uninvolved in her tantrums, and to really celebrate in my heart all the sweet moments. So far we are both happier, so I guess I'm doing something right









Kerc, I've been meaning to ask you how your tv free week went.

Xmas Eve and lilyka thanks for the tips on removing ink. I was planning on doing that tonight after little one went to bed, but here I am instead. And I still have to find myself something for supper...

DecemberSun have you found any relief for your insomnia?

Pregnant mommies, how y'all feeling?

On a slightly funny note, we met a neighbor today who watches her granddaughter during the day. The little girl is three months younger than Mariah. They were out taking a walk and Mariah and I just happened to be outside, so the girls were playing. It was one of those days where I was totally slumming, no bra, no make up, etc. I have a busted lip from a tantrum gone wrong last night, but whats funny is that Mariah has a small split in her lip as well from what, I'm not even sure. The only thing I can think of is maybe she bit her lip during her tantrum this morning? Anyway, so this is the first time we really talked with this neighbor and we both have split lips..... When i told dh about it later he said, well I guess I'll have to stop beating y'all! :LOL

Okay, I'm off to find something that will pass for supper.









ETA : There is a thread in the FYT section for SAHM asking if we would like our own forum. Please go vote!

Also, i keep forgetting to add that I am an Aries, My dh, my mom, my very best friend and my dd are all Sagitarius. We get along soooo well, its kinda eerie. I honestly think that we have known eachother in past lives. I would love love love to get our charts done. But I know nothing about how to do that. Okay, now Im really going to get off of mdc and go eat!!!! For real this time.


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

Mona-- Thanks for the site. I have read some of his horoscopes in the free weekly paper either here or in Tucson. I enjoy his stuff as well.
I am a libra, revina a cancer (but on the cusp of leo), and scarlett a scorpio. When we move back to Tucson I would like to have an astrologer I know read the girls' chart. I think it would be interesting to see what areas they will but heads in and, hopefully, where they will get along.


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

i'm about where you are on the meds, lilyka, though my family has different reactions. my kids will never quit activity and just be pissy all day so i have come to love advil/motrin when i need it. and the anti-nausea compound for behind the ear has really kept me from madness at times. better for reed to feel sleepy than be screaming about being thirsty and gulping gobs of water that come back up. and emergency room visits here seem to run about five hours of wait. when my dh hurt his back (ruptured disc) i had to take the kids home because he was seen at four in the morning at about 8 hours of wait in intense pain.

ruby is unbelievable. she can do so many things my boys can't and don't do or didn't do at this age. i dunno anything about having similar children! yesterday she started somersaulting over a fitness ball. today she determinedly gave out and separated navel orange sections to everyone. she was getting mad that i wouldn't let her peel it (i just wasn't in the mood for super smashed orange) yesterday she had to get out a bean salad and a fruit salad, spoon them into bowls, and have forks in them and made me eat them and watched to make sure i ate all of it. maybe it's the asian woman in her. and everyone is so in love with her. the other day i joked without thinking that ruby "charms the pants off of everyone", and dh got alarmed. she already has two brothers to fend people off. it is scary though when all ages of people are smitten with her. i go out of my way to say to strangers, "she's just one!".


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## smaug (Feb 22, 2002)

about migraines--
if you don't like otc meds, ( I sometimes take excedrin migraine for mine) and you are really desperate, vomitting can make the migraine stop. I found this out when I was pregnant and had this awful migraine. I was also having nausea and so my stomach was weak. The nausea from the migraine(that I could usually tolerate) made me barf. I felt better immediately. I looked up migraines in my encyclopedia of natural healing, and it mentioned vomitting as a remedy. Not that I could ever recommend forcing oneself to vomit. But if the nausea is there, you can give in to it. I think it might have something to do with the blood vessel being opened during barfing? Also, my sister always tells me tho have some caffeine for a migraine. It is in the excedrin, which does help me, but I also think that could cause a bad cycle. Since caffeine also can cause migraines!







:

I don't know much about astrology, but my son is a sag also. All the other sags I know are prone to letting not so good people into their lives. Trusting of people who shouldn't be, ya know? but the sags are also really cool, mellow, and into people. what do you all know about sags? i am aries, dh is aquarius, son 1 is scorpio (my least fave sign) and son 2 is the sag.

casina, what was 2002 the year of? was 2000 year of the dragon? i'm 1975 which is the rabbit ( i think!)


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

tv-free week --->I realized that we just don't watch that much junk tv. I missed the bbc news, but then I realized my life wasn't THAT different when I wasn't watching the tv. so i guess my anxiety that we watch too much is without reason.

umm the last week has been a total nightmare otherwise though. you might remember that dh had a hernia repaired? well i guess he feel pain more than i do. he has new found appreciation of what i went through after a c section. And we had a little conversation about how things might go if i had another (csection that is).

erin is beside herself because she can't sit on her daddy's lap right now. I'm beside myself cause i have no free time and we are just adjusting to life with limited dad access. this morning's 430am wake up call was a little too much for me. luckily i had gotten in bed early last night and was able to keep my cool. we went for an hour long walk before work. I figured i needed the exercise and the big lake (superior that is) seems to calm both myself and my dd down.

gotta get some work done today. limited dissertation work time outside of daycare time these days so I can't linger too long here at MDC.


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *smaug*

what was 2002 the year of? was 2000 year of the dragon? i'm 1975 which is the rabbit ( i think!)

We all have horses. Water horses to be specific. Smaug, I'm also an aries rabbit. Right now we're in the year of the Monkey. Seems like we have alot of aries mamas here. Dh is a cancer horse and ds is a capricorn. The rising sign often is more indicative than the sun sign. I don't know much about astrology other than a very superficial understanding of some of the planets. Mona I have always enjoyed reading Rob Brezsny's stuff, if only for his wonderful use of metaphors and analogies.

Hand reading is often thought to be a more accurate reading than astrology. Twins, for example, will have almost identical charts (and be quite different beings) but each twin will have completely unique finger prints.

Right now ds is with dh eating spinach and 'bewy' for breakkie. We finally found out what 'guck' meant. For the past 3 months ds has been randomly saying 'guck'. Out of the blue he'll say 'guck'? Well the other day the garlic rolled on the floor and he said 'guck' :LOL Dh is a big 'guck' lover so I guess we used the word alot and he just picked up on it.


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## smaug (Feb 22, 2002)

thanks solsticemama! water horse-- that sounds pretty cool! my husband is a cock!!







:







: he hates it when i point that out!! 1969!

kerc, what type of hernia did your dh have? how long is the recovery? hope it isn't too difficult of a recovery. I keep telling dh that HE is getting fixed after our last child is born. He is so freaked out! What is it with guys and pain thresh hold ?


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

Smaug~







: I'm born in the year of the "cock" as well, but I prefer to call it the year of the rooster, or chicken, because I'm not a male...







:

We all have little horses here. They like to hang out together, no wonder we keep writing to each other, when everyone else has stopped at 1 year.


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Thank you, I will try the barfing remedy for my next migraine! Seriously, I usually feel nauseas when I have a migraines, I just never thought to induce vomitting as a remedy. The oxygen didnt help, BTW. Caffeine helps with a little headache, but not with my full-blown migraines. Nothing even touches them.

I'm a Capricorn. Stubborn, bossy, pessimistic... Basically, the only good points we have are that we're honest, loyal, and trustworthy. But things have to be our way because we know everything. My bro is a Sag. and very mellow and go-with-the-flow- Zach is so NOT that way. I thought I'd be safe with DS being a Sag., (I was SO happy he wasn't a Scorpio, sorry Scorps...) but he is at the other end of the spectrum of the sign, I guess... He's wild, angry, and fierce. DH is a Libra, so wishy washy, kind of like the tide going in and out. Some Libras are very "even", like the weights that represent their sign, but not DH. He's either up or down, never in the middle. DDs are Pisces and Cancer, very easygoing, mellow, intuitive, and friendly.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Eli is a Scorpio; he was due in Saggitarius, though. He's a very sensitive, loveyBean, just like his Daddy who is also a Scorpio.. I"m not sure what year on the Chinese Zodiac, though. I am a Libra, year of the Snake. NewBean is due in Cancer, I believe, but I'm not holding my breath! My only hope is to make it past Taurus, because I've never done really well with Tauruses. I was terrified that Eli would be really late, or that my dates were wrong and he'd be a Capricorn, because I knew he was a boy from the beginning and I've never gotten along well with Capricorn men, ever. It's so bad that I can actually tell when someone is a Capricorn before I know them remotely well enough to know their birthday.







They tend to find me interesting, but they can rarely keep up with me so instead they seem to try to hold me back.. but I digress!

My little BeanBean has been using the potty regularly and will even put himself on and pee all by himself. Looks like I've got less time than I thought to find some affordable teeny tiny underpants. :LOL He really needs to grow a tushie! Or some hips, something! :LOL


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

decembersun... nice new name, BTW. Have you tried peppermint essential oil for your headaches? I don't get headaches, but I heard that it can really help.







.... just get a bottle, and *sniff*.... maybe put a few drops in a kleenex.


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

DecemberSun said:


> I'm a Capricorn. Stubborn, bossy, pessimistic... Basically, the only good points we have are that we're honest, loyal, and trustworthy.
> 
> 
> DecemberSun said:
> ...


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

I am curious. Why do some of you dislike Scorpios? The only thing I know is that they like water (which is maybe why Erin likes the lake so much Kerc!), are secretive, and have a lot of sexual energy.

eilonwy-- I am a libra snake too. Were you born in '77? I don't know much about the snake though.

Also, I think I remember reading that up until children are about 7 they are more in touch with their moon sign. Does anyone know about this?
And as far as rising signs go it is my understanding that it is the face you show the world. I had an astrology teacher once who kept thinking I was a cancer (my rising).


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

all the capricorns i've known i've enjoyed their company. living with them however, is another thing for me.

as for the pain, anything dealing with the back or bottom or stomach or chest is hard because it is a central area and it feels difficult to separate where the pain ends. we've been dealing with a monthly cycle while the men are more carefree. i think men and boys can stand pain very well in certain ways like if they know it is finite and have had experience with it. it seems to me they are also better with the outright pain as opposed to the ache and weariness, the stuff that gives us endurance.
i dunno. it took all this time for my dh to decide to quit feeling miserable and fearful. he spent the first year worried that my boys would hurt him worse and the pain made him feel intolerant of our activity. he was taught by the master wallower though. when his mom has a cold she will report to you the amount, consistency, color or mucus and go on and on. don't let these sentences confuse you though. my dh is a really cool guy that is doing great considering his problems, and works now to be active because it is better for him. i guess it was hard because i could not interfere and he had to learn on his own. and my mil is far from being an old woman.


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

lilmiss'mama i think the issue w/ scorpians is their hiddeness. this can mean they are emotionally hidden/disconnected even from those closest to them.
i have a great scorpian friend, and i'd say that is his main issue/weakness.


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

i love scorpios. i love intense spirited people and have great chemistry with them. i would like my household to be calm every now and then though. collectively we wear each other and other people out.


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

I have a friend who is a scoripo also. She is one of the most creative people I know. She dyes her own silk and yarn with various plant dyes, paints, sews, and even started her own business based on something she knew hardly anything about. She amazes me! I would love for Scarlett to have that creative energy as well. But I have heard the same thing about scorpios being emotional hidden.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mona*
lilmiss'mama i think the issue w/ scorpians is their hiddeness. this can mean they are emotionally hidden/disconnected even from those closest to them.
i have a great scorpian friend, and i'd say that is his main issue/weakness.


















My husband is very secretive and emotionally distant. It takes a lot of work for me, because I have to force him to communicate with me. It's all right though... he's working on it! :LOL


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

All this talk about astrology...I'm of two minds about it. On the one hand it is fascinating and perfectly reasonable to look at what planetary influences were occurring at the time of birth altho in some schools it's believed that conception time is far more important. On the other hand it seems a fairly inexact science, most accurate in hindsight. I imagine if one were to study it in depth, attuning to the inner vibration of each planet, for example, that it would yield teachings much more complex than what we see on the bookshelves. Like I said earlier I don't know too much about it. But did y'all know there is a specific breath associated with each planet? And a 'walk'?

Ok I'm gonna be quiet now. My woowoo side is showing


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

I really like scorpios as well. I think it's the Virgo thing. I have an aunt who is a scorpio, and she is very driven and has 3 greenhouses where she sells plants (not just a few, mind you). She's always on from one thing to the next, barely ever taking a break... that's the thing I appreciate in scorpios.

I'm also interested in Vedic astrology, mayan astrology, and chinese astrology. Some people that I know think that vedic astrology is WAY more accurate than western, but I don't know. It's all so interesting, though.


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

solsticemama, i'm liking your woo woo side (though i'm new to the phrase....)


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

:LOL casina! I was thinking the same thing. When solstice mama said "Ok I'm gonna be quiet now. My woowoo side is showing " my first reaction was
BRING IT ON GIRL!!!!!

:LOL :LOL








from one who loves the woo woo


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## abranger (Dec 15, 2001)

does anyone know much about chinese astrology? I know I am a fire horse and someone posted that our kiddos are water horses. does that MEAN anything?

Georgia peed on the potty this week once but since then has no interest. I am not pushing although dh and I were fantizing about the extra 60 bucks a month we could have without a diaper service









This good weather is so nice. We spent 3 hours at the playground yesterday. It was much easier to go to work ing the winter. (I work 3 m-w-f) Now I just feel like I could be outside playing with my fabulous toddler







:

Amy


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

I've tried the Peppermint Oil, too, Mamajaza, but it doesn't work for me. Thank you, though.

It is definitely the secretive tendencies that make some Scorpios difficult. I have notied that female Scorpios seem harder for me to get along with than male Scorpios. In my experience, they walk around on a high horse and think they're too good for everyone else. That's not to say that every Scorpio is that way, but I know that as a Capricorn, we usually don't mix well. Please don't take offense to this Scorps! I love all you mamas here!


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

well, it looks like i will be doing some more p/t work out there in the world.








right now i put in about 30 / mo working for a not for profit as a contract worker. about 25 of this is at home in front of the computer, which i love.








but we are so messed up financially that we don't know what else to do but for me to go back to an old employer and work bw 10-16 additional hours a week there. i just went in today to talk to her, and explore options, and i'll know more next week.

i'm very lucky in that i have a lot of experience, have a good degree (MSW), and know the woman who does the hiring. but i'm mostly heartbroken that i have to do this. it would be different if i choose to go back to work/school/ ect. but having to do it out of desperations SUCKS. i go back and forth bw feeling ok about it, bc i'll be helping my family financially, and being pissed off and ANGRY at my dh, as some of his patterns have led us to this situation, to sad for my dd, who will not understand where her mama is going.









my dd is still so dependent on me- lots of day time nursing, only naping with me (actually, she will nap in the car too under the right circumstances), and just being used to me. and my dh does not parent the way i do sometimes. he isn't as patient, is not as permissive (more controlling), and is not as trusting of the process- i guess he lacks intuition.

on the positive side, dd and dh will get the chance to strengthen their relationship.

well, sorry for the book. i am depressed about this and am trying to be strong w/ my dh about it. i know some of you wonderful mamas have to be apart from their dc every day, so i should quit whining.


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

Mona--I am one of the mama's here that leave my dc's M-F. It was heartbreaking and still is at times when my oldest is saying, "mama, I don't want you to go to work. I want you." So, I can feel for you. At least they have been with my mom, so I know they aren't being neglected. And you have your dh. It is hard to give up control, when you have been in control of the parenting style. My sister (also a Cap!) is going thru the same thing. I think though that it is good for kids to learn that different people to things in different ways. You can be assured that your dh wouldn't do anything to harm your dd, right. So, she will be okay and she will adjust to daddy's routine. (((hugs))) You are a good mama.


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Hugs to you, Lisa. Good luck with this transition. Our family can always use more money also, so I've been thinking of going back to work part time. It would be 24 hours a week, since I work twelve-hour shifts. I know it would cause some anxiety at first, but I think Ds would get used to the "no-boob-access-hours". Kathrynn will, too. And it will make the time you do spend with her that much more speical...


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *abranger*
does anyone know much about chinese astrology? I know I am a fire horse and someone posted that our kiddos are water horses. does that MEAN anything?

Well, I suppose it only means something if you're willing to ascribe meaning to it yourself. At it's most basic level I like to ponder the qualities that a horse possesses and the qualities inherent in water. I'm sure there are tons of things on the web about it but really it's just another lens thru which to view things. I mean you can interpret a person's chart and take it to it's most esoteric level finding out all kinds of intricate things but at the end of the day we are still, each of us, our own question. And what we've all grown and carried as mamas for nine months is essentially a Mystery, a sublime and awe-some Mystery with it's own little hands and feet, it's own beautiful heart already unfolding its secrets into the universe...

Lisa,







s to you, mama. Let us know how things go. Leah, how are the headaches and insomnia? Better?








mamas


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

mona lisa, my heart goes out to you. i have been thinking about your post for the past few days.
i worked part time at different times with my first baby, basically due to pressure from dh. and no month has gone by without some kind of reminder that i could be bringing in income. being money sick is a very precarious thing. and pretty hard to explain to men the entirety of the emotional, physical, spiritual...all encompassing bond you have for your baby. my dh is only understanding it now from having been at home for almost two years, and he was from the start a fairly enlightened fellow.
i have mentioned before that we are on food stamps. that is worth exploring for any of you with money issues. we also have no car payments since that put a big dent in our monthly income. it is helpful to know exactly how much your family needs to live. i am so adamant about staying home that for the first six months dh was home hurt we had around 200 a month to live on for food and supplies, not counting paying more than the minimum to the credit card, and unable to cut off the isp, our only luxury. we also did not use the credit card then. while i heartily do not suggest living on that little (we live on just a little more now that i'm doing side projects and food stamps and now use the credit card for what we consider worthwhile), i am giving an example of how money issues can vary and how it depends on viewpoint on how much is enough. it was only when dh was hurt and me pregnant, and both of us opposed to having our children somewhere else that we learned to live on so little. and now i have found that though the money can be a big deal, much of it is and will always be dh's issue. he is not comfortable with being the sole breadwinner. i promise him that financially it will be better as they get older but i am too militant about staying home for now. of course i would go to work if worker's comp quit on us or such, but i cannot spend my days worrying about that. i can survive by living in the moment.

if it is your issue, the mamma, then weigh your options and follow your heart. if it is somebody else's issue, you can do it or not do it, knowing that you have the power to change your life at all times. sometimes i have learned what i really wanted from doing things i didn't necessarily want to do. anytime i worked dh found it was more upsetting than he liked, since he does not like living with an insane wife.

your post makes me rail again that society has left mamma and babies behind and i will do what i can to change that - starting with me and later with a vengeance for others. we should be able to work with our kids. so i guess we have to find new kinds of work. and get paid just to be the fantastic people we are! i know of more than a few women, some single, that have chosen to work as cocktail waitress or stripper in the late night so that they can be with their babies during the day. i'm still mad at my best friends exhusband who is living off of unemployment while she works (from home and alot of driving, she deals with foreclosure assistance) two jobs so she can homeschool. grr.

okay, i'll work on more pleasant vibes for the next post.


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

thanks for the replies, mamas. And thanks casina for the post. It was helpful on a variety of levels. I always said I would not put dd in the hands of strangers, and i, for the most part, never thought i would leave her w/dh either. we have been beyond poor for a long time, borrowing money every month. but we can't borrow money any more, and if i don't bring in some extra money we won't be able to pay rent.
i have tried to do some contract work- editing/proofreading/research- but it is hard to break through in this field, and so i have had few clients. i also had hoped i could submit my writings for publications for some extra money, but that is equally competitive. lastly, i sell on ebay like crazy, but that is often hit or miss.








we are already not paying our house bills- housemates are covering for us for the time being. crazy thing is we don't qualify for food stamps, but we do get wic so that helps. and we don't have credit cards any more due to the fact that i declared bancruptcy a few months ago. a messy, sticky, complicated financial web of the last 5 years.
anyway, i've committed to working through the summer. hopefully dh's biz will pick up by then.
in the mean time i'm trying to communicate the ways i'd like him to respond to dd, so that the parenting is as consistent as possible. he tends to get defensive when i correct him.







: i gave him a jan hunt book awhile back to read- i don't think he's opened it. more







: he doesn't seem to understand that i've come this far in my parenting through exploring what is out there, and matching it w/ my intuition as far as what feels right. it's taken a lot of hard work and consciousness to go beyond raising dd like i was raised, or how the "traditional" child is raised.
ok, i am babbling now.

anyway, it will certainly be an interesting process. i'm going to try to work in 4 hour shifts so that dd is not away from me for big chunks of time. hopefully that will be the right approach.

shifting gears, dd has been a stair climbing, chair climbing fiend! she loves climbing into the rocker, and being in chairs in general right now. she sits up there with this big grin on her face, loving her new perspective. she is doing great climbing up and down the stairs, and is doing pretty good with the "on your tummy toes first" approach to going down the stairs as well as getting down from the rocker. yesterday she climbed up a step stool.







she gets a bit wigged when she can't get down, but is learning quickly how to maneuver herself onto her front so she can get her toes behind her. she has great hand eye coordination.
still not much discernable words, but lots of Kathrynn talk. she is very invested in what she is saying, whatever it is.







she likes to use "words" that have the letter b in them.









well, that is long enough for a sunday morning. :LOL


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *casina*
mona lisa, my heart goes out to you. i have been thinking about your post for the past few days.

See, that's what I like about our little group. One mama who's having a rough time shares what's going on and then gets all these sympathetic and wise responses from those who've BTDT. I've had times too where one of you mamas have posted something and from time to time over the course of a day or two I've wondered how things were going.

So...how is everyone?

Ds's latest word is 'omberdin' Last night we were sitting at dinner and he kept saying 'omberdin?' Finally dh realized he was saying 'aubergine' which is the name of a very garlicky spread made with eggplant, olive oil, tons of garlic and spices. Ds likes it alot but the garlic aftersmell







...if he eats it at dinner I've got his little garlic breath all over me thru the night. His world of beautifully creative words continues to unfold.

Eilonwy how's the potty sitch going at your place? And Casina, that was a pretty impressive story about Ruby and the orange sections.


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

hey lisa. i was coing back to read my late night post to see if there was anything harmful or offensive in it. i'm usually more careful.....sorry ladies, especially those of you who work.

as for daddy parenting, there is some line where you have to step aside and let them learn for themselves, and be the dad. no kid needs two identical moms. and the way we parent alone can be different from when we are around our partners and other people. i'm working to learn stepping aside better myself. my five still thinks sleeping at night is optional but it is mostly in dh's hands now. the best things that have worked for me is to be a good example which proves that the way we parent works, and hope that otherwise the caregivers learn their consequences. it is helpful also for dh to feel accepted for the way he parents because he needs mamma's confidence, just like we do. it is generally not beneficial for the kids for the parent to feel judged or be judging themselves. (haha, i gotta learn my own advice, huh?)

i have intellectually maintained that the kids learn to adapt to the people and situations and follow the rules in those spaces, knowing that mamma's rules are good for around her. i cannot control what my mil and mom feed my kids, for example. they can dig their own hole about corn syrup and buying treats. and when you know that the caregiver comes from love you can at least trust that. having said all that, my kids already ignore most of everything my mom says to them like "you're being a bad boy" (they know they have some bad behaviours but are good people and this is why i get fed up with the disney morals), and tend to ignore the stuff my mil says to them as well (like she's big on manners which really is just coercion the way she uses them)

and actually i'm irritated with the dynamic my kids have with my dh for the past week or so, but there's really nothing i can do about it (too many nos and then the stuff that matters that get nos are a struggle of wills not a maintaining of safety). most daddies aren't big on reading the books and things i say without solicitation tend to interfere with the marriage. though it was a sahd that recommended the five love languages to me, so who knows? the more time my dh spends with my kids, the better he knows them, and i'm lucky that i think he is a cool guy or maybe there would be more disagreements. but daddies are genetic links too. so they have an understanding of our kids that we will have to trust as well. that means giving them over expecting the greatest of intentions until otherwise.

on a side note, i don't know think that anthropologically that dads usually have as much time with the babies. i say this because it inexplicably perhaps biologically feels harder for me to let my dh parent, even though he is worlds better than the older women in my lives who hardly see my kids. but something about them being women feels comforting on a cellular level, and it has taken much practice for me to feel good about my dh as a daddy and let him be, even though one of the reasons i married him was because he is so good with kids, and he was the one who wanted babies earlier than i was ready!


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Thanks for asking, Solsticemamma. The potty learning is going very well. I have a feeling that if I could catch him, it'd be much faster. The problem is, I can't. :LOL I mean, I can't bend over and just sit him on the potty, I have to make sure he's wearing a diaper that he can remove, and that when he removes it I ask him to sit on the potty or remind him where it is. He loves to be naked, so sometimes he just takes the diaper off to be naked and then he pees/poops wherever he is, but if he's wearing a diaper when he has to go, he'll take it off and go on the potty. (Did that make any sense?) At any rate, if I was in a running/bending/squatting mode, I'd be able to leave him in a onesie to keep the diaper on while still allowing him enough access to start to take it off when he needs to go, and be able to ask him in the morning, evening, and after naps (though he often tells me at these times that he needs to potty). It still blows my mind that my little tiny man is such a big boy! I don't know whether to :LOL or







.

You know, I don't really have a hard time letting dh parent, but I think that it's because we discussed the things which we felt were important and came to an agreement. One of us will encounter something new, we'll discuss it and decide what we want to do. Right now, I'm having a harder time parenting because my temper and stamina are not up to par, so I tend to yell a lot more than any of us would like, and I try to spend my time doing as little as possible. This leaves all three of us in a bad spot, but Mike is very understanding and helpful, and he's extra gentle with Eli when he's home.









The money situation is tough, but for some reason I feel really good about it.







Yeah, we get food stamps and WIC, and I get disability, but it really wouldn't pay for me to go to work. It's truly pathetic when you crunch the numbers and realize that you'd get less money for going to work than for staying home, especially when you barely have enough to get by.







: Mike has no desire whatsoever to see Eli in daycare; I don't think he's any more trusting of outside caregivers than I am. He's also learned a fair bit about public education, and went to private schools himself, so he shares my opinions on those (we are/will be homeschooling). It's not a huge issue for us. Yes, our parenting styles are different, because we're entirely different people, but Mike's natural inclinations are similar to what I've decided is right, so we get along very well that way. Maybe I should count blessings!


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

i'm one of those mamas who "work" --- meaning I've been working on my phd for about 4 years now. I never thought I would EVER want to stay home with my kiddos. And now, I know that if I could take a break for the first 2 years and then come back to work ...I would. It just isn't happening: financially, emotionally, work wise I'm in a shitty field for that, etc.

that said the positives: my dh spends time with his dd. He parents differently than I do. She doesn't need milk ALL the time so I think it is a good thing she's adjusting to someone else's style. Life is about adjusting and learning how family members interact and successfully communicate is a big thing for me.

*I* get the mental break that I need from dd. I come back refreshed and ready to face the world. I would need an hour or two to myself even if I were a SAHM. Of course if I were a SAHM then when she got up at 4 am I could nap with her during nap time. URGH.

and I like to think that it is a positive thing for my baby to see that mommy is reasonably smart and is successful at something. I'm not trying to say that I am the next einstein. More that I have self-worth.

on another subject entirely....good weekend. Erin is now saying "uck" (chuck) every time she sees a beaver in a book. Chuck is her beaver stuffed animal.









Leah (sorry can't get used to the new name yet. give me a little time)....I'm a coffee drinker too. Gave it up during pregnancy, but I fell off the wagon sometime last fall.

and...scorpios like the water? does that mean good things for a scorpio baby and an aquarius mama? What are the characteristics of aquarius? (give me the cliffnote version).


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## cortsmommy (Jul 6, 2003)

Hi I'm Christy and my son is named Cortland. He was born 11/2/2002. He is such a joy! He's full of spirit and spunk. He's incredibly loving and fun to be around and is just the total joy of my life.

I "stay at home" with him but he and I neither like to sit at home all day. We are always out doing something now that the weather is much nicer.









Great thread btw!!


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kerc*
and...scorpios like the water? does that mean good things for a scorpio baby and an aquarius mama? What are the characteristics of aquarius? (give me the cliffnote version).

Aquarius is actually an air sign (I know, it messed with me too, for a while). :LOL You'd think something with "aqua" in it would be related to water.


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

I'm feeling low today. Low energy, low mood, and I have a headache. And I'm tired. Ds had a very restive night last night. Up constantly and wanting to be in constant contact with me all night long. His teeth are bothering him. I really should be napping with him right now. It's always a trade off--sleep or time alone.

Has anyone noticed that while there have been 300 or so responses to this thread there have been something like 2200 views??!! I guess we're a pretty entertaining bunch.








: anyone?


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

for *solsticemama* Hope you feel better!!


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Thanks mama


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## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

DS #2 keeps bouncing on the bottom of my uterus. Ouch! We are thinking about naming him David Alexander. We still have 4 months to decide. Christopher went to sleep in his little travel trundle bed tonight. If he keeps that up we might buy a toddler bed for him. I thought he might want to sleep in it since he was acting like he wanted me to take the mattress out of the crib for him. My little guy is growing up!


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Rose

Sorry you're feeling dumpy today.

Someone send my some baby vibes. I'm feeling pg but wouldn't test positive yet. I *think* I had implantation bleeding last week. I thought I was getting my period but for about a day and a half, I had (Possible TMI to follow) some spotting, but not really spotting--looked more like when I lost my mucous plug when I went into labor w/Jacob. That light pink tinge, kwim? Anyway...my breasts are a bit tender (not a lot, just a bit) which never happens unless I'm pg. So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed but don't want to get my hopes up too much either. I've been disappointed in the baby dept. way too many times (PCOS--have trouble TTC).


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Good luck, Brayg!









I'm feeling pretty icky today, too.







I am exhausted and desperate for a nice thick juicy STEAK but I'm not going to get one.







At this point in my pregnancy with Eli, Mike took me to Cactus Willie's and I ate 5 or 6 steaks in about 45 minutes, had a plate of corn and then had two more steaks for desert. It was lovely.







I think that's what I'll ask for for Mother's Day, if we have anything for a present for me.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Thanks!









Quote:


Originally Posted by *eilonwy*
I ate 5 or 6 steaks in about 45 minutes, had a plate of corn and then had two more steaks for desert.























You go girl!


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

Brayg




























:


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

I have some preggo pics now in my sig, if anyone wants to look.









Brayg~


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Oh my gosh you are so beautiful and not at all what i pictured. For some reason I had you pegged as dark complected. Your family isbeautiful.


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

gee, thanks, lilyka.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Thanks for sharing Jasanna!







(and thanks gals, for the dust!







)


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

sending energetic baby vibes your way Brayg!!
I know what it's like to have TTC- I tried for 4 years before Kathrynn came to me. It was hard.








Please keep us informed as to what is going on!!!!

KAthrynn talked in her sleep last night. it was funny!!! her usual Kathrynn language, so i don't know what she was saying. :LOL

Rose- I hope you ahve a better day today. Mondays are often a less then desirable day for me, so don't know if that had anything to do with it.

Great pix mamajaza.


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## smaug (Feb 22, 2002)

mamajaza, you look great! What a beautiful family!

Hoping there is a little







attaching right now, Brayg!

I really don't understand what is happening in this country. My mom stayed home (until divorcing my dad) with all three of us. We weren't wealthy by any standards, but it was totall normal for her to be home. Now, homes are hundreds of thousands of $'s, and two income families are the norm. I really feel for you, Mona. I imagine your situation is all too common in our country. I was telling my sis that if it weren't for the help we get/have gotten from dh's parents, then I would not have been home. I am starting part time at a local movie theater. I am going to work evenings/weekends. It is $6.25/hr. But it will give us the cushion to stop insufficient funds every month!
Anyway, hope things get better for you and your family.


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## abranger (Dec 15, 2001)

$$$$ It all seems so hard. I was able to stay home for 9 months with Georgia b/c my inlaws basically supported us. (which they promised to do while they were badgering us to have a baby) My husband is a teacher and we live in a very expensive city. Luckily we bought our house when he was an engineer and I was working in politics. Right now we could sell our house for 3 times what we bought it for ...but...where would we live? Anyway. I had a really hard time going back to work 3 days a week. We found excellent childcare in an in home family center. Georgia LOVES her and she loves Georgia. It still was soooo hard for months. Now however I am so glad we did this. We don't worry about money. Still not saving anything but at least we can pay all our bills etc. I also have started to enjoy my works days and I feel like in missing georgia I am a better mom to her the oher 4 days. Anyway just my 2 cents. Sometimes you do what you have to do and it works out.

Amy


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Beautiful pics, Jasanna. Hard to imagine all of us were pregnant this time TWO YEARS ago! Doesn't it seem like just yesterday???

I'm off for a loooong day trip- Crystal's mom called me LAST NIGHT to inform me that Crystal has a Dr's appt 4 hours away from here. She can't miss it or she won't qualify for her Social Security benefits. Ah, the joys of foster parenting... DH offered to watch Zachary. I'm scared, LOL. He'll be stuck here without a car, with Zach and Julianna, and NO BOOB! Wish him luck









Brayg, I wish you fertility!


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## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

DecemberSun I am sending







good vibes your DH's way.


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Beautiful pics *mamajaza* so much light and movement in them. You're looking strong and healthy.

DecemberSun hope your day unfolds harmoniously.

Brayg







your way.

Lisa, any new developments in your sitch?

We had another challenging night. Thankfully I had the foresight to go to bed at 8:30. Ds was up and down thru the night and round about 3:30 spent about an hour and a half restless and unable to get back to sleep. Finally I got up and gave him some camillia. He was sound asleep in 10 mins. Of course one never knows whether it was the homeopathic or the fact that after 1.5 hrs of tossing and turning the logical progression would be sleep. He woke about 7:00, later than usual and began his usual routine of trying out his new words. 'Bouk' 'sat' 'imbong' 'bongking' 'sack' or whatever they happen to be. Translation: book, soft, rainbow, broken, stuck. Sometimes he does this lying down with his eyes closed. It's as if the words are right there and he's simply naming them as they appear. Very sweet







I love to listen to his little voice as I swim up from the watery depths of sleep.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

This morning, Eli nursed for about half an hour on one side. When he got up to switch, I asked if he wouldn't rather have something to eat and he said "No, I want to nurse!" and gave me such a look! :LOL He nursed for another 20 minutes before I convinced him to get up and let me get him some food. He then ate a whole banana and half a peanut butter sandwhich and some water, nursed again, and is now asleep on my shoulder (and so much heavier than I remember!!)

It's only colostrum now. I am now absolutely certain that once the real milk comes back, Eli will stop eating entirely. I hope he doesn't lose any weight!







Maybe because it'll be newborn milk, there will be more fat in it...?

I put a pair of 6-9 month size pants on Eli this morning, that my sister bought last year for him on clearance. They look just right when he's standing, but when he sits down his ankles show. They're almost too short for him! He's growing!!







Now if only I can find a way to grow him some hips... :LOL


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

Thanks for looking, everyone. It's nice to have a face to the name, hey?







I'm *trying* to be as healthy as I can, with Haeven always needing my attention.

Did anyone read the article in the new mothering about children as spiritual teachers? I found it very timely for me, because I've been having trouble seeing the baby in my baby, recently. I was expecting too much out of her, but since reading that (and getting settled in my new place), I've started to enjoy her little "zen-master" qualities.

eilonwy~~ I bet that once your milk comes back in, eli will get sooo fat, just you wait. I was looking at a picture from when Haeven was still exclusively BF, when she was about 5 months old... MAN, was she FAT! Her thieghs (sp?) were so big. I wish I had a scanner, to scan the picture. it made me laugh!


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

Beautiful belly pics, *mamajaza*!


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

ok, after reading how some of your dc are so verbal, i have to admit that i got a wee bit worried that K is only speaking a language she recognizes. is it "normal" for kids her age to not be speaking "real" words?
i figure she is just advancing differently- ya know, good hand eye, not so "good" verbal.....

anyway, just curious.


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Mona I guess that would be a question for the mamas of more than one. They would have the experience to be able to reassure you.

*Mamajaza's* belly pics have brought back some memories for me. I dug out all my old pics. I have alot of belly pics, loving my belly as I did. How 'bout you other mamas, did you take lots of preg pictures?


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

I don't have many pics at all (maybe 1 or 2?). Kind of bummed about that--I'm always behind the camera. But...I wasn't happy with my weight while pg anyway. Oh well...


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mona*
ok, after reading how some of your dc are so verbal, i have to admit that i got a wee bit worried that K is only speaking a language she recognizes. is it "normal" for kids her age to not be speaking "real" words?
i figure she is just advancing differently- ya know, good hand eye, not so "good" verbal.....

I don't know what normal is. Madeline was delayed. lilyka was stubborn and could mimic other kids perfectly but it would fade after a couple of days and we would be back to "jsahf efb ekrjygv89p['" and hten she would have aplaydate with a verbal friend and come home speaking clearly again. what a nut she is.

anyway, Ava says about 3 or 4 words and chatters endlessly but makes n osense. she isn't delayed like Madeline was. Unlike her sister she understands perfectly but she says even less. she doesn't even lable stuff. She says daddy and yeah and no occaisionally madeline (of all things :LOL) but that is pretty much it. she has been on the very low said of normal since she was a newborn. she had two birth defects that could effect speech. One is almost comepltely out grown it the other was taken care of by fate (got a rock stuck under her tounge which sliced her frenulum. Unfortunately it has grown back, tighter than before. the thrush we have been treating for the last 4 motnhs I relized, as I sat in agonizing pain this morning is really her shredding my nipples because she can't latch on. It is amazing how much clearer my mind id at at 5AM it all came to gether so quickly. We had her try and stick her tounge out and it didn't budge. just buckled in the middle but didn't come out at all. We just don't have the money to have that fixed. We will have to do it ourselves. I can do thins, I can do this, I can do this . . .I have seen it done, snip snip no big deal . . . really . . . just for the record it is $600 and considered elective. We will be seeing a speech therapist on Monday and hopefully she wil qualify as delayed and we can get the satte to pay for the surgery to fix it. At this age she would need to be at least loopy if not knocked out since she is old enough to see it coming and string enough to really fight it and she has teeth which complicates the procedure for the person sticking thier hands in thier mouth.

If you are concerned about her definitely have her checked out. they may just tell you she is wonderful and you worry too much. It is always good to hear how wonderful our children are and we already know we worry to much. it is free here and I htink in most places (call head start in your area. They will at the very least know who to hook you hup with) Totally non invasivce and it is even a house call so we don't even have to take her anywhere. They will just watch her play a little, listen to her speech in a natural context and ask me a lot of questions. I have done this with my older kids and they loved it. no big at all. Doesn't hurt to get thiese things checked out and erarly intervention can shape them up in a matter of weeks.

The more you know and the sooner you know the more choices you will have. If I had know my dd was delayed she owuld have bene able to get the help she needed sooner.

And after all that I think the marker for this age is about 5 words, been developing normally so far, makes efforts to communicate, practices sounds even if they aren't incontext and understands lables and directions (as "where is the ball?" "get the shoe" of course whether or not the cooperate is another story all together.)


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lilyka*
And after all that I think the marker for this age is about 5 words

Really?


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

I can't believe I'm going to post a quote from the Baby Center








but...

http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/tod...ent/11738.html

12 to 18 months
At his first birthday, your child will likely use one to five words meaningfully. By 14 months, that working vocabulary may grow to seven real words, though he may have up to 20 "words" (these may be more like sounds) that only he and someone close to him can understand. He'll even practice inflection, raising his tone when asking a question. He might say "Up-py?" when he asks to be carried, for example.

Your toddler is realizing the power of talking as a means of communicating his needs. Until he learns more words to get his ideas and desires across, he'll likely combine his speech with gestures to show what he wants. He'll reach his arms toward his favorite toy, for example, and say "ball." In fact, some toddlers develop a whole "sign language" of gestures to communicate with their parents. Your child might cover his face when he's embarrassed, for example, or pound on the table when he's mad. Don't worry if he struggles to get his meaning across now and then. This frustration is actually a healthy sign that he's trying hard to communicate and cares whether or not you understand him.

By 16 months, your toddler will probably start making many common consonant sounds, such as t, d, n, w, t, h. Learning to make these sounds is a watershed event, one that leads to the rapid vocabulary spurt that most children go through starting around 18 months. Don't expect to hear all these sounds in actual words yet. But you may hear him repeating them when he's alone in his crib or playing with his toys.

Ok, so my dd is a bit behind, but she is using consonant sounds.









When i looked up the physical/emotional milestones she is WAY ahead. so go figure.

here is the wierd thing... when she was a year old she would say cat, dog,and a few other things i've forgotten. she didn't say them clearly, but she would make an attempt. then about a month later she didn't do that anymore. her comprehension is great, so i guess she just isn't ready for the verbal for whatever reason.

all in all, i'm not worried. :LOL i find it facinating how all our babies grow differently.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

It has been my experiance that once they start walking thier vocabulary takes a back seat. Lily was talking insentences at 9 months but she also started walking at 9 omnths and quickly stopped with the tlaking and didn't pick back up with anysort of noteworthyness until she was about 18-24 months. She was also totally sleep deprived though so her development jumped all over the place. You really can't judge anything by her.

So yeah then, i was a littl behind but for our babies 5-10 words sounds right on target. But Ava isn't making many consenet sounds at all. She Zizi apparently which means Lily or sissy. I noticed that when she was going through a stack of pictures and saying zizi. Of course I asked her to point to zizi and nothing and asked who that was and nothing. maybe she was just chattering and I am hoping a little to much.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lilyka*
She was also totally sleep deprived though so her development jumped all over the place.

I noticed w/Owen that he didn't get much sleep when he was learning a new large skill (crawling, walking, pulling up, etc).


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

Scarlett can say words, but most of the time chooses not to. And she definetly won't say anything if you ask her to! Speech development seems so unique that I personally wouldn't be worried about it as long as my child understands me.
Revina wasn't quick with language, but she is excellent with it now. She uses great sentences with facial expressions (funny!!).
Scarlett likes to grunt and squeal a lot right now.

Belly pics-- with Revina I have a ton, but with Scarlett not so many. I did get Scarlett moving in my belly on video camera, which is kinda cool to see.

Also, some new pics of Scarlett are up that I took today and hopefully some of Revina soon!


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

lillmiss'mama~~ Your girl sure has a lot of hair for 17 months!! She's so adorable with those big brown eyes.Did you see my baby? She has about 1/10 of the hair! :LOL

About talking... Haeven can usually say the beginning of words that she is familiar with, and not very often will she say them. Like bath is ba, dog is doa, kitty is kitty, and HI is definately HI!! She says HI about 30-40 times per day (?) She will sometimes try saying things by just sweeping her tongue around in her mouth, I guess those are consonant sounds.

One thing that is funny is how quickly the kids pick up swearwords. I'm not posative, but I think that haeven sometimes tries to say BIT%^ .. If that is what she is trying to say, she must have picked that up *months* ago, when I was having an arguement with my SO. And the other day, I dropped a glass on the floor, and said "OH SH**", and my little nephew, who is the same age as haeven, repeated SH**...







It's not like we swear a lot around here!:LOL


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

I know Scarlett does have a lot of hair! She was born with a lot and never lost it; she has more than her sister.LOL

Another thing I remembered about language. Revina definetly had her own language for a long time. Scarlett does to, to a point, but she doesn't babble much. Revina however, would sit for the longest time "reading" her books, turning the pages and "reading" in a language that I could not understand. While we were driving in the car, babble babble babble.... She definetly didn't have the recommended words by age 1, but she is not behind now.

The girls' great grandparents have been staying with us this week! The girls LOVE it! So much undivided attention and mama can actually cook dinner!! They leave on Thursday and we will miss them. We are planning on moving this summer to Tucson, so it is nice to get some family time in before we leave.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Lilyka was sleep deprived to the point of being completely disfunctional for a while. She couldn't even walk streight. It was a problem. from the time she was a new born she slept about 6 out of every 24 hours. Huge problem. you can tell which baby is her in all the baby pictures because even though they all have the same face lily is super skinny starting at about 6 months and the other two are butterballs. She still has sleep issues but sems to do OK m,ost days but we have to really focus on good sleep habits and doing everything we can to make sure she gets adequate rest. we had a busy couple of weeks last week and she was littlerally throwing up and pale from having her sleep disrupted. Shes a wee bit fragile still. it is tough. she is never well by the end of a vaction. Itis a true sleep issue, nit just an "t wish my baby would sleep more" but I spent so long thinking "well she must not be tired. she would sleep if she needed it" oh no, and put together whatever started this with her general personality and you have a child who will refuse to sleep just because she needs it. I love my lily I love my lily, I love my Lily . . . .


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

whew I had a lot to catch up on.ya'll were chatty this morning.

re: talking. umm. yeah erin's what 18 months today and says a handful of words. I HAVE noticed this week she will copy nearly anything I say in intonnation. It'll come. Basically what I have heard is that you shouldn't worry so long as they can communicate with you and understand what you're saying. I.e. point to the cup when they want you to fill it, will follow a direction like "go get your baby", etc.


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

I agree with kerc, as long as they are _understanding_ what you're saying to them, they're on the right track. Julianna is 15 months old and doesn't day a single word!!! She can comprehend simple instructive sentences like "Come here", "Lie down", "Do you want a bottle/cookie?", etc. For awhile she was saying Dada, Mama, mmmm for "more" with the sign, and doggie. Now she only says Dada, and that's mostly babbling, not really to name her Dada. I think she's in a major motor-development stage, so speech is not her #1 goal. Obviously, she has her issues with being drug exposed, but I'm still a *little* worried that she's not talking. She does that made-up babytalk thing where she thinks she's having a conversation with you, and I know she'll start talking when she's ready... But it's hard not having that list of words they can say to match up to what the professionals call "the norm", YK?

Yesterday went well for DH and DS! I was away from 7am until 3pm with no real fussing from Zachary about needing the comfort boob. I was SO full of milk when I got home though







. Crystal got to see a TON of family members, so that was nice. Her sister is having a ceremonial tribal dance in August, so we're trying to figure out a way to get Crystal up there for the weekend. Not many people on the rez have electricity, which makes it difficult to take care of Crystal's medical needs, so... I do hope we can go, it should be fun! Lots of smoke and cooking and music and dancing in the middle of nowhere.


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## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

Christopher had only one word until he was 15 months old. He learned how to say kitty at 9 months. Once he turned 15 months, it was like an explosion and all of the sudden he had a 14 word vocabulary. He is 18 months now and his favorite word to practice is "Hi!" He melts Daddy's hear by waving and saying "Hi!" when Daddy comes home from work.

He has also moved into a toddler bed so we can use the crib for our upcoming DS in 4 months. He loves his new bed. Last night he slept through the night. It will be interesting to see how naps go.


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

This morning I was talking to MIL and she wanted to know what ds was saying so I told her one of his words was 'aubergine' He heard me and immediately started saying obersheen, obersheen so I had to give him some, wanting to honor his ability to name and all. He had several mouthfuls straight which I tried to mitigate with buckwheat pancake. Still the garlic smell...the stuff seems to be made with 3 parts garlic. Yesterday morning he happily ate up raw sauerkraut.

DecemberSun I got confused when you said you had to go to a doc appt for Crystal. I kept thinking it was for Julianna and I couldn't figure out the logistics of it all YK. I was







But as you were describing your day the







went on. Sounds like it went ok. You are one dedicated foster mom. The girls are blessed to have you


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

generally i'm very happy about ruby is hardly talking yet. my family does too much talking as it is! the body language is extremely clear and to the point. words get muddled.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *hjohnson*
He has also moved into a toddler bed so we can use the crib for our upcoming DS in 4 months. He loves his new bed. Last night he slept through the night. It will be interesting to see how naps go.









Wow! I can't imagine Owen in a bed! Jacob was ready for a bed at this age--Owen wouldn't get any sleep (and neither would I







).


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *casina*
generally i'm very happy about ruby is hardly talking yet. my family does too much talking as it is! the body language is extremely clear and to the point. words get muddled.

How'd you get so wise, Casina?


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

I moved Ava to a real bed at 12 months. I have always done it early as Madeline didn't really feel pain (sensory issues) so she would just dive out of her crib shake itoff and go about her business. It worked better to have her in a real bed. dh made it and it came out really tall and she was actually scared to get out so it worked out nice. Lily was never in a crib and Ava is super compliant with such things. So she just stays but I think it is because the expectation has been there since before she could get off herself.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

: I'm sorry, my kid can talk. We're freaks, though. Ask anyone.

If it makes you feel better, he's not understandable to strangers all of the time...







I don't even think about the words he uses anymore, except when they backslide. For example, recently he seems to be sacrificing quality in favor of quantity. He's been acquiring all kinds of new skills and new words, so his pronunciations have kind of slipped. I'm not terribly worried about it right now, I figure I'll give it 4-6 months and if they don't come back then I'll start to worry.

I don't think Eli would sleep in his own bed for all the bananas and yogurt and trucks in the world. :LOL He likes to sleep buried in Mike's armpit.







: I don't mind, and don't miss him being on top of me because I'm pregnant and getting comfortable is soooo difficult at night, but I do miss snuggling up with Mike because it doesn't happen very often. Is that horribly selfish of me?


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eilonwy*

and don't miss him being on top of me because I'm pregnant and getting comfortable is soooo difficult at night

Oh mama, I remember those last couple of months. Impossible to get comfy. I had, as dh liked to call it, a small village of pillows wedged around and under me and still I was up hourly shifting, groaning and achy and usually ending up on the couch.


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

I was actually thinking about buying a twin water bed for Zach in his room. We have a waterbed in our room, and he sleeps SO well in it, I was figuring maybe he'd sleep better in his own room if he was in a nice comfy bed. (The crib mattress is pretty firm...) I'm thinking maybe I can put him down in his waterbed, then if he wakes up to nurse I can lay down with him and get up when he's done, instead of bringing him to our bed... I know it's supposedly "bad" to put babies in waterbeds, but we've never had a problem with it since day one, and I honestly think he'd sleep better. I am SO ready for these babies to sleep through the night already!

Anyhoo, I'm just ramblimg, don't really have anything important to say...

Have a nice day, mamas! Its 95+ here and I am NOT a happy camper. I'm not ready for summer yet!


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *DecemberSun*
I am SO ready for these babies to sleep through the night already!

I'm with you, Leah. At this point anyway, right now in the a.m. after the fourth!! night of teething, restless, up every hour, hands on mama at all times kind of night. It's hard to believe that just a few weeks ago I was posting about how ds was sleeping really well at night, taking the :binky and how I was feeling







about him perhaps nightweaning. Ah the human condition...never quite sure what we want.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Waterbeds terrify me!







Of course, I don't find them comfortable for myself (though I do think they're cool :LOL) so I'm naturally not going to find the idea of putting Eli on one to be a comfortable one.

Last night, Eli and I went to bed around 9:30. He was tired, I was tired, and we went to bed. :LOL Mike tried to wake me up when he came to bed, and it was just not going to happen. :LOL


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## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Brayg*







Wow! I can't imagine Owen in a bed! Jacob was ready for a bed at this age--Owen wouldn't get any sleep (and neither would I







).

I couldn't imagine Christopher in a bed either until he kept trying to convince me to pull the crib mattress out for him. I think he just decided he was done with the crib which is fine with me. It frees it up for the next babe. My little guy is growing up!


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## smaug (Feb 22, 2002)

Our bedroom has our queen bed, and Elwyn's toddler bed. He falls asleep in our bed, then we move him to his, then he cuddles us at some point in the a.m.
Julian is the big bed all night. Sometimes I just want to get a bunch of mattresses and make the whole room one big bed. I am feeling too crammed in when we are all in the big bed together. Somehow dh seems to carve out his space all night. I'm the one squeezed!









Our kids are like that singing frog cartoon. (I think it was a frog) They talk and talk until someone else comes around. Then nothing! The person walks away and they start gabbing again. It's like 'no, really, he DOES speak!'

I am also posting to bump up this thread. We are (gasp) at the bottom of the page right now!







:


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

My little man just walked up to me for no reason and gave me a kiss. What a lovey!


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## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

I love it when my son does that as well. He also picks up his stuffed animals and kisses them as well.


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

smaug-- my girls are like that too! They will stare someone down, but will not speak. I think they are trying to get an energy reading or something from people they don't know.


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

dd has a case of diarrhea- poor thing. she had some yesterday and i din't think much of it. then she had horrible tummy pains in the middle of the night, plus a fever, and then had some yuchy diarrhea again this morning. at first i thought maybe it was bc i had some wheat and dairy (she has sensitivies to both) in the last few days, but i think she has/had a little virus.
her fever seems to be better, and she hasn't had any diarrhea in a few hours, so hopefully it was just a 24 hour bug.
she was in a good mood for the most part despite it all, and was very helpful in letting me change her diaper a lot and put another one on her right away. i usually have her run around naked a good part of the day, but NO WAY was i going to do that today. :LOL

anyone doing anything special for mother's day? i think we're going to go out to lunch tomorrow, which will be nice. thai food- yum yum!!!


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

Poor baby; I hope she feels better soon Mona!

Tonight when Scarlett went to nurse before bedtime I asked her if mama still had milk. She said "no".







I had a feeling for awhile it was gone, but I hadn't thought to ask her. I am not sure what the deal is. My milk dried up when I got pg (Revina was only 6 months) and I tried all the tricks to get it flowing. Then there is my sister who still has milk and her son hasn't nursed for a year and a half! Not fair!


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

here's a fanfiction story a good friend of mine just wrote i hope someone will enjoy as much as i did.
http://www.mediaminer.org/fanfic/view_st.php/61699/

pregnancy always reduces the milk against my will. the third time it dried up in a week and i had to scramble to find foods my clay would eat. i found it daunting that my body would do that without my permission and took it as a sign again that tandem nursing was not natural. haha on me, especially with clay nursing 100percent somedays since ruby was born.

i had a funky week, which i will blame on the moon. the concept of me being possibly wise has kept me from really losing it. more later.


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Lilmiss's mama does this mean you may possibly be preg? Have you tried borage?

Mona hope your dd is feeling better today and continues to heal.

The last couple of nights have been more in the waking to nurse 7 times variety and then rolling over when done variety rather than the all night suction cup nursing hands on mama at all times variety.

Not quite sure what was going on, no new teeth that I can see. But ds woke at 5:30 this morning and seems cranky because of it.

Anyone else's dcs loving 'bouks'?


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## **guest** (Jun 25, 2004)

I can't remember if I've posted here before or not. lol. No time to read the past posts. heh.

Anyway, my son is Anton and he was born 12/22/02. He was actually due 1/15-17/03! (doctors couldn't agree on due date.) lol

I have a bunch of nicknames for Anton but the ones I use most often are:
Bubby, bub, Roo, boo, babbins, cutie boy.

Hugs,
Liz


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Have you gals seen this? How cute!!!

http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL207/...5/52839268.jpg


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

No I am definetly not pg! My xdp and I have been seperated for a year now and there hasn't been anyone since! I don't have any explanation for my lack of milk, just my body i guess?
If "bouk" means book, yes! we are definetly readers here. I think the girls would have me read stories all day if I could. Scarlett loves Miss Spider's ABCs (very vivid pictures) and all letters are now A or E! She is also very into Once Upon a Potty. (Yes, I did see the thread relating to that book, and how most people don't like it. We change some of the words and then I don't mind it.) Maybe potty learning soon?!

Brayg-- what an adorable picture!


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Brayg*
Have you gals seen this? How cute!!!

http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL207/...5/52839268.jpg

:LOL


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Someone shared that at another board I go to. I just had to share here! It's way cute!









Well, I have an appt. at the obgyn's on Monday morn for a blood pg. test. Since I've never ever had an OTC test work for me (and I have 2 children already) I just can't go by those. I did cave in and take one on Friday--it was negative. But...I took 3 w/Owen and they were all negative. I had a blood test done at 8 weeks that confirmed him. My last OTC test was taken the week before and said negative. Strange. Annoying. Oh well...now I'll have to wait till at least Tuesday for the labs to get back w/the results. Waiting is pure torture!


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

you know what? I'm only 19 posts away from being a senior member now.


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY EVERYONE!!!

I hope you are all having a wonderful day!


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## **guest** (Jun 25, 2004)

Geesh, I just had to come back and repost this as I am totally spacing out.

So much for Mothers Day...I went to take my ds out to a bookstore and found that I have 2 almost flat tires. waah! I can't AFFORD new tires. grrr.
Happy Mothers Day, indeed.









Hugs,
Liz


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Hi Mamas









Happy Mother's Day!









My mom, SIL, and I are going to the casino this afternoon







, and then coming back to a husband-cooked meal. Well, actually, my Dad is grilling steaks, and my brother and DH were supposed to be in charge of the side dishes- meaning Leah made a huge salad and wrapped potatoes for baking! :LOL

DS has been climbing everything lately. It's nice that he can get in and out of bed without killing himself, but now he's climing up onto the couch and twisting the mini-blinds, and climbing the chairs to get onto the table- it's great fun!

How is everyone's babes doing with feeding themselves? Zachary wants to do it all the time, which is a pain because we rarely feed them in their highchairs. I want to get two restaurant-style highchairs, so we can all sit at the table and eat together. Then maybe I can push them up to the bar on the counter and they can watch me cook dinner instead of pull at my pantlegs and crawl/walk in-between my feet, and generally cause trouble. Anyway, Zach picks food up off of his plate, then puts it on the fork, then takes it off the fork with his hands, and eats it!







He's getting pretty good at spoon-feeding himself yogurt, with help of course, but anything slippery like applesauce slides right off because he's still not good at keeping the spoon at the right angle. He really wants to try it, and I pretty much just let him do it for fun and practice, because 80% of the food slips off the utensil. What are you mamas doing in this area? He shouldn't be feeding himself perfectly already, right? (I guess I am mainly asking this because my friend's daughter is a week younger than Julianna and she is awesome with a spoon, while Jul is like waaaaaay far away from that point, LOL.)


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## mum5 (Apr 10, 2004)

Hi Mama's Happy Mother's Day !!
We need to give ourselves a great big pat on the back , we are doing an awesome job
Thanks for all your support mamas.


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

ugh, i'm sorry i misread the post lilmiss mama. i did not mean to imply that you were pregnant!

leah, zach sound like he is doing really well with utensils. my boys did not use utensils for the first two years at least and still scream if the food falls off. then you find out why cheerios and goldfish crackers and hotdogs become popular kid foods, because of ease of holding and less mess. that's one of the hundreds of businesses i should start, really healthy food on a stick. generally girls are faster with the fine motor coordination.

ruby wants to feed me. she wants to be in charge and keeps finding ways to get the knives to play kitchen. apparently one is also born with a predisposition for ocd as well. she loves to get messy but gets hysterical if i don't clean her hands when she wants. last night i gave up on bedtime and she had the option of playing with the boys or sitting in the sling while i looked at the computer. she got mad enough to whack the computer. good thing my boys are teaching her such coping mechanisms......

dh's beloved grandmother died friday, and we have a wake to go to in an hour. for lunch we did an appearance at the baton rouge taiwanese association lunch. it makes my parents happy at least, and we get fed somewhat. actually i was supposed to cater some of the food but they decided i was too expensive since i quoted 200 for 100 persons worth of pad thai with shrimp and black bean pork spareribs. i'm so glad i didn't have to do it. making food for my parents' snobbish, judgmental village is nervewracking. and if the food tastes delicious there is never enough ironically.


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

casina-- I don't think you implied I was pg, I believe it was *solsticemama* who asked!















s for your family. I am sorry for your loss. Great grandparents are so special.

DecemberSun- Scarlett has been using a child size fork or spoon for about 5 months now. She does well with them, but still chooses to use her hands a lot. Mealtimes are a total mess. I keep threatening to shave her head, because that is where a lot of her food ends up. There is no way she would let me feed her! Once she decides she wants to do something; she does it! Which means pretty much anything Revina is doing!


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Last year's Mother's Day had a very different flavor for me. I remember anticipating it with something akin to the feeling a child has before X-mas. This year I kept forgetting that it was coming up until someone would mention it in conversation. I feel so completely saturated and overflowing with mothering that to have one special day devoted to being a mama seems a bit surreal at this point of round the clock nursing, diapering, playing, tending, boo-boo kissing, slinging, singing, laundering, nursing, sleeping with, bathing, going to the park, the creek, shopping, hiking, diaper dunking, reading to, nursing, toddling with, hugging, dressing, carseat maneuvering, breathing in the wonderful baby scent of....

I did give myself the gift of taking a nap with ds. I slept 1.5 hrs and he's just waking up after 2.5 hrs. Gotta run mamas


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

Utensils are a toy. That's how I see them anyways, for my DD's age. I will let her try to eat with a baby fork and spoon, but most of it doesn't get into her mouth, but she has fun playing with them.

Haeven is 34 inches tall...and she likes to take things off the counter.. like knives (and not just the butter knives, yikes







).. She can reach up and touch the element of the stove too, but luckily has never done that when it was on.

this mother's day..... i locked the keys in the car! Another car story. This kind woman in the car next to me could see I was having difficulty pulling the window open, and offered to give me a ride home and back to the car. Now isn't that nice of her? I used to hitchhike quite a bit when I was younger, so I was comfortable taking a ride from a stranger.


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

Hi mamas









dd has been using a fork for a few months. at first it kind of freaked me out, as the tongs were a bit sharp.







but she has always been very careful. she is very focused on eating with the fork these days, in that she likes for things to be able to go onto the tongs. of course, she is also unpredictable. some days she will take food from me, some days she will only take food from herself, some days she will not take any food. gotta love unpredictability.... :LOL

solstice mama- i completely understand where your post was coming from. every day is mother's day, in that it is all about the mama taking care of the baby. :LOL
i actually got into a pretty serious brawl with dh this afternoon on what was supposed to be a fun walk around the block. so all in all it hasn't been the glorified mothers day you read about in the books.







:

casina- i'm sorry about your families loss.







s to you...
i am glad you didn't have to cater the event too. i know how stressful that can be. my housemates and i used to run a restaurant, and i did the catering. not an easy task...

mamajaza- i'm glad you found a ride and that everything worked out.

lizc- i hope your day got better....







s

in regards to climbing- dd is doing more of this everyday. she is pretty safe about it. she loves doing it and is very pleased with herself. i am doing pretty well on not being over protective, so that is a good thing.









gotta run...


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

thanks ladies. the loss is a good one. i mean that everything has gone the way maw maw wanted. she was so loved that she hung on for much longer for everyone else's benefit with the als/lou gehrig's. she had not been able to talk or eat normally in almost two years. last monday we went to visit her, and she had just started being bedridden. she had us read a note she wrote, which said that she was really tired and that it had been a great life. we cried and kissed her and said goodbye, and told her that she would be okay, and that we would be too. so i'll cry some at the funeral tomorrow, but i'm so glad she has been released from this body.
and i'll be lucky if i get to meet seven great grandchildren before i die.


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## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

Christopher does well with getting the spoon into his mouth. The part he has trouble with is scooping. I got some bowls that suction to the tray of the high chair and that helps. He can scoop yogurt, apple sauce, Mac-n-Cheese, and anything thing else that has a thick consistency.

Right now Chris is driving me nuts! He is perfectly fine to sleep in his toddler bed at night but naps are a battle now. He has figured out he can get out. He is fighting his naps. Yesterday he didn't nap until 4pm. <sigh> I've tried a mini version of our bedtime routine and that's doesn't work either.


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## MamaFern (Dec 13, 2003)

happy mammas day mammas!

i have a quick question about teeth. elwynn has 4 molars now and is getting his canines ( the sharp ones! ow) are your toddlers getting these teeth? people keep telling me that its early for him to have so many teeth. hes this tiny little guy with a mouth full of teeth and fangs. just curious.

fern


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

Scarlett has her molars and now getting canines too. Revina didn't get hers until much later. I don't know what the norm is.

I got my Kozy Carrier today!! Now we just have to learn to use it. *Solsticemama* are you able to take you ds out of the Kozy while you are out and about and then get him back in without help?


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## hjohnson (Mar 2, 2004)

Christopher is working on his canines as well. The front of his shirt is always soaked from the drool. Poor guy!


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Casina I've been thinking about you and your clan today...wondering how it all went.

I've been up since 4







. It was one of those insomniac nights and I should be napping right now with ds but it's just so hard to do when his naptime is the only 'me' time I get. Anyone else napping with their dc?

Lately he's been telling me when he's going pee or about to poop so I'm thinking I should probably go out and buy a potty. Anyone have any suggestions for one?

A baby sling is something else I'd like to get for him.

Lilmiss's mama yes, I can get ds in and out of the Kozy without help. In fact help, which is often proferred, is more of a hindrance. I just position ds on my hip after I've tied the Kozy round my waist and then swing him 'round and up high on my back and then, bending over, I pull the staps up and over him and tie them under his bum using the car window to make sure he's in properly. Piece of cake. The key is doing it with confidence, mama


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Oh casina that is so beautiful. She sounds like a very liucky lady to have had all of you and what a beautifu passing. i hope I am so lucky as to go peacfuloly surrounded by people who love me so dearly.








to you and your whole fmaily.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

hey just wanted to update on Avas speach eval and give the low down on exactly what is and isn't normal for 18 months. :LOL

She is on the low side of acceptable and some of that they were giving her so she may be a little lower than that. they gave me some things to work on and they are going to do the mini eval again in a month and see if there has been improvemet or if I have been more aware of speech and speech patterns in her and if she is really doing better than we thought. She has a very high level of understanding so it isn't a whole language thing but just a speaking thing. we will see where hse is in a month and in the mean time will se about what the ofdds of her getting her tounge clipped at a reasonable price are. They agree that that could be part of it.

On a side note she has highly advanced fine motor skills, advanced in gross motor skills and they thought her social skills were exceptional to the point of wanting to wrap her up and take her home. I must admit she was in especially good form today during the evaluation and really latched on to one of the ladies doing it. :LOL

what is normal:
by 18 months most babies will say 10-20 words. 6 with gestures and vocalization and other attempts to communicate with obvious understanding is considered the minimum. If they say less than that or don't communicate in other ways or can't follow simple instructions (put it in the box. get a diaper. kiss your doll). So that is whjere it is at. Ava says about 5 words if you count whoa! yeah! eeeIIIII (the sound a martial artist makes when striking - they counted it because she uses it meaningfully. It is too funny. she hits targets and boards on cue but refuses to do it without wearing her sisters belt :LOL) . She also says Daddy and no (but no is not meaningful). She has used inflection a lot to obviously mimic what were saying. So anyway . . .


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

the last two mornings have been early for me too- but that is dd's fault, not mine. although i did have a bout of insomnia from 2-3 the other morning. UGH!!! her top left canine is coming in and it is a doozy. i feel so bad for her. it has broken the skin, but still seems to be bothering her. not much drool, however. :LOL she is still getting over this virus thing or the teething is reeking havoc on her insides, as she is still having wierd poop. GROSS!!!!! esp. since i dunk in the toilet.








and she has been warm- her head is always sweaty it seems. but no fever. teething is so dramatic sometimes!!

no napping for me when dd naps. i can count the times i've done that on one hand. i just can not relax enough to sleep "on command", and i always have things i want to do. moreover, it seems that when i do lay down, start to get comfy and sleepy, she wakes up! BAH

we got a mock kozy karrier (cheaper but very similar) a month ago. i like it alot. i usually put dd in a chair, or the back seat of the car to get her strapped in. she loves it. it is also great for relaxing her right before nap time. i put her in that, do a few chores or laps around the house :LOL and she will be ready for a nap when i take her out. fyi- this does not always work, but has been a help









gotta run!


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lilyka*

Ava says...eeeIIIII (the sound a martial artist makes when striking - they counted it because she uses it meaningfully .

There is something so poignant about this, that she uses it meaningfully and that meaningfulness to the child is how the speech folks determine the validity of a word. So it all comes down to breath, really. A word has meaning breathed into it thru tone and inflection by an 18 mo and is counted as valid. Beautiful. That we are capable of such evanescent and subtle things as tone and inflection so early in our lives is remarkable.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Hello everyone!

I've been having some really long days. The regular contractions have begun, but I can't call it labor. They don't hurt and I'm fairly certain they're not doing anything, and NewBean is far from engaged... she's still turning somersaults.







:

EliBean was sick this week. I think it was roseola, but... everything I've read says that the fever lasts 3-7 days, and he only had the fever for 24 hours before it broke and he developed the rash.







He's still quite rashy, but he's obviously feeling fine.







. It's one of the baby rashes, at any rate! :LOL

Eating with utensils... he's been doing that for a while. In the mornings, I like to give him a (small!!) bowl of cereal on a stepstool. He sits on the floor and eats. It's a bit messy, but afterwards I hand him something and he wipes up the stepstool and his face. Then he tries to put the bowl in the sink, but he really can't do that (a stepstool that would be high enough for him to reach would be too high for me to feel safe about him climbing on). It is a bit messy, but he likes to do it so I don't have a problem with it. It's not the end of the world, kwim?


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

Am I the only one here who's baby has no problems with getting teeth?







: no drool, no fever, no red face, no rubbing her gums on things, seems to be no pain... but she did get really clingy when she got her first molars. I don't usually know she's getting a tooth till I see it, or feel it, I never associate her attitude to teething (except the molars).

She already has all 16 of her first teeth through, but not totally up yet, but I can answer that question to mamafern myself, because she just came to our house to visit (as to why she was able to post) :LOL

eilonwy~~ You are getting contractions already? I get that pully feeling in the morning sometimes, as my tissues are getting softer and stretchier from the proglastins (sp?) going through my body. Stay well!~


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lilyka*
Ava says about 5 words if you count whoa! yeah! eeeIIIII (the sound a martial artist makes when striking - they counted it because she uses it meaningfully. It is too funny. she hits targets and boards on cue but refuses to do it without wearing her sisters belt :LOL) .

That is too funny. I'd love to see that. Haeven does the James Brown scream sometimes...







:


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Thanks for all the info on self-feeding skills. I just wanted to make sure DS wasn't way behind or something!

Solsticemama- I got a small seat that fits over the toilet seat. Zach LOVES grabbing it and putting it on and taking it off over and over again, LOL. I think it was about $12.99 at Target. I like it better than a potty chair only because I don't have to empty and clean it, and it is SO cute seeing my little baby sitting on the big toilet, holding a book! :LOL

Zach hasn't been doing too well in the potty-training area lately. He's been sneaking off to do his business by himself- I can always tell he's up to something when he's quiet for too long... He was doing so well for awhile, but he's kind of regressed a bit now, which is OK. Maybe he got freaked out by moving too fast? He still likes to grab the seat and sit on the potty, sometimes he does something, sometimes he doesn't. On Mother's Day he asked to go potty at my mom's house and he peed! Without his little seat! I was so impressed- he's never used a potty away from home.









lilyka- Do names count as words? I don't think Zach has 10 words...


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

yes names do. Actually one of the concers with Ava is that she doesn't use any names or lables for the peopl ein our home. She says Daddy but not clearly, or nessecarily meaningfully. Other than that she has used her sisters names (well sorta a sing sony inflection of them but in her defense they are complicated names :LOL)
10 would be just about right at this age from what the ladies said.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

My pg test came back negative. I'm sad. But I'm trying to not be sad because I *do* have 2 beautiful perfect children, which is more than some people have. But...I really had my hopes up too. Now I have to figure out why I didn't get my period, my boobs hurt, my abdomen feels "full"--guess it's hormonal related.


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

s to you Brayg. I know how you feel- it is so hard not to get preggers when you want to.


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## HelloKitty (Apr 1, 2004)

Hi all! My third boy is a November 7th 2002 babe, his name is Cameron. As far as nicknames go he has a TON - most popular though would be Cammie-bear, Cammie-kins, Cam-Monster, Sir Cam-e-lot, Cam-corder, Cam-era, you get the idea!!









He is a super sweetie pie - loves to snuggle and cuddle. Also has a bit of a Wiggles addiction - can't wait until they play around here so I can take him to see them Live. Other favorite things are his Blue's Clues ball - he will walk around with it at the park for hours, the slide at the park (he loves to toss his ball down the slide too!), his big brothers whom he just giggles at every time they come near him and our pets (three dogs and two cats).

Karen


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

***Vent ahead; proceed with caution!***

I'm going to lose it if he poops again. Eli's getting a lot of colostrum and today he has had (thus far) not one, not two, but *THREE* diapers which were not only poopy but have leaked out and necessitated showers for both of us and much cleaning up through the halls. There's poop everywhere, I feel like I'm drowning in it!







I'm losing my mind!!!!!







I don't know what I can do about it, but I'm so close to telling Mike to bring home some liquid immodium for him! I can't handle any more poop!!!!! NO MORE POOP!!!!


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

eilonwy~~ right there with you :LOL A couple of days ago, I didn't get the chance to put her clean diaper on, and she crapped on the floor, and then walked in it, put some toys in it, and walked through the house.... where was I, you ask, well on MDC, of course (just checking in). My mom was supposed to be watching her, but she was watching the survivor finali on T.V. Argg!!! And when I saw the "damage" she had done, she turns to run away, poopy feet and all. Anyways there is ONE of my poop stories of lately.


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

BTW, eilonwy, yogurt and bananas are constipating.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mona*







s to you Brayg. I know how you feel- it is so hard not to get preggers when you want to.









Thanks!


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HelloKitty*
Hi all! My third boy is a November 7th 2002 babe, his name is Cameron. As far as nicknames go he has a TON - most popular though would be Cammie-bear, Cammie-kins, Cam-Monster, Sir Cam-e-lot, Cam-corder, Cam-era, you get the idea!!









He is a super sweetie pie - loves to snuggle and cuddle. Also has a bit of a Wiggles addiction - can't wait until they play around here so I can take him to see them Live. Other favorite things are his Blue's Clues ball - he will walk around with it at the park for hours, the slide at the park (he loves to toss his ball down the slide too!), his big brothers whom he just giggles at every time they come near him and our pets (three dogs and two cats).

Karen

Hi and







Karen! My Owen LOVES the Wiggles as well.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Sorry 'bout the poop woes!







mamas!


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

*mamajaza*-Scarlett has no problem with teeth either. Neither did Revina.

Scarlett has a lot of words, but rarely uses them. Occasionally she will spout off some word I've never heard her say, but she won't say it again. She has been a quiet child since birth.

So, I tried to put Scarlett in the Kozy yesterday and she freaked! She did not want to be on my back! Guess who likes it?? Revina! Since Scarlett didn't want to be in it; she thought she would try it. I am going to keep trying with Scarlett though as I would prefer to carry the child who weighs less!


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

s brayg


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

we are continueing w/ poop dramas here today too. 3 so far. yuch!!!! i am not preggers, but they are just like newborn poops as she is still not eating much after her virus last week. i guess that it why. and maybe the teething? anyway, they are so gross. and dunking them.... where is that damn puke emote. anyway, you get the picture !!!!!!!


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Make that four.







I'm losing it, I seriously am!

All he eats is yogurt and bananas... I just feel like nothing can counter the power of colostrum for pushing poop out. Surely there's something I can do to keep from losing my mind in a sea of poop....


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## rubysmomjess (Apr 23, 2004)

Hi all!
I just found this thread...I mama to Ruby, born 12/19/02. She is one busy girl! She craweld at six months and walked at 10.5 months ( I have video of her in her hallowen costume drooling on toys and taking itty bitty step-LOL). She sleeps in our room, either in her pack-n-play or on our bed. We did vax, 'cause i didn't know any better at the time ... although when I started to asked questions our ped let us spread them out a bit. We stopped breastfeeding when she was cutting teeth and stopped nursing and I was struggling with PPD...kind of a disaster all together. I hope with our next one (TTC now) we'll be able to BF a lot longer.

I could talk about Ruby all day long...she's talking all the time (said her first understandable sentenece yesterday! - "Hailey move!" - Hailey's the dog) and climbing everything.

I love reading about all your babies!


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

OK, I don't care who thinks I am a big DORK, but we saw The Wiggles LIVE a couple weeks ago!!! It was so fun, the kids loved it! Julianna and DH got to shake Jeff's hand, and Murray walked right by my mom and I and said hi. I especially love the song about the flowers afraid of the rain... "And they were blue ba da ba pa, and red ba da ba pa, and yellow ba da ba pa, and purple too!" DH can play some of their songs on guitar, the kids love it. Zach's favorite song is the "rock-a-bye-a-bear" one, he loves doing the actions.

I'm feeling bad about the poopy problems, mamas... Good luck!


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

wow a lot to catch up on.

poop. ohhh my. feed that kiddo some naturally constipating foods: bananas and rice come to mind. My own dear child had about 4 poopy dipes today and then pooped 3 different times in the tub. No more fruit tomorrow for her! This many dunking, poopy dipes is enough for me to say get a DISPOSABLE DIAPER honey! In fact I didn't have enough clean dipes and dh can't wash dipes and well, dd is in a sposie right now.

welcome to the new mamas. I haven't checked in in a while so I can't recall, but it seems like there were three?

speech. Funny you should bring it up sandra. I heard a speech person talk today about normal childhood speech. It was really fascinating. Basically she said if you are insured and you think there might be a problem, the best thing to do was to do as you did -- get an evaluation done. Our public schools is free too. Erin is saying a lot of words, almost overnight. She's I think the oldest of the regulars here. But literally I heard five new words today.

and one makes mama's heart melt moment:







today we were walking by the toy box and erin stopped, bent down and kissed her teddy before leaving the house.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Leah--I would do just about anything to get to a Wiggles show. I don't think they are coming to our area anytime soon though.







I love that song too--we have 3 Wiggles CDs that we listen to over and over and over and over and over...again. :LOL
















to all the new mamas!

Still sorry 'bout the poop woes.









Kristin--Owen is kissing everything lately. It's just so darned precious! Makes my heart melt. He is also blowing kisses. :*)

He fell down and got a skinned up knee this morning. I got him a bandaid. He seemed very proud of it. It was a Spongebob one (He LOVES spongebob--calls it bob-bob). I'm just smitten w/him--the age he is at right now is just so fun--learning new things, words, etc. *sigh*


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Ava has been on a pooping streak also. Crazy stuff. At least 6 times a day for the last 5 days. And she is hardly nursing at all anymore. Thank goodness it isn't runny.

fiber? good luck. perhaps now would be a good time to invest in a baby sitter for a few hours so you can at least escape the mess.







s


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## HelloKitty (Apr 1, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *DecemberSun*
OK, I don't care who thinks I am a big DORK, but we saw The Wiggles LIVE a couple weeks ago!!!

YOU LUCKY DORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me and Cam are very jealous


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

The kids don't watch anything but The Wiggles, Bear in the Big Blue House, Teletubbies, and Barney. They're not into cartoons. DH likes to watch Scooby Doo, but the kids don't pay any attention to it after the opening song.

I admit that I popped in a Barney video this morning so I could vaccum and Swiffer the floor... Otherwise they'd be diving into the piles of dust bunnies and crying because they're afraid of the vaccum.

Zach still only has a BM once a week







, and he's been skipping the potty and saving them for Saturdays when we're on the lake and he's in a sposie! Gross! Then we have to find a place to store it until we get home, and we get to smell it all day. Yummy. BUT, to me, that's better than dealing with poop smooshed into the carpet :LOL


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

I have never encountered this program. I don't want to get in the habit of letting my baby watch T.V., though I have used it a few times to have a shower (worked the first couple of times, then I started having a shower curtain peeping girl) The only "shows" that Haeven has really watched are the bear in the big blue house and little bear. I grew up without T.V., and I hope for her to have that when she is growing up.


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

The Wiggles are four guys on Disney who play instruments and sing songs and dance. They're Australian and they're really funny! I don't let them watch TV all day, but I don't feel bad at all letting them watch TV ocassionally. They LOVE music, and they enjoy dancing along with their favorite characters. I know it's a shocker, but they actually LEARN things from some of these shows. They're not all toxic, in my opinion...


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

I agree Leah--my oldest ds learned a TON from shows like Barney and Sesame Street. I let Owen watch the Wiggles every day. Of course, he doesn't sit through the whole thing, but he'll go play and come back...dance a little, go play, come back...


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lilmiss'mama*
So, I tried to put Scarlett in the Kozy yesterday and she freaked! She did not want to be on my back! Guess who likes it?? Revina! Since Scarlett didn't want to be in it; she thought she would try it. I am going to keep trying with Scarlett though as I would prefer to carry the child who weighs less!

:LOL
Maybe dd#2 will see dd#1 enjoying it and want to be in it herself. I just got my Girasol. It's alot more complicated than the Kozy so I am still climbing its steep learning curve. It's a beautiful color tho so it's inspiring me to continue to learn to use it.

Ds's word of the day: foweree? Said with the inflection of a question. Translation: flower. It's sooo precious
















We finally had our first good night in 2 weeks. Only 2 nightwakings. I felt like a new woman this morning. Nothin like sleep to restore body and soul.


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

I did get Scarlett in the Kozy yesterday, not without protest though. Once she was in and I started walking she liked it. However, it does come with its own set of problems... now that she can see what is on the counters she wants everything and was constantly trying to dive for stuff. I let her have a banana and then got her out, no banana hair for me! So she was only in for about 10 minutes, but it's a start.
Scarlett's new thing... if you tell her something she doesn't want to hear, she gets a real serious look on her face points her finger at you and says "whoa" It is so hard not to laugh!
And she is obsessed with frogs. I took the girls to Schramm Park where they have a small aquarium with fish native to NE and also a little indoor pond with fish, turtles, and frogs. All Scarlett wanted to do was stand and watch the "froggies." I took them outside to play in all the dandelions and she kept walking back to the door saying "froggies, froggies." And in all of her books she points out the frogs.
Do your little ones have a particular animal they love?


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Hey Brayg you're a senior member now







Have you chosen a name?

Lilmiss'smama I laughed out loud reading about Scarlett and 'whoa' :LOL


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

http://groups.msn.com/woolpants/shoebox.msnw?Page=1
i've just added a few more photos to share w/ you all....
K LOVES being outside now that it is nice. if it was up to her, she'd be outside most of the day. that translates into... we are outside most of the day. :LOL luckily our backyard patio is covered w/ trees, and our upstairs patio (veranda type thing) is coved by trees as well so i don't have to worry about the sun too much.

are all your earthy capricorns as obsessed w/ rocks and dirt and other earthy substances as mine? the more dirt that covers her, the better.









darn, i was going to say something else, but poof, it has disappeared from my brain.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by **solsticemama**
Hey Brayg you're a senior member now







Have you chosen a name?

I have not...haven't a clue what to name myself! :LOL

I see you aren't too far behind me.


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

I just wrote a big long post, and lost it....







:

I wanted to say that I hope my last post didn't sound harsh, because I had to leave.

mona~your baby looks like an angel-cutey.

solsticemama~I hope to catch up on my sleep one day too....lol

And I found a old baby trekker in a FREE box today







I'm going to try to sell my newer one on the TP, so that I too can try one of those other amazing carriers.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Well, we only had three poops today, so that's a bit of an improvement.. plus, he was at my mother's (I had a Dr's appt) so I only had to change one of them.









On the downside, Eli threw up this morning in his carseat.







I think it's from the soap he ate last night.







: Our phone is dying, so I couldn't call poison control (I know, I know! but we don't have another for now!) but we gave him some water and kept an eye on him. He seemed pretty normal, threw up once this morning and then was hungry and happy the rest of the day.









I'm pretty sure the rash was roseola.. it's almost gone now, at any rate. I keep thinking I should take pictures of these rashes so I'll remember them (beacuse I'm forgetting things all the time right now) but I forget to take the pictures, too.







:

Today, Eli peed in his potty standing up just like daddy. He found it terribly amusing. :LOL







:

Totally







T and a bit of a vent: My belly is huge, heavy, and hot. When I tell people I'm due in June they say "Oh, at least it's not July when it's really hot!" I can't help but wonder what's going on in their heads; it's only freaking May now and it's already 90+ degrees during the day. Do they think that June will somehow be cooler?







: Even so, I don't feel like talking to people. I know they're just trying to make conversation, but I just feel like it's nobody's damned business when I'm due. Then they get all offended if I don't talk to them, like I'm holding out on some big secret! I don't know, maybe it's the hormones talking but I really think I might say something nasty to the next person who asks.







:


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

eilonwy-- it is hot and uncomfortable to be pg in the summer! My oldest was born in July and I lived in Tucson at the time. Plus, I worked until a week before my due date and I walked to work. ughh! I worked at a little food co-op downtown and I sat at my cash register with a fan blowing directly on me! The heat can definetly make you a bit grumpy! Plus you have to lug a toddler around to; which doesn't help to keep you cool.

Mona your dd is a beauty! Thanks for sharing your pictures. The girls like to see pics of other babies!


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eilonwy*

Even so, I don't feel like talking to people. I know they're just trying to make conversation, but I just feel like it's nobody's damned business when I'm due. Then they get all offended if I don't talk to them, like I'm holding out on some big secret! I don't know, maybe it's the hormones talking but I really think I might say something nasty to the next person who asks.







:

Well you sound like a very pregnant mama, eilonwy. I can remember when I was preg with ds and strangers would come up to me and ask the usual, when are you due? They'd also ask, 'do you know what you're having?' Inside I was thinking, 'how will this change your life if you know what gender my baby is' So I'd just nod and say, yes. Of course the expectation was that I would then volunteer this info. Which I usually didn't do. People seem to feel a pregnant woman has fewer boundaries than the rest of us. Perhaps it's the archetype that a pregnant woman literally embodies. But when I was pregnant I decided not to ask any pregnant woman much more than, how are you feeling. Which then again, is none of my business. Oh and btw, you are holding the most beautiful secret









Mona, pics are so sweet of your dd. I particularly like, 'carrying rocks'.

Hoping for a good night for all mamas and babes.


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

I can understand your point *solsticemama* about not wanting to share your pregnancy secrets. However, I didn't feel that way when I was pg. So many people would ask me the same questions over and over again when they would come thru my line at the co-op. I loved talking about it "no, I don't know if it is a boy or girl" "I am due July 12".... Some of the customers would try and guess the gender or tell me what they thought it was going to be. One of the customers who was a regular, but not someone I really spoke much with knitted a blanket for my baby. I was so touched by that. Now when I see a pg lady I want to ask the same things, b/c I feel so excited and happy for them to be experiencing something so wonderful. I love sharing my birth stories. I guess I am not sure where I am going with this, but I don't ask those questions b/c it will change my life, I just feel drawn to pg women. They are so beautiful and glowing and magic; and I think a lot of people are drawn to that.


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Wow! Pregnancy hormones are a-flowin'! Makes me want to be pregnant again sometimes- I'm ready, but I'm afraid my body will be horrible to me like it was last time...

People think pregnant women are beautiful because they're impressed by the sheer wonder and miracle of life. That's why they ask questions and make chit-chat, I think. I always get all gooshy when I see a beautiful pregnant mama, or even a tiny pink newborn. I like to ask "When are you due?" or "How old is the baby?" Makes my heart melt, I almost feel like I know the person because there's a small connection... or something like that... I had a couple glasses of Chardonnay and now I'm happy


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

hey ladies. i've been funky lately. no big deal, little temporary irritating stuff like me having a heavy period, and about a hundred other things bothering me. oh well.

hey ruby's mama, my ruby mei was born november 19.
lilyka, it sounds like ruby is alot like ava on the actual speaking of words. clay was this way as well. i have just been assuming that there are too many people fighting to talk as it is.....

i have no poop troubles. i take that back, i'm used to it. what i'm not used to is ruby's skills at opening things. box of rotini pasta that litters and jabs into feet. she can open some twist ties, knows to jab her finger into plastic to create a hole and shake stuff out. i forgot again, i'm at that age where i will lose about ten percent of my food due to her experiments. it happens everytime.


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

hey ladies. i've been funky lately. no big deal, little temporary irritating stuff like me having a heavy period, and about a hundred other things bothering me. oh well.

hey ruby's mama, my ruby mei was born november 19.
lilyka, it sounds like ruby is alot like ava on the actual speaking of words. clay was this way as well. i have just been assuming that there are too many people fighting to talk as it is.....

i have no poop troubles. i take that back, i'm used to it. what i'm not used to is ruby's skills at opening things. box of rotini pasta that litters and jabs into feet. she can open some twist ties, knows to jab her finger into plastic to create a hole and shake stuff out. i forgot again, i'm at that age where i will lose about ten percent of my food due to her experiments. it happens everytime.

http://community.webshots.com/user/casina102


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

You know, when I was pregnant with Eli I did want to talk to people. I loved actively hiding information, for example:

stranger: Do you know what you're having?

me: Yes, a baby.

s: No, is it a girl or a boy?

m: Yes, it's one or the other.

s: What are you hoping for?

m: A healthy baby.

s: A girl or a boy?

m: Yes, a girl or a boy.

s: Do you have names picked out?

m: Yes.

s: So, what are you calling the baby?

m: Baby Lastname.

:LOL

I loved doing it. Even when I told people I was having a boy (and I knew he was a boy from conception) I didn't tell them any more than that. I got a real kick out of it. :LOL This time around, things are different. I just don't want to be bothered! Like I said, I know they're just trying to be friendly but I'm so tempted to say "Due? What do you mean, due? I'm not pregnant!" Of course, at this point the "I'm just fat" argument won't hold water.. I'm at the beach ball smuggling phase and look distinctively pregnant. :LOL


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

i worked in a restaraunt to almost the end of my pregnancy, where i had been managing for 5 years, so the customers not only knew me, they acted like they had the right to know all about me! ugh. i did not technically know the gender (although knew inside







) so i used to have fun w/ people's questions to "what are you having." i agree that people do not have boundaries!!!
and goddess it was hot back in that kitchen!!! i worked the grill, and it got soooo hot. i always had fans blowing on me, and wet rags on my neck.
i was so glad when i stopped the grill and just did desserts.









great pic casina!


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

i found each pg and birth to be different. the secret friend you have affects you.


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

casina~your kids are so darling! Looks like they are having lots of fun. Ruby is so beautiful.

It's not too hot here these days. I'm in the nice cool Canada (no igloos, though), so I don't have to worry about the heat till July.


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

Casina- I didn't know Ruby Mei and Scarlett were born on the same day! What time was she born? Scarlett--6:08am


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Did ya see this new smilie?







: I







it!!!


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

it makes me cringe :LOL

funny though


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

It makes it look like the baby is trying to get away and the mama is winking like "Oh, this'll shut him up." I think they should have definitely come up with a better one for nursing a toddler. Sorry, just me...


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

Actually, now that I look at it more closely, it kinda reminds me of me and my baby, :LOL

The baby is nursing, and holding one boob, twiddling the other nipple, and kicking his feet- and all the while Mama is smiling cooly...

I think I like it now... But they still could have done a better job, IMO...


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

there's actually a whole thread about that smiley! :LOL with the exception of the blue hands, it bears a striking resembalence to Eli nursing... well, not right now. he's very cooperative these days, out of necessity. :LOL


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

: --> our morning and a good part of our night


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## punkprincessmama (Jan 2, 2004)

I just lost my post

Our computer crashed, it took awhile for us to get it up and running again.... i really missed y'all. I missed mdc in general but espesially this group. No matter how busy things get I always try to make time to pop in and at least keep up with y'all....

i read all the posts I missed, but after the long day I just had I can't really remember what I was going to say anymore (sorry!) I think dd is coming down with something. After about six weeks of 30 minute naps (sometimes only one a day!) she took a three and a half hour one this afternoon. She spent all afternoon nursing and then had a two hour marathon at bedtime. :!

I really enjoyed all the pics that have been posted lately. Thanks for sharing! Mama Jazza, i love the shoes your dh and dd are wearing, did you make them? Casina, i love your hair!! I shaved half of my head last summer (the underneath part) and have kept it up ever since.

Well ladies, I'm off to catch some









It feels good to be back in the group


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

welcome back punk!


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

http://www.padraigcottage.com/slippers.htm ... where I get the slippers. They ROCK!


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

i can't remember when ruby was born exactly. evening time, around five or six. now i'll have to go look that up or it will bug me......and i think i remember being shocked that my mom would forget these things.

my head's been shaved for a few years now, since clay was a baby and our trailer flooded. life seemed hot and difficult then and it has never gotten any easier but i'm happier anyway. it is my privilege since i homeschool and don't work for anyone. and for now i won't grow it back because even though everyone else misses the supposedly great hair i had, i never have to look in the mirror (or hardly wash or cut it), i'm not easily stereotyped (and yes, i scare people), and i'm addicted to feeling the air on my scalp. it calms me. plus it is hot as heck here. my kids already won't go outside which i'm fighting. but then there's the mosquitoes......

besides, ruby discovered hair yanking today. my boys are flabbergasted. they never considered this tactic.


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## DecemberSun (Jul 6, 2003)

I commented on those slipper-shoes, too. They looke VERY comfy. Zach's grown out of his Buskins already...


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

hi punkprincess I was just thinking the other day we hadn't heard from you in while!

Scarlett fell off of her little rocking chair Thursday. I was at work, so I am not sure the exact story. She sprained her hand, probably trying to catch herself. She can't put any weight on it, so that means she can't get up by herself, which she finds very frustrating! The dr. said she should be back to normal Monday and if not take her back in. She seems to be improving each day though. I was afraid she had fractured somthing; b/c revina had a freak accident this winter that fractured the top of her foot.


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## punkprincessmama (Jan 2, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *casina*
it is my privilege since i homeschool and don't work for anyone.

I know exactly what you mean. I feel that same way. It took me a little while to adjust to that idea, after I stopped working outside the home.

Thanks for the warm welcome back everyone!

lilmiss'mama, I'm sorry to hear about Scarlett







Hope she feels better soon.

DecemberSun, we just bought Mariah new shoes for summer - size 5!! It feels like we are constantly buying new socks and shoes for this kid!


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

I finally made Eli some sandals. The second one came out better than the first, but he's a baby and he won't care. :LOL Plus, I know what I'm doing for next year. If I had to call them a size other than "Eli", I'd say that they're 4.5 4E, maybe 5E. :LOL His feet are rectangular. :LOL


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## bakeria (Jan 10, 2004)

I know I only really post when I have a problem or question but mamas I am just so sad. I gave all my baby stuff, you know slings, a front carrier, breast pump...(you get the idea) to a friend and she just packed it all up and gave it back to me. Her baby is only SIX WEEKS OLD and she's on formula and in either a car seat carrier or bouncer all the time. I am just so sad. You know I read a lot of posts on MDC and it's easy to fool myself that the whole wide world is AP.







Anyway I'm just sad...maybe a little bit hormonal too as AF has returned with a vengeance...but I know you guys will understand and tonight I will make myself feel better by thinking of all of you nursing and cuddling your little ones down for the night. Thanks for giving me hope for mothering.

Maria, mom to Faye 11/17/02


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Hey, *Mamajaza* have you seen this site ?

Eli's mom what did you make the sandals out of? There's something otherworldly about the image of a very pregnant mama 'cobbling' sandals for her child. I see you in a dimly lit room, flagstone floor, needle and thread in hand, with scraps of leather, a crust of bread, a cat skulking about in the background while your brood of 6 sleeps soundly...you know the archetype :LOL

Right there with you, bakeria.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bakeria*






























I know I only really post when I have a problem or question but mamas I am just so sad. I gave all my baby stuff, you know slings, a front carrier, breast pump...(you get the idea) to a friend and she just packed it all up and gave it back to me. Her baby is only SIX WEEKS OLD and she's on formula and in either a car seat carrier or bouncer all the time. I am just so sad. You know I read a lot of posts on MDC and it's easy to fool myself that the whole wide world is AP.







Anyway I'm just sad...maybe a little bit hormonal too as AF has returned with a vengeance...but I know you guys will understand and tonight I will make myself feel better by thinking of all of you nursing and cuddling your little ones down for the night. Thanks for giving me hope for mothering.

Maria, mom to Faye 11/17/02

Maria--I totally know how you feel! At least you got it all back. I borrowed a friend my breastpump, boppy and a back issue of Mothering in November when her dd was born. She made it 4 days before she put the baby on formula. She's finally returning the stuff (she had it in her car when she came over the other day but forgot to give it to me) minus the magazine--she thinks it probably got thrown out! How can you throw out a back issue of Mothering?!?! Especially when it wasn't yours to begin with!







Irritating. I'm still learning how to deal w/people who make choices for their children that I don't agree with. It's hard.


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## Brayg (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by **solsticemama**
Hey, *Mamajaza* have you seen this site ?

Eli's mom what did you make the sandals out of? There's something otherworldly about the image of a very pregnant mama 'cobbling' sandals for her child. I see you in a dimly lit room, flagstone floor, needle and thread in hand, with scraps of leather, a crust of bread, a cat skulking about in the background while your brood of 6 sleeps soundly...you know the archetype :LOL

Right there with you, bakeria.

:LOL Rose, you are too funny!


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

No, I haven't seen that site before, solstice mama. Thank-you. I bookmarked it. I'm getting my mom to read all sorts of posative UC sites.

I asked you this question before, but I don't know if you didn't want to say, or didn't read it. But I was wondering which island you live on. I live near Vancouver, and when I was younger I travelled to a bunch of the islands. I







ed it. My favorite was Denman. and hornby. If you'd rather PM me, feel free.


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Brayg*
I'm still learning how to deal w/people who make choices for their children that I don't agree with. It's hard.









Brayg, this is something I struggle with also. Sometimes the state of 'mainstream' child rearing makes for some sobering thought. I have been known to get depressed about it on occasion.

Um, *Mamajaza* I'm wondering if perhaps you're thinking of someone else. I'm not an island dweller. I'll pm ya anway


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## bakeria (Jan 10, 2004)

Thanks mamas I feel better already. I had better get over the idea that people are going to do what I tell them just because it is the right thing to do QUICK if I am going to be a good mama to my toddler.

*mamajaza* are you thinking of island mommy? I don't think she's posted in a while but I remember her, I think.

Maria, mom to Faye 11/17/02


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

well, this is something i haven't figured out yet, how to be accepting of the way others mother when mammas really need each others support. if the women of the world could even sort of agree we could get everything we wanted.

and as much as i would like to think i can do anything like activism with little ones, it is not really happenning. so maybe about ten years from now all of us can be doing things like starting the non profit org to give out slings. about all i can do is nurse in the sling in public and look happy about it, and hope that people realize that my kids are beautiful partially because of the way i have raised them.


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## punkprincessmama (Jan 2, 2004)

Casina - ITA with every dam* thing you just said.


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## smaug (Feb 22, 2002)

boy, it takes a while to catch up on all the happenins here! hope everyone had a great weekend! that new smilie







: cracks me up!

casina, i wonder if you might know a fella named caleb ingle? i know baton rouge is no little town, but he lives there and i thought i'd ask.

all 4 of julians first set of molars are through (to some degree) they look so foreign in there. he smiles and all i see are this big-*ss teeth! he got a bloody nose today. yesterday elwyn tripped and cut his gum and bled all over. he has this blood blister on his gum now. in two days both my boys got their first bloody injuries. oh, take that back. when elwyn was 18 months, he stuck his thumb in a soda can and got it all mangled


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## lilmiss'mama (Mar 8, 2002)

oh bloody injuries make me cringe! Revina never had any, so when Scarlett had her first it freaked me out. It was all I could do to not cry; I didn't want to freak her out more. poor babies


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## punkprincessmama (Jan 2, 2004)

Just a few things I've been thinking about....

I wanted to say that I'm really grateful for this group. I really hope that enough of us stay with this and we are still posting together when dc are 4, 8, 12 and so on. I really learn a lot from you mamas, it is so nice to hear similar stories, I trust your judgement, and I feel like kindred spirits, kwim? I think most people I know IRL (besides dh) thinks I am crazy for still bf, co-sleeping and placing dd's needs first. MDC in general is a wonderful place and boosts my confidence, but I think its great to have this group where we are going through similar things with our kiddos and because we post here so often we really do get to know eachother.

Phew, hope that made sense









The other thing I've been thinking about, and wanted to say is for you MamaJazza. You have really got me thinking about Unnasisted Childbirth. I am hoping, selfishly, that you might consider sharing your birth story here. (or on another section but tell us where to find it?) I'm not trying to pressure you, just really interested. I hope you don't mind the request.


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

caleb ingle. now that is a very not baton rouge kind of name. no, i don't know him. but then i'm not as social as one could be. it is really kind of a small town here when it comes to knowing people, so he'll probably appear before me one of these days.

i'm happy anyone is having or thinking about an unassisted birth. did i tell y'all that it was part of my deal with dh about resuming relations, that i get an unassisted birth if there's a next time. of course i have an iud now.....

we're pretty steeped with violence and injuries over here. how many times can i get my face stepped on.....clay had a bloody nose and some other injuries i did not witness the other day and i found i was relieved when there was swelling. that's when i knew i was seasoned.

i live next door to a not very good daycare and they have schoolkids in the afternoons too. sometimes i'm struck with how strange that is for all of us (i'm unschooling) and i imagine little tales in my head sometimes. like one day we had a big bonfire in the middle of the day, and then my kids were all naked and running through an old fashioned spinning sprinkler. we have an old six foot fence and then they have a four foot chainlink, but the kids can still see through if they try hard enough or swing high enough. the caregivers were yelling at them to get away from the fence. i'm sure the daycare kids were just flabbergasted, and probably in the end the kids and families decided that we were barbarians.

another thing i find amusing is that if we are about town as a family on a weekday, people tend to assume we must be very rich. HA HA HA. if only i had the ovum to wear a shirt that declared otherwise.


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## punkprincessmama (Jan 2, 2004)

casina - one day, in my senior year of high school, dh and I decided we were going to go to New Orleans. I had always wanted to go. (we were engaged then, but not married yet). We had the good sense to call ahead to reserve a room and found out that every place we could afford was booked as it was the New Orleans Jazz Festival. So we drove to Baton Rouge instead. We spent the first afternoon there, walking around, enjoying the architecture, taking pics etc. We were really struck as to how small of a town the place was. Even in the afternoon there didn't seem like there was much going on. I think because it is the capital we thought it would be a bigger city.The next day it was on to N.O., the Jazz Festival, etc. We had such a good time, we are always talking about doing it again (I think it was about an eight hour drive for us). We have also been to Ft. Polk area, as our best friend was stationed there for a few years.


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

where are you living? this is the first time i haven't been dying to leave baton rouge. it is a great place to homeschool/unschool legalwise.


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## punkprincessmama (Jan 2, 2004)

I just PMed ya regarding where we live. For some reason I'm nervous / paranoid about publically declaring these things (yes I know I'm weird).

What is funny is that I've always been dying to get out of here too, dh and I have talked for years about where we want to move when he finishes school - Montana, Colorado, anywhere but here. Now that I know I want to homeschool (and very possibly unschool) I'm suddenly not in as much rush to leave as Texas has good laws for these things. Isn't it funny how things change?


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

no, not weird. i wondered how close you were.....and i have a friend that just moved near houston.


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## majazama (Aug 2, 2003)

punkprincessmama~I will *definately* keep everyone updated and post a birth story once I'm able. If you want to read more UC birth stories, there are quite a few in the "birth stories" section of our great MDC. Every day I'm getting closer, and I'm trying to visualize everything happening so smoothly, painlessly (just got to try, at least), and quickly. Open,open,open. I'm getting there. Can feel little pointy elbows, feet, and knees sometimes.

My challenge right now is carrying my toddler, because I already have one baby to carry around inside me. If I carry her for too long, I get a sore back. She's starting to get used to not being held all the time, though, which is good because once this other baby "lands", I won't be able to carry Haeven around much at all.

casina~ I love your description of you guys having a big bonefire in the middle of the day, with the neighbours looking through the fence like they were witnessing a bunch of savages.:LOL


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

mainstream mamas....sigh (because I have spent a lot of time thinking about this). I thought that would be me. It was all I knew. And now I realize that my dear friend Karrie from college led me to MDC and...the rest is history. We aren't as crunchy as the rest of ya'll but we are very into making the choices that work for our family. And have become aware that there are a lot of choices one can make. And that it has to "work" for everyone, including the kiddo.

But I guess I have come to realize that mothering a child is overwhelming at time. If all I can offer is to push someone else's kid on a swing because she's too busy smokin a cig to deal with her kid...well then I'm the cool mama because i'll push anyone's kid on a swing at the park (so long as my Erin doesn't







away).And I'm lucky to have such mama friends here at MDC.

Casina ...to be honest if I didn't know you online, I'd think you were loopy with that mental image. But then I think about it and realize...I think you are a great mama and offer your kids lots of love, guidance and support so they can grow into great adults...what a closed minded mama I can be sometimes huh? Ah well, I live in Northern Minnesota, we're kinda, um reserved.

and finally...I'm wondering if at some point we should maybe move to the finding your tribe board? We seem to be the most active due date club everywhere else (I remember ya'll on the pg board -- I was an oct due date, life with a babe, and here on the toddlers...)

Happy Monday Mamas. I'm trying to stay tuned into work and offline, but am checking this thread and the running club thread often.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Hello! I'm gone for a few days and you guys fill a whole new page! :LOL

I made the sandals out of a thrift store leather, sherpa-style vest ($2.58; winter clearance), the diaper bag which I thought I'd save money on by purchasing a generic one at Toys-R-Us instead of just paying for the LL Bean one which is guaranteed for life (free; and basically rescued from being a receptical for stuff I was too lazy to carry out of the car) and super glue (which I sent Mike out to buy, because I was feeling huge and slow. :LOL)

When I find the recharger for my batteries, I'll take a picture of them. Like I said, one of them is much cuter than the other but they're definately suitable. I'm impressed with my work. (where's the "patting myself on the head" smilie? :LOL)

Mainstream mammas... I don't know too many parents, so I don't feel really qualified to talk about it. I know people who are not conventional parents, but who aren't really crunchy either, like my sister (co-sleeping, breastfeeding, but gentle discipline? :LOL). Sometimes I see people being cruel or thoughtless with their children and it makes me really sad, but I can't know if they're having a bad day or if they're always like that so I try not to judge.

I've only got one crunchy friend, and I met her through MDC... before I had Eli, I had no idea that I was as crunchy as it turns out that I am. :LOL I'd heard of attachment parenting in passing, but nothing specific and what I heard sounded like common sense even though the articles I was reading weren't always favorable ("Attachment parenting theory says that you should always pick your baby up when they cry," followed by a statement about how dangerous co-sleeping is, etc, etc.) I'd certainly never associated closely with anyone who did those things in real life, although I'd encountered a few at LLL meetings.

Personally, if a friend gave me a box with a sling and a pump and such in it, I'd be really honored and at the very least willing to listen to their ideas. My SIL is pregnant now with her first, and while she's not a terribly crunchy person, she's already said that she wants a sling to carry her Bean in, and she's more open minded about crunchy parenting than she was. She's not crazy about all of my ideas yet, but she can see that ... well, to put it bluntly, my son is (thus far) the only one of my mother's four grandchildren who's not already on their way to a life of insanity and therapy. (Which is ironic, since I'm probably the craziest of the parents. :LOL) Eli's a healthy, happy boy, and if my strange ideas are part of that, they're apparently worth listening to. I imagine that if Eli were a high needs baby, I'd have a harder time persuading anyone that my way of parenting was even worthy of consideration, you know?


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## tea olive (Apr 15, 2002)

how funny. i thought when i had babies i would finally fit in with the rest of the world. i could enjoy being normal and it would be easy to follow the rules and not have to fight everyone. and now i'm confronted with the fact that i'm a nonconformist at heart and wear my head shaved sometimes just to remind me of this. but really, it is reed that had led me down this path. he is a combination of me and dh's most extreme aspects. if i had any "easier" of a first baby or child it would be different. and i'm thankful to him for being such a teacher, though when some friends asked me last week to put him in a child led summer camp, i had to sigh because they are crunchy attachment mothers that had the ideals before children, and homeschool because they have cool thoughts. and no, he probably wouldn't tolerate the half day two week camp without sacrificing a large chunk of sanity for the whole family.

don't get me wrong, i am so happy about unschooling and the homeschooling kids i know are beautiful children that benefit so much that they radiate, but it starts with him, and he still confounds me several times a day. of course my other children are feisty as well especially ruby, and benefit from the pseudoradical parenting lifestyle i'm committed to, (which is what, let them be the wild animals they are and help them when they are actually unable?) but it really started with a baby that could not tolerate any other kind of parenting, unless i wanted him to turn out like how unhappy me and dh felt around 16, and we are still working out our issues (um...like getting financially prosperous to match our demeanor?) so we can show him how to be the best person possible. something said at homeschool park day was that there is absolutely nothing wrong with our kids whatever the issue, it is that we consider it an issue as the parents.

so it's a funny thing. i know several other mammas that are surprised by the path we are on. and haha, you'll see when they are older. it goes from being a physical challenge to being a mental challenge and they are inherently programmed to work to outwit you. but anyway most of you are way more enlightened than i was with first baby. and i see such rich futures for all babies since parenting is changing so much, even for the "mainstream". i'm 33 and the 25 year olds and 20 year olds i know are so much more relaxed. i can't even imagine how evolved our loved kids are gonna be.

but then i'm still shocked i have a cell phone with a nice ring. had no idea i would have that as a kid.


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## **guest** (Jun 25, 2004)

I do believe it's time for a new thread. Yikes, way too many pages!!
It's been about a week since I was on this thread and it's out of control!!! (length wise. lol)

So, as soon as someone starts a new thread, I'll post more.









Hugs,
Liz


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

New thread!


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