# June '04 mamas - our babies are TODDLERS!!



## dharmama (Dec 29, 2002)

Welcome to the official world of toddler-hood!!









Let's see....

What can we do to kick of the thread???

Rynna asked about 4th of July plans. We're doing NOTHING. That's right NOTHING all weekend! :LOL I'm SOOOOO excited! (Well....I mean I'm working tomorrow and we'll do the usual Sunday stuff but nothing special planned for the 4th.)

What else?

I was wondering if it might be fun to look at our babies' development since they are all so different. But I totally just want it to be fun...not anything that will make anyone uncomfortable, ya know?

Like maybe we could write our babe's birthweight/length, six month, and one year weight and height.







And if anyone wants to include like....first tooth....sitting up...crawling etc.

I think it would be kind of neat to see just how different all our wonderdful babies are.

Whacha think?

~Erin









PS ~ New June mamas/babes are welcome to join us at any time!!! Come on in...


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## 3girlsmommy (Jun 19, 2003)

Wow! We've officially moved over to the toddler board. It's weird to think I will never have another baby!

Lily is soo cool! Right now she's playing w/ this cd player of Lauren's and is dancing to the music and laughing. Her new word is uh-oh! She says it constantly. It's so cute! She's really working on the whole standing thing. I think she is going to be like my oldest in regards to walking. My oldest practiced and mastered standing and cruising along the furniture and then when she was certain that she could do it she walked. She never did those few hesitant steps, she just walked. I remember the moment perfectly in my head. I don't remember when MAddie walked because she did those little hesitant steps for a few weeks. It's so wild how different my girls are sometimes.

This weekend is my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary and all my uncles and cousins are in town. It should be a crazy fun party on Saturday. My uncles always make everything interesting. Thankfully the heat is suppose to break tonight and it's only suppose to be in the low 70's tomorrow. Other then that we are doing nothing! My dh is taking all next week off! We are planning on cleaning out closets and the basement and painting our room. I bought the paint a couple of months ago and then dh started working 55 + hours a week so I haven't had the opportunity. I think we're going to go to the beach and to a children's museum in the next city over(about an hour away). Hopefully we're meeting one of my friends that I haven't seen in 5 years there. He hasn't met two of my three kids and I haven't met his ds. So that will be cool!

ALright the kids are calling! I'll answer the stats stuff later!


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## Queen of Cups (Aug 29, 2003)

Happy July! I like the idea of sharing our babies milestones from the past year. I don't think anyone here will turn it into a competition or make anyone feel bad about it - I know that I love to see the wide variety... but that's might just be the biologist in me!

Here's Killy's stats!

Birth: 7lb 11 oz, 19.5 inches
Six Months: 20lbs 4 oz, 27.5 inches
One Year: 23lbs 8 oz, 31 inches

First sat up by himself: 5 months
First tooth: 5 months
First word: 7 months ("Mama"







)
First crawled: 8.5 months
First walked: 10.5 months


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Queen of Cups*
Happy July! I like the idea of sharing our babies milestones from the past year. I don't think anyone here will turn it into a competition or make anyone feel bad about it - I know that I love to see the wide variety... but that's might just be the biologist in me!

Hurrah for geeks! :LOL

BooBah:

birth: 6 lbs 13 oz, 19" at 39 weeks, 1 day
12 months: 18 lbs 10 oz, 28.5" (Note: she doesn't seem all that small, when you consider her birth weight.







)

At 12 months, she has four teeth, walks well, runs (falls down a fair amount), and can climb a straight wall. :LOL She enjoys playing with her brother, music, nursing, eating sand, eating food and swimming. BooBah is an intense thumbsucker, and very mellow most of the time. She's excellent at calming herself down, which is a survival skill in our home because BeanBean and I are not.







She refuses to sleep under blankets or sheets of any kind, for love or money. :LOL


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## wildthing (Feb 16, 2003)

Happy July everyone!
We will go watch the 4th of July parade a few blocks from our house, then come home and BBQ, then go back to the park and watch fireworks at night. It is cool to be able to walk to it all, because the traffic is always horrid.

I will have to look up Landen's milestones. We don't do WBC, so I am not sure exactly when I weighed him. :LOL What I DO know, is that he is one of my smallest babies, (actually just clos to average), and I am loving it. We call him itty bitty.









I vow to be more active in this thread. I vow to be more active in this thread. I vow to be more active in this thread. I vow to be more active in this thread.







:







:







:


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## seedling (Sep 10, 2003)

Mostly subscribing. We are heading out of town for our two week vacation to northern MI. Plus we've got two weddings to attend this weekend. Ack! Plus I'm trying to finish a project for work before we leave. I'm feeling a little









See you guys in two weeks!


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## Balancin1 (Sep 5, 2004)

I'm also mostly subscribing. How the HECK did it get to be July already?


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## 425lisamarie (Mar 4, 2005)

it's bittersweet isn't it?

DS was 6 lb 5 ounces at birth, 19 inches.
At 12 months he is 34 inches and 27 pounds









Sat up 4 months
walking 9 months
first tooth 8 months, 12 months 5 teeth

I feel like I've been in toddlerhood for a while because he started walking so early. He runs everywhere now and never stops talking.

He's starting to say words now which is so great!!

Nurses like a maniac and just starting to eat more solids

Like BooBah, will kick covers off even if he's zonked out, but he sleep so funny, On his tummy, arms under tummy, bum straight up in the air :LOL.

And his favorite thing is to make people laugh, he is such an entertainer!!


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## PortraitPixie (Apr 21, 2005)

TODDLER--sniff--







:!!

Let's see, Noah was born at 8 lbs 3 oz.

Now he weighs 22.5 lbs.

He sat up alone at about 5.5 months

He crawled at avout 9 months, and got his first tooth at about 10.5 months--we thought we had the world's first "toothless" child!

And we're still workin on the walking bit.

My favorite thing that Noah is doing right now is signing--I mean signing like crazy!







He has about 25 signs; it's like having a little window into his personality when he can 'tell' me what he's thinking about! He has some verbal words as well, my favorite being kindof a sentance: "wah-daat??" (What's that)

He still nurses quite a bit, not too crazy about table food yet; but that could def. be a whole other thread!









Sar


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

I know that not everyone on this thread visits the diapering forum, but please, please, if you have pictures online check the link in my signature.









I feel so sick about all of this.


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## 425lisamarie (Mar 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eilonwy*
I know that not everyone on this thread visits the diapering forum, but please, please, if you have pictures online check the link in my signature.









I feel so sick about all of this.









thanksfully I have not, but I hurt just the same.







for you mama


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## Balancin1 (Sep 5, 2004)

That's just awful. I hate the way sickos like that make people feel so violated. I hope he gets nailed and that people heal from this experience.

Queenie, before my jello brain swallows it again, thanks for posting about bras. Everyone always says women don't buy the right size, but noone has ever told me what the problem was before. It explains why I had to return so many bras trying to get a good fit in the nursing bras, and why the smaller band size seems to fit so much better. I'm in between sizes too just to make it more difficult!

Sandra, I also keep forgetting to comment on your arm! I'm glad you have lots of help, I just can't imagine trying to keep up with two kids with only one arm. That's even a worse ratio than normal! (One kid and six to eight arms seems to work well around here, I love having grandparents around!)

Crud, fussy kid. Bye!


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## BabyBumblebee (Mar 16, 2005)

*sniff**sniff* can't believe that we are here already.....where did the last year go (and more to the point, *why* hasn't all that weight gone!







: )

So here goes:

Charlie's birthweight: 7lbs 3 oz born @ 36w5d
length: 22 inches

weight at 6 months: 18 lbs

weight at 1 year: 23 1/2 lbs....not too shabby, huh?

First sat up @ 6 1/2 months, crawled @ 10 months, still no walking







, and first tooth is just peeping through in the last couple of days!

She is a serious ham - very pleased with herself when she outwits mum and dad, and good at figuring out problems. She loves all kinds of music, and rhythm, and thinks that it's hysterically funny when we all dance like crazy beasties. Currently, in order to be able to change her dipe we have to distract her by putting her shorts etc on my head.....and asking her where they went. She says mama, dada, whatsat? (what's that?), doggie, woof, and.....NO. Lots and lots of NO!

Love to all of our fabulous June bugs


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## mattjule (Nov 6, 2003)

I replied yesterday and my internet crapped out. This is what I wrote...

My mom is in town and it is a bit of a surprise so I will probably not be around that much until after the 4th.

We are going to a playgroup potluck on the 4th. Dh works until 8ish so he won't be going.

Ro doesn't really do WBC either so his stats are also not right at 6 mo (I think).

Birth: 7 lbs 6 oz, 19.75 inches
7 months: 17 lbs, 27.5 inches
12 months: (I'll know on the 8th for sure) approx 20 lbs

First tooth: 7 mo
12 months: 4 teeth
No walking yet

I just found him outside the front door half-way down the stairs (we live on the second floor) eek!! I think Tain must have let the cat out and not closed the door all the way...

He's losing it, gotta go!

We had an unexpected but fun dinner party tonight. I decided not to go to the potluck, just too much going on and I am really worried about taking the kids by myself. I'm tired and a little tipsy so I'll try to keep up tomorrow!


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## bandana (Jun 4, 2003)

I just read a bunch of the threads on the diapering site and I am still quite confused.







I changed my signature and dumped my photos from the site I used, but I'm not sure what else to do. Will someone synopsize for me?

Darling DS:

Birth 9 lbs. 15.5 ounces, 21.5 inches
One Year 31.5 pounds, ??? inches (who can measure a lightning bolt?)









Walking within the last week
First tooth at 4 months (has had 8 teeth for months now)
Crawling at 6 months
Trying so hard to talk

Fourth of July....we're going on the boat during the day and downtown for fireworks at night. I can't wait to show DS the fireworks! His birthday party was Saturday and it was SO fun....he LOVED the slip-n-slide. He was literally squealing.


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## Mummoth (Oct 30, 2003)

Hi!!!

Caitlin was 7 pounds 9 ounces & 21 inches, now she's 22.5 pounds & (I think?) 29.5 inches. She can walk, but she doesn't know it yet... she's taken 1 step a few times by accident. She's learning to talk... she says: mama, dada, more, Bbbbbbbb or Na na na na (for nursing... she's trying to say "In a minute"







: that she thinks that what it's called) and she shakes her head no and yes (the latter is very recent) She says cat & meow, and woof! Anything that isn't a cat says woof... ducks say woof.

My Canada Day (July 1st) weekend was productive!! We didn't do anything major to celebrate... I bought Roland a flag & cooked a turkey roast & bought a chocolate mousse for dessert. The kitchen reno is in full swing. I did some painting during the week. We ripped out the cabinets. Patched the floor, scared the kid. Put Roland to work. Screwed down plywood. Trowelled adhesive on (ick!) Laid down new tiles!!! Moved the cabinets back in (kind of) There's still a ton of work to do. The appliances aren't moved back in yet, there are no countertops or sink, etc. We're getting there though!! We're having fun. Kevin moved the computer & we're using the downstairs kitchen in the meantime...

Happy 4th of July everyone!! I hope you all have a good day!


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## Queen of Cups (Aug 29, 2003)

Bandana - my take on the whole diaper pervert site is different than most. I wrote the following to a friend who said in her blog that she felt like the only person in the world still with pictures online: "So, I'll admit, I'm not freaking out about the site, either. Honestly, I hate the thought of someone thinking of my baby in a sexual way - but it can happen just as easily anytime I go out with him in public. I don't limit our time in public places because I'm thinking "Oh, what if some pervert sees him and goes home to masturbate!" So, why would I limit our exposure online, where people don't even have direct exposure to him like they would in real life? Maybe I'm just weird, but while I think the site is awful, I don't feel particularly threatened by it." If you're looking for something else to do, I think that there was an email address of an official from the state the guy was operating his site out of that you could send a complaint to...

Happy Fourth of July! My morning is off to a rough start. DH's are more trouble than they're worth!


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

I took the kids to see fireworks & cannon yesterday. While the other kids covered their ears as the cannon went off, BeanBean shrieked with delight, clapped his hands, laughed and jumped up and down. :LOL When they finished, he yelled, "Can we do the cannon again?!"







: He was so thrilled with all that lovely NOISE. :LOL

The diaper thing has me especially creeped out because people want to take pictures of my kids. I'm seriously not trying to brag here, but they're adorable, and even moreso in real life than in pictures. In fact, at the fireworks display yesterday a woman came up to me with a camera and asked to take pictures of my kids.







: I smiled as best I could (very grimly) and said, "I'd rather you didn't." She seemed kind of taken aback, like she thought I'd see it as a compliment, but I was so totally creeped out by it, especially in light of the diaper freaks. :shudder: She started talking to BeanBean, saying "You're such a handsome little fellow," and he came and sat on my lap; despite the fact that he's a very outgoing, sociable kid he got a creepy vibe off of this woman, too. It was so odd. When she walked away (after trying to make conversation with me that I simply wasn't having) my mom said, "that was a little disturbing." The teenager who came with us asked, "who would want a picture of somebody else's kids?" "Exactly," I told her. "It's f***** up." *shudder* What bothers me most about it is this: for every one person who asks, how many just snap the pictures?







:







:

Anyway, aside from that bit of unpleasantness, we had a really good time. BooBah slept through most of it. She woke up with a few of the louder blasts, but went right back to sleep. :LOL BeanBean really enjoyed it and was tickled with all the different colors, especially the purple, red, and green (his favorites). After a while, though, he curled up in a blanket and said, in his piping little voice, "These fireworks are giving me a headache!" Everyone around us cracked up, it was hilarious. :LOL He loved the noise and lights to a point, but when he'd had his fill he wanted to go to bed. :LOL What a love!


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## Greaseball (Feb 1, 2002)

Andrea
Birth weight: 8 lbs, 9 oz. Length 21".
Six months: 16 lbs, 8 oz. 25.5"
One year: 20 lbs, 29"

First tooth: 6.5 mos
Slept all night for a week straight: 11 mos
Walked: 10 mos


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## mattjule (Nov 6, 2003)

We opted not to do anything either. We were going to go to a friend's house and camp in our tent to try it out (she's on vacation) but Ro has a couple teeth breaking through (his teeth take FOREVER! They have been pushing against his gums for about 2 months and are finally making a move) and Tain took a 5 hour nap yesterday so we decided to just stay home. Fireworks are a crap shoot with Tain anyway, he really doesn't like loud noises so he might have been old enough this year to focus on the lights and not the sound or he might have totally freaked after we worked like hell to get there. It's no big deal.

And I feel the same way QoC. I can't prevent people from being turned on, I can't control what they look at or think about while they are doing it. It doesn't hurt my child or change them in any way. What is scary are the pics taken in public without a parent's consent (one thread over there mentioned this) because that feels stalker-ish and like something a potential kidnapper would do.

I don't think I have any diaper pics anyway, LOL, since my kids are naked or fully clothed. We've had to tell Tain that he has to be fully clothed when we leave the house so now if he's wearing anything, it has to be everything







ants, shirt, shoes, socks. (no sandals or undies-he hates both) Ro is the same way, if you take off his dipe, he'll start pullling on his clothes until you take them off.

He verbalizes but they don't in any way resemble words. It is more of a tone thing with him, like it was for Tain. He has a certain "call" when he is looking for someone, a certain one when he wants something, etc. I really hope we don't end up with the same speaking hardships we had with Tain and I am feeling like we are doing something wrong as parents, though I swear to you we speak the same way to our kids that other people speak to theirs (minus the talking down and uber gooeyness-my best friend laughs at me because I always talk to the babies like they are adults "yeah, I know you want that but sometimes everything just sucks, you know?") I am not looking for advice, btw. I get plenty of it already.

Ro LOVES to put something on his head (kitchen towel, shirt, etc) so it covers his face then crawl around the house. It's actually the only time he really tries to walk :LOL and he's fallen on his face a fair amount of times. Sheesh, he just crawled in here and he STINKS. Guess it's time for a diaper change!

My mom invited me to have a gmail account. I am so excited!! (And a nerd)


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Hi! I hope everyone had great 4ths! We didn't do much. We had a couple friends over for dinner. We didn't make it to the fireworks because both kids were asleep by 9 or so. Friday, dd was running as we were taking a walk in the neighborhood. She tripped and fell and skinned one side of her face up very bad. It was the worst thing I've seen, as a parent, so far. She got a pretty bad cut under her nose and busted her lip a little. She has a big bruise on her forehead and a slight black eye as well. Ugh. It was horrible. She actually handled it pretty well though. She still doesn't want to look in the mirror though!

Oh, here are ds's stats:

Birth: 8lbs. 13oz. 21.5 inches
1 year: 26lbs. 31 inches
First tooth: 5.5 months.
1 year: 7 teeth
Crawled: 9 months
Walking: not yet!


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## prmom (Jun 14, 2004)

Ugh! The baby pics thing is creepy. I would not want some random person taking a pic of my baby either....what's the point of that?

We had a good 4th. My parents had a big pool party with all my mom's family there. We had so much fun watching the kids play and swim and chit chatting.

Gavin's stats are rough, but as following:
Birth weight: 7 lbs. 2 oz. 19 in.
1 yr. 18 lbs. 14 oz. ( I thing) and clueless about height...very short

Sat up at 5 mo.
First tooth at 6 mo.
Started crawling and walking alond furniture at 6 months
Walked after a year

He doesn't sign a whole lot but enough to get by. Says about 7 words. Mostly just likes to giggle and make funny faces. Still sleeps on my chest. nurses a lot and eats only Big Macs w/ coke....just kidding. But he sure does love to eat-fave foods being baked beans, bananas, chicken and cheese!

My elbow is mostly healed now and I am back into full action...Yeah!


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## rubelin (Feb 3, 2002)

Hey y'all!! We had a fun but very tiring 4th weekend. Fireworks are legal in our city (as oppossed to most areas in the rest of the county) so it's very noisy around here for most of the month of June and culminating with pops and booms until midnight or so on the 4th. The ones that shoot in the air aren't legal but lots of people get the illegal stuff from Mexico and I guess it's too hard to figure out where they're being shot from, but at least those are pretty. It got super cold in the evenings this weekend, with a thick marine layer (we're less than 10 miles from the Pacific) so we had to bundle up for our BBQ with the neighbors. We could see most of the big fireworks display that they did at the local park from our front porch in addition to all the stuff going on all around us.

OK, let's see if I can remember what we were sharing...

birth stats - 10lbs 5 oz, 21.5"
6 mo - about 22 lbs, 27"
12 mo - about 25 lbs, 31"

crawling - 4ish mo
cruising - 5ish mo
walking unassisted - 12 mo

first 2 teeth - 10 mo and none since
words by 12 mo - momma, daddy, mome (phone), bwoon (balloon), goggy (doggy), anda (grandad), un-teee Ka (Auntie Kat), nana (banana and other snacks) Bah-bee (baby, or where's the baby?)
signs by 12 mo - nurse, water, hot (which also seems to mean hot food), kitty, dog, bath, airplane

He's suddenly become a little chowhound and will eat all day long. Still nursing just as much too!

OK, gotta go figure out what errands we can manage to get done after nap time


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## Kathryn (Oct 19, 2004)

*sniff* I've always just read ya'lls posts, but I thought I should finally chime in as well. I can't believe my baby is growing up so fast!








My dd has begun dancing with some attutiude now. She can really get down. She squats, wiggles, and swings her arms around. It's hilarious.

Stats:
Birth: 6 lb 8 oz and 18 3/8 in long
6 months: 13 lbs and 25 in long
1 year: 18.5 lbs and I have no idea how tall (we don't do WBC)

Sat up: 5 months
Crawled: 5 months
First word: "mama" at 3ish months (I kid you not)
Stood up 6: months
Walked: 9 months
First tooth at 4 months and at 1 year she has 10 teeth (







)

Words she says: Uh-oh, stop, go, mam, dad, no, what's that, don't, down, up, and "na-na" (nurse).

Signs she does: Dog, cat, bird, stop, go, nurse, more, hot, eat, play, silly, all done, red, orange, yellow, green, purple, blue, rainbow, colors, (can you tell she likes the rainbow song best off signing times?) and she does like 10 more, but I can't ever think of them to write them down when I need to.
Umm..I think that's all right now.


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## mattjule (Nov 6, 2003)

Man, my house is wrecked today. I feel so tired and lazy. I have for sure ovulated. That is really the only viable reason. Anyone else feel more and more of a slave to their hormones the more kids they have? Thank god we are only having two, can you imagine how psycho I would be with more? (Just me personally :LOL)

Ro will only eat/drink things at room temperature. We thought he didn't like watermelon until we gave it to him when it had been on the counter for quite a while.

Rynna-still need your new address...

I cleaned the den a couple days ago. I think I deserve some sort of medal. My mom said it could be on one of those shows on TV







: It was the last room to be organized so everything that I didn't want to deal with got tossed in there combined with lots of papers needing to be filed and more paper constantly being pulled out of the trash by the boys and too much fabric with not enough storage and everything the boys have grown out of-some to keep, some to pass on...You get the point. But I did it and it is so nice in here now. You can actually see the floor and I can get to my sewing machine and *gasp* actually be able to sew!

Mum-Your kitchen is looking really good!

Now that Ro has pulled all the clean laundry out of the baskets I guess I'll go...


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mattjule*
Man, my house is wrecked today. I feel so tired and lazy. I have for sure ovulated. That is really the only viable reason. Anyone else feel more and more of a slave to their hormones the more kids they have? Thank god we are only having two, can you imagine how psycho I would be with more? (Just me personally :LOL)

OMG, I have the same problem! :LOL Since I've become aware of it, I can usually manage to feel "decent" for about a week, but then I go premenstrual and become a psycho hose beast again.







:







I totally feel like a slave to my hormones sometimes.







The real problem for me is that when I get pregnant, things are actually easier-- the week before my period is the worst part of my cycle (from a mental/emotional standpoint) and eliminating that week makes me so much more level. :LOL Especially when I'm not in pain all the time. I think that I may be one of those women who's meant to be pregnant. :LOL

Quote:

I cleaned the den a couple days ago. I think I deserve some sort of medal.








:

I've started writing a book, finally.







I'm concerned that it may not be a good "first book," but I don't really care at this point-- I've just got to get *something* on paper, you know? I've also started crocheting a set of curtains for the bathroom. I feel like I'm accomplishing something.







Today I plan to write a bit, go to WIC, and take the kids to the lake (if it doesn't rain). After Mike gets home, I'm going to a writer's club meeting that I joined a while back; then I plan to get on the computer (because Mike was online late last night, and I was totally asleep by the time he came downstairs). I'm hoping that this will be a good day.


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## Mummoth (Oct 30, 2003)

Not me.... I'm mental the last 6 months of my pregnancies & the first 6 months of the babies life... then it *starts* to get better. I've only really felt myself for about a month. I don't know if I'll be PMSy when my cycle comes back... I've been on the pill, pregnant or nursing my whole adult life. I didn't get PMS as a teenager (just horrible cramping & migraines)
Part of me can't wait to get my period back because I want to try out my new menstrual gear and part of me hopes I'M one of those people who doesn't get it back for 2 1/2 years.

Joy of all joys Roland just found a _whistle!_

I think Caitlin might be trying to day wean. I guess because of all the changes around here.Kevins been commenting on how much she likes to nurse... he noticed how ratty my bras are getting (they are made of that lacy stuff & there are big holes in them & I've got big puffy bulges where the holes are... I wear a sports bra overtop of them when I go out so that won't show through a shirt) He's insiting that we go get some more (he's got to drive because I need bras from a specialty shop downtown) The bras are so expensive, thats why I put it off so long. Kevin said he's got all the safety equipment/tools/other gear he needs for his job, so I should have everything I need for my job







: Then he said that me nursing Caitlin is good for _all of us_ so anything that makes nursing easier is a priority.







I am to speak up sooner next time my bras are wearing out.

Caitlin has developed a bit more of an appetite for food over the past month or so. She eats a few times every day now. My mom watched the kids while I went grocery shopping yesterday... Caitlin was fine! I thought for sure she'd be upset by the time I got back.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mummoth*
he noticed how ratty my bras are getting (they are made of that lacy stuff & there are big holes in them & I've got big puffy bulges where the holes are... I wear a sports bra overtop of them when I go out so that won't show through a shirt) He's insiting that we go get some more (he's got to drive because I need bras from a specialty shop downtown) The bras are so expensive, thats why I put it off so long. Kevin said he's got all the safety equipment/tools/other gear he needs for his job, so I should have everything I need for my job







: Then he said that me nursing Caitlin is good for _all of us_ so anything that makes nursing easier is a priority.







I am to speak up sooner next time my bras are wearing out.









:







What a sweetie!


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## Queen of Cups (Aug 29, 2003)

Mum - that's so sweet!

DH and I are selling our infiniti sedan and buying a Town and Country minivan. I feel like such a dork but I am SOOOO excited to be getting a minivan! He's driving me crazy with getting the infiniti super-spruced up, though. He was out there this afternoon with a can of compressed air blowing the little microns of dust off of the freshly waxed car. Thank goodness we have a garage or he'd be forcing us to wax it daily until it sells!

I took some really, really cute pictures of Killy on the Fourth - they really show off his sweet and funny personality: My favorite and DH's favorite.


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## LizD (Feb 22, 2002)

We're back! And had a lovely time. Atlantis really is super cool. Dd's friend, though, was just awful and we should have sent her home. It was awkward telling her mom, too, and hard not to feel bitter because we even paid for her plane ticket. I haven't the heart to go into detail here (and I've told anyone IRL who would listen, too) but she was rude, unappreciative, sulked, walked ten paces behind us, and barely spoke. Also my dd said "she always tried to be 'on top'" whenever I said anything."

Her parents are in the aftermath of a nasty, nasty divorce and the father has some rather dire legal troubles (that might send him to jail) so we thought this would bring her back to her old self and she'd enjoy it. But apparently being with a happy functional family was too hard for her. She was so awful I almost cried myself a few times!!!!! So I am trying to focus on the positive.

The other good thing to come out of it was I was SO PROUD of my dd, who really rose to the occasion. She kept it together and was kind to the girl even when she refused to do anything at all. Eventually we kind of ignored her. We went on all the slides, saw some shows, got our hair cornrowed, dd got stung by a jellyfish, saw Nassau, ate well, the girls did paint your own pottery, some contests, swam, all kinds of things.

Rowan loved the pools and the little slides and only cried when we took him out of the water. I went on the scary slide once and wish I had gone more and can't wait to go back and go again. I promised dd we'd go back next time dh works there and stays at atlantis and we wouldn't take anyone!! We definitely should have considered the choice of friend more carefully and realized this girl is probably too fragile right now. Her mom said she has only talked about how great it was and has no clue (she claims) that we didn't know she had a good time. Her older and younger sisters have apparently told her she is incredibly selfish and rude and didn't deserve it.







At least someone did. Dh is the most tolerant patient guy ever and he even said we should have left her in the hotel room all day if she was like that. So I know I wasn't crazy.

There was a massive explosion when the American Embassy's entire fireworks display caught fire on July 3. We thought it was the hotel's display and couldn't get through to the guys getting ready for the big July 4th thing (which was why dh was there in the first place) so we thought god forbid dh was lost. A scary half hour til we heard all was well with him and the AV crew. A few men were burned but no one was killed.

The July 4 thing was great, a 60s theme carnival with a Beatle cover band in from England and a 60s cover band, and dh mixed monitors for that. There was a costume contest and I wish I had taken the time to dig out my vintage clothes, but a nice family won.

If anyone has a chance to go there the resort was really fabulous, not cheesy and even though it's expensive you don't feel so ripped off.

Both my children are sick today, probably from travelling and all, so that's been hard. And dh goes back to the Bahamas tomorrow!!! If we had not been saddled with Miss Congeniality dd and ds and I would have just stayed the whole week and dh would have popped home to work today and popped back. Oh well. Now we know better.

Re the diapering sicko- if your personal info is not linked to your photos I wouldn't be so worried. I have occasionally spied sickos taking surreptitious photos of women in the street and hoped they haven't been stalkers, just voyeurs (though I have called the cops). Unfortunately there are people who will get off looking at birth photos, circumcision photos, proctological diagrams, anything under the sun. It's gross but I think as long as someone can't stalk you IRL it's not something to be too afraid of.

I have to look Rowan's stuff up. He is really walking now, though! He hates the sand! He cries and won't walk on it. He's very expressive, too.


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## 3girlsmommy (Jun 19, 2003)

Hey Ladies! Preschoolians is offering a bunch of discontinued shoes on e-bay. The buy it now price is $9.95. I know a couple of you like these shoes.

Gotta run!


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## Balancin1 (Sep 5, 2004)

Hi everybody. Sorry we've been awol, we're up in Toronto soaking up the grandparental assistance. Wow do I wish our families lived closer, it is amazing how much help they are.

I'm glad to see R is not alone not walking yet. Funnily enough I was not bothered by it until like two weeks ago and all of a sudden I feel really impatient and competitive about it. Thank goodness I am getting a chance to practice dealing with these feelings while she is still too young to really notice so by the time she's in school I will have strategies for sitting on myself and leaving her be. Who knew I'd be this kind of parent?

We already took the minivan plunge when we got the dogs. I prefer to travel with them crated for their safety and ours, and minivans get such better insurance rates and gas mileage than suvs. We bought a roof-pack for this trip though and looking at our car packed to go I really feel like I've signed away whatever dignity I had.


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Balancin1*
We already took the minivan plunge when we got the dogs. I prefer to travel with them crated for their safety and ours, and minivans get such better insurance rates and gas mileage than suvs. We bought a roof-pack for this trip though and looking at our car packed to go I really feel like I've signed away whatever dignity I had.


Balancin, I hear you on keeping the dogs restrained in the vehicle. They could be some seriously heavy projectiles in the event of an accident. We can't fit crates in our vehicle, but they have harness seatbelts that the backseat shoulder harnesses go through. They're pretty cool, and less bulky than a crate. I've never known of any other people who require their dogs to be restrained in vehicles. I'm glad to hear of someone else doing it!


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## dharmama (Dec 29, 2002)

(just about all i can manage this week!! :LOL )


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

I love driving a minivan, especially when it's full. :LOL I've had seven people in it, and I just get such a charge out of it! I can hardly wait to fill it with kids of my own. :LOL Even when it's just BeanBean and BooBah, I can fit a serious load of groceries in there, and that rocks.







Driving the little Saturn with BeanBean and a half-load of groceries was a heck of a lot more work-- it was difficult to organize things around the carseat, and I could never go with Mike because I needed to put the eggs on the passenger seat. :LOL We were both too fat to fit comfortably in the back of the Saturn with the carseat there.







:

Liz-- I'm glad you enjoyed yourselves, even with the sad little girl along.

My kids are nuts today, but it's gray and rainy and I can't take them to the park.









Yesterday we had a WIC appointment. Both kids had their hemoglobin checked; BeanBean's was 7.3 and BooBah's was 9.6. Now, they always run low at WIC (I think they're doing something wrong, and it's no surprise considering that I have argued about things like saying 29.4 means "twenty-nine and a quarter" and gotten nowhere) but 7.3 is really a scary number when your kid has a condition which can cause hemolysis. So I had to take BeanBean to the doctor at 7 last night, and they checked his hemoglobin there and got 9.6. He's defniately anemic, but not in need of a transfusion yet.







It was quite a relief, and I figure that BooBah's is probably more like 11.2 and she's not anemic at all. :LOL I know I am, though; I tried to donate blood last week and was deferred because I was too anemic.







:

Anyway-- I need some suggestions to bring up my own hemoglobin. I don't know if anything will work for BeanBean (if his liver is lysing red blood cells, all the iron in the world won't help







). We've been eating oatmeal with blackstrap molasses, and BeanBean takes a vitamin every day that has iron in it (he still loves taking his "medicine," even though BooBah doesn't need to take hers anymore) but we're still seriously anemic.

Hm. BeanBean has found some Mr. Yuk stickers.







:LOL


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## bandana (Jun 4, 2003)

Rynna--I've always been told to eat foods that look like they'd be good for your blood if that's the case. Dark, rich foods...dark berries, dark leafy greens, rich red beets...etc. That's what my midwife said. Of course the molasses is good too







. I have a fantastic molasses cookie recipe if you'd like it.

I caved in and gave Banyan his first vax at his well baby on Tuesday...DTaP.







I was watching him like a hawk for the next two days. He's fine, of course. Now I'm all freaked out about the aluminum it's adsorbed onto. But I can't look back. I've researched and researched, and I'm sticking to my delayed and selective schedule. I think I'll do IPV next.

Erin--I can barely muster up a wave myself. I've worked my ass off this week and my back is about to just crumple. I can't decide if I can justify spending the money for a massage, or if I should go to the chiropractor, or what. I've been trying to do more yoga with Banyan but there are only so many positions I can get into with one of my boobs in his mouth.


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## Queen of Cups (Aug 29, 2003)

Re: Iron. My midwife is always amazed at how good my iron levels are, and I just chalk it up to the fact that we eat red meat a couple times a week, oatmeal a few times a week, and spinach a few times a week. I can't take any vitamins/supplements with iron while pregnant because they make me really sick.

We've settled into a lovely routine here: Killy and I get up about 7:30 and take my sister to work, get home and have breakfast, I deal with laundry and clean the kitchen and/or read while Killy plays in the living room till about 10:30 and then go to the pool. We get home about noon and Killy always falls asleep in the car, while he naps I eat lunch, check my email, and then nap with him, he wakes up about 3pm and has lunch and then plays some more, we go get my sister around 5pm, get home and then have dinner. After dinner we play some more and go for a walk around 9:30 - and Killy falls asleep for the night, DH and I straighten up the house and I throw a load of laundry in the washer, take my shower and go to bed. Going to the pool in the middle of the day is sooo perfect, because it allows him to interact with other kids, wear himself out, and I get a tan! I'm going to be so bummed this winter when we can't play outside every day...


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## LizD (Feb 22, 2002)

My iron is always fine, too, and I rarely take even a multivitamin with any regularity. I drink oj in the morning and I eat a lot of spinach, but that's about it...nut butter, too. If your diet is ok iron-wise but the iron is still low you might need to determine if something is preventing absorption. A friend of mine has had to take her oldest to a pediatric hematologist to figure out why her hematocrit is 4 (at 16yo). So far no news.

I think my mw was surprised at my hematocrit too because she didn't think much of my diet, but the color test was dark, dark, dark.









Rowan is talking a bit more. By that I mean more distinction between types of sounds and words. Ma-may for me now, instead of mama.







Mwah for more, things like that. It's pretty neat. And I am not writing nearly enough down and have the lesson of barely remembering anything from dd, but I get caught up in the day-to-day this time around too.

I've caught or come down with whatever they had yesterday.







Hopefully I can keep it away. I really don't have the patience to be sick right now.









BTW Costco online now has the wood sandbox with the crank-down sunroof/lid for $129 + tax/shipping, which is a pretty good price, if anyone is interested.


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bandana*
I've been trying to do more yoga with Banyan but there are only so many positions I can get into with one of my boobs in his mouth.

















:


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bandana*
Rynna--I've always been told to eat foods that look like they'd be good for your blood if that's the case. Dark, rich foods...dark berries, dark leafy greens, rich red beets...etc. That's what my midwife said. Of course the molasses is good too







. I have a fantastic molasses cookie recipe if you'd like it.

I'd love the recipe!







I've just been putting it into things like oatmeal and cream of wheat.







I have no idea what else to do with it. :LOL

We eat a ton of iron rich foods. There have been times when my hemoglobin is normal, but I seem to be anemic more often than not.







BeanBean eats even more iron rich foods than I (he seems to crave them







) but, as I said before, if his liver is lysing red blood cells, all the iron in the world won't help. I've been reading a bit more about G-6-PD deficiency, and apparently stresses on the body can cause hemolysis (like, being sick) as well as exposure to the list of substances which is known to cause hemolysis in different forms of the disorder. Some people get to adulthood and never know that they are G-6-PD deficient, so I'm thinking that BeanBean might have a more severe variant than I'd originally thought. We're just going to have to watch him like a hawk, and get his hemoglobin checked more often.







Poor kid, he freaks out whenever they poke him.









Quote:

I've been trying to do more yoga with Banyan but there are only so many positions I can get into with one of my boobs in his mouth.
















: This just struck me funny. :LOL I'm still quite impressed with myself at all the things that I can do while tandeming; knitting, crocheting, reading, I've even managed to fold laundry with both of my boobs occupied! :LOL


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## bandana (Jun 4, 2003)

Molasses Cookies

3/4 c. shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
4 Tbsp. molasses
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
extra sugar, for coating the cookies

-Cream shortening with sugar, add egg, blend
-Add molasses & spices, blend
-Add flour and baking soda, blend
-Chill dough 30 minutes or overnight, covered tightly
-Preheat oven to 325, shape dough into small balls, roll in sugar and place 2" apart on cookie sheet
-Bake for 10-12 minutes, remove, cool on wire racks
YIELD: 2.5 dozen

Enjoy...damn, these are good (I made them for Christmas gifts).

I have a friend who's tandem nursing and she says she feels like all she does is nurse. She's constantly fighting the "drained" feeling. I can imagine the combination of tandem nursing and anemia can really run you down.


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## dharmama (Dec 29, 2002)

hey....

i have a quick minute before i leave to teach. and since we are talkinga bout cookies...i've been meaning to post this recipe!

super easy and







maybe you could substitute some molases for some or all of the syrup.









Quick Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 Cup Oats
2 tbsp ground flax
4tbsp ground sunflower seeds
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Cup Maple Syrup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a blender/food processor grind oats, flax and sunflower seeds; add flour and blend to combine.
Mix oil and syrup together in a medium bowl.
Add all of the dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir.
Spoon onto cookie sheet.
Flatten top of cookie and spread your favorite preserve for a sweeter cookie.
Bake 10-15 minutes.
Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

You know, real maple syrup is actually fairly iron rich. Not as much as molasses (20%) but it's got a lot for something so sweet (8%).







I may try it half and half. Thanks









I never thought of it, but it seems obvious to me now that tandem nursing while anemic would leave me exhausted and miserable.







It makes perfect sense... I'm such a space case sometimes. :LOL


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## 3girlsmommy (Jun 19, 2003)

These cookie recipies are making me hungary!!! :LOL I think I have all the stuff to make the molasses cookies and it's cool here today so maybe I'll make those later this afternoon.

My dh has been home all week and we have been working on projects around the house. OUr bedroom finally got painted as did the mud room. Those were the last two rooms in our house that needed to be painted. Dh bought all the lumber to make the shelves in our room and when they are done I can finally unpack the last of my boxes. We've lived her for 2 1/2 years and I still have boxes in my bedroom. I have nowhere "safe" to put my books and fragile things so they have stayed tucked away in boxes.

Oh nad I finished my first knitting project yesterday!! Now I need to seam it together. I'll post pictures when it's done. It came out pretty good. You can see how much I improved from the beginning to the end. Now I'm working on a ball and next I'm going to make a sweater. If those come out good I'm going to move on to diaper covers!


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## Mummoth (Oct 30, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eilonwy*
You know, real maple syrup is actually fairly iron rich. Not as much as molasses (20%) but it's got a lot for something so sweet (8%).







I may try it half and half. Thanks









Also the B or 2 grade is higher in iron than A or 1 grade (should be listed on the label somewhere) It's darker & has a more robust flavour, and for some reason it's usually less expensive..... the quality is the same, it's just from sap harvested later in the season. I guess it's seen as less pure or something, but it's not.

We're going to be working in the kitchen again this weekend. Hopefully we'll be starting soon...


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## mattjule (Nov 6, 2003)

We had our wellbaby checkups yesterday. Ro is 30" tall and 19 lbs. He was 27.5" and almost 18 lbs in Feb. He's gone from 50% for weight down to 8%. That is a bit alarming. She said that his tone is good and he is obviously energetic so it is mainly a caloric thing. She asked if we gave him milk and we said no. I need to preface this with the fact that she is very supportive of bfing, non-vaxing (she didn't even ask us about them this time), etc. She said we should think about pushing the milk (soy, rice, cow, whatever) since babies this age still get the brunt of their calories from milk. It is obvious he is either not nursing enough or not long enough (what she thinks) to get as many calories as he needs. My main problem with the milk is not that he doesn't like it but that he doesn't like to drink/eat anything that is not room temperature and heating up milk all day long is such a hassle! But he really doesn't like to take the time to nurse and I know I am much more likely to get him to drink a few big gulps from a sippy cup than sit on my lap nursing for 10 minutes. I could try to express, I guess, but I am hesitant, I've never had over supply and never been very successful expressing especially this long into a nursing relationship. Everything is worth a try, though. Ro is mostly a protein eater, I think that is also making him lean. He eats crackers and some fruits but he eats protein rich foods (meat, eggs) in much higher quantities than carbs or sugars of any kind. It's funny, I make a lot of protein rich things because Tain has trouble wanting/eating them on his own and now I have Ro who needs carbs and fats! Sheesh!

Monday I am taking them in for their lead test. Not looking forward to that but since so many of you have had them done I figured better safe than sorry. Plus we did get those lead pamphlets when we moved in and we've been here long enough that our paint is starting to chip so it is a good idea. Besides, I'd hate to have kids with permanent brain damage and know I could have prevented it with a test. Does WIC test everyone's blood or just those with a family prevalence to certain problems? My kids have never had blood tests of any kind (aside from those as a newborn) and it isn't the practice of any of my doctors to test mine either. Just wondering if it is a regional thing or a certain type of doctor thing or governmental agency thing or what.


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Julie, my little guy loves Yo Baby yogurt. It's made from whole milk. Maybe Ro would enjoy eating that. My dd went from about 75th percentile at one year to the 20th at 18 months. When she became more physically active, she just turned into a skinny kid. She's normal and healthy. If I were you I wouldn't worry too much about Ro's size if he's good and healthy. Does he like veggies with butter? That was always a big hit with dd. Heck, she'll eat butter right out of the container if we let her!:LOL


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

I've printed out the cookie recipes and will be hitting the grocery store once Mike gets home from work.

Julie-- WIC only tests for anemia, and every WIC office I've heard tell of in the state does it. It's just a fingerprick. They use it as a "risk factor" (you need something other than poverty to qualify for WIC). They often screw things up, but the hemoglobin test is really hard to screw up because it's a freaking machine. It's amazing, though, somehow they manage. I had an argument with the woman last time, because BeanBean weighed 29.4 pounds and she wrote "twenty nine and a quarter."







I tried to explain to her that .4 did not mean "four ounces" but "four tenths of a pound," but she didn't understand me and blew me off (Her "poor woman, she's stupid, too" expression and it made me want to slap her. Very mature, I know).

BeanBean has decided that the house isn't messy enough today. I'm ready to strangle him. I can't stand the mess, but every time I turn around there he is, making another with BooBah in his wake.







: I'm at the end, and I've given up and that's why I'm on the computer, waiting for Mike to get home from work so that I can get the heck out of him (or, better still, kick him out and clean up this pigsty).

You know, I think it's really common for breastfed babies to drop a few percentile rankings around a year. I hear about it all the time, and every baby I've met in real life has done the same thing.


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## mattjule (Nov 6, 2003)

I didn't know that, the only time I was ever on WIC was when I was pg with Tain and they never tested me or needed anything other than me being pg with no insurance to be on it. I wasn't on it very long, though, maybe 2 months and that was 4 years ago in CA.

I think is was just alarming because it dropped so much. My mom told me not to worry too. He seems fine to me, small but fine. He has never grown all that much and she's only seen him these 2 times so it may just be that she can't draw an accurate picture of him yet. That is one way frequent WBC are a good thing.


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eilonwy*







I've printed out the cookie recipes and will be hitting the grocery store once Mike gets home from work.

Julie-- WIC only tests for anemia, and every WIC office I've heard tell of in the state does it. It's just a fingerprick. They use it as a "risk factor" (you need something other than poverty to qualify for WIC). They often screw things up, but the hemoglobin test is really hard to screw up because it's a freaking machine. It's amazing, though, somehow they manage. I had an argument with the woman last time, because BeanBean weighed 29.4 pounds and she wrote "twenty nine and a quarter."







I tried to explain to her that .4 did not mean "four ounces" but "four tenths of a pound," but she didn't understand me and blew me off (Her "poor woman, she's stupid, too" expression and it made me want to slap her. Very mature, I know).

You know, I think it's really common for breastfed babies to drop a few percentile rankings around a year. I hear about it all the time, and every baby I've met in real life has done the same thing.









God, Rynna, I would've wanted to slap that lady too. Just find solace in the fact that you KNOW that you're the smart one, she's the idiot. It is much more satisfying though when someone like that realizes that they're wrong!:LOL

Yeah, I've never heard of a bf baby who didn't drop in the percentiles during the first year. Ds is down to 75th after being at the 98th for weight and height. Poor little guy takes after his dad though, and his head is still in the 99th. :LOL


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## Mummoth (Oct 30, 2003)

Caitlin walked yesterday!!! She took 4 or 5 steps to me. I brought her to Kevin to show him & she did it again & this morning she showed Roland her new trick. She's *really* proud of herself & giggles as she walks. The look on Rolands' face when she walked to him was priceless... he was just beaming!!


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mummoth*
Caitlin walked yesterday!!! She took 4 or 5 steps to me. I brought her to Kevin to show him & she did it again & this morning she showed Roland her new trick. She's *really* proud of herself & giggles as she walks. The look on Rolands' face when she walked to him was priceless... he was just beaming!!

Yay! BooBah laughed a lot when she started walking, too. It's so cool, they seemed to be so pleased with themselves, more than we could ever be.







:LOL


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## Balancin1 (Sep 5, 2004)

Julie, Rowan seems to be a decent weight to me. R is only 20lbs. I hate the curves, I think they are really stupid, it isn't like its a "healthy weight curve" even. My ped said to me that kids are finding their curve over the first two years and not to worry about percentiles. This is because I have been worried about R who has slowly dropped from 75% to 25-50%.

On the lead test, I don't know about WIC here, but I know that the Chicago Health department recommends children be tested because of how much of the housing stock is older with a lot of lead paint. A lot of kids are at risk in this area.

Rynna, I've always been anemic too, I'm sorry to hear you have to worry about it for yourself and your children. You are so well read on your children's health, anyone who implies that you are not asking good questions just needs to get over themselves. Medical people can be so arrogant and ignorant! I hate it. The nurse at the ped's office keeps measuring R short (not pulling her legs straight) and it really bugs me. I wonder if that person had the same attitude that a few ounces just didn't matter enough to admit she was wrong. Argh.

Susan, we used to use a doggy seatbelt when we had one dog. They are really nice in a small car, and I was always glad ot have it. I agree about the projectiles, and I know someone whose dog was thrown out of the car in an accident. Scary.

MUM!!! Congrats on the steps!! We had quite a few the other day, soooooo exciting.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bandana*
I caved in and gave Banyan his first vax at his well baby on Tuesday...DTaP.







I was watching him like a hawk for the next two days. He's fine, of course. Now I'm all freaked out about the aluminum it's adsorbed onto. But I can't look back.









I know just how you feel.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bandana*
I've been trying to do more yoga with Banyan but there are only so many positions I can get into with one of my boobs in his mouth.

















R and I just started a mommy and me class, and she just loves to climb on me, and the meditation part seems to be an invitation to nurse. Must be some good energy or something...

Today's my 32nd birthday. I don't know where the last year went! I'm preferring thinking of it as 2 to the fifth, so I don't feel so old...


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Balancin1*
Today's my 32nd birthday. I don't know where the last year went! I'm preferring thinking of it as 2 to the fifth, so I don't feel so old...

:LOL

I feel really old these days, too. I think it's because I'm so fat.







:


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## Balancin1 (Sep 5, 2004)

I hear you on the fat thing. I am just so tired of it. At my last gyno appointment they measured me and I have gained five pounds the last year. They also measured my height and I am 5' 1.75". I guess I've been lying for years when I said I was 5'2"!


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## Mummoth (Oct 30, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Balancin1*
I hear you on the fat thing. I am just so tired of it. At my last gyno appointment they measured me and I have gained five pounds the last year. They also measured my height and I am 5' 1.75". I guess I've been lying for years when I said I was 5'2"!

Maybe they're measuring you short, too! The fat thing has been bugging me too. I think because we haven't been eating as well lately as we usually do, or going out as much. When I've excercised & fed myself decent food my size doesn't bother me (at least *I* know I'm healthy







)

I don't know anything about the lead test. Our house is old & we've been sanding the walls, etc. with the reno, so you all have me worried now. Does anyone have some links for me to read up on this?


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## Queen of Cups (Aug 29, 2003)

Julie - if you're trying to encourage milk or some milk-type-beverage, but the room temperature requirement is a pain, have you thought about cans of pediasure? That doesn't have to be refridgerated so you could just keep it at room temperature. Also, you can find Horizon Milk in snack containers that don't have to be refridgerated (my sister gets the chocolate milk variety at Costco). It freaks me out a little that they've done something so drastic to organic milk that it doesn't have to be in the fridge, though...

We're up to 8 teeth now, and I'm afraid we have molars getting close to coming in. The last week or two Killy has actually been chewing on his thumb and fingers, which he's never done.

I'm so frustrated with trying to teach Killy how to be gentle. Maybe its just the pregnancy hormones, but its insanely hard for me not to loose my temper when he hits, pinches, kicks, bites, or bangs me with a book. I manage to usually say, "Ow! You hurt mommy and that makes me not want to play with you. Please be gentle." and then I leave the room. But, I have to admit there are times when I raise my voice more than I should, and times when I burst into tears and yell for DH to come bail me out. I'm so glad that I've studied child development so I rationally KNOW that he doesn't understand that he's hurting me, and there's not any other effective correction techniques (other than distraction, which I also use) for his age/developmental level. Its still hard, though, from an emotional standpoint. I'm just exhausted, really bummed, and struggling with a past eating disorder that seems to be resurfacing a bit due to my huge preggo body. Ugh.

I took Killy into the big kids pool and lazy river at our local pool yesterday and he was in heaven! Shrieking, "swimming" (I support him with one arm under him, but he kicks and uses his arms correctly - I guess the Mommy and Me swim classes might have actually made a difference!), and flirting with all the women there - he was just too cute. Even the stoic lifeguards were enthralled with him continually coming off the side of the pool to me and loving being underwater - he comes up laughing and clapping and ready to do it again every time!

Mum - not to freak you out, but my realtor told me that the only time she would be concerned about lead paint in a house was if you were doing a lot of sanding/refinishing and introducing old paint chips/dust into the air a lot. Any realtor would be able to reccomend a place to do lead-paint-testing in your home, and then you'd know if its a concern at all. We're getting iron and lead levels checked sometime before Killy turns 18 months, but I'm not terribly worried as we repainted every room in the house before we moved in.


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## mattjule (Nov 6, 2003)

Happy Birthday Balancin!!

One of the reasons I quit taking WIC was the way they talked down to you as if poor automatically equals stupid. I understand that the majority of women on WIC probably aren't very educated, but that doesn't mean you should go into every meeting assuming the IQ of the person you are talking to is the equivalent of a rock. Grrr. Oh, and the food wasn't very helpful for us, I figured it would be better used on someone else. We didn't drink cow's milk, we would never have used that much cheese, the cereal selection was not all that nutritious and I don't like peanut butter. It seemed like such a waste.

The gentle thing is really hard. I have come to believe (based on my experience with Tain) that some kids are naturally more, um, what's a good word? Brutish? They have a hard time pulling their strength and tend to interact in a much more physical manner than people are comfortable with. Hopefully Killy won't have that problem in the long run but it does happen and it isn't anyone's fault-yours or his. Tain has always been too rough and still is. I just don't play rough games with him. It sucks on one hand because he loses a lot of physical contact but it is better for him too because I am not yelling at him so much. I think it is perfectly acceptable to cry or yelp when they hurt you. They don't have to understand how much force they are using to make the connection that hitting mommy makes her sad. Tain didn't get it until we started letting him see how much it did hurt us. Sometimes being too much in control of yourself can backfire. At least for us.

My thing with lead is that it is a blood test, so they will be stuck, but if it comes back low that is fine and if it comes back high we need to take immediate action. It is one of those things that are relatively easy to detect and prevent and doesn't require long term treatment but can have long term problems if undetected.

Congrats on Caitlin's walking!!!!!! Ro will only try to walk with something on his head (dishtowel, shirt, etc) which means every time he tries to walk he hurts himself. :LOL He loves to crawl around with something obscuring his vision. Weirdo.


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## Queen of Cups (Aug 29, 2003)

Okay, I feel like a dork... I thought Killy had one tooth that came in this week, on the bottom toward the front. BUT, I just checked his mouth and he had two or three more that came in on the top, he didn't want to open his mouth so I couldn't be sure. No wonder sleeping has been so rough! So, he now has at least 10 teeth, maybe 11. Wow! But the back ones came in before the canines on the top - is that okay?


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## Mummoth (Oct 30, 2003)

We made a movie!!


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Julie-- if you want some pediasure, I can send you some for free but I don't know how much that would actually save you, since it's really freaking heavy. :LOL







I'll crunch the numbers for you later in the week.

My sister drinks Parmalat, which is room temperature milk in a box (like a juice box). The whole idea of it freaks me out.







: She loves it, though.









Quote:

I'm so frustrated with trying to teach Killy how to be gentle. Maybe its just the pregnancy hormones, but its insanely hard for me not to loose my temper when he hits, pinches, kicks, bites, or bangs me with a book.








I remember this from being pregnant with BooBah (in fact, I think that your kids will be the same distance apart as mine are, 19 months or so). I had such a temper, and everything made me want to burst into tears. I've been there! I know it sucks, and I can say that it gets better, but it's one of those things that feels like it has no end until you're there.









I think I feel so fat because it's hot. I care a heck of a lot less in the wintertime, when I'm always wearing long pants (and I don't have to worry about my shorts riding up) and sweatshirts. :LOL Plus, I was always cold before I got really fat (I was merely chubby before I started showing with BeanBean) and now I'm always hot. Blech.

We took the kids to Home Depot today to get some wood for bookshelves.







Home Depot has the best car carts of any store around. BeanBean and BooBah were both distracted by it for a full 8 minutes before they realized that we were looking at wood and not at them. :LOL


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## Queen of Cups (Aug 29, 2003)

If this baby stays in until the due date, my babies will be almost exactly 18 months apart. Killy was almost two weeks early, though, so there's a decent chance they'll end up less. !!!


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## 3girlsmommy (Jun 19, 2003)

mummoth- cute movie!


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Queen of Cups*
If this baby stays in until the due date, my babies will be almost exactly 18 months apart. Killy was almost two weeks early, though, so there's a decent chance they'll end up less. !!!

:LOL BeanBean was born at 37 w, 3 days. BooBah was born at 39 w 1 day (and only because she turned and dropped her cord first; I never went into labor with her). You never know. You might be in it for the long haul! :LOL My sister's kids were born at 38 weeks and 42.5 weeks.







I can still remember the look on her face... she was huge, and it was the middle of July and a really hot summer, but she went for a two hour walk every single evening trying to get that girl *out*. :LOL


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## Queen of Cups (Aug 29, 2003)

Since I'm due three days after Thanksgiving, I'm REALLY hoping I'll go a couple weeks early, so when my parents come for the holiday and I'll have sweet new baby and not a case of the full-term-blues!


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## LizD (Feb 22, 2002)

I have always heard that if your doc thinks baby is too thin or too fat go to another doctor.









My friend's two-year-old (and four months) is only 20 lbs. It's normal for her. Rowan is about 27 lbs. It's normal for him. As long as there isn't anything developmentally delayed that would seem to be due to malnutrition, get a second opinion before pushing dairy products.







Read Dr Spock on dairy products for children- a newer edition of his book, or the other book he wrote just before his death (which is really good btw), has lots of info about a vegan diet for children. I have no objection to some dairy but giving small children lots of animal dairy just seems really gross to me, and I just don't think it's healthy.

I am looking into options for pursuing midwifery depending on when and how we move...the wide variety of state regulations is a pain, and seems to mean becoming a CNM is the best route....I really am not enthusiastic about nursing school, but with the current political climate I imagine regulations will become more restrictive, not less.

Rowan has been sick. It really points out how wonderful he is the rest of the time since he is so cranky right now, and wheezes like a sleestack as he toddles around the house.


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## BabyBumblebee (Mar 16, 2005)

dd has really got her first tooth - it's through properly! Still makes me smile every time I see it







However, the frustration level in the house seems to have gone up a notch too; I'm not really sure what's going on, but dd seems to be hitting up against a lot of things that are really irking her right now. If we have something in our hands she wants it.....and she doesn't seem to be as content as she was. I'm sure this is just a stage though.....right??????? Is anyone else going through this with their little ones?

Other than that it's sooooooo hot and muggy here so we're not going outside very much (I have chronic asthma), but we've been talking about getting a swing for Charlie, to hang on the front porch - what do you think? Dh took her on the swings at a park a couple of weeks ago and she seemed to get a real kick out of it.....we're off again this weekend to the dog show again, so maybe she'll be able to do that again!

I love hearing everybody's news - seems like there's just so much going on


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## 3girlsmommy (Jun 19, 2003)

Everyone must be busy chasing around their crazy one year olds!


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## bandana (Jun 4, 2003)

you got it...


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *3girlsmommy*
Everyone must be busy chasing around their crazy one year olds!









:LOL


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## Mummoth (Oct 30, 2003)

Kevin & I went out for our 4th wedding anniversary on Monday night...technically it's not until the 21st, but my mom will be out of town by then. We went to Mikasa & bought some dinnerware then to Cactus Club for supper. Caitlin has an easier time being seperated than I do, I think. Mom was funny when we got back, complaining that she couldn't even sit down long enough to drink a coffee after supper! They went for a walk to the park instead. Roland slept over & mom just got him a two-wheeler from her second hand store. My dad & Roland were in the basement making adjustments to it & oiling the pedals, etc until 9:30pm!!!!







So, I had a very grouchy boy on my hands last night... it's all a trade off... I got to sleep in with Caitlin in the morning, and I got groceries done with just one kid to look after (the strap-in-able one, no less!) We're supposed to be going for a walk right now, but Caitlin boobed herself to sleep unexpectedly...


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## dharmama (Dec 29, 2002)

i'm busy with my new full time job -- trying to prevent and mitigate tantrums!!









my mom took me shopping today (belated b-day present) and lil was really good most of the time...but the times when we wanted her to do something she didn't want to do (usually involving restraint...high chair, stroller, carseat)...oh man did she scream.







i kept hiding and being all







what? that's not my kid? while my mom tried to quiet her down. :LOL

happy anniversary mum and kevin!!


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## mattjule (Nov 6, 2003)

Happy Anniversary!!!!!

Rynna-nah, but thanks for asking. I can get some if I need to, I am just not sure I've reached that point yet.

Anyone else tired of "quickies"? I told dh I'm not having sex if it means we are sneaking into the bathroom and doing it as fast as we can. I mean, that's fun and all but not for every time. We have to get a babysitter! I need that emotional connection sometimes, yk? It isn't that he doesn't like the whole sappy thing, it just seems literally impossible with the kids. Sigh. 2 more years. 2 more years. 2 more years and we can start to imagine time for sex, a bed where we can sleep next to each other. Sleep in general. These are the things that help me appreciate having our last child be one.


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## rubelin (Feb 3, 2002)

I...am...so...tired







I don't much like toddlers, they are cute but so exhausting









Hey Mum, that's the same pattern my parents have







Have a happy anniversary! (saying that now, cause I'll forget by next week







)

Jules, we don't even get quickies!! Between being worried about the babe waking up (he's been really restless lately) and DHs stupid WoW and me being worried that I'm gonna O at any moment, we just end up with a whole lotta nothin'! I almost wish I'd start cycling again just so I would know what was going on with my ovaries







And I only partly mean that, cause I don't especially want my PMS back.

Kieran has been kinda sick since late Saturday night, with on and off fevers and much crankiness in the middle of the night, but then has been mostly fine during waking hours. Well, yesterday his soft spot got all bulging which totally freaked me out so I took him to urgent care. Of course, his fever had passed and he was happy, chatty baby by the time we got there so the Dr. (a teensy bit patronizingly) sent us off with assurrances that he is probably fine and to check in with our reg Dr to look into this bulge in his head. Luckily he had no fever last night and slept really well but the bulge is still there except for a after his nap when it went concave for a little while. Very freaky but at least he's acting normal again.

Oh, we had an exciting weekend. My GF next door and I threw a shower/blessing for another GF who happened to be in mild labor through the whole thing. She was hanging out with us after everyone had left and had more stong contrax so we told her she really seemed to be in labor and to go home immediately while she could still drive (they were about 15 min apart by then but she could still talk through them for the most part). Turns out she went into really active labor within moments of getting home and had her baby that night! It was very cool to know that we'd gotten to be a part of the day and send her off with lots of blessings









OK, the baby will probably wake at any moment, so I'd better post now. Hope you're all having a good week!!


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## mattjule (Nov 6, 2003)

Wow, that is so amazing! How wonderful...

Tain's fontanelle (sp?) always bulged when he had a fever of any magnitude, in fact it was often the first sign we had that he was sick. Hopefully it is something innocuous like that.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

One of the things I love about the new apartment is that it's on two floors with some moderately creaky steps in between. :LOL What we usually do is put the kids to sleep and run upstairs, where we have plenty of time and, if not time, plenty of warning that BeanBean or BooBah is on their way up the steps. :LOL In the month since we've been in this apartment, we've had more nookie than in the four months before we moved in.







Oh, it doesn't hurt that I started temping as though my life depended on it and that I showed Mike my (beautiful, perfectly normal, regularly-cycling) chart and explained everything to him.







Mike has a much easier time relaxing when he knows that he, all by himself, can log on to fertilityfriend and know whether or not we are fertile.







It's brilliant! All I have to do is provide the numbers and info on my mucous and all is well.









But yeah, I think it's the space that has more to do with it than anything else. Having enough space to actually live in has drastically altered every aspect of our lives.









I'm thinking of saying something very strange and crazy to the next person who says that BooBah is "too small to walk." The problem is, everything I think of is really mean and I know that people are just trying to make conversation (I wish they'd go back to talking about her eyes).







: I'm so close, though. Why is it that when people make these comments, they always act like they're the first person to say it?







They are surprised that I don't want to pat them on the head for noticing something that everyone who sees her walking notices.







Maybe that's what I'll do-- start patting people on the head. "Wow, you're so clever to notice that! What a big girl you are!" :LOL


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## dharmama (Dec 29, 2002)

Well my day is off to an awesome start!!!

The local paper printed my pro-breastfeeding letter to the editor!!


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## Mummoth (Oct 30, 2003)

: Great letter Erin! Make sure to keep a copy of that for her memory box/scrapbook.

Hey, how do you all go about keeping sentimental stuff? I have memory boxes.
Rolands has an apology letter from Mead/Johnson for sending me a free sample of formula when he was 1 week old in his box, along with his MAMMARY DRAINAGE SPECIALIST t-shirt :LOL and they both have their umbelical stumps & clips, first sleeper, pair of shoes, toothbrush, Halloween costume, and the candles from birthday cakes, and birthday letters... theres more... thats just the basics!

Yesterday we went out & Roland *insisted* on walking, so I just took the single stroller & the sling. Caitlin was in the stroller & I was thinking I'd transfer her into it when Roland got tired. Instead, I somehow got shmoozed into allowing 40-pound Roland to ride in the sling!! We must have looked silly... it didn't occur to me until after we got home that I should've piggy-backed him in it! We tried the piggyback position this morning & it's totally do-able. It's good to have another option in how we get around... the double stroller is bulky & hard to steer, and he generally walks most of the way anyway... now all I have to do is find a way to transport the backpack! I can probably bungee cord it to the stroller or something...


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## LizD (Feb 22, 2002)

Well, NCSS's example of the baby who wakes every hour is just like our household. Around 4 or 5 am he stops waking every hour and wakes every 2-3 hours. So I am pretty tired. I thought about taking a client in September; she requested me from the agency because I was at her first birth 2 years ago, but now I realize it's not just having someone to stay with him- I am completely drained. How can I work at a birth? But maybe I would do fine away from the house. I'd probably be so thrilled to be working.









Rowan is storming around, eating breakfast while standing, getting into everything. Loves the swing at the park, the rides at the exit of Babies R Us, pounding things with his wooden mallet- he's just too much fun.







I like toddlers. We found 2 ryan's room little houses- a house and a teepee- at tjmaxx for very little and though I was thinking of them for later, dd and dh set them up and Rowan really likes them. He also likes playing hide-and-seek with his big sister.


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## bandana (Jun 4, 2003)

:







:






























WAY TO GO ERIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## dharmama (Dec 29, 2002)

Thanks guys!









Liz ~ I honestly do not know how you are functioning. I can't imagine waking up that many times a night.







I'm







just thinking about it.

Mum ~ I suck at keeping sentimental stuff. Reading your list made me like...








: crap...I need to do a better job.

Quote:

Maybe that's what I'll do-- start patting people on the head. "Wow, you're so clever to notice that! What a big girl you are!"
Rynna...you always crack me up! :LOL

I'm starting to interview daycare providers for Lil for 2 days a week, starting in Sept. I really only need one day but everyone I've talked to does a minimum of 2 (too hard for the kiddos to adjust to just being there one day a week) so maybe I'll step up my work schedule a bit to help pay for that extra day.

We have two tours scheduled for next week. One at a center that has been recomended and one at a home provider (which is what I'm leaning towards). I talked with the home provider for a long time today and she sounds great. Plus she goes to our church so I feel like I "know" her a little bit.

I didn't broach the subject of cloth diapers with her...but I did tell her that we don't vax and she said no problem...just provide her with our exemption form.









Ok....must go get a few things done before her nap ends.










~Erin


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Hey everyone! I haven't had much time to post this week. I've barely been able to get myself into the shower. That's no good when it's so hot and humid out. Yuck! Ds is starting to "talk" more. Lots of different sounds. We have a dog named Hannah, and he has said what sounds like "Hannah" several times. It never actually seems directed to her though. :LOL His favorite word seems to be "gah". He likes to point at everyting and have me tell him what it is. He's so cute. His hair gets really crazy in the humidity and it's super-cute!









Erin, awesome letter and good luck with the child care! If you lived near me, I'd watch Lil for you!


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## 3girlsmommy (Jun 19, 2003)

HEy Everyone! What a week! It started w/ my oldest waking up at 10:38pm last Saturday covered in vomit. She threw up all night saturday night. Sunday night we slept. Tuesday morning at 3:00 our middle dd woke up covered in vomit and threw up for the next 6 1/2 hours. All clear tuesday night and then Wednesday night at 9:00 pm Lily threw up all over the kitchen and for the next 8 hours. I just want a good night sleep. My oldest for some reason has been coming in my room in the middle of the night and so on the nights when no one was sick she was attached to my side all night. It's weeks like this I wish I drank coffee.









I'm thinking about watching kids at my house in the morning before school. I would like to have 2 or 3 a morning which would bring in about $90 a week. I just want to be able to have some of my "own" money. I'm sick of having to "sneak" money to buy a gift for my dh or feeling guilty when I want to buy something for me. Plus my oldest is really into dance and I need to figure out how to pay for the extra classes each week. I figure if I get a couple of kids on the bus in the morning I'll still have my mornings free after 8:45 and I'll earn some money. I was thinking about trying to get a job at hte gym childcare area but I don't want to have to pack my kids up and head out into the cold in snow int he winter. I don't want to have to leave the house if we don't want to. Besides I would relaly like to go and workout at the gym and not work at the gym. I'm rambling I know. I'm just trying to sort out my thoughts. Now I just have to figure out where to advertise.

Mammoth happy early anniversary!

Erin- great letter!

Liz your little guys sleep pattern is a lot like my oldest dd's sleep pattern. She nursed every hour to hour and a half until she was between 18 months and 2 years. I honestly don't know how I survived. She's still not a steller sleeper and doesn't seem to need a whole lot of it. Some days I wonder how she can be my child.

TImes up!


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## Balancin1 (Sep 5, 2004)

Mum--happy anniversary!

Erin, very nice letter. I admire the tone you were able to take, it sounded so positive.

We're back from the inlaws. R celebrated by waking up four times last night screaming. Too much time in the car, I think. I am buried at work and trying to dig my way clear. Sometimes I wish I could just go to work for 8 hrs alone everyday 'cause I'd be caught up in no time. But, I do feel very very lucky that I don't have to do that. I'm very interested in the child care discussion from both sides, at some point I wonder if it doesn't make more sense for R to get a little playtime with someone else rather than my peripheral attention, and whether my reluctance to get a care provider is selfish on my part.

Sandi, I wish I drank caffeinated coffee myself...


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## LizD (Feb 22, 2002)

I am about to make an appointment at the Upledger Institute for craniosacral therapy for Rowan. It sounds fishy to me but I will try two sessions and see. Most people who have tried it for sleep disorders in their children swear by it. I've been saying I'll try it and I keep procrastinating because it is expensive.

good news: I have finally found a distance-learning midwifery program that is accredited and looks like it will work for me. I have sent off the request for application forms. I woke very excited. I can at least be studying a year before the apprenticeship so that gives me a bit more time with Rowan. I can't do the CNM thing- too long, too expensive, and I don't think I could take nursing school (no offense). So it is a relief to have found something that will work around our prospective move, too.

I don't know how I'm functioning either!


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Liz, congrats on the midwifery program! That sounds awesome. I hear you about the nursing school. I planned on going the fall after dd was born. I was actually relieved when I found out that I was on the waiting list for admission, but didn't get in. There is no way in he#% I could've done nursing school plus full-time mommy-ing! :LOL Oh, and about the craniosacral therapy...As a former massage therapist, I've taken lots of different classes using many modalities. I must say that any type of gentle energy work will put me out at night. After a craniosacral class and a Reiki class I slept like I have never slept before. It's pretty nuts. I hope it works for you guys.

I feel for those who aren't getting sleep. Dd nursed all through the night until I had to night-wean her during my pg with ds. She was close to two years old. Ds just came out of a rough patch of sleeping. I've slept very well the last few nights. It sure does make a difference.

Balancin, sometimes I think about how I'd like to go to a paying job for eight hours a day. Imagine being able to sit down for lunch or using the bathroom alone!:LOL After thinking about that, I realize that I actually wouldn't change a thing. I'm home with my kids. That's truly what I do best.


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## rubelin (Feb 3, 2002)

well, K seems to be all better. His soft spot has gone concave again and he slept for 6 hours straight last night!! I think it was mostly because Dan was in bed with him; I would hear a squeak on the monitor and start to get up but then there'd be silence again. I actually went all the way back to the bedroom a couple of times but everyone would be still by the time I got there. He actually would have slept longer but I moved him when I came to bed and he woke up to nurse. I am hoping that it's not just a fluke because I would like to be able to leave the house for a couple of hours in the evening and not be worried that he'll wake up screaming for me.

Sandi, it sounds like your house got what we had over Memorial day weekend. It was so not fun







Hope everyone is better and that you don't end up with it!

Liz, I hope the craniosacral work helps. I think part of why K is such a good sleeper is because he was breech so his back and neck didn't get tweaked at all. Ben was a lot twitchier of a sleeper and always seemed to be waking up to make sure I was still there









Hope you all have a good weekend!


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Well, things are pretty crazy around here. BeanBean has been nightnursing this past week (he nightweaned while I was pregnant with BooBah and has *never* nursed since then except for when he was sick). My teeth are bothering me again, and BooBah is going through drastic changes, talking a lot and running and doing the whole







nursing thing which makes me







.

And now it's midnight, and I"m going to see if I can get Harry Potter at Wal-Mart. If I can't, I'll go to Waldenbooks at 8am and stand in line (as far as I know, there are no midnight book parties around here). :LOL My sister is at her local Waldenbooks right now, the lucky twit. :LOL


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## 3girlsmommy (Jun 19, 2003)

I've been meaning to ask this what is craniosacral therapy? What's the reasoning behind it? Lately I'm getting to the point w/ my oldest where I'll try anything to get her to sleep. My other two sleep so much better then she does but her birth was so much different. I was in labor for over 48 hours and I pushed for over an hour. She my only kid that was really cone headed. I bounght a kid futon yesterday for her to sleep on when she comes into our room. I don't think it would bother me so much if she didn't feel the need to sleep on top of me.


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## seedling (Sep 10, 2003)

We're back from vacation. It's good to be home but everything seems so overwhelming. DH told me it seemed like too much to make a pot of coffee. It seems like too much to unpack. To pick up toys. At 11:00 in the morning, we are all sitting around in our underwear, literally. My Dad is coming to visit tomorrow though so I've seriously got to find some motivation today.

Flora is a scooching queen. She got really fast over the vacation and can now get pretty much anywhere she wants to be. She's also really stepped up the nursing. She nursed so frequently while we were away. She also now enjoys walking assisted. This is new. She's never really wanted to try it before.

Isabel loved Michigan. The lakes are so clear and clean. She really made huge improvements in her water confidance. We bought her a pair of goggles yesterday and she can't wait to wear them to the pool on Monday to show off her diving under the water skills to her friends.

Well, got to go. Kids are about to struggle over a toy.


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## Balancin1 (Sep 5, 2004)

Got my Harry Potter this morning, we went to the local bookstore and were first in line. It was almost as good as being at the midnight party since everyone waiting was so excited.

Do you let your new walkers go barefoot in public? I got chewed out today in the museum by a guard. I was a little snotty with her, because I felt she was harassing me because she was uncomfortable, not because the museum had a policy on it. Most of the kids R's age I see there are firmly strapped into strollers, so I don't see why they would have a policy. Its touron hell but the a/c is really good and I wanted to go see the UBoat because I finally am reading Cryptonomicon. Rynna, is that one of your favs? It is so good I am going to share reading Harry Potter with DH since I have it to read as well. Don't know why I never started it before... Anyway. Maybe I was out of line with the bare feet, but they vacuum that place like crazy so it really makes a good place to go.


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *3girlsmommy*
I've been meaning to ask this what is craniosacral therapy? What's the reasoning behind it? Lately I'm getting to the point w/ my oldest where I'll try anything to get her to sleep. My other two sleep so much better then she does but her birth was so much different. I was in labor for over 48 hours and I pushed for over an hour. She my only kid that was really cone headed. I bounght a kid futon yesterday for her to sleep on when she comes into our room. I don't think it would bother me so much if she didn't feel the need to sleep on top of me.


Sandi, check this out: http://www.craniosacral.com/ It explains it fairly well. Check out the FAQ page too.


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## LizD (Feb 22, 2002)

well, after reading about craniosacral therapy on quackwatch again there isn't any way I'm going to do it. It sounded pretty iffy as it was but the few scientific studies resulted in comments like, "this therapy is completely invalid and any osteopaths practicing it should have their licenses revoked." I don't believe in homeopathy either so this stuff just isn't for me.









He slept 4 1/2 hours straight at one point last night anyway.







I woke in the same position to the fingertips. Then it was a struggle to get him to go back to sleep, but it was not an angry or despairing struggle. I am less worried about him falling off the bed so I can doze while he plays with my booklight for a few minutes or something until he wants to nurse and sleep again.

We went to the Harry Potter extravaganza for something for dd and her cousin to do. It was not as mobbed as I'd expected and I ran into some people I knew, so that was nice. I loathe the books and think she is the richest plagiarist ever but it's also good this one was the first children's book to have a simultaneous braille printing, etc.

Rowan ran around the bookstore for three hours and only started screaming if we picked him up or tried to redirect him in any form. He wanted to go on the escalators, too.

I let him walk around barefoot in many places and it does get nasty looks, but not as nasty as when I let him crawl around public places. Usually I do put shoes on him to protect his feet, not because I care about keeping them clean.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Balancin1*
Got my Harry Potter this morning, we went to the local bookstore and were first in line. It was almost as good as being at the midnight party since everyone waiting was so excited.

I grabbed one at WalMart. It was amazing, I walked in, and there was this big pallet of them, I just grabbed one and started reading as I made my way to the line. :LOL I finished it about half an hour ago.

Quote:

Do you let your new walkers go barefoot in public? I got chewed out today in the museum by a guard. I was a little snotty with her, because I felt she was harassing me because she was uncomfortable, not because the museum had a policy on it. Most of the kids R's age I see there are firmly strapped into strollers, so I don't see why they would have a policy.
All the time. Every now and then, we'll be someplace that's not a terribly great place to be running around barefooted (like a doctor's office) and I'll pick her up, but I've found that it's a lot easier on us all if I just wash her hands and feet afterwards.







I rarely get crap from people for it, and I think that it's because BooBah is tiny because I got a heck of a lot more crap about BeanBean (who also spent his first walking summer barefooted).

Quote:

I finally am reading Cryptonomicon. Rynna, is that one of your favs? It is so good I am going to share reading Harry Potter with DH since I have it to read as well. Don't know why I never started it before... Anyway. Maybe I was out of line with the bare feet, but they vacuum that place like crazy so it really makes a good place to go.
Cryptonomicon! That book is so freaking cool, despite the editing (or lack thereof







). I love it, it rocks!









I'm not sure what I think of the new Harry Potter yet. I guess I'm still digesting.


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

My guy isn't walking unassisted yet, but he hasn't had a pair of shoes on his feet for months! If he was walking, I might keep a pair of sandals for him in my bag. That would be in case we came across some hot pavement or other obstacle and he really wanted to walk instead of being carried.


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## dharmama (Dec 29, 2002)

lil is in robeez shoes/sandals pretty much all the time.

the funny thing is around here people act like she is barefoot when she's wearing her "mocasins"....all the time i get....when is she going to start wearing "real shoes"? is it ok for her to walk in her slippers? etc.


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## dharmama (Dec 29, 2002)

holy crap!

in the time that i was writing that last post, lil went from the back deck...in the door...across the house and out the front door to the front deck!!


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## LizD (Feb 22, 2002)

My daughter's softstar shoes got us the "when is she going to get real shoes?" for years and years, until she got "real" leather sandals when she was about five.









It is sure strange to have Rowan wandering the house saying, "mommy? mommeeee?"

My SIL is due in October and I get jealous talking with her.







: I don't even really want another baby but I like being pregnant and I enjoy it more than she does.







:

We saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory this afternoon!







I almost smothered Rowan in frustration but then he went to sleep and I just sat separate from dd and dh.

I am feeling very relaxed and happy these days though I wish we were doing more around the house and fixing the place up more. I am taking Rowan to storytime with my friend once a week and trying to do some things around town, such as these water parks we have here which are, for some bizarre reason, closed in winter.







There is one I haven't been to in years, because the stuff is kind of young for dd (no really huge slide like the bigger water park, which also has a "river ride" etc) but now I get to go to it with Rowan (and pretend I am not doing it "all over again"







).

What else are people here "doing" with their toddlers? I thought about doing gymboree again, I bet he'd like it a lot, but I hate their prerecorded music. It's so weird.

Dh is making dinner. I like summers, when he's off most of the time. When we don't have any money it's depressing, but this year he has done so well we can enjoy a little. We probably won't go Out West camping, though. We'll probably have to go North instead, and see some of our favorite places like shenandoah and upstate ny (and maybe we can start scouting new neighborhoods!). I'd just as soon wait another year to go Out West. Rowan is such a pain on a practical level I don't know how far from civilisation I can go with him and find it relaxing.







I feel guilty, though. We'll also get to go to NYC and my inlaws will be in Italy so we can stay in their place (which will soon be my SILs place







: ).

Where is everyone else going this summer?

My dh has worked his way through Cryptonomicon and the other three. Though I've been singing Bobby Shaftoe to children for years it finally got his attention.

BTW for those who don't like mallwart here is a new petition out about unionbusting at Walmart: http://action.americanrightsatwork.o...gn/walmart2005


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## LizD (Feb 22, 2002)

P.S. I have fallen in love with preschoolians!


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## prmom (Jun 14, 2004)

Seedling-we were so pleased with how beautiful and clear the lakes were in MI. Especially since our two lived in the lake the whole time we were there









Gavin walks around barefoot 99 % of the time. I get lots of looks and comments, but I seriously just don't care. The other time he is in soft sandals "real shoes" comments too. Oh well

I just switched peds this week. Gavin's ex-ped was a flake. EVERYTIME we visited she had to comment on his mongolian spots and how if someone didn't know better they would think he was getting abused. She also kept telling me he had excema and finally this visit decided it might not be and obviously does not know what the heck she is doing and referred him on to a dermatologist. I think the derma doc is a good idea but I have no confidence in the ex-ped.

oh better go...later


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## Balancin1 (Sep 5, 2004)

Thanks for the feedback on the barefoot issue. We do have two pairs of Robeez, I just like to let her feel things with her feet, especially nice clean carpet.







I feel a bit less like a freak now, I don't know why I let strangers comments get to me like that.

I'm about 150 pages into Harry Potter and I don't want to slap him like I did in the last book







So far I am really enjoying it. I can see the point about her being derivative, but I'm hooked none the less...

I'm at the part in Cryptonomicon where they just pulled the safe off the UBoat, hence wanting to go look at the exhibit. I read Snow Crash years ago, but I've been stuck in a Space Opera and Patrick O'Brian and Dog Mystery rut for a few years. Cryptonomicon is really good, though I find it pretentious in places (the math theory discussions.) Maybe it's because I'm so slow it took me til they were in Italy for me to figure out Bobby Shaftoe was in Detachment 2702.

I'm trying to get into a schedule of doing some toddler-centric activities, like going to the playgroup. R is forever saying "hi" to all the children she sees, I think she would really like to spend more time with other children.

Erin, wow! Go catch that kid.

We just got back from visiting the inlaws near Toronto, and I'm thinking we'll visit relatives in Madison over Labor Day. I also want to go visit some people in Ann Arbor over a weekend. I guess I like to travel.


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## Queen of Cups (Aug 29, 2003)

Honestly, I never take Killy out without shoes on. I was a manager at a children's museum for three years and I've seen what happens on public floors on a daily basis - no thank you! I'm totally not a germaphobe, either, its more concern over glass, debris, vomit, and urine... He's never had any shoes other than Robeez-style ones, though. I always get a TON of compliments on them, I've never gotten the "real shoes" comment - usually people say that they look so comfy they wish they had a pair, too!

My sister is reading her copy of Harry Potter now, and when she's done with it tonight DH and I are going to read it aloud to each other. We read the first couple books to each other while driving on our honeymoon and its a tradition with us now.









Killy just amazed my friend today with how he swims in deep water (I, the worried mama, still keep a hand under his belly to keep him up a bit)- my friend told me that I totally need to videotape it because he's sure Killy will be a professional swimmer someday. I think its far too early to make a statement like that, but his swim teacher this spring did say she would remember his name because she was sure he would be in the Olympics someday! :LOL


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Queen of Cups*
Killy just amazed my friend today with how he swims in deep water (I, the worried mama, still keep a hand under his belly to keep him up a bit)- my friend told me that I totally need to videotape it because he's sure Killy will be a professional swimmer someday. I think its far too early to make a statement like that, but his swim teacher this spring did say she would remember his name because she was sure he would be in the Olympics someday! :LOL


How cute that must be!


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Queen of Cups*
Killy just amazed my friend today with how he swims in deep water (I, the worried mama, still keep a hand under his belly to keep him up a bit)- my friend told me that I totally need to videotape it because he's sure Killy will be a professional swimmer someday. I think its far too early to make a statement like that, but his swim teacher this spring did say she would remember his name because she was sure he would be in the Olympics someday! :LOL

:LOL That's so cool! BooBah is a swimmer, too.







She kicks and moves her arms, and holds her breath to go underwater. :LOL She's also picked up several new words surrounding the pool, and she's quite popular with the little boys.









Speaking of which-- does anyone else have a strange problem with little boys following their babies around? I never had this with BeanBean; girls thought he was adorable, but they never followed us around asking questions about him and trying to kiss him the way that little boys seem to follow BooBah. It verges on creepy, despite the fact that we're talking about 2-12 year old kids and not adults.







I had two little boys at the pool who kept begging me to let them hold her, asking what she likes to watch on TV, how many teeth does she have, what's her favorite food, please can I hold her? and following her around, trying to touch her and get her to smile... and whenever she did they'd just be on cloud nine. They were 8 and 11 and it was just... strange.

Maybe I'm paranoid?


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## rubelin (Feb 3, 2002)

hey there!! Just a quick hello before I head to the couch to crack open my new HP!! It arrived via UPS this morning, but we were at my neice & nephews b-day party all day. I acutally forgot it had come until i wa kveching to Dan about how he was going to a party tonight and leaving me at home with the kids and he reminded me that he was going cause I was going to be ignoring him all night while I read my new book







So all of you who have finished it or are in the middle, don't say a thing!!

K is mostly barefoot but if he'll be walking much in public places, he wears his soft StrideRite sandals mostly so that his feet don't get horribly nasty (like Queenie, I've seen the yuck that lurks on public floors)

OK, I'm off for dinner and reading! Luckily this one's not as huge as Phoenix so i might get through it tonight but we are going to a HP party tomorrow and I should get some sleep







Hope you're all having a faboo weekend!!


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## seedling (Sep 10, 2003)

DH was in line last night at midnight to get his copy of HP. He's plowing thru it this weekend so hopefully I'll get to read it mid-week.

My Dad is coming to visit tomorrow and I can NOT get motivated to unpack and clean up this house. It's 1:30 am and all I've done is some laundry.









Arrgg. I gotta get some stuff done.


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## 3girlsmommy (Jun 19, 2003)

We haven't even picked up HP yet.







: I take it it's a lot shorter then the last one? I hope! Dh & I usually read it aloud too. We started doing it this way because we started reading the HP books when Lauren was a newborn and she wouldn't let me read and nurse so dh would read it to me.









Lily doesn't walk yet. When she does I'll put robeez or some other soft sandle on her. I think she'll be walking within the next week or two. She's finally getting interested in standing by herself and will do it just for "fun" or without even thinking about it. She also seems a little frustrated lately and I think it has to do w/ walking.

Times up!


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## Balancin1 (Sep 5, 2004)

Dumb dumb dumb, I stayed up finishing HP last night. Now it's all gone and I didn't get any sleep. :roll I always want the next one right away too. I think this one was about 200 pages shorter than #5. I also found it a quicker read in other respects. Maybe pregnancy made Rowling more succinct--she had a baby in January. I hope it is not a spoiler to say I really like how this one tied together some of the previous ones.

There are places I won't let R go barefoot--like the children's playlots here. People barbeque in them and leave broken beer bottles all over. Also, people urinate and defecate in the public parks. Yuck.

QoC, very cool on the swimming. When I take R in we just horse around, the most we do is backfloats and stuff (with her head on my shoulder.) She has done a couple underwaters, but we're reacclimating her to the water after a break from our swim classes, which I hope to resume in the fall.

No coterie of admirers for R, though she had a little girl follow us around a store once. It was great because R was in a bad mood and this girl kept her so distracted I got all my shopping done. R is such a ham for other people.


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Ok, so I just checked out the Preschoolians website, and let me just say: OMG!







I'm in love!







I'm going to hold off until ds starts walking, but when he does I'm ordering some of those!


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## Kathryn (Oct 19, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Doodlebugsmom*
Ok, so I just checked out the Preschoolians website, and let me just say: OMG!







I'm in love!







I'm going to hold off until ds starts walking, but when he does I'm ordering some of those!

If you go on eBay right now, they are having a HUGE sale. I just got a pair for dd for $3.00. $3!! And get this, they forgot to send me both shoes (only sent me the left one), so they are sending me the right one and a whole nother pair of shoes for free.







That's 2 pairs of shoes for $3! Too awesome. I got the free pair in the next size up for her that way she won't have two of the same size. That would be kind of pointless.


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## mattjule (Nov 6, 2003)

We've never read a HP book. I don't know, I hate the hype and I'm not big on reading books for children. After all, I am an adult and there are plenty of books for adults to read. What is Cryptomonicon? I feel like a dork for not knowing!

Ro isn't walking yet but I usually bring our joshoes in my purse just in case we encounter a floor he wants to stand on (like in a restaurant). I stopped putting them on as a matter of course because we go to the park so much he gets sand in them and hates it. We also have a pair of buskin sandals that were Tain's. If your kid has wide, tall feet, I definitely suggest going with joshoes.com or buskin sandals. He had a pair of preschoolians but the plasticy clear bottom was really slick, he couldn't pull himself up on furniture if we were somewhere with a wood floor. That was really lame.

Ro has admirers in our complex-one of the reasons I don't like to take the boys outside here. When we go outside, blowing bubbles or whatever, we don't do it to entertain the neighborhood children, we do it to be together and have fun so it always feels like they storm in and swamp us. And they have a habit of picking Ro up that really bothers me. Not just the kids, the next entryway over is a developmentally delayed woman (there are about 9 handicapped people that live here) that is really annoying and will pick Ro up without asking or without any warning she is going to.

We have a playdate every Monday and now that my friend Kristen is back from Spain we hang a lot with her family. Her ds is a month younger than Ro and they have always been pretty close developmentally so he makes a good playmate. I'd like to go camping at least once before winter and we somehow have to get to LA for a wedding but other than that we aren't doing anything major. It is impossible to cart around a 3 yo and a 1 yo and feel like either are getting what they need from me. We do go to the zoo a lot. But we pretty much stay in town and I don't like to take them in water by myself. Ro doesn't like the floating devices for babies and I don't like just holding him since Tain has no fear and can't seem to master the idea of holding one's breath or blowing out when going under water. I makes me nervous to think that Tain could get into trouble and I would somehow have to save him while holding Ro. Not good. I really should get Tain in classes, I think he could do it now no matter where it was, I just wish I didn't have to take Ro with me. Thank god I don't have a ton of children if dealing with 2 is this hard for me.

Well, we have a potluck today so I better get going.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Cryptonomicon is as kick-ass book. I actually like all the math, but I'm a math geek and find that stuff entertaining.







: I started reading the Harry Potter books and now I have to finish them. There are things I like about them and things I don't, but I can't leave a series half-read, I'll obsess about it for the rest of my life.







:LOL I actually started writing a Harry Potter concordance which makes the HP Lexicon look like a cute little desk dictionary, because I had to resolve some things in my own head (in other words, try to reconcile some glaring errors/omissions) and I thought it would be good practice for when I tackle the Wheel of Time series, which is a complete mess. Yes, my obsession with making lists runs more deeply than you might have imagined! :LOL

Quote:

When we go outside, blowing bubbles or whatever, we don't do it to entertain the neighborhood children, we do it to be together and have fun so it always feels like they storm in and swamp us.
That's exactly how I feel about it! It wouldn't bother me if they said, "Oh, what a cute baby" and went back to what they were doing, but they want BooBah to entertain them and she just wants to play in the water with her family. They're so offended when we take her away from them, like we're removing their favorite toy.







:


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## LizD (Feb 22, 2002)

Rowan seems to attract little African-American girls. They all want to kiss him and hug him. My friend's daughter is obsessed with him, and he seems to think all 2-yo black girls with their hair in braids are Sekile. He saw one in the pool at Atlantis and kind of winced and turned his cheek. It's bigger girls too- in the airports, etc older girls would be all over him trying to kiss him, too. They seem to find hauling him around irresistible, too, even those who are barely bigger than he is.

He also has no fear of the water, which is good and bad. He would walk straight to the pools at Atlantis, which is frightening. But he would bend in the kiddie pool to try to get at the metal things on the floor of the pool (his fixation on the metal and mechanical extends everywhere) and not flinch at putting his head under the water. Since he would then float and be unable to get back up, this was not great either, but I am pleased he's comfortable. I don't know if it has anything to do with the swim lessons, but we will start them again in the fall.

When K was a toddler I always felt like the pied piper in public playgrounds (how's THAT for alliteration?!!?) because I was the only caregiver who actually played with my kid/charge. We played billy goats gruff on playground rope bridges, etc. And suddenly I'd have this whole group of little ones wanting to play too. Which I wondered about. Is it selfish to want only to play with one's own kid, and not be utterly welcoming to all kids, and is that a by-product of our emphasis on the nuclear family, or is it reasonable to expect that if those caregivers or parents gave a damn about their kids they'd not have been clinging to me? There are definitely times when you want it to be "just us," and I puzzle over this one.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LizD*
When K was a toddler I always felt like the pied piper in public playgrounds (how's THAT for alliteration?!!?) because I was the only caregiver who actually played with my kid/charge. We played billy goats gruff on playground rope bridges, etc. And suddenly I'd have this whole group of little ones wanting to play too. Which I wondered about. Is it selfish to want only to play with one's own kid, and not be utterly welcoming to all kids, and is that a by-product of our emphasis on the nuclear family, or is it reasonable to expect that if those caregivers or parents gave a damn about their kids they'd not have been clinging to me? There are definitely times when you want it to be "just us," and I puzzle over this one.









I do the same thing. In fact, I've found myself actively not playing with the kids just so that I wouldn't have other kids following me around.







: And then I feel guilty that I don't always want a whole bunch of other people's children hanging on me.

I've come to the conclusion that it's because our society is somewhat unnatural in it's setup (to each his own). So when children see an adult playing with children, they want to revert to a more primitive, village dealio and join in on the fun. It doesn't make it any easier for me to deal with, but I can wrap my head around it that way, kwim?


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## 3girlsmommy (Jun 19, 2003)

I remember when my middle dd was a baby and I would take my oldest to the park. I'd be pushing Lauren on the swing and some other litte kid would come along and ask to be pushed as well. Mind you I would have a baby in the sling and would need to put the other kid on the swing and push them. After a couple of times when I got stuck doing htis I started telling kids they needed to go find their big person. I would also find that I would end up being hte parent helping other kids out of tight situations on the climbing equipment. I typically follow my kids around the equipment to make sure they're safe and I know where they are. Around here most of the moms sit on the benches gossiping instead of playing w/ their kids. Just recently we were at this one park and this toddler that couldn't have been much more then 18 was just wondering around. I kept my eye on her and eventually the mom came strolling over from where she was hanging out on the other side of the playground. This is a HUGE playground w/ two separate activity areas, one for big kids and one for smaller kids. It's fairly open and near the lake as well as an area where people come to walk. I have seen random adults that I was pretty sure were there w/out children that have made me uneasy, too uneasy to ever let my kids be out of my sight there.

We got some bad news yesterday. My cousin was in a really bad accident on her way home from work. I guess she was working second shift and fell asleep(she's working two jobs). They thought that she ahd broken both her arms and both her legs but after several tests they have discovered that one leg is smashed and neither of her arms are broken just badly bruised and swollen. THey think she is bleeding internally somewhere because her blood pressure is unstable but they can't figure out where. When they found her she was strapped into her seat but the seat was out of the car. It's very scary. We all are feeling pretty helpless because she lives out in Wyoming and we are all in NY. Her parents and siblings live in WY too so she's not alone but it would be nice to be there for her and her kids. This is her second bad car accident. A few years ago when she was in high school the car she was riding in went off a cliff. She almost didn't make it. She is scheduled to go into surgery on Tuesday for her leg.

Thanks for the preschoolian tip. I bought a couple of pairs today through buy it now. I figure even at $8 I'm getting a great deal!

HAve a good night!


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *3girlsmommy*
We got some bad news yesterday. My cousin was in a really bad accident on her way home from work. I guess she was working second shift and fell asleep(she's working two jobs). They thought that she ahd broken both her arms and both her legs but after several tests they have discovered that one leg is smashed and neither of her arms are broken just badly bruised and swollen. THey think she is bleeding internally somewhere because her blood pressure is unstable but they can't figure out where. When they found her she was strapped into her seat but the seat was out of the car. It's very scary. We all are feeling pretty helpless because she lives out in Wyoming and we are all in NY. Her parents and siblings live in WY too so she's not alone but it would be nice to be there for her and her kids. This is her second bad car accident. A few years ago when she was in high school the car she was riding in went off a cliff. She almost didn't make it. She is scheduled to go into surgery on Tuesday for her leg.

Thanks for the preschoolian tip. I bought a couple of pairs today through buy it now. I figure even at $8 I'm getting a great deal!

HAve a good night!









Sandi. That sounds so horrible. I hope she recovers quickly. Car accidents scare me so much.

Thanks from me too, Kathryn! I also bought a pair on Ebay today. I bought them a size too big and hope we can use them for fall and winter. I don't think that ds is going to be walking this summer!


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## Queen of Cups (Aug 29, 2003)

I looked at the Preschooligans, but they don't seem to have any in the right size... Killy wears an 18-24 month in Robeez, and according to their website that's an American size 7/8 and a EU size 24-25. I'm not finding anything over a 6.5. Oh, well... I'm trying to decide whether or not to buy a cute pair of Robeez on ebay, I'll probably do it. Killy goes through shoes a lot faster since he started walking at 10.5 months! Before that he could wear them till he outgrew them, now he actually wears holes in them! I'm not ready to switch him to a hard sole, though.


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## mattjule (Nov 6, 2003)

Sandi







How aweful!

Ugh, why would you want to read Wheel of Time? That thing is worse than the lamest soap opera. I'll sum it up for you-any character you like will either die or go crazy. Everyone eventually goes crazy. Nothing in the large scale plot ever happens. Done. 11 books, approx 800 pages a book. A complete waste of time. Seriously. I think I read them to book 7 before stopping in disgust.

Quote:

This is the start of a very long, drawn-out series. Not long and drawn-out in the sense that it's an "epic" story that needs time and patience to tell, but more in the sense that the author has discovered he has a virtual cash machine in his keyboard, and he's milking it for every last penny it's worth.

"But if they're good..." you think. Uh-huh. But they're not, you see.

The first four or five books in the series are excellent; I'd be lying if I said otherwise. Can Robert Jordan write? You bet your bottom he can -- but only when he puts his mind to it. Starting with the abysmal "Path of Daggers," the series' progress has slowed to a sad crawl. In each successive book, less and less happens, and more paper is wasted describing clothing, repeating characters' annoying mannerisms, and introducing new characters who don't seem to do anything to advance the plot. Maybe he doesn't know how to finish it... but that doesn't stop him adding to the misery.
This is a review on Amazon. I couldn't have said it better myself, especially the feeling that Robert Jordan is just doing it for the money at this point.

"

Quote:

Cryptonomicon is vintage Stephenson from start to finish: short on plot, but long on detail so precise it's exhausting.
" Interesting review...

Anyone heard of a book called Historian? A mama in my playgroup mentioned it to me.

I think it is perfectly acceptable to resent strange children barging into your play. I think of the play with my child as a special time with him, something that he doesn't necessarily get all the time. My full attention is on him. At the park I don't play with him that much-it's one of the few times I get some "alone" time. But he also usually has a playmate and he isn't the type of kid to go up to a stranger and try to play with them.







To me, kids that do that seem really starved for attention from an adult more than anything else. Plus it looks really fun, a lot funner than what they are doing :LOL I equate it to snatching a toy. And no matter how anyone wants to word it, in my world it is rude. But I am so not a people person, especially a small people person.


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## freegirl23cat (Jan 25, 2004)

so hard to believe that we are mommas of toddlers...ok, not so hard for those of you with more than one child perhaps...in fact, it must be so exhausting...no offense to anyone (happy for all the preggers and TTCer's), but i don't know how you get to the point that you say, thanks, can i have another...mikaia keeps me so busy both with her walking and climbing everywhere and with her interest in everything...it is exhilerating and exhausting at the same time...it always takes me forever to read the thread...but some responses:

AWESOME letter ERIN!!! you go lactivist momma!
Go all you HP fans!!! I've never read a book







: but it sounds fun!
Sorry and hugs to all who are having family tragedies, accidents, sickness
Happy Anniversary Mummuth
Rynna, i feel you on the hot and fat energy...i always just wish that i lived somewhere where it would acceptable (and not to scary for others) to just NOT wear clothes in the summer

Take care everyone


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Sandi,







. That sounds horrible.









Quote:

Ugh, why would you want to read Wheel of Time? That thing is worse than the lamest soap opera.
Sadly, I agree completely with you and with that review of WoT. Even more sadly, I started reading them before book 7 was published. A friend gave them to me, and books 1-5 were great. Then Jordan seemed to forget that books are supposed to have a beginning, a middle, and an _end_. *sigh* However, as with the Harry Potter books, I've started reading them and have to finish them. Since I have no idea when the series will end, I refuse to spend money on them and I borrow them from the library. :LOL I do have my standards. My OCD will not let me quit reading the series (even though it's less of a series now than it is a long, painful episode), nor will it allow me to go without making my lists. Besides, I have to show my best friend everything that's already happened that he hasn't noticed. (My friend, Mike and I used to sit around bitching about Jordan for hours on end. I actually began the concordance to prove my point in an argument with him, and decided that I needed to practice on something smaller and more discrete, with a definite end in sight.







: Gosh, I'm such a dork!
 















I disagree entirely about Cryptonomicon, though. There's more than enough plot to that book. I can understand how some people might not enjoy the detail that he gives, but I think that has more to do with it's nature than it's quantity (geeky stuff which is of no interest to anyone who's not into math, computer science or cryptology). There are two different timelines running, and I think that the plots are woven together very well. It is a bit cliche that *everyone* who's name gets mentioned more than once seems to have a connection in both timelines, but it's forgiveable because the book is very cool.


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## dharmama (Dec 29, 2002)

Quote:

Go all you HP fans!!! I've never read a book but it sounds fun!
Me neither. And I went to see one of the movies and fell alseep.









:LOL


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## 3girlsmommy (Jun 19, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *freegirl23cat*
but i don't know how you get to the point that you say, thanks, can i have another...

It usually takes us about 2 years before we can even think about another. W/ our oldest at this age we were considering the big V. We were almost certain that we weren't going to have any more kids. Our oldest sucked all of our energy out of us that first year. So much so that for her first birthday we had a HUGE party that was more about celebrating our survival then her birth. :LOL







: And now we have three beautiful girls. I wouldn't trade any of it, except maybe the lack of sleep. :LOL


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## mattjule (Nov 6, 2003)

For us, it was about 18 months. He got a lot more self-sufficient between 12 and 18 months that enabled us to extrapolate how he would fare by the end of a pregnancy. We always thought we would start trying when he turned one but we were so unready when his birthday came around. Killy was walking and eating solids well at a pretty young age comparatively, so I think it is more about when your child is at the appropriate stage than actually age, yk?

Anyway, I have my hands full with these 2, we won't be having any more.

Yeah, I thought it was a weird thing to say, it was a real review and that was sort of tacked onto the end of an otherwise glowing review. So I read the review and thought it sounded really interesting then at the end thought, "Hmm, maybe it isn't that great". She made it sound like it was good if you were a member of the cult following but not so great for a schmuck off the street. We'll read it anyway. And I can't help but think of Evil Dead every time I read the title. :LOL


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## Queen of Cups (Aug 29, 2003)

I agree with Julie - it just depends on your child's temperment, developmental level, and your family dynamic. To be honest, DH and I tossed out my diaphragm when Killy turned 6 months (!) but didn't really start "trying" till my cycle returned three months later. Killy was crawling, talking, and eating a lot of solids by 9 months, and though he didn't sleep through the night we didn't have too many "tough" nights, either. He's just been a really "easy" baby, the envy of all our friends who had babies at the same time. He's never even had a sick child visit! He's also very much into independent play - I shouldn't admit this, but I can sit on the couch and read or watch CNN most of the time while he's playing with just occasionally jumping up to intervene (this is in our baby-proofed home, though - out and about its much harder!). Everyone says we're due for a tougher baby this time, but I think we'll be okay. Apparently DH and I were both really easy, happy babies, too. My parents only complaint was that I never slept - but I never cried, either! DH's parents say the exact same thing about him.

Oh, and the Wheel of Time thing - I agree on that, too! The books just kept going on and on and on in more and more insignificant detail until I couldn't stand it. I quit after 7 books, I think, and it had been one of my all-time favorite series after the first 4 or 5 books.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

When we concieved BooBah, 3.5 months later than we planned, there was only one thing that I felt I was unprepared for: labor. In retrospect, the loss of my milk was really a crushing blow and I wish I'd taken the possibility more seriously.







In terms of having kids, though... well, BooBah's first months were very difficult, but I think we came through it all right. BeanBean was a very easy little guy at that point. He was always old for his age, if you know what I mean. We didn't have to worry about him too much, so I figured I could handle another.

Right now, we are not trying to concieve number three for a few very specific reasons: 1) the loss of my milk would be a horrible thing for BooBah right now, despite the fact that she eats a ton of solid food; 2) I'm anemic and don't need anything else to drain iron from my body; 3) I've been depressed a lot lately. If the depression lifts with the addition of Florivital to my diet, and the anemia resolves, we'll just be waiting for BooBah to hit 18 months or so before we start TTC #3. We're pretty sure that we can handle it (most of the time). :LOL







But then, we have very relaxed, easy, independant children, in spite of their nursie dependance. :LOL

Quote:

And I can't help but think of Evil Dead every time I read the title.
:LOL I always think of Army of Darkness. :LOL


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## Balancin1 (Sep 5, 2004)

Interesting all this talk of subsequent kids. Before R, I only wanted one. I still don't feel anywhere near ready for another. But, I forgot in all my planning she'd have an opinion too. I'm no longer as convinced she's an only child, but I really know we (I) cannot handle another child until she's more independent and my husband has finished his dissertation. I just need to be able to have a little left over for myself and still be able to give to her without reservations.

And, living with a toddler and two border collies is like living with three toddlers. The poor dogs are always getting the short end of the stick. Now that R is waddling back and forth between us, they are having to hear us shout their favorite word repeatedly all day long. Must be like living with someone who won't shut up about chocolate...


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## Queen of Cups (Aug 29, 2003)

I'm so excited! We got a minivan! Its a 2002 Town and Country LXi, and I'm just in love with it. Its beautiful! Killy's seat fits wonderfully, and there's TONS of room to put another baby seat in there this fall. We got a really good deal on it, too, so that makes it even better.

Now I've got to go run Killy around for about an hour to try to wear him out so he'll sleep tonight. Poor thing, he spent most of the day in the car as we drove around doing car-stuff.


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Congrats, Queenie!







The Town & Country is my favorite mini-van. If I ever get one, that will be it!

As far as subsequent children are concerned, I always thought that I'd want to start trying when dd was a year old. At 10 months, I was nowhere ready! I felt like I could barely keep it together with just her! It changed pretty quickly because we started trying when she was 18 months, and were pregnant at 19 months. We're not planning on having any more, and I certainly wouldn't be ready yet if we were!


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## mattjule (Nov 6, 2003)

Balancin-It is really important to listen to that voice inside. Just because other mamas can handle a similar situation doesn't mean you should try to force yourself to. I _know_ I can't be a good mom to another baby. Unfortunately I had no idea I would feel so burnt out when we decided to have Ro. Tain has always been an intense child and I gave everything I had to him. I didn't know I would be so unwilling to keep giving to another baby. I was so fixated on having two children, on Tain not being an only child. And I don't regret having Ro but the first year was certainly difficult for me. If R is the right fit for your family, trust that feeling.

I am really looking forward to having some time away from my kids. I keep telling myself I just have to get through the next few years and I can take a few classes or have a part time job. My brain wants so badly to think in a linear fashion, to hold onto an idea for a while and my current lifestyle just doesn't allow for that. I wish I could do it sooner but I don't want to put my kids in daycare.

Ro has changed so much. He was so laid back as a small baby, he hated being in a carrier, he pretty much went with the flow and could sleep anywhere and stay asleep. He has turned into a, well "spunky" is putting it mildly, child. That is the best word I can think of. He wants what he wants when he wants it. He is very persistent, he really aggrevates Tain, he moves a mile a minute and never stops until he falls asleep then wakes as soon as possible to get going again. Which means a lot of times he is short on sleep and gets frustrated easily and wails like someone chopped off an arm every time he gets frustrated. He crawls SO FAST yet when he is upset he'll sit and wail and refuse to move until I get him. Usually I am no more than 4 ft away. He is very dramatic. And now he needs me to be close at all times and carry him frequently (mainly to try to get to things he can't reach on his own). He needs lots of cuddles from me. It was a gradual change but still I feel like I woke up one day and someone had switched my baby. I nurse him and look down at him and wonder what kind of kid he is going to be. Neither of my children have been really predictable in personality. I think I finally have it down and then they change again. I spend a lot of time being mildly bewildered. It is really fascinating, though.

On the Tain front, he has been so great. I really think he is pulling out of his frustrated defensiveness. He compromises with other kids a lot better, seems to enjoy them more, has a lot more patience with Ro. He hardly ever hurts someone these days. Today we made bread together, made lemonade together, cleaned his room without any begging or threats from me (I always clean it but ask him to do specific things like put his trains in a bucket, etc. He doesn't always feel like helping me), and he put away all the silverware out of the dishwasher-it the right spots in the drawer. But the biggest thing for me is his attitude, he is starting to be really adaptable. Something just clicked, along with a phrase he must have gotten from Bob the Builder "That's the way to do it!" He'll say something like "Go to the zoo today?" and I'll say, "no, we are going to the store, then the bank, then the park. We can go to the zoo tomorrow" and he'll say "Yes, store first, then bank, then PLAY! That's the way to do it Mommy?" And I'll say "Yes, store then bank then play at the park and the zoo tomorrow" "Yes, zoo tomorrow, that's the way to do it. Yes." and he'll be in a good mood. It is so cool, you guys, he has always responded negatively to change and I am so excited that he has learned a way to deal with it that works for him. Oh, also he has started saying "Tain need space" when he is overloaded. I am thrilled. So I probably won't post about him so much-at least for a while :LOL

Ro understands some words but isn't really saying anything. Lately he just reaches his arm out in the general direction of what he wants until we figure it out. He is getting really close to walking, though. He consistently takes about 4 steps without falling and is starting to do that frequently throughout the day.









Okay, I really need to go to bed before Tain wanders out here and is hard to get back to sleep. Have a good night, I hope something in the whole mess of my post made sense, I am really tired.


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## Mummoth (Oct 30, 2003)

Hi!

I feel like I haven't written here in a long time... I guess just the weekend though! Thanks for all the well wishes. We've decided not to use the new dishes until the kitchen is done (I don't want too many dishes availible while I'm hand washing... or we'd have stacks of dirty dishes & no clean ones)

Kevin had a job interview last week & they called him back for a second interview/to negotiate wages/etc yesterday. They're calling him back today to tell him whether or not they can pay him what he's requested. If they can I think he's going to go for it! It'll suck to lose out on vacation time this summer, but it'd get him out of construction (no more breathing in drywall & concrete dust all day, easier on his back)

Caitlin is a *communicator*!! She's getting really good at making her wishes known. Last night we put training wheels on Rolands two wheeler (still huge for him, but he seems to handle it okay) and Caitlin pointed at him riding on it, then pointed at her chest... she wanted to ride his bike!!! She has started *screaming* when she wants down from the highchair & I've been saying You want down? Down! Down! Down!" While I get her out of it, making sure she can see my mouth. She switches from screaming to saying "Duuuuh! Duuuh!" right away.

We went to Kevins company picnic on Saturday. It was fun... they had thos sumo wrestler outfit things & a jousting game and giant blow up hamster ball things to run around in... Roland loved watching that. There was a *really good* steel drum band & Caitlin was dancing her heart out!! Some girls were catching crayfish by the river & so we visited them a few times. There was Jamaican food for lunch & it was delicious!! I'll miss those picnics if Kevin takes the new job...

We're going to visit my parents at the summer cabin soon (either during Ks vacation time or on the August long weekend) I'm excited about it! Roland will love it up there... he hasn't been since he was 6 months old. I miss it... we went there every summer when I was a kid.

I like the gap in age between R & C (2 1/2 years) We started 'letting things happen' when Roland was 9 months old, and nightweaned him when he was 14 or 15 months old when we started really TTC. In retrospect I'm glad my body didn't co-operate... this age gap works well for us!

We found a new way to use the sling. Taking a picture of someone on your back is *really* hard. He transffered to bed nicely after that & we all got a 1 hour nap!!!


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## dharmama (Dec 29, 2002)

congrats on the minivan queenie!!

mum ~







:

cute pics. i organized a babywearing workshop last month and someone taught us how to make a simple piece of cloth (SPOC) wrap with five yards of fabric. it is AWESOME! i've been wearing lil a lot more now that i can put the weight over both shoulders!









so i went and visited a child care place today. it's a home care....a woman who goes to my church.

the space was nice enough...she's really wonderful with the kids...other kids seemed happy....she's cool about us not vaxing...many positives...i tried to be as open as i could and excited about the possibility...but as i was leaving i knew in my heart it didn't feel right.

it's in the basement of her house and very institutional looking plus i peeked in an open cupboard and saw....kraft macaroni and cheese, ramen noodles, lucky charms.









i asked her a bit about the meals she prepares and she said she tries to keep it child friendly...mac and cheese and chicken nuggets at least once a week...gold fish crackers, cherios.

she asked me if lil had any special dietary restrictions and i said...no just no honey or peanut butter -- i realized already at that point that this was not the right option for me so i didn't bother to list off all the things we do and don't eat....

well....we try to do as much organic as we can...free-range meat in small quantities...whole grains whenever possible...we avoid sugar...corn syrup...hydrogenated oils as much as we can...









one of my friends is interested in doing a childcare exchange a couple of hours a week....her parenting style is kind of similar to mine (although i know she does CIO







but lil would not be sleeping there).










i don't know.

i'm just going to sit with it a bit. i need to re-evaluate my priorities...talk to DH...come to terms with what aspects of dd's life i feel i need to "control" (as in can i deal with her eating orange mac and cheese once a week without stressing about it)....how much i really need/want to work....and see what feels like the best option.

i wish my mom would just retire already so she could babysit!









in other news...i';m back in the 2ww.







: for an april baby!!









ok...must try to get something done while she's sleeping.

bye.

~Erin


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Mum-- I have the worst time slinging the kids on my back! I have no idea why, it just seems impossible for me to get them there. I'd love to, though! I think I need someone in real life to show me because I've never managed it reading websites. :LOL

Erin-- How do you make a sling from a SPOC?







I've tied BeanBean on with a sheet before out of sheer desperation when he was tiny, but I'm not sure how I'd manage it with a bigger child (he was about 3 months old). Good luck with your 2ww!









QoC-- Congrats on the minivan! I love driving a minivan. It makes me feel like a real grownup.







:LOL

I'm at the point in my cycle where I'm not interested in concieving a child. :LOL I'm content to wait. Two weeks from now I'll want a baby RIGHT NOW, and then after I ovulate I'll be content to wait again. :LOL It's all good.









The thing is, despite the demonesque behavior on occasion, I really do have easy children. They're very happy, and BooBah is especially mellow (she inherited her daddy's personality







). They're really great together, the only thing that can ever get them to argue is freeze dried corn (expensive and delicious-- a rare treat!). Even then, I can't help but laugh-- their arguments are adorable! :LOL BeanBean loves his sister and is always willing to protect her from scary things like the vacuum, and BooBah would follow BeanBean to the ends of the Earth. They hold hands and hug and snuggle together, and are generally sweet people. They're the kinds of children that inspire people to have more, and I'm not immune to that charm. :LOL Sometimes I think that they're too easy for my own good.







Isn't that an awful thing to say?! I'm due for a very high needs baby next time around. :LOL


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## dharmama (Dec 29, 2002)

Quote:

Erin-- How do you make a sling from a SPOC?
5-6 yards of fabric (any woven cotton....or gauze....some people like a knit). I used 5 yards of fabric, which works great for me. (It too small for my DH though....he has too much belly to wrap around....though he is shrinking!! He has lost 15 lbs since January!!







)

Anyway...

Fold it in half lengthwise and then cut it up the middle. (The woman who showed me said...just like an episiotomy....snip and then rip.







)

Then go to The Baby Wearer for instructions on how to tie.

You have to register and then search for wraparound carriers...there is a page that lists the different carries and tells you how to tie in front, on the hip and on the back!









~Erin


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## Mummoth (Oct 30, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eilonwy*
Mum-- I have the worst time slinging the kids on my back! I have no idea why, it just seems impossible for me to get them there. I'd love to, though! I think I need someone in real life to show me because I've never managed it reading websites. :LOL

I have a hard time slinging Caitlin on my back... I thought about a month ago that she's probably old enough to, but it just didn't feel right once I got her on there. Roland is old enough to co-operate/follow instructions... much easier. I just put the sling on like I normally do and had him climb in & hold on like he does when he's getting a piggyback ride, then I tightened the sling down over him. I bent forward while adjusting (making sure theres enough fabric under his butt/that it came up under his armpits/etc)

Roland fell last night & bumped his melon on the fireplace. Kevin picked him up to give him a snuggle & was like "Oh my God!!!" Kevin typically under-reacts, so that was pretty alarming. I'm usually the one to freak out, but I just said "This isn't too bad, headwounds just bleed like crazy... if he were seriously hurt there'd be alot more blood." Of course, I had him on concussion watch overnight, but he's fine. Im starting to think Kevin is afraid of blood.

Caitlin would NOT sleep last night. She's getting her molars... it didn't occur to me until midnight that she might be in pain. I gave her Motrin & Hylands & she was out in 15 minutes flat & slept through until 5:30... it's not very often I'm still in my bed when Kevin gets up for work! 5 solid hours... woo hoo! My goal for bedtime is to have both kids in bed by 7:30 - 8:00 & have them stay in bed unti 5:30 - 6 (this is what Roland does... I'd like her to be on the same schedule) I would be comfortable waking up ONCE to feed Caitlin during that time (I didn't get AF back until I nightweaned Roland, so theres benefits for me too!) I think maybe things are just too fun for Caitlin in the evening. I've been thinking of setting up the crib in the livingroom. From 8pm on, her choices will be to nurse or be in the crib. I'll still talk to her & she can have 2 or 3 toys in there... it just won't be a free for all in the livingroom until 10pm+ anymore. I wonder how long this plan will last...

We're back to square one looking for a doctor to do Kevin's V. His family doctor reffered us to a doctor who he said doesn't do RIC. They called last night because there was a cancellation & asked him if he wanted tham to move him up... he said yes & asked if they do circs. Of course they said yes & that got him worried. I pointed out that he didn't specify *infants* and that the doctor might just do later, medical ones. He wanted me to call back & confirm that, so I did. The receptionist told me that he doesn't do them because they aren't covered by medical (the patients' parents would have to pay... alot more hassle than a cheque from the government) BUT that he believes that they are beneficial because 20 - 30% of men that don't have it done have to have it done later anyway







: So needless to say, Kevin isn't going there.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mummoth*
Roland is old enough to co-operate/follow instructions... much easier. I just put the sling on like I normally do and had him climb in & hold on like he does when he's getting a piggyback ride, then I tightened the sling down over him. I bent forward while adjusting (making sure theres enough fabric under his butt/that it came up under his armpits/etc)









I should try it with BeanBean next time! :LOL

My family is going through some heavy drama. I'm doing my best to be a positive influence and an entirely separate entity from them. :LOL None of it is crap that I'm at liberty to discuss, because it's not my crap (I'm not directly involved in any of it, thank goodness). I don't even know why I offer to help these people, I don't think that they want help, I think that on some level they all really want to be miserable.







I'm just not at that stage anymore, you know? I don't want to be unhappy, because being miserable sucks.

I've been working extra hard to get red meat into my diet, and the change in my mood has been dramatic. I have to wait until Friday to get the Florivital, but I'm really looking forward to it; I think that it will help immensly. I wish I'd thought of anemia as a cause for depression years ago... I wonder how different my teen years might have been!


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## Queen of Cups (Aug 29, 2003)

Rynna - I also meant to mention Total cereal. I love total raisan bran (it has more raisans than any other brand!) and I just noticed that it has 100% of the daily iron requirement. Of course that's not for nursing/preg mamas, so its not really 100%, but its still more than most foods.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Queen of Cups*
Rynna - I also meant to mention Total cereal. I love total raisan bran (it has more raisans than any other brand!) and I just noticed that it has 100% of the daily iron requirement. Of course that's not for nursing/preg mamas, so its not really 100%, but its still more than most foods.

:LOL I eat Total cornflakes a fair bit. They're WIC cereal. :LOL


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## prmom (Jun 14, 2004)

ok...so I am just jumping in here.

Dharmama..gl with the childcare thing. I know that can be frustrating. That is why I just stay home and watch children myself. Of course, I am guilty of an occasional mac and cheese meal. Though as I get more experienced I try to stay healthier. I am not as good as I should be though about whole foods, etc.

I am so intrigued by the conversations re anemia and depression. While I could definetely see a like between being anemic and feeling depression. I think it is always good to try to rule out other health prob possibilities before just treating depression. So I am glad, Rynna, that you are able to find a way to treat your depression symptoms.

On a personal note...Gavin is doing great. He is full of spunk and in spite of his small stature he is quite the tough guy. He is now 19 lbs. 12 oz. but he is quite aggressive. I am never quite sure how to handle his physical aggression. I know he is to young to fully understand what he is doing, but he gets this look on his face when he goes to hit or bite someone. I want to curb this behavior, but I am not sure how to do it without saying "no". I try to remove him and tell him to be gentle and he just starts giggling









Oh and Mum...gl on ttc


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## dharmama (Dec 29, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *prmom*
Oh and Mum...gl on ttc









it's me that's TTC!







Mum is in anti-TTC mode...TTV (trying to get a V for her DH). :LOL

I'm







: for her DH's potential new job!!

Oh and I just posted my first thread in the GD forum. I'm trying to figure out how to deal with some of Lil's undesirable behaviors in a gentle way (mainly S-C-R-E-A-M-I-N-G whenever she wants something, doesn't want something, wants my attention, wants to be left alone, wants to slam my cell phone on the table, wants to pull the dogs tail etc.)....feel free to jump in to that thread with your questions too. I've already received some helpful advice.

~Erin


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## Mummoth (Oct 30, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *prmom*
Oh and Mum...gl on ttc



















No more kids!!! NO! NO!!!!


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mummoth*









No more kids!!! NO! NO!!!!









: I love that smilie:







:LOL

Aggression, screaming. These are really hard for me to deal with when I think of them as aggression and screaming, but when I realize that they're really something different, I have an easier time of it. At 13 months, BooBah is not screaming to get her own way but because she has learned that crying is the way to get what she needs and that screaming is a shorter, more powerful cry. In other words, she's trying to communicate. We deal with her screaming by giving her words to use instead, and encouraging her to use her "indoor voice." (Note: Signs would probably be better for this, but BooBah refuses to sign most of the time.) So she points and shrieks, and I say, "Please use your indoor voice and your words. Would you like a drink?" "DINK!!" "Indoor voice, please. Would you like a drink?" "Dink." "Yes, you may have a drink." So she gets what she wants and she learns that there are other ways to communicate which are just as effective.

Aggression is the same thing at this age-- it's an attempt to get your attention. BeanBean started to get aggressive with Mike the other day, yanking on his chest hair and pulling his ears. Mike was all ready to yell at him and put him on time out when I pointed out that what BeanBean actually wanted was full-contact loveloves. "Give him a zerbert, hon." It started a ticklefest and they were both much happier than they would have been with a timeout. BeanBean needed physical attention, and was trying to get it by pulling Mike's hair. BooBah does the same thing. We redirect the physical behavior and then give them words to deal with it. "Tickle me, zerbert me, sling me, snuggle me." Just last night, BooBah asked to "nuggle."







What a sugar bun.

Wow, I'm a much better parent when I get my iron, too.







I feel so stupid for not thinking of this earlier!







:


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## 3girlsmommy (Jun 19, 2003)

mummoth- :LOL you crack me up and sum up how I feel perfectly! :LOL

It has been a crappy week. Our hard drive crashed and dh has tried everything to recover the data that is on it w/ no luck. He has called a couple of data recovery places and the price tag is $100 to check out hte hard drive to see if anything is recoverable and then $900 - $2500 to recover the stuff.























I have been








all week whenever I think about it because there is no way we can afford that kind of money right now and ALL of our pictures from the last 2 1/2 years are on that hard drive. That's the birth of Lily, our trip to the Grand Canyon, first soccer games, dance recitals and the every day cute stuff. I'm







just typing this. It's killing me. The thing that pisses me off is that dh was suppose to back up all the pictures onto cd's for me a couple of months ago because I ahd a panic attack about this type of thing happening and he never did. I should have demanded that he show me how to copy everything to cd but I didn't.







!

We have a busy afternoon. The girls are doing dance camp and Maddie has class from 1-2 and Lauren from 3:30 - 5:00. I think we are going to the farmers market to get some fresh fruit in between the two classes. Did I tell you how excited/proud I am of my oldest? She was selected to be in the pre-competition group at her dance studio. Only 7 girls in her age group were selected. She is so excited and I'm so proud of her. She really enjoys dancing and is really working hard. Anyway I just thought I'd share.


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## dharmama (Dec 29, 2002)

oh sandi!!!









i am scanning our messy desk for blank cd's as i type.


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## 3girlsmommy (Jun 19, 2003)

Thanks Erin! Dh just called and said he talked to this place that will take a new hard drive and replace the drivers of the old w/ the new and see if that will work. Dh said that he can actually do that himself and that he "thinks" that it is the drivers. So if you pray please, as silly as it sounds, please pray that it is the drivers and that this will be the solution. We need all the good computer vibes we can get!

On a geek note my dh is turning this around into a win situation for him because he now is talking about building a computer w/ three hard drives. One that is the emergency back up that will kick in if the original dies and then one that will store all the stuff on a weekly basis. He said that he can do it for around $700. More then I'd like to pay but he's selling it as insurance so we won't have to go through this again.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Sandi, I know exactly what you're going through!







I've been super paranoid about making backups ever since 2001, when I lost *three years* of genealogical research to a hard drive crash. I still get upset when I think about it.







:







I really hope that your data can be recovered!

If you've got Nero Burning ROM, this is how you make a backup CD for your pictures:

1. Put all of the pictures that you want into a single folder. You can have folders in the folders, of course, but it helps if you've got them all in one place. I like to type a little .txt note (in Notepad or Wordpad) naming the pictures and with the date of the burning and put that into the folder as well (but remember, I love making lists and knowing all of the details :LOL). Leave the folder on your Desktop so that it's easy to find later.

2. Open up Nero. The screen should have the words "New Compliation" at the top. The very first icon (CD-ROM [ISO]) is a picture of a CD, a file folder, and a file; if it's not highlighted, click on it.

3. Select "No Multisession" from the screen, then go to the right and select "New."

4. You should get a screen where you can see what's on your desktop (on the right hand side). Drag the folder you've got your pictures in to the left, into the box that's labelled "New" with the picture of the CD at the top (it should be all the way on the left).

5. At the top of the screen, select the "Burn" icon. It will either have a flaming CD icon or a CD with a match in front of it, and when you put the mouse over it without clicking it will say something like "burns the current compliation" or "open write CD dialogue." This should open the write CD dialogue.

6. In the write CD dialogue box which pops up, select "Write" and then click "Burn." The CD will burn and should let you know when it's finished.









I like to check mine afterwards by putting the newly-burned disc into the other CD drive and then opening it from the desktop (My Computer, D: drive), just to make sure that I can read the files. It's usually just fine.









Mike is not remotely technically inclined. He's a smart guy and can figure a lot of things out, but... well, lets just say that I'm the one who has to deal with mechanical failures around here. :LOL I wish he could put three hard drives on the computer! :LOL Luckily, we've got some friends who are very good at dealing with such things.

:LOL BooBah's just discovered a great hiding spot. The problem is, she's so excited that she claps every time she goes into it, and laughs, so I know exactly where she is. :LOL Funny kid. :LOL

Almost forgot! Congrats to Lauren!









Has anyone here ever done a Fit Tots class at the Y? I'd really like to put BeanBean and BooBah into one in the fall, I think it'd be a great outlet for them. BeanBean especially could use any excuse to run around like a maniac for a few more hours every week. :LOL What did you think of it? How structured was the environment? Did the kids like it?


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## Balancin1 (Sep 5, 2004)

Sandi! very very good computer vibes to you. And congrats to your DD, that's a huge accomplishment. I take ballet classes with kids and it is so neat to see the ones who work really hard get into the serious track. It takes a lot of dedication and hard work.

I'm noticing a trend with myself. When I'm having really bad mommy days I don't come say hi to you guys. So, I am trying to stop that trend today. We are having a horrible day, R won't let me put her down, woke me up twice last night screaming. I just feel like I can do nothing right for her and it is making me feel helpless and frustrated and more than a little angry. I know she's probably in pain from teething, but I've been trying not to dose her too much because both tylenol and ibuprofen seem to constipate her. I just feel like I can't get it right.


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Balancin1*
I'm noticing a trend with myself. When I'm having really bad mommy days I don't come say hi to you guys. So, I am trying to stop that trend today. We are having a horrible day, R won't let me put her down, woke me up twice last night screaming. I just feel like I can do nothing right for her and it is making me feel helpless and frustrated and more than a little angry. I know she's probably in pain from teething, but I've been trying not to dose her too much because both tylenol and ibuprofen seem to constipate her. I just feel like I can't get it right.

I know how you feel. We've been having those days quite frequently. Ds hasn't been sleeping well at all the last couple of weeks, so I haven't been getting nearly enough sleep. He goes to bed at 8pm, which is pretty early. Then dd won't go to bed until 10pm at the earliest. Ds is restless all night, then wakes up at 7. I've been feeling quite helpless myself. We'll get through it though!


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## rubelin (Feb 3, 2002)

hey y'all. We took Kieran in for an U/S of his fontanel last night and it was inconclusive (it didn't show enough) so he has to get a CAT scan done tomorrow. There is definitely something wrong because fotanels should be closed by 13 mo and his is still about the size of a half dollar; we just need to determine what is causing it to stay open. It's most likely something with his skull and not his brain, since he's great developmentally, but it's still scary and I'm sad for him having to have any more procedures or possibly needing surgery and/or a helmet. I'm a bit of a basket case and trying not to go down a dark hole but it's getting hard so I could use some good vibes.


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## Balancin1 (Sep 5, 2004)

rubelin, definitely sending good vibes your way. How scary. I will hope that it is something not very big after all. I was just reading on DrGreene about fontanels not too long ago, it just caught my eye. Maybe you would find that article reassuring?

susan, thanks for the empathy. whew you are right, we will survive. After all that R took a decent nap this afternoon, and I caught my breath a bit.


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## bandana (Jun 4, 2003)

Quote:

Originally Posted by *rubelin*
_...it's getting hard so I could use some good vibes_.
rubelin~







you got 'em, sister.

balancin~







me too.

sandi~







that _sucks_. start writing those memories down. ask others to remind you what was in those pictures...it might be fun.


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## prmom (Jun 14, 2004)

Oh My gosh! Mum I feel so







about the gl on ttc. That is what I get from reading 3 pgs. at a sitting and trying to remember everything. So not









So dharmama--let's give this a second try... Good Luck on ttc...I think









MUM-gl on ttv...My dh is 6 mo post V and I have felt so good about our decision and so freaked that I will get pg (dh never tested his swimmers...men







)

So...now that I feel like a total dork for making a HUGE error. I will be checking out for now, before I say anything else wrong


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Chelsea--







Those days suck.









Rubelin--







s to you & your little guy.

I woke up especially early to have some quiet time, only to enjoy an extra strong pain in my jaw (another toothache







) and to learn that the battery in my basal thermometer is on the verge of death. I'm really hoping that those two events don't set the tone for the day, because I've got a busy (and hopefully decent) one planned. I'm taking the kids over to our old neighbor's house to play with the boy next door (BeanBean's been asking for him, and his mom said that he misses Bean a lot, too







). Mike's paycheck should be in his account, so I'm going shopping for a few essentials (insulin, thermometer battery, etc) and then we'll get ready for our weekly pilgramage to the in-laws (which didn't happen last week). I really want the kids to have extra running-around time, so I'm going to try to get them to a park somewhere in there. :LOL Maybe the one up the street with the fountain.









Last night, for the first time all summer, a lifeguard at the Y told me that I shouldn't swim with BooBah into the deep end. I can kind of understand why, because BooBah wasn't cooperating with me. Most of the time, she holds on and sits still while I swim on my back, but last night she wanted "DADDEEE!!" and kept trying to get off and swim to Mike. Even so, it struck me as odd-- I've read over the rules for children under nine, very carefully, and there's nothing about staying in the shallow end of the pool with your kids; all it says is that non-swimmers need to stay in the shallow end if they're alone, and children who are wearing floatation devices need an adult in the water at all times, with at least one adult for every four children.

I don't like staying in the shallow end, because that's where all the other kids are hanging out and they follow us around, getting very close and touching BooBah. They're nice enough kids, but I wish their own parents would get into the pool with them!







:


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## seedling (Sep 10, 2003)

Rueblin, I'll be praying for you guys. Having something potentially wrong with your baby and waiting, waiting, it's hard to feel peaceful about it. So that's what I'll pray for ... that you can find some peace and comfort. And of course, for a positive outcome.

Sandy, sorry about your computer. I lost everything in December but fortunately I had most photos on disk. But DH lost all his classroom stuff.

Erin, trying to balance work and family is so hard! I struggle with it almost every day. Isabel is old enough for preschool now and that has helped a lot. Both of my kids are very independent in their play and that helps too. I've also worked out "swaps" with other like-minded mommas. For example, two 1/2 days per week I take care of another momma's kids and two 1/2 days per week she takes care of mine. But I think she's a better momma than I am so (ha) so there's no stress wondering if she's treating them right. Another thing you might consider is hiring a highschool kid or a college student. I've done that some to help in a pinch. And then I've also had to resort to asking my Mom and my MIL to take some time off to help me out when I've had meetings to go to, etc. But it's stressful to do all this juggling. I feel like my kids aren't getting cheated in the least by my working. I feel like my employer isn't getting cheated either. But I feel like I am on the verge of sheer breakdown quite often. *I* am the one cheated. That said, you gotta do what you gotta do. My family NEEDS the extra income.

F needs nursies. Gotta go.


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## LizD (Feb 22, 2002)

Re: unwanted good wishes for TTC, now you know why I don't respond directly to people's posts!







With the best of intentions and good thoughts I would screw it up. It's not out of lack of consideration or interest.

Anyone feeling totally burnt, I recommend reading Misconceptions, or Fruitful by Anne Roiphe. I, too, am totally burnt and I don't "have" to work outside the home. I do, but we can get by, and I am too exhausted. I can barely focus on what I need to do, what little I need to do. All I *can* focus on is how I'm not doing very well at it.

This week I have forced myself up and out of the house two mornings. To meet a friend at library storytime regularly, and to meet the same friend and toddler pair at the waterpark. Felt good even though both those mornings Rowan hadn't slept until 3 or 4 am and then was fast asleep while I was dressing him to go.







:

Dh is home for a while which is nice but we get used to having our own space and get cranky if that changes. So his freelancing has its ups and downs. Also Rowan is so awful at night he will allow no one but me to comfort him, so dh "can't" really help. He does try, but when I am at the end of my rope I get resentful anyway.









I did paint the hall ceiling the other day and Rowan stayed more or less out of the paint. So I got something done.

I am so tired I don't even remember if I have posted any of this lately. Forgiveness please.

Rowan has started saying nothing but "Mah-MEE? Mah-MEE?" in a querelous tone that is driving us all crazy. It has also eclipsed any other words, so means just about anything and everything.

I let him cry himself to sleep tonight!














Don't know which it is yet. I sat next to the crib, and stroked him and sang to him sometimes, but figured I'd try this. I wouldn't leave him alone to cry, but at 13 months I think he's ok with me sitting there. Lately in bed with me he has even done this. I'll even try to nurse him or pat him or stroke him or sing, and he will kick me, hit me, push me away and just whimper a few minutes and go to sleep. Actually seems to want me to leave him be, let him rest. However, he still wakes so frequently. Every two hours, every hour, every 40 minutes! So I think he falls into that "chronic" category. I'm not so heartless, nor am I such an idiot to do this long-term - if it doesn't "work" I'll certainly try other things. But he is sleeping nicely now, which I am shortly going to go take advantage of.

It got so bad the other night I thought you would all be reading about me in the news by now. I felt *that* angry! In my more sane moments that night I thought I would sleep at the Holiday Inn one of these nights, and dh would simply have to deal. Hasn't happened yet though.


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LizD*
It got so bad the other night I thought you would all be reading about me in the news by now. I felt *that* angry! In my more sane moments that night I thought I would sleep at the Holiday Inn one of these nights, and dh would simply have to deal. Hasn't happened yet though.


Liz,







. I know how you feel. I tell dh all the time that as soon as I don't have a kid attached to my boob all night, I'm headed for a hotel. Even if it's just 10 minutes from my house.







I also say that when I feel ready, I'm going somewhere for a weekend vacation. It will entail a hotel with a spa and good room service. I won't be leaving the premises that weekend! :LOL


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LizD*
It got so bad the other night I thought you would all be reading about me in the news by now. I felt *that* angry! In my more sane moments that night I thought I would sleep at the Holiday Inn one of these nights, and dh would simply have to deal. Hasn't happened yet though.


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## Balancin1 (Sep 5, 2004)

Oh Liz.

DH's alarm woke R and me up two hours early this morning. Then when I'd nursed her back to sleep finally in the chair the younger dog started barking. R has refused to eat the last two days. Gotta be molars, right?

We are headed to work and then to the shops to return some things and then to the public library. I've boxed myself into working both days this weekend because I've got meetings Monday and Tuesday and am taking Wed off for a playdate and I need to get this other thing done soon because other people are waiting on it. Perhaps it is my stress that is causing R to be so cranky.

Rynna, I take back what I said about Cryptonomicon's math passages. It was just that one converstation between Waterhouse and Turing and Hackleheber (sp?) that I found forced, the part where Waterhouse asserts falling in love changed the basic equation of his life from arthimetic to calculus and the part where his children divide up he and his wife's possessions using the parking lot and supercomputer are HI-larious.

I suppose we better go catch a train.

rubelin--thinking of you.


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## mattjule (Nov 6, 2003)

*BIG sigh* The last few days have been...interesting. Rowan started walking, that's been pretty cool and he is very pleased with himself. He's hit his head 3 times in the last week, twice pretty hard on his forehead leaving big bruises on very pale skin







. Sooo, our cat, Luca, didn't come home Weds night-not that big a deal, it's happened before but it was weird that he hadn't been in all day (i.e. hadn't eaten) and still didn't come home. Anyway, Thurs morning as we were leaving the house he met us at the bottom of the stairs. He was dirty and mangy looking, hanging his head and not walking well. I took him upstairs and he wouldn't eat. So we rushed him to the vet where they theorized that he was either in a bad fight (had a fever and some scabs) or hit by a car (no bite wound found around his most tender area and a scrape on his chin). They wanted to do x-rays but we couldn't pay for them and no where in this town has a payment plan for pet emergencies







. That is just stupid. No wonder so many ppl don't get their pets adequate care. So we took him home and gave him some ABX, ascertained that he wouldn't die by the next morning and went to sleep at my sister's house (it has been in the 100's all week here and she has a/c). The next morning he wasn't looking any better so we begged the money off the IL's (wonderful, cat loving people) and got the xrays. He's got a broken leg (left humerus) and a borken pelvis. The Dr said he was definitely hit by a car but luckily he didn't need surgery and as long as we keep him severly confined (i.e. puppy crate) for the next 3-4 weeks he should heal okay. I am thankful, surgery wasn't an option for us financially and I really love him. But listening to him cry is starting to get on my nerves and the heat doesn't help. I think we'll sleep at my sister's house again tonight. So







to anyone else going through a stressful situation and I'll catch up again in a few days!


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Oh Julie,







. Poor Luca! I'm glad your in-laws gave you the money for the X-rays. It seems like all vets should have payment plans. You'd think if they really loved and cared about animals, they would. Unfortunately, business is business and money is the bottom line.


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## Balancin1 (Sep 5, 2004)

Julie, I am SO sorry to hear about your cat. I hope he recovers quickly. ITA with Susan about payment plans.


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## seedling (Sep 10, 2003)

Julie, sorry about Lucca. Hope the mending happens fast.

No time to post, but wanted to say Balancin, wish I had noticed you were on the shores of LM earlier. Maybe we could meet up for next year's vacation? I always think our lives sound kind of similar with the whole WAHM thing. Of course that means we have no time to meet up with friends ... LOL. Oh well, next time I pass by I'll think of you.

Liz, your sleep stuff sounds AWFUL. I totally understand your sitting there next to him in the crib. My situation doesn't come close to yours and there are some nights I simply feel like I CANT NURSE ANY MORE!. I really hope you find a solution soon.


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## Balancin1 (Sep 5, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *seedling*
Julie, sorry No time to post, but wanted to say Balancin, wish I had noticed you were on the shores of LM earlier. Maybe we could meet up for next year's vacation? I always think our lives sound kind of similar with the whole WAHM thing. Of course that means we have no time to meet up with friends ... LOL. Oh well, next time I pass by I'll think of you.

That would be great! And I always think our lives sound similar too, I read what you write sometimes and feel I could have written it myself.

R's new fascination is putting things on or in or under or... she loves pockets and keeps putting toys down my shirt. It is so cute and funny to find little toys in unexpected places. I feel it is proof we are living with a third person, not just a little kid, if that makes any sense. I love these little glimpses of true personality and decision-making.


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## bandana (Jun 4, 2003)

Hope you are all having a better weekend...sounds like everyone needs one big







.

DH and I made a big family decision...today we moved a twin-sized mattress from DS's top bunk (which he obviously won't be using for a while) into our room, next to my 'new' side of the bed. He's napping on it right now. We'll see how it goes. I have mixed feelings about it







: but it's a much better solution for me than making the switch out of our room altogether. He's a big boy (33.5 pounds!!) and DH is a big man and all three of us just don't have enough room anymore...DH usually gets the smallest section of bed. This way I can nurse him as often as he needs AND DH and I might resume some semblance of a normal night-time relationship.









After reading all of your posts this week I feel like I'm making the right call. This transition will probably take MONTHS and I'm not ready to wean him or even night-wean him yet, but I am ready to get ONE NIGHT of complete sleep, after over a year.









A happy week to all...


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## LizD (Feb 22, 2002)

I am using Good Night, Sleep Tight by Kim West right now. It is wonderful! Many would probably be offended by her opinions on nursing (though she does support breastfeeding and even co-sleeping) but I am rarely bothered enough by a difference of opinion to write off a whole book. This is exactly what we needed! He still wakes frequently but is already going back to sleep within minutes, sometimes seconds, without being picked up, without nursing. I wouldn't mind one night nursing but I think he can't handle it- too confusing for him, he then expects it every time. Perhaps if he really stops all but one nightwaking.

In the short term I am getting *less* sleep than before because I have to sit next to the crib and shh-shh him back to sleep, and I just didn't make it all night last night. By 5 am I literally couldn't stand upright anymore, so took him to bed & nursed him so I could lie down. But he already doesn't go to sleep so well in my bed. My goal is not to bring him to bed & nurse until it's getting light out, so he clearly understands it's now a daytime thing.









It makes me a bit sad because the flexibility I had with my easygoing angel of a firstborn was really nice. We could put her to bed in her crib and take her inwith us sometimes, but not others; she remained portable well beyond infancy; even if she was cranky or overtired she never had the temper this one has. So I am a bit sad to say goodbye to nightnursings. But the choice, unfortunately, is between a nightnursing or two or all-night-no-one-sleeps marathons, and that ain't no choice at all.







I also really think he needs his own room, which also makes me sad (I was going to do everything "right" this time, and he probably should've had his own room from a few months old!!!), and is a huge nuisance, since the madhouse of an office is in the third bedroom and we differ on what to do with it. Dh says he'll build a new office in the garage, bc he needs somewhere to close a door, and I say that's silly when we plan to move within the year and we should just put the desk & audio stuff in the livingroom, which we don't use anyway (it's the front, sort of entryroom to the house), though I admit that wouldn't really be convenient. But maybe if this new method makes Rowan sleep all night we can make do without a room for him for another year until we move Back Up North.

One interesting thing this book points out is that "children ritualize very quickly," so transitions of this nature should be brief, or you end up just substituting one set of rituals (nursing, walking, patting, etc) for the other. I have seen this myself- in an effort not to nurse him so often at night I started walking him and bingo! I was stuck doing that. Already, after only two nights of this new "method," he wants me to rub his head, because that was what I kind of fell back on to keep him from boiling over entirely. I like this book because, like teaching small children or other aspects of parenting, or my doula work, one needs plenty of tricks up one's sleeve, and this gives plenty. I find it much more helpful than No Cry Sleep Solution, which while a lovely book was not practical for our needs/my baby. Just my $.02

Hugs to everyone and Julie's poor cat. Our neighborhood cat, who has sort of become the resident of the people across the street (when his people moved he was very unhappy so they drove him back down here from Jacksonville), turned up a few miles away a couple of years ago and needed his tail amputated, among other things. I am glad your guy is going to be okay.

Re: fontanels someone I knew years ago had this and after much anxiety and testing and such found out everything was a-ok, just on the slower end of average. So, rubelin, please let us know what's going on!!!!


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## rubelin (Feb 3, 2002)

Hey all! Sorry for not posting sooner, it's been a crazy weekend!

We got the preliminary results from the CT and everything looks normal. Whew! So it seems my first thoughts were correct, the head measurement at 9 mo was wrong (too small) so it made it look like it grew too much by 12 mo. Add in that his fontanel is closing slower than average (which isn't too strange, since he still only has 2 teeth and not much hair) plus he has an odd-shaped head and it made us a bit freaked. I should NOT go snooping on the internet!! His head looks a lot like babes who have craniosynostosis (where the plates fuse in the middle too early making the skull grow oblong) so looking at pics just made me more freaked out.

OK, I must go, but had to give your the update. Thanks so much for all the prayers and good thoughts!!


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## dharmama (Dec 29, 2002)

thanks for the update robin!!

Quote:

I should NOT go snooping on the internet!! His head looks a lot like babes who have craniosynostosis (where the plates fuse in the middle too early making the skull grow oblong) so looking at pics just made me more freaked out.










at lil's 2 month check up our doc felt her skull...felt it again....and again....and then said huh.

her fontanel had already closed at that point. he told us we would monitor it for the next several months and that there is a slight chance she would require surgery to correct it.

dh went on the internet immediately when we got home and we were both SOOOO FREAKED reading and seeing pictures of craniosynostosis.

luckily the circumference of her head grew at a normal rate and our doc told us there was no need to worry about it.

laura ~ how was last night? i really like the idea of extending the family bed....in our small room that it wall-to wall bed! one of my friends has a king size bed in a teeny-tiny room...truly a BED-room. :LOL

liz ~ glad you found a book that's making sense for you and your guy! hoping many peaceful, sleepy nights are in your future.

so...no april babe for me. got my period yesterday.







: my lp is too short (only 7 days) so looks like my progesterone is low. i'm hanging out w/ the nursing mamas getting pregnant so i'm sure i'll learn some hormone-balancing ideas from them.

on a positive note...i'm excited that at least i'll be able to go in the hottub on our vacation next week!!


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## mattjule (Nov 6, 2003)

This has been my week:
1)dh's rear bike wheel is stolen
2)our secondary car (1973 Maverick of my mom's) starts overheating like crazy-by the time we are a mile from a cold start
3)Luca gets hit by a car
4)Tain gets stung by a bee (at least we know he isn't allergic)
5)Ro has fallen 3 times and hit his forehead, leaving bruises in different places
6)and my crowning achievement, on the way to pick dh up from work I get in an accident, rendering my car undrivable and potentially totaled.

My kiddos looked like they didn't think anything had happened, which is great (yay carseats!) but I have a bruise on my shoulder and a lump on my head from hitting the driver's door.

All we need now is for our apt to burn down, dh to get fired and someone to report us to CPS for Ro's bruises!

Gotta go, I have a lot of phone calls to make this morning before playdate.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mattjule*
This has been my week:
1)dh's rear bike wheel is stolen
2)our secondary car (1973 Maverick of my mom's) starts overheating like crazy-by the time we are a mile from a cold start
3)Luca gets hit by a car
4)Tain gets stung by a bee (at least we know he isn't allergic)
5)Ro has fallen 3 times and hit his forehead, leaving bruises in different places
6)and my crowning achievement, on the way to pick dh up from work I get in an accident, rendering my car undrivable and potentially totaled.

Oh Julie.







That sucks.









Mike had a low blood sugar reaction this morning, the result of hauling ass yesterday and a low-carb dinner. I kept telling him to sit down, but he didn't until he fell, hitting his back and head on the kitchen table. I fed him and he was fine before he went back to bed, but he's got a wicked bruise on the back of his head, and probably a few more on his back & bum. Just Friday, he was telling me that he wants to start an herbal weight-loss regimen and I asked him to please get a new glucose monitor before he starts it, because he'll probably have to adjust his insulin. Now I have more amunition when I send him out for one. :LOL In the six and a half years that we've been together, I've only seen him have very low blood sugar a few times, and this was definately the worst. I think it's a good sign, though; if he starts taking less insulin, he'll start eating less and he'll be able to lose weight.







Hopefully he can do it without any more early morning adventures. :LOL


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## BabyBumblebee (Mar 16, 2005)

so many bad things happening to people - all I can do is send you all a big







, and take some time to be thankful for the (relative) peace and calm here.

dd had a great weekend, at a dog show again, and camping out in a tent by the lake. Managed to keep her out of the sun, and she only has a handful of bug bites, so all in all pretty happy!

She has decided *not* to eat any of her favourite foods any more, and is subsisting on frozen blueberries, and pears *shrug* I think it's probably just part of her exploring her ability to decide what *she* wants, as she is certainly getting more and more vocal with her disapproval when we do the wrong thing, according to her!

Also, she is deliberately banging her head on the floor, or on the couch....she will actually crawl over there in order to do it. I have absolutely no idea what that's all about, so for the time being we're just going to wait it out.........obviously I wouldn't let her do any damage to her lovely bonce, but she seems to be the best judge of that









Dd's fontanel closed early too...and we had the same concerns, but all seems to be well. She just measures on the low end of the scale as far as head circumference goes, but nothing to worry about....and when I look at her she seems to be in proportion, as she is lovely and chubby, but not very heavy boned (unlike her mother







: )

well, it seems to be time to go and have a snack.....hope everyone keeps well, and many many hugs to all that need them.


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## 3girlsmommy (Jun 19, 2003)

to all that need them.

Julie- I hope your week gets better!

I have good news on the hard drive front! My mom's dh has a friend in forensics that is going to make a forensic copy of it and transfer it to a new hard drive. We're crossing out fingers that it works! All I really want are my pictures!


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## Balancin1 (Sep 5, 2004)

Oh Sandi, I am really hoping that will work!

Liz, I am so glad for you that you are seeing progress in the sleep department.

Julie, what an awful week. Sounds like you have used up all the bad luck you had, things have got to get better from here. I'm glad you and the kids are OK.

It was 105 degrees here yesterday, and supposedly by Wednesday we will finally get a break in teh heat. It did rain again this morning so maybe the plants will recover. I swear it feels hotter just because all the trees have wilted leaves. What a miserable summer, we have been stuck inside far too much.


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## 3girlsmommy (Jun 19, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Balancin1*
It was 105 degrees here yesterday, and supposedly by Wednesday we will finally get a break in teh heat. It did rain again this morning so maybe the plants will recover. I swear it feels hotter just because all the trees have wilted leaves. What a miserable summer, we have been stuck inside far too much.

It hasn't been quite that hot here but hot enough. We normally only have a handful of days over 90 but this year we are on track to break that record. The heat doesn't bother me too bad it's the humidity that kills me. When you walk outside and you can't breathe and the air weighs a ton it's just not good. We have some large motor stuff in the basement that I bought a couple of winters ago because my kids couldn't go outside because it was 20 below+ that we have been using this summer. I just want spring! :LOL It went from 30 to 90 overnight w/ no real in between!


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## LizD (Feb 22, 2002)

Sorry you're having such an awful week, Julie- here's hoping it gets better!

This book is miraculous. I put Rowan in bed last night and he slept three hours right away!!! Usually he is up and up and up for several hours until he settles a bit. He slept three hours, then two and a half, then two and a half, then he was awake and I was too tired, again, to deal. I was going to go to bed early and instead stayed up watching Troy, which I hadn't seen. So at 5 am I was very freaked out and upset and dumped him on dh (literally dumped, like dropped him onto dh's sleeping form) and then whined and wailed and took him back to my bed and nursed him and went to sleep.







: I have been very short-tempered today with dh and he has tried to be obsequious and offered to do all the cleaning up when he came home from the recording studio. But I am enjoying the cleaning up, actually, and enjoying actually having a decision: this room remains the office for the forseeable future, so I am going to rearrange things in my bedroom for Rowan and in the living room for his toys, for now. I still think this room will become his in a month or so, but at least for now I can put things away and move things around to my heart's content.









Wish me luck trying to get to sleep earlier myself! So far Rowan is doing really well- a little crying, a little screaming with temper, but a lot more sleeping, and already we're on a nice schedule for naps and bedtime. It's waking I have to firm up, because I've been too tired to get up early enough. Nightweaning is WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## bandana (Jun 4, 2003)

I'm falling out...just wanted to say I hope everyone's having a better week.

Especially you, Julie.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

We've had a heat index averaging 105 for the past few days, up to 110 in some areas. It's miserable and sucky, and the a/c in the living room is totally stressed. :LOL The kids and I spend as much time as we can in the bathtub in nice, cool water. :LOL I like to spend time in the van, where the a/c works brilliantly, but the kids get restless if they spend too much time there.









Sandi-- That's so cool about your hard drive! I hope it works.

Liz-- I'm glad that the sleeping is going better for you and Rowan.









BooBah only nurses once or twice in the middle of the night, once early in the morning (around 7) and then again when she wakes up for real.







Part of me wants to get pregnant right now just so that she'll nightwean entirely. :LOL (I ovulated yesterday, so it's not going to happen.) I can deal with twice a night, though, and I count myself lucky that we get such big blocks of sleep and that BooBah and I can both sleep-nurse after the initial whimpering and digging around for the boob. :LOL

I just looked over the new mini-Boden catalog. Everything is so freaking adorable! I totally want to try to make some of that stuff for BooBah and BeanBean, but not all of the styles are appropriate for little people. Still, I know I could make some of that stuff and it would cost a heck of a lot less than it does from that catalog.









Oh! BooBah got her first pair of shoes, a pair of Preschoolians from eBay. They're so cute and pink and everyone loves them, especially BooBah! She's always cool when we take them off, but she wants to put them right back on. Tonight she got out of the bathtub and ran for them, it was hilarious! :LOL I've only got one problem-- wearing shoes, it's *very* obvious that she's more bowlegged on one side than on the other, and that she sometimes walks on the outside edge of one of her feet. While she was barefooted, it looked strange to me and to other family members but wearing shoes it's obvious to everyone (because of course the shoes are straight and they're trying to hold her feet the same way). It doesn't affect her walking or running, but it looks seriously asymmetrical and it really worries me.


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eilonwy*

I just looked over the new mini-Boden catalog. Everything is so freaking adorable! I totally want to try to make some of that stuff for BooBah and BeanBean, but not all of the styles are appropriate for little people. Still, I know I could make some of that stuff and it would cost a heck of a lot less than it does from that catalog.









Rynna, my mom got the kids a bunch of clothes from that catalog. They really are super-cute. Ds looks like a little surfer in his clothes from there! He has the tarantula shirt and dh loves it so much he wishes they came in his size. :LOL


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Doodlebugsmom*
Rynna, my mom got the kids a bunch of clothes from that catalog. They really are super-cute. Ds looks like a little surfer in his clothes from there! He has the tarantula shirt and dh loves it so much he wishes they came in his size. :LOL

How does it wash and wear? Is it worth the money at all?

I know that there's a grown-up women's catalog, but I don't think he makes stuff for guys.







I'm always drooling over the kids stuff, though, because it's so freaking cute.







Especially the boys clothing. That catalog has more adorable clothing for boys than any other I've seen.


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## LizD (Feb 22, 2002)

Speaking of clothes, The Children's Place near me is having a huge sale. All these great things were 3.99. I used to like their stuff much more (like ten years ago), but I found some good, plain cotton clothes for both children- rompers for rowan, and tanks and tees for k. I have found their stuff holds up ok with time. Just wanted to pass on the tip in case anyone's local CP is having the same sale.


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## mattjule (Nov 6, 2003)

Just went to my chiro, did the whole trauma thing (which took two hours) but at the end it looks like I will completely recover and no permanent damage was done in the accident. They did decide to total my car, though.







We haven't decided what to do about getting a new one yet. I don't know if I said this before but I am really thankful that we had good carseats, that I was in an Explorer if I was going to get plowed by a large truck (2005 Toyota Tundra), and that we just switched insurance this month to comp with medical, a rental car and roadside assistance. So far we haven't paid a dime out of pocket.


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## Queen of Cups (Aug 29, 2003)

The Children's Place stores here are all having that sale, too. I almost got a couple rompers and a pair of pants for Killy on Saturday, but the line was so long it was winding around the store, so I gave up and left.

I'm uploading and ordering all our family pictures from the past 9 months. I've been so bad about it! Clark Color Labs has a great deal where you can pre-pay for 400 4x6 prints for only $36. The shipping is a bit extra, but quite reasonable. Such a great deal for any other digital camera addicts out there!

Killy got another haircut last week - I like his hair longer, but it was getting in his eyes all the time at the pool and we're going to the beach in August, plus its been soooo hot here that I think its a lot more comfortable for him. He looks like such a big boy!

We've been in minivan hell this week. Our beautiful new-to-us minivan died last week and the dealership took it back to replace the torque converter, but we have to take it back to them once more sometime this month for the CD changer to also be replaced. Its great that they're not charging us for any of this, but really inconvinient since they're about 45 minutes away. However, today I scored wireless headphones at Big Lots - the van is equipped with a dual media system so the people in the back can listen to different music than the rest of the car, but the matching wireless headphones were missing and they're $138/pair from a dealership. The ones I bought were $30! Go me! DH is quite thrilled, he was so disappointed about the headphones being gone.

Julie - I'm so glad that the best is being made of a bad situation for you. We've always had good luck with insurance companies - other people have crashed into us before, but luckily never with kid(s) in the car. I would totally freak out, I'm sure.


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eilonwy*
How does it wash and wear? Is it worth the money at all?

I know that there's a grown-up women's catalog, but I don't think he makes stuff for guys.







I'm always drooling over the kids stuff, though, because it's so freaking cute.







Especially the boys clothing. That catalog has more adorable clothing for boys than any other I've seen.









It is very well-made clothing. It still looks brand new after being worn and washed for several months. It is definitely worth the money! They do make the cutest darn boys' clothing. Ds just looks so cute in it too!

Sorry to hear about all the car problems! Julie, I'm so glad you and the kids are okay!


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

I was also really glad that I had BeanBean in a decent, properly-installed carseat when I totalled the Saturn last year.









QoC-- Killy does look like such a big boy! I can't believe how big our kids are getting. It's totally amazing.

This week, BeanBean has been doing a lot of sommersaults and it reminded me of when Greaseball was 8 months pregnant and tried to teach her daughter how to sommersault, but she didn't think the belly would get in the way. :LOL Is she still around here?









Mike still feels beat up from falling and hurting himself Monday morning.







At least he's not whining about it. :LOL

I've been thinking about how I really want to have another baby, and about people who leave their fertility up to God entirely (no birth control, no charting, nothing). I seriously wonder how they do it. I've read that the average woman who uses no birth control at all has only five children (obviously some more and some fewer) but I know that I would be one of those women who has fifteen or twenty. If it wasn't for a combination of NFP and hormonal and barrier birth control methods, I'd have started having babies about nine months after I became sexually active and just kept right on going, and I'd probably have a dozen by now.







Even if I just let go this month, I know that I'd probably get pregnant next month with no thought or effort.

It's totally strange, though. I've got lots of reasons for wanting lots of children, but the main reason for not having a ton is finances alone. I'd want to space them far enough apart that each child got the milk they needed for a full 18 months, but other than that I could see going bc-free. It really feels like a moral imperative. Whenever I start thinking about how spiritually disconnected I feel, the idea of having another baby pops into my head. It's making me







nuts but I feel like I'm fighting not only my natural inclinations (Mike and I both become much more interested when I'm fertile







) but my sense of spiritual correctness. I don't feel justified in feeling that way because I'm not religious at all, I just feel like I should use my brain and keep my legs shut when I'm fertile, but it's getting more difficult every month.

Thanks for letting me





















ramble on and on, I just needed to get that out. :LOL


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## Queen of Cups (Aug 29, 2003)

DH and I have decided not to worry about birth control until we feel we're done having kids. Then he'll get the big V. Since we're planning on having 5 kids, that means we're not planning on doing anything for many years. After Killy, my cycle didn't return for 9 months, and we're fairly happy with this spacing so far - it was our goal to have our kids 18-24 months apart. I know what you mean, Rynna, pregnancy is a very spiritual experience for me, too - as is motherhood (most of the time!).

Its soooo nice not to have a full time job. Not to gloat... I've been having more fun with my hair and appearance lately. I NEVER used to color my hair, but I did pink and purple tips a couple months ago, red and blond highlights a few weeks ago, and now I'm trying it again. I think I'll have to start henna-ing myself again, too. DH is not a big fan, but now that I don't have to worry about visible tatoos with an employer I really want to get back into it. Next Friday is my last day teaching preschool (I've been doing one day a week since January) and then I'm free for the forseeable future! I do help DH with his business, but its mostly behind the scenes...


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## bandana (Jun 4, 2003)

Mind if I vent?









I just finished working. It's midnight. I've worked three 30 hour weeks in a row (WAHM). I've been going at breakneck speed every day from 6 am on...work, meetings, blueprints, swim lessons with DS, groceries, family functions, playdates...the same things you're all doing every day. I can't just "take a day off" because I work with DH and his family, the quintessential martyr clan ("Oh, when my babies were little, I worked full-time..." yes, but they were in walkers or play pens 8 hours a day!







: ). So, I work when DS naps, I work when I can while he's up, and I work every night until about now. DS is 33.5 pounds and I still sling him a LOT because he needs to be held a LOT and my back hurts A LOT. DH and I are at each other all the time and it just makes me so sad. We don't even know why, we're just becoming Ma and Pa Fights-a-lot. All I can do at the end of the day is hug him goodnight and return to the computer to work work work. Even though I maintain the illusion of a somewhat tidy house, all I see is filth and clutter when I look around. It's compounded by DH's comments (tonight: "Why do we have fifty million pairs of shoes by the front door for me to trip over? There are only three pairs of feet in this house!" and: "We work hard to have nice things, we should take care of them!")...I feel NOT GOOD ENOUGH. The only aspect of my life in which I feel confident is motherhood....everything else suffers, especially ME. I just feel like I need a BREAK...not from DS, not even from DH...I don't know what I mean. I would love one day to sleep in. I haven't gotten that since DS was born. DH has gotten up with him maybe five times total, and I always wind up getting out of bed after no more than an hour because DS is crying or I feel guilty. I have a HORRIBLE self-image right now and I can't seem to shake that. DS is my sole source of self-worth and that is NOT good.

OKAY!







Thanks guys. I'll feel better when I wake up, I'm sure. I really have no reason to complain with as sweet a situation as I'm in. I'm able to work at home, and when I do have meetings I can leave DS with family, and I have great friends. Sometimes everything just caves in on you, KWIM?

I would LOVE to think about having another baby like you all...but right now I just don't think I could handle it. In a few more months I'll reassess. I find myself thinking of baby names a lot, and wondering how our next one will differ from Banyan...it will be SO cool.


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Laura, I completely understand. I don't even have a paying job, but I feel so overwhelmed and busy sometimes. I feel like I need a break too, but I don't know what that means exactly. Dh is always very confused about it. :LOL I've been a SAHM for 3 years, and in that time dd (3.5) has spent 3 nights away from me. The way I look at it is, I've been working this job 24/7 for 3.5 years with 3 days off. That's just nuts! I know many, many women have done this before me, but lots use playpens and that type of thing, like you mentioned. Ds also needs to be carried/held alot. Thank goodness he doesn't weigh 33lbs, but he's pretty heavy at 27. I have lots of shoulder/neck pain from it. Parenting can be so hard, especially when you choose to attachment parent. I think all the sacrifices/pain/craziness will be worth it in the future when our children are older and we see what wonderful individuals we have raised. I'm already catching glimpses of it with my dd. We'll get through it and someday we'll look at our kids, longing to hold them in our arms as babies once again!


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## seedling (Sep 10, 2003)

Oh Laura, hugs, hugs, hugs. You are fighting with your DH a lot because you are exhausted, your are stressed out, you are spent. 30 hours a week! Good Golly Molly! Reading your post I was like uh huh, that's me, uh huh, I know how the woman feels. But 30 hours sound inhumane. You can't do 30 hour weeks. Is this a short term need for you to work THAT much? Can you cut back to 20 soon? We are also getting to the point that our youngest kids are not so easy to work with right now. I'm having the darndest time keeping Flora entertained while I work these days and she's not napping much so I'm really struggling. I know (from Isabel) that I've got about 6 months of this high needs stage to trudge thru before she is able to really play by herself again. I think it's hard to get the support you need from your spouse in this type of wahm situtation because you aren't actually leaving the house. They don't realize how much you are working when you are trying to squeeze in an hour here and an hour there from sunup to midnight. Or how stressful it is to try to really be present and play with your children when you are puzzling out how to finish that project in the back of your head. I also feel not good enough so so so often. Like nothing I'm doing is quite measuring up. And my whole job situation is totally the reason I'm like "more kids? who me? quit looking at me!". I just don't think I could handle it. Anyway, big big hugs mamma. I hope you get a day off soon!


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Laura,









My chart did something funny today. I'm still sure I've already ovulated (two days ago), but this morning my temperature was lower than it's ever been since I started temping-- 93.0. ?!?! I know I had my mouth closed, since I was actually awake when I took my temp this morning. It's totally bizarre, I have no idea what to make of it.


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## LizD (Feb 22, 2002)

Laura, get someone in to do a good cleaning. If you know someone who has a regular cleaning person see if they want a one-off gig, if not, call one of those agencies that will send a bevy of staff to scour your house. Just do it and hang the expense. You will feel A LOT better if the nest is tidy. It's too much to do it all. *I* find it too much and I haven't returned to working outside the home (which has its own drags and disadvantages).

From my own experience of working at home, try really to separate the work and the being present for your baby. Try to keep regular working hours, and if something doesn't get done, don't stay up late trying to finish. What will it take for the people around you to realize you're burning out, especially if you are sacrificing downtime and rest to "get something done?" You don't want to regret all this in years to come. My sister-in-law almost had a nervous breakdown and says the first years of her daughter's life are "just a blur." It's amazing how much you forget as it is about those first months and years- you need to take time to savor and make good memories, too.

You need to sleep in. Tell your dh this. In no uncertain terms: "Sunday I am sleeping in, so you need to get up early and take the baby out for the morning." He needs to take the baby out so you don't hear a sound. He also needs to have some alone time out and about with the baby. Many families make that a regular thing (which you can point out when the time for laying on the guilt is right).

It sounds like you are falling into the trap of being solely, chiefly responsible for the baby, which is bad enough if you don't WOH. There is no reason you can't tell it like it is. You work, you earn money, you say what you need. If he refuses then hire someone to take the baby so you can rest.

I also recommend hiring someone, or finding someone to trade with, to watch the baby a few hours a week so you can step out.

Money talks, as they say. If you start hiring sitters and cleaners it might become more clear to dh how much help you need (that he could provide for free) and how your time is just as valuable as his. You really should have childcare for the hours you are working, too, and plenty of working-from-home folks do this as a matter of course. It's unreasonable to expect to be able to do what you're trying to do. Cut yourself some slack in *every* possible department.


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Excellent post, Liz!







I'm going to try to take some of your advice myself.


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## seedling (Sep 10, 2003)

Laura, I wanted to second what Liz said about setting up the trade. I've been relunctant to hire any help for myself around here because, well, we need the money or I wouldn't be working. But I do swap childcare with another mom and while she's not taking Flora YET, she does take Isabel and it helps. Plus, Isabel really enjoys playing with her children so when it's my turn to take care of her kids, it's actually a bonus b/c Isabel is occupied with playing with them.

Also, getting your DH to take the baby and leave is invaluable for your sanity. My DH has finally started doing this for me (he'd always take Isabel but wouldn't take Flora b/c she's so into me, nursies, etc). Anyway, having both the kids out of the house, even if I'm working while they are gone, seems like a treat.

Snack is over. Gotta go clean faces and hands.


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## bandana (Jun 4, 2003)

Thank you everyone







as usual for the wonderful support.

Liz, you are absolutely right.







Money won't speak to DH, as I ALSO do all the finances for the household...but the actions will. I've tried talking to him about hiring a teenage friend of ours to come over after school for an hour or two a week, but he thinks that's a bad idea...why, I don't know. I thought this very morning about hiring a cleaning service. Instead, I spent all morning (after I got my deadline out and took DS to swim class) cleaning the house, at least the common areas, and I feel a bit better about that now. I would like to get some more done after his nap. Maybe tommorrow I'll hire Molly Maids or someone to come in and do the real deep cleaning once I get the "illusion" done.









I do try to separate the work and the kid...I work while he naps and after his bedtime, mostly. There's something else too...







: I've developed a caffeine addiction, and I'm (of course) still nursing. I drink 2-3 cups a day. It doesn't seem to affect DS but I know it's affecting me, and my stress level, and my quality of sleep. I just can't function without it. I didn't drink caffeine the whole time I was pregnant or the first few months of nursing...then the sleep deprivation just caught up with me.









I'm working on the baby-swap...I have a WONDERFUL friend who lives next door and I already hang out with her kids quite a bit. We're trying to figure out how to do it so it will be fair and not overwhelming for either of us, and only like one day a week.









I have tried the "I'm sleeping in this Sunday" line, only to be met with whining..."I work my ass off all week, the weekend is my only chance to relax." Well,







what do you think I do all week???? Sorry, this isn't fair to DH...he really is a great guy and he DOES work hard. But dammit, I take care of him and DS without complaint all week long, all I want is ONE weekend morning to myself. And you know I think I'd be happy with every other weekend even. Just something. Throw me a bone here.









Rambling once again. You ladies are SUCH a valuable support system for me. It's such a cleansing outlet...I can be brutally honest and not worry about being judged, something that tends to happen in my family WAY too often. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.









Rynna...that is strange indeed. I have a theory that while we're nursing our hormones cause fluctuations in our body temperature more than normal. It seems like every time I check my temp (while I'm checking DS's) it's below 98.6, while before I was preggo it was always right on. Go figure.

Erin...the sleeping situation is going pretty well. I've really just been sleeping down on the floor with DS, as much as I have intentions to climb up into our bed I just get too tired and comfy.


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## Balancin1 (Sep 5, 2004)

Laura, you are living my life!!! I find it comes in waves and the weeks that R is particularly high need always coincide with the weeks I really need to jam at work. Seed, I'm so glad you said what you did about stages, 'cause it does feel like its a heck of a lot more impossible than it was just a few months ago to keep R content while I work.

I do have cleaning people come every two weeks. It started being "just to catch up" and now I couldn't live without having the house get really cleaned periodically. I love to clean and putter around my house and still need to do some of it myself, but this frees me up to let the house go when I have too many things to do.

I too hate the fact that I am scheduled ot the hilt and always supposed to be doing something. DH and I have worked it out so he gives me 30mins every night (more or less) to take a bath by myself and when I need it takes R for a walk in the morning so I can blow the dust off my burning priorities.

I find one of the things that really can drag me down is being tired, and when I get tired I start all this negative self-talk about how hard it is, which for me only makes things worse. Though venting to people who really understand always seems to help me get it out and get back on track.

Wish I had magic answers, like some of the other ladies' great advice, but I just want you to know you are not alone...

Chelsea


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Laura, I don't know if your dh would be up for it, but we take turns sleeping in on weekends. I get one day and he gets one day. It works wonderfully. If you're interested in getting off the caffeine, I've seen a homeopathic remedy to ease the side effects.

Chelsea, I also starte the negative self-talk when I get overly tired. It really sucks!


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## rubelin (Feb 3, 2002)

Laura, along with all the great stuff everyone said, I just add a bit more. It sounds like you are going through something similar to what happened when Ben was born. Dh and I got so out of whack we almost ended up divorced. I was so burned out and he just didn't get it and I kept trying to convince myself I shouldn't feel that way, he was working so hard, etc, etc. We went out to lunch along one afternoon (while my mom watched Ben for the first time) and I laid it all out. We talked about how things had changed and that the division of labor in the house had to change, too. We had several of those sorts of talks over that year and it took a while, but we got through it and now when I start to get burned out we work stuff out and he helps me so that I can get taken care of before it gets too bad and I start wanting to run away from home







I also couldn't even imagine having another baby until Ben was almost 3; it took a long time for me to settle into the groove of being a parent, and a work-at-home parent on top of that. Cut yourself lots of slack and find lots of things that help you keep your cup full so you can have something to give.

That reminds me... I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but I am on an awesome Positive Parenting/Discipline Yahoo group that I invite all of you to check out. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Positi...ng-Discipline/ Dan and I signed up for it when Ben was about a year old and it has helped me SO much over the past 4 years with everything parent related.

OK, I promised Dan the 'puter tonight, so I'd better finish up. 'Night all!!


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bandana*
I have tried the "I'm sleeping in this Sunday" line, only to be met with whining..."I work my ass off all week, the weekend is my only chance to relax." Well,







what do you think I do all week???? Sorry, this isn't fair to DH...he really is a great guy and he DOES work hard. But dammit, I take care of him and DS without complaint all week long, all I want is ONE weekend morning to myself. And you know I think I'd be happy with every other weekend even. Just something. Throw me a bone here.









Mike and I had this argument, with pretty much the same language. I got mad and left him alone with both kids for three hours while I left, taking the minivan so that he couldn't take the kids out after me. When I got home he apologized for implying that I don't do any work. :LOL I can't imagine having a husband who's unwilling to compromise on such a little thing as sleeping in on Sunday morning, especially if I was working at home as well as taking care of the kids all week.







I'd have throttled him by now, I'm sure of it.


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## dharmama (Dec 29, 2002)

Laura ~ We've been there too. We had a HUGE all-day blowout fight on Mother's Day.....got tons of stuff out in the open that we were both feeling but not saying. Life has been MUCH, MUCH better since then. We still have our moments but nothing like what was happening before.

In July, I also started teaching two classes on Saturday. I get up and leave at 7 a.m. and come home at 2 p.m. so DH gets Lil up, dressed, fed and entertains her for several hours. He has been MUCH more understanding of what my days are like (And he's not cleaning/cooking/doing laundry/trying to reply to e-mails/writing articles etc.!!)

We're leaving for our first family vacation tomorrow. Going back to our honeymoon spot!!







(Though not expecting traveling with a toddler to be quite the same experience as it was when we were newlyweds. :LOL)

My friends are staying here with their baby who is the same age as Lil so in addtion to packing/doing laundry, I'm trying to de-grime our house. Not easy with a baby who insists on helping me with every project.









I did find some Zen with the dishwasher though. I now do a quick scan of the dishwasher and pull out sharp knives and very breakable stuff.....and then I let her unload it. She LOVES it and it gives me a few minutes to cook uninterupted. She puts everything on the floor...I pick it up and rinse it and then put it away. DONE and DONE.









Robin...thanks for that link. I'll check it out!

Ok....back to de-griming. Next stop....the refrigerator.


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## 3girlsmommy (Jun 19, 2003)

Laura-







It's hard isn't it? I don't think that most men really get how much work it really is to care for a baby. I remember when my oldest was born my dh would come home from work and see me sitting on the couch nursing dd watching tv and ask me what I accomplished all day and wondered why the laundry wasn't done and why the house wasn't clean and where the heck was diiner? At first I was a mess because I couldn't figure out how the heck I could care for a baby and get everything else done too. My oldest was high needs and even when she wasn't in my arms I had to be near her and during htose really rare times when she napped somewhere besides my arms I really needed to do something for me, like get food or pee :LOL We had quite a few blow up over this. Then I went back to work part time when she was 15 months old. At first she went to a daycare but when that didn't work out my dh decided to flex his hours so that he was home in the mornings w/ her while I was working. What an eye opener! He realized that it wasn't always as easy as wanting to do laundry and then doing it. Although she was no longer in the major clingy needed to be held phase anymore she was in the lets see what I can get into phase. Once when he was doing laundry he put in a sing along video(she was almost 2) and went into the room off the family room to do laundry. Well she had no interest in watching the video and went upstairs, got into the lazy susan(that had a childproof lock btw) and got out a jar of peanut butter. He found her and the two dogs sharing some peanut butter. She was covered and he didn't know what hit him! :LOL

I guess what I'm saying is that sometimes daddy's need to fully learn what it's like to be on call 24/7 on their own w/ no back up. I have to say that now after 3 kids my dh can hold his own and then some when I'm gone. I wen tout w/ the girls the other night and I came home to three sleeping girls. It was nice not to be met at the door by 3 kids who should have been sleeping long before.

Good luck!


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## seedling (Sep 10, 2003)

My DH has both kids out as I write. And I'm supposed to be working but I'm gobbling my breakfast, waiting for the coffee to finish, and something just struck me that I think really confounds our poor DH's. So much of caring for a baby is sitting in the sofa nursing. Or sitting on the sofa reading a story. Or sitting on the sofa holding a sleeping baby that will not be put down. So our DH's come home to find us sitting. And there is this illusion that we are this relaxed blissed out person. Because so much of our day is sitting to attend to the needs of children. It's hard for non-mothers to really process that sitting on the sofa does not = relaxing, taking time for oneself. Maybe that was really obvious to everyone else. Don't know. Okay, coffee, work. Oh, and Laura, don't beat yourself up about the coffee. Both of my kids have had tons of coffee via me. I can assure you my daily habit is worse than yours. And I really don't feel bad about it.


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## 3girlsmommy (Jun 19, 2003)

seedling- You're right. I think in part because our culture sees people who are sitting around as lazy and unproductive therefore when they see us sitting and nursing, playing, reading, they on some level whether they fully realize it or not, see us as lazy and unproductive.


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## bandana (Jun 4, 2003)

Amen, sisters.







:

The proverbial







hit the fan last night.







:
Probably like what happened on Mother's Day for you, I reckon, Erin. I figure there's nowhere we can go but up now. It was painful. Funny you should mention going on vacation...we talked this morning (the calm after the storm) about just up and leaving tonight, with DS of course, and staying in a hotel on the beach somewhere. Heck, we might just do it.
(BTW--DS _loves_ helping me with the dishes!







)

Quote:

Originally Posted by *rubelin*
_Cut yourself lots of slack and find lots of things that help you keep your cup full so you can have something to give._
That is some great advice. I did come to him about a week ago, in a very non-confrontational way, and him that I felt like I needed some help and that I was losing myself. He pretty much said it was up to me to give myself a break







(I guess ultimately that is true). So I do feel like I gave him "fair warning," so to speak. Honestly, I think...I hope...it won't happen again.

I can't believe how much support I get here...probably because we are all living parallel lives.









So I bought "The Toddler's Busy Book" at B&N last night, trying to do something nice for myself and DS. THIS BOOK IS WONDERFUL.







So much of it is so simple...I found myself saying "why didn't I think of that" about a million times.







I'm sure lots of you have this book already. There are loads of activity books out there but this one is the best I've found so far. I tried one this morning already...gave DS two milk jugs, with lids, and 4 clothespins. Literally twenty full minutes elapsed before I heard a peep from him.










A good weekend to all. Can't thank you enough.


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## Balancin1 (Sep 5, 2004)

Quote:

So our DH's come home to find us sitting. And there is this illusion that we are this relaxed blissed out person.
When in fact, if you are me, you are practically ready to explode from being "trapped" all day.

Must check out that Toddler's Busy Book, it sounds great.

I played hooky this morning from work and let a chance meeting with a friend evolve into a playdate+lunch out. Man did I ever need that.


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## seedling (Sep 10, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Balancin1*
When in fact, if you are me, you are practically ready to explode from being "trapped" all day.
.


EXACTLY!

DH had the kids out until 1:30. He dropped Flora off, I nursed her down to sleep. He left, with Isabel to continue running errands and did not come back until 3:30. I got Isabel down for some quiet time. She'll get to stay up later than usual tonight since she's taking a little rest now. We may try to find a movie we can all watch together and make some popcorn. It's been the PERFECT day. I've got my whole 20 hours for the week DONE. And I'm actually finishing paying bills and balancing our checkbook. I may even have time to clean the kitchen before the girls wake up. I can't believe they are both napping, and so long, and I may pay for it tonight but they have been so short on sleep lately, I'm just gonna go with it and be thankful!


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## mattjule (Nov 6, 2003)

I so hear you about feeling trapped. My butt literally hurts from sitting so long in one position, nursing and holding a napping baby, etc.

I'm not doing too well lately. I'm losing it with Tain, I feel overwhelmed with my life (which is so much more stress-free than most of yours), we have to buy a new car (for the first time ever). It's pretty typical to be depressed after a big accident and I definitely feel depressed, probably the worst I have felt in a long time. And Tain had his Child Find eval today. It's a great public program where they assess preschool age children for all sorts of things: developmental delays, hearing problems, emotional problems, etc. Everyone I have worked with has been wonderful and non-judgemental. This was his big eval-2 hours and 5 people-and the end result is he is definitely not special ed but that he does have something going on, emotionally/socially/pyschologically. The school pyschologist kept referring to him as a child in sever distress. While that was really difficult to hear, at the same time it was so validating since that is how I feel so much of the time. We had a good run for a while and the last 10 days have been really hard. And for no discernible reason. Since I have a history of bipolar in my family, she is guessing it is along those tracks but diagnosis is not her job and we'll go to a pediatric neurologist for a diagnosis. She also said he has no self-regulation: he over reacts to situations and continues to react past the point of what a typical child would do. He also REALLY likes to be in control, etc. So it is temperment, but it is more than that-they all agreed and they see a lot of kids, plus it made more sense to me than anything else. And I have the typical parental response: I feel responsible. I feel guilty. I feel like I made him this way, that this is not the life I wanted for him. These feelings will pass and I will meet him where he is at but right now, with my already fragile state of mind, I feel tired and sad. So of course the IL's would be visiting right now. Well, I'll go put on a sociable face, they are only here today. I love you all so much and don't know what I would do without your support. Hopefully catching it this early is a good thing.


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## 3girlsmommy (Jun 19, 2003)

Julie-







We are going to have Maddie evaluated at pre-school this year for sensory issues. She can't handle so many things sensory speaking and if things are done out of order it's HELL. Many people don't understand and say that she needs to just get over it and we need to discipline it out of her. It's so hard. I can't tell you how many times I've gone over in my head everything I've done to make her this way. I keep trying to tell myself that it's not my fault. The other thing that really freaked me out was when I started to talk to my special ed teaching friends and they echoed what I was saying. These are people that I know well enough that they wouldn't have a problem telling me I was over reacting to "normal" stuff. I really hoped that I was. So, luckily she will be attending a inclusive preschool and all the teachers are spec. ed certified w/ a great teacher child ratio. Anyway I just wanted to let you know in my very long winded way that I understand.


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## Balancin1 (Sep 5, 2004)

Julie, the first thought I had reading your post was wow what a good mama you are for exploring this and getting Tain evaluated. I can understand how you'd have lots of emotions about this but from the outside looking in I must say it seems like you are doing everything right.

Sandi, you too.

I think your children are lucky you are being their advocates and looking for resources to help them, rather than leaving them floundering. Though I can't imagine any mother who wouldn't do that. But it does sound like you are both super tuned-in to your children.


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## bandana (Jun 4, 2003)

Julie and Sandi~

It sounds to me like no one is "to blame" or "responsible"...rather the opposite, that while these traits may not conform to the public school's way of assessing "normalcy," later in life they will prove to be SO invaluable, so special. Your children are the ones that will take what they want out of life. They become easily upset when things aren't "just so" because they can't yet control the environment they are in. They are leaders, non-conformists, trailblazers. Tough sometimes on their mamas because you don't know how this will all turn out...but it is my guess that these are the people who form the world's new ideas, who have the power within them to make change and can't sit still within the confines of "life as we know it."








It sounds tough to watch though, and I agree...you both sound like you are doing everything you can to make it easier on your little ones.


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## LizD (Feb 22, 2002)

Natural Childhood, edited by John Thomson, is a WONDERFUL book. It has a lot of good info on rhythm and childrearing, as well as plenty of great ideas for things to do and make.

I hope everyone feels better. I must confess I am quite suspicious of preschool evaluations, because everyone I know who's had one has "found something," and because my experience at the Waldorf school required a very different perspective on individual issues.

Uh, and I'm sorry, but it is NOT up to you to give yourself a break if the other adult in the house is a spouse who is enjoying the children, ie being a real parent to them. It is up to your spouse to keep an eye on you, too, just as you keep an eye on him. Earning most or all of the money does NOT excuse one from simply paying attention. If the man in your house were a roomate, then yes, you'd have to let him know you needed a break and make arrangements for said break, etc. But so much of the trouble isn't the tangible or even the exhaustion:

_It's that you shouldn't have to ask._


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## MamaScout (Feb 22, 2005)

Hello all~

I am Laura's pal here in town, and you all have great advice for her. I wish she would take some of it!!!!!!!!! I try to keep my mouth shut on some of this because I don't like to get involved in other people's marriages.

Laura, as you suggested, I checked out your posts here and I am so so so so sad! You are BREAKING MY HEART!!!!!!









I've been thinking more and more that we need to start swapping childcare (our babes are 4 days apart!







) But it seemed like before when we talked about it, we thought it wouldn't work. Well, SISTER, WE ARE GONNA MAKE IT WORK!!

I feel SO BAD now that I didn't invite you over yesterday afternoon. Looking back on it now, you sounded like you needed it. And you know what kind of afternoon I had anyway. Arrrgh!!


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LizD*
I must confess I am quite suspicious of preschool evaluations, because everyone I know who's had one has "found something," and because my experience at the Waldorf school required a very different perspective on individual issues.

Most of the people I know who've had preschool evals done have done so because they already thought that there was something wrong or not-quite-right. I can only think of two people who had them done and found out that there was nothing wrong at all, and they were both taking their kids in because they were paranoid, kwim? I guess I'm saying that I'd expect a lot of them to find something because the parents know if they ought to be looking or not.

Quote:

Uh, and I'm sorry, but it is NOT up to you to give yourself a break if the other adult in the house is a spouse who is enjoying the children, ie being a real parent to them. .... But so much of the trouble isn't the tangible or even the exhaustion:

_It's that you shouldn't have to ask._








This has been the hardest part, for me, of being with Mike at all. He finally laid it out for me that he can't take hints, subtle or broad, and that I have to tell him exactly what I need/want. I spent a lot of time being upset that he couldn't read my mind and tell that I needed a break.







:


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## LizD (Feb 22, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eilonwy*








This has been the hardest part, for me, of being with Mike at all. He finally laid it out for me that he can't take hints, subtle or broad, and that I have to tell him exactly what I need/want. I spent a lot of time being upset that he couldn't read my mind and tell that I needed a break.







:

Yes, we have had that conversation also, and I don't buy it.







: I give support in terms of thinking about whether he's been working particularly hard and needs a break, or wants to go see a certain movie in the theatres, or making sure I am nothing but encouraging and cool if he's going out to see a band with notice too short to make arrangements for Rowan, or needs to sleep late.

The thing is it's not even that they should be watching and able to tell psychically that you are at the end of your rope. Making sure you get breaks and fun time and rest should be a matter of course, an offer that simply exists whether you're burnt out or not! It should be like noticing the floor is dirty, therefore sweeping it. It's just something you do. You shouldn't have to wait until you are cranky; the breaks and restorative time should be automatic so that you don't get cranky and burnt out in the ninth place.


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## bandana (Jun 4, 2003)

Quote:

Originally Posted by *eilonwy*

_This has been the hardest part, for me, of being with Mike at all. He finally laid it out for me that he can't take hints, subtle or broad, and that I have to tell him exactly what I need/want. I spent a lot of time being upset that he couldn't read my mind and tell that I needed a break._
I talked to my mother about this at length one night a few months ago...apparently this a very common thread between women and men. DH says that very same line ALL THE TIME..."I'd love to HELP you, just tell me what you need...I'm not a mind-reader...(etc.)" It's SO frustrating because of the implication that the cleaning, family planning, etc. is OUR business and they're just here to lend a hand when we implore it of them. PUH-lease. In my case the frustration is compounded because of all the help I give him with the business. And besides, as I ranted a few posts ago, I tried that...laying it all out and telling him what I needed...and look what happened. Still knocking on wood that tomorrow morning he'll get up with DS and take him to the in-laws as promised.


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LizD*
The thing is it's not even that they should be watching and able to tell psychically that you are at the end of your rope. Making sure you get breaks and fun time and rest should be a matter of course, an offer that simply exists whether you're burnt out or not! It should be like noticing the floor is dirty, therefore sweeping it. It's just something you do. You shouldn't have to wait until you are cranky; the breaks and restorative time should be automatic so that you don't get cranky and burnt out in the ninth place.











Sandi and Julie,







. I know how you feel with blaming yourself. Dd is very sensitive and just a little different from most kids her age. I don't think it's anything abnormal, just a bit "spirited". I feel so horrible at swimming lessons when she is the only kid out of about 40, who sits on the edge and won't go in. I always wonder what I "did" that made her that way. Deep down I know that I didn't "do" anything. It's just the way she is. She does things on her own terms and isn't a follower. I really think that's a great trait, but it definitely makes things difficult from time to time.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LizD*
Making sure you get breaks and fun time and rest should be a matter of course, an offer that simply exists whether you're burnt out or not! It should be like noticing the floor is dirty, therefore sweeping it. It's just something you do. You shouldn't have to wait until you are cranky; the breaks and restorative time should be automatic so that you don't get cranky and burnt out in the ninth place.









Mike is much better about this now, but I had to lay it all out for him first, and several times, before it finally clicked. He does notice the early stages of burnout now, and he'll help me get the break I need, but I had to teach him what that looked like.


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## Balancin1 (Sep 5, 2004)

Quote:

He finally laid it out for me that he can't take hints, subtle or broad, and that I have to tell him exactly what I need/want. I spent a lot of time being upset that he couldn't read my mind and tell that I needed a break.
Same thing here. Poor DH would feel so bad that he did not know what was wrong, while here I am fuming because he just doesn't get it. Not a productive situation. I agree 100% that there is a responsibility on their part to make an effort to see what needs doing, but I think spheres of responsibility work best for us. If there's something specific, I need to ask.

Quote:

You shouldn't have to wait until you are cranky; the breaks and restorative time should be automatic so that you don't get cranky and burnt out in the ninth place.
I agree with this too. I think the thing is, everything works better with a routine that meets everyone's needs and covers most of the household needs. I draw a distinction there because we moms sometimes get the household needs lumped into our own personal needs, and that isn't fair. I do find it to be a personal need to have a clean and orderly space, but DH also has a personal need to unwind while cooking. We can both skimp on those things, but we cannot skimp on having personal downtime separate from that stuff.

One quote from goodness knows where that goes through my head a lot lately is something to the effect that if you and your DH both feel like you are doing 90% of the work, its true because the workload has increased so much over what it used to be. I wish our parents lived closer, when either of them are around I sample what it must be like to not carry the whole load ourselves and love it.

On a different topic--you preschoolians experts. Can you tell me more about them? DD has really, really narrow feet and I have not been able to find a pair of sandals that will fit her. I had to return two pairs of really cute ones.


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## mattjule (Nov 6, 2003)

Matt is one of the few men I have ever met, let alone dated that was really intuitive about my feelings. He is always giving 110% and I think I am probably the oblivious one in our relationship. For me it boils down to secretly knowing that he needs a break, but not wanting to give up mine to give it to him. There just aren't enough hours in the day, yk? So I don't buy the "I'm not a mind reader" line, you can't live with someone, sleep in the same bed with them, have pledged your life to them and not know when they are close to the edge. You can choose to ignore it, but you have to know it is there. Just my opinion.

Rynna, you took the words out of my mouth with the eval thing. My biggest problem when I tell people is that, I don't know, maybe they are trying to comfort or soothe me but they downplay my concerns, they illustrate his good days as a sign that he doesn't really have a problem. Listen, he HAS A PROBLEM. Everyone who has problems has good days. But when the good days are way fewer than the bad days, something isn't right. He's unhappy, we are unhappy. And acting like it is just his age or a stage or something is only a way of not dealing with the possibility of something being wrong. And that doesn't help any of us. I'm not saying that there is something going on that will affect the rest of his life or that he has a specific diagnosis but glossing things and coating them under friendlier labels isn't going to help him deal with his life. This has been going on his whole life, but the worst of it since he turned 2 and in a year and a half it hasn't gotten any better. I don't feel that I would be doing right as his mother to sit and watch and hope it changes instead of explore the possibility that we could be doing something more. And there is a lot of family history supporting mental illness, which is why they want further tests. I would love for it all to come out fine, I'm not begging for him to be labeled as crazy, but at the same time it would be a relief to have a diagnosis, an explanation why nothing we try has worked and hopefully a new bag of tools we can use to help him. I hope I don't sound elitist or anything but you really have no idea unless you have a child like this. And that is even more true when you have a Tain and then you have a child that is responsive. The differences are stark and glaring. Since Tain was our first, I had no gauge, but I still felt things were more difficult than they should be, that he had more trouble integrating the world than other kids. When we had Rowan, wow, it was startling. We had no idea things come that easy to most babies. Okay, I need to just end this rant. I'm sorry, I don't need to yell at you all, you don't deserve it. I obviously have a lot of opinions thrown at me and it is hard right now to...well, do anything I guess. Function. Respond. Be polite. Be honest, not falsely positive but also not falsely negative. In reality, I don't know what to think anymore. I don't know if my current fight with depression is being reflected back at me by him, if he is simply hypersensitive to my emotions and it is all me and not him. I don't really know anything. I'm a person who really likes a clear set of boundaries and rules and I am floundering right now. *Sigh* And now should I post it or not post it?


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## seedling (Sep 10, 2003)

Julie, bottom line is, you hare having a hard time. I'm glad you decided to post that. I'm glad you have somewhere you can give vent to all these emotions. When I read your post about the eval I cried. It just sounds so hard. I've got Tain's photo up and have made it a point to look at it and pray for some peace for him and for you. I'll keep you guys in my prayers. Many hugs.


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## 3girlsmommy (Jun 19, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mattjule*
Since Tain was our first, I had no gauge, but I still felt things were more difficult than they should be, that he had more trouble integrating the world than other kids. When we had Rowan, wow, it was startling. We had no idea things come that easy to most babies.

Julie-Maddie was our second and when I would mention things to other people(family mostly) I would get the whole line about not comparing the two girls and that all kids are different. The thing for us is that Maddie was a pretty easy baby compared to Lauren but by a year it was a whole different ball game. It was a fight to get her dressed. In fact we ended up in the ER because she flipped herself out of my arms and teeth first into a nightstand while I was getting her shoes on when she was one week past her 1st birthday. Things have gotten more "intense" though as she gets older.

Lily has been the easiest of all three. She is 99% of the time the most easy going, go w/ the flow kid. Sometimes I think though that she really doesn't have any choice. :LOL


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## wildthing (Feb 16, 2003)

Julie,
I have been so busy, I haven't had much time to post here like I feel I should. But I wanted to come and give you a hug, and tell you I am going through the same things with Gunnar. He is just about the same age as Tain (1/2002), and does a lot of the same things. Unfortunately, I couldn't get anyone here to listen to me to get a pre-school evaluation, so I took him to our doc, who referred us to a child psychologist. This woman has been wonderful, and I am gaining insight into how to understand my son. It isn't easy. She recommended a book to me, but I haven't gotten it yet.
Gunnar is an intense kid, but that is putting it mildly. I hate to think and talk about him negatively, because it breaks my heart. I try to say things and think about him positively all the time, but it doesn't always happen. I love him with every ounce of my being, but sometimes it is hard to enjoy him. And you bet I feel guilty, responsible. And you know what else? I have 8 of my own kids, and I have been doing day care for 15 years, and I still thought for the longest time "It's just because all kids are so different and unique." So, I had lots to gauge him against, to compare him to, and I still don't feel that I can do it objectively.
Anyway, the point of my rambling is to give you a







:, and to let you know I am thinking of you and your whole family, as this must be tough for everyone. Sandi, I am sending you the same positvie energy and hugs, and hope that we all can get the help and support we need.


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## Queen of Cups (Aug 29, 2003)

Julie -


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Julie--







I'll keep Tain in my thoughts. I've got a niece with Asperger's Syndrome and I can still remember the early debates about even calling someone from Early Intervention about her because our family has a really hard time knowing what's normal for a child at any given age.







: It was such a relief to have someone else look at her and say, "something's not quite right here," even before they could tell us what it was.

We had a huge, busy day here! I kicked Mike out of bed early and we went to Meeting and actually had 15 minutes where both kids were playing in nursery and we were both upstairs. We spent the rest of the hour switching off back and forth; everyone's really cool with that, they all talk about doing the same things. :LOL We had a really good time, I felt moved to speak for the first time, and the kids drew lovely pictures (well, BooBah just scribbled







) for me and fed me Goldfish pretzels. :LOL

After Meeting and a quick backyard lunch, we went to the state park and played in the creek, took a nature walk, and picked wild raspberries. BeanBean decided that he liked the orange ones (the not-quite-ripe ones) and ate a whole bunch of them, and BooBah tried to dye her outfit with raspberries by shovelling them into her mouth faster than she could chew. :LOL

The kids were adorable together, and I was happy about all the wholesome stuff that my kids get to do that I never did as a very small child. It all gave me a warm, squishy feeling to be doing something so wholesome on a Sunday afternoon.







We came back into town for a quick swim at the Y and then home. I made dinner while Mike sat on his ass with the kids; BooBah was sound asleep by 8:30 (unbelievably early for her). BeanBean is still awake, but he's very tired. It's partially my fault-- I popped him off the nursie for biting, but he was too awake.







I'd warned him, though, and I don't feel to badly about that.


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## 3girlsmommy (Jun 19, 2003)

Good Morning everyone!!! Today is my first day of waking up at 5:45 to go to the gym. I have decided that I needed to do something. I have 50+ pounds to loose and the only way I ever really loose weight is when I am committed to working out, so every weekday I am going to get up and go to the gym before my dh goes to work. I've tried going in the evening but by 6:30 I was too tired and it was too crowded. I've tried going in the morning w/ the kids but by the time I get the three of them to the gym and sign them in I want to scream and Lily HATES the playroom. Anyway I need to make a spread sheet(are ya proud Rynna?:LOL) to track my progress. Wish me Luck!

Lily has discovered the kids rocking chair and can climb into it and rock it. She thinks she's the coolest thing EVER! She is also randomly taking steps, unless of course there is a video camera around to record them.







Last week at the dance studio we were hanging out and everyone was commenting on how big Lily had gotten(most of them have "known" her since she was born) and she decided that since everyone was oohing and ahhing over her she would perform for them. She took a couple of steps and everyone cheered for her and she had the BIGGEST grin on her face! My dh's comment when I told him was something about additional dance tution! :LOL She's a ham just like her sisters!

Alright I need to go shower. We have playgroup this morning w/ my neighborhood friends and then dance this afternoon. My older two are going to spend the night at my mom's tonight. My step-sister 's son will be there too and they are having a farewell sleep-over. They are moving 4 hours away.







Lauren is very sad. They are 3 months apart and have been buddies/partners in crime since birth. My step-sister is the one who introduced me to Dr. Sears and AP. Hopefully when her dh is done w/ school they will move back.


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## seedling (Sep 10, 2003)

Sandi, best of luck with your new fitness regimen! You are an inspiration.

I've been up since 4:15 thanks to Little Miss I'm Gonna Nurse Non Stop. She got up at 4:45 and I just got her down again about half an hour ago. Egads. Anyway, I've worked a couple of hours, put away laundry, and now I'm going to run the vacuum. I'm hosting playgroup today. I've got a friend dropping off her child early so she can do doc's appts all day. And this afternoon Isabel is going to a friend's to play so I can finish up work. So a full day ahead! AND DH had to drive two hours away to show up for court for a speeding ticket.









Anyway, gotta get to it.


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Last night around 8:30 we had one of those "I thought she was with you" moments with BooBah. She swallowed something.







She screamed bloody murder for five minutes, refused to nurse at all... Mike got her to take a few sips of water but then she burped funny and started screaming even more. So I drove her to the nearest ER which takes her insurance (about 40 minutes away). She screamed for 35 minutes, then slept and did this funny hiccup for five, screamed again while I parked the van and then she calmed down right away when we got into the ER (but didn't stop hiccupping). By the time she got to x-ray, whatever it is (something plastic) was in her stomach. We had to wait for the pediatric surgery resident anyway because she was still hiccupping, so I enjoyed the cable and my book while BooBah finally went to sleep. She has to see her regular doctor tomorrow, and if she hasn't pooped the thing out by the end of the week she'll have more x-rays.

I was totally exhausted the whole time, but I couldn't help laughing at myself. I kept thinking, "This is the real, grown-up parenting shit! I wonder how I'm doing..." :LOL It made me realize that I don't always think of myself as an adult. :LOL Very funny.

I'm also afraid that I may have subconsciously sabotaged my NFP charting.







Fertility Friend gave me a coverline and an ovulation date today, and it wasn't even dotted the way it was last month. If FF is correct, I ovulated the day after Mike and I dtd because we were sure we were safe. Well, *I* was sure we were safe.







: Mike felt a little apprehensive about it. When I told him, he said, "You should have honored my feelings."







I should have, he's totally got a grip on this sort of thing. Anyway, he thinks it's kind of funny. I told him that we've got at least two weeks before I can even test, so he should just relax and pretend nothing's happening. He just snickered at me.







What bothers me most is that I'm worried that I did this deliberately on some level, because I want another baby so much and I'm feeling like life is really good right now.









Sandi-- Spreadsheets rock! :LOL







: Congrats on your new regimen. I'm totally in awe already.


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## 3girlsmommy (Jun 19, 2003)

new thread

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=322338


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## goddesshope (Jul 10, 2005)

Hi I'm new around here. I'm mom to Amelia, June 21st babe.

Birth- 9 lb 3.6 oz and 21 inches
Now- 24 lbs 31 inches

12 teeth, walking (moreso running) and jabbers nonsense up a storm!


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## Mummoth (Oct 30, 2003)

Hi! Nice to meet you!
We've moved over to the "June Mamas August" thread... we start a new one everymonth, because they get so long








See you there!


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