The new "New Moms" thread!

[DMickey28]

Kelly - I am sorry Brady is sick. I hope the sleep and liquids help him get over this super fast. Alexander seems to get colds at the drop a hat lately. I think it's because our weather down here is so screwy.

Becky - Awww ... she looks like such a big girl. Alexander is a big kid too so he seems so much older than he is. It's hard to remember they ARE still babies. At least for another few months or so. I looked at Alex's baby pictures last night too and made me so sad and excited for a new baby.

Becky - How long did you TTC with V? I never did the 5DPO + testing with results because the month I did get pregnant we weren't trying, traveled a ton and honestly did not think it was possible due to the ONE time I saw DH. I didn't test until AF didn't show on her usual Saturday AM visit. I have this fear/idea that I won't get a sticky pregnancy if I start testing early. Doesn't stop me but since that didn't work for 8 months. It's an odd train of thought but it's mine. On a good note my temp rose again this AM at 5DPO. I am doing NPC which I think is contributing to the HIGH temps but they are higher than any other cycle so far.

Did I tell you guys I did a Ruby Reading (the online psychic)? Yeah, I am silly!!

 

[beckmrk04]

Dmickey- I went off BC in April (wasn't a full cycle that month), got AF in May (28th, my birthday- to be exact... I cried the whole day), found out I was pregnant on June 23rd! I charted temps and used the TCOYF software on the computer. Something about it was comforting to me- like I was more "in control" of things.

AND- tell me all about the Ruby Reading (I secretly love psychic stuff I'm just afraid they would tell me something bad, and then I'd live the rest of my life in fear and worry).

Kelly- I hope Brady is feeling better

Amber- thanks! :
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, I am cooking dinner and DH is entertaining two little yahoos. They are too funny. Dnephew is playing the drum set V got for Christmas and Vaylie is dancing all over the room like she's his groupie.

 

[Villain-lover]

So..I have had the day from hell. First...Zoe had some diarhea issues theis morning followed by a couple of pukes..okay..so we deal with that, she has been acting fine all day. We have been making sure she has fluids and I only gave her starchy white foods for dinner per pedi office....she was mad because she wanted daddys french fries!

Okay..so next, Sam trips, falls, bumps his head, cuts his eyebrow. We call pedi office for the second time today and go to urgent care.. waited there forever (good thing they have a nice big waiting room and Sam is soo good natured). Sam had to get 6 stiches!!!!! He was NOT happy. But he is fine now, in bed and hopefully will sleep well.
WHAT A DAY!!!! Can I have a do over, or at least a stiff drink!!!

 

[exwdwcm]

Hey guys- sorry i have been MIA, it was super crazy at work this week. we have Will's 15month appt on monday, we will see how big he has gotten. he is still enjoying swim class, he can hold his breath for like 9 seconds, swimming underwater, it is so fun. he has been a terror lately- not eating well at all. i think he is teething again and that is the reason. he's had a runny nose again too. we just redid his bathroom upstairs in Mickey Mouse- it ws on sale at disneyshopping.com. pretty cute- i'll post a pic soon. EVen DH was on board with it and he isnt' exactly a big disney fan.

so wow, lots of you TTC again right now or soon! Nicole- please keep me posted when you start- hope everything goes great with your little ice babies!no plans for us right now, maybe hit up DH with the talk about it later this year.

JENNY- Will does the same thing with food- if we give him a lot, he plays and feeds the dogs. it is so frustrating and just started a few weeks ago. the party pics are great- your family pic is so good of you three

DMICKEY- awesome on the potty!!! yeah!

AMBEr, cute pics of Spencer

BECKY/POLLITO- i was wondering about when to change to a bed from the crib too. Will is only 15 months. i think my sister did her son at 18 months and he has been fine with it. it's a cars bed. lol Our crib converts, so it would be like a day bed and we can use the railings on the side, with only the middle open. we have a gate at the top of the stairs and can close his door too. how do you know when they are ready? Will is so tall, i know it won't be long before he starts figuring out how to crawl out.

KELLY- how was the wedding. do NOT stress about the weight. so your friend lost more than before preggo- that's her. everyone is different. i think you look fabulous- and i know- cuz i see your blog and pics all the time. you look gorgeous and remember that!!!!! and happy late birthday- sorry i missed it- hope it was fabulous!!!!!! any news on the hasbro thing?
Hope Brady is feeling better.

MEREDIth- Hope your day from hell gets better too. HUGS!

BETHANY- only a few weeks until DL? how exciting- i want to hear your plans!

POLLITO- are you home yet? i know how hard it is to miss your little guy when travelling for work. i don't have another trip until San Francisco in March.

JEN- how is Christopher doing- i have been thinking about you guys.

 

[Pollito916]

Amber - Looks like Spencer had a great time with the hamper!

Becky - yeah, I don't think Alex would be requesting a tea party, more like a monster truck party! He's also been into pretending to be a dinosaur lately. He was roaring all through the grocery store tonight. Yay on going to Melting Pot twice - I love that place! We got a gift card for there for x-mas, so we need to go soon, too! I get e-mails from there, and I don't know if you guys know this, but I think this Tuesday night is Ladies Night and you can get the meal for a lot cheaper than regular price. Vaylie has grown up so much already - all of our babies have - and she is such a cutie! I had the same feeling when I was at BRU last week looking for a potty chair. Alex already sits at the kitchen table with us, without even a booster chair. He is so grown up.

Denise - I'm sorry to hear you're down, what's wrong? At least you have a cute little boy to cheer you up!

DMickey - Alex says "cheese" too, and sometimes "cheeseboogers" or "chicken" instead

Villain-lover - I'm sorry about your bad day, poor Sam getting his first stitches. My cousin had one of those days a few weeks ago with their twin girls. They found out one girl had lice, and a few hours later the other one broke her arm in gymnastics. I guess everything comes in pairs with twins.

Michelle - can't wait to see the pics of the Mickey bathroom. We thought about it but went with monkeys to match his bedroom and because we already had some monkey towels. I usually only travel Monday morning through Friday afternoon, so it isn't too bad. I don't think I would like being away over a weekend even more than during the week, since I usually only see him for 3-4 hours on days that I go to work anyway.

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

Alex has been a little pill today. He went in the bathroom and came out and said, "potty - Alex potty?" So I asked him if he wanted to go potty, then when he said yes, I took him in and took his pants and diaper off. But when I tried to sit him down on the seat, he started crying and screaming and wouldn't sit down. He sat on it for almost 20 minutes last night, reading books (then peed all over the floor about a minute after he got off it ).

So I told him that if he wasn't going to sit on the potty, we had to put a diaper on, but he screamed, "No! Potty!" So I tried to put him on again and he did the same thing! So then I tried to put a diaper on him, and he was screaming and rolling around and I just could not get a diaper on the kid! Finally he agreed to put on a pull-up b/c it has "Cars" on it, but then after I got it on him, he ripped it off! I just do not know what to do with him sometimes!

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Hi ladies

Let me try to keep it short and sweet.

As many of you know, Charles and I live a Jewish lifestyle....we eat kosher, observe the saturday (the correct) sabbath, observe all Jewish holy days, and I also wear a headcovering.

Where I live there is NO community, so I have no other females to talk to, no observant children for Mo to play with, no kosher restaurants to go eat out at, and there are times where I just get tired of covering my hair. However, because I'm a married woman following this lifestyle, I have to. Mo now only has one babysitter and that's only in the AM while I'm in school. Because of our lifestyle, I can't just call anyone else to babysit, because they don't live like we do. Our other babysitter has too much going on with teaching, her sons, and parents and her husband (my husband's boss) said Linda can do it no more. However, Phil does accommodate Charles by letting him leave early on my work days to come get Mo from me at Ruby's. Charles works just minutes down the street from me so it works out nicely. Wanna here something funny....Mo LOVES going in to Ruby's. He knows the place now! He grins from ear to ear when we get to the front door! We can't eat the food, but I just bring my lunch and his snacks and I feed him til daddy arrives.
So anyway, without a community, this lifestyle is hard and I will also say sucks. I just want to go eat out with my son and hubby. I want to be able to call another mother and say "HELP! Mo won't nap today, can we come over and just hang out??!!" I can't do much about the headcovering except maybe purchase a wig. It wouldn't be as bad and technically, MY hair would still be covered. Phil thinks our family would do well in N. Miami....HUGE community there, or even Metarie Louisiana...MUCH smaller than Miami, but MUCH bigger than what we have here. However, until G-d says otherwise, we aren't going anywhere. Understand what I'm saying? So that's why I'm sad and lonely. It comes and goes, but when it comes it hits me hard and I'm usually miserable for a few days. I'm better now, but still.

Well, I must go feed my little man breakfast and then do the same for hubby and I and then off to work I go. Thanks ladies for being here. Take care!

 

[DMickey28]

Denise - I am sorry. I know that isolation for whatever reason can be lonely and sad. Now forgive me, I do not know anything about the Kosher lifestyle so I apologize if I say the wrong thing. What sort of sign from God would allow you to move? You being sad, Phil telling you he thinks you would be happier elsewhere, those are enough? Like I said, I have no idea. I do know that N. Miami does have a HUGE community. The town I just moved from also had a smaller community, Coral Springs, but we are about 30 minutes from Miami so a lot of access. I think, in general, South Florida has a lot more to offer your lifestyle. I live in Boca Raton and while I haven't found the exact area I do know there is a decent sized community as well. Why can't some else babysit MO? Do they have to follow the lifestyle as well? Why can't someone who is will to follow it for MO, but not life it themselves watch him? Like I said, I just don't know. I hope that things work out. Like I said, I know how the isolation and loneliness can be. I don't have any friends or family around me either. While I am not restricted of my access to them, it's still hard to find some! We have one set of baby sitters but that's it. We missed out on two celebrations from DH's work last weekend and this weekend because our babysitters are part of the same group. We have no family here. My MIL is sick of me calling because I keep calling her begging her to come visit!!! My mom can't for a while and I need someone around soon. Hence our desire to move back up north soon. We still don't know if that will happen this summer but we are planning on doing it within the year.

 

[beckmrk04]

Alex has been a little pill today. He went in the bathroom and came out and said, "potty - Alex potty?" So I asked him if he wanted to go potty, then when he said yes, I took him in and took his pants and diaper off. But when I tried to sit him down on the seat, he started crying and screaming and wouldn't sit down. He sat on it for almost 20 minutes last night, reading books (then peed all over the floor about a minute after he got off it ).

So I told him that if he wasn't going to sit on the potty, we had to put a diaper on, but he screamed, "No! Potty!" So I tried to put him on again and he did the same thing! So then I tried to put a diaper on him, and he was screaming and rolling around and I just could not get a diaper on the kid! Finally he agreed to put on a pull-up b/c it has "Cars" on it, but then after I got it on him, he ripped it off! I just do not know what to do with him sometimes!

Vaylie does the SAME THING! It is obnoxious! She wants to go potty, but then she won't sit on the seat, but if you say, "Ok- we have to put a diaper on" she freaks out. "NO! POTTY! POTTY!" It is so exasperating. The other day she was actually sitting on the potty and I just let her run around bare-butted. So, she sits on the potty forever reading, then runs into her room and pees in front of the bookcase.

She's kind of constipated right now, so she's not at her most fun, to say the least. Not that I can blame her. I've been reasearching what I can do to help move things along. (ok, gross- as I was typing this I think we've overcome the obstacle, so to speak... EW. )

 

[beckmrk04]

Denise- I can see how that would be isolating. I don't have any advice, really. I am sure it must be hard in this day and age to keep kosher and live by the "rules"- especially when you don't have a like-minded community to bond with and to understand the traditions. Could you maybe find a sitter whom you could teach about keeping kosher? Or are you specifically looking for a Jewish sitter?

Michelle- we are going to buy Vaylie a toddler bed soon (our crib doesn't convert). SO far she hasn't tried to climb out (thank goodness). But, I think she's at a good point to transition. My dnephew was in a bed by the time he was 16 months or so, and he did fine. Funny story: Friday night BIL and SIl kept V so we could go out to eat. They did the bath and pjs, and put her to bed (we didn't get back until past 10). So, they decided to put Dnephew's extra mattress on the floor and V slept on that and Dnephew slept on his bed(he's used to it and they were afraid V would roll off). So anyway, they put them to bed, lights out, and SIL said she could hear Vaylie whisper, "Dandon. DANDON!" (Dnephew's name is Landon). Then she got up and all of the sudden they heard his toy keyboard.. Dnephew was fast asleep, but Vaylie wasn't quite ready, and was trying to wake up her partner in crime.

 

[DMickey28]

Becky - That's cute with V trying wake Landon. I wish Alexander had someone his age to play with and bond with like that.

We aren't doing much with the potty right now. A few times a week he has shown interest on it and he will perform while on it but doesn't seek it out much.

We aren't doing anything with switching to a bed soon. He has not shown any signs of climbing out of his crib yet so until he does that we will stick with the crib!

 

[Jen_in_NH]

Hi everyone!

Denise - I have no good advice, sorry.

We haven't even thought about changing Christopher's crib over yet. He hasn't tried to climb out, and doesn't have much interest in trying to get out. He usually sits and waits for one of us to get him up.

I took him and my grandmother out to lunch yesterday. That was an adventure - a toddler and an 85 year old woman with Alzheimer's, and who has trouble seeing. I now remember why this is something I should do when DH or my parents are around to come too. Christopher is sitting in his chair eating lunch, and sees the people at the table next to us get their lunch. Apparently the fruit on someone else's plate looked great, because he was trying like crazy to get out of his chair to go get some. Then, I'm getting everything together to give him his insulin after lunch, and my grandmother starts getting really mad that I'm going to give him a shot. Christopher doesn't usually care, but since she was freaking out, he decided it would be the time to freak out too. Ugh. Oh well, they both forgot about it in a minute or so

 

[beckmrk04]

Jen- oh, my, that was brave! I can't imagine. My grandma comes up every Monday and watches Vaylie (Grandma just turned 70 in December, but I really don't think of her as that old- she's still pretty spry). But, she does bug the pee out of me because she's constantly calling and asking if Vaylie is sick. At least once a week she calls and asks, "How's the baby? Is she alright? Is she ok?" Um, yeah, Grandma, why? "Oh, I just worry about her."

I don't get it. I think that's just Grandma. She's a worrier like that. It could be 70 degrees out and she's wondering if it's too cold for Vaylie to be out, or don't I think she should have a hat on?
~~~~~~~~~

I forget who it was a while back (Dmickey I think) that was talking about Pirate's Booty and I had never heard of it. Well- I found some at Shop-n-Save last week! I haven't tried it yet, but I had to explain to DH why I HAD to buy it.

Oh, and in some sad news: no Melting Pot tomorrow. They're closed for some odd reason, which isn't mentioned on the website, but when I called to make reservations I got a message that they would be closed today and tomorrow. Boo!

 

[Pollito916]

Denise - sorry about your troubles, it sounds like a move would really help you fit in a community better, so I hope that happens for you soon.

Jen - sounds like an interesting lunch!

Vaylie does the SAME THING! It is obnoxious! She wants to go potty, but then she won't sit on the seat, but if you say, "Ok- we have to put a diaper on" she freaks out. "NO! POTTY! POTTY!" It is so exasperating. The other day she was actually sitting on the potty and I just let her run around bare-butted. So, she sits on the potty forever reading, then runs into her room and pees in front of the bookcase.

Ok, Becky, this is just more proof that Alex and Vaylie were somehow separated at birth! I could have written almost an identical description of Alex yesterday!

 

[DMickey28]

Becky - Becareful with the Pirates Booty. It's addicting, big time. Alexander and I can eat an entire bag in one afternoon!!

Tic-tock tic-tock tic-tock ... can time go by any slower? I want to POAS!

***
I took Alexander to the ped this AM. Dh and I had been having some concerns with his speech development, as well as this new eye squinting thing is doing and a thing with his hands. We now have referrals to a opthamologist, neurologist and audiologist. I have the opthamologist appointment set up for Monday the 9th and am working on the others. The Audiologist is not covered under our insurance so I have to find another one, or pay out of pocket. The doctor did say that we should not have ANY concerns about Autism or any other disorders like that. He just wants to make sure he isn't having seizures (the eye think) and that he is hearing fine because he doesn't have a lot of words, isn't interested in trying new words and the words he does have are pretty muffled. We get them but others might not. Argh ... On a positive side, my mom might come to visit in two weeks!! Yippy!

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Thanks ladies for all the kind words and advice.

DMickey & Becky~~We can't just pick up and move right now because I'm in school first of all and want to at least start working on my BA. I'm finishing up my AA right now. Hubby is the one who wants our sitter to be Jewish...he's head of household how can I argue with him. I'm more than willing to teach someone how to take care of Mo, but hubby just won't see it. Now here's the exception, when Mo is 2 and potty trained he'll let me put him into the program at NW FL State College. I suppose because it's a "professional" thing and there are standards they have to go by and when a parent makes certain requests they have to honor that. Such as a child coming in with a milk allergy, don't give them any dairy. My child eats kosher so ONLY give him what I bring or leave over a period of time for you to give him and don't let others share their food with him or vice versa. Does that make any sense?
I was also told the community in Metarie, LA is VERY acccepting and I think that would be great for our family, but we'll see what happens. Its rough, it's hard, but for now I have to suck it up and deal with it. Just looking forward to doing our taxes and seeing what may be coming back. Can't do them til after the 13th because we've got too many big bills due right now.

Hope you all are well and thanks again for being there.

 

[jennyL]

So we took Noah to the allergist this morning. They did another skin test and he came back just slightly allergic to milk. It was very small and since his reaction is Eczema they would really like us to do a challenge. His doctor is great and asked if we felt comfortable doing it at home or we could go in there everyday for a couple days. Hmm let me think he only gets a rash so I think I'll be staying home. LOL So tonight on the way home I'm going to grab some whole milk and we'll start the challenge. Basically we'll try him on milk at his home feedings and still send him to daycare with formula for about a week or so. Then if everything is going good we'll open him up to foods made with milk products and milk and school and pretty much whatever he wants.

Wish us luck that it goes good. I'd love to be able to just feed him without reading all the labels.

 

[DMickey28]

Denise - Vent away to us anytime you would like.
Jenny - I am glad you are getting some answers. Good Luck on the whole milk. I finally got Alexander off toddler formula (LONG TIME) but now the whole milk is costing me more than the formula was!!

Time still crawlying by over here. BFN at 8DPO today.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Denise - Vent away to us anytime you would like.
Jenny - I am glad you are getting some answers. Good Luck on the whole milk. I finally got Alexander off toddler formula (LONG TIME) but now the whole milk is costing me more than the formula was!!

Time still crawlying by over here. BFN at 8DPO today.

Thanks I appreciate it!

Let me tell you, I buy a gallon of milk every time I go into a grocery store. I have about a half gallon left in the fridge and 2 whole gallons in the freezer. They only cost just about $3.38 a gallon I think, so it's not too bad. Mo usually takes about 4 to 5 days to go through a gallon. He's getting MUCH better at a sippy cup...YEA! I only give him a bottle now when I'm out with him in public..just easier to handle right now. I'm giving him a bit more apple juice now too to help extend the milk.

And good luck on your TTC! I've still got a couple more years. Will be 42 by then, but think we'll try when we're both 41 so I can give birth by age 42.

 

[Jen_in_NH]

Isn't the price of milk crazy? We were buying whole milk for Christopher, and then skim for us. I was buying 3-4 gallons per week! We've seen the dietician a few times since Christopher was diagnosed, and they all told us 2% was OK. So now we can at least all drink the same kind.

Christopher was a real peach yesterday. He's been throwing everything in sight lately (and his aim is getting much better). He's also decided he will not eat anything from his plate. However, he'll eat it off someone elses (odd, when we're having the same thing). I know we've brought this on ourselves when he wasn't eating - we'd give him food off our plates just to get him to eat something. Or if he didn't eat, we'd get something out of the kitchen that we knew he'd always eat. Ugh. I think we're going to have several meals with a screaming toddler til this is past.

 

[jennyL]

Thanks everyone. DH and I aren't really milk drinkers and pretty much just use it for cooking so going from our normal 2% to whole won't be that different for us. I only plan to buy one kind (at least for now). Not sure about the pricing since we are on the Alimentum and its so expensive and we went through the can in 3 or 4 days I think we'll be saving some money. We are going to keep him on the Alimentum for now so that we know the only change is the milk. I guess we'll see how it goes from there.

Oh speaking of sippy cups. Noah finally figured out he needs to tilt it up to get anything. LOL so now when he's walking around with something he tilts and about falls over backwards since he goes so far. Its so funny but he's just tickled with himself. DH and I and daycare had been working on the sippies but this weekend he just decided he knew what to do. I guess he was just ready for it now.