The Official New Mom Thread Part 2

[Strawberry Lemonade]

Fabumouse - We used the big Graco swing for Lucas and I don't recall having any trouble with it, aside from constantly changing batteries. My mom had borrowed a smaller travel swing from a friend for her house and I don't think Lucas really liked it all that much. I don't know the model of the Graco - it was one of the ones that matched the stroller, pack n play, highchair, etc.

llij - Have a good time at Beauty and the Beast today. I hope it doesn't rain for you.

glt - I love the pictures from Leif's party! He is such a handsome boy. It looks like he and Lucas have the same hairdo!

Tasha - Congrats on losing 15 lbs!!

Alice28 - I hope your headache feels better.

ginamarie - Congrats on Olivia rolling over!

Diskim - Have fun a Six Flags!

lissawynn - Sounds like you had a productive shopping trip. I hope you find something fun to do today.

I forgot to make cookies yesterday for my mom's picnic so I have to get going on that this morning. It's not a really nice day, but it's supposed to stop raining this afternoon at least. If I don't get a chance to check in before we leave, have a great day everyone!

 

[joats]

Good morning.

SL: Have fun at your mom's picnic. What kind of cookies are you going to make?
Fabumouse: We also have the Graco swing that matched all our other Graco equipment. No complaints here. We also had a travel one, but it didn't recline so Jace didn't get much use out of it until he was older.
GLT: Love the pictures! Leif is such a cutie! What a busy week for you!
Jill: Have fun at the show. Wow, Megan sounds like a great big sister to John.
Tasha: Sorry your in-laws were such duds about your weight loss. Way to go on your weight loss efforts.
Robin: Glad you had a great night. Your bed sounds wonderful. Hope your "hangover" (isn't it sad two drinks make us feel so cruddy?) headache feels better.
GM: Congrats Olivia That is wonderful news!
DisKim: How awful you wake up in the middle of the night. You must be exhausted. The is creeping out here, so hopefully you can still go to SF. I hope have a good day.
Lissawyn: Love the play doh idea for Halloween - thanks for the tip. Wow, you did all that yesterday? You made me tired just reading it.

Today Jace and I are going out for lunch again with a friend of mine from work. I usually do lunch with her a few times per week but since DH has been home on leave, I've been going into work late and not taking lunch everyday. It will be good to be able to catch up with her. I hope to also go to the book store to get a couple new books for me and DH. Anyone have any good book suggestions???

That's it for plans for today. My house looks like a Tornado hit it so hopefully I can make some headway with that.

Gonna go hit the shower.
Enjoy your day!

 

[vald1977]

Hi moms ,
I'm going off of memory here and I'm sure I'll forget something I wanted to say .

GLT,
Happy First Birthday to Leif ! I can't believe he is one already. He's a gorgeous boy . I'm sure Lindsey will be just fine at school. All the other kids are probably nervous as well and they will all make fast friends. I remember being so nervous about Alex starting K last year but it all went great. Glad you had fun on your trip.

Robin,
Glad you had such a nice evening out with your dh. I've never been to Benihana. Sounds wonderful though. I'm happy you like your new mattress. I feel the same way about mine. Sometimes when I'm super tired I get a little giddy just thinking about how comfy I'll be once I get to go to bed . I'm sure Sam will love being in Kindergarten . You will love having just Molly for a few hours too .

SL,
Have fun at the picnic. It's raining here at the moment so I hope you don't get rained out. It's so hard finding new clothes, isn't it? I feel like I'm too old for Junior's but a lot of the woman's stuff looks too matronly.

Diskim,
My best friend's dd does the screaming thing. It's tough to listen to all right. Last time she was over Katrina kept bursting into tears everytime she would do it. I think it's just something that they can control so they like to do it. Hopefully, Aidan grows out of it quickly for you . That electric bill is insane. We have approx. 1350 square feet plus unfinished unheated basement. Our bills can sometimes go up to about $400 in the dead of winter but that's the highest I've seen so far. I'll have to ask dh what our bill was this month. I do know they raised the rates yet again .

GM,
I can't wait to see pictures of your new house once you are all set up . Since I know there will be a lot of Disney decor I'm sure it's going to look great . Yay for Olivia rolling over !

Fabumouse,
I hope Madeline starts sleeping for longer stretches soon. I know how tough it is when they are still super little and need to eat so much.

Joats,
How is your dh doing? I hope better. Enjoy your lunch with your friend.

Tasha,
I'm glad you are enjoying school. Don't feel bad about the weight loss. I'm sure you look great. Your dh noticed and they aren't known for being the most observant people, right ?

FF,
I love the octopus costume!

Jill,
That is so funny about Meagan taking care of John for you in the morning. What a great big sister she is . Yay for John sitting up too !

Lissawynn,
I hope your ms subsides very soon. I'm sure you must be so ready to be done with that stage. I love the new pic of Jimmy and Jimmy in you signature.

Hi to Hillbeans, Loretta, Tamie, and all the other moms .

Dh's draft went well and Katrina survived being at the friend's house. Dh is super into football. I like watching it too but only if it's a game where I care about one of the teams. Dh will watch any game that's on. He does the fantasy thing every year with a bunch of friends. He's won a lot of times and the prize is usually $300-400.

Work is going very well. My boss was talking to me on Friday and she said she thinks I'm doing great and fitting in very well there. I am so relieved to hear her say that. She did say she is concerned about the other girl who started a bit before me because she thinks I'm doing a lot better than her and she isn't progressing how she would like. I feel bad for her as she is a very nice girl. The boss wanted to know if there were any tips I could give her to pass on to the other girl to help her out.

I got to hold my friend's new baby yesterday. She was born on Wednesday. What a beautiful baby she is. Tons of jet black hair and so tiny . I brought them over some goodies from the bakery case at work since we throw everything out on Fridays if no one wants to take it home. I kind of felt bad because it seems like no one is making a big fuss over the baby since it's her fifth and they are all girls. I know when I had babies I had all kinds of flowers and visitors and it seems like no one is doing that for her . I'm glad I'm doing the shower for her so she can feel special.

Well, ds wants me to go play star wars with him so I guess I should get off the Dis. TTYL .

 

[lissawynn]

I finally get time to check back in. Jimmy was crying in his crib this morning and that took priority over finishing my post. We aren't going to OCNJ today, but we might go next weekend. I'm worried that Jimmy is going to scream for the entire car ride, and we don't have anyone to go with us. My mom said she'd love to go next weekend, so we'll see if that works out.
I have vacuumed and done the dishes. I've also changed the sheets on our bed and started the wash. I'm trying to get my maternity clothes together so I can get dressed without too much time in the morning.

floridafam - I ended up ordering two shirts and a pair of pants from the babystyle website last night. I've never tried their stuff and hope it fits. I hate having to send stuff back.

Val - I'm glad you got such positive feedback from your boss. I'm also happy Katrina survived the fantasy draft.

joats - I used to read all the time, but I haven't read a book since I read The Devil Wears Prada last summer. Wait, I lie. I did manage to read Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince , too. I read a lot of young adult fiction since that's what my students are reading. Have a good time at lunch.

fabumouse - I have the Fisher Price Baby Papasan swing and Jimmy loved it. He never really used it, though. He was very content in his bouncy seat. We had the Baby Papasan bouncy seat, too.

SL - What kind of cookies did you make?

GLT - I had the exact same issues with Jimmy when I was pg with him. He was a really good infant, but as we progress into the toddler stage, he's getting a little out of control. I'm hoping this is just a stage and he'll be growing out of it. My mom told me my sisters and I were much worse at 3 than 2. Something to look forward to, no?

Tasha - I wouldn't get too worked up about your MIL's comments. They can be so snarky sometimes.

I have to go. The little man is throwing himself a fit.

 

[floridafam]

lissawynn,

I'm glad you found something on babystyle. I loved their stuff when I was pregnant. Dh loved it, too. He said it was nice because it wasn't "fuddy duddy." I hope the stuff fits. I ordered a bunch of clothes for Kona with the 50% off code.

I hope you get to go to OCNJ next weekend.


Robin,

It sounds like you had a great night out. I'd give anything for a night like that with DH. Have fun at Gymbo next week. My friend gave me a 20% off card that is good from the 7th-14th but I thought they were having a sale anyway during that time.

joats,

Have fun at lunch and the bookstore. That sounds like such a fun day. I love taking the kids to the bookstore but never manage to pick something out for myself. Let us know what you get. I hope your DH is getting better each day.

ginamarie,

Congrats on Olivia rolling over.

gottalovethem,

Great pictures of the party. What a cutie!


Hi to everyone. I know I've missed a ton. I've got a roast in the oven and I'm about to make an apple pie-DH will be thrilled. They finally have Macintosh apples at the store so pie it is. I'm very Martha Stewart today.

Thanks for the votes on the costume. I love the octopus, too. I'm just afraid that it will be too hot.

DisKim,

The costume comes in larger sizes but the link wouldn't work.


I'll check back later.

 

[dizagain]

Good morning! Just got my third "morning sleep" in a row - THANKS, DH!! He wakes me up at 6 a.m. when he's home for the day and sends me off to bed. I've slept from 6-9:30 three days in a row now and it's awesome!

I'm enjoying getting to know everyone by lurking around - what a fun thread. I'm loving these pictures of your kiddos - what cuties! Some day I'll learn how to get mine on here.

Fabumouse...somehow I totally missed the fact that you were my age during the past 9 months on the other thread. Lucky you for feeling like you're in your 20's! I can't say that, but I can say I feel GREAT NOT BEING PREGNANT ANYMORE!!! Your friends are so nice to do all of that for you!

OK, question for you mommies of boys...How in the heck do you keep them from peeing through their diapers/clothes/blankets/sheets 10 zillion times a day??? It's like the pee goes up and out whenever he's on his back! This past week Carson has done this at least 2 or 3 times every day and it's driving us nuts. Are there certain diapers that are better or is there a trick to putting them on that I'm missing? Any help will be appreciated. Right now he's in Huggies or Pampers newborn...I like them because they seem smaller and tighter but it won't be long before we have to wear the "1's".

Well, Carson is actually sleeping so I think I'll go dry my hair and maybe clean the bathroom while I'm up there - I keep avoiding that chore and it's getting yucky. Have a great day, everyone!

 

[Strawberry Lemonade]

Lucas is napping, the cookies are done, and DH is downstairs playing video games so I have a few minutes to myself! For those who asked, I made Tollhouse break and bake chocolate chip cookies. I'm not exactly Martha Stewart like floridafam!

joats - Enjoy your lunch with your friend!

val - That's great that your boss thinks you're doing well. I'm sure there's a learning curve. Is the girl she was talking about the one who got the job the first time you interviewed? I bet she's regretting that decision now.

lissawynn - To bad you can't to go OCNJ this weekend. I hope you get to go next weekend.

floridafam - Mmmmmmmmm...I love apple pie. It's my favorite!

dizagain - When Lucas was a newborn, he peed through every single time. Even "pointing it down" didn't help at all. Plus, the diapers never fit him right - even Pamper's Swaddlers. I just had to wait for him to grow enough to properly fit into a diaper. I hope you find something to help you out soon!

I better go - I have to pack Lukey's bag, clean the kitchen, and pick up my grandmother in an hour.

 

[lissawynn]

dizagain - I'd recommend Pampers Swadlers. Jimmy used to pee out of his stuff all the time when he was little. They were the best diapers when he was little. Also, always point his peep down when you put on his diaper. That helps, too.

 

[vald1977]

Dizagain,
When my ds was a newborn I found the Luvs to fit him best although a lot of people swear by the swaddlers as you can tell from the other ladies' comments . How great of your dh to give you some sleep. That makes all the difference in the world, doesn't it?

SL,
I LOL at your Martha Stewart comment ! Hey, I love those break and bake cookies . Have fun at the picnic. Did it stop raining in your neck of the woods?

When I originally went in for the job interview they were hiring for two positions. The girl she was referring to "D" got one and the girl who only worked for two days then disappeared "M" got the other. I was the thrid choice. Once "M" disappeared she brought me in to replace her. So "D" started a couple of weeks before me. Does that make sense?

FF,
Apple pie sounds wonderful right now .

Lissawynn,
I hope you make it to OCNJ next weekend. Maybe the weather will be nicer then too. I think you will be much more comfortable in your maternity clothes than trying to squeeze into regular clothes.

I have so much clothes to fold it's unbelievable. I suppose I should start on that instead of playing on the computer but the computer is much more entertaining.

TTYL .

 

[gottalovethem]

dizagain - Believe it or not, with Leif, the Target brand worked wonderfully. I couldn't believe it. Also we put him in ones pretty quickly, more room to have stuff absorbed. I'm glad you were able to get some sleep. Welcome to the thread!

Val - glad the new job is working out well for you! Actually, I'm not really nervous, she is. And she is so determined that she's not gonna have fun. And has already complained about gym class I don't even think she knows what gym class is I tell you, she's gonna give me a run for my money! Yesterday she threw a fit in target and yelled "I hate you" repeatedly. Those teen years are gonna be intersting.

SL - sounds like you are on the ball today! Have a great rest of the day!

FF - way to go on the Martha Stewart cooking today! Hope it all comes out great.

lissawynn - wow, you have gotten a lot done today too. I've been pretty lazy today, aside from the usual dishes thing. I figure my quiet days are numbered with school starting and running around starting up again. I'll enjoy down time while I can get it.


I took DD to a b'day party that looks fabulous. The mom is ultra creative, has the bucks and the time. The invites were treasure maps and they each had nametags with characters on them dividing the kids into teams as soon as they got there, and upon arrival were able to decorate cookies. I can't wait to hear about all DD did at the party. Then the boys and I went get vacuum bags and toilet paper. We are all, I think even DH, heading to a friend's house later this afternoon, the one who's father died a couple months ago. It'll be nice to see her and her family again. We realized the other day that I hadn't seen her house since April -- we used to see each other every week.

Gotta go get ready. Chat later.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Good afternoon all! I tried posting earlier, but apparently it didn't go through.

We survived the Disney trip, and I don't need any bail posted because I didn't kill my MIL! I did have fantasies of her getting run over by a Magical Express bus, though--I figured I could parlay that into lifetime family passes. She mostly hung out, scowling when we bought souvenirs. I know she loves the kids and all, but when she doesn't even act like she enjoys their company, how can she expect them to want to go away with her? She was very critical of Celeste, in particular. Now mind you, Celeste is 3, and had a few blow-ups due to fatigue and overload. She also balked at a few rides and found the overall noise level to be a little much. But how is that unusual in a toddler? Anyway, we're already planning to go back in 2008, and I doubt MIL will be along on that trip.

Okay, so here are the high points: It wasn't crowded at all, but it was hot. The worst was AK, which has little shade or air conditioning. Luke did absolutely fabulous, but he's a mellow baby, so he just went with the flow. DH and I felt like pack mules! The older kids loved most of the headliner rides--they did Soarin' 4 times, Everest twice, etc. Their absolute favorite, though, was parasailing off the Contemporary. I felt the Poly was below its usual high standards on service. We walked a ton, ate a lot, slept in several days, fit in everyone's "must do" lists--it went great. I'll probably post an official trip report when I get time, hopefully before Luke's first birthday.

 

[joats]

BNB: Welcome back. Glad you didn't kill MIL!
Can't wait to hear about all about your trip.
GLT: Glad you got to see your friend again today. Party DD went to sounds neat.
Val: Glad to hear positive news for you at work.
Lissawyn: SOunds like you have a nice weekend ahead to look forward to...just have to survive the week first
Floridafam: Can I come to dinner? You are making my mouth water with your roast and apple pie. Mmm-Mmm.
Dizagain: Glad you are getting some sleep. I agree with other moms about the pointing it down. We had problems in that dept too. I found going up to the next size helped for us. Also when he gets a little bigger there are these things called Diaper Doublers available at Stop & Shop that I stick in the diapers for extra pee protection. I think they would be too big right now, but in the future. I also used Pampers Swaddlers.
SL: Tollhouse break and bake sound fabulous to me!! I bet they are good! Have fun!

I'm back from my lunch with my friend. When I was about 90% of the way to meet her (an hour away), I realized I didn't have my wallet. I was so embarrased that she had to cover me and Jace for lunch until work tuesday. Plus I was driving w/out a license. But what stunk most of all, was that I didn't get to stop for books as I had no money to pay for them. I thought I threw it from my pocketbook into the diaper bag, but I didn't. Lunch was nice anyway. We had a lot of laughs.

I just got back inside from cleaning up trash all over my driveway. Some animal knocked over our can and had a feast overnight. I didn't see it until I left w/Jace for lunch. So gross!

Invited SIL over for dinner but she hasn't called back yet. You can add her to my In-law list. Since things were nuts around here with DH bed/couch bound, I asked DH's parents if they could come spend time with Jace this weekend so I could take a much needed break one day and actually do something for myself. They said no and I quote my MIL "Daddy doesn't want to drive in the holiday traffic". Whatever....I've given up on trying to get them to spend anytime with Jace. They only want us to come up to VT. They are so fuddy duddy...It's like dealing w/my grandparents instead of parents. Oh well...sorry to vent they just get me so ticked off

Enjoy the afternoon!

 

[Alice28]

BNB- so glad you are back! I thought about you guys several times this last week. I'm glad you had fun even though MIL was a grump. We want to hear details! Did you see the Wiggles at MGM? When we took Josh when he was 4 last year, he had a many a meltdown like you described Celeste having. He was easily overwhelmed by the heat or the noise, or just being tired.

FF- Yummy, yummy, apple pie! Sounds great!

I think if we are able to do our new moms meet in 2008, we ladies need to have a night out at Benihana- there is one in the DTD Hilton. Then we can shop til we drop afterwards.

Val- So glad your review went well and your boss is happy with your work! That's great news and I'm sure such a relief.

dizagain- I also recommend Swaddlers. Although I had a girl this time around (they didn't have the Swaddlers with DSs)....but she is a pee-er too, I swear the boys didn't leak like she does sometimes. Pretty much any time they start consistently soaking thru diapers, I go to the next size up. I've always been a Pampers fan; we buy the Cruisers right now, but I think they start at size 3.

Joats- books? Hmmm...well, I've always found the alphabet mystery series by Sue Grafton a hoot, and they appeal to men and women. The first one is A is for Alibi . I think she is up to S, so if you get hooked on them, there are plenty of them to keep you busy for sometime!

GLT- that party sounds amazing! I hope your DD adjusts to kinder this week. We will have to share stories. Hope you have fun with your friend tonight!

SL- Yum, cookies! DH made some last night; of course they were just the Toll House cookies that are in a tub and you just scoop out, but it was still nice.

lissa- glad you were able to get so much done! Red Robin fries sound tasty right now...haven't had any in forever!

Well, I am wiped out. I'm tempted to take a nap. I had to get DH to give me a shot this morning at 7 (I should have woken him up at 5), and then we had to be at my parent's house by 9 to attempt church again. Well, it didn't go well. I was uber tired from the shot, Molly stayed in the nursery, oh, all of 10-12 minutes before she had a meltdown...so I had to stay with her. This church is really super small and doesn't have Sunday School for the kids til halfway thru the service so Josh was totally antsy. It just isn't for us. I don't know what to do anymore. Church has gotten to be such a hassle for us and I hate saying that....Molly just is very attached to me. Josh was too at this age, but he also went to daycare 5 days a week, so he could cope. Molly doesn't have that experience. I'm tempted to ask my old sitter if she has room for Molly 2 days a week for 4 hours a day just to get her accustomed to being cared for by someone else!

I think I am going to rest for a bit----check back later!

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Okay, a few more trip details, since I have a couple minutes...

Epcot was fun, but I would have liked more time to browse World Showcase. However, skipping that saved $, I'm sure. With the Life pavillion closed, and the Living Seas ride being rehabbed, there was very little here for toddlers. In general, I wish Disney luck with their "Magical Beginnings" promotion, because in general, we found very little for Celeste (except MK, of course). We loved Turtle Talk with Crush, Soarin', Mission Space (green side--even DH thought the orange side was too much, and he's a pilot), and Test Track.

Animal Kingdom was very, very hot. No air conditioning anywhere. Kids enjoyed Everest and Kali River Rapids, but again, little for Celeste. I mean, she could spot the elephants on the safari, but most other animals were tough to see.

MGM--didn't see the Wiggles. They had a special way of handing out passes to that--we didn't figure the whole thing out. We all liked the Muppets and Great Movie Ride. Food at ABC Commissary sucked. Celeste chickened out of Indiana Jones and Fantasmic.

MK--What's not to like? It rained, but we got right on Dumbo (twice), did basically everything twice.

Favorites: Parasailing, Chef Mickey's, 'Ohana breakfast, Soarin', watching fireworks from the beach at the Poly, Turtle talk.

Least favorite: ABC Commissary, Cap'n Cook's, service at the Poly (requests weren't honored, we had to call 3 times for a crib, bags not delivered, etc.).

As far as my MIL, she wigged out every time our kids had the slightest table manner boo-boo. It got to the point where we both had to tell her to stop criticizing the kids constantly. Most everything she says is negative, and if there's something positive, she immediately has to compare our child with one of their cousins, thereby taking away the "specialness" for our kid. Celeste's behavior wasn't horrible, just typical toddler in a strange, stimulating environment. But it just drove MIL nuts. She also hated that we spent on souvenirs. But here's the real weird part--a few years back, she pressured us into taking the older two, then 4 and 2, to WDW for a week. And she gave each of them $50 in spending money! What I think completely flipped her lid was, in Tatooine Traders, you can get your kid's face digitally put into photos of the Star Wars characters. This would be real cool for my techno geeks (DH and Robert) anyway, but of course, the main character is Luke. Well, we had to have baby Luke's face put into a Jedi picture--it looks totally goofball, probably not worth the $35, but we just thought it was a hoot. We also got Jocelyn added to Queen Amidallah's body, which was enough to send me running to "Burkas R Us" (yikes! Is that what she's going to look like in a few years? Fortunately, she's holding a gun...).

Anyway, I've rambled long enough. If anyone has any specific questions, I'd be happy to answer them. And I do hope to do a trip report sometime.

joats--I haven't read a book in so long, I don't know if I remember how! But I like Patricia Cornwell (forensic mysteries) and Jonathan Kellerman (psychological mysteries).

 

[floridafam]

I think this onesie is so cute.
www.comficozi.com/ipood-onesie.html

 

[Alice28]

I think this onesie is so cute.
www.comficozi.com/ipood-onesie.html

That is funny!

BNB- loved hearing more details of your trip. I don't get why your MIL cared what you spent on souvenirs.... I love those Star Wars picture things- I regret not doing one of the boys last trip. They love Star Wars!

I'm sorry the Poly's service wasn't quite up to par. That stinks....but parasailing at the CR sounds like an awesome experience!

 

[fabumouse]

Ugh. Madeleine did the cranky baby groove from midnight to 4am last night! She was actually okay if I kept her sitting upright - but I couldn't figure out how to do that and sleep myself.

Jill - my DD5 was seen for a few months. I cannot tell you the relief I felt when the evaluator was asking me questions about eating, crawling, and I mentioned that I was taking DD to the Dr. because she kept coughing all the time. A few questions later, the evaluator put her pencil down and said "this is obviously reflux". I had felt like I was failing as a parent because my baby was clearly in pain and there was nothing it seemed like I could do. Without EI, who knows how long she would have gone undiagnosed? Anyhow, they worked with her for the low-tone (that they said was related) until the day she walked on her own. It sounds like your girls went through a lot!

How was Beauty and the Beast?

Justhat also has the Fisher Price Take Along swing and likes it. I'm beginning to suspect that our swinger-regulator-thingee is broken. FIL bought it for us on Ebay and I suspect that perhaps it was being sold because it didn't work so well. I'm going to look into the Graco and Papasan swings.

GLT - great photos! Love the twister. My photos from DD5's first birthday are embarassing - she started crying because she hated the cake.

T&S - congratulations on your weight loss! I'm probably the only woman in the world who dislikes people saying that I look thinner - it just makes me feel watched all the time.

Ginamarie - congrats on Olivia rolling over!! When my older daughter did that for the first time, we weren't prepared for it and she flipped herself off the bed!! Fortunately I never make my bed and there were a pile of blankets right where she landed. But it scared DH to death.

Kim - I'm so sorry! I've been so tired since the middle of the pregnancy that if given 15 minutes, I can fall asleep on any soft surface.

Valerie - that is so nice of you to make a fuss over your friend's 5th baby! Every baby deserves some pomp and circumstance made over their arrival.

Dizagain - I probably didn't get the opportunity to discuss my age on the other thread. That group was way too quiet for me - but then I'm the kid who always got the "visits with her neighbor too much" comments on my report cards. Glad you got to sleep in! DH did the same for me this morning, until some friends came over to see the baby, and after my four hours of Miss Fussy last night, I was really grateful. Sorry about Carson peeing on you.

BnB - welcome back and so happy to hear you weren't incarcerated! I feel for you with the critical comments from IL's. When DD was 3, they kept looking at each other with their eyes raised and bandied about the term ADHD more than I thought was strictly necessary. Another person who just returned from the Poly had the *exact same* complaint, that she was disappointed in the service in comparison to her past trips - I hope they resolve their problems. Looking forward to your TR!

Joats - I've forgotten which bag had my wallet more times than I can count! It's a major bummer. Especially when I got pulled over by a cranky police officer.

 

[DisKim]

We had a great day out today. The weather was perfect. It was nice just to be outside after all the rain we've had. We went through the safari and saw 2 bears play fighting in the water. I never saw anything like that before. I spent most of the day putting Aidan on rides while DH rode the bigger stuff with Emmy and Alex. Instead of measuring Aidan, they wanted to see him walk before he could go on a ride. I don't get the point of that . Of course, Aidan would turn into jello boy every time they asked him to walk and lay on the ground. It was kind of funny. I just bank this stuff as great silly stories to tell him when he is older.

fabumouse - I remember the days where the baby was up all night. It seems like so long ago. I love the Fisher Price Ocean Wonders swing. Aidan couldn't get enough of it. I had the travel swing too and his head would roll to the side and the toy would hit him in the face so I returned it. The full size one was excellent though. He just loved watching the aquarium.

floridafam - That onesie is too funny!

BNB - I'm glad to see you back! I'm also glad that it wasn't crowded for you. I would have gone nuts if my MIL was criticizing my kids. I hope poor little Celeste didn't notice. That could really upset a child. I'm a total proponent of positive reinforcement. Kids just eat up compliments. They want to be good. My kids get so upset when they are criticized. I think they would die if my MIL did that. Even Aidan cries hysterically when my mom tells him "no." If I tell him "no", he ignores me . I'm sad to hear the service at the Poly wasn't good. That is my favorite resort. We had dinner at Ohana and our server wasn't very attentive. I heard that Captain Cook's is a nightmare. Hopefully, they will fix the problems there. I hope to be able to stay there again one day.

GLT - That party sounds very cool. I get jealous of moms who have time to do all those cutsie things. It's the Martha Stewart complex. It makes me feel like I can't measure up.

Well, I'm going to go relax with a cup of tea. DH has been researching dogs nonstop. It is really weird. All these breeders are online and they live in places like Montana and Kansas so you have to pay to ship the dog. I keep telling DH that I am uncomfortable buying a dog without meeting it first. I guess there are not many breeders in NJ. They are so darn cute though. I just need to pick a dog so DH will give me the darn computer back!

 

[Hillbeans]

Diskim - We spent as much time outside today as could be possible. After having 7 straight days of rain it was so nice to actually see the Sun for a change! Yesterday we went to the Crayola Factory, but today we went to the park, played outside, went for walks and DH mowed the grass. I tried not to spend any time inside today, except what was necessary to make dinner.

I wanted to make sure this long weekend I got to spend lots of family time since once school starts on the 7th we won't have one free weekend until Thanksgiving. It's nice that we'll have off tomorrow as well.

Fabumouse - sorry to hear that Madeleine was up for a long time last night. I hope for everyone's sake that it goes better tonight. I unfortunately have a baby who has never been a good sleeper, however he's finally getting a little bit better - some nights now he'll go 7 straight hours before waking and then he'll sleep another 3 on top of that.

BNB - sorry you didn't like the Poly. No one should have to call 3 times for a crib - that's crazy. I think for all the extra $$$ people pay to stay there should amount to better customer service. Sorry your MIL was a pain - nothing is worse than someone in your own family criticizing your children or comparing your kids to your sibling's children. I agree that there isn't much at Epcot for the toddlers, but my son always liked going to the countries (especially England with the huge Thomas display). I love AK however I think it's a good place to go when the weather is cooler.

Ginamarie - Congrats on Olivia rolling over!!!!!

Alice and Dizagain - I am 100% sold on Cruisers - it's all i'll buy. They are by far the best diaper out there. They have a really absorbent core and the cloth layer on top of the core keeps the moisture off the bottom which equals no diaper rash. The Swaddlers are similar just in the smaller sizes. I know they are more expensive, but I actually use less diapers with the cruisers because they hold more, and they don't leak out at night.

Joats - that's what friends are for! I'm sure if your friend forgot her wallet you'd be happy to cover her meal. Sorry you had to pick up trash after an animal knocked your can over - How is Jace's eye? I hope he's doing well.

Gottalovethem - That party sounds awesome! I would love to have the time to put something that exciting and fun together for the kids. Some people around here really get into parties and spend megabucks also. Hope your daughter had a great time at the party.

Alissa - hope that you get to go to OCNJ next weekend. I feel so bad for anyone who stayed down there last week - we left on Saturday the 26th and it rained all week. What a huge bummer! At least there are things to do down there besides the beach, but that is the main reason everyone goes there. Hope your MS is better.

Jill - hope school is going well for you!

I'm sure Loretta is overlooking the Boardwalk from her hotel room in WDW right about now, she's so lucky!

Sorry i've not updated everyone but as always, I want to make sure I say Hi to everyone, so HI

Goodnight!

 

[llij]

Good evening ladies!

So much to catch up on here!

First off, welcome back to BNBmom! I’m glad that we didn’t have to post bail for you! Sorry to hear that your MIL was cranky and picked on the kids. She reminds me of my grandmother. It sounds like you had a great trip overall! My neighbors were at Disney the same time as you and they said the crowds were light as well. Sorry to hear that the Poly wasn’t up to par as well.

GLT – Leif is absolutely adorable! I love the pictures! My hats off to you for getting so much accomplished in these past few days. Katie’s birthday is at the end of the month and I’m already losing my mind on how to pull her party off. Best wishes to your dd as she starts Kindergarten this week! My oldest is in her last year of elementary school and it seems like yesterday that she started kindergarten.

Tasha – I’m sorry that the inlaws didn’t notice your weight loss. I bet that you look fantastic!

Robin – It sounds like you had a great night last night. I’m drooling over the thought of a comfy bed like yours. My dh and I put a foam pad on the top of ours yesterday and turned the bed around to see if that would help us. So far, it hasn’t. When we get the $$$, I’m checking out that website! I hope that your headache is gone!

Ginamarie – Congrats on Olivia rolling over! Good luck with all of the painting!

DisKim – Glad to hear that Six Flags was fun. Aidan sounds like a riot! Your sleeping pattern sounds exactly like mine. The other night I woke up and was awake from 2:30 until 4:00 a.m. I feel like a walking zombie at times which doesn’t help the studying. As far as NC, I bet your dh is qualified for a lot more than he thinks he is. He’s also working on his Master’s right?

Lissawynn – It sounds like you had a productive day yesterday! I hope you get to OC next weekend!

Joats – I’m glad to hear that your lunch was fun, but what a bummer about leaving the wallet at home. I did that once while I was shopping at Target. I had a ‘heart attack’ b/c I thought I lost my wallet and then realized I left it at home. My poor dh had to drive out there to bring it to me.

Val – It sounds like you are doing a great job at work! That is so sweet of you too, to visit your friend and bring her some goodies.

Floridafam – That onesie was too funny! How did the apple pie turn out?

Dizagain – What a sweet dh you have for letting you sleep in! As far as diapers, we use the Kirkland (Costco) brand diapers, but I really like Huggies too. Lissawynn mentioned pointed the little guys pee-pee down when you put on the diaper and we found that helps us too.

SL – Tollhouse cookies sound very yummy to me! How did everything go at the picnic today?

Fabumouse – I’m so sorry to hear that Madeleine kept you up last night. Meagan would fuss as a new baby too and I remember putting her in her car seat in the middle of our bed so we all could sleep. She had a bit of reflux so the sitting up helped her feel better and she could rest. I hope that you get some rest tonight!

Hillbeans – I’m glad to hear that the weather was great and you could spend time outdoors with the kids! It sounds like you are going to be super busy until Thanksgiving too! Is Kevin going to be playing a sport this fall?



Beauty and the Beast was a really great musical and I’m glad we went. I’m even happier that it was sunny too! It was so cute to see lots of families with their little girls dressed up in Belle costumes. Too cute! Meagan and Katie are too old for that now and I was a little wistful remembering the times that they loved to dress up as princesses. Those days are long gone now. It will be fun when John wants to dress up like Buzz Lightyear though! After the show, my parents had dinner at our house and then I hit the books again. I’m seriously tired of reading and am going to call it a night.

I hope everyone is doing well and I love hearing how you all are doing. You guys are my study break and my sanity check for the next 14 weeks and I miss not being able to DIS more. Everyone have a great labor day tomorrow!