September 2007 Mamas - Lovin' our Toddlers (February)

[mrsb422]

Hey everyone…sorry it’s been so long. I haven’t been feeling well and haven’t had two seconds to log in since work has been so hectic (and awful). My internet access has been soooo slow at the office too which isn’t helping. Sorry for being absent

mommajb I love Alicia’s DDDDC…truly awesome! Thank you for all your kind words.

Lindsey Happy That’s such a relief to get past that milestone. Hope you’re feeling good. Congrats to your hubby on the new job – that’s wonderful!!

Katie I love the way you approach every parenting challenge with such confidence and calm. You really have it together lady!! I hope Laine’s teething gets better soon. Marty was a slow and painful teether as well and it is just horrible. I can’t believe Andrew is coming home already – that is SO wonderful!! that the remaining time goes quickly.

HeatherB Sorry Judah isn’t feeling well – that’s no good. It’s amazing that you’re succeeding at potty learning while he’s having trouble digestively – good for you! What a great dream, or even better, that it didn’t scare you. I would have been terrified!!

Well drama is surrounding my life and I really have no room for it. I’m so tired…seriously just physically and mentally exhausted by all of it. The drama that I create in my head all by myself and the other drama that just seems to be magnetic to me. My workplace has been a vile place to survive lately and I call it survival because it is barely tolerable. My boss is in some big trouble (legal) that could drastically affect the group and is creating a lot of stress and tension in our group. I’m so overloaded with work because we’re short-handed and hiring a new person seems to be a revolving door – no one ever stays (and it’s no wonder!) I have so much anxiety about work and then also about birth that I just am on the verge of tears constantly.

So Saturday I started having severe cramping in the middle of the mall – no real reason or warning. I was out with my guys, shopping and enjoying lunch – what gives?? Then I went home and had a major “movement” (sorry TMI) and felt some “burning” sensations deep inside what I’m guessing was my cervix area? It subsided, but later in the evening I started having more cramping. Only lasts 1-2 minutes and only happens every 45-60 minutes. It continued into Sunday so Monday my mother was harassing the living daylights out of me to call my doctor. I called at 9:30. Finally by 1:30 pm the nurse called me back and thought the doctor would probably want me to go over to labor and delivery to get checked out.

So at 2:30 I finally got the call…go to L&D they are expecting you. Called mom, she met me there. Called the school and told them my mom would most likely be picking up DS. Tried to call DH and got no response…figures!! Headed over to the hospital, crying the whole way hysterically more over the fact that I wouldn’t be able to pick up DS from school than anything – I’ve never missed a day unannounced like that. It broke my heart. A little fear kicked in too of course, so that didn’t help either. Met my mom in the parking lot, L&D processed me immediately – strip, pee, get in bed, monitors on…fun, fun, fun. Of course NOTHING was happening. NOTHING. Then I got “spoken too” about ½ a dozen times that I kept moving and they kept losing the baby on the monitor. In actuality HE was moving, not me. He didn’t like the pressure of the monitor and kept moving away from it. Finally my doc stopped by, did a pre-term labor test and exam – both came back fine. Urine was fine. He decided I was probably dehydrated and stressed (you think??) so he ordered IV fluids. I begged to be allowed to just drink a lot of water (because it was getting to be time to pick DS up) and he said no. So my mom left to get my son and I laid there completely defeated. They sent in a nurse to do the IV – blow vein #1. She got another nurse – blow vein #2. Then they called the “IV team” and got the IV on the 3rd try – I am a freakin’ human pincushion. Then the lady for the CBC test came in RIGHT as the IV team was cleaning up…couldn’t they have gotten there like 5 minutes earlier??!! Stick #4 and they got their blood. About an hour later they said all was good, the pain was probably from ligaments tearing/stretching and that I need to hydrate more, stress myself less, and wear support underwear IDK…that last part just made me laugh. I have to go to the doc on 2/8 for a follow up on yesterday’s visit, more fun. I also am supposed to do the glucose tolerance next week…fun, fun, fun. I can hardly stand it!!

So we all, Mom, DS, and my sister, went out to dinner after the hospital business. It was my mom’s birthday and I felt horrible about everything. As soon as I saw DS he lit up like a Christmas tree – “Mommy! I love you!” at the top of his lungs. I did everything in my power not to cry, but I couldn’t help myself. I just wanted to stand there in the parking lot, in 18 degree weather, and squeeze my boy and cry my eyes about. I’ve never felt better in my entire life. He is truly the whole world to me right now…all my happiness rolled up in almost-40 lbs. of rambunctious little boy. I guess DH was right when he said we needed to have a 2nd so I didn’t smother the 1st

DH and I got into an argument when I got home (of course) but I think it was less about the actual content of the argument (which is too mundane to even mention) and more about the fact that he felt guilty. I was never able to get a hold of him until I was discharged and on my way to the restaurant. I was really upset about that, but never even said anything – I just wanted to get out of there and get my arms around my boy. He has apologized profusely since and been very attentive today, but it’ll be short lived.

DS of course didn’t want to go to school today – big surprise. I gotta’ say, staying home in sweats, cuddling him all day was VERY tempting. It is supposed to snow today though so maybe that’ll be my plan for tomorrow

to you all mamas. Sorry for the novel-long post!!

[mommajb]

subbing... I'll need some more time to read the book Jessica wrote

ETA: Jessica. You do need some time off from life. Parenting two or more just doesn't let up does it? Get to bed early tonight even if you have to watch bad movies with Little Marty in bed to do it.

[HeatherB]

Subbing...

Jessica, so sorry things have been so stressful. I hope you can find the support you need in these next few months!

Kids have been crazy, DH has been less-than-stellar (to put it nicely), and I hate the stress. Ugh. So, yeah, I'm sure I'm crazy to be wishing for one more. We shall see...

[~Katie~]

Need some fashion help.

Give me your HONEST opinions, ugly or pretty:

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3060446?...Product-_-Auto

I need to find a dress for this ball and have been debating this one for a while. You'd be surprised how hard it is to find a dress that minimizes cleavage and hides my tattoo

[mommajb]

I don't think I can do the gradually enlarging horizontal strips (for myself).

I like this but would want it in black and my size isn't in stock and I have no where to go.

[*jeanine*]

Would you buy it in person or online? If you would buy it in person, can you try it on and take a photo for us?

[~Katie~]

My Nordstrom probably won't have a lot of the online things in stock but trying dresses on would be best. I like the dress for the fit and if the lace were just on the bust it would be perfect. I've been working out for the last month and all that's done is accentuate the hourglass in my shape (think J-Lo booty) so fit and fabric is a consideration. I don't really like how it goes all the way down the dress, horizontal stripes are hard to pull off on anybody. The biggest problem is that I have a big chest and need a dress that will cover up cleavage.

Some women like to flaunt the cleavage at military balls but I'm of the mindset that you're representative of your date and need to dress in a more sophisticated and classy way. My tattoo is also an issue (didn't ever think I'd be going to balls several times a year when I was 18) and my whole upper back is heavily tattooed so something that at least partially covers it would be best. The dress should also be either black, navy, grey, or another dark color. They don't make it easy on us ladies

[Faliciagayle]

I love the dress I didn't even think about horizontal lines.
You could always take it to a tailor and have a little modesty panel put in the bust - matching lace or black taffeta to give more coverage.
I hear you on the tattoo thing (I have a bunch). I dress pretty modestly on average, but come summer time when my sleeves hike up to me elbows.... lets just say I get a lot of looks.


yeah I just clicked on the dress again, I think it's gorgeous. Stunning really. How long is your hair? At my wedding, my hair was down and that covered the upper back tattoo quite well. Well, the veil too IIRC yours in chin length. You could always rock a stole or pashmina. When's the ball?


OMG I want to go to a ball.

[Faliciagayle]

This might be easily modified in the bust/back. You could wear a nude camisole.

[Plaid Leopard]

the dress you picked out is beatiful.
I like this one too

[~Katie~]

I'm okay with the bust on that dress because the shoulders are wider and it isn't too low cut, it's the spaghetti strap dresses that won't hide much. I haven't actually cut my hair since before Andrew left (so maybe 10 or 11 months worth of growth) it's grown about 6-7 inches at least and is mid-back length. I don't plan to do much other than a trim when he gets back because I like the length now. Not sure what type of style I'll do, I have a bunch of credit card reward points to use at Regis (like $100 worth) so it will probably go toward that. It's either going to be down or in a low bun type of thing. You can obviously tell I'm not very adept at this, we've gone to 7 or 8 of these and most people are drunk within the first 30 minutes so it won't matter too much

[~Katie~]

Oh the ball is the week before block leave starts so a couple of weeks after he gets back, I want to get the dress soon so I can get it in to be altered. And I just saw that it's only available in size 14 which would take a whole heck of a lot of altering. Hmmm.

[Plaid Leopard]

Mrsb -
I hope you get a break, mama! Seems like you are having a really rough time.
Try to find some time to be quiet and just "be". I'm glad everything is ok with the baby.

[mommajb]

Plaid I want to see the dress you picked out and the link isn't working.

[Plaid Leopard]

try this
It's more subdued than the other, not really a "wow!" dress. I like it though, but I think they picked the wrong model for it. I think it would be more flattering on someone curvier and "hour-glassier" - and with the right accessories...

oooh, this one! dress Adrianna Papell Shutter Pleat Gown with Beaded Waist

ugh, links not working.

[*jeanine*]

I like the first one in plaid's above post. not a whole lot of coverage in back, depending on the tattoo, though.
it's hard to find something with front *and* back coverage that's not mother-of-the-bride-ish.
i vote you say to "them" and wear this. That's what I'd wear, if I had somewhere to go, boobs to fill it out, and, well, guts

[*jeanine*]

this?

[~Katie~]

at Jeanine. I wish it were that easy. In college I didn't care so much, but now I have love handles I think I'm going to have to go and try some on. It's hard because I'm still in the process of losing the weight. You are right that it's hard to find something that isn't mother of the bride-like.

I was looking on JCrew and found a dress I love but it's $700 The other one I liked is $300. I had a dress in college from JCrew that was phenomenal, I wish I still had it. So Mama is going to have to do some saving if I end up buying that one. It's an investment, right? Isn't that a good excuse?

[~Katie~]

I'm a sucker for anything with lace

These are also options:
One and Two

I think I have to accept that I am probably not going to find a dress that covers everything without looking like Grandma, so I can compromise on the tattoo. I guess they'll think I'm a badass. This is my tattoo, btw. I don't think I've ever shown pictures of it.

[Plaid Leopard]

I love your tattoo.

The option one dress is very nice. I don't like the crossed-straps in the back so much but the front is very nice.

When I was the maid of honor at my sister's black and white wedding, a friend made a beautiful, floor-length, black, 30s style gown (she even made it as a nursing dress) for me. It was sleeveless but completely covered my back. It had a v-neck, draped bodice, with an empire waist, and skimmed the hips, belly and thighs before flaring out a bit at the hem. I wish I still had it, I felt so pretty in it, and it was one-of-a kind. I ended up giving it back to her so she could sell it, because I was supposed to do babysitting and ironing and cleaning in exchange for the dress, but was unable to .