2nd half of May chat thread

[Snapdragon]

I thought the other thread might be getting lng with all of this time still left in MAy so here is a new chat thread!

I am spending the wk with my parents and it is so relaxing it is like a vacation! they are helping so much with the baby andloving him up and he is getting so much fresh stimulation and I can REST!!!! DH had to go home and to work (in a different state) so he will get a wk of uninterrupted sleep which he so desrves, my hard working man.
I feel so much better here.I was so isolated with my back out livining in the beautiful boonies. It is nice to be here in civilzation with tons of help! also- turns out my dad's scale was 9 or so pounds off!

[mtnmoonmama]

Sounds wonderful, Katie! It is so important for new moms to have support and not feel isolated.

My dream is to have just a day of uninterrupted sleep! My dh went away for 4 weeks last Oct (rafting the Co river) so when my baby is old enough for me to be away (realistically not for another 2 years), I've got a vacation coming, woohoo! Dh is going to take our older boys camping for a night this weekend and really, that will be super restful for me, too. Ahhh, naps!!

[linchi]

Originally Posted by Katie34

I thought the other thread might be getting lng with all of this time still left in MAy so here is a new chat thread!

I am spending the wk with my parents and it is so relaxing it is like a vacation! they are helping so much with the baby andloving him up and he is getting so much fresh stimulation and I can REST!!!! DH had to go home and to work (in a different state) so he will get a wk of uninterrupted sleep which he so desrves, my hard working man.
I feel so much better here.I was so isolated with my back out livining in the beautiful boonies. It is nice to be here in civilzation with tons of help! also- turns out my dad's scale was 9 or so pounds off!

And that's why God created grandparents! I see it now, but had no clue before. My mom was so insistent on coming right after Iago was born. She helped me SO MUCH. I really credit her with the ease of transition from hospital to home. She was so supportive of breastfeeding. I could go on and on... Man, I miss that woman!!!

Poor Katie! That must have been horrible to think you gained 10 pounds! Now go ear something delicious

[flavorfull1]

ok, I am so nervous but today I am taking the plunge and getting a spiral wrap perm. I am getting it done at a teaching salon so it will mean it might take around 6 hours! Crazy! Malachi has yet to take a bottle and they said that he could be brought to me to breastfeed. I am just not looking forward to being apart from him but on the other hand I think it will be super fun to finally have hair that looks decent. Sigh. My DH will be with him and I have pumped if they get in a crazy jam but he can bring him to me anyway.
Four months old today! My bet is he weighs at least 18lbs, we will see!

[jul511riv]

reposting from the old thread:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-L-F...next=1&index=2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXkM11kp_tg

[NicoleS]

Morning! I'm thinking this will be our last chat thread then? I know I found out I was expecting at the end of May...

[hapersmion]

Ben keeps biting everything! He really acts like he's teething, but I've told him he has to wait at least another three months...

I'm missing my mom too! She drives me slightly crazy... but she did so many chores! Last week was a difficult one, I actually felt like things were harder than the first six weeks, the ones that are supposed to be hard. But I think I'm getting used to getting things done on my own now. Laundry and dishes are getting washed, and the kitchen isn't the disaster it was last week. So that's good, I can do it after all. Of course, my mom is coming back this week anyway.

[NicoleS]

I'm jealous of all of you that have helpful families...

[Snapdragon]

how much help do you all get with your babies? I mean other than your husbands. My husband is awesome with the baby-seriously he does so much. HOwever he also works a full time job.
So there is only so much he can do. So I thought jeez how hard can it be to take care of one little baby. People have mulitple kids and jobs etc. So maybe it is just cause I live so far from everything and spend too much time alone but I am learning that I need a break! sO I am going to get someone to come a few ours a day- it is indulgent but I am finding here with help I am so much more enjoying my baby! When you are utterly exhuasted all the time it is no fun for anyone.
Just a few hrs a day break I am hoping will allow our family to have more of a balnce so life doesn't feel like work 100% of the time.

How much help do you all get other than your dh's? Some lucky people have family close by. I wish my parents lived closer they would help all the time. Dh's family lives clsoer- but still 45 minutes away and they don't come by too much- some, but they are both super busy with their jobs. My folks are retired so they have more time.

[aramat]

Originally Posted by Katie34

how much help do you all get with your babies? I mean other than your husbands. My husband is awesome with the baby-seriously he does so much. HOwever he also works a full time job.
So there is only so much he can do. So I thought jeez how hard can it be to take care of one little baby. People have mulitple kids and jobs etc. So maybe it is just cause I live so far from everything and spend too much time alone but I am learning that I need a break! sO I am going to get someone to come a few ours a day- it is indulgent but I am finding here with help I am so much more enjoying my baby! When you are utterly exhuasted all the time it is no fun for anyone.
Just a few hrs a day break I am hoping will allow our family to have more of a balnce so life doesn't feel like work 100% of the time.

How much help do you all get other than your dh's? Some lucky people have family close by. I wish my parents lived closer they would help all the time. Dh's family lives clsoer- but still 45 minutes away and they don't come by too much- some, but they are both super busy with their jobs. My folks are retired so they have more time.

Currently, I get pretty much 0% help w/Juju--including my husband, but I do get help with the older two kids. The worst part for me is just the repetition--Juju is amazing, but I do get bored. I'm hoping to start doula-ing soon, though!

[busymama77]

My IL's live 6 miles away and they are always on hand to help. My parents are, too, but I think there's some jealousy there that we now live so much closer to my IL's than them - SUPER long story!

Like tomorrow night, DH and I both have plans for work and my FIL is able to come over and stay with the boys until I get home. It's so nice and I'm super comfortable with it and makes for a nice evening out.

Oh and my DH is great. He's been home the last few days and is willing to get up in the middle of the night/early morning if I request - he takes over with our ODS so that I can spend some quality time with W in the evenings and once W goes to bed, then I can spend time with J. It's been working out pretty well and I get to see all of boys pretty much equally.

[OlyR]

I returned back to work full time yesterday so we are getting lots of help as of this week (MIL is living with us for a month and caring for him during the weekdays).

DH works full time and was not able to take any time off after DS was born (self employed, if he doesn't work we don't get money :smile) Before I went back to work my grandma came about 2 times a week to help clean the house or hold DS so I could go outside and garden. I don't think staying home was exhausting in itself, but the monotony got to me - I also had to loosen my standards in regards to home organization and "me" time. I felt guilty that I was bored/tired of spending exclusive time with DS but it did tire me out.

edit to add - we live about 30 mins from my parents and family. My mom comes over anytime we need her although we haven't had her babysit too many times. Last weekend she happened to stop by, DS was just going down for a nap so she encouraged us to go out to lunch while she stayed there. We will have to do that a little more often now that he's getting older.

[mtnmoonmama]

Originally Posted by Katie34

how much help do you all get with your babies?.

None!

[Ninetales]

I really don't get help with the baby, since she really only likes to be with me. My mother-in-law and mom are good for coming by and either doing stuff for me or entertaining her for a little bit at a time while I do stuff.

[Snapdragon]

while we are here we are using disposible diapers- ONLY because we took the train and were totally maxed out on what we could carry :cry!
Ugh! No offence at all to anyone who uses them but yech, I hate them! We use these lovely prefold fitteds at home and also other soft cotton fitted dipes. Here we are using the chlorine free blah blah but man do I create tons of garbage in a day! Plus they smell gross to me. Oh well, otherwise being here is great so far. But my baby isn't pooping as much- only once a day and not at all today! HE used to poop 3X a day! (at home). We do EC with him but we didn't bring the baby potty so we are holding him over the regular toilet and while he pees okay in it I think it freaks him out to poop in it- plus maybe the new dipers weird him out? as he isn't pooping much in them either! I hope his belly doesn't hurt.

[Nicole730]

How much help do I get?
Quite a bit. My parents live about a half hour away, and my mom usually comes over once a week. She plays with and watches my two year old more so than the baby though. Which is how I want it. Then I go to my parents about once a week and there I get a little bit more 'me' time because I don't have to be cleaning while someone is occupying the children. Also - DH works from home, so if both kids are crying a once, he is usually able to take one while I deal with the other. It is soooo nice and I am constantly telling him how much I appreciate it.

[Nicole730]

Originally Posted by Katie34

while we are here we are using disposible diapers- ONLY because we took the train and were totally maxed out on what we could carry :cry!
Ugh! No offence at all to anyone who uses them but yech, I hate them! We use these lovely prefold fitteds at home and also other soft cotton fitted dipes. Here we are using the chlorine free blah blah but man do I create tons of garbage in a day! Plus they smell gross to me. Oh well, otherwise being here is great so far. But my baby isn't pooping as much- only once a day and not at all today! HE used to poop 3X a day! (at home). We do EC with him but we didn't bring the baby potty so we are holding him over the regular toilet and while he pees okay in it I think it freaks him out to poop in it- plus maybe the new dipers weird him out? as he isn't pooping much in them either! I hope his belly doesn't hurt.

I hear you on the sposie smell. DH absolutely hates them. We do use them overnight for DS right now because the couple cloth ones we had were giving him a red penis, which he didn't seem to mind, but I did. If you think he is uncomfortable from not pooping, you can always take his temp rectally, that usually did the trick with DS.

[linchi]

Originally Posted by mtnmoonmama

None!

Same here!
I don't even have a breast pump yet, so I can't even go out alone. The thing is I don't really want to either. We have friends here from our prenatal class and they go out alone every week! I like going out to eat at restaurants with Iago. I'm a parent now, my life has changed.

Now, I'd LOVE some help with the housework!!!

[SunRise]

Originally Posted by Katie34

How much help do you all get other than your dh's? Some lucky people have family close by. I wish my parents lived closer they would help all the time. Dh's family lives clsoer- but still 45 minutes away and they don't come by too much- some, but they are both super busy with their jobs. My folks are retired so they have more time.

None!
Partner helps with the baby, while I mow the lawn, plant the garden, prepare dinner, etc. I do not get these things completed though as when Lucy cries he brings her to me!

I do get a precious hour in the morning, where baby stays with dad and I walk my son to school and then go on a longer walk (soon to be run) by myself.

My parents live 4 hours away and his mom lives in Turkey ... so we have to drive (or fly) somewhere if we want extended family help.

I do have a nice group of mom friends from my sons age group, so this socializing is welcomed.

And Lucy is a sweet, sweet "easy" baby. She comes to work with me right now where we can interact for a bit, then she naps and I do some work.

[SunRise]

Originally Posted by linchi

Same here!


Now, I'd LOVE some help with the housework!!!

Yes to this! A little cooperation keeping the place tidy!