Weekly Chat Thread ~July7th-14th~ - Page 6

[Stitches]

I have to say, that having a baby in the winter makes the infant car seat a really good idea, if you live in a cold climate like I do. You can get the kiddo all strapped and buckled in the warm house and keep the car door open to the cold time to a minimum. It is a pain in the wallet buying 2 car seats in under a year though. DD only lasted 9 months in hers, and I've know lots of babies who outgrew theirs in 6, the convertible seat is for sure a more economical choice.

We need to buy one this time, borrowed a Graco Snug ride from a friend for DD but they just had a baby this month so we can't borrow it again. We have a Britax Marathon and I love it. I need to shop around for a new infant seat though, as I didn't like the Graco, it was a pain to install and I didn't have the necessary strength of a linebacker to get it tight enough. Having been spoiled by the lovely latches and straps on the Britax I think I'm going to have to expend some $$.

OOOh, Coconut ice cream. There is this gelato place here that has coconut. So good. I got an ice cream maker for my birthday last month and I've been experimenting. The watermelon sorbet I made the other day didn't work out so well, I used honey to sweeten it but it was too sickly sweet. I want to make some cinnamon gelato to serve with apple or peach crisp. And I want to make fresh peach ice cream. Okay, now I want ice cream!

[LadyCatherine185]

yes that will be nice to have an infant carseat this winter! we have DS1's leftover, that was given to us, and he outgrew it in 5 months! It only went up to 20 lbs, and he was 20 lbs by 5 months old.

[FarrenSquare]

Good point, stitches. Since we live in the same climate, I think I'm going to listen that great advice!

I was talking to one of my closest friends today about our car-seat / stroller fiasco and found out that she is not planning on buying another rear-facing carseat for her little guy! She gave birth about 2 months before I found out I was pregnant and while we disagree on pretty much everything child rearing (cio, circ, vax, co-sleeping, feeding solids, you name it) I've kept my mouth shut about my opinions. I don't even know what to say to her about this car seat issue though! I did tell her that I didn't think it was a safe idea and that everything I've ever read said that the baby should be rear facing. I encouraged her to talk to her pediatrician about it, too. She said her car is just to small for a rear-facing seat which I can't believe, and she said a mutual friend is giving her a car-seat (which has got to be over five years old by now) for free. Man! How can I convince her that carseats are just not the area to save cash without looking like the childless friend with nosey opinions...

[HeatherB]

I'm so glad there are infant seats with so much higher weight limits these days! My first DS was out of his at 5 months for height (he's still skinny and tall), and then with #2, I realized that had NOT been a very good seat (only one set of harness slots, so it didn't fit a little baby well, which seemed kinda pointless, you know?). We went with the Britax infant seat at the time - the Companion - because it had the best install in our car of the ones we looked at. It was remarkable at the time because it went to 22lbs and 30" - much taller than others. DS2 was in it until 18 months! Then he went to RFing in a Roundabout, then eventually we switched him to a Marathon FFing at 2yo, I think.

DS3 also got over a year in that infant seat, and maxed it at both height/weight pretty evenly, I think. I put him in one of the newer Graco seats about that time and he STILL had room! They are making them work until at least a year so parents are less likely to turn their kids TOO early - though it's STILL so so so much safer to keep them RFing until 2-4yo (or as long as they can). DS3 is still RFing (he'll be 3 end of Sept) in a Marathon with room to grow.

FarrenSquare, I tend to post articles, links, videos, etc., to Facebook these days. It's my non-combative way of sharing things that *everyone* can benefit from. And it's all take-it-or-leave-it; no one is forced to read it and it's never directed at ONE person. So, if your friend happens to be a friend on FB, too, you might find some links to share. I tend to preface with my personal story, such as, "I found this incredible video while learning about carseats for my baby-in-the-belly. I think all parents should see it!" Might help.

And now I want coconut ice cream. There is an amazing South American restaurant here that makes fresh coconut ice cream. SO good!! Haven't been in ages. Mmm... We went there for our wedding rehearsal, among other things.

[mzminty]

Thanks, Heather! I wrote the names of those down and will take a look at those ones specifically when DH and I go shopping.

My little guy is only he just 23 pounds at 18 months of age, so he's ben fine in his infant one until now. He may be a little too tall for it, in terms of the shoulder straps...

[karen1968]

We just ordered a Chicco KeyFit30 from albeebaby.com. It should be here this week, so I'll let you all know what we think of it, baby-less We used a Graco Snugride last time (hand-me-down from my sister, only two years old and never been in an accident), but didn't have access to a safe hand-me-down this time. We switched DS to a Britax Marathon when he was ~6mo and he rear-faced in that until nearly 2. He's still in it forward facing, and has lots of room.

We are hoping the Chicco Keyfit is easier to install correctly. We had problems with the SnugRide (in a Subaru Forester with LATCH). We're also trying to decide if we can do a rf infant seat and a seat-kicking toddler in our car with my DH's long legs. We NEED a second car by fall, due to DH's work situation, and are trying to decide between a family car (Mazda5, probably) or a commuter car (Honda Fit or Nissan Versa).

On Friday, I took DS raspberry picking and then to meet friends at the park where I sat on a blanket on the ground. Starting late on Friday, I've had the WORST sciatica pain! I don't know for certain what precipitated it, but probably the bending and squatting while picking berries. I've been icing, stretching, and doing self-massage with a ball against the wall (also sitting as much as possible in straight-back and hard-seated chairs as opposed to the couch, etc.) and the pain isn't showing much sign of going away. I'm going to take an 8-hour Tylenol before bed and hope I feel better tomorrow I might have to skip out on my Pilates lesson, which is pretty much the only exercise I get these days.

Oh well, at least I have 12 half-pints of raspberry jam in the freezer!

[MisaGoat]

Mmm coconut ice cream. There is place here that has coconut italian ice that is really good. Maybe tomorrow.

I haven't decided on a car seat yet. I have several around that aren't in use so I have options but I don't know if I am going to buy anything ahead of time. I'll probably see if what I have works for us and go from there. I have a Cosco scenera and a snugride that my son used but has since outgrown. Right now my son is in a Marathon in my car and a Nautilus in my husband's car. He'll be using both of those for a few more years. I don't think we used the snugride for very long, probably less than 6 months before he outgrew it.

I think I am nesting already. I am driving my husband crazy with projects. My dad came up and painted my son's room (which will be shared with this baby) last weekend. Then he came up again on Wednesday and painted the dining room ceiling and one wall. I have to see when he can come up and finish the dining room. I finished ripping out the brick on one side of the fireplace to reveal original hardwood flooring with an inset border. Once we finish pulling up the brick, we are going to refinish the floors, but probably not until after I go back to work from maternity leave. Tomorrow we are going to get all the weeds out of the patch between the sidewalk and the street, put fresh flowers and mulch it.

As far as Britax straps fraying, I am pretty sure you can order new straps from them. I had to order the chest clip because we lost half of it when we took the cover off to clean it.

[Stitches]

Karen- Raspberry jam, Yum! Now that my garden is growing I'm getting excited to do some canning and stuff. I have some refrigerator pickles on the go right now, and I want to make chili sauce and relish and pickled carrots and maybe some more jam. My mom just moved and her old yard had a huge raspberry patch. Now I have to pay for them

I'm nesting big time, we got storage shelves and toy bins today and I'm just chomping at the bit to get cleaning and organizing. I've been knitting a bunch of baby stuff for friends who just had or are about to give birth, and it's making me really antsy to get some stuff knit for me! We are spending a week in a cabin in August so I'm taking lots of yarn with me, I might knit on the beach!

[ILoveMySofie]

way too tired to make any sense over here at all but to everyone researching car seats-if you have not been to the family safety forum here on mdc yet-please check it out!
I did and wow-the information i learned is just invaluable!!

[kittywitty]

The sex thread got shut down. Did I miss something good or did I do it?

[my kidlets and me]

I dunno, but it made me laugh too.

[MamaFern]

Originally Posted by Stitches

I'm nesting big time, we got storage shelves and toy bins today and I'm just chomping at the bit to get cleaning and organizing. I've been knitting a bunch of baby stuff for friends who just had or are about to give birth, and it's making me really antsy to get some stuff knit for me! We are spending a week in a cabin in August so I'm taking lots of yarn with me, I might knit on the beach!

me too! on the nesting.. i finally got my room in order.. i was sorting out newborn clothes and diapers yesterday a bit early but i love getting it all set up..seeing what i have.. and making it pretty i have a big cube shelf in my room and a smaller one and its so fun getting it all just so. of course ill have to do it over a few times before baby comes, but thats half of the fun.



i also do a lot of knitting on the beach these days


24 weeks today dont know why but it feels Big!
baby is active as always, but it feels like he is growing fast! i have about a fingers width left before he is totally under my ribs! it says "baby will gain 1/2 lb this week alone" on one of the baby growth thingy's.. no wonder i woke up to eat some home-made pickles, bread & cheese last night at 1:am

well, kiddos are up..we have swimming lessons and then a family dinner here (first one in our new house) so i have much to do..

happy week everyone (ps we should start a new thread )

[HeatherB]

Congrats on 24 weeks! That always seems like a milestone to me, as I know children who were born that early. It's more-or-less the point of viability should anything happen, and that's VERY encouraging! I don't worry much about it now being on #4, but it still feels like a very good goal to reach!

I'm 22w3d now. Taking the kiddos to the museum with MIL this afternoon while DH (WAHD) has his meetings. Of course we seem to ALL feel under the weather.

This baby does NOT like to perform! S/he was moving around earlier, and I called in my DS1 to try to feel. Then s/he stopped. Same thing when I get DH to come. Oh, well.

I had another dream about it being a girl, and in the dream was trying to figure out if it was JUST a dream or if I really knew it was a girl. It was something of a detached birth - like my mom went to a different room and brought back a baby dressed in girl's clothes (albeit blue - there was a bow on a hat). Weird, eh? Anyway, between dreaming and waking I was thinking very clearly, "I just want my baby!" I am so ready to see who this is and meet this little one - and I have 18 weeks left. I am not one to get antsy at the end (I'm ALL for letting babies come in their own time!), but it surely does seem like an eternity to wait right now. Where's the "fast-forward" button?

[Ellen Griswold]

Originally Posted by kittywitty

The sex thread got shut down. Did I miss something good or did I do it?

I want to know too!

[mzminty]

Originally Posted by kittywitty

The sex thread got shut down. Did I miss something good or did I do it?

I think we did it. We were the last two to post!

So after all my saying I love hot weather and hate a/c, I'm miserable today. Even DH agreed we don't need the a/c on today, and yet I'm feeling all warm and sweaty! I did wake up and immediately start setting this house to rights, because I didn't get anything done this weekend. Then I took a shower and found that the two bowls of pasta I ate for lunch completely pushed me over the edge and none of my clothes fit me anymore. I've been trying to get away with not buying many maternity clothes, so I've still been using rubber bands with some of my shorts and jeans, and then buying longer tops. The maternity tanks I bought at Gap all shrunk, I can't get the zippers up as high as I used to on my shorts and jeans, and the long shirts all aren't long enough to hide the lack of zippage. So trying all those clothes on and getting irritated made me start sweating again!

I'm 23w 1d, BTW, and was just starting to wonder when it was "safe" for baby to be born. I usually call my friend who's a NICU RN around this time and start picking her brain just to make myself feel better, though I always go late anyway!

[~Demeter~]

Originally Posted by mzminty

I think we did it. We were the last two to post!

There were a few after you... I was one of them. It was a little graphic but honestly not too bad.

[YayJennie]

And I wasn't sure the sex thread would even get any responses. But then you ladies go into such detail you get it shut down! I thought that was pretty funny too, but I guess I don't know MDCs rules well enough. Nothing seemed that graphic to me

I'm also hot and sweaty and uncomfortable in this heat. Every morning I walk my dog and my son for about 30 minutes, and even on days it's only in the mid 70s, I get back sweating, panting, and have to change my clothes and sit in the ac to get comfortable again. I hate the heat! I honestly can't wait for winter. Luckily upstate NY only has about 6 weeks of summer and the rest is winter! I love the fall, so it will be a relief come September.

[karen1968]

Psssst! New thread here...

[~Demeter~]

Speaking of hot and sweaty... last weekend when we went to the Ren Faire, I wore a wrap skirt (love my wrap skirts!) and my thighs rubbed together!! After 6+ hours of that I had some chafing! I was mortified, I used to be so thin my thighs never, ever rubbed together.

[karen1968]

Ha! That reminds me of my skinny friend's first pregnancy! She once complained "I can't wait to have this baby so my thighs won't rub together any more!" my robust friend and I just looked at each other, then back at her and I said, "Your thighs don't *normally* rub together??!"