Seriously??!! It's April already??!! No way!
So refreshing! A new chat thread! Is anyone planning any April Fools today? We never get into that, but I always enjoy reading about everyone's tricks!
Nicki - I think you need to post a pic of this octopus rocker! My mom bought DD this super annoying pink pony rocker and it immediately went to the resale shop. Totally not our thing!
hello, april !!
two more weeks of teaching, then spring break, then maternity leave! 
the sun is shining (well, not yet, it's only 6:20am), the birds are singing... it definitely feels like spring is here. our babies will be coming before we know it!
today some of the moms from my first grade class are throwing me a little tea party. it will be my first baby celebration, and i'm looking forward to it!
xo
Oooh, I'm going to try to get more involved in this month's thread!
I'm doing a lot of knitting these days. I'm trying to finish up a slew of custom orders and get back to making stuff for my actual baby. I think we have the name chosen, though it won't be revealed until the birth. I feel like my planning is going along very well. I'm really getting excited for a local kids clothing consignment sale, so I can get the rest of the stuff I want. It isn't until May, though. The babywearing education program that I do is really taking off. I've been training 2 assistants to cover me when I have the baby. That's all going very well. I can't wait for the weather to warm up here so DS and I can go work in the garden!
I began my April by sitting in the ER of our children's hospital with my kids last night. :(
We've been having some issues with my son, who turned 12 in January.. His behavior has gotten progressively worse over the last several months. He's been getting in fights at school, fighting with my daughter, being rude and beligerent at home, ignoring the rules, slamming doors, yelling, stealing, lying, and he even started a small fire while home alone sick one day. I've been trying to find him a therapist but haven't been successful.
Well, after the whole kids fighting while making crepes last night I broke down and called our county MHMR crisis hotline and they said that I needed to take him to the ER for evaluation. He'd hit me twice, in the belly, while flailing around and doing his best to ignore me and run out the back door and he said that he wanted to snap his sister's neck.
So we spent several hours in the ER waiting, naturally, but we did talk to an LPC who did a psych eval on him and talked to the psychiatrist for the hospital's behavioral health program. He'll be starting a Partial Hospitalization Program as soon as they have an opening, which will probably be some time next week. He'll go to this program from 8 am until 3 pm for however long, I think it's usually 5 days. They'll work with him on getting a definitive diagnosis, work with his meds, and help him learn some coping skills. Then he'll start going to a psychiatrist for med management and therapy, or a therapist for the therapy.
I'm finally feeling more hopeful about this situation. Middle school is sucky and hard anyway, and it's worse with emotional and mental health issues coming into the mix.
I wish medication didn't have to happen either, but I tried everything I could for 6 YEARS to help him manage his ADHD without meds and nothing worked well enough to enable him to function. So meds it is.
I just want him to be safe and to feel better. Being a mom hurts sometimes. :(
I'm going to try to be more active this month too!!
Jenni -- that's so sad :( I'm sorry your family is struggling right now, especially being pregnant and everything -- but I pray your son gets the help he needs and learns the techniques and coping mechanisms he needs to be successful. Sending peace to your family.
Oh Jenni, I am so sorry you and your family have to go through this. It sounds like you are doing the right thing and getting him properly evaluated and treated. I can't imagine how hard this must be on you, mama. Big, big hugs and remember we are all here for you.
Today is one of those days around here... DS is acting out, I have a persistent headache and just feel like sleeping - and I just have so much to do. I have to make birthday gifts for Sunday which I guess I have already kind of resigned myself to not getting done. I have to make the cake for the party and I think I am going to work on this tonight after the kids go to sleep so that if it turns out bad I can always whip up a new one tomorrow. Wish me luck with the fondant! It's a little scary but looks fun to work with.
I think that I am officially sick of being pregnant.
jshannyn519 - I'm so sorry mama. :( Your son sounds pretty much exactly like my brother was at that age. I can totally understand wanting to avoid meds, but they can help immensely. My brother was a different person on them - you could finally see his personality shining through, once the impulsiveness and destructiveness got under control. I hope you guys get the help you need. 
Not planning any April fools pranks here. It's MIL's birthday today (hehe..). We were going to go out for dinner, which I was looking forward to, but MIL is sick so it's been called off. Maybe another day.
What else? Today is the first day that actually feels like spring! The first flowers have just popped up, and the snow has finally cleared. I hope it stays like this. I'm SO OVER winter!
What are you guys planning for the weekend?? We don't have any plans for tomorrow. Probably mostly just catching up on chores. We've been meaning to make sushi too. I'm trying to think of some good pregnancy-safe fillings. I think we'll do shrimp, california rolls, tinned tuna (it's ok in small amounts, right?), plus some vegetarian ones.
Sunday should be nice - I'm meeting up with some mama friends during the day, then DH & I are going to our friends' house for a movie night.
Jenni - what an ordeal. My 12yo is an awesome boy so far but when my 16yo was his age - and for years afterward- he for sure rocked my world in some of the worst ways possible. I'm still heartbroken. Being a mom hurts A LOT sometimes especially as a single mama. My 7yo has ADHD and this school year I reluctantly started him on Focalin. He's still his own ornery self but his rough behaviours have chilled and his schoolwork is off the chain - he went from a kid who couldn't stop acting up long enough to learn to a kid who's in advanced classes. That was such a touch choice. I felt like a failure, like I had given up on him. I try to stay aware and smart about what goes into his body and am always looking for alternatives and additions that are not stimulants but I believe for right now I made the right choice. He's thriving. What I'm saying is I hear you. I for sure hear you.
We've been meaning to make sushi too. I'm trying to think of some good pregnancy-safe fillings. I think we'll do shrimp, california rolls, tinned tuna (it's ok in small amounts, right?), plus some vegetarian ones.
I super <3 making sushi. Fillings I like:spicy tempeh (basically tempeh and chili oil smushed up in vegan mayo) with green onion, various combos of carrots, cucumber, and avocado rolled in sesame seeds. My favorite when we go out is oshinko, a Japanese pickled squash. I'd love to be able to find them on the shelf somewhere.
I have been pretty absent from our DDC up till now, but I'm here! I am so glad that it is April. I have 10 days left until I get my BA, and then I have 5 weeks of work after that. I am so looking forward to this LO arriving. DH and I grew up in the same town, so we're going to head to our folks for about a month sometime this summer and get some R&R, a little camping and just have a good vacation. This is of course after a good month alone to let our little family get to know each other.
Yeah for April, it just made me smile to look at the calendar today.
Mmmm, those sound really good! I LOVE sushi but we hardly ever have it because it's so expensive here, hence trying to make our own. DH has made it before, but the last time was when we first started dating 5 or 6 years ago, so he's a little rusty. We'll see how it goes...
Springbride - congrats on (nearly) getting your BA! Sounds like you're accomplishing a lot this year. :)
I was just reading the wiki entry on the original Rapunzel story. I found this line interesting:
I think someone was mentioning this here the other day - belief that cravings indicate a nutritional need. I think there's a lot to that. Same goes for aversions helping us avoid dangerous foods.
Then again, some women crave non-food items: http://www.boingboing.net/2011/03/29/book-about-people-wh.html I wonder what the explanation for that is? Is there a benefit to eating dirt, or is it a glitch in the system?
I was waiting for April to get more involved in the chat...march kind of got away from me.
Jenni- I just wanted to send a hug. I am sorry you are going through so much at this time. I think you are doing the right thing for your son and it is never an easy choice to make. My dad struggled with this with my brother for years. He did end up putting him on medication through his preteen years but, my brother was able to get off of it as he got into his later teen year (for him the hormons of preteen and early teen were just too much mixed with the ADHD) and he was able to then use the behavior stratagies he had learn instead...so what I am saying is just because you guys start meds don't feel like it is the end all because it can sometimes be what they need at that moment and it doesn't mean that it will always have to be that way in the future.
As, for April I am glad it is here. We are having a heat wave and it really feels like summer which is fun because I was able to pull out some summer dresses that still fit. This weekend is busy, there is a huge neighborhood garage sale today and I am hoping to score some good baby stuff, my Doula is coming over on Sunday to meet with us and DH says he is going to finally finish fixing some of the stuff in our house which has been totally bugging me since I started nesting.
Only 2 more months of classes. I have to take a portion of the CSET this month which I am dreading...all good wishes welcomed, I would really like to pass this before baby comes. I just finished a huge assessment project so I am glad that is over with. Having an early June baby really works out for my teaching credential program!! I can then take the summer off and be ready to start back for Fall, well...I don't know if I will be totally ready as it starts in August but, it is what it is.
Welcome April!!
mad4mady, good luck with your last couple months of classes! And with your CSET. It will feel so good to be done and have some free time this summer to enjoy your baby!
springbride, I think we were in the July 2009 due date club together! Welcome to the chats over here
I am hoping that today starts a nice, long stretch of spring around here. I have been getting more and more frustrated as the weeks go by with the weather staying in the low 30's. We had one day a few weeks ago where it was 60, and then back to freezing temps. I think it might get to 50 today - what a treat!!
I crave ice like there's no tomorrow and it's a sign of anemia. The other kinds of pica (craving non-food items) usually signal a mineral deficiency of some kind. Eating dirt, laundry soap, clay, chalk, etc are the body's way of trying to get certain nutrients. It's very common in women who have diets that are deficient in vitamins and minerals and if a momma is taking PNVs it usually stops the cravings. I know that when my iron is above an 11 I don't crave ice at all.
Today is a gorgeous beautiful sunny day! Our high is supposed to be 84 and we're getting ready to head out to one of my son's baseball games.
Oh, and if anyone wants to hear an amazing album, the new Adele album "21" is amazing. I want to swim in her voice it's so delicious. And baby likes her too. He dances along. :)
Yay for April! my plans for this month are to settle into my nesting and get things done around the house---without spending money! Temps are suppose to be great and that means lovely outside play time with DD and walks around the neighborhood :) DH will be out of the house for the next 2 weeks, but home on the weekends. It will be lonely, but also might give me a chance to really clean out some junk around here and save money on the grocery bill this month! Lately, our budget is getting hit with all the home improvement projects and I am ready to just be DONE. But then we have to put the house on the market.... eeek!
Jenni-- All I can say is, that I am thinking about you and I know that you made the BEST choice for your son. You are a great mom and sometimes the best choice isn't always the one we like :( But, we will still keep you in our prayers :)
Tracy- Good luck with the party and the cake! You are much braver than I :)
Here is to hoping that we all have a wonderful month of relaxation and motivation to get all of our little things done for the babes who are soon to arrive 
The kids are driving me nuts!!!!! My oldest is being pretty helpful, but my 3yo is taking limit testing beyond the limit! I can see a lot of time outs and talking in our future *sigh*
Almost done at the old house. DH got the inside finished last night and is working on the outside today. Hopefully by monday we will be 100% finished with that house and never have to look back.
I have noticed I feel completely unprepared for this baby, with no means to alleviate it because we are broke. Can they all be over 5 now?? I hate to rush, but I'm ready to move on to the childhood stage!!!
The kids are driving me nuts!!!!! My oldest is being pretty helpful, but my 3yo is taking limit testing beyond the limit! I can see a lot of time outs and talking in our future *sigh*
Almost done at the old house. DH got the inside finished last night and is working on the outside today. Hopefully by monday we will be 100% finished with that house and never have to look back.
I have noticed I feel completely unprepared for this baby, with no means to alleviate it because we are broke. Can they all be over 5 now?? I hate to rush, but I'm ready to move on to the childhood stage!!!
Wow, Sarah, I could have written your post! 3yo DS is driving me crazy with his new-found attitude, 20mo DD has started throwing temper tantrums left and right and I am ready to have a group of KIDS instead of TODDLERS!!!! They are making me want to pull my hair out. And I guess I just haven't "figured out" discipline yet. I really haven't had to up to this point. I guess I should get on that!
Coming from the mom of older kids place, it's not always easier. I remember when mine were 2 and 3, or 3 and 4. Man that was HARD!!! It seems like no matter what age or stage they're at, kids can be hard to parent.
Maybe I'm fooling myself because it's been SOOOOOOO long since I've had a newborn, but I feel like I have everything we need, which is pretty much nothing. lol I sometimes worry that I'm not more worried about adding a new baby to our family. I just pray that he likes to sleep so I can actually be successful in school!
I'm due at the tail end of June and skipped most of March, but now that I'm in the 3rd tri, I feel like I belong! :) Little lady is kicking in the evenings, so that's fun for me, DD (4 y.o), and DH. I have a second u/s this month to see if low-lying placenta has gone away, and although I'm a one u/s kind of girl, I'm excited to get this "free" one and see her at 31w of development! DH is wanting to settle on a name, but I'm happy with our 3-4 contenders.
Plans for this month: choose an infant care place and talk to my mom/boss about staying away for maybe 3 months instead of the 8 weeks or so that I sortof volunteered for (why did I do that?!?). I've toured 3 centers and a just-okay in-home place and now have to leverage insane center cost with some major safety concerns in the in-home place, plus an extra hour per day (10-15 mins each way adds up!) to take baby there. I just don't see how this in-home lady can safely care for four 2-3 year olds, a 6 month old, my newborn DD, plus manage her 3 school-age kids when they get home around 3. I know the state allows 6 kids and her own don't count, but in my experience caring for even one extra infant, I just don't think it's a good idea. You cannot reasonably have a crawler, a potentially very demanding newborn, and multiple toddlers with the same puzzle pieces, plastic stuff, carpet, etc. and not run into an issue. Right? But, like, $500 a month right? *sigh*
Anyway, so I'd like to get that decided on. And I desperately want to be done with the research and order cabinets. That is item #1. Then it's appliances, finishes, etc., with the goal of getting the new kitchen finished by June 1 (giving me a full month of delays before baby comes!)
The childcare thing is SO hard!! While the price of the in-home care is great, I think you're right in wondering about the number of kids that she's taking care of. That seems like a LOT to me. This baby will be in in-home care with a friend of mine. She has a daughter who is 18 months old and she watches a 4 yr old and a 10 month old. And then she'll have mine, who will probably be about 8 weeks old when school starts in the fall for me. However, I have no doubts that she can manage all 4 of them. If I did, I'd be trying to find something else. Trust your instincts and if you're not sure, go with another option.
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