I am sure I will miss someone/something but I am gonna give it a go!
Housekeeping: I am kind of a middle of the road. My house definately has cluttered areas (counters, etc.), it gets dirty on ocassion but it is somewhat manageable (except for the laundry). We have 7 people living in 1500 sq ft house with way to much stuff so I do what I can:).
Laundry: Holy crap rosemary is that you that said 1 load a week? really? How on earth? What about sheets/towels, etc.
Around here the grown ups wear their pants multiple days (me no more than 2 cuz I usually get spit up on or peed on or something. Everyone wears pj's multiple nights (except the baby who spits up a lot, I don't change her every time just if it gets too soaked), I wash the towels about every week or 2 and the grown up sheets every 2 weeks (unless they get visibly dirty) and the kids sheets about once a month unless there is pee or sand or something. I wash diapers about every other to every third day. I think we are pretty good with not being wasteful with the dirty laundry that we create but I swear that laundry procreates way quicker than we do:). I wash about 4 loads every other day (in my front triple loader) Plus the sheets towels and diaper laundry. I would say about 15-20 loads a week!!!! I keep up with the washing, but not so good with the folding/putting away.
Last wk ds3 (5 yrs) couldn't find his shoes and I told him they were in the laundry room. He looked and still couldn't find them (we have a really small laundry room). I went and there they were right on the floor. I showed him and he said oh, I was looking in the other laundry room (that would be my living room where the clean clothes are piled on the couch) lol.
3 months- S is rolling every time I put her on her tummy. Freaks her out too, lol. She is cooing and finally making some eye contact.
I am also feeling like i might still actually have some abdominal muscles in there somewhere and my energy is returning!
Pajamas- I guess you guys are talking about hte footed sleepers. We have a bunch of those and dd has only been in 1 pair 1 time (on x-mas and that was bcs her jammies matched her siblings:)). I find them difficult to use for diaper changes and toileting and would much rather haver he in pants and tops or a dress w/ leg warmers. At night and at home we use the nightgowns but don't use them out and about as they aren't practical w/ car seat straps and I think they look a bit silly but that is just me.
Photos- I did an album for the first year of life for ds1 and ds2 (they each actually have 2 3ring binders). Everyone else has plenty of photos but I haven't done anything with it.
Photos with 2 children- I would make sure each kid has their own baby book (that is my goal anyways) and as far as yearly albums (if I ever get around to it) they can do what they want with them but they stay at my house till I'm gone.
"She's gorgeous/perfect/beautiful" - I say I KNOW!!!! bcs obviously I know my own child is beautiful, works for me.
EC- I love EC! It works for us. I don't understand when people say they are too lazy for it bcs it doesn't take anymore energy than changing a diaper really. Dd wakes up dry I take off her diaper and hold her on the potty for about 1min (if that) then pull her diaper back up and that is it.
I am not counting misses/catches this time. when I think she needs to go I take her. If she is wet I take her and put on a dry diaper.
I am proud of my new invention. Some of you might remember when I was pg I bought a bumbo with the idea of turning it into a potty. Yesterday I finally got around to it and she loves sitting on it! She goes in it every time. I turned my Bumbo baby sitter into a Bumbo baby Shi**er. Tee hee hee. I can see how that might not be the best marketing slogan but hey it cracks me up.
Grabbing - She is clenching her fists and manages to latch onto my hair but isn't aiming for a toy or anything in particular.
Solids- I am not interested in starting solids at all. Really I think it is a real pain in the a**! I have to plan ahead, pack it with me etc. We have allergies so introduce things very carefully which takes time and takes the fun out of it BUT is really really beneficial as far as catching allergies.
I DO NOT give my kids rice cereal with iron. I did with the first 2 and it made them barf. I have their iron tested at 9 months and if it is fine there is no need for extra in my opinion.
The aap sais no solids until at least 6 months so your dr's should not be suggesting before that. There is a lot of reason to not introduce solids before 6 months but you can wait till after that. I find 7-9 to be the best a I can skip the puree and just do small soft stuff. The Super baby food book is a really good guide and has a section for allergies.
Reading - I hated reading as a kid and as a young adult I got into the Harry potter books and took off. I love to read a bit at a time, especially at bedtime. dd needs it to be dark so I use a very small reading light and that works. I started the Eragon series when she was born (again:)) and am on the 3rd book. The 4th book just came out and I wanted to be fresh before i read it. It helps me to escape. Reading is great to do when the baby just wants to nurse.
baby toys- we have tons from the older kids but she is not at all interested in anything. She likes to just sit in the swing. She always has plenty of entertainment though as it is right in the middle of everything. Today she witnessed a play (performed just for her), yesterday ds 3 had all of the baby toys out and I was horrified when I looked at the swing and couldn't see her (we had to talk about that one, lol).
Leihs- pm your e-mail address and I will send a photo of our costumes (and anyone else that wants to see).
Glad dh finally got his job offer. Yeah on insurance Boo on the offer they gave.
Katico- your organizing strategies sound like they will be very helpful.
Steph- Definately take him potty when he gets up. you don't have to go all out EC just bcs you take him pee once a day. It will save you that huge diaper a little later on so actually will be easier.
I don't know if I said this yet: I am so glad your dad is doing better. Hooray! and your MIL is a real piece of work.
Amy May- that sucks about your landlord. Hope the packing is going well. I say you have a BIG MESSY breakfast right before the house showing but i am a bit passive agressive too.
Pi- if your mom is going to be living there for a while the smelly perfume issue isn't going to be the only one that comes up. I would suggest having a family meeting initially and then following up about 1x a month. Sit down and discuss some concerns you have, your expectations, etc. Let her do the same and that way no one has any unrealistic expectations.
AFU- Saphira had her hearing screaning today. What a colossal waist of time!!! The nb screan is for babies under 4 months but hte test doesn't work unless the baby is asleep so if the baby is over 6 wks it gives false results, etc. she was quiet but since she was awake it kept picking up other stuff and restarting. They turned it off and rescheduled her in audiology which is where we wanted to go in the first place. Our appt. is on mon the 30th and of course I will update you all then.
Feels like I am finally in a groove, my body feels like a body again (i can sit up with out rolling over:)) and i have energy to not nap every day.
She smiles at me tons and I AM IN LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!















it
Ha!! DD1 has been crawling into bed with us at ridiculous hours, which she is welcome to do....BUT....she'll climb in and either a) carry 856,573,772 books and toys with her, b)FLIP OUT because she can't find her waterbottle/toy/blanket, even though it's right next to her, c)start reading a book out loud or d)all of the above. /Then the baby wakes up.
Then the next day she talks about it nonstop as she processes our response ("then Mama said "GO TO SLEEP!' and Daddy said "be quiet!" Then I just cried") Oh my nerves. Makes us sound like horrible parents. I'm a fan of unconditional nightime parenting, but there is a line, child!

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