Not Mama Yet Tribe Summer/Fall 2012!

[stardogs]

Ok I made the leap to start a new NMY thread since the old one's title was out of date. :)  We've been lower traffic recently, but I still <3 having other women at the same point as me to commiserate/share/gush/etc. with, so let's see if we can rock the new thread. ;)


I'm C/Ping the first post from the old thread to try and keep some continuity, but since there's been so much time since that thread was started, how about those of us start fresh by introducing ourselves and I'll gradually create a new "roster"?
 

Welcome to the Not Mamas... Yet Tribe, Part XXIII (Summer/Fall 2012)

(Thanks Rico'sAlice/oiseau for the text and oiseau for the previous thread shepherding!)

Iaorana! As-salaamu `alaykum! Merhaba! Γεια σου! Ãyubõván! Jambo! Hola! Boa tarde! Ciao! Guten Tag! Bonjour! Magandang Hapon Po! Selamat petang! Konnichiwa!

Hello! Returning members, glad you made it over, hope the trip wasn't too hard. Just put your feet up and relax for a while. We've got organic lemonade, coffee (regular and Swiss-water-process decaf), pastured raw milk, kombucha, kefir, whatever you're into. (No EBM available here- Sorry. Check out the Love Thread for that.)

Newbies! We are sooo excited you're here. We hope you stay a while and never leave... unless it is because you become a mama.

Anyway, this thread was originally started to give those of us who are not yet parents a forum here at MDC to discuss the unique concerns of those who are into NFL, and excited about AP but don't have any munchkins to apply these concepts to...yet. (Although some of us have furbabies, young family members, students, etc. that we are involved with.)

As I mentioned, a few of us have gotten pregnant while here, others are TTC now, some in the next few years, some of us aren't even close. We've also had the occasional visitor that is a "Not Mama...EVER" ie, male nannies and such. We're happy to have all y'all!

So here we are. And here you are. Let the party begin!

NMY Offshoot Threads
NMY Graduates Love Thread, Part Four

NMY Graduates Love Thread, Part Five


Official NMY Status Roster
Getting to know you...getting to know all about you...

stardogs - tentative TTC in 2015

sleepingbeauty - waiting to try

JenniO11 - sometime in the next 5 years

TwilightJoy - in the next 6 months or so

k x s - tentative TTC in 2018

KaylaBeanie

Cyllya

Please share:

1. What brought you to the NMY thread/mothering.com
2. A little about who you are (where you live, interests, current family - including critters!, etc.)

3. Any plans to TTC?

Post in the thread if you want your information added, updated, or changed. If it seems as if I didn't see it, send me a PM. Thanks!

Edited by stardogs - 12/14/12 at 6:05pm

[stardogs]

1. What brought you to the NMY thread/mothering.com

It's been a couple of years! I found mothering while researching pregnancy/birth/baby stuff when my bff was pregnant with her second child (a daughter, born 2 years ago!). I've had 30+ friends have kids since then which is kind of crazy! In the process of hearing about all of their experiences, I've really learned a lot about how I want to handle things in the future, but it also has left me feeling rather limbo-ish because so many of those friends are now in such different places than me, hence my <3 for the NMY thread!

2. A little about who you are (where you live, interests, current family - including critters!, etc.)

I live in central NC with a wonderful DH, 4 dogs, and a cat! Most of my life revolves around the dogs as I'm both a dog trainer by profession *and* the dogs and I compete in a variety of sports (dock diving, schutzhund, agility, rally obedience, etc.).  Interests outside of dogs/dog sports include hiking, playing in the lake or river (usually with dogs lol), yoga here and there, playing with baking, reading, and interneting. I've been in our current town for just about 2 years now and I'm finally putting down roots in the community, which feels really good. I was in the prior town in SC for 3 years and really didn't feel all that connected, so this is a very welcome improvement!

3. Any plans to TTC? Looking at late 2014/early 2015 for starting!

[sleepingbeauty]

1. What brought you to the NMY thread/mothering.com

I've always had an interest in children.  All I've ever wanted to be is a mommy.  I joined up here at Mothering years ago to make the Waiting To Try period a little more bearable.  I've stayed for the awesome people in the One Thread especially, for the Surviving Abuse section and more and more for having an increased interest in natural living.  I love you guys!!

I didn't even know about this tribe until I got a PM in my inbox about it!

2. A little about who you are (where you live, interests, current family - including critters!, etc.)

I'm Kris.  I'm 23 years old.  I just graduated with an A.S. in Music in May and I'm taking a semester off to practice for auditions in December to a bunch of different schools in my state.  J and I are not yet engaged but have full plan on it and we definitely want kids when we're finally married. I have two beautiful goddaughters living in India who I would do anything for.  

3. Any plans to TTC?

Not yet.  We do have a loose idea of a timeline in our minds but we've got the end of college, jobs, settling in, getting married, etc.. before then.  We're getting closer but we've still got a lot of work to do.

 Speaking in, it's time for me to get practicing!  Nice to meet you and I hope we can become good friends :)

[stardogs]

Yay! Nice to see I'm not alone. ;) LOL

What instrument do you play? Musicians and singers have my respect - I don't think I could handle all the practice time required and the stress of multiple auditions!!

 

[JenniO11]

I did this so recently, but I'll do it again!

1. What brought you to the NMY thread/mothering.com

I work for Mothering as part of the team that works with sponsors.  You'll see me in the blog, and I'm involved in running contests and product review programs, too!  What brought me to this thread is that I love this community and want to be involved, but considering I'm not a mama yet, this is definitely the right place for me! 

2. A little about who you are (where you live, interests, current family - including critters!, etc.)

I live in San Francisco with DP, Will.  We've known each other since 7th grade, but have been dating for exactly one year (today!!!)  Right now most of our interests seem to revolve around normal everyday stuff - decorating our apartment, getting into cooking, exploring the city with friends.  I was raised by an AP mama who didn't label herself - she just followed her instincts.  I feel like being at Mothering makes so much sense for me - I was a teenager before I even realized that things like extended breastfeeding and not letting a baby CIO were considered "alternative parenting", because they were the norm in my house.  

3. Any plans to TTC?

I'm really lucky in that Will is almost as excited about having children as I am!  We have so much fun talking about babies, plans for raising our kids, even baby names We don't have any current official plans to get married or TTC in the near future, but we both agree that ideally we would want to have our first child (separately or together) in the next five years.

So excited to chat with you ladies!  Kris, definitely tell us more about your music!  I have some friends going through the audition process and it sounds so crazy - how are you handling it?

[TwilightJoy]

1. What brought you to the NMY thread/mothering.com

Found it through a google search years and years ago.  Found a home in the NMY thread.  Found some lifelong friends (ladies you know who you are ).  We mostly chill in our facebook group now, but I like to pop over here occasionally.

2. A little about who you are (where you live, interests, current family - including critters!, etc.)

Married to my wonderful DH for 2 years.  Have 2 cats (which my mom calls the grankittens).  I work full time.  I love to cook.

3. Any plans to TTC?

Probably within 6 months but not going to rush it.  Am thinking of starting a prenatal once I run out of current bottles.  Right now I take the New Chapter Every Woman's 1 daily and Rainbow Light Women's One on alternating days.  Will probably buy both brands of the prenatal and alternate as well.  Also take fermented CLO pills and butter oil pills.
 

[stardogs]

A facebook group eh? I'm on fb a lot more than here, so if you wouldn't mind sharing the link, that would be awesome. :)

I'm trying to just take vitamins period right now - I'm so bad about remembering them! Right now I have Alive brand gummy ones! LOL I was just thrilled to find some without iron as iron apparently hates me - kinda worries me when it comes to eventually finding a good prenatal....

[JenniO11]

Hi ladies!  Hope everyone is doing well.  I am feeling some real baby fever these days despite being pretty far off from TTC and need to share with someone who understands!  

DP and I traveled to Florida this last week for his grandmother's 80th birthday celebration, and while I've met his grandparents before (and know his parents well), it was my first time EVER meeting a boyfriend's extended family.  It was stressful, but I think it went really well!  One of his cousins has an adorable 2 year old who for some reason really took to me (I think it might have been because I had the same color toenail polish as her mama - she kept looking at my feet whenever she ran up to me to be picked up!) and DP and I just could not get enough of her.  Spending so much time with a LO just makes the urge so much stronger!

Do any of you who are on the younger side (I'm 23) have friends who think you're crazy for being so set on having kids already?  Many of my friends will say stuff like "Yeah, I guess I might want kids, in like ten or fifteen years."  FIFTEEN YEARS?  That sounds like forever. 

[stardogs]

So weird how the baby fever comes in waves, eh? The last couple of weeks have been bad for me too, and then this week? Poof. LOL For me, too, the waves of baby fever also end up with little ripples of self doubt too - "aww babies! I'd love a baby" and then 2 seconds later "holy crap that's a lot of responsibility, do I really want to go there?!"

I'm 27 and my friends seemed to hit the baby stage right around 25, so I wouldn't be too surprised if suddenly you hear of more people being pregnant. I had 30+ friends have babies in the last 2.5 years, and most were 25-27 at the time! I feel like a late bloomer because DH and I are waiting until we're 29ish!

[k x s]

1. What brought you to the NMY thread/mothering.com

I found mothering through research about parenting which stemmed from reading a book about the effects of television and advertising on children. I continued to read because mothering intrigues me and I have baby/child fever and need to soak this is in everyday or I will go mad. Also would love to meet like minded friends =)

 

2. A little about who you are (where you live, interests, current family - including critters!, etc.)

I live in Melbourne, Australia with my partner and cat. Would love to move somewhere else. I'm a business student majoring in accounting. My interests outside of business are reading about neuroscience, learning to sew, visiting gardens/parks (would love to travel more), trying to garden and reading about learning. 

 

3. Any plans to TTC?

Yeah in 6 years time when I'm like 26! or 2018. Its depressing because I feel like I've planned/decided every piece of minutiae about having a baby/child (from the name, to how I should breastfeed for, to the number of children (1), and to which schools I could enrol them, I even considered phoning up and putting my name down on a waiting list... I like feeling prepared and organized) and I can't execute any of it apart occasionally parenting my toddler and child siblings who are not AP parented and its not really the same.

[stardogs]

Welcome k x s! Nice to "meet" you!

Originally Posted by k x s 
Its depressing because I feel like I've planned/decided every piece of minutiae about having a baby/child (from the name, to how I should breastfeed for, to the number of children (1), and to which schools I could enrol them, I even considered phoning up and putting my name down on a waiting list... I like feeling prepared and organized) and I can't execute any of it apart occasionally parenting my toddler and child siblings who are not AP parented and its not really the same.

I hear you there! I know when DH and I will start ttc and have known for about a year now, and it does seem like you get stuck in limbo between all the research and being responsible and waiting until the right time. It doesn't help either when you see people all around you putting less thought into the whole process and doing just fine. I have a whole bookmarks section and board on Pinterest devoted to baby-related things and that does help me work some of the research obsession out.

 

[k x s]

Oh yeah. I'm so envious of my lucky sister in law. She's pregnant. 

Oh well when the right time comes along...6 years or more even now that I think about it... 

[KaylaBeanie]

Wow ladies, long time no see! We need to get this tribe hoppin' again! 

1. What brought you to the NMY thread/mothering.com

I got really into natural birth and all that when my SIL and brother were pregnant with my niece, who is turning 6 soon. SIL used a midwife, nursed, all that and I was fascinated. I decided I wanted to be a doula, so I bought all the books and read them, but haven't gotten around to finishing yet. At this point, I'm not sure if being a doula will ever come to pass, and am playing around with the idea of becoming a natural childbirth educator. Someday...

2. A little about who you are (where you live, interests, current family - including critters!, etc.)

I live in the south! I'm finishing up my final year of college, then starting my graduate program in May (ideally!). I work at a health food/supplement store, and aside from the pitfalls of retail, I love it. My biggest issue with retail is that I'm an INFP, so having to interact with many people with no break can be very trying. However, I do love that I'm making a difference, and I could not ask for a better job in terms of my boss, co-workers and flexibility. As for interests, I'm a bit of a nerd! I'm a huge book lover. HUGE. I also love music and movies, and wish I were talented enough to work in either of those fields, but instead I'm just a fan. I really enjoy traveling, and am happy that I finally have the income to do a bit more of it. I also like hiking, camping, shopping, all that good stuff. I'm well rounded! No critters of my own, per se. I have a cat that has been living with my parents since my current place doesn't allow animals, so I'll be getting her and her sister (my sister's cat) once I move out in August 2014. Eventually I'd like to get a dog and name her Minerva, Minnie for short, after Minerva McGonagall. 

3. Any plans to TTC?

Well, I'd probably need a boyfriend/partner/husband for that! Ha. Currently single. Very little focus on when I'll have my own littles, though around age 28-30 sounds nice. In the meantime, all my focus is on finishing grad school (December 2014), finding a stellar job in a great city, traveling, meeting an awesome guy and selfishly enjoying him for a good while before popping out babies.

[Cyllya]

Howdy, guys!

1. What brought you to the NMY thread/mothering.com

I used to never want marriage/children, but I went through a brief baby phase that caused me to find out that parenting doesn't have to be how I've always seen it. (I've already been in an adversarial parent/child relationship.... I don't want to do it again!) Then I wanted like five kids. I will probably only have one or two though.

I'm at mothering.com for info on AP, GD, unschooling, and some assorted stuff like EC. I have limited interest in NFL.

2. A little about who you are (where you live, interests, current family - including critters!, etc.)

My ex-DP is still my friend and also my roommate for the next few months, but otherwise it's just me and my rat Aster. Aster had some buddies, but they passed away a few months ago.

3. Any plans to TTC?

I'm trying to set a goal for myself that I will conceive a child during or before age 30 (currently 25), but I've got so much work to do on myself first. I can hardly take care of myself and the rat! Actually, I'm not sure I am taking care of poor Aster. He's so lonely.

I think I'm going to go the single-mom-by-choice route.

[stardogs]

Welcome KaylaBeanie and Cyllya! My notifications are wonky and I didn't know we had new posters! :)

Any big plans for the holidays?