February 08 - Bring Out Your May Flowers! - Page 9

[smokeylo]

Mamas!! I'm so sorry I've been MIA. My laptop died right around the time we switched threads so I hadn't subbed yet. I got my computer back and should be around more.

We are doing well over here. School is almost out. I decided to take an incomplete in the one class I'm enrolled in : which sucks because it prolongs schoolwork into the summer, but is good because there was no way I would get it done!

Robin is almost 3 months old. I don't know how much she weighs, but I know that she is BIG! All of a sudden she seems huge to me. She is holding her head up, working on rolling over, and is tracking everything in sight. She seems so mature!! We visited a friend who had a baby last week and it really hit me how much she has grown. It's funny to feel nostalgic about that newborn phase when it was only a few months ago. Our babies aren't teensy anymore!!

My mother's day was kind of sucky. At one point I realized that everyone around me - Robin, my husband, his brother, his parents, and our cats - was taking a nap. But not me -- THE MOM!! : I didn't feel very pampered. But DH did get me a massage as a gift, which will be awesome.

On the diapering front, we finally made a decision about our stash and ordered all bumGenius OS pockets. Now that's all we use. It's good that we ordered when we did because she just outgrew the rise in her small diapers. Anyway, so far, so good!! Now I can sell everything else off and we don't have to buy any more disposables. Woopee!!

Also while I was out, we mastered the ring sling! She naps in it every day. She's actually in it right now . I don't know how people make it without babywearing. It's the best!

I missed you all and am glad to be back!

[LoveChild421]

Originally Posted by smokeylo

Also while I was out, we mastered the ring sling! She naps in it every day. She's actually in it right now . I don't know how people make it without babywearing. It's the best!

Glad to see you back! Kudos to you- I gave up on my ring sling with ds1 but this time I got a Moby and ds2 has taken to it fairly well. I don't know how mamas make it either without babywearing! Its the only way I can go grocery shopping since Grant is too big for the baby carrier and doesn't have quite enough neck control for me to feel good about sitting him in the top of the shopping cart...and I can only imagine what a disaster pushing a cart and a stroller would be!

[nolonger]

: everyone. I am exhausted and late for work but just had to update before I go that the walkthrough has come and gone and I think we're okay. The landlord does want me to scrub the grout between the tiles in the bathroom with a toothbrush--not to demean me or demonstrate the power he has over me, but because the mildew can get into the walls and cause serious structural damage if I just leave it there.

Of course I'm going to do that, but not today; I need to work on rebuilding the trust I used to have with Terran. Through all of this, he had a choice between coming with in the sling or lying on a blanket by himself watching children's movies on the computer, but he ALWAYS chose to stay with Mom. The hardest part was the two times I simply HAD to lay him down on a bed to pull something off the top shelf of a closet because I couldn't figure out how to do it safely with him in the sling.

I learned a lot about myself and my tendency to accumulate excessive quanitities of objects. I hope I have also learned to appreciate dd's dp, who has once again shown himself to be wise beyond his years but also very appealing to me as the child who fills the hole that was left when Phoebe (my first child; ten week loss who would have been three months older than Walter) died.

ds1 isn't in jail or the psych ward again; he's just so off the bus, as in "you're either on the bus or off the bus", that it isn't funny! He did clean up one corner of the living room that serves as his bedroom and donate some 100% cotton jersey for Terran's next size up wardrobe, but the day before the walkthrough, when he KNEW I was totally stressing out and stressing Terran out, he not only didn't help at all but he also invited a group of kids over to play Magic the Gathering, and although I spent the time they were there cleaning up the mess in Terran's and my bedroom that was left after pulling everything out of the closet for the dump run and smiling at the kids, after they left and ds1 shrugged off and "sorry mom"ed his promise to take one of our bicycles to school so the landlord wouldn't freak about three bicycles in the living room, I discovered later that the kids didn't put the cushions back on the couch and that they had just thrown empty soda bottles and candy wrappers on the floor I had spent all day cleaning instead of using the wastebasket.

I know that doesn't sound like such a big deal, but my feelings were so hurt that he didn't even care. I was speechless.

Rynna, please don't think that your kids are suddenly going to turn into @$$holes like ds1 the minute they hit their teens. Not all kids do. dd never did. One of the things I dreaded the most about adolescence was how my beautiful daughter would deal with dating, and it has been a total nonissue: she had a mild interest in a guy in Philly who was too old and too Christian (she's Taoist) that kind of petered out slowly after she came home, and then apparently she had a choice between a very high status eye candy super-talented dancer guy, who is very nice and still has a crush on her, or this guy. and she chose this guy.

So completely the right choice. He makes her laugh.

After the walkthrough, we had to return some CDs to the library and run some other errands and I realized that Terran wasn't crying. Towards the end of this week, he was crying for most of his waking hours. He's cutting teeth, but it was also the stress level in them house and his complete confusion as to why all of a sudden his needs didn't seem as important to me as fidgeting with objects did.

I decided to take him up to Redwood Park in Arcata (Teeny, doesn't dsd-17 live in Arcata? Is there anything I can do to help?) in the hopes that the homeschooling group might still be having Park Day there so I could show him off and just...well...do I really NEED an excuse to take my baby out in nature and to interact with the human race in a fun, lighthearted, no-stress environment?

The hs group was there, but I never wound up talking to them. I was commenting to Terran about an artist who was doing some beading at the park and she and her friends started talking to me and were so friendly I kind of had to sit down and get to know them and wound up getting invited to this year's Rainbow Gathering.

We probably won't make it, although dd does like Wyoming, but all this talk about WIcker Man and Burning Man (never been, but meeting Julie & fam offline is just one more reason for me to want to go) has me thinking that maybe someday we will, hopefully all of us, hopefully before Terran is five years old.

Yea, time with friends and family (and how did the Rainbow Family KNOW I was family, even though we'd never met each other before? The oldest oldster hadn't started going until '94 and I haven't been since '81, but it really did feel like a family reunion) beats another object to wash and repair and stick in the closet until you have to haul it to the dump any day.

[eilonwy]

Originally Posted by Teenytoona

Rynna, it is really good to see you feeling better! I say go for the piercing or tattoo!! Why not?!?

I don't know what to do! Right now I'm leaning toward tattoo...something with four... somethings. Any ideas? I'm still not sure I could manage piercings. I've had such huge allergy problems with even the pierced ears... : That said, one of these days, when I get a tummy tuck, I WILL get my navel pierced. The belly's got to be show-offable, though, before that happens. :

Senara's eyes have always been dark. Her first few weeks, Mr Toona swears they were an exceptionally dark dark blue (my eyes are blue with yellow in the center), but they're just really dark brown now. Which really is to be expected, both of his parents are African-American so, I can't imagine there's much in the way of recessive genes for eye color in him. Now, my (step)grandson on the way, he could have blue eyes, we shall see!

Did you ever hear about that black couple in South Africa that had two blue eyed, blonde haired children? Each one had one white ancestor many, many, MANY generations back, so they were both astonished when they had the first one... and then their second child was just as blonde and blue-eyed as the first. One never knows! My mother has ten grandchildren, and of the ten only BeanBean, BooBah, and Bear have light eyes; All the rest are dark chocolate brown, including the one who's all white. Well, Bella's are green around the outside, but her eyes are still quite dark. And my "white" brother has always had darker eyes than I have. Genes are funny things.

[Theia]

Hey Mama's! I just came back from the New Mom's group I attend, and my little Lakshmi is up to 13lbs 5oz and 24 inches. Last week she was 12lbs 12oz and 23 1/8inches. She is growing so fast, yet I don't know where she puts it.

I like the discussion about eye color. Mine are green/hazel, and DP's are dark brown. So far, Lakshmi's are brown also, but I am hoping they will change to more of a green.... just cuz I think that would be pretty.

I don't have any ink, but my navel has been pierced since the early 90's. I took the ring out early in my pregnancy cuz I didn't want to risk it stretching or tearing. I haven't tried to put the ring back in.... one time several years ago I took the ring out for a few days and it had nearly closed.... so I am not sure what to expect after several months of no ring. I have toyed with the idea of getting a tat, but not seriously. I am seriously contemplating another piercing tho. I want a nose piercing and another set of ear piercings. I'll get that done for sure, this summer.

So I think that is all I can write for now. Thanks for the welcome back ladies. I will try to get caught up on everyone in the next few posts. All the best to everyone.

[PlayaMama]

Originally Posted by salt_phoenix

I go to Burning Man every year... In fact, we were MARRIED there two years ago!!!


changing soon, and we are considering taking the camper on the road full time. In that case? We will DEFINITELY be there!!!

I've visited YOUR backyard several times, you should visit MINE!!!

we were married there in 2004 yay us!

camper on the road full time sounds awesome! we should totally hang out!

my very best friend lives in slc. jordan actually, she keeps wanting me to visit but with two kids it sounds so daunting...

[PlayaMama]

Originally Posted by eilonwy

Did you ever hear about that black couple in South Africa that had two blue eyed, blonde haired children? Genes are funny things.

dude. my mate and i are both freckled red heads and i was joking about how funny it would be if we ended up with a black baby due to some random mutation. just cause it would look like i was "steppin' out" when i wasn't.

both kiddos are pale and reddish so i guess i'm above suspicion. heh.

[the elyse]

hey everyone!! i'm so glad our thread is going strong! anyone else feeling nauseous while bf-ing? please tell me yes.....

[birthmommom]

Elyse, this happens to me sometimes. I think when i looked it up on Kellymom.com it said something about making sure you drink enough water and have a snack...look it up though.

[applecore]

My mother's day tattoo is done! Pics are in my latest blog post.

[eilonwy]

Originally Posted by the elyse

hey everyone!! i'm so glad our thread is going strong! anyone else feeling nauseous while bf-ing? please tell me yes.....

I've felt that way in the past for three reasons: 1) dehydration; 2) low blood-sugar; 3) pregnancy. :

Originally Posted by applecore

My mother's day tattoo is done! Pics are in my latest blog post.

Lovely! I have blogged about poop a few times in the past... : So very, very amusing and so very, very wrong.

[Dea]

Applecore! I love your tattoo! And what you wrote about beauty was touching. I need to read stuff like that more often!

I've been stressing lately about my post baby body. There were a lot more changes than I'd expected, and frankly I'm not able to see the changes as motherly and natural, but more like ugh! Sigh.

Anyhow Trixie has rich blue eyes. I so hoped for green like mine, (which are a true green, I have no brown in them, they are the one feature I am a little vain about). Anyhow I noticed today she has a dark ring around her iris like I do! I wonder how much more they will change, when she was born they were the steel grey that I see often in newborns.

Someone mentioned an Amby, that they were looking for one. (I can't remember who) We have one, and although we co-sleep, if I need to put her down she really likes it. I think she likes to make it move, and it lulls her to sleep. It looks really comfy! She also likes it when I put her in it and swing her a little.

About baby wearing. Oh I love, love, love it! I don't understand why my MIL and now my father are so against it. They both always suggest I take the stroller or that I carry her. But I love to wear her. It makes me happy and she is so content when I wear her. It's totally the way to go. I went to a Bay Area Baby wearing meeting the other day. It was nice to see other Mamas who feel the way I do. And so many amazing carriers out there. Oh I might have found a new way to spend my husband's pay cheque! hee hee.

I've realized lately that having a baby is great for a social life. I have so many things I can choose to go and do, and I love meeting other moms and babies. I've also been lucky enough to meet some other really great moms who have the same ideals, morals and values that I have. It helps me to validate my choices, that I'm not totally crazy for choosing to do things the way I do. There are other people out there that are the same as me! Whoot whoot!

Finally, my dad is here now, and it's a little tense. He was here in August and I complained to you all a lot about him. He's a little better now. I think he sees me less of a child to lecture to and more of an adult now that I have a baby. He's been painting my house for me, and now I have some nice colour to look at rather than icky white walls. I am grateful that he's here, and he does love Trixie so.

Hmm this is a long ramble.

It's so nice to see that everyone is here and we've managed to keep the Feb 08 lovin' going!

[Jezzy]

Nice work Applecore! I will have to post a pic of my fav tattoo that I got done in Thailand.

NOS I can't imagine how hurt you must have been! My ds is like that too. He sees me work and work on the house getting it clean and he can't even bother to put his dishes in the dishwasher. It is very dissapointing!

[nausicaamom]

NOS - s With your relationship with Terran, I can't help but think he knew how important the other day was for all of you and completely understands why he couldn't be close to you. For tile grout, ditch the toothbrush and just use a regular scrub brush and a paste of baking soda and lemon juice - works a treat.

It's 4am and I'm typing one-handed. I'm working very hard to convince myself that my life is not the Island, Alex is not Number 2, and I am not in fact Patrick McGoohan. Every time I even mention getting out of the house, Alex is up all night completely destroying any hope of things. My husband found an Amby bed for us that we'll be getting over the weekend and convinced me that it's money well spent, I'm going to get Alex's prilosec dosage upped (yeah, he's on that now ), and by hook or by crook I am going to get some down time (had to complete The Prisoner allegory). I love both of them desperately, I'm just a piss-poor mom with no sleep and no alone time to regroup. I'm sure there is some depression in there somewhere, but the fact that the bulk of it is situational and not something that can be bettered by a mother's little helper is really depressing (ha, ha). I know it's not the case, but I feel so trapped by the whole AP checklist right now and the fact that Alex really needs it and constantly pushing my very real needs aside to cope with his and Michael's is causing a bit of resentment. I pray that something gives.

OK, I'm just whining right now and he's asleep now so I'm off to get my hour and a half of sleep before Michael bound in and wakes us all up for the day.

Oh, and I'm definitely going to have my mommy midlife crisis soon, so what color Manic Panic should I get for my hair? I'm going to use some foil so I can maintain the main white stripe in my bangs, but I need something to cover the rest of it.

[Jezzy]

(((((((((((Jen))))))))))) nak if i were you i would get the hot pink and the purple!! Awesome colors!!!

Ok, got Emmy to take some pictures of my tattoo I got this done last year in Thailand and I love it!

Lotus

[smokeylo]

Good morning friends, so good to be back in the mix!!

Robin's eyes are blue and I think they're going to stay that way. They were darker when she was born but have lightened up. DH's eyes are blue, and my Mom's eyes are blue (mine are brown). Robin's coloring so strongly favors her father (creamy skin, reddish blond hair, blue eyes) that it makes sense to me that they'd stay blue... which is great, because they are GORGEOUS eyes.

Here are pics of her.

Right now she's playing on her baby gym with her Dad, talking to her toys and shaking a rattle (!!! - this is new, she kept dropping toys last week!). I can't believe how BIG our babies are!!

[Teenytoona]

NOS, I'm glad things went ok with the landlord. I was worried about you lot! I think things will even out ok with you and Terran. Unfortunately the world steps into the way of what we want for our kids, I think. But he will see that through it all you are always there for him. Thanks for the offer of help with DSD. That's so sweet! but, DSD-16 is the one in your neck of the woods (literally). If she were pregnant, I'd have few worries about her as she lives with her mom who happens to be the responsible one of the three, and her grandparents are less than a block away, a very supported gal she is, very lucky too, wish she'd come to live with us, but I understand not wanting to leave the beauty of N CA. She has told me she wishes they had a fall like we do, though! DSD-17 lives with her aunts in another state, who happen to be mainstream, but are better for her than her own mother, sorry to say.

This:

Yea, time with friends and family... beats another object to wash and repair and stick in the closet until you have to haul it to the dump any day.

Has got to be the quote of the day/week/year for me.

Hehe, Rynna, I guess you got me there! That's always something to consider.

Elyse, I sometimes feel nauseous while pumping, but not overwhelmingly so. Just occasionally.

Applecore, nice tattoo!! Right on! Are you breastfeeding? Can you get tattooed while breastfeeding? If so, I so want to get one for my 33 birthday (that's the official "hobbit adult" year and Jesus-death year all rolled into one). If all this talk keeps up, I might be forced to post a shot of my tattoo that I already have. And start talking about my next one.

Awe Dea, on the body issues. I believe I'm not much help because my body looked way motherly looong before I ever gave birth. I agree on the social life! Everywhere I go people talk to me now, where before sometimes I'd get a smile or something occasionally. Not that I've really made any friends (I'm bad enough with the ones I have now!), but it's nice to be out and about and interacting.


Nausicaamom Hang in there! What color is your hair? Depending on that I'd say either blue or orange

Senara is talking up a STORM! It's so fun. She's also figuring out things like when we want/need her to go to sleep and she doesn't want to and what to do about it. This tends to happen when we miss her sleep window. She falls asleep around 8 ish, but if she's not in bed at that time (like last night we were out and about), and then wakes up again, woe to us if we want to get some zzz's. We lay her down on the bed in any direction she knows we're playing. The second we lay her down with her head at the top, she screams at us because she will not have sleep at that moment, nosirreeee!

She's in LOVE with bath taking, and that is our ace-in-the-hole at calming her down. (She really does have my raging temper... yikes...) She did a number on Mr Toona last night, as he was bathing her and she filled the tub with poop. She's been more volume and less frequent on the poop end of the spectrum. They're also starting to look less like cottage cheese sometimes, and sort of just straight up mustard pasty- anyone else get this? And is that ok? I haven't changed a poopy diaper in a few days, so I'm not sure if the paste thing was a one day only thing or not. Mr Toona doesn't seem concerned about it. Oh, we got some BG OS (only 6, I'm still waiting to see if I get an Economic Stim check - the letter says I will, but the bank does not show it yet) and are loving them! I think our ultimate stash will be premium prefolds, and one sizes, and I think that should take us to the end of diapering (maybe).

[salt_phoenix]

Originally Posted by PlayaMama

yay us!
camper on the road full time sounds awesome! we should totally hang out!
my very best friend lives in slc. jordan actually, she keeps wanting me to visit but with two kids it sounds so daunting...

yay us is right!!! good times, good times... last year was the suxxors tho... 13 weeks pg. and NOT a good burn for me

We have never taken the kids... was thinking this year on that, but... at 300 bux a ticket and 2 kids that ALSO need one... sigh... I guess we need a miracle!

You should totally visit your friend... for the last weekend of this month!!!!

It's looking closer and closer like we will be taking up living on the road, however we are going to "ease" into that life by staying around here close all summer while the weather is good and dh is going to keep his job for now... see how we REALLY like living in the camper... by the end of summer we should know whether to find another place to live or take it on the road for REAL!!! I'm getting kind of excited about it. I've always wanted to do it... now is the real chance!

Originally Posted by applecore

My mother's day tattoo is done! Pics are in my latest blog post.

Awesome tat... that is the exact spot I have picked out for my "three decades of pink" tat... you know, there on the forearm, where I cradled all three of my babes. My girls all have their own symbolism: Bayleigh is the mermaid, Sagan is my spiral sunshine and Ember Lotus is... my Ember Lotus.
Maybe I'll leave a little room for someone else, if they decide to join us later.

[flapjack]

I'll admit, I'm feeling both fertile and broody these days.

Jenn, you should go teal. I don't know if manic panic comes in teal, but if not, it should do. Alternatively, use koolaid and dye some yarn to match If you have a natural white stripe, though, I think you're nuts for using any colour. Funny you mentioning the Prisoner, I have a trip to Portmeirion planned next month. And Woolfest. And Jennings. You should come

Dea and everyone else.

Life here is still boring. The most exciting thing that's happened to me all week (apart from the psycho neighbour, who I'm trying not to think about) is buying a sun shade for the back seat of the buggy. (My pelvis still ain't right, and River isn't a huge fan of being worn.) I love it.

[salt_phoenix]

Originally Posted by flapjack

I'll admit, I'm feeling both fertile and broody these days.

I was just wondering who would be the first to get pg out of this ddc :

I've been a little queasy myself and honestly thought about picking up a pg test today... it would be about right timing for the ONE AND ONLY time we even dtd since little ms. ember graced our presence...

I'd be pretty blown away if I ended up with a + though... what are the chances of THAT?
Not trying... but not preventing either.
I can't say I'd be upset... just nervous after all we went though last pg.
Dh might be thrown for a loop tho.

WHO will be first!!!!?????