April 6th Wahoo/Wail Chat

[Spark]

Question for you all --
1. If money were no object, what would be your family vehicle?
2. If you own a family vehicle, what kind is it?
3. Will you size up in vehicles because of this pregnancy? If so, what are you thinking about?

My DH drives a compact car, because he commutes quite a ways for work... and we like cheap cars! :LOL I drive an Oldsmobile Intringue. Like This (http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp?tracktype=usedcc&searchType=21&paId=166420660&pageNumber=0&numResultsPerPage=50&largeNumResultsPerPage=0&sortorder=descending&sortfield=PRICE+descending&certifiedOnly=false&recnum=1&leadExists=true&criteria=K-%7CE-%7CM-_37_%7CD-_353_%7CN-N%7CR-30%7CI-1%7CP-PRICE+descending%7CQ-descending%7CZ-48108&aff=national) It's just your basic sedan. We've had it before kids and always tried to listen to our financial planners as they told us to keep the small car until it was no longer working for us. So, when we had Jude and wanted a SUV, we were strong. When we had CC and wanted a minivan... we were strong. Now, we just can't get 3 car seats across the back of it.

Oh, I should note, we probably won't be buying anything until closer to the EDD. And, we live near Detroit and we're blessed enough to have friends at each of the big US car Co.'s and can get the "Friends and Family" discounts that way. I swear everytime I see a Chrysler Pacifica I break out into a sweat!!! :D But, they seems SO out of my price range!

Wail: Not much sleep last night.
Wahoo: It looks like another beautiful day here! I just LOVE spring after a cold winter! All of us are going for a walk today!

[IncaMama]

we have a Honda CR-V (small SUV) and a Ford Freestar (Minivan) and i will never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever EVER be without a minivan for the rest of the time i have young kids. EVER. it is a GODSEND!!!!! we take it on loooooooooong trips (drove from PA to Canada) and YES we got the DVD player in it. i know many of you are probably TV-less, but that is SO not my lifestyle. LOL it was FABULOUS to have on the loooooooooooooooong drive.

lovin our minivan. love it love it love it. it has the remote doors that *open* with the touch of a button and i cannot express how fabulous that is when a nearly 40 pound toddler. (yes my 2yo is a big boy LOL)

oops -
wail: i woke up at 6:00 this morning inexplicably and i'm soooo tired now and can't have any coffee to wake me up!!!
wahoo: waking up at 6am meant that DH, DS and I could all snuggle and play around in the bed for an hour before DH had to go to work (i sort of woke up DS by accident) and will probably mean an early nap AND an early bedtime tonight! WOOHOO

[Viriditas]

Since you asked, my ideal family vehicle would be a Toyota Prius. I would LOVE a hybrid. I hear Toyota is coming out with a hybrid minivan in the next few years though (I think it already exists in Japan).

Right now we live in the middle of the city and we're poor, so no car. I'm actually pretty happy about this. One less expense and headache to worry about, and we're doing right by the environment (even if it's out of necessity). The in-laws (in the suburbs) say we HAVE to have a car if we're having kids and we won't want to take all the baby's stuff on the subway. I say pshaw! We will never own a car as long as we live where the public transit is so good. And at least in the beginning, how hard is it to lug around a baby, a sling, and a diaper bag?

No wails or wahoos yet. I'll have to think about it.

[selazenby]

I've had really limited computer time the past few days so I haven't been able to join in on this chat yet but this morning has been calm (yea!) so here I am...

I drive a Volvo XC90 (it's their SUV). I really love it because in addition to my son's car seat I often have carseats in there for my neice, nephew or good friend's baby. So we need the space for sure. It has the third row which is nice because 2 adults can sit up front, the middle seat can be lined with car seats :) and 2 adults can sit in the back (the smaller adults though - its kinda tight back there) and there's still room behind the thrid seat for strollers, diaper bags, etc. Also - in the middle row the middle seat is actally an integrated booster seat...it sort of breaks up and comes forward so it's higher smaller (not describing it well at all but it's safe for kids 36 lbs and up) so we use that a lot too. Anyway, long answer to a short question but I sometimes get attacked on boards "like this" for driving an SUV so I guess I feel compelled to justify it. Hmmm.

My ideal car? One that drives itself, never needs gas, cleans up the crakers and sippy cups off the floor at the end of each day :) Do they make those? :)

Ok - so...
Wail: TERRIBLE nausea for three days straight now with nothing I've tried even touching it.
Wail: Had to take my laptop to get a new power cord plug thing and it will take a week and cost 200 bucks. But I can't stand not having it - I HATE sitting in here at this computer.
Wahoo: My sweet husband stayed up last night after I crashed and cleaned the house from top to bottom and did a bunch of laundry.
Wahoo: I just a ton of fresh parsley from the organic farm in town and I think I'm just going to sit down and eat it all in a minute. :)
Wahoo: For the past two night, my husband has done all the nighttime parenting so that I could sleep so I've had more sleep in the past two nights than I have in the past 16 months.

Have a great day everyone -

[Geofizz]

We just recently got a second car after 4 years of having one. It worked well, because I could bike to work in Michigan. Last year I had 10 days when it was too cold or icy to bike. In Ohio, where it barely snowed, I had more like 25 days when it was too icy or snowy (the city doesn't plow to the curb) We also went from having one commute to three (daycare, two jobs), and it was too hard to get Karen to daycare when it was 10 degrees out. So, we still have the Ford Taurus (we hate that thing) and got a Subaru Outback. Our ideal situation, for maybe in 2 years is the Subaru and a Prius. We also have 4 bikes, a bike trailer and a rear-mounted bike seat and a frame-mounted bike seat. And 3 strollers.

I realize we're not faced with the 3 carseat problem (ahem. Hear that body? No Twins).

Hmmm.

Wail: DH's aunt has had a series of strokes and likely won't recover. My FIL and MIL were due out to visit starting Friday, and now they're talking about not coming. I expect they will come, but I know my FIL will be very distracted and depressed. Also, given last night's phone call, I'm starting to wonder if my FIL's mental capabilities are starting to faulter.

Sorry for the downer, folks.

Wahoo: IT's another beautiful day and I got somewhat caught up on sleep last night.

[kofduke]

Cars: I have a PT Cruiser. It's not super-practical, but I :love it. The back will be limited to 2 carseats. My DH has a Honda CR-V, which we also really like. We have on occasion gotten 3 carseats in the back of it.

Veritadas, whenever we go into the city we wouldn't think of driving. I'm with you, a baby in a sling and a small diaper bag isn't really that much to carry.

[juliasmum]

Sorry.... I am soooo unaware of cars. If I can get a carseat in it and it goes, I'm happy. I was driving a neon until this past fall and we got a really good deal on a taurus thanks to my brother working at a car dealership (it was actually cheaper than what I bought my neon for back in 98!) and I have to say that having latch in my car is awesome and having a trunk I can get my jogging stroller and groceries into is wonderful!! DH drives a saturn and will drive it until it dies. He puts major commuting miles on his car. We keep the carseat in my car all the time and use it as the family vehicle because I really don't put many miles on it.

If we have a third kid I would consider getting a minivan, but until then I'll be happy with my taurus.

Erin- I completely understand about the laptop. I used to think that we really didn't need a laptop, but DH bought himself one with his christmas money and I really don't know how I made it before.

It definitely makes it easier to pop on here and there through the day when I get a peaceful moment.

Wendy- Sorry to hear about DH's aunt. That is really sad.

Wail- I feel like I have been run over by a truck today. I haven't been sleeping very well and my tummy is pretty upset.
Wahoo- I'm not puking! :)

[Geofizz]

My ideal car? One that drives itself, never needs gas, cleans up the crakers and sippy cups off the floor at the end of each day :)
:laugh:

I'm with you there!

[Minnow_]

Another vote for the Prius from me! We've test driven one a couple of times and loved it. For now, though, we have a pickup and a Subaru Outback that only get driven about once a week because we walk to work. I think the Subaru will be a great 'family car'. We have 6 bikes (long story) but don't yet have a trailer or bike seats - we'll be looking at those for after the baby arrives.

Wail: So so so tired today.
Wahoo: Nothing on the schedule for tonight, and my cold is finally geting better, so hopefully I can sleep!

[Geofizz]

I think the Subaru will be a great 'family car'.
It's working out well for us. We can reach Karen when she's in the back whereas we can't in the Taurus. She's also up a bit higher so she can see better and the sun seems to be less of a problem in the early morning and late evening. The only thing that is bad about it is that Karen was playing in the car the other day and discovered it makes a great noise when you drop the spare change into the steering column. It takes quite a bit of work to get it out!

We have 6 bikes (long story) but don't yet have a trailer or bike seats - we'll be looking at those for after the baby arrives.
I think my dad has 6 bikes just to himself. He's planning on riding his bike across the country when he retires next year.

You have time on the bike seat/trailer research. You won't be able to buy a helmet that fits your bean until he/she is at least 12 months old.

[kofduke]

Wail: I called the midwife's office (called Valley Birthplace) and left a message to set up an appointment. I said my name, gave my work number, and said to just say her name when she called. So of course she said her name, and where she was calling from when my secretary asked. So, my secretary knows.

Wahoo: I'm doing it! I'm going to meet with the m/ws at this birth center, and with one other practice that delivers in a hospital, before I go to my first OB appt., so I can decide what I want :)

[Geofizz]

Sounds like you're covering your bases!

I would talk to the midwife about telling your secretary. It could be that the office staff didn't transcribe that part so she didn't know, or it could be that she didn't remember or ignored your request. Either way, it is a possible red flag for communication issues. It could just have been an honest mistake, though. Mistakes happen.

[kofduke]

Sounds like you're covering your bases!

I would talk to the midwife about telling your secretary. It could be that the office staff didn't transcribe that part so she didn't know, or it could be that she didn't remember or ignored your request. Either way, it is a possible red flag for communication issues. It could just have been an honest mistake, though. Mistakes happen.

I don't really think I was clear enough in my message...I think I probably should've been more specific than the "just give your name" message I left (like, oh, don't say you're from the Birth Center :LOL ), since it was just a receptionist calling me back, and it probably wasn't unreasonable to say where she was calling from when asked!

[Geofizz]

Sounds like an understandable mistake, then.

I'm just hyper sensitive to certain communication flaws in people. I'm in a "in writing only" relationship with some folks at work right now. Sometimes I wonder if it's me, but when I ask around, people know exactly the problem I'm talking about with these people, so I think I do ok.

[oliversmum2000]

Cars: I have a PT Cruiser. It's not super-practical, but I :love it. The back will be limited to 2 carseats. .


i have a pt cruiser and i have managed to get 3 car seat across the back, the baby bucket type, the toddler seta amd the older toddler booster seat!

[Spark]

i have a pt cruiser and i have managed to get 3 car seat across the back, the baby bucket type, the toddler seta amd the older toddler booster seat!

Hmm, I wonder if I need to try again, then in my sedan. I don't have one of those booster seat 1/2 seat things. I have a full toddler booster seat with the back and arm rests. Maybe I need to cut all the arm rests off of the ones I have!

Whew. Long pukey day here. I'm so tired. I'm hoping the kids drop off to bed REALLY SOON! But, it'll probably be another 3 hours. OMG! How will I maek that!?!? (My DH works evenings)

Happy healthy vibes to each of you! :dust

[*Amy*]

YAHOOOOOOOOO!! We saw our baby today!

I went in for an early ultrasound (7w5d) because I had a blighted ovum last year, and we wanted to make sure that everything was progressing normally this time. The baby measures perfectly (!!) and the heartbeat was 167 BPM. I could not be happier! :love

[Spark]

Yay⁄ Oh, Amy! That's a BIG WAHOO! :D