May 2004 mamas finding happiness & fulfillment in the new year! (& maybe riches)

[mcsarahb]

OK just wanted ya'll to know that jstar is the best EVAR. :hug

[A&L+1]

I know I am forgeting people but I have to work.
:heartbeat

Oh, and Megan, I :loveeyes: you too!

[DucetteMama21842]

Oh Jstar.. I know that it probably does not comfort you.. but that cracked me up. I can totally relate to that potty escapade. They are too smart for their own good sometimes. :lol

[elsanne]

i'd LOVE to try birthing on hands and knees. so that is my goal :wink




I did this (leaning on the edge of the tub) and it was AWEsome (with Amara). I heartily encourage you to go for it. The MW was not crazy about the position but I steamrollered her protest.

[TurboClaudia]

the hands and knees thing didn't work for me either birthing. i really liked the idea, but i just couldn't get into it that way. it wasn't feeling right.

so both boys woke up dripping nose snot and coughing, so i feel bad for them. M even has the deeper, hoarse voice that bad colds sometimes give people. and poor S has these very dry sounding coughs but luckily they are only occasional and his snot seems to be mostly in his throat.

awake baby, gotta go...

~c

eta: sarah: i have your camera that you left at beth's yesterday.

[afishwithabike]

I forgot to subscribe to this thread a while ago and sort of lost track of it. I hope I am able to keep better tabs this time.

[Sarah'sMama]

The candy is an obsession here, too. Why? :dizzy: But that said, I can tolerate a little sugar-madness, but have had it with the blatant NOT LISTENING! ACK! I don't know how many times I asked katie to get dressed. Then come downstairs so we could take Sarah to school. Then get her shoes on. Then get her coat on. Then get in her carseat. Mamas it's driving me to the brink! :irked: And the worst part is it seems to be rubbing off on dd1, at times, too. I have had some not-very-nice-and-I'm-not-proud-of-myself-today exchanges with the girls today. I MUST try to be the adult tomorrow. I soooo was not adult-like today. :( Anyone else going through this? I'm struggling because I know its probably very age-appropriate, yet I don't want to constantly overlook it and it become a very bad habit to break. So I'm trying to figure out how to consistently deal with the not listening. I'm all ears if anyone has tips!

Wish we all could have been at fiddles blessingway yesterday! Much love to you in these final days of pregnancy, mama!

healing vibes to your boys, TC!

jstar-I think you did the right thing finding out gender this time around, since i was such an emotionally charged issue. It allows you to grieve all you need, and then you will be nothing but excited and happy once the new one arrives. I'm a member of the same-gendered-siblings and must say I love it. I had some hopes of a boy the second time around, mainly because I knew it was important to dh, and had to work through my disappointment for a bit. But in the end I'm incredibly happy with my girlies. It seems to me that most of our Maymamas have two of the same. 'Cept for mamameg the great, and KK had two of the same till L came along.

OK, kiddos who are supposed to be sleeping don't seem to be. Gonna go have to do sumthin about that.

[afishwithabike]

I keep fruit leathers around to help with the candy issues. I just wish she wouldn't ask for candy as soon as she's done eating. DH is a junk food junkie so it doesn't help at ALL!!!

[Mama Faery]

Hey now... you are apologizing in a "no apology zone". We here in MMF land, do not require, expect or otherwise desire apologies for choices you make. We trust you to do what you feel is right at all times, and will accept no apologies for that watsoever. :wink :p Serisouly, we are all on our own path and are learning as we go. No one should ever feel bad about that. :grouphug

Okay, gotta run. Off to Trader Joes.

Mamameg, you RULE. :jammin
I couldn't have said it better myself!
Now I'm off to watch some Carlos Mencia (fantastic stand-up comedian) with DH. :D

[Miss Juice]

I can tolerate a little sugar-madness, but have had it with the blatant NOT LISTENING! ACK! I don't know how many times I asked katie to get dressed. Then come downstairs so we could take Sarah to school. Then get her shoes on. Then get her coat on. Then get in her carseat. Mamas it's driving me to the brink! :irked: And the worst part is it seems to be rubbing off on dd1, at times, too. I have had some not-very-nice-and-I'm-not-proud-of-myself-today exchanges with the girls today. I MUST try to be the adult tomorrow. I soooo was not adult-like today. :( Anyone else going through this? I'm struggling because I know its probably very age-appropriate, yet I don't want to constantly overlook it and it become a very bad habit to break. So I'm trying to figure out how to consistently deal with the not listening. I'm all ears if anyone has tips!
Oh, I so totally feel ya. No tips, unfortunately. But the not listening, which is actually more like Listening But Deliberately Ignoring, is drving me INSANE. I know she hears me. I know she understands. But she *chooses* (and I am sure this is the problem) not to do what I am very nicely asking. And then I become a whirlwind of rage, and I want to put myself in mommy-time-out, because nobody needs to be subject to that :bag

I know it's just a step on the path, and yes, developmentally appropriate and all, but still it drives me NUTS. Dang it all to heck.

[Miss Juice]

Oh, and doesn't it just take your lid off when you ask, oh so nicely, for something to be done, and they look at you and say, "No!"?

[emmalola]

Hey moms!

A lot of excitement today. I was hoping to go to a great talk today, but I happened to be involved in a bit of a car accident on my way there. It was horrible- the other driver had a little infant in the car and I was so worried about her that I forgot to worry about my little babe until after the police came. Then I freaked out. But it wasn't a bad accident, nobody was hurt, and my airbags didn't even deploy even though I hit her directly with my front bumper. Since I already had a prenatal appointment scheduled for today, I just went home and rested on the couch until it was time for the appointment. At the appointment they were kind enough to give me a little ultrasound to check on the babe, and I got to see the heartbeat! It was so thrilling to see that little flickering kidney bean. ah. Baby's first photo. So everything looks fine, and as long as I don't start cramping or bleeding in the next few days we're in the clear. so stressful- when I got to the clinic for my appointment, my blood pressure was up at 145/something. I didn't even know my body would go that high! I'm usually a lot lower, say 100/60. dang.

So my feeling on ultrasounds? totally helpful, especially when you were just in a car accident and fear for the life of your unborn treasure. I was so weepy all afternoon until I saw that little flicker of hope. All my phantom cramps disappeared and I could go on like a normal human being. I wouldn't U/S every visit, like some clinics do, but I don't think it's a dangerous or bad tool when used correctly. People don't kill people, guns kill people. you know?

okay, maybe I'm still a little batty from the accident. But we're all here and healthy and that's all that matters.

[DucetteMama21842]

How scary! Glad to hear you are okay!

[Mama Faery]

I thought I'd have time for more a post this morning, as is customary, but my BF just IM'ed me and told me her psychotic soon-to-be-EX-DH showed up at her house this morning. At 4AM. :argue:
She's gonna call me on her way to work in a bit. :( I feel so bad for her; the divorce turned NASTY. It shouldn't have been, but then again, it seems that no matter what we like to think, breakups NEVER end up amicable. *sigh*
(remember my ex-he married a hose beast and she hates me so now we don't talk. :()

Anyway. Ugh. Sorry for the drama. :duck: Back to funner things! ;)

The blessingway sounds amazing. I still mourn my lack of one (I got a scary baby shower, if you all remember...haha) but am thankful for the part I played in one oh gods, a year and a half ago now??? The time, it flies.
The rest of us were there is spirit, Fiddle! :hug

Hi Lisa! :wave

emmalola, oh my goodness! :hug so glad you're all okay, that is so scary!

Oh man, where do I start on the toddler-transitioning-to-preschooler madness?? :nut :duck: :dizzy:
Rowan does a LOT of that "selective hearing" thing. :irked:

Okay, I have to go. Rowan spilled an almost-full cup of (thankfully lukewarm!) coffee ALL OVER ME. And the floor. AND THE COMPUTER!!! :yikes:

(we've since cleaned it up but now I'm all frazzled. haha)

[orangecanoe]

How very scary, EL!! So glad you all are safe!

This is a fun stage. I have to :lol at all the advice to give them two choices. My girl is so "neither"!

[orangecanoe]

darnit....xposted with the morning goddess and missed my chance to be first this a.m. :lol

renae--ick on the friend drama. sounds like a rough situation for her and hard for you to know just what you can do for her when the situation is so :dizzy:

[A&L+1]

Oh man, EL, how are you feeling today? I am so glad you were unhurt and that you had your appointment for reassurance. I am terrified of car wrecks. :hug

[TurboClaudia]

lisa, i saw that you posted and my first thought was it would be so like alison to be punctual and have this baby on her ACTUAL due date... :laugh:

EL: glad you are okay, albeit frazzled.

fiddle's mama blessing was soooooooooooooo nice. she said she feels ready to welcome her baby now after it.

okay, back to eating breakfast.

~claudia

[A&L+1]

lisa, i saw that you posted and my first thought was it would be so like alison to be punctual and have this baby on her ACTUAL due date...


:lol Nope, she did just send me an email that simply said "No baby yet" :lol

No labor, no pre-laboring stuff, and much to my dissappointment no crazy nesting scouring the house clean behavior either (but don't tell her I said that)!

We will go to the OB appointment in a couple of hours, but since we won't do anything but doppler (no VE) I am hoping it will be uneventful. The doc knows how I feel about her induction talk so I am really hoping she spares us the warning. Even for a hands off OB she feels the need to let us know that the baby will need to be born by such and such a date...blah blah blah.:irked:

[Jacqueline]

EL-glad the accident wasn't too awful and everyone is okay! So exciting to see the heartbeat, too. We have our first visit with the midwife on Friday and I'm really looking forward to at least hearing the hb.

In the 2nd trimester as of today!!!!

G is becoming increasingly difficult about various things, as well. Mealtime is a big one. He never wants to eat what we put on his plate, but we know he likes it (or used to). So, we're trying to stay firm and just tell him that's what's for dinner/breakfast, etc. More often than not, he WILL eat it. We just have to listen to lots of whining. Which is totally annoying. Since I'm snacking so much now, it's hard to eat anything without him wanting it. And, sometimes, I just don't want to share :o I do share most of the time, but I often have to explain that momma needs to feed the baby first and then G can eat. Reasoning with a 2 year old is not easy.

He also asks questions over and over, even after we've sufficiently answered them. He'll also say "What?" after we've totally given him a detailed, well-thought out explanation....or an easy explanation. It doesn't matter. I know he can hear us, he's just enjoying asking questions. Interesting phase....

[jstar]

hiya mamas.

EL- scary about the accident but i'm glad you got to see your little beacon bean. you probably feel a lot better now as far as doubts.

jaqueline - yay 2nd trimester! isaac asks lots of questions over and over again-- the favorites being "why? why? why?" "where are we going?" "where are we going?" :dizzy: he will also now answer the question 'why' with 'because!' hmm. wonder where he got that one :shy

fruit leathers are good too. isaac does love those. but really it's 'i want caaaaanneeeee' and vitamins. i started taking children's chewables since prenatals just incite a throat-closing reaction in my body. so isaac likes them and calls them 'spidermans' i want a spiderman! (he also calls his footie jammies his scoopermans. i want my scoopermans! the scoopermans have been in the dirty laundry forevah) he also keeps digging my papaya enzyme heartburn thingys out of my purse. i suppose those are ok for him :shrug: i personally find them kinda chalky and bleh but that's the point i think. they mostly work.

lunchtime!

[TurboClaudia]

on the endless questions, i've started using the tactic i used with my friend's son who has developmental delays and i ask him what he thinks the answer is, i.e. "what's that sound?" repeated seven times elicits an "well, what do you think that sound is?" question from me.

must check on the not napping S and retrieve my lunch from the micro...

and on other fronts, bill's work is d***ing him around about going to japan this week and the flights are becoming less and less convenient, i.e. he would have to leave saturday MORNING and wouldn't get home until THURSDAY MORNING!!! it would maybe be fine if he went on saturday EVENING and came back Wed morning, but damn, 5 days is too long people...

~c

[elsanne]

Sol completely disses the fruit leather. Ever since she tried it. :shrug

[A&L+1]

We're heading off to see a chiro in a minute...the baby IS breech. :( Prayers, ideas, and incantations welcome.

[DucetteMama21842]

Definetely think of moxibustion.

[DucetteMama21842]

The chiro should be able to help also.. as a last resort there is external version.

[jstar]

i just got in from the chiro (feels so great!). i will think turning thoughts for the babe lisa. acupuncture worked for one babe in my yoga group.

i was rushed off for lunch before i added what a great fun day we had with miss L yesterday. she is a peach! such a sweetie :heartbeat and i couldn't even believe what a little gentleman isaac was. his first screaming fit was when L and sarah were leaving.

[orangecanoe]

lisa--e was breech at the end and I did the pulsatilla and hip tilt things and it worked. hope the chiro works! wiggle back little one!

We haven't tried the fruit leather here as C probably wouldn't be able to chew it, but she also doesn't get that she could ever eat lots of candy. Three m&m's is a huge treat for her. I guess I also don't ever eat lots of the junky stuff in front of her ...lest I have to share! :lol

[Miss Juice]

Emmalola, hugs all around. How scary! My pulse was up on your behalf. How are you feeling now?

This is a fun stage. I have to :lol at all the advice to give them two choices. My girl is so "neither"!

:yeah: I can say to Allison, "Would you like cereal or oatmeal for breakfast?" And she will inevitably reply, "No." or alternatively, "ummm... pinkerbuttertoast."

damn, 5 days is too long people...

5 days is WAY too long. Hope it doesn't come to that :hug

We're heading off to see a chiro in a minute...the baby IS breech. :( Prayers, ideas, and incantations welcome.

Hopefully the chiro will help, but it may take more than one visit (I can't remember if you see a chiro regularly or if this is the first). Also, inversion yoga positions help make space for turning. Like downward-facing dog, that sort of thing. PVs coming your way...

[fiddlefern]

Ack! I was 6 pages behind on the reading, and I've read for an hour and a half and I'm not done. I need some sleep, so I'll have to skip the rest for now and just post a quick update.

I'm still preggers (due in 1.5 wks), but feeling much more ready to greet the new babe than I was with L at this point. The blessingway was AMAZING! I was really feeling the need for support from the mamas who mean the most to me, and that totally happened. The coolest thing was, during the time when everyone lit candles and strung blessing beads for the babe and I, I had cervical contractions the whole time we went around the circle. It was the strangest, most amazing thing. They stopped when I got up after the blessings, then kinda came and went for the rest of the blessingway, then completely peetered out after everyone left. I guess it was just my body's way of saying, "I feel safe and supported and ready to labor in this moment." Apparently, babe said, "that's great mom, but I still have some growing to do." :lol

So... if I go over my EDD, I'm gonna pick a day and have all the may mamas light a candle for me, and see if we can't get some of that same energy going. :D

Also, (embarrassed clearing of throat.....) I finally got my secret santa gift off this weekend :o :o :o , so I guess anyone who hasn't shared what they got can do it. :o

[Mama Faery]

Wow, breech babies (turn, baby, turn! :dust a lot of my friends did the hip tilt things and it worked) and almost-due babies (let us know when to light that candle! :love) and WOW.
I admit I skim a lot, in order to keep up. But I do keep up (most of the time :bag:)

So, I'm a little out of it these days; my "vitamins" are making it REALLY hard to get a good night's sleep! :zzz :coffee I am hoping that taking them both first thing in the morning will help with nighttime. But hey, at least I'm not tired all the time anymore! Just twitchy and manic, whee. :run
(apparently those side effects SHOULD go away in a couple of weeks--it just sucks to feel like I'm on bad speed until then. :eyesroll)
(also, Rowan seems to be unaffected, thank the goddess; he nurses so infrequently so that's not a surprise. Also, NOTHING has EVER affected him--not caffeine, not sugar, not dairy, not spicy food. :shrug I know I am infinitely lucky in that!)

Sorry, I REALLY don't mean to be all "me me me", it's just on my fractured mind at the moment. One of my friends is having lots of family issues right now, and I feel like SUCH a loser with my petty brain issues. :( I know mental illness doesn't work this way, but I just want to KICK myself and say "GET OVER IT!" *sigh*
Anyway.

It is reassuring for me to hear that my little Pooperton isn't the only one that answers "Do you want to wear yellow socks or blue socks?" with "RED ONES!!!" and "Eggs or cereal for breakfast?" "PANCAKES!" :eyesroll
I get a lot of "what's that sound?" too, along with "What's this song, mama? Remember this song? Remember this movie? What's that?" :blah I try to remember to ask him a question back like "I dunno, Rowan, what IS that sound?" or song, or whatever. :lol It's a fun, fun age...but also kind of an annoying one. :wink
The whining. Ack. :duck:
One super-cute thing though; several times, this week, when he's awakened for the day or after nap, he reaches his arms out to me and says "I NEED you, Mama!" :happyt: DH went into his room Sunday morning and Rowan made him carry him to our bed because "I need Mama!" :love
It definitely tempers the "GO AWAY, MAMA!"'s I get when DH is around sometimes. :eyesroll

Oh, we saw the new Charlotte's Web movie yesterday morning (it was the Baby Pictures movie). I decided to bring him (we hardly EVER go anymore--the movies, surprisingly, usually are not kid-friendly) because it used to be my FAVORITE book (and cartoon movie--remember that? I still have it on VHS!) and he LOVED it. :) It made me so happy to share some of my childhood with him. Now we'll have to watch the old movie together sometime.

Ugh--I just vaccuumed and put the Legos away--and now, the Legos are back out--ALL OVER the place. :dizzy:

Have a wonderful day, everymama. :grouphug I don't know what I would do without you all.

[A&L+1]

Thanks for the turning thoughts everybody! Keep 'em coming.

So, the chiro thing was nice and we will be going back. Alison is so not woo woo and is finding more than interesting that she's doing all these things. She has acupuncture today, we did moxi, talking to the baby, and hip tilt last night, and she'll do chiro and massage tomorrow. She's laughing that it is now her fulltime job to convince this baby to turn. We've been having heart to heart talks about why this baby might have moved on Friday (she worked until Thursday, we don't feel ready for the baby, she is hung up on having the "right" kind of birth, etc.) Our doctor will do an inversion if needed after Alison readies her body with these other techniques. She is really freaked that this may mean a c-section. Her OB does do vaginal breeches but only if a host of criteria are met so - turn, baby, turn!

There has been so much else said here - Claudia's husband gone for 5 days, EL accident, Renae vitamins, Fiddle's blessingway, fruit leather, PDX MMF babysitting - I can't think straight right now to craft a response. I will be back, thanks again for the baby turning thoughts.

:love

[KKmama]

EL, glad you are okay! That sounded scary.:dizzy:

Ooh, Lisa, I'm thinking of you and Alison (esp. Alison). Dunno if you remembered that L was breech till I had some PT to manipulate my pelvis... I do think the experts can help.

Re choices--with T, I could totally do the 2 choices thing--it *always* worked. Doesn't work at all with Z.

Renae, ack on the not sleeping vitamins. I really hope *that* settles down.

Beth, nice to "see" you... the blessingway sounded awesome.

Heather, we started Z with the fruit leather in long thin strips (to try to encourage some chewing, esp. on the sides/in back). He often couldn't do it, but it motivated him to try more than some other things.

5 days as a solo mama would send me over the edge (with all due respect to Elsanne).

I have such a hard time imagining Jacquie's G whining, because he was such an angel the 2 times I've seen him... :lol

I had such a weird dream about one of my friends... I dreamt that her dh auctioned off one of the letters in their last name so he could get more sleep (they have 3 little ones, too). Hmm.... maybe I should try it.

[orangecanoe]

Fiddly! So happy to hear your blessingway was filled with love and good energy. I know thinking of you all thinking of me helped me through E's labor/birth.

Lisa--lots of wiggly turning thoughts! I was so not woo woo before my SI joint went out after E's birth and now I more often take the kids to the chiro when they're sick or when they fall than to the ped. :lol

Renae--hope things even out before long with the vites. Rowan sounds like such fun these days (when he isn't being exasperating!)


My dilemma du jour....when to cut the nap?? She totally still needs it and will sleep 3-5ish, but then the past few days has been up til 11pm and still up at 7ish. Eek. Her behavior has been atrocious. What to do??

[orangecanoe]

KK--:lol I would totally sell my e and r to the highest bidder for more sleep or a maid or something. good tip on the fruit leather! She really backslides w/ her chewing when I don't keep on it.

[jstar]

it occurred to me last night thinking of alison that i have never asked my ob if he does vaginal breech births. something to ask. i'm glad alison is trying 'woo woo' and if she is feeling like she isn't in labor land yet she probably still has a good solid week or something left. plenty of time to turn :wink

renae - brain issues are not petty. they aren't. they're a physiological issue just like any other. and i appreciate your talking about them. i hope the bad speed feeling settles soon.

speaking of bad speed did anyone watch frontline on meth last night? a lady talked about shooting up through her pregnancies :( those poor kiddos. four of them. that is sick. it is a sick drug. but that's depressing....


pinkerbuttertoast :lol that is so cute. i do some choices. and i definitely ask him the questions back.

doug did school pickup yesterday and said isaac was in the preschool 2 class. eeeeeeeeeek my baby is growing up. i don't know when they'll move him up but they usually spend a month or so transitioning them. one of the 2 teachers of that class lived in our house for 10 years. funny huh? and i found out by talking to her husband at the coffee shop. this big city is like a small town sometimes.

have a lovely day all :loveeyes:

[elsanne]

EI had such a weird dream about one of my friends... I dreamt that her dh auctioned off one of the letters in their last name so he could get more sleep (they have 3 little ones, too). Hmm.... maybe I should try it.

:laugh:



My dilemma du jour....when to cut the nap?? She totally still needs it and will sleep 3-5ish, but then the past few days has been up til 11pm and still up at 7ish. Eek. Her behavior has been atrocious. What to do??

Sell her, or maybe just one letter of her name, for a little more sleep.

[KKmama]

I'm procrastinating... I should be tidying, but I'm nak... T's having a couple of friends over after K (with their mom, who I really like, but she is so much more the wife material--esp. housewife--than I am... not a put-down, just a statement of fact that her house is *waaay* more together than mine... and she talks about how she likes to vacuum and dust while her boys are in K :dizzy: ).

I came back because I wanted to comment on a few things I forgot.
Pottying: I am definitely of the "no pressure" school. I ask once or twice, and that's it. You want a dipe, no problem (esp. for pooping). I have a few friends who went totally over the top with PTing, and their kids have had way, way, WAAAAY more accidents (sometimes multiple times a day) to a much later age (past 4 1/2) than they should (IMO), and I do believe that it was because it became a power struggle. The only things little kids have any control over is eating and elimination. If either becomes a power struggle, bad things happen (accidents, encopresis, unnecessary feeding issues).

Napping: I do believe that kids do better napping till at least age 3, but part of that is that *I* need the nap (:bag:). Supposedly, developmentally, it's good for them to keep napping. HF, have you tried to shorten the nap? We try to not let Z nap too long/too late, and it seems to help with the bedtime. But yeah, totally sell your letters. But not to me--I'm not buying.:wink

[emmalola]

Els- you crack me up.

This morning we went to an open house for a different preschool and there was the child of the woman's car that I hit. He didn't know me, but I recognized him, because, really- how many kids are named Zion? And there was a photo from their home birth of his sib on the wall, so it was definitely him. Can I send my kid to the same school as this person who's life I totally disrupted? Also there- two other friends from childhood. People I haven't seen in 15-18 years. Totally bizarro. It was a nice school, but sweets is concerned that it isn't academically rigorous enough. For example: they encourage kids to express themselves, so if a child is a poor speller, they will encourage the correct spelling by calling it the "standard spelling" but not necessarily correct the child. I can appreciate trying to nurture creativity, but spelling is a major component of our growing society of internet communication- I don't want to give my kid a handicap from the start, you know?

And sometimes I worry that I'm getting ahead of myself here. Ug.

Lisa- turn, baby, turn! You can do it!

Potty- I'm with KK here. Having gone through the potty experience where we were all stressed out and having a lot of trouble until we realized that we needed to chill, I can vouch for the no-pressure method. Once the lentil realized he had a tool to work with, he ran with it. When we took away the pressure, he quickly realized that it was a lot more fun to get the deed over with and move on than it was to drive his parents crazy and sit on the potty all afternoon. Plus, we gave him m&m's as incentive to pee, and he liked that a hugeobuncho.

nap- is she getting enough exercise during the day? With the lousy weather, we have to struggle to get the lentil running. Two nights ago we had him running from room to room for about 30 min just to get a little exercise. We made it into a game- he'd run into a room and we'd say "You can't eat lunch in here!" and then he'd run into the next room and we'd repeat until he was in the kitchen. then we'd say he could eat lunch, then he'd start all over. hilarious fun, let me tell you. Of course, we had to run with him, but it wasn't so bad. What about moving her nap to earlier in the day? The lentil naps at 12:30, but that's because that's when his school has nap. He typically naps 1 1/2-2 1/2 hours at a stretch.

Yay for the second Tri, Jaqueline! That's great! Yay!

Yay for the wonderful ceremony, Beth. It sounds so sweet and peaceful. Thinking of you in these next few weeks.

renae, hang in there! (where's the kitten hanging from a branch smiley when I need it?)

[elsanne]

zion....hugeobuncho...just had to point those out.

[jstar]

you'll be proud of my self restraint. i got out of the shower and went upstairs and isaac (who had been sleeping) had closed my bedroom door and his bedroom door. i said 'where are youuuuuuuuu?' and he opened his door 'i hiding' 'are you pooping?' yeah. do you want to use the potty. no. ----> 'ok!'

:lol

i have a PL deadline in my head of june. and well i need to let that go. although i finally talked to the director of the school/daycare today and if he is not PL 2 days a week will be $550. ACK. that is insane. $425 if he does PL. that is also insane but i really want to do it. i am also signing baby up now to start there at age 2. she said 'now is the time!' it is so freakin hard to get in. so i feel like i have a plan at least.

i'm along the rigorous academics line myself so that would sort of freak me out about that school. then again it all matters how clearly they present the correct spelling.

we aren't anywhere near spelling yet. one would have to be able to identify letters to do that :loveeyes: but if you have a lock to pick....we'll he's your boy.

[TurboClaudia]

there's a zion amongst one of the portland mdc mamas. he's 3.5 and an incredibly sweet kid. names seem to repeat themselves in my life: zion, orion, ruby, lily, cole/colton, oliver, aidan/aiden.

on the potty boy calls...

~claudia

[orangecanoe]

EL---I agree with sweets on the spelling thing. The lentil seems pretty ahead of the curve w/ language stuff and I'm thinking the inventive spelling w/o correction would confuse him when he's a bit older. C is way into letters and spelling these days (or just asking how to spell everything and copying) and although for now at 2 I don't correct when she sounds out bakery as "bacre"...but at 4-5 I think she would be ready for getting it right. I know I make judgments about poor spelling /grammar online and in print so I kwym.

[Sarah'sMama]

A lot of excitement today. I was hoping to go to a great talk today, but I happened to be involved in a bit of a car accident on my way there. It was horrible- the other driver had a little infant in the car and I was so worried about her that I forgot to worry about my little babe until after the police came. Then I freaked out. But it wasn't a bad accident, nobody was hurt, and my airbags didn't even deploy even though I hit her directly with my front bumper. Since I already had a prenatal appointment scheduled for today, I just went home and rested on the couch until it was time for the appointment. At the appointment they were kind enough to give me a little ultrasound to check on the babe, and I got to see the heartbeat! It was so thrilling to see that little flickering kidney bean. ah. Baby's first photo. So everything looks fine, and as long as I don't start cramping or bleeding in the next few days we're in the clear. so stressful- when I got to the clinic for my appointment, my blood pressure was up at 145/something. I didn't even know my body would go that high! I'm usually a lot lower, say 100/60. dang.

I'm so so glad you all are OK. Accidents are incredibly scary-one of my big fears in life. Hope you're dealing with all of this OK.

In the 2nd trimester as of today!!!!



Yay! for second Tri! Hope it brings you better-feeling days and nights!


and on other fronts, bill's work is d***ing him around about going to japan this week and the flights are becoming less and less convenient, i.e. he would have to leave saturday MORNING and wouldn't get home until THURSDAY MORNING!!! it would maybe be fine if he went on saturday EVENING and came back Wed morning, but damn, 5 days is too long people...

~c

Grrr. :irked:

We're heading off to see a chiro in a minute...the baby IS breech. :( Prayers, ideas, and incantations welcome.

Sending non-breech baby vibes to Alison. I'll think of her when I light my new candle tonight. :candle

I'm still preggers (due in 1.5 wks), but feeling much more ready to greet the new babe than I was with L at this point. The blessingway was AMAZING! I was really feeling the need for support from the mamas who mean the most to me, and that totally happened. The coolest thing was, during the time when everyone lit candles and strung blessing beads for the babe and I, I had cervical contractions the whole time we went around the circle. It was the strangest, most amazing thing. They stopped when I got up after the blessings, then kinda came and went for the rest of the blessingway, then completely peetered out after everyone left. I guess it was just my body's way of saying, "I feel safe and supported and ready to labor in this moment." Apparently, babe said, "that's great mom, but I still have some growing to do." :lol

So... if I go over my EDD, I'm gonna pick a day and have all the may mamas light a candle for me, and see if we can't get some of that same energy going. :D

What a powerful experience! I'll definitely light a candle for you anytime you want!

So, I'm a little out of it these days; my "vitamins" are making it REALLY hard to get a good night's sleep! :zzz :coffee I am hoping that taking them both first thing in the morning will help with nighttime. But hey, at least I'm not tired all the time anymore! Just twitchy and manic, whee. :run
(apparently those side effects SHOULD go away in a couple of weeks--it just sucks to feel like I'm on bad speed until then. :eyesroll)


Oh, we saw the new Charlotte's Web movie yesterday morning (it was the Baby Pictures movie). I decided to bring him (we hardly EVER go anymore--the movies, surprisingly, usually are not kid-friendly) because it used to be my FAVORITE book (and cartoon movie--remember that? I still have it on VHS!) and he LOVED it. :) It made me so happy to share some of my childhood with him. Now we'll have to watch the old movie together sometime.
.

I remember when my vites screwed with my sleep, even if I took them in the morning. :irked: It did even out after a few weeks, but still...

Glad you liked Charlotte's Web! I've been toying with the idea of taking the girls to go see that, because, hey, I really want to see it. It's all about me, y'know?


My dilemma du jour....when to cut the nap?? She totally still needs it and will sleep 3-5ish, but then the past few days has been up til 11pm and still up at 7ish. Eek. Her behavior has been atrocious. What to do??

These days, Katie's not napping much. Mainly because on days Sarah's home from Pre-K, they go down for "nap" time ( Iuse that term veeerrry loosely) and ineveitably end up playing while they're supposed to be resting. Then on days Sarah IS in Pre-K, it's a bit of a whirlwind of me going to drop Sarah off, coming home, wind down, rest, wake up to pick up Sarah. So most days that doesn't happen either. So the good thing is bedtime is usually pretty easy and effortless (and early too, so I can chill). Fortunately, though, Katie's not terribly grumpy without her nap. I just have to make sure I have her in bed by730-800 in order for her to be sociable the next day.

[Sarah'sMama]

Forgot what I was going to say... :lol

Katie's got a yeast infection. :( Poor kid.

[TurboClaudia]

yippee yippee yay-yay-yay!!! bill just called and he doesn't have to go to japan at all this week!!!

doing a little sunshiney happy dance, because the sun is actually shining in middle of winter oregon... :D

~claudia

[elsanne]

Yay for not being totally alone, Claudia!!!

Sherri I just remembered while laying on the floor playing with my girls that you had a girls' night out a while back...how was it? Sooo sorry to hear that Katie has the yeasties. Yucky! Will you do cream externally?

[orangecanoe]

Sherri--ack! Hope it clears for her soon!

Claudia!! Yay!! That must be such a huuuuge relief!!

Well with all the potty talk....I dare any of you to match my girls talent :lol Toddler humor gotta love it--- I'm in the kitchen chopping peppers for dinner and I hear "Mommy, come look! I pooped letter C!" Um, yes she did. What talent. :wink :dizzy: See what you have to look forward to Jstar? Now I just can't wait until she's coordinated enough to use the potty upstairs all teh time and ditch the baby potty on the stair landing.

[elsanne]

Your daughter knows the letter C?!? And can poop it?!? I sense a ddddc in the air...

[orangecanoe]

:lol at least she's not pooping in my tupperware! :duck:

[elsanne]

Hey Heath, who did your ddddc? Are you prowling about on other threads? Whodunit?

And the tupperware thing.....don't get me started....

[fiddlefern]

Woo hoo! Finally caught up on the reading.

I noticed fish-with-a-biked popped in a few pages ago. Welcome back! :D

Els- I'm not the culprit, but I'm pretty sure that Heather sold her e and r for some more sleep. :lol Wonder who's buying.

Lisa- I am thinking major turning vibes for you and A and the babe. I just lit one of my blessingway candles in honor of the babe goin head first. :love I'll be sending the babe good thoughts as I get ready for bed tonight.

Sherri- are the yeasties the girly kind or the diper rash kind? I hope she heals quickly!

Emily- glad you and the babe are ok. The spelling thing is part of the "whole language" model. It was all the rage when I was getting my masters in teaching. I think it's kinda going out of style now.

I'm amazed by these kids interested in letters and spelling. We're just THINKING about starting colors (but the speech therapist would rather have us focus on conversation concepts and verbs than memorize colors). Sometimes I get bummed about L's cognitive delays, but I have to remember that 9 months ago he had 7 different words that all sounded like "ba," and now he's clearly speaking 5 word sentences. Plus, he's starting to be able to understand and answer questions!

Claudia- soooooooo glad to hear you aren't gonna be stuck sans dh, esp when it hasn't been that long that you've been doin your days solo. I cannot IMAGINE parenting w/out dh. He went out for the evening with a friend (my christmas present to him was a movie card and the stipulation that he hang out with some friends and have fun for once) and I barely knew what to do with myself. :lol

Dh needs the computer, and I need to spray the moses basket with vinegar water and dry it out and put the mattress in it. :love

[Miss Juice]

Tee hee, I beat the Morning Goddess.

But I only have a minute, as I've used my morning internet quota to catch up with the chattiness of the may mamas!

Heath, I am totally impressed with pooping the C, and knowing it! My mom LOVES to tell the story of how I came running out of the bathroom once, yelling "Mom! Mom!! I made a J!!!" Allison at this point doesn't show any interest in letters. At all. (pooping is quite the topic of conversation around here, though)

TC - I've never known anybody else who knew an Orion. (well, outside of my high school friends of course)

:hug for yeast infection - speedy healing!

And continued baby turning thoughts.

[A&L+1]

Sooooooo tired. Eleanor had a fever yesterday and last night. Her childcare called me mid-acupuncture appointment with Alison to say that her temp was 104 :fever: So, off to the doctor because we have actual flu going around to do the instant flu test. She has no flu, ear infection, no obvious issue, so she's doing tylenol and resting at home. She was up every couple of hours last night.

Alison is doing well. No obvious baby flipping yet, but it has moved and I can't find the head again. She's going to call the OB to get seen today to confirm position and talk about a external version. We're both tired.

I am working a half day today and taking tomorrow off. It's just too much and I want to be home with my girls.

Heath- thanks for the laugh about the pooping C!!! That is so cute.

[Mama Faery]

AHH! I have been beaten! :lol
But I have a fabulous reason for not posting till right now--my MIL is in the living room, playing with Rowan, and mamas, she's here all day!! :banana So I am about to go to the gym, then I am having lunch with DH, and then, maybe, going to a movie. I am not even going to concern myself with naptime. :wink

Rock on. I need the break, and Rowan is in Gramma-heaven (as is Gramma! :love)

Have a wonderful day, mamas. :grouphug
I will read and catch up later...what's with the pooping C's and tupperware??? :confused:

:laugh:

Love to you all!

[jstar]

i'm going to take not feeling the head as a good sign! and that is a drag that E is sick. good thing you can take some time off to be at home. you know i decided to take a day off work when my mom flew up for my birth in may 04 and i went into labor the next morning :wink

i'm really glad bill isn't leaving for japan too. it would have been a looooong trip. and i forgot to ask you specifically how you were doing with your solo days but maybe that was because you seem like you're doing great and taking it all in stride, claudia :)

have a great day renae!

we woke up at 6am with the alarm. we don't usually get up until 7 so wow...extra time to do the dishes this morning!

the pooping C :lol my friend gave me this little notebook and each page is formatted to record a little story about your kiddo's funny deed. the cover says something about being hilarious reading when it is done. i do write isaac's little stories in there periodically. the pooping C would definitely be an entry in the funny book :wink

i hope little katie gets better soon. isaac still gets the itchy diaper rash and i think it is yeasty. i'm almost out of clotrimazole. as soon as i take off the dipe he starts scratching everything and last night he scratched and drew blood on his penis :( owwwwwwwwwwwww. this is the REAL reason i can't wait for PL. he has the most sensitive skin

ok now that i know this babe is a boy i have an uncontrollable urge to SHOP! slings, dipes, new sweet tiny clothes. do i need any clothes? no! do i need a new sling? sure :loveeyes: ha. at least i'm convincing myself i do :lol must.save.$.for.the.birth!

[Sarah'sMama]

Sherri- are the yeasties the girly kind or the diper rash kind? I hope she heals quickly!

Well, at first, I thought they were the girly kind. A foul odor when I took her to the bathroom, and then I started noticing a foul smelling discharge in her underwear. That was Tuesday. Then yesterday she had some red rash on her vulva, and today it has spread and is worse. And she's complaining today that it itches. I've been putting Nystatin on it, but I'm not sure if its old and ineffective or what? I'm 99 percent sure its fungal. Any suggestions, mamas? I'm not sure how long I need to try the Nystatin before I take her in for something else? I wasn't so worried when it wasn't really bothering her, but now that it is, I want to help her as much as I can.

Lisa, I sure hope E mends soon, and that you and A stay healthy! Not good timing for sure. :( I hope you can get some answers and solutions to the breech babe.

Strep Throat is going around here like mad. MIL had a fever the other day, so dh stopped over there to check on her and look at her throat, and he confirmed she had strep throat. So guess who's now got the chills and sore throat? :( He's at work right now for a little longer, and he's working the night shift tonight (7pm to about 10am Friday). So hopefully he gets home soon so he can get some rest. I've made him some jello and it's chilling in the fridge so he has something to eat. Strep always knocks him down hard. I had my tonsils out looong ago, so I haven't had strep in ages. Just hoping the kids don't come down with it. :fever:

Enjoy your day, Renae! Sounds divine! You're so lucky to have such a great MIL!

Claudia, I'm soooo happy Bill's Japan trip is off! :banana

OK, off to research yeast...

[elsanne]

Els- I'm not the culprit, but I'm pretty sure that Heather sold her e and r for some more sleep. :lol Wonder who's buying.


Dh needs the computer, and I need to spray the moses basket with vinegar water and dry it out and put the mattress in it. :love

This comment about Heath's ER made me laugh hard. And, sounds like some nesting happening there!!!



TC - I've never known anybody else who knew an Orion. (well, outside of my high school friends of course)


I had always thought if I had a boy child I would name him Orion.


I will read and catch up later...what's with the pooping C's and tupperware??? :confused:



Catch up, girl, catch up.

Weeeeelll my mother was staying with me when she first got here, thank goddess she's happily ensconced in my old apt. now--but she was staying upstairs in my office (and only other bedroom) where there is no second story bathroom. She selected the biggest, best (think salad) tupperware bowl and top she could find from my kitchen, and decided to micturate into it to not have to go up and down the metal spiral stairs at night (which are kind of hard, but come ON).

(credit the big lebowski for "micturate")

Conversation:

Mom: "I will get you another bowl when I can, or something."
Me: "That's fine."
Mom: "Do you think it's weird?"
Me: "It's not weird, mom, I just don't want to eat out of it anymore."
Mom: "I didn't think you were the kind of person who got weirded out by a little pee."
Me: "I deal with more pee and poop in a day than I care to. I'm not weirded out, I just don't want to eat out of it anymore."


This was on top of her spilling beer on the rug that ties the room together, and also staining sheets and newly made futon with same beer. GAH!

Anyway all is at peace now that she's in her own space, she is helpful with the girls and it's all great.

[mcsarahb]

Good mornin' ladies - well I had started a huge multi-quote reply yesterday, didn't got to posting it, then my laptop took a bad spill and now it won't start up again. :( And DH is still out of town so it won't be looked at until he returns.

And I have to skedaddle right now to get Lily to the nanny share and me to school, but I WILL return later and reply to all this hilarity, breechness, and sickness. :dizzy:

mwah

[orangecanoe]

<--- :lol

Hippos were fun! Fingers crossed that the ped's doesn't sit on the paperwork for too long and that they have a spot for her at the end of next month.

Laundry beckons...

[fiddlefern]

Hi all! Popping quickly cause I have a minute.

Els- wow, it is a gooooooooooooood thing your mom has her own space now. She reminds me of Viet- great to have as a resource for the kids, not someone you'd want to share living space and large amounts of time with!

Sherri- eep! I'd give you yeastie advice, but none of it has actually worked for me. Maybe try the grape seed extract? I know that MCSarah and others have had lots of luck with it as a topical.

Jess- I know the feeling- even though I had enough newborn stuff from friends, I HAD to go out and get a special blanket, and an outfit, and new cloth wipes, and.....(you get the idea). I think buying little things is part of nesting, and you have one of the most intense nesting urges I've ever seen. :lol

Renae- enjoy your day! I have a whole hour of unexpected freedom (training got over early, kiddo with nanny at music class) and I am reveling in it.

Lisa- wow, I hope your family has a chance to rest and heal. Maybe this is an unexpected opportunity for you all to spend some calm time together before the new arrival. Hope your lil babe has turned! If it has, I am going to give some credit to the blessingway candle. That blessingway had some intense good vibes goin.

Hi, Miss Juice! :love

I'm off to make some tea and do a little nesting. :D

[mcsarahb]

OK, I give up. I just can't post everything I wanted to. But please know, each and every one of you, that I have been reading and laughing and thinking good thoughts and crying and virtual-hugging every one of you for various reasons. :lol

Just a few points:

Lily has the sugar/candy thing going, too. Mostly it was Christmas at the grandparents' that did us in, but I must admit I have a problem with giving in and feeding the craving myself. I find that sometimes, when I've GOT to get somewhere and Lily HAS to get in the car, or whatever, I would rather resort to a treat than her pitching a fit. I realize this is just making it worse, but I honestly don't have time to figure out another plan. I totally don't mind her pitching a fit when I don't have to be somewhere, or I'm not on the phone with an important call. And it used to be fruit leathers and booty would do the trick, but now that she's tasted the good stuff...:rolleyes And this is not to say that we keep a stock of candy at the ready to bribe her or anything; it's just that she knows where the chocolate chips and the marshmellows are...:bag:

Yeah, and the two choice thing doesn't work here, either. It's "Neither!" or "NOTHING!" Le sigh.

Lisa, I am sooo thinking turning thoughts for that babe. I think my top two recs would be as much acupuncture as possible, and lots of inverted-type positions. Hope E feels better soon and everything settles down before the big event.

We are under the weather here, too, with lots of stuffiness and a little coughing. My nose is running like a faucet right now.

jstar, thanks again so much for watching Lily. She had fun - and she was very impressed that Isaac had his own room...keeps talking about "Isaac's room upstairs, DIFFERENT than his mama and papa's room!" :lol I sooo wish we could finish our blankety-blank upstairs sometime before 2015. Le sigh #2.

Oh, and on ultrasounds...talk about a weird topic in my current environment. So much controversy and opinions. My current opinion is that 2-3 u/s during pregnancy are a-ok, especially if benefits are there - early dating/nuchal, general check at 19 weeks, later position check - but that's about it. The newest study that came out on neural cell migration is kinda scary and I don't think *lots* of u/s is good for any fetus, mouse or human. Personally, I got the 19-week u/s with Lily and I would have done another if there was an indication such as possible trauma (emmalola) or bizarre dating issues.

Heath, I just wanted to say WOW that C. is sounding out words. That's awesome! Lily knows a few words from sight (names, mostly) and can identify the first letter of most things, but hasn't quite made the jump to sounding out a whole word. And glad the hippos were fun! Did you take pics?

OK, gotta go eat and do homework before picking up the munchkin.

Sarah

[orangecanoe]

Elsanne---for some reason, just now seeing the explanation about the tupperware. eeps! I saw your ddddc and for some reason assumed it was your toddler that was micturating in the tupp. Well that's says a lot I guess. Glad she is out of your space!

still slaying the laundry monster...where does it all come from? gah.

[KKmama]

Rushing here triumphantly to say that *I* (yes *I*) am the lucky recipient of the Ferny gifty. Woo hoo! There's a mix CD (which I just stuck in the player, I'm sure it will be good, as I always like *other* people to choose my music for me), there's a soy candle (which I am eager to try, because I've heard good things about them lately), and last but certainly not least a mondo-hugeo jar of homemade applesauce. Woo hoo! I love home canning, and I haven't done any since before T was a baby... can't wait to crack it open. THANK YOU!!!!!

Heath, I took a wee break from laundry (read: I didn't do my almost daily load a couple of days in a row) and I'm all backed up, too. Is that laundry constipation? Watch out... the laundry closet is about to have a blowout... :lol Yea on the hippos. I think a little nudging reminder call to the ped is fine.

Concerned thoughts to MCSB's laptop... :wink

Ack, I totally thought we were done with the yeasties. Poor Katie.

Sorry about the pee. If it happened here.... I'd stick it in our dishwasher on the high heat setting, and then use it. But remember, I've been avoiding showers, too. (Totally unrelated, except for the word--I hate baby showers, too.)

Orion is a boy name *I* considered for Z (dh wouldn't consider it).

Get better, Eleanor! I hope the baby is properly positioned now...

Re spelling... in K with T, they get to do creative spelling, because the big emphasis is on hearing the sounds and sounding words out (working on spelling as well as learning to read would be a little mean--a lot of English is just not spelled phonemically). Then in 1st, they start working on spelling. We do "homework" every night. Many nights, it's T drawing a picture (and he's supposed to make it as detailed as possible) and then writing a sentence or 2 to go with it all by himself, eg: "I wint skeeing with my daddy." and "A fox livs in r bakyard." :)

[elsanne]

I guess my issue is with the heavy-duty medication my mother takes and surely excretes in her urine. Blech! Ain't no water hot enough!

[DucetteMama21842]

I am not sure I understand the peeing in tupperware thing anyway.. :lol I would laugh (but definetely not use again..) How weird is it, and maybe it is just me.. but I would on high heat boiling water to sterilize if it was my kids.. but anyone else..(even dh :duck: ) I couldn't. :lol

[fiddlefern]

Dear KK, sorry to have sent it sooooooooooooo late. Glad it arrived. :D

Sarah, it's so cool that you're getting to study all this interesting midwifery stuff. (Though I'm glad it's not me- after what I've gone through with L and after the emotional roller coaster of cost/benefit analysis in this pregnancy, I'm SO DONE with anything medical and babes.) But still, I think it's great that you get to study something so pertinent to your current life (and/or the lives of your friends :wink ).

Laundry- as indicated in my siggy, that's pretty much all done by dh :duck:

You know how cats like to knead things with their front paws? That's what it feels like W is doing to my insides right now. :lol OMG- I just noticed. You ladies are NOT ALLOWED to think of my child as Dubya!!! I'll have to come up with another shorthand. :lol

Nighty-night.

Just feelin hot pink tonight. Don't know why. Could be a sugar high cause I just at a bowl of brownie chunk ice cream :wink

[Miss Juice]

Apparently someone slayed a constipated laundry monster in my bedroom. It is completely out of control. And yay for ferny's laundry-friendly DH!! My DH is seriously laundry-impaired. I mean, he *can* do it, but it's not pretty. He'll actually root through the baskets in our room (there are many), then go down to the basement, take ONE pair of underwear from the dryer and leave the rest of it down there.

How are the sickies doing? Eleanor and Katie?
Lisa, :hug you sound stressed. I hope you get some snuggle time with your family.

[Miss Juice]

Important toddler rule: Always wear shades while toothbrushing. (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/notquitecrazy@sbcglobal.net/detail?.dir=/cfc0re2&.dnm=757cre2.jpg&.src=ph)

[jstar]

cute! and look at those top teefers

i was secretly hoping the ferny gift was for me. i haven't gotten one yet :shy

our laundry monster is always constipated. now i refuse to carry baskets up and down 2 flights of stairs lest i kill myself. so i'll wash whatever is down there but i need doug to carry them up. i've been better about putting it away though. mostly because the guest bed is out of commission for laundry stacking because we are going to paint! we actually moved furniture out of the room last night...progress! this weekend.... i can FEEL IT.

beth i'm glad to hear you had to go buy a new baby outfit and special blanket too :loveeyes: i'm making a blanket. and i saw a really sweet sock monkey outfit which i resisted at the time but i want for a going home outfit. last time i loved the thought of packing the little outfit and knowing a babe would be IN it when it came back to our house :heartbeat

yes L and isaac and i had a long conversation about bedrooms and upstairs and downstairs and beds. another cute thing is that she asked me 'you have a lot of love to give don't you?' which i just melted with the cuteness. you guys or nanny must say that to her? then i got the email about having so much love to give and it was one of those cosmic convergences. wwooooooooooooooooo


yay friday. i love weekends :wink

funny thing - isaac has decided he likes to shower with me every morning. i'm not really into him bathing that much :lol and it isn't exactly spacious because our shower is in a clawfoot tub. but it is kind of comical how much he loves it all of a sudden.

peeing in the tupperware. i think it would be gone. eww. pee is sterile but there's that whole absorbing the smell kinda thing.

[orangecanoe]

well I slayed the monster, but damn...you're saying I have to put the clothes *away* too?

so cold this morning I broke my nekked feet rule and am wearing slippers. It's all of windchill 2 whole degrees.

off to the ped's in a bit as C is complaining her neck/armpits hurt. She doesn't have a fever, but has been complaining for more than a week now about what I'm guessing are swollen glands?? and I love to piss away copays so....:lol

juice---as C would say "She's a rockstar" ...she is too cute!

[elsanne]

OMG- I just noticed. You ladies are NOT ALLOWED to think of my child as Dubya!!! I'll have to come up with another shorthand. :lol




:laugh: But hey, did I miss something? Did you tell everyone or just pdx mamas the name of your child? Don't discount us fernfriends at a distance!

Apparently someone slayed a constipated laundry monster in my bedroom. It is completely out of control.


This had me a-gigglin'.

MUST. GET. TO. WORK. This working at home bizness is great but one can definitely flail around in forum-land if one is not diligent.

[elsanne]

Heath, you have a nekkid feet rule? You must have a carpeted, heated home.

I am a barefoot hippie by birth but I have become a slipper fan, big time. Tile floors, no heat=BRRRR.

[KKmama]

Yeah, we wear slippers, too. We have wood floors, and we need to insulate the foundation so the floors aren't so cold.

I want to know W's name!!!! (Actually, I just want to see pix of brand-new baby W.) Is it Waldo? Willie? Wayne? Weldon? Woody? :duck:

Re the laundry--when I am rushing around, doing everything, sometimes, I can't bring myself to put it away. So I put stacks on clean laundry on everyone's dressers. Only T and I put it away, though (I can kind of cut L and Z some slack, but not dh :wink).

I'm a little :irked: , because an acquaintance IRL referred to me as "too mainstream." (Our mutual friend told her, "If you think that, then you really don't know KK very well at all." :thumb) I'm not claiming to be the crunchiest oat in the bag of granola, but dude, I *am* pretty darned crunchy. I could go on and on and on and on about how this woman is herself ridiculously mainstream (sad to say, she's "alternative" only in pretty superficial, stereotypical Boulder ways), but I'll save my breath.

[KKmama]

I want to ask you May Mamas something (and I'm going to post a ? on the natural body care subforum)... I've had a flaky scalp since last summer (I think too much wearing of sun hat in sweltering heat, and now the super dry air isn't helping), and it's beginning to make me :nut. I've mostly just tried washing more frequently and less frequently--no change. I use an Aveda shampoo which has never given me a problem before. I've just started with my kids' California Baby tea tree oil shampoo (I swear that it magically fixes cradle crap), but I think I need something with a little more cleaning power. I'm not willing to try something like Head and Shoulders. Any other suggestions?

[mcsarahb]

Juice, those pics are adorable! I'm amazed you can get her to brush her own teeth at all! Lily is so against tooth-brushing at all that she'll stick it her mouth for maybe 2 seconds.

Yeah, Heath, what's with the nekkid feet rule? Is it really a rule? I wear socks AND slippers around here 'cause half the house is just subfloor and we can't insulate yet 'cause we're putting in radiant heat sometime in the nearish future.

Nanananana, I know Fiddle's baby's name, nanananaNAna. ;)

KK- DH and others in his family with that condition swear by Neutrogena's TGel. Don't know how evil/chemical-y it is. It smells nasty.

DH is home - yay! He took Lily to OMSI this morning while I had clinical. Whew, what a whirlwind. I am learning so much so fast; it's a steeeeep learning curve and I think I'll feel much more comfortable in a couple of months. Right now it's at the everything-is-new stage so that I'm just constantly on edge and nervous about everything. Which makes for a very tense 4-hour clinical and a headache by the end. I am so glad I have two half-days instead of one full, though - I think I'd be a basket case after 8 hours of that. :dizzy:

Mmmmmmmm just ate a scrumptious lunch: spinach, chilled steamed beets, almonds and goat cheese salad. Mmmmmmmmmm tasty.

OK think I will steal a tiny nap while the other two are sleeping, too.

Have a great weekend, everymama!

S.

[elsanne]

Sarah that salad sound deevine. Yum

KK--didja know that flaky scalp is actually yeast? On the head? T-Gel seems like a good option, or the tea tree varieties you can get at the crunchy food store. Too bad you don't know where that store is, mainstream mama you. :lol What a thing for that person to say, I would get my panties in a bunch too. Then I would get a good placenta-munching conversation going with her.

[KKmama]

Dudes, T gel is coal tar shampoo. I think H&S is, too. I want to avoid this stuff unless I'm desperate, because I don't want to contaminate my breastmilk.

I decided to just do some internet search on dandruff because I was curious about the yeast thing. I don't think what is going on upstairs is the yeasty variety, but I figured out a bunch of other things which may have contributed to it (my love of HOT water when I shower, my post partum hormonal shifts, the air so dry the inside of my nose is cracking, etc, the non-crunchy hair balm I use... duh :bag:). I guess I'll keep using the kids' shampoo till I find an adult tto type that I like. I might try some of the soap I just made...

I don't munch my placentas, I bury them in the yard. (At the rate we're going, we're planting a forest...) I know that if this woman knew that, she would totally flip out. (And if she knew 1/2 the NFL things I do... :shy )

[mcsarahb]

I know TGel is coal tar - that's why it smells icky. H&S is not coal tar; it's something different. Yeah, and for sure not all head flakes are yeast. DH's is mostly eczema flareups and just plain ol' dry skin - his skin is sooooo sensitive; he can't even shave with a regular razor or use regular soap on his face. I'm so glad Lily's skin isn't super sensitive; as it is we hardly ever use soap and I've been slathering her with lotion during this cold dry weather.

ETA: so I just looked on H&S website and it said that *most* dandruff is caused by a fungus. So whatever that means. ;) I am in student-must-research-every-claim-i-make mode, can you tell?

I can't sleep - DH wanted to be woken up in an hour and I think that time has come. Sigh. Food made me feel better, though.

Random student midwife question of the day: during your gyn exams, would you rather the provider tell you everything she's doing the whole time, get out the mirror, etc., or be quiet and get it over with as soon as possible? Or somewhere in the middle? Describe to me your perfect pelvic exam, ladies...:lol (seriously). And you can do it on the YG if you prefer. ;)

[orangecanoe]

sarah---answered you over yonder!

kk--I've gotten noticeably more flaky this winter and I think it's part hormones and part less frequent showering/hair washing/oily buildup. She totally doesn't know you at all, huh. I have related stuff, but maybe for the YG...


just had a yummy dinner of salmon, rice and spinach. C was so funny with her "I do NOT like spinach" which got no reaction from me and then who ate all of her spinach anyway? :lol But these days I could have put a chocolate bar on her plate and she would be compelled to tell me she does NOT like that either.

so glad this week is coming to an end....any weekend plans?

Elsanne--how are you doing?? I wonder if things are super stressy for you con su madre alli/aqui? gosh is my spanish rusty.

[mamameg]

random pop in comment

my mom has excema on her scalp and hands (has for as long as I can remember) adn she is just now, at age 66, realzing she has celiac disease (http://www.celiac.com/index.html) and that is likely what has been making her skin condition so bad all these years. there are a few other symptons she's had all along as well, but they are just now putting it all together and coming up with a diagnosis. weird.

fussy baby. gotta go.

[elsanne]

fungus=yeast. There is a fungus amongus!

Heath, thanks for asking! I am lighting out for mexico city in an hour to teach a workshop. I am mega excited. Should be like a friccin pajama party--the first tribal troupe of mexico city needs me for guidance, and we're doing it at the palatial home of one of the members, with several sleeping over. yes, the wife and baby are going.

mom? stress? *funny high-pitched insane laughter* why, no! Not at all! hee hee hee!
:wink It's not been too bad since she got into her own space and stopped peeing in my tupperware.

[A&L+1]

Just enough time to do a quick read of your flaky, pelvic exam, peeing-in-bowls, brushing teeth with shades May Mama style.

We're okay. We did hypnotherapy today. Alison is at acupuncture right now. The baby is frank breech and by ultrasound about 8 lbs. We are getting so tired. It is amazing how draining this experience feels. Eleanor is super cranky with energy which makes me think she's on the up swing with her illness.

I will keep you updated. I really really really want to know what the W stands for Miss Fern.

[KKmama]

Nah, remember I'm trained as a microbiologist. Yeast=fungus, but fungus does not = yeast. (Think carrot = vegetable, but vegetable does not = carrot :carrot.)


The Mayo Clinic recs tto, so that's the route I'm going, and I'm sticking to it. :wink Other interesting recs... getting more sun (I usually wear a hat, summer or winter), I really need to be better about taking my prenatal vites (I've had more colds than usual this yr, too), cut back on styling products (the aforementioned non-crunchy balm... ack), cut back on stress (uh, that's what those *other* vitamins are for). I should mention that I have really sensitive skin, had eczema as a child, and usually, I'm pretty careful about what I use/buy. Final :bag: of the day. It was a desperate attempt to control the frump of my hair after the disaster haircut, remember?


I so wish I were a belly dancing goddess. I have to take a BD class. I mentioned it a while back--need to look into it again.


During pelvics, I want to know what's going on, but I do appreciate speed.

[KKmama]

I swear this is my last post, and no more flakes...

Lisa, I x-posted with you, and just want you to know that I'm really thinking of the 4 of you. Please, please, please, try not to worry (so easy for me to say). :hug :hug :hug :hug :hug

[TurboClaudia]

sarah, what kk said. i like to know what's going on, but i appreciate speed.

lisa: thinking of you and sending that new babe turning vibes... :bgbounce:


************
begin :bag:

i just finally sent off my gifty, too. (sorry, jstar, it's not for you, for i would have given it to you personally when i saw you at ferny's blessing.) i've been staring at e-lola's box on my bench for like 2 weeks since it arrived and made myself a promise i wouldn't open it UNTIL i sent off my gifty. so i'm going to open it right now. back with an update post in a jiff...

/end :bag:

~c

[TurboClaudia]

mmmm.... cookies!!!

[TurboClaudia]

and fuzzy handwarmers to stick in the microwave and then warm the hands with!

[TurboClaudia]

a cd! a mix? putting it in computer as i type...

[jstar]

dandruff doesn't necessarily mean yeast. the seborhaic dermatitis type (which is cradle cap) is yeasty in origin. eczema or just dry skin is not. seb dermatitis dandruff is flaky and oily at the same time. t-gel is coal tar and a lot of the others (h&s, garnier fructis) are zinc pyrithione. coal tar is a carcinogen. zinc pyrithione is not but it is toxic to aquatic animals. ie if you want to feel bad about using it it is because it goes down the drain and eventually out into whatever body of water your wastewater treatment plant discharges into. i think all zinc compounds are toxic to aquatic animals.

i use garnier fructis on isaac once every few shampoos because he is a SCALY HEAD DRAGON. and my dh gets seb dermatitis all over his face :( especially when he is under stress

ok i am truely procrastinating when i have 15 minutes to finish something. eeeeek! i went on an awesome tour of a new GIGANTO pipe mill today. so fun :banana

gyno - i ALWAYS ask them not to tell me what is going on. just the 'i'm going to scrape your cervix now' makes me want to vomit and/or pass out.

[TurboClaudia]

some (homemade?) chocolate/candy! :yum:

[TurboClaudia]

ooh, it's fudge! even yummer!

okay, that's it.

really, i was just trying to make kk not feel so bad for posting multiple times.

awake babies, gotta run!

~c
(licking lips of fudge remnants)

[Miss Juice]

Well, I had my first MMF dream. I dreamed that Alison was having her baby. And KKmama insisted that everyone buy a bottle of wine so we could all relax. (which is funny, because I think I remember KK doesn't drink?)

So there you have it. You're invading my dreams!

Lisa, how is Alison? And you?

[KKmama]

I drink very, very, very little. (Probably the most I've had at one time in the last 10 yrs was when I had 2 glasses of wine in a hottub when I didn't yet know I was pg with L :bag:.) I would insist that we buy Guinness, because hops promote lactation. :lol

[emmalola]

TC- I'm so glad you got the box. I was starting to worry that my box was so bad you didn't know what to write. (eep!) :bag

What about teatree oil or another essential oil for the flakeyness? Check this abstract (http://www.aafp.org/afp/20030501/tips/2.html). And KellyMom (http://www.kellymom.com/herbal/ref/herbs_t.html) says that you shouldn't put teatree oil on your nipples, but it should be fine for topical use on your body. "no pediatric concerns have been noted via milk."

Ha! Science that!

Lisa, we're thinking of you and Allison and Elinor. This time will pass, and no matter what, you'll have a delicious baby to eat. :yum These are from the lentil: :jumpers: :hearts :sunshine :broc: :snap

time to help get dressed.

[emmalola]

:blah :Kiss :rotflmao :Peace :w :jumpers: :jaw :fence: :tomato :run :supermod :ec2: :hyena :broc: :carrot :banana :sunshine :balloons :snap :sunshine

the lentil wanted more so he could make a parade. :)

[emmalola]

:hide: :bolt :123

"Hey! this is the long leg page!


Okay, we'll stop. :lol

[A&L+1]

All is well here. I have a moxa stick burning as I type just waiting for Alison to bring her toes in here. Obviously, no baby and no turning yet.

I forgot to post about my may mama gift from Miss Renae - a very pretty bracelet and a feather on a string of beads that are too cool. It was one of the first things I hung up in our house. Also, there is a mixed cd, and I say this with the greatest love, Renae's taste in music is a LOT younger than mine. I feel old but unable to not dance when listening to it.

more later, must moxa and give baby a stern talking to.

btw, Alison drinks even less often than KK - i.e. never. Fortunately for me, she doesn't mind when others drink on her behalf.

[fiddlefern]

Will answer the baby name Q on YG (but if you want a hint, look at the first word of this sentence). :wink

Turn, babe in Allison's tummy, turn! (unless you already have, in which case please disregaurd, little baby!) What I mean is, get head down and stay there! :D I am frequently giving my babe a stern talking to about staying head down.

Wow. I know this is terrible, but I'm glad I'm not the only super late SS gift giver. :o

And Heather, IS the hat from you? It just seems so Heather-y. Reminds me of the wonderful wool knit ball we got from you for the 1st B-day exchange. (Which I LOVE and have stollen from L's things to give to W).

gyn- I'm not shy, I don't really care. Though apologies when it hurts are nice.

EL- lovin the lentil's smilies. :lol

My update: I had convinced myself that I was going to go into labor this afternoon at work. :loveeyes: It did not happen. :p Sigh. Baby has dropped though I think (judging from the fact that all of a sudden my walk is a painful waddle, and my groin area is SOOOOOOOOOOORE.) I've had a few random quick crampy-type contrax, but nothing I'd really even call a Braxton Hicks today. I looked on the calendar to see when the full moon is, and it happens to fall on W's EDD (Feb 2nd), so now I'm hopin that will be the big day. :thumb Well, actually, I'd be happy if W came RIGHT THIS MINUTE. I'm feeling ready. I want to meet him. And I just don't feel like going about my normal life any more. C'mon baby- come out and meet us! We're not that bad- really, we're pretty nice. :lol

I'm just not feeling like stickin to green these days. I'm in a multicolored mood. :)

[mcsarahb]

My update: I had convinced myself that I was going to go into labor this afternoon at work. :loveeyes: It did not happen. :p Sigh. Baby has dropped though I think (judging from the fact that all of a sudden my walk is a painful waddle, and my groin area is SOOOOOOOOOOORE.) I've had a few random quick crampy-type contrax, but nothing I'd really even call a Braxton Hicks today. I looked on the calendar to see when the full moon is, and it happens to fall on W's EDD (Feb 2nd), so now I'm hopin that will be the big day. :thumb Well, actually, I'd be happy if W came RIGHT THIS MINUTE. I'm feeling ready. I want to meet him. And I just don't feel like going about my normal life any more. C'mon baby- come out and meet us! We're not that bad- really, we're pretty nice. :lol

I've got my Fiddlefern labor candle READY to light whenever and wherever you might go into labor. :D Thinking of you, dear Fiddle! And I MUST post some pics of your blessing on the YG - do you mind?

Oh, and Lisa, I lit a candle this evening in honor of head-down A&L+2. Hope the moxi worked.

[fiddlefern]

ps- yes, Sarah, I'd love it if you did- I didn't take any pics myself. :)

[orangecanoe]

BirthyFern! I'm gettin' so excited! And yes the hat was from me! Got your surprise package yesterday! :loveeyes:

I love W's name and would want it for hypothetical as yet unconceived baby brother, but with our last name, some names just don't work!

You'd think I was the one gettin' ready to have a baby with all the cleaning/decluttering/rearranging/nesting type behavior going on here this weekend. :wink

[Mama Faery]

I have more reading to do but I just wanted to say howdy. :tiphat: It's been a crazy week or so. Some good, some random, some bad (I went to therapy Wednesday! Woot. :nut) and well, yeah. Now it's Sunday already! :dizzy:
Rowan has a cold. All day it was "I not feeling well, Mama" :( Poor sweetie. We watched the *original* Charlotte's Web this afternoon, and then read so many books my voice went hoarse by the end of it. :p DH went to a friend's surprise b-day party and though I was kind of sorry to miss it, I was also kinda glad I had a reason to stay in.

As for my music tastes! I know! :bag: I listen to stuff 15-year-olds squeal over! :lol But that CD represents just a *fraction* of what I listen to--it's what I'm listening to *right now*. Hee.
Glad you liked it (and the other things!) though! :hug

Much :heartbeat to you all! :grouphug

[mcsarahb]

OH MY GOODNESS what a weekend. Lots of angst and little things coming up all at once. But can I just say thank goddess for Sunday evening cocktails and chocolate cake! ;)

Lily is growing up before my eyes and tonight she seems more 5 than 2. This weekend has been this weird awakening that she's more a kid than a baby. We've been talking about weaning and getting her own room and yada yada and it's all just a lot to process. But good; it's all good.

DH leaves AGAIN Tuesday morning and I am in denial. So not ready for another week. Crap. But I will muddle through it, oh yes.

Thinkin' birthy thoughts for Fiddle and head-down thoughts for Allison...

S.

[Mama Faery]

Hey y'all, I posted in the YG (because I was ranting :censored)
And now I gotta get Rowan ready for our kitty-transporting and Trader Joe's adventure!
:grouphug
Thanks in advance for listening to my ranting. Heehee.

ETA: OMG! I'm The Morning Goddess! :love Yay!! :Hug to whoever tagged me! :D

[Miss Juice]

But can I just say thank goddess for Sunday evening cocktails and chocolate cake! ;)

DH leaves AGAIN Tuesday morning and I am in denial. So not ready for another week. Crap. But I will muddle through it, oh yes.
Yay for chocolate cake! It was enjoyed here too, and a rare treat it was.

I either missed it or forgot - where does your DH go? And how often? I get :dizzy: when DH stays late at work... I feel for those with traveling DH's. And those with DV's (viets of course).

Still thinking turny thoughts and ferny thoughts...

[mcsarahb]

Juice, my DH is a web programmer and travels occasionally for client meetings in other cities and for conferences. He doesn't really travel all that much, but it so happened that he had both a new project kickoff and a conference within 2 weeks, so he went to Detroit last Sunday-Friday morning, here Friday-today, and leaves tomorrow morning for Maryland until Saturday morning. So he will have been gone 9 out of 13 days this fortnight. :dizzy: And I am so not good at being a single parent, having school every day and home at 6 pm 2 days this week.

ANYWAY. Don't want to dwell on that anymore. Must go get my ducks in a row before clinical...quack quack

TTFN

[TurboClaudia]

saving us from page 2... ha ha ha...

[orangecanoe]

Phew...the ignominy of page 2! :lol

[orangecanoe]

E is off the periactin and I'm finding out that it must make her drowsier than normal because she's back to her old "who needs a nap" self. :dizzy: Though back to picking at food so hmmm.

I think C is coming down for a cold because she was ready for a nap not long after noon. Love her Saturday gym class, but not the booger encrusted kids she is in the class with. So goes the life of germaphobe mom...

Sarah---eeps! Sounds like it will be a loooong week but hopefully no mishaps along the way re: mounds of snow or nanny troubles.

Claudia---how are you and yours these days?

[A&L+1]

Just a quick update - No baby yet, no turning yet. sigh.
The sickies are over at our house (phew) so maybe that's what is needed to clear this up. More chiro/acupuncture/moxi to do today.

Tomorrow is the OB appointment during which we'll explore external cephalic version. If that's a go, then we are trying it asap. We'll also go over vaginal breech birth vs. c-section recommendations and develop a plan.

[TurboClaudia]

lisa: thinking of you and alison... after up put E to bed tonight, can the two (three!) of you have a nice heart to heart and soul connecting long talk/being with one another time? i highly recommend it before welcoming another babe into the house.

we are doing fine. eating lunch right now while S is in the saucer, which he love, love, loves! M dipping chicken fingers in ketchup innumerable times. cute and annoying all at the same time.

heath: must go look up your last name now to see what name it wouldn't go with...

ok, must retrieve squeaker from saucer.

~claudia

[jstar]

hiya ladies :loveeyes:

not much for news except dh painted the baby room this weekend!!!!!! now if only we had a name so we could call it _____'s room. can't wait to put the crib together and move the changing table in there and all that fun stuff. the crib has been sitting in the hallway in pieces for about 2 months now which makes me :dizzy: twitchy!

i bought babe his first little outfit yesterday. i think it will be the coming home outfit. i have an urge to buy newborn diapers too. i have an uncontrollable spending urge right now.....i need to get ahold of myself!!! :duck: i need to visualize converting it to an uncontrollable saving urge :wink it is *really* hitting home that i will be done working in 4 months. yipes. so crazy.

ok back to reconciling credit card transactions *yawn*

turn baby turn :wink

[emmalola]

Jealous. So tempted to start buying stuff for the sweetpea. It's just too early yet, you know? Sigh.

Ug- too many windows open, can't concentrate! I have my first subject interview tomorrow (and this is a direct result of my amazing meeting two weeks ago) and I'm busy tightening up the details of the interview and making sure I have all the paperwork in order. Too much going on! Not enough time to Nap! Must go pick up the lentil! Ack!

[elsanne]

"too many windows open" is right! I need to work and cannot because I am a peabrain today.

I really like "turny thoughts and ferny thoughts".

So excited two of our may mamas will be birthing at similar times! (alison is a maymama too, albeit a nonposting one).

GREAT weekend, hectic Monday.

Pelvic: I adore knowing what's going on, want all the info I can get. Distraction (ie, talking) is good, although when the IUD was going in she was yakking and I was concentrating hard on breathing and relaxing and I wanted her to hush.

[KKmama]

I landed on the "bright" idea today (while I was out with the kids, thinking big birthy vibes toward Alison and Beth) that I will light my Ferny candle when one/both of you are in labor (if I find out, of course!). I'm thinking about y'all all the time... :grouphug Lisa, if the baby *doesn't* turn, there are vaginal breech options in the Bay Area, no? (I remember having to explore that whole situation myself, but it may have changed a little in 5 1/2 yrs...)

Oh, I am so superstitious about buying things for my babies when they're still inside! I really waited as long as I could (not for the carseat, though). Somehow, hand-me-downs don't count for me, though... I'll gladly wash them and put them away, because they have good baby karma on them.:lol

Hugs for MCSB and surviving this week. :hug :hug

Here's my ug of the day: L had a well baby appt today, and ack, she's *not* over 20 lbs (d@mn (d@mn) scale at home lied to me). She's 18 even, and she's doing a little slide on the growth curve similar to what Z did. With length, too, so I'm a tiny bit freaked out. Her stats will get checked again in 6 weeks. But she *is* eating (3 meals a day) and nursing like a champ, and she's not having any gross motor (or oral motor) issues that I can tell. I left a message for Z's old OT... I will feel better if she just comes a takes a look at her. My dh is very slender and has a small frame (though he's 6'2"), and I feel okay(ish) about the weight, I just want to make sure she is growing and developing okay [for those of you who weren't here 2 yrs ago, Z's curve flattened, then he lost weight--he had oral motor and gross motor delays, and had a nasogastric feeding tube to help him gain weight and occupational therapy to help him learn how to eat, crawl, walk, etc.]

And here's my sheepish duh... I think the flakes were from my shampoo. I washed my hair with some of my homemade castile soap and rinsed with vinegar, and my scalp feels a lot better and is *way* less flaky. :bag: One thing I like about Mothering (the mag and the .com) is that I keep reading and stretching my parenting and NFL bounds. I think I'm ready to let go of shampoo. ;)

[elsanne]

I think the flakes were from my shampoo.

:doh:!!!! whatta concept! I went no 'poo for a while, and really think it's the way to go. I now wash 1 or 2 x/week. :bag:

[orangecanoe]

KK---hope she can get out to give you a quick eval/assessment. It is a good thing that she is progressing with the food stuff or it sounds like she is? I know you say she is nursing like a champ and I'm not sure if that speaks to frequency or your perception of how well she empties? Just wondering if there maybe are some milk transfer/oral motor issues that haven't surfaced until now because her intake needs haven't been as great?? I would be freaked as well given Z's experiences, but now that you know I think you are just way more tuned in. Glad you have the old OT as a resource. Keep us posted!

Today was coldy, coldy and "snowy blowy flowy" according to C...I think that's in some book she has somewhere...leave it to her to remember. We had not even a half inch or so outside and she gets all perturbed that it melts before the day is through. Welcome to PA, kid! Maybe she needs a colorado or pdx field trip!

Sarah--I totally kwym about 2 going on 5. You guys are leaning towards unschooling, right? Do you do anything in that vein yet?

eta: EL...so excited that you have an interview coming up. I love being able to get a peek at your work process.

[fiddlefern]

No unfurling yet of the newest frond in the fern family. However, I lost a little bit of my mucus plug this afternoon, and yesterday at church I had an exciting 45 minutes of short but strong Braxton Hicks. I am starting to think this babe is an extrovert, and won't come out unless I give birth during a party. :lol

Lisa, I am sending lots of good thoughts out to your family. :dust :hug :love

KK- It sounds like you have a good ballance of pro-activeness and not getting too worked up because things may be fine. The fact that you've gone through this before will hopefully mean that IF any help is needed, people will take you seriously. But I'm hopin' she's just growing according to her own healthy curve. :fingersx:

HF- love C's expressions. :love

Sarah- I am wishing you a very LOW-KEY week this week. :kewl

EL- wow, it is so exciting that you are making progress towards your PhD stuff! I'm impressed that you are taking this on right now. I did train and become a Red Cross instructor this pregnancy, but that was in my high-energy late 2nd trimester, and really not on the same scale as what you're doing. Goooooooooooooooooo, Emily! :)

Jess- I am dealing with similar issues- REALLY wanting to buy stuff (most of which I've talked myself out of, thank goodness), really aware that baby #2 brings a whole bunch more expenses. Including $150 a month to put him on our health care plan. Argh. But health care is something our family is VERY thankful to have at all, so I'll try not to complain. (As in the bumper sticker, stop complaining and start organizing- universal health care is just good national policy, IMO). But anyway, glad you are getting the baby's room together. I just love doing stuff like that.

Claudia- ack! I can't believe S is old enough for a saucer! Where does the time go???

Juice- tee hee- turny thoughts and ferny thoughts. :lol

[Mama Faery]

Man, this lack of sleep thing sux0r. :coffee
Rowan was up every hour last night, he nursed way more often than usual, and woke for the day at 6. AM. :yawning:
He's watching Sesame Street, and I totally don't care. :wink
I asked him if his ears hurt at all (to nip the possible ear infection in the bud!) and he said "no, I just not feeling well, Mama". Aww. We're staying home today (well, we're picking up my friend from the airport this afternoon), and he's missing music class tonight. We're both still in our pajamas and I don't see that changing much. Hehe.
He *did* ask for eggs and pancakes for breakfast this morning, which DH prepared for him (pancakes were totally microwaved! :bag:) buthe hasn't touched them. I also made him chamomile tea & honey, and a fruit smoothie. I pull out all the stops when the kiddo is sick. I wish I could do more...sick babies are so sad. :(

Totally thinking ferny and turny thoughts out here! :dust Let me know when to light that candle! I have a special one all picked out and anointed (because I'm witchy that way. :lol)

Dude, I was just thinking about how Rowan is growing out of most of his socks and slippers, and getting too long for some of his pants, so I may have to go shopping soon! :o I don't have a new baby to shop for, but I can always shop for the one I have! Haha. I'm kind of sad that the days of sling-carrying are pretty much over. :happyt: and I have all these slings that I no longer use!
(hey, anyone need a Moby wrap? I'll sell it cheap! :wink)
I want to find a way to reuse/recycle/keep the two hotslings I used the most when Rowan was a baby...maybe I'll make a pillow or something. i think Hathor had that idea.

Anyway, I totally need more coffee. I hope you all have a great day! :grouphug
Wish us luck and no cabin fever today! :fingersx:

(oh, in other news; Incubus (INCUBUS!!) is playing in Boston tonight and my friend and I were unable to procure tix. :crying I am trying not to be too sad about it. They'll tour again. But they're one of my FAVORITE bands! And I have NEVER seen them live (except for one time at Lollapalooza). So anyway. I think we are going to do karaoke tonight instead. :lol We promised each other we'd do SOMEthing fun if we didn't make it to the show. You know, fun to me=SLEEP right about now. Haha)

[elsanne]

I would like both Fern and Lisa to post updates daily as we are beginning the stalking stage.

Renae, I am so sorry you had such a hard night!! What is it about these beasties? Hope R feels better soon. I had not mentioned it until now but hey--thanks for the christmas photo card! So nice to have a visual and yours is here in my office area.

I saw it at emmalola's house too.

gotta run paint myself for dancing for children today...

[A&L+1]

not much for news except dh painted the baby room this weekend!!!!!! now if only we had a name so we could call it _____'s room.

We still have not painted a room in the new house. I think we are either waiting to know the gender or just lazy. You picked a blue color right? Eleanor wants the room to be blue but I can't imagine it (should it be a girl-blue or a boy-blue). I think we'll walk to Home Depot one day and let her pick the color.

I have my first subject interview tomorrow (and this is a direct result of my amazing meeting two weeks ago)

See, you are such a rocking bad a$$! Please keep us posted on how it goes. :thumb

"Pelvic: I adore knowing what's going on, want all the info I can get. Distraction (ie, talking) is good

Me too, I forgot to tell Sarah that, but I like detail to the point of teaching me to do it myself.

Lisa, if the baby *doesn't* turn, there are vaginal breech options in the Bay Area, no? (I remember having to explore that whole situation myself, but it may have changed a little in 5 1/2 yrs...)

Here's my ug of the day: L had a well baby appt today, and ack, she's *not* over 20 lbs

Yeah, Alison's OB will do a vaginal breech if the circumstances fit the ACOG guidelines (small baby, tucked head, frank presentation, pelvimetry looks good, crash c-section available if needed, good doc) We'll talk about that option today. Honestly, I am finding it harder and harder to not think that a c-section is better than a vaginal breech in a hospital. The best choice here is the baby's and that is to TURN!

I am sorry you are dealing with questions about L's growth. I like what Fernitude said, that we hope she is just on her own healthly curve. :hugs

Today was coldy, coldy and "snowy blowy flowy" according to C...

I love this. She is really amazing with words, Heather (remembering them, using them, being funny)

[COLOR="SeaGreen"]No unfurling yet of the newest frond in the fern family. However, I lost a little bit of my mucus plug this afternoon, and yesterday at church I had an exciting 45 minutes of short but strong Braxton Hicks. I am starting to think this babe is an extrovert, and won't come out unless I give birth during a party. :lol

Have you shared your birth plans? I recall you coming to peace about it but I don't know what the circumstances are going to be. If there is a party, I may not be able to make it. No matter, I am so hoping for a lovely unfurling. Maybe it's happening right now....or now....or, um now...?

[COLOR="Indigo"] I pull out all the stops when the kiddo is sick. I wish I could do more...sick babies are so sad. :(

You are so cute. Sorry that the little guy is sick.

I would like both Fern and Lisa to post updates daily as we are beginning the stalking stage.

gotta run paint myself for dancing for children today...

Alright daily update - no baby, no turn, no labor. Alison has an OB appointment at 11:50 to discuss next steps and options.

Paint yourself?!??@ Cool. If you have not heard of the Michigan Women's Music Festival you should check it out. It's women only (largely lesbian) and awesome! Lots and lots of body painting and dancing.

[A&L+1]

Wow, that multi-quote thing is kinda annoying. Sorry.

[elsanne]

Lisa, I thought you were queen of the multi-quote there for a moment! Until your next post where you kvetched about it. That music festival sounds like it roooocks.

[Jacqueline]

Hey everyone-
So glad to hear updates of Allison & Ferny. I've got a candle ready to go, too.

KK-I ditched shampoo shortly after we moved to Colorado. For my curly hair, it only makes sense. I do use a leave-in conditioner on it that I put on in the shower (this would probably only work on hair like mine). I have to get my hair wet each day or it's a total frizz ball. I give my scalp a more thorough scrubbing (with conditioner) every 10 days or so and that keeps it from getting itchy. My hair is in such better shape since I started doing this regimen.

Heather-I love the stuff C says, too! They do have a good memory right now, don't they?

Sarah-I hope this week goes okay with dh gone. The business helps it go fast, at least. Oh, and re: pelvics. I like to be walked through the whole thing and told what's going on. I have such a phobia of these things, I actually tell my care provider this at the outset. I also tell them I don't mind if they remind me 10 million times to relax, because I need to be told that. In general, I prefer knowing more during these exams (even during the breast part).

Renae-sorry R is sick. It is sad when they're not feeling well. Smoothies rock, though.

Last week was icky, mamas. I threw up four times (and once was unfortunately in a public restroom in Safeway). I had an accupuncture appt. yesterday and was feeling pretty okay, but ended up losing it right before I went to bed. Perhaps it was a last release of toxins or whatever, I don't know. I have another appt. on Thursday and hope it takes care of it. We're flying to Austin next week and I really want to feel better before traveling!

Okay, on to happier baby news: we had our first midwife appt. last week and it went well. My uterus is growing just as she'd expect it to for my EDD. Our mw uses a hand-held doppler, but at this point much of my uterus is so far below my pelvic bone, it's tougher to get a good heartbeat. She also doesn't like to use the doppler for very long on a baby this small. So, our untrained ears didn't hear a definitive heart beat, but the mw is pretty confident she heard a couple beats and then the baby went out of reach. I wish I had something more concrete, but she reminded me that this nausea is pretty dang concrete! So, next month we'll get a better listen.

So much more to reply to, I know. But, I've got a boy to get dressed and diapered and a lot of laundry to do.

[jstar]

Jealous. So tempted to start buying stuff for the sweetpea. It's just too early yet, you know? Sigh yeah. i felt the same. i just bought the first thing and i'm 23w now. with isaac i didn't buy anything until 20w i think. definitely superstitious about buying things in the 1st tri.

L had a well baby appt today, and ack, she's *not* over 20 lbs She's 18 even, and she's doing a little slide on the growth curve similar to what Z did. With length, too, so I'm a tiny bit freaked out.

i'm hoping it is just the normal slide. isaac was off the weight charts for the first 6mo (~105%). at 6 months he started descending and landed at 75% where he has stayed since about 18mo. my doc said bf babies tend to be really plump in the beginning and slow. i think his height may have shifted slightly but i can't really remember. like from 99% to 97. he's at 97% on height still. if you aren't seeing other things like the motor issues i would bet she's a-ok. a little paranoia just equals paying close attention though :wink which is good.

No unfurling yet of the newest frond in the fern family.

I am starting to think this babe is an extrovert, and won't come out unless I give birth during a party. :lol

But anyway, glad you are getting the baby's room together. I just love doing stuff like that.

so cute :lol and yep - i really love the getting ready for baby thing because i know you don't do any of that once the babe actually arrives!

I wish I could do more...sick babies are so sad. :(


aww you're a sweet mama pampering that babe

I had not mentioned it until now but hey--thanks for the christmas photo card! .

ditto!

We still have not painted a room in the new house. I think we are either waiting to know the gender or just lazy. You picked a blue color right? Eleanor wants the room to be blue but I can't imagine it (should it be a girl-blue or a boy-blue). I think we'll walk to Home Depot one day and let her pick the color.


i picked the ralph lauren color blue mesa. very calm and cool. it looks brighter than i thought but i like it. i think it could be a girl color too...the accessories would make the difference i think. my crib bedding is light green and white and i have beatrix potter pictures for the wall. so i am going really gender neutral anyway. i looooove picking paint colors :) (it was at homedepotbase but i didn't get the RL paint.)

Last week was icky, mamas. I threw up four times (and once was unfortunately in a public restroom in Safeway). .

oh man that sounds rough. i hope you've turned the corner!!!



i took isaac to my ob appt this morning. he loves going to doctors offices :shrug: my ob was unphased by the u/s big baby thing. he said it wasn't a good indication until after 32w or so. so no stress there. he's chill and that is why i like him.

[KKmama]

Jacquie, it is kind of a "duh" thing that I just chug along with the same stuff that was okay in a humid climate. :bag: I'm jealous of your curls, BTW. I'm so sorry you feel so ick. I *really* hope flying goes okay for you... I have always had a hard time flying with m/s (throwing up in random airport trash cans, plane bathrooms, etc.).

Lisa--I've always wanted to go to the MWMF. I think I'd be okay with a breech *after* a V birth. (I'll admit that I'm I'm cautious, perhaps too much.) I guess it would depend on my confidence in the caregiver's experience and technique. Is Alison's OB willing to wait till the last minute (eg, if she goes into labor) for the baby to turn? Still thinking turny thoughts.

Ack--$150/mo to add W to the health plan. Ouch. Newest frond--ha ha ha!!!

I have more experience mothering boys... the girls sounds soooo much more sophisticated than *my* boys, at least. :wink Z's definitely 2 going on.... 3. :lol

Thanks for the thoughts about L. I'm really not that concerned, except for the slide in length (what is the term for this? 2ndary whatnot?). I just want to be on top of things. Dh and I talked, and we're going to introduce meat. (I picked up some very crunchy turkey and buffalo today... I hope the vegan nuns grant an exception, because these critters had a super good life, according to the labels.) It helped Z, and with the food sensitivities/allergies, we're at that point again where the need for calories and more options seems more important. Heather, she seems to nurse very efficiently... nurses often, drains me pretty effectively (I'd say she is a better nurser than either boy--she has a powerful suck and drains me QUICKLY). She's pickier about solids than T was, but she *will* eat a decent amount of the things she likes. But she also does a couple of weird things with her tongue, and it takes a while to feed her. If she has a feeding problem, I'm pretty sure that it's not in the same vein as Z's was.

I've been looking at the decluttering/simplifying subforum, and woo.... I really want to dive in.

[orangecanoe]

Lisa--just piggybacking on KK's thoughts...reminded me what was going through my head when E was breech and the C was looming...that I did want to be allowed to labor/go into labor before the C for the benefits of that on the babe and for bf'ing. But as E turned so will this wiggly one!!

KK--sounds like you're on top of things!

way overtired....

[TurboClaudia]

i just have to share as i was reading jacquie's post, i started reading the first paragraph about her curly hair turning frizz and then i looked away to grab a bite of lunch sandwich and turned back to continue reading and somehow i moved to a different paragraph, the one about pelvics, and i was like, huh? what is she talking about curly hair with her care provider for? and why is she calling her hairstylist a care provider? or why does have a care provider for G and why is she talking about hair with that person? and then i realized my error and i went back to the beginning paragraph about the curly hair and then continued reading in order and everything made sense once again.

lisa: how did alison's appointment go? still sending turny thoughts...

fern: got my candle all set to go, too. here's a virtual one in the meantime... :candle

heath: sending you some restorative sleep vibes... :sleep:

KK's post about L reminded me that i haven't told you all about the latest weight update with S. as of two weeks ago, almost exactly 4 months old to the day, he weighed 13lb4oz. so he's fallen back a little, but he was sick a bit just before that and he's been battling a cold since then, too. am going to call the midwife and see if there's a time this week that i can bring him by and weigh him again on that scale again so i know if it's just his new curve or if there is something bigger going on. he still looks solid, no ribs showing like M had at this point in his life, he's still growing out of clothes, and he's still nursing every 1-3 hours with the occasional sleep stretch (daytime or nighttime) of 3-4 hours but more typically 2 hours, he's got plenty of poopy dipes and wet dipes. his head circumference is also growing, and his length is increasing, too. so i'm just being vigilant. but it worries me.

okay, so i introduced M to games on the computer (reading games at starfall.com) and now he wants to play them EVERY. TIME. i'm at. the. computer.

so now we must play a game while S is still napping.

ta for now, may-mamacitas.

~claudia

[A&L+1]

MWMF – we should totally plan a may mama trip to Michigan Women’s Music Festival! So amazing would that be.

Alison’s appointment went well. The OB spent about an hour with us (Alison, me and our doula) discussing all the pro/con stuff of breechiness. We are scheduling an external cephalic version tomorrow or Thursday at the latest – basically as soon as possible. It will be a serious medical procedure, but one that has a pretty good chance of working without problems. Alison’s fear is of a crash c-section so she’ll do an epidural for the version (both to relax her abdominal muscles and to be in place in case a c-section is warranted). Then hopefully the baby will be stable and head down and she can leave the hospital. If labor starts before Tuesday (regardless of position) then we’ll do trial of labor and likely aim for a vaginal birth. If no labor by Tuesday…it gets tough. She’ll be 42 weeks. In that case, she will likely end up with a c-section, but everyone is willing to take a wait and see approach. For now, we are focused on getting the version to work. The OB is really really great. She is totally willing to work with us on a radical c-section birth plan. She will do whatever is takes to avoid general anesthesia – Alison’s greatest fear. She is planning on doing this birth no matter what and above all, she’s honest with us. She won’t agree to a vaginal breech if she gets uncomfortable, but she will do it if things stay normal otherwise. I completely trust her and I am comfortable with her limits because they are hers and not her insurance provider’s. This matters more than I realized.

I am taking maternity leave from work as of today. Alison is just too worried about being home by herself and too tired. I am worried that her water will break and the cord will prolapse so it’s not like I am focused while I am at work.

I suspect that we’ll have a baby to hold by the weekend. And there may be a fern frond coming too! So exciting!

[orangecanoe]

Lisa--thanks for the update! It sounds like you all are in good hands and have lots of options. Lots of positive energy headed your way!

TC--ack on the toddler games! C has thankfully forgotten about starfall for the moment! Hope you can get some reassurance about S! and :lol about your post-merging skills!

Jacquie---hope the pukey ukeys leave you alone before too long!

[Sarah'sMama]

Hi May Mamas!

I've slipped into the reading-but-not-posting habit, so I must break that. But I must say I've been thinking of Fern and A&L loooooooooots over the past few days. Lisa, I'm so glad you seem to be at such peace with the whole breechness and the bag of issues it presents. I'm still thinking turny thoughts, and I've got a candle lit tonight, on the eve of perhaps version.

Thinking, too, of L and S and their concerned and awesome mamas.

Katie's got some weird rash on her face, I think its post-viral, but its not really getting better after quite a few days. and she still is yeasty, but we moved to some big guns after other failed attempts, so cross your fingers. Over a week now of itchiness is enough for one poor kid.

I don't know if I mentioned how extremely funny the Tupperware story was, Els. I couldn't bring myself to use it again, no matter how clean it really got. So I'm wit'cha on that one. And I don't recall if I gave any comments on your ordeal getting back into Mexico. I'm soo glad you had the incredible kindness from the stranger. Stories like that give me chills.

Big hugs and kisses to you all.

And I hope Rowan's feeling better soon! :(

[elsanne]

I don't know if I mentioned how extremely funny the Tupperware story was, Els. I couldn't bring myself to use it again, no matter how clean it really got. So I'm wit'cha on that one. And I don't recall if I gave any comments on your ordeal getting back into Mexico. I'm soo glad you had the incredible kindness from the stranger. Stories like that give me chills.




:hola: Sherri! You know, the tupperware thing IS funny, in hindsight. Don't get me started on her bringing over her poodle-canned-dog-food which she serves to her dog on a PLATE of mine, dishing it out with a FORK of mine, in that godawful slop...am I too anal? I mean, that IS gross, right?

It's been a helluva day 'round here. Full Moon.

[nuggetsmom]

here's my parenting Sol struggle of the week:

WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH THE OBSESSION FOR SWEETS AND TV????


Well, all I can say is that if you stay really consistent about time/place she can have them, she may eventually stop. But she may not. I sometimes make a game out of how many different intonations I can use on the word NO! :lol
Seriously, kids just do that once they figure out what is good

[nuggetsmom]

Hey now... you are apologizing in a "no apology zone". We here in MMF land, do not require, expect or otherwise desire apologies for choices you make.

:yeah:

[Miss Juice]

Full Moon.

:moon

um, did she bring her dog?






STILL thinking turny thoughts and ferny thoughts, and have a mizillion other things to say (love the fern frond unfurling image) but it's been a helluva day here too, and it is more than an hour past my bedtime, so much love to the mmf and I'll see you on the upside, in the morning :Kiss

[nuggetsmom]

My dilemma du jour....when to cut the nap?? She totally still needs it and will sleep 3-5ish, but then the past few days has been up til 11pm and still up at 7ish. Eek. Her behavior has been atrocious. What to do??

Can you wake her after 20 minutes to see if that is enough to tider her over and still go to bed on time. Would you rather have 2 hours of quiet in the afternoon or in the evening? J has given up the nap altogether. We were always getting N from school when she was ready to nap and then she would get woken up after 5 minutes and that was all the daytime sleep there was... She rarely naps now. And if you drop the nap then find an engaging activity that she can do semi-alone so you still get a quiet time (like books on tape though they are still a bit young- or listening to a special CD) J will play alone in her crib with no fuss so I am lucky that way.


Choices don't alway work here either. Patience does if I have the time. Turns out if I want my kids to clothe themselves I have to have the boiler for the house break and have it be freezing cold in the house. So that is always an option! As for breakfast, J says she want cereal in response to an open ended question. I fix cereal, then I fix myself toast for myself. J eats my toast. I eat granola bar later when I can't figure out why I am so hungry...:lol

[nuggetsmom]

I'm procrastinating... I should be tidying, but I'm nak... T's having a couple of friends over after K (with their mom, who I really like, but she is so much more the wife material--esp. housewife--than I am... not a put-down, just a statement of fact that her house is *waaay* more together than mine... and she talks about how she likes to vacuum and dust while her boys are in K :dizzy: ).

:bag: I like to dust and vacuum too. But not mop or fold laundry. THen again, with the mega dust allergies around here I just learned to like that more than waking up to administer Albuterol and then being up the rest of the night with a hyper child. And I am not apologizing for the administering of Albuterol either.

Pottying: I am definitely of the "no pressure" school. I ask once or twice, and that's it. You want a dipe, no problem (esp. for pooping). I have a few friends who went totally over the top with PTing, and their kids have had way, way, WAAAAY more accidents (sometimes multiple times a day) to a much later age (past 4 1/2) than they should (IMO), and I do believe that it was because it became a power struggle. The only things little kids have any control over is eating and elimination. If either becomes a power struggle, bad things happen (accidents, encopresis, unnecessary feeding issues).


At some point with N I felt such pressure since she was over 3 and I think that this is definately true. We did end up with power struggles over it. She was using the potty no problem at the daycare but then at home I made a royal mess of it. We had to visit my mom and I was ashamed that I had failed in this arena. I was a lot less confident in those days. J goes if she goes or not if she doesn't. Whatever!

[fiddlefern]

...sits back down after lighting a candle for A&L+2... Lisa, you sound like you are much calmer and in a good place, and that is wonderful. I think it's so wise that you are taking off from work. Now your family can just be together over the next days as this whole birth process unfolds. It is SO GREAT that you have a level of trust in the OB. And that you know the OB will do the birth no matter what. I am feeling more relaxed about your family's birth just seeing how you feel about it.

Jess- along the same vein, it's funny how sometimes the person makes a bigger difference than the letters after the name. Your OB sounds great- exactly the person you need to support you through your pregnancy. I think that in GENERAL a midwife's training leads her/him to trust pregnancy and birth more, but obviously that's just not always the case, as your experience (and unfortunately mine) indicate.

Nuggetsmom- I am totally loving your approach to catching up :lol. Taking it in small chunks and really being thoughtful. I on the otherhand just tend to give up if I get behind.

Sherri- hope K feels better very soon! I'm wondering if there is something bigger going on that ties the rash and the yeasties together???

I will have to come back later and do another post- dh needs me now.

Ta ta. Oh- and ps, no babe yet. :)

[nuggetsmom]

I was on an electron diet but now I am gorging I guess.

My MMF surprise came yesterday, right when I was feeling really low, and it was a great decorated MMF sketchbook with pencils and a ouch to put them in. Totally PURRRFECT!.. Love it. and the MM was TC :D
Now I will gorge myself on DDR since I am using electrons again...

[KKmama]

Lisa, I am keeping Alison (and you, and your little ones, the inside one and the outside one) in my thoughts tonight. I'm so glad you you guys have a connection with this OB (I keep thinking about the whole deciding on a caregiver thing many moons ago..). I really hope that Alison can let go and not worry. Even though yeah, the baby's head is not down, nothing bad has happened (I hope that makes sense; I'm saying that very sincerely). The baby still can turn. The chances of something "bad" happening are truly very slim. 42 wks is coming, but she's not there yet. But I'm glad you can be there for her.

And Ferny, you sound great, very calm. I'm thinking of you all the time, too. Did I miss what your birthing plans are? (if you want to share, there's always yg)

Each night, I wonder if there will be a baby or two in the morning. One of these days. Pg never lasts forever (thank goodness!).

:grouphug

[TurboClaudia]

I was on an electron diet but now I am gorging I guess.

My MMF surprise came yesterday, right when I was feeling really low, and it was a great decorated MMF sketchbook with pencils and a ouch to put them in. Totally PURRRFECT!.. Love it. and the MM was TC :D
Now I will gorge myself on DDR since I am using electrons again...
ooh, yay! i'm so glad you like it. (and it's not an "ouch" to put them in, but a Pouch to put them in, for all those playing the "let me guess what she actually meant to type" game.)

so are all the MMF gifties accounted for now? i know jstar was still a-waitin'...

KK got hers
i got mine
mcsarahb got hers
fiddle got hers

roll call for gifties...

(did whoever get their mexican one from els?)

both boys asleep and bill on crazy stupid late conference call, so i'm going to watch some tivo...

virtual candles:

:candle for lisa & alison's babe...

:candle for fiddle

~c

[Mama Faery]

I am posting quickly because I think Rowan is tearin' it up in the other room! :yikes: I just hear him growling and things falling. :bigeyes
(maybe he's being a dinosaur. :shrug Who knows?)
Oh, and he's still coughing a bit, but he's pretty much all better. :)

Thinking of you all. It's a-gonna be a busy morning.
:grouphug

[emmalola]

Ug, it's only 9:15 and I'm already behind. Unstructured days are torture sometimes.

My interview! Was great! It went so so well, and the subject was so gracious and patient with me. She told me all sorts of great new information and she was forthcoming and not guarded and open and and and. I was so excited to have finally finished my first interview. Now just 24 more to go!

Thinking turning, descending, opening like a flower thoughts today. Oh, babies. My own baby turns 10 weeks old today- welcome to the land of the double didgets, little sweet pea! Today? I want a girl. Tomorrow? probably a boy. Oh, creator! give me healthy, that's all I really want.

ranting, raving. time to go swimming! an hour late!

[elsanne]

I think she did get the mexican one from els...didn't ya, mama of :afro ? Tell me you did...it was mailed oh so long ago...

Lisa I have the card you sent along up on a mirror for when I face the day: it says, Surviving is Important, but Thriving is Elegant (maya angelou). Yeeeees. Some days, I truly believe I am thriving. And the passion drops! how fun. The bracelet is truly a fun toy for kids n adults alike, magnets never lose their appeal. It is on the stove at the moment. And the book is great! In all, a very thoughtful, thought-filled gift that seems to me like you really remembered ME and things I've said on this board.

[jstar]

my dsl was out at home this morning and i couldn't handle it because i NEED MORNING BABY UPDATES!!!!! :lol

isaac insisted on underwear this morning. and did a potty at home. so i'm sure his teachers will love me today :o dh picked him up yesterday and didn't tell me he was out of dipes so i'm actually reallllllllllly hoping he uses the potty and keeps the underwear on since he only has 1 dipe there! wouldn't that be peachy? :loveeyes:

ok. gotta work

[KKmama]

Ack, it's snowing AGAIN. :gloomy: I know, y'all think that because I live in CO, that this is the way winter is. But NO. This is NOT the way winter normally is (when you don't live up in the mts, where the snow is *supposed* to fall). If the old snow would just go away, I'd be less pissed about the new snow. And it's cold and getting colder (to the "too cold for babies and toddlers to be outside" range). This is not good for my mood. :irked:

I noticed one of my favorite (aromatherapy) candles on a shelf that I haven't lit in a long time, and I'm going to light it and let it burn for a few hours this afternoon, for Ferny and Alison. (I'll save the Fern candle for when someone is actually on her way.)

Have I told you lately how much I like you? :loveeyes:

I was thinking about the May mamas last night and our ongoing fecundity, and it struck me that none of us have had *another* May baby (Megan and I came close, though). No one has had twins, either.

I feel super chatty, because I'm decluttering the office (where the computer is)... :shy

[KKmama]

PS Is someone going to come up with a clever thread title tomorrow? Are our new babies going to be Feb babies?

[orangecanoe]

KK--I think you just have increased the likelihood that I will have twins next May! :lol We are going to start trying August-ish. :wink Fraternal twins run in my side of the family!

Ick, ack, uck on the snow! Come visit me...it's been such a tame winter so far. But I totally kwym on the too cold to play front. My cutoff is usually somewhere around the 35-40mark depending on wind chill.

UNCLE! :dizzy: Back at the peds AGAIN today for C and her swollen glands. Poor kid can't sleep. She was up until almost midnight last night because her neck hurt. Had to take her to the lab for bloodwork today and she did awesome! She also had the strep test at the peds..."I didn't like that special test at all!" but that was negative. Dr. Google says maybe some variety of cervical adenitis? Depending on how the bloodwork comes back we may go back for a PPD or discuss other tests.

The orthotist came to the house today to measure for her Sure Steps (http://www.surestep.net/about.html#parents) braces for her pronating/low tone issues. She picked the farm animal print of course and was a little miffed that she couldn't get them TODAY!

Mom meets w/ lawyer today...plan is rehab tomorrow?? Will update if this actually does happen.

Thinking of my MMF! and the new little ones arriving so very soon!

[elsanne]

WOW, heath...talk about crying "uncle"...you have stress in spades 'round there. I cannot believe it. I am glad that the ortho. are something that C will enjoy getting! Nice they are so trim. And swollen glands, and mom in rehab maybe!! Holy mackerel. It will certainly cut down on her DUI charges.

[A&L+1]

Just letting you all know that we have an external cephalic version appointment for Alison in the morning. I will let you all know how it goes.

Heather, I am so sorry that the difficult things are pouring on you right now. I hope the world lets up soon. :hugs

:love Thank you - from the bottom of my heart - for being this amazing group of women. I am feeling the love for you all tonight. Your support has been so great.

[mcsarahb]

MWAH to all, especially Lisa (and A.) and Heather. And Fiddle. And and and...anyone who needs it. Including myself. :o

TG I have tomorrow off of school. Just finished a paper that was due tonight at midnight.

Lily is being so amazingly sweet recently. I feel sooooo bad that she is with the nanny 9+ hours a day while DH is away, but she is just rolling with it and being so cool. We had a great dinner/bath/evening tonight and it just makes me cry to think about how much I miss her some days. At the same time school is so fascinating these days and I'm loving finally getting to the good stuff. I wish I could do more extra things for school - volunteering, extra clinic hours, etc., but I also want to spend more time at home. Seems like both things get the shaft. Sigh.

Lisa, I am glad you are in a good space with all this. I really hope the version works and all goes well after. I think your plan is great and well thought out.

Fiddle, I saw the almost-full moon this evening driving home and thought of you and W...eep! We'll meet him soon. :)

Claudia, Lily had fun with M the other day. A couple of times we've played with the animal beads and she's said, "M made me a necklace with those! He's a sweet boy!"

Must. Sleep.

S.

[TurboClaudia]

lisa & alison: i will be thinking of you tomorrow... :hug

~c

[TurboClaudia]

Claudia, Lily had fun with M the other day. A couple of times we've played with the animal beads and she's said, "M made me a necklace with those! He's a sweet boy!"
cute, cute, cute!

[fiddlefern]

Argh- just lost a long post all about my birth plans. Way past bed time. Short story: giving birth in the hospital. Not my ideal, but had to choose the most workable thing in a less-than-ideal situation. Life is sometimes like that, I guess.

I'm thinking the full moon is gonna suck the babies out of both Allison and I on Friday. :p

However, if I have not given birth by Sunday, everyone light their candles at 3 pm pacific time. ;) Those who live in PDX, if I'm still preggers, you are invited to my house any time between 3 pm and 7 pm for music and hanging out and generally partying this baby out of me. :lol. Bring a lil something snacky, and a musical instrument or your voice.

OK, now it's really late and I am Soooooooooooooooooooooooo tired. Nighty night.

[orangecanoe]

FF---I had to :lol at your par-tay induction method...definitely seems his personality!! Forget the quiet, serene birthy thing....this boy wants to come into the world rockin' ...can't wait to meet the little fiddle!

Sarah--Your situation sounds so hard, but at the same time I'm so glad you have the opportunity to be doing the mw stuff now and have such great care for Lily. What a sweetie girl you have!

Lisa---lots of gentle turning vibes and relaxing visualizations for Alison and little one!!

I'm sure I'm forgetting something or someone, but couldn't miss this opportunity to be Goddess of the Morning! :wink We have GI appts at 9!

[Mama Faery]

Check out Heath over here! She beat me! :wink :lol
I have SO much to do online today (I've been neglecting my email and various other things I'm involved in online--and I am removing my information from as much of the internet as possible--I get SO MUCH SPAM! :nut) and so much to do at home...Rowan is singing quietly to himself and playing behind me, it is so sweet. He really is getting into playing by himself, and I'm like "well, you're gonna be an only, you'd better get used to it!" :wink But right now he just asked me to come over to him and play, so I must answer the call. :love

Much love and warm thoughts to every single one of you. I will get my candle ready for Sunday, and there's one called "Relaxation" lit for Alison and little one right now!

Sorry my posts have been short as of late...but I'm here! :grouphug
Have a great day, mamas.

[Sarah'sMama]

Thinking of you and Alison and breech-but-soon-to-be-vertex baby! Hope the version is a success and not too scary!

gotta run, katie crying...

[elsanne]

Lily is being so amazingly sweet recently. I feel sooooo bad that she is with the nanny 9+ hours a day while DH is away, but she is just rolling with it and being so cool. We had a great dinner/bath/evening tonight and it just makes me cry to think about how much I miss her some days.

Dang, mamacita, I hear this. You are doing amazing things, and very important work in this world. Lily will be all the better for it.

Just letting you all know that we have an external cephalic version appointment for Alison in the morning. I will let you all know how it goes.



Can't wait to hear if it "took". Let us know!!! You both must be so anxious...I hope not...can't wait to hear who the heck is in her abdomen all upright like that...


I'm thinking the full moon is gonna suck the babies out of both Allison and I on Friday. :p



This made me smile. I am soooo waiting to hear about your child!!! I have an altar all set up, a birthy altar.


I'm sure I'm forgetting something or someone, but couldn't miss this opportunity to be Goddess of the Morning! :wink We have GI appts at 9!

Hi Heath! Hope the appts go smoothly. Much love to you.

[jstar]

i have a high probability of having another may baby. i am secretly hoping for jun 1 though just for variety's sake

checkin in on my birthy mamas this morning :wink i saw the big moon too. good thoughts for the version this morning. and for the ferny frond. i'll be at a superbowl shindig sunday afternoon so i'll have to take my candle with me :) i think it is great that W is a loud/party/social creature with a big brother in the house :lol

[TurboClaudia]

ok, so another just have to laugh thing about our posts...

whenever i see someone write "Heath", in my mind's reading voice, i can't stop myself from pronouncing it HEE-th instead of the HEH-th it would be if there were an e-r after it. so you are starting to become Heath, the butch mama, in my imagination, HF. :tomato

thinking of lisa of alison and new baby-to-arrive-sometime-soon... meant to ask, how is E doing?

ferny-friend: will plan on coming by on sunday if W hasn't shown up yet. funny about what you said that he might be an extrovert.

i can't believe no one started a february thread... should i start one? hmm... contemplating, contemplating...

~claudia

[TurboClaudia]

NEW thread here. (http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=607664)

~c