Mothering Forum banner

Weekly Chat 6/16-6/22

3K views 45 replies 16 participants last post by  dreamingtree 
#1 ·
Good morning! On the other DDC's I've been a part of we've always had a weekly chat thread. I figured I'd start one :)

The three oldest kids are at swimming lessons this morning, so it's quiet in the house (except the 1 year old toddling around). We aren't big on enrolling the kids in organized activities, but I feel like swimming is good to know for safety reasons. I nannied for a family when I was in my 20's and their kids were involved in a zillion activities. Seriously, they were in Tae Kwon Do, Baton, Ballet, Italian Club, Gymnastics, and random play groups. The twins were 6 years old! Poor things were exhausted by the end of the day and had to do their homework before bed. I swore that when I had kids I would not do that to them. To each his own though...different strokes for different folks (I'm not judging or hatin').

The heat has definitely settled in here in the South! Whew!
 
#2 ·
Good morning! Great idea, cagnew--thanks for getting us started.

I'm hanging out at work. It's a fairly slow week, so there's not too much to distract me, which is a shame since I am FEELING IT this morning. I'm kind of wishing for your heat, though, since this hermetically-sealed office building runs very cool and seems only to get cooler when temps rise outside! I guess it's going to be a hot one, but I won't have any clue until I step outside at the end of the day.

Overscheduling children is not my thing, either. As a matter of fact, we probably lean a little too hard to the other end of the spectrum and our kids barely ever do organized activities at all. :) Their dad (who is home with them 4 days/week) is great about taking them all kinds of little field trips and stuff, but they do lack for structured, regularly-meeting things to do. We keep talking about swimming lessons, though, so hopefully we'll get on track with that at some point this summer. I always said that I wanted my children in only one activity (or perhaps an absolute maximum of two) at any given time, so I suppose by leaving them at zero all the time, I am just... weighting our average nice and low?!
 
#3 ·
Good morning, ladies.
Nice day here in Western Mass. Hopefully the strawberries will ripen this week! All the other garden goodies are looking great!
I discovered my calla lilies popping through yesterday. I planted them back in April, so am so thankful to see the life force starting to shine.

Just heard word that our marriage license is ready to be picked up. Nearly to the no turning back zone. If mother nature cooperates, Saturday morning, bright and early, we'll be launching in a hot air balloon to say our "I Do's", and share our intentions. Excited is an understatement, but the anticipation is bearable, in comparison to the anticipation of this first trimester seeing its way through.

I was stung by a wasp in the middle of the night. That wasn't pleasant. No, not at all...

But I'm enjoying a quiet household this morning, doing some cleaning before getting out to play.

We're a very unstructured clan. Through the years, I wonder if that's a good thing, or not. I love to be homebound, so my kids often are, too. They played some sports when they were younger, but never really gravitated toward them. I am a firm believer in not pushing kids, thinking that's just exhausting for the mom, and the little lads. If they're interested in something, I support it. If they're not, we just hang out until something piques their curiosity. Some times there are LOOOOOOONG bouts of non motivation. Just yesterday, though, my nearly 16 year old son came home really really excited to apply for a job at as an assistant to the instructor at a lego robotics club in a local town. He got right to work on his resume and application, and offered to bike one way every day to help out with the ride situation (a 15 mile bike ride from a boy who fell off his bike 3 years ago, and has not peddled since!). YES!!!! Movement from the unmotivated!

Here's to fast work days, and quiet mornings!!
 
#4 ·
I would like another 5 degrees of warmth for comfort But I will wait another week for our perfect summers to start.

I tink organized activities are good but I don't plan on doing more than one activity on the schedule at a time.
My youngest is Finally old enough to do swimming lessons without me in the pool so I need to get him signed up for thst this summer too. Definitely want my kids to be comfortable in the water.

HappyDay- I would be totally proud of a 16 year old who offered to ride his bike for a job. That is some amazing motivation!

We are all coming off of a stomach issue and I am totally getting cabin fever in here. My kids need some outside play time but I need to give them a couple more days away. This bug was nasty and I don't want to infect anyone else.

I anxious to see the doctor but only because I want to get my official referral to the OB who will be seeing me the rest of the time. I hate the long process the military sends you though in order to actually see the dr. I will be in the second tri before I see him.
 
#6 ·
We aren't too big on activities around here until the child shows interest. Outside of our every other week homeschool group (that only meets during the school year), we do summer swimming. That's what we are in the swing of here. I am not a big fan (it eats up everyday for 8 weeks), but the kids love it and need to learn this life skill. There have been a few random bouts of skating and acting classes, but they were short-lived. I won't allow more than 1 activity at a time, if it ever came to that. With 4... Yikes! It'd be too much to do much more!!!

happyday, we got our first bunches of strawberries last week. SOOOO Yummy! I hope yours are just as good! Good luck on the wedding ceremony! Hot air balloon?! Sounds sooo awesome!

Like I said, we are doing swimming lessons every day. So all of my days before noon are eaten up and I don't really feel like I am having enough time to just be this summer. I have to work on it. Tomorrow, we are looking through a house for a second time. I am REALLY hopeful that it is THE house! We have been looking for 3 years now and it is about time we find one! Especially with #4 on the way!!!! It has taken us so long because we are specifically looking for a decent house (modest, not a mansion and not a falling apart home) on over an acre. Our plan is to start our homesteading dreams as soon as we close. It'd be really great if this is the house because it has the best lot we have seen and is in the ideal location!
 
  • Like
Reactions: momma2finn
#7 ·
Good luck on the house search Jodie, we are just coming off of that, real estate is a frustrating game. By accident we found an old farmhouse for rent, from a friend of the family. We've got as much land to work with as we want, and we pay a very manageable amount to live in a four bedroom, super beautiful farmhouse. It's great- gives us the chance to start our homesteading and not have so much pressure to BUY the perfect place. We feel like we have an "in" now, since our rural neighbors have taken a liking to us, and are keeping their ears to the ground for property as well.
Honestly, our "landlord" lets us do whatever we like, and keep whatever livestock we like, so we are pretty happy here!

I am envious of you ladies, sounds like you all have broods of little ones- I can't wait until we have a few kids running around here! I love DS #1 , but he grew up with a single mama, stressed and in the city. Even he has changed living out here in the open…I can't wait to see him be a big brother.

How do you ladies manage your own personal time with the needs/activities of the little ones? Will I be completely giving up my interests once i have more than one small in the house?
 
#8 ·
Our swimming lessons are at 7am so they don't take up the whole day but, whew! It has been hard to get up and get everyone to the pool that early. It's only 9 days though.

With regards to personal time... I think every woman is different. I have more time now with 4 kids than I did with 1 or 2. I think because the oldest three can dress themselves and pick up after themselves. And they play together so I don't have to really entertain them.

It might also depend on how many hobbies you have too. If you do a lot you will most likely have to scale back a bit. If your DH is supportive and helpful with the kids then I think you'll still have me-time. I notice that high energy people seem to find time to a zillion things! It amazes me. I have an acquaintance who has 6 kids, 5 of which are under 8. She is involved in a bunch of stuff, works on their little farm, and makes/sells her own natural products. I think her DH watches the kids a lot for her. I can't imagine doing that much!
 
#9 ·
I am starting a brand new job as a nurse. I just graduated from nursing school so I definitely have a lot going on now with a pregnancy. In addition, we are also looking for a new house to buy and get rid of the one we have.

I'm just nervous of having morning sickness while I am trying to orient as a new nurse. I will take the Zofran if I have to. I didn't take anything last pregnancy (except for Prilosec due to severe GERD and also of course a prenatal) but I may not have much choice this time around.
 
#10 ·
I am starting a brand new job as a nurse. I just graduated from nursing school so I definitely have a lot going on now with a pregnancy. In addition, we are also looking for a new house to buy and get rid of the one we have.

I'm just nervous of having morning sickness while I am trying to orient as a new nurse. I will take the Zofran if I have to. I didn't take anything last pregnancy (except for Prilosec due to severe GERD and also of course a prenatal) but I may not have much choice this time around.
Congratulations, Dreamingtree! A new career, that will be so exciting. I wish you all the best settling into being a nurse and dealing with 1st (and 2nd & 3rd) trimester <3

Buying a house and new job and pregnant, wow, you are a super duper mom! Keep us posted and remember to breathe:laugh:
 
#11 ·
Looking forward to getting to know you all.

We had a 7:30 a.m. ultrasound today. Start the day off right. The nurse turned the monitor and I saw TWO.
That's right, twins. I'm freaking out. Just 5w5d. Going back in two weeks to look for heartbeats. It's going to be the longest two weeks ever.
 
#13 ·
Looking forward to getting to know you all.

We had a 7:30 a.m. ultrasound today. Start the day off right. The nurse turned the monitor and I saw TWO.
That's right, twins. I'm freaking out. Just 5w5d. Going back in two weeks to look for heartbeats. It's going to be the longest two weeks ever.
Oh my goodness!!! So exciting!!! How are you feeling? Much nausea? Sorry if you mentioned your symptoms elsewhere and I am not remembering!
Congratulations!!!
 
#15 ·
Wow iixivboots, what a momentous discovery ( and I imagine, huge shock)- wishes of strength and wellbeing to you and your family.

Our summer routine is underway. I work full time with adults who have developmental disabilities as a support person and art teacher. rewarding, and also, especially these first trimester days, emotionally exhausting. DP is a field biologist, so is often out and about, and our DS is spending days with my dad between preschool and kindergarten.
Days are very (wonder)full, looking forward to going part time mid July to have more time with DS, and making more of my own work (I'm a printmaker) once DS starts school.
 
#16 ·
Everyone is so busy!! New homes, new careers, new activities, new babies. How wonderful.

iixivboots, CONGRATULATIONS! That's so exciting! You must be absolutely blown away! Lots of good wishes to all five of you. :)

I'm taking off work early this afternoon for a dating ultrasound, and then going straight to our family's annual cabin-in-the-mountains weekend. It's going to be the longest work day everrrrrr. Not sure what it means for this pregnancy that I am already fairly routinely counting the hours before I get to go home each day!
 
#18 ·
Dreaming tree: congrats on the new job! My mom has been a nurse for over 30 years and still loves it.

Tee: have fun this weekend! We are meeting the in laws in July for a few days in a cabin in the smokies. I love the mountains.

iixiboots: Congrats! I'm so jealous, lol :) I'd love twins but they don't run in my family. Anyway, what a fantastic surprise!
 
#19 ·
I think I could handle twins this time around ha! If it's going to be hard may as well do it all at once right? I think my mother-in-law would just retire and come live with me.

My son keeps saying he wants a "boy sister." And daddy wants two boys.

I am not a fan of the 5 o'clock hour but somehow I always end up awake during it. My kid just doesn't like to sleep in. Maybe this summer I can get her on a better schedule keeping her busy with summer fun and less sleeping during the day.


You ladies have some exciting things going on in life!
 
#28 · (Edited)
Luckiest, I love that story about your son! My son is 22 months and we ordered him a "big brother" book he loves and he goes around saying "brutha brutha brutha." Good thing, too since he's going to have two new sibs. :)

Dreamingtree, thanks for asking about my symptoms. They are not that intense. Just fatigue and hunger and thirst that are a lot more intense than I remember with my son, and I've already gained a little weight and feel my uterus getting heavy and twingy. Last time my morning sickness didn't start until 9 weeks.

We are still in twinshock over here, for sure. Last night I woke up multiple times, you know like you do when there is some catastrophe. I was like "why am I waking up?" TWINS "go back to sleep." haha. It's going to kill me to wait for the heartbeat ultrasound. I really thought that we would have a higher chance of miscarriage with the twins but the clinic says it's the same, including the "vanishing twin" thing. The thing I'm trying to wrap my head around is if we see two heartbeats in two weeks, we are 95% sure going to have both those babies. Insane!

I'm so glad there are so many experienced mamas here. I am worried about making sure my son gets all the love, attention, and enrichment he needs as we go through this pregnancy and birth.

I think I could handle twins this time around ha! If it's going to be hard may as well do it all at once right? I think my mother-in-law would just retire and come live with me.
You ladies have some exciting things going on in life!
I hope we can handle it! I guess my sweet boy was our practice baby, and he was a doozy: colic, reflux, food allergies, not a sleeper. We have always joked that we would just demand my MIL move here if we had twins. It was a joke! But we are really hoping she will be able to at least come stay a few months, she was planning on "snowbirding" we think.
 
#20 ·
Congrats to everyone on all the pregnancies and life changes!

The OB practice I'm using doesn't do the first visit until 8 weeks and doesn't do a dating ultrasound until between 10 and 11 weeks, so I will have to wait to find out all that info. But, there was a time when women didn't find out anything until the birth date, so I'm sure we can make it a few weeks. I also worry about an ultrasound so soon because I think that they might be more dangerous than we are lead to believe. I mean, they use them to break down muscles for healing purposes, so how is it that they don't affect a developing fetus? I don't know how that works.

Also, working on caffeine withdrawals over here. I quit all caffeine the day I found out, I'm on day 5 of withdrawal and I think I'm just starting to get some mental energy back so I'm going to tackle some housework and laundry today.
 
#21 ·
Crazy story -

We haven't told DS (3.5) that I'm pregnant, and we just found out ourselves yesterday. Out of nowhere this morning, while he and DH were playing, DS says, "We're going to have a baby here soon."

And now that I think about it, about a week ago he told me he was going to have a sister named "Oggie." Not so sure about the name, but he could be right about having a sister!

!!!!!!!!!
 
#22 ·
Crazy story -

We haven't told DS (3.5) that I'm pregnant, and we just found out ourselves yesterday. Out of nowhere this morning, while he and DH were playing, DS says, "We're going to have a baby here soon."

And now that I think about it, about a week ago he told me he was going to have a sister named "Oggie." Not so sure about the name, but he could be right about having a sister!

!!!!!!!!!
wow! now that is some intuition!
 
#24 ·
This week has been a bit of a roller-coaster thanks to raging hormones. My husband deploys this week and we've been able to spend a lot of time together as a family. I was PG the last time my husband deployed, but was through the first trimester. My fatigue gets worse each week, so I think we'll be eating lots of sprouted sandwiches for dinner! Cooking is my creative outlet and DH usually gives DDs their wrestling time while I make dinner.

But tonight was just awesome. We had the best thunderstorm. The rain was just roaring and we had to yell over each other. Our home has a screened in porch so we took DD1 out and just read, prayed, and sang in the storm. It really was a perfect night.

You all have so much going on in your lives! This thread may be my favorite-- it is so nice to hear what other women have going on and how they are (or even aren't) taking it in stride.
 
#26 ·
Is anybody or has anybody in the past dealt with cold feet at bedtime? I have never experienced this and have been googling like crazy but not finding many answers. I'm really not a fan of this new symptom!
 
#40 ·
I just went to the bathroom and there was very very slightly blood tinged mucus. I'm three weeks six days. Aka found out yesterday. Aka 12 dpo. Should I be concerned? I've had light Cramps on and off for a week and a half now.
 
#42 ·
Yes, I agree with cagnew--you don't need to worry about that too much. Very, very light seems like nothing to be concerned about at all. Easier said than done, I know :), but hopefully this will help set your mind at ease a little bit.

Dating ultrasound on Thursday went well, adjusted EDD is 1/29! Oops... How do y'all feel about me just fudging it for "early February" and staying with this DDC instead of hopping over to January? I already feel like I'd miss you if I switched at this point. Any thoughts? :)

After a weekend spent in (but mostly outside of) a cabin, I officially want to quit everything and move outside full time, because I basically quit nausea for an entire weekend--got into the car to come home, and HEY, turns out I hadn't quit it for good. Boo. Was so pleased to think I might have turned the corner, when it turns out that it's actually the fresh air and the moment I go back inside, I'm done for again. Guess I am going to be taking a whooooole lot of walks at work from now on!
 
#43 ·
Yes, I agree with cagnew--you don't need to worry about that too much. Very, very light seems like nothing to be concerned about at all. Easier said than done, I know :), but hopefully this will help set your mind at ease a little bit.

Dating ultrasound on Thursday went well, adjusted EDD is 1/29! Oops... How do y'all feel about me just fudging it for "early February" and staying with this DDC instead of hopping over to January? I already feel like I'd miss you if I switched at this point. Any thoughts? :)

After a weekend spent in (but mostly outside of) a cabin, I officially want to quit everything and move outside full time, because I basically quit nausea for an entire weekend--got into the car to come home, and HEY, turns out I hadn't quit it for good. Boo. Was so pleased to think I might have turned the corner, when it turns out that it's actually the fresh air and the moment I go back inside, I'm done for again. Guess I am going to be taking a whooooole lot of walks at work from now on!
STAY, Tee! We love you!!!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top