Parenting Check In 9/12

[mahler5]

Hey everyone! I've been a little MIA so thought I would do the check in a day early.

QOTW-- how do you balance self care with caring for your kiddos and work etc.

[mahler5]

We had a busy weekend. I drove a few hours yesterday to go to a baby shower while C had some quality time with my mom. e went to shower with me and L stayed at home. She was very thankful for some alone time and got a lot done. I think I may try to do that more often as she was generally in better mood today.

We also went to legoland yesterday which C loved! I love Legos myself. I bought this holiday set and I think my mom thought I was crazy. L will probably not be too happy I got it.

C has been a horrible sleeper lately. It's sort of ironic that my 3 month old is sleeping better than her. C is 2 1/2. Sometimes I feel like she is dropping her nap, but she seems to young. It's harder for her to fall asleep for nap and bedtime is later. And she even slept with me a few nights ago when it stormed. Then last night she was up in middle of night for 2 hours. Wtf! I was resolved not to let her sleep in our bed but ended up laying down with her some. And she came back in once too.

Oh, and we leave the door open now too. She can only get in our bedroom as the stairs are gated and Es door has baby proof handle. It's weird but I feel bad locking her door. M

I hope she starts sleeping better soon. I am totally ready to let her drop her nap if it means she sleeps better at night. I treasure her naps, but I need my sleep more then anything.

E is great! She's a happy baby.

Qotw-- well, it's hard, especially if I am sleep deprived. I have recently been on an exercising kick. I hope it sticks. I'm so glad our gym has childcare. I've started doing yoga weekly and have been doing couch to 5k last 5 weeks. Also, we have been doing more or less paleo this last week. I'm really hoping that sticks too. Sometimes I feel too tired to work out but it seems if I make myself do it I feel better. Although there are still days I am just too tired to do anything!!

I sometimes miss working but I can't imagine doing this stuff right now if I was, so I guess that is good.

I know L needs alone time. I do too so we try to give each other some but that is harder with two, especially for me because L has a hard time watching both, especially since she doesn't breastfeed.

[bexincanada]

Way to go with the working out mahler5

Is is 3.5 months. She's fighting sleep a lot these days and I'm watching for teeth as she's drooling a ton and mouthing things.

We start Music Together classes in two weeks, I'm looking forward to it and hoping to meet some nice folks.

I'm glad the heatwave is over. Autumn is my favourite season.

No one mention winter - a.k.a. impending doom.

I've been watching bits of the World Cup of Hockey when I can... those team North America jerseys are badass.

This is turning into a random post.

No rolling yet - lots of new noises though and she loves gurgling. She can almost consistently hold her head up on her own (when assisted sitting). She's using her arms more during tummy time as well.

I need to get out on my bike... that used to be my self-care. Trying to find balance is hard. H. commutes to work and sometimes Is is clingy on me in the evenings so weekends are where I'm starting to try... especially once H. starts hockey and will be gone one night a week.

[cetcar]

mahler5, Great job with exercising! Getting into the habit can be the hardest part.

M is 7.5 months. We can't believe it! She's still scooting backwards, some days she is more into it than others. And she likes to pivot in a circle on her belly and see what's around her. She hasn't quite figured out how to move forwards yet. She loves to knock down block towers and fast as you can build them and continues to jump like it's going out of style.

We're back to reinforcing no eating at night before 5am (which works in our household, we wake up early). Her sleep has been getting more consistent again. Over the weekend she was sleeping until 5 then going back to sleep until 7/7:30. Today she woke up at 4 though....we gave her her paci a couple times and waited until 5 to pick her up and feed her. She then slept until 8.

Last week she was taking naps in her crib and over the weekend we started having her sleep in there at night too. It's been pretty uneventful and no as strange as I expected it to feel. It's kind of nice having the light on in our room before bed again.

Over the last few weeks we've fallen into a nice routine for during the day. She's been taking a long afternoon nap (famous last words) and I've been able to get some other things done. I'm actually thinking that I may be able to start working from home again during her nap. Probably around 10 hours a week but we'll see.

For self care, I prioritize exercising and making sure I make myself lunch the day before. I find if it's already prepared, I make much better choices at lunch time. Oh and I'm into doing a little food prep on Sundays. And sometimes it's the simple things, like finding time to shower and actually get dressed everyday.

[kona]

O is 2 yo and S is 3.5 weeks.

I feel like I am just surviving with a newborn and a 2 yo. Maybe this is how it's supposed to be but it's not fun. I took 2 weeks off and then went back to work last week. M struggled with the 2 of them on her own so I took yesterday off. It was really nice to be home but then I got screwed at work. We are having to depend more on family to help which is nice but I don't like asking for help. I don't want S to grow up too fast but it will be nice when she isn't quite so needy. And she's not a needy baby at all.

S is such a sweetie. She looks just like her sister but thankfully so far no reflux and no lip/tongue ties. She lost a lot of weight from birth like her sister so we are watching that. I know it is stressing M out. We have made it so far exclusively bfeeding though. I think we supplemented O at a week old.

I know things will get better but trying to manage everything is really stressful right now. It doesn't help that I could care less about my job (either of them actually). And that in order for M to stay home I need to keep both of them.

QOTW: Before S came along we were doing ok. We would go the Y as a family and I was doing yoga on Fridays after work. I also ride my bike to work which is nice to get some functional exercise in. Right now it's a bit tough although O and I have made it to the Y a few times.

[2brides]

School and sports are heading into high gear this week. C has been having soccer practice for 2 weeks and had his first game last weekend. G is starting swim this week. It is going to be nuts (both kids have activities across town on the same night at the same time. Also, homework has ramped up. Thankfully, they have been really good about getting most of it done in aftercare and what they don't finish, they are agreeable to finish once they get home from sports and have dinner. Even if it is pushing 8pm (their bedtime.) Let's hope this sticks because the homework whining and tantrums of the past few years was OLD.


QOTW: Very little. I am horrible about making time to exercise (probably because I hate it with the passion of 1000 firey suns.) I do make my lunch most days, but that is more out of a financial need vs a health one. L and I try to make time 1-2x/month to individually go out with friends after work for dinner or even just to do errands or stuff we want to get done sans kids (haircuts, pedicures, clothes shopping.) We enrolled the kids in Parents Night Out at our gym for the entire year. The first and third Saturdays we can drop them off from 5-9 and do whatever while the kids swam/rock climb/etc. We tend to to movies and/or dinner and just have some adult time. But as the kids have gotten older and all of our social lives have gotten busier, we are missing them more and more. But it is nice to have that option and have designated nights you know you can have an uninterrupted dinner (the kids started going there at 4y.)

[mahler5]

Sept 13, 2016 6:51:05 GMT -5 kona said:

O is 2 yo and S is 3.5 weeks.

I feel like I am just surviving with a newborn and a 2 yo. Maybe this is how it's supposed to be but it's not fun. I took 2 weeks off and then went back to work last week. M struggled with the 2 of them on her own so I took yesterday off. It was really nice to be home but then I got screwed at work. We are having to depend more on family to help which is nice but I don't like asking for help. I don't want S to grow up too fast but it will be nice when she isn't quite so needy. And she's not a needy baby at all.

S is such a sweetie. She looks just like her sister but thankfully so far no reflux and no lip/tongue ties. She lost a lot of weight from birth like her sister so we are watching that. I know it is stressing M out. We have made it so far exclusively bfeeding though. I think we supplemented O at a week old.

I know things will get better but trying to manage everything is really stressful right now. It doesn't help that I could care less about my job (either of them actually). And that in order for M to stay home I need to keep both of them.

QOTW: Before S came along we were doing ok. We would go the Y as a family and I was doing yoga on Fridays after work. I also ride my bike to work which is nice to get some functional exercise in. Right now it's a bit tough although O and I have made it to the Y a few times.

I'm sure it will get better soon! Hang in there.

[kona]

Sept 13, 2016 14:18:36 GMT -5 mahler5 said:

Sept 13, 2016 6:51:05 GMT -5 kona said:

O is 2 yo and S is 3.5 weeks.

I feel like I am just surviving with a newborn and a 2 yo. Maybe this is how it's supposed to be but it's not fun. I took 2 weeks off and then went back to work last week. M struggled with the 2 of them on her own so I took yesterday off. It was really nice to be home but then I got screwed at work. We are having to depend more on family to help which is nice but I don't like asking for help. I don't want S to grow up too fast but it will be nice when she isn't quite so needy. And she's not a needy baby at all.

S is such a sweetie. She looks just like her sister but thankfully so far no reflux and no lip/tongue ties. She lost a lot of weight from birth like her sister so we are watching that. I know it is stressing M out. We have made it so far exclusively bfeeding though. I think we supplemented O at a week old.

I know things will get better but trying to manage everything is really stressful right now. It doesn't help that I could care less about my job (either of them actually). And that in order for M to stay home I need to keep both of them.

QOTW: Before S came along we were doing ok. We would go the Y as a family and I was doing yoga on Fridays after work. I also ride my bike to work which is nice to get some functional exercise in. Right now it's a bit tough although O and I have made it to the Y a few times.

I'm sure it will get better soon! Hang in there.

Thanks!

[bexincanada]

Soooooo I think Is might have her first tooth!!! Inspired by cetcar's picture I actively looked in her mouth yesterday because of all the teething behaviour - there's a little white bump just behind the ridge of her gumline. She's not even 4 months yet!!! It'll be hard to get a picture without her tongue in the way but I'll try this weekend when H. is home and it's happy-morning time.

A complete aside, wittyandwaiting are you watching the World Cup of Hockey? Most of Canada/North America's games start at 8 which is late (sad but true these days), but I really want to watch so I may forego that extra sleep a few nights.