We're just trying to stay afloat in the 'Roo household. On weekends, I normally catch up on a lot of housework, and while we cleaned most of the house, I didn't do laundry or fold it (because date night instead) and so now I'm swimming in a week and a half's worth which blows. I need to finish payroll for work, but e woke up last night as I was working on it, and then we fell asleep together, and today he was too clingy/refusing to nap anywhere but on me for me to get it done, so now I'm going to be up super late. I have until Wednesday mornings before the finalized info needs to get faxed to the company that cuts the checks, but I always feel bad when I finish it last minute. I'm behind on all my personal projects and stuff I promised others I make or mend for them. I just need it to be Friday afternoon. I found out today that the kids don't have school that day, but in the evening, we're hitting up Party City and letting E the First choose some decorations for his birthday, then going to the mall so DH can get new jeans while I get a couple news (non boring!) bras and underwear. I'm way more excited about this than I should be. Overall, I think I'm just feeling crabby and overwhelmed because I don't sleep well with E in our bed, but he won't stay in his crib more than 40 minutes or so. So, we need to work on that. Saturday I'm going to my BFF's, who lives two hours away, and we're having a crafting/movie day. I can't wait. I think it'll be the break I've been needing.
AW: I've totally addicted my son to Frozen songs. Today he started giggling because he saw a giant olaf at the party store today. He also kept laughing, I'd laugh back and then he'd laugh again.
LO had a bout with diarrhea for 4 days. Still adjusting to not freaking out when LO gets sick but it's stressful when he's exploding through clothes and diapers. Anyways, the stress and DH working late and then a few hours on Saturday really took a toll on me. Plus my MIL who is our go-to sitter left last Monday for a month. So it's been stressful adjusting to not having a lot of extra help. (I know some of you don't have any help, not trying to complain but it's just challenging to adjust!)
I've been doing great for a while but really lapsed in my mental stability for a few days there. It's easy to think through the mental mindset I need to change, but I get in a pit that's hard to climb out of for a day or two. Really don't think I need meds or anything, just need to try and be better at relaxing and going with the flow.
Also, DH and I made a semi fluid decision in our family size. 2, 3 at most if 2 is easier than LO. We had always talked about a bigger family and I always envisioned 4-5. Thinking of only 2 more is hard but I don't know if I'm mentally capable of raising a whole brood of kids like my mom did (7 girls). But it's still hard to think about.
Post by ellewills618 on Jan 21, 2015 4:51:22 GMT -5
Hi ladies! Hope everyone is having a great week so far. The long weekend with DH was nice. The older E gets the more DH seems to be engaging with him and helping out more. He even wanted to wear him in the Ergo for an outing! And he sometimes gets up overnight to offer a paci! (Hallelujah!) I wanted to say thanks for the suggestion for a cleaning routine. I decided that would be my loose resolution and it's working! My house has never been cleaner but if someone could tell that to the ants sporadically parading around my living room and kitchen that would be great. Also, E seems to be having some trouble sleeping...I can't tell if it's teeth or developmental because he wants to practice standing and walking everywhere all the time. He was up until 10:30 tonight and mama is tired. Of course, I'm still awake because me time is needed.
Hi all! I have to say, I like our new home so far!
@unicornofthesea - sorry about the sleep regression. LO has been in our bed since October, so no advice here, just sympathy. rexgirl06 - I'm sorry LO was sick.
So we've finally had a breakthrough in the table food department. For the last week, LO has pretty much eaten everything I put in front of him. I'm so happy he seems to finally be getting it.
DH leaves today for a work trip until the weekend. These days with just LO and me are long, especially because he's a crap napper and we co-sleep at night. I get very little time on my own - it's hard to even take a shower.
Post by bmbrinson09 on Jan 21, 2015 7:55:55 GMT -5
Hi ladies!
Lo bass been clingy and whiny. She has a fever on and off for a few days and a runny nose. So I don't know if it's a cold or teeth. I went to my mom's while dh was at a conference last week to get some help with lo and the two dogs but I didn't get a whole lot of help. Dh is off tomorrow so if will be nice to get a break. Morning sickness with an lo is a lot harder than I imagined.
This week I Ann going to put more effort into lo and my lunches and that's about it.
Post by MadisonPenny on Jan 21, 2015 8:15:45 GMT -5
Hey ladies!
The past few weeks have been tough with LO in reference to sleeping through the night. We'd be getting up anywhere from 2,3 times to up to every hour, sometimes multiple times an hour. I couldn't take it anymore, esp. with this pg fatigue. So I put her on a strict schedule in reference to sleeping. We were going to bed somewhere between 7-8 and she'd have a bottle and fall asleep while DH watched TV. No more. Now she gets a bottle at 7pm and goes straight to bed. We've been doing this for almost a week and we've only had one rough night. So FX that this is working.
Today I'm all alone. DH left for work at 6 this morning and he won't be home until 11pm. /Sigh. He has to go to dinner and a NHL game tonight and woo clients. The poor lad. I told him to think of me while he's eating his steak and lobster and I'm eating chicken soup (or something).
@joybaby5 I won't jinx you, but YAY! LO is always excited when DH gets home. He does get excited to see me when I pick him up at DC. I just feel like I'm the parent who makes him get dressed and decides he has to feed himself and administers the Motrin. I'm also the parent with eleventy things to get done during the day, so sometimes I can't pick him up RIGHTNOW. DH, on the other hand, comes home and makes LO pretty much his sole priority. Which is great. Except it's not a reality I enjoy, even on the days I work. Someone has to make dinner and clean up from dinner and all that jazz. I've been wondering a lot if LO feels like he's not getting enough from me but his needs/want are filled by DH. Does that make sense? (ZOMG DOES MY BABY EVEN LIKE ME?)
mevaroo I hear you on the laundry. Except I can't imagine doing laundry for 6. I have to do laundry every day I'm home, or it becomes overwhelming. And then I have to figure out how to manage LO while I'm doing laundry because our laundry isn't baby friendly. (See above on paranoia)
@unicornofthesea Hi! Welcome! I've had the craft night talk with DH too. I'd be happy if we could start with a craft hour! What about Sunday afternoons? I generally try to take some time for myself on Sundays. It gives DH some one-on-one time with LO, and it gives me a break. Do you have a dedicated crafting area?
rexgirl06 is LO feeling better? We had the diarrhea here, and it was awful. I also get stuck sometimes in a freak out mode. I too remind myself to relax and go with the flow. Lo's clinginess and recent routine change has been very hard for me. I feel like I'm not the best version of myself and like I'm failing at everything I try to do. If he truly is dropping to one nap a day, I need to somehow get him to play more independently. I can't do everything on just one nap. I hope that this month with mil gone isn't too stressful -- maybe it will leave you feeling empowered that you can do this!
ellewills618 I love that your DH is so into parenting with you! It makes me smile when I see how much DH has grown -- from fear of breaking LO to not knowing what to do to being on the floor playing with him. And yay for a clean house!
caer good luck with your solo parenting time. Do you have anyone who can come help or hang out? Can LO hang in his crib while you shower? When my DH travels, it is especially important to me that we get out of the house at least once a day. Maybe that will help you too!
Vent: Getting this child to eat is killing me. Just recently he protested the eating schedule that we'd had in place for months, so I'm trying to figure everything out again. Some meals, he won't eat anything; he just cries. Other meals, we sit there for an hour and he barely gets five bites in his mouth. Also, I put so much effort into buying/making healthy food for him (my husband and I have always just eaten takeout), and when it falls on the floor, *I* want to cry. I love to eat; why doesn't he???
AW: he recently figured out how to use a straw thanks to the Take and Toss straw cups. Plus, I am bravely going to a playdate tomorrow. We're so much happier when we get out of the house!
Thanks shellbell! I've so far done pretty well with running errands. Just have to make sure I don't overdo it with him. It's also helped me get out of my comfort zone and ask neighbors who also have kids for help for an hour or two when I can't bring him with me to something. He is better, but now he's waking up WAY early. We're back to 3 naps because of it, but I have to agree, it's hard to get things done. I need to up the baby proofing a bit and after rotating the furniture this weekend to open towards the kitchen, hopefully I can get a few little things done when he's awake. I hate how naps are such a rush/blitz.
Thanks shellbell! My parents are still in Florida and my regular babysitter's son is sick so it's just me! I should be able to fit in a quick shower during one of his naps. I agree, we will be getting out as much as possible. I really don't know how solo parents do it all the time - it's not easy!
betheliz hi! Is he feeding himself or are you spoon feeding? I've found that the only way I can get LO to feed himself is to basically ignore him. If I stand by his high chair and watch him? No dice. I've gotten so I take his mealtimes to tidy the kitchen, work on my computer, or read a magazine.
mevaroo I too cannot imagine laundry for 6 people. Laundry for three people is overflowing into our hallway, on my closet floor, in LO's nursery. Also, the dishes. I think I spend an hour a day doing dishes. How does your dishwasher even hold dishes for 6 people?
Also, for those flying solo, I get up before LO now. I don't wait for him to wake me. I set my alarm, shower, and hope he's still asleep when I'm done. He doesn't wake up crying in the morning, so even if he's awake, I finish getting ready while he babbles to himself.
scaredofcats hi! Welcome! DH does do household chores, but not until LO goes to bed. Maybe you could start by taking care of dinner a couple nights a week -- like swapping on and off with who does what? DH also generally cleans up from dinner while LO finishes eating or hangs out in his high chair.
((((Hugs)))) @bmbrinson. Hang in there mama. Make sure you're taking care of yourself!
MadisonPenny I'm glad your new routine is working. How are you feeling?
A ton of symptoms started in the past day. Heartburn, nausea, sore chest.. Ugh. I'm hanging in there. I go for our first U/S on Feb. 2nd so I'm looking forward to that, but a little nervous.
((((Hugs)))) @bmbrinson. Hang in there mama. Make sure you're taking care of yourself!
MadisonPenny I'm glad your new routine is working. How are you feeling?
A ton of symptoms started in the past day. Heartburn, nausea, sore chest.. Ugh. I'm hanging in there. I go for our first U/S on Feb. 2nd so I'm looking forward to that, but a little nervous.
Keep us posted about the US. Hoping these first tri symptoms ease up. Have you told your families yet?
A ton of symptoms started in the past day. Heartburn, nausea, sore chest.. Ugh. I'm hanging in there. I go for our first U/S on Feb. 2nd so I'm looking forward to that, but a little nervous.
Keep us posted about the US. Hoping these first tri symptoms ease up. Have you told your families yet?
No. We're waiting for the U/S. It's easy to keep it from my family since they live 5 hours away. H's on the other hand is getting harder. MIL likes to watch LO and have us over for dinner on the weekends. They are the the type who drinks wine with every dinner and crack open a beer during the afternoons. It's a little unusual for me not to drink when we're there. I had to pretend I had a bit of a cold (not hard, I'm allergic to their cat) and claim I was getting extra Vit. C by only drinking OJ. But that won't work this weekend. I'm running out of stories to tell them and 2 weekends to go. Since our U/S is on the 2nd, it will work out well as long as everything is ok. My parents will be here the following weekend to celebrate LOs birthday.
Keep us posted about the US. Hoping these first tri symptoms ease up. Have you told your families yet?
No. We're waiting for the U/S. It's easy to keep it from my family since they live 5 hours away. H's on the other hand is getting harder. MIL likes to watch LO and have us over for dinner on the weekends. They are the the type who drinks wine with every dinner and crack open a beer during the afternoons. It's a little unusual for me not to drink when we're there. I had to pretend I had a bit of a cold (not hard, I'm allergic to their cat) and claim I was getting extra Vit. C by only drinking OJ. But that won't work this weekend. I'm running out of stories to tell them and 2 weekends to go. Since our U/S is on the 2nd, it will work out well as long as everything is ok. My parents will be here the following weekend to celebrate LOs birthday.
Can you tell them you're still hungover from the night before? You're DDing for your H? You're on an antibiotic where drinking would be a bad idea?
Keep us posted about the US. Hoping these first tri symptoms ease up. Have you told your families yet?
No. We're waiting for the U/S. It's easy to keep it from my family since they live 5 hours away. H's on the other hand is getting harder. MIL likes to watch LO and have us over for dinner on the weekends. They are the the type who drinks wine with every dinner and crack open a beer during the afternoons. It's a little unusual for me not to drink when we're there. I had to pretend I had a bit of a cold (not hard, I'm allergic to their cat) and claim I was getting extra Vit. C by only drinking OJ. But that won't work this weekend. I'm running out of stories to tell them and 2 weekends to go. Since our U/S is on the 2nd, it will work out well as long as everything is ok. My parents will be here the following weekend to celebrate LOs birthday.
Can you just accept a drink and pretend to drink it? Maybe pour a little out when you have a chance?
No. We're waiting for the U/S. It's easy to keep it from my family since they live 5 hours away. H's on the other hand is getting harder. MIL likes to watch LO and have us over for dinner on the weekends. They are the the type who drinks wine with every dinner and crack open a beer during the afternoons. It's a little unusual for me not to drink when we're there. I had to pretend I had a bit of a cold (not hard, I'm allergic to their cat) and claim I was getting extra Vit. C by only drinking OJ. But that won't work this weekend. I'm running out of stories to tell them and 2 weekends to go. Since our U/S is on the 2nd, it will work out well as long as everything is ok. My parents will be here the following weekend to celebrate LOs birthday.
Can you tell them you're still hungover from the night before? You're DDing for your H? You're on an antibiotic where drinking would be a bad idea?
The not one that would work is the antibiotic. We usually end up over there with truck and I NEVER drive it and I'm not one to get hungover and they know it.
No. We're waiting for the U/S. It's easy to keep it from my family since they live 5 hours away. H's on the other hand is getting harder. MIL likes to watch LO and have us over for dinner on the weekends. They are the the type who drinks wine with every dinner and crack open a beer during the afternoons. It's a little unusual for me not to drink when we're there. I had to pretend I had a bit of a cold (not hard, I'm allergic to their cat) and claim I was getting extra Vit. C by only drinking OJ. But that won't work this weekend. I'm running out of stories to tell them and 2 weekends to go. Since our U/S is on the 2nd, it will work out well as long as everything is ok. My parents will be here the following weekend to celebrate LOs birthday.
Can you just accept a drink and pretend to drink it? Maybe pour a little out when you have a chance?
I've thought of this. Sometimes I'll split a TallCan with H so if I pour each 1/2 in glasses I can always pour more in his when no one is watching.... Or down the drain when I use the washroom.
shellbell we're still doing both solid and purees at most meals, but you're absolutely right: last night, i let him eat while i cooked our dinner and he seemed to do better. guess this'll be my new tactic!
shellbell we're still doing both solid and purees at most meals, but you're absolutely right: last night, i let him eat while i cooked our dinner and he seemed to do better. guess this'll be my new tactic!
Also betheliz my LO prefers things in strips (like French fries) rather than little pieces. He wouldn't touch pizza when I cut it into bite sized pieces, but he housed a whole piece when I left it in strips. Maybe that can help you too!
(I'm not pretending to be an expert BTW. I'm just sharing a couple methods that have gotten us to success!)
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