@ randoms - week of 1/8

[MrsMB]

Is it weird I have these intense feelings of sadness of not being pregnant anymore? I went to get a pap yesterday. Walking to the doctors office, I pass by the hospital. I see all these pregnant women going to get their ultrasounds/checkups. I had such a strong reaction.

We only wanted two. Two is the best for us to handle in many different ways. I'm content with two. Three would cause me to panic for many different reasons. I mean I'm also working hard to get my tummy back to where it needs to be and enjoying the exercise. 

[krystee]

I am on pins and needles waiting to get my induction/date and time (should get it at today's appointment, or tomorrow's MFM at the latest). I was told Monday awhile ago, but it wasn't officially scheduled and I'm scared it will change (I decided to make yesterday my last day of work once I heard it was Monday, so if it gets pushed back, I might need to go back!).

I am simultaneously so ready to be done and really sad that I will never be pregnant again. There is so much excitement and hope and friendliness and goodwill when you're pregnant, and it's so nice. And feeling the kicks and just chatting to the baby...I will miss all of it. But holy hell am I uncomfortable.

[luv2rn4fun]

Not weird at all MrsMB. I feel the same way. It’s so hard to close this chapter of my life. I would LOVE to be pregnant again and have another snuggly newborn. I also dread weaning and know I wouldn’t nearly as much if we were open to a third baby (I am, DH is DONE). I have just been focusing on the good and enjoying every moment of these baby stages. I know we are so close to having two bigger toddlers and L is quickly becoming more independent (although still very much a mamas boy and clinging to me a lot thanks to separation anxiety).

[estrellita]

MrsMB Totally normal to feel that way! I feel sad sometimes because this is likely our last so I do miss the fun parts of being pregnant. Then I remember all the pain and problems I had and that quickly makes that feeling go away, lol. Also wanting to bottle up this little baby period so I can remind myself in a few years that it mostly sucks. I'm being negative, but really. The lack of sleep, freedom and sanity.. reminder to future self to not do this again! Lol. I know there are parts I'll miss but right now I'm very much looking forward to A being a little bigger so certain things are easier!

[Deleted]

MrsMB: Nope, I think it all the time. Most of the time I enjoyed being pregnant, which is very different from other people I know. For me, there's like this grand sense of purpose and significance that doesn't seem to carry over into parenting. Something about being a "vessel" (that is what my H called me while I was pregnant).

[awick14]

pooh8402- that's great, I hope my supply stays up enough for that. I will defiantly try to just pump to take the edge off, currently I'm pumping 10 mins a side. So I will lessen that over the next few shifts and see what happens.

[awick14]

@opal- all kids are different, having a kid who can be on their own helps with my sanity. Dh hates it because she always needs to play with him but not me. I defiantly have more time to do things when I'm home then he does.

We started the bottle when she was 2-3 months and then did it for a few months and slowly stopped, then again at 9-10 months and it was a struggle then. She hated it, and didn't take a bottle for 4-5 days. (It was hard on everyone.)

MrsMB- yes that's normal. I get that too. (Well but we want more, or at least I do) I was jealous of pregnant woman that moment DD was born. Even though I had a huge love/hate relationship with being pregnant.

[bk1]

@opal I let my kids entertain themselves as much as possible.

[luv2rn4fun]

We finally had a normal day out of the house! I had to pay my credit card bill so I picked the bank further away. I ran with the boys there, paid the bill, and finished my run back to Starbucks! We got treats (I got a skinny latte) and walked the mile home! Ran 4.75 hilly miles with the double stroller and managed to average 9:52/mile...plus another mile walk home!

Called preschool and hoping C can start soon. Finished the paperwork packet so I can turn it in tomorrow.

Cleaned the kitchen and showered during nap time...today feels SO much better than the last couple weeks!

[bk1]

Vent ahead:

I wish G would just go ahead and potty train. That girl is driving me crazy. She knows the feeling and for a couple weeks would poop in her little potty everyday. That was months ago. She decided to go back to being a baby all the time. I tried potty training her a couple weeks ago and only lasted just over 2 hours. In that time she had 2 successes and 3 fails, but she would just cry and cry the entire time she was on the potty and tell me she didn't want to use it. 
Venting comes from the fact that she pooped and it went out the pull up and all down her leg earlier today, and then peed through her pull up, pants, and all over the couch right before bed.

[estrellita]

bk1 Ugh, that's so frustrating. Any chance of just going cold turkey and either doing the no pants thing or straight to underwear? I think you said you tried no pants and she kinda freaked out? We talked it up a lot, made a big deal of E being a big boy, and offered bribes, lol. Would she respond to maybe a chart that led up to a prize? Like either a sticker on the chart for successful pees and poops on the potty (extra for poop!) or for staying dry all day, then after a certain amount she gets a toy or activity like the zoo or something? Or just general bribery for going on the potty.. like we did TV time, animal cookies, tablet time, sometimes a small piece of candy (bribes were mostly for poop but we did start with a little bribery for pee too, lol). I hope she figures it out soon! Maybe you can train both girls together? Haha.

[estrellita]

I'm at a loss with E and sleep. He doesn't nap at home anymore and from what he tells us, doesn't seem to always nap at daycare either (we will have to ask his teachers though, they don't really report it to us other than the one time recently he took a longer than usual nap after Christmas, lol). But regardless, he doesn't like to go to bed at night either. He's so tired and cranky in the mornings because of it. We do the same bedtime routine every night at about the same time. After we leave the room, he's been getting into everything and messing with things in his room for a good hour at least before he will even lay down. I don't really want to move his bedtime in either direction.. earlier means he goes to bed immediately after dinner and later just gets difficult for us (I go to bed fairly early, or try to). I don't care if he reads for a bit, but he's taking stuff out of his drawers, yelling for us and asking for random stuff (water, he needs socks on under his footed pajamas, needs another hug, etc), knocking on the door, and just generally messing around. We tell him over and over to lay down and he just refuses. Thoughts?

[luv2rn4fun]

estrellita- C still naps most days (and has quiet time if not for a couple hours in his crib). He takes awhile to go to sleep but he doesn’t have access to anything other than a blanket. He also doesn’t bother us (ask for another hug, water, etc) once he’s in bed. Sometimes I go in there and he usually falls asleep afterwards (only if it’s been awhile and it’s actually annoying me). Maybe start with socks on, water in bed, etc? Eliminate what he can ask for? Bribe him with a reward if he goes to bed without much trouble? Bribery has worked great to keep C napping...for awhile I was giving 3 M&Ms if he napped well. He’s back to napping well and no rewards.

[estrellita]

Jan 12, 2018 0:04:53 GMT -5 luv2rn4fun said:

estrellita- C still naps most days (and has quiet time if not for a couple hours in his crib). He takes awhile to go to sleep but he doesn’t have access to anything other than a blanket. He also doesn’t bother us (ask for another hug, water, etc) once he’s in bed. Sometimes I go in there and he usually falls asleep afterwards (only if it’s been awhile and it’s actually annoying me). Maybe start with socks on, water in bed, etc? Eliminate what he can ask for? Bribe him with a reward if he goes to bed without much trouble? Bribery has worked great to keep C napping...for awhile I was giving 3 M&Ms if he napped well. He’s back to napping well and no rewards.

Unfortunately we've pretty much tried those things I don't like giving him his water in bed because then he pees through his pull up (and refuses to wear a diaper at night) but we always give him water before bed. We've also tried bribery with no success, as well as taking things away when he doesn't stop playing with something. We have his closet child proofed but don't know how to block his dresser. Everything else he has access to is pretty much just his books and stuffed animals. He just comes up with any reason he can to stall or get us to come back in there (the sock thing was new tonight, I think because last night he wanted to leave his socks on, so it's a new thing he can come up with).

[Deleted]

estrellita: It's super annoying but could you put a lock on every drawer of the dresser? C's clothes are either in the closet or the changing table cabinet with a child proof lock and so far that keeps her out (she's 9 m.o. so she can only do so much though).

bk1: Ugh, part of me will likely be excited to take C out of diapers at that point but potty training seems like a nightmare. Sorry she's not taking to it.

[Deleted]

Continuing my rant about active LOs: How do you keep them out of rooms they shouldn't be in? I have part of a super yard blocking the hallway but she loves to climb and push things around so she eventually pushes it out of the way. I could buy another pressure mount gate for the hallway but that seems silly and annoying.

[luv2rn4fun]

Jan 12, 2018 8:12:19 GMT -5 @opal said:

Continuing my rant about active LOs: How do you keep them out of rooms they shouldn't be in? I have part of a super yard blocking the hallway but she loves to climb and push things around so she eventually pushes it out of the way. I could buy another pressure mount gate for the hallway but that seems silly and annoying.

I am assuming you have an open floor plan? We close doors to rooms they aren’t allowed in and baby proof the rest. Another idea is to have a play yard to keep them confined and safe. The boys basically have access to the entire downstairs right now but we keep the bathroom door closed (C even closes it and knows L isn’t allowed in...he will play in the toilet, plus we have C’s gross toddler potty on the floor). I wanted to block/gate off from our dining room so they couldn’t get to the tv room but it makes zero sense so this is what has worked best. Thankfully they tend to stick near the playroom and kitchen...although they both love DH’s workout room and will go in there as well.

[Deleted]

luv2rn4fun: Yeah it's pretty open. We were closing all the doors so she could play in the hallway but there's air circulation problems in this house so the bedrooms would be sweltering and the bathroom would be cold so I've been reluctant to close the doors. Thankfully, the upstairs is mostly baby proofed, there's just a couple things that she gravitates towards that I'd like her to avoid (i.e. pulling up on the toilet).
I do use a play yard in the unfinished basement because I do not want her roaming around down there.

[estrellita]

@opal I have no idea how to lock the drawers. There isn't a piece between the drawers for anything to catch on or connect to. Plus he'd probably figure that out fast, lol. The drawers actually don't have much in them right now because it's where the cloth diapers go, but they're all in a hamper right now since A is still too small for them. He mostly pulls out the baby leggings we have in there (which is probably what he meant by "needing socks on" now that I think about it). The drawers on his bed have a Velcro type lock (the command strips, was the best idea we had because you have to pull the drawer pretty hard to open it) but that won't work on the dresser.

Also for keeping E out of rooms, we have a gate closing off the kitchen, and door knob covers on the closed doors. Luckily we just have a couple doors to the closet and hallway to close. The rest of the doors have covers too but that's mostly for when he's in his room so he doesn't get out or get into another room that isn't kid proofed (or at least kid proofed well, the bathroom has a lock on the cabinet but I still don't want him in there alone!). I'm thinking a gate will be your best bet if you want to keep doors open.

[Deleted]

estrellita: We use appliance locks on cabinets & drawers. It came from convenience, in that they were what we could find, but they work well so long as your kid doesn't know how to open them.

Yeah, I think so too. I'll talk to DH about what he wants to do. I imagine we'll need the door handle covers as soon as she can reach and turn.

[estrellita]

Jan 12, 2018 11:49:57 GMT -5 @opal said:

estrellita: We use appliance locks on cabinets & drawers. It came from convenience, in that they were what we could find, but they work well so long as your kid doesn't know how to open them.

Yeah, I think so too. I'll talk to DH about what he wants to do. I imagine we'll need the door handle covers as soon as she can reach and turn.

Ah yes, H suggested this and I didn't really want to lol. Might reconsider. But then again he probably still won't sleep, lol.

[luv2rn4fun]

((Hugs)) bk1. C very much still wants to be a baby too. There is a thread on MMM and it makes sense...maybe G is regressing some now that C is more mobile? I know C has and it’s hard...he’s constantly being told no, to share, I am less patient with him than L, he has “rules” whereas L doesn’t get in trouble for doing the same thing (he gets told “we don’t do X” and redirected but not time out and the tone I use with C). I am trying my best to reassure him that I love him the same and spend extra time with just him (which is about to get harder when L drops to one nap and they nap at the same time, hopefully). I am also trying to be more patient with him but it’s hard because he is my super feisty kiddo (L is just normal feisty LOL).

As for potty training...maybe G had a poop that hurt? Poop took us forever, like 4-5 months. I just KOKO because pee was mostly good (it also took awhile but he was making progress from the get go). I would try harder with training and don’t give up if she has failures. Bribe, be all excited, etc...it just might take awhile but she is probably ready at this point. But, the book says you won’t win a potty battle...so there’s that too. Maybe try again and/or consult with your Pedi how you should proceed? Good luck! Potty training has been my least favorite part of parenting. Way worse than sleep training.

[krystee]

I'm going in to have the baby! I am so nervous and excited!

[HoneySpider]

Jan 12, 2018 16:05:34 GMT -5 krystee said:

I'm going in to have the baby! I am so nervous and excited!

Yay! Good luck!

[luv2rn4fun]

Jan 12, 2018 16:05:34 GMT -5 krystee said:

I'm going in to have the baby! I am so nervous and excited!

Prayers for a good induction! Good luck mama!

[bk1]

Good luck!

[estrellita]

krystee Yay! Hope everything goes well and much faster than my induction, lol. GL!

[pooh8402]

Good luck krystee! I'll be thinking of you!

[krystee]

Jan 12, 2018 18:06:03 GMT -5 estrellita said:

krystee Yay! Hope everything goes well and much faster than my induction, lol. GL!

Seems to be going fast. They just turned the Pitocin on and I'm contracting every two minutes and it hurts! I sent H home to bring the dogs to boarding and wish I hadn't!

[estrellita]

Jan 12, 2018 19:20:03 GMT -5 krystee said:

Jan 12, 2018 18:06:03 GMT -5 estrellita said:

krystee Yay! Hope everything goes well and much faster than my induction, lol. GL!

Seems to be going fast. They just turned the Pitocin on and I'm contracting every two minutes and it hurts! I sent H home to bring the dogs to boarding and wish I hadn't!

That's good! They didn't start my pitocin until the 3rd day, lol. But I wasn't dilated at all, she was still really high and I was just barely effaced so my body was not even sort of ready, so I think they were taking it slow. Were you dilated at all or anything? Maybe it was just my doctors (I had 3, my doctor had surgeries the 2nd day and went out of town the 3rd day so she didn't get to deliver A). Anyways, hopefully it doesn't go too fast so you can get meds and your H gets back, lol.