week of 4/23

[mpc]

We need a new thread. What's going on all?

[mpc]

I got out my box of maternity clothes. I tried on some stretchy pants this morning and they were just not comfortable. whomp whomp. I think I need the full panel but I am not ready for that yet, so back to regular jeans it is.

We are having DD's preschool teacher babysit this weekend and I am sick about how much it's going to cost. H's mom wants to do an escape room for her birthday, and go out to lunch beforehand, and we're probably going to pay close to $100 just for babysitting. The place is over an hour away, and they are scheduling lunch for THREE hours before the escape room time. It's turning into an entire day affair.

We got school pictures back. They are just meh but DS's graduation pictures are cracking me up. I roll my eyes that preschool graduation is a thing, but of course I bought the picture anyway.

[pandora89]

Had another OB appointment today, I am barely dilated but he can feel the baby's head (so does that mean I am effaced?). I basically know what none of this means. I am hoping he stays put until Friday when H is presenting his thesis from 9AM-7PM, but can come any time after.

I spoke to my work and I think I will be extending my maternity leave to August 2019. I'll be paid until May 2019, but will have to take the remainder unpaid (with some vacation time from this year and next). Childcare is so hard to come by here and it is ridiculously expensive ($2000 a month for one kid between the age of 12-18 months). If we are able to get a spot earlier than that I just have to give my work 4 weeks notice and they can move up my return date. They were able to hire an 18 month contract to cover my leave with the stipulation that they can terminate the contract at any time with 2 weeks notice. I am so relieved they are willing to be so accommodating with my up in the air return date.

[Mushe]

mpc, oh barf. Barf forever. The cost of babysitting is so hard to swallow. A friend was just saying she advertised a job for one 6.5 year old, from 7-11, and she’d be asleep the whole time. $20/hr. 🤢

pandora89, you are so close! Yay for your H defending his thesis! What cool milestones to come so close together. And that’s great news about work!

[Mushe]

I am so happy today, guys! I hit 20w today, and had my anatomy scan with the MFM yesterday. She was amazing, and put me at ease. She said she had twins at 38, and while I love my male OB, it is reassuring to hear from someone who’s both an expert and has been there. Everything was “perfect,” in her words, and I’m so relieved. I’m telling work/my boss at least on Wednesday at a 1:1 chat. She’s recommending I come back at 30 and 36 weeks for scans, and do bi-weekly NSTs after 36, which she said is her standard recommendation of AMA patients.

She’s also recommending a RCS at 39w. I was pretty set on trying for a VBAC, but I didn’t really have a good reason why. She talked about risks just going up after 40w, that I couldn’t have an induction for a VBAC, and with my age. It made me rethink things, and I’m fine with just scheduling it.

[Mushe]

Oh! And we turned in the three car seats at Target that we had banging around the house, and got coupons that I’ll use for the infant seat and extra bases. Those Scenera convertibles were so cheap and handy, and are saving us basically as much as they cost!

Anyone want to weigh in? We’re planning to do Chicco KeyFit Magic with an UppaBaby Cruz.

[thoseareradishes]

E had her first fever yesterday . I'm thinking it is a reaction to the MMR shot from last week, since she isn't congested, coughing, or seem to have ear pain. Poor thing does not do sick well.

Mushe, we used a Chicco infant seat and I really liked it. It had a boot similar to the Keyfit Magic and that thing was great - she was much less fussy in the seat after I started using it.

[mpc]

Mushe, we've got an old convertible seat that was given to us that we're going to turn in for a coupon. I might turn in our old infant seat too if we decide to get a new one. My issue is that I'm trying to figure out how to fit 3 carseats in my Toyota Corolla. Google is telling me it's possible, but it seems hard to believe. I think I'm going to have to buy all new $$$ seats, but that would still be cheaper than buying a new car. The other option is to just accept that we won't be able to drive all 3 in my car and only use H's car when it's all of us. Anyone, I was considering the Chicco KeyFit 30 because it's supposed to be pretty narrow. I haven't looked at the Magic, what's the difference?

[Mushe]

Thanks, thoseareradishes! I had a Britax B-Safe last time, and it was heavy and hot and just blah. I was happy to get rid of it.

mpc, eek! I have heard the KeyFit is relatively narrow. I bet CSFTL has some ideas for you. I’d hate to have you not able to transport all three in both cars, at least in an emergency.

The Magic and Zip are newer options; only the regular was around when I had DS. The Magic is the middle-priced option, but the reviews seem to recommend it as the best. It has a boot Zip up thing, more breathable fabirc, and a large canopy.

[oneslybookworm]

Mushe, We started with a Keyfit 30 for G (they have a good preemie system and we were expecting that any baby we adopted would likely be a preemie), and now we have a Britax Boulevard as a convertible. We've been very happy with both.


Not much going on here! I ordered invites for G's first birthday! I can't believe it's coming up...10 weeks away but I want to give people time to travel and make plans, since it's right after 4th of July. We're coming up on prime summer vacation time, so we're looking at vacation plans and making trip itineraries, and I'm so excited! Last summer we didn't do much, so I'm really looking forward to this summer! Only down side is my knee surgery is keeping me from doing any triathlons, but I'm hoping to do one at the very end of the seasons. I should be healed up well enough by then, if I do a sprint.

T-18 days until PR!!!!

[shauni27]

pandora89, my guess is they can feel the head within your uterus, that he is nice and low. He has assumed the position, so to speak! It has nothign to do with how effaced you are.

Mushe, HALF WAY! HOLY MOLY. How exciting. I am glad you are happy and at peace with your RPCS and that you like your OB! Also, we had the chicco keyfit and put it in the Bob stroller system. Worked great.

mpc, We have the Clek Fllo because it is the narrowest out there. You can fit three across.

oneslybookworm, OMG YAY G is ALMOST 1!!! I just started planning for our first birthday party too. This is CRAZY to me--you and I were just talking about how we thought we would never be moms and now these boys are almost 1!

[mpc]

Apr 24, 2018 10:00:42 GMT -5 Mushe said:

mpc , eek! I have heard the KeyFit is relatively narrow. I bet CSFTL has some ideas for you. I’d hate to have you not able to transport all three in both cars, at least in an emergency.

The Magic and Zip are newer options; only the regular was around when I had DS. The Magic is the middle-priced option, but the reviews seem to recommend it as the best. It has a boot Zip up thing, more breathable fabirc, and a large canopy.

I just joined CSFTL yesterday. They are intense! DD has her 1 year check up on friday so I'll wait til then to know her current height and weight. It looks like they want you to give every kid's stats, although of course she'll grow a lot before we actually need the 3 seats. 

So what is this boot thing? Looks like it's for keeping them warm? Is it something I won't understand since I live in FL? lol

[loira]

pandora89, that could be a good decision. It's insane in BC, too. Even worse than the cost is trying to get your kid IN somewhere. There are very few places that take toddlers under 2 and even fewer that take infants younger than a year. I had a friend who really wanted to go back to work at 9 months but couldn't because they couldn't find a daycare. When I toured daycares for A last fall, I was looking at waitlists of up to a year or more.

Day 4 and I've sent A to daycare with no diaper. She held it in the car, then had a meltdown when we arrived. Announced she needed to pee and let fly 2 seconds later, though we managed to get some in the toilet. Her teacher said if she's still having multiple accidents by the end of the week, we have to go back to pull ups at daycare. I mean, I get it. I just feel bad for A. She's only been at this for 4 days, and I don't want her to feel like she's failing at it. But I also don't want her to be really anxious about it at daycare either. boiler717, you went through potty training recently with T, right? Any tips? I feel like he and A are somewhat similar, personality-wise.

[G22]

loira solidarity in potty training. We started this weekend as well, though it was not planned in any fashion. Z got a painful diaper rash and we put him in underwear to help air out. He accidently peed on the potty when I stuck him there while I cleaned up a pee mess and he thought it was awesome. So we ran with it and now we are PTing.

I wasn't anticipating starting until after we move in a few months, since until Sunday he as adamantly again at trying it. So now I've had to change gears and hopefully we can get him in a good place with it before I take a 2 week greyhound bus road trip with my big extended family this summer right before moving back to the US. Oy...

[Mushe]

Apr 24, 2018 12:16:15 GMT -5 mpc said:

Apr 24, 2018 10:00:42 GMT -5 Mushe said:

mpc , eek! I have heard the KeyFit is relatively narrow. I bet CSFTL has some ideas for you. I’d hate to have you not able to transport all three in both cars, at least in an emergency.

The Magic and Zip are newer options; only the regular was around when I had DS. The Magic is the middle-priced option, but the reviews seem to recommend it as the best. It has a boot Zip up thing, more breathable fabirc, and a large canopy.

I just joined CSFTL yesterday. They are intense! DD has her 1 year check up on friday so I'll wait til then to know her current height and weight. It looks like they want you to give every kid's stats, although of course she'll grow a lot before we actually need the 3 seats. 

So what is this boot thing? Looks like it's for keeping them warm? Is it something I won't understand since I live in FL? lol

Lol, yes, they are very intense!

And yes, the boot thing would be helpful in cold weather. We don’t have a lot of it here, either, but I’m hoping the au pair could walk DS to school, which he loves.

[boiler717]

loira PT has been up and down for us. He did great for a couple months and then had a major set back when he got C diff (horrible diarrhea infection) that lasted over a month. We went back to pull ups for a bit for sanitary reasons. He wears undies at home, with the baby sitter, and when we go places out of the home but still doesn’t want to wear them to preschool. I think they didn’t handle accidents well when he was sick and it really scared him from going potty there for them . He does fine going back and forth between pull ups there and undies at home though!

[mpc]

Apr 24, 2018 14:38:39 GMT -5 @daylily said:

mpc woof you're a better person than I. If I'm spending money on a sitter, it most certainly is not so my grown ass MIL can be extra about her own birthday. Like I don't even spend money on sitters for my own birthday lol.

the worst part? I won't even be there! I have to travel for work and will already be gone. So it's just so DH can go! 

[loira]

@daylily, I'm irritated, too. It's a small, in-home daycare with the 1 teacher who runs it and 2 other toddlers. The teacher told me she would support potty training, and we both agreed it seemed like A was ready for this step. I have been talking about this for weeks, and then last week made sure I let her know I was doing it this weekend. I kept A home an extra day so she'd have a bit more practice. Then last night I get an email from her teacher, who decided to request pull ups next week if A continues to have lots of accidents. I mean, fine. It's your daycare, and that's not an unreasonable policy, especially when it's just you taking care of 3 kids. But if she had communicated this last week, I would definitely have waited until my H was here so we could keep A home for however long it took her to get the hang of things. Not worth switching daycares because apparently here it's common for them to request kids be accident free in pull ups for 2 weeks before sending them in undies. How they're supposed to care about peeing in the toilet when they're wearing pull ups is beyond me...

[loira]

Apr 24, 2018 15:24:51 GMT -5 boiler717 said:

loira PT has been up and down for us. He did great for a couple months and then had a major set back when he got C diff (horrible diarrhea infection) that lasted over a month. We went back to pull ups for a bit for sanitary reasons. He wears undies at home, with the baby sitter, and when we go places out of the home but still doesn’t want to wear them to preschool. I think they didn’t handle accidents well when he was sick and it really scared him from going potty there for them . He does fine going back and forth between pull ups there and undies at home though!

You have seriously made my day better by saying this. I don't want A confused, but as you know, she has struggled with major anxiety at daycare in the past, and I also don't want to make using the toilet there a trigger for more anxiety. I mean, we do pull ups for nap and bedtime anyway, and so far she hasn't been too confused. If the "rules" are different at daycare, she'll probably adapt to that, right?

Sorry that T is still nervous to wear undies to preschool but glad that infection has passed, poor thing.

[boiler717]

Apr 24, 2018 15:37:44 GMT -5 loira said:

Apr 24, 2018 15:24:51 GMT -5 boiler717 said:

loira PT has been up and down for us. He did great for a couple months and then had a major set back when he got C diff (horrible diarrhea infection) that lasted over a month. We went back to pull ups for a bit for sanitary reasons. He wears undies at home, with the baby sitter, and when we go places out of the home but still doesn’t want to wear them to preschool. I think they didn’t handle accidents well when he was sick and it really scared him from going potty there for them . He does fine going back and forth between pull ups there and undies at home though!

You have seriously made my day better by saying this. I don't want A confused, but as you know, she has struggled with major anxiety at daycare in the past, and I also don't want to make using the toilet there a trigger for more anxiety. I mean, we do pull ups for nap and bedtime anyway, and so far she hasn't been too confused. If the "rules" are different at daycare, she'll probably adapt to that, right?

Sorry that T is still nervous to wear undies to preschool but glad that infection has passed, poor thing.

Yes she will! It may take longer or have some more accidents, but it’s definitely do able. He will be at home with a sitter in the summer and a new school in the fall, so I’m hoping by then it just won’t be an issue. I didn’t think it was worth it to push it.

[belovedbride07]

We have an offer in on a house and it is looking promising and every time I really think about it I want to puke.

We had Chicco Keyfits for the twins; they are supposed to be among the most narrow of the infant seats. Yeah, CSFTL is intense...whenever I recommend it to friends I tell them to lurk first so they don’t post and get caught off-guard!

DD has been awake pee potty trained for about a month now, and DS for about two weeks. I put them in pull-ups for nap and night because I got tired of washing bedding; I was insistent on not wanting to confuse them at first but part of my potty-training motivation was less laundry (we cloth diapered)!

[kellikans]

Mushe we have the Uppababy Mesa that just snaps into our UB Vista stroller. It's one of the narrower seats (I think the same width as the Chicco) and there's no need for an adapter for the stroller. It's been super easy. We have a smaller SUV so I wanted something as narrow as possible since we keep L in the middle seat.

ETA: I just saw you turned your seats in to Target. I don't think they sell UB.

[Mushe]

kellikans, I did some searching on that one too, and we’d decided we were okay with needing an adapter for the Cruz. We need three bases, and I couldn’t stomach the extra cost. Blurg. It looks really nice, though!

[G22]

boiler717 that is encouraging to see T switches between undies and pullups without confusion easily! I'm not sure where Z will be with PTing reliably by the time we take a big family trip soon, and was afraid if we resorted to pullups for parts of the trip he would backslide. Hopefully he will be ok as well if it comes to that!

[shauni27]

guys, what is CSFTL?

[mpc]

Apr 25, 2018 8:14:08 GMT -5 shauni27 said:

guys, what is CSFTL?

car seats for the littles. They have a FB page where people ask all sorts of questions about car seats. There are a crazy number of posts and it looks like they enforce pretty strict rules about posting protocol. But it seems like they know their stuff and it's the best place to get advice for fitting 3 seats in a corolla, for example, so I will give it a shot. 

[pandora89]

loira - waitlists are insane here too, I have had baby on daycare waitlists all over the city since November, when I was like 16 weeks pregnant and didn't need a spot for 1.5 years. None of the centres balked at this. I actually have him on the waitlist for the preschools in the area as well, even though he wont start until September 2020. Seriously insane.

Another reason why I think our premiere's most recent bid to buy more votes by saying that by 2020 or whenever all kids will be eligible for free preschool, there aren't even enough spots for half the kids to attend, how are you going to give everyone a FREE spot? Lol rant over.

Mushe - I cant believe you are 20 weeks already! I am so happy that the anatomy scan went well!

[loira]

Apr 25, 2018 8:14:08 GMT -5 shauni27 said:

guys, what is CSFTL?

I had no idea either...

[pooh8402]

Apr 25, 2018 8:14:08 GMT -5 shauni27 said:

guys, what is CSFTL?

Car Seats For The Littles. Csftl.org. It's my favorite resource for car seat related things.

[mpc]

speaking of CSFTL, I cannot stop reading all these FB posts! I don't know why, it's not lot any of this matters one iota in my life! But I am still getting sucked in reading about all these people's car seat problems and the super detailed responses from the moderators. I need to get my question posted and then leave the group or something because this is turning into the most random time suck for me.