PS Mommies Thread!

[Burk]

mrss~Good point. We think 5-10 years but who knows. I could see us finishing the basement and having enough room to stay longer. We''re going to pick stuff out tonight.

puffy~Thanks! I''m not sure I could do the bronze appliances either. Pink laptop would be cool (my sister has one) but I think you''d rather it function well than look pretty!

Tgal~Good luck!

DD~Sorry Hunter had a rough night. Hopefully he''s back to better sleep tonight!

Tayva is struggling with sleep. She is napping for only 25-35 minutes twice a day at daycare and telling me she''s reading for bed around 6 so I''m going to get her right now (11:30) and take her home for her afternoon nap. I may do this a few more days this week (just take the afternoon off work). MIL is coming to watch her at 4 so DH and I can go out to dinner for our anniversary and go pick out appliances, countertops, tile and cabinets. Wow, that seems like a lot of decisions when I see it written out.

Have a good day everyone!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

How does this thread move so fast?

iluv, very funny Sam story. What a cute kid.

TGal, oh no a root canal! I am so sorry!!! Hope your teeth get fixed soon!

puffy, I know I am crazy but we don''t even have bedroom furniture (well old stuff we painted black). It is a dream to have a REAL bedroom set one day. Those are pricey. Maybe I should just stick with the bling

TG B found your diamond. That is why I probably will wait on a pendant until ALL my kids are old enough to know better. So how are you feeling? Excited? Shocked?

snlee, thin bands would be pretty...I want to much...I am not sure I want to upgrade my studs until I can get my forever size. I am planning on custom settings so it would be a waste to get an in between size KWIM? You can wear your pretty necklace on date nights

mela, I like the WAFFLE receiving blankets. Worked great.

lili, she THINKS she is the boss. DH will go somewhere...not sure where. But he will basically jet ski 8-9 hours a day and then stay in hotels/motels that they have in marinas. He is nuts.

Burk, yay the appliances will be an investment

I think I need to make a timeline of all the things I want. Haha. I already have jewelry promised for me 30th so maybe I will push the furniture first. It bugs me she can open doors if they are low enough. I feel like I have no more control. She opened our baby gate the other day! You should lurk on GardenWeb. LOTS of good ideas. I am also LOVING glass tiles these days. We have some in our kitchen but wish we used more and less marble. Glad T is doing better! Have fun tonight!

Q, that picture cracks me up. I would give her anything as long as it is small enough. Apples and pears scare me. I quarter grapes. She LOVES peas. I give her dime size pieces (well bigger now). Now I give her the banana whole. I think it is good she has learned to take bites.

MrsS, I already know what I am breaking the no sugar fast with

Just a few more days!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 4/28/2009 9:39:04 PM
Author: nycbkgirl
DD- the swaddling thing is driving me nuts bc they are too small for the swaddle mes and the receiving blankets that I have (from BRU) seem to small to really have a tight fit ...I think they are 20x20 but I hear 40x40 are better so u can tie it up properly....

So does anyone know where to find the thin receiving blankets that are a bit bigger?

Well...part of me thinks that maybe you''re folding your current blankets too small perhaps? Because if Jackie and Jon are as small as I think they are you should be totally fine with the regular size receiving blankets. I know we didn''t need to try and find bigger ones until my boys were at least 2 mos. old and they were quite a bit bigger than yours when they were born. But maybe your current ones are really teensy...I don''t have good visuals with size usually.

But to answer your question you can also go to craft stores and just buy some yardage of slightly stretchy fabric. Then cut to your preferred size and voila! Works very well.

We used receiving blankets from Dwell Studio for Target and from Carter''s. Both worked fine.

 

[gailrmv]

Could I ask you all for some help about choosing a daycare option?

I have a new baby, and plan to return to work part time when my son is about 3 months old. This would be 3 days in the office and a few hours from home. I am on the wait list at several well regarded day care centers, but as the time draws closer, I am having a hard time with the idea of taking him to a large center - mostly because of germs, also because I wonder if he will have enough individual attention to meet his needs, and whether they will respect the sleeping habits and other routines we are working on at home. Another idea is to hire a babysitter to watch our son in our home. I do like the fact that the center is more accountable than an individual.

If you chose a day care center, what did you look for? Are you happy with the choice?

If you chose a nanny or babysitter, how did you find this person? What happens when the person is sick or needs a personal day? Do you feel confident trusting this person in your home with your child?

The other option is to quit work and be a SAHM. I really planned to go back especially since I was able to work out a part time situation. But again, as the time gets closer, I am really freaking out at the idea of leaving my baby with anyone!

DH is in support of whatever I think is best. I believe that he would like me to be a SAHM but does not want to tell me what to do. We don''t have family in town to watch our son.

Thoughts are much appreciated - thanks!

 

[janinegirly]

tandog, just want to sympathize since I've been there (and still am there although now my baby is 7 mo's). I'm having a hard time making the leap to have my child cared for by anyone else but family. I'd like to hear some of the other ladies' answers as well.

I do think you're really lucky to have worked a part-time solution though--that would be my first choice since it's almost the best of all words (best would be to be paid and not work in my opinion, or a 1year maternity leave like they have in Europe/Canada!). That's just my opinion though, and in my case, they did not let me do it, so I've struggled with 5 days plus a significant commute plus relying (too) heavily on my mom to watch the baby. It's a strain on all.

so i know daycare has to come into play eventually. Or a nanny. I've researched the daycares and my suggestion is you set up tours of each one or your top choices. Sometimes seeing it is the only way of knowing what works for you and ultimately it's about what makes you feel comfortable! Some centers offer a camera in the center that you can peek at during the day at work, which to me is a great perk. Top rated centers promote individual care for the baby, separate crib and sleeping area, etc. It's more $$ but worth it if it's an option for you. Another option I've heard of is "home daycare" in which the daycare is done out of a person's home, less regulated, but not as crowded and more homey. No idea how you find these, but I'm guessing it's word of mouth or by asking around other moms in town.

As for nannies or finding one, I think word of mouth or postings in local churches/Y's. I'm not sure if I'm a little weird about this, but I just don't like the idea of another woman in my house watching my baby for some reason. It would take a lot for me to trust that person--maybe I've just been watching too much TV! It's also more expensive than daycare.

Also want to say you are lucky your DH is so unconditionally supportive. Mine can sometimes make life difficult. I get the sense he wants me to keep working, but then doesn't want the baby in daycare, but then is annoyed my mom is there all the time. Meanwhile, I'm juggling keeping everyone happy plus dealing with guilt, work and the politics there. So be happy for the little things I guess, since every situation has its pros and cons. Keep us posted!!

 

[janinegirly]

Date: 4/29/2009 12:44:36 PM
Author: Burk
mrss~Good point. We think 5-10 years but who knows. I could see us finishing the basement and having enough room to stay longer. We''re going to pick stuff out tonight.

puffy~Thanks! I''m not sure I could do the bronze appliances either. Pink laptop would be cool (my sister has one) but I think you''d rather it function well than look pretty!

Tgal~Good luck!

DD~Sorry Hunter had a rough night. Hopefully he''s back to better sleep tonight!

Tayva is struggling with sleep. She is napping for only 25-35 minutes twice a day at daycare and telling me she''s reading for bed around 6 so I''m going to get her right now (11:30) and take her home for her afternoon nap. I may do this a few more days this week (just take the afternoon off work). MIL is coming to watch her at 4 so DH and I can go out to dinner for our anniversary and go pick out appliances, countertops, tile and cabinets. Wow, that seems like a lot of decisions when I see it written out.

Have a good day everyone!

Good luck Burk--we should start a home decorating thread, I''d love to see/hear what you choose!

 

[Burk]

Tacori~I like the way you think-get the furniture first since you know that the jewelry is coming eventually!

I can see why you''d want a bedroom set. I love ours. I''m going to have to check out GardenWeb. I have a feeling there won''t be very many decisions made tonight...lots of choices and these decisions are important! I love glass tile, too.

TanDogMom~Been there and tried all three types of child care!

I teach school so I had the summer off to do the interviewing thing and I was able to interview during the day time which was nice. When I initially went back to work I had a friend watching T. It was great because I trusted her and knew her parenting style and was completely confident with her helping "raise" our daughter. But, there was only one other child for her to interact with and he was much older than her and my friend got pregnant again. So, I interviewed a lot of in-home daycares. I always interviewed while the daycare provider had children there to see the interaction and I asked a lot of questions. My particular daycare provider had a MIL that came to help out with the kids if she was sick or needed to go run an errand. She ended up moving suddenly and that put me in a position where I only had a few weeks to find new child care!

I had a student whose mom runs a daycare center(in a church) and her mom made a spot for T so we visited and went with it (she told us we could use it indefinitely or until we found another place). This is her current daycare and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. T is in a room with 11 other babies ages 6 weeks to 18 months. They have 5 care givers for the 12 babies. We''ve started going to the church and know each of T''s caregivers personally now and couldn''t feel more at ease with where she goes each day. She goes part time and she loves it, too, which I think is key. Some of her first words were her friends at daycare''s names and things that they taught her at daycare. They have no tv''s and tons of toys and books. They read a lot and work with them on colors, animals, their alphabet, ect. If you have daycare centers in churches where you live I would recommend looking into them. Other questions I asked were about discipline philosophies, routines (for sleeping and eating), check to make sure they send home a sheet with a list of what your baby did all day, and make sure to ask about what they provide (cereal, food when they start with solids, wipes, ect.). If you have any questions, let me know!

janine~I can relate to husband being wishy/washy! We could easily afford for me to be a SAHM but DH likes the addition money from my part time check (I''m not sure I''d really want to be a SAHM but still!) and when I bring it up is like "well, I don''t know"

You should start a thread about decorating! I''d love to see what you ended up doing with all of Penn''s advice!

 

[sasa]

puffy, sorry to hear about your laptop, but just think that thanks to B your getting a new laptop.

nyc, I remembered the first 3 months was hell, then it slowly gets better after that.

lili, little B have another weight in and his 15 months check up in May so we'll see if he gained any weight. Will post a picture for you if we get the helmet.

Qtiekiki, your new avatar just cracks me up. I think anything that are cut into small pieces is fine.

Tgal, sorry to hear about the teeth problem.

Burk, We're shopping for pretty much what is on your list for our new home and we're running out of time because we're planning to move in at the end of May.

So any mommies here worry about swine flu as much as I am. I mean the old me without little B won't worry too much about it but now with little B I feel like I wish I can just put a bubble around him. Our co-worker is coming back from vacationing in Mexico tomorrow and that really freaks me out.

 

[D&T]

TANDOGMOM-
I feel yah.. this is my first here and I have done it all.. We moved away.. no family to watch my girls. the first one was the hardest.. I started with an institutional setting... (hated it!) because I wanted more of a home setting and my gal had a wait list. then I finally called her and asked, and she said there was one spot open just barely. and I took my little girl in, she was super happy there, my gal was licensed and had a cirriculum, I worked full time 5 days.. so it was hard the first few weeks... I cried everyday I dropped her off, then we moved, had to start all over as I couldn''t drive the opposite directly to where my gal was at. How I found her was through our state that has a referral website that people could post their info, and whether they were licensed and what they accepted. I found that I liked the home based better, then we had some financial issues and my parents moved down as they were kinda retired so they watched my first one for 6 months... my hubby and our relationship was rough at the time not only that my daugther kept going to grandma and grandpa for everything.. it made me sad... then parents decided to move back, so we had to search again,,, found another home based center, but that was a mess,, the gal was licensed, but really didn''t do much for my girl, and my girl could not be happier to leave everytime I picked her up. Anyhow,,, sorry my post is all over the place, but can you google state provided website with childcare referral. I worked full time until my next child 6 months ago, I was fortunate that they let me decide to do some work from home so I stay home one - two days a week, and still get a full salary. My current gal watches both my girls and is not licensed,, but my children love her and funny thing was I found her on craigslist,,, met up and interviewed a few and called up reference, and we''re happy now... Although if I could do all work from home I would love to.... Not sure if this post helps or not, but thought I''d share my experience...

 

[nycbkgirl]

Curly girl- just ordered those blankets u recommended...they look exactly like what I wanted! Will let ya know once I get them..thanks!

Neat- they are so tiny..not even 5lbs im sure. (Dh ordered a scale to weigh them lol)....duno why the regular blankets don''t do the trick...but I will also look at the ones u recommended.

My bff found the perfect swaddling technique on youtube LOL...we tried it on a doll and it was the perfect swaddle...but the blankets we have didn''t do the trick on the real babies..so we will try the new blankets when they come!

 

[lili]

Burk
Haha, there you go. I didn't know you like to entertain. The more reason to get a double oven!
J is doing better, but she's driving me insane the last couple of nights with her sleeping.
She either can't fall asleep at her usual 9 pm time, or else wake up in the middle of the night and stayed awake for 2.5 hrs!

I don't know if her ears is bothering her or she's just going through some phase.
What are some of the symptoms that T had w/ her ear infections?
Have fun w/ date night and shopping for your new house.

DD
LOL...funny about angering the sleep god.
It could be growing pain that Hunter is going through.
I remember there were nights when J keeps waking up every hour around the 2months mark.
Also expect those wakings for the teething months too

MrsS--
How's it going?
Is Jake weaned?
Has he taken some steps?

 

[lili]

Puffy
Thanks! And you still owe us the bigger version of your laughing boy!
So how are you feeling? M/S kicking in yet? Will you guys be finding out if it''s a boy or girl this time around?

 

[lili]

Tacori
Wow, 8-9 hrs jetskiing? You''d think a weekend would be enough fun for the whole year.
You should teach Tessa to ask him if he''s going to miss her being away that long

Hey, it''s been a while since we''ve seen that sassy girl of yours.

TGal
Ouch again! I hate the dentist.
Sometimes I think I should just get dentures so I don''t need to make those semi-annual trip to the dentist.
Speaking of which, I need to make an appt.
I haven''t seen my dentist since I got preggo

 

[D&T]

Lili- just wanted to chime in and tell you what an adorable little kiddie you got in your avatar... just the cutest!
ETS

 

[puffy]

YAY, mama got her a new macbook!!! still haven''t opened the box yet. haha. i think i''m going to wait until B is in bed to open it. went to apple with B and DH today and they said to fix the screen it would be $1200!!! that''s more than what it would cost to get the same macbook i had. so DH said to just get a new one. i was going to get the cheaper of them, but DH said to get the more expensive one, so i did. but it''s just basically faster and more memory and the keyboard lights up. i''m glad i got the macbook. i love it already even though it''s just sitting in the box.

burk how did looking at appliances, tiles, countertops go? or is that later? hope you and your DH are able to come to agreements about them or hoping that he will at least give in quicker. haha.

lili no M/S. didn''t have it with B either. i had such a relatively easy pregnancy the first time around and i''m hoping this tim around is just as easy. we will definitely be finding out whether we are having a boy or a girl. i can''t NOT find out. let me work on that picture. and you will have to post your AV as well.

tacori our bedroom set is relatively new, but i saw one the other day that i had to have. and it just turns out that we have friends moving into this area from out of state and were talking about moving as little stuff as they possibly could. so i offered our bedroom set to them, but DH has no idea. he will find out soon enough. haha. still feeling really shocked, but more and more excited to see the doc next week. how is T doing? any new pics you want to share??

bobo how is your little B doing? i still smile every time i see him in your AV, such a cute little boy you have.

 

[puffy]

here ya go lili.....

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Well then, Puffy, I''ll be voting GIRL for you then!!!!

 

[neatfreak]

Puffy Just had to say that picture is SO CUTE. Love it.

 

[curlygirl]

TanDogMom, I''m probably the biggest daycare cheerleader on here so I would be more than happy to share my experiences with you. I have put both of my children in large daycares from the time they were 12 weeks old and couldn''t be more thrilled about it. With my first, it was definitely tough because, well, it was my first baby and I was trying to be a good mother! I feared that if I put her in daycare, she wouldn''t remember me, would hate me, would be sick all the time, etc. and all that would equate to me being a bad mother!!! Hormones played a big role too and I probably cried every time I thought about it for weeks before I even put her in. But my situation is different from yours because we REALLY need my income so being a SAHM was never an option and honestly, I don''t think I ever wanted to be one. My company also wouldn''t let me work part time and the daycare didn''t allow part time care so the decision was pretty much made for me. But I also realized that I''m working for my children--to give them the kind of life that I want them to have and that they deserve to have. Plus, it gives me a lot of satisfaction and is such a part of my identity that I couldn''t see giving it up.

There are a few things you need to look for in a daycare. First would be ratios of teachers to children--it shouldn''t be more than 1:4 in an infant room, generally there will be 2 teachers and 8 children. You want to know about turnover rates for the teachers and how long most of them have worked there. If there is a lot of turnover, that means unhappy teachers which means unhappy children and unhappy parents! You obviously want to check out the cleanliness and find out what policies they have for sick children--at our place, a child can not come back to school until he/she is symptom-free for at least 24 hours. You want a place that has an open door policy meaning a parent can drop in unannounced at any time. Most importantly, I think you have to trust your gut when you walk into a place and decide if you get a good feeling from it. You should definitely try to check out a few places so you can make some comparisons and be able to make an informed decision.

There are so many things to worry about when you leave your children in the care of someone other than yourself or a family member. For me, and I''m going to stress again that this is just MY opinion, I prefer having more than one person keeping an eye on my child. I feel more comfortable having them in a group setting where more than one professional is responsible for their well being. I like that they are surrounded by other children and can watch and learn from them. The germ thing isn''t a big deal to me because they''re really not sick all the time like everyone wants to believe and if they do get a little cold every now and then, it''s better for them to build up their immunity now instead of being sick the whole time they''re in kindergarten. Plus, all the kids have to have their vaccines up to date in order to attend so we know that they won''t be getting anything really bad at daycare.

Overall, my experiences have been wonderful. Now that I have a 2nd child, it''s harder for me to give her the one on one attention she needs but I feel like she gets it at daycare. She is learning to do things like waving at 7 months old and I know that I haven''t worked on that with her so I give them all the credit! My 2 year old is already counting up to ten and can do her ABCs and has an amazing vocabulary and I know that it didn''t all come from learning at home. So for me, daycare has far exceeded my expectations. This doesn''t mean that they are all the same and I''m sure there are many people who could tell you horror stories but that''s life, right? I think that if you find a reputable place where you are comfortable and are open to the experience, it can be incredibly beneficial for all involved. And if you hate it, you''re not obligated to keep your child there!

All that being said, I''m the only one in my circle of friends who went the daycare route. The rest of them all have nannies which they found via word of mouth or agencies. I live in NYC and couldn''t fathom the idea of my 2 children being at home all day in my apartment with someone who wasn''t me or my husband or our parents. But it really works for some people and I''m not knocking it at all. Once again, it depends on your comfort level and if you can find an appropriate person to fill the position.

It''s definitely hard to think about these things when you are in the thick of learning about your new baby and bonding with him but no matter what decision you make, it will be the right one for you. Just take your time, do your research, figure out your finances and take it from there. Feel free to ask me any questions you may have, I''m happy to share my thoughts with you!

 

[mrssalvo]

puffy...love that pic...hilarious!!!

lili-Jakes doing fine. I had him down to one nursing a day last week and then he got sick. he was running a fever and had a runny nose and wouldn't eat or really drink so I went back to 3-4 over the weekend. I'm back down to one and should have him weaned in the next few days. I could probably do it any time, I'm just not sure when and can't think too much about it. I'll just let a day go and won't nurse him. I can't plan that day in advance or I get sad

oh and no steps yet. he stands by himself and will try one step and then falls forward or steps into a crawl. i think it will probably be another month at least which is okay.

 

[DivaDiamond007]

Date: 4/29/2009 1:28:40 PM
Author: TanDogMom
Could I ask you all for some help about choosing a daycare option?

I have a new baby, and plan to return to work part time when my son is about 3 months old. This would be 3 days in the office and a few hours from home. I am on the wait list at several well regarded day care centers, but as the time draws closer, I am having a hard time with the idea of taking him to a large center - mostly because of germs, also because I wonder if he will have enough individual attention to meet his needs, and whether they will respect the sleeping habits and other routines we are working on at home. Another idea is to hire a babysitter to watch our son in our home. I do like the fact that the center is more accountable than an individual.

If you chose a day care center, what did you look for? Are you happy with the choice?

If you chose a nanny or babysitter, how did you find this person? What happens when the person is sick or needs a personal day? Do you feel confident trusting this person in your home with your child?

The other option is to quit work and be a SAHM. I really planned to go back especially since I was able to work out a part time situation. But again, as the time gets closer, I am really freaking out at the idea of leaving my baby with anyone!

DH is in support of whatever I think is best. I believe that he would like me to be a SAHM but does not want to tell me what to do. We don''t have family in town to watch our son.

Thoughts are much appreciated - thanks!

TanDogMom! I am also a working mother and went through this exact same thing. DH and I researched center-based care and also home-based care and went with home-based care. Our decision mostly came down to the fact that none of the centers we checked out offered part-time care. Our son, James, attends a home-based daycare in a nearby neighborhood and he''s so happy and so are we. Our sitter only takes one infant at a time so we know that James is getting the individual attention that an infant requires. Right now our sitter has three other toddlers (2 full-time, 1 part-time), James and a couple of after-school kids. The sitter charges a daily rate, a weekly rate which reflects a lower daily week that saves parents $$ if your kids goes full-time and also an hourly rate for half-days or emergencies. Our sitter watches kids in her home and has her mother help if needed. She has one vacation week a year, scheduled months in advance.

I work part-time (30 hours a week) and my MIL is a registered nurse so she does not work every day. MIL watches James on her days off and otherwise he goes to the sitter. MIL gets her schedule in 4-week blocks so when she gets it we just sit down with a calendar and make out the daycare schedule. If MIL gets called into work, which doesn''t happen too often, she picks up the tab for daycare that day. DH and I are extremely lucky because he has a retired aunt that is more than happy to watch James if needed, and his sister is also nearby if the sitter is sick or has scheduled a personal day off. The best way to deal with sick days/personal days is to have a few back-up people or make sure you have a flexible schedule at work.

Like Curly, DH and I depend on my income so being a SAHM is not an option for me. I took a six month maternity leave, and after that I discovered that I really am not cut out to be one anyways. I love my job and line of work and it''s not something that I want to give up. Sometimes I envy the SAHM''s here on PS because I love spending time with my son so much, but me not working would be more of a detriment to our family than me working and putting James in daycare.

It is really tough when you first go back. James was probably around 3 or 4 months old before I was comfortable leaving him with anyone - even DH! My extended maternity leave was not really by choice (long story, posted around here somewhere) but I look back and I am so glad that I had so much time with James. Me working part-time also gives me at least 2 extra hours a day with him, which I am so grateful for. It does get easier as time goes by and rest assured that you will make the right decision for your family. Good luck and give your little newborn some hugs for me - they grow so fast.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Puffy Hilarious picture! What a character!

Blenheim How are you doing? NYC you too?

*******

Apparently my chicken sacrifice last night appeased the sleep gods and Hunter sleps 8 hours again in his first sleep shift. Phew!

Wish me luck, my MIL is coming to spend time with Hunter so I can...drum roll please... go to the gym!! I need to get back in shape, not only to lose this baby weight (plus more I hope) but to get my muscles back in fighting form! I''m doing a beginner aerobics class

That should be about my speed these days.

 

[janinegirly]

Just want to thank Curly and Diva for sharing their daycare experiences. It''s really helpful to read and almost makes me want to put her in daycare. I''m still nervous, but at least I can start looking into them without as much fear seeing how great things turned out for you ladies. I guess we could manage if I was a SAHM but it would significantly change our lifestyle, so it''s tough, but on the other hand if we can do it at all, we have to consider it for the baby. But then I also realize that every day I work is money in the bank for the baby so, I keep sticking it out. One thing I''m surprised at is how few of my friends (who are moms) actually work full time (and they are all career women). It just shows how tough it really is to pull off. I give alot of credit to ladies who do this now that I realize what it entails. I wish my DH could understand it too--he thinks we are on the same wavelength in terms of sacrifice and challenges. Anyway, thanks for sharing ladies!

Diva: how do you find home daycares? Is it advertised like the traditional ones?

 

[puffy]

fisher thanks!!!

neat thanks! that''s how ALL his pictures turn out now. how are the boys? have you started RC?

mrsS thanks! i hope jake is feeling better.

DD thanks! that''s so great that hunter went 8 hours in his first sleep shift! hope he continues to sleep well!!

back to the burn clinic today. i''m sure they''ll say that B is doing just fine, so i''m not too worried. hope everyone is doing well!!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Lili, A DAY! He went from Lake Michigan through Lake Heron to Lake Erie in 5 days. I think it was 600 some miles (can''t remember). He is nuts. I get sea sick if I am on them too long. Lakes can be brutal. Rivers are smooth so they are more my style.

Burk, those are fun decisions. I am jealous

I love home designs and used to look at floor plans for fun when I was a little girl.

Puffy, so cute! Love the big smile. Yay for the macbook. I love mine (after the first two). Haha.

So I got really annoyed in the airplane seat thread when someone complained/judged mothers who gain more than 35 lbs during pregnancy.

Why must people judge? Seriously. It wasn''t like I was eating 24/7. It just happened. She is healthy. NO ONE should care (but me of course!) and I still would have fit in the seat anyways.

 

[janinegirly]

Tacori--what? I gotta find that thread..or maybe not, I''ll get too worked up!

I gained almost 45lbs..I think alot was due to water weight (bad case towards the end). But I was still narrow, so geesh could still fit in the seat! I lost it all by 3-4 mo''s PP w/out exercise so it was just meant to be! I''m small boned so always thought I''d gain 25lbs..wrong!

I''m jealous of Burk''s home design too. We painted the house, got new furniture, but holding off on kitchen and expansion. Too much at once with new baby and new town! So I''ll be following Burk''s choices closely

 

[Tacori E-ring]

janine, I am embarrassed to say I gained 55 lbs. Yikes! My bad since I am still trying to lose the last 5 lbs. I have always been really petite and am small boned so never really worried about it. Still, it is vanity...my child is 100% healthy and my weight gain did not compromise her health in ANY way.

Just my self-esteem.

The thread is in hangout and the comment was made on the second to last or last thread. Both Steph and fiery commented on it also.

I thought about going into interior design and like to think I have a good eye. I would LOVE to build a house but I am thinking we aren't moving anytime soon so that's unlikely to happen.

ETA: what made it difficult for me (emotionally) was I gained 47 of the 55 lbs in the last 20 weeks.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Okay, here was some pictures I took this past weekend. She loves playing with her water table.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Look at her thighs! She obviously is not starving.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Last one. Her cheapie pool from Target (under $5). She loved it as did all the neighbor''s kids.