Mother Talkers

Monday Open Thread

by Elisa

Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 06:02:29 AM PDT

Congratulations to littlepear, minnmom and SwissClogs on the births of their children this weekend. For details, check out their diaries on the right. ¡Felicidades!

What's up with you?

  • ::

Tags: littlepear, minnmom, SwissClogs, open thread, Monday (all tags)

Permalink | 85 comments

  • Mazel Tov one and all (0 / 0)

    I was in NYC this weekend with a friend, so I missed all the birth announcements! Wow!

    Gloria and I didn't get to meet but we chatted on the phone as I walked down 8th Avenue after returning from running the Lincoln Tunnel Challenge 5k

    What a blast!  Here's a pic snapped by my friend with her iPhone at the state line in the tunnel:

    Photobucket

    Miles and His Favorites: The World As Seen By a Seven Year Old

    by Hillary on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 06:44:04 AM PDT

  • Babies! (0 / 0)

    Fresh, new babies, that's a nice way to start the week, very fun. And this generation actually has a virtual family, eh?

    by tarantula on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 07:04:21 AM PDT

  • NO MORE LATE JAR! (0 / 0)

    So after 1 week (and my being 4 minutes late one day) the late jar is DEAD. :) yay. On Thursday it was ridiculous- I left 15 minutes early, was still 4 STINKING MINUTES late, so I said screw it and got gas and got a $5 and dropped it in the jar. Boss man saw it and was like "who paid so much?" and I told him, I'm paid up for the next two weeks and I don't have to worry. I smiled when I said it! Well, he went on a business trip and sent an e-mail when he landed yesterday saying he thought about it, and it's not really the "fun" thing he thought it would be (helllo!!!!) so no more! And I get my fiver back, which is good because I was only late the 1 time.

    He is a good boss. I have to remember his corporate culture he's coming from, they just got rid of mandatory Saturday work days. So yeah, I have to relax more.

    by lilianna28 on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 07:25:12 AM PDT

  • congrats everyone! (0 / 0)

    so many babies...

    if you wobba cypress trees then I will wobba you

    by thais on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 07:30:04 AM PDT

  • Congrats MT Moms (0 / 0)

    on your wonderful new additions!  I'm trying to be patient waiting for my first "niecephew" due on May 10. So, it is great to hear all the joyous baby news.

    by happy clam on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 07:40:31 AM PDT

  • I feel like I'm being stalked (0 / 0)

    1. I have a neighbor who's only lived on the street since the end of last summer, and she's basically glommed onto me.  Our kids are the same age, but DS doesn't like playing with her son.  She decided about two months ago that she wants a divorce, so ever since then, she calls or stops over nearly every day, and tells me way-too-personal things about her marriage & her husband.  If she gets in the house, she is easily there an hour or more.  She does not respond to gentle hints like "I need to start dinner" or "I've got some things to do."  I actually need to put Gus's coat on and tell her we have to leave the house.  I managed to keep her out last week by telling creative lies, but I hate doing that.
    1.  I bought Avon a few times from an older woman who lives in our neighborhood.  She left a catalog on the door.  Now she is bugging me about attending some health & wellness seminar she's involved with.  I've declined all the invitations that involve a free Chinese dinner during the week.  Now she wants to come over during the day to tell me all about it.

    I probably need to stand up for myself better, but I guess I have trouble dealing with people who don't respond to normal social cues.  Do I really need to actually say, "Look, I don't want to talk to you, quit bothering me"?  If someone didn't want to see me after I've made a few overtures, I'd certainly assume they are not interested, and I'd be embarrassed and stop calling!

    by cynmill on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 09:03:39 AM PDT

    • you must be very friendly! (0 / 0)

      i am very antisocial.  it helps deter those kind of people.  I have little patience.

      by stellasmomma on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 09:29:24 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      • Yes. Sounds like me. (0 / 0)

        And I have neighbors I actually like.  However, many's the time I stick my head out the door and see people out and just stay in until they're gone because I'm not up to a long, over the fence conversation.

        And I've tried not to get too chummy with neighbors...well, not chummy on a drop-in-on-you-anytime way.  

        by tjb22 on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 10:14:35 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

    • yuck (0 / 0)

      with the Avon Lady (heh) just tell her flat out you're not into it, and that you don't want to buy anything, thanks, your face / jewelry collection / is fine.

      With the neighbor? Well... that's tough. It's super annoying and tough but is it possible that it's just a Karmic thing you can do, just tuning her out and letting her vent and go about your day without having to force her to get lost? That said, maybe you can be more direct when the visit is over. Like, "I don't mind you coming by, but I'm super busy and can't let this go over 1/2 an hour, so I'll let you know when 1/2 an hour is up". She sounds positively miserable and probably pretty lonely. You're racking up universe points by letting her into your life, as you're a pretty groovy chick and she obviously can see that. It's also not totally out of line to say something like "you know, things seem down, but I read somewhere that too much venting is unhealthy. What else is going on?" and maybe she won't want to talk so much anymore, if she's always so negative... do you not like her much because she negative or because she's too clingy?

      by lilianna28 on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 09:36:36 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      • I recommended counseling (0 / 0)

        I tried to sensitively suggest that maybe a counselor would be able to help her deal with what's happening and support her future choices, but she said she wouldn't go.  OK then; I certainly would if it was my situation.  Heck, I still go once in awhile anyway.

        I just don't really like her period.  I think I've spent enough time with her to realize we have very little in common besides our kids.  I find her immature, and I think she likes the drama of spilling the details on her marriage.  A few friends pointed out that it's really quite self-centered to impose on people like that.  It's her own interest she's serving when she's not bothering to consider whether it's inconvenient for me to spend so much time with her.  I think I am going to start doing what you say though; tell her I only have until 3:00, and when it's 3:00, I'll stand up and say "You'll have to let me go now."

        by cynmill on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 01:12:25 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        • I used to be a magnet for such people. (0 / 0)

          I didn't have any living in my neighborhood, but I swear, for years, it seemed like I had what I termed "needy" people glom onto me.  

          by tjb22 on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 01:23:01 PM PDT

          [ Parent ]

          • good people (0 / 0)

            often attract the needy like that. Even unpleasant people can figure out who the nurturing, loving people in the world are, and flock in that direction.

            I have a tendency, when upset, to become the negative nelly that has to talk about it ALL THE TIME. It is a personality trait I have been slowing trying to eradicate from my vault of flaws, because it is ANNOYING. I noticed it the most when I was still at my first job, and realized that I hated what I was doing. HAAAAATED it. And I was kind of young and didn't realize that I was the only person who could do something about it, so I bitched and bitched and bitched at lunch / with co-workers and one day I just said "wow, I complain a lot, I'm sorry about that" because I noticed and it opened the FLOODGATE from my lunch buddies- essentially it was "yes, you have been annoying the hell out of us all for two months and we're ready to get the hell away from you / pretend to never eat lunch again if you don't knock this shit off". So now I try to catch myself.

            It was so weird to me because I am definitely the "open-book-must-talk-stuff-out" person HOWEVER, I don't think I've ever been NEGATIVE to that extreme before. It makes me a little more tolerant of the negative people around me, but only a LITTLE.

            by lilianna28 on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 01:47:43 PM PDT

            [ Parent ]

            • You know, I don't even (0 / 0)

              mind people who bitch and moan and vent a lot.  The ones that make me crazy are those that need constant reassurance every five minutes and are so busy unloading all of their problems that they can't ever take two minutes to hear ask how someone else is.

              In fact, I knew a couple of people who would get downright pissy if I ever so much as hinted that I might not be having a great day.  I guess they couldn't stand someone else competing in that department.

              by tjb22 on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 02:04:19 PM PDT

              [ Parent ]

              • hee! (0 / 0)

                i have a friend like this. Seeing as though he is my only high school friend, I have learned not to talk of myself unless there is a pointed question. :) DH doesn't know how I do it, but I persist in being determined to like friend regardless.

                by lilianna28 on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 02:34:36 PM PDT

                [ Parent ]

            • It's different when it's your friends (0 / 0)

              I think it's a bit different when you're complaining to your friends.  You know that when they are in a bad place, you'll listen to them, and it pretty much evens out.  I guess I'm annoyed because I don't even really consider this woman my friend.  And some of that is because I doubt she even knows my last name...she's never asked me anything about me.

              by cynmill on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 04:30:54 PM PDT

              [ Parent ]

        • that's a good strategy (0 / 0)

          I think that's a really good one. Mine would be to stand at the door and put on my best Miss Manners voice and say "I'm sorry, it's just not convenient to chat now. Can I call you when it's a better time for me?" And just repeat until she leaves.

          by Rachel on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 03:38:32 PM PDT

          [ Parent ]

    • Schedule time? (0 / 0)

      Yes, you're nicer than me, too.  I think my impatience shows on my face quite easily with things like that.  Here's what I'd do:

      For the Avon woman, I'd just say flat out that you're not interested.  Period.  

      For the first woman, if you can stand it, tell her that your day is much easier when it is scheduled, and maybe you can make time to go to coffee once a week, or something like that, and just suck it up for the alloted time.  That lets her vent, and keeps your day clear and defendable.  

      --R

      by Rocky on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 09:46:52 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      • Not nicer (0 / 0)

        Just more of a push-over!  I have gotten lucky since I found out our kids' nap schedules are kind of opposite.  I made it pretty clear that we shouldn't be bothered between 3:00 & 5:00.  But since she hates her husband, she wants to come over in the evenings & on weekends.  So I've been giving her the "that's our family time" talk.

        by cynmill on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 01:16:16 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

    • awful (0 / 0)

      That's awful.  I wouldn't let the first woman in.  I would meet her at the door with a toilet brush in hand, chat for a few minutes at the door and say that you are in the middle of cleaning the toilets.  Then if she comes back, meet her with a spatula and say you are in the middle of cooking.  On and on...

      I have a feeling the second lady will drift off with enough hints.

      by NJmom on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 10:11:22 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

    • Any chance you could (0 / 0)

      hook the neighbor woman up with the Avon lady?  Might kill two birds with one stone ;-)

      by TeachPeace on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 10:33:01 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

    • I'm similar. (0 / 0)

      I have a hard time being really blunt with people. I have the book of Mormon on my shelf because the Mormons came knocking and I couldn't be blunt enough with them to make them realize that I wasn't going to be converted (I did eventually find enough spine to do it!). I just don't like being rude to people...even if they deserve it. So I feel for you. I know. And there isn't anything for it but being very very blunt. Or else just putting up with it...which is never a good long term solution!

      by aussieyank on Tue Apr 22, 2008 at 04:29:54 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      • When I was a kid (0 / 0)

        We had a super small house, so my mom made us lie on the floor when the Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses came knocking, so they couldn't see that we were in the house.  So I guess I see where I get it!

        by cynmill on Tue Apr 22, 2008 at 05:57:53 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        • grin... (0 / 0)

          We lived on a farm on top of a mountain. We could hear visitors coming from literally a mile away. My mother would hear a car while working in the garden and take off her top. If it was the UPS man, it made his day. If it was the Jehovah's Witnesses, they would burn rubber to get away from the crazy woman. Either way it was a win.

          Man I had a crazy childhood...

          by aussieyank on Tue Apr 22, 2008 at 07:03:27 AM PDT

          [ Parent ]

          • Hysterical (0 / 0)

            Your mom sounds cool!  My neighbor has actually pressed her face to the living room window to see if we're there.  My mom said DH should lie on the couch naked to really give her something to see!

            My dad used to open the door to Mormons with a beer in his hand and offer them some.  That drove a couple off, but the other thing was my dad is very conversant with the Bible.  He could pull one off the shelf go toe-to-toe on verses and theology.  They figured he was a lost cause (or a saved one I guess, depending on your POV) and left quickly.

            by cynmill on Tue Apr 22, 2008 at 08:51:56 AM PDT

            [ Parent ]

          • that's awesome! (0 / 0)

            There was a massive Jehovah's Witnesses church in the next town, and in summer they were always out on the streets, door-knocking. I was always under strict orders never to let strangers into the house, so I was able to defer to my Higher Authority on that one, but I never minded them having a prayer on the front stoop. Hey, you never know - it's not bad insurance. I usually at least offered water, because traipsing through the streets of suburban NJ in the middle of summer in full churchy getup is seriously hot business.

            by Rachel on Tue Apr 22, 2008 at 04:03:52 PM PDT

            [ Parent ]

  • Congrats on the new arrivals! (0 / 0)

    How awesome that the babies were born back to back like that. So happy to read that all went well for all three of you.

    Trees, Flowers & Birds SanDiegoDem on all other blogs!

    by Christina on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 09:05:26 AM PDT

  • Still waiting... (0 / 0)

    Still have a week left until my due date, and still waiting.  Sigh.  

    Also a little annoyed because I had a fairly critical meeting today that I scheduled a week ago.  Told DH, he was fine with it.  Realized the next day that DD's school is closed today, reminded DH that not only did I need to go to meeting, but he was on point to be home with DD.  No problem.  

    Got confirmation e-mail from admin on Friday, reminding me about the meeting.  Re-confirmed with DH.  All is OK.  Yesterday (that's Sunday for those of you keeping track at home), he tells me that he'll be in the suburbs all morning.  Needless to say, it hit the fan.  I had to cancel my meeting, and I'm hoping not to get charged but who knows.  

    On the upside, I get to hang out at home with DD all day today which is fun.  Not productive at all, but very fun.  But already I'm ready for a nap!

    --R

    by Rocky on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 09:54:25 AM PDT

    • gah (0 / 0)

      why do men do that kind of stuff? Sorry. My DH is like that... when Lily is sick, he SWEARS he'll take the day off instead of me... and then thinks of 14 million things he HAS to do and can't possibly take the day off for and yadda yadda... it's always me with the changed plans.

      sending good labor vibes your way!

      by lilianna28 on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 10:06:49 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  • major meltdown with mom (0 / 0)

    who is totally out of touch for months at a time, and then states "we're coming to get the baby this weekend" without even so much as a by-your-leave. Drives me nuts! What if we have plans? Is it so hard to ask 'can we pick up your daughter this weekend'?

    Told her of course she could, I'd change my plans, but it would be nice if she could be more polite about it, and she. cried.

    She sees it as a favor of course, and it's just her personality, and we just announced that we're moving, and there are other tragedies in the family right now, so I know I need to give her a break. But she's so disrespectiful, and calls my daughter her child (refuses to say granddaughter) and bristles when I explain no, it's my baby, and there are some rules I have. Like wear pants when it's cold.

    I refuse to use my kid as a football but it really makes me want to put the kibosh on the whole thing.

    if you wobba cypress trees then I will wobba you

    by thais on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 10:34:01 AM PDT

    • yuck-o (0 / 0)

      my mom sees stuff like that as a favor too. I was sick a few weeks ago and my mom was great about watching Lily one day but brought her back 1) 2 hours earlier than she said 2) in completely different clothes (she claims there was a juice spill which, whatever, she always changes her clothes into something new she bought which is annoying) and 3) fed her "dinner" at 4pm, which is usually nap time, so Lily was cranky AND hungry when she dropped her off. All I said was "did you feed her?" and mom starts with waterworks, saying "you could be grateful, you know." gah. Mom, I'm sick, you've thrown off her schedule and now I get cranky baby. thanks?

      And I always thank her for watching DD, so whatever. Grrrrrrr....

      so sorry, that was unhelpful, but I am sympathetic!

      by lilianna28 on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 10:42:05 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      • no way (0 / 0)

        sympathetic rants are ALWAYS nice!

        if you wobba cypress trees then I will wobba you

        by thais on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 11:08:51 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

      • which is exactly why (0 / 0)

        I have eschewed parental "help" all of these years.

        About a year before my mother in law died, she offered to come up for a few days to help with spring cleaning, painting, gardening, etc.  Took some doing, but I just couldn't let that happen.  Sometimes such "help" just isn't any help.

        by tjb22 on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 01:21:19 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

    • I feel for you (0 / 0)

      but I'm also a bit jealous - my mom (who was completely crazy and often made me nuts) died before I had kids. It will be nine years on April 29, and I still have days where I can't believe she never met them.

      I know that her "help" would have often been just as you describe, but sometimes I'd give anything for it!

      by mpg on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 06:14:13 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  • Babies! (0 / 0)

    So awesome y'all.  Can't wait for pics!

    House-hunting madness has yielded some good results.  We have one "maybe" place and I'm getting a better idea about different neighborhoods and the heierarchy of stuff we want.  The maybe place is "definitely if we can convince them to reduce the rent," so I hope we can.  I suck at negotiating, though.

    I seem to have defamed Lior Ashkenazi's hair in the movie thread.  Perhaps I confused him somehow with Elias Koteas?  Although really he looks like a sexier Steve Carell.

    by lonespark on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 11:59:38 AM PDT

  • Just took the dog to the vet (0 / 0)

    I'm not sure what to believe any more.  My dog has a spot that "may be bacterial"  (ie: a hot spot) so he's on antibiotics and a spray.  This may be, she told me, the beginnings of an ongoing problem (ie: skin allergies) or it could be isolated.  He "might" have worms, we have to check and he should "probably" be on a monthly heartworm prevention.  Everything is so iffy.  But I know I will tell her to stick it if she suggests special kibble for him - I am not that gullible, frankly.  He's already eating one of the best brands available (no corn, no wheat, no BHA, etc.).  

    I swear, I don't go to the doctor unless I'm so sick I can barely move but the dog gets a little scab and I'm running him to the vet.  I scratch my head about this one.  It must be because he's so sweet.
    Photobucket

    Otherwise, this is a glorious Monday and I'm looking forward to a week of fairly low stress compared to last week.

    I'm happy to say the gallon of flat paint I bought did match so now we have some "balm" to repair all of the wall's owies I'm destined to see as flat paint is, supposedly, the dumbest decision I made in 2007.  Frustrating because we never hire things like this out but we decided to this time as a "special treat." Why consult a professional when he's not going to contradict the dumb homeowner who says, "How about flat?"

    We may end up re-painting the high traffic areas with the same color, but an eggshell finish.  We'll see.

    Now that it is Spring, I need to get my courage up and start planning casual slipcovers for two chairs.  I've never sewn anything like this, they're going to be huge.  The slipcovers will improve the appearance of the living room, giving it that lived-in look I'm trying for.

    by MsMarvel on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 12:02:43 PM PDT

    • gorgeous (0 / 0)

      Your dog is gorgeous!!!!!!!!

      My old dog, (she's gone onto the Rainbow Bridge now weep weep,) used to have hot spots like crazy in the spring and summer.  They were allergies.  I wouldn't go too crazy treating them.  Our vet said that unless they get infected (oozey, etc), then just leave them, they'll scab over and heal.  If she was really uncomfortable, we had a cream to use for the itching, but I was loathe to use it because she seemed to just lick them herself to soothe the itch.  Keeping her fur trimmed in the summer helped too.  Let more air get to them and I think less allergens would stick to her fur in the first place.

      We do the heartworm prevention though, I do believe in that.

      by NJmom on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 12:35:41 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

    • He's adorable! (0 / 0)

      I love pet photos, probably because we don't have one.  I think I need DS potty-trained before we try to do that with a dog.

      by cynmill on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 01:22:48 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      • skip it (0 / 0)

        and get a sweet older dog. I will never ever ever potty train a puppy, ever. Oh god I hated it. My pup is the bestest dog (though she's barely tolerant of DD, but at least respectful) but I would not relive those puppy years if you paid me money. I almost killed her every single day. It kills me too that my family is all "your dog is so well behaved! I wish my puppy was..." and I have to be like WTF? Do you have selective amnesia to when I would call you because I was a lunatic and couldn't handle the puppy? Damn tootin she's well behaved, she's been through $400 of training classes fer chrissakes. :)

        My 100lb baby: title=

        by lilianna28 on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 01:52:34 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

    • SO CUTE (0 / 0)

      what kind of breed? Yorkie? I suck at breeds. Mine is 1/2 husky, 1/2 Sasquatch. :)

      We have been SO BAD about the vet visits lately... money gets tight and we've been skimping for the first time ever with the pets. I have to shame myself into making appointments.

      by lilianna28 on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 01:54:07 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      • He is a Cardigan Welsh Corgi (0 / 0)

        This is the kind of Corgi that has a tail!

        I saved some money on expenses when I took him to a vaccination clinic sponsored by a pet store.  It was $38 for the shots he needed, compared to $125 at the vet's office.  The rabies shot is good for 3 years.

        by MsMarvel on Tue Apr 22, 2008 at 07:17:58 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

    • Oooo... (0 / 0)

      We have yearly hot spot problems with our dog. The only thing that we've found that works is a frequent bath with medicated shampoo (I think it has malathion in it. Ick!). And anytime she goes swimming at the beach or pool (it's a salt water pool), we have to make sure that she gets washed...anything that irritates her skin at all will start the scratching. The vet thinks that it's likely a pollen allergy (ie nothing to be done), so for now we'll just do the weekly washes in the spring and fall.

      We're calling her Frankendog at the moment. She had surgery last Friday to remove some lipomas...she's got huge bald patches, stitches and a bucket on her head. She's not very impressed with us.

      We also just finished painting the living room today...I've got a headache from the paint fumes.

      by aussieyank on Tue Apr 22, 2008 at 04:36:39 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  • Congratulations, ladies (0 / 0)

    It certainly was a busy weekend here at MT! Congratulations, minnmom, littlepear, and Swissclogs!

    by RachelD on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 12:50:57 PM PDT

  • Can I just vent a little? (0 / 0)

    DH had surgery on his knee on Friday, and they had to do more to it than they thought.  Instead of being on crutches for 3 or 4 days, he'll be on them for a month or more.  So not only is he aboslutely no help with the kids, I also have to help him too.  I don't know when he'll even be able to drive or walk up the stairs.  Oh, and did I mention that I didn't go with him to the surgery because I had to take DS#1 to get an EKG because the pedi heard an irregular heartbeat. (Pedi doesn't think it's any big deal, but they still hooked up electrodes to my 2-year old, which freaks me out.  Hopefully we'll know more tomorrow.)

    So Saturday I took the boys to the new park in downtown Houston--this amazing urban greenspace with fountains to play in and a boat pond and all kinds of cool stuff--so we could get out of the house and let Daddy rest on the couch with his leg propped up in the air. It was a beautiful day and we had a lovely time, until I came back to my car and saw a parking ticket.  I had unknowingly parked in a commercial zone, apparently to service the restaurants in the park (nowhere near where I parked).  About 5 of us were parked there--I was not the only one to make the mistake and receive a ticket.  The fine?  $250.  Let me say that again: Two hundred and fifty FREAKING dollars!!!  This was not a handicapped space or a fire zone.  It was a commercial zone.  At a public park.  That had been open for less than a week.  

    Then we came home and my DS#1 decided not to take a nap and instead to play hurricane and ravage his bedroom and make me insane.

    ARGH!!!

    by coobert on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 12:51:05 PM PDT

    • *hugs* (0 / 0)

      can you protest the fine? was it clearly marked? the law ain't always right. What a suck end to a fabu day at the park.

      DH on crutches... don't men always milk that stuff for eva? Not to bash on the opposing sex, I know I've been plenty "helpless" when I have a particularly nasty headache or once a month when I'm just a total crab with cramps, but what is it about stuff that makes them incapable of like, moving a foot or two or wiping a kid's face when they feel sick? Seriously!

      by lilianna28 on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 01:56:41 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      • and when you ignore them... (0 / 0)

        DH had hand surgery many years ago.  He insisted that it wasn't a big deal, he didn't need me there, whatever.  After the surgery he called me to pick him up as it turned out it was a big deal, he was under general anesthesia for a couple of hours, etc.  When he came home he was generally a big whiny baby about the whole thing and drove me nuts.  After about 24 hours of whining I ignored him because I couldn't take the whole "my throat hurts" whining.  

        He was so annoying that after about a week of whining I finally just dropped him off at the ER (in the pouring rain, no less) so they could tell him to get over it.  

        Turned out he had pneumonia.  Oops.  

        --R

        by Rocky on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 05:24:15 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

    • Hang in there (0 / 0)

      How scary about the irregular heartbeat. Please keep us posted.

      My friend's DH had knee surgery and he was incapacitated for quite a while. Indeed, when they scheduled the surgery he was told he'd need 3-4 months to recover...well, when he was in recovery they laughed and said, oh no, more like 1 year. Ugh. He's finally mobile but it's been a long haul. I feel for you since you will most likely be single parent and HIS caregiver for a while. Can you get some help?

      I would fight the ticket, too. What a totally effing suckfest.

      by GiGi on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 03:38:27 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      • Today was better (0 / 0)

        DH is slowly getting a little more mobility back.  He still can't go up the stairs (therefore, no help with bathtime) or take a shower on his own, but he hasn't really been complaining.  I think he likes the attention.  I did find that he can help with the baby some.  So he is in charge of feeding the baby his dinner, and he can hold the baby on his lap and play with toys while I take my older son and the dogs for a walk.

        I have a nanny service trying to find some temporary help for me, and a friend is coming over tomorrow afternoon to hang out while the boys are napping so I can run some errands.  We're figuring it out.

        I will probably drag the kids downtown next week to try to protest the ticket.  For $250, it's worth the headache.  Unless, of course, they tell me it's too bad.  Ugh, I get angry just thinking about it.

        by coobert on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 07:11:43 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

    • Ouch (0 / 0)

      I've heard the recovery from knee surgery's tough.  Didn't karenm have that last year?  One of my brothers has an irregular heartbeat and is fit as a fiddle.  My mother has the same irregular heartbeat.  It hasn't really interfered with their lives much at all.  I'm hoping your DS's irregular heartbeat is of this variety... there, but no biggie.  

      "We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of the dream..."

      by 1plain1peanut on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 08:41:34 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  • Baby Boom! (0 / 0)

    Along with our three new moms here on MT, I also know a co-worker and a former co-worker who have just had babies. That's 5 women I know giving birth within the last 5 days.

    Is it me, or is that pretty mind-boggling??? And reall, really cool???

    Send some of those baby vibes my way, all you fertile Myrtles...I need them!

    by Erika on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 02:04:08 PM PDT

  • now we're sick (0 / 0)

    the situation is devolving from bad to worse. Unsurprisingly, given the broken sleep, the fact that it's autumn here, Murphy's Law, what have you, Jess came down with a cold this weekend. And I have it too. We are both a wee bit overstretched by now, and to make matters worse, she's not going to daycare today and I have a major, massive, do not miss deadline of today... OMG, if I make it past tonight, I'm so going to celebrate tomorrow.

    by Rachel on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 03:36:25 PM PDT

  • today is our anniversary.... (0 / 0)

    ...and we basically forgot.  I KNEW this would happen with having a child within three days of the anniversary.  We got so swept in birthday party nonsense that we looked at each other last night around 10pm, and said, oh yeah!  happy anniversary!  Oy.

    Jen, littlepear, I know you're busy with new Babypear, but if you could post some coping strategies, and meals, that helped with the heartburn, I would be indebted.  I am in agony, and twenty weeks is a long time!!!!!  (Advice from other MTs is, of course, always welcome.  :)

    by tessajp on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 06:32:26 PM PDT

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