Morning Everyone!
Thought I'd jump in since I saw the thread hadn't been started yet.
Tell us a little about your LO(s). How was your weekend? Any new developments, challenges or accomplishments?
QOTD: How has being a parent changed you so far? In ways that you expected or in unexpected ways? If you could give advice to your "pre-parent" self what would it be?
Re: Parenting Check-In
Gabe is 10 months old and a crazy walker/runner right now. He's in to everything, including the toilet bowl, all day every day. He slept through the night both Friday and Saturday nights though, so that's definitely something!
How has parenting changed me? Well, I think I'm way more humble about my parenting skills, that's for sure! And I let myself off the hook (in a good way, I think) a lot more than I ever did before. I find myself saying "J, you can only do so much" a lot. I also tell myself "There will be time for that in a few years" quite often.
Advice to my pre-parent self. Hmmmm ... I think I would have encouraged myself to get any relationship issues out on the table, and to work on them. Having a kiddo only magnifies those little pain points, and they explode into things that can seem unworkable. Figure that $hit out now!
Married to my amazing wife 6/12/10
TTC since 6/11
Unmedicated IUI #1 - 6/28/11 - BFN
Unmedicated IUI #2 - 7/25/11 - BFN
Robotic Myomectomy (Fibroid Surgery) - 11/15/11
Unmedicated IUI #3 - 4/24/12 - BFN
Progesterone Supported Leuteal Phase IUI #4 - 6/21/12 - BFP!!
Baby Boy G Born 3/24/13
On to #2, are we crazy?
IUI #1 - 11/28/14 - BFP! Beta #1 (11DPO) 34, Beta #2 (13DPO) 101, Beta #3 (20DPO) 3043
Ultrasound at 6w4d shows a single, fluttering heartbeat. Say hello to Sticky Ricki!
Parenting hasn't been "easy" though there are times where I feel so worn out, or I feel my patience frazzle. I usually take a step back and remind myself to do less (@JGY, I totally get it). I think I have a simpler and more realistic perspective now, and I appreciate that. I'm an older parent too, which I really like because I feel like I've had plenty of time to do the "single and couple" things, and now being a mom is enough.
This past weekend we hung out with K's aunt and uncle (my brother & sister-in law) on Sunday. He just loves them so much, and got lots of cuddles and attention. Having family around is so special.
QOTD: I would tell my pre-parent self to figure out my career plan. I worked a job I was okay with leaving once I had Kaden, and now I've been a SAHM for nearly 2 years and want to go back to work after LO #2 is a few months old. It's a little daunting to be raising K, and pregnant and thinking about a career change. I almost wish I had my dream career already even if I decided to take a break so that it would be easier to pick up again.
I have to second @themommymonster and @JGY regarding relationship stuff too. EV and I are really a family now, which is such a huge gift. BUT parenting together has also really magnified the weak links in our relationship. There really is little time for our marriage in our new lifestyle - we're working on it. Our marriage and our parenting involves more conscious effort than I ever thought it would. Especially since we don't escape for romantic couples vacations a few times a year anymore, and "reconnect" effortlessly. In fact we don't even have date night.. Sigh ;-) I tell myself that in the future we'll bring that one back.
I would tell myself (as the parent of newborns) to realize that I had a BAD case of PPD and needed meds. I was great as masking it in public, but I was miserable. I was exhausted, grumpy, and wanted to escape. If I had been properly treated, I think I would have enjoyed the first year 100x more than I did. It wasn't until I was out of the PPD, that I realized how bad it was.
@2brides - It's AWESOME to see you around these here parts again!
Married to my amazing wife 6/12/10
TTC since 6/11
Unmedicated IUI #1 - 6/28/11 - BFN
Unmedicated IUI #2 - 7/25/11 - BFN
Robotic Myomectomy (Fibroid Surgery) - 11/15/11
Unmedicated IUI #3 - 4/24/12 - BFN
Progesterone Supported Leuteal Phase IUI #4 - 6/21/12 - BFP!!
Baby Boy G Born 3/24/13
On to #2, are we crazy?
IUI #1 - 11/28/14 - BFP! Beta #1 (11DPO) 34, Beta #2 (13DPO) 101, Beta #3 (20DPO) 3043
Ultrasound at 6w4d shows a single, fluttering heartbeat. Say hello to Sticky Ricki!
@2brides - It's great to hear from you. How are your boys? What's it like having 2 boys? I'm about to have 2 (they'll be about 2 years apart) and I can just see my life changing in my imagination. But actually having more than 1 kid - I can't picture clearly yet. Any survival recommendations? ;-) Also I'm glad you mentioned PPD. I don't think I had an official case last time, but I still remember how disconnected and just "not myself" I felt after K was born. I was actually just starting to worry about that again
it is awesome.
Baby Oliver born 11/27/13
TTC stats with donor sperm...
IUI #1 with trigger, 1/4/13 - BFN
IUI #2 with trigger, 2/1/13 BFN
IUI #3 with tigger, 2/28/12 BFP EDD 11/21/13
Hope little C catches on soon :-) I can't believe she's 8 weeks already !!
i also find myself getting frustrated when I feel I'm alone (and most of the time I'm not). I definitely feel that I'm still battling ppd just because while I'm going through the motions and I'm having some fun with L, etc i am really still not myself. Easily angered (way more than any pregnant anger), emotional, emotionally eating, and exhausted although in getting good sleep. I actually thought during a forced workout this week that I should consider again taking the meds my doc prescribed a few days after L was born. I just keep thinking I'm going to be my old self and it's not happening.
I would tell my pre pregnant self that it really is true about the sleeping thing. Even if your baby is an amazing sleeper like L is right now there are still no days of sleeping in (like epic 11:00 am sleeping in). I would also tell myself to finish many more projects like photo albums etc. there is just no time for extras for a while. The "extra" time goes to laundry or bottles or cleaning.
So, all of you who don't get to sleep? You will. I promise.
This. Exactly. Last night. Except instead of the stroller, S went downstairs (which she does anyway most nights with the dog) and Gabe and I coslept. Because seriously, he was waking up every half hour and nursing.
@stringy813 I have exactly the same questions/doubts/confusions/frustrations.
Married to my amazing wife 6/12/10
TTC since 6/11
Unmedicated IUI #1 - 6/28/11 - BFN
Unmedicated IUI #2 - 7/25/11 - BFN
Robotic Myomectomy (Fibroid Surgery) - 11/15/11
Unmedicated IUI #3 - 4/24/12 - BFN
Progesterone Supported Leuteal Phase IUI #4 - 6/21/12 - BFP!!
Baby Boy G Born 3/24/13
On to #2, are we crazy?
IUI #1 - 11/28/14 - BFP! Beta #1 (11DPO) 34, Beta #2 (13DPO) 101, Beta #3 (20DPO) 3043
Ultrasound at 6w4d shows a single, fluttering heartbeat. Say hello to Sticky Ricki!
@stringy813 We are sharing the parent of the year award. Did you know Barney is on at 2am? Sprout Channel. My trick has been to lie on my side and sit him by my chest. I wrap an arm around him so if I fall asleep I wake up any time he moves. It's 100% pathetic, and it's the only thing I've found that I can do to get through it. Luckily I only resort to that about once a month.
And yes, he slept through the night twice within the last week. And only woke once on the other nights. I really thought we were heading into a new phase of better sleep. ARGH!!!!
It's the worst when they're congested like that and nursing isn't a calming or productive experience. Last time Gabe was like that, we tried vicks rub on his feet (the infant kind) and it actually seemed to do some good. Not sure if you've tried that or not.
@2Brides - thank you for the encouraging words. Even though 3 years seems like an awfully long time, when I think about it I've been battling insomnia for that long already so at least I know I can live through this and there is light at the end of that sleepless tunnel!!
Married to my amazing wife 6/12/10
TTC since 6/11
Unmedicated IUI #1 - 6/28/11 - BFN
Unmedicated IUI #2 - 7/25/11 - BFN
Robotic Myomectomy (Fibroid Surgery) - 11/15/11
Unmedicated IUI #3 - 4/24/12 - BFN
Progesterone Supported Leuteal Phase IUI #4 - 6/21/12 - BFP!!
Baby Boy G Born 3/24/13
On to #2, are we crazy?
IUI #1 - 11/28/14 - BFP! Beta #1 (11DPO) 34, Beta #2 (13DPO) 101, Beta #3 (20DPO) 3043
Ultrasound at 6w4d shows a single, fluttering heartbeat. Say hello to Sticky Ricki!
@stringy813 - Barney is the one thing I swore up and down that I would never have on in our house. Another thing I have found myself to be wrong about!
@jrtmom - you have perfectly described my sleep deprivation struggles. I feel like I have early onset dimentia, I have to put so much energy into searching for the right word, and the word will be, like ... "Pink." Or something that simple. I still can't believe I interviewed for (and got) a new job while in this state.
I can't really answer your cosleeping question because we typically don't cosleep unless there's an issue. But I will say that I find it easier in some ways now that he's older, because I worry less about him getting smothered. But I worry more about him being mobile and me not waking up in time. He doesn't seem to sleep quite as well while cosleeping these days as he used to, but that's just maybe because when he's in our bed it means he's been up a lot and there's likely something bugging him. Sorry I can't be more helpful!
Married to my amazing wife 6/12/10
TTC since 6/11
Unmedicated IUI #1 - 6/28/11 - BFN
Unmedicated IUI #2 - 7/25/11 - BFN
Robotic Myomectomy (Fibroid Surgery) - 11/15/11
Unmedicated IUI #3 - 4/24/12 - BFN
Progesterone Supported Leuteal Phase IUI #4 - 6/21/12 - BFP!!
Baby Boy G Born 3/24/13
On to #2, are we crazy?
IUI #1 - 11/28/14 - BFP! Beta #1 (11DPO) 34, Beta #2 (13DPO) 101, Beta #3 (20DPO) 3043
Ultrasound at 6w4d shows a single, fluttering heartbeat. Say hello to Sticky Ricki!
Anyway, as for us, we've been alright. We've been going to the doctor's office for my partner's health problems. LB has been playing with legos and I'm having a tough that he'll turn four in two months.
he slept with us recently after a bad dream (7.5y) and he moved so much and kicked so much, DP went to the couch.
We started researching no-cry sleep solutions. In fact I think that is the name of a book we read that helped. It really became about a routine in putting him down, and it didn't take after the first day or week or even month. It took a while to get him to fall asleep on his own and to stay asleep in his crib. He did wake up at least 1x per night until he was 1 (and weaned). He often woke 2-3 times. Usually when he woke between 5 and 12 months it was to eat and maybe get changed and then back to sleep. I really tried not to change him at night as it woke him more.
Since he turned a year he's been a great sleeper and napper. I'm super grateful to have had a little sleep between him and the next one. Gasp - so afraid of sleepless nights again
Friends of ours paid a consultant to come up with a plan for their daughter who had always fought sleep. I think it was a couple hundred dollars, but the plan included detailed instructions that fit their personal parenting style (i.e. cry it out, no-cry method, etc.) If you're interested PM me and I'll find the persons contact info (I think it was an online thing).
Here's to a better nights sleep tonight!
Married to my amazing wife 6/12/10
TTC since 6/11
Unmedicated IUI #1 - 6/28/11 - BFN
Unmedicated IUI #2 - 7/25/11 - BFN
Robotic Myomectomy (Fibroid Surgery) - 11/15/11
Unmedicated IUI #3 - 4/24/12 - BFN
Progesterone Supported Leuteal Phase IUI #4 - 6/21/12 - BFP!!
Baby Boy G Born 3/24/13
On to #2, are we crazy?
IUI #1 - 11/28/14 - BFP! Beta #1 (11DPO) 34, Beta #2 (13DPO) 101, Beta #3 (20DPO) 3043
Ultrasound at 6w4d shows a single, fluttering heartbeat. Say hello to Sticky Ricki!