SAHM check in 7/18

tbmadeamistake

We survived another week!

Yesterday morning was hard, I think we were all in tears for about two hours, but then the afternoon was great. Go figure. C has decided to cry and tantrum every time I walk out of the room, bigger and louder if Charlie is with me. Its so jars because I feel like I'm choosing between them and I hate that.

I think maybe we should start sharing any activities we do with the kids so that people can steal ideas for the next week.
Charlie eats and sleeps, though he's starting to be more alert when he's awake so I'm talking to him more and showing him toys.

C and did a couple fun things this week. Shaving cream sprayed into a big tray and lots of safe kitchen gadgets and bath toys to play in it.
Clean mud (3 cups baking soda to about a cup of water. Add the water slowly and mix until you have mud texture.), again, in a tray or outside with bowls and cups and utensils. Bonus with clean mid is easy clean up and a fresh smelling kid.
Trip the playground with a picnic lunch. She conked out for her nap on the ride home.
Local library story time followed by going to hang out with friends.

steprozz

now that B is really awake during the day I'm finding it much harder to split my attention between them while stimulating both of them. also DS gets jealous any time B is on the tummy time mat and tries to flip it over so I don't think B gets as much tummy time as he should. we have been going to the mall a lot because B gets bad heat rash. this is the time I really wish we lived in a house and had a backyard.

@Lilygrace48‌ we are going to try clean mud this weekend. great idea!

aravis121

@Lilygrace48 I agree, clean mud sounds like a great idea! Definitely stealing that one! 

We have our biggest trouble after nap time. Amazingly they've been going down around the same time, but that also means they tend to wake up at about the same time, and DD has always woken up in a bad mood and wanted me to hold her. Now I have to try to tend to both of them, and we've had meltdowns all week. 

We did library story time yesterday, and while we were in there, it was great (DS just sleeps the whole time in the K'Tan! yay!), when we left it was POURING rain. We made it to the car okay but trying to get two kids in their carseats left me soaked from head to toe. As soon as we made it home, I stripped. And of course immediately the doorbell rang. It was the postman with a package I'd scheduled for re-delivery and had to have. I threw my soaking, cold clothes back on and accepted the package looking like a drowned rat. 

One thing I've been doing is trying to do an activity related to whatever show my older daughter is watching. So yesterday we watched an episode of Daniel Tiger where he makes his birthday cake (season 1, episode 21, fyi). Afterwards we made brownies together. She got to do everything, since there's only four ingredients. She almost always gets bits of eggshell in the bowl when she breaks eggs, but you can use the big eggshell to scoop them right out. 

And @stephross88, we have a backyard, but the mosquitoes have taken it over Also, as far as tummy time, we do it with DS. My daughter gets her stuffed animals and makes them do tummy time too. Maybe you could encourage something like that? 

curlylocks3

I'm in a different boat as I'm not trying to entertain a toddler too, so getting out is more for my sanity than for them needing to be out and active.
I'm struggling with isolation and needing to meet people. We are pretty much the first people in our group to have babies so I don't know anyone who is home during the day. How did you all meet other kids/ families?
I think I'm coping better with the unexpected situations though, which is a plus.

tbmadeamistake

@curlylocks3, check out meetup.com for local moms groups, or just start going to story times and making conversation. it's kind of like dating...

curlylocks3

I found a meetup group- just need to try to figure out how to get there (hard to coordinate with feeding times). Is it weird to show up at story time with babies this young? Or to go sit at a play park with them when they are way too yong for the play equipment?

Eta: I ask because I walk past the play park all the time and never see babies this little at it.

tbmadeamistake

Nah, I'd go. A lot of story tiimes in my area are for zero to two year olds, and often include a song, which would be great for littles.

curlylocks3

Ok. I'll gird myself up for the inevitable "are they natural" and "do twins run in you family" questions.

MrsKipper

@stephross88‌ I feel the same way about tummy time! Nola wants to be RIGHT THERE when he's on the floor and I just end up stressed out and give up. I need to start doing it during her nap.

I've taken both kids out to a store twice this week and it went very well. I'm feeling a lot more confident about having them both out. Last week I took both of them to the zoo with two other mommy friends. I was very surprised at how well that went!

MNOpea

We had a pretty good week. I thought I was going to be alone with both kiddos for 4 days (including overnights) but it ended up only being 1.5 days. We made it to tot time on base (basically just free play) and took a few long walks with the toddler walking (this is a great way for him to burn off extra energy). I need to get better about getting us all up and ready so we can get out of the house before nap instead of just after

rainbowdashh

I have a love/hate relationship with staying at home. I want to be home for my kids, but I miss school/work. I always joked that I wanted to be a professional student and get as many degrees as I could. I feel bad for not loving being home anymore. The lonliness is more than I can handle sometimes.

Just had to get that out.

JNerd

I do find the lack of adult interaction is hard. I wouldn't feel bad Barbour going to the library or park with babies this young. Babies like songs and stories, and fresh air is good for everyone. The more people you can meet the better. It's hard with the toddler. He is very high energy and doesn't want to be quiet or still, so things like the library don't work well for him (not for story time anyways). And I feel when ever I do spend time with the few mom friends I have, that we are basically corralling our kids beside each other and don't get a lot of time for actual interaction. I've been very sad the last few days. Not sure why, but I just want to curl up and cry. I feel lonely and isolated and overwhelmed.

caitb413

This past week was rough. DS has been great, it's DH who's made it hard. I know it's not completely his fault, but he was working 12 hour days (not the norm for his 9-5 job) and when he WAS home, he was still on his laptop doing work. Now he's at a golf tournament out of town. The lonely and isolated feelings are so not lost on me and DH's absence has really put me in a bad mood. I just want a freaking break.

curlylocks3

Do you all find it easier or harder to have set times for activities when it comes to leaving the house? I contacted the library about story times since the baby one is during their feeding time and I get anxious feeding them in public since they projectile spit up so much. She told me they have a drop in class as well as one you register for and I'm trying to decide which would be a better fit - if the flexibility of the drop in one will be less stressful but there would be less consistency in meeting people.

Thoughts?

MrsBHM

Can I jump in and join y'all? My LO is Corbin, 7 weeks old, and I left my job right before I delivered to stay home with him.

So far, we've been doing ok. There's is no sense of routine, my house stays a mess, and we've been eating hot dogs or grilled chicken salad for dinner most nights. I feel like I don't really do anything all day, yet I don't have time to take a shower or sweep my floors. How is that possible?! I'm hoping at some point we'll have some routine down and I'll be able to at least manage all this a little easier.

MrsAMB07

With this being #3 and the summer, I feel like I need to get the big ones out of the house and entertained as much as possible. Everyone's been great about offering us opportunities, but I sometimes wonder if the work to get everyone ready and out the door is worth it. LO is still nursing every 1.5-2 hours, so that adds a fun element, too...

Monday is pool day at my friend's house, Tuesday is the beach, Wednesday is the park, Thursday the bigs go to my mom for the day for my day "off" which is basically errands and cleaning the house (ha!), and by Friday I want to crash. We've been meaning to go to the library, but haven't gotten there yet.

I'm torn between wanting summer to end so we can not feel so guilty about being inside more and not wanting to rush it because DS will be in Kindergarten/it'll be up to me to keep them entertained and stimulated and right now I just don't have it in me! 

If we're home all the big kids do is fight, our house is always a mess, and I'm exhausted and cranky. I keep reminding myself it won't last forever, but it's hard to believe that right now.

Taymiller

I don't want to be a SAHM right now. I don't really have a choice so I better get over it.

Mom&nurse

MrsAMB07 said:

With this being #3 and the summer, I feel like I need to get the big ones out of the house and entertained as much as possible. Everyone's been great about offering us opportunities, but I sometimes wonder if the work to get everyone ready and out the door is worth it. LO is still nursing every 1.5-2 hours, so that adds a fun element, too...

Monday is pool day at my friend's house, Tuesday is the beach, Wednesday is the park, Thursday the bigs go to my mom for the day for my day "off" which is basically errands and cleaning the house (ha!), and by Friday I want to crash. We've been meaning to go to the library, but haven't gotten there yet.

I'm torn between wanting summer to end so we can not feel so guilty about being inside more and not wanting to rush it because DS will be in Kindergarten/it'll be up to me to keep them entertained and stimulated and right now I just don't have it in me! 

If we're home all the big kids do is fight, our house is always a mess, and I'm exhausted and cranky. I keep reminding myself it won't last forever, but it's hard to believe that right now.

Sounds like I wrote this. Exactly the same here.

tbmadeamistake

I had SAHM friends tell me to expect arguments with DH because he will expect me to do housework when I'm home all day. I asked him out right, while still pregnant, if that was his thinking. He told me that he never expected me to be able to do housework between 8 and 5 when I was working full-time before, so why would he now? The kids are my full time job. It would be nice if I could keep up with the toys we use and stuff, but actual chores getting done was not expected. I love that mentality and remind myself of it when the house gets overwhelming.

steprozz

Lilygrace48 said:

I had SAHM friends tell me to expect arguments with DH because he will expect me to do housework when I'm home all day. I asked him out right, while still pregnant, if that was his thinking. He told me that he never expected me to be able to do housework between 8 and 5 when I was working full-time before, so why would he now? The kids are my full time job. It would be nice if I could keep up with the toys we use and stuff, but actual chores getting done was not expected. I love that mentality and remind myself of it when the house gets overwhelming.

jealous! DH absolutely expects all this to be done and regularly throws the "I'm the one who goes to work all day" argument in my face. it makes me want to scream

CrysW08

@MrsBHM‌ I have a 5 week old & feel the same way! I just keep telling myself that we'll get into a routine eventually & once she starts napping consistently/is able to entertain herself, I'll be able to cook/clean again. At least I hope that's the case, ha.

Mom&nurse

Looks like I will be a sahm for now. I can't go back to work yet. I'm jumping in. Hi ladies.

I have LO full time and SD 5 50% of the time. What are you ladies doing with older kids. How do you manage to shower nd eat?

tbmadeamistake

Itockquote class="Quote" rel="Mom&nurse">Looks like I will be a sahm for now. I can't go back to work yet. I'm jumping in. Hi ladies.

I have LO full time and SD 5 50% of the time. What are you ladies doing with older kids. How do you manage to shower nd eat?

If possible, I shower super quickly in the mornings before DH leaves. He's also great about making sure I eat breakfast. Lunch is whatever my two year old is eating, so currently I'm eating a lot of hotdogs, lol! Dinner is harder because it's the end of the day and we are all cranky. I try to do the slow cooker at least once a week. Its hit or miss.