STM+ Check In 11/15

mileswithmyles

How far along are you? 

Boy/Girl/ Team Green/Surprise?

How old are your other kids? 

Rants/Raves/Questions (related to being a STM, stages your kids are going through, or anything else)-

GTKY:  What is something that you splurge on?

sandbar517

How far along are you? 
15+1
Boy/Girl/ Team Green/Surprise?
Don't know yet, will hopefully find out during the AS on 12/20
How old are your other kids? 
3 yo twin girls
Rants/Raves/Questions (related to being a STM, stages your kids are going through, or anything else)-
Nothing really today.  Rants and Raves are kinda cancelling each other out.  
GTKY:  What is something that you splurge on?
Not much, I'm super cheap.  There are certain things I won't buy the generic brand of (Oreos, tampons, etc) but overall I love thrift stores and consignment shops, and almost never buy clothes that aren't on sale.  

zizzabell523

How far along are you? 15w 3 days

Boy/Girl/ Team Green/Surprise? Hope to find out next month!

How old are your other kids? DD is 3

Rants/Raves/Questions (related to being a STM, stages your kids are going through, or anything else)- Nothing I can think of at the moment.

GTKY:  What is something that you splurge on? Lularoe clothes

mileswithmyles

How far along are you? 16+2

Boy/Girl/ Team Green/Surprise? Girl!

How old are your other kids? DS is officially 3.5 tomorrow.  

Rants/Raves/Questions (related to being a STM, stages your kids are going through, or anything else)- Rant-DS was up last night and I had a hard time going back to sleep afterwards. 
Rave-I am having lunch with a former student today and I am excited to see him.
Question- DS has been waking up in the middle of the night and going in to the living room to play.  Any ideas on how to work on this?  I don't want to lock his door because he doesn't wear pull-ups at night and needs access to the bathroom.  

GTKY:  What is something that you splurge on? Getting my hair and nails done.  I love going to the salon for both.  It is part of the very small amount of alone time I have for myself.  

mileswithmyles

@sandbar517 Finding out just in time for Christmas!  That's exciting!

Pearlvirus

How far along are you? 14+2

Boy/Girl/ Team Green/Surprise? Sneak peak says boy, hopefully confirmed the week before Christmas.

How old are your other kids? 3.5 and 2

Rants/Raves/Questions (related to being a STM, stages your kids are going through, or anything else)- I’m scared #3 will be high needs / spirited. It’s so, so hard. #1 is and #2 is not. Sometimes I feel so alone with dealing with her because it’s not that any specific behavior she does out of normal for a 3yo, she just does ALL the hard things ALL the time. Every stage has been on steroids, plus she’s always hated sleep so I am perpetually exhausted. Please, please let this baby be sleepy and chill

Pearlvirus

GTKY:  What is something that you splurge on? Cleaning service. My old boss used to call it “divorce insurance” lol. She was a major B (and divorced twice

Pearlvirus

Omg kill me, mobile is so annoying 

sandbar517

@mileswithmyles, It's also my birthday  Another hard situation for you!  Is there any way you could put a gate or something up to block off the living room?  Or try something like a sticker chart, for every day he doesn't go play in the living room, he gets a sticker and when he gets 7 (or 10 or however many) stickers, he gets to pick a toy at the store, or get a special dessert or something?  I've seen a lot of people talk about those "okay to wake" clocks, would something like that help him?

@Pearlvirus I am now realizing how lucky we were with our girls.  Even though they are twins (which is hard enough as it is), they are generally very calm and well behaved.  They weren't/aren't climbers, we've (knock on wood) never been to the ER with cuts or broken bones, they *usually* are pretty good sleepers, I don't have any problem leaving them in their playroom to play together while I'm cooking dinner, etc.  My 18 month old nephew is definitely a limit-pusher and he's a lot of hard work-always climbing on stuff, trying to jump off the couch, coloring on walls/tables-and I know it's not a parenting thing because his older sister was much more like my girls.  I'm hoping this baby is more like his/her big sisters but I have a bad feeling I won't be that lucky.  GL to you!

Pearlvirus

@sandbar517 thank you! Omg the climbing! Even at 3.5 I can hardly ever leave her unattended or there will be consequences. Ether she’s created some dangerous masterpiece or is in the middle of destroying something. And crazy screaming - even when happy. And I am so thankful for her little sister because without her I would think it was just me, haha

maplemom18

How far along are you? 14+6

Boy/Girl/ Team Green/Surprise? Finding out on Saturday! It's so surreal after being team green with the first to realize that I will know in a few days.

How old are your other kids? 2.5 y/o daughter

Rants/Raves/Questions (related to being a STM, stages your kids are going through, or anything else)- At what age did you/will you feel confident that your kid can play alone in a playroom (in the basement) safely? We are working on fixing up our basement so there is somewhere for the toys to go! I feel like we should be good by age 4, but I'd love to get her in there before that if I feel like she's mature enough!

GTKY:  What is something that you splurge on? Dinners out with DH! Since we don't get to go out much...we try to go to nice places and pretty much order whatever we want. It's a little less exciting now that I can't drink though. :-)

suchaglencoco

How far along are you? 

13w3d

Boy/Girl/ Team Green/Surprise?

Team green

How old are your other kids? 

Almost 2 year old b/g twins 

Rants/Raves/Questions (related to being a STM, stages your kids are going through, or anything else)-

They. Need. To. Sleep.

I don't know if it's their 2 year molars or their growth spurts or what. I just want to sleep at night again.

GTKY:  What is something that you splurge on?

Clothes for the twins. And toys.

And junk food.

Our daughter is a super climber and her brother is right behind her. I think she started to climb out of her crib at like 15 months. And she's so tiny that it's really easy for her.

Pearlvirus

Maybe a month ago my younger was just waking up from a nap and I was in the middle of something, so I told my older “go open her door and tell her I’ll be there in a minute”. So I finish my thing and look down at the video monitor and what is happened? My older has climbed into the crib and is giving the younger a tutorial on how to climb out! Ahhhh! I busted my butt up there and lifted her out. The younger just turned 2 and still seems to have no interest in climbing out. Which is super weird to me because we had to transition my older to a toddler bed at like 18 months because she kept throwing herself out of the crib... so crazy how different they are!

mileswithmyles

@Pearlvirus IKWYM.  DS is so high energy and a terrible napper.  I really hope this baby is our chill baby.

@sandbar517 We have a gate and he knows how to open it (humph).  We have an okay to wake clock, but we could be better about reinforcing it with a sticker chart.  That's a good idea.  

@maplemom18 We let DS (3.5) play in his playroom without direct supervision because everything is secured to the wall and all of the "stuff" is his.  We have a one story house, so we are always nearby.

@suchaglencoco sleep deprivation is the worst.  I am already dreading the early newborn days for that reason.

sandbar517

@maplemom18 We also let our girls (3.5) play in their playroom unsupervised, but it's on the main floor.  I don't know why the basement would be any different, but it makes me slightly more nervous that I wouldn't be able to hear them as well if they were on a different floor.  At my sister's house, they play in the playroom in the basement and it makes me feel better if an "older" kid is down there to at least let us know if something happens.  Maybe invest in a cheap-ish video monitor so you can keep an eye on her?
ETA we actually downloaded a $3ish app on the ipad and our phones that function like a baby monitor and we used to use that when they were younger and playing in their playroom by themselves.

tincupchalice

15+2

Will find out in december.

3.5 and 1.5

The little has shots tomorrow, that will be fun.  The big is already so worried and freaking out (for his brother).

I splurge on fabric.

suchaglencoco

@Pearlvirus, I always told people I'd leave the twins in their crib as long as possible. DD didn't make it to 18 months and DS I think was 21 months when we had to transition due to climbing.
We even tried the mattress on the floor. It didn't help at all.

Eta- I think if DS was in his own room, he wouldn't have started climbing out yet. He was trying to keep up with his nutty sister.

mileswithmyles

@Pearlvirus We caught DS climbing out of his crib right after he turned 2.  We switched to a toddler bed right away because he is such a determined little guy.  

doraleigh35

How far along are you? 11+6

Boy/Girl/ Team Green/Surprise? We find out at the AS on Jan 9th

How old are your other kids? DD is 1 (13m)

Rants/Raves/Questions (related to being a STM, stages your kids are going through, or anything else)-
We've had a rough few weeks between going through Leap 8 and her catching a stomach bug. She has been a lot more cranky, temperamental and clingy. I am hoping to get my happy and chill little girl back soon!

GTKY:  What is something that you splurge on? Probably take out or dinner out (when we can get a baby sitter).

@Pearlvirus DD has been pretty easy so far. I'm terrified that our luck is going to run out with #2!

Ceridwen77

How far along are you? 
14+4

Boy/Girl/ Team Green/Surprise?
Girl!!

How old are your other kids? 
2yrs

Rants/Raves/Questions (related to being a STM, stages your kids are going through, or anything else)-
Heart the baby’s heartbeat through the Doppler for the first time today!! They had a hard time finding it, and then picked up a radio station before finally finding it!

GTKY:  What is something that you splurge on?
Food! Dinners out can be very extravagant. I love food so the experience is worth it to me. 

kat11223344

How far along are you? 
14 + 6
Boy/Girl/ Team Green/Surprise?
Will find out Dec 22- think we're going to put it in a box and open it to find out as a family on Christmas morning.
How old are your other kids? 
almost 6 and 4
Rants/Raves/Questions (related to being a STM, stages your kids are going through, or anything else)-
I can't believe how tall my 6 year old has gotten. I had to go out and get him all new pants this weekend, because it's finally getting cold and he outgrew ALL of them. Like laughably, not even close. He's a super skinny string bean, with really long arms and legs so he's so hard to fit. 
GTKY:  What is something that you splurge on?
Fancy coffee. On weekends when DH has to work all day it's my treat to myself! (Andplusalso I love peppermint mochas!)

fraufarbissina

How far along are you? 
12+3

Boy/Girl/ Team Green/Surprise?
Finding out eventually 

How old are your other kids? 
10 months

Rants/Raves/Questions (related to being a STM, stages your kids are going through, or anything else)-
I don't want to rub this in because a lot of you are complaining about no sleep, but I'm so excited so I have to share...I slept for 9 hours last night!  Minus the wake up to pee and another wake up from a bad dream.  It's the first time my daughter slept completely through the night in about 6 months probably.  Hoping this continues! 

GTKY:  What is something that you splurge on?
Oh gosh I'm so cheap.  I'll splurge every once in a while on a nice meal.  

ivyvines6

How far along are you? 
16 weeks!!!!! It’s an avocado! Thanks!

Boy/Girl/ Team Green/Surprise?
Dunno yet.

How old are your other kids? 
19 months

Rants/Raves/Questions (related to being a STM, stages your kids are going through, or anything else)-
How do I make him stop hitting and pinching without knocking him out?

GTKY:  What is something that you splurge on?
I don’t really hold back on buying things that would be considered a “splurge.” If I want it, I’ll buy it. If I were to qualify something as a splurge it would probably be cheese... I do buy expensive cheese...

fraufarbissina

Well there goes my good sleep streak.  The baby started crying out in her sleep at 3am and I've been up ever since. 

suchaglencoco

@ivyvines6, hitting and pinching is super common at that age. Up until like 5th grade probably, haha. If you figure out how to stop it, let me know! 
We have a big  hitting episode once a day that requires a timeout. If it's a smaller one and I see its over a toy (95% of the time it is), I give the toy back to whoever had it first and talk to whoever was hitting. I explain why hitting is wrong and that they need to be nice to others and just try to talk to them on their level. Normally, putting the space between them and explaining its not ok to do works just fine. If they to back and hit, then I remove them from the situation with a timeout. Since they're almost 2, they sit in their chair for 2 minutes. When it's done, I sit on my knees and explain again what happened, why it was not ok, and what to do next time. Then I hug and kiss them. I ask them to go hug and apologize, but that only works with DD because DS doesn't hug unless he really means it. And honestly, he's rarely in trouble. DD has her mommas temper. 

maplemom18

@ivyvines6 No idea how to make them stop hitting! We do time-out, but the message never seems to quite sink in. I guess over time...

@sandbar517 A video monitor is a brilliant idea! Thank you. I will look into a good one. (We just used a good old fashioned audio monitor for when she was a baby and will use it for #2 also.) I let her do her own thing if she wants to when we're on the same floor and even a little bit if I'm downstairs and she's in her room, but yeah, I think it's that the basement feels so closed off from the rest of the house.

theletlers

How far along are you? 
13 weeks

Boy/Girl/ Team Green/Surprise?
I think I'll cave and find out at AS probably right after Christmas. DH desperately wants to know.

How old are your other kids? 
2.5

Rants/Raves/Questions (related to being a STM, stages your kids are going through, or anything else)-
Rave: DS thinks it's "really cool" to pee standing up on a step stool at the big potty now which is funny and cute and a mess all at the same time. But I've had to clean the toilet area in the bathroom pretty much daily so I just wipe the whole thing down. It's not a lot of work really just spray and wipe, but it's keeping it clean which is nice!
Rant: he has started to refuse to poop in the potty now and only wants to poop in his diaper while we read bedtime stories, I think tomorrow I might just have him sit on the toilet while I read books.

GTKY:  What is something that you splurge on? 
Probably food, like groceries. Although I don't necessarily spend a lot total, there are things that I buy out of our dietary preference (vegan) that just cost more. So sometimes it has to be a specific brand. Which often times they also make to be organic and gluten free and kosher certified, and, and, and... 

theletlers

@Pearlvirus @mileswithmyles I have a climber too. We actually switched him to the toddler bed when he was about 14 months after too many accidents of him hurting himself trying to get out of the crib. But he is such an active sleeper he would just fall off the toddler bed too. For about six months we actually had a full size mattress just on the floor wedged between a wall and our bed that DS slept on. At two we got a twin bed with the toddler railing and it seems to work out alright. I still hear the occasional thud as he kicks his leg against the bed railing or the wall but he sleeps through it!

sandbar517

I'm once again realizing how lucky we have been so far.  Abby climbed out of their crib (we joined the two together because she was having a terrible time going to sleep and being scared) once about a year or so ago, and I think it scared her enough that she never tried it again.  It was probably earlier this summer (after they turned 3) that I finally put them in toddler beds because I felt silly still putting my 3 year olds to bed in a crib.  
@theletlers Our girls pee potty trained pretty easily right after they turned 2, but it took MUCH longer for them to get the hang of pooping in the potty.  They started doing it initially and I think after they learned they could control it, they didn't like to do it in the potty either (and would also wait until bedtime when they were wearing Pull Ups).  It wasn't until earlier this year probably that we finally did the sticker chart (they got a sticker and M&M's every time they pooped in the potty) and we told them after they got 10 stickers they got to buy new Paw Patrol underwear.  That didn't really work, either. LOL  We finally bought and let them wear the Paw Patrol underwear (even though they hadn't "finished" their sticker chart), they pooped in them a few times, so I told them Chase and Skye and Everest (and the other dogs) were mad at them for pooping on them, so they weren't allowed to wear them until they could do the sticker chart again.  It worked after a few days or a week.  

mileswithmyles

@theletlers we gave DS the old iPhone we have with games for him loaded on it to use when pooping.  It give him incentive to sit on the potty and really take the time to go.  It worked well for us and he still asks to use his phone if he needs to poop.

sandbar517

@mileswithmyles and @theletlers Yes, we did that too.  There are times now when they take the iPad in to the bathroom and I'll say, "Are you just staying on the potty so you can play with the iPad?" and they say yes.  LOL  I love that they're still honest with me at this point!  

mileswithmyles

@sandbar517 DS does that, too!  Sometimes I tell him that if he wants to use it, he can just ask and sit on the couch.  

crazyliblady

How far along are you? 16+4.  My due date got moved up

Boy/Girl/ Team Green/Surprise? Feeling a girl, but don't know yet

How old are your other kids? 19mo

Rants/Raves/Questions (related to being a STM, stages your kids are going through, or anything else)- We are moving on Monday and I am SOOO STRESSED!  We are only moving about 26 miles away, but still.  I thought Viking would freak out, but so far he's been fine.
Rave: So many people have come out of the woodwork to help us with this, it's just amazing

GTKY:  What is something that you splurge on?
Probably food.  I love eating at ethnic restaurants, and I am hoping the Greek place I found can stay in the rotation...

theletlers

@sandbar517 @mileswithmyles thanks! I might try a sticker chart after the holidays. I feel like it's just so hectic the next six weeks with traveling seceral times. I'm a littleness nervous to try a phone. We've tried books and toys and stuff and he just "drops" it in the toilet and shouts "uh oh it's a mess!" I mean I'd love him completely out of diapers before LO comes but if he's not then he's not. I'm not really worried about him going to high school still pooping his pants!