Weekly Randoms 12/17

krash_

@amys614 so sorry you're getting sick! I have been so tired it's unbelievable. Rest and hydrate! 

stephcat421

@amys614 hoping you bounce back quick!

catlady1215

@amys614 hope you feel better! 
DS has had a cold for a week, worst of it was last week. I'm just waiting cause his snotty self always gives it to me. It'll probably be Christmas morning... wrapped with a bow under the tree lol

MoonOverGoldsboro

@amys614 Sending healthy vibes your way! As someone who was sick on and off for approximately week 6-week 12 of this pregnancy, I feel your pain. Sleep lots, if you can!

llamamama14

@austenista I did have the infant bucket seat behind the drivers seat for a while and it was crunched. (DH and I are both tall). I didn't realize it was a known flaw... another point for team minivan... 

Edit to add gif of cool mom in minivan...

dinodna3

 @llamamama14 We are going to have one forward-facing, one rear and one infant bucket. I told DH that the biggest thing for me it car seat latchs and positioning. We were so limited on what seats actually fit in the back seat of our truck, I don’t want to have to worry about that again with a new vehicle. 

llamamama14

@dinodna3 We've got LATCH for each of the 6 rear seats in our 2014 Pilot and tethers for 4/6 seats. Here's a searchable table showing where LATCH and tethers are in vehicles with 3rd rows. 

https://thecarseatlady.com/latch3rowvehicle/

Also, for 3 across Diono Radian is super narrow. We have one and it's allowing us to do 3 across.

jsl82

OMG I was slammed with work this morning and yesterday- and when I saw this today I was 85 notifications behind... spent all day catching up.... and now I have to check out August.  Can't wait for work to slow down again after the holidays so I can keep up more. haha.

OK.. so I'm chiming in on the discussions... 

House housing costs roughly 20% of our monthly take home income.  When we bought the house I was out of work (we relocated and my job was too far away- so I stayed home with DD for an additional 6 months after my maternity leave).  During that time our housing was roughly 35% of DH's take home- and we were barely scrapping by.  WHERE DOES THE REST GO!!!

I desperately wanted a designated playroom but my DH hated the house that would have had one.  We would have had to renovate the kitchen, but all I saw when I looked at the house was a huge yard and space that would be just for the kids.  We went with a house that we knew we could afford while I was out of work, which has been a good thing overall- but I'm getting a playroom when we get a bigger house (hopefully in 5 years). 

We just got 2 new cars (which is almost like having a second mortgage).  DH got a Rav4 and I got a Seinna.  Having 2 kids under 2 means we will be rear facing for a long ass time and having the space of the Seinna was important for us.  Hoping to get the Highlander next time- but as I want a playroom in a bigger house we shall have to find some of that missing income and start saving for new cars/ houses. 

We have not seen the new Star Wars yet- but all of the reviews I have heard have been positive so far.  My brother was so disappointed with the last one that I think he's done with the franchise.  We will eventually see it... probably in January.

For gift giving we typically give 1 gift from the couple.  The exception is if there is a gag gift (like my DH gave my parents shirts last year saying how they had an awesome son in law).  I was actually upset that this year we have to give 2 gifts since it's DD's first Christmas we have to find presents from her to give.  

I am also part of the I don't like driving in snow crowd.  However, I also don't like walking in snow, playing in snow, dealing with the snow in any way.  FX for a mild winter.  

krash_

@jsl82 I'm impressed with how well you caught up! 

So our Christmas present to ourselves is a upright freezer that we just bought at Lowe's the other day. I am actually pretty excited for it and we are bringing back about 40 lbs of venison from my in-laws this weekend so we need it. Anyway, I am pinning a bunch of freezer meals and I would love rec's. Would people be interested in a freezer meal thread? Should we wait to start it until after the holidays? Or when we are further along/nesting/prepping for baby's arrival?

becca_123

@jsl82 I'm also impressed at how well you managed to respond to everything!  Props to you girl.

@krashke Totally +1 on the freezer meals thread at some point, probably after the new year is good.  We also will be getting an extra freezer soon so I need ideas to fill that baby up before this baby gets here 

jsl82

@krashke love the freezer meal thread idea- but feel like this is a good one for April when we are all prepping for LOs arrivals.  My last BMB group did this closer to arrival and it was great to get so many ideas.  

katelynrae86

On the topic of cars (well, a little off topic...) We are driving home for Christmas today - about a 6 hour drive across Washington. We normally drive my corolla (small, but we all fit comfortably and the trunk holds bags/presents). But since we have to go over a Mt. pass and the weather has been dicey, DH decided we needed to take the truck (Tacoma). That's fine, he's the one driving and feels safer, but right now my knees are literally touching the dashboard because DSs carseat is behind me. He's teething and not happy to be in the car, our Boston Terrier is being a pill and I'm about to pull me hair out. And I can't even have a cocktail when I get to my mom's house! 

We are planning to get a new car (small SUV) before June and I can't wait. The more I think about it, the more appealing a minivan sounds, but I don't think I can convince hubby...dang it

krash_

@katelynrae86 Does YH's truck have a full crew cab? I am curious what car seats are going to fit in MH truck because he has an extended cab Silverado. My car is almost paid off so we are going to wait until the baby is about a year old and get a new SUV for me. He is usually more comfortable taking that when weather might be bad and I don't mind because there is quite a bit of room for the passenger but I'm worried I won't have any room with a car seat. We're tall too so double whamy. 

GL with the rest of your drive! Maybe some Christmas cookies when you get to your moms will help! 

BurlapandLace

So much yes to a freezer meal thread when we get closer (April sounds good). I did a bunch of freezer meals last time and it was a lifesaver! 

Miz_Liz

@amys614 I can’t take credit for the recommendation.  I hope it helps though and you bounce back quickly!!

katelynrae86

@krashke His is an extended cab, too. I'm cramped in here at 5'2" so if you're tall, I think it would be really uncomfortable. When DS was in the infant carrier seat it wasn't as bad but now that he's in the rear facing convertible seat, it takes up more room. So, you might be okay until you switch, if you start with the infant seat.

Oh, and don't worry, I'm snacking on the Christmas cookies I'm bringing home as I type this...mmm, saltine toffee and red velvet cake balls 

jsl82

@katelynrae86 THAT is exactly why we went with the minivan over the SUV.  The car seat pushed up my seat so much in DH's Mazda that my knees hurt when we went on long rides.  I would have anxiety about it before going on trips.  Having 2 car seats means that we would both be uncomfortable.  Once we were both in the minivan for the test drive we just knew it was the best option for us.  Part of you (the non-parent part) dies a little when you realize you are about to buy a minivan though.

ffw0617

I pray my in laws come through with the freezer meals. After our wedding my in laws gave us a month's worth of frozen meals. (Our wedding was in DH's home town & we drove back). It was AWESOME. My job at the time was for a 1 year term and it ended the week after the wedding. So not only did I get to be a stay at home wife, I didn't have to cook for a whole month. 

doxiemoxie212

Food is probably the one thing that would be better about having a kid in NYC than elsewhere lol. 24/7 delivery from any restaurant our hearts desire. Live above a grocery store, across the street from another, down the block from 4 more. 

I guess my confession is that I hate freezer meals. And leftovers. 

lisa2589

@doxiemoxie212 Do you notice that they taste frozen? DH is like super not picky at all but the one time I made about 10 freezer meals and used them all within a month, he complained about the freezer taste with every single one. I didn’t notice it but of course could have been because I was just so happy to have not had to prepare the whole meal that day. 

doxiemoxie212

@lisa2589 It's really a texture thing. If I understand my food "chemistry" correctly, when you freeze something, it sort of expands or creates ice crystals or something that when thawed make the food slightly mushy because the cell walls are slightly damaged. Hence thawed berries are much mushier than fresh berries, etc. Most of the food I like to make I really will only eat immediately - I just hate how reheated food tastes in general. It just doesn't taste fresh. I think if I were someone who liked casseroles in general that maybe I'd feel differently - or maybe meat would be less susceptible to mush than vegetables are? I will eat a reheated lasagna, but DH won't eat lasagna at all, so I rarely make it because that's a lot of lasagna for just me lol. 

lisa2589

@doxiemoxie212 makes sense. I would say meat fares a little better in the freezer than most veggies and fruits do, but even with just leftovers in the fridge there’s always a noticeable texture change. I’m hoping when we get around to this thread someone will have some freezer soup ideas because I’m thinking those may turn out a little better for DH’s sake!

ffw0617

@doxiemoxie212 best freezer meals are things that are already watery. Good thing about a husband from New Orleans: gumbo, crawfish etouffee, shrimp stew, and pastalaya all make GREAT freezer meals, and nothing is lost is the reheating.

ffw0617

also chili, soups and chowders

doxiemoxie212

@ffw0617 I nearly gagged thinking about foods that are "already watery" lol 

Austenista

@llamamama14 yes, We're ready for the minivan life. I was running errands/Christmas shopping today and I had to get DS out of his carseat seven times (I counted on the way home, thinking about it). A few times it was so crunched I was squeezing him in and out of the Pilot. One time I had to push someone's side mirror in to get him in and out. I could have used that sliding door today big time. I can't imagine running errands like I did today with two. Everything is already a process. We'll have the Pilot paid off in a year so we're going to try to stick it out that long, but man it's tempting to go ahead and upgrade.  

megara5

@jsl82 I'm impressed. When that happens to me, I get overwhelmed and super skim or quit reading the thread and wait for the new one and try to keep up for as long as I can. 

llamamama14

@krashke I'd be game for a freezer meal thread in January. I like crockpot soups and casseroles in the winter months so I'm planning on prepping a bunch of freezer meals once my food aversions lift mid-January. I usually don't let freezer meals sit too long in the freezer otherwise they do get a bit funky.

Austenista

Freezer meals were such a big help last time. I’m definitely down for some new ideas this go around. 

sunshineandwhiskey

I really need to get on the freezer meal train.  We didn't do any with DD.  It didn't seem like that big of a deal, but i figure with two this time, that might change.

kmurdock925

I suck at freezer meals.  I always forget they're in there, forget the thaw them, etc...just not my jam...BUT  we have been doing hello fresh/plated/home chef/you name it (doing an initial order for the discount, canceling, then switching to a different for a discount) and it is pretty amazing.  The meals are typically super yummy, fairly quick and pretty easy to make with step my step directions so I see us doing a lot of those when baby gets here.  We won't have to go to the grocery except for staples and DH can easily handle cooking these...and they're pretty healthy.

MoonOverGoldsboro

I still have lentil soup in my freezer from January, when my son was born.   

dinodna3

FFFC: I don’t think I’ve ever had a frozen meal other than like Stoffer’s. 

MissKittyDanger

Completely random but ...I think I felt flutters last night. While watching the new Star Wars .... like really 

I'm not entirely sure because it's the first time, but it kinda felt like butterfly wings fluttering against my stomach or if someone took a feather against my belly really softly.

Idk .... if it happens again I'll know. It wasn't hunger this time - I thought it was flutters other day but it was hunger  - and only difference is because it was softer and much higher.

krash_

@MissKittyDanger I may have felt some last night too. I was trying really hard as I was falling asleep so I laid really still with my hand on my lower abdomen with just a little pressure. I felt like 5 little pops, like the popcorn popping that @doxiemoxie212 described. I'm still not sure if it was me just feeling my pulse in my hand or if it was the baby. 

MissKittyDanger

@krashke I thought I felt something later but same, wasn't sure if it was my own pulse or the baby's lol! I kept putting my hand over my heart, and in that spot to see if they were similar and couldn't tell

doxiemoxie212

@MissKittyDanger my baby also bopped around a lot during Star Wars - both times we saw it. And she was doing a lot of bopping last night when we saw The Post. It really wasn’t until this week (16 weeks) that I feel the movement consistently enough that I’m sure of what it is. Before I’d feel 1-2 bops and then not again for ages so it was def confusing. 

llamamama14

@doxiemoxie212 @misskittydanger That's funny. I was watching a movie in theater when I first felt movement with my son/ first pregnancy. I think maybe sitting still and drinking a cold beverage/ sugary snack had to do with it.

doxiemoxie212

@llamamama14 I was in a theater that doesn't allow food/bev (the theater at my mom's work...........) so I think it was maybe just the noise?? IDK. Or the vibration from the noise? Star Wars was shown with Atmos and was pretty loud. Not sure if they showed The Post in Atmos.... probably less likely. 

llamamama14

@doxiemoxie212 baby is more active when you're still. When you're walking around they're lulled to sleep by the movement. Later on you'll find that when you lie down in bed baby goes nuts. My theory is when you're watching a movie your whole body is still so baby moves and your attuned to it because you're awake. (Other than the sugar/cold liquid effect.)