How have you changed....

Elsa1984

How have you changed your lifestyle now that you have kid(s)?

I think our family has become "greener". We planted a HUGE garden this year. After claiming "I will never use cloth"......my baby's azz is currently covered by cloth 75% of the time. After this last pack of laundry detergent, we are going to make our own. We have been visiting orchards and farms that are local, collecting fruits and veggies for canning/drying....or just eating in general. We are getting fresh eggs and bought a cow for butchering instead of buying from the store. 

Pre-baby.....we had a tiny garden but werent really into it. We ate tons of processed stuff, didn't really care about recycling or anything, etc. 

pennysuedog

I have gotten fatter!

ashleypembroke

pennysuedog:

I have gotten fatter!

This.exactly.

stardust317

I cook more now than I did before and
I spend a whole lot more time at home.

Elsa1984

Oh another thing that changed is I am ALWAYS late. Haha

Nita2603

I eat more regularly now that Alastair eats. I am one of tose people who keep going without food and won't eat unless the circumstance are right...like I do not eat alone, I don't eat just anything and I often rather just don't eat at all.

I also eat better now, cook more....and we go out less often.  

LCass

I'd also say it's made our eating/cooking habits better.  We used to use a lot of processed foods and didn't eat nearly enough vegetables.  Now that I'm home, I'm cooking almost every night so we're not going out and we're not eating frozen meals and stuff like that.  I started improving my eating habits for Lily's sake while pregnant and just kept going to set a good example and to be healthier.  I'd love to also go organic/local with our groceries, but we don't have the money for it (nor do we have a spot for a garden - yet another reason to wish we had our own house instead of renting a triplex).

We don't watch nearly as many movies.  We used to start a movie during dinner and then finish it after most nights.  Now we eat at the table instead of in front of the computer/tv and after Lily's in bed we often don't have enough time for a movie.

ETA: I knew I had another one but couldn't remember it when I was typing.  I've switched to natural shampoo/conditioner instead of chemically ones, and use almost no chemical cleaners (except for the toilet - can't wrap my head around that one, it just seems too icky to not use harsh chemicals LOL) anymore.  When I was looking into what I didn't want to use on or around Lily, it made me more aware of the things that I shouldn't be using for myself either.

aml+japan

Elsa1984:

We have been visiting orchards and farms that are local, collecting fruits and veggies for canning/drying....or just eating in general. We are getting fresh eggs and bought a cow for butchering instead of buying from the store.

Wait, prebaby you had a small garden but now you have your own COW? I am in awe! You're the queen of green!

sharksfan

I'm better at cleaning.  I used to let things get cluttered and then devote most of my Sunday to cleaning the house.  Now, I'm really good about spending 30-45 min a night cleaning up right after Ronin goes to bed.  This way, the house is always presentable (and free of things babies shouldn't be getting into), and my weekends are more free to spend time with R.  And I still haven't plenty of me time every night.  I guess I just manage my time better.

LCass

sharksfan:

I'm better at cleaning.  I used to let things get cluttered and then devote most of my Sunday to cleaning the house.  Now, I'm really good about spending 30-45 min a night cleaning up right after Ronin goes to bed.  This way, the house is always presentable (and free of things babies shouldn't be getting into), and my weekends are more free to spend time with R.  And I still haven't plenty of me time every night.  I guess I just manage my time better.

Can you teach me how?  I've realized that I'm terrible about cleaning.  I'm doing pretty well at my "housewife" jobs otherwise, but my parents never kept a clean/tidy house and I just never really learned how or got in the habit of it.  And it drives me crazy!

sharksfan

LCass:

sharksfan:

I'm better at cleaning.  I used to let things get cluttered and then devote most of my Sunday to cleaning the house.  Now, I'm really good about spending 30-45 min a night cleaning up right after Ronin goes to bed.  This way, the house is always presentable (and free of things babies shouldn't be getting into), and my weekends are more free to spend time with R.  And I still haven't plenty of me time every night.  I guess I just manage my time better.

Can you teach me how?  I've realized that I'm terrible about cleaning.  I'm doing pretty well at my "housewife" jobs otherwise, but my parents never kept a clean/tidy house and I just never really learned how or got in the habit of it.  And it drives me crazy!

lol...my mom never kept a clean house either, so this took me a really long time.  Honestly, it all comes down to forcing myself to do just a little bit of cleaning every night right after putting R to bed before I sit down.  Once I'm on the couch, it's over-I will not do anything else.  30 min a day = 3.5 hours of cleaning for the week.  That is usually enough.   But, to be fair, I'm in a 1400 square foot condo, so there is a lot less area to keep clean.   

Plus, I bought a roomba-best. purchase. ever! 

Elsa1984

aml+japan:

Elsa1984:

We have been visiting orchards and farms that are local, collecting fruits and veggies for canning/drying....or just eating in general. We are getting fresh eggs and bought a cow for butchering instead of buying from the store.

Wait, prebaby you had a small garden but now you have your own COW? I am in awe! You're the queen of green!

Haha! Up by my sister there is a farmer that raises cattle and you can purchase it. We technically purchased a fourth of a cow, my sister purchased a fourth, my parents purchased a fourth, and my inlaws purchased a fourth. So together we purchased one cow. But my friend and her husband bought a cow and it's grazing at his sister's house until it will get butchered. I don't want to look my cow in the eye.....

Scramblersmom

I think we are eating a bit more processed foods than before since we just do not have as much time. I am not talking all of the time or really bad stuff but we do tend to cave towards Trader Joe's frozen meals 1-2 times a week. We never used to eat that stuff...everything was always fresh and really good homemade food. I also don't seem to have enough time to keep up everything. Our garden is smaller this year, the yard looks like crap, keeping the house clean is a feat unto itself, and I have gotten really bad at meal planning, coupon clipping and grocery shopping. These were all things I did religiously before DS was born. I am trying to get back into the swing of things and I am hoping that I will have a bit more time as DS gets older and isn't needing constant attention or supervision.

Fianschneid

We use our time more wisely.

Instead of sleeping in on weekends, we use every minute of our morning to run errands, go to the park, etc. At night, when we used to veg out in front of the TV, we focus on getting ready for the next day and doing our chores so that we can spend quality time with DD when she's awake.

katecham

It takes a lot more for me to feel pretty, I'm exhausted all the time and I have tummy pudge on top of the chub that was already there. DH was great at the beginning, got kinda crappy from 39 months but has recently started ring a better husband and dad.

I'm also that annoying person who wants to talk about my kid all the time and show pictures to everyone.

I feel a lot more antisocial/socially awkward. It's really hard for me to talk to other adults. I'm only around people from work, DH and DS and I really worry that I'm going to lose the ability to have normal adult casual conversations....