Ok, I'll start - we did end up taking DD to the midnight showing of Hunger Games. We sat in the back where they had stroller/wheelchair parking and it went great. She slept the entire movie and didn't make a peep. Got home and transferred her to her crib and she's out again.
DH and I had a really great time seeing the movie and DD was wonderful and slept like a rock.
So, my FFFC is that yes, I was THAT mom with the baby at a midnight screening.
Re: FFFC
i'm glad to hear it went well. that was ballsy of you to take her!
hmm, i can't come up with any confessions right now. i seem to think of them all on saturday.
oh - i thought of one!
i have a pair of shoes that i bought online from a store catering to strippers. i sometimes wear these shoes to work on casual fridays. (what can i say, they're the only shoes i have that look good with my "mom jeans")
i couldn't find a picture of the shoes, but here are the "mom jeans" (that's what one of the guys i work with calls them): https://www.agjeans.com/The_Stevie_Ankle__Bright_Pigment_Red/pd/np/712/p/2819.html
I should be getting ready for work right now, as DH just left with DS. (He drops him off at MILs for the day on his way to work), but am hating my job so much right now that I am avoiding getting ready to be there early.
I used to advocate really strongly for our students in our school (I am a teacher in an elementary school), but teachers are currently being bashed terribly in our community because they wanted us to take a pay reduction and cut our health insurance benefits in half with increased contributions and the union voted this down. I voted to accept these cuts as did several other "younger" teachers, but all those near retirement voted it down. Their positions aren't in jeopardy, so why would they vote for something that would hurt them?
Anyway, the community thinks that we only work 8:30-3:30 everyday, have 185 days off, make too much money, are greedy, and have amazing healthcare. Their constant bashing of all teachers in general has me feeling so down about what I used to love to do. We have some great perks for being teachers. I love the summers off and all the holidays. But, I usually work 10hr. days when I am not coaching. I bring work home, go in on the weekends, spend my own money (hundreds of dollars each year) for school supplies, give my home phone number to parents so that they can reach me if they need to, stay after school to help needy students, organize numerous afterschool/evening events for parents and their children, and more. I spend at least one day a week over the summer planning and preparing for the following school year.
I am annoyed that everyone in the community thinks that all teachers are lazy and unwilling to give back during these difficult times. I work really hard and make a difference in a lot of childrens' lives and hate feeling bad for what I do.
I keep telling myself this is only temporary and that I need to do what I know is best for students despite all the hating going on, but I am running out of steam.
Teacher haters: Please don't flame...I have enough "flaming" going on IRL.
Cute jeans! I guess mom jeans means awesome jeans nowadays :-)
I'm a teacher too...no flames here. It's sad that people who are helping shape the lives of children, educating the future generations and who (for the most part) have nothing but good intentions get bashed for being greedy,lazy, etc.
(((hugs)))
ok...this may be a bit of a vent but I need to get it off my chest.
My FFFC is that I deeply regret ever sleep training Abbey...I should never have let her CIO, for any length of time. Ever since we moved her into her room/crib and out of our room/bed she's changed. Does she STTN? Absolutely. But some days I also feel she is less attached to me. I am feeling really sad and depressed about this. She no longer cuddles me for more than about 20 seconds, if she wakes up too early or in the middle of the night she no longer will seek comfort in sleeping in our bed. She just won't sleep next to me any more and I miss it soooo much, like I'm really really upset and I'm crying right now
She also hates diaper changes and getting dressed. She cries, whines and squirms to escape the whole time. It's getting to the point that I dread having to change her and it makes me tense and annoyed. I hate that I'm feeling this way because I swore I never would.
The only time in the day when she is happy and close to me is when she's BFing and even that has come to a point where as soon as she's done she whines to be put down.
Ok...terrible mom vent over
I think they are just exploring their new independence at this age. They are getting mobile and are testing out being independent from mama for a bit. They need us very much still but they push a way a bit as they start to discover that they are their own person. Soon enough they can tell us verbally how much they love us. Man I miss those cuddling days though. DD won't cuddle with me anymore- she only wants to go go go.
Let go of the guilt! Sometimes hindsight isn't really 20/20. You made the decision to sleep train for a reason. Please don't beat yourself up for it now! Besides, I agree with PP. At this age our LOs are just busy exploring the world. I doubt it has anything to do with sleep training.
My FFC: This morning while changing DS, he started squirming and whining. I gave him a flip flop to "look at" knowing he would probably chew on it. And I'm okay with that.
I have two.
1. I left A in the car while I ran the dog into the Groomers. I was in there all of 3 minutes and it was pouring rain. He was still there when I got back.
2. I am ECSTATIC that Ala(Bish from the BNOTB board) is finally getting what was coming to her for SO long. She's a toxic person and a poison to society. She's been tormenting girls over on that board for at least 2 years now. It makes me squeeee with delight to know that people are finally attacking her (Though I'm staying out of it). I know that makes me a bad person for feeling that way, but she put me through hell about 1.5 years ago.
Cops (and related professions) get pretty much the same sentiment from the general public that really have no clue. So frustrating and irritating.
her comments were pure evil...I'd like to think that everything people are saying to her has an impact, but I have my doubts. She seems like she probably enjoys upsetting so many people. She even made another post about all the "ugly babies" visting the board
Thanks to the PPs for your words. I know they are more independent now, it is bittersweet. She was an early crawler so I guess I just feel like I'm proud of her for being so curious and adventurous, but I guess I sort of feel like I missed out on a few more months of cuddles and if I had known she would be mobile so early I might have delayed the transition to her bed a little longer so that I could have kept that "us time".
ETA: but as you said, there's nothing I can do about it now...I'll get over it...
If it makes you feel any better, I have never done CIO with my LO and he does all these same things. He cries at every diaper and clothes change, rarely cuddles, and often fusses to get down when I'm holding him. I think all those things are normal at this age (even the doctor mentioned that autonomy kicks in between now and 12 mo). You're not a terrible mama, and hooray for a good sleeper (my LO does all those things and STILL wakes up 2-4x a night).
Along the lines of the teacher confessions this morning:
I think teachers (and any public employee) should pay into their health care benefits just like the majority of American employees. I don't pay into my health care but my salary is less than what it would normally be to take into account my contribution to health care.
With that said, I think teacher unions are hurting teachers. There are way too many teachers who coast along in their career because they have tenure and it's next to impossible to have them fired because of the union. Good teachers shoulder the burden that these lesser teachers cause. If each teacher had the ability to negotiate based on their own merit and performance you wouldn't have situations like the PP where the employees who just don't care effect the rest.
(Disclaimer: this is just based on the situation going on in NJ where I live)
Kaitylin that is ballsy and I like it. Glad it worked out for ya. How was it? I'm so excited...I have my ticket for 11:05 tomorrow morning!
My FFFC: I've been so lazy lately. Lazy at work, lazy at home. I feel like I have Monday-Friday depression and I can't get out of this funk. I was always such a motivated-get-up-and-go person...but since having V, I'm not anymore. I procrastinate constantly and I keep making lists of things to do, but then I don't do them. Ugh...I feel like such a waste these days.
It seems to be a common misconception that public employees don't pay into their healthcare (or even retirement) benefits. That is incorrect. At least for some. DH actually pays more for his health insurance just for himself than I pay for my health insurance for me and Stella. And not to mention the big chunk he contribures to his retirement plan every month.
I wrote awhile back that my setting lost another diamond...has happened a couple times now.
I get to pick out a new one and it just so happens that the only one I like is 2,000 dollars more than the original. DH and I have been in a huge fight over it and my FFFC is that I don't care. I have never wanted a material thing this much in my life. I know we can afford it and I am going to fight for it. I feel if I pick out a setting that is the same brand/ in the original price bracket, I will have the same problems.
Lost Lilah (Audra's twin) at 26 weeks. Cause unknown. Forever in our hearts
I was on MH's insurance when I was teaching, but if I had been on our school's policy, I would have paid into my insurance, so that might be the case where you live, but it is not the case everywhere.
While I think there are some situations where teacher's unions have protected bad teachers, for the most part they are absolutely necessary to protect teachers in a lot of situations, especially in the litigious society where we live. I agree that they could use some reform though.
My confession: I acted appalled and fussed at MIL when she tried to give Evie a bite of ice cream. Less than a week later, I gave her a bite of my ice cream. (SIde note: I don't think she's really my kid, because she made an awful face and didn't like it!)
This is weird...but DD was the exact same way until I started to pretend that her feet smell and say "peee yeww" and make funny faces. She lays completely still now and laughs hysterically putting her feet up for me to pretend smell. It is my only saving grace.
Lost Lilah (Audra's twin) at 26 weeks. Cause unknown. Forever in our hearts
I've done this before too. I'm thinking of switching to WCM at 10 months, but I don't want MIL to know because I might have thrown a tiny fit when she tried to give him a few ounces of WCM a month ago. I was all "not until he's over a year!" and now I'll feel like an @$$ if she finds out I plan to give it to him before a year.
YES TO ALL OF THIS! i know many many young teachers who are fantastic and go above and beyond. and i know many older teachers who either put the union first or just coast along and think they are entitled. DH is a teacher at a private school. i know first hand the long hours he put in and i think that anyone entrusted with the knowlege of our youth deserves to have a salary that matches that responsibility. and i understand that there are scammers in every system. but the teachers union in NJ is embarasing. It is one of the main reasons my children will NOT be going to public school even if i have to homeschool them.
DH has been looking for a new job for years - he's had interviews here and there but nothing really worked out. Since he's been at his current job for so long he can basically do what he wants as long as his work gets done (which it does) and we both worked out flex schedules so we can be at home with DS as much as possible. I smushed my work week into 4 - 9.5 hour days, working one of those days from home, and DH works Sun - Thurs. - plus he doesn't go in until 1 on Tuesdays (my WAH day) so I can get a few hours of uninterrupted work done.
Well, he is up for his dream job and he has a second interview this week and there is a really good shot that he gets this one. I am happy for him but all I can think about is what that's going to do to our childcare schedule, how much it's going to cost us to add another day and half and whether or not it's worth it.
He puts up with so much crap at his current job and he deserves this so much - but it's stressing me out big time!
I have nothing but respect and admiration for teachers. I think it's crazy to want to cut their salaries because the vast majority of my friends that are teachers have to buy their own supplies and learning materials (besides the book for course) for their classroom. If they are dealt a pay cut (same talks around going on here) then that's going to end up cutting into the children's education. I wish people would look at the big picture instead of just a tid bit of it.
My FFFC.... I refuse to pay full price for clothes. I always wait for a sale or some kind of coupon. I don't see how so many people pay over $100 for any article of clothing. Heck, I have a problem paying more than $40 for anything, unless it's a dress. Most of my wardrobe is Tommy Hilfiger (because his style fits my "classic" style - though some of his stuff is seriously weird) and I've never paid full price for any of it. So I guess my actual FFFC is that I'm a total tight wad (so is MH).
I never did any sleep training with J and he does the exact same things. It's not the training, it's a stage. I call him "Mr. Independent" lately.
Wow teaching must be different in Texas, or I live in a bubble
In our community teachers are held in really high esteem (police too actually). Any time I tell anyone DH is a teacher (especially a freshman MATH teacher!) I get nothing but compliments and encouragement, and gratitude that he is willing to do what he does for so little money. Some say how lucky he is to get so many days off (I'm jealous of it too!) but no one seems to think he only works 8-3, they all recognize that it's a really hard job and praise him for doing it.
Teacher's unions are illegal in Tx (he does belong to a teacher's association that provides legal help if something were to happen to him, but they can't strike and there is really no such thing as tenure here). He also definitely pays into his insurance. The irony is I work for a large advertising agency and I don't!
Avery loves cheesecake!
Oh and I have eaten a piece of cheesecake for the last three days after dinner, EVERY night.
One of the moms I donate milk to bought me this YUMMY cheesecake box! It has a few different kinds in there.
I haven't either and I am an EP'er. I pump 4 times a day! Oh well. It doesn't stink. It has a little milk and Lanolin on it. I will just throw it away soon and make another.
I sleep trained, and M still doesn't STTN. She whines and squirms during diaper and clothes changes, and she has never been a cuddler
My FFC: Sometimes I lick my plates/bowls clean because I'm too lazy to rinse them before the food hardens onto them.
lol that's funny. The only thing that was working with A was giving her my keys but then I read that they contain lead so I got all paranoid and stopped using them...maybe I'll have to tell A she has stinky feet too and see if it works! lol
Thank you, it does make me feel better. I'm so proud of her for being the way she is...I think I was too tired and sad when I wrote that this morning lol
(((big hugs))) I know how hard you are working to try and keep your supply up...try to take comfort in the fact that you have done everything you can. Think of the formula as just another new flavour experience. We all still love you and so does Squatchie!
*hug* mama! This is exactly where I was at 6 months. Congrats to making it this far on all breastmilk, that is a HUGE accomplishment, and the % of moms who are still giving their child any breastmilk at a year is only like 15%!! Just remember that giving some formula does not mean you are done breastfeeding! Keep nursing as often as you can, just fill in the gaps with formula. I cried my eyes out the first week of mixing formula into her daycare bottles, now it doesn't bother me a bit. They're eating solids now, so the virgin gut (main reason I didn't want to supplement) is no more anyway. And as long as you are still pumping/nursing as often, just replacing freezer stash with supplemented formula, you aren't doing any further damage to your supply, so there is no reason you can't keep on nursing some until 18 months. I started supplementing a few months ago and my supply is the same as the day I started it.
I still use my boppy for most nursings and October is about the last time I washed the the cover of it.
that's what I told DH. I knew formula wouldn't hurt her, I just hated feeling like my body couldn't do something 100% that it was designed to do! Remember, pumps are a manmade thing, our bodies really were designed to be able to breastfeed, not necessarily to respond to electronic suction