Secular Confessions

[Cosmosmom]

Oh I agree. I mean if I was told I couldn't have pasta again, I would be like eff that and it would be the end of that. During the first two week phase they are trying to get good habits established and bad ones axed. So for now we aren't supposed to have sugar. Sugar isn't my thing anyway so I can pretty easily avoid sweets for two weeks. I am though still having my chobani yogurt...which does have some sugar in it but it's not a lot.
The only thing I'm really depriving myself of is the alcohol....which I need to do anyway as it was getting a really bad habit and I could see pretty easily slipping into an alcoholic...it was in both my grandpa's and I have no self-control. It needs to be more an occasional thing and not an every night, several drinks thing.

I would really like to actually make it work for once. I have lost weight twice in my life. First time was 70 some pounds using phen-fen (shame that screws up the heart because it was awesome to not be hungry all the time). Second time was 8 years ago when I had the gastric bypass. I lost something like over 160 lbs (even eating not all that much and following the post-op rules to the letter, my lowest ever still had me wearing an 18)....and in the past 5 year regained about half and that sucks big time. I would be pretty happy losing 50-60 of that. I think that is doable.

[Cosmosmom]

Umm can I say that these bedtime stories are scary! I never knew it was such an issue.
I don't remember having an elaborate bedtime routine (well I don't remember much about my own 3 and 4 yr old years but I do remember my sisters since she is quite a bit younger). It was put jammies on, brush teeth, go to the bathroom, hug and kiss and bam, in the bed we went. My mom was very much like supernanny jo in terms of going to bed.

[raspberry]

What is scary around here, is his activity level! He is completely ramped up, when I think about it, he's always been like that during the evening hours 5pm-bedtime. It can be tiring and frustrating for dh and I, because we are tired. His actual bedtime is fine. Well he does stall like crazy. we do jammies, brush teeth, potty, books, hugs/kisses and lights out. I lay down with him and he's asleep in 10 minutes. If I don't lay down with him he takes a lot longer to fall asleep, 30-40 minutes, and he will come out and ask for water 56 times.

[raspberry]

I definitely agree with deprivation not working. If you told me I couldn't eat chocolate, that is all I would think about. My downfall is evening snacking. Oh and I am easily influenced, lol, I saw a magazine ad for rice krispie treats. And that is all I could think about for days. I hadn't had them in years, but I needed them. So I made them, and dh and ds didn't eat them. Guess who did? no more. I think I would be okay if I could make myself exercise consistently. I am terrible at staying with an exercise program. I have spent so much money on gym memberships over the years

[Cosmosmom]

Haha, it was funny a few nights ago even my puppy was trying to stall bedtime. I pointed at her house and said time to nite nite. Usually she walks in but this time she started rolling on the floor in front of me, trying to paw at my pants legs and do just about every cute thing she could think of.

[MashedUp]

I'm triple knocking on wood here, but right now, my kids are super easy at bedtime. A just doesn't stay asleep. M was the kind of baby that you couldn't even think about laying down until she was dead asleep, always nursed to sleep, etc. Then one day it was like a light switch and she let me lay her down awake and she rolled over and went to sleep. Now, we do our routine, night diaper, pj's, snack, brush teeth, lay down and read a book, kisses and hugs and then lights off. She usually uses the light from her glo worm to keep looking at her book for a few minutes, but I rarely hear the music from it continue for more than 5-10 minutes. A still nurses to sleep but it usually only takes a few minutes and he's out. If only he'd freaking stay asleep for more than 2 hours

[Bridget]

Bedtimes around here have gotten much easier as the kids get older but they are still not always a cake walk. Once they are all laying down it's all good but it's all the getting read and doing the story while contending with Sawyer that gets me all harried.

[Smplyme89]

Nolan still won't go to sleep without nursies. We'll be weaning before classes start back in the fall and can I say that I am honestly scared?? I don't know how he's going to react, but it is not going to be pretty....

I am bound and determined to loose weight before we TTC again. I can not get pg at the weight I am now, I just can't. I've managed to walk 3 times this week (30 mins each) so far and will walk at least Saturday too. I looked into a gym local to us and they want you to commit for a year. I just can't do that. So, we'll just keep with the walking

[Bridget]

Christine I feel the same way at the thought of weaning. I do not know how Sawyer will ever go without lol! Plus I must admit that it makes bedtimes and just general comforting so simple and effortless!
On that note, my brother has been texting me to tell me that dbf needs to "babysit" next weekend so I can come out for his birthday. I told him I'll come to dinner but not out after since Sawyer still needs me at night I cannot be out til the wee hours. He just texted me back, "Unacceptable".
lol I'm not even mad because I didn't get it before I had kids either. I'm glad he wants me there.

[Smplyme89]

Same here! I mean how much easier can you it get!?!? I don't even know where to start, since I thought I would just let him nurse til he was ready to be done.....

"Unacceptable" that cracks me up

[Cosmosmom]

Yeah it's kind of hard for me to imagine not being able to leave for a few hours or even six hours. Though I'm not going to be in a position where little Teddy or Vanessa isn't used to my not being there. I will keep working and I will be using a bottle so DH will be just as able to feed and comfort as me.

[Cosmosmom]

http://www.finerminds.com/happiness/...e=home_oneline


Hmm, this was kind of interesting. I'm pretty at some of these but some I need a LOT of work. Especially number 12....I can be the queen of excuses sometimes.

[Smplyme89]

Yeah it's kind of hard for me to imagine not being able to leave for a few hours or even six hours. Though I'm not going to be in a position where little Teddy or Vanessa isn't used to my not being there. I will keep working and I will be using a bottle so DH will be just as able to feed and comfort as me.

Even without nursing it's not so easy to get away. Plus a daddy's comfort is not the same as mommy comfort

[daylilies]

Deprivation diets don't work for me either. I found it pretty easy to go without a lot of bread or pasta last time I lost weight. I cheated frequently and I still lost 20 lbs. over 3 months. But then I gained it all back when I started eating pasta and bread again. I have zero motivation this time and I haven't lost any of the weight I intended to lose before the cruise and the wedding.

Bedtime has been a big issue here too. I think I've talked about it before with you guys. He just has a lot of odd, complicated questions that he never thinks of until we're downstairs and he's supposed to ask his questions before we go downstairs. He says he wants someone or something living to sleep with him (therefore ruling out his dozens of stuffed animals LOL)
Sometimes a cat will go sleep on his bed but it's not something we can make happen consistently. We don't want to let Bo sleep in there in case he pees all over Josh's stuff. We still have peeing incidents although not too many these days.

[Inca]

YEAH.... mommies are better than daddies. Dbf can be really short with Remy, whereas I try to explain things to Remy. He's like ok it's bed time, then he turns off the light and walks away, then R gets pissed. But sometimes (SOMETIMES) if I sit there and talk to him before bed, he is easier to reason with. Like, we plan what we have for breakfast the next day or something. I really wish we had a simple routine, but we don't. And come to think of it, a lot of the issues started when we stopped giving a sippy cup of milk for bed. It was one of those things, I guess, where it was like "Don't fix it if it ain't broke..." But we did "fix" it, which actually kinda ruined it. But, I know having a sippy to go to sleep at 3.5-4 wasn't a good thing to keep doing, and he refused water.

And on that note, he has his *first* dentist appointment next week. Why I waited so long? No clue, but I think he's got a few things that need to be looked at. Like a possible cavity or some sort of ... rot? not sure the right word, it is just a bit of brown that won't scrape off the gumline on one of his lower canines. And what appears to be some sort of chip in his bottom middle two teeth. Not the whole tooth, just like, the front of it chipped off homehow? I'm thinking either teeth grinding which I've heard him do a few times, or else he fell. Yeah and the receptionist told me not to bring any younger siblings. Like I have a choice. I have a baby, and I have the boobs, baby is comin' with.

[Cosmosmom]

Even without nursing it's not so easy to get away. Plus a daddy's comfort is not the same as mommy comfort

Maybe not. Though the plan is that he's going to be home with baby during the day so he might end up spending more time with baby than I do. He's a pretty sensitive guy for the most part and more in touch with his "girly" side than many men....so hopefully baby attaches to him just as much as me.

Now wanting to leave and being able to leave....different things. Don't know that I will want to leave much but I don't like leaving now with just him and the girls at home! LOL

[Cosmosmom]

Maybe pretty soon you could trust Bo up there? Is Bo kenneled at night? Maybe a kennel in Josh's room would do the trick? Right now Cosmo sleeps on my bed and Poogie sleeps in her kennel. I do NOT want another dog on my bed and I don't totally trust my 7.5 month old Poogle to have run at night. But I will once there is a child for sure, I mean she will be a couple of years old.

Liz, maybe you could try going back to the milk before bed. Have the milk, brush the teeth and off to bed you go? Good luck at the dentist. At least you are bringing a baby that's a lot different than if she was a toddler getting into trouble.

[Smplyme89]

Maybe not. Though the plan is that he's going to be home with baby during the day so he might end up spending more time with baby than I do. He's a pretty sensitive guy for the most part and more in touch with his "girly" side than many men....so hopefully baby attaches to him just as much as me.

Now wanting to leave and being able to leave....different things. Don't know that I will want to leave much but I don't like leaving now with just him and the girls at home! LOL

It's not so much level of attachment as it is, who LO wants at that time. We are currently in a "Mommy doesn't exist" phase. He wants absolutely nothing to do with me. Brushes me off like I'm nobody. Daddy and Grammy though, they are the bees-knees

[AbbeysMom]

Jennifer, my DH stayed at home when I when I went to work for the first 6 months (then I was on summer break and sabbatical for 6 months, then he stayed at home again for 6 months while I worked. She loves Daddy but is still super attached to Mommy, and sometimes only Mommy has the magic to make her feel better.

That said, having DH stay at home with her made him *way* more capable and confident in his daddying skillz. I'll be a SAHM when this little one is born but I'm planning on plenty of time when Daddy can be alone with baby (and both Abbey and baby). It's difficult to leave them when they are little (really, really difficult) but I know myself and if I was here I would just swoop in every time either kiddo cried or needed something, which undermines DH as a parent and doesn't help him feel like he can do it.

[Inca]

Dbf also stayed home with Remy while I worked from 18 months until 2.5 years old and started the daycare. He still loved him some mommy.

And yeah Seren will be in the Ergo at the dentist appointment so she'll be fine. But no doubt if it actually takes 1.5 hours like they said, she'll need some boobage and a nappage.

And the thing about the milk before bed is that the milk actually calms him enough to have him stay IN the bed. It distracts him from us leaving the room. So the brushing teeth thing wouldn't work so much. Not to mention that since we stopped doing milk before bed (last cup of milk is with dinner) he almost never pees in his pullup. But a couple times since we "quit" and gave him milk (Maybe has happened 2-3 times) he went to bed easier and peed in his pullups.

[daylilies]

Maybe pretty soon you could trust Bo up there? Is Bo kenneled at night? Maybe a kennel in Josh's room would do the trick? Right now Cosmo sleeps on my bed and Poogie sleeps in her kennel. I do NOT want another dog on my bed and I don't totally trust my 7.5 month old Poogle to have run at night. But I will once there is a child for sure, I mean she will be a couple of years old.

Yeah we do have him in a kennel in our room. I don't know if I want Bo in Josh's room because sometimes Bo wakes up before Josh does and I like to let Josh sleep as late as he wants ("late" is 6:30 or 7 whereas Bo starts making noise around 5:30 or 6)

Maybe when kindergarten starts, we can move Bo to Josh's room as incentive for Josh to get up, if he suddenly starts sleeping late.

Good luck at the dentist Liz! That's kind of odd that they said no younger siblings. I don't think the baby will be a problem though.

[Bridget]

Jennifer I could never have imagined not leaving my house sans kids either. But now there is very little important enough for me to do that. I remember when I was pregnant with Savana my girlfriends at the club I worked at asking me if I was going to be one of those moms who never got a babysitter and just stayed home with her kids all the time and i was like, "Hell no! Y'all can babysit anytime!"

Hahaha now I eat my words. Though I wouldn't mind if we did have a babysitter once in awhile, just for dbf and I to get some time to go out to dinner or something. But I figure we'll have plenty of time for that later.

Working on a gluten free fish fry right now. Wish me luck!

[Bridget]

The fish was a huge fail since I know you are all waiting on the edge of your seat. My batter never sticks to the fish but instead sticks to my frying pan. Anyone know why that happens?

Our cat has the most disgusting farts I have ever had to deal with on a regular basis. Even Sawyer gagged once. They are wretched and she does it a lot, especially when we pet her. I have to wonder if something is wrong with her. That just ain't right.

My poor sweet Savana is not well. I know it's this week just wearing on her. I picked her up early from school to come to the park with us for the homeschool group and right when she saw me she said her tummy hurt horribly. She's all weepy and run down. She's talked a lot about her classmate and wanting to know exactly how it happened. I tell her what I know. My whole body just aches for her. It sucks watching your child learn that horrible things happen.

[Gwenn]

Poor Savana.

[AbbeysMom]

The fish was a huge fail since I know you are all waiting on the edge of your seat. My batter never sticks to the fish but instead sticks to my frying pan. Anyone know why that happens?

Our cat has the most disgusting farts I have ever had to deal with on a regular basis. Even Sawyer gagged once. They are wretched and she does it a lot, especially when we pet her. I have to wonder if something is wrong with her. That just ain't right.

My poor sweet Savana is not well. I know it's this week just wearing on her. I picked her up early from school to come to the park with us for the homeschool group and right when she saw me she said her tummy hurt horribly. She's all weepy and run down. She's talked a lot about her classmate and wanting to know exactly how it happened. I tell her what I know. My whole body just aches for her. It sucks watching your child learn that horrible things happen.

What kind of pan are you using? I've breaded fish with a corn-flake batter but I've had to use my Greenpan (nonstick without PTFE and PFOA).

to Savana. It's hard to wrap you're head around that when you're an adult, so an empathetic kiddo must be having a terrible time with it.

[Bridget]

I only have cast iron skillets but i've oiled them and used them so often that they are practically non stick. Nothing else sticks. Ugh, I hate when dinner fails.

Savana has been up puking all night. I guess there is more going on here then just stress. I assumed the tummy ache was from her worry as I used to get horrible stomach aches from all the worrying I did. So the good news is maybe she's not stressed to the point of being physically ill. But the bad news is that she's really sick.

[3andMe]

Poor Savana. Either way, throwing up sucks.

I have a cast-iron skillet that's well-seasoned and stuff sticks to it way more than to my non-stick skillets. Plus I use cooking spray as well.

[missychrissy]

for Savana. Poor dear. She might have been more susceptible to a bug because she was stressed. I hope she feels better today.

My house is quiet. Rich is at work and everyone slept in. In fact, the only 2 up are me and Conner. We woke around 10:00 and laid in bed. I dozed off for a bit while Conner watched his cartoons, and when I woke back up he'd let his dog in and brought him up on the bed (a big no-no because Harley sheds something fierce). Anyway, Conner was sitting on the far side of the bed with his legs dangling over the edge and Harley was laying on his belly next to him facing the same way with his nose down between his paws...it looked like the two of them were side by side watching tv together. It was one of those "awwww" moments for me that simply made me glad to be a mommy.

Now Conner is playing a deer hunting game on the computer and I'm drinking coffee & catching up with y'all. Bridget-I have no advice about the fish because the same thing always happens to me. I can't really fry anything except vegetables.

[daylilies]

Poor Savana!

Are you coating the fish in egg wash and flour first? The batter or breadcrumbs will fall right off if they have nothing to cling to. You may also be cooking it at too high a temp. You have to kind of keep it at medium heat so the fish will cook before the outside burns or sticks.

Last night seeing Joel McHale was fun. We were sitting kind of far back (we've been to the theater a lot and usually have better seats) but it was good. He mostly talked about the things he makes fun of on the soup (Ryan Seacrest and the Kardashians, mainly) but he talked about his kids at the end and it was pretty funny.

[missychrissy]

I'm glad you had a good time last night Kate! I spent time with a dear friend. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun. It made me think...I really do need to get out more. I wouldn't necessarily say I'm stuck in a rut because it doesn't feel that way, but I'm heading there. Today my brother's good friend (a guy I genuinely like-such a sweet, sweet man) is having a pig roast and normally I wouldn't go, but I think we're going to stop in for a couple hours later this afternoon. I need to be more social.

Sorry, I have no idea where that is coming from.