Secular Confessions

[AmeriBrit]

LOL....loving the bathroom signs! I still want one of those hearts that says I'm beautiful on it that you have, Chrissy! (And I hope you are feeling better soon! Is it a stomach bug? That is going around here!)

I'm kinda SCUBJIAing here as I've been reading but haven't had much chance to post. I'm doing a full week's worth of substitute teaching this week, so last night I was a ball of nerves, but I had a blast today. I'm with the 5th graders and in today's science lesson, we made bread because we are talking about microbes. It was a complete disaster as I do not have a domestic bone in my body, so I put the flour in a lump on the table and made a well in to it like the instructions said and then poured the water in to that well. The problem occurred when I started folding the flour in to the water....it went everywhere! I was not careful enough!!!! So, the kids and I ended up just scooping up as much of the mixture as we could and kneaded it the best I could. Someone came and got the mixture from us and at the end of the day, they brought our loaf of bread to us. They told us ours had turned out the best! We couldn't believe it. LOL! And all the kids before were saying that they wouldn't touch the bread because it had so many germs aka 'microbes' on it from all our hands scooping at it, but when the bread arrived, they were on it like white on rice!

So, I had a fantastic day teaching and when I got home, DH (who is off this week on vacation due to having to use up his vacation days before the end of March) had cleaned the house spotless and both boys were happy as can be and playing outside. I felt like he'd really showed me up as the homemaker, so I suggested to him that he quit his job so that I could go back to full time work!!!

[AmeriBrit]

Oh, and Myles; those photos are awesome!

Suja, I remember when Travis first started going to nursery and there is a little girl there who has downs syndrome. She can't talk but signs and is quite aggressive and just kind of heavy handed. He was really scared of her at first. I talked a lot to him about how she couldn't talk like he could but that she didn't mean to scare him and told him he needed to help 'teach' her to be kind to everyone. He seemed to respond well to thinking that he was teaching her how to behave at school.

[missychrissy]

I felt like he'd really showed me up as the homemaker, so I suggested to him that he quit his job so that I could go back to full time work!!!

Good idea! I think it's easier to do a super job when you don't do it all the time. That's my excuse anyway.

[daylilies]

Sorry you're sick Chrissy!

I love the bathroom signs.

The way home, we had 3 kids because the one who wasn't awake when we picked them up got a ride in from his mother. So he came home with us.

None of them acknowledged me or the bus driver when we picked them up but the last guy we dropped off, who is supposedly the one who actually wants to go to college and do something, said goodbye to both of us. I wonder if it's a matter of wanting to seem cool by ignoring us in front of his friends.

When they all piled in the driver asked if they were buckled in and they all said yes. I looked back and two of them weren't. After I asked them nicely once though they did it.

Tomorrow the "troublemaker" returns so we will see how that goes. Actually that's not quite accurate, the one who seems nicest supposedly instigates him. We'll have to see.

I actually got back in time to be able to pick up Josh but because he was so excited about going to the inlaws I let MIL get him, and I think I'll just give him 45 minutes to an hour over there before I go get him. It gives me time to let Bo out for a little bit and catch up on things at home, anyway.

[missychrissy]

That's typical...often kids need a special invitation to obey the rules.

That just reminded me, I used to have a hard time with my nieces and nephew buckling in my car. I'd have to specifically tell them individually to buckle. Just saying, "Buckle up kids!" wasn't good enough, apparently. Brandon tried unbuckling while on a highway once. Aunt Chrissy slammed on the brakes, yanking the car over to the side. He was completely buckled back up before I could whip his door open Since then they've all buckled for me.

[Suja]

Chrissy, the girl was not interactive with anyone. She did not look anyone in the face, did not talk to anyone either. Including her mom. I didn't completely understand it, but the girl kept doing a little dance, singing, flailing her arms, walking over things over and over and over and her mom said something that included the words McDonalds and french fries. It did not work. She didn't even acknowledge it.

LOL! at the bathroom signs. I can't imagine smart people wouldn't be able to figure that one out, but I'm willing to bet there is a story behind that. I gave my SIL a sign that says 'My aim is to keep the bathroom clean. Your aim would help'. She has two boys (and a husband).

[AmeriBrit]

I'm still on the hunt for a bikini/tankini; what do you guys think of these?

http://www.next.co.uk/g37162s1#807581g37

http://www.next.co.uk/g372174s2#837503g37

http://www.next.co.uk/g37162s4#833771g37

http://www.next.co.uk/x49212s3#415979x49

[Cosmosmom]

I like number 2 and second would be number one.

Course if I was buying a suit today, I would probably buy something like this for myself. http://www.junonia.com/QuikEnergy-V-Neck-Aquatard.html LOL The idea of a bikini is soooo foreign to me.

[missychrissy]

Oh Jennifer!

Ash, I like the 1st and 3rd myself.

I received a Scooter Store assessment in the mail today. Addressed to me.

Suja, that's really sad for the girl. Sometimes you don't get the opportunity to interact. I've been in those situations too.

[Suja]

I like #2 and #4. I feel that unless one is in really good shape and not very boobalicious, one would be spilling out of the others.

Chrissy, I started receiving AARP solicitations this year. What do they know that I don't know?

[daylilies]

I hate all the swimsuits because I'm jealous of them. Or more specifically, jealous of you.

[demigraf]

Ash, the bikini pages are loading super slowly on my phone, but I'll check them when I get home. In general, I see your coloring as similar to Gwyneth's so I'd take inspiration from her if I had your looks.

You guys, my mind is kind of blown right now. Remember how I have a 6 wk cycle and recently added some herbs and seeds to regulate my suspected menstrual appetite spikes? So I'd only been taking them for about 9 days, and my period just came today - 2 weeks ahead of schedule - with little fanfare, lighter cramps and very little hunger. 1 period is a small sample size, but I am really hopeful that some code has been cracked. To be honest, there's little to no fact-based evidence to support how and why these work, just a lot of naturopathic claims, but it stands to reason with me that food and herbs could affect hormonal balance, so I am
feeling really optimistic. Let me know if you're at all curious about what I've done so far, and I'll share my unscientific approach.

[missychrissy]

I'm curious Myles. I have no doubt there's a link there. Like cinnamon and blood pressure. It works even though there's little (if any) scientific evidence to back it up.

[Smplyme89]

omg!

My grandmother probably still has her little embroidered poem in her bathroom, "If you sprinkle when you tinkle, please be neat and wipe the seat." She had that as long as I can remember.

Our foreign psychiatrists were horrible about peeing all over the seat at the mental health clinic I worked at. It was definitely a cultural thing. I think they aimed for the seat, and they didn't raise it either.

So did mine. Now I have it Totally doesn't match anything, but I will keep it forever

[Gwenn]

Good luck Kate!

And good luck with your Dr appointment today Mandy!

Thanks for remembering! Details in my next post.

We spent a lot of time at the playground yesterday, and there was one girl there, I'd say about 10, who was "different". Lots of ritualized behaviors, repetitive behaviors, unaware of the people/kids around her, not aware that her actions were impacting the other kids (she'd stomp on the stuff they were building in the sand pit). Most of the other kids were completely oblivious to her until she messed with what they were doing, and even then, it was a 'Hey, what'd you do that for?'. One kid got a little upset, and I just told him that it was okay, she wasn't really aware of what she was doing.

Mira was easily the youngest one there, and she seemed really puzzled by her, more so than any of the older kids. She watched for a long time, and asked me several times why the girl was doing what she was doing. I wasn't quite sure how to answer that. Then she started imitating her, and I just gently reminded her to go back to her work, and to use her words (she was humming, grunting, etc.). Don't really know the right way to handle this, honestly. I want her to be kind and considerate of the differently able, but she's a little too young for an actual talk on the subject.

The best thing to do is to act as though there is nothing unusual, while encouraging a positive response to the extent appropriate. I agree she's a little too young for a talk but she'll learn a lot from your attitude and actions.

For me, the big expense was something Myles mentioned, I was really unable to leave Abbey and when I had to go back to work when she was 8 weeks old, it was nearly impossible for me. I started to have major anxiety and depression and both DH and I saw that the situation wouldn't hold. Considering I had a pretty successful and fortuitous career, it wasn't any small event. After a transfer moved us to Texas, I became a SAHM, which obviously wasn't something we expected, but I'm extremely happy about being home with Abbey. Before I had her, I never thought that would be true.

I'm so sorry you went through that. I'm glad you are enjoying being a SAHM, though.

Haha, a new car. Yeah that expense is going to be a biggie. I had planned on keeping my car until it died. It's only a 2007, not even 50K in miles AND we went and paid extra for a lifetime warranty that covers most things except things like tires, batteries. Plus the car has been paid off for a couple of years. And now we are planning on using that to go towards a minivan and will mostly likely have a car payment again.
I can fit two dogs in my car, or one dog and a baby...but don't think it will work to have a baby, both dogs and all luggage/gear for when we go to visit our families....it's a five hour drive.

Healthcare is another expense for me. My work has an employee plus one plan that I use now but I will have to up it to the family plan.

I haven't priced out formula or diapers. I'm kind of ignoring that.

Mandy, really I think for us the biggest expense in having a baby (at least the first year or two) is just GETTING one in the first place.
Most of the rest just depends on what we want. I could buy a less expensive car seat but I want the one I want. I didn't need the nursery decor but again that was what I wanted.
I could get away with just a crib for furniture in the nursery as I already have a dresser in there....but DH doesn't want to stick with that color wood. So I'm going to be buying a crib, changing table AND dresser.....the dresser and changing table will be from Ikea but DH didn't like the crib. We're kind of picky on how stuff looks in our house. But again it's back to our wants and not needs. I am only planning to do this once and want to have fun with it as much as I can.

All good points. I have thought before, but wasn't considering in this discussion, the effect of adding healthcare. Currently I pay something like $60/paycheck to insure myself, but switching to the family plan would mean something like $350/paycheck which is just impossible. Fortunately with DH in the national guard we have access to Tricare. It's only free while he is active duty (like when he was deployed last year) but we can get it for pay for a family plan for similar to what I am paying now for myself through my work, I believe. Not as many doctors accept Tricare, but there is a big air force base in my city so plenty of access to Tricare doctors and, barring DH having a great job with benefits, that's what we will have to do.

And I know I will want some of the cute, just-because things for my baby. After all this time, there is a definite feeling of entitlement that comes along with it. I agree about the expense of having the baby being the big stuff, though. Right now, that's certainly true for me.

Chrissy, the girl was not interactive with anyone. She did not look anyone in the face, did not talk to anyone either. Including her mom. I didn't completely understand it, but the girl kept doing a little dance, singing, flailing her arms, walking over things over and over and over and her mom said something that included the words McDonalds and french fries. It did not work. She didn't even acknowledge it.

I'm almost certain she's autistic. Given what you are describing she might become super anxious if you touched or came to close or interfered with her routine, particularly not knowing you. But still, modeling a positive way to interact is the best thing for M.

Those are the kids I've spent most of my career working with. I them. But I've had more than my share of odd looks when I was out and about with the kids, even in a very tolerant and accepting school community.

Ash, the bikini pages are loading super slowly on my phone, but I'll check them when I get home. In general, I see your coloring as similar to Gwyneth's so I'd take inspiration from her if I had your looks.

You guys, my mind is kind of blown right now. Remember how I have a 6 wk cycle and recently added some herbs and seeds to regulate my suspected menstrual appetite spikes? So I'd only been taking them for about 9 days, and my period just came today - 2 weeks ahead of schedule - with little fanfare, lighter cramps and very little hunger. 1 period is a small sample size, but I am really hopeful that some code has been cracked. To be honest, there's little to no fact-based evidence to support how and why these work, just a lot of naturopathic claims, but it stands to reason with me that food and herbs could affect hormonal balance, so I am
feeling really optimistic. Let me know if you're at all curious about what I've done so far, and I'll share my unscientific approach.

I know my RE said gluten can interfere with insulin metabolism, which can lead to PCOS and interfere with ovulation. So definitely what you eat can affect your hormone balance. Doesn't sound all that far-fetched to me.

[Gwenn]

I had a really good appointment today with the RE. I had four - count them, four! follies - 22mm, 18mm, 16mm, and 15mm. All on the left side. What's even better news, my lining was >6mm which made me so happy.

DH asked the doctor about using estrogen, which I know Jennifer recommended and several posters in STC also recommended. The doctor said he has tried estrogen on a large number of his patients, and was unable to replicate the results of the study that suggested using estrogen with Clomid to enhance the lining. He said Clomid works by binding with the estrogen receptors, which leaves nowhere for the estrogen you are supplementing with to bind. He also said that if they were to bind, they would interfere with the benefits of the Clomid. He did try it but hasn't had success with his patients, so he doesn't recommend it.

I was interested because he had such a specific response. He didn't blow me off, and he had good reasoning which made a lot of sense to me when he explained it. But I know a lot of doctors recommend it. Either I have a really great doctor or a bad one - the results have yet to be seen in my case but I know my doctor is highly regarded in this city so I will take his word for it.

ETA: I always confuse the > and < symbols and had to show my post to DH to make sure I used the right one. He is now making fun of me mercilessly. Tell me I'm not the only one that has trouble with those.

[Gwenn]

So did mine. Now I have it Totally doesn't match anything, but I will keep it forever

My grandmother had an embroidered saying on her wall that said, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." After she passed away, grandpa added a hand-written card underneath that said "Add tea and drink!" I always think of Grandpa when I drink tea and lemonade. I miss my Grandpa.

I wonder what happened to that? Probably my aunt has it.

[Suja]

Mandy, I was pretty sure she is as well, although I have had basically no exposure to someone that young and autistic. Initially, I wondered why her mom wasn't really doing anything, but the more I saw of her, the more I felt that interfering would probably result in a meltdown. I was glad though that the other kids there never treated her like she was different, just ignored her.

Also, I'm reserving the right to get you and Jennifer cute, just-because stuff. I had told myself I'll stick to practical, but my impulse control, it sucks.

[Gwenn]

You're right, it probably would have ended in a melt-down. And it's probably the most socialization this little one is having at this point, so the mother is probably grateful for what it was and that the other kids weren't treating her negatively. You take what you can get when you are in that situation.

Oh, talk to me about impulse control! I have none!

[missychrissy]

good luck Mandy! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you

[daylilies]

Mandy, the way I have always remembered the > < signs is, the alligator eats the bigger number.

I'm glad you had a good appt

[Gwenn]

Oh - and I forgot to say, I'm triggering tonight and my IUI is Wednesday.

And I took the day off Wednesday. I think that's the best part!

[Suja]

Lots of luck, Mandy. 22 mm lead follicle is AWESOME! Will be thinking of you and stalking you for the next couple of weeks.

[Smplyme89]

Oh - and I forgot to say, I'm triggering tonight and my IUI is Wednesday.

And I took the day off Wednesday. I think that's the best part!

Now we have to wait two weeks...... Not cool!! There should be instant ah-ha moment a woman gets once she's pregnant. It would be SO much simpler!

[Smplyme89]

My grandmother had an embroidered saying on her wall that said, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." After she passed away, grandpa added a hand-written card underneath that said "Add tea and drink!" I always think of Grandpa when I drink tea and lemonade. I miss my Grandpa.

I wonder what happened to that? Probably my aunt has it.

How sweet

[missychrissy]

We get just as caught up in this as you do Mandy, so please share every detail. I think these next couple weeks are going to be long for all of us.

[daylilies]

Good luck!

[Gwenn]

Mandy, the way I have always remembered the > < signs is, the alligator eats the bigger number.

I'm glad you had a good appt

I remember the alligator thing from elementary school, too, but somehow it was confusing me more. I'm really bad with direction terms.

[Gwenn]

Lots of luck, Mandy. 22 mm lead follicle is AWESOME! Will be thinking of you and stalking you for the next couple of weeks.

It is awesome. Last time my biggest wasn't nearly that big. But the doctor said at my age, women sometimes have big follicles that don't do anything. So we'll just have to wait and see.

Now we have to wait two weeks...... Not cool!! There should be instant ah-ha moment a woman gets once she's pregnant. It would be SO much simpler!

I know, right?

[AbbeysMom]

I had a really good appointment today with the RE. I had four - count them, four! follies - 22mm, 18mm, 16mm, and 15mm. All on the left side. What's even better news, my lining was >6mm which made me so happy.

DH asked the doctor about using estrogen, which I know Jennifer recommended and several posters in STC also recommended. The doctor said he has tried estrogen on a large number of his patients, and was unable to replicate the results of the study that suggested using estrogen with Clomid to enhance the lining. He said Clomid works by binding with the estrogen receptors, which leaves nowhere for the estrogen you are supplementing with to bind. He also said that if they were to bind, they would interfere with the benefits of the Clomid. He did try it but hasn't had success with his patients, so he doesn't recommend it.

I was interested because he had such a specific response. He didn't blow me off, and he had good reasoning which made a lot of sense to me when he explained it. But I know a lot of doctors recommend it. Either I have a really great doctor or a bad one - the results have yet to be seen in my case but I know my doctor is highly regarded in this city so I will take his word for it.

ETA: I always confuse the > and < symbols and had to show my post to DH to make sure I used the right one. He is now making fun of me mercilessly. Tell me I'm not the only one that has trouble with those.

Yay for an awesome appointment! And your doctor sounds knowledgable and experienced to me, since he had tried the recommendation and had reasoning why it didn't work out. I always like when doctors talk to patients without dumbing down their explanations, I feel like it shows respect for how much you have invested in your treatment.

to you!