Feb 2011 -- Month of December

[Grapecrush]

Mullinska -
One thing to realize is that your mother is not, at this stage in her life, going to change. You and your brother and sister can try to have a sit-down with her, saying you appreciate her generosity, but the amount of gifts she buys the children is overwhelming - but it probably won't do any good. Maybe you can suggest that you'll keep some unopened and hold on to them for other occasions. Or return some after the holiday (stores will take stuff without receipts) and use your mom's own money or gift certificates to buy her the bracelet. As for the Kindle, return it and get the cover. Ugh, presents are supposed to be about joy!

About the bris: I remember my cousin's - done on the dining room table, and first he peed all over it. Snip, whimper, done. Then he ate and went to sleep. He's now a petulant 17-year-old - but I don't think his attitude is in response to the circumcision!

[Grapecrush]

Better the snip-snip now than later. I know a few people who had it done in their teens, and one 40-year-old who converted to Judaism and had it done recently.

Funny story:

My dad does classroom observations of new and student teachers. At one school, the 8th-grade class was in the library, and this cute little pipsqueak of a 13-year-old came up to the teacher to say hi and to introduce himself to my dad. The kid still had a high voice and hadn't gone through puberty, and he was just as cheerful and talkative as can be. The teacher said, "Well, 'Andy,' you've been absent for a couple of days. Is everything all right?" Andy said, "Oh, yeah, I had an operation."

"What kind of operation?"

"I got circumcised."

My dad said, "Oh, I see."

"Yeah, I went to the hospital to have it done, and then I came home and rested for the next couple of days."

"Did your parents tell you anything to prepare you before you had the circumcision?"

"Yeah, they said, 'Get in the car.'"

[mullinska]

Thanks for letting me rant. I think I am just having a super hormonal day. There are some mother daughter issues that always seem to get triggered and just the fact that she and I parent very differently and she frequently does not respect my decisions. It makes me fear for the days when I am in the grandmother role.

I got weepy watching Glee tonight.. I guess crazy pregnant lady is starting to show up. With pregnancy # 1 I was out of work on a snow day and watched I am Sam for the first time and I could not stop crying at the end. My husband was outside shoveling and I opened the door crying and he asked what was wrong and I tried to explain the movie and just said.. I can't stop. I am feeling a bit like that today.

I hope that no one else is getting pregnant weepies.. it sucks.

[LittleSteps]

Mum - So glad you are nearing the end of your travels. What a great week! congratulations!!!

Elena, Country, Grape and everyone in pain - Thinking of you. Don't you just want to punch those ladies out who say they barely felt different during pregnancy - everything was easy. Ugh. I have found Pregnancy to be extremely difficult, but of course extremely wonderful at the same time. I am still puking at least 2 times a week and continue having issues sleeping. The heartburn is terrible as well. It's rough, but definitely not as rough as some of you have had.

Anyone forgetting major things now? Memory loss has been an issue during this pregnancy, however, it is getting worse and worse for me. I threw out the December check from our renter. It's a huge check and I couldn't even remember if I had received it. So, DH dug through two bags of trash to find it. God Bless him.

I am also suffering from indecisiveness and I am a very decisive person! Right now we are trying to decide on daycares and pediatricians. Wow, I wish I was working on a full cylinder. Anyone else feeling extra indecisive?

Sorry to complain. Thursday is 32 weeks for me and I just can't believe it. It's a true miracle, and I feel so grateful that God allowed me to carry this blessing.

Wishing you all the best.

[LittleSteps]

Mullinska - I do have the weepies. Been watching Little House and the Prairie lately and cry during almost every episode. I also have a much shorter temper. It is really tough to reign in the temper, both home and work.

[jenmom2myboys]

I also have a much shorter temper. It is really tough to reign in the temper, both home and work.

I am right there with you. I am not speaking to DH, day #3 and I actually got out of my car and yelled at a Construction worker yesterday. I think I need to stay home in bed.

[Grapecrush]

Mullinska -

I am a totally cynical person. Every time I watch "Glee" (which I love but liken to witnessing a train wreck while eating all my favorite kinds of candy), I talk back to the TV screen, commenting on inconsistencies and stupidities. The Christmas episode had me gagging. Yet, that moment at the end with Artie and then Coach Bieste looking on - I must admit that i started to choke up!!!!

[erobin1]

Hi all-- about after circ care, I agree it wasn't hard. But the vaseline impregnated gauze is a FANTASTIC thing. They sell it at any pharmacy. It comes in little foil packets and comes out in a little strip that you wrap around the end. They can pee through it. Prevents the gauze from sticking.

Country-- glad you are feeling better! And the stories about the older patients are so cute. Seems like you have landed in such a nice community.

Mum-- yeah for no more travel!! Some people never notice any Braxton Hicks. They can really vary. Not having them is certainly nothing to worry about.

Grape-- Argh! for the bladder infection. That is terrible. I hope this new antibiotic clears it up. And thanks for the kind words about Sammy. Oh, and that circumcision story with the 13 year old is funny! You know, it is true, now that there is so much less circumcision, I am seeing lots of infections in little boy's penises. Some pretty bad, actually.

Mullinska-- annoying! Oh... parents. I can't tell you how much my siblings and I talk about our parents. It is probably a little odd. Almost like we are obsessed. But... there is nothing like it. Does it ever make you think about yourself and your DD later? Funny thought. I agree with Grape, tho, that they won't change, so figuring out how to set boundaries that you can live with. This year I FINALLY, after 10 years suggesting it, got my family to agree to draw names for the gift exchange. We'll see how it goes, but I am excited. Grandkids are exempt, tho, and my mother has already gone a little bonkers and bought a laptop for each of her grandsons. There is evidently some semi-childproof one which came out which has a keyboard that you can spill onto and sort of bounces if you drop it. Anyway, she did talk to us first and if we can avoid the generalized insanity of gifts that usually occurs even with all the grown-ups, I am happy. Funny about the Kindle... my DH drew my dad in the gift thing and we've been wondering whether he'd use a Kindle. I drew my step mother, who is the very very hardest person in the family to buy for... she's somewhat reclusive, and Japanese, and a painter and has very particular taste... hmmm... Anyway, sorry to digress so incredibly, but I feel for your predicament and hope that you can work it out. At least you have siblings to help you. This is why I tried so hard to have this second baby. I KNOW that DH and I are every bit as lunatic-al as my parents and I think i would die if I had to deal with them all on my own...

Littlesteps-- sorry about the continued vomiting and the heartburn! Sweet of DH to dig through the trash...

Jen-- Sorry about your fight with DH. Hope it resolves soon.

AFM-- Yesterday was a bad day pain and eating wise. I'm hoping today will be better. It is pouring rain here today, which is sort of nice. I finished the book I was making on my computer that I'd been working on most of bedrest. In it I compiled all of Sammy's quotes that I've been writing down since he began to talk, and a whole bunch of photographs. It took an enormous amount of time and will be the one thing I thank bedrest for... but now that it is done I'm not sure what to do with myself. Too out of it to really work, or certainly to work on my own writing. hmm... will think of something.

[erobin1]

Grape-- lol on your analysis of Glee-- watching a trainwreck while eating all your favorite kinds of candy! I'm going to have to repeat that. And maybe I should watch Glee. Somehow hasn't made my bedrest list, shockingly, since almost every scripted show on the planet seems to have...

[country girl]

gosh... who would guess that parents could make our lives so complicated with their love.... Its hard when you have over indulgent parents...and you worry about their finances... My problem is the opposite..my parents are on the stingy side (but financially well off)... birthday pressies...what are they!!!...and christmas...thats something that comes in march or may after having to remind your parents that they never gave you a christmas present... I think I manage one every 2-3 years. Of course my parents expect and love to have you give them presents on their birthdays and christmas..sigh. It was the same when I went to NZ to visit... I sort of thought my mother would buy a few little things for babette and get caught up in my shopping euphoria... but no... she managed a little cheap outfit and that was all... my aunt and cousin had more thought and love...sigh... of course on top of this she constantly tells me all the lovely things she has bought for her friends babies and dresses and quilts she has made them.... I hold my tongue... but the words "what about me!! your daughter" are constantly on my mind... it can certainly be very hurtful... I keep hoping that she will change when babette is born... we will see....not holding a lot of hope out.

so thats my parent rant...not sure which is worse... over indulgence or forgetful neglect...

Oh and Im weepy too.... and Im the person that does not cry... blame upbringing on that one..but thats another story.

Grape.... gees that bladder infection just won't let go will it... have you tried some cranberry tablets to help with it??
I hope the new antibiotics do the trick as I so understand how crappy you feel.... are you the peefest queen??
Yep and I have to say that cirumcision story was so funny...

elena.... I so glad that BRM has been productive ...the book sounds like a fabulous thing..hmmm Ill add that to my todo list in the future.... Sorry to hear that the pain and appetite remain poor...grrrrrr... hang in there you are nearly at 32 weeks... oh and glee is not on my watch list either.........lol..lol..

jen.... hate it when you have cranky pants days...where was all this hormone fueled agro when you needed it for the car repairs..!!!

little steps..... go the placenta brain....lol... you should see all the post it notes everywhere that I have to remind me to do things... I even managed to forget to pick up some ordered roasts yesterday and leave my mobile at work..lol..
bummer about the heartburn and puking...talk to your OB and ask him about losec or somac..its been recently proven to be safe in pregnancy...it will certainly make a huge difference in your symptoms

Mullinska....rants are so good for the soul.....rant and vent away... it makes me feel good that everyone else has parent issues and not everyone lives in a perfect family

well Ive been busy and exhausted thanks to a crappy sleep the other night....sigh... But now on 4 days off yay. So Im planning to make christmas cakes..finally finish the tax...god its like a never ending nightmare that one, placenta brain has made it a painful drawn out process... and clean up the mess in my dining room as a result of the tax...might get time to put the washing on, and maybe vacum the place...its been a while..lol..

The weather here has been wet wet wet... huge thunderstorms with torrential rain...unreal. We have a lot of flooding in our drought areas which has also destroyed billions of $ worth of wheat, so the farmers are pretty upset.
anyway on the couch relaxing, trying to convince myself that the decaff coffee is waking me up...lol...like NOT and putting off the final push for the tax.... might have another decaff coffee..
Babette has been quiet in her kicks the last few days... more little ones and squirmy... I get a big kick about once a day...but it does seem less to me...I know Im probably just being neurotic..but Im so glad I have a growth scan in a week.
have a great sleep everyone.
xxxxxx