March/April Thread #3

[Nikki~Nathan&Danielle]

Good luck for the rest of the evening Traci!  It is funny how if you've having awful nights, that only one wake up seems wonderful - totally relate to that.  That's how I think of Nathan having only one waking (and even better if he's timed it with us going to bed!).

Judy, you had me ROTFLMAO and even tears welling up in my eyes!

Boy I'm interested in hearing what this book is. You know, when you have to say "here's a gift but please don't take offense to it" well - that's precisely when you really do KNOW it's not a gift to be giving. So when you open it can you say "gee, you were right... this really wasn't worth looking forward to". Gosh wouldn't it be hillarious if it was the Supernanny book!! HA!! I'd laugh. Do you have a fireplace? We heat by woodstove only so I've been known to comment about the need for kindling before

Maybe I could prop the book up behind the glass door all ready for next winter LOL!

Hopefully it comes with an exchange card.  Honestly, she said it a couple of times that hopefully I wouldn't be offended and it was meant like that and not to be offensive.   :roll:  Gee, and I'm useless at putting on a grateful face if I felt otherwise.  :oops:

I want my kids to know that if they don't want to be there they have every right to voice their opinion. I'm not looking to have perfectly behaved marionettes...

My thoughts precisely, I've been regaining my confidence my entire life because of their dictatorial parenting style.  And now they have the gall to tell me that I "am very quick to anger".  Yeah, now that I'm an adult and they have no right to shut me up I actually DO voice my opinion. 

Can you say to her "you might think so mom, but we don't" 

I like that, I do need some canned responses, because I still have this tendency to shut down and get teary if they confront me over stuff (or I end up going into a hissy fit with them.  :roll: ). 

I know if I don't have some other responses, something like "well I'm trying not to parent the way I was parented because I plain don't like the way you went about it" - and I really don't want it to come to that where it just all blurts out.

[FrasersMum]

Maybe I could prop the book up behind the glass door all ready for next winter LOL!

Hahahahahaha!! Is it a full moon??  :lol:  :lol:

[Jayri]

hey girls, just popping on here before I go to bed.
I got cards from andrea and macaire, what beautiful pictures. Andrea you made dh's day when he saw dh on there, he was hopping around like a kid, he was soo surprised to be acknowledged.
So so far I have had cards from micky, michelle, kate, holly, cathy, traci, roz, and ankie....thank you so much grils. Has anyone recieved mine yet,I am feeling a little guilty cuz I didn't put pic in the cards, I am trying to get the scanner up and running, but for some reason there are not enough hours in the day recently.
Sorry I didn't comment on any1 else, i get a little overwhelmed at times with the three pages or so that are put up each day.
Did you girls realise it only took us a month this time to reach almost 100 pages. We may as well keep going on if we are keeping this rate up.
Is everyone still up for the chat on friday, I can't make tonight's, but I don't feel as drained this week.
Riley is getting easier at night too, still fussy, no biggie, but we haven't had hours of screaming in a while, I kinda figured that it was a different cry, like she was mad, so one day I put her down while she was screaming, she went for about 5 mins or so and then conked out. And she has been getting better each night.
Righty ho girls, I will love and leave you and will check in in the morning to see how you all are!!!!!

[kate585]

IIIIII'm baaaaack!  Didja miss me?  Didja?   :lol:
Well, my Dad is gone and we had a lovely visit, but I kept thinking...if only he'd take a really long shower, I could go up and check in with the girls.   :oops:   (You know you're addicted when....)  He had the BEST time with Ryan and it was fun to see them together.  I showed him your cards since I got 4 from you all the first day he was here!  He just thinks it is the coolest thing ever to have friends from all over the globe and from New Jersey, too.  Hahahaha  (J/K, Erin!)  It was good to hear a postivie response since most people who hear about this site think either a.)  you are all a bunch of mass murderers trying to steal Ryan or b.)  I am just a major geek for chatting online and you all must be too.   

I have read all the pages I missed (Who said these were slow days?  I've been reading for at least an hour and I've only missed since Monday!)  I have loved all the pics and the new avatars.  When I saw your pics of Sam, Karen, I just said, "Oh, look at him!"  But, there was no one here and I realized it's getting pathetic to be talking to Ryan AFTER he's already in bed.   :oops:   Erin, I too show Ryan all his friends...he especially like's Cole's avatar that moves...not his own, though, which is interesting. 
Big (((hugs))) to our dearest Ankie!  And some more for Holly, Traci, and Nikki.  Thanks, Andrea, for making that document...I've saved it for the future.  Also, dh LOVED seeing his new name on the card.   :lol:
Bec, loved seeing your "other" child.  (Warning:  Charity pitch ahead)  I sponsor a girl, Nusly, in Guatemala through Christian Foundation for Children and the Aging (http://www.cfcausa.org).  I only pay $20 a month which is all I could afford when I started doing it.  I adopted her when I was 16 (and she was 4...now she's 16 herself!) after my aunt went on a mission trip with CFCA to write an article about it.  So much of the $ goes to the people in the towns and not to administrative costs, adverts, etc. like a lot of those you see on TV do.  I get letters from her a few times a year and I've written to her a bunch and sent her wedding pictures, Ryan's birth announcement, etc.  My aunt said when she met her sponsored child, her picture (my aunt's) was up on the mantle.  How cute is that?     Just wanted to offer a GREAT organization if you are interested.  (Sorry if that was preachy!   :oops: ) 

Okay, must go make cookie dough for tomorrow.  SIL is coming over to help me decorate cookies and keep an eye on the babe.  Can't believe how much I missed my "make-believe" friends!

[Richelle]

Traci - So glad to hear you are feeling better!  Well donr for Cole!  It must be a bit easier with less wakings to get to the bottom of it. 

Nikki - I can't imagine that it is easy to deal with!  When I was at home I was going out and leaving Sophie with my dad and I reminded him that she was to have her nap in1/2 an hour and not to get her all hyped up and I had a fit at him when he said to me, "you know I did raise you and your 2 brother's, I will be able to tell if she is tired, I'm not completely useless" to which I replied "You may have raised 3 children but you are not raising mine, thank you very much and if you would like me to trust you with Sophie you will follow my rules and her routine!"  :oops:  It is a great idea to prepare some canned responses so you are ready and stop them in their tracks.

Naomi - good to know you are feeling better and things are settling down!

Hannah - I just finished Nanaimo Bars EH?, sugar cookies, butter tarts and peanut butter blossoms.  I have enough to take to our 3 parties onChristmas day.  That is an island thing by the way, after you have a nice lunch ect you go party hopping - there are key parties that a few people throw every year.  I am striving to become one of the people that throws the party  :wink:  :roll: !

I am pooped, I bought a small tree today, I caved, I couldn;t let Sophie have her first christmas without a tree.  I was sort of boycotting b/c I am still depressed that I lost all my decorations ect...(lots of fabulous ones - collected over 6 years) in the hurricane last year.  So we have a 3 foot tree with some ribbon and 9 bulbs    :lol:, very Charlie Brownesque, DH came home and said AWWWW how cute where is the mommy tree?!

I'll post a pic (yes that is DH's foot, poor guy is having a rough nitght on the couch!)

[kate585]

Oh, yeah, forgot to add, Nikki, Deb made a list of some good canned responses to use with her in laws in the Lounge perhaps.  It had some really good ones!
Really going to make that dough now!

[Colesmom]

I realized it's getting pathetic to be talking to Ryan AFTER he's already in bed.

 :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

got booted off the chat so thought i'd come check in:)  missed ya kate:)

glad your visit went well.

richelle-cute tree.  sorry about all your lost memories  :cry:

[becca24]

Hi Everyone,

Here goes, hope I can remember everything I wanted to say:

Nikki - Halle doesn't look like she will be crawling anytime soon. She sits up really well and a few days ago started turning around (while sitting). She can roll from front to back but not the other way. hmmmm what else - she waves ta-ta, claps hands (sometimes), you can say "dancy-dance" to her and she kind of shakes her head around. (DH likes to think she is moshing) and she does a 'percy' which is something I used to do when I was a baby. We had a Pug dog named percy that snorted and screwed its face up. Mum used to get my to act like percy all the time :roll:  Now she is getting Halle to do it  :roll: 

I turned out to be 38oC here yesterday. A few of us went to the pool. One of the girls phoned me this morning to tell me her dd has chicken pox :evil:  I have flash backs of her kissing Halle in the pool yesterday :twisted:  :twisted:  I realise she didn't know at the time but I can't help feeling ed off over it  :oops:  :oops: I really hope she does not get it.

As for the parent/discipline thing - do you all think that sometimes they forget?? :?  Like MIL will say stupid crap like "None of my kids dribbled" or "My kids would stand in the book store for 5 mins :wink: " or the classic "my kids slept through from two weeks old"  :twisted: Shouln't she be using a cup by now? My kids ALWAYS used manners/ate all their tea/did chores etc etc  blah blah blah. I think maybe her kids did all that because they were SCARED of their father - that is not something to brag about if you ask me.

Bianca - I got some really good advice and help from Annamum in the breast feeding forum when Halle was going through a bit of breast refusal.

Judy - your family pic is beautiful!! You look so young - how do you do it? LOL at taking photo's of split lips etc. I have a bad habit at laughing at people when they fall over etc. (after checking they are ok first of course :wink: ) Used to LMAO at people falling of their horses!!!!   Funny thing I fell over at the gym yesterday and had half the place laughing at me.

Richelle - great photo of Sophie with her bum up! Is that a crip bumper thing? we are advised not to use them here but I think that would help with Halle's waking sometimes.

Cathy - We are getting bitten, scratched, hair pulled, screamed at, poked and pinched here all the time  :lol: Oh the joys!!!!!!!

Nancy - all that shopping sounds exhausting! Glad she was a good girl for you!!

Hannah & Richelle - re: Nirinjan. I get updates about his family and community, photo's and Nirinjan will send a picture he draws usually of a flower but this year he drew a mango. I really love receiving these and get so excited to hear about his comminity. But no, I don't write back. I am not sure what to say. It's hard to explain because I am so crap at putting things into words But it has to do with what Richelle said about excess. I just feel like I have so much compared to him and what am I supposed to say? I mean a mango is important to him so I am not sure what to tell him about us??? I suppose I can talk about Halle now??

Traci - LOL at you in the store shouting aobut the last gift!!! yee haa that must feel good. Only gifts I have left to get is Mum's. It's her birthay Christmas Eve also so she get two gifts!! I have left it up to my brother to get the gift. His nickname is 'Fortnight' so needless to say he hasn't got it yet :evil:  :evil: I better phone him and put a rocket up him!!

I was PMing everyone I got cards from but I got so many today I will just thank you all here. So thanks to ERIN, ANDREA, ROZ, JO, KAREN, MICHELLE,TRACI, MICKY,ANKIE,KATE & LISA - I love love love love love them!!!!!!!!!!

[sophieandhannah]

OK, I just have to say that I am ROTFLMAO at all of these posts...better than the chat...I missed you Traci so I ended up here too

Kate and Bec thanks for the info on sposoring.  I think it's a great idea.  and Bec I know what you mean about the excesses but yes I think it would be really great to write to him about hallee....kids are sort of the equalizer KWIM?

Also I DO think parents have forgotten.  You said it very well BEc.  If I knew how to do quotes...there would be one from your post here.

Cute tree Richelle.  Good for you.

There's more but I am dying to check the mail

Hannah

[becca24]

Kate we posted at the same time! You must have been very mature 16year old to even think of sponsoring a child at that age!! Good on you, you must be proud of yourself. The only thing I thought of at 16 was trying to make my Mum and Grandparents life hell!!  :wink:  I sponsor Nirinjan through (http://www.plan.org.au) same deal with the money going to the whole comminity. I chose them specifically because they are Non-religious.

[Judy]

Maybe I could prop the book up behind the glass door all ready for next winter LOL!

OMG that would be hillarious!! I can just picture it propped up waiting for the next big fire!!   Take a picture for me!!  (now *I* have tears!!)  Gosh girl it's too bad we live so far apart - we could have FUN!!

Hopefully it comes with an exchange card.  Honestly, she said it a couple of times that hopefully I wouldn't be offended and it was meant like that and not to be offensive.   :roll:  Gee, and I'm useless at putting on a grateful face if I felt otherwise.  :oops:

I can't believe she KEEPS saying it.  Honestly, she should not be giving a gift that comes with a disclaimer - especially one like that.  If she says it again before you open it I'd be saying "geee mom I can hardly wait! Hope you put a gift receipt with it"  I mean if she has the nerve to say "I hope you aren't offended" then you've the right to say "can I take it back!"

What would be better open gifts right away and get it over with and then stew the rest of the day (I like to stew about things!!  I reeeaaaallly start to boil then! or open gifts after dinner and all but have it hanging in the air all day?  Better yet sneak under the tree and find a book shaped gift for you and have it go missing!!

My thoughts precisely, I've been regaining my confidence my entire life because of their dictatorial parenting style.  And now they have the gall to tell me that I "am very quick to anger". 

Oh man this sounds exactly like my life!!  Honestly.  My mom would send an email (LONG) once a year detailing her current issues with my life.  One time she called me up and said she wanted to get together for coffee and I finally got up the nerve to say "why don't you just tell me now what it is you have on your mind"  so she went on about how she didn't like me living with Chris and she didn't see our relationship heading toward marriage.  Ok so since you don't LIVE with us you really couldn't possibly see where the relationship was going and even if it was going nowhere - what business is that of yours.  So since he hasn't proposed in the last 4 years I should dump him because.... you don't see it going where you want???  She must've been so pleased when we then went and bought our house... or maybe a year after that when I told them we were finally getting married - oh, and um that's not all - I'm pregnant! HA!!!  Actually I said "I've got more news" and my dad said "you'd better not say you're pregnant!" and I said 'you might want to leave the room then!!   Took him 45min to stop glaring at me - but he came round.

Anyway we got married a couple months later and my brother was home from Vegas so we spent a fair bit of time with the folks.  Anyway after the week I got ANOTHER email about my anger, hostility, judgements of them and so on.  I was ticked. I'd put up with this and defended myself long enough so I called up my mom and said "you both home?  ok.  I've got your letter and I'm on my way over.  We're gonna talk"  and I walked in and said to them that I would say everything I had to say, I would listen to their points but this was IT.  I did not ever want to get another letter again.  If they didn't like what I had to say and didn't come round to treating me differently that was fine - either we get this cr ap sorted out and move forward as a family or I'll be happy to put a whole he!! of a lot of distance in there.  I was annoyed and they did listen up.  First time ever in my life.  And I was blunt - "you want to know why I'm hostile when I come here - because you people are controlling and sarcastic and rude (dad).  Mom I don't need letters telling me what you think, I grew up with you I KNOW how you think - take note - I make my own choices anyway!"  So anyway it went really well and they haven't come at me so directly since - until this past month and she backed down very quickly this time.  No one should have to get to that point and I'm not encouraging you to at all - just sharing a story.   I remembered it when you said your folks are talking of your anger.  They just don't see it eh?  Obviously not - if they're telling YOU how to parent they still believe they did a good job and who wants to go down that path of telling them differently.  What would it gain?  Nothing!

Yeah, now that I'm an adult and they have no right to shut me up I actually DO voice my opinion. 

I think this is really hard for parents to accept - especially controlling ones... they've managed to control you your whole life and suddenly now they can't and they can't expect to - tough spot.  Takes all their power away and they are left giving you gifts with disclaimers for Christmas.

I like that, I do need some canned responses, because I still have this tendency to shut down and get teary if they confront me over stuff (or I end up going into a hissy fit with them.  :roll: ). 

I've used a lot of "our house" "we" statements that make my point and point out that it's both dh & I and that don't invite further input.  Like "we don't spank in this house", "we agree that...."  etc.

Gosh can you tell this so hits home with me?  I'm like a dog with a bone eh?  grrrrrr

[Judy]

I am pooped, I bought a small tree today, I caved, I couldn;t let Sophie have her first christmas without a tree.  I was sort of boycotting b/c I am still depressed that I lost all my decorations ect...(lots of fabulous ones - collected over 6 years) in the hurricane last year.

Oh but think of it... now you can get a special decoration each year with Sophie. It can be your and her new tradition. 

...(yes that is DH's foot, poor guy is having a rough nitght on the couch!)

DH takes up permanent residence on our couch too.  Used to tell me "someone's gotta keep it from levitating!"  :roll:

Judy - your family pic is beautiful!! You look so young - how do you do it?

Oh you are tooooo sweet!!  young?  I love you!!!  (I'm 37 btw... I think, hold on...............................  yup that's right.  I always have to do the math :roll:)

A few months back I said to dh "I'm not looking as good as I used to" and he said "of course you aren't - you're old"  :roll:

[FrasersMum]

Judy, I just had to go back and have another look at your photo.  37...  You're sh!tt!ing me!   :shock:  Hope I look that good when I'm 37 

By the way, am loving the dialogue with Nikki re the parents.  I guess most of us aren't there yet but our time will come!  Andrea, maybe you can put this chat into a word document for our future reference as well    Otherwise, I really really hope Judy and Nikki you guys are still around when we need help!

Oh, and Bec - sorry, did you say you aren't good at putting things into words??  Certainly fooled me 

Cheers and Beers!
Jo

[B&BMommy]

Love the pics everyone, they are so great!

Congrats Traci on the Moderator, (yes I'm behind) and that you are feeling better.
And great that your dad is home from the hospital.

Big hugs to Ankie (((hugs)))

Wow Judy, you don't look your age at all, much much younger!!! very nice family pic. [[DH takes up permanent residence on our couch too. Used to tell me "someone's gotta keep it from levitating!"  ]], too funny Judy

Cathy - sorry you're getting bitten etc right now..hope its just the teeth too. :?

Kate...lol at your coment
a.) you are all a bunch of mass murderers trying to steal Ryan or b.) I am just a major geek for chatting online and you all must be too.   I have got the exact same responce from friends/family especially A)  lmao

Kate again - and Andrea - what document was saved, I've been doing my best to keep up to date, and still back track to all I have missed so I can get caught up on stuff, but I seem to have missed a document somewhere, I'm going back now to see what page (s) I missed that was about this...but just wondering...

Got some more cards today from all of you...thanks soooo much love all the pics of your lo's.  I am so hoping all of mine get to you all soon in time. :roll:  :oops:

Well we haven't been having good nites again, Brady seems to be having tummy troubles, gas, I've been giving him ovol, but it doesn't seem to be working. On a good note, Brady is so ready to be crawling, he gets up on his hands and knees and rocks back and forth, wanting so bad to get moving, soon, very soon. He says mama and dada very well now, but I could have sworn he said Elmo today...lol....

Well  i should run for now, so much to do in so little time, how the heck did Christmas just sneak up on me like this, didn't I have a year to prepare since last year..... :shock:

Hugs to you all, and wishes for sleep filled nites

Holly

[mickymuscles]

hi girls!
I gotta pop on and say hi before my eyes fall out of my head!!  :shock: I've been up since 3:30am on the airplane at 6:30am and finally in san diego at 1:45pm.  With one of my suitcases missing!  :shock:  It's now 10:15pm and I think i've become a zombie!!  Jack did so good on the plane rides!!  He was an angel baby today!  On both legs of the flight he fells asleep for an hour right at the beginning while he was drinking his bottle and was happy for the rest of the flight winning the hearts of all women around him :wink:   Even one of the women said at the end of the flight "Did he sleep the whole way?"     He was so good.  But one lady  :twisted: I could have slapped her!!!  Right before we boarded the plane I gave Jack a very small dose of Gravol (since he does have reflux and he's never been on a plane before-I didn't want him puking on me-and what's the harm IF it did make him a little sleepy?-but it didn't) Anyways, this B*TCH said to me "Shame on you!".....I just about stood up and kicked her in the SN@TCH! GRRRRRR!  Who the hell are you to tell me what the hell I can give to MY SON!  :twisted:
But we made it (minus one suitcase) and Jack passed out fairly easily in my sister's new nursery.  We'll see how he goes down tomorrow.  Oh, one more rant... :evil:  My sisters stupid MIL.....we went to Target to get some supplies (ie. food, diapers, wipes, baby shampoo...i didn't bring any because my sister said she needed to get it anyway since she is expecting soon) anyways...that's another story......after spending $120US on food and supplies....my sister's stupid MIL says to me "oh, let me know if you need any more supplies for the next time I go to the army base...the store there has a ton of baby supplies and they are subsudised HUGELY!"   GRRRRRR!!!  I jsut about wanted to say " WTF! Do you think Jack needs all this food for tonight? IDIOT!"
Enough of me ranting...my sis just brought me a piece of icecream cake for my 32nd B-day.  Double GRRRRR!