Hellobee Boards

@Meowkers: I bought a new pair of maternity pants online from their new line. Not sure if they are in stores but I would think yes? Also, I totally did the elastic trick on a pair of shorts yesterday. Lol.

@dominobee: not much you can do about RLP aisde form what others suggested. I've had it a couple of times but not bad yet. I imagine it does start a lot earlier with twins!

@MaryM: Doesn't sound selfish at all, sounds frugal! And yeah hand me downs make complete sense if you have that many nieces and nephews. I have zero!! But my mom saved ALLLL my sisters' baby clothes plus I got mine and my brothers from my grandpa (yes these clothes are anywhere from 37-27 years old!) So I'll really only need to buy what I want... unless they're both boys in which case I'll need more stuff.

I had my first diet coke since early June today. I hate that I feel guilty about it!

But I was getting a headache after back to back meetings and am meeting a friend tonight so I wanted to feel better. And it's orientation (I work at a college) so they were just sitting outside, free, begging to be enjoyed.

@MaryM: I have one everyday (sometimes caffeine free). No guilt here. Nor guilt over the coffee, soft cheese, occasional sushi, soft serve ice cream, etc. Let go of the guilt girl!

@MaryM: don't feel guilty! I had an orange soda yesterday. I probably have a full sugar soda once a week or so. It's my little beverage treat since I'm not drinking!

@dominobee: too funny I wanted ceasar salad a week or two ago I ate one every day for a week

@dominobee: adorable!! I need to get organized. I started sorting through DS baby clothes yesterday and realized there isn't much I can reuse. I bought a bunch of new stuff on Zulily and some on Prime day. Can't wait to get it!

Hand me downs are awesome. There are a ton of babies in my small, close-knit church so there's lots of sharing and passing along of clothes. There's also a great 2nd-hand store 5 minutes away that sells exclusively baby items and clothes, most in the $2-$3 range. I bought a pair of shoes and a baby hat, plus a bunch of girly cloth diapers.... cloth diapers and books are my weakness when it comes to baby shopping.

Sometime during Nov or Dec we are going to go through all the garage storage, which will be a big task!! I feel like for me, pregnancy is just an excuse to nest for 5 months. I'm already thinking about minute things like cleaning doors and pantry shelves....

In other, un-related news, a student of mine set off the fire extinguisher in the hallway right outside my classroom an hour before the end of the day. Due all the powder in the air and on the floor, I taught with a cloth face mask on for the last period the entire time wondering what risk there was to the baby. I wasn't brave enough to research it until late last night, but it seems it will be ok. I was in my classroom when it happened, and the door was open for about 1-2 min as I got the kids inside and closed the door. It didn't seem hazy or smelly in my room, thankfully.

Next week, my dad is getting his heart zapped due to a-fib, my husband is having sinus surgery, and I'm having my formal observation/evaluation. On the bright side (well, hopefully bright) my dr appt is Tuesday and then there's a 3-day weekend after all this!

@MaryM: my dad has had a Maze procedure and two pacemakers in the past 15 years, and he doesn't want any more surgeries. Thanks for the insight on the recovery/impact.

As for DH, ages 0-25 he had horrible allergies and sinus infections, and couldn't breathe through his nose despite being on a max dose of Claritin D and similar meds. I finally got him to a good ENT 4 years ago and lo and behold, the sinuses were filled with nasal polyps. He had removal surgery and his septum was corrected, and it made a drastic difference. This surgery is to clear away inflammation and partial polyps. It's not 100% necessary but he is less than $1000 from his OOP max so it's best to get done now and earn another 5-10 years of clear breathing.

As for the hand-me-downs, that is definitely bittersweet. Hopefully as the pregnancy progresses and baby grows healthily, the bittersweetness can turn to appreciation for honoring his sisters memory by using some of her things.

14ish weeks down, hopefully 26 more to go!

@MaryM: Congrats!

@desertdreams88: I'm also thinking about everything I want to clean and organize! Beginning to tackle it bit by bit. We're hoping to have a yard sale in September or October.

Need a bit of advice: I know it's acceptable to tell most people not to touch your belly, but what about family? Every time I say goodbye to my MIL she pats my belly. And last night, since I'm really showing now, it was an extra long touch and she was like "Bye bye grandbabies!" I find it annoying and intrusive. Am I terrible? What do I say to her?

@MaryM: LOL! I'm not sure that would go over well.

We are refinishing our stairs next month (one project that never got done when we re-habbed our house 2+ years ago). I think I'm ok to sand with a respirator, but my husband will have to stain and poly himself. Think I'm going to take the dog camping!

@dominobee: 7what 7what about aving DH tell her privately/personally that it makes you uncomfortable? Especially since the babies aren't really big yet, or able to be felt?

@dominobee: So interesting....I haven only had the belly touching without asking happen maybe once or twice with any of mine, and never by family! I don't know what I would do but I would definitely be uncomfortable. I'm pretty non-confrontational so I would probably just grin and bear it but be super unhappy about it.

@dominobee: totally makes sense! Do you have any difficulty with her being overbearing (pre-kids)? I ask because it might be worth a convo with your DH about expectations for when the babies are here. This was a bit of a sore subject for my DH and I with our first because I wanted more privacy and he wanted everyone to have a chance to meet DS as soon as he was born (and then visit whenever). When we had our DD we didn't allow anyone to visit aside from our parents while we were in the hospital and everyone gave us space when we got home. It was a much better experience for everyone and we let everyone know ahead of time what we were doing differently, and why. Hopefully that makes sense

@bushelandapeck: I would agree on this!

I haven't had living children yet, but was overwhelmed when DH had surgery to remove a mass from his kidney a year after we were married, and, no joke, 13 people showed up to wait in the waiting room with me.

When I've been pregnant in the past, I've mentioned to him that maybe we shouldn't let his family know when I'm in labor or which hospital I expect to deliver at. I want some time as an immediate family before everyone and their mother descends on us.

@bushelandapeck: Thankfully our families are mostly women. I feel like men would make it even more awkward!

But for DH's surgery, even his brother's ex girlfriend showed up. And then when the nurse came out after the surgery and asked for Mrs. Dh's Last name, his mother stood up to go in before she realized they meant me (her name hasn't even been the same as his for like 20 years)

@bushelandapeck: Oh man. That sounds awful. I've already decided no visitors in the hospital. My family is pretty understanding (and lives 140 miles away) so I don't think they would argue, but not sure about DH's family (Who live 10 minutes away) they may complain a little...I just don't want them in the hospital with me. They make me uncomfortable.

@Tionn3: DH's family makes me slightly uncomfortable too.

His mom thinks it's weird that I don't talk more than I do. She said something to SIL after visiting once. SIL was like, um, have you met Mary? I'm just introverted. I prefer not to talk unless there is a purpose. And her visits last way longer than what I'm usually comfortable with.

If my own mom visits, she stays for a weekend (because she lives further away), but I know we don't have to be talking the entire time. With Dh's mom, I feel so on the spot. And like we have to just keep talking. And that's just not something I'm comfortable with.

@MaryM: I'm lucky that my MIL isn't too big of a talker. It's actually my FIL that makes me uncomfortable. He's the big talker, and he says/does so many inappropriate things, it drives me crazy. He's also the type of guy that would bring a bottle of whiskey and cigars to the hospital after a birth...it's like...seriously? This isn't 1950.

@Tionn3: @MaryM: DH smuggled in a bottle of wine for us to have with our take out the night after DS was born Even that 1/2 a glass was amazing after not drinking for 9 mos!