35+ TTC 1st Graduates!!! Come on Over!

[Mommy's Angel]

Hi Ladies!

Oh Angela. Everything gets that much more intense when we're not feeling our best. If I remember correctly this happened when Ethan was born too. This meaning him getting sick a lot. I'm sure Reece will be okay to spite how little he is he has parents that are giving him all that they can. The pain you feel from mastitis isn't helping either on top of the illnesses you and reese are dealing with. Praise God for MIL's! (((PRAISE))) Maybe you'll be able to get some rest as mil takes care of things. A little rest can provide miracles. Praying God would touch your family and your home, heal all illness and provide strength through the healing process which I pray is swift. Praying also for Ethan's immune system to stay strong and healthy to fight another cold/flu. You just try and rest dear friend. ((hugs))


Anna, I also went out and bought ingredients for chicken soup! It's FRIGID temps here so I needed comfort food. Very funny about the roast chicken. Live and Learn. Roasting chicken is something I DO know how to do. I like rubbing the skin with olive oil slightly and adding chunks of garlic just under the chicken breast. Try and slide a knife just under the skin (gently or you'll tear the skin) Then add the garlic salt and pepper to the top as desired. I sometimes go a bit further and cut half a lemon and some rosemary and thyme which I soak in water for a few minutes gently wipe dry so that it will provide a nice steam inside the bird. To make it crispy on the outside I will turn the oven up to 425 for 1 and 1/2 hours with a 6lb chicken. Let it sit for about 15 minutes before cutting. You should have a nice golden crispy chicken. You also want it moist to the taste as well. You will probably have to tweak it a bit since your on an elevation I'm assuming.

Amelia is doing just fine today. Phew! I was concerned about her tooth so once she went to sleep I used a night light to look at it. No chip thank goodness and she seems to be doing well today. Also her temper is at bay and no inconsolable crying all day from the teething.

I seem to be feeling SO MUCH BETTER since starting back on meat. Granted, yesterday I ate chocolate because I was flipping stressed but even yesterday my sugars were somewhat under control. Today slightly higher but I'm satisfied with feeling good. Making soup as I said so it will be a lovely night.


Anna, glad you were able to save somewhat. You can go REALLY nuts. I'm trying to understand how my sil does it. Again, like you we buy a lot of fresh produce and hardly any processed foods so much of our foods don't get coupons. We try the farmers markets but they don't even compare to our Wegman's Market here. Price Chopper does triple coupons which is AWESOME. If you have coupons you can triple them up to 1.00. I'm loading up on cans of veggies to put away in case of emergencies. While they have more sodium than I'd like, I have found that green giant has cans that have low sodium or no sodium which I've purchased with coupons.

If you have time on the weekend start reading some coupon sites to explain how to double, triple and even get freebies. To me it's a full time job so expect not to do it all since you do work outside the home and need that family time but at least it will give you some tips to get the best deals.

Well, Love to you all!

 

[Vivienne]

Never fear I am still here!!!

Congratulations Steph on the !!!! I am so wanting another but must wait til after the wedding
Oh and yes grommets are teeny tiny tubes to ventilate ears and prevent fluid build up.

Angela all I can say is flip, just flippity flip flip what a ride your poor family is on!

Anna it would be fab if you were preggers! I work at place called The Warehouse Ltd, sort of like Target, red and black uniform, huge range of goods, plenty to waste your money on

Beth I just love Poppy's hat, Callum lives in hats, wears them to bed, the dinner table, shower
You are so amazing with all you do for your family!!

MA, miss you on facey I feel for you with bumps and bruises. Callum is so clumsy he is often covered in marks. People must think we are whacking him!

AFM We have a fun new bedtime routine, it's called I refuse to go to sleep unless you are in the room or are holding me. Otherwise I will scream and cry for an hour I cannot believe we are here again. We haven't a clue as to what started it. At daycare he falls asleep almost straight away!!
Ay curumba.

I am flying solo this week, Chris is in Australia for a conference. It is nice having the bed to myself but so far I've had to share it with Callum and the cats, who, can make themselves three times their mass when on a bed??????

Have realised there are only 11 months til wedding and I must push on with plans. Usually I am very good at organising things but for some reason the thought of organising this, is just terrifying me silly!!

Oh and I may just gloat a little and say we are having a run of 28 plus Celsius days here and I am sitting here wearing a singlet top and shorts

Well I might try and sleep

 

[Vivienne]

I meant to say on the subject of food, Callum eats in swingabouts, one day like a lion next day like a bird and he doesn't 'do' veges.

Breakfast is me first for an appetiser both boobs then weetbix or ricies yoghurt and fruit, water and milk. Water from a water bottle with a straw and milk from a normal cup with handles. He likes to use the same mugs as us for milk.
Snacks are fruit (into pears, grapes, kiwifruit, oranges this week), raisins, cheese, meat, crackers, cottage cheese. Lunch, sandwiches or rolls with ham or chicken, cheese, Vegemite (a yeast spread that sounds horrific and looks worse but is full of iron and B vitamins and tastes delish) or a scone. No peanut butter or muesli bars at daycare though as there are allergies at the daycare.
Dinner is usually what we had the night before as we eat late. Mince, pasta, chicken, (there are always vegetables which get a quick chew and usually removed from mouth and put back tidily on the tray! So cute!), pork, sausages. I'll try anything, if he eats he eats if not I give him the option for some fruit and a yoghurt and he usually eats that. He won't starve!

Teething sometimes quells the appetite and his ear infections also make him only want boobs. There is usually a boob feed before bed too. No sign he wants to stop so I'll just keep going. I kind of feel proud after persevering for so long that we are still going strong

 

[newmarriedgal]

Hi Ladies,

Been a long weekend - I told someone about what happened with the ultrasound and she said it probably is a miscarriage and they are just waiting 2 weeks to see if I need a D&C or something. This is going to be a very LONG 2 weeks! It wasn't something I wanted to hear so now, of course, I'm freaking out about it.

Viv - I'm so happy for your upcoming wedding! We just celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary and I remember all too well how fast it creeps up! I planned/paid for the whole thing myself so I know it can be a challenge! Good luck and I'm sure it will be a great time if you just focus on the two of you!

Steph - hoping you are feeling better!!! this morning sickness is a beast, isn't it! And if I have a hubby who was a chef, I wouldn't make a thing!!! but poor charlie can microwave a mean meal but that's about it! I have to cook, otherwise we'd have chips and marie callendar frozen meals all the time!

Anna - not to worry on the upside down chicken! I do one part-way like that! (see below!) It gets more moist breasts, so it wasn't Wrong! Good for you for going organic! I think about it, but when I buy the rotisserie chicken, I'm usually too pooped/stressed to find organic!! But I applaud you for wanting to go organic, I really should be doing more of that!

I roast a whole chicken almost every week. There are 2 ways we like the best, regular and honey roasted. For both I love love love thyme with chicken! for the regular:
liberally salt/pepper the inside cavity. Stuff cavity with a whole bunch of fresh thyme (leave on stems), 1 lemon halved, and 1 whole head of garlic (not individual cloves, the WHOLE head) that I slice in half crosswise. I liberally spread a mix of olive oil and melted butter over the skin and liberally sprinkle with salt/pepper/little more chopped thyme (dried is ok here too). I usually (but not always) place on bed of veggies - carrots, fennel, onions (but I don't eat them afterwards - too oily from the chicken juices, they go in veggie stock later). Roast 1.5 hours, let rest about 20 min covered, enjoy! (use the 20 mins to get the other sides ready!)
For the honey one:
I stuff the cavity with lemon, thyme and onion (rather than garlic). Then for the outside, mix olive oil and honey (1 part honey to 3 parts oil) and more chopped thyme and spread on top - then salt & pepper it. I don't do this one over veggies. Roast breast side down (see!!!!) for about 40 mins (back is golden), take out, flip over, baste with drippings, and roast for 20-30 mins more. done!

I have done the smearing under the skin like Rebekah, but usually just on breasts on the bone with skin as it needs more oomph. Sometimes, I'll cut slits in the skin and let it soak in that way too. But I find using my fingers is the best way to separate skin from flesh, the knife, I'd be poking out the skin! I can ease my fingers in and get my whole hand in there to massage it away!

Angela - SO sorry on the mastitis! That is SOOO painful! Hoping it lets up soon. I got thrush right afterwards, so I lived on that APNO cream! Hoping all is well this week!

AFM - well, Poppy is going to be a year next week!!!! amazing! Planning 2 birthday parties both with same theme - prince's 1st b-day! even have a crown! And he has found stairs! ALL he wants to do when daddy is home is climb up the stairs (he doesn't with me!). And he climbs ALL the way to the top!!! and I shouldn't say climb.....he doesn't go up on his knees. Nope, not my boy, he plants his foot flat on the step, leans forward, bites the next step up (!!!!) and pulls himself up to plant the other foot flat on the step. No climbing for him, he wants to Walk up the stairs!!! Sometimes, he grab on to the balusters (you know, those spindles on the staircase) and pulls up rather then biting the carpet! Such a cutie!!!

Well, munchkin is stirring, hoping he stays down a little more so I can get some laundry done. Hugs to you all!

 

[pablo797]

Happy Monday ladies!
Beth posted...
"Been a long weekend - I told someone about what happened with the ultrasound and she said it probably is a miscarriage and they are just waiting 2 weeks to see if I need a D&C or something. This is going to be a very LONG 2 weeks! It wasn't something I wanted to hear so now, of course, I'm freaking out about it."

OMG!! I can not believe someone would say that!! What a cold and heartless thing to say!!!! Don't listen to them AT ALL!!! You are still experiencing MS, so I'm sure all is just fine. What a total dumbass!!! Let me tell you what I really think....

Vivienne, so good to hear back from you. Wedding planning can be a bear, and expensive!! Plus all the family drama . . . Anyway just remember what it is all about and elope!! Ok not really, but in the end it's about you and DH, and your love for one another and all else is fluff. So glad all is well and I am so jealous of your weather. Sounds heavenly!! And I am totally with you on getting the whole bed to yourself! Such a nice treat. And if its any consolation, dogs are the same as cats. We have a king size bed. Somehow Dante can take up more than half. Why do they have to lay width wise??!!

Beth, thanks so much for the cooking advice and recipes. Quick question what temp do you cook your bird? I've seen everything from 325-425. I would like a golden brown bird. Happy birthday to little poppy!!! Such a big man now. And stairs, yes we struggle too. Time for baby gates. On organic, I buy what I can and afford. I don't go crazy. I focus on meat and some veggies, but sometimes I have to also weigh where it comes from. If its shipped from holland, is it better to buy the organic from holland or something grown in Colorado but not organic? In that instance I go local. Smaller footprint and supports local farmers. Never easy. Point is, I do what I can but don't beat yourself up or go crazy. There is a list of fruits and veggies they call the dirty dozen. These are the most important to get organic. Start there.

MA, thanks to you too for the chicken advice. Our altitude can mean slightly longer cooking times, but it's baking that really gets affected. Even high altitude recipes are for like 5,000ft. Well we're at almost 10,000ft. Anyway, I will, give the roasting thing another shot. On the coupon front, yes I agree I don't buy too much processed food so I find not much of what I buy goes on sale. And I don't have the time to go crazy, but maybe start slow and see what I can do. Every little bit helps.

Angela, how are things? How are you feeling? How's the boob? How are the boys, especially the baby? Have reinforcements arrived?

AFM, not much to tell. DH got back last night so it was nice to have two sets of hands. Jo had a rough night but the cold seems to be better and she is feeling great. It's cold and grey here, yuck. Thank goodness Mexico is booked.

Love to all!! Anna

 

[pablo797]

One more quick thing . . I'd been doi g pretty well staying committed to WW, then yesterday a cute little Girl Scout came over and DH bought $50.00 worth of cookies!! Seriously!!?? How is a girl supposed to turn down a thin mint?? And their 2 points a pop!! Ok rant over ...

 

[rottpaw]

Super fast post girls but hope to write more later when my mil arrives to backstop me. Man, I need HELP in a bad way right now! Details to follow, but real quick -

BETH honey whoever said that needs a slap! Their intentions may have been good, but how insensitive! To be fair, anything is always possible BUT based on your history so far, your first beta and your continued normal symptoms (plus no bleeding), I think it is MOST likely totally fine, sweetie! Please try not to stress. That is why I mentioned Laura's story to you. They scared her to death and today, two perfectly healthy babies! I really think if there had been a reason for concern, your sonographer would have said something to you. Try not to worry! Can your dr do another beta in the meantime to give you some peace of mind? I would request one!

 

[pablo797]

Oh Angela, are you ok?? Should I get on a plane?

 

[rottpaw]

Anna you are sweet! my mother in law just arrived and thank God! It's the cold on top of the mastitis, plus sick baby that is doing me in!

 

[pablo797]

Glad back up has arrived!! Hope you can tAke care of yourself and maybe get a nap?? Lots and lots of healing hugs

 

[MissMuffet08]

This is really quick and I will respond to everyone else later:

Beth - please don't listen to your friend! Yes, it could be anything like Angela said, however speaking from experience, they would not wait two weeks. THey would have run your blood that day to run your number and then had you come back in about two days to see if it was getting higher or lower. I would definitely call your Dr and speak with her about it.

Will write back soon!

Love,
Steph

 

[MissMuffet08]

Viv – Good to hear from you! Glad to hear that Callum is doing well and that the weather is nice where you are! As for breast feeding, I nursed Katelyn until she was 20 ½ months so good on ya LOL. Also, thanks for clarifying what grommets are! I also know what you mean about the little ones tripling their mass whilst in your bed! You have plenty of time to start organizing wedding. It is ok to push stuff off for another month LOL. You gave birth, organizing a wedding will be a piece of cake! ;-)

Angela – I am so sorry to hear that you have Mastitis and a cold on top of that! Poor thing. I hope that Reece is starting to feel better. Glad that your MIL is going to be there to help you. That is awesome that she does that. My MIL lives about 5 miles from us and Katelyn only sees her when there is a family gathering.

Anna – good for you for roasting your first chicken! I have never roasted a chicken either. Very cool of all you mommies out there making Chicken soup! I am envious. I am just so tired/lazy that I just don’t see myself making soup anytime soon. On the coupon front, I am with you. I have watched the extreme couponing show and those folks are buying 30/40 of 1 item to get it for free. They have redone rooms in their homes to store it all. To me it is a step below hoarding. Because seriously, do you really need 75 pumps of hand soap? But I am all for learning some tricks and saving some money! Glad to hear that Jo is feeling better. I know you are counting down the days to Mexico. Please have a drink or three for me! Oh and on the GS Cookie thing if you have more than 1 refrigerator, put some in the freezer of the one you use least so that way, you forget about it for a months…easier

Beth – YAY on Prince Poppy’s 1st birthday! How exciting. Be thankful that he only wants to the stairs with your hubby because there is nothing more exhausting then climbing up and down stairs (good exercise though LOL).

Rebekah – sorry it has been so cold! Hope that Amelia is doing ok with the teething and glad that her front tooth is not chipped! Also glad that you are feeling better now that you are back to eating meat! YAY!!!

AFM – I have been feeling like a sloth lately. Saturday, I literally was so tired I wanted to cry. Katelyn woke up at 6:30am and I got up with her. My husband has just started a new job at this restaurant in Hollywood and had to work from 11-7pm. Well I put her down for a nap around 12:45 and then made me some lunch and took a nap with her! I was too tired to make dinner and ended up ordering a pizza. I literally fell asleep while putting Katelyn to bed and by 9:15 I was in the bed asleep. I am still stressing out and probably will until I see the Dr, but I am trying to have happy vibes! In the meanwhile, I am going to have to do something to get my energy level back up! I am re-reading the things you can and cannot eat and apparently, bagged salad and spinach is on the list. Don’t remember if it was on the list before. Oh well. Katelyn has been super clingy, but oh so cute! I am just more and more in love with her every day. She just amazes me at the new phrases she says or funny little faces she will make. She was watching Sesame Street and they were making faces and now she will stick her fingers in her mouth and show her teeth and make a monster face. Sooo cute! Every week it is something new. It is also weird that she will be two years old in 2 ½ months! MAN has the time flown.

Well I better get back to work, though I would love to take a nap. Good news is my boss is out of town for the next two weeks so I may be able to take a little bit of a longer lunch, but we will see.

JULES!!! We miss you, what are your plans for Gabby’s bday?

Hugs to you all
Steph

 

[Mommy's Angel]

Beth, Okay, I'm flipping MAD! Who in Gods green earth would say such a thing?!

Here's my take on this. As Angela and Anna said, your still having symptoms. If it were a miscarriage you wouldn't HAVE the Morning Sickness. At this stage you would be miscarrying. Secondly.....I have seen it over and over and over again where the fetal heartbeat wasn't seen and several women gave up. Some who's Dr.'s new enough to monitor another couple weeks or so and some Dr.'s who needed a slap in the head who recommended D&C only to find out the babies where fine after second opinion. You had your sonogram early. Not only that but you may be earlier than you thought if I remember correctly. They (The Dr.s) are extending the next couple of weeks for good reason. If there were any question you'd KNOW.

That dumbarse...excuse my choice of words here but the person frankly IS for spewing something like that without any kind of knowledge or background, has no clue! Set your mind at ease. You'll do yourself more harm then good by focusing on what that one person said without any warrant. Tell him/her to keep their darn comments to themselves unless asked for input!

Having lost a child, I understand what this wait is about. Mine was second trimester loss, but either way, when someone is pregnant these are words NOBODY wants to hear! The fact that the fetal pole isn't showing is EXTREMELY common and it honestly sends me over the edge when people give input that can do more harm than good to someone who's pregnant like that. Many women gave up and had D&C's because they thought it was lost cause when most likely they needed to wait. It's idiots like that, who rush to crappy judgement without being actually educated.

Phew! Sorry. That just sent me over the edge! Take one day at a time. If your having symptoms everything is fine. Just wait the two weeks. You'll see the fetal pole. Your just early.

 

[Mommy's Angel]

Hi everyone...

Thought I'd write a second NICER note. rofl

All is well here today though it didn't start that way. For the LITERAL 4th time we found our drivers side tire flat. We bought all 4 tires in the fall and ever since this tire has been going bad. We bought them from a reputable chain with 100,000 mile warranty , only we didn't know that THEY actually had to see something WRONG with the tire in order to replace it. 4 times later and 3 times Doug has been late or absent from work and I finally had it. When MOMMA gets mad WATCH OUT!

I walked in there with all the receipts, asked for the manager and told him not only did my husband miss out on work but THEY have been putting our lives at risk which included my infant daughter. 4th time and I wanted something done and I wanted it done TODAY without my husband being late or I would call every t.v. news station in the county, load our pictures up on facebook of the tire and issues with the company, contact their home office and take their bums to court not only for the new tires that I felt were lemons but also for my husbands time lost at work etc. Did they not MOVE!

I got a brand new tire after the 4th try, they put a new sensor on for FREE and rotated the tires (with the new tire in the back) so I knew where they were. Husband was with me, but so were a mess of women and men in the waiting area freaking out because of the story they were hearing. Needless to say one woman walked away with them saying they saw NOTHING wrong with HER car and another man said his tire pressures on his new tires were crap but they wouldn't take them back. Mark my word is this isn't fixed I'll have everyone and their brother knowing about the service and do everything in my measure to get the money we spent on the tires back. We'll never go back to them again.

There was one mechanic we used to go to a lot at another location and he's no longer there. He REALLY did a good job on all our mechanical needs. I miss him and will have to try to track him down.

On a lighter note, we spent the rest of the day in doors because its raining in freezing temps so its slippery.

Amelia has been playing with toys, Doug and I managed to paint a bit more of the kitchen and get a clock up as well as the chandalier he installed. It's been a great day.

Still feeling my best now. I'm convinced it was partly the vegan thing. I've been thinking of ways to incorporate more veggies and LESS carbs though and have been looking at some blogs for Clean eating and RAW lifestyles. I'm going to try to incorporate the two. See what happens.

Anna, I see on TV that WW is free online. Is that true? I'm thinking of doing it just to calculate my food. I wake up later in the day because we sleep in until 9am though Doug lets me sleep in until 10am or sometimes later. That being said, I don't eat all my calories in the morning. I eat them midafternoon and night. I HAVE to come up with a plan.

My sugars are under control now but with all the insulin coming in the rep has said I WILL gain weight. ((sigh)) I have to pick...Do I want to try for one more baby and NOT worry about the weight until AFTER or do I want to stop ttc totally and put the money into training and diet then try to adopt later?

There's NO DOUBT that I want to get healthy and lose weight not just for my husband and kid/s but for myself and the temple God has blessed me with.....I DO however turn 39 in May and the clock is ticking. So you know what I have chosen.

That said, end of February we go in for lining check and March we start what hopefully will be our first FULL cycle with IUI. Until then, I plan to watch my portions, food and exercise.

Well ladies, I must go. Amelia calls!

 

[pablo797]

Wow and I thought I went off . ..go MA.

 

[Mommy's Angel]

Viv, saw you posted. Can't WAIT to hear about your wedding. Sorry about the baby not sleeping well again. Wonder why?

It's SO good to hear from you!

 

[pablo797]

Nauseous this morning at work, may get a test just to rule it out. Maybe I just ate something bad, or am dehydrated. Don't really know when I'm due, kind of lost track since we're not TTC.

Anna

 

[pablo797]

Ok if my math is correct and I remember correctly, I'm not due for a few more days, so no point in testing until after this weekend. Don't get excited y'all, probably nothing. Hope everyone is having a good day!!

Angela, how ya doing hon?
MA, I HATE feeling jerked around by tire/car people. Glad you put your foot down and got some results.
Steph, hope all is well! Sorry you have been feeling so tired. That first tri is a toughie.
Beth, how are things with you?
Vividness, Steph is right, if you can handle baby, wedding is cake.

Love to all!
Anna

 

[newmarriedgal]

Hi Ladies,

Thank you ALL for the kind kind words to me. I truly appreciate my friends here. It has been a hard few days and I was losing my mind but the Dr's office just called me out of the blue and said she was reviewing my ultrasound and as they do them so early, it just is hard to see anything. She said not to say there is nothing right or wrong, either can be true, she just wants to be realistic and have me come in for a blood draw tomorrow to see if the numbers are going up. She said the previous number on 1/9 was good and I'm not having any bleeding/cramping but she said it wasn't fair to make me wait another week not knowing - she said she has 4 kids herself, she's been in my position. I was so thankful and will be heading there in the AM to get it done. Then I will hear the # on Thursday. That will be a scary time before the call!!! but I'm holding up, no alcohol but lots of chocolate! Although I have not had ANY bleeding or cramping - you know how it is, you feel one twinge in your tummy - even from indigestion - and your mind races and you think "is something happening? is all ok???" I know I'm doing more damage thinking this way but please pray those little numbers are rising!!!

I love you all, but a special thanks goes to Rebekah for her honest and heartfelt post to me. You are all so special to me, thank you for being here for me.

hugs to you all!

Beth

oh and Anna - on pins and needles for your testing

 

[rottpaw]

Thanks girls, I'm hanging in, more from me soon. Trying to rest any chance I get.

Beth, I'm SO glad your doc will do another beta. Yay! Although I'm sorry you have to wait a whole day for results. We will be here holding your hand! Know I'm thinking of you even if I don't post as much right now!

Anna I so hope you are preggo!!

Steph, I well remember days I crawled into the bed at Ethan's nap time and slept like the dead. I understand completely! Hang in, better days coming soon!

Bek, meat is GOOD, lol!

Viv so glad you are hanging in with us!

Love you girls, sorry for brief posts.