BFP Chasers...........Feel free to join....

[mikihope]

It's my pleasure, Wish! You've always been so supportive and helpful! I feel for you, having gone through the madness of a spirited 2ish year old myself. You are doing so much, so it must feel awful to feel like you are going nowhere. I think the main thing that is needed, no matter what method we use, is consistency. For us, what was useful was validation (like "I see you wanted...", helping him name feelings, etc), being there for him, and creating a mostly positive environment for him to succeed in.

I also made sure I spent enough quality time with him. Here's where Aiden's sweet and laid back personality really helped! Once Kai was able to feel safe and listened to, he was able to shift his behavior, and (amazingly, almost overnight) name the undesired behaviors without my prompting. He'd recover, get a cuddle, then tell me in the most hilarious way (lots of acting involved) what he shouldn't have been doing. He also became open to learning new boundaries, instead of just fighting everything. I could be calmly firm when needed. Once he changed that way, I've really enjoyed my time at home with the 2 boys. I used to dread waking up, and I would have severe fatigue and headaches all day long. I couldn't breathe. Then when things improved I remembered how grateful I was to have these 2 adorable and fun boys in my life. Now I almost feel like I want to stay home with them!

But you're right, I think I need to work. I'm not a career woman (I'm only a postdoc at this ripe old age), I just love research and I love dealing with people. I meet new people constantly in my line of work and I love that. And you're right, it's ridiculously expensive here in the SF Bay Area, so we do need a double income. What we've been hoping for is that I can (in a few years) eventually move to a part time sort of arrangement in my (future) job, so I can have more time to spend with the boys.

Oh, I threw my back out in spectacular fashion on Friday night! I reached into the crib to pick Aiden up, and it seized up so badly I almost collapsed and was unable to stand without holding on to the crib for dear life. While dying of pain, I had to get DH to hold me in a bear hug, and somehow put on my back brace. I could barely walk, I had to bend over and walk really slow. Luckily, we had Saturday and Sunday where DH took over most of the lifting. It's been pretty awful, but I'm used to incidents like this as I've had degenerate discs since I was 20. I think my recovery regimen is working well, but Kai really pushes me to the limits! Oh no, after I wrote that, I threw out my back again trying to pick Aiden up from the crib. Argh!

Wow, can't believe T and M have started daycare! How's it going for all of you? I can imagine how much you needed the break. Am imagining 2 Kais! But I too would miss them... I think this age is so ridiculously cute! Still almost babies with chubby cheeks, but talking and mispronouncing words in the most adorable way

I have a question for you. How do you manage to do work with your boys around? I gave up using my laptop around Kai as he was so curious about it.

Hope everyone is having a good week so far! Stay safe!

 

[Wish2BMom]

We've started to shift our ways with Timothy and I think it's improving. I don't know that he yet has the ability to comprehend what I'm saying about emotions but I'm trying. And trying for less timeouts, more distraction or taking something away ("no more outside until you calm down"-type things). He was having a fit yesterday and threw himself on the floor and started to shove this Fisher Price Food Truck thing we have for them back and forth with his feet. He seemed to zone on it moving back and forth and he calmed right down. So I praised him for using that to work through his anger but he didn't know what I meant, i could tell. So I'll just keep figuring out what the right words and actions are for now. He was an absolute BEAR this morning and for no reason - he got a great sleep, had food, etc. He's very much fighting for control in almost every situation ("I want that" then "I don't want that", then "I want that") just to see what he can control and for how long. And he's the most stubborn person I've ever met!

Working with the kids around - really, the times when I needed to actually focus for a few mins, I'd give them an activity to do. One thing they loved was playing with a bowl of water or water with dish soap bubbles. Give them a few measuring cups, spoons, some of their own dish toys, lay down some towels and have at it. Bonus for doing it in the kitchen, you sop up the water with bubbles and you just washed your floor! We had a Thomas the Train train track that kept their attention for a little bit. I taped empty paper towel and toilet paper rolls to the wall to make pipes and gave them some little pom poms to drop into them and see where they came out. There are a lot of things online that you can easily do. Freeze some of their toys in a big block of ice and give them a toy hammer to get it out (I haven't done this one yet but plan to). Painting, though I had to be involved in that one.
Otherwise, it was mostly either on my phone, during TV time, or during nap time that I was ever able to get much done. If I had a meeting, or if DH had a meeting, the other took over at that time. So we both really ended up working about 4 hrs/day.

 

[mikihope]

Sounds very promising, Wish! For Kai, once things became more positive, he became more and more capable of good behavior. Hopefully it will be the same for Timothy! He sounds like Kai in the "stubborn" department too. I try to think of it as a plus, that he's fiercely independent!

Sounds like T's doing the same thing as Kai, discovering how to calm himself down with less destructive behavior, even if he can't name or understand his feelings. I don't think Kai knows the words for his feelings, he just knows the actions associated with them. Like when he's angry, he knows he feels like hitting things or shouting. Or when he's sad, he knows he cries. I feel that's close enough for now. I do tell him what the feelings correspond to, but he doesn't actually say he's sad or mad or whatever. He says "cry" or "throw/hit/shout".

Thanks for your description of what you do on your work days, and how you occupy the boys. Those activities sound great (I love your clean kitchen floor idea!), and they're the sort of things I wanted to do for Kai but lack the strength and energy. He ends up doing regular stuff like reading, drawing, play doh, playing with trucks, tricycling/etc. I'll see if I can muster up the energy to come up with activities like those you mentioned. I'm so afraid of going back to work!

Daycare is going to be so different for the little ones, and drop offs are going to be in the parking lot as parents are not allowed in! It will be so sad dropping Aiden off for the first time. It will be so quick and impersonal. I had loads of transitioning for Kai, and it was still so heartbreaking leaving him there.

Well, now I find that I don't qualify for the special paid leave given to people who can't work due to lack of daycare. This means I will be unpaid for over a month more than I'd planned when I got maternity leave. It already sucks taking so much unpaid leave. Plus when daycare opens, our fees are going to be a LOT higher than before, and it might not be full time. How can I keep losing pay month after month, with no end in sight? I don't even have a "proper" job yet, since my boss hasn't bothered to move forward on my request for the past 1.5 years. Ugh, more to worry about. At least I have my adorable boys! Here are a few pics of sweet and happy Aiden, and one of cheeky Kai!

 

[Wish2BMom]

those faces.
I wouldn't want to go back to work either!!! Too busy kissing cheeks over here!!! They are too much!

I was trying to think of other 'activities' for Kai - stickers are becoming pretty popular in this house. I don't know if you've heard of the Usborne books (not that it HAS to be Usborne) but I just got a tractor/truck sticker book for the boys and they love it. I know I run the risk of stickers being stuck all over the house but they haven't done that just yet. And they are reusable stickers so they aren't like the ones that cement on to something and never come off. Mostly they like to put them on their arms!
We also have a couple different 'stations' in the house - a play kitchen set that someone handed down to us is in the corner of the dining room, we have an activity desk (one of those V-Tech things) in the living room with the toys that they can sit at and press buttons and go through ABC's, numbers, colors, types of fruit, different music, etc. That's kept them occupied for an hour or so before. You may be able to get some of these things for free or gently used on FB Marketplace or something? I plan on passing ours down when they are done with them!
Another thing we got that they spent a lot of time at was my mom sent them a 'coloring' mat that you can suction cup to the wall or the floor and they play with water pens on it, and that brings out the color on the mat. I hung it on our sliding glass door so the sun would shine through and make it brighter. They loved that. It also has ABCs on it so they are constantly exposed.
Oh and their trikes - they have these little push car/bike things they can use indoors and sometimes they just go around and around and around and around...they are starting to pretend with them now too ("we're home! i'm going to put this in the shed" which is the closet )

Ugh I'm SO SORRY about all of your work/daycare pressures!! Your boss needs to get on it!! What does DH say about the situation? That situation sounds like the reason a lot of people give up their jobs - more money going out than coming in. We'd be absolutely lost if one of us lost our job or had to go Unpaid for awhile. I mean, we have savings for a few months but that can go quickly in the blink of an eye, as you know, with home ownership! What are the options you guys are thinking of?

 

[mikihope]

Thanks for the nice words, I do spend a lot of time kissing those chubby cheeks. And thanks for the tips! How are Timothy and Malcolm doing in daycare? Kai starts on Monday and I'm nervous! I start work that day too, but will only be physically at work for 2 days. So nervous!

Oh yes, stickers! We too have car/truck stickers as Kai is obsessed with them. We've been using them as incentives. Now we have them all over the house, even on the floors. Luckily he doesn't stick them on walls. I found a sticker on Aiden yesterday!

I love the idea of putting that drawing thing on the glass, may try that out. We have a table where Kai often plays with play doh, but really he just uses whatever surface to play on. He can draw or read on his own, but sometimes he wants me to do it with him. And yes, he loves his trike or balance bike or little car. But our house is super tiny, so it annoys DH when Kai comes riding along and squeezing around things.

Well, DH has been actually pretty good about my bad job situation. He's normally so anxious about small things, so it's pretty surprising. He told me I'd find something if my boss doesn't move forward, but I don't know. I'm very non confident and I hate interviewing. I'm considering taking a non science/tech job in the same workplace. We're still toying with the idea of me not working, but I'm not sure I can do much more of this. I love being with my kids all day long, but it's so tough. And I'm isolated so I'm getting really depressed.

How's everyone else doing? Haven't heard from you in a while, TTC! Wicky, Mum, I'm dying to hear updates on you and your LOs! Also, good luck for those who are TTC!

 

[Wish2BMom]

You've been at SAHM for a long time now (for someone who isn't a SAHM!) so I get it - it's a LOT. I found myself snapping at the boys more, just overall losing my patience with them way too easily and I hated myself for it. They didn't deserve it, they were just being 2 yos. Once they went back I felt a sense of relief, though I still missed them. But we are much more balanced now.

They are doing great at daycare. I hope things are able to stay this way for awhile but I am nervous about the upcoming school year. Their playmates' siblings will be going back and that just exposes everyone and we can't stop it. Most schools around here will be doing hybrid school sessions, but how long until a couple idiot kids start running around licking everything or whatever? NH is doing really great right now and not getting a 2nd surge, but DH thinks it's inevitable.
I think you'll feel good once the initial anxiety of Kai being back in school is over with and you're back into the swing of things at work. Whether that means getting a new job or what, it'll come together for you. I'm glad DH isn't overly anxious about your job situation, I'm sure that helps a lot.

YES! where is everyone else? I hope you're well!

 

[mikihope]

Thanks for the support, Wish! Glad to hear that things are going well for T and M at daycare.

Well, on his first day Kai was very happy to see his caregiver, but then he burst into tears when DH turned to leave (I was in the car). So sad. And there were all the reminders of fun times together when I got home. I've been at home with Kai for over 4 months, and I spent a lot of quality time with him as I didn't want him to resent the baby. Also, I didn't want him to slide back in his development. I know what you mean by being snappy, though... I started to get really short with Kai as time went on. He picked up on my scoldy tone, it was pretty funny to see him try to use it when the baby was making too much noise!

Kai's first day at daycare went well and he had a blast, but he was so sensitive and screamy after he got home. I think the change was just too much to handle. Poor thing, his second day seemed to go a lot better, so fingers crossed.

But yeah, it's going to be scary when schools open up. To add to that, I'm really worried about the university here. We had an outbreak here from idiotic fraternity parties. I had no idea the students were back in town, when they haven't even decided how classes are going to start this semester! Ugh.

NH is doing so great! Especially when compared to California... The good news for us is that Northern California is actually doing lots better than down South. It has been very annoying being cooped up over here and seeing all sorts of idiotic behavior elsewhere due to opening up. Our county and area was the first to close in basically the entire country, and it is the last in the area to open. We only got to outdoor dining and some retail, and they shut the dining completely but then were allowed to open days later. They're taking things very slow still. We also had an early mask mandate. So hopefully we'll do ok.

Oh yes, first couple of days of work from home were ok. Tomorrow is my first day onsite. Afraid and excited!

 

[Wish2BMom]

How'd the first day back at work go? I forget what you said you are doing with Aiden - I assume he's just enrolled at Kai's daycare, right? Oh yes, I meant to warn you about those big feelings and the first day back to daycare - first week even! They boys were absolute bears getting back into the swing of things. They just keep them so busy there, they were pretty tired. We always have a 'case of the Mondays' around here anyway. The boys have to adjust every week! Don't we all?

That's fantastic your area is doing so well and being so cautious. I guess we just had an increase in cases to a number it hasn't been since early June. So we'll see what happens. I need to get my hair done before the salons close up again! HA! I haven't had my hair done since January, I've been waiting it out. But it's just a bunch of straw now, I need someone to take care of it. My hair dresser is extreme in everything he does so I know his salon will be so clean you can probably perform surgery on his floor.

How's Kai's language development? The boys are just crazy with their speech right now, i love it so much! I love seeing the gears turning when they are searching for a way to say something but don't know the right word yet so they put it together differently. And when they use something they are super familiar with and pretend to do it - we play outside with their little cars and they'll tell me to go sit down. Then they'll drive up and say 'I have a delivery!' (Amazon, anyone??) I'll say 'oh, yay! What do you have for me?' and Timothy will say 'pizza and burgers' Guess it's also a sign of how well we feed them! They kill me!

 

[mikihope]

Wish, that sounds so adorable, your boys are so advanced in their speech! Or at least Kai is not as advanced... He does say 3 or 4 word sentences, but with simpler words. I sometimes feel that he'd have less tantrums if he could explain himself better.

We're still hunkering down here. Hair salons never opened up here, but I only go once every year or 1.5 years. Although... I did get my hair cut shoulder length before I gave birth, and liked it so much that I'm considering going to the hair salon more often.

It's been 2 weeks back to work, and it's kind of surreal over there. We have only a certain number of slots for onsite work (most people are still working from home), and we have to ask for our onsite days the week before. We try to arrange things so we don't have to be in the lab at the same time. There's a huge amount of planning and communicating to get work done for the day. We need to stay as far away from each other as possible. I haven't seen my boss since I've started! It's been good going back to work, but I needed time to get used to standing lots when I'm onsite.

So things were starting to look good, and I was shaking off the cobwebs and a bit of depression from being indoors constantly for almost 6 months. Then we got the email that one of the teachers in Kai's school tested positive for Covid-19! Since it was in a different room (the rooms have no contact with each other) and she'd already left to quarantine herself 3 days before Kai joined, and it was already 12 days since she left, we've taken the risk of continuing to send Kai to daycare. They've done everything very well and to our satisfaction health and safety-wise, including splitting the kids into permanent groups of 6 or less, making kids above 3 wear masks (they're now teaching the 2 year olds to wear them as well), so we decided not to pull Kai out. Aiden is supposed to go in soon... It's heartbreaking and I wish things were different but we simply can't afford to have even one of us stay home

How's everyone else? I hope to hear from you all, I've been wondering how everyone is navigating this pandemic!

 

[Wish2BMom]

Wow that's crazy to have to navigate work like that! I understand it but yes, that's a pain the rear and so hard to communicate like that. And a teacher tested positive!! OMG! I'd freak out! I completely get that they are doing their due diligence with everything and that's wonderful, but you must have initially freaked out. Man, this is all so hard. We'll get through it b/c we have to but it's still hard. I know you guys are spaced out but do you get to talk to each other? Is what you do in the lab pretty autonomous or do you have to work together?

I bet Kai's speech will soar now that he's back in daycare. We both feel being around the other kids and the teachers has really helped.

Oh you're SO lucky to have hair that doesn't require a lot of upkeep!! Mine is just too fine and stringy for me not to get something done to it now and then. I don't go the every 6-8 weeks like most women my age do for grays but my grays aren't terrible. But I usually need to go for a trim b/c the ends get blegh! And then I get a color too b/c it adds texture to my hair. Then I throw it up in a ponytail or bun for the next 10-12 weeks!

How is your family doing?

 

[mikihope]

Oh yes, it's hard to navigate this new normal at work. We already have so many protocols in place for lab work, and now I have to put on gloves for normal work, and then gloves on gloves for lab work. And our PPE can't be shared anymore. We each have designated doors to enter the lab, to minimize touched surfaces. And we have to call each other to make sure we don't bump into each other, as the lab we work in is narrow in parts. Luckily, wearing a mask all day is not difficult as I used to work in cleanrooms for years. Unfortunately, I have to work very fast and I'm being pushed to be onsite for as many days (4) as possible, because our group makes devices for certain companies. Other groups generally do basic research and have no deliverables to industry, so we're a special case at the lab. Right now, we're in phase 2 of "return to work" at the general lab campus, where one fifth of the people are onsite. I'm one of the "lucky" ones who has to be onsite a whole lot to be able to do my job.

I'm dreading the slow increase in people, as right now the building is nice and empty and I feel relatively safe. I'm the only woman on my level, so the bathroom is pretty safe too. The buildings are all only open to employees who have signed up for a slot for the day, and there are limited slots. Everything else is closed, including the cafeteria. I like the way it is now, even though I miss the constant banter and social feeling I used to get in the building.

Turns out you're right, Kai's language is improving in leaps and bounds! Oh yes, I did freak out about the teacher testing positive, but then we let Kai go in as usual and we got used to the idea. Now I have to put Aiden in, and transition starts on Monday. Argh! He's just a little baby. Actually, he's quite a giant baby! He's 98% percentile on weight, height and head circumference. Maybe his hugeness will help him through any illnesses. At least he's super jolly. I thought Kai was jolly, but he has nothing on Aiden. Aiden laughs at everything, and he talks to himself and hangs out laughing in the crib for a while after he wakes up. Jolly baby chuckles are the best!

My family is doing fine back in Singapore, thanks for asking. My niece has super important exams (she's only 11!) and so she had to return to school quite a long time ago. They have very little covid community spread, so it could be done. My mom is driving everyone in the house crazy (she does this so well!), including my niece and my sister (her mom). It sucked for them to all live under the same roof - my parents and my sister/sister's family - even though my folk's house is big. How are your family doing?

I bet you look great, Wish! I really do need to get my hair done more. I guess my hair can grow to a long length without split ends because I don't do anything to it. I don't brush or blow it dry, I don't even towel it dry that much. I have never dyed my hair, except once in my early twenties, I did a home dye thing and turned my hair a very light brown. Anyway, I used to keep my hair all the way down my back to my waist due to my laziness. But it looks super duper flat and dead that way, as I have thin hair for an Asian, and too much of it (it gets heavy). So I should keep it much shorter, and go to the hair salon regularly after all!

Wicky? Mum? TTC? I hope you guys and your LOs are doing ok...

 

[mikihope]

Oh, and we did work together pre-covid. Especially my boss and I, our work often overlapped or we tag teamed a lot. I guess that was good practice for taking over jobs halfway and making sure I had good documentation for others to pick up the work. We now can't work together, but I don't find the logistics of it too bad.

 

[Mrs. Friend]

Has anyone successfully conceived with pcos and had their husband go through chemo?

Also - hi! I had a miscarriage before my daughter (who is now almost 9) and then one after her... that was in my first marriage.

I am now newly remarried and TTC, but my dh has gone through chemo twice in his life... the most recent was 3 years ago. Doctor's say it isn't impossible for us, but I am looking for some encouragement/positive stories.

TIA.

 

[mikihope]

Welcome, Mrs. Friend! I'm so sorry for your losses. I hope you have good luck and success with TTC. I don't have experience with pcos or chemo, but it sounds very promising to me that your doctors didn't dismiss your chances. Hopefully others with personal experience will chime in here. I'm sorry that things have been so challenging for you and your DH, and I wish for the both of you to be successful!

 

[Wicky78]

Hi ladies! I am finally getting back on here after a crazy 7 months. I have tons of updates, but I have to go for now. I just wanted to say hi and that Miriam is doing great. I'll post pictures and write more soon (hopefully this evening!). I've missed you all and am so glad to be back!

 

[mikihope]

Yay, Wicky! So happy to hear from you, and that Miriam is doing so well. Can't wait for your update and to see those photos!

 

[mikihope]

Well, today we have terrible air quality from all the fires in the region. Poor Kai and Aiden have to be indoors at daycare, which is not covid-safe. Sigh. At least Aiden is laughing all the time (instead of sleeping) according to his carers.

It’s that time of year again, last year we had a few power shutdowns due to fire danger. Not to be confused with the current rolling blackouts that we are experiencing right now since we don’t have enough power for everyone! So I had to write comprehensive documents for bringing equipment down and restarting them, as we don’t know who will be able to go in to do that. Normally it would have been me or my boss, but all our work is different now with all the social distancing and timeslot arrangements.

One recent bright spot in my life was when Biden picked Kamala Harris as VP, and when I heard them give their speeches. So normal! I need normalcy again. I’ve mentioned on this thread before that Harris grew up in a little house a few houses down from where I live. It’s now a Japanese bilingual Montessori preschool. She was born in the same hospital where I delivered both my boys. We’re thrilled over here!

So I'm still waiting for your update, Wicky! I want to see some smiley Miriam pics!

 

[Wicky78]

Finally made it back here to update you all on our crazy 7 months since DW had her hip surgery. I'll just hit the highlights.

- I got promoted to a new job in a different department. Very exciting and scary at the time. I really liked my old team, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I had to finish all of my work/tie up loose ends and train someone on part of what I did during the month of February. Two weeks in, the person I was training got the opportunity of her dreams and put in her notice... and I got the stomach flu. Thankfully, no one else caught it and I was able to get everything done at work before the end of the month.

- DW had excellent success with the hip replacement and within a couple of weeks was walking around mostly like normal, and definitely WAY better than prior to surgery. She was very happy!

- Started my new job and was training off site for the first month... except, COVID-19 meant I got sent home on lockdown two weeks into the month of training and was supposed to try to work from home... hahaha. I ended up getting called in to do employee screenings for about a month. Very boring, but better than trying to work a brand new job from home without much training.

- My mom was diagnosed with stage IIB diffuse gastric cancer (stomach) and had to have part of her stomach surgically removed. Due to COVID, she had to be at the hospital alone and had a rough time of it. But she did well and came home the same week. Started chemo a month later and was SUPER sick and low energy from the get-go, every day, despite being told it would have minimal side effects after the first 4-5 days of each 2-week cycle.

- MIL told DW she was scared to live alone and wanted to move to live with us. Panic ensued because we wanted to jump all over that (she had been refusing to leave her home or allow home care, but we didn't feel she was safe living on her own). We determined we needed a 1st floor bedroom and full bath.

- We looked into having an addition put on our house, but ultimately found the PERFECT house online, scheduled a showing, and put in an offer that day. It was accepted and we ended up moving June 8. It was terrible. My mom was sick and had to go to the ER for fluids, the movers canceled the morning of the move AFTER showing up, and I didn't get more than 2 hrs sleep for almost a week straight leading up to that. It was not pretty. Rescheduled the movers for the next day and made the move happen. The movers didn't take any of the items out of the closets and left a ton of stuff in the attic that we didn't find until the next day.

- A week later, I was diagnosed with COVID-19, via testing, and the baby and DW were presumed positive. Two week quarantine began, including distancing from my mom completely. DW never developed any symptoms. Miriam had a cold before I got sick, so we think she actually had it. My mom somehow miraculously did not get it. She was tested 3 times (because they couldn't continue chemo if she had the virus). I was sick for a month and out of work that whole time. I ended up having some weird neurological symptoms - memories not forming correctly, lots of confusion and fogginess. But otherwise my symptoms were pretty mild. I then got a secondary sinus infection, followed by bacterial bronchitis. Finally, after two different antibiotics, I was retested for COVID and it was negative, so I was able to go back to work.

- MIL came to live with us in early July and she liked it enough to make it official in early August and bring her furniture. It's been an adjustment, but is generally going better than I had anticipated and she is happy with us. Miriam LOVES having two of her four grandmas all the time!

- We spent all of July and August to-date moving things either in our new house, from MIL's house, or out of our old house. We also had the old house painted, repairs done, new flooring put down, and about 1,000,0000 other little things that we did ourselves to get it ready. We will officially put it on the market this weekend. I am SO READY to have that house sold because it is a serious albatross right now for me!

- Miriam caught up developmentally right before she turned 2. She talks a blue streak in complete and detailed sentences... and never.shuts.up. But she's cute! She is starting preschool remotely 3 half days per week in September. Not sure how they do that with toddlers, but we're excited to have her do something other than watch Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood all the time! She's turned into a little Daniel tyrant... any time the TV is on, she says "No! Daniel! Want Daniel!" and we either have to change it or turn it off or she just goes on and on and on, leading to a complete tantrum. Ugh. She is very opinionated! She's still small for her age, but is very active and a lot of fun most of the time. Those big toddler emotions are something else. We are so not good at dealing with them but we're also trying not to let her always get her way and become a total jerk. My mom is seriously phobic about Miriam getting mad/sad and will do anything to keep her happy, to the point that my mom is completely unable to control Miriam. So we're trying to nip that in the bud.

I have to go in a minute, so I'll add some photos of Miriam and her back yard playground (it came with the house!), also known as "my house!"

 

[Wicky78]

Adding some more pictures, as there were so many cute ones in the last 7 months!

 

[Wish2BMom]

Wicky....WOW. Just WOW. 2020 has been INSANE for you!! I'm so glad you are all safe and healthy and happy and adjusting to an entire new life now! HA! My eyes just kept getting bigger and bigger reading what you went through! I'm SO glad that that's all you had for COVID symptoms. Malcolm was tested last week b/c he came home Monday with a runny nose (went to school that morning with that) and a fever that was getting up to 104. It broke that night with one dose of Tylenol but to get back to school, we had to have him tested and he needed to be symptom-free for 48 hrs. Cue us going to the Dr on Tuesday only to wait until yesterday to get results back. Last week was a bit trying on DH and I having them both home for the week unexpectedly. And we're not psyched that this is going to happen with every runny nose basically. But hopefully the testing and results will get faster and faster and the most they'll be out at a time is 3 days or so. We were kinda hoping it was positive b/c that would mean we'd all have had it and we all reacted just fine.
Miriam is SO ADORABLE!!! Happy birthday, little one! She looks like she might be the size of Malcolm, who is also still a peanut. When weighed at the Dr the other day, he is pushing a full 26lbs now. That's it. He's getting taller though but he still can only wear size 12m shorts b/c he's skinny. So he looks like a dude out of the 80s with short shorts on! Oh, and I know what you mean (I think we all do now!) about those toddler emotions!! We are trying to not give in to them too, so as not to create little jerks as well. HA! For the foreseeable future, it doesn't get any easier. And when you think they've capped at how defiant they can be, they come up with something bigger. But then, as I told a friend, you get morning snuggle time in bed where they ask you to sing Itsy Bitsy Spider and they sing along in their little adorable voice and everything is all better again.

miki - oh man, I was wondering how you guys were doing with the fires. Like there isn't enough going on! At least the baby is laughing - he just sounds so beautiful!

not much new going on here - I just learned last week that I need to be ON TOP of my tasks at work b/c the boys could be sent home at any moment and be with us for days. The toddler beds are going relatively fine but I think the boys are moving out of the nap phase !! If they fall asleep for a nap, it's getting to be later and later. But they might be working on getting an earlier bedtime because of it and potentially sleeping later. So sort of a win b/c if I get to sleep later in the morning, I won't need a nap in the afternoon! It's just a weird schedule change. And a friend said that though you miss the naps, you also don't have to plan your life around them so it's sorta freeing.
So speaking of those tasks that need to be done, I should stop messing around with BnB and be off!