General chatter while we wait (and commentary on the "pull out method")

[DobbyForever]

yeah had a lot in my plate. Good and bad. Have Covid again but this one is hitting me harder than last time. So I haven’t actually read the post but hope all is well will read it once I feel better

 

[DobbyForever]

Ooo sage green is pretty. I’m definitely an avoider of white things especially now with A haha. I’ll also be reconsidering heather gray after the embarrassing sweatstain situation

Quick trip to Montreal! Tres romantic! Glad you got a break and had some fun.

Sorry about all the blood snafus lately! Never considered that about the separate toilet area and how it can potentially be inconvenient.

The rational part of me is with SO but the live through others needs yall to have a baby. Though I’ve noticed i definitely have baby aversion now but it’s been replaced with illogical puppy fever. I get so many puppy ads lol. But I told my mom now that A is older and more able to travel and I don’t live alone and in a really safe city, I don’t know that I’d get another dog unless it was a service dog for A.

So on that note I am considering it because he needs someone to help him emotionally regulate. But I obviously can’t be around 24/7. My sheltie is 14 and struggling. Our Aussie is 10 in a few months and, definitely not at the same stage as older dog, starting to show her age.

Other note I’m so mad about Southwest changing their policy. Pre boarding with open seating has been so clutch for A and me.

Covid aside things are good. Have a hearing date though the district already admitted they are working on a motion to dismiss. Hearing is early September and waiting on a decision from a judge if A can enroll in school in the meantime. So FXed.

My attorney isn’t helping at all so I’m trying to get some consults this week to see about getting a new one.

Oh and between all this drama and stress and vacationing…. I’ve gained 20lbs. I don’t care aesthetically but I can see it impacting my hormones so I should do something about it lol.

Our birthdays were lovely. Pretty, I meant to pop in to say happy birthday to our little men! But things got go go go and now it’s August. I was depressed so I didn’t see my friends but had a great dinner at a Brazilian steakhouse that was so great about accommodating A. The trip to WDW worked out super lovely. Hit all my bucket list stuff. My brother flying in for a day was super nice. Tequila tasting was perfect. A had so much fun. Disneyland was good with us DAS but omg the cast members were so much more accommodating than here. Like here, if they’re traveling they will not stop to talk to you or anything. A found Moana leaving her photo area to go on break, and she insisted on stopping for hugs and pictures because he was just excited to see her. My mom didn’t even have to ask. I had no idea about lightning lanes and what not but they still let us on. Only weird hiccup was they almost didn’t let him go on Tron. He wore the same shoes at Knott’s and was way above the 48” line and even universal with smaller shoes he was just barely there and they let him go. He was like a full inch short of WDW marker. But I worked my magic and they let him on.

Then obviously got covid so here we are. My mom got pissed about something random so she kicked my brother out so I could move into the adu. Now she’s upset that she treated my brother that way and scared about his health. Which I get it. Last time he was there he needed chemo and was hospitalized. But it’s a nice place to live and not far. Plus he’s going to get some income from renting the second bedroom. But my mom wants him back so she’s back on the build a 1 bedroom adu. The upside is she said if/when that happens then she’ll move to the adu and A and I can stay in the main house. Just a matter of how. She wants to keep it under 300k but the only company so far who said that she won’t hire. She has an interesting proposal of selling her property in SoCal to me to get cash to build the adu while keeping that property in the family but she forgets the part where I have no money to qualify for a loan like maybe if I get the settlement money from this hearing sure. But rn I’m like 15k in the hole.

Anyway hope everyone is doing well!

 

[shaescott]

Dobs Heather gray is the worst for sweat stains in shirts. I do worry about Heather gray furniture, though I think it looks nice, and is likely safer than beige for food/wine/other colored stains. Have you seen any issues with furniture, or just shirt armpits?

Omg A is so big! Which birthday is this now? He’s so cute with those missing front teeth.

Sorry about the ongoing school issues. I can’t believe they’re still giving you so much trouble.

Also I think you look fantastic in that photo! Sorry about the hormone issues though.

Interesting re: house situation. I just want a house, period, but 2 acres of land with no house costs $300k and I make $43 an hour. Not happening.

 

[DobbyForever]

My furniture is leather lol. I had a beige fabric couch and A DESTROYED it with his reflux. Honestly, if you’re gonna have kids I feel like no color in fabric is safe. My mom has a grey fabric couch and I never hear the end of how we’ve ruined her couch.

He’s 7 . Thank you. Right?! The teeth have been gone 3 months now but the dentist says they can see them under the gum on the x rays and not to worry. So I’m just enjoying the gap haha.

I strategically chose that photo honestly like you can tell I’m carrying extra pounds but I’m not mad at where my body places it. Plus I’ve just had so many shallow bfs that I’m just at the I eat to be happy stage so I do not care.

Yeah I mean we’re first night in the converted garage. Definitely lots of issues but I’ll live in a shack for my child. He’s happy though. The dogs stink but it’s nice to have them close again and not blocking my stuff in the bathroom. I feel bad for my brother but also…. That duplex is lit so I don’t feel that bad lol. Esp compared to this haphazard conversion. He gave me a like hour long list of shit that’s wrong living here and I’m like um the cats poop in the mulch? My mom says I can use her house like storage so every minus clothes are in here. The closet is small so the plan is to just keep a week’s worth of clothes in here at a time and everything else will stay in her house or stored in the duplex garage. I’m super dizzy and my back hurts but idk if that’s from the unlovely foundation or going 9h straight moving and packing/unpacking with no food and water.

 

[DobbyForever]

Like where I went wrong was riding micky’s car thing RIGHT before pictures. Outside queue. Sitting in th car just basking in my sweat. Running cross park to photo check in. Fail lol. They were so sweet too they were like come rest in the ac for a minute and didn’t at all point out I was drenched in sweat. I would have been so self conscious.

Mind you this was 10 IN THE MORNING and we didn’t bother with rope drop we were only there an hour yet my hair was frizzed and I was a sweaty mess

 

[Jezika]

You still look amazing there, Dobs. Sweaty, yes (join the club), but amazing nonetheless. And the pics of A are honestly heart melting. He’s utterly beautiful, just like his mama.

Sorry for being awol! So I did just spend a big chunk of time catching up, which was nice, and now I should really be sleeping so I’ll try to keep it short (ha).

I can’t believe it’s been over 3 months since Miles was born. The induction went great and labour was a wonderful experience, minus taking a while to push him out due to his big head. Midwives said I have a perineum of steel, whatever that means. By some miracle I didn’t tear but they were about to recommended an episiotomy when he finally came out. It’s funny that earlier I had made hubby look away while the OB broke my waters and wanted him to stay up by my head during labour (as if he hadn’t already witnessed Tilly’s birth before) but by birth time I got him to film miles coming out. He even got a picture of him with his head poking out and his eyes wide open. It’s horrifically beautiful. National geographic type sh*t (if in b+w). I was far more emotional when we was born versus with Tilly. With T I was mainly shocked. Anyway, postpartum f*ing sucked physically annd emotionally especially the first week but it did get better. I’m 39 this month and was basically sedentary my entire pregnancy and then overloaded seemingly every single muscle in my body with extreme force while pushing, none of which helped. I’ll leave it there for now and try to attach a pic. Oh we was 8lbs8oz. He’s a fricking . Matilda is obsessed.

Will try to actually check in a bit more! I had lots to comment on but will leave it for another day as I really need to curb my revenge bedtime procrastination or whatever it’s called.

Love to you all! And FX Shae for a serendipitous BFP someday soon!

 

[Jezika]

He’s a fricking cutie* Can’t figure out how to edit. I’m old. “Ate”/“cooked” as slang? All news to me.

 

[DobbyForever]

Awww thank you! Once they figured out how to break through his cranky mode, I was like damn! Let’s go to Hollywood with some of these!

3 months really flew by! Talk about handsome boys! I cannot!!!! Omg he’s outrageously adorable. I’m so glad L&D was smooth. Yay for not tearing! Also omg I love that hubs got that crowning picture!!!! Love that Tilly is smitten. But how could she not be!!?

I’m just glad that hawk Tuah craze is over because I really did not want to come back to school to that lol

 

[shaescott]

Jez omg he is 100% a frickin cutie. Ouch on the sedentary to extreme workout labor. Thanks for the reminder that I need to get in shape before getting pregnant (ideally lol, not gonna delay pregnancy over it though). I’m fairly sedentary, I just walk around the unit at work. I’m terrible about consistency because working out is hard so I don’t want to do it

Dobs oh no, I would’ve been sad about the sweaty photos too. They should have an editing service for things like that lol, that way if someone flashes the ride camera they can just put a Mickey over them and everyone else can still get their photo. How hot was it over there? I’m mildly uncomfortable in the upper 70s (unless it’s low humidity and not sunny), once we’re in the 80s I want to hide in the AC.

 

[DobbyForever]

It was in the 90s. I don’t think we hit triple digits but that humidity, too. I think if I hadn’t happened to do that one sitting ride out in the sun maybe I’d just have armpit sweat but oh well.

So it’s been crazy. A is back in school, but I’m under continued investigation and surveillance for a month. If my life had a theme song atm it’d be “Ridin’ Dirty” because they be trying. They’re being shady about their bus and I’m about to remind them I don’t play. Apparently I can get their sped funding pulled this time because there’s already corrective action with his bus access.

Back at work but no kids until Wednesday.

 

[shaescott]

Yeah 90s is a no go for me. I’ll stay inside in the AC, thanks. I like to say that I’m predominantly English, and England is 50 degrees and rainy, so that’s what I’m built for. None of this cooking on the hood of your car crap. I really hope that one day we’ll be able to afford to build a house with central air. Although I’d settle for getting any house in decent shape.

 

[shaescott]

Totally forgot to reply to the school stuff. lol re: ridin dirty. Although knowing the lyrics of the chorus, yikes. The heck do you mean surveillance???

 

[DobbyForever]

Hopefully you get your house sooner rather than later. Though being in the bay I know plenty of people who made families work renting and never owning.

Oh speaking of so my mom is thinking she’s not leaving everything 50/50 to my brother. She’s worried he’ll fight me and force me to sell this house. It’d cost 1.5m to buy him out. So she wants to leave this to me and he’d get the other two properties. It’d be an uneven split but she feels it balances out because I have A and his properties would give him a place to live plus two sources of rental income of potentially 4k/month +. We’d both get what we need.

Lol yeah for it’s more the end of the song where it’s like no you’re just racial profiling me I’m actually riding clean and you’re getting pissed because you can’t pin anything on me and I’m petty and love it.

So technically they have to tell you if they have a PI on you, which they did not before. Also, they have staff who will randomly show up at my house. So now we have a ring to track who is coming and when since they’ve lied multiple times about being here and me not being home. They did one surprise visit on the first day of school and lied to the guy saying I requested and scheduled the visit.

 

[PrettyInInk42]

Hi ladies. Sorry, I've been crazy AWOL too. Mom life, right?

Dobby - I also totally meant to login in and wish A a happy birthday, but I guess it was a hectic day. But anyway, glad you both had a lot of fun visiting all the theme parks. We took the kids to WDW in November last year and they've asked a few times when we can go back. I can't wait to go again myself. lol
That's good that A can go to school, but is super shitty about everything else surrounding it. Were you able to find a better attorney?

shae - Sorry to hear that you're not pg yet. I remember you saying something about TTC in Oct. Any chance you could guilt DH into trying? lol

Jez - Glad to hear everything went well with Miles' birth. He's adorable.

AFM, belated thank you to everyone for your congratulations. Baby Victoria is doing great. Gonna be 10 week old on Thursday. She's already grown over 2.5" since birth and was 10lbs 14oz at her 2 month appt. All the kids love her. They love giving her kisses and telling her she's cute. They'll fight over who gets to hold her and even who gets to grab a new diaper for her. She's a lucky little girl.
About a month after the birth, I got the Nexplanon BC implant. So far so good with that. And SO is getting snipped on November 4th. So, this is really truly it for us. It's bittersweet. I love my kids and feel so blessed to have them, but I'm also looking forward to sleep training and starting solids and being done with BFing forever. Ugh, getting emotional out of nowhere just typing that. Just gotta keep reminding myself to soak it all in and enjoy all these stages as they come and go.

 

[gigglebox]

i am SOOO late to the party but HOLY MOLY SO HAPPY TO COME BACK TO THE BABY SQUEE!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH y'all they are seriously adorable!

Jez holy crap with the picture, that is some professional level photographer there! His eyes are just huge and beautiful! How are you feeling now that he's here? I mean just with the whole situation in general?

Pretty so jazzed for you you got your boy/girl ratio all 50/50 ^_^ Is Zoey so happy to have a little sis?

Dobs glad some progress has been made with the school. Is A back in now? Did I miss that? Also how's dating life? Did I miss anything exciting?

Shae what's going on with hubby? Did y'all set a date? Was it october? I can't remember. I saw you did have a slip up, but no +, sorry about that but so glad you're level headed about it all.

Honestly...dark furniture colors for the win. Dark brown and dark blue fabric has been nice. We had a beige microfiber couch and it just showed everything, even if you spilled water it left a huge stain.

Flueky don't know if you're lurking but I hope your life chaos is the fun/busy type, nothing bad!

As for us we're just keeping things busy as always, but nothing crazy out of the norm. I've been crocheting stuffed animals like a mad woman, and doing a lot of arts and crafts otherwise. It's been fun. The kids are all well, I've still got some lingering issues from being ill a couple months back (namely anemia I suspect...still haven't gotten bloods redrawn but I feel like it's still an issue) so been trying to tackle that. I've picked up exercise again, trying to lift weights which I actually enjoy and eat better. Nearly kicked sugar so that's been wonderful! Everyone else is good

 

[shaescott]

Dobs they hired a private investigator to track you? Isn’t that just stalking if they’re not a cop??? I thought PIs were only really in movies tbh. Are they like licensed to legally stalk people?

Pretty awww sorry this is the end of the baby era but I’m so happy for you that you got 4 beautiful little ones! I know your SO wasn’t super into having kids originally, so I’m glad it worked out so well for you.

Gigs I’m glad you’re working on your health and doing lots of creative projects!

October is definitely not happening for TTC, but his deadline for taking the test for this company is in 2 weeks. If he gets this job we really shouldn’t TTC until he gets through the internship, so we’re looking at another 1.5-2 years in afraid. But it might be the best way to get him a long term career. However we did have an O-5 slip up. No full load but he pulled out kinda late and said he felt a “pulse” while still in me, so he is very unconvinced that semen didn’t get in me. We’ll see. I’m still having the spotting issue where I spot my entire luteal phase. I’m wondering if my progesterone levels are low because my 6dpo urine progesterone level was only 9 something. Peak is 7dpo per Google so I’m going to check it tonight to see if it hits 10. If not, low chance of conception in general.

 

[DobbyForever]

You’re back!!! PEOPLE!
Pretty, that’s so sweet! I love that they love her. I can’t believe it’s been ten weeks! The photos are too much. Love love love the one with all the kiddos in it. I am so happy that you’ve gotten the family you envisioned. Totally makes sense to be a little emotional knowing the snip is inbound.

Gigs that’s a good update! Are you thinking you might ask your doc to redraw? Are you selling the animals or just for a fun hobby on the side/give to friends and fam?

Shae how is he feeling about the test? Two weeks is so soon! GIRL 1-2 YEARS?! The logical part of me is like okay y’all are young so yeah makes sense. But the other part of me is feeling chaotic so… lol. Bummer odds aren’t in for the slip. I feel like he’s getting relatively careless so I’m still going to cross my fingers for a pre-TTC slip. Does your doctor have any insight/ have you brought it up to them? Or your mom?

Re school: Gigs, yup he’s back. Technically conditionally but they ain’t got s* on us. BTSN for him is tomorrow and it’s the first year that it doesn’t coincide with mine. I’m super excited to get to go. Although maybe I went for his K class and don’t remember LOL. Finally got his bus. It starts Wednesday. I bought a Ring and my brother installed it. Came with a trial period of the protection plan, but I’ll likely continue it. I’m so sick of them claiming to be out here and that I wasn’t home. Plus the whole car break in thing has my mom SHOOK. So my brother was able to install it so it captures the driveway as well.

Re dating: I downloaded the apps for 72 hours and no. It’s all boys (literal boys in their mid 20s) having weird fantasies or mommy issues OR age appropriate men who are just interesting in dominating someone. I’m also not happy with my body atm. I just don’t have the time or energy for that kind of toxicity. God is gonna have to Amazon prime me a guy when He thinks I’m ready.

Re attorney: It’s just not worth switching. She is prioritizing us now though, so no complaints. We have a mediation and continued the hearing, so I’m really hopefully we can reach settlement. Frankly, I’m not asking much. They’d be crazy not to settle.

Re: PI. Yup. So board policy is that I have to be notified before a PI is hired. And the PI must introduce themselves to me and let me know I’m being investigated. None of that happened. Not only did this person stalk me at my home, they stalked me at work. I say stalked because there’s literally a photo from behind the dumpster at work of my car. Like you hid behind a dumpster to photograph me AT WORK which has nothing to do with residency. That’s not okay with me.

Re life: I’m not in a good headspace. The parents are in a full on tizzy over my combo class and it’s just stress I don’t need. I’m up to 150 from my usual 135, and I thought 135 was up from my usual 125… so that’s not helping. A was doing well at school until he started going to the Y in the mornings. Now he’s hitting and swearing. I’m hoping it’s just a tired thing but ffs.

 

[shaescott]

Dobs thats crazy. Can you call the police and report them? Sorry about the new behavior issue

AFM He’s definitely nervous about the test. And if he passes, the training that follows will be brutal. He’s got his work cut out for him.

Progesterone this morning was 10. Normally my peak is 30-40 so I’m definitely concerned, but it might be enough for implantation. Idk. I’m looking at possible causes of low progesterone now trying to figure out why this is happening.

Random, I discovered that the urine HPTS at my hospital’s ER measure down to 5miu, because I tested a woman and got a faint positive that all the other nurses considered inconclusive cuz they apparently know nothing about pregnancy tests (don’t trust them if they say a urine is negative, moral of the story, male tech said it should be dark like the control line, what an idiot) and so I did it on a new test and got another faint line, I then ordered a beta on the patient and hcg was 7. Booya.

 

[DobbyForever]

No but it’s whatever. Especially since it only works in my favor now.

Oof man that’s rough that there’s still a lot to do once he passes the test. Definitely worth it in the end though if it gets him to his dream job.

Sorry about the low progesterone. Hopefully it’s nothing serious and I’ll keep my FXed

Haha I’m not surprised. Though it is concerning that there isn’t a more clear line is a line err on the side of caution. I feel like usually those are done to rule out pregnancy as the cause of symptoms/to give a medication or surgery risky to a pregnancy. I’d rather be told inconclusive and make my choice in services from that vs be told no and find out I was newly pregnant at the time later. But meh. That’s awesome they’re so sensitive! Id have such a hard time not testing myself haha

Afm no big news except I got my dog’s dna back! My sheltie obviously came back purebred sheltie, but the scandal there is her inbreeding coefficient is 26% yikes. The standard is to aim for less than 5%. The fun fact was Dany Targaryen is likely 35%.

My Aussie mix was a fun surprise! She didn’t pull up as Aussie at all she’s about a third cattle dog, a third pit bull, and a third just mixed breeds they call super mutt (most likely traces of border collie, collie, German shepherd, and Pom). I don’t really see the cattle dog based on the ones I’ve known but I trust the trust. It said most likely her cattle dog comes from mixed bred cattle dog at multiple points in her ancestry on both parents’ line vs a singular purebred one. The pittie though they said most likely comes from a purebred grandparent. I expected pit based on her temperament and skill shape but I didn’t expect her to be 33% pit haha. Love it. I told all my pit hating family members, who adore her and how good she is with A, that she’s actually a pit mix they were unamused. Only odd this is genetically she should be around 30lbs but she’s definitely like 45 lol. The sheltie’s weight was accurate to the pound lol.

Bright side, inbreeding aside they both came back clear for any healthy markers of common diseases. The sheltie may develop liver problems but she’s 14. The “Aussie” had a few variants but apparently for those diseases you have to have both recessive variant genes or whatever and since she only had one each then she won’t develop those issues.

All in all, I got a good kick of out of it. Money well spent while drunk lol.

 

[gigglebox]

SELFISH POST
I’ll read and respond later but…wtf is this? This is just the dreaded blue indent line, right? I found this test under my sink and took it on a whim because hubby was slightly sloppy around o time. I think it’s nothing but of course you all are required to participate in my shenanigans!

9dpo, i think it’s an equate brand test. I am not convinced it is anything but sharing is caring!