September Chat Thread!

[pico83]

Oh, haircuts. We've gotten all the boys done in the past few weeks. Raymond went through a bad phase with that. A few ideas. 1. go to a different place 2. tell him in advance he'll get rewarded for good behavior 3. avoid the clippers. See if they can do it all with scissors. (at least for a few times) 4. let him watch Daddy get a haircut 5. distraction. Got an iphone? I don't, but my mom was with us once and the kids were little angels as long as she let them play with it

Mary - I want haircut tips! How did you learn to do it? I totally want to, at least for Raymond. I like the others' hair longer right now. 45 minutes for a breast u/s? The two I've had never took nearly that long. But... I have amazingly tiny breasts.

AFM: It is so darn frustrating waiting for my body to figure things out. I also realized something the other day. We're not going to try to sway for a girl anymore. I've tried that twice with mostly dietary changes, but also supplemental magnesium (not a lot) which is supposed to make the egg more attractive to X-bearing sperm. Unlikely, but I figured it was worth a try. The first cycle we tried it was the only cycle we've TTC and I haven't gotten pregnant. The second cycle was the BO, which is almost always an egg defect. I don't know if the magnesium contributed (it's usually an egg with no genetic material, so probably not) but I'm not risking it. More boys here, I guess.
I also was reading Discover Magazine and came across an interesting tidbit. They did a big piece about population and gender ratios and stuff. The mentioned a study, published last year, I think, which found that a pain of non smokers will produce a gender ratio of 1.14 (114 boys for every 100 girls) while two smokers will have a ratio of 0.7 (70 boys for every 100 girls). Crazy. I have to try to find the study sometime because I'm really curious about how the controlled for all the other factors.

[marymoonu]

Virginia - That study sounds interesting... DH and I are both non-smokers and ended up with two boys. Hmmm! Of course we also DTD on the day of ovulation both times, also. This time, we DTD 2-3 days before (I'm anxious to have an ultrasound for official due date so that I can backtrack and find out a better idea of when I O'ed). Better chance for a girl, maybe? DH was actually trying to think of names for both boys and girls in bed last night as we were settling in. It was sweet. I'm anxious to see if you end up with a girl...

AFM - Restless night for me last night. Grrrr. Calvin was awake a lot. The temp wasn't just right in the bedroom, I went from hot to cold repeatedly, up to pee half a dozen times, etc. Just a NOT great night. Then in the 5 minutes of sleep that I managed to get, I had a dream that I was bleeding and likely m/c-ing. Ugh. I guess it's nice to wake up and realize that it was just a dream, but at the same time, it just leaves you with a bad feeling about the bleeding.

ETA: I should be about 20 DPO today. I was reading around that the heart usually starts beating at 21 dpo (some say 23 dpo)... But theoretically, my bean's heart could start beating tomorrow. Wow!

[pico83]

sorry about the rough night and the bad dream. GL getting that heart beating tomorrow!

AFM: I go back Wednesday for another hcg level. The MW thinks there's a good chance it will be down, but I suspect I'll have to wait another week. I'm starting to get some fertile signs again, though. I don't know if I'll bother to chart them on FF because they're hard to classify.

[freesiangel]

Mary - sorry about the crappy night of sleep. Ah, early pregnancy. Hormones and stress make you so freakin' crazy! I'm finally just now sleeping okay again, but I know once I hit the third tri that'll go away. haha.

Virginia - interesting about the smokers. Wonder what that's about...

AFM - Nothing new, just finished working out and I think I'm going to use the rest of the time Xander is napping to treat myself to a nap! That or watch TV. Who needs to be productive?!

[pico83]

Lauren - I say take a nap!

Just a guess, I think a pair of smokers is more likely to have a girl because smoking (and smoke exposure) deprives the embryo of oxygen. Girl embryos are thought to be hardier, so maybe the increased m/c rate for smokers is mostly male embryos. Again, just a guess.

AFM: TMI Hmm... I think the somewhat fertile signs might actually be pre-AF signs. Basically, my cervix was opening and I was getting a little EW-type CM, but that happens immediately before AF for me, too. And i've had some symptoms which are almost always pre-AF instead of pre-O. And I just started spotting again. For the first time in... oh... 2 days.

[Muddee]

Some of you ladies have been CHATTY!

The hair cut talk makes me glad I have a girl, Nat's had a whole of 3 hair cuts, 2 outside the home. She was good for both but we do have a place that specializes in doing kids hair.

Mary - Sorry about the rough night.

Virginia - Good luck with the levels. Sending you lots of pink vibes for next pregnancy.

I've never smoked and had two girls. What are your genetic factors like? My family has lots of girls and DH's family seems to be a pretty even split.

If it is AF for you I hope it leads into a nice good cycle.

Lauren - Sounds like a good use of nap time to me.

*AFM*

Things are just crappy today!

1:30 am my phone chimes, its a phishing attempt.

I spent 6 hours last night working on a photobook on Shutterfly for my mom, this morning she calls the first thing she said about it was a critique of what I did wrong, not a word of thanks, I hung up. I've messaged her on facebook explaining I was upset cause she didn't appreciate what I did and then she continued to critique me personally instead. She can be such a wonderful, kind, generous person so it really hurts when she goes at me like this, so I am pretty upset right now.

Just after this happens Natalie wants TV, I was cool with that cause I wanted to get chili in the slow cooker, it would give me 25 minutes of peace. So I go to get the TV on and the digital box is acting up, and not turning on, Natalie goes into a fit. Well after some fussing with the box I got it to work.

Of course this isn't the end of it, though definitely the lest stressful, Apollo decided that every toy Natalie left on or around the coffee table is his to eat, so I end up having to get a 3 year old to clean up her toys & books while watching TV as I restrain the dog.

And after all that I still had to get chili in the slow cooker.

Really wish the 3 year old would nap and the puppy would sleep in his crate for a short bit, I could use the break.

[JDBabyHopes]

Hi ladies! Jumping in as I promise to try and stay a bit more on top of things here.

Virginia - I get EWCM the day or two before AF, too. It's annoying! Also, my body is confused, too! We can be confused together. I quit pumping 5 weeks ago and STILL have not gotten AF. I mean, what's there to complain about, right? Haha. But I feel all 'off' and weird and just wish something would happen! I've had two episodes of tons of EWCM - one about a week after I quit pumping, and one about 2 weeks ago. But since then, nothing! I'm anxious to see if the episode 2 weeks ago was successful and AF will come any day! I just want to get a handle on things for DTD. We've only once since Sam because I'm too afraid of what the heck is going on in there! I just want a starting point! And DH and I are both nonsmokers, too! And two boys for us. We'd probably have 600 more boys, too!

Amanda - Sorry about your mom! That stinks. I know how you feel about the TV thing - Owen is the same way! I usually put on Disney Jr. while I get dinner ready/feed Sam/etc. and Owen is going through this thing where he wants to watch a million different shows. We have Mickey and Handy Manny and Doc McStuffins DVR'd, which he knows, so sometimes it can be 10 mins of him changing his mind 10000 times. I used to put up with it, but I don't anymore! After a few minutes, he quits whining.

Mary - I hate nights like that! Two nights ago Sam was up every freaking hour. I had gotten up with him at 5am the morning before, and literally the SECOND I fell asleep that night is when he woke up crying. Sooo frustrating! So I was up until 2am. I was so tired I was practically crying - thankfully DH came in and took over for me and I got, like, 60 mins of sleep. Terrible! Of course, he rewarded us last night by sleeping 8-5. Stinker. I wish he'd pick a schedule (the latter, please!) and stick to it!

Lauren - I say, watch TV! How are you feeling? I can't believe you're hitting the 3rd tri here in the next month! So crazy!! You gender US is coming up in a few weeks, right? I can't remember, are you finding out? maybe they'll be right this time, right?

AFM - Lots and lots! I think I'm getting the hang of two kids, but then we have a bad day and I feel crazy and desolate and wondering what the heck I did thinking I wanted multiple children! Haha! That gets better, right guys???

Owen had his second speech eval yesterday (he had one back in April, but didn't qualify), and he STILL didn't qualify! He's JUST squeaking out. Anyhow, they decided to push it through for us because I really want some help. He talks all the time, but he's awful to understand. The speech therapist said yesterday he has all age-appropriate sounds, he just won't use his vowels in words properly. Weird, right? But apparently that's why he's so hard to understand. Soooooo. We're getting set up with a speech therapist and she is starting Thursday! I am so excited to finally get him talking properly so we understand him! Hopefully that will cut down on frustration for both parties!!

Sam is doing well! His sleep has been a little insane, which in turn drives me a little insane, but I guess I have to remember he's not even 3 months old yet! I know it will shape up here soon! We have good nights, then really bad nights. His naps are typically pretty crappy (you know, the 40 min "take the edge off" snooze that makes things worse), but I *think* I'm starting to see some shape to his day. I am desperate for his routine to emerge! I think I see one, then the next thing I know, he changes it up. Babies! But really, he is a happy happy guy! Loves to be snuggled and talked too and the like! He's totally smiley all the time and coos up a storm. We joke he'll be talking before Owen.

[marymoonu]

Jen - Interesting about Owen's speech. Did they give any reason to why he might not use the vowels properly? Interesting. A girl that I work with has a degree in linguistics and knows all about how we form words... I should recommend speech therapy as a future career to her, lol... It kills me that she works as a pharm tech and is not even remotely using her degree, even though she's HIGHLY intelligent.

I hope Sam settles into a routine for you soon. I know it's really difficult until they do!!

Amanda - Sorry your mom was so rude about your photo gift... She ought to just appreciate the gesture. Grrrr...

Virginia - I suppose it wouldn't be a horrible thing to have an anno cycle after the m/c, then just have AF and start fresh. Good luck on the becoming fertile!!

Lauren - I hope you napped! Haha, I ALWAYS pick nap when I have the opportunity. It's even harder to get a nap with two kids, because they almost NEVER sleep at the same time during the day. Especially now that Sean rarely ever naps anymore. So on the off chance that they do nap together, I definitely join them, haha.

AFM - O....M....G........ You would think it would be fresh in my mind after having two babies in the not-so-distant past, but somehow I forgot how FREAKING EXHAUSTING it is to grow a human. OMG. I just forgot this somehow. That sort of deep tired that just makes you feel like crying, that doesn't go away after you sleep, that turns you into a walking zombie. I feel like death. And... I have a cold sore. Ugh. What is it about early pregnancy that makes me get cold sores??? I hadn't had one in a long time before this, grrr.

On another note, I meet wit potential future boss tomorrow about the transfer. I sooo hope it goes well. I'm nervous to meet him after he was described to me as "an @ss even on his best day". Yikes.

[pico83]

really busy trying to get a photo book done (tons of sympathy for you, Amanda. It's so much work! I wish your effort had been appreciated). No real news other than the typical TMI. I spotted pink/red a little today. it's been all brown for 2+ weeks, so who knows. Annov wouldn't be too bad, although I'd rather not wait another 2+ weeks to O!

[marymoonu]

Virginia - I'll be anxious to find out exactly what it is your body is up to.

AFM - It has been 9 days since I last POAS. It feels like an eternity. I wish I could start going to doctor appointments or something. I hate this period of idly waiting.