February Check-in (2/17)

[snowyowl]

Thanks for the check in!

Let us know what's going on with your child(ren). Any milestones, challenges, funny/cute stories, etc?
The three year old is doing better in preschool, but I am still concerned he will need an extra year at some point. Not a big deal to me, but since our preschool runs through the public school system, it’s very difficult to get an extra year approved.
The two year old is feral. He isn’t talking as much as I would like, but hopefully on the verge.

How are you?
I’m incredibly burned out, to be honest. Toddler parenting is not fun for me, so I’m really tired of being in survival mode all the time. I’m hoping this is mostly just my general dislike of winter and things will get easier soon.

QOTW: Did you do anything for Valentine's Day? Do you get something for your little one(s)?
H had the night off, which is rare. We went out to dinner, but really, it just affirmed my belief that going out for these holidays isn’t worth it. Get the same fun night out any other night, only less crowded, less likely for your order to go wrong, less difficult to find parking. It was fine, just not our most fun date night.
H got me roses and the boys asked for their own, so I gave them a couple (which they promptly disassembled, but they had fun 😂).

[Speedy]

Hey, thanks for the check in.

F is generally good. He's constantly into everything and it's exhausting, but he's also a total goofball so it's hard to be mad at him. He's not really talking and we're going to be meeting with a speech language pathologist soon to see if they think they could help. He babbles constantly, just very rarely anything that could be recognized as English or French.

I'm exhausted, physically and emotionally. I'm currently 10w pregnant with what I'm seriously crossing my fingers will be #2 and it's been so different from my pregnancy with F, very tough thus far.
Hubby's grandmother passed away quite suddenly and we had to go to her funeral last week. We also saw that FIL has lost more of his faculties and that MIL is really not prepared to care for him, and we went to visit hubby's grandfather in the hospital, who has basically just withered away. It's sad 😞
And then yesterday I found out that the woman who was my work mom and who I basically owe my career to passed away unexpectedly from a stroke over the weekend.
Next year I'm skipping February...

[snowyowl]

I’m so sorry you’ve been through so much already this year, Speedy. That’s a lot to be dealing with.

Congratulations on your pregnancy! Sending sticky vibes your way. The first trimester is next-level exhaustion, especially when you have another child to care for... it was like nothing I’d ever experienced. I hope you get some good breaks and things quiet down.

[hawkward]

Hi! I’m here, things have just been a little crazy lately. I’ll be back to update and chat this afternoon after DS2’s latest round of doctor appointments!

[hawkward]

Speedy That is so much to process, especially in first trimester. I’m sorry for your losses.

[hawkward]

enchanted I’m so glad you’re seeing so much emotional growth in your son. It’s nice when tough parenting choices are so well validated!

[hawkward]

snowyowl Toddlers are rough. Toddlers in winter are worse. Survival mode is okay for now. You’re going to get through this phase.

[hawkward]

We’re in a hectic time of life around here, but things are mostly good. H is traveling a lot but he goes to safe places and is never gone more than a week or so at a time. We’re in a season of a lot of our friends leaving. It’s normal military stuff but it’s still hard.

The boys are doing well. DS1 just took his yearly assessment and was grade levels ahead. He went through a rough patch but is getting back to his normal happy disposition and he’s fun to be around again.

Physical therapy has really gotten DS2’s pain under control. He had a scary accident at the park a couple of weeks ago but he’s healing well and feeling better. We saw his pediatrician today and she was very happy with him. Next step is a geneticist to see if we can figure out a more precise cause because his physical therapist feels we may be missing something.

I’m... tired. But it’s almost spring and we have a trip home planned soon so I’m feeling hopeful.

[hawkward]

Something I’m only sharing because I know my AL ladies will understand and I don’t have anyone IRL I want to talk to about it— we had a pregnancy scare two weeks ago. Maybe this needs a trigger warning?

About a month ago we had a condom break, and then two weeks ago my period was a few days late. I had crazy sore breasts and some nausea so I took a FRER, and it had a second line with some color to it, but it looked weird, like the line didn’t go the whole way? Then the next day I took the second test and it was clearly negative. I started my period a few hours later and it was much heavier than normal (like bleeding through a cup and pad in a few hours) for a couple days then took a full week to completely go away.

I feel relieved (right now would not be a good time for a baby), and sad because we wanted to TFAT but it didn’t work out and I feel like we’re past that point now but the want is still there... And I don’t even know for sure what happened but I suspect a CP. All the emotions are all sorts of mixed up. I know it’s time to think seriously about permanent BC but I’m not ready to make that leap yet.

[Speedy]

hawkward I'm sorry. It's such a mind fuck not knowing for sure

[snowyowl]

Hugs, hawkward, that has to be a lot of emotions.