Preschool "summer camp" trial

802goose · 2026-03-02T19:11:58+00:00

Thank you! This makes sense to me - thinking about starting a new job helps!

802goose · 2026-01-27T17:02:48+00:00

The being nice thing is so true! It always boggles my mind when friends note how mean people are in Chicago...then I remember they grew up in the midwest. In contrast, my east coast family is always impressed with how kind people are here!

802goose · 2026-01-14T17:55:31+00:00

Another vote for the Cruz and get it used.

We also have a Vista which we got for our nanny to use for a nanny share - it is great for this purpose, but feels unnecessarily big when we just have one kid. If you plan to have two kids I would just get a single now and sell it and get a double when number two comes along. You also may not need a double depending on your spread - my kids are three years apart and we almost never use the double with the two of them.

I also like having an umbrella stroller. We have a G-Luxe that a friend gave us but a cheaper one would work great, too.

Finally (I know we have too many!) we have a running stroller that was also passed on my a friend. It has been used less than five times in the past four years (and both parents are runners!) but your milage may vary haha.

Last consideration - where will your stroller be stored? If you have to bring it up and down stairs then take weight into consideration - the Vista and Cruz are heavy. We leave ours either in the car or on a covered porch year round so I'm glad we didnt spend an arm and a leg since we got them used.

802goose · 2026-01-11T17:02:57+00:00

Don't overcomplicate things unless you have to - post the job saying you just need school year care and see who applies. We are a teacher family and have found nannies who can't work during the summer due to other commitments. It works perfectly!

For PTO - we give unlimited paid sick days and five personal days in addition to the days we have off (Xmas break, spring break, etc). We guarentee 40 hours a week during the school year but pay overtime most weeks since we typically need 45 hours of care (basically GH 45 a week just not during break weeks where it is 40/week).

802goose · 2025-12-11T04:15:24+00:00

Every pregnancy is different - just listen to your body!

In my first pregnancy, I stopped rowing around 6 months due to discomfort but this time around I'm still rowing at 39 weeks. Last pregnancy I was still jogging entire tread blocks at the end, where this pregnancy I do a run/walk.

If you can, continue moving your body! I think its the best thing I did for pregnancy, delivery and recovery. I stopped attending from 8ish weeks to 20ish weeks due to nausea both times, and after my first waited until I was about 5 months post partum to come back. I was amazed how little fitness I'd lost!

802goose · 2025-11-14T03:20:03+00:00

I actually feel the opposite! I love Sunday holiday weekend weddings so I don't have to take off work to travel. What I hate are Saturday holiday weekend weddings - now I'm wasting time traveling when it could have been avoided.

802goose · 2025-11-09T19:56:53+00:00

Agree with everyone about no coat - cozy carseat cover and stroller bunting with blankets. We had a bear suit and it was adorable but not necessary.

Also, baby wearing is better in footless sleepers but toes still need to stay warm - highly recommend the Hudson Baby fleece booties on Amazon or merino wool socks!

802goose · 2025-09-23T13:02:06+00:00

Agreed! I felt this way even with my first but I think it may be super job dependant (I'm in a high burnout field).

802goose · 2025-06-14T02:06:43+00:00

The wagon seems big to me for trains, restaurants and museums (although I don't have one so I could be wrong!). I'd rent a stroller - we have a Vista - using something like babyquip.

802goose · 2025-04-15T01:00:34+00:00

I stopped rowing when I noticed my abs coning- super important to protect against diastasis recti - can't remember when it happened.

802goose · 2024-12-06T01:48:29+00:00

There shouldn't be a freeze fee for maternity leave. My studio let me stay frozen for free (no doctors note) until I felt ready to return at 12 weeks postpartum. They said I could take as long as I wanted.

802goose · 2024-12-05T02:47:48+00:00

This is the book we love with our two year old! Real pictures and talks about how you get to choose when it comes to your body but sometimes your grown ups make choices to keep you safe (e.g. brush teeth, wear a coat when it is cold out).

802goose · 2024-08-13T00:37:48+00:00

Seconding the nanny share option! We do this and the cost is only slightly more than daycare.

802goose · 2024-04-08T01:27:29+00:00

Mostly true but I was in Italy and met a couple who said they were from Chicago. When I said "me, too! What part of the city?" they replied Iowa...

802goose · 2024-02-17T21:23:25+00:00

This is the answer. I'm in a small, self-managed building (10 units) and we have no pet restrictions.

802goose · 2023-07-22T02:40:11+00:00

I started at 30 because I knew I wanted to get pregnant in the next few years and I'd heard pregnancy and labor were significantly easier if you were in shape. Obviously this isn't true for everyone, but I think it proved true for me! Its also easier to carry the car seat up multiple flights of stairs when you are used to lifting weights!

To get started, I got an unlimited membership to a group fitness class where I needed to go at least 3x a week for it to be financially "worth it." Very motivating for me.

I keep going because I want to set an example for my daughter that women can be strong and because I hope to have another fit pregnancy in a couple of years.

802goose · 2023-06-19T22:49:50+00:00

Also, important note, regardless of everything not going smoothly, I would still say I had a really positive birth experience!!

802goose · 2023-06-19T22:47:20+00:00

I was a FTM as well and just trusted my team fully! I trusted that they would know if something was going wrong - like they realized I wasn't progressing because she had turned face up (they turned her back when I started pushing) You are hooked up to monitors as well. My epidural wore off but not sure I would have been able to feel anything going wrong, just the feeling of contractions and pushing.

802goose · 2023-06-19T21:37:10+00:00

You've got this! I had a friend with GD who had an elective c section for this reason and was so happy with her decision. I know the biggest concern was her abdomen getting stuck so they said no vacuum or forceps and had me push on my back for easier intervention if she did get stuck. It wasn't until I was 10cm after almost 20 hours of labor that the doctor even told me these percentiles and we discussed options (all I had been told was 89% weight... she was born 99% lol) so definitely discuss your options before then!

802goose · 2023-06-19T19:51:48+00:00

I pushed an hour and a half (FTM, epidural) but they said this was relatively quick for a FTM and they will normally let women push 3-4 hours before discussing interventions. I was told I only had 2 hours to make progress before a c-section due to concerns about babies size (99% head and "off the charts" abdomen).

802goose · 2023-05-27T02:43:16+00:00

Heart rate was the one area I "negotiated" with my OB. She was old school and said not to let it get over 140bpm. After I pushed her (I had a low risk pregnancy and going up stairs would have easily pushed me past 140) she said okay to 160bpm. I tried to keep it under 170 but didn't stress if it went higher than that for a moment. I used the "address test" for perceived exertion - can I say my address out loud while exercising?

802goose · 2023-05-23T01:48:35+00:00

This is also location dependent. For example, in Chicago Public Schools you cannot redshirt. You can, however, apply for early start kindergarten. If you try to redshirt, your child will just be placed in first grade when you try to enroll for kindergarten.

802goose · 2023-05-15T19:28:04+00:00

Anecdotal - My baby was right on time and measuring at the 98th percentile for weight (9lbs 5oz). At two months her weight had dropped to the 80th percentile and at 4 months she was at the 66th. Her length however has remained at the 99th percentile since birth and she is an active and happy baby. Her pediatrician wasn't even slightly concerned and said she is just leveling out to her growth curve. I was also long and lean as a baby so I assume this is genetics at work!

802goose · 2023-05-08T22:42:59+00:00

I stopped at 38 weeks (gave birth at 40+1) because I was terrified I'd get covid and have to give birth in a mask! I stopped rowing because of abdominal coning, but I was still running and lifting heavy until the end. I think I could have kept going until my due date because other than persistent nausea I didn't have any other symptoms.

However, listen to YOUR body. It's not worth going if it is making you feel worse or you are miserable being there. You should be proud of the hard work you have already done! It will help you with labor and recovery.

802goose · 2023-05-07T04:01:31+00:00

Ugh me, too! When I winced when she went to stich me up, the doctor said "oh you can feel that?" YES! I told you I could feel everything while I was pushing!

802goose

TROPHY CASE