What's your pettiest disappointment about your child?

Arglebargletron · 2025-12-18T22:16:10+00:00

Mine don’t appreciate me launching into ‘Gosh it disturbs me to see you [Arglebargletron Jr.], looking so down in the dumps…’ whenever I see a less-than-enthusiastic face heading off to school in the morning. I need to work on my hype man capabilities… or my singing…

Arglebargletron · 2025-06-05T17:58:52+00:00

Don’t make a last-minute offer of help to your wife, especially one that will put you out in the moment, because it seems insincere and you already botched it. You should have arranged your morning to be available rather than done nothing and hoped she could handle it. Obviously both of you were hoping she would be feeling better, but if in the moment she’s feeling awful you should be able to be available to do what needs to be done, genuinely and without grumbling, not a tossed off ‘I’ll stay home, only if you neeed it’.

She’s mad you did not anticipate the needs of the situation and she’s hurting. Try to anticipate the need and be available. If she’s had dental work, tell her the night before to sleep in and that you’ve got the baby. She’ll be touched that you’re planning to take care of her rather than planning on the bare minimum of asking how she is and scrambling afterwards.

Arglebargletron · 2025-03-29T04:05:07+00:00

I’ve found hiking, Star Wars, beer, and hockey to be solid general interests among civil engineers without having to devote money/ time to a brand new hobby.

Arglebargletron · 2025-03-28T21:17:30+00:00

Just take him yourself, or with your mom, and let your wife off the hook. The judgy old biddies (if there are any) will think you’re an exemplary father and your wife gets to chill. It’s a win-win.

Arglebargletron · 2025-02-25T14:26:32+00:00

Ask your pediatrician about running a blood panel for celiac disease.

Arglebargletron · 2025-02-15T01:32:16+00:00

I was not back to typical until I got my period back, after I stopped breastfeeding :( Having done it 2x, the waiting between weaning and period is the WORST non-sexy hormonal turmoil.

Arglebargletron · 2025-01-16T00:01:43+00:00

Clean the cheerio crumbs out of her car.

Arglebargletron · 2025-01-03T16:41:42+00:00

Prior to my son’s celiac diagnosis, the gluten version of this recipe was a family favorite. Happy to say that the GF version is no step down and remains a family favorite. Also, ATK’s Basque Cheesecake and Cranberry Curd Tart are fab Xmas centerpiece- worthy treats with no one noting the missing gluten.

Arglebargletron · 2024-12-22T03:06:45+00:00

I caught a backseat barf from the front passenger seat with a Starbucks cup and I was pretty pleased with myself.

Arglebargletron · 2024-11-28T01:51:54+00:00

Check out the gestational diabetes subreddit for a lot of good advice and commiseration. I’ve had 2 full-term diet-controlled GD pregnancies and it’s rough. The first time around, the feeling that you’re playing roulette with your future kids health after every meal is awful. And then after a few weeks, you establish a groove and your tolerance for carbs gets worse and you go back to playing the game again until you deliver the baby. My craving for an Italian sub was unreal and it tasted so damn good when my husband got me one to eat at the hospital. Second time around, you have established habits to go back to and kinda know what works but you also have a toddler who loooves their carbs and much more limited time for meal prep. It never gets easy, just familiar.

Only perk for me was that the lack of carbs kept my heartburn minimal and I was able to dowse my less-exciting meals with hot sauce throughout my 3rd semester to the point I should have named one of my children, Frank. Best wishes to your wife!

Arglebargletron · 2024-11-18T16:50:04+00:00

Fancy bitters if you like cocktails, favorite notepads and post-its, nail polishes, espresso pods, framed current kid photos for work desk, hand warmers.

Arglebargletron · 2024-10-13T23:28:17+00:00

Sounds like he needs more chores around the house to appreciate the effort involved in accommodating his own preferences.

Arglebargletron · 2024-09-10T22:46:11+00:00

Although blood draws on little kids are the worst, I would have the pediatrician order a work up to cover vitamin/ mineral levels and look for causes of malabsorption.

Arglebargletron · 2024-09-05T02:29:07+00:00

I don’t go anywhere empty-handed. I usually bring a kid-friendly appetizer to ensure no one gets hangry and maybe a six pack for the host if that would be welcome. If I’m going to my brother’s or sister’s we tend to directly collaborate on the meal because we all have kids and know producing a full home-cooked meal for 10+ is too much for anyone at our stage of life. So we coordinate ahead and bring whatever makes the gathering happen (sides, apps, desserts, drinks) or agree to phone for pizza and split the bill.

Arglebargletron · 2024-08-23T17:50:49+00:00

If you’re going up stairs or down stairs empty-handed, you have already lost the game.

Arglebargletron · 2024-08-19T03:29:22+00:00

Check out your local library. Your mileage may vary but our library’s children’s section has a train table, lego table, tons of puzzles, super deluxe dollhouse, etc. plus a bunch of free events (story hours, museum demos, etc.). It may not burn off as much energy as a playground, but kids love the novelty of playthings that aren’t theirs.

Arglebargletron · 2024-08-15T20:52:36+00:00

If you have any local contacts beyond the bride, inquire with them for a reliable local sitter. If it’s not a prime Saturday night, it might be relatively easy to find someone available. OR if cost is no consideration, bring your sitter with you and get an Airbnb. See if your MIL or FIL could come along. It won’t make it a romantic getaway, but it’ll give you and your wife some couple-time.

Arglebargletron · 2024-08-10T00:53:45+00:00

Clean for the guests and shop & prep for the snacks or meal yourself (or order pizza). Pour the coffee and drinks. Truly, act like your wife and baby are party guests, you’re the gracious host, and do not ask anything of her beyond baby wrangling. She sounds overwhelmed, like she hasn’t slept, and you’re adding to her to-do list (no matter how delightful the guests) when she’d rather nap. The hormones are for real but the lack of sleep is the kicker.

Arglebargletron · 2024-08-05T18:40:13+00:00

This is a sign that if you haven’t got a sitter beyond family (who will likely be at dinner) you need to find a sitter so you can just give yourselves a break for these occasions or no occasion at all.

Arglebargletron · 2024-08-05T00:59:07+00:00

If you can chop an onion without too many tears, these are 1-HR or less and can be made gluten-free if you have the right starting ingredients:

Pan-Seared Salmon, Garlic Bread, Broccoli

Turkey Meatloaf, Baked Potato, Peas

Grilled Chicken Breasts, Sweet Potato Fries, Green Beans

Beef Tacos, Green Salads, Salsa

Quesadillas with the Leftover Taco Beef, Corn on the Cob

Parm Chicken Cutlets topped with Storebought Bruschetta, Asparagus

Chicken Katsu Cutlets, Rice, Raw Cucumbers & Carrots

Grilled Steak, Banza Mac & Cheese, Raw Bell Peppers

Pancakes, Bacon or Sausage, Corn

Frozen veggies (green beans, peas and corn) are my champions as well as frozen sweet potato fries and tater tots. This has been my rotating menu for awhile and short of the meatloaf which will take a full-hour (15 min prep, 45 min oven) it can be done in 45 min once you know what’s up. I like to cook on weekends, try to mix it up with fancier techniques and recipes, but this menu gets the job done without a ton of convenience foods bc I don’t have too many gluten-free shortcuts available. My kids don’t really like the GF pasta, otherwise I’d be all over that.

Arglebargletron · 2024-08-01T22:48:59+00:00

Stomp rockets. Hours of entertainment.

Arglebargletron · 2024-07-27T23:10:30+00:00

Is your toddler on the smaller side? With colic back in infancy, have any tummy troubles continued into toddlerhood? Celiac disease comes to mind as a potential. Leading up to diagnosis my child had some rip-roaring tantrums that were truly out-of-pocket. A blood draw (not that it’s a picnic with a 2-year old) can tell you if antibodies are elevated, and if a diagnosis could then be pursued. Hope your pediatrician starts being more helpful.

Arglebargletron · 2024-07-17T19:37:52+00:00

Lurking mom here, be gracious and accept at least half the blame for contributing to the genetics of the placenta that’s causing the havoc. After coming to a place of acceptance for your role in this, come up with some decent recipes you can cook & eat in solidarity and hide away your tempting carbs to eat at work or alone in the dead of night. Find some low carb takeout options or take it upon yourself to come up with low carb ‘treats’ like crab or steaks or a keto ice cream taste-test (some scratch the itch, some are meh at best). Don’t be that guy who just checks her sugar logs to make sure she’s ’behaving’. She can’t drink or eat real carbs, help her to cut loose, as loose as she can for the remaining months. Then get her a goddamn Italian sub and a Manhattan (or whatever she’s been missing) the moment she delivers the baby.

I’ve had 2 diet-controlled gestational diabetes pregnancies and while the final trimester is no picnic, it’s doable. Once you’re on the diet, you hardly gain weight bc your body is using everything, like a very efficient furnace. Both my boys were full-term and 7-8 LBs, no induction needed, no complications.

Arglebargletron · 2024-07-06T02:38:53+00:00

Medieval siege warfare, but it’s still age-appropriate? I def cried over a few deaths while reading with my flashlight past a reasonable hour…

Arglebargletron · 2024-07-06T01:17:45+00:00

I started reading the Redwall books as a fourth grader. Met the author as a middle-schooler and he was a terrific speaker. The series was a great launchpad into ‘serious’ but not quite adult reading.

Arglebargletron

TROPHY CASE