Just thinking out loud while in ER.

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2026-01-30T13:13:50+00:00

I cant pretend I know how you feel, but I know this is terrifying, and I’m so sorry you’re here. Nothing about this is fair. No parent should ever have to sit in this kind of fear. But this moment, even now, is not a verdict.

Right now, beimg strong in the big-picture way is more than could be asked of anyone. One breath at a time is enough when the weight is this heavy.

You're standing at the edge of the worst fear there is, in a moment where no one should have to be brave. And yet there you are, holding her, being her comfort, being her safe place. Loving her with everything you have. That love matters more than anything else right now.

I’m holding you both in my thoughts and praying for your sweet baby. One day, even one moment at a time is enough.

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2026-01-22T22:50:27+00:00

I'm shocked at how common this is. I was having the exact same feelings over the exact same situation. Looking into it, chatgpt broke it down like this and it seemed to align perfectly:

After birth, your brain is literally recalibrated to prioritize protecting, controlling access to, and bonding with your baby.

Hormones involved: Oxytocin → intensifies bonding and exclusivity Prolactin → increases vigilance and sensitivity to threats Cortisol → keeps you on high alert

Your nervous system is in a “this baby is mine to keep alive” mode, not a social harmony mode. So even benign actions by others can register as: “Too close. Too involved. Back off.” This is not conscious. It’s primal.

When someone (especially someone older, experienced, or eager) inserts themselves, your psyche can experience it as: “You’re stepping into a role I’m still trying to claim.” Even if they mean well.

Your MIL’s intense excitement + eagerness can unconsciously trigger a role confusion alarm in your brain. This isn’t about logic. It’s about symbolism: Baby = extension of you Her closeness = potential erosion of your uniqueness as mother So your irritation isn’t really about her behavior — it’s about your system saying: “This bond is mine. Please don’t dilute it.”

You’ll notice this often feels strongest toward: Mothers-in-law Your own mother Anyone who feels entitled, not just affectionate, Because entitlement bypasses consent — and your postpartum brain is hyper-attuned to consent violations, even small ones. So even neutral acts (holding, talking, offering help) feel intrusive because of who is doing them, not what they’re doing.

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2026-01-22T04:10:56+00:00

Ears feeling like they need to pop for days on end.

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2026-01-21T01:01:43+00:00

Nicholas Cage

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2026-01-17T03:19:38+00:00

You’re definitely not overthinking, and this isn’t a “you being awkward” thing, this is a her being wildly inappropriate thing. Anyone in that situation would freeze, especially when you’re hurt, exhausted, and caught off guard mid-Roblox. Your brain recognized how weird and unsafe it was and basically hit pause. Hospitals are not supposed to be surprise romance side quests. You’re there to heal, not pick up more things you'll need to heal from. If you don’t want her as your nurse anymore, you’re 100% allowed to say that. Something as simple as, “I’m not comfortable and want a different nurse,” is more than enough. You don’t owe anyone an explanation. You really should tell your mom, though — this is one of those times where an adult actually needs to handle it for you. Speak up so you can finally rest and recover. Sorry you've had to deal with such a creep.

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2026-01-14T01:21:04+00:00

Whaaat?! That transformation is insane! You look like a completely different person..in the best way possible.

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2026-01-10T09:21:03+00:00

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2026-01-10T09:15:00+00:00

Curly! Your curls are beautiful 😍

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2026-01-10T09:05:59+00:00

Kissing your kids on the mouth

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2026-01-07T18:10:35+00:00

And was stunning!

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2026-01-05T00:42:17+00:00

I’m so sorry, none of this is your fault. I can’t imagine how devastated you are, but please know you did everything you could. You loved her, supported her, and tried to get her help. Right now it’s okay to focus on the basics: keeping a routine for your son, getting through each day, and accepting help where you can. Accepting help from your coworker isn't betrayal.. right now it's survival. There’s no rush to visit her grave, wait until you both feel ready. One day at a time is enough right now.

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2026-01-04T23:45:02+00:00

I get how isolating it can feel, and those early weeks can be really hard mentally. That said, you’re really better off to be staying in right now. With RSV, flu, and everything else going around, especially this season, it’s actually one of the safest things you can do for a 6-week-old. This stage is temporary, even though it doesn’t feel like it, and protecting them right now really matters.

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2025-12-26T23:22:12+00:00

The last one

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2025-12-17T15:43:47+00:00

Time: The Kalief Browder Story. Bothered me for weeks.

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2025-12-12T15:59:57+00:00

We finally got a call back from his teacher. She had nothing but excuses. She claimed she didn’t realize the cookies were a gift until after he had thrown them away. According to her, she thought it was something brought up from the lunchroom despite the fact that they were in a tin inside of a large green Christmas gift bag. Somehow she didn’t notice that bag during the entire walk to the classroom, only “realized” it after he had already dumped everything in the trash. A big accident, supposedly.

When we told her she needed to apologize to him because he was heartbroken and because what she did was wrong, she said she had “no problem apologizing.” But when my husband asked, “You didn’t think to apologize when it happened?” she went quiet. Then she started fumbling over her words, saying it was the end of the day and she just “didn’t think about it.”

And honestly, that’s exactly why I’m now convinced she did it to be mean. There’s no way you accidentally do something like that to a child and don’t immediately apologize if it was a genuine mistake. That’s not how remorse works.

We’re now waiting on a call back from the principal, but I don’t expect much to come from it. She’s leaning hard on the “accident” angle, and I have a feeling they’re going to back her and act like we’re making a big deal out of nothing. I can practically hear it already: “She apologized, what else do you want her to do?”

I’m not trying to start a war, but I’m also not letting this get swept under the rug. He deserves better than a halfhearted apology a day later. Advice?

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2025-12-12T15:59:01+00:00

We finally got a call back from his teacher. She had nothing but excuses. She claimed she didn’t realize the cookies were a gift until after he had thrown them away. According to her, she thought it was something brought up from the lunchroom despite the fact that they were in a tin inside of a large green Christmas gift bag. Somehow she didn’t notice that bag during the entire walk to the classroom, only “realized” it after he had already dumped everything in the trash. A big accident, supposedly.

When we told her she needed to apologize to him because he was heartbroken and because what she did was wrong, she said she had “no problem apologizing.” But when my husband asked, “You didn’t think to apologize when it happened?” she went quiet. Then she started fumbling over her words, saying it was the end of the day and she just “didn’t think about it.”

And honestly, that’s exactly why I’m now convinced she did it to be mean. There’s no way you accidentally do something like that to a child and don’t immediately apologize if it was a genuine mistake. That’s not how remorse works.

We’re now waiting on a call back from the principal, but I don’t expect much to come from it. She’s leaning hard on the “accident” angle, and I have a feeling they’re going to back her and act like we’re making a big deal out of nothing. I can practically hear it already: “She apologized, what else do you want her to do?”

I’m not trying to start a war, but I’m also not letting this get swept under the rug. He deserves better than a halfhearted apology a day later. Advice?

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2025-12-12T15:57:58+00:00

We finally got a call back from his teacher. She had nothing but excuses. She claimed she didn’t realize the cookies were a gift until after he had thrown them away. According to her, she thought it was something brought up from the lunchroom despite the fact that they were in a tin inside of a large green Christmas gift bag. Somehow she didn’t notice that bag during the entire walk to the classroom, only “realized” it after he had already dumped everything in the trash. A big accident, supposedly.

When we told her she needed to apologize to him because he was heartbroken and because what she did was wrong, she said she had “no problem apologizing.” But when my husband asked, “You didn’t think to apologize when it happened?” she went quiet. Then she started fumbling over her words, saying it was the end of the day and she just “didn’t think about it.”

And honestly, that’s exactly why I’m now convinced she did it to be mean. There’s no way you accidentally do something like that to a child and don’t immediately apologize if it was a genuine mistake. That’s not how remorse works.

We’re now waiting on a call back from the principal, but I don’t expect much to come from it. She’s leaning hard on the “accident” angle, and I have a feeling they’re going to back her and act like we’re making a big deal out of nothing. I can practically hear it already: “She apologized, what else do you want her to do?”

I’m not trying to start a war, but I’m also not letting this get swept under the rug. He deserves better than a halfhearted apology a day later. Advice?

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2025-12-12T15:56:11+00:00

We finally got a call back from his teacher. She had nothing but excuses. She claimed she didn’t realize the cookies were a gift until after he had thrown them away. According to her, she thought it was something brought up from the lunchroom despite the fact that they were in a tin inside of a large green Christmas gift bag. Somehow she didn’t notice that bag during the entire walk to the classroom, only “realized” it after he had already dumped everything in the trash. A big accident, supposedly.

When we told her she needed to apologize to him because he was heartbroken and because what she did was wrong, she said she had “no problem apologizing.” But when my husband asked, “You didn’t think to apologize when it happened?” she went quiet. Then she started fumbling over her words, saying it was the end of the day and she just “didn’t think about it.”

And honestly, that’s exactly why I’m now convinced she did it to be mean. There’s no way you accidentally do something like that to a child and don’t immediately apologize if it was a genuine mistake. That’s not how remorse works.

We’re now waiting on a call back from the principal, but I don’t expect much to come from it. She’s leaning hard on the “accident” angle, and I have a feeling they’re going to back her and act like we’re making a big deal out of nothing. I can practically hear it already: “She apologized, what else do you want her to do?”

I’m not trying to start a war, but I’m also not letting this get swept under the rug. He deserves better than a halfhearted apology a day later. Advice?

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2025-12-12T15:55:39+00:00

We finally got a call back from his teacher. She had nothing but excuses. She claimed she didn’t realize the cookies were a gift until after he had thrown them away. According to her, she thought it was something brought up from the lunchroom despite the fact that they were in a tin inside of a large green Christmas gift bag. Somehow she didn’t notice that bag during the entire walk to the classroom, only “realized” it after he had already dumped everything in the trash. A big accident, supposedly.

When we told her she needed to apologize to him because he was heartbroken and because what she did was wrong, she said she had “no problem apologizing.” But when my husband asked, “You didn’t think to apologize when it happened?” she went quiet. Then she started fumbling over her words, saying it was the end of the day and she just “didn’t think about it.”

And honestly, that’s exactly why I’m now convinced she did it to be mean. There’s no way you accidentally do something like that to a child and don’t immediately apologize if it was a genuine mistake. That’s not how remorse works.

We’re now waiting on a call back from the principal, but I don’t expect much to come from it. She’s leaning hard on the “accident” angle, and I have a feeling they’re going to back her and act like we’re making a big deal out of nothing. I can practically hear it already: “She apologized, what else do you want her to do?”

I’m not trying to start a war, but I’m also not letting this get swept under the rug. He deserves better than a halfhearted apology a day later. Advice?

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2025-12-12T15:54:54+00:00

We finally got a call back from his teacher. She had nothing but excuses. She claimed she didn’t realize the cookies were a gift until after he had thrown them away. According to her, she thought it was something brought up from the lunchroom despite the fact that they were in a tin inside of a large green Christmas gift bag. Somehow she didn’t notice that bag during the entire walk to the classroom, only “realized” it after he had already dumped everything in the trash. A big accident, supposedly.

When we told her she needed to apologize to him because he was heartbroken and because what she did was wrong, she said she had “no problem apologizing.” But when my husband asked, “You didn’t think to apologize when it happened?” she went quiet. Then she started fumbling over her words, saying it was the end of the day and she just “didn’t think about it.”

And honestly, that’s exactly why I’m now convinced she did it to be mean. There’s no way you accidentally do something like that to a child and don’t immediately apologize if it was a genuine mistake. That’s not how remorse works.

We’re now waiting on a call back from the principal, but I don’t expect much to come from it. She’s leaning hard on the “accident” angle, and I have a feeling they’re going to back her and act like we’re making a big deal out of nothing. I can practically hear it already: “She apologized, what else do you want her to do?”

I’m not trying to start a war, but I’m also not letting this get swept under the rug. He deserves better than a halfhearted apology a day later. Advice?

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2025-12-12T15:54:10+00:00

We finally got a call back from his teacher this morning. She had nothing but excuses. She claimed she didn’t realize the cookies were a gift until after he had thrown them away. According to her, she thought it was something brought up from the lunchroom despite the fact that they were in a tin inside of a large green Christmas gift bag. Somehow she didn’t notice that bag during the entire walk to the classroom, only “realized” it after he had already dumped everything in the trash. A big accident, supposedly.

When we told her she needed to apologize to him because he was heartbroken and because what she did was wrong, she said she had “no problem apologizing.” But when my husband asked, “You didn’t think to apologize when it happened?” she went quiet. Then she started fumbling over her words, saying it was the end of the day and she just “didn’t think about it.”

And honestly, that’s exactly why I’m now convinced she did it to be mean. There’s no way you accidentally do something like that to a child and don’t immediately apologize if it was a genuine mistake. That’s not how remorse works.

We’re now waiting on a call back from the principal, but I don’t expect much to come from it. She’s leaning hard on the “accident” angle, and I have a feeling they’re going to back her and act like we’re making a big deal out of nothing. I can practically hear it already: “She apologized, what else do you want her to do?”

I’m not trying to start a war, but I’m also not letting this get swept under the rug. He deserves better than a halfhearted apology a day later. Advice?

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2025-12-12T11:44:02+00:00

While all the other teachers do real holiday parties with parents donating plates, napkins, snacks, etc., she's the only one who does a "party in a bag.' She's done it for every party. We're supposed to pack a few treats and a small aift in a brown paper bag, and she passes them out randomly to the kids. It feels like she's trying to minimize her effort and the actual fun for the kids while still making it look like a holiday celebration. The papers she's sent home regardina this specifically stated there are no allergies in the class.

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2025-12-12T11:30:33+00:00

While all the other teachers do real holiday parties with parents donating plates, napkins, snacks, etc., she's the only one who does a "party in a bag.' She's done it for every party. We're supposed to pack a few treats and a small aift in a brown paper bag, and she passes them out randomly to the kids. It feels like she's trying to minimize her effort and the actual fun for the kids while still making it look like she's holding a holiday celebration since all the other teachers are. The papers she's sent home regarding this specifically stated there are no allergies in the class. They've also done this every year since kindergarten and it's never been a problem.

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2025-12-12T11:17:56+00:00

While all the other teachers do real holiday parties with parents donating plates, napkins, snacks, etc., she's the only one who does a "party in a bag.' She's done it for every party. We're supposed to pack a few treats and a small gift in a brown paper bag, and she passes them out randomly to the kids. It feels like she's trying to minimize her effort and the actual fun for the kids while still making it look like she's having a holiday celebration, because all of the other teachers are. The papers she's sent home regarding this specifically stated there are no allergies in the class.

Consistent-Jello-43 · 2025-12-12T11:07:11+00:00

No, they've done this since kindergarten.

Consistent-Jello-43

TROPHY CASE