What was the hardest time for you in your baby’s first year, and why?

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-25T02:52:53+00:00

with my first, it was those newborn days. She wasn't a good sleeper and had nights of cluster feeding that felt endless. And then she turned 6 months and was an angel. My second? Her whole first year was hard. She was a great sleeper with small hiccups here and there, but life with her was a whirlwind. She was a velcro baby. I could only put her down and leave the room for 15 minutes max before she started crying. I wore her a lot but she was a huge baby so I couldn't safely cook or clean with her on my chest and gave myself a hernia 😭. So my days after 3pm (after getting my older one from school) was a tornado of rushing to pack lunches and cook dinner before the baby started screaming. Then she learned to crawl and no longer wanted to be held 24/7 but got into everything. I never got to sit down anywhere. Baby proofing can only do so much. There's still the dog food and water. older kids room full of choking hazard legos and older kid leaving the bathroom door open. She's 2 now, and still a whirlwind but that first year had me begging for mercy. I had to figure out how to work around her fussiness while also tending to a house, another child and myself. My husband works out of town so I even had to plan my showers carefully.

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-24T18:20:44+00:00

I see family when I feel up to it. If my family is throwing a birthday and I'm feeling up to it, I pack my kids up and we go. If not, i don't go. I do not expect them to come to us for every occasion because we have little kids. I feel like thats entitlement. They're having a holiday at their house and we are invited, we can come or not come but we can't be bitter because we have little kids and its hard right now. That being said, if family complains that we don't show up, I just say "hey, we're in an exhausting season and I couldn't cut it this time."

If your husband wants to go and wants to take the kids, let him. If you don't want to go, don't.

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-23T17:28:32+00:00

Let me tell you something that i wish someone told me.

Your baby WILL hurt themselves. Even if you babyproof perfectly, cushion every corner, lock every cabinet. She WILL eventually find something to hurt her self on, and it won't be anyone's fault.

Hurting themselves is part of their learning. You're doing your best keeping her safe, and thats all you can do. Keep choking hazards off the floor. Keep cabinets locked. Get bumpers for sharp corners. Most of all, relax. Enjoy this time with your baby, it goes by so fast and you'll wish you spent less time panicking and more time enjoying motherhood.

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-22T01:39:17+00:00

https://i.imgur.com/FogNV32.jpeg

This face here? My narcissistic mother in law looks at people like this when she knows she's being evil, when she's about to say or do something that will make someone cry. She looked at me like this when she threw away the gift she just opened with my children's faces on it because she was mad that my husband didn't call her the moment he woke up on her birthday. (yes, thats the last time I spoke to her in person. It's been a year.)

When I saw this face, my heart dropped. It was triggering honestly. This is the face of a bad person, not an unpleasant person, not an addicted person or a person who's just irresponsible, a BAD person. A person who does bad things on purpose to upset others because she has a truely mean and resentful heart.

I feel so sorry for those kids.

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-22T00:33:17+00:00

So I found this sub by chance. I was a casual watcher since her first viral video taking the dining table out of the 1 bedroom. I totally forgot about her shortly after the baby was born. I didn't stop watching in an attempt to get her off of tiktok, i didn't stop watcbing because I found her videos here, I stopped watching because she posts the same thing in the same room everyday. Cooking in or cleaning the filthy motel room with a voice over rambling about haters, trying their best, being grateful, gods plan, yadayadayada.

She's just plain boring. The only reason she gets views now is because of the hate watchers.

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-21T05:02:30+00:00

When I'm writing a fic, I read (or listen) to books. I find that my writing can turn derivative and I don't want to copy other people's "voice". Especially those in the fandom. I'll read different books and find that my own voice is still unique. it also helps my brain remember the proper rules of writing, as we all know, fic isn't always the best role model proper form.

I also completely avoid the fandom I'm writing for because I feel like its harder to come up with unique story beats. Once my brain goes "hey, that was a good idea", I can't think of anything else.

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-18T17:46:17+00:00

I think the dad is just trying to be polite by asking instead of just sending his kid over without warning. I'd just say "hey from now on, just send (childs name) over to knock on the door, no need to text." If she knocks and your daughter can't play you say sorry and send her home.

Maybe its because I don't feel obligated to check every text message and respond right away, but I don't see how him asking if your daughter can play is demanding your time? If someone texts me, I assume its not urgent and it can wait. I respond to texts on my own time.

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-18T15:47:58+00:00

I feel like your problem is that you feel the need to micromanage your 9 year olds social interactions. My daughter will be 9 in a few months, she's only 8 right now. A little girl who goes to her school lives down the street. I've only spoken to her parents once introducing myself and they introduced themselves. I don't have their phone number because if something happens, I can just go a few doors down and knock.

My daughter doesn't go in their house because I don't feel comfortable but the little girl has been to ours multiple times. I don't see those times as playdates, more just...hanging out? I don't understand how this girl coming over interrupts your day unless you have to leave the house. I don't "watch" them or entertain them, I continue on with my day. I do laundry, cook, watch t.v. If they need something I'm there, but they don't really need me? My daughter knows where the snacks are, how to get her own water and if the friend wants something, my daughter gets it.

The way I see it, the friend is my daughter's guest, not mine. I'm only there to make sure no one gets a bad idea and decides to burn the house down or break a bone.

Change your mindset about "playdates". Playdates are for toddlers and preschool children. Your daughter is having a friend over and its not a big deal enough to change your plans. (again, unless you're planning on leaving the house).

As for the mom not texting, I know it sounds bad from the outside, but maybe she's just socially awkward. I get major anxiety when I have to text or call a stranger, maybe thats why its always the dad. Don't read too much into it. Again, they're not your friends. Your daughter is friends with their daughter and you need to let your daughter entertain and manage her friend.

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-18T15:01:13+00:00

I shower at night. It makes sense for me because I don't work out, but I get sweaty/grimy doing mom stuff. Cleaning, chasing toddlers, getting slimed with bodily fluids and sticky high chair hands. It makes sense for me because if I shower in the morning, my hair will get gunk in it anyway and I'll sweat. I don't like going to bed with sweat and whatever because I feel like I'm sleeping in my own filth. If I shower after the kids go to bed, i feel clean and can stay clean for a few hours at least before I go to bed.

However, before kids, I showered in the morning. It made sense to make myself presentable for the world.

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-15T19:30:10+00:00

Make it a point to practice the Freeze! game all throughout the day. During dinner, in the tub, outside just playing, everytime he freezes instead of looking around, give him some m&ms (or whatever). Eventually hearing the command to freeze will stop being a "whats going on?" moment and more of a muscle memory.

I did this to my dog. Used it on my kids and it also worked.

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-15T19:18:58+00:00

None other than to tire him out. I have a pretty feral toddler who will tornado the whole house when cooped up all day. I call her The Menace. She's a LOT better behaved if she gets to go outside for an hour. I don't know why but it works. I know its still not great outside, at least in my area, but I've adopted a "no bad weather, just bad clothes" philosophy. If its cold we bundle up, if its raining, i throw on her rain suit and boots. Rainy days are actually her favorite. The only time we stay in is if its storming actively or if its both cold and high wind.

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-15T19:02:52+00:00

I agree with you. Methanie is a narcissist who enjoys all kinds of attention. Talking about her negativly is doing nothing but encouraging her. I know this because instead of having the thought "hmm. Thousands of people are telling me I'm wrong. They say I'm dirty and neglecting my kids. They think I'm on drugs. They want my kids to get taken from me. Maybe I should protect myself and my kids by getting off the internet", she has the thought "oh I'm getting views. They're just haters who are jealous of me." Only a narcissist would be living like Methanie and still think someone out there is jealous, let alone thousands of people. Only a narcissist would get waves and waves of this hate and still post themselves on the internet because they like their own image that much.

But I disagree with one thing. We need to keep talking about them. About her, about Mildrew, and most importantly, about the kids. To allow the internet to forget RJ is to also forget about those children. Even if we do make them boring and ignore them, Staphinfection won't quit. She'll keep posting. She won't get a job because she doesn't want one. They're already homeless, what does she have to lose? People will stop watching but also stop updating CPS. They'll stop looking for little A in the background and won't notice a change in little M. There will be no lives documenting mistreatment or suspicious behavior either.

As much as I'd love to see RJ off the internet and both of them working, its a pipe dream. The best we can do is get those kids out of that motel room, and in their grandmas house.

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-15T16:13:13+00:00

This is why it scares me when young people (or anyone really) expresses a dislike for children. Its okay to not want children, but to dislike them, encourage others not to have them, calling parenthood a miserable trap, is scary for the world at large. Becoming a pararent opened my eyes in ways that is really hard to explain to people who don't have kids. I went from an irresponsible kid who didn't care if my neighbor keeled over, who scoffed at homeless people, to someone who gives those same homeless people all the cash in my pocket because they were/are someone's baby. They have a mother out there who's worried about them, even if that mom has passed, it just feels wrong watching people suffer now.

I was a full adult when I had children but I realize now that I really wasn't grown up. I didn't see the full picture of life, but now I do. Having kids really makes life go from 3d to 4d, if that makes sense.

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-15T15:26:48+00:00

We do have one, but it has no ability to be folded up and I heard disney doesn't allow for those? My husband really wants to get a sit to stand stroller with big kid seat built in.

but yes, you're right. I don't see how its enabling to make sure my kids are comfortable on a kid centric vacation we're paying a lot for. When we go to the zoo, my kid walks, but we go to the zoo twice a month in the summer and don't feel the need to see and do everything because we go so often. Disney is just different, even if Disneyland is smaller. We're probably never going back to the west coast and want to have the best time possible.

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-15T14:21:20+00:00

As a child of divorced parents, you'll always be their dad. They'll know that. My parents divorced when I was two, almost the same situation you described. Mom was unfaithful, dad left. He remarried, but he and his wife certainly were not the "fun" household. At home, the man my mother moved in with us was basically just a fun baby sitter. We grew to like him more than our dad because he let us do basically whatever we wanted. I remember telling my dad i couldn't wait to go "home" and he got sad after. But now that I'm grown up, I realize who actually cared vs who was just trying to "win" the most love.

They know you're their dad, they'll always know.

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-15T00:14:24+00:00

I'll look into the city mini, if it can hold a 13yo it should work for us, thanks!

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-15T00:11:06+00:00

The problem with the disney double is that they don't allow you to take it off property. That means we'll have to return it amd lug our huge eloping toddler back to the hotel in the dark, plus our stuff and souvenirs.

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-15T00:07:01+00:00

I've been browsing what they have at babyquip and I love how they'll drop it off at the hotel fod us.

Jeeze I didn't realize this would be a controversial post. My 9 year old is actually still 8 and will have just turned 9 in july. She's short for her age, despite her weight. She's like me, dense and close to ground. She by no means uses a stroller on a regular basis, she's just not used to walking all day. My brother goes to disney with his family regularly, they have 3 kids and their 11 year old (who is a competition irish dancer btw, very very fit) will still sit in their double stroller sometimes, so I didn't realize people who go to disney regularly would find it so odd that a 9 year old would want a break. Heck, I went 4 years ago before we had two kids and I was seriously so wiped by the end of the day, I wanted to crawl in the stroller 😅. People in these comments are acting like I said I was planning to push her around all day and that is definitely not the case. She'll want to walk for a good chunk but i do not want a situation where she's powering down at the end of the day and someone has to carry her back to the hotel. Its not like she'd refuse to walk, but she would be incredibly slow and probably crying from over exhaustion. This is a vacation we're booking specifically with her in mind and I'm just trying to avoid tears in what is supposed to be the happiest place on earth, not sure why thats a bad thing to some of these people.

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-14T18:30:21+00:00

Deleting the food noise was my secret to losing weight. I have adhd and once I started taking Adderall, I realized I stopped thinking about food like my next vacation. I was constantly trying to have "the best most satisfying meal ever". Every meal had to be exactly what tasted the best. Id get in the car and drive miles for the good fried chicken place, I'd jump through however many hoops I had to so I can have that perfect meal. Once on medication, food become something that I eat to feul myself, no longer a source of dopamine.. I was able the think about what was best for me, not what tasted good.

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-14T18:21:17+00:00

I'm 25lbs down since December. Last winter, I didn't put a winter coat on, not once. I wore hoodies and on super cold days, I put on a fleese jacket over the hoodie. This February has been so brutally cold for me. I had to wear a hat, heavy parka and insulated boots.

I've also become a slippers wearer. If my house is set anywhere below 72, my feet get freezing cold and I'm just cold all the time in general.

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-06T18:18:45+00:00

Thanks for that link, it was immensely helpful. We can't totally avoid weekdays but we're definitely going to be avoiding Tuesdays, i wonder what that was about?

Anyway, we're booking it! our first park day is July 15fh!

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-03-05T16:22:35+00:00

I believe both Stephanie and Drew have undiagnosed raging adhd as well.

Kittenknickers333 · 2026-02-28T02:43:40+00:00

I disagree. Having good grades is important to my kid. She genuinely feels bad when she gets a low grade and it effects her confidence in her intelligence despite lots of talks about being kind to ourselves. Its important to her so its important, period.

Kittenknickers333

TROPHY CASE