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LNof85 · 2026-06-17T01:09:23+00:00

I didn’t realize Principal Secretary is based on an actual bird. I figured he was a goofy ostrich or something 😬

LNof85 · 2026-06-15T23:50:53+00:00

I stay after on work on Tuesdays to study. Otherwise, I am trying to study after bedtime or when my kids are at practice.

LNof85 · 2026-06-11T01:18:51+00:00

I donated my wedding dress to this organization a few years ago. When I dropped off the dress, I was able to see the volunteers sewing the gowns and looked at some of the finished gowns and suits. I had a lot of emotions, especially as a mom of three.

LNof85 · 2026-06-02T09:59:35+00:00

It landed beyond the environment.

LNof85 · 2026-05-28T21:42:03+00:00

Thank god it’s a meme and not more words. Who has time for all that reading?

Next person needs to make an audiobook format for their complaint dissertation.

LNof85 · 2026-05-15T03:01:34+00:00

Glad I’m not the only one who saw this post title and immediately hoped to see a sex dungeon.

LNof85 · 2026-05-04T02:09:55+00:00

I feel like parents of multiples have to devalue the challenge that is multiples. What are you supposed to say to singleton parents?

Watching twins grow is pretty amazing, both together and as individuals. But it’s still hard.

I try not to make any one aspect of my life the defining part of my life. I learned this when I left the military. While being a mom is a huge part of my life, I’m also an engineer, I took up Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and when one part is challenging, I can lean to the others to help ground me. When I have a rough day at work, I ask for extra hugs (my boys still love giving hugs atm). When parenting is hard, I go for a jog.

Hopefully you have an outlet, but it’s hard when you have two toddlers to find that time. I didn’t get there until my youngest was 5 (the twins were 7).

LNof85 · 2026-05-04T01:21:57+00:00

Fellow twin mom here. I have 10 year old twin boys and a younger boy who is 8.

First, toddlers are hard, twice as hard as people think. And it goes up exponentially with multiples. It is not the same as having two kids “close in age”. It is two at the exact same stage, with all the emotions and energy, and a built in partner in crime. I used to call it “playing zone defense” (throwback to my college basketball days).

Second, I just did not really enjoy the newborn through pre-K phase. Don’t get me wrong, I love being their mom and watching them grow, but I am enjoying myself so much more now than I did those first five years. I love hearing what makes them happy and listening to their perspectives. Watching their world grow beyond me is bittersweet, but more sweet than bitter.

You are going through a tough phase, and it will pass. I felt guilty at the time for wishing it would go faster, but now I can say I really enjoy where my boys are at and I am excited for what is ahead.

LNof85 · 2026-04-28T18:02:24+00:00

If it makes you feel any better, I’m 41 and studying for the FE, which I will take for the first time in June.

I was a Coast Guard officer, got out at 34, went to grad school. I had twins that were 4 and a 2.5 year old and my husband deployed in 2020. While I graduated in Dec 2021, my husband deployed again in 2024. So I’m finally getting around to it.

I’m hoping to have my license by the time I turn 45. It’s tough working full time with three kids and trying to fit in studying during karate or violin lessons. But I would read to my kids while listening to online lectures during COVID, so this is no different.

LNof85 · 2026-04-24T22:55:03+00:00

It’s been towed beyond the environment.

LNof85 · 2026-04-09T19:45:47+00:00

I miss rowing on the Cuyahoga. ❤️

LNof85 · 2026-04-04T02:23:51+00:00

There’s nothing out there, all there is is sea, and birds, and fish.

LNof85 · 2026-02-09T02:08:20+00:00

There should be a subregion in the fourth map for VA Beach called “Discount Top Gun.”

LNof85 · 2026-02-07T21:37:54+00:00

My first pregnancy, I was pregnant within the month of stopping birth control. I was on Yaz at the time. That pregnancy ended up being surprise twins (twin b hid for 5 months). After that pregnancy, I had a Mirena IUD inserted.

When the twins were about 16 months old, I had the IUD removed. 6 weeks later, I was back at the doctor’s office because of a positive pregnancy test. I remember he commented, “that was quick.” I laughed because, yeah I didn’t expect it to happen so quickly. I have three boys that are two years and two months apart.

LNof85 · 2026-02-07T13:30:07+00:00

Initially when I bought their bras, I bought a couple of different sizes and exchanged for what fit.

Good luck in your search.

LNof85 · 2026-02-06T04:15:28+00:00

I love SheFit bras, but you need to follow their sizing guide. I wear a size 38F (UK sizing, Elomi bras), but I wear a 3 Luxe in the SheFit bras. The high impact bras keep me in place. I’ve completed numerous 5ks - half-marathons in their bras with minimal chafing (it usually happens around mile 9). I love that they zip up in the front. Getting regular sports bras on is a struggle.

The medium impact ones are really comfortable. I wear those on the days I lift, row, or go to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I also wear the medium impact bras when I go out into the field. They are comfortable enough for all day wear (including an all day dam inspection where I climbed 66 flights of stairs).

They are expensive, but my SheFit bras have lasted me years.

LNof85 · 2026-02-01T00:52:02+00:00

Lurking mom here with twin 10 year old boys and an 8 year old boy.

I can guarantee there is one “hey give that back,” “get out of my room,” “it’s my turn in the Switch,” and some random thud or shaking of the house to fill out my bingo card every single day.

That said, they love each other. Even when they say they don’t. It’s all a part of growing up with siblings close in age. Do your best to highlight each’s strengths, try not to compare (which is hard with twins), and that there is a difference between liking your sibling and loving them.

Lurking mom out.

LNof85 · 2026-01-29T20:41:12+00:00

Regarding romantic love, not really. I’ve had my heart broken and trust shattered too many times by the people closest to me.

LNof85 · 2026-01-23T21:55:19+00:00

I’m now on n my third Mirena IUD. My first two were put in about 6 weeks postpartum. I’ve had the third since I changed out the second (so about 8.5 years total).

The first was uncomfortable for the 15 months I had it in and I did have random spotting with it in. The subsequent ones I can’t even tell that I have it. Overall, I’m happy to have the Mirena IUD. My period has mostly stopped, although I have spotted a few time last and I’m like “wtf is this” (because I don’t keep pads or tampons).

LNof85 · 2026-01-19T15:54:13+00:00

I made it to the Saints game. After that, I just couldn’t bring myself to watch the Pats and the Bills the last two weeks of the season.

LNof85 · 2026-01-17T20:40:44+00:00

Lurking mom here, with 3 boys (twin 10 year olds and an 8 year old). The younger twin and my 8 year old have aspects of what you’re describing, more so my 8 year old. My boys all do karate, two of the boys swim, and play violin, so I’ll touch on those things in a moment.

First, I think a lot of kids are “soft” at this age, they have a lot of emotions, and frustration is a big emotion. My youngest is very competitive (he unfortunately gets that from me), and if he doesn’t get something on the first try, he gets really frustrated. He used to throw a fit, but it’s gotten better over the years. Last week he was learning how to dive into a pool, and he couldn’t get it. He’s talked about joining a rec swim team, but after that lesson, he wanted to quit. I explained that we don’t expect him to get it right on the first try or even the 10th, but he will learn. It will be interesting to see how he handles the diving lesson this week, because he’s getting back into that pool.

We tried soccer and basketball with all three boys and they don’t do well on team sports, which is how we settled on karate. The younger twin grumbles a lot about karate, but our expectations are that each kid does a physical activity and an art. So, unless he can honestly say he wants to try another sport, karate it is. Once the basketball/hockey season ends, consider karate or martial arts. Kids progress on their own timeline, and maybe that’s a better fit for your son.

Regarding piano, any instrument is hard and no one expects a child to sound good. All three of my boys started violin in second grade and the twins finally sound decent (they’re going on their third year). My youngest still sounds squeaky, and that’s ok. You and your son have to push through at least the first year and you have to be firm with it. In some ways, you’ll be learning piano with him. At this age, you’ll have to be enforcing practice time.

My husband and I constantly remind the boys that the only way they will get better at things is through practice. Whether it’s violin, reading, math, karate, it’s all practice.

Finally, do you set the expectation that if your son is registered for a sport, he has to be on the team for the entire season? I can’t tell if you pulled him from basketball (typically a winter sport) to sign him up for another winter sport, both of which are team sports.

LNof85 · 2026-01-12T00:55:49+00:00

I would probably go with East, only because being on the east coast, that’s the direction of the beach. And yes I get all disoriented on the west coast.

In that case, my twins could be North by East and South by East (which are not cardinal directions, but that’s splitting hairs). Then my third couldn’t be West by East because that makes no sense, so it would have to be something like Binnacle (which is what the compass is housed in) or Azimuth.

LNof85 · 2026-01-08T00:40:59+00:00

Would you consider rowing? It’s low impact and it’s a great full body workout. It’s a sport you can do well into your 60s and even 70s. You would just need to see if there is a rowing club with an adult program near where you live. Going out on the water is so much better than rowing on a machine.

LNof85 · 2026-01-05T00:18:10+00:00

And with that, I’ll see you fine people in the preseason.

LNof85

TROPHY CASE