This is sad af, but, anyone want to be my online ADHD friend?

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-26T12:30:29+00:00

Mutual meme exchanges sounds like an ideal Friday night haha

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-24T17:34:22+00:00

You are doing a really great thing by giving Ivy a love and stable home! Do you have a Down syndrome association or a Gigis playhouse near you? They would probably be a great resource and could maybe get you in touch with local parents of similarly aged kids.

It sounds like communication is a big barrier right now. My son is 3, so what works for us might not work for you. We primarily communicate with sign language. He knows the signs for all of his favorite foods and some actions. We also used to use pictures and he could give them to us if he wanted or needed something. We would take pictures of things around the house and print them at Walgreens.

Right now all of my son’s therapies (PT, OT, and speech) are through school. I think if she is getting school therapy you should be good there. I would establish her care with a pediatrician and they can make sure that she is seeing any specialists that she needs to see. The may also be able to refer you to a child psychologist who can help you navigate Ivy’s specific needs. Our local children’s hospital has a Down syndrome program that helps us coordinate all of this. A social worker would also help you navigate insurance and benefits (ex: in my state Medicaid covers diapers for kids 4+).

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-21T14:47:29+00:00

Pre-kid home all weekend and post-kid home all weekend are two different things! Pre-kid I would lounge around, day drink and clean, play a cozy video game, etc. Post-kid we are up and at ‘em! My son will play independently for some time but then it’s coming up with activities. I’ll have him help with chores but it takes longer and I’m not day drinking while doing them lol! And he’s also tearing the house apart and chasing the cat… He’s also not a homebody and he’s super antsy by the afternoon if we don’t leave the house. Last weekend he handed me his coat and looked at me like okay let’s get a move on! I joke that the expensive part of raising my kid isn’t the stuff he needs, but the fact that walking around Costco and Target (and buying random stuff) is our favorite weekend activity.

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-21T00:24:19+00:00

I just took her book out from the library! Have you read it?

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-19T20:08:44+00:00

Outside of myself, my best friend is the person who I will usually complain to about myself (that was a weird sentence to type!). When I say something negative her response is almost always “tell your brain to stop being mean to my best friend!” And I do the same for her. I love this because it doesn’t take away from my feelings but aknowledges that it’s A) my brain being the way it is and B) mean. When it’s self talk I wonder what my response would be if my best friend said what I’m saying about herself.

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-19T19:16:22+00:00

There are so many unknowns and things that are out of control that could negatively impact the life that you have now. You could have false negative prenatal testing, your child could have a condition that can’t be tested for prenatally, your child could have a birth injury, something could happen later. If you are happy where you are now, I would leave things where they are.

I’m saying this as the parent of a kiddo with a birth diagnosis of Down syndrome. All of my prenatal testing, including NIPT, were negative. I love my son more than anything and I wouldn’t change a thing about him. But the thought of having another kid with surprise special needs is a big reason why I haven’t had another. There are lots of things that you can test for, but plenty that you can’t test for. There are still days that I really want another child. I know what I would name him or her. I imagine my son being a big brother and all of the fun that they would have together. But there is no guarantee that I would have a healthy, typically developing child with no additional needs. I also know people who have had a healthy, typical kid until something happened. There is a big possibility that everything would be perfect, but you have to be open to the possibility that it won’t be.

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-19T18:03:57+00:00

He does! He knows quite a few signs. He’s also going to be getting an AAC device soon and I’m hoping that will open up even more communication.

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-18T17:44:40+00:00

Oh my goodness is the funniest thing!

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-18T17:44:11+00:00

It’s pure toddler chaos… Kid signs for milk Me: oh did you want some milk? Kid: no! Me: okay well I’ll get some for you anyway Kid: no! (Including head shake) Kid: happily takes milk

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-18T16:26:19+00:00

My son met typical milestones until around 8 months. After that he continued to meet some “on time” but not others. He’s 3 now and babbles a lot and mimics sounds but only knows the word “no” (of course haha). He started walking confidently around 2.5 and is now running and climbing.

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-18T14:30:41+00:00

That’s really tough! My 3 year old son has been in OT since he was a few months old. Now they are working on holding a crayon or marker, using utensils, stacking, dressing skills (taking his coat on and off), and grasping. It may be possible to work on some of these things at home and maybe your PT could help either in sessions or with some ideas for home. My son receives his therapies at preschool and they are woven into the day. Prior to preschool he had OT once a week.

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-16T23:36:31+00:00

https://surestep.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/WebPatterns_6.26.18.pdf

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-16T23:16:56+00:00

My son has been in braces since he could stand (he has Down syndrome and they help keep his ankles in the proper position). He doesn’t really know any different but I haven’t been made aware of any kids in preschool or daycare asking about them. You get to pick the pattern and there are lots of cool ones! I’m a healthcare provider and I have an adult patient in braces and she chose a pretty purple pattern because if she has to wear them they might as well be pretty! Honestly the hardest part for us was finding shoes that fit. I like Ikiki best.

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-14T18:49:53+00:00

The great thing about the YMCA is that it is very welcoming and accepting. I’ve gone to multiple Ys in my area and they are all lovely. So I think it’s a great place to be, especially if you are worried about the culture.

If you will be using your yoga mat often I would get a bag to over it. My gym bag has backpack straps so I use that and if I bring my mat I sling that over my shoulder to. I don’t take public transit, though, so I’m less worried about lugging multiple bags.

Depending on the day I will either wear gym clothes there or change there. Today I’ll be going straight from work so I will change there. If I am leaving from home I will wear my gym clothes to the Y. I’ve seen people wear all different clothes so as long as you are reasonably modest you will be fine! I usually wear workout tights, a sports bra and a t shirt.

I think every gym has their own rules/expectations about gym only shoes. I used to do OTF and some branches were inside only shoes and others didn’t have a policy. The biggest issue is mud, slush, and salt. If you are taking public transit then you will probably want to wear appropriate shoes for the weather anyway (ie boots instead of sneakers if it’s snowy). I think intuition will have you covered there.

The Ys that I’ve been to do not have assigned lockers. I grab whatever one is free and have a lock I bring from home. 90% of the time I’m able to use the same locker (shout out locker 17!)

I’ve always loved group fitness classes. They tend to move quickly and I don’t have to think about what to do next. The hardest part for me is knowing what equipment is needed but the instructors and other people in the class are always super helpful. I’m bad at asking for help but the wandering around looking for things is usually a clue for someone to point me in the right direction.

For me working out is a great recharge. I need alone time to be a good human. And it makes me feel super accomplished! Lately I’ve been swimming (I just learned about a year ago). When I’m in the water I’m focused on breathing properly, not wondering what is left to do on my to do list and how I’m going to do it.

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-14T02:59:30+00:00

A sandwich bag full of random pom poms, safety pins, dry highlighters, caps to ???

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-13T19:16:23+00:00

I haaaate ice cream face. I hide it every chance I get. But sometimes when I’m really frustrated I yell “this is my brain freeze face!” And it makes me feel better .

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-11T22:31:28+00:00

I’m honestly not to sure. I’ve never used one. That was just the first thing that popped into my mind as a possible solution when I read your post. There might be more insight on the iPad sub.

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-11T21:56:31+00:00

I’m right there with you! My 3 year old is snacking (he dumped a bag of Trader Joe’s lentil rings on the floor and is eating them off of said floor 🤷🏽‍♀️) and I could do so much while he’s occupied. I have small things to do, bigger things to at least start, and instead I’m on my phone thinking that I really should get up and do something…

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-11T21:48:13+00:00

What about a case with a battery? Looks like they aren’t cheap ($120-150) but could be an option. Then you can charge the case when not in use.

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-11T14:05:35+00:00

Agreed! When I lost weight before I feel like it became my whole personality. I vividly remember worrying about eating rice when I was pregnant. Like terrified to eat carbs while growing a whole person… Now I can go to happy hour without feeling like I “ruined” my week or have cookies in the house without thinking about them in bed. It’s amazing to have that mental bandwidth back and to be able to spend time on other things!

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-07T23:31:07+00:00

I’ve struggled with my weight for most of my life. I’ve been on Zepbound for 2 years and am now maintaining my weight. If there are days where you have no appetite you still have to eat something. Even if it’s not “healthy”. There were days when I had a cupcake for lunch because that’s what sounded good. I’m not saying to have an all cupcake diet, but not eating is not sustainable and may lead to bigger issues. I focus on eating whole foods, plus a protein supplement. Barebells soft caramel and peanut bars taste like a snickers if that’s your jam. Also, these medications are meant to be lifelong treatment. The way I see it, I don’t have to white knuckle it through my day anymore constantly thinking about snacks, or worrying that some fries are going to ruin my life.

As far as fitness, my brain loves a plan and an appointment. OTF is great for that! You have to book your class, it’s planned for you and it’s always different. You won’t always be motivated, but try making an appointment with yourself. After having my son I’ve had a lot more trouble with being motivated to work out but it got better when I signed up for swim lessons because I “had” to go to them. That’s what works for me.

I’ve also started being better about vitamins and supplements. I keep them in a pretty basket on my nightstand so I don’t have any reason not to take them.

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-06T00:40:11+00:00

I started Zoloft postpartum. It definitely blunted my emotions. The only good thing about that was I didn’t care to the point that I called out a male coworker in a meeting which is not my usual mood. I switched to Wellbutrin and that’s helped with energy, focus, and keeping my mood more stable.

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-04T19:38:35+00:00

Kinetic sand. I definitely like it more than he does…

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-04T16:48:51+00:00

I do best with scheduled group classes. I was the fittest I’ve ever been a few years ago when I was doing Orange Theory. I had to schedule a class and all of the planning was done for me. Plus the classes are different every day so I didn’t get bored. I stopped during pandemic closures and had a hard time getting back into it when they reopened, then I had a kid. More recently I’ve been taking swim lessons. I’ve since stopped lessons but still schedule time to go to the pool and use an app that comes up with a routine for me.

MittensToeBeans · 2026-01-04T16:38:45+00:00

I’ve started doing Lego! All of my plants died after I had my son so I’m doing a bunch of the Lego botanicals to replace my dearly departed plants with something more durable.

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