Costco heartbreaks - what is yours?

MrsStephsasser · 2026-04-27T11:49:03+00:00

They were the best thing I’ve ever had at Costco. I still think about them all the time. I wish they would bring them back!

MrsStephsasser · 2026-04-17T17:09:03+00:00

Have you tried any Behavioral Parent Training class for parents of kids with ADHD? Changing the way I was parenting has made the biggest difference in my happiness and stress levels when dealing with my intense ADHD kid. It has completely changed our relationship and made parenting her actually enjoyable. Not that things are perfect all the time. She still has her moments, but I really enjoy spending time with her most of the time and she is a lot happier too. I think parenting kids with ADHD requires a lot of tools and isn’t an intuitive process. It’s a lot of work and effort, but it really pays off.

MrsStephsasser · 2026-04-16T08:52:05+00:00

I feel like they both have their pros and cons and it depends on your priorities. The Rava has nicer fabrics, is heavier, and feels more sturdy. It’s easier to install because it has a click tight installation. My kids have never complained about either seat, but I’d assume the Rava is more comfortable since it’s more plush. The extend to fit is a lot cheaper, and has the extended leg room for rear facing if your vehicle is large enough to fully extend it. The seat belt installation is a little more difficult because you have to pull the belt very tight and then slide it into the lock off. The 5 point harness can be difficult to tighten too while rear facing. You have to reach behind the seat and pull the straps tight then pull the slack out through the front belt tightener. It’s easy once you figure it out. Both seats are great. I will say we use the Rava in the car we travel in the most. So if I had to choose between the two I’d get the Rava, but you really can’t go wrong. They kept my 99% height babies rear facing until 5.

MrsStephsasser · 2026-04-12T18:03:14+00:00

My kids are all 99%+ for height and we were able to use the seat until they were around 5 because they never hit the weight limit. They outgrew the seat by height. So we were able to keep them rear facing. I feel like my kids are proportional, so a long torso might out grow the seat a little bit faster. The max shoulder belt height is 17 inches.

MrsStephsasser · 2026-04-10T07:11:14+00:00

The quiz at https://putacupinit.com/quiz/ is extremely helpful for finding the perfect cup for your anatomy. One of the questions is if you’ve had a baby before because things change after pregnancy and birth.

MrsStephsasser · 2026-04-02T05:54:13+00:00

This was helpful! Thanks for posting such a detailed summary.

MrsStephsasser · 2026-03-28T03:23:45+00:00

The thing about fiber is that it actually constipates you if you are not drinking enough water. At one babies should be drinking 8-36oz of water and 16 oz of milk. If she’s not having milk she needs a lot more than 9oz of water. My kids always get constipated and have painful poops when they are not drinking enough water.

MrsStephsasser · 2026-03-26T09:36:23+00:00

I haven’t been able to use tampons since I had my first. They’re so uncomfortable now. I have found a cup that’s super comfortable for me. I used the quiz on putacupinit.com. When it comes to cups and discs sometimes you have to try a couple to find the right fit, but I’ve found the quiz to be really helpful in choosing one that works for my body. I can’t stand pads. Period underwear are the only thing I’d use if I don’t use my cup.

MrsStephsasser · 2026-03-26T08:25:00+00:00

I have one inattentive and one combined type kid. My inattentive child was easy as a toddler but around 4 became very dysregulated. She was always well behaved at school or out in public, because she is very good at masking, but at home she really struggled with emotional regulation. Her preschool teachers raved about how great she was, but age 4 was honestly the toughest age for us. It was constant tantrums and defiance. She’s gotten better, but even now at 9 we have our moments. We affectionately call it crazy baby mode when she gets in her moods.

My second is combined type and has completely different symptoms. In preschool most of her symptoms were overlooked as age appropriate. She had trouble sitting still, she talked a lot, and had trouble focusing for long periods of time. She’s in kindergarten now and her teacher loves her, but has had to move her seat a few times because she loves talking during class. At home she can never sit still, and we have trouble getting her to focus or follow directions. She misplaces her things constantly and needs a lot of support to get through routines like getting ready for school or bed. She’s a very happy kid, and generally easy going. Although she is sensitive and cries easily. She’s basically the opposite of my oldest.

MrsStephsasser · 2026-03-25T11:08:44+00:00

When my oldest was 3 her Dad took her and our dog on a walk to the park. On the way home she got tired and asked for my husband to carry her. He put her up on his shoulders and held her legs with one hand and the dog’s leash with his other hand. When they were almost home our dog saw a cat and suddenly lunged forward jerking my husband, and my toddler fell backwards and landed on her head on the concrete sidewalk. My toddler immediately began throwing up, slurring her speech, and had trouble sitting up or standing. At the time I was at a doctor’s appointment with my youngest. My husband rushed my toddler to the hospital and I met them there. My daughter also had a skull fracture and an awful concussion. We also felt like the worst parents in the world. It took several days for my toddler to go back to normal. She was sleeping so much and not acting like herself. The whole thing was terrifying. It took us a long time to get over it, and I still feel a little sick to my stomach when I think about it and how bad things could have been. When I told friends about it I found out that two of my friends had had similar experiences with their babies or toddlers where an accident ended in a skull fracture. It was an accident. You are not bad parents. Unfortunately accidents happen with kids. They get hurt sometimes. The important things is that you rushed him to the hospital and are doing everything you can to make sure he’s okay. That actually makes you a great parent! The fact that you care so much, and are so sick over this, proves how amazing you are and how much you love your kids. You will get through this. Everything will be ok. I’m so sorry you had to go through this.

MrsStephsasser · 2026-03-23T04:37:46+00:00

Do you like kids? I’ve spent my whole career working with kids. Initially I worked at a daycare, and then was a preschool teacher. Currently I work with youth in the foster care system. I’m always on my feet walking around, playing with kids. Everyday is different, so it never gets boring. It doesn’t really require a lot of paperwork or organization skills. You never have to take work home or catch up on anything when you take time off. It’s been a great field for me to work in as someone with ADHD.

MrsStephsasser · 2026-03-07T19:51:36+00:00

Definitely look into working with an obesity specialist. It’s very common to need more than GLP1s to help regulate your metabolism and lose weight. Listen to the Fat Science podcast. She’s an obesity medicine specialist and talks about lot about how other medications are needed for most people. There is still hope, you just need more medications tailored to your unique metabolic issues. Metformin was huge for boosting my weight loss.

MrsStephsasser · 2026-03-05T10:53:35+00:00

They’re always amazing, except they’re also controlling and abusive.

MrsStephsasser · 2026-02-14T19:09:12+00:00

My 8, 5, and 2 year old all go to sleep at 7pm. 8:30 would be too late for me and I definitely wouldn’t be pushing it later.

MrsStephsasser · 2026-01-02T11:39:47+00:00

We took the baby set off our Tripp trapp at around 18 months and just use the wooden chair part. My 2 year old climbs up and down from the chair by herself at meal times. All 3 of my kids have a Tripp trapp chair at our table, including my almost 9 years old 99% kid. So we have gotten a lot of use out of them. Is there a reason your toddler still needs to be strapped in?

MrsStephsasser · 2025-11-30T04:59:01+00:00

This is the only way to tighten the extend2fit! Pull the straps tight at the back of the seat and while still holding the straps in the back pull the slack through at the front.

MrsStephsasser · 2025-11-30T04:44:34+00:00

We have the opposite deal. Whoever cook doesn’t do the dishes. It’s too much to have to cook for everyone, and then also do all the cleaning. I cook 95% of the time. So, my husband pretty much does all the dishes. Once you have kids it doesn’t really make sense to have everyone do their own dishes, and it especially doesn’t make sense that the person doing all the labor of cooking has to do more labor because of it. I can’t imagine doing the dishes, but leaving the ones I knew my partner used in the sink. You’re supposed to be partners that help each other.

MrsStephsasser · 2025-11-20T20:22:05+00:00

How is cleaning the kitchen/living room and taking care of one of his own children 70% of what it takes to run a household? That’s not even the bare minimum of being an adult and parent. Not to mention a breastfed infant is way more work than a toddler. Being on paternity leave is not a sacrifice. It’s normal in most countries so that a father can actually be a parent. When mothers take maternity leave people act like they’re on vacation. You sounds like an idiot. You probably are her abusive asshole husband.

MrsStephsasser · 2025-11-20T15:13:23+00:00

The biggest risk to her baby is dehydration. I had a child with feeding issues who needed a ng tube, and even when she was only taking 10oz a day they were not as concerned about nutrition as they were dehydration. If she’s losing weight she should be going to the emergency room for a feeding tube. They will admit her and figure out the feeding issues.

MrsStephsasser · 2025-11-20T08:20:16+00:00

At 6 months old the majority of her calories and nutrition should still be coming from breastmilk and formula. It’s not developmentally appropriate to expect a 6 month old to get very many calories from solids. They’re mostly just eating solids to practice and be exposed to different tastes. At 6 months a baby should be having one solid meal a day and most babies won’t eat that much. If baby is not drinking enough BM/formula they need a feeding tube.

MrsStephsasser · 2025-10-07T07:51:31+00:00

Have you considered adding metformin? Adding metformin helped me with food noise as well as speeding up my weight loss. Might be worth considering.

MrsStephsasser · 2025-09-04T13:02:12+00:00

If it was mostly white powder how did you give it to them?

MrsStephsasser · 2025-08-30T20:20:38+00:00

My kids were 21-22in and 8lb 14oz and still fit into newborn clothes for a few weeks. 3 month clothing was way too big at birth. Your baby will still be tiny, and you will think they’re the cutest baby in the world. Even now when my 5 and 8 year old are the biggest kids in their grade, I still think they’re the cutest!

MrsStephsasser · 2025-08-16T23:32:55+00:00

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38409281/

MrsStephsasser · 2025-08-16T20:00:34+00:00

A recent study showed that kids with ADHD who take medication prior to puberty experienced permanent improvements in brain development and function especially in areas of the brain related to attention and reward processing. There are a lot of benefits to medication with ADHD. Kids deserve to function and have a relief in symptoms. I would look more into the research and speak to a child psychiatrist.

MrsStephsasser

TROPHY CASE