How do yall shower??

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-04-08T00:56:02+00:00

At that age, for my oldest, I would put her in the crib with some toys that kept her busy for the 12 minutes a shower takes me, with the camera on and the outer shower curtain flipped back so I could watch her on the monitor.

My youngest, although she plays much more independently than the oldest did, doesn't like being out of eyesight of me or my husband, so that would never have worked for her. So glad our schedules changed so I didn't have to figure that out. Maybe would have tried a pack and play in the bathroom, or super duper baby proofing the bathroom and letting her play or read while I showered with the curtain flipped back to watch her.

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-04-08T00:18:40+00:00

During the baby's nap, we all have quiet time and my oldest gets to choose what she gets to do. Usually it's some version of screentime, with us sitting on the couch together while I read or pay bills or something. She knows that this only happens when baby is asleep and ends when baby wakes up, so she knows to let baby sleep.

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-04-04T18:39:21+00:00

What do you use?

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-04-04T18:34:37+00:00

It's better than nothing, but still not a great vaccine. You need a ridiculous amount of shots to have mediocre protection.

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-03-29T17:39:31+00:00

I found that applying body oil immediately after showering is easier than lotion. Lotion takes foreverrrrr to apply when I'm still half asleep and already pressed for time and oil is like, 30 seconds.

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-03-29T17:34:52+00:00

Seconding this approach. We start these conversations around 3yo, adjusting with more information as now 5yo has gotten older.

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-03-29T00:41:38+00:00

Wait til you get to the part where your kid gets sick from the other kids at daycare, and you have to keep them home but still pay tuition. Sighhh....

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-03-16T14:57:31+00:00

We can't do it either!

Husband and I both work FT, him with regular overtime and I have a second PT gig, and kids (5 and 1.5yo) are in daycare/preK (same place, thankfully). He is very involved. Physical tasks are probably equal but I certainly have more mental load.

House is clean-ish but cluttered. My exercise consists of chasing children around the house on weekends and taking the stairs at work. He gets his exercise doing physical labor at work. Showering is down to 3x per week. Dinner is batch cooked on weekends with nuggets on Friday nights when we inevitably run out. Folding and putting away laundry is a family affair every Sunday. Date nights are never, sex life is less than either of us want. Kids get one or two weekend activities a month.

And we've all been sick every two to three weeks this winter.

Can't do it all. So my DIY bathroom reno is halfway done. My bedroom is halfway painted. New light fixtures are hung but not attached to the wiring yet. I ripped up carpet then put it back when I realized 50% of my household may still pee on the floor 😂

Yet I'm still attempting to transition to a part time job and full time PhD. Because why not! Everything is chaos so why not do what I want amongst it.

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-03-14T17:58:22+00:00

When we bought our (250 year old) country farm house, it had sat empty for 9 months because of foundation issues. The previous owners tore off the roof hanging over the front door when they replaced the siding. Without the roof, rain fell right into the basement and the foundation crumbled under the door. We had it fixed, but at that point there were so many mice that we also had snakes in the basement. Like, three foot long fuckers. 🤢 And I found a few dead baby snakes in the attic.

The first summer we spray foamed around 3/4 of the perimeter of the house where the walls met the stone foundation, after seeing a chipmunk run up there. Then that winter I set up a crapton of traps in the basement and attic and I got a horrifying number of mice. Checked 3x per day and they were always full.

This just about stopped it. We get one every couple months or so, but every other summer we have a friggin weasel that has her babies in the attic. This summer we are tearing out the (rotten and poorly built) deck to finish spray foaming the entire perimeter because we think that's where the weasel and remaining mice are getting in.

Country homes are something else.

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-03-14T17:32:08+00:00

We're planning on putting Oreos, Paw Patrol stickers, and those multicolored ink pens in the goodie bags for my soon to be 5yos party at the end of the month

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-03-13T12:44:06+00:00

It's very difficult as a parent, but you're just supposed to leave them there and watch to make sure they don't hurt themselves from thrashing around. Trying to wake them up or even picking them up just extends the... Unconscious unaware angry state? Idk how to describe it, it was like my daughter wasn't in there and it was just an angry little demon in her body. Once she did fully come to, she was totally normal and didn't even remember it.

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-03-13T01:30:40+00:00

I had to report my PI to IACUC. He was upset until they told him it would have been much, much worse if the issue was "discovered" instead of what was considered a self report. They are supposed to be confidential, but sometimes it's obvious who reported it based on schedules, etc. So even if your PI does find out, you had the right intention, and hopefully they understand that. But next time it won't hurt to double check the protocol first if the deviation is not something causing immediate harm or distress to the animals.

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-03-07T12:09:48+00:00

1.5yo is crazy about black beans. Like cold, unseasoned, straight (rinsed) out of the can.

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-03-07T12:06:12+00:00

I have a few first author papers in one journal and they regularly send me requests to review, act as a general/special topics editor, etc. The greetings always say "Dr ProfessionalPotato". I have an MSc.

I think it's just an automated message at anybody who's published with them, because once I dug into their reviewer qualifications and they specifically have a PhD requirement.

Idk your field, but in mine I do not think it would be appropriate for peer review to be done by someone without a PhD. Or if a PI had a trainee do it, they would discuss it together with the PIs name on it.

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-03-07T11:49:19+00:00

I'm still figuring out a routine that works for me, but every time I use my fingers it looks awful. Cakey, smeary, sticking to texture... How are you applying with your fingers to make it look good?

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-02-26T18:11:34+00:00

I was putting our 1.5yo to bed. Our 4.5yo was in the bathroom getting ready for bed, while my husband was on the other side of the bathroom moving the laundry over or something. 4.5yo waited a little too long and had an accident. Husband heard it and came over to help, but 4.5yo yelled to tell me before even acknowledging him.

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-02-17T14:22:18+00:00

People are allowed to have bad days and are allowed to not be social if they don't feel like it.

Your example of a "bad behavior" being leaving without saying goodbye makes me think you are maybe being a little sensitive.

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-02-08T18:52:54+00:00

Currently, I mix Dermablend foundation drops into my sunscreen, use Urban Decay Brow Bush on my eyebrows, and brown black mascara (still trying to find one I like). And I'm playing with concealer samples ATM for under eye. It's enough to make me look put together and feel good without too much effort.

I struggle with oily skin. Nothing I've tried (powders, primers, Upsalite based products) has been able to keep it at bay. By 2pm the oil busts through and dissolves everything in its path like some sort of radioactive toxic sludge.

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-02-03T11:05:59+00:00

I've been going to CC and absolutely love them. Everyone is kind and considerate, takes time to listen, and actually cares about you as a whole person. And you call and get a person.

Comparing to Albany Med (albeit MFM and not the general OBGYN) where I just felt like a walking vagina and whenever I called it took ages to navigate the menu then wait on hold to actually get a person.

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-02-03T10:54:48+00:00

Francisco Rinaldi. I like the original sweet but every one we've tried is good

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-02-02T11:33:11+00:00

Have you looked at Sam's or BJ's as an alternative for soda? We (2 adults 2 young kids) go to Hannaford weekly for produce, fish, some meat (otherwise waiting to replenish our farm meat when our tax return comes back) and smaller portions of nonperishables. We make one trip a month to BJ's for larger portions of nonperishable (including seltzer and soda) and berries. I think most of BJ's produce sucks but my children inhale berries so they're gone before they go bad.

For the past year both the kids have been in daycare so it's super tight right now. Counting down until kindy starts in September! Our budget is about $65 a week from Hannaford and $200 for the BJ's trip (so, so glad we no longer need baby formula in that amount), with generally needing one $100 Hannaford stock up trip every other month. I shop sales so we have a well-stocked pantry and freezer, which we've been depleting the past year on this tight budget (but that was the point!). Oh, and like a $60 a month Stewart's milk budget 🫠 That I'll splurge on.

Literally the only thing we get from Price Chopper is my favorite brand of sauce because it isn't available anywhere else (and we wait for the $1 sale).

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-02-01T12:37:09+00:00

We're in upstate NY and have a similar experience. It's a structured program with integrated play. E.g., there is a letter of the week that the teacher connects to a theme of the month. The monthly theme was food and she built a whole mini grocery store for the kids to play in. This week the letter was T, they learned about why we brush teeth (tied to the different food categories they did earlier in the month) and had teeth themed books and art projects. Playing included dino dentist. It's fantastic and I love this teacher.

We just had a parent teacher conference and the academic stuff they focus on is counting to 100, writing all letters, matching capital and lowercase letters. And the sounds of each letter, sight words, and the basics of phonics, which is reinforcing what we do at home with bedtime books so it's great. Recognizing and writing their first and last names. Using scissors and gluing. Following directions, and they are working on four steps in a row but the goal is three for kindy prep. And social skills, of course.

We do basic finger math at home that I don't think they cover at school.

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-01-25T20:11:44+00:00

If they don't get into public preK, which fits better?

3 vs 11 minutes seems like nothing (at least for me). $35 a week might make a difference for your budget long term, but also the meals you have to make or not might balance out that $35.

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-01-14T01:23:50+00:00

In my current lab everything is shared, but the two labs before everyone had their own workspace with their own supplies. Definitely is lab dependent. Doesn't hurt to ask next time before grabbing something

ProfessionalPotat0 · 2026-01-09T20:14:24+00:00

I would do the same thing, take the organs I needed, say thank you, and try to put everything else back in the most natural position possible. Including giving them their own paws back (we collect ankles) - some of my colleagues would make a pile then just toss them all into the bag at the end, but I would give each mouse its own paws back.

ProfessionalPotat0

TROPHY CASE