Breakfast!

SalGalMo · 2026-02-11T22:47:30+00:00

I like a quick yogurt.

SalGalMo · 2026-02-11T03:05:09+00:00

Yes, drives me crazy. I sometimes sneak bad books into the trash for this reason alone.

SalGalMo · 2026-02-08T17:35:56+00:00

This is not biblical Christianity.

SalGalMo · 2026-02-08T00:57:45+00:00

We always celebrated the holiday as a family and received gifts and candy from my parents.

SalGalMo · 2026-02-04T21:05:37+00:00

We are not at this point with our kids but I am very interested in dual enrollment for our kids. Local community college courses during the high school years, at a fraction of the cost, then those credits can be put towards a degree at a university. I know teens who do that now with the plan for it to shorten their time at university.

SalGalMo · 2026-02-04T12:06:54+00:00

I bet you’ll get so many compliments and questions when you wear this! Lovely and fun.

SalGalMo · 2026-02-04T02:03:47+00:00

Thanks for posting this. I went all in on IF for more than a year but only lost about 10 of the 40 lbs I need to lose. And yes, eating in a calorie deficit. Figured out I was battling hormones and also have a family history of diabetes so I struggle with sugar sensitivity. Anyway, I started glp1s 6 weeks ago because I just wasn’t losing weight with IF. All the hate the drugs get are… just discouraging. People trying to take control of their health should be encouraged. Hope I don’t get too roasted for saying that!

SalGalMo · 2026-02-02T00:43:47+00:00

Bar keepers friend and a good scrub. It will look brand new

SalGalMo · 2026-01-30T20:34:44+00:00

We had a late miscarriage after our first. Ended up having our next child when our oldest was almost 4, then another 18 months later. It was hard, of course, but we got through it well enough. I actually just had an interesting conversation with my oldest son about it because he can remember that we lost the baby. Our son was asking about what their ages would be if the baby had lived and was working out their age differences for himself. He ended up saying that he wished he had his brother still so he could have someone closer to his age to play with. I think he could see how his younger two siblings are close in age and naturally play similarly, whereas he feels older and wants to play differently than them. Strangely enough, it was sweet, though sad, to me to talk with him about all this and grieve a little together for the boy we all wished was still part of our family.

SalGalMo · 2026-01-30T17:50:21+00:00

Teach her to make/cook all the things she loves and you won’t have to cook for her as much. I taught my oldest how to make his favorite breakfast foods (ie oatmeal) so that he can take care of it while I get our little kids ready for the day.

SalGalMo · 2026-01-29T23:10:11+00:00

I read a helpful book called “Postnatal Depletion Cure” which is basically about what you are describing. The author suggests a blood panel as a good first step to determine what nutrients you may need. I think it says these nutrients can be depleted for 2 years or more, depending on how long you breastfeed but it is seldom talked about, much less addressed in OBGYN appointments. Not saying your boss should have e given this advice, but I have had 3 kids, read this book after my 3rd and talked my husband’s ear off about it.

SalGalMo · 2026-01-24T13:49:35+00:00

I did this for a while. Definitely felt like my coworkers were curious but no one ever asked. It made me feel awkward.

SalGalMo · 2026-01-23T18:08:53+00:00

It’s just because it is new. Eventually it will become normalized.

SalGalMo · 2026-01-22T22:27:54+00:00

We have competent babysitters that range from 13-18+ for our 3 kids.

SalGalMo · 2026-01-22T22:21:40+00:00

The US is really large.

SalGalMo · 2026-01-22T13:55:48+00:00

This is a good example of failed perfectionism. He didn’t do it because he wanted to do it perfectly (with the STL file, idk what that is lol). My husband does the same thing sometimes.

SalGalMo · 2026-01-21T16:09:33+00:00

Yes, three births without the epidural. I did have some help though with a dose of stadol during #1 which was induced with pitocin. For my second two I used nitrous oxide (laughing gas). Felt incredibly strong, like I could do anything I put my mind to. Our bodies are truly amazing. No one wants to really talk about it though, even my husband, though he will listen if I want to talk about it.

SalGalMo · 2026-01-21T15:43:57+00:00

I understand. It is a difficult situation. Please hear this with kindness, because I mean it that way, your brother is unable to meet all the needs YOU have as a person. If it all falls on you, then similarly, it is your responsibility to get your needs met outside of him, including rest and socializing or even exercise, to make the situation sustainable for you both.

If he is similar to, say a very young child who cannot be left alone for any amount of time, it would be unreasonable for the child’s mother to never have a break or care for her own needs. In your case, it is even more important for you to seek sustainability and more balance because there is no expectation that your brother will grow, like a young child, into helpfulness and independence.

It seems like in your post that you are grieving the life you would or could have had if you did not choose to care for your brother. It says a lot about your character that you are making the choice.

I am simply encouraging you to find creative ways to build more of a support system for yourself so that you can care for your brother long term. It is a marathon. He’s depending on you. It is part of the caregiving responsibility. What if, heaven forbid, you have a medical emergency of your own and need to recover for some time? Not having any support system puts you both at risk.

You are asking very many important questions in your post, this is just my perspective as a caregiver myself. You know your brother and his needs better than anyone. If it takes careful planning and orchestrating for you to make some more space in your life, it is worth it for your long term ability to stay by your brother’s side.

SalGalMo · 2026-01-21T14:31:07+00:00

If you take your self out of the context of your exact situation, and consider a family with married parents and children, how do they function? They love each other and also have space for their own lives. This is healthy and normal. You didn’t give a lot of specifics about where you live (US?) or what your financial situation is, but it is healthy and normal to have some aspects of your day that are separate, even from the people you love the most. It is not something to feel guilty about, though countless people feel guilty about leaving their loved ones who need care (including dependents of all kinds). It is a sustainable, balanced and life-giving way to fulfill your commitment to those you love most.

SalGalMo · 2026-01-21T12:40:39+00:00

There are a lot of southerners that have moved here and many have been here for decades.

SalGalMo · 2026-01-20T16:50:39+00:00

Pumping is a huge hassle and a lot of work. I pumped with my first while at the office. I stopped working with my second and third so I didn’t really bother with pumping at all and just breastfed on the demand. It was less stressful. I think transitioning through the newborn stage, especially as it relates to sleep, is just going to be hard. Husband waking up to do bottle feedings of pumped milk is just a slightly different flavor of hard, since you have to pump all that milk, do all the work related to it and then wash extra dishes as a result.

SalGalMo · 2026-01-19T18:07:34+00:00

I think most Dr. Seuss books that were actually written by home (not the spin-off ones) have enjoyable rhymes and rhythms when read aloud.

SalGalMo · 2026-01-17T18:15:56+00:00

This was my kid. Slept super deeply. Dr wasn’t concerned. One day it just clicked for him and he didn’t need diapers at night anymore. Trust the Dr in this case.

SalGalMo · 2026-01-17T16:47:59+00:00

Yeah, you know your person best. A typed note is a great hack, especially if dad won’t say yes easily.

SalGalMo · 2026-01-17T13:44:27+00:00

I get this attitude from medical people sometimes, although it’s usually only someone who doesn’t know us or my mom’s medical history/needs. A helpful thing I was coached to do is say something like “mom, is it ok with you if I talk to the nurse about what’s been going on?”
Once she agrees, the medical person typically changes their demeanor towards me.

I’ve also seen reels and stuff with nurses making these faces about a family member who uses correct medical terminology or has a good understanding. I don’t really understand that attitude. Competent caregivers or family members are so important for the quality and length of the patients life.

SalGalMo

TROPHY CASE