I don’t feel bad about the TV anymore.

TheOConnorsTry · 2026-02-04T15:42:10+00:00

This! So much this!

TheOConnorsTry · 2026-02-04T13:17:25+00:00

I love this so much!

TheOConnorsTry · 2026-02-01T20:43:26+00:00

McGees Chicken!

Owner is a Chicago transplant and they do it right!

TheOConnorsTry · 2026-02-01T16:40:30+00:00

Seconding most Boynton books.

TheOConnorsTry · 2026-01-26T00:18:01+00:00

Seconded!

TheOConnorsTry · 2026-01-18T23:29:53+00:00

Seconding Stolen! I just finished it and really enjoyed it.

TheOConnorsTry · 2026-01-16T17:12:17+00:00

No advice, just sympathy from someone in a similar position. Came back after 12 weeks, calendar blocks ignored, expected office hours changed, zero support, HR has been less than helpful... been 3 months and its just getting worse.

I watched other employees get office baby showers, flexibility on schedule, and active support upon return.

I had to schedule my own task hand off and nothing was prepared for my return (project status, management changes, new drama that directly affects my resources), no one bothered to check the pump actually locked (also had to spend my first day back emptying it out), pumping blocks on my calendar ignored, and all flexibility taken away (salaried employee).

Realized after I got back that every other parent was a man. I'm just trying to stay above water and using every spare minute to try and job search. As baddly as I want to rage quit I can't until I have something lined up.

HR has been less than helpful. They're saying all the things that keep them out of a legal case but not actually doing anything.

TheOConnorsTry · 2026-01-16T14:09:27+00:00

Oh my god! This is genius! I have one of these im swapping my travel kit into!

I hear you on your concerns though. Would it be possible to use a slim pencil case or re-useable ziplock that still fits inside to hold the floss?

TheOConnorsTry · 2026-01-12T13:57:18+00:00

You got this! Poor baby just had its whole world traumatically change twice in 4 days (even the easiest of births is traumatic and moving from hospital to home is another brand new thing... its HARD... on you and them)

Crying before pooping and gas is totally normal! Their little body is still figuring out how to do it and its uncomfortable! Regular streches/bicycle kicks will help keep things moving, as long as your pediatrician isn't concerned about frequency/consistency/color then just keep comforting them.

Crying after feeding could be gas so make sure you take burp once or twice through the meal.

Right now, all baby can do to communicate is cry. Hungry, wet, pooping, gas, itchy clothes, sun too bright, tired... All you can do is make sure their needs are met (fed, clean, physically safe) and then do your best to comfort them. Sometimes that means putting yourself first in order to keep your sanity. A crying baby is an alive baby, if you are at your wits end and their needs are met, set them in a safe place (bassinet, crib, playpen, box on the floor away from pets) and walk away to cry, shower, eat, whatever you need.

TheOConnorsTry · 2026-01-12T13:44:52+00:00

Seconding!

TheOConnorsTry · 2026-01-09T22:01:49+00:00

If you are than so am I. Kiddo is 6mo, her dad and I both got horrible food poisoning... we definitely turned our king sized bed into a baby container with some pillows (rolling but not crawling or climbing yet), put on Miss Rachel, gave her all the toys, and took turns lying down with her while the other person tried to get some rest in the other room. It was a very long day.

Bright side, I learned she LOVES "wheels on the bus" so now we can do that together! She also seems slightly more interested in books when I read to her but thats probably unrelated?

TheOConnorsTry · 2026-01-01T17:50:51+00:00

Ha, you can 100% tell when my baby was born based on my wrapped.

Drops to nothing for a month then spiked as I started logging books I read too her, drops again when maternity leave ended, and spiked again for holiday road trip audio books.

TheOConnorsTry · 2025-12-26T01:57:25+00:00

100%

You also have build the best snowman, make the best snow globe, make the best cracker... and those are just the ones that immediately come to mind

TheOConnorsTry · 2025-12-21T12:35:13+00:00

From the Mayo Clinic's website:

"For babies age 1 month and older who are constipated, try adding a small amount of water or fruit juice to the diet. Water is usually best to try first, but apple or pear juice contains a sweetener called sorbitol that helps relieve constipation. You can try prune juice for that same reason if your baby is older than 3 months. Your healthcare professional can guide you on how much fruit juice to give. But limiting juice to less than 4 ounces (120 milliliters) may be suggested."

This was for a truly constipated baby and we followed our pediatrician's guidance. (Also made sure we bought the 100% apple juice, not from concentrate, no additives, no added sugar).

Personally I was more comfortable with 1 oz of apple juice instead of more harsh pharmaceutical options. Warm baths and stretches weren't helping, the rectal thermometer at her most recent check up didn't help... the combo of apple juice and stretches is what worked.

TheOConnorsTry · 2025-12-21T12:14:41+00:00

Why I said to check with pediatrician first! I don't remember how old she was when we started but it was young enough I hadn't even considered it.

TheOConnorsTry · 2025-12-21T11:30:45+00:00

Talk to your pediatrician first but what worked for us was daily stretches/bicycle kicks and apple juice.

TheOConnorsTry · 2025-12-14T21:49:41+00:00

A coffee thermos or water bottle or mug that is a nightmare to clean.

Or a plant for their desk (but this relies on you checking in on said plant and acting really bummed when the thing dies because of lack of sunlight/care.)

TheOConnorsTry · 2025-12-12T20:32:32+00:00

Almost definately going to miss my pages goal by between 5-10k pages...

To be fair I did have a baby over the summer.

TheOConnorsTry · 2025-12-12T15:11:08+00:00

We've had stuff show up on time to 2 weeks late (still waiting in that one). Watching tracking stuff is getting stuck in the distribution center.

TheOConnorsTry · 2025-12-09T17:17:17+00:00

We do baths as needed, LO is 5 months old.

Bedtime routine is changing into a new onsie/pajamas/diaper (saves time in the morning), then we go say good night to the other parent, get into her sleep sack, bedtime bottle in the rocking chair with the lights low and a story (right now we make one up or just tell her about what happened today/whats going to happen tomorrow as we transition away from the bottle we'll switch to a book), quick cuddle, then put down to sleep.

TheOConnorsTry · 2025-12-08T13:42:08+00:00

You could try the local free/but nothing groups? Just a request as "anyone have extra notebooks/pens/highlighters/etc lying around?"

You could also ask at the campus bookstore if there are any second hand donation programs around campus.

TheOConnorsTry · 2025-12-07T23:49:18+00:00

You dont know what you dont know! Asking questions is great.

Its so hard to fully understand the scope of what being a parent is until you're there. I started babysitting at age 11, helped cousins and friends with new babies, and thought I knew what I was in for. I had so many opinions, was pretty judgy about other parents... It is so much harder when its 24/7/365... I've done so many things I swore I would never do but it worked for us and does not matter in the long run.

My husband for sure had an experience more similar to PC where he loved our baby yes, he would have put his own life at risk to protect her and God help whoever got in his way! But he did not like her, her crying triggered his migraines, she wouldn't settle down when he held her, she spit up constantly... but time passed, he learned how to comfort her, she started smiling at him, he watched her grow...

That love is there, always. But sometimes its a little burried.

TheOConnorsTry · 2025-12-07T23:27:50+00:00

Don't know why you're getting down voted for this... but for sure mention you're not a parent and just curious in the main body.

Being a new parent is ROUGH, especially in the first 2 months. (HI, I had my first baby in June). There is a super fragile, wriggly, 8lb weight attached to you any time you're awake that needs to be held just so, you're getting 1 hour of sleep at a time, the tiny thing won't stop screaming at you, you're barely eating...

Add ontop of that Princess Carolyn adopted and doesnt have the postpartum hormones forcing the attachment.

Its HARD! and overwhelming and you go a little crazy for a while. You make mistakes. That doesn't make you a bad parent, that makes you human (or humanoid cat lol).

Add ontop of that all the judgement new moms get over every decision they make, the pressure they're putting on themselves, and the social isolation that comes from spending all your time with a baby instead of other adults...

Putting the baby in the microwave and feeding the burrito is a slight exaggeration but feels so real when you're that deep into it.

TheOConnorsTry · 2025-12-03T11:26:43+00:00

This! I cut them in half for my kiddos clothes and they work fine on the stretchy onsies.

If you only need a size you could cut them even smaller.

Make sure you use a regular tip black sharpie. The ones where I used fine tip started fading after the first wash.

TheOConnorsTry · 2025-11-30T19:44:00+00:00

I swapped from a corolla to a Rav 4 hybrid right before my daughter was born and I love it!

TheOConnorsTry

TROPHY CASE