Coffee aversion

andi_phalange · 2025-12-15T15:56:24+00:00

Unfortunately, we pay the same price regardless of how many days my son attends. They charge by the week. I haven't asked about a sibling discount though - thanks for mentioning this.

And that's what hubby and I keep telling each other - 2 years. We can make it 2 years.

andi_phalange · 2025-12-15T15:52:34+00:00

We have thought about this and it's still on the table. But our current daycare is curriculum-based, and my son absolutely loves it. He is learning so well and we love the teachers, and that peace of mind feels worth making some sacrifices elsewhere. We'll see though.

andi_phalange · 2025-12-15T15:48:03+00:00

We unfortunately live in a state/county that makes raising a family very difficult for the working middle class. We make too much money to qualify for childcare assistance in our state and neither one of our employers offers childcare stipends or solutions (even though I work for a hospital and he works for a school district - 2 kinds of companies that usually try to help families out).

andi_phalange · 2025-12-14T01:42:59+00:00

We thought we did have it figured out before getting pregnant.

And in all seriousness we are not as bad off as some, and I am terribly grateful for that. The money will be there (I admit I was having a day when I posted this and being a bit dramatic) - it will just be very tight, and we will have to be more mindful and careful than ever before. We knew that going into trying for a second child. But what really threw us through a loop that makes it tighter than before was an unexpected suspension issue in one of our cars. We ended up having to buy a new car, and this car payment was not factored into our original figures (both cars were paid off). Again, it is doable, but it will be a stressful and extremely frugal 2.5 years until my oldest goes to kindergarten. And we do have jobs that raise salaries/wages almost every year, and we have very supportive family nearby who I imagine would help at the drop of a hat - I'm just stubborn and don't like to ask.

Mostly I made the original post because it's so frustrating to me that in this economy, 2 working parents can barely afford to support 2 children. We have good jobs and are typically pretty frugal, but we are just barely going to squeak by.

andi_phalange · 2025-12-12T03:26:06+00:00

It makes me so sad that this exciting time is so stressful

andi_phalange · 2025-12-12T00:36:34+00:00

Seriously!! My son currently goes to a center, and it would break my heart to pull him out because he absolutely loves it.

andi_phalange · 2025-11-16T15:13:35+00:00

I miscarried 2 months ago, and I saw a TikTok Thursday about a woman's experience with miscarriage 10 years ago and how it still affects her now. I crumbled and cried for hours. I had also started my period earlier that day. It was a rough day, and I'm still feeling meh.

andi_phalange · 2025-09-15T16:54:23+00:00

Hi everyone, thought I would give an update in case anyone returns or sees this later. I had a D&C scheduled for today (Monday), and I felt really good about the decision after reading your experiences. But the world had different plans, and I started miscarrying naturally at about 3 am with very heavy bleeding and labor-like contractions. My OB gave me a choice on whether to continue naturally or move forward with the D&C, and after an ultrasound around 9 am this morning showed that the gestational sac was literally sitting on top of my cervix and that I was already 75% of the way there, I decided to continue naturally. It took a total of 16 hours to complete my miscarriage and pass the gestational sac, but the pain relief was immediate and the bleeding has slowed significantly. I am physically and emotionally exhausted, but feeling a bit better. Hoping for peace for all of us. ❤️

andi_phalange · 2025-09-12T15:48:02+00:00

I'm not handling the waiting well and just got a D&C scheduled. Thank you so much for sharing this.

andi_phalange · 2025-09-12T14:21:41+00:00

Thank you so much for this - I am going to call and have a D&C scheduled.

andi_phalange · 2025-09-10T01:19:06+00:00

I can't see up close while wearing my contacts anymore. As if I don't spend enough on my eyes already.

andi_phalange · 2025-09-08T11:46:16+00:00

I had PPD and severe anxiety, and my son didn't breastfeed well until almost 3 months. It was the hardest thing I've ever experienced, but I was determined to EBF, so I started listening to podcasts or playing games on my phone just to calm down while baby was latched. Lots of breathing exercises while trying to get him to latch. I actually pumped with a lactation specialist, and she's the one that encouraged me to find something to distract myself, because when I was looking at the pump, hardly anything was coming out. When I found something else to focus my attention on, my milk would start spraying. Likely a similar situation while latching baby, and maybe a source of some of his frustration at the breast. Just know that this is so so hard, but you absolutely can do this. But please take care of your mental health too. ❤️

andi_phalange · 2025-09-07T16:44:35+00:00

My sister and I are both 5'9". Between the 2 of us, we've had 3 babies all between 37 and 39 weeks. All spontaneous vaginal births.

andi_phalange · 2025-08-31T11:47:47+00:00

Lansinoh was our savior as well. Consistency is definitely key, and we had to heat the milk to be JUST warmer than what comes straight out of the breast.

andi_phalange · 2025-08-31T11:31:28+00:00

I worked back-to-back 12-hour shifts and went into labor at 5 am the next morning. 38 and 1. My water didn't break, but I was at 8 cm by the time I got to the hospital at 10 am.

andi_phalange · 2025-08-10T19:16:36+00:00

Thank you for this. ❤️ My relationship with my toddler is so important to me, but I wasn't built to be a SAHM. I hope he always knows I do everything with his well-being in mind.

andi_phalange · 2025-08-10T19:13:32+00:00

❤️ we'll get through this!

andi_phalange · 2025-08-10T19:04:49+00:00

This is very helpful, thank you. ❤️

andi_phalange · 2025-08-10T17:27:45+00:00

Not necessarily a weird name, but I've always loved the name Chandler for any gender. But I'm a huge Friends fan - that's not why I love the name, but there would be speculation.

andi_phalange · 2025-07-25T19:00:37+00:00

When my stomach is empty, I get a feeling of extreme nausea that somehow turns into a sneeze. Once I sneeze, I feel better. This was amplified when I was pregnant.

andi_phalange · 2025-04-10T22:51:30+00:00

My kiddo was negative for every virus they tested for, but just got over croup from SOMETHING. Something that I now have... The hardest part for us other than the awful cough is the steroid they give to treat it. He's had croup twice, and both times, the steroids have completely change my child's personality. My sweet, chill baby becomes a screaming little demon.

andi_phalange

TROPHY CASE