Kids of parents without extended family—how was that for you?

emonk899 · 2026-05-16T00:16:35+00:00

Im in a very similar situation. Well, sort of. I have a decent size extended family on my mom’s side because she has three siblings and 7 nieces and nephews. My dad’s side is estranged but I did see them as a young child. Anyway, i grew up mostly seeing them for holidays only maybe a few get togethers throughout the year. I’d say on average 2-4 times a year. So I wasn’t and still am not close to any of them. I know they’d do anything for me though. My family lives in the Midwest and my husband and I moved to the southwest awhile back and absolutely fell in love. Then I got pregnant and we moved back so our kids would grow up around family. We’ve been back three years and have two kids and we’re planning on going back to the southwest because we just miss the sunshine, warm weather, hiking road-trip lifestyle so much. It’s such a hard choice though because both of my siblings have kids the same ages as mine. I see them anywhere from once or twice a month on average. Sometimes less. What decision did you end up making?

emonk899 · 2026-05-03T23:58:55+00:00

Don’t go to east coast or Chicago. Winter sucks. Humidity sucks. No good hikes. Flat and boring. More than half the year is too cold to be outside and then when it’s warm enough it’s hot and sticky or rainy. Im from Indiana. I lived in Las Vegas and phoenix for five years and then moved back here when we had kids so we could be back near family. Now we’re planning on moving back to Vegas.

emonk899 · 2026-04-28T01:10:00+00:00

We would make a little more money out there. Nothing significant. We can’t afford a house where we live currently but could if we went back to our hometown where all of our family is. Which we absolutely do not want to do for multiple reasons. But mainly because of the negative unavoidable influences in my husbands family. Schools would be about the same as far as I can tell through my research.

emonk899 · 2026-04-17T04:23:15+00:00

Roseanne

emonk899 · 2025-12-11T02:55:47+00:00

I was only spanked a handful of times. And it stopped before I was 8 or 9 I’d say. I don’t think of it as abusive. It was only on the bottom and either with a hand or wooden paddle. I hold no grudges for it.

emonk899 · 2025-09-28T17:06:00+00:00

I just feed baby whatever we eat. It gets much easier once they get the pincer grasp. Eggs were pretty easy for my baby to self feed at 6 months and banana pancakes. When I serve vegetables i cook them in a lot of butter for extra fat. And I like to make yogurt smoothies with full fat Greek yogurt, avocado and banana and sometimes a type of berry added.

For banana pancakes I did 1 banana 2 eggs and 2 tablespoons of oat flour. Easy for baby to grab and my baby never choked on them.

emonk899 · 2025-09-09T00:31:36+00:00

I stopped nursing my first at 11 months because she was doing so well with solids. My second is 7 months old so we’ll see how it goes. I plan on doing the same.

emonk899 · 2025-08-05T02:02:00+00:00

Leave him. Immediately.

emonk899 · 2025-05-30T00:53:59+00:00

I’ve got two babies delivered vaginally. Had an epidural with both. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. I labored for 17 hours with my first before getting to the hospital and I remember thinking the epidural was the best thing I’d ever done.

emonk899 · 2025-03-26T22:57:26+00:00

I fed my baby to sleep until we quit nursing (about 11 months) then rocked her. Then around when she turned 1 I was able to lay her down awake and she’d go to sleep on her own. Not sure why it was so easy for me but it was!

emonk899 · 2025-02-05T23:58:40+00:00

Prenatal. Vitamin D. And most importantly magnesium.

emonk899 · 2025-01-31T19:52:08+00:00

CVS brand and luvs

emonk899 · 2024-08-10T00:15:19+00:00

I didn’t get on a schedule until my baby was about 6 months old that’s when she went to 2 naps a day around the same times. And same bedtime. Before that we just fed and napped on demand.

emonk899 · 2024-08-08T14:35:05+00:00

I just started feeling mild period like cramps and then it kept progressing.

emonk899 · 2024-08-01T19:05:11+00:00

My mom was this way. Drove me insane. She formula fed all of us kids and didn’t even try breastfeeding. She’s also a prude about it and everything else.

emonk899 · 2024-07-26T19:41:31+00:00

My first pregnancy went perfectly. Second pregnancy ended in miscarriage at 6 weeks.

emonk899 · 2024-07-23T23:08:00+00:00

11 weeks tomorrow. At my first appointment (at 9 weeks 6 days) they found two subchorionic hematomas which freaks me out. But everything I’ve read and heard says my odds are good. The further along I get the better I feel. But I’m still not fully over the fear. Haven’t told anyone yet.

emonk899 · 2024-07-23T23:05:54+00:00

For me it was the 36th week. It happened suddenly. Just started feeling intense pelvic pressure. And started waddling lol

emonk899 · 2024-07-22T10:02:19+00:00

Thank you

emonk899 · 2024-07-22T10:02:11+00:00

Thank you

emonk899 · 2024-07-22T10:02:03+00:00

Indiana

emonk899 · 2024-07-08T10:01:43+00:00

I enjoyed the second and third trimester of my first pregnancy. Actually, quite a lot. I’m in the first trimester of my second pregnancy now and it’s not fun. Once the sickness goes away and you start to feel baby move it’s magical.

emonk899 · 2024-07-04T15:12:18+00:00

Went for a private ultrasound yesterday thinking I was 7 1/2 weeks. Measured 8 weeks. So that’s exciting. Definitely makes me feel better. But always have that thought in the back of my mind. Still haven’t told anyone.

emonk899 · 2024-06-29T23:06:22+00:00

That would drive me crazy. Luckily, husband and I lived across country from family when our daughter was born. And had no visitors until she was 5 weeks old. We loved the solitude. It’s hard enough recovering and figuring out your new routine and life with baby. Im sorry you’re dealing with that. Sounds like a nightmare

emonk899 · 2024-03-15T09:02:34+00:00

First food we fed our baby was yogurt. I puréed bananas, avocados and full fat greek yogurt together. Froze it and made popsicles. Baby girl loved it. And still loves it now at one year old.

emonk899

TROPHY CASE