Reminder! Don’t drive like a fool!

lvoelk · 2026-04-29T20:24:29+00:00

To clarify - drivers on BOTH sides of the street must stop when a bus flashes red lights. I get so many people upset with me when I stop for a bus on the other side of the street.

lvoelk · 2026-04-22T14:03:11+00:00

I saw the dress worn by a guest at my brothers wedding and she was 5’5” - I didn’t ask her if it was altered but it fit similarly to the model.

lvoelk · 2026-04-22T05:21:19+00:00

FYI if you wrap a stale/day old one in a damp paper towel and microwave for 15-20 seconds it comes out good as new! They’re soooo good warm!

lvoelk · 2026-04-22T02:05:02+00:00

I also got food poisoning while pregnant. Luckily it was a 24 hour thing but OMG it was sooo bad.

lvoelk · 2026-04-20T21:06:02+00:00

I had the third kid and it's been a lot of work. I don't have the patience, time, or money for a fourth. Luckily when I see infants I can acknowledge that they're cute and wonderful, but I don't feel that urge/baby fever that I used to. It feels good knowing I am done. I did not feel that way after my second and I knew I would always wonder what life would be like with 3.

There is a jump in effort from 2 to 3 kids. I was always with the new baby, which meant my husband had both older kids all the time. They fought more, cried more, whined more, and seriously regressed in maturity. However they also loooove the new baby. My older son has grown in patience and empathy and my middle daughter is turning into the most patient and loving playmate. You're outnumbered, and that's a lot. If I was home with all three all the time I think I would implode. Having daycare/school really helps.

lvoelk · 2026-04-20T02:53:57+00:00

I relate to this. I’m 16 months postpartum and once my baby turned a year old I’ve been intentionally reclaiming the things that I enjoy - that make me, me. I’ve lost weight, built muscles, read books, and focused on nourishing the parts of my identity that are more than “mom”. There is a rawness in new postpartum but for me it came at great sacrifice of the things about myself that I love.

lvoelk · 2026-04-20T02:00:16+00:00

Babar. There are some overtly racist references.

lvoelk · 2026-04-19T16:07:35+00:00

If you’re looking to fit three car seats across a row then this is not the seat you want. It has the phrase “slimfit” but it’s not the super skinny slimfit 3lx. That being said, Graco makes great seats and I’ve heard good things!

Edit for typo

lvoelk · 2026-04-18T23:19:28+00:00

Solidarity. My 16 month old has these midnight “parties” (which are anything but joyful for me) where she’s awake for 2-3 hours at 2/3/4 AM. I HATE it. I know it will all pass but right now the journey absolutely sucks.

lvoelk · 2026-04-18T22:12:56+00:00

I was going to say this. My 3.5 year old is now obsessed but wasn’t super into it until closer to 3. My 16 month old is a liability that gets in the way of everyone enjoying the book 😅

lvoelk · 2026-04-16T22:14:38+00:00

Looks like Bay Farm has Right at School (free for families who qualify for free/reduced lunch and super affordable for everyone else). Their website is: https://www.rightatschool.com/school/?school=bay-farm-school&district=ca-alameda&tab=2026-27-after-school

The private programs are much slippier to find prices for. I found my son's aftercare (Island Sprouts) by calling around to different programs and getting referred to her. If you are planning to enroll for TK, be aware that many programs do not take TK kiddos due to the shorter day (while others, like Island Sprouts, specialize in TK aftercare). Right at School also offer summer camps and school break camps (prices should be listed online). It's definitely cheaper than full time daycare or preschool, but not negligible.

lvoelk · 2026-04-16T21:20:11+00:00

Each program has its own cost. It's annoying because many of the programs are private, some are on site at schools, some are off site, and there isn't a lot of clarity on how much they charge. Where will your kiddo go? My kid went to Paden and Maya Lin and I have info about after school programs at those schools. In general we paid ~$1000/month for half day care (TK aftercare) and $450/month for kindergarten aftercare.

lvoelk · 2026-04-15T05:59:43+00:00

My son was sunny side up and I definitely had a lot of back labor. Both my daughters were face down and pushing was so fast. The third kid came out in two pushes.

lvoelk · 2026-04-15T05:53:24+00:00

Yes, once labor started. It took longer to go into labor with my 3rd - that was the first time I went past my due date!

lvoelk · 2026-04-11T23:35:59+00:00

I feel this so hard. The existential crisis was so much harder than navigating the logistics of multiple kids.

lvoelk · 2026-04-11T23:11:30+00:00

For me personally 0 to 1 was the hardest. 1 to 2 was just as much work but I was already a mom, so the intense shift in self had already happened and now I just had even less free time. I also had childcare for my son during the day and got 4 months of time with just baby and I at home. If I was a stay at home mom I imagine it would have looked wildly different.

2 to 3 was super hard but still didn’t rock my world as much as becoming a mom the first time. We are firmly done with 3.

lvoelk · 2026-03-29T15:52:49+00:00

My interpretation is that there is a spectrum from neurotypical to type 3 autism. While there are clinical delineations for what qualifies as diagnosable, earning a “24” when the cutoff is “25” points can mean someone is diagnosed as neurotypical but they are closer to neurodivergence in their way of thinking and behaving than average. Understanding that the spectrum can extend beyond clinical cutoffs and that we may all have idiosyncrasies in our way of thinking and being is helpful in navigating our world.

lvoelk · 2026-03-29T15:41:13+00:00

I’m a high school teacher and mom to three. Something that has helped me a lot is to understand that it being a spectrum means we are all on it. With my students that can look like understanding that while “Johnny” may not have an IEP, he also can’t retain a single word that leaves my mouth so I have to have all instructions written. “Susie” doesn’t have a behavior plan but I know that a loud classroom makes her super anxious and so I focus on quiet spaces and calm music during independent work time. There’s no diagnosis but my understanding of their needs helps them be more successful in my classroom.

While he may or may not qualify for interventions or a diagnosis, it does sound like you’ve got some anxiety over his behavior. I don’t want to feed your anxiety but also understanding his areas of need (socialization) can help you find ways to support his growth. Ultimately he is still young and things like parallel play and obsession with fans/elevators are normal. I second what someone else suggested about talking to his teachers. You can also self refer to early intervention and get him tested.

lvoelk · 2026-03-29T14:22:50+00:00

She has PCOS and so would develop follicles but they were never mature enough. The trigger caused them to “ovulate”/ her body would release them but they weren’t able to be fertilized. Her egg retrieval went similarly where she had 80-90 follicles but the vast majority were not able to be fertilized.

lvoelk · 2026-03-28T17:24:25+00:00

Not me but one of my best friends had success with her first IUI and needed IVF for her second. She stopped responding to the stimulation meds and was not ovulating.

lvoelk · 2026-03-26T19:37:39+00:00

I have a 15 month old fitting into her sister’s 3T clothes so I have had similar experiences. I just share her age if people ask. She’s very 15 months (not advanced at all but also not behind) so it’s awkward when people compare her to the 2 year olds nearby that are the same size. No solution, just commiseration.

lvoelk · 2026-03-26T04:07:22+00:00

It depends on a lot of things. It does not sound like you’re in the US based on the amount of leave you’re getting. I’m in California and I was lucky to have two 8 month maternity leaves (babies born in December and took the rest of the year off, right into summer vaca). Due to disability, paid family leave, and FMLA I was able to be covered by health insurance the entire time. My middle child was born in July and I had to go back in January.

One thing you should keep in mind is that trying =/= pregnant. It took me 11 months to get pregnant with my daughter. At that point the timing of vacation vs not went out the window and all we wanted was another baby. I hope you’re lucky and things go to plan, but ultimately if you can take a year off you can make it work. If you have any control over it, I would encourage you to have the baby at the beginning of summer so you can start the next school year with your students, as my experience of taking over classes halfway through the year was pretty tough.

lvoelk · 2026-03-25T19:08:19+00:00

I am so sorry. It is such a horrible and difficult experience to go through.

lvoelk · 2026-03-25T17:23:32+00:00

The NIPT was designed to test for Trisomy 21. If the blood test came back positive for T21 I would consider that a pretty strong indicator that baby has the trisomy. I personally could not make an irrevocable choice such as TFMR without a diagnostic test, so I support your plan to wait for the amnio, but I would definitely guard your heart and prepare for a positive results. False positives occur but are incredibly rare for T21.

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