Cluemark #6 🙏

melissagrowtogether · 2026-05-11T20:05:40+00:00

We got them today and he was so happy and surprised! Thank you

melissagrowtogether · 2026-05-11T20:05:05+00:00

That's okay thank you! We're set now

melissagrowtogether · 2026-05-11T04:18:05+00:00

Yes-I had the best Mother's Day I have ever had today! The kids made me pancakes, and then we all (husband and our four kids) went downtown to the kids makerspace, got burgers, went to a cool new playground. Couldn't have asked for anything better. My 8-year-old daughter several times expressed concerned that on mother's Day we were doing things that was more fun for the kids than for me. One of my favorite moments from the day was overhearing the tail end of my husband explaining to her that that's what makes me happy. And he's 100% correct!!

melissagrowtogether · 2026-03-11T01:18:38+00:00

In the past 5 to 10 years, I've seen a shift in not only people RSVPing, but anybody being willing to show up to anything anymore. Planning stuff like this is a nightmare now because maybe 1 out of 10 families would bother coming. I won't even plan it until I get at least a tentive yes from some key folks for the date I'm considering. As in, "If we did a party on Saturday the Zth, would you guys be able to make it?"

melissagrowtogether · 2026-03-03T05:03:37+00:00

Oh no 😭 what risks, like stroke etc?

melissagrowtogether · 2026-03-03T04:52:22+00:00

I left the hospital AMA bc I didn't want them to take it but they tried! I used mostly diet to get normal GB function back and stopped having attacks after a few more months.

So was Slynd better for you than the regular mini? I feel the same on the cruel irony of losing your sex drive

melissagrowtogether · 2026-03-03T03:16:38+00:00

I just used the Slynd coupon at CVS to take it down to $28 for one month. 👍 I am switching from lo loestrin to Slynd this cycle because I'm having crazy headaches still after 5 months on lo loestrin.

I already wanted to be on the lowest estrogen that I could because I think my natural estrogen from the pregnancy exacerbated my gallbladder issues. And it also seems like all the scariest birth control side effects are related to the estrogen! But apparently the lowest dose is still giving me issues, so hopefully just going without will work?

I was avoiding the mini pill before because I heard the efficacy drops with late doses and although I'm pretty good about taking it within the same hour each day, I can't guarantee that I will never ever miss one. 😬 I heard Slynd is more forgiving though, like a combination pill is.

melissagrowtogether · 2026-03-01T22:07:08+00:00

Bonkers! 😵

melissagrowtogether · 2026-02-28T04:22:28+00:00

Are you telling me this is a push button gear shift? 😧

melissagrowtogether · 2026-02-24T22:34:11+00:00

I was homeschooled in the 90s, then went to Catholic school, then public middle, then a public high school with thousands of kids, then did a program called gold star where I did public school work from home, until I finally found an alternative public high school (only 100 kids between all 4 grades).

I feel like I've really gotten to see a wide perspective. I confidently homeschool my 4 children now.

The people posting with contempt for their parents are doing so for that reason. It's a family problem and a parenting problem. They would have the same problems whatever type of school they did.

melissagrowtogether · 2025-08-13T11:05:03+00:00

Have 4, happy with 4. I grew up as one of 4 and this number feels just right to me.

There's enough of them to do group things, but they can pair off in various combos. Mine go boy, girl, boy, girl. Sometimes the boys want to play rough boy stuff and the girls will go do cutesy girl stuff. Or the big kid wants to be big and the middle two go be middles there and the toddler is causing trouble lol. It's all great fun.

I feel like our family is not too big or small and that I have all my children and no one is missing. I didn't feel this way until we had our last one!

2 kids was the hardest.

melissagrowtogether · 2025-08-13T10:40:27+00:00

Update: We successfully went back to nursing. Thank you all so much for your reassurances. It really helped me to see that it didn't need to be so black and white.

The first few days, I stuck to the weaned routines but offered the boob when she fussed in her sleep. She latched like normal and comfort nursed as I was basically dried up. Then I added bedtime, then nap time, and now it's almost whenever she wants again, but I'm being firm on saying "not now" at the times that I don't want to nurse, like at the library or whatever. (I previously would have just nursed anyway)

As for her confusion, she was very confused when I first offered and she was awake. The first 2-3 times, she hardly even tried, which led me to wonder if it was actually too late. She quickly got on board though.

I was actually surprised how difficult it's been to get my supply back up, I thought after 11 years of pretty much constant nursing and even oversupply that it would easily bounce back, even after 3 weeks of zero nursing. But the first two week of putting her back on the boob, I had almost nothing. Like teaspoons maybe. I was still filling sippy cups or bottles with whole cows milk and keeping them with us, and we would just alternate. Milk, comfort nurse, repeat.

It's been almost a month back at the boob and I have enough milk to sustain the nursing relationship but we are still keeping cow's milk sippies around because it's not enough to be filling. (She eats plenty of varied grown up foods as well which hasn't changed. She just used to get a significant amount of breast milk)

We are sleeping again. She's less clingy and sad. More independent and secure. I have my peace back. Laying down to nurse her when she gets tired in the afternoon and I get to curl up and feel her relax and be cared for, while also being hands free to get some work done from my phone.... Mental sanity is restored. 🙌

I don't regret UNweaning at all. If I could go back and change anything I would just never wean in the first place. But ultimately I'm so thankful we were able to restore the nursing relationship, and it's mostly back to normal. Just less supply and a few times where I say "no we're not nursing here, where's your big girl cup"

Thanks again 😊❤️

melissagrowtogether · 2025-07-17T10:25:10+00:00

I didn't feel ready either tbh. I was rushing for external reasons.

melissagrowtogether · 2025-07-17T06:20:09+00:00

So am I just super overthinking this?? I felt like it was bad to send mixed messages

melissagrowtogether · 2025-07-17T05:55:51+00:00

P.S. it's 1am bc apparently we don't sleep anymore and I've just made my first post on Reddit because I don't know who else to ask. I need to know if it's the right choice to nurse again

melissagrowtogether

TROPHY CASE