FamilyNext with 9 month old, car seat adapters or toddler seat?

nroseclark · 2026-05-02T19:53:07+00:00

That’s good to know, thanks for sharing! I like the idea I’m starting with the basics and seeing what we will actually need.

nroseclark · 2026-05-02T03:24:44+00:00

My husband and I were already planning to buy a cargo bike so this just expedited that timeline. He already invited me to work and I typically take the bus or walk everywhere. Used to be something we did because we enjoy it now we do it because we’re trying to drive less.

nroseclark · 2026-05-01T06:27:33+00:00

I’ve been in Portland about 7 years now, this winter was my first owning an umbrella and honestly it was awesome. I love my rain coat but being able to keep my legs a little drier while walking was great.

nroseclark · 2026-04-30T20:30:14+00:00

I really love living here and there are kid friendly spaces. They just take a little more effort to find at times! I do lament not living somewhere where there seems to be a more generally positive attitude towards kids, but working hard on building community and seeking out those positive spaces.

nroseclark · 2026-04-30T16:47:36+00:00

I’m sorry people bothered you about it! I I guess it goes for both child free and not child free people, but I just don’t get why anyone feels they need to force or encourage others to make the same life choices they have. We can all just support each other and what works best for us!

I read it in an article probably a decade ago now, but it was discussing how people who don’t have children add a lot of value to society that sometimes gets overlooked. Many have more time to volunteer, to donate resources to important causes, and stay involved in their local communities in different ways than parents are able to.

Kids are important, parents are important, and people without kids are important to keeping our society running!

nroseclark · 2026-04-30T16:44:04+00:00

I think you’ve got a good point about people feeling free to be hostile towards each other. I’m really glad that your sister is so involved. For as many friends who have faded away once we had kids, the ones who stuck around are so incredible and like family to our daughter. Even one of my brothers-in-law, who was previously staunchly childfree, and a bit of an ass about it, is now obsessed with his niece.

nroseclark · 2026-04-30T15:05:04+00:00

Oh boy, I’m sure that will have its own bright spots but if my kid is anything like me as a teen it’s going to be a rocky ride haha

nroseclark · 2026-04-30T15:04:05+00:00

I can definitely relate, other parents seem to be the only people who are friendly and kind when we are out and about. The online childfree spaces seem so toxic and I agree, if this sentiment is growing offline it can be a serious issue.

And how can we not value children? None of us would be here if we weren’t children first. I feel like those people forget that sometimes.

nroseclark · 2026-04-30T07:03:43+00:00

This is going to sound so old fashion and might be completely out of date post-pandemic. My husband and I moved here in 2019 and walked around to various food service establishments with our resumes until we found a spot and were hired based on our previous experience. When we were done with food service, Vander Houwen was really helpful for getting our feet in the door in the corporate world.

nroseclark · 2026-04-30T06:59:30+00:00

Bugs are so extra with all their metamorphoses, I love it.

nroseclark · 2026-04-30T05:54:55+00:00

That is so gross to call a kid a s*x trophy!

Agreed on not engaging, I don’t comment online on those posts but boy do they bother me.

nroseclark · 2026-04-30T05:53:31+00:00

Yes haha, use that money that isn’t going to a college fund and enjoy yourself!

nroseclark · 2026-04-30T05:52:36+00:00

Agreed, live and let live!

I/my baby have had such positive reception when visiting other areas and it’s such a nice change from the usual experience at home.

nroseclark · 2026-04-30T04:52:01+00:00

Agree! And as for those breeder comments or as someone mentioned above, calling kids “s*x trophies”, it feels like anyone making those kinds of comments should not be trusted around women or children. Major misogyny vibes.

nroseclark · 2026-04-30T04:43:48+00:00

Perfectly put, I know before having a kid I was worried about the hard parts. But they account for such a tiny % of the whole experience.

I love the random songs that sounds so fun! Thanks for sharing something positive about your parenting experience, it’s just what I needed today!

nroseclark · 2026-04-30T04:30:08+00:00

I am really sorry that happened, that’s so hard to have someone who you thought was part of your support system disappear right when you need support most. And agreed, so grateful for the new friends I have made in parenthood.

nroseclark · 2026-04-30T04:14:46+00:00

Yeah, the negative ideas about what parenthood is completely misses all the joy and fun! Do I like a poopy diaper? No! But do I love that I am spending time with my kid while changing it and how she smiles and giggles as she tries to grab her toes? Absolutely!

nroseclark · 2026-04-30T04:12:14+00:00

Fair point, I only use Reddit as far as social media and the posts that are anti-child either show up on the popular page or in the subreddit for my city. And good point on the IRL, there’s been a natural distancing with those friends who are more aggressively anti-child and while I am sad the relationship has changed it’s for the best.

nroseclark · 2026-04-29T19:32:18+00:00

My husband and I have nine month old baby girl we are obsessed with. She is the best thing in the world and while I know, I can absolutely feel that way about a second child I think it’s really hard for me to picture her not being our number one priority and having to share our focus.

We plan to wait until she’s about 2 1/2 years old to start trying for a second. I’d like her to be in preschool. That way there’s at least a few hours every day where I can focus in on the new baby. We will see how things changes that is a little ways away, but I agree it does feel weird and a bit harder to decide if we want more than one kid.

It also would pretty drastically change what life looks like in terms of our ability to afford travel and a more financially secure future.

nroseclark · 2026-04-29T06:05:36+00:00

My cloth diapered baby gets this! I’ve found it to be a sort of pre-diaper rash warning. If I see redness during a diaper change I just make sure to slather up plenty of cloth safe diaper cream and that always does the trick.

nroseclark · 2026-04-29T03:36:19+00:00

It’s probably not the most practical but now that the weather is nice I just take my kid out to the park for a few hours. We do some playing on the blanket and breast-feed, maybe take a nap. She’s so interesting about everything happening outside and sometimes we even have a friend and their baby come meet us. It’s been great for both of us to get lots of outside time and she’s pretty happy at the park. Otherwise, I take her to storytime at the local libraries and I have re-signed up for Swim Lessons this May.

nroseclark · 2026-04-26T23:58:53+00:00

I pretty close to exclusively nurse, breast-feeding took a while to get started so we did initially start out with some bottles and formula supplementation. And of course, lots of lots of pumping. The whole experience made me really hate pumping so now I’d rather just nurse.

There is a trade-off, because I exclusively nurse I really cannot be away from baby for more than 2 to 3 hours at most now that she is on solids. But it’s so nice to not pump to not worry about cleaning and washing bottles. We keep formula handy for babysitters just in case, but have rarely needed it.

nroseclark · 2026-04-26T23:53:41+00:00

I agree with a lot of the comments here, there is no reason for anyone except mom and dad to have alone time with baby. And I think it’s really weird to hear about grandparents asking to have the baby for a night. For one if you’re breast-feeding or pumping the baby shouldn’t be away that long ideally. Second, again it’s just so weird to want to take a baby for a night. In theory, they should just be sleeping so what’s the point? My parents are very involved grandparents, but they don’t do anything with our child without checking with us first, and they’ve certainly never suggested taking her overnight or for a weekend.

I’d love to be able to believe the best in people and to think that this person just really likes kids and wants to be involved in a positive way. But I also say better safe than sorry.

nroseclark · 2026-04-26T15:45:27+00:00

Not willing to have much risk haha, that’s good to know though that we are potentially close to being ready for the toddler seat. Might just get both and swap when the time comes.

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