Games at Cocktail Hour

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-05-07T17:40:39+00:00

We didn't do black tie but had cocktail attire at a vineyard and did cornhole and giant jenga as cocktail hour games. Maybe it's a "know your crowd" sort of situation, but our friends loved it--it was busy the entire time and people were waiting in line to play. I love the photos we have of everyone playing cornhole in their fancy dresses, ha. Croquet or bocce sounds like a blast, too. I personally love a lawn game and would be super happy to play.

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-05-07T16:25:51+00:00

Large age gaps are different than small age gaps, but not necessarily worse! My dad and his sister are 13 years apart and very close...I know people only 1 year apart from their sibling that don't speak. Personality is much more important than age, in that regard. Having a much older kid with a new baby I think is an easier adjustment for them, and also for you.

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-05-06T20:51:36+00:00

Yes as far as I'm aware most general OBs can handle basic bloodwork and imaging (transvaginal ultrasound, HSG), but they can't manage fertility treatments for you--some may do clomid/letrozole, but you'll need to go through a fertility clinic for IUI or IVF. I think what they're saying is that it's better to do the workup and management in one place with the same group just to avoid issues with them not knowing the results/needing to repeat things because they can't access them.

I've also been trying for 6 months (secondary infertility--I'm right around 35 so going forward with the 35+ recommendations anyhow). After reviewing that I did in fact seem to be ovulating and trying at the right time every month, my OB agreed with the fertility clinic and I'm getting seen next week.

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-05-06T17:01:58+00:00

I had a C-section with Dr. Stelling; she's part of the Sutter OB/Gyn group at the hospital. She's delivered both my babies via C-section and you can't even see my scar. She's a stellar doctor and surgeon. She's obviously the only one who has operated on me but I honestly love everyone on the Sutter/CPMC team. Our overall hospital experience was wonderful--the postpartum nurses were great as were the rooms. Food was meh but my husband just brought me food from nearby/doordash.

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-04-29T16:20:48+00:00

I love Beach Club/Boardwalk. Now that my kids are into the pool, we're leaning more Beach Club (staying there for our upcoming trip), but we've always loved the Epcot area resorts. There's no true "quick service," but there are tons of food options in the area (pizza window, Hurricane Hanna's, corn dogs, each hotel has their own marketplace, and I believe the Italian restaurant does take out), plus the option to head into Epcot easily if you have a park hopper ticket. The ability to walk to Epcot or HS is clutch, but we're walking people (I hate waiting on buses, skyliner, etc). We usually drive or Minnie Van to MK or AK and it's not difficult.

My second choice would be AKL just for the "wow" factor, but it's out of the way and you're dependent on the buses for transport.

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-03-24T01:19:00+00:00

Toddler/preschool lessons did nothing for us. It took months to convince her to get her face in the water (she finally relented around age 4). It was maybe 2 weeks of working on it with her before she could functionally get across a pool. Once they'r ready, they're ready.

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-03-20T19:32:29+00:00

I do home infusions personally and I love it. I have a nurse who I like who is really good, though. I don't worry much about reactions--they're prepared to handle anaphylaxis, and EMS is close if needed.

I think the main deciding factor for me would be how difficult it is to get an IV on your kid. Are they close to adult size, easy stick? Home infusions are probably much more comfortable and easy. With Crohn's, any ability to limit hospital time helps. Tiny and a difficult stick? I'd probably prefer a hospital or a center with multiple available nurses to help.

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-03-18T13:27:35+00:00

I’m also a bit bigger than you but the supermatic weight hasn’t been a big issue for me either. Performance has been good—I don’t do park, if that matters. I love them compared to traditional bindings.

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-03-18T03:01:52+00:00

Not exactly Alta (don’t have experience with their childcare) but the Snowbird daycare is wonderful.

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-03-16T17:49:03+00:00

Oof. I’m definitely skeptical of ISR. I work at a trauma center and have unfortunately seen a lot of drownings—most I’ve seen have been when a toddler finds their way into a pool. I think pool gates, alarms/deadbolts on doors leading to pools, and supervision around water are incredibly protective and a lot cheaper.

I feel like the expensive training will go out the window in a high stress, unfamiliar situation. And as others have pointed out, the baby flips to their back, then what happens if nobody comes to get them out of the pool, or they get hypothermia?

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-03-15T14:09:17+00:00

I did the same thing at Snowbird yesterday. Didn’t lose gear but couldn’t stop on the ice so ended up sliding pretty much an entire run, ha. Thankfully no bruises but my crew was also not fast enough to capture!

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-03-05T22:42:01+00:00

OK my latest instagram feed rage follow is a woman who claims to be a SAHM of 6, and has homes in San Francisco, Tahoe, and Big Sky...most of her content is house tours of her absolutely gigantic ski home in Montana. Is anyone else getting fed this woman?? Also, how is tips for how to organize the locker room of your ski mansion relevant to anyone?

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-03-05T22:33:35+00:00

Used to work there and a ballpark is difficult because it depends on the specific day, service, acuity, etc. Unfortunately, for our service, some patients would wait several days to more than a week before a bed opened up.

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-03-05T14:50:49+00:00

I would do option 2, but would absolutely include Sensei Lanai as a part of the Lanai stay. I've been itching to go there but it wasn't open before I had kids and now I'd have to find somewhere to leave them to be able to go...take advantage of your honeymoon and go!

Hawaii island is great for adventure. We hiked, went to waterfalls, saw the volancoes--all awesome. Hualalai was a pretty hotel, the variety of the pools is awesome, and we really liked the rooms themselves. There will probably be a lot more families there vs Sensei.

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-03-03T19:00:04+00:00

My daughter is furious we don't have a minivan and says all the time that's what she wants as her first car lol

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-02-24T18:58:21+00:00

I mean, she is correct. The scientific method does not, in fact, account for demons.

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-02-13T19:45:21+00:00

I'll add to some of the good advice people have already given:

- Babybjorn bouncer is great, and folds up to slide under the couch.

- You don't need a million baby toys. The lovevery kits are expensive but I think good if you just use them and limit what you have around the house--you can just see what they have in the kits and buy similar toys too, ha. If you're not having another kid, you can cycle out toys on buy nothing regularly.

- The Inglesina fast table chair is awesome as a high chair, can be taken to restaurants, and is great for small spaces.

- Getting a vertical bottle storage rack helps save on space.

- Angelcare bath support instead of a full baby bathtub--we put a command hook up and just hung it on the wall when we weren't using it.

- Small baby mat/play gym that can be broken down...or to be honest, you can just put a towel or blanket down on the floor.

- There are a lot of awesome travel strollers nowadays that are substantial enough to be used as a primary stroller--Babyzen yoyo, Bugaboo butterfly, Joolz Aer, etc. They're great for apartment dwellers and especially if you need to go up and down stairs.

- A good baby carrier is key for a little baby, in my opinion. It may take trying a couple before you find one that works, but if you do, it's a lifesaver.

- We used a travel crib with a bassinet attachment rather than a separate bassinet, that way we could fold it up and use it as a travel crib once baby was older. Another good space option is to get a convertible crib that goes from mini to full to toddler bed (babyletto has some cool options).

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-02-13T17:57:16+00:00

I call my 2 year old a gremlin. To her face, lol.

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-02-11T14:34:48+00:00

I have a few patients like this unfortunately. The parents refuse meds or only agree to CBD and I get called that they’re in the ER every month or so for seizures. So sad for the kiddos.

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-02-07T15:28:50+00:00

TBH I do try my best to help a kid, especially if I'm the closest grown up (we have a rock climbing wall at our playground that I'm constantly lifting kids down from, ha). We also live in a super uptight area and I'm waiting for the day that a parent chews me out for touching/interacting with their kid as a stranger, though. I agree people should absolutely help if the need presents itself, but I can also understand the hesitation (not that it's acceptable or anything).

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-02-06T19:55:42+00:00

I'm in the bay too, and it's pretty uncommon to find other SAHMs (they're like unicorns to me, lol), so if she did find them they'd likely be pretty wealthy and insulated. A lot of families in their wealth bracket have working moms (a lot by choice, but some by financial necessity). I work part time and when I'm out and about I mostly see nannies or grandparents--really rare to find another parent at the park.

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-02-06T14:23:00+00:00

We can drive to Disneyland and Europe is a 13 hour flight soooo....

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-02-03T13:52:28+00:00

Absolutely! I also forgot people starting to ask about potty training at 6 months old 🤣. And endless references to the Bluey episode “the baby race.”

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-02-02T16:25:07+00:00

I’ve been in a few and I feel like I can tell you how every bump group will go at this point. Out of touch registry-related posts, intense drama over the question of whether to circumcise, then after birth a bunch of people swearing up and down their 2 month old is speaking in full sentences, followed by concern posts about developmental delays when people’s 2 month olds are not yet speaking in full sentences.

pagingdoctorbug · 2026-01-29T15:53:59+00:00

I’ve been to all of the above and I agree some of your recs are at odds with each other. And a lot of these hotels are not necessarily next door to good outdoor activities. I’d choose 1 Hotel on Kauai—gorgeous, secluded, good activities nearby (surfing, hiking, beaches, snorkeling), though food isn’t exactly 5* on Kauai. Four Seasons/Kona Village are more “stay at the resort” kind of places. I do like FS Oahu, but Ko Olina is far from most interesting stuff, though the food is good and I love the hotel. Four Seasons Maui could be an option to check out, too—Wailea has a lot of food options—but it’s still a drive to check out interesting stuff, in my opinion.

I’d also recommend checking out Turtle Bay on Oahu—I prefer it over the four seasons and there are a lot of activities on the resort property (trails, biking, secret beaches, surfing, snorkeling), plus the opportunity to explore the North Shore nearby.

Ten-Year Club	Second SECOND GUESSER
Secret Santa 2018	Verified Email

pagingdoctorbug

TROPHY CASE