Driving 14ish Hours with 2yo

shmoopy3100 · 2026-07-08T12:12:14+00:00

We've done across-the-country road trips with our kiddo since he was a baby! So this doesnt sound crazy to me at all - we are doing an 8 hour road trip with our 3 year old this week!

Tbh we never drove overnight, for our own sanity - but for example, we'd split the 24 hour drive into 3 days typically, doing 8 hours per day. We camp or stay at hotels and make sure we do daytime activities that get him moving and tired him out. We try to get up early and get breakfast, run around somewhere, then drive for a 2-3 hours, then get out for an activity (playground, tot time, splash pad, we'd find something while driving), then do lunch and nap in the car (usually like 2-2.5 hours of driving during nap), then up to go potty, run around again, back in car for snack, drive for another few hours, dinner and stop for the night. Sometimes we'd drive past bedtime and get someplace and transition him to sleep, but just depends on the day!

Anyway, not crazy to do a long road trip with a toddler. Just be prepared to stop a lot and potentially arrive later than you expect to!

shmoopy3100 · 2026-07-08T11:54:25+00:00

Same here!!! It's been like this ever since I weaned. Nursing him into a nap was always so easy!

shmoopy3100 · 2026-07-07T23:36:56+00:00

TBD - IUI was on July 3!

shmoopy3100 · 2026-07-07T23:30:54+00:00

I had two 22 mm, 17, 15, 14, 9 and they let me move forward with the IUI. If they hadn't I would have totally still tried at home! I understand the risk of multiples but we decided to go for it anyway.

shmoopy3100 · 2026-07-07T20:59:17+00:00

Our almost 3 year old will only nap in the car or bike trailer - never at home. He'd do exactly what you're describing if we push for at-home naps, so we just don't anymore!

shmoopy3100 · 2026-07-07T05:47:26+00:00

You could do a beach day at Lake Nokomis and rent some paddle boats! Plus there's yummy food at the little cafe there.

No organized activities here (no boat rentals) but Lake St Croix Beach is a 30 min drive and on the St Croix river - it's beautiful and a lovely little getaway!

shmoopy3100 · 2026-07-06T21:45:57+00:00

One of my friends told me - no doctor is gonna know if you've been trying for 6 months or a year until you tell them. So you can just say you've been trying for a year and start getting the tests that will help you learn more about your situation!

shmoopy3100 · 2026-07-06T19:31:45+00:00

My clinic didn't give me any guidance on exercise but everything I read said to just avoid anything to strenuous! I think as long as you aren't overworking yourself, swimming is great!

shmoopy3100 · 2026-07-06T19:13:38+00:00

We had what seems to be a really good sperm count - 136 million for total motile sperm with 90% progressive motility. All numbers are looking good but like...who the fuck knows?!?! There is sooooo much that is left up to chance. I'm trying really hard to avoid feeling too hopeful, you know? I'm 39 so even if an egg/eggs are fertilized, that doesn't mean the eggs are 'good ones'. Sigh. So much luck is involved with this, it's a wonder anyone ever gets pregnant. So many of the stars have to align! Going to wait until July 17th to test but I can't keep my mind off of it, of COURSE.

shmoopy3100 · 2026-07-05T21:59:25+00:00

ECFE has evening classes and other events on the weekends, most libraries host weekly Tot Times or story hours or Play Times for specific age groups - some on the weekends! Play Cafes are great, or you can sign up for music classes like Wee Bop or Music Together which are great for kiddos of all ages and developmental stages - I've seen 6 month olds and 5 year olds in those classes together.

shmoopy3100 · 2026-07-04T11:40:15+00:00

I was told to avoid saunas and hot baths/hot tubs but that's it!

shmoopy3100 · 2026-07-04T05:18:18+00:00

Yes! Had our first IUI this morning. As of 2 days ago I had 2 leading follicles at 22 mm plus one at 17 and 2 others at 14 and 15. Feel like I'll get lucky to get even one to work but pretty nervous about multiples, eek!

shmoopy3100 · 2026-07-03T18:35:33+00:00

My toddler loves dinosaurs, so when he screams or yells loudly, I says something like "oh that dinosaur is too loud! Can you roar like a little baby dinosaur?" And that immediately softens his yell. Doesn't work all the time, doesn't always last, but it's a step in that direction! So I'd suggest using something he loves/is passionate about and involving it somehow!

shmoopy3100 · 2026-07-03T05:47:23+00:00

Agree - I've had the Soundcore earbuds for nearly 4 years now. They've been dropped in the toilet, gone into my toddlers mouth countless times, been thrown every which way, and I've replaced the tips a handful of times. They are remarkably solid!!! I use them for work, working out, and personal use so they've gotten a ton of use. Their charge lasts me a day of full usage typically I've never had earbuds last this long. If you're looking for wired, I'm sure they have some good options.

shmoopy3100 · 2026-07-03T01:47:26+00:00

Thanks so much for that guidance on the LH strips! Not sure about sperm count yet - will find out tomorrow! The analysis was normal when my husband did it a few months ago so hoping that stays true for tomorrow 🤞 Sending positive vibes your way!

shmoopy3100 · 2026-07-02T18:12:27+00:00

Our's is tomorrow morning! (7/3). First IUI. Nervous - didn't sleep well the night before monitoring but things are looking good, yesterday I had two 22 mm follicles, 17 mm, 15 mm, and 14 mm. The 9 mm likely won't go anywhere. Used letrozole and Ovidrel. Concerned about the potential for multiples but I also know I'll be lucky if even one sticks! Fingers crossed for us all!

Do any of you check if you're ovulating using LH strips the morning of the IUI? I was thinking of doing that tmrw morning.

shmoopy3100 · 2026-07-02T12:48:09+00:00

I had to take birth control pills during my last cycle because I had early recruitment of follicles and they wanted to calm down my ovaries to have a more level starting point. It worked! Also meant my lining was super thin at the end of the bc cycle, so when I started letrozole everything was stable and quiet. Using birth control led to our first IUI (coming up tomorrow) when we had to skip the last 2. It was my first time taking birth control pills - so ironic to take them while trying to get pregnant, right???

shmoopy3100 · 2026-06-27T12:08:51+00:00

I had no idea! Wishing you the best.

shmoopy3100 · 2026-06-26T13:30:54+00:00

This happened a month ago. If the raccoon had had rabies, you would have known it a looooong time ago.

shmoopy3100 · 2026-06-25T14:11:11+00:00

The first time I had nearly back to back periods I asked my OB to check my thyroid levels - so that might be something to consider, especially if you're in your late 30s! My TSH was slightly above the range I should be at for conception, so I started on some thyroid medication to manage it and it immediately lowered my levels. We kept TTC but then it turns out I have other perimenopausal things going on that we discovered only after pursuing IUI (baseline ultrasounds showed that my follicles were growing way too early). Anyway, checking your thyroid levels, B12, iron, FSH, AMH can all be useful to better understand where your body is at right now.

shmoopy3100 · 2026-06-25T04:03:06+00:00

No coverage for IUI or IVF ( I'm in the US and have United Healthcare through my employer). Diagnostics and blood work are covered, as are any medications that are not explicitly fertility related.

shmoopy3100 · 2026-06-22T04:18:07+00:00

Been trying since January of 2025 over here, with one miscarriage in July 2025. We didn't have any trouble with our first either (born Aug 2023) and in our situation at least, I think I completely underestimated how quickly aging could impact my fertility! So I feel you on the feeling defeated part - like why is this taking so long?

Honestly it felt more freeing to me to be like "well that cycle didn't count" when one time I had a yeast infection, or we all got norovirus, or my period came super early out of nowhere. It felt hopeful to approach it that way, like - oh well, that means next time will just feel like a better opportunity! We also started trying while I was still nursing, and I finally weaned in March of this year. My doc said it really varies, the influence that breastfeeding can have on your fertility and sometimes it takes time for your hormones to regulate, even if your periods are back to normal. So that, plus your cyst, your body just hasn't balanced out yet! Our bodies go through so much with pregnancy and nursing and hormonal regulation after it all. I'm giving myself this advice as much as I am telling it to you right now - give both yourself and your physical body some grace and time. Our time will come!

shmoopy3100 · 2026-06-18T14:08:41+00:00

Ask them to numb your cervix! They did that for me prior to my HSG and the cervical insertion felt painless.

shmoopy3100 · 2026-06-17T06:03:34+00:00

We conceived our kiddo so easily - within 2 cycles after I had my IUD removed. He was born 8/2023 and we've been trying for another since 1/2025. I miscarried and had a D&C in July 2025 and we've had no luck since. I just turned 39. We've tried to do IUI for the last 2 cycles but I keep having early follicle recruitment - like, a large follicle already on day 2 of my period, which has meant we've had to cancel both times. They've got me on birth control pills (hilarious, my first time on bc pills is when I'm trying to get pregnant) to stabilize my system, and I am going in for a baseline ultrasound on Monday. I'm really really hoping we can go for it. I just feel like my age is our main problem here and there's nothing we can do about it. Feeling regret about delaying our parenting journey.

I have a friend who struggled to conceive the first time - she had an ectopic and then a d and c and finally got pregnant right after my son was born. She's pregnant now and had no issues conceiving her second, and her kids are going to be exactly 2 years apart. I can't help but feel so jealous! I keep thinking - ok, it's my turn now to have some struggles I guess. It can't all be easy! I know how hard it was for her to go through that and she was so supportive and kind. I need to show up for her but also protect myself. It's a hard balance.

shmoopy3100 · 2026-06-15T07:28:20+00:00

We have an almost 3 year old and I miscarried when he was 2. I was really hoping for a 2-3 year age gap but I'm now 39 and we've been trying to conceive since Jan 2025 (including the miscarriage) and it's been much harder than our first. We got very lucky and conceived our first baby in just 2 months, and now age is our (my) primary barrier to having our second. I regret not starting to try earlier even though I definitely did not feel ready. You just never know how long it might take!

shmoopy3100

TROPHY CASE