I just have no self-control. I have a perfect life aside from this. Good marriage, great kids, successful jobs, educated, etc... and I have both the means (time, access to a gym) and the money to exercise. I am lazy. I hate exercising. I hate sweating. And I eat when I am happy, sad, depressed, celebrating something, bored, and on and on! I eat all the time and I love food.

I occasionally catch a glimpse of myself on the mirror and think, "Wow, I look huge". But more often than not I think, "I look pretty good!" But in pictures is where I look gross. So I avoid the lens. I am 30-40 lbs overweight.

My dreams of perfect motherhood started when I was a kid. A mere child of 8 or so years old and I started cutting pictures out of catalogues and imagining all the things I would do with my own little family. Well... I've done some of those things. But like you, had low milk supply and only nursed for 6 months with each child. Kid 1 was so underweight she looks like a victim of famine in her baby pics until she started formula and totally filled out. I wouldn't worry one bit about getting a stroller or a swing- those things are so harmless! Using those tools to get a few extra winks of sleep is totally ok. Try to throw out all those ideals you had. Seriously. Once you let go of them you'll be able to see what a good job you're doing and maybe start to enjoy the experience.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope. I am an introvert and a "sloth". People exhaust me. I have a few very good friends and some acquaintances and I honestly don't have the time or the energy for more. Just reading about the endless girls' weekends, sorority meetups, mommy get-togethers and vineyard tours people post about on FB are exhausting to me. Hanging out with my family with the occasional dinner out with a friend or two here and there are plenty for me. But I know I am probably in the minority here.

I could have written this!

I agree with most of this... however I wish I had 4-5 friends with similar families (ie husband, kids) to invite over here and there (maybe every month or so?) for a get-together. I also wouldn't mind catching a movie or lunch with a female friend every once in a while. Just nice to get out like that sometimes.

Apparently everyone I know does this but me?! The topic came up at a family dinner a couple weeks ago and I was the only person who thought this was appalling. Maybe I was adopted and they were all raised by farm animals.

Might be a hoax. Watched 20/20 this weekend and there was a story about the hoaxes for "affordable" apartments with fake pics and everything. You wire a deposit to a Western Union account and show up at the address and there is no apartment there. Watch out. Too good too be true? It just might be.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2012/07/family-pays-for-vacation-home-that-isnt-for-rent/

Anonymous wrote:I just totally remember the first flight we took with our baby who was about 3 months at the time. We were going to CA to visit Grandma. We brought on our carseat and installed it in the plane, then placed dd in there to be safe. Then dd started to cry and cry and cry. The attendant came up to me and said she felt so bad my baby was crying, and that I should hold her and comfort her. I was like well Hell yeah, I want to comfort her, but isn't it safer for her to be in the carseat. And the attendant just repeated how bad she felt listening to my baby cry. So I took my baby out of the carseat, and ever after had her as a lap child. In the car seat, she cries. In my lap, she is happy. So I agree with you on the carseat issue, but my baby didn't.

Thank you for making a good decision. Esp. in good flying conditions without turbulence. And at least you had the seat so you could restrain your child if things got rough... but you didn't force the plane to endure your crying child. That is balanced decision making.

Anonymous wrote:Please do not put the burden of rape on your child. If you tell him or others, that is what you will be doing. You will put a label on him he absolutely does not need. Please allow him to create his own path and self without ruining him with the label "child of rape".

x2

There is no need to go to this level of detail! I know a number of adopted children and this level of detail is NEVER required when their parents are asked about the adoption, which in and of itself should be private too... let alone the details of who created the child.
It should be more than sufficient to say the birth mother and father are not together.

I took prenatal classes but the most effective thing for me when I was in labour (two times, both natural and drug-free) were the breathing exercises and "low tones". Maybe google that and see what you find. Doesn't take much practice, just someone to remind you to do it if you forget in the moment!

Anonymous wrote:Did you go back and forth about splitting or did he agree as soon as you said it? I would give him a second chance. I'm a pretty big feminist, but I still would like the guy to offer to pay the bill on the first date (don't care if I do after some back and forth). I could see how it would be confusing for a guy who might be trying not to offend someone.

Agree.

Feminist but somewhat traditional when it comes to that stuff. It helps avoid a lot of confusion to just let the guy pay. But I can see how some guys think this might be offensive to the woman.

We have 2 children and the first one was in her own bedroom at about 6-8 weeks and the second one was in her own room at about 2.5 months. Both sleep very well in their own rooms. Do it when it feels right for you. DH and I are both happier with our room to ourselves and the babies are just fine.

Just wanted to post about stretch marks. I've got them on my stomach and hips from 2 pregnancies. I had very dark red marks that looked like a tiger swiped me on each side of my abdomen. I started using Strivectin SD (which I got at Costco) and I have definitely noticed a difference. I can hardly see the marks in dim light now and in the daylight they are pale pink vs. dark red. A definite improvement for me.

Yeah, I'd be a bit hurt. Should include everyone if the party will be at the place you all hang out at anyway! On the other hand, you got to attend the party in a an awkward way without bringing a gift... there's a bright side!

Just say thanks, mention they have great sales. That's it! No need to read into the compliment any further than that!

Anonymous wrote:This is what i judge...

Women who have ample bosom and wear low cut tops. (geez, cover those things up!)
Women who are overweight and wear bootie shorts.
Women who are over 40 and wear track pants with the words PINK on the butt. (Really??)
Women who wear too much jewelry. (Do you need a ring on every finger?)
Women who wear too much perfume. (I can smell you a mile away, and don't get me started if it is the cheap stuff.)

OP, I don't really judge overweight people, label-less clothes, or regular non-designer bags as long as the style is attractive. Then again, I am not a skinny rich DC chick. I'm well-off and like my designer bags but I still "look up to" some of the thin "put-together" women who are skinnier than me. I am 40 lbs overweight and I wonder all the time if those thin women are happy? Do they feel deprived? Do they dream of food? In my heart sometimes I hope they look at me and are a teeny bit jealous that my hubby likes the extra junk in my trunk and I don't watch every bite I eat and I am happy (despite being overweight!)

I think 7/9 17:07 gave a solid response to the OP, but I like this approach with the "I judge" list...

I judge really obese people carrying junk food. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt though... "maybe it has a low-cal something in it." or "maybe they're on a serious diet and this is cheat day." But a little voice in my head reminds me this is probably not the case.

Similar to 7/10 15:01, I dislike when women wear a dozen cheap gold Walmart rings on their fingers

I judge people when I can see their plumber butt crack, booty shorts, when they're wearing track pants and giant t-shirts and look like they haven't showered in days

I judge 40-50 year old mothers who dress like their teen daughters. I wonder what their issues are.

I dislike Coach, LV, Prada, Gucci etc...logo handbags. Half the time it's not even attractive. Why do you need to carry a bag covered in LOGOs? You know where you got it. Why does the whole rest of the world need to know? Maybe that's a distinction between tacky women and classic women. The need to be flashy about it.

So back to the original question... kicking the seat in front is in no way acceptable for anyone. And I am a mom of a toddler and an infant who has flown over a dozen times with one or both children. And I would NEVER allow this unless the seat in front of them was EMPTY. And even then I would have to be seriously desperate to allow it.

And I recline when I want to sleep or like a PP said, to get some relief for low back pain. And that is my right, as it is YOUR right to recline YOUR seat.