Confess with me....

AmandaJLewis

Congrats Beth! I agree with the others, skip the cookie exchange. And honestly, if my daycare collected money for a holiday thing I wouldn't do teacher presents on top of that.

egpitt22

**whispering**---congrats, Beth!!

boo to the cookie exchange though, I'd be pissy about that.

BethieB

Thanks gals. I'm actually being a gestational surrogate for a couple who has tried for a very, very long time (11 years) so I am thrilled for them.  I'm just the oven... no more kids for this mama - I'm exhausted at just 2 kids. Hell, there are times  would've offered up one of my own for them! LOL.

Just kidding. Maybe...

egpitt22

BethieB said:

Thanks gals. I'm actually being a gestational surrogate for a couple who has tried for a very, very long time (11 years) so I am thrilled for them.  I'm just the oven... no more kids for this mama - I'm exhausted at just 2 kids. Hell, there are times  would've offered up one of my own for them! LOL.

Just kidding. Maybe...

wow, what an amazing thing to be able to do for someone!!! 

sarahandtim

Beth, I'm so happy it worked out!! I've been thinking about you lately and keeping an eye out for news.

northhillsbride

Luckystar2 said:

OMG Beth!!! Congratulations!!!!! And just say no to the cookie exchange! That is crazy!

This! And congratulations!

4EvR&4AlWz

OMG...HOW EXCITING!   I had some suspicions based on a conversation with someone but I had NO OFFICIAL IDEA!!!

lala5507 said:

Luckystar2 said:

OMG Beth!!! Congratulations!!!!! And just say no to the cookie exchange! That is crazy!

just say no! 

Congratulations!!! You win the prize for best confession. 

4EvR&4AlWz

Oh and I wouldn't do the cookie exchange.  I'd only do it if my kid was there (and I'm definitely involved in the class stuff)

northhillsbride

That's really, really neat. I've thought about doing what you're doing, as I've always had great, easy pregnancies, but I've never looked further into it. And now I'm probably too old anyway!

BethieB

Clare, you aren't too old! They really don't care about the oven's age, especially given you've baked some goods before! LOL

Luckystar2

BethieB said:

Thanks gals. I'm actually being a gestational surrogate for a couple who has tried for a very, very long time (11 years) so I am thrilled for them.  I'm just the oven... no more kids for this mama - I'm exhausted at just 2 kids. Hell, there are times  would've offered up one of my own for them! LOL.

Just kidding. Maybe...

That is amazing Beth!!

AmandaJLewis

That is such a wonderful thing to do Beth!  H&H 9 months!

lilly25

BethieB said:

I'll join into the venting...

I am not creative at all with our elf (Elfis) - I'm lucky if she moves nightly!

Thanksgiving nearly put me over the edge with DH's family craziness.

I love our daycare, but after they asked for monetary donations for each child's classroom for Christmas (on top of the gifts I need to get each teacher), I got a note yesterday saying my son's toddler room is having a cookie exchange. They are asking each parent to make 4 dozen cookies (of course peanut free, so I need to really think about this!). The LAST thing my kid needs is 4 dozen cookies and he isn't even there the day of the party since he only goes 2 days a week, and he won't be going until after the holidays! The party is on the 20th and his last day is the 17th until  the 31st....

At 8 weeks pregnant, I have ZERO energy for crap like this on top of my children already driving my up the wall nightly. (Please do not say anything on FB as this is staying very low profile!)

Ba Humbug!

CONGRATS!!!! I hope you are feeling good! I would not do the cookie thing for sure if your son isn't going to be there!!

waltsgirl102503

Beth, I'm late, but what an awesome gift you are giving to that couple!  Congrats to all of you!

ryanthegirl

Wow, Beth, what a wonderful and amazing gift you're giving that couple. H&H 9 Months!

Confessions/Vents

I've been sick since Saturday. This is the first time I've really been knocked down by an illness since I had Gabriel. Parenting while very ill is tougher than I ever could have imagined. I'm so thankful that Casey is such a wonderful partner and papa and did such a good job of taking care of him mostly-solo - and to my parents who watched him for me on Monday morning while Casey worked. Side-eye to the inlaws who were HERE and STAYING IN MY HOUSE and didn't offer to help me out AT ALL [-(  They had plans to go to Costco and grocery shopping for my sister-in-law, then dinner plans later in the evening. They wanted to be "fresh" and "rested" for their dinner plans. There's so much more to say on that subject, but I think that's enough for now, I don't want to raise my blood pressure, as I'm finally starting to feel like a human again. 

I also have the same problem that you guys mentioned above when I host (see above), yet I had to tell my mom (who made all of the stuffing) to go sit down...

I feel like I need to do a better job of managing my expectations of the holidays in terms of G. I see all these really fun activities and I so badly want to take G - but he's just not ready for a lot of them. I think we're still at the Santa/Train Ride age - which is great. I don't want to rush him growing up, but I can't wait until we can write a letter to Santa, watch Christmas movies, etc. 

I'm sadly behind on Christmas shopping. All of the kids in our lives (other than G) are finished. I still have to shop for Casey, his parents, and my parents. 

lala5507

Luckystar2 said:

You are my hero! That is a great thing you are doing.

Thanks gals. I'm actually being a gestational surrogate for a couple who has tried for a very, very long time (11 years) so I am thrilled for them.  I'm just the oven... no more kids for this mama - I'm exhausted at just 2 kids. Hell, there are times  would've offered up one of my own for them! LOL.

Just kidding. Maybe...

That is amazing Beth!!

lilly25

BethieB said:

Clare, you aren't too old! They really don't care about the oven's age, especially given you've baked some goods before! LOL

That is awesome!!! I never knew anyone personally who did this but I was always in awe of it-like the Rancic's:) What does your daughter think? What a neat thing to do!

BethieB

lilly25 said:

BethieB said:

Clare, you aren't too old! They really don't care about the oven's age, especially given you've baked some goods before! LOL

That is awesome!!! I never knew anyone personally who did this but I was always in awe of it-like the Rancic's:) What does your daughter think? What a neat thing to do!

We've not said anything to daughter yet, and most likely will not until it's fairly ovbious. But we plan to keep it simple- tell her that Mommy's friend X's tummy is broken, so the doctors put her baby in my belly to grow, and when it's time to come out, baby will go home with X. Plus we will always refer to baby as X's baby.  

She may not really get it now, but one day I hope she understands the importance of giving back somehow and that this is what it was.  (We don't plan to explain anything to Ben; he'll be almost 3 when baby is here, and most likely won't remember)

lilly25

BethieB said:

lilly25 said:

BethieB said:

Clare, you aren't too old! They really don't care about the oven's age, especially given you've baked some goods before! LOL

That is awesome!!! I never knew anyone personally who did this but I was always in awe of it-like the Rancic's:) What does your daughter think? What a neat thing to do!

We've not said anything to daughter yet, and most likely will not until it's fairly ovbious. But we plan to keep it simple- tell her that Mommy's friend X's tummy is broken, so the doctors put her baby in my belly to grow, and when it's time to come out, baby will go home with X. Plus we will always refer to baby as X's baby.  

She may not really get it now, but one day I hope she understands the importance of giving back somehow and that this is what it was.  (We don't plan to explain anything to Ben; he'll be almost 3 when baby is here, and most likely won't remember)

Oh yeah my fault, your DD wouldn't realize anything yet! I think it is a great lesson that she will grow up knowing that you gave a gift to someone that is bigger than words. I think it's awesome!