Pittsburgh Nesties
waltsgirl102503
member
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Confessions!
We haven't done this in a while, so you have to have some good ones, right?
Re: Confessions!
OMG. I feel the exact same way!! I read this the other day & thought "that is me. that is totally, and completely ME!"
http://www.pittsburghmom.com/blogs/diaper-duty/24931-go-outside-and-play-mom
I love that they have so much fun out there, but I find that we're playing & playing for what feels like for.e.ver, but really, it's been like an hour. And I feel like there's this pressure to take them out when it's nice, you know? like last night...really, I wanted to come right in from after daycare and let them play so I could prep dinner, but I felt like I had to take them out.
Jake - 1.15.08
Liam - 5.17.11
Emmy, that article is me, too!
And week nights are my "excuse" to not go out until later. We have to change clothes and make dinner. And by then Walt is home, so I send them out with him! (or some school nights we just don't get outside).
This is time that I use to knit or crochet, especially at the park. :-)
Also, as of last summer I will let them play in the backyard by themselves as long as I'm on the first floor of the house. So I can get things accomplished while they are playing.
ditto! I love this time of year because I get a bit of a break! Instead if dd constantly underfoot and asking me for something while I cook dinner, she plays outside on the deck. I'm not ready for her to play in the yard on her own, but she has 2 play houses on our deck. So she takes her dolls out and plays while I make dinner. It is glorious!
And I really love when I can break out the little pool and she'll play while I sit in the shade and read.
I do feel pressure to do stuff outside when its nice out and sometimes I'm not in the mood. But generally this time of year is easier because dd does more independent play outside than inside. Not that I never play with her!! There's lots of that but it is nice to get a break too.
She plays while you read?!?!?! That sounds glorious. They couldn't care less about me until the minute I sit down to do something like that then kids are on me like white on rice. Also, my neighbor is always doing something while her kids play (outdoor work) and I feel like a shmuck just sitting in a chair.
Here's my confession
It's so hard making friends. I really haven't had any friends for a couple years (me moving, friends moving, staying at home) , but now we live in a neighborhood with lots of other moms in my age range. I feel like I'm pretty good acquaintances with some of the women on the street but I don't know how to get to "real friends" status. I feel like such a dork for even writing this. It's been so long since I had to make a friend, I forget how to do it.
It is HARD to make new friends as an adult! I met a mom on my street that had a DS the same age as Brody. We chatted - and I kept thinking about how I could approach her. One day, she put a little note in my mailbox re-introducing herself and giving me her number so we could make plans to get together. I LOVED finding that notecard in my mailbox and I called her and we became quick friends. So maybe reach out like that in some way - most people are open to a new friendship! (Sadly they moved to VA in the fall...she was my only friend on my street.
)
it depends! She definitely would rather me play with her every single second of her life. But she is less needy outside. And I will sit in the shade next to her pool with my feet in while she dumps water on them or something! I can't read the whole time but even just sitting outside in the nice weather is just so relaxing to me and love it. Outside I feel like there are so many ways to keep her entertained but indoors she's constantly asking for what she should do and everything she wants me to play.
now what was really glorious was last weekend when she had a friend over. They played outside and absolutely did not want me to play with them. I really did get to sit outside and read.
Oh and I don't do outside work. Our neighbor has a lawn care business so they are always doing something. I just don't give in to the pressure, haha!
I wish we could win the lottery. I could use a new car, but it's REALLY not in the budget right now. Stupid expensive everything.
Spin off of that, I'm toying with the idea of getting a part time second job just to help us get a head a bit. I don't know if DH would go for it, but it's a thought.
Jake - 1.15.08
Liam - 5.17.11
THIS!
Ugh, Gwen, I feel your pain!
I have the option to go part-time which is so awesome, but it would not be financially smart for us to do that right now. I would have to take a 20% reduction in pay and I would have to pay the top tier pricing for my benefits (which are OUR family benefits). Grrrrrr.
I have a hate-love relationship with outside play. I love that it's warm, that the kids get to burn off energy, that my house stays relatively clean/organized, and I love the sun and fresh air. On the other hand, it is a lot more work, times seems to drag forever, and I hate the guilty/lazy feeling I get if I just want to stay inside.
Working full time is swallowing me whole. I am desperately looking for something part-time, but my search is just frustrating me more. There is nothing worthwhile out there, or if there is, I can't find it!
Yes - this! I met a girl who rode the same bus as me that I would see sometimes on my commute. She lived a few streets over but we would just chat randomly. One day she gave me a little note with her phone number so I would have it and said she'd love to get together for coffee sometime. And we've been friends since!
I would ask the women you are acquaintances with if they know the other women in the neighborhood. If they do, ask if they ever get together. Offer to host a play date or a coffee group.
I totally understand this. I had a hard time when we first moved here and felt really lonely at times! It's hard making friends as a grown up. (on the flip side - I believe you live west of the city, as do I
If you'd ever like to get the kiddos together to play at a park sometime, let me know! We might be able to talk Amyjoy into meeting up with us, too, as she lives out this way as well.
Thank you all! I don't feel like such a crazy now. And the note in the mailbox idea is great!
gwennythepooh, I would love to get together for a playdate! We should plan a West Nest playdate.
I have to say that I feel the same. We moved to Pittsburgh 3 years ago and I've been a SAHM that entire time. I am so out of practice and feel socially awkward around anyone these days. I used to be able to make friends so easily but I seem to have lost all social skills in the last 3 years.
More venting then confessions, but here goes:
I'm seriously a bear to live with right now - my stress levels are ridiculous and I'm taking it out on my boys. If I have to clean up after them one more time, I've told them that I'll throw their stuff away.
On top of that, as soon as I start a conversation with someone, or sit down to eat my dinner, they're in my face for something. I was up at 6:30a yesterday and didn't sit down with my first cup of coffee until 9:30a.
They're on my last nerve...Grrrr.....
I have now bribed my 3-yr old with money to poop on the potty. (Advantage to me that he doesn't know the difference between a quarter and a dollar!)
DH is under-selling us for what he wants to list the house for. I'm all about pricing at $3K higher, knowing we're going to come down a bit. He wants to start with where I want to come down to, and then settle for $4k less than I want. I pay all of the bills - I know the potential profit on the house that we should walk away with (to put towards the DP on the next house) and here he's willing to settle for less already. We're not even listed yet (this week we will be), and I'm already stressed.
The thought of keeping a clean house with 3 kids and a dog is enough to drive me to Western Psych!
My three sons!
On the topic of making new friends as an adult... I read this article a while back and could totally relate!
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/fashion/the-challenge-of-making-friends-as-an-adult.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
I think the idea of exchanging numbers is a good one. The girls I'm closest to in our new neighborhood are the ones who I can text back and forth with, vs the ones I just run into when we happen to both be outside. When you're on your kids' schedules it's a lot harder to make time, so a quick text back and forth (or a message on Facebook) seems to keep the lines of communication more open.