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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 82 Comments · by

Washable Workwear Wednesday: Printed Rosemary Wrap Dress

Everyone· Machine-Washable Work Clothes· Recent Recs

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Patterned Work Dress: Chico's Travelers Classic Printed Rosemary Wrap Dress I just realized that Chico’s has a whole “Travelers” collection of washable, wrinkle-free clothes, some of them great for work. I like this simple printed dress (although I’d need/want a cami or demi-cami with it) — the print looks great for hiding stains, and the dress itself could be dressed up or down. It’s available exclusively online for $109 and is available in sizes 00-4, which they say is similar to a range of 0-22. Right now you can take $25 off your purchase of $100 or more — this dress, for example! — with code 77097. Chico’s Travelers Classic Printed Rosemary Wrap Dress (L-2)

Sales of note for 9.10.24

(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)

Kid/Family Sales

  • Carter’s – Birthday sale, 40-50% off & extra 20% off select styles
  • Hanna Andersson – Up to 50% off all baby; up to 40% off all Halloween
  • J.Crew Crewcuts – Extra 30% off sale styles
  • Old Navy – 40% off everything
  • Target – BOGO 25% off select haircare, up to 25% off floor care items; up to 30% off indoor furniture up to 20% off TVs

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Comments

  1. Anonymous says

    Baby woke up at 4 am and refused to go back to sleep, so I’ve been up since. Meeting with Important Person for me to argue my case for a move to another division this afternoon (it would be a lateral move but highly desirable). Chances of me being on my game for it? 0.

    Wish me luck, internet strangers!

    • Carrie M says

      Good luck! Sometimes I think when I’m really tired, it actually helps calm/dull my nerves, which does help me do better. Even if it doesn’t go as you hope, I think it would be totally fine to follow up with an email tomorrow if you realize you forgot a key point in your discussion today. Good luck!

      • Artemis says

        +1. Sometimes I’ve had my best outcomes when I’ve been too tired to care too much. Too exhausted to psych myself out!

      • OliveMac says

        +1! Sometimes when I feel *physically* bad (babe up late, too much wine, etc), my brain somehow overcompensates and I do better. Plus, it slows me down, and it’s oddly positive for me — like Carrie M says, it dulls the nerves. Hope the convo went well!

    • MomAnon4This says

      Good luck Mom! Your baby was extra-excited for you, is all :)
      You’ll do great!

    • Spirograph says

      Good luck! My kids were up super early today, too, so much empathy here. Hello, third refill of coffee…

      I bet you will surprise yourself with how you can pull together and be on your game for a short time (for me, it’s about 1 hour max) in spite of sleep deprivation when your eyes are on a big prize. It’s a superpower moms of young children have. Let us know how it goes!

    • New daycare mom says

      I can relate! Baby is ever an early riser, but when Momma has an important 8AM meeting (like today), Baby wakes up at 4:30 to hang out :) Good thing they are cute.

    • Anonymous says

      OP here –

      It was ok – not too terrible. I had been warned that this would be a difficult conversation so it was easier than I expected. Decision in a few weeks.

      Thanks for the support!

  2. AIMS says

    Any recommendations for a cute small insulated pouch to transport milk in? I’ve been using the insulated bottle pouch that came with my diaper bag but it doesn’t quite fit in my purse standing up and putting it sideways had resulted in leaks on a few occasions. I basically need something that will fit 3-4 milk pouches. Room for ice pack not necessary since I rarely use but I suppose helpful just in case I need to take longer on my way home.

    • Anonish says

      I use the one that came with my Medela pump – fits 4 bottles and an ice pack perfectly. It is awkward to carry alone but fits in a purse or backpack OK and is sturdy.

    • Artemis says

      Any chance you scored a freebie formula zip-top small insulated tote? I have one from the hospital that is intended to fit a bottle and some formula but it’s tall and narrow so I’ve used it for stacking breastmil storage bags for transport. Fits great in most bags and is black. Maybe a friend has one? Similac, I believe.

      • CLMom says

        I think I have the same one.
        I don’t think it’s cute, however it is functional. Primarily I use it to transport storage bottles, not bags.

    • Anon in NYC says

      I use a packit for my pumping stuff. I think I have the baby bottle bag, but it looks identical to the lunch bag. No need for ice packs because the bag itself is an ice pack. It fits 4 Medela bottles plus my pump parts with a bit of room at the top to spare.

      • Butter says

        Do you keep your pump parts in it all day, and do you put this in the fridge between sessions or just leave it out? I keep my milk in the Medela bag with the freezer pack currently (and don’t put it in the fridge), but have to jam my pump parts into the already packed office refrigerator between sessions. Would love to just throw them into a bag if they’d keep cool between sessions.

        • Anon in NYC says

          I keep my pump parts in it all day and keep the packit in the fridge between sessions. It doesn’t take up any larger footprint than a lunch bag. My office runs warm so the packit (although great) cannot really stand up to the 74+ degrees + 8 hours in the office + 1.5 hour total commute.

          • Anon in NYC says

            Sorry, just wanted to add that I think if your office is cooler than mine, the packit might be great sitting at your desk all day!

        • GGFM says

          I use a PackIt for bottles and parts and often just keep it under my desk. If I’m planning on a longer day than usual I also add a frozen gel icepack to the PackIT, and haven’t had any problems so far. My office is around 72.

          Depending on what time you first pump, you could also buy a few more hours of coldness by keeping the empty PackIT flat in the freezer or fridge until you need it.

    • HSAL says

      I love my packit. They have a ton of styles and patterns. Get one with a zipper instead of just the velcro – I’ve found after a few months the velcro doesn’t stick as well.

    • back says

      I use a Built NY neoprene tote. I got a large one that I also carry my lunch in. It has a strap so I can carry it on my shoulder but it also fits in my (very large) purse.

    • AIMS says

      Thanks all – I think I will order one of the packit rolldown bags to try.

      • Target FTW says

        I have a cheap $5 insulated lunch bag from target for transporting bottles and frozen bags of milk. It’s the Embark brand. Tall and narrow like a brown paper lunch sack.

  3. Boobs McGee says

    I’m about to start weaning kiddo #2. I have either been pregnant and/or nursing since spring of 2013 and the girls grew pretty quickly at the start of pregnancy #1 (Dish to E) but have really stayed the same size since. I know everyone is different but how much size do you lose? Anything about the weaning process that surprised you?

    I’m a little sad to be leaving that phase of babyhood without another in the oven but am getting pretty excited to have my body back to myself.

    • Anonymous says

      For me, size went back to about what it was pre-first pregnancy. Shape and density are what changed dramatically (and not for the better).

        • hoola hoopa says

          Oh, and I’m a crazy hormonal nutcase for about a month after weaning. I weathered pregnancy and postpartum hormones pretty well, but the weaning… Whoa. (Even though every time I was 10,000% ready to wean).

          Also, the general advice for weaning is to give the kiddo lots of extra cuddle, but for one of my kids cuddling just made it harder. So instead we did lots of activities together, where she had my full, undivided attention but was physically separated from my chest.

    • TK says

      Lost a size after weaning. I was a full C before, E+ during pregnancy / nursing, now a small B. Shape and density changed not for the better, lost all sensitivity. Yay ….

      I went crazy with hormones the week after I weaned – yelling, crying, super depressed. It was bizarre. But I woke up a week later and the fog had lifted.

    • HSAL says

      I’m interested in this too – I was a 36F pre-pregnancy, went up to a 36G shortly after I got pregnant, and was a 36I at the end of my pregnancy and during nursing. I’ve cut back on nursing and pumping, but will probably continue at least night nursing for awhile. Will they not settle on one size until I’m completely done?

      • TK says

        Mine did not settle until about 2 months after weaning. They were essentially the same size the entire time I was nursing. I don’t know how common this is – most of my friends had a gradual decrease in size as they cut out nursing / pumping sessions along the way, but that was not my experience.

        • MDMom says

          I am almost done weaning, bfing morning only with only minimal output. Mine have gradually decreased, but they weren’t huge to begin with m probably from perky full b pre pregnancy to perky full c at peak while nursing. Now back to deflated B. I am actually now grateful that I don’t have bigger ones because I feel like a deflated B is less uh deflating than a deflated D+. Silver linings…

    • Betty says

      Oh the journey my girls have been on: Until 2 months ago, I had been pregnant and/or breastfeeding since May of 2010 (2 kids). Pre-pregnancy 1, I was a 34C. I can’t remember all of the details, except at one point BFing kid 2, they went up to 36G. I very slowly weaned my second, spending months with only morning and bedtime feedings. They decreased but did not fully settle on a size until I fully weaned. I am back at a 34C, but they are, erm, different. Demi-coverage doesn’t cut it anymore. I need the full coverage to have a modicum of shape. One thing that surprised me is that I didn’t think I would have a hormone swing because I weaned so slowly, but even with the slow weaning, I still had a week or two of crazy hormonal swings after I fully weaned (like sobbing in the bathtub bizarreness).

      • Katala says

        +1
        I am down to morning and sometimes nighttime if I’m home and not sure when to wean fully. Baby is still into boob morning/bedtime but doesn’t ask otherwise.
        I’m starting a new job in a month, moving cross country first. Thinking maybe it’s time so I could be through the worst of it before new job. But I’m not sure I’m ready…

    • back says

      I’m so relieved to hear these stories. I was a 34C, then up to a 36F with #1, then back to 34C. #2 has really done it to me, though. I was a 36G during pregnancy and am squeezing into my old nursing bras because $$$ but I am praying that they go back down after I wean.

  4. Anonish says

    Taking our 9-month-old to Florida in the middle of the summer. I plan to scour the site for all the flying/traveling-with-baby tips I can get. But what about keeping him cool? And BF-ing in a bathing suit? And what I need to bring to the beach? I feel so lost when I start thinking about warm weather with Baby. Also, we make our own baby food, but this seems impractical while traveling – is there a good organic/simple baby food brand other crunchy-ish mamas on here like that I could get anywhere?

    • mascot says

      At that age, my son just wanted to eat the sand. An umbrella can do a lot to give them some shade, although keeping them underneath it may be harder if he’s a mover. Could you do early morning beach/pool trips, then back inside for a nap and lunch while it’s super hot, afternoon nap, and then back to beach/pool in the late afternoon? A pool float with a canopy is fun too. For food, we liked the various organic pouches. If you have a car, a quick trip to Target or the like when you get in town will probably get you what you need.

      • Anonymous says

        +1 to shade and avoiding midday sun

        also, most targets / grocery stores will have something organic in the babyfood dept; you can also start mashing up organic actual food

        • Anonish says

          Oh duh! This is what we do now with super soft foods – we puree everything else. Not sure why it didn’t occur to me that he’ll be ok with more grabable fingers food by that time. Thanks!

    • Mrs. Jones says

      I wouldn’t worry too much about keeping baby cool. He’ll be fine in swim trunks and a hat and maybe a swim shirt, or shorts and a t-shirt, or onesie. I find that my little one tolerates temperature extremes better than I do. Just keep him hydrated, like you would do for yourself.

      • H says

        Agreed. Keep him in the shade as much as possible, have him wear a hat, but he should be fine. I live in Texas and my LO survived his first summer. If your hotel has pool, he’d probably like splashing around in the water. Halter swimsuits work well for breastfeeding.

    • anon says

      By 9 months your baby may very well be eating cut-up table food (or not, really depends — at 9 months I was despairing he’d ever move to table food and then at 10 mo on the dot, he did). So I’d table that worry, at least, until just before you leave.

      • Anonymous says

        My baby is 9 months and started refusing purees a couple of weeks ago. Only eating table foods now. I agree – don’t worry about this until a week or two before you go because so much can change.

    • Betty says

      What worked for me re: BFing in a bathing suit was a tankini from athleta that tied at the neck but also had a clasp around the back and a swim shirt over. Untie the tankini (it will stay up due to the clasp), pull up the swim shirt and go forth!

    • Spirograph says

      When we went to FL with a baby around that age, our ped recommended bringing bottles of water for baby if we were going to the beach. Even if he wasn’t necessarily hungry, he would drink some water.

      The sun is definitely more of a factor than the heat. Do watch out for hot sand – bring a big blanket, and consider a long sleeve rash guard (or just plain shirt) and big sun hat WITH A CHIN STRAP for baby. A big beach umbrella for shade will help, too. We got a little float with a canopy, but he wasn’t very interested and it was more bother than it was worth. Easier to just hold him in the water.

      If you have a swimsuit with a deep V-neck, those are perfect for nursing. Don’t even worry about it. Things to throw in your beach bag: Scissors to cut off a poopy swim diaper, if you don’t have the kind with easily rip-able sides. Extra swim diapers. Extra regular diapers. Plastic bags for dirty diapers in case there’s no trash can in the immediate vicinity.

    • sfg says

      I bf my 9 month old in a tankini top at the beach. She wasn’t into finger foods yet but she ate soft foods at the table with us at restaurants.

    • back says

      A tent! We have a half circle collapsable beach tent and it is awesome. I think it was $60 on Amazon. Floppy hat, a few waterproof toys, and rash guard. I BFd in a bikini top and v neck t-shirt. Was super easy to pull the bikini down and back up.

    • Meg Murry says

      Baby may want to BF more often in the heat, so be sure to have plenty of water or drink of choice on hand for yourself so you don’t get dehydrated. Kids under one don’t generally need water (they should get their hydration from b-milk or formula) but in the heat of summer small amounts of water are ok if kiddo will drink it.

    • Anonymous says

      I went to the Caribbean when my LO was the same age. I brought my big outdoor blanket from Costco (Jj Cole sells a similar one but more pricy) for the beach. It was great. But yea kiddo wanted to eat everything. We have pretty much done baby lead weaning but actually introduced pouches for the trip because I didn’t want to worry about how we were going to deal with baby food. Baby would just eat right from the pouch on the beach. Yes get a beach umbrella. I now swear by the Sunday afternoons play hat for my kiddo- lots of coverage, chin strap, room to grow. I was done nursing by this point but when she was a newbie would nurse no problem in a tankini like others have said. Tent may work if your kiddo isn’t mobile yet but no way my kiddo would have sat in a tent. Costco also sells great prices uv swim shorts and shorts. Have fun!

    • In FL right now says

      So it’s not quite full-on summer, but I am right now in FL with a 6 month old. It’s actually much, much easier than I was lead to believe, but I do recognize that a 9 month old is more mobile, so there’s that.

      The GREATEST tip I got was to bring the pack and play (actually the Guava Lotus crib which I LURVE) to the pool, set it up in the shade and put a regular crib sheet over the top to provide even more shade and possible bug prevention. This allowed me to spend kid’s afternoon nap sunning at the pool. Okay, maybe I was wearing SPFs ranging from 30-50 and a hat, but it felt nice at least.

      Jogging strollers are better in the sand, accept that you will get sunblock on EVERYTHING, bring a bunch of light muslin swaddle blankets, brought minimal stuff and just went to target and bought diapers/wipes/sunblock for the kid here. We have 2 swim diapers which is key- one is just a cheap pocket diaper that we use unstuffed.

      Our kid likes to swim, so we do that a lot, but try to keep him in AC or at least under shade outside from 10-2. I dunk him in the pool periodically when he gets hot (literally- and he finds this hysterical). A muslin swaddle soaked in cool water and wrapped around the kid’s head and back like a little Bedouin is also a great way to cool him down.

      With regards to traveling with a baby, being a courteous and reasonable customer has really gotten us far. It got us a whole row in the plane, a larger rental car, and a ride for a bunch of bulky gear on a golf cart.

  5. Meditation? says

    Intriguing articles yesterday in the Well section of the NYT regarding meditation and children. I’m curious whether any of you practice meditation on your own or with your children? Any suggestions on resources to get started?

  6. Sad mommy says

    I have a 2 1/2 year old son and a 5 week old baby. Since baby came, DH has been primarily responsible for putting toddler to bed at night. The nighttime routine has never been ideal but it has gotten out of control lately. Toddler resists going to bed, asking for multiple stories/songs/drinks/tucking in before passing out, resulting in a 45 min-1 hr struggle after which DH is frustrated and exhausted. Last night he told me that he will not look back on this phase with any fondness, which made me quite sad because our toddler is a delightful child when he is in a good mood/cooperating.

    I have suggested letting toddler CIO on several occasions but DH refuses, always caves in to the requests (fueling the problem IMO), but I have accepted that CIO may not be within his parenting style. But, I want to channel Doctor Phil and ask, “How’s that working for you?” because its obviously not working. Last time I tried to bring up CIO he said I was criticizing him…

    Son is in the process of being evaluated for sleep apnea, which may be contributing to the problems, but we won’t get a diagnosis until July. I plan on suggesting that we start rotating who is responsible for toddler bedtime, and who will take care of the baby. Of course, baby’s fussy time seems to always coincide with toddler bedtime, sigh.

    Advice or commiseration welcome….

    • SC says

      Honestly, I think you should let your husband continue to put the toddler to bed his way unless your husband suggests a change. Rotating who puts your toddler down, and changing styles and routines, might just confuse and frustrate him. It doesn’t sound like your husband is doing anything wrong, just that you would do it differently, and whether you do CIO or not, the process of putting a toddler to bed can be hard.

    • mascot says

      Could be a couple of things- sounds like normal toddler behavior with a bit of new sibling adjustment (and maybe getting used to dad doing the routine). Perhaps find some time when you and your husband aren’t exhausted (HA!), so maybe not right after you’ve fought with toddler for an hour, and troubleshoot/tweak the bedtime routine. CIO is hard when they can use their words. We would have to go outside or shut ourselves in another room while our kid fought himself to sleep. A muted video monitor can provide any needed assurance that he is safe.
      I’d also say give both of you permission to feel all your feelings right now. You can love your children, but not like them in the moment. And you can not like certain phases of their development. This is a phase. It will get better.

    • Spirograph says

      This sounds counter-intuitive, but maybe try moving the toddler’s bedtime a little earlier if you can swing it. When my kiddo is overtired, he drags out bedtime just the way you’ve described. Even a half hour makes a huge difference for us.

      Also, this sounds like a totally normal adjusting-to-new-baby thing, but there’s nothing you can do about that other than ride it out.

    • Faye says

      Commiseration here.

      One potential idea: Can you introduce quiet time for the toddler? My baby is going through a separation anxiety phase and hates bedtime, so toddler bedtime has to be final and we can’t keep going in 50 times. So we have a routine with Toddler and say good night, but then let her pick out 3-4 board books and “read” them to her stuffed animals in bed, so long as she’s relatively quiet. Or let her pick out 1-2 plastic animals (big ones that can’t be swallowed – like these http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000H744IA) that she can play with quietly in bed. She eventually falls asleep on her own time.

      Who knows if this will introduce a bad habit, but I figure I routinely read in bed so of all bad habits to have, it’s not a horrible one.

    • pockets says

      Every time I think about having a second, I get heart palpitations and this is one of the reasons why.

      I agree with you – your 2.5 yo probably needs to learn how to fuss it out himself, especially because the 5 week old is going to get harder and harder to go to sleep. Can you talk to your husband at a neutral time to express this to him?

      I agree that switching off isn’t ideal, but can you do a permanent switch for a few weeks? That way maybe you can get toddler used to your method of putting his to sleep, and when you switch back your husband has an easier toddler to handle?

  7. pregnant swollen feet arrrrrgh says

    I am totally running out of shoes to wear to work. My feet are so fat on top at this point that even my loafers aren’t working out. I already have a high instep and now basically nothing is working. While I don’t work in a terribly formal office environment, I definitely don’t wear sandals or open toed shoes. The main problem is just the top of the feet (my ankles are swollen too but don’t seem to affect shoe-fitting). Things are pinching at the top of the toe-box or over the arch of my foot. Any suggestions? Ugh this is gross and uncomfortable!

      • pregnant swollen feet arrrrrgh says

        Those are pinching too – maybe I need ones with more toe cleavage? My entire foot looks like a loaf of bread except my toes, which look normal.

    • MDMom says

      I would just wear sandals. Alternatively, what about something like toms in black? Ballet flats with an added insole for arch support?

      • pregnant swollen feet arrrrrgh says

        I was just thinking this morning, it’s not the worst thing in the world if I wear sandals or open-toed shoes for two months. At least the weather is getting warmer.

        • MDMom says

          I have seen pregnant attorneys wear sandals, including straight up flip flops, to court. You definitely get a pass in the last few months.

    • Betty says

      Puma Zandy: Supportive, ballet flat type shoes that are awesome. I am currently wearing a pair that I bought when I was pregnant with my now 2.5 year old. I wore them on a daily basis for my third trimester in a business formal office.

      • pregnant swollen feet arrrrrgh says

        Did you buy in your regular size or size up? I’m always in between 9 and 9.5 so I’ve been wearing my 9.5 shoes, but I’m wondering if I should get something in a 10.

        • Another pregnant anon says

          Buy them a size up! I am another currently pregnant anon with only slightly swollen feet but I bought them in my regular size a few weeks ago (after reading about them on here) and they are too small :(

    • DCJ says

      By the end of my pregnancy I ended up buying a pair of shoes in my normal size, but a double wide (WW or EE) width. It helped IMMENSELY, and they were the only things I could wear through the end and for a week or so after until all the swelling started to come down. Now I slide my feet in and marvel at how those things ever fit me, haha. But highly recommend looking into extra wide, supportive shoes. So worth it.

    • CPA Lady says

      This is a little horrifying to admit, but I wore some kadee crocs at the end. The ballet flats with the slingback. I hated the swollen feet thing. At one point they just started jiggling when I walked. Ugh.

      • pregnant swollen feet arrrrrgh says

        I’m sorry that I laughed but TOTALLY. Like when I put them down on the floor after propping them up at my desk and they wobble like jello. I will try the Pumas in a size up and look for same crazy wide shoes that aren’t too expensive. And I am probably going to be that person in flip flops….although EVEN MY FLIP FLOPS were leaving slight marks on the top of my feet.

        • jen says

          try payless? they seem to carry a ton of wide shoes and are definitely budget friendly.

    • HSAL says

      Hope you’re still reading, but I had the exact same type of swelling – couldn’t have anything on the tops of my feet. I bought a few cheap pairs of the Ona and Shae ballet flats (size up) from Target because they seemed to have a much bigger opening on top than the rest of my ballet flats. They were perfectly comfortable for a moderate amount of walking during the day, but I wouldn’t wear them to Disney or anything. I also ended up wearing flip flops (I needed ones where the strap was high up near my toes due to the swelling) to work in October, so don’t worry about it too much. Wear what fits and is comfortable.

  8. Anonymous says

    Seeking advice — stay with in-laws or find an Air BnB?

    I am traveling with my family to Europe this summer to visit my husband’s parents for about a week. They spend the summer in his childhood home, which is small, filled with stuff, and totally un-babyproofed. (They live in another country for most of the year, and haven’t really bothered with much maintenance of the house for the past 20 years or so.) They propose to have the family stay with them, along with my brother- and sister-in-law.

    The cons of the situation are obvious — no personal space and always being on edge about my kids (1.5 and 3.5) potentially killing themselves on steep stairs or rusty tools or something. Other negative is that they don’t have internet, and I am a big-law associate and can’t count on not needing to log on. I could always go over to a neighbor’s house that has internet, but it would be awkward if I have to stay there for half the day…

    On the other hand, we don’t want to upset my husband’s parents, who want to have us stay there, and we would probably be over there for dinner (which is always late, for my kids’ schedule) most nights and a lot of the rest of the time as well, so it would be easier for my kids’ sleep and more convenient in some ways.

    What would you do?

    • SC says

      If you stay with your in-laws, could you buy some basic baby-proofing items (plug covers, baby gate, cabinet latches) when you arrive, or ask a family member to do this ahead of time? Could your husband talk to his parents about cleaning the place up before you arrive so it’s safe for the kids, or offer (maybe with his sibling) to do so when everyone arrives while you take your kids out for an afternoon? Or if that’s not practical, could they clear out and baby proof one room so there’s one place where the little ones can play without being watched and followed every second?

      As for work, is it possible to set up a hot spot for quick things? Is there a cafe or anything nearby that would have internet? If not, that’s probably a deal breaker, and unless your office can understand that you’ll have limited access to the internet (which I understand is unusual in Biglaw and probably not the case).

    • mascot says

      I agree with the idea of designating one kid safe space in their house and maybe asking them to pick up any precious treasures. Also, with 6 adults, it seems like you would have plenty of eyes/hands for supervision.

    • Anonymous says

      Deal with the internet situation first. Hot spot should work, but maybe find out if the firm can add some sort of high-speed international coverage to your plan while you’re away, or whatever. Take care of this first.

      Unless you are going to bring/buy one of those enclosed play pens so the children don’t kill themselves, accept that someone will have to be watching them 24/7. For one week, that isn’t so bad. Baby-proof as you go, baby-wear as much as you can for the first day or two, then just wing it. Their schedules will be totally messed up anyway from the time change.

      • Anonymous says

        Thanks for these thoughts, ladies, much appreciated, and keep them coming! Hadn’t even considered the hot-spot idea. I’m realizing I need to be proactive about planning to make things work as well as possible but also go with the flow better than I have during past visits. I should also mention that it is a really rural area — literally next door to a farm, so there is plenty of entertainment for the kids right outside the door!

        • Meg Murry says

          I think in general you are just going to have to go the the flow, but I also think it might be a good idea to ahve a general plan. For instance, do you expect anything to explode at work that you would need to take care of in an “OMG, right now!” type of circumstance? If not, could you plan with your husband that you will need X amount of time every day (1-2 hours?) that he will take kid duty and let you go check on work? That could either be at a set time every day (from 8 am to 10 am, for instance, or whatever timeframe makes sense to you) or you could set the time for the next day the night before.

          I’d also say something to him like this “Honey, this trip sounds like a good time for us to spend with your parents, but I’m a little worried about the kids and the non-childproofed house. I know your mom/brother/sister would probably be fine with the kids under normal circumstances, but since the kids will be so far off routine I think we need to plan for at least one of us to be with them most of the time. I know I’m being a nervous Nelly, and chances are everything will be fine, but will you respect me on this one so we can both have a good time while we’re there?”

          My husband tends to get really annoyed when I flip into what he considers to be overprotective or overplanning mode (he is super laid back, which is usually great but sometimes drives me crazy), but he does better when I acknowledge that I know I’m doing something that drives him crazy but if I don’t I’ll wind up losing it or a total ball of anxiety so could he please compromise and help me out here?

          • Anonymous says

            Hah, Meg, I think we are the same person. I think that’s pretty much where I’m at. I’m trying to plan ahead and talk this through with my husband really far ahead of time, because the last time we did it with very little planning (with only one kid, but still), and I was a nervous wreck the whole time. That experience has informed how we are approaching it this time. I think we can sort things out so it is a good experience for everyone even if I have a work emergency, so we are starting out on the right foot.

    • jen says

      Consider that an airBNB you stay at will not likely be childproofed either. My family did something similar, but rented a beach house, when I had a 2 year old. My kid is so lame and never gets into any trouble or does anything dangerous, but there were certain hazards we had to deal with- steep stairs with no gate, stairs that led directly to the yard that had (unfenced) waterfront access, etc.

      We did a make-shift babyproofing of things (chairs and sideways table in front of and at the bottom of The Death Stairs, as an example) and just kept an eye on her the rest of the itme. There were like 8 adults and one 2 year old. it was not like she was left alone to climb the unsecured bookshelves or pull all the knives out of the drawer.

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