Maternity Monday: Floral-Print Tie Short-Sleeve Crepe Maternity Dress

We tried to flip our preschooler’s Britax carseats forward facing this weekend (she hit the RFing weight limit) and we discovered that we can’t do it because our 1990s cars don’t have tether anchors. We called the dealership to ask about retrofitting the cars, but they said our cars are too old and they can’t help us. Has anyone DIYed this? Or know a brand of carseat that can be FFing without using a tether? We invested in the Britax seats with the intention of using them for years but we’re not handy people so if there’s a safe option without a tether we’d probably just throw money at the problem and buy new carseats. But a quick google search is telling me tethers should now be used with all FFing carseats.

Happy Monday! Looking for recommendations for wagons. I want one for things like carrying stuff to the beach (and the beach we frequently go to we have to walk a ways over an unpaved path that’s not super wide, but a stroller goes over it); carrying ski gear from the car to the base of the mountain; carrying chosen pumpkins around at the pumpkin patch…. (these are the things in the last year I’ve wished I had one for). So I guess I want one fairly all-terrain, and I think I was reading there are ones where you can both pull but also push like a stroller? So one of those maybe? Any other features that are important?

My kids are 5 and 6 so we don’t really need for them to be able to ride in it, although there could always be a desperate time, so if that is an extra feature we can get with all of this without being too much extra money it wouldn’t hurt. If that ever did happen we definitely don’t need any harnesses or to cater to them with a snack tray or anything.

Thanks! A search on Amazon is just a little overwhelming.

TTC question – my DH and I are TTC. I have been off contraception since Dec 1, and my cycle has been pretty regular since then. But I bought ovulation tests and I have yet to have one be positive. Could there be something wrong? Or I am just not using them correctly? I test twice a day around the time the app says I should be positive, and the lack of positive result is getting me a little down.

Side note: I’m 31 and I know it hasn’t been long enough and I have no reason to be particularly worried. But my mother went through hell with secondary infertility and it’s one of my worse memories of my childhood, so I carry a lot of emotional baggage and anxiety around my ability to conceive, which I am trying to manage. Also, a friend of mine announced her pregnancy this weekend and “it just happened two weeks after I quit the pill!” and I’m very happy for her but I can’t help but be a little bitter about it. Please be kind.

Hi – We’re moving from an apartment to a house and have a 2 year old and 4.5 year old. Googling suggests getting rid of baby gates at 2. It’s an old house and the steps are pretty steep up to the kids’ bedroom. Do you think we should just not do any baby gates or do one just at the top of the steep stairs or something else? Thanks!

WYYD. I’m 36. Met with fertility specialist to discuss path to #2. I had a hunch, but doc confirmed, I’d need to wean (LO is 18 mos, still doing AM/PM) before starting process. I’m sad – halfway vaccinated and felt good about passing along protection, plus the bonding. I can sense losing interest in morning but PM still bringing LO comfort particularly during teething. Doc said there is no ticking clock and I should be at peace with my decision before moving forward. I’m sad but knew this would have to end, and know LO will be an amazing sibling. But, tell me internet strangers who may have been in this position, how would you embark on this knowing what you know?

I need to share a couple of amazing parenting moments from my last few days: We had unseasonably warm weather late last week (back to 12 degrees F today). My daughter (7) decided that she was going to ride her bike. Over the span of three days she went from very wobbly pedaling down our street with me at her sides to confidently riding away from me with no support. Letting go over her, and watching her ride away from me, even as I jogged to keep up was a feeling that I don’t think I will soon forget: happiness, pride, fear and gratitude all rolled in to one. On one of the journeys outside, my daughter convinced her autistic brother to come out and watch her. He jogged along side me for a few and then waited for her to return. When she pulled up next to us, he said, “Wow. That was really impressive! I am so proud of you.” And he truly meant every word of it. Inspired by his sister, he decided to try riding his bike. Given his challenges with coordination, motor planning and other things, I wasn’t sure he would ride his bike for a long time (he’s 10). He hopped on his bike, and I kept a very tight grip. He was very stern that I was not to let go. I started loosening my grip, and he was able to balance. We talked about learning to ride and to expect to be wobbly and maybe fall. Yesterday he was riding his bike too. He still needs a bit of coaching, but he was so proud of himself and I was close to tears. It was a good weekend.