Washable Workwear Wednesday: Half Placket Tunic Top

Have any of y’all read that article “This New Pandemic Phase Is More Stressful Than Lockdown”? It’s on scary mommy and ya hoo. It resonates SO MUCH, and I wanted to recommend it. She does such a good job describing the mental and emotional roller coaster of the last few months and the decision fatigue a lot of us have at this point.

My 10 months old is eating solids pretty well but -seemingly- randomly vomits after eating, I would say average once a week for the past three months. I cannot detect a pattern, sometimes it is right after eating, sometimes a while later. We cut out dairy and eggs and the pediatrician did an ultrasound of his stomach and didn’t find anything unusual. Anything else that I should be looking into?

We’re not saving any extra money. My hours and income are down. We paid 3 months tuition for “distance learning.” We got a refund for summer camps, but will likely spend most of it on outdoor toys, craft supplies, etc. We are spending more on food because everyone is home all the time, but it is balanced out a bit by less restaurants. DH works out pretty hard as his self care and seriously burns 3,000 or 4,000 calories a day. I gave up on trying to make adequate meals for him and just spend lot on healthy high calorie snacks while we have normal family meals. We go through 4 jars of nut butters a week. I’ve also spent more money than normal on house and garden projects. I think family life costs about the same right now. But in my 20s, I could see saving a lot by not going out and not buying new outfits for occasions.

Paging Pogo:

As an update, our daycare now may not open until 7/6 as they had the same problem of the application not being available on time and glitchy, and they needed extra paperwork. We’ll see.

This happened to my friend’s kid and it turned out it was a rice allergy. Random and probably not the same issue in this case, but you never know. Rice is an ingredient in lots of food you wouldn’t expect.

Warning, vent ahead. My office is steadily increasing personnel on campus, for essentially no reason (they basically said “We’re paying for this facility, so someone needs to be in the office”). As a result, Covid cases among employees are skyrocketing (they literally doubled from last week – they’re sending weekly case updates). I haven’t seen a single person not social distancing, wearing a mask, or following hand-washing procedures. I get my temperature taken by a security guard before I’m allowed to enter the building. Management actually had the gall to send out a mail today saying they are “very disappointed in us” for not following protocol. What the serious eff. This is YOUR fault you bunch of tinfoil hats! My job can be done 100% remotely. I was already debating quitting, but this certainly feels like they’re forcing my hand.

Piggy backing on comments above about nannies etc … legit cried during a meeting yesterday about childcare. It’s impossible for us to plan. Toddler’s daycare can’t plan until mid August about what care they can offer because state early education regs won’t drop till then. It’s a preschool with early/after care and at minimum they will probably have a reduced schedule of one kind or another, but also fewer slots. Elementary kiddo also no idea what schedule will be but also likely not full day school every day, no idea what’s up with aftercare. Spouse also a teacher and no idea what schedule will be and therefore what childcare will be able to provide. Spouse has been doing most of childcare so far. Literally the only plan we could make would be to arrange a full time nanny we can’t afford (but it’s too far in advance) and then say “sorry no thanks” to the nanny if it turns out, as it likely will, that we don’t actually need 100 percent care. We could also look for another daycare now – a few are open full time and I am essential- but can’t afford that plus nanny for elementary school kid if we go that route and don’t need care till late August and need to save money this summer for whatever crazy care situation we need on the fall.

Has anyone heard an official plan for the fall from their school district? Fairfax County (VA) just announced that families can choose to either have a) 2 days in-person, 2 days independent study or b) 4 days online instruction.