Washable Workwear Wednesday: Papillon 3/4-Sleeve Blouse

I need help. I fell on the ice and broke my humerus on Sunday. I’m having surgery on Monday and am in a sling until then, and will be after as well (with an incision and then pain meds, at that point). I have a thirteen month-old who has been at home with us for her entire life; we’re both teleworking and are on daycare waitlists (in DC). We tried to beg into the ones we’re at the top of the list on, but everyone is at capacity until restrictions are lifted in April. I cannot pick her up and won’t be able to do so for about three months.

I had still been nursing (was hoping to make it to the beginning of daycare) but my supply is dropping; in hopes of avoiding mastitis, I’ve been pumping and dumping given pain pills and that I can’t hold her.

Sleep has been a struggle for a while; our small victory on that front was that two weeks ago, we read Precious Little Sleep, and Dad started handling all wakeups before midnight, with me going in afterward and usually spending most of the night sleeping and holding her in the rocking chair. That had actually been an okay, if unsustainable, way for us all to get some sleep. Now, if I’m in the same room as her at all, she wails and wants me to pick her up, so it’s sometimes better if I stay away. This breaks my heart, truly, and it means her dad is doing literally everything baby-related, plus keeping us all fed, plus getting up with her at night every two hours or so, plus helping me pump and bathing me (ugh) and managing my meds with no respite. We were going to night wean with an eye toward sleeping through the night soon. Last night was extra hard, which I understand; 50% of the people she knows and depends on have suddenly disappeared. I was able to hang out for a bit during breakfast this morning, which was a relief. But there’s a long recovery post-op, which means that cuddling and playing are off the table for a while.

Grandparents are out of state and haven’t visited since COVID. We called MIL this morning and said we really need help; she arrives tomorrow. That is a major gift. She’ll stay for about a week, definitely until my surgery. I’d like to ask my family to help after that, but my sister has a two year-old who would come with her (non-negotiable), which feels like adding to the chaos, and my mom believes that she is immune to COVID and is flying to Key West for vacation a day before my surgery. Unclear if she’d be willing to test and quarantine; she hasn’t been forthcoming with my sister about what she’s doing before caring for my niece. (“Mom, you told me you would quarantine before you babysat.” “I did, I just had one more class in my yoga package to use.”) Mom also lives with a guy who flouts COVID restrictions as a matter of principle.

MIL got her second shot last week; my mom Abe sister haven’t been vaccinated yet. It would be so devastating if me, DH, or Baby got COVID at this point.

I don’t know what to do. I miss my baby so much, I’m so worried about my husband, I’m in a lot of pain, and we’re at the very beginning of all this. Daycare in April will hopefully be light at the end of the tunnel. I don’t know what to do until then, or what exactly to ask. Help help help, please.

Any adoptive moms on here? We decided long ago if fertility treatments weren’t working we would pursue domestic infant adoption. We’re not 100% done with fertility attempts, but I’m quickly approaching my breaking point. For what it’s worth, I’ve mourned my infertility for years. I’m numb to it at this point and just going through steps and process. I might have one attempt left in me, but it’s also likely time to move on.

I’ve spent a lot of time cruising various adoption agency websites but am looking for some more direction, including understanding the timeline for adoption (I understand the cost). I don’t quite understand what makes one agency better or worse than another. And then if I do find one that’s interesting, do I just reach out for more information and take it from there? Can anyone offer any insight or perhaps a recommended agency?

It’s overwhelming and exciting. I’m in the Boston area if that matters. My goal is to continue educating ourselves and get as fully up to speed as possible so that when we do pull the plug on fertility treatments, we don’t skip a beat. As an aside, I fear that in an adoption profile being a working mom with a high power/long-hour job is going to be held against us. Not sure if that’s rational or not, but I know what I do isn’t for everyone (not big law, but Big Finance).

This introvert is in he!! and needs help. I am tired of answering 10,000 questions a day and never getting a real break from my family. A year into this pandemic, and I really feel like I’m going to snap. I am so angry and resentful about the work, the mess, the freaking noise. There is very little fun to balance out all the hard, annoying parts. DH is pulling his weight; it’s not that. It’s just that I desperately need more respite than I’m ever getting. Walks and exercise aren’t cutting it anymore. DH works from home, too, so there is someone around literally all the time, even if we aren’t in the same room. To complicate matters, DH lost a parent to covid a few months ago, so I have understandably been shouldering more while he helps out MIL and deals with his own stuff. But man, I am getting into a bad mental place. February is a dreadful month as it is, but this is on a whole other level. DH is very against travel of any kind right now, otherwise I’d be booking myself a room at a B&B, stat.

Is anyone located in Raleigh? And do you have any suggestions for swim lessons? We’re considering driving to visit grandparents at spring break. We’d stay close to home the whole time but I really need to get my six year old swimming this year, and I’d planned to put her in a week of swim lessons if we stayed home. Wondering if I could just do it there if there’s anywhere good! Would also give us something to do since we’ll be pretty limited due to covid.

My daughter (age 4 in 3 months) has been home since last March with us. She was in a part-time preschool program at age 2 for about 9 months before the pandemic, but was with a nanny before that. She’s been crying at drop-off (this is week 2) of another part-time program. Today was pretty hard. I could keep her home longer, but I’m worried that she will just think staying home is the norm when she starts kinder. Any advice? Also, do I sign her up for part-time summer camp to keep the routine going for the fall or let her take a break this summer?

following up on the above post about swim lessons. at what age did your kid learn to swim and how did it happen? are weekly lessons best? an intense two week period of daily lessons? some other method?

My son returned to nursery yesterday and he was just so, so happy. Ran straight in and to one of his favourite teachers for a cuddle, with nary a glance back at my husband. He came home exhausted but really happy and chatty about his day. We’ve just hit 30% of the adult population with their first dose, so hoping things will be more and more “normal” from here on out.