Accessory Tuesday: Seaport Penny Suede Stud Loafers

My husband is about to go back to work after a 5-week paternity leave, and I’ll be staying home another 2 months. Any tips for this transition?

My dear friend from college is thinking about visiting our city in a month or so. She would be coming with her husband and their three kids. Ages at visit: 5 years, 28 months, 7 months. Our twins will be 11 months.

I really want to host them as I love my friend to bits and I’d love to get to know her kids more. Plus, I think it would be way easier for them instead of a hotel. We have a four bedroom and three bathrooms, so this seems doable — twins are in their own room, my friend would probably co-sleep with baby in one room and then the boys (husband, 5 year old, 27 month old) in another room. We had a really honest conversation about how it might be hectic/chaotic and that I could totally feel free to tell them to get a hotel if it got to be too much. We are thinking maybe 5 nights. Anyone have any advice? My thought is to keep our childcare arrangement (nanny for two days, husband for two days) and take a day off myself to spend time with everyone. Pre-make a bunch of meals and just ask them to instacart anything else they want or need — let them use the kitchen. Get the some train tickets so they can see the city easily. Seems like it could be really cool but what am i missing? I would say our babes are use to lots of structure — same name time, same regular routine, they are not in day care so have been with lots of kids but I do think get overwhelmed by older kids. But I think this could be good for them?

Looking for suggestions of small things to add to an not-ideal pumping “room” to make it cozier/nicer/ more friendly to use. Our pumping room at work is a cubicle in the women’s locker room. It is pretty bare bones- basically a table and office chair partitioned off by cubicle dividers, and some signage. (You can lock the locker room, if you want it to be private, but often people don’t lock it when they pump so that others can access their lockers- it’s personal choice for the pumper, and no big deal either way as it’s a pretty liberal workplace and people tend not to be too modest about these things, but are also respectful if you do want privacy.) I hear about these fancy inviting pumping rooms with sinks and hospital grade pumps, and I’m so jealous. I know that our workplace doesn’t have the space or budget for these, but would love to do better than just a table and chair. What are some nice touches to your not-ideal pumping space?

Another daycare question. My DD is getting ready to transition out of her current daycare room, which is 0-2 year olds and has 8 kids, 1:4 ratio minimum. They gave us a choice of three rooms, no guarantees but it seems like our preferences will have significant impact.
Room A: 18-36 month olds. 10 kids, 1:5. She would be in the middle age-wise when she starts, but would pretty quickly become one of the older kids. I’ve heard good things about the teachers.
Room B: 2 year olds. 14 kids, 1:7. Slightly cheaper (due to lower ratio) but cost isn’t a big factor. I think the transition to so many kids might be hard on her, since (due to floaters and student teachers) she frequently gets almost 1:1 attention in her current room. She’d have the experience of being one of the youngest kids which she hasn’t had so far (started the 0-2 room at 15 months), but the kids would be at most a year older, no really big kids. I’ve heard great things about the teachers.
Room C: 2 and 3 year olds. 10 kids, 1:5. She’d have the experience of being the youngest when she starts, but I’m a little concerned about my tiny just turned 2 year old being with kids who are almost 4. I’ve heard mixed things about the teachers.
From any of the rooms, she’s have the option of going into a 3-5 year old preschool classroom with 20 students and 2 teachers, or a transition room with 14 kids (ages 2.5-4.5). I think the transition room would be more likely if she did Room A or B, because they’d want to move her up shortly after her third birthday, whereas in Room C she’d more likely stay there until 3.5+ and then start a preschool classroom. So possibly going to Room C would cut down on one transition (three total rooms from age 1-5 vs. four).

We’re going to observe in all three rooms, but right now I’m leaning towards Room A because of the lower ratio and the positive teacher comments. I don’t really care if she’s well over 3 and has 18 month olds in her class. She loves younger kids and I’m sure they will give her age-appropriate stuff to do. But I’m curious to hear what other people would do.

My soon-to-be 5-year-old has turned into a hellion over the last month. I don’t know what’s going on, but my normally sweet (yet spunky) girl is just outright defiant. She has lots of attitude, which is new, and isn’t following directions well at home or at daycare. I literally chased her around the living room yesterday to put her in time out. It is really testing my patience and I’m at a loss. Giving her consequences doesn’t seem to be turning this around!

She’s not my oldest, but it’s been a long time since I’ve had a preschooler and I can’t remember whether this is a normal developmental stage or not.

16 mo old DD just transitioned from the infant room to toddler room today at her national franchise daycare. The drop off was completely bonkers. I’m telling myself it’s because of the age and a room full of toddlers can’t be anything but bonkers, but holy cr@p. Kids screaming bloody murder, like climbing up the walls. DD was so overwhelmed and sobbing. I need a gut check – it gets better? Are all toddler rooms this completely nuts?

Our take on this daycare has always been that it’s a good for true day care but we don’t want her there for any “real learning” – ie: preschool or k. It was always our back up and the first choice one didn’t have an availability for full time infant. This current daycare does a good enough job but her infant teachers were what kept us there during the most frustrating times. She is safe and well cared for by the immediate teachers (at least in infants) but it’s always felt like a total hot mess in any room above infant and sometimes at the management level. Today reinforced that to an extreme.

Guys, I’m coming off of a rough couple of weeks with the kids (1 and 3). We did two family trips in that time, I work full time, and I’m just feeling like these lovely beautiful boys are little terrors. The baby isn’t walking yet and constantly wants to be carried around the house (often screaming) and the three year old alternates between being amazing and destroying the house/whining non-stop. How do you all do it and look so happy all the time? I love my boys to death, and I want to enjoy this time, but there are also days where it is so hard.