I am looking for anyone who might live in, or know about Phoenix. DH's company has an opening there that he wants to apply. So I need general info on the area. I was hoping to get some inside info. You know more then what you can see in pictures or learn on line.

One other thing for today. (I guess I have a lot to say today.) I am feeling like I need more spirituality in my life. DH is Jewish & I am not. I live in the south & have found churches here to be...well, just not what I believe in. I would like to find some where to go to be more spiritual & have a sense of communtiy, without feeling like there is a lot of judgement. Any mamas know about or belong to the Unitarian faith? I would like to know more about it, & if it might be right for me.

So I am really sleep deprived right now & maybe a little extra emotional, but I just have to comment on how, dispite struggling to keep up, & dealing with dd having a fever every few weeks or so for the last few months, I am feeling really lucky right now. I know every mama feels like thier child is beautiful, but I am truly amazed by dd. She is more amazing every day & with evry new stage. And dispite the trouble dh & I have had, he truly loves me & dd & is trying very hard to do what's best for us. We just don't always agree on what providing for your family means. But we are both working really hard to figure it out.

Alright mamas help me out here. Lately, I feel like I am drownding. I work from home. Most of the time I work during naps &/or after dd goes to bed. The last few weeks I have been working several hours a day. Plus dd has had yet another fever (at least the 6th since Halloween). So when you figure in time to bathe, eat, and take care of 4 (yes 4) pets I am falling behind. I work from home because we can't afford day care. Likewise, we can't afford help with the cooking & cleaning. DH helps with what he can, but is not home for more than 3-4 waking hours most days. I feel like I can't afford to not do certain things, like cook, vacuum, laundry.

Ok question 2 for you...How do you view naps, both for the babes and for yourself?
Lately DH and I have been in disagreement on the subject. I feel strongly that DD stay on a fairly strict 2 a day nap schedule, and be in bed by 7 or 7:30 every night (Mostly, because if that does not happen I am the one stuck with the cranky baby, not him.) Not that I don't ever bend the rules and let her nap in the car, or go to bed a little late if we have something going on, but I try to limit how often that happens.
However, when it comes to myself or DH, I often burn the candle at both ends. I hate when he is home and takes a nap, or to take a nap myself when he is around. We don't get a lot of family, or couple time and I hate to waist it sleeping. Plus, I always feel like there are SO MANY other things I should be doing. He says that spending time together when we are both tired is pointless, because we are irritable and argumentative, and that sometimes you need to just take time to rest no mater how much there is to do. While I see his point, I just can't relax when I have a lot to get done. Lately, though I have been kind-a depressed. I have not been doing much for myself, or getting a lot of rest. I wonder if my lack of sleep is contributing to my mood. I know that sleep and depression are kind-of like the chicken or the egg. Am I tired because I am depressed or am I depressed because I am tired.

I have 2 questions for the hip mamas today. I will break them into 2 blogs, so here is the first...what do you feed a 10 month old? I really want to teach DD to have healthier eating habits then DH and I do. The problem is that I am so confused about what is healthy and what is not, and it seems to keep changing. I can't keep up with adult health, let alone infant/toddler. She loves to eat what we are eating, and climbs over me to get to whatever I have. But she still only has 2 teeth so my options are a bit limited. I feel like she is eating a ton of carbs and a ton of fruit & yellow veggies. Is that too much sugar? I do give her some cheese and beans; but otherwise, it is bananas, peaches, apples, cheerios, bread, rice things like that.

ok this is going to be a long one, but i need to get it out and i have no one else to vent to currently, so here goes... let's start with the holiday week. it was the longest most painful week i have had in a long time! it started with an 8 hour drive that turned into a 10 hour drive. we left our house at 4:30 in the afternoon and arrived at my parents at 2 in the morning. dh was there until mon. afternoon then he had to drive back to pick up the dogs at the kennel and be at work on tues. my grandmother was at my aunt's house and not coming home until the 28th. so dd and i stayed (w/ no car) until the 1st so we could see her.

First let me say after only 5 days at my parents’ house, I am TRILLED to have a little time to spend with the Hip Mamas!
Next I need some advice. DD seems to be getting sick A LOT! I did not bring our thermometer with us, but I am pretty sure she had a little fever tonight. And she is acting cranky, tired, and clingy like when she doesn't feel well. This will be like the 3rd or 4th fever she has had in about 3 months. (Defiantly her 2nd since Thanksgiving.) I keep thinking it is related to the teeth she has been working on for awhile, but they never seem to break through. I nurse her, she is not in day care, and I give her a vitamin. I don't understand why she keeps getting sick! I mentioned it to her Dr. and they just said some kids get sick often, which I am sure is true, but does that seem excessive to anyone else? Or can teething symptoms last for months? Or am I just first time Mama paranoid here? Any words of wisdom?

any one else have the christmas blahs? I just don't feel christmasie this year. maybe it is the pressure from my mom for it to be the perfect Norman Rockwell, angel babies first Christmas. or the whole schlep 8 hour up to my parents house with a 9 month old. or the fact that DH interviewed for a new job and got word (on our 6 year anniversary) that he did not get it, which of course put him in a crap mood for the rest of the anniversary day. or maybe it is that i live in the south now and they keep talking about how it is going to be a cold day here (it's 48 today) so it just does not feel wintry to me.

I just need some sympathy and maybe a little pat on the back. So we found out at 11:30 AM Fri. that DH was going to have a job interview on Mon. He decided to leave Sun morning and come home late last night. This would be my first 36 hours with DD by myself, ever. I felt a little nervous, but figured I would make it through. I would have to right? I should also mention at this point that in addition to DD (9 months old) we have 2 cats and 2 dogs I will be taking care of. Plus DD's 9 month check up, and swim classes to attend. Of course Sun morning DD also wakes up with a cold. (Again this is like her 3 cold in about 2 months.

In my family everything had to be seamless, as my parents called it, and my mother liked for everything to seem all Norman Rockwell all the time. You did not tell people things they might not like or rock the boat in anyway. So now that I am an adult I find one of my biggest pet peeves is when people are not honest with me even if it is to try to be polite. So I have a tendency to just say how I feel. Like if I am offered a food I don't like I usually say no thanks I am just not big on mushrooms. (My mother would be horrified!) So I was wondering how other people view this. Do you eat whatever you are offered in order to be polite?

Can I just vent for a minute about DH? He is generally a good guy, I believe he truly loves me, and he is a great Dad (when he's home). Lately though he is about to push me over the edge! First, I have been sensing that he was having some self esteem issues lately. He is gaining weight, tired all the time, and constantly complaining about work, but refusing to look for another job. So any time I needed is emotional support or help with something he starts telling me how tired and overwhelmed he is. He keeps asking me to help him find some things to help him feel better. I suggested he take a walk, look for a new job, stop eating fast food and bringing home ice cream, make lists, journal, or go talk to someone (this option helped him a TON in the past.) but he gets mad or says that he agrees, but then does nothing.

Thanks again for everyone support! I wanted to write a follow up to my last blog. I spent some time trying to figure out how to help myself and I feel pretty proud of the strides I have made. I bought a book that my counselor recommended to me, and I am on chapter 3. (In addition to my crappy self esteem, I had an ex that, I don't know if you would say that he stocked me, but he defiantly checked up on me more than a healthy amount, came into the house when I was in the shower, and left notes on my car.) So I have trouble going out by myself. I have been taking walks and going to the bookstore with DD.

I have to share one more store for today so that I can get a reality check. As per my earlier blog I am not in the best frame of mind right now. So I feel I need an outside perspective on if this is something to be annoyed with or not. So earlier I called the store I used to work at to talk to a friend who works there. She and I have been friends since about Junior year of high school. However, since I had DD 9 months ago she has not been around much. The last time she saw DD was about 2 months ago when we stopped by the store. So she gets on the phone and is sort of acting like she has better things to do then deal with me.

I think I have issues! I have all this stuff building up in my head and I don't know what to do with it. So I am bringing it to you, uncensored and as though you were reading my own personal journal. I am going to trust you all to be as supportive as I have always seen you be instead of doing my usual trying to guess what everyone will think of me. (Worrying about what others think and if they like me is one of my biggest issues!) So here goes...I am feeling really bad about myself right now. Is it the visit from my family? Is it all the time I spend with myself now? I feel unlikable. Like I don't deserve my husband, or the happiest little baby ever. I feel like I could leave this town tomorrow and no one would notice or care. I feel not hip enough for the hip mamas and not Jonesy enough for the mamas here. Even as I type this I hear my mother's voice echoing in my head, "people don't like unhappy people" and I am wondering have I written too many blogs about how unhappy I am right now. Are the other mama's going to start to think I need help? Why do I care so much anyway? Everyone has their issues right? Right? Or is that why I have trouble making friends? Do I chase them all away? Am I too needy? When I think about it I feel like I am a good person, a good wife, a good friend, and a good mama. But I guess deep down I don't really believe that or I would not second guess everything I say and do in the way that I do.

I need help! I seriously don't know what the hell is wrong with me, and I think I am driving DH insane! He suggested I start writing a blog everyday to see if getting me feelings out might help. (I think the truth is that he just doesn't know what to tell me.) The headaches, the little dizzy spells, my milk coming and going, and suddenly I am crying at EVERYTHING! Yesterday I was watching the Today Show and Al was doing a cooking segment with Rachael Ray. They were talking about her wedding, and the holidays and I started to cry. I DON"T EVEN LIKE RACHEAL RAY! (She kind-a annoys me.) I also cried at Oprah.

I have two questions about my 8 month old. First she has started shaking her head all the time. Not in response to anything. Just all the time. Hubby got worried and now has me worrying. Is this normal?

Second, she its and scratches my face all the time. When I hold on to her hand and tell her no that hurts Mommy, she smiles at me. I know she just doesn't understand what no and it hurts means, but she really does hurt sometimes. Any advice on how to make her stop?

I am having some issues with 2 things and I wonder if they are connected and if anyone out there has any advice. For a few weeks now I have been getting killer headaches and little dizzy spells. Then the last few days I have been having some trouble with my milk supply. I have not really change my or DD's eating habits so I am wondering what's up. Just all of the sudden when I try to pump my milk never lets down. Anyone else ever had this problem? I am thinking that it is either a hormonal shift (do you still have hormon shifts 8 months after delivery?), or stress and tension. I bought a tea at the local natural food store that is supposed to help with lactation.

Ok one other thing for today. I feel like I just can't do this any more (hence the desire to relocate). I love being at home with my DD, but I have no family here and most of my friends are not only working all day, but still single and childless. We don't really hang out any more. DH leaves for work at 7AM (DD gets up at 7 or 7:30) and does not get home until 6 or 7PM (DD goes to bed between 7 & 7:30). That's his normal scheduel. Once a month he works from 8 to 7 and 8 to 8. and he works everyother weekend. When he is here he is great with her and last week, even took a day off schedueled me a message and kept the baby for a few hours.

I am looking for some advice. My DH and I are looking to relocate. (hopefully somewhere back up North) We don't really know where to go. We would like to be with in a few hours (4-5 tops) of my family near Pittsburgh. I REALLY need the help. We would really like to be in an area that is ok with our value systems. Meaning that, people won't look at me sideways when I tell them I am a vegetarian, married to a Jewish boy, who makes her own, organic baby food, and does not want her daughter to play with Barbie or video games. Also want to be in an area with some more progressive thoughts on education.

I just need to say hats off to all you mamas out there who are just making it. Lately I have been feeling really...well...mediocre. I have been watching too many talk shows and comparing myself to too many other Mamas. It was making me feel like I was not doing enough. I am at home all day, yet I am not saving the world in any major way. And my house is constantly needing to be cleaned up, picked up, and I do not have dinner on the table when DH comes home from work. It left me feeling like, well, what do I do all day? Some days I never even make it out of the house and yet I can't even keep it clean! Then this week during, the rare quite shower, it hit me.

I am so confused about teething and fever. I was just reading the posts about it at another parenting site. I had always thought that fever was normal and part of teething. My daughter is getting her first tooth and she felt a little warm today. I did not think anything of it and just gave her a little Tylenol. Then a friend said her Dr. said fevers are not from teething, I have read books that say the two do go together. Tomorrow we are supposed to go see a friend with a 4 week-old baby. I thought it would be fine because teething is not contagious, but now I am not sure what to do. Should we go, or not take the chance? And should I be more concerned about the fever?

I need help! I feel like I am just guessing at how to do this weaning to solids thing. I have my baby eating 3 solid food meals a day and has been for about a month now. She has tried lots of veggies and several fruit. But I am not sure how big of a serving she should be eating, how much texture she should have, when to introduce proteins, how much breast milk she should still be getting. My Dr. said she can now have anything but eggs, peanut butter, and honey. But my recipe book says not a lot of cow's milk, spinach, or things like that until after a year. My Dr. also said to try and introduce texture and to thicken her food up, but I have noticed that the little bit of stage 2 food I bought in a jar doesn't have much texture.

So based on Countrypunkmama's advice, and my long vent about how I am having trouble finding a network of hip mamas where I live, I thought I would check and see if any of you hip mamas are in NC. I live near Charlotte, and would love to find some other moms to hang with. My baby girl is 7 months old and I would love to get her involved with a playgroup or something. As well as, get myself out of the house a little more often.

Ok so 7 weeks ago I logged on to this site and created my 1st blog. I did one other after that and then life being...well..life, I sort of stopped worrying about me and worried more about being Mom and wife. But today I tried to find some local resources for myself and I just have to vent (or rant) about my experiences. I feel like the city that I live in is a little too, uppity, I guess would be the word. I don't really fit in well because of it. I don't really care about the Jones' let alone want the pressure of keeping up with them. But being a new mom, and being at home for the first time with no local family, I felt I needed to find myself a network.