Maxwell 26: The Toothbrush Thing Is Real

[Ozlsn]

14 hours ago, Alisamer said:

If I'd had kids, I had lots of girl names to choose from, but hardly any boy names I liked.

I was the opposite. I walked into the amnio appointment going "if this baby is a girl I am going to be so surprised... and I'm going to need to think of a name because all the ones we have are male. Hm."

I try to make a point of getting very neutral clothing for baby showers etc - you end up with a metric ton of pink or blue stuff when the baby is born, sometimes it's nice to have something different. Most of the baby/toddler/small child clothes my son had were hand-me-downs from his cousins - both were boys his age, but were wearing their older sisters cast offs (well up to about 3-4 when they started getting picky about it, heh.) About the only thing I passed on without putting on him was a pair of bright purple velour leggings with sparkles. They were... special. My friend's daughter fell in love with them and was thrilled to be able to wear them home.

[Abstract]

Puffy vests also disguise the female shape while leaving the arms free to move around easily. 

[Lisafer]

9 hours ago, PennySycamore said:

@Lisafer, as @anjulibaisaid, cold hands and feet are a circulation problem.  If your fingers and toes blanch when you get cold, and then turn  you might have Raynauld Syndrome.  I have it although I don't seem to be bothered by it as much as I used to since my blood pressure medicine is a calcium channel blocker which is one of the treatments for the condition.  I first noticed that my fingertips turned white after I'd gone for a walk one winter day. I thought I'd gotten frostbitten.  Nope, just Raynauld's.  Some mothers notice that they have Raynauld's when they're nursing.  Their nipples are white when the baby unlatches.  They can take Ca channel blockers and use a warm flannel or heating pad on their breasts when the baby is finished nursing.

This wikipedia article has a good illustrations of Raynauld fingers.  It's scary when you first notice that you have it.  You do need to keep your hands, feet and other extremities warm.  

Raynauld syndrome

 

Oh yes, I'm pretty sure I have Raynauds. When I was younger my toes would be purple with blood blisters all winter: it's a wonder they didn't fall off...the problem is that socks, gloves, mittens, double socks, nothing keeps them warm except staying indoors. I have trouble cutting raw meat, too, because my hands go numb and I have to watch what I'm doing to make sure I don't lop off a finger!

It's ok, though. I have several other health issues and Raynauds is more at "inconvenience" level than anything.

[Alisamer]

 

10 hours ago, PennySycamore said:

@Lisafer, as @anjulibaisaid, cold hands and feet are a circulation problem.  If your fingers and toes blanch when you get cold, and then turn  you might have Raynauld Syndrome.  

My sister was diagnosed with this a couple years ago when one finger turned dark blue. I'm pretty sure I have a mild case of it, too - my fingers and toes turn white and numb if they get chilled. 

2 hours ago, Abstract said:

Puffy vests also disguise the female shape while leaving the arms free to move around easily. 

Bingo! 

Hide the boobs, eliminate any chance of seeing nips through the shirt, and leave the arms free to dust the ceiling fan.

I wonder who got cold one day and made Steve cry...

[fundiefan]

15 hours ago, Markie said:

John sells tile drains or something, doesn’t he? Joseph has his Magento company. Chris does occasional photo shoots and works for Joseph. Jesse works for Joseph. What does Nathan do? 

I don't know if it's the only thing he does, but he is now the one doing Communications Concepts. He and "Annie", who is his tech support. I can't image there being enough income from a vague company that they use as a shell for all their self publishing ventures though. Maybe he does something else. Chris rides Swift Otter's tail coat but I don't know how either of them makes enough money to live with these family businesses. Swift Otter apparently supports Joseph, Jesse, Steve & Christopher, as well as a couple others. It's all very weird to me. Maybe these businesses are super successful, but I don't think so; if they were, One Ton wouldn't have been necessary and wouldn't have failed so quickly.

 

[anjulibai]

Nathan does IT work several companies, too.

I imagine all the Maxwell males have several side hustles going on to keep things going.

[HerNameIsBuffy]

11 minutes ago, fundiefan said:

I don't know if it's the only thing he does, but he is now the one doing Communications Concepts. He and "Annie", who is his tech support. I can't image there being enough income from a vague company that they use as a shell for all their self publishing ventures though. Maybe he does something else. Chris rides Swift Otter's tail coat but I don't know how either of them makes enough money to live with these family businesses. Swift Otter apparently supports Joseph, Jesse, Steve & Christopher, as well as a couple others. It's all very weird to me. Maybe these businesses are super successful, but I don't think so; if they were, One Ton wouldn't have been necessary and wouldn't have failed so quickly.

 

saw the website... logo is adorable.  why do only two have last names listed?  strange.

[SusanAtTheLastBattle]

Even as the website for Swift Otter tries to be professional and normal, their underlying weirdness shows through. Have they always shown only Joseph's last name, to try to cover up that everyone is related?

Also, did you know that at Swift Otter "we purpose to have SEO a key aspect of everything we do"? 

https://swiftotter.com/team/christopher

[HerNameIsBuffy]

13 minutes ago, anjulibai said:

Nathan does IT work several companies, too.

I imagine all the Maxwell males have several side hustles going on to keep things going.

Pains me to say it but if they are supporting themselves that way then I’m impressed.

I’ve been in IT long enough to know that’s not an easy slog and I can’t do it.  I need the stability of working for a company as an employee - I have the temperament of a cog in the machine, not an entrepreneur.

but seriously is they all bought houses for cash and fund their remodels and fairly comfortable life this way they must have some ability.  

Have to admit from reading the one ton ramp stuff I doubted any real it skills due to the nonsense that was being peddled.

[Dru]

16 minutes ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

Pains me to say it but if they are supporting themselves that way then I’m impressed.

I’ve been in IT long enough to know that’s not an easy slog and I can’t do it.  I need the stability of working for a company as an employee - I have the temperament of a cog in the machine, not an entrepreneur.

but seriously is they all bought houses for cash and fund their remodels and fairly comfortable life this way they must have some ability.  

Have to admit from reading the one ton ramp stuff I doubted any real it skills due to the nonsense that was being peddled.

I've been in IT for about as long as Nathan and I have no problem believing he's supporting his family without issue. I'm sure he has a very stable client base by now. I do it and I live in a much higher cost of living area, though admittedly I only have one child.

[Lisafer]

6 hours ago, Alisamer said:

 

My sister was diagnosed with this a couple years ago when one finger turned dark blue. I'm pretty sure I have a mild case of it, too - my fingers and toes turn white and numb if they get chilled. 

Bingo! 

Hide the boobs, eliminate any chance of seeing nips through the shirt, and leave the arms free to dust the ceiling fan.

I wonder who got cold one day and made Steve cry...

I guess I would be forced into the puffy vest if I was a Maxwell. My nips are...er...prominent. Even padded bras don't always keep things under control!  At least my babies had no trouble latching...

Now I'm considering changing my location to "My nipples make Steve Maxwell cry!" 

[HerNameIsBuffy]

1 minute ago, Lisafer said:

I guess I would be forced into the puffy vest if I was a Maxwell. My nips are...er...prominent. Even padded bras don't always keep things under control!  At least my babies had no trouble latching...

Now I'm considering changing my location to "My nipples make Steve Maxwell cry!" 

Ha!  mine would make him weep as well.  almost always at least semi erect and the reason I own 18 cardigans.

[Candydandy]

I could never wear just a puffy vest and expect to be warm. My core, hands, and feet are all cold. I also have Raynauds so winter is extra fun. But if it works for the Maxhells  it must be a godly way to keep warm. I’m also teetering on the edge of making an idol of my hot chocolate with cinnamon. Its so good especially topped  off with whipped cream. 

 

 

[HerNameIsBuffy]

12 minutes ago, Candydandy said:

I could never wear just a puffy vest and expect to be warm. My core, hands, and feet are all cold. I also have Raynauds so winter is extra fun. But if it works for the Maxhells  it must be a godly way to keep warm. I’m also teetering on the edge of making an idol of my hot chocolate with cinnamon. Its so good especially topped  off with whipped cream. 

 

 

I love cocoa and cinnamon but never thought to put them together.  thanks for the idea!

[sleepy_doggos]

Ha!  mine would make him weep as well.  almost always at least semi erect and the reason I own 18 cardigans.

Me too! I thought I was the only always nipping person! Swimsuits and leotards and sports bras are ... Interesting. Eventually I just gave up and accepted the nip [emoji3][emoji23]

[CyborgKin]

I have no memory of what colour baby clothes I wore, so I doubt babies really care.  They certainly have no concept of the artificial social significance of the colours.  Or the kid could end up preferring some other colour.

As for finding out the sex of the baby before birth, that can sometimes turn out incorrect.  Though I've heard that NIPT works with a high degree of accuracy (by analysing fragments of the baby's DNA that cross the placental barrier and end up in the mother's bloodstream).  But 'a high degree of accuracy' isn't quite 100%.

Still, the whole "the sex of the baby is correlated with pink or blue baby clothes" thing is silly and needs to stop.

[Maggie Mae]

3 hours ago, Candydandy said:

I could never wear just a puffy vest and expect to be warm. My core, hands, and feet are all cold. I also have Raynauds so winter is extra fun. But if it works for the Maxhells  it must be a godly way to keep warm. I’m also teetering on the edge of making an idol of my hot chocolate with cinnamon. Its so good especially topped  off with whipped cream. 

They really help when hiking, but 90% of people wearing them are doing it for the fashion. I've also used them when running - long sleeve tee, vest, gloves, hat or headband that covers ears. It's nice because the blood flow usually warms me up but I can still feel the cold on my front. 

My friend who has Raynauds wears vests too, but I think it's a fashion thing. She doesn't run outside in the winter because of it. 

3 hours ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

I love cocoa and cinnamon but never thought to put them together.  thanks for the idea!

It's pretty good. Sometimes I add a little nutmeg and use the cinnamon stick as a straw. #grownup

[Odd1Out]

In regards to latest Christmas “pick” recipe post- anyone else get the feeling Melanie didn’t have the desire or time to do a blog post on her favorite “pick” recipe and just said ‘ here, take the kids and have them make a Maxwell favorite recipe and call it good’? 

[mango_fandango]

There was a girl in my class at school who had Raynaud’s. She wore gloves during PE when it was winter and we were outdoors. 

I don’t think I wore much pink as a baby. Then, when I was older and at nursery school, I had short hair and wore t-shirts and leggings pretty much every day (practicality). I don’t think I was ever called a boy. Then when I moved into Reception (4-5) and beyond, I wore skirts/summer dresses as all the girls did (school uniform, not own clothes). (My primary school’s dress code has now changed so that girls can wear shorts/trousers).

[PennySycamore]

When I ran, I'd wear shorts and maybe even a singlet until the temperature dropped below the upper 30s,  but I'd wear gloves when the temperature was in the low 60s.  My hands got that cold before I started the Ca+ channel blockers. (I need to tell that to my doctor next year.)  I pretty regularly wear a down vest when I take the dogs out when it's chilly.  It keeps me warm enough.  

The last time I was bothered by nipping was when I was an adolescent and my swim suit didn't not have enough coverage over my new breasts.  I could have used more prominent nipples when I was nursing.  Mine are flat even after nursing five babies.  Yeah, you can get a baby to latch onto a flat or inverted nipple, but it ain't easy at first.

 

[fundiefan]

As babies, we wore whatever was available. My mom got second hand, hand-me-downs, cheap stuff. When I think of my baby pictures, I can't picture any that had me in pink and purple and sparkly and frilly. Lots of sleepers and romers and diapers and t-shirts. There also wasn't a decked out nursery. My sister and I were 18 months apart. The pictures I've seen of our room were two cribs, a dresser, toys, random curtains. Nothing I can remember seeing indicated that we were two girls rather than two babies with general, basic needs. 

Of course, this was the late 60's and my mom was a single mom living with my grandparents. But, the point is, I have no memory of being a baby and even without all the specifically all girl things all the time, I am still a girl. 

It doesn't matter what you dress your baby in or what their visual environment is. Babies need food, love, clothing that serves its purpose, and people involved in their existence. They don't need pink vs blue or trucks vs dolls. They usually prefer the box or packaging anyway. 

Anyone remember Kristina posting a picture of one of her baby boys in a purple Bumbo? She apologized for it, saying it was Kloe's first. If that isn't ridiculous programming of the brain, I don't know what is. It shocked me at the time, and I still think of it whenever discussions of babies & gender comes up. 

[SPHASH]

10 hours ago, Odd1Out said:

In regards to latest Christmas “pick” recipe post- anyone else get the feeling Melanie didn’t have the desire or time to do a blog post on her favorite “pick” recipe and just said ‘ here, take the kids and have them make a Maxwell favorite recipe and call it good’? 

It would explain why Wonder Woman Melanie didn't make an appearance.  Will Poor Sarah write a post about Judgy Chelsey's favorite recipe.  Nah it might actually have flavor, look good and taste good.

[nastyhobbitses]

I wore a veritable rainbow when I was a baby/toddler because my mom got DEEP into that loud early 90s print look. I was actually pretty stylish! Though despite my mom's best efforts at making me a little feminist, I bought into that gendered marketing hook, line, and sinker. I think several children of Disney and Mattel marketing executives can thank my parents/my grandma/my pouting in Toys R Us for their college funds. I had a Belle costume I wore every day when I was 3, and then a Belle nightgown to go to sleep, and then I had my Snow White dress, my Cinderella dress, my possibly racially insensitive Mulan costume, and I remember BEGGING my mom to buy me pleather flared pants and crop tops (like what Britney Spears and the Spice Girls would wear as their stage costumes). I also may or may not have based several haircuts on hairstyles Mary-Kate and Ashley sported. I was a little consumer whore and I am not the least bit ashamed. 

[albanuadh_1]

I sent a note explaining 'us' vs. 'we' & I see the post was changed. Now whether that was down to me, is anyone's guess.

[Black Aliss]

11 hours ago, mango_fandango said:

I don’t think I wore much pink as a baby. Then, when I was older and at nursery school, I had short hair and wore t-shirts and leggings pretty much every day (practicality). I don’t think I was ever called a boy. Then when I moved into Reception (4-5) and beyond, I wore skirts/summer dresses as all the girls did (school uniform, not own clothes). (My primary school’s dress code has now changed so that girls can wear shorts/trousers).

I had no girl clothes until I was 4, a result of my three older siblings being boys and my mother thinking God had closed her womb. I do remember wearing little zip-front coveralls and overalls all the time. I guess I became gender-aware around age 4 because I insisted on wearing dresses and I only had the one I wore to church. Money was tight and my mom wasa tighter but she had a huge stash of feed sacks (cheap printed cotton, usually florals) so she sewed them up into dresses. I still have the matching ones she made for my doll, and holy carp, that was some ugly material.