Interesting poll over on Facebook right now

[Yuzu]

Anyway, I think my own difficult children are my bad kharma, a pay back for how awful I was.

Hobber, I think the same about myself! I was a terrible child, but very intelligent (if I do say so myself). I had such a smart mouth, and I didn't listen at all. I don't even know why. I just remember being very unhappy as a teen. My siblings were such goody two-shoes too. They are both doctors now. Show-offs!

I see a lot of myself in my oldest son, though he's taken it to the nth degree. Of course, I must admit that I wasn't the best mother to my oldest two. I used to nag horribly. I just couldn't help it. It didn't affect DS2 too much because he's autistic, but I was always a little too hard on DS1 and I made a lot of mistakes with him that I regret to this day.

One of the best things about being an older new mom is that I'm much more easygoing than I used to be. DS3 and I have such a wonderful, loving relationship. It's completely different than my relationship with DS1.

[auroara78]

I love how this post evolved! I love hearing more about ya'lls families and backgrounds!!

I posted this on a diff post, but I used Hobber's chinese calendar thing and discovered that I was born year of the horse
(1978) and it really describes me a hell of a lot more than being an Aries. The only trait that I share as an Aries is my attitude of when I want something, I go after it with all my might! Horses are hard-working and like being around people. That is very much me.

DS1 is a pig (said he's generous and chatty, very true....), DS2 is a rabbit (I don't really agree he fits much of that so far, he's only 1, so I'll give him time), and this baby of course will the water dragon.

Hobbers, I was filled with relief to learn that we wouldn't have a fire dragon, lol! A water dragon I can handle

[Hobbermittens]

Hobbers, I was filled with relief to learn that we wouldn't have a fire dragon, lol! A water dragon I can handle

I know, I had the same feeling! My dad is a dragon, andhe is a very hard worker and has been very successful and well liked his entire life, so that made me feel better too. I actually had no idea that dragons were wild or anything--they are so desirable that Chinese people have been trying to get pregnant this past year so they could have a dragon baby!!

[atomic sagebrush]

Auroara, I am also very very similar to my Chinese Zodiac (Dog.) I'm close to my Western Zodiac too (Gemini) but the Chinese Zodiac has been crazy accurate for family and friends.

I almost pooped my pants when I realized my baby was going to be a Dragon AND a Leo!! o.O. The water dragon is a huge relief to me too!!

[Hobbermittens]

Atomic, I thought Geminis and Leos got along well? I know several couples that are Gemini/Leo and several best friend sets as well.

My dad is a Leo as well as a dragon (I guess you saw the post about him above) and he truly is awesome, though he does have a temper. I have no idea what he was like as a kid, but as an adult, he is a very driven and successful (he is a doctor), a hard worker, honest, and has a big heart.

[auroara78]

Dragon & a Leo--sounds like you're going to have a very driven DD Atomic!!

Mine will be a Virgo & Dragon, and I'm not sure...Virgos are supposed to be clean-freaks and??? I am very biased towards Libras. My DS1 is one and he is so dang likeable and lights up a room wherever he goes. He's got such a big heart for a 4-year old boy And then the Chinese Zodiac of him being a pig matches him pretty well so far. I feel DS2 is much more Tauruan than Rabbit right now.

So leaves me left contempating what the heck I'm going to get with a water dragon + virgo, LOL.

Hobbers, sounds like you're dad is awesome I love Dads like that; mine was very hard working but super quiet and intensely private. He was always a mystery to me that I had to unravel. We'd spend hours gardening together, and he wouldn't say a word except to make sure I ws doing it right. I just enjoyed being in his company, however, so I didn't want to ruin it by talking, since I knew he was a very quiet person. When he opened up eventually and told me stories of his days in the Phillipines while he was in the Navy, I felt I had been awarded for my patience! My dad's an Aquarius, and he is his sign to a T.

Before i knew I was pregnant, I was going to skip TTC until April/May in hopes of conceving an lovely Feb. baby that would be an Aquarius too but I think September is going to rock! I'm so silly, but I keep thinking about how lovely sapphire is for a birth stone. When I was younger, I had my ears pierced with the sapphire stone color because I didn't like diamond one (thought diamonds were boring, only for wedding rings, etc.) So then everyone thought my birthday was in September! So I got tired of it, and then got a cubic zironia one so other girls wouldn't think I was born in sept, but rather in my right month, april.

[begonia]

ITA re: it's personality not gender that makes a child difficult or easy.

What I personally find hard about raising daughters is not their personality, but more the issues society forces on them ... for example, DD2's birthday was yesterday and one of her gifts was a wand. You press a button and it says phrases. One of them that just exemplifies everything I find despicable about "girl" toys says "I'll be the prettiest girl at the library!"

Because THAT is what important when you're a young girl, according to Hasbro Toys ... NOT being the smartest girl at the library, but the PRETTIEST. And that's why I think raising girls is harder ... there's so much more pressure not only on what you achieve (that's on boys too for sure) BUT also on what you look like, which quite honestly so much is genetics and they can't control, KWIM? But that's why there's so many more girls with eating disorders than boys I'm not saying boys aren't encouraged to be strong, or manly or what have you, but really ... all of DD1's toys are super heros and I've yet to press a button on one of them and hear "I'm going to be the strongest boy at the library." I don't think men/boys face the same pressures from society/toys when it comes to appearance.

[auroara78]

Begonia, if I could have liked your post 10x over, I would have!

I def. agree wholeheartedly with everything you said. When I was younger, the one thing my mom did right (she is a bit nutso) is when she saw how much I loved reading, she always let me buy books all the time. She knew reading was important.

I did play with Barbies though, and did want to get a Barbie Dream House (I never did get that, lol, too expesive) but almost every weekend after mall shopping, I did end up getting a bag full of books from the local bookstore.

I just realized that after I found out the baby is a girl how many people comment about "her being a princess" or "get ready for trouble." It disturbed me a great deal and made me cozigant of the challenges that raising a daughter will entail, mostly society and how they want to force little girls to only be worried about their looks and etc. I agree it is so hard. I hope my working and my husband being a stay at home Dad will just illustrate to her that she really can do whatever she wants. If she wants to one day be a stay at home mom, I'll be supportive, but if she wants to get a ton of education and land a good job, I'll support that too. I just want her focus to be on doing well in school and learning and not get stuck in just wondering if she looks pretty enough.

My sons certainly do not have a single toy that says "I'm strongest boy there is." All I have is a crazy 4-year old who growls like a T-rex all the time and says it aloud all the time "I'm the biggest T-rex there is! RAWR!!"

[atomic sagebrush]

I know some pretty nutty Leos, so bad experiences there.

Your dad sounds awesome!!

[atomic sagebrush]

OMFG Begonia that caused me intense physical pain. (PS - the F is for "freaking" I promise)

We need someone to make Lisa Lionheart!!