please tell me I'm not the only one...

who doesn't do all the things that you "have" to do.

For example, have your DCs Christmas outfit picked out already, rent halls for birthdays & baptisms or get professional pictures taken.

It's really nice that a lot of people do all those things but it's funny because I would have never even thought of half these things if I wasn't on here.

I don't even have DDs Halloween costume yet so all of you overachievers are making me feel like crap

How do you keep it all together, I'm still trying to figure out how to pee alone & have a few bites of food each day

Just had to share, thanks

Re: please tell me I'm not the only one...

DD is 13 mo and I do all of that and drive myself nuts
Had a mini anxiety attack last night because I am expecting #2 in Feb and haven't even shopped around for new furniture yet lol . . .

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You are not the only one. I did not have a big party for my kids first birthdays, but as for clothing. I learned the hard way when they had nothing in my kids size and I had to go to way to many stores to find something. I now shop early to get what I want as they usually have a good coupon the first day it comes out.

please tell me I'm not the only one...

I don't do anything I "have" to do in any part of my life. I have never felt I needed to do things case others are.

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Nope you're not alone. I WFT so I'm lucky if I wash my hair!

I do have a bag of hand me down halloween costumes though - I'm hoping ONE of them fits her!

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Please. I do NOTHING by the book.
Nothing.
I don't see a need to buy her Christmas dress in Sept or Oct. Sorry but no.
The only reason I bought her Halloween costume early was because it was on sale and they were running low on her size.
I don't do holiday shoots, birthday shoots, big parties, etc
I take my own pictures of her with my shytty camera and guess what- everyone loves the cards because in the end, all they really care about is seeing how big she got and how cute she is.
Then the card is in the garbage.

Don't feel stressed by posts on here. A few weeks ago every other post on FHF was about holiday shopping, whats on your wish list, what are you buying DH this year- I felt like saying- Can we get through Halloween before we start stressing each other out over Christmas?
I just can't allow myself to stress so early and for so long....

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I don't do all those things. It's too stressful and causes anxiety. I work full-time so I just do as I go. DD does not suffer for it. If we have time to do something, then we do it but otherwise it's no one's loss.

Don't let it get to you.

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you do what is best for you and your family. Ignore what everyone else is doing. To them its important and its what they like to do or choose to do.

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I'm with you! When I see the posts about Halloween, Christmas, Easter, etc. 3/4 months out on here I get anxiety attacks! I'm lucky if I know what's going on next week I read a lot of stuff on here & while I'm IN AWE of what these awesome moms can do (so many are SO creative!!), I stick to the basics - it's all that I can handle

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I am totally lagging behind and I don't care. I do have the Halloween costume picked out but only bc I was in Costco and thought it was cute. I'm sure ill be last minute on the Xmas pics. I'm terrible when it comes to pics. I have none up of dd and I have yet to order her newborn pics and she's almost 5 months LOL. My wedding was 3 years ago and I never ordered an album LOL.

So don't feel bad. I think some of the "overachievers" on here will drive you bananas!

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I do tend to get my costumes and holiday outfits early but it's just because they put everything out so early and if I don't, by the time I get around to it they are sold out or there are no sizes left. Besides, picking out holiday dresses is my favorite, I look forward to it so I do jump the gun on that one.

All of the other stuff, eh...........I am not a lunatic about. Professional pics are nice but they are also expensive and I just have other places to put my money right now. I've done it twice, they came out beautiful, but then when I tried last year my DD was a nightmare. It's not worth the hassle for me, my camera works good enough.

Parties are mostly home parties. I did do my DD's 1st bday and baptism in a "hall" but really it was my Gram's community clubhouse and it was $100 to rent. Nothing fancy. For her bday that year, I actually cooked everything myself to save money. But since then, everything is just a family party at our home. This year we did pizzas and cake, nothing major.

Don't sweat trying to keep up, everyone is different and everyone has different things that are a priority. Do what is in your best interest, what works for one isn't always what is best for another.

Re: please tell me I'm not the only one...

I appreciate the posts here b/c like LSP said - I realize stuff sells out early.

So costumes and holiday dresses I buy in advance.

I procrastinate when it comes to party planning though.

please tell me I'm not the only one...

I dont do nearly 90% of the stuff posted about. Damn, DH will be lucky to get a decent dinner made a few nights/week. There's no baking fall cookies and pumpkin bread from scratch in this house, lol!
I have a good camera, and take all my own pics, dont do pro photo shoots, and don't do all the huge parties. I prefer to save that $$ and take little getaways every month or two with DH and DD. It shouldnt make you feel like any less of a parent because others do these things.

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Don't worry, you are NOT the only one. Some of the posts here make me feel like such an underachiever. I do have DD's halloween costume, but that's because we were in the Disney store, I knew what I wanted, and I didn't know if I'd be back at the mall before then. Other than that, I am usually doing things at the last minutes. I did not have a newborn photo shoot, and don't plan on doing private photo shoots anytime soon, just doing pics at the Picture People for a few things. I will not be renting a hall for DD's 1st birthday..we will have it in the backyard, and I most likely will not do much in the way of DIY.

I reality-check sometimes by seeing what my "real-life" friends and family are doing, and I realize that very few of them do any of the things that I see on here!

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I like coming on here for ideas - but I never make it let me feel inferior - I do what I WANT to do b/c it's what I WANT to do - not b/c someone on LIF is doing it and I feel the need to keep up ........

I personally find a lot of the stuff done on here is cheesy and just not my style -
But everyone does what makes them happy - Which is why this site is great - You contributie what you will and take away what works for you .....

I don't dress my kids in 'holiday outfits' at all .....
I dress them UP - but not in anything that must be purchased at a certain time of year in a certain color scheme......
I don't have photo opps planned months in advance - I have actually never had a professional picture of either of my kids. Except for those taken in daycare as their 'school' pictures, and even then, if the pic comes out bad, I don't buy them - "just because" ......
We did huge 1st Birthdays and Christenings - but that is b/c it's what's ALWAYS been done in my family b/c I have a huge family - it's the norm for us.

This site is supposed to be fun, not stressful - It's not supposed to make you feel inferior !

Re: please tell me I'm not the only one...

I always get ideas from this website but I don't do everything everyone else does. Now there are economic, cultural and geographic differences and I definitely don't follow everything. However, I always look for reasons to celebrate.

When we still lived in NY, I often would go places from recommendations on this website. It was my source to all things baby, especially since I had ZERO mommy friends when I first had DS#1 3.5 years ago.

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I don't do any of those, I'm far too lazy and cheap

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I definitely don't do a FRACTION of the things I see on this site. Especially the photography. I did not have trash-the-dress pics, maternity pics, newborn pics, cake smash pics, placenta pics (kidding!)... nothing. I took my older one to Picture People twice, that's about it. With my younger one, I was too cheap for even that.

To me there is this huge chasm between "real life" and "LIF". Literally none of my friends with kids do this kind of thing-- the pics, the parties, the excess.

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You're not alone! I do what I can afford. And I've never ever written in their baby books - actually I don't even think DD has one! I have never looked at my baby book, it's not something I care about. Photos are more important to me, even if they are just ones I have taken myself.

And the ONLY reason I have their costumes is that I have known what they were going to be since Jake and the Neverland Pirates became a show (my DD's name is Izzie).

I do what I can. I cook, keep the house relatively clean, and make sure my kids are happy. I also make sure *I* am happy and that usually means not stressing over spending $2K on a party I cannot afford!

Re: please tell me I'm not the only one...

I don't even know what we're eating for dinner tonight. I don't have enough energy to think 2 months ahead.

I haven't gotten the kids Halloween costumes, or x-mas outfits, or even finished getting DS his gift for his birthday on Tuesday.

You are not alone.

please tell me I'm not the only one...

I don't intend on having a big christening...it's mostly for my mom so immediate family only. First birthday IMO, they won't even remember. Again, house party and family...maybe some friends who have kids.

I'm a photographer so I may invest in pics, but that's just my thing