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it's giving therapy · From 9 to Mom

• Catie Fitzgerald: Welcome back to From Nine to Mom. Danielle: Where we discuss balancing the nine to five hustle with the beautiful chaos that we call motherhood. Catie Fitzgerald: And today's just us. We've had a lot of guests on, but we wanted to do like a quick what's going on with us because I think we have a lot going on and again, we use this as therapy. So like give us a second to therapy. So welcome to the therapy hour. ⁓ Danielle: Yeah, seriously. Catie and I have been busy with, and I know busy is a bad word, but we've been busy with life and work. And I feel like we haven't been able to therapy with each other even as much as we normally do. So this truly is our our hour ⁓ ⁓ know, really divulge what's going on and work through it with you guys listening. So let's go. Catie I know the big thing in your life right now is Cal in the glasses situation. Talk to me. Catie Fitzgerald: It's okay. So this seems so stupid. I know in the grand scheme, and I actually said this to a coworker yesterday. I go, we really haven't had that hard of a life. And for this to be my thing that I'm like, you know, going having a MTB over is is good, right? It's great. but for those that like follow us everywhere, the true, true peeps. We had Calvin turned three. We had his birthday party last weekend. It was hot dog themed. It was amazing. ⁓ Danielle: Stupid. Mm. Yes, I'm very glad that he w they all wore the hot dog costume I sent. So can you please post pictures for people? Catie Fitzgerald: Dan Danielle sent it everyone was sharing the hot dog costume on the bounce house. It was really cute. I don't even think we haven't even talked about it to for me to send you all the pictures. but obviously three years old, he had his physical and concerns for the physical. I don't know, and this is again where I'm saying this is so it seems so dumb now that I'm calm about it. But in these moments, you know, any when anything's wrong with your kid, you just it could be they Danielle: No, so yeah. Yes. Catie Fitzgerald: got a paper cut and you're just like you get in your feels about it or you you know people react all sorts of different ways and so at Kale's appointment had he had failed his eye exam and so ⁓ everyone's pediatrician I know is different and there's a lot of p opinions and I welcome all of them because I've never failed an eye exam nor has Ryan so we both are like clueless about ⁓ Danielle: That really does make you sound like your life's have been wonderful. I was blind at the age of three. I had s like I had to have PRK surgeries and I cried when I saw the shampoo bottle and I called my mom. So Catie Fitzgerald: I'm like I'm like, but I know somebody out there maybe is in the same situation. Or you've been like this, like you over I don't know what it is. Maybe it's where I'm at in my cycle. I just am like overreacting. Like it's not even an overreaction, it's just like unknown anything. When you have to deal with something that you don't know anything about, or you've never given any thought to, you just it's caught like it caught me off guard. And we've never had a issue with his sight. Like we never have ever been questioned. That this kid could not see. And you know how we are, like the a coping mechanism is joking. So then like we got the doctor basically was like, he has astigmatisms in both eyes. Like we you gotta go to a go to a doctor. And we're like, Okay, no problem. And she's like, I would try to get in next week. We're like, ⁓ okay, like we'll do that. So then you're like, Cool. ⁓ Danielle: Cool cool, is that bad? 'Cause then you're panicking 'cause you're like, ⁓ Catie Fitzgerald: Gosh. And then like, so he really can't see. So then all weekend we're like joking. At one point, me and Ryan, we still have the nanit monitors for the kids. At one point, Calvin h was sleeping the opposite way on his bed and we're like joking. We're like, the poor kid can't even see which way's up in his bed. Like this whole time. We're like, and you know, like we're like joking through the like concern. ⁓ and then I drew the lucky card of taking Calvin to the eye appointment, which like Danielle: This is great. Catie Fitzgerald: I think the first question anyone asked me was like, How did you get them to sit still? Like, how do you get a three-year-old to sit still to get an eye exam? So again, Calvin was it a it was like the this is the reason we do the podcast, right? To talk about the stuff we wish that we would have known. I wish some I could have listened to somebody talk about their eye exam appointment. so they brought brought us in, ⁓ the first thing they did was have him Danielle: Yeah, that's actually I am interested in that. Yeah. Catie Fitzgerald: identify what pictures he knew on the screen. So it was like really easy, like a house, a horsey, the whatever. And then she's like, if he doesn't know, we take him off. So we know that he knows all of them and yes. Cause that was going to be my first concern. I'm like, this kid can't read letter. Like how are they going to like ⁓ the thing? So anyway, they did that. Then he started doing it. They had me cover his eyes to do either one. And it was the first time. When have you ever covered one of your kids' eyes to see if they can see? Danielle: Okay. What they are. Like what are we doing here? Catie Fitzgerald: Like you don't how would you even think of doing that? Danielle: I mean they do it they do it at the doctor. That's the only reason. Like they will do a little test at the doctor. Okay. At D C three there at Colton's, they did it. Catie Fitzgerald: So they've never done that at at ours. They just do the okay, so they do they did it at Jack's at four. So we're at three. So we haven't got even gotten to that. So it's like they did in the pediatrician they took a picture of like with the lights off and the device. Danielle: Okay. They did that too. Like were you like and it's comes to their eye and they like take a little picture? Yeah, yeah. Catie Fitzgerald: And it like takes the picture. Okay. So they did that at the pediatrician. Then when we were at the optometrist, they did the the pictures and cal it was the first time I ever Calvin like he got mad at me for covering the one eye. And I was like, This kid can't see. poor thing. So anyway, we went through and then ⁓ Danielle: ⁓ man. Yeah, and I want you guys to understand on the other end of this, Catie's texting me through and she's like, he's he's blind. I feel so bad. Like I'm thinking, my gosh, we're gonna have to start like a GoFundMe. Calvin needs new eyeballs. Like, I don't know, like it was very like Catie's not you're not dramatic. So like when things dramatic coming from you, I'm like, this is this is serious. Catie Fitzgerald: Like a go the so like the dramatic effect. It's bad. You think someone's dying? And I don't know what it is because I am not like this anywhere else. But when it comes to the kids getting injured, I can't handle it or something wrong. Like, I'm not joking. If they get a paper cut, my heart sinks. Like I just, it's the one spot that I can't figure like I can't be rational. And yeah, so anyway, they did they dilated his eyes, which I thought was just wild. I'm like, this kid, it's gonna hurt. He's gonna be mis. I'm gonna be sitting in the waiting room with him for 40 minutes. Danielle: You're not dramatic. Motherwood man, you love them. That's cute. Catie Fitzgerald: And he's gonna be miserable. took it like a champ. We did it. ⁓ like didn't really understand what the doctor was giving me because again, I've never like I've had one eye appointment in my adult life, and it was like, you don't need glasses, get out of here, like kind of thing. So I get the paper, he's like, You can get you need to get him glasses. And then like I'm trying to di, you know, get all the information from him, how often to wear the glasses. He's like, get him ASAP. You're coming back in two months if he's not. Danielle: Got it? Like you you're Catie Fitzgerald: progressing, we're doing the eye patch and the whole thing. So all I hear is he's wearing an eye patch to his first day of preschool. And like, you know, you go down the rabbit hole. So I finally go and check out. I wasn't waiting first of all, the appointment was way longer than I anticipated. So I had to get to the office. Kelvin came to the office with me yesterday to take a meeting. He's complaining about his eyes. He's got my sunglasses on in the office, watching Peppa Pig on my monitor in my my office. Danielle: Yeah. Catie Fitzgerald: I'm so lucky we work with other parents and they can like work through. So shout out to my team that sat through a meeting with me with Peppa Pig on. They're like, we don't even hear it. Like this is just we can all meet like this. So shout out to working with other parents that understand. But yeah, so we're gonna go get him glasses tonight. ⁓ he's gonna s ⁓ hopefully be in in a week or so and the little kid's gonna and this is where like I just felt bad. Danielle: Yes, I it's it is nice. Like that is such a gift. Such a gift. He's gonna look so cute. Catie Fitzgerald: Like that I didn't I think I just feel bad I didn't know. Now that I've had time to be like, okay, there were also Catie, did you ignore all the kids that were in that office? Ever like eighty percent of kids have glasses. Like, relax. just like you don't know and y you g you panic. Then I felt so bad because he was like complaining so much. Then he was crying because we walked outside and his eyes hurt because they were dilated and Danielle: Yes, you did. You did. You did ignore them. Dilated, yeah. And they're little and they don't like understand, you know. Catie Fitzgerald: And then he sat in the back seat and was like, Don't bring me to Veronica's and I'm like, I can't. You're just coming to work with me. I don't know. Danielle: You're coming like this is how this is what we're doing. Yeah, I definitely crashed my car once with dilated pupils, or at least that was my excuse why I crashed the car. but I've had bad eyesight forever. So when you sent me that, like I was looking at it, and at first I was like, okay. And then I like ⁓ went to Quinn just to make sure I wasn't being crazy. But it's not that it's not a big deal because it is because little kids are hard. This happened with someone I know I won't say who, but ⁓ you who they ⁓ Catie Fitzgerald: You're like, shut up. Danielle: They had the same thing. They had to wear a patch four hours a day, and then they had to wear their glasses. And it was really not because the eyesight was bad, the astigmatism was bad. And what that will do is cause lazy eye. So you basically are of course correcting that eye from becoming lazy. So you have to make sure that he does it. But it's also still, it doesn't matter. It's still scary. I remember Colton had to wear a helmet, if you remember correctly. And I was like, I have the helmet, kid. Like, I have the helmet. Right. Catie Fitzgerald: Right. Like you're like like how does it you just and that's why I'm like I totally perspective moment, right? Like you're like, really we ha this is what I'm worried about. But like it goes like this for anything. Yeah, like the helmet and that. It's like it was that little blip and it's done. And you're like, but I was so sh Danielle: And it was so cute. Like I decorated it so cute. It was so fun. So it's like make it fun for him so he doesn't like let him pick out whatever he wants. Who cares if you like him or not? He has to like him. Catie Fitzgerald: Right. know that that's not gonna happen. You think I'm gonna let this kid pick out neon green sunk glasses like he wants? We're with a lazy. So we have this book. I'm gonna take a picture of this book. So we have a book and you know how I feel about Peppa Pig. And it's just bling her-down in our house. Calvin just he loves Peppa Pig. And there's an episode where Peppa goes to the eye doctor. And so we were using we were like, okay, finally a moment that Peppa's gonna teach us. Danielle: Yes, but that's what he likes. He needs to wear them. It's more important or he's gonna walk around with a lazy eye for the rest of his life. What's more important to you? This temporary period? Yeah. She's not on holiday right now. Catie Fitzgerald: You know, you go, you do this stuff. Peppa didn't need the glasses though, of course, but she picked out rainbow ones. Danielle: Something. You know what he's picking out, man. Rainbow. That's his idol. Like you are gonna have rainbow for sure. For sure. Catie Fitzgerald: If you think I'm getting rainbow glasses. Danielle: Okay, so like Rainbow Fair, but like if he likes green or blue, you gotta let him have it. You have to or he's not gonna wear them and then you're gonna have a kid that's like walking around for like just accept your fate, okay? Maybe he'll pick out the coolest ones, you never know. Catie Fitzgerald: I know. I know. Really. ⁓ he you know, you hope you hope. So that's the urgent things going on in my life that seems like the world's ending, but it's really not. It's just me being dramatic, but like you know. Danielle: Yeah, I feel like it's okay to be dramatic with your kids. Like it like it is. I feel the same way about certain things. But now that Colton's older, I'm like, meh, it is what it is. But when it comes to their health, I just feel like, you know, we've had some news about people recently that's been really sad. If you are a like shout out, if you can go listen to everything Danny Go right now, like watch all his videos, that kind of stuff. Like, Catie Fitzgerald: Yes. Danielle: There's people out there who are like obviously suffering. and I think sometimes their attitudes are like what make me think about my own life. Like, how could I even be upset? But it doesn't take away like your experience is your experience. Like you're still allowed to be scared, worried, care. Like Colton failed the swim test at the YMCA. Sorry, Coco, shouting you out, but that's why we're in lessons. and he was so upset, like so embarrassed, so upset. But it's like, Catie Fitzgerald: Hundred percent. Yeah. Danielle: He needed to experience that because now he's gonna push himself because he's not gonna fail it next week. You know, he's gonna make sure that he can do it. And I think that like, but I still feel bad. I mean, he's still my kid. Catie Fitzgerald: Well, you don't want them to fail at anything, but like they do need to face some adversar adversity, you know. Danielle: Yeah, my mom actually said to me the other day, the first I've only ever failed one test. I was a really good test taker. I was a nerd. And I failed it because like I wasn't paying, it was Cal 3. I wasn't paying attention. I'm not gonna lie. I failed my first test. I cried from college calling my mom. And she was just the other day was like, that's the best thing that I like, I was so glad you failed. She's like, I know you were hurting, and I know we we were on like watch, like we were gonna come get you, but you needed to fail to understand like that's life, right? Like that's like what happens in life. Catie Fitzgerald: We had to at some time. Right. Danielle: Now, meeting glass isn't a failure. It's just unfortunate because I'm just saying, like we've moved on to failure and whatnot. Because for me right now, life is crazy. Just got back from Vegas. If you were watching, I did go to solo BTS. I don't know that any of you care, but I feel like if you have the opportunity to go to one of your favorite artists by yourself on the whim in another city, like it was very liberating. Catie Fitzgerald: No. It is. We just did you make friends with the people around you at least? Of course. Danielle: Of course. I had three different groups. Yeah, they no, they were so everyone was so nice to me. That's one thing I'll say about like K-pop fans. Like they just, as long as you're in the such a good crew, like a Jonas Brothers concert. Like, are you seriously not gonna make friends with everyone around you? Like, let's be real. Like, well, that's it's me, Catie. I'm like I show up alone in my stuff. Like I didn't even have a clear bag. I'm carrying it all. Catie Fitzgerald: They're like, Whoa, what is this girl doing here? Such a good group. Yeah. No, me and Michelle won't talk to anyone else. I know. Did you wear like merch? Danielle: I did not wear merch. I what by the time I got there the merch was already gone, which like blew my mind because there wasn't there was a shirt that I did want. It was gone. Catie Fitzgerald: That's a really good question. At what a like is there an age that you shouldn't wear merch to a concert? Like, do I wear cute clothes to a concert or merch? I'm a merch girly. Like I wanna wear that. Yeah. Danielle: No, I don't believe in that. So like I love merch, but I like to get merch at the concert. So my advice, because then you have something like as a memory, and I have I know people are like, how many more concert t-shirts can you have? But it's one of the things I either buy an album like a vinyl or a shirt because I wear them all the time. especially if they're comfort colors, like I will never say no. but you go and you wear a cute outfit that you could like put the t-shirt over. Because I feel like you wanna look cute and you wanna you wanna feel fun, but then like you, I wanna buy a new, I need to buy something new. Like I but I don't know what I'm gonna do. Here's the problem. It's a festival, so there's no stray kids merch. There is a pop-up. There are a bunch of pop-ups this weekend. One of them is like from Blag Nation, like the actual stray kids all around the world. But I have a feeling it's it opened it opens tomorrow. Catie Fitzgerald: Okay. You're gonna buy the whole merch standout this weekend. Danielle: And by the time I get there on Friday, I bet you all like the things I want are gonna be gone. ⁓ am bringing like ⁓ the shirts I have just to wear around. Like I don't want to be misrepresented. I have my lightstick ready. I ⁓ Catie Fitzgerald: Like you're you're the real deal. You want people to know. Danielle: I want people to know this is not joke for me. And then Jordan, this is actually funny, I'm gonna call him out on this. He asked me what he wanted me to wear to the concert. Like, what do you want me to wear? And I like sauntered up to him like very nicely. Like put my arms around him and I looked him straight in the eyes and said, Babe, I'm not gonna look at you the entire two hours that the straight kids are on stage. It's not because I don't love you, but like you're gonna be lucky if I glance your way. to see if you you are excited about the song because I'm not looking at what you're wearing. Like, so don't worry about it. I hurt his feelings, but I think he'll get over it. Catie Fitzgerald: Well he's trying to like, you know, this with you and like be part of your obsession. Danielle: Yeah, but I do think also he is, and he's willing. One of the one of the members can't come. So he said he might submit his JLix application, which I said I think that'll be a great idea. But ⁓ I feel like back to your question, when we were younger, we felt like we had to wear merch to prove we were like a fan. Like and now I think we go to enough concerts and you're starting to evolve in this journey. Like you go to concerts that maybe aren't your favorite artist, they're just an opportunity, so you go. Catie Fitzgerald: Done. Defans. Mm-hmm. Danielle: And I feel like it's okay to dress cute and then just like if you want merch grammar, but I don't think you have to be like a walking billboard. I will be this weekend 'cause I'm so excited. But I like even at Hanson, I don't wear Hansen shirts to Hansen concerts, you know? Catie Fitzgerald: Right. That's true. But I will be. Well, you're hoping that they're gonna like come pick you up out of the crowd and then you wouldn't wanna be wearing a shirt. That's embarrassing. Danielle: Yeah, now that me and Zach at FaceTime shout out, like maybe he'll see me and be like, You're the girl. Catie Fitzgerald: You can't be like risking wearing a shirt and then being like, ⁓ you're too big of a fan. Like Danielle: Yeah, like I don't want to look that crazy, you know, even though I am that crazy. So yeah, the my concert game, but I really think like if you never say no to a concert, that's like my rule of thumb always. But if it you're alone, do it. and then if you're in Allegiance Stadium, just know that you're not gonna get an Uber and you have to band with a bunch of strangers. That was the other thing. I walked 45 minutes with a mom and her daughter. ⁓ like, Are you alone? I was like, Yeah, I'm just following you guys because I'm scared to be alone. So ⁓ got me to my destination, which was very sweet. ⁓ Catie Fitzgerald: Yeah, yeah. Totally. So nice. Danielle: yeah, so that's like what my life is right now, Vegas, now New York. And then I go to Utah for work in a week and a half. So lots ⁓ travel ⁓ the kids are out of school for us here in the South. Catie Fitzgerald: Traveling the the US, man. Yeah, that sucks. Danielle: Mm, it it it does. Only be I don't know. Catie Fitzgerald: Yeah, but camps have started, right? Is Daisy in anything? Danielle: No, my mom has her time, which is fine. She's been going to her house today. They're at my house because I wanted to see her before I leave tomorrow. And my mom's been a really good job of like finding things to do every day, like consistently. ⁓ gonna try and keep that up. Cool. Catie Fitzgerald: That's what you gotta do. Yeah, summer's tough. And then Colton's in full day camp, right? Danielle: Yes, he's in Volday camp I haven't finished signing him up for the whole month or yet. But it's because his interests keep changing. And some of these camps, like the one he really wants to go to is five hundred and ninety dollars for a week. Like, am I spending five hundred and ninety dollars for him to go do art again? I don't I don't think I'm Catie Fitzgerald: You're like you better come out of there knowing Claude and Chat GPT coding when you get out. Danielle: Seriously, or you need to be the next like van Gogh, like figure it out, one of the two. Catie Fitzgerald: One or the other. You better be selling paintings after. It's really hard. Danielle: I'm like I could buy I could buy an art studio at that point. Like I could buy the materials needed to make pottery in our home. So like why don't we do that instead? Catie Fitzgerald: Yeah. Yes. You could run a five hundred dollar Facebook ad promoting his sixty dollars worth of artwork and probably make money. I'm glad that like so we s obviously start much later. Kids are in school for three more weeks here than camp starts for just Jack and we'll be like we don't have anything set up for Calvin. We have some options for him to do. Danielle: That's a really good idea. It would work. Catie Fitzgerald: ⁓ but no camps. So it's gonna be a lot of like finding things to do. ⁓ Danielle: Summers are different for you because Ryan is sometimes there, sometimes not. So it makes it hard to justify like sending him to a camp for full day. Catie Fitzgerald: Time. full day camps for him. Like, yeah. And we would never start like a full daycare in the summer. we were even contemplating with Jack because Ryan doesn't he is gonna teach summer school, but it's not full time. So it's ⁓ how how to justify paying for the full time. But I did narrow it down and I think we're really lucky and everyone remember that I live in upstate New York. the upstate like real Western New York. we ended up Danielle: Yeah. Catie Fitzgerald: Our camp goes from the June, the last week of June through August. It ends up equating to twenty five dollars a day. Danielle: What? Catie Fitzgerald: I know. So I'm like, I really don't care if we take him pull him on Fridays, because Ryan won't work on Fridays. If we want to go have a pool day, he's not going to camp. We're going to go do the pool. so we're very lucky that that's ⁓ that is. ⁓ Danielle: I guess. Yeah, that's just that's different level pricing. But I mean it's worth it because the other thing I was talking to my mom, she's Well, he can stay home. He's staying home one week because my aunt and cousin are coming and they want to spend time with him, which is fine. Yeah, he'll have such a good time. It's just he's at the age where he needs to like get a he has a lot of energy and he needs to like get it out, you know, and sitting home. Catie Fitzgerald: Which they'll be doing stuff and it will keep him busy. Yeah. Yeah. The little boy. Mm-hmm. Danielle: He's got we've got Daisy home, she's only three, so obviously they're doing different things at different levels. He would just be bored and then when Colden's bored, when boys are bored, not good. Bored boys are bad. Even though he did get the Heart of Gold award at school this year. Catie Fitzgerald: They get in trouble. Yeah. And you're like, what? No, he that is really cute. He's so sweet. He's so sweet. He is. They yeah. And it it I feel like that's how it is, though. You have to have things set up. And that's where I feel like there's so much pressure on moms, even when you're working. So like you're in the situation where you work at home, the kids could be home. It makes sense to have them home a little bit, but yeah, you need to have activities planned or they're gonna be burning the house down while you're trying to be on a meeting. Danielle: That's so cute. He is a very sweet boy. He's a very sweet boy. Going to work. Love me. Catie Fitzgerald: And we've been in a busy season of work life right now. And it's it makes it really hard to like give up the time. Like even when we get into summer here, I'm like, ⁓ I could have Kelvin home in the morning. Could I? Danielle: Well and that's the problem. I keep thinking, like, ⁓ yeah, totally fine. 'Cause I've gone through down periods and now it's an up period. Like today, thank God I'm signing Colton up for camps that my friends are doing because we're carpooling. Like she grabbed him yesterday for me and today I'm gonna like I was supposed to grab them. Jordan's gonna do it 'cause I have a meeting at five thirty to six, you know, because of West Coast. It's just Catie Fitzgerald: Yeah, that's yeah. The driving's insane. Or these like have you do you guys have like half day camps by you? And it's like, what's the freaking purpose? Danielle: ⁓ yeah. ⁓ yeah. So now by the time you drop them off and pick them up, well it's like that's like preschool for Daisy, but like I have my mom. Catie Fitzgerald: Well, same, right. Like that's how yeah. And if you don't that it like doesn't help you whatsoever to do that, it's like it hurts me more actually. Danielle: Yeah, because I thought about doing the half day art camp and it was only three hours and it was 300 bucks. Still, I'm like, I can go full day for 300 bucks. So I want to do full day. Catie Fitzgerald: Yeah, like it doesn't make sense. Yeah. As summer is upon us, there's lots of things and activities to do. And then yeah, like now that our kids are a little older too, it's like, let's go have adventures. Let's go do this. Let's the things that you couldn't do when they were babies. Danielle: So that speaking of that, I want your hot take on this because I'm torn. I've seen two different schools of thought. I all I bucket list, some are bucket list as a family. So a lot of people make bucket lists. They can be short, they can be long. I want to know like have you I've done it before, but have you done it before? What's your take? Because now the other thing is people are not instead of bucket lists, they're saying like every day, like trail Tuesday, you do a hike. Catie Fitzgerald: Mm-hmm. ⁓ yeah. Yeah. Danielle: Water Wednesdays, you go to the pool. Like something like you do a consistent thing every day of the week. So you'd keep routine and like something to look forward to and build memories. What's your thoughts? Bucket list or no? Catie Fitzgerald: Mm-hmm. I think a bucket list is more attainable for a working mom. If you're working a nine to five, setting up a, you know, all day, every day of the week, you need to hit something different. I don't know how that's attainable for us. I can't and it's different for me because I also can't agree that the weather's gonna work for us every single day to like do that. But if you are somewhere that that's a possibility, it's just like that's so much pressure to every night have something to go. Danielle: Yeah, that's so true. Catie Fitzgerald: do because again, you're still working all day. It's not like you're leaving for three hours in the middle of the day to go do a hike. Danielle: Yeah, like that's like I was feeling guilty because I was like, you know, I want to create memories and I would love to do like the every like we have certain things that we do during the week, but it's we still have sports and music and dance going on too at nighttime. So it's like what am I gonna do at eight PM? Go walk a trail. Catie Fitzgerald: How yeah. So I think that's where like a bucket list is a little more attainable. You can take half days if that's something that's you know of grasp for your someone. Take the summer Fridays. Yeah. Yeah. You can do the things through the weekend and that. It just summer goes fast. Like we were saying, when by the time I'm in summer, you guys only have a month left. And then it's like back to school. Yeah. We're Danielle: Yep. Well a lot of people do like Fridays, like their offices do like half day Friday during the summer, you know, things like that. Yeah. We can't even plan anything together because it's right away. ⁓ so what would be on your bucket list as we're like nearing summer if we thought about it? Catie Fitzgerald: for this summer for sure. ⁓ well actually, so last year we wanted it to be that we ⁓ and I'm sure everyone has this somewhere near them. If you do like an Instagram search, there's probably a mom's page near you that like does playground reviews. I feel like it's pop it's popped up every everyone's like starting pages like that. If you haven't start it for your area. but we started following that last year. We were trying to hit one every week. Danielle: Yeah. I like that. Catie Fitzgerald: And but then we got to the point Cal was not big enough to do most of it. But I think this summer, like we're we could handle any playground really. ⁓ so Danielle: I like that idea 'cause you can add in in like we just big air just opened like it's an indoor thing. Like you can add a couple indoor ones in case the weather does not Catie Fitzgerald: Yeah. Add in whatever it is. Like we're gonna add on like sea breeze, you know, the like amusement park by us because that's not open all year round. So we'll definitely like plan that for a day. know, we'll go up to our good old Lake Ontario, probably, you know, the beach. ⁓ so there's some stuff. I like some of the things that like have been on my list that I want the kids to experience, they've never been on a boat. So like Danielle: Yeah. ⁓ you have to do that with that next one. Catie Fitzgerald: That could be kind of cool to get them like we have all the lakes near me. Like, I'm like, we gotta get them on a boat. Like, so I have to figure out how to acquire or do that. really haven't given much else thought. I think we're in for a really good swimming year. Like the boys will do well with swimming. but yeah, what's on what's Danielle: Yeah, so like and that's like the thing. Like I keep thinking, like I didn't realize that summer was already here. Like I did, but like it was just it came too fast. I wasn't even around for the last day of school last week. So I felt really guilty. That's a whole nother level of mom guilt when your kid is crying saying you're going to hang out with your friends instead of coming to the last day of school. That was really fun. but like I haven't really thought about it either. I just saw Catie Fitzgerald: It's right. It's mm-hmm. Yeah. Danielle: I saw someone have their bucket list ready for the summer. And I then I saw that ⁓ a couple of little TikToks about people doing the days instead of the bucket list. And I was thinking to myself, like, I really want something like that we could check off. It's fun to check things off as a family and say we did stuff. So I might do the bucket list before like you know next week and just like ask the kids for stuff to get excited about. Like, let's just put like 10 things on this. Catie Fitzgerald: Okay, right. Yeah. I agree. Whatever you want to do. Danielle: Whatever and they're gonna say sleepover or pl playground. Like, you know what I mean? That's like you get surprised because we try and I always find that when I ask them what they want to do, like we always think they're gonna ask for some crazy extravagant like thing, and it's usually like yes, it's usually like I want a play date with James ⁓ ⁓ want to ⁓ a sleepover in mommy's room, like f free, great. Catie Fitzgerald: Like we want to go to Disney every time and it's like I've done. Danielle: Let's go to the playground down the street. Like I think that playground is boring, but you want to know what? You love it? Let's go. It's free. Catie Fitzgerald: You love it. Let's go have a picnic. It is. It's interesting. I ⁓ one of the things that we're gonna do for the summer is ⁓ because what we've been worried about, this was Jack's first year of school, him losing like the progress that we've made all year. And I feel like that's something for yes, it's totally everyone. but with him, it's like going away from us and like getting dropped off and like that. So I think camp's gonna really help with that, but Danielle: Mm-hmm. Well, I'm worried about it too, with Daisy. Yeah, yeah. Catie Fitzgerald: We've also come to the realization that we have to start like parenting our kids. Like they're old enough to be like we need to make them do things. And it's like you get used to like doing everything and Calvin kind of does need everything done. But like finally got to the point I'm like, Why am I helping Jack get dressed every day? He's four and a half. Why am I I can help pick out the clothes, but like Danielle: You do. You wanna know why? It is easier. This is the reason. It is easier to get him dressed than to ask him to dress himself. Daisy dresses herself. Colton, it's like, okay, Colton, remember, he's seven. Put on your socks. Put on your socks. Yep. And so like, and the therapist always like, just let him like, don't correct him. Just doesn't need to be perfect. I'm like, I can't send the kid with backward shorts to school. I'm sorry. Like, my mentally can't do it. Catie Fitzgerald: Nope, that's backwards. Nope, that's and it's That's how yes. No, I can't, I cannot allow it. And yeah, so we're at that point. So we're gonna make charts for like getting dressed, putting your clothes in in the hamper, brushing your teeth, like those like little things, ⁓ so that we can build the habits through. Because like this year, like you get an autopilot. Me and Jack had a little routine. I we would muscle through it and like get what we needed to done and then like next year is gonna be really hard for me in the mornings because I'm gonna have shout out to moms that are doing like nighttime all by themselves multiple times a week or you're getting everyone out and where they need to in the morning alone. but like how our schedules are gonna be, I'm gonna have both kids till like eight thirty every day and then have to go be Uber driver to two separate places and then start work. Danielle: Different. It really does like it makes you think and I was thinking about this. I was talking to my mom about it with like work and stuff. What you just said, right? There's people who like that's their do everything alone. But even if you don't, even if you have a partner, depending on what time they need to be, I'm very lucky because Jordan needs to go to work at the same time that Colton needs to be dropped off and it's in my neighborhood. So he can take Colton. But Daisy can't get to school. Like she can't get there until Catie Fitzgerald: Mm-hmm. Danielle: 10 minutes to nine. And then there's meetings people want to have at 8 a.m. Or that they want and it's like, do I hire somebody for an hour like for an hour in the like how does that no one wants to come for an hour in the morning, like and then you're already paying for daycare, so now you're gonna pay another like twenty-five bucks a day to have somebody for an hour because that's the going rate here in Charlotte for babysitter for an hour. So I'm gonna pay another hundred and twenty five doll like twenty-five bucks so that like no, I'm not gonna take I'm not doing a meeting at eight. Like if it's a once a week thing and that I accommodate for, but like every day, it makes it really hard. Catie Fitzgerald: And it's like again, like here are the things that we're complaining about and it's like these are all seasons, like it will change, like it will change and we'll be out of this and be like, ⁓ remember when we got to drop everyone off and Danielle: Remate. Yeah. I I'm enjoying every minute of like here's the thing. I personally love it. I love my mornings. I get colton ready first and then I have time with Daisy. We do our little thing. I d and I don't feel like my day is started like with like a negative. Like it started with a positive. You know, like I do like it. The thing I feel guilty about is most c companies and organizations have not adapted to like the fact that this is probably most people's reality. And there's two working parents now. So like what do you do? Like and I think that's why certain people don't go back to work because they're like, it's not worth it. It's not worth I'm I'm I'm driving to two schools, like you said. Catie Fitzgerald: Yeah. Yeah. The normal. It's not feasible. Danielle: Two schools, two different time starts. If they have sports, they have activities like it becomes a it is truly a full time job on top of a regular job. Catie Fitzgerald: Actually, really though, it's like how does that work? But I hope everyone enjoyed our therapy session. This was just ⁓ tip of the iceberg for us, I feel like. But we've already rambled for thirty minutes and we hope you guys enjoyed our session and aren't being like, What the hell? That's what you guys are worried about right now. Danielle: Therapy exactly. Yeah. Yeah, you can judge if we don't mind the judgment. Feel free to judge us. And then just expect really cool content coming out. Catie will be at Nick Jonas. I will be at the stray kids. It's gonna be feral, mom's gone wild. So look for some fun activities from us, you know? Catie Fitzgerald: Yeah, we love the hate. And we definitely have a lot of really cool episodes coming this month. So make sure you are subscribed everywhere. And we have the true the true professionals are coming on soon. So ⁓ we hope you guys enjoyed. But it's time for us to clock out and clock back into the nine to five. Danielle: Real experts. Let's do it. See you next week.