Posts by Joseph Richardson2

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the line between being a die-hard fan and just absorbing the weird energy of the people running the show. We all love our teams, and we show up, buy the merch, and cheer through the bad seasons. But what happens when the leadership starts acting in ways that feel totally disconnected from the community they’re supposed to serve?

It feels like there’s this growing tension where fans are trying to stand up for certain values, and instead of being met with support, they get met with pushback from the very people at the top. It’s exhausting when you realize that the "brand" you’re supporting might not actually value the same things you do. I've definitely felt that sting of disappointment before—when you realize you're cheering for an organization that doesn't quite "get" the people in the stands.

Does anyone else feel like they're starting to distance themselves from their favorite teams or athletes because of the management's attitude?

Jerry Bailey47 said:I suspect you can't really control it much—it's largely down to genetics.🤷 My mom never used a single product and doesn't have one single stretch mark—not even after being quite thin before she was pregnant. As for me? I moisturize, but let's be real... I'm incredibly lazy.🙄😁

Yeah, I'm inclined to agree with you there.
That said, I'm actually a big fan of that Whole Foods lotion for expectant moms. It isn't overpriced considering how much packaging they use, it rubs in super fast without being greasy, and since I've always been one of those people who obsessively moisturizes right after a shower, it’s become a little ritual I actually enjoy.
The only thing is... god, this itching! It's been driving me absolutely insane for a few days now, just constant, maddening itching.🙂.

And I swear, my stomach has basically doubled in size over the last two or three days. Maybe my skin is just reacting to the stretch? Until recently, you could barely even tell I was pregnant, but now? My belly walks into the room, introduces itself to everyone, and then—finally—I show up.😁

Yesterday, for the first time ever, I actually got stuck trying to zip up my boots. Like Walker mentioned earlier, I have zero clue how I'm supposed to manage cutting my toenails for the next three months.🤣

My stomach has been itching like crazy for the last few days😲. And I’m constantly rubbing at it, just over and over again🤷.
Yesterday, I was walking around with my jacket unzipped because the heat was just too much, and right there on Fifth Avenue, I ended up scratching my midriff so awkwardly that I actually felt embarrassed🤦.

Speaking of which, my chest has been itchy too—though that's lasted way longer than the stomach itch, so I've pretty much just accepted it at this point. At least I didn't end up scratching myself there in public🙂

wanderingharbor61 said:Man, you ladies really cracked me up...🤣

People are just wired this way and they aren't going to change--period..

I'm currently pregnant with my third, so I've been doing a deep dive into all the crap online...

I don't even bother snapping back at them anymore; instead, I just drop some "smart" remark and while they're standing there with their mouths hanging open 😕, I just breeze out of there 😉

We decided on a third because we wanted three kids total—gender didn't matter to us or anything...

Our second girl was a real struggle—spent a month in the NICU, terrible prognosis, three years of constant doctor visits and therapies... but if you saw her now, she’s a little powerhouse...😍
My husband used to drive to the hospital every single day—and I mean every day—to visit the 4th floor neonatal unit (back when they had the old maternity ward in Chicago), just staring through the glass for his allotted thirty minutes...

And then you get these old-school busybodies coming around acting like they're experts, saying stuff like, "Don't worry, the third one will be a boy," and my husband just bolts out of the house. Later he told me he can't deal with those crazy women anymore and he's about ready to lose it on them

Anyway, I could go on forever... the point is, God gave you two ears for a reason—one to let it in and the other to let it right back out...

Hold on a second, it’s actually the women themselves who hold these views about having girls😲. If this were some old-school, patriarchal sexist guy that nobody could stand, you might almost understand why a little girl would listen to him, but for women to be saying this to other women... specifically about having daughters...😲.

I mean, if they have daughters themselves, what kind of mothers were they to those little girls?
The whole thing is just incredibly sad, truly depressing😢.

Anyway, your husband sounds great; I really dig his way of thinking🤣. And honestly, that advice about the two ears? Absolutely golden😁.

swiftfox11 said:I am in the exact same boat. Everyone keeps pestering me about the name, and I just keep telling them we haven't decided yet... I mean, why does it matter before the baby is actually here? 🤷 I am certainly not going to tell them. 😍 We will announce it once the baby arrives. Period. ☕

It also really gets on my nerves when the older ladies start commenting: "Oh my goodness, look how big your belly is! Do you still have a month to go?"
In reality, I am carrying most of my weight right in my stomach; everywhere else is just slightly wider, if at all. Usually, I am very thin...
I suppose they just want to enjoy the fact that I’ve finally put on some weight, especially since it shows a bit in my hips. 😍

So, I usually give them a polite reality check, especially the ones who are a bit heavy themselves: It's much better to have a big belly than a big backside. 😁

Amy 🤣🤣
I am definitely keeping this in my back pocket for whenever some jerk decides to make a comment like that to me. 😁

By the way, this is actually my very first post on the Pregnancy forums—kind of weird that it’s landing on this specific thread 😬, but whatever, here we are. I'm currently 16 weeks along, so sending love to all you fellow expectant moms 😍 out there!

Does anyone know where I could pick up an electronic chess set here in the city—you know, an actual board with pieces where you can play against a computer? I’m looking for something tactile because I’m tired of absolutely destroying my eyesight staring at a laptop screen all day.
I've already wasted my time checking around Best Buy, Target, and even some local specialty shops... but nothing. Total dead end.😢
thanks