I had a little one who would not take ANY bottle, ever (I hauled her everywhere, even to evening church meetings when I REALLY would have liked to leave her at home) until I found a bottle nipple that let her have her mouth open like she did when she nursed. It was a while ago now, and I'm sure Playtex has made a fortune off those things! So if you haven't tried one of those, I suggest that, along with warming the milk to body temp as Ellie said. Best of luck! It WILL work out!:)

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: No condemnation here, just lots of hugs!! :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

:iagree: That wife is an AMAZING woman! Tell her to hold fast - her intuition has guided her well so far. :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

I am! He and his family never cease to amaze me. God is doing a mighty work through them.

Congratulations! How exciting!

I think it depends on how your son responds to his "lack of assertiveness" - is he unhappy if no one plans anything? Does he blame others if no one suggests anything or if the only suggested activity is one he doesn't like? These responses are emotionally unhealthy and might be what your dh is thinking of when he lays out his doomsday scenarios. You don't want your ds putting others in charge of his happiness by not speaking up for himself, and this might be something you could help him with. But if he is content, then that is his personality and a lot of good can come from that! He might end up making his wife very happy!:D

Dansko has really cute shoes for summer - floral prints that look like Keds, but with all the benefits of Dansko. Maybe the OP should check those out - I know I want a pair!

Is it possible there's a student with the same name as your husband? That might explain why the school accepted the money. And it does sound crazy that the bank would consider an "e-sign" valid - I think someone just told you that so you would be quiet and go away. Where is your e-mail confirmation of this agreement, at the very least? You should DEFINITELY go to the bank with all your papers and printouts of e-mails and talk to people until you get a manager who knows what they are doing. Ask questions about anything you don't understand. Many times, the employees are only trained to do specific tasks - the more questions you ask, the more you will see what they DON'T know. And then you can move up levels until you get to someone who will straighten this mess out.

You know what? You are not the only one who gets in this position. It happens! If the librarians are usually nice to you, then they will be nice to you about this. If they are grumpy, they are grumpy over all sorts of things, not just late fines :-). And your post reminded me I have books due back today! I went online and renewed some that were due today, but not all cuz we are done with them. I better take them back!

My dd would have a hard time with this because she becomes emotionally involved with almost anything she interacts with. She had a hard time with Soul Surfer, too - it made her sad and frightened at the same time. She's just extremely sensitive. I don't think your dd is being prejudiced, and I don't think this is something you can reason with her about. She may be too young to explain the big feelings she has about this other child, but she does feel something profound. It might be better for both her and the other child that they not be together right now - imagine how the other child would feel, if she realized how your dd felt! When your dd is a little older, you can try again. Some kids are just really sensitive, and you can't talk them out of it. J

I would not be so quick to actually get rid of it. It can be hard to know what to expect - it sounds like your dd had an idea of what the doll would be like, and now that she has it, it's not quite what she thought it would be. WHEN (not IF :)) my dd's do this, I try to give them some time to think about it. I point out the positive things, and I acknowledge that the toy is not what they expected, and I do try to encourage them to like it anyway - it's still a great toy! I think 8 is an age where you can teach some lasting lessons, and they might be ones you don't want to teach. She could learn that all she has to do is complain, and she will get something else. She could learn that is she expresses her honest opinion, you get angry and don't listen anymore. She could learn that sometimes what we think we want is not what we thought it would be, but it can still be good. All that said, if what she really wants is a doll she can brush, dress and polish a lot, then that's fine, and AG is not that kind of doll. But it may be too soon for her to see the good things about this doll, if she was expecting something else. J

We have 4 girls. I always wanted girls -I had no brothers and a useless father, so the idea of a son was always very intimidating. The main comment I have heard about boys vs. girls is that boys are "easier." I never really knew what that meant, but now that my girls are older, I suspect it has something to do with boys supposedly being less prone to drama and not fussing about their hair or clothes. (My dh is very prone to drama, though, so I think I would have a dramatic son anyway :glare:). Being a mom of 4 girls is very trying/tiring, but I believe I will be very happy with who they become when they are grown. They TALK A LOT, and they cry over nonsense, and they fuss over clothes. Sometimes, I just need them to all be quiet for a while. But they are also kind-hearted, thoughtful, creative and interesting. I understand their thoughts and emotions, and we all get along pretty well. I wouldn't change anything, and I wouldn't have when we found out their genders, either. I still don't think I would do well with a son - I think I would warp him by expecting him to be like a girl :). And I don't think boys are "easier" - I think they are louder, messier, and less likely to use their words to communicate their emotions than girls :tongue_smilie:. They are easier to dress, though... J, who is enjoying a rare moment of quiet right now

Hey, blinders have a purpose!:001_smile: And when you do notice some of the stuff that is waiting, just remind yourself that you are working on it. There's only so much you can do - this is true of anyone, not just someone with the challenges you have. In the spirit of solidarity, I will work on a project I've been avoiding, too. Now which one will I choose? :p

Jean, I know how you feel - it IS discouraging to have to address the mess. I, too, have a voice that berates me for "allowing" things to get that way. When I feel that way, I try to practice encouraging self-talk. I have to acknowledge that it IS sad or discouraging or upsetting, because the part of me that feels that way won't be able to move past it until I've validated the feelings by acknowledging/accepting them. But once I've acknowledging the "negative" feeling, I can move on. I can encourage myself to turn away from the mean voice. If I were in your situation, I would praise myself for several things: that my children were able to be such great helpers. That SO MUCH was accomplished in one day. That I will know where to put new papers when they arrive. That I can move on to the next budgeting step. And I would allow myself to feel relief from the nagging weight the presence of the two-foot stack had become in my mind. Don't dwell on how the pile got there - that's over and past, and cannot be changed. Focus on maintaining your new system, and don't be afraid to ask for encouragement as you need it! You did great today, Jean! :grouphug: From another Jean :)

:iagree: In a closet for an entire school year!!! How could the parents have been OK with that??? J