I have a 3 year old doctor, too! How about: a toddler sized lab coat a toddler science kit (my kiddo's getting this one, but it's cheaper through amazon) toddler sized safety goggles (included in science kit, but these are loved) a container of tongue depressors, errrr, popsicle sticks does s/he have a working stethoscope? a vet kit?

:svengo: Where are your sources for this? Please, please consider doing some reading, or if you are near DC, make a visit to the NMAI for a fabulous research opportunity. Talk to some Native people, get some good book recommendations. As for intermarriages, that's been addressed in a PP. Intermarriages in colonial situations (in any country) were not pleasant, generally, and are not an indication that people are getting along. I understand wanting to believe it was all okay for your ancestors, or repeating your familial oral history, but broad statements like that fly in the face of historical context.

My son made this one, but it's fireflies not animals. But if you scroll around on the page there are owls and ducks that animate if you click them, among other things. :) It's a free app. http://www.summernightapp.com Would he like some of the puzzle apps? Those can be fun!

Thanks!

:grouphug: It will be okay.

Oops, just saw this, but still going to leave the above, because it might spur some other thoughts for you.

I completely agree, you need to think about these issues - if adoption is the plan for the 5th child, that is a totally different animal, and impacts your life in more ways than another birthchild might. In addition to the questions above, if you are opting for a domestic adoption - what about birthfamily contact? Completely closed adoptions are not as much the norm now, and whether you go through foster care or private adoption you may need to think through how to handle contact with a child's birthfamily. Two kids here in open adoptions - one through private adoption, one through foster care - and while we are pro-open adoption and we love their birthfamilies, it is two more sets of family to juggle at holidays and in day to day life. It can be challenging, and stressful, and the emotions can be raw at times. Without the added benefit of a lifetime of connection (like you have dealing with your own biofamily) it can be quite a tightrope. You might find that suddenly some of your alone time is spent re-hashing your feelings and reactions!

Coming back to post that we have another dollhouse that gets a lot of play time - more so than the plastic ones. Similar to the above, but I found it at Tuesday morning. Age 3 and up. It's wooden, with chunky furniture, and the kids put CC furniture in it, playmobil, etc. So you might consider a house that can be versatile that way. When we were looking for it last year, we found a great Plan Toy dollhouse on CL, too.

Anyone have good ideas for young adult men in theater? Big hits in the past have been anything Shakespearean Insult related, but I'm afraid I've worn that one out...

I keep looking at these! How much were they? ...I think they're going to be on the gift list this year. :)

I have a 3 1/2 year old DD. She's had a Loving Family dollhouse that was passed down to her, and I think she's really close to outgrowing it. Or maybe that's just me. :) She loves Calico Critters, when we visit stores with them set up. Loves them. She has a few small sets that are favorites. And she loves playing with older bro's playmobil. My vote would be CC over the Loving Family set.

I'm so sorry. :grouphug:

I would tell him about it all, too. Especially the GF. So what if he scoffs? You will still have a good relationship for other things, and you never know... He might listen. My allopathic doc scoffed at lots of natural stuff. 10 years of evolving and she's more of an integrative meds doc now. You never know. :)

It must be a lot like translating poetry into different languages. I have a no longer living relative (5 greats uncle) who learned ancient greek specifically so he could translate the bible. I wonder what he'd have to say on the topic. :) His translation is obviously different from others, though I've never compared in depth. It's still in print, apparently someone likes it. Maybe your son could try his hand at translating some texts (not necessarily tackling something so large a task as the bible!), to get a feel for how things might or might not change. You could each translate something, and see how your translations differ. (Do you teach Latin? Another language?)

Excellent reminder. I hope you get things worked out soon. :grouphug:

We have 3 or 4 sets, and they are all used. I think they specialty sets look like fun - light, sound, remote, etc (mentioned above). If you want, just start with an upgrade kit to the 300. Kiddo here combines sets now, which is interesting.

It's genetic? Good to know. I have the hating-cilantro-gene. It all tastes like cleaner to me. Ugh. I had no idea about the cat pee gene, but it makes sense. I have a kiddo with major allergies and asthma. Perfume is not a good thing for him. He can't even walk in certain stores without an asthma attack, because they scent the air.

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: No words of wisdom here, but lots of sympathy and empathy. I'm sorry for the loss of what-might-have-been. That would be so very hard. I hope that you can give yourself permission to grieve, and to be angry and sad, and hurt. And I hope, too, that your relationship with your bio siblings will grow, and become something of great value in your life. These things are so complicated. I'm part of the adoption triad as well, and am getting glimpses into the other sides of it that make my heart ache in new ways. It's just not easy. That second rejection that you referenced ... It is so real, and so deeply painful. I want to reach through the computer and hug you. I think you did a great job articulating such complex, painful feelings. Hugs to you. I'm so sorry for your loss.

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

That's what we pay if we use our local drop off/pick up groomer. $75 each. Our dogs are 40 and 60 lbs, one is long haired and the other is short haired. For a long time, we used a mobile groomer, who came to our house and groomed the dogs in her van. Because we were "frequent fliers" she gave us a good deal - $50 each dog. We had her come every two weeks (recommended by son's allergist). Unfortunately, one of our dogs is too stressed out by the mobile grooming van and couldn't stop barking, so we are back to dropping them off at a regular groomer and paying $75 each. (Mobile groomer suggested medicating the dogs, but I just couldn't do it. He doesn't act this way at the regular groomer.) I wish we could find a less expensive solution, it feels like a lot!

Just stopping in to suggest this book. We worked through it, and it was very helpful.

This made me :lol: . I could have written it. My work in the field did not lend itself to having a family, that's for sure. Still, though, I have a deep love for it, and no regrets, though I am still paying off loans. DS is fascinated by the field, and I try to guide him, not away from it exactly, but toward other things. I just try to be honest about my experiences. He would love it, he would excel, but it's not a good choice for him on many levels. And he has other loves and talents and interests that take precedence over this one. If this were "it" for him, as it was for me, I'd help him get there, despite misgivings. Overall, though, I'm not steering the DC. Our oldest is 23, and his (bio) mom did a lot of steering, trying to fit him into a STEM career. It backfired, and led to extra time in college, though he's now graduated with a theater degree and working in his chosen field, happily. Watching DSS try to fit himself into a STEM career for which he was not suited made me very motivated to help my kids find careers that fit, and help them succeed in whatever their chosen field.

I think it's fine. Or do the collage - that would be nice, too. We've had to go the kids-living-at-home route before. DS (23) can be hard to pin down for pictures. And he lives far away now, so it's tough. We'll probably have to do a card with only the kids who are home this year, too. Or maybe I'll just pick up regular cards and throw in a few pics of the kids, so it's not the card itself. Really, though, I think our 23 year old DS is old enough that he needs to send a card on his own. Does that make me a mean mom?

Our teen parties have been easy, too, though we've only had teen boys thus far. Food, drinks, space. For a 17th party one year, we put out buckets of sidewalk chalk (the party was outside on our deck and patio with lights and music) and the chalk art was absolutely amazing to see afterward. I can see the crayons and tablecloths being a huge hit. A fire pit is good if the party is outside at all, and there always seem to be a few kids who wander inside to play video games.

Oops, no I wouldn't sand or paint MDF. Though the Annie Sloan people say that you can. I haven't tried though. You might google it though, just to be sure. Do you have any interest in a map on the table? You could get a map (or anything pretty that you like to see, fabric, whatever) and have glass cut to fit the table top to protect it. We looked into this for an MDF table that had lumps and bumps. We found the right size glass for about $60. I was so tired of the tablecloths that we were ready to go that route. But then we got lucky and scored an amazing solid wood table/chairs on CL for $100, so I just went with that option. :blush: Still, I like the map idea, and fantasize about doing it whether it's necessary or not.