Stages
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Posts posted by Stages
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I've been on Zantac twice a day for over a year. I've had awful heartburn for about 8 years, but it got unbearable Christmas before last- I was throwing up bile uncontrollably every few days, and I was stuck in the bathroom for other reasons any time I wasn't throwing up. It cleared up after I started Zantac, but I can't miss a pill or I hurt.
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We'll be doing the experiments from Sid the Science Kid (PBS show). They have all the experiments/activities to go along with the episodes, and they encourage using a science journal (notebook) and drawing observations.
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Maybe I'm showing my age here (mid 20s), but I don't think it's a big deal. And I certainly don't think the baby's peers will either.
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Warning: this is WAAAAY TMI:
Background: 38.5 weeks, 21 year old mother. Maximum pitocin drip and an epidural. The epidural stopped working on the right side of my body about three hours before she was born.
My first child was almost 8 pounds, born after 19 hours of labor and about 30 minutes of pushing. DD's head was stuck in my pelvis, so the first 20 minutes of pushing were entirely non helpful. It was literally "I see her hair!" and one push later a huge gush of blood and her entire head was out.
I had a 3rd degree tear- the doctor actually lost count of how many stitches I had. Many of my stitches tore since it was such a trainwreck, so even now, things aren't really the same around there.
Granted, I'm fairly certain I pushed when the nurse told me not to, but after that long and that much pain, I wasn't really listening to her. I wanted the **** baby out (in a loving way, of course!)
My tear was very jagged and took about 3 months before I could sit down without worrying about the tear (the hemorrhoids from the stitches took about 9 months after that to heal).
I would have gotten an episiotomy given the option, simply because the scaring would be more uniform. I don't think anyone realized how intense the tearing would be.
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http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/#anthropology
I took anthropology 101 in college and it was probably one of the most interesting courses I took.
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I have to roll my 3 year old's hair for her recital this weekend. A "showchoir poof" for ballet class... I've had moderate success with foam rollers- the kind your supposed to sleep in. I've been able to roll her hair in those with her hair mostly wet and send her outside to play.
I don't know if that will work for yours, though. Mine doesn't really care what I do to her hair as long as she can watch DragonTales while I do it.
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Quick primer on the nitrogen cycle: Fish pee and poop, making Ammonia. Bacteria eats the Ammonia, turning it in to Nitrites. Other bacteria eats the Nitrites, turning it into Nitrates. All three of those things can hurt fish if they are too concentrated, hence the need for water changes. Nitrates are the least harmful of the bunch, so it's ok if they get to a measurable level. The process of growing colonies of the bacteria is called "cycling." Since your tank has been running for four years, it is cycled. The bacteria lives in the air and on every surface, so it's only a matter of making a comfortable place for it to live.
An important point: are you using dechlorinated water when doing the water changes? Chlorine (from tap water) is toxic to fish, and just as importantly, the good bacteria colonies. The only chemical you should have to add to your tank on a regular basis is water conditioner which will bind the chlorine so it can't hurt the tank.
Another thing to consider when adding/changing fish is the bioload of the tank. Bioload refers to how much poo and pee the fish make- the good bacteria colonies have to be big enough to process all the ammonia before it has a chance to hurt the fish. That's why it's important to add fish slowly- two or three a week until the tank is fully stocked.
If you are looking to get rid of the heater, the only fish you will really be able to keep are goldfish. All tropical fish need a heater to keep the temperature stable.
http://www.aqadvisor.com/ is an excellent site for finding out what kinds of fish you can put in your tank. You just type in the size of your tank (in gallons) and what kind of filter you have, and it will give you a list of appropriate fish- then you pick which ones you like and how many, and it will tell you if they will all get along and how much water you should change every week.
It will probably be easiest to maintain a peaceful tropical community tank, which means having fish that are generally nice, tropical (warmer water), and schooling. If you really want to get rid of the heater, you could get two or three goldfish. It's very important not to overstock the tank- if you do, the fish will get sick easier and the tank will require a ton of maintenance.
If you are interested in having a number of small fish, I would recommend about 10 neon tetras, about 10 bronze corys, and 3 or 4 mollies. The mollies are livebearers, meaning they get pregnant and have live baby fish, which are a ton of fun to watch. Don't worry about them overrunning the tank- the grown mollies or the other fish will eat them up.
Now, for redecorating:
I'm a big fan of painting the back of a tank instead of using a backdrop. My one of my tanks has a black background and the other has blue- both of them I painted with acrylic craft paint and a foam brush.
Removing sand is a huge pain in the butt, but if you're looking for lower maintenance, that's the way to go. If sand sits for too long, the bacteria in the sand can die, creating sulfur gas (I think it's sulfur) and killing everything. It's bad news. I would get some smooth gravel from a fish store- about 130 pounds will get you to a uniform depth of about 3 inches.
I would absolutely add fake plants- they make the fish feel safer and will act much more natural. Hiding places are also very very important for the same reason. Make sure you get plants specifically designed for an aquarium- decor flowers are usually covered in chemicals and have metal stems, which can be toxic. You can use things like halved coconut shells and partially buried terra cotta pots instead of buying really expensive decor for the tank- the fish won't know the difference.
I don't think I left anything out of this essay ;), so good luck with redoing your tank! Fishkeeping can be a really fun, easy hobby once everything is set.
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My sister has asked me before to talk to my niece about things (boys, depression, etc.) and my mother-in-law has asked for help with my SIL (now 15). Outside of family, though, I don't know anyone who has done this.
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I'm not sure how much you know about tank maintenance, or the nitrogen cycle, but the first thing I would say in regards to cleaning it: DO NOT CLEAN THE FILTER. If you are going to replace the filter, make sure to shove the old filter material into the new filter.
What kinds of upgrades do you mean? Aesthetics only or do you want to change the "hardware?" As far as the hardware, a typical freshwater tank only needs an appropriately sized filter and heater (for tropical fish, not necessary for goldfish), and a light source. I assume since it is built in the light source and lid aren't really changeable.
Also, do you know what size the tank is? Is it glass or acrylic? What kinds of fish do you want to put in it?
As far as general cleaning tips: do not use soap on any surface a fish could possibly ever come in contact with. It's toxic and will kill all your fish and good bacteria. Make sure to leave the filter material submerged in normal dirty tank water when cleaning the plastic parts of the filter. Everything in the tank can be scrubbed with hot water and vinegar. After scrubbing, make sure to rinse everything off really really well. If the tank is glass, you can use a razor blade to scrape calcium deposits off the sides.
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We've known my daughter is left handed since she was about 2. It was probably obvious before that, but I wasn't really paying that much attention to it. She uses her left hand for just about everything (she's 3 now), though she'll occasionally try her right hand. That usually results with more food on the floor than her mouth.
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I'm Savannah, and I'm planning on homeschooling my three year old daughter, Holden. I've been lurking here for quite a while. I read the first few chapters of TWTM and thought it was the most boring book ever, then I read it again a few months later and thought it sounded pretty awesome.
I'm a member of a secular board and heard about this one there.
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physical appearance (tattoos, unconventional hairstyles)
age of the couple
age difference in the couple
sexual inclinations (kink)
recreational drug use
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I wanted to get DD's ears pierced when she was an infant specifically because I would be the one to clean them- I wanted to make sure that they were properly cleaned every day, and I don't really know if that's something you can do with an older child. DH vetoed that idea, though. He wanted her to get her ears pierced to mark a special occasion- such as graduating kindergarten. So far she's still hole-free.
"Beach book" recommendations?
in General Education Discussion Board
Posted
I second The Help. It's not a heavy book at all, despite tackling some pretty heavy subjects.