For an award, or something that was a really big deal to the kid, I probably would ask for a new one. Otoh, DD participated in a five-week embryology class in the fall, and a couple of months later, we received a certificate of completion for it, with her first name spelled incorrectly. I thought by that point that it was probably a little late to ask for a new one, and it wasn't that big of a deal (not going to display the certificate, for instance, but it will go in our portfolio). But for an award, yes. My first name has two common spellings, so it was often spelled wrong on things; for awards, it did bother me a bit, even as a teen, when it was wrong.

I use coconut oil in recipes that call for shortening (if butter will not work -- and it won't in all circumstances). Lard would work too, but I don't really like its flavor in frosting. However, coconut oil works just fine and adds a gentle flavor that complements other flavors.

Also, what about basic OTC drugs? Along the lines of food stamps not buying toilet paper, they also don't buy Tylenol or cold medicine. I don't know if food banks have rules about that sort of thing or not, but if they can give them out, it might be nice for them to have some.

I'd probably go for cake mixes (great idea -- everyone should be able to have some sort of birthday cake!), oil (can't make a cake mix without it), oatmeal, maybe canned meats, canned fruit, shelf-stable dairy/dairy replacements, and maybe broth. Non-peanut nut butters would be good too. I've also heard that food pantries like having things that are acceptable for diabetics, who sometimes have to choose between food and meds, so things like diabetic-friendly sweeteners and low-sugar oatmeal packets might be good too. If your food pantry serves a lot of families where all the adults work, leaving kids home alone to fend for themselves, then single-serve/easily prepared things like mac and cheese or hamburger helper might be good too. Raisins or other dried fruits might be nice too. Those aren't necessarily my preferred foods, but people who have small children who are relying on food pantries also very well may be receiving WIC foods. WIC provides cold cereal (and some hot cereal), bread/rice, beans, canned tuna/salmon (though only for nursing moms), peanut butter, eggs, milk, and juice, plus formula and baby food. They also give vouchers for a certain dollar amount of fresh/frozen/canned produce, but if you're really stretching your dollars, veggies are less expensive than fruit, so you might not buy canned fruit. I was thinking that having the non-WIC items at the food pantry would be helpful in rounding out a family's food collection.

I did the federal a while ago, but I still need to do local and two states. Really silly, because though DH works in one state, and we live in another, the states reciprocate, so we don't owe in the one where he works, just have to file there, AND our state has a flat rate tax, which has already been taken out, so it's all just paperwork, no money coming or going.

I've been really pleased with my stainless Kleen Kanteen with a screw-on lid. No leaking, unless the lid isn't screwed in correctly. It *can* go in the dishwasher, though I generally prefer to wash it by hand with a bottle brush (it's tall and doesn't fit on the top of my DW, and the bottom is usually full of other things).

If the situation gets any worse, I'd pull her out in a hurry. I think at seven, it's okay to understand that not everyone is going to "click" and be best friends, but I don't think she needs to learn to "stand up for herself" or "toughen up" or put up with just plain meanness at this age (or any age, really). I went through similar sorts of things in late elementary school, and in retrospect, though my parents did talk to teachers and other parents, I kind of wish they'd just pulled me out. I don't blame them, though; I wasn't exactly asking to be pulled out, and not many people were HS'ing then, and my education was actually pretty decent. But it left me with a lot of emotional wounds and self-confidence issues that have been hard to overcome (if I ever will overcome all of them). If things get better, I can see why you want to keep her there for the rest of the year, but do keep a close eye on things, and don't feel like you need to answer to anyone if pulling her out is the best option. And give your sweet girl a hug -- she sounds like a lovely little girl! I'm sorry people are taking advantage of that.

There are good things about PA, too. You get to choose your evaluator, from a list, so you can at least select someone who meshes well with your personal philosophy. And there is a lot of leeway as well. No reporting until age 8. The law is actually quite vague about how you can meet the requirements for certain subjects, including whether or not every subject has to be taught every year. They allow religious and philosophical exemptions for medical and dental checkups and vaccinations. And while we have to do standardized testing, we can select from a list of approved tests, and I've recently been informed that there's nothing to prohibit the online versions of certain tests, which makes things a lot easier for my family. And you, not your child's age, determine your child's grade, so it is possible never to have a kid in the grades that require testing (this isn't my cup of tea, but it can work for some people). The biggest thing seems to be that the individual school district matters tremendously, so if you ever get posted here, ask around a LOT before settling (if you have the option). My district is said to be fairly friendly, but a few miles down the road, in the same county, we almost bought a house in a different district that has been so difficult to the HS'ers that my evaluator stopped doing evaluations there. Oh, and I use a few workbooks with my children as well. I am going to include some examples from them in my portfolio, as they cover things that we might only have discussed informally otherwise, such as punctuation. And obviously, you probably talk about disease prevention, for instance, as it comes up in normal conversation, but a worksheet or something like it seems like it would be a good way to prove that you did cover health and safety. (Like, DD took a class in embryology in the fall. I'll include the completion certificate and maybe part of the workbook in the science section of the portfolio, but there was also a worksheet on food handling/safety, and I'll include that with the health/safety portion.)

I'm in PA as well, and this is what I do, except that I just check off days on a calendar to prove that I met the 180 days. I agree completely with Nancy's perspective about how life and learning are inextricable, and therefore the attendance calendar is dumb, but I just felt like it was better to do the calendar and keep them off my back. I have not actually submitted the portfolio to the SD yet, since this is our first year to have to report, so IDK for sure how they will take everything. My evaluator says 3-5 samples of work, plus photographs where appropriate, as well as participation/completion certificates, and she also says that if the child can write a little blurb to accompany such things, that's even better. She has also asked that we provide her with a few things to keep on file (I am assuming so she can compare them to next year's to prove progress, or so that she's covered in case there is ever a question about what she saw vs. what was turned into the SD), like the book list, and I think that is very reasonable. I have a checklist for each day, with the subjects we want to cover each day, and I have been writing out a week's worth of pages, projects, etc. at a time, so I can see what we'd like to finish in a week. Then, whenever I have time, I use those notes to jot down in a spiral notebook (where I've dated a space for each day of the year, including weekends) the work we've done, places we went, stuff like free reading and playing outside, milestones achieved, etc. So it's more than just a homeschool tracker; it's a family journal as well. All of those together mean I have the info I need to check off days. For the books, I will only submit titles to the SD (and probably split up by subject when appropriate), but for chapter books, I personally keep note of title, author, when the book was finished, and whether DD read it herself or whether it was a family read-aloud. I also date all written work.

You'll get it. It should have an instruction manual with it; if it doesn't, look online for it, or call the manufacturer. It sounds like you've got a seat with a base -- those are so nice for infants, or if you switch vehicles frequently. I like to keep the seat part in the house, so that it is not too hot (the buckles could burn a newborn's skin) or too cold (get a shower-cap style cover for the winter -- NOT the kind that goes under the baby, because that can make the straps fit improperly and can compress and cause loose straps in a crash -- one that goes over the seat is fine, though, and means they can't kick off a blanket). Just be careful if the baby is sleeping in it, so that the head doesn't fall onto the chest and cause breathing problems (grunting or snorting is one symptom of a problem). (It may also have some sort of indicator on the side of the seat that helps you tell if it's at the right angle or not.) The metal hooks are probably for LATCH. If your vehicle is newer (2002 or newer, I think), it should have at least one spot with two metal loops, between the seat and seat back, same as the seatbelts. You hook the hooks through those loops and tighten. You can use either the LATCH hooks OR the car's seatbelts to install, but not both; there is no safety value in one over the other, just that LATCH can make it easier to get a tight installation. Ask if you have more questions, or talk to the lovely people at car-seat.org.

Unless the manufacturer specifically states otherwise, six years is the limit on carseats, due to the way plastic breaks down from repeated exposure to heat and cold. I believe Radians are seven or eight years, though, but all of my Graco seats are six years. We have a Graco MyRide for our 30-pound 2 1/2 year old, and we are really pleased with it. He is still comfortably rear-facing (and would probably remain so until 3, but his spot in the vehicle is the only one that can fit a rear-facing seat, and I will need it for the newborn), but my other son was able to use it forward-facing until he was 5. Look around, and you can catch a good sale on them; it is a tall and wide seat, but I really think it's worth the money and space.

That KotF review is interesting. Their material is very pro-traditional gender roles (and I *do* like their traditional skills/Bible memorization books -- I like the encouragement for traditional crafts and skills), so I can see why they were concerned about girls wanting to be like Jo. I always thought Jo was un-exciting -- I always thought Meg, with the twins, husband, and cute little house was the coolest! LOL. Oh, and they didn't care for the Little House books either, but I think they completely missed the parts where sin and repentance are discussed. Anyway, my 9yo is reading LW now. She likes it, but she says there are some boring parts. I suspect a lot of it is going over her head (hence the parts she thinks are dull); I know a ton of it went over mine when I read it at about the same age. I think it is a great book (and actually, while LMA's Christian beliefs may be in question, I don't think the book's are -- in contrast, I think there are a lot of great Christian themes, plus encouragement for daily Bible meditation, in it), but I also think that it's fairly grown-up, and there is no harm in waiting until closer to the teen years to read it. (I did suggest to DD that she wait, but she wanted to read it.)

He's a little on the young side to be skipping a day, even for being exclusively breastfed, but it's not necessarily a problem, especially if he happens to be on the bigger side. He's not necessarily constipated; breastmilk is just very efficient and doesn't always leave much left over. My biggest concern would be that he wasn't nursing frequently enough and/or having trouble with effective milk transfer. My third was a great nurser but had a bit of a bubble palate (where the roof of the mouth is very high, so the nipple goes up, instead of toward the back of the mouth, thus making milk transfer harder); I needed to help him stay anchored a bit more for a few months, until he grew into it. I would have your DD see a board-certified lactation consultant (maybe the pediatrician, but they're not always great at identifying more unusual BF'ing issues) -- look at ilca.org if you need one.

My midwife also recommends testing one and two hours after eating, and she definitely says that different foods can affect people differently, so you really need those frequent tests to see what is a problem for your daughter and what is not. She also recommends lots of good fats and proteins.

Broadcast TV? None. It's just not something we've ever done. (Though I don't freak out if they watch a sports game with my dad or something.) If we got the History or Discovery Channel, I would be okay with them watching the occasional show. "Kid TV videos?" Very little. They've never seen Barney, Dora, Spongebob, etc. Again, just not my thing. Occasional movies, including "kid" ones? Some. They like Cars, How to Train Your Dragon, Tangled, but they have seen very few Disney princess movies. However, they tend to like older musicals, like Mary Poppins and Sound of Music, and they are crazy huge fans of the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Narnia series. On an ordinary day, they get about 20 minutes of screen time (movies or computer games) each, more for DD if she completes a chapter book (she tends to start them and not finish them). I allow a full movie occasionally at my discretion, but it's a treat, not a standard or daily thing.

I've had my nails done once, and it was for my wedding, partly because I wanted acrylic nails on my thumbs, which I tended to bite, because I wanted them to look nice in pictures. I think I've had my hair professionally trimmed twice, and once was because I also wanted them to see what they could do for the wedding. (I ended up not caring for that look, did my hair myself for the wedding, and had the salon just do my nails and makeup.) My hair is straight, fairly thick, and almost to my knees; I trim it myself when it needs it. Never have colored my hair at all, myself or from a salon. Only have ever had a massage when it was part of my chiropractor's protocol, wouldn't probably be comfortable having one otherwise. (Except from DH; that's different.) Have never had a pedicure and have never been to a spa. Guess I'm not very girly. :)

I don't think the store itself matters so much as the price range of items you choose. I think there should be options for everyone. I know I use the inexpensive items from my bridal and baby registries just as often (and sometimes more often) than the bigger/more expensive ones. I don't think registering at multiple places is necessarily impolite either. When I got married, my MIL really wanted me to have multiple options, particularly since lots of people were starting to shop online, but the older women in the church, many of whom attended my shower, were more comfortable with a store they could visit. I personally prefer when people have registries. I'm not a very creative gift-giver, and I appreciate the hints as to their tastes and needs. Also, I figure if something is very obviously missing from the registry, then it's not needed. Maybe they found a great sale on a mixer, or someone handed down a high chair, or whatever. (I also appreciate if they mention wanting to use cloth diapers or breastfeeding preference or whatever too.)

I don't count dance classes, travel, or generic art supplies as HS supplies, because I'd buy those anyway, regardless of schooling choice. Same with entertainment and museum memberships. I do count the cost of evaluations and standardized testing (required in my state), supplemental classes (other than dance), specific project supplies, curricula, stuff like that, though. My HS budget is actually very small by those definitions.

My current bag is technically a diaper bag, the SkipHop bag that Target carries, but it really makes a fabulous tote bag. It's big enough to hold several books/notebooks, and it has lots of pockets, which I love for keys and water bottles. I will be able to use it long after I'm done with diapers and not have it scream "baby." (It's three years old, cost all of about $30, and is still in excellent shape -- and I'm not one who is gentle with my bags at all.)

Abigail would be right up there on my list, both for the Biblical Abigail and for Abigail Adams. I have a Laura -- named for my favorite childhood author (not specifically for the First Lady, though IMO, there are worse role models). I think even with Esther, you could use a lot of names of great Biblical women -- Mary, Sara(h), Deborah, Elizabeth, Hannah, Anna -- because many of them are common enough that people wouldn't necessarily assume you went with a theme, if that makes sense.

Those are lovely!

My first two used sippy cups occasionally, for the car, around the house, etc. Not generally at the table; I've always started them with a regular open cup pretty early at the table. I always took out the no-spill valves, though, because I didn't like the idea of them sucking on the cups. My youngest, though, has never used a sippy cup, always an open cup at the table, and all of them have straw cups for bedtime water, car, etc. They figure out the open cup pretty quickly.

We started Getting Started With Latin recently with my 6 and 9yos -- mostly the 9yo, but the 6yo is picking it up too. So far, we're very pleased!

One of my sons is Andrew; I like Andy okay as a nickname and would be okay with it, if that's what he chose, but I've always called him Andrew, and generally so do most people. I found that if I always said Andrew, people didn't shorten it to Andy. When asked what he prefers, he says Andrew. DH occasionally refers to him as Andy, but since that's not the boy's own preference, he has largely stopped doing that. Otoh, my other son is Benjamin, and he's normally just Ben. I guess because Benjamin is much longer, and Ben is just a shorter form, whereas Andy is not really much shorter than Andrew and is a slightly different form anyway. If I really wanted people to call him Benjamin all the time, I think that would be doable, but *I* don't even do that. :) (Also, Andrew fits DS1's personality, and DS2 really is a Ben -- Benjamin is such a serious name for him.) On our list for this baby are Zachary and Daniel; I like both Zach and Dan/Danny okay but will probably start off with Zachary and Daniel and see if there is a natural morph to the nickname. Katherine and Abigail are my top girl choices, and while I like Kate/Katie just fine, I really love Katherine and will probably start with that and hope it doesn't get shortened. (Otoh, I think Abby is adorable, so Abigail might very well get shortened immediately.) So, no, I don't think nicknames are inevitable, but I think people will take their cues from you. Grandparents always call Andrew Andrew, but they generally call Benjamin Ben, because that's what we do.

Yep, we're weird here too! When asked what he wanted for his sixth birthday dinner (when I'd allow pretty much anything, regardless of how unhealthy I might think it is), my older son immediately said, "brussels sprouts!" Then we had to think of a few other things to round out the meal, but that was his major desire. My oldest is the pickiest of the bunch, and she's actually fairly non-picky, on the scale. I think it's just some luck of the draw and also that DH and I like food with a lot of flavor, so they're used to it. And the younger they are, I think it just hasn't occurred to them *not* to like something. (They do typically like "kid food" too and haven't been known to turn down junk food -- they just generally like most edibles.) I would not be bothered by someone else saying they were weird, at least not for their food desires. However, I would be bothered by the children's concern about their own food likings. Not sure how the best way to address that is, though. I'd probably say something like, "Nope, it's not weird to like fish. Fish is delicious, and healthy too! It's so great that you like so many foods." (If it continued, I might even say something about how other people are missing out on some great flavors. Really play up what a good thing your kids have going.) And if someone else continually called them weird, I'd discuss it with that person; the person is probably envious and probably doesn't realize that it sounds more negative than (hopefully) intended.