Aw. It'll be okay, really it will. When my first two were that little, I was frequently looped out about getting it all done, resistance to the plan, etc. All that is still here now, but in very different form. Really, much of my problem has always been that I have a vision, the kids don't necessarily "get it" and then I get frustrated at having tons to do and carry and organize and then comunication breaks down and it all goes to heck. Not good. So from a BTDT perspective, keep on keepin' on. The kids will be wigglier some days than others. Nothing wrong with having them do memory work while running up and down stairs, or walking circles in another room. Jumping jacks often help mine refocus. Make sure they've had a good drink of water before you begin, talk about wiggles vs. holding still time (use your preschool teacher voice, smiling all the while) and know that it sinks in, even if you think it doesn't. My bigger kids often spout to the littles things I spent years saying calmly, repeatedly (and sometimes not so calmly), and had despaired of *anyone* ever retaining. So yes, it will be okay, you'll master this and then you'll have a different set of challenges because they grow and change and need new skills, info, and conversation from you. Homeschooling life is never boring. ;) And if all else fails, there's always duct tape. :D Kidding!

We began so my children could spend more time with their dad, who was undertaking a different phase of his career at the time. I guess you could say that it was so that we could preserve the integrity of the family. During that school year a friend handed me a copy of TWTM and the rest is history. For your MIL: First, don't discuss it with her anymore. At. all. EVAH. Unless... Second: Send her flowers with a nice card saying that you sure hope things can be ____ between you again. Include a copy of TWTM with a note that explains that your philosophy for educating your children is evolving largely from this book and that you thought she might want to take a look for herself and maybe it could even allay some of her fears. And you sure hope things get to be ____ again! Big smiles! Lotsa happiness and butterflies!! And then? Unless she calls to apologize/make nice, do not *ever* discuss it with her again. Offer her bean dip instead. You might want to keep some on hand for the occasion -- Lay's brand is shelf-stable.

Hey! Smooches, babe! ;)

Hugs, dear lady LB. :grouphug:

You did hear the reason, yes? New babies in the family had priority over the board maintenance. Love it. :D

I used a coupon code and got The Teaching Company set for $154, free shipping. I'm figuring that I have at least four more to feed through it, so if I amortize the expense it seems far less. :D Now I'm dithering between books, still. I'm going to sleep on it, pray for an epiphany, and plan to purchase in the morning. If you have anything else to add (or a text to sell or loan!) please let me know. Thanks very much.

Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory med, acetominophen is not. When dosing for fever, alternating the two can work better than one alone, depending on the cause of the fever. They work on different receptors. Acetaminophen will not reduce inflammation, which is often the cause of a fever. Interestingly, girls' pain is most often linked to inflammation, while boys' is not. If you have kidney issues you should not take ibuprofen; liver issues nix acetaminophen. (YMMV, not a doc, yadda yadda)

Please compare and contrast Prentice Hall Biology vs. AP Biology textbooks. If you're familiar with a different set of textbooks that also offers regular Biology vs. AP, please comment about that set. TYVM. ETA: I'll change the question a little. If you had a kid who eats and breathes science materials, what would you be using for a solid hs biology program? He seems to already know much of any science text he's used in the past -- including Lyrical Life Science, Science in a Nutshell, and PH Science Explorer. I need to keep him interested. Ack!

I dunno -- if you trust your doc, induction might be a good thing. Once in awhile it's a "better out than in" scenario instead of the inverse, which is usually true. My cousin's wife delivered a month early over the summer because of a UTI -- little guy was under stress with the infection and contractions. He's turned out nicely ;) -- nearly 17 lbs at four mos. and happy as can be. The mama was initially pretty freaked out at the midwife's insistence that she head to the hospital, but it worked out. Glad you're getting care. :grouphug:

Maybe a solution: I mix a teaspoon of instant into a cup of hot 1% milk. It's already as sweet as I like it, the calcium in the milk cuts the acid, the cholesterol drops dramatically, and there's protein in my cup. ;) I recently had brewed stuff (very nice) with plenty of half-n-half, for weeks, and just went back to the milk and instant. It takes a couple of days to get used to, but I like it better, I think. (No tomatoes, please. :D ) In any case, it's the thing in my insulated mug that accompanies me *everywhere*.

When they're old enough to be asked, "No school today?" :D

Each child is so different. I think most are sponges at those younger ages -- my eldest was reading science encyclopedias at 5 and 6, books geared toward children grades ahead. He's been reading Science News now for several years. :) In that particular child, his sponginess was evidenced by his curiosity, if you will. He ate up those books and then took the information, digested it as far as he was able, and then asked questions and drew comparisons based on his newfound information. The first part of that last sentence represents the grammar stage, with the latter part of the sentence leaning into logic and rhetoric. His curiosity now remains, but he applies himself to the subject differently -- more questions are asked of the material itself (logic), and more discussions are had about the implications of that information (rhetoric). So, no I don't think that the delineations are strict. And yet, facets of them do exist within most kids, gifted, learning disabled, whatever. Clear as mud, I'm sure. :D

the LG. Just to confuse you. ;) Had it for a year and love it. We run the occasional load with a tablespoon or two of bleach, and that seems to have fixed the "stink" issue. The variety of settings is fan-tastic. The electric and water bills have dropped significantly, even with an increase in number of (very large) loads run -- at least three a day. Laundry for eight plus here. We lurve it.

I wonder about tweaking this a bit. A friend was taking 15,000iu daily for a couple of weeks to get her levels up to where she could maintain them with 3000-5000iu daily. Is it possible that your dosage needs altering? Also, I'd check out SAM-e -- helps with general depression, but especially if you've got joint pain. 5-HTP is also a great choice, but doesn't have the added benefit to joints. I understand they can be used together, though. :grouphug:

Sounds like a burst eardrum. I'd go in first thing tomorrow, just to be sure -- they'll want to watch and make sure it heals up snugly and if it did burst, she may need antibiotics. Could also be some residual thing from tubes, maybe. ETA: If this were one of mine, I'd give ibuprofen for inflammation -- healing happens faster and with less pain if there's less inflammation. If at any point I saw bright or dark blood (fresher than what you've described) I'd head directly to the ED, preferably a children's ED.

I so understand. I can't describe how it feels to have the one thing that you were counting on for sanity yanked out from under you, but I'm hearing it in your post. I don't know about their rules, but a mom's group I was involved in allowed kids to come in if they were quiet and stayed still. Or if they needed to be walked/rocked in the back of the room (nurslings). There was grace. But they were firm: noisy kids would not be welcome. Other options would be worked on, including grammas who came specifically to help with tough little ones and SN kids, but the space was for the moms. I loved that group. LOVED it. I am sad for you, dear. ::Passing the virtual mocha::

Hugs to you, dear, as you're recovering. It will get better and you'll be up and around and conquering everything again. And soon. But in the meantime... I think your kids need to hear you say that you are just sick. And tired. And that the sickness is making your body drag and you are not okay with that, but for right now you can't do much about it either. While you wait for your physical self to catch up to the rest of you, they need to be thinking about how you take care of them when they're sick. They need to be thinking of ways to initiate a little learning. I'm guessing they can read to themselves, clear dishes and manage PB and J? And maybe more? How about a little laundry and vacumming? Maybe more than that? This is a tough time for you and your family, but the kids also need to experience that they can be part of the grace that we all need sometimes -- taking care of each other when we need it. It ends up being a blessing not only to you, but also to them. I had a few times over the last few years that I've had the kids come close to me so I can just whisper to them that I need them to step up because I can.not. do. it. And they do. It's still a mess, but they manage to find vegetable like things to feed themselves, the dishes usually get done and laundry doesn't completely fall apart. If I'm out of the "work loop" for just a few hours, it's no big deal, but sometimes it has had to be longer and then, by necessity, everyone has to kick in. It's still a mess for me to deal with when I'm up and moving again, but really, it is so worth it. Blessings and rest and healing to you. :grouphug:

Snort. I wouldn't necessarily suggest pain meds and vodka, but, ya know, um, whatever gets ya through? ;) I would never take away a woman's bcp if she's happy with them, especially not for PMDD. I had a space of time wherein I would have gladly taken *anything* somebody could have earnestly argued would have any kind of impact for me. This probably would have included the above combo. Since then I've read a bit about neurotransmitters and the way things ebb and flow (pardon the very bad pun), and there's a good reason bcp play a big role where they do. For a lot of people, supplementing gives that effect a boost. Hope you find something to make it better than it is. (Though by now, everything's probably hunky-dory, right? :D ) :grouphug:

A rat's *patootie*. I'm pretty sure. W.L.Who -- ya totally cracked me up there. :lol:

Hugs to you, go with your instincts, make that call. :grouphug:

Have you looked into alternative meds/supps? If you google DHEA, 5-HTP, Calcium/Magnesium, and a few others, interesting info is out there about hormonal implications. "The Mood Cure" is a good book for resourcing things of this ilk. :grouphug: BTDT, HTH. :grouphug:

The first time I saw your tag re: apostrophes I laughed for days. Still makes me snort and hiccup when I read it. I have to laugh quietly, lest the children require explanations that reveal they've been left in the charge of someone less than, erm, grown up.

ROFL, Audrey. As long as it has a lid with optional tie-down, we can discuss it calmly. Otherwise, it is to be considered an interloper, and will make mockery of The Cause.

Snort. I was working on anagrams. Beasts And Horcruxes Reddening Swiftly Boo And Hiss, Read Shakespeare!

You know, seeing some of the people who've posted here, it's feeling a little like a reunion. How cool! We're headed out this weekend, in your general direction, and I've been thinking of you. Hope you are well, Colleen.