I agree that the first thing I think of are Stephen King/VC Andrews books (I'm not into them, but have friends who are) Another think to consider is to how you'd feel about people assuming that you're copying a celebrity name. Jessican Alba and Cash Warren named their younger daughter Haven last year, and people might make connections/assumptions. Not saying that's something that's a dealbreaker, just a consideration. I like the suggestion here of Serenity. Or maybe Grace (though that might be more popular/common).

I think that it was an accident. I don't think that the accident would have happened if the paps hadn't been chasing them, so I put a lot of the blame on them. I don't think that there was a conspiracy, though.

No, they're still taking orders. Apparently because of the large number of orders they got, they decided that it would be more convenient for the vendor to start processing them early. They sent an email about it. But apparently, "processing" to them only means charging customers' credit cards, not actually sending their orders.

For those that ordered these early and were charged early ... right now, HSBC is saying that Lego isn't planning on shipping early (charged my card on 11/23, still not shipping until 12/14) ... seems if they wanted to start early to expedite things, they should expedite shipping things as well as charging customers. If you agree, you might want to go to HSBC and send a message. Maybe if enough of us speak up, they'll ship the orders that they already charged some of us for almost two weeks ago now.

I think that they say that to try to make people feel better, but I had some awful HG with some of my pregnancy losses (it's rather insult to injury when the HG lasts longer than the pregnancy), as well as two of my viable pregnancies (both of my girls -- though I know people who have been sicker with boys, and some very sick regardless of baby's gender).

Agreeing with Apples to Apples, Set, Uno ... if Settlers doesn't hold your 7 year old's attention, then Agricola won't either. Ticket to Ride might be ok, though. Other options would be TransAmerica or TransEuropa -- kind of like Ticket to Ride, but plays a bit more simply and more quickly, so better for shorter attention spans. If they're reading fairly well, then one of the Fluxx games might work. My dc have also liked Bang! and Bohnanza at that age.

When I had 3 under three (or they were 1, 2, and 3 or 2, 3 and 4, up until the second was 5 or so and able to stay close -- oldest has physical SN and couldn't walk fast/well enough to keep up), I often had to put one in the basket. Target was just starting to go to those 'trailer' things with two seats, but sometimes they'd block the leg holes in the seat part of the cart when they installed the trailer. I definitely picked my shopping places around stores that had the trailers, the 'car carts' that have two seats down in front and then the cart seat, but even Costco's big carts only have seats for two small children. Like someone else here, we had pretty strict rules for behavior while riding in the basket part (sit on your bottom, no kneeling or standing). I did use the sling a lot with the third, but before he was big enough to ride on my back, going to places like Costco where I had to lift fairly large cases/boxes into the cart, that didn't work with a baby on the front of me, so he got a cart seat.

For math, I'd use Khan Academy. It starts all the way at basic addition and takes you through calculus -- you can use their track (recommended, even though the first modules will be super-easy) or pick and choose subjects, and there are videos to eplain things for when you get stuck. It's free. They also have video science. None of my dc have liked the math videos, so we haven't tried science.

My kids were certainly a lot grumpier in the evenings when they were in school than at home (my older two went for third and most of fourth grades). Not to say that they don't have days when they're grumpy in the evenings (especially on those days when we've been going non-stop, mostly out of the house ... in some ways simulating a day at school).

:grouphug: :grouphug: I can only imagine. Gestating one little person at a time was enough to whip the stuffin' out of me. It will be so worth it when you're cuddling those two sweet little guys. It sounds like you're at just about the same point my cousin is. Her little boys will be #4 and #5 (she was just trying to catch up to me and is blowing right past :rofl: ), she's due in Feb, too.

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It might work. You'll need to be careful when selecting the academy and instructor(s) to make sure that they'll be a good fit for your child. There are definitely ones out there who can nudge children firmly but gently toward more focus by using the inherent structure in martial arts. In our school, we have two instructors who are very good at this. Unfortunately, our homeschool class is being taught right now by a third instructor ... who IS a great instructor -- he's my main instructor, and as an adult black belt (and even as I was working my way up), he pushes me, but he really has to dig for the patience to work with small children, especially distractable, high energy ones like my youngest dd. Most schools will give you a trial lesson (or several) -- I'd take them up on that and probably visit at least two or three schools to find one that is a good fit for your son. The structure of martial arts has been great for my dd (almost 8, she started when she was 4), and I've seen it really help other children in the academy, as well as a few young adults who seemed to be drifting and distracted until they started martial arts training.

My tomboyish (of her own accord) 13 year old loves going for a mani-pedi (we've only gone twice in 2 years or so for special occasions) -- she goes with me, but would probably be happy to go with a friend -- would feel awkward going on her own. She also likes going shopping in places like Plato's closet where she can find inexpensive clothes that are mostly tomboyish but a little girly -- she can find more like this at the secondhand places than at regular stores -- she hates the mall. Mine isn't into makeup at all, but for most girls this age, getting to go to the department store for one of their makeovers/to play with the makeup, and then maybe a small kit (skin care if none of the makeup appeals) might be fun, again, this would probably be awkward without me and/or a friend to go with.

I grew up this way -- mom always managed to come up with ways to make Christmas special that had nothing to do with gifts, and I don't think any of us felt deprived, even the years when my dad was gone (military), or we were basically homeless (military -- we almost always PCSed late in the year). We'd go walk around light displays, join in caroling at local nursing homes. Sometimes we'd join them for crafts and baking. We also did the sing-alongs at local churches. Gifts were usually homemade, and then we'd usually get a clothing item and a couple of books, all from the thrift store. Often, there would be a coupon book for things like staying up late, getting out of a chore, getting to pick dinner or a (free) family outing, etc. For Christmas dinner, we'd either eat on the ship (dad was in the Navy, and often had duty Christmas Day), or we'd work at a soup kitchen -- either way, we got a nice, free meal out of it, too, but at the time we mostly saw it as giving service. A $25 budget can stretch a long way with some creativity. We really didn't feel as poor as we were.

Agreeing that it was always better for an excuse to get out of the house than to make any real money. At my height, I was working for 12 different companies, including some pretty exclusive ones that paid well, but with that pay, there was extensive time involved, so it still didn't come out to a great hourly rate. I worked at it maybe 15 hours a week and made $2000 that year. It eventually got to the point that I decided that the time wasn't worth it for the money, but some of the places we went and things we did were kind of fun.

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In most cases, the grade that they'd be in in public school. One may be graduating early, and is starting to transition to that ... sometimes he calls himself a freshmore (as does the neighbor who is 15 months older, but taking a more leisurely pace through high school to allow for following non-academic interests that take a lot of his time), but most of the time, ds identifies with his age grade, 9th. Another child is 'skipped' in most outside classes right now, so while she would be in 2nd, she's usually with the 3rd graders ... sometimes she identifies as a 2nd grader, but most of the time she is 3rd (neither is the grade level that her school books say) ... with the understanding that at 5th/6th or 8th/9th, she might 'repeat' a year or lay up to get where she 'should' be. Older dd is in that 'lay up' year this year. She's doing all high school work (except for her Associates level pre-vet classes), though a lighter load because she has a lot of volunteer work going on. But she's consistently ID'd as 8th grade because she's planning on ps for 9th next year.

I remember my parents taking me to Lee Circle as a little kid for Mardi Gras parades, and the crowds were overwhelming and I never could see anything anyway. Much better, IMO, if a bit less flashy, are the suburban 'street parades' ... there are usually some on the West Bank (along DeGaulle ... these parades are my best memories as a kid), and in Metairie (on Veterans). In college, my friends and I did venture out to St. Charles near Carrolton, and that was easier than downtown, with some of the showier floats. When my kids were little, my parents lived uptown (States and Claiborne), and one of their favorite things to do was to ride the streetcar downtown. There's also Story Land in City Park ... my dad talks about going there when HE was little.

Forbidden Island plays well as 2 player, but can also be played with 3 or 4 (maybe 5?) Two games that are exclusively 2 player that have done well here are Caesar and Cleopatra and Lost Cities -- both card games. We have all of the games on that top 10 list but Word on the Street. Dominion was also a hit here, as was Agricola. Wits and Wagers Family was the favorite new (to us) game of the summer. A new game, just out, that is the current favorite is Mice Mystics ... it's kind of Dungeons and Dragons-ish but with Redwall-ish characters.

As a Girl Scout leader, I'm supposed to have anyone who stays in the meetings on a regular basis registered and background checked. I don't necessarily have them go through leader training, but for the safety of all the girls, I need to make sure that any adult in the room with them regularly is checked, and membership is the vehicle to doing that. I certainly welcome any parents who want to stay, but I have to be consistent. The same is required in my boys' Boy Scout troop. Any adults regularly at the meetings and certainly any adult on any campout needs to have YPT and background check. Since we're sponsored by a Catholic Church, we're one of their youth ministries, and we must have another background check and a more thorough class that covers what the Boy Scout safety course does, but in more depth.

A split between right after Thanksgiving or later, depending on the year. If we can, we wait until the third Sunday of Advent (often the third Sunday in December, a week or two before Christmas). Sometimes, it just makes sense to get things up before that. Like this year, we'll be gone in December (we were 2 years ago, too). So much of our decorating will happen Thanksgiving weekend or the weekend after here, so when we get back just in time for Christmas, the house will be ready.

In a Pickle is a fun one that is similar to Apples to Apples in that it's pretty verbal and somewhat subjective.

That's why this is our meeting spot, too. That's where we'd go to call and the kids would stay put there -- it's out of the way, yet still within sight if one of us parents had to go back over to speak to the firefighters.

Right now, they're all home. We've had some in school and some at home and will do it again. We have one child who has never been to school, but I know would be happier in school, so when a good situation presents itself, she'll go. I have another who has been to school, chose to go home, and is choosing to go back. She has shown a lot of maturity and sound reasoning in her decision, and we see no reason not to honor it. I have two others, one who has been to school and one who has not. While I know they'd be successful in that environment, they are happier at home, and I plan to honor their wishes to stay home for as long as it is feasible for our family.