I would definitely expect pay if the parents are going to work and need regular care. A day here or a day there, I would do for free. But as a regular baby sitter, I'd expect to be paid. As for bringing it up to her....I'm not good at those type of things LOL.

Definitely not. My reasons are.... 1. That's a LONG ways away for a child who could be homesick. 2. That's a LONG time to be gone for a child who could be homesick. 3. I wouldn't want my child around a bunch of extended family that I do not know. We don't curse, drink, smoke....I wouldn't want the possibility of my child being around that. 4. The ocean. We live in FL....we do not swim in the ocean. We wade. I know lots of people who DO swim in the ocean. I wouldn't want my child to be with those people.

Shutterfly's books are AWESOME. I've ordered many books from them. And I'm a photographer, so I'm extra picky about my photos. :D

Very interesting that there's more first borns. I'm a first born, as well as DH.

Have another baby! For several reasons... A close age gap does not necessarily guarantee they will get along well. Also, if you want another baby and do not have one, you will probably always feel regret for that.

Personally, I would choose the kennel. A new dog in a new environment is a lot of work for someone who already has health problems....especially a big dog LOL. A kennel is much better than the pound. Lots of times, they take them out for walks and for petting. Some places will even give them playtime. And at a kennel, their lives are not on the line. When you return, you can work on getting acquainted with him.

"Can I wear a dress? I want to put on some real clothes today." At first I didn't know what she meant. Then she explained that "all we wear is our sleeping clothes. We never wear real clothes." Oh my....I think I've taken "homeschooling in your jammies" to a new level. I just realized that if we are not going somewhere that day, my children really *do* stay in their jammies all day. And it took my 4 year old to notice it. :lol: I told her that yes, she can put on some "real clothes" today. :D

I know nothing about these.....but I read the title as "facial hair extensions." And I was like "What????" :lol:

DH's mother has told me this story several times: When DH was a toddler, he was standing beside a coffee table, banging some toys on it. His mother said "Knock it off." So with a sweeping gesture, he knocked everything from the coffee table onto the floor. :D

I find that the whole group swim lessons thing tends to fail more than it works. I put DD7 into swim lessons there when she was about 4. She learned nothing. And her class wasn't even that big. I can't believe a toddler class would have 30 kids in it! So I put both kids into ISR lessons....they could swim after only a few weeks! It was well worth the money. http://www.infantswim.com/

Wow, what sorry neighbors. I'm sorry Ben had to go through that (and you too!).

It's really hot outside, I'm pregnant, and we're doing school all summer. So I want to make a week of camp for my kids to do something fun. DD7 really wants to go to a day camp for a week, but there's not really many around us that I would send her to...so this is the next best thing (though she is attending VBS mid-July). I'm going to do it sometime in July, for one week, and have a different theme each day. I've researched online, but I need some help! I haven't found a lot of ideas that I like. Wednesday and Thursday are especially lacking. And I really would like the activities to be indoors....It's hot and I'm pregnant LOL. Ideas anyone? Has anyone done something similar before? What worked? What didn't? Here's my daily themes: Monday: Christmas In July Have a small, wrapped gift for each kid Decorate sugar cookies Watch a Christmas show (probably either Rudolph or The Grinch) Read the Christmas Story, as well as a few other Christmas books Make a snow globe Christmas music dance party wearing Santa hats Tuesday: Jungle Adventure Tuesday Make sock snakes Create Magical Rocks (collect rocks, wash them, paint them, and put clear coating on them) Make a fort and read a few "adventure" books under it Play "I Hear Something In The Woods" game (kids lie down, close their eyes, I have various objects and make noises with them, kids try to guess). Have a photo scavenger hunt that leads the kids to various places in the house, where they find a treat at the end. Wednesday: Wet-N-Wild Wednesday Take a bubble bath (yes, this is a treat because I always give my kids showers, not baths) Squirt gun artwork (hang paper on the fence, fill small watergun with water and food coloring, stand back and squirt at paper to make design). Have Popsicle for a snack (or let the kids chase the ice cream man). Thursday: Terriffic Thursday Create rhythm sticks (use dowels to paint, then cover with clear varnish, then kids can hit them together to make music). Make paper people (I have templates, we'll create people, clothing, etc....then take to Staples to laminate them). Friday: Field Trip Friday Today will be reserved for several field trips....maybe Chuck E. Cheese, Paint on Pottery, library activities, Jump Zone....maybe 2 or 3 places, depending on the cost and how much time each place takes.

We used to have a school room....but really, we never used it. We much prefer to school at the kitchen table or in our sunroom. Plus, with the new baby coming in October, we needed the space. So now we are kitchen schooling. The decor in my home is pretty contemporary....not cluttered, etc. How in the world do I incorporate that into my kitchen? We have a small kitchen, but I do have some bookshelves in there that I've put our school supplies on. It doesn't look too horrible. But what about stuff on the walls? I'm not sure how to do that without it looking cluttered. Does anyone else school from their kitchen?

Praying here!!

I checked out your link and realized that globe looked very familiar. I went to look at ours....sure enough, it's the exact same one. I found it at a garage sale last year for $5! I had no idea it was such a steal!

I hear ya! We're doing full school. I had to take 2 months off for morning sickness earlier in the year. And I plan to take a about a month or month and a half off when the baby is born in the fall....so school is pretty mandatory for us right now. :glare:

My 7 year old did this a TON when she was 6. She was always drawing and coloring and wanting to sell things. She said that when she grows up, she wants to be an artist and sell her artwork at Wal-Mart. :D Big dreams, I tell ya. :lol: I let her bring her artwork to my parents house and sell a few to my parents and sisters, but that's it. And I didn't allow her to have high price tags....anything was under a dollar. It was very difficult for her to understand why she couldn't just walk around selling her artwork to random people.

Bump....just wondering if there's an update yet?

DD had to take them for about 10 days to two weeks when she was under a year old. They never caused any reaction for her or any side effects either.

Please update us....I hope that you are okay!

I'm 22 weeks....and I feel HUGE. I think that I really AM bigger than what I was with my other two. Sadly, I attended a baby shower last weekend of a woman that's due with twins around the same time I am. She looked smaller than I did. :001_huh:

Do you have a kitchen table? If so, then banish the dining room one. Our "dining room" is our computer room. We have a kitchen table that we eat at, play games, etc. But if that table is your only table, I think I'd keep it....I like to eat at a table.

Thanks for the replies everyone! I'm hoping that my doctor will okay the home monitoring plan. I'm just waiting for her to call back....but since it is already 6 PM, it doesn't look like its going to be today. :glare:

I wouldn't just do nothing if I refused the one hour. I'd monitor my sugar for several weeks at home and then report them to my OB. Shouldn't that give a picture of whether I really do have GD or not? Or does the lab test tell them something different?

I'm 23 weeks pregnant and just did my 1 hour glucose test on Friday. I was SO nervous. I have issues with not eating when I'm NOT pregnant. When I AM pregnant, those issues are quadrupled. I have to eat very often, sometimes even waking during the night to eat. Fasting and then having to go do the one hour test went *okay* (not excellent, but okay)....but at the end of that one hour, I was feeling lightheaded and was gagging. I felt "off" for the next 5 hours too. Now the nurse called and said I failed the test (not sure by how many points) and that she's sending me out a lab slip for the 3 hour test. Honestly, I don't think that I can physically do this test. I read online that the 3 hour test actually takes 4 hours?? And that I have to fast from midnight on. I think I'll die. Or pass out. Or vomit. Or all of the above. Has anyone refused this test? I have a glucose monitor and can monitor my levels from home....then I could report them to my OB. I have a call in to talk with my midwife, but until she calls back, I thought I would ask you guys. Is there any reason she'd say no to this? I mean, it's what I'd have to do if I fail the 3 hour test anyways. *ETA....oops, glucose is not spelled with a "t" LOL.