I am feeling lightheaded and nauseous from reading those blog entries :( I agree now that Alecia is just being a rebellious teenager. Thank God that she is! There is every reason to rebel against these parents and what they stand for. Anybody else feel like questioning these parents as abusive? Anybody? Anybody?

It strikes me that you are projecting your own families dysfunction onto this family, and it is causing you to be extremely short sighted. In your case, all we have is your word about the behavior of your daughter and her grandparents, and yet you want the benefit of the doubt that your perception of events is the only true and right one. The least you could do is extend that benefit to this young lady. Your failure to do so, along with your persistence in maintaining that she is a liar and nothing could possibly be as she has stated, offers incredibly large cues into the dysfunction of your own family. I now find myself sympathizing with your daughter, as this obviously is hitting close to home for you. I trust that this young woman is speaking enough truth to warrant the support she is receiving. Her own parents and siblings have validated her claims. I'm not sure why there seems to be persistent "arguments" offered to refute Alecia's claims, as those claims are not disputed by the people involved! How bizarre. Admittedly, I have had a few laughs about how easy it is to obtain the necessary paperwork in a border state that has serious issues with illegal immigration. How odd that they may have increased the number of hoops a person has to jump through in order to prove their identity and citizenship. :eyeroll But, no, Alecia must be lying!

She needs a monophasic bc pill that she can take straight through, without having to take the placebo pills that cause a period. if not able to switch, then taking Motrin/Advil/ibuprofen 2-3 days before her period, around the clock, can help. I also take a drug that is designed for spastic bowels, called Levbid, or generic Hyoscyamine. This works wonders, and I am forever grateful to the PA that initially prescribed it for me. I am thinking about trying the Dutch gin method, though ;) I love a good martini!

Those were my exact migraine triggers :( It sucked, because here in the northwest, barometric pressure changes can be pretty frequent. I would also get a week long migraine with my period, and with ovulation. Topamax was a miracle drug for me. It didn't stop them from happening all of the time, but when I did get one it was more manageable and didn't last as long. I took it for about two years, and haven't needed it since. I get the occasional migraine, like maybe once a year. As far a side effects go, the most noticeable was the first month of taking it I could no longer tell if soda or water was carbonated. It was weird. All sodas tasted flat. That eventually wore off, fortunately, because I love carbonated drinks. The other issue I had was that my normal run of the mill mild acid reflux became quite severe, to the point that it affected my airway. It could be just a correlation and not a causation, but my reflux did improve when I stopped the topamax.

I don't consider it quick, but I'm an Amazon Prime addict ;) It has taken over a week, but less than two weeks, both times I have ordered. I'm also on the other side of the country, so I don't expect it lightening quick, either. I have heard that if you call them they will give you a tracking number so you can stalk the box. I have also been exceptionally pleased with CLE math and LA. I was very reluctant to use it, because I wanted secular curriculums. I'm glad that I decided to make an exception and try out CLE. My daughter loves it, it gets done without complaint, and it teaches gently, yet thoroughly. I took my 9 year old all the way back to the beginning of the 100 level, and just accelerated it, so I wouldn't get too hung up on the level your daughter is in. It's not uncommon for kiddos switching to this curriculum to test at a lower level than their school grade would indicate. Also, if you are a Facebook user, CLE has an active group you can join.

Critical thinking helps one know which scientists are credible. And actually, yes, much of it can and has been proven, and doesn't require "faith." That is why the scientific process is so important. I don't need "faith," if I can follow the process and reach the same conclusion.

Critical thinking helps one know which scientists are credible. And actually, yes, much of it can and has been proven, and doesn't require "faith." That is why the scientific process is so important. I don't need "faith," if I can follow the process and reach the same conclusion.

What did Costco scan them to? A disc or flash drive or what?

Yep. Everything seems magical to those who don't understand science. Personally, I am more blown away by evolutionary processes than I ever was by a deity waving a magic wand and saying bibbitybobbityboo. If there is a deity that set this all in motion, it is clear that it was achieved through natural laws. But deity or not, it really is quite spectacular!

I got it and emailed it to myself. Hopefully it will work when it's time to renew my membership this summer. I love Prime, and I reallyreally love cheaper Prime ;)

Yep. They are quite sought after in some areas. Probably not the areas they are native to ;). I think they can be a sorta pest in those areas, and I remember some talk of trying to outlaw them but I don't think it happened. I've had call ducks and Khaki Campbells, and the Muscovies are so much better, IMO.

I really like my ducks. I made the switch from typical mallard breed of ducks to Muscovy ducks. They are very quiet, good foragers, and not nearly as messy as their mallard-type cousins. With that said, they are fairly messy. They do need a water source they can dunk their whole bill in. They don't, however, try to jump into every bucket, bowl or cup of water they see, unlike the mallard types. They are hardy, easy to keep, good foragers, help keep bugs down, and lay large, tasty eggs that don't smell ducky. I could never eat the eggs of my mallard type ducks because they just smelled like wet duck. Muscovy eggs don't. Muscovys aren't typically found in farm shops, but I come across them on Craigslist. They have a unique look to them that might take awhile to get past, but once you do you can see that they are just beautiful. I have also heard that they are quite tasty, but I haven't tried that out yet. I have a couple of annoyingly horny males that fight each other all the time. I might eat them if they don't knock it off ;)

Start now, if you are feeling up to it. 6 weeks is just a guideline, not a rule. Take it easy, start slow and gentle, monitor your bleeding and milk supply. I'm sure you know that bleeding will increase if you are over doing it.

That should be fixable. I agree with calling the manufacturer. It sounds like it might be a problem with your hose weight, and is a simple fix. http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/step/0,,1189816_1368158,00.html

That's a bit of the pot calling the kettle a bully.

I agree with this poster, and I have a 40 year track record of "tolerating" Christianity. I "tolerate" the fact that some people hold beliefs that I believe to be hateful and damaging. If business owners and/or their employees are broadcasting these beliefs, and I become aware of them, then they, in turn, get to "tolerate" me taking my business elsewhere. Christians that are intent on maligning a subset of the population don't get to cry "intolerance". They get to reap what they sow! I imagine that I frequent quite a few Christian-owned businesses, and that is cool. As long as those businesses don't make a statement that I personally find offensive, then it will stay cool. I will, however, always retain my rights to vote with my dollar.

I would think that it reflected the beliefs of the business. I say this because I have never worked in a place that I could wear whatever I wanted. Any messages or logos had to specifically reference the business, if messages or logos were even allowed. Employees typically represent the business they work for, and are usually encouraged to dress accordingly, especially if they are in a position of being the "face" of the business.

When I took anatomy in college, we were expected to trace over and color the anatomical pictures in order to aid us in memorizing them. Maybe try that, and if it is helpful, then consider investing in the coloring book that was mentioned. Another idea is to use a picture of a skeleton and to draw the muscles back on it, if that makes sense. I know that I learned things much better when I had to do a useful project that covered the material.

I would totally get cable if this ever becomes a reality!

I have seen some hernia repairs done with an epidural anesthesia, so that might be an option for your daughter. The surgery itself is actually pretty quick, and leaves a small incision in the diaper area. Pain is usually controlled with a mild pain reliever post-op. It is a pretty routine surgery, but it is *always* scary when it's your child. My daughter, unfortunately, has had several surgical procedures, so I get it.

I see premature boys with this condition quite frequently (I'm a NICU nurse). The only time I have seen a girl with it, her ovary was palpable in the herniation. I would consult a pediatric surgeon, which is likely what your GP will do. I'm assuming you are in the UK, and that medical referrals are handled a certain way. Im also assuming that your daughter was preterm or otherwise sick, if she has only been home with you only a short while. Many surgeons prefer to handle inguinal hernias conservatively, and wait until the baby is older and bigger for a better surgical outcome. In the meantime, continue to observe the hernia, which is easy to do with frequent diaper changes. If there are any changes, notify your GP or head to an emergency unit. Likewise, if there are any changes in your baby's overall condition, such as lethargy, vomiting yellow or green, swollen/distended abdomen, refusing to eat, fever, etc., then please head to an emergency unit.

Well, I'm 39 years old and still haven't nailed left from right ;) I frequently have to make the "L" with my thumb and forefinger to figure it out. When I give people driving directions, I actually use north/south/east/west, because my brain works better that way. I figure it's just one of my adhd quirks, like time blindness.

This is such a bizarre statement. I looked up the People mag picture and I see a very beautiful newborn dressed in a gender neutral outfit. How is that masculinating (whatever that means...)? I guess I attempted to masculate my daughter because I bought her cars and trains to play with, and bought her some non-pink and purple clothes. Gosh, some of those clothes might have been found in the *gasp* boys section! My favorite read aloud featured a boy as the main character. I painted her room green. I even cut her hair super short! (She looked darling in a pixie cut ;) ). Clearly, I was persistent and diabolical in my efforts to grow her a penis. Alas, she outwitted me, and ended up preferring ballerinas and baby dolls, and her favorite color is purple, dammit! I'm envious of the Jolie Pitts' obvious success in producing a gender non-conforming child. Well done, Brad and Angelina, well done!

I work with newborns, and hear this fairly often! What's funny is that babies eyes unfuse usually by about 26 weeks gestation. They've been able to open them for a few months before they're born!

....and again!