This last time I got a halo swaddle blanket!! Otherwise it was a regular fleece blanket and a diaper bag (no formula things in it though, but I was BF'n).

Could the itchy fingers really be a nerve thing from nutritional deficiencies? I think I read that somewhere. I think she looks very pale, more in her face than even the rest of her body. I thought it was anemia, but can it have other reasons? I've had relatives comment about it lately.

I know it, but I don't feel it sometimes. I know I've been to hard on her in the past. I now realize it isn't my issue anymore. She does like to help cooking and says things look and smell good but she just doesn't want to try them. I suppose it's a stepping stone. Sometimes I make what she asks and then she is so disappointed (like banana muffins.) It's sad for both of us :( It's like she wants to like things but she just can't. Until now I always avoided talking to her about her food choices thinking bringing it up would make it an 'issue' and I didn't want her to know that there was one. I was asking her why she doesn't like eggs anymore today and she said "I like how they taste but they feels so icky in my mouth." That's TOTALLY sensory! She said she like crunchy things, which is true for the most part. I asked if she would like hot dogs (she ate a bite last summer) and she said "no, you said I'd choke on it." ACK! She must have heard me tell DH how to cut up hot dogs so the baby wouldn't choke. Is this an anxiety thing? She doesn't seem to be anxious otherwise, or is that what her cranky outbursts are? I asked if things get stuck in her throat and she said they are more lately because some things are hard to chew. This morning she spit out 2 bites of French toast and said she just couldn't chew it. I'm going to do this! Thanks for this website. I'll look into zinc supplements or a good vitamin/mineral that she'll take. Thanks everyone for the advice. You've really helped me sort out and think of what the problems might actually be and how I can go about helping her. Sitting and crying in the evening hasn't gotten me anywhere :(

Thanks for all the replies, every one. I'm too tired to type much more tonight, I'll check back tomorrow again. I have thought of the sensory issues too, especially smell and taste. She will complain of water sometimes "tasting like pennies." I'm just going to have to schedule a check up again I think and at least get the allergy testing done.

She said the mouth itchy thing one time and I have asked her several times since (when she chews on her fingers) if her tongue bothers her, too, and she has said no. So that maybe was an exclusive event and I don't remember what she had eaten at that time. The itchy fingers continue though. DH said that his fingers get itchy when they are dry and he thinks that could be it, but they don't look dry. They look completely normal. I forgot to mention in my original post that over the past year she will occasionally say there is gunk in her throat and she can't get it out or swallow it or that's why she doesn't want to eat more sometimes. That's part of the reason I asked for the thyroid test because that's what it felt like when I was first hypothyroid. The gunk in the throat could be allergy related, I thought, after her thyroid test came back fine. She won't drink pediasure or even chocolate milk. Would the doctor's office know how to find one of these? I did forget to mention these on here (talked to the doctor about it a month and a half ago though.) She has complained about her tummy since she could talk (around 2.) Points to her belly button. She doesn't seem constipated to me (poops regularly - looks normal, without complaint) and the Dr. said her abdomen was soft and didn't seem concerned that was an issue. It doesn't look like celiac poo would either. She has been complaining about headaches more (since late summer maybe) and her head feeling 'funny.' She usually complains about this when she hasn't eaten and refuses a meal so I was attributing it to low blood sugar. I would so totally eliminate foods if I knew which ones to try, I'm just afraid of doing it unnecessarily and needlessly. DH thinks if I was to take away wheat to just go buy a bunch of gluten free bread and pancakes because she would likely eat that and she if she starts feeling better and more up to trying other things. I don't know how else to get rid of wheat since that's all she eats. This is where I struggle. Is the struggle a power struggle? She is my least strong-willed child out the older 4 (excluding baby!) Yet I feel as though I caused it, but I'm not sure how or how to fix it. She will refuse a meal then ask me 20 minutes later if she can eat something because she is hungry. I know she is hungry, she will go to her room and cry about it. She's my least whiney. Dh thinks I created this because I allowed her other choices, but she will go meal after meal without eating. She isn't growing the same rate as all my other children. The past 6 months I have had numerous strangers come up to me and ask if I have twins because her little sister (22 months younger) and her are the same size. So I just don't buy the starve your kid until they eat. I did this today to see what would happen (basically no toast!) I had frozen left over French toast from the other day that she ate at that time. She ate her breakfast sausage and said she didn't want the French toast, just regular toast with butter. I said I wasn't getting up to make anything else. So she just went without and was nasty and cried on and off for an hour after that but then got better and played with her sister. Lunch was pork chops and boiled potatoes and yogurt made with berries that I pureed. She took a bite of the yogurt and complained that it wasn't strawberry banana. Wouldn't try anything else either. By 2 in the afternoon she was still asking to eat something. All she wanted was cheese. I let her have a couple slices of cheese. She took 2 bites of one slice and didn't want anymore. I asked why she didn't want it and she said it was "too dry." ?? It was Colby jack and rather soft. She would eat this like candy not too long ago. At supper she ate the crust off of a chicken strip and ate one bite of a carrot stick with ranch (she hadn't done this in a year!) Stated she didn't like the taste of chicken anymore. She wouldn't eat/try applesauce or peas either. I just don't know how NOT to make it a struggle. Even if I don't say a word or answer her constant "I'm hungry, what else is there?" it's still a struggle. DH says just let her starve if she won't eat what's on the table and she'll eventually eat. Well, she won't eat! I told him I'm afraid of her developing an eating disorder and he said she already has one. Then what's the cause? If I knew the cause I could help fix it or make it better somehow. She does like salty things, but that's because I refuse to keep sweet things around, otherwise that's all she'd ask for and she gets even nastier when she's had sugar. She ate berries in the summer when we picked some and I bought some in the store recently because she asked but then she said they were to sour and wouldn't eat them. She ate (sucked on, actually) oranges a couple months ago but won't eat them now.

I'm not sure what to do with my extremely picky eater. She is almost 6. She has always been picky, even as a baby, but the past year it seems to have gotten worse - or gotten to the point that it bothers me. I feel like it should be getting better, not worse. She eats only a few things. She mainly likes and eats bread/toast with butter and pizza. She will also eat other similar carb things like pancakes, waffles (no syrup), saltine crackers (no other crackers), plain chips, plain tortillas with melted cheese, stovetop stuffing, dry rice krispies and plain pasta. She use to eat cheese and peanut butter on her bread but she has been refusing that lately (past month) as well. She likes breakfast sausage as her only meat. She stopped eating scrambled eggs a few months ago as well. She use to love yogurt but has been refusing it or eating very little of it (a couple bites at most) the past couple months. She did like plain baked white chicken meat dipped in ranch dressing but now is refusing that as well. She will not eat vegetables, fruit except canned pears (if that is the only thing she 'likes' on the table - meaning no bread product.) I'm struggling to not keep food or meal time a battle. I have a family of 7 and can not cater to everyone's desires. If she doesn't like what there is she cries, pushes her plate, leaves the table, or asks what there is for her to eat and gets mad when I say that supper is on the table. I don't know what to say or do that won't make food an issue anymore. She will go to bed without eating, and start crying because she is hungry. She asks what she can eat for a snack and I've been asking, "What sounds good to eat?" She just says "I don't know." I have had conversations asking her what she would like for meals and all she can come up with is "pizza" and "I don't know." She will drink nothing but water. She refuses milk and juice so supplements are out. We even went to a birthday party today and she would not eat the chocolate cake or ice cream. She likes a few sweets, mainly brownies and chocolate chip cookies, but does refuse most other desserts and candies as well. A couple months ago I became concerned because she kept putting her fingers in her mouth. I thought it was an annoying kid habit but after a couple weeks I asked her why she kept doing that (she was chewing on her finger tips.) She said "Because my fingers are itchy and that's the only way to make it stop." A couple days later I asked her if her fingers were still itchy when I saw her doing it and she said "No, but my tongue is itchy." Red flag says she has a food allergy, right? The only thing she basically eats is wheat so I instantly thought celiac's. I had her in to a pediatrician and he listened to my concerns - however her panel was negative, she is not anemic (although on the low end of normal) and is normal thyroid (I have hypothyroid and she is small - her younger sister is the same size as her now so I asked to have the checked.) So now I've been thinking I've just been wrong and she is just a picky eater. I just don't know what to think anymore when she refuses almost everything on the table. I serve a variety and I would think she could find something she likes. She got into the habit of eating bread because the rule was "if you don't like it, you can have a peanut butter sandwich instead." So maybe I started a food battle that I can't get myself out of. I feel like I can't have bread in the house and she'll just be forced to eat other things if it's not around. (Granted, I do make homemade multi-grain bread, so it is somewhat healthy and very delicious.) She is kind of a low-energy child, she says she is tired daily. I know she gets blood sugar lows but trying to get her to eat protein with her carb at meals and snacks is getting difficult because she will refuse the PB and cheese often now. How do I know if her attitude (she is short tempered as well) and tiredness is her normal disposition and not food related? How to I know if she is like this because she doesn't eat well and then, in turn, continues to not eat well? I've been extra diligent in trying to pay attention to her lately (thinking mom's stretched to thin and not paying attention enough to her needs) to see if her crankiness/short temperedness would diminish and it has slightly, but she can snap so nasty and her brother and sister, and me as well. I know she's a smart sweet girl under there somewhere.... I have recently been diligent in getting her vitamins (infant drops only, of course.) What do I do? Get rid of foods in the house that she craves to force her into trying other foods since there are no other options? Try to do food elimination diet on my own to see if her behavior gets better or she feels better? Go back to the doctor to have other food allergies tested? (Is this reliable????) If I was to eliminate wheat on my own (without doctor suggestion), I would have to do the whole family, and that is a huge undertaking. I would do it if I KNEW it was necessary. Would I know right away if this was the culprit? I don't want to unnecessarily restrict her from wheat, for example, if it isn't the culprit, and subject myself to more stress to meal times from now until forever! I keep going in circles over what to do or where to start. I feel like I have to pick one thing and stick with it a while to see if it works before moving onto the next. Anyone BTDT?? Sorry if this is all over the place.

My son was 20 lbs at 6 months (7lbs 5oz at birth) and we called him the Michelan man! He's 60lbs and 8 years old now.

ALL my babies (5 of them) got FAT EBF - even sleeping through the night. All jumped up to 90 + percentile and were 7-8 lbs. babies. (farmer hubby calls be the high-fat milk cow, yeah thanks...) Anyway, the olders are all normal size now. DH and I are normal weight. If you feed them healthy options when they start on solids and give them plenty of time to play (little tv time), he'll be fine. I think babies are meant to be fat ebf. All bottle fed skinny babies I know grew up to be overweight when paired with a junk-food toddler diet and lots of TV.

I was wondering the same thing. I thought it was just my computer...

Creek is pronounced "crick" by so many people. We have lots of towns with Creek in it around here, drives me nuts! Everyone seems to spell it right though.

2 1/2 - she's now four and still has a crush on the same boy....although months go by without her seeing him (friends of the family.) He's 14 I think... I'm scared for when she's 12! I don't have children that age yet. I remember having crushes at 12 and my mom was never nice or interested in anything I had to tell her throughout highschool and that hurt. So, just tell her that you're here for her if she wants to talk and don't tell her that her crushes are stupid or she's to young, etc... She'll likely open up when she needs to in the future. I guess I just never had that and I remember it like it was yesterday.

I was under the assumption that most hysterectomies were vaginal. That sounds like a better option for most cases, but I don't know enough about it or have experience in that area so I may be wrong. What a sad story. They need to educate patients better before asking consent of what they are doing.

Maybe he just wants to see how long we'll keep this up. Green acres is the place to be? No, I think he said "city life is the place for me." (I do, however, not like miquon like I thought I would.... does that make me terrible or dumb? probably!)

Well that's good to know! I was getting worried, too, with all the threads about it. I was beginning to be afraid to buy anything! Thanks, OP, for asking these questions, because I was curious, too.

OH, I thought of one. If you have to go someone early in the morning, dress them in their clothes the night before (comfy knit pants and shirts that are acceptable in public) and then you don't have to get them dressed in the morning. Of course there is the chance they'll soak through a diaper though.

No advice, but I'm in the same boat you are, 5 kids under 8. I think the best option is to just not go anywhere! :grouphug: Make sure everything is in the right spot and the diaper bag pack at all times is the best I can do. Hopefully someone can help us.

I have 5 young kids, and we just moved into a smaller house (about 1800 sq ft). I think functionality is better than size though! We may build in the future. We live on a farm and I can't imagine living with visible neighbors. I would love an open concept kitchen/dining/living that is a no -toys zone and a finished basement with large windows or walk-out for family room and school area. The mess can stay down there! I would only want 2 bathrooms because I don't want to clean more. A spare toilet is always handy though. If I had a really large family I would have another bathroom though that is one for girls/one for boys. I dream of a large laundry room with a counter and a sink and a window. A Duggar-style family closet is a neat idea but I don't know if I'd ever add that onto the laundry area. Oh, I just noticed the pp talked about the family closet :) Clothes in ONE area of the house is so appealing! I love porches and outdoor living areas.

My MIL was 47 (almost 48). 26 1/2 years between dh and him :) Little uncle is a good playmate now with the nieces and nephews. hehe. She said she felt like a grandma being pregnant but all went well except he was born a little early but healthy.

I'd like to add, though, that there are many causes to migraines and all other illnesses I mentioned. This is just one possible cause or reason for aggravated illnesses.

My ears started ringing about a year and a half after we moved near a tower. It's not like a ringing like after being around something loud. I don't really hear it during the day, only when it's really quiet, like lying in bed. It's a deep-in-the-head ring. I read somewhere on the oscillatorium website that it is due to damage to your nerve hairs from calcium moving out. I didn't find the article because that website has an overwhelming amount of information! If you go to the physiology link on the left side then click on calcium efflux some articles and studies will come up. Those are interesting. We just recently moved so I'm curious to see if the ringing goes away. It takes time to heal. I use to get a butterfly like rash on my face, and I finally figured out it is aggravated by wifi, too much computer use, cordless and cell phones as well as sugar. You'll just have to keep aware of what bothers you and avoid them. Fluorescent light bulbs are bad. I wouldn't sleep near meters (like if one is on the other side of your wall or an electrical box in the basement.) We live in the country so we aren't exposed to other neighbors but many many people are and sometimes moving to a more secluded area is the only way to help. WIFI is everywhere. Big powerlines too. I think people don't want to admit that it could be a problem because changing it would mean moving or some difficult life style changes. Yeah, a corded phone stinks, but ya know what? I don't talk as much on the phone anymore. It's actually kinda nice. I still have a cell phone. But I don't carry it on me. I can get up and walk to the counter to check it. I'm not sure I understand the placebo effect others are talking about. I do know that it's not like a switch-on switch-off type sensitivity. It is a cumulative effect but over time you will get more sensitive more easily if you don't limit your exposure the best you can. About 3 percent of people are extremely sensitive and can instantly tell what bothers them (like you) and there are many that are mildly or moderately sensitive yet are unaware because of vague symptoms. I like to compare this to light radiation - xrays and the like. We can see or hear or feel that, yet it does damage internally. Why would sound or electrical radiation be any different? That's just my own thought though. I could blab on forever about this... Thanks for the opportunity to let others know that this does exist. (PS - I may not be able to get on the internet for a few days so I may not respond/check back right away.)

I believe in dirty electricity / stray voltage / electropollution in both wireless (cell towers/wifi/smartmeters) and in ground/devices forms. I have personal experience with cattle that made me a believer. Two different barns, same cows, same manager. MAJOR health differences. We've had people to test for it. The animals are evidence to what we are ignorantly exposing ourselves. Could write a book on it. It's not crazy, you're not crazy - however the vast majority of people will think you are if you say something. There is not much research out there. Electro-sensitivity is more recognized in Europe than in America I believe. Migraines, leaky-gut disorders (increased allergies, rashes), inflammation, insomnia, neuro-muscular disorders, autism, infertility, immune problems, cancer, vague symptoms that are usually blamed on other or idiopathic causes. Calcium efflux is caused by exposure to wireless signals or electromagnetic fields (kind-of like static - the hum from large powerlines or transformers but you can't hear it in smaller lines, like what's in your house.) I can't explain well it but here are a couple websites. It causes cells to be more permeable, allowing in toxins. That's the cause of the allergies, cancer, autism etc... I believe I read that Switzerland does not allow WIFI in schools. Of course, you have to be careful what you read as well. www.oscillatorium.com www.electricalpollution.com We moved to get away from exposing our family to a large close tower. Sold the farm and moved. Yes people think we're crazy. Sometimes I think I'm crazy. But I saw it in the cows. It was so sad. We limit our WIFI. You can get a plug in router. We even got a corded phone because my husband would get headaches using it. Plus, it's always sending out signals even if you aren't using it. Also a good idea to move your clock radio away from your head at night (6 feet or more.) Glad you found out it worked for you. Someday I believe the world will realize what garbage we are exposing ourselves to. I believe it's a major cause to autism. Everyone's so concerned with healthy food (which is good) but then laugh when you say the electrical pollution is bad. It is a toxin.

I had this happen as well... so I told them next year, you don't have to buy 'everything', that these are just suggestions! So I shortened the list next time. I also didn't give the same items to different people because we got duplicate gifts and it's awkward when the kids says "Hey, I got one of these from Grandma, too." (And Grandma and Grandpa are divorced.) Fortunately I most family asks what they can buy. You can just ask if they would like suggestions and if they say sure, make a list. I've learned to tell the kids to say thanks and not talk about the gift if they don't like it. It works, sometimes. I have struggled with this for a long time, so you aren't alone! I have numerous extended family that like giving gifts, and many expensive gifts when I KNOW they don't have the money to do that. And we keep having more kids! lol. I also don't like how the specialness of gift giving is taken away by the excessiveness. But you can't change people. These people also ask for the toy at later times so they can play with them with it. So I do keep them for a while. In fact I just started purging years worth of toys because we are moving to a smaller house. Nothing was off limits now. It feels good. I also have a grandmother who started giving me her heirlooms when I got married 10 years ago. I started realizing that these heirlooms are tons of her decorative stuff, and she asks where it is and tells me where I can put it or hang it on which wall, etc... It's really become a burden. I'm not sure what to do about it yet... some if it is big stuff, dishes, cabinets, tons of trinkets she collects. I'm started to not value them, actually I'm hating them. She's so concerned about giving all of her stuff to everyone so the stuff doesn't get thrown out when she dies. That's a whole other topic I guess...

I would just serve PB & J on the table with no plate if there are no clean plates and no clean pans to use meal after meal if he leaves a messy kitchen. Don't wash or pick up his clothes. He can go to work in a wrinkly shirt and realize he should maybe walk around the house and pick up his clothes and actually wash them. I'm curious to see how long it would take until he said something, then you could mention that you don't want to clean up his mess anymore.

I struggle with this as well. The best trick I've learned is to not give excuses, just like the others said. If you said your son has something to go to that morning then she'll come back with, "Oh but she has openings in the afternoon!" and you are trapped again. DON'T give her anything to argue with. "No, I can't. Ever." I think it would help to tell her that you just don't have time for social things right now. Maybe if she would come to where you are (she does the 1 hr drive) and go out to coffee for an hour. That way you aren't out as much time or potentially 'stuck' at some get together far away. Stuff like this just eats at me and I don't know why people like us get run over by people like them! I wonder what goes on in their heads sometimes and why that can't understand. I know they don't understand, but WHY?! :cursing:

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes - takes place in 1950s