bensonduck
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Posts posted by bensonduck
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Sonlight science comes with experiment materials, plus a DVD of every experiment being performed. So on weeks where I don't feel like taking out 20 paper clips and 5 magnets to test the magnets' relative strengths, we can watch Professor Justin do it.
The years usually cover 3 topics. Science B, which we are using this year, is Animals, the Human Body and Astronomy. A lesson is usually reading aloud 1-2 pages in an Usborne type book and then 1-2 comprehension questions.
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We tried A Reason for Spelling A and it was...meh. The word lists were organized in a confusing way and the activities seemed like busy work. Now we are using R&S Spelling 2 and it is a great fit. Nice and simple, lessons are short, and DD is retaining a lot. I think this one will be a keeper for a long time. :)
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For DD it was just DH and the medical personnel.
DS was a precipitous labor. DH, 2.75 year old DD, and the only nurse was frantically paging any doctor to come in while DS flew out. The doula we had hired to assist missed the birth entirely. (she was so amazing during the post birth process though!)
We had no choice but to have little DD there. (from first contraction to DS birth was only about 20 mins and the contrax were mild enough for a while that I was not sure it was the real thing...when we realized I was about to have a baby we basically all jumped in the car and rushed to the hospital.) She is totally unscarred by the experience. She had some questions afterward which we discussed but I think she was happy to be part of it. sharing that experience as a family has bonded us.
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We just started using book 2 and it is wonderful. The lessons are gentle and thoughtful and there is just enough practice. :)
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We co-sleep and nurse as needed. I was not sure I would go this direction as a very new parent, but my oldest child was a horrendous sleeper. It became a matter of doing what would get both of us any sleep at all. So we started co-sleeping and things got much better. (She would still randomly wake up and be wide awake for hours in the middle of the night, but I could doze through it in her room in the dark with a mattress on the floor.) I have coslept with the second one from birth. I think he is probably a better sleeper than my oldest, but it is also a matter of perception. I don't really remember how many times he nurses because I doze through it.
Both of my children have only napped in my arms or in a wrap. Even if I were to lay down in bed with them as I would for evening, each of them would have to be physically on my chest to nap during the day. They are only young once. :001_smile:
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4.5 year old DD asked me, "What's a toothpick?" the other day. :)
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Travel coffee mug
Water bottle
Key chain
Socks
Small flashlight
Collar stays
Those soft woven cuff links
A container of his shampoo/shaving cream/personal hygiene items
New nail clippers, tweezers, whatever he uses
Shoe laces?
Does he drink? A 6 pack of his favorite beer
Picture frames with family pictures
Travel alarm clock
Favorite snacks
What are his athletic interests? Golf balls, thick hiking socks, some of that cool camping food, Nuun tablets (like Gatorade but seems to be used by distance athletes a lot), tennis racket grip tape
Gift card to a favorite lunch spot
Does he cook? New wooden spoons, hot mitts (DH constantly complains about how gross ours are on the occasions he cooks), interesting cooking ingredients
Hot sauce! My DH is obsessed with Hot Sauce World and trying many of the different ones.
This is such a cool idea and I want to do it too!
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We are trying out Pentime 2 Transition with a lot of practice on the whiteboard. She reallyreallyreally wants to learn cursive so I figured we'd give it a try, slowly, and put it away for a while if it was too frustrating.
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I like joelsjourney.org. It's done by a family whose baby was very severely injured in an accident while front facing at 18 months. They try to raise awareness about extended rear facing car seats.
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9ish. Usually right after DH heads off to work. We go wave goodbye and come inside and hit the books. :)
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My second baby was very noisy. He would snuffle and grunt in his sleep a lot. In fact, he's 22 months now and is asleep next to me at the moment...snoring lightly. The advice to ask your pediatrician is a good one, the dr. may want to check his nose and make sure he's not stuffy or anything...but I bet he's just noisy.
If you are rested enough to go out, by all means! Do you have a carrier? I loved the Moby wrap. They can just sleep right on you while you are out. It also keeps them away from other children, random people wanting to touch baby, etc.
He will wake up...this time is so sweet. Remember to smell his head. Newborn heads have this amazing smell. :)
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My son had a VSD at birth that closed on its own by his second birthday.
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Northern Maryland. :)
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I try and adapt the daily workout from crossfit.com. Every day a new workout is listed and it's free. They are hard as written but there are all kinds of substitutions and advice for beginners in the FAQ. My body has really started changing from this.
I also run- that's my "me" time and a high priority. I go in the am before DH leaves for work. Saturday mornings I try to do a longer one.
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Our go-to meals include:
Salad with bacon, eggs, pears, walnuts and dried cranberries
Tacos/bean burritos/migas
Lettuce wraps with ground beef and veggies
Red beans and rice
Homemade pizza
Baked chicken tenders with broccoli
Baked fish fillets with some kind of fresh veggie
In the winter I serve soup about once a week - we rotate through chicken rice, chili, meatball with kale, and a few others. I can't get the family on board with gazpacho for the summertime though, so soup is more of a winter thing here.
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Congratulations on your pregnancy!
The book mentioned upthread- Adventures in Tandem Nursing, by Hillary Flower, is fantastic reading on this topic. It was reassuring for me and walked through the main concerns that I had.
I nursed through my pregnancy with baby #2 and tandemed until my then-3 year old decided she was done. Different practitioners will give differing opinions on this so it's best to do some research, consult with your HCP, and then make the decision that is right for you and your family.
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I had some at home that I think I must have received as a gift. I played with them a little but I think I was either too old for them, or could have benefited from some more directed play to really understand how they worked. I remember more about the little case they came in and how the ends felt a bit "furry".
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Is he dropping down to 1 nap from 2? Or stopping napping all together? In any case, he needs to make up for the missed sleep somewhere. I would suggest focusing on making sure he is in bed nice and early and is able to sleep in in the mornings. And if he still does take 1 nap, really protect it - make sure he is really getting some good sleep at that time. Hopefully that will help with the exhausted and cranky part.
Then, you need to figure out how to incorporate a toddler into school time. Which I know is really difficult (I have an 18 month old). My 18 month old LOVES playing with math manipulatives like linking cubes, drawing with markers during language arts time, messing with the magnadoodle, water play with a few cups and bowls on the floor, a little dish of Cheerios or another easy toddler snack, I have a plastic jug of small toys that he can take out and put back in, and he periodically climbs into my lap for a quick nurse or to look at the pictures in our books. (We discovered that he likes those Usborne type pictures a lot so we always call him over and involve him when we are reading an Usborne book. My reading is then interspersed with his commentary, such as "HAT!") It helps that his big sister is incredibly flexible and accommodating with her brother during lessons - she will patiently sit waiting for the next set of directions if she has finished an activity and I am helping her brother for a few minutes.
Good luck!
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Not sure how common this is at college level, but we absolutely had assignments due the first day of class in law school. It was a hassle, especially to get to the school location a few days ahead to purchase the books and complete the assignment. :glare:
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Wide tooth comb. Scratch it firmly over the area towards the nipple. (Easiest in the shower when you can get it soapy.) Try pumping that side to get it really soft.
Also lecithin supplements are supposed to help if it is a recurring problem, but I have not personally used them.
Good luck. Clogged ducts are terrible.
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What about a sleeping bag in your room for the 6 year old ("this is a special place for those who want to nap") and the 3 year old with quiet stuff in the 3 & 6 year olds' room by herself? my dd liked to fill a small shoebox with treasures and play with that on her bed. The treasures were things like various Playmobil and Lego people and animals, pretty stones, shoelaces, bits of crumpled aluminum foil, bead necklaces, small beanbags, etc. the room is often a mess after quiet time but she is pretty good about entertaining herself and being quiet. Oh! And you may want to let your daughter know she may change clothing during quiet time if she wants. Sometimes what is a comfortable temp for me is not ok for my kids and if they know they can change to get more comfortable, they may be able to settle down easier.
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At that age, I basically said, you don't have to sleep, but you do need some quiet time. You can lay in this bed with me and the baby and be quiet and still, or you can play quietly in your room until I come and get you. She began choosing her room more and more frequently (and I usually found her asleep when I went to get her).
Is your 3year old destructive? Does the 3year old have a place to go play by themselves quietly?
Good luck! I know how frustrating it is not being able to rest when you need it.
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It's funny. I don't care for them personally either, but my DD really liked them. They made her giggle and smile. The characters are all animals and I think that appealed to her.
We used them for practice reading aloud smoothly, inflection, not skipping words or lines, etc. She had been choosing books to read to herself above this level but I was going for something more simple for reading aloud practice.
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At the risk of being even more gross, would someone care to elaborate on the safe procedure with the Bobby pin for the ear blackheads? I have never heard of this before.
Cold weather running gear
in The Chat Board
Posted
In that temperature, I like to wear lightweight running pants. (Some runners like tights, but I prefer more loose fitting clothing). A long sleeve wicking shirt and then either a light jacket or a heavier pullover type shirt (I really like the Asics Thermopolis line for this type of pullover shirt). Then lightweight gloves and a hat.
I have found that if my hands and head/ears are warm, my body stays nice and warm too.
Don't forget that if you are going to be running in the early morning in the wintertime that some sort of clip on light for each runner dramatically improves visibility and safety, even if your clothing is neon or reflective. As the sun rises and it's not necessary anymore, each person can turn it off and put it in their pocket for next time.
Enjoy! I really like running in the winter but have to run inside this year (pregnant and don't want to risk falling on the ice).