There is a world of difference between a baby exposed to a small glass of wine with a big dinner once or twice a week a week (like I did), and a baby of an alcoholic or drug abuser. My son has always been a healthy weight, very bright (if I may say so), ahead of most milestones, very verbose, very happy, and has a normal and definitely non-FAS face. Try to find out how much she's been drinking and when, then assume she's actually drinking a bit more than that, and go from there. Good luck! What an exciting time!

I think it's prudent to have some food/water/supplies on hand, because disasters and water/power inconveniences do happen. Personally I don't go beyond a well-stocked pantry and first aid kit, ways to cook food off the grid if I had to (mainly a grill), and keeping a few essentials stored in cars (more for everyday emergencies than bug-out scenarios). But...when your entire life revolves around "prepping," to the point where you actually hope that something terrible will happen, because it will prove that you're wise and prepared and haven't been wasting years of your life...well, at that point it's all a bit much.

I have not btdt, but I know several people in their 20s and 30s who were in your son's situation. Every one that got kicked out is now doing fine, some better than others, and they all still get along with the parents after the initial rough patch. The ones that didn't get kicked out are still at home with a bad attitude and no job/school. :grouphug: You've put toddler parenting in perspective! Good luck.

I'd recommend finding a place with free tastings so that you can try a few things at once and get an idea of what you like. If you can't do that, start with a merlot. They go with more things and aren't very tannic, which could be overwhelming for a new drinker. I'd also choose something from South America, because they tend to cost less for the quality. You can find really good wines for $15 (or even $10 or less), but you'll probably want a salesperson to help you. I'm a pretty seasoned wine drinker and still really appreciate a knowledgeable salesperson. I usually pop reds in the fridge while I'm finishing up dinner. You actually want it to be cellar temperature, not room temperature. Experiment a little to see how you like it best. Swirl the wine in your glass before you drink it. It releases more aroma and allows it to mix with oxygen. The most important thing is to drink what you like! And have fun with it!

In general (not knowing about Rome or your styles or personalities), I'd say 1-2 weeks. I often feel like one week isn't quite enough, and if it's three weeks I spend the last week or so ready to be home already.

They're very busy right now and might have a different view of neighborly relationships. I wouldn't take it personally at all.

:grouphug: I'm sorry you're going through this. Bad things seem to happen all at once, don't they? Deep breath, one step at a time, one day at a time. Don't get so caught up in the bad that you fail to notice the good. If an opportunity presents itself, you need to be ready to jump on it. In the meantime, even though you aren't depressed, you should do self-care as though you are (plenty of rest, healthy food, exercise, etc). You're in a rut but you don't want to be stuck in it long-term. Best of luck. :grouphug:

I'm so sorry.

I am because of a surprise pregnancy. :) I'm already exhausted and sick (of the morning variety) as it is. I don't need influenza on top of it, and it's no major inconvenience for me to avoid crowds, so I do. If I ever had, or wanted, to be in a crowded place for whatever reason, I'd do it in a heartbeat, though.

Thank you!

We were new to our area and didn't have any family or friends to help out for date nights. We signed up for a website that matches babysitters to employers (I don't know if I'm allowed to put a link up). It's $30/month, and you can cancel at anytime, so we only paid the first $30. It did take a while to find someone - we had three different young women cancel at the last minute because they'd rather party, but we finally found the perfect sitter for occasional date nights. She's a first grade teacher, used to be a live-in nanny for infants, very flexible, absolutely loves everything about kids. Totally worth it. If you interview several different people, I'd have to recommend going with either a very, very mature person with a steady job who understands that it's not acceptable to flake off, or a teenager living with her parents, who will catch heck from them if she doesn't show. Every college-age or post-college girl we tried (and I say this as a 26 year old!), was incredibly unreliable.

I have a crazy extended family, so I try to be rather laid-back about issues. But this would make me flip out.

I wouldn't call the insurance company. They can drop your coverage if you call about relatively small things like leaks, and they can notify other insurance companies, so you'll never be insured again. This happens a lot.

My raving lunatic sister is 800 miles away. :) :) :) :grouphug: To the OP.

Lemon white chocolate truffles. You can make them a day or two early if you want.

Sizing is all over the place, even if they tell you in advance if it runs small or large. The quality is occasionally great, but usually cheap. I try to only buy when there are good sales, because sale prices generally match the quality!

You've asked her three times to share the recipe, and she obviously doesn't want to. She shouldn't have been quite so short, but it's understandable. If I was in her position, I'd feel like you were getting pushy.

I have a ton of disposable diapers in small sizes that my baby outgrew before he could wear them. Well...we're expecting again! And I was wondering if those diapers are safe to use. Do they break down over time, absorb too much moisture from the air, release dangerous gases after so long, etc? They'll have been sitting around our house for about two years by the time the new baby comes.

I agree with all the PPs, but would add that however you cook them, they're really good finished off with a little grated parmesan.

We had a non-denominational pastor perform the ceremony we wanted, and we were married outdoors under a pavillion at our reception venue.

I'm really glad we moved to a lower COL area last year. This squeezes, but if we hadn't moved, it would really hurt. I totally agree with the above comments about the government staying within its means, just like we "little people" need to.

Butter, eggs, chocolate, greens, sweet potatoes, fish, aged gouda, beef.

Omelets frozen in individual baggies. They reheat quickly in the microwave.

I'm one of the people who washes my blankets/quilts very often. It's because I have three black cats! Between the shedding and the occasional hair balls, the blankets really need it, and they're very sturdy and fit in my washer and dryer easily. Also...I've been known to drool in my sleep, and I usually sleep with the blankets touching my face...so...yeah. :closedeyes: I keep our nice handmade wedding ring quilt from DH's grandma on a quilt rack in our bedroom. I'd feel bad about drool and hairballs getting on that!

curtains - quarterly throw rug - don't have one bath mat - twice a week, when I do towels because it's a thick towel material shower curtain - quarterly shower curtain liner - replace often mattress pad - 1-2 times a month pillow cover* (not a pillowcase, see below for explanation) - 1-2 times a month pillows - never, I'm really bad about cleaning and replacing pillows! blanket on bed - monthly throw blanket on sofa/chair - twice a month bedspread/quilt/comforter - monthly