https://www.nomorobo.com/ has cut down on all of our spam calls

Can she jump? That's one of the home tests for appendicitis. There is a virus going around with lots of gas and cramps, which equals pain.

At this point, we would incur school costs AND we would still need to outlay significant childcare costs to cover before/after school and breaks. If the public schools were a more viable option for my kids, I would consider it because I am pretty miserable as a SAHM. If we had to pay private tuition x 4 plus the additional childcare plus another vehicle, wardrobe (can't wear random yoga pants and holey t-shirts to court), continuing ed, etc., etc., I would not be bringing home much of anything. If I could find schools that were good fits for my older kids that were financially feasible, I would do it even at a slight loss to be honest. Alas, here I am in my holey shirts, talking to imaginary people on the interwebs...

You lost me at 90+ degrees with ticks and nothing to do for 5 hours, much less the jet lag!

Nope. I don't think I'd be able to remain polite simply out of shock. I have met YE people.

I would focus on teaching my kids that flat earth people = run awaaaaaaaay from the crazy!

I agree with several posters--check to make sure that the infection is actually gone gone. She might need lower dose antibiotics for a longer time. Is her doctor a gerontology specialist? UTIs are very common in older people. Also agree to try fluids other than water. Does she prefer a hot beverage to cold? Tea or coffee or cocoa which you could push her to drink before it gets cold. ;) Jello or homemade gelatin with fruit juice. A salty snack to encourage fluid intake. Or a cookie with a cuppa. I also agree that the concept of waste might be preventing her from changing the pads frequently. Would she react positively to you telling her you searched out a good deal? And having the doctor explain they need to be changed each trip to the toilet? The doctor might also help push fluids. Sometimes people will listen to the doctor more than a family member. Then you merely remind her of the doctor's orders. There are cloth incontinence products from pads to the period panties. I don't know if adding more laundry would push you over the edge. My stepmother looked into it and decided she could not add to her work, but her mother needs it for both types of elimination. You're a very thoughtful DIL. :grouphug:

If you're planning to sell in the near-ish future, I would probably go with drop. A realtor might be able to tell you if the price difference between drop and drywall would be made up in the resultant sale price.

Sensory issues and anxiety can overlap too. It's definitely worth finding a therapist who specializes in anxiety who would be able to rule out or refer out sensory issues.

Walking my kids who tend toward anxiety in to an activity is worse than a carpool drop off. My 3rd loooooves preschool. Loved her teachers this year. Probably would have traded me in for one of them. The days I had to walk her in for whatever reason, she would get upset when it was time for me to go. Carpool drop off? She would hop out without a bye and bound into the building. Her older brother was the same way, and his preschool didn't have carpool. He adored his teachers and friends too and wasn't genuinely upset about being at school. It was the transition that gave him anxiety. He is almost 12 and still struggles with new transitions a bit. Drop off has always worked best for him as well. So if there's a way to drop off or carpool, try that. There are some good books on childhood anxiety (What to Do When You Worry Too Much is one) and mindfulness exercises that can help. I can't remember the name of the one that is about anxiety, but it's on the Angry Octopus CD if you look on amazon.

Added all requires a new prescription every month, but they don't usually require an office visit to get it. Maybe it's the Zoloft? How old is DS?

Kipling bags are light weight and have good organization. Amazon has a bunch.

I always forget to sunscreen the top of my feet. Mine last the season, and I'm super pale. I wouldn't worry about them. :)

I would simplify. Homemade ice cream and a salad bar for 40-50 is a lot of work. I'd pick up fruit salad, a veggie tray, and chip and dip. Tabouli is nice, but it doesn't really go with BBQ. Coleslaw maybe? Cake for the birthday. Cookies, brownies, rice crispy treats?

The kids are using you as their filter as they learn to navigate the world and develop their own. Unless they're being catty, I would encourage conversation and communication about what they observe and think. :)

We switched for this reason.

Skip it!

If the invites have you choose an entree, and there's no spot for him on the invite, I would assume he's not invited. There are some people I would ask and know they'd tell me honestly and not get ruffled or think I was guilting them into an invite, and there are others I wouldn't. You know your cousin best. If your DS isn't interested at all and isn't close to the woman, I would just let it go and take the invite at its face.

Oh, and by the time your DS is old enough to meaningfully contribute, he will get busy with friends and a life outside your home (college, etc), and the dog will still be your problem.

When will DS be old enough to take care of the dog himself? When he has his own place. Seriously. Don't get a dog if you don't plan on being the primary caregiver. I really wish we didn't have our dogs. I didn't want the second at all, but DS fell in love at an adoption event (that I didn't want to attend but was driven there instead of Costco) and DH lost his mind. Having dogs adds a big expense to vacations for boarding. The vet costs will vary by location, so that's hard to guess. Once a year for checkups and immunizations. Ours go out multiple times a day. They wake up before my 3 year old. Exercise depends on the dog. My DH and DS don't do this enough despite my nagging, and I can't add one more thing to my list. I can't. Food is expensive. (And guess who has to buy it?) You can't leave the house for more than say 8 hours without arranging for alternate care of the dog. Mess depends on the dogs and your environment. It's been raining here for days, so there are wet towels and muddy paws and sheets on our couches to try to help. And no one else will pick up the stupid towels or sheets and wash and dry them. It's a huge pain and complication that I just do.not.need.

Another doctor immediately vote. Find someone who specializes in children and anxiety and see if you need an eating disorder specialist. CBT therapy can be helpful if you don't want to try medication at this point. Did this come on suddenly? Has he or anyone close had strep? (PANDAS/PANS)

If he's got championships soon, I would go on to the ENT and not wait, or at least call the ENT office and see if they think it's worth a visit. DS had a regular case of swimmer's ear that didn't clear with the drops. The ENT put in some kind of powder that made it better immediately. I hope he feels better soon!

Probably Cipro or Levaquin. Doctors prescribe those for UTIs, but there's a black box warning. Try another antibiotic first. We know several people who've had major issues with fluoroquinolone antibiotics.

Did y'all have rats?

Absofreakinglutely! Keep her and two kittens for the kids. They might grow up to also dislike toddlers, fair warning. :lol: