lunamiss

My 10 mo old son is using his pacifier a lot the last few days.

A few details:

He stopped nursing completely about a week ago; I am 18 weeks pregnant and I've heard that is due to hormonal changes that cause the milk to change. I still offer every day (for my comfort too) but he is done!

He is getting over a cold that has left him congested for about 4 days now

My husband is 3 weeks into a 5 week training out of town

We are transitioning to sippy cups except for first thing in the morning and before bed

He is consolidating 2 naps to 1, and learning to really settle himself in to naps without a lot of rocking/nursing (obviously).

Do you think these things are contributing to him seeking out and using his pacifier more often? I try to leave them for nap/night use and for car trips, but he's grabbing them and putting them in his mouth from the crib and really getting upset when I try to take them. He's not an easily distracted baby. Plus, I'll admit that I enjoy the easy peace since I'm the 24/7 caretaker lately, and that gets hard.

I'm thinking of letting this habit go to see if it just resolves on its own when all of these changes settle out. At what point should I start getting stern about taking it away?

Our son is named Kannin Joseph.

Our last name is short and ends in -ry.

If we have a girl, we like the name Kayla Jeanne. The middle name is non-negotiable, as it is my middle name but spelled in honor of my aunt, who passed away from breast cancer last year. I like Kianna Jeanne as well, but don't think it flows as well with the middle name.

We are stumped if we have a boy. We've tossed around Jackson, but I'm not sure I love love it yet. And my husband really wants to have a middle name of Roger in honor of his father and favorite brother. I don't like Jackson Roger together.

Any ideas that might pair well with Roger as a middle name and Kannin Joseph as a brother? Any opinions about the girl name?

I am 11 wks along with Baby #2 and feel like a pig compared to Baby #1! I also have a 9mo old who still nurses, and I've gained 5 lbs so far. I only gained 10-15lbs the first time around and walked out of the hospital in my regular clothes.

I know my calorie needs are higher, but even my cravings are worse this time! With #1, I wanted veggies - tomatoes and spinach especially. This time, I can't get enough junk food! I even ate at McDonalds today - which I never do!! I really struggled with morning sickness for the first 9 weeks of this pregnancy, so I feel especially gluttonous with how I've eaten the last 2 weeks because I've felt like eating everything!

Has anyone experienced this before? I'm counting on the cravings letting up pretty soon and getting back to 'normal' eating soon, just so afraid of really blowing it now and having to be careful about weight gain later in the pregnancy (and weight loss afterwords!).

I have an 8 mo old and just found out that I'm 10 wks pregnant. We are thrilled, but I'm nervous about having 2 babies so close in age! If you've experienced life with babies who are less than 2 years apart, I'd love to hear your experience/advice. Was there something that you learned you couldn't live without? A certain technique that was useful?

Also, I'm still nursing and plan to nurse my son as long as I can. Did anyone nurse 2 babies of different ages concurrently? Any problems with supply?

My DS is 6.5 months old and had developed a very good sleep routine with us at about 4 months old. We still had to do some 'resets' when he would start to fuss after we left the room on occasion, but generally was really reliable. Bath (every other night), lotion, jammies, quiet time with music, then nursing/rocking/singing and to bed before he fell asleep. He's been in his own room since 3 mo.

2 weeks ago he started fighting our routine. This has escalated to the point that I can't even rock him without him starting to cry. The only thing that pacifies him is continuing to nurse (beyond him being hungry), but I know that's a bad habit to start. In fact, if he gets worked up really bad, my husband is the only one who can settle him.

I'm really upset seeing him so upset. This carries over from night time to all of his naps too, whether I'm setting him down in his crib, we're napping together, wherever! I've read that part of the problem can be his new-found abilities (he's scooting, rolling across the room, sitting on his own) or teething. or the beginning of separation anxiety. I feel like such a failure to my little boy - that I must be doing something wrong to make him so distressed when it's time to sleep.

Any advice on what to try? Have you been through this before? Is it just a phase? Help reassure this first-time mommy!

My husband and I adopted our 3rd of 4 shelter kitties about 2 years ago. In spite of our best efforts, he never got comfortable around humans and is essentially a feral cat living in our home (all of our cats are indoor-only kitties). We went through weeks of my husband or I living in 'his room' and tried numerous techniques to coax him in to trusting us, to no avail (our other 3 cats are very friendly and love to be around family and strangers alike). Gambit's routine is to hide under furniture when we are around, coming out at night to sit on the cat tree with the other kitties as long as we are quietly on the couch across the room or in another part of the house. He loves to romp around with the other 3 at night (we hear them playing). Early in to having him, we learned that he was too nervous to use the litter box in the main part of the house, and so we put one upstairs in our loft. He will use that out-of-the-way spot if no one else is around.

However...

3 months ago my sister- and brother-in-law moved in upstairs while their home is being built. Within that time, we found out that we are expecting and will soon have a baby upstairs. Since their move-in, poor Gambit has at times been too afraid to make it upstairs, and while we haven't seen him peeing downstairs (or smelt it), he is regularly pooing on our carpets in the main areas of the house when we are not around (overnight, or while we are at work). More recently, the piles have become very large and I can tell that he is 'holding it' as long as he can, but he just won't use the box. We haven't changed anything about his box...same litter, box, etc.

I am so torn about what to do for my little guy. The inconvenience of having to clean up after him is minor compared to my concerns for the hygiene of my house...I can't have a baby crawling around and encountering his surprises, or have dirty spots all over my carpet. I also feel that it is really cruel for him to feel like a prisoner in his own home. I am so torn over the most humane way to address this problem...

Is it fair for him to live like a prisoner in his own home? How bad does he suffer from his anxiety?

Would it be more humane to put him outside? I really can't see this as a solution...he still has his claws but there are wild dogs, strays, and other cats, not to mention traffic, in the neighborhood.

Do we have to put him down? I can't imagine any shelter taking him and being able to rehabilitate him...would they put in the effort or would they just euthanize him? Would my other cats mourn him not being around, and he them?

Any guidance would be so appreciated...if anyone knows any contacts for experts in the field, please share them with me (I am in the San Antonio, TX area). I feel so torn and hopeless about this situation. It's unlike anything I've ever experienced with a pet and I feel guilty and cruel just thinking about the alternatives. Thanks.

I've looked online to see if there are any military mandates for accepting the swine flu vaccine upon release this year. I know that vaccine priority is going to health care workers, pregnant women and high risk groups (asthmatics, immunosuppressed). I also know that the military mandates certain vaccines and wondered if this would be one of those mandates. Just curious for any information :)

I started Nutrisystem about 3 months ago as a way to maintain reasonable diet habits while my husband is deployed. I love the easy-to-follow plan and prepared meals and that I have been able to avoid the convenient fast food pitfall. I've lost 10 lbs in 2 months (155 to 145 lbs).

About a week ago, I started experiencing canker sores. These started in one spot and have since spread throughout my mouth and throat. I was evaluated by a physician, who suggested that the cause might be nutrient deficiency.

Has anyone had experience with Nutrisystem and its effect? I would be surprised to learn that I'm not receiving sufficient vitamins/minerals in a diet that mandates a high number of fruit and veg servings, but need to take this under consideration. Has anyone else used Nutrisystem and experienced a problem in this area?

FYI: I'm not seeking medical advice regarding this condition, as I have already seen a physician and am under continuing care.

Anyone with advice would be greatly appreciated!!

My husband is in the USAF and we are originally residents of California. I moved to his duty station in Texas with him in Jan of 06 but never changed my residency from CA. We have since purchased a home in TX, I work here, and I've registered my vehicle here. I've had extra money withheld on my federal taxes every month in anticipation of owing taxes to CA (no state income tax in TX).

Is anyone aware of an exemption or form I could submit in order to not have to file/pay to CA for taxes this year??

I went through 6 months AVBD. Never lost all my hair but shaved it because it was thin, patchy and felt horrible.

Its starting to grow out again but feels and looks very weird. It is MUCH darker than before. Maybe it just hasn't been sunkissed yet? I've heard that many people have a different texture/look to hair post chemo. Just wondering about other's experience with their hair regrowth.

Also, any advice about shampoos/conditioners/products to use or avoid??