The Hippy Momma

My 2 1/2 yo will just lay in bed screaming if he wakes. We co-sleep, but he goes to bed hours before we do, and will wake up sometimes and just lay there screaming and crying. He is capable of getting out of bed and knows we are here. At what point do I stop worrying about not letting him CIO and let him come get us?

When we are *asked* what our son would like for his first birthday, what is a good way to explain that we would prefer to recieve clothes, cloth diaper supplies, or imagination driven toys? If you are wondering, imagination driven toys are ones that require a child to give it sound and action on their own, not the popular "cause and reaction" push a button and it makes noise kind of toys. (Blocks, play "pretend" supplies, dolls, books ect.) Is this description adequate? Does it explain our wishes in a clear enough way to guide ideas without being to explicit about exact toys that they "should" buy?

My husband and I are trying to find a tactful way of sharing that we would prefer imagination driven toys, clothes, or cloth diaper supplies for our son's birthday. It is still a few months away, but we live in a small apartment and don't want a collection of big noisy toys. We have already had to "disappear" some well meaning gifts.

If you are wondering, imagination driven toys are ones that require a child to give it sound and action on their own, not the popular "cause and reaction" push a button and it makes noise kind of toys. (Blocks, play "pretend" supplies, dolls, ect.)

We say cloth diaper supplies beacuse we were lucky enough to be gifted a year of cloth diaper service, and want to continue cloth diapering either with extended service or on our own.

Any ideas? Or, share an imagination driven toy idea!

I am a first time mom of a 4 month old little boy. My in-laws think that having to ask to hold him is crazy, that they should get to pick him up whenever they want. One time, my FIL tried to while my son was buckled in, and hurt him! After that, I was very strict about the rule. They think that I need professional help. How do you feel?

1. Don't ask "Do you want me to hold Thomas?" No, he is my baby, I want to hold him. Ask me "Can I hold him," I will share.

2. Don't make comments like "Looks like he hasn't missed any meals!" Breast fed babies have chubby cheeks, thats how it works. You might as well call him fat, which no one likes.

3. I don't like to be touched. I don't even really hug my mom. I am only physical with Mike or Thomas. I also don't like them being touched, especially Thomas.

4. I love getting gifts. Sometimes I can get uncomfortable by them. I feel it means I can't provide for my family, or that I am taking advantage.

5. I am pretty much done with visitors by 8, unless I seem really involved with you. If I get out the computer, that is an almost instant sign I am done.

6. Don't wait for me to call you. More than likely, I won't. It doesn't mean anything about you. BUT, if you call me, I am usually up for anything!

7. I don't like being told I am stupid, or being belittled in any way.

Starters

Butternut Squash & Apple Cream Soup $5

Watercress Salad with Blue Cheese,

Hazelnuts and Sherry Vinaigrette $7

Smoked Salmon Potato Salad with a Dill Vinaigrette $7

Pan Seared Prawns & Sea Scallops with Tomato Butter Sauce $8

Dungeons Crab Cakes with Wild Rice $8

Main Course

Sautéed Halibut with Warm Apple & Cranberry Compote with Roasted Butternut Squash & Risotto with Wild Mushrooms $20

Grilled Tenderloin of Pork

with Grilled Potatoes and Apples $15

Hazelnut Encrusted Salmon with Strawberry Berry Blanc with Lentil Pilaf and Roasted Butternut Squash $14

Grilled Chicken with Apricot-Mustard Glaze

with Risotto with Wild mushrooms & Sautéed Spinach $13

Fillet of Beef Stuffed with Wild Mushrooms

with Lentil Pilaf and Butternut Squash $17

Desserts

Ameretti Blackberry Tart $5

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting $5

Mocha Chocolate Cheese cake $5

Honey Crème Brule with Raspberries $5

Pumpkin Pie $5

I had a c-section 5 weeks ago, and my husband hasn't wanted it, but I do. We have a very content son, he was on a good schedual right out of the womb, so it isn't so much about being tired. What do I do to get us back on track?

Grilled chicken Panini- Grilled chicken breast served on toasted bread. Comes with house made mayonnaise and grilled red bell peppers, mozzarella cheese, and portabella mushrooms. Served with French Fried Potatoes...$14.00

Oven Roasted Pork Loin with Honey Marsala Sauce- Oven Roasted pork loin marinated and basted with a mix of honey and marsala wine. The sauce is reduced to a very rich sauce. Served with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli...$10.00

Pan Seared Salmon with Beure Blanc- Salmon seasoned, then pan fried in oil. It is then finished in the oven. Topped with a lemon beurre blanc sauce. Served with Potato scallion cakes and pan fried baby bok choi...$13.75

Sauteed chicken Breast with a pan sauce- Chicken breast that is sautéed and then finished in the oven, meanwhile the sauce is made while it is finishing directly in the pan. This is served with creamy mashed potatoes and a side of sautéed onions and mushrooms to finish the dish...$10.25

Grilled chicken Panini- Grilled chicken breast served on toasted bread. Comes with house made mayonnaise and grilled red bell peppers, mozzarella cheese, and portabella mushrooms. Served with French Fried Potatoes...$14.00

Oven Roasted Pork Loin with Honey Marsala Sauce- Oven Roasted pork loin marinated and basted with a mix of honey and marsala wine. The sauce is reduced to a very rich sauce. Served with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli...$10.00

Pan Seared Salmon with Beure Blanc- Salmon seasoned, then pan fried in oil. It is then finished in the oven. Topped with a lemon beurre blanc sauce. Served with Potato scallion cakes and pan fried baby bok choi...$13.75

Sauteed chicken Breast with a pan sauce- Chicken breast that is sautéed and then finished in the oven, meanwhile the sauce is made while it is finishing directly in the pan. This is served with creamy mashed potatoes and a side of sautéed onions and mushrooms to finish the dish...$10.25

I am 13 1/2 weeks pregnant, and nothing I do will stop me from being gaggy ALL DAY! I haven't been thowing up, but I get all the motion of it, but then my body stops me from finishing. I have tried every trick around (eat before moving, keep something in your stomach, don't each large amounts, don't each food with to much flavor, vitamin b6 supplements...) Even before I get going in the morning I feel it, all the way till I go to bed. I am so tired of it, and even my doctor doesn't have any insight. They keep telling me it should even out soon. HELP!

My husband and I made the decision before we were pregnant that unless we were having serious problems connecting with our baby, we would wait to find the sex out untill birth. Everything about the life cycle seems to have become so clinical, we thought it would be nice to leave some mystery. But, everyone seems to think we are crazy! Some have never even heard of people waiting until the birth. So, I ask, have any of you waited (in recent years) or thought about it?

My husband is finishing at culinary school, we have lined up some prospective investors. He also has management expirience. We were wondering what kind of restruant to start, and are there some classes that would be benificial to us? We live in WA, north of Seattle.