Kate

I was flossing a little bit ago and broke a piece off one of my teeth today. It's a molar that I knew I had a cavity in but never had it repaired. It doesn't hurt but I can feel it with my tongue. It was a little smaller than a bb.

I called and made an appointment the dentist but earliest I can get seen is next week. Should I find another dentist to get an appointment sooner? Do I buy the temporary filling stuff at the store today?

What should I do?

A coworker and I are tasked with writing a lesson plan on what a group home should know about nonverbal communication. Since she and I are familiar with the topic, I figured I would ask a bunch of random people to get a sampling.

Imagine yourself working at a group home for Intellectually Disabled adults. (Please no rude comments - it's a waste of your time and mine.) All 4 guys are nonverbal and communicate different ways. One uses American Sign Language (you know the bare basics), one uses gestures, one vocalizes and grunts, and the other uses a Communication device with an adaptive switch.

Would you know how to conversate with all of them? Do you feel you could have their wants and needs met? Would you know what to do if the communication device becomes outdated? broken? Who to call when you they want a new one? What else would you want to know (communication-wise) about the way they interact/communicates with their world and how the world interacts/commuicates with them?

A coworker and I are tasked with writing a lesson plan on what a group home should know about nonverbal communication. Since she and I are familiar with the topic, I figured I would ask a bunch of random people to get a sampling.

Imagine yourself working at a group home for Intellectually Disabled adults. (Please no rude comments - it's a waste of your time and mine.) All 4 guys are nonverbal and communicate different ways. One uses American Sign Language (you know the bare basics), one uses gestures, one vocalizes and grunts, and the other uses a Communication device with an adaptive switch.

Would you know how to conversate with all of them? Do you feel you could have their wants and needs met? Would you know what to do if the communication device becomes outdated? broken? Who to call when you they want a new one? What else would you want to know (communication-wise) about the way they interact/communicates with their world and how the world interacts/commuicates with them?

A coworker and I are tasked with writing a lesson plan on what a group home should know about nonverbal communication. Since she and I are familiar with the topic, I figured I would ask a bunch of random people to get a sampling.

Imagine yourself working at a group home for Intellectually Disabled adults. (Please no rude comments - it's a waste of your time and mine.) All 4 guys are nonverbal and communicate different ways. One uses American Sign Language (you know the bare basics), one uses gestures, one vocalizes and grunts, and the other uses a Communication device with an adaptive switch.

Would you know how to conversate with all of them? Do you feel you could have their wants and needs met? Would you know what to do if the communication device becomes outdated? broken? Who to call when you they want a new one? What else would you want to know (communication-wise) about the way they interact/communicates with their world and how the world interacts/commuicates with them?

I graduated college almost 8 years ago with a mediocre GPA, a 2.50 to be exact. I'm debating on going back to college or taking online courses to get my masters degree. But a lot of programs require at least a 3.0 GPA or higher which I don't have. At the time when I was in school, I was concentrating more on my boyfriend than school work which is why I have a lower GPA. I don't exactly want to go back to college and retake the courses that I did poorly in.

Any suggestions?

When my son was born, the hospital delivery nurses & doctor told my husband and I "your son could have broken his collarbone. There isn't anything that can be done but just to watch it." At a month old, we discovered that he had a small bump on his collarbone and notified his doctor. She sent us for an xray that determined in fact that he did break it when he was born. My son didn't take his first steps until he was 22 months and a few days later had an MRI of his spine to determined why he is such a late walker. They found that his first 2 vertibrate aren't normal and have too much space between his vertibrate and cord. He is now enrolled in physical therapy, occupational therapy, and an educational therapy. All his doctor appointments, therapies, and medical tests cost $$.

I am not the type of person who sues a doctor or any other professional for $$. But my son's neurologist and orthopedist question whether the OB who delivered my son pressed on his neck, causing some breakage/damage. Do we persue a malpractice suit against the OB who delivered my son? I only want the $$ for the copays for doctor appointments, hospital bills paid, and $$ for time off work that I've taken for multiple appointments a month. We have medical insurance but $500/MRI, $35/doctor appointment, and I lose $50/day each time I take my son to a medical appointment. We have easily totalled up to $1500 in the last 6 months.

What's your advice?

I have been married for about 3 years now and together we have two children. My husband was not ready to be a dad let alone be a married man. He spends most of his free time playing video games or sleeping rather than caring for his wife or kids. I feel like I am a single mom raising two young children with a roommate who helps out when he wants to. I clean, cook, grocery shop, and pay bills ... he transfers me $1000.00 once a month to pay for 1/2 of the bills. I can't remember the last time he told me he loved me or kissed me just because.

I am still in love with a friend from my past. This friend of mine and I have never met. We met online in 2000 and have talked ever since. He's been to Iraq several times and is not married or has a girlfriend. We talk about everything and he continues to encourage me to do what's best for me and the children. He has never once told me to leave my husband for him. I have confessed that I still had feelings for him that are different than the ones I have for my husband. He confessed to me that he is still in love with me but has accepted that I am married to someone else. I know my images of him are different than who he truly is. He knows that I am different than what he believes that I am.

I do not want to leave my husband for a thousand reasons. I married him, not this other man. I don't want to ship my children to and from their father's house nor do I want to fight him in any sort of court. We have spoken about divorce many times but he threatens to take both children from me. The children he has confessed "bother him." We don't have the money to pay for 2 divorce lawyers nor can reach an agreement outside of court.

What should I do? Should I supress my feelings for my friend and work harder on my marriage? Should I divorce my husband and start a relationship with my friend? My friends and family anticipate a divorce. His family has already suggested to him that he needs to get custody papers filed immediately.

It's time for my husband and I to buy a townhouse. We've lived in an apartment for years and are ready to take the step and purchase something of our own. We chose a townhouse because of it being low maintenance and just enough room for us. There's a new town-home community being built near our house and we've met with them a few times. One question still is left unanswered.

The manager keeps telling us "as long as you do your taxes right, you'll be paying $835/month instead of $1100/month." I've researched it online and can't seem to wrap my head around it. Do we pay $1093/month then claim the interest on our taxes that we spent? If so, then we can claim $3096?? (I understand that I could claim the standardize deduction). How is that so? The government is not going to give me the money back ... Why not just keep it on the loan, then our mortgage will be $4000 closer to $0. And do we claim the interest every year? Or is this a one time thing?

Someone just explain it in simple easy terms. Our mortgage loan will be about $160,000.

I know I am already in pre-labor since I keep having mild period cramps w/ some back aches. At the doctor's last Friday, I was dilated to 4cm and not contracting at all. But since Monday night, I have been having regular contractions and they have progressively gotten worse. They aren't horrible where I can barely talk or walk - I feel them and they hurt. I don't want to go to the hospital just yet to avoid paying the $300 fee to be turned around hours later. I am 38 weeks along and had a 10lb baby last year. I am scheduled to be induced next Wednesday.

We called the hospital who told us "call your dr" who said "if you are concerned and want to be checked, go in." So it's basically up to us. What should I do? What are my chances of being sent home to wait another day or so until labor really gets started? Or should I use primrose oil to soften my cervix and hopefully break my water?

My husband and I were talking this morning about our taxes. Currently, we send our 13 month old to a private (stay at home mom) daycare. We pay $100/week for her to watch our son. So far, he's only been in her care for about 14 weeks and by the end of the year, we will have paid her about $2400. I am expecting a second child in late October and she will be watching our newborn as well. Our question is what type of tax return will we receive? Most websites estimate between 20% and 35% returned which is acceptable for us. Do we need documentation stating that we've paid this amount to her AND that she received the amount? Combined, my husband and I make between $55,000-$65,000/year. Any help or advice will be appreciated. Thanks.

My son, who is 11 months old, isn't walking or crawling yet (I know that's normal and I am not worried about him). Yesterday, our childcare provider pointed out to me that my son doesn't stand on his feet evenly and has one foot turned while the other hardly bares any weight. She suggested to take him to the Stride Rite store to get him shoes. Can anyone suggest a shoe for us to buy? I want to know ahead of time so if I get a clueless store clerk, I'll know what to get.

I didn't think naming our daughter would be this tough, but my husband and I can't agree or settle on a name. What do you all think about the name Emmaline Leigh? Her brother is named Benjamin Steve

My son goes to a woman's house to has an almost 2 year old. (She turns 2 in a few weeks). My husband and I want to buy her daughter a birthday gift but don't know what to get her. What would be an appropriate present for the birthday girl? I was thinking the Crayola paint sets for toddlers.

I don't exactly know what type of answer or advice I'm looking for but both my husband and I are miserable in our marriage. We have an almost 8 month old son and have been married a little less than 18 months. My husband and I work completely opposite shifts to avoid the cost of daycare but by doing this, I believe it's cost us our marriage instead. We hardly see each other and if we do, we argue/fight about something before one of us heads off to bed. I know it isn't good for our son to be exposed to us fighting. We both are comfortable in our jobs but know working opposite shifts causes us problems. When we have a day off together, it's normally filled with grocery shopping, visiting family members, or spent in separate rooms of the house. Both of us feel like a single parent living with a roommate.

As miserable as I am in my marriage, I refuse to bring my personal drama to work. My coworkers think I live an awesome life but that I am tired of working an opposite shift of my husband. My husband is completely opposite - all his coworkers know that our marriage is almost finished. He talks with them about divorce, how controlling/overbearring I am. He talks with them about our money issues and how I retreat to my parents house with our son almost every other weekend.

Several months ago, I made an appointment to see a marriage counsler but my husband got angry and ended up cancelling it. In every fight, I suggest that we should seek counseling and advise him to make the appointment which he doesn't.

Any advice? Any relateable stories? Encouragement? I don't want to get a divorce since I feel the main cause of our arguements/fights and our feelings towards each other are based on the lack of attention from our spouse, lack of sleep, and completely different schedules. I still love him and want to be with him and that's exactly it, I want to be WITH him ... physically.

I just started playing AC again after being away from it for a year. Does anyone want to exchange friend codes?

I am about 8 weeks pregnant and have no symptoms at all. This is my 4th pregnancy and with each one I dealt with morning sickness, hard stomach, tight clothes, sore breasts, being tired all the time, and mood swings. I made a doctor's apppointment already and have expressed my concerns to my doctor. I did test positive to 2 HPTs and have had two missed periods. Has anyone else discovered they were pregnant but had absolutely no symptoms?? I just need some reasonable advice to what could be going on.

Someone explain to me the Health Care bill that Congress just passed. I have read several articles and notes about the bill, but I kind of just want to know how it will be effecting me and my family. My husband and I work full time and have a 7 month old son. We make between $50,000 and $65,000/year and don't consider ourselves poor. We have good health insurance, no pre-existing conditions, and rather healthy people.

What does the bill mean for us? I know it's an increase in taxes ... but how will it effect us other than that.

A coworker of mine is getting married in May, so our department is throwing her a bridal shower. She likes the color green so we thought it might be fun if we brought in food that is green. We have a whole list of different food items but I wanted to make some kind of dip. I regularly make chips from baking tortillas that I've cut up. My idea is to use Spinach tortillas but I don't know what kind of dip I should make. So here is the question ... do any of you have a dip recipe or can think of something that will go well with spinach tortilla chips?

My son is about 8 weeks old. For the 6 weeks that I was home with him, he was on a good schedule.

Wake Up: 6am; Short Nap: 10am-12pm; Long Nap: 3pm-6pm; Bedtime: 9pm. I would eat/feed, play, do errands + housework between the naps. He would eat every 4-6 hours.

Now that I have returned to work and my husband is caring for him during the day, my husband has decided that the schedule doesn't work. My husband feeds my son every 3 hours and lets him sleep whenever the baby gets tired. Somedays, I get home at 5pm to find a screaming baby who hasn't taken a nap all day. My husband hands me my son and tells me that he needs to go to sleep (he works nights).

What was/is your schedule for your baby? I thought I had a pretty decent schedule so that both my husband and I could sleep at least 6 hours. Please help.

I just had my son on Thursday and started breastfeeding him while still in the hospital. Now that we are home, husband and I find it easier to pump and feed him by bottle. Today, I started producing breastmilk. My question is this ... how long should I pump for? until the soreness in my breasts goes away? While pumping should I massage my breasts to help the breastmilk come out? When I do pump and massage a certain area of my breast that part goes down and the soreness disapears - which makes me think I should be massaging all over my breasts while I pump and don't stop until the soreness goes away. I know I should be pumping every 2-3 hours to help my breasts not to be completely engorged.

My other question is about how much should I be producing? I know every person is different ... but should it be a full 4oz this soon? I am only getting about an ounce/20ml-30ml with both breasts.