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Original poster

Living In America ..You say Goodbye, I say Hello, ...

611 replies

kickassangel · 04/07/2009 14:46

New Thread.

OP posts:
Original poster
kickassangel · 25/09/2009 01:22

dh & dd always get flu shots & now that i can get them, i will too (NHS wouldn't let me, it was better for me to miss 2 weeks of teaching every year, apparently)

they can give people mild symptoms for a day or two, but are WAY better than getting flu, specially if you have asthma.

we have also taken dd out of school for 'special' things. in MI we're allowed up to 10 days in each school semester (which is loads when you consider that they have 7 weeks less school anyway). even as a teacher in the UK, i thought it was just kind of inevitable for international students.

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dooneygirl · 25/09/2009 15:07

At DS' school, you can have 4 unexcused absences per month and not "get in trouble". I think that is utterly ridiculous. They told me I could take DS out of school so I could take DD to her pumpkin patch field trip, which I think is utterly ridiculous as he's going to the exact same patch the day before, and she's coming along. I told them no.

I'm with you, Bunkups, in not wanting to take them out of school because I don't like the message it sends, but DS is also in Kindergarten, and I'm not sure if presented with a really cool trip if I'd be able to stay strong in my resolution not to take him out.

We were having a conversation about the SF vaccine at school. It is nice to see all of us are as torn about getting the vaccine or not.

Things are busy here. I'm a get things done in the morning person, but due to being a taxi, I don't have time to get anything done other than take them around to their various schools and exercise. So we have to do everything in the afternoon. It is funny to see how many people in the places we visit notice that we're off in our routine.

I caused an incident at DD's school. I have a mild heart condition where it goes into overload and beats too fast, and I passed out at her school, and they had an ambulance come. I used to do it all the time, but haven't done it in years, and I feel awful, because I really scared the teacher.

Earlybird, it sounds like you have our Oregon weather, and we've been having 90+ degree heat. Could you please send some, but not all, of the rain back. I miss it.

Shanster · 27/09/2009 14:54

Dooneygirl, you are most welcome to have the rain back! I just got back to Atlanta after a week in Glasgow and it is awful to see all of the flood damage (our house is fine though - thank goodness)!

It is odd, after nearly 6 years here I am finally thinking of it as 'home', I never thought that would happen. We always had a long term plan to go back to the UK, but now I am not so sure I want to.

I am not sure what to do about the SW vaccine either. I hate the idea of DD getting sick, but she is so small and the vaccine is not really tested is it?

Bunkups33 · 28/09/2009 01:34

Sounds dramatic Dooney! Are you ok?

I hadn't realised there were an allowed no. of days that kids can miss school. We are planning to go to Boston in Nov which would be 3 days and then maybe take the 4 days before spring break for a UK trip - doesn't sound like they'd mind too much about that.

We are giving flu shots a miss this year but will see what happens! If we are ill all winter we may rethink next year.

SF is different though - think we'll probably have that (although I heard somewhere there will be no where near enough vaccine to go round!).

Original poster
kickassangel · 28/09/2009 01:59

i have seen dh with flu & it's not pretty. his asthma isn't serious, but flu can involve a trip to hospital to be put on an oxygen machine, so a flu shot is def. worth it for us. every year it's a slightly new vaccine, adapted to the most likely strains,so it is always a bit different.

btw, i just found out that the yanks pronounce eczma as ex-zee-ma. another new one for me!

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jabberwocky · 28/09/2009 03:34

Gosh, dooney, that is a bit scary. You can have our rain too. It's gotten absolutely ridiculously wet here.

kickass, not all of us pronounce it that way. I always do a doubletake when I hear it - makes me think of the cold cream I used as a teen noxzeema or something like that.

Still getting new office sorted but am officially out of the old one so that's been cause for celebration

nooka · 28/09/2009 04:33

No rain here! Although it is now cold enough for the forest fires to have mostly burnt out, and we are allowed camp fires again, which is nice. It was a bit strange when we had big thunderstorms with virtually no rain.

Original poster
kickassangel · 28/09/2009 16:41

big rain here!

i was planning on doing the gardening, but may not brave the storms today.

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AnnieLaurie · 03/10/2009 04:54

Hello ladies - it's been a while.

Sorry, haven't checked in for so long, just been so, so busy with 3yo and DS2...now 8months and crawling, pulling up on furniture and practically walking - aargh!

Anyway, I really need your help, urgently. We are flying home to Uk on monday, and unlike first trip back with DS2 when I was bfeeding, this time I need to take bottles.

I have no idea what to do - I use Avent, which don't do a disposable system...just spent an hour in target staring at the various bottles and have come home with strange selection of playtex drop ins (whatever they may be!), ready-made bottles of similac and powder sachets of similac too.

Can I just sterilise all my avent bottles, fill with water and take them through security? Would they let me take, say 6 8oz bottles through?

Also, what about jars of babyfood. Do they make you taste that? If so, they will be no good surely after an hour or so, so useless.

Please, any advice would be really appreciated.

mananny · 03/10/2009 11:17

We just flew with a 12 week old from Europe to the States and back. Took sterile Avent bottles and premeasured formula powder, then bought bottled water after security in the airport. We warmed the bottles in a big paper cup of boiling water from Starbucks. They won't make you taste the baby food, but they will have a good look at it and check the seals probably - they inspected our formula powder as it was premeasured into a sectioned travel pot. Overall though the biggest PITA was taking the bloody Bugaboo apart to put through the xray machine!!! There was a security line in both Amsterdam and JFK marked families with liquids or something like that, so they are making steps to get the inspections done quickly by people who perhaps know what they are looking at/for. Good luck and happy travels! My charge slept most of the way there and back, just my luck as I wasn't on duty on the plane! As soon as we arrived at either end she went mental and was handed over to me while the parents went out for dinner. LOL.

AnnieLaurie · 04/10/2009 07:36

Thanks Mananny, that is all very helpful. Think will just take our avent bottles and hope for the best!

Original poster
kickassangel · 04/10/2009 22:45

i saw people suggesting on a 'long haul' thread that you can phone ahead to shops the other side of security & book the packs of pre-made baby milk. not sure if you can do that from the airport you'll use?

i sterilised until 1 year, then checked about something else, and realised that 6 months was recommended for bottles! so, if you sterilise before, and the bottles are empty, you should be ok to use them.

also, have seen mums going through with bottles of made up milk & having to taste them, but allowed to take them through.

jars of babyfood prob small enough to go through on the 3 oz limit.

actually, can't you now buy pre-made milk in packs, each one being only a few ounces? prob v expensive.

it's so bloody stupid, you can take through as much as you want, so long as each pack is only 3 oz.

OP posts:
Original poster
kickassangel · 05/10/2009 04:13

i saw people suggesting on a 'long haul' thread that you can phone ahead to shops the other side of security & book the packs of pre-made baby milk. not sure if you can do that from the airport you'll use?

i sterilised until 1 year, then checked about something else, and realised that 6 months was recommended for bottles! so, if you sterilise before, and the bottles are empty, you should be ok to use them.

also, have seen mums going through with bottles of made up milk & having to taste them, but allowed to take them through.

jars of babyfood prob small enough to go through on the 3 oz limit.

actually, can't you now buy pre-made milk in packs, each one being only a few ounces? prob v expensive.

it's so bloody stupid, you can take through as much as you want, so long as each pack is only 3 oz.

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AnnieLaurie · 05/10/2009 05:29

Thanks Kickass - I am in denial that we are going. Sitting surrounded by piles of clothes and that's as far as I have got. Taxi coming to take us to airport at 3 tomorrow. Eek!!

So, what's going on with everyone here on the US thread - what have I been missing?

nooka · 05/10/2009 05:34

That's only for baby milk/food though, otherwise you have to fit all your 100ml liquids/gels into a 1 litre bag.

jabberwocky · 05/10/2009 14:04

Good luck with the trip Annie. Busy here trying to get new office opened and dealing with ds1 and his various behavior dramas.

Original poster
kickassangel · 06/10/2009 02:16

dd just had a play date & the little girl said NO to cookies we made & iced cos she's not allowed sweet things til after dinner!

wow! i am in awe (and fear) of the mother now.

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jabberwocky · 06/10/2009 02:47

Oh, my!!!

CheerfulYank · 06/10/2009 02:53

Yeesh, kickass! Sounds like a smug mama might be coming your way.

Original poster
kickassangel · 06/10/2009 14:00

i saw their house, though. i am smug on the housework side
i think she's just a bit 'hippyish' by US standards, e.g. lots of pets, eats healthy foods, has a 'bohemian' style of housekeeping. actually think i might like her, and send dd round there when she needs pulling into line.

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CheerfulYank · 07/10/2009 03:06

Oh right, one of those. I always get along well with them too.

"Smug on the housework side" eh? I shudder to think what you'd think about mine today. DS and I were sick all weekend and house slid into a some previously unreached hell dimension of messiness. Ugh! I'm sitting at the coffeeshop now but I really MUST go home and deal with it.

Annnnny minute now...

RatherBe · 07/10/2009 11:55

[coughs politely]

[knocks on door]

Hello - can I come in, please?

Looks like we are going to be moving to Boston for 2 years with Mr RatherBe's job - probably in January. I'm very excited. No definite plans so far (only confirmed yesterday and we haven't told the children (7 and 4) yet) but I was wondering if I could come and join you in anticipation?

dooneygirl · 07/10/2009 22:10

Hello all. Busy here. Just wanted to post so it would be back on my list of threads. Is anyone getting excited about Halloween yet? Maybe because I've been to the pumpkin patch 2 days in a row.

Welcome, RatherBe. Waves and hellos to everyone else.

jabberwocky · 07/10/2009 22:40

Welcome RatherBe! My nephew lives in Boston and loves it. Mananny was there too and still drops into the thread from time to time.

dooney, Halloween is my favorite holiday The boys have been to the pumpkin patch and are eagerly awaiting a night of sugar-buzz high.

Bunkups33 · 07/10/2009 23:15

Welcome Ratherbe.

Can anyone help me by telling me what I'm supposed to do about Halloween?? We arrived in US in November so missed it last year and I'm fed up of getting caught out (valentines day cards; may day baskets etc etc).

We are going to the pumpkin patch with DS's preschool so we'll have pumpkins but what else do I need to do?