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

611 replies

kickassangel · 04/07/2009 14:46

New Thread.

OP posts:
kickassangel · 07/09/2009 02:17

mac & cheese (homemade) with veg chucked in as well.

we pretty much don't have dinner midweek, too much going on & dd & H get proper meals at lunch time. it's stuff like soup, salad, deli things. which is quite helathy (home made bread, fresh meat & salad). then we'll do one or two 'proper meals' at the weekend, some of which are used later for left overs.

OP posts:
SuperBunny · 09/09/2009 16:24

Oink oink,

I have Swine Flu.

How's everyone? Where's mananny?

Shanster · 09/09/2009 22:41

dooney - I'm going to try to make those buffalo chicken wraps, I am addicted to buffalo chicken but this recipe sounds a bit more healthy. Also am addicted to chick filA, if I ever move home I would really miss my chick filA sandwich and coleslaw treats!
Wondering if any of you can offer some advice on flying back to the UK with a baby? I did it a few months ago when DD was really tiny, and she slept the whole time so it was dead easy. Is it really wrong to give her benadryl (sp)? I had a quick look at medicines like this today at the shops, and they all said not to give to babies under 2...DD will be 8 months old.
What is safe to give her? I realize drugging my child is probably very wrong of me, put I am very, very tired and it is a long flight!

Shanster · 09/09/2009 22:53

dooney - I'm going to try to make those buffalo chicken wraps, I am addicted to buffalo chicken but this recipe sounds a bit more healthy. Also am addicted to chick filA, if I ever move home I would really miss my chick filA sandwich and coleslaw treats!
Wondering if any of you can offer some advice on flying back to the UK with a baby? I did it a few months ago when DD was really tiny, and she slept the whole time so it was dead easy. Is it really wrong to give her benadryl (sp)? I had a quick look at medicines like this today at the shops, and they all said not to give to babies under 2...DD will be 8 months old.
What is safe to give her? I realize drugging my child is probably very wrong of me, put I am very, very tired and it is a long flight!

kickassangel · 10/09/2009 01:21

sb!! so you're one of the 100,000 they keep going on about.

shanster - no idea! only did short haul flights with dd until she was 4. even then, she slept quite well, though. personally, i wouldn't give benadryl - i know plenty of adults who get 'knocked out' by it

btw, i have tennis elbow & need to cut back on how much i'm using the laptop, so will be on mn a bit less (in theory) for a while

OP posts:
dooneygirl · 10/09/2009 02:43

We used to have a ChickFilA here at the mall. It closed forever ago, and I miss it so.

That's awful, SB. Hopefully Dinner doesn't get it.

Made it through Colin's first day of Kindergarten yesterday and Caitlin's first day of preschool today. It is an odd week, where he only went yesterday and will go Friday. I hate their school schedules. Colin goes from 8-10:40 every day, and Caitlin goes from 9-11:30 every day. So on Monday and Friday, I have about an hour and 20 minutes to myself, and Wednesday is just stupid, because the school does 1 hour early release even for the K's, so my schedule will be take him to school at 8, come home, be home for about 1/2 hour, take Caitlin to school, come home, be home for about 20 minutes, go get Colin, come home, be home for a little over an hour, and then go get her.

jabberwocky · 10/09/2009 03:57

SB hope you get well soon.

dooney that schedule sounds absolutely maddening! Whoever came up with something like that should have a dozen kids all in different grades and schools to haul around for a month.

SuperBunny · 10/09/2009 09:28

I agree, Jabber! That schedule is ridiculous - I know people in Chicago who have similar. How anyone manages to have a life outside the school run, I don't know.

I have lost my apetite with this flu but desperately wanted crappy sliced white bread so have bought a loaf of kingsmill - it's a bit like wonderbread, I think. I NEVER eat stuff like that!

jabberwocky · 11/09/2009 03:09

lol, I craved that when pg with ds1. It drove dh mad

so how terrible is swine flu? Dh and I are currently paralyzed with fear and biting nails, wringing hands, etc. with the thought of possibly having to vaccinate the boys. Ds1 as you know has lots of sensory issues and ds2 has eczema and this more recent history of mysterious monthly fevers.

dooneygirl · 11/09/2009 03:43

I'm the same way about swine flu. Normally I'm not bothered, but with Colin's turning everything into croup, and his febrile seizure, I actually think about and worry about it when I can't sleep at night.

SuperBunny · 11/09/2009 10:10

I know, it's a worry isn't it? For me, it hasn't been too terrible - just a really high fever for 2 days then a lower one for a couple more, coupled with a really nasty cough, horrible aching all over and now a bad cold. It really isn't pleasant but should be over within a few days. It must be horrible for children to get it, especially those who may have other complications, like Colin's croup or sensory problems - can you get the vaccine? Here, they are expecting everyone to get it this fall so I am sort of glad I have got it over and done with. Amazingly, Dinner hasn't had it, despite the fact that the 3 adults he lives with have all had it. I don't know what they're expecting in the US.

mathanxiety · 11/09/2009 17:07

Benadryl can have the effect of turning some people really hyper, so it might really backfire. I wouldn't give it anyway. You're probably going to have to bring DD's carseat in the plane and strap it into the plane seat, so you'll be able to have her sleep there. Babies usually follow their own sleep schedule no matter where they are, so she's bound to fall asleep some time. Whatever you do, don't let the stewards put you in a bulkhead seat where you can't stow your necessary bags under the seat in front. It's miserable to have to reach up to the overhead compartment every time you need something for you or the baby. If they insist, try to keep the stuff you really need close at hand in a small bag, or bother the staff constantly for your bag . Make sure DD is sucking something at takeoff and while descending to keep ear pain away.

jabberwocky · 12/09/2009 03:20

omg, i probably shouldn't share this but I am really getting quite neurotic with fear. We've only had 5 swine flu deaths in the whole state but one on Monday was a 6 year old in our town. She was in a different school from ds1 but I just want to take the whole family to a biosphere now

Shanster · 13/09/2009 02:04

jabberwocky, that's quite scarey. Can't wait until October when the vaccne is available!

jabberwocky · 13/09/2009 02:15

That's another reason for my freaked-outedness. Ds1 has Sensory Processing Disorder, possibly Asperger's so new vaccines are terrifying I'm thinking we will try to find the attenuated version if we do it. I just don't know what to do...I worry about it all the time and this has really almost pushed me over the edge. Ds1 is finally doing better after much therapy. I just want to go hide somewhere until it's all over.

SuperBunny · 14/09/2009 19:17

Oh Jabber, I'm sorry It IS scary, isn't it? TBH, I wouldn't vaccinate DS. It won't be nice if he gets SF but at least it is most likely to be over and done with in a few days. One of the children at work is off with something very similar to what I had. I feel quite bad

mananny · 14/09/2009 19:57

Hello everyone just a quickie, I am in NYC for a week with my new bosses, went to visit my twins this weekend, which was fabulous I am ok, crazy busy, looking forward to some sleep in about 3 weeks...

Hope everyone else is well... have ordered a Buffalo chicken wrap for lunch, they are my fave too

jabberwocky · 16/09/2009 21:38

Enjoy mananny! Your new family sounds fab

SuperBunny · 17/09/2009 19:01

Enjoy NYC, Mananny. Hope you are ok.

Bunkups33 · 19/09/2009 23:48

So will everyone get swine flu vaccine here do you think? I have been surprised at the HUGE pressure from the kids' doctor about regular flu shots (not H1N1) as we decided not to have them.

We seem to be in a minority but in my(limited) exp flu shots make people ill.

I agree with SB Jabberwocky - just don't give him the vaccine.

tadjennyp · 21/09/2009 17:57

I think there's pressure here in OR to get flu shots for toddlers too. I don't fancy it really as they seem to be vaccinated against everything here. What would you lot do?

jabberwocky · 21/09/2009 18:31

We have never done the regular flu vaccine so won't be getting that.

You are right about the pressure from the pediatrician. He has dh convinced that we need it but I'm going to try to hold off. I've been talking to ds1 a lot about germs, coughing in your elbow, etc. The recent death here has me very rattled

Bunkups33 · 22/09/2009 16:00

I have a question re school.

DD has started K this year. Dh has a conference in Boston in Nov and will be away for 3 days. We are wondering whether to go with him.

Would it be terrible to take DD out of school? I didn't think I approved of taking kids out of school but we really want to make the most of being here and vist places - Boston is definitely on the list!

I worry a bit about the message it sends her but I guess there is plenty of time for school to get serious when she is a bit older.

What would you do??

Thanks

jabberwocky · 22/09/2009 23:28

We took ds1 out for things like that. Just be sure to let the school know and don't go over the allowed un-excused days. We were kind of lax and got a letter for ds1 missing too many days.

Earlybird · 23/09/2009 02:08

Both dd and I have had flu shots every year following her first year at school where she got every virus, and passed it on to me. We spent most of that school year coming down with something, ill, or recovering but thankfully both of us have been very healthy since then (knock wood).

I feel a undecided and a bit anxious about the flu shots this year. The virus sounds ominous (potentially) if you don't have the shot, but the shot seems to have risks too. It's a real dilemma.

On another note: as one of the few M'netters in the southeastern part of the USA, can I just say that we are literally drowning in this endless rain. Typical rainfall for this month is 2", and we have so far had 8" with another big/powerful storm due within the hour. Our yard is a squishy, soggy, muddy mess as are all the parks, playing fields, playgrounds, etc. And when it is not raining, the heat and humidity rival the Brazilian rainforest (at least, how I imagine it to be). Yuck. Going outside is nasty atm.

Here's hoping that this moves on within the next few days and we get some lovely indian summer weather.