Larger Car?
 

Very. I know because my youngest likes to walk past her car seat and sit in the thrid row, which she is not big enough to do. I am 6 ft tall and I simply stepped in the car and stepped between the seats to get her. If you get the center console, it pops out. I fit in the third row quite comfortably, the seat is roomy, legroom comfy, it has airbags back there and even third row cup holders! lol!

babe
 

A high chair in the kitchen with mashed up fruit/apple sauce etc..to play with/eat.... or those biscuit things that turn to mush when

babe
 

Don't leave us hanging!! When do they turn to mush???!!!

babe
 

When the firemen come and spray water all over the place to put out the fire you started by trying to cook and nurse simultaneously.

Thanks to all y'all.

babe
 

tell everyone what you've named your son!

babe
 

You know my boy cat's name. The child in question is a girl child, and is not mine.

Larger Car?
 

Hmm. So, you were able to find a late-model used one? How much did it run, if you don't mind my asking. I know they're about $40K new, right?

We might just have to test-drive and see.

tm

babe
 

sorry - lol...when they make contact with copious amount of drool!

Larger Car?
 

Finding them used is a b%#^%!!! I did find 3 used in rhode Island, and they were clearly having someone drive them to get to the 7500 mile requirement for sale in Massachusetts. MB was running one of their cheap interest rate, like 2% so I ended up buying new, but I'll tell you I filled it up last week and the gas mileage is so much better than my wagon, not too mention currently running about $.45 per gallon less. And I have driven significantly more than usual over the long weekend.

There are used ones out there...I'd go to the MB website and do a search there because you can search all over the country. If we weren't trading in my husband's gas guzzler, I probably would have waited and found a used one.

Decorating Kids Rooms
 

Looking for a comforter for the white wood, twin size sleigh bed from Pottery Barn and I swear it's taking me longer than my entire adoption did. Along with the bed is a night table and extra wide dresser (both white wood -- I need that to brighten the room). The comforter/duvet is what I want to work around in terms of putting the room together (window treatments, wall color, throw rug). The carpet is a non-offensive beige berber type rug (I will get a throw rug to match the comforter and window treatments, which will be floor-to-ceiling over each of the 2 windows in the room). I really love toille, and I also love this set from Pottery Barn:

French Rose - Blue:
http://www.potterybarnkids.com/produ...&cm%5Fsrc=hero

But my sister says it is not bright enough and also looks too oldish, and the place will look like a "guest room" instead of a kid room if I use that. She suggests this instead:

Blue Cherry Blossom
http://www.potterybarnkids.com/produ...key=rromgirbcb

I like that too but.....

Vietbabe's color is any shade of blue -- I am at least decided on that. I had looked at blue toilles but everyone nixed them b/c it was too "old" looking.

Please put me out of comforter-pattern-picking misery!!

Decorating Kids Rooms
 

I've always been a fan of Garnet Hill. I've bought a bunch of duvet covers from them, and I've always been happy with how they make my room bright and cheerful. It seems like they have a kids' section too.

Decorating Kids Rooms
 

In percale, whale, bandana, cat's chorus, and elephants are predominantly blue (or have predominantly blue option). I like the elephants the best. Penguins of course win hands down for flannel in winter, but that's probably not what you are interested in right now.

Decorating Kids Rooms
 

My daughter has that 1st one, and I really like it.

I also like the stuff from this place quite a bit -

http://www.kookoobearkids.com/departments.asp?dept=1782

and this place as well -

http://www.landofnod.com/category.as...c=1&srccd=y112

Decorating Kids Rooms
 

I love the stuff from Company Kids.
http://www.thecompanystore.com/dept....AbsolutePage=1

The Brazenette has the quilt with the butterflies, and then I made (yes, MADE!) butterflies and dragonflies to hang from her ceiling.

Sheets, I pretty much buy whatever's cute and on sale.

I figure she's got a lifetime of big-girl bedding. I've only got a chance to really cute it up for a little while.

Decorating Kids Rooms
 

why not garage sale? as B&B notes, the kid can't tell. I say, unless you can afford $50/bottle wine, you're better off saving the money.

Say you have kid number 2. Aren't they getting to use/wear hand me downs? Why treat no. 1 better? be fair.

Bedding
 

Wow. Thanks for all the suggestions and links. I ordered both from Pottery Barn and may get a third from one of the links posted here. Then, when the furniture gets here and Dad and bro-in law are putting it together, Mom, sis and I can decide which looks best on it and I'll return the rest! (Of course, Vietbabe has no say in it!)

As for hand me downs and number 2....ouch. Don't know if I can go back to the terrifying infant stage (or come up with the funds for a second adoption). But....as my basement flooded, I called the parents and asked them to please store Vietbabe's crib and changing table furniture "just in case." I just can't bring myself to sell it and close the door on number 2. All the singles I know who have adopted are on number 2 already and my good single friend has 4 adopted kiddos. I don't know how they do it. I'm getting spoiled with my new found freedom. I tell you what -- when your one child hits about 3, being single with one kid is definitely easier than being married with 2 or more kids. I never expected that.

Proud moments in parenting.
 

The Brazenette just walked into my office, naked from the waist down and declared, "By the way, Mommy, I've decided to go commando."

Proud moments in parenting.
 

From proud moment to sad commentary on the times of our childrens' lives: just heard from the Mrs., who is currently entertaining an afternoon play date with 3 kindergarden girls and a 1st grader (plus the two-year-old in a cast). The girls are currently playing "lock down," hiding under beds until someone gives the "clear" signal. Sounded like they were having a ball, but still....

Proud moments in parenting.
 

my daughter got on two kinds of probation her freshman year in college. Go ahead- top it.

Proud moments in parenting.
 

My friends and sister and I used to tie each other up with scarves, to see if we could tie someone up so securely she couldn't get free, and look how I turned out! It will all be OK. Hiding is an undervalued talent.

Proud moments in parenting.
 

Translation: Ollie's kids will like the noir one day, too.

Father's Day in Anaheim
 

So I spent Father's Day with the Gaplets at Disneyland. Because -- let's admit it, guys -- we can moan and bitch about wanting to watch the games all day, or searing some meat on the grill, but what we really want to do is spend some time in Anaheim. Am I right, or am I right?

By the way, Disneyland says "hi."

So while I was sitting in a flat boat listening to It's a Small World, I contemplated how much Disney (and theme parks generally) are about time management. Really, they're almost entirely about time management, as attested by the existence of the sprawling cottage industry dedicated to maximizing your fun/minimizing your dollars and headaches at these things.

I was reminded of this scientific discipline when I saw Disney's new Finding Nemo Submarine ride, located, somewhat improbably, in Tomorrowland.

http://www.mouseinfo.com/gallery/files/1/NemoSub3.jpg

For the last month or two, the greater Southern California area as been saturated with a media blitz worthy of a major motion picture, all dedicated to this friggin' ride. It "launched" earlier this month.

Anticipating the deluge, I was wary of getting anywhere near it. Instead, I encouraged the boys instead to focus on Buzz Lightyear or Autopia or PleaseGodAnythingButThat. Fortunately, they were content with those options, and we didn't have to have an argument about Nemo. But I could see from afar the attention it's getting.

I remember press reports suggesting that the ride is designed to process about 3000 passengers per hour. That's a Herculean number, to be sure, but it only makes more daunting the line that assembled to ride it. At the end, the sign suggested that the wait time was 150 minutes.

No, really. 150 minutes.

The ride itself lasts 12 minutes. I honestly couldn't think of a justifiable reason for a 2.5 hour wait in the sun for a 12 minute payoff, at least not one that legitimately could be found within the confines of a children's amusement park. So we moved on.

Gattigap

Duff beer for me, duff beer for you . . .
 

Doesn't this suggest that while about time management, it's about maximizing the amount of time you can wait without revolting?

Father's Day in Anaheim
 

aHHHH, as a youth a typical Friday night involved a 4 hour wait for a 12 SECOND payoff . . .

Double stroller update
 

So after going back and forth, we bought a Phil & Teds Sport (the successor to the e3), and I tried it for the first time this weekend (albeit with only 1 kid, because No. 2 isn't scheduled to make an appearance until August). It's light, agile, and my kid was comfortable, which si all you can ask for.

Double stroller update
 

Did you get an iPhone yet?

I Am a Cliche
 

We ended up getting a Honda Odyssey EX-L with DVD. It's huge, with more bells and whistles than we've ever had before (leather seats, zoned climate controls, in-dash CD changer, DVD system, 15! cup holders, heated seats, etc. etc.).

tm

I Am a Cliche
 

I only have 8 cup holders in my sedan. Damn. I feel inadequate.

I Am a Cliche
 

But you don't have any kids. So you could pack in 8 big gulps just for you. Or 4 big gulps and four of those tubes of cookies in cupholder size packages.

Mmmm (zero cupholders and proud of it) Burger

I Am a Cliche
 

What do you drive? A Yugo?

I Am a Cliche
 

I like your sig line almost as much as if it were one I had written. I don't drink big gulps, but I may have to get one of those Simpsons drinks at the Kwik-E-Mart. I can't remember the name. I may have a sinus infection.

At Citibank we will meet accidentally.
 

She wants the car with the cupholder armrest. Can you blame her?

I have four cupholders in my Geezermobile sedan. I use all of them at once on occasion, primarily when I am stocking up on bottles of Ale-8 and Wink for those long drives to depositions in Beaucoup Egypt and Fur Peace.

I Am a Cliche
 

A squishee?

I Am a Cliche
 

A car made for driving, not imbibing. Appearances to the contrary, I can go without food and water for durations greater than the usual car trip.

At Citibank we will meet accidentally.
 

Not Bob dropping the Cake references. Hip. Ster.

From Little League
 

Nice that they care to write me only when urged to by financial interests:
Dear Little League Volunteer:

In case you haven’t heard, the New York City Council voted to ban the use of aluminum bats for all high school games played in the City. Now, similar legislation is pending for the entire state of New York – legislation that would ban all non-wood bats from being used in all Little League games.

At Little League, nothing is more important to us than child safety and I can report to you that a ban on aluminum bats is not necessary. It will harm our game and make it less enjoyable for the millions of children who safely play the game today, just as it has been safely played for the last forty years.

Little League Baseball has joined a coalition of parents, coaches and bat makers to oppose this unnecessary ban.

The Coalition is named “Don’t Take My Bat Away” and I urge you to join.

Please log onto their website,www.DTMBA.com, and carefully review the facts and the science behind Little League’s decision to support the safe use of both wood and aluminum bats.

I’m proud that Little League has led the way in developing batting helmets, the modern catcher’s chest protector, helmet and mask. We banned head first sliding for safety reasons and we also abolished the on-deck circle ten years ago. Just this year, we implemented a pitch count to protect our players’ young arms.

If there was a safety-driven reason to ban aluminum bats, we would support it. There isn’t and that’s why I urge you to get involved.

Please log onto DTMBA.com and join our growing coalition.

Sincerely,

Steve Keener

Little League InternationalP.O. Box 3485539 US Route 15 HwyWilliamsport, PA 17701-0485

Phone: 570-326-1921
Fax: 570-326-1074


P.S. Please don’t allow the New York Legislature to ban the safe use of aluminum bats in New York. Log onto the Don’t Take My Bat Away Coalition’s webpage (DTMBA.com) and join Little League, Babe Ruth Baseball, the National High School Baseball Coaches Association, and many other groups that have studied this issue so we can work together to fight the ban. Please log on now – before it’s too late.

__________________________

Later, I find out that the person responsible for this is that lying immunity-shrined dirtbag, Ari Fleischer

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/...ap3891315.html

From Little League
 

What happened to the aluminum bats that were no more powerful than wood bats?

Back to School Shoes
 

Vietbabe is going to Kindergarten in a green plaid jumper and green knee socks (and will hate me for it when she's older but oh well). Would love to have her in fabulous leather shoes. Should I go for penny loafers of some sort? Look for shoes made from Italy somewhere? I found leather penny loafers on the internet but they seem to be for boys:

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2888546?...cole_reaction_'pen_%26_paper'_loafer_(toddler):14846&cm_ven=nextag&mr:referralID=9826e88a-4895-4a66-81de-3a9ab31d008e

Ideas? Thanks. PS - she is a size 9 which is still a "toddler" size.

Back to School Shoes
 

Holy crap. My daughter, who turns 3 next month, is a size 9. Perhaps I should sign her up for the circus now.

OK, so that wasn't particularly helpful. How about Stride Rite - http://www.striderite.com/jump.jsp?i...bCat=43&page=2

Or Vincent - http://www.vincentshoestore.us/shop/...&bSubmit=Go%21

Or Brooks - http://brooksshoesforkids.com/catego...ef1badc1230269

Back to School Shoes
 

Or zappos.com or piperlime.com .