amstalder

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Everything posted by amstalder

  1. Sciatic nerve pain, maybe? And to answer the original question: changing a diaper We never quite figured out what happened in my back (had an immediate MRI to rule out a herniated disk), but it sure sucked for a while.
  2. My husband's family does a week on the beach every year. 25 people stuffed into one house! Whew, that was an adjustment (especially since I've never actually gone WITH him, he's always had to work) given that I have NO extended family, just my parents and sibling. We've talked about meeting family other places for a vacation, but they always end up coming to us since we move so much.
  3. I'm sure she's seen worse than you want to consider
  4. Hey, we are living near tokyo. There's a DZ just north of the city, but we haven't been yet (long trip with a two year old in tow). You have to arrange your trip a week prior so they can file paperwork. There's a membership fee/insurance (prorated for one month, I believe) and you have to buy jump tickets in advance (pricey outside the 30 jump ticket block). You'd need to take shinkansen to get up here (about a 3 hour trip from Kyoto to Tokyo) then local train and bus to get there. There are two other Japan dz's listed on here. Maybe one is closer to Kyoto. I'm sure the fees and paperwork issues will be the same. Best of luck!! I've heard it's worth the trouble to jump here. Enjoy your time in Japan! Kyoto is a great place to be for a couple weeks.
  5. You guys are making me really nervous for if Patrick ever leaves the military (not that he's necessarily treated any better, it's just a familiar type of crap).
  6. Definitely neither. It's a hotdog. No matter what you put on it, there's really no dressing it up
  7. What she said. I drove Austin to SE Alabama and back last year (thankfully broken up by about 8 months, but with a toddler). Torture. Pure torture. Even with interesting audiobooks. Best of luck to you!!
  8. amstalder

    Broke my butt

    Dislocated tailbone? Yikes. I hear those little donut pillow help with tailbone injuries.
  9. You should have seen Valinda flying with the kids when they were little. She was pro, with toys and snacks and books to keep them busy. I'd be up front in the cockpit and she'd have 'em all to herself. Valinda is a saint. Sam and I have our system down and he's a flying champ, but I have no idea where my sanity will be once there's more than one little rascal
  10. That's been known for years; not a secret at all. Here's the reasoning behind it I've read: The cost savings of carrying an infant on your lap will encourage you to fly. The extra expense of paying a full ticket for a small infant would encourage many young parents to change to an auto trip, which is much more likely to be involved in a fatal crash. So, basically, it's safer to fly with an unstrapped infant than to drive with one in a car seat. Ahh, the amazing things bean counters come up with. This. And frankly, flying with a lap baby is torturous after about 6 months, and I have a small kid. Can't tell you how relieved I was when he turned 2 and I no longer had to have the internal debate over buying him a seat or not.
  11. I realize this thread is a couple weeks old, but it's been awhile since I've been on... So it's new to me! If she can find a place that takes card, a plain old magnetic strip is fine. Remarkably, credit card use is pretty limited. Also, she'll likely only be able to get money out at the post office (double topped capital T on a red sign); they give a good rate. Tell her not to be frustrated if the lawson's ATMs don't work. Also, the yen is down currently compared to USD, so it's not AS expensive as everyone makes it out to be, thankfully. I hope she has a great time!
  12. Also, for you guys to read at your leisure
  13. Totally typical. My ears were pierced as a baby. They always give me trouble, so I don't wear earrings much, but they've never closed on me.
  14. I just wanted to point this out for anyone with little experience caring for an uncircumcised boy. The foreskin should NEVER be retracted for cleaning before it does so on its own (sometime between 2 and the end of puberty). Until that time, it is fused to the head of the penis.
  15. Could you provide a reference for that? In 2012, the Academy decided they are PRO circumcision, as is the World Health Organization. References: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/08/27/159955340/pediatricians-decide-boys-are-better-off-circumcised-than-not http://www.who.int/hiv/topics/malecircumcision/en/ They are absolutely pro circ http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/Newborn-Male-Circumcision.aspx And, while I'm here... this statement came out when I was pregnant with our little one, and I understood it to be an improvement on the 1999 statement on circumcision. After a little digging, I've actually discovered that while the two statements are quite similar, they've written the 2012 statement in a manner that is MUCH more pro circumcision than the previous one. So, I stand corrected. Not as much progress as I thought.
  16. I say this from my experience (and observations) having a baby in the age of the Internet, social media, and online communities.... I've noticed that most American parents who do not vaccinate also leave their boys intact. This just isn't something that's talked about much, as it's considered a personal issue, whereas many people feel someone's vaccination status is a threat to society. And in response to BMFin: I agree with you completely, I just figured I'd keep my original response Bonfire appropriate . I could spend a lot of time discussing the science of why parents should not circumcise. I do feel progress is being made in America, given that many insurance plans no longer cover routine infant circumcision and that the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend it as medically necessary. They are baby steps, but in the end, baby steps will make a difference.
  17. You will be the one wearing pie Nah. I'll pass. Whoever pies Ski gets a bottle of something from Japan. Dead serious. Also, I won't be making it. Boo. What if I pie myself? Won't count. Don't be a pussy. Take it like a man. This
  18. You will be the one wearing pie Nah. I'll pass. Whoever pies Ski gets a bottle of something from Japan. Dead serious. Also, I won't be making it. Boo.
  19. We left Korea last spring, we opted to hang up our rigs for our two years there. It just wasn't worth the cost to us, we used the money to travel instead. Good luck getting in the air. It's there, just depends on how much you want to spend to get it.
  20. We loved the Flying V Ranch when we were in MO. Really great people
  21. I know you fit her jumpsuits really well. Dang, but you two are a couple of cute moms.
  22. Most of us don't have any say in how our partners show up. Most men don't do anything to change how they are as adults, either way (although I did know one man, who was circumcised as an adult, and the results weren't nearly as elegant as if his parents had made that choice), and he said it was very painful, the worst he had ever encountered. Why am I the only gal to comment? Seems out of character for the usual females here. Here, I'll add another female opinion to the pile. I prefer uncircumcised. The foreskin has a purpose beyond just the extra sensation for the guy. It also helps to trap in moisture and lubrication so that things aren't drying out with each thrust. Genital hygiene is is genital hygiene, so I don't feel that that is a huge issue. A circumcised penis is equally capable of being gross. The preference isn't super strong by any means, but after a lot of research, my husband and I did choose to leave our son uncircumcised. It's his penis and he can do what he wants with it when he's an adult.... Hopefully, he won't stumble upon this post in 13 years....
  23. She's already done Supergirl. (Demo jump into a stadium) That's it. I want to be Valinda when I grow up. Also, I'll take flying. Not flying commercial sounds like a dream.
  24. I think everyone else has covered it pretty well. Our first hiatus was completely involuntary, but I'm about 98% certain that I don't want to jump while we're in Japan (don't tell my husband). We're making the drive to the DZ soon to see just how long it is, but I'm almost certain it's in the ballpark of 3-4 hours... Bunking with a toddler sounds even less appealing than bunking with an infant was.... That said, the sky isn't going anywhere, and I can tell you from experience, it will welcome you back with open arms.