I always thought it didn't make a lot of sense that rescues won't adopt to people with young kids but they are ready to burn people at the stake that give up pets because they have kids.

When my daughter was younger the line I got all the time was "She's beautiful! Where's her mother?"

Anonymous wrote:It depends. Why is race often included as "just a description" in an anecdote when it's a minority you are describing, but not a white person? Would you ever see the following?

While at Walmart today I noticed a group of Caucasian teenagers talking loudly and making a racket. They scared my children.

So why is it okay to "just describe" the group as Latino, or black, or Asian?

This is a GREAT point that I completely forgot to mention. When I was a lot younger I noticed in most of the books I read, the only time race was mentioned is if they were anything but white. Back then it kind of ticked me off, but now I just accept it as that's just the way it is.

Well it's generally advisable that almost all dental work is perfectly fine in the second trimester. There's extra caution in the first trimester, but this is more of a CYA approach as far as the dentist (and most other health care professionals are concerned) is concerned. The only restriction I've really seen for the first trimester is the use of nitrous oxide. It makes sense only because if something goes wrong with the pregnancy, it's more likely to happen in the first trimester.
Also, if you're TTC you probably have a bit of a planned approach. Are you tracking your cycles and ovulation? You already know the dental work that needs to be done so the next step is to schedule it, correct? If you're extremely worried can't you schedule it now when you know you're not pregnant? Not to mention that you have no idea how long it could take for you to conceive. A normal healthy couple could easily take six months to a year. Would you wait that long plus the additional 4 months to get into your second trimester?
I know you just want to try and plan things in a way where it won't potentially harm your baby, and fits into your schedule and budget, but if you over think it, it can become complicated. If I were you I would get the dental work done asap and get to work on TTC in whichever way you were planning. Good luck and I hope that made some sort of sense.

You should not let dental work interfere with your plans to conceive.

Washington state? Or DC? There were only two races where you grew up?

I don't think people are offended by the mention of race, they were wondering what the point was? Why did the lady need to be identified? Yes, it can be used the same as tall or short, but just as the ladies height wasn't mentioned, cause it wasn't important, to some folks, neither was her race.
Besides, most of the time when people are telling a story like that, they mention race because they want to help you get the picture, so to speak. Sometimes it is very telling, as far as the person relaying the story goes.

Anonymous wrote:My mother mentions race all the time as a 'detail'. "I was sitting on a bench and some black man sat down by me.". "I was about to use the ATM and these black kids were behind me.". I am only questioning what 'details' the OP wanted to impart.

Signed the caucasion control freak

Very interesting point. People do seem to see what they want sometimes.

Is there a non-offensive way to find out if the OP or anyone else in a same sex partnership, with children, ever discuss this type of scenario as a part of adversities they may face? Having grown up in this area, this wouldn't even have registered for me as different just cause there's such a mix of people that live here. But they're always wackos out there.

Anonymous wrote:OP again -- I know, I'm sorry I think I'm starting to annoy some of you but I think you're missing the point. I think those of you who were told ad nauseum by the nurses that you needed a carseat were probably planning to take baby home in a car. To the person who called and asked, for instance, did you question further whether or not you would be allowed to take baby home without a carseat if you were walking home? The reason I'm putting such a fine point on it is that my question is very specific. There are some folks who simply would not need a carseat. Just because some of you can't fathom it doesn't mean it's not so. It's just curiosity that's making me ask. I think the GW info poster came the closest to accurately answering -- I bet that the hospital can only legally require you to have a carseat if you're actually driving (or taxiing) home.

Most car seats double as infant carriers. Even if you don't own a car you almost sure to end up with one because that's what is sold to carry around your baby, and snap into the stroller and the car for the first 6 months. I understand your curiosity, but there probably isn't a real life scenario, in this area, where it's an issue.

It actually isn't that unusual. Different companies report to different bureaus. This is also why they always tell you to check all three because the information may vary depending on the credit bureau.

Anonymous wrote:There is a really good Thai place right near the metro - casual, great service, and great food (and very clean - I look for that sort of thing). A lot of my co-workers like it as well so it is not just me! I can't remember the name, but it's right by the movie theater. There is a sushi place right next door and a Haagan Daaz as well right there.

There are also tables outside the restaurant - so you are still inside the complex with the movie theater etc. but it gives you a little more space and might be good for kids.

Thai Chili. It's a nice restaurant, but I hardly ever see kids there. I would go to Clyde's.

Anonymous wrote:Great post, OP. I agree with so much of what you wrote. We moved here from the SF Bay Area, and we prefer it here.

To 12:51: LOL! And how about this one: "He would kick an ass or two, that's what Brian Boitano'd do."

Hilarious!! I will say I'm surprised you prefer DC over Cali. Everyone I know from Cali miss it a lot. I've heard so many great things, I almost want to move there! But like a lot of people born and raised in this area I can't imagine living anywhere else. I don't even fully understand why, but I always think everywhere else is great to visit, but I'll always want to live here.

Anonymous wrote:Isn't DC the murder capital of the country? Not exactly a badge of honor. It's shameful. What's even worse is the disparity between the haves and the have nots. How shameful is it that in our country's capital are the poorest people loitering on the streets without jobs, some homeless, some doing drug deals. And then there's the affluent side of DC, people living inthose 1.3 mil homes with kids at fancy schools.

You can find beautiful parks anywhere. But anyplace that has such great disparity in income and socioeconomic class and is the murder capital of our country isn't a good place to live.

No, I don't live in DC. I live in VA. And smiling at strangers isn't going to bridge this socioeconomic gap or make the murder rate come down.

You have a very simplistic and provincial view of the DC metropolitan area, and DC itself. DC has a lot of problems, but Northern VA isn't at all representative of what the rest of VA is like. I was born and raised in northern VA and even I know not to look down on DC like it's a piece of crap that needs to clean itself up, while VA has it's shit together. Expand your horizons a bit.

We just went through this in April. Remember Pitbull next door WWYD? A lot of good input on both sides. 13 pages worth.

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/50202.page

It sounds like you just need the Ipod touch. All the same capabilities without the expensive phone service. And you could just keep your same phone and service. That's what I did.

I think FB gives you the option to suspend your account. Maybe you should try that for a while until you know for sure you want to delete it. But if you delete it's not that big of a deal. All your actual friends will still be able to contact you through phone and email, and the other people don't really matter.