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I ahd a FABULOUS prenatal massage at Spa on the Hill. They just posted on FB that they have specials M-W during the day, too ($115 for a 90 minute massge).
It was fantastic. I had Janelle, on a Sunday, and she was great.

Definitely recommend. On a Sunday, parking was easy, too.
I happen to think the skeptics are those who already have an issue with GW for some reason. Might not be true, but very possible.
They are probably doing a combo of a deep clean and vacation.

Everyone deserves some time off, and they have to clean the embryo lab.

I'd guess that when they return to business as usual, they'll have a new doctor as well (since it's been said they are getting a new doc this summer)
One word on pottery barn rugs....they shed. Like crazy. A year+ later, our rug still gets clumps of wool I have to vacuum up. Not something I'd want in a baby's room. Buying it used is, of course, different....but still.
I"m not VBAC (obviously), but I start her class next weekend, so I can report back on how the overall class is.

I'm doing the 4 day summer class - it filled up VERY quickly (someone in my yoga class tried to get in, due around the same time as me, and couldn't).

Also, she's very open about her class and easy to contact...so maybe shoot her an email and see if she provide advice? She flat out told me not to take the longer class because it ended too lose to my due date, for example...
good thing that applying for jobs doesn't involve wearing a fancy outfit. Just a computer.
for most women with family obligations, there's never a good time for trying to change jobs - something always comes up. That's how I see it. I definitely could be wrong, but it's also a "now or never" type of thing, especially when trying to get out of the government.
oh, the only furniture I plan on spending good money on is the glider because I want something I can use as regular furniture when the time comes.

I also am investing in hiring an interior designer by the hour because our place is small (like I said, dining room turning into baby room), and the investment in her to make the space more usable for longer so we can avoid moving is worth it.
Anonymous wrote:Are all of you first time moms? Because you have very high expectations of what you will accomplish on maternity leave.



You might also underestimate how many of us don't wish to return to the jobs we currently have. IF it's a priority to find another job, you can make it happen.
There is a massive push to leave the government - everyone I know who is a young, hardworking, and talented employee is spending a LOT of time looking for other work.

In 1-2 years, we'll all be gone and the gov't will be left with those who can't get a better job, aren't motivated enough, or are just counting down until retirement.
well, my baby has to sleep in what is currently the dining room...so...

But the more in think about it, the more I'm looking for cheaper items. I was like "wow that pottery bark dresser is so beautiful!" then realized it's probably a piece of junk, and an ikea one will work fine with a changer on top.

We ARE having a dimmer installed. I figured it'll be useful for the next owners, too.

I don't want to do too much because eventually we'll move, and it's hard to imagine a nursery as an office or dining room more than the other way around!
what about a hatafat dam brit? If you don't want to have a bris, this might be a good compromise if you want to do something more than just a baby naming. Just something to research and talk to a rabbi about (if you're worried about someone else believing your son is Jewish).

Orthodox Jews don't consider me Jewish, so I don't really worry about someone else's definition of "what is".

And remember, whether you choose to do it or not, you can still raise your child to be an observant, religious/spiritual individual. I don't think thats the one thing that defines a Jewish male (heck, in Israel it's required by law to serve in the military, yet the most religious and most conservative Israelis, the ultra orthodox, get out of it...so...you can always not do something!)
At 8 weeks, you won't hear anything. For me, I knew which was my HB and which was baby. However, I really limited my use and it did give me peace of mind. But by 17 or 18 weeks I could feel baby somewhat reliably. It did hold me over and keep my stress at bay.
They aren't for everyone, I can only recommend the brand I used that was very easy and worked well for me.
Anonymous wrote:I'm a contractor and the DoD agency I support is pretty specific in its policy that the work of the furloughed worker cannot just be picked up by a contractor or another government employee not on furlough. The point is that it's work that just isn't getting done.


This is CLEARLY not the case even though it's the law.
Anonymous wrote:Be careful. As a federal employee on sick leave, you are exactly that. On SICK LEAVE. If you use your leave to go on interviews, you jeopardize that status and if you announce during your leave you obtained another position and it is discovered that you used sick leave to do so, you can be required to pay back sick leave and you can be removed from the federal service for abuse of sick leave, falsification of leave, or other charges.


I don't think most women who have just given birth are doing this 5 weeks post partum.
I plan on starting around week 6 to apply from home, then more aggressively the closer to I get to the end of my leave. And since you can only use 6 weeks of sick leave, the rest of my annual/unpaid leave...so it's really none of their business what I do, especially since I'm not using FMLA protected status.
s/o of the parquet thread....
we're looking to put new floors in our investment property - I don't think the person I use for general handyman contracting can do this (but I did ask, just waiting to hear back).
Does anyone have someone reliable to recommend? I'm not sure what type I want, but most of the condo is updated in a pretty modern way.

I'd also ideally like someone who is OK putting carpet (or carpet tiles) in the walk in closet. The ones we have were poorly installed and I'd like to upgrade them.

They have to be OK working in DC (we'd get them a parking permit and everything like that).

Thanks for any recommendations!
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