You really should go to the Chinese markets in Irvine. They are really quite exceptional. There are actually entire shopping centers with Asian Stores. :)

I think about this, too. My children play with other children of different races all of the time (yes, my street in Ladera is actually quite diverse!), and frankly I'm quite surprised why he hasn't asked why the girl next door's skin is so dark and her hair is so "puffy" some days!

I hear you on the getting tougher to bend, etc. I'm 27 weeks now and bending has not been part of my vocabulary for quite some time because I am so much shorter than you! You have to email me your housekeeper's information, as I am looking for someone to help maybe once a month at most that actually does a good job. I used my Mom's once or twice and felt like she didn't clean a thing!

The SAD thing is that now I'm thinking about how easy it would be to refinish all of the cabinets in our house (especially the kitchen). My husband thinks I'm on crack, and says I should focus on more important things... but to me those dark cabinets are SO important!

I'm not a huge fan of flying either, especially since I've had children. But statistically it's safer to fly in a plane then drive down the street in a car. I think that I struggle most with being away from my children for any type of trip though. As much as they get on my nerves some day, I can't stand to be away from them. I'm sure you feel the same.

I think the only time that attachment parenting can be "burdensome" is when one has a high need/high maintenance child. But really now, parenting in general (no matter the approach) would be difficult for that type of child and any parent. Don't get discouraged. The thing is that our parent's generation was so far away from attachment parenting (think Ferber method), that this whole attachment stuff seems to foreign to them. And people that don't have children (even our age) tend to think it's weird because they don't know any better. Ya, I nursed my first child when I was pregnant with my second. My children co-sleep in a sidecar for a long time. I'm not a fan of cry it out, and I don't beat my children. You and I both know those are all good things. It takes time for the general population to accept change, so I say ignore them!

Seriously, did you slip your children drugs to get 45 minutes out of them at a restaurant? MIRACLE!

Although they are talented, you are right- it's not age appropriate. I find myself thinking about these things more since I'm about to have a daughter. There are just some things that should not be done by children, and it seems very reminisce of the Miley Cyrus Pole Dancing & Lap Dancing debacle that came up in the news recently. One thing just leads to another, right?

You know, every night with my eldest is a battle to get him to eat dinner. He's usually fine for breakfast and lunch, but dinner he always tells me that he doesn't like something or he's picking something out (which is total B.S. because his daycare provider will tell me that he ate an entire bowl of broccoli at lunch!). I basically give him two options: Eat your dinner, or go to Bed. We've made good on this several times, so he KNOWS we mean business. He's not starving, and I know that he will eat when he is hungry. Our pediatrician basically made it known at Age 2 that if he didn't eat his provided meal at meal time to not go out of our way to make him something else. He's huge for his age so really- if he doesn't eat it's his own choice. I do remember that his eating issues started at about the time that Trevor came in to this world. My Hayden was just about two at that time, just like yours. It's like it's their little way of regaining control of their life when someone new comes to town. Stay strong, Shanna! You will get through this! Just make sure you keep your floors clean in the meantime!

The great thing about being able to go to Michael's is that they probably have a Farm Kit made of foam pieces that you just peal and stick! You can do it, Cheryl! (of course this is coming from the girl that sews all of her children Halloween costumes every year...)

Sooooo wishing I could drink a martini! (98 more days, not that I'm counting... )

Love it! I'm sure you get even more PR pitches on a daily basis than I do, that all suck, and are all asking for me to review something or write something nice with no compensation or free products to test/keep. I'm OK with doing some product reviews, but I generally do them for items that I have actually purchased myself- and certainly not because someone has asked me to! There was an article a few months back over at MomBloggersClub that addressed the same issues. Suggesting that companies should offer to pay for keywords, and if they want to dictate that a positive post be written... pay for it! I'm certainly not in the business of promoting something I do not like, and it's almost as if a lot of companies think they can persuade a Blogger in to writing something positive site-unseen or even if they don't like the product!

It's all incredibly sad. The profiling, the censoring of classes that don't portray the "white man" as wonderful in every way... the sick thing is that ultra conservatives that I know that live in AZ are in FULL SUPPORT of these bills! It's just so sad.

I think the other thing that bothers me about Arizona is that they are now attacking High School courses in Ethnic Studies. I get it- they have an immigration problem, but now they don't want to give people the right to learn about other cultures (or their own!) in an academic environment unless it portrays all white men as good?

Getting rid of your crib is only devastating when you find out 30 days later that you are pregnant yet again!

There is never a right time to have children. I had my first at age 25, and here I am about to have number 3 at 29. But to be honest, I feel like because I have my children my opportunities for advancement OR even my flexibility to change jobs and really chase my dreams are diminished (at least for now). I almost feel like I should be really going after my career at this point in my life, but my family comes first so career aspirations are on the backburner for now. I can't help but be envious of you for chasing your dreams while you did, and living your life the way you wanted until your mid-30's. More power to you!

This downturn has been hard on us as well. I do work full-time (from home, when I'm not traveling), but just because I'm home doesn't mean I'm not working! My husband took a salary cut last September, which basically eliminated all possibility of regular date night OR any hope for a vacation. And don't get me started on the House Keeper! It's tough, and as we juggle so much with our lives you really truly figure out what is and isn't important to you. I can live without a housekeeper, but golly gee... those date nights are ALL too important to get rid of entirely!

Oh, vomit. Well, I do remember the first time my eldest threw up. It was while I was also sick myself, and he decided to throw up all over my shag area rug! It was fabulous! I think my "defining moment" as a Mother was one of two things. When my eldest got really sick, and everyone around me tried to say it was no big deal when it was... or when he needed stitches and everyone (once again) said it was no big deal! Yes, everyone... I actually know what I'm doing here!

I am so torn when it comes to the Public School system here, Ciaran! With my oldest starting Pre-K in the Capo District next year, I can't help but do it with trepidation. I don't have time to homeschool because of my job, yet I know I will not be happy with his education. And to be honest, I'm not thinking that a private school will be any better. If everything goes to plan, we will be moving out of the Capo District in about a year.

I'm not a fan of summer myself. I don't deal well with the heat (and I'm pregnant yet again!), and I am a two-time melanoma survivor. Summer isn't for me. I love the gloomy days of winter, and I certainly don't mind the rain. Summer comes and I dread having to slather myself in SPF 70 every hour just to appease my children by taking them to the pool. And did I mention how much I hate sweating because I'm too hot? Here's to hoping we have a mild summer!

Maybe I am biased because we are BFFs in real life, but I think that you are doing a fantastic job! Did your Mom ever tell you that life would be easy? Probably not. She probably just made it look easy to you because that was part of her job. I'm sure that when your boys grow up, they will wonder how you made it all look so easy and wonder how you managed to be Room Mom, Work, Cook, Clean, plan baby showers, and beat their tiny buns at all of their video games. I read a really GREAT article on CNN.com recently about how women set the bar SO high for themselves. Read it. Own it. Love it. http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/wayoflife/05/03/o.well.lived.life.key/index.html?npt=NP1 :)

I can say that I totally relate to this! I'm 23 weeks with #3. I actually already wrote my birth plan, well... you know, the best that you can prior to actually being in labor. Sixteen more weeks and I'll be putting it to the test! I believe a wrote something like, "Please do not put me with a Nurse that will disappear entirely for my transitional phase and pushing, only to be replaced by an inexperienced Nurse that has no idea what to do in the event of a shoulder dystocia so my Doctor yells 'Does she even know what she's doing?' during the longest three minutes of my life trying to dislodge my gigantic child from my pelvis." Too much to ask? :)

You know, it's really funny to think about all of this. As I'm preparing for number three, I keep thinking HOW I will do it all? I remember how hard it was after having number two to follow the discharge instructions (and I didn't have a C-Section!). How was number one going to get in his car seat? Get in his high-chair? Was I supposed to allow him to lay there helplessly, crying on the ground if he got hurt? It's tough. And the whole "sleep when they sleep" thing is a joke, because when you have more than one child it's near impossible. Seriously though, hold me when I have number three because I'm STILL trying to work out in my tiny little brain how in the heck I'll keep it together! If you have any MAJOR tips to share with me I am all ears, because I think I'm really going to need it!