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Welcome to the Sound Off Discussion Board, where parents from all walks of life and all parts of the world come together in one place to share their opinions and thoughts about the question of the week. Please remember that everyone is entitled to their opinion and the freedom to express it. Obscene posts are unwelcome and shall be removed from the board. Please keep in mind that this is a public board. Never post personal information that you would be uncomfortable sharing with others. Comments about this board should be sent to iParenting's Webmaster. Thank you for contributing! If you have a suggestion for the question of the week, send it to feedback@iparenting.com.
Admin note: The Sound Off Board was created so parents would have a place to debate important issues that affect our families, or just chat about something fun through a question of the week. Lately, the board has gotten out of hand. iParenting Media will not tolerate name-calling, impersonating others or threatening posts. Please keep in mind that this is a public board and a family Web site. Please report any problems to iParenting’s Webmaster. Thank you.
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| If you could pick the gender of your next child, would you? |
For archived topics, click here.
Holly
Sunday, June 13, 2004 at 09:52:38 (EDT)
I found this article at parentstages.com. Thought it was interesting.
Can I Really Choose My Baby's Sex?
An article from Americanbaby.com
Get the scoop on gender-selection and whether they really work.
Q. I've heard that there are kits that couples who want to have a baby can buy that can let them choose the child's gender. Do they really work?
A. Medical experts say no. Gender-selection kits, which may contain ovulation tests, digital thermometers, douches, and oral supplements, are based on methods - including changes in diet, timing of intercourse, and monitoring vaginal pH levels - that the manufacturers claim influence gender. GenSelect, one company that distributes such kits for aa cost of $199, says its product has a success rate of up to 96 percent and cites independent studies on its Web site to support its claims. But Randy Morris, MD, a reproductive endocrinologist in Chicago, points out that the kits are not FDA approved, and says the studies aren't large enough to prove the results can be attributed to anythin other than chance. He says that the expensive ones: preimplantation genetic diagnosis (creating embryos outside of the womb and testing them for gender before implantation) and flow cytometry, a neo sperm-sorting technologh. These procedures can cost anywhere form $2,500 to 18,000.
Originally published in Ladies' Home Journal magazine, May 2004.
Holly
Sunday, June 13, 2004 at 09:49:57 (EDT)
Thanks SEA! I finally got it to download...the pups are adorable and so are the kids!
Does anyone else here do the "Online Survey" thingy..I think it's called "My Survey.com" or something like that? Just curious if it really is legit or not as I am thinking of joining!
Tanya...we have an English Springer Spaniel (like Prez Bush has!) and they are very loyal and loving dogs!(Spaniels in general) I also have a 28-yr old Amazon parrot named Sammy that I absolutely adore!
TC ALL!
LH
Sunday, June 13, 2004 at 08:05:58 (EDT)
Hope you got that with my stoooopid typos. ;-) I'm in a hurry! Time to watch movies!
SEA
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 21:05:45 (EDT)
Angela~ Try off your system restore and then shutting down and restarting your pc. Hit F5 over and over as soon as it's turning back on. Then go back and turn your system retore on again, and reatar your pc AGAIN. It should get rid of it, and your anti-virus should work again. Those Trojans are pretty new, and it's hard to come by much help on Google for them...but this is known to work. Let me know...if you need exact step by step directions, i'd be happy to add them to the forum.
SEA
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 21:04:44 (EDT)
Ellyn~That did not work....can you think of anything else? AARRGGHH! I'm getting frustrated!
angela
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 20:15:54 (EDT)
angela -
Sounds like you may have Trojan.Ascetic.A. If you have Norton Anti-Virus, go out to www.symantec.com and update your virus definitions.
Ellyn
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 18:52:28 (EDT)
Help~I need somebody who knows what the heck kind of virus infected my computer! It is mass mailing emails, and has disabled our Norton Anti-Virus Auto-Protect. Help! How do I fix it?
angela
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 18:15:35 (EDT)
Hello eveyone.
I hope everyone is doing great. :) We are finally healthy in our house again and I can get back to a somewhat normal routine and start unpacking this new house. :)
We got a puppy ( Cavalier Prince Charles Spaniel) this week and he is wonderful! Not an accident yet. (knock on wood)
Has anyone gotten the Summer Sisters book yet? I plan to go to the laibrary in the next day or two and get it. :) We start the 15th! DON'T FORGET!!!
AS fro choosing the sex of my child, I would not do it. But I am one who likes to find out the sex before the baby is born. ;)
Well, that is all for now. Have a great weekend!
Tanya
Tanya from IParenting
email: tanya@iParenting.com
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 14:20:10 (EDT)
also, the lack of capitalization told me it wasn't you either Oscar. The poor grammar and spelling led me to believe that poster is a proud graduate of the 7th grade, then on to further her education at reform school or jail.
angela
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 13:59:53 (EDT)
The wife, Why do you feel the need to address Saraj? Please keep your nasties about her off this board. We don't need that here.
Wendy
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 13:54:39 (EDT)
Oscar~ With those misspellings, I did not think that half-illiterate dumbass was you.
angela
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 13:54:25 (EDT)
Choose the sex of my next baby...nope. I want to be surprised with this one!
Sara j- Do not worry about Oscar wanting ANYTHING from you! You are the antithesis of "woman" in his eyes.
It is too bad the individual you seem to be. I am sure your parents are sad of what has become of their daughter.
The Wife
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 13:05:35 (EDT)
Oh yeah, Angela~ I wanted to ask you...you mentioned the heat and how Nala must be miserable...I was wondering if you thought that was what the panting was all about? Heavy panting is usually a sign of labor in dogs who are near the "due date".
SEA
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 11:59:55 (EDT)
Whew! Oscar, what a relief!
LH~ Sure! Here it is again.
www.geocities.com/nalaspups1
Yes, I still like some hair on my men, too. (my MAN) He had a TON of hair a few years ago...he donated it to Locks of Love.
SEA
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 11:57:36 (EDT)
Hey everyone. Hope you all are enjoying your weekend!
I will be back on later
Wendy
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 11:03:24 (EDT)
Ok, now, who is trying to be me?
Angela-I do not care who you are friends with and no I will never be friends with the baby murderer.
Please stop using my name ladies.
Kellogg...impressive!
Oscar
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 10:34:35 (EDT)
mornin' all! it is absolutely PISSIN' down here today. i know, i know, i shouldn't complain because we really need the rain, but it makes it like a million times more humid! oh well, i have to work today so at least i'll be in the air conditioning all day, so that my hair doesn't frizz up in all this weather! lol! my poor mom, she's watching my daughter today, plus 2 of my nephews, and you all know what children are like in the rain. they go crazy!
talk to you later
j-mo mama
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 07:56:35 (EDT)
Oscar~What? Now, now...you know I adore you...but....What?!
angela
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 07:46:04 (EDT)
Now THAT was really weird!!!
The fella' down the street has Alzheimer's Disease and he is all the time wandering off and forgeting how to get back home! I found him in my garage once just standing there looking at hubby's tools hanging on the wall..kind of scared me at first, but then I saw who it was and had him come inside in the air-conditioning and called his wife who was getting pretty frantic looking for him! He was OK and even knew who I was, but just couldn't remember where he was or how to get home! Most of the neighbors watched me grow up since I've lived here all my life, so we had a nice chat till his wife got there.
There's also another lady here who has Alzheimer's real bad and her daughter is about ready to have her committed to a rest home, I think...she gets horribly violent and once knocked her daughter down in the grocery store and began kicking and punching her till someone finally pulled her off! Can you imagine your own mother doing something like that to you? What a horrible feeling that must be! ;-(
"SEA"..I remember Tesla and Poison! LOL, the HAIR bands! Gawd, what were we thinking! LOL! Actually, I still enjoy some hair on my men and am not much into the "shaved head" look that is so popular nowdays! Hey..I cannot view your website and want to see your doggies too! Can you post it again or do you have a different URL for it?
Nite all!
LH
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 03:28:55 (EDT)
Angela your sadly disapointing me. are you now friends with saraj aka sea? I thought you were real? ok can I be friends too now?
Oscar
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 01:26:21 (EDT)
Thank you for bringing that to my attention, Margarita. How embarassing! Guess I thought I hadn't used that webspace yet.
Great time to add new pix!
SEA
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 01:05:04 (EDT)
Thank you for bringing that to my attention, Margarita. How embarassing! Guess I thought I hadn't used that webspace yet.
Great time to add new pix!
SEA
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 01:05:00 (EDT)
Margarita~ OMG! I'll look at that site problem right away, and remedy it tomorrow. Not sure how it could have happened. Wyyyyhaaaaa! You made me crack up with your comment though!
Angela~ Tesla wasn't a religious rock band. They were pretty hard rock...a big hair band! ( they still have tons of hair!) NAla is ok...the humidity isn't bad at all. I actually took the kids swimming today (yes, all 7) the pool was 84 degrees, but the air was FREEZING!
SEA
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 00:53:08 (EDT)
Margarita~I caught the service on T.V. when we got home from Maranda's grave. I don't know if they could have custom ordered a MORE beautiful setting for his burial...it really was lovely. Listening to the bagpipes, and seeing Nancy Reagan saying goodbye to her husband's casket for the very last time was hard to watch. I could only hope to have her dignity during such a difficult time.
Saraj~I remember Tesla. Weren't they a Christian Rock band? Seriously, I seem to remember them as Christian Rock. No puppies yet huh? Soon I hope...poor Mama must be miserable in this humidity.
angela
Saturday, June 12, 2004 at 00:10:39 (EDT)
I would not pick the gender of my baby if I could because I believe it is God's choice, he never gives us what we don't need.
Kenya Tate-Dewdney
email: cnkdewdney@aol.com
Friday, June 11, 2004 at 23:57:49 (EDT)
Yes, Saraj it looks as if she ij about ready to burst. LOL I clicked on your link that says "our puppies have too much fun" and the pics of your cousin came up - she doesn't look much like a puppy ;O) but she IS having fun.
I hope a pet store will take our baby guppies once they are born - I don't want that many!! I just want them long enough to make sure they aren't bite size for other fish, and so dd can choose one (a female so we don't have any more babies) to keep mamma company.
I watched Raegan's service - it was so sad. I think leaving the coffin behind is so hard, because when the coffin is there, and you are with it, it is like you are still with them, you know? Then you have to walk away. Very hard.
I was playing fetch with our puppy tonight and he scraped me with his tooth when he was trying to take the stick away. He is really good about sitting on command, and calms down pretty well in the house, but he is just wild outside. He does sit when I ask him, but as soon as I cock my arm to throw the stick he is up and he will jump up towards the stick - he can jump higher than my head!!
Margarita
Friday, June 11, 2004 at 23:44:03 (EDT)
I stuck a pic of Nala panting her fur off on the Lab site. Doesn't it LOOK like she's ready? Sheese...
SEA
Friday, June 11, 2004 at 22:59:33 (EDT)
Yes, yes..it was Johnny Cash. Just couldn't get it out earlier!
Anyone like the band Tesla? I name done of my dogs after that band. I see they have a website, and Jeff...the lead singer, my teen crush has really gained a lot of weight. Wow.
www.teslatheband.com if anyone wants to see. Maybe it's just a bad picture. We're thinking of going to Rock Fest to see them. We went a few years ago and took the kids and my MIL's big house on wheels. It was a lot of fun. The kids have always wanted to go back there. Poison was one of the bands, and they had "their" naked womyn on stage, and I didn't really think the kids wer eold enough to "get it" or even see it. We tried to get then into looking elsewhere. It seems this year's band line up is much cooler.
WOW! 22 days for a fish? When you calculate it, it sure seems like an awfully long time for something that doesn't live very long to be preggo!
SEA
Friday, June 11, 2004 at 22:31:28 (EDT)
Ellyn~If memory serves me correctly, Ed Gein was also a ghoul right? He robbed graves, and used the skins, etc. to make things with? Wasn't part of Silence of the Lambs loosely based on him too(the part of making a female body suit out of skins.) I remember reading somewhere about the person Ed Gein had hanging in the barn dressed out like a deer. I also remember he had issues with mama too.
angela
Friday, June 11, 2004 at 21:57:28 (EDT)
Hellllooooo lovely ladies. TGIF. Only one more day of this quarter left, and then finals. Both of my finals are on Tuesday, so I will be all done for 5 days after that. So glad this math class will finally be over - 5 months of the stuff is a bit much. Ugh - I have been feeling a bit "carsick" the last couple of days. I don't know what is up with that, I am fine in the am but in the afternoon I start feeling sick.
Saraj - 22 days. I got a one gallon container to put the momma in, with an air supply and a plant for the babies to hide in and as soon as she has her babies (as soon as I notice them) I will move her back to the tank. Nala's just teasing you ;o). Can't wait to hear what she has. I am almost positive it was Johnny Cash who did the NIN song.
Kerri - my dad has some sort of dimensia, but the doctors aren't really sure what it is . ALzheimers is one option, so is Lews Body Disease as well as a few others. His sister also has some type of dimensia - she has reverted back to some very baby-ish behavior. SHe has a teething ring she chews on, other wise she chews on her fingers and makes them bleed - she will bite and scratch sometimes when we give her a hug. My uncle is a saint for taking care of her at home. My dad has trouble remembering words: he can't read or write at all anymore, and he has a hard time watching a movie and following the story line. He has a hard time following a conversation, because he can't always id the words we are using. Sometimes I wonder if he is remembering our kids' names, beccause I have noticed he will refer to us in pronouns. He got lost in our yard the other day - it's sort of big and there is a stand of trees that blocks our side yard and a small part of our front yard from the rest of our front yard - so he was a little confused. It's hard to lose him bit by bit like this. It is really hard on him, too. He takes an anti-anxiety because he gets panic attacks if he doesn't. High BP can be a cause of dementia, so if there is a family history of high bp then that can be an indication you might have dementia problems. My maternal grandma had alzheimers. I jokingly tell my dh that with a family history like that, I hope he is prepared to take care of me in my old doting age. His family has a lot of cancer, but no senility.
Well, I think that is it for me for now. I will check back in a bit.
Oh, yes, Angela - Wendy's dh is a cutie pie - he has a very cute smile. ;o)
Margarita
Friday, June 11, 2004 at 19:04:43 (EDT)
angela - Reportedly, the Leatherface character in Texas Chainsaw Massacre is based loosely on Ed Gein, Wisconsin's most nortorious killer until Jeffrey Dahmer moved into the spotlight. If you read anything about Gein, though, it's very, very loosely based upon him. He did his handiwork in Plainfield, which is my grandfather's hometown. He has some pretty strong opinions about the guy (even though he died in the state mental hospital about 20 years ago) because the victim that Gein basically butchered in the barn was my great-grandfather's cousin. Poppa never refers to him as anything other than "that Gein," with strong emphasis. But he's almost 93, so I guess he can harbor as many bad feelings about the guy as he wants. Gein was also the character that Norman Bates in Psycho is supposed to be based on. Ed also had "mother issues."
We were gone all afternoon for the first half of Girl Scouts Sports Blitz. Today she had swimming and basketball events. Tomorrow morning it's outdoor sports. She had a great time, but girly girl is a tired puppy tonight. I don't think she'll last much beyond her head hitting the pillow!
Ellyn
Friday, June 11, 2004 at 19:04:23 (EDT)
JMO, Angela, and Holly, I can only imagine the toll it takes on immediate family members. My sister in law is dealing with her mother and the disease. It is very sad. My grandmother in law also died with it. It was very sad. She would come up to her own children/grandchildren and introduce herself again and again. She also became paranoid thinking everyone was talking about her. It was sad, but yet a blessing when she died. My MIL was exhausted from the caregiving required. It is such a sad disease...I hope that stem cell research can be done to find a cure soon!
Oscar-yes Kellogg.
Kerri
Friday, June 11, 2004 at 18:17:46 (EDT)
J-Mo~My grandmother died years ago, before Alzeimer's was diagnosed on a regular basis. She was diagnosed with Dementia/Probable Onset of Alzeimers. Anyhoo~My grandmother was not even five feet tall, and probably never weighed more than a buck & a quarter in her whole life. Near the end, she would get so volatile and aggressive that it would take male orderlies(plural) to physically restrain her from harming herself or others. She was also confused, frustrated, paranoid, and very frightened for most of the last couple years of her life...it was awful!! We really believe that it was a relief when grandmother passed, because who would WANT to live that way? It is a horrible thing to watch anybody go through.
angela
Friday, June 11, 2004 at 16:56:38 (EDT)
KERRI, my grandfather died from Alzheimer's Disease. it is such a horrible disease. we were VERY blessed that he only had the severe stages for about a year and a half before he died. but it's amazing how drastic his decline was in that time. he probably had alzheimer's for about 7 years, to be honest, but it was in such early stages that it was easy to disregard it and call it "old age". also, my grandpa was kinda deaf, so we really took a lot of his "mistakes" as he couldn't hear the conversations correctly. once he got really bad, he had to be put in a nursing home, and so my parents wouldn't let us go see him anymore because we were too young, in my opinion, for that situation. it was such a horribly depressing home, too. all the patients had the disease and of course at all different stages. my mom went several times to see him, and while sometimes she would come home with cute stories about the patients and grandpa, for the most part it was sad and disheartening. knowing that he only got worse every day was so hard, and for my mom espcially to watch her incredibly smart, talented, GENTLE father turn angry and aggressive and violent was just horrible. it was cute, tho, that he used to mistake my mom for my grandma since she looked so much like her. it terrifies me that alzheimer's disease can be hereditary. very scary.
whew, that was long winded! sorry! i guess it's evident that my husband has left already!!
j-mo mama
Friday, June 11, 2004 at 16:17:22 (EDT)
Holly~Ray Charles DID pass away yesterday, but he was probably more of a Blues Singer, than he was Country.
Kerri~I watched the ceremony. Wasn't the song at the end, "We Were Soldiers", just beautiful. The solo of Amazing Grace was also very touching too.
angela
Friday, June 11, 2004 at 15:35:32 (EDT)
The country singer who passed away yesterday was Ray Charles I think.
Holly
Friday, June 11, 2004 at 15:29:32 (EDT)
I had an aunt with alzheimer's disease, it is really depressing to watch someone divert back into childhood and forget those who are dear to them. It is also hard when someone who you love so dearly doesn't remember your face or name. It is very frustrating on both ends.
Holly
Friday, June 11, 2004 at 15:25:45 (EDT)
Kerrie- Northwestern...is your husband at Kellogg by chance?
Oscar
Friday, June 11, 2004 at 15:11:41 (EDT)
Just have a sec here in between laundry and the barrage of thunderstorms! UGG!
Barb..I don't blame you for not wanting to get caught checking out porn on your work computer! EEK!
You asked what the attraction would be for a 17-yr old? Well...I dunno really...umm, the porn maybe, the gross jokes?? Kids will be kids! My daughter and her g/f's were just goofing off last night and when I walked through the room there was a pic up of a very nasty, overly-pierced penis on the computer screen and I said EWWW and left the room! I really didn't mind them checking it out...they're almost adults and were just being goofy anyways!
Had something else to comment on but will have to wait...gotta run..BBL!
LH
Friday, June 11, 2004 at 15:07:50 (EDT)
About Reagan: I haven’t seen any of the funeral coverage, but on the “Today Show” this morning I saw that Gorbechev had been to pay his respects, which I think is truly amazing. A couple of you have talked about Nancy Reagan, and I agree that she’s probably been on quite a roller coaster ride the past few years. Imagine, once your husband was the most powerful man in the world, then you saw his brain deteriorate, now he’s gone. And he was old! And at that age, it’s got to be weird to see people die, because really, it’s right around the corner for you, too. I know, it’s morbid! But I just really feel for old people.
I’ve not seen anyone close to me with Alzheimer’s, but I’ve seen it’s effects. The guy who’s cube is next to mine is always dealing with calls from his sister about their father, who does things like leaves in the middle of the night and walks into people’s houses. My work friend has been trying to get his sister to agree to put him in a home, but the sister is dead set against it, and because of it my poor friend is really going through a rough time. It’s hard to watch.
Also, my mother-in-law takes care of Alzheimer’s patients for a living. She does independent work, meaning she has one lady she takes care of part time right now. There are two other women who split the job with her. She does things like takes her to hair appointments, goes to the mall, helps give her lunch or dinner, etc. My MIL is amazing with this lady. It takes so much patience and creativity to keep the Alzheimer patient attentive, but she’s able to do it, and she enjoys it. The hard part is where the children come in. The old lady has a daughter that lives in town but never spends any time with her mother (hence needing three different caregivers). That’s really the saddest thing.
Kerri, I don’t like the thought of changing our money for a recent event. I guess I’m kind of old-fashioned that way, but I think it would be disrespectful to Hamilton.
Barb
Friday, June 11, 2004 at 14:49:30 (EDT)
I almost forgot...did anyone else hear about Ronald Reagan possibly being put on the $10 bill? I think that would be wonderful! :)
Kerri
Friday, June 11, 2004 at 14:36:04 (EDT)
Good afternoon everyone!
I just finished watching the Reagan funeral and you are right, Nancy is a VERY classy lady. I can only imagine what the last 10 years have been like for her. How sad. Below is a link to a good story I wanted to share with you, but didn't want to waste space cutting an pasting it. Please read.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2004-06-11-thatcher-eulogy_x.htm
Just another question for everyone.
Have any of you known anyone or had a family member diagnosed with Alzheimers Disease?
Kerri
Friday, June 11, 2004 at 14:24:24 (EDT)