Filed under: Siblings, Image of the Day

Thanks all of you for your wonderful contributions to the Blogging Baby Flickr pool. Here's the last picture from babyueno for January "siblings" month.

If you'd like your own picture featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr Pool - We'll select an image every day to highlight. Remember: I'm on the lookout for shots with interesting backgrounds, cool angles, or original composition. Be sure to read the intro on the main Flickr page for more information and limit your uploading to 5 photos per day.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Moms

A dear friend of mine recently began taking a pole dancing class. She is a third grade teacher, a mom of Cassidy's best friend and just about as wholesome as can be. But once a week she leaves her son with her husband and attends her pole dancing class. I was a bit surprised when she first informed me of her new passion, but after she told me how much she loves it and how much it exercises her muscles, I was sold.

Pole dancing is no longer just for smoky bars and bad loose women. It is a craze that has invaded the nation and entered suburban bedrooms. You can have your own pole installed in your home, order tapes or like my fellow mom friend, take classes at the local health club.

I have yet to try pole dancing, but it sounds like good fun. My friend attends her weekly class with about four other mothers, after class they go out for a dinner without kids or husbands where they have an agreement talk about things other than kids and husbands. Next time the class is available, I plan to don a pair of heels and give it a whirl. I doubt it will be a second career, but it might make for some laughs. What about you, do you pole dance?

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Divorce

There had always been rumors, but Dylan Davis chose to believe his wife when she told him that the couple's children were his. After the two divorced, Davis took a DNA test that proved he wasn't the father, but he was still required to pay $1,045 a month in child support.

That's because, currently, the law in Colorado requires men to to pay child support for children older than 5, even if they can prove they are not the biological father.

At first, this seems like obvious injustice, but the issue is more complicated. Especially in Davis' case, he'd lived with the children, who assumed he was their father, for 6 years. Though he still pays support (reduced to $663 because a change in employment status), he now has no contact with his children. Whether or not there is a biological connection, his sudden, complete absence from these children's lives must be hard on them. In addition, it's important that the children receive adequate support -- for obvious reasons.

But, regardless of who raised the children, shouldn't the responsibility for support fall on the biological father? Where's the guy the wife was having an affair with? Why isn't anyone chasing him down for money?

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Celebrity parents

Kevin Nealon is proving that age ain't nothing but a number when it comes to fatherhood. The 53-year old actor and his wife, actress Susan Yeagley (who, for the record, is 34), welcomed their first child into the world on Monday night, a baby boy named Gable Ness Nealon.

Kevin Nealon is probably best known for his comedic talents which were showcased on Saturday Night Live for nine seasons, though personally I'm a fan of his work in various Adam Sandler movies including Little Nicky and Anger Management.

This is the first child for the couple, who were married in September of 2005. Congratulations to them both!

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Child Development, Emotions, Road trip, Outings, Likes and dislikes, Loren, Devon

My kids have always had a few nicknames, none of them have been too horrible so they have stuck throughout the years. However, with the arrival of Devon and his grasp, or lack of it, on language. we have all acquired a new set of names. In honor of Teletubbies, Devon began calling his older brother Lo-Lo when he first began to string words together. It is such a catchy name that it has stuck with a vengeance; I now rarely call Loren by anything other than Lo-Lo.

For the most part Loren does not mind this name, his little brother gave it to him and I think he treasures it. But there are times when he puts his foot down. For instance, last week we picked up some members of the Canadian snowskate team from the airport. These boys are older by Loren by about five years and he looks up to them. Before we entered the airport, Loren stopped me and asked, "Mom, you don't usually do anything embarrassing, but would you please be sure to not call me Lo-Lo in front of these guys?" For a moment my heart hurt as I realized he is getting older and growing up just a little bit more each day. But then I understood that he needed feel confident in front of these young men, and so I replied, "Sure, honey. No worries. Not a Lo-Lo or cheek squeeze from me. " Loren breathed a sigh of relief and we went off to pick up his new friends.

On the way home, Devon finally tired of the long car ride and was demanding attention. When he didn't get it, he began to yell, "Lo-Lo! LO-LO! LOOOOO-LOOOOOO!" When Loren explained the name to them, the older boys began to laugh and then shared their nicknames with us, it wasn't so bad after all.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Rumors, Child Custody, Divorce, Celebrity parents

I am not sure what it is about the Britney/Kevin train crash that is so enticing. I suspect it has something to do with their oh-so-public displays of never ending bad taste and even worse decisions. From time to time l tell myself that I will no longer read the headlines or scroll down to the newest tid bit of trashy gossip surrounding these two. But like any good intention, I fail and again delve into the lurid bits that seem to comprise their lives.

The latest headline claims that Federline was first offered ten and then twenty million dollars by Britney Spears so that he would just go away. But not being a complete fool, he is hanging on for at least $50 million. Part of me roots him on because he has no where to go from here other than celebreality shows. The other part wonders why he can't settle for $10 million dollars and live out the rest of his life in some sort of tasteful manner. Should be interesting to watch the rest of the train wreck.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: College, Family togetherness, Moms, Dads

A Chinese college student posted a bulletin board notice seeking a "girlfriend" to rent over the Lunar New Year holiday. The physics student plans to show her off to his parents.

For 1,000 yuan ($130), the right candidate will be an "honest, kind and similar-aged girl with a diploma," who will travel home with the young man for the holiday.

Apparently this guy's mom and dad had been pressuring him to get a girlfriend, but he'd been studying too hard to meet that special someone. This sounds like the plot for a sitcom. Maybe he should spend the money on a counselor who can help him stand up to his pushy parents.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Health and Safety, Lifestyle, Media, Moms, Television, Internet, Blogs, Alcohol

As you probably know, Melissa Summers appeared on the Today show the other day to talk about mothers who do not see motherhood as requiring complete abstinence. Unfortunately, the show was not so much a discussion as it was a trial. It seemed quite clear that the host and the very polished doctor were there to make Melissa out to be some kind of drunkard who wobbled about falling down on the playground while her kids grew up neglected and dysfunctional.

Of course, it's not like that. Yes, there are some women who have such a problem, but the occasional drink does not a problem make. Have I had a glass of wine or beer in front of my kids? Certainly. Heck, every year, we spend a week in Calistoga with all of Rachel's siblings and stepsiblings and their kids and her folks, and believe you me, the alcohol flows freely there. In fact, one couple has a cooler with two compartments and the kids know that one side is for them and the other is for grown-ups.

Now, I don't know Melissa personally, but I'd be willing to bet that she doesn't get drunk when her kids are around, if at all. If one were to go on what the Today show implied, not only is she continually wasted, she probably does crystal meth as well. The doctor kept going on about healthy choices, but last I heard, wine was a healthy choice. Again, there is a huge difference between getting sloshed and having a drink or two.

The problem here, I think, is that this sort of program simply does not have time to deal with complex issues. Everything has to be black and white, good and evil, right and wrong, so they can say "that's good, that's bad, boom, boom, commercial break." There's no room in four minutes and change for anything in between. Either you're a teetotaler or you're a lush, and of course a good lush sells more advertising than a dozen teetotalers any day.

There is a term for this, of course, going back more than a hundred years. It's called yellow journalism.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

A 21-year-old went to police, saying she'd been raped. The college student was then thrown in jail, after officers found an old warrant stating she'd neglected to pay restitution for a 2003 theft arrest. While imprisoned, a worker at the jail refused to give the rape victim her second dose of the morning-after pill, because doing so would've violated the worker's religious beliefs.

The woman reported the rape Saturday afternoon, at which time she was taken to a rape crisis center and given the first of two doses of the morning-after pill. She was finally given the second dose on Monday afternoon -- 24 hours too late.

According to the victim's lawyer, the woman believes she already paid the fine. Regardless, she has no criminal history as an adult.

In light of all the negative attention, the city is scrambling to write a new policy that would give officers more discretion in arresting crime victims who have outstanding warrants. A police spokeswoman said: "Obviously, any policy that allows a sexual battery victim to spend a night in jail is a flawed policy."

I'm shocked that there's no talk of disciplinary action against the jail worker who refused the contraceptive. What a horrible way to force your beliefs onto someone else.

[via Meta Filter]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Child Development, 2 years, Books, Emotions

When I was a little girl, it seemed that I had to get a cavity filled every time I went to the dentist. Most likely, considering they were always on those hard-to-reach back teeth, there was a good chance that I just wasn't brushing them well.

So, we'll just say that I'm very good about brushing my child's teeth and bringing her to the dentist. She's two and a half and hates going to the dentist. I don't blame her; I'm sure it is a scary experience for her.

I'm considering getting her this book about going to the dentist for her next visit. She loves books and, like many toddlers, will probably listen to a book much more than she'll ever listen to me about going to the dentist.

Are there any other good dentist/doctor books out there?

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here