Congratulations, Amanda!

• I did something completely irresponsible and just for me --- - Amanda
  • Rock On! Same here.. - boo
  • Congrats!! - mad for miata
  • Congratulations, Amanda! - GhostMom
    • I always talked myself out of it before... - Amanda
  • You go girl!!!! - Happy MT Robin

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I will gratefully accept all the prayers I can get. 

She sounds like a sweetie pie!  I remember housebreaking can be pretty frustrating but what about those training pads that they sell at pet stores or Walmart?  Another idea is to put a bell on the door handle (believe it or not) and have her touch it and then go outside with her.  She associates the ring with going potty and eventually will ring it herself to be let out.  I've heard it works!  I'm so excited for her and so happy she has a good home because it does sound as though she wasn't treated very well by a man before you got her.  Makes me sick to my stomach how mean people can be.

I am of the understanding now that if someone gets another wonderful job, so they say, so many oohs and aaahs and congrats to you.

When I posted on here about a week or so ago about doubling my money due to receiving my full retirement benefits and still working, it was so quite could hear a pin drop.

I am thinking jealousy has a lot of green-eyed monsters on here.

Speaking from experience, I found breast feeding to be the most difficult part of being a new mom.  Don't get me wrong -- I wholeheartedly believe in, but it just wasn't for me.  It seemed to add to my postpartum depression by making me feel like I couldn't leave my baby even for a minute.  I also felt that it took longer than it should.  I have 3 children.  With my first, I breastfed for about 6 weeks until I went back to work.  With my second, I only breast fed 2 weeks, realizing that it was contributing to my postpartum depression.  With my 3rd child, I didn't breast feed at all and I didn't seem to have near the postpartum depression. 

I'm not saying that you shouldn't breast feed.  It's a personal choice.  For me, it just didn't work.  I also think you really need to talk to your OB immediately about postpartum depression.  I know it's real because I went through it.  If you were on birth control before and you've yet to resume it, I would suggest speaking to your OB about restarting that.  It can really help to regulate some of your hormones.  Also, sleep when your baby sleeps.  You need your rest so you can be a better mom.  I would also see if a family member would be willing to watch her for a few hours while you're working.  Most people adore babies, so I'll bet there are people just waiting to help.  If you don't live near family, you could probably have a teenager come into your home a few hours during the day to sit with her while you work. 

There are lots of people who would be willing to help.  Just talking to other moms was a big comfort for me.  Strap her in the buggy and walk to your nearest park!  Good luck and congratulations!  Everything you are feeling is normal, but you should still speak with your OB about postpartum depression. 

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For odds and ends, don't forget to check Craig's list!  I mentioned it to my daughter, and I've created a monster.  She's gotten a free dishwasher, free stove, and gotten new bathroom sinks for her house complete with faucets for $10 each from somebody on the list that just moved into a (new) house and decided to have the sinks upgraded.  

I like to visit Home Depot, Lowe's, and various wallpaper stores frequently, and pick up their discontinued borders  and rolls of wallpaper for @ $1.00 each.  If you know the square footage you need to cover, you may be able to do a room for as little as $5.00 instead of $250.  Of course whenever my kids are redecorating, they go to my storage cabinets, find something that suits them,  and take my finds home for free.   

I do the same thing in the paint departments there and at Benjamin Moore.  I'll find already mixed paint that somebody has decided that they don't like and, as long as it is an attractive color and a good quality paint, I'll pick it up for $3 or so per gallon.  I do decorative and faux finish effects and always like to have a variety of colors in stock at my house for raw materials and am not afraid to mix paint colors to achieve the exact color I want.  

As for the house, congratulations! I'm a huge believer in sweat equity.

She sounds sweet!  I swear by a liquid called Ration Plus.  I first got it for my equines who had weight problems and gas.  It's a prebiotic that works in their hindgut to regulate things...makes food stick to the ribs and helps with things like diarrhea and gas.  I also give it to my dogs now and again and even my old senior cat.  I put it right on their food and they gobble it right up.

HOWEVER, it does not state anywhere on their website or the label that it is appropriate for cats.  I just wrote to them actually, just now, to find out if it was safe for felines.  I know I've been feeding it to my cat now for over a year, one or two times a week as a top dressing on his food, and haven't had any problems and he looks great.  I will let you know what they say about it.

Fantastic results and a bottle lasts a long, long time. 

Here's their company website: http://www.rationplus.com/dog.html
but I buy it from pet places because it's usually cheaper that way.