A Preemie Story - Part I: Ready or Not...

Part 1: Ready or Not...

On March 7, 2010 my son Quentin was born 8 weeks early. The experience was sudden, unexpected, terrifying, surreal, and confusing.

A week before he was born, my husband and I watched television and went to bed per our normal routine. That night I tossed and turned. Back and forth, up and down to the bathroom. I had to pee, but nothing was really coming out. I felt nauseous.

Around 2:30 AM I made one final trip to the bathroom. I looked down and there, as gross as it sounds, was blood and a lot of it. I had been bleeding the whole pregnancy. The doctors really didn't think much of it (bleeding can happen for no real reason) but had one eye on me for good measure. I had seen blood before in the middle of the night, but this was different. I felt different. I remember feeling dread-- I knew this was not good but I was not scared, yet.

I shook my husband awake.

"We have a problem."

He was groggy at first and just to show him I wasn't being an alarmist, I made him look into the toilet bowl. The sight of so much blood snapped him out of the haze.

"We are calling the doctor, right now." he informed me.

Because all emergencies happen in the middle of the night (of course this would not happen at noon on a Tuesday) we were put through to Brigham and Women's hospital. Still somewhat calm, I told the attending my issues. This was not my first time calling after hours, but this was the first time I knew I needed to be seen. The pit of dread started spreading from my belly out to my fingers and toes. I began to feel anxious.

We called my mom. With as much calm as I could muster, I explained the situation and she scrambled out the door to watch our two year old son.


What to Expect When You're Expecting does not cover middle of the night hospital runs when your two year old is sleeping and you are only 31 weeks. This was where our story diverged from the books and the uncertainty was terrifying. On the drive to the hospital the streets were empty. A cop car pulled out behind us and despite his desire to blow all red lights, Brian was compelled to slow down.

We discussed the "what-ifs".

"What if this baby is born now?" Brian asked.
"It's not good." I replied.
We sat in silence.

Even in a major city like Boston, the hospital is quiet at night. I checked in with the OB office where an office worker took all my info.

"Are you in labor?" she asked.
"I hope not." I replied.

We were escorted up to triage where Brian and I sat, held hands, and waited. Waited for our names to be called and waited for someone to tell us that this was all going to be ok.  Minutes ticked by and the relief that we felt for making to the hospital was replaced with an anxious impatience. Why hadn't anyone seen us yet? We sat. And sat some more. Finally we were called.

The doctors had more questions than answers. How long have you been bleeding? What is your pain on a scale of 1-10? How much blood? How often do you bleed? At 4AM we were sent for an ultra-sound where another doctor sat silently studying the images. I wanted him to say something, anything, but his silence scared me. It was clear that idle chit-chat was not appropriate or encouraged. It didn't matter, I didn't know what to say anyway.

The baby was fine but my cervix was shortened. Things were moving. Maybe it was the start of labor but it was possible that it could be slowed down. I was informed that 31 weeks is not good-- 32 is much better. If we could get me to stay pregnant for 4 more days, that would be a help. Though he tried to hide it, there was concern on the doctor's face. I began to cry and the triage nurse hugged me.

At 4:30 Wednesday morning I was admitted and  officially became a labor and delivery patient trying not to have a baby.

Next Up: A Preemie Story - Part 2: "Try Not to Have the Baby"

~Davina

The Force is Strong with These Cookies - Fun Ideas for Father's Day

I was trying to think of some good "cheap" gift ideas for Father's Day and I stumbled upon the following.

There are some prerequisites to these gifts:

1. The father in question must be a nerd (or a closet nerd).
2. The person giving the gift must also share nerd-like qualities.
3. You must be cool with passing along nerd-like tendencies to your children (if it was not passed down in the DNA already)

Fun idea #1:

Star Wars Cookie Cutters. You can work with your kids to make the cookies. I'm pretty sure mine will never look like the photo but it will still be fun to try. They also have pancake molds, but I swear those things do not work for me and the molds always just look like blobs.

Available at William Sonoma for $19.95
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/star-wars-cookie-cutter/



Fun idea #2:

In keeping with the Star Wars culinary theme why not bust out a Star Wars cookbook for a Father's Day diner?  

Wookiee Cookies: A Star Wars Cookbook is a spiral-bound recipe book featuring such crowd pleasers as Han-Burgers, Crazy Cantina Chili and the Jabba Jiggle (aka: lime Jell-O).

The recipes are easy to prepare, tasty to eat, and what better way to introduce your children to one of the greatest stories ever told.

Available at Amazon for $8.49

The Ford Flex. Not Your Grandparents Wagon

Memorial Day weekend makes me think of roadtrips, which makes me think of cars, which makes me think of how much my car sucks. I own a Jeep Cherokee. It's fine except for the fact that my husband, myself, and our two children do not all fit-- maybe one at a time, but not all together. We are not circus giants, but we are tall and if we ever want to take a road trip as a family again, we need to start planning.

My husband wants me to consider the Ford Flex. It's not a minivan (thank god) but there is something irritating about the exterior design. The rear end has a large, clunky look and the last thing any lady wants is a big back end.

In my research today, I did learn today that the Flex has a fridge built into the rear console... seriously, a fridge. You can set it on chill or freeze. Sushi anyone?

It's not a monster fridge, but it will make you queen (or king) of the tailgate.

The flex also has a pretty cool Sony sound system. Hook up your Ipod and you can use the console to control the device. Don't have an Ipod? Use a jump drive to upload your songs directly to the car. Most likely the files would need to be MP3 for this to work (god forbid these companies work together) but it's still a cool extra.

CNet gave the car decent marks (see video). I am having a hard time resolving that it is anything more than just a pimped-out wagon but I suppose the real test is to take it on a trial run.... now if we could only fit in our current car to get to the dealer.

~Davina

Remember When Books Were Made of Paper?

There was a day-- not that long ago-- when books were made from trees and phones were only used to call other people. I can imagine telling my grandchildren, "I remember when we carried books to school and talked to each other on the phone." And my grandchildren will look at me and say, "grandma, you are so old!" and proceed to teleport to the virtual mall (or something like that).

We are at the precipice of a book revolution and I am so curious how this is all going to play out.

Want to read a paper-free book? We've got the IPad, the Kindle, the Nook, The Sony Reader.... and now the IPhone for kids.

Hold up? The Iphone isn't a book for kids.

Oh, but it is... in Japan.

There is a new super-cool Iphone device where you insert your phone in a book-like sleeve and the Iphone is transformed into a Children's book called "Popo and Momo Ride! Ride!" (I kid you not).

All very cool except the price point is a steep $30 on Japan's Amazon. Unless Popo and Momo plan on lasting long enough to entertain my children for an entire plane ride to Florida, I think this is more for the cool factor than anything else.

Aside of the high price point, the technology is impressive and I anticipate this is only the beginning. Soon we will catch up and start seeing this product hit the US shores. And because I enjoy their names so much,  perhaps Popo and Momo will make an appearance as well.

~Davina

COUCH TO 5K AND ME...A TALE OF A FATTY AND HER DESIRE TO RUN LIKE THE WIND

I have always thought of myself as a MODERATELY physically fit gal. I go to the gym several times a week, lift some weights, and have 2 active kids to keep up with. There's always room for improvement, but at least I'm trying. A few weeks ago my kids challenged me to a race....as in running. No sweat I thought, If I can't run faster than a 6 and 9 year old then I've got problems. I stretched it out, air punched like Rocky, played the Chariots of Fire theme song in my head and the race began. One minute later I was fanning myself like a church going lady on a hot Sunday murmuring "Oh lord help me " while the children still ran on. What the hell was wrong with me? I can't even run over a minute without severe trauma occuring? Something must be done about this.

I had heard several people reference a program called Couch to 5K so I researched it and found a free podcast on ITunes by a man named Robert Ullrey.

http://www.ullreys.com/robert/Podcasts/

I added it to my ipod and away I ran. What is it?

Essentially it is a 9 week program that you run 3 days a week with days off in between. Currently I am on week 1. I had a setback with my sciatic nerve butt problem ( thanks baby number 2 ) and had to postpone starting. All is good now and I have to say that so far I am enjoying it. My podcast has music playing, I could'nt tell you what the songs were but they are fine for running, and it tells you when to run or walk. You start with a brisk 5 minute walk, then run in intervals of 60 seconds with 90 second walk breaks in between. This may sound easy but let me tell you it kicked my rumpshaker and I was sweating like a pig. The next day my leg muscles hurt and I felt like I never had exercised a day in my life, even though 2 days before I had used the elliptical.

I assume that as you move forward the intervals for running get longer with less walking break time in between. I'll keep you posted. I did also notice when I was on Itunes that there is an app you can buy for your Iphone that keeps track of everything for you.

My goal in all this is not to beat the best time at the next Boston Marathon...I simply want to have the ability to run some distance without clutching my chest like Sanford and Son thinking my time has come. I will not allow my children to out run me. Must.run.like.the.wind

Karen

My Computer is now a Fashion Accessory?

It's hard to ignore the fashion trends being touted with the new Sex and the City movie coming out.

Shoes... check
Dress.... check
Digital Clutch... check

Wait, what? Did I just say digital clutch?

HP has partnered with fashion designer Vivienne Tam (http://www.viviennetam.com/) to develop a new fashion forward netbook.

Some features include a built-in webcam that allows users to create and upload videos, take snapshots and chat with friends over the web.

HP QuickWeb, the company’s instant-on software, lets users post to Facebook, send a tweet, listen to music, browse the web, check an appointment, send an email or chat in seconds – saving time usually spent waiting for the computer to fully boot.

And my absolute favorite marketing maneuver of all time. With a click of a button, the webcam turns into an instant “mirror.” Because nothing says "I swear I am not a nerd" like a woman looking at her computer while looking at herself while putting on her eyeliner.

I'm pretty sure Carrie Bradshaw used a Mac, so I am confused by the HP partnership. I am seeing the movie this weekend and I am curious to see if she switched technology teams. Oh, and I am also interested in the shoes... I swear.

~Davina

The Nap Nanny. Best. Invention. Ever.

So two nights ago was the trial run. The Nap Nanny came into our sleepless lives with promises of a more than two hour stretches (at best) of uninterrupted sleep.

As mentioned in my previous post, at first glance the Nap Nanny is nothing more than angled foam and a nubby blanket cover. My first thought upon seeing it was along the lines of "well that was a waste of $130."  But now that we have had a few days with this new device, I have to say that it may have been the best money ever spent.

I don't know why it works, but it does (I took the photo of Q to the left as I was typing this). My son who would never lay flat on his back and only could sleep on my chest or in the bouncy seat has made his opinion known by sleeping well more than his 2 hour stretches-- quietly settling in for 3, sometimes 4, hours.  As any sleepless parent knows, any extra sleep is good sleep.

What it is:
As mentioned, this is a piece of foam covered in a nubby fabric. There is a buckle around the waist. From the side it looks a bit like a rollercoaster. Babies seem to think it's magic.

What it is not:
There are no lights, no vibrations, no bounces. I was nervous at first because I thought that Quentin liked that movement and would balk at a stationary product. He's sleeping in it now and is as peaceful as can be... no battery required.

So the next question is, why didn't I keep on using the bouncy seat since that seemed to work? Well it was only marginally effective. Quentin would fall alseep but wake up just shy of 2 hours like clock-work. I liken it to falling asleep in a lazy-boy. Comfortable at first, but eventually you want to move to your bed.

The Nap Nanny seems to give him the peaceful sleep that was missing for his first few weeks of life. There is no weight limit so as long as you feel comfortable with your child in the seat, you can use it. They do recommend that once the baby can sit up, you start moving on to another method.

As a re-affirmation of Quentin's positive non-verbal sleep review, my two year old decided it would be fun to try it out. Upon sitting back he put his hands behind his head and exclaimed "comfortable!".

That's right dude, comfortable and sooooo worth it.

~Davina

My New Sitter - The IPhone

Hey tech parents. If you have an Iphone, there is an app out there that can make you life easier. Everyday that Quentin gets older (he's now 12 weeks) I feel like I can stop hovering... a bit. I was digging through the closet for the clunky baby monitor we used with our first son and realized that there must be an easier way.

Then it came to me... Iphone app.

Turns out there are a whole host of apps that can turn you Iphone into a monitor-on-the-go. Great for trips to grandmas and vacations where you would rather use the packing space for an extra set of shoes.

The next question is, what app do you use? Search for "baby monitor" and the results are numerous and ranging in prices from $37.99 to "free".

The most rated/used is the CodeGoo Baby monitor for $4.99. Set your phone near the baby and if the baby makes a noise you get a call back to another number to check on him. Hopefully you are still nearby and not at the mall... kidding.

Seems like a cool concept, but the biggest complaint is the sensitivity of the device. There is no way to set it up for "screaming" versus "happy coo" so if your baby is chatty, you'll be getting lots of notification calls.

The other app I found interesting is the CriBaby - Baby Monitor. This is a live audio stream of your baby -- although you need two IPhones. One to act as the transmitter and one as the receiver. Free to download but a subscription based cost for the use of the WiFi bandwidth on a monthly basis.  You can stop and start the subscription as needed.

My husband and I both have IPhones so I think we may give the CriBaby a try for our vacation this summer. I'm not wild about the monthly fee, but I do like the idea of a consistent stream of Quentin's peeps and crys.

Now they just need an IPhone app to change diapers.

~Davina

MY FAVORITE SWEEPSTAKES

You all know that I am the sweepstakes queen and I'm feeling generous today. Below you'll find the links to some of my favorites. Trust me..there's not that many out there right now that involve or are sponsored by WDW in some way. I try to stick with Disney sponsored ones because those poor saps have my email in so many different ways they could'nt possible keep up to send me junk email.

I'm on the hunt for my second win...a cruise. Fingers crossed

Oriental trading Summer of fun win a Disney Cruise contest/ Enter one time per household weekly

http://www.orientaltrading.com/summer10_contest_entry.html

Essence.com Summer fun contest. Enter one time per day

http://www1.essence.com/packages/summerfun/entry.html

Disney Night of Joy Giveaway. Enter one time per day

http://www.nightofjoygetaway.com/

And of course there is the Show Orlando your smile contest which I have already won!

http://orlandoinfo.com/smile/

I love freebies

Karen

The Nap Nanny is in the Hiz-ouse!

This could be a game changer.

Having just spent the last 12 weeks not sleeping it was all I could do not to hug the postman when he delivered the Nap Nanny today.

What is the Nap Nanny you ask? Well according to review I read online, it's a revolution in baby sleeping. Part foam wedge, part nubby blanket I am hoping this creation will change the amount of sleep we all get.

More to come in the AM. Wish me luck.

Alphabet Soup

Looking for an original baby shower gift? I just got a great gift in the mail from a good friend in Jolly Ole' England.

Johnny's Sister (http://www.jonnyssister.co.uk/standard-love-letters-p-260.html) based out of the UK creates custom letter gifts. Letter soaps, letter pillows, wooden letters... you pick the letter and they craft it out of the appropriate material.

I just got the "Q" Love Letter pillow in the mail for my son Quentin's nursery. It's not as practical as a diaper geenie or bouncy seat, but just as thoughtful and way more fun.

Orders can be placed online and the ship world-wide.

Check out http://www.jonnyssister.co.uk/ for their full range of products.

~Davina

Rub a Dub Dub, I Love the Puj Tub

For the first few months of my premature son's life my husband and I avoided the baby bath tub. Sponge baths seemed so much saner at least until he put on some pounds and some neck muscles showed up.

So it was with delight that I discovered the Puj Tub. This miracle piece of foam fits in any standard size sink and allows for a two handed, stress free, rinse down. Of course the basic safety rules of bath time still apply but it's a whole lot easier on everyone-- I'm not sure who enjoyed it more, me or the baby.

What it is:

Basically for $39.99 plus shipping (babiesrus.com) you get a flat piece of foam. There are magnets that make the flat foam transform into a scoop shape that slide under the faucet and into a sink. When you are done simply pull the magnets apart and hang on the back of the bathroom door. Great for small spaces or taking on a trip.

What it is not:

Long term. I'm pretty sure this is going to be good for only a few more months. There are not set weight guidelines, but once your baby can't fit into the sink-- you and the puj are done.

It is also not available in stores. I ordered it from babiesrus.com-- it came in a few days.

One comment/criticism. They call out that you are not to run the water on the baby. Makes sense but generally for bath time water is a necessity. So there is a bit of planning to make sure you have an extra basin of water ready. I am lucky to have two sinks in my bathroom, for those who do not, I  can see the first few times using this to be a lesson in planning.

The video below shows how this works. Money well spent in my book.

Meet Me on the Lido Deck Mickey?

Dream on people. That's what I am going to be doing on March 17, 2011 when I set sail on a three day cruise on the new Disney cruise line, The Dream.

I never thought I would be a cruising kind of person. I like my trips spontaneous and a bit off the beaten path. But the thoughts of a midnight chocolate desert bar, a cabana on the white sand beaches of Disneys very own island and free french fries at any time of day is enough to make me change my tune.

The last time I was on a Disney cruise ship it was for my honeymoon. This time I will have my children with me... well, one of them. We are leaving the youngest behind so we can make the most of all the activities a three year old can take advantage of.

Are you kidding me....




My mother in law just purchased additional points with Disney Vacation Club for the Animal Kingdom Lodge. With that upgrade comes a free fab three day trip on the new Disney boat. I couldn't wait and booked my trip today.

Now I am counting the days... all 302 of them.

Some things to note about this cruise...

• Because I am a returning Disney cruiser I have to wait 90 days prior to departure before I can book any of the extras (shore excursions, massages, etc). First time cruise folks book 60 days prior.
• I also found out that transportation to and from the cruise ship is not included in the vacation club deal. It's $70 for the round trip transportation.
• There are a number of sail dates to pick from. If you pay for the points in full there are specific dates you can pick from. Not sure why this is a benefit, but they have it highlighted in the contract.
• The more points you buy the longer your cruise can be. You cannot upgrade your cruise to a longer trip by combining your vacation club points.
• And finally, if you finance the points, you need to make a certain number of payments before being able to book the cruise.

Shuffleboard anyone? More to come as the trip gets closer.

PUT THE LIME IN THE COCONUT

During my last Disney trip ( shocking that I was there..I know ) I discovered a new shampoo that I need to share with you. If you know me then you know that anything coconut I am all about. I'll eat it, smell it, drink it, scent my car with it , decorate with it...you get the point.
My aunt who was along on the trip and needed some time away from the parks did some shopping at the Grand Floridian and discovered White Basin. She returned with a shampoo bar for my mother. When I walked back into our hotel room from my day the scent of coconut quickly hit me and I stopped in my tracks.
* sniff sniff* "What's that smell" I asked my mom. " Oh it's a new shampoo Ann Marie got me today. You can use it if you'd like" my generous mama replied. Enough said..the bar was mine and I was in coconut heaven.
It really is a round shampoo bar that you use to lather up directly on your head. No bottle, no squeezing. Between uses let it stay dry and it will last a while. My aunt claimed no conditioner was needed for her hair when using it but I still did.
I recomend trying it out. I loved it and how it made my hair feel, look and of course, smell. There's a variety of scents to choose from that will suit all hair types. I'm not even sure the coconut was best suited for my hair as I don't color it, but I still loved it. Plus with natural ingredients and no extra preservatives that other shampoos use for shelf life you cant go wrong!
http://www.basinwhite.com/index.php?p=catalog&parent=17&pg=1

Score one for the sweepstakes queen!

It only took 3 years 22 days, 16 hours and 12 minutes but I finally won a contest....or should I say my husband did. Yes after the endless hours of entering and googling HIS name was the one drawn but no matter..I'm going!
The contest was actually the one I have mentioned previously on the Orlando visitors website. Included in the prize is airfare, hotel accomodations , transportation while we are there and park passes. As I told my husband so many times as he mocked me and my contest craziness, someone's got to win and one day it's going to be me. Does this mean my luck streak is over and I should stop entering the others I still feverishly enter every day? Have I peaked after all this time and should I hang up my contest shoes? Absolutely not..there are still so many left to enter It would require weeks in a rehab facility for me to stop. Especially now since I have finally go the taste of what winning feels like. I'm like a junkie craving more. This could be bad.....


Karen

Smile if You're Worried

Yesterday I asked my husband if I worry excessively about our premature son.

"Yes," he replied. "But if we didn't go through what we went through with him I would call you out on it more."

What we went through was life changing. A month of roller coaster  emotions where one day I was home and pregnant, the next in the hospital ready to deliver a baby eight weeks early.

Our son has been home for six weeks now and we are taking him to his two month check-up today. I have a list of questions for the doctor, but what I really want to know is how I stop worrying. I can hear him now, making his baby noises in the pack-n-play and it's all I can do to keep myself from running over to him. Last night he slept on my chest... all night. I dread feeding him because his immature digestive system causes him to writhe in pain for a good 20 minutes after eating. He has not pooped in 6 days.

He has not smiled.

I am waiting patiently. All the books say 6 weeks. Six weeks for a normal full term baby to look at their parents and smile with a glitter in their eyes. The smile that is not gas and in response to the love and care that has been showered for the first few weeks.

However, premature babies have their own time-table. They go by when they should have been born, not by when they were born. By this calculation I am looking at the second week in June for my smile. The smile will mean many things on the development scale, but most of all it will be a sign. A sign that he understands that he's loved.

And maybe, I can stop worrying a little bit.

UPDATE: He Smiled!
http://thebestfriendsguideto.blogspot.com/2010/06/smile-if-youre-worried-update.html

~Davina

Happy Mother Day!

Time to put on bug glasses and a velor track suit.

Lost Writers Ambushed by the Muppets

The Lost writers get a surprise visit from some of the muppets in the above video. Apparently everyone has questions on how this whole thing is going to end.

I don't know about you, but I am already mourning the end of the show. Flash Forward and V have tried but they are both poor substitutes.

Long live Sawyer.

~Davina (aka: Other)

Adventures in Shedding the Pregnancy Weight

It's been a long time since I've been to the gym, and boy did I feel it. Yesterday was my first day back to the gym after giving birth 7 weeks ago. Getting back into the groove is no easy task and I can see why women keep about 10 pounds of pregnancy weight after each child.

Forty-four pounds (yes... 44) of pregnancy weight and one baby later it's time. I can't help but think, "why did I have an entire bag of M&Ms each week" and "maybe if I just had a salad instead of pizza I wouldn't have gained that much weight." But I know that's not true.  I get pregnant, I gain weight. It's how my body manages the change.

The question is, where do I start. How do I get rid of the pounds that so easily settled on to the fatty parts of my body? Hello new hips.


If you type in "pregnancy weight loss" into Amazon book search you get over 70 results. No disrespect to these books, but I believe the process to be a simple one. Eat less, workout more. Don't get me wrong, simple does not mean easy-- I just think there are plenty of people looking for an easy fix. It does not exist. It's calories in... calories out. And hopefully the rest falls into place.

I swear by Weight Watchers, but I am sure there are plenty of other diets that can do the trick. I have been attending a Weight Watchers meeting for the past 4 weeks. Since starting the program I am down 8 pounds. I would like it to be more... but it's a start.

In the interest of total transparency I am currently 192. Even typing that number makes me want to give up and eat an entire pizza, but I have been looking longingly at my old clothes and my yoga pants have threatened to move out if I don't give them a day off. I stupidly tried to put on a larger pair of pre-preggers jeans today only to feel like a stuffed sausage.

I did not try to zip them.

So this needs to happen. The question is, will it?

Do our bodies just decide one day to hold onto the weight until we resolve to accept the new us? Pass me another cheese slice please.

The number on the scale certainly does not define me, but it definitely has a choke hold on me. However, it's easy to beat myself up. Everytime I look at a gossip rag I see another celeb who dropped the pounds in a few days. Damn you Heidi Klum and your super human fat cells.

But I'm me and not Heidi Klum, so I keep on my slow and steady path. *sigh* All I know is a cheese pizza would taste mighty good right now.


~Davina

 

"Who is that ho-bag?"

This morning I had the volume down low on the Today Show. They showed a piece of a video with a girl in a scantily clad outfit with teased hair and harsh makeup.

"Who is that ho-bag?" I asked my husband.
"Miley Cyrus" He responded.
"Really? I guess she is all grown up."

I don't really care if Miley wears a thong and tasseled pasties to go to the mall. But there seems to be a trend of Disney tweens going to the extreme when they make the leap to adulthood. Maybe it is due to the fact that they are so sugar coated as young girls when they get into young adulthood they instantly rebel.  Or maybe they think this is how to take their careers to the next level. It's the curse of the Disney tween... next stop, stripper pole.

Case in point:
1. Miley: ditch the hair extensions, black eye kohl, dominatrix vibe. It's overdone.




2. Lindsay: So sad. She had such a great start with Mean Girls. Now she just looks like she needs to sleep for a week.

3. Britney: The mother of all train wrecks and bad hair extensions. She set the gold standard for Disney tween downfalls

4. Christina (aka X-tina): This is a gal with some talent, so I think it's kind of a shame that she also went the trampy route. I get it. It's expressing sexuality-- but it distracts from her talent and lumps her in with the above mentioned ladies.

So what would I have these girls do? Would I ban them from wearing only their bras in public... no.  It just seems that they don't know how else say "I am an adult!!! I've grown up!!!".

Ironically, in their quest for self expression and to break from the Disney mold, they have all blended together.

~Davina

NERD ALERT !

I don't have a Tom Tom....now I want this Tom Tom. If it comes up in Dutch press translate. Why the Dutch have this and I don't is a mystery.
I feel as though I would talk back to darth as if he were my husband. Would he reprimand me if I took a wrong turn ? I hope so.

http://starwars.tomtom.com/voices/index-starwars.php?Lid=5


Karen