Sunday Sound Out

From Chicago, where we celebrate Casimir Pulaski Day, but no one knows why, it's your host, Dawn Meehan who is STILL in her thirtys, thankyouverymuch! Tonight, musical guest Jimmy Eat World and answers to your questions. So, without further ado...

So, you mean you might have to move out of the house? But where will you go with six kids???
Yep. I guess the court will decide. I have no idea where we'll go, but my vote is for Aruba!

How is your son with ADHD doing? I also have a 6 year old with high end adhd and we just figured out my 3rd grade daughter also has adhd. Do you ever feel any of your other children also may have it?
That would be Jackson. He's had a really rough time of it lately. With everything going on, he's been acting out horribly. I mean, to the point that he's dented his walls, knocked a hole through his door, and broken many possessions. The medication he'd been taking would wear off after school and he was experiencing an awful rebound effect most evenings. I was absolutely at my wit's end with him. Then I was finally able to get him in to the psychiatrist. She switched his meds to Vyvanse and he's been a dream ever since. He doesn't get all "zombie-like" during the day and the meds last until bedtime. Other than the time Joe told him he wouldn't go to Jackson's book meet and Jackson melted down as soon as he got home from school, his behavior has been awesome. Austin and Lexi have some attention problems, but aren't currently taking medication. And Clay, well, Clay has the attention span of a jelly bean.

Just curious, how did you handle baby spitup? I'm assuming you had to deal with that a lot with six kids!
Baby spit-up is nothing. It doesn't smell like vomit. In fact, the doctor thought Savannah had pyloric stenosis for a while because she projectile vomited after every feeding when she was a baby. I'm not sure at what magical age everything changes and baby spit-up becomes intolerable vomit, however.

I have to know though - is that really a baby tooth necklace? And if yes, are those your babies' teeth and your necklace?
You're new around here, aren't you?

Okay...9 weeks pregnant with my fifth, and I have NO CLUE how to tell my family. My husband and I are so excited, but we aren't sure our families will be as thrilled. In fact, I am beginning to think that telling one's parents about a fourth, fifth, or sixth baby must be really similar to what it is like for a knocked up teenager to tell her parents that bad news. I know that you are the right person to answer this question!!! How did you tell your family that you were pregnant the last few times, and how did you react to negative comments, if any? I am thinking about texting the news, but I decided to ask you first. Holding my breath for next Sunday's Sound Out!!!!
First off, don't hold your breath. That can't be good for the baby. And I totally understand your pain. I think after breaking the news that I was pregnant with my sixth baby, my parents gave me a shower gift of condoms, vasectomy pamphlets, and a subscription to cable tv. The thing to keep in mind when strangers (and even family) say things like, "Holy crap!" or "Was it planned?" or "Don't you know what causes that?" is that they are ignorant fools don't usually mean to be rude; it's just that they can't imagine having so many kids themselves, so they can't fathom why anyone else would either. Then again, we don't go around saying, "You only have one kid? Holy crap! Why? Don't you know how to have more?" Hmmmm, yep, I guess there's really no excuse for the rudeness. But, as I was saying - I really don't think most people mean to be rude. And the most important thing is that you and your husband are happy. It doesn't really matter what others may think.

I honestly can't remember how I broke the news to my parents with any of my pregnancies. Must have been real memorable. I think a good way to break the news would be to start with something more dramatic, that way your announcement won't seem like such a big deal. Something like, "Did you hear the Duggars are expecting their 20th child? Kinda makes 5 kids look like a cake walk, huh?" Or maybe, "I just went to the doctor and I have a condition. I need several tests and I'll need to be seen regularly for the next several months." After your parents freak out that you have some terrible life-threatening disease, tell them that you're just pregnant. They'll be so relieved you aren't sick or dying that they'll be thrilled with your pregnancy.

In your case, you could get the kids matching basketball jerseys and when they question it, just tell them that you're starting a basketball team. Unless you don't think your parents would get the connection that there are 5 players on the bball court. Maybe find a photo frame with 5 openings and fill 4 of the holes with pictures of your kids and either leave the 5th opening empty or put an ultrasound picture in it or just write "baby" there.

Oh and CONGRATULATIONS! :)

Please welcome our musical guests!


Until next week!