Snip Snip??

Mike said:
So last week, Jenn and I found out that we're having a boy! *dances a jig* (Actually, she's having the boy, I just donated the sperm, but I've been yelled at by people when I say Jenn is having a boy, so WE'RE having a boy!) Besides the name debate (which is continuing), we now have to decide whether or not to circumcise the baby. I think we should. Maybe it's because I am and that's what I know, but I think we should do it. Jenn's all worried about the pain it will cause him, but millions of boys have it done and we're all fine. I'm concerned that if we don't have it done that he could get picked on as he gets older for being different. Also, it's a lot less work to clean when that extra skin is gone. Besides, you should see the sonogram picture...............he's hung half way to his knees! (I know that has nothing to do with this, but I felt it was worth mentioning.)

Jenn said:
Watch out, I’m armed with facts on this one! Approximately 56% of all newborn boys - about 1.1 million babies - are circumcised in the United States each year. That is only a little over half. It’s not like it was when you were a child, now almost half of the children his age will not be circumcised. So him not being like everyone else is not a warranted excuse in this case I don’t think. BUT, let’s discuss that anyway for a minute.

Allie’s one ear is a bit flopped down on one side. Ya know, she might get picked on because of that, maybe we should have it medically fixed. Or Allie’s nose might one day go the way of most of us Italians and start to take over her face. Would you want to surgically change her so she looks like everyone else? Or leave her the way she came out, which is perfect. When Allie was diagnosed with a flat spot on the back of her head we decided not to get her fitted with a helmet if it was only cosmetic, meanwhile your talking about cutting off a piece of your son’s penis for a cosmetic reason only. Makes no sense.

I don’t understand the rational of performing an unneeded surgery to remove a healthy body part from an un-consenting person. There is no other human body part we routinely remove before it presents any sign of trouble. Why the one exception?

The reasons of: Because I am, and to look like everyone else are not good enough for me. Your gonna have to come up with something better than that.

Mike Said:
OK, you wanna go there huh? OK. How about the fact that doing it lowers the risk of urinary tract infections, penile cancer, and sexually transmitted diseases. Most studies do show that uncircumcised male infants have about a 10 fold increase in UTIs, (Jenn butts in: that is only for the first year of life.) but the overall risk of an uncircumcised male infant getting a UTI is relatively low, only about 1%. Penile cancer is also more common in uncircumcised men. How about the fact that it's possible to have an infection in the foreskin which could require a circumcision later in life! OR! How about the fact that it will cut down on his chances of contracting HIV in half! Huh! HUH! HUH!?!?!?!

Jenn said:
Well, I’m happy to see that you finally went to a website that has some kind of information on it instead of giving the typical man answer of “I’m the one with the penis and I decide that he should be like me.”

However, those “facts” that you wrote up there are not necessarily facts their studies, and I could come up with a bunch of studies myself that prove every one of those studies wrong. We could go on forever that way because none of that stuff is proven one way or another. However, what I will give you is what both the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics say and that is this:

"Existing scientific evidence demonstrates potential medical benefits of newborn
male circumcision; however, these data are not sufficient to recommend routine
neonatal circumcision. In circumstances in which there are potential benefits
and risks, yet the procedure is not essential to the child's current well-being,
parents should determine what is in the best interest of the child. To make an
informed choice, parents of all male infants should be given accurate and
unbiased information and be provided the opportunity to discuss this decision.
If a decision for circumcision is made, procedural analgesia should be
provided."

Even if all of those “facts” that you wrote up there are true, having a female circumcised would have the same affect in reducing UTI’s and lowering the chances for contracting STDs. So why is it in the US that female circumcision is called “genital mutilation” and is outlawed? Why? Because it's barbaric for either gender!

And, the only studies that ARE proven are the ones that show that circumcision removes the most sensitive parts of the penis. Why do that to our son?

All I ask is that you do me a favor and look at real websites like The American Academy of Family Physicians and The American Medical Association (instead of the first one that comes up on the search) and read actual facts before making a uninformed decision about it.

OH and P.S. Condoms prevent AIDS, not circumcision, which I will be teaching to both of our children.

Blues Traveler

Warren said: There used to be a time when Jenn and I could pack a couple of bags and take off for the weekend without a care. Or, if we received a last-minute invitation to a birthday party (not wholly unheard of in my family) we would put aside whatever it was we planned to do that weekend and off we’d go – up to Albany or back to Boston or whatever exotic locale (sans the exotic) someone had chosen for aforementioned party.

This is so not the case anymore.

As I’m sure you all know, just picking up and taking off at the drop of a hat becomes a thing of the past when you have a child. Doubly so when a second arrives on the scene. I’m not even going to begin contemplating what it’s like when you can field a basketball team. And we all know that will never be the case where we’re concerned. (Um…scratch the never – don’t want to piss off karma.)

I bring this up because we have some interesting decisions to make in the next couple of days. Jenn’s cousin is getting married and he lives out on the West Coast. She has another cousin getting married in Italy who is then throwing a big to-do in Dublin. Three years ago I imagine we would have flown to Ireland, stayed for a few days, partied, consumed gallons of Guinness and then winged our way back. A few weeks later we would have been on another plane, hung out with the beautiful people in LA and Santa Monica, maybe zipped over to Disneyland to rub elbows with Mickey and come home via Las Vegas. I can hear Babs singing Memories in my head.

We would love…loooooove…to do both. I/We really want to go back to Ireland and, since I’ve never been to the LA area, I want to do that as well. Unfortunately, it’s one or the other. In order to go to Ireland, however, we would have to get an expedited passport for the baby and pray to every airplane and flight god/goddess known to man that both children would tolerate an overseas flight (no layovers in the Atlantic). A cross-country trip eliminates most of that and having a layover somewhere along the way goes a long way to avoiding meltdowns at 30,000 feet.

I wrote we need to make decisions, but I think they’ve already been made. Doing both is just not in the cards. We will, as a family, more than likely head to the coast for the wedding. Jenn and her sister (and possibly their father) will do a quick trip to Ireland for the shindig in Dublin. And all familial obligations will have been met.

Kids. You gotta love 'em even when the put a damper on your jet-setting lifestyle.


Jenn said: I can't lie...I'm conflicted.

Like the Mr. said, had this happened three years ago, we'd be going to the wedding in Italy or the reception in Dublin...we'd also be jetting off to the coast for wedding #2 and would probably be hitting Hawaii or Vegas (like my sister & brother-in-law are thinking of doing). But it's not three years ago -- we live in the here and now. We have a 23-month-old 'lil Dubya and a 6-month-old 'lil Dubyette and although yes, theoretically we could bring them along, is that really fair to them? Um, no -- it's not.

So, as Warren mentioned we are probably going to do a family vacation in California where we'll go to the wedding but also spend a few days doing some kid-friendly things -- Disneyland, maybe Legoland or Knotts Berry Farm.

These days, vacations are less about "eat, drink and be merry" and more about where can we go that is kid-friendly...not even just kid-friendly...baby friendly (there is a difference)

One option he didn't mention is that my mother offered to take the kids so that W & I could both do a weekend in Ireland.

Man, is that tempting...and she's great with the kids -- she loves them, they love her -- she's more than capable of handling them (although, she'd be a bit tired at the end.... who wouldn't?)

I'm just not ready...we've never both been away from them overnight....and I'm not sure I can do it...never mind leaving the country. I feel bad enough thinking of leaving them with Warren for a few days…let alone having both of us leave them.

So, I guess that's what we'll do...California here we come.... God help you!

the glorious feeling known as...........

point says:
The naked poo. now, now, dont cringe.....close your jaw and stop thinking WTF. Bear with me and soon you will see and agree that there is nothing more liberating and fabulous than.............the naked poo.

Im a welder. i spend most of my day sweating and working in dirt and grim. i also am not the type of person that looks forward to pooing at work....if its the second half of the day i would rather go home for the .......................... naked poo.

there are 3 requirments in the naked poo. two are very obvious.....

1. naked
2. poo
3.........door open.

there is no point in half-assing the liberation of the naked poo by keeping the door shut.

after the naked poo...........straight into the shower....get all clean and fresh and finish the day like a brand new man...............errrrr woman.

ster says:
1. i cannot believe i'm marrying you.
2. you are disgusting.
3. i cannot believe you just brought people into our BATHROOM.
4. you are freaking rank.
5. have i mentioned how unbelievably gross you are?
6. did you just call yourself a woman?
and 7.. i can't even respond to this because girls.don't.poo. naked or otherwise.

point says:
i said err woman incase a woman wants to or does the naked poo.....yea yea i know girls dont poo. the bathroom is a perfectly natural function....i dont understand why its so taboo.....

Winners and Losers

Tony said: Are any other couples as competitive as Allie and I are? It's always been in my nature to compete....which is why I love sports so much. In sports, there's always a winner and a loser (except in soccer, hockey and in rare cases, football.) I've noticed that I treat everything in my daily life the same way as sports. I try to win as much as I can at whatever I do. I also always end up dragging along anyone thats near me, which means that poor Allie has to suffer the most. Or so I once thought. As it turns out she is more competitive than me. She turns a simple kid's toy called "Bop It" into an all out war between us. Well, when I'm challenged, I take it seriously, so I beat her pretty convincingly and she got angry at me. This kind of thing happens alot. So far we've learned that she can kick my ass at swimming and playing Ms. Pac Man (to spare her embarrassment, I won't mention the many many things that I'm better than her at.) I'm not sure how healthy all this competition is for a relationship, but it can be extremely entertaining...right Allie?

Allie said: My god who could forget the Bop It. I won at that my score was higher than yours and what is it that your better at ? Air hockey ? We're tied there. I think its bad that we act like this but I cant stand losing. You get so big headed sometimes, my winning will put you in your place. If I am winning you suddenly don't want to compete anymore. Perfect example remember when you and Felix and I were playing that PSP baseball home run derby game and I kicked both of your asses. And then the next time we tried to play you and Felix didn't let me play ever again.

Tony said: I normally don't go throwing this word around, but you my dear are a LIAR!!! You are the sore loser around here, not me. My nephew and I didn't want to play again because it took forever to finish in the first place, and besides, it was supposed to be a competition between him and I, that's how he and I bond. But "little miss competition" had to butt in. And between us both, you know you are the sore loser. Remember our Yahoo Pool phase? You would never want to play me because you lost all the time, and when I started letting you win, you got mad at me for that too. You pout like a child when things aren't going your way. And when you do win, you NEVER let me forget. I at least, take my wins like a true gentleman of sport.

Allie said: I am not a sore loser . Felix and I were playing first and then you came along. I am so not little miss competition do we recall who won the bop it it game and told you that this was getting out of control and needed to stop and who was the one who picked up the bop it and tried to beat my score cause they couldn't let go of the fact that they lost. That was you dear. The yahoo days are so over and here you are telling me that "i always let you win."

Tony said: I only have one last thing to say....our daughter is beautiful, and EVERYONE tells us how much she looks like me...which must mean she gets her looks from me. Who won there?

Allie said: I thought i was supposed to get the last word? again you always have to win don't you, you just can't seem to let it GO. And, if it was not for me carrying Kaci for 9 months and giving her the nutrients she needed to survive she would not even be here in the first place so don't try to add that as one of your victories.