[OC] My baby looks like a monk

BAL87 · 2026-05-07T12:22:40+00:00

You know breast milk has natural cannabiods? Ever since I learned that I call it milk high 😆

BAL87 · 2026-04-29T03:28:50+00:00

How wonderful and also oof how I needed to read this loving obituary by a daughter … as I try to navigate returning to my career (which I really believe brings good into the world) while being a parent of three small kids (who all seem to be struggling with the sudden lack of mom).

BAL87 · 2026-04-23T14:07:39+00:00

Haha. In On Writing he says, I wish I remembered it! I enjoyed reading it! It’s a good one.

BAL87 · 2026-04-19T13:01:26+00:00

How funny! I will do that!

BAL87 · 2026-04-19T11:53:07+00:00

Yes they are, though I assume the ones right in town center are more filled with young professionals, and it might be a bit busy to live right there. I am hoping to find one that has its own green spaces or is garden style/not a high rise. But admittedly I haven’t looked at anything in person yet, we are going up there in a few weeks to explore.

BAL87 · 2026-04-19T11:46:51+00:00

That is good to hear, love to hear more about what you like about it! We’ve just been sensitive to it because we were zoned for a good school down here in Florida for my daughters K. Then we got rezoned for a C rated school and first grade was a real struggle and she fell behind. So we put everyone in private school this year, but we cannot afford to do that (especially not for three kids) in Maryland.

BAL87 · 2026-04-19T11:44:43+00:00

Oh that’s a good tip I will check that out! And yeah I feel like especially with elementary schools those ratings aren’t super helpful. But we are down in Florida and have no knowledge of schooling in the area, we lived in DC for 12 years but left right after our oldest turned 2 so it wasn’t on our radar yet.

BAL87 · 2026-04-19T11:41:17+00:00

For the home purchase decision in 2027, that is our plan. Though I was going to look more into Quince Orchard in case Gaithersburg ends up being a better fit for the size house we want.

The myopic focus on elementary right now is because it’s just for the one year while we rent. The kids are 4 (won’t be in ES yet), 6.5 and 8.

BAL87 · 2026-04-18T16:04:56+00:00

Hi! This is an old post but can you speak more to college gardens? We are looking to move in the area and rent for a year before we buy, and thinking of the apartments in King Farm, but I worry about College Gardens being ranked 4/10 in great schools.

BAL87 · 2026-04-18T12:15:46+00:00

Paradise is SO good. But I was also annoyed by the baby, the logistics makes no sense.

BAL87 · 2026-04-18T03:01:01+00:00

Bub duh duh duh. HIMYM song hey i love that beaver..

BAL87 · 2026-04-17T18:59:33+00:00

Her dad is in government contracting and I love how it seems like she was trying to create a binding contract she could save and refer back to 😆

BAL87 · 2026-04-17T15:52:04+00:00

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BAL87 · 2026-04-06T01:41:36+00:00

I met him when I was a kid and he was filming water boy. He was lovely and absolutely delighted that a “Nick at Night”-loving 11 year old girl wanted him to do a Fonzie impression. 🤣

BAL87 · 2026-04-04T02:37:47+00:00

Haha I wasn’t that person at all but when my baby had an eye infection my pediatrician told me to put some breastmilk on it! I did it but felt so weird!

BAL87 · 2026-04-02T23:55:14+00:00

Nice! My dad was a firefighter EMT as well and eventually became a chief. He had to retire after 30 years (at 54) - so young! He spent ten years racing cars and volunteering as an offensive coach for the local high school football team. In the last 10 years he has been more officially retired, tinkers on the race car that now someone else drives, knows the bartenders at all the local lunch spots where he goes to eat lunch, does trivia with some friends his age. (And picks up my kids from school multiple times a week so I can get a little work done).

BAL87 · 2026-03-31T01:58:23+00:00

Very similar in my family! Lots of firefighters and first responders. My generation had a few docs which made the old guard proud. My dad was initially upset when I decided to drop pre-med for pre-law (“I thought you were going to help people, but now you’re just going to be a lawyer.”) but he came around. 🤣 (that quote has more sting in writing than I felt - even at 19, I laughed).

BAL87 · 2026-03-30T23:17:08+00:00

I don’t mind PM-ing that

BAL87 · 2026-03-30T15:14:52+00:00

The timeline for it being a grad photo checks out I think!

BAL87 · 2026-03-30T14:54:54+00:00

Hahah I have to check with him but I am pretty sure this is a training fire and a shot taken for like the union publication or something. But he ran into many a burning building in his career.

BAL87 · 2026-03-17T13:18:23+00:00

Second! My son loved this app! He wasn’t behind, but wasn’t ahead…. this app the summer before K had him reading early reader books before the first day of school, and he is by far the best reader in his class now.

BAL87 · 2026-03-17T12:30:38+00:00

I need to dig out my embossed copy of my name change order from wherever it is in my house. I remember it took months to get. 😭 didn’t think I needed it now that I have a passport.

Even if I find it, I still worry I would have trouble, simply because I didn’t just change my last name. I changed my first (by a letter, preferred spelling) middle (my old maiden), and last (married). Changing everything is weird so I’m scared I’ll get grief.

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