We've never flown with kids. We've done the 12 hour car drive, but no flying yet.

I read a very interesting study about children and asthma. It seems that kids who live in antiseptically-clean environments have much more trouble with asthma and their immune systems than the kids who live out on the farm surrounded by animal dander and dust. I reckon sharing dog food is not too bad, but I'd draw the line somewhere before playing in the kitty litter.

(sings) Nicole and co-worker, sitting in a tree...

I'm with Katrina. A little dog spit, a little dirt...these things build character...and immunities. (this from the woman who's dog is licking her as she types, so take that for what it is worth.)

I'm pretty sure most toddlers who cohabit with dogs have ingested a gallon or two of doggie drool.

Okay, not stool.

I feel a bit better now (though I'm definitely on the side of squicked by animal spit).

I read a very interesting study about children and asthma. It seems that kids who live in antiseptically-clean environments have much more trouble with asthma and their immune systems than the kids who live out on the farm surrounded by animal dander and dust.

I read that study too. As someone who grew up asthmatic with cats, dogs, hamsters, rabbits, mice, and 3 siblings, I'm skeptical of how big a factor this is.

Not squicked by animal spit, although not particularly fond of it.

I'd be more worried about the cat's tail too.

Kitties can do some decent damage but dogs have bigger mouths. Not sure which is worse.

I reckon sharing dog food is not too bad, but I'd draw the line somewhere before playing in the kitty litter.

Good plan! Now if I could just teach my dog this trick...

Also, KATERINABEE! *smooches Katie 4-evah!*

(sings) Nicole and co-worker, sitting in a tree...

Which co-worker? If only I had one more, I could do F/C/M. (I hope the Universe isn't listening because I don't really want one more.)

I read that, too, Katerina. The study I read said that babies growing up in houses with more than two animals (especially if the animals were different species) suffered from fewer allergies. So we're pretty well covered.

The litterbox is in a completely unaccessable corner of the basement from Owen. Gated off. I had to figure out how to keep Sam (the shepherd mix) out of that and so I had a head start baby-proofing the litter box.

I'm currently figuring out how to section off a portion of the back yard for just the baby's use since it's officially dog-sewage city. They have a service that's reasonable that will come and pick up the dog waste from the back yard but I'm not sure I'm ready to drop $40 a month on it.

We used 4-foot standard steel fenceposts and wire fencing for that exact same issue.

Here's a (bad) picture that shows the fence.

[link]

That's also the base to the backyard spaceship, which doubled as a small, bright pink deck.