February 2013

When Erin Redmond's daughter Olivia was born, she was a beautiful baby. But as she developed, her mom was troubled by her lack of speech. While most babies are forming sentences by age three, Olivia was not even using words. Her pediatrician and subsequent doctors initially said she was fine.…

Presidents’ Day is this month. By now, we all know that young George didn't throw a dollar across the Potomac River - and that he didn't chop down a cherry tree, which means he couldn't have come clean about it to his father - demonstrating his moral fiber to all…

The news of a new baby is accompanied by a range of emotions, from excitement to anxiousness, with a lot of questions in between, shared by new parents, experienced parents, and grandparents alike. When I welcomed a new addition to the family just a year ago, I came to the…

It happened on the way to Water Country. My hands were clammy on the steering wheel. I could feel my heart thumping in my ears. A set of deep-breathing exercises did nothing to calm my anxiety as I signaled to change lanes and carefully made my way over to the…

  It's six-thirty in the morning. You go into your child's room to wake her up for school, and you find a sniffling, coughing little one asking to stay home. Of course you have a huge presentation at work that morning and your husband is out of town on business.…

Here on the icy summit, I don't mind telling you what's flashing through my mind: Do my legs still have it in them? After all, it's been almost 20 years since I last put on skis, and now I've gone and roused my glutes, quads, and hamstrings from their Rip…

With the holidays fading in the rearview mirror, January proved to be an infinitely calmer month in our household. How about in yours? With the exception of the start of basketball season for my older son, the first for that sport in our household, and a last minute decision to…

What in the world am I going to do now? It's one of the first questions asked when a recently widowed spouse is referred to my practice. Cash flow analysis shows that once the fog clears, hard decisions are necessary in order to find some level of financial security. A…

Shannon and Doug Hubbel of Richmond found out a little over two years ago that their daughter Emily had a tumor on her adrenal gland. Soon after that, Emily was diagnosed with a type of cancer called neuroblastoma. Since that time, Emily, now a bright and courageous five-and-ahalf- year-old, has…

Have you weighed your child lately? Last year, when Newsweek named Richmond the second fattest city in America, it was shocking to associate our beloved River City with a serious health epidemic. Yet obesity is increasing at an alarming rate - in Richmond and in cities across the country. Studies…

Q: We have two children, a 9-year-old boy and a 14-year old girl. It's becoming harder to monitor what movies they watch and video games they play as they start to spend more time with friends. We are not comfortable with some choices that have been made while not under…

As parents, we are sometimes frustrated with the behavior of our children, and sometimes exasperated by our dogs. However, when the interaction between them is the issue, it becomes all the more difficult to correct. Often we need to change the relationship our kids and pup have developed. Pups can…

Payroll taxes. Benefits. Worker's compensation. I know, i know. Heavy stuff, but read on, because it may save you the hassle of back taxes and potential lawsuits. If you own a small business, you are probably familiar with the idea of working with independent contractors rather than hiring employees. It's…

February is all about love - love for a spouse, partner, child, or friend. Your love for your sweatpants. Your love for a quiet moment (yes, even if it's in the bathroom). Or your love for quick-cook and just-about-ready-to-serve foods. Creating an inspired, fully homemade meal each night can be…

Jewelry has long been a popular artistic form of cultural expression. In ancient Greece, many designs were inspired by nature, and just as it is today, jewelry was crafted using precious metals and semi-precious stones and glass beads. Starting with a popular household item, you can craft beads for your…