Of all the many accident-prone Buffistas, you and Hil worry me the most.

Hey! Just 'cause I got injured by a bagel ... and twisted my ankle while sitting down ... well, OK, fair point.

It's really pretty hard to screw up raising a baby; they're more resilient than people give them credit for.

For instance, most Americans between, say, 40 and 60 were bottle-fed, and they came out just fine. Some of them were raised in an era when the best medical advice said not to touch the baby unless you were feeding or changing it. Others were raised in an era when you were a Refrigerator Mother if you didn't leap to the baby's every need.

And still, overall? Doing just fine.

So, we all agree that cuts to the hand hurt like hell, don't heal well because of the constant motion and use of the site, and are prone to infection if not well cared for, and loss of use?

Then why is it that every fealty-swearing movie scene, whether medieval, (Practical) magical, American western, Ya-ya-ical or Middle-Earthian, has fealty swearers slicing their palms, and in many cases, slapping the bleeding palms together to share the infection? In what universe is a gimpy-handed fealtor useful?

I dunno. I've always thought any sane blood-oath was taken with eensy drops of blood from the pinky.

Man, I've had finger-sticks at the doctor's office stay sore for days. Maybe oath-swearers should...rub elbows, or something.

Earlobes! I've had pinpricks in earlobes that were okay!

For example, I've tried two versions of sippy cup, and she's not much interested in either. I think they're too slow-flowing or something.

I've tried three (one was a gift). It may take a looong while to get her interested. Owen is still only marginally interested in his. But I found the Avent Magic Cup has a soft, rubber spout that he likes to chew and I fill it with watered down juice--which is a treat so he really gets into it when he's drinking. Sadly, he won't hold it all by himself to drink yet. He tries, but can't really tip it back far enough to get a good sip. He will hold he handle and then toss it off the tray. But I keep at it, trying at least two meals a day with a cup. I figure eventually he'll catch on.

And still, overall? Doing just fine.

Betsy is wise.

In what universe is a gimpy-handed fealtor useful?

Hollywood?

I though the words "blood oath" meant the blood of your enemy. Crazy me.

Slicing the palm is just stupid and cinematic. Cossacks had a vow to never draw their sabers without drawing blood - so they drew it across the back of their forearm. That makes more sense to me than making it more difficult to hold your weapon.

Earlobes sound good. Bitches can swear fealty with earlobe pinpricks. But no notching!

Then why is it that every fealty-swearing movie scene, whether medieval, (Practical) magical, American western, Ya-ya-ical or Middle-Earthian, has fealty swearers slicing their palms, and in many cases, slapping the bleeding palms together to share the infection? In what universe is a gimpy-handed fealtor useful?

Yes, and with perfectly stoic expressions. Of course, if you did it on purpose, you'd bypass the "Wha? SHIT!" part of my reaction today.

It's really pretty hard to screw up raising a baby; they're more resilient than people give them credit for.

This is true. I'm just feeling a little sensitive on the feeding issue because it seems like everyone is surprised Annabel isn't eating more solids. I'm absolutely glad I quit that moms group, but this is one of those cases where I wish I'd found what I thought a moms group would be--a place to share war stories and ask if I was doing things right.