Only, you know, slimmer and less English.

Oh, sure, rub it in.

Cash, Lily only really likes this one: [link]

I can pick one up at Birth and Beyond and stick it with your stuff, if you'd like. She's rejected every other one we've tried.

Those are the bink's that Em prefers. We have a couple of Avent ones that do in a pinch, but for the most part, she only chews on them.

She's getting really agressive, it's funny. She screeched and just tears stuff up with loud grunts. And tearing hear out of mommy's head and daddy's face is her new favorite thing.

Susan, if you're still worried about her not speaking go ahead and take her to a speech therapist and get her evaluated.

I'll talk to DH about it. It seems like in the last week or so she's verbalizing a bit more; also her dominant mood of late seems to be frustration. Both of which make me suspect that she's working something out in her mind, and that it may be talking. So maybe we should give it a little more time to see what develops.

Based on how she responds to simple directions and generally communicates non-verbally, I'm pretty sure it's not a comprehension issue. And really, I do think she's smart--she's had such an observant, alert air about her from the first weeks on. It's just that I can't do like my own mom could do with me, and point to all the things she's done early.

I guess the reason I was concerned about wanting her to be smart is that I'm very aware of that nasty parental desire to make your kids in your image, only better. There's this part of me that wants Annabel to be just like me, all brainy and early-reading and active imagination, only I'll make sure she gets in the perfect school to nurture her gifts and get her lessons in whatever she wants to explore, etc. Of course, being aware that's a potential problem is probably half the battle, and I have enough dreams of my own left that I don't need to live through her. It'd just be cool if there's some overlap in how we think and what interests us--there's so much I'd like to show her.

It'd just be cool if there's some overlap in how we think and what interests us--there's so much I'd like to show her.

I think that's only natural, Susan. Certainly, that's how I view my feelings toward my hypothetical son.

Plei! I forgot to tell you this!

Last week when I stayed home from work with Em, we went to Macy's so I could get recolorstamped at Prescriptives. She has never looked so enraptured than by all the make-up. The colors and the process. She was just so intent on seeing everything.

She's the reincarnated Estee Lauder.

Plei, I've never seen one of those in the store, but my friend's son had one like that and loved his. At this point, I'd transition him to just about anything (barring a night time cigarette) to get him off the bottle. I'm going to have to go into my ped next month and face him in all our unweaned glory. He already suggested by the next appointment, that we ditch the bottle and I'm sweating over it.

Susan, don't stress over the verbal. Really, O's not saying anything distinguishable yet, either besides the usual babble-speak. But he inflects and babbles at me, pretty much constantly during the day. And he gets frustrated when he's trying to do something until he figures it out and he obeys simple commands (come here, give me that, drop the cat) so I know he's smart. I think he'll take his own sweet time about talking.

He drops the cat? Cool.

Help me out. I'm not going to be able to make a tiara until the children are in high school, at least. We went to the craft store and walked out with a frame for Greg, a sticker book for Kara, a doodle pad for Aidan and me with less hair from all the MUST HAVE THE PRETTIES from both children every time I touched a bead.

So, this one: [link] or this one: [link]