Do they have lids or are you going to bag them?

I am making food this weekend - wanted to last but couldn't with Em being sick.

Is it normal that I'm sort of wanting to talk and think of other things? I had a thought about my WIP while I was in the shower, and I want to email my CPs about it, but I'm afraid they'll think I'm a horrible, callous person to even be capable of thinking of POV choices at a time like this.

Just hopping on the "It's completely normal" bus. Also, Susan, you're still far away. I suspect your feelings and thoughts may be more dad-focused when you're back in Alabama. When people who lived far away from me died, it hit me differently than when people who I'd always seen regularly died. I have no idea on grammar or punctuation for that sentence, but you follow me, yes?

I think, for me, it was because my daily life was unchanged. I didn't have to look directly at the hole, so to speak. Even with my own father, it was worse for me when I was at my parents' house, than when I was at my own (we only live a couple of miles away). He hadn't been too well the last couple of years of his life, and so when we saw him, we generally saw him at his house, or the cottage. I still had the hole in my heart when I was at my place, but I felt like I was going to fall in the hole, when I was at my folks' place. Going to the cottage for the first time, a few months after he died opened it all up, again. When my mother sold their home earlier this month, it opened up a new hole, somehow.

Baggies. My sister sent some tiny rubbermaid containers, but I have these visions of opening the freezer to an avalanche of plasticware.

I feel like this whole parenting thing keeps getting more complicated: first I just popped a boob in Mal's mouth when he was hungry, and it was easy. Then I had to remember to make formula all the time. Now I have to make the rice cereal and actually feed it to him (although he's gotten so much better at eating).

I'm actually looking forward to the day when I can just install a Teenage Boy Refrigerator next to our fridge and stock it with pizza.

I feel like this whole parenting thing keeps getting more complicated:

Short term, that's true. Especially the first couple years where they're cycling through different stages which require different tools/attachments every couple months. There's a lot of stuff and there's a lot of mess.

rice cereal:

I still had the hole in my heart when I was at my place, but I felt like I was going to fall in the hole, when I was at my folks' place. Going to the cottage for the first time, a few months after he died opened it all up, again. When my mother sold their home earlier this month, it opened up a new hole, somehow.

Exactly. I had to go back to Roswell last year, and it was so different without my dad there. First time I didn't stay at "my" house. When his widow put that house on the market it felt like Dad was dying all over again.

I guess he's on my mind a lot right now because I'm sympathizing with Susan, but really, not a day goes by I don't think about him. Maybe it's also being a parent now, making me think about my own parents more.

In any case, yep, Susan, it's normal and it's healthy, and ((())) in advance for the weird times his absence will hit you.

I feel like this whole parenting thing keeps getting more complicated:

Things get more complicated through the toddler stage, but then it gets easier in the preschool stage when they can do lots of stuff themselves. At least that's my opinion.

At least that's my opinion.

Gud corroborates me.

Also, Susan, you're still far away. I suspect your feelings and thoughts may be more dad-focused when you're back in Alabama. When people who lived far away from me died, it hit me differently than when people who I'd always seen regularly died. I have no idea on grammar or punctuation for that sentence, but you follow me, yes?

I think, for me, it was because my daily life was unchanged. I didn't have to look directly at the hole, so to speak. Even with my own father, it was worse for me when I was at my parents' house, than when I was at my own

That does make sense. I'm really trying not to think too much about what our time in Alabama will be like--I'm just working the logistics, and figuring out how we'll meet Annabel's needs. Once I'm there, I figure I'll just kind of ride it out, but thinking about it beforehand doesn't help me prepare for it, so I'm not.

So glad I don't have to worry about solids for a couple more months.

Hell, if she's gaining well and is happy at her 6 month appointment, I may delay introduction until 7 or 8 months. Because I'm lazy like that, and right now, boobie is the answer to everything.

She's more than doubled her birthweight at 4, but according to yesterday's measurements, is now in the zone of short. As she measured shorter on the board than she did when Paul took the tape to her last week, it could have been the irate squirming affecting the measurements.

There has been a slight and unfortunate change in output scent, dating back two weeks to when she got a dose of Infant Tylenol drops. I think the sweetener they use in it affected the intestinal flora. I will be curious to see if the effect wears off over the next few weeks. (Assuming there is no further need for the drops. She didn't need them when she got her shots yesteday, and the teeth haven't been bothering her much, so we may be good to go.)

Said change is, not shockingly, a large part of the reason I'm considering delaying the introduction.

Saturday, we're having a Cloth Diaper Experiment day. If we can deal with them, we will probably make the switch for all but outings.

If you stand close enough, you can hear the granola starting to encase my whole body...

Hey All, I need opinions/editing. I am, for the first time ever, sending an upset email to a local news program. Could everyone reassure me that all the spelling/grammar is intact, and that I sound like a normal concerned citizen, not a loon? Thanks ever so.

Body of message:

I was absolutely appalled last night (8/16/05, 10pm edition) when your coverage of an officer-involved shooting story included the names of the eight officers involved. Why on earth would you air them? In what way would the story have been incomplete without them? For the sake of, I assume, "Telling the Whole Story," you have exposed not only those officers, but their families to who-knows-what repercussions and/or attacks. I cannot imagine with what justification you exposed these people who are trying to "Protect and Serve" our community, and their loved ones, but it shows remarkably poor judgment on your part.

What do we think?