I think powdered milk is okay, so long as you don't, y'know, add water to it. Eaten from a spoon? Fine and dandy.

Also, I like my milk creamtop. None of that weird homogenized BS.

---

What's wrong with the West Coast? Hmm?

Yeah!?!? What's with the hatin'?

No hatin'. Just far far far far from family and all that has always been home. And the ocean the wrong way thing, and y'all can't sweet-talk me with any of your sunset shit, because it was that way in France too and it was just wrong. And also far from Jess and all other assorted East-Coasties, and why can't we all just live on Buffista Island anyway? And much more difficult and expensive to move to than, say, Baltimore due to great distances involved. And thus far completely impossible to persuade husband to do the same.

Closer to Godzilla

Actually, that might be a selling point, at least for that last one.

---

Can I go home yet?

---

That's actually my theory as to why west-coasters are more mellow -- to see pretty colors over the ocean they don't have to get up at the crack of dawn and everything just falls into place after that.

We're also encouraged to have a cocktail at the same time... How can life be stressful?

Okay, you and Pamela come get Christopher, and pick up Ben and Julia and take them out with you, and I'll go in the shower for the rest of the day. I hope the hot water holds.

I'll let her know. And we'll be there in t calculates Carry the three... A brazillian hours.

I just tried to call her and her husband answered. His phone. At the office. Rassenfrassen Verizon and their ferwonky Backup Assistant that never loses numbers but damn certain shuffles them around. But it was nice to say hi cause we went to high school with him too.

---

I am now drinking plain ole green tea.

I also just applied for a New Mommy Makeover.

---

I put vanilla soymilk in my tea. And my cereal. And my coffee. And my stomach. Mostly because I don't really like milk that much, but I like creaminess, and vanilla soy milk is one of the few things in the world that got "lightly sweetened" just right.

---

This was my submission:

I gave birth to my beautiful daughter on November 30, 2004. Little did I know that over the past 14 months, I would almost stop caring about what I look like. I say almost, because I care enough to try to buy clothes and makeup and get my hair done, but I always find a better use for the money. And I still complain that I look like crap.

Before having my daughter, I wore suits to work everyday. I looked sharp, put together, professional. Now, I consider myself lucky if I am able to find a pair of hose that have no runs and shoes that match.

My clothes are ill-fitting (even though I lost more than my pregnancy weight) and usually what I find on sale. My make up is either more than 3 years old or hand-me downs from friends and family that bought a wrong color. My husband still tells me I'm beautiful everyday, but I find it harder and harder to believe him because I don't *feel* beautiful. I look frumpy and dumpy and bedraggled.

I am trying to be more accepting of my new shape. I have a wonderful daughter to show for it, but I need to know how to dress my new shape so that I can look how I feel - proud to be a new mom and proud to be shedding my body image demons.

An exorcism is need. But without the pea soup.

Aimee

---

I just listened to a song the infant Teppy wanted me to hear, and my MusicMatch thingie was open. Most of the songs on there right now are theme songs from 1970s and '80s sitcoms, but I noticed the one right before the song Tep sent through YouSendIt was entitled "Abc". I couldn't figure out what it was. I didn't remember downloading anything, and well, old Jackson 5 songs just make me sad, these days, so I clicked it to see what it was.

It was Owen. Saying his A-B-Cs. I'd forgotten about it until it began.

Ded of the cute, am I.

---

Can I go home yet?

No! Bastet and Toto still have a big mess to clean up from all their nefarious plotting. But, you are welcome to come here to wait them out.

---

Aimee, that's a great submission.

---