Hmm. That broccoli article sways me the other way, Hec. Now I'd want to only offer my kids 34 different sorts of food for 4 1/2 years.

It doesn't talk about damage though. Just that kids given a limited choice balance things out in the end.

We put out a plate of part of whatever we're eating (in toddler portions), plus at least some fruit or cheese and whatever Owen eats, he eats.

I'm less worried about how much/what he eats than keeping him in his chair at least part of the time and keeping him from stealing whatever is on Olivia's tray or in her sippy cup. I'm too busy "civilizing" him to monitor what goes in his mouth. Sometimes I think he goes without getting anything in him but he doesn't cry of hunger and he doesn't seem to be wasting away.

Of course, this doesn't count the tookie/banana discussion we had recently, either.

Hey Empress, any chance MM could hang out at our house tomorrow morning-ish? UPS left me a msg saying that the box containing Drew's xmas gift cannot be delivered without someone present to sign for it, and I'm freaking out a bit. They tried to deliver the first time today, apparently.

He won't - he'll be working.

If you want, you can change the address to my work address. Can you get email?

Awesome! Haunted Mansion!

Yeah, that's all I got.

...guys, my entire mind has been sucked up by this show. Seriously. I've seen it 3 times in the last 2 weeks, and I'm going again on Friday. Never have I loved something this much.

I know none of you have seen it or are fans (yet), but I'd love some intelligent input. I'm trying to start a message board / community for the show that isn't on MySpace or the Facebook (because... shudder). I would love if some of you people who have been involved in hundreds or dozens of boards would visit [link] and look for the implementation mistakes that I'm sure are everywhere.

If I can get it working well enough, I may be able to swing Official Board status, as I'm on speaking terms with at least 3 of the producers at this point.

Yes she can get email. Send the address to me and to her. I'm not sure what her plan is.

ND - sent to your wasted monkey account and K's mac account.

Excellent. Thank you and backflung.

I lost a little weight! It's a Christmas Miracle!

....well less of a miracle and maybe thanks to the medicine. But Dad just sprung on us that he has a dance thing tomorrow and it's kinda a semi fancy dress. There will be a sit down dinner and dancing and an exhibition. I tried on a skirt I wore to a wedding a few months ago, a skirt that I only wore thanks to control top underwear AND control top pantyhose (and I still tore one seam...luckily it's a guazy two layer thing so you can't tell).

It fits! Not perfectly, it's a little snug around my thighs when I sit down, but I don't have to mash myself into this thing.

askye, that's really good news. I hope you have a good time at the dance.

brenda, congratulations on the new job! I just got caught up in Natter and saw the nifty climbing pictures. Wow! That looks like a fun vacation.

Yay askye!!

Whoo. Little tipsy - just had dinner with Suzi & K-Bug at my friend's wine bar. Another friend sat with us the entire time & monopolized the conversation - at least he's hilarious.

Woot! Just realized I can get a free 2-month Trial of XBox Live, so I don't need to pay to join the Halo 2 Frag-Fest next week...

(I'm begrudgingly trying to save money for my upcoming move, thanks to my landlord's asshat of a son!)

Hopefully I'll get the XBox comm headset I requested for Christmas. Then I can listen to Pete singing "Killing, Killing, Killing..." And respond with cries of despair and anguish.