Don't Carry Anything Hot Heavy Or Sharp

When I was about 8, a neighbor jokingly said, 'here hold this' with a red hot soldering iron. 'Being the obedient kid, I took it. Lordy that was bad! Major burns...but since hands slough so much skin, I didn't come away with a permanent scar. I can't say that for the dude with the broken sense of humor. I'm pretty sure he had nightmares after that.

The only other injury I sustained on my own was climbing over a brick wall that had broken glass on the top. I remember very clearly (I think I was 6) believing with all my heart that I could press my hands on the glass but I would not be hurt. Illusion shattered.

I have no idea where that notion of invulnerability came from. I blame Dark Shadows.

Do people DO that? Is that before or after they let the baby play with the alligators and razor wire?

When I was about 8, a neighbor jokingly said, 'here hold this' with a red hot soldering iron.

See the stupidity?

When I was growing up, a father took his 8 y.o. kid to the Serpentarium and set his boy up on the edge of the crocodile pit. Yeah, worst cast scenario happened.

Huh. Kristin, I'm on the other side of that. Granted, our situations were totally different, but now that I'm not responding at all, he's apparently asked friends to pass on well-wishes (which have either been met with silence or furious emails, depending on said friends). The hurt is just so great (and now that I'm dealing with another new!fun!hurt) that I just can't.

Which isn't meant to make you feel worse. It sucks on all ends. It really does.

Still, during middle school, everyone I know pretty much ran around loose with "Be back for dinner!" following them

We had to come home when the streetlights came on.

Huh. Kristin, I'm on the other side of that. Granted, our situations were totally different, but now that I'm not responding at all, he's apparently asked friends to pass on well-wishes (which have either been met with silence or furious emails, depending on said friends). The hurt is just so great (and now that I'm dealing with another new!fun!hurt) that I just can't.

I get this. But...it is a very different situation, and I hope I didn't treat D. the way Z. treated you.

We had to come home when the streetlights came on.

Us, too. Or in the summer, for "dinnertime," which was a little hard to judge. Different time, I guess -- although I remember all the moms were a bit freaked during the Son of Sam summer. (We were 25 miles away in Jersey, but whatever.)

And when we were kids, we went to a neighborhood school, so we walked. And we walked home for lunch, too, and then back. No one's mom accompanied them after kindergarten or first grade, especially if there were older siblings.

Also, as kids get older -- eight, nine, ten -- depending on your neighborhood you want them to develop some sort of self-protective instincts, as well as some independence.

But...it is a very different situation, and I hope I didn't treat D. the way Z. treated you.

That what I was trying to say - I never thought you did.

I just found out about the whole thing, so.

Maybe I shouldn't have posted. Sorry.

Gee, you'd think that juliana and smonster were sisters or something.

We look like it, we act like it, but no.

If so, she's the evil one, tempting me into all sorts of fannish obsessions.

Then again, I'm the one who gave her Fernet.

Can't wait to have some more and planning to take some home. Going to try to not black out this time.

Jess, a third 'sister'? Did I miss an allusion?

Must go eat lunch. Hugs to all, especially Kristin.

Jess, a third 'sister'? Did I miss an allusion?

Only because you're BOTH the evil one.

When I was looking at a online tour of an old Chinese house--one that had been dismantled, shipped to the states and reassembled in a museum--one of the (100 year old?) photos showed an ancient Chinese exersaucer. It was a wood, cone-shaped barrel with a kid sticking out of it (there was a step inside for the kid to stand on) and it had a toy. This was used pretty much like the modern version to keep tots out of fires and away from other household dangers. I thought it was amazing because I often wonder how parents managed before modern conveniences.

I have a friend with two kids very close to mine in ages. I know she probably thinks I'm a paranoid parent but I just can't let my kids run loose. It makes me nuts to watch her do it in the mall, toy stores, restaurants, etc. Her kids are just different than mine. And I'm less trusting.

We acknowlege Owen's bumps and his response when he falls is (even if he's crying) "I'm OK! I'M OOOOOK!" It almost makes me cry.

I'm waiting patiently for Owen to get out of this phase. Today just seems to be getting into stuff day for him. Pretty much because I'm too tired to do much with them because I was up with Liv from 2:00 to 3:30 a.m. with cold issues. I've got him working on playdough right next to me now, though and he seems to be well occupied.

I'm going to go set up the play tent Owen got for Christmas so we can play inside and do story time in it. Then, NAPS. For everyone.