Ugh. Drizzly and yuk outside. I was picking up the steam cleaner to attack the couch and loveseat with this morning after I dropped Em off at school, but she woke up with a fever of 100.9. And she threw up. So, she's having some toast and juice on the couch and watching Clifford. Poor Punky.

Okay, that's a lie. I'd be unhappy for a month, then when I went back, I'd tell the hairdresser what happened and ask if there was something we could do to prevent it, and she would say, "You should have called me. If you have a problem, you shouldn't wait 'til your next appointment. Let me know, because I'm happy to fix it."

In love with this answer, and Cindy of course.

Poor, Em. I hope she's feeling better soon.

Me, too. Big yard sale is this weekend and I need to steam clean the sofa and loveseat.

Back from the pediatrician. Owen's healthy as a horse but we've got to get him evaluated for developmental delays/speech therapy. He's missing a lot of benchmarks for a 3 year old (Can't tell you his name, if he's a boy or a girl, can't draw a circle, the communication skills are lagging, etc.) I've got a call into the director of special ed for our school system and am waiting for a call back. Now I have have to navigate the system to see if he qualifies for early intervention and see what programs they offer.

Feh. I feel like I didn't do something right (although I KNOW that's not true). He's beautiful and smart but I've had this nagging feeling that something wasn't quite hitting on all cylinders. And I have NO idea how long it will take to get him in to be evaluated so I get to sit and worry.

Oh, Aims and Cashmere. Rough mom day.

Cashmere, go easy on yourself. You've done *everything* right.

Mom just called. It is "stuffed animal day" at CJ's school. Without her saying it - I knew what he took with him.

Picture my skinny little 4'6" boy schleping a 4' stuffed Pillsbury Dough Boy. This thing is HUGE.

She let him take it. Walking to school 2 blocks away. I wish I had a picture.

Cashmere, go easy on yourself. You've done *everything* right.

A world of this. I know it's not going to alleviate the worry, but try to keep it in your mind that you are one of the best parents that I know and strive to be like.

Maybe he just doesn't want to feel boxed in by a certain gender at this point. I mean, he's only three. How does he know what gender he's going to want to be when he's six, ya know? And if he doesn't know what gender he wans to be, why should he learn his name is Owen when he might change it when he's seven? He's a very advanced thinker, there babe. Damn society boxing our creative and beautiful and advanced children into labels so early.

shakes fist at society

Plus, there are lots of kids for whom that stuff just gels later. It's like the kids who won't talk, and then suddenly start speaking in full sentences.

What Vortex said, too.

{{{{{Cash}}}} Try not to worry too much.