And we just finished another storm of tears. Matilda was still hungry, I asked if she'd like an apple, she said with woebegone face, "With no skin?" I affirmed that I could do that if she wanted, she asked if she could help me, we carefully negotiated toddler helping mama with a paring knife in such a way that the toddler both felt helpful and had no actual contact with the knife, she sat down to munch on her apple bits, and three minutes later burst into awful sobs of, "But I didn't WANT the skin cut off! I wanted it WITH THE SKIN! I didn't want no skin!"

What this kid needs, desperately, is a wayback machine. She does this much too often--changes her mind after the fact and weeps to undo the done thing (she'll cry after mac'n'cheese because she realizes now that she wanted spaghetti, she'll cry at the end of the day because she wants to have worn this shirt all day instead of that one, etc.). I love her dearly, but the age of reason cannot come one minute too soon to suit me.

the age of reason cannot come one minute too soon to suit me.

So, you have about 20 years to go still then?

She does this much too often--changes her mind after the fact and weeps to undo the done thing (she'll cry after mac'n'cheese because she realizes now that she wanted spaghetti, she'll cry at the end of the day because she wants to have worn this shirt all day instead of that one, etc.).

I completely understand your frustration, JZ, but Matilda's got one thing right: some days, I could sob for want of a take-back.

Temporal logic is a difficult concept for a child to accept, poor lamb. Especially when we adults recall with selective fondness the capability for imaginative manipulation of space and time, and celebrate the notion by encouraging kids to "play" with books and movies and made-up stories.

Reality and fantasy have few and tenuous boundaries in early childhood, and learning them makes life easier in a lot of ways. But we give up something in the learning, too.

I'm sorry Matilda is having difficulties, and taking them so hard. And poor Mama, too, dealing.

She does this much too often--changes her mind after the fact and weeps to undo the done thing (she'll cry after mac'n'cheese because she realizes now that she wanted spaghetti, she'll cry at the end of the day because she wants to have worn this shirt all day instead of that one, etc.). I love her dearly, but the age of reason cannot come one minute too soon to suit me.

Oh dear - I'm so sorry Dylan is sharing his brain with Matilda.

Kat, man, that is all sorts of fucked up. I didn't realise that there would be a difference between keeping her in care or having her home. That makes it even more unfair.

June is officially LGBT Pride Month.

Though, really, I know it's a trivial thing and it'll pass eventually. I didn't mean to derail the conversation away from the hugely justified rants at the make-too-much-to-qualify-for-assistance/still-too-little-to-get-by-without-it Catch 22.

Ah, you guys. Why isn't everything easier??

One of the funniest (and assiest) parts of toddlerdom is the amazing amount of certainty that a child feels. "I ASKED for this without skin!" or "Jacob bit my arm" things that just aren't true.

It's funny when it isn't maddening.

Oh yeah, ita, we paid $0 out of pocket expenses when she was in the facility. So if we had left her there, I assume, we'd still pay $0.

I do wish I could use the facility as a pantry for things like meds, formula, diapers, durable equipment.

It's only one piece, I know, Kat, but is there a time when Grace won't need the formula anymore?