People who want to see a family with a newborn but are unwilling to fit the baby's schedule are generally either people who never had a baby or who had one so long ago they forgot what it's like.

Yeah, that seems to fit the pattern, Burrell. Although, in this case it is our schedule not hers. It's the 11th anniversary of our first date tonight, and we don't technically celebrate it since we got married, we do try to go out to eat and have a nice relaxing, we survived Christmas, dinner. We have a groupon that is going to expire this week if we don't use it. So we're going out tonight, and I can't change our reservations for dinner any later because then we won't have ltc in bed by her usual time.

For goodness sake, folks also should be understanding of your needs too!

oh, and congrats to both of you for meeting the right person, that's well worth celebrating

Yeah, stuff those people.

askye, sending you lots of fortitude. Ask for help if you need it.

Still in NC but increasingly antsy to be home in NOLA. Sis is not doing well, but we are going shopping today so that should be fun. Got a couple more friends to see before I go.

And now my mom's cousin is making snarky comments on a Facebook post I made about relaxing because she can't relax because she's trying to see us. Not responding.

Turns out I'm afraid of the dark. Not just that atavistic, disorienting shock that occurs when the power goes out and your cave suddenly becomes unfamiliar terrain. I'm afraid to leave the house after dark. I'm not sure why. I figure it's been a factor all my life, but I had my beloved with me, so I was never afraid.

But once I get home from work, the idea of leaving the house after I'm safe inside is horrifying. In the summer, when it's light, it just feels decadent to head out on an errand in the evening with the leisurely folk. In the winter, I feel like I have to hide. I told myself yesterday that I'd hit the Laundromat after work, but once I got home I couldn't do it. The only way I'm managing it tonight is because the laundry basket's already in the car. I've managed this in summer, so it's not just a case of "Tired after work, don't wanna."

I leave a light on in the house all the time, because I've seen too many scary shows to comfortably walk into a dark house and reach for the light switch.

Connie, this is 100% true: when I lived by myself, I slept with the bedside light on every night unless Tim was with me. I'm not overly fond of the dark, myself, so I can sympathize with you. I wish I had a solution for you, but you're not alone.

I'm so unused to being alone in my house that when my husband's out of town, I usually lock the bedroom door at night.

Oh gawd, eight inches.

Snow, not anything fun.

I sleep much better knowing my roommate is, if not home, going to be home at some point in the night. Then my subconscious can associate any weird noises with her. If she's not home sometimes I get weirdly spooked by the wind and the rattling doors or whatever and end up locking my bedroom door and being easily startled by every weird/normal noise.