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In a word of encouragement, sometimes our kids have 'meltdowns' with us because they know they are unconditionally loved. They instinctively know to be "on" and in good behavior for even grandmas, but also teachers and babysitters and they do try. And when they get home to safe mama - they just let it all hang out. Its the comfort of the familiar and reliable. Doesn't make listening to it any easier, but don't blame yourself. It probably means you are doing stuff right.

Thanks for the reminder. I know you're right if for no other reason, I do the same thing. As an adult. The only people who see me melt down are the ones I trust, who I know love me unconditionally and can take the meltdown.

It should probably be noted as well that, before bed, she came up to me on the couch and leaned into me for a good ten minutes, all happy and huggy.

toddlers are fucking crazy. great thunderin' jesus. pizza is offensive, mandarin oranges are offensive, milk is sometimes offensive, Dora is occasionally a call for NOOOOOOOO *sob*. fuck.

that is all to say, i hear you toddler mama.

i want photos of the bad haircut. charlotte's mullet is growing again (why no growth on the sides? WHY?). i think i need to give her another trim.

my mom had Char tomorrow, i am sure she won't cry AT ALL.

HAS HAS Char tomorrow. why don't i proof? i do i comment after midnight?

you are sainted for making the cookies by the way, so you have earned your love. :-)

Kids ALWAYS behave better for everyone else but Mom. My kids will be saints (even at 15, 14 and 13) for whoever they are with, even if they are by themselves, but when I walk in the door, all hell breaks loose. I SOOOO hate that about being a mom!

Seems to me you missed a golden opportunity to scar CJ for life, by reading the Bible board to her during one of her outbursts and then tapping your toe impatiently.

J/K.

"*These are all phrases that my Pentecostal grandmother uses in place of taking the lord's name in vain. I'm thinking I should adopt some of them, as my usual motherfucker is becoming a tad trite. "

You are welcome to my chestnut, "Ah Christ on a cracker!" Guaranteed to garner a response, regardless of location.

I express a degree of sadness that you've never devoted a full post to the aural train wreck that is that Black Eyed Peas song. Not a superstitious man, I nonetheless think it is the Rosetta Stone by which we can decode any manner of coming bad tidings in store for western civ, if not the world itself. She's got me spinning...

Oh fucking yeah! Earl tonight!

Haha, I know what you mean. When my MIL was here, she'd give me reports at the end of the day that Alex "didn't cry at all," and then when I'd get home, he'd burst into tears and throw a fit. She treated me like I was a bad mother or something. Argh. I think they cry more in front of us b/c they trust us and know we'll put up with their crap. At least, that's what "What to Expect-the Toddler Years" says.

God and organized religion...seems to be the theme of the day. Organized religion gets to me sometimes. Just irks me to no end.

In keeping with the God and love theme, I never did get why people say things like "God especially blesses America.". What? He doesn't bless Sweden too? People in Thailand are shit out of luck? This idea that God especially digs those holding a US passport (and following this logic I suppose I should thank Him and all his winged angels that I'm one) is given by the same people who want to make sure you know that God loves everyone.

So which is it? God loves everyone or God loves those who get a holiday on July 4?

Dixie, that gets me, too. I remember in one of the days after 9/11, Marianne Williamson was on ... probably Oprah, but I can't remember for sure. Anyway, during all of the patriotic frenzy, she was talking about how we shouldn't just ask God to bless America; that it would behoove everyone to say God bless the world. I absolutely loved that. When I see or hear the words God bless America, in my head I instantly think, "God bless the world". Over the past four and a half years, it's become an automatic response.

Whether or not God and America are BFF, I'm always irked by the pro athletes who do the fingertip-kiss-point-to-Heaven thing. Like the Almighty is monitoring the point spread on a football game. Or rappers thanking their Creator when their misogynist, homophobic, violence-glorifying cd wins a Grammy award.

"Not now!" He did cryeth to the angels, "I must help P. Diddy triumph over Michelle Branch in the BreakThru Artist category!"

Shit fire - oh does that bring back memories of my grandparents. They said it all the time, except they were southern - southern Illinois - and they pronounced it "shit far."

Ginny, that's how my granny says it. She's from southern Missouri.

My husband learned to speak English - I mean really speak it conversation instead just knowing a collection of words - from hearing me.

He says "Well shit fire and save matches." all the time. With a German accent. It's hysterical.

As good a place as any for details of my first Poppy dream. You and B. invited me out for some reason, but your town resembled the Gatlinburg Tennessee of my youth, complete with large looming mountains and amusement park rides. We were sitting in a deli/coffee clatch, and I looked back out the window to see that the mts. were now entirely concrete ramps, excessively steep and long, and I said "For the love of God, tell me they don't skateboard down that thing" and you, Pop, turned to your mom (a decrepit old woman) who began cackling hysterically as skateboarders galore appeared, careening towards us. Then we were walking the streets of your town, which was actually Bavarian-town-lookalike Helen Ga, and I was trying to gas up my car but Olympic athletes (the Jewish Olympians from Spielberg's movie) had exhausted the gas supply, which was coming from a pump that resembled a wardrobe. Then I lost my wallet, and woke up.

BTW, you were Sookie from Gilmore Girls. B. didn't show up. Your mom was creepy. The cast of Munich were aggressive but gregarious. St. L was much hillier than I anticipated.

I hate those types of roadside billboards, especially the religious ones.