I’m convinced that children don’t need mp3 or iPods, or any fancy electronic toys, no latest action figures or talking/walking/scary toys. All children seemingly need is a few blank sheets of paper (or white walls, if your kid’s into that kind-of thing), endless access to crayons/markers and enough empty boxes to choke a dinosaur. And maybe a package of diapers and wipes (which they can use to endlessly torture us with while undoing, stacking, restacking, unfolding, sticking, wiping and washing (...Read More)

Tanner’s got a girlfriend, Legs, and four months of his endless chatter about her is starting to get on Clyde’s last nerve. You can hear it in Clyde’s blase responses to Tanner’s updates. When Tanner announced that he “did it,” explaining that he’d “officially held hands with a girl,” Clyde rolled his eyes and asked, “What about Jay?” “Okay, with a girl who isn’t my sister—or my mom,” Tanner shot back. “Well then, congratulations . . . on those 10 (...Read More)

My eldest is nine years old, which means it’s only a matter of time before she tapes posters of teenage boys with swoopy hair on her walls and won’t leave the house if iCarly is on.  She’ll attempt to put on makeup and start wearing hoochy clothes.  She will teeter between listening to me and making her own decisions, her brain in turmoil over being torn between obedience and rebellion.  Her body will do the same thing during this transition (...Read More)

I can get a little carried away with research.  When Hubby and I were considering buying a car, I spent hours researching vehicles and made a spreadsheet of all our options.  When we wanted to buy a house I schlepped Princess and my poor realtor to about a zillion potential homes.  When my OB wanted to induce my labor with Caveman I scoured the Internet for the pros and cons of induction.  Don’t even get me started on the circumcision (...Read More)