— Before I get started, I want to point you all in the direction of Jacqueline’s blog. Jacqueline lives in Victoria, which you no doubt have heard has been ravaged by deadly brush fires. Jacqueline has many lovely, lovely prizes to give away as incentive for giving to the Australian Red Cross, but honestly, we should all just give. Ten Dollars Australia gets you into the dance as far as prizes are concerned – and there are many prizes to win. I know that times are tough for many of us, but even if we can spare a couple of dollars I’m sure it can help those left homeless and grieving by this disaster. Thank you.

— Reading Margene this morning, I came across this fun link: The Knitting Blog Class of 2005. I started this blog in 2004, so I made the cut. It’s an interesting look at how knitting blogs have grown and contracted over the years. Congratulations, I guess, to all of us on the list! I can’t believe how long we’ve kept this thing going.

— Yesterday’s walk was AWESOME! We were outside for almost two hours and Meli went on the swings again. She’s always so quiet at first – especially when she’s doing something new. It’s not that she doesn’t like it, it’s just that she has to feel it out and make up her mind. There were lots of kids at the playground and that’s one thing she doesn’t need time with – she LOVES kids! She will initiate with kids too – she waves to them first. It’s the cutest thing ever.

— Also the cutest thing ever was this morning when I was waking her up (I’m trying to get her up earlier in the hopes that she’ll go to bed earlier). I was whispering her name and kissing her and she wasn’t having any of it – tossing over solidly asleep. So I kept saying her name and started rubbing her belly and suddenly she got the biggest smile on her face – but her eyes were still closed! She was either playing possum or she was smiling in her sleep – either way it was the cutest thing ever.

— One more really cute thing. And this might be a bit TMI (Ann look away.) Meli loves to lift my shirt these days looking for some boob. When she finds it she laughs and gets all excited and dive bombs onto me. It’s super cute – especially when I’m laying down on the sofa and she’s standing next to me. For some reason I think it’s ridiculously adorable when she nurses standing up. And no, she can’t ask for it by name yet.

— Okay. I lied. Last cute thing. When I tell her I love her – especially when we’re quiet and nursing – she’ll stop and say something back to me. It’s not really a word or anything, but she’s totally mimicking my tone of voice and all.

— The last word – to all of you who read and especially those of you who left comments on Tuesday’s post: Thank you so much. I can’t tell you how much it helped to know that you feel similar things and that it doesn’t mean that you love your kids any less or enjoy your time at home with them any less. It encouraged me to keep blogging our life. From the start of this blog I’ve let it all hang out – warts and all – and I try not to shy away from the issues that are important to me. That I’ve been able to put into words what many of you are feeling comforts me and lets me know that we’re all okay. Naysayers be damned!

I’m going to finish with some pictures of my daughter. Because it’s my blog and I can.

Look Ma! No Hands!

She loves to stand by the window and watch the trains go by. There’s also a big flag out there she loves to watch. Oh and of course her own reflection.

I love that she looks like a dirty little boy in these pictures in her white t-shirt and jeans. Usually she’s dressed in a some crazy shade of pink.

Please, please! Don’t forget to head over to Jacqueline’s and find out about giving to the Australian Red Cross and winning prizes. PLEASE!

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