Shared a honey bun with Amy at breakfast, then she ate a banana while I finished getting dressed. For lunch I ate the fries from Amy’s happy meal. The children ate all the macaroni and cheese for dinner so I’ll munch on something after they go to bed. My fingers and cuticles have cuts all over them from ripping into the cookie cases these past few days and every time I bump into something they bleed again. They are pufy and sore. Wonder if that has anything to do with my diet lately?

I told Amy it was time for bed and she looked me straight in the eye, lowered her eyebrows in what we affectionately call the Frankenstein face and said “No, cracker.” Even though she’d just had dinner I gave her a Ritz. As soon as it was gone we repeated our scenario, three times! Finally I took her to the fridge and said “Milk or juice?” while pointing to confirm my question. She pointed her little finger at the milk, then the juice and said as she pointed “No, no, cheese!” while quickly moving her point up to the stack of sliced cheese. I’m certain I was being played but I gave her a slice of cheese and made her apple juice while she ate it. As soon as it was done I tucked her in bed and that was the end of our little game of who is in control.

If Doug was here we’d have read each others’ blogs a dozen times today and had a half a dozen video-conferences. He would have laughed and let Amy’s game go on for much longer than I did. He would have made dinner while I got the kids bathed and I would have cleaned up the dinner mess while he worked on watched the History channel or any movie with a submarine. He would have let me get things set out for morning and then made me quit doing chores and playing on the computer. We would lie in bed together and talk about our day and maybe even watch Futurama or Family Guy. If I heard noises in the night he’d jump up and reassure me that everything was ok. We’d cuddle close and keep each warm all night. At least I know he’ll enjoy getting a break from the noise and mess here. He’ll sleep uninterrupted and he deserves that. I love you Doug. XXX000