The Third of Three Valentines...

Every mom needs...

a friend to take walks with

a friend to shop with

a friend to have lunch with

friends who have no kids, to keep her real

friends who have older children, so she'll remember not to sweat the small stuff

friends who have younger children, so she can re-experience those early days in all their messy glory

friends to talk shop with, whether that shop is of the motherhood variety, or of the career pursuasion

Happy Valentine's Day (better a day late than never) to all the women who make up my life.

Oh, How Are the Mighty Fallen...

After nine months or so without a real babysitter ("trading" nights with neighbor moms is great in a pinch but doesn't give me the same joie de vivre as paying someone to watch my kids while I go out to kick up my heels, no strings attached), The Husband and I are going on a real date. To the theatre. To see this.

Apparently, this is how we kick up our heels these days. As I Lay Dying with puppets.

(I admit this could probably be considered filler but a send-off for a school functionary so choreographed to heighten parental emotion it almost resembled Triumph of the Will and a dentist's appointment were also on the books for before 10 a.m. and I've got to keep you checking back in somehow).