Today I stayed home from Baby Club because the whole Rocketfamily's under the weather this week. It truly, truly sucked – we all have mild colds that necessitate long sleep times, so by the time I was ready to go, it was all over. I never realized how my total well being was affected by my Thursday mornings at Baby Club – or at least, I had forgotten how important they are to me. Today I felt absolutely rudderless at the thought of going another week without seeing my favourite moms & babies.

Yeah, I'm a big suck. A big sick suck.

As you've probably gathered, our illnesses aren't anything to write home about. We're a bit snotty & a bit sleepy. Blake has a loud ugly cough, but it's not croupy or anything that calls for a long visit to a doctor's waiting room. I'm just quarantining the lot of us so that we can go to Loftwyr & Gila's outdoor wedding in high spirits.

Fortunately, the Sprout's spirits haven't been dampened by his tiny cold. He's sleeping more often, but his unquenchable zest for discovery remains. This week he's finally taking an interest in the stuffed toy rattles we've been stockpiling since shortly before his birth. The expression on his face as he examines each artefact is beyond priceless. He's teething now, so his lower lip is usually sucked into his mouth. This gives him the look of a Thomas Edison Cabbage Patch Kid.

One of the things that kept me awake last night was yesterday's lunch out with my grandmother. She's always been a bit off, but she's definitely getting stranger with age. She snipes at me unexpectedly, always backing off just as suddenly. She's like a friend's cat that'll never scratch you when someone else's around. I'm getting bloody sick of it. I used to really enjoy the high octane atmosphere around her. I always had to watch what I said, but I used to like the challenge. I used to like her. But now whenever we're together I just stare desperately at my hands until it's all over.

I can't figure out what changed. And I can't rule out that it's me: sad little overeducated suburban mom in her parents' basement. But it probably isn't me. I'm not always responsible when people stop liking me. At least, that's what I must believe sometimes.

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- Rocketbride's adventure of 4/22/2004 10:26:00 p.m.