Smack! The sound of a palm striking flesh is such a distinct sound – clean, sharp, focusing. Even in a busy restaurant, it stung my ear and I looked across to the little hand – the chubby, dimpled one of a toddler who reached for an empty wine glass. Now, I was exhausted after five jam-packed days at BlogHer. I was eating alone reading news on my phone because I was schmoozed out and needed to feel a little bored. I was missing my littles [...]

I have to admit – the idea of the family dinner as controversial parenting topic confounds me.  Growing up, we ate dinner together pretty well every night until, well, I moved out – we still eat dinner with my parents most every Sunday. The idea of each of us picking a plate out of the fridge and heating it in the microwave is just completely foreign. We eat together, we eat the same things (or parts of them) and it happens most nights of the [...]

Tom: “Isabelle-stop hooming.” Isabelle: “What’s hooming?” Tom: (irritated) “That sound you are making – stop HOOMING.” Isabelle: “It’s not called hooming, it’s called humming.” Tom: “It’s the same sound either way. Now stop it”. Isabelle: “hoommmmmmmm” Tom throws his rubber boot at her.

The saga of Tom’s latest (and possibly last ever) haircut.

Tonka trucks and ponies…. and Dr. Phil? The insidious nature of gender stereotyping.

Funny conversations with my three year old.

On the soup of acronyms describing my current income-making activities, why none of them seem to fit and why it doesn’t really matter anyway.

My latest moral dilemma – giving my baby chicken pox. Or not. Am I a chicken?

Talking about breastfeeding with a 6 year old – getting the message across, teaching the facts and fanning the flames of curiosity. In an age-appropriate tone. Good times.

Pics from Hallowe’en 2010!