Fighting Crime in the Streets

This is my alderman:

Crime-fighting Chicago alderman foils robbery

I confess, I haven't been Joe Moore's biggest fan (see here), but this is pretty cool. My favorite quote from the story:

"I saw a guy running down the street carrying a purse," Moore said. "I knew it wasn't his because it didn't match his shoes."

Nanny 9-1-1

We've been struggling with the idea of childcare recently.

I love being a stay-at-home mom. I wouldn't have it any other way. I get to be with my kids during these amazing and crucial years, teaching them and learning from them and creating a safe, loving environment for them. I know Airan is totally jealous and would trade places with me in a heartbeat. That said, my side job as a freelance editor has been harder and harder to fit into my day while maintaining my sanity. So a choice is before us: Either we find a daycare solution, or I quit freelancing.

For now, we're tentatively going with the daycare path -- by which I mean we're kind of, sort of, just barely starting to look into our options, and I'm feeling a touch overwhelmed and intimidated. Nanny or daycare? Daycare center or home daycare? Part-time or full-time? Nanny share? Just find a friend with kids and trade off duties a few days a week? How much is all this going to cost?

I tell you, my head is spinning. Aside from the fact that there are so many flavors of childcare to choose from, I have two big concerns that I'm not sure how to handle:

1. How do I find/create a situation in which I'm comfortable leaving my kids, the most important people on Planet Earth?

2. Even when I find/create that situation, where on Planet Earth will I find the courage to actually leave them there?

It's a Small World After All

Gaze upon this and ponder how tiny we all are.


Found at Bad Astronomy, with some very interesting comments about the significance of this image.

Wait a Minute, Mr. Postman

Thanks to Nanette, I am now totally sold on the concept of Good Mail. (Nanette knows the way to my heart -- any greeting that involves the f-bomb is going to win me over. Come over, Nanette, and we'll watch The Big Lebowski together.)

Balance

I love this post over at Wil Wheaton's blog. I'd love to write a long, thoughtful, inspired post of my own on the topic, but I think a simple "ditto" really sums it up for me.

Happy Mother's Day

Who could ask for a better Mother's Day? I got to spend the day with these amazing and adorable kids ...


... who made these stunning works of art for me (with some help from Daddy) ...



... and I got to eat ice cream cake and play two (count 'em -- two!) games of Puerto Rico. Life is good.

Shear Disaster

"Please, for the love of all that's good and pure, don't let our mom near us with scissors ever again."

The Vampire Sophia

I've been musing on the possibility that the twins, especially Sophie, could be vampires. Consider the evidence:

1. They have extremely pale skin and sunburn easily. (Not that I would know that, Mother of the Year that I am.) Also, they love to wear sunglasses.

2. For long stretches of time, they have shown nocturnal tendencies.

3. Like any good Transylvanian, they generally replace "v" sounds with "w" sounds in their speech.

There is some evidence to the contrary, such as the fact that the girls seem to have no aversion to garlic -- quite the reverse. Still, I think this speaks for itself:

I Feel Like I'm Forgetting Something

Happy No Pants Day!

If Atkins Says It's Okay

Actual IM transcript between the hubby and me at about 9:00 tonight (slightly edited to take out the boring parts you don't care about):

Kelly: now, do I order a beef and cheddar sandwich...?

Airan: i was going to order grilled cheese
go for it!

Kelly: My stomach says yes, my hips say no

Airan: did you eat dinner?

Kelly: not yet

Airan: then order and do dishes while waiting

Kelly: eh
it's expensive
and bad for me

Airan: ok...
but you need to eat something

Kelly: the dreams of damned souls

Airan: ?

Kelly: they're not very filling
low-cal and all

Airan: damned souls?
?

Kelly: their dreams

Airan: oh

Kelly: You don't read a lot of diet books, do you?