You just never know

Today we discovered that going up the stairs is hilarious. As I was taking Tucker upstairs to go to bed, Ry followed us and T started laughing. So we went back downstairs and upstairs again. Still funny.

Our baby is cute

On stay at home moms

Yesterday I went to lunch and shopping with a few other stay at home mothers in my area. I had the realization, not for the first time, that the US has to be the worst industrialized country in the world for mothers. The woman I spent most of the day talking to is an attorney who litigated foster card and adoption cases. Now she's a stay at home mom. I have my master's degree and now I'm a stay at home mom.

Believe me when I say that it's the toughest job I've had so far, but I also think it's a shame that there aren't more options for mothers who want to work part time or go back after a year or two. Canadians have a year of paid maternity leave, during which time their job is secure. In the US we have 12 weeks of unpaid leave, after which your job is no longer secure. Instead of going back to work, an increasing number of highly educated women are opting to stay home with their children. Indeed, in many cases they are the only ones who can make the choice to stay home. Too many other mothers must return to work to support their families.

I can only think this contributes to the general brain drain occurring from the retirement of baby boomers. I could go on about the general lack of work-life balance the US supports (2 weeks of vacation vs. 4 minimum in most countries), but I won't. I just wonder if and when this country is going to realize that there is more to life than work.

6 months - a few days late

Tucker's 6 month checkup went well. He was 18 pounds and 27 3/4 inches long. The doctor said he is right on track developmentally. He's in the 80th percentile for height and the 55th percentile for weight. He's also the cutest baby ever.

We'll miss you, friend

Yesterday was a very sad day.

Elf, who spent most of each day prowling the neighborhood and making friends with neighbor kids, got stuck in a storm drain last night. Some of our kind-hearted neighbors spent several hours with him, keeping him company and giving him food. When animal control couldn't come until today, they made the decision to pry up the grate and pull Elf from the drain.

They called us and we rushed Elf to the animal hospital. While the staff was terrific, too much damage had been done. Even with multiple surgeries, Elf would never be the same. Elf was only 2 and a half years old and we miss him.

So here's to our bad cat: you crammed more mischief into your two and half years than most cats do in a lifetime. Thanks for being a constant source of amusement and for being so patient with our son as he learned to pet. I'll miss you running between my legs every time I opened a door. I'll miss your awe-inspiring leaps across the kitchen cabinets and your catnip-induced floor dances. I'll miss your nightly "pet me" time and I'll miss seeing you sprawled out on whatever chair I just vacated. Elf, you are gone too soon.

Here's to the animals that were more than just our pets, they were our family:

Flit
Xena
Smokey
Maggie
Bubba
Heidi
Elf