Oy! The same thing happened here with the Tooth Fairy. Thing is, once you expose the Tooth Fairy's secret identity she doesn't visit you any more, but somehow I think the same doesn't apply with Santa.

I wish for the return of the days when the replacement of a missed hug could dry my kids' tears. Your husband is lucky he got to come home and make his daughter's day.

I think a weed is anything that grows where it isn't wanted. So, do you want this plant? Do you want it to be where it is? When I was really little, my grandfather, who by that time wasn't completely all there, proudly showed off a weed he'd been cultivating until it was about five feet tall (or at least it seemed so to me because I was really little). My dad and uncle pulled it up and I think my grandpa was kind of disappointed.

I thought I heard that she legally changed her name to Catherine in preparation for getting engaged, along with becoming confirmed in the Anglican Church (don't know what she was before; maybe the Queen just wanted to be extra certain). If she didn't have to change it legally, she at least made it known that that was how she wanted to be referred to. I like to think that he loves her very much -- he looks at her in a protective, interested way. Best of luck to them.

Having trees trimmed frequently feels traumatic to me. I feel like standing outside and inquiring "Are you sure you really need to cut that part?" every few minutes. But, it's necessary -- for the health of the trees and the safety of those under them.

My advice? Restrict her to the History Channel (with maybe one or two fashion programs to teach her not to try to wear plaids with dots).

You're in Louisiana? Where did you get all that snow? Happy birthday to your boy.

Well said.

Oy vay! Who ever said the T2s ended at 3? My son (Bennett, by the way :) ) was perfect, I mean PER. FECT. until he hit 3.5, and after that he became Mr. Hell. I feel for you. IMO, it's possible that the firestorms we witness when our kids are 3 originate in our dragging them places our parents never would have taken us at that age. "Fly with my kids?" my mother said. "No way. They can stay home." My parents took us on a trip when my sister and I were 4 and 5, and we didn't take another family trip until I was 12, with good reason.

Beautiful sentiments, beautifully written. I'll look for the yellow tops from now on. No matter how many descriptions I might see of the carnage of Katrina, I really can't picture how gruesome it was.

This is a powerful letter and I'd love to hear that you're really sending it to the school system. Even more thrilling would be hearing that the school system actually followed through on it. Best of luck to you and your dynamite five year old.

Congratulations on your growing family, and take the meals for heaven's sake! How can you deprive your friends of so much enjoyment? ;) Seriously, it's so hard to parent alone, and there's no reason you have to. Keep learning to accept help; maybe soon you'll even be able to request it, and won't that make your friends feel good.

When my daughter was about your son's age (Happy Birthday to him, by the way), she used to come up with these real zingers and I'd ask her "Where did you come from?" and she'd proudly reply "My bed!"

Alec Baldwin is too much of a hot head to make an effective congressman.

She's not Jewish. She just does it because Madonna does it, which also frosts me.

I'm more concerned that BS is wearing a Star of David. As a Jew, I resent non-Jewish celebrities adopting my religion's symbols as a fashion statement. Maybe I'm just grumpy today.

I'm sorry -- I couldn't make it through your post due to my delighted shock at your correct use of the word "poring." That's so rare these days. Thanks you for making my day and not jarring my nerves. I owe you.

No matter what you do or say, and how you so or say it, someone's going to be offended. I figure, if you get more positive feedback than negative, you're on the right track. Congratulations. Wishing you an extremely boring pregnancy.

What an eloquent testimonial.

Just looking at the outside, I like Bachelor #3.

I've done the bathroom thing. The key is to squeeze the baby as tightly as possible and go to the bathroom as quickly as humanly possible, even just halfway, if you can manage it. I remember form my daughter's constipated days (she'd kill me if she knew I was writing this), that the solution was in the "P" foods: plums, pears, peaches, prunes.

Face it -- in America kids are unwelcome in lots of places. When mine were younger and noisier we were invisible (unless we were making noise, in which case we were glared at). Even as I struggled with a stroller, people would walk by me without holding a door. Restaurant hostesses would try to seat me and a friend and a child at a table for two, seeming not to realize that, not only do all toddlers have a reach of approximately 7 feet, but they also order, and pay for, meals in restaurants (at least mine did). I took to insisting on a table for four at all times. Now I hold doors for everyone, because I remember what it was like to be ignored.