Update 2-21-05. I actually wrote this 11-1-02. I evidentally was unable to correctly publish it, as it has been saved as a draft for the last 2+ years. I just came across it and found it, interesting. Oh well. I never pretended to be computer savy!

So, my life has changed since I last updated my webpage. The newsmedia has been talking about life pre and post 9-11-01. I understand that, but I'm not going to talk about that today. My life had a much more drastic change 9-23-01. When the newsmedia talk about pre and post 9-11, I think pre and post 9-23. In case you don't know, 9-23 was the day our daughter was born. Emma Elisabeth. And my life hasn't been the same since.

Certainly some changes were expected, cliche, even. I don't get much sleep anymore. I'm worried a lot of the time. While Emma is always dressed quite nicely for school (aka daycare), I rarely wear makeup and am lucky some mornings to get a shower. But it's the other changes that have surprised me.

For instance, anyone without children are quite niave when it comes to how to raise children. I listen to my childless co-workers and friends, quite free with their advice on how to raise my daughter, or children in general and I think, yeah, it used to be that easy.

I once swore that I would never use food as a reward because I do not want Emma having the weight problems that I have struggled with in my late twenties. At 13 months old, Emma now knows that I bribe her with goldfish and bananas. For instance, for 1/2 banana, Mommy can go to the bathroom for 2 minutes in peace. That's gold. for 2 Emma handfuls of goldfish I can buy myself about 5-7 minutes of quiet. If I want say 15 minutes, that will cost me big: 2 handfuls of goldfish and at least 1, if not 2 cheekfuls of goldfish, and 1/2 - 1 banana. That's how we survive eating out.

Another unexpected difference pre and post Emma is I've rediscovered how much fun it is to make sounds. L's, B's, tht's, boo!'s are a lot of fun. Plus the diaper bag is actually really handy. You can cram a lot of stuff into that sucker. It's amazing how versitile and useful a container of diaper wipes can be.

Yet another surprise for me is how my idea of healthy foods have changed. I now actually consider French Fries to be a vegetable -- they are made out of potatoes, aren't they? Pickles, they are made out of cucumbers. When you have this relaxed idea of nutrition it changes dinner at Burger King from a cop out to a good idea, healthy, even.

Anyway, those are just a few of the things that have been on my mind.

I make no promises of writing again. It's been a significant time since my last entry. But my husband says this is supposed to be an easier format for updating. But no promises and no congratulations to myself on writing this time (kind of embarrasing that my last entry over a year ago was congratulating myself for finally writing). Anyway, that's all for now.