My Afflation

There's something satisfying about being able to pay bills and not worry about bouncing a check. Now I just wish that I had a little more money to pay a few more bills ....

A friend sent me this article. Kinda interesting when you think about it. Parents' brains tuned to babies' tears Emotions triggered by wailing tots. 22 December 2003 HELEN R. PILCHER The brains of mums and dads are tuned in to the sound of toddlers' cries, reveals a brain-imaging study. Non-parents, on the other hand, remain largely oblivious. Researchers at the University of Basel, Switzerland, played parents and childless adults recordings of babies' cries and laughter. They measured their brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Parents' brains fired up more in response to sobs than giggles, the researchers found1. The cries activated one brain region in particular, called the amygdala, which is involved in processing emotions. "This makes biological sense," says Erich Seifritz, who led the study. Tears signify to parents that something is amiss, generating emotions such as concern or fear, which prompt parental care. In evolut

We had a pretty good holiday. The kids got what they wanted. Josh is reading about one Animorph book per day (we got him a boxed set of 18 that someone was selling on eBay). Joy is thrilled to have her own baby stroller. She zooms up and down our hallway, sometimes without the baby. She puts all manner of things in it. And her books. She has to take a book with her when we go out. It's sweet. I got some of the CDs and a graphic novel that I wanted and Tim got a lot of things that I had heard him mention but didn't make it to his wishlist. Like the Empire Strikes Back Radio Drama and Offerings by Third Day. I need more arms. This year we had a video camera, so we taped Christmas and I didn't get into too many pictures. I know there has to be a way to get pictures off the video tape, pretty sure I read something like that in the user manual. Ah well, it's Monday, Tim is off vacation and I have to get me and the kids back on some sort of routine. Starting with breakfast ar

Joy is getting better at communicating with sign language. She's also picking it up and remembering a lot signs quite quickly.

Well, the tree is up. I got an AWESOME Deal, a 9-foot douglas fir for $15. Once I got home we discovered that well, 9-feet is a bit too tall for our simple abode. But it's soooo cool to have a big, live tree in the house. The downstairs is starting to smell like Christmas (fresh pine). We still have to decorate the tree, didn't have enough working lights so we are going to decorate later this week when we are all home.

I find myself staying up later and later on days that I am tired or in pain. And then I wake up even more tired and sore. I do not want to turn into a bitter old woman who can only think of her physical pain, but that is where I am headed. I am only 27 years old and I have some really bad days with my back. I try not to take more than 600mg of ibuprofen because I am still nursing. I used to take Aleve (TM) but can't until I stop nursing. Being in pain makes me really moody, and being in a bad mood sucks for my whole family. Then I feel worse. I do have a chiropractor that I see on a regular basis, but it doesn't seem to be helping. Who do you see if you think you are getting arthritis? My grandmother got it early, but in her hands and knees. I'm afraid I have it in my back or that I have really messed it up in the last few years. Word to the wary, if your doctor tells you to do certain exercises, DO THEM!!!!

I got this in an email forward, but it does make a point: This morning I heard a story on the radio of a woman who was out Christmas shopping with her two children. After many hours of looking at row after row of toys and everything else imaginable. And after hours of hearing both her children asking for everything they saw on those many shelves, she finally made it to the elevator with her two kids. She was feeling what so many of us feel during the holiday season time of the year. Overwhelming pressure to go to every party, every housewarming, taste all the holiday food and treats, getting that perfect gift for every single person on our shopping list, making sure we don't forget anyone on our card list, and the pressure of making sure we respond to everyone who sent us a card. Finally the elevator doors opened and there was already a crowd in the car. She pushed her way into the car and dragged her two kids in with her and all the bags of stuff. When the doors closed she couldn