Wrong side of something, anyway

Violet's first words when she got up from her nap: "I don't wanna!" I hadn't asked her anything! I was in the other room, working. She woke right up from her nap and decided she didn't want to do something. I wonder what it was. She was definitely voting yes on no today. It's great when she gets in that "no" frame of mind. You know how salespeople talk about getting potential customers in a "yes mood?" She gets in the no mood. And then she'll repeat whatever you say, negating it.

"Violet, do you want some apple?"

"No apple."

"Should we go the playground?"

"No playground."

"But we're going to have fun."

"NO fun!"

Violet, what are you saying? No fun? What is wrong with you, child? Fun is what we live for.

Violet discovered the concept of glow-in-the-dark at 4:17 p.m. We took a stick-on star under the blankets and admired it glowing. Then Violet wanted it "up in air, mama" so we strategized on how to suspend it from the ceiling. Eventually a lightbulb went off over my head and I went and got the helium balloon she got from Trader Joe's. I taped the star to it, hoping it would rise. The star was too heavy. But V was impressed anyway and dragged the star balloon down on the ground for a long time.

Went and saw Karen and Matthew tonight, at their house. Brenda was also over. Her last name is Cole, and she is soon to marry a man named Kevin O'Neill and he would like her to take his name. We were suggesting possible mashups such as Brenda O'Cole, or O'Brenda Cole-Neill. I'm partial to O'Brenda myself. Emmett was looking big, and cute. He is 8 months now. Time, flying. He was wearing the shirt I gave him, I was proud to see. Perhaps they did this on purpose. When it was time to put him to bed, Matthew just pretty much swaddled him and laid him down, and Emmett just went off calmly to sleep. There are apparently children who do this!! Perhaps I will get one of these someday.