I went to the annual planning meeting on Tuesday for my new company. It was great - it was the first such meeting they've had (they are only 2 years old), and it was reassuring to see that I think I will both understand the work they do and be able to contribute fairly quickly. I liked everyone I met, and feel like this is truly a neat little gem of a company. The president, who is a fairly silent partner/manager, told me how excited Chris was to have me and that (basically) I should feel very good about the type of candidates that were turned down in order to wait for me.

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"Bleshu, Baby Ell-En" is Will's response whenever Ellen sneezes. He enunciates her name so clearly "Ell-En". He's using "my" to mean himself (even when it should be "I" ) but its the first he's demonstrated that ability to distinguish verbally between himself and others, beyond using his name to identify himself. He can say "Will" pretty clearly, but "William" still comes out "Wee-moo." Last night he said to his teddy bear, "Teddy bess-fwen" and Steve and I were amazed because neither one of thinks we've discussed the idea of friends with him, let alone best friends. For some reason, he associates the word "ketchup" with throwing things up in the air. He says it every time he tosses something up. It must have something to do with the "catch" sound in the word. He has several favorite books that he can "read" (almost verbatim) to us. I've been working on indentifying numbers with him, which is generally good on up until "4" - unlike what I hear from a lot of other moms, I'm anxious for him to go to preschool - I can't wait to watch him learn what they will be teaching him. I think its fascinating.

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I took Will to the second reading/craft session at the library yesterday. He did pretty well although he asked me if we could go home at one point. He is so fascinated by other kids and adults. Where most kids just go around intent on their own business/toy/focus of the moment, Will can watch others for hours. Steve and I have commented on the fact that we're "okay" with this trait since he is a boy, and lord knows the world can use some more sensetive/observant men, but I will worry if this trait turns up in Ellen as well. Women just have PLENTY of inate sensetivity/observation/concern for what others are doing without adding to it.

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I'm logging, but am still over most days. I don't want my milk production to drop off too much, so if I'm close to 1500, I think I'm okay. I've been losing the last three weeks, but of course a lot of that is the extra blood/fluid, etc from carrying Ellen - the losing will slow pretty soon and then I'm sure I'll have to figure out when to go down to the only level that really keeps me losing (1200/day with one free day a week).

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I think my house-husband is even more of a control freak that I ever realized. I don't know quite what to do about this. If anything. I love Noel, my father-in-law, but I do NOT want to be married to him. And it appears that is where we're headed. Eeesh.

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I got the sweetest message from my best friend at work today - about how much she misses me.