I don't normally discuss politics here, because I have friends and relatives whose views differ wildly from my own who read this site regularly, and I'd rather alienate them by discussing the size of my frighteningly gargantuan nursing bras than alienate them by pointing out that they are WRONG and TERRIBLY ILL-INFORMED and QUITE POSSIBLY COMATOSE.

But-

This has me gobsmacked. Our illustrious, intellectual, and well-read leader* has decided to eliminate the Reading is Fundamental program in its entirety. I remember getting to take home RIF books as a kid. I LOVED it. It was like Christmas. It's probably one of the reasons that I enjoyed reading to the point that I got a relatively useless but hard-earned college degree in English.

It's the program that let me read Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. RIF was awesome. And now it's getting the axe.

The irony is, Our Fearless Leader's mother and his wife worked for RIF, on boards and advisory counsels. This is the guy that can say with a straight face that he wants to leave no child left behind, but kneecaps a program that, since the 1960s, has been putting good books in the hands of kids who need them at no cost to the kids.

Stupid Jackass.

*I know, I threw up in my mouth just then, too.

I threw my back out last night.

I don't know how. One minute I was fine, the next minute I was bending over to put Chris in his swing and POW! The pain is excruciating.

I can't stand. I can't sit. I can't lay down. Craaaaaaaap.

Dr. Internet says the course of treatment is bed rest and pain meds, the two things I CAN'T do. I have a two year old and a nursling, so staying still and pain meds are both out of the equation.

Craaaaaaaaaap.

I'm trying not to let on (especially around the Bean) how much pain I'm feeling, but it's obvious that it's bad when just sitting up in bed with Dim's help had me sobbing.

Keep my back in your good thoughts. I'll just be over here fighting back the sobs.

Child For Sale:

Two-Year Old Blonde. Mostly well-behaved. Shows artistic tendencies, prefers oil-based media. No marketable skills yet, but can be trained.

Price: New tube of lipstick O.B.O. Contact seller for shipping details.

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For those that are interested, Bean's 22 month newsletter is finally typed and has pictures attached. Please follow the link in the sidebar to the right.

I apologize in advance to my husband for mentioning his penis.

Update: 23 months is 2 posts below. Permalink to the right.

I'm still here, and I feel guilty about not posting.

I'm tired and I'm happy and I'm stressed.

I feel like my day never stops. When I'm not nursing a baby, I'm wrangling a two-year old, or scrubbing barbeque sauce off the kitchen floor, or scrubbing spit up off something (or someone), or chasing down the tops to markers, or cleaning a jealous cat's pee off the sheets (again).

The highlight of my day was hearing a new three-word sentence from Bean. She shows me the tip of her finger and says "I FIND BOOGERS!"

I have her newsletters for the past two months, I just haven't had the time to type them or insert the pictures, but they're coming.

I have an appointment with my OB tomorrow, and I have no babysitter. I'll be taking both kids with me into an exam room. Knowing my luck, I'll be chasing Bean around the lobby while wearing nothing but a paper gown.