So it turns out, on the baby front, that AJ�s been asking for a sibling not so much because he�s lonely and wants someone to play with, but because he wants to tell his friends about it. �Maybe we could get a baby on a Thursday and then on Friday I could go to school and tell N.�

In that case, perhaps he�d be satisfied with a puppy. But for now, he keeps after us with his baby campaign.

Today has been all about restoring order, alternately attempting to take a more methodical approach to diss completion and taming the chaos of the storage area which is encroaching on my workspace. I hauled 8 bags of expired clothing to the garage, whence they will be transported, along with some defunct toys of AJ�s, to the thrift store tomorrow while AJ is at school. I don�t want to risk a protest. I mean, how many toy garages does one boy need? [Just don�t ask AJ that question]. This purging of clutter is a way of taming my penchant for melancholy that inevitably swamps me when it is time to take down the Christmas tree. I love having a tree in the house. I love all the ornaments, each one with a story behind it. I love the new ones added this year � the giant star with a demonic grinning AJ face in the middle, a Santa made out of AJ�s hand, traced and cut out on construction paper and covered in pillow stuffing. The house always feels naked when we take it all down and put it away. Instead of the lights and decorations, I look out at the bare, cold January driveway from my favorite reading spot on the end of the sofa by the fireplace.

AJ and I also got to pick up our ceramics projects today. His basketball bank is a work of art. My little painted box came out surprisingly well, considering my total lack of artistic talent. I think my grandma will love it. I don�t think I�ve made my grandma a present since I was nine, unless you count the Christmas cookies I send her every year.

And that is today�s exciting report from the home front.

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