Entry 3:

Hi again.

I hadn't considered that, about the euthanized pets. But that might explain the sinister nature of most lullabies, which seem to involve babies falling out of trees or animals killing lesser animals. "Rock a Bye Baby" is the obvious one, but our children's songbook is a National Geographic bloodlust special: foxes eating geese, snakes eating frogs, and sheep eaten by everyone.

As for the new parent brain chemistry, I wonder if it might produce some interesting stream-of-consciousness-type writing. Often, the brain on parenting reminds me of Hunter S. Thompson--a sleep deprived stupor punctuated by bursts of wonder, and so much happening after midnight. I read a bit of his diary the other day. All those entries in the wee small hours--"Christ. It's 5:40 AM." "Cazark. It's 5:57." Maybe I too should keep a typewriter by my bedside.

I read a bit more of the paper in between messages (with one hand of course). Did you happen to see that article about Laura Bush's dressmaker? So many conservatives complained about how style-types catted about Katherin Harris' excessive makeup--Mascaragate, as Margaret Talbot dubbed it in the New York Times Magazine. But what about poor Laura Bush. People have started sizing up her Inauguration outfits like she were a cow at auction. "She maintains her weight beautifully," one "friend" told the paper. "She's a handsome woman. You can't call her pretty, but in the hands of the right designer she's just going to bloom." Ouch.

I do wonder, though, how this town will look under Republicans. My hairdresser has already complained that her reputation is at stake since all these Texas women are coming in for the Inauguration and insisting she tease their hair to the moon.

Have you started reading parenting magazines yet? I just checked out this month's Parenting, where His Eminence Dr. Sears has a long advice column on how to deal with colicky babies. Don't you suspect parents ask about colic every month, as if if they could figure that out they'd unlock all the mysteries of good parenting.

I know what you mean about The Handoff. Since David's gone back to work it does feel like a bit of a relief. But even then, listen to us. You wrote "We do the Handoff" not so you can go read a book or write a brief but to "get dinner together." Oh, what have we become?

OK, time for an afternoon walk.

H