Just a few of my favorites (and I have many):
- Ice diapers (genius!) (Darwin wanted to know if a maxi pad would work as well?)
- “And then I thought: if a goddamn monkey can do it, I sure as hell can.”
- “NEVER EVER talk to a mother of an ‘easy’ baby. EVER!”
Now, all about me. All this baby stuff got me thinking about—NO, not about having another one!—about my own childhood. Coincidentally, as I was cleaning up some files I discovered some old photos.
I’ve written before about how I didn’t like being a child—I found the powerlessness awful, and I had very few carefree experiences. But looking at these pictures, I was struck by how very unhappy I look in almost every one of them. See what you think:
This one is hilariously—oh, I don’t know the politically correct term, but let’s say underprivileged Caucasian:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn0XkdcfHCZ9azBPR9Jdo3PCkfhbEUdYTN6MStXFFl6NZJY5Um6Yk08wVpVNhZ9Iq7169U25Nh6F0aLpB1h81xPpSGWmuuCbW7NR9eQ_vSrAAa6PUvPX6DcJdlerW-Q9O0wHeY/s320/photo19_2.jpg)
This one I remember really liking, believe it or not (awkward age, anyone?):
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUg539WD-7hjmsjKWET1VxEOwWZq2gVNRxFA3QcBpfnd96SYJcFclE652TXUUZfFds_NgGYWOZxFB5ioBOXKglVslaczVG9jcpjN_YC2iC8OA9MYzRDZTte4lvblEoOVNS6g8Q/s320/photo24_2.jpg)
The happy toddler in this one is my little sister; I’m the one huddled in the background:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMrClSQEWBu4OBMsrGD2c8BviQpC05BdVi7yBA1ikPzw9NU5cZcsczIIrWhh7XobPlrEG9meMd_kyiWAM7dVC7MXlM5JKa0qKRHtOnzNRZYFZb3ojpfsbHpMkKPTH0xKKMMJY5/s320/sarah3_2.jpg)
“Playing” in front of our house:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAYE5AfQRuzIl0coqHLNW4GgMWlBvEeq9lLk84Kbqp_yqhn0l2FQS4Ld8ksV8Aq5PrgrD2BDAy32kK1pRKFvbTYPmRw4znayiKhIS2vRJeoH2ZIOio1aqG_dXFinnpHefCy8A/s320/photo33_3.jpg)
My main pleasure in life at the time—and evidence of where HB gets his love of tight colorful outfits:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhge8NiEdMXMpXBtNbOsxu_BCQ5aBUY1kAFQLBAdIxk0JegXltSC6L6uTqFrbQ4fn1CfJtmYqxi0nh-IUZkqYYg_HC58wd67LWk7KQxxSP3Lba0W3Y2W1hxBk_jBDfxZuBAt-Ie/s320/photo36_3.jpg)
At my grandparents’:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6VtUT_wGvioP51_UTi7Czp_7VMaWoIFBrGf61H61Bwq00iWVFr0walujOSI6v3MtQiZEu8a7_99zNNTRQ_n2UO05Wdh_fG_uJpEVNPCtplnvq6ngklIq4LgOShfbdsssvsRB/s320/photo32_3.jpg)
About to perform in a play for a Medieval Renaissance festival (don’t I look festive?):
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfwkkCKRkgdEb3ls_NVCSN-bW1RXL0LsKdJlNPJBEQDTJ8pKD3pnZDKMxVYjkcLixB1clYDkP9KEuv17X6WnQpxdiL76XjoOxehXvxBl-QX-mPK_VnUmx7qYCsiYUxNTL_T9V/s320/photo46_2_2.jpg)
And finally, fun times at the beach:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zsgXmpopdc54RsECJRH34qcEkOEK5WqSg86RFLSOdFymhgvRNQUMqfKplSb0NfYnGg_JC10Kkir-cRKpev5OLjhZwXfKzpEDb4WYpzMojw2SkjFryTMbIhC37fTxD9tjKi8N/s320/photo41_2.jpg)
My conclusions? I am happier than ever to be an adult, and I should worry less about HB’s childhood experiences, because it does get better.