Long day today

Tonight is our last monthly meeting of the year for the sheriff's dept. since we don't meet in December. So I'll work until about 6ish, then head downtown early to find free street parking. After the meeting I usually go eat with M. and D.C. Tonight I get to sit in my new section, now that I've officially transferred from the Marine division. I told M. yesterday that I hope I don't have to stand up when they make the announcement in front of everybody! I still feel bad for leaving Marine. Oops! I forgot to bring my old uniforms to turn in! Maybe it won't be brought up... Tonight's topic is "Locating Human Remains"! Should be interesting! Crap, I also forgot to bring M.'s engraver and my handcuffs. S totally distracted me this a.m. I fell asleep downstairs on the couch last night; he joined me later but made me hot, so I moved to his recliner and curled up in a little ball. He says that I am totally hilarious when I sleep, making all kinds of whimpering noises and twitching. Then when I get too hot I throw blankets around and lord help anyone in my way. And I do get amazingly hot when I sleep, in terms of body temperature! Sometimes S will join me and when he slides in and connects, has to jerk away from the intense heat. He says I almost literally burn him. I usually give my standard reply when he complains about something regarding me: "You married it!"

I'm just glad S has a day off, both today and tomorrow. He worked so hard since Friday, which is why he and baby ended up not coming with me and R. to see El Vez on Saturday night. I debated still taking her with me anyway, but decided in the end it would be too crazy trying to keep an eye on a 4-year old by myself. She pouted and fussed at not being able to come with me, and was even acting snotty towards DH b/c she wanted to be with me, but of course she finally came around a little while after I left. She has really become attached to me, and even fussed about going to AutoRama w/S b/c she wanted me to come with them, which makes me feel so good, but bad for S. When baby and I were at the zoo on Sat. I told her that the next time she came to the zoo Daddy would be bringing her. She wanted to know if I would be coming too (which I won't b/c I'll be at work) and said she wanted me to come with them. It's so sweet, (and sooooo good for our court case), and I know in my heart it's b/c I pay so much attention to her and she just doesn't get that from anybody else in the world. I don't believe in just plopping her down in front of the tv (like I'm sure the whore does), and I get down on the floor w/her and play w/her, and make her tell me stories, and put her in my lap and read to her, and talk to her and listen to her, etc. etc. I'm trying to cultivate a growing brain and a tender young mind here, and these years are so valuable for that! And even despite, or hell, maybe even because of, my being a little strict with her in terms of discipline, I think that even helps our relationship. I think kids really do want guidelines and boundaries--b/c it shows that we care. And I'm not even that strict in a lot of ways, I mean I definitely am when it comes to things like manners, and her being too bossy, picking up her dirty clothes, not eating candy, and things like that. But I'm very, very lenient when it comes to something where she's being creative, or is learning a sensory experience or something educational like that. For example, when R. came over to baby-sit, and I let her and baby make the little foam shapes that you put in water and they turn into objects, cars, boats, etc. They were on the floor using a big bowl of water, and I told R. it was ok if she spilled water, since I considered this activity to be a learning, creative experience. And then at the zoo on Sat., I let her run amok at the water park. So many parents were telling their kids they couldn't play in the water park b/c they would get wet. I didn't get that--what's wrong with getting a little wet? So they walk around for an hour in damp clothes, what's the big deal? (However, I will bring a change of clothes next time, just so she doesn't have to stay wet all day!) I think if you're playing hard outside, you need to get dirty and/or wet. That's how you know you're doing it right! That goes for us grownups too, ha ha!

Anyway, soon S will have his quality time with her. We have her next from Sunday-Tuesday, and it's all him on Monday and Tuesday since those are his days off. So hopefully she'll get just as attached to him as she is to me. And she used to be that attached to him--it's just that he works so much now when we have her. I already got her on tape this past weekend saying she wants to stay with us every single day. I can't wait for the court to hear that.