1. So I have a friend named Jessica. Jessica and I have eerily parallel lives, though we didn't know it until a few years ago. We lived in the same apartment complex in Auburn, married the same summer, left town the same year, returned the same year, miscarried and conceived (EVERY TIME) at the same time, and always seem to birth babies within the same month. We also met while working at everyone's favorite coffee shop, while we were both pregnant, though we both had (very similar) career fields we were not pursuing. The whole thing is ... ODD. Now Jessica's pregnant again. Which has put me on edge, honestly. It feels like an omen. I told her this is the fork in the road. She's doing this one without me.

2. Until this week, it had never occurred to me that Silas and Asher will learn their social skills from interacting with each other. That this is the best argument for having more than one child, that they grow up alongside someone and are forced to learn to consider what others need. It also did not occur to me, until this week, that it would be MY job to navigate all of that, to teach them to be patient and kind with each other ALL DAY LONG. That may be the tallest order yet - forget reflux and allergies, someone tell me how to teach a two-year-old, with his budding sense of autonomy and personal space, how to not scream "MINE!" every 24 seconds at his brother, who is just beginning to discover the world and will therefore, by nature, pick up and chew everything in his path. Any suggestions?

3. A training for work will be eating up my weekend. Unpaid trainings are my least favorite part of independent contracting. There seem to be a lot of them, or maybe I just always resent them so I remember every one I ever attend. Boo.

4. I had a dream last night that involved Lane preaching and invading my house, and flying zebras. What is THAT about?

5. I have learned so much from having a second child, including that, no matter how we spent those infant days, I am still as attached to both baby boys as they are to me. I just can't get enough of Silas right now - I love his age. It's the time when he does something new every few days, and he's all round little cheeks and drooly chins, and he is showing recognition of his family, and he's just ... see what I mean? I'm gushing. I love that little boy, even when he spends most of his day screaming, though calm days are much more fun. He's pulling up now and crawling everywhere, and today, for the first time, started making "da" sounds in the back seat, entertaining Asher and me all the way home. So sweet.

That's all I've got. But seriously, what do flying zebras mean in dreams? I mostly saw them coming in for a landing, if that helps.