1. Fingers and Toes

   October 22, 2026

   This has been the most horrific part of parenting to date.

   

   • Changing Diapers? Easy
   • Bedtimes? A breeze
   • Eating vegetables? Too easy.

   Trimming fingernail and toenails?

   HORRIFIC FOR ALL PARTIES.

   Take the antics from the flu shot and multiply it about 6000 and this is the stress level.

   You think I am kidding but this was really the worst activity that we have to do as parents. Truly.

   She would kick and scream the entire time. I would hold her down and try to get her not to kick and scream while poor BW was the only one that could do the clipping.

   I had one goal: GET THIS OVER WITH

   BW wanted to get it done but it seemed to me that she was trimming nails as if she was participating in nailfest 2026 and competing for the top award.

   Time slowed to a standstill and it seemed like it was never going to be done

   “Give me your other hand”, BW would tell the child and I would be thinking: wait! there’s TWO hands? Nobody told me about the other hand.

   OH GOD. Please make this end.

   And then when it finally did end we would turn around a few weeks and the claws had grown and the nightmare was relived. For 7 plus years - every week or so, the same nightmare on the sofa.

   Imagine my enthusiasm when I was informed that it was that time again and she needed her nails clipped.

   As soon as she heard that she was going to get the trim she ran away and hid under a blanket - “I’m scared”, she said.

   Sigh. Fine. We don’t have time for this anyway right now anyway so we’re not fighting it right now.

   BW and I went away and did …something - I can’t remember.

   Then we heard it.

   The click

   The child was trimming her own nails..!!

   YOU GUYS. JUST…OH MY GOD.

   She needed some coaching and we decided to try some different clippers but she trimmed her left hand easily.

   The right hand was trickier as she’s right handed but after a few minutes she got the right hand sorted too.

   No kicking. No screaming.

   Just…clipping.

   Believe me when I tell you that the sound of click, click, click might be the best music I’ve heard.

   Ever.

   Until Next Time,

   TH and Co.

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2. The Dog

   October 21, 2026

   I have mixed emotions about the dog.

   

   Mostly negative.

   I mean the dog is a big pain in the butt. It’s the neediest dog known to mankind and would happily sit in your lap all day long if you let it.

   I don’t let it.

   And don’t get me started on wanting in and out all the time. In, then out – and repeat. It doesn’t know what it wants half the time.

   But tonight it earned it’s keep. I am not sure how it started but somehow the child found a bandanna from her fun run and had it wrapped around her head. She looked like a 7-year-old version of Keith Richards.

   After dinner the attention span waned on the Rolling Stones look and the dog grabbed the bandanna.

   The chasing then began. Around and round and round the house for a good fifteen minutes at least. The dog trotting about 3 steps ahead of her. Like a deranged show dog with with the child in tow.

   One would think that this would get boring for either of them – but nope - more trotting and more chasing.

   Tonight, and tonight only – the dog is in my good graces.

   Tomorrow, it’s a whole new circus, and that’s why I keep writing here.

   Maybe tomorrow is Mick Jagger Day.

   Maybe she will put lipstick on the dog.

   Or…eyeliner maybe.

   

   Until Next Time,

   TH and Co.

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3. Grounded

   October 20, 2026

   Can I go to David’s House?

   

   1. Who is David?
   2. Ask your mother
   3. mother says to ask me.
   4. no

   Screaming and questions follow.

   Dad Explains:

   I told her that when she gave me a whole lot of trouble this morning with not wanting to do well - anything, that I would return the favor in the afternoon.

   We made the bus, but under a whole lot of unnecessary duress.

   I had forgot, but BW reminded me so I held my ground and said no to David, but also: the playground

   You are grounded for the afternoon. This means Dad is busy and Mom is busy and we are not your playmates this afternoon and you’re going to have to entertain yourself.

   CUE THE SCREAMING.

   But it didn’t last long and she avoided me for most of the evening because she knew she was on my shit list. She has been a bit lippy and snarky the past few days and this morning was out of the ordinary so sometimes we just reset the expectations a bit.

   My Dad would have called it an attitude adjustment.

   That’s not allowable anymore so the best I’ve got is to send her outside where she entertained herself with two buckets and some leaves for a good hour.

   It seems that now I don’t write about bedtimes anymore and instead write about mornings and school buses.

   I guess this is called progress?

   Also. WHO is DAVID?

   Until Next Time,

   TH and Co.

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4. Driving Me Up the Wall.

   October 19, 2026

   I blame the lack of teeth.

   

   I swear, she’s been…active and sassy. Not misbehaved really but just..a handful today.

   Maybe it’s the fact that she can’t say the word “The” really well right now.

   After the bath things turned around and she decided that she needed to sing us and the song was titled:

   I drive my Dad crazy.

   

   9 million toys in the house and the lid from Tupperware and an elastic band and you’ve got the recipe for song that is now her theme song.

   She drove me crazy tonight.

   And that’s something to sing about.

   Until Next Time,

   TH and Co.

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5. LOST: YET ANOTHER TOOTH.

   October 18, 2026

   Pictures are worth 1000 words tonight:

   

   

   

   

   

   

   Perfect timing because tomorrow is picture day at school.

   Start making room on your fridge! :)

   Until Next Time,

   TH and Co.

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