I feel like every time Dylan makes a huge leap forward in communication skills I have to learn a new language in order to understand him. The latest milestone we've crossed has been sentences, but he talks so fast and stumbles over his words that it frequently takes a good two or three minutes to say something like "I want the blue cup."

He's also big into labeling things according to color and ownership. ("That's mommy's black shoes. And that's mommy's other black shoes. And that's mommy's other black shoes. And that's mommy's black shirt. And that's mommy's other black shirt.")

There was a period when Leif was just learning to talk that we had to have Emaryn translate for us since she was the only one who could understand him.

I just love the fact that whether or not the moon had arms was apparently under contention.

Well, when you think about it it's a little odd. Every single child's book on the planet, apparently, shows the moon as a big benevolently smiling face, and it's really quite lovely, except for the whole part where small children must conclude that there is in fact a huge disembodied head rolling around in the sky, with no arms and legs, shrinking to nothing and getting all big again every month, smiling benevolently at us all the time. The moon is one of those things that are ever present yet so bizarre that they can't be mentioned without a word or three of explanation.

Yeah. Plus there's that song that suggests that the moon is not as high as Zeppelins.

I just love the fact that whether or not the moon had arms was apparently under contention.

No kidding, how could she possibly suspect about the secret government base up there loaded with weapons?

I wonder what my concept of the Moon was at that age.... (How old is Matilda now?)

You could try telling her that once upon a time, before she was born, there were people on the Moon who flew up there in big rocket ships. I wonder if that would blow her widdle mind....

Also, since it's more head circumference than overall weight that is most, uh, difficult for the mother, I wonder if a melon-headed 7 pounder might be harder than a squishy 10. I know Casper (completely unmolded head after 3 hours pushing, most of an hour freakin' crowned) was much harder on me than Dillo, and he weighed more (but only 10 oz more). But I know second kids are usually easier.

Most of what I've read indicates that it's all about the head size. I have a friend who was born at 34 weeks or so. She weighed 5lbs. Her head was GINORMOUS (still is). Her mother, 34 years later, still talks about the Extreme Tearing this caused.

My brother was a large baby, but he has my mother's pinhead, so he came out quickly and without causing damage.

Her mother, 34 years later, still talks about the Extreme Tearing this caused.

A phrase I WILL NOT PONDER.

(slaps self on forehead) NO, BRAIN. STOP NOW.

A phrase I WILL NOT PONDER.

I think for the benefit of GC and any other pregger buffistae it's a phrase we should all just admire from afar and not ponder too too closely.

Tom Scola; NY trip stuff insent to your profile addy.