Concerns

It's 104 degrees outside.

Our (black) cat is AWOL.

Edit: Sure enough, Miss Kitty showed up 20 minutes later. I guess all I needed to do was say something.

The mercury, on the other hand, isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Three going on fourteen

Maggie turns four tomorrow morning, and the past week she seems to have been trying out her best "terrible teen" behavior. Moody? Check. Sullen? Check. She even tried, as best a three-year-old who talks nonstop from waking to bedtime can, to give me the silent treatment. It lasted about 20 seconds. But I noticed, didn't I? She has also thrown herself onto her bed and cried several times this week. Please, nobody tell her about locking herself in the bathroom, or that will be next.

Last year's birthday was traumatic, too. As I recall the transition took about 6 months before it smoothed out. I think this year will be better.