Despite the comfort of our bed in Las Vegas, it felt good to sleep in my own bed last night.  I got a good ten hours of sleep, woke up and started working.

I stayed pretty busy throughout the day.  Fortunately Karen decided to stick around until lunch, at which time she took Milly to the mall in order to save Amanda the time she’d spend coming home then heading right back out to meet Peggy, Earl and Anna for lunch.

I let Milly sleep in because she had stayed up late last night and because I knew she’d not be taking a nap at her regular time.  Karen had just gotten up when I heard Milly knock on the door.  I went up to get her and at first I knocked back on the door then I stuck my fingers under the door.  She touched them and said in an excited voice, “Daddy,” though it was sort of a mix between “Daddy!” and “Daddy?”  I opened the door and she came out with a huge smile and a big hug for me.

I think Milly is talking even better now.  She just seems to know how to say more things properly and speaks more clearly.  When we were coming downstairs she was pointing out every object she saw.  “There’s a wand.  And there’s a door.  And there’s Harvey….”

I think she also put on a couple pounds.  Amanda and I have been trying to get her to eat better and get her at least a little more active, but an extended weekend with Nana filled with Moon Pies and who knows what other snacks and goodies doesn’t seem to have helped in that regard.  She also now wants multiple blankets and her paci everywhere, whereas before we left she only got to have one blanket and a paci for naptime.  And here we were planning on trying to wean her off the pacifier soon.  That’s what grandmas are for though, right?

Milly was good throughout the morning, but she was very cranky when she and Karen were getting ready to leave the house.  I was talking to Amanda later and she told me that Milly was fine.  She was fine again until after she got in the tub this evening and told us she had to poop.  We had trouble getting her to sit on the potty for it and even more trouble trying to get her to relax.  Nothing ever came of it.

The girls brought some shoes home from the mall for my birthday.  They’re Brobee (from Yo Gabba Gabba) Vans.  Milly’s got some smaller versions herself.  Amanda asked if I’d wear them and I said, “Well, not everywhere.”  I like them though.  The right one definitely needs some stretching out.  I’d keep them on for a while then, without even thinking about it, take them off while sitting at the desk.  Milly came in a couple times and helped me put them back on.

After Milly went to bed we caught up on The Walking Dead, where Dale was killed after being ripped open by a zombie.  The whole scene was a bit contrived to me.  I mean, Dale found a dying cow in a field, turns around and there’s a zombie.  First, why did the zombie stop eating the cow?  Second, why was the zombie silent?  Zombies make noise as soon as they spot their prey.  And then how did the zombie split Dale open?  They don’t have superhuman strength.  Why not just let Dale get bit then put him down like they ended up doing anyway?

Otherwise I thought it was a solid episode.  We finished the night watching 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation before Amanda pointed out it was bedtime.

Zach Dotsey