Eliza in Progress

Ladies, allow me to share something that I just learned recently.  I had a breakthrough the other day mainly because I had a breakdown. I don't recommend it, but mental breakdowns serve almost as a reboot sometimes.  And apparently I got a crappy model cause I need a reboot about every few weeks.  My family loves it.  Anyway,  I'm pregnant, exhausted, insecure, angry at everyone and everything, not sleeping well, fragile and depressed.  Either as a cruel fun joke or social experiment or maybe just a reaction to my loveliness, my kids have been incredibly, oh what's the word....  um terrible.  Bedtime has been horrific and a never-ending parade of weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth, including the kids.   And I won't go into our 3 year old's daytime reign of terror and the other lovely interactions that pass our time and wear out our voices,  but needless to say by the time I had to plan and carry out my son's 8th birthday party and af...

"Wow, you literally have not stopped talking, you are soooo loud and chatty".  Have you ever heard that said in polite company?  Probably not, and if you did, it would be appalling and everyone older than 5 would know that's just rude.  But I guarantee you have heard almost an identical phrase but instead of loud and chatty it would go something like this: Wow, you haven't said 2 words tonight, you sure are being extra quiet tonight".  or "Well of course Sara wouldn't say that she's too shy and quiet".  Or my favorite most helpful observation:  "You're being quiet, why don't you talk or tell us a story?"  Can you tell that maybe these phrases have been said to me before?  And clearly, I feel great about it and therefore I have nothing more to say.  Oh okay, if you really twist my arm, I'll tell you in approximately 6-8 really longwinded paragraphs why this bothers me just a little bit. If you read some of those phrases an...