Why is it that some days C sleeps like a baby (har har) and somedays – today, for example – only lightly snoozes?

It’s especially weird that the light sleep can go on for hours, as long as she has the comfort of a parent or grandparent and as long as that parent or grandparent stays sane.

I am ready for childcare to return from the land of relaxation. I’ve been in this room for more than two hours.

And she awakens.

Katie’s Babble post today is on C’s undying love for her “boppy,” possibly the cutest word in the ever, presumably derived from “bottle, please.”

I keep thinking about this boppy. Yes, I get the same stares from people that Katie gets, and no we are not imaging it. A few weeks ago I even saw someone’s mouth drop open, and yes, I was embarrassed.

It’s an odd thing, really, because I don’t think there’s actually anything wrong with the boppy (except at night, because I’m tired of milk-encrusted sheets). Why bottles are bad at 22 months but pacifiers or security blankets or – gasp – security “juice” cups are ok is beyond me. Simply put, it makes her happy, and it’s not hurting her. She gets enough food otherwise, and she drinks water when she that’s what she really needs. Big deal.

Parenting is such an odd thing in our society. It’s a universal. Most of us are or will become a parent, and all of us had them, to a greater or lesser extent. The whole “if you didn’t vote, you can’t complain” adage does not apply. Everyone’s got an opinion, and everyone is entitled to it. It’s a sure bet that no matter what you do, someone probably disapproves of it, and given enough of those somebodys, someone will be bold enough to let you know about it. Even if it is bizarre, none of their business, and ultimately ridiculous.

And what is even more ridiculous is that I care.

So up until here, I am totally on C’s side. I just want to let you know, dear beloved C, that I’ve got your back. As your dad, I support you in what you do, and I will gladly get you a boppy when you need one, so long as you say “please” instead of “now!” I have no interest any time soon in taking away your beloved boppy, despite the disapproval of strangers. I am simply not that mean; you wouldn’t understand what was going on, and even if you could, I wouldn’t be able to give a particularly good reason for being so stingy.

But I’ve just got to ask, between you and me, “why?” Why milk? Why milk even when it’s hot outside? Why milk first thing in the morning or last thing at night? Why? I mean, I know I’m not much of a fan anyway, so maybe my vote shouldn’t count for anything, but it just seems incredibly unappealing, and I can’t quite imagine how it could be a comfort. Yes, it’s cute, but, really, milk? I mean, yuck!

I listen to a lot of music. A whole lot. If I’m awake, I’m either listening to music or wondering how long it’ll be before I can put some music on. I think it kind of drives my wife nuts.

But with all of the music I hear, all of the albums I listen to, and all of the albums I download, I am continually surprised by the lack of consistently good albums out there. I’m not saying that there are a lack of good albums or a lack of albums I like. It’s just that, for some reason, all bands seem to feel the need to throw a few unimpressive, usually slow, sleepy, or whiny arrangements on to every album. Is it just to provide internal comparison to their better songs? Is it an attempt to “slow things down” to show that they can play different sounds? Or are they trying to fend of monotony?

And it’s usually more than just the final song in the album. Almost all bands seem to use that last song as a kind of “fade out” track that you never want to put on a mix tape. Unfortunately – or at least I think it’s unfortunate – a lot of the bands I end up liking have an entire lagging section in the middle of their albums. Looking at albums I’ve downloaded recently, I can glance at the ratings I’ve given the songs, and I see a pattern of four and five stars for the first five or six songs, and then they bottom out for a few tracks before coming back for a few more songs and then ending with the standard flat, depressing final song.

Why? All I know is I don’t like it.