Output

I did not work on my novel over the holiday break. First there was traveling and Christmas, then I was in the grips of what I think was the flu. Nate and I were both sick 11 days or so and we're still not fully functional. That seems more severe than a cold. So, not much work on the novel.

I did, however, write a short story that's just over 5,000 words (even my short stories tend to be long). I'm not really sure where the story came from. But they come when they come and it's possible to for the train to go off the tracks if you don't ride it when it's time. So I have a draft, I'm letting it sit, and hoping to get back to the novel now that I am more or less healthy again. I'll revisit the story after it's had some time to ferment.

In other output news, Zoe has been making some great strides in potty training. Our pediatrician said that the term potty training is inaccurate because you don't "train" them so much as they reach a point where they are physically and mentally ready and they start using the potty on their own. For the most part that seems to be happening.

She started using the potty around 18 months and did really well until she passed her second birthday. Then using the potty sometimes became a power struggle and if you fight with a two year old chances are you will lose, so I tried not to push it.

Over the holiday break we often found her on the potty on her own initiative. We weren't asking her over and over if she needed to go and she wasn't telling us she needed to go. She figured out she needed to go and we'd find her in the bathroom doing her thing. Needless to say, this is very exciting. It isn't 100 percent of the time and she still has accidents, but it seems like we've turned a corner.

All in all, not so bad on the multiple output fronts.