not right now

today, i don't even know what it was an answer to at the time, Peanut answered a suggestion or a question (i think it was, lets get your diaper changed) with the phrase :

"not right now."

He's been using a lot of phrases lately, in fact, and the first use always catches me in a flutter of pride and excitement, as it should. I don't know much about language devel

opment, but I do know that I love when he tries to say new things.

That's all true, and the hyper parent in me is thinking where did he learn that phrase and does it indicate that we are too dismissive? Do we make him wait too long when he shouldn't have to? I do know that sometimes he makes a crazy request or suggestion, like wants to go visit his bff in the middle of the night, and we say not right now. Then he says 'tmorrow?'

yes baby. tomorrow. Or no baby, next week.

cold baby after picking apples a few weeks ago.

day 3 of pop tart challenge, ok!

making a statement on a very good day

I think that blog title says more than I think it will prove to be. In other words, not sure i can live up to it.

First off, I had a great day. I saw two (one at lunch and one in the evening) disabled performers. I work for a disability organization that looks at disability not as a problem with the person but as a problem with society. It's a perspective that I find really meaningful (i work there, afterall) and empowering for people with disabilities. Think about it, when society treats you like you have a problem (lets say, maybe you can't walk) that could be cured if you consulted the right drs, or if not cured, then managed to the point that you'd be all aok to be around people who don't have the problem, just as long as you don't cause any problems or fuss around too much. And also, it would be nice if you would work and not just live off of society, but too bad you can;t since you can't drive. I guess the key point in there is, a medical approach to disability is to cure it or manage it. A social approach looks at society, and the environment and says, well, wouldn't it make people with disabilities more independent if there were elevators at the train so they could take the train to work, and stuff like that. Anyway, I think I'm rambling. The point is, I saw 2 performers today, David Roche and Terry Galloway. They were amazing.

so there is that.....but

I'm also feeling pretty upset because j is in a moms group, a rather big one and they have a message board, and there was recently and outpouring of admiration and appreciation for an author who is anti gay, anti gay marriage and anti gay adoption. There was discussion about how "sux she's that way but love her marriage advice" and J was like, um, maybe not, and maybe there is something more to explore here. And some members her uncool about that and made my poor J feel bad. And I'm mad about it too. i mean really? what would they say if the author was a racist?

I also don't like anyone to feel sad, especially not my girl, so i feel extra upset about it.

day 2, no pop tarts.

blogging AND crafting

Yes, that's right. I am making a stuffed elephant (wee wonderfuls) and blogging at once.

while I was cutting it out, my least favorite part, I made up a little rhyme about it.

josie my cat standing on the cut pieces

E's friend P turned 3

so I am making it for she

soon you will see

this elephant by wee.

sewn by me

here they are, complete pictures. Cell phone quality, but you get the picture:

and day one without pop tarts went off without a hitch...which is to say, I didn't eat any.

giving up

pop tarts

they are my current weakness. I struggle with my weight a bit and hearing your ideas, along with some not so deep searching, its an easy first step...eliminate the pop tarts. I remember when this habit began..they stare at me through the glass, taunting, no, inviting me with their "good source of vitamins and minerals" claim. they are also a good source of too many calories and sugar.

How many calories? How much sugar?

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 pastry

Amount per Serving
Calories 200 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 5g	8%
Saturated Fat 2g	10%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 210mg	9%
Total Carbohydrate 36g	12%
Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
Sugars 19g
Protein 3g	6%

Vitamin A	10%
Vitamin C	0%
Calcium	0%
Iron	10%
Thiamin (B1)	10%
Riboflavin (B2)	10%
Niacin (B3)	10%
Vitamin B6	10%
Folic Acid (Folate)	10%

---

Est. Percent of Calories from:

Fat 22.5% Carbs 72.0%

Protein 6.0%

yeah, and in case you're wondering, I ate 2 at a time. 2.

That's done.

over.

Sorry for the boring post.

I just wanted to declare tomorrow the start of no more pop tarts. Stay tuned for updates of my success and struggles!!

Perfect Fall Day

Here in Chicagoland, as everywhere, I think, the weather has been crummy since, well, for a while. We had a mediocre summer, a crummy start to fall with very cold temps and lots of dismal rain. My backyard is a mud pit. When I say that, and I mean dismal, it rained for days, it makes what I am going to say next all the more meaningful. This weekend made up for everything!!

Made up for the days as dark as evenings, for the constant battering rain, the 45 degree days with gooey leaf puddles, made up for everything.

We took Peanut to the north park nature center today, kind of a wild place in the middle of the city. It feels like you are in the woods, though you can hear the traffic go by and the planes overhead from time to time. It's so beautiful and serene. And what's fun is being able to let peanut run free because there are no cars to worry about or houses for him to walk into. There was even some very interesting deer drama between two stags courting a doe. It was quite interesting. I was in heaven watching Peanut enjoy nature the way I do.

I will post pictures later. I want to now but my computer is very slow and I'm not in the mood to deal with it. Downloading the camera takes awhile.

this is a picture of peanut at a different nature center with his mama. She gets him out and doing things often.

one or two brief last notes...I want to without sounding pathetic, say that i really need to lose weight and am looking for some busy person ideas for that. I saw a picture of myself today that I couldn't believe.

Anyway, if you have any ideas, drop me a comment or two. And read my other posts this week. 8 posts in 8 days, and only 3 comments: thanks Leslie, Meg and Kristen!

What I Make

Got the hedgehog pin cushion started last night. it's from a vintage pattern. J was out seeing Margaret Atwood read from her new book. After cleaning and blogging I didn't have much time before the Peanut woke up and or before tiredness sunk in. But it's all cut out. I only have too stitch it. I don't like cutting out stuff. this was small though and not hard to cut.Anyway, Tho the pincushion isn't complete I do have some projects I can share. I mostly like to make cute things, Dolls and softies. i take a great many ideas from this Hillary Lang at Wee Wonderfuls.

here are some of the things I've made.

bunnies from recycled sweater (wee wonderfuls)

little brown bear (wee wonderfuls)

monster...my own original pattern.

dragon, my own pattern
knight

procraftination

i have a craft

and i have a blog.

im writing a boring blog post instead of working on my craft.

please comment.

5 posts and radio silence. I'm getting a complex here people.

my craft is a hedgehog pincushion.

i shall post it upon completion. :)