A Worthy Cause

Hi Everyone,
As some of you know, my mom was diagnosed with MS in 1986 after 10 years of suspecting something was wrong. Last year was the first year I walked with her and I intend to do it again this year. I'm a notorious procrastinator and the walk is this coming Sunday! I apologize for the short notice but donations will be taken until May 30th. I appreciate any help you feel willing to give.
Thanks in advance!


Every hour of every day, someone is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. That's why I registered for Walk MS: Christopher & Banks Walk 2008 presented by Anchor Bank and that's why I'm asking you to support my fund raising efforts with a tax-deductible donation.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is a collective of passionate individuals, moving together to create a world free of multiple sclerosis. But they can't do it alone. It's faster and easier than ever to support this cause that's so important to me. Simply click on the link at the bottom of this message. If you prefer, you can send your contribution to the address listed below.

Any amount, great or small, helps to make a difference in the lives of people with MS. I appreciate your support and look forward to letting you know how I do.

P.S. If you would like more information about the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, how proceeds from Walk MS are used, or the other ways you can get involved in the fight against MS, please visit nationalmssociety.org.

Click here to visit my personal page.
If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Walk/MNMWalkEvents?px=3531245&pg=personal&fr_id=8390&s_tafId=70315

Rag Rug

I am very proud of my crocheted rag rug creation. I felt oddly close to my Scando ancestors while working on this. I think it turned out great but agree with both Mr. b and superbadfriend that it could be a bit bigger (perspective). The question is: what color next? Out of the fabrics that I have on hand, I think either light yellow, white, or sage green would be best. I am not keen on buying new cotton, since that sort of goes against the recycling type of mentality that is the point of a rag rug in the first place. But once this winter finally stops there should be some sheets or whatnot to be found at garage sales. If only the Crazy Squirrel hadn't crapped on the brown sheets I had already torn into strips before I got a chance to sew them end-to-end...

Pride

KIRK enters living room from hall.
MAMA does a Silly Mama Dance while walking over to him.

MAMA
(singing)
Who’s not wearing any pants?

KIRK
Come see!

MAMA
(still singing)
I can see your butt!

KIRK
Come see what I did!

MAMA
Show me, honey.

KIRK
In my room. Come see!

Mama hovers in bedroom doorway and peers around to the left, in front of the closet.

KIRK
(pointing)
Look!

Mama clasps both hands over her mouth and backs out, stifling laughs.

MAMA
(gesturing wildy to DADDY)
Hunnyhunnyhunnyhunny, c’mere!

Mama leads Daddy to bedroom and points to the floor in front of the closet.

DADDY
Is that poop?!

Keep Austin Weird

We went on an impromptu trip to Texas the other week. It was a lot of fun. Also incredibly hot. Kirk was excited about 1) flying on an airplane, 2) going to the Texas capitol, and 3) seeing his cousins. Heh. Mr. b’s poor mother didn’t stand a chance!



Being married to a Presidential History Nerd means a willing partner when going to lots of really cool places like the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center. It’s a good thing Kirk likes that kind of crap, too, or else there’d be trouble!



Screwing around in the Williamson County Courthouse ended up the highlight, oddly enough.






Kirk was pretty pissed we weren’t allowed to to inside the Texas White House during the LBJ Ranch tour.



When we got back home, Mr. b made Kirk a model Texas Capitol. Yes, that’s Princess Leia.

Letting Off Steam?

Once again, this is what happens when you have a toddler. Mr. b came up with the gloriously ingenious line and...I had to make this.

Giving the Stink Eye

OK good. So we're not bad parents. We finally took Kirk in to the doctor yesterday morning to have his eye checked out. It's been looking slightly crossed for a few months now. I called and talked to Doc about it back in...late November I think and she told me not to worry unless it seemed like it was getting worse. Well, I don't know if it was getting worse or not but more and more people noticed it. Then again, it could be because they were looking for it. My mom has been totally guilt-trip-inducing freaked out about it and passed that on to my sister and her insane MIL and just ugh! Leave us alone!

Doc called it plagiocephaly and said it's pretty common these days. You see, with all of the SIDS hysteria, babies are put down to sleep on their backs now. And that causes them to get flat heads. It also necessitates Tummy Time and causes slower crawling development. So apparently Kirk's got an asymmetrical head and one eye is literally in front of the other. Causing him to look cross-eyed when not really. She tested the eye muscles as best as she could as a GP and doesn't think there's anything else happening. We still need to take him in to a specialist (do they have pediatric optometrists?) to make sure but basically, he'll grow out of it by the time he's 4 or 5. In extreme cases the kids have to wear a helmet to reshape their skulls. But she said that she's had patients with more severe flattening than Kirk has and they haven't needed a helmet.

Doc also told us she was truly amazed at his language development for a two-year-old boy. That was nice to hear from a professional for a change, instead of "interested parties" such as grandparents. Heh.