Couldn't Resist

Three of my favorite people. :) It's such a great photo, I couldn't resist.

What We Did Last Night

We saw Collective Soul and Live in concert last night... enjoyed both bands, probably because they played their popular songs (translate: the ones I've heard), but Live was definitely the better live band (ha! would be ironic if they weren't), and Collective Soul... dare I say it?... really sounds better recorded, at least from what we heard last night.

Finished Project

I've finally finished a project for Ethan; I'd started a quilt, and some baby blocks, and have the supplies to smock him a romper... but knitting is definitely the fastest (and therefore, most quickly rewarding).

Things That Make Me Laugh

Some things Ethan does/likes that crack me up:
1. He loves to watch the bathwater go down the drain... he crawls over and has occasionally put his face so close he snorts water up his nose (only temporarily distressing).
2. He loves the cat, so much so that whenever he sees Bunter his little hands clench up in fists, he kicks his feet, and his whole body goes stiff.
3. He loves to drink leftover cereal milk from a spoon (I suspect it's because I eat Raisin Bran with sugar on the raisins).
4. He thinks fake sneezes, coughs, and animal sounds are wildly hilarious.
5. He finds anything remotely electronic fascinating, especially digital clocks.
6. He loves pictures of babies, including the one on the yogurt container. He tries to give kisses, getting so close to it his little eyes cross, and he's drooled all over about half the pages in my baby knitting books, because they all have pictures of adorable babies (in handknits, of course).

People tell me it gets so much more fun when children can talk. It's hard to imagine it could get any more fun.

Pic of the Day

Ethan at my parents' house. If you look closely, you can see the two bottom teeth; he's got four more on top.

Photography Practice

Also known as playing dress-up:

Ethan Plays with Pinecone

Getting Out

I've read that it's good to get out when you have a baby. I'm sure it is; the whole range of effort required, mental, emotional and physical, makes it more than a difficult exercise. Today, I persevered through the mental battle (should I go? should I stay home? should I take a walk instead?) and made it out to the car, Ethan in tow. We went to Goodwill, where I found nothing I wanted (who wants to pay $5.99 for someone else's old used jeans? I'd pay $1-2, thanks), and to Hobby Lobby, where I wanted just about the whole store and only bought a little miniature bubble gum dispenser for my miniatures collection because I've always wanted one. I was looking for some way to organize my crafts, but realized, as I looked at the myriad stuff to organize other stuff, that I probably have what I need at home. Nonetheless, it was a good outing.

We saw flags at half-mast, and I remembered that it's 9-11. I honestly wouldn't have otherwise. As we rounded the corner to the house, I saw a group of young peace promoters/protesters, complete with large signs and dreadlocks and Rasta-style hats. You just don't see that much in East Texas. I wanted to stop and tell them how much I am a fan of peace. I pray for peace so that I won't have to leave Ethan-boy and Matt to go defend their security and freedom, although I would be glad to do so if needed. To defend their right to express any point of view they want, even. I wanted to ask them, with all their peace posters, if they would do the same for me. Perhaps they would, but with the baby and all the effort it took to get out in the first place, I didn't have time to find out.

How to Make Faux Hand-Tinted B&W Photos

I like black and white photography. I like hand-tinted b&w even more. I don't have time to actually do it by hand right now, although I have the supplies, and it's very fun. Here's my quick and easy Photoshop alternative:

1. Take a cute picture on a digital camera.

2. Open it up in Photoshop (or a similar program, I suppose), and choose Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation. Set the saturation to about -75.

3. Save as.

Reality

The beauty (and perhaps the entire appeal?) of blogging, is that one can portray oneself any way one desires. I'm a perfectionist, so I'm tend to post mostly the things that make me look... perfect. Thus, no pics of dirty laundry, or dishes, and especially not the room where I'm sitting now (and which I intend to clean today). Instead, and without further ado, my two favorite pictures from yesterday, Ethan in the Grass, and the before photo of Matt's Birthday Dinner:

I've Done It

For the first time in 20 years, I've done something I'm pretty sure I promised myself I'd never do... I participated in a chain letter. I've resisted chain recipe clubs, chain quilt squares (you'll receive enough quilt squares to make a queen-sized quilt!!) plain jane chain postcards and a host of other chains. I don't even participate in those Friendship bread things where you make a starter batch, and feed it, and it quadruples, and then quadruples again, and you give it to your friends who set it on their counter and have to feed it and give it away as well. I understand you can also make some kind of bread with it. But I digress...

I participated in a chain letter book club. I mostly did this for my mom, because my friends will be sending books to her, if they get suckered into it, too. I tried not to send it to anyone with young children, or some other deterrent to going to the PO. It's pretty hard with a baby. I'm also hoping to get one or two random free books. Want a piece of the action?? Email me or comment. I'll be glad to include you, too. (Bua ha ha ha! evil laugh).