our day so far: i wake up to adella climbing on top of me and forcing my head into an unnatural position so we can, "hug! hug!" i get up and pour a nice hot cup of coffee from our fabulous mr. coffee. adella started asking for cake (?) so i got industrious and made some very yummy oatmeal pancakes. note to self: it would be smart to make a big batch of batter and keep it on hand on the fridge for a few days. this works, right? after breakfast, adella watches pooh while i take a quick shower, then we both get dressed. later we leave the house to go to a shoe store that is having a big close-out sale to find adella some new shoes. getting in the car, i cover her with a blanket b/c it is suddenly cold again and she says, "nana's house?" she remembers that she gets her blanket and sleeps in the car to nana's house! i had to tell her no, but hopefully soon... the shoe store was a bust. there was hardly anything left by the time we got there, and none of it was in adella's size. or mine. or stig's. we leave the store and decided to go to the playground at the mall food court. we get there and see that it is adoption playgroup day and the place is packed. adella has fun anyway and only tried to escape 5 or 6 times. after the mall, we get in the car and i ask her if she is ready to go home. (why do i ask?) she says, "no. thomas train table." okay, i can get a cup of coffee and sit quietly and relax, maybe check out a book that i'm too cheap to buy. so we go to the train table and she loves it for about 10 minutes. then she repeatedly tries to open a package of crayons that is attached to a book. after my repeated tries to redirect her, she's resistant and i'm frustrated, so we leave, literally kicking and screaming. i hate when it has to end this way. thankfully, by the time we get home, she is happy again, having spotted a giant crow in our neighbor's yard. we go inside, she eats a PB sandwich, and is ready for a nap. i'm hoping for at least an hour, but we'll see... on another note: you'll think i'm crazy (or genius) but i'm thinking of starting on my Xmas gifts soon. how great would it be to have everything finished by halloween? super-great, that's how. last year was the first year in a long long time that i haven't made my gifts, and though stig thought everyone would be happier with a store-bought gift (yes - he actually said that to me), i love making the gifts and i really missed it last year. i just didn't plan far enough in advance. so this year i am getting a head-start. i have a few ideas floating around, i just need to get cracking. *keep in mind, i'm not making any promises here. you all may still end up with store-bought gifts. but i am thinking seriously about what to make for all of my loved ones. and it's the thought that counts, right?*