Walk This Way

Last weekend we participated in our first Arthritis Foundation Arthritis Walk. It was similar to the Jingle Bell Run/Walk we did in December, except it wasn't timed. Also, we were in L-town this time, which is less scenic and hotter than Monterey, where we walked in December.

Thanks to so many friends, we had a very large team supporting us. Twenty of us walked on Team Emma. More were signed up online, which is support enough for me. If we walk again next year, I'm going to make matching t-shirts and get a group photo. We have managed to raise $1,302 so far, and I think a few more checks are on their way. I am impressed that we raised so much money, especially since I am not too fired up about fundraising. A HUGE THANK YOU to those of you who donated.

The whole event was a lot of fun. There were several booths with games for kids. There was a big bounce house with a slide that Emma desperately wanted to go into. However, once inside she was a bit intimidated and came out again. She did get her face painted, which was very lovely.

When the walk started, we were towards the end because I had been standing in a long line to use the bathroom. I'm a smart pregnant lady who knows that it is best to go pee before taking a three-mile walk. Good thing, too, because there were no potties along the way. Our team stuck together for a good part of the walk, then we started spreading out. As we approached the half-way mark, where you turn around and head back, I took a detour. It was motivated partially by my bladder, and partially by a desire to say hello to my friend, Dawn, who was riding in a gymkhana nearby. I got to talk to Dawn, pet her lovely horse, and use a port-o-potty.

During the 1.5 mile walk back, I started to tire out. I'm 6 months pregnant and was suffering from allergies so we cheated by taking a short-cut at the end. When we reached our finish line, they fed us hot dogs! That was a wonderful surprise, because everyone was hungry!

Grammie & The Bean!

I feel fairly good about raising funds for The Arthritis Foundation. They have a free family education day about Juvenile Arthritis. We went to that this year and learned a tiny bit, but mostly it was about stuff I already know. They also hold a Family JA Conference each year, which I'm hoping we can attend next summer. When Emma's older, she can go to a camp that they have especially for kids with JA. I like all of these things, but I'd love to see the Arthritis Foundation raise more awareness about Juvenile Arthritis

Just so you know, there's a very cool non-profit out there called International Autoimmune Arthritis Movement that works to raise awareness that autoimmune arthritis is very different from osteoarthritis. I think that's a pretty important thing to do. I'm all about raising awareness.

Okay. I'm done blabbing on about JA. Until next week...

Emma Knows Some New Tricks

I've spent a bunch of time the past few weeks teaching Emma skills that will help her through her life, because that's what mommies do.

First, I am proud to say, the girl is POTTY TRAINED! We've been virtually accident free for about two weeks. She's still in a diaper during her nap and over night, but that's a-okay with me. She's amazing and I am thankful that she caught on so quickly. I was afraid this was going to be one of those highly frustrating parenting experiences, but it was no big deal. Thank goodness.

Proof that potty training has its ups and downs.

Secondly, she finally knows the names of more colors than just pink. We have been using jelly beans to help her learn. We've got a bunch of Trader Joe's natural jelly beans that are delicious. If she can name the right color, I'll let her eat a bean. Talk about motivation. She's pretty much mastered red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink, dark pink, and white.

Isn't she so great?

Children's Nonsense

Emma and I have been watching Disney movies and listening to nursery rhymes a lot lately. I have a few observations that I just have to share with you.

1. Disney princesses come from screwy families. 

Ariel and Belle have no mothers. Cinderella and Snow White are missing their fathers and raised by horrible step-mothers. Only Aurora and Rapunzel have both parents, but in both cases, some crazy lady has it out for them.

Why do we love these stories so much?

2. Some nursery rhymes are really morbid and spooky. 

The rhythm and melody of a lot of these rhymes sound exactly like those of a fourth grader taunting another kid. "Hackett, Hackett, makes a lot of racket!" isn't so very different from "Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater."

The lyrics are what really gets me, though.

Peter, the pumpkin eater, couldn't manage to keep a wife until he put her in a pumpkin shell and "there he kept her very well." That sounds like an episode of Criminal Minds to me.

Even though "Four and twenty blackbirds (were) baked in a pie" they still manage to sing when the pie is open. Creepy. Then, the royal maid is outside hanging up the clothes, when "along came a blackbird and pecked off her nose." Really?!?! Is this a Hitchcock film?

What about the old man who is snoring while it's raining, it's pouring? "He went to bed and bumped his head and couldn't get up in the morning." The poor man is concussed and we're teaching our children to sing about it.

Why have I never noticed or thought about these things before?
And we wonder why our society is so messed up.