I admit it: I've started two other entries between the last one and now, saved them both as drafts in progress, and didn't want to wait until I felt witty enough to finish them before posting again. Having been notified by a couple folks who love me that my blog is the way they keep up with the adventure/comedy known as my life, I wanted to be sure I didn't leave them hanging. This won't be any great shakes, but it oughta get the job done. Here goes:

1) Little Man is [finally] going to sleep in his big boy bed on his own. He's been in it for more than a month (ever since he figured out how to launch himself out of his crib, the tricky little dickens) but until recently, Mister Nygren and I have been taking turns lying down beside him at night until he loses consciousness. Realizing that in a few short months we won't have that luxury, we decided it was time for him to learn to stay in bed just because we said so, and not because he was physically incapable of doing otherwise. Our early attempts were met with nearly an hour of crying and feigning owwies each night to get us to return to his room. After a couple weeks of sticking to our guns, though, it seems to have worked. So for five GLORIOUS days now, he has climbed into bed, said his prayers ("Tanks [something unintelligible] Daddy... tanks [something unintelligible] Baby... amen"), offered hugs and kisses and lay quietly until he's drifted off.
Much rejoicing, albeit slightly softer than daytime volume, was heard throughout the Abbey.

2) I can make my own sauerkraut. Hot damn.
I threw in some gold beets just because I'd seen them at the market and they looked interesting, and they're magical in sauerkraut. My cabbage looked happier just for having them in there. If you like sauerkraut and you've only had the heat-treated kind that comes in a can or jar, you have no earthly idea what you're missing.  Email me and I'll hook you up. I just started another batch tonight with apples in it...

3)At this stage of development, my little Sugar Bean has a strong heartbeat, lots of functioning organs, fingerprints, and... no midwife. The only one covered on my insurance won't take me because I'm trying for a VBAC, and the out-of-pocket cost of using one who isn't in-network may prove too great for us. (Ironically, that cost would still be about one-third the price of a hospital birth. Midwives, understandably, need their money before you deliver; a hospital, on the other hand, can just bill you... and bill you... and bill you.) I may just need to wait until my economic-stimulus money comes in from the gubmint to get what I'm looking for... or, I may just need to take this as a sign from God that I should make plans to deliver with an OB. Guess we'll see.

4) Last night was my final show with The Elder Statesmen in its current incarnation; Robert and Mickey (bass player and drummer, respectively) have taken other projects. Darius and Ron (keys and percussion) have been gracious enough not to vote me off the island yet -- maybe because I'm now not just the only female member, but the only pale one as well, and every otherwise-homogenous group needs a Token :) -- so I'm eager to discover what musical relationships and adventures lie ahead.

There's more, but... I'm tired. Much love -- and sweet dreams -- to all.