There are “to do” lists strewn around my office, strewn around my life — in the car, the kitchen, the playroom, shoved inside my calendar, tucked into books. Mostly they say things like Call Adam and Buy Black Tights and Write Sue Chenoweth Thank You Note. It’s the stuff that’s not written down that’s harder […]

Several people have pointed out that Andrea Fay Friedman — the actor who did the voiceover for Ellen, a.k.a. “Down syndrome Girl” on that recent Family Guy episode — responded to Palin’s criticism of the show. (Here is a link to the the clips if you didn’t get a chance to see them.) And if […]

Last night Sophie brought me a book to read before bed — The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. I know it well, although I also knew for sure (despite the fact that we own way too many books I have trouble keeping track of) that I’d never read it to either of my girls. “The […]

Back to the whole Family Guy thing. I know I said we should leave Sarah Palin out of it, but of course you know I didn’t really mean it. I mean, I did want to figure out whether that Down syndrome Girl episode was funny or not, on its face (general consensus from admittedly biased […]

Sarah Palin aside, I’m with Whoopi. This is not funny. Neither is this. Now, if I was a. a regular viewer of Family Guy and/or b. not the parent of a child with Down syndrome, I might find it hilarious. But i doubt it. Be honest. Have I lost my sense of humor? I’ll reserve […]

True story. Sophie is home sick. It’s just a cold, but on Sophie, a cold is something special. Ever seen a projectile sneezer? I can’t believe what comes out of that teeny tiny nose. I was pondering the fact that it might be time to head to the pediatrician to get an antibiotic (ah, the joy […]

As we left Starbucks this morning, I heard Annabelle instruct Sophie on how to put her “iced mocha” (a kid-sized chocolate milk with ice) into her cup holder. It was a rite of passage. As you might know, car seats don’t come equipped with cup holders. At least, ours didn’t when we bought them a million […]

A couple weeks ago, I “snuck” some time with Sophie and her classmates. Each of them decorated a heart for Miss Y, and we made a bouquet of Valentine flowers for the teacher. With the beating public education is taking these days — not to mention the challenges in Miss Y’s particular classroom — there’s […]

Ever since I started embroidering (or ‘broidering, as Sophie calls it) — and showing off my not-so-handiwork — I’ve heard the same thing. Don’t worry about the back! It won’t show! Who cares?! Yeah, the back doesn’t matter, I learned the hard way, til you go to try to frame the piece. Smoosh this stuff down […]