Bad Mommy.

I haven't started LW's Hallowe'en costume, and I'll probably not get it done in time if I do start. I'm a very bad mommy. I know I can get away with not putting her in costume this year, but I know next year I won't get away with it. She'll have a full awareness of the whole Hallowe'en business by then.

LW is quite suddenly taking great interest in her potty seat. It happened after our playdate with her two little friends last week. I took all the kids into a bathroom to wash up for lunch, and her little friends (both potty trained) told me they wanted to go potty. LW watched in utter astonishment as they went potty, and the very next day she used her own potty seat willingly for the first time. And she's been using it with some regularity ever since. Amazing.

We put a star on the calendar for each day she successfully uses the potty, and today there were five stars accumulated so she got a little surprise gift for that fifth star. She thought that was pretty darned cool.

I had a meeting yesterday afternoon with a knitwear designer friend. Her pre-teen daughter, who loves my LW, played with and amused LW while us mommies met and got work done. It was lovely.

I made a really good apple pie over the weekend. I've got enough apples left to make another, so I'll do that by the end of the week. 'Tis the season for pie! LW helps me with the entire process of making the pie. She really loves helping in the kitchen prepare our meals.

Still deep in the deadlines crunch. I think in another three weeks, the worst of it will be over.