So I'm at the park today and these kids are playing in the playhouse and I go to walk in and this little dude says, "Sorry, can't come in here unless you can read" and slams the door in my face.

Did I get discouraged? Did I hang my head? No, sir, not this gal. Old Finley Skertich went home and got out the flash cards and the puzzle letters and had at it.

And, little man, I'll see you tomorrow at the park, and I'm gonna walk right in that front door and usher you out and change the rule to "Sorry, can't come in here unless you're cool."

As Of Late...

So what have Mabel and I been up to? Here's what:

Looking like a total booknerd... I mean, bookworm.

Mae is in basically the same place you probably left her... the high chair, eating food (though her hair is considerably cooler these days). I know, with all the pictures of her eating food you'd be surprised to hear she's in the bottom 10%' in size for little kiddies her age.

And then here, well, it seems our little Mae got herself into some trouble and had to get a mugshot down at the station in the 11th District.

Wait, did I say her hair was getting cooler? Debatable. Oh, what did she do to get locked in the pokey? Depends on whom you ask, but rumor has it she was hanging down in Garfield Park and ran into some kids who were graffiti'ing... and leave it to Mae to not disappoint. Feds rolled up and she just kept spraying, like Mick Jagger sprays lyrics... here's the final product.

And these next photos are what happens when I decide I'm going to skip my nap completely, then I'm going to roll with Dad to Guitar Center and play virtually every single instrument in the joint and then we're going to get back in the car and head home to...