More Seven Quick Takes today, because I think it's a fun and snappy way to close out the week.

One: My little baby garden is growing up. We've been eating fresh lettuce all week, and I've been cooking with my herbs, and the peas are growing tall, and the tomatoes and zucchini are getting massive. One problem: some of the leaves on my yellow squash plant are bright yellow instead of deep green. I know it is a yellow squash, but I'm pretty certain the color applies only to the vegetable, not the leaves. Any ideas from my gardening friends on what I've done wrong?

Two: Evie pointed and screamed for like 20 minutes tonight, completely refusing to make the sign for "please," even as Eric calmly showed her how to do it over and over again. I am absolutely certain she understands what we want of her. She has completely mastered making the sign for "all done" when she wants out of her high chair. But so far she just will not even attempt the sign for "please" without us forcing her hand into the motion.

Stubborn much?

Three: Michael Jackson died? I learned this news on Facebook. I still haven't even looked up any news stories about it. The Internets is sometimes my only connection to the outside world. I was not a particular fan of Michael Jackson--his hits were just a little ahead of my time. M.C. Hammer, Paula Abdul, and (of course) New Kids on the Block were the big pop stars when I started to become aware that there was such a thing as pop culture. But I still haven't been able to get "Billie Jean" and "Thriller" out of my head all afternoon.

Four: I bought new jeans. And I love them and they fit me just right and my husband and my friend both told me they look good on me. And--best part!--they were $40 jeans on clearance for $14.

Then I wore them today and noticed that one of the seams down the outside edge of the legs is starting to come un-sewn. D'oh! I guess that's why they were on clearance.

Five: I just got my new issue of Brain, Child magazine in the mail, and I sat down and read it straight through. It makes me happy and sad. Happy, because I enjoy reading it. Sad, because there is so much good writing in it, and I wish I were as well-written and accomplished and PUBLISHED in respected literary venues as those authors are.

Six: Peanut-butter milkshake at Hasty Freez for lunch today. Yum. And no running this morning, either. This is bad. Very, very bad.

Seven: I really need to update my blog header. The one currently on the top of my blog is from a year ago. I'll put "new blog header" on my to-do list for the week. If it's written on my list, that means I will actually do it, right? Riiiight.

More Quick Takes here.