Oh Clement C. Moore...

Vail has an obsession with Night Before Christmas stories, and I have learned that there really is no shortage of them. And they range from the traditional "Happy Christmas to all..." to calling the reindeer formerly known as Donner, Donder. Strange but true, who would think it mattered.

Some of our favorite adaptations:




Mary Engelbreit - now I would not want my house cluttered with her chachki's, but I have to say that her illustrations are packed with details that it will probably take me years to notice. Vail loves it too - she calls it the fancy Christmas story.

Robert Sabuda - he is the master of the pop-up. So beautiful in all whites and the final page with the moving sleigh is spectacularly done. Not for libraries - too many breakables, but perfect for families.

The Dinosaurs' Night Before Christmas - for when you get sick of reading The Night Before Christmas - still in poetic form but with a twist. The dinosaur illustrations are fun and not scary.

Christmas for a 3-year-old

Went to the mall yesterday with Vail. I think that Santa Claus must be the absolute scariest being in a 3-year-old's imagination. I thought Vail was going to pee in her pants when we walked by Santa yesterday. She wanted to see him, but "from very far away, Mommy." And then she asked if he was going to stay for a while when he dropped off the presents. And she asked that he use the door rather than the chimney.

I think she's thinking if Santa can come down the chimney, any rif-raf can come down the chimney.

I told her I slept very well last night. "No monsters came in your room, Momma." "No, sweetie, monsters are only in storybooks and movies." Silence. "Oh." But Santa Claus is real and he's just coming down the chimney. I bet if that huge man can come down the chimney, monsters can.

oh, great.

Not very bloggy lately. Making the move into the new house has been occupying most of my time. Took the fam out last night to Bensi's. Vail is getting so much better at eating out in a restaurant. She ate a whole meatball and sketti for dinner, then played quietly with her little animals until we were done with our dinners. I am amazed how much she has grown up in the past year. And she is getting much better at trying new foods when she is at the table.

More Mommy and less brarian

Ahh, now is the time for the heralded family vacation. Driving to Michigan is always an experience to be remembered - this is our first time with a toddler and I'm sure it will be hilarious. We've stocked up on all kinds of Wonder Pets books and we're hitting the library - as patrons - to get some new books and music. We'll probably even go to the Book Loft to purchase some paperbacks to keep in the car.

Read Flipped by Van Draanen this past week and was blown away by the story. Very much like Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, but I found that I loved Stargirl b/c I have a distance from my teen years and I can see now that the quirky people that were famously quirky really shouldn't have been ostracised at all. I can see now that my fascination with being popular sometimes overrode my inclination to be nice to everyone. But kids don't have that distance, so reading Stargirl may be a little too close to life for them and they cannot see the importance of the message. But Flipped appeals to those same kids because it gives you both sides of the story and in the moment. It is amazingly written and I can see why it is on so many reading lists.

Right now, tackling Number the Stars by Lowry. I'm sure I've read it, but I cannot remember ANY of it. Almost done. Should blog about it before I leave for Mich.

Great children's books from the summer so far:

Always lots of heinies at the zoo by Ayum Halliday - nothing makes children giggle more than looking at the animal bums at the zoo and this books is ALL about them.

Spoon by Amy Rosenthal - ever long to have someone else's exciting life? Spoon realizes that spoons can do many things that forks, knives and the ever elusive chopsticks cannot do.

Beach Day by Karen Roosa - while not a new title, still very sweet and a perfect intro to your beach daytrip.

How do Dinosaurs Say I love You by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague - the next in the How do Dinosaurs collection, this one is especially sweet. As dinosaur goes through his day having tantrums and being a typical toddler, mom and dad make sure that they remind dino that they love him no matter what.

Librarian lunch - on the go. Busy busy busy.

Quarter cherry tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil. Smash on small clove of garlic. Allow flavors to meld in fridge overnight.

Half a baguette. Rub with garlic clove. Brush with olive oil. Grill.

Top grilled bread with tomatoes.

If making for a lunch the next day, bring baguette and tomatoes in separate containers. Warm bread in toaster oven. Top with tomatoes.

Amazing.

Pop a piece of gum afterwards. You'll need it after this one.

Quiet weekend

So when we moved to Jersey, I figured I'd be more comfortable with everything. It is where I grew up. Where I always returned. So now that I'm here, it is amazing how perfect my life feels. I have close friends and family I can call on a whim. I have people I can call in the middle of the day for a playdate or a coffee. I have friends I can not call for two months, then call and it picks up like yesterday. It is so right for me.

But I wonder if it is really as comfortable for Chris as it is for me. He went mountain biking this weekend and I know he is enjoying the time away. I haven't been away from Vail for more than 12 hours ever. Not once. I spent one night supervising a lock-in for my job, and I left at nine and returened at 8am. I have never had a night or a weekend away. I know that this time always does Chris some good. He comes back relaxed and happy. I wonder what a night or two away would do for me. Would I worry the whole time that I was gone? No, I trust Chris with Vail completely. What on earth would I do with myself when I was goign to bed? Would I be able to sleep through the night. I have a feeling that I could check into a hotel and hit the bed by eight pm and sleep until eight the next day. No problem. Who knows.

Vail seems more comfortable with my Mom now more than ever. I can drop her off there, like I did today to go to work, and they have just the best time. She said to me tongiht at bedtime that she had so much fun going to the playground today with Marmee and going out to dinner tonight (to the Chinese Buffet with Marmee and me). How sweet. My Mom is a huge part of Vail's life now. I never had that with my grandparents. Chris never had that with his grandparents. I lways wanted to give this to my children. It just seems so perfect that we are here.

I hope it seems that way for everyone.

The joys of being 2.5

What on earth goes on in the head of a two-year-old that makes her think that screaming at the top of her lungs and kicking accomplishes anything positive? Ugh. I have read the books. I understand that 2 1/2 is the "terrible" part of the terrible twos, but seriously. Vail has a breakdown about something everyday. Going to bed. Eating dinner. Going to the pool. Not going to the pool. Goodness, please tell me there is an end to the drama. Oh wait, she's Vail. No end to the drama :-) That's okay, I just hope that she can learn to express herself verbally quickly. This kicking thing is crazy.

House searching

What is more frustrating than looking for a house? Nothing like dropping six figures for somewhere to wash my undies and hang my coats. Really. And in NJ, taxes are ridiculous. For one quarter acre, three bedroom humble abode, expect to pay close to ten thousand. I felt a little better today when I saw a listing for a deal in Maplewood that was a genuine Stickley house, seven bedrooms, three and a half baths, one car garage, unfinished basement with taxes at 27000/year. Um, I barely clear that after taxes. AS A SALARY. Ugh. Where do I want to hang my hat? Jersey. So get used to the taxes. At least we have decent schools. If I wasn't procreating, I'd say screw it. Let's move somewhere where the schools bite and the taxes are low.

Outdated

So, part of any librarian job is weeding. Get over the fact that you bought the book in 1982. Get rid of it if is out of date. This is a list of titles I've made up about books I've found. If you find me, weed me:

1) If Men Have Landed on the Moon, weed this book.
2) If Women Vote, weed this book.
3) When China reaches 1 million People, weed this book.
4) Getting to Know your 48 States, weed this book.
5) Men are not Childbearers, weed this book.

More to come.

Getting a laugh

Visited the Dain Shoppe this week. What a fun place. Brought my Mom, which would have been SO embarrassing when I was in high school, but so fun now that I'm an adult. Bought some beautiful lingerie which I proceded to bring home and put on the floor in my room. Um, remember, you have a curious two-year-old. Needless to say, Vail had to try everything on. A two-year-old in a lace bra and thong is definitely a sight to behold. She was hilarious. She still has not inquired as to why my undies don't have backs. I think I'd like her just to accept it. :-) No questions necessary.

Public does not mean free

So a man came into the library yesterday and demanded his copies to be free because he pays taxes. He was downright belligerent screaming at our director about how he already pays for the ink and paper and maintenance and how he should be permitted to make copies anytime because he is a taxpayer. Then he wanted to know how many of us have benefits in the building. Wow. So not wanting to support our institution but yet wanting all of its advantages. Ummm, go to country that has socialized everything. See how you like it. Btw, you won't find David Sedaris and Marice Sendak there. They're censored.

Mother's Day dinner at Mattar's Bistro with Daddy-o, Marmee, & Grand-John. Well, Grand-John was there, he just couldn't eat din-din with us.

Angel-kin

Vail is big into talking in third person. About one year ago, I would have just collapsed if she would actually sleep for longer than one hour without waking crying at the top of her lungs. Now, she is talking constantly. From the minute I put her into the car until she closes her eyes the very last time at bedtime - constant chatter.

Tonight, she would talka bout what she wanted to do and then do it.
"Daddy, I'm going to throw this pea at you." Pea is then thrown.
"Momma, this angel-kin is not listening to you." Vail completely ignores request to take her feet off of the table.
"This little angel-kin needs to apologize. Sorry, Daddy."

What prompts her to talk in 3rd person? Is it that she is actually hearing us tell her to do things with her name and therefore she wants to talk about what she is doing and prefers (this week anyway) to say them in third person?

And why is she so funny about food lately? She used to eat her veggies like they were the best parts of her dinner. Now getting chicken and peas down her gullet is like conducting a ballet of cats and parakeets. What on earth? Between her wanting to use her knife at the table and then exploring the texture of food with her hands, swishing through her teeth into her milk and then back into her mouth, stabbing it with her fork, trying to scoop and smush with her spoon, it is a wonder she has time to eat at all. I am so thankful that she does eat though and the trick to make her try everything on her plate is also a good one. She has to eat one of everything on her plate every night. Even if she doesn't like it. One of everything.

Sneaking teddy grahams on the plate next to abhorred food is always a good way to sweeten the deal.

Sleeping in undies and dinner out with Marmee

Last night we went out to dinner with Marmee. Dinner for a 2 year old. Very easy if there are actually edible things on the menu - in 2 year old speak. We settled on Bensi's in Mansfield b/c it was right next to the Book-Loft - our very favorite bookstore in the area. It reminds me of Kings English in SLC, but a without the charm factor. That is not to say that the Book-loft isn't great, but King's English's building was just so charming. Anyway, so we went to Bensi's and Vail decided on spaghetti and meatballs. She got a bowl of pasta for about twenty toddlers. Crazy. Mental note, just order one adult order and give Vail an appetizer plate full of pasta and a meatball.

Oh, restaurants - you may receive your meatballs separately from your sauce and pasta. You may not make them in house. But please fake it. Goodness. Simmer them in the sauce for a while - it will soften up the meatball and make it so much more integrated into the dish rather than a dry meatball with sauce poured on (WE CAN TELL when you do this). Even my toddler can tell.

I ordered pizza. With it came oregano, garlic powder and red pepper. Vail named them dust, dirt, and poo. Momma, would you like dirt on your pizza, she asks as she pours her parm onto it. Sure, I'd love some dirt and poo.

HUGE BREAKTHROUGH - last night Vail slept in undies for the very first time (w/o having an accident). What a great night. Good job, Vail.

The perfect day

I don't know what it is about 2 1/2, but I love it. Vail is so interactive and fun and hilarious. She makes jokes now, laughs with glee, and smiles from ear to ear in the most adorable way. Just makes my heart sing.

I started today by going into NYC for Book Expo. Finding books for summer reading prizes, meeting authors, publishers, and just being in the zone of children and teen lit was a wonderful way to spend a day of work. Didn't feel like a job at all.

I returned home to Chris who brought me out to dinner at my favorite Thai restaurant and he gave me a pair of gorgeous Tiffany earrings to complete my set of earrings, necklace and bracelet. I was so stunned.

Then we picked up Vail after dinner, headed to Cliff's for ice cream. Played in the "woods" at Cliffs and returned home where I read "How to Dinosaurs Say I love You" to Vail - her first personalized book signed by an author and illustrator.

Amazing day.

The best of everything.

Days of being sick

I am so happy that Vail is back on her feet and raring to go. The fever broke last night on its own and she was her busy self today. So energetic and it was great that she can get back to herself. Happy. Active. So what's a mom to do? Where does my little fashionista want to go? The Mall. So we left Daddy-o to work and we went to the mall. Vail loves the mall and she is SO good about leaving all of the things she wants to bring home and saving her requests. SO good.

When we got home, it was off to dinner, which she is really not interested in eating lately. She sees dinner time as a time to perform and to boss us around. Tonight she wanted to sing "please and thank you" followed up by calling her a "Little Buggy". Little buggy, please eat your ravioli. Little buggy, please don't drop your apple. Little buggy, please keep your feet off of the table. Not Vail. Just Little Buggy. Does she like buggies. Oh no. Every stray piece of hair that brushes her skin is "Little Buggy".

So funny.

Poison ivy ick

At my pharmacist's suggestion I picked up Ivy Dry for my horrendous poison ivy outbreak. Goodness. I have never had such a horrible reaction to poison ivy. On the bottle of Ivy Dry, it compares a severe poison ivy outbreak to a chemical burn. Well, it looks like I have a chemical burn on my neck and I am amazed that it has gone so deep. This is sure to scar and I've done everything I possible can to prevent spreading, aggravating, everything. Most of all, I have tried my darnest to keep it from Vail, I would never want her to have this. Ugh.

But today Vail is home with a fever and feeling cruddy. It seems that everytime I realize that Vail is doign well and without illness, she gets something. So frustrating. I am just hoping she doesn't have Hand Foot Mouth disease again, as it is going around her school. That was horrible last time.

In her fever naps today, I read The Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot. Gotta love Meg for make-me-smile reads. Nothing at all like Alice Seybold, but I guess it is just writing for a different kind of day. But I have to admit, this book kept me reading. For me to finish two hundred pages in 14 hours, it has to be good.

So blogging does not come naturally into my day, even though I have tons of fun little anecdotes, I just don't make the time. But I am going to try harder.

We brought Vail fishing this week. Let her wave the fly rod. I think that we just need to get her a little one because she has quite the knack for casting. She even cast mine into the river a few times. I think that as she gets older, she is going to be more comfortable with the outdoors, but right now, she is following up days outside with nature with dreams about giant spiders chasing her. Her imagination is so vivid.

On our expedition, while we did not catch or even see any fish, we did witness a black bear. Vail was much assuaged when she learned it was a baby bear, even though it was probably a yearling and much bigger than a baby, from our vantage point it didn't appear to be scary. I feel so blessed to have a husband that is outdoorsy and willing to take her on januts and trips and adventures. She has seen so much for her 32 months.

Remember when

from Maybelle the Cable Car by Virginia Lee Burton

Remember when the City was small
when everyone knew everyone else
and nobody hurried and nobody worried.
Those were the good old times.

I want to slow down. I don't want to worry. I want things to be like they were before, but what has changed? Probably me.

New promise to self: Stop the worrying. Doesn't do any good. Be mindful of the moment. No sense living out in lala land if I'm missing the great moments in front of me. Be friendly and cheerful. Perhaps a little more friendly in this world will make it seem a little smaller.

Momma is a fox

Vail is funny. She gets things into her head, either through us putting them there or through her own little world, and they stick. I was trying to teach her to say "Momma is a fox". It just made me giggle. She likes labeling things. She's constantly saying "Momma is little. Daddy-o is big." So I thought, perhaps she could say I was a fox. And see what Chris said about it. So the other day she announces that Momma is a fox. Then follows it up with "Daddy is a cow." Now, she is constantly saying that Daddy is Mr. Handsome. Daddy is "so cute". Daddy is "SO handsome". But where on earth did she get "Daddy is a cow"? Really. I've never said that. Perhaps Daddy has sung Old MacDonald a few times and was the cow. Who knows?

Family tree

Spending the holidays with the family. When I was a kid, we never went anywhere for Christmas b/c my father refused to go to my grandparents and my grandparents refused to leave Cleveland. So we made our own traditions here as a family. Wake up, open stockings, pancakes with John, now Grand-John, open presents. Relax. Dinner. Dessert with neighbors. Christmas eve was usually at the B's. We got together with the same people year after year after year. Then, when Dad died, we started doing everything in Cleveland.

Cleveland. Where every bed is a twin and the heat does not work on the second floor of the house. Where we open presents AFTER dinner. But at the same time, Cleveland is where Mimi and Bapa are. Where family comes together. No friends, just family. Where the meal is usually out of a Charles Dickens' novel and the presents look like the first floor of FAO Schwartz all wrapped up in bows and sparkly paper.

So this year we did Christmas in Jersey. Not knowing when or where we were moving. Everything up in the air. But on New Year's Day, we traveled to Cleveland to see Mimi and it could not have been more enjoyable. No stress about the holidays and no scrutinizing from other family members about what you have under the tree. No griping about food you don't like or feeling like you cannot relax b/c it is time to clean up. Just spending time with the fam.

Made me think about how my Grandmother fell in love with my Grandfather. Over letters. How he went off to the war. He wrote to her. She didn't particularly think he was attractive b/f he left (she says he was "fat"). But she fell in love with him through the words he wrote and when he returned from WWII, he had grown like a foot and was svelt. And even though she says she was "sold" before she saw him, she said seeing him sealed the deal.

Amazing.

Now with my grandfather gone, and my grandmother still able to get around pretty well at 85, I see that she had it all with my grandfather. They built their own little life. Summers in Mich. Mimi being the planner, Bapa working all the time, but making time for the family whenever he could. Their travels. Their adventures. Their world. While their choices may not be my choices in life, I do respect that they decided to do it together. Everything was together for them. Now Mimi can sit and relax and watch her grandchildren and great grandchild life and run and work and make their own ways in world so different than hers. And she can rest in knowing that she and Bapa have shown us that devoting yourself to those you love is the most important decision you can make. Those you love. Whoever they are.