It’s 8:37 and John is attempting to put Ava to bed. I am looking at our office and lower level TV room and it looks like we’ve been robbed. There are toys, books and papers EVERYWHERE. I may have to wait until tomorrow to bring order. Note to self: GET A BASKET. This was a suggestion from our son Mike instead of having a couple bookshelves for Ava’s stuff. I kind of pictured myself telling Ava one toy at a time and cleaning up together but it hasn’t worked out that way. No wonder Leah needs a vacation. And no wonder why she’ll hurry back when it’s over. It’s just pure fun most of the time to live in this little child’s world. At dinner today, she told me to tell Grandpa NO TICKLING. So I told Grandpa, Please don’t tickle Ava. He said okay and she looked at me in wonder and said “He listens!”
Archive for October, 2009
Day 4 Winding Down
Monday, October 26th, 2009Day 4
Monday, October 26th, 2009It is 12:29 and I am sneaking in a little more work. Ava is playing quietly in the next room. She has in her hand a weapon guaranteed to strike terror in the hearts of parents and grandparents everywhere — a crayon. Now I hear the phone being dialed. Please God, don’t let me go out there to see “faux” painting all over our walls and furniture. She’s probably dialing China. I know I should go check but I’ve been trying to finish some letters. Wait a minute. She just poked her head in and checked ME. That can’t be good.
Grandma and Grandpa’s Excellent Adventure with Ava — Day’s 2 and 3
Monday, October 26th, 2009Oh dear. I’ve been demoted. After spending Saturday night with Aunt Erin and Uncle Nathan. Nathan is now Ava’s new best friend. Also, Mama’s friend Dawn is her best friend. I must have looked at her like, “WHAT???!!” because she looked at me kindly and said, “No. GRANDMA is Ava’s best friend.” Oh the fickle hearts of two year-olds.
We’ve had our first fight. It involved not shoving open and closed the drawer on Grandma’s end table. She used her best fake cry and ran into Grandpa’s arms.
Speaking of Grandpa. God bless him. I was up at 6:30 Saturday morning with Ava and at 8:30 he took her for a long walk and I got to get a few more hours of sleep.
Does anyone have any good suggestions for brushing or combing snarled hair? Just the mention of a brush sends Ava into hysterics. It’s traumatizing for both of us.
Well, my pink dressed partner in crime and I are off for a walk to Starbucks. Oh!! I buried the lead. The first box of advance copies of Dear Baby, Let’s Dance! arrived about an hour ago. How great that Ava was here for the arrival. We read it together. She already has most of the book memorized from looking at the early versions. THIS IS AVA’s FAVORITE BOOK, she says. For now….. : )
Ava and Grandma and Grandpa’s Excellent Adventure
Friday, October 23rd, 2009Today, John and I begin a one week babysitting adventure with our 2 1/2 year old granddaughter Ava. Our son Mike and daughter-in-law Leah are attending an out-of-town wedding and taking a short cruise. Actually, it’s our illustrator Jason Oransky getting married! Congrats Jason and Kerri!
Day One Highlights
-Ava called me her best friend and her happy friend. PRICELESS!!
-She wanted to ride the carousel BEFORE lunch and told me firmly GRANDMA, YOU’RE NOT HUNGRY NOW. Maybe I should hire her as my personal trainer. Grandma did not give in since she does not want to be tyrannized by a 2 year-old all week.
-She loudly advised me during lunch NOT to fart in the restaurant and proceeded to do so herself.
-She rode the lion on the carousel at the mall and waved to everyone watching like a debutante at a ball.
-When were driving in the car she asked me to look at her foot. I told her I couldn’t turn around because I had to drive safely. She calmly told me, “Honey, look in the mirror.” Is it possible she is a small adult and not a 2 year-0ld?
-Grandpa asked her if HE was her best friend. She said NO, Grandma is. SCORE!
-Why is this blog double spacing now? It’s a mystery.
-Time for bed. Ava really likes the ending of Book 2 Dear Baby, Let’s Dance!, which comes out in February. So now we say it before every nap and bedtime.
‘Night ‘Night Baby, go to sleep
and dance all through your dreams
Jump that moon with a daring leap
and glide down silvery beams
: ) ‘night
The Simple Things
Wednesday, October 21st, 2009As I write this, my daughter Erin and her dog Hogan are curled up on the couch watching a movie in the next room. She isn’t feeling very well today, fighting off one of those fall colds that come with weather changes. Earlier tonight we walked around the neighborhood with John looking at Halloween decorations. I haven’t had a chance to go grocery shopping since we got back from our trip a few days ago so Erin raided her pantry to bring over some food and I cooked us all a warm rustic dinner of pork chops smothered with mushrooms, onions and wine, mashed potatoes and a plain green salad. Then we put in a DVD of The Proposal with Sandra Bullock. The scenery in Alaska is gorgeous and there is good chemistry between Sandra and her costar Ryan Reynolds.
It’s such a pleasure to be able to do these things spur of the moment. I tucked a blanket around Erin and came in here to catch up on some work but instead felt like a chat. This interactive feature is new to our blog so I want to hear from you. Have you had any simple family moments recently you want to share?
The Story of my First Storytime Book Signing
Thursday, October 1st, 2009It was an absolutely gorgeous Atlanta day. Blue skies for miles and a slight breeze. NO ONE WILL WANT TO BE INSIDE ON A DAY LIKE THIS.
I told the little doubting voice in my head to shut up and headed up to the Norcross Barnes and Noble. I arrived about an hour early and had my assistants load up my poster and handouts and materials to bring in the store.
Oh, wait. I don’t have any assistants. So I used creative means to stuff all the bags of stuff over and under various arms and headed into the store. Every author should be so lucky to work with a staff like the Norcross Barnes and Noble Children’s leads and Community Resource Manager. Especially …..a virgin storyteller and book signer. Miss Ann made helpful suggestions and Miss Heather even came in on her day off to be there for me.
The books were all set up by the big armchair and we put the poster and cards around the children’s section. My daughter Erin and daughter-in-law Leah made an enterprising dash to nearby stores to pass out event cards and encourage mommies with young children to come to the signing. My friend Cathy started snapping pictures. Moms and kids starting arriving, along with other family and friends. Our son Mike and son-in-law Nathan gave me good luck hugs and my husband John planted himself in a nearby chair to offer moral support.
Miss Ann made her way to the stage and gave me a lovely introduction. I thanked everyone for coming and looked around at the adorable babies and toddlers and their mamas and the wonderful friends and family that came to support me. I looked at two year-old Ava who inspired this first book and swallowed a lump in my throat that threatened tears. I am a REALLY unattractive cryer.
I told everyone that the theme for this storytime was Ava since she inspired the book. I wore her favorite jewelry; the bracelet she likes to slip on her own little hand, the earrings she likes to play with when she snuggles on my shoulder, and the big aquamarine ring she says is “fancy.” I told everyone we would read my book and a few of Ava’s other favorite stories. And then we began!
It was so fun! I was a little nervous but an animated name game got us started and it was so meaningful to read my book with Ava present. A few stories later it was over and people started coming up to get a book and have it signed. I so loved meeting the moms and children. I can’t wait to do this again!
Grandma, That’s MY Shoulder
Ava did pretty well at the book signing but she did get a tad jealous. An adorable little two year old girl named Carrington was such a wonderful child to have right up front. She clapped and danced and made me smile. I scooped her up and gave her a hug and she laid her little head down on my shoulder and started rubbing my arm.
Ava saw this and said, “Grandma, that little girl wants DOWN right now!” I set Carrington down and Ava said “Grandma, that’s MY shoulder!!” So I picked her up and she put her head on my shoulder like she’s done a thousand times and she played with my hoop earring with one hand and rubbed my back with the other. And very quietly I whispered my favorite line from the book, “I love when you nestle on my shoulder. It makes me sparkle with love all over.”