Motherhood
language lessons
a couple of years ago, I interviewed harvey karp, the author of those wildly popular “happiest baby/toddler on the block” books, for a story I wrote for a parenting magazine. one of the greatest tips that he gave me, which I’ve never forgotten but have only actually acted upon once or twice, is to remember to record my kids’ voices while they’re little. photos and videos are essential, obviously, but their voices…when they lose that squeaky, chirpy sound, it will be a very sad day.
and then there’s the way in which they say things. my big girl says “wit” instead of “with” (as in, “will you color wit me?”). like her mother, she really likes to “lax,” as in, “mommy, i’m going to sit on the couch and lax with my books.” the other night, as I was headed out the door for margaritas with a couple of girlfriends, she hugged me goodnight and told me that she “loved me really much.” and then there’s “last year yesterday,” which is what she says when referring to anything in the past: “remember last year yesterday, when we went to see my cousins at the beach?”
last week, we were chatting during bedtime, and I tried to explain the concept of telling each other the best and worst parts of our day–the “rose” and the “thorn.” The next day in the car, she asked me and my husband to tell her our “roses and horns.” I haven’t corrected her yet.
I hope you have a fantastic weekend–high on the roses, low on the horns.
Read Moreread and learn
So that’s my 17-month-old in the cast she got right before Christmas when she fell off of her sister’s bed and fractured her wrist. The cast, mercifully, came off a week ago. Not that she hardly noticed, aside from discovering that she could make really cool noises by banging her cast against the wall.
She didn’t seem to be in any pain when the accident happened–in fact, she got up and walked into the playroom just like nothing had happened–and my husband and I spent several minutes deciding whether to even take her to the doctor.
The “should we see a doc?” question can be so hard with kids, particularly with wee ones who can’t verbalize their symptoms. For advice on what to do when your little one is sick, check out “12 Symptoms You Should Never Ignore,” my article in this month’s Parents magazine.
Read Morequotable
“There’s a lot more to being a woman than being a mother, but there’s a hell of a lot more to being a mother than most people suspect.” –Roseanne Barr
Read Morethe glow
i just discovered this great website that features stylish mamas and their babes. check it out.
Read Morenight of nothing (and everything)
last night, my huz and I decided I needed some time away from the house, work, everything.
i thought about making dinner plans, thought about seeing a movie, and then decided that what i really needed was a night with no agenda.
i left the dishes on the table, kissed the babies, went out.
I window shopped. have you seen the children’s clothing at anthropologie?
this is for a toddler. (not my toddler, alas.)
and then i spent a good, long time at the bookstore. i checked out the bestsellers, browsed the history section, investigated book covers. don’t you love chris cleave’s covers? i spent a good bit of time checking out this:
wowza. have you seen ellen’s house? check out the slideshow here, which unfortunately doesn’t include photos of the bathroom, because it just might be the most perfect bathroom i’ve ever seen. a tub overlooking a private garden. were more beautiful words ever spoken?
and then i finally settled on a book to buy:
talk about a great cover. (excuse the amazon.com “look inside” thingamajig.) and talk about a great title.
and then i came home and had a glass of wine. it was pretty perfect. i realized, driving home, how rarely i do anything these days that doesn’t involve some agenda or list of things to do, and how rarely i even leave the house alone, without my arms overflowing with children and diapers and sippy cups and toys and snacks and “dammit, forgot my sunglasses” and “hold on, just one more thing” and “wait, mommy! i need to go potty!” it was just me, and space, and time. and it was wonderful.
have an excellent weekend.
Read More
Hello!
Welcome to my website. I’m a veteran magazine writer and author. My debut novel, HOW LUCKY YOU ARE, will be published by Grand Central Publishing in 2012.
