starting over yet again

Does anyone remember that episode of SATC, when Charlotte was attempting to get through a rough patch in her life with a mèlange of self-help books? I always thought the completely obvious titles were funny, and the one I used as a header for this post was particularly memorable.  My BFF Rose and I have often referenced it over the years, and I have decided to employ it here as I attempt, yet again, to get back to this little space.

It will not surprise you to know that the main reason behind my lack of blogging stamina is pictured above, my staggeringly handsome and sweet little partner of every day.  Though he still naps (gloriously) every day, he often ends up snuggled up on our bed, under his favorite Thomas blanket, and while there are always things that need doing, I crave these cozy moments together.  They won't last forever.  

I'm trying to be a better planner with my blogging-writing a couple of posts at a time and saving up, so hopefully it won't be so quiet here.  I've said before how nice and satisfying it is to be able to post something-there are days when it might be the only non-domestic thing I accomplish.  I was researching ideas for A's third birthday party (HOW CAN IT BE?!) and all it took to get me fired up about writing again was checking out a few fun blogs.  I'll never be known by more than my loyal few of course, but blogging can really be such a nice hobby.  

In sum, there will be more here soon!  Our favorite books as of late.  Report from my latest Kings of Leon concert.  Multiple salmon recipes.  Deep and meaningful thoughts about Divergent.  Basically, what you have come to expect from me.  

See you soon!

lullaby mix

Almost from the moment he was born, my A has been exposed to the music that I adore.  He was literally birthed while "Clocks" was playing right next to my hospital bed. I will confess that I totally wanted to be one of those "cool" parents who only played hip indie tunes, historical classics, or simply my favorite songs.  Music meant for kids would play in our house, for sure, but it wouldn't be what A grew to love.  He would have diverse musical tastes! Soothed to sleep by Coldplay! Dance enthusiastically to the Contours "Do You Love Me"! Beg me to play "Taper Jean Girl" over and over, no matter how inappropriate.  Like many, many, pre-parental ideals, this has not exactly proved to be the musical environment around here.  There is a lot of Raffi happening, people, a lot of it at the ungodly, non-Raffi friendly hour of 6 am.  We get lots of requests for "Elmo's Song", even though A has never seen an episode of Sesame Street.  Slightly more tolerable are the audiobooks I've downloaded, though I'm pretty sure I never want to see Tikki Tikki Tembo again.

What I have thus far been able to control, however, is what I like to call the "lullaby mix."  A version of this playlist has been playing during A's naps since he was about three months old.  There have been a few cuts that didn't quite fit and a few additions, and now, it's just about perfect.  I thought it might be nice to have a record of it on this little blog of mine.

Sea of Love (Remastered), Cat Power, Juno Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.  One of the best moments in Juno comes in the scene just after the baby has been born.  It's quite obvious throughout the movie and at its conclusion that there is no question in Juno's mind that giving the baby up for adoption is the right and best thing for her to do.  To gloss over that and imply that it's not an incredibly tough decision would have been easy, but instead the viewers are witness to a short, perfect little moment wherein Juno quietly cries over her lost baby, comforted all the while by Paulie, the geeky, cross-country-running father of the baby.  Sea of Love is the song that plays during the scene, and it's always stuck with me.  

You Belong to Me, Carla Bruni, comme si de rein n'était. A pleasing cover of an old classic, appropriately slow and quiet for the nursery setting.  

You Got What I Need, Joshua Radin, The Rock and the Tide. You could probably pick any Joshua Radin song and insert it into a playlist suitably soothing for a baby.  He just has that kind of sound.  This particular title is a find from Grey's Anatomy, that spring of all that's emotional and heart-tugging in music.  

Hold You in My Arms, Ray La Montagne, Trouble. This was the song that played in my head before my little A was born.  I still love to hear it while I'm snuggling with him.  

Lullaby, The Dixie Chicks, Taking the Long Way.  The aptly named song is an incredibly sweet ode from a mama to her baby.  

The source of some excellent Alexi Murdoch songs, including both of the titles on my playlist.  

All My Days, Alexi Murdoch, Time without Consequence. Easily my favorite, and one of the few that have remained on the playlist since the very beginning.  I love the lyrics, particularly this line: "Now I see clearly, it's you I'm looking for, all my days..." 

Strawberry Swing, Coldplay, Viva la Vida.  I'm fairly confident that this selection is the perfect representative Coldplay song for a lullaby mix.  You might think the rhythm is a bit much for a sleeping baby, but the opposite is true.  It's an ideal song for rocking (a baby to sleep, that is).  

Dead Man's Will, Iron and Mine, Friday Night Lights Original Television Soundtrack.  Don't be thrown by the sombre title-the song is a beautiful treasure.  My lullaby mix could probably just contain it and "All My Days" on repeat and it would be perfectly suitable.  

Cocoon, Jack Johnson, On and On.  An oldie, but a goodie.  Like Joshua Radin, Jack Johnson has a singularly identifiable "sound" that can be heard in almost all of his songs, particularly the slow ones. He's definitely more diverse than Radin, but it's not exactly hard to pick his songs out of a lineup, if you know what I mean.  That is not to take away from his talent, however, and this mournful tune is one of his best.  

Devoted to You, Linda Ronstadt, Dedicated to the One I Love.  When A was a newborn, we used to listen to this whole album on repeat.  It's much more traditional than the other songs on this list as far as lullabies go, even though the majority of the songs are covers-"In My Room" and "Dedicated to the One I Love" are gems in their own right.  I'm going to make an extremely embarrassing confession right now which will illuminate why "Devoted to You" is my favorite from the album.  Most of my loyal few were teenagers in the 90's, so the names Kelly, Dylan, and Brenda shouldn't be unfamiliar to you.  I happen to vividly recall a certain episode of 90210, the beloved show that even intrigued guys with its melodramatic plots, when fratty Steve was dating high-maintenance Claire, who was performing in a campus talent show.  She wanted to sing "Devoted to You" because it's the song her long-lost (of course) mother always sang to her, and almost lost her nerve. Of course, gallant Steve (for those who don't remember, he was rather gallant when he had a decent girlfriend-remember Celeste?) came through and kept her from choking.  Anyway, ever since then, I've loved that song.  You can bet I'll never tell little A why it's on his playlist.  

Pink Moon, Nick Drake, Pink Moon (Remastered).  Possibly the best part of the baby shower thrown for me by my dazzlingly creative and thoughtful sister-in-law H was the party favor, a mix of tunes for sleepy time, each ensconced in a handmade light blue paper sleeve handprinted with the title and tastefully decorated with a Martha Stewart flair.  There are no conventional lullabies on the list-all of the songs are carefully selected, moody tunes, with artists as diverse as the Cowboy Junkies and Nina Simone.  I could have picked any of the songs to go on my own lullaby list, but this Nick Drake tune, which reminds me with nostalgic pleasure of The Shins, fits in best.  It's hard to believe it's such an old song.  

Raven, Jewel, Lullaby.  Believe it or not, my SH was the one who stumbled upon Jewel's collection of lullabies. Lullaby collections are kind of like Christmas cd's in the musical world-many famous artists have one.  Speaking of which, I don't know why Mariah Carey, the voice behind the BEST Christmas album, hasn't jumped on the lullaby bandwagon.  You KNOW she sings to Roc and Roe!  Despite the plethora of albums out there, they aren't all great (and this fact also applies to Christmas albums).  Jewel's lullabies are an exception, however, and are noteworthy because some of them, like this one, are original songs.  

Life on Earth, Band of Horses, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.  Why yes, I did include a tune from a Twilight soundtrack on my baby's lullaby mix.  Say what you will about the movies, the soundtracks are top-notch.  This song is particularly melodic and peaceful, despite its rather dark lyrics. No need to pay attention to those, though! 

Orange Sky, Alexi Murdoch, Time without Consequence.  Quite a few of Alexi Murdoch's songs have appeared on my list from time to time, but this is the one that garnered a permanent spot.  It might also be his most well-known, having been sampled in various films and shows, and is super long, but so dreamy and sweet.  

You Are My Sunshine (Pt. 2), Elizabeth Mitchell, You Are My Sunshine.  Elizabeth Mitchell has a solid reputation as a children's artist, and her more upbeat songs are great.  For my money though, I'll listen to this version of the old favorite any day over something more peppy.  I also adore "Crawdad", but it just doesn't seem right for sleeping.  

Let it be Me, Ray La Montagne, Gossip in the Grain. My brother loved this song, and I've always found it soothing.  It's a nice end to my playlist. 

Strawberry Swing artwork, courtesy www.coldplay.com

Every day occurrence

This is how we start our day.

Books, always books.

- Posted from my iPhone

traveling with baby: after

I will begin with the most important part of this post: WE SURVIVED!  And then shall move to an apology for only just now writing about it.  For all I know, one of my two loyal readers could very well be eagerly anticipating my traveling-with-an-infant advice!

As I am now constantly pressed for time, I thought I might create a recap of sorts with bullet points, rather than attempt to write long, witty paragraphs.  Not that I'm really that witty, anyway.

what worked for us:

• timing the flight for maximum baby sleep time.  A slept like a CHAMP on both of the long transatlantic flights.  He woke up and nursed a few times, as he STILL does at home, but essentially kept to his normal night sleep.  We selected late afternoon departure times, and we only spent an hour or two playing and eating before he was ready for bed.  I think that for the most part, babies that are around A's age just know when it's time to sleep.  Even though we had to deal with horrible jet lag on our return, I am still glad that A slept on our flight home.  Side note: this is not rocket science, but we made sure to recreate our bedtime routine as well as we could: bath (in this case, a cool washcloth), book, boob (I apologize, sensitive readers!  I had to keep with the alliteration theme!).  We also changed him into pajamas.  
• Ergo carrier in the airport.  I didn't think twice about bringing my carrier, but am now incredibly glad I did.  I was able to carry A this way through security, and it made traversing through various terminals so easy.  
• new books.  These were by far the most successful items in what I like to call my "bag of fun," which I ruthlessly safeguarded and constantly reminded my SH not to disturb without my express permission.  I divided all the new items up into three separate groups, one for each new flight-heaven forbid there be any intermingling!  Two books that were particularly successful were Karen Katz's Baby Loves Spring and Dr. Seuss's All Aboard the Circus McGurkus, both of which were spur-of-the-moment purchases at our local used bookstore.  I'm not the biggest fan of the Katz lift-the-flap books, but Baby A was all over the $2 copy I found. 
• stuffing the car seat bag with extra items you can no longer fit into your giant suitcase.  My dear sister-in-law shared this tip with me, for which I shall be forever grateful (though you would think I might have been able to figure it out).  Because A is already in a big convertible car seat, we purchased a bag to enclose it and then checked it for all our flights.  There is lots of room in the space where a wee one normally goes, and I filled it to the brim.  Car seats are checked for free, so no one blinked an eye when SH lugged the bag onto the counter.  *Note: Packing light is always your best option, but because we were traveling abroad with lots of uncertainties awaiting us, I felt better being as prepared as I could possibly be.  
• small canvas bag with a few toys and books for the car.  I used the aforementioned car seat bag to store this item, and while not necessary for every trip, I have to say that it was SO nice to have a few familiar car toys to hand to Baby A when we embarked upon a three-hour drive as soon as we landed.  We've gone through a brutal phase of car seat rebellion at home, and since then I've always made sure to have two or three special, car-only toys that I can count on to appease A.  Our favorite is this Leapfrog phone, which we have had for MONTHS now and still retains its charm. 

what we didn't need:

• miscellaneous inexpensive toys.  I raided the Target $ bin before the trip thinking it was a great place to snag things that might keep A's interest for a short while but wouldn't be devastating to lose.  As it turned out, he was absorbed mostly by his books when he wasn't sleeping or jumping up and down on my lap, trying to touch the hair of the person sitting in front of me.  I think it's still a good idea, but just didn't seem necessary during our experience.  While we were actually on vacation, A mostly played with the items I'd brought from home that were completely familiar.  
• 500 blankets.  Even though we traveled to a cooler locale, I would have been fine with just one or two.  They take up too much space  (even in the car seat bag) and proved to be a hassle in the airport, when A threw them down to the floor repeatedly.  

for next time:

• more food.  I rationed my baby food pouches fairly well, but by the end of the trip, we had to supplement with local baby food.  This turned out to be okay for the most part, but A definitely didn't eat with as much enthusiasm as he does at home.  I think for a big trip, it is a great thing if you're able to have access to what is most familiar to your baby.  If we had been in the U.S., the problem wold have been easy to rectify.  It didn't turn out to be a huge deal, and now that we're plowing through all kinds of new dishes (clam chowder! refried beans! crunchy kale and coconut bowl!)  it wouldn't hardly matter at all, but I'll remember for future babies.  
• pack the medical stuff!  Fortunately, baby A was completely healthy for the vast majority of the trip.  He picked up a tiny cold (while I developed a monstrous one) at the end of the trip, and while his nose was running only slightly, it was enough to send panicky waves through me when I realized I had forgotten the nasal aspirator and saline drops.  Even if you never use them, it's a good idea to have a small bag containing those items, along with baby tylenol.  Again, not something that would have been an issue if we had been local, but still helpful.  And comforting. 

All in all, our trip was a marvelous success. A was a complete and utter gem the entire time, even though he faced daunting crowds of unfamiliar people and had to endure two rounds of jet lag.  While we probably won't be planning international travel any time soon, it was a good experience, and proved to us that our baby (and most babies) are much more resilient than we give them credit for.

traveling with baby: before

Not long after Baby A was born, I was taken over by the idea that it was ab-so-lutely essential that we take a family trip to Denmark so that he could meet the Danish family. I don't believe that I've ever mentioned it here, but my dear MIL is Danish, thus making SH half Dane.  Keeping close to our Danish family has always been important to both of us, and my MIL is great about maintaining her traditions AND exposing the children to the language.  In fact, she speaks only Danish to my beloved, precious niece, and the plan is for her to do the same for Baby A.

Needless to say, a whole host of circumstances (business trips, weddings) has made it possible for almost the entire family to visit Denmark for a week over the summer (we'll miss you, Aunt C and Uncle P!).  I have been once before, and enjoyed every moment-it's a beautiful, CLEAN country.  I know that's a rather mundane adjective to use to describe it, but once you've visited, I think you'd understand.  Gorgeous architecture characterized by modern Danish design is present even in the airport. Streets and highways (with many, many roundabouts) seem spotless.  In the countryside, it's not uncommon to constantly pass farms where kartoffler (potato) is sold, freshly pulled from the dark, fertile soil.  The food, by the way, is uncommonly delicious.  I gained something like five pounds on my first visit.  Huge hunks of salmon scattered with finely chopped dill, juicy pork with its crispy skin still intact, buttery pastries mounded with fruit and covered with cream, dark brown bread with butter and sharp white cheese. Dark coffee and really good Danish beer served approximately five times a day.  And always kartoffler.  At every meal.

Ok, so clearly I'm getting distracted from my main purpose in composing this post.  Obviously the amazing breastfeeding diet is going to be slightly less successful when I'm devouring mountains of Danish food.  Now that we've got that out of the way, I shall move on to more important matters, namely, how in the world am I going to be able to properly entertain an eleven-month old on two monstrously long flights?

Logistically, I'm pleased with the flights themselves.  Our first flight departs from the East Coast in the late afternoon, and I am fairly certain that baby A will sleep at least two or three hours of the 8 hour flight.  It won't be the first time he's flown, so I'm not concerned about his ears or the pressure bothering him, although he has become more frightful in the past two months-he might be more nervous.  Our return flight, which also departs in the late afternoon, is all the way from Frankfurt to San Francisco, so much longer.  My only consolation there is that we arrive home in the evening, so even if A has slept a mere hour or two on the flight, he'll at least get a good jump start on readjusting to our time zone.

I've been scouring the Internets for suggestions for flying with a baby, and I have found a few good ideas, which I'll list here.  I was shocked, in this day and age, to see how many message boards were full of parents advocating medicating the baby.  Granted, most of our parents probably did this, and we clearly all turned out okay, but I can't even fathom dosing baby A with something I have idea how he might react to, particularly since it would mostly be for my convenience!  The little love has barely touched a non-organic thing in his little life!  He won't be taking any medicine to calm him!  Granted, if there WERE some FDA-approved, all natural, homeopathic soothing medicinal "remedy" I will admit I would be tempted....

*I would like to note that in NO way do I mean to judge here-everyone is perfectly entitled to do what they think is best! 

I've compiled a collection of ideas I found, all of which I've begun to purchase and gather together in anticipation of our departure.  My plan is to have my second carry-on (the first being my diaper bag) full of these items, which are all relatively small and take up little space.  The books are the heaviest and most unwieldy. I'll pack a few of them in A's bag for the return trip and switch out before we leave.

for tearing apart, sifting through, sticking
-stickers + small notepad
-packages of travel-size tissue
-box of Band-Aids
-playing cards
-post-its

for actual play:
-finger puppets-I found a great, perfectly sized set of these at Ikea
-super small nesting cups/dolls
-lift-the-flap or multi-sensory books
-travel-size Magna Doodle-My favorite mom blog, growingafoosa, tried out this idea first and it was a big success.
-miscellaneous $bin items-think squishy bath toys, throwaway cardboard books, small bouncy balls.  Basically simple toys of dubious origin that I would otherwise avoid.

Granted, baby A is going to attempt to put each and every one of these items in his mouth before playing with them, but there isn't a whole lot I can do about that.  I'm hoping that I can get 5-10 minutes of interest per object.  He LOVES books, which is a huge blessing.  I'll also have plenty of snacks.

So, loyal few, any good travel hints you can pass along?  I will be eternally grateful!  After we've recovered from our trip, I'll return the favor with any newfound traveling-with-a-baby wisdom I've acquired.

updated baby essentials

My days spent with my sweet, precious baby seem to be passing at a speed that I can hardly bear.  Lots of our friends told us that it would only get better every day, which is true.  A is so funny now, such a little person with his own sense of humor and a fierce will.  He's intelligent and curious, and the laughs that we longed for so much in the beginning come fast and furious.

As one might expect, the baby "stuff" we use on a regular basis has changed.  My essentials are still relevant at this point, but I thought I might document the items that should be added to the list.

aden and anais bibs. If it weren't so drafty and briskly cool in our house, I would be all about perching baby A in his little seat wearing nothing but his diaper.  I am sure it's the vastly more practical choice for the early days of solid foods.  As that option really isn't an option for us, I determined to find the best, most practical bibs for our new eating adventures.  I settled on Bumkins waterproof bibs, sure that I would be glad that I could quickly wipe them down or give them a quick rinse in the sink.  Baby A didn't exactly jump on the solid food bandwagon with enthusiasm, however, and the Bumkins bibs have become more of a distraction than anything else.  He inevitably crumples the bib in his chubby little hands and stuffs it into his mouth, its slick, crackly surface entirely irresistible.  Cloth bibs seem to work much better, even though they create a greater mountain of laundry.  These aden + anais bibs, while expensive, are simply wonderful.  They provide more of a drape, something akin to what we wear when getting our hair cut, which means baby A's shoulders remain immune from flying splatters of pear and sweet potatoes.

the best homemade baby food on the planet and start fresh: your child's jump start of lifelong healthy eating.  I should say upfront that I'm a recipe person.  I am perfectly aware that all I need to do when it comes to creating my own delicious foods for my little baby A at this stage is blitz various fruits and vegetables to pureed oblivion using my trusty immersion blender.  However, I tend to do better with a guide, and these books, in conjunction, are just about perfect for that.  Yes, some of the recipe titles in the best homemade baby food are a little on the cutesy side, but that's probably the case with most baby food cookbooks. Interestingly, I received three of them as gifts, with not a single repeat.  I far prefer these above the rest, and not just because it's not suggesting I whip up a hearty combination of lamb and millet to serve my baby when he's seven months old (I'm looking at YOU, Cooking for Baby!) Nothing against lamb and millet, but it's a bit intimidating to imagine for a baby, especially mine.  I love the general structure and careful advice.  We waited until six months to begin solid food on the advice of our pediatrician, as baby A is prone to eczema outbreaks and it seemed wiser so as to avoid allergies if possible (side note: I have since thrown caution to the wind and started introducing as much as I could think of, though I'm hardly walking on the wild side).  Both of these cookbooks keep things like that in mind, and devote a chapter to each month (starting with 6) until a year (or in the case of start fresh, monthly groupings based on texture) each containing helpful charts about appropriate new foods to add.  Not only do I find this a useful tool, I appreciate that I am not blindly stumbling about the produce aisle throwing random items to try in my cart.  The back of each book contains a chart tracking each recipe with a rating system.  I was able to document the date I tried each new recipe as well as baby A's reaction.  I now have a convenient record of his strong disdain for apples.  It doesn't hurt that the font and general design of both books are incredibly appealing. I am sure this is a situation where each parent's style and preferences are going to affect which cookbooks work best for them, but I am very pleased with both.  A strike against "the best homemade baby food" would be the persistent direction to boil the veggies and fruits rather than steam, but that is easily ignored. . .Start Fresh does a better job focusing on the end goal: the whole family eating the same meal, even if it's pureed for baby.

fisher price rainforest jumperoo.  It gives me great happiness to write about this toy, because it is the first "hand-me-down" shared between cousins.  My beautiful niece L enjoyed it until just past her first birthday, when she generously gave it up for a temporary loan to baby A.  It is INDISPENSABLE.  Both babies had the same reaction, as it turns out-boisterous joy and loads of vigorous bouncing. Baby A had grown a bit tired of his bouncer seat, and this provided the perfect alternative.  It brings him great pleasure and distraction, and I am able to eat breakfast and lunch every day comfortably, knowing that he's safely contained and happy.  Occasionally, I put the delightful device in the kitchen so that I can wash dishes, load the dishwasher, or perhaps do a bit of cleaning.  Of course, I'm very glad that the cousins are sharing toys, but I should tell you that this one is literally worth every penny, and if we weren't lucky enough to have L in our lives, I would have certainly purchased my own.

green toys my first stacker.  I am not such a "crunchy" mom that I think it's feasible for baby A's stash of toys to be entirely pure, wooden, and made in the U.S.A., as much as I would like for that to be the case.  I certainly do aspire to keep his toys as safe and LIMITED as possible.  I know he doesn't need a voluminous pile of toys, not only because I eventually want him to be entertained more by books and outside exploration, but also because I'm making a sincere effort to cut down on the amount of "stuff" cluttering our house and lives.  I have made a few careful purchases, however, about which I feel virtuous and responsible, one of them being this humble stacker set, constructed out of recycled milk cartons.  It's entirely green, eco-friendly, BPA, PVC and phalate free, and baby A is crazy about it.  Months after I bought it, it's still one of the first things he goes for in the toy box.

beaba first stage spoons and bowls.  Eating solid foods, as I've mentioned, has not been exactly a walk in the park for baby A and I.  My dear sister-in-law tells me that for A, solids are sort of like "dessert", which makes me feel good about milk production, but bad about how long it's taking him to figure out the joy that is food.  I know that stressing about it will only make it more difficult, so I'm taking it one day at a time and trying not to worry so much about what I introduce and when.  That said, a good spoon is actually a great help.  Beaba products aren't cheap, but are extremely high quality and well-designed.  Baby A loves to suck and "gum" on the spoons, and the bowls are sturdy and shaped in such a way that make them a pleasant distraction during dinner time.  Incidentally, Beaba is a French-based company, and OF COURSE my aforementioned mom friend V employs them on a daily basis.

I'm sure there will be more things that we can't live without, but if I had to select a choice few, these would top the list!

what we're reading now

For the longest time, I have had an entry entitled "baby library" sitting forlornly in a list of unpublished posts (there are many of these, by the way).  I aspired to write about baby A's rather extensive collection of books, selecting the ones I thought best to recommend.  I don't mean to brag, but my knowledge regarding children's literature is extensive.  I come from a long line of librarians, and great number of my family are employed as educators.  Books have been a part of my life as long as I could remember.  Naturally, I wanted baby A to be exposed to just as many wonderful ones as I was, almost from the moment he emerged into the world.

As it happens, I have spent a lot more time reading books with baby A than I have blogging, which is of course a good thing.  Now that we have naps under control, I am earnestly hoping I might have a few extra minutes to write again.  I can't promise a lot of coherent thoughts, however!

I thought it might be interesting to attempt a bimonthly post on the books we're particularly enjoying.  Granted, it's mostly me that's enjoying the books, though I can definitely tell there are a few titles that A likes more than others.  We're at a stage now where he wants to "explore" the books, and his favorite thing is to slam the cover down and beat relentlessly on top of the book with his chubby little hands.  It takes us a while to finish, as you might imagine.

Rain Drop Splash, by Alvin Tresselt. A beloved family friend who also happens to be a former librarian passed this along to me.  Actually, every time she see us, she brings baby A a new book-a generous tradition!  I wasn't familiar with the Alvin Tresselt title, though my mother ensured that I had a copy of his White Snow, Bright Snow.  Both books were recipients of Caldecott Medal honors.  I was initially a bit disdainful, having grown used to the splashy illustrations and bright colors of our modern picture books.  There is something entirely captivating about Rain Drop Splash, however, which I discovered the first time I cracked it open, on an appropriately rainy day.  It's an incredibly soothing, peaceful book.  I think even baby A was lulled by its essential concept, the path of a single rain drop as it eventually spreads into the sea.  

I Want My Hat Back, by Jon Klassen. A very funny book that will probably be more amusing to me than to baby A for years to come.  The illustrations are great, as you can see, and the book was favorably reviewed by the New York Times.   I'm not entirely sure how I feel about A eventually understanding that the bear in the story gobbles up the rabbit that steals his hat...then again, I'm all about fairy tales, and we know they feature all kinds of wicked behavior!

Llama Llama Home with Mama, by Anna Dewdney.  I came across the Llama Llama books after reading an article on Baby Center or some other parenting website about the best books for kids.  Initially, I had no interest in looking at them, because I am a ridiculous book snob who felt that anything I hadn't heard of simply wasn't any good.  I HAVE SINCE MENDED MY WAYS.  Repentantly, I tell you that these books are adorable and perfectly pleasing for baby A.  Even at his tender young age, I can tell he appreciates the singsongy rhymes and vibrant illustrations.  We have three Llama books including this one (Llama Llama Red Pajama and my personal favorite, Llama Llama Misses Mama), which we've read a lot lately because baby A had a minor, but annoyingly persistent cold.

George and Martha Round and Round, by James Marshall.  George and Martha are certainly beloved literary characters, and I confess to feeling a nostalgic sense of deep satisfaction every time I crack a book that was read to me as a child.  There is something special about the enduring charm of a classic, which might explain my occasional frequent bouts of snobbery when it comes to newer titles.  What is a bit unusual about the George and Martha canon, I admit, is that the humor in the illustrations largely defines their appeal.  The stories themselves are refreshingly short and simple, but they aren't for babies.  In fact, you could eventually count on your child's vocabulary improving a bit after being immersed in a bunch of George and Martha tales.  I decided to purchase a GREAT collector's edition that contains all of the stories.  Baby A and I usually read 3 books before each nap, and a good ol' George and Martha story is perfect for the days when he's a bit sleepier.

The Three Billy Goats Gruff, by Paul Galdone.   When I worked at PS 209 in the Bronx, an entire section of our reading curriculum was devoted to fairy tales.  I was excited about this prospect, for who doesn't enjoy a delicious fright or humorous lesson shared via tale or fable?  There are many modern derivations of fairy tales, such as Jon Scieszka's The Frog Prince Continued and The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs or James Marshall's versions of Little Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks and the Three Bears (all of which I heartily recommend, by the way) but our curriculum opted to employ the classic retellings by Paul Galdone.  At the time, I grudgingly went through each book with little enthusiasm, far preferring the funnier versions.  I'm not exactly sure what brought about the change-perhaps it's that I am 1,000,000 times more invested in my own darling child than I was with my kindergartners (whom I did adore, of course)-but I now confess that there is something truly wonderful, and also very important, about a traditional fairy tale.  One would be hard-pressed to find someone who has done this better than Paul Galdone.  Right now, our favorite (ok, my favorite) is The Three Billy Goats Gruff.  Incidentally, while searching for an image to go with this section, I happened upon Anita Silvey's Children's Book-a-Day Almanac. Silvey, an esteemed editor and publisher, features a different book each day, accompanied with info about the author and trivia for the date.  Very cool.

The Little Mouse, the Big Hungry Bear, and the Red Ripe Strawberry by Don and Audrey Wood.  Baby A has the board book version of this little gem.  Board books were another thing that I used to thumb my nose at, but I've changed my tune.  I love that A can really manhandle them, gnawing and throwing about to his heart's content.  It's good exploration, and I don't have to worry about the book's condition.  This particular treasure is one that I first discovered while teaching the aforementioned, especially adorable kindergarten class in the Bronx.  It's an extremely simple story, so I'm imagining it's going to be an early favorite.

There we have it!  My first edition of "what we're reading now."  Of course, we've actually been reading a lot of bunny books over the past few days (PLEASE look up I Am A Bunny-it's so sweet and delightful!) and an Easter book post might have been more appropriate.  Alas, this will have to do.  Happy reading to all!

Attend!

When I came across this book in the less-than-illustrious book review section of People magazine (ok, so I'm a bit of a snob!), I was immediately intrigued, and not just because I am now drawn to observe with scrutiny the many trends that come along in the parenting world these days.  As it happens, my dearest mom friend (with the exception of my sage and beloved sister-in-law H, of course) is a French parent.  V and I met in childbirth class, and spent the last two months of our pregnancies getting our weekly exercise on the winding trails at the beautiful Arastradero reserve, talking about everything from names we liked to how we envisioned the future educational paths of our soon-to-be-born sons.  Baby A was born just three days before his future best bud, Baby M, and they have spent the past eight months growing up together.

There are lots of parenting philosophies out there, but it wasn't until I began to devour this book that I realized that I have never once heard V mention the words "sleep training."  In fact, when I sadly informed her that I felt like I might have to let my little A cry it out if we couldn't figure out a way to push his two daily naps past thirty minutes, she gave me a benevolent glance of sympathy and gently assured me that I certainly wouldn't have to do that.  When baby A got his first real cold, I almost panicked at our play date when I realized I had forgotten that pesky nasal aspirator, but V just handed hers over without a second thought (clean, of course!).  I scoured baby food cookbooks and researched to find the best spoons, bowls, and bibs when it came time for A to start solid food, bought only a few jars of organic baby food and purchased the perfect BPA-free freezer trays for storing our freshly made food.  I'm not sure V even owns a baby food cookbook. She merely whirs a mixture of freshly steamed fruits or veggies with bits of cooked meat together into a fine puree and hands it over to baby M.

I record all of this not to look upon the way I have gone about parenting with criticism (or any other American parent, for that matter) or to suggest that the French way is better.  I think what resonated with me most as I enthusiastically read the account of Pamela Druckerman, American mother living in France, was the comfort, pleasure, and even sense of kinship that I felt with her as I recollected the many similar epiphanies and experiences I have shared with V.  Without even realizing it, V has been absolutely instrumental in the way I think about being a mother. She encourages me, though she doesn't know it, to take a deep breath and just let go, pushing worry and anxiety far from my mind.  I don't have to feel like a failure if baby A wakes up when his pacifier falls out.  It's not the end of the world if we only manage two teaspoons of oatmeal for breakfast.  Should I be able to come to these conclusions on my own?  Of course.  Is there something inherently French about the wisdom behind the idea of just enjoying your child day by day without worrying about developmental milestones, appropriate socialization, diet and daily stimulation?  Probably not, although the American thirst for every last bit of knowledge undoubtedly deeply affects parents-you need go no further than a parenting message board after one of the countless Google searches we all embark upon to figure out why poop is a certain consistency or what ingredients are found in iron-fortified rice cereal.  What's worrisome about this tendency is the potential consequence of missing out on the joy, the sheer bliss, that a baby brings to your life.  

V once told me that there are some days when she looks at baby M with amazement and thinks, "I am just so in love with my baby!" I've never forgotten it, both because I know exactly how she feels and because there have been times when I have allowed my fears of routine disruptions, the right nutrition, and quality sleep to get in the way of the bliss.  My post title was inspired by the French "wait," a word I've heard V use over and over, and which happened to be the first word in the glossary of Bringing up Bebe.  She says it's the first word French children learn, and while I see the instructive benefit, I think it might also apply to me as a parent as well.  Wait, breathe, and don't miss one second of happiness with my baby.

I can hear baby A stirring now, after an hour and a half of peaceful rest.  Waiting, not worrying...my new parenting philosophy.

our greatest accomplishment

Meet Baby A.  He was born on July 5, at 4:15 pm, approximately twelve hours after we arrived at the hospital.  We are absolutely smitten with him, in all his perfection!  He was a solid 9 pounds, 9 ounces, and 21 inches long.  It wouldn't have mattered one bit, of course, had he been a little peanut and weighed 6 pounds, but I had always secretly had my heart set on having a ginormous baby.  I got my wish!

Our first month has been a dream, and I know that some day soon I will long for the sleep-deprived nights and most precious feeling of snuggling with a newborn, who wants nothing more than to be in our arms.  It has already gone so much faster than I thought it would.  My heart is bursting with love, every single second, for our little boy.  He is the greatest blessing we could have ever been given, and I still cannot believe he is ours.

"I don't care what nobody says, we're gonna have a baby..."

My last, completely legitimate and totally exciting reason for a lack of writing in these past few months. In just 10 weeks, we're going to be meeting our baby BOY, an event that we have been longing for for years (and for me, longer than I can remember). We are so grateful and thankful to God for granting us this blessing, and our prayers daily include the safety and well-being of our son.

P.S. I am proudly wearing one of my Kings of Leon shirts. Somehow I feel they would be proud.

P.P.S. In case anyone is wondering, the blog post title is a song lyric. Conveniently, courtesy of KOL. Just wanted to clear that up.