Bits & Busts

Feeling a bit like a train has run me over, so just posting a few random things today....

First of all, my daughter and I started "Are you there God, it's me Margaret?" the other day. We read together a few chapters each night before her bedtime (okay, fine, my bedtime). She literally cracked up at the bit on "We must, we must, we must increase our busts!" I have to admit, I laughed as well. It's amazing how exciting the prospect of wearing a bra is to a tween. I myself was terrified of it. Not today, girls can't wait to wear a bra and lipstick and deodorant and be all hormonal.

Anyway, to connect with your inner Judy Blume, visit her on her site.... and, yes, she even blogs: http://www.judyblume.com/

On another note, ever wonder who is behind those amazing and articulate speeches Obama delivers? Apparently, he's young, hot and can communicate.... learn more about him at http://www.newsweek.com/id/84756

And a last little bit, February is Love a Children's Author month.... For me, that brings to mind not only Judy Blume but Astrid Lindgren and several more - too many fabulous new and seasoned authors to make a list when I'm feeling like a train is running through my head. But, here's a great blog on that.... http://taralazar.wordpress.com/

I'm heading back to bed with some stuffy head, fever, soar throat, so you can rest, because you're completely knocked out medicine.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

I heart Jeff Kinney (if I was savvy enough, I could probably actually put a heart there, but I'm not.) Like, if I was in middle school, I would scribble his name on my trapper keeper in bubbly blue ink...complete with a little heart dotting the i in Kinney.

And the reason I heart him is because he is very clever. He writes clever books that appeal to both boys and girls...and my girl in particular. He writes the kind of books that make my 9-year-old cuddle up at night, in the corner of her closet, with her favorite blanky (named Bubbie), with the light on and doors closed, reading, when she is supposed to be sleeping. Oh that makes mama proud ...and it makes me heart Jeff Kinney.

They are casting for the Wimpy Kid right now.... and it would almost make Anna cut off her hair and give up her affection for all things pink and glittery just to try out (so Shakespearean!) I mean, she knows all three books by heart!

And, so, I heart Jeff Kinney. And if you do...if you are the wimpy kid or know the wimpy kid because he might be living in your house or in your neighborhood or at your school or whatever... check this out:

http://www.iamthewimpykid.com/

Another Mother's Life

I'm a creature of habit. If I find something I like, well I tend to stick with it. Granola bars, for instance. I have one everyday for breakfast. I am a granola and coffee girl.

It's the same with books. If I find an author I like, then I pretty much stock up on all things published by said author and read, read, read. For instance, Jodi Piccoult. I have every book she's written - all 15 of them and cannot wait for the new one coming in March! (On a side note, many people think that "My Sister's Keeper" is her best novel. And, I loved it, I did. I read it twice. However, "Songs of the Humpback Whale" and "Plain Truth" are both bloody brilliant.) I also absolutely adore Sarah Dessen (even though I am no longer a young adult) and Joyce Carol Oates (and boy is she prolific! I have invested a pretty penny in her work.)

So, anyway, after thoroughly enjoying Rowan Coleman's "The Accidental Mother", I hurried over to B&N to gobble her up...well, her work I mean. The sequel, "The Accidental Family", is supposed to be out this month but B&N doesn't have it. I think it's out in the UK but not here. Bloody hell!

Good thing they had another Rowan book: "Another Mother's Life."

So, I sat down, opened it up, gave it a good smell and it was something like:

- sleeping with the enemy
- telling someone how you feel and then holding your breath
- inviting a friend for coffee in order to say sorry and waiting at the table with butterflies wondering if she'll show up
- sitting in the front seat of a Delorean (equipped with a flux capacitor of course) and jetting off into the past...
- where you are promptly dropped onto a roller coaster that veers dangerously back and forth between the elementary school playground, junior high, high school and adulthood....complete with brief, gut-dropping, head-jerking glimpses of the carelessness, jealous tirades, emotional meltdowns, heart pounding affections, brief love affairs, past-their-due-date love affairs, betrayals, broken hearts, mended hearts, commitments, secret crushes, public embarrassments, forever friendships, fleeting friendships, lovers, enemies and pure chaos that defined coming of age.
- realizing that even in adulthood all those things above still exist, still hurt as much, still mean as much
- mending a broken heart
- mending a broken friendship
- remembering the minute you fell in love for the first time
- seeing the boy you fell head over heels for fall madly in love with someone else
- waiting by the phone
- hiding under the covers
- packing your car full of whatever possessions you can fit and driving away from the life you thought you couldn't live without
- watching the sunrise as you drive to your future realizing you can live without that life and actually looking forward to what you can do
- basking in the the power of friendship which is probably the fuel that drove that car where it needed to go

"Another Mother's Life" is the story of two friends, betrayal, love, marriage, family, forgiveness. If you've ever looked at another mother and wished you had her life or wondered what your life would be had you chosen a different path, then you might want to pick it up, give it a good smell and see how it makes you feel.

The Accidental Mother

So I picked up my copy of "The Accidental Mother" by Rowan Coleman the other day. I bought it awhile back and hadn't gotten around to reading it. I wasn't familiar with the author, but the book drew my attention while perusing around the book store. Alright, I bought it because of the cover. There, I've said it. I judge a book by its cover.


Or maybe it was the title... after all, some of us mothers do feel like we came about motherhood quite accidentally (in my case, quite literally) and motherhood can seem like one accident right after the next. I mean, it starts out by celebrating at a graduation party, next thing you know you are pregnant and then before you can say "Oh Sh*@!" you could have three children and be well versed in the areas of immunizations, lactation, boppies, bumbos, butt paste, weaning, whining and the pros and cons of plugging your infant's pie hole with a binky.

Anyway, I picked up the book quite by accident, knowing nothing about the author, the story or what to expect. I started reading it because I needed something to take my mind off bad things going on right now. I cracked it open, gave it a good smell and dove in.

And what I found was something like....

- receiving a letter from an old friend
- finding the misplaced box of Christmas ornaments you had given up on
- coming home to flowers on the table from your sister after she found out you'd lost your job
- discovering an old photograph of your parents when they were happy
- hearing your baby say his first word
- finding the humor when your toddler pulls out his penis in the women's locker room and says "Well what do you think of this?"
- laughing until you eject salsa from your nose over lunch with friends
- watching your young daughter brush your mom's hair and freezing that image in your mind so you won't forget it
- finding forgotten money wadded up and sweaty in the pocket of your jeans
- falling asleep and dreaming about someone you haven't seen in years

The tale of Sophie, Bella and Izzy warmed my heart, made me giggle to myself and laugh out loud. I smiled, I cried, it took my mind off the bad...and I want more. The sequel, "The Accidental Family" comes out this month. Oh happy accident.