July 31, 2008

Stuff my kids won’t eat, part three thousand

Last night I served a lovely dinner: grilled flank steak, oven roasted red potatoes with butter, spinach salad, rosemary sourdough bread. Wade and I ooh’d and aah’d at our pretty plates and happily toasted each other.

The children, on the other hand, each took one wee tiny bite of potato (with butter, even! come on! who doesn’t like buttery potatoes?!?) and made a face designed to indicate to any passers by that I was POISONING THEM with this BUTTERY POTATO and wouldn’t someone please SAVE THEM from the POTATOES?!?

And you wonder why I drink.

Ironically, I have just started writing a series of posts for the Egg Council’s Incredible group at Gather, about bloggers who are trying to help families eat healthier. My first post — are you ready for this? — is about the supercool Jenny of Picky Palate Chronicles. I’m wondering if she might want to move into my house and help me with these kids — the ones who think I’m trying to KILL THEM with a buttered potato.

You can read about Jenny here; the series will last for eight weeks, with a new post every Thursday. In between posts, I’ll be over here trying to kill my children with vegetables, because I am MEAN LIKE THAT. Just ask the kids.

July 30, 2008

big and little

Yesterday I took Charlie to get his school tie; he wore it home in the car, clipped on over his t-shirt. It was a good look.

Today he asked, “When can I try my uniform on? And when are you going to take the tags off my tie?”

After his bath he got completely dressed, in his button down and his navy pants (which are far too big, of course, and were falling off of him) and his tie. He loves the tie; it’s almost too bad he’ll only be wearing it once a week.

He looked like a little tiny man in his shirt and tie.

At bedtime, when I snuggle with Charlie, I will ask him, “Are you big or little?” For a long time he always said, “I am LITTLE!” but lately he has started saying, “Both! Can I be both?”

Yes, of course. Always.

July 29, 2008

hard to be you and me

I’m sitting in a San Francisco hotel room, drinking wine with HeatherB, who is telling a complicated story about her life.

Me: Aw honey, it is HARD to be Heather, isn’t it?

Heather: YES IT IS. I don’t know HOW people do it.

* * * * *

Chris IMs me early early this morning, as I am simultaneously struggling to publish a post and peel Charlie off my arm.

Chris: I got up at 4:00 am to work. I wanted to see what it feels like to be Susan Wagner.

Me: Well?

Chris: It feels tired.

Me: Exactly.

* * * * *

Text message from Chris: Soooo tired. I don’t know how people can be Susan Wagner.

Text message back: I don’t know HOW people do it.

July 27, 2008

overheard

Henry: They will suck all your blood before you can say centimeter.

Charlie: No, no, they’ll suck all your blood before you can say ANYTHING.

Wade: What are you guys talking about?

Henry: Bloodsuckers.

Charlie: Of COURSE.

* * * * *

I want to thank each and every one of you who has commented on this post or emailed me or reached out in any way — I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. I was trying to make one point — that being “famous” is a big fake, that if you want to make money at this blogging gig you had best be prepared to work and work and work — but I think you all made another better point: real success isn’t measured in numbers or dollars, but in the kindness of people who know you only through your words and who will wrap you in a big fuzzy virtual hug when you are braless and weeping.

That is the best kind of success, and I thank you all for sharing it with me.