the pieces of my life

Do you know how hard it is to find a rain slicker in September? It’s like trying to find snow clothes when it’s actually snowing. And then once finding the lone rain slicker available in all the Northeast, do you know how difficult it is to get a Doodles to wear it, especially with the hood up? It’s like trying to get him to eat carrots. I don’t even want to think about what he’s going to do when I try to put a hat on him when it snows.

I’m not sure if I’m allowed to acknowledge it this year, as she doesn’t want it acknowledged next year, but I’ll risk it anyway: Happy Birthday, Mom! You can just keep celebrating the anniversary of this birthday in years to come.

If you people ever think I’m really an indulgent parent, just know that there are moms out there way worse than me. (Thanks to Melissa for the link.)

Remember when I said I offer Doodles everything I eat? He always turned down everything. So I just kept offering. Well, it finally back fired. He finally accepted something from me. I held it out to him, and he grabbed it.

“Yikes!” I said as he popped it in his mouth and then looked to me for more. Wanting to know if it were just a fluke or not, I handed him another. He popped it in his mouth and chewed.

“What did you do?” Adam called from the next room.

“Good news!” I said with false cheer. “I found something new Doodles will eat!”

“It’s not Peeps, is it?” Adam asked worried.

“No, no, of course not!” I reassured him. “I’d never feed him Peeps!” Because let’s face it–what kind of dilemma would that be when I have just one box of Peeps left and my child wants one? How does one choose between the happiness of her child and the last twelve Peeps?

“Then what is he eating?” Adam pokes his head out to check on us.

“Uh, well”–Doodles looks to me for more; I hand him another–“he seems to like candy corn!”

Doodles gives Adam a big grin.

Adam goes back to what he’s doing, but only after giving me a concerned look. “Could you please not feed our child any more candy corn?”

Point taken.

Eugene points out that all 68,647 of the New Yorker cartoons are now available to own on two c.d.s (and a “best of” is in book form; of course, in one week, the “complete” set becomes outdated, but no need to nitpick that here).

My first thought was “Hey! Gotta own that!” But then it occurred to me, on c.d.? I mean, does anyone really want to read New Yorker cartoons on the computer?

When I was a kid, whenever I went to visit my grandparents, the moment I was dismissed from the grown-up conversation (often around the same time my grandmother chastised my grandfather with, “Little pitchers have big ears!”), I’d slip into the next room and pull down my grandfather’s The New Yorker Album 1925-1950. I’d carefully turn the pages, reading each and every cartoon. It was a good visit when I had time to go through the entire book. I must have read that book over fifty times. My memory of my grandfather is linked to those New Yorker cartoons. When he passed away, my father gave me the book. Honestly, I didn’t get half the cartoons. Some I loved. Some just befuddled me (the obscure ones don’t seem to be online). Some were hopelessly outdated even thirty years ago. But I found them all fascinating.

While I know I’d enjoy looking over the 68,647 cartoons, it just feels, well, unholy to read them off a computer. It should be a tactile experience. New Yorker cartoons are history.

He’s still not eating much but he’s back to accepting jarred baby food, especially if I hide it in applesauce (I’m desperate to make sure he gets his nutrients). And now instead of just pushing food away, he’s examining it. Dipping his spoon into it. Pouring it onto his tray. Seeing the pretty pictures he can paint in it with his fingers. We have about fifteen minutes of fun and then he demands the Veggie Booty. And the worst part? Trader Joe’s is no longer carrying Veggie Booty. So no more really quick runs out to replenish the Booty supply. I’m at the point where I truly think this boy is going to go to college still eating only Veggie Booty. Well, at least we’ll save on his food plan.

We went to a birthday party for a friend who turned one today. The one-year old at his cupcake. The eleven-month old ate her cupcake. And Doodles? Doodles wailed until the hostess very kindly broke into her supply of Veggie Booty. At least he’s consistent…

Today is the first day of fall. You can tell by the changing of leaves, the chill in the air, and the arrival of the Halloween Peeps. The best part of the season is all the cute new clothes I get to dress Doodles in. Did I mention my recent ebay killing? Thirty-five pieces of clothing for $25 (which includes shipping). Man do I love fall!

“I used to sing you that song when you were little!” my mother, on her recent visit, said after hearing us singing to Doodles. “Well, the words were different and the tune was different but you loved that song.”

Anyone want to guess who the mysterious Type A, HBS-grad, double major German Lit/Econ major fast walker is? Hee hee. Of course when it comes to moving at home, he switches to slo-mo.