Small Plates

I loved your stories in the comments on the last post (who knew there were so many dry cleaners among us) and I am only sorry that we are not all sitting here together because I would say: "Everyone who was a semi-geisha in college raise your hand!"

And then we would all be looking at you, Stacy. 

My friend Carrie - who I have loved since I was five - was in town on Monday and she came out to spend the night with us. 

"Caroline has never thrown a tantrum," I told her as we drank tea, raising my voice slightly to be heard.

"Really?" she replied with polite incredulity as we watched Caroline hover off the ground supported by nothing more than the force of her rage. She kicked. She shrieked. She did an odd backwards scoot across the length of the living room. She banged her head against the floor and then she yelled because something had banged her on the head. She was a white hot disaster and let this be a lesson to you because I never, ever should have said that Cricket doesn't know what a tantrum is. Whether or not she knows is moot; she is able to do a damn fine job of faking it.

Edward, meanwhile, watched Carrie from the far side of the room for about an hour. Then he walked over and handed her his truck book, looking at her with his solemn Edward face.

"Do you want me to read this to you?" she asked.

He blinked at her. She sat down and started reading and Edward has been her devoted slave ever since. It's been three days and he still looks pensive, as if he is wondering: where is she now? is she thinking of me?

In Patrick's spare time he puts the twinkles into their old Moses basket, calls it the SS Alphabet and drills them on the letters. I keep wondering if I should intercede on their behalf but I don't know... it's sort of very cute.

Caroline looked out the window for a long time today. Then she said, "Pahrick running?"

I said, "No, Patrick's not outside."

She said, "Pahrick goschool?"

And I said, "Yes, Patrick went to school."

She said, "Go out findhim?"

"No, he's not there. He's at school."

She looked all tragic and puffed out her lip and I said, "Hey, but since he's not here to freak out about it do you want to go ride his old tricycle?"

She can be bought.

Patrick is very very generous with the twins unless he doesn't feel like it in which case he swings his arm from one horizon to the next and says, "ALL MINE. EVERYTHING YOU SEE IS ALL MINE. Except that and that and that and that. But the rest of it, babies, is ALL MINE. Remember this!" And then he sweeps off to school. It's a pity he doesn't have a cape because it would really add to the exit.

Anyway, technically this is true. Between my mother and me we bought Patrick every toy and book and DVD on the market. He in turn made letters out of scraps of recycled paper and frowned over my excessive need to buy videos and Geotrax. With so much stuff in the house already it seems silly to ever buy anything new so apart from one birthday and Christmas present a piece, Caroline and Edward have hand-me-downs. They don't care but Patrick occasionally finds Edward palming half a yo-yo that he (Patrick) got as a party favor four years ago, played with for three seconds and then never looked at again and he decides to have a conniption about the injustice of it all. In the book about seven year olds that was recommended to me, the authors talk about seven as a year of anxiety and fairness but they don't mention what one is supposed to DO about it. When Patrick worries about catastrophic meteor impact am I suppose to validate or soothe, do you know? And when he says he doesn't want Caroline and Edward playing with HIS kazoo do I get to say oh for the love of Christmas Patrick you were SCARED of that kazoo, stop being a twerp; or do I have to give a speech about families and love and sharing?

++

I am being inundated in book ads, which I think is really fun. Fun and profitable. I TOLD you we were identified as bookish. Maybe not highbrow exactly but definitely bookish. The ads keep moving around so in no particular order on the sidebar we have:

1. Dog On It by Spenser Quinn - According to the blurb it is about a detective and his dog who may and/or may not also be a detective. I assume from the cover that they drive around the desert solving mysteries. I ordered it from the library because I like that sort of thing.

2. Shadowlight by Lynn Viehl - "With just one touch, Jessa Bellamy can see anyone's deepest secrets" This has got to be the worst gift since Cassandra. Can you IMAGINE? Why would want to get inside everyone's sordid psyches? It must be like scrounging around the bottom of dumpster in New York.

3. Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult - I have never read anything by her but I get the impression I should be embarrassed to admit this. I kind of remember about a million of you recommending various books by her every time I ask for book suggestions. Should I try one and if so which one? This one?

4. 13 1/2 by Nevada Barr - Psychological terror at its best, says the ad. Not my cup of tea since I scare easily but, you know, could be for you.

5. Double Cross by James David Gordon - It is described as a page-turning thriller but it also notes that the sassy dialogue is laugh aloud funny. I like sassy dialogue.

I also seem to be advertising links. Considering how much time I spend here I am remarkably stupid about the internet but I guess it is some kind of search engine? I don't know. I was a little dubious because I was afraid I was sending you off into some porn site but I clicked and it's fine.

So as always, get home safely and tip your waitresses (I know some of you cannot see the ads and I suspect it is because some of you have cleverly installed things that block advertisements. So there's that. But the rest of you... surely you are dying to know what they are planning to do with Jessa Bellamy's DNA?)

Speaking of books, Jude left the suggestion for Patrick when he had his tonsils out that he might like the books of Eva Ibbotson. I got Which Witch? out for him and was smitten. She wrote a bunch of ghostly books for children and I have now read them all and just started on her quasi-young adult romances. Pure gossamer. I mean very silly and over-the-top romantic and I am embarrassed that I am loving every syllable. I'm on The Reluctant Heiress which comes complete with a fierce but tender hero, a gamine princess committed to the republican ideals of égalité and a restored castle. Ooh. La. La. 

What are you reading right now?

PS I have been working on my articles. I have a gap in one where I could really use an interview with a couple of single moms who are currently sharing a house. Julie twittered it for me yesterday and although I appreciated the suggestions of Kate & Allie I am pretty sure they are not still together. Lemme know if you know of anyone who knows anyone who knows anyone that might be willing to talk to me. I have one group already that I am very excited about but I could always use more.

PPS Someone I have known online for a very long time has asked for my help in getting word out about her blog. She is very personally invested in the current American health care debate and can be found at http://healthcareorphan.wordpress.com. Whatever your views I am certain you will be respectful if you visit her site.

PPPS Totally apropos of nothing

Caroline at one year with green-gray eyes

Caroline today with indisputably brown ones.

Isn't that weird? Who ever heard of eyes changing color so long after birth?

She also sporting some very smooshable cheeks these days. And I just got her hair cut for the sixth or seventh time two weeks ago. It grows like nothing I have ever witnessed before in my life. Maybe alfalfa. I asked Steve why his people are so hairy and he says I am just jealous. Probably true.

Comments

[Colleen C]

Hi Julia!
Just de-lurking to remind you that I Snickolett co-habitated with another single mom for a while.... maybe you could try her??
Your kids are adorable! I really enjoy reading your blog.

[Darlene]

I'm reading Treasure Fever by Andy Griffiths to my 9 year-old son. We're both enjoying it! He's having his tonsils and adenoids and extra nasal tissue removed next week because he has just been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. I love your blogs and I'm especially happy that I read it now because I feel more prepared for his surgery based on your experience. Thanks for sharing! You're kids are really beautiful.

[Jen]

Oh, your kids are so ... look-at-able! Thank you for posting such wonderful pictures.

I just finished "Eat Cake" by Jeanne Ray. I think you would enjoy it -- baking to relieve stress features prominently. Jodi Picoult, on the other hand, is not my cup of tea. Her forte seems to be contriving ethically nightmarish situations where children are often in danger or suffer horribly. Sort of highbrow sensationalism.

[haitian american family of three]

I just read Audrey Niffenegger’s HER FEARFUL SYMMETRY and I LOVED, loved, loved it. I have told everyone I know about this book, its so very good. I thought the book Handle with Care sucked a big one and swore of J.P. forever after reading it. ANd-if you've not read The Time Travelers Wife (not movie!) then read that too!

[N.L.]

Someone asked me the other day why women always remark about eating cute babies. I do not have an answer for him, but I do know that I want to sprinkle yours on my ice cream and just eat them up, the are so delicious!

Jodi Piccoult is difficult. One one hand, I read her books, and feel like I'm better off somehow, having done so. On the other hand, it takes me some time to recover and usually when I've finished reading one of her books I move on to something light and ridiculous and indulgent. It takes me weeks, sometimes months, to gear myself up for the torture of reading the next one. If I am going to recommend anything she's written, it's 19 Minutes, which is a tragic, but well written and very "behind the scenes" look at a high school shooter and his childhood best friend.

I'm very interested in the Nevada Barr book that's being advertised, and it may not have come to my attention had it not been for your little corner of the world.

[melissa]

Just read Agnes and the Hitman...snappy dialogue galore, I think you'd enjoy it.

[Catherine]

Cricket is adorable. But as a mother of a 4 yo girl, I give you this unsolicited advice: stop cutting her bangs. Her hair will be easier to do things with (barrettes, ponies, headbands, etc) if she doesn't have bangs. They are a pain to grow out. Maybe someone else will say, NO! keep the bangs - in which case ignore me, she is awfully cute with them.

Poor Patrick, all that responsibility he's going to feel while he's away at college and his high school aged sister is dating. I'm sure he'll be stricter about her boyfriends than you or she will be.

As for reading, I just reread To Kill a Mockingbird and loved it so thoroughly. I read it in HS, but not since. It's sad that truly great fiction is wasted on those in high school and college. I don't think I *got* half of what I read. In fact, I think I would be lucky if I had gotten half of it.

[Anne]

I am convinced that my eyes changed color (blue-gray to green) about five years ago, at the age of 26.

[Ruth]

I just burned through Sara Gruen's "Riding Lessons" and "Flying Changes", which score no points for being Literature, but are good stories and happen to be centered around riding, which I used to do and still miss. Gruen also wrote "Like Water for Elephants", which I love, love, LOVED. While on vacation this summer I read "Testmony" by Anita Shreve, "The Hours I First Believed" by Wally Lamb, and "The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane" by Katherine Howe, and then wondered why I didn't choose to bring anything LIGHT. All excellent books, but they did make me Think. I don't usually Think while out of town with the family (too busy trying to keep track of the children).

As for Jodi Piccoult, I have read several of her books, but wind up miffed at the end of each one (especially "My Sister's Keeper"; the ending of that one really ticked me off). BUT, she does create characters that interest me, so I keep giving her another try, only end up struggling to avoid a desire to wrap my kids in cotton wool, and wondering why such awful things keep happening in her worlds. Give her a try (and you have lots of options, the woman is nothing if not prolific). I'd be interested in your opinion.

I think I've mentioned them before, but if you haven't yet read the Appalachian Ballad books by Sharon McCrumb, I cannot recommend them highly enough. Start with the first ("If Ever I Return Pretty Peggy-O"). There are several; I love discovering a new series several books in ... that way I don't have to wait to find out what happens next, I get to simply dive straight in and not come up for air until I reach the end (or one of the kids needs me for something).

[Julia]

Snickolett was a complete sweetheart and wasted tons of her kid-free time letting me interview her but it turned out we needed someone currently in that living arrangement.

And I swear I am trying to grow out Cricket's bangs. Really I am. But then I weaken again. I sort of think she needs something much shorter all over but I haven't quite decided yet. I agonize about it in my sleep. Meanwhile, I cut Edward's hair myself while he ate raisins. I think I am a sexist.

[Traci]

My daughter is 18 and her eyes have continued to change color since birth (kinda grayish hazel color) to a grayish green to hazel to more brown every year. I imagine by the time she is my age, her eyes will be entirely brown.

[Crystal]

My eyes were Blue Danube pattern blue when I was growing up. When I was twelve, around the time my hair became darker, they started to become a bit more grey-blue.

By the time I was 21, they were hazelly-green.

In fact, I had this general, all-over transformation from my father's blond, blue eyed germanic features, to my Mother's dark, eastern European.

The transition doesn't seem to be done yet, and I got to 40 last month. I look more like her side every passing day.

I would have said, once upon a time, I would have been jealous of YOUR hair, since I've longed to be a red head since Fergie and Andrew. And your hair, frizzy though it may want to be on occasion, is the perfect hair to do all kinds of wonderful things to.

But I have to say, Caroline's hair is a lovely mix of the two of you (unless Steve has more curl than I'm giving him credit for). I've always hated my brown hair since it became that color, but if I could wear it half as well as Ms. Cricket.... I'd be a happy lass indeed. :)

And I have to say, I'm kinda partial to the bangs. They do suit her. Takes 6 months to grow out, and you can do segmented Pebbles type pony tails in the mean time. If done young enough, it's an easy look to pull off, maybe 3, 4.

Thanks, btw. Thanks. :)

[Kathleen]

Just finished "This Is Where I Leave You" by Jonathan Tropper - loved it, as well as his other books. "The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane" is next on my list, as is "The Hundred Dresses" with my 7-year-old.

Like Jen, I find Jodi Picoult to be "highbrow sensationalism" - not my style. I also just finshed "The Mermaid Chair" for my book group - it's a few years old, and I haaaated it.

[erin]

In complete agreement with N.L. re: Jodi Picoult books. I have to space them out big time. So glad to find I'm not the only one!

Reading The Historian right now. It's pretty good so far, but I'm only about 70 pages in so I suppose that isn't saying much.

Patrick clearly takes his duties as big brother very seriously. It's adorable. I'm wondering if he takes note of Caroline's devotion to him?

[kara]

I usually deflect questions about what I am reading and now I know why: I have read very little that is listed above and am rather embarrassed to admit it. But I will check out those titles and meanwhile confess, because this is a safe place, yes? Yes, We Are All Bookish and I love that.

I read about 10 books at a time in order to feed my two appetites, Ultra-Silly and Ultra-Serious.

The Silly is reading: The Last Oracle by James Rollins, The Bourne Sanction by Eric van Lustbader, Dark Horse by Tami Hoag and may find something else equally ridiculous on your advertising sidebar.

The Serious is reading: The Horror Genre: From Beelzebub to Blair Witch by Paul Wells; e.e. cummings, complete poems (actually, she is perpetually reading those); Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe by Davidson; Sex, Ecology, Spirituality by Ken Wilbur; and a biography of Alan Greenspan. Honest.

[Beth]

Wow, I'm not alone! My eyes were gray - absolutely gray - until age 14 when they turned green. Still green. My son's eyes turned fully brown at about 18 months old. Caroline is beautiful!

[kate]

NOT a fan of Jodi Picoult at all. Far too depressing and stressful.
I used to read anything crime-related (Kellermans etc), but since having the kids I like to keep my reading a bit lighter... Jilly Cooper all the way for me.

[tgsdmom]

Of course you should not interfere with Patrick's attempts at educating his siblings. I am sure they all gain a lot from that (even if it won't necessarily make them early readers). Edward probably finds the subject fascinating anyway, and I'm sure Caroline will not be dragged into something she hates.

I do not go with the "eating-sweet-children" images (they are too scary), but I agree they are "truly scrumptious - as the breeze across the bay".

Ruth's comment about liking the characters in Jodi Piccoult's books reminded me of Anne Tyler. I think that's the main reason I like her books so much. It's been several years since I read anything of hers and I saw she has a couple of books I have not tried yet, so I am going to Amazon in a minute.

My own experience with handling handing-down toys between my kids is that it depends on the child. Sorry, no simple recipe. I used a combination of
1. allowing older kid to keep his squeaky baby toys (or expensive Lego - same rule applies) and buying new to younger kid,
2. buying something to older kid while passing an old toy to younger kid,
3. discussion with older kid (do you really think you will ever ride your tricycle again?)
4. firm discussion with older kid
5. asking older kid to let younger kid to use his toy without giving up rights of possession.
I never forced anyone to give up something they consider theirs. Maybe I was wrong...

Love the blog - as always,

[Hetty Fauxvert]

Patrick strikes me as able to understand logic admirably (when it suits him, of course!). Perhaps if you discussed it with him from another pt of view -- that the twins hardly EVER get a new toy, whereas that is all he has ever had? Perhaps he would become indignant on their behalf and insist on gifting them with the crap he really doesn't want anymore. Or, perhaps you could create a points system or ticket system -- for every X number of toys he "gifts" irrevocably to the kiddos, he gets a new toy himself.

In any case, you know what you have to get Patrick for Christmas, right? A cape! Indubitably! :)

[Hetty Fauxvert]

BTW, regarding the "eating up the babies" remarks -- I never said that to my kids, but I have been guilty of telling them I was going to chew on them, which is still kind of a weird remark, if you really think about it. So where does this impulse come from? It strikes me that we are not the only species with this impulse. Cats will actually chew the whiskers off another cat sometimes, if they are super-best-friends-forever with the other cat. Weird but true.

[Amy]

This is off the mark as far as what everyone is reading, but I am into an eductional, family history peice I am writing, so I am reading Born Fighting: How The Scots- Irish Shaped America by Jim Webb, I am learning quite alot about everyone with even a tiny bit of either strain in their DNA, from William Wallace to Ronald Reagan and unlike most historical reference peices, it is not that boring, pretty interesting as a matter of fact.

As always, Patrick is totally funny and cool, but you know that. Edward and Caroline are too cute. Speaking of toddlers doing things out of character, referencing Carolines Hissy Fit, my 3 year old, Addy, asked me, very nicely, for the first of what I am assuming will be many times, to please leave her room, close her door and also please leave her alone for a while. Hmmmm. I did as she asked and when I checked on her a few minutes later, she had Pull-Up'd,nightgowned,tucked herself in and she was.... asleep. It was very surreal. I love them, I love this time in our lives and I do not want it to ever end. I know you feel the same way.

About older to younger giving up/in: My 9 year old most of the time loves sharing her outgrown clothes/toys with the 3 year old. Like I said, most of the time. The other day, after I pulled out what had been one of her favorite dresses when she was younger, one she tried to wear way past the time that it suited her, she very wryly told me that it was okay with her that I was replacing her with the younger, cuter baby, and that she is beginning to feel like a member of the First Wives Club. I. am . not. kidding. My.9.year.old. I guess I am going to have to add Bette Midler/Goldie Hawn movies to the parental control list which up until now was only occupied by Degrassi. How'd you like that run-on sentence. I know, sorry. I am too tired to fix it.
Good luck with the articles, I know you will do great!
Oh! PS: I was reading a magazine, I forgot which one or where I was, but you were quoted as part of an ensemble of mothers, I don't remember, I will find it and report... it was weird, I was like, Julia? 6 year old Patrick, infant twins....? Minnesota, husband Steve? Why does this sound so familiar?! It took a surprisingly long time for me to figure it out!
So, again, good luck! You are a fabulous writer and interviewer, I, for one of many, will buy anything you write.

[Lesley]

I can't get over how adorable your kids are. What a cutie Caroline is! Her personality really shows in all the photos.

Regarding eyes changing, my daughter is 10 and her eyes are still changing. Blue at birth (just for a couple of days), then quite dark brown for years, now gradually changing to a light amber with an almost greenish outer edge and dark brown ring.

Jodi Picoult's books annoy me so much. My book club chose a number of hers so I was forced to read them. It has been a few years so I might not be remembering the details correctly, but my overall impression is one of extreme annoyance. Her books are readable, I guess, (perhaps on a long boring flight) but usually have, in addition to extreme and abusive emotional manipulation, illogical and annoying plots. For example, an epileptic lawyer who feels he must keep his epilepsy a secret. This drove me nuts - why would he do that? Also, his seizure dog would bring him a rubber thing to bite on during a seizure - why would a book about a child with cancer that had to have included a certain amount of medical research include such an outdated medical myth? And she throws in random urban legends but tries to make them part of every day conversation. Incredibly jarring and fake. It frustrates me that such crappy writing sells so many books, especially as there are so many amazing books out there.

Have you read Villette by Charlotte Bronte? That is wonderful. As far as recent books, I enjoyed the Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Kindred by Octavia Butler is on my list of what to read next.

Thanks so much for your blog. I read very few blogs anymore but yours is one of my favorites, due to your amazing writing ability.

[justdawn]

My (more than) slightly quirky 7 year old is currently fixated on the probability that our universe will collide with another one. Whomever thought allowing him to read Mental Floss magazine was a Good Plan should be bludgeoned.

And my second born kidlet's eyes didn't change until she was nearly two. I was actually hoping they would stay the steely grey color that they were...but nope. They turned brown. :)

[Channa]

My eyes changed from blue to green at around age 10. My husband has brown eyes. Now everyone wonders where my 3 year old son's beautiful blue eyes come from!

[Kar]

I recently love Joshylin Jackson, Between Georgia and Gods in Alabama. The Girl Who Stopped Swimming, less so, as a child dies and I can't take it. Jodi Picoult is an acquired taste I think, very tortured. Popular but I can't do it. Serial mysteries were my favorite when the kids were little as they are so much easier to pick up and put down, stuff like John D McDonald. Stephanie Plum for silly airy reading, Faye Kellerman for the more serious murder-y stuff. As for kids books (especially if they are for you), if you haven't read any by Natalie Babbit, you must. I especially recommend Tuck Everlasting, Goody Hall, The Search for Delicious and both of her The Devil's Storybooks, as well as Kneeknock Rise. Patrick might enjoy those and her latest Jack Plank Tells Tales.

As for sharing, my kids are 19 and 17 and still don't do it well. The general plan, to this day actually, is that it's easier to get forgiveness than permission so the younger plays with the stuff while the older isn't using it (like while he's at college) and I take the blame. Pretty sure that's not helpful though.

[IT'S SPOOKY]

HER EYES DIDN'T CHANGE, SOMEONE SWITCHED YER BABY!

[lb]

Gah, I can't even look at Jodi Picoult. I've had to read some for book club (looking above, I see I'm not alone here) and have just loathed them. It's the emotional equivalent of being beaten with a baseball bat by someone who is yelling "THIS IS INSPIRATIONAL! BE INSPIRED! YOUR HEART IS WARMED! YOU ARE MOOOOOOVVVVVEEED!!!" So: fake, heavy-handed, predictable, poorly written, overly emotional, trite...I'm running out of adjectives here, but you get the idea.

As for good stuff to read, I finally just finished Infinite Jest and so now I need something totally light "The Guernsey potato-peel and literary society" that someone lent me with a recommend. So far it's OK, but I'm still pondering IJ, so everything is coloured a bit by that.

[Carrie]

I just read one of the best books I've read in years--The Guernesy Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I guess I'm a little late getting on that bandwagon, but the description just didn't seem that interesting to me. It reminds me of L. M. Montogomery's writing. It's mainly about a little island in the English Channel that's occupied by Nazis during WWII. It made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me totally neglect my four year old for 8 hours.

I haven't read any of the Jodi Picoult books because they all sound so danged depressing. I don't like depressing.

[daysgoby]

I red the first Picoult book and thought it was excellent. Then she came out with a slew of others and I realized the chick trades in waterboarding you into thinking everything is so DEEEEEEP. And some of her books are just silly.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was good, though.

Caroline is GORGEOUS. My daughters eyes changed when she was three and a half. That's YEARS. Blue eyes, blue eyes, blue eyes....then BOOM! They went hazel.

[daysgoby]

Oh COME ON! I spelled Guernsey right and missed READ?

I obviously need more coffee.

[EB]

i'm reading American Wife and Edgar Sawtelle both are spectacular

can i get a smoosh of those cheeks please!!!omg - how totally adorable.

[Tracy]

I have a full-on Jodi Picoult Hate. I've been forced to read three of her books for my book club, and the next time I'll just call in sick. The last one, whose title I have erased from my memory, was particularly egregious because she actually inserted an advertisement for her favorite haircare products. Please. Also, I hate the "unexpected twist" that you *know*, once you've been exposed to one of her books, is coming. Because then you know it's coming and you figure it out long before the "big reveal."

Also, my DD's eyes changed from blue to hazel rather late - I think she was at least a year old. I'll have to go look up some pictures.

[Sarah]

On the eyes...we swore my 5 year old had hazel green from babyhood, but a recent baby album visit shows they were pretty darn blue until 15-18 months. Now quite hazel -they do that fun thing in which they go blue for blue shirt and green for green shirts.

And I fell in love with Eva Ibbotson in HS. My favorites ever. She is very easy to read, very dramatic, fun. I got the kids books afterward and they're OK. Star of Kazan is probably the closest to the adult books without being, well, adult.

Jodi Picoult gives me nightmares. Or rather I assume she has nightmares and writes about them very well. I leave the books feeling a tad manipulated.

And I meant to say I loved the Redbook piece. When I got the magazine I said aloud - ooh Julia!! And my family looks at me as if I were crazy.

[Kirsten]

I agree that Picoult=manipulative. Also, will second that Octavia Butler's Kindred is an amazing book, if somewhat traumatizing.

I just started The Master Butcher's Singing Club, by Louise Erdrich (for my book club), and I'm only on page 38, but I like it so far. Otherwise, I've been reading a lot of YA stuff lately - Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's Alice series, for example.

[Marsha]

I am in a Romance mood at the moment and am reading Jo Goodman's latest "Never Love a Lawman". I don't adore it, but I do recommend a number of her older books - don't let the titles fool you. I'm also reading "Claiming the Pen" by Katherine Kerrison. It's an academic work about women in the colonial South taking up literary self-direction. Very interesting and engaging and I'd say so even if the author weren't a friend.

And: my eyes changed color when I hit puberty. They had been blue and now they are green. My daughters eyes changed when she got to be about four from a light green to a greyish-hazelish.

[vanessa]

I bet Patrick would like...
The Mysterious Benedict Society
the Percy Jackson books
Jodi Picoult is often annoying but I did really like Plain Truth.
Nevada Barr is awesome, but I've only read her Anna Pigeon books.
Agree with Edgar Sawtelle and American Wife-two of my favorites. Curtis Sittenfeld is just awesome anytime, really.
Re seven and fears--I am by NO means an expert, but I find that it works well to do both--validate (thats a really scary idea, isn't it?) and soothe (but the chances of that happening are so very tiny).
The world is scary, dude. I remember being freaked out by the entire concept of...everything at 7.
The children are adorable. Move back to DC, kay?

[Karen]

I'm not a Picoult fan. There, I said it. I find her books schmaltzy and overwrought and improbable. Give me Ruth Rendell any day of the week.

**I just went up and read the comments and realized I'm not the only one who feels this way! We need to form a support group.

[Kara]

Eye Color:
Yes, my pediatrician told me (much to my dismay) that my daughter's lovely steel grey eyes could still change at her 18 month appointment. He said many babies' eyes don't change until they're nearly 2.

Sure enough, 6 months later, her eyes were an equally pretty milk chocolate color.

[Robyn]

It seems to me that Jodi Picoult writes for the sole purpose of depressing the general population. If you cry while reading her book, she has reached her goal!

I am totally into memoirs right now, and the latest batch is laugh-out-loud funny. I just finished When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris, which is (as typical with him) fantastic. Also, Wade Rouse's At Least in the City Someone Would Hear Me Scream is DIVINE. Finally, Mishna Wolff's I'm Down put me in the precarious position of explaining why I was laughing out loud during dinner one evening, so it's a winner in my book (ha!), as well.

[Lisa]

I just read In the Woods by Tana French. Someone I'd never heard of before. And I loved it so very much that the day after I finished it, I went out and bought her second one, The Likeness. Mysteries with beautiful writing and dialogue that made me laugh out loud. Not particularly scary. Go forth and find it.

Jodi Picoult. No. *shudder*

You have pretty babies.

[Emily]

Yep, my boy's eyes were the mystery-changeable 'gray-green-blue-gray-???' until about 18 mos, then they became definitely brown. Hmmm...interesting.

(And I dearly love, "ALL MINE!!")

[mothergoose]

just gotta say, my son had grey-blue eyes, then a spot of brown emerged in each around 12 months, now at 18 months they are mostly brown. According to my mom, mine did the same thing.

[Val]

Two comments for you :)

1. I am reading Daddy Needs a Drink by Robert Wilder, and I am also reading The Commitment by Dan Savage. I am thoroughly enjoying both.

2. My daughter had blue eyes through about 20 mo, then they started to slide into green. They are settled in a beautiful green now at age 4.5. My son has had blue eyes since birth, though lately they are seeming more blue/gray...I'm suspecting they may still change. He's 22 mo. :)

[Donna]

Just finished "Speed Shrinking" by Susan Shapiro - loved it!

[Amanda]

I finally got around to reading "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by the same author (Khalid Hosseini, I think) as "The Kite Runner." Tad depressing, but good and centered around the lives of women in Afganistan. Also read "The Memory Keepers Daughter" and "Water for Elephants" on a recent vacation, would definitely recommend both.

I have green-brown hazel eyes, which my 3yo has inherited. They still change color regularly. Last year, we thought they were more grey (like my husband), but this year they are definitely in the green-brown camp. And of course, whenever he or I cry, our eyes look bright green. Eye color is strange!

[Cara]

I am reading the new one by Audrey Niffenegger, Her Fearful Symmetry, and just adoring it. I also recommend loudly and longly the Tana Butler books, INto the Woods and The Lookalike. Sooooo good.

[Christine]

Sign me up with the Picoult-haters. I am really not very picky and usually don't mind a little emotional manipulation, but she is really annoyingly ham-fisted about it.

I have triplets (fraternal) who all had blue eyes up until almost two, when baby C's eyes turned green. My husband and I both have blue eyes too and Lily is very put out that she doesn't match the rest of the family. I imagine she will change her mind about that when she's a little older.

[MichelMom]

I just read Rebecca by du Maurier. I'm sure you've read it before, seems like everyone else had read it except me, but I loved it. I like Jodi Picoult, but not enough to read every one of her books. I agree with other comments - you have to read something light and happy afterwards to recover from the depression and emotional turmoil. I still haven't watched the movie - I'm pregnant now and have way too many hormones to watch something so depressing.
I absolutely LOVE Caroline's hair. Keep the bangs, they are adorable!

[Kristin]

My oldest son's eyes changed late like Caroline's did.

And, strangely, I'm in a small gap between books. I finished Soul Song by Marjorie M. Liu last night and haven't started my next one. Ms. Liu's books are quite excellent, btw.

[Julie]

In reference to Patrick's concern about asteroids smashing into the Earth, have you heard of the History Channel series called "The Universe?" Patrick might enjoy it. It's documentaries about space phenomenon with real pictures, computerized graphics, and demonstrations from all sorts of scientists. There was an episode in Season 3 about methods we could employ to avoid an asteroid collision - it's really fascinating.

And books - just wanted to vote for one someone mentioned in an earlier comment, Sara Gruen's "Water for Elephants" is really fantastic. Also recently I read and loved Diane Setterfield's "The Thirteenth Tale." I'm currently reading Eva Rice's "The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets" which is good so far - set in England in the 1950's which is not an era I've done a lot of reading about, so I'm enjoying that novelty.