Change is Good

Last night I was relaxing in a comfy chair cruisin' the net with my laptop. For some reason both Tater and Racer climbed onto my lap (did I mention there was a laptop there?) and put their arms around my neck. Being the cranky mommy that I am, I gave them both sharp jabs to the ribs and said, "Get off me!" But they didn't budge. I was just about to repeat myself when I realized my 10- and 11-year-old kids were SITTING on my lap. I decided to go with it. I set aside the laptop, and we just hung out there and hugged for awhile.

Racer began to reminisce. She said, "Remember when we used to read books together in your bed every night?"

Tater responded, "Yeah, can we do that tonight?"

From the time they were babes until they were in 2nd and 3rd grades, family book reading was a bedtime ritual. After baths the kids would pile into our bed with their wet hair, footie PJs, and Johnson's baby lotion skin. And then I would read to them. The ritual slowly fizzled as the kids moved into chapter books and their reading interests diverged. (Magic Tree House for Tater, Junie B. Jones for Racer.)

So last night we decided we'd read a few old favorites and a few of the new books we'd bought for Spud.

Everyone brushed teeth, put on their PJs, and squeezed into my bed. And I mean squeezed.

Once we managed to get cozy, I began reading one of their all-time favorites, The Giant Jam Sandwich, a lovely story about how the clever people of a town infested with wasps build a giant jam sandwich to trap the annoying insects. At the end of the book I was basking in the warm fuzziness of it all when Tater blurted, "That story is SO dumb." Racer broke into a fit of giggles. Not wanting to lose the mood, I gently reminded them how much they used to love when the townspeople baked the giant bread, spread the sticky jam, and finally squished the unsuspecting wasps by dropping the bread on them. I thought Tater's eyes were misting over, but I was wrong. "Whatever," he replied, rolling his eyes. Then we all burst out laughing.

Our next old favorite was Guess How Much I Love You (who can resist Little Nutbrown Hare?) followed by What Do You Do With a Kangaroo? (Throw him out -- that's what you do!)

Then we made new favorites that we can't wait to share with Spud. We think he'll love The Sneetches, Let's Talk About Race, and Bippity Bop Barbershop!

In the end, the evening wasn't exactly like the "old days" . . .

Tater is a little stinkier.
Racer is a little gigglier.
And I'm a little wrinklier.

. . . it was better.

Peace.