I’ve read “Green Eggs and Ham” so many times over the past week, I’m starting to go a little crazy.  Luckily, world-renowned, award-winning author Neil Gaiman heard about my predicament, and decided to perform said classic piece of literature on Youtube, to the joy and jubilation of my entire family.

In the full spirit of the Doctor (Seuss), Gaiman has done his utmost to resemble a Seuss character in this video.  Although I’m anti-screen-time for little kiddies in general, somehow this doesn’t bother me, and Charlie has listened to it/watched it approximately 5 times this morning.  Gaiman, judging from this video, lives in a boat-house.  How cool is he?  SO COOL.

Gaiman actually read this in honor of a fundraising goal reached by Patrick Rothfuss’ (another great author) wonderful Heifer International fundraising organization, Worldbuilders.

Children’s Music to Love: Tom Chapin

Tom Chapin was on repeat in our household when I was growing up, and he hasn’t lost any of his spark, at least not to my ears. Charlie loves bopping along to the tunes her mama loved as a child, although she’s not old enough to appreciate the fabulously clever lyrics–at least I don’t think she understands them, but who knows?  She’s full of surprises these days.

Here’s one of my favorites (can you guess why?):

Stand-up on Parenthood!

Happy Saturday, y’all.

Children’s Music to Love: Elizabeth Mitchell

We discovered Elizabeth Mitchell the way many modern parents must discover new children’s music: through a Pandora station.  Since first hearing her folk-meets-children style online, I’ve purchased her popular and award-winning You Are My Little Bird, as well as my favorite, Little Seed: Songs for Children by Woody Guthrie.  

“Toward a More Expansive Definition of ‘Princess'”

“Toward a More Expansive Definition of ‘Princess'”

My childhood best friend gave my 19-month-old daughter (read = me) the first two of Patricia C. Wrede’s Enchanted Forest chronicles for Christmas.  My friend and I read these books together when we were 9 or 10, and we loved every minute of them then.  What we didn’t know was that we were also adding some significant building blocks to our feminist sensibilities in the process.  The above article, published last May in The Atlantic, is both entertaining and thought-provoking.   And, since I’m now re-reading the entire series, in honor of little girls everywhere and the fantastically-low temps outside our windows, I thought I’d share.

Just adding to the princess debate, y’all.

Children’s Music To Love: Caspar Babypants

Friends have long been on my case about posting some of our favorite music for kids, so here is the start of what I hope will be a long and informative series.

Caspar Babypants, aka Chris Ballew, is a member of the alt-rock group The Presidents of the United States of America (they have a new album due out this February, so are officially not defunct).  In the middle of a successful rock career, Ballew had kids, and released his first Caspar album, Here I Am! in 2009.

The Truth about Breastfeeding: or, Co-sleeping Part II and Nursing a Toddler

Before I had a kid, I was pretty lukewarm on the whole breastfeeding thing.  I’m a more or less independent woman with a penchant for excellent beer and a sincere attachment to my creature comforts.  The idea of a small squalling creature attaching itself to a sensitive part of my anatomy every hour on the hour did not appeal to me, to say the least.

While I was pregnant, I read this excellent article on “the case against breastfeeding.”  Rather than just an argument for why you shouldn’t nurse your child, Hanna Rosin pitches the (outrageous) idea that breastmilk is not some magical substance, something between manna and liquid unicorn horns, that will make your baby superhuman.  Is it good for your kid?  Sure, without a doubt.  But is it really worth the pain, shame, heartache, and general malaise it causes mothers (and fathers) today?  Not really.