Recommended Reads & Music: for Kids & Moms

Decided to take a departure from my typical blog post, and share with you some new books and music worth-noting that have come to my attention of late. You might enjoy checking out the following:

Music:

NAME YOUR TUNE
http://www.nameyourtune.com
Personalized CDs for Children
They make music compilations personalized for each child. Your child's name is a feature part of each song. It's super cute, and a great gift. Seth can't get enough of his.

LULLABIES & WILDFLOWERS
by Melissa Errico
The music is really beautiful. Melissa has a gorgeous voice. She is a critically acclaimed Broadway performer and mom, and this is her first CD for children.
http://www.amazon.com/Lullabies-Wildflowers-Melissa-Errico/dp/B00167TT9Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1210690489&sr=1-1

I CAN DO IT BY MYSELF
by Audra Rox
I love this super cool kids band. They perform a lot in NYC, so you can see them live, if you like their sound. Seth & I love them.
http://cdbaby.com/cd/audrarox/

FAST & FEISTY
by Princess Katie & Racer Steve
This is their latest CD. Another really great kids band. Have seen them in concert in NYC, and they totally rock. Very hip lyrics and catchy beats. Seth wants to be like Racer Steve when he grows up.
http://yhst-26705432187197.stores.yahoo.net/index.html

MOMMY KNOWS BEST
by Jeanie B! And The Jelly Beans
Clever, fun, entertaining tunes that kids and moms will love. Amusing lyrics, celebrating a mother's special relationship with her kids. http://www.jeaniebmusic.com

Books on CD:

Billy Brown -- various tales available
Kiddio makes an adorable series of stories on CD about Billy Brown, a fun-loving bear every kid will embrace. http://www.kiddioadventures.com

Books for Kids:

BE HOSPITABLE
by Todd Parr
Todd Parr is for sure one of the coolest kids authors/illustrators on the planet. This is his latest title, a special World United Edition with process benefiting athletes and programs of the U.S. Paralympic Team, of which the Hilton Family of Hotels is an official sponsor. Fabulous colorful illustrations, and a positive message, teaching kids about being hospitable. http://hiltonfamily.americanid.com/ProductDetail.aspx?did=4947&pid=49759

WILLIAM IS GOING GREEN
by James Martin II
Ths is the first book in a new series featuring William the Garbage Truck. William learns about conservation, makes friends, shares lessons, and transforms into a green hybrid recycling truck committed to the fight against global warming. A really meanigful message for kids. Seth, being the truck love that he is, enjoys this tale. http://www.williamthegarbagetruck.com

Books for Mom:

THE MODERN MOM'S GUIDE TO DADS
by Hogan Hilling & Jesse Jayne Rutherford
http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Moms-Guide-Dad-Husbands/dp/1581826060/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210692400&sr=1-1

MARGARITA MAMMA: Mocktails for Moms-to-Be
by Alyssa Gusenoff
http://www.quirkbooks.com/Book.aspx?BID=286

CHOOSING SINGLE MOTHERHOOD
by Mikki Morrissette
http://www.amazon.com/Choosing-Single-Motherhood-Thinking-Womans/dp/0618833323/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210692354&sr=1-1

SMOTHERHOOD: Wickedly Funny Confessions from the Early Years
by Amanda Lamb
http://www.amazon.com/Smotherhood-Wickedly-Funny-Confessions-Early/dp/1599212080/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210692287&sr=1-1

Look at me - I'm Homer Simpson!

Ever since I got pregnant and had a baby, I crave beer. Good, cold, fancy imported beer. A substance that used to make me nauseous at the mere smell of it (a residual effect of my college days when I used to go to fraternity parties). It started in the middle of my pregnancy and I thought it would stop after I had the baby. But it hasn't. In fact, it's gotten more pronounced six months after giving birth. My husband and I are big wine drinkers and typically have a glass of wine with dinner every night. But now all I want is beer - and all that it symbolizes: a nice pick me up, transition from work day to evening relaxation (yeah, right, like that's possible with two young children), adulthood, etc.

The other thing I really craved and still do is donuts. The apple fritters from Starbucks are my particular favorite. I don't allow myself to have too many donuts now. But I do have a good beer a couple of times a week.

I realized this newfound love for beer and donuts has turned me into Homer Simpson. Who have you become since you had children?

Pat Benatar, Concert for KIDS?

The other night, my husband and I finally found the right rock concert for our three young children to enjoy.

Our oldest at 9, Robert’s entrée into the concert arena had been to see Peter Frampton at the same theatre during the summer 2006. I’ve actually had people ask WHO? when I waxed poetic about the infamous Frampton Comes Alive album of 1976 that made A & M records a gazillion dollars and put Frampton on the map. But now, it was our girls’ turn.

So, off to the theatre-in-the-round we went, literally 7 minutes from our house, to our daughters’ first real rock ‘n roll concert ever.

No one has to ask when you mention Pat Benatar, the four-time Grammy winning megastar, named “Best Female Rock Vocal Performance” for 1980 and 1981. A Lindenhurst native, now 55 with two daughters, Benatar rocked the house with her just left of “over-the-top” 80’s, epic pop music. Building to a moving, demonic fever pitch on “Hell Is For Children,” she explained the lyrical origin came from a New York Times article on child abuse that Neil Giraldo (second husband of 16 years) “made the guitar cry to.”

My husband, Tom, and I were amazed at Giraldo, a.k.a Spyder’s musical talent that has been under the radar. And after almost 30 years, the lyrics still held up. We Belong to the sound of the words we’re both falling under, whatever we deny or embrace for worse or for better, we belong, we belong together…

I felt it, hugging my two daughters, Kelly next to me and Melanie on daddy’s lap, as Robert craned his neck around the 40-something-year-old ladies in front of us clearly out for a reminiscing evening, arms linked swaying together…We Belong!

It occurred to me as Benatar commanded the stage both with her tough, theatrical presence and strong voice, how empowering she and her music are. I remember countless times in my life growing up on Long Island driving with groups of friends pumped up for a night out at Rum Runners, or the Dublin Pub or days baking in the sun on Jones Beach or Centre Island, listening to Benatar. Times after a breakup when I leaned on her for support and sang at the top of my lungs … …Promises in the Dark…never again, isn’t that what you said, you’d been through this before and swore this time you’d think with your head… you go girl, that’s how I feel. She would dust me off and set me on my merry way, again.

Benatar said it best at the Friday, April 11th concert, “In 1979, there was only one woman allowed on the radio at a time. And now, things have changed that a woman and black man are running for the White House.”

Times have changed and Benatar had much to do with shaping the pop culture.

After performing in amateur nights at Catch a Rising Star in Manhattan in 1977, Benatar formed a band with Giraldo. When she exploded onto the scene in ‘79, with “Heartbreaker” reaching #23 on the charts, there was a lull in women’s music where Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez had died down. We were left with sickingly sweet Olivia Newton John and borderline Linda Ronstadt. Thankfully, women’s attitude finally cleaved its way into rock n’ roll with Blondie’s first US hit “Heart of Glass” in ‘78, Chrissy Hynde and the Pretenders’ “Brass in Pocket,”in ’79, then Joan Jett’s “I love Rock ‘n Roll” and Madonna’s “Everybody” both in 1982…

Benatar’s stream of hits throughout the 80’s: “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” “You Better Run,” “Treat Me Right,” “Precious Time,” “Shadows of the Night,” “Invincible,”…paved the way for the Suzanne Vega and Tracy Chapman “acoustic” women of the late ‘80s.

It was fitting that Pat Benatar would be my daughters’ first concert.

Priceless Kodak moment as our six-year-old, Melanie, sang along with the crowd and Benatar You’re a heartbreaker, dream maker, love taker don’t you mess around with me. And believe me, you wouldn’t want to mess with Melanie and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Another generation of women is touched by Benatar’s voice still strong after all these years. Thanks for decades of music Pat. Bravo!

Communal Germs

Let me start by saying we had a really nice trip to Boston. We went away last week, during spring break, with Seth, to Beantown. There is so much to do there, and we totally lucked out with the weather, so all was great, for the most part. I highly recommend it as a destination. That said, the tide changed radically once we got home.....

We returned Sunday night, and I felt immediately swamped. Mail to read. Tons of emails. Calls to return. Appointments to make. Unpacking...etc. Vacation was surely over. I did what I could and turned in early (for me)....glad to be sleeping in my own bed again....and at 2AM, major stomach discomfort kicked in. I wound up spending most of the evening in and out of the bathroom and was in bed all the next day. Some kind of stomach flu hit me big time, and I was feeling nothing but pain. My back hurt...legs ached, stomach churned. I lived on saltines, jello and other super light food for the next few days, and still feel like my energy is seriously zapped.

The day after I took ill, Seth started complaining his throat hurt when he yawned, and he wondered if that was normal. He's not one typically to complain, so we listened up. We kept him home from school that day, and Marc took him to the pediatrician the following morning. I'm so glad he did. Were it up to me, I would have thought that Seth just had a sore throat. But, shockingly, I got a call from Marc on his way to the pharmacy with Seth, and he said Seth had strep throat. My first thought was....Yikes! I already had it this winter....no not again....strep germs in the house.

Then, the day after, Marc announced that he didn't feel well and came home early from work. He then spent the entire next day in bed, as I had, and went to the doctor with a scratchy throat. Luckily his isn't strep, but the doctor didn't want it to develop. Both he and Seth are now on antibiotic...and I wait with baited breath...and pray that it won't catch up with me.

I do feel somewhat sniffly today, so I'm popping extra Vitamin C and Echinacea and hoping for the best. Must go to bed early, or at least try to.

We have weekend plans that can't be cancelled, and I have to rise to the occasion.

This week has been unreal. This is my first experience with all of us being ill at the very same time. And, not even exactly with the same virus. Crazy!

I'm wiped out from it all...not to mention feeling behind in some things I expected to get done. Oh well. Such is the life of a parent.

Next week will hopefully be better. And, if weather permits, I'm going to open all the doors and windows and air out the house....and pull out the cans of Lysol and disinfect like a mad woman. And, get out my hand sanitizer and use it religiously. One of my mom friends, knowing how sick I've been this winter with miscellaneous bugs, suggested I get myself a surgical mask for protection. Hmmm...now that's a thought. :)

Have you ever had this experience?