Hadley and I  finished Charlotte’s Web last night and I surprised even myself when I started to cry when Charlotte died. I could’ve sobbed. It’s such a beautiful book. On the inside of our book it says in pretty swoopy cursive “To Emily – 7 yrs old from Grandmother Padden Christmas 1980”. My grandma always only bought us books. Being a well read woman and a voracious reader, that was her thing for the grandkids. Books. Hadley loves that it was my book. So do I actually.

Now that H is fully obsessed with the whole chapter book scene I’m going to pick up Stuart Little next. Might as well just move on to another E.B. White book.

The last paragraph of Charlotte’s Web is brilliant and I read it again to myself after finishing it with Hadley last night:

Wilbur never forgot Charlotte. Although he loved her children and grandchildren dearly, none of the new spiders ever quite took her place in his heart. She was in a class by herself. It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer. Charlotte was both.

I love it.

On the Finn front, before I forget his latest obsession is Diego, Dora’s cousin, who now has his own show “Go Diego Go”. Finn calls it “Eggo Go”. He has also taken to mashed potatoes, which he calls “Masha Tatoes”. I’m trying harder to engage him and be patient and creative instead of always squawking at him to stop what he is doing. To stop standing on the cat. To stop screaming bloody murder. To stop hitting his friend Jilli with anything and everything. Sigh. I’m trying. The difference between boys and girls is FASCINATING. I’m so glad I have one of each. They are our little science experiments. At 2 years and 2 months, Finn is still in his crib and still wearing diapers thankyouverymuch. I am in no rush. He will not wear diapers to college and we will not have to pack up his crib for him to take to college either. It will happen naturally. I feel like I’m always getting the questions “Are you potty training? Have you started potty training? Are you going to start potty training? Is he in a big boy bed? Is he in a toddler bed? Do you need a toddler bed? He isn’t in a big boy bed?”

Stop saying “big boy bed” first of all. It’s creeping me out. Secondly, he is in no way ready to even start potty training so I will save myself some time and just wait. This is not a race and there is no award if you child can pee in a potty by age 2.5. As far as the moving him to a real bed stuff goes…why do I want him free to roam around as he pleases again?

The Emmys are on Sunday night. I sort of don’t care strangely, but will of course TiVo it so I can watch it later and judge everyone.

Happy Friday people.