So sadly for the first Wednesday in many months, there is no new episode of So You Think You Can Dance tonight. The series concluded its third season with last Thursday's two hour finale and rightfully crowned Sabra (Johnson) "America's Favorite Dancer." As I mentioned in an earlier post with the exception of Project Runway and the past season of Idol, I tend to avoid reality competion programming. I prefer my TV fictional, thanks. That said, I effing loved this summer's SYTYCD. A large part of that I'm sure relates to my past life as a dancer but I think there's something to be said for dance as an artform (in addition to a competition) being exhibited on primetime. On Idol, regardless of the singers' talent, there will never be performances I'd care about in any other context ie; I will never buy an Idol's music no matter how much I may have been a "fan" at the time.
Not so with So You Think You Can Dance. All of the dancers and nearly all of the choreo in this season reeeeally impressed me. So much so that I totally geeked out and got tickets to see the tour here in L.A. So while I lament my now SYTYCD-free existence, I'll also look back and relish some of my favorite dances and dancers of Season 3.
Top 5 Dancers:
5) Neil- Initially, I was quite meh on Neil when he was kept over my fellow former Paso Roblan, Jesus (Chuy.) Chuy had performed phenomenally in the previous weeks while Neil had only been okay and the conspiracy theorist in me was convinced that Neil was saved solely to appease the tweens for the tour. Neil must've felt the collective disgust radiating from all TWoP viewers because the next week, he really stepped up his game. He continued to improve in performance, technique, and 'reality show persona' appeal and by the time he was left standing in the Top Four, he'd fully won me over. Neil's consistent weakness was a lack of chemistry with his partners but Sara and Sabra loosened him up a bit and his last four solos were nothing short of outstanding.
4) Lauren- Ironic that a contestant with inside connections to the show would become an underdog of sorts but for me, Lauren was just that. I (wisely as it turns out) had avoided the boards for reality show competions so perhaps the Lauren hate was par for the course, but never had I seen so much vitriol and anger directed at a talented nineteen year old on a reality show. People at TWoP HATE Lauren (all caps.) They wished her gruesome, violent ends, flat out accused her of being a slut, and talked at length about how physically hideous and talentless she is. Um... she's not. Any of those things. At first, my Lauren support was a direct reaction to some of the scarier, meaner posters. But as it turns out, Lauren's a really good dancer. Some of her solos were lame, but some were excellent. She had a great chemistry with Danny and the night she left, she absolutely KILLED Wade Robson's opening group piece.
3) Sabra- Yay! Sabra won! I didn't always feel Sabra was the most dynamic dancer, but she was consistently excellent beginning with her solo on the first elimination show. There are two ways to look at Sabra- either she got very lucky throughout OR the show tried to throw her under the bus and she always rose above it. The Dom and Sabra partnership was arguably the most entertaining and sweet on the series, but Sabra's best partner in the competition was contemporary choreography. She excelled at the pieces by Mandy Moore and Wade Robson and always made those dances look effortless and beautiful. She earned the win.
2) Danny (fucking) Tidwell- Danny was best dancer ever on the show. Most everyone is in agreement on this point. Danny's challenge was being an interesting performer and for me, that didn't happen until the Top 8 performances. (Though in retrospect, all of his Top 10 performances are fantastic.) Danny didn't win me over until he gamely sold cheesy hip hop choreo with a goofy smile on his face and for the first time ever, looked like he was having fun. After that, he had me for good. He's a brilliant technician and can be a mesmerizing performer. His 60 second solo in the Top 4 performances is dancing on a level above every one of his competitors. He'll be okay without the win, but he's the only contestant I actually voted for twice and as a viewer, I feel lucky to be given the opportunity to see Danny Tidwell dance.
1) Sara (Von Gillern)- Unfortunately, I didn't really realize Sara was my favorite dancer until about halfway through the competition. Sara adapted to every style effortlessly. She was in more of my favorite dances of the season than any other competitor. More than that though, Sara had an earthy, fun sensibility that came across as very real. She made it through the reality show machine without becoming perceived as a caricature, a villain, a slut, fake, dumb, backstabbing, simpering, needy, or any of the other cartoonish reality archetypes that exist. She was total class the entire competition. To her credit (and my delight,) Sara was featured more than any other dancer in the Thursday finale performing a total of six dances. This bodes very well for her stage time on the tour.
Top 10 Dances:
(Go to YouTube for as many of these as you can. For whatever reason, I can't hyperlink on my Mac. Grrr. Argh.)
10) Danny/Lacey Samba (Top 10)- Admittedly, this piece begins with fantastic music and choreo, but Danny and Lacey dance the hell out of it.
9) Neil/Sara Disco (Top 10)- New partnership and kinda lame choreo but really, really entertaining and fun.
8) You Can't Stop the Beat Group Dance (Top 14)- Choreo by guest judge and Hairspray director/choreographer, Adam Shankman. Infectious music and dancing; near flawless execution.
7) Neil/Lauren Pop Jazz (Top 14)- After a few lackluster weeks, Lauren and Neil finally get it right and own this funky, character driven piece. Roisin Murphy music and Wade choreo help them immensely.
6) Pasha/Sara West Coast Swing (Top 14)- Chuy who? Seriously, Pasha and Sara have some of the best chemistry on the show which becomes hugely apparent in their first performance together, a high energy WCS routine choreographed by last year's SYTYCD winner, Benji Schwimmer. Almost instantly, it becomes a classic performance.
5) Dom/Sabra Contemporary (Top 18)- Beautiful. First appearance of choreographer Mandy Moore who easily made the season for me. Her partner work is so intricate and innovative and Dom and Sabra really, really sold this dance.
4) Neil/Sabra Jazz (Top 6)- Another Mandy Moore piece. Incorporated both dancers's strengths to tell a clever story with a combo of funky and classic choreography. One of the few great dances of the year that succeeds more through the choreo than the performances.
3) The Moment I Said It Group Dance (Top 10)- Mia Michaels's choreo at its best. After a banner year in Season 2, Mia faltered quite a bit but this group number showcases all of her strengths. Great partner work, excellent use of the stage, bonus points for focusing on Danny, this dance warrants multiple viewings. (Tiny detractor: masks make it hard to identify which dancer is which.)
2) 2:19 Group Dance (Top 6)- Tom fucking Waits song and bizarre Wade choreo, but this totally works. Most people hated it but I think it's amazing. Initially, heavy makeup and costumes threatened to overshadow the actual dancing but two things really make this piece work in execution, Neil and Lauren. Lauren particularly, is absolutely captivating to watch in this performance.
1) Pasha/Sara Jazz (Top 12)- I've watched this close to twenty times. Everything succeeds here- Mandy Moore's trademark choreo, the use of Queen's Body Language, the would be cheesy costumes that actually function toward the concept of the piece, Pasha's and Sara's talent, Pasha's and Sara's chemistry. It's weird and unsettling and the complete antithesis of the hip pop-lite Shane Sparks choreo that makes its way down the pike to appease the masses; it's brilliant. Seriously, search pasha sara on YouTube and watch this dance!
I'm not sure any of these will be featured on the tour but through the beauty of the internet, I can watch them over and over again. And I have.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
She Has a Reader Comment and Gets Excited (turns out it's an assignment)
So my sister (RookieMom Whitney) tagged me with this Meme.
First, the Rules:
1) Post these rules before you give your facts
2) List 8 random facts about yourself
3) At the end of your post, choose (tag) people and list their names, linking to them
4) Leave a comment on their blog, letting them know they’ve been tagged [GeekyGirl's note: Rules 3 and 4 aren't likely. My online friends don't keep blogs. We're more message board people.]
And now… my facts:
1) Despite the fact that my (half) sister is nearly a decade older than me and has never lived with my parents, younger brother, and me, I still forever feel like the middle child in our family with all the neuroses that entails.
2) In eleventh grade, my high school dance company traveled to NYC to perform in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with 500 other dancers from around the country. Highs included seeing *NSync on a float right in front of us, being on The Today Show, and seeing The Lion King on Broadway. Lows included fourteen hour rehearsals in the basement of the hotel with southern dance captains who closely resembled S.S. officers, starving for a week, and walking the entire parade route in relentless November rain and spandex.
3) Though I come from a loooong line of educators (both parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, great aunts, etc.) I've never for a minute seriously considered a teaching career.
4) I've seen the movie Clueless over a hundred times and probably still have it memorized (though I haven't tested that in a while.)
5) It's important to me to marry a man who's Jewish.
6) In eighth grade my friends and I made a documentary about me called Emily's Hollywood Connections. Essentially, I did six degrees of...any two movies they could think of (before the practice was marketed as Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.) I still have a copy of the script.
7) When I was 18, I appeared in a "man on the street" fashion feature for Time Out NY. (Backstory: my sister's friend Danielle was the photog and she took pics of my sis and me sporting various trends on the sidewalk outside of her apartment.)
8) In high school, as a dancer at 5'2'', 110 lbs. I felt "fat." Sometimes that insecurity still creeps up and results in my not eating for two or three days.
First, the Rules:
1) Post these rules before you give your facts
2) List 8 random facts about yourself
3) At the end of your post, choose (tag) people and list their names, linking to them
4) Leave a comment on their blog, letting them know they’ve been tagged [GeekyGirl's note: Rules 3 and 4 aren't likely. My online friends don't keep blogs. We're more message board people.]
And now… my facts:
1) Despite the fact that my (half) sister is nearly a decade older than me and has never lived with my parents, younger brother, and me, I still forever feel like the middle child in our family with all the neuroses that entails.
2) In eleventh grade, my high school dance company traveled to NYC to perform in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with 500 other dancers from around the country. Highs included seeing *NSync on a float right in front of us, being on The Today Show, and seeing The Lion King on Broadway. Lows included fourteen hour rehearsals in the basement of the hotel with southern dance captains who closely resembled S.S. officers, starving for a week, and walking the entire parade route in relentless November rain and spandex.
3) Though I come from a loooong line of educators (both parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, great aunts, etc.) I've never for a minute seriously considered a teaching career.
4) I've seen the movie Clueless over a hundred times and probably still have it memorized (though I haven't tested that in a while.)
5) It's important to me to marry a man who's Jewish.
6) In eighth grade my friends and I made a documentary about me called Emily's Hollywood Connections. Essentially, I did six degrees of...any two movies they could think of (before the practice was marketed as Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.) I still have a copy of the script.
7) When I was 18, I appeared in a "man on the street" fashion feature for Time Out NY. (Backstory: my sister's friend Danielle was the photog and she took pics of my sis and me sporting various trends on the sidewalk outside of her apartment.)
8) In high school, as a dancer at 5'2'', 110 lbs. I felt "fat." Sometimes that insecurity still creeps up and results in my not eating for two or three days.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
Scrubs, Some Family, and Seventies Cinema
Oy, that alliteration is clunky. 'Scarlett' was the obvious choice but I had actual guilt about excluding the rest of the M-C tribe.
Thing 1- Jenna Fischer was nominated. Boo. But so was Neil Patrick Harris! Like Drew, I'm ecstatic about that nod as well as the one for the cast of Heroes. Everything else was exactly as predicted. I'm kind of obsessed with Scrubs right now (in syndication) so I'm bummed Zach Braff et al weren't recognized. Those actors are some of the most underrated comedians on television.
Thing 2- Yesterday, I got back from a fantastic Berkeley visit. In between catching up and playing with the babies, my sister and I worked on feminizing some of Julian's hand-me-downs for lovely Scarlett. (Pictures to follow. Maybe.) Julian is as cuddly sweet and articulate and hilarious as ever. In Liptonian (Pivotian) speak, the sound or noise that I love is his tiny, adorable voice saying, "I want you to play with me, Auntie Em." And all of my misgivings about Scarlett have completely vanished. Man, do I love that baby girl.
Thing 3- I'm currently reading Peter Biskind's Easy Riders, Raging Bulls regarding the New Hollywood movement in the seventies. I remain dubious about the veracity of much of Biskind's reporting as the book's anecdotal content seems largely apocryphal. Still, it's a fascinating chronological synthesis of sex, drugs, and the filmic revolution. The book has inspired me to finally sit down and watch all of those '70s classics I've never seen.
To date:
8. Young Frankenstein (1974)
7. Shampoo (1975)- Not Robert Towne's finest script, but the film epitomizes the absence of happy endings in this decade. One of the few generically romantic comedies that doesn't end with a kiss, marriage, and/or birth.
6. The Godfather II (1974)- A brilliant film, but it needs the context of the first one and as such can't transcend its predecessor's significance.
5. MASH (1972)- Black comedy at its best. A superb film.
4. The Godfather (1972)- Brilliant.
3. Five Easy Pieces (1970)- I was surprised by how much I loved this. A really sparse character study that never relies on cliches or contrivances. Really strong, literate storytelling anchored by resonant, thoughtful performances. If you like quiet, indie character pieces, I highly recommend it.
2. Chinatown (1974)- From beginning to end, a phenomenal film. Robert Towne's finest script. Everything works in this film- the story, the setting, the characters (and actors,) the mystery, the eleventh hour reveal, and the deeply nihilistic conclusion. A fantastic period piece, a smart whodunit; this is really elegant filmmaking.
1. Network (1976)- Network might be the best film ever made. It might also be my new favorite film. I'll have to watch it a few more times to truly decide, but fortunately, it absolutely warrants repeated viewings. In fact, thirty years later when everything the film predicted has come to pass, it almost requires repeated viewings. There's much to be said about the breadth and depth of Paddy Chayefsky's prescient satire, but what stuck with me most is that Network is a film by adults for adults. Of all the lunacies and betrayals Cassandra-ed by Peter Finch's character, youth obsessed culture is at most, implicit and arguably, ignored altogether. But the youth obsession, the MySpace-ing that permeates all media now, precludes films like Network from getting made and being seen. To its extreme credit, Network never feels like a lecture (which is more than I can say for Spike Lee's homage, Bamboozled.) It is smart and accessible, well-paced and clever, darkly funny with genuine moments of tragedy. It is quite possibly the most incredible film in a decade of incredible films and everyone should see it and see it again.
This entry feels a bit like blog consomme. I'm going to try to avoid this approach from now on.
Thing 1- Jenna Fischer was nominated. Boo. But so was Neil Patrick Harris! Like Drew, I'm ecstatic about that nod as well as the one for the cast of Heroes. Everything else was exactly as predicted. I'm kind of obsessed with Scrubs right now (in syndication) so I'm bummed Zach Braff et al weren't recognized. Those actors are some of the most underrated comedians on television.
Thing 2- Yesterday, I got back from a fantastic Berkeley visit. In between catching up and playing with the babies, my sister and I worked on feminizing some of Julian's hand-me-downs for lovely Scarlett. (Pictures to follow. Maybe.) Julian is as cuddly sweet and articulate and hilarious as ever. In Liptonian (Pivotian) speak, the sound or noise that I love is his tiny, adorable voice saying, "I want you to play with me, Auntie Em." And all of my misgivings about Scarlett have completely vanished. Man, do I love that baby girl.
Thing 3- I'm currently reading Peter Biskind's Easy Riders, Raging Bulls regarding the New Hollywood movement in the seventies. I remain dubious about the veracity of much of Biskind's reporting as the book's anecdotal content seems largely apocryphal. Still, it's a fascinating chronological synthesis of sex, drugs, and the filmic revolution. The book has inspired me to finally sit down and watch all of those '70s classics I've never seen.
To date:
8. Young Frankenstein (1974)
7. Shampoo (1975)- Not Robert Towne's finest script, but the film epitomizes the absence of happy endings in this decade. One of the few generically romantic comedies that doesn't end with a kiss, marriage, and/or birth.
6. The Godfather II (1974)- A brilliant film, but it needs the context of the first one and as such can't transcend its predecessor's significance.
5. MASH (1972)- Black comedy at its best. A superb film.
4. The Godfather (1972)- Brilliant.
3. Five Easy Pieces (1970)- I was surprised by how much I loved this. A really sparse character study that never relies on cliches or contrivances. Really strong, literate storytelling anchored by resonant, thoughtful performances. If you like quiet, indie character pieces, I highly recommend it.
2. Chinatown (1974)- From beginning to end, a phenomenal film. Robert Towne's finest script. Everything works in this film- the story, the setting, the characters (and actors,) the mystery, the eleventh hour reveal, and the deeply nihilistic conclusion. A fantastic period piece, a smart whodunit; this is really elegant filmmaking.
1. Network (1976)- Network might be the best film ever made. It might also be my new favorite film. I'll have to watch it a few more times to truly decide, but fortunately, it absolutely warrants repeated viewings. In fact, thirty years later when everything the film predicted has come to pass, it almost requires repeated viewings. There's much to be said about the breadth and depth of Paddy Chayefsky's prescient satire, but what stuck with me most is that Network is a film by adults for adults. Of all the lunacies and betrayals Cassandra-ed by Peter Finch's character, youth obsessed culture is at most, implicit and arguably, ignored altogether. But the youth obsession, the MySpace-ing that permeates all media now, precludes films like Network from getting made and being seen. To its extreme credit, Network never feels like a lecture (which is more than I can say for Spike Lee's homage, Bamboozled.) It is smart and accessible, well-paced and clever, darkly funny with genuine moments of tragedy. It is quite possibly the most incredible film in a decade of incredible films and everyone should see it and see it again.
This entry feels a bit like blog consomme. I'm going to try to avoid this approach from now on.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Emmy Noms Eve
Considering how TV obsessed I am, I really don't have a lot of investment in the Emmys as an institution. Hollywood politics aside, the creator of the greatest television show in my lifetime thus far and possibly ever, has yet to win one. (Yep, it's Joss.) Any awards show that purports to be about excellence in television and yet never recognized the brilliance of Buffy, The Vampire Slayer isn't really worth its salt. But...
Considering how TV obsessed I am, I'd be remiss to not acknowledge that nominations (however unwarranted they may be) are once again upon us. In about 12 hours, all nominees will officially be announced (and I'm sure I'll have much more to say,) but in the interim, a few Emmy-related random observations and opinions.
1. Jenna Fischer. This is a hugely unpopular opinion throughout the world wide web and the world over but, I do not care for Jenna Fischer. I don't want to read her blog, I don't want to be her BFF and I don't think she's a very good actress. I'm sure she's a lovely person (though I recently saw an interview that would suggest otherwise,) but she's just not that interesting to me on screen and she's kinda made me hate Pam. I didn't enjoy The Speech and I thought the moment really highlighted Fischer's limitations as an actress. Of course, The Speech is probably the exact moment that will garner her a nod.
2. Heroes. I don't think Heroes has a chance of earning any substantive nominations (make up is probably its best bet,) but no other show kept me engaged or on the edge of my seat as much as Heroes did in its inaugural season. I don't have a lot to say about the dialogue, but to its credit, the acting on Heroes far surpasses what's typically seen in such genre-driven programs. You want to hate her because she's seventeen and looks like Malibu Beach Skipper, but Hayden Panettiere is really fucking good. As is Jack Coleman.
3. Lauren Graham. Lauren Graham will inevitably be passed over, but it doesn't change the fact that she delivered yet again one of the strongest consistently excellent performances on tv in Gilmore's seventh and final season. Lauren Graham is awesome. She offered more talent and nuance and depth and humor (and whatever other flowery noun is appropriate) in her two seconds of screentime on Studio 60 than most actresses in their entire 06-07 runs to say nothing of the work she did as Lorelai Gilmore.
4. Other random people who deserve nominations but won't get them include Greg Berlanti (Brothers and Sisters,) Rob Thomas (Veronica Mars,) Josh Schwartz (The O.C.- say what you will about the show but this past season was some of the best work Schwartz has ever done,) Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother,) Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother,) Steven Weber (Studio 60,) Matthew Perry (Studio 60,) Kelly Bishop (Gilmore Girls,) Matthew Rhys (Brothers and Sisters,) and others I'm sure I'm forgetting at the moment but will no doubt be reminded of tomorrow when collective fandoms explode the internet over what does and does not get nominated.
Stay Tuned.
Considering how TV obsessed I am, I'd be remiss to not acknowledge that nominations (however unwarranted they may be) are once again upon us. In about 12 hours, all nominees will officially be announced (and I'm sure I'll have much more to say,) but in the interim, a few Emmy-related random observations and opinions.
1. Jenna Fischer. This is a hugely unpopular opinion throughout the world wide web and the world over but, I do not care for Jenna Fischer. I don't want to read her blog, I don't want to be her BFF and I don't think she's a very good actress. I'm sure she's a lovely person (though I recently saw an interview that would suggest otherwise,) but she's just not that interesting to me on screen and she's kinda made me hate Pam. I didn't enjoy The Speech and I thought the moment really highlighted Fischer's limitations as an actress. Of course, The Speech is probably the exact moment that will garner her a nod.
2. Heroes. I don't think Heroes has a chance of earning any substantive nominations (make up is probably its best bet,) but no other show kept me engaged or on the edge of my seat as much as Heroes did in its inaugural season. I don't have a lot to say about the dialogue, but to its credit, the acting on Heroes far surpasses what's typically seen in such genre-driven programs. You want to hate her because she's seventeen and looks like Malibu Beach Skipper, but Hayden Panettiere is really fucking good. As is Jack Coleman.
3. Lauren Graham. Lauren Graham will inevitably be passed over, but it doesn't change the fact that she delivered yet again one of the strongest consistently excellent performances on tv in Gilmore's seventh and final season. Lauren Graham is awesome. She offered more talent and nuance and depth and humor (and whatever other flowery noun is appropriate) in her two seconds of screentime on Studio 60 than most actresses in their entire 06-07 runs to say nothing of the work she did as Lorelai Gilmore.
4. Other random people who deserve nominations but won't get them include Greg Berlanti (Brothers and Sisters,) Rob Thomas (Veronica Mars,) Josh Schwartz (The O.C.- say what you will about the show but this past season was some of the best work Schwartz has ever done,) Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother,) Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother,) Steven Weber (Studio 60,) Matthew Perry (Studio 60,) Kelly Bishop (Gilmore Girls,) Matthew Rhys (Brothers and Sisters,) and others I'm sure I'm forgetting at the moment but will no doubt be reminded of tomorrow when collective fandoms explode the internet over what does and does not get nominated.
Stay Tuned.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Scarlett For the First Time
Shehecheyanu For ScarlettThe Shehecheyanu is a Jewish prayer invoked to celebrate new blessings or joyous rare occurrences. The birth of a baby is just one occasion during which it is custom to voice this happy recitation. Though I'm not attending Shabbat Services tonight, I'll definitely say a shehecheyanu for my new niece, Scarlett (and Whitney, Ryan, and Julian.) All four of you that occasionally read this, if you're comfortable, I invite you to do the same.
Transliteration: Baruch ata adonai elohenu melech ha olam, shehecheyanu, v'kiyimanu, v'higiyanu laz'man hazeh.
Translation: Blessed are You Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe who has given us life, sustained us, and allowed us to reach this day.
She is beautiful and healthy and tiny and perfect. I can't wait to see her again.
JMC Over the Holiday
At some point I'll take the chance to recap the awesomely bad series finale of Hidden Palms and rail against the injustice of Chuy getting cut from SYTYCD at least ten weeks too early, but right now I'm going to obnoxiously gush about my nephew, Julian. Because I can. And frequently do. One of the coolest, most memorable experiences of my life was being at the hospital when Julian was born in October 2004. I held him when he was a little over two hours old and fell in love with him on the spot. I'd (geekily) made a message tee earlier that month that read 'Auntie Em' and wore it for the main event. I was living in Santa Cruz at the time so the hour and a half trek to Berkeley was nothing and I made it as many times as I could. My sister would thank me for the free childcare and I'd think, are you crazy? Thank you for letting me play with your baby for the night, weekend, etc. I'd voraciously print out pictures of him from her website and tape them up on my wall, I'd rock and sing him to sleep, and I quickly realized that being an aunt actually surpassed all of my extremely high expectations w/r/t the experience. As is maybe apparent, I'm a kid person. I've been watching them forever and I practically salivate at the sight of babies. One of the coolest, new things about being an aunt is that if your first impulse is wanting to hold a perfect stranger's baby, being around one that you always have permission to pick up is a little like crack.
As such I should've been thrilled when my sister announced she was pregnant again last Thanksgiving. But I wasn't. Instead, I was kinda apprehensive. My first thought wasn't 'oh great, a new baby!' but instead, 'what about Julian?' I was a little worried that I wasn't as ecstatic as I thought I would be (or should be) at the prospect of having a new little person around. Of course the more I got used to the idea, the more excited I became especially once we learned that 'Baby' was actually 'Baby Girl.'
Cut to Six Months Later:
Scarlett Lake, nee Baby Girl was born this past Wednesday during the midmorning of the holiday. She weighed in at 6 lbs. 14 oz. and possesses a full head of jet black hair. She's tiny and pink and gorgeous and you forget that a person can actually be that small. Holding her on the day of her birth, stroking her perfect fingers and toes, and staring into her big grey-blue eyes was such an awesome memorable experience. She and my sister are both doing very well which is everything we could've hoped for.
The very best part of the last few days though was, without a doubt, the time I got to spend with Julian. Making his breakfast, putting him to bed each night, playing at the park, reading stories and singing songs, hearing him say "Auntie Em" in his tiny, little toddler voice- there might be nothing in this world that I adore as much as I adore him.
Some highlights from the week include...
On baking a cake for Scarlett's arrival (as pictured above)-
Auntie Em: J, what are we doing?
J: Making a cake!
Auntie Em: Who's the cake for?
J: the baby?
Auntie Em: What's the baby's name?
J: I want some more delicious cake please!
J: What's Grandpa Rick doing?
Auntie Em: He's sleeping. And he's snoring.
J: *looks at Grandpa Rick and back at me* I want to read The Napping House now.
On noticing my red shoes-
J: Auntie Em has red shoes and Julian has red shoes too!
After a huge sip of agua fresca at Picante in Berkeley-
J: *rubs his tummy* then (exaggeratedly) Yum, yuuuuuum. *prolonged giggling*
On wearing me out-
J: I want Auntie Em to sit up and do another puzzle with me and do stickers too, please.
Which I immediately did. Who could possibly resist?
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