Friday, December 10, 2010

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

How long do I get to blame "baby brain" for my forgetfulness? I should get to blame things on baby brain for at least the duration of the pregnancy. Right? So far it's been mostly little things. And even the sort of big thing I forgot wasn't life or death.

Last weekend Michael Hague (site requires Flash and Microsoft Explorer) was at the local Barnes & Noble, signing copies of his new book "White Christmas." (And yes, it's much cheaper at Amazon but it isn't signed!) I learned of the Saturday-afternoon book signing the Thursday evening before. You'd think I could remember for a couple days. And I did remember! At 5 p.m. Saturday evening. I had missed it by a few hours. I was so disappointed.

I have a Kennedy Center Imagination Celebration poster by Hague on the wall in my office. Something I brought home years ago with the thought that it would someday adorn a nursery. I'm told he would have signed my poster. I also found out that he drew little sketches in the books as he signed them Saturday. More disappointment. Still, the bookstore had extra autographed copies -- sans sketch -- available, so I bought one. It's a really beautifully illustrated book and I was excited to have the signed copy, even if I didn't get to meet Michael Hague and have him draw a sketch.

The S.O. wondered how we would keep the book looking so nice. My idea -- my probably unrealistic fantasy -- is that we'll pull the book out each Christmas Eve and the S.O. will hold the little one while I hold the book and read to them. It's quite a Norman Rockwell -- or Michael Hague -- picture in my head: My wonderful S.O. holding our adorable, well-behaved child in his lap, Mama reading the words to Irving Berling's "White Christmas" and pointing out all the amazing illustrations. The book even has the sheet music to the song in the back, so the S.O. could play it on the piano.

Quiet, you. It could happen.

No matter what it's a book that will be kept in a safe spot until our child is old enough to appreciate the beauty of it. If my kid is anything like me, books will be a big part of life.

5 comments:

  1. Oh, shoot, Pam! I'm sorry you missed it. He's a really nice guy. If you're not on Imagination Celebration's email list, you might think about signing up. He usually does at least 1 or 2 signings a year for them.

    And yes. I TOTALLY think your little Christmas fantasy could happen!

    Amber

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  2. Thanks for the tip, Amber. I'm glad to hear he's a nice guy. I'd hate to think someone with such a fantastical imagination would be a jerk.

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  3. Sounds like a lovely plan. I do believe it'll happen. Yep, magical moments courtesy of Mama. I had the same plan for "The Nutcracker" illustrated by Maurice Sendak. Forget that it's now looking pretty shabby -- and Jim never read it aloud to the girls -- but all that may have to do with it not being signed. Signed books are magical.

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  5. Hi again! Just got an email from Imagination Celebration that he's going to be doing a signing this Saturday from 1-3 p.m. at Imagination Space in The Citadel mall - just down from Dillard's (call 387-9015 for details)

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