Monday, March 16, 2009

Who knew

That I looked like a cross between Abe Vigoda and Steve Landesberg in Barney Miller?

Here is Birdy's drawing:


Three faces are her doll Bitty Baby, and one is me. Can you guess which is which? When she was done, she squinted at it critically for a moment, tapping the pencil against her pressed-together lips, then added one more line to my forehead, and exhaled: "Perfect!" I'm submitting this drawing to Blue Cross when I make my case for why they should pay for Botox.


Meanwhile: perfect oatmeal cookies are here. I hope you are all well and thriving!

xo

23 comments:

  1. Perhaps Birdie is the next Edvard Munch? One of her Bitty Baby portraits looks very much like "The Scream" to me.

    I have countless drawings my kids have done of me over the years and every blessed one has given me something new to bemoan about my appearance. "Is my mole really THAT big?" "Are we entirely sure my eyes are different sizes?" Sigh. I should use of of their drawings as my profile picture on Facebook- think what a nice surprise my *actual* face would be after that...

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  2. that is soooo soooo funny!!! I really enjoy all your writing/recipes/blog stuff!!

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  3. Priceless. Seeing oneself through a child's eyes is not always good for the self esteem. SOMETIMES though, it is. The other day Addy patted my leg, my leg that was garbed in a ratty stained NURSING ROBE, and said, "You look like a princess!"
    Boy, if she ever meets an actual princess she's in for the shock of her life.

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  4. I once drew a picture of my grandmother and she said I drew in every wrinkle in her face. I'm sure she really appreciated it.

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  5. I was thinking, hmmm is this an impression of "The Scream...." but I will say, when my boys draw me, there are like 10 half circles under my eyes. Exactly what is THAT about? But still, I'm almost peeing over here from the Blue Cross and Botox. You kill me, in a good way.

    And oh, how I totally heart you for the oatmeal cookie recipe-- my favorite cookie in the universe, but one I've never been able to make well for some reason.

    One other thing...I have to tell you this story, because somehow I know you'll appreciate it: Max tagged along with Justin when our two dogs went in for their annual check ups (and feces collecting/heart worm work ups recently). Flash forward two weeks....Max went with Justin to pick the dogs up from the groomers and on his way out the door he paused and said, "I'm just thinking, I would never want to be a dentist, because I wouldn't want to have to touch a dogs booty." I said, "no, dear, that's a veterinarian." Max cracked up and said, "yeah, that's what I meant-- I would never want to be a vegetarian cause fingers plus dog butts equals so gross."

    That has nothing to do with food or pictures, except for the funny mental image I have of our vegetarian-dentist-vet;)

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  6. Anonymous10:03 PM

    BAH! I just got my despicable and cowardly postcard about Wondertime being shut down today. This was the one erudite parenting magazine on the market--filled with creative, beautiful writing and inspired philosophy and lacking the "Read this story now or your child will instantly go blind!" hype found in all the others. I salute you and the other wonderful people whose work made me feel better about myself as a parent and the world in general. God bless all of you, and let us know if you all get together and start up some wonderful new venture without the Evil Masters at Disney (a pox upon them) looking over your shoulder.

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  7. That looks fantastic! Frame it!

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  8. Anonymous9:16 AM

    OMG - too laugh out loud funny. That Birdy has quite a sense of humor!!

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  9. Ah, the forehead wrinkles. That's why I'm thinking about bangs.

    My Baby says I look like any dark-haired woman on tv - Penelope Cruz! The Mona Lisa! Michelle Obama!

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  10. Anonymous12:04 PM

    You don't seem like the botox type to me.

    When I was Birdy's age, maybe a little younger, I was visiting my mom while she was in the bathtub, and the story goes that I asked her why she was wearing her breasts "down there." I'm sure that I will be the recipient of such questions any day now too. ~sigh~

    jbhat

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  11. My daughter loves to adorn her sketches of me with "mama's beautiful pimples." As if I need any reminding of the fact that although my 30th birthday fast approaches, I can give any 9th grader a run for their acne money. :P

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  12. Anonymous8:47 PM

    re wondertime. i had coincidently just subscribed days before catherine said they were closing and they sent me a bill anyway!!

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  13. hahahahaha!!!! And thanks for the cookie recipe!

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  14. Ah, Birdy! Self-image aside, that was a fantastic drawing!

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  15. Anonymous10:16 AM

    When my oldest was holding her doll to her belly button one day I asked her what she was doing and she said "feeding the baby". I was going to videotape that and try to get blue cross to cover by breast lift!!!

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  16. I love the portrait and the oatmeal cookie recipe. They look soooo delicious and and soon as I stop feeling so 9-weeks pregnant barfy, I am going to have to make them.
    I also just had to tell you that I just read Waiting for Birdy again and I laughed and cried so hard and so often that I think maybe I scared my 3-year old. Just wanted you to know how much I appreciate your sharing so much of yourself in that book and in all you write. I feel so much less alone today. Thanks!

    Can't believe that sweet "piglet" baby is six now, just like my daughter. How did that happen???

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  17. Anonymous1:14 AM

    Thanks for making me laugh. Love your writing and recipeing.

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  18. My three-year old asked why I have a "giant crack in my head, right here?" He was talking about my forehead lines.

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  19. My first impression was just "floating heads". My second impression was that I impressed with her ability to draw noses and lips! I never excelled past drawing a backwards L for a nose or half circle for a mouth. Bravo Birdy!

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  20. HIL-arious! I love kids drawings. One more line on your forehead adds ten more years to your life.

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  21. Catherine,
    Aren't kid portraits the best? I love the scale of everything. I have to tell you I have made the chocolate cake, corn chowder and pot roast recipes. Seriously yum.
    I have a bit of a request because I know you have tons of extra time reading all these comments...I was at a delicious coffee place where they have the BEST organic chai and I ordered their baked oatmeal. Heaven in a bowl-oatmeal, grains, apple and cranberries. I looked all over the web for recipes and I just really thought this was your kind of recipe.....so that is my plug for baked oatmeal in any upcoming recipes, it was worth a shot!

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  22. Catherine - the cookies were amazing! I especially enjoyed not having to cream the butter! Mixing the melted butter was such a treat! And the combination of oatmeal and coconut in our house is a happy combination! Thanks for sharing this one... now tonight I will try the biscuits!

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  23. Thank you for the most excellent cookie recipe. I made them today with my three year old, and they're fantastic. I'm always up for chewy oatmeal cookies (same with chewy ginger cookies).

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