Our country’s history and saying thanks

Posted in Adventures of Max and Calvin, Uncategorized by juliamace2015

If you want to have an interesting conversation with your children, read President Barack Obama’s Of Thee I Sing, a Letter to My Daughters.

I pulled it off our shelves as a personal way to recognize our 44th President. I bought this book for my one-year-old twins when it came out in 2010. (Cincinnati friends – it’s illustrated by a local – author and illustrator Loren Long. How cool is that!?)

Now that Max and Calvin are first graders this book really makes an impression. When we read Obama’s beautiful tribute to his daughters, they are thrilled that they knew the people in history he referenced.

“I love this book because I know all these people!” Calvin exclaimed.

Georgia O’Keeffe, Albert Einstein, Jackie Robinson, Helen Keller… to name a few.

They’ve been learning about Martin Luther King Jr. and love talking about him. It’s important and sometimes difficult to talk about our nation’s history and I find that books (and their school) are helping me navigate this.

Martin Luther King Jr. by Calvin.

“Rosa Parks (not in this book) was during Martin Luther’s time,” Calvin commented.
“People stopped riding the bus for awhile.” (People stopped riding the bus in solidarity.)

“He had a dream and he got killed for that dream,” Max said solemnly.

We talked about this. And we talked about why George Washington’s “barefoot soldiers crossed wintry rivers, forging ever on.”

Calvin asked me about Maya Lin, designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. I explained that it honors those who gave their lives in the war his Pop Pop fought in. I’m not sure he totally understood – he wanted to know why MLK’s name wasn’t on it. But it’s a process.

This book’s text, message, and illustrations are gorgeous.

“Maybe I’ll be one of these kids and be famous,” said Max.

Thanks President Obama – for everything.

20Jan2017

Happy Pig Day (on video!)

Posted in Adventures of Max and Calvin, Uncategorized, Video by juliamace2015

I had this great idea but Max and Calvin had their own plans.

One way I get them to practice reading is “suggest” they each take on a character in a book. This works with Mo Willem’s delightful Elephant & Piggie books.

They love this so much, I thought it would be cool if I could record them reading Happy Pig Day! for this blog.

But when we would read, they would get really wound up, make funny voices and laugh hysterically. I would try to get them to “be serious.”

What was I thinking?

I realized I had to let go and quit trying to stage manage them. The end result is so much better when they are being themselves.

So here it is – scroll ahead to 1:03 if you want to see Calvin joyfully cracking up.

And do yourself a favor – adults and kids – go get an Elephant & Piggie book.

Two goofballs read Happy Pig Day from julia mace on Vimeo.

6Jan2017

The holiday wrap-up: toys and tonsils

Posted in Adventures of Max and Calvin, Uncategorized by juliamace2015

One of my favorite moments during the holiday was in the hospital.

After the usual presents, visits with friends and family, too much food, Calvin had his tonsils and adenoids removed two days after Christmas.

You may know we have a long (and fortunate history) with Calvin and Cincinnati Children’s. He went into his surgery like a trooper.

Initially, I think it was harder on Max. My husband told me, “I think he’s a little scared. And why wouldn’t he be?”

At 7, he may not vividly remember his twin’s formerly long hospital stays, but I wonder if it’s embedded deep in his memory.

So, we brought Max to visit Calvin during his overnight hospital stay.

The moment that was so nice was Max’s relief at seeing Calvin and his subsequent head-patting of his twin. “Is his heart ok?,” he asked. “What’s wrong with him?”

Calvin was drugged up but immediately perked up when Max came in the room. Even the nurse noticed. Calvin grinned while receiving the head-pat and cuddle.

This reminded me of the power of twins and the beauty of my kiddos. When Calvin was really ill, it was Max that fortified him and us. It also reminded us that when something happens to one of them, it impacts the other.

My Christmas babies sans books!

And the books

The other moment? Reading, of course! After the thrill of Zoomer kitty and chimp, legos, cars, and sugar, they secretly love their new books.

On Christmas Day, Max and I cuddled up among the chaos of toys and discarded wrapping paper and read The Day the Crayons Came Home by Oliver Jeffers. In this beautiful second book about crayons, Duncan reads letters from his forgotten crayons. Both the story and illustrations are brilliant.

Here are some of our other holiday books this year – tested for you by my favorite first graders.

The Pirate of Kindergarten by George Ella Lyon, Kentucky’s 2016 poet laureate. Calvin especially liked this story of a girl with double vision. (Thanks, Kate!)

Ballet Cat: The Totally Secret Secret by Bob Shea. This book has a great sense of humor but also a sweet message about friendship.

Ever the baseball fan, Max received Baseball from A to Z by Michael P. Spradlin, illustrated by Macky Pamintuan. I know it’s good because I’ve found him reading it. (Thanks Lou and Lanthan!)