I just want to take this opportunity to wish a Happy Mother's Day to my wonderful mom, Elly Perl. She (along with my dad, who'll have to wait until June to get his toast-of-a-post) has always been my biggest fan: of my creative work, my jokes, my kids... even my blog (early posts were written directly to her, since she was the only one who read it!). Call me a big sap, but I just gotta say, on this most Hallmark of days: I love you, Mom.

Happy Mother's Day, too, to the Other Mothers (and grandmothers) in my life. I'm blessed with quite a few: my husband's terrific mother, Maryann (now doesn't that sound better than "my mother-in-law"), my incredibly creative aunts, Emily (of Sesame Street fame!) and Sue (school art guru), my aptly named Grandma Dearie (grower of champion tomatoes, bridge wizard, and world-class collector of rubber bands), my husband's great-aunt Mary (painter and hand-sewer of toys and doll-clothes for my kids)... and there are more, lucky duck that I am in this particular department...

And then there's all the fabulous moms I hang out with... especially my oldest, dearest mommy pals. The ones I met in a new moms group when Franny was a tadpole, who tried hard not to hate me when I bragged about her wonderful early sleep habits... then proved themselves to be truly exceptional by never rubbing my face in it when Franny suddenly decided to become a terrible sleeper (which she still is to this day). Though my new(er) mom pals are pretty fabulous, too!

And I can't forget to mention Anna, my brother's wife and mom to my niece, the lovely Miss Ruthie (formerly known as Baby Ruth and pictured to the left of my girls).

So, pedicures and drinks all around, okay?

To Mom!

# posted by erica : 7:48 PM