Head over Heels (Young House) Love

I am going to describe yesterday in minute detail. And there are details. So if you want the bottom line: YHL is freakin wonderful. If you want deets, read on!

Mia and I took the LIRR in to midtown and hailed a cab tried hailing a cab for twenty minutes. People in midtown do NOT like strollers. A nice taxi driver finally stopped and told me that as a father he knows how hard it is to …I didn’t catch the last part of what he said, but he knew something!

Mia about to fall asleep. Giant burp cloth under her chin is completely necessary

We went to dinner with my friend who held and smushed Mia most of the time so I got a nice break (and Mia loves to be smushed, go figure). It was so nice to see her because since we moved to Queens we can’t do the “wanna meet in two at Starbucks?” thing anymore and I miss her! (You got two shoutouts in two days!)

We didn’t just eat dinner- so did Mia! In public! Okay, I was completely covered with the bebe au lait (which I mention here) and I know there are laws protecting it, but I was sooooo self-conscious. Not everyone wants to be a part of it and I get that, but more than that I have to feed my baby so I did! And the bathroom line let me cut them (promise I didn’t ask!) so I could change Mia in the bathroom! There was nowhere to change her in there, but I’m not about to do it where people are eating. We did a kind of in-the-air change. Keep that haphazard change in mind for later…

my happy smush

The book signing started at 6:30. I got there around 6:20 (I think) and saw a long line coming out of the FLOR store. Obviously, these people hadn’t RSVP’d and were trying to get in, right? So I walked to the front and asked. Nope! Everyone had RSVP’d, this was the line. So I got in back and promptly made friends with the people around me. YHL readers are the BEST! I am serious. Looking at the line and watching everyone interacting, I could see myself being friends with just about everyone. I think it’s a testament to John and Sherry how nice everyone was (and I told them that… or said it as Sherry was saying it, we over-talked each other a bunch, I was just so excited!)

By the time we got to the door, we saw that there were stairs you had to go down because that’s where the line went. Narrow stairs. With a Graco Snap n’ Go. Uh-oh.

The FLOR personnel were so sweet! They let me stay in the front with the stroller and the person in front of and behind me in line agreed to pick me up when they got back to the front. The booksellers were also super sweet and offered to watch Mia (who was sleeping) so I could go downstairs and get refreshments. I didn’t take them up on it, being strangers and all, but it was really nice of them to offer.

When Mia woke up, I left the stroller with the booksellers and took Mia downstairs to get some water (it was so hot). They were only offering wine and sparkling water, but the super nice bartender found me a cold bottle of water from the back! (I know I’m describing everyone as super sweet and super nice, but they all were!)

And then I found my friends from the line before who pointed out a photobooth! I loooove photobooths! Tuvia and I took photobooth pictures three times in the two days we were in Atlantic City for our babymoon.

We need to work on our photobooth skills. More practice!

Obviously, Mia and I had to get in on this.

After this we saw they had mustaches on sticks and I reallllly wanted Mia to do it, but she wasn’t feeling it

Well, we were waiting on line for awhile and Mia was hungry again. So I asked someone from FLOR if there was an inconspicuous corner or something where I could nurse her.

To the storage area I went! And then this happened…

Yup. At this point, we had been waiting a long time, I was exhausted, my body was tired from feeding her on the floor, most people didn’t notice me sitting there at all and only two noticed I was nursing, but one of them ran out when he did…it was getting to me.

So I changed her and cleaned us up as much as I could (insert spit up explosion) and we went back up…juuuuust in time for me to see the people who had been holding my place finish. I guess I could’ve gone to the front and told them I was waiting, but had to leave to feed Mia, but I didn’t recognize them and the line wasn’t so much longer and I didn’t feel like explaining to anyone.

Plus, Tuv was on the way so I just went to the back. Again, the people around me were so nice and were cooing at Mia and making conversation, but I could feel it. I felt the hormones (are there still extra ones at this point?), exhaustion, and long-ness of the day getting to me.

And then Tuvia showed up! I was so happy and relieved I cried! I CRIED! IN LINE TO SEE JOHN AND SHERRY! OH EM GEE! I was laughing at the same time because it was all so ridiculous!

I took a picture for the people in front of us and then it was our turn. My heart was totally going pitter patter at seeing these celebrities (blogebrities?) I must have looked insane.

We walked up to them and this is what happened:

John and Sherry cheered for us for sticking it out as I start babbling “I wasn’t crying, definitely didn’t cry, that wasn’t me, you didn’t see that”. I think I made them concerned (SORRY!)

I handed Sherry the book (which she signed “happy DIY-ing” and I sort of that it would be “you’re our favorite reader ever!” they were probably just distracted by my craziness ha!) and I continued to babble: “Mia doesn’t usually look like Wanda, she exploded from all sides” (hence wardrobe change).

Wearing the Wanda outfit with our cousin Michal

Then John and Tuvia had an aside about Waldo and I handed Sherry this:

And babbled some more about it being so embarrassing and not to open it (maybe ever) and Sherry said they like having gifts to open later. Some jokes were made about having to pretend to like something. To be honest, it was all kind of a blur because I was so ecstatic to be talking to them. Then we went to take a picture and Sherry held Mia!

Me, Tuvia, and Mia with John and Sherry! Be still my heart

Look at them smiling! They had been there forever after months of touring, who knows how many people, and they were still the friendliest, nicest, most personable people ever. Ever!

And then Sherry kissed Mia’s cheek!!! Poor Mia, never washing that cheek again. Just kidding, have you seen how often she spits up?

I feel like it looked like I was running away but I just figured they were so tired, but they kept talking to us! As we were leaving I had to tell John that he and Tuvia are the same. I mean I obviously only know what’s on the blog, but based on that, they are so similar and it makes me happy.

And here’s the picture again, proving we were in the same room

Woooooooo

Well, John and Sherry, if you ever read this: I’m sorry for all the incomprehensible babble and talking over you and thank you for being so gracious and energetic and nice. I’m so glad I finally got to meet you!