Hairline Fracture

For the last few days, I was reading Breaking Dawn, the last book in Stephenie Meyer's best-selling Twilight series. My only problem with the book? I couldn't read it fast enough.

See, I'm normally a fast reader. Not speed-reader fast, but it wasn't uncommon for me to finish a book in a day if I wasn't interrupted.

But of course those days are gone. I'm constantly interrupted by the Peanut Gallery.

For example, I was just interrupted right as I finished typing that sentence by Mr. Blue saying he was "hun-dry." I go in the kitchen with him, where he rejects my suggestions of grapes, raisins, or yogurt in favor of one maraschino cherry.

Obviously he was starving and it was vital for me to feed him that cherry instead of doing something I wanted to do. Now imagine that happening 17 million times a day while I'm trying to read a book whose ending I desperately want to know.

Wait--I don't have to explain it to you moms. You already know.

Yesterday as I got close to the end of the book, I was trying to figure out how I could check them into the gym day care and read for the whole two hours I'm allowed to leave them in there while I work out. Unfortunately, my thighs vetoed that suggestion.

Anyway, I finished it yesterday. It was kind of bizarre to go back and forth between rereadings of Goodnight Moon (current estimated number of readings: 596) and the world of the undead, but I did it. And it was worth it. There were some parts I thought didn't totally work (I'm not going to say which ones to avoid spoilers and also to keep from receiving scathing comments from avid fans who can't abide criticism of their favorite books) but overall, I have to hand it to Stephenie Meyer: the woman can design a plot that gets you hooked in and leaves you wanting more. She deserves her success. Bravo, Ms. Meyer. Bravo.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to stop pondering the endless passion of Edward and Bella and pick up the the Cheerios off the floor of the living room before we host a playdate.