A few months ago all us Gottliebs were in New York City for Snowpocalypse ’11. The last night we were there I had a handful of friends meet for drinks at the hotel while Mr G and the kids hung out and watched a movie. As I was preparing to go down to the bar Alexander was taking out his contact lens.
Or at least he was trying to. His eyes were so dry from the cold and wind that he was having a real struggle, and since neither Mr G nor I have ever worn contact lenses we had no experience to draw on. I sent out a tweet.
Help, Alexander can’t get his lens out, what do we do?
Of course Mel showed up 15 minutes later with eye drops. Not just any old eye drops either, it was her favorite brand and everyone swore that she was absolutely right they are the best.
So I excused myself and ran upstairs to put drops in Alexander’s eyes. Mr G waited five more minutes, put a second set of drops in, and then waited a few minutes after that to have Alexander take the lens out.
Except it wouldn’t come out.
By then there were a dozen fabulous New Yorkers that I was dying to get some time with and I was feeling a little put out when Mr G showed up at the bar to tell me that Alexander really needed my help. Thankfully Emily was there and headed up to the suite with me.
Emily showed Alexander how to push on the sides of his eyes to release a particularly sticky lens. She was patient with him, removing her own lens multiple times, and holding a mirror for Alexander so he could take care of his own.
I stood there feeling incredibly lucky that my children have a community of women that will help them when I can’t.
Those are the aunties.
Emily, Mel, Melanie and I were talking about poor Alexander and his eyes. I kept saying how very very lucky he was that Emily and Mel were there to help him, and Melanie said, “You know I just wrote a book about that.”
And she did. Melanie Notkin wrote a wonderful book for all the women in a child’s life. If you’re lucky enough to have family nearby you know how important they are. If you’ve moved away from your families then the non genetic Auntie just might be the lady who makes everyone’s life better.
If you’re an Auntie (or a mom) you’ll love this book. Melanie has chapters for everything from swaddling baby to 529 plans. It doesn’t go on sale until April 26, but I’m going to give one away here.
To enter leave a comment below and/or tweet a link to this post, two entries are fine, but no more than one comment and one tweet will count as entries. I’ll use a random number generator to pick a winner at noon on April 24.
I’m always looking for ways to win the “favorite Auntie” moniker!
Melanie is amazing. What she has done over the past few years with Savvy Auntie is amazing! Yes… this is a book I want – but partially just because I know how awesome she is!! :)
Jessica – what a beautiful post! Thank you! And Lucretia – how sweet of you! I’m truly touched!! XO – Melanie
What a brilliant book. Fingers crossed!!!
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
I have three alerts set up across various planners and calendars- I cannot wait to get this book for the special ladies in my, and my son’s, life!
I would love this book to give to my best friend – even if I don’t win it, I’ll buy a copy for her. I don’t think she’ll ever have her own children, but she will always be my daughter’s “Auntie Allison”.
I wish this book had existed when I was getting married. It would have been the perfect gift for my Aunts, as, they had just as much a hand in raising me as my own mom did.
I have several friends that I would LOVE to give this book to! Thank you for letting us know it’s out there!
I have several friends that I would love to give this to. Thank you for letting us know it’s out there!
Pick me! I am the current favorite aunt in our family, but there’s a new girl dating my brother and apparently she’s cool or whatever. She’s young and wears cool makeup. So it looks like I’ll be needing to step up my game. Or try to break them up.
Pick me! I’m a debut aunt with a (tiny) family — no cousins or uncles, so we *love* our newest addition. ;-)
I’ve both been the “auntie” and had an “auntie’s” help! What a great concept for a book. Can’t wait to read it.
Every child needs a special “Auntie”!
I have an Aunt who’s more like a Mom to me and a Grandmother to my boys. Would love for her to have this….actually, even if I don’t win I think I might have to order it!
I love being an auntie, and love that my girs have fab aunties in their lives!
Umm…YES!! Presents for my new sisters in law!!
I am a aunt and it is my favorite title. I would love this book.
I just became and auntie and godmother. I need this book!
[email protected]
awwww, my sister would LOVE this!
This book would be amazing to give to my sister. She is the coolest auntie that my girls have ever known, She loves them as hard as I do and she is also their best “friend”. Wonderful concept. And you know I am tweeting it!
Now my eyes hurt! What kind of eyedrops are those again???
The book sounds fun! My kids have some honorary Aunties and even honorary Grandparents, too.
Love this! After I read it, I’ll send it to my sister — the best aunt around.
Looks like a good book.
Would love to read this.
rsgrandinetti@yahoo(DOT)com
I have one and only one very close friend in the area who is my saving grace. This book is perfect for her… she’s turning out to be the BEST Auntie.
I absolutely LOVE being an auntie! I became and aunt for the first time when I was 10 (I’m the youngest sibling and my oldest sister is a LOT older than I am – BIG catholic family)… and have loved it ever since. Now I’m a Great Auntie (because, obviously, I’m GREAT at it!), and it’s wonderful all over again!!! (My kids also have lots of “Aunts” that are our friends, because they feel like family to us!) What a fun giveway!)
I would love to win this for my sister who just became an aunt in February! She would love this :)
caley(dot)kolb(at)loop(dot)colum(dot)edu
I’d love to win this for my sister. She will become a 1st time auntie in October. :) Thanks for the chance.
I love being an auntie! My nephews and niece are the sunshine in my life. Thanks for the chance to win!
Count me in!
I love the concept of this book!
[email protected]
I would so love to win this book!!! I’m going to become an aunt in the fall, and I’m super excited! :)
I’m an auntie and a mom!
i would love to win this book
susansmoaks at gmail dot com
I would love to win this book both as a auntie and as a mom!
I have a couple of people who would benefit from a cool aunt like me with a cool book like this. Thanks!
Great contest, Nice Prize, THANKS for the chance to win it, cuz winning is FUN!
As a“ mom I would love to read this
No comments after this will be part of the giveaway. Shortly I’ll use random.org and pick a winner.
The problem with these aunties and uncles are that they don’t have access to online medias.Ive stopped reading newspapers and tv news a decade ago, if you analyse ,some of them doesn’t follow logic and tends to benefit