Behold, the Miracle of the Stickers!

So, Boy has been moved from his crib to a big boy bed.  And not just any big boy bed, but a Disney Pixar Cars Lightning McQueen bed!  He is bug-eyed with joy over it, and for the first week, it was all he talked about.

And then.

And then whatever it is that keeps this kid up at night kicked in.  From the day my child was born, he has fought sleep like the boogeyman is going to get him the moment he closes his eyes.  We've worked through that mostly, and bedtimes go very well.  But if he sneezes, coughs, rolls over, or hears the least little noise, the kid is up, and there is no going back to sleep unless he can get in with Mommy and Daddy.  And then the kicking and thrashing ensues.

You'd think getting to sleep in Lightning McQueen would change that.  You'd be wrong.

So along with launching my book and all the running around that that entails, I have also been getting about four hours of sleep. 

But one sleep deprived night, right about Launch Time (or D-Day, as it is also known), I came up with a little idea.  Hubby printed out a May calendar, and I taped it to the fridge.  Every night that Boy stays in Lightning McQueen all night, he gets a sticker on the calendar.  Coloring books have been promised.  Even water color painting coloring books.

And behold, it is a success!  He has not gotten up ONE TIME.  He has earned a painting book, and we are moving on to a bigger reward.  It's the most amazing thing in the entire world!  All this time, this sleeplessness, repeatedly trying to get him back into his own bed, the crying and pleading and begging and even threatening of middle of the night time outs, and all I needed to do was give the kid a STICKER?! 

The mind of a three year old is a strange labyrinth, my friends.  Very strange indeed.

And now, back to writing news.

Saturday's Authorpalooza was awesome.  I was at a table with Brandon "Fablehaven" Mull, and of course there was this huge line of people waiting for him when we all got there.  But looking down the line, I realized that a few of those books had dragons on them!  Wait a minute!  There are people here just for lil' ol' me?!  Yep!  Makes a girl feel good, I have to tell you.  I love Authorpaloozas.  During the lulls I chatted with Sara Zarr, knit a little bit on the freakishly complicated sock I am attempting, wandered over to take Guy Francis' place so that I could harass Nathan Hale, artist extraordinaire whose "Yellowbelly and Plum Go to School" is Boy's favorite book.  (And, by the way, Shannon Hale fans: He's also the illustrator of Rapunzel's Revenge.   And yes, I've seen the finished copy.  And yes, it rocks.)

If there's ever an Authorpalooza in your town, don't miss it!

And this week, people who live in or near Provo, it's the Provo Children's Book Festival!  Games, readings, crafts, people talking loudly about books IN A LIBRARY!