The other morning I was getting the Pookie out of his crib and marveling at how much of a boy my 2 year old is. I said to him, "My boy, my boy! You are such a little boy now! What happened to my baby?"
He looked at me with his big, blue-green eyes and said the words I wanted to hear so badly, "I your baby."
"You are?" I just about squealed, as I nuzzled into his neck. "You're my baby?"
"Yeah," he nodded and he cuddled into me. "I your baby T Rex."
And you know what I said to that? "I'll take it!"
As my husband later pointed out, when the Pookie pretends to be Baby T Rex (a regular game of pretend in our house), he is especially cuddly. Also, I will take the cuddles and babying any way I can.
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My kids love dinosaurs, and not just as a rain coat. The kids regularly pretend to be dinosaurs, especially T Rexes and Baby T Rex. They like to stomp around and roar. They also have a couple of little dinosaur toys that they play with. We also have a really great dinosaur book that they, especially the Pookie, loves to read and push the button that makes the T Rex roaring and stomping sounds.
One morning over this last weekend, the Pookie brought me the dinosaur book with some other books, and I sat there reading out the names of the dinosaurs, which he and his sister attempted to repeat. Some of these names are so funny to me, because it sounds like someone simply added "osaurus" to the end of a descriptive term. For example, there is the giganotosaurus, who is one of the largest (or most gigantic) of all the dinosaurs, even bigger than the T Rex. And there is also the Spinosaurus, who had (can you guess it?) spines on his back!
The Pumpkin started telling me about other "dinosaurs," ones that she was obviously making up. There was the Circleosaurus, who was the shape of a circle! And the Dinnerosaurus, who really liked to eat his dinner. I of course added the Kidosaurus, which was my kids when they were dinosaurs!
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My kidosauruses have been loving that show Dino Dan. It's a cute show, although it makes me wonder if older kids hallucinate too.
Hallucinations or not, the show is actually making it tricky for me to explain that dinosaurs are no longer alive on this planet. We seriously have enough arguments about whether or not trolls and other monsters exist (and are in the Pumpkin's room at night when the lights are off). And I'm still working on how I know things don't exist or if I've just never seen one.
(By the way, THANKS Tinkerbell's The Great Fairy Rescue! No, I've never seen a fairy, and no, I don't really believe they exist. But just because I've never seen one doesn't mean they don't exist, right little girl in the movie Lizzie who proves to her father that they do exist and he feels bad for doubting her? This totally validates for my daughter her getting upset about going to school because she is waiting to see if fairies come to the fairy house she built them. Sigh...)
But the kids, they love Dino Dan. When it comes on, my son goes, "Eh Dino Dan! Eh Dino Dan!" And they've come up with fun pretend games based on the show.
I don't mind the show in half-hour doses, but Dan is so obsessed with dinosaurs, I'm not sure I could be around him much in real life.
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Friday, September 9, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
A Family That Travels
Back in the Spring, before my torn meniscus and knee surgery and before Londo's back started acting up, I declared to Londo that we were going to be a Family That Travels. Sure, we've always been a family that travels (minus the first 18 months of the Pumpkin's life when she screamed bloody murder when in the car and carseat for more than 5 minutes). But we were now going to be a Family That Travels!
My parents bought a beach house about 3 hours from our house, and I planned to go almost every weekend from May to September! I would go with Londo and kids, by myself with both kids, with one kid or even by myself. When the kids went on summer break, we would take some of the vacation time to go to the beach and to my inlaws and camping and visiting friends! We were going to be so good at traveling as a family, that we'd be ready to hit Europe next summer (if only we could afford it)! Our bags would be halfway packed at all times, our cars ready to go, our mindsets open for whatever comes up. We'd be ready to go anywhere at the drop of a hat!
In fact, we started this new paradigm one weekend in May, when on a Thursday we decided to go to visit my inlaws (a 5 hour drive with no stops--so about 7 hours with two kids). We just packed up and went, and we had a great time... until I killed my knee while hiking up a hill. A hiatus on the traveling was forced upon me.
It's been a hard month and a half with me laid up recovering and Londo limited. But finally, finally!, we are starting to get into the swing of being a Family That Travels!
Two weekends ago, I took the Pumpkin with me to visit a friend. We handled a very (VERY!) difficult car ride up quite well. This past weekend, I took both kids with me to my parents beach house, and we had a great trip! Plus my brother and his family were there until Saturday, and my parents were there the whole weekend. We've got some good plans for the upcoming weekends and weeks while the kids are out of school. Not all of them are travel weekends, but we are going to be flexible in deciding when we stay and when we go. And when we go? No problemo! Because we are a Family That Travels.
There was a time period in my life when I thought I'd become a travel writer, even going to grad school for journalism, concentrating in magazine writing. That was not the road I ended up on, but I still love to read travel stories and I love to write about my travels. In fact, I hope to write more with my new outlook on travel with a husband and kids. Until I'm able to get some travel under my belt in my Family That Travels, I am enjoying reading travel stories about other families. Currently, I'm reading Family Travels: The Farther You Go, the Closer You Get, short stories by my favorite travel guide series, Travelers' Tales Guides. I have A Mother's World: Journeys of the Heart waiting to be read next!
I'm inspired by what I am reading about other families and their travels, far and wide. I know that it can be difficult to travel with kids. But I'm hoping with the right mindsets and the decree that we are a Family That Travels, we will take the difficulties in stride and really focus on the fun things we can do and see as we travel. I know that it is possible, because I grew up in a Family That Travels. Oh, the stories I could tell you...
My parents bought a beach house about 3 hours from our house, and I planned to go almost every weekend from May to September! I would go with Londo and kids, by myself with both kids, with one kid or even by myself. When the kids went on summer break, we would take some of the vacation time to go to the beach and to my inlaws and camping and visiting friends! We were going to be so good at traveling as a family, that we'd be ready to hit Europe next summer (if only we could afford it)! Our bags would be halfway packed at all times, our cars ready to go, our mindsets open for whatever comes up. We'd be ready to go anywhere at the drop of a hat!
In fact, we started this new paradigm one weekend in May, when on a Thursday we decided to go to visit my inlaws (a 5 hour drive with no stops--so about 7 hours with two kids). We just packed up and went, and we had a great time... until I killed my knee while hiking up a hill. A hiatus on the traveling was forced upon me.
It's been a hard month and a half with me laid up recovering and Londo limited. But finally, finally!, we are starting to get into the swing of being a Family That Travels!
Two weekends ago, I took the Pumpkin with me to visit a friend. We handled a very (VERY!) difficult car ride up quite well. This past weekend, I took both kids with me to my parents beach house, and we had a great trip! Plus my brother and his family were there until Saturday, and my parents were there the whole weekend. We've got some good plans for the upcoming weekends and weeks while the kids are out of school. Not all of them are travel weekends, but we are going to be flexible in deciding when we stay and when we go. And when we go? No problemo! Because we are a Family That Travels.
There was a time period in my life when I thought I'd become a travel writer, even going to grad school for journalism, concentrating in magazine writing. That was not the road I ended up on, but I still love to read travel stories and I love to write about my travels. In fact, I hope to write more with my new outlook on travel with a husband and kids. Until I'm able to get some travel under my belt in my Family That Travels, I am enjoying reading travel stories about other families. Currently, I'm reading Family Travels: The Farther You Go, the Closer You Get, short stories by my favorite travel guide series, Travelers' Tales Guides. I have A Mother's World: Journeys of the Heart waiting to be read next!
I'm inspired by what I am reading about other families and their travels, far and wide. I know that it can be difficult to travel with kids. But I'm hoping with the right mindsets and the decree that we are a Family That Travels, we will take the difficulties in stride and really focus on the fun things we can do and see as we travel. I know that it is possible, because I grew up in a Family That Travels. Oh, the stories I could tell you...
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Midwives for Bloggy Book Club
I mentioned a while ago that I wanted to host an online book club discussion for those who were interested. Well, today is the day for the book discussion about Midwives!
Originally, I was just going to host it here. But then it occured to me that I was writing my review of the book to start the discussion, and I was concerned about putting possible spoilers on this blog, where people might be scrolling down to read other things and happen to see something that would spoil their enjoyment of a book I highly recommend. So I decided to put my review, and hopefully host a discussion, over on my review site.
Please come participate in a discussion about Midwives.
If you haven't read the book Midwives, by Chris Bohjalian, I highly recommend it. I truly enjoyed this book and will be thinking about it for a long time. If you do read it, stop by the discussion to join in at any time!
Originally, I was just going to host it here. But then it occured to me that I was writing my review of the book to start the discussion, and I was concerned about putting possible spoilers on this blog, where people might be scrolling down to read other things and happen to see something that would spoil their enjoyment of a book I highly recommend. So I decided to put my review, and hopefully host a discussion, over on my review site.
Please come participate in a discussion about Midwives.
If you haven't read the book Midwives, by Chris Bohjalian, I highly recommend it. I truly enjoyed this book and will be thinking about it for a long time. If you do read it, stop by the discussion to join in at any time!
Friday, July 16, 2010
Recipes Review, Bloggy Book Club and August Meet Up
Recipes Review
Get this: I posted a cake and muffin recipe review on my review site! Didn't know I had a review site? Well, I haven't posted in a LONG time. But it was one of my New Year's Resolutions to start posting on my review blog again. I've got all sorts of things I've been wanting to write up, but to get me going at all I started with some easy recipes. They are good ones I found on allrecipes.com, though. And the upcoming reviews are even more interesting!
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Bloggy Friends Book Club
In early July, hush did a book discussion for The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. I definitely have plans to read the book and add a (hopefully) meaningful comment to the discussion. If you've read it, head over and post your thoughts!
I had had this thought that those who like reading and are interested could host a book discussion on their blogs and/or comment to participate, thereby creating a sort of Bloggy Friends Book Club that meet at each others' places to discuss the book of the month.
So I'd like to host a book discussion of Midwives, by Chris Bohjalian on August 11, 2010! If you are interested, get the book, read it and come here and comment on August 11th.
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August DC Area Meet Up
I know everyone is more than ready for an adult-only get together. Let's do it in August! Please vote for the day and time in the poll on the side panel. There are lots of options because it occured to me that I should offer lunch and dinner times for each day. I'm unable to do the weekend of the 21-22, so I didn't include those.
I'm thinking we meet in McLean and go to one of the restaurants there. I really like a few in the Tyson's Corner II mall. What do you guys think?
Get this: I posted a cake and muffin recipe review on my review site! Didn't know I had a review site? Well, I haven't posted in a LONG time. But it was one of my New Year's Resolutions to start posting on my review blog again. I've got all sorts of things I've been wanting to write up, but to get me going at all I started with some easy recipes. They are good ones I found on allrecipes.com, though. And the upcoming reviews are even more interesting!
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Bloggy Friends Book Club
In early July, hush did a book discussion for The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. I definitely have plans to read the book and add a (hopefully) meaningful comment to the discussion. If you've read it, head over and post your thoughts!
I had had this thought that those who like reading and are interested could host a book discussion on their blogs and/or comment to participate, thereby creating a sort of Bloggy Friends Book Club that meet at each others' places to discuss the book of the month.
So I'd like to host a book discussion of Midwives, by Chris Bohjalian on August 11, 2010! If you are interested, get the book, read it and come here and comment on August 11th.
-----------------------
August DC Area Meet Up
I know everyone is more than ready for an adult-only get together. Let's do it in August! Please vote for the day and time in the poll on the side panel. There are lots of options because it occured to me that I should offer lunch and dinner times for each day. I'm unable to do the weekend of the 21-22, so I didn't include those.
I'm thinking we meet in McLean and go to one of the restaurants there. I really like a few in the Tyson's Corner II mall. What do you guys think?
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Question of the Week - Book Club Books
Because I'm so sick, I was not able to go to my book club last night. I'm so disappointed! This would have been my second time at the book club, and I went through a lot of trouble to finish the book--I had left it at home when we went to the inlaws, so my hubby and FIL drove 45 minutes to a nearby library to get it for me! The book was Three Junes, by Julia Glass, and it was absolutely fantastic! I was dying to talk in depth about it with other intelligent people who had read it. But I was simply too sick to venture out or be around people.
I just started going to this book club last month. Even though I'm an avid reader, I've never been part of a book club before. A woman at work had invited me to her book club last year, but I was having such a tough time with my pregnancy and the winter that I couldn't do anything extra. After having the Pookie, I realized I needed to do something for myself, something just for me to enjoy myself. I asked the woman if she was still part of the book club and if the invitation was still open. She is and it was, so I joined! The first time I went, I came home and raved to Londo about how great it was. "They used big words that I forgot existed and talked about the book and traveling and even opera!" It. was. wonderful.
So I was pretty upset to miss the book club last night. The next one isn't until January, because we are all busy around the holidays. I bemoaned this fact to Londo, who (wonderful man that he is) said that he and I should do our own book club in December! We looked through some books last night but didn't find the right one yet. We're going to the bookstore this weekend and we'll browse through and find a book. I'm really excited about reading an intelligent book and having a deep discussion with my husband, who was also an English major in college (where we met). In fact, he had a literary focus while I had a creative writing focus, so he's good at the deep thinking about books.
This week's question of the week is:
What book would you recommend as a book club book?
The one I recommended to my book club when asked at the last meeting was The Blessing Stone, by Barbara Wood. It was one of those really fascinating books that provides perspectives that you might not have otherwise thought about. Years after reading that book, I still think about it a lot.
How about you? Do you have any books that really spoke to you? Any books that you've thought about for years later? What books do you wish others had read so you could talk about it in depth?
I just started going to this book club last month. Even though I'm an avid reader, I've never been part of a book club before. A woman at work had invited me to her book club last year, but I was having such a tough time with my pregnancy and the winter that I couldn't do anything extra. After having the Pookie, I realized I needed to do something for myself, something just for me to enjoy myself. I asked the woman if she was still part of the book club and if the invitation was still open. She is and it was, so I joined! The first time I went, I came home and raved to Londo about how great it was. "They used big words that I forgot existed and talked about the book and traveling and even opera!" It. was. wonderful.
So I was pretty upset to miss the book club last night. The next one isn't until January, because we are all busy around the holidays. I bemoaned this fact to Londo, who (wonderful man that he is) said that he and I should do our own book club in December! We looked through some books last night but didn't find the right one yet. We're going to the bookstore this weekend and we'll browse through and find a book. I'm really excited about reading an intelligent book and having a deep discussion with my husband, who was also an English major in college (where we met). In fact, he had a literary focus while I had a creative writing focus, so he's good at the deep thinking about books.
This week's question of the week is:
What book would you recommend as a book club book?
The one I recommended to my book club when asked at the last meeting was The Blessing Stone, by Barbara Wood. It was one of those really fascinating books that provides perspectives that you might not have otherwise thought about. Years after reading that book, I still think about it a lot.
How about you? Do you have any books that really spoke to you? Any books that you've thought about for years later? What books do you wish others had read so you could talk about it in depth?
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Question of the Week - Parenting Books
The Pookie has been super clingy lately--especially for me. Even when he was just fed, he wants to nurse again... but only for a few minutes before falling back asleep or just snuggling. It is sweet, but CONSTANT! And that's when he's not fussing. Because there are many times when he just keeps fussing. He'll be on and off the breast, bounced, slinged, walked, snuggled, whatever and still fussing. But I also noticed that he seems a lot more aware and different in some way I was having trouble putting my finger on.
This combination of fussy and more aware reminded me of a fantastic book I learned about from Ask Moxie and read when the Pumpkin was going through various stages. It's called The Wonder Weeks, and it talks about the fussy periods that babies go through right prior or around the time of major developmental leaps. And the first one? At 5 weeks, which is how old the Pookie is. I am so relieved to have remembered to check that book and figure out what's going on. It makes me realize that this is a normal phase, just a phase, will end soon, and I'm not alone.
The Wonder Weeks is one of those parenting/child development books that I think everyone should have and read. It really helped me get through the fussy periods with the Pumpkin, and I'm sure it will help me with the Pookie as well.
This week's question of the week is...
What parenting/child development book(s) do you think are good reads?
I'm also currently reading Raising Your Spirited Child. This book is FANTASTIC! For those who have a child like my Pumpkin, you really should read this book. From the first page on, I was SO glad I had bought the book and was reading it. My girl is definitely a spirited child, and I'm lucky to have her! As the author pointed out early in the book, spirited children have all these qualities that we admire in adults but find frustrating in children. I'm already changing how I view traits that were frustrating me, and it helps me appreciate my amazing girl even more. Seriously, if you have a spirited child, get this book!
The other books that have made a huge difference to me are:
- Between Parent and Child by Dr. Haim G. Ginott, which focuses on communication techniques and how we interact with our children.
- How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish, which is another book that focuses on communication and it is developed from the communication techniques in Between Parent and Child. It really walks you through how to use the communication techniques and is a great read!
- Playful Parenting by Lawrence Cohen, which talks about how important play is for children's developments, including how to use play as a parenting technique.
- Happiest Baby on the Block (I watched the DVD but didn't read the book) and Happiest Toddler on the Block by Harvey Karp, which has great information about baby and toddler development and has some helpful techniques for calming babies and parenting toddlers.
- The Vaccine Book by Dr. Robert Sears, which really lays out all the information you could think of about vaccines. I feel so much better about medicating my child knowing how the vaccines are made, what the diseases do, and what the risks are of both the diseases and vaccines.
- The Baby Book by Dr.William Sears, which has so much great information that you can refer to help understand what is going on with your baby. But as with all the books, take with a grain of salt.
I'm sure I have more that I've read and would recommend, but that's all I can think of now. Oh, I know there are a few breastfeeding books that were great, but I can't think of them off the top of my head and I'm holding the baby so I can't go check.
How about you all? What books or even DVDs or websites helped see you through? What would you recommend? Why did you like it so much? Share with us!
This combination of fussy and more aware reminded me of a fantastic book I learned about from Ask Moxie and read when the Pumpkin was going through various stages. It's called The Wonder Weeks, and it talks about the fussy periods that babies go through right prior or around the time of major developmental leaps. And the first one? At 5 weeks, which is how old the Pookie is. I am so relieved to have remembered to check that book and figure out what's going on. It makes me realize that this is a normal phase, just a phase, will end soon, and I'm not alone.
The Wonder Weeks is one of those parenting/child development books that I think everyone should have and read. It really helped me get through the fussy periods with the Pumpkin, and I'm sure it will help me with the Pookie as well.
This week's question of the week is...
What parenting/child development book(s) do you think are good reads?
I'm also currently reading Raising Your Spirited Child. This book is FANTASTIC! For those who have a child like my Pumpkin, you really should read this book. From the first page on, I was SO glad I had bought the book and was reading it. My girl is definitely a spirited child, and I'm lucky to have her! As the author pointed out early in the book, spirited children have all these qualities that we admire in adults but find frustrating in children. I'm already changing how I view traits that were frustrating me, and it helps me appreciate my amazing girl even more. Seriously, if you have a spirited child, get this book!
The other books that have made a huge difference to me are:
- Between Parent and Child by Dr. Haim G. Ginott, which focuses on communication techniques and how we interact with our children.
- How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish, which is another book that focuses on communication and it is developed from the communication techniques in Between Parent and Child. It really walks you through how to use the communication techniques and is a great read!
- Playful Parenting by Lawrence Cohen, which talks about how important play is for children's developments, including how to use play as a parenting technique.
- Happiest Baby on the Block (I watched the DVD but didn't read the book) and Happiest Toddler on the Block by Harvey Karp, which has great information about baby and toddler development and has some helpful techniques for calming babies and parenting toddlers.
- The Vaccine Book by Dr. Robert Sears, which really lays out all the information you could think of about vaccines. I feel so much better about medicating my child knowing how the vaccines are made, what the diseases do, and what the risks are of both the diseases and vaccines.
- The Baby Book by Dr.William Sears, which has so much great information that you can refer to help understand what is going on with your baby. But as with all the books, take with a grain of salt.
I'm sure I have more that I've read and would recommend, but that's all I can think of now. Oh, I know there are a few breastfeeding books that were great, but I can't think of them off the top of my head and I'm holding the baby so I can't go check.
How about you all? What books or even DVDs or websites helped see you through? What would you recommend? Why did you like it so much? Share with us!
Saturday, May 2, 2009
caramama's Romance Novel Recommendations
In my post about tips to help get in the "mood," I wrote about how much I love romance novels and how I look for ones that I consider well written. Now, I'm not an expert on great writing, and I certainly have my own preferences that are different from other people's preferences. But I did get my Bachelor's degree and Master's degree in writing fields and began my career in a writing aspect of my current field. I have read many classics, literature from the canon, classic and contempory poetry, and non-fiction research science novels. I've also read trash, light-hearted beach reads, and books I couldn't even finish because they were so awful in every genre.
I particularly love romance novels. I started reading them in high school and continued in college. By grad school, I was so busy reading research and studying that I had very little time for leisure reading. But when Londo and I moved back to the DC area and my SAD hit me hard, I realized I needed to read lighter novels with happy endings to get through the tough-on-me winters. Thus, I went back to the romance novels. But still, I couldn't just read trashy, poorly written books. There were even some books I'd read in high school that I re-read as an adult and discovered that they really weren't good.
My criteria is:
- Good plots. They don't have to be original ideas, although original plots or twists on old ideas are preferred. They don't have to be completely believable (I can willingly suspend disbelief for books, movies and TV). But they have to be interesting and have something going on in addition to the romance plot.
- Good characters. Nothing will make me drop a book faster than bland, flat characters. Well-rounded characters who are realistic and deeper than just the surface appearance can make an otherwise dull book worth reading, to me.
- Romantic connection on both sides. There is a certain way that good authors can get across the spark of love between characters that makes your heart leap when you read about them looking at each other. I love that.
- Facing adversity together. I know that plenty of people like those books where the two main characters are pitted against each other and their love develops from that. I am not into those. I MUCH prefer the books where the characters work together to overcome adversity. They don't always have to be in perfect accord, but overall aren't constantly fighting with each other.
- Some good sex scenes. They don't have to be super graphic or dirty (although sometimes those are great), but too many euphemisms and you've lost me. I don't want to hear about swords and sheaths or whatever. I'm an adult and I deserve to be talked to/written to as an adult. And I like them steamy, even if it's only really steamy kissing.
- Good writing! This is one of those "you know it when you see/read it." But it includes good word choices, good grammar, writing that flows, good editing so there aren't obvious mistakes in the sequence of events and such, and an interesting writing style/voice.
So now I scour the romance rows in book stores for books by good authors. Some authors I discovered years ago and wait impatiently for their new books to come. Some authors are recommended to me by friends who are romance-novel lovers. Some authors I pick up because the book looks interesting and like it would fit my criteria.
Once I read the books, I rate the authors into the following categories:
- Re-Reader - will re-read the book I've already read and will definitely buy other books by the author
- Keeper - will keep the book for possible re-reading or lending to others and will buy other books if they look interesting
- Worth Buying - may not keep the books but will buy others by the author that look interesting
- Would Read - won't buy other books by the author, but will read if it's given to me for free
- Won't Read - won't bother to read other books by the author
- Won't Finish - won't even finish the book I started because it's crap or pissed me off in some way or another
Well, that was a long introduction to my even longer book recommendations. I'm going to try to categorize the books I recommend in a way that makes sense to me. They will include only Re-Readers, Keepers, Worth Buyings and maybe a couple Would Reads. At the end of my recommendations, I've included another woman's recommendations which are definitely worth checking out.
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Historical
Jo Beverly - Jo Bev is one of my favorite authors, as I've mentioned before when she commented on one of my posts. She writes good plots, has very interesting characters, great dialogue (which can be very tough to do), keeps things in perspective of the time periods in which she writes, is historically accurate and even gives more details in her Author's Notes at the end of the books, and has some great romance scenes. I especially love her Malloren series (my favorite book of hers is Tempting Fortune, the second in this series, I think because the hero reminds me so much of Londo), but her Company of Rogues series is a close second. cm Rating = Re-Reader.
Sabrina Jeffries - I discovered her by reading The Royal Brotherhood series, and I thought they were fun, good reads. I like her characters, plots and romance scenes. I don't think I've read any of her older books, as the newer ones seem more interesting to (by their back covers, at least). Also, her newer ones tend to at least tangentially have characters from other books, and I love that. cm Rating = Keeper.
Julia Quinn - I recently started reading Julia Quinn, and I've become a fan. Some of the plots are a bit cliche (the Cinderella plot, the Robin Hood character who is really a society man, etc.), but overall I like her character development and her writing. I've really started to get into her Bridgerton series. I think she's definitely worth trying out. cm Rating = Keeper.
Cathy Maxwell - Her books are fun, light reads. Not really original or deep, but a good beach read with good writing. Although, I must admit that I've read only a few of her books, so maybe I just haven't found her best. cm Rating = Worth Buying.
Mary Balogh - I just read my first novel of hers, which is in the Bedwyn series, and I really enjoyed it. She has interesting characters that might be a little unusual for the time period, but she makes it clear that they know they are unusual. A friend gave me this book, and I'm now going to buy the others in the series and hope they are as good! cm tentative Rating = Worth Buying.
Celeste Bradley - I've read a couple of her books in The Royal Four series, and I enjoyed them. I like a good spy-mixed-with-romance novel, and hers have been interesting. I do plan to buy more of her books. cm Rating = Worth Buying.
Johanna Lindsey - She's long been a favorite of many readers. I personally loved her books in high school, but now think they are only okay. I will still buy books in her Malory series, but I have to really be in the mood for a stubborn, alpha male hero to read them. I do like to read alpha male characters (especially in the bedroom), but add the complete stubborn/obstinate trait, and he will get on my nerves. She has at least one book that I would never recommend to others, and even threw away my copy so that no one else would read it, because it was pretty much hero captured pretty girl, she said she hated him, he raped her, she said she hated him again, he raped her again, repeat a few times, she fell in love with him, and then he with her. That to me isn't a love story, it's Stockholm syndrome and not romantic AT ALL. So with her, it all depends on the book, and then on my mood. But others like her more than I do. cm Rating = Worth Reading (but depends on book).
Liz Carlyle - I've only read one of her books, The Devil You Know, and it was a pretty good book. But she just didn't hit me as an author that I would search the shelves for. I've heard other say good things, though, so she obviously goes over well with others. cm Rating = Worth Reading.
I'll also mention Lisa Kleypas, but I'm not sure how to rate her. I liked her at first, when I was in the mood for alpha male characters. Then I read one that included a miscarriage, and I didn't like the way it was dealt with at all. I think I was literally yelling out loud at the characters in the book and the author. But that's a senstive topic for me. And so I stopped buying her books. But again, others might like her and can either get past what I can't or not read that book.
Paranormal
Sherrilyn Kenyon - She was (and maybe still is) my second favorite romance author. When she first came out with Dark-Hunter series, I gobbled up those books and tracked when the next ones would come out. The early books in that series were so great! It was like hot romance with Buffy the Vampire Slayer dialogue. Fun and sexy. But after enjoying the new books in the series less and less, I've finally decided that I probably will stop reading the rest of series. I will still go back and re-read (again) the earlier books. For me, it's really that she seems to feel she has to go bigger, badder and more apocolyptic with every book. I was happy when there were brooding Dark-Hunters going after the evil vampire-characters, and they needed their true love to save their souls--and hot romantic connections. I enjoyed her mythos that she created, but now it's gone from humans turned Dark-Hunters to the gods' gods and even more powerful demons. It's just too much, overdone. But having said all that, I'm still loving her BAD series, which is really contemporary, not paranormal. cm Rating = Re-Reader to Would Read, depending on book.
Christine Feehan - So, I can't just say I like this author, but need another whole explanation. I have been reading her Drake Sisters series, and I've been enjoying them. The plots are really interesting, and I like the characters (even though some border on flat). But I don't think her writing is that fantastic. She repeats a lot of the same thoughts, without any variation in some cases, and the dialogue sometimes seems sophmoric. I do like the story lines of this series, but I don't think I'll buy her other books. cm Rating = Worth Reading.
Contemporary
Sherrilyn Kenyon - See above. I love the BAD series because (like her earlier Dark-Hunter novels) they are fun and sexy. cm Rating (for her contemporary romances) = Worth Buying.
Vicki Lewis Thompson - I picked up a book in her Nerds series at an airport once, and I just thought it was so cute. They are light, beach reads that you can't take too seriously, but they are fun and even interesting. And for those of us who have a thing for the nerdy/geeky types, especially those who have a bit of nerdy/geeky on the inside but hot on the outside (*ahem*Londo*ahem*), it's fun to read these books. I believe that the heroines also range from the geeky-on-the-inside-gorgeous-on-the-outside to the nerd-who-cleans-up-to-be-a-hottie. And let's face it people, brains are sexy! cm Rating = Keeper.
Sandra Brown - She is another author I discovered in high school, but one I still really enjoy. I love her contemporary mystery romances. Actually, I'm not sure she is considered a romance writer any more, but her mysteries sure have some steamy love scenes. The books she puts out now are pretty hot and have good plots. The first book of hers I read was French Silk. I kept the copy from when I read it in high school and re-read as an adult, and it was still really good. I listened to Envy as a book-on-CD recently, and thought it was so well done. I did read her older romance novels in high schoool, and though they might be good, I have not bothered to re-read any (and I didn't save any of those). cm Rating = Keeper.
Nora Roberts - It seems that everyone who reads Nora Roberts loves her. I think I've not yet gotten into her because of two reasons: 1) She writes drama, not light read romances; and 2) I first read some trilogy of novellas (picked up at a flea market and I don't think is even in print anymore) she wrote about some fake country and the princes' and princess's love stories which wasn't that good. The sex scenes were so bad, I honestly couldn't figure out if/when they were having sex! But my understanding is that those books do not represent her, as apparently she is a really good writer. So I am currently reading a book in her Chesapeake series, and even though I'm only a couple chapters in, I am really enjoying it. cm Rating = Undecided, but leaning toward Keeper.
Linda Francis Lee - I picked up Sinfully Sexy at an airport, and it was a cute story. I didn't buy any others by her, but I would if I saw one. It reminded me of chick lit just this side of romance. cm Rating = Worth Buying.
Smut
Look, sometimes I'm just in the mood for dirty, trashy smut. My normal criteria pretty much goes out the window, which is why these deserve their own category. I think the only criteria here is that I've read them and they are graphic, dirty and full of sex.
Laurell K. Hamilton - She writes paranormal romance/horror. Lots of people seem to like her Anita Baker vampire series. I read the first one and wasn't impressed. But I like my vampire novels to have brooding characters who go through a redemption story plus a love story (ideally redemption through love). However, I did start reading her Merry Gentry series simply because the reviews on Amazon went about how they were full of raunchy sex and had less and less plot as the books went on. They are, and I keep buying them. Hehe. But you have to be okay with the weird (really weird) and horrific, which I am as long as the horrific isn't really mixed in with the sex. I do not read about violent sex. Not a turn on for me, and it isn't for the heroine of this series either. cm Rating = Worth Buying for me, maybe not for you.
Pat Booth - Here I fess up that I haven't read her since high school, and I'm pretty sure she's out of print and I didn't keep any of my books. But this was some trashy smut! The books were contemporary with a poor-girl-trying-to-make-it-in-big-fake-city feel to them. They had some really hot sex scenes, one on a boat that I still remember as a "wow, some day I want to do THAT!" I wonder if I can find them at the library. cm Rating = Would Read.
Jackie Collins - Haven't read her since high school, either, but if you like smut, she's one of the best. cm Rating = Would Read
---------------------------------------
I guess that's all I've got. I have a couple of bags of books that people have recently given me and lent me, mostly with authors I haven't read yet so I can't wait to try. I might have to do an update in a year or so when I've read some more authors.
---------------------------------------
In the mean time, here are recommendations from eccentric libertarian, a regular commenter on Ask Moxie who exchanged emails with me about romance novels that we liked:
"My criteria: intelligent writing, a reasonable level historical accuracy, an effort to create characters who are not just contemporary people with contemporary thoughts who happen to be wearing corsets, etc., no silly, contrived plots, and some hot sex scenes, although not super graphic or on every other page. I'm not including any authors who are no longer in print." "I forgot to mention one other criteria that I look for in what I consider to be the very best historical romance - absorbing emotional relations between characters that are fully realized, with psychological depth."
"Laura Kinsale is the best, IMO. Anything by her is really good, but some are great - my particular favorites are For My Lady's Heart (set in the late 1300s), The Shadow and the Star (Victorian era, includes an adult character who was sexually abused as a child, which some may not want to read about), The Dream Hunter (1840s), Flowers from the Storm (1850s), and The Prince of Midnight (circa 1780s).
Judith Ivory is another author who meets my criteria. Some of hers are out of print, but the ones you can find on bookstore shelves today are all good...although I did not care for Angel in a Red Dress. Untie My Heart, about a semi con artist, is very enjoyable - and some pretty hot sex scenes. Beast is another good one, and has an unusual place & time setting - an ocean liner and then France in the 1910s.
Loretta Chase - also all good. Her linked series of Miss Wonderful, Mr. Impossible, and Lord Perfect is a good introduction to her writing.
Liz Carlyle - while I think this writer has run out of steam, some of her earlier books are very good. A Woman of Virtue, A Woman Scorned, My False Heart, Beauty Like the Night, and The Devil You Know are the real deal, and share some interconnecting characters.
Eloisa James, Julia Quinn, Jo Beverley, and Mary Balogh are all popular and seem to put out a book every year. Their stuff is fine, but not a lot stands out."
And in response to my email that mentioned I like Jo Bev, Julia Quinn and Mary Balogh:
"I like Jo B also - I feel that her more recent books are kind of flat, but her earlier ones (one favorite is 'Something Wicked' from the Malloren series) are much better. Mary Balogh's Harlequins (those little short ones) are pretty good, but only available on eBay. I enjoy tortured soul type characters, so her 'Silent Melody' is one I like. Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series books are all pretty good. These authors I look upon as producing reliable, intelligent writing, almost always with a real effort made to get into the minds of 18th or 19th century people. Nobody could keep up with the kind of publishing schedule they have to meet (a new book or two every year) and keep it fresh and original.
One more author you might like is Georgette Heyer. These are not sensual at all - most don't even have kissing (they were written in the 1920s-30s). Almost all are set in the Regency time period, and indeed she pretty much invented this genre. All the books(there are a lot - like 50) are meticulously researched, fun and frothy. Kind of like a giddy version of Jane Austen."
This woman is very insightful and has excellent taste! I'm definitely going to look into her recommendations!
I particularly love romance novels. I started reading them in high school and continued in college. By grad school, I was so busy reading research and studying that I had very little time for leisure reading. But when Londo and I moved back to the DC area and my SAD hit me hard, I realized I needed to read lighter novels with happy endings to get through the tough-on-me winters. Thus, I went back to the romance novels. But still, I couldn't just read trashy, poorly written books. There were even some books I'd read in high school that I re-read as an adult and discovered that they really weren't good.
My criteria is:
- Good plots. They don't have to be original ideas, although original plots or twists on old ideas are preferred. They don't have to be completely believable (I can willingly suspend disbelief for books, movies and TV). But they have to be interesting and have something going on in addition to the romance plot.
- Good characters. Nothing will make me drop a book faster than bland, flat characters. Well-rounded characters who are realistic and deeper than just the surface appearance can make an otherwise dull book worth reading, to me.
- Romantic connection on both sides. There is a certain way that good authors can get across the spark of love between characters that makes your heart leap when you read about them looking at each other. I love that.
- Facing adversity together. I know that plenty of people like those books where the two main characters are pitted against each other and their love develops from that. I am not into those. I MUCH prefer the books where the characters work together to overcome adversity. They don't always have to be in perfect accord, but overall aren't constantly fighting with each other.
- Some good sex scenes. They don't have to be super graphic or dirty (although sometimes those are great), but too many euphemisms and you've lost me. I don't want to hear about swords and sheaths or whatever. I'm an adult and I deserve to be talked to/written to as an adult. And I like them steamy, even if it's only really steamy kissing.
- Good writing! This is one of those "you know it when you see/read it." But it includes good word choices, good grammar, writing that flows, good editing so there aren't obvious mistakes in the sequence of events and such, and an interesting writing style/voice.
So now I scour the romance rows in book stores for books by good authors. Some authors I discovered years ago and wait impatiently for their new books to come. Some authors are recommended to me by friends who are romance-novel lovers. Some authors I pick up because the book looks interesting and like it would fit my criteria.
Once I read the books, I rate the authors into the following categories:
- Re-Reader - will re-read the book I've already read and will definitely buy other books by the author
- Keeper - will keep the book for possible re-reading or lending to others and will buy other books if they look interesting
- Worth Buying - may not keep the books but will buy others by the author that look interesting
- Would Read - won't buy other books by the author, but will read if it's given to me for free
- Won't Read - won't bother to read other books by the author
- Won't Finish - won't even finish the book I started because it's crap or pissed me off in some way or another
Well, that was a long introduction to my even longer book recommendations. I'm going to try to categorize the books I recommend in a way that makes sense to me. They will include only Re-Readers, Keepers, Worth Buyings and maybe a couple Would Reads. At the end of my recommendations, I've included another woman's recommendations which are definitely worth checking out.
---------------------------------------
Historical
Jo Beverly - Jo Bev is one of my favorite authors, as I've mentioned before when she commented on one of my posts. She writes good plots, has very interesting characters, great dialogue (which can be very tough to do), keeps things in perspective of the time periods in which she writes, is historically accurate and even gives more details in her Author's Notes at the end of the books, and has some great romance scenes. I especially love her Malloren series (my favorite book of hers is Tempting Fortune, the second in this series, I think because the hero reminds me so much of Londo), but her Company of Rogues series is a close second. cm Rating = Re-Reader.
Sabrina Jeffries - I discovered her by reading The Royal Brotherhood series, and I thought they were fun, good reads. I like her characters, plots and romance scenes. I don't think I've read any of her older books, as the newer ones seem more interesting to (by their back covers, at least). Also, her newer ones tend to at least tangentially have characters from other books, and I love that. cm Rating = Keeper.
Julia Quinn - I recently started reading Julia Quinn, and I've become a fan. Some of the plots are a bit cliche (the Cinderella plot, the Robin Hood character who is really a society man, etc.), but overall I like her character development and her writing. I've really started to get into her Bridgerton series. I think she's definitely worth trying out. cm Rating = Keeper.
Cathy Maxwell - Her books are fun, light reads. Not really original or deep, but a good beach read with good writing. Although, I must admit that I've read only a few of her books, so maybe I just haven't found her best. cm Rating = Worth Buying.
Mary Balogh - I just read my first novel of hers, which is in the Bedwyn series, and I really enjoyed it. She has interesting characters that might be a little unusual for the time period, but she makes it clear that they know they are unusual. A friend gave me this book, and I'm now going to buy the others in the series and hope they are as good! cm tentative Rating = Worth Buying.
Celeste Bradley - I've read a couple of her books in The Royal Four series, and I enjoyed them. I like a good spy-mixed-with-romance novel, and hers have been interesting. I do plan to buy more of her books. cm Rating = Worth Buying.
Johanna Lindsey - She's long been a favorite of many readers. I personally loved her books in high school, but now think they are only okay. I will still buy books in her Malory series, but I have to really be in the mood for a stubborn, alpha male hero to read them. I do like to read alpha male characters (especially in the bedroom), but add the complete stubborn/obstinate trait, and he will get on my nerves. She has at least one book that I would never recommend to others, and even threw away my copy so that no one else would read it, because it was pretty much hero captured pretty girl, she said she hated him, he raped her, she said she hated him again, he raped her again, repeat a few times, she fell in love with him, and then he with her. That to me isn't a love story, it's Stockholm syndrome and not romantic AT ALL. So with her, it all depends on the book, and then on my mood. But others like her more than I do. cm Rating = Worth Reading (but depends on book).
Liz Carlyle - I've only read one of her books, The Devil You Know, and it was a pretty good book. But she just didn't hit me as an author that I would search the shelves for. I've heard other say good things, though, so she obviously goes over well with others. cm Rating = Worth Reading.
I'll also mention Lisa Kleypas, but I'm not sure how to rate her. I liked her at first, when I was in the mood for alpha male characters. Then I read one that included a miscarriage, and I didn't like the way it was dealt with at all. I think I was literally yelling out loud at the characters in the book and the author. But that's a senstive topic for me. And so I stopped buying her books. But again, others might like her and can either get past what I can't or not read that book.
Paranormal
Sherrilyn Kenyon - She was (and maybe still is) my second favorite romance author. When she first came out with Dark-Hunter series, I gobbled up those books and tracked when the next ones would come out. The early books in that series were so great! It was like hot romance with Buffy the Vampire Slayer dialogue. Fun and sexy. But after enjoying the new books in the series less and less, I've finally decided that I probably will stop reading the rest of series. I will still go back and re-read (again) the earlier books. For me, it's really that she seems to feel she has to go bigger, badder and more apocolyptic with every book. I was happy when there were brooding Dark-Hunters going after the evil vampire-characters, and they needed their true love to save their souls--and hot romantic connections. I enjoyed her mythos that she created, but now it's gone from humans turned Dark-Hunters to the gods' gods and even more powerful demons. It's just too much, overdone. But having said all that, I'm still loving her BAD series, which is really contemporary, not paranormal. cm Rating = Re-Reader to Would Read, depending on book.
Christine Feehan - So, I can't just say I like this author, but need another whole explanation. I have been reading her Drake Sisters series, and I've been enjoying them. The plots are really interesting, and I like the characters (even though some border on flat). But I don't think her writing is that fantastic. She repeats a lot of the same thoughts, without any variation in some cases, and the dialogue sometimes seems sophmoric. I do like the story lines of this series, but I don't think I'll buy her other books. cm Rating = Worth Reading.
Contemporary
Sherrilyn Kenyon - See above. I love the BAD series because (like her earlier Dark-Hunter novels) they are fun and sexy. cm Rating (for her contemporary romances) = Worth Buying.
Vicki Lewis Thompson - I picked up a book in her Nerds series at an airport once, and I just thought it was so cute. They are light, beach reads that you can't take too seriously, but they are fun and even interesting. And for those of us who have a thing for the nerdy/geeky types, especially those who have a bit of nerdy/geeky on the inside but hot on the outside (*ahem*Londo*ahem*), it's fun to read these books. I believe that the heroines also range from the geeky-on-the-inside-gorgeous-on-the-outside to the nerd-who-cleans-up-to-be-a-hottie. And let's face it people, brains are sexy! cm Rating = Keeper.
Sandra Brown - She is another author I discovered in high school, but one I still really enjoy. I love her contemporary mystery romances. Actually, I'm not sure she is considered a romance writer any more, but her mysteries sure have some steamy love scenes. The books she puts out now are pretty hot and have good plots. The first book of hers I read was French Silk. I kept the copy from when I read it in high school and re-read as an adult, and it was still really good. I listened to Envy as a book-on-CD recently, and thought it was so well done. I did read her older romance novels in high schoool, and though they might be good, I have not bothered to re-read any (and I didn't save any of those). cm Rating = Keeper.
Nora Roberts - It seems that everyone who reads Nora Roberts loves her. I think I've not yet gotten into her because of two reasons: 1) She writes drama, not light read romances; and 2) I first read some trilogy of novellas (picked up at a flea market and I don't think is even in print anymore) she wrote about some fake country and the princes' and princess's love stories which wasn't that good. The sex scenes were so bad, I honestly couldn't figure out if/when they were having sex! But my understanding is that those books do not represent her, as apparently she is a really good writer. So I am currently reading a book in her Chesapeake series, and even though I'm only a couple chapters in, I am really enjoying it. cm Rating = Undecided, but leaning toward Keeper.
Linda Francis Lee - I picked up Sinfully Sexy at an airport, and it was a cute story. I didn't buy any others by her, but I would if I saw one. It reminded me of chick lit just this side of romance. cm Rating = Worth Buying.
Smut
Look, sometimes I'm just in the mood for dirty, trashy smut. My normal criteria pretty much goes out the window, which is why these deserve their own category. I think the only criteria here is that I've read them and they are graphic, dirty and full of sex.
Laurell K. Hamilton - She writes paranormal romance/horror. Lots of people seem to like her Anita Baker vampire series. I read the first one and wasn't impressed. But I like my vampire novels to have brooding characters who go through a redemption story plus a love story (ideally redemption through love). However, I did start reading her Merry Gentry series simply because the reviews on Amazon went about how they were full of raunchy sex and had less and less plot as the books went on. They are, and I keep buying them. Hehe. But you have to be okay with the weird (really weird) and horrific, which I am as long as the horrific isn't really mixed in with the sex. I do not read about violent sex. Not a turn on for me, and it isn't for the heroine of this series either. cm Rating = Worth Buying for me, maybe not for you.
Pat Booth - Here I fess up that I haven't read her since high school, and I'm pretty sure she's out of print and I didn't keep any of my books. But this was some trashy smut! The books were contemporary with a poor-girl-trying-to-make-it-in-big-fake-city feel to them. They had some really hot sex scenes, one on a boat that I still remember as a "wow, some day I want to do THAT!" I wonder if I can find them at the library. cm Rating = Would Read.
Jackie Collins - Haven't read her since high school, either, but if you like smut, she's one of the best. cm Rating = Would Read
---------------------------------------
I guess that's all I've got. I have a couple of bags of books that people have recently given me and lent me, mostly with authors I haven't read yet so I can't wait to try. I might have to do an update in a year or so when I've read some more authors.
---------------------------------------
In the mean time, here are recommendations from eccentric libertarian, a regular commenter on Ask Moxie who exchanged emails with me about romance novels that we liked:
"My criteria: intelligent writing, a reasonable level historical accuracy, an effort to create characters who are not just contemporary people with contemporary thoughts who happen to be wearing corsets, etc., no silly, contrived plots, and some hot sex scenes, although not super graphic or on every other page. I'm not including any authors who are no longer in print." "I forgot to mention one other criteria that I look for in what I consider to be the very best historical romance - absorbing emotional relations between characters that are fully realized, with psychological depth."
"Laura Kinsale is the best, IMO. Anything by her is really good, but some are great - my particular favorites are For My Lady's Heart (set in the late 1300s), The Shadow and the Star (Victorian era, includes an adult character who was sexually abused as a child, which some may not want to read about), The Dream Hunter (1840s), Flowers from the Storm (1850s), and The Prince of Midnight (circa 1780s).
Judith Ivory is another author who meets my criteria. Some of hers are out of print, but the ones you can find on bookstore shelves today are all good...although I did not care for Angel in a Red Dress. Untie My Heart, about a semi con artist, is very enjoyable - and some pretty hot sex scenes. Beast is another good one, and has an unusual place & time setting - an ocean liner and then France in the 1910s.
Loretta Chase - also all good. Her linked series of Miss Wonderful, Mr. Impossible, and Lord Perfect is a good introduction to her writing.
Liz Carlyle - while I think this writer has run out of steam, some of her earlier books are very good. A Woman of Virtue, A Woman Scorned, My False Heart, Beauty Like the Night, and The Devil You Know are the real deal, and share some interconnecting characters.
Eloisa James, Julia Quinn, Jo Beverley, and Mary Balogh are all popular and seem to put out a book every year. Their stuff is fine, but not a lot stands out."
And in response to my email that mentioned I like Jo Bev, Julia Quinn and Mary Balogh:
"I like Jo B also - I feel that her more recent books are kind of flat, but her earlier ones (one favorite is 'Something Wicked' from the Malloren series) are much better. Mary Balogh's Harlequins (those little short ones) are pretty good, but only available on eBay. I enjoy tortured soul type characters, so her 'Silent Melody' is one I like. Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series books are all pretty good. These authors I look upon as producing reliable, intelligent writing, almost always with a real effort made to get into the minds of 18th or 19th century people. Nobody could keep up with the kind of publishing schedule they have to meet (a new book or two every year) and keep it fresh and original.
One more author you might like is Georgette Heyer. These are not sensual at all - most don't even have kissing (they were written in the 1920s-30s). Almost all are set in the Regency time period, and indeed she pretty much invented this genre. All the books(there are a lot - like 50) are meticulously researched, fun and frothy. Kind of like a giddy version of Jane Austen."
This woman is very insightful and has excellent taste! I'm definitely going to look into her recommendations!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
More On Breakfast, Plus Freckles and Repetitive Nopes
Great breakfast ideas from just about everyone! A few of you mentioned cream cheese on toast, so I toasted whole wheat english muffins and left out the cream cheese for the babysitter to give the Pumpkin this morning. I'll ask her tomorrow how it went, but I have high hopes.
Also, I was having cereal for dinner last night*, and the Pumpkin asked for some. I have given her bites of my cereal before (when it's Cheerios or something else I deem acceptable for her age), and she really seems to like it. Well, she had eaten a bunch of her dinner, but really wanted more and more of my cereal. So I poured her a little bowl of her own with a touch of milk on it.
She LOVED it! So I poured her another. I'm happy to say, we now have another cereal eater in the family. This will make some mornings easier, especially combined with toast and fruit.
As for the fruit... I didn't mention it yesterday as part of our breakfasts, and that's because it's not just a part of breakfast for the Pumpkin. Fruit must be had at EVERY meal, and often for snacks too. This child is a fruitaholic unlike anything I've seen before. Just this morning when I was setting the breakfast foods out on the table while the babysitter was watching the Pumpkin, the child walked into the kitchen, saw the bowl of melon chunks on the table and (I am not making this up) mouthed the word "fruit" with no sound, immediately followed by her turning to the babysitter and saying out loud, "Eat! Eat!" and trying to get in her high chair.
Her passion for fruit was exceedingly high this morning, because we had not been to the grocery store in too long and have been down to an orange (which she ate last night with dinner) and applesauce. Also, I knew the eating regression was serious when she didn't even finish her banana one afternoon!
In other news, the freckle count is up to six! There are the two on her arm, one on her ribs, one by her knee and now the one on her thigh and one at her hair line on her forehead. I get so excited when I find a new one, and I keep looking all the time. In fact, the Pumpkin knows the word "feckel" and points at spots on her body when she says it, although she doesn't quite point to an actual freckle. The odd thing though is that they are all on her right side. You'd think with six freckles there would be one on her left side, but nope!
Speaking of "nope," I have a bone to pick with Sandra Boynton! As much as I love the book What's Wrong, Little Pookie?, it is teaching my daughter a major bad habit! Every question the mom asks her little Pookie is answered with "no," "nope" or "no, thank you." My child loves this book, and since discovering her love of it, she has been answered every question asked of her with "no" or "nope!" So when she does this, I start breaking out into the silly question the mom asks about hippos borrowing shoes or green elephants stealing cookies. It gets a big laugh and helps me maintain my sanity with a child who does not know how to answer questions with "yes" even when she means yes. But it still doesn't really alleviate my frustration that she does not answer yes. Ever. So, Ms. Boynton, can you please write a book in which the child answers very nicely yes to all questions asked? Thank you!
*On the rare occassion I had something as crazy as cereal for dinner when I was growing up, my mom used to call it "Silly Supper" night. We could pick cereal or PBJs or something else really easy to make. We thought these were so fun and funny. Now, I realize that it was a night my mom took off of cooking, but she made it seem like a special treat. As an adult Cereal for dinner has been a regular meal. We both really enjoy cooking, but it often didn't seem worth the energy when it was just us two. Now, it is important to us to provide the Pumpkin was home cooked meal. But sometimes we cook food just for her and still enjoy a little cereal for dinner.
Also, I was having cereal for dinner last night*, and the Pumpkin asked for some. I have given her bites of my cereal before (when it's Cheerios or something else I deem acceptable for her age), and she really seems to like it. Well, she had eaten a bunch of her dinner, but really wanted more and more of my cereal. So I poured her a little bowl of her own with a touch of milk on it.
She LOVED it! So I poured her another. I'm happy to say, we now have another cereal eater in the family. This will make some mornings easier, especially combined with toast and fruit.
As for the fruit... I didn't mention it yesterday as part of our breakfasts, and that's because it's not just a part of breakfast for the Pumpkin. Fruit must be had at EVERY meal, and often for snacks too. This child is a fruitaholic unlike anything I've seen before. Just this morning when I was setting the breakfast foods out on the table while the babysitter was watching the Pumpkin, the child walked into the kitchen, saw the bowl of melon chunks on the table and (I am not making this up) mouthed the word "fruit" with no sound, immediately followed by her turning to the babysitter and saying out loud, "Eat! Eat!" and trying to get in her high chair.
Her passion for fruit was exceedingly high this morning, because we had not been to the grocery store in too long and have been down to an orange (which she ate last night with dinner) and applesauce. Also, I knew the eating regression was serious when she didn't even finish her banana one afternoon!
In other news, the freckle count is up to six! There are the two on her arm, one on her ribs, one by her knee and now the one on her thigh and one at her hair line on her forehead. I get so excited when I find a new one, and I keep looking all the time. In fact, the Pumpkin knows the word "feckel" and points at spots on her body when she says it, although she doesn't quite point to an actual freckle. The odd thing though is that they are all on her right side. You'd think with six freckles there would be one on her left side, but nope!
Speaking of "nope," I have a bone to pick with Sandra Boynton! As much as I love the book What's Wrong, Little Pookie?, it is teaching my daughter a major bad habit! Every question the mom asks her little Pookie is answered with "no," "nope" or "no, thank you." My child loves this book, and since discovering her love of it, she has been answered every question asked of her with "no" or "nope!" So when she does this, I start breaking out into the silly question the mom asks about hippos borrowing shoes or green elephants stealing cookies. It gets a big laugh and helps me maintain my sanity with a child who does not know how to answer questions with "yes" even when she means yes. But it still doesn't really alleviate my frustration that she does not answer yes. Ever. So, Ms. Boynton, can you please write a book in which the child answers very nicely yes to all questions asked? Thank you!
*On the rare occassion I had something as crazy as cereal for dinner when I was growing up, my mom used to call it "Silly Supper" night. We could pick cereal or PBJs or something else really easy to make. We thought these were so fun and funny. Now, I realize that it was a night my mom took off of cooking, but she made it seem like a special treat. As an adult Cereal for dinner has been a regular meal. We both really enjoy cooking, but it often didn't seem worth the energy when it was just us two. Now, it is important to us to provide the Pumpkin was home cooked meal. But sometimes we cook food just for her and still enjoy a little cereal for dinner.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
It Comes With the Job
Hey! Did you remember that I have another blog where I review things like books? Me neither! Just kidding. I remembered, I just haven't had much time to write anything over there. But last night I finally wrote my review for my TBR Challenge July book! I read and reviewed the book The Pact, by Jodi Picoult.
The book was excellent, but it's left me thinking a great deal about how I need to protect my child (and future children) and how to watch out for her (them).
For example, I worry a great deal about the fact that depression runs in families. Since I suffer annually from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and had postpartum depression (PPD), I am concerned that my children may also suffer from some form of depression. It's not an easy thing to live with, and I hope that they don't. But what if they do? Will I recognize the signs? Will I be able to do anything to help? Will they feel comfortable talking with me about it and asking for help when they need it?
I like to think that I will and they will. I hope that seeing me actively manage these issues and my being open about the issues will provide them a good model if they have issues of their own. I like to think that because I know the signs and am watching for them I will be able to recognize them in time to help. It's hard to be go through depression, especially as a preteen and teen when your emotions and hormones are going crazy anyway. I like to think that I can help them. But when the time comes, will I notice a difference between normal moody teen behavoir and real issues? Will I be able to provide the support and understanding they need, or will I just be Mama not understanding it and trying to get into their business?
What about something bad happening to them? I have the book Protecting the Gift just waiting to be ordered when I put in my next amazon order, since I hear such good things about it. But things can happen to children even with the most watchful parents. I think about how in just a few unattended moments, the life of the girl in the book turned down a dark path and never righted itself. Those things happen. I think of Elizabeth Smart and other children who are snatched from their very bedrooms. Not all end as well as Elizabeth's story.
I worry. I worry and worry and worry. I've never been a worrier. I know I can only do my best. I know that bad things happen to good people. I know that I can't protect my child(ren) from everything (goodness, I wish I could!). I know that my child(ren) are already having it easier than many other children in the world.
But I still worry. It's what parents do.
The book was excellent, but it's left me thinking a great deal about how I need to protect my child (and future children) and how to watch out for her (them).
For example, I worry a great deal about the fact that depression runs in families. Since I suffer annually from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and had postpartum depression (PPD), I am concerned that my children may also suffer from some form of depression. It's not an easy thing to live with, and I hope that they don't. But what if they do? Will I recognize the signs? Will I be able to do anything to help? Will they feel comfortable talking with me about it and asking for help when they need it?
I like to think that I will and they will. I hope that seeing me actively manage these issues and my being open about the issues will provide them a good model if they have issues of their own. I like to think that because I know the signs and am watching for them I will be able to recognize them in time to help. It's hard to be go through depression, especially as a preteen and teen when your emotions and hormones are going crazy anyway. I like to think that I can help them. But when the time comes, will I notice a difference between normal moody teen behavoir and real issues? Will I be able to provide the support and understanding they need, or will I just be Mama not understanding it and trying to get into their business?
What about something bad happening to them? I have the book Protecting the Gift just waiting to be ordered when I put in my next amazon order, since I hear such good things about it. But things can happen to children even with the most watchful parents. I think about how in just a few unattended moments, the life of the girl in the book turned down a dark path and never righted itself. Those things happen. I think of Elizabeth Smart and other children who are snatched from their very bedrooms. Not all end as well as Elizabeth's story.
I worry. I worry and worry and worry. I've never been a worrier. I know I can only do my best. I know that bad things happen to good people. I know that I can't protect my child(ren) from everything (goodness, I wish I could!). I know that my child(ren) are already having it easier than many other children in the world.
But I still worry. It's what parents do.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
My New Site!
I've been thinking about my TBR Challenge books and the reviews I've been doing for them. It seems to me that this blog isn't the place for them. So...
I've created a new blog called Cara Mama Reviews which will contain my reviews of books, recipes, TV shows, movies, and whatever else I feel like reviewing. Maybe no one will read it, but that's okay. I like doing the reviews and having a place to consolidate them.
I worked on it about a month ago, transferring over all my existing book reviews. Today, I wrote up my review for my TBR Challenge May book and I posted links to some good bread, pancake and low-sugar cake recipes. I hope you enjoy!
I've created a new blog called Cara Mama Reviews which will contain my reviews of books, recipes, TV shows, movies, and whatever else I feel like reviewing. Maybe no one will read it, but that's okay. I like doing the reviews and having a place to consolidate them.
I worked on it about a month ago, transferring over all my existing book reviews. Today, I wrote up my review for my TBR Challenge May book and I posted links to some good bread, pancake and low-sugar cake recipes. I hope you enjoy!
Friday, May 23, 2008
It's Not All Bad
Thanks everyone for your support. It really helps so much to just hear the sympathy and understanding (including an awesomely funny phone message from limboland la la!). This is a phase, and we will get through it, both at work and at home.
I am inspired by Cloud of Wandering Scientist (see last paragraph of this post). I am going to try to concentrate on the good and wonderful things that the Pumpkin is doing, as well as the things about work that I'm enjoying. So here are some good things that are going in my life.
-----------------------
When the Pumpkin reaches for my glasses (which I wear only when my contacts aren't in), she now get a serious look on her face and says sharply "don", which is of course her imitating me saying "don't". Apparently I say that often when she reaches for my glasses. She obviously does not understand what that word means, because she still reaches for the glasses, tears them off my face and then says "eye" as she tries to poke her finger into my eyeball. (How does she know to do this everytime my hands are occupied with something else?)
Instead of getting mad at her coming close to breaking my glasses as she pulls on them, I find her serious face and sharp "don" extremely funny and I burst out laughing every time. Ah well. It's probably time for new glasses anyway.
------------------------
Londo is now taking one night a week to put the Pumpkin to bed. We made this agreement a while ago, but I think it's been hard for me to let go of this responsibility. For my sanity, I need to take the break at least one night a week, so I've just got to let go and let him do it. He gave her a bottle to bed last night, and I was able to actually spend that time doing something fun for me.
------------------------
Want to know what that something fun was? Yesterday, I finally bought the shelves I talked about a long time ago. I got the drawer base, the cabinet and the cubbies in honey. Last night, I moved the chair from the corner out of the room, set down the drawer base in the corner, and then I put together the cabinet and put it on top of the base. And then... I put away all of the Pumpkin's toys!!! And they all fit in just those, so I can use the cubbies for my cookbooks and other books! Now, instead of the toys overflowing in a corner of the room and a chair in another corner that was just a dumping place for jackets and crap, I've got a beautiful drawer and cabinet that store the Pumpkin's toys in the family room. I'm so happy about that.
And the new couch arrives on Tuesday! As for the other items for the room, I've had to redesign a bit based on the new financial situation. Will try and take pics next week after the couch is in and explain the set up I decided on.
------------------------
Did I mention how much I'm looking forward to the get together at the zoo this weekend?
------------------------
Having the nanny full time at our house has been working out really well. She is wonderful, and having her at our house has really eased my stress in the mornings. If I'm not ready by the time she gets to our house at 8:00, I can hand over the Pumpkin and finish getting ready on my own.
------------------------
A good friend and her daughter (who is a couple months older than the Pumpkin) is very likely going to come to the beach with us on vacation! We own the time share with my parents, so it will be my mom and dad there too. Family, friends, the beach and outlet shopping. Could it get any better???
------------------------
I got an award at work. It comes with money. I can now shop the outlets at the beach without feeling guilty. :-)
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I finished my May read for the TBR Challenge: Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior, By Temple Grandin and Catherine Johnson. It was really good, and I'm hoping to write up my review this weekend.
------------------------
The Pumpkin loves to "put things in." So she is picking up stuff from the floor or the alphabet magnets off the fridge and putting them into buckets. Now that I have a good place for her toys, I plan on transitioning her to "put things away." After that, it's only a short jump to dusting and mopping, right?
------------------------
So I've got that going for me, which is nice...
I am inspired by Cloud of Wandering Scientist (see last paragraph of this post). I am going to try to concentrate on the good and wonderful things that the Pumpkin is doing, as well as the things about work that I'm enjoying. So here are some good things that are going in my life.
-----------------------
When the Pumpkin reaches for my glasses (which I wear only when my contacts aren't in), she now get a serious look on her face and says sharply "don", which is of course her imitating me saying "don't". Apparently I say that often when she reaches for my glasses. She obviously does not understand what that word means, because she still reaches for the glasses, tears them off my face and then says "eye" as she tries to poke her finger into my eyeball. (How does she know to do this everytime my hands are occupied with something else?)
Instead of getting mad at her coming close to breaking my glasses as she pulls on them, I find her serious face and sharp "don" extremely funny and I burst out laughing every time. Ah well. It's probably time for new glasses anyway.
------------------------
Londo is now taking one night a week to put the Pumpkin to bed. We made this agreement a while ago, but I think it's been hard for me to let go of this responsibility. For my sanity, I need to take the break at least one night a week, so I've just got to let go and let him do it. He gave her a bottle to bed last night, and I was able to actually spend that time doing something fun for me.
------------------------
Want to know what that something fun was? Yesterday, I finally bought the shelves I talked about a long time ago. I got the drawer base, the cabinet and the cubbies in honey. Last night, I moved the chair from the corner out of the room, set down the drawer base in the corner, and then I put together the cabinet and put it on top of the base. And then... I put away all of the Pumpkin's toys!!! And they all fit in just those, so I can use the cubbies for my cookbooks and other books! Now, instead of the toys overflowing in a corner of the room and a chair in another corner that was just a dumping place for jackets and crap, I've got a beautiful drawer and cabinet that store the Pumpkin's toys in the family room. I'm so happy about that.
And the new couch arrives on Tuesday! As for the other items for the room, I've had to redesign a bit based on the new financial situation. Will try and take pics next week after the couch is in and explain the set up I decided on.
------------------------
Did I mention how much I'm looking forward to the get together at the zoo this weekend?
------------------------
Having the nanny full time at our house has been working out really well. She is wonderful, and having her at our house has really eased my stress in the mornings. If I'm not ready by the time she gets to our house at 8:00, I can hand over the Pumpkin and finish getting ready on my own.
------------------------
A good friend and her daughter (who is a couple months older than the Pumpkin) is very likely going to come to the beach with us on vacation! We own the time share with my parents, so it will be my mom and dad there too. Family, friends, the beach and outlet shopping. Could it get any better???
------------------------
I got an award at work. It comes with money. I can now shop the outlets at the beach without feeling guilty. :-)
------------------------
I finished my May read for the TBR Challenge: Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior, By Temple Grandin and Catherine Johnson. It was really good, and I'm hoping to write up my review this weekend.
------------------------
The Pumpkin loves to "put things in." So she is picking up stuff from the floor or the alphabet magnets off the fridge and putting them into buckets. Now that I have a good place for her toys, I plan on transitioning her to "put things away." After that, it's only a short jump to dusting and mopping, right?
------------------------
So I've got that going for me, which is nice...
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Rockabye Rocks!
Over the past few months, I've read a few non-fiction books and memoirs. I generally enjoy memoirs because I like hearing about people's experiences. However, I have been a bit disappointed lately in many of the memoirs. Just because a person has an interesting story to tell, does not mean that they are good writers who can tell the story well.
Rockabye: From Wild to Child, by Rebecca Woolf, does not have this problem. Rebecca's blog Girl's Gone Child was one of the first mommybloggers I started reading. Because of her exceptional writing in addition to her interesting experiences, I never left her site. If you haven't discovered her yet, I suggest going to her site and buying her book. They are both worth it.
Rockabye is Rebecca's story of her unplanned pregnancy, subsequent marriage, and her transition into motherhood. While her story is perhaps in almost every way different from mine, I found myself related in so many ways to what she went through and the thoughts and feelings she had while going through these transitions. Even the areas that I could not relate to directly were told so well that I could understand and even embrace her decisions and feelings. That is a remarkable talent in a storyteller.
Rebecca's writing is simply amazing. I was maybe 10 pages into the book when I looked up at my husband and said, "Now THAT is how you write a book!"* Her rich writing is full of details that draw you in and make her world your world. I'm incredibly impressed by her ability to introspectively view her own life, feelings and emotions and express her deep analyses and conclusions. Even if you have no interest in what it is like to be a new mother, suddenly thrust into parenthood and marriage, her writing is so beautiful that this book would be a joy to read.
I happen to love the topic of parenthood, and I loved reading about Rebecca's struggles and joys. Being a new mom or dad is tough in so many ways, and Rebecca captured many of those ways that I believe are pretty universal, as well as some that are more unique. What she shared was not a day-by-day account of her son's growth, it was not four-page chapter sound bites with trite snippets of life or thoughts. It was the deep reflection of what went on in her head through pregnancy and the first few years of her son's life. She also showed how having a child is worth all the rough times and how the love you experience is greater than anything you knew before.
For those of you who wonder how I make time to read, try reading this book and you'll see how quickly you get sucked in and make time for it.
For other reviews, check out The Parent Bloggers Network's post on the book.
*This was in reference to the previous memoir I read right before this book which had an interesting story, but I found to be poorly written in many ways. Of course Londo got to hear all my grips about the previous book.
Rockabye: From Wild to Child, by Rebecca Woolf, does not have this problem. Rebecca's blog Girl's Gone Child was one of the first mommybloggers I started reading. Because of her exceptional writing in addition to her interesting experiences, I never left her site. If you haven't discovered her yet, I suggest going to her site and buying her book. They are both worth it.
Rockabye is Rebecca's story of her unplanned pregnancy, subsequent marriage, and her transition into motherhood. While her story is perhaps in almost every way different from mine, I found myself related in so many ways to what she went through and the thoughts and feelings she had while going through these transitions. Even the areas that I could not relate to directly were told so well that I could understand and even embrace her decisions and feelings. That is a remarkable talent in a storyteller.
Rebecca's writing is simply amazing. I was maybe 10 pages into the book when I looked up at my husband and said, "Now THAT is how you write a book!"* Her rich writing is full of details that draw you in and make her world your world. I'm incredibly impressed by her ability to introspectively view her own life, feelings and emotions and express her deep analyses and conclusions. Even if you have no interest in what it is like to be a new mother, suddenly thrust into parenthood and marriage, her writing is so beautiful that this book would be a joy to read.
I happen to love the topic of parenthood, and I loved reading about Rebecca's struggles and joys. Being a new mom or dad is tough in so many ways, and Rebecca captured many of those ways that I believe are pretty universal, as well as some that are more unique. What she shared was not a day-by-day account of her son's growth, it was not four-page chapter sound bites with trite snippets of life or thoughts. It was the deep reflection of what went on in her head through pregnancy and the first few years of her son's life. She also showed how having a child is worth all the rough times and how the love you experience is greater than anything you knew before.
For those of you who wonder how I make time to read, try reading this book and you'll see how quickly you get sucked in and make time for it.
For other reviews, check out The Parent Bloggers Network's post on the book.
*This was in reference to the previous memoir I read right before this book which had an interesting story, but I found to be poorly written in many ways. Of course Londo got to hear all my grips about the previous book.
Friday, April 18, 2008
What We Put In Our Bodies
First two things I wanted to mention, and then on to my post. Thanks for all your comments about my childcare delimma. It helps to hear other opinions, and that website that La Folle Maman gave has been fantastic! I'll keep you all updated as we go along, including my reaction to the Montessori school I visited (I LOVED IT!!!). Speaking of updates, I updated the Quote I Love at the bottom of the blog with one of my favorite quotes from Mark Twain. It's a good one--check it out. Now, on to today's thoughts...
I've mentioned before that I'm a bit of a hippie mom. Well, this seems to be especially true in my choices for foods and other things that my baby girl might ingest. I used to roll my eyes at people who bought organic foods or said how eating this or that could cause cancer. It seems that everything causes cancer, so that scare tactic wouldn't work on me!
Now, I'm thinking that everything DOES seem to cause (or at least contribute to) cancer. Or ADD/ADHD or autism or fertility issues or early puberty (even though as a species we are having children later, so evolutionarily we should be having puberty later) or allergies or diabeties or... Well, you get the picture. In the past, oh, 23 months or so*, I've really started paying attention to what I'm ingesting and what my child is ingesting. (I'm also paying attention to what Londo is ingesting, but I try to only encourage not control what he eats since I like being married to him.) And I'm concerned about the amount of incidental crap that is in the foods we buy and eat.
This is why cutting back on high fructose corn syrup and buying more organic foods were two of the three things I picked as part of Ask Moxie's 60 Challenge. I'm also trying to cut down on things with perservatives, food coloring, food additives (what does that even mean?), and processed foods. This doesn't mean that I don't occassionally go out and get the McDonald's cheeseburger and fries, but in general I'm trying to buy, cook and eat better. More natural.
This means that my grocery shopping trips take 2-3 times as long because I am reading the ingredients in EVERYTHING, which in turn means that I don't bring the Pumpkin with me to the grocery much. It also means I'm shopping more and more at Wholefoods and I plan to start going to the local farmers' market and Trader Joe's. It means that I'm trying to bake my own bread** and cook healthly meals more often in order to control the ingredients that goes into what we are eating.
I'm not generally an alarmist, but I see the way the world is moving and I want to get off that ride. For the convience of time, our diets have changed in ways that I'm not sure our bodies are designed to handle. I'm not saying that all the world's ills are because we are eating ready-made dinners. But if I can make time to cook things myself and pay attention to what is in the things I buy, that can't hurt. I don't always have the time, because Londo and I both work out of the home and have a lot going on. But I'm trying to make the time and do things in advance and change the way we think and the way we live, not just for our sakes but for the Pumpkin's sake especially.
There is another example of me being a hippie mom. I'm not a perfect hippie, but I aspire! I'm also buying some interesting books on these topics, and I'm sure I'll share my reviews of them after I read them. I think I'd feel a little more awkward about this concern, except I've found more and more of my friends worrying about the same things, especially those who've recently had children. And based on the comments I got about the baby-led weaning/feeding, maybe being a hippie mom is really just being a mom. Someone tell that to Londo, who still calls me his little hippie wife. ;-)
*That would be calculated as 9.5 months pregnancy plus 13 months of life for my child.
**Did you know that most whole wheat bread has high fructose corn syrup in it? And that a lot of mixes for breads and pancakes have aluminum in them?
I've mentioned before that I'm a bit of a hippie mom. Well, this seems to be especially true in my choices for foods and other things that my baby girl might ingest. I used to roll my eyes at people who bought organic foods or said how eating this or that could cause cancer. It seems that everything causes cancer, so that scare tactic wouldn't work on me!
Now, I'm thinking that everything DOES seem to cause (or at least contribute to) cancer. Or ADD/ADHD or autism or fertility issues or early puberty (even though as a species we are having children later, so evolutionarily we should be having puberty later) or allergies or diabeties or... Well, you get the picture. In the past, oh, 23 months or so*, I've really started paying attention to what I'm ingesting and what my child is ingesting. (I'm also paying attention to what Londo is ingesting, but I try to only encourage not control what he eats since I like being married to him.) And I'm concerned about the amount of incidental crap that is in the foods we buy and eat.
This is why cutting back on high fructose corn syrup and buying more organic foods were two of the three things I picked as part of Ask Moxie's 60 Challenge. I'm also trying to cut down on things with perservatives, food coloring, food additives (what does that even mean?), and processed foods. This doesn't mean that I don't occassionally go out and get the McDonald's cheeseburger and fries, but in general I'm trying to buy, cook and eat better. More natural.
This means that my grocery shopping trips take 2-3 times as long because I am reading the ingredients in EVERYTHING, which in turn means that I don't bring the Pumpkin with me to the grocery much. It also means I'm shopping more and more at Wholefoods and I plan to start going to the local farmers' market and Trader Joe's. It means that I'm trying to bake my own bread** and cook healthly meals more often in order to control the ingredients that goes into what we are eating.
I'm not generally an alarmist, but I see the way the world is moving and I want to get off that ride. For the convience of time, our diets have changed in ways that I'm not sure our bodies are designed to handle. I'm not saying that all the world's ills are because we are eating ready-made dinners. But if I can make time to cook things myself and pay attention to what is in the things I buy, that can't hurt. I don't always have the time, because Londo and I both work out of the home and have a lot going on. But I'm trying to make the time and do things in advance and change the way we think and the way we live, not just for our sakes but for the Pumpkin's sake especially.
There is another example of me being a hippie mom. I'm not a perfect hippie, but I aspire! I'm also buying some interesting books on these topics, and I'm sure I'll share my reviews of them after I read them. I think I'd feel a little more awkward about this concern, except I've found more and more of my friends worrying about the same things, especially those who've recently had children. And based on the comments I got about the baby-led weaning/feeding, maybe being a hippie mom is really just being a mom. Someone tell that to Londo, who still calls me his little hippie wife. ;-)
*That would be calculated as 9.5 months pregnancy plus 13 months of life for my child.
**Did you know that most whole wheat bread has high fructose corn syrup in it? And that a lot of mixes for breads and pancakes have aluminum in them?
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Bel Canto Review and Re-Reading Tully
Last Sunday, I finished Bel Canto, by Ann Patchett, my April read for the TBR Challenge. For two months in a row, my TBR Challenge books had to do with people being held hostage. I'm not sure what that was about... I must have been feeling hostage (maybe to the baby?) when I set my book list. hehe.
Let me warn you there may be spoilers in the following paragraph. I won't give away details, but I may hint at what happens in a way that could be considered spoilers.
Bel Canto was a very well-written book, and I think that I did like the book. It was slow, very slow, but that was done on purpose to really make it more of a character study than an action book about a hostage situation. The characters were interesting and even believable, given the situation. But (you knew there would be a but, didn't you?) there was a lot of build up, a whole book of build up, and then BAMB! it was over. And even though there was an epilogue, there really wasn't any wrap up or closure. It was almost like a Twilight Zone ending that left me going "Huh? Really?" I can see what she was trying to do with the epilogue, but I don't think she explained it well which was just disappointing.
Now, I'm re-reading a book called Tully, by Paulline Simons, which was my favorite when I was 17 or 18, around there somewhere. I loved this book deeply. I recently thought of the book and thought that I would like to read it from my current perspective, with the life experience that I have gained in the over 10 years since I've read the book. Now that I'm re-reading it, I still think it's a fabulous book, but OH MY GOODNESS! Is it ever depressing! I've already been through a few weeping spells, and I'm only on page 173. What was up with me when I was younger? Was I that melancholy, that dark? I guess I was. I suffered from the SAD since my early teens (maybe earlier), but it was undiagnosed. So I guess this book spoke to the darkness inside of me that I was struggling with.
Now, my favorite books are usually romance novels, which may have some trouble in them but I am guaranteed a happy ending, sweet romance and the story of falling in love. These are much better for me to read emotionally and for my relationship with my hubby. I've noticed that most of my books on my TBR Challenge are dramas, dark or deep in one way or another. The guideline for the TBR Challenge was that you had to put books on your list which have been sitting around waiting for you to read for over 6 months. So these dramas, these deep books I buy or receive because they sound very interesting, but I end up reading the lighter, happier books. I will work on trying for a better balance throughout the year from now on.
There's the update on my reading. Don't say I don't keep you up to date on it!
Let me warn you there may be spoilers in the following paragraph. I won't give away details, but I may hint at what happens in a way that could be considered spoilers.
Bel Canto was a very well-written book, and I think that I did like the book. It was slow, very slow, but that was done on purpose to really make it more of a character study than an action book about a hostage situation. The characters were interesting and even believable, given the situation. But (you knew there would be a but, didn't you?) there was a lot of build up, a whole book of build up, and then BAMB! it was over. And even though there was an epilogue, there really wasn't any wrap up or closure. It was almost like a Twilight Zone ending that left me going "Huh? Really?" I can see what she was trying to do with the epilogue, but I don't think she explained it well which was just disappointing.
Now, I'm re-reading a book called Tully, by Paulline Simons, which was my favorite when I was 17 or 18, around there somewhere. I loved this book deeply. I recently thought of the book and thought that I would like to read it from my current perspective, with the life experience that I have gained in the over 10 years since I've read the book. Now that I'm re-reading it, I still think it's a fabulous book, but OH MY GOODNESS! Is it ever depressing! I've already been through a few weeping spells, and I'm only on page 173. What was up with me when I was younger? Was I that melancholy, that dark? I guess I was. I suffered from the SAD since my early teens (maybe earlier), but it was undiagnosed. So I guess this book spoke to the darkness inside of me that I was struggling with.
Now, my favorite books are usually romance novels, which may have some trouble in them but I am guaranteed a happy ending, sweet romance and the story of falling in love. These are much better for me to read emotionally and for my relationship with my hubby. I've noticed that most of my books on my TBR Challenge are dramas, dark or deep in one way or another. The guideline for the TBR Challenge was that you had to put books on your list which have been sitting around waiting for you to read for over 6 months. So these dramas, these deep books I buy or receive because they sound very interesting, but I end up reading the lighter, happier books. I will work on trying for a better balance throughout the year from now on.
There's the update on my reading. Don't say I don't keep you up to date on it!
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Read This Book (and My April Read and How I Have Time To Read)
On Monday morning, I finished the book How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk, by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. I simply cannot recommend this book highly enough. Seriously, this book is one of the most amazing books I've ever read.
I don't just recommend this book to parents. I think everyone in the world should read this book. I think the book should be called How To Talk to Other People and Listen To Other People. It's really true. For example, last weekend Londo saw me picking through a bowl of chips he had set out for guests and he started berating me for touching them all (while looking for the best ones). Well, my instinctive feeling was to keep doing it to spite him, even though he was 100% right. I realized it was the way he talked to me that made me feel that way. As an adult, I'm able to do the right thing anyway, but I can totally see that a child would do the instinctive thing that they know is wrong because of the way we say things to them. I had another example of this, but I forgot it. My point stands though, that this book can apply to every. single. person. in. the. world!
It's a quick read and really makes you think about how you are talking and listening and gives concrete ideas for how change the ways you talk and listen. And the bonus is that you don't even have to read the whole book or do the activities in it! They put in little cartoons to illustrate each concept, so all you really have to do is read the cartoons! Although the entire book is well worth the read. It will change your life. I mean it. Read the book. Buy it, check out from the library, borrow it from me (after Londo reads it, that is).
That was a book on my list of TBR Challenge Alternates. I'm actually pretty impressed with myself for getting through not just the TBR books but quite a few of the alternates as well. Now that it is April, I've started my April book, Bel Canto, by Ann Patchett. Here is the story about this book, which has been sitting on my shelf for maybe 3 or 4 years.
My sister bought this book for me as part of my Christmas presents one year. It is an award winning book that was a bestseller and had great reviews. My sister is a great gift buyer, especially when she buys for me. She has great taste, she knows my likes and dislikes, and she has bought me other books that I've totally loved. The fact I haven't read this book is no reflection on her. But honestly, if I had seen it in the store, I doubt I would have bought it. The plot isn't that intriguing to me, but I hear that the plot isn't what makes it great--it's the writing, the looks into the people, that is what is great. It must be good to have won awards and been a bestseller, right?
So, I am finally making myself read it. I will likely love it and wonder why I didn't read it earlier. At least I hope so. I'm not that far in yet, and I think the writing is good, but it hasn't captured me yet. But I haven't had much time to try and get into it. We will see. I'll let you know when I'm done.
Now, I did want to address something that a few people have said online and IRL. Some of you are amazed at how much I read, that I can find time to read at all. First let me say that reading is a hobby that borders on an obsession for me. When I'm into a book, I let so many other things go just so I can read. I sneak in times here and there to get another page in. I also read instead of watch TV or clean or go to bed or play on the internet. It's what I pick to do when I need some me time to relax. It is not something I force myself to do.
But I did wonder about how I have time to read, especially when I'm feeling so crazy busy lately. So, I did a little experiment for you all. I tracked when and how long I read while reading the How To Talk... book. Here is the results:
Tuesday:
-30 minutes while nursing the Pumpkin in the morning
-25 minutes while nursing the Pumpkin to sleep (I use a book light after she closes her eyes)
Wednesday:
-25 minutes while nursing in the morning
-10 minutes while nursing her to sleep
-10 minutes while eating desert
Thursday:
-15 minutes while nursing in the morning
-10 minutes while nursing to sleep
Friday:
-15 minutes while nursing in the morning
-10 minutes while nursing her to sleep
-10 minutes before going to bed myself
Saturday:
-15 minutes while nursing in the morning
-5 minutes while nursing her trying to get her to take a nap (she didn't go to sleep)
-5 minutes while I was in the bathroom
-25 minutes while nursing her to sleep
Sunday:
-15 minutes while nursing in the morning
-25 minutes while nursing her and holding her for a nap
-5 minutes while waiting for the shower to warm up and while brushing my teeth (it was a really interesting part! And I am obsessive!)
-25 minutes while nursing her to sleep
-10 minutes while having a cup of tea
Monday:
-10 minutes while nursing in the morning.
I finished the book Monday morning. The total time I spent reading this book over the course of a little under a week was 305 minutes, or 5 hours and 5 minutes. Granted this book was a fast read, so not all my books are finished this quickly, but I probably do spend about 5 hours a week reading. Some weeks more, some weeks less.
Now that I think about when I'm reading, I wonder what I will do when the Pumpkin weans? How will I fit in my reading time when I'm not nursing? I'm not sure yet, but I know I will. It's what I do.
I don't just recommend this book to parents. I think everyone in the world should read this book. I think the book should be called How To Talk to Other People and Listen To Other People. It's really true. For example, last weekend Londo saw me picking through a bowl of chips he had set out for guests and he started berating me for touching them all (while looking for the best ones). Well, my instinctive feeling was to keep doing it to spite him, even though he was 100% right. I realized it was the way he talked to me that made me feel that way. As an adult, I'm able to do the right thing anyway, but I can totally see that a child would do the instinctive thing that they know is wrong because of the way we say things to them. I had another example of this, but I forgot it. My point stands though, that this book can apply to every. single. person. in. the. world!
It's a quick read and really makes you think about how you are talking and listening and gives concrete ideas for how change the ways you talk and listen. And the bonus is that you don't even have to read the whole book or do the activities in it! They put in little cartoons to illustrate each concept, so all you really have to do is read the cartoons! Although the entire book is well worth the read. It will change your life. I mean it. Read the book. Buy it, check out from the library, borrow it from me (after Londo reads it, that is).
That was a book on my list of TBR Challenge Alternates. I'm actually pretty impressed with myself for getting through not just the TBR books but quite a few of the alternates as well. Now that it is April, I've started my April book, Bel Canto, by Ann Patchett. Here is the story about this book, which has been sitting on my shelf for maybe 3 or 4 years.
My sister bought this book for me as part of my Christmas presents one year. It is an award winning book that was a bestseller and had great reviews. My sister is a great gift buyer, especially when she buys for me. She has great taste, she knows my likes and dislikes, and she has bought me other books that I've totally loved. The fact I haven't read this book is no reflection on her. But honestly, if I had seen it in the store, I doubt I would have bought it. The plot isn't that intriguing to me, but I hear that the plot isn't what makes it great--it's the writing, the looks into the people, that is what is great. It must be good to have won awards and been a bestseller, right?
So, I am finally making myself read it. I will likely love it and wonder why I didn't read it earlier. At least I hope so. I'm not that far in yet, and I think the writing is good, but it hasn't captured me yet. But I haven't had much time to try and get into it. We will see. I'll let you know when I'm done.
Now, I did want to address something that a few people have said online and IRL. Some of you are amazed at how much I read, that I can find time to read at all. First let me say that reading is a hobby that borders on an obsession for me. When I'm into a book, I let so many other things go just so I can read. I sneak in times here and there to get another page in. I also read instead of watch TV or clean or go to bed or play on the internet. It's what I pick to do when I need some me time to relax. It is not something I force myself to do.
But I did wonder about how I have time to read, especially when I'm feeling so crazy busy lately. So, I did a little experiment for you all. I tracked when and how long I read while reading the How To Talk... book. Here is the results:
Tuesday:
-30 minutes while nursing the Pumpkin in the morning
-25 minutes while nursing the Pumpkin to sleep (I use a book light after she closes her eyes)
Wednesday:
-25 minutes while nursing in the morning
-10 minutes while nursing her to sleep
-10 minutes while eating desert
Thursday:
-15 minutes while nursing in the morning
-10 minutes while nursing to sleep
Friday:
-15 minutes while nursing in the morning
-10 minutes while nursing her to sleep
-10 minutes before going to bed myself
Saturday:
-15 minutes while nursing in the morning
-5 minutes while nursing her trying to get her to take a nap (she didn't go to sleep)
-5 minutes while I was in the bathroom
-25 minutes while nursing her to sleep
Sunday:
-15 minutes while nursing in the morning
-25 minutes while nursing her and holding her for a nap
-5 minutes while waiting for the shower to warm up and while brushing my teeth (it was a really interesting part! And I am obsessive!)
-25 minutes while nursing her to sleep
-10 minutes while having a cup of tea
Monday:
-10 minutes while nursing in the morning.
I finished the book Monday morning. The total time I spent reading this book over the course of a little under a week was 305 minutes, or 5 hours and 5 minutes. Granted this book was a fast read, so not all my books are finished this quickly, but I probably do spend about 5 hours a week reading. Some weeks more, some weeks less.
Now that I think about when I'm reading, I wonder what I will do when the Pumpkin weans? How will I fit in my reading time when I'm not nursing? I'm not sure yet, but I know I will. It's what I do.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Tourists, Nerds and Kids
Having you all been wondering about my March book for the TBR Challenge? You all thought I wasn't keeping up, didn't you? You thought that I wouldn't meet my March challenge because of how busy I've been, right?
Well, I'll have you all know that I did indeed finish my March book, Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan. The book was really good. It was very different from her other works, but really well done. At first, I had a hard time following all the different characters and I was surprised that some of her normal themes were not in the book, but after I started getting into it I really enjoyed it.
The political commentary on Myanmar/Burma was well said, as was her look at how obnoxious tourists can be when visiting other countries. As much as the tourists she wrote about annoyed me, I still found myself rooting for them. That takes good writing, because usually if I don't really like any characters in the book, I don't get into what happens to them. In this book, I did. Although I did want to kick some of the characters in the butt and yell at them sometimes... Okay, frequently! But not enough to get frustrated and put down the book. Definitely a good read.
I finished the book last week, and over the weekend I read The Nerd Who Loved Me, by Vicki Lewis Thompson. While I have really liked the other two Nerd books by Thompson that I've read (Talk Nerdy to Me and Nerds Like It Hot), I found this one disappointing. You know how you are taught in writing to not just say it but show it? This book didn't show anything, but just told the reader. The hero was supposed to be so smart, but he never did anything smart other than play chess with a 4 year old. I also didn't find some of the romance part all that realistic (five years without sex and she is able to jump right into a two-day marathon? I know she's a dancer, but come on). And the hero's reason for not wanting to out with the Vegas showgirl in the first place wasn't really explained or fleshed out. The plot itself was okay and the characters fine, but there were just too many things that just didn't have any substance.
Yesterday, I started one of my TBR Challenge alternates, a book I've been really excited about reading: How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk, by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. I've heard great things about this book from many, many people. I bought the book when the Pumpkin was only a couple months old. I was on maternity leave and would meet up with some other moms who had March babies. I went to the book store with one of the moms, who happens to be a child psychologist. When we were perusing the parenting section, she recommended this book. Since that time, I've heard one good thing after another.
It is apparently in a similar vein as Playful Parenting, by Lawrence Cohen, a book that really spoke to me with its thoughts grounded in child psychology and great ideas that really make sense for dealing with children. I recommend Playful Parenting to everyone with kids! I have a feeling I will soon be recommending How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk to everyone, too.
So I may not be keeping up with my yoga or blogging, but I am reading! If I do nothing else for myself, I will continue to read. And lucky you, you get to hear all about it!
Well, I'll have you all know that I did indeed finish my March book, Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan. The book was really good. It was very different from her other works, but really well done. At first, I had a hard time following all the different characters and I was surprised that some of her normal themes were not in the book, but after I started getting into it I really enjoyed it.
The political commentary on Myanmar/Burma was well said, as was her look at how obnoxious tourists can be when visiting other countries. As much as the tourists she wrote about annoyed me, I still found myself rooting for them. That takes good writing, because usually if I don't really like any characters in the book, I don't get into what happens to them. In this book, I did. Although I did want to kick some of the characters in the butt and yell at them sometimes... Okay, frequently! But not enough to get frustrated and put down the book. Definitely a good read.
I finished the book last week, and over the weekend I read The Nerd Who Loved Me, by Vicki Lewis Thompson. While I have really liked the other two Nerd books by Thompson that I've read (Talk Nerdy to Me and Nerds Like It Hot), I found this one disappointing. You know how you are taught in writing to not just say it but show it? This book didn't show anything, but just told the reader. The hero was supposed to be so smart, but he never did anything smart other than play chess with a 4 year old. I also didn't find some of the romance part all that realistic (five years without sex and she is able to jump right into a two-day marathon? I know she's a dancer, but come on). And the hero's reason for not wanting to out with the Vegas showgirl in the first place wasn't really explained or fleshed out. The plot itself was okay and the characters fine, but there were just too many things that just didn't have any substance.
Yesterday, I started one of my TBR Challenge alternates, a book I've been really excited about reading: How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk, by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. I've heard great things about this book from many, many people. I bought the book when the Pumpkin was only a couple months old. I was on maternity leave and would meet up with some other moms who had March babies. I went to the book store with one of the moms, who happens to be a child psychologist. When we were perusing the parenting section, she recommended this book. Since that time, I've heard one good thing after another.
It is apparently in a similar vein as Playful Parenting, by Lawrence Cohen, a book that really spoke to me with its thoughts grounded in child psychology and great ideas that really make sense for dealing with children. I recommend Playful Parenting to everyone with kids! I have a feeling I will soon be recommending How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk to everyone, too.
So I may not be keeping up with my yoga or blogging, but I am reading! If I do nothing else for myself, I will continue to read. And lucky you, you get to hear all about it!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Cute Stories About the Pumpkin
Oh my goodness... I miss ALL those things too! And I take mine back. What I miss the MOST is being able to have sex with my husband anytime, anywhere. Someday, we'll have morning sex again. Someday...
Anywho...
Thanks for all your well-wishing for the Pumpkin. She seems to be fine except a runny nose, and the snot is clear. She was in a great mood all day yesterday, except when we had to wipe her nose. So we are thinking she's not really sick. And last night (I know I'm jinxing it), she slept straight through until just after 6:00!! It was great! So she's back at my mom's today.
I think I'm going to counter-balance the recent posts on how hard having a baby can be and what I/we miss with some cute little stories about the Pumpkin's latest achievements. I really would go through it all again and give up all those things, because she is the most wonderful thing that's ever happened to me.
But let me start with a scary story about a big realization I had... it's very frightening!!
-------------
In church on Easter Sunday, we sat in the back row to be near the door close to the nursery/daycare. Right in front of us was a family with a 2 year old and a 2 month old. 2 months old. He still had a bit of that newborn look. He was sooooo small and beautiful. And...
I get it. I get how seeing a little bitty baby makes you want another. I see how you can remember how tough those times were, but still feel the draw to want one, the urge to hold one and even make another one of your own. I used to see babies and just think, yeah they are cute, but they are more fun when they are older. Seeing that 2 month old... I just get it.
And that is sooooo scary!
---------------
The Pumpkin has had a language explosion lately. She keeps picking up on all sorts of words, repeating things we say and saying them again later. Some examples:
-When she hands you something, she says "ahn koo" (thank you).
-When she sees the dog, not only does she say "dahdee" (doggie) and sometimes pat her leg (sign language for dog), but she will often say "gah gahr" (good girl).
-When she sees any lion, she goes "arrrr" (roar) without any prompting. She also does the "brrr" noises for elephants with her arm raised by her face (for the trunk) without prompting.
-When I read her Good Night, Gorilla (we love this book), she does the animals noises for a bunch of them when I turn the page. For gorilla, she goes "oo oo" and bounces up and down.
---------------
She can follow some simple directions. I can ask her where her toy bird is and tell her to bring it to me, and she will look around, find it, go get it and bring it over to me, saying "bur" (bird).
Yesterday morning, we did this, and after she brought it to me I tossed it in a basket on the other side of the room. When I asked her a little while later where the bird was, she went over to where she had found it earlier. It had been in front of her dresser. It was no longer there, but she got down on her hands and knees and peered under the dresser!!! She had never done anything like that before!
---------------
Here's another story from yesterday. To try to distract her so I could make her breakfast, I put on the Baby Signing Time DVD, which sometimes kind of holds her attention for 5 or 10 minutes. To start her off, I sat on the floor with her in my lap. I did the signs along with the DVD, and this time I even moved her hands to some of the signs, like for "eat" (I've also used the sign for eat for months now).
Later, when we were reading and playing with books, she handed me The Very Hungry Caterpiller. I said something like, "Wow, look at all the food he is eating." She looked up at me and said "eet" while signing eat! The first time she's said and signed it!
---------------
And my favorite thing lately... The Pumpkin will toddle up to me or Londo where ever we are, hand us a book saying "boh" and then climb into our laps, turn around, and sit down so we can read her a book. This is the most precious thing ever!
---------------
It's obvious to those around her regularly that she's made another developmental leap forward. She is doing things that she simply wasn't capable of understanding before. It's just amazing to me how much she's learned in the past year. She's like a little person now. My heart just swells with love and pride.
Anywho...
Thanks for all your well-wishing for the Pumpkin. She seems to be fine except a runny nose, and the snot is clear. She was in a great mood all day yesterday, except when we had to wipe her nose. So we are thinking she's not really sick. And last night (I know I'm jinxing it), she slept straight through until just after 6:00!! It was great! So she's back at my mom's today.
I think I'm going to counter-balance the recent posts on how hard having a baby can be and what I/we miss with some cute little stories about the Pumpkin's latest achievements. I really would go through it all again and give up all those things, because she is the most wonderful thing that's ever happened to me.
But let me start with a scary story about a big realization I had... it's very frightening!!
-------------
In church on Easter Sunday, we sat in the back row to be near the door close to the nursery/daycare. Right in front of us was a family with a 2 year old and a 2 month old. 2 months old. He still had a bit of that newborn look. He was sooooo small and beautiful. And...
I get it. I get how seeing a little bitty baby makes you want another. I see how you can remember how tough those times were, but still feel the draw to want one, the urge to hold one and even make another one of your own. I used to see babies and just think, yeah they are cute, but they are more fun when they are older. Seeing that 2 month old... I just get it.
And that is sooooo scary!
---------------
The Pumpkin has had a language explosion lately. She keeps picking up on all sorts of words, repeating things we say and saying them again later. Some examples:
-When she hands you something, she says "ahn koo" (thank you).
-When she sees the dog, not only does she say "dahdee" (doggie) and sometimes pat her leg (sign language for dog), but she will often say "gah gahr" (good girl).
-When she sees any lion, she goes "arrrr" (roar) without any prompting. She also does the "brrr" noises for elephants with her arm raised by her face (for the trunk) without prompting.
-When I read her Good Night, Gorilla (we love this book), she does the animals noises for a bunch of them when I turn the page. For gorilla, she goes "oo oo" and bounces up and down.
---------------
She can follow some simple directions. I can ask her where her toy bird is and tell her to bring it to me, and she will look around, find it, go get it and bring it over to me, saying "bur" (bird).
Yesterday morning, we did this, and after she brought it to me I tossed it in a basket on the other side of the room. When I asked her a little while later where the bird was, she went over to where she had found it earlier. It had been in front of her dresser. It was no longer there, but she got down on her hands and knees and peered under the dresser!!! She had never done anything like that before!
---------------
Here's another story from yesterday. To try to distract her so I could make her breakfast, I put on the Baby Signing Time DVD, which sometimes kind of holds her attention for 5 or 10 minutes. To start her off, I sat on the floor with her in my lap. I did the signs along with the DVD, and this time I even moved her hands to some of the signs, like for "eat" (I've also used the sign for eat for months now).
Later, when we were reading and playing with books, she handed me The Very Hungry Caterpiller. I said something like, "Wow, look at all the food he is eating." She looked up at me and said "eet" while signing eat! The first time she's said and signed it!
---------------
And my favorite thing lately... The Pumpkin will toddle up to me or Londo where ever we are, hand us a book saying "boh" and then climb into our laps, turn around, and sit down so we can read her a book. This is the most precious thing ever!
---------------
It's obvious to those around her regularly that she's made another developmental leap forward. She is doing things that she simply wasn't capable of understanding before. It's just amazing to me how much she's learned in the past year. She's like a little person now. My heart just swells with love and pride.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Question of the Week - Birthday Traditions
As I told you all before, I took off on the Pumpkin's birthday and took her to the zoo. We had so much fun looking at the birds (she would get this excited look on her face, point and bounce, and say "bur"), visiting the elephants, watching the hippo, seeing the tigers play and observing the gorillas and orangutans. It was nice weather and good exercise for Mama.
We had so much fun, I started thinking that maybe I would do this every year. I will definitely take off work every year on her birthday and maybe we'd do the zoo every year. I think I'm going to make that her birthday tradition!
Question of the Week:
What is your favorite birthday tradition?
It could be one that your parents or friends did for you, something you do with your kids, or even something you read and think is a great idea.
I think mine is going to be a day off and a trip someplace cool, like the zoo, for the Pumpkin. But one I read about in Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, by Rebecca Wells, that I loved was that the mother would wake the kid up on his or her birthday with a cake in their bed for breakfast. I just thought that was so cute and a great way to make that kid feel special.
We had so much fun, I started thinking that maybe I would do this every year. I will definitely take off work every year on her birthday and maybe we'd do the zoo every year. I think I'm going to make that her birthday tradition!
Question of the Week:
What is your favorite birthday tradition?
It could be one that your parents or friends did for you, something you do with your kids, or even something you read and think is a great idea.
I think mine is going to be a day off and a trip someplace cool, like the zoo, for the Pumpkin. But one I read about in Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, by Rebecca Wells, that I loved was that the mother would wake the kid up on his or her birthday with a cake in their bed for breakfast. I just thought that was so cute and a great way to make that kid feel special.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Books, Books, and More Books
As I said yesterday, I was able to finish my February read thanks to the extra leap year day. I probably would have gotten through it faster if I'd enjoyed it more. It's a shame, because I was really looking forward to it, but either my expectations were off or the book itself could have been better. Probably both.
My February TBR Challenge book was Desiring Italy, a collection of stories edited by Susan Cahill. I thought that a book with well-known female writers writing about how they love Italy would include interesting stories of their time in that country. I was expecting stories like I've read in the Travelers' Tales series (excellent books!), like A Woman's World, or stories reminiscent of A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemmingway about his time in Paris.
This book was a collection of stories by women writers, yes. Some stories were true, autobiographic stories and some were fiction taking place in Italy. But they were really all over the place, and I don't mean geographically. For example, Mary Shelley's piece read like a Fodor's guide to what to see or a walking tour of sites in Venice, while George Eliot's selection was parts of Middlemarch that take place in Rome but didn't really speak much about the details of Rome. It just didn't feel cohesive to me.
That's not to say that I didn't enjoy it at all. The short story by Edith Wharton (I can't remember the name) which took place in Rome was absolutely perfect. There was plenty of scenery which set the mood, the writing was excellent and the story itself was brilliant. I also discovered some fascinating women writers who I did not know before, and my next amazon order will include non-fiction and fiction books by Mary Wortley Montagu, Elizabeth Von Arnim and Iris Origo.
But it will also include Travelers' Tales Italy: True Stories, because those are the kinds of stories that I love to read about people's travels. It will also include a couple other Traverlers' Tales books, because looking up the links above brought some new books to my attention, such as A Mother's World: Journeys of the Heart and Family Travel: The Farther You Go, the Closer You Get. If any of you internetters enjoy travel writing, I highly recommend this series.
For March, my TBR Challenge book is Amy Tan's Saving Fish From Drowning. I love Amy Tan. She is such an excellent writer and story teller. If you like her but haven't read her book of essays, The Opposite of Fate: A Book of Musings, you really should go out and buy it right now.
Of course, there is a story about this particular book sitting on my shelf, waiting to be read. This book is actually my aunt's book which she has lent to me (for like a year and a half). As an adult, it's been very special to connect with this particular aunt through our love of books. She has lent me some fantastic books, such as The Dream of Scipio by Iain Pears and The Blessing Stone by Barbara Wood. The latter was such a great book, I bought my own copy so I could re-read it and lend it to others. So for my aunt's 70th birthday, when my sister and brother asked what we should get her, I volunteered to go to the bookstore and pick out a bunch of books I thought she would like. She loved them and agreed to lend them to me after she had read them. This is one of those books. She has moved in with her son in Texas, so I don't see her much lately, but I still need to read this and give it back to her. Which is why it's my next book on the Challenge.
I plan to start that book tonight. Over the weekend, I got in a quick fun read--one of the romance novels in a series I love. But now I'm back to the challenging books. I better hurry through my March book, because I'm going to head over to amazon now and buy a bunch more books!
My February TBR Challenge book was Desiring Italy, a collection of stories edited by Susan Cahill. I thought that a book with well-known female writers writing about how they love Italy would include interesting stories of their time in that country. I was expecting stories like I've read in the Travelers' Tales series (excellent books!), like A Woman's World, or stories reminiscent of A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemmingway about his time in Paris.
This book was a collection of stories by women writers, yes. Some stories were true, autobiographic stories and some were fiction taking place in Italy. But they were really all over the place, and I don't mean geographically. For example, Mary Shelley's piece read like a Fodor's guide to what to see or a walking tour of sites in Venice, while George Eliot's selection was parts of Middlemarch that take place in Rome but didn't really speak much about the details of Rome. It just didn't feel cohesive to me.
That's not to say that I didn't enjoy it at all. The short story by Edith Wharton (I can't remember the name) which took place in Rome was absolutely perfect. There was plenty of scenery which set the mood, the writing was excellent and the story itself was brilliant. I also discovered some fascinating women writers who I did not know before, and my next amazon order will include non-fiction and fiction books by Mary Wortley Montagu, Elizabeth Von Arnim and Iris Origo.
But it will also include Travelers' Tales Italy: True Stories, because those are the kinds of stories that I love to read about people's travels. It will also include a couple other Traverlers' Tales books, because looking up the links above brought some new books to my attention, such as A Mother's World: Journeys of the Heart and Family Travel: The Farther You Go, the Closer You Get. If any of you internetters enjoy travel writing, I highly recommend this series.
For March, my TBR Challenge book is Amy Tan's Saving Fish From Drowning. I love Amy Tan. She is such an excellent writer and story teller. If you like her but haven't read her book of essays, The Opposite of Fate: A Book of Musings, you really should go out and buy it right now.
Of course, there is a story about this particular book sitting on my shelf, waiting to be read. This book is actually my aunt's book which she has lent to me (for like a year and a half). As an adult, it's been very special to connect with this particular aunt through our love of books. She has lent me some fantastic books, such as The Dream of Scipio by Iain Pears and The Blessing Stone by Barbara Wood. The latter was such a great book, I bought my own copy so I could re-read it and lend it to others. So for my aunt's 70th birthday, when my sister and brother asked what we should get her, I volunteered to go to the bookstore and pick out a bunch of books I thought she would like. She loved them and agreed to lend them to me after she had read them. This is one of those books. She has moved in with her son in Texas, so I don't see her much lately, but I still need to read this and give it back to her. Which is why it's my next book on the Challenge.
I plan to start that book tonight. Over the weekend, I got in a quick fun read--one of the romance novels in a series I love. But now I'm back to the challenging books. I better hurry through my March book, because I'm going to head over to amazon now and buy a bunch more books!
Monday, March 3, 2008
Question of the Week - Deja View
Wow. For a while there on Friday, all I heard was the chirping of the crickets. I felt like I was just hanging out there with everyone silently staring. Thank you to those who did comment on Friday's post. That makes me feel a little less uncomfortable putting my thoughts on the matter out there. I always feel better if people comment.
Anywho... on to other things. This is my 100th post! The big 1 0 0. I'm pretty proud of myself for keeping up with the blog. I love the new people I've met, and I love that I've gotten in touch with old friends and acquantinces through the blog. Thank you once again ImpostorMom for getting me hooked into reading and then writing a blog.
It's a new month, and I'm happy to say I finished my February book of the To Be Read Challenge on the night of the 29th, right before bedtime. Thank goodness there was an extra day in February this year, eh? I will do a review of Desiring Italy and an intro to my March book, Saving Fish Before Drowning, later this week.
Now, on to the Question of the Week and my very bad pun in the title of today's post. The following has been on my list of questions to ask, and recently I saw someone else ask the same basic question. So I figured this was a good week for it.
What movie(s) could you see over and over again?
I can give my answer immediately: Clue. I love this movie and I really, truly don't get sick of it. This has been proven when I watched the movie four times in about a week a year ago. Londo kept joking with people about how I'd just watched it and would watch it again because I will watch it anytime. And people kept saying that they'd either never seen it or hadn't seen it in years. They expressed interest in watching it, and I popped it in the DVD player. It's just such a fun and funny movie.
I also could (and have) watch the original three Star Wars movies again and again. There are others I could watch many times, but I would get sick of them. I just don't get sick of Clue and the original Star Wars movies. Hmmm, maybe the first Matrix movie, too. I'm not sure I'd get sick of that one, but I haven't tried.
How about you? What movie or movies would you watch to the point of annoying everyone around you?
Anywho... on to other things. This is my 100th post! The big 1 0 0. I'm pretty proud of myself for keeping up with the blog. I love the new people I've met, and I love that I've gotten in touch with old friends and acquantinces through the blog. Thank you once again ImpostorMom for getting me hooked into reading and then writing a blog.
It's a new month, and I'm happy to say I finished my February book of the To Be Read Challenge on the night of the 29th, right before bedtime. Thank goodness there was an extra day in February this year, eh? I will do a review of Desiring Italy and an intro to my March book, Saving Fish Before Drowning, later this week.
Now, on to the Question of the Week and my very bad pun in the title of today's post. The following has been on my list of questions to ask, and recently I saw someone else ask the same basic question. So I figured this was a good week for it.
What movie(s) could you see over and over again?
I can give my answer immediately: Clue. I love this movie and I really, truly don't get sick of it. This has been proven when I watched the movie four times in about a week a year ago. Londo kept joking with people about how I'd just watched it and would watch it again because I will watch it anytime. And people kept saying that they'd either never seen it or hadn't seen it in years. They expressed interest in watching it, and I popped it in the DVD player. It's just such a fun and funny movie.
I also could (and have) watch the original three Star Wars movies again and again. There are others I could watch many times, but I would get sick of them. I just don't get sick of Clue and the original Star Wars movies. Hmmm, maybe the first Matrix movie, too. I'm not sure I'd get sick of that one, but I haven't tried.
How about you? What movie or movies would you watch to the point of annoying everyone around you?
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