Okay, so if you aren't reading Law Momma's blog I don't think we can be friends. She once again wrote an amazing post about how everyone is important in the world, no matter how insignificant you may think you or they are. Please go read The Importance of Being Small because she says things much more eloquently than my attempts at her praise.
I feel like a ridiculous groupie, to point out another awesome post. Motherthing does not equal martyrdom. Oh how I agree. I cannot stand martyring yourself out to be a mother. There are no mother awards. Especially for those who give up everything for their kid. Sure, mothering is a great lesson in selflessness, but you are still your own person. Which, it's great for other people to realize this too and not to refer to you as mama (I'm not yours) or only asking about your child. I like to read, I teach school, I have other interests. You should too!
And a HILARIOUS read at Jezebel about some GREAT book club discussion questions. I think I may start sprinkling some of this hilarity into our little book club. What do you think? ;)
And completely off topic but did anyone catch The Hatfield's & McCoys on the History Channel?? Fascinating!!!! I am slightly sad that it is all over.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Alone by Lisa Gardner
Kelly recommended the D.D. Warren series by Lisa Gardner and I got a copy of Alone from a friend and devoured it over the weekend.
Summary: Alone . . . Massachusetts State Trooper Bobby Dodge watches a tense hostage standoff unfold through the scope of his sniper rifle. Just across the street, in wealthy Back Bay, Boston, an armed man has barricaded himself with his wife and child. The man’s finger tightens on the trigger and Dodge has only a split second to react . . . and forever pay the consequences.
Alone . . . that’s where the nightmare began for cool, beautiful, and dangerously sexy Catherine Rose Gagnon. Twenty-five years ago, she was buried underground during a month-long nightmare of abduction and abuse. Now her husband has just been killed. Her father-in-law, the powerful Judge Gagnon, blames Catherine for his son’s death . . . and for the series of unexplained illnesses that have sent her own young son repeatedly to the hospital.
Alone . . . a madman survived solitary confinement in a maximum security prison where he’d done hard time for the most sadistic of crimes. Now he walks the streets a free man, invisible, anonymous . . . and filled with an unquenchable rage for vengeance. What brings them together is a moment of violence—but what connects them is a passion far deeper and much more dangerous. For a killer is loose who’s woven such an intricate web of evil that no one is above suspicion, no one is beyond harm, and no one will see death coming until it has them cornered, helpless, and alone.
My Thoughts: I liked the writing, it was quick, it wasn't showy and it was believable. Besides, the part where Bobby completely falls for the damsel in distress and forgets how to be a cop. But I guess, that's what keeps people reading suspense novels. The slightly absurd mixed with the OH MY GOSH it could happen. I also liked that even in the end it wasn't all clear cut and neatly packaged. There were still some questions and that went along with the character development. I've already checked out more Lisa Gardner books from the library. ;)
Summary: Alone . . . Massachusetts State Trooper Bobby Dodge watches a tense hostage standoff unfold through the scope of his sniper rifle. Just across the street, in wealthy Back Bay, Boston, an armed man has barricaded himself with his wife and child. The man’s finger tightens on the trigger and Dodge has only a split second to react . . . and forever pay the consequences.
Alone . . . that’s where the nightmare began for cool, beautiful, and dangerously sexy Catherine Rose Gagnon. Twenty-five years ago, she was buried underground during a month-long nightmare of abduction and abuse. Now her husband has just been killed. Her father-in-law, the powerful Judge Gagnon, blames Catherine for his son’s death . . . and for the series of unexplained illnesses that have sent her own young son repeatedly to the hospital.
Alone . . . a madman survived solitary confinement in a maximum security prison where he’d done hard time for the most sadistic of crimes. Now he walks the streets a free man, invisible, anonymous . . . and filled with an unquenchable rage for vengeance. What brings them together is a moment of violence—but what connects them is a passion far deeper and much more dangerous. For a killer is loose who’s woven such an intricate web of evil that no one is above suspicion, no one is beyond harm, and no one will see death coming until it has them cornered, helpless, and alone.
My Thoughts: I liked the writing, it was quick, it wasn't showy and it was believable. Besides, the part where Bobby completely falls for the damsel in distress and forgets how to be a cop. But I guess, that's what keeps people reading suspense novels. The slightly absurd mixed with the OH MY GOSH it could happen. I also liked that even in the end it wasn't all clear cut and neatly packaged. There were still some questions and that went along with the character development. I've already checked out more Lisa Gardner books from the library. ;)
Monday, May 28, 2012
The Silent Girl
I cannot believe it had been 13 months since I had read a Tess Gerritsen book. I slipped quickly back into the world of Rizzoli & Isles and quickly finished the book in two days.
Rizzoli is faced with an interesting case that is tied to a murder 19 years ago in Chinatown. While trying to solve her murder of a beautiful woman dead on a rooftop with no ID and a hand sliced clear off, Rizzoli learns of a bloody night in Chinatown. The waiter, a guy picking up an order, a wealthy couple and the cook all dead in an apparent murder suicide or was it? Then the crime lab finds hair evidence and are they looking for an ANIMAL who killed the woman on the roof?
Then there is an interesting connection to missing girls in the state of Massachusetts and then more people start dropping dead. Is the animal on the side of justice or evil? Will Rizzoli survive this case with all limbs?
This was a fast paced Gerritsen book, with not too much gore and had a lot of cool Chinese fairy tales shared throughout.
Definitely cannot wait til the next Rizzoli & Isles comes out!
June's Group Read will be One Summer by David Baldacci. We will discuss on the 15th and 29th.
Rizzoli is faced with an interesting case that is tied to a murder 19 years ago in Chinatown. While trying to solve her murder of a beautiful woman dead on a rooftop with no ID and a hand sliced clear off, Rizzoli learns of a bloody night in Chinatown. The waiter, a guy picking up an order, a wealthy couple and the cook all dead in an apparent murder suicide or was it? Then the crime lab finds hair evidence and are they looking for an ANIMAL who killed the woman on the roof?
Then there is an interesting connection to missing girls in the state of Massachusetts and then more people start dropping dead. Is the animal on the side of justice or evil? Will Rizzoli survive this case with all limbs?
This was a fast paced Gerritsen book, with not too much gore and had a lot of cool Chinese fairy tales shared throughout.
Definitely cannot wait til the next Rizzoli & Isles comes out!
June's Group Read will be One Summer by David Baldacci. We will discuss on the 15th and 29th.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
1 year old
That is what I have in my household. A one year old. I can't believe that it's been one year since I had a screaming slippery bundle placed on my very sweaty chest. The relief and really the disbelief that I was officially a mother is still quite fresh in my mind. I mean, I made this? I created this beautiful being. She's here to keep. No going back. I have a daughter. AHHH how did this happen?
This photo was taken within one hour of her birth, after she had been all cleaned up. Look how tiny she is! Her face looks much better than it did the next morning when the poor girl had a ton of bruising from her slightly traumatic entrance into this world. 7 pounds, 15 ounces 20.5 inches.
The first weekend home flew by in a blur. We were on a two hour schedule. She'd wake, we would change her, then I'd try to feed her which caused tears on both parts as we learned how to nurse together. Then she'd pass out exhausted and her dad I would assemble or rearrange something else. I don't think I really relaxed at all that weekend, which now I kind of regret. I should have laid around with my feet up but I got plenty of that throughout the summer as she napped the day away.
When she was a month old we took her up north for a day trip to camp with family. Oh my. She slept most of this trip away but sure enjoyed the ergo and the sound of the waves on the beach. She slept on me for most of our time up there. She liked to be held a lot in the beginning. She would fight sleep with all her might and need to be held tight and swayed and shushed loudly. Man she is strong, and has been always! My little fighter.
I really cannot believe that we are already entering into a new summer. It seems like last summer wasn't far away at all and I was busy nursing, rocking and keeping the house cleaner than ever before. Oh and tearing through Laura Lippman novels as I nursed. Ahhh, the quiet joys of a newborn. I also remember how I would pray every night that she wouldn't wake up around 5 am because if it started getting lighter/birds started chirping before I got her back down we tended to be up for a few hours and I came to HAAATE 5 am. But, I really cannot complain because we were in a new routine of wake up around 3 or 4 or 5 and sleep/stay in bed until about 9. I could live like that on a daily basis! ;)
August came and we had introduced the bumbo that I hadn't planned on using, but she was in LOOOVE with it. She would sit on the kitchen counter (ahh the horror) while I would prepare dinner and she would just talk away to me. She started daycare towards the end of August and that was torture for her and she decided to refuse all bottles. Joy.
By mid-September we had switched to the daycare I wanted her in to begin with, and she adapted and started taking a bottle again! Yay. I am so thankful that I can drop my baby girl off and have no worries about her safety. She is in VERY good hands. I don't even think about her while I'm at work (ahh the horror again!) because I am that secure with her provider. We watched quite a bit of football in September and she learned which colors were good (scarlet, gray, green and white) and which were yucky (blue and maize).
In October, we took her to the pumpkin patch for the first time, we went to the library's move and groove and story time for the first times, and she got to be a skeleton for Halloween. She tried chunks of bananas and sweet potatoes at the end of this month and wasn't so sure what to do with them. We smashed them up and put them on spoons and she liked how they tasted. So every couple of days or so we'd give her a chunk to play with and then mash some up and that's how she was introduced to non boob food.
November was a super busy month and seemed to fly by. We celebrated Thanksgiving with both sides of the family and she opened up her first Christmas presents. She loved the wrapping paper. She mastered sitting on her own sometime between October and November, but I don't remember when cuz I suck at writing things down. She got her first tooth on November 28th and the second one popped thru on November 30th.
December came, and she rolled over and over and over again and right before Christmas decided that she was going to start scooting around. Shortly after Christmas she started crawling more and more and more and now she is a crawling machine. We also got a stomach virus at a family Christmas and that was the ONLY illness she had her whole first year. I never called the pediatrician for anything besides the time we had to reschedule an appointment. I call that a success!
For her 9 month birthday we took her sledding! She was pretty indifferent until the last ride with her dad when she let out a little wheeeeeee. I think this began her love affair with the out door world, for which I am grateful. Last summer, she criiiiied every time we went outside.
Shortly after she turned 10 months, we headed down to Anna Maria Island for a week of fun and sun and she LOOOOOVED it. We had a blast. She went on walks daily, to the pool and to lay (eat sand) on the beach. Soo much fun. It made me really excited for the summer. She also started doing a head bang dance and shaking her head no when we were on vacation.
For her 11 month birthday, she tried markers for the first time and made her dad a birthday sign. She took a step, but much prefers crawling. She won't put weight on her legs if she knows you want her to walk. Crazy girl. Loves swinging and taking walks. Watching out the window for her daddy. Eating. Reading books. And playing the thank you game, which consists of handing you something you saying thank you and her grinning and taking it back. ;)
This past Friday, my girl turned one. We had a party on Saturday and here she is getting into her cupcake. She ate the whole thing. And then demolished some of her grandma's ice cream.
She is so stinkin' happy. She wakes anywhere between 6:50 and 8:30 am. Nurses on waking, eats a large breakfast. Usually an egg, piece of toast, and a banana. She loves having me read her books 234354 times in a row. She appears to really like the puzzle we got her for her birthday as well. She nurses before a morning nap which is usually about an hour. During the week when she wakes up from that nap I take her to daycare where she spends about 4.5 -5 hours and then we come home to play outside, eat a dinner (whatever we are eating with tons more veggies and fruits) nurse and then go to bed. Depending on the day/week she has a bath 2 to 4 nights before bed.
She loves applesauce, mandarin oranges, strawberries, bananas, blueberries, bread, tortilla shells, black beans and basically anything you give her. She loves to eat. We're still nursing but she is drinking cows milk with her meals and a sippy cup of water is available for her all the time in our living room. If she could be outside all the time, she would be. She waves her hands when she is saying hi, bye, wants to go outside or not be dong what you are doing. She understands do you want to nurse, do you want eat dinner, do you want to eat lunch or breakfast, do you want to go to bed or do you want to go outside. or hell maybe she just understands do you want and knows that it will be fun! hahaha
She's awesome and I love her. She laughs all the time and acts like she is cracking jokes, she lights up when she sees me and I could go on and on.. And I obviously just did and if you read this, I apologize, I may be a bit smitten by a certain blue eyed cutie.
Happy Birthday, my love. Love , your very lucky Mommy
This photo was taken within one hour of her birth, after she had been all cleaned up. Look how tiny she is! Her face looks much better than it did the next morning when the poor girl had a ton of bruising from her slightly traumatic entrance into this world. 7 pounds, 15 ounces 20.5 inches.
The first weekend home flew by in a blur. We were on a two hour schedule. She'd wake, we would change her, then I'd try to feed her which caused tears on both parts as we learned how to nurse together. Then she'd pass out exhausted and her dad I would assemble or rearrange something else. I don't think I really relaxed at all that weekend, which now I kind of regret. I should have laid around with my feet up but I got plenty of that throughout the summer as she napped the day away.
When she was a month old we took her up north for a day trip to camp with family. Oh my. She slept most of this trip away but sure enjoyed the ergo and the sound of the waves on the beach. She slept on me for most of our time up there. She liked to be held a lot in the beginning. She would fight sleep with all her might and need to be held tight and swayed and shushed loudly. Man she is strong, and has been always! My little fighter.
I really cannot believe that we are already entering into a new summer. It seems like last summer wasn't far away at all and I was busy nursing, rocking and keeping the house cleaner than ever before. Oh and tearing through Laura Lippman novels as I nursed. Ahhh, the quiet joys of a newborn. I also remember how I would pray every night that she wouldn't wake up around 5 am because if it started getting lighter/birds started chirping before I got her back down we tended to be up for a few hours and I came to HAAATE 5 am. But, I really cannot complain because we were in a new routine of wake up around 3 or 4 or 5 and sleep/stay in bed until about 9. I could live like that on a daily basis! ;)
August came and we had introduced the bumbo that I hadn't planned on using, but she was in LOOOVE with it. She would sit on the kitchen counter (ahh the horror) while I would prepare dinner and she would just talk away to me. She started daycare towards the end of August and that was torture for her and she decided to refuse all bottles. Joy.
By mid-September we had switched to the daycare I wanted her in to begin with, and she adapted and started taking a bottle again! Yay. I am so thankful that I can drop my baby girl off and have no worries about her safety. She is in VERY good hands. I don't even think about her while I'm at work (ahh the horror again!) because I am that secure with her provider. We watched quite a bit of football in September and she learned which colors were good (scarlet, gray, green and white) and which were yucky (blue and maize).
In October, we took her to the pumpkin patch for the first time, we went to the library's move and groove and story time for the first times, and she got to be a skeleton for Halloween. She tried chunks of bananas and sweet potatoes at the end of this month and wasn't so sure what to do with them. We smashed them up and put them on spoons and she liked how they tasted. So every couple of days or so we'd give her a chunk to play with and then mash some up and that's how she was introduced to non boob food.
November was a super busy month and seemed to fly by. We celebrated Thanksgiving with both sides of the family and she opened up her first Christmas presents. She loved the wrapping paper. She mastered sitting on her own sometime between October and November, but I don't remember when cuz I suck at writing things down. She got her first tooth on November 28th and the second one popped thru on November 30th.
December came, and she rolled over and over and over again and right before Christmas decided that she was going to start scooting around. Shortly after Christmas she started crawling more and more and more and now she is a crawling machine. We also got a stomach virus at a family Christmas and that was the ONLY illness she had her whole first year. I never called the pediatrician for anything besides the time we had to reschedule an appointment. I call that a success!
January came and it was pretty boring except that someone learned how to pull themselves up and she would stand forever on the upside down laundry basket and bang bang bang. When she first started she wouldn't move at all and she'd cry to get down. She gradually got more comfortable and started walking around stuff and dropping down. We used it as a gate so she couldn't escape our living room. Not so much anymore. She escapes everywhere.
For her 9 month birthday we took her sledding! She was pretty indifferent until the last ride with her dad when she let out a little wheeeeeee. I think this began her love affair with the out door world, for which I am grateful. Last summer, she criiiiied every time we went outside.
Shortly after she turned 10 months, we headed down to Anna Maria Island for a week of fun and sun and she LOOOOOVED it. We had a blast. She went on walks daily, to the pool and to lay (eat sand) on the beach. Soo much fun. It made me really excited for the summer. She also started doing a head bang dance and shaking her head no when we were on vacation.
For her 11 month birthday, she tried markers for the first time and made her dad a birthday sign. She took a step, but much prefers crawling. She won't put weight on her legs if she knows you want her to walk. Crazy girl. Loves swinging and taking walks. Watching out the window for her daddy. Eating. Reading books. And playing the thank you game, which consists of handing you something you saying thank you and her grinning and taking it back. ;)
She is so stinkin' happy. She wakes anywhere between 6:50 and 8:30 am. Nurses on waking, eats a large breakfast. Usually an egg, piece of toast, and a banana. She loves having me read her books 234354 times in a row. She appears to really like the puzzle we got her for her birthday as well. She nurses before a morning nap which is usually about an hour. During the week when she wakes up from that nap I take her to daycare where she spends about 4.5 -5 hours and then we come home to play outside, eat a dinner (whatever we are eating with tons more veggies and fruits) nurse and then go to bed. Depending on the day/week she has a bath 2 to 4 nights before bed.
She loves applesauce, mandarin oranges, strawberries, bananas, blueberries, bread, tortilla shells, black beans and basically anything you give her. She loves to eat. We're still nursing but she is drinking cows milk with her meals and a sippy cup of water is available for her all the time in our living room. If she could be outside all the time, she would be. She waves her hands when she is saying hi, bye, wants to go outside or not be dong what you are doing. She understands do you want to nurse, do you want eat dinner, do you want to eat lunch or breakfast, do you want to go to bed or do you want to go outside. or hell maybe she just understands do you want and knows that it will be fun! hahaha
She's awesome and I love her. She laughs all the time and acts like she is cracking jokes, she lights up when she sees me and I could go on and on.. And I obviously just did and if you read this, I apologize, I may be a bit smitten by a certain blue eyed cutie.
Happy Birthday, my love. Love , your very lucky Mommy
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Discussion 2 - The Year of Fog
I really liked this book. I mean, I even re-read it after I read it for the first time in 2008. ;) I don't typically re-read books. I was going to just skim it so I could remember everything, but I got hooked in and read it quickly,
It was simply amazing that Abby wasn't hurt in her search for Emma with all the bad choices she was making. Probably, wanting someone to hurt her physically since of all the emotional hurt she was carrying.
Her memory really impresses me, her constant search to making it better. However, it really irks me that there wasn't more emphasis put on the cars in the parking lot by the police from the very beginning.
The time she spends in Costa Rica always makes me want to visit there. Even though she spends some time in cheap dirty places, it really makes me want to visit it!
1. How did Abby’s recollections of her own mother affect her approach to being a stepmother?
2. For Abby, one of the most difficult aspects of the search is the fact that she doesn’t receive full respect as a key figure in Emma’s life. Ultimately, how do you define “a devoted mother”? What are the best examples of good parenting in the novel? What determines whether someone has what it takes to be a good parent?
3. How did you attempt to solve the mystery of Emma’s disappearance? Were you able to hold out hope for her survival?
4. What did the novel reveal to you about the world of missing children and their families? Did it change your perspective on the real-life cases you encounter in the media?
5. What enabled Abby to uncover the truth while Jake could not? Was it her intuition? Determination? Hypnosis? Fate? Or simply the deep guilt she felt? What ultimately caused the fog to lift in Emma’s disappearance?
6. As you saw Abby catch a wave in the final paragraph, what did you predict for her future?
Thank you for participating! Hope you join us in June! ;)
It was simply amazing that Abby wasn't hurt in her search for Emma with all the bad choices she was making. Probably, wanting someone to hurt her physically since of all the emotional hurt she was carrying.
Her memory really impresses me, her constant search to making it better. However, it really irks me that there wasn't more emphasis put on the cars in the parking lot by the police from the very beginning.
The time she spends in Costa Rica always makes me want to visit there. Even though she spends some time in cheap dirty places, it really makes me want to visit it!
1. How did Abby’s recollections of her own mother affect her approach to being a stepmother?
2. For Abby, one of the most difficult aspects of the search is the fact that she doesn’t receive full respect as a key figure in Emma’s life. Ultimately, how do you define “a devoted mother”? What are the best examples of good parenting in the novel? What determines whether someone has what it takes to be a good parent?
3. How did you attempt to solve the mystery of Emma’s disappearance? Were you able to hold out hope for her survival?
4. What did the novel reveal to you about the world of missing children and their families? Did it change your perspective on the real-life cases you encounter in the media?
5. What enabled Abby to uncover the truth while Jake could not? Was it her intuition? Determination? Hypnosis? Fate? Or simply the deep guilt she felt? What ultimately caused the fog to lift in Emma’s disappearance?
6. As you saw Abby catch a wave in the final paragraph, what did you predict for her future?
Thank you for participating! Hope you join us in June! ;)
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
So so so close...
To a year that is. A year of breastfeeding. I'm pretty damn impressed with myself. I really had no goals going into it but in the back of my stubborn mind I didn't want to have to purchase formula. I will successfully accomplished this silent goal on Friday. The day my girl turns one.
I am stubborn. And to me, going to formula was easy and giving up. So I've persevered and toughed it out and on Friday, I will proudly proclaim it has been a year.
Has it been easy? No. We used a nipple shield from within 24 hours until 4.5 months in when she decided she didn't need it anymore. It would have been easy to give in. Make a bottle. She nursed super slow with the nipple shield and sometimes she would nurse for 45 minutes in a session. Sometimes it was every 90 minutes. But I kept at it. I'm stubborn.
I had a stomach bug at Christmas and was so dehydrated and sick she had to go away from me for the night and my supply tanked. I've popped more fenugreek, ate more oatmea3l, chugged more tea than ever in my life. But I did it. We did it.
She started teething. With every new tooth my nipples would get some lovely bites. We dealt. I got my first post-partum period. Thank you stomach virus, bitch. Once a month my supply tanks some more. I get a few love bites. We persevered. We don't give up. We keep on trucking.
And now my sweet baby girl, is almost a year. I feel she is hurtling towards weaning herself and I'm getting okay with that. After we hit 6 months I pretty much decided a year was GOING to happen. No giving up. Days away from her first birthday and she nurses when she wakes up, sometimes she can wait about a half hour, other mornings it is MAMA NOWWWWWWWWW. She nurses before she naps and sadly, she doesn't even need it at night time all the time anymore. I say sadly, because I will gladly let her wean when she is ready. As long as that day happens after her first birthday, cuz her mama isn't a quitter and I really don't want to be bit as I force it to my finish line. ;)
Will we nurse past a year? Maybe. I'm anticipating my period this weekend so we will see what happens. I'm going to guess she will nurse when she wakes and before a nap for a bit longer, especially when I am home for the summer. But I'm going to stop asking her if she wants to nurse. I will go solely on her cues unless I can tell she is so frustrated she needs to hear it.
But dang. We did it.
I'm impressed with myself. I start so many things and never follow through. I followed through. I nursed MY child for a year.
Never give up. Did I mention, I'm stubborn?
I am stubborn. And to me, going to formula was easy and giving up. So I've persevered and toughed it out and on Friday, I will proudly proclaim it has been a year.
Has it been easy? No. We used a nipple shield from within 24 hours until 4.5 months in when she decided she didn't need it anymore. It would have been easy to give in. Make a bottle. She nursed super slow with the nipple shield and sometimes she would nurse for 45 minutes in a session. Sometimes it was every 90 minutes. But I kept at it. I'm stubborn.
I had a stomach bug at Christmas and was so dehydrated and sick she had to go away from me for the night and my supply tanked. I've popped more fenugreek, ate more oatmea3l, chugged more tea than ever in my life. But I did it. We did it.
She started teething. With every new tooth my nipples would get some lovely bites. We dealt. I got my first post-partum period. Thank you stomach virus, bitch. Once a month my supply tanks some more. I get a few love bites. We persevered. We don't give up. We keep on trucking.
And now my sweet baby girl, is almost a year. I feel she is hurtling towards weaning herself and I'm getting okay with that. After we hit 6 months I pretty much decided a year was GOING to happen. No giving up. Days away from her first birthday and she nurses when she wakes up, sometimes she can wait about a half hour, other mornings it is MAMA NOWWWWWWWWW. She nurses before she naps and sadly, she doesn't even need it at night time all the time anymore. I say sadly, because I will gladly let her wean when she is ready. As long as that day happens after her first birthday, cuz her mama isn't a quitter and I really don't want to be bit as I force it to my finish line. ;)
Will we nurse past a year? Maybe. I'm anticipating my period this weekend so we will see what happens. I'm going to guess she will nurse when she wakes and before a nap for a bit longer, especially when I am home for the summer. But I'm going to stop asking her if she wants to nurse. I will go solely on her cues unless I can tell she is so frustrated she needs to hear it.
But dang. We did it.
I'm impressed with myself. I start so many things and never follow through. I followed through. I nursed MY child for a year.
Never give up. Did I mention, I'm stubborn?
Monday, May 21, 2012
The Devil and Miss Prym
This Coehlo book was so not something I would have picked up on my own, but it was the first book we read for our local book club.
Quick Summary, A stranger arrives in the small village of Viscos and entices the barmaid into helping him find out if people are good or evil. He has gold bars that will go to the town if they kill someone.
This book brings up some great questions and gives some background knowledge on key players that I don't want to delve into too much or risk giving away too much of the story lines.
As you read, you see what people are willing to do for money. It's also interesting to see the mob mentality take over and people just do something because everyone else is doing something.
I'm currently reading Sarah's Key (for this month's selection) and it remidned me somewhat of how silent people were when the Jews were being rounded up and taken away. How seeminly NO ONE did anything about it.
This is Viscos. Some people are very willing to offer up someone for the chance of a lot of money. Yes, Viscos is a dying village with no youth, but will money bring youth to them? Will it bring tourists? Will it curse them? Will they kill for money?
We talked at our meeting how people who loved this book read it as a philosophy style of book and those that read it as fiction were not as intrigued. I read it as fiction and it took a bit to get into it, but I really enjoyed our conversation and talking more about it. If I were on my own, I think I would have given up on the book and would have been missing out.
Have you read this? Have you read anything else by Paulo Coehlo?
Quick Summary, A stranger arrives in the small village of Viscos and entices the barmaid into helping him find out if people are good or evil. He has gold bars that will go to the town if they kill someone.
This book brings up some great questions and gives some background knowledge on key players that I don't want to delve into too much or risk giving away too much of the story lines.
As you read, you see what people are willing to do for money. It's also interesting to see the mob mentality take over and people just do something because everyone else is doing something.
I'm currently reading Sarah's Key (for this month's selection) and it remidned me somewhat of how silent people were when the Jews were being rounded up and taken away. How seeminly NO ONE did anything about it.
This is Viscos. Some people are very willing to offer up someone for the chance of a lot of money. Yes, Viscos is a dying village with no youth, but will money bring youth to them? Will it bring tourists? Will it curse them? Will they kill for money?
We talked at our meeting how people who loved this book read it as a philosophy style of book and those that read it as fiction were not as intrigued. I read it as fiction and it took a bit to get into it, but I really enjoyed our conversation and talking more about it. If I were on my own, I think I would have given up on the book and would have been missing out.
Have you read this? Have you read anything else by Paulo Coehlo?
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Recent Posts That Have Me Nodding My Head v3
And again... this is what I've found interesting and feel everyone needs to read.. ;)
I am loving everything Law Momma has to say lately. After Amendment 1 did NOT pass in North Carolina (I can't even begin to talk about how disappointed and annoyed with other human beings this makes me) she wrote a LOVEY post about her Christianity and how she is taking it back. How God and Jesus are love, accepting and nice. Now, if ALL Christians DID that, I don't think there would ever be as many people who automatically think Christians = hate. Because, I'm high up on that list after MANY MANY bad experiences.
And then she went and talked about letting boys be themselves, just like we push our girls to do, which I completely agree with. I feel so bad for boys who have parents who don't encourage their interests if it doesn't fit in with what they think is the 'right' thing for boys to do. If girls can be and do whatever they want, so CAN boys.
Then, Time Magazine decided to join the controversial topics of the week with their Are YOU Mom Enough? What the blog? Firmly said about everything I wished I could come up with. Magazine covers don't start Mommy Wars, mommy's do. Get over yourself, get some confidence in your choices and do your thing.
What did you read that's worth sharing?
I am loving everything Law Momma has to say lately. After Amendment 1 did NOT pass in North Carolina (I can't even begin to talk about how disappointed and annoyed with other human beings this makes me) she wrote a LOVEY post about her Christianity and how she is taking it back. How God and Jesus are love, accepting and nice. Now, if ALL Christians DID that, I don't think there would ever be as many people who automatically think Christians = hate. Because, I'm high up on that list after MANY MANY bad experiences.
And then she went and talked about letting boys be themselves, just like we push our girls to do, which I completely agree with. I feel so bad for boys who have parents who don't encourage their interests if it doesn't fit in with what they think is the 'right' thing for boys to do. If girls can be and do whatever they want, so CAN boys.
Then, Time Magazine decided to join the controversial topics of the week with their Are YOU Mom Enough? What the blog? Firmly said about everything I wished I could come up with. Magazine covers don't start Mommy Wars, mommy's do. Get over yourself, get some confidence in your choices and do your thing.
What did you read that's worth sharing?
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
A day in the life of MillerMama....
Hello everyone! Today we have my friend Miller, a fellow mama who cheers for the Buckeyes! If you would like to share a day in your life, leave a comment to this post or email me at pinkflipflops44 at gmail dot com! Thanks! ;)
I decided to pick a day that was a little out of the ordinary to share. On this Monday I was home with my 8 ½ month old daughter, Amelia, in the morning because her sitter had a doctor’s appointment. You can read about one of my more typical days from a few months back here: It's My Life
*disclaimer – the pictures I inserted are not actually from this day because I am not that organized. They are a compilation from what was on my phone.*
6:10am – My alarm goes off later than normal but I’m still
tired. Amelia was up more than usual last night, and I know I have a long day
ahead of me. She’s still getting over Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease from last
week, so I’m trying to be patient but man, I miss sleep. Hit the snooze button.
6:20 – Lay in bed knowing I need to get up and shower before
Amelia is up for the day and my husband goes to work. Otherwise I will have to
find a way to corral her that doesn’t result in her throwing a fit.
6:40 – I am out of the shower, getting my hair, makeup, etc.
done as quickly as possible. I hear Amelia stirring and “talking” in her crib
and I know I am on borrowed time.
6:50 – She’s up. I get her a bottle and wake up my husband
so I can prop her in bed with him. She’s crawling and climbing everything so
one second of inattention can be a disaster!
7:00 – I’m done getting ready and retrieve her from our bed.
We head downstairs and I plop her in her walker so I can make coffee. Must.
Have. Coffee. My husband follows shortly after.
7:30-8:00 – Amelia plays on the floor while I drink my
coffee and watch the Today Show. The hubby leaves for work. Breakfast for the
munchkin (fruit puree with oatmeal mixed in) and I grab a granola bar.
8:30– Get Amelia dressed and it’s playtime. Her current
favorites are her activity table and cloth piano that she crawls on. Oh, and
the cable box. And the cat. I spend a lot of time chasing her around and trying
to prevent her from hitting her head on things.
10:00 – She’s awake. It’s like clockwork. What do people do
whose children nap for an hour or two at a time? I can only dream. We play some
more.
10:40 – The sitter calls to let me know she is home, so I
rush around collecting bottles, her diaper bag, etc. and we’re out the door to
drop her off (about 5 blocks away).
12:00pm – Make it to work and start checking email. I work
in the Disability Services office of a state college, and we were selected for
an advance screening of a new show from the Sundance Channel featuring four
women in wheelchairs. One of the stars is supposed to be getting in this
afternoon in time for a reception and the screening. First email I see – her
flight is delayed. Great.
3:30-4:30 – Video conferencing is set up. Shew. Try to get
some other work done, check some of my message boards, and browse prices online
for the Nook or Kindle I’m hoping to get for my birthday next week. Normally my
work day would be done at this point.
4:30-5:30 – Work on billing statements I send out to
students for our services, then head up to the reception.
5:30-7:45 – Reception and screening are a success, despite
the star of the show connecting through cyberspace. I’m impressed with the show
as reality TV goes, and our students ask some great questions during the
Q&A. I duck out a few minutes early hoping to get home before Amelia goes
to sleep.
7:50 – I’m on the road and it’s raining. Great. Call my
husband and Amelia went to sleep super early (normal bedtime these days is
8:30) so I won’t get to see her tonight. Ugh. Decide I may as well stop for
gas. I have to fill up twice a week thanks to my commute.
8:45 – I’m home and exhausted. It’s been a long day and it’s
been awhile since I’ve spent a day in heels. Still have to gather all of
Amelia’s stuff for the next day and wash bottles since my husband did it all of
last week.
9:30 – I tiptoe into Amelia’s room and smile at her all
smushed up against the side of the crib. I get ready for bed and check Facebook
and Words with Friends on my phone before I am out for the night. My hubby
comes up to bed about an hour later, and I’m already sound asleep. 5:45 is
going to come early tomorrow morning!
Thanks for sharing!
What kind of footwear do you wear to work? I totally go for comfort since I chase 4 year olds and every time I've dared to wear heels, I've had to chase someone. No bueno.
I decided to pick a day that was a little out of the ordinary to share. On this Monday I was home with my 8 ½ month old daughter, Amelia, in the morning because her sitter had a doctor’s appointment. You can read about one of my more typical days from a few months back here: It's My Life
*disclaimer – the pictures I inserted are not actually from this day because I am not that organized. They are a compilation from what was on my phone.*
9:30 – Fix her a bottle and park her in her swing, which in
all reality she is probably too big for. But hey, whatever works. She is a
power napper, and by that I mean that under no circumstances does she sleep for
more than half an hour. I throw a load of laundry in and park myself in the
recliner to veg out for the remaining 15 minutes of her nap.
11:00 – I rush home and change into work clothes (didn’t
want to get spit up on my shirt or have food flung at me), then head out the
door for my 45 minute commute and hope to make it to work by noon. I’m running
short on paid time off after Amelia’s recent illnesses.
[ Source ]
12:30-3:30 – I eat a microwaved frozen lunch at my desk and
try to run damage control as we find out the star likely won’t make it at all.
Proceed to make numerous phone calls/ send emails to find out if we can video
conference her in at the event, and deal with countless interruptions from my
boss.
What kind of footwear do you wear to work? I totally go for comfort since I chase 4 year olds and every time I've dared to wear heels, I've had to chase someone. No bueno.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Suggestions for June's Group Read!
How the heck is it June?????????????????????
Here is what we've already discussed..
The Year of Fog
Winter Garden
The Violets of March
Rebecca
State of Wonder
The Invisible Bridge
The Postmistress
The Scent of Rain and Lightning
Still Missing
The Sandalwood Tree
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
Something Borrowed
The Blue Orchard
Sammy's Hill
In the Woods
Shanghai Girls
The Weight of Water
Water for Elephants
The Color Purple
The One That I Want
The Secret Garden
House Rules
American Wife
Firefly Lane
Middlesex
The Reader
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
The Awakening
Pride & Prejudice
I See You Everywhere
30 books. Wow! What will be the 31st? Suggestions are open until May 18th and then I will add a poll to the sidebar!
Here is what we've already discussed..
The Year of Fog
Winter Garden
The Violets of March
Rebecca
State of Wonder
The Invisible Bridge
The Postmistress
The Scent of Rain and Lightning
Still Missing
The Sandalwood Tree
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
Something Borrowed
The Blue Orchard
Sammy's Hill
In the Woods
Shanghai Girls
The Weight of Water
Water for Elephants
The Color Purple
The One That I Want
The Secret Garden
House Rules
American Wife
Firefly Lane
Middlesex
The Reader
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
The Awakening
Pride & Prejudice
I See You Everywhere
30 books. Wow! What will be the 31st? Suggestions are open until May 18th and then I will add a poll to the sidebar!
Friday, May 11, 2012
The Year of Fog Discussion 1
Hello everyone, it's Kyria from Travel Spot, filling in for Emily today! I was a bit behind last month, and am just catching up on Winter Garden (what a strange book, by the way!). However, this month I am well prepared! I am finished with The Year of Fog and am excited about the discussion.
First off, let me say that I love that this book is set in San Francisco! Every place she talks about, I know. It's kind of fun! When she talks about the Great Highway or Ocean Beach or Potrero Hill, I can see it in my mind. This made this book really special for me (on her website, there is actually a map of all the places that she goes out looking). However, other than that, I felt depressed the entire time. I can't imagine losing a child. But enough about what I think, let's get to the questions, shall we?
Discussion Questions, Chapters 1 - 45:
1. How do you feel about Abby and Jake? Do you like them? Do you like any one more than the other?
2. How much was Emma a factor in Abby’s relationship with Jake? AfterEmma’s disappearance, what did they discover about each other? Why was it awkward for Abby to see Jake turn to religion? Why was he skeptical of her insistence that Emma didn’t drown but was kidnapped?
3. How does Abby’s eye as a photographer shape the way she sees the world around her? What does she see that others don’t? What kinds of images captivate her the most? What does her approach to photography indicate about her approach to life?
4. Are Ramon and Jake entirely different, or was there a common thread that attracted Abby to each of them? What keeps her from sleeping with Nick in chapter 40? What has she needed from men in general at crucial points in her life?
5. Do you think Jake and Abby will last until the end of the book?
6. What is your theory of what happened to Emma?
Thanks for joining in! And thanks to Emily for hosting! See you on May 24th for the 2nd and final discussion of The Year of Fog!
Thanks, Kyria!! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
First off, let me say that I love that this book is set in San Francisco! Every place she talks about, I know. It's kind of fun! When she talks about the Great Highway or Ocean Beach or Potrero Hill, I can see it in my mind. This made this book really special for me (on her website, there is actually a map of all the places that she goes out looking). However, other than that, I felt depressed the entire time. I can't imagine losing a child. But enough about what I think, let's get to the questions, shall we?
Discussion Questions, Chapters 1 - 45:
1. How do you feel about Abby and Jake? Do you like them? Do you like any one more than the other?
2. How much was Emma a factor in Abby’s relationship with Jake? AfterEmma’s disappearance, what did they discover about each other? Why was it awkward for Abby to see Jake turn to religion? Why was he skeptical of her insistence that Emma didn’t drown but was kidnapped?
3. How does Abby’s eye as a photographer shape the way she sees the world around her? What does she see that others don’t? What kinds of images captivate her the most? What does her approach to photography indicate about her approach to life?
4. Are Ramon and Jake entirely different, or was there a common thread that attracted Abby to each of them? What keeps her from sleeping with Nick in chapter 40? What has she needed from men in general at crucial points in her life?
5. Do you think Jake and Abby will last until the end of the book?
6. What is your theory of what happened to Emma?
Thanks for joining in! And thanks to Emily for hosting! See you on May 24th for the 2nd and final discussion of The Year of Fog!
Thanks, Kyria!! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Recent Posts That Have Me Nodding My Head v.2
Two weeks in a row? Can it be? Here is what I've found fasincating in the blogosphere this week..
Why I'm Opposed to NC Ammendment 1 by LawMomma is an EXCELLENT post on why marriage in North Carolina and really, the United States should not be denied to same-sex couples. It's absurd. And I'm glad she touched on the fact that she is Christian and if Jesus would be in support of equal marriage rights. I mean he did say to one love another, did he not?
Let Her Dream by The Wannabe Athlete focuses on all of that LOVELY advice been there done that mom's want to give new moms. If it's unsolicted? 95 percent of the time, it's unwanted. Callie brings up good points, let them dream and figure it out themselves. And WHY are women so hellbent on saying, "THAT WILL NEVER WORK?" Arses.
As I was reading Everyday Isha, it reminded me why I teach. Even after spending an extra day long (on teacher appreciation day, with no appreciation) I love my job. My families may not verbally thank me, but their children do daily. Thank a teacher. Seriously.
What did you read this week worth sharing?
Why I'm Opposed to NC Ammendment 1 by LawMomma is an EXCELLENT post on why marriage in North Carolina and really, the United States should not be denied to same-sex couples. It's absurd. And I'm glad she touched on the fact that she is Christian and if Jesus would be in support of equal marriage rights. I mean he did say to one love another, did he not?
Let Her Dream by The Wannabe Athlete focuses on all of that LOVELY advice been there done that mom's want to give new moms. If it's unsolicted? 95 percent of the time, it's unwanted. Callie brings up good points, let them dream and figure it out themselves. And WHY are women so hellbent on saying, "THAT WILL NEVER WORK?" Arses.
As I was reading Everyday Isha, it reminded me why I teach. Even after spending an extra day long (on teacher appreciation day, with no appreciation) I love my job. My families may not verbally thank me, but their children do daily. Thank a teacher. Seriously.
What did you read this week worth sharing?
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
A day in my life...
If you would like to participate and share a day in YOUR life, leave me a message in the comments or email me at pinkflipflops44 at gmail dot com! No matter how boring you think your day is, someone else is out there wanting to read it!
5:36 - I wake up and hear Isla crying. I pretend to be sleeping and wait until my husband wakes up about 30 seconds later. He goes to the bathroom and checks on her, brings her into the room so he can go BACK into her room to locate her pacifier and she cries and cries as I try to comfort her. She is a daddy's girl and she did NOT want him leaving her with me. He comes back with the pacifier and takes her back to bed.
6:06 My girl is crying again, so I go in, rock her and put on her music. She's out.
7:25 I hear Isla talking and go get her for the day.
We nurse and I change her diaper and then we come out and listen to classical music on the tv and play for until she starts acting as though she could use a meal.
8:36 Breakfast time. I eat half an English Muffin with peanut butter and strawberries and 1/2 a banana with my coffee and Isla has half a banana, half an english muffin, some blueberries and milk in a sippy cup. I ate all of mine. She did not eat all of hers. ;)
After we eat, I go and get her dressed for the day and we come back out. We read The Alphabet Book twice and the Animal book twice. We nurse and then we go back to my room so I can get dressed. I get dressed and she plays in my room. She starts laying her head on the floor so I ask if she wants to take a nap. She sits up and puts her hands up. I take that as a yes.
9:50 Isla is down for a nap and I do my hair, check the laundry, get our bags ready for work, write out a blog post and try to catch up on some Internet stalking, while watching In Plain Sight on demand.
10:20 Isla is crying, I go in and she snuggles in. We sit down on the couch and she cuddles in for a few more minutes and then plays with the remote and we play with her music table, read Goodnight Moon and Baby's First Numbers and then have a snack.
11:00 I eat some guacamole with chips and a coke and Isla has graham crackers and avocado. I nurse her and we are off to daycare.
11:38 She is dropped off to daycare and I am on my way to the store because half-way to daycare I realized I had forgotten to brush my teeth. Whooops. Must by toothbrush/paste.
12:00 I get to work. Finalize some checkpoints, clean up the room, organize my thoughts and talk to my assistant.
12:30 Kids arrive. We head down to lunch.
1:00 Free choice time! Kids play with whatever, I run through letters with a little girl, do some sorting / patterning activities with a little boy and girl, referee some boys, run the lists for certain well loved toys, pass out folders, have kids pick what songs we will sing at carpet time, and basically ran around like a chicken with my head cut off!
2:15 Clean up time. Today's clean up was later than normal because the Art Table was busy with a Mother's Day project and we weren't doing a small group today. After clean up we head over to the carpet and do the pledge of allegiance and than calendar time. We finish calendar time with songs, today's choices were the ever popular Alligator Song, 5 Little Monkey's Jumping on the Bed and 5 Yellow Ducks, followed by our CD Song, My Mother is a Baker.
2:45 Recall and Snack time.
3:00 Read Brown Bear, Brown Bear as a class as we are practicing for our performance at the end of the year.
3:10 Head down to the gym to ride bikes and play.
3:45 Kids are goneeeee. Try to finalize one more time, can't figure it out, organize stuff, address envelopes for post office and head out the door.
4:15 Do my thing at the post office and off to pick up Isla.
4:38 Isla and I are on our way home. We get home and play and I put broccoli and asparagus in to roast in the oven and start some mac and cheese on the stove top. Dinner is smoked pork leftovers and baked beans with what I'm making tonight.
5:40 We all sit down to eat dinner. Isla whines until I am basically handing over my whole plate. She LOOOOVES baked beans.
6:06 Isla is getting ready for bed with her dad and I clean up the kitchen. We all go out to the living room to play/work/hangout but Miss Isla is a teething mess. Super whiney and by 6:45 I am putting her tush in bed, even though she napped from 1:00 to 3:45!
7:00 I'm done ha. Chill on the Internet, type this up, watch The Voice, cook spaghetti for small group tomorrow and get our bags around.
11:00 Lights out...
5:36 - I wake up and hear Isla crying. I pretend to be sleeping and wait until my husband wakes up about 30 seconds later. He goes to the bathroom and checks on her, brings her into the room so he can go BACK into her room to locate her pacifier and she cries and cries as I try to comfort her. She is a daddy's girl and she did NOT want him leaving her with me. He comes back with the pacifier and takes her back to bed.
6:06 My girl is crying again, so I go in, rock her and put on her music. She's out.
7:25 I hear Isla talking and go get her for the day.
We nurse and I change her diaper and then we come out and listen to classical music on the tv and play for until she starts acting as though she could use a meal.
8:36 Breakfast time. I eat half an English Muffin with peanut butter and strawberries and 1/2 a banana with my coffee and Isla has half a banana, half an english muffin, some blueberries and milk in a sippy cup. I ate all of mine. She did not eat all of hers. ;)
After we eat, I go and get her dressed for the day and we come back out. We read The Alphabet Book twice and the Animal book twice. We nurse and then we go back to my room so I can get dressed. I get dressed and she plays in my room. She starts laying her head on the floor so I ask if she wants to take a nap. She sits up and puts her hands up. I take that as a yes.
9:50 Isla is down for a nap and I do my hair, check the laundry, get our bags ready for work, write out a blog post and try to catch up on some Internet stalking, while watching In Plain Sight on demand.
10:20 Isla is crying, I go in and she snuggles in. We sit down on the couch and she cuddles in for a few more minutes and then plays with the remote and we play with her music table, read Goodnight Moon and Baby's First Numbers and then have a snack.
11:00 I eat some guacamole with chips and a coke and Isla has graham crackers and avocado. I nurse her and we are off to daycare.
11:38 She is dropped off to daycare and I am on my way to the store because half-way to daycare I realized I had forgotten to brush my teeth. Whooops. Must by toothbrush/paste.
12:00 I get to work. Finalize some checkpoints, clean up the room, organize my thoughts and talk to my assistant.
12:30 Kids arrive. We head down to lunch.
1:00 Free choice time! Kids play with whatever, I run through letters with a little girl, do some sorting / patterning activities with a little boy and girl, referee some boys, run the lists for certain well loved toys, pass out folders, have kids pick what songs we will sing at carpet time, and basically ran around like a chicken with my head cut off!
2:15 Clean up time. Today's clean up was later than normal because the Art Table was busy with a Mother's Day project and we weren't doing a small group today. After clean up we head over to the carpet and do the pledge of allegiance and than calendar time. We finish calendar time with songs, today's choices were the ever popular Alligator Song, 5 Little Monkey's Jumping on the Bed and 5 Yellow Ducks, followed by our CD Song, My Mother is a Baker.
2:45 Recall and Snack time.
3:00 Read Brown Bear, Brown Bear as a class as we are practicing for our performance at the end of the year.
3:10 Head down to the gym to ride bikes and play.
3:45 Kids are goneeeee. Try to finalize one more time, can't figure it out, organize stuff, address envelopes for post office and head out the door.
4:15 Do my thing at the post office and off to pick up Isla.
4:38 Isla and I are on our way home. We get home and play and I put broccoli and asparagus in to roast in the oven and start some mac and cheese on the stove top. Dinner is smoked pork leftovers and baked beans with what I'm making tonight.
yeah, she reads goodnight moon, while playing with the mouse and using screwdrivers, don't you?
5:40 We all sit down to eat dinner. Isla whines until I am basically handing over my whole plate. She LOOOOVES baked beans.
6:06 Isla is getting ready for bed with her dad and I clean up the kitchen. We all go out to the living room to play/work/hangout but Miss Isla is a teething mess. Super whiney and by 6:45 I am putting her tush in bed, even though she napped from 1:00 to 3:45!
7:00 I'm done ha. Chill on the Internet, type this up, watch The Voice, cook spaghetti for small group tomorrow and get our bags around.
11:00 Lights out...
Monday, May 7, 2012
What Isla is Reading...
One of the things I was looking forward to the most when I was pregnant, was sharing books with my baby. We've read books since the very beginning but just recently she has begun to carry books over to me or pretend to read them herself. It is so stinkin' cute. She even has a few favorites that are driving me a tad crazy since I read them about 5 times a day. Luckily, we have a ton of books so I can trade them out frequently.
Here are her current favorites...
The Alphabet Book by P.D. Eastman - I like this book because there are many ways you can read it, if you are on multiple re-reads per day. You can point to the pictures as you say them, you can just say the letters of the alphabet, you can just read, you can talk about colors, you can talk about letter sounds.. yeah I nerd out about simple reading with my 11 month old!
Animals - (sorry, it is currently in the bedroom with the sleeping child but its a bunch of pictures of animals with the names written next to them and a blue cover with a rabbit on it haha) - This book annoys me the most, but that's cuz I hate books that don't really have a story. But we point to the animals and we make (very bad) animal noises. She cracks up when her dad makes the sound for snakes. But not her mom. I apparently am NOT funny.
Go, Dog, Go by P.D. Eastman - I love this book too. Isla likes to kick her feet when I say, GO, DOG,GO! Once again, you can just read it, you can point and talk about the pictures, you can count things. Good book.
Alice in Wonderland by Jennifer Adams - I loooove this one. It has beautiful colors, simple words and perfect for an 11 month old attention span. We point out the objects that the words talk about, we point to other colors, we count objects.. Good times! The awesome pictures make up for the fact that there isn't a story. ;P
I am currently trying to get her more interested in MY favorites. ;) Goodnight Moon, Hop on Pop and Guess How Much I Love You.
Here are her current favorites...
Animals - (sorry, it is currently in the bedroom with the sleeping child but its a bunch of pictures of animals with the names written next to them and a blue cover with a rabbit on it haha) - This book annoys me the most, but that's cuz I hate books that don't really have a story. But we point to the animals and we make (very bad) animal noises. She cracks up when her dad makes the sound for snakes. But not her mom. I apparently am NOT funny.
I am currently trying to get her more interested in MY favorites. ;) Goodnight Moon, Hop on Pop and Guess How Much I Love You.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Recent Posts That Have Me Nodding My Head
I like sharing. Especially, when I read something good and feel like others need to read it. I've shared a few links in the past, but I never remember enough on a consistent basis to make it a regular thing. With that said, here are a few things that have me nodding my head, thanks to Sluiter Nation for the inspiration...
Book Blogging, A Breakdown by Roof Beam Reader... Adam poses some good thoughts / reasonings behind how to be a thoughtful reviewer in the age of blogging/ goodreads.
Empowering Daddy by GR Professional Mommy mentions important information to moms. Help let dad be involved, you don't and SHOULD not be doing it all. Trust your husband.
Who I am, Not Who I See by Love Every Day Life reminds me that we aren't alone when we are confident in our abilities and self and still struggle with what we see in the mirror. Beautifully written by a beautiful lady.
What have you read lately that had you nodding your head?
Book Blogging, A Breakdown by Roof Beam Reader... Adam poses some good thoughts / reasonings behind how to be a thoughtful reviewer in the age of blogging/ goodreads.
Empowering Daddy by GR Professional Mommy mentions important information to moms. Help let dad be involved, you don't and SHOULD not be doing it all. Trust your husband.
Who I am, Not Who I See by Love Every Day Life reminds me that we aren't alone when we are confident in our abilities and self and still struggle with what we see in the mirror. Beautifully written by a beautiful lady.
What have you read lately that had you nodding your head?
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
A day in the life of ?????
Could it be you?
If you would like to share your day in the life leave a comment here or email me at pinkflipflops44 at gmail dot com!!
I can't believe I've had enough days in the lives for 6 months, but now I no longer have a stash of them! I'm always a nosy nelly, so even if you did one before and want to share another day, have at it!
Oh, and I am now back to part-time. Rejoice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;)
Um and I will have a one year old in 24 days. I suppose I should send out the invites to her birthday. And um get the pinata. And um everything else. AHHHHH!!!!
If you would like to share your day in the life leave a comment here or email me at pinkflipflops44 at gmail dot com!!
I can't believe I've had enough days in the lives for 6 months, but now I no longer have a stash of them! I'm always a nosy nelly, so even if you did one before and want to share another day, have at it!
Oh, and I am now back to part-time. Rejoice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;)
Um and I will have a one year old in 24 days. I suppose I should send out the invites to her birthday. And um get the pinata. And um everything else. AHHHHH!!!!
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