Dear Honey, this is your Mother speaking.

Thank you for returning your sisters Kindle, after only a year – she is very grateful – as am I.

You can imagine my shock when the Apple B. started whining about the 67 additional titles you have loaded up her gigabytes with. Just wanted you to know that I took your side in the matter, but she continued mumbling about there being not one in the bunch that she wanted to read ! “Oh please, of course there is – let me look…..”

Good Grief Honey, I didn’t know there were that many books on Childbirth in print! I have listed a few of my favorites, with comment of course.

Childbirth Without Fear – They obviously have never spoken to your Italian Grandmother for more than two minutes. “Just one more (horror) story before you go into labor dear….and don’t forget to put the Oregano under your tongue!”

Childbirth Across Cultures – Was there any doubt, in anyones mind, that they did this in other lands?

Childbirth At Home – Start at home, fine Honey, just finish the job at the Birthing Center.

Childbirth: A History – And we still can’t figure out the best way to do this! 

Childbirth Theory and Research?- You must be kidding, I thought you were the only one on earth to study this sort of thing!

Painless Childbirth – Simply put? A misnomer.

Birth Partner Handbook- So much responsibility these days. When I was born your Grandfathers part consisted of the bill. I can tell your right now that your father would not be up to the job if we had to do this over again. Specifically the chapter on massaging your birthing princesses you-know-what with olive oil? Has Marmot read any of these?

Ultimate Breastfeeding – I know he hasn’t read this one ….

Womanly Art of Breastfeeding – Or this one either!

I’ll buy your sister a book, poor thing, she has nothing to read.

Love from your Mother,

Queen B.

So the potential plan of TTC in December or January has put me into a little bit of a babies-rabies/panic/overdrive. And like every good Type A planning freak, as soon as I felt the need to research and obsess, I went to Amazon. And here’s what I’ve found so far:

I just finished The Big Book of Birth, and I was impressed. Like way impressed. I had anticipated some hostility towards one side or the other, but this was very objective, written very fairly. Furthermore, the writing was done in the most friendly and non-intimidating way possible. I assumed that as a nurse (that did quite well in OB actually) that I’d prefer a more textbook tone in birth books. Way wrong! And she was funny too. After reading the book, I felt like I had been able to dispel a lot of the fear I’ve always had about labor and birth, and I’m actually starting to look forward to it, if thats possible? I don’t think I could recommend this book any higher.

Earlier this year, I went through Naturally Knocked Up’s fertility e-course, another pre-pregnancy recommendation that was quite simply, excellent. I am my (crunchy) Mother’s daughter, and I really wanted to learn about getting my body ready, beyond the What to Expect Before You’re Expecting book which is much like its predecessor, and had me worrying a lot about pretty much everything. The course was laid out nicely, the topics were excellent, it had a forum for participants to discuss the week’s content, and worksheets, links, and resources on each weeks topic. Look into it!

Prenatal vitamins are quite the racket. I spent no less than five hours researching the best prenatal vitamins that met the recommendations for what the vitamin provides, and also spent at least an hour researching DHA supplements (which apparently will turn your child into a genius). The vitamins that were prenatal and DHA didn’t have quite the recommended amounts of either, one of the better prenatals had concerns about the use of bean sprouts, the next best required taking two pills three times a day (gag) and the ones I’ve been taking for the past year expire in three weeks. And just in case anyone reading is in the market, the verdict of all my research is: Rainbow Light Prenatal One vitamins and Expecta Lipil non-fish DHA supplements. And the Bellybar chewable prenatals although I find chewable aftertaste to be slightly gack, nothing like Flintstones.

I’ve got a few more books in my Amazon cart, and another few stashed on my Kindle: the Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy and the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding.

Are there any you would recommend land in my Amazon cart?

From: Mom, queenb@thehoneyb.com 
To: Honey, honey@thehoneyb.com
Date: Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 3:24 PM
Subject: March 15th – Friday Book List

Have I read any good books lately??? Do Bears still poop in the woods??? Is the Pope Polish??? Just a note Mom, the Pope is German…  

Let me give you *my* list of Perfect Books and the Perfect Goodie Combinations to go with them – because you see Honey, you can’t read and truly enjoy a good book without your reading glasses, a cup of tea, and a “nummy” (as you used to say back when chubby was still cute!)

Divided into categories, for your convenience:

Category: What Your Mother Wants You to Know About Men
Goodie Recommendation: Coffee, hot and strong. An Atkins bar. Also, add a pen and a notebook for jotting down ideas and thoughts for future reference.
Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment Good for all of us female types no matter how young or old, married or single, fat or thin. This is a tell it like it is, fun, easy to read manual on how to treat Marmot and others of his species. I don’t agree with him on everything – he advocates doing the “doodle-dance” after just three months and I, being an old fashioned girl, would vote for waiting till the wedding night (as I know you would to Honey). I have ordered this one to share with your sisters and you. First I have to go through and highlight parts for each of you… Pink for Honey B, Yellow for Apple B, etc… I knew you would appreciate the added emphasis.

Category: Ahhh…Just for Me!
Goodie Recommendation: Mug of Tea (any type). Cinnamon Toast. Also a good pillow and one of your Grammas knitted afghans to curl up under.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Has everything you would want in a sit in a sunny window and enjoy book! A little history (WWII), of the type that does not put you to sleep. A little drama, romance, and sweet humor. All rolled together in the form of letters written from a writer in the late 40′s to her publishing agent and friends. This one is a jewel!

Category: Child in your Lap (Must be read aloud)
Goodie Recommendation: Glass of Chocolate Milk (in a sippy cup to avoid spillage). Homemade cookies (at least a handful). Comfy couch or big rocker depending on the age of the child.
The Wonderful Shrinking Shirt You have to do the voices when you read this one! Your own variation of “Hillfolk-Hillbilly” will be perfect. Think Beverly Hillbillies, then make it even twangier and louder – go ahead – get into it! This book is as much fun to read as it is to listen to. I have been known to read it to the dog when there was a shortage of short ones around. I tried reading it to your father (Mr.Left-Brain) – he sat next to me on the couch and listened with a completely straight face – even after I gave him a cookie! I think that is when I started reading to the dog.

Well thats all I can squeeze out of my gray matter today.
Love you Honey B,
Mom

The Friday Book List is back! I kept forgetting to post it on Friday’s, and I’ve finally said screw it, we’ll just pretend its Friday…who doesn’t love Friday??

This past week I’ve been thinking about what I consider to be, the Best Books EVER.

The first mention is….The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo The first mention of this book was on a phenomenal post on ProBlogger (but aren’t they all phenomenal, seriously, get on the newsletter-via-email list) and it mentioned the book in the context of blog security. This book IS the reason why I ignored homework, husband, and Twitter all weekend. I don’t say it lightly, but this is one of the best books I’ve ever read. I’m not usually into psycho-drama type books, but this one had me completely sucked in by page 20, with a story that I couldn’t figure out. LOVED it. The second (of a trilogy) is being released on March 23rd, I’ve pre-ordered.

The second book, which was number one until the above book, and that is….My Sister’s Keeper I know some people have a love-hate relationship with Jodi Picoult (I pretty much hate all her other books) but this one sucked me in. I’m not a crier, I’m not the emotional type, but I was all soggy with the crumpled Kleenex in this book. Seriously. I couldn’t decide who to side with! Haven’t seen the movie yet, due to a boycott because they changed the ending.

Another favorite….one I will read to my hypothetical children….Beauty This is an adaptation of Beauty and the Beast that my Mom was given as a gift. I think I read it in one sitting. This book is so much deeper than the fairytale I’d seen in the Disney movies, and the descriptions of everything was amazing- you could feel the velvet, taste the food…Robin McKinley’s writing was amazing, and the story was very rich. By far the best fairytale I’ve ever read.

And the fourth and final favorite…A Half Acre of Hell: A Combat Nurse in WW II Not fiction, but one of the best books I’ve ever read…and the reason I went into nursing school. I’m a history buff and this book captured one of the most raw and real WWII experiences I’ve ever read. It inspired a visit to the Army recruiting station less than a week after I finished reading it! The book was simply written, and was gripping.

Have you read any of these books….what do you think? Any others that you think would make it on my favorites list?

I use Amazon Affiliate links. I was not compensated for writing about these books, the opinions stated here are my own.

The first installment of the Friday book list….a tour through what books are in my mountain of a To-Read stack, and favorites on my ever-growing bookshelves!

The Perfect Baby Handbook: A Guide for Excessively Motivated Parents (link)
Now this book is hilarious. Completely makes fun of parents who are out to be perfect parents, and has hilarious illustrations. Love it!

Husband Coached Childbirth, AKA, the Bradley Method (link)
I’m intrigued by the concept of a natural birth, and got this book to check things out, expecting to be a little freaked out after reading. But the book was encouraging! I was really impressed, and will definitely have this on my radar when I do get pregnant.

And Baby Makes Three: The Six-Step Plan for Preserving Marital Intimacy and Rekindling Romance After Baby Arrives (link)
I haven’t started this book yet, but its on the top of my To-Read pile. I have a friend who always says they’ll have kids when they hear of someone out there who says having a baby is good for their marriage, finances, everything. And honestly, I don’t blame them. You hear about people growing apart when they have kids, their marriage taking a hit and that is a big fear of mine about having a baby. This book was recommended for me and the quick perusal was promising, I can’t wait to start reading!

Happy at Work, Happy at Home: The Girl’s Guide to Being a Working Mom (link)
My other fear about managing after baby is born! I have an awesome career, and I really don’t want to stop working after we have a baby- can I balance my life as Mom and life as employee? I worry about that transition, and I’ve been told this book is some good encouragement and offers skills for the balancing act. Can’t wait!

Expecting Money: the Essential Financial Plan for New and Growing Families (link)
This just delves into an issue we hear a lot about (kids are expensive!) but don’t always have great advice for. This book is impressively concise about all financial aspects of having a baby and so far (I’m only about halfway through) its been very informational, lots of things to think about as we get ready.

Baby Lists: What to Do and What to Get to Prepare for Baby (link)
Anal Annie’s dream! Seriously, this book covers everything you could possibly need to consider when getting ready for a baby. I love being over-prepared and this book will absolutely help me accomplish that!

You didn’t think I’d only have five pregnancy-related books on my bookshelves did you?? You’re right there’s more than that. There will be more pregnancy-conception related books coming in future Friday Book Lists!

What do you think of these books? What is your favorite pregnancy-related book?

When I was a little kid my Mom taught me the ABC’s, and the sounds (ah ah apple, ba ba ball), and I took it from there….I was reading by age 4, and by the time I was 12, I would take out 10-12 books a week from the Library. And read all of them. It was a big day in my life when I discovered the Adult Library on the 2nd Floor, I think I took 20 books from the Biography section alone on my first day! And I’m still the only person I know who ever got grounded from books as a kid- Honey, I don’t want to see a book in your hand until all your chores are done! Oh the misery. Which is why I consider some of the biggest perks of adulthood to be not getting grounded from books, and being able to stay up late and read.

I do have a bit of a book habit. As I was cleaning my office a few weekends ago, I started stacking up all the books I have, but haven’t read yet. By the time I got to the end, I had a huge stack of books! Like, I’m thinking at least $250 worth of books. And I was caught up on all my book reading when I started school in September, which means that my book collection has spawned in the depths of my office just in the last few months! But I love books, and so do the women in my family. We take turns buying a good book (the latest is The Help, by Kathryn Stockett) which then gets passed, actually making it worth buying it. The Help went through me, two sisters, my Mom, my Mother-in-Law, is currently with my MIL’s stepmother, and will be going to Marmot’s aunt before finally ending up on my bookshelf. That’s not a bad ride for a book- seven readers, four states- especially when I got it cheeeeep at Sam’s Club.

And of course, I can’t wait to read to my kids. My SIL posted a little video of my BIL reading to my four-month-old niece, and it melted my heart….and made me so excited to think about doing that for my kids!  My Dad (also a bookworm) would read a chapter from the Classics (Black Beauty, Secret Garden, Alice in Wonderland) to my sisters and I growing up, and that was the beginning of my love affair with the written word. I have an Amazon Wish List for my Future Monkeys, with every book I read when I was a kid and can’t wait to read to them.

I’m also quite fascinated with what other people are reading, because its such an insight into their soul…not to mention being the #1 way I decide to add a book to my stack! In that light, I’m posting my book list, on a specific topic, for Friday’s Book List. I’d love to hear your comments about the books on my list,what you’re reading right now, any recommendations, and maybe you’ll see something you want to read too!

The best book I’ve ever read is My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult. Stunning writing, gripping story- I’ve given many many copies for gifts, but still haven’t seen the movie! What is your all-time favorite book?