Reading Review

Well it's been a while since I have talked about any books that I have been reading. It is probably due to the fact that I haven't been reading a whole lot lately. Now that Jackson is here I would like to change that. So anyway here are the books that I have read from August through March.

Candace Bushnell is the writer of Sex and The City and many other great stories. I got into her writing over the summer when I found Trading Up at a bookstore while just wandering around. A lot of her books are now on my Goodreads's to read list. Trading Up is a story about a social climber named Janie Wilcox. Janie always wanted to be famous and live the life in New York City (who doesn't). Finally, she gets her jump start in the New York's elite when she lands a job as a Victoria Secret model. With her career skyrocketing her up the social ladder she becomes almost too big for herself.  Just when you finally think Janie has it all, a great husband, career and social life she decides she wants more. Wilcox wants to break into movies she uses her looks and sex appeal to manipulate situations which only leads to shame and heartbreak. Will Janie finally get to a social status that she's always dreamed of? And what will she do to get there?

Maine was a book chosen by my book club and I have to say it was our first epic failure! We often choose stories based on families, relationships, love and commitment. What girl wouldn't want to read about those things? However, in this story we found that there were too many relationships, too many characters to keep track of and too many different story lines. For a summer fun reading it was a little more complicated than we all bargained for. So, sad to announce I did not finish this book, I fully intend to give it another go at a later date, but for now I have to say dud.

Emily Giffin is quickly becoming one of my favorite author. Again she does a wonderful job of writing about family, friendships and all the relationships in between. Where We Belong is a story about a young girl named Kirby who was adopted at birth. She never has felt like she's fit in with her adoptive family, always felt like an outsider looking in. Especially when her adoptive parents were able to conceive and brought Kirby's perfect younger sister into the picture. When Kirby turns 18 she sets out to find her biological parents to finally get some answers on what makes her...her. When she finds her mother Marian Caldwell, a successful TV producer, who has never divulged the details of her past that led up to Kirby they embark on a journey together to find the missing pieces of their lives. A great heartfelt story that you will not be able to put down!

I love, love, love Jodi Picoult, I know sometimes she becomes predictable...conflict, court case, ending, but sometimes she will surprise you. I was blown away with Sing You Home. Zoe is a music therapist who loves what she does even though it doesn't really pay well. Zoe and her husband have been trying for years to have a child. They have tried naturally and are on their third round of IVF, when finally they are pregnant. Zoe is over the moon and cannot wait to welcome their little boy into the world. However, tragedy always seems to find Zoe and on the day of her baby shower she goes into labor and delivers her little man stillborn. The loss of their perfect future destroys her and results in a sad ending to their marriage. Zoe  ends up finding solace in a friendship. Vanessa is everything Zoe needed and soon that friendship quickly evolves into a romantic relationship and love. Zoe and Vanessa marry and are quickly thinking of starting a family. Zoe knows that she still has fertilized eggs from her marriage and all she needs is Max's consent to use them. After the divorce Max became a Christian, and is finding his way through life with God. When Zoe comes to ask for permission to use their eggs, Max is faced with a difficult decision. He considers Zoe and Vanessa's union a sin, will his new found faith prevent him from giving Zoe her happy ending?

James Patterson has always been my go to guy when I need a break from the lovey stuff and need a good suspenseful but not scary story. As much as I enjoy reading his stories I was a little disappointed  with Honeymoon. I  did enjoy it, it still had a suspenseful story line and surprising ending. I would still recommend it to a friend, however it just wasn't one of my favorites of his. Nora Sinclair is a beautiful and successful interior designer, she is a desired by every man she meets. She has everything going for her success, wit, charm a wonderful life. John O'Hara is an FBI agent sent to investigate Sinclair...why you ask? Well, strange things happen to the people around Sinclair and O'Hara needs to get to  the bottom of it. Will he figure out Sinclair's game before it's too late?  Will he make it out alive?

Something Blue is the sequel to Something Borrowed which I read and reviewed last year. Something Blue follows Darcy's journey after her cancelled wedding to Dexter. If you don't remember from Something Borrowed, Dexter was Darcy's fiance, they were going to be married in a few months when Darcy cheated on Dexter with his friend and groomsman Marcus. Darcy was going to call off the wedding when she found out that she was pregnant with Marcus's baby only to be beaten to the punch when Dexter called it off because he was cheating on Darcy with her best friend and maid of honor Rachel (whom Dexter loved since college, but never pursued her).  After Darcy's cancelled wedding her world seems to fall apart. Her fling with Marcus ends up being just that a fling, and a mistake, and now she is pregnant with Marcus's baby. Darcy is constantly obsessing about Rachel and Dexter and worrying about running into them in the large, but sometimes small city of New York. Her mother is no longer speaking to her when she finds out that Darcy threw her life away to be with a less than desirable man (Marcus). Her social life is over since she is no longer able to go out and party like she used to. Her body is changing due to the pregnancy and she worries that she will never find a man who will want her now. There is only one thing that Darcy can think to do...run away to London to start over. Calling in a huge favor from her friend Ethan, Darcy packs her bags and crashes at his place where she begins her new life. Darcy soon finds out that sometimes running away doesn't always solve everything. She quickly learns that maybe location isn't the problem in her life...maybe it's her.

Another great story by Emily Giffin that I think everyone should read.

I wanted to let you all know that you can join me on Goodreads.com it's a great place to keep track of the books you have read, are reading or want to read.. You can also find recommendations from friends and even join reading groups. In addition to all that I encourage you all to take the 2013 Reading Challenge where you select how many books you want to read in 2013. I have set my goal for 25 books this year, I hope that I can make it to that. How many books will you try to read? Happy Reading!

"Put your mind to it...go for it..."

If anyone remembers that episode from Save By The Bell it's the one where Lisa, Kelly and Jessi are making a music video and Jessi becomes hooked on caffeine pills. I'm not taking this opportunity to admit that I'm a caffeine junkie...although my husband thinks that my intake of coffee needs to be addressed, but rather I am letting you all know that the workout, mama boot camp has started. I am going to start at the beginning and I really can't believe I'm going to put all my weight/pregnancy stories out there (really it's something I try to hide), but I need to be honest and tell the whole story. So here it is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

During my pregnancy I had every intention of working out 3 times a week still and eating healthy so that I could be one of those amazing pregnant women who only gained 30 lbs. I was really motivated to do that for a number of reasons. 1. I wanted to very healthy baby and pregnancy 2. I'm in a wedding this summer which doesn't allow a lot of time for me to lose the baby weight 3. I struggle losing weight 4. I lost a lot of weight before my pregnancy and wanted to ensure that I could get back to exactly where I was when I started. Well, (I know some of you Mama's out there are laughing at me right now) that didn't happen. I ended up gaining 50 lbs and didn't work out a day past my first month. I had really bad morning sickness (which really was any time of the day) making it hard for me to get the motivation to go to the gym, and then sure enough once you fall out of a habit of working out 3 times a week, it's very hard to get back into it.

Jackson is now almost 7 weeks old and I have been cleared to start working out. Since my delivery I have lost 25 lbs. of my pregnancy weight. I give a lot of credit to breastfeeding. I would like to lose another 15 lbs. by my friends wedding in June. Then another 19 lbs over the course of the months to follow to reach my ultimate goal of 155 which is where I was before we moved to Canton. I know 155 sounds big but hey I'm
 5 ft. 9in tall and I like to eat still too. This weight puts me at a healthy BMI and not to toot my own horn or anything, but I looked good at that weight.

So here is the start of my post-pregnancy journey. I'm going to share my successes, struggles and epic failures along the way. I would appreciate any advice people have to offer or even yummy healthy recipes that a Mom on the move can make. So as the ladies from Save By The Bell say ..."Get down and break a sweat"

Lessons from a New Mama

Being a new Mommy has the steepest learning curve I have ever experienced in my life. I have learned a lot over the past 6 weeks and thought hey I should share my new found discoveries...I know there will be more to come. I know some of my friends who have kids will laugh and say...duh and the ones who are expecting new little ones consider this fair warning of what lies ahead. There are five new lessons that I'm going to share with you all.

Lesson 1

If you have a pet they will become the toddler in your family. Honestly if you think that when you come home from the hospital you are going to have one child and still one pet you are WRONG! You will have a toddler and an infant on your hands. That lovable furry friend will demonstrate jealousy like you have never seen before. Cooper for example has found that by taking Jackson's things like his burp rag, blanket, socks or even his books will definitely get  a rise out of Mom and Dad. On the flip side of this your toddler (pet) will also show that they care for their younger sibling and will cuddle up with them and give them kisses (even when you really don't want them to). So my Mama friends be prepared!

Lesson 2

Be prepared for those late nights/early mornings. I have found that when Jackson is awake from 11:30-12:30 and then 1:30-3:30 I am able to stay awake and be less upset about it when I have something to do. So after I change him, feed him and being the long process of putting him back to bed I like to either watch a movie on the computer or read a book. This not only keeps me from not accidentally falling asleep with a small child in my arms, but it also makes the time that I am awake go a lot faster and even will make it semi enjoyable. So in that lovely little diaper changing kit or night stand keep a few things there for yourself to do.

Lesson 3

Go to bed early! Last night was the first time I learned this lesson. I went to bed at 7:30 ( I know crazy I'm giving my grandparents a run for their money) and I realized when Jackson was crying at 11:30 I didn't struggle as much to come to his aid. It made the late night feeding a lot better. Jason has been telling me for weeks now to take naps during the day so that way I'm not so tired, but I would rather just go to bed early. You might find that you are a better napper than an early to bed person and if that works for you great, but if not try this technique and it may prove to work better.

Lesson 4

Make a list of to do items for the week and then try to do just 3-4 of them a day. I am usually really good about getting everything done that I want to get done during the week. I want to be able to do the laundry, ironing, make meals, have a clean house, go to the grocery store and take care of my child. I would like to think of myself as SUPER MOM! However, getting all of that done and looking good doing it...haha sorry not going to happen without become a little...a lot overwhelmed. So I make a list of things I want to get done for the week and I make Jason pick 2-4 of those items that he is going to do and then I take care of the rest. But instead of seeing a huge list of crap I pick just a few things each day and I get them done during Jackson's naps. With the upcoming move packing is a big thing on my list each week so far.

Lesson 5

Say hello to your new best friend. I didn't know that a newborns bottom was more sensitive and fragile than an egg or tomato or whatever you want to fill in for that blank that is fragile and sensitive. I know some of you are thinking aww poor Jackson had diaper rash...wrong. He didn't have diaper rash he got really bad chaffing from getting wiped so much during diaper changes. Jason and I didn't know what to do, Jackson had such a red bottom and it didn't seem like anything was working. We tried Desitin, A/D ointment, using water on disposable cloths instead of wet wipes, nothing was working. Then yay A/D cream came into our lives. It's a good idea to have a few different creams/ointments on hand because you don't know how your little ones bottom is going to react to it, but this one was like miracle cream! Jackson's bottom hasn't looked this good in awhile (someday he's going to hate that I blogged about his little buns but right now I don't care). Jason and I use a little of cream every time Jackson gets changed just to keep the moisture off his sensitive skin and prevent his already sore bottom from getting worse, and the aloe in the cream helped to heal what was already sore.

So there it is 5 mini lessons learned from this new Mama. There are probably a ton more that I will think of as soon as I send this out to cyber space, but for this month those are my top five Mama lessons!

Yay! Ugh....and Yikes!

Yes folks that would be all the sounds that I have made in the last few weeks. We will start with the good stuff the Yays! Yay Jackson is 6 weeks old and is still Mommy's pride and joy (and Daddy's too). He's getting so big and changes all the time. I can't believe that he has already been part of our lives for that long. Also, last weekend we took a family trip up to Detroit to look for our next home and were very successful. We spent two days looking at properties and I have to say at the end of day one I was really worried that we weren't going to find anything that really fit all of our family's criteria, but someone upstairs was looking out for us. On Sunday morning I got an email from a guy answering the Craig's List ad that Jason and I placed saying we were looking for housing and he had a house that he and his family were going to move out of. They were debating on if they wanted to list the property to sell or lease, after meeting with us they decided that they would lease to us. Major YAY! This HOUSE (emphasis on house, not condo/town home/apartment) meets all of our criteria and even has extra things that Jason and I didn't even think to look for. It's a 3 bedroom 1 bath home with a finished basement, updated kitchen with stainless steel appliances, fully fenced in back yard with a swing set and sandbox for Jackson. It's in a great area of town within walking distance of the library and downtown. I am so excited to live there and the landlords are great people, we cannot wait to rent from them. Another Yay is that I had my 6 week appointment with my doctor and he says that I'm clear to start living my life again! No more weight restrictions and I am able to start working out again too. Which is a good thing because Katherine's (my really good friend from High School) wedding is only a few months away and I have to look good in my bridesmaids dress. My goal is to lose 20 lbs by the wedding so you guys are all going to come along with me for the journey. I have asked my friend Amy who has a blog Coffee Beans and Bobby Pins to help out because she is super fit and healthy and great at motivating people, namely me. Oh and if you don't already you should check out her blog and follow it...it's really fun!

Now for the Ughs....the doctor cleared me to work out again...haha I know I just said this as a yay but it's a double edge sword. For those of you who know me I lost a lot of weight before I got pregnant and I worked really hard to get that weight off. So, to have all that weight plus some back on is not my most favorite feeling in the world. It's always hard to get started working out again, but I know I will feel better once I start and once I start seeing results too. So good bye sweet tooth and hello carrot sticks Mama's gotta get her body back! Next Ugh....we are moving I hate this part of going through this medical journey. Saying goodbye to friends that you have made, relied on and confided in over the past two years and not knowing who you are going to meet or if you are going to meet anyone at the next place. Packing...enough said about that one. I don't know a single person who actually enjoys packing and moving. I know that I'm getting really good at it, but I still don't enjoy it. Then there is the ultimate ugh job searching. It's comforting to know that Jason's job is already established and put in writing, but what about me. I am a teacher who has never really had her own classroom and I chalk a lot of that up to the fact that I'm from out of state (no matter where we move I seem to be out of state) and the fact that we only are living at each new city for two years. I don't regret or resent this part of my life, but it does make me frustrated and sad sometimes. I have already started job searching, but not applying mainly because we aren't going to be moving to Michigan till May and not really living there until June, since we are going back to South Dakota for about a month to spend time with family and friends.

Last but not least the yikes! It's always nerve wracking when we move to a new city. I know that to many people I seem to handle these changes very well and with ease, but honestly I'm always a mess leading up to the move and for the first few weeks after we get there. I am not the best when it comes to change and all the unknown factors that go along with it. It seems like this move is even worse now that I have Jackson to worry about. It adds to the already existing stress because now I have to consider things like daycare, steady income etc. When it was just Jason and I those thoughts didn't really worry me because I always thought that it would work out....well I can't just hope for things to work out in our favor they have to work out in our favor. This uncertainty and stress has caused me to have not one but two panic attacks already this month. Never have had one of those before, but apparently they are common in my family (thanks Dad, you couldn't genetically pass your high metabolism you give me this lovely trait instead).

So there it is folks the Yay's, Ugh's and Yikes. I know many of you are going through similar things especially those of you who have a spouse, significant other, or you yourself are in medical school. I know that we will all survive this and that it will all be worth it in the end. We just have to get to the end to see it I guess. Up coming events to watch for on our blog: Jackson's first Easter and 2 month birthday, the start of my diet/workout story, packing and moving to Michigan and more book reviews (that's right I have a 6 week old child and I find time to read go me!) so stay tuned.

One Month Old

Well, a month has come and gone. I have to admit I'm posting about our first month a little late, but hey I'm a new Mom I can do that. This month has been a busy one for our family, so we will start at the beginning. The week after Jackson was born Jason had his residency match and we found out that we are moving to Pontiac, Michigan for him to continue his medical school career. I am so excited that he's going to continue on the path to become and Anesthesiologist, which is something he has wanted to do since he was about 5. The same day we had the match was also Jackson's one week appointment. He weighed 6lbs 9 oz and was still 19 1/2 inches long. So only lost a few ounces the first week.

Jason and I had a little time to ourselves at my request we didn't have visitors from back home come until he was 2 weeks old. That way Jason and I had time to get adjusted to being parents and get settled back home. My parents were the first to visit and boy oh boy were they proud grandparents. I don't think Jackson took a single nap in his crib and I think Jason and I only held him during his late night feedings when Grandma and Grandpa were back at their hotel room. It was great to have them here though, they were a big help with cleaning, cooking, laundry and taking care of Jackson. Although at this point the taking care of Jackson was really easy because he slept all the time. It was really nice to take a few naps too in those early weeks. I was really sad to see them go though, considering the next time they will get to hold Jackson he will be 3 months old. That is the hardest part about living away from your family is that they don't get to see the changes in your children, or spend as much time with them.

A few days after my parents left we had Jackson's one month appointment. Jason and I in true style for us made bets on how much he had grown. I thought he was now in the 7 lb range and 21 inches and Jason thought 9 -10lb range at 23 inches. He surprised us greatly at 9 lbs 10 oz and 21 1/2 inches long. He grew so much in a month I couldn't believe it. Dr. Shaw was very happy with his progress and just said that we need to keep doing what we are doing...which seems to mean keep feeding him all the time!  Some changes we have noticed in Jackson other than his growth spurt are that he is extremely strong. He likes to cuddle up on your chest but be cautious because he will randomly decide that it's time to lift his head and he will end up throwing himself back. He is starting to sleep a little more at night but it takes a few tries to actually get him to sleep in his crib (I blame all the grandparents for letting him sleep in their arms! I guess that's their job though to break all the parents rules and spoil him.) And now my favorite thing he likes to stay awake more and he will follow Jason and I and our voices. His favorite things in the world though is to hang out on the couch with Daddy and watch the basketball games and cuddle up with Mommy and listen to stories. He still likes to sit in his bouncer more than he likes to be in his swing, but he will spend some time in his swing. Cooper is obsessed with Jackson. If Jackson cries Cooper will run over to wherever Jackson is and then look back at Jason and I with an expression that reads "Help him! He's not happy! Why are you just sitting there staring at me, get my brother!" It's really cute as to how protective his is. I'm happy that Cooper has mellowed out around Jackson and really has been pretty good with him. He still likes to get into a little bit of trouble and is having a hard time staying away from Jackson's things (like his bottles and pacifier), but I'm sure that he will learn what items are his and what items are off limit and Jackson's.

Jason's parents were the next to come out a week later. They were able to see Jackson awake which I think my parents are a little jealous of, but oh well. Again, they were extremely proud grandparents, and just like before Jason and I didn't have to worry about Jackson until Grandma and Grandpa when back to their hotel for the evening. We were very sad to see them leave knowing that they were the last of our visitors from back home, and now we are really on our own. 
 
Overall, it has been a crazy, wonderful, exhausting and exciting month in our household and I know that this is the beginning. Like I said before I'm posting his one month update a little late so already Jackson has made some new developments, but you will have to wait and read about them next month!

As his Great-Aunt Darcie would say "I look good in red"

Just Chillin

Like father like son

I love his smiles...sometimes when they come after a fart...not good

One Month Old