To What Miserable Wretches Have I Been Born? Book Review

I haven't had much time to read lately. Well, no time to read something beyond Goodnight, Moon or Pokemon handbooks. So I was excited to pick up To What Miserable Wretches Have I Been Born? Revenge Poetry for Babies and Toddlers by Suzanne Weber.
It's been said that To What Miserable Wretches Have I Been Born? does for kids and babies what Go the F*** to Sleep did for exasperated moms and dads. The book contains a collection of hilarious poems, written from the point of view of babies and toddlers.

I have to admit, I laughed out loud reading through the poems. I loved that I could read one here and there, letting me feel like I was actually reading a grown-up book again, without taking too much time away from the kids. Reading the poems was the perfect stress reliever.

To What Miserable Wretches Have I Been Born? touches on subjects like swaddling, playdates, co-sleeping, and pacifiers, with humor. For example:

Nipple Confusion
You didn't give birth to an idiot.
I'm not confused.
I just know what I like.

The book is not for the faint of heart (in a good way). There's cursing, brutal honesty, and, it plays on fears we all have as parents, that we're not perfect, and we don't always know what we're doing. It makes you laugh at yourself and see that things don't have to be flawless to be okay.

This book would make a great gift for a new mom or for Mother's Day.

Buy It:
To What Miserable Wretches Have I Been Born? is available for pre-order at about $11

A copy of the book was provided for review. All opinions are me own.

DiaperPods

Ever been out when your baby decides it's time to fill a diaper? Happens to us every single time we go somewhere. Which really wouldn't be a huge ordeal, except for the fact that I never remember to take a trash bag with us to contain the stink. And I'd feel way too guilty throwing something that potent into a public trash can.

DiaperPods are an innovative solution to the stinky, stuck without a bag situation. The trash receptacle is actually built right into the back of the diaper. It's completely sealed, to maximize safety, but easy for a grownup to access, allowing for easy disposal of a dirty diaper.Want to try DiaperPods? Well, they need your help. DiaperPods aren't in stores yet, but can be, with your vote in Walmart's Get on the Shelf contest. The contest will help three new products land on shelves. Voting is going on now until April 3rd. You can vote for DiaperPods up to twice a day.

A sample was provided for review. All opinions are our own.

201 Organic Baby Purees Review

Seven years years ago, when my oldest started eating solids, I never even considered making his baby food. I was young and it seemed so complicated and time-consuming. After all, didn't baby food come out of a glass jar, smelling almost like something you could consider edible?

When Babycakes came along, I realized just how simple making baby purees could be. Our first attempt yielded us over 30 meals worth of apples and sweet potatoes at about 10 cents a serving. (I love getting good deals!) And, it only took me about 20 minutes of work time. Ah-mazing.201 Organic Baby Purees, by Tamika L. Gardner, is the first baby cookbook I've used. And I have to admit, it will likely be the only one. Not only does it offer recipes for first foods through 12 months and more, it covers the basics of preparation and storage. The recipes range from simple to complex, but all sound like yummy flavors and combinations for little palates. I can't wait to try Avocado-Pumpkin Mash, Cinnamon Peas Galore, and Plummy Potatoes with Babycakes. I have even added a few of the recipes to next week's meal plan for our entire family. Cheesy Corn Nuggets and Mika's Rainbow Corn Medley sound too good not to try.

201 Organic Baby Purees is not only about purees. In addition to the 201 purees, it offers healthy recipes the whole family can enjoy together. I love that it suggests flavor combinations I wouldn't have created on my own and tells me which recipes will freeze well. It's a great cookbook to keep on hand well beyond baby's first year.

Buy It: 201 Organic Baby Purees is available for under $12

A copy was provided for review. All opinions are my own.

Yes, I am

It seems that at least once a week, people question whether I'm still breastfeeding. And not in a positive, way to go, you rock for giving your baby the best possible nutrition kind of way.

Before Babycakes came along I never realized there was such controversy surrounding breastfeeding. I was occasionally disgusted after hearing of a mom being chastised in a store, but overall, I heard over and over that breast is best.

Now that I'm 5 months and counting into our breastfeeding relationship, I'm dealing firsthand with the questions.

When are you planning to stop? Aren't you tired of him always on your boob? Aren't you going to teach him to eat real food? Isn't it a pain to pump? Don't you want to drink, go out, etc?

Well the truth is this: We'll stop when he's ready. But at this point, I'm pretty sure it'll be before he finished high school. No, I'm not tired of him. I love staring into his little eyes. Last I checked, my milk is perfectly designed to sustain my baby. (And he's eating purees, but just for fun.) Pumping can be a pain. Not physically though. Those bottles and parts are a pain to wash. And I do go out. To my oldest's Cub Scout meetings, to baby group, to dinner.

I have to wonder why are so many people concerned with how I feed my baby? Breastfeeding has not limited how I live my life. But it has given me the chance to bond with my baby, to get to know his sweet little attitude, to see him thrive. I am proud of our relationship, as any breastfeeding mother should be. It's not always easy, but is well worth the reward.
So here's to the last 5 months, and the many months to come. And if you're a fellow breastfeeding mom, fielding questions from people too nosey for their own good (or any mom for that matter), I just want to say: Good for you! You rock!