Some Brief Reviews

Persuader by Lee Child. Sometimes I just want to watch a stupid action movie and be mindlessly entertained. Each novel in the Jack Reacher series is a book version of a stupid action movie. I love them.






Parenting, Inc. by Pamela Paul. Excessive details. I know already that there are lots of expensive learning toys, lots of expensive baby clothes and bedding, lots of expensive baby classes. Paul provides examples ad nauseum. But it is nice to read a book that encourages me to continue resisting excessive consumerism. And it was a quick read. Suggested if you feel yourself weakening, drawn inexplicably to buy every LeapFrog toy created.





Love, love, love this book. So entertaining. Great plot, very engaging characters. Same weaknesses as Meyer's Twilight series: repetitive adjectives and simplistic writing. But I did not care a bit. Found myself thinking about this book for days after I finished it! I wish there was a bit more action in it. Of the hot 'n' heavy sort. I mean, this is for adults, yet there was less kissing than in the Twilight series! What is up with that??





Here's what I'm reading right now. I'm a little over halfway through. This book is quite amusing and inspiring. I went through my closet yesterday upon the authors' insistence and ended up with a garbage bag full of castoff clothes! Shirts I've been lugging around for ten years, yet wear maybe once a year. (And yet I somehow still have over 30 short-sleeved shirts...obviously I need to cull a bit more!) Tim Gunn's writing style is insanely pretentious, and yet he manages to be warm and engaging at the same time. Not sure how he does that. I'm greatly enjoying this book.

Tagged

...by Woman on the Verge ages ago!

5 Things About Me

1) I enjoy doing 16x16 Sudoku puzzles and always attempt the Sunday NYT crossword.

2) I have only successfully completed the Sunday NYT crossword twice.

3) I am really lazy about bathing my infant, mostly because I hate handling slippery little bodies. (Insert my imagined images of dropping him accidentally here.) Instead I wipe down his hands feet and neck every couple of days. I was the same way when Miss E was a baby. I only bathe him when Dh is around to help.

4) I rather compulsively save all recipes that sound good to me. Also all knitting & crochet patterns that look neat. I often make the recipes I save. I rarely make the knitted or crocheted things.

5) I have had ice cream go all freezer-burned because I forgot I had it, but I can and will eat an entire bag of sugary candy within two days.

I tag EdgyK, Alfred's Mom, Cassie, Deena and Rebecca (sorry y'all, her blog is PRIVATE).

Happy Boy

My New Baby

I am now the proud mama of...

I broke it in this evening by making some cookies. It was so EASY. I already love my KitchenAid.

...and Dh has already eaten most of these!


And here are my REAL babies!

Miss E's Birthday Fun

Yes, Miss E is in a t-shirt and diaper.

She was excited to get a Baby Einstein dvd.

She thought the cake was "funny," but didn't eat much of it.

Photo Time

Miss E at the coast this weekend. I swear this kid feels no cold. The ocean at the Oregon coast is FREEZING. And yet she is obviously loving it. Her uncle, Dh's brother, had to rescue her from waves a few times. She probably wouldn't have cared too much if she had been dunked by a big wave!

Dh got out his Playstation 2 and naturally Miss E was fascinated. She "played" with him for a while. Ace observed while having Tummy Time.

"Yeah, I'm man enough to sit in a pink bouncy seat. Go me."

Miss E loves water in all forms (and temperatures). This is a new development as of this spring. On the few warm days we've had so far this spring, she's had a blast playing in the backyard with sprinklers, buckets, and bubbles.

Funny Things My Daughter Has Started Doing Recently

• Yesterday she nursed her baby doll, put it to sleep in the bassinet, and put it in her shopping cart. She told it to "sit down" in exactly the voice I use to ask her to sit down while shopping.
• Last week we went shopping as a family. Dh manned Miss E while I actually browsed around with the baby. Miss E ran from rack to rack, pulling things off, holding them up to herself and announcing, "This is cute!" What can I say, she learned to shop from the best.
• She finally started saying "I love you." The 'love' is hard for her to form, so she says the whole sentence very slowly: I...wuvvv...you. Picture my heart bursting into a million pieces.

Miss E turns 2 today. She is such an awesome little girl!