Help Yourself

I'm a big fan of self-help books, because they have helped me get through some of the rockiest parts of my life. Here are some of the top choices!

Emotionally Engaged: A Bride's Guide to Surviving the "Happiest" Time of Her Life.

This is the perfect suggestion for any newly engaged girl. While being engaged is exciting and thrilling, it is also very stressful and crazy to plan a wedding out of thin air.

 

What to Expect When You're Expecting

I wasn't a big fan of this book, but everyone gets it with their first kid. I'm a bigger fan of the internet. Tons of information right at your finger tips. The best pregnancy website has to be http://www.babycenter.com/. It will help calm your fears, explain your random drooling, and then get you excited about what's to come.

Secrets of the Baby Whisperer.

I cannot praise the wonders of this book enough. A few weeks after Clare was born when all the help had left and my post pardum depression was peaking at it's worst, I was in desperate need for a miracle. I checked out this book and read it between nursing and naps. It completely changed my attitude from desperation to feeling like I had some control. She is the reason Clare doesn't need a pacifier anymore and needs no assistance to fall asleep on her own.

 

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child.

This has to be the blandest self help book I've ever read. Lot's of facts and no fun fluff. The information in the book was very helpful though. It let me know what the normal sleeping patterns are for babies of different ages are. It gives you a heads up on when nap times will shift and some tips of helping you baby stay well rested.

Secrets of the Baby Whisperer for Toddlers.

This is my latest buy. I haven't read it yet, but I'm excited to see how I show discipline and set boundaries to a daughter who can't even say 'mama' yet.

 

If you know of any other good ones to read, please let me know!

Broken Resolutions Already

While I'm not one to make resolutions, Clare has been bit by the 2010 bug and wanted to make some changes in her life. First and foremost, she has decided it is time to ditch the baby fat for some lean toddler thighs. I know what your thinking. "What? NO!", and that's exactly how I feel. I love those little fat rolls and the creases on her wrists. I tried and I tried to convince her to make a different resolution, but that child has my stubborn genes written all over her.


Just yesterday, I was dutifully watching my baby by being glued to my soap "all my children" when I heard some rustling in the kitchen.

BUSTED! Turns out the temptation of mozzarella string cheese and whole milk are just to strong for my baby. I told her not to worry about it, and we'll start working on some better resolutions for 2011. Like learning how to clean a toilet or pick up dog poop in the backyard like a big girl!

Hello 2010, my soon to be friend

 

I've never really done new year's resolutions before. If I did, I automatically forgot about them by February. This year I've decided to come up with a goal list. I'm sure it will get added on over the year, but here's what I'm starting out with

1. Buy a water/fireproof safe for valuable papers. (technically I can already mark this off, because I bought one with my Christmas money. Not really a fun loving way to spend that money, but it's something I really have been looking at for a long time. I feel much better knowing my marriage certificate won't go up with a puff of smoke.)


2. Make a Will. (Now that we have Clare, I want to make sure there is no confusion with her getting all she deserves. I'm a little nervous, because I hear will's can be pricey when done with a lawyer.)


3. Update my passport. (I haven't been a Krile for years, and Kevin and I are hoping to get away for a little special vacation without the baby this year!)


4. Finish Clare's Baby book. (I never even finished our wedding book, and now I'm too senile to remember all the little details.)


5. Complete our 6 month emergency fund. (This is part of our Dave Ramsey program that we've been on forever. We are only about $4,000 away from our goal, and I am just dying to get there.)


6. Start a Pottery Class. (My mom says that you always need something you are passionate about. And while I love being a stay-at-home Mom, I've lost my passion and need some alone time to find myself again. I did pottery for about 5 years when I was young, so in February I'm hoping to pick it up again. I hope I'm not too rusty!)


7. Adopt a Compassion Child. (This is something that has been on my heart for years, but I've never gotten off my butt to do it. I'm hoping putting it on this list will make it happen this year.)


8. Update this blog every other week. (Now this is a really far fetching goal. I love this blog, but I only like to write when I've got something really good to write about. I'm hoping to be more inspired this year, so that I can post more often.)


9. Get pregnant again sometime later in the year. (Now don't get to excited out there family. I'm not pregnant now, and I hope not to be for a while longer now. But Clare will turn 2 this year, and I'm ready to throw our whole life off kilter again.)


10. Help Kevin with his 2010 goal. (Kevin's come a long way this year, and he's going to go even farther this year. I'm going to be here to support him, encourage him, and remind him how amazing he is.)

Here's to the new year!