04 June 2008

preparedness is in the pages


dan says the librarian ladies literally laughed at him when he stopped in after work to pick up my stack of books on reserve. so your pregnant wife is throwing a party? hmmm. partly true. wife is pregnant. but the only real party she's planning is the one in the delivery room, in approximately eleven weeks (no date set exactly, it's going to be one of those spur of the moment surprise parties).

so not really, i guess i just like to plan ahead. okay, okay. i am just a maniac about party planning. i want to be ready in the off hand case that one shows up at my door. nothing is wrong with preparedness. girls get badges for this sort of thing.

plus, i have to balance it out with my practical preparedness. i can only take so many photograph pages of pregnancy: the stages of labor, long lists of what i should eat versus what i should not eat, and how to maintain composure when my water breaks before i begin to feel like this birthing process doesn't sound so much like a party. therefore a good entertaining book balances it all out. in my mind, at least.

dan still has eight excruciating weeks until the hefty bar exam exists in front of his sweaty palms, so i have plenty of long nights ahead to read beside him. we are both studying for major lifetime olympic sized events: the Bar and the Birth. we're hoping the events stay seated in consecutive order.

so last night i browsed through my books.

i laughed through every page of amy sedaris' guide to entertaining, I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence. i was chuckling aloud so many times, i had to read the passages to dan (who surely didn't mind my engaging, charming, worthwhile interruptions). this book is totally random, irreverent, clever and completely hilarious. a perfect book for your nearest and dearest and strangest best friend; the same girl who knits teacup cozies would appreciate this mishmash of a masterpiece.

later, i brewed in a bubble bath reading The Art of Being a Woman by Veronique Vienne. this book is one that every woman should read and re-read and underline and memorize. she talks of respecting our natural abilities. she encourages us to stop judging and comparing ourselves to other women and start appreciating what we as a whole can do for this world. each chapter is a li'l morsel of goodness and i quickly devoured half the book in the bath. i especially loved when she promotes surrounding ourselves with pretty things; buying them with the knowledge that we will someday give it away, understanding that every woman loves something ravishing. for example, next time you throw a dinner party and a guest compliments you on your gorgeous napkin rings, decide right then to wrap them up for her next birthday. i love this idea.

all of her books are delightful quick reads and the perfect present. i especially loved reading The Art of Expecting a few months back. my mom has given me Vienne's whole collection bit by bit after reading the bitty books herself. i love this about my mom. she always wants to share her books and let her daughters relish in new knowledge.

next up, a little Devil Wears Prada & Barefoot Contessa while i wait for my clothes to spin at the laundromat. happy reading. p.s. i so love the library.

15 comments:

Unknown said...

i like you is one of my favorites EVER!!! laugh out loud funny, and just...WRONG! :)

Senja said...

i'm so excited about your reviews! i really loved reading the mayo clinic healthy preg book. it is very informative.

have fun reading! :)

{natalie} said...

thanks for all the recommends, i'm excited to get to the library and check them out! i'm glad you are enjoying your new place. i love your blog

Anonymous said...

just simply wanna shout," i love ur blog"

Florenceren

Jessica said...

I love that book. Her Sweet Cream Biscuits are delish!

love.boxes said...

I will have to add some of those books to my library list.. I love the library too! i can't possibly keep all the books I love.. I'm glad they can store a few favorites for me. :)

KJ said...

Barefoot Contessa is Queen. The other books I haven't read, but I'm going to put Viviennes on hold for ME so I can be next in line at the library. And, if I may offer a bit of advice unsolicited, a washer and dryer of your own are highly recommended new-baby gear items. You will be eternally grateful for them.

Deidra said...

That's what my stack looks like everytime I come out of the library. I need to find a new library, because I've gone through most of the entertaining/cook books, and I need new material. I try branching out, but nothing looks as interesting compared to the entertaining books!

all over the map said...

here's hoping my wee library has some of these titles. i've never read vienne but i'm really interested. i love, love the idea of giving stuff away but i'd take it one step further and send the napkin rings home with my guest right then and there.

Travelin'Oma said...

I gave you the Veronique Vienne books? When I read your blog I immediately put them on my list of books to read! The great thing about getting old is that you forget so much that everything sounds brand-new!

Anonymous said...

Ina Garten is my personal party hero! I rarely throw one without one of her dishes on the table. I have all of her cookbooks, but the best are Parties!, At Home, and Family Style. Wait, that's like half of them. What can I say--good stuff, there!

Meg said...

I'm assuming that you love the internet (like me). Here are a few sites that I loved to look at while preggo. www.justmommies.com. They have a due date calendar that gives you a whole 40 week calendar with something new everyday. Kinda fun. Then www.i-am-pregnant.com. They have a week by week calendar with real pictures. Love those pictures of the little babe. So facinating to read about what is happening right under your eyes ;)

The White House said...

I am definitely going to the library for those Veronique Vienne books! They sound so fun! you are a fabulous hostess, you should write a party book! "Throw a Party, Fiesta Style" :) It would be a best seller!

I miss the party planning committee... LOTS! (so does the whole office!)

Whatever Dee-Dee wants said...

I have already read through most of my pregnancy books. Thanks to your list I will have some more to read :)

Amanda said...

I love the Devil wears Prada (so much more then the movie)! It was hard to put down after I got into it. Good luck with everything!

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