nightstand reads.

 from top:

happiest baby on the block | harvey karp, md

recommended and purchased for me by my sister.in.law.  karp calls it "the new way to calm crying".  i've only read the forward so far, but i'm liking it.  excited to read on, but i realized i could probably put it off to a little further down the road.

baby bargains | denise and alan fields

a must have.  recommended by my friend, katie.  i purchased this the first time i was pregnant.  everyone who has read it has sworn by it and followed it pretty closely.  the fields, who are consumer advocates, explain deals, bargains, wastes of money, scams and good/better/best products.  i've purchased the ninth edition, and that was back in april/may '11.  double check to see if there is a newer edition because info is changing often.  i purchased mine on amazon.

the help | kathryn stockett

a great movie and, i've been told, an even better book.  recommended by everyone and their sister (and borrowed from mine), i started to read this on my trip back from new york and i pick it up between baby reading.  funny note:  it is written with the same grammar as the southern maids who narrate some of the chapters and i find myself sounding like a 1960s maid in the deep south, in my head.

what to expect... | heidi murkoff

a pregnancy staple.  obviously.  pregnancy milestones, week by week.  and lots of other good info. about any question or concern you might have.  this book has saved my doctor from many questions.  a slow read now because i've read every page except any weekly information.  mine is the 4th edition.

100,000 plus baby names | bruce lansky

lists and lists and lists of names.  sixth ranked boys name in 1910 - george.  most popular girls name in chile - constanza.  most popular boys name in north dakota - carter.  law and order characters.  reality tv personalities.  herbs and spices - basil?  basil menz.  star kids names - pilot inspektor - son of jason lee.  you get my point.  this book gives me a little headache reading all of the lists and i'm not sure i've gotten many names out of it.  most of them, i've heard somewhere else.  i will share our naming woes in a post pretty soon, and possibly share some prospects.  we are nowhere near a consensus....but there's time.

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