Yesterday I stopped in at Goodwill to check out their book section. I left with tons of books, including fifty cent copies of What to Expect When You're Expecting and What to Expect the First Year. I've heard these are popular books for pregnancy reading, and I didn't want to pass up such a good deal when I know I'll want them someday. Anyway, they caught the eye of the girls working the checkout counter, who got really excited for me. I realized it's a tad embarrassing to be explain that you're not pregnant but you're buying books about pregnancy.
Of course, anyone who knows me well is probably laughing, because they know there's no way on earth I'll get pregnant until I've read both books cover to cover and used different highlighters to color-code important information within. My husband and I are the ultimate planners. We spent months researching the type of dog we wanted, for pete's sake. My husband did so much research on our Mazda5 that he knew more about it than the salesman (an advantage which helped him get it at invoice). Right now he's been spending all his free time making intricate spreadsheets comparing different mortgages and the time value of our money to see how we can save $300 over the next five years. We're pretty intense people when it comes to Decisions That Affect Our Future, but heck, we even consult Consumer Reports to decide which dishwasher soap to buy. So while it might've seemed funny to the girls at Goodwill, those who know us aren't shocked that I bought pregnancy books for the baby we'll probably have in 2008.
Which is actually starting to freak me out a little. In Germany we always said that we'd wait until our next duty station. That was two PCSes away, so it seemed safe. But now we move in just over three months, and the reality of "we're buying the house where we'll have our first baby" is starting to freak me out. It's not going to be anywhere near Angie, and she's supposed to be my nanny!
I better start reading those books soon...
Posted by Sarah at August 26, 2006 09:42 AM | TrackBacklol, I purchased What to expect When You Are Expecting a couple of weeks ago when my husband and I decided that we were going to start trying. The guy behind the counter started to congratulate me but I quickly pointed at the tampons that I was also purchasing.
Posted by: Jill at August 26, 2006 10:18 AMJust come and live with me for the first 12 months...after that I'm stumpped.If you need or want anymore books, let me know! I'll just give you mine as we are NOT having any more babies of own!!!
I'd still love to be your "super nanny"!!! That makes me feel so good to hear that. Maybe we could even doggie-sit Charlie again too!! Smiles!
p.s. freddie wants to type something tooujmiythvpj
v nbbhujymmz sv6hytbvhg nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn\ p9ik
...(he's been kicking the keyboard and drooling all over me as i've been typing this)
Sarah...I can't even tell you how much I would give to have been in line with you while you explained why you were purchasing those books! You are freakin' hilarious.
(and I've been in Canada this week, so that's why you haven't gotten a hold of me. I'll call you later this weekend for sure.)
Posted by: Erin at August 26, 2006 12:51 PMThe What to Expect books should be read with a critical eye, as they have some misinformation, particularly on recommendations for weaning and recommending against co-sleeping.
Posted by: Anon at August 26, 2006 02:00 PMI liked "The Baby Book" and the "The Birth Book" . . . I still use it from time to time when the stinker is sick. Happy Reading!
Posted by: Heidi at August 26, 2006 06:57 PMSo you said I'm going to be a grandmother?!?! Oh, but you said 2008. Oh well, I'll just have to wait!
Love,
Your Mama
I just love hearing that I'm not the only obsessive planner around! Whew.
I think it all makes perfect sense. But you might want to take that with a grain of salt. Consider the source and all....
;-)
Posted by: Tammi at August 27, 2006 07:19 AMThis post was so funny. I can totally see you in line! I will tell you though, you can read those books over and over again and your child will do something totally different. Nic is always pulling something over on me and I try to look it up and I get stumped everytime. And even after having Nat and thinking "I should be prepared for this, since I have already done it once", something always goes backwards and I resort to the "books" again. My advice: be prepared but also go with the flow and have fun!
Posted by: Jennifer at August 27, 2006 10:41 AMToo funny! My husband is a planning fanatic, too. He mapped out our whole lives on a spreadsheet before we were married -- right down to when I would be pregnant for each of our three children. I told him that I thought we had decided to have 4, but he said that he couldn't fit it in to the spreadsheet.
So right now, we have zero children and are a little behind on that timeline. Hopefully in the near future! Like you, I'm starting to feel a little anxious about it maybe being "FOR REAL" time to start trying. YIKES!!! Am I really old enough to be a mom?!
Posted by: Rachel at August 27, 2006 03:51 PMHeh - about the only thing my husband and I didn't plan was the kids... LOL.
Posted by: Teresa at August 28, 2006 10:01 PMCongrats on trying! I have read about 7 books by now. Its been 6 months since we first started. Here's to sending some baby dust your way!
Posted by: Household6 at August 30, 2006 04:42 PM