Recent reading: pregnancy book review

This is my pregnancy book library. I think I got lucky in that I very much enjoy all my books - some more than others but I'm glad I have each one for specific reasons.

I'll start from the right.

Birth Day by Mark Sloan, M.D.

I could write a whole blog about this single book. It is definitely my favorite pregnancy book. It's not one for specific "how big is baby this week" or "this month's symptoms" ... rather it's about the history and culture of child birth. One of my favorite historical tales is the one about why it's the norm for a woman to labor on her back. If you have any interest in child birth, this is a must read. As an added bonus, the author was my childhood pediatrician.

Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy by Vivki Iovine

Of all the books, this one I could probably have done without. I have definitely enjoyed reading it but it didn't add a whole lot, other than enjoyment. It's a humorous "I've so been there" look at pregnancy and the many symptoms involved. A fun read, but not super informative.

Your Pregnancy Week by Week by Curtis and Schuler

and

Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy by Mayo Clinic

These two books are quite similar so I decided to lump them together. If you had to buy only one, I'd go with the Mayo Clinic Guide. But having said that, I'm very glad I have both. Both of the books have the nitty gritty pregnancy and baby details, what to watch for red flags, and dos and don'ts. The Mayo Guide has a very helpful chart for each month that details symptoms, when to contact a doctor, and when not to worry about it. I love these charts - so far they've been very helpful with putting my concerns to rest (especially in the first few months or when I'm ill). The Your Pregnancy book has become my weekly go-to when I want to read about pregnancy but am all caught up with my other books. Since there are a few pages dedicated to each week, I always have something new to read (very helpful and reassuring the first few months). It also has very detailed photos of the baby each week - priceless!

---

happy reading :)

Random ramblin'

Weather. Aack. Gag.

It rained last night and most of today. It was only about 34°F so we still have snow, it's just much soggier now. The forecast says that water on the roads will freeze tonight and the rain will turn to snow tomorrow morning. So we'll have ice with snow on top. Not good for driving but what's a girl to do?

Sewing.

I finished an embroidered dish towel that's currently in the washing machine. I'll post a photo tomorrow. One of these days, I'll sew more squares for this quilt.

Bismarck, ND, Restaurant reviews a la Erica

I visited two new Bismarck restaurants lately and also one that is not new to Bismarck, but new to me.

First, there is a new bakery in downtown Bismarck (118 N 4th Street, Bismarck, ND 58501). I can't remember the name, so if you know it, let me know. It's located where Mr. Delicious used to be, across the street from Pirogue. I can only officially review their lunch special, which is very tasty. For only $5.50, they'll serve up a sandwich on either a bagel or croissant, a cup of soup (I have the lumberjack stew - yum) and a vinaigrette salad. I'll definitely be having that again. They box it up "to go" so it'd be a great quick lunch if you're short on time.

The next review is Bruno's Pizza, at 910 East Front Ave, Bismarck. After hearing the "buy one get one half-off" special, Corey and I tried two small pizzas - a combo on hand-tossed crust and a Philly cheesesteak on thin crust. We both favored the cheesesteak pizza on thin crust (by the way, I though I'd hate this one). Definitely get the thin crust, the hand tossed is way too think. We'll probably visit Bruno's again, although I wouldn't go out of my way to.

The final review is of a restaurant I'm kind of embarrassed to say I had never eaten at. Jack's Steakhouse ... look, they even have a website. I'm a bit ashamed to say that I ordered chicken strips at a steak restaurant, but I'm happy to report that they were delicious. I hear the steak was great as well. The best part was the secret dipping sauce - looks and tastes like some sort of mix of Catalina dressing, mayo and thousand island maybe. Anyway, it's great and it reminds me of the sauce Speedway Restaurant had (they closed a few years ago and I've been missing their sauce ever since). Anyhoo, Corey and I will definitely be back to Jack's.

My funny mom

My parents are visiting Honolulu, HI, and are staying in the same hotel as many of the Pro Bowl NFL players. Well, Saturday morning, my mom got on the elevator and, according to my mom, a very "football player-looking guy" got on. So my mom asked him, "are you someone I should be asking for an autograph from?" Only my mom could get away with a question like that. To make a long story short, it was Randall McDaniel, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings (North Dakota's adopted NFL team). He signed an autograph for my mom and she said he was very nice. The next day (Sunday) he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Neat.