My Sister's Grave

Robert Dugoni. 

Read in February. 

I loved My Sister's Grave. It starts strong, ends strong, and doesn't dull out in the middle. All around fantastic writing. 

The story is a homicide detective who's sister was kidnapped and murdered twenty years ago. She doesn't think the man convicted was the man who did it. Now her sisters body has been found and she finally has the chance to put it all together. To find out who really murdered her sister. Met with old friends and memories along the way, this story tugs at your heart and emotions in a powerful way. 

This is a short review, but I don't feel it's my place to give anything away. A lot of the thrill is in the mystery. 

I'll just say: the end-I did not see that coming!

You should definitely put this on your To Read list. 

My Sister's Grave (The Tracy Crosswhite Series) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1477825576/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_1Wm7ub0FFSS7Y

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1477825576/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_1Wm7ub0FFSS7Y

The No Cry Sleep Solution

Elizabeth Pantley. 

Read in February. 

When Aiden was a baby, I didn't read any sleep books. I did what came naturally to me, and it worked out great. We were happy and well rested. Having two kids is a lot more exhausting than one, and i found myself more tired and more prone to irritability and a quick temper or annoyance. I'm not proud of it. I'm working on it and I feel I'm doing much better with understanding my children and remembering they're just 3&1. They need my patience and guidance. At the recommendation of a friend, I purchased this book on my kindle app. It was exactly the reassurance I needed. All of the same things I did when Aiden was a baby. The same gentle and understanding attitude I had then, I have again for Carter. I'm disappointed in myself that I needed this reminder, but I'm glad this resource was here for me. Because I did need it, and I'm so thankful for it. It wasn't anything new for me, but it will be for some, and I just have to say it's worth reading. If you feel you need help or will need help, buy this and read it. You won't regret it. I promise!

Here's the authors website: http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth/books/0071381392.php

Elevating Childcare: A Guide To Respectful Parenting

Janet Lansbury. 

Read in January. 

This is a fantastic book. Every parent should read it. As I read it, I copied out quotes that affected me. Things I feel I should work on, and things I want to remember. I'll let them speak for themselves in a moment. I've read a lot of books on childcare and parenting, and there are a few more I plan to read simply because I already own them. If I didn't, I wouldn't feel the need to buy anymore. This short book is basically all you need. While I feel reading parenting books is a great way to always keep your mind on how you behave, it does get to the point where it's too much information. You don't want to be constantly second guessing your instinct with all the conflicting information out there. It will make you irritable and give you a headache. If I were asked to recommend books to new parents, it would be three. Baby By The Numbers, Keep Calm And Parent On, and Elevating Childcare. As a supplemental book for sleeping, if needed, I'd recommend The No Cry Sleep Solution, but I'll talk about that in another post. Now it's time for Elevating Childcare to shine. These are the quotes that made the biggest difference to me, though the whole book is powerful. 

"We want to get care-giving duties over with. Diapering, feeding, bathing and bedtime are important opportunities to slow down and connect."

"People will forget what you said; people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou

"We all need someone who understands." - Magda Gerber

"Don't encourage distraction. It is common practice to distract a baby with a toy on the changing table to "get the job done." But this trains babies to not pay attention. Diaper changes, baths, and feedings are not dull, unpleasant chores for babies. Babies are interested in all aspects of their lives. They want to be included in each step of a task that involves them and be invited to participate as much as they are able."

"There are no wrong desires or feelings, just wrong ways of acting on them"

"My dear mom had never laid a hand on me, never punished me, and never yelled. But she clearly could not handle my feelings. The result was that I felt innately bad and wrong for ever having them. 

So I've made a special effort to accept all my children's emotions, especially their anger...to let them know that it's always okay for them to be mad at me. I'm not going anywhere."

"Would you rather have close proximity to a busy loved one all day long, or a few minutes of that loved one's undivided attention?"

"Focused attention is the glue that holds relationships together."

Chapter 28. I Think I Know Why You're Yelling

This whole chapter is perfect. I realized I would basically be copying the entire chapter, and I didn't want to do that. I want you to buy this book and give the author the credit she deserves. 

I'm very thankful to my friend for recommending this, and I really hope you choose to purchase and read it for yourself. 

Here is the authors website: http://www.janetlansbury.com