Biittner's Book Review: Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris

This was an odd read. I'd read Sedaris' work before. I describe Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk in my 2012 books read post as "kind of silly", which is not a negative thing for me, so was interested in his latest book. It is a collection of story stories or "essays". Honestly I cannot figure out if I liked it or not. I get that it is really tongue-in-cheek at times and outright sarcastic and/or nasty at others, which is usually something I can appreciate, but for this book the overall tone just did not do it for me. I am thinking that this is because I read the whole thing over a single afternoon. I think I might have been able to appreciate the subtle nuances between each essay had I read only a couple a day. All the essays just started to feel the same by the end of the book. I definitely did not pick up on the "common thread" of each essay being a "love story" as described on the book jacket. So it is not that I did not like the book, maybe I just read it wrong.

Some of the essays are just better than others though. I quite liked "Understanding Understanding Owls"; it is dark and funny and lovely at the same time. "#2 to Go" and "Rubbish" are also really good. The ones about his father and siblings just fell flat for me. Some of the essays felt out of order; the last couple are probably the weakest and I was hoping for a strong finish.

In terms of recommending this book I would but with some hesitation. Not everyone is going to like it. Again I'm not sure if I even liked it. I am very curious to see what the rest of my book club has to say about it and may post an update after we've had the chance to discuss it. 

Biittner's Book (and Film) Review: Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

A little late on this one (again!) but I really wanted to write a bit about this book and the recent film adaptation. I actually saw the movie first and enjoyed it enough that I wanted to read the book so put it forward as one of my book club selections.

 I was curious with how the book dealt with the multiple story-lines versus how they were interwoven in the film. The book creates a wonderful narrative arc (or rainbow as it were). It starts with the "oldest" story-line and by midpoint has reached the one that takes place, presumably, in the most distant future, then works its way back through the various stories to connect/tie them all together. Overall Mitchell is very successful in crafting a very wonderful, descriptive, and complex lesson in redemption while still managing to keep everything very clear. This was one of the major criticisms of the film: that it was confusing. I think part of this is that in the book you are provided with the characters names, which clearly lets you know who you are dealing with, while in the film the names of the various characters are often "lost". I failed to catch many of them but for me this was not an issue. I actually found the threads that link all the stories together easier, in some ways, to detect in the film because of how each actor played their various incarnations throughout all the story-lines. I found it really compelling and, honestly, just plain fun to figure out who played each character in each story. The make up to transform the actors was really cool and you must watch the credits to really appreciate how many characters each actor played.

What this all means is that I think the film and the book go really well together. I am actually glad I saw the film and read the book. They each made me appreciate the other, which I think is a first! I am curious if I would feel the same way had I read the book first then saw the film. In any case, I highly recommend the book and encourage those who enjoy it to check out the film too. 

Mommy & Baby Must Haves

My baby is now four months old (!!!) so I thought I'd share some of the "must have" items that got us through those first few months.

For Mommy:

- BioOil: I have very sensitive skin. I use Aveno products almost exclusively but during pregnancy BioOil was the only thing that would truly sooth my dry and very itchy skin (our cold and very dry Edmonton winters did not help). I still ended up with some pretty good stretch marks so I cannot say it was a successful product in reducing those, but again it did provide some much needed relief.

- Lansinoh Lanolin: My baby is exclusively breastfed. I was lucky - the babe latched on easily and took to it very well. However, a lack of sleep during those first few nights meant I wasn't always as diligent in making sure that she latched on correctly. This led to some pretty sore nipples. Our Public Health Nurse recommended this product and it was amazing. 

- Johnson's Nursing Pads: I tried out a number of different types thanks to some friends giving me their leftovers but found that these ones are by far the best. They are soft and smooth (don't look crinkly). 

- Cover Boo Couture Nursing Scarf: I love my Cover Boo scarves! I did not want to wear something that looked like an apron or over-sized bib when breastfeeding but did want to use some sort of cover. The Cover Boo scarves definitely satisfied everything I was looking for! They provide excellent privacy when feeding; I love how they cover not just my front but also my sides and back. They are easy to wear and use with baby. I find I can comfortably hold the babe on either side and switch sides with no problems or "slips", and the babe can move her arms and fidget without risk of exposing more than I am comfortable with. Plus they are extremely fashionable and are available in tons of great fabrics, colours, and patterns. A gorgeous one just came out in this year's colour (emerald!) and I'm tempted to buy it! I'll seriously continue to wear mine as just a scarf after I'm done breastfeeding as I get tons of compliments when I wear them. Finally, they are designed and manufactured in Canada (by a local yeg mom extraordinaire)!

- Baby's First Journal: I bought one of these from Glowbaby. It is such a great tool for keeping track of feedings, diaper changes, and naps. I found it was really helpful because you will be asked questions about these at appointments. 

For Baby:

- Penaten cream: Many of my mommy friends, my mom, and my mother-in-law all recommended this product and I totally get why. When my poor babe had a diaper rash caused by a bad diaper brand (too perfume-y and plastic-y for her sensitive toosh) I used some penaten and the rash cleared right up. We continue to use it at the first sign of a rash (many use it at each diapering) and will continue to keep it around in the future.

- Kushies Change Pads: We have two deluxe flannel change pads and think they are excellent. They are soft, durable, and easy to wash. Unlike other brands we tried, these did not lose their integrity after many washings (the "waterproof" backing on one brand cracked after just two washes even though we followed the instructions). They are large (20" x 30"); our four month old comfortably fits on one so we do not have to worry about her having an accident while we are changing her. I know we will continue to get good use out of them until she is out of diapers.

- Jacque the Peacock by Lamaze: My babe loves her Jacque! She received it as a gift and it is her "go to" toy. It has so many different colours, patterns, and textures. It is crinkly, rattles, and has a squeeker. She loves to grab onto his wings and chew on his beak. It is super cute to see her "wrestle"with him.

- Fisher Price Discover 'N Grow Kick and Play Piano Gym: This is our babe's other favourite toy. She loves it when we sing along to the songs as she "plays" them and loves grabbing and pulling and sucking on all the dangling objects or just staring at the beautiful girl in the mirror. The mat is easy to wash and durable.

Some general tips:

- Spit up cloths: Buy tons! There is no such thing as too many spit up cloths. I keep them in every room.

- Diaper "station" basket: I filled one of the baskets I brought back from Tanzania with spit up cloths and diapers. This basket goes with me and the babe as we move around the house. I have boxes of wipes and Kushies change pads in the rooms we frequent the most. I find this is really convenient as I can change the babe right then and there rather than having to move her to a change table in another room (or even on another floor).

- Newborn clothes: This is more of a tip than a "must have". We were given a bunch of clothes before the babe was born. I assumed because we had some outfits that were 0-3 months that they would fit my babe at birth; I was wrong. At 6lbs 9oz my babe was too small for all most all of the 0-3 month pieces we had. We ended up having to buy a bunch of newborn (6-8lb) clothing and some of it was pretty big on her. I would highly recommend that you have at least a sleeper or two on hand just in case you have a small babe; make sure you go shopping for this well in advance as we found it pretty hard to track down this small clothing.

I hope you find some of these recommendations useful. Any others I missed?

Please note that all of these recommendations are my own. I did not receive any compensation for them.

Biittner's Book Review: 419 by Will Ferguson

Our May book club selection was the 2012 Scotiabank Giller Prize winner "419" by Will Ferguson. This was an excellent read. On the surface this seems like a story about a daughter trying to find answers following her father's death. However, it is much more complex than that. The story shifts back and forth from Calgary to Nigeria (and other parts of West and Northern Africa), and shifts between the perspectives of various characters on both continents. Ferguson crafts some elegant parallels, the two major ones are the rich Oil fields of Nigeria and the big business Oil capital of Canada (Calgary), and two women who have isolated themselves from their kin for very different reasons who both eventually make their way to Nigeria.

It was really interesting to learn more about how the "419" scam works - who hasn't received a spam email message from an individual seeking aid and offering great financial reward? - including the reasons a young man may become a "Yahooboyz" and the contempt that is felt towards the "Mugu".

As a side note: I loved the references to Nollywood; Nollywood films were quite popular in Tanzania when I was last there, and my friends all had their favourite actresses and directors.

The overall tone is very melancholic. It is a bleak story of lies and loss, which seems to offer no happy resolution for any of the characters. That said, I would highly recommend this fantastic read by a great Canadian author.

Biittner's Book Review: The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window & Disappeared

I'm a little late on this one but I did want to post a quick review of our April book "The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared" by Jonas Jonasson. The back of the book indicates that this story is very similar to Forrest Gump and in many ways it is - it follows the life of an eccentric fellow who over the course of his 100 years had very odd and close personal encounters with famous (political) figures. Both Forrest and Alan, the 100 year old man, stumble into these encounters innocently ignorant of the consequences; both seem to care little about the world around them other than those people and events directly affecting them at that specific moment in time. Alan isn't quite as lovable as Forrest though. Honestly Alan, although the main character, is far from the most interesting character in the book. The friends he makes after he climbs out the window, including a dog and an elephant, are really what keep you reading. I constantly found myself asking "who will he meet next ?" and "how will they get out of the situation they've created?". Without giving anything away, Alan and his friends do get into some ridiculous situations and I found myself rushing through the "Alan in the Past" chapters to get back to the present. Overall it is an enjoyable book - it is a light-hearted read that doesn't take itself too serious. I'd recommend it.

My Labour & Delivery Story

I can honestly say I had a fullfiling labour and delivery. Not everything went as I had hoped but overall I am happy with the experience especially because my daughter was born healthy. My labour began on Friday February 1st although I was not entirely convinced at the time that it was the real deal. Up until a week before I didn't even realize that the sensation I had thought was the baby pushing against me oddly was actually Braxton Hicks contractions (I had one during a prenatal visit with my delivery doctor and he pointed out that that was what they were). At about 5 am on the 1st I noticed that I was starting to feel more cramp-like sensations and noticed other changes as well (I won't go into details to avoid crossing into "too much information" territory. I didn't really think much of them as I knew I should expect some changes with less than a week until my due date. So on February 1st I went for a pedicure and lunch with my Mother-in-Law as we'd planned weeks before. She mentioned that my stomach shape had changed and asked how I was doing but again could only say I'd noticed some "false" contractions over the past few days.

I'd also been at the doctor the day before and was only dilated 1-2 cm so again wasn't thinking it was the real thing quite yet. At that appointment my doctor mentioned that he wouldn't be there for my delivery if I went into labour over the next week as he'd be on holidays, and further that because of my glucose intolerance he wouldn't let me go much over my due date by very much. He said that if the doctor covering for him did not decide to induce me at my next appointment (booked for my due date) then he would on the 11th or 12th.

At 1 am on Saturday February 2nd I woke up sure that the contractions were the real thing. I kept track of them for about an hour and then woke Chris up to say we should head to the hospital as they seemed to be about five minutes apart and had been for almost that full hour. We arrived at Grey Nuns and after monitoring me they decided to send me home. At that point the contractions were really not that bad; I was easily able to breathe through them. We got back home and I went back to sleep. Fast forward to 5 am and things had definitely changed. For an hour I barely kept it together experiencing incredible back and leg pain; the contractions were on top of each other and I was shaking uncontrollably. I woke Chris up again and told him to grab a towel (I was terrified my water would break in our new car). On the way back to Grey Nuns we hit every single red light; I was not impressed to say the least and even told Chris to run the light at one point (he wouldn't because the cop station was right there).

I barely changed into the hospital gown when my water broke (in a big gush like a movie). I knew then I would not be sent home. I also at this time decided to get an epidural even though I had wanted to have a natural labour and delivery with as few interventions as possible. The pain (back labour likely caused by the baby being in a posterior position) was too much - I could barely focus and don't recall even opening my eyes - and I was only 4-5 cm dilated so had a long way to go. I knew if I was going to have the strength, energy, and focus to push the baby out that I would need to be able to breathe and focus. It was the right decision and I'm happy I made it.

I received the epidural around 7:30 am. At around 8:30 am our nurse was told to go get breakfast so I asked her to check me before she went as I hadn't been checked since we arrived around 6:30 am and I'd been feeling some pressure. Turns out it was a good thing I asked - I was ready to push. Pushing was not easy nor was it intuitive. I had some great coaching and at 9:55 am our baby arrived safe and sound (the umbilical cord was around her neck but it was quickly unlooped and the baby was breathing just fine).

The baby was delivered onto my chest and it was amazing to finally hold and touch the little one I'd carried for 39 weeks. I'll never forget the doctor asking if we knew what we were having. When we said no, she unceremoniously lifted the babies leg and announced it was a girl. We couldn't have been happier. Our baby girl was/is healthy and just perfect! Our girl was small at 6lbs 9oz and 18 3/4 inches long.  The only complication I had in the whole delivery was that the doctor had to deliver my placenta by hand as my uterus had stopped contracting. This resulted in me being on an IV for the next 12 hours, which was fine.

We had 18 visitors that first day - it was a good thing we ended up having a private room. It was a blur of visitors, learning to breast feed, and just pure amazement at the little one we'd created. Since then so much has happened. She is growing so fast...but that's for another post. I'm looking forward to sharing more of our journey as she continues to grow and as I try to figure this motherhood thing out.

 One of our first photos together. 

Biittner's Book Reviews: The Woefield Poultry Collective by Susan Juby

Our March book club selection was The Woefield Poultry Collective by Susan Juby. It was a great read! I really enjoyed it. I loved how each chapter moves the story along as told by one of the four main characters: Prudence, the well-intentioned but kind of useless and mostly clueless twenty-something, Earl, the elderly farm hand who seems to want nothing more than to be left alone, Seth, the alcoholic blogger who has lost the ability to deal with people offline, and Sara, an eleven year old aspiring chicken breeder/shower who seems to have her act together more than the adults in her life. I love how the characters evolve and grow together as the story progresses. There is a great supporting cast of animal characters - Bertie, the ever suffering sheep, and Alec Baldwin, the cocky but not show-worthy chicken.

Juby does a great job of balancing the humor with melancholy. There are some painfully brutal and realistic moments when the real world intrudes upon the struggling, absurd, but mostly happy life of the residents of Woefield.

I really don't want to say much more in fear of giving something away as I highly recommend this book. It is a wonderful read and Canadian to boot (it takes place on Salt Spring). I'd recommend it to anyone.