Daily Archives: February 5, 2009

Bump Report: Week Sixteen

Posted on by

So far my sixteenth week of pregnancy feels much like my fifteenth. Honestly, at this point nothing has changed on my end. If you read my Week Fifteen bump report, then you know how I’m feeling now already. But we’ll go ahead and talk statistics and milestones, because that’s at least remotely interesting. So here’s what BabyCenter.com has to say about Week Sixteen:

In the next few weeks, BB will double their weight and add inches to their length. Right now, they’re about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces.

Not terribly attractive, but there you go…

BB’s legs are much more developed, their head is more erect than it has been, and their eyes have moved closer to the front of their head. BB’s ears are close to their final position, too. Basically, BB looks way cuter than an avocado, despite being the same size as one. The patterning of BB’s scalp has begun, though their locks of soon to be gorgeous hair aren’t recognizable yet. They’ve even started growing toenails. And there’s a lot happening inside as well. For example, BB’s heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as they continue to develop.

That’s all for this week – maybe Week Seventeen will be more interesting?

Book Review: Envy by Anna Godbersen

Posted on by

Grade: A+

Can you believe it was only one year ago that The Luxe by Anna Godbersen hit bookstores everywhere? Having no idea what it was about but being smitten with the cover, I knew I had to read it. I had this hunch it was going to be really, really good. I was loving the idea of historical fiction meets young adult romance, and the fact that it took place in New York, very close to home for me, was an added bonus. And did I mention the gorgeous cover?

Well, I was right, The Luxe was fabulous, in ways I’d never anticipated. It was also suspenseful, addictive and heartbreaking in other ways I hadn’t imagined. When I finished it, I was desperate to read book two, Rumors. And seemingly days later, it was Envy, Godbersen’s latest installment in the series that I was coveting so badly that I could hardly stand it. After the incredible cliff hanger of book two, I was heartbroken and hoping for some sort of comfort, some kind of, “and then…” that would make it all okay.

And while Envy was nothing remotely close to comforting, it was just as amazing as the first two books in the Luxe series, if not better. At this point in the series we are well acquainted with the four leading ladies of this suspenseful love story which takes place at the dawn of the 20th century, a time of gorgeous ball gowns, arranged marriages and the always demanding status quo. I loved reading from the points of view of all four ladies, even the ones you loved to hate and seeing how all of their actions affected the lives of the others, even if they didn’t realize it. I loved holding my breath, waiting for something to go right, only to slam my fists in dismay when it only got worse. Godbersen creatively weaves you along, making you think you have it figured out only to take you somewhere else entirely. And of course, Envy ends at another terrible cliff hanger, causing me anxiety over not knowing when book four, Splendor is due to publish.

I won’t give any more than that away, because these books I think are best enjoyed with complete mystery shrouding them, so you can really enjoy the full course of the story in each installment, and be thoroughly surprised along the way. Have you read these amazing books yet? What are you waiting for?? Pick up the Luxe today and I’m willing to bet you’ll have devoured Rumors and Envy as well before the month is out!

This review is cross-posted to my review blog @ Momma’s Review.

A Love Story (The Love Month Meme)

Posted on by

The Filipino Mom Blog is sharing stories of love with the Love Month Meme every Thursday in February to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Here is my entry for this week:

This week’s theme: Love Story

I met my husband during one of my college vacations, shortly after taking a job at a local bookstore in our area. I think I’d been working there one or two weeks when dh started, and my manager asked me to train him on register (which I thought was crazy, given how short a time I’d been there but I’ve been working retail most of my working life, so it wasn’t a problem). I remember that he was a quick learner and picked it up easily and that the other boy, who started the same day, did not learn as quickly. In my book, that gives bonus points because I have this weird thing for a good work ethic and brains. Some girls like basketball players, I like employees of the month. Not that we ever had Employee of the Month at our bookstore, but if we did, my husband would have won that award like every month, no lie.

Anyhoo, I went to college about an hour and a half away from my hometown so when vacation was over, I headed back to school. I continued working at the bookstore during most of my vacations and he frequently “trained” me when I came back, because for some reason small details always escaped me after several months away. Later I found out that both of us had had a thing for each other since probably that first day we met, but considering that I was barely in town throughout the year, we never pursued it. But when I graduated from college and took a permanent job (for then) as the children’s manager at the bookstore, I decided that I definitely still liked him… but did he like me?

I tried to figure it out for a couple months (being terribly dense, because looking back it was obvious) then finally took the plunge and invited him to watch the fireworks with me and my friends on the 4th of July. At the end of that night I still had no idea if we were just friends or if he was interested. When he left after dropping me off, I started mentally berating myself for being so lame and not doing anything to find out, so I called him up like minutes after he’d pulled out of the driveway and blurted out, “Do you like me? Because I like you, and I thought you should know…” After the longest seconds of my life he confirmed that (hurray!) he liked me, too. And we went on a real date like the next night and have been basically inseparable since then. We married a little over a year later in August of 2006 (which is part of a whole other long story that I won’t get into here and now) and I’m thrilled that I finally found the guts to ask him out because I cannot imagine life without him now!

If you are reading this sweetie, I love you, I miss you and I can’t wait until you come home from your trip tonight!