"When we know better, we do better." --Maya Angelou

January: Nutrition and Health

February: Kindness and Generosity
March: Order and Purpose
April: Strength and Flexibility
May: Relationships
June: Adventure and Fun
July: Community and Environment
August: Knowledge and Interests
September: Sleep and Tranquility
October: Simplicity and Moderation
November: Gratitude and Positivity
December: Spirituality and Resolution

I'll go ahead and warn you, if you could care less about pregnancy, childbirth and babies, then save yourself some time and quit reading now. These topics are pretty much all I can talk or think about these days, and that probably has something to do with my moving and growing belly serving as a constant reminder. Just this summer I've read The Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy, The Joys of Pregnancy, Your Pregnancy Week by Week, Belly Laughs, What to Eat When You're Expecting, What to Expect When You're Expecting, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Natural Childbirth, The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy, and Brain Rules for Baby: How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five, and this doesn't include magazines, iphone apps, and email subscriptions. This also doesn't include the dozens of books about labor and nursing and sleep habits that I've saved on my kindle or borrowed to read over the next few months. I'm just halfway through my pregnancy, yet I already have a nursery, signed up for prenatal classes, have my first baby shower in the works, registered for strollers and burp cloths, and traded in my tiny car for a (much safer) SUV. I am not sure if I'm nuts or if this is what all excited moms do, but I know it can't do any harm going into this parenting business feeling educated and prepared...right?

This is really the first topic I have felt this way about. (Don't get me wrong, I'm crazy about Shakespeare and Razorback football, but not with near the same intensity.) I have never understood how my husband could happily spend all his spare time researching fishing equipment, watching fishing shows, talking about fish and fixing up old fishing boats, not out of necessity or obligation or boredom, but out of sheer interest. (Did I mention my husband suggested "Fisher" as a potential boy name? Just saying.) I think I get it now because I finally found something I am genuinely passionate about, too. Learning how to raise a healthy, happy child has become so interesting and all-consuming for me that now I'm the one spending all my spare time researching baby equipment, watching baby shows, talking about babies and fixing up the spare bedroom! When I started this blog in December, I planned for August to be about knowledge and interests, but I didn't realize at the time that I'd be 5 months pregnant and my life would be totally centered around this little baby boy. With that said, here's what I plan to do this month to pursue knowledge and interests:

• More books! Yes, maybe I can break a world record for the number of books read during a single pregnancy. If baby books were crack, then I'd be a crack addict, I admit it. A baby's development in and out of the womb is completely miraculous, and I learn something new and fascinating about it with each new book.



• Starting this week, my husband and I begin a 12 week natural childbirth class. Even though natural childbirth has been linked to shorter labors, less complications, and less side effects for mom and baby, I've had many people, including doctors, tell me I'm insane for wanting a drug-free labor and delivery. I have no problem with women choosing or needing to receive interventions and pain medicine, and for all I know I will be one of them, but I do believe childbirth is supposed to be a beautiful, empowering experience rather than a scary medical procedure (and I don't care what anybody says, epidurals and episiotomies are SCARY). While modern medicine can be very beneficial and convenient, when it comes down to it I want to feel in control of and confident in my body instead of it being numbed or immobilized. Obviously this is way easier said than done, and it will probably be the hardest thing I ever do, so I know I need to be as prepared and knowledgeable about it as I can.
  
  
• Research. There are so many options when it comes to raising a child, from types of carseats, to parenting styles, to vaccinations, to childcare...and the list goes on. Some of these decisions are simple, but others are controversial and could be life-changing! I know some of my anxiety will be alleviated by talking to other moms, researching the internet, and asking professionals their opinion.
  
  
• This month I decided to start a prenatal Yoga class, too. Not only is it a good way to stay fit and limber, it will also give me a chance to be around other pregnant women.
  
  
• Explore other interests and topics outside of babies. Ok, so I don't know what those might be at this moment. I guess I have a new year of school coming up, so I could work on lesson plans...or maybe I could take a cooking class or read a new fiction book...nah, who am I kidding? I'll just stick to babies.
  

FYI :)

The format of my blog is going to change just a little bit. Instead of posting twice a month, I am going to post just once at the beginning of each month. Between the craziness of a new school year and my third trimester quickly approaching, I want to simplify things a little. I'll be sure to reflect on each goal and the year as a whole at the end of December!