The Books on My Nightstand

Once upon a time, there was a childless woman who loved to read.  There was nothing better than curling up with a good book and a cup of tea.  I loved books of fiction that varied from suspense to tear-jerking, funny to aspirational and always had one within arms reach.  Only one because I liked to dive right into another life within the pages and be immersed in it.  Put myself in the main characters shoes and live their lives for a while. 

Now? 

My nightstand looks like this: 

From the bottom: 

• Baby 411:  My favorite what to expect about keeping a baby alive book.  I love that it covers all of the basic parenting functions like keeping a child fed, diaper rash away and when to call the doctor.  I use it All.The.Time. 
• The Good Night, Sleep Tight Workbook:  I’m reading it for an upcoming book review with TLC book tours and because I’m desperate for something that will help me with C’s naps. 
• Such a Pretty Fat:  I’m borrowing this from a friend who gave it to me in July.  JULY, folks.  I was finishing up my last fiction novel in the summer and she gave me this one.  Swears that it’s a laugh out loud funny book and I can’t back her up because the last time I picked up an easy read book was in JULY. 
• The Silent Language:  The “required for work” reading I mentioned before.  And what I learned from reading this book is that I am not an academic kind of person.  I do not read books written about overseas cultures and the different perceptions of time and change and draw inferences to my everyday life.  My mind does just not work that way.
• Babyproofing Your Marriage:  After reading rave reviews on this book and a recommendation from my friend that swears by date nights, I jumped on the bandwagon.  Not because I think my marriage needs saving, but because I think I have some things to learn about being a  better wife while I try to find my footing as a mother. 

Apparently, along with the days that I could button my jeans, gone are the days that I could blow through a book in a weekend.  Quite honestly most of my free time (haha!) these days is spent reading blogs, writing this one, and chatting on Twitter.  I glance through the occasional magazine on a Saturday morning but I’ve found that my time for leisure reading has been replaced by reading books that I think will improve my parenting, my relationships or my career and losing myself in a smutty romance is a rarity.   

Am I the only one or have your reading habits changed since becoming a parent?