April
Cosleeping, Ryan Gosling, and everything I made, watched, read, and bought this month
Hi friends, how was your month? I got notes back from my editor a couple weeks ago, and we are in good shape to publish internationally next year! 🥹 The bad news, what needs to happen first, is I need to cut the book down from 85,000 to 65,000 words.
Not an easy task!
For example, I have a chapter about how to prevent diaper leaks in the middle of the night because nothing ruins a peaceful night of bedsharing more than waking up in a warm puddle. (Am I right?)
But, the thing is, I already have a blog post on this topic.
So do I need a chapter on this in the book?
Imagine this internal debate, but X10. That’s about how many chapters I’m considering cutting. 😵💫
Send me good vibes, please! I have a couple more months to make these decisions and rewrite certain sections before I turn it over to my editor for good. And what a glorious day that will be!
Thank you so much for being here as part of my cosleepy community that I love so much. Let’s dive into the April recap! Xx
WHAT I CREATED
📲 Not a very long list this month. In addition to all the book writing and editing I did, here is some new stuff I put out into the world in April…
🎧 I went onto the Down to Birth Podcast to talk about toddler challenges like night-weaning and transitioning out of bedsharing
✋ Drawing a Line in Dallas — the real-life story of a dad who opposed cosleeping so much, it led to a divorce
🩰 Sorting through it in San Francisco — an ode to some of the things we lose when we become contact-napping, cosleeping mothers
🤓 Another round of Spot the Hazards, this time with a popular stock photo
🫣 The biggest, most problematic hazard in the photo revealed!
👍 What you should do instead of putting your baby in a lounger
⚠️ New on the blog: Bedsharing with a CPAP Machine
WHAT I WATCHED
🪐 Matty and I went to see Project Hail Mary. With a near-perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes, I knew we had to see it on the big screen. So we dropped off the boys at my parents around 10:30am and caught the first showing.
(Hot tip: In this season of life, Date Mornings are much easier than Date Nights!)
All I can say without giving spoilers is Ryan Gosling is a national treasure. Full stop. And no one else could have carried this film like he did. It’s an inspiring, feel good movie and, if you have access to childcare, I think you should go see it on the big screen, too.
WHAT I READ
📚 I finished one book this month, but I also gave up on two others after a few chapters. They had potential! It just wasn’t the right time. I’ll try them again later!
What are you reading during contact naps? Hit reply and let me know!
★★★★☆
The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
A female bodyguard is assigned to protect the biggest moviestar in the world [yes, I imagined him as Ryan Gosling] at his family ranch in Texas. Some of my fave tropes: fake-dating and forced proximity!
DNF: American Fantasy, Into the Blue
DID YOU KNOW? I have read hundreds of books on my phone over the last few years while lying beside my sleeping boys through the Libby app. All for free. Download the app, enter your library card, find a good book, and dive in!
(You can send the book to your e-reader, if you’d prefer!)
You can tap here to see what I read in March and last June, May, April, March, February, January, December, November, and October. I generally suggest a gentle genre for this season of life, like romance or mystery!
WHAT I BOUGHT
🛏️ I went ahead and ordered my mom’s Mother’s Day gift — a legendary weighted blanket.
(No, I did not use it while bedsharing with my baby or toddler! 😉)
This brand is pricey, so I waited until the Mother’s Day sale started (it’s still happening!) and split the cost with my sister and dad. But since I already own one, I know it’s worth the investment. Cozy, comforting, and it doesn’t get hot like most weighted blankets! The design allows for airflow, and it’s just perfect. Highly recommend.
That’s it for April! Keep your head up. Remember that I’m rooting for you. Sending you a big hug from here in northern California. Xx