Book Review- "What's Eating Your Child"

Book Review

What's Eating Your Child by Kelly Dorfman, MS, LND

About the Book

In this important book readers will find scientifically supported nutritional solutions that address, mitigate and sometime even erase both the symptoms and the causes of stubborn health problems including:

• picky eating
• reflux
• attention problems
• ear infections
• temper tantrums
• behavioral difficulties
• lack of energy
• insomnia
• learning disabilities
• chronic tummy aches
• anxiety
• constipation
• night terrors
• eczema
• depression
• speech delays

About the Author

Kelly Dorfman is a nutritionist who specializes in difficult cases. She has written dozens of articles, has been featured in several books and quoted in publications such as The Washington Post. Kelly lectures and speaks across the country. She lives outside Washington, D.C.

My Take

I am all about nutrition. Any book that makes us stop and think about the food we are feeding our families is a good thing. The book is broken down into vignettes, a format that made the topic even more interesting. It was heartbreaking to read about how some of the kids had been on medication for reflux/constipation from infancy. While those stories made me cringe I definitely did a little cheer for all the kids who benefited from dietary changes.

Diet is very important to me and I put a lot of time and energy into making sure my family eats a nutritionally dense diet. I firmly believe that many modern ailments/illnesses are diet related. I am not suggesting that nutrition is a magic bullet, but altering what you or your child eats is a low risk way to see if diet is the issue. I believe Dorfman is sending an important message to parents; Nutrition matters!

If you want to learn more about being a nutrition detective you should definitely check out What's eating Your Child. Kelly Dorfman also has a blog and website.

I did receive a complementary copy of the book which I will be passing on to another mom.

Guest Post Book Review

Check out my book review of "Good Night Sleep Tight" today on Just Talk!

Always

I am forever on the look out for quality children's literature. When I was a Kindergarten teacher I came across many, many amazing books. Now as a mom I continue my search for books Eliza will enjoy. My latest find is a book called Always. It is a beautiful picture book that celebrates the unconditional love that exists between a parent and a child. Through the use of beautiful watercolor illustrations, and simple yet moving text, this book will jump start conversations about how parents will continue to love their children regardless of their mistakes.


The book reminds me of my little E when it says, "Do you love me when I am gentle?. Do you love me when I am not?" I picture her tackling and crushing our cat Gary. The answer, of course, is that parents will Always love their children no matter what. Even when Eliza throws all her peas on the floor after I have just finished washing it, or pees on the carpet before I can get her new diaper on, or decides to stay up all night long- I will love her, because that is what we moms do- LOVE! It is this unconditional love that I have discovered in Eliza's first year of life. The love for a child is indescribable, all consuming and wonderful.

Check out Always with your little one.

Start a Momtourage and Snatch a Copy of Coming Unglued

What is a momtourage? Quite simply it is a play group for moms.

Have I piqued your interest?

I started a mom's group in my development. It is for moms and their babies to get together. A momtourage is a little different. It is a chance for women to get together as a social outlet- sans kiddos. I'm all ears! As i have read in many mommy blogs- it is that precious time away from our kids that often helps us to be better moms.

The brain behind the concept of the momtourages is author, mother, and an avid scrapbooker Rebeca Seitz. As the founder of SistersInk.net, she has harnessed the power of female networks through scrapbooking. She sees scrapbooking as a way to bring moms together for support. Seitz learned just how important a female support system could be after finding out her first husband had been unfaithful. It was her momtourage, the women in her life, that helped her push past the deception and move on. She is now remarried with two children. She is also the creator of Sister Ink.net and brings women scrapbookers together.

I've said it before, life as a mom can be quite isolating. I am a strong believer that moms need to get out there and socialize! As a new mom I have relied on the strength of female friends to get through some tough times. There are tons of common interests that bring women together. It might be a sewing, reading, crafting, babywearing, going green, or playing Bunko. It's the getting together part that is key.

Want to start your own Momtourage?

Seitz offers five steps for getting a Momtourage started.

Momtourage 101

1. First, identify a common thread. Motherhood? Love of scrapbooking, books, sewing? Obsession with chocolate or coffee?
2. Carve out a space in your home like a spare room or game room where girlfriends can join you in your craft, or secure a space at a public facility like a library or community center.
3. Establish a schedule and take turns hosting, or determine to schedule each consecutive meeting at the current meeting.
4. Connect. Make certain your time together allows for the most important thing - conversation!
5. Stick with it. Remind each other that you are better moms, wives, daughters, women because you’re connecting with other women. No need for guilt!

The Book! Coming Unglued (B &H Fiction July, 2008)

The second book in the Sister Ink series, Coming Unglued is a story about love, family, faith and the strength of friendship. It deals with infidelity through the eyes of the "other woman".I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It is light reading and written from an interesting perspective. The main character, Kendra, deals with some tough choices in the book. She relies on her scrapping sisters to help her see what is right . How does it turn out? You'll just have to read to find out.

Luckily...
I am giving away a copy of Coming Unglued by Rebecca Seitz. In order to win reply with one reason your why momtourage rocks! Contest Ends September 21st.

I will give my shout out! Not that I have a real momtourage (YET), but I do have my girls who I go to when times get tough! Thanks ladies for being there when I want to pull out my own hair. I hope I have been here for you as well!

Wife in the North

I told my husband we are moving to Northumberland ! Well if moving to Ocracoke doesn't work out than maybe I will try out Northumberland. I just finished reading Wife in the North and the snarky humor of Judith O'Reilly still has me laughing. O'Reilly, journalist and mom of three, makes the decision to move to Northumberland to support her husband in his dream to live in the country. The story is written bloggy style and tells the tale of how she tries to find her place in a small rural community while secretly pining for her former city life. O'Reilly is very relatable as we have all felt a little out of place at some point in our lives.

This mom blogger got a book deal. I'm still waiting for mine in the mail. But she is that good, she is that funny, and she is that REAL! Her words flow off of the page and into your heart. It is no surprise that I find myself thinking cor blimey about a lot of things these days. And although I have never been stranded in the English countryside after my husband forgot to fill up the gas tank - I can totally relate to this mom. You will run the gamut of emotions as you read about her quest to make it work in what at times seems like an impossible situation.

Here is a snippet that had me in stitches. O'Reilly describes her efforts to make Christmas memorable for her children by reading The Night before Christmas on Christmas Eve.

I eventually found it under my five-year-old's bed but I do wonder whether my fury outweighed the the cosy few minutes of festive domesticity under the duvet of reading the damn thing. I can just imagine: "Yeah my brother and I had this bet each Christmas. We would hide this old book she was desperate to read to us and we'd see how long it would take her to say the 'F' word when she couldn't find it. Dear old mum. Of course she is in a home now for the criminally insane. She did love Christmas though.

She and her husband spend two years in Northumberland, a trial period of sorts, before deciding if they will stay or pack it in and head back to London.

Check out Wife in the North to find out if this mom will stay or go?

Savvy by Ingrid Law

As a child I spent many, many hours reading. It was truly my great escape from the world. I was a bit of a dreamer I guess. I was the type of kid who thought I had superhuman powers that would become available only if I truly needed them. I believed they were hidden deep inside ready to be unleashed. I should have been born into the Beaumont family. The Beaumont family has harbored a magical secret. They each possess a "savvy" — a special supernatural power that strikes when they turn thirteen. Unfortunately, my super powers remained latent. Even though I don't have any powers I think there is a little savvy in all of us- especially all of you moms.

Now you can check out Savvy, Ingrid Law's first novel. It is sure to grab the interest of readers young and old. Check out the e-book below. You can read Savvy for FREE online from July 14th- July 20th.

Savvy by Ingrid Law - Upload a Document to Scribd

Read this document on Scribd: Savvy by Ingrid Law

Eliza in a box!

Today was my first mom's group meeting. I have been looking forward to it since I put up the flyers a little over a week ago. There were eight mom's in attendance- so nine altogether counting me. Two member are moms-to-be! I was very pleased with the turnout and Eliza had a great time playing with her new freinds. We are going to have meetings every Monday at the same time. I am bummed that I brought my camera and completely forgot to take pictures. TYPICAL DANIELLE MOVE!

I finished my book (The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes) today. Eliza took two long naps and I held her the entire time. SHH it gave me a good excuse to sit and read. The book was very good. It moved along quickly- which I like because I have zero patience. Our book club meeting is on July 21st! Usually we end of discussing everything but the book- but it is always good time. This is the first book I have read by this author but now I am hoping to pick up a few more of her titles at the library.

Eliza is supposed to start up swim class again tomorrow. However, she is having a bit of a feminine problem and I am currently waiting for the doctor to call me back. Waiting, and waiting, and waiting. I get so annoyed when I have to speak to that DAMN answering service. I go into panic mode as soon as I think something is wrong with little E. I go into this bad place in my head where I just start to worry about everything. My big fear is another UTI. I get all teary just thinking about our first trip down that horrific road and do not want to go through it again. So depending on what the doctor says I might be making the hour trip into the office tomorrow.

Here are some pics of E playing in her car seat box!

A Must Read!

Now that I am a mom, reading books not strapped between two pieces of cloth or cardboard is a luxury. During my pregnancy I would devour 5-7 books a week. I frequented the library as much as the loo. A year later, I just don't seem to have time to read anymore. And so I am pickier about my selections. If I am going to read instead of Blog spend time with Eliza- the book had better be good. So believe me when I tell you a book is worth your time.

This past weekend I spent my time relaxing and reading A Dozen Invisible Pieces and Other Confessions of Motherhood. The title alone intrigued me and anytime someone is going to make confessions I am there. I am all for honesty, especially when it comes to being a mother. I don't believe you super moms for a second. I know you have all your junk hidden behind the shower curtain when I come to visit. Seriously, I think we find ourselves in the honesty of others. And that is why I connected so deeply with this text. As I read Hull's words I felt close to her because she speaks openly about the struggles of motherhood.

In A Dozen Invisible Pieces and Other Confessions of Motherhood author Kimmelin Hull, mother of three, shares her inspiring journey through motherhood. As a former Physician’s Assistant and a current Childbirth Educator she offers a unique perspective on the challenges faced by mothers alike. You will share in her ups and downs as her family grows and she becomes mom to three kids under the age of four. She is an inspiration- because seriously- just typing three kids under four has me exhausted.

The back of the book suggests Hull will take you on a roller coaster of emotions and it proves true on every page. I became invested in her story from page one. I was HOOKED! I found myself shaking my head in agreement as her words continually rang true. Her writing style is conversational and I felt more like I was swapping stories with a friend over coffee than reading. I laughed and grew misty eyed on more than one occasion. Over and over again I was impressed by her brutal honesty concerning the challenges of motherhood. I couldn't’t have found a better time to nestle up with this book than the weekend of my first Mother’s Day. It helped me to reflect on my experiences with Eliza over the past eight months. It also spurred me to think about my future as a mother. I finished the book thinking, "I am going to be OK. I am not alone in what I have experienced as a mother."

This book is a refreshing look at motherhood and the societal expectations on mothers today. Nothing is sugar coated and I can guarantee you if you are a new mom or a seasoned pro you will connect with Kimmelin Hull’s experiences. Her words will draw you in and you will finish reading feeling refreshed and inspired in your role as a mom.

For more information on Kimmelin Hull you can visit her childbirth education site- Pregnancy to Parenthood or her blog