I enjoy books and read like crazy during pregnancy.  Problem was, none of the books were child related.  Attempts were made, but each time I picked up a book on infants my eyes  glazed over while my hands uncontrollably wandered back to Girl with a Dragon Tattoo.  The latter was more interesting and motivation just didn't come to properly prepare for baby.

Admittedly, this was dumb.  

Once our son came, the jig was up.  Like it or not, it was (past) time to read the books.  But I wasn't worried.  A sleeping newborn provided plenty of time to catch up on the ins and outs of infant needs.  

Or not.  As previously mentioned, my child went full days* without sleep.  On the rare occasion he did nap, I would walk sadly past my tidy, unused bed to the reading chair.  I had to power through.  

After finally "completing" (does one ever really finish?) the information on newborns, the next phase was upon me and new books were required.  Each stage crept up rather quickly and the vast quantity of books offering advice is overwhelming.  After countless hours spent online and in the library, I have learned one thing: it is nearly impossible to stay ahead of the curve. 

In addition to the above, I need to escape the "all baby, all the time" routine in order to scan national headlines, be conversant in pop culture (though proud to say we are not keeping up with the Kardashians), and maybe even squeeze in a few magazines.  And dare I dream to add in a book from the New York Times Best Sellers list? 

Needless to say, this is a lot of reading. 

So, for others who are also looking to balance required reading with desired reading, I have a proposal.  A Book Club with a twist.  One where each member reads a different book.  Stay with me here.  

You pick the topic or focus.  Something of interest to you.  Then we gather to eat, drink, chat, and provide cliff note versions of what we learned.  No time for a full book?   We've all been there. Just bring a magazine, online article, or book previously read...we won't judge. 

With this everyone wins.  We have less required reading, enjoy a girls night, and gain new insights in a fraction of the time.  

Not only will we walk away with more knowledge, but this frees me up to dust off & spend quality time with my Real Simple & Lucky magazines.  I may even pick up a copy of the Hunger Games and relax guilt free on the couch while Chase naps (which he now does consistently, phew).

Who's with me?

*In retrospect, some sleep issues may have been avoided had I read the books prior to having baby in hand

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