I have never done one of these before, but more and more people seem to be, so I present the works I have read in 2009, as it goes. I'll mark rereads (these will surely be the majority of my reading), and new audiobooks, though I will not let you guys know every time I listen all the way through The Princess Diaries again because I have it on as background noise at work. And since I will not be satisfied with a simple list, I'll write comments under a cut for each book.

My 2009 Reading List:

1. 1/4/2009 - Crown of Slaves, by David Weber and Eric Flint. ( Analysis )
   
2. 1/6/2009 - Forever Princess, by Meg Cabot. ( Analysis )
   
3. 1/10/2009 - The Language of God, by Francis S. Collins. ( Analysis )
   
4. 1/11/2009 - AUDIO: Making Money, by Terry Pratchett. ( Analysis )
   
5. 1/13/2009 - Shadow of Saganami, by David Weber. ( Analysis )
   
6. 1/14/2009 - REREAD: Shards of Honor, by Lois McMaster Bujold. ( Analysis )
   
7. 1/15/2009 - The Blood of Flowers: A Novel, by Anita Amirrezvani. ( Analysis )
   
8. 1/16/2009 - AUDIO: Sunshine, by Robin McKinley. ( Analysis )
   
9. 1/18/2009 - AUDIO: Gods Behaving Badly, by Marie Phillips. ( Analysis )
   
10. 1/19/2009 - AUDIO (Reread): The Fifth Elephant, by Terry Pratchett. ( Analysis )
    
11. 1/20/2009 - REREAD: Barrayar, by Lois McMaster Bujold. ( Analysis )
    
12. 1/20/2009 - Understanding Autism, by Lynn Kern Koegel and Claire LaZebnik. ( Analysis )
    
13. 1/22/2009 - Common Sense, by Thomas Paine. ( Analysis )
    
14. 1/22/2009 - REREAD: Going Postal, by Terry Pratchett. ( Analysis )
    
15. 1/25/2009 - AUDIO (Reread): The Clan of the Cave Bear, by Jean M. Auel. ( Analysis )
    
16. 1/27/2009 - AUDIO (Reread): The Valley of the Horses, by Jean M. Auel. ( Analysis )
    
17. 1/27/2009 - AUDIO (Reread): The Mammoth Hunters, by Jean M. Auel. ( Analysis )
    
18. 1/30/2009 - AUDIO (Reread): Forever Princess, by Meg Cabot. ( Analysis )
    
19. 1/31/2009 - Ransom My Heart, by Meg Cabot. ( Analysis )
    
20. 2/2/2009 - REREAD(?): Moving Pictures, by Terry Pratchett. ( Analysis )
    
21. 2/5/2009 - Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. ( Analysis )
    
22. 2/8/2009 - REREAD: Small Gods, by Terry Pratchett. ( Analysis )
    
23. 2/14/2009 - REREAD: Thief of Time, by Terry Pratchett. ( Analysis )
    
24. 2/20/2009 - John Adams, by David McCullough. ( Analysis )
    
25. 2/24/2009 - AUDIO: Poison Study, by Maria V. Snyder. ( Analysis )
    
26. 2/25/2009 - AUDIO: Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen. ( Analysis )
    
27. 2/26/2009 - AUDIO: Emma, by Jane Austen. ( Analysis )
    
28. 3/3/2009 - AUDIO: Magic Study, by Maria V. Snyder. ( Analysis )
    
29. 3/6/2009 - REREAD: Taltos, by Steven Brust. ( Analysis )
    
30. 3/7/2009 - REREAD: Phoenix, by Steven Brust. ( Analysis )
    
31. 3/14/2009 - REREAD: Dragon, by Steven Brust. ( Analysis )
    
32. 3/15/2009 - I Remember the Future: The Award-Nominated Stories of Michael A. Burstein, by Michael A. Burstein. ( Analysis )
    
33. 3/18/2009 - Empress, by Karen Miller. ( Analysis )
    
34. 3/21/2009 - REREAD: Issola, by Steven Brust. ( Analysis )
    
35. 3/21/2009 - REREAD: Dzur, by Steven Brust. ( Analysis )
    
36. 3/22/2009 - REREAD: Jhegaala, by Steven Brust. ( Analysis )
    
37. 3/22/2009 - REREAD: First Test, by Tamora Pierce. ( Analysis )
    
38. 3/23/2009 - REREAD: Page, by Tamora Pierce. ( Analysis )
    
39. 3/23/2009 - REREAD: Squire, by Tamora Pierce. ( Analysis )
    
40. 3/24/2009 - REREAD: Lady Knight, by Tamora Pierce. ( Analysis )
    
41. 3/27/2009 - REREAD: A College of Magics, by Caroline Stevermer. ( Analysis )
    
42. 4/9/2009 - AUDIO (Reread): The Sharing Knife, Volume 1: Beguilement, by Lois McMaster Bujold ( Analysis )
    
43. 4/10/2009 - AUDIO (Reread): The Sharing Knife, Volume 2: Legacy, by Lois McMaster Bujold ( Analysis )
    
44. 4/11/2009 - REREAD: The Sharing Knife, Volume 3: Passage, by Lois McMaster Bujold ( Analysis )
    
45. 4/12/2009 - The Sharing Knife, Volume 4: Horizon, by Lois McMaster Bujold ( Analysis )
    
46. 4/12/2009 - The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett. ( Analysis )
    

So, Lorrie is going through an amusing evolution of pronouncing Sebastian's name. While he was still in the womb, she called him "Baby Foofassian." In the beginning stages of his life (hospital visits), she had progressed to "Baby Boobassian." We spent a few days stressing "Ssssuh-bastian," and now she says, reliably, "Want see Bassian!" We are now working on explaining to her that the "suh" is part of his NAME, not a verb.

She is still totally fascinated by him. She insists that he's sad, because he has serious-baby-face. She's very good at gentle, though. She's a sweetheart.

At Glishara's request, her husband is here grabbing her computer to post the news:



Sebastian Michael (last name withheld due to lack of friends lock) was born at 10:42am on Saturday, November 7th. He was 6 pounds, 8.0 ounces and 19 inches at birth. He is adorable and, as babies tend to be I know, very soft. Mother and baby are both doing well. Thus far, Sebastian seems to be attacking life with considerable energy, with all his basic biological processes chugging along quickly. There will undoubtedly be more stories (I could tell a lot just about today) but I will leave them for Glishara to tell herself. For the moment, happy, healthy, tired.



And because a baby requires a picture, ( one behind a cut. )

I had my final pre-natal visit today. And my pre-registration call with the hospital yesterday. Less than 3 days to go now.

I'm just kind of... floating through it now. I'm nervous and edgy and I want it over and done, but I feel more like I'm existing in an eternal now rather than moving through time. It's kind of a weird feeling.

I did double-check to make sure that my hospital is going to let my kids come visit me given all the new rules for H1N1, and it sounds like they have a very practical and balanced and understanding position on the whole thing. The rule is no minors in the maternity wing except siblings of mother or child. All other visitors need to be 18+, and they ask/plead that people not come if they're not healthy.

But that means my kids will be able to visit, and that is all I care about. On day 1, the only visitors I want are my kids, but I really want to see them. Day 2, we'll see about some other visitors. I was really worried they'd come up with some new policy that wouldn't let me see my kids for the whole 5-day stretch I'll likely be stuck in there.

How freaking absurd is it that Wesley has HOMEWORK from PRESCHOOL, and they did not give us any written instructions about it? :P

We have a handful of paper feathers and a vague, "Write down thankful thoughts." I don't know what they're going to be used for or how they should be written: should they have his name on it? "Wesley is thankful for Halloween"? Should they just have words? "Pizza"? I don't at all know how to approach the assignment, but we know we're supposed to bring them back in to school on Monday.

Which is also great, because, you know, Monday is the day that I have to be at the hospital at 6AM to deliver this baby, so I have to pass on instructions to make sure the feathers get to school to my mom, who will be handling school dropoff and pickup that day.

I mean, not that I mind us doing the project with him or anything, but it would be nice if we had more info, since we are totally clueless about it right now.

I am making a turkey dinner tonight. It is a thing of joy and happiness.

Stuffing is prepared and in the bird. Bird is in the oven. Cranberry sauce is chilling in the fridge. I have potatoes to mash and broccoli to cook up. I get a lot of down time now, which is good, because I can recover some before I have to worry about intense potato-and-gravy prep. If I have the energy, I will make up some carrot and celery sticks, too, since the kids will cheerfully eat those.

Now, with my luck, I will probably go into labor in the next 3 hours.

Lorrie is so weird. I was making spaghetti with clam sauce tonight, and as usual, when she saw me go out to the kitchen, she came running to beg raw veggies. The recipe I use calls for celery, which she's a big fan of, so she started asking for it. Unfortunately, I'd already started chopping garlic, so I told her it would be a minute, and I had to finish the garlic first. So, inevitably, she started saying, "Want garlic! Garlic for Lorrie!"

I tried to tell her she didn't really want garlic, but she insisted, so I shrugged and gave her a piece, figuring she'd taste it and then make a face and go back to asking for celery.

Nope.

Lorrie LOVES raw garlic. She wanted more. And more. She kept saying "Hot!" and then asking for more pieces. She preferred the celery, when we got to that, but... man. She comes by it naturally enough, I guess, but I can't even eat raw garlic, though my husband can. I may try making roasted garlic soon, to see what she thinks of that.

Because I have been anxiously awaiting Halloween photos from others, I figure I should share mine. We had low success with photos this year, because Wesley didn't want to keep his hat on and Lorrie was kind of weepy before going out, so these are fairly non-ideal, but we have a Little Red Riding Hood and a firefighter.

( Photos! )

So, while Peter and I were lying in bed after a failed attempt to get Wesley to nap, Wesley ran out of the room and came back with his empty hands cupped as if he was holding something in each.

"I have two chicken timers!" he announced. "One for you, and one for you. To wake you up."

"Chicken timers?" Peter asked, a bit bemused.

"Yes!" said Wesley. "They're egg timers all grown up."

So, I just got the H1N1 vaccine. They offered it to me, more or less off-handedly, at my prenatal visit, and I was like, "Um, sure!" I've heard the paranoia running around, but am really fairly unconcerned. I'm much more concerned about Wesley bringing it home from school and my 2-week-old baby getting sick from it. Since I'm planning to breastfeed, I'll be protecting Sebastian for a lot longer than the 12 days until the baby is born, and if I can avoid contracting flu this winter, the chances of continuing to breastfeed into spring and summer will be much higher: illness is what finally put an end to breastfeeding with both Wesley and Lorrie.

So. Surprise vaccine, but yay. And everything is fine with the baby. And I am really, really tired today. Lorrie and I both need naps. Maybe we'll take them together after she's done her snack.

My belly button itches. This is fascinating news, I know.

So I am making my first ever Amazon.com return today. I ordered an MP3 player, and when it arrived, I found that the jack for the headphones does not actually fit a pair of headphones. When you plug them in, they make no sound. If you pull them out a few mm, sound starts up. But since they don't click into place, any bump will jostle them back out of making sound. Boo. After reading up on some reviews, I've come to the conclusion that I don't want to risk exchanging it for the same model and repeating the headache, so am instead returning them and will order a different brand.

Man. Amazon returns are really, really easy.

So, with 20 days to go, I find my brain longingly making lists of all the things I will be allowed to have again when this baby is out of me and being cute and brain-numbingly exhausting instead of uncomfortable and vaguely painful.

Sushi is topping it. Man, I want sushi so badly. I have a mad sushi craving.

Chocolate mousse. Real chocolate mousse, made with real eggs.

Mike's hard lemonade, for game days. I fully blame every loss the Patriots have had on my inability to drink my lucky Mike's.

This amazing steak salad the local pizza place makes, slathered in gorgonzola cheese. Man, do I want gorgonzola cheese.

Sigh. 20 more days.

When you are a parent, you find yourself occasionally forming sentences you never thought you would say. Such as, "That's not a cookie, Lorrie, that's a welcome mat."

It is snowing again. In the MIDDLE OF THE AFTERNOON. Does Massachusetts not REALIZE this is OCTOBER?

Bah.

ETA: Still snowing. Well over an hour of snow now. It is very wet, so no accumulation, but... dude. This is the second snowfall in 3 days, and we are less than a month into autumn. This is ridiculous.

I am really, really cranky about the mp3 market right now. Why the hell does not ONE manufacturer acknowledge that some people might actually PREFER an mp3 player that takes AAA batteries instead of an internal, non-replaceable proprietary battery? I love my AAA battery mp3 player, because I routinely run it down to no charge in the course of a day, and I don't want to be tied to a damn cord to recharge the stupid thing. With AAAs, I pop one out and into the wall recharger, then slot a new one into the player. Done in 20 seconds. With these new ones, they tell you "up to 15 hours of play time," which, frankly, I occasionally do in a single day, and is not accounting for inevitable battery decay. I am really pissed about the idea of having to spend $50 on a device that will have to be replaced in probably less than a year because of freaking BATTERY life.

So, yesterday we went by the H Mart that just moved in near my parents' house to stock up on Japanese ingredients, which I have been unable to buy for a while. The place is incredibly intimidating, with really narrow aisles and boxes stacked high and containers I can't read. But I managed to find almost everything I wanted.

Tonight, I made yakisoba, which is one of those dishes I buy at restaurants and feel stupid about, since you pay $9-10 for a plate of yakisoba at a restaurant and the ingredients cost approximately 43 cents. It was not the best yakisoba I've ever had, but it was solid, and I know better what to do next time. Cook the noodles less, use more cabbage, and add the sauce to the skillet before the noodles. Maybe cook the veggies a minute or two less, for a bit more crispness. It was acceptable yakisoba, though.

I got mirin and cooking sake, which are essential to all the sauces or broths I really like, and dashi-no-moto, which I was out of. Also, miso, which I seriously have been unable to find for ages. It was kind of ridiculous. I can get tofu at the grocery store, which means miso soup is again a viable possibility. Or tempura soba. Or teriyaki sauces.

Hooray!

Sigh.

It's snowing.

We don't have boots yet, for the kids. I hope it stops soon. We need to drive Wesley to school in an hour.

ETA: Took the kids outside to run around in the snow for a little bit. Wesley was a riot. He kept insisting he needed snowpants and boots. I explained that those really aren't necessary when there is approximately half a millimeter of accumulation.

Still, though, it is good snow. Some built up on surfaces like cars and lawn furniture, so Wesley could scoop up enough to make little fistfuls, and it's super light and fluffy. With no wind at all and the temperature in the mid-30s, it was even fairly pleasant to be out in. We only stayed out for 5-10 minutes, because Lorrie was insistent on playing in the sandbox or on the slide or other places not really appropriate for snow play. The kids had fun, though. Need to go out and buy boots. Wonder if KMart has them.

My big productive household task for the last day has been to go through the insane pile of cooking/recipe magazines accumulating in the kitchen, decide which recipes were worth saving, and copy them over onto 4x6 index cards for filing in my temporary craptastic recipe box. (I am hoping to get a nice new one for Xmas this year.) I also printed up 5 recipes from my bookmark collection online and glued them to index cards.

I threw out approximately 10 inches of shelf space worth of magazines and wound up with around 25 recipes total. It was kind of an eye-opener. I need to do this regularly, as the magazines come in. I tend to bounce through subscriptions, buying them with Coke reward points, and I love having them to look through, but my needs are specific enough for cooking that I don't generally find many worth trying, or if I do try them, I don't like them.

I need to go through my old cookbooks, too, and get rid of some of them: I have way too many, and I almost never look at most of them. For instance: as much as I love Japanese food, I do not need FOUR gigantic Japanese cookbooks.

OMG. Peter just brought home from the library a TERRY PRATCHETT KIDS BOOK, and it has SAM VIMES reading a story to LITTLE SAM. Making FACES. And being an AWESOME READER.

Okay. Back to recipes. People give me cookbooks a lot for gifts, because they make me happy. But I don't really have a shelf for them, so they take counter space, and I'm running very low on that now. If I raid the less-used books for the 2-3 recipes I like, I can save probably half of my cookbook space and just hang on to the cookbooks I use a lot, like my chicken book and my pasta book and my Barefoot Contessa cookbooks.

Too much stuff! I need to streamline my life. Whee.

Was up half the night trying to decide if I was having contractions. Finally decided around 6 am that yes, I was, because despite feeling "off", they were consistently spaced 6-7 minutes apart, and I could think of no other explanation. Hauled kids to parents'. Went to hospital. Discussed drugs to delay labor. Discussed possibility of being taken into Boston for availability of NICU facilities. Hooked me up to testing machines.

I was not having contractions. Instead, stupid baby has decided that he was not annoying me enough with random movements. Now, he wants to do consistently timed movements. Seriously, every 6 minutes, his heart rate went up and I felt pressure and discomfort in my back and abdomen. But it wasn't a contraction. It was like freaking CLOCKWORK.

Stupid baby. I am TIRED. But, not being in labor at 34 weeks 6 days is good. I just wish I could be not-in-labor a little less freaking dramatically. :(

Too sleepy for grammar right now. Bye.