14 Months Update

14 MonthsElley, you are 14 months old. Or at least you were, one month ago. I'm just crazy late getting this update posted.
December 24You had a weight check at 13 and a half months and you were up to 16 lbs 10 oz or the 0.33%ile. Which yes, is up in both weight and percentiles.

December 26You're pretty solidly in 9 months clothes, although we're slowly starting to cycle some 12 months items in. You're still wearing size 3 diapers and have your bumgeniuses snapped the same way.

January 9You have a bunch of new teeth. Your bottom to molars are in. One of your bottom canines is in, and your top molars are starting to come in.

January 10Then there are your words, which you seem to be adding to everyday. You can say hi, byb-bye, uh-oh, outside (which is your favorite place to be and you'll say all the time hoping someone will take you there), dada, mine (which you do say, but you'll also use mommy to mean mine), hot (which is how you refer to most food), shoe, ball, baby (which is what everything tiny is called, so if we see a puppy outside, that's a baby). You can clap, give high fives, give hugs and kisses... You'll even follow simple directions, things like asking you to bring something to someone or pick something up.

January 17Your most recent obsession is shoes. If you find your own around the house you'll bring them to us to put them on your feet. Or if instead you find my shoes or your daddy's you'll bring them to us and insist that we put them on immediately. What's really fun is when you bring me two left shoes and want me to wear both of them at the same time.

January 19Your other favorite toys are anything that lights up and plays music, especially My Pal Violet. You love your cozy coupe. By that I mean you love pushing it around or being pushed in it, but haven't quite figured out how to get it to move while you're sitting in it.

January 22You love being read books too. We have your favorites in the living room, and you'll bring them to me over and over to read. As for the ones you go back to, it's Llama Llama Red Pajama (the longest book you'll sit through), Ten Apples on Top, and all your Usborne books. Although funny enough, while you'll read books all the time in the living room, you're not a fan of reading them before bed. I think it's because at that point you know it's bedtime and you'd rather be in your crib.

February 5Speaking of bedtime, we had been down to one final nursing session before bed, at least until last week. But like with a bedtime story, you could care less about nursing and just wanted to be in your crib, so since you were telling me you were ready to finish nursing, I knew I needed to be ready as well.

February 6It's so crazy to think that you really aren't a baby anymore. But as much as I may miss you being a tiny little baby, I'm a little in awe with the person you're starting to become.

1 Month ~ 2 Months~3 Months

4 Months ~ 5 Months ~ 6 Months

7 Months ~ 8 Months ~ 9 Months

10 Months ~ 11 Months ~ 12 Months

Mailbox Monday (128)

It's another Sunday. But lucky for me, I don't have work tomorrow! Instead I'll be in New Orleans recovering from tonight's Nick Carter concert. I can't wait, but first, here's a look at my Mailbox Monday, sharing the books I've picked up recently.
For Review from TLC Book Tours
America's First Daughter By Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie
This is a historical fiction about Thomas Jefferson's daughter. It's one I've actually already read and reviewed. As for the short version, I loved it and felt I learned a lot reading it.

From PJ Library
It's Tu B'Shevat by Edie Stolz Zolkower
This is a cute picture book on Tu B'Shevat, which is the birthday of the trees. Think of it as Earth Day for Jews. To give you an idea on how behind I am in sharing book, Tu B'Shevat was back in January. Although it's not entirely my fault since the book was late arriving as well.

From Paperback Swap
Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella
I used to be obsessed with Kinsella's books and buy them all the week they came out. Clearly not the case anymore since this first came out in 2013. But I think at this point there's only one or two of her books that I haven't read, so I'm catching back up.

The Dark Rose by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
Another book I've already read, although still need to review. It's the second book in The Morland Dynasty Series. It takes place during King Henry VIII's reign. I don't think I liked it as much as the first, but still enough to keep reading.

150 Pounds by Kate Rockland
To be honest, the reason I want to read this book has nothing to do with the plot. Instead it's that the main character has my name, Shoshanah, although she spells hers without an h on the end. Although even so, it does look like a cute chick lit book, so I'm sure I'll have fun with it.

What did you find in your mailbox this week?

From Monticello to Jefferson's White House

America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie
Published: March 1, 2016 by William Morrow Paperbacks
My mom used to always say Jefferson was her favorite president. But I never quite got it myself. Obviously, like I'm sure everyone else who grew up in America, I knew the basics about him, that he wrote the Declaration of Independence, that he was our third president, and most infamously had an affair with one of his slaves. Besides that I really never really knew much about his actual life.

This was the first reason why I was so excited to read this book. As for the second, it's because one of the co-authors was Stephanie Dray and I love her Cleopatra's Daughter trilogy, even though I've yet to read the final installment. Clearly there were some similarities between her two books. After all both are about the daughter of a famous historical figure. Also, both had a similar structure where we got to know the daughter as a young girl, and then saw her grow up.

As for a difference, this is a single book not a trilogy. Although the book is so long I think it could easily have been divided up into one. But even with it's length the book never dragged and kept my attention throughout. Not only that I was disappointed when it ended, only because I wasn't ready to be finished.

In a lot of ways, Martha "Patsy" Jefferson, lived a heartbreaking life. And yet when you try to compare it to an average girl in Colonial times, I think hers was better than most. Considering who her father was she likely had more opportunities and new experiences than she ever would have otherwise.

Overall I loved my time with the book. I wouldn't consider myself an expect on Jefferson after reading it, but do think I know far more than I would have expected going into it.

5/5

Disclosure: I was provided this book through TLC Book Tours. All opinions expressed are my own.