Be Prepared

Baby books are boring. They're all information and things that can go wrong and generally lacking in the fun department. I  get that we need these reference books around, just in case, but there's no reason why we can't have a sense of humor about this whole parenting gig. 

Be Prepared: A Practical Handbook for New Dads to the rescue! Written and illustrated by husband and wife Gary Greenberg and Jeannie Hayden, this has proven to be the most practical book on our "Holy Crap! We're Having a Baby!" shelf. It is, according to the back cover, "loaded with one-of-a-kind insights, MacGyver-esque tips and tricks, and no-nonsense advice for mastering the first year as a dad". 

It's just the most fun. With fabulous illustrations accompanying heartfelt advice on everything from emergency diapers to the woes of teething and beyond, this book has taught me more about day-to-day life with a baby than all the other parenting books combined. It makes me feel smart and pretty and totally capable of maintaining a sense of humor, in spite of the constant stream of body functions coming at me in a projectile manner from this little bundle of slobber and poo.

Get it for yourself, for the one that inseminated you, for your friends, for strangers that look like they need to lighten up a bit with the whole parenting thing...

...and while we're at it, look for it at your local bookstore. If they don't have it on the shelf, they can probably get it to you more quickly than Amazon. Yes, deliveries are fun, but buying locally is fun, too. You can look for it at the library, as well (even cheaper!).