Why 2016 Will Be A Very Different Year of Reading for Me

1/9/2016

I love the beginning of a new year because it means new reading challenges and new goals. I've typically over-committed to reading challenges, yet somehow managed to complete them (which is often more stressful than it should be). I always participate in the Goodreads challenge, sometimes setting my goal as high as 125 books.

This year, I'm reining myself. My Goodreads goal is set at 50 books. I'm severely limiting myself in the number of reading challenges I'm signing up for (a total of 3, as of right now). And the reason for these self-imposed limits?

We're expecting a little bookworm in April!

We're very excited and very nervous, and I'm sure reading will take a backseat to the little one for awhile. Smiling Shelves will definitely continue, although I'm figuring I'll be on hiatus for a little bit in April.

I'm determined this baby will grow up to be a reader. He already gets a bedtime story every night!

16 Comments

Debbie link

1/9/2016 09:25:56 am

What exciting news!! Congratulations! He'll (you said he, right?) will be a reader-no doubt about it!

Julie @ Smiling Shelves link

1/10/2016 04:14:31 pm

Thanks, Debbie! Yup, it's a boy. I can guarantee at least that he'll be read to, whether he likes it or not. :)

Christine @Buckling Bookshelves link

1/9/2016 12:04:40 pm

Awww YAY! Congratulations!! Baby news is just the best news :) :) Being excited and nervous is totally normal -- if you weren't nervous, I would want to know what your secret is :)

My son will be 1 in April when you are due and it's crazy how fast the time goes. I absolutely love reading to my son even though he doesn't really get it yet. I wish you and your husband all the best as you embark on this new adventure :)

Julie @ Smiling Shelves link

1/10/2016 04:17:31 pm

Thanks, Christine! Most of the time, I'm more nervous than excited. Does that change when the baby is actually born? I've enjoyed reading your posts about your little guy. Time is going faster than expected while I'm pregnant. I can only imagine how fast it'll go once he's actually here!

Christine @Buckling Bookshelves link

1/10/2016 05:33:07 pm

Well....I think it depends. The nervousness about the whole birthing process goes away because one way or the other it's over, you've done it! I was also more nervous than excited as my due date drew nearer, but my husband was all excitement and I remember saying to him "well you know, I'm the one I'm the one who has to actually have the baby and it's not exactly a walk in the park!"

The nervousness about being a new parent in general fades as well after you feel you've got your feet under you bit, but I don't think we'll ever stop worrying about our babies. After a bit, it just sort of comes and goes (for me anyway!) One day I think everything is under control and the next he wakes up with gunk in his eye (which is probably nothing) or I blame myself for some little thing that goes wrong -- there are always occasions to worry, but it's not a constant thing.

Time does go by in warp speed though once the baby is born because your have daily visual evidence of such rapid growth. You or I don't change much in a few weeks or months (you know, except when we're pregnant!) but a baby sure does :)

Lois link

1/9/2016 01:21:01 pm

Congratulations! :) How sweet. :)

Julie @ Smiling Shelves link

1/10/2016 04:17:51 pm

Thanks, Lois! :)

Kate @ Mom's Radius link

1/9/2016 03:07:54 pm

Congratulations, Julie! That's such exciting news. I hope everything goes smoothly with the pregnancy and delivery. We did stories starting very early as well, and Christopher loves books. I'm hoping it lasts. It's so amazing to watch him read now - just easy readers, but still so cool. Congrats again!!

Julie @ Smiling Shelves link

1/10/2016 04:18:45 pm

Thanks, Kate! Maybe the love of reading is genetic. Sounds like it worked for Christopher! :)

Darlene @ Lost in Literature

1/10/2016 10:02:16 pm

What wonderful news! I am very happy for you!

Julie @ Smiling Shelves link

1/11/2016 03:40:58 pm

Thanks, Darlene! :)

Carrie link

1/11/2016 11:10:56 am

Congratulations! How wonderful for you. I was hoping that was the big news you alluded to!

Julie @ Smiling Shelves link

1/11/2016 03:42:11 pm

Thanks, Carrie! I've been waiting to share this news, and I finally couldn't wait any longer! :)

Erin @ Quixotic Magpie link

1/13/2016 09:15:09 am

Yay so exciting!!!!! Reading will definitely take a backseat for a while but you will be too tired to miss it. ;) Lol. I try to read now at night and fall asleep after one paragraph!

Read your books to baby when they he/she is still too young to understand what you are reading - you get to read and they are getting read to, it's win-win!

Julie @ Smiling Shelves link

1/13/2016 09:15:50 pm

Ooh, that's a great idea! I'm sure he'll enjoy a few pages of War and Peace. :)

Jade @ Reading With Jade link

1/15/2016 09:47:36 am

I don't know how I missed this announcement, and although I did congratulate you on my blog after your comment, I just wanted to do so here too - so congratulations!

With a book loving parent I'm sure your little one is going to be a keen reader too - start them young I say :-P It's lovely being able to share one of your favourite pastimes with your child.

I saw your comments about being nervous and such - that's totally normal! I found I was more nervous after the birth though because I was like he is here, what do I do, although I couldn't actually do anything with him for almost 3 days due to tough C-section recovery, which I think made it a little harder for me. It all pretty much came naturally after that though. The nervous will go, although worry is a pretty consistent thing - you do have another human to take care of now. Haha!

Regarding reading, I found I managed to fit in quite a lot of reading even with a little one to look after, especially in the early stages. A lot more than I expected to.

Ahhh, congratulations!!

Why 2016 Will Be A Very Different Year of Reading for Me

We're expecting a little bookworm in April!

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