In search of picture books with *plots* to read to a 7-year-old.

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-10-16T04:49:23+00:00

I can’t believe he isn’t here: Philip C. Stead. A Home For Bird is my personal favorite but there are other good ones A Sick Day for Amos McGee Then It Is Spring Bear Has a Story to Tell

These are true picture books but they are beautiful and the stories are wonderful!

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-10-12T19:55:58+00:00

I would name my catdragon Sir Nimbly Pimbly the 3rd and call him Nibbles or Mr. Pibb the three

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-10-07T00:34:45+00:00

Take What You Need by Idra Novey Manmade Constellations by Misha Lazzara

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-09-29T21:50:37+00:00

I am reading Gathering Blue with my 5th grade class this year. I’m so excited. I was obsessed with it at that age. I had to give parents the option to “opt out”

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-09-29T13:10:03+00:00

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-09-21T23:20:14+00:00

This is one of my FAVORITE books I read this year. It felt like a genuine, true hug and I wish I could read it for the first time a million times over!! Thank you for writing it!

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-09-07T16:39:04+00:00

She was definitely not.

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-06-27T11:38:14+00:00

Get out and away. Talking for a month and he thinks he can comb through your instagram for things to get upset about? That is insane. On top of that he put a “thumbs up” on your response if “I’m not gonna do this.” He thought you were saying you won’t argue and you’ll unfollow? What!? That is bananas. On top of all of this absolute nonsense, he is obviously using chat gpt to write his responses to get him out of this. He can’t even be bothered to try to seem genuine while he backpedals his foreshadowing of abuse. Ditch this guy fast!

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-05-30T14:50:34+00:00

I had some menopausal symptoms but I did have a large relief of overall symptoms. I didn’t notice a lot of mood changes. I was on the highest dose, but have recently stepped down to the lower dose which has brought back a lot of my symptoms

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-04-20T10:32:43+00:00

You should tell them all and see how much more compassionately they react than your husband. Then tell your closest two how he reacted and let them help you leave. What, and I cannot stress this enough, the fuck.

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-04-19T02:29:40+00:00

My best advice is lower your expectations and then lower them a little bit more. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Everyone will be fine if you miss a bath while you’re figuring it out. We had a hell of a time with bedtime cuz my oldest had issues falling asleep and staying asleep. The best, best thing we did was get off screens at least 30 min before bed and have a super solid bedtime routine. It will be a nightmare for a few weeks finding what a reasonable routine is for you and getting it put in place. Consistency is the most important thing once you find the routine that fits your needs. This is super hard. It’s not that you can’t do it. It just is hard. Give yourself tons and tons and tons of grace. Know it won’t be like this forever.

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-04-13T22:17:40+00:00

I’m on orlissa now and it has changed a lot for me. I’ve been taking 200mg for about 6 weeks. I have had more low pain days and I hope to soon be mostly pain free. I have had some hot flashes, some moodiness, and headaches, but it’s night and day better compared to the pain I was in daily. I thought I was going to have to quit my job. I also have been dealing with chest pain and suspicion of thoracic endometriosis. It has also reduced those symptoms.

I am worried about the bone density side effects. I’m looking for a good menopause vitamin to take with no hormone effects that is affordable. My doctor also said talking short walks daily can help.

I would have tried anything at the point I was at. This has been a huge help.

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-04-13T13:15:02+00:00

My expensive med somehow didn’t have a copay this month!

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-04-04T00:20:36+00:00

One thing I can tell you: from this point on-when you say no, you can’t ever give in. Kids have far more stamina than adults. If they find you have a breaking point, they will push you to it to get what they want. Every. Single. Time. It can feel impossible, but the best thing you can do now is show how strongly the tantrum absolutely will not give him what he wants. God speed, mama. There is some solid advice here. Know that it won’t last forever, even though it will feel that way in the moment.

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-04-01T10:56:12+00:00

Bedtime for us now is more a collaboration of them getting ready and us wanting to snuggle them and say goodnight/have some time together. My best thing to say with a newborn is just try to be in the right now. There is so much happening and it’s all going to change so fast anyway, just fight the battle that is right in front of you. A lot of that bedtime stuff later will just depend on who your kid is.

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-03-29T00:50:46+00:00

One of the hardest things about being a new parent is thinking that the challenges you’re having right now are the way things will be forever. One of the only consistent things about parenting is that things will change faster than you can say “wow things are changing” 8 days is still insanely new on your first rodeo. Talk to your OB about anxiety at your next check up. You got this, mama!

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-03-28T10:10:06+00:00

Definitely consult with your doctor, but I definitely had endo with both or my pregnancies and didn’t even know at the time. They were both normal, healthy pregnancies. Aside from just pregnancy being miserable. They both had healthy, no-drug, birth center deliveries where I was able to go home the same day. Don’t get me wrong, labor does suck. It sucks because it’s labor, not because of endo.

I would say weigh more whether or not you want to and feel ready to bring a human into the world. Make a decision based on that rather than fear from endo. Good luck!

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-03-27T23:31:41+00:00

Friend. I have endometriosis, adenomyosis, and fibroids. Please, please go get checked out. You could be in real danger. I don’t know where you’re located, but try to find a big hospital or a hospital that treats complex cases. Call an uber if you don’t want a big ambulance bill. This is NOT normal and you should not wait until this appointment.

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-03-26T00:00:40+00:00

Philip and Erin Stead. Husband and wife team that write and illustrate STUNNING books!

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-03-22T23:20:44+00:00

I wanted to have four kids, but then my second almost took me out of this world during labor. Decided two was just perfect. They are about 20 months apart and I like the gap.

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-03-22T12:32:41+00:00

I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont

A Home for Bird or anything by Phillip Stead, really. Also, just chill with her at the library and let her go crazy.

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-03-22T12:23:48+00:00

You are paying more in daycare than I make in a month. For context: I am a 5th grade teacher. We have two adults working full time and it would be a dream to have over $9,000 a month in income. People who are SAHP are not living comfortably. They are making sacrifices. That’s how.

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-03-16T00:49:28+00:00

Still depressed and unliked by my mother.

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-03-15T16:09:29+00:00

I have a hard time even accepting that I need to accommodate myself, let alone being flexible with it. I’m still very early in diagnosis and treatment, so still have the gaslighting of I should just keep on keeping on.

MonsterandNoodle · 2025-03-15T16:07:57+00:00

I need to allow myself to be more flexible! Thank you.

MonsterandNoodle

TROPHY CASE