A Long, Strange Trip
The Parent Trip: From High Heels and Parties to Highchairs and Potties is a new, hilarious book from writer Jenna McCarthy.
Jenna McCarthy is one funny lady. I got the chance to review The Parent Trip, and before I even got it in my hands, I was cracking up reading her bio on her website!
Here is an excerpt that I enjoyed, because it addresses one of my pet peeves:
You know how everyone tells you not to tell anyone that you’re trying to get pregnant? At first I thought this was simple common courtesy, as if by not disclosing this little nugget you are sparing your friends and relatives from picturing all of that valiant, clumsy endeavoring. I quickly learn the real wisdom behind this advice: The minute you tell folks you are “trying,” the pressure is on.
“Well?” they drawl each time you see them, sizing you up to see if there’s any noticeable addition to your girth.
“Nothing yet,” you reply as breezily as you can. You resist the urge to share such details as precisely when your period hit this month…
Yes, do not tell people in casual conversation that you are “trying” for a baby. No matter who you are, it just gives me the grossest visual ever; I do NOT want to think about that.
For me it is a matter of phraseology; if you say, “we would like to have a baby in the next year or two”, that is totally innocuous. It is the talk of “trying” that makes me feel dirty.
By all counts, this laugh-out-loud book is edgy, irreverent and painfully honest.
The Parent Trip has been described as; “wildly funny” , “packed with indispensable tips”, and “fresh and candid, this is the parenting book your mother warned you about.”
Jenna’s book is the perfect guide for modern day parenting.
Would you like to win a copy of The Parent Trip?
For one entry, visit JennaMcCarthy.com or her blog and look around. Tell me something you read there that made you laugh!
For a second entry, tell me something about your own “parenting trip”.
One winner will be chosen at random.
This giveaway is open to US residents.
This contest will close on December 14th, 12 midnight CST.
*Congrats to Jo!*
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07 December 2008, 1:57 pm
why you don’t tell anyone your trying to get pregnant
07 December 2008, 2:09 pm
I loved the comment on the mommy I am gonna need one of those when I am a mommy- that was funny- peeps go read if you want to know what she is gonna need lol
07 December 2008, 2:11 pm
My little one exclaimed when I said I was gonna shave my legs- so should daddy and her older brother to be fair- and she went on- made me actually feel like I had chimp hair on my legs when it was a little stubble- hey life isn’t fair
07 December 2008, 2:45 pm
Cute picture of her bouncing on the Little tykes trampoline. Also awesome first name! Thanks!
07 December 2008, 4:11 pm
The line “The other night at dinner, my three-year-old called me a lushbag.” LMAO!
07 December 2008, 4:40 pm
I’m sure this book would have a lot of laughs
07 December 2008, 5:27 pm
A funny quote:
Pumping breast milk, on the other hand, is about as organic and intuitive as watching a monster truck rally on TV while downing a bag of Doritos.
07 December 2008, 5:29 pm
My little guy says the funniest things that may just come out wrong. It’s purely innocent…
We were at a store and he saw a rather large woman and says: “MOMMY LOOK, THAT LADY IS PUMPPED UP!”
07 December 2008, 11:48 pm
I loved this post that included ~ “Mom!” she bellowed with what I can only describe as alarm. “Where’s your wine?” (I’d merely left it in the kitchen. It wasn’t as if I was forsaking it or anything. But the fact that my three year old noticed mommy’s missing wine glass was a bit disconcerting.)
08 December 2008, 12:16 am
I like the urband legends story.
08 December 2008, 12:29 am
The part about her “maiden voyage” trying to use a breast pump. Yup, I remember those days.
08 December 2008, 2:21 am
The other night at dinner, my three-year-old called me a lushbag
08 December 2008, 2:40 am
kathemc #5 & christopher h #12 are both lushbags.
Copy and paste all together now, guys.
Dont come up with something from your own thoughts.
I am a dingleberry sometimes from my son.
08 December 2008, 7:22 am
omg - that excerpt ‘mommys dead’… - i ALWAYS wonder why they make kids things like that! written so well, i was rofl!
08 December 2008, 7:50 am
Pumping breast milk, on the other hand, is about as organic and intuitive as watching a monster truck rally on TV while downing a bag of Doritos. As a breastfeeding mama I can so appreciate that comment.
08 December 2008, 7:51 am
My own parenting trip caused my husband and I the biggest laugh of all. After having almost finished raising our sons we find out were having another baby. 16 years between the baby and our oldest………now I wouldnt have it anyother way.
08 December 2008, 9:51 am
My favorite is the line the other night at dinner, my three-year-old called me a lushbag.
08 December 2008, 1:31 pm
the fact that i though it was jenny mccarthy!
08 December 2008, 3:31 pm
I thought this was funny: “It’s pretty much agreed that as far as food is concerned, babies can get by on breast milk for the first year of life. To me, that’s like saying “women can get by with one purse in perpetuity,” which theoretically, of course, is true, but do I really want to carry a sequined silver evening bag roughly the size of a banana on a day trip to Disneyland?”
08 December 2008, 5:10 pm
funny quote: pumping breast milk, on the other hand, is about as organic and intuitive as watching a monster truck rally on TV while downing a bag of Doritos! yikes!!
08 December 2008, 5:12 pm
for a second entry: parenting experience is as horrible and as pleasent like 2 peas in a pod! seriously!
08 December 2008, 5:45 pm
The line “The other night at dinner, my three-year-old called me a lushbag.”
08 December 2008, 6:49 pm
“The other night at dinner, my three-year-old called me a lushbag.” Kids say the darndest things.
09 December 2008, 5:00 am
The minute you tell folks you are “trying,” the pressure is on. - that made me giggle, beacuse it’s so true!!
09 December 2008, 5:02 am
My parenting trip us trying to tell my son that we all live differently (he is 3) - he walks into houses and states how dirty they are - “what’s happened to your floor?” he asks. i cringe every time.
09 December 2008, 7:26 pm
[...] 14th) / Cheekeyes Natural Toys play set(December 14th) / Rockin’ Baby Pouch(December 14th) / The Parent Trip by Jenna McCarthy(December 14th) / Sneaky Uses book of choice by Cy Tymony(December [...]
10 December 2008, 1:33 am
I visited her blog - I loved the Frank Zappa reference. Thanks for the chance!
10 December 2008, 2:15 am
I love Jenna in the bounce house. Hilarious.
12 December 2008, 8:22 pm
Love her and can’t wait to read this! Funny thing she says about babies can survive on breast milk for the first year is like women can use the same purse everyday but do you really want to use the silver sequined size of a bannana everyday? Thanks for the chance, justicecw@hotmail.com
13 December 2008, 8:00 pm
The other night at dinner, my three-year-old called me a lushbag
13 December 2008, 8:29 pm
Her blog is hilarious. Wow! The book to help prepare a child for Mommy’s plastic surgery!
But from the post about names:
I blame Hollyweird in general and Frank Zappa in particular. Poor, innocent Moon Unit and Dweezil have unwittingly spawned legions of ankle-biting successors with wacky handles like Reignbeau, Moxie Crimefighter, Puma and Seven Sirius.
Julies last blog post..Do you believe in Magic?
13 December 2008, 8:30 pm
I have your button.
Julies last blog post..Do you believe in Magic?
13 December 2008, 8:32 pm
I liked the part about fairy tale books”Mommy’s Dead,” and other fun and enlightening tales for tots”
13 December 2008, 8:34 pm
I’ve raised four sons and the adventures could fill volumes. Four active boys we said we should have a revolving charge account for all the emergency room bills.
14 December 2008, 6:14 am
I thought it was funny that she used a basketball and gave her husband a fashion show of what she’d look like pregnant - when she wasn’t
14 December 2008, 6:17 am
one thing I’ve learned from my 3 kids - 18, 19 and 21 - that I can’t control what happens in their lives - this was an important thing for me to learn
14 December 2008, 8:01 am
Her daughter asked her ‘I’m going to need one of those when I’m a mommy, aren’t I?’
14 December 2008, 9:10 am
[...] Most Traveled - The Parent Trip by Jenna McCarthy (Dec 14), Sneaky Uses book of choice by Cy Tymony (Dec [...]
14 December 2008, 7:38 pm
The “He Shoots He Scores” Excerpt made me laugh my butt off!!
jceko77@yahoo.com
14 December 2008, 7:46 pm
My child was severely constipated at 2 months old. I gave her a suppository. After about 5 minutes, I took her diaper off to see if she pooped and as I lifted her butt up, poop flew out and hit me from my chin all the way down my shirt. I just stood there shocked, as my husband laughed and laughed.
jceko77@yahoo.com
14 December 2008, 8:20 pm
My little one exclaimed when I said I was gonna shave my legs- so should daddy and her older brother to be fair- and she went on- made me actually feel like I had chimp hair on my legs when it was a little stubble- hey life isn’t fair…
15 December 2008, 1:32 am
she totally makes me laugh every time I read about here…
I liked the part about fairy tale books”Mommy’s Dead,” and other fun and enlightening tales for tots”
that is my favorite.
15 December 2008, 7:51 pm
I had to laugh when I read in her bio about Santa Barbara being the land of the newlyweds and nearly dead!