Book Review – the First Time You Smiled (Or Was It Just Wind?)

Title: The First Time You Smiled (Or Was It Just Wind?)

Author: Cat Sims

Genre: Non Fiction/ Parenting/ Baby Journal

My Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Source: ARC

Synopsis:

A baby record journal for parents with a sense of humour.

Parenthood is filled with heart-warming milestone moments that you’ll want to hold onto forever. But in the years to come, the memories that make you laugh will more likely be the time your child cut their own hair or when you wrapped their butt in a tea towel on an emergency trip to the supermarket because you forgot to buy nappies (just me?).

The First Time You Smiled offers a cool, inclusive, non-pastel-hued place for you to record the things you don’t want to forget. It’s proof that you were nailing this parenting lark, even when it felt like you were dropping all the balls, telling a story that has both you and your child in the starring roles. Because whatever your story looks like, it starts right here with you – and that is spectacular.

My Review:

I’d like to thank Kara from Harper Collins UK for contacting me to read and review this book. I was lucky enough to receive a physical proof of this book.

All first time parents have been there. You tell everyone you are expecting your first child and everyone has the same advice to offer you. You should treasure the early days because they go by so fast. Are you planning on breastfeeding? What is your birthing plan? All these questions and more can feel very overwhelming and can sometimes make the impending parenthood seem quite daunting.

Luckily Cat Sims has put together a beautiful and relatable parenting journal to help newbie parents along their journey. This easy to store book starts from the moment of conception and follows your and your child right up until they start school. It is filled with useful information, funny anecdotes and areas for parent’s to add their own journey.

Now I know there are a lot of baby journals out there but what I love about this one is it isn’t all about the baby. Shocking I know but this is more about the family. This book highlights the parenting highs and lows we all experience in the first five years and gives the new parents an opportunity to capture all of those moments.

As a mum of two boys aged 3 and 5 I found this journal highly relatable and found myself chuckling at the different pieces of advice and stand out moments the parents could record. I even found that when it came to parenting bingo I would score top marks!

The biggest aspect that I loved about this journal was the sections where the parents could write what they had achieved that month. What small win did they accomplish that made them feel like parenting was going well. Whether it’s as small as drinking a warm cup of tea or mastering the journey towards solids, this book makes every small step feel like a big one and in a world where postnatal depression and new parent struggles are very this book could help a new parent find their confidence.

I only wish that someone had got me this book when I was expecting.

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