I'm a huge fan of the author Anne Lamott so it was natural for me to pick up her book, Operating Instructions, based on the journal she kept for a year after the birth of her son Sam. In it she shares her experiences, as a first-time mom, in raw form - the joy, the angst, the fear, the naughty and the dirty - on raising a baby. Nothing was sacred. If it happened, she shared it, or so it seemed, at least.

I'm not a mom, yet, but on a human level I could relate to some of the internal struggles and frustrations she had caring for a wee one - mainly from my brief stint as baby-sitter to my niece, having spent many a day with this strong, determined baby and realizing how HARD it was to deal with this little human even on a part-time basis!

Anne doesn't sugarcoat Mommyhood. As I said, this book is raw. She tells it like it is - both the good and the bad. However, she does it in such a way that it doesn't scare you from procreating in your own life.

Despite the challenging side of motherhood, or baby-sitterhood, baby's are also an enormous joy and gift - not to mention natural comedians in their own right (!) which helps you to keep things in perspective! Anne Lamott describes all the wonderments of motherhood in a flowing and humorous manner and captures the essence from every angle. I found myself laughing hysterically throughout because I could relate to so much of it. I don't feel you have to be a mom to enjoy this book, but if you are one I think it'll be a godsend to you.