She´s hilarious. She´s also wise and full of empathy. And she helps new mothers maintain the one thing they can´t survive without-a sense of humor. Cynthia Copeland, a mother of three (and author of Really Important Stuff My Kids Have Taught Me, with 325,000 copies in print), knows the real poop-figuratively and literally-on being a new mother, and she has the wit, skill, and generosity to share it.

Illustrated throughout with the author´s wonderful cartoons, The Diaper Diaries chronicles the first year of motherhood, from the hospital stay (nominees for the world´s worst labor coach anyone?) to baby´s first birthday and contemplating the unimaginable-having another. There are lists, quizzes, timelines, charts, and real-life stories. Birth announcement faux pas. Names and nicknames and what they really mean. Pacifier tales. A guide to Nana-speak. How a 4-mile car trip can take 2 hours. Why it´s impossible to get to work without finding spit-up or rice cereal somewhere on your clothing. Ten reasons to be happy you´re up at 3:15 a.m.

And, with Mr. Phrenology-like illustrations, a section on the new mother´s brain before and after baby, featuring: The Travel Section (Then: How to flirt your way into first class. Now: How to sweet talk your jogging stroller onto the plane), The Television Section (Then: How to tell Carrie from Samantha from Miranda from Charlotte. Now: How to tell Laa-Laa from Po from Dipsy from Tinky Winky), and The Sex Section (Then: Exact location of G-spot. Now: ________).

6.5 x 6.0 x 0.8 inches; 256 pp; paperback