Instant Mom audiobook

I picked this up at the library on a whim. I'm not even sure why outside of the fact that I liked 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' and Nia Vardalos seemed to be a nice girl with talent. Oddly enough, I have practically no interest in parenting, adoption or children as I, myself, knew from an early age that I definitely did not want children ever. I look at parenthood as one of life's most thankless tasks. I know I am the exception rather than the rule. I have never regretted not having children. I enjoy my nieces and nephews and I enjoy 'giving them back.' But I know that many women have a deep rooted desire for children that almost seems biological if there is such a thing. Nia was one of these women and could not conceive even through fertility treatments, etc. This is basically the story of her desire to be a mother and how she succeeded in realizing her dream. Lo and behold, I really enjoyed it. She writes well in a chatty manner and I felt sad and happy for her every step of the way. Sad when she was faced with so many obstacles she didn't think she would ever be a Mom and happy when she finally prevailed after a decade of trying. It's refreshing to hear someone overjoyed at the way things turned out and know how blessed they've been. I like her even more after reading this!!

This book was outstanding and I found it to be very candid and refreshing. I wish it were being marketed differently because it is more than an adoption "how to" guide. I think everyone should read it as an honest glimpse into the world of foster care and foster adoption which is often portrayed as so negative and fear-inducing by the media.

A warm, funny, and incredibly likable memoir of Nia Vardalos's experience becoming a mom through the U.S. foster system (adopting a little girl who was nearly 3). Her huge love for her daughter shines through every page of the book - and honestly, I think this book and her experience could sell almost anyone on the idea of adoption through the foster system! - but she's also very honest about the real challenges they faced in their adjustment period after the adoption, as well as about the pain and depression of the 10 years beforehand that she'd spent trying to become a mom through various other methods. I liked it a lot, and I'd recommend it whether or not you have any interest in adoption for yourself. (I don't, personally, but that didn't stop me relating to the writer and enjoying the whole book a lot.)

Oh Nia Vardalos, I love your book and your story. I spent the entire time I was reading this book asking myself two questions; “Where has this book been all my life?” and “Why am I not besties with Nia Vardalos?” This heart-warming and eye opening book is a must for everyone, especially anyone who can answer yes to one of the following questions:-You are currently trying to conceive (TTC)-You have gone through (or are currently going through) fertility treatments-You want to adopt-You love kids-You know someone with infertility or who is adopting/adopted childrenNia Vardalos (writer and star of My Big Fat Greek Wedding) and her husband Ian went through years of fertility treatments before deciding to pursue adoption. After discovering that adoption is not as easy or time- efficient as they expected Nia and her husband began looking into adopting through foster care. This book tells the story of how Nia and Ian found their beautiful daughter and how the process worked for them. Nia explains the differences between types of adoption, the resources available for those wanting to adopt and addresses many adoption concerns.I could not put this book down. Every page reminded me exactly why we want to adopt through the foster care program. I found myself wanting to hand this book out to everyone we know so they can truly see the beauty to be found in the process and to allow them to more fully understand where we are coming from as a couple struggling to build our family. If you want to have your heart lifted, enjoy tears and laughter and truly understand the hearts of those dying to become parents please pick this book up today.

AMAZING! This is so beautifully written: it's a funny and gut-wrenching book about hope and optimism. I'm not a mom or married but I completely related to this book about tenacity and the pursuit of happiness. I have always looked up to Nia Vardalos as a person who gets things down, who admits she's human and makes mistakes. Her autobiography is so honest and I recommend it for everyone. It's an instant classic, you will love it.

I enjoyed reading this book! Nia Vardalos has written a candid and heartfelt account of her journey to motherhood. Recommended for anyone interested in adoption, foster care or heartwarming stories.

I really enjoyed this book. I've been a fan of Nia Vardalos since My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It was great to read about how she got her start in comedy in Toronto and her subsequent career trajectory - all while negotiating fertility treatments, investigating adoption options and then ultimately adopting her daughter. Vardalos has become an advocate for the US & Canadian foster care systems out of which she adopted her child. The book is fresh, funny and honest - plus, for those looking to adopt, it is packed with resources (Vardalos' insights plus and extensive appendix at the end).I did have to take a few things with a grain of salt - some of her experiences with fostering-to-adopt seem a little too good to be true. And towards the end of the book, her gushing over her daughter started to wear a bit thin as did some of her laissez-faire parenting style that seemed a little passive aggressive (towards other people, not towards her daughter). There seemed to be a tiny bit of "fuck you, that's how my daughter is - if you don't like it, you can suck it" going on. While I think it's important to support your kids and not always be correcting them or apologizing for them, it would be nice to know that if we were all in a shared space, I wouldn't just get the middle finger from Vardalos if her child (or her dog who apparently peed in someone's picnic basket) did something inappropriate.But aside from that nitpicking :) this is really an excellent book. A lot of people who write this kind of memoir could learn a lot (yay for whoever Vardalos had as an editor!). And it has certainly given me a lot of insight into the foster-to-adopt system. Definitely recommend for parents, fans of Vardalos and anyone who has struggled with fertility.

While this isn't a brilliantly-written book, it is real and natural and honest, and that's refreshing. It's pretty much like any parent's blog or memoir, with a little more Rita Wilson and Sean Hayes and paparazzi. I liked Vardalos a lot on the page even though I know our senses of humor wouldn't mesh in real life (she acknowledges having an immature sense of humor, and I can't argue with her--not in the way she writes, but in incidents she talks about from real life). I haven't seen any of her movies, and I'd like to. The stuff about adopting her daughter is really nice but to be honest, I was most moved by how hard she worked and how persistent she was in order to get noticed in Hollywood and get My Big Fat Greek Wedding made.

Funny. Loved the parts describing when her daughter first arrives. Very real but someone having a more exciting real life. Very relatable and I learned about adoption and had some laughs.

A really candid, open and funny look at the struggles of infertility and adopting. Read because I love Nia's movie's and her attitude. It was sad, funny and so sweet. Though a bit bittersweet since she and Ian have divorced since writing.