Blog Posts by Redbook

I am currently with a wonderful man. We dated years ago but broke up because I was ready to take the next step in our relationship and he wasn't. Last year, we got back together. Now he wants to get married, but I feel like I need to decide where I want to go with my career and what sort of relationship I want, if any. I am not sure I ever want to have children, and I know, deep down, that my boyfriend does. We have been to couples counseling, and I have also been seeing a counselor on my own. But is it unreasonable to ask for a break so I can look at the big picture? I know I can't force him to stick around while I soul-search, but I don't want to end up back in this same place in a few years - or resenting him. - J.P., 27, Boise, ID

Related: Vote for America's Hottest Husband

The easy answer is this: Continue seeing your counselor, step back, search your soul, and trust that if you do decide this man is The One, he'll still be around and available.

Related: How to Have a Better

Read More »from It's Complicated Advice Q&A: "How Do I Know if This Guy Is the One?"

by Charlotte Hilton Andersen, REDBOOK

Lists of "must have" baby products are standard fare in pregnancy and parenting magazines and while they certainly have their place - every new mom needs to start somewhere - it seems like they are getting longer and more expensive. Babies come into this world naked and without a credit card grasped in their tiny fist so why do we insist on pushing so much stuff on them? Save some money and simplify your life by separating your baby's real needs from the Pottery Barn fantasy in your head.

Related: The 18 Most Annoying Male Habits Explained

1. A changing table: Babies are like puppies, they like to poop and pee in every room of the house so skip the table and just keep a small basket of dipes-n-wipes in a few main rooms of your house. Plus if you use the floor, there's no way your baby can roll off!

2. Diaper genie: Yogurt. Vanilla. Even buttered popcorn. My friends describe their infants' poop smells many different ways but the truth is newborn

Read More »from 7 Most Overrated Baby "Must Haves" You Don't Really Need

Real women shared their love stories with us and told us the little things their husbands do that make them feel special. Find out how why they know their husband is the one for them, then check out all 25 candidates and cast you vote for America's Hottest Husband here.

Herb Vadney, 44

Hometown: Monroe, GA
Profession: Senior systems analyst/programmer
Family: Married 24 years. Father to Kellen, 16, and Sydney, 13

"Herb fills up my gas tank every week and opens doors for me. When I was going to night school, he would leave love notes under my car's windshield wipers while I was in class. He still surprises me with his kindness and love."

-Jackie Vadney, 44

Find out how Herb and Jackie met.

Ian Goicochea, 26

Hometown: Los Angeles
Profession: Mechanical engineer
Family: Married 1 year

"We planned every single [part of our wedding] together - from decorating the cupcakes to making party favors. He wanted to be a part of it all."

-Eva Goicochea, 28

Read about the

Read More »from 5 Women Share "How I Knew He Was 'The One'"

My husband of three years doesn't want any more kids. I have never led him to believe that I didn't want children. He, on the other hand, has always maintained, with 99 percent certainty, that he never wanted kids. (Yes, I know we are both at fault for this - getting married when we knew this about each other.) In that 1 percent, he said that if he had kids, he wanted two. I agreed. Long and frustrating story short, my husband "let" me have a baby, gave me hell through the pregnancy, and for the first six months of the baby's being home was always saying, "What? I never wanted kids!" Now he is finally starting to take a liking to our beautiful, happy son, who is just under a year old. However, he has flat-out refused to have any more kids and, hence, does not touch me. I love him to death, but I have always wanted more than one child. Should I feel bad for wanting children more than wanting to stay married? I hesitate to wait and see with him only to find out in a few years that his

Read More »from It's Complicated Advice Q&A: My Husband Doesn't Want More Kids and I Do

by Aaron Traister, REDBOOK

I recently came across a blog post from an esteemed colleague that asserted that most men like "innocent girls." I respectfully disagree.

First of all, I don't like girls, I like women. Secondly, the only time I think about someone's level of innocence is when I'm on a jury during a criminal trial. Besides, looking for "innocent girls" sounds sorta creepy. I mean, there are lots of "innocent girls" at the junior high school, but unless you want me judging how innocent YOU are during a future criminal trial, it's probably not such a good idea to go looking for a date there.

Related: The 18 Most Annoying Male Habits Explained

I know, I know, the guy was talking about the classic "good girl vs. bad girl debate." And to each his own, but personally speaking, I've always had a thing for tough women with a surly streak.

I've never wanted to control or corrupt anyone; cult leaders want to control and corrupt people. I've always

Read More »from Counterpoint: Why Real Men Like Their Women Bad to the Bone

by Aaron Traister, REDBOOK
DEAR WHYS GUY:
My guy LOVES the looks of Natalie Portman, Jennifer Aniston, Mila Kunis, you get the picture. He says he's attracted to me, but I look nothing like these women, not even close! Is it possible that he can be attracted to beautiful women and a mediocre one at the same time, or is he sparing my feelings?

Related: Understanding Guys: 10 Ugly Truths You Need to Know

DEAR REDBOOK READER:

I don't think Jennifer Aniston looks like Natalie Portman or Mila Kunis, but I get where you're coming from.

First off, and most importantly, never refer to your looks as "mediocre." We've all got hang ups about the way we look even, Mila Kunis, Natalie Portman, and Jennifer Aniston (I assume). I know, I know, I compare myself to monkeys and talk about being bald and weirdly shaped all the time. But that doesn't, for one minute, mean I don't think I'm the sexiest bald, weirdly-shaped monkey out there. Laugh at your hang-ups. Never take them seriously; no one else

Read More »from Dear Whys Guy: "How Can He Be Attracted to Natalie Portman AND to Me?"

by Tiffany Blackstone, REDBOOK

Why do something the "right way" if you can save time (and your sanity) doing it the slightly imperfect way? Check out these easy-way-out tips from a few busy moms-then send us your ideas.

Related: Vote for America's Hottest Husband

"When my kids were little, I held off teaching them to tell time so I could tell them it was bedtime whenever I wanted. There were days I put them to bed at 6:30 when they were really driving me bananas!"

"I'm always running late on work mornings, so I shave one leg one day-and the other the next."

Related: How to Have a Better Relationship

"When my son was young, I dressed him the night before school. I'd bathe him and put on his clothes, usually a comfy tee and sweats. In the morning, it was just shoes, socks, cereal. My friends were always appalled when I told them this, but they also talked about what a hassle mornings were. Not for me!"

Now it's time to let us in on how you do things

Read More »from 3 Funny Time-Saving Tricks from Moms

Women from across the country sent us their love stories and told us why they were still head-over-heels in love with their foxy men. Now you get to help us decide who is America's Hottest Husband. Meet five of the candidates and find out the sweet things they did for their wives. You can check out all 25 candidates and cast your vote for America's Hottest Husband here.

Clint Wasuita, 35

Hometown: Kaysville, UT
Profession: Pediatric nutrition salesman
Family: Married 1 year and 4 months

"When I was studying to become an ultrasound technician, Clint quizzed me every night for months. He was just as ready for those tests as I was!"

-Christy Wasuita, 26

Read more about why Clint is such a great husband.

Corey Christopher, 32

Hometown: Columbus, OH
Profession: Air Force sergeant on active duty in Afghanistan
Family: Married 6 years. Father to Cayden, 6, and Cillian, 4

While deployed in Afghanistan, "he even arranged for someone to come and plow our snow if weRead More »from 5 Wives Share the Reason They Fell in Love with Their Husbands